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al species, 43 percent of amphibians, 29 percent of reptiles and 14 percent of birds are threatened. African elephants may be extinct within a decade. A third of world fisheries are exhausted or degraded. Forty percent of coral reefs and a third of mangroves have been destroyed or degraded. Most species of predator fish are in decline. Ocean acidification, a product of fossil fuel burning, is dissolving calcifying plankton at the base of the food chain. A garbage gyre at least twice the size of Texas swirls in the Pacific Ocean. “We’re changing the ability of the planet to provide food and water,” Harte said. Even scientists who doubt ecological collapse, such as Michele Marvier, chair of environmental studies at Santa Clara University, acknowledge that “humans dominate every flux and cycle of the planet’s ecology and geochemistry.”
Then there are the new facts about supplies of water and food, which again Lochhead recites the facts which should be triggers for action, but so far have not been.
In December, the Interior Department said by mid-century the Colorado River will not support demand from the seven states it supplies, including California. The main reason is expected population growth from 40 million to as many as 76 million people. Among the remedies considered: towing icebergs from the Arctic to Southern California. “Phoenix continues to grow at one of the highest rates in the country,” said Jerry Karnas, population and sustainability director of the Center for Biological Diversity, the only national environmental group campaigning to limit population growth. “There is no discussion about what the future Phoenix is going to do when the Colorado River is done.” Ecosystems can endure large stresses. But multiple stresses can act synergistically. Take food. The World Resources Institute, an environmental think tank, estimates that by mid-century the world will need 70 percent more food, because as people grow wealthier they eat more meat, requiring more grain to feed livestock. That will require converting more land to crops, even as urbanization destroys prime farmland. Farms are a big source of deforestation and a big emitter of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Climate change reduces yields by increasing the frequency of droughts and floods. Lower yields will require conversion of more land to farms. Still, nature has shown great resiliency, said Santa Clara University’s Marvier. Peregrine falcons nest in San Francisco skyscrapers. Coyotes roam Chicago. “We can’t just continue dumping nitrogen into the ocean at the same rate and expect everything to be fine,” Marvier said. “The good news, though, is that when we do clean up our act, we tend to see some pretty amazing bounce back.” Barnosky agreed that natural systems are resilient. “But you have to give them a chance to be resilient,” he said. “Falcons can live in cities. But elephants can’t.” People have been predicting disaster for centuries, including 18th century scholar Thomas Malthus and Stanford University ecologist Paul Ehrlich, who in 1968 with his wife Anne predicted famines from runaway population growth in “The Population Bomb.” Ehrlich said he was right because at least 2 billion people are malnourished. “You’ll find plenty of people who will tell you not to worry, technology will take care of it,” Ehrlich said. “We’ll feed, house, clothe and so on 9.5 billion people, give them happy lives with no problem at all. That’s exactly the line that Anne and I got when there were 3.5 billion people on the planet. … The answer is, they haven’t done it.”
So what will be the ultimate triggers for action which were set forth so long ago by Paul Ehrlich and the Club of Rome group? Certainly not the NGO’s which should be at the forefront, as Lochhead fearless and accurately tells us.
Reducing population growth was central to the U.S. environmental movement at its birth in 1970, spurred in part by Ehrlich’s book. Most environmental groups now steer clear of the subject. Forced sterilizations in India in the 1970s and China’s coercive one-child policy angered feminists and tainted family planning efforts. Liberals argue that blaming environmental problems on population growth is to “blame the poor.” They say the United States and other capitalist societies consume too much. Conservatives and religious groups who oppose abortion and celebrate reproduction attack family planning at home and abroad. This summer a House Appropriations panel again slashed money for family planning aid. Population and consumption each drive ecological damage. “Even in poorer nations that don’t have the impact that the average American has on the planet, population as it grows squeezes out other species because people need space to live, and the other species need space to live,” said Jeffrey McKee, an anthropologist at Ohio State University. “At some point they come into juxtaposition, and something has to give. So far, it hasn’t been us.”
In her opinion and mine, the ultimate driver of change must await only even more dire outcomes, particularly ones that more deeply affect the rich and powerful, who in the USA have gotten more rich and more powerful than at any time in US history, enabling them to mute and/or subvert timely action by the money bought, inaction crippled representatives of our unique, but rapidly becoming impotent republic!!
She tells us that,
Plummeting fertility rates, from 4.9 births per woman in the 1960s to the current 2.6, led to the belief that worries about population were overblown. The drop surprised demographers. Half the world — including Japan and Western Europe but also China, Vietnam, Brazil and other emerging economies — is below the 2.1 fertility rate needed for zero growth. The United States, the world’s third-largest country behind China and India, and the only rich country still growing rapidly, recently saw its birth rate fall to 1.9.
Of course, US growth has been almost entirely due to our allowing immigration to burgeon from 1965 to the present with millions of unneeded immigrants, most of them poor and unskilled, but favored for their faith and their numbers by the Roman Catholic Church and the Latino advocacy agenices aided and abetted by the businesses who are willing to destroy our country to obtain a few cheap engineers when our supply of US engineers is too great to employ them. See The STEM Crisis Is a Myth: Forget the dire predictions of a looming shortfall of scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians.
Lochhead tells us,
Press coverage has stressed a “birth dearth” that threatens economic growth and elderly retirements, prompting fears that the human species could contract to 1 billion by 2300 because of a failure to reproduce. But an important exception to falling fertility rates is sub-Saharan Africa, along with such places as Afghanistan and Yemen, where birth rates remain exceptionally high. U.N. demographers sharply raised their population projections last year, adding another billion people by century’s end, to nearly 11 billion, because African fertility rates have peaked at more than five births per woman. From now until 2050, poor countries will add the equivalent of a city of 1 million people every five days, said a report last year by the Royal Society, a British scientific organization. Population momentum ensures that absolute numbers will keep rising for decades despite falling birth rates. That’s because the exponential growth that took just 12 years to add the last billion in 2011 — and will take just 14 more years to add the next billion — means growth is building from a large base of people, many in their child-bearing years. Falling birth rates have lulled people into complacency, said J. Joseph Speidel, a professor at UCSF’s Bixby Center on Global Reproductive Health. “The annual increment is rising quite dramatically,” he said. “We are still adding about 84 million people a year to the planet.” Although rich countries will have problems supporting their elderly, “I’d sure rather have the problems of Spain or Sweden than Nigeria or Niger,” Speidel said.
Another well told but ignored fact is the number of “Unintended births” about which Lochead reminds our gutless leaders:
More than 40 percent of the world’s 208 million pregnancies each year are unplanned, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a family planning research group. Half of U.S. pregnancies, about 3 million a year, are unintended, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, a Washington advocacy group. About half of them end in abortion. Across cultures, from Iran to Thailand to California, voluntary access to contraception has slashed fertility rates, Speidel said. But discussion of population growth remains taboo.
This article, so important and yet so ignored, continues with other salient facts which are included to do it full justice. My only contribution is to highlight what she has so perfectly delineated. Read the rest and then be sure to email her (clochhead@sfchronicle.com) your thanks and regards.
“Many young people on university campuses have been taught over the past 15 years that the connection between population growth and the environment is not an acceptable subject for discussion,” said Martha Campbell, director of International Population Dialogue at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, in a recent essay. Campbell argued that voluntary contraception is not coercive, but blocking women from controlling how many children they have is coercive. When given a chance, she said, women across cultures choose to provide a better life for fewer children. The Guttmacher Institute said it would cost an extra $4.1 billion a year, little more than a rounding error in the $3.8 trillion U.S. budget, to provide birth control to all 222 million women in the world who want to limit their pregnancies but lack access to contraception. “What many of us really worry about is that there will be this crash landing, from a planet with 9 billion, rapidly down to 5 or so,” said ecologist Harte. “The landing will result from methods of population reduction that none of us want to see, like famine, disease and war,” he added. “I don’t think anybody has described a workable trajectory that gets us up to 9 and then softly back down to 5.” Population change and birth rates Small increases in women’s fertility rates make a big difference in population growth over time. The difference between fertility rates of 1.75 and 2 births per woman equals: — 2 billion more people in 2100. — 5 billion more people in 2200. — 7 billion more people in 2300. A fertility rate of 1.5, just below the current average in Europe, would: — Keep world population at its current level of about 7 billion in 2100. — Cut world population below 3 billion in 2200. Sources: United Nations; and Stuart Basten, Wolfgang Lutz, Sergie Scherbov, “Very long range global population scenarios to 2300 and the implications of sustained low fertility” in Demographic Research, Vol. 28, Article 39, May 30. Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicle’s Washington correspondent. E-mail: clochhead@sfchronicle.com
Former US Navy officer, banker and venture capitalist, Former US Navy officer, banker and venture capitalist, Donald A. Collins, a free lance writer living in Washington, DC., has spent over 40 years working for women’s reproductive health as a board member and/or officer of numerous family planning organizations including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute, Family Health International and Ipas. Yale under graduate, NYU MBA. He is the author of From the Dissident Left: A Collection of Essays 2004-2013
A Word for Stephen Colbert – Overpopulation
Be sure to ‘like’ us on FacebookWinning a championship from down three to one against a 73 win team seemed nearly impossible last year. Defending that championship against the newly retooled Golden State Warriors may prove to be even harder, though. The Cavalier’s front office knows this, and have been busy all summer trying to fill gaps and mend the holes left by players like Timofey Mozgov and Matthew Dellavedova who signed elsewhere in the offseason. With the current “win now” philosophy of the Cavaliers, the fact that their cap space was dwindling, and the emergence of already acquired younger players like Kay Felder and Jordan McRae, it was only natural that the Cavaliers began exploring a multitude of veteran players. Over this summer, two players were able to reach a deal with the reigning NBA Champions – center Chris Andersen and small forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. What exactly can they bring to the table this year and what can we expect from them as the Cavaliers seek to defend the title?
Chris Andersen, who’s played 14 seasons in the NBA, was signed by the Cavaliers in July. He started this past season with Miami, and was plagued with knee issues that allowed him to only see the court seven times while with them. He was then dealt to injury-ridden Memphis, who sought relief from the gap down low that Marc Gasol’s injury brought. Andersen played 20 games with the Grizzlies, starting 14 of them and averaging 18.3 minutes per game. He even played four playoff games last year, starting two of them.
In the games he did play, he proved he still could be productive when healthy. His FG%, 52.8%, would have been the third best on the Cavs for players who played over five minutes per game. At the rim (0-2 feet), he shot 67.4%, higher than Tristan Thompson last year. His Player Efficiency Rating, 15.3, would have been fifth best on the Cavaliers last year.
One of his main strength lies in his defensive pressure. His Defensive Box Plus-Minus, 1.1, would have been fifth on the Cavaliers of players with over 100 minutes played. He also blocked 2.9% of all opponent shots while on the court last year and had a steal in 1.9% of all defensive possessions. Only Timofey Mozgov had a higher block percentage, 3.5%, and only Iman Shumpert and LeBron James had higher steal percentages, 2.1% and 2.0% respecivtely, out of players with the same minute qualification on the Cavaliers.
Along with being a defensive presence, he was also able to command the glass on offense. His Offensive Rebound Percent, the percentage of shots that his team missed that he grabbed, was 9.9% last year, which would have been second only to Tristan Thompson on the Cavaliers out of players who played over 100 minutes. In addition to these stats, he already has chemistry with LeBron James and James Jones— Anderson was a crucial part of their second NBA Championship in 2013 with Miami, where he set a record for NBA Playoff FG% with 80.4%.
The circumstances bringing Mike Dunleavy Jr. to Cleveland are a bit more complicated.
This veteran, who also has 14 seasons of NBA experience, was acquired in a trade with the Bulls involving Dunleavy’s contract being absorbed into a trade exception and the exchange of the Cavalier’s recently acquired rights to Albert Miralles – both of which the Cavaliers acquired from the Matthew Dellavedova sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.
This veteran small forward also had injury issues last year. Due to back issues resulting in surgery, he missed the first portion of the season and was able to play only 31 games during the 2015-2016 season. Fortunately, since the games he did play were after recovering from the procedure, the Cavaliers won’t be going into the season blind to his abilities after surgery, especially since he was able to play an average of 22.7 minutes per game during the 31 games he played.
Dunleavy is an elite outside threat – his 39.4% three point percentage would stand as the third highest on the Cavaliers last year of players that played over 500 minutes. His three point shot is his most used offensive weapon, accounting for 52.7% of all of his shots. Only four Cavaliers – JR Smith, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, and Iman Shumpert – shot a larger percentage of their shots from beyond the arc. He shoots even better on catch-and-shoot threes, shooting 40.7%. A lot of the spacing he creates comes with his ability to move without the ball. On offense, he moved with an average speed 4.90 miles per hour – highest on the Bulls last year and higher than any Cavalier.
Per 36 minutes, he averaged 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists – higher in all three categories than the Cavaliers’ current backup small forward, Richard Jefferson, who averaged 11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per 36 minutes. On the defensive end, his 6’9” height plays heavily to his advantage. When defending the three point shot – which accounted for over a third of his defensive attempts – his opponents shot a mere 29.9%, which is 4.8% less than their average. This would account for the best differential on the Cavaliers for players who defended at least 25 three pointers.
With these promising additions, the Cavaliers look to lock down meaningful benchminutes to give the starters their needed rest and fill gaps left in the reserves from the players who left. All the numbers point to these two veterans being highly effective for the NBA Champions this year. Most importantly, these two veterans have experience. Chris Andersen has played in 73 playoff games, and Mike Dunleavy Jr. has played in 26. They bring with them even more playoff confidence to an already playoff-savvy team. They have the abilities, basketball IQ, and skills needed to help propel the Cavaliers forward as this team sets their eyes on the road ahead — the road back to the greatest stage in the NBA to defend their title.A Canadian who has been struggling to bring his parents to visit for the past 13 years blames the constant refusal of visas on the fact that they are citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the rejection letters, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) says that Patrick Kongawi's parents did not convince its agents that they will leave the country before their visas expire.
Kongawi, who has lived in Saskatchewan for 22 years, says his parents don't intend to stay in Canada. He says they meet all the criteria for obtaining a visa.
"I feel that the immigration office treats you differently depending on where you come from. If I did not come from a troubled country, if I was from a stable country, I think I would not have experienced the same obstacles," Kongawi said.
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, nationals of 148 countries, mainly in Africa, the Middle East and South America need a visa to visit Canada. However, citizens from 58 other countries can visit Canada without visas.
Visa submission
When Kongawi contacted Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, a spokesman with his office said Kongawi's mother would be eligible to apply for another visa should she provide full documentation and add the following:
Funds available.
Employment history.
Income history.
Bank statements for the past six months are "often suggested to show funds available aren't a sudden lump sum deposit or loan."
Show ties to home that will "absolutely require her to return home. This includes employment, property, current rental/lease agreements that will continue in her absences and an explanation (a photo might help) of any family back home that rely on her. These things will show she will absolutely return home."
Mention she visited a long time ago and "provide documents showing past travel to other countries and returns home."
The spokesman specified that he was relaying information from CIC.
Kongawi believes that this is an invasion of his family's privacy and the conditions are overly complex.
"This is not a balanced system because if you were Belgian or French, you do not need a visa. You come here, you go. It's over," Kongawi said.
"It's very difficult because we always look suspicious … Canada can become a prison, really a real prison for immigrants."
Kongawi fears that the newly arrived Syrian refugees in Canada could face the same fate as him and be separated from their family members, because they'll need visas to visit them.
Low chances of getting visitor visas
From 2004 to 2015, Canada refused on average 18 per cent of applications for visitor visas in all countries. During the same period, the average percentage of visas denied to nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo was 58 per cent.
The average acceptance rate of applications for visitor visas from the Democratic Republic of Congo is 42 per cent. (CBC)
A matter of perception
Chris Veeman, an immigration lawyer in Saskatoon, believes that the citizens of politically unstable countries find it more difficult to obtain visitor visas for Canada.
"It's very common that immigration officials think they will stay in Canada, where there is more security and more economic opportunities. It can be very difficult to succeed in situations like this," he said.
He believes that perception can play a central role in the decision of immigration officials to grant a visa.
"Immigration officers must ensure that visitors will leave Canada at the end of their [visa] visit.... It is a fear that people come here as visitors and they are trying to stay without making application for permanent residence," Veeman said.
Immigration lawyer Chris Veeman believes that citizens of countries plagued by political instability struggle more to obtain visitor visas to Canada. (CBC) In a message sent to CBC, federal officials said they ensure that "requests from around the world are examined uniformly and according to the same criteria, regardless of the country of origin of the applicant."
The federal government adds that "foreigners who wish to come to Canada as temporary residents must prove that they will respect the conditions that apply to temporary residents, including willfully leaving the country at the end of their visit."The EIA has just released its Short-Term Energy Outlook. Some of their projections should be taken with a grain of salt because they usually change every month. Nevertheless…
All US production is Crude + Condensate. All other production numbers are total liquids. The data is in million barrels per day.
The EIA has US production leveling out at just under 8.8 million bpd until Oct. 2017.
They have all large gains coming from the Gulf of Mexico.
The EIA sees no big gains coming from shale plays. They have production bottoming out in March and April, then increasing only slightly the rest of the year.
They have Alaska pretty much holding its own thru 2017.
They have Non-OPEC liquids recovering in 2017 but still holding below the 2015 average.
The big increase in 2017 average is supposed to come from Russia. They have Russia peaking in January then starting a slow but steady decline.
The EIA says China saw a huge increase in liquids production in November, down slightly in December before dropping again in January. I have no idea where the EIA got this November production data from. I could find nothing on the web that confirmed this data.
Europe consist primarily of the UK, Norway and other North Sea production. The EIA has Europe declining throughout 2017 before recovering somewhat in October.
And just out, the EIA’s weekly estimate of US Weekly Petroleum Status Report with their best estimate of US C+C production as of December 2nd. This data is in thousand barrels per day.Former Ontario ombudsman André Marin wants to run for the opposition Progressive Conservatives in the upcoming Ottawa-Vanier byelection, driven into elected politics by anger over petty tweaks to electricity prices announced in the latest throne speech.
“You have an institution, which is parliament, and the speech from the throne is reserved for some pretty big stuff. Policy directions, big changes,” Marin said in an interview Friday. Instead, Premier Kathleen Wynne used the Sept. 12 speech to tout a hydro rebate equivalent to provincial sales tax and a plan for more daycare spaces.
Kathleen Wynne’s world is like Alice in Wonderland
“It’s a teeny weeny, itsy-bitsy hyperpartisan speech and I said to myself, enough is enough. Hydro rates are soaring through the roof, people are paying $1,000 a year more on hydro since the Liberals are in and now we get thrown this bone. Kathleen Wynne’s world is like Alice in Wonderland. It’s this blue-sky world and we’re worrying about our grandchildren when we can’t pay today’s bills,” Marin said.
He contacted the Progressive Conservatives and said he wanted in. Leader Patrick Brown welcomed him with open arms.
“There’s a saying in Ottawa-Vanier that all you need to get elected is to be a donkey with a red bowtie. I think those days are over. The riding has been Liberal since 1971, which is the year the Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup, the year Pierre Trudeau married Margaret Trudeau. It’s been way too long. The people of Ottawa-Vanier have been taken for granted,” Marin said.
(The Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967. Though that was the year Tory Jules Morin last won the seat for the Progressive Conservatives. He held it till 1971.)
Marin’s career includes stints as a Crown prosecutor, director of Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit that examines serious injuries and deaths involving police, and the federal military ombudsman. Marin now teaches part-time in the University of Ottawa’s law faculty and writes a column for the Ottawa and Toronto Suns. He’s a father of six children.
As Ontario’s ombudsman, he denounced government carelessness and malfeasance, issuing reports with eye-catching visuals — he commissioned an artist to draw Hydro One as a pig gorged on money with plugs for trotters for a report on the utility’s billing practices – and giving take-no-prisoners news conferences. He issued fiery reports on prisoner abuse in Ontario’s jails, on crowd-control tactics during mass protests, on slack oversight of home daycares.
“I was always a champion for the little guy,” he said.
He was also a self-promoter who campaigned openly for more powers, and billed hundreds of thousands in expenses related to living in Ottawa while working in Toronto. When his last term was due to expire a year ago last May, he organized a Twitter protest demanding that he be reappointed.
He got a short extension, just long enough for the government to settle on a different successor: former federal taxpayers’ ombudsman Paul Dubé. Dubé is much lower-key and believes a less confrontational attitude than Marin’s gets better results. In a late-evening Twitter venting just the other day, Marin called him a doormat, Marie Antoinette and a village idiot.
I can hear champagne bottle corks popping in Govt over @Ont_Ombudsman's pledge to b nice & gentle. Lets b friends & screw the people. — André Marin (@Ont_AndreMarin) September 22, 2016
He was defending himself, he said Friday. If he’s occasionally gone farther than he should have, he still feels good about his public persona overall.
“I’ve been my own boss all my life. Of course it’s a different transition and I fully accept it. But I believe in the leader of the Progressive Conservative party. He’s fiscally responsible, socially progressive, and that pretty well describes me. I will be a good party player,” Marin said.
Asked what issues need particular attention in Ottawa-Vanier, Marin returned to electricity prices — “the issues that are affecting everyone across Ontario. We are creating a new league of poverty over hydro rates,” he said.
Marin lives in south Nepean, well away from Ottawa-Vanier, but he said his years studying and now teaching at the University of Ottawa give him a strong connection. Plus all the time and money he’s spent in ByWard Market restaurants, he joked.
The timing of the election is in Wynne’s hands; she hasn’t called it yet. The Liberals convinced U of O law dean and civil-rights advocate Nathalie Des Rosiers (the head of the law faculty where Marin teaches now) to seek their nomination in Ottawa-Vanier. The New Democrats have nominatedClaude Bisson, a retired civilian RCMP executive and brother of their house leader Gilles Bisson.
University of Ottawa education professor Cameron Montgomery also declared he wanted to run under the Tory banner but will switch to challenging Liberal cabinet minister Marie-France Lalonde in Orléans in the next general election instead, the party says.The Bakersfield Condors passed the halfway point of their first season as the Oilers’ top affiliate and charter member of the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division with a 5-3 win over the San Jose Barracuda in Monday matinee.
It’s has been a challenging year in many ways, and result-wise, not what the new fans in Bakersfield were expecting although those hopes were based on a high-profile lineup that was laid out in September and mostly gone by early November. That’s what a top farm club, a Triple-A team, does – provide fill-ins and prospects for the big club.
The Condors will be hard-pressed to make the AHL playoffs and follow up on a short yet exciting post-season run in Oklahoma City last spring.
Here’s a mid-season review of how the players have fared:
GOALIES
Laurent Brossoit – he and Jujhar Khaira are the top-end prospects still in Bakersfield. The netminder has been extremely good and may force the Oil’s hand next season though one more year of seasoning and heavy workload instead of sitting on the bench would be more valuable.
Eetu Laurikainen – left briefly for Finland when there was a three-headed monster between the pipes with Ben Scrivens around. Returned after Scrivens trade and is working his way into long-range future plans.
Ty Rimmer – good story on the comeback from cancer. Worthwhile to look at as a long-term back-up to Eetu if Brossoit gets full-time work in Edmonton.
DEFENCE
Brad Hunt – he’s a big shot and not much else other than experienced. He’s not good in his own zone. This may very well be his last year as a veteran gatekeeper in the organization, and would seem like a nice fit for a team in a wide-open European league.
Griffin Reinhart – not once has he had a game where you’d be convinced he’s ready for consistent NHL work. His lack of dominance at this level is very unnerving. If he doesn’t put something together after the all-star break, more in-depth concerns will immerge.
David Musil – more Clydesdale than thoroughbred, he’ll never be a nifty or quick on his feet but his effort and overall game show that he’s worth a long look at the 2016 training camp. There’s something there – maybe the next Brandon Davidson?
Jordan Oesterle and Dillon Simpson – pretty well mirror images in what they can and can’t do. It’s a shame they aren’t 6-2’’ and 225. Neither does enough of one thing (offence, physicality, etc.) well enough to warrant big consideration.
Nikita Nikitin – at this age, he’s very good at this level and seemingly done at the NHL level. If he was a moderately price veteran a la Hunt, he’d be worth re-signing for his presence. But he’s not and we’ll say goodbye in April.
Martin Gernat – ex-Oil King is done as a prospect, if he ever really was one. Can’t see why he’d be a part of next season’s group.
Ben Betker – got the deserving call from Norfolk last week. Up to him now to show he can stick. Likely ticketed for full-time work in Bakersfield next season.
Nick Pageau – AHL/ECHL tweener did decent job stepping in when needed. Possibility he might get a second contract next fall.
TOP LINE
They do what they do and hold down three of the top-four spots in team scoring.
Ryan Hamilton – with his leadership ability and AHL-level skills, he is a keeper for at least another year.
Andrew Miller – really just an emergency fill-in for Oilers and has been bypassed by as a prospect. Very good AHL skillset so he should be welcome to return more in a veteran role.
Matthew Ford – good shooter though he takes some undisciplined penalties. California-native is apparently eyeing retirement at season’s end.
SECOND LINE
This is a unit that has fluctuated the most during the year due to call-ups and injuries. For the most part it has featured Jujhar Khaira who has vastly improved following a lackluster 2014-15 campaign. He is a future Oiler, and would seem to be a good replacement for underachieving Anton Lander. Others on this line have included:
Anton Slepyshev – derailed by injury and put up only four goals in 20 games. How much of that has been an effect of revolving-door linemates and the departure of Bogdan Yakimov? Lots of eyes will be watching to see if he breaks out in the second half of the season.
Tyler Pitlick – has been unfortunately snake-bit by injuries again, this time lengthy concussion issues. When he’s suited up, he’s been a force with speed. The question will be do the Oilers want to give him another season or write him off as other healthier prospects need the room.
Kyle Platzer – a nice rookie season in the ‘A’ and there’s some indications he could be a valuable minor-leaguer, maybe a future Hamilton/Miller spot-filler with more versatility.
Josh Winquist – hampered by a lower-body injury, but when he’s in, he produces. Doubtful he’ll be an impact prospect but he might have worked himself into being a key part of the Triple-A future or raise his profile for some European league paydays.
Iiro Pakarinen – only a brief stint in Bakersfield before call-up to Oil and probably won’t be back.
BOTTOM SIX
A massive mixed-bag of personnel has made up the third and fourth lines throughout the season. With all the injuries and call-ups, it’s been rare to see the same six in the same spots from one game to the next. At one point in the year, the Condors had all six spots occupied by AHL rookies.
Mitch Moroz – this season has been about re-inventing and developing. If he can bring that all to the table for 2015-16 then he’s back in the future watch. If he doesn’t, then he will become a case-study of a wasted second-round pick.
Kale Kessy – Only Ford, Miller, and Hamilton have more goals. That’s not a great sign for your team as a whole but for the player himself it’s golden, and he hasn’t let anything slip in the way of physical play.
Joey LaLeggia – as a defenceman he was pounded by opposing forwards every single game but he has more than enough offensive skills to play, and be better suited, up front. All in all, though, not a prospect who should be counted on to play in Edmonton.
Braden Christoffer – junior free-agent has been effective on some nights and rightly a scratch for others. Low production numbers but he’s feisty and combative.
Marco Roy – was once a failed draft pick and now a serviceable fill-in. Deservedly staying with top farm team (for now).
Alexis Loiseau – did his part in call-up from Norfolk and if there are wholesale departures in off-season, he could fit better in Bakersfield.
Phil McRae – succumbed to the nasty Valley Fever and missed two months. Good fit when he’s been in and could fill a role spot next season.
Josh Currie – an ECHL call-up whose penalty-killing abilities, tenacity, and consistency have earned him a right to stay in Bakersfield. He deserves an AHL contract next year.
Greg Chase – Missed the boat in training camp as he was expected to be in Triple-A, but was an early send-down to Norfolk. Surpassed on depth chart but a handful of others.
Midpoint Team MVP – Laurent Brossoit
Midpoint Biggest Surprise in a Good Way – Kale Kessy
Midpoint Biggest Disappointment – Griffin Reinhart
From the nest
The Condors got a pair of goals from Rob Klinkhammer in Monday’s win and he now has three including two shorthanded tallies in two games with Bakersfield. Eetu Laurikainen won his second straight between the pipes … It was the second game of a four-game road trip that wraps with tilts on Friday and Saturday in San Antonio. Bakersfield will then play two at home against Manitoba and a take a quick trip to Stockton before the AHL All-Star Game in Syracuse.You've been up since 3 a.m.
After dealing with long check-in lines, long security lines and long faces from flight attendants even unhappier to be on that plane than you, your 6 a.m. flight finally lifts off.
"I'm just going to recline my seat and catch a couple of hours of sleep before we land," you think as the pilot switches off the seatbelt sign.
The Knee Defender has caused three flights to make emergency landings in just over a week. CNN's Tom Foreman has more.
The fight over seat reclining has led to multiple flight diversions. James Beach explains why he used the Knee Defender.
But wait. What's happening?
Despite pushing that little round silver button and digging your heels into the floor, your seat refuses to budge.
Why did "Knee Defender" cause in-flight fight? CNN's Jeanne Moos says recline at your own risk!
You've just been blocked by the Knee Defender.
The 2003 invention of 6'3-tall American Ira Goldman -- "I was tired of being bumped in the knees by reclining seats" -- the Knee Defender is a small pair of plastic clips that attach to your lowered seat-back table, locking the chair in front of you in place so the passenger can't recline.
Proof of its contentiousness came out this week when United Flight 1462 from Newark to Denver was forced to divert to Chicago's O'Hare airport after a fight broke out between two passengers over one's use of the device.
Despite the passengers getting kicked off the plane, the story has led to a boost in sales of the Knee Defender, with the website even crashing under the weight of all that curiosity.
Is the Knee Defender even allowed?
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration says it hasn't banned the device as it doesn't have an impact on passenger safety.
But most major U.S. airlines, including United, do prohibit its use.
It's a similar situation elsewhere.
Both Air Canada and Calgary-based WestJet prohibit the Knee Defender, with the latter singling out the device on its website
"You are not permitted to attach any unapproved device to any part of your seat or any other part of the aircraft," says WestJet.
"Some examples of unapproved devices include knee defenders, seat belt extensions and booster seats."
Same story in Australia, where |
eb [ 695.399486] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+44 00003b15 [ 695.399492] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+4c 00088659 [ 695.399497] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+64 00008fc7 [ 695.399502] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+74 0000379b [ 695.399507] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+94 00000a29 [ 695.399512] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+c4 0019a9e1 [ 695.399517] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+e4 00006a4d [ 695.399523] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+11c 00188113 [ 695.399528] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+15c 000852ef [ 695.399533] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+180 00019735 [ 695.399538] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+194 0001ec73 [ 695.399543] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+1bc 00018ba5 [ 695.399549] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+1dc 00018a75 [ 695.399554] CONSOLE: 000003.645 sp+1fc 0000656b [ 695.399562] dhdpcie_checkdied: msgtrace address : 0x00000000 [ 695.399562] console address : 0x0023DEBC [ 695.399562] Assrt not built in dongle [ 695.399562] Dongle trap type 0x4 @ epc 0x5550c, cpsr 0x2000019f, spsr 0x200001bf, sp 0x23fc88,lp 0x2f697, rpc 0x5550c Trap offset 0x23fc30, r0 0x41414141, r1 0x2, r2 0x1, r3 0x0, r4 0x22cc00, r5 0x217634, r6 0x217048, r7 0x2
Devices Tested
Surprisingly, not many devices are affected.
Affected:
Nexus 6P - June security update - crashes wifi chip, wifi immediately restarts Firmware version: 4358a3-roml/pcie-ag-p2p-pno-aoe-pktfilter-keepalive-sr-mchan-pktctx-hostpp-lpc-pwropt-txbf-wl11u-mfp-betdls-amsdutx5g-txpwr-rcc-wepso-sarctrl-btcdyn-xorcsum-proxd-gscan-linkstat-ndoe-hs20sta-oobrev-hchk-logtrace-rmon-apf-d11status Version: 7.112.201.3 (r682908) CRC: 9e7ed84e Date: Fri 2017-02-03 11:21:56 PST Ucode Ver: 963.317 FWID: 01-a2412ac4
Unaffected:
Nexus 6P - July security update - connects to the network without issue
Firmware version: 4358a3-roml/pcie-ag-p2p-pno-aoe-pktfilter-keepalive-sr-mchan-pktctx-hostpp-lpc-pwropt-txbf-wl11u-mfp-betdls-amsdutx5g-txpwr-rcc-wepso-sarctrl-btcdyn-xorcsum-proxd-gscan-linkstat-ndoe-hs20sta-oobrev-hchk-logtrace-rmon-apf-d11status Version: 7.112.201.4 (r702727) CRC: 3454c05f Date: Fri 2017-06-02 17:32:42 PDT Ucode Ver: 963.317 FWID: 01-1c2706c3 Nexus 7 (2012), CyanogenMod 12.1 Nightly - connects to the network without issue. It's probably too old to be affected?
Firmware version: 4330b2-roml/sdio-g-p2p-idsup-idauth-pno Version: 5.90.195.114 CRC: 24b8f965 Date: Wed 2013-01-23 17:48:37 PST FWID 01-f9e7e464 iPad Air: connects to the network without issue. Also too old to be affected?
Newer iOS devices: simply refuses to connect to network. Already patched?
Any device using a different Wi-Fi chip. For example, all OnePlus devices use Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi.
I don't have any other devices using a recent Broadcom chip. Anybody want to test other devices?
Impact
The beacon code has the same issue, but is disabled until the first association response is processed, so just scanning for wi-fi shouldn't cause issues.
I wonder if one can spoof beacons or association responses from existing connected APs. There's 802.11w, Protected Management Frames which sounds relevant. If it's possible to spoof beacons or association responses, then it's not enough to avoid connecting to suspicious Wi-Fi; one must disable Wi-Fi entirely. Anyone want to chime in on the feasibility?
According to @nitayart, this exploit can get code execution on the Wi-Fi chip, and then on the main processor. This seems difficult: Project Zero's similar Broadcom Wi-Fi heap overflow was very complicated to exploit, and they had allocate/free primitives through the TDLS request/responses. The buffer overflowed here is allocated at firmware startup and only deallocated at shutdown, I believe, so it may be harder to exploit. I'm very much looking forward to @nitayart's presentation.
Zhuowei Zhang (@zhuowei), 2017-07-06Washington, D.C. has a monopoly on many things. Bad policy, unfortunately, isn’t among them. Last month, a development corporation in Lexington, Kentucky installed a shipping container house in an economically distressed area of town to improve housing affordability. The corporation is a private non-profit, though a line near the end of this article indicates that the project received public support: “The project is funded through an assortment of grants from the city’s affordable housing fund [and two philanthropic organizations].” Shipping container projects designed to improve housing affordability aren’t limited to my Old Kentucky Home: a quick Google search reveals that the idea of using shipping containers to put a dent in housing costs is popular among policymakers and philanthropists all over the world.
The sad reality is that shipping container homes likely have little—if any—role to play in handling the nationwide housing affordability problem. Aside from being inefficient for housing generally, there’s decent evidence that shipping containers appeal far more to reasonably well-off, single urbanites than to working families in need of affordable housing. More broadly, the belief that these projects could address the growing affordability crisis hints at a profound misunderstanding of the nature of the problem and distracts policymakers from viable solutions.
Before digging into the meatier problems, it’s worth looking first at the problems with the structures themselves. I’ll yield to an architect:
Housing is usually not a technology problem. All parts of the world have vernacular housing, and it usually works quite well for the local climate. There are certainly places with material shortages, or situations where factory built housing might be appropriate—especially when an area is recovering from a disaster. In this case prefab buildings would make sense—but doing them in containers does not.
The source goes on to detail the enormous costs associated with zoning approval, insulation, and utilities. Then there’s the somewhat obvious fact that they’re small. As in, 144 square feet small, or a little over one seventh the size of the average American apartment. That’s without insulation, which shaves off valuable feet. One could argue that American homes should be smaller, but as we should have learned by now, public housing projects are no place for social experiments. Working-class families are already the victims of public policies that undermine housing affordability. There’s no need to salt the wound by publicly supporting housing they have no interest in inhabiting.
The uncomfortable fact is that these homes may not even be made for working-class residents. While data on shipping container residents is limited, tiny house demographic data serves as a helpful proxy. According to data from a popular tiny houses website (take it with a grain of salt), tiny house residents have a per capita income of $42,038, putting them just over $10,000 above the typical Fayette County (home to Lexington) resident. Residents are also twice as likely as the general public to have a master’s degree. Who are these people with high human capital and average wages? We might follow the urban theorist Richard Florida and call them “bohemians.” Consider this quote from the initial piece:
A single person may make up to $38,200 a year to qualify for the program. A family of four may make up to $54,550.
Set aside for a moment the horrifying mental image of a family of four living in a 144 square foot shipping container. Who is this “single person” earning up to $38,200 who might want to live in an experimental home? To be frank, it sounds like the typical recent college graduate: individuals with modest incomes, liberal lifestyle preferences, and little need for space. While one might reasonably be on the fence about natural gentrification in cities, policymakers and philanthropists should be careful not to needlessly displace those they’re trying to help.
Shipping container houses are in all likelihood a poor fit for working-class Americans, and widespread government support for them in low-income communities runs the risk of rapid, unnatural gentrification. Worse still, treating the emerging shipping container house movement as a housing affordability fix distracts us from the true cause of “too-damn-high” rent: restrictions on the supply of housing.
The problem of rising housing costs is, at its heart, a supply and demand problem. In a working housing market, developers and non-profits are able to meet unmet demand through new construction. Yet in many American cities, including Lexington, the ability to build new houses and apartments is strictly limited. Policies as diverse as minimum lot sizes, mandatory parking minimums, urban growth boundaries, and inclusionary zoning all serve to arbitrarily limit the supply of housing, driving up rents and house prices as demand increases. Though zoned for multi-family housing, the area in question—northern Lexington—is subject to a variety of regulations that needlessly restrict supply, including mandated parking requirements, a three-story height limit, and density-reducing use restrictions. Worse still, this is comparatively liberal zoning in a town mostly zoned for single-family houses and agriculture. It may be politically difficult, but the policy fix for improving housing affordability is clear: eliminate regulations that needlessly restrict the housing supply.
When it comes to ensuring housing affordability, the focus must remain on building a dynamic urban housing market in which working-class people have the choice to live wherever they like, whether that’s a shipping container or a house in the suburbs or an apartment downtown. This means reigning in land-use regulations that undermine new development. The fact that this project took a year to gain approval speaks to the problem. Lexington is a great city, and people are realizing it. If demand continues to increase while supply remains restricted, housing affordability will only get worse. A few shipping container houses may look cool, but they won’t sustainably address the problem.
Follow me on Twitter at @mnolangray.Europe, says James Turk, founder and chairman of GoldMoney, is in the midst of two crises—one in the banking sector, the other related to economic activity, and capital is needed to solve both. As to the allegedly strong dollar, Turk, in this interview
with The Gold Report, suggests comparing it to the price of gold rather than other fiat currencies for a better picture. And the world’s newest currency—Bitcoin—has a lot in common with one of the oldest—gold.
The Gold Report: James, from your perspective in Europe, is the region in as bad a financial crisis as it appears in the headlines here in the U.S.?
James Turk: Yes, it really is. However, Europe is a big place, and you have to look at the individual countries one by one to understand the situation. Generally speaking, the Mediterranean countries are in the worst shape. Germany has been in the best shape, although recent economic data indicate it may be falling into a recession again. France is not quite as bad as the Mediterranean countries, but in economic activity, it is worse off than Germany and the rest of Northern Europe.
TGR: What role does the euro play in all this, and where might the next crisis take place?
JT: Most of the problems we have seen in Europe are not really euro crises; they are banking crises. That was clearly the case in Cyprus.
The hot spot now is Slovenia, a small Alpine country that is part of the European Union and the Eurozone. Its banks are overleveraged and under scrutiny because of the number of bad loans they carry.
The banks in Luxembourg and Malta are also very highly leveraged relative to the size of those countries’ gross domestic product (GDP). This concern follows on what happened in Iceland, Dubai and Cyprus, where the perception was that the banks were potentially vulnerable to “hot money” withdrawals due to the banks’ high percentage multiple to the country’s GDP. In other words, if depositor money were to flee, those banks might experience liquidity squeezes too big for the government to manage. That is what happened when the European Central Bank (ECB) pulled the plug on Cypriot banks after Russian depositors pulled out large sums.
Economic activity is the second part of the problem. Italy is probably the most vulnerable at the moment, and that is saying quite a bit, given how bad off Spain is. But Italy has more political uncertainty.
TGR: Italy has a new coalition government. Could that calm things down?
JT: It could calm things down for a while, but there is so much difference of opinion as to what is needed to solve Italy’s problem, the various groups are too polarized. I do not see this coalition government lasting very long.
TGR: What will it take to cure this banking crisis?
JT: Capital. The banks are overleveraged and have too many bad assets on their balance sheet. Capital has been wiped out, even accounting for reserves set aside by the banks. That was clearly the case in Cyprus and is the case in most other countries.
The banks look solvent because the ECB is keeping them afloat with liquidity. If the ECB removes that liquidity, as it did with Cyprus, it will soon become apparent which banks are truly insolvent. Bank crises occur overnight for that reason: When the liquidity is gone, the bank closes up because it is not solvent. It lacks quality liquid assets that can be sold into the market to raise cash to meet depositor withdrawals.
Capital cannot be created out of thin air, which is something that politicians have yet to learn. They think that by borrowing more money from the market they can save the banking system. But they are just adding fuel to the fire because most European countries are already overleveraged.
TGR: Looking to the east, Japan just announced its own quantitative easing (QE). Will it win the currency race to the bottom?
JT: We seem to have a horse race going on that no one should want to win. Which is going to the fiat currency graveyard the quickest: the yen, the dollar, the euro or the pound? Right now, Japan is leading the race with its debasement of the Japanese yen through QE and government spending programs. This is astounding because when you look at economic activity around the world, Japanese GDP growth is better than most, and it has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the industrialized world. Japan was in pretty good shape until its new prime minister took over and laid out his policy to debase the yen.
TGR: Why has the dollar remained so strong despite QE here?
“Capital cannot be created out of thin air, which is something that politicians have yet to learn.”
JT: Is the dollar really strong? When you look at the dollar against gold—which is what it should be measured against—the dollar has lost 16% per annum on average for 12 years in a row. At any moment, the dollar might look OK compared to the euro or vice versa, but you have to measure the dollar against something meaningful. I do that by looking at the dollar relative to the gold price.
I expect this multi-year weakness in the dollar to continue because, just as in Europe, Japan and in the U.K., the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve are following destructive monetary policies that are eroding the dollar’s purchasing power.
TGR: Will that lead to hyperinflation and is there a tipping point for that to happen?
JT: I think it will lead to hyperinflation. There have been signs for quite a number of years.
You have to keep a couple of things in mind. One is that the inflation numbers released by the U.S. government and most governments around the world have been massaged and doctored to make inflation look lower than it really is. I rely on the inflation statistics that John Williams of ShadowStats.com puts together. Right now inflation in the U.S. is running about 9.5%. For example, commodity prices and the cost of things like property taxes and insurance premiums have been running much higher than what the U.S. government reports inflation to be.
Second, hyperinflation always comes from one cause: excessive government spending, forcing it to borrow. When a government borrows, it can only borrow what the market is willing to lend or what the market has the capacity to lend. If the government is borrowing more than the market is saving, it is, by definition, debasing the currency.
When no one is willing to lend to the government, it tells the central bank to buy its debt and turn it into currency. The central bank then puts this newly “printed” money into the government’s checking account, which the government then spends.
We are headed for hyperinflation—not necessarily the paper-currency hyperinflation that occurred in Germany’s Weimar Republic or in Zimbabwe—but a deposit-currency hyperinflation, like Argentina 12 years ago. There is not a lot of paper currency being printed, but there is a lot of money in bank accounts; this is currency that people spend with checks, wire transfers and plastic cards.
TGR: Recently, you talked on the “Keiser Report” about Bitcoin. Does it matter if digital currency has no value beyond accounting? Are there parallels between gold and Bitcoin?
JT: Bitcoin is not only a digital currency, it is a crypto-currency, a technological innovation we have not seen before.
The parallels to gold are quite interesting. I did a study recently for the GoldMoney Foundation showing that the aboveground stock of gold grows by about 1.8% per annum, year after year after year. That number is approximately equal to world population growth and new wealth creation, so gold’s purchasing power has been consistent over long periods of time. Gold mining does exactly what Milton Friedman recommends in his K-rule: it grows the gold money supply by the same amount year after year after year.
Bitcoin is designed in essentially the same way, but instead of mining the earth you are mining mathematical formulas to arrive at a very consistent growth of Bitcoin until 2040, when approximately 21 million Bitcoins will be in circulation.
“Bitcoin is not only a digital currency, it is a crypto-currency – a technological innovation we have not seen before.”
Bitcoin and gold each have advantages and disadvantages. The piece of gold you hold in your hand has 5,000 years of history. Bitcoin has maybe four years of history. On the other hand, because you can hold gold in your hand and store it in vaults, it can be confiscated by governments. Bitcoin, because it is a crypto-currency based on mathematical formulas stored in computers all around the world, cannot be confiscated.
Bitcoin has value to people who understand that confiscation is a real risk. In the last century, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler and Roosevelt all confiscated gold to increase the power of the state. Once the state controls the money we use, it can control economic activity, which explains what we are seeing today around the world.
Crypto-currencies are here to stay and should be looked at closely by everybody, particularly those who understand sound money and appreciate the value and usefulness of gold.
TGR: Is Bitcoin an investment vehicle?
JT: No, because neither gold nor Bitcoin generates cash flow. Both are sterile assets. Investments generate cash flow. You put your money at risk in the hope of getting cash flow from your investment.
Gold is money. When the price of gold goes up, you are simply taking wealth that is already created and in the hands of people who own fiat currency, and transferring that wealth to people who own gold.
The same concept applies to Bitcoin. Bitcoin is money, not an investment. Its exchange rate can go up or down just like the price of gold. In that sense, Bitcoin could be called a store of value just like gold. The difference is that gold has a 5,000-year history; Bitcoin is much younger. We will have to see how Bitcoin plays out as a store of value in the years ahead, but regardless, Bitcoin is a useful currency because it makes possible low-cost global payments. It is a technological advancement that leaves bank payment systems in the dust.
TGR: Will governments see Bitcoin as a threat because it is an alternative currency not under their control?
“The rule of thumb is to have gold bullion equal to your age. A 65-year-old should have 65% of his or her assets in gold bullion; a 25-year-old can have 25%.”
JT: They may see it as a threat, but there is nothing they can do about it unless they seize every personal computer in the world. People are studying it, becoming familiar with it. Some day there may be a Bitcoin2 or a Bitcoin3 that is even better than the original.
That is the beauty of technology. Technology enables society to move forward and improve everyone’s standard of life. Crypto-currencies may be the technological innovation that gets us out of our current monetary malaise arising from state control of money and enables us to return to vibrant economic activity that results when we use sound money.
TGR: Based on your Fear Index and the Gold Money Index, would you explain the difference between value and price?
JT: Price is the measurement we use when we enter into an exchange with someone else in the marketplace. Value is what something is truly worth.
In other words, I might have a house worth $500,000, but I sell it at $400,000. The purchaser is buying it at a price below its true value. On the other hand, I might sell that house at $600,000, in which case the purchaser is buying the house above its true value.
To correctly analyze gold, we must look at its value. We can measure gold’s value by comparing it to national currencies.
I use the Fear Index to compare gold to the dollar and the Gold Money Index to compare gold’s role in international trade and finance against all of the foreign exchange reserves held by the world’s central banks. Gold is undervalued by both of those measures. Even though its price has been rising for 12 consecutive years against the U.S. dollar, it remains undervalued because the dollar itself is being debased at almost as rapid a rate as the gold price is rising.
The other thing about gold is that its value is not only expressed numerically. Gold is money that is outside the banking system. Because it is tangible, it has no counterparty risk. It is not money that depends on a bank or a government promise.
Given what happened in Cyprus and the fragility of many banks around the world, I think everybody should have some gold to protect themselves from the eventuality of a much larger banking crisis than what we have seen so far.
TGR: In light of all the volatility of gold and silver recently, how are you adjusting your portfolio? What roles do cash, physical gold, mining stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) play?
JT: When you buy gold, you have to first identify your objective. Do you want to profit from movements in the gold price, or do you want a safe haven as protection from monetary and banking turmoil? You want the right tool for the right job, which depends on your objective.
If investors want a safe haven, physical gold with no counterparty risk is the way to go—you want to hold gold bars and coins. If investors want to trade to profit from fluctuations in the gold price, then you can look at what I call paper-gold instruments. These would be futures, options and ETFs. In this case, you do not own gold; you own exposure to the gold price and that exposure comes with counterparty risk.
I recommend focusing on gold as a safe haven: own physical gold and leave paper-gold to the professional traders and the speculators. Gold is part of the cash—the liquidity part—of your portfolio.
Mining shares go into the investment part of portfolios. Investors need to look at mining shares using the same process they do when buying any equity. What is the quality of management? What does the balance sheet look like? What do the assets look like? What is the political risk where the company operates? And so forth.
If you are prepared to shoulder those investment risks, you might then decide to have some mining shares in your portfolio as well. Generally speaking, I have never seen mining share prices this undervalued in relation to the cash flow they are generating, and, as a result, many mining companies have increased their dividends. If I am correct that the gold price will go much higher, I think mining company shares will rise much higher as well.
TGR: Is the TSX Venture Exchange a bargain basement right now?
JT: Everything is pretty much on sale. The question is when the mining shares go up, which ones will go up first?
There are a couple of characteristics that may give us a clue. Good dividend payers with secure cash flow will probably rise first. I would stay away from any mining shares that have any hedge positions, because those hedge positions will cut into profit as we have seen in the past.
I also would look to the mining shares with management teams that have proven themselves. There were a number of disasters over the past few years caused by companies focusing on growth rather than cash flow. They overpaid for investments and diluted their shareholders. Many of those executives have left and their successors have, I hope, learned the lessons of those departures. You always have to look at management first and have complete confidence in management before investing in any company.
TGR: Some people have predicted that hundreds of junior miners will be gone by year-end. Do you agree, or are you more optimistic?
JT: It is possible that a lot of them will go by the wayside and disappear, simply because capital is very hard to come by today. A lot of these little companies are the explorers looking for a resource, but even those that have a resource cannot always find the capital they need to develop it.
A lot of the smaller companies are at bargain-basement prices, but they come with a lot of risk. The less risky play would be companies that have a dividend record, a good management team and a strong, solid cash flow that will likely continue into the future.
TGR: Based on the five standard deviation decline that occurred in mid-April, what would the technical analysts predict for the price of gold this summer and the rest of 2013?
JT: The present drop in prices is very similar to what occurred in 2008, although it is not as severe a percentage decline. And remember, within one year of the low of 2008, gold made a new record high above $1,000/ounce ($1,000/oz) and silver more than doubled within 12 months.
I think history will repeat. Within the next 12 months a new record high in gold above $2,000/oz is possible, and I think silver will double.
TGR: Any last advice for investors looking to preserve or increase their wealth?
JT: When you are preserving wealth, you want a safe haven. Physical gold has been the best safe haven over the past 12 years, and I expect that to continue. You just need to make sure you store it with a professional storage firm where you have the assurances of integrity, that your gold is safe.
If you want to grow your wealth, you have to focus on investments, not the money in your portfolio. Here, you might want to look at the mining companies because there are some very good opportunities because of today’s low prices.
I guess it comes down to a question of age. If you are older, you want to be more conservative and take less risk. If you are younger, you might want to take more risk. For me, the rule of thumb is that you should have gold bullion equal to your age. A 65-year-old pursuing a less-risky portfolio strategy should have 65% of his or her assets in gold bullion and the rest in various investments. A 25-year-old can have 25% of his or her assets in gold bullion and invest the remaining 75%, which means the portfolio has less liquidity and more risk.
Whether you are the 65-year-old investing 35% or the 25-year-old investing 75%, look at the gold mining shares because they are extremely undervalued right now. I do not think the gold mining industry is going to disappear, for the same reason that gold, with its 5,000-year record, is not going to disappear.
TGR: Great advice. Thank you so much for your time.
James Turk is the founder and chairman of GoldMoney, which launched in 2001. GoldMoney is an online bullion dealer in gold, silver and other precious metals, which its customers can store in Canada, UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore. After positions with The Chase Manhattan Bank (now JP Morgan Chase) and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Turk began the Freemarket Gold & Money Report in 1987, which published until 2009 when he began occasional blogging at fgmr.com.
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DISCLOSURE:
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2) Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services or as sponsorship payment.
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6) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned and may make purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise.EXCLUSIVE: I hear ABC‘s last-minute third-season renewal of Suburgatory as midseason replacement came with a reduction in the license fee, which is leading to budget cuts and some tough choices. I’ve learned that two of the series’ eight regulars, Alan Tudyk and Rex Lee, have not been picked up for next season. They could potentially appear as guest stars. I hear there may be further trims, with other regulars potentially being cut or reduced to recurring. Suburgatory‘s remaining regular cast includes stars Jane Levy and Jeremy Sisto as well as Cheryl Hines, Carly Chaikin, Ana Gasteyer and Allie Grant. Both Tudyk and Lee have been on the show since the beginning. Lee, who plays the high school’s guidance counselor, was a guest star in the pilot but was promoted to regular right after. Tudyk playes Sisto’s trusted, country club-loving friend. Suburgatory was a breakout hit when it launched in fall 2011 but lost steam, ratings-wise and creatively, in Season 2, ending up on the bubble.In light of the Islamic terror attack on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in France today, which was carried out in revenge for the publishing of satirical cartoons about Islam, here's a reminder about what President Obama said to the United Nations back in 2012:
"The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."
As Conn details, in 2012 the White House condemned Charlie Hebdo for publishing cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed. Obama's comments about "slandering the prophet of Islam" were a direct response to Charlie Hebdo's publishing decision.
"We are aware that a French magazine published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Muhammad," then-White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said during the September 19, 2012 press briefing, "and obviously, we have questions about the judgment of publishing something like this."
"In other words, we don’t question the right of something like this to be published; we just question the judgment behind the decision to publish it," Carney continued.
Today the terrorists who carried out the Paris attack yelled, "Allahu Akbar" and "We’ve avenged the honor of the prophet!"
Meanwhile, just prior to a meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry at the White House today, President Obama made a short statement to reporters about the terror attack.
"All of us recognize that France is one of our oldest allies, one of our strongest allies," Obama said. "For us to see the kind of cowardly, evil attacks that took place today I think reinforces how important it is for us to stand in solidarity with them."
"We will remain vigilant...[and will] hunt down the specific perpetrators of this, to justice," Obama continued. "We will provide them with every bit of assistance we can."
The President also briefly mentioned that this attack was on journalists and attempted to make the argument that free speech should be protected.
It should be noted that the official White House statement released about the attack earlier today makes no mention of Islamic terror.
I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time. France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world. Time and again, the French people have stood up for the universal values that generations of our people have defended. France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers. We are in touch with French officials and I have directed my Administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice.
When will the future not belong to those who kill in the name of Islam? And when will the President make a statement about that at the UN?TV anchor Frank Sommerville of Oakland, Calif., reports news stories on KTVU Channel 2 every night, but when he’s not on the show he’s just a dad at home enjoying life’s everyday moments.
Sommerville recently offered a glimpse into that life and posted the image above of himself carefully and patiently taking tiny braids out of his daughter’s hair on his Facebook wall.
He wrote:
So for those of you who think tv can be glamorous, this is how i spent my morning, learning how to take out my daughter’s braids. It takes a long time and a lot of patience!
The photo resonated with Sommerville’s fans because it captured one of those daily moments that parents often come to value most—and it showed a white father bonding with his black daughter. Frank’s daughter Callie is adopted and he says, “If someone were to ask me what I am most proud of in my life it is that we adopted Callie. Every day I can see the difference we made in her life, and everyday I experience the difference she’s made in ours.”
The image received over 18,000 likes, 3,600 shares and 2,000 comments.
Troy Milton shared:
made my heart smile. this picture is so much more than a dad doing his daughter’s hair. It speaks volumes!!!!!This image will stick with me forever, and if I ever have a daughter it will be moments like this that I try to recreate with her everyday.
Greg Keane wrote:
I think it’s scenes like these that MLK had in mind.
Tonya Alvarez wrote:
God Bless you sir……… this pic brought tears to my eyes …This is what life should be about …………love.
Belinda Joy wrote:
Frank, you may see this as a simple act but it is not. You have no idea the thread of meaning in this one photo and what it conveys.
Sommerville was overwhelmed by the response and later wrote on his Facebook wall:
It’s not often that I am speechless, but I am floored by the response to the picture I posted, and by how touching and personal many of them were. To me the picture shows a dad doing what a dad SHOULD do, and loving every minute of it. The birth of my first daughter, and adopting my youngest daughter, are the two best moments of my life, and I feel like the luckiest dad in the world that my family is interracial. I can’t thank all of you enough. And remember CHANGE HAPPENS ONE PERSON AT A TIME!
The image was also picked up by MSNBC and parenting blog Babble.New Delhi: The finance ministry on Wednesday notified the issue of ₹ 200 notes, making them legal tender and paving the way for their circulation.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 24 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, and on the recommendations of the central board of directors of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the central government hereby specifies the denomination of banknotes of the value of two hundred rupees," the notification stated in the Gazette of India.
On 3 April, Mint first reported RBI’s plan to introduce ₹ 200 notes. On 25 July, |
-- Wasserman Schultz could be the Dems' surest bet.
Her Jewish Heritage
Before last fall, nobody thought a Jewish-American would ever have a legitimate chance at the White House. But with the tolerant views of 80 million politically involved millennials who helped elect President Obama, Wasserman Schultz's Jewish heritage won't be a liability. How she weighs in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between now and then will have a real impact on her standing in the Jewish community, but if she can find a way to please those folks while maintaining cred with younger voters, she could bring far more voters to the polls than Joe Lieberman did for Al Gore in 2000.
She's Tough... Seriously!
By all accounts, she's funny, engaging and benevolent. But if you've seen her on cable and network shows, you'll know she's also very skilled at dismantling nonsensical arguments, and, leaving unprepared opponents picking their faces up off the ground. And she has used her tenacity, and tirelessness, to fight for the rights of families, women and children.
The 2016 and 2020 Anniversaries
2016 isn't just a presidential election year, it's also the 100th anniversary of Jeannette Rankin being the first woman elected to the Congress. Her victory was all the more remarkable because women couldn't vote -- that didn't come until four years later. The 2016 and 2020 elections promise to be reflective, euphoric and celebratory periods -- and with her considerable political gifts, Wasserman Schultz could take full advantage of the great national mood.Netflix Inc. NFLX, +0.29% said its recent prices increases contributed to a disappointing number of new users in the third quarter, which comes as the online video-streaming company prepares to face a new challenge from a key rival.
Shares of the Los Gatos, Calif., company fell 26% to $331.25 in recent after-hours trading. Through Wednesday’s close, the stock had risen about 22% in 2014.
Netflix on Wednesday said it added 3 million streaming subscribers in the three months ended June 30, below the company’s forecast of 3.69 million.
In a letter to shareholders, Netflix cited its higher prices as well as the variables of its internal forecast.
“For the prior three quarters, we under-forecasted membership growth. This quarter we over-forecasted membership growth,” Netflix wrote. “We’ll continue to give you our internal forecast for the current quarter, and it will be high some of the time and low other times.”
Earlier this year, Netflix implemented a price increase, its first since 2011. New U.S. customers pay a $1 more a month, at $8.99, with existing customers grandfathered in for two years. New overseas customers saw a similar increase.
Netflix said the impact of the higher prices “appeared to be offset for about two months by the large positive reception to season two of [its series] ‘Orange is the New Black.”
Domestically, Netflix added 980,000 subscribers as well as 2.04 million users internationally. Both numbers were below the company’s forecast in July, when it projected adding 1.33 million domestic subscribers and 2.36 million overseas users.
“We remain happy with the price changes and growth in revenue and will continue to improve our service,” Netflix said. “The effect of slightly higher prices is factored into our Q4 forecast.”
For the fourth quarter, the company forecast per-share earnings of 44 cents, well below expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters for 85 cents.
Also for the current quarter, the company said it expects to add a total of 4 million streaming subscribers, including 1.85 million net additions in the U.S. and 2.15 million internationally. A year earlier, Netflix added roughly 4.07 million subscribers overall.
An expanded version of this report appears at WSJ.com.
Providing critical information for the U.S. trading day. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Need to Know newsletter. Sign up here.Introducing Rugged Reroll
Roll20 left open beta a little over one year ago, on September 17, 2012. Since then, we’ve released over 12 major updates to the software, from abilities and attributes on characters to the Roll20 API. Your support of Roll20 has enabled us to make improvements rapidly, and we hope you’ll agree that the results have been amazing.
However, this rapid expansion of the program has come with a price. For one, unless you are a diehard Roll20 fan who reads all the newsletters that we put out or peruses the forums on a regular basis, you may not be aware of all the great new stuff that’s been added. Some of it is also not as well documented or as integrated into the application as we’d like. And finally, putting out an update every 3 weeks does restrict what sorts of projects we can take on – some things just take longer to do.
Today we’re pleased to announce “Rugged Reroll”, which is a major new update for Roll20 that will touch nearly every part of the program in some way. We’ll be examining the progress we’ve made thus far, with a focus on streamlining the application to make sure all the pieces fit together in a way that makes sense. We’ll also be tackling some ambitious new feature updates, both new features and upgrades to existing features. It’s not Roll20 version 2 (we’re a web app, we don’t have version numbers!), but it’s the biggest upgrade we’ve attempted to date.
We anticipate that Rugged Reroll will take us until December 2013 to complete. In the mean time, we will still be releasing bug fixes and small updates to Roll20, but most of our “new feature” development time will be focused on making this ambitious goal a reality. Pieces of Rugged Reroll will be pushed out to the Dev server starting today and over the next few months so that Mentors can aid in testing and give feedback on the new features.
So now that you know what Rugged Reroll is, what are these new features? And how will the UI be streamlined?
We’ll be revealing the answers to those questions via a weekly Dev Blog post here on the Roll20 Blog every Friday. So if you’re interested to see what we’re working on behind the scenes, be sure to check in weekly with us and read all about it!
Without further ado, Dev Blog 1:
Dev Blog #1
For today’s peek at what’s coming in Rugged Reroll, we want to show you major new changes to performance in Roll20, an update to Dynamic Lighting, and a totally new feature that we’ve been experimenting with for a while.
Performance Increases
One of the most important things about playing in Roll20 is that it feels fast. No one likes to play in a game where you can barely scroll around the map or things feel sluggish.
In Rugged Reroll, we’ve gone back and completely re-done the rendering engine for large maps. We’ve identified large, single-image background maps larger than 1024x1024 pixels as a major bottleneck in speed and performance in Roll20 games. Now the renderer beaks those images down into smaller “tiles”, which it seamlessly renders in parts. You won’t notice any difference in the result, but your rendering times will drop dramatically in games that feature large maps, making things feel much snappier while you play.
The other place where we saw performance issues was with the Dynamic Lighting engine. In maps with lots of lights with large light radius settings, performance could quickly degrade, especially for the GM trying to render everyone’s lights all at once. In Rugged Reroll, we’re pleased to introduce a WebGL-powered renderer which is able to take full advantage of your GPU to render the lights and shadows in your games. The results are matched to the old renderer, so you can take advantage of this speed increase without making any changes to your existing maps. We’ve seen performance increases of over 10x on maps with large numbers of lights and walls. Most modern computers built within the last 4 or 5 years should be WebGL-ready, and we’ll continue to support the old renderer for those that aren’t, including mobile devices.
Dynamic Lighting: Line of Sight and Custom Light Angles
In addition to the speed increases from the WebGL renderer, we’re introducing two new (oft-requested) features to Dynamic Lighting.
The first, Line of Sight, allows you to restrict players to only see lights that are within the line of sight of tokens that they control. What that means is that a light on the other side of a wall won’t be visible to a player until they’re in that room, even if it’s a light that’s visible to all players. The image below shows the difference between a dungeon without line of sight, and then with line of sight enabled:
GMs can also highlight a token and press Ctrl+L (Cmd+L on Macs) to view the scene restricted to the line of sight of the selected token. Great for a quick spot-check to determine if a player can see a monster.
In addition to the line of sight feature, you can now customize the “angle” of lights and the line of sight of tokens. So you can specify, for example, that a player should only have a 140-degree field of view instead of 360-degrees.
As with all Roll20 features, enabling Line of Sight is as easy as checking a box in page settings, and then designating which tokens have “sight” via a checkbox. Simple to use, but it can result in some very compelling gameplay experiences.
Introducing the Special FX Engine
Something that we’ve always wanted to experiment with is the ability of the GM to “enhance” an encounter or battle with special effects. For example, having a powerful dragon boss actually able to breath fire. We’ve been internally experimenting with this for a while, and Rugged Reroll will feature our first take on this. The video below shows off an early prototype of the feature in action:
We’ll feature effects for fire, ice, magic, and other types of effects. The GM can “draw” the effects on the tabletop to enhance a particular scene, and we’re also working on ways that these effects can be triggered via macros and abilities. We’re interested to see how GMs use this feature in their games, so if you have ideas or if this idea excites you, let us know!
Well that’s all we’ve got for today. We’re working hard on making Rugged Reroll the best Roll20 update to date, and we’ll keep unveiling new features as we work on them. See you next Friday!Shohei Ohtani, 23, is an intriguing two-way prospect. (AP).
The Japanese Babe Ruth is coming to Los Angeles.
Star free agent Shohei Ohtani agreed to sign with the Angels on Friday. It guarantees him a minuscule $2.32 million compared to the potential $200 million-plus he would have received by staying in Japan and delaying his Major League Baseball career by two years.
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Instead, the 23-year-old Ohtani, a starting pitcher whose fastball has reached 102 mph and whose powerful left-handed swing will allow him to play in the lineup when he isn’t pitching, forsook generational riches for an opportunity to test himself against the world’s greatest players. And after narrowing his finalists to seven and allowing each team a two-hour presentation earlier in the week, he chose the Angels.
In addition to the meager signing bonus for Ohtani, the top-ranked player on Yahoo Sports’ Ultimate Free Agent tracker, the Angels will pay his previous team, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, a $20 million posting fee.
Immediately Ohtani becomes one of the biggest bargains in baseball, a projected frontline starter whose two-way excellence is expected to be rewarded with fairly regular playing time when he’s not pitching. The league’s new collective bargaining agreement limits teams on signing bonuses for international players younger than 25, putting Ohtani in a position in which the Fighters will reap more guaranteed money than him many times over — particularly with him set to make the major league minimum of $545,000 this season and not being eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season.
Story continues
Over five years with the Fighters, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Ohtani went 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA and struck out 624 in 543 innings. In 2016, he slugged 22 home runs, a number that dipped during an injury-riddled 2017 season in which his pitch command lagged but his bat remained powerful.
The two-way player is something of an anachronism in baseball, and compounded with the cultural transition every foreign player must endure, the notion of Ohtani pitching and hitting regularly while still acclimating is daunting indeed. Ohtani still lived in the Fighters’ dorms during his final season there and did not seek any of the celebrity that eventually surrounded him.
A fear of living in a fishbowl kept him from making the New York Yankees, one of the presumed favorites, even a finalist. The six other teams that attended meetings with Ohtani were the Dodgers, Mariners, Padres, Rangers, Giants and Cubs.
All are terribly disappointed, knowing they had a chance at one of the most unique free agents in baseball history and couldn’t close a deal. Like everyone else, they’ll watch from afar with curiosity and intrigue, wondering if Ohtani is anywhere close to as good as the colossal hype that shrouds him suggests.Intel is preparing their Skylake-EP Xeon E5 processor lineup for launch in 2017. The new platform will support several SKUs designed for the sever market which will house a high amount of cores for faster performance on the HPC front.
Intel’s Xeon E5-2699 V5 Skylake-EP Processor Leaked – Beast With 32 Cores and 64 Threads
The chip that has just leaked is a beast in terms of technical specifications. Part of the Skylake-EP lineup which launches next year, the Xeon E5-2699 V5 (ES) has been leaked over at a Chinese retail site. This processor has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and it has a pretty PCB since it’s designed for the latest LGA 3647 socket. The more interesting thing about this processor is its core count which shatters everything that Intel has done before.
According to the leak, the Skylake-EP Xeon E5-2699 V5 chip houses 32 cores and 64 threads. This is a pretty huge core count increase from the last generation. The Xeon E5-2699 V4 chip had 22 cores and 44 threads. The chip is still not labeled correctly so there’s a slight possibility that the clock speeds may increase. But since this is a chip with lots of cores stacked inside it, the clock speeds won’t be much higher.
It’s really interesting that Intel is preparing such a chip when their slides showed no plans for a 32 core chip on the Xeon E5 V5 line. The maximum core count was hinted at 28 cores but this move could be to directly tackle the AMD Naples core which would also house 32 Zen cores and 64 threads. Intel usually has Xeon E5’s spec’d with lower cores compared to the E7’s which have 2 to 4 extra cores. The other possibility is that Intel is going to offer Skylake-EP (Xeon E5) and Skylake-EN (Xeon E7) with the same number of cores. The difference would be that Skylake-EN can be supported on 8S+ platforms.
Intel Announces General Availability of Skylake-EP Xeon E5-2600 V5 Processors in Mid-2017
Intel announced general availability of Skylake-EP chips in mid of 2017. This is around 7-8 months from now and we expect a launch around Computex 2017. Intel has made several HPC focused optimizations in Skylake-EP chips, some of which include Advanced Vector Instructions-512 to boost floating point calculations and encryption algorithms. Intel has also integrated Omni Part architecture in these chips for high speed network and interconnects.
The Purley platform is a scalable and unified platform that would support 2S, 4S and 8S+ chips in the Skylake-EP and Skylake-EN lineup. It will feature the Storm Lake Gen 1 architecture. This is Intel’s next generation Omni-Path interconnect that will be featured on Purley. The Lewisburg PCH will be powering the entire platform. The new fabric can deliver up to 100 GB/s interconnect speed with 56% lower latency compared to the current generation Infini-band Inter connect. It allows up to 48 ports with the new Switch Chip architecture.
Intel’s LGA 3647 Socket is Massive and So Are The Skylake-EP Chips
The new platform also comes with an updated socket. The socket has been upgraded to feature 3647 pins that gives it the LGA 3647 name. The socket is surrounded by 12 DDR4 DIMM slots. This is due to support for next-generation hexa-channel memory and Intel’s Optane DIMMs for faster latency solutions. Overall, Purley will be expanding Intel’s server platform wit a range of new features.
Skylake Xeon V5 will be going up against AMD’s Zen based Naples platform next year. Intel has for long reigned dominant in the server market. However, AMD is confident that their chips will feature performance parity with their rivals after a very long time. You can learn more about AMD’s Naples platform here.
Intel Skylake Xeon V5 ES SKUs Specs:
CPU Cores CPU Threads Clock Speed Cache TDP 28 cores 56 threads 1.8 GHz 38.75 MB L3 165W 28 cores 56 threads 1.5 GHz 38.75 MB L3 165W 24 cores 48 threads 1.8 GHz 33.00 MB L3 145W 20 cores 40 threads 1.8 GHz 27.50 MB L3 145W 16 cores 32 threads 2.4 GHz 22.00 MB L3 165W 16 cores 32 threads 1.8 GHz 22.00 MB L3 135W 16 cores 32 threads 1.5 GHz 22.00 MB L3 135W 14 cores 28 threads 1.8 GHz 19.25 MB L3 135W 12 cores 24 threads 1.X GHz 16.50 MB L3 105W 10 cores 20 threads 1.X GHz 13.75 MB L3 73W 4 cores 8 threads 2.X GHz 8.250 MB L3 105WWikiHow, a site dedicated to answering the most pressing questions of our generation, has taken to task the awkward position of having a communist friend. Or in the context of Critical-Theory readers, a guide to being friends with you.
So how are the unwashed masses being instructed to deal with us? Here’s the Critical-Theory take on the best of WikiHow’s advice.
Being a Communist is pretty much a religion and they are equally entitled to their stupid opinions.
Well thank God. The last thing I ever want to do as a pinko commie is to justify my worldview. I’m glad we’ve finally been placed rightfully into the same multicultural category as “your evangelical christian friend” and 9/11 truthers.
We’re also encouraged in step 7 to stand up for our Communist friends when they are being picked on. Don’t worry bourgeois friend, I’ll save you from the purges when the revolution comes.
Communists are pretty much like Jews in that everyone is always trying to kill them.
Ok, this might be true. Especially considering the confluence of anti-Semitism and Communist persecutions. I hope one day to validate someone’s subtle McCarthyism when they defensively yell “I’m not a McCarthyite! I have a Communist friend!”
Be sure to validate your multicultural credentials by putting a copy of “The Communist Manifesto” right next to the Koran on your bookshelf.
Perhaps Communism will become the new Buddhism, an exotic worldview that white liberals can readily consume with no ideological commitment. Then Zizek can write essays about “coffee without caffeine” and “Communism without class struggle” and we’ll all rejoice about the humorous anecdotes.
Distract the Communist. Fun activities will make them forget you are their class enemy to be destroyed on the glorious battlefield of class warfare.
In the meantime, be sure to secure your soup pot. The Communist is most likely actively trying to seize the means of soup production.
Read the full, unadultered guide at WikiHow.
[H/T Leiter Reports]Kendrick Lamar inducted N.W.A. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night. The group join Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy as the only rap acts in the Hall. Kendrick, who has been vocal about the group's influence on him, talked at length about the group's larger influence on the Los Angeles community. "These are the records that put Los Angeles on the map," he said. He closed by saying, "Being gangsta is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Read the full transcript here. Watch his speech and N.W.A.'s acceptance speeches below.
N.W.A. announced they would not be performing at the ceremony. "Nah, we're not performing. I guess we really didn't feel like we were supported enough to do the best show we could put on," Ice Cube told The New York Times. All living members of the group attended. During his speech, Dr. Dre said it was only a matter of time before Kendrick Lamar himself was inducted into the Hall. DJ Yella brought Eazy-E's mother out on stage.
MC Ren took the time to respond to Gene Simmons, who recently told Rolling Stone he was "looking forward to the death of rap," saying, "I wanna say to Mr. Gene Simmons that hip-hop is here forever. We're supposed to be here!" Ice Cube, once the most volatile member of the "World's Most Dangerous Group," told kids to stay in school before adding, "You're goddamn right we're rock'n'roll." Other Hall inductees include Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Chicago, and Steve Miller.
Read "Who Got the Camera? N.W.A.'s Embrace of "Reality," 1988-1992" on the Pitch.There’s this Christian charity in Oklahoma, the Murrow Indian Children’s Home. You might have heard about them since we’ve posted quite a few things about them recently.
Well, get this: One of their staffers posted on Facebook yesterday all about how the group could really use some money…
To all my amazing friends. As most of you know by now, I am working as the social services rep for the Murrow Indian Children’s Home. We are a faith based, non-profit organization that relies solely on private donors and our annual Pow WOW. This is our only fund raising event of the year. It will be October 1st, starting at 2:00pm at the Bacone Student Life Center. We are extremely behind on funds and donated items for our silent auction this year. We are also short on vendors. I am asking for y’all to just consider donating something. Anything. Even just sharing this post so someone else could see it would be greatly appreciated and most importantly, a huge blessing for our kids!! Thank you. You can get in touch with me here or call… Again, thank you and God bless!!
They are “extremely behind on funds” and want y’all to just donate “something. Anything.”
Let’s hope some kind soul gives them $100.
Or $5,106.47.
Or — and I’m just pulling this number out of my ass — $28,280.
Where, oh where, could they find that money…?
If only some generous benefactor would drop all that money into their lap without asking for anything special in return…
I’ll send my thoughts and prayers.This weekend, Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy experience their first big test when they take on Caleb Porter’s Portland Timbers on the road at Providence Park in Portland, Ore. on Mar. 15. Portland are coming off a scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake at home last week and will look to finally open their scoring account. As for the Galaxy, they are coming off a 2-0 win over Frank Yallop’s Chicago Fire that should have been more decisive than it actually was.
It’s an old-fashioned Western Conference showdown to close out another exciting weekend of Major League Soccer. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET and will be televised by FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes. Here are 10 Bold Predictions for Sunday afternoon’s encounter between the Portland Timbers and Los Angeles Galaxy.
1. At least 40 fouls and three cards
This will be a physical contest. Of course, it’s a battle between two tough teams in the West. At least 40 fouls will be whistled and three cards of any color will be issued.
2. At least four goals scored in this game
And this will also be a game in which the goals will be coming. Look for at least four goals scored in this contest. There may be more, but sometimed these Bold Predictions may go for a little bit of safety favoring the defense.
3. Jaime Penedo with at least four saves
Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo will earn at least four saves in this contest. Penedo did not start last weekend due to perceived contract disputes, according to the postgame interview with Bruce Arena last Friday, but we here at The View From Avalon think those disputes will be resolved and Penedo will get the start this weekend.
4. Adam Kwarasey with under five saves
The time has come for Ghanaian goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey to prove that he hasn’t missed a beat. Kwarasey only made two saves last week against Real Salt Lake, but the Galaxy firing squad will be testing his mettle this time around. The View From Avalon calls for Kwarasey to make under five saves on Sunday.
5. Rodney Wallace to score
Rodney Wallace had a number of chances to score last weekend but couldn’t find the back of the net in his four shots on goal. However, Wallace should be able to find the net this time around and have all those shots pay off.
6. Robbie Keane will score
Robbie Keane will score as a result of strong ball placement and timely passing. If the Galaxy midfield can string some passes together, Keano will find the net sooner than later. The View From Avalon calls for Keane to score in the first half.
7. Gyasi Zardes will score
Gyasi Zardes dropped a couple of sitters last weekend against Chicago but one would imagine that in training, Zardes has been working on receiving the delivery and getting the timing down. Expect Zardes to rebound from a poor Friday night and find the net.
8. Jose Villareal in form
Jose Villareal scored the first goal in the 2015 Major League Soccer season and may be heading off to a big year in MLS. Villareal is boldly predicted to score in the second half against the Portland Timbers.
9. No goals for Darlington Nagbe
One of the faces for the Portland Timbers over the years is forward/midfielder Darlington Nagbe. The View From Avalon believes that Nagbe is going to come up short of scoring in this game. There will be no goals for Nagbe on Sunday against the Galaxy.
10. Just another Los Angeles Galaxy win
Diego Valeri’s absence makes things really tough for the Portland Timbers. The Galaxy will take advantage of his absence and the absence of WIll Johnson, both due to injury, and record another three points in a huge road victory.
Los Angeles Galaxy 3, Portland Timbers 1
Keep it right here on The View From Avalon for more Los Angeles Galaxy news.Citing an insurmountable decline in enrollment, two Roman Catholic schools will not reopen for the next school year, the Chicago Archdiocese announced Thursday.
St. Florian Catholic School, a 109-year-old school in Chicago's Hegewisch neighborhood, and Notre Dame High School for Girls, a 78-year-old school housed in St. Ferdinand Elementary School on the Northwest Side, had a combined projected enrollment of less than 100 students for the 2016-17 school year.
Anne Maselli, a spokeswoman for archdiocesan Catholic schools, said in both cases, the decisions to close came from the individual school boards, pastors and some parents. The archdiocese does not expect any more similar closing announcements before the next school year begins, she said.
St. Florian was one of six schools slated to close during the 2014-15 school year by the cash-strapped archdiocese, which said it could no longer provide a subsidy the school had been depending on for several years. St. Florian already had managed to stay open the year before by raising $250,000 with bake sales and raffles. To save itself the second time, the father of a student climbed to the roof dressed as Santa Claus and stayed until $56,000 was raised to keep the doors open for one more year.
In addition to developing Spanish marketing materials with the help of bilingual parents, the school also increased tuition from $3,200 to $4,400. Maselli said it was the projected enrollment of 49 students, down from 89 this past school year, that led to the decision.
Families were notified Thursday of the decision, Maselli said, adding that there are nine other Catholic schools within a 10-mile radius where families can go.
Jesse Terrazas, the father who dressed as Santa, was part of a group of parents who met with the archdiocese last week to recommend the school close.
"It was very difficult," said Terrazas, whose three children have attended St. Florian, including a son who will be in the eighth grade.
"He has been with his classmates since preschool," Terrazas said. "But he realizes the obstacle that we have. He's looking forward to starting in a new school. He wishes he didn't have to, but obviously he does."
In its heyday in the 1950s and '60s, Notre Dame High School for Girls enrolled 1,200 girls. But only 31 girls were expected for the 2016-17 school year, down from 67 this past school year. In 2009, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur order, which operated the school, could not afford to keep its building on the Northwest Side. The archdiocese agreed to take over operations and house the school inside St. Ferdinand Elementary School.
Eight all-girls Catholic high schools remain open in the archdiocese, including four in the city.
mbrachear@tribpub.com
Twitter @TribSeekerEarlier this summer, the Guardian asked families in seven cities, including Dublin, to do a comparable grocery shop and send in their receipts. Dublin, the smallest city to feature, was more expensive than London, Berlin, New York and Paris, and only very slightly cheaper than Sydney. Toronto was the most expensive city, and even there, a basket of goods cost just under 20 per cent more than it did here.
The reason Dublin was included in the mix was not because of its “mega-size” but because it allowed the newspaper to directly compare the prices of identical products in Tesco outlets in two jurisdictions. It found what it described as “some shocking differences”.
Eggs in Tesco in Dublin cost 44 per cent more than in London, Irish onions were 51 per cent dearer and broccoli cost 201 per cent more here than there. A packet of Finish dishwasher tablets could be bought for half the price in the UK. Almost across the board, things cost more in the Republic.
The Guardian and its British readers may well have been shocked by the wild price discrepancies, but Irish consumers won’t be too surprised. We have grown wearily accustomed to paying much more for our groceries than our counterparts across the water or in Northern Ireland.
Comparing prices: Tesco
Let’s compare prices in both jurisdictions by undertaking a “virtual shop” of routine goods on Tesco.ie and Tesco.com, buying 30 items that would be commonly found in most Irish shopping trolleys. We will choose a mix of branded and own-brand options, and, apart from a few minimal differences as a result of imperial versus metric packaging, our baskets are identical. All told, we spend €132.64 in the Republic and €112.02 in the North, a difference of more than 20 per cent.
Some of the price differentials seem inexplicable. A kilogram of loose broccoli sells for €3.15 in the Republic, but just €1.75 in the UK, while a similar volume of carrots are €1.49, and just 94 cent in the UK. Six litres of milk cost just over €5 in the Republic, while close to six litres in the UK – they still use imperial measures there – can be bought for €3.75.
Tesco has repeatedly been asked to explain the price differences, but it always struggles. It usually says overheads are higher in the Republic, but then refuses to reveal its profit margins here, claiming the information is “commercially sensitive”.
We contacted the retailer again to see if it could shed any more light on the issue. It blamed higher labour costs, energy costs and levies on certain products such as wine, and it suggested that the timing of price promotions differs in each market, and said “on some items of fresh produce, meats and other household items, Tesco Ireland is cheaper than the UK”.
Comparing prices: Aldi
Of course, Tesco is not alone in expecting Irish shoppers to pay more. Aldi has performed strongly in the Irish market over the past two years, winning thousands of new customers each month. But there are many examples of Aldi shoppers here paying more than consumers in the UK. Sometimes the differences are staggering.
Among last week’s Special Buys in the Republic were a vacuum cleaner for €129.99, a steam mop for €34.99, a leather reclining chair with a footstool for €179.99 and a storage pouffe for €19.99. A lawnmower would have set you back €89.99, and – had you decided all five items were essential to your life – you would have splashed out a total of€454.95.
All the same items were selling as part of Aldi’s special buys in the UK – the only difference was the price. The pouffe cost £9.99 (€12.49), the leather chair just £99.99 (€125). The steam mop would have set you back €24.99 (€31.25), and the vacuum cleaner – the only one of the five products that was dearer in the UK – cost £109.99 (€137.52). The lawnmower cost €59.99 (€75). All told, a shopper leaving an Aldi with the five items in Britain would have spent a euro equivalent of €381.26 – almost €75 less than an Aldi shopper in Ireland.
We got in touch with Aldi to find out why these items cost so much more in the Republic than across the Irish Sea. Like Tesco, the German discounter defended the price differences by saying the gaps between the Republic and the UK were “not specific to Aldi”. It pointed to “several external factors that will lead to a variation between retail prices, including transportation, VAT and excise, labour, commercial rents and energy charges.”
Other grocery retailers who do business in both jurisdictions stand similarly accused.
The Irish ‘honey pot’
Almost a year ago, the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine published a report on the sector, and recommended that major retailers be prevented from using the Republic as a secret “honey pot” and that they be forced to reveal how much money they make here.
Any chances of that happening, at least in the short-term, were dashed with the publication of the long-awaited Competition and Consumer Protection Bill. While consumers were promised a “watchdog with real teeth” by the Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, very little seems to have changed for the grocery sector. Ahead of the Bill being published, there was much talk of a code of practice, either statutory or voluntary. This has been ruled out in favour of a system of regulations, backed by legislation.
The will be no grocery ombudsman, no code of contact forcing retailers to behave, and the Bill contains no mention of the profits being made by multinational retailers. They can continue to fold these profits into global accounts, making it impossible for Irish consumers to get a clear picture of what is going on across the sector.
The overheads issue
Last week the Oireachtas committee chairman, Andrew Doyle, expressed concern about the price differentials that continue to exist between retailers in the UK and here, and he cast doubt on retailers routine claims that higher overheads in the Republic were to blame.
“Some costs are higher in the Republic, for sure,” he says. “But there are other costs which are lower. Groceries come into every home in the country every week, and I would have thought it was possible to develop some mechanism which would allow us to do a proper comparison between the two jurisdictions. It is frustrating, because we wanted something that would highlight the profits being made by grocery retailers in this State but that has not yet happened.”
The chief executive of the Consumer Association of Ireland, Dermott Jewell, is angered by the discrepancies. “Price differences like this are depressing, and it is hard not to get angry when you see that we are still paying way over the odds when compared to our nearest neighbour,” he says. “There are other players in the market, certainly, but as the Aldi prices in Ireland and the UK suggest, not even the German discounters are immune from making us pay more.”
He believes the lack of transparency is the problem. “Players like Tesco have refused to break down or offer up any kind of analysis of their pricing structure here, and the reason they don’t is, I think, because they don’t have any excuses or justifications for charging consumers in the Republic so much more.”
Cross-Border shopping
We have been here before. In 2009, thousands of us routinely crossed the Border to Northern Ireland in search of better value, ignoring politicians who exhorted us to do our civic duty and turn our backs on the bargains.
Given that the average Irish household spends about €10,000 a year on groceries, could anyone living within striking distance of the Border be blamed for making the trip if they could make savings of 20 |
means you should have the filter in your head that the things you are doing to rewild were (and still are), until very recently, outlawed and stigmatized for Native cultures through generations of oppression and genocide. People were beaten to death for speaking their language. Just keep that in your head when navigating this world. We (white folks) live within the culture of occupation…
7. Native culture and land is still under siege.
Native people live on the front lines of occupation. While we can work cushy jobs awarded to us through privilege and save up to buy land (stolen from them by the empire) for our permaculture/rewilding projects, many Native people are struggling for even simple resources (like clean water) that we take for granted. The genocide is on-going. Keep that in mind.
8. Not all Natives want to return to their pre-contact way of life.
Many of them do not want to rewild. Many of them may not even know that’s a possibility, because it probably isn’t for them. Many are fighting just to exist. Their choices are not really my business either. My business is in learning how to live sustainably here, and how to give back to the people and land. That may mean assisting them to simply have access to resources like clean water, heating in their homes, health care, etc.
9. How to be an ally?
This is the trickiest part for me, because… there is no one right way to be an ally. I’m still muddling my way through this one, and probably always will be. This is the edge of my ignorance, my arrogance, and my implicit bias, and so I feel a bit like walking on egg shells. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, or be disrespectful by saying something ignorant (again), especially on the internet. But really, it’s okay if I or you say something ignorant, because we are. The only way through this is to allow yourself to be ignorant. If we listen, we can move through that. I think the most important thing is to begin to educate yourself. I’ve included a few resources below. It is important to start building relationships with native people. Make friends with diverse opinions. This makes it less about “allyship,” which feels to me like knowing how to help strangers (which is good, but impersonal), and makes it more about knowing the needs of a friend and community (making it personal).
Everyone is “entitled” to reclaim the lifeways of their ancestral people, but not with entitlement mentality.
Native people have to put up with this shit every day. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could help them out? Wherever empire may have kicked us to, we can still find our way back. We are all human after all. We are all from the earth. Doing this with “entitlement mentality” is counter intuitive to reclaiming indigenous ancestry and lifeways. As a white person, you are not entitled to pillage indigenous cultures and use their culture to your own liking, willy-nilly. “Well, my ancestors wore buckskin too. I do what I want.” This kind of behavior just makes you a jerk.
Every person on the planet is a potential friend. By being nice and learning to respect others, you are opening the door just a little more to make more friends. I screw up all the time. It’s okay to screw up. Just apologize and change your behavior. I’m constantly checking myself. This can feel tiresome at times, but in the end it’s the appropriate thing to do. If I can make more friends, create more partnerships, build collaborations, simply by learning to see people in a different way, and changing my behavior to welcome them or have them welcome me, I want to do that. If we are going to grow as a culture of rewilding, it will require all of us to be more open and respectful toward people we know and love, but also the strangers who may become the people we know and love.
Conclusions
I was tabling at an Earth Day event for my organization Rewild Portland. We had our English Ivy baskets out on the table for the display. An elderly Native woman came up to the table with a look of disgust on her face. She sneered at us, and said in a condescending voice, “You should come to the reservation and see how real indians weave baskets.” Then she walked away. I wanted to run over and explain to her that these were European style baskets, woven with invasive species that were pulled to restore habitat for native plants of the Northwest. Then I thought about the context in which we live; that my more recent ancestors attempted to destroy the Native cultures of North America, and I am a benefactor of their continued occupation. Though it is not my “fault” it is a legacy that falls on me. There is a lot to atone for, but not everyone is looking for atonement. Some people will hate me no matter what, and really, they have every reason to. Who can blame them? Later that same day, another elderly Native woman came to the table and excitedly picked up our baskets, “Wow! I love what you guys are doing!” I was a little nervous and responded quickly with, “These are European style baskets made with invasive species so that we can restore–.” She cut me off, “No, I get it, I get it. I think it’s so fantastic. Have you done any work with Native people in this area? I’d love to pass on your information to some of the local organizations that work with Native youth. Is that okay? I’m an elder so they have to listen to me, haha!”
There are no steadfast rules. I’ll say again, this isn’t a definitive guide. It’s a the jumping off point to make this a regular conversation in rewilding. How can we show respect for one another?
—
I owe most of my understanding of cultural appropriation to four groups of people. The first is my friends Shusli and Eugene who ran a Native American radio show on KBOO for many years. The second is to Eric Bernando and the Chinuk Wawa language community at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s Portland office. Reading Adrienne K’s Native Appropriations blog was very helpful for me in hearing a voice that is specific to this topic. Martin Pretchtel is someone who has influenced me in many ways, this topic in particular. I am so thankful to these influences and continue to listen and be thankful for them, and many others, as I navigate this territory.
***
Resources & Readings:
What is cultural appropriation?
When Culture is Commodified
Native Appropriations Blog
Indian Country Today Media Network
Terry Jones’ The Barbarians
Reel Injuns Movie
Urban Native Americans: What You Need to Know to Be an AllyAbraham Lincoln once said, “a house divided against itself cannot stand,” but he never met Donald Trump. Even within the glittering black monolith he calls home, Trump—the litigious Republican presidential nominee and heir to the Party of Lincoln—has repeatedly bullied the small businesses that occupy the ground floor of his namesake Fifth Avenue skyscraper, jacking up rental prices and then suing tenants when they fought back. Court documents reveal a pattern of legal disputes within Trump Tower over the years, in which the billionaire real-estate developer routinely deployed lawyers to harass the very people funding his extravagant and ostentatious lifestyle on the 66th floor.
Although Trump Tower now exists more as a temple to its vainglorious owner, replete with several eponymous restaurants and stores hawking Trump merchandise, the ground floors of the glass-and-concrete high-rise was once full of luxury boutiques and kiosks, billed as a shopping mall for the Fifth Avenue set. Early tenants included Abercrombie and Fitch, a Harry Winston salon, and several art galleries. Upon its opening in 1983, Paul Goldberger, then the architecture critic for The New York Times, wondered whether New Yorkers would be inclined to overcome their “natural disinclination [to] enter shopping malls,” and that the “serious and determined-to-spend rich must fill Trump Tower if such luxurious shops as Asprey, Loewe, and Lina Lee are to survive.”
At first, the indoor mall appeared to be a moderate success, with some retailers reporting among the highest sales per square foot in the United States. But with rents in the atrium ranging as high as $450 per square foot—the highest on Fifth Avenue at the time— operating a storefront in Trump Tower didn’t come cheap, as Charles Jourdan discovered the hard way. In 1985, the high-end fashion company sued Trump for over-billing its flagship store more than $300,000 for operating expenses in 1983. While the shoe-seller paid the bill under protest, in 1985 Charles Jourdan sued Trump’s real-estate holdings company to recover $231,000 in overpaid expenses, with interest, claiming that Trump had inflated their costs in order to increase his profits. According to court documents filed on his behalf, Trump claimed that Charles Jourdan had violated the lease by paying their operating expenses more than seven months late, and still owed Trump’s company $19,000.
The two eventually settled, working out a monthly payment schedule for operating expenses through 1991. Charles Jourdan left Trump Tower shortly thereafter. In an interview with The New York Times, Charles Jourdan chairman Max Imgruth cited the exorbitant costs of operating there. “Even though we did $6 million in shoe sales, we made no profit,” he explained. (The Trump Organization did not response to a request for comment.)
“I tried to stand up to him everywhere I could but it’s exhausting.... To him, it’s a sport. To him, it’s fun.”
A few years later, the owner of La Petite Etoile, a high-fashion children’s clothing boutique, also sued Trump, claiming that he was trying to evict her after she rebuffed his attempts to claim that she owed him back rent. “For more than 2 1/2 years I have paid, and the landlord has accepted, 20% of my gross sales as being full and complete payment of my rental obligations to the Defendant,” wrote owner Scooter Robison in an affidavit filed in 1990. Robison claimed that the 20 percent agreement was made in lieu of a fixed rent, which she renegotiated after learning that few people actually shopped in the atrium: “It quickly became apparent that despite the glowing assertions made by the Defendant’s organization and the glowing assessments of the business atmosphere in Trump Tower, [they] were so much hot air.”
All told, she had already paid $148,000 in rent before Trump demanded $280,000 in alleged back rent, sending letters to her holding company, Divine Expectations, claiming that the agreement had only lasted six months. When she refused, Trump terminated her lease, signing the demand letters himself. In her affidavit, Robison speculated that Trump was trying to “extract any sums of money possible from any sources possible in an effort to bolster [his] sagging finances,” well-known to the public at the time. “I have poured my resources and based my future upon the continued existence of this store. If I am dispossessed... I will be forced out of business and possibly into bankruptcy.” (The case was eventually settled after a court ruled that Trump could not terminate the lease.)
Such practices are not uncommon in the high-octane world of Manhattan real-estate, according to Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar and professor at George Washington University Law School. “These are often corporations that operate on the margin. They are corporations that seek every possible advantage under their lease and contracts, and that tends to make it a highly litigious market,” Turley told me. Indeed, Trump might be known as a litigious figure elsewhere, but on Fifth Avenue, he may have been par for the course. “He cut his teeth in a market where businesses often resort to litigation, high-pressure renegotiation of contracts or fulfillment of contested provisions,” he added. “And I think he very much comes out of that culture.”
But other times, Trump’s feuds with his retail tenants seemed more personal than business. Nat Hyman, who once rented kiosk on the first floor of Trump Tower, selling fine jewelry and high-end women’s accessories, was allegedly buried in litigation when Trump apparently decided that Hyman’s store didn’t reflect well on his own brand. At first, Hyman did well, reportedly securing deals to open additional kiosks in Trump’s Atlantic City casinos. But Trump later tried to force him out of his prime Trump Tower location, with lawyers for the Trump Organization writing letters describing Hyman’s goods as “poor quality.” When Hyman fought back, the legal feud escalated. In 2001, Trump’s lawyers told him that he had incurred a “violation” of the City of New York Department of Buildings, which, according to an attorney for the department, had never occurred. (According to the complaint, the “violations” were actually against the building’s concierge podium, owned by Trump himself.) At another point, Trump’s lawyers told Hyman that his brass-plated display cases were in violation of the lease: “Only solid brass Display Cases are consistent with the high standards of The Trump Tower Atrium and will withstand the effect of years of public contact. The current unacceptable worn condition of the Display Cases evinces how inappropriate a brass finish is,” they wrote.
It’s not clear what Trump’s penchant for litigation would mean for his presidency. Historically, presidents avoid litigation as much as possible, Turley said, “because much of presidential privilege and powers are the result of historical practice as opposed to judicial precedent. So the office of the presidency has much to lose when it goes to court to pursue its opponents in congress, the media, or the public.” In order to maintain those powers, White House counsel often discourage presidents from suing their enemies into submission. “That requires a degree of compromise, and a very significant degree of circumspection from presidents.”
Hyman never got that compromise over his kiosk. Every time he pushed back, he told CNN earlier this year, Trump would retaliate against him in some way. At first, he canceled Hyman’s leases in his Atlantic City properties. When that failed, Trump continued to file suit after suit against him, forcing him to spend over a million dollars in litigation. “I tried to stand up to him everywhere I could but it’s exhausting, and it’s silly,” said Hyman, who eventually left the building after 14 years. “To him, it’s a sport. To him, it’s fun.”
Trump eventually replaced Hyman’s kiosk with a shop more to his liking: one that sells Trump-branded merchandise.
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The woman on the right is a McDonald’s worker who walked off the job this morning. Photo by Micah Uetricht.
Chicago’s downtown Loop area is the heart of commerce in the city. But beginning at 5:30 am today, fast food and retail workers there have gone on strike, following New York City fast food workers who walked off the job in November and again earlier this month demanding higher wages and better working conditions.
Organizers estimate about 500 workers, uniting under the name of the Workers Organizing Committee of Chicago, will be striking today in industries long associated with low wages but unaccustomed to labor unrest. The campaign, backed by a coalition of Chicago unions and community organizations, has the lofty goal of winning a raise to $15 per hour for workers who make up nearly one-third of all jobs in the city. Ad Policy
Silvia Garduno, 27, works at a Sally’s Beauty Supply store in the Loop. The night before the strike, Garduno explained that despite working at the store (one location of “the largest retailer of professional beauty supplies in the world,” according to the company’s website) for three years, she earns $8.91 per hour.
“We’re the ones working our butts off,” Garduno says. “$8.91 is ridiculous—especially being downtown. We’re worth more.” The Loop sees about $4 billion in retail and fast food revenue each year.
In addition to low pay, Garduno says her work at Sally’s is sometimes dangerous, like when she says her store was robbed, and is often full of indignities, like when she had to take time off to tend to her sick mother and was told she might be fired.
Retail and food service jobs are typically thought of as entry-level positions, populated by teenagers looking for some extra spending money before moving on. But a recent National Employment Law Project study found that since the 2008 economic crash, the majority of jobs lost have been middle wage jobs (between $13.84 and $21.13), while the bulk of jobs under the “recovery” has been jobs between $7.69 and $13.83. It’s what has been called a “McJobs Recovery,” in which low-wage jobs are increasingly the only jobs available—for teenagers, young adults, middle-aged workers, everyone.
Indeed, at a meeting downtown two weeks before the strike, workers of a wide variety of ages and other demographic profiles gathered. One of three such meetings held to discuss whether or not to strike, nearly 100 workers squeezed into a sweltering room, listening to middle-aged Ecuadorian immigrants telling their stories of working at McDonald’s in Spanish, followed by the kind of white twenty-something cashiers who would likely take umbrage at being pegged as hipsters. An African-American man approaching what’s typically thought of as retirement age told of decades working in fast food and hovering near minimum wage, while a young Urban Outfitters worker said a raise would “make the difference between living and surviving.”
When explaining what a raise to $15 per hour would mean to her, Trish Kahle, a Whole Foods worker, stated simply, “I could have heat all winter.”
“We all have one thing in common: sacrifice,” a young African-American cashier on the Mag Mile said later.
“We sacrifice our time, our family, our general happiness. The people we’re working for don’t make those sacrifices,” she said before pledging to strike.
Strikers’ principal demand—$15 per hour, nearly double the minimum wage rate—is likely unwinnable, but is refreshingly audacious at a time when workers’ expectations are severely diminished and organized labor appears nearly vanquished. It’s part of the campaign’s larger demand-side economics argument that is rarely heard in the age of austerity: in a city with massive violent crime rates in poor neighborhoods, the best crime prevention tactic is raising the wages of workers in those neighborhoods [PDF].
And the willingness on the part of labor to begin campaigns loudly and publicly with walkoffs is a part of a recent “strike-first strategy,” in which workers are bypassing the U.S.’s notoriously anti-worker labor laws whose typical process for forming a union allows employers to destroy organizing drives in their nascent phases. Instead, workers are walking off the job as part of a highly visible attempt to gain the support of their coworkers. Workers in Walmart’s retail and warehouse divisions took the same step late last year, and won some small but important victories.
While recent efforts to organize low-wage and retail workers seem new, they have historical precedent in the U.S. Vanessa Tait, author of Poor Workers Unions, a history of organizing efforts in low-wage jobs, says previous efforts, like the famous 1937 sit-down strike by women workers at Woolworth’s or lesser-known efforts to organize fast food restaurants in Detroit in the 1980s, were done on a smaller shop-by-shop level—unlike the strikes in Chicago and New York, whose scope involves hundreds of stores and restaurants. “Being able to organize on a unified industrial and geographical level with broad public support makes a big difference: it creates a sense of movement and a greater possibility of victory.”
While organizing conditions are difficult for low-wage workers, Tait says they aren’t impossible.
“Producing lattes at Starbucks isn’t really all that different from making widgets at General Electric. Organizing is less about the thing produced and more about how workers and their supporters construct a movement,” she says.
At Wednesday’s meeting, workers from big-name companies like Macy’s, Subway, Victoria’s Secret, McDonald’s, and Nike pledged to strike. Some seemed nervous to take the step of a strike, but the successful example of New York—where only one striking worker was told they were fired, only to be allowed to return after community leaders and other supporters accompanied her back and demanded her reinstatement—seems to have emboldened many of Chicago’s low-wage strikers. Organizers say the campaign will soon be spreading beyond Chicago and New York to other cities around the country, where there surely are surpluses of pissed-off low-wage workers.
“It’s because we put up with it,” Garduno says in response to a question about why these companies had paid so little for so long. “We let them pay us what they want to, instead of demanding they pay us what we deserve. Well, guess what? We’re not putting up with it anymore.”Martin O'Neill is expected to turn up the heat on Jack Grealish by calling him into the Ireland squad for next month's friendly with England.
Martin O'Neill is expected to turn up the heat on Jack Grealish by calling him into the Ireland squad for next month's friendly with England.
The Ireland manager, who names his panel today, is preparing to make the first move in the campaign to get the Aston Villa player to decide on his international future.
Grealish has been courted by O'Neill and assistant manager Roy Keane for months and they are hopeful that the teenager will choose to play for Ireland rather than England as he has played all of his age-group football in green.
The Aston Villa ace has previously indicated via his father Kevin that he will delay his final decision on his international career until the start of next season.
The teenager rejected an invitation to train with the senior Ireland squad earlier this season, but this would be a far more significant offer as he will also be promised game-time at the end of a week's training camp.
It would be a clever move by O'Neill as it would put the ball firmly in Grealish's court and help avoid constant questions about the teenager.
If the call-up is rejected, it will have to be done in public and O'Neill will argue that he could not have done any more to persuade the 19-year-old to choose Ireland.
Birmingham-born Grealish, who has shone for Villa under new manager Tim Sherwood, said in March that he was looking forward "to pulling on the green jersey again" after taking a sabbatical from international football to concentrate on his club career.
However, O'Neill has still not been given a clear answer on whether he intends to play for Ireland or England, and there are fears he was just saying what people wanted to hear as he had just been named Ireland's U-21 player of the year.
England U-21 manager Gareth Southgate has spoken to Grealish, but the midfielder is not likely to receive a senior call up from Roy Hodgson this summer.
Although next month's match in Dublin is only a friendly and would mean Grealish could still decide to play for England at a later date, it would be controversial for him to play for Ireland against them and then change his mind.
However, O'Neill is expected to tell the player and his advisors that he will not be forced to play in the European Championship qualifier against Scotland on June 13 if he still wants to keep his options open.
Players cannot switch national allegiances if they have played in a competitive fixture.
Agenda
The Grealish issue will be top of the agenda today as O'Neill's squad announcements have typically been devoid of major talking points because of his preference for naming larger panels that are cut down closer to the first day of duty.
It's not as straightforward for this pair of fixtures, however, as a number of his Championship options are already on a summer break following their last regular league game of the season on May 2 and need to know where they stand.
The final group are due to report in or around June 1 ahead of the closed-doors fixture with Northern Ireland on June 4 and then the friendly with England on June 7.
But the whole gathering will be defined by the outcome of the Scottish showdown in the Aviva on June 13.
Grealish's Villa colleague Ciaran Clark is on the easy list after being ruled out of the FA Cup final by Sherwood and Darron Gibson's club campaign at Everton is also over after a litany of problems.
In terms of likely starters, O'Neill's main worry surrounds his record goalscorer Robbie Keane, with the LA Galaxy veteran unavailable since last month with a groin strain.
He is targeting a return next weekend. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
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Irish IndependentAn Open Source Headshot (Ronni)
I recently had an opportunity to shoot some headshots of a model, Ronni on ModelMayhem. She was kind enough to brave some nasty weather to help get to the shoot. It was my first time shooting with her, and she was super nice (if you’re in the Mobile, AL area give her a shout!).
My personal favorite of the set.
The image we’ll be working on in this tutorial.
This post is going to focus on what I had to do to get the final result you see above. I had a couple of small problems that I ran into, but they led to some neat solutions!
The intention was to shoot her against a white backdrop that I would light and expose to be pure white, and lighting her separately. While I had the rough setup from my previous headshot of myself to work from, I still managed to botch the exposure a little bit (if anyone wants to help me buy a lightmeter so this doesn’t happen again, that would just be aces! ;) ).
So the result you see above is mostly what I had envisioned before the shoot. If I had things setup correctly, I could have just positioned the model, shot away, and would already have my clean white background ready to go.
Of course, that is not what happened.
File Downloads:
As usual, to keep things open and accessible, here are my “source” files:
Download the.ORF RAW file [Google Drive]
If you’d rather work with my two final JPG outputs (hi/lo), and my crop, here are those files:
This file is being made available under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike license (CC-BY-SA-NC).
You’re free to use it, modify it, and share it as long as you attribute me, Pat David, as the originator of the file. You’re not allowed to use these images for Commercial purposes.
Really, what I should do is just re-shoot the headshots. The exposures are off, and I would save myself much more time in the end by reshooting. This does present us a nice learning opportunity, however. What would be the steps I could use to still get a good shot out of this? Well, stay with me…
So, here is the neutral result that I was seeing in RawTherapee once I was finished:
The problem is that my model is under-exposed, while the edges of the background flash around her are right at the edge of over-exposure. This means that if I increase the exposure to correct for my model, I will begin blowing out the background.
Normally, this would be fine, as I want the background to be pure white anyway. Unfortunately, result of this is that the hairs along the edges that are over the white background will begin to blow out, and I’ll lose that detail.
Here is the same image, exposure corrected for my subject (Only change is Exposure Compensation to 1.2 in RawTherapee):
This isn’t too bad at first glance. The model is more properly exposed, and the background is now pure white as well, which is what I wanted to begin with.
The problem with the corrected version is the hair. Here’s a closeup to illustrate what I mean:
Comparison of edge hairs between neutral exposure (left), and corrected for subject (right).
As you can see, by raising the exposure to proper levels for my subject, I lose too much of the hair details in front of the background. I guess I could let them blow out, but it just doesn’t look very well thought out or executed (and the last thing I want is for people to think I poorly executed something, right?).
So now I had a plan of sorts. I want the hair details over a white background from the neutral exposure, but want the subject from the corrected exposure. Now I know I’ll be dealing with two images, and compositing them together to give me a single image that has a pure white background, hairs defined against that background, and a properly exposed subject. Piece of cake!
Here is a short (30s) video I made to illustrate what I was now going to do:
Because I knew I would be masking my corrected exposure image over the others, there was nothing else to do with it at the moment. That layer is done.
The layer with the hair details is the problem I now had. How can I effectively extract the subject/hair from the background in this image?
Let’s look at the image again:
I need a way to effectively mask out the background from the model, and all of her hairs that are over the background. Here are my options:
I could mask it all by hand (hours of work).
I can pay someone to do it (according to my latest spam emails this is apparently a thing).
I can use the Fuzzy Select Tool (magic wand).
(magic wand). I can use the Foreground Select tool.
Now, if you know me, you’ll know that I’m lazy, so the first option is out as long as there are other options on the table. I’m also cheap, so the second option is out as well (seriously, this is a thing?!).
Now, I have tried to use the Fuzzy Select Tool in the past to do this, and let me tell you: it’s frustrating. It’s hard to get a good selection, and you’ll always get things you didn’t really want (or vice-versa). Plus, the background is not consistently the same value, shifting with the light falloff on the backdrop. Nope, not for me.
Foreground Select sounds like just the tool for the job, right?
Well, yes, it does sound perfect for this in theory. It’s just that in practice it’s pretty much useless. See, the current Foreground Select tool uses SIOX to create the mask. Unfortunately, this means that the mask results are binary, meaning that a pixel is either fully transparent, or fully colored. No in-between.
The result of GIMP’s Foreground Select tool using SIOX.
It may get a foreground selection for you, but in my case it looks even worse than the blown out, corrected exposure version. So this was a no-go.
IF only there was some more advanced method of pixel extraction from a background that took into account transparency and could magically create a selection for me…
Well, turns out there is! Thanks to Jan Rüegg and Johann Wolf, there is a fork of GIMP that has a much more advanced Alpha Matting foreground select tool, instead of the SIOX implementation in main GIMP.
I won’t get into the reasons why this is not the default for the Foreground Select tool in GIMP at the moment. It’s being worked on somewhat, and may find itself in GIMP at some point. For now you’ll have to download a version of GIMP that has it included. Luckily, +Partha Bagchi has you covered with a pre-compiled version of this fork! Head to Partha.com and get it. (It’s the RGGJAN Fork).
I have this same version saved on my machine just for this tool (seriously, that’s how useful it is). It’s a portable build, so it doesn’t interfere with any other GIMP versions I may have installed. Well worth the download.
So I have my neutral exposure image exported from RawTherapee, and now it’s time for some magic (well, maybe not “magic”, but it does seem magical sometimes).
For a change I’ve actually recorded a video of me going through the steps I describe below. I know some people prefer videos, so here it is:
At about 5:30s I start outling the first rough selection, there should be an annotation that will let you fast forward past that part if you’d like (sorry, I was having audio sync issues when I tried to fix it myself before uploading). Otherwise, it’s basically a walkthrough of everything I am doing below (the only downside is you have to listen to me ramble - sorry).
Opening up my base neutral exposure image:
You can invoke the command through:
Tools → Selection Tools → Foreground Select
The first thing you’ll do is create a rough selection around your foreground object that you want to separate. Due to how the algorithm operates, you’ll want to get reasonably close during this step to help speed things up. The more pixels you can identify as definitely foreground/background, the faster things will move (and the better the results).
Here is my rough mask for the image:
After you’ve identified the rough mask, the tool will now be expecting you to paint over the foreground object that you want to extract. As with the first pass mask, you’ll want to make sure you select as much of the foreground as possible, and be sure that it really is the foreground.
If possible it’s best to make sure you have good coverage of the foreground object, and to not leave any holes in your selection (paint over the entire foreground object, not just the edges). This will help speed things up a bit.
Once you let go of the mouse button, the algorithm will begin working on identifying the foreground pixels. Go get a cup of coffee.
When I came back from my mandatory coffee break, I had this:
At this point, if you’re happy with the results you can just hit “Enter”, and you’ll have a new layer with your foreground object over a transparent background.
If you need to tweak the mask further, you can opt to paint-in and identify either backround/foreground pixels to help the algorithm even more. In my case, it pulled a pretty dark clean mask right out of the gate:
On Blue - On Red - On Green - On White
(mouseover to change background)
There are a couple of places that I could refine the mask further if needed. There are two spots in the hair on the left, and some background peeking through on the right. Remember, though, that I only really need the hairs that are mostly in front of the background (as I’ll be masking most of this with the other exposure image).
So at this point I can say that I’m done! I personally now save the foreground extracted image as a PNG with transparency, and open up my regular GIMP build to finalize the base image.
At this point I’ll work entirely in my normal build of GIMP that I use (which also happens to be a Partha build). I’ll open up the foreground extracted image, and because I want a white background I’ll add a pure white layer underneath it.
At this point I’ll touch up the slight mask problem in the outlying hair, and make it look a bit cleaner (on the left):
Then I will open up the corrected exposure version over all the other layers. I’ll also add a fully transparent layer mask to it:
At this point, I’ll simply paint on the mask with white to show through the properly exposed image. I’ll use a soft brush, and keep away from getting too close to the edges, instead letting the layer underneath with the extracted foreground handle that for me.
When I’m done, I’m left with this:
If you’re curious, here’s what my layer palette currently looks like as well:
So at this point I’m done with just getting my base image ready for my normal workflow. The image is in a state that it should have been in from the start, of course. If I had gotten my exposures correct I could have avoided all of this.
We wouldn’t have had a chance to learn about a great method of foreground extraction, though!
Normally at this point, I would get started with the next part of my retouching workflow. I am going to stop here, and publish this now, though. I figured it might be more helpful if I record a video of the next steps as well, and I haven’t finished those yet.
So stayed tuned later this week, as we start with this base image and try to whip it into shape!Kotaku East East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.
Face it. The best meal you can get at McDonald's is breakfast. And for a limited time, you can get just that at a McDonald's in Tokyo. That's all you can get. Wahoo!
The McDonald's in Tokyo's Shinjuku (the Meiji-dori Sutepa-ten, to be exact!) has put its regular menu on hold and is serving round the clock breakfast. In Japan, the McDonald's breakfast service is called "Asa Makku" (朝マック) or "Morning McDonald's". Website IT Media recently swung by to check out the fast food festivities.
The campaign is the latest in a string of ones from McDonald's Japan that has unintentionally resulted in french fry madness and hamburger horrors. This latest stunt seems like it won't end in fast food chaos.
If you |
looks like this:
CI Dashboard Main View
In the 6 months since the dashboard was created, the team now has a better grasp on what’s going on. In the past, there was much confusion as to whether or not a feature had been released, which build was on which environment, and who was working on what. All of this was accomplished without adding an additional server, website, or hack.Chinese authorities are grabbing Apple iPads off the shelves in Northern China stores because the domestic Shenzhen Proview Technology company claims ownership of the name "iPad."
Apple will face a $38 million fine for using the "iPad" name in China, according to a Proview rep. As Mashable previously reported, Apple bought the rights from Proview Electronics' parent company Taiwan-based Proview International Holdings in 2010, but rights have not extended to China.
Proview has registered trademarks for the name "IPAD" in Europe, Mexico, China and other parts of Asia, according to the L.A. Times.
Proview successfully sued Apple last December for $1.6 billion. Apple is appealing the decision.
Tablets started coming off the shelves on Thursday. There are no reports of how many devices or number of stores affected. Local news reports state that some Apple stores are holding them in back rooms to avoid products being confiscated.
This news comes amid reports that Apple could grab hold of China's mobile device market by 2013.
Tell us in the comments what you think Apple should do in this expensive name dispute.
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In a letter to Mnuchin sent last week and made public Thursday, Johnson, who chairs the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, said the IRS is making overpayments to illegal immigrants who apply for the Additional Child Tax Credit, the refundable part of the child tax credit. Those payments are possible because applicants do not have to submit their Social Security number.
"Under the Obama administration... the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continued to provide a significant incentive for illegal immigration by failing to prevent the issuance of billions of dollars in fraudulent overpayments of the Additional Child Tax Credit to illegal aliens," Johnson wrote in the May 26 letter. He cited a 2011 report showing that $4.2 billion was paid out to people who not legally eligible to work in the United States.
"Despite the administration's prioritization of border security and calls from Republicans, Democrats, and an independent inspector general for the IRS to correct this problem, the committee learned in recent testimony that the IRS, under Commissioner John Koskinen, allows these fraudulent overpayments to persist," he wrote. Johnson asked the Treasury Department to review those payments for possible fraud.
For years, people have filed for ACTC payments with their Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, including many who are living in the U.S. illegally or are foreign workers. Most recently, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration determined that the IRS paid out $3.4 billion to ITIN filers as of 2015.
"The IRS's failure to remedy this vulnerability on its own accord not only continues to cost taxpayers billions of dollars every year, but also provides an incentive for illegal immigration into the country," Johnson added.
The Wisconsin Republican asked the Treasury Department to brief the committee's staff on ACTC fraud by June 9.
Improper payments continue to be a problem for the IRS. According to the inspector general's report in early May, the rate of improper payments hovers around 25 percent for the earned income tax credit, the ACTC, and the American Opportunity tax credit, which benefits college students.
President Trump's budget called for major savings through new efforts to make sure illegal immigrants do not receive these credits.
Read Johnson's letter here:Davenport, Iowa — Hillary Clinton defended the Affordable Care Act in fierce terms on Monday amid a new Republican effort to unravel the health care law in Congress.
“They have no plan,” Clinton told a crowd of several hundred. “The Republicans just want to undo what Democrat have fought for for decades and what President Obama got accomplished. So we need a president, just as President Obama will, to veto that.”
Clinton credited the law with expanding health coverage to 19 million Americans, ending discrimination over pre-existing conditions, and requiring insurers to charge equal premiums to men and women. She pledged to expand it to further bring down drug costs, which remain a prime driver of rising health costs.
RELATED: Clinton campaign says it raises $37M in fourth quarter
“[I]f there’s a Republican sitting there, it will be repealed and then we will have to start all over again,” she said.
For the first time since capturing the House and Senate in 2014, Republicans are set to send a bill this week to Obama’s desk that would repeal the ACA. The Senate passed the legislation last month using budget reconciliation, a rare parliamentary maneuver that can bypass a Democratic filibuster with a simple majority vote. Democrats used the same procedure to pass portions of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 after Scott Brown’s upset victory in a Massachusetts special election cost them their filibuster-proof majority.
The GOP presidential field is running on a platform of repealing the law and replacing it with a mostly unspecified alternative. Past efforts by GOP leaders in Congress to find a consensus replacement bill have failed to yield fruit, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has pledged to produce a Republican health plan.
In addition to health care, Clinton praised Obama for using executive action and regulations to tackle climate change and gun control, where the White House is preparing to roll out new efforts to tighten background checks.
“I don’t think the stakes could be higher,” the candidate said, warning that all these measures could be undone by a Republican president.
Clinton’s remarks came at the first event in a two-day swing through Iowa for Clinton, who has five more appearances scheduled throughout the state. It was billed as a town hall, prompting some confusion in the audience when Clinton instead delivered a 40-minute speech. The Clinton campaign attributed the surprise change in format to a mix up on the candidate’s behalf and assured that the next event in the day in Cedar Rapids would be indeed be a town hall.Warren Ellis’s series is 20 years old, set 200 years in the future – and tells you everything about the 2016 US presidential race
Comics have been quietly doing politics for decades. Loudly and brightly satirising political elites can’t of course be considered quiet, but somehow the political voice of comics, long available to all, has been overlooked by mainstream culture. In the 80s and 90s, 2000AD and Judge Dredd took Thatcherism to task and Alan Moore’s Watchmen smuggled blatant anti-capitalism into superhero comics.
The 90s comic-book series that nailed the 2016 US presidential election, Transmetropolitan, is set two centuries in the future – but its speculations took only two decades to come true. Published in 1997 – just as the radical energy in comics began to dissipate, and when the internet and the growing attentions of Hollywood tempted away then-small creators to more prestigious, better-paid gigs – writer Warren Ellis and illustrator Darick Robertson’s story was an example of pure, radical energy, more overt than any other comic of its day.
'Oh, Benito Mussolini': conservative media turns away from Donald Trump Read more
Almost 20 years later, amid the primaries of the most absurd, brutal and pivotal US presidential election in recent history, Transmetropolitian has only grown more prescient, and a story set two centuries in the future seems in many ways to be coming true already.
Get ready to have your stomach turned by the picture of our political life Transmetropolitan offers. Spider Jerusalem is the antihero: a shaven-headed, heavily inked journalist who spends much of the story wearing only pants (he’s not an easy character to forget). Jerusalem is something of a homage to Hunter S Thompson, but also a portrait of his creator Warren Ellis – a political activist who can’t resist calling out the powers that be on their brands of bullshit.
Today, we don’t have a Spider Jerusalem working for a major newspaper: we have an army of them causing trouble on social media. Criticised by writers and celebrities for its “mob mentality”, Twitter has taken on journalism’s job of speaking truth to power, precisely because it gives free rein to exactly the kind of passionate outrage shown by Spider Jerusalem. Those wanting it restrained should be very careful what they wish for.
Jerusalem is pitched against two major political opponents through Transmetropolitan’s 60-issue run. The Beast is the sitting president as the narrative opens, a physically imposing bully and “strongman” leader who appeals to the authoritarian streak in those he rules over. The Beast represents the very worst aspects of modern political life – and embodies all the horrifying ignorance visible in Donald Trump.
He’s not the only enemy awaiting Spider Jerusalem: Gary Callahan, aka The Smiler (as Jerusalem calls him) is clearly modelled on Tony Blair during his rise to power. Callahan is at first presented as a liberal alternative to the Beast, but piece by piece Jerusalem’s investigations reveal a far more sinister character who will stop at nothing to gain power while keeping up a perfect public image.
The Smiler is all of our worst fears about our political elite; even when they represent policies we disagree with, we hope they at least operate with conviction. But when we look at the state of political funding – particularly in the US, with the vast sums paid by banks and corporations to political leaders – that can seem hard to believe. There are politicians, like Bernie Sanders, who appeal because their policies feel born from genuine passion (however unrealistic), while others, such as Hillary Clinton, appear to coverits absence behind relentless smiles.
But the real antagonist of Transmetropolitan is the City itself: a nameless cyberpunk sprawl, with ubiquitous screens looping its vast population into a 24-hour rolling news cycle, in exactly the way that today’s smartphones and social media make a distant election a personalised drama.
Spider Jerusalem lives in a love-hate relationship with the people of the city. As their voice of protest, his life is dedicated (in a rather slipshod manner) to liberating the people from corruption and exploitation. Jerusalem is a rebel Jesus, a swearing Mohammed, a punk Buddha, coming down from his mountain to lead the people to enlightenment.
But like all saviours, Spider Jerusalem is defeated not by the powerful, but by the people themselves. If the people would lead themselves, they wouldn’t need the Beast or the Smiler – but all the people want is to hand responsibility to somebody else, so they can carry on losing themselves in drugs, sex and video games. What Transmetropolitan captures best about modern politics is, when it comes to politicians, we the people get what we deserve.Islamic state has claimed responsibility for the attack on a restaurant in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on Friday. At least two policemen have reportedly died, and dozens of people are being held hostage.
Four police officers have died, while the gunmen are holding approximately 40 hostages, including at least one Westerner, NBC News reported, citing Assistant Superintendent Fazle-e-Elahi. According to local media, two officers have been killed.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, Reuters said, citing the terrorist group’s propaganda website Amaq. The number of casualties, Amaq claims, stands at more than 20. However, the information hasn’t yet been officially confirmed.
Reports of shooting and hostage situation in Gulshan 2, Dhaka. Please shelter in place and monitor news. — U.S. Embassy Dhaka (@usembassydhaka) July 1, 2016
Local police tried to establish communication with the terrorists, but after failing they started an operation to free hostages from the Dhaka restaurant.
Officers said that over 100 troops are fighting the gunmen, who are firing back, Reuters reported.
Local TV said that at least 10 people have been rescued from the cafe, including two foreigners.
Italian, Japanese and Indian nationals were reportedly among the hostages. Italy’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Mario Palma, confirmed the reports, saying that seven Italians were inside the cafe. Meanwhile, a Japanese government spokesman spoke about 12 people being rescued, but did not specify if any of the Japanese nationals were among the freed.
All TV networks across Bangladesh have stopped live coverage at the request of police, local media websites report.
Media outlets have been requested not to publish the names or nationalities of probable hostages for their safety.
Media should refrain from identifying nationalities/identities of probable hostages in context of #Dhaka for their safety. Please RT & tag — Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) July 1, 2016
“We heard the shooting noise and blasting bombs… It is quiet now,” a witness who lives a kilometer from the restaurant told RT.
“I’m particularly worried about what is going to happen in the next hours…” the man said, adding that he doesn’t know what actions local authorities are taking and he is concerned that if police try to catch the attackers, it may lead to more bloodshed.
The attack was carried out by a group of at least nine people, according to local media. They entered the restaurant at around 9:20pm local time and reportedly opened fire and set off explosions.
One of the attackers was armed with a sword, the others carried guns, an employee of a nearby café told RT. He estimated the number of hostages as at least 30.
A kitchen worker who managed to escape the building said the attackers chanted “Allahu Akbar.”
“They blasted several crude bombs, causing wide-scale panic among everyone. I managed to flee during this confusion,” he said, according to The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi English-language newspaper. The paper puts the number of injuries at 30.
The targeted area for the operation is Gulshan, a neighborhood in the capital city of Dhaka that hosts many nongovernmental organizations and embassies, including that of the US.
“This is a very serious diplomatic area, there are many embassies, including the delegation of the European Union, the French embassy, the Dutch embassy and the Russian embassy,” Syed Ishtiak Reza, the director of Ekattor TV, a leading satellite television channel in Bangladesh, said in an interview with RT.
The same-style attack took place in November 2015 when Al-Qaeda militants attacked the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, leaving 22 civilians dead. Five terrorists were killed as a result of a 10-hour siege.We dropped by the living and work spaces of menswear designer Peir Wu for the latest installment of Selectism Visits.
Peir Wu is an independent label that was founded in 2011, and produces finely crafted garments with a purist ethos. Wu has developed a highly considered way of working and is well-known for a design style that is refined and evocative.
In her London home and studio, tucked away in Hackney Wick, light floods in through wide windows and gives the space a sense of calm. The space is minimal and well-planned. Wu works on a big wooden desk with views of the Olympic park.
We spoke to Wu about what makes a good neighborhood and what she likes most about her workspace.
What’s your favorite aspect of your live/work space as a whole?
The double story pitch roof, big windows, natural light and working in comfort.
Tell us about your favorite piece of furniture or equipment in your space.
There’s this big metal grid frame, which was reclaimed by Joel of Listen Studio from an industrial shelving warehouse in Seven Sisters for our Fall/Winter 2014 presentation. It’s perfect for the studio — tall, solid and lightweight. We now use it as our mood board, images and fabric collage — whatever inspires us for the season.
Is there anything specific you do to keep your space inspiring?
There’s the mood board, and I own a lot of books, objects from my travels and from flea markets. I have a little space on my bookshelf where my favorite objects come together, like an altar of inspirations and ideas.
What role does location play with regard to your space?
I moved to Hackney Wick/Fish Island five years ago. It was the closest I could get to how I lived in Antwerp. I was there for a year before, in a huge warehouse building with some artists. It was amazing, we had a swing in the communal area, rode bicycles around each floor…
When I moved back to London, temporarily into a tiny room in a Victorian house, it felt really claustrophobic. Hackney Wick was the only area, close to the climbing wall (a big bonus), big space, cheap rent. It was pretty dodgy then, but I didn’t mind that one bit. It’s cleaned up a lot since.
I just stayed after college to start my business. We’re a small team, like family. It’s easy for now, there’s just enough space to work and we keep operations lean.
How do you combine aesthetics between your work and living in your space?
The bookshelf is where all books, documents, materials, etc. go and everywhere else is neutral space. We clear up the space every evening; everything is put back in place. I’m not OCD about it — it’s more like an organized chaos. I like when things are where they should be so we don’t have to think about it. It’s efficient and intuitive. And the act of cleaning up the space is kind of like a ritual for us to clear our heads as well.
If work gets too intense, I run off to the climbing wall and jump around for a couple of hours, and that’s my mental detox.
If you could add something new or change one thing about your space, what would you do?
An extra floor would be nice. I think three floors is good Feng Shui. Eventually, I’d like to find something bigger — hopefully own it — and have more freedom with the space.
Words & Photography: Lydia Garnett/Selectism.com
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Words by StaffAt the Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event in New York on Thursday, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ smartphones. JK Shin, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics, launched the company's new phablet flagships in a bid to reverse the South Korean giant's declining fortunes. The two smartphones will be available in select markets by the end of the month, with wider availability from September.
Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ kick off in the US from Thursday, and the smartphones will be made available from August 21. In the US, the Galaxy Note 5 will be available via AT&T (with a no commitment contract) at $739.99 (roughly Rs. 48,400) for the 32GB variant, and $839.99 (roughly Rs. 54,800) for the 64GB variant, while the Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be priced at $814.99 (roughly Rs. 53,300) and $914.99 (roughly Rs. 59,800) for the 32GB and 64GB variants respectively. Samsung said the Galaxy Note 5 will only be made available in select markets, while the Galaxy S6 Edge+ will feature wider availability.
(Also see: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4)
Like the Samsung Galaxy S6 (Review | Pictures) and Galaxy S6 Edge (Review | Pictures) before them, both the Note 5 and S6 Edge+ are identical to each other except for the displays. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, like the S6 Edge before it, sports a dual-edge display. The Galaxy Note 5 also features a new and improved S Pen in addition.
(Also see: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ vs Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge vs Samsung Galaxy S6)
The Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ feature 5.7-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) Super-Amoled displays with a pixel density of 515ppi. The duo is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC with four Cortex-A57 cores clocked at 2.1GHz, and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz, coupled with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM.
(Also see: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ vs Samsung Galaxy Note 5)
The Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ smartphones feature 16-megapixel rear cameras with f/1.9 aperture and optical image stabilisation, apart from 5-megapixel front-facing cameras. The camera app can be opened with a double press on the home button, which also bears the fingerprint sensor. A Live Broadcast feature is also being touted.The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ both have no microSD card slots, and feature 3000mAh non-removable batteries. Samsung said the batteries feature its Fast Charging technology for both wired and wireless (WPC and PMA) options. Wired charging will deliver full charge in roughly 90 minutes, and with the new wireless charger, full charge is delivered in roughly 120 minutes, said Samsung.
In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be offered in 4G LTE Cat. 9 or Cat. 6 modems depending on the market. The phones also feature NFC and MST, to power the Samsung Pay mobile payment technology. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ A-GPS, and Micro-USB 2.0 (so no USB Type-C as was rumoured).
(Also see: Samsung Pay Gets Korea and US Launch Date; Coming to UK, Spain, and China Later)
The Samsung Galaxy Edge+ measures 154.4x75.8x6.9mm, and weighs 153 grams, while the Galaxy Note 5 is both thicker and heavier, with dimensions of 153.2x76.1x7.6mm, and a weight of 171 grams. The two smartphones will be available in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, and Silver Titanium colour variants.
Detailing changes to the S Pen, Samsung said the stylus now features a one-click mechanism to eject it from the main smartphone body. New and improved features include the ability to take notes without unlocking the phone, and an updated Air Command feature that shows a hovering icon for quick access to stylus tools. Scroll Capture offers annotation and screen/ text capturing abilities.
The company also unveiled BlackBerry-like Keyboard Covers for both the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ smartphones, apart from wireless charging modules and Clear View Covers. Samsung also announced support for its SideSync feature, which provides a 'wired PC-smartphone integration'. Both phones also feature Samsung Knox Active Protection, and the My Knox app.
The dual-edge display of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ comes with a new UI feature called Apps Edge to take advantage of the curved display, over and above the People Edge feature seen in the S6 Edge. It similarly allows users to pin commonly used apps to the side display, for quick access.
Commenting on the launch in a statement, JK Shin said, "At Samsung, we believed in the promise that large screen smartphones could actively address some major consumers pain points by providing users with a better viewing experience and more productivity on-the-go. With the launch of the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Note 5, we're re-emphasising our ongoing commitment to bold, fearless innovation that meets the needs of our consumers."Over on FourthAmendment.com, John Wesley Hall follows up on his earlier post about the Afifi GPS case by responding, in part, to one of the questions I had raised as to whether the FBI had a warrant for the surveillance. Pretty much everyone’s assumed they didn’t, but John explains why they probably didn’t:
One can be assured that the government had made no pre-installation showing of probable cause. What is more surprising is that the FBI actually had to grovel and go to the target and ask for the GPS device back. After all, asking for it back led to them telling him, according to Wired.com’s story, that he’d been under surveillance for three to six months. Maybe he wasn’t a terrorist after all. If he was, I’d think that they would just put another one on his car and sure not tell him about it.
John also makes a point that I hadn’t considered at all (which is why I find his blog and some other law blogs so darned essential to my daily reading):
A silver lining? Anything that calls more attention to wanton GPS surveillance of citizens is well worth talking about because, mark my words, the Supreme Court is going to get this issue soon if United States v. Maynard, 615 F.3d 544 (D.C.Cir. August 6, 2010), posted here, survives rehearing en bancbecause that is the case they will take. (Note that Orin Kerr in the previous link on Volokh Conspiracy thinks that Maynard is not the case for SCOTUS to take.)
Read more on FourthAmendment.com and then bookmark the blog. You’ll thank me later.RSA 2012 Security experts have warned that electronic voting systems are decades away from being secure, and to prove it a team from the University of Michigan successfully got the foul-mouthed, drunken Futurama robot Bender elected to head of a school board.
In 2010 the Washington DC election board announced it had set up an e-voting system for absentee ballots and was planning to use it in an election. However, to test the system, it invited the security community and members of the public to try and hack it three weeks before the election.
"It was too good an opportunity to pass up," explained Professor Alex Halderman from the University of Michigan. "How often do you get the chance to hack a government network without the possibility of going to jail?"
With the help of two graduate students, Halderman started to examine the software. Despite it being a relatively clean Ruby on Rails build, they spotted a shell injection vulnerability within a few hours. They figured out a way of writing directly to the images directory on the compromised server – and then encrypting the traffic so that the front-end intrusion detection system did not spot the intrusion. The team also managed to guess the login details for the terminal server used by the voting system. This wasn't exactly difficult, since the user name and password were both "admin".
Once in, the team searched the government servers for additional vulnerabilities and system options. They found that the cameras installed to watch the voting systems weren't protected, and used them to work out when staff left for the day and so wouldn't spot server activity. More worrying, they also found a PDF file containing the authentication codes for every Washington DC voter in the forthcoming election.
The team altered all the ballots on the system to vote for none of the nominated candidates. They then wrote in names of fictional IT systems as candidates, including Skynet and (Halderman's personal favorite) Bender for head of the DC school board. They also set up systems so that any further ballots would come under their control.
According to the log files the team found, plenty of people were also busy trying to get into the system. They spotted attempts to get in from the Persian University, as well as India and China. Using their inside access, they blocked these attacks. Finally, they inserted the word "owned" onto the final signoff screen of the voting page, and set up the University of Michigan football fight song to play after 15 seconds.
It took two days before the authorities discovered they'd been pwned, and they were only alerted to that fact when another tester told them the system was secure, but that they should lose the music on the sign-off screen, as it was rather annoying. Halderman has now published a full account of the attack.
The attack demonstrates several of the flaws in electronic voting systems, and at numerous sessions at the RSA 2012 conference in San Francisco, experts have consistently warned against the dangers of this technology. In the US, there are 33 states that have introduced some kind of electronic voting systems – and none of them are secure enough to resist a determined attacker said Dr. David Jefferson from Lawrence Livermore National Labs.
"The states are in the habit of certifying voting systems, typically without testing them or seeing the source code," he said. "In many cases the voting system uses proprietary code that government can't legally check, and the running of the systems is outsourced to the vendors. This situation is getting worse."
E-voting was a national security issue, he said. Financial attacks by hackers are relatively easy to detect – because at some point money has to leave the system. But if an election is hacked then we may never know, because it's a one-time action that typically isn't checked after the results have been announced and officials elected.
It will be decades before we have the technology to vote securely, Jefferson said, if indeed it is even possible. At stake is democracy itself, but politicians don't seem to understand the problems of electronic voting, and both Jefferson and Halderman expressed fears for the future if current systems become more popular. ®An 18-month-old boy lost his left eye when he was hit in the face by an out-of-control drone.
Oscar Webb was left blind in one eye when a propeller sliced through his eyeball while he was playing in the garden.
Doctors fought desperately to save Oscar's eye but they were forced to remove it as the damage was too severe.
Speaking on Watchdog on Thursday, Oscar's mother told of the moment she realised how bad the accident had been, as she raced to hospital with her son.
Amy Roberts, from Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, said: "What I saw, I can still see it now, it was the bottom half of his eye and it's the worst thing I've ever seen.
"I just hoped and prayed all the way there that what I saw wasn't true and wasn't real.
"I can't really even remember what I was thinking at the time. I just remember waiting for someone to come and say it was OK.
"They (the doctors) did say that it was one of the worst eye incidents they'd seen. It was hard, I cried that much that even the consultant, it brought tears to her face."
Surgeons performed several emergency operations to try to save Oscar's eye but the drone had damaged it beyond repair and Oscar now faces having a series of further operations before he can have a prosthetic eye fitted.
The accident, which happened seven weeks ago, occurred when a drone being flown by family friend Simon Evans spiralled out of control.
Photo: BBC
Mr Evans, who was an experienced drone operator before the accident, described the moment it hit Oscar.
He said: "It was up for about 60 seconds. As I brought it back down to land it just clipped the tree and span round.
"The next thing I know I've just heard my friend shriek and say 'Oh God no' and I turned around and just saw blood and his baby on the floor crying."
Mr Evans said he has not flown the gadget since the accident as the sight of one makes him feel "physically sick".
Oscar's mother said she wanted to warn others how dangerous drones can be.
"You don't realise the dangers, you don't expect something so severe to happen from what people call toys, I wouldn't class them as toys," she said.
Oscar's grandmother, Anita Roberts, who contacted the BBC after seeing a programme about the devices said it had been very upsetting.
"You can't take it in, the shock of it all, it's too much really," she said.
"You wish you could have been there instead of him, he's a baby."
The Civil Aviation Authority has released guidelines for how to fly drones safely and there will be a public consultation before a government strategy is published in 2016.Photo: Cultura/Howard Kingsnorth/Getty Images
On the most recent episode of “On the Media,” there was a really interesting segment in which Brooke Gladstone spoke with Boaz Keysar and Albert Costa, two researchers working on the question of how bilingual people might make certain decisions differently depending on which language the decision is described in.
As Keysar explained, it appears that when bilingual people are given decisions to make in their non-native language, they seem to take a more rational, less quick-draw approach — maybe because processing the scenario takes a bit more cognitive energy. He ran one study in which participants had to choose between flipping a coin and winning either $2.50 or nothing, or taking a dollar without having to flip a coin at all. When the game was explained in the participants’ native language, they flipped the coin about 50 percent of the time; when it was described in their non-native language, that number jumped to 70 percent. “In a way they’re less inhibited by their fears,” said Keysar. From an economic perspective, taking the coin flip is the “correct” choice, and the language barrier apparently helped nudge people toward it.
Costa said some intriguing things about how this idea could be applied to relationships:
If you start having a fight with someone and you’re speaking a second language and the fight is heating up, pretty often you switch to your first language and you say things you don’t want to say. So when you fight in a second language, perhaps you take more psychological distance and you can cool down and perhaps … [it] allows you not to |
of able politicians in their 30s and 40s. But none of them has found a formula, yet, to entice a Labour-weary public. Shadow cabinet ministers have struggled to get the country's attention even more than Miliband. Meanwhile, calls from the Blairites and their party descendents for a return to New Labour policies, now taken to mean a "realistic" – code for broadly supportive – attitude to the coalition's cuts and privatisations, seem unlikely to thrill an electorate that already has two austerity parties to vote for.
Finally, it should be remembered that Labour does not easily get rid of its leaders. Even Blair's decision to stand aside took years to drag out of him. Labour's lack of ruthlessness in this area could change: British politics, like British life, may be entering new territory. Whenever Miliband hits the buffers, whether soon or as prime minister, I suspect it will be his successor who truly reaps the benefits of his halting but brave effort to rethink Labour's place in the modern world. As a keen student of political history, Miliband will understand that process. But I'm sure he'd rather be Jesus than John the Baptist.
What Ed should do next
Gaby Hinsliff, former political editor of the Observer
If there's one adjective no politician wants near their name, it's "beleaguered", and Ed Miliband is dangerously close to beleaguered now. It's not entirely fair. Monday's speech showed he understands why many voters don't trust Labour on the economy, and has moved accordingly. As for the charge of being all vision and no beef, if anything there were too many complicated mini-pledges.
Miliband does complexity well; it's simplicity he lacks. Most voters are only half-listening at best, and all but the clearest ideas tend to slide over their heads – leaving vivid but unhelpful snippets.
It may now take something dramatic to break the downward spiral.
Mehdi Hasan, co-author of Ed: The Milibands and the Making of a Labour Leader
Miliband has been a poor communicator; he has major presentational issues. But what's the alternative? Replacing him with Yvette Cooper? That's supposed to solve all of Labour's problems? Come off it.
His critics forget that he inherited a party which had just suffered its second-worst election defeat in a hundred years. They should give him a break.
Meanwhile, Miliband has to ramp up his rhetorical assault on Britain's vested interests. If he isn't the voice of the little guy, he won't win in 2015.
John Kampfner, chief executive, Index on Censorship
In classically insular style, we think it's all down to us. We plucky Brits have all the problems … and the solutions. That Ed Miliband: if only he didn't look a nerd; if only he learnt to ad-lib better at PMQs, Labour would be in better nick.
The global financial crisis has been a setback not for free marketeers, as it should have been, but for the left. Ten years ago, half the EU's 27 member states were run by social democrats. Now it's four.
None of the Labour recipes of the past seem to have traction any longer, and the centre-right parties most closely associated with the failed economic model are most confident. The problem is about more than Ed.
Laurie Penny, New Statesman columnist and activist
It is painful to accept a leader is letting you down, especially a leader who was supposed to represent a change in the way politics is done. Many of the party faithful have long clung to the notion that Ed Miliband's problems are cosmetic; that he'd be fine if he just had a bit more media training, got married or learned to smile less like somebody trying to get the lid off a jar of jam.
But what Miliband lacks is not a nice nose or better hair; it's a spine. Right now, the country needs a leader, and a party, that can offer more than a mitigated programme of Tory cuts.
Neal Lawson, chair of Compass pressure group
Ed Miliband's rhetoric on predatory capitalism has been spot on, but he needs to have the courage to follow through with his convictions. Take his change of mind on the proposed European Financial Transaction Tax – he's gone from supporting it to saying it's unfeasible.
The Tories are ahead in the polling on the economy not because they present the right policies, but because there's a consistency to their message lacking in Labour. Leadership is not about looks, it's about ideas, and Ed remains the best chance Labour has.Warning: For those who haven't seen the season 5 finale of "Castle," consider this a major spoiler alert.
When viewers last left Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and New York City homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), Castle was bent down on one knee delivering an unexpected proposal to a surprised Beckett.
Of course, the episode ended before the audience was able to find out Beckett's answer, but OTRC.com correspondent Tony Cabrera caught up with some of the show's cast members recently. While they did not share any secrets about the upcoming season, they did talk about how they would like to see the Castle and Beckett relationship play out.
"Well, as a fan of the show, I look at it as his mother," actress Susan Sullivan, who plays Castle's mother Martha, said. "I'm totally immersed in this character. I think I worry about him with this woman, to be quite honest with you."
"I think they have to play this proposal out. So, that's what I would hope it would be about and I would think, if she had a brain cell working, she would accept. So there. Quote that," she added. "And not get married until the end of season 8."
Sullivan had previously told OTRC.com at the 100th episode celebration for "Castle" that she predicted the show would last eight seasons.
Molly C. Quinn, who plays Castle's daughter Alexis on the series, said she was excited about the big moment in the script.
"I remember reading the script and I was like, 'No way. No way.' And you know, now when I read the script I can see Nathan and I can see Stana doing it and it was -- you know I got a little teary-eyed like, 'Oh my god.' Cause she did not come into this ready to say yes, she came in to break it off," Quinn said. "So is she going to switch it around now? Like what's going to happen? It was -- I felt with everyone who loves this show just that, you know, my heart stopped."
Quinn also shared with OTRC.com her vision of how season 6 would start.
"I'd probably have Nathan like in the kitchen and we don't know if he's tired or kind of depressed. We still don't know if she said yes or no and then he starts making breakfast and then are those two omelets he's making? Maybe Alexis is home. Wait who's that coming out of the bedroom? It's Beckett," Quinn said. "That's how I would do it and show that the relationship is going to continue but of course that's just what I would do if I could write the episode and could direct it."
Tamala Jones plays Dr. Lanie Parish, a medical examiner, on the show and the actress believes the fans are in for the best season yet.
"I know the sixth season is going to be better than any season we've ever done. I can feel it from the cast, from the writers, from everybody," she said. "Everybody is just so excited. I mean, we kind of felt like we would have another season but, we never take anything for granted down on 'Castle.'"
As for her opinion on the big "Castle" season 5 finale cliffhanger, Jones said, "Kate Beckett is a hard nut to crack. It's not easy. She's got things, people she needs to see and things she needs to do and places she needs to go and maybe she'll sacrifice all that for a handsome, a ruggedly handsome man named Castle. We'll have to see next season."
Jones admitted, "I'm a big 'Castle' shipper. I'm a fan of -- even if I wasn't on the show, I would still be a fan."
OTRC.com, parent company KABC Television and the ABC Television Network are owned by the Walt Disney Company.
Reporting by Tony Cabrera, correspondent for KABC Television's entertainment show "On The Red Carpet" (check for local TV listings).Inshallah soon we will celebrate India's and Balochistan's independence day together.Jai Hind: Ashraf Sherjan,Baloch Republican Party — ANI (@ANI_news) August 15, 2016
Want to thank PM Modi for highlighting the Balochistan issue internationally: Ashraf Sherjan,Baloch Republican Party pic.twitter.com/3b2EXElD1o — ANI (@ANI_news) August 15, 2016
नई दिल्ली। प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने भारत की आजादी की 70वीं वर्षगांठ पर राष्ट्र को संबोधित करते हुए बलूचिस्तान का जिक्र भी किया। पाक का नाम लिए बिना ही PM ने आतंकवाद का जिक्र कर दुनिया से भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच का बुनियादी अंतर साफ देखने की अपील की। अपने भाषण में बलूचिस्तान का मुद्दा शामिल करने के लिए अब सीमा पार पाकिस्तान से PM को धन्यवाद कहा गया है। बलूच रिपब्लिकन पार्टी के सदस्य अशरफ शेरजान ने कहा कि बलूचिस्तान के मुद्दे को अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर यूं सामने लाने के लिए हम PM मोदी को शुक्रिया कहना चाहते हैं।अशरफ ने आगे कहा कि इंशाअल्लाह, हम जल्द ही भारत और बलूचिस्तान की आजादी का जश्न साथ मनाएंगे। जय हिंद। मालूम हो कि आजादी के समय से ही बलूचिस्तान पाकिस्तान से अलग होना चाहता था। बलूचिस्तान के लोगों का संघर्ष कई मायनों में पाकिस्तान के इतिहास का सबसे लंबा नागरिक युद्ध माना जाता है। यह क्षेत्र पाक के सबसे हिंसा प्रभावित इलाकों में से है।अशरफ के अलावा बलूच रिपब्लिकन पार्टी के संस्थापक नेता रहमदाग बुगती ने एक बार फिर पीएम मोदी का शुक्रिया जताया है। जिनेवा से संदेश देते हुए बुगती ने मोदी के भाषण की तारीफ की है जिसमें उन्होंने बलूचिस्तान का जिक्र किया गया था। उन्होंने भारतीय मीडिया का भी शुक्रिया अदा किया।बुगती ने कहा कि हाल में दिया गया भारतीय प्रधानमंत्री का बयान प्रेरित करने वाला है। मैं प्रधानमंत्री का शुक्रिया जताता हूं। मैं भारतीय मीडिया का भी शुक्रिया जताना चाहता हूं जिसने इसमें दिलचस्पी दिखाई। लेकिन भारत की प्रतिक्रिया थोड़े वक्त के लिए नहीं होनी चाहिए, ये भारत की विदेश नीति का गंभीर हिस्सा होना चाहिए।साल 2000 के बाद से तो यहां हिंसा की स्थिति और भी गंभीर हो गई है। एक ओर जहां पाकिस्तान सरकार और सेना खुद को इस हिंसा के लिए जिम्मेदार मानने से आरोपों से इनकार करती है, वही बलूचिस्तान में बेहद खराब हालात बने हुए हैं। आंकड़ों की मानें, तो यहां लापता लोगों की संख्या कई हजार तक है।अतीत में भारतीय मीडिया का रुख अच्छा नहीं रहा है। कितने भारतीय जानते हैं कि बलोच लोग सेकुलर राष्ट्र और सभी देशों का सम्मान करने में रुचि रखते हैं। कितने लोग जानते हैं कि बलूचिस्तान के हर हिस्से में मिलिटरी ऑपरेशन चल रहा है। अकबर बुगती को कितने लोग जानते हैं। अकबर बुगती का बलूचिस्तान में वही स्थान है जो स्थान महात्मा गांधी का भारत में है।भारत सरकार और मीडिया का रुख से बेहद प्रेरित करने वाला है। मुझे उम्मीद है ये जारी रहेगा। मैं उन सभी का शुक्रिया करना चाहता हूं जिन्होंने बलूचिस्तान के लिए समर्थन किया है।साथ ही बुगती ने भारतीय फिल्म स्टार्स से भी लगाव जताया। उन्होंने कहा कि मैं शाहरुख खान और अमिताभ बच्चन का बहुत बड़ा फैन हूं। मैं उनसे बलूचिस्तान पर फिल्म बनाने की गुजारिश करता हूं। मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि अमिताभ बच्चन मेरे दादा का रोल बेहतरीन तरीके से अदा करेंगे।आपको बता दें कि मोदी सरकार ने कई मौकों पर बलूचिस्तान को लेकर पाकिस्तान पर निशाना साधा है। लंबे समय से पाकिस्तान भी भारत पर बलूचिस्तान में अस्थिरता पैदा करने की कोशिश करने का आरोप लगाता आया है। भारत बार-बार कहता आया है कि पाकिस्तान को अस्थिर करने में ना तो उसकी कोई भूमिका है और ना ही कोई फायदा ही है।साल 2009 में तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह और उनके पाकिस्तानी समकक्ष युसूफ रजा गिलानी के बीच मिस्र में हुई बैठक के दौरान पहली बार इस तरह की उच्च स्तरीय वार्ता में बलूचिस्तान का जिक्र किया गया था। वहीं मोदी सरकार अब तक कई बार बलूचिस्तान का मुद्दा उठा चुकी है। जानकारों का मानना है कि PM द्वारा 15 अगस्त के खास मौके पर अपने भाषण में बलूचिस्तान, गिलगित और PoK को शामिल करना भारत के नजरिए से बेहद मजबूत कदम है। बार-बार कश्मीर मौके को अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर उछालकर भारत की स्थिति कमजोर करने की कोशिश कर रहे पाकिस्तान के लिए यह बड़ा झटका होगा।Donald Trump continues to lose ground in polls, even from the right-wing Fox News. It's part of a trend for the man who came into the presidency despite losing the popular vote.
Fox News’ newest round of opinion polling shows bad news for Trump from top to bottom. Trump’s overall approval rating is down 5 percent from Fox’s last poll, to an anemic 41 percent approval. By contrast, 51 percent of voters in the poll disapprove of Trump’s performance in office.
At a similar point in his presidency in Fox’s polling, President Obama had 63 percent approval and 64 percent expressed confidence in his ability to make positive change. Only 47 percent have a similar belief in Trump.
Only 7 percent of people in the poll say that “repeal and replace Obamacare” should be his top priority, which makes the Trump/Ryan decision to spend political capital on such unpopular legislation a strange one.
The one issue area where Trump is slightly ahead is on the economy, where 47 percent approve versus 44 percent – but this is an issue on which he hasn’t done anything. Trump is being buoyed by the Obama economy he badmouthed for years.
It’s downhill from there. Trump gets bad marks on immigration (41 to 56 percent), health care (35 to 55 percent), and America’s relationship with Russia (33 to 55 percent).
Trump’s Muslim ban gets slammed by respondents to the poll as well. 54 percent of people oppose his decision to bar entrance to the United States over religious faith, and only 34 percent believe the ban will make America safer.
People are even souring on Trump’s incessant tweeting. Only 16 percent support his addictive behavior online, while 50 percent completely disapprove and 32 percent “wish he’d be more careful.”
Even polling from the conservative Fox News is bringing bad news for Trump, and he doesn’t appear interested in doing a thing to change course. Meanwhile, the Resistance gains steam.The 4th annual 2014 MBO Partners State of Independence in America workforce study reports a growing headcount of 17.9 million "solopreneur" independent workers -- or those who regularly work 15 hours or more per week as independents, with most working more than 35 hours per week. This is up 1.2 percent from 2013 and 12.5 percent from the base year of 2011. This growth, which is more than 11 times higher than the 1.1 percent growth in the overall U.S. labor force during this four-year period, demonstrates the continued, structural shift toward independent work.
Today, approximately 30 million workers in America are considered to be independent workers, that's almost 10 percent of the population and this number is expected to grow quite a bit. Long term and life-time employment is dead so we are seeing businesses and "employees" shift towards a new way of working. This need breed of independent worker values being their own boss, autonomy, and flexibility. A recent study by Oxford Economics found that 83 percent of executives are actually going to be increasing their investment in the contingent workforce over the next few years. It's easy to scale, manage, and fill skill gaps when needed. Not to mention it gives people the opportunity to work with top talent and companies from around the world. But what impact will this independent workforce have on how we think about employees and organizations? How will this new type of worker impact the future of work?5 Productivity Rules You Should Know in Your 20s
So you just left your home and you’re about to be on your own for the first time. For some, they’re excited because this means a time they can do whatever they want without their parents supervision.
For others, they’re terrified because they have to face the adult world by themselves. In a way, it’s like being dropped off on the first day of kindergarten. Except this time your chances of peeing on yourself are greatly reduced.
Perhaps you’re on your way to college, about to graduate college, or searching for a job at McDonald. Either way, to save yourself from years of stress and worries, it starts by learning the best ways to be productive and avoiding failure.
It keeps you from practicing bad habits and making mistakes you regret in the future. It’s like looking up a movie review before seeing it to ensure you’re not wasting ten dollars and two hours.
1. Know Your Sleep
It used to annoy me whenever someone said they only needed 2 – 4 hours of sleep a night because it showed just how disciplined they were. And as annoyed as I was, I decided to try it out for myself because of the possible goals I could achieve.
I figured with 20 hours of work a day, I could write a book, run a business, exercise, learn a language, and still do my day job.
But as productive as I was, I learned just how mentally ill I can become by working for that long without the proper rest. It’s like riding a horse for 15 hours straight and expecting it to continue that routine for an entire month.
Sure, you’re going to make it somewhere faster than the other guy who’s just riding his horse for a few hours, but your horse is eventually going to die from exhaustion.
People are quick to assume that sleeping isn’t productive because you’re doing nothing but lying still for several hours. And although sleeping does reduces your chance of getting sick, giving you more energy, and making you feel like a bowl of sunshine, it does something else for you.
When you wake up, your brain is at its peak performance for around 2 – 4 hours. You’re more alert, active, and energetic to complete your tasks more clearly. That means if you wake up at 6am, then from 8am – 10am, you’ll be 10 times more productive than if you did it in the middle of the day where you’ll be tired and fatigue.
It’s like waking up in the morning with a boost of meth sprinkled into your brain. You won’t notice the sudden energy boost once you get out of bed, but as soon as you start moving your body you suddenly become a productive machine.
What I like to do is wake up around 6am, and take care of my mindless tasks to boost my productivity. I make my bed, groom myself, and clean the house. Once my blood flow gets going, I like to write or work on one of my projects.
Unlike any other time of the day, I have more energy and enthusiasm to create something. Once I sense a reduction in my energy or the desire for a break, which usually happens around 8am, I exercise to get my blood flowing again.
And to recharge my energy during the afternoon, what usually helps is an hour or two nap. That way, when I wake up, I have the proper energy to complete any assignment I want to achieve.
Don’t worry about questioning how many hours of sleep you need a day. Simply follow what your body desires, or else you risk yourself for slacking off in whatever you’re working on.
Unless you’re working on a mid-term that’s due in the next 30 minutes, if your eyes are drowsy and you catch yourself writing last night meal, stop and take a nap.
Keep your brain charged so you can think more clearly and bring out the best results in anything you work on. We may assume it’s great to sacrifice our sleep because we can get more work done.
It makes sense. You often hear the classic phrase, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” by CEOs on television shows and movies. But if you’re too busy trying to keep your eyes open while running a company, you increase your chance to making a mistake that can ruin it.
Bill Gates, former executive of Microsoft, used to work through the night in his office until he realized he couldn’t fully enjoy life when he relied on midday naps for rest.
“I like to get seven hours of sleep a night because that’s what I need to stay sharp and creative and upbeat.” -Bill Gates
2.Know How to Declutter
Not that long ago, I walked into my office and noticed just how cluttered it was with useless junk. There were papers that dated back years ago and objects that I thought had disappeared. It’s like looking through your old toy box and finding that Batman action figure you thought your friend stole.
Although I assumed I needed everything that was in my office, when I truly examined what I needed, I ended up throwing away most of it. Before I knew it, my office was nearly empty and it was really nice.
It was like having a brand new office and my head was clear again. I didn’t have to lie to myself by saying I was going to clean it the next day, and I didn’t feel like a hoarder who only needed a few cats to complete the transformation.
But I didn’t stop there. I took that habit straight to my home and cleaned out my closet. I removed any clothing I didn’t wear for a year, the boxes that took up space, and anything else I didn’t need anymore.
When you live inside of a home that could pass off as a thrift store, you’re not at a high performance because that clutter distracts your mind and subconsciously changes your behavior. You get easily overwhelmed and exhausted as you develop a hoarding habit for things you necessarily don’t need anymore.
Although you may assume you might need those broken headphones in case you turn into Thomas Edison one day, a small fraction of your mind still occupies itself with those hopeless possibilities. And the more items you want to keep, the more excuses you hold in your mind for why you still need them.
It’s like filling a binder with documents on why you still need those beer bottles and yellow blankets. That binder can only carry so many documents and filling it with useless things like those won’t do you any good.
You don’t have to throw away your entire closet or give away your movie collection. Just start a small habit by getting rid of petty things you don’t need anymore. Clean your home and truly ask yourself if you used that object for the last 6 months.
If you didn’t even know you had something you found in the house, chances are you won’t need them in the future. Unless it’s gold or a twenty dollar bill.
3. Know How to Read At Least once a Day
We live in an age where less and less people want to read. With entertainment options such as Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu out there, that book collection doesn’t look so attractive anymore.
It’s a pain to see young adults losing an interest for reading to expand their knowledge because they assume they already know everything.
But part of the reason many young adults lose their love for reading is because school had ruined it for them. When they’re forced to constantly read subjects they don’t like, the last thing they want to do is pick up a book to read for fun.
It’s like forcing someone to eat only vegetables for most of their life and then trying to convince them that candy is delicious. The concept that food can be delicious will be foreign to them because they’re so used to such a strict and boring diet.
But whether you’re the richest person in the world or the smartest, you’ll never know everything. Someone, somewhere in the world, is always going to have an edge over you in a particular subject.
But what separates you from the average person is reading the mind of those who went before you and did it. Self development books aren’t just meant to teach you valuable lessons about life.
They’re meant to put you in the minds of those who lived before you and learned the harsh truths of life. They give you warnings on what not to do, the dangers of bad habits, and how to be successful.
In many cases, self-help books are like a cheat-code to life and each chapter is a different way to beat the majority of the population.
4. Know how to Uni-task instead of Multitask
Become entirely focus on one thing at a time and don’t be tempted to work on anything else. Avoid multitasking because it’s a trap that’s bound to set you up for failure. It’s like texting and driving while eating your lunch.
Yes, you are taking care of several tasks at once, but you’re also putting yourself into a dangerous position.
Although you may assume working on three assignments simultaneously is productive for you, it increases your chance to make errors and return back to them.
For instance, while I’m reading through documents and my research, checking my emails while talking on the phone will only distract me. Rather than locating any errors or answers I need to come up with, part of my mind will be focused on what someone mentioned about the crazy man at Burger King.
Another weakness I have is having the television on while working on anything productive. Rather than focusing on what I’m trying to accomplish, I’m too concerned about the evil twin brother on a television show.
While working on a task, only invest 20 – 30 minutes of your mental focus on it before you break away from it for a 7 minute break. And during those 7 minutes, read a book, play a game, or speak to someone. Give your mind a mini-recess so when you return back to it, you’ll be mentally charged to continue going.
This goes back to the horse example. Don’t keep your horse running without giving it a break at some point. Or else you’ll find it collapsing without even expecting it.
5. Know How to Eat that Frog
A great book I recommend is Brian Tracy, Eat That Frog. There, he teaches you that the best way to start your day is to eat the frog and settle down to your easier tasks. And he doesn’t really mean you need to eat a frog before you start your day.
Begin your day by completing your most difficult task first so it makes every other assignment that day less bothersome. By achieving the very task you were probably going to procrastinate on, you give yourself a boost of energy that makes you more confident to complete your other goals.
It’s like when you beat your first major boss in a video game and you gain those achievement points. You feel like a champion who can handle the smaller villains down the road. Your big challenge is over and the rest is a smooth ride.
For me, working out is my biggest frog of the day. I can’t stand the idea of working out but I do it anyway because it’s necessary. Once I manage to complete an hour of exercising, it’s like a heavy burden has been removed from my shoulders and the rest of my tasks would be easy to accomplish.
First, recognize what your biggest frog is and start your day off by eating it. If that task is something that can’t be completed in one day, cut it up into smaller pieces to make it more manageable.
For more like these,
25 Best Self Development Books to read in your 20s
12 Ideas You Need to Totally Embrace in Your Early 20s
The Easy Guide To Save Money in Your Early 20s
7 Big Life Mistakes People in Their 20s MakeWith the city taking offers for KeyArena upgrades and an all-private funding proposal by Chris Hansen’s group for a Sodo arena, Seattle City Council members get an opportunity to choose which venue would benefit a growing and economically prosperous Emerald City.
Inside sports business
In just one jolting week, this city has gone from a cautionary tale of how not to build sports facilities to an example most places would covet.
A week ago, our legacy was of hundreds of millions of public dollars thrown at two billionaire-owned sports teams side-by-side in the Sodo District. While nationwide alarm has been expressed over ongoing or attempted public giveaways for an NFL stadium in Las Vegas and MLB parks in Atlanta and Arlington, Texas, our history of Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field handouts isn’t much better.
But our arena legacy is now a completely different story.
The past week saw developer Chris Hansen offer to build an all-private Sodo facility, followed by news of two major sports conglomerates — Oak View Group and Anschutz Entertainment Group — planning state-of-the-art KeyArena renovations.
Most cities would gladly settle for either of these unusually favorable arena happenings. But our elected officials actually get to choose which of these Sodo or KeyArena proposals most benefit the city.
And that’s great news for NBA fans and anyone wanting the NHL here. Two arena locales close to the downtown core will openly compete; with NBA and NHL leadership looking on, knowing a winning site won’t be in some distant suburb.
This is how politicians are supposed to protect cities, given decades of independent economic studies showing public dollars for sports venues nets little financial gain. Check out anything by Stanford University’s Roger Noll, Holy Cross University’s Victor Matheson, Andrew Zimbalist of Smith’s College, Field of Schemes author Neil DeMause or any of their colleagues not on team or city payrolls the past 30 years.
Learn how sports venues displace economic benefits from one end of a city and moves them to another. How jobs promised by such venues are usually lower-wage, part-time positions.
No one is saying sports arenas and stadiums don’t have a place. Or that civic pride isn’t fostered.
Just that there are better infrastructure and job-creation schemes worth throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at.
As citizens become better informed, opinion polls and referendum results show the public generally disfavors sports subsidies. And municipalities are finding it’s easier to not even hold votes.
King County voters in 1995 famously rejected the Mariners’ request for public money for Safeco Field, but state legislators soon after authorized a $384 million funding package anyway. A statewide 1997 ballot initiative passed by a narrow 51 percent, approving funds for a new Seahawks stadium — which became a $300 million subsidy for CenturyLink Field.
Nowadays, Nevada citizens are ticked that Gov. Brian Sandoval approved $750 million for a new NFL stadium in Las Vegas for the Oakland Raiders. Sandoval did so without a vote or much public debate, at a time MGM is actually building an all-private Las Vegas arena to house an NHL team and possibly NBA.
The Atlanta Braves are getting a new baseball stadium in Cobb County 20 years after taxpayers financed Turner Field. The county pledged $400 million toward construction without voter consultation. Irate citizens, in the first chance they got, ousted Cobb County commission chair Tim Lee in his re-election bid.
But the stadium opens next year.
In Arlington, they actually are holding a Nov. 8 vote on $500 million in public funding for a new Texas Rangers ballpark only 22 years after taxpayers built the last one. In an unrelated matter, Arlington voters are being asked to approve $320 million in bonds for schools, parks, transportation and other needed infrastructure.
Contrast that with Seattle’s arena situation.
Hansen paying for a $500 million Sodo arena would vault us among a select group of private NBA and NHL venues coming or built in places like Las Vegas, Miami, the Bay Area, Montreal and Toronto.
This usually would be enough to get an arena approved; especially in comparison to KeyArena renovations,which could have public dollars attached.
But this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison.
One project involves a developer building a brand new facility he’d own. The other, a city-owned KeyArena asset that’s profitable but likely would lose money if a Sodo venue opens.
So, it’s not just the public’s share of construction costs to consider.
The savings on an all-private Sodo arena must be measured against potential corresponding KeyArena and Seattle Center losses. Likewise, complaints about future Sodo traffic by the Port of Seattle must be weighed against similar concerns from businesses and homeowners in Lower Queen Anne.
You’ve also got tax breaks, which any all-private sports project expects. Hansen wants a waiving of the city’s admissions tax and lowering of the business and occupancy tax for out-of-town revenue.
The city must ensure such breaks don’t completely offset the benefits of Hansen going private. Just as the benefit to renovating KeyArena can’t be wiped out by similar tax breaks, or public construction costs.
A restored KeyArena must also be “state of the art” enough so we don’t go through this again a decade from now.
The economics are complex and will require specialists to closely scrutinize details.
But once done, the NBA and NHL will likely both be eager to enter this market. Either in a brand new, or newly upgraded central locale.
Seattle has become a wealthy, desired place where many more people and businesses than ever, sports leagues included, want to be. And like the most beautiful woman at the dance, we don’t have to leave with the first guy showing up in a designer suit.
She has choices, and so do we. At least we do now, with the city taking KeyArena offers to see whether a new Sodo arena is needed.
It’s a tough call.
But every city in America believing in balancing good government with the wants of sports fans will envy that we get to make it.Ryan Webb relieved Rays starter David Carpenter to start the third, and the Blue Jays got busy when Kevin Pillar reached on a fielding error by third baseman Evan Longoria. Pillar moved to second when Ryan Goins reached on a fielding error by shortstop Brad Miller. One out later, Justin Smoak singled to center to score Pillar, giving the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Tony Sanchez and Jio Mier rapped RBI singles in the top of the eighth inning to lead the Blue Jays to a 7-3 win over the Rays in a sloppy, seven-error game at Charlotte Sports Park on Sunday.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Tony Sanchez and Jio Mier rapped RBI singles in the top of the eighth inning to lead the Blue Jays to a 7-3 win over the Rays in a sloppy, seven-error game at Charlotte Sports Park on Sunday.
Ryan Webb relieved Rays starter David Carpenter to start the third, and the Blue Jays got busy when Kevin Pillar reached on a fielding error by third baseman Evan Longoria. Pillar moved to |
. She seems to operate at a single frenetic speed, keyed up by chocolate (she keeps a stash behind her desk), cigarettes, and caffeine. “No matter how many Diet Cokes you think I’ve had,” she says, “multiply that number by four.” She spends as much time wrangling students as teaching them. Her classroom can be pure chaos—kids wandering around the room, playing music on their phones, using Google Translate to talk to each other, bursting out in laughter. But Quintenz has cultivated a loose atmosphere on purpose, trying to break down the wall between teacher and student. Some of these kids have been in schools where they were beaten if they gave the wrong answer. Others have been through worse. Once you hear their stories, you start to understand why Quintenz handles her class the way she does.
All Roads Lead to Room 106 In Sarah Quintenz’s English 2B class, all 30 students are foreign-born, and many took multiple stops on their way to Sullivan High School. Hover over or tap the lines below to follow seven students’ journeys. Choose your student in the dropdown menu below to follow their journey. Samira Ahmed Raghad Krnbeh Valentine Nyarubwa Mohammad Ismail Mubarak Jack Tambala Yelda Niyazi Shaynay Rai Samira Ahmed: Born in Somalia, moved to Kenya then U.S.
One afternoon, at my request, Quintenz has her students fill out questionnaires that ask for details of their journeys to America. (The assignment doubles as a lesson on grammar and punctuation.) A Rohingya boy explains that as members of a persecuted Muslim minority, he and his family fled Myanmar for Bangladesh, then Malaysia, after his grandfather and uncle were killed. Another student outlines eight countries—Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, among them—that her family has lived in since leaving Rwanda. One girl, who has been in the United States for only a few months, says that she misses the smell of jasmine in her native Syria but not the sound of bombs. Trauma is part of the cultural fabric in room 106. As much as 75 percent of refugee youth experience posttraumatic stress disorder, according to one recent report. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network reports that as much as 75 percent of refugee youth experience some level of posttraumatic stress disorder. That’s why Chad Adams had every ELL teacher go through two trauma trainings, one conducted by Lurie Children’s Hospital and the other by Sullivan’s former social worker, who also ran weekly discussion circles for students to share what they had been through. For Quintenz, helping students heal comes down to trust: “Kids are only going to talk to you if you build those relationships and they feel comfortable with you.” One student Quintenz has grown particularly close to is 20-year-old Hajar Assaf. A few years ago, she and her middle-class family were living in a plush apartment in the Syrian city of Homs. After civil war broke out in 2011, it didn’t take long for the conflict to reach Homs, and when it did, Hajar’s life quickly imploded. Late that spring, 40 Syrian soldiers broke into her family’s apartment, the butts of their guns smashing through the plaster walls. Hajar, who was 15 at the time, wasn’t home, but her mother and younger brother were. The soldiers told them to leave. When her mom returned to the apartment a few weeks later, she found it destroyed. The walls were covered in graffiti, and everything of value—clothes, TV sets, jewelry—had been pilfered. Even the light fixtures had been pulled from the walls. To this day, Hajar’s little brother, now 10, has nightmares and often crawls into bed with his mother, falling asleep with his hand in hers. Hajar and her family spent the next several years bouncing from one location to another—from a smaller city in Syria to Lebanon and eventually to Egypt. “It’s like we had no place,” says Hajar. “It felt like there was no future.” But last year, after two years in Egypt, the United Nations’ refugee agency contacted her family, asking if they’d like to resettle in Chicago. They eagerly accepted: Though they knew no one here, it was the equivalent of hitting the refugee lottery. Still, the transition has not been easy. “The home they put us in was so dirty, and there were mice and cockroaches,” says Hajar, who later found the family a better apartment. “I couldn’t understand anything the social worker was saying to me.” “I just want to have a normal life, a better life,” says Hajar Assaf (middle), here with two fellow Syrian refugees. Hajar was also in for a big shock: Though she attended high school in Egypt, she hadn’t taken certain courses required for an American diploma. Which is how she ended up at Sullivan. She is on schedule to graduate in June and plans to attend Truman College. Because her parents don’t speak English, it falls on Hajar and one of her brothers to support the family. Almost every day after school Hajar heads straight to Devon Market, where she works as a cashier. Hardly a day goes by without a customer asking about her hijab. “Usually they are nice,” she says, “mostly just curious.” But a recent encounter was much more menacing: A customer pantomimed throwing a bomb while shouting “Allahu akbar!” in her direction. That night, Hajar walked the two miles home in tears. “Sometimes I feel like America is not my place. I would have stayed in my country if I could. I just want to have a normal life, a better life.” The faded blue-and-white-striped couch in the corner of Quintenz’s classroom is almost never empty. At any given point during the day, students gather on it to finish homework, eat lunch, play games on their phones, or simply sit side by side in silence seeking respite from the noise outside. For them, the classroom is a haven. Even students who have advanced out of the class still come here, relaying the events of their day to Quintenz or helping her organize her papers. She is a den mother as much as a teacher. Her relationship with her students extends beyond the classroom. She’ll sometimes take home their uniforms to wash, no questions asked. She helps their families get on ComEd payment plans when they can no longer afford to keep the lights on. And sometimes she gives them rides when they find themselves stranded without a car or money for the bus. It was Quintenz whom Hajar turned to, in tears, when she was denied a driver’s permit at the DMV. (At the time, applications using Syrian documents required a longer vetting period.) Quintenz consoled her by taking her to Mariano’s, because, she says, “in America, we eat our feelings.” Advertisement Though Quintenz prides herself on her close ties with her students (“They’re my minions,” she jokes), there are some cultural gulfs she can’t bridge. Last year, she had a 15-year-old freshman from Myanmar who was “very bubbly and very happy and driven,” Quintenz recalls, but “over the course of the year, it was like Reviving Ophelia as I watched her just slowly start to decline and become introverted.” After months of this, Quintenz finally asked the student what was wrong. “She just threw her arms around me and hung off my shoulders and said, ‘My parents are making me get married.’ ” The student showed up to school only a few more times before the end of the year. Now she’s pregnant and married to a 24-year-old who lives with his father. “I saw pictures from her wedding and she looked miserable,” says Quintenz. “It was totally heartbreaking.” One of the things Quintenz quickly realized when she took over Sullivan’s ELL program was that she needed to establish better communication with the five major resettlement agencies operating in the area. She made a point of reaching out to the representatives at each of those agencies who oversee the placement of students. “Before, we weren’t working in tandem; we weren’t partners in helping these kids. I wanted to know who my people were so I could let them know what’s going on at Sullivan or find out what’s going on at home with kids.” Sullivan by the Numbers 45% Foreign-born students 38 Countries represented 89 Refugees enrolled this academic year 40% Students still learning English 35+ Languages spoken While Quintenz and Matthew Fasana, the assistant principal, have taken on the relationship-building role, the financial realities of maintaining the ELL program fall on Adams. Every year, CPS’s Office of Language and Cultural Education gives additional dollars to schools based on the number of their ELL students. Sullivan received about $60,000 of such funds at the start of this academic year, Adams estimates. The problem is that new refugee students continue to enroll at Sullivan on a near-weekly basis—and the school receives no additional money for them. Cuts in the CPS budget haven’t helped either. Last year, Adams had to lay off two ELL-certified teachers because he simply could no longer afford them. The downsizing left him with no choice but to partially collapse the cohort model. He also had to put non-ELL teachers—including substitute teachers—in charge of ELL classes. “It’s really hard for teachers to understand how an ELL classroom works if they don’t have the training,” says Adams. “In a certain sense, it’s like taking an English teacher and making them teach math.” But Adams has one big reason to remain hopeful: Earlier this year, he says, Sullivan was selected by CPS to become Chicago’s first newcomer center, a designation given to schools that offer robust programming for refugee and other immigrant students. (An English proficiency program in Arlington Heights, attended by mostly Central and South American students, is the only other one in the state.) The selection means CPS will dole out a lump sum of federal funding to Sullivan. “We’re looking at something like $300,000,” says Adams, who plans to use the money to hire additional ELL teachers and rebuild the cohort model. “That money will make a big difference.” But without an Illinois budget (all federal education dollars are funneled through the state), not much progress can be made. If the financing falls apart, Adams says, “I will have to look at some other options”—meaning cuts. “But I really hope it doesn’t come to that.” During her five years as an ELL teacher, Quintenz has had a front-row seat to some meteoric transformations. She has watched Muslims exchange hijabs for braids. She’s seen girls who never wore makeup before suddenly paint their lips bright red and boys who came in with a buttoned-up look start sagging their pants. “They change really quickly,” says Quintenz. “It’s a crazy thing to watch.” The poster child is Thang Khan Khup, a 17-year-old from Myanmar (sometimes referred to as Burma). In the three years since Khup, as he prefers to be called, arrived in the United States, he has immersed himself in American culture. He’s on the school’s soccer and volleyball teams and plays guitar in a student rock band. His unofficial uniform is a denim jacket, a well-worn T-shirt, and frayed but fitted jeans (he cites Slash of Guns N’ Roses as a style icon), and his main means of transportation to school is a skateboard. Which is to say he’s like a lot of American kids. Except for a major difference: Seven years ago, he was living in a small village in Myanmar. After the military tried to recruit his dad and older brother as battlefield porters in the country’s civil war, Khup and his family fled south in the middle of the night. It took more than a week of “walking through the jungle at night, like ninjas,” Khup says, their legs covered in leeches, to reach Malaysia, where the family spent four years before coming to Chicago. Two of Khup’s first friends at Sullivan were also refugees—one from Tanzania and the other from Iraq. Their freshman year, the boys were almost always together, playing video games and talking soccer. “There’s a feeling we share,” Khup says. “We are refugees.” Now that they are juniors, they spend less time with one another. These days, Khup mostly hangs out with his American friends from band and business class. But no matter how much he embraces this country, Khup says, he will never feel fully American: “I am still Burmese. I just live in America for my safety.” Advertisement Refugee students often find themselves in a strange middle space, trying to balance life as an American teenager and cultural traditions from their homelands. Every day after school, Samira Ahmed, a Somali student, picks up her 8-year-old sister, Intisaar, from a nearby elementary school. And every day, Samira asks her, in Somali, about her day. Sometimes Intisaar replies in Somali, other times in English. “She’s forgetting our language,” says Samira with a sigh. “She’s so American now.” Samira, who has been in Chicago for a little over two years, lives with her mother, stepfather, and three younger sisters in a sparse three-room basement apartment just a few blocks from Sullivan. The only things in the living room are a bunk bed for Samira and two of her three sisters, a TV, and a smattering of baby toys and clothes. It doesn’t take long to see that Samira is a mother figure to her siblings: She makes sure that Intisaar does her homework and that everyone has had enough to eat. Lately, Samira’s mother, who was married at 14, has been bugging the 19-year-old about finding a husband. “Every day she’s asking me if I want to get married,” says Samira. “She brings over old men, young men. Every day she’s asking me.” But Samira has no interest in getting married at this stage. Maybe if she were still in Africa, she says, she would feel differently, but now that she is in the United States, she has other plans: “I want to go to college and become a doctor. I want to show my family that I can take care of them and that I am the brain. Only after that will I get married. Life is not about running. I want to go slow.”
Samira Ahmed says her mother is pressuring her to marry. She has other plans: to be a doctor.In October 2017, a team of progressive researchers published “ Autopsy: The Democratic Party in Crisis,” which probed the causes of the disastrous 2016 election defeat. The report came in the wake of the party leadership’s failure to do its own autopsy.In a cover story for The Nation, William Greider wrote that the Autopsy is “an unemotional dissection of why the Democrats failed so miserably, and it warns that the party must change profoundly or else remain a loser.” La Opinión reporter María Peña summed up the findings this way: “To revitalize its base for future elections, the Democratic Party has to clean up the rubble of its defeat in 2016 and develop a strategy beyond condemning the actions of President Donald Trump.”Now, “Democratic Autopsy: One Year Later” evaluates how well the Democratic Party has done in charting a new course since the autumn of 2017. This report rates developments in each of the seven categories that the original Autopsy assessed -- corporate power, race, young people, voter participation, social movements, war and party democracy.The upsurge of progressive activism and electoral victories during the last year has created momentum that could lead to historic breakthroughs in the midterm elections and far beyond. Realizing such potential will require transforming and energizing the Democratic Party.Lessonface Presents: Michael Attias Lessonface presents Michael Attias in conversation with Sean Conly, a live-streamed e... Learn More and Enroll
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Jurvetson had plenty of interesting insights about all, unsurprisingly. He somewhat famously graduated from Stanford in 2.5 years, at the top of his class, and has led early investments in many pioneering companies, from Hotmail to SpaceX and Tesla. (He sits on the boards of the last two, alongside Musk.)
Another board seat Jurvetson planned to take but didn’t, he said today, was with Zoox, the three-year-old, Menlo Park, Ca.-based startup that’s building self-driving cars from the ground up with an eye toward picking up passengers as a service.
A year ago, Zoox raised what Jurvetson characterized as the biggest round of Series A funding ever when it closed on $240 million, including from DFJ, Lux Capital, Blackbird Ventures and others.
So much money makes sense, argued Jurvetson. “It’s a capital-intensive business. If you’re going to operate a fully autonomous driving service in an urban environment – imagine an Uber- or Lyft-like service without humans in the loop — that is a big innovation stream.”
What Jurvetson didn’t anticipate when his firm, DFJ, wrote a check to Zoox — this was “before they had a board, before they really had any structure whatsoever, before the Series A” — was that Musk would make plans to jump into the car-as-a-service business, too.
Though “[t]here was no whisper of Tesla being competitive” early on, said Jurvetson, that changed abruptly on a Tesla shareholder call last October, when Musk told analysts and investors that he was capable of create a car-sharing network so compelling that customers would abandon Uber and other ride-sharing companies to adopt it.
Jurvetson said he may have unwittingly stirred Musk’s competitive juices by recounting, to a crowd in 2015, a conversation he’d had with then Uber CEO Travis Kalanick about Uber potentially buying Tesla’s autonomous cars and operating them in the service of Uber.
“I thought that was such a typical braggadocio, typical Travis kind of statement,” he joked on stage today. But it was “picked up by the press, and a Morgan Stanley analyst asked Elon about it, and he was like, ‘Well, of course, we might someday do that, too. We might be in that business.'”
Long story short, with Musk broadening his vision for Tesla, Jurvetson wasn’t able to take the seat with Zoox after all, with DFJ instead installing longtime partner Heidi Roizen in his stead. And while it’s easy to imagine that DFJ’s respective stakes might make both Zoox and Tesla nervous about what kind of information is being shared internally, Jurvetson insisted on stage that there’s a “Chinese wall,” meaning that he and Roizen never discuss the companies or their respective strategies.
By the way, we asked Jurvetson if he could confirm reports that Zoox is in talks with Softbank about a huge round that would value it at between $3 billion and $4 billion. Jurvetson declined to do that, saying “they haven’t finished that” (meaning that new round).
Notably, he did say separately that a DFJ company that he declined to name “went to Japan and sat down with [Softbank founder] Masayoshi Son” in what sounded like the not-too-distant past. The team was looking for between $50 million and $100 million, Jurvetson said. Instead, they were handed a written term sheet for $800 million — 45 minutes into the sit-down.The Labor Supply of Undocumented Immigrants
NBER Working Paper No. 22102
Issued in March 2016
NBER Program(s):Aging, Labor Studies
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 11.4 million undocumented persons reside in the United States. Congress and President Obama are considering a number of proposals to regularize the status of the undocumented population and provide a “path to citizenship.” Any future change in the immigration status of this group is bound to have significant effects on the labor market, on the number of persons that qualify for various government-provided benefits, on the timing of retirement, on the size of the population receiving Social Security benefits, and on the funding of almost all of these government programs. This paper provides a comprehensive empirical study of the labor supply behavior of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Using newly developed methods that attempt to identify undocumented status for foreign-born persons sampled in the Current Population Surveys, the empirical analysis documents a number of findings, including the fact that the work propensity of undocumented men is much larger than that of other groups in the population; that this gap has grown over the past two decades; and that the labor supply elasticity of undocumented men is very close to zero, suggesting that their labor supply is almost perfectly inelastic.
The NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health provides summaries of publications like this. You can sign up to receive the NBER Bulletin on Aging and Health by email.
Acknowledgments
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w22102
Published: George J. Borjas, 2017. "The labor supply of undocumented immigrants," Labour Economics, vol 46, pages 1-13.
Users who downloaded this paper also downloaded* these:SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea’s newest celebrity took an unusual route to the nation’s TV screens - years spent working his way up through the ranks of North Korea’s diplomatic corps, followed by months secluded in the custody of the rival South’s spy agency.
Thae Yong-ho, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to London, reacts during a news conference at the Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea, December 27, 2016. Picture taken on December 27, 2016. News1 via REUTERS
Since his release Thae Yong Ho, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to London, has spent the first week of the new year speaking on South Korean variety shows, joking with fellow defectors and espousing South Korea’s line that the North Korean government he once defended is unstable and doomed to fail.
In a further propaganda coup for Seoul, the gregarious Thae, newly granted South Korean citizenship following his high-profile August defection, is embracing life in the capitalist South as a public figure.
On a talk show called “Now On My Way to Meet You”, which features young, usually female, defectors from the isolated North, a video interview between Thae and a panelist was introduced as a chat with the “British gentleman-like Thae Yong Ho”.
The 54-year-old Thae spoke of some of his motivations for switching sides between rivals that remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean war ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
“On the day we left the embassy and stepped outside, I told my children, from this moment on, as a father, I am breaking you free from your shackles,” Thae said on another show. “Now it’s up to you”.
ASSASSINATION FEARS
Thae is the highest-ranking official to have fled North Korea for the South since the 1997 defection of Hwang Jong Yop, the brains behind North Korea’s governing ideology, which combines Marxism with extreme nationalism.
By contrast, Hwang made very few public appearances and lived in constant fear of assassination until he was found dead in his bathtub - from natural causes - 13 years later.
His fears were not without some foundation - the year he arrived in South Korea another prominent defector, Yi Han Yong, was shot dead by suspected North Korean assassins, and shortly after Hwang died South Korean authorities said they had arrested an agent of Pyongyang who had been planning to kill him.
During his years in the South, Hwang was extremely cautious in public. Surrounded by security staff, he was reported to never touch a glass of water put in front of him at an event.
“The fundamental difference is that Thae is just more laid-back and arguably less self-important,” said Michael Madden, a U.S.-based expert on the North Korean leadership.
“That might be due to Hwang’s background as a philosophy professor and senior ideology official, whereas Thae was more of a schmoozer.”
Thae, who remains under the protection of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), said he does not fear for his safety in South Korea, and works at an NIS think-tank that employs many elite former North Koreans.
When Thae’s defection was announced, the South Korean government said he had fled over dissatisfaction with the rule of Kim Jong Un.
But he also had two university-age sons living with him and his wife in London, where one had earned a place at a prestigious college.
“We can’t send our boys back to North Korea,” Thae quoted his wife as saying in one recorded interview with a panel show.
THAE BE CONTINUED
Relations between North and South Korea have been especially strained in recent years, with Seoul making renewed efforts to put pressure on Pyongyang’s diplomatic allies.
A spokesman for the NIS told Reuters it could not comment on any official future plans that may involve Thae.
There are other well-known North Korean defectors who speak English and have international book deals.
Many hail from rural areas bordering China and brought heart-wrenching stories of victimhood and escape.
Thae, however, is from Pyongyang’s elite, speaks near-perfect English with a British accent, and is known to be charming, urbane and charismatic.
“Thae has huge potential in terms of being a defector spokesman and icon,” said Sokeel Park of LiNK, an organisation working with defectors.
During an interview with broadcaster MBN, Thae was asked about the difference between North and South Korean TV studios.
“Media control is especially strict. When someone shows up at a studio, questions and answers are agreed upon in advance, and a few practice sessions are filmed before the whole thing is reviewed by the propaganda department”.
Daily life in North Korea at times resembles a scripted TV set, Thae said.
On a show featuring defectors called the “Moranbong Club”, Thae said he had watched the programme when he was working as a diplomat in London after searching “North Korea”, in Korean, on YouTube.
He said he had recognised another defector panellist on the show, which typically pays its participants for appearances.
“I told my family that I used to do night shifts with this man!” Thae said, gesturing towards Han Jin-myeong, who replied that Thae, who outranked him at Pyongyang’s foreign ministry, had sworn at him at the time for not doing his duty properly.
Slideshow (3 Images)
Producers then used visual effects to superimpose North Korean military uniforms on both men.
“Why did you swear at him?” the presenter asked.
“I can’t say here!,” said Thae, laughing.Hey there, welcome to my first ask blog post about one of the most discussed points regarding MLP plushies: prices. I hope you find this post useful and feel free to comment or note me more specific questions, as I'm sure I won't be able to cover everything in one post.First of all, most artists have a commission pricing sheet available on their dA profile page to give estimates on typical ponies that they are able to make. Some do not post their prices, but for both I would highly recommend asking for a price quote on a plushie you would like made before you decide to commission, and to ask for quotes from several different artists. The discussion below are my general observations about prices in this market.I've seen prices for plushies range from less than $30 to over $3,000, so this hobby can get as expensive as you want it to be!In general, the price of a plushie is a function of several variables:Price=f(Quality, Size, Style, Accessories, OC, Speed)In general, fan-made plushies are going to be more expensive than what you can get "off-the-shelf" from Ty, Build a Bear, 4DE, China, etc. This is because they are hand made by the artist (usually with the help of a sewing and/or embroidering machine) with a pattern and design the artist had to create and refine themselves. In addition, these plushies are usually made out of a higher-quality fabric, typically minky, which is more expensive than other fabrics like cotton, fleece, or flannel. Therefore, the overall quality of a fan-made plushie is a function of the artist's skill and techniques, which is based on their practice and past experience. If you see an artist whose style you like, check out their gallery and see if they've been able to refine and improve their design over previous works!Therefore, the higher the quality of the artist's work, the higher the price you will likely pay for that work. That being said "quality" (since this is art) is in the eye of the beholder, and people will have different opinions on which artists work is of higher quality than another's, since we all have different opinions on what we feel looks right to us.Plushies can come in quite a variety of sizes, from mini beanies 4" long to "Life-Size" Princess Plushies that are almost 6 feet tall! There are few artists that work within this entire spectrum, and most usually focus on a range of sizes or only one size in particular. I've found that the most common size for plushies is about 12-15 inches tall (standing). Within this size range, there are many artists out there with varying degrees of quality and price. In general, larger plushies will cost more, since they take more time to complete and require more fabric than normal. In addition, very small plushies may cost more than a regular size pony because of the need to hand-sew the entire plush without the aid of a sewing or embroidering machine, which results in more time to complete.What I mean by style is like the pose of the pony. The most common styles I've seen are either standing on all four hooves or laying down. However, there are probably an infinite number of poses or styles you can choose from, and some artists are really good at making very specific poses. However, a unique pose requires the artist to modify their standard pattern (which is usually a standing or laying pony) to match the pose you want, and will likely result in additional cost if the artist has not made the pose before.Do you want your pony to have a top hat, socks, scarf, hoodie, or some other accessory? I've found most artists offer prices for typical accessories in an a-la-carte menu of sorts on their commission prices page. If you don't see something you want listed, there is no harm in asking if the artist would be able to make it (or buy it).Most artists I've found are open to commissioning OC ponies. However, the price for commissioning an OC could be much higher than a typical "canon" pony because you may want a special color, pattern, style, and accessories that the artist may have not done before, which may require additional time (and cost) on the artist's part to make a one-of-a-kind pattern for you. Therefore, expect to pay more if you want to commission your OC.Some artists make plushies full-time, while others make plushies as their hobby. Therefore, the speed at which your plush gets made will vary from artist to artist depending on their skill, workload, the complexity of the commission, and other factors. While not common (in my experience), if you need your plushie made on short notice (such as to give to a friend for Secret Santa), some artists can accommodate but might ask for a higher price to prioritize your commission over others (if they are working on multiple projects at once).Thanks for reading and, again, comment with your specific questions below and I will try to answer them the best I can!She: Do you have a few moments to take a survey?
Me: I guess so. [thinking: I know this whole script. There was a time in my life when I was the one handing out tracts. It shouldn't take long.]
She: Great! Do you live around here?
Me: Yeah. [I'm going to keep close. I don't feel like getting into a theological fight today.]
She: Do you have a church that you attend?
Me: Yeah.
She: Oh really? Which one?
Me: Grace United Methodist.
She: Oh. Well, I go to We're More Christian Church [or something like that], and I'd like to invite you to join us if you're ever interested in visiting.
[She hands me the tract.]
She: And one more question…If you died today, are you certain of where you'd spend eternity?
[I pause, thinking: I wouldn't word it exactly that way, but I really don't want to get into an argument over semantics like I did the last time.]
Me: Yes.
She, after seeing that I'm not going to elaborate without further prompting: And where is that?
Me: Heaven.
She: And if God asked you, "Why should I let you into heaven? What have you done to deserve it?" How would you answer?
Me: God's not going to ask me that. Ultimately it's God's decision, not mine. [Oh no, I am going to get into a theological argument after all.]
She, opening one of the tracts: Well, if you'll say this prayer with me, you can be sure of getting into heaven. Just repeat after me, "Heavenly Father…" [pause] "Heavenly Father…"
Me: Yeah, I've said one of those before. [That'll throw her off her script!]
She: But I thought you said you weren't sure? Didn't you just say it's not your decision? But if you've said this prayer, you can be sure. So next time someone asks, say you're certain. Don't let the devil tell you you're not.
Me: Yeah, |
film lacks the giddiness of Guardians Of The Galaxy, the stylistic touches of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the (relatively) deep introspection of Iron Man 3. It is, in short, more disposable than the mere mortal blockbusters it was designed to outpace. This should defy Marvel Studios mathematics. How can a movie with more stuff than its predecessors be less fun?
What was so engaging about the first Avengers movie, much more than the world-saving, was the thrill of seeing all these distinct personalities enter one another's orbits for the first time. They could have killed each other; instead, they figured out how to work together, Dirty Dozen-style. But all that tension is a nonissue for the sequel, which begins with six conflict-free good guys conducting a harmonious, impeccably choreographed raid on a Hydra stronghold. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr. in helmet-vision) shoots death rays at the advancing hordes as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) picks them off from afar with his bow. Thor (Chris Hemsworth in full hammy pomposity) and Cap (Chris Evans) pull a combination hammer-shield maneuver that brings the house down. Even Hulk (Mark Ruffalo when un-greened) seems in control of himself. Later, Black Widow (Scarlett Johanssson, still clad in impractical cleavage-baring leather) will sooth him back to normal, with hints of a superromance in the air.
This is the purest state of the Avengers, the status the first film took its entire length to build toward, and it doesn't look much different from an Expendables or Fast & Furious movie. As fun as the action is, it drives home the inescapable point that this dynamic team must remain composed of static, increasingly stale characters. Whedon might be thematically pressuring them to evolve, but they can't, for fear of jeopardizing the never-ending Marvel movie mission. So instead, they must push and pull as a single unit, crowding the screen, with every Thor one-liner and every assurance that Hawkeye has value perfectly calibrated for group effect. Someone, anyone, please drive the Avengers apart.
You there, the snarky sentient virus with the body of a rejected Iron Man prototype and the voice of James Spader. What's your name? Ultron? You'll do for now. Born out of a failed attempt by Tony Stark/Iron Man to create an automated peacekeeping robot by cross-breeding his own computer program with an alien element, Ultron instead makes the philosophical leap to conclude that true world peace will lie only in the Avengers' destruction. He lives in the cloud and is at his creepiest when inhabiting a half-formed metal shell that can stumble and gesture like a zombie.
Ultron does briefly succeed in sowing doubt among our heroes, but only with a little help from the mind-control powers of genetically modified Eastern European refugee Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen, flipping her brainwashed/brainwasher dynamic from Martha Marcy May Marlene). She tricks several Avengers into seeing visions of their greatest fears, leading to the film's best — and most Whedonesque — sequences: Cap's flashbacks to WWII pastels, Black Widow's icy KGB training. It also sets up a great battle between Iron Man and a possessed Hulk, who flails like a slippery, muscle-clad eel.
But we never really sense that a wedge is being driven between any of the Avengers. Instead of taking on the conflict, they just absorb it, turning Wanda (aka Scarlet Witch) to the light midway through and adding two more good guys in the process. Their ranks are so crowded, they'll soon be able to fill a Comic-Con by themselves. Why care about any one of them anymore?
Age Of Ultron has a globe-spanning storyline and entire cities being lifted into the air, yet it feels rudimentary, perfunctory. Next year the MCU's two most ideologically opposed good guys, Cap and Stark, will mount separate factions in Captain America: Civil War. The award for reaching Phase 3, apparently, will be character development.Prime minister hooks up with boyband for Comic Relief and forms Camer-On Direction, as hopefully nobody will be saying
One Direction's new music video will provoke even more screams than usual. David Cameron is a special guest in the boyband's forthcoming single, which is a fundraiser for Comic Relief.
While the video won't air until Thursday, the band's Red Nose Day single was released on Sunday. One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks) is a mash-up of Blondie's 1979 hit and the Undertones' 1978 classic, which was a favourite of John Peel.
On Sunday, Cameron tweeted a photograph of himself and One Direction, standing outside No 10. "Enjoyed my cameo in @onedirection's vid for @comicrelief charity single," he wrote. "Glad to help with the filming location." In another message, Cameron wished them "good luck" and confirmed that a government donation to Comic Relief will cancel out all VAT paid on the single.
In addition to filming parts of the video at Downing Street, One Direction shot scenes in Japan and Ghana during their recent world tour. "Today was the most amazing day I've had so far … in my life ever," Harry Styles said after the band's visit to Accra. "When you're there and you get the smells, your eyes hurt from the smoke, you cough, you're feeling it all." But not everyone was happy with the way One Direction focused on the country's deprived areas. "Next [time] you visit a country, remember like yours there are beautiful and ugly parts," wrote Ghanaian actor Lydia Forson.
Although this is Cameron's first documented case of One Direction infection, he is by no means a newcomer to Comic Relief. He participated in 2011's comedy broadcast, as well as in last year's Sport Relief run. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have also made appearances; Brown even made a fool of himself beside JLS.
Meanwhile, the PM and One Direction could have another meet-up at this month's NME awards. Cameron and Styles have been nominated as villains of the year.Organists at sporting events typically fire up the crowd by playing “Charge,” “Defense,” “Beer Barrel Polka,” “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” “We Will Rock You” and “Funiculi Funicula.”
Then there is Atlanta Hawks organist Sir Foster, who gets the crowd “turnt up” by playing trap music such as “Mask Off” by Future, “T-Shirt” by Migos, “Portland” by Drake and “Tunnel Vision” by Kodak Black.
“I start playing a song as soon as I like it,” Foster recently told The Undefeated. “I used to try to look at the most popular songs and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got to make sure I play something that people know.’ Now I don’t think that way. Now I hear a song, and the way music moves now is so fast, next month it is old. We want what came out yesterday. We want what came out today. I don’t even wait for the song to become popular.
“If I hear it and I like it and I think this is going to be a hit, then I will start playing it. I notice people will start tweeting me about two or three weeks later and they’re like, ‘Yo, he’s been playing that, ‘Mask Off,’ ‘ Future. The first time I heard it I was like, ‘Yo, this song is hot.’ When it started playing on the radio, people knew it immediately.”
The ancient Greeks performed music at sporting events, including the Olympics. Ballpark music performed by an organist debuted at Chicago Cubs games at Wrigley Field in 1941. While the Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and New York Knicks are holding on to their organists, most NBA teams have done away with keyboard specialists and replaced them with DJs.
Foster, bored with the normal organ music at sporting events, brought life to that world by playing hip-hop when the Hawks hired him in 2009.
“That has always been who I am,” Foster said.
Foster first showed his music potential at 6 months old when he touched a key on his grandmother’s piano and sang the note. The Fort Valley, Georgia, native began taking piano lessons at church on Saturdays when he was nearly 7 years old. He learned how to play the saxophone in middle school and performed at talent shows, weddings and parties. He wrote arrangements and played the tuba for his high school band. He also played the organ at Shiloh Baptist Church in his hometown.
Foster first started playing hip-hop on an organ in high school.
“Even in the talent shows in high school, I always played the songs off the radio,” Foster said. “My friends would laugh at me because teachers would say, ‘Foster, you did a good job. It sounds good.’ But they didn’t know what I was playing. My friends would say, ‘Yo, they didn’t know that you were playing Trick Daddy.’ That’s just always been who I am. Now I just do it on a larger scale.”
In 2009, Foster was perusing Craigslist when he saw an ad that caught his eye after moving to Atlanta. Wanted: Organist for the Atlanta Hawks.
Foster sent in the needed questionnaire and resume. He aced the interview, in which he was asked what kind of pop and rap songs he would play as organist. The Hawks brought him in to try out at a preseason game. Therein lay a challenge, however, as Foster had never played the organ at a sporting event and didn’t have music prepared to play.
“I had no idea what I was doing,” Foster said. “I didn’t know what the difference between an offensive song and a defensive song. So when I played one, I played the wrong thing. It was bad. Then this guy said, ‘Foster, play a groove for me.’ So I played Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face.’ And I remember this guy said over the headset, ‘I like this guy. We should keep him.’ ”
And the Hawks did.
Playing hip-hop on the organ certainly was out of the ordinary at sporting events and had the potential for resistance from the crowd. Foster, however, believes that playing at Hawks games in Atlanta — where the likes of OutKast, T.I., Future, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri, CeeLo Green, Left Eye and many other popular rappers hail from — made his music quickly accepted and appreciated. And if he sees a music artist at a Hawks game, don’t be surprised if he starts playing some of the artist’s songs.
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“Atlanta is a little different. I think everyone is listening to rap in Atlanta. I’ve had 50-year-olds come up to me and ask me for Future. That kind of told me that I’m not just playing to one particular crowd. Everyone is well aware with what is going on,” Foster said.
Aiding Foster’s popularity is that hip-hop is the music choice of NBA players in a league that is about 75 percent black.
Foster said former Hawks forward Josh Smith once yelled to him in appreciation for the rap he played pregame. Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala once thanked him for playing “All Right” by Kendrick Lamar. Former Hawks assistant coach Nick Van Exel, now an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, always asks Foster to play Snoop Dogg. Foster added that every Hawks player during his tenure has been positive.
“Sir Foster is a special talent,” Hawks guard Kent Bazemore said. “I haven’t heard a song that he can’t play. He’s definitely an asset to the fan experience.”
Although Foster favors hip-hop, he doesn’t discriminate against other genres. He occasionally plays one of his original songs, “Turn This Up,” on the organ at Hawks games.
“I try to play everything,” Foster said. “The goal for me is to play the music I like listening to. It could be everything from Future to Chain Smokers. I play Justin Bieber, Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix. It’s a heavy dose of hip-hop. I want it to feel like Atlanta. If there is a music that defines Atlanta, it’s hip-hop. So I play a heavy dose of that.”
Foster has played in an NBA preseason game in London and played the organ and DJed at the French LNB Pro A basketball league’s All-Star weekend. His biggest honor has been playing the organ during the NBA All-Star Game in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
Foster said he believed the basketball world noticed him when ESPN sports personality Bomani Jones reached out to him on Twitter during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game.
“That was the first time I ever did something on that scale,” Foster said. “I’ve done TV before, but the All-Star Game was the biggest thing the NBA does. My phone was blowing up the whole time. It was flashing the whole time, but I was so locked in that I wasn’t worried about it.
“After a little while it started occurring to me that it was my phone going off. I realized that Bomani Jones had tweeted me. And then I was like, this is different. People are listening. He asked me to play ‘Whistle While You Twerk.’ So I did it. After that, I was on his show and I was in magazines. It was life-changing. That was the first thing that happened to me that was really life-changing. People in the entertainment world say, ‘Yo, we see what you’re doing in Atlanta.’ I didn’t know that people in entertainment were watching this.”
Foster has learned about music from Hawks fans, who request songs on social media during games.
“When you open yourself up to thousands and thousands of requests, you’re going to get stuff you don’t know about,” Foster said. “There have been times it helped me because fans have put me on to a song. The first time I heard Bobby Shmurda, it was a fan request. They were saying, ‘Play the Shmoney Dance.’ I had to find out what it was. It was two weeks before it really blew up. They were putting me on it.”
Outside of the arena, Foster said, everything he does is based around music. He plays the saxophone on Def Jam artist Brenda Mada’s song “House Party,” was on CNN International last month and also was on Adult Swim. He finds time to practice daily to keep improving and honing his craft.
“It’s been huge. It has given me a whole different avenue,” said Foster, who said he is in his 30s. “I wanted to come to Atlanta and make it as a little musician. This has given me a whole new perspective to look at that from. It’s opened doors I never would have thought about. I’ve been overseas because of it. People have heard me on social media or on a game and inbox me, ‘Hey, we want you to come here and do stuff.’
“I don’t know what I would have done without this. I definitely owe a lot to the Hawks for taking a chance on me and allowing me to be myself.”It is an old architectural trick used since the invention of mirrored glass: covering buildings with the reflective material and declaring that they blend in with the surroundings. Most architects use it to convince wary citizens that it is OK if their building is tall because it will reflect the sky and nature. The rendering always makes the building disappear, and the reality is always a big clunky mirrored box.
But a mirrored box can be elegant, too, such as this treehouse by Swedish firm Tham & Videgard Hansson Arkitekter. TreeHugger loves treehouses (see our roundup of them here) when they are designed to minimize impact on the surrounding landscape. And in this case, it looks like the architects have pulled it off successfully.
Images used with permission of the architects
section through unitunit plans Designboom says that it is a hotel unit that includes a kitchen, sleeping area, living area and a terrace.
DVICE notes that "There doesn't appear to be a bathroom or a ladder. That could make for a, um, rather uncomfortable night, at least for guests of the female variety."More information on the website of Tham & Videgard Hansson Arkitekter Warning: slow flash that takes over your monitor
More treehouses in TreeHugger
8 Tree Houses Fit for TreeHuggers (Slideshow)
Serious Treehouses
O2 Sustainability Treehouse
McMansion Treehouse : Gigantic Two-story Kids Playhouse Spells the...
Learn about TreeHouses on How Stuff Works and about green design with Steve Thomas's Five Bubbles of Green BuildingCanadians want more to be done about the refugee crisis and are willing to take in a substantially larger number of refugees than the country is currently admitting, polls suggest.
These surveys also hint at what's behind the different approaches toward the issue the three main party leaders are taking: Conservative supporters are far less likely than their Liberal and NDP counterparts to welcome more refugees with open arms.
Polls by the Angus Reid Institute and Mainstreet Research, both published over the last week, provide a glimpse of where Canadians stand on the crisis. Just over three-quarters of respondents to the Angus Reid poll agreed that "most of these people are genuine refugees whose lives are in danger."
Mainstreet found that the population was split on whether it was the Islamic State or the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad that was most responsible for the crisis, but 70 per cent told Angus Reid that the issue, whoever was causing it, is a global problem in which Canada has a role to play.
It seems that Canadians are not pleased with the role Canada has played so far. In the Mainstreet poll, only 35 per cent approved of the government's response to the crisis, while 48 per cent disapproved. Just 25 per cent thought that Canada is doing its fair share.
There is broad agreement that Canada should do more, but the polls are less clear on what exactly Canadians want to do. According to Angus Reid, 54 per cent agree that more refugees should be allowed into the country, and 63 per cent believe that individuals and groups should sponsor more migrants.
This aligns with the responses garnered by CBC's Vote Compass, which found that 60 per cent of people who participated in the voter engagement survey strongly or somewhat agreed that Canada should take in more refugees from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
But how many more? Angus Reid polling suggests differing views. Fully 16 per cent said that Canada should sponsor and resettle no refugees, while another 21 per cent supported allowing in 5,000 or fewer over the next year. But 25 per cent were willing to allow between 5,000 and 10,000, while 38 per cent supported sponsoring and resettling over 10,000.
Mainstreet found support for 10,000 or fewer brought in over an undetermined amount of time at 13 per cent, while 24 per cent envisioned bringing in between 10,000 and 30,000. Almost half of respondents, or 48 per cent, supported settling over 30,000 refugees.
Canadians also appear to be split on the kind of contribution the country could best provide. Mainstreet found that 31 per cent thought resettling refugees was Canada's best way to contribute, while 27 per cent supported humanitarian aid. Just 18 per cent thought military force was the best solution.
Conservatives see things differently
There is a marked difference between the views of Conservative supporters and those of the NDP and Liberals. It might partly explain the Conservatives' more restrained approach to the crisis.
A girl cries as she waits on a bus which will transport her family to the metro station, after their arrival from the northeastern Greek island of Lesbos to the Athens' port of Piraeus on Tuesday. (Thanassis Stavrakis/Associated Press)
If "boatloads of migrants began arriving on Canada's coasts," Angus Reid found that 60 per cent of Conservative supporters said that Canada should not be welcoming to them, whereas 65 per cent of Liberal and NDP voters said that Canada should take a welcoming approach.
Conservatives were also more than twice as likely as Liberals and New Democrats to think that "many of these [refugees] are bogus," according to Angus Reid. They were half as likely to want to bring in more than 10,000 refugees over the next year, and a majority were against increasing the number to 20,000.
The Conservatives may thus be playing to their base with their refugee policies. But considering the wide support a larger response has within the population, the party may also be limiting its prospects with its position. And as the party is in third place in the polls, it needs to make gains. But is this a ballot box issue for Canadians?
Although about two-thirds of Canadians say they are following the news surrounding the crisis, only about one-third say they are following it very closely.
It is difficult to determine, then, just how much of an influence the crisis is likely to have on the election campaign. But the numbers do not look good for Stephen Harper: in the Mainstreet poll, he trailed both Tom Mulcair and Justin Trudeau on who Canadians thought would be the best leader to address the crisis. If it does have an effect on the campaign, it is unlikely to help turn around the Conservatives' sinking support levels.
The poll by the Angus Reid Institute was conducted on Sept. 3, interviewing 1,447 Canadians via the internet. As the poll was conducted online, a margin of error does not apply. See here for full tabulations and questionnaire.
The poll by Mainstreet Research was conducted for Postmedia between Sept. 4 and 6, interviewing 2,506 Canadians via interactive voice response. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus two per cent, 19 times out of 20.See here for full tabulations and questionnaire.
Developed by a team of social and statistical scientists from Vox Pop Labs, Vote Compass is a civic engagement application offered in Canada exclusively by CBC News. The findings are based on 9,336 respondents who participated in Vote Compass from September 3 to September 4, 2015. Unlike online opinion polls, respondents to Vote Compass are not pre-selected. Similar to opinion polls, however, the data are a non-random sample from the population and have been weighted in order to approximate a representative sample. Vote Compass data have been weighted by geography, gender, age, educational attainment, occupation, religion, religiosity, and civic engagement to ensure the sample's composition reflects that of the actual population of Canada according to census data and other population estimates.This story appears in the May 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine.
To reach the butterfly artist’s house, you have to navigate a maze of mud-brick homes near the wide, brown Oubangui River. Four years ago Muslim rebels and Christian militias rampaged through, fighting for control of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. Today the neighborhood is filled with squealing children playing soccer and chattering vendors hawking peanuts and eggs, avocados and mangoes, wild honey and peppercorns. But violence still plagues the city, and the people here remain keenly alert to the sounds of gunshots and military helicopters.
Philippe Andé is oblivious to all of that. A slight, balding man, he hunches over a worktable covered in butterfly wings—a constellation of electric colors, flamboyant shapes, and exotic patterns. The Central African Republic is home to 597 identified species, and it’s common to suddenly find yourself amid a cloud of the silent, fluttering creatures, as though you’d wandered into a flurry of confetti. Andé, a farmer, catches them in his fields and sends boys to collect them in the hills and along the river.
With tweezers, a razor blade, and rubber cement, he painstakingly arranges the tissue-thin wings into radiant scenes of Central African life, each a miniature stained glass window. A man catches a speckled green fish in a swirling turquoise river. Women in orange dresses with sleeping babies tied to their backs pound cassavas into flour. A boy climbs a tree to harvest coconuts. There are fields filled with cotton; portraits of elephants, gorillas, parrots, antelope; even a faceted diamond, the country’s most famous export.
This is the Central African Republic that Andé chooses to see when he closes his eyes: the time before 2013, the year the Seleka—an alliance of predominantly Muslim rebel groups—looted, raped, killed, and burned its way across the country; toppled the corrupt Christian-dominated government; and ignited a brutal, still smoldering civil war that has killed thousands, displaced nearly a million others, and created food shortages.
To be honest, Andé’s enchanting pictures represent some of my own idealized impressions of the Central African Republic. The country caught my attention when I saw it highlighted on a conservation map, an island of green roughly the size of France containing some of Africa’s last pristine wilderness. I learned that vast stretches of its forests remain uninhabited and teem with wildlife. Beneath this bounty lies a wealth of resources, including diamonds, gold, uranium, and possibly oil. It seemed reasonable that such a sparsely populated country—only five million people, compared with France’s 65 million—would thrive. But it was failing. Why? That question has plagued me over the past three years as I’ve reported on what Central Africans refer to as the Crisis, their term for the war and the chaos that has followed.
On my first trip to Bangui, I put the question to a French Army officer as we sat on an Air France flight about to take off from Paris. It can be a touchy subject for the French, who colonized the country during the European rush for Africa in the 19th century. The Central African Republic gained independence in 1960, but the French have remained deeply involved in its affairs. Today Central Africans rely on Total, a French company, for much of their gasoline, and the currency the nation uses is backed by the French treasury.
View Images A Christian girl mourns the death of her sister, who was shot in 2014 during street fighting near her home in Bangui. Despite the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers, Muslims and Christians continue to attack each other, as do rival Muslim rebel groups.
The officer, a broad-shouldered man in his 40s, was embarking on his second peacekeeping tour. “Logistics are a big problem,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s a big, landlocked country, and the roads are shit.” He described how during the rainy season, from May to October, villages in the marshy northeast are entirely cut off, shutting down important trade routes. “The economy in the north can’t grow, and the people there are angry,” he said. “That is where the Seleka was born.”
At that point we were interrupted by the screaming of a Central African woman who was being deported. She’d been escorted onto the plane by two policemen and handcuffed to her seat. She strained against the handcuffs, yelling hysterically. The other passengers were a mixture of Central Africans returning to their country, peacekeepers, aid workers, and diplomats.
The woman’s words unsettled the Central Africans. “She is a sorceress,” complained one man. “She is cursing the plane,” said another. The flight attendants tried to calm the passengers, but soon several were trying to pull their bags from the overhead bins and demanding to get off. After an hour’s delay the pilot ordered the police to remove the woman. He announced that because of the delay we would have to lay over that night in Cameroon. “We cannot land in Bangui at night,” he explained, “because the airport lights do not work.” The officer leaned over and said, “It is also because it is not safe to travel the road from the airport to the city at night.” He grinned ruefully. “This is how things work in the Central African Republic.”
View Images A Muslim rebel stands guard as men and boys dig for gold at a mine near Bambari. The rebels claim a share for “security.” Gold is plentiful in the Central African Republic, but corruption and political instability have kept the profits from benefiting the people.
On one of my first days in Bangui, a local guide drove me to a small plaza with six gold-painted statues. An exuberant man in a brightly colored dashiki, he explained that the plaza illustrated all the history I needed to know. The plaza honors the six men who led the country from its independence movement to the start of the Crisis. The statues were chipped, and goats nibbled weeds growing in cracks in the pavement nearby. “This is Barthélémy Boganda,” he began at the first statue, as if he were a professor holding class. “He is to Central Africans what George Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr., are to Americans.”
From my reading I knew the story of Boganda, the self-described son of a cannibal, who famously negotiated with Charles de Gaulle for the country’s independence. But I didn’t interrupt my guide. He seemed comforted to talk about the one leader nearly every Central African regards as a saint. In conversations with dozens of Christians and Muslims, I never once heard Jesus or Muhammad invoked, but Boganda was cited often. He was born into what was then the French colony of Oubangui-Chari, named for the rivers that defined its southern and northern borders. Private companies ran the colony with impunity, and any notion of justice was left to its administrators. On Bastille Day, 1903, a French official in Kaga Bandoro allowed his men to execute an African prisoner by inserting a stick of dynamite into his anus and igniting it. “It is a bit stupid, but it will dumbfound the natives,” the official explained. “After this they will probably keep quiet.”
Boganda’s life reads like that of an Old Testament prophet. Just before his birth in 1910, French forces killed his father during a raid on his village. Company guards clubbed his mother to death when she refused to collect wild rubber. The orphaned Boganda was taken in by a Roman Catholic priest, and he would go on to take his own vows, becoming Oubangui-Chari’s first native priest. He later served as its first native representative in the French National Assembly, becoming an outspoken critic of French rule. When independence was imminent, Boganda was the people’s clear choice to be their leader.
View Images A man and his daughter work at an artisanal diamond mine in Sosso-Nakombo, near the border with Cameroon. Seleka rebels have withdrawn from this part of the country, but fighters for Anti-Balaka militias and bandits often prey on the miners.
He dubbed the nation the Central African Republic, designed its flag, and wrote the country’s motto: “Equality for Everyone.” But on March 29, 1959, just before the first elections, a plane carrying Boganda exploded in midair. Today people throughout the country believe that the French were behind his death, despite France’s denials. The incident has colored the relationship between the countries ever since.
“We were their colony, and they didn’t want to let us go,” the guide, a forest ranger by trade, said. “You can quote this, but please don’t use my name. The French still think we are their colony.” He pointed to the statues of the other five men, who had all served as president. “When each one of these guys decided to go against the French, he was replaced by the next guy.”
But the leaders who followed Boganda have their own sins to answer for, he said. Walking down the line of statues, he pointed an accusatory finger at the stern visage of each man, as if he were speaking directly to him. He described how they squandered the nation’s wealth, played favorites among the country’s numerous ethnic groups, and stirred deep resentment among the 15 percent of the population that is Muslim (the rest practice Christianity or animist beliefs). He stopped at the last statue, the man whom many Central Africans accuse of starting the Crisis, François Bozizé, an army officer who seized power in 2003. “He promised the Muslims he would include them in his government, if they would help him take power. Then he betrayed them, and that’s how the Seleka came together,” the guide said.
STATE OF TURMOIL Over the past four years a brutal conflict has pitted minority Muslims against majority Christians in the Central African Republic, a country the size of France but with just five million citizens. People in the Muslim-dominated north have long felt ignored by leaders in Bangui, the capital. Their rebellion triggered the violence. Internally displaced persons (September 2015) Central African exports, 2014 in millions of U.S. dollars Diamond mines Gold mines 1 2–5 6–15 16–74 1 2–5 Paved road Unpaved road 1–1,000 1,001–14,000 14,001–35,000 Wood Other $23.0 (31.8%) $48.5 (67%) Wooded savanna, grassland SUDAN Central African refugees (as of late 2016) Forest Birao Gold and diamonds $0.842 (1.2%) CHAD BOUNTY OF RESOURCES Petroleum exploration site ASIA SOUTH SUDAN Europe The Central African Republic exports diamonds, gold, and timber. It also has uranium and possibly oil deposits. In 2005 diamonds and gold made up more than half of its exports. Now they account for a small fraction due to the conflict and illegal smuggling. 70,310 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AFRICA Ndélé Boungou Bamingui Ouadda SELEKA Area of influeNce Zamza Batangafo Uncontrolled area Mont Ngaoui 4,626 ft 1,410 m Bocaranga Kaga Bandoro CAMEROON Yalinga CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Bossangoa Bria Bozoum Djéma Anti-balaka Area of influeNce Sibut Bambari Uranium mine Mambéré Obo 274,090 Central African refugees Rafaï Kouango Carnot Damara Zemio Bangassou Berbérati Bangui Mobaye Mbaïki ANTI-BALAKA SELEKA FLEEING THE CONFLICT Nola DEm. Rep. OF THE CONGO Predominantly Muslim rebel groups joined to form the Seleka in 2012 and began fighting their way to Bangui. Under international pressure the coalition officially disbanded in 2013. The rebels withdrew to their strongholds and still control parts of the central and northern regions. Militias called Anti-Balaka were organized to drive the Seleka out of Christian areas. Both the Seleka and Anti- Balaka have been accused of war crimes. Nearly one-fifth of Central Africans have left their homes. More than 450,000 have sought refuge in other nations. By late 2015 about 430,000 others were sheltered in temporary camps inside the country. Bayanga DZANGA-SANGHA SPECIAL RESERVE Dzanga-ndoki NATIONAL PARK Sangha River CONGO 103,717 29,304 Drag to explore Drag to explore SUDAN Birao Paved road Unpaved road CHAD Petroleum exploration site Wooded savanna, grassland SOUTH SUDAN Ndélé Boungou Forest Bamingui Ouadda SELEKA Area of influeNce Zamza Mont Ngaoui 4,626 ft 1,410 m Batangafo Uncontrolled area Bocaranga CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Yalinga Bossangoa Bria Bozoum Djéma Anti-balaka Area of influeNce Bambari Uranium mine Sibut Mambéré Obo Kouango Rafaï Carnot Damara Zemio Bangassou Berbérati Bangui Mobaye Mbaïki CAMEROON DEm. Rep. OF THE CONGO Nola CONGO Bayanga DZANGA-SANGHA SPECIAL RESERVE Dzanga-ndoki NATIONAL PARK Sangha River Internally displaced persons (September 2015) Diamond mines Gold mines 1 2–5 6–15 16–74 1 2–5 1–1,000 1,001–14,000 14,001–35,000 SELEKA Predominantly Muslim rebel groups joined to form the Seleka in 2012 and began fighting their way to Bangui. Under international pressure the coalition officially disbanded in 2013. The rebels withdrew to their strongholds and still control parts of the central and northern regions. ANTI-BALAKA Militias called Anti-Balaka were organized to drive the Seleka out of Christian areas. Both the Seleka and Anti-Balaka have been accused of war crimes. CENTRAL AFRICAN REFUGEES (as of late 2016) CHAD CAMEROON 70,310 DEm. Rep. OF THE CONGO 274,090 Central African refugees 103,717 CONGO 29,304 FLEEING THE CONFLICT Nearly one-fifth of Central Africans have left their homes. More than 450,000 have sought refuge in other nations. By late 2015 about 430,000 others were sheltered in temporary camps inside the country. CENTRAL AFRICAN EXPORTS, 2014 in millions of U.S. dollars Wood Other $48.5 (67%) $23.0 (31.8%) Gold and diamonds $0.842 (1.2%) BOUNTY OF RESOURCES The Central African Republic exports diamonds, gold, and timber. It also has uranium and possibly oil deposits. In 2005 diamonds and gold made up more than half of its exports. Now they account for a small fraction due to the conflict and illegal smuggling. DAMIEN SAUNDER, NGM STAFF.
SOURCES: INTERNATIONAL PEACE INFORMATION SERVICE; UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; UNHCR; observatory of economic complexity; World Database on Protected Areas; ROAD data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under open database license: openstreetmap.org/copyright
Seleka fighters achieved their goal of dislodging Bozizé but had little idea how to govern. They controlled Bangui for less than a year before the United Nations sent in a peacekeeping force. The Seleka withdrew to Muslim-dominated regions, and the alliance soon fractured. The disparate rebel groups split their territory into fiefdoms, each controlled by a former Seleka leader who has tapped into local resources to raise money to pay fighters and buy weapons. During the past year they’ve begun attacking each other, prompting 70,000 people to flee their homes.
Photographer Marcus Bleasdale and I wanted to explore how these resources, which hold such promise for the nation, have become the lifeblood for the forces that keep it divided. We decided to |
Pledge $150-$199 - A Wise Choice
Reward your friends with the story behind your hand-stitched wallet or passport holder, crafted from scrap leathers by Refoundry's beta incubation project, Pen & Pistol. Founder Ralphy Dominguez saw in Dumas' famous line in The Count of Monte Christo -- "More dread from a pen and a sheet of paper than a sword or pistol" -- that positive self-determination could help others like himself choose creativity over crime. Or just tell them you're into leather. Select a traditional (his) or passport-sized (hers) wallet. Available in black, brown and white leather. Hand vary.
Pledge $200-$249 - Profound Reflections
Playwright Eugene O'Neill said, "Life is a solitary cell whose walls are mirrors" -- so he probably wouldn't select this reward. But we see our mirrors as a reflection of our program - not confining, but expansive and full of possibility. Crafted from reclaimed wood by hands whose every crease and scar tell a story as rich in detail as the frames themselves. 14x20 - Hangs vertically or horizontally. Available in a choice of black, natural or white finish. Woods vary.
Pledge $250-$399 - What's Your Bag?
This smart satchel is stitched from pre-washed scrap denim and features reclaimed wood handles. Order it plain, or for no additional cost we'll have renowned graffiti artist Karlos Marquez tag you bag with "Refoundry". 24"W x 14"H Woods for handles vary.
Pledge $400-$499 - We Got You Over a Barrel
Round coffee tables made from old wine barrel tops from California vineyards. Nice! Iron hairpin legs ship detached; screws and pre-drilled holes provided. 27W x 18H
Pledge $500-$749 [Refoundry Supporter] That Is Just Cool!
What do you get when you cross an old metal egg crate, some vintage scrap fabric, and a world class designer? A beautiful storage ottoman fit for any room in your home. Refoundry's co-founder, Cisco Pinedo, came up with this inventive idea, and our participants create each one to order. Approx. 17"W x 13"D x 16"H Fabrics and sizes vary. BEST DEAL!
Pledge $750-$999 [Refoundry Supporter] This Bench Warrants Your Attention
You'll go AWOL over this beautiful bench on hairpin legs upholstered in repurposed army tent canvas. Perfect for an entryway, the foot of the bed, a window seat - even in front of the sofa. As stylish, versatile and eco-friendly as our Egg Crate Ottoman ($500 reward), they make a great pair (that's called upselling, baby!). And all for a good cause. Go ahead - make our day! 30"W x 14"D x 18"H Ships with legs detached; screws and pre-holed drills provided.
Pledge $1,000-$1,499 [Refoundry Team Member] Our Signature Pieces
These table tops are our participants' favorite piece to create. After selecting the wood and exploring the grain, texture and tone of each reclaimed plank, beam or slat, participants assemble the wood in their own unique vision - as they say, putting part of themselves into every design. Each table is signed and dated by the participant who crafted it. Choose any size up to 30" x 42" as either a coffee table (18"H) or dining table, console table or desk (30"H) Ships with iron legs detached; screws and pre-holed drills provided.
Pledge $1,500 or more [Refoundry Team Member] Experience Refoundry & Fine Cuisine. Or Not.
Meet our entire team with an exclusive tour (for two) of our new facilities -- made possible by your generous contribution to this campaign! Then dine compliments of ABC Home at their award-winning ABC Kitchen, featuring only the finest natural ingredients from regional farms and fair trade cooperatives.
Or if you'd prefer, we'll send you our Wood Box Coffee Table: Designed around a repurposed shipping crate and featuring a soft top upholstered in reclaimed fabrics, this exquisite piece provides extra storage, comfortable seating, and distinction. 38"W x 26"D x 18"H Fabrics may vary. Angle-iron legs ship detached; screws and pre-drilled holes provided. Shipping costs to Canada & Mexico for Coffee Table only.
LEARN MORE: Videos too compelling to miss
We’re convinced you’ll want to join the Refoundry community and support our critical program once you’ve seen:
The problems our participants have faced…
The incredible transformations in their lives after just a few months at Refoundry…
Some of the unique features of our innovative program that help our participants become financially independent…
As well as become active agents in helping others like themselves…
And the profound impact Refoundry can have on the criminal justice system.
You can always learn more about Refoundry at Refoundry.org
A SHORT STORY
When I met with the legislative team for NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito one of the Council Speaker’s staff remarked, “You know, I can’t tell if you’re a right-wing conservative who thinks the government is wasting money on a population that should learn to fend for themselves, or you’re a far-left liberal bent on helping anyone in need.”
“But don’t tell me!” he continued, shooting a hand up to forestall a possible response, “I like not knowing. Your organization has the rare quality in today’s cultural and political divisiveness to appeal to everyone.”
THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLACE FOR A SING-ALONG!
At my son's 1st Grade "stepping up" ceremony his class sang "With My Own Two Hands" by Jack Johnson & Ben Harper. As I listened I felt like it had been written for Refoundry, and we've adopted it as our theme song.
Listen: With My Own Two Hands
Apologies if you have to suffer through a short ad before the song starts, but we can't afford the rights to play it ourselves -- but hey, if any of you know Jack or Ben, ask them to give us a holler!
MEET THE FOUNDERS
Refoundry co-founders Cisco Pinedo (left) and Tommy Safian
Refoundry co-founders Tommy Safian & Cisco Pinedo met over 20 years ago, when they were both just beginning their furniture companies.
After earning a Masters in Literature in the midst of the 1991 recession, Tommy, to supplement meager income, started picking up furniture out of the garbage, fixing it up, and selling it in a weekly stoop sale called Avant Yard. Within two years he had a factory with 30 employees.
Cisco dropped out of school at the age of 14 to help support his siblings after his mother and father became ill and couldn't work. After the 1992 LA riots Cisco moved his company to the most blighted corridor in South Central, LA as a way to support the community in which he grew up. By the time Cisco and Tommy met his business, Cisco Brothers, employed most of Cisco's extended family and childhood friends.
Cisco has since become a recognized leader in sustainability and design.
Cisco Home in San Francisco, CA. Learn more about Cisco at CiscoHome.net
For Cisco and Tommy, commitment to their employee base, and to making and selling home furnishings that are environmentally responsible, have always been their top priorities.The German company Gameforge is laying off a fifth of the staff at its Karlsruhe headquarters after a change in strategy means the company will be pulling out of the the mobile sector.
Around 90 people have been affected by what Gameforge has described as the "most important restructuring of the company's history" after Gameforge found it had been less successful than expected in the mobile market
Gameforge is a known quantity in the PC free-to-play market, looking after Aion, Hex: Shards of Fate, Tera and Orcs Must Die! Unchained and Gameforge's CEO Alexander Rosner has notched up the decision to move away from mobile to the rise of several new opportunities for free-to-play development on PC.
Rosner regrets the layoffs and has claimed that even though they were necessary for the survival of the company, Gameforge is pledging comprehensive support to those laid off as they search for a new role.
The original post breaking the news is available in its native German on Mediabiz.Star's mother and three children demand fee to cover loss of future earnings
The family of Michael Jackson are seeking £26 billion in compensation from concert promoters after his death in 2009.
TMZ report Katherine Jackson, mother of the ‘King Of Pop’, and his three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, want £6.6 billion to make up for his lost future earnings after the series of concerts he’d scheduled before his death were cancelled. They’re also seeking a further £19.8 billion in other damages.
The court case with AEG, organisers behind the comeback concerts at London’s O2 arena, begins next month. Jackson died aged 50 at his house in Los Angeles just weeks before the concerts were due to start. It’s since been ruled Jackson was given a fatal dose of anaesthetic Propofol by his personal doctor, Conrad Murray. Murray was jailed for four years last year for Jackson’s involuntary manslaughter.
The use of Propofol is restricted to hospital operating theatres, but Murray agreed to inject the star so he could sleep. At the time, he was said to be exhausted while rehearsing for the 50 concerts that were booked in London. Those who bought tickets were refunded by the promoter in 2009.
AEG are expected to argue the sum being sought is unrealistic as Jackson’s career was in decline at the time of the shows. The civil case begins in LA on April 2. Since Jackson’s death, the estate has earned more than £675 million, although much of that was used to clear his large debts.
https://link.brightcove.com/services/player/?bctid=27680294001Prepare Your Application for Slow Network Connection
Some time ago I started to play with AngularJS to create a simple side-project app.
During this work I realized that I don’t like the differences between how the application works depending on the environment where I deploy it (localhost - faster and Docker on VPS - slower).
The UX was quite poor for slower network connection and I decided to do something about that.
The user experience was increased by applying some simple rules like:
always show user what is going on with the system,
show the user some animation when he waits to give a feedback that the system did not hang,
grey out or disable buttons you don’t want to allow if the previous one was not finished,
always give the user ability to cancel the task,
…
There are plenty of resources on the web about how to design UX.
I started to reproduce the slow network connection on my local machine very naively by putting some TimeUnit.SECONDS.sleep(3) or alike into the REST boundary code on the server-side. You know - quick and dirty solution.
However, I thought it would be nice to have some more generic solution and I came up with trivial Servlet Filter implementation that simulates server-side operations taking a bit longer than you expect.
You can see the code here:
package com.piotrnowicki.utils.slowdownfilter ; import javax.servlet.* ; import java.io.IOException ; import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit ; import java.util.logging.Level ; import java.util.logging.Logger ; /** * Filter which only aim is to slow down execution of the filtered * resources. It is useful in cases you want to test how your * application behaves in slow-network environment. * * @author Piotr Nowicki */ public class SlowDownFilter implements Filter { private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger. getLogger ( SlowDownFilter. class. getName ()); static final String DELAY_PARAM_NAME = "delay" ; static final long DEFAULT_DELAY_IN_MS = 5000L ; long delayInMs ; @Override public void init ( FilterConfig config ) throws ServletException { delayInMs = fetchDelay ( config. getInitParameter ( DELAY_PARAM_NAME )); } private long fetchDelay ( String delayParam ) { try { return Long. valueOf ( delayParam ); } catch ( NumberFormatException ex ) { String msg = String. format ( "Invalid value for delay [%s] ms. Running with default [%s] ms", delayParam, DEFAULT_DELAY_IN_MS ); LOGGER. log ( Level. WARN, msg, ex ); return DEFAULT_DELAY_IN_MS ; } } @Override public void doFilter ( ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response, FilterChain chain ) throws IOException, ServletException { try { TimeUnit. MILLISECONDS. sleep ( delayInMs ); } catch ( InterruptedException e ) { LOGGER. log ( Level. INFO, "Thread interrupted", e ); } chain. doFilter ( request, response ); } @Override public void destroy () { // Do nothing } }
It’s so naively simple that it actually does the job ;-)
You just plug it into your web.xml and (optionally) define the delay in milliseconds as a init-param :
<filter> <filter-name> Slow Down Filter </filter-name> <filter-class> com.piotrnowicki.slowdownfilter.SlowDownFilter </filter-class> <init-param> <param-name> delay </param-name> <param-value> 2000 </param-value> </init-param> </filter> <filter-mapping> <filter-name> Slow Down Filter </filter-name> <url-pattern> /resources/* </url-pattern> </filter-mapping>
Simple, useful and forces you to correctly prepare your user interface for network slowdowns.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Crack addicts, get excited.
Brazil is gearing up for the "Miss Bum Bum" pageant, a nationwide contest to find the best butt in the country.
The nation's cutest derriere will be chosen out of 27 competitors, one from each of Brazil's Federative Units. Online voting will determine 15 finalists, who will travel to São Paulo in November for the "grand finale."
"[Brazilians] definitely have a thing with butts," said Brazilian Graciela Murano, writer and editor for Oddee, noting that "bumbum" is the word most commonly used in Brazil to refer to someone's rear end.pau
In her country, the 30-year-old says, most people know about the competition, but like to pretend that they're not interested.
In reality, though, "Every woman has read about it and won't admit it," she said, "and every man's dream is to be a part of the judging team."
PHOTOS: (Story Continues Below)
PHOTO GALLERY Miss Bum Bum Brazil 2012
It looks like those dreams won't come true, at least this year. In early September, Pamela Anderson was contracted to judge the competition, according to the Brazil Dispatch.
Like any good pageant, Miss Bum Bum Brazil is not without scandal.
Cibelle Ribeiro was one candidate who almost slipped through the cracks. Murano told The Huffington Post that Ribeiro was a national "favorite" for the competition, but was almost disqualified when judges suspected she may have butt implants, and the curvy contestant refused to take an X-ray.
However, it looks Ribeiro has since submitted to the X-ray and, butt approved, is now back in the running, according to Globo.
Anyone can see that the pageant contestants have perfect posteriors, but what about Brazilians in general? Do they have better butts than the rest of the world?
"Yep, definitely," Murano said.The Huffington Post, one of the world’s most trafficked news sites, featured a headline on Sunday calling for the closure of the embattled Clinton Foundation. The left-wing outlet’s front page banner linked to a New York Times article, which highlights, among other things, that Bill and Hillary Clinton’s billion dollar nonprofit has “accepted tens of millions of dollars from countries that the State Department — before, during and after Mrs. Clinton’s time as secretary — criticized for their records on sex discrimination and other human-rights issues.”
The Huffington Post is just the latest outlet to acknowledge that the explosive research, found first in Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large Peter Schweizer’s New York Times bestselling book Clinton Cash, has inspired a massive movement of journalists and political figures — on the left, right, and center — calling on the Clintons to dismantle their problematic nonprofit.
The Times piece shines the spotlight on “a deal involving the sale of American uranium holdings to a Russian state-owned enterprise” — another revelation first revealed in Clinton Cash — “… which involved major Clinton charitable backers from Canada …” as “another example of the foundation intersecting with Mrs. Clinton’s official role in the Obama administration.”
For weeks, the Democratic presidential candidate has been bombarded with questions about the apparent global nexus of influence peddling involving top aids to Clinton offering preferential treatment to million-dollar Clinton Foundation donors when she was the head of the State Department.
In a staggering sign of vulnerability, Bill Clinton told a room full of the foundation’s staff on Thursday that he will resign from the Clinton Foundation board if Hillary Clinton wins the White House in November. The former president also pledged to stop giving paid speeches, regardless of the outcome of Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid.
Still, even after the former president’s announcement, other Clinton Foundation projects – The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (CGEP) – said they would continue to collect donations no matter what happens in November.
Bill Clinton’s announcement followed former Democratic Pennsylvania Governor and longtime Clinton ally Ed Rendell’s remarks that the foundation should shutdown if Hillary Clinton became president.
“I definitely think if she wins the presidency, they have to disband it. I know it’ll be hard for President (Bill) Clinton because he cares very deeply about what the foundation has done,” Rendell told the New York Daily News. “It’d be impossible to keep the foundation open without at least the appearance of a problem.”
On Tuesday, the Boston Globe, which endorsed Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, called for the “shut down” of the Clinton Foundation, should Hillary win.
“Even if they’ve done nothing illegal, the foundation will always look too much like a conflict of interest for comfort,” the Globe’s editorial board wrote.
“The new pledge is a stunning tacit admission of wrongdoing,” Schweizer wrote on Thursday, adding that “it comes too little too late and raises the obvious question: If it would be wrong for Hillary’s foundation to accept foreign cash as president, why wasn’t it wrong for Hillary’s foundation to accept foreign cash from oligarchs and countries who had business pending on her desk as Sec. of State?”
Schweizer continued: “Moreover, if, as has been confirmed by numerous mainstream media organizations, Hillary Clinton violated her ethics pledge with the Obama administration to disclose all Clinton Foundation donations, why should the American people believe she would now honor a new pledge to forgo bagging cash from foreign oligarchs and countries?”
That’s a question that the Clinton’s may not have an answer to, according to those in the government corruption watchdog community.
“It is very difficult to see how the organization called the Clinton Foundation can continue to exist during a Clinton presidency without that posing all sorts of consequences,” John Wonderlich, the interim executive director of the Sunlight Foundation, told the Times. “What they announced only addresses the most egregious potential conflicts.”
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @JeromeEHudsonPresident Trump defended his bluff about having tapes of conversations between him and former FBI Director James Comey, saying his strategy “wasn’t very stupid.”
“When [Comey] found out that there may be tapes out there…I think his story may have changed,” Trump said on Fox Friday. “Then he has to tell what actually took place at the events.”
“It wasn’t very stupid,” Trump continued. “He did admit that what I said was right and, if you look further back before he heard about that, maybe he wasn’t admitting that.”
Trump seemed to be referring to the fact that he had wanted Comey to publicly say that he was not personally under FBI investigation, which Comey did in congressional testimony after Trump tweeted, suggesting he may have recorded their conversations.
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In his testimony, Comey said he had a friend leak memos detailing his private encounters with the President after Trump threatened to release tapes.
“It didn’t dawn on me, originally, that there might be corroboration for our conversation [there] might be a tape, my judgment was I needed [to] get that out into the public square,” Comey said. “And so I asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter.”
Write to Tessa Berenson at tessa.berenson@time.com.From the “weather is not climate” department, more chilling news from the southern hemisphere.
Guest post By Alexandre Aguiar
MetSul Weather Center via ICECAP
A brutal and historical cold snap has so far caused 80 deaths in South America, according to international news agencies. Temperatures have been much below normal for over a week in vast areas of the continent. In Chile, the Aysen region was affected early last week by the worst snowstorm in 30 years. The snow accumulation reached 5 feet in Balmaceda and the Army was called to rescue people trapped by the snow.
In Argentina, the snow in the region of Mendoza, famous for its winery, was described by local meteorologists as the heaviest in a decade. The temperature in the morning of July 16th was the lowest in the city of Buenos Aires since 1991: -1.5C. The cold snap caused a record demand for energy and Argentina had to import electricity from Brazil. Many industries in Argentina were shut down due to gas shortage.
It snowed in nearly all the provinces of Argentina, an extremely rare event. It snowed even in the western part of the province of Buenos Aires and Southern Santa Fe, in cities at sea level.
The most famous beach of Argentina, Mar del Plata, was whitened by the snow in the morning of July 15th, a scene only seen in recent memory in 1991, 2004 and 2007. See below:
The snow was heavy even in Northern Argentina. In Santiago Del Estero, according to media reports, some areas experienced snow for the first time in living memory. In the province of Tucuman, some town saw snow for the first time since 1921 (Gaceta de Tucuman newspaper).
In Uruguay, there were widespread reports of sleet and even snow mixed with rain in towns in the Southern and Eastern part of the country, even in the capital Montevideo. At leas two deaths have been blamed in Uruguay on the low temperatures. Hospitals were packed with patients with respiratory illness.
In Paraguay, at least nine people died due to the cold weather in only 3 days. Cattle were very affected and one thousand animals died of hypothermia. In Bolivia, dozes of people died in consequence of the very low temperatures. In some areas of the nation the cold period was described as the worst in 15 years. It even snowed in the Chaco of Bolivia, one of warmest areas of South America, where the local population never saw snow before. Classes were suspended in Bolivia for three days to prevent more cold related deaths (El Nacional newspaper from Bolivia).
Southern Brazil was also very affected by the cold air eruption from the Southern Pole. Last week the temperature dropped to -7.8C in the city of Urupema, Santa Catarina. In Rio Grande do Sul, in the hills of the state, temperature felt to -4.9C in the city of Cambara. In the state of Paran�, the low was -6C. Only the nights were freezing, but the afternoons were very cold. In some days, temperature failed to reach 5C in many towns, the first time in a decade. Flurries observed in towns of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Parana and sleet was also reported in Western Santa Catarina.
The most striking scenes came from the top of Morro da Igreja, a 1800 meters elevation in the state of Santa Catarina. The area recorded snow and freezing rain. As anyone can imagine, freezing rain is extremely rare in Southern Brazil. The event was witnessed and photographed by weather observers from MetSul Marcelo Albieri and Caio Souza.
On July 14th, in the afternoon hours, temperatures in the hills of Rio Grande do Sul state in Southern Brazil were lower than in Marambio, the main polar base of Argentina in Antarctica. In Central Brazil, in the tropics, the long streak of cold days was considered extremely rare. It was so cold that thousand of animals died in this region of Brazil known for its cattle, just South of the Amazon basin.
Maybe the most notable fact took place in North South America. The cold reached Amazon and temperatures felt to as low as 7C in towns in the Amazon Forest in the states of Acre and Rondonia. Temperature even felt in Roraima, where the state capital Boa Vista record 20C (normal lows are 25C) and the wind were blowing from the South.
Boa Vista is located at 2 degrees North of latitude, so the influence of the Antarctic cold blast crossed the Equator line and reached towns in the Northern Hemisphere. It would be the same of a cold snap from the Arctic crossing the entire North America continent, the Caribbean and reaching North Brazil in cities at 2 degrees South of latitude as Santarem, a bizarre situation.
PDF here.
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RedditGreece is drawing up drastic plans to nationalise the country's banking system and introduce a parallel currency to pay bills unless the eurozone takes steps to defuse the simmering crisis and soften its demands.
Sources close to the ruling Syriza party said the government is determined to keep public services running and pay pensions as funds run critically low. It may be forced to take the unprecedented step of missing a payment to the International Monetary Fund next week.
Greece no longer has enough money to pay the IMF €458m on April 9 and also to cover payments for salaries and social security on April 14, unless the eurozone agrees to disburse the next tranche of its interim bail-out deal in time.
“We are a Left-wing government. If we have to choose between a default to the IMF or a default to our own people, it is a no-brainer,” said a senior official.
“We may have to go into a silent arrears process with the IMF. This will cause a furore in the markets and means that the clock will start to tick much faster,” the source told The Telegraph.
Syriza’s radical-Left government would prefer to confine its dispute to EU creditors but the first payments to come due are owed to the IMF. While the party does not wish to trigger a formal IMF default, it increasingly views a slide into pre-default arrears as a necessary escalation in its showdown with Brussels and Frankfurt.
The view in Athens is that the EU creditor powers have yet to grasp that the political landscape has changed dramatically since the election of Syriza in January and that they will have to make real concessions if they wish to prevent a disastrous rupture of monetary union, an outcome they have ruled out repeatedly as unthinkable.
“They want to put us through the ritual of humiliation and force us into sequestration. They are trying to put us in a position where we either have to default to our own people or sign up to a deal that is politically toxic for us. If that is their objective, they will have to do it without us,” the source said.
Going into arrears at the IMF – even for a few days – is an extremely risky strategy. No developed country has ever defaulted to the Bretton Woods institutions. While there would be a grace period of six weeks before the IMF board declared Greece to be in technical default, the process could spin out of control at various stages.
Syriza sources say are they fully aware that a tough line with creditors risks setting off an unstoppable chain-reaction. They insist that they are willing to contemplate the worst rather than abandon their electoral pledges to the Greek people. An emergency fall-back plan is already in the works.
“We will shut down the banks and nationalise them, and then issue IOUs if we have to, and we all know what this means. What we will not do is become a protectorate of the EU,” said one source. It is well understood in Athens such action is tantamount to a return to the drachma, even though Syriza would rather reach an amicable accord within EMU.
Eurozone creditors may be willing to release enough funds to cover Greece’s government costs on April 14, but only if Syriza pays the IMF first. However, trust has already collapsed to the point where key ministers in Greece no longer believe the assurances from Brussels, fearing they may be lured into a trap. The mood has become poisonous.
“They want us to impose capital controls and cause a credit crunch, until the government becomes so unpopular that it falls," said one official.
"They want make an example of us, and demonstrate that no government in the eurozone has a right to have mind of its own. They don’t believe that we will walk away, or that the Greek people will back us, and they are wrong on both counts,” he said.
Syriza is still hoping that German Chancellor Angela Merkel can defuse the crisis, deeming her a “real ally”, but fear that she will be confronted with a fait accompli beyond even her control.
Bank of America warned that a “critical sequence of events could unfold” once Greece misses a payment to the IMF. It would trigger a parallel default to the eurozone bail-out fund (EFSF) under the legal master agreement, and might force the EFSF to cancel its loan packages and demand immediate repayment. This in turn would trigger a default on Greek government bonds issued under the bail-out accord.
The situation is now critical. Even if Greece manages to cobble together enough money to cover the April deadline, it owes the IMF a further €200m on May 1 and €763m on May 12. A Greek official told EMU counterparts at a teleconference on Wednesday that the country has run out of money. "There is no way we can go beyond April 9," the official reportedly said.
The drama comes after the creditors refused to rubber stamp Athens' latest bid to unlock funds, raising objections over Syriza plans to boost union powers in collective bargaining and boost pensions for lower income groups.
Brussels continues to insist on more concrete pledges, despite receiving a 26-page list of reforms on Wednesday. Athens hopes to raise €6.1bn in 2015 by clamping down on fuel smuggling and tax evasion, introducing new levies on luxury goods, and reforming public procurement. It estimated funding needs at €19bn over the coming year, meaning that there will inevitably be fresh tensions over the summer even if there a deal on interim funds until June.
Former European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso warned Greece that they have a moral obligation to other states, describing the demands for more time and money as "completely unacceptable".
“We should remember that there are poorer countries that are lending money to Greece, so to propose a cut to their debt would be certain to receive a no from their partners," he said.Abstract Aims: Previous research published by Venkatasubramanian et al. (2008) in this journal showed markedly enhanced functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity within the right parahippocampal region of a gifted person while he experienced accurate "telepathic" impression. The present research is designed to discern if Sean Harribance, a reliable psychic who reported independently verified accurate histories of others during his intuitive state, would also show similar enhancement as measured by standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA).
Materials and Methods and Results: The raw data from the unique electroencephalographic pattern displayed by Sean Harribance (the Harribance configuration) during his intuitive state revealed a peak increase of power within the upper beta range (20-30 Hz) within the right parahippocampal region only.
Conclusions: The congruence of the region of activation during "telepathy" by Sean Harribance and Gerard Senehi, especially when the specific electromagnetic and cellular characteristics are considered, suggests the parahippocampal region may be a focus for exploration of the mechanisms by which these phenomena might occur. Keywords: EEG; parahippocampal gyrus; sLORETA; telepathy How to cite this article:
Persinger MA, Saroka KS. Protracted parahippocampal activity associated with Sean Harribance. Int J Yoga 2012;5:140-5
How to cite this URL:
Persinger MA, Saroka KS. Protracted parahippocampal activity associated with Sean Harribance. Int J Yoga [serial online] 2012 [cited 2019 Feb 26];5:140-5. Available from: http://www.ijoy.org.in/text.asp?2012/5/2/140/98238
Introduction
Venkatasubramanian et al., [1] were the first to report real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the changes within the cerebrum during procedures that could be defined as "telepathy". Although often considered a pejorative label, it can also be defined as information acquired from a distance through mechanisms not known to date [2] or, from a more modern neuroquantum perspective, as "distant intentionality". Recently Persinger et al., [3] and Dotta et al., [4] demonstrated a potential experimental model for this condition when two people separated by distance shared the same specifically configured circumcerebral rotating magnetic fields. Light stimuli presented to one of the pair resulted in changes in electroencephalographic activity and cerebral biophoton emission from the other person in the pair who was sitting in the dark. In both experiments, the effect was most conspicuous over the right hemispheres of the response persons of each pair. [3],[4]
Venkatasubramanian et al., [1] found that the greatest activation within the brain of Mr. Gerard Senehi while he was thinking about the image that was being drawn by another person occurred in his right parahippocampal gyrus. The parahippocampal gyrus is a major multimodal integrator of sensory information from the association areas of the neocortices [5] and is intimately involved with visuospatial processing. [6] Tractography by Rushworth et al., [7] showed a pathway within a ventral-anterior to dorsal-posterior orientation within the lateral temporal cortices and the most caudal portions of the parietal cortices. Interestingly, these areas of white matter traverse the same region of the right hemisphere where anomalous MRI signals were noted in the brain of Ingo Swann, the Master of Remote Viewing. [8] Swann's accuracy for the details of remotely viewed objects was directly corrected with the proportion of highly stereotyped 7 Hz spike-like paroxysmal electroencephalographic activity over the right occipital region (the parietal area was not recorded).
Perhaps one of the most prolific and persistently reliable individuals who can acquire information from others simply by proximity is Sean Harribance. [9] He has been examined by many researchers over the years for his accuracy and more recently was assessed by modern neuroscientific techniques. His accuracy for independent-rated comments about the target person is associated with the duration of time his brain displays a stereotyped signature (the "Harribance configuration") over the right temporoparietal region during intervals we have called the intuitive state (IS). [10] Enhanced uptake of tracer during SPECT (single photon emission computerized tomography) over the right parietal lobe has also been documented [11] during the IS.
We [10] found that the brain activity of the people from whom Mr. Harribance's acquired the "telepathic" information became more congruent with his brain activity as both the accuracy and proximal time increased. Repeated experiments showed that Mr. Harribance's eye movements are different from normal and when given target pictures of standardized faces he focuses to the upper left of the head. In addition although he has lived in the same place for many years he is quickly disoriented if he loses visual contact with his home. Integrating these data with what is known about parahippocampal function, we hypothesized that sLORETA (standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography) of recent quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) data would also reveal a source activation, as observed with Mr. Senehi by Venkatasubramanian et al., [1] within the right parahippocampal area of Mr. Harribance's cerebrum.
Materials and Methods
Subject
According to his biography [12] Mr. Sean Lalsing Harribance was born to an East Indian family in southern Trinidad on 11 November, 1939. He was raised as Hindu, but attended Christian schools. He has been measured by dozens of different research groups. His primary financial income, which reflects the accuracy of his information, has been from his "readings" for a large population of repeat clients.
Telepathy procedures
During his visit to Laurentian University's Neuroscience Research Group in 2009, Mr. Harribance conducted over 15 readings and revealed personal information pertaining to individuals in pictures he had never met although he was in close proximity with individuals who knew the people in those pictures. During each case, both Mr. Harribance and an individual would sit directly across from one another while Mr. Harribance viewed the individuals' personal photographs and reported sudden information which was verified by another person not present at the time. During each reading, EEG recordings would be taken continuously. It became evident that when his comments had been judged by others, Mr. Harribance's brain was generating a reliable and predictable pattern over the right temporofrontal region. It was so obvious and consistent to everyone, even by gross visual inspection, that we called it the Harribance configuration.
Source localization
EEG data was recorded on a Mitsar-201 portable QEEG equipped with a 19-channel electrode cap (Electrode-Cap International), which follows the 10-20 International Standard of Electrode Placement. Impedance for all channels was kept under 10 kΩ and data was acquired using WinEEG software with a sampling rate of 250 Hz.
Following his consent, source localization [13] was completed on 10 |
Mediterranean setting.
The intensity of its colour seems to signify not something out there, in the world around us, but something within: the internal dreamscape of the girl, perhaps, or the artist’s acute emotional response to his subject.
Admittedly, this notion runs counter to traditional perceptions of Leighton, who was notoriously private. Yet the model for Flaming June was most likely the actress Dorothy Dene, whom Leighton met in 1879, when she was just 19 years old.
The pair became so close – some people even referred to Dene, cattily, as Leighton’s ‘wife’ – that the artist left her the substantial sum of £5,000 after his death. If Flaming June was unusual in terms of its palette, then, perhaps it was also atypical in offering a kind of revelatory autobiographical statement.
Some art historians focus on the plant that provides a splash of crimson towards the top of the composition. This is oleander, a flowering shrub. Because oleander is highly poisonous, it invites us to understand the painting’s evocation of oblivion symbolically, as a meditation on death – perhaps even Leighton’s own.
Whatever the merits of this theory, Robbins says that Leighton “hit the jackpot” with Flaming June. “I find it moving that Leighton did so right in the twilight of his career – and that he had no idea he’d done something people would forever associate with him.”
He continues: “On a superficial level, Flaming June is a seductive image of a girl asleep against the Mediterranean sun. It speaks of warmth and sensuousness. And your eye is endlessly intrigued by its form and colour.” Robbins smiles. “What’s not to like?”
Alastair Sooke is art critic of the Daily Telegraph.
If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.
And if you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called “If You Only Read 6 Things This Week”. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital, Travel and Autos, delivered to your inbox every Friday.Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has claimed that the Champions League is more difficult to win for the English sides since they do not have a winter break, like teams in other leagues have.
While the Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A all have a break during the winter, the Premier League is famous for going on during the time of Christmas and New Year, with games coming up thick and fast.
Mourinho is of view that the Premier League sides find it hard to compete in the knockout stages of the Champions League since other sides are refreshed from having a winter break.
Is the Champions League easier for teams outside the Premier League to deal with?
Jose Mourinho seems to think so https://t.co/3xhBOEa72Q pic.twitter.com/itn02GYLMx — Goal (@goal) November 16, 2017
Speaking to the Mirror, as reported by Goal, Mourinho said, “I always say the Champions League only starts in February, and in February the English teams are [still playing] after December and January where we can play 20 matches over two months."
"The Germans, the French, the Spanish, the Italians, they all come from a winter break. So I think they arrive in better condition than the English teams."
The former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss also believes that the level of competition in England makes it difficult to rest top players, something that is not the case in other top leagues in Europe.
Mourinho: Champions League harder for English teams #epl @GoalUK: The Manchester United boss believes the winter schedule in England makes life harder on clubs looking to compete for the European crown https://t.co/PRnQCMnxvg pic.twitter.com/ZpzJpu25qe — EPL Feeds (@eplfeeds) November 16, 2017
“It’s also a fact that any match you play in this country, if you don’t go strong, you lose. We go to Bristol (City of the Championship next Wednesday) in the (EFL Cup) quarter-final and if you don’t go with a strong team, you lose. That’s as simple as that."
“In other other countries, between the top teams and the others, there is huge difference and not just in terms of talent and potential but also in terms of mentality. Here, the smaller teams want to win, want to compete, want to have the courage to try and get a result," the Portuguese added.web 2.0 style client for Twitter.com, designed to submit status updates to Twitter via your iGoogle homepage, Gmail Account or as a standalone app (website)
* It can run inside iGoogle homepage, your Gmail account or as a standalone website* You can choose the refresh time* Tabs for Home, Replies, DMs, Favourites or Everyone (this last tab shows what everyone it tweeting, even if you don't follow them)* Keyboard shortcuts like: changing between tabs, favourite, ReTweet (my personal favourite), delete a tweet, search with highlighting, highlight a URL and hit Ctrl + Y or Right Click to shorten it, and many more, look at the image below to get an idea:* It supports different themes and custom colors, including custom @reply colors and so on.* Automatic URL shortening using bit.ly* Twitter thumbnails, so you can see everyone's pictures. Hover that thumbnail and you get some options like: follow/unfollow, retweet last tweet or favourite* View the full url behind a short url by hovering your mouse over the short url Instructions for adding TwitterGadget to Gmail: here To use it directly into your browser (stand-alone website), click here To add it to iGoogle, click here To do so, simply add this as a bookmark, right click it and click "Propreties", then check "Load into sidebar".[See The Absurd Legalism of Gender Roles, Exhibit A: Black Belt Stand Down; The Absurd Legalism of Gender Roles, Exhibit B: Guys and Dolls; The Absurd Legalism of Gender Roles, Exhibit C: “As Long as I Can’t See Her…”’]
It’s been a while since I’ve written here about Christianity, gender roles, and the whole egalitarian/complementarian divide, but a couple things prompted today’s post.
First, our recent dive into parenthood has made me exceedingly glad we ditched the strict gender roles promoted by conservative evangelical culture in favor of a relationship characterized by mutuality and flexibility. Dan has risen to the occasion of fatherhood with more sweetness and energy than seems possible, changing diapers, doing seemingly infinite loads of laundry, rocking and burping the baby, making pot after pot of coffee (which we now refer to as “liquid hope”), researching baby poo on the internet, and so on. Owen Strachan of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood may characterize this shift in his priorities as a “man fail,” but for us, it’s working beautifully. I’ve never loved and respected my husband more.
Second, John Piper recently posted an article at Desiring God entitled “Six Things Submission Is Not,” intended to explain to women how they should and shouldn’t submit to their husbands under a complementarian (patriarchal) understanding of a “biblical” familial structure. While I appreciate Piper’s rightful condemnation of a husband who demands his wife seek his permission before using the bathroom, I believe Piper’s entire premise—that wives must be subordinate to their husbands—is faulty, and that this article’s application of that premise can actually damage marital relationships by, among other things, impeding honest communication.
To review: In their letters to the early church, the apostles Peter and Paul include what you might call a Christian remix of the traditional Greco-Roman household codes, which detailed the responsibilities of a male head-of-house, his wives, slaves, and adult children (see Ephesians 5, Colossians 3, and 1 Peter 3).
Complementarians like Piper believe these instructions are universally binding, and argue that what makes the New Testament household codes countercultural is their rejection of feminism in favor of male headship. However, Peter and Paul didn’t live in a feminist culture; they lived in a patriarchal one. Noting that wives are to submit to their husbands and slaves to their masters was nothing radical. The authors were essentially stating the obvious about the nature of their time and place in the world and expected social norms. What makes the New Testament household codes radical is that they take a step toward mutuality by directing all members of the household—those with power and those who are powerless—to emulate the humility of Jesus Christ in their relationships. Piper’s post about “what submission is not” contains a glaring omission, then—the fact that “biblical” submission is not meant to be one-way. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul calls both wives and husbands, men and women to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Directing a “how to submit” list to women alone perpetuates the mistaken notion that the deference and humility celebrated in the New Testament household codes are exclusively feminine virtues.
[Perhaps the strongest argument against Piper’s hermeneutical approach to the New Testament household codes is the fact that the very same hermeneutic has been applied to these passages to justify slavery. All three of the biblical passages that instruct wives to submit to their husbands are either directly preceded or followed by instructions for slaves to obey their masters, with phrases like “likewise” and “in the same way” connecting them. If the New Testament household codes mean that patriarchy is a good, God-ordained system for all places and times, then to be consistent, one must also argue that slavery is a good, God-ordained system for all places and times. There’s really no getting around that.]
I, (and many biblical scholars and fellow Christians), would argue the point of these passages is not that patriarchy is the best foundation for marriage, but rather that the humility and service of Jesus Christ is the best example for marriage…and any relationship. That’s a posture one can carry in a patriarchal culture or an egalitarian one, so faithfulness to Scripture does not require an embrace of patriarchy. If it seems as though I’m repeating myself, it’s because I’ve written on this topic dozens of times, including an entire series on the New Testament household codes, which you can read here.
Not surprisingly, trying to force first century societal norms onto modern-day marriages has proven…complicated…even among those who subscribe to this approach. I remember countless conversations in the dorm rooms of my conservative Christian college about how to defer to a guy as the “spiritual leader” in a relationship, an ideal that far too often resulted in women deliberately diminishing their own gifts, ideas, and dreams in an effort to better play second fiddle.
Forced gender roles impacts relationships in countless negative ways, but the one I want to unpack here is the way this form of legalism can hamper honest communication between spouses by requiring women to “influence” their husbands without ever actually leading them.
In his post, Piper says, “submission does not mean you do not try to influence your husband” and suggests that a good test of proper male headship in a relationship is to examine who says “let’s” most often—as in, “let’s go out to eat, let’s try to get our finances in order, let’s get to church on time next Sunday.” He seems to be saying that a woman can guide her husband, but not directly, not overtly.
Piper expands on this idea in his book, Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, in which he advocates for what he calls “non-directive leadership.”
“To the degree that a woman’s influence over a man is personal and directive will generally offend a man’s good, God-given sense of responsibility and leadership,” he writes, “and thus contradict God’s created order…A wife who ‘comes on strong’ with her advice will probably drive a husband into passive silence, or into active anger.” Instead, “a woman who believes she should guide a man into a new behavior should do it in a way that signals her support of his leadership.”
Ironically, his choice for an example of “beautiful non-directive leadership” is the biblical Abigail, who in talking David out of killing Nabal, “exerted great influence over David…but did so with amazing restraint and submissiveness.” Missing from Piper’s analysis is the fact that Abigail was far from submissive to her actual husband at the time (Nabal), rejecting his leadership by going behind his back to gather the provisions requested by the king and appearing quite pleased when he keeled over from a heart attack. (Also missing is any mention of the fact that the supposedly model marriage between David and Abigail included multiple wives and concubines.)
Here’s the problem, as I see it: When women are instructed to “influence” men without leading them, to “guide” them without offending their fragile masculinity by using scary words like “let’s," we end up with women who must resort to non-direct communication in order to try and achieve their ends. The result is a relationship characterized by repression and manipulation.
Indeed, I’ve endured plenty church-sponsored bridal showers in which the older women instruct the younger ones on how to get their way by “making him think it was his idea.” Even sadder, I’ve listened with a broken heart to women recount decades of frustration and pain that went unaddressed because they believed a good Christian wife avoids saying things like, “I want” or “I need” or “let’s.”
Few things make me ache more than watching decent, Jesus-loving people struggle under the weight of legalism, and I’ve received countless messages from couples who did just that before casting off the ill-fitting roles imposed onto their marriage by complementarianism. Anyone who knows anything about healthy relationships knows direct communication is key. You can’t expect your spouse to read your mind, and you can’t build an effective partnership by beating around the bush in an effort to stick to unnecessary hierarchal roles. W
Dan and I discovered early into our relationship that being honest and direct with one another saved a ton of time and spared us all sorts of needless frustration. Dan’s masculinity is not threatened when I’m upfront about what I think or when I tell him exactly what I want us to do. In fact, he prefers not having to guess at those things. And contrary to everything you’ve heard from the complementarian camp, in nearly 13 years of egalitarian marriage we’ve never reached that big, bad hypothetical impasse in which we simply cannot agree and need someone to play a gender-based trump card to prevent paralysis. It just hasn’t happened.
When both parties look to the example of Jesus, decisions can be made together, with mutual humility, gentleness, and deference.
While I’m sure it’s not Piper’s intention to encourage repression or manipulation in marital relationships, I’m convinced that’s often the result when women are instructed to protect the fragile male ego by practicing “non-directive leadership.”
You know what’s way easier, and more natural?
Honest, direct communication of wants, needs, and ideas.
In my experience, most men—indeed, most people—respond much better to that anyway.
So let’s give it a shot.
***
For more on all this, check out our 2013 series on mutuality and our 2014 series on the New Testament household codes.
For Dan’s take, read “Dan on roles, leadership, and supporting your partner.”
You might also enjoy my book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood.Download our awesome new demo, feat. music by Secret of Mana's Hiroki Kikuta!
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An adventure RPG, driven by the story of a little girl whose family has gone missing at a ship breaking yard. Based on real events, Unraveled takes you through a child’s imagination as she seeks out her parents. Relive your childhood fantasies on a journey that will make you think, laugh and tear up (just a little bit).
Unraveled takes you back in time with slick gameplay and a charming retro look reminiscent of the PSX days. Combat is infrequent, smooth and strategic — each battle feels unique and interesting.
On the little girl's journey, her plush doll comes to life as a monstrously cute creature that aids her on her quest! However, as she traverses through the ship, the rotting environment takes its toll on the doll and he slowly starts unraveling... Can she find her parents before he has fallen apart completely?
Click to read what others have to say about Unraveled!
Experience a deep and touching story in "show, don't tell"-style that will tug at your heartstrings as you learn of a little girl's melancholic past and her hopes for a better future.
that will tug at your heartstrings as you learn of a little girl's melancholic past and her hopes for a better future. Immerse yourself in a moving musical score hand-crafted by Japanese RPG veteran composers Hiroki Kikuta and Dale North.
hand-crafted by Japanese RPG veteran composers and. Adventure through a wondrous, intricately detailed world that is filled with beautiful imaginary, dastardly platforming and enchanting events.
that is filled with beautiful imaginary, dastardly platforming and enchanting events. Every scene and every emotion is shown purely through our beautiful hand-crafted sprites.
is shown purely through our beautiful hand-crafted sprites. Engage in slick, strategic combat with your monstrously fluffy companion in a completely unique State Balance battle system that is fun and deep, yet easy to understand.
with your monstrously fluffy companion in a completely unique State Balance battle system that is fun and deep, yet easy to understand. Collectible items are rare and tied into the story. Each one serves a different purpose and shows you a brief flashback about how the item played a part in the little girl's life! This gives emotional depth to even the gameplay.
Each one serves a different purpose and shows you a brief flashback about how the item played a part in the little girl's life! This gives emotional depth to even the gameplay. Relive your childhood fantasies as you travel through a little girl's imagination, full of giant sand castles, dragons, magical items, classic puzzles and an 80's themed doll house.
as you travel through a little girl's imagination, full of giant sand castles, dragons, magical items, classic puzzles and an 80's themed doll house. Discover a bit about our world as the story of Unraveled is based on real events at a ship breaking yard -- inspired by the documentary The Wire Nest!
With Unraveled we want to capture the essence of nostalgia. Aside from the sentimental and relatable story, the game’s overall aesthetics are a throwback to the days of the JRPGs on SNES and PSX. The main character’s companion is based on a plush monster doll first produced in 1986. There is an doll house that you can decorate for combat bonuses, filled with subtle references to famous animated movies from the 80s.
The exploration and enemy encounters in Unraveled are inspired by JRPGs like Chrono Trigger and the adventureous feeling of a 2D Tomb Raider game. You will run, jump and climb through various imaginative environments: a giant sand castle maze, a beautiful forest with oversized flowers, an Indian Rapunzel-inspired tower and many more. The combat system is in Final Fantasy turn-based style with a unique, strategic twist.
We took real life inspiration and styled it like it came from Chrono Trigger.
The story is based on real events — inspired by the documentary The Wire Nest. Ship breaking yards and those who live around them are hardly ever covered by media and news. These families have to cope with horrible living conditions while facing the daily threat of their extinction. Forced to work for a penny, breathing in toxic fumes and toxic waste... We wanted to cover this obscure aspect of our world and came up with the story that is Unraveled.
Our goal for the combat in Unraveled was to create a strategic experience that is easy to get the hang of and fun to play around with. Combat is infrequent and we want each enemy to feel unique — like a boss encounter. A couple of random encounters are thrown in for variation.
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Each character has their own State Balance scale. The State Balance and skills are divided into Calm (blue) and Anger (red). Using a Calm skill lowers the scale and using an Anger skill raises it. When your State Balance is far on one side you are able to use stronger skills, but it leaves you vulnerable to the opposite type.
This innovative battle system allows you to plan your actions ahead of time. Combined with smooth particle effects and imaginative enemy designs, it truly makes the combat in Unraveled a unique experience!
In Unraveled you will explore the depths of a rusted ship being taken apart at a ship breaking yard. You will not only have to overcome the dangers of the ship, but also the dangers of the little girl's imagination. As with any child, she imagines that she is on an exciting adventure. A small patch of moss turns the room into a giant forest; a slightly flooded hallway turns into an underwater cave...
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Exploration is done in platforming style, inspired by the 2D Tomb Raider. You will jump, climb and shimmy across dangerous gaps and metal spikes, seeking out hidden passageways and safety.
An artistic interpretation of the game's doll house.
To give the journey variation, there are several points where you can access an 80's themed doll house. Using points collected throughout the ship, you can buy furniture and objects, allowing you to unlock combat bonuses. Have trouble defeating a boss? Go back to the doll house and adjust your bonuses!
At the end of each battle you can be awarded with up to three Stars. Collect all stars for a Secret Ending!Dreii Review
Zack Hage Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 13, 2016
Unlike most genres, the experimental foray of games is typically make it or break it. When it works, they can flesh out what games can set out to do, such as Proteus or Dear Esther. But other times, it can come off as really pretentious and over-blown, equaling a not only unsatisfying experience, but also a stale one.
The newest entry into this type of experimentation is Dreii, a former mobile game ported to handhelds and console. Made by the developers behind the ever so weirdly presented Plug and Play, Dreii focuses on physics based puzzles, with the highly ambitious selling point of “connecting players like never before.” So, does it achieve it’s goal? Somewhat, but if anything, it’s more complicated than the game itself.
Gameplay:
Although the objective in all of Dreii’s levels is the same, it never feels repetitive
Dreii is one of those rare games that starts off without any context, but doesn’t really need it. It knows it doesn’t need some sort of grand story to tell, but just good gameplay. While I appreciate the game’s direction, it doesn’t seal it on all fronts. Dreii starts off with a lengthy difficulty curve, that isn’t presented in a respectable way. Once you get to the meat of the package it does start to show the quality, but for me, I had become mostly burned out, especially after doing it in one sitting.
Design:
Dreii does have a local coop mode, which is a double edged sword
While Dreii does have nice puzzles, I feel it could flesh them out a lot more. Simply dragging blocks and shapes to stack on top of each other can get a bit tedious, and while the game can get more interesting when wind and explosives are introduced, it’s a too little to late situation here. This is a shame because what Dreii is trying to attempt is really commendable. It’s just the execution that’s a bit wonky.
Presentation/ Visuals & Audio:
Dreii also has a unique chat system, when other players are around
Although Dreii’s presentation is a tad off-putting, it fits with the game’s theme wisely. There’s no options menu (besides for language) and levels are orchestrated in a pattern similar to something like Fez. Also, the game isn’t overbearing in artistic value, allowing you to absorb more in the gameplay. (The acute sounds clash with this, but it’s more minute than some would believe.) I also appreciated the subtle on-screen additions added to the local co-op system, adding more character to a sometimes shallow game.
Conclusion:
Dreii may be a good fit for puzzle game diehards, but some will be turned off by it’s desire to stick with it’s own self-purity. But for the people on the opposite side of the spectrum, Dreii will likely sit well. While it has a couple of mistakes, none of it impacts the gameplay so much, that quality becomes an issue.
Dreii gets a 7/10 (Average)
We’d like to thank Etter Studio for giving us a code!
For more reviews and features like this one, please check out The Cube on Medium.com, or our twitter account @TheCubeMediumIt’s been said that your twenties are about self-discovery as well as finding your people and place in the world. That’s pretty overwhelming if you think about it: placing the fate of your existence on a single decade of your life. Embarking on an adventure to punch existentialism in the face, Laggies fails to push past conventional storytelling, but does so with a very delightful cast and off-the-wall attitude.
Overcome by her directionless path in life, superficial friends, daddy issues, and an overly nice boyfriend (Mark Webber) of whom she has been with since senior prom, Megan (Kiera Knightley) has had enough. Ditching her obligation to attend a week-long educational seminar that could help transition her into adulthood, she calls in a favor from her new buddy Annika (Chloë Grace Moretz), a junior in high school whom she purchase alcohol for outside a supermarket. As Megan spends time with her new high school pals, along with Annika’s dad Craig (Sam Rockwell), valuable life lessons about growing up are gained.
Directed by Lynn Shelton (Touchy Feely; Your Sister’s Sister; Humpday), Laggies packs in a lot of story in its short run time and simple plot. What gives this film its depth is its fully fleshed out characters. From Megan’s personal affairs to Annika’s mother running out on her to Craig’s virility vanquished by his work, no one is short on problems to be solved. But all the while, everyone is taking it one day at a time, never acting melodramatic nor so distraught to the point of being unbelievable. These characters feel like real people with real issues.
What expands the quality of realism in Laggies is its sense of self and personality, from a script by first time screenwriter Andrea Seigel. Life is wrought with awkwardness, and the uncomfortable situations are characters encounter is what keeps this movie honest. Despite the uncanny pairing of a 16-year-old teenager and a 28-year-old woman, the relationship between this dynamic duo is sweet and heartfelt. Knightley and Moretz have great chemistry together. Sam Rockwell is as charming as ever per usual. Whether he has a dance number I cannot spoil for you.
Tragically, not every one is given the chance to shine or take on an interesting role as our three leads. Secondary cast members like Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids) – who plays Megan’s best friend Allison – takes a backseat and isn’t given very much to do. Even Megan’s photographer boyfriend Anthony is stuck on the sidelines when she attempts to get her life in order. However, Kaitlyn Dever (Short Term 12)– who plays Misty, Annika’s BFF – does a tremendous job as comedic relief, stealing every scene she is in.
Struggling to keep a good balance between its hefty cast, the latter third of Laggies rushes to cover all of its bases. When we come to the point where Megan is ready to take life head on, everything becomes flustered with clichés. Attempting to stick to its guns, the film’s quirky personality isn’t enough to save face from overly contrived actions from its characters.
I admire what Lynn Shelton attempted to bring to the forefront of the coming of age genre, but Laggies’ lack of discipline and ingenuity could have been avoided if a little more time was taken to develop the final act. And unfortunately, two-thirds of a good movie that is genuinely ambitious and full of life is rather discouraging.
Grade: C
What did you think about Laggies? Tell us in the comment section below.
Laggies was directed by Lynn Shelton, with a run time of 99 minutes. The film rated R for language, some sexual material, and teen partying.
Find me on the Twitter @TyRawrrnosaurus and check out more of my reviews here.The Colorado Springs offices of the NAACP were attacked Tuesday morning in what's almost certainly an attempt to inflict fear and terror upon black Americans and those who support them.
According to reports, an improvised explosive device was detonated on the side of the NAACP's building, and the FBI confirmed that it was a deliberate attack. Officials are seeking a "person of interest," described as a balding, white male in his 40s driving an older-model pick-up truck. A container of gasoline was left near the bomb, apparently with the intent to cause an even bigger explosion, but that part of the plot failed. The result was minor damage and no casualties.
In the current context of national protests about police brutality and racial justice, the effect of such an attack can't be understated. But only after #NAACPBombing became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter did the incident start to become a national news story late Tuesday night.
This perceived lack of coverage angered many:
Even though the attack ultimately didn't have catastrophic consequences, officials said it could've been much worse and merits serious attention.
This is especially true when you look at the historical context. The terrorist tactic carried out on Tuesday morning includes unmistakable parallels to the church and home bombings routinely carried out by racists and white supremacists during the 1950s and '60s. In the process, as mentioned by ThinkProgress, vital community centers were damaged or destroyed, and dozens of black people lost their lives. Historically, these attacks have been haunting and life-threatening for black people in America.
During the past five months, several thousand protesters have engaged in marches, demonstrations and die-ins across America — rallying for racial justice at a level that hasn't been seen since the 1960s. Attacks like the one on Tuesday morning are often carried out with the intent to deter people from participating in such actions, sending the message that their efforts could cost them their lives.
They also happen during periods of high racial tension.
The last time NAACP office bombings made news was in 1993, not long after the fallout from the Rodney King verdict. The white supremacists behind the bombings were caught eventually and pleaded guilty. Today, per the Southern Poverty Law Center, more than 900 hate organizations operate nationwide, including roughly a dozen white supremacist groups in Colorado, where Tuesday's bombing took place.
And according to data from Gallup, the current level of awareness about racial issues is similar to what it was in the early 1990s. Then and now, a substantial number of Americans said that "race relations/racism" was the most important issue facing the country.
Make no mistake: Attacks like these are unacceptable and reinforce a history of anti-black racism that's meant to deter any progress made toward racial justice. As Henry Allen, the president of NAACP Colorado Springs, told CBS Denver, "Apparently, we have gotten someone's attention that we are working toward civil rights for all. That is making some people uncomfortable."
But the message he has for the suspected terrorist is an even more important one: "Regardless of the actions of others, we will continue to fight for the equality of all people," Allen stated.
And everyone should continue doing just that.A NASA-funded researcher at the University of Iowa has found “portals” where the magnetic field of Earth connects to the magnetic field of the Sun, creating an uninterrupted path leading from our own planet to the sun’s atmosphere 93 million miles away.
“We call them X-points or electron diffusion regions,” explains plasma physicist Jack Scudder of the University of Iowa. Observations by NASA’s THEMIS spacecraft and Europe’s Cluster probes suggest that these magnetic portals open and close dozens of times each day.
They’re typically located a few tens of thousands of kilometers from Earth where the geomagnetic field meets the onrushing solar wind. Most portals are small and short-lived; others are yawning, vast, and sustained. Tons of energetic particles can flow through the openings, heating Earth’s upper atmosphere, sparking geomagnetic storms, and igniting bright polar auroras.
NASA is planning a mission called “MMS” (Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission), due to launch in 2014, to study the phenomenon. Bristling with energetic particle detectors and magnetic sensors, the four spacecraft of MMS will spread out in Earth’s magnetosphere and surround the portals to observe how they work.
X-points
Portals form via the process of magnetic reconnection. Mingling lines of magnetic force from the sun and Earth criss-cross and join to create the openings. “X-points” are where the criss-cross takes place. The sudden joining of magnetic fields can propel jets of charged particles from the X-point, creating an “electron diffusion region.”
To learn how to pinpoint these events, Scudder looked at data from a space probe that orbited Earth more than 10 years ago.
“In the late 1990s, NASA’s Polar spacecraft spent years in Earth’s magnetosphere,” explains Scudder, “and it encountered many X-points during its mission.”
Because Polar carried sensors similar to those of MMS, Scudder decided to see how an X-point looked to Polar. “Using Polar data, we have found five simple combinations of magnetic field and energetic particle measurements that tell us when we’ve come across an X-point or an electron diffusion region. A single spacecraft, properly instrumented, can make these measurements.”
This means that single member of the MMS constellation using the diagnostics can find a portal and alert other members of the constellation. Mission planners long thought that MMS might have to spend a year or so learning to find portals before it could study them. Scudder’s work short cuts the process, allowing MMS to get to work without delay.Since 2010, police in the state of Georgia have shot and killed 184 individuals, with every instance officially deemed a justified use of force. A contrary new investigation reveals that nearly half of those 184 suspects were either unarmed or were shot in the back by police. Can every single of these incidents truly be considered reasonable uses of force?
A truly impressive, in-depth investigative report from the Atlantic-Journal Constitution and Georgia’s Channel 2 Action News teams reveals the deeply troubling nature of police shootings in Georgia, and indeed, might be viewed as a microcosm of the issue of police abuse nationwide, showing the underlying propensity shared among law enforcement to use lethal force with little or no hesitation. Moreover, it shows that even under questionable circumstances, officers walk away free of any responsibility.
Speaking to the Atlantic-Journal Constitution, a lawyer who has handled a number of cases dealing with officer-involved shootings says it is simply not true “that officers are just looking for a reason to shoot someone.” While that argument may be true, it’s also reductionist; it ignores undeniably clear trends propelled along by, among other factors, racism and abuse of the mentally ill.
The findings are hard to ignore. A quarter, perhaps more, of all individuals fatally shot by Georgia police had exhibited some indication of mental illness before officers discharged their weapons. Of 31 incidents when unarmed suspects were shot fatally during the past five years, 17 were black and 14 were white. Overall, when considering the fact that less than one-third of Georgians are black, the rate at which black suspects were shot to death was double that of white suspects.
If the racial component fueling unnecessary shootings in Georgia needs to be made any clearer, the investigation found that of those police officers who fatally shot a suspect, 78 percent were white.
Even with all of these alarming findings and trends, none of the 184 fatal police shootings in Georgia since 2005 have been considered unlawful. Why is this the case? According to nationally recognized police force expert Philip Stinton, a former officer himself, the system as it is supports and reinforces officers’ accounts – that is, officers’ honesty is nearly always considered a given, regardless of the circumstances.
The facts, though, speak for themselves. According to AJC and Channel 2, at least 20 Georgia police officers involved in fatal shootings since 2010 had significant service record issues before the incidents. In two cases, officers had been previously disciplined specifically for lying.
Considering this, how can it be said that all 184 shootings since 2010 were justified? “Police own the narrative without any accountability,” Philip Stinton explains. And, in many cases, alternative accounts often ended up getting buried along with those who died by police firearms.
This report shows the dire need for law enforcement agencies in Georgia, and indeed the rest of the nation, to mandate the use of dashboard cameras and body worn cameras for all officers in the field. It is clear that if half of all fatal Georgia police shootings happen under questionable circumstances, an alternative account in the form of objective video footage could only clarify the nature of these incidents.
Besides, it has been proven that body worn cameras work — in fact, they work much better than could have been expected. A field study of body cam effectiveness conducted among Orlando police, involving half of all officers wearing the cameras for one year, saw the use of police force slashed in half. Surprisingly, the cameras also positively influenced civilian behavior, apparently curbing some individuals’ inclination to be aggressive with officers.
That’s not to say body cams are the panacea for police abuse — far from it. A fundamental shift in police culture must occur on all levels — for far too long, as this report out of Georgia shows, have law enforcement officers been given leeway to misuse force. It falls to the Department of Justice and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to take note of this new information and do more than simply launch a probe, as with Ferguson, Mo.; these entrenched “good ol’ boy clubs” will require fundamental personnel restructuring and it won’t be easy.So Donald Trump won. (I can’t believe I |
item is a list of 11 lists, each containing the coordinates for a player on the court or the coordinates of the ball. The first of these 11 lists contains information on the ball. The first 2 items represnt the teamid and playerid values that identify this list as the ball. The next 2 items are the x and y values that represent the location of the ball on the court. And the 5th and final item represents the radius of the ball. This value changes throughout the animation depending on the elevation of the ball. The greater the radius, the higher up the ball is. So if a player shoots the ball, the ball will increase in size, reach its maximum size at the apex of the shooting arch and then decrease in size as it falls down. The next 10 lists within this 6th item represent the 10 players on the court. The information within each of these lists is the same as it is for the ball. The first 2 items are the teamid and playerid that identify this list as a specific player. The next 2 items represent the x and y coordinates for the player's location on the court. And the last item is the radius of the player, which is irrelevant.
Now that we have an idea of what the moments data represents, lets put it into a pandas DataFrame.After I finished crunching all the numbers from the Ultimate Power Ranking last week, the UPR had a regular season projection of 11-5 for the Vikings, based on the talent of every starting roster in the NFL. Some of you scoffed at that prediction, but after witnessing the first week of games I'm sticking to it. I can't deny that the Vikings have a very tough stretch of games ahead of them, in which the UPR predicts them to emerge 2-4 heading into Week 7. But this rough stretch is helped somewhat by the fact that 3 of their next 5 games will be played at home. If they can somehow emerge 4-2, or even 3-3, they should be able to contend down the stretch for a playoff spot as the rest of their schedule is a cake-walk. Is this me getting too overly excited about a single win? After all, there is still a lot of football yet to be played. Perhaps it is, but there were many encouraging signs about last Sunday's performance that, if the Vikings can sustain this level of play, they could be very dangerous this year. Zimmer and company have whipped this team into shape and they should be competitive all season long. In fact, the signs are so numerous, allow me to explain why the victory over the Rams was not a fluke.
First off, the UPR went 10-6 in predicting the higher ranked team to defeat the lower ranked team for week 1. Not amazingly accurate, but 63% is better than a random guess. And again, the UPR has the Vikings finishing the year 11-5. If the week 1 picks are any indication, this projection is at least more accurate than a random guess. I'll be tracking the season-long accuracy of the UPR's Preseason ranks to see what we might expect in terms of accuracy from that 11-5 prediction. But for now, I'm cautiously optimistic about that 11-5 prediction.
The UPR stuff aside, an even better reason to be excited about this win is how the offense performed. We'll start with the QB position. It was generally accepted that Matt Cassel had a good Preseason. He was the 11th highest graded quarterback (out of 98) by Pro Football Focus in the Preseason, and those high marks continued into Week 1 where he was graded 7th best (out of 33 quarterbacks). While Cassel did not attempt a pass beyond 20 yards against the Rams, he completed over 60% of his passes, threw two TDs, and kept the offense moving down the field when it mattered most. While 170 total passing yards may not seem like an elite amount (and is eerily reminiscent of a 2013 Ponder-outing), Cassel only threw the ball 22 times and had a very good adjusted net yards per attempt rating of 7.69, ranked 10th best last week. Football Outsiders also liked Cassel's performance ranking him 10th best in their DVOA metric. By any objective measure of quarterback skill, Matt Cassel had a good Preseason and a great first week against a strong defense. Over the course of his 9 year career, Matt Cassel has had good performances when he is paired with a strong supporting cast, and an exceptionally good offensive coordinator. And he's got both this year in Minnesota. My expectations are appropriately high for Matt Cassel this season, and with Teddy Bridgewater waiting in the wings to push him along, I think Cassel will maintain his focus week in and week out and lead this team into the Postseason. Too bold a prediction? I think not.
The quarterback is just one piece of the offensive puzzle, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention Cordarrelle Patterson and the rest of the offensive weapons. They all had decent Preseason performances that carried through into week 1. While Adrian Peterson had a relatively pedestrian performance by his lofty standards (only 3.6 yards per carry and no touchdowns), he picked up yards when they mattered most generating 3 first downs, broke 5 tackles and generated the 17th most yards after contact. It wasn't a poor outing by any means, especially for a player who sat out all Preseason and was up against the 3rd best rushing defense from 2013 in terms of Football Outsiders DVOA metric. But Cordarrelle Patterson was even better, making the most of his touches and able to generate the most yards from scrimmage of any Vikings player. Oh, and he scored a touchdown to boot. Greg Jennings looked like he was back to his 2010 form, leading all Vikings receivers by catching 6 of 7 targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. Like Cassel above, his opportunities were limited by only having 22 passing attempts, but he generated 4 first downs, again making each opportunity count. Even Kyle Rudolph took advantage in the redzone, securing a touchdown.
While the Minnesota offense overall is ranked a mere 20th in overall yards generated, the more advanced metrics give us reason for optimism. After week 1, the Vikings offense is ranked 11th overall in Football Outsiders DVOA metric, and 2nd overall in Pro Football Focus grading. It would appear that Norv Turner's effect on a Vikings offense that is returning nearly 100% of the starters from last year is proving to be positive. But as good as the offense looked against a pretty good defense last Sunday, the Vikings defense looked even more improved.
The Vikings defense last season was, how shall we say, pathetic. Alan Williams was perhaps the worst defensive coordinator the Vikings have had in recent memory, and they certainly put up at least the 2nd worst performance in franchise history. It wasn't that the team lacked playmakers last year, or lacked talent: it was the scheme and playcalling that blew leads consecutively in the final minutes week after week. Enter defensive guru (and now head coach): Mike Zimmer. His defense completely shut down the Rams, albeit with a 3rd string quarterback for half the game. But still, these stats tell a story of a defensive line that harassed the quarterback, and a secondary that outmatched the opposing receivers.
Everson Griffen: 2 sacks and 3 QB hurries (Jared Allen who?)
Linval Joseph: 1 sack, 2 QB hurries and 3 tackles
Josh Robinson: 1 INT and 3 passes defended (who is this guy?)
Harrison Smith: 1 INT returned for a TD and 2 passes defended, 1 sack, 2 QB hurries and a QB hit
Robert Blanton: 7 tackles, none missed
These guys also generated consistent pressure on the Rams QB with at least one QB hurry and hit:
-Brian Robison
-Anthony Barr (including a team tying 6 solo tackles)
-Corey Wooton
-Tom Johnson
If you notice there are two backups on that list able to generate both QB hits and hurries. I saw a defensive line that was fresh for all 4 quarters, and Zimmer's rotation scheme appears to be working wonders. No defensive lineman had more than 75% of the total defensive snaps, and outside of Brian Robison and Everson Griffen, no defensive lineman saw more than 64% of the snaps. The heavy rotation, especially at the defensive tackle position, allowed the line to apply consistent pressure on the quarterback for the entire game and generate a total of 5 sacks and 2 interceptions in one game. This is a huge turnaround, especially for a team that averaged only 2.6 sacks and 0.8 interceptions per game last year.
This defense had an exceptionally good performance last week, better than any week in 2013, and possibly better than just about any game I can remember from the last 3 years. While the Vikings were only ranked 10th in total yards allowed, Football Outsiders ranked the Vikings defense 4th overall in their DVOA metric, and Pro Football Focus ranked them 7th overall. Oh, and they were tied for the lead in points allowed. I am excited about this defense, and while there are still some weak links to be sure, Zimmer's scheme does an exceptional job at covering those weak links up and staying aggressive all the way through the 4th quarter.
This 2014 Vikings team appears to be destined for a dramatic turnaround under head coach and defensive guru Mike Zimmer. What I saw on the field with my own eyes got me excited about this team. And what I uncovered in looking at the statistics suggests many reasons for optimism. Sure, the St. Louis Rams are a team that lost their starting quarterback...then their backup quarterback midway through the game. The Rams appear to be pretty close to a team spiraling out of control. But if the Vikings really are a good team this year (and I think they are), they should have curb-stomped a lousy opponent like the Rams. And they did exactly that beating them handily, on the road, 34-6. I can't wait to host Tom Brady and the Patriots this Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium and knock them down to 0-2. The Patriots won't know what hit ‘em.If there’s one thing women know how to do well, it’s deftly handle lecherous men. That’s why it didn’t surprise me when reporter Caitriona Perry laughed and smiled as Donald Trump made inappropriate comments toward her in the Oval Office. She was doing what we’ve all done, so many times over – trying to defuse an uncomfortable situation.
Trump, who was on the phone with the Irish prime minister at the time, asked Perry to come toward his desk while he called her “beautiful” and remarked on her “nice smile”. He then said to newly elected Leo Varadkar: “I bet she treats you well.”
It was a tense and cringe-inducing moment, one Perry called later called “bizarre” on Twitter. In the aftermath, though, some noted that Perry continued to smile and laugh as the president spoke to her, as if that meant the exchange didn’t bother or trouble her.
Trump did to Merkel what men do to women all the time | Jessica Valenti Read more
I don’t know how Perry felt outside of her characterization on Twitter, but I do know that the moment she had with Trump will feel familiar to a lot of women.
So many of us have been in similar situations: a man is making us feel uncomfortable, but his comments don’t rise to the level of reacting with outrage. Women also tend to know, from experience, that if a man says something sexual or inappropriate, calling him out on the comment or getting aggressive is not always the best move.
Women don’t want to come across as though they’re overreacting or “hysterical” – common accusations when you speak up about harassment. You don’t want to make a fuss because you know saying anything will just make the exchange last longer. Or get confrontational.
And so you laugh and smile, nod and remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible. Maybe because it’s easier, but often because it’s safer. Women have been berated, attacked – and, in extreme situations, killed – for rejecting men. And so smiling politely becomes like muscle memory.
Trump is not only the president of the United States – reason enough to react in a deferential way when he makes strange comments – he’s also a man who has been accused of sexual assault multiple times over.
He’s been caught on video bragging about grabbing women by their genitals. He’s a notorious misogynist who has berated and abused women throughout his life. Any charged exchange that a woman has with him will be contextualized through that troubling lens.
And truly, what other way was Perry supposed to respond? Say that she didn’t appreciate Trump talking about her looks? Remarking to the president of the United States that she found his comments offensive? Please.
Trump supporter and CNN commentator Kayleigh McEnany said yesterday that the president is just a “personable” guy and that “the press should be applauding the fact that he’s bringing reporters into the oval office, calling them out and including them”. Something tells me, though, that most female reporters would rather not be “included” in whatever Trump has in mind for them.
Sign up for Jessica Valenti’s weekly newsletter on feminism and sexismMicrosoft's first cumulative update for Windows 10 - KB3081424 - is causing havoc for some users. How do I know this? Because I spent a good part of my Sunday morning dealing with it, that's how.
The problem, in a nutshell, is that the update puts affected systems into an endless crash loop. The update tries to install, gets to a certain point, fails, and then displays the unhelpful "We couldn't complete the updates, undoing the changes."
If it stopped there things wouldn't be too bad, but because Microsoft now forces updates onto Windows 10 users, the OS kept trying - and failing - to install the update, which in turn placed the system into a periodic crash/reboot loop that put quite a dent in my productivity.
To make matters worse, the tool that Microsoft released to hide or block toxic Windows 10 updates (as reported by my ZDNet colleague Ed Bott) didn't allow me to prevent this update from attempting to install. So I was forced to either abandon the machine until a fix was made available or try to fix it myself.
I found a fix, but it involved some registry editing voodoo to remove legacy junk (which in my case was related to an Nvidia driver installed on the machine prior to upgrading to Windows 10), a task that some of you might not be comfortable with. Also, since this is not an officially sanctioned fix I'm not comfortable outlining the process here. That said, the fix that worked for me is described in a thread on the Microsoft Answers community if you want to give it a go.
However, I want to throw some caveats at you:
Understand that you take personal responsibility for your actions.
Only try this if you are familiar with System Restore and have a known good backup, because if you delete the wrong entry from the registry you could end up in a worse situation.
During the course of my research I came across some painfully vague instructions [UPDATE: At least one of these pages have been updated since the time of writing] on how to "solve" this problem on a number of tech sites. These instructions are clearly third-party interpretations of the fix written by individuals who hadn't encountered the problem for themselves. Following these "fixes" could very easily cause you to do damage to your system and leave you hating your life even more. If you plan on trying to fix this yourself I encourage you to use the thread I've linked to above, to read it very carefully before doing anything, and if you're in any doubt then wait for an official fix rather than hacking at your registry.
I've no idea how widespread this issue is, although a quick Google/Bing search quickly led me to reports from others having the same problem, along with the fix, so I'm not the only one to come across this issue. However, since it only affects one of my systems (out of about twelve production and test systems) it's safe to say that this is not widespread and probably confined to systems that have built up a fair bit of legacy detritus.
Overall, my Windows 10 experience has been a positive one (currently I only have one other Windows 10 system on the healing bench, and that one is being nursed through a display driver issue) so this is far from being a show-stopping problem. It does, however, highlight a weakness with Microsoft's tool for blocking bad updates, something that I hope will be fixed in the near future.
See also:Thomas Klitgaard and Harry Wheeler
Taking the U.S. Market by Storm—And Then, Not so Much
Limits to China Increasing Its Market Share
Measuring the Impact of Slower Export Growth Is a Challenge
Challenge for China
Disclaimer
How to cite this blog post:
Thomas Klitgaard and Harry Wheeler, "The End of China’s Export Juggernaut," Federal Reserve Bank of New York Liberty Street Economics (blog), April 12, 2017, http://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2017/04/the-end-of-chinas-export-juggernaut.html.
China has been an exporting juggernaut for decades. In the United States, this has meant a dramatic increase in China’s share of imports and a ballooning bilateral trade deficit. Gaining sales in the United States at the expense of other countries, Chinese goods rose from only 2 percent of U.S. non-oil imports in 1990 to 8 percent in 2000 and 17 percent in 2010. But these steady gains in U.S. import share have stopped in recent years, with China even losing ground to other countries in some categories of goods. One explanation for this shift is that Chinese firms now have to directly compete against manufacturers in high-skill developed countries while also fending off competition from lower-wage countries, such as Vietnam. This inability to make additional gains at the expense of other countries means that exports don’t contribute as much to China’s overall growth as they used to.The United States had a merchandise trade deficit of $350 billion with China in 2016, accounting for roughly half of the overall U.S. trade deficit. The import growth of goods from China has been impressive, with imports from China growing at an annual rate of 14 percent since 1990, while total U.S. imports were growing at an annual rate of only 6 percent. That is, China has had great success in selling to the United States by taking market share away from other countries.A breakdown of U.S. imports into the four largest categories, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the total, demonstrates the source of this success. As seen in the chart below, China’s import shares for apparel, electronics, electric machinery, and non-electric machinery were all fairly high in 2002, the beginning of the data series used here, and continued to increase. In 2002, China accounted for 25 percent of all U.S. apparel imports and 15 percent of all electronics imports. By 2010, these shares were up to 50 percent and 40 percent, respectively. Market-share increases in general machinery and electrical machinery were less dramatic but still substantial over this period, rising by 8 percentage points (to 15 percent) and 11 percentage points (to 35 percent), respectively.So which countries were losing market share during this period? In apparel, Mexico’s share of U.S. imports dropped by 7 percentage points and Hong Kong’s slipped by 6 percentage points from 2002 to 2010. South Korea and Taiwan had smaller losses in market share over the same horizon. Japan was the main loser of U.S. import share for other major manufactured goods. For electronics, Japan’s U.S. share fell by 7 percentage points, while 2-percentage-point share declines were reported for South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Canada. For electrical equipment, Japan lost 7 percentage points of the U.S. market, with Germany, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan also losing market share. For non-electric machinery, China’s gains were largely at the expense of goods produced in Japan.Around 2010, China’s ability to gain market share from other imports faltered. The import share for Chinese apparel has dropped over the past five years, while the share for electronics, by far the largest of the four categories, declined last year. China’s share of the U.S. electric machinery market is showing tentative signs of falling and its gains in the non-electric machinery category have ended.It is not a complete surprise that Chinese goods would eventually peak as a share of U.S. imports. To keep increasing their share of the U.S. import market, Chinese firms would need to gain sales by competing more directly against manufacturers in Europe, Japan, and other advanced economies. China would also need to successfully compete against other developing countries with lower labor costs. Indeed, China has been ceding market share to Vietnam for electronics and electrical machinery, while India and Bangladesh have been making gains in apparel. It may be the case that assembly operations are moving from China to lower-wage countries, repeating the process that previously benefited China.The challenge for China is that its exports to the United States are now only growing as fast as total U.S. imports since its goods are no longer displacing those from other countries. From 2000 to 2010, U.S. imports from China grew at a 20 percent annualized rate. From 2010 to 2016, the rate of growth dropped to 4 percent. This slowdown has also hit China’s exports (in U.S. dollars) to the rest of the world, which slowed from a 21 percent annual growth rate in the 2000-10 period to 5 percent since 2010.When evaluating the slowdown in China’s exports, it is important to recognize that trade data measure the value of goods that arrive from a particular country, not that country’s contribution to the item’s value. For example, if a U.S. import from China is largely made of components produced in Japan and assembled in China, then the import data would significantly overstate the revenue that ended up in China from that sale.Cross-border supply chains are motivated, in part, by differences in labor costs, with components manufactured using high-wage labor and the assembly of these parts done in low-wage countries. This processing of components into final goods has been an important attribute of Chinese exports. The chart below shows that exports of such goods peaked in 2000 at almost 60 percent of China’s total exports. So, to the extent that China’s export growth figures reflect trade in processed goods, they overstate the domestic gains China has realized from these export sales when taken at face value.More recently, however, the data show a significant decrease in China’s processing trade amid an overall slowdown in export growth. Processing exports fell to 50 percent of China’s total exports in 2010 and then declined rapidly, hitting 35 percent in early 2017. This transformation partly reflects rising wages in China (as the skill level of its workers increases) and the related migration of assembly operations from China to lower-wage countries. A positive take on these developments is that each dollar of exports now has a larger positive impact on domestic income. The negative take is that China’s much more modest export performance is, in part, due to the loss of processing exports that would have otherwise been a source of income.Exports have been a great boost to China’s economic development, with rapid increases in foreign sales helping to transform the economy into a major producer of the world’s manufactured goods. The slowdown in export growth in recent years has been substantial and highlights the difficulties of trying to compete in foreign markets against both high- and low-wage countries. One of the consequences of the end of China’s export boom is that it puts more pressure on domestic demand to sustain the country’s rate of growth.The views expressed in this post are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors.Adilabad: The mighty Godavari, which is a perennial water source for Telangana, looks like a desert now affecting the entire economy in the region. The river which enters Nizamabad first, flows through Adilabad and other districts in Telangana ushering in prosperity all along its course. According to irrigation experts, the Godavari river has become totally dry for the first time in a half a century. This is largely attributed to prolonged dry spell and lack of rainfall in its catchment areas. The mighty Godavari, which is a perennial water source for Telangana, looks like a desert now affecting the entire economy in the region. The river which enters Nizamabad first, flows through Adilabad and other districts in Telangana ushering in prosperity all along its course. According to irrigation experts, the Godavari river has become totally dry for the first time in a half a century. This is largely attributed to prolonged dry spell and lack of rainfall in its catchment areas.
First time in half a century
Hits agrarian economy in many dists
Motor vehicles ply across the dry river bed
People of villages on the banks are reaching the other side crossing the dry river bed in vehicles. An RTC bus service is also being run from Jagityal to Kadam via the empty river. The flourishing agriculture between Basara and Gudem has become a thing of the past.
Farmers in the area used to raise three crops a year till recently utilising the river water. Paddy, maize and chilli are the main crops. They never experienced irrigation problem. Hundreds of villages in Nizamabad and Adilabad are dependent on the perennial river for their drinking water needs. Groundwater is also aplenty in the region. Now, the situation is completely different.
Speaking to The Hans India, Rajanna, a farmer of Bela, said: ``I used to cultivate eight acres of land when there was plenty of water in the river. I raised crop in half acre of land only this season. I am not sure of reaping a good harvest as the crop is withering due to lack of irrigation water. I never saw the mighty Godavari river empty in the past. The dried up river has resulted in acute drought in the area.’’
Another farmer Swamy echoed the same view, highlighting the plight of farmers who are totally dependent on the river for irrigation.Mallesh of another village said: ``There is acute scarcity of drinking water in the area. Lack of water in the river has hit the livestock badly. They do not have sufficient green grass on the river banks. Non-availability of clean drinking water for livestock has become a major problem.’’
Mahesh, a shepherd, said: ``I sold some of my sheep unable to feed them properly. Shepherds are forced to trek long distances along with their herds to find green pastures. The available grass is not sufficient to feed the total herd. Due to lack of water in the river, livestock are falling sick after consuming contaminated water found in pits.''
Washer men, boatmen and fishermen who are continuing their age old professions by depending on the perennial river, have been rendered jobless. Agricultural labourers have migrated to nearby towns in search of livelihood. There is no water for pilgrims visiting the shrines on the banks of Godavari to take a holy dip.
All the people living in the region are affected in one way or the other due to drying up of the mighty river. If the region fails to receive good monsoon in the ensuing season, the whole economy will be further affected. An irrigation expert is of the view that construction of a barrage across the river at Bellala will help overcome this kind of water crisis in future.Seeing the Google Assistant make its way to Chromebooks really isn’t too much of a surprise. Google has opened the SDK to any party who wants to embed the Assistant in their devices. So, naturally they would want to bring it to their own operating system.
As Robby has postulated, the addition of Wake On Voice functions to Chrome OS lays the ground-work for the implementation of the Google Assistant. With the roll-out of Android Apps on Chromebooks beginning to widen and Android Nougat showing up on more devices, Assistant is surely not far behind.
While we have yet to see the Google Assistant present on a Chrome OS device, developers look to be creating product-specific functions for upcoming Chromebooks to access the smart-helper.
We have been tracking the new Chromebook ‘Eve’ for some time now and the longer we do the more intriguing it becomes. The latest update on the mysterious device shows the addition of an “Assistant” key to the ‘Eve’ keyboard.
Special keyboard mapping for Eve project. The keyboard has an extra
“Assistant” key. Chromium repository
The commit looks to add key mapping for some combination of the”8″ key and other, yet-to-be discovered keystrokes. Additionally, “Wake On Voice” capability has been added to the Chromebook ‘Eve’. The combination of these two features could likely make ‘Eve’ a Chromebook like no other.
It is unclear how the Google Assistant will function on a Chrome OS device but it is very feasible it could perform tasks similar to the Google Home smart-speaker. Initially, I would anticipate capabilities comparable to what is already available on mobile devices. Down the road, however, the sky is the limit for what the Assistant may be able to do on Chromebooks.
The excitement surrounding ‘Eve’ is tangible around the office and this makes the anticipation even more palpable. We have no real bead on when this Chromebook will make its debut but with the possibility of cutting-edge features it is likely we are still months out from seeing this one in the flesh.
What do you think? Would you use the Google Assistant on your Chromebook? Drop a comment below and let us know.It's often called Nevada's paleontologic crown jewel of the Neogene (on the geologic time scale, roughly 23 to 2.58 years ago). A place that yields North America's single best fossil representation of terrestrial, land-laid Miocene plants and animals from a time interval of approximately 16.4 to 10.5 million years ago; too, arguably no other land-deposited Miocene geologic area on earth rivals its combined organismal diversity and preservational preeminence. That would of course be Fossil Valley, situated in the Great Basin Desert geomorphic province. Its exalted reputation among students of paleontology lies in its unusually complete record of later Cenozoic Era life kept in an overall exceptional state of preservation for roughly 16 million years in what geologists, stratigraphers, and paleontologists alike call the middle Miocene Esmeralda Formation. Documented organic specimens discovered from Esmeralda Formation exposures in Fossil Valley, Nevada, include a practically unprecedented, unparalleled, multiplicity of excellently preserved forms that contribute to an essentially complete paleoenvironmental biota. Among the numbered: insects (preserved in exquisite detail along the bedding planes of very thinly stratified sedimentary rocks commonly called "paper shales"); arachnids (spiders); plants (leaves, seeds, flowering structures, pollens, conifer needles and foliage, diatoms--a microscopic single-celled photosynthesizing aquatic plant--and petrified woods); blue-green algal stromatolite developments--concentrically laminated dome-configured structures precipitated by cyanobacterial activity; mollusks (gastropods and pelecypods); ostracods (a minute bilvalve crustacean); fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Within Fossil Valley, the middle Miocene Esmeralda Formation is roughly 600 meters thick (1,970 feet) and ranges in geologic age from 16.4 to approximately 10 million years old. Twelve major fossil horizons between roughly 16.4 to 10.5 million years ancient lie stacked atop one another in mostly conformable, successive stratigraphic relations--which is to say that deposition of the Esmeralda here was pretty much continuous, with few significant interruptions in sedimentary accumulation. For organized, nomenclatural ease of stratigraphic descriptions, geologists have separated Fossil Valley's Esmeralda Formation into seven subunits, or members, which reflect distinct depositional lithologies that can be mapped across wide areas of rock outcropping. Initiation of the Miocene Fossil Valley lake basin begins around 17 million years ago with right-lateral fault displacement associated with extensional geophysical stresses that accompanied incipient formation of the Great Basin geomorphic province. Oldest Miocene rocks in Fossil Valley are paleontologically barren volcanic andesites, overlain by a dacite breccia (also devoid of fossil material) dated at around 17 million years old. Member One of the Esmeralda Formation interfingers with and overlies the breccia interval, consisting of some 100 to 150 meters (320 to 490 feet) of, in ascending order (oldest to youngest): dark-colored mudstone and shale; light-colored siltstone, sandstone, and calcareous sandstone; and blue-gray volcanic-clastic sandstone. Member One's mudstones and siltstones preserve the earliest fossil leaves in the Esmeralda Fossil Valley sequence, approximately 16.4 million years ancient, in addition to several geologically younger ostracod coquinas composed almost entirely of the minute (typically, around 1mm long) bivalve crustacean sometimes colloquially called a "seed shrimp" (though the ostracod is not directly related to a shrimp). Bountiful freshwater mollusks (gastropods and pelecypods) occur locally in the calcareous sandstone facies, while abundant silicified petrified wood (replaced by the mineral silicon dioxide) plus mammalian teeth and post cranial skeletal elements often commonly weather free from the coarser sandstone horizons; reptile and amphibian bones also occasionally occur in the same interval. The mollusks, ostracods, petrified woods, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals have been dated to roughly 15.4 to 15.1 million years old. Above the primarily clastic Member One lie additional detrital deposits assigned to the middle Miocene Esmeralda Formation--the fabulous, world famous "paper shales" of Member Two--roughly 55 meters (180 feet) of laminated, exceedingly thin bedded brown to dark-gray siliceous shales that bear beautifully preserved insects, arachnids, leaves, winged conifer seeds, conifer needles and foliage, flowering structures, pollens, bird feathers, and complete fish skeletons some 14.5 million years old. Lying directly above the paper shales of Member Two is Member Three's 90 meters (295 feet) of mostly white to buff-colored mudstone and shales, all of which represent deposition in the center of the Fossil Valley basin. Fossil plants, fish scales, and ostracods occur in several of the sedimentary layers. Next youngest sequence is Member Four, which just happens to be the most widespread unit exposed throughout Fossil Valley's Esmeralda Formation stratigraphic complex. Its extensive regional area of outcropping, as a matter of fact, helps paleogeographers estimate a maximum size for the ancestral Fossil Valley basin--the conclusion: eight kilometers wide (five miles) by 16 km long (10 miles). Member Four consists of approximately 45 meters (147 feet) of white to cream-colored diatomaceous shales, diatomaceous mudstones, and blue vitric volcanic ash layers. The diatomaceous sediments are composed of myriads of diatoms--microscopic single-celled photosynthesizing aquatic plants that secreted an opaline silica "shell," technically called a frustule. Separating Member Four from the younger Member Five is a minor erosional unconformity, marked by a prominent soil profile that developed on Member Four's predominantly diatomaceous deposits before additional sedimentary accumulations commenced. Above the buried soil profile lies around 140 meters (460 feet) of buff to brown and gray-colored siltstones, sandstones, and a rather thin-bedded pebble conglomerate. An important early Clarendonian Stage mammalian vertebrate fossil locality some 13 million years old occurs just above the base of Member Five's buried soil horizon; elsewhere, the unit produces isolated fish bones and occasional mollusks (gastropods and pelecypods). Fully conformable above the bone-bearing Member Five, without erosional break in the continuous regimen of fluviatile sedimentary deposition, is the gradationally younger Member Six--about 40 meters (131 feet) of blue volcaniclastic sandstone (contains weathered volcanic constituents) with subordinate layers of interbedded buff to brown and blue-gray sandstone. Member Six yields significant concentrations of several species of Clarendonian mammals in strata approximately 12 million years old. Youngest geologic unit in Fossil Valley's Esmeralda Formation is Member Seven, whose base is marked by a persistent 2.5 meter-thick layer (8 feet) of white biotite volcanic tuff dated through radiometric measurements at 10.7 million years old. Above that horizon rests about 90 meters (295 feet) of volcaniclastic siltstones and sandstone, with lesser admixtures of volcanic ash that as a mappable lithologic group undergo a persistently consistent color change throughout Fossil Valley. Approximately the lower 50 meters is white to light gray-colored siltstone, followed by 20 meters of pale green siltstone and then 20 meters of pale pink sandstone. Many classic late Clarendonian Stage vertebrate fossil localities around 10.5 million years old occur in the upper half of Member Seven. Among Fossil Valley's numerous significant paleobiological representatives, probably its exceptionally well preserved insects (and occasional arachnids--spiders) attract the most consistent scientific and popular attention. Worldwide, paleoentomologically productive deposits that yield so many readily identifiable, exquisitely detailed fossil specimens remain fantastically rare occurrences, indeed. Fossil Valley's world-famous "bugs" occur of course in the middle Miocene Esmeralda Formation, but remain restricted to the so-called "paper shale" deposits of Member Two--layers of shale so thinly bedded that each individual stratrum is classically no thicker than a proverbial sheet of paper--dated through radiometric techniques at around 14.5 million years old. Petrographic analysis of the insect-bearing paper shales proved that the fossiliferous detrital deposits consist almost entirely of finely eroded grains of cristobalite, a high temperature polymorph of silica--meaning that it bears that same |
Ireland and the Netherlands, respectively.
Reporting revenue in individual countries could result in a significantly higher tax bill for Amazon, and could force other US tech companies to follow suit. It's not yet clear whether Amazon plans to report revenue in other European countries, and the company did not say whether the move was in direct response to regulatory pressure. A company spokesman told the Journal that the changes to its tax structure were planned two years ago. “We regularly review our business structure to ensure that we are able to best serve our customers and provide additional product and services,” the spokesman said.The latest budget projections show the national debt rising from $5.8 trillion last year to $7.6 trillion this year and $14.3 trillion in 2019. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the debt will rise from 40.8% of the gross domestic product in 2008 to 53.8% in 2009 and 67.8% in 2019.
This raises the question of how much debt is too much. At what point are the economic consequences in terms of inflation, higher interest rates, slow growth or a collapsing dollar so severe that everyone recognizes that radical action is required?
This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer. The only time in American history that the debt has been as large as projected was during World War II and the decade following it. The Civil War caused the debt to rise from 1.4% of GDP in 1860 to 31% of GDP in 1867. During World War I, the debt rose from less than 3% of GDP in 1915 to about a third of GDP in 1919. On the eve of World War II, the debt was a little more than 50% of GDP, rising to 122% of GDP by 1946.
The rise in debt undoubtedly contributed to inflation during the wars. The price level increased by about 25% per year during the Civil War and about 20% per year during World War I. Despite the larger debt, however, inflation was better during World War II, averaging only 6% per year. But this was mainly due to price controls. When they were removed after the war, the price level jumped by a third between 1945 and 1948.
Despite the high inflation and the huge increase in debt, interest rates did not rise nearly as much as one would expect. During the Civil War, yields on Treasury securities only rose from about 5% to 6%; those on high-grade railroad bonds actually fell from 6% to less than 5%. The federal government's war bonds sold at yields between 3.5% and 4.25% during World War I. Rates on long-term Treasury securities were below 3% for all of World War II, mainly due to pegging by the Federal Reserve.
Wars are obviously special times. Price controls, extraordinary monetary policies and other factors mitigate the impact of rising debt in ways that are hard to duplicate in peacetime. So let's look at 1955, when the national debt equaled 69.5% of GDP, a little more than expected in 2019. That year there was virtually no inflation; the Consumer Price Index rose just 0.4%. Rates on Treasury bonds were less than 3%. Real GDP rose 7.2% and the Dow Jones industrial average increased by close to 20%.
In some ways, 1955 was an anomalous year because the nation was still coming out of a recession that ended in May 1954. Nevertheless, it's clear that the nation was able to bear a level of federal debt that seems frighteningly large as we contemplate rising again to that level.
During most of the postwar era, the debt ratio fell. From the extremely high level during World War II, it fell to a third of GDP in the 1979-1981 period. Ironically, this was perhaps the worst period, economically, in the postwar era. Growth was sluggish, inflation was high, interest rates were extraordinarily high, and the nation experienced two recessions.
Insofar as we can isolate the impact of the national debt on the economy, it is hard to find it. One reason might be that in the past, people understood that the debt was only temporarily high and would decline sharply as soon as the wars ended. Indeed, the debt did decline after every war in American history. Arguably, the budget surpluses of the Clinton years, which saw the debt/GDP ratio fall from 49% to 33%, resulted largely from the end of the Cold War, which permitted a large cut in defense spending.
Thus one problem we have going forward is that we are not in a war of the magnitude that led to sharp rises in debt in the past. Therefore, we cannot anticipate that the debt will fall with the end of hostilities. In fact, there is every reason to believe that the debt as a share of GDP will continue rising long past 2019. The CBO's latest long-term budget forecast shows the national debt reaching 181% of GDP in 2035, 321% in 2050, and 716% of GDP in 2080.
Of course, this forecast will never come to pass. Interest on the debt would rise so rapidly that eventually more than 100% of projected revenues would be needed for that purpose alone. According to CBO, interest on the debt will rise from 7.7% of federal revenue this year to 21% of projected revenue in 2020, 39% in 2035, 68% in 2050, and 138% in 2080.
Long before the debt reaches extraordinary levels, interest rates would rise sharply above those projected by CBO. The CBO's model treats future deficits as unanticipated, long past the point where financial markets would have been thoroughly disrupted by massive federal borrowing, adding a large risk premium to interest rates. To the extent that the Federal Reserve attempted to mitigate those effects by monetizing the debt, the result would be a sharp rise in inflationary expectations, which would also raise rates.
Although it is thought that inflation is an effective way of reducing the burden of debt, this is no longer true. For one thing, a declining portion of the debt is financed with long-term securities. Today, just 3% of the debt consists of bonds with maturities of 20 years or more; 10 years ago, the proportion was four times greater. To the extent that the debt consists of short-term securities that must constantly be rolled over, inflation does nothing to erode its value because interest rates just rise to compensate, raising interest payments and borrowing, thus maintaining the real value of the debt.
Inflation will also cause the dollar to fall on international markets, which will cause foreigners to dump their bonds. With foreigners now owning more than 50% of the privately held debt, this may force the Treasury to issue foreign currency denominated bonds. At this point, our finances will effectively be controlled by foreigners and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), just like Third World countries.
No one knows the point at which debt becomes unsustainable. According to an IMF report, the critical point is when a government is borrowing just to pay interest on the debt. According to the CBO, we will reach that point in 2019 when the federal government is expected to borrow $722 billion and its net interest expense will also be $722 billion.
Unfortunately, the debt will continue to rise past that point because entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare will be growing sharply as the population continues to age and more people qualify for such programs.
We don't really know what will happen then because all of our experience with high debt levels were thought to be, and in fact were, temporary. Moreover, markets have always assumed that the federal government would raise taxes as much as necessary to prevent a debt default. That's the primary reason why U.S. Treasury securities are assumed to have zero default risk.
This was a reasonable assumption in the past, but I'm not sure if it is going forward because the Republican Party is now totally dominated by anti-tax fanatics utterly opposed to raising taxes for any reason. Although most Democrats would probably raise taxes if they could, they are terrified of being attacked by Republicans if they do. Barack Obama is so fearful of such attacks, he insists that taxes will never rise on any group except the rich, even if this means extending most of the Bush tax cuts.
I don't think financial markets have yet priced into interest rates the possibility that Republicans would rather default on the debt than raise taxes. Although they may not control Congress or the White House any time soon, it is clear from the health care debate that they and their allies at Fox News and talk radio effectively dominate the policy agenda even on issues like health that are generally favorable to the Democrats.
If Republicans gain seats next year, which is very likely at this point, they will have veto power over any tax increase. Should Democrats attempt to raise taxes, we will see a replay in Washington of the budget debacle that recently transpired in California, where the state was reduced to paying people with IOUs.
In short, the fiscal situation going forward is even more precarious than it appears at first glance--and that's extremely bad. If I am right about Republican opposition to tax increases, default on the debt has to be considered as a real possibility.
Bruce Bartlett is a former Treasury Department economist and the author of Reaganomics: Supply-Side Economics in Action and Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy. His new book is available for pre-order: The New American Economy: The Failure of Reaganomics and a New Way Forward. He writes a weekly column for Forbes.com.
Read more Forbes Opinions here.The idea that taxing the owners of robots and software will fund guaranteed incomes for all is not anchored in reality.
Automation is upending the global order by eliminating human labor on an unprecedented scale–and the status quo has no reality-based solution to this wholesale loss of jobs.
Two recent articles highlighted the profound consequences of advances in robotics and AI (artificial intelligence) on employment: four fundamentals of workplace automation and Robots may shatter the global economic order within a decade as the pace of automation innovation has gone from linear to parabolic (via Mish).
The status quo apologists/punditry have offered two magical-thinking solutions to the sweeping destruction of jobs across the entire spectrum of paid work:
1. Tax the robots (or owners of robots) and use the revenues to pay a guaranteed income to everyone who is unemployed or underemployed.
2. Let the price of labor fall to the point that everyone has a job of some sort, even if the pay is minimal.
Neither one is remotely practical, for reasons I will explain today and tomorrow.
Today, let’s examine the misguided fantasy that automation/robotics will generate enormous profits for the owners of robots. Here’s the problem in a nutshell:
As automation eats jobs, it also eats profits, since automation turns labor, goods and services into commodities. When something is commoditized, the price drops because the goods and services are interchangeable and can be produced almost anywhere.
Owners must move commoditized production to low-tax regions if they want to retain any profit at all.
Big profits flow from scarcity, i.e. when demand exceeds supply. If supply exceeds demand, prices fall and profits vanish.
(Monopoly is a state-enforced scarcity. In our state-cartel economy, there are many monopolies or quasi-monopolies. While eliminating these would lower costs, that wouldn’t reverse the wholesale destruction of jobs and profits–it would only speed the process up.)
The other problem the “tax the robots and everything will be funded” crowd overlooks is the falling cost of software and robots lowers the barriers to competition: nothing destroys profits like wave after wave of hungry competitors entering a field.
The cost of automation and robotics is falling dramatically. This lowers the cost of entry for smaller, hungrier, more nimble competitors, and lowers the cost of increasing production. When virtually any small manufacturer can buy robots for less than the wages of a human laborer, where’s the scarcity necessary to generate profits?
The parts needed to assemble a $45 tablet are dropping in price, and the profit margins on those parts is razor-thin because they’re commodities. Software such as the Android operating system is free, and many of the software libraries needed to assemble new software are also free.
Automation increases supply and lowers costs. Both are deadly to profits.
Here’s the core problem with the idea that taxing the owners of robots and software will fund guaranteed incomes for all: the more labor, goods and services are automated/commoditized, the lower the profits.
The current narrative assumes more wealth will be created by the digital destruction of industries and jobs, but real-world examples suggest the exact opposite: the music industry has seen revenues fall in half as digital technology ate its way through the sector.
A $14 billion industry is now a $7 billion industry. Profits and payroll taxes collected from the industry have plummeted. So much for the fantasy that technology always creates more jobs than it destroys.
As subscription music services replace sales of songs and albums, revenues will continue to decline even as consumers have greater access to more products. In other words, the destruction of sales, employment and profits is far from over.
Examples of such radical reductions in paid labor abound in daily life. To take one small example, our refrigerator recently failed. The motor was running but the compartment wasn’t being cooled. Rather than replace the appliance for hundreds of dollars or hire a high-cost repair service, I looked online, diagnosed the problem as a faulty sensor, watched a tutorial on YouTube (what I call YouTube University), ordered a new sensor for less than $20 online and completed the repair at no cost beyond a half-hour of labor, which cost me nothing in terms of cash spent.
The profit earned by YouTube was minimal, as was the profit of the firms that manufactured the sensor and shipped it. The sales and profits that were bypassed by using nearly-free digital tools were an order of magnitude higher.
I was recently interviewed via Skype by an online journalist with millions of views of his YouTube channel. A decade ago when he worked in mainstream TV journalism, an interview required costly, time-consuming travel (for the crew or the subject), a sound engineer, a camera operator, the talent (interviewer), editor and managerial review. These six jobs have been rolled into one with digital tools, and travel has been eliminated entirely.
Some will argue that the quality of the video and sound isn’t as high, but the quality of the user experience is ultimately based on the viewer’s display, which is increasingly a phone or tablet. So in terms of utility, value and impact, the product (i.e. output) produced by one person replaces the conventional media product that required six people.
My own solo digital content business would have required a handful of people (if not more) only a decade ago. With digital tools and services, it now requires just one person. Those of us who must work with digital tools to survive know firsthand that what once required a handful of workers must now be produced by one person if we hope to earn even a marginally middle-class income.
Multiply an appliance that doesn’t need to be replaced and a repair service that doesn’t need to be hired, a half-dozen positions replaced by one part-time job, a fully functional commodity tablet that costs 10% of the high-profit brand and you understand why profits will plummet as software eats the world.
These are not starry-eyed examples based on projections; these are real-world examples of widely available digital technologies destroying costs, sales and profits on a massive scale.
Some observers have suggested taxing wealth rather than profits to fund the super welfare state of guaranteed income for all. But the value of assets ultimately rests on their ability to generate a profit. As profits fall, wealth may be more chimerical than these observers believe.
Tomorrow we’ll look at the rising costs of human labor and explore why this trend will persist even as labor becomes increasingly surplus.
This entry was drawn from my new book A Radically Beneficial World: Automation, Technology and Creating Jobs for All.
Get a 25% discount on my new book this week only: A Radically Beneficial World: Automation, Technology and Creating Jobs for All: The Future Belongs to Work That Is Meaningful. The Kindle edition is $7.45 this week, a 25% discount from its list price of $9.95.
The print edition is $25, but there’s a $10 discount this week through my publisher’spage for the book: you must use the codeTL6PDA4D to get the $10 discount. Note this does not include shipping, and requires making the purchase through Createspace.
Here is the link to the book’s Amazon.com listing, Introduction and Chapter One(free PDF).
A note of thanks to those who buy a book:As an independent writer, book sales are a substantial part of my income. Unlike many other authors, I receive no funding from any university, foundation, think-tank, shadowy C.I.A. front or government agency. Thank you for throwing caution to the winds and buying my work.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Feb. 22, 2017, 9:15 AM GMT / Updated Feb. 22, 2017, 9:37 AM GMT / Source: Reuters
PARIS — Amnesty International says President Donald Trump's "poisonous" rhetoric on his way to winning the White House led a global trend towards increasingly divisive politics in 2016 that had made the world a "darker" place.
It alleged that "toxic" fear-mongering by anti-establishment politicians is contributing to a global pushback against human rights.
"Politicians are shamelessly and actively legitimizing all sorts of hateful rhetoric and policies based on people's identity: misogyny, racism and homophobia."
Releasing its 408-page annual report on rights abuses around the world Wednesday, the watchdog group described 2016 as "the year when the cynical use of 'us vs. them' narratives of blame, hate and fear took on a global prominence to a level not seen since the 1930s," when Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany.
Amnesty named Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte among leaders it said are "wielding a toxic agenda that hounds, scapegoats and dehumanizes entire groups of people."
"Poisonous" rhetoric employed by Trump in his election campaign exemplified "the global trend of angrier and more divisive politics," Amnesty said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the report by The Associated Press.
President Donald Trump arrives to make an announcement at the White House on Jan. 31. Carlos Barria / Reuters
Amnesty's annual report, "The State of the World's Human Rights," documented what it called "grave violations of human rights" in 159 countries in 2016.
Amnesty added: "The limits of what is acceptable have shifted. Politicians are shamelessly and actively legitimizing all sorts of hateful rhetoric and policies based on people's identity: misogyny, racism and homophobia. The first target has been refugees and, if this continues in 2017, others will be in the crosshairs."
Amnesty said populist movements and messages had also become more common in Europe, notably in Poland and Hungary.
"The result was a pervasive weakening of the rule of law and an erosion in the protection of human rights, particularly for refugees and terrorism suspects, but ultimately for everyone," it added.GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) should overturn its decision to appoint Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador, global health leaders said on Saturday, describing the move as unjustifiable and wrong.
Britain said Mugabe’s appointment was “surprising and disappointing” and added that it risked overshadowing the WHO’s global work. The United States, which has imposed sanctions on Mugabe for alleged human rights violations, said it was “disappointed.”
“This appointment clearly contradicts the United Nations’ ideals of respect for human rights and human dignity,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
“This selection underscores why the United States continues to push for U.N. reform and leadership actions that uphold our shared U.N. ideals.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the appointment at a high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Uruguay on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Mugabe, 93. He is blamed in the West for destroying his country’s economy and numerous human rights abuses during his 37 years leading the country as either president or prime minister.
In a speech, Tedros praised Zimbabwe as “a country that places universal health coverage and health promotion at the center of its policies to provide health care to all”.
The former Ethiopian health and foreign minister, who was elected last May as WHO’s first African director-general, added: “Today I am also honored to announce that President Mugabe has agreed to serve as a goodwill ambassador on NCDs for Africa to influence his peers in his region to prioritize NCDs.”
But the NCD Alliance, which represents 28 international health groups seeking to combat chronic diseases, said it was “shocked and deeply concerned” to hear of the appointment, given Mugabe’s “long track record of human rights violations”.
Jeremy Farrar, a leading global health specialist and director of the Wellcome Trust charity also said the decision was “deeply disappointing and wrong” and called on Tedros to be brave and reverse it.
“Robert Mugabe fails in every way to represent the values WHO should stand for and those that Dr Tedros has stood for since becoming DG and has done over many years,” Farrar said. “Brave leaders are willing to listen, rethink and overturn bad decisions, this is one such case,” he said.
WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said the WHO chief had made the move seeking broad support for the agency’s work.
“Tedros has frequently talked of his determination to build a global movement to promote high-level political leadership for health,” he said by e-mail.
Human rights activists also criticized the move.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe gestures as he attends the 2nd Session of the South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission in Pretoria, South Africa October 3, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based group UN Watch described the choice by WHO, a United Nations agency as “sickening”.
“The government of Robert Mugabe has brutalized human rights activists, crushed democracy dissidents, and turned the breadbasket of Africa — and its health system — into a basket-case,” he said.
He noted that Mugabe himself had traveled to Singapore for medical treatment three times this year rather than in his homeland.Police are crediting a decline in random street violence in Oslo this month on a concerted effort by themselves and the public to battle it. One woman from Congo, however, was still the target of an ugly racist attack in the midst of holiday and Nobel Peace Prize celebrations.
Jessica Kiil, a mother of three and active participant in local community debate, had been celebrating her own birthday with two friends on Saturday night, just as two other women from Africa were among those being hailed for winning the Peace Prize earlier in the day.
“We talked about all kinds of things, but also about how fantastic and inspiring it was that two of three Peace Prize winners are Africans,” Kiil told newspaper Aftenposten on Monday.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) had reported on its national nightly newscast the evening before, though, that as Kiil walked near the Grand Hotel where the Peace Prize banquet was held, she was confronted by a man and a woman who blocked her path as she headed for a late bus home.
“Get her! Kill her!” shrieked the woman, according to Kiil. “Go back where you came from!” Then she was punched in the stomach and beaten. Passersby reacted, came to her assistance and called for an ambulance that took her to a nearby emergency clinic.
Kiil was knocked unconscious and suffered arm and leg injuries in the assault. The assailants escaped arrest, at least so far. Police were shaken by the latest example of hate crime in Oslo and Kiil was being urged to file a full police report on the incident. One officer told NRK that such assaults are disturbing but not uncommon.
Nor does Kari Helene Partapuoli of Norway’s Antirasistisk Senter (Anti-racism Center) think Kiil’s story is unique. “For many of us it’s difficult to understand that such things can happen in our country,” she told newspaper Aftenposten on Monday. “Police should make hate crimes a priority.”
Incidents of random street violence otherwise are down so far in December, typically a difficult month for police because of holiday parties and excessive drunkenness. Bjørn Åge Hansen of the central police station in Oslo said exact numbers weren’t available yet, but he told Aftenposten that his station has taken in far fewer assault reports this month than in earlier Decembers.
“I have no doubt it’s because of higher awareness of the random rapes we’ve had, and the subsequent increase in police on the streets, civilian patrols, more regulation of bars and nightclubs and other measures,” Hansen said.
Seven reports of assault were reported during the weekend, including one incident where a man’s ear was bitten off by his assailant at a popular concert hall downtown.
Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund
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HOW TO BUY A TOY
I spend a great deal of time extolling the virtues of sex toys and with good reason. While fingers, tongues, penises, asses and vaginas are certainly not without their merits, toys can and will enhance your sexual experience, solo or otherwise. However, for novice buyers, and even the more experienced adult novelty shoppers, the act of purchasing a good toy can be a daunting task. After all, one hardly gets to test drive before one leaves the store, so to speak, and a good toy can set you back a pretty penny. My years of peddling porno, dildos, butt plugs, whips, chains, vibes, strap-ons, blow-up dolls and other instruments of pleasure has given me a certain amount of expertise in this department — expertise which I now bestow upon you in a handy set of five rules for buying your first, second, or thousandth sex toy.
1. Don’t be a pansy. Going in to a sex shop and being a squeamish, shy, and giggling mess, or worse, avoiding the store all together, will get you nowhere. As one 2004 study by Anthony F. Bogaert indicates, there is a 99% chance that you are a sexual being. Wanting to get your rocks off is normal and anybody else in the store is well aware of that, which brings us to…
2. Talk to the salesperson. He or she is the best resource at your disposal and, again, being shy will only hurt you. This person sells sex toys to pay the rent; realistically, what the fuck do you have to hide from them? Tell them what you’re looking for. Ask questions. Get them to show you several different models and explain the features of each. Don’t judge a book by its cover and don’t judge a butt plug by its packaging.
3. Make sure you buy quality materials. Never, ever, ever purchase jelly toys. Oftentimes, these “jelly” materials contain phthalates, a plasticizer that might cause fucking CANCER. I think it goes without saying that one should not put potentially cancer-causing things in or around one’s junk. Oh, and they’re porous, will probably grow scary bacteria, at which point they will make your genitals burn. Silicone, glass, TPR, or metal toys are much safer and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
4. Don’t be cheap. You get what you pay for and sex toys are no exception. If you buy no-name macaroni, it will taste like no-name macaroni. If you buy a $10 dollar vibrator, it will feel like a $10 vibrator. Save up a little extra dough for a great toy — you’re worth it, baby.
5. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. So a toy you bought didn’t work for you. Don’t give up! This doesn’t mean that you don’t like toys at all, this means you didn’t like THAT toy. Remember that time you went out with that guy/girl and you really connected, but then the sex sucked, so you decided to move on? It’s like that.
The most important part of the process, of course, is to have fun. You’re not shopping for home insurance, goddammit, so enjoy yourself — especially once you’ve left the store.
By E-Z Breezy
Illustration: Jarett SitterA digital marketer is the backbone of the company. It is that person who brings your company, business, products and services live to the common people. It is a very demanding job and you can actually earn handsome amount if you sincerely work to give your client the best result online in terms of online business. Do you have a knack in shaping your career with Digital marketing? Then, you should know the following roles as a digital marketer:
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If you ready to accept these role challenges, then hunt for good Digital Marketing Training in Kolkata and you will get an opportunity to learn the course from the expert professionals. These teachers have hands on experience in this field for many years. You can learn all the details of digital marketing and become a true professional in your career. At the end of the course, you will get to work on a practical project which will help you understand the flaws and how you can recover your mistakes to give the client the 100% result in digital marketing.SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (Reuters) - During a tour of Zika preparations in Puerto Rico, Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called Zika a “tremendous challenge and crisis” and said protecting pregnant women from the virus is a top priority.
Thomas Frieden, director of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listens during an interview with Reuters at the Puerto Rico Health Department in San Juan March 8, 2016. REUTERS/Alvin Baez
In Brazil, Zika has been linked to a spike in cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size and underdeveloped brains.
“Until a few months ago, no one had any idea that Zika could cause birth defects,” Frieden told reporters Tuesday at a briefing in Puerto Rico’s health department.
Frieden has been working with CDC staff and the Puerto Rican government on strategies to protect pregnant from becoming infected with the mosquito-borne virus, which Frieden called a top priority.
In Puerto Rico, the Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries Zika is widespread, and Frieden said controlling it will require a multi-pronged approach involving government, municipalities, neighbors, families and society at large.
Cases of Zika are doubling weekly in Puerto Rico, and the CDC expects hundreds of thousands of individuals will become infected, including thousands of pregnant women.
To protect pregnant women, Frieden recommended using insect repellent daily and reliably.
He also suggested adding window screens and air conditioning, where possible. And he called for reducing standing water in and around homes to eliminate mosquito breeding habitats.
Frieden’s comments, delivered mostly in Spanish, followed two days of briefings with staff at the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center in San Juan. CDC researchers are monitoring the outbreak and studying the best ways to prevent Zika infections through education campaigns, and the distribution of Zika prevention kits for pregnant women.
Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly in babies. Brazil said it has confirmed more than 640 cases of microcephaly, and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating more than 4,200 additional suspected cases of microcephaly.
At the CDC’s Dengue Branch in Puerto Rico, scientists are conducting research on the most effective mosquito control measures, and processing diagnostic tests from blood samples delivered daily to the laboratory.
Dr. Jorge Munoz, branch director, said in an interview they are capable of processing 400 to 500 blood samples a week. Scientists at the laboratory developed a triple test that can detect Zika, dengue and chikungunya - three different viruses carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito that is endemic in Puerto Rico.
The test will be crucial in helping to quickly sort out whether Zika was the cause of an infection or whether it was dengue and chikungunya, which also cause infection and illness.
“Puerto Rico is in a very different situation from the rest of the United States,” Frieden told the briefing.
Besides the high density of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, Puerto Rico has a lot of housing without window screens or air conditioning.
Related Coverage Zika's origin and global spread
“The combination of those two things, when you add Zika in, means the likelihood of a very large number of cases,” Frieden said.
“In rest of the United States, we may see clusters,” he said. But if Zika behaves the way chikungunya and dengue have, “we will not see widespread transmission.”
(This version of the story deletes reference to FDA emergency use authorization, which was for a different test)Today is Star Wars Day, being May the Fourth. (Say the date slowly, several times.) Around the world, film buffs, storm troopers and Jedi are gathering to celebrate one of the greatest science fiction romps of all time. It would be easy to let the fan boys enjoy their day and be done with it. However, Jediism is a growing religion in the UK. Although the results of the 2001 census, in which 390,000 recipients stated their religion as Jedi, have been widely interpreted as a pop at the government, the UK does actually have serious Jedi.
For those of you who, like BBC producer Bill Dare, have never seen Star Wars, the Jedi are "good" characters from the films. They draw from a mystical entity binding the universe, called "the Force". Sporting hoodies, the Jedi are generally altruistic, swift-footed and handy with a lightsaber. Their enemies, Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader and other cohorts use the dark side of the Force. By tapping into its powers, the dark side command armies of demented droids, kill Jedi and are capable of wiping out entire planets.
Jediism is a growing force. Photograph: Church of Jediism
This week, Chi-Pa Amshe from the Church of Jediism in Anglesey, Wales, emailed me with some responses to questions. He said Jediism was growing and that they were gaining hundreds of members each month. The church made the news three years ago, after its founder, Daniel Jones, had a widely reported run-in with Tesco.
Chi-Pa Amshe, speaking as a spokesperson for the Jedi council (Falkna Kar, Anzai Kooji Cutpa and Daqian Xiong), believes that Jediism can merge with other belief systems, rather like a bolt-on accessory.
"Many of our members are in fact both Christian and Jedi," he says. "We can no more understand the Force and our place within it than a gear in a clock could comprehend its function in moving the hands across the face. I'd like to point out that each of our members interprets their beliefs through the prism of their own lives and although we offer guidance and support, ultimately like with the Qur'an, it is up to them to find what they need and choose their own path."
Meeting up as a church is hard, the council explained, and members rely heavily on Skype and Facebook. They have an annual physical meeting, "where the church council is available for face-to-face questions and guidance". They also support charity events and attend computer gaming conventions.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand, a web-based group called the Jedi Church believes that Jediism has always been around.
It states: "The Jedi religion is just like the sun, it existed before a popular movie gave it a name, and now that it has a name, people all over the world can share their experiences of the Jedi religion, here in the Jedi church."
There are many other Jedi groups on the web, although Chi-Pa Amshe said some were "very unpleasant". The dark side, perhaps.
Analysis of all six films reveals echoes of many religions in the Force. Star Wars is, in essence, a type of multi-faith casserole. Christianity features heavily, for example. This is manifested in the puzzle of Anakin Skywalker's conception, by phrases such as "May the Force be with you" and an overarching redemption theme. Yoda critiques Luke for his lack of faith. "Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."
Judaism is prevalent in the constant tensions between good and evil, loyalty and fatherhood. The religious ideology of Buddhism is there, focusing on the art of meditation and reducing the passions that taint the soul. Meanwhile the Hindu concept of Om, representing a power present in all things, is never far away. In The Empire Strikes Back, Master Yoda explains the Force. "My ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."
George Lucas claims that Joseph Campbell's book The Hero With a Thousand Faces was a major influence behind the Force's creation. In it Campbell draws parallels between the world's myths, arguing that they are all part of one "monomyth". In an interview with Bill Moyers, in 1999, published in Time magazine, Lucas said he created the Force as a device to awaken spirituality in young people. "Not having enough interest in the mysteries of life to ask the question, 'Is there a God or is there not a God?' – that is for me the worst thing that can happen." However, he said he never intended Star Wars to have a religious following. "I hope that doesn't end up being the course this whole thing takes," he told Moyers, adding that he would hate living in a secular world where entertainment passed for people's religious experience.
I warmed to Chi-Pa Amshe of the Church of Jediism |
them. So please write. I think it would be one hell of a ride. Here is a kiwi article on the 1200 http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_xtz1200%2009.htm It breaks down the quite a few of the big touring bikes and compares them side by side. It also gives the specs on the ABS system.I do know that it has a proven history and its forerunner the xt500 has run and won the Dakar twice. They both seem like great bikes and it is a good alternative to the KTM's BMW's and Kawi that are on the market.I spoke with Brad Franklin at Yamaha and the more interest we generate in the bikes the more likely they are to import them. So please write. Logged People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell
TSAVO SAM
Posts: 10
Road Toad Re: Yamaha Tenere 660 and 1200 import « Reply #6 on: June 09, 2010, 09:37:10 PM » South Morroco on Yamaha XT660Z
I added a link to youtube so everyone can see this bike in action. Guys and Galls please don't fail me in this campain. Even if you are a devoted fan of another bike, I would invite you to write, unless you feel the competition on the track and a ride would be to much for you.
I added a link to youtube so everyone can see this bike in action. Guys and Galls please don't fail me in this campain. Even if you are a devoted fan of another bike, I would invite you to write, unless you feel the competition on the track and a ride would be to much for you. Logged People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell
Wilson
Posts: 7
I love a good water crossing
Road ToadI love a good water crossing Re: Yamaha Tenere 660 and 1200 import « Reply #7 on: June 15, 2010, 01:21:39 PM » There needs to be a bit more than some interest in the bike to get the manufacturer to pony up the jack to get the bike DOT certified, I was told, although a bike meets Euro standards which match or exceed DOT standards the bike still needs to go through the DOT certification process and that costs millions. Logged My wife say's she'll have to put a bullet in my head when I have to give up riding, I think that says it all.
TSAVO SAM
Posts: 10
Road Toad Re: Yamaha Tenere 660 and 1200 import « Reply #8 on: June 21, 2010, 04:21:03 PM » the guys at yamaha said that it must go through DOT and it must be Dynoed. It will cost millions but there have been a few street bikes that have made it to our shores by people speaking up. it has to start with one voice. Logged People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell♫ Plus, Let The Festival Recap Take You Back MAY 4–6, 2018 • ATLANTA, GA • CENTRAL PARK Shaky Knees returns to Central Park May 4 – 6, 2018!
In the meantime, make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to be one of the first to find out about tickets, lineup announcements, and more details on next year’s fest.
Plus, get ready to join us again and watch the 2017 Festival Recap to relive all the best moments from last year. Mark your calendar –In the meantime, make sure you’re following us on, andto be one of the first to find out about tickets, lineup announcements, and more details on next year’s fest.Plus, get ready to join us again and watch theto relive all the best moments from last year. SEE THE RECAPGold, limited edition The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds 3DS XL bundle releasing in Europe next month ⊟
This releases on November 22 for £199.99 ($319), and comes with a downloadable copy of the game. Retail copies of the game in Europe, by the way, have a reversible cover with the all-gold/U.S. art and a full-color version.
If this isn’t enough proof (along with the Fire Emblem 3DS XL bundle and the Chotto Mario handhelds) that Europe is winning the special edition systems war as far as Western territories go, Nintendo also intends to release the amazing Year of Luigi 3DS XL there on November 1 for £179.99 ($287).
I’m 98 percent sure Nintendo will bring the Zelda 3DS XL at least to the U.S. around Black Friday, just like it did with the Zelda 3DSes and DS Lites.AP Images
We talk about family as a fixed and permanent unit, something that always was and always will be. There is comfort in thinking of it that way, but that's not really how it is.
The family you knew as a child will be different from the one you know as an adult. There is birth and death, marriage and divorce. Sometimes, a girlfriend becomes a wife.
And sometimes, a buddy becomes a brother.
Next Thursday, if all goes as expected, roommates Jordan Clarkson and Jabari Brown will be selected somewhere in the middle of the NBA draft and baptized into American adulthood.
Just two years ago, they were strangers living almost 2,000 miles apart. But today, Clarkson says, "That dude is like my brother."
Their bond was sealed over a hellish 34-day stretch in which Clarkson and Brown—a pair of transfer guards who became Missouri's leading scorers—found out their fathers had cancer and decided the best thing they could do was be quiet, be strong and only show vulnerability within the walls of the apartment they shared together in Columbia, Missouri.
One day, Clarkson walked down the hall to Brown's room.
"If you ever see me with my head down or something, man," he said, "just pick me up and talk to me."
Neither is a big talker, but Brown said all Clarkson needed to hear.
"He said he had my back," Clarkson said.
Feb. 1 was an important day for Missouri basketball, which meant there was some extra gravity pushing down on Clarkson and Brown, the Tigers' quiet leaders. A rough stretch at the beginning of SEC play had dropped the Tigers to 16-4, 4-3 in the conference.
But preseason No. 1 Kentucky was in town, and more than 11,000 fans showed up at Mizzou Arena hoping to see the Tigers get a win that could redefine their season.
So it made sense Clarkson's family would be in the building. As usual, Missouri would need everything it could get out of Clarkson and Brown, who for a couple of guys in their first year of eligibility at Mizzou carried an unusual amount of responsibility.
The Tigers were young and not particularly skilled in the frontcourt. Either Clarkson and Brown played well, or Missouri lost. Hosting the most talented team in the country only amplified that reality.
In front of a national CBS audience, Clarkson and Brown were the two best players on the floor that day. They combined for 61 points.
And Missouri lost.
Even when you control what you can control and leave it all out on the floor, sometimes it isn't enough.
Photo courtesy of the Clarkson family
After the game, Clarkson's father, Mike, and stepmother, Janie, went back to the apartment Jordan shared with Brown and gave him much worse news. Mike had a rare form of cancer along his spine.
He remembers telling his son something like this: "I'm not trying to rain on the parade, you just had a tough game against Kentucky, but I wanted to make you aware of this situation that arose, and I'm gonna get it taken care of."
He told his son not to worry, to focus on what he was doing.
"That was a hard pill for him to swallow," Mike said. "He tried to act as if, OK, no problem."
But the stone face isn't in Jordan Clarkson's bag.
"I know once he got by himself, he was really concerned that, 'My dad might not be here.'" Mike said. "He's a very emotional-type guy behind closed doors. He had a tough time trying to deal with that."
In November, his little brother had broken his leg playing basketball, and Jordan acknowledged him every single night during pregame introductions, raising 10 fingers in the air to represent his brother's number.
But his father's illness was different.
"Jordan didn't want to make any excuses and use that as a crutch to the media," Mike said.
So that urge Jordan felt to publicly acknowledge his loved ones, the way he did for his brother, would have to manifest itself some other way, some other place, in some psychological compartment where there are no sports cliches or coaching mantras. This wasn't for public consumption because, as they say in athletics, if you're out there, you have to perform.
But if he needed an example, he just had to look at the granite rock that lived down the hall and drank from the same milk jugs. Barely a month earlier, Brown's father, David, had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. Serious, terrifying, not-much-doctors-can-do stomach cancer.
And outside of Brown's own family, Jordan Clarkson had been about the only person Brown ever talked to about it.
"He never really spoke to his teammates about it," said Frank Haith, who coached Brown at Missouri. "He's got that inner toughness about him. I don't think it affected him in terms of his play."
Photo courtesy of Brown family
There is no telling what it was like in that Columbia apartment after Jordan's parents were gone and it was just Jordan and Jabari. Jordan has spoken about his father publicly, but only in broad terms.
The agency that represents Jordan as he prepares for the NBA draft has a public relations arm that handles him delicately. It made him available to talk for this story only on the condition that the questions be prescreened and edited for "warmth." Brown has never spoken publicly about his father's situation, and his agent denied repeated interview requests for this story.
Clarkson grew up in Texas, where he was one of the state's brightest track stars. Jordan was fast, and his parents, especially Mike, doted on his talent. Mike had played basketball at UNLV for two years in the early 1980s. He knew how to work and was determined to show his son how to succeed.
"That's my hero," Jordan says.
So Jordan grew up running, running, running. All the time. Every day. A little faster today than yesterday. He made it to nationals every year, but it was a life lived between beeps of the stopwatch.
"All of a sudden in ninth grade, he came in and said, 'I don't want to run anymore,'" Mike said. "It was kind of a shock to us. Because he was such a talented track and field athlete, I think we just pushed him too hard. You can just burn a kid out."
So in ninth grade, he picked up a basketball and, man, was that fun. It helped that he was already fast and fit, and it helped a lot more that he had a father who knew how to play and was eager to teach him.
Jordan was used to rigorous training, and when he applied it to hoops, the skills just started to stick to him. By his junior year, just about every college in Texas had sent Clarkson a letter. Texas A&M and Texas Tech offered scholarships, as did SMU, TCU and Rice. But Clarkson settled on Tulsa. He liked the coach, the academic adviser, the athletic director. Everybody.
More than 1,700 miles away in Oakland, California, Brown was finishing a more spot-lit recruiting process. Rivals.com ranked him the No. 19 player in his class. He turned down Arizona and Kansas and just about everybody else to go to Oregon.
Brown grew up in a basketball family. Both his parents played in college, and his mother, Fannie, played professionally overseas. Like the Clarksons, the Browns nurtured their son's talent. There were all kinds of training techniques and books about various basketball players. Darcy Frey's 1994 classic The Last Shot was a particular favorite of Jabari's.
"That used to be his bible," Fannie said.
And then there were the gyms. David and Fannie made sure Jabari and his younger brother, Jamil, always had a gym to play in as opposed to a driveway or a playground.
Photo courtesy of the Brown family
"The thing in Oakland is it's always hard to get in a gym," Fannie said. "But we tried. Tried, tried, tried, even if we had to pay for it."
They say you don't get to pick your family, but if you're a good enough athlete, you get to pick your program, which is close. Basketball programs always pitch themselves that way, at least, and in 2011, Brown was in Oregon, and Clarkson was in Oklahoma, and life was blooming the way it does at that age.
Within a year, though, both players were seeking new basketball families. Tulsa made a coaching change, and Oregon turned out not to be what Brown expected, so both got their releases and reopened the recruiting process.
Well, nobody had forgotten Brown was a top-20 player in his class, and by then, the late-blooming Clarkson had fully flowered, averaging 16.5 points per game as a freshman at Tulsa.
Missouri, meanwhile, was coming off a 30-5 season in Haith's first year. But that team was full of departing seniors, making Missouri an ideal spot for guys looking for playing time on a national stage.
NCAA rules force Division I transfers to sit out a year, which can be a lonely time. But Clarkson and Brown bonded quickly. They came from similar families and seemed to have similar sensibilities—big players, but not big talkers.
So they spent a year together, going to class and going to practice but wearing street clothes during the games, which was tough because the Tigers really could have used them. Missouri couldn't seem to win on the road, got a No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament and finished 23-11.
Now, the big picture was this: Haith was entering his third year at Missouri with a 53-16 record, but there was some pressure on him. That first magical season—perhaps the best in Missouri history—had ended with a humiliating first-game loss to Norfolk State in the NCAA tournament.
A year later, there was a lot of doubt as to whether the Tigers would even get into the NCAA tournament, and when they immediately got bounced again, year three became politically critical for Haith. He now had a roster of his own assemblage, and if nothing else, he needed to show that things weren't just going to keep getting worse.
Fortunately, he had the two stud transfers—Clarkson and Brown.
On Dec. 29, David and Fannie gathered their sons back home and knocked the wind out of them. The message was a lot like the one Clarkson would get a month later. Your father has cancer, but we want you to focus.
"They took it very hard," Fannie said.
Fannie told Haith, so the rest of the Tigers knew about it, but they didn't want it to be a spectacle. They wanted their son to be able to just play, to pursue his dream without distraction.
And remarkably, he did. But he didn't just play. He was spectacular. During a five-game stretch that ended with his 33-point effort against Kentucky on Feb. 1, Brown scored 24 three times and 28 points once. He finished the season as the SEC's leading scorer, averaging 19.9 points per game.
AP Photo
"I think one of the things that really helped a lot is the fact that I work in the medical profession," said Fannie, an account specialist for a hospital. "I told them I would certainly let you know everything that is going on as it relates to your dad. Your goal is to focus on what you're trying to accomplish in life. Know that I will be here to do what I can for Dad, and you all just take care of you. I think that helps him a lot."
So all along, nobody knew. Nobody ever would have known except that late in the season, a reporter from The Kansas City Star called Fannie to ask about something totally different, and she accidentally let it slip that David Brown and Mike Clarkson both had cancer.
"I forgot to say, 'off the record,'" she said.
Suddenly, the Tigers' season made a little more sense.
"They're not only your two best players, they're your leaders too," Haith said. "So think about that. We had a young team. Our front line was all freshmen. We basically relied on them for guidance and support and leadership. And both of those guys are not great talkers, but then you have this kind of thing happen to them, it has to affect their minds and their approach and trying to lift others up.... Yeah, the dynamics of our team was all looking to those guys. You would have to struggle with that, with what was going on."
Everybody could see that Jordan Clarkson had not been the same player since that Kentucky game, but now everybody knew why.
He was averaging 18.9 points per game before he learned of his father's diagnosis, and he averaged 15.5 after. He shot 45 percent for the season but 38 percent after Mike's diagnosis. Forty-five of his 93 turnovers came in those final 14 games.
"It was drastically affecting him," Haith said. "He was frustrated, he was pressing, he was all over the place. He still had some good moments, but he was not the same confident player he was when we saw him play against UCLA or Kentucky or any of those teams."
Even months later, Jordan reluctantly acknowledges that was true.
"I tried not to let that situation come onto the court," Jordan said. "But I'm human just like everybody else. It kinda affected me just a little bit. Staying strong for my family was a big thing for me."
AP Photo
Brown and Clarkson were two of the top seven scorers in the SEC, averaging a combined 37.4 points per game. But Missouri's season ended in the second round of the NIT. In what appeared to be a preemptive move, Haith left Missouri for Tulsa, and Clarkson and Brown left early for the NBA draft.
Mike Clarkson is doing just fine now. A surgery to remove tumors has hindered his ability to walk, but he expects to regain that through physical therapy. He isn't completely free of cancer, but he says his doctors are confident they'll get it licked.
David Brown's situation is different. Treatment has left him too weak to talk, and there aren't many options.
"It's not curable," Fannie said. "It's treatable."
So Jordan Clarkson and Jabari Brown go their separate ways now. They don't talk much. Except to each other.
"I talk to him almost every day now," Jordan said. "Just checking up on him."
Like the brothers they've become.
Tully Corcoran has been working in professional journalism since 2003, covering everything from high school soccer to the NFL to the Final Four. He lives in Houston and loves sandwiches.Wind At Sea Is Strangely Van Goghish, Says NASA
Yesterday, we took a look at invisible winds suddenly made visible, streaming across the Earth. This being the blustery season, I've got more wind today, this time streaming across the sea, but looking uncannily like a van Gogh sky.
Most of the surface currents in the ocean are shaped by wind. In this visualization from the folks at NASA, the ocean is rich with lazy spirals that move in great circular sweeps (called "gyres") clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in the south. Think of the ocean surface here as a reflection of the winds above, a kind of watery mirror (though the spinning of the Earth, tugs of sun and moon and obstruction of continents play a part.) Click on this video, and you'll see the dance of wind-on-water everywhere.
YouTube
I like watching the Gulf Stream roar past the tip of Florida in the beginning, all white and purposeful, heading up the North American coast. There's something playful about water and wind bumping into large land masses likeAfrica, breaking into whirligig spirals, spinning along the shore. Then there's the equator, which in this version seems almost wall-like. As the winds approach it, they flatten into jet like streams racing along a corridor.
What this map doesn't show is the newest discovery created by ocean gyres. It's called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vast, Texas-sized clump of human garbage floating in the Pacific. Created by a convergence of ocean currents and wind somewhere betweenHawaii andCalifornia, it's not visible from satellites. Apparently, a thick blanket of pop bottles and chemical sludge sinks a little below the surface so it can't be seen from above and, anyway, it turns out garbage doesn't clump in a spiral; it looks more like a Nickelodeon splat, so if we could see the Garbage Patch, it would ruin the mood created here.
This is an image of wild wind, water and spiral beauty. And what does it say about us that our first human mark is a splat that feels like we've dropped some mud onto a van Gogh painting?
Thanks to reader Donald Thomas for mentioning this video yesterday; and also to Jason Kottke, the blogger who gets everything earlier than everybody. Also, Google Earth has an interactive ocean current explorer illustrated here.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Immigration Minister Damian Green: ''It is a small group in the union leadership that is behaving disgracefully''
Thousands of Home Office staff will strike over job cuts and other issues the day before the Olympics, the Public and Commercial Services union has said.
PCS members will strike for 24 hours next Thursday - when many thousands of visitors are due to arrive in the UK.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the action was "shameful" as it threatens disruption to people travelling to London for the Games.
Immigration minister Damian Green said contingency plans were in place.
The PCS is in dispute with the Home Office over plans to cut 8,500 jobs and the threat of compulsory redundancies in the passport office in Newport, South Wales.
There are also disagreements over pay rises capped at 1% following a two-year wage freeze, privatisation of services, and alleged victimisation of union reps.
East Midlands Trains staff have also voted to strike during the Olympics.
PCS union members will take other forms of action from July 27 to August 20, including working-to-rule and an overtime ban.
The PCS said 57.2% of those who voted backed strike action - the turnout was 20%.
The action will involve staff across the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau.
'Breaking point'
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka told the BBC: "I think the government is whipping up hysteria about the Olympics, there'll be no disruption to the Olympics, this is a 24-hour strike before the Olympics actually takes place."
He said he was prepared to meet the culture secretary and home secretary any time in the next week to avert a strike but if they kept their "heads in the sand" the strike would continue.
People should not be disrupting the Olympic Games Ed Miliband, Labour leader
Mr Hunt said the union's behaviour was "totally irresponsible... To threaten us in this way is totally inappropriate.
"To suggest that it won't cause disruption is so extraordinary that it completely beggars belief."
London Mayor Boris Johnson has said he does not think the union will succeed in disrupting the Olympics and the majority of PCS members want to put on a great Games.
In other developments as the UK prepares for the start of the Olympics on Friday 27 July:
Mr Green said there was low turnout in the strike ballot which showed most union members did not support a strike.
He told BBC Two's Newsnight: "PCS members don't want this strike to happen - seven out of eight of them didn't vote for a strike.
"They are patriotic people, they care about their job, they care about the reputation of this country.
"It's a small group in the union leadership that is behaving disgracefully, trying to make political capital out of the Olympics which is meant to be a great national celebration."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Mark Serwotka: "One day's disruption is better than a year of inadequate services"
Mr Green said he was confident disruption at immigration desks could be minimised because extra staff from the Home Office and other departments had been trained to provide cover.
Mrs May condemned the action saying: "I think that is shameful, frankly. They are holding a strike on what is one of the key days for people coming in for the Olympic Games.
"We will of course put contingency arrangements in place to ensure we can deal with people coming through the border as smoothly as possible."
John Cridland, director general of the Confederation of British Industries, said: "For PCS to go on strike on this key day beggars belief. For it to happen because of a vote by 11% of staff is simply outrageous."
But Labour MP John McDonnell, who chairs the PCS Parliamentary Group, said: "the government has brought this dispute on its own head".
Image caption More troops have been put on standby for possible security duties
East Midlands Trains drivers from the union Aslef plan to strike on 6-8 August in a row over pensions. But South West Trains staff have voted not to strike over the Olympics.
Prime Minister David Cameron insisted the Olympics would be safe and secure.
Speaking at a press conference in Afghanistan, he said: "I do not believe it will be right, I do not believe it will be justified."
Labour leader Ed Miliband also condemned the strike.
This week the National Audit Office said the UK Border Agency had laid off 1,000 more staff than intended and was having to hire extra people and increase overtime to meet its workload.
The PCS is one of the largest unions in the UK with around 250,000 public sector members.
PCS members at the Department for Transport have been taking industrial action over the past few weeks, while staff in other departments, including the ministries of defence and justice, are set to vote shortly on how to campaign against cuts.19.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard
Donald Trump is going where no Republican has gone for 20 years. He is losing the South to Hillary Clinton.
The latest NBC News/WSJ poll contained a stunning bit of data:
NBC/WSJ poll by region: Northeast, Clinton +14; Midwest, Clinton +15; South, Clinton +3; West, Clinton +12 — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) August 5, 2016
More data showing that Trump is doing poorly with everyone but conservatives, rural voters, and those over age 65:
NBC/WSJ poll by self-described ideology: liberals, Clinton +75; moderates, Clinton +23; conservatives, Trump +57 — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) August 5, 2016
NBC/WSJ Poll by neighborhood type: urban, Clinton +36; suburban, Trump +1; rural, Trump +23 — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) August 5, 2016
NBC/WSJ Poll by age: 18-34, Clinton +12; 35-49, Clinton +4; 50-64, Clinton +16; 65 and over, Trump +3 — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) August 5, 2016
The numbers showing Hillary Clinton doing well in the South are surprising until one considers the fact that Clinton is leading in Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. If she wins these states on Election Day, the former Sec. of State will split the South and break the decades old GOP stranglehold on the region.
The polls suggest that what is happening is more than post-convention bounce for Clinton. The broader electorate is beginning to tune in, just when Trump has self-destructed.
Democrats shouldn’t be planning any victory parties. In fact, these numbers should motivate Democrats to work twice as hard. The prize is out there for the taking, and in the worst case scenario, Donald Trump could lose the South.
If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:A funny thing happened on our way from school, from being the awkward ones, the picked-on ones, back in the day when it wasn’t yet a good thing to be the smartest person in the room.
“All of a sudden, geeks become cool,” writes blogger Michael Poh. “They are now admired by their peers for their superior intellectuality despite their perceived lack of sociability. Now we see the rise of ‘geek chic’ as celebrities like Justin Timberlake donned geeky fashion clothing and the inseparable geeky specs. Geeks like Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s Steve Jobs are now immensely rich, famous, and most importantly, worshiped by everyone else for their innovations.”
Wait, did he say “lack of sociability”? Well, that’s the stereotype, anyway, along with liking science fiction and fantasy and being fascinated by technology –perhaps to the exclusion of people.
But being an introvert is cool now, too. Geeky introverts are clamoring — quietly, of course — to have their own strengths recognized in a world of extroverts. “You can ‘lean back’ and use your natural strengths of keen observation and listening to assess the environment and people and make powerful meaningful one on one connections and conversations,” Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference, tells Forbes. “It’s not always about being the loudest or the first to speak up.”
Geeks are seizing their power.
Look at how many of the year’s top films are on science fiction and fantasy themes. Despicable Me, Man of Steel, Monsters U, Gravity, Oz the Great and Powerful, Star Trek Into Darkness, World War Z, the Croods, Thor, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Only one non-geek movie (Fast and Furious 6) is even in the top 10. And the top movie of the year? The biggest geek of them all, Tony Stark, the guy with an engineering lab in his basement, in Iron Man 3.
The weekend before Thanksgiving was the uber geek fest, the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, featuring worldwide simulcasts of the “Day of the Doctor” episode on television and in movie theatres (including some in 3D), some of which were unadvertised and still sold out in half an hour. “Add a live simulcast pre-and post-show event that unfolded online and on TV, as well as a massive social media campaign, and you got record-breaking television ratings around the world, including 2.4 million viewers on BBC America (which increased to 3.6 million following an encore screening later in the day),” writes Liz Shannon Miller for GigaOm. Showings of “Day of the Doctor” earned more money per screen than Catching Fire, because so many of them were sold out.
All this for a TV show that was originally so cheap that its evil villains were spray-painted cardboard because that’s all the BBC could afford.
And the shift to embracing geekdom isn’t just happening in the movies and on TV. As country artist Brad Paisley describes in his song “Welcome to the Future,” we’re all doing things that would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago, like being able to play Pac-Man on our phones. Those same phones, incidentally, have more computing power than NASA had to send astronauts to the moon, and everyone takes it as a matter of course.
Being a geek is becoming mainstream. Even — dare we say it — cool.
But only if we geeks allow it to happen.
“Ever since IT departments emerged from the back room of mainframes and card feeders and into the boardrooms of executive leadership and strategic imperatives, IT leaders have struggled to shake the image of taped glasses and social awkwardness,” writes Stephen Fishman in CMSwire, describing the fruitlessness of “making” IT “cool” in the enterprise. “Coolness is not a destination at all. Coolness, like happiness and fulfillment, comes from within. Coolness is a state of mind.”
In other words, you don’t have to do anything to become cool. You are cool. Accept your inner coolness. Carpe geekdom, y’all.Updated: 10 April, 2017
Welcome to the first in an irregular series featuring people, places and experiences that are off the beaten backpacker and tourist trails. Today’s post showcases a few of these hidden gems from my old back yard, the South Island of New Zealand.
I hope you get the chance to enjoy them – but don’t tell the locals I sent you, they might well prefer to keep these places to themselves!
Around the Marlborough Sounds
The bays and coves of the Marlborough Sounds in the northeast of the island are glimpsed by thousands of travellers who utilise the inter-island ferries between Picton and Wellington each year, but explored by relatively few.
With some of the best weather in the country, dozens of empty beaches and trails, accommodation ranging from cheap campsites and hostels to luxury lodges (with price tags to match), and gorgeous views around every corner, it’s easy to spend several days in the area – especially if you have your own car or dirt bike.
If you’re feeling energetic, the best way to see the ‘sounds’ is to leave the motorised transport behind and travel under your own steam. Sea kayaks can be hired from a multitude of companies, and group kayaking tours are also popular. The 71km Queen Charlotte Track can be hiked in four or five days, and outside peak times, the entire length can be travelled by mountain bike as well. Bike hire and backpack transfer services are available.
It’s a beautiful spot and surprisingly under-touristed. Get there before everyone else finds out about it!
Molesworth Station
For a taste of the New Zealand high country, take a trip through Molesworth Station, the largest farm in the country. Owned and operated by the Crown, public access is permitted during the summer months to the two unsealed routes that run through the station from Hanmer Springs to St Arnaud, via a partial toll road in one direction, and ultimately to Blenheim in the other.
This rugged landscape climbs from 550m above sea level to over 2000m, and contains both the highest point on a public NZ road (Island Saddle, 1347m), and the highest homestead occupied year-round (900m). You’ll need to take things slowly, and check your insurance policy if you’re driving a rental car -– the roads are narrow, winding and unsealed, unsuitable for large vehicles and only open during daylight hours.
Lakes Sedgemere and Tennyson are both great spots to stop for a picnic lunch and a toilet break, with several protected species of flora and fauna in the area.
Day hikes and longer mountain bike trips are also possible with basic hut accommodation along the route, as is a 200+ km rafting trip (run by various adventure tourism companies), horse trekking, and hunting and fishing. The ultimate attraction of Molesworth, though, is the isolation and seeing nature at work in the craggy hills and valleys carved out by ice-age glaciers.
Ghosts and Gold in St Bathans
The old buildings in tiny St Bathans (population: very few) in Central Otago serve as reminders of the gold rush days of 1860s, when thousands of hopefuls descended on the region seeking their fortune. Declining almost as quickly as it rose to prominence, the town has changed little in 150 years, and would today be just another historical oddity if it weren’t for two notable features: the Blue Lake, and the haunted Vulcan Hotel.
The lake was originally the 120m high Kildare Hill, until vigorous mining activities levelled the land. There was no stopping there, however, and commercial mining didn’t finish until the former hill was a hole in the ground nearly 70m deep that threatened to undermine the entire township. Natural drainage from the surrounding hills soon filled the hole, creating a scenic, brightly-coloured lake ideal for kayaking, wakeboarding, and cooling off during the hot Otago summers.
It’s pretty hard to miss the Vulcan Hotel. Chances are it’ll be the only building with anybody in it as you wander up the main, and only, street. It’s the perfect place to have a cold beer and to enjoy the company of the locals, including an infamous ghost reputed to haunt one of the rooms. A kettle that boils itself, mysterious shadows and bumps in the night, sudden chills — if you choose to spend the night in room one, there’s a good chance it’ll be a night you’ll never forget…
Banks Peninsula
Check out any map of New Zealand. See that blob that sticks out in the middle of the South Island? That’s Banks Peninsula, and it’s one of those spots that despite being so close to a major city (Christchurch) seems to get very little in the way of tourist traffic. If you take the road to Akaroa — the biggest town on the peninsula — out of the equation, you could probably count the number of rental cars and campervans you’d see on one hand, even in the height of summer. It’s a well-kept secret, that’s for sure.
The little-known French heritage of this part of the country is reflected in the names of some of the bays and villages — Le Bons Bay, Duvauchelle and French Farm — as well as the buildings and streets of Akaroa, while Maori placenames such as Wainui and Takamatua remind of its importance to the local Ngai Tahu people.
For a quick side trip from Christchurch, take Dyers Pass Road up and over the Port Hills, then follow the curves of Lyttelton Harbour as the road winds around through several small townships as far as Diamond Harbour and Purau before the tarmac runs out. There’s no better spot on a sunny day than the pub at Godley Head, where you can enjoy a meal and a couple of cold ones on the lawn that slopes all the way down to the water.
If you’d prefer a longer break, spend the weekend in the boutiques and galleries |
4.
Bizarrely, the councillor who exposed a possible criminal offence has been subjected to criticism for doing so by other councillors including the council leader, Dick Walsh, who wrote to Breslin calling his decision to name McIntyre an “unnecessary, callous and totally unacceptable action”.
Other councillors in the administration supported this view, but one non-administration councillor told The National: “Michael is coming under a lot of attacks again from the administration because has released the FOI information, the wagons are circling and deflection is the name of the game with attempts to shoot the messenger and deflect from the crime committed. “I really don’t believe the emails I am seeing just now … to close ranks and defend a man who has committed a criminal offence and covered it up and is still doing so.
“What a wonderful example of standards in public life – no wonder councillors are held in such contempt by the wider public.”
Breslin said: “I find it very odd that so many people would now want to support someone who had possibly committed a crime, and it makes me wonder if they have known about this for a long time and the comments now are part of cover-up.”
The National sent a list of questions to every senior official and every councillor in Argyll and Bute Council. They included: “Was Cllr McIntyre aware of the arrears before voting in 2013 and approving the council tax rate in 2014?
“Did any officer warn Cllr McIntyre beforehand that he was in arrears? At what point did the council become aware that Cllr McIntyre was in arrears at the time he voted, and did any officer of the council take the appropriate action?
“Has anyone at Argyll and Bute Council consulted or informed Police Scotland and/or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service about an apparent breach of the law? If so, when? If not, why not?
“Has this matter been discussed formally or informally by the leadership of the council, both elected and serving officers?”
No reply had been received by the time The National went to press, and there was no reply to our call to McIntyre’s home number.Nearly 37.8 million Americans watching at home viewed President Barack Obama's oath of office and inaugural speech between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET on January 20, 2009. This is the most viewed inauguration since the record of 41.8 million viewers who watched Ronald Reagan's 1981 inauguration.
This is the first inaugural since Nielsen began tracking time-shifted viewing, and this year's data is based on Live + Same Day, meaning incremental viewing during the same broadcast day is included.
Download the complete report.
President Date HH Rating Households Viewers P2+ Barack Obama January 20, 2009 -Tues 25.5 28,906,061 37,793,008 Ronald Reagan January 20, 1981-Tue 37.4 29,100,000 41,800,260 Richard Nixon January 20, 1969 - Mon 33.5 18,870,000 27,007,700 Jimmy Carter January 20, 1977-Thu 31.5 22,430,000 34,127,090 Richard Nixon January 20, 1973-Sat 28.5 18,470,000 32,950,900 Bill Clinton January 20, 1993-Wed 24.5 22,758,111 29,721,041 Ronald Reagan January 20, 1985-Sun 22.3 18,925,556 25,053,886 George W. Bush January 20, 2001-Sat 20.8 21,346,400 29,008,200 George H.W. Bush January 20, 1989-Fri 20 18,106,000 23,316,325 Bill Clinton January 20, 1997-Mon 17.1 16,515,000 21,583,000 George W. Bush January 20, 2005-Thu 11.8 12,928,709 15,536,652
RELATED: Nielsen Online traffic data for News, Current Event, and Video Streaming on Inauguration Day.Jan 2, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center Kosta Koufos (41) during warmup before the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings won 142-119. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA offseason is getting into its early stages and the Sacramento Kings are predicted to make some moves regarding their player personnel.
One of the concerns that the Kings may address this Summer is their frontcourt.
Right now the Kings group of big men consists of Willie Cauley-Stein, Kosta Koufos, and of course DeMarcus Cousins. Right now all these three players are under contract going forward with the franchise, but should the Kings consider trading one of the three, particularly Kosta Koufos.
In his first season with the Kings, Koufos primarily played the role of the backup big man who made a handful of appearances in the starting lineup. In the 78 games (14 starting) where he put on a Sacramento Kings uniform, the former Ohio State Buckeye averaged 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He also recorded an FG% of 53.2% from the floor and a PER (Player Efficiency Rating) of 15.15, which was ranked 6th among his teammates.
Express Yourself
So Kings fans, we want to hear from you. Do you think that Kosta Koufos should remain with the Kings going forward? Or do you think it would be beneficial for Vlade Divac and crew to deal him this summer?
To express your perspective on the issue, feel free to partake in our survey that is currently up on our Twitter account.
Should the Sacramento Kings put Kosta Koufos on the trading block? — A Royal Pain (@ARoyalPain) June 7, 2016
Rafe’s Thoughts
The numbers don’t shout it out, but I think Koufos had a solid season considering the circumstances he had to face.
I thought he fulfilled the expectations fans had for him on the offensive end and although defensively he wasn’t as stout as he was previously with the Memphis Grizzlies I believed that was more of the result of the team whose defense allowed the most points in the NBA this season.
Unless it was a package deal in where the Kings would gain a for-sure asset in return, I would not trade Koufos. I think the group of Koufos, Cauley-Stein, and Cousins is a solid group of bigs that will continue to improve as the team moves forward.
Plus, with Dave Joerger as the new coach for the Kings, it will only benefit Koufos. Koufos played under Joerger for two seasons with the Grizzlies and because of that, it should not be a tough transition for Koufos heading into next season.An interesting Article...also interesting i how France has made this move against Israel.France has warned its citizens against taking part in any economic activity in the occupied Palestinian territories, saying this may entail legal risks because the Jewish settlements are illegal under international law.The warning is part of a joint act drafted by the five largest EU countries: Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain, Haaretz cited a French diplomat as saying.Italy and Spain are expected to issue similar warnings over the next few days, while the UK and Germany did so a few months ago.The move comes after the failure of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and also following massive protests against the construction of settlements across the EU.The notice by the French Foreign Ministry advises against investing, purchasing land, or engaging in economic activity in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights. It was published as part of recommendations for French people traveling to Israel.“Due to the fact that the settlements are illegal in international law, the performance of financial activity in the settlements such as money transfers, investments, acquisition of property, provision of supplies or the performance of any other economic activities that benefit the settlements involves risks,” the statement reads in French.The document also stated that the international community does not recognize the settlements as part of Israel, which could lead to “land disputes or disagreements regarding water, quarries or other natural resources.”“We call upon citizens or businesspeople who are considering becoming involved in economic activity in the settlements to seek appropriate legal advice before going ahead,” the statement adds.The warning from the French government is non-binding, so a French national who conducts financial activities in the settlements would not be breaking the law in France. However, over the last year, Europe’s private sector and Israeli businesses that work in the settlements have seen boycotts of their goods and services.The Dutch government has recently issued a similar warning to its citizens, with recommendations that products from the settlements on sale in supermarkets are to be marked. Shortly afterwards, the largest water company in The Netherlands declared that it was canceling a contract with Mekorot, Israel’s national water company.About a week ago, the Israeli Foreign Ministry asked its ambassadors across the EU to contact European foreign ministries, asking them to refrain from issuing the warnings.Source: RT NewsREDWOOD CITY (KPIX 5) — What sounds like the stuff of science fiction – killer robots – is a real threat, according to researchers. And now a Peninsula lawmaker is trying to do something about it.
Robots are buying our groceries, patrolling our streets, and even helping us navigate busy airports. Artificial intelligence is a part of our daily lives but San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa wants to pass laws to make sure these robots don’t become killer robots.
On Tuesday, Canepa introduced a resolution to ban, in his own words, “autonomous weapons, AKA, killer robots.” If the resolution is adopted, San Mateo County would be the first in the United States to urge Congress and the United Nations to restrict the development of weaponized robotic technology.
“As policy makers, for us to catch up with technology we ourselves have to be out in front of it,” said Canepa. “So that’s why we’re working on this issue.”
“Now is the time to act before we feel the threat is present,” said Dr. Todd Davies, Symbolic Systems Program Associate Director at Stanford University.
Davies has been working closely with University of California, Berkeley Professor of Computer Science Stuart Russell the man behind “Slaughterbots,” a video that went viral showing the damage autonomous drones could cause.
Both Davies and Russell are leading AI researchers and among the 3,400 researchers who recently signed an open letter calling for a ban on autonomous weapons. Russell also helped Canepa craft his proposed resolution.
“None of us will be safe even in our homes if autonomous weapons are allowed to proliferate,” said Davies.
“I believe in my heart of hearts this [resolution] is something we have to do,” said Canepa.
Supervisors continued Canepa’s resolution Tuesday. They will take it up again January 24.United Launch Alliance on Thursday laid off 87 people in Colorado as part of a broader workforce reduction the Centennial-based company announced earlier this year.
A total of 350 jobs were cut, 110 of which were layoffs in all job categories at ULA offices in Colorado, California, Texas, Alabama and Florida, spokeswoman Jessica Rye said.
Employees were notified Thursday morning.
ULA in April said it expected to cut 375 jobs. Rye said then that the company intended “to accomplish most, if not all of the reductions via voluntary separation.” On Thursday she said the company had accepted 240 voluntary separations.
ULA, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, has been struggling to become more nimble and competitive as it battles upstarts, including Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for work launching satellites and vehicles to space.
In April, CEO Tory Bruno said the company likely will cut its workforce by an additional 400 to 500 people in 2017.
Rye said departing employees will receive a compensation package valued above current industry standards.
Before the cuts, ULA employed about 3,400 people, about 1,500 who worked in Colorado.For more evidence of the astounding pace of growth in Toronto, one need look no further than the past two days of city council, which approved 18 new buildings in the downtown, including three office towers.
The development bonanza works out to 755 additional storeys, or 6,887 units — more fuel for the “Manhattanization” of Canada’s largest city.
Chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat called the amount of work her department has processed “mind blowing” and “astronomical,” noting that it comes in addition to the 70,000 units already approved and in the pipeline to be constructed across the city.
Downtown Toronto, she noted, is growing four times faster than the rest of the city and has a quarter of all of the office development in Canada. The three office towers on Front Street and King Street West come after a concerted effort by the city to speed up approvals for commercial projects.
“Quite frankly, the development industry is just waiting for cranes to become available, they’re waiting to be able to get the construction workers available to actually build their projects,” said Ms. Keesmaat.
For anyone jockeying for space on the sidewalks, streets and streetcars of the core, the obvious question is, can Toronto handle all this growth?
“Absolutely, yes,” said Ms. Keesmaat, who has worked in cities across North America that are “desperate” for the kind of activity that Toronto is experiencing.
“The biggest challenge from my perspective is that there are investments that are needed, in the public realm, in transit, in park space, that are going to be essential moving forward in the future, if we’re going to maintain the quality of life we have today,” she said.
To that end, the city is undertaking a study of the core that is looking at all infrastructure, from sewage to daycares, to ensure the services are there to accommodate the population growth.
Ms. Keesmaat stressed it’s crucial for the city to build a downtown relief line because it will help relieve the crowded Yonge line, noting that regional transit lines — such as John Tory’s proposed SmartTrack line, although Ms. Keesmaat stressed she was not commenting on mayoral platforms — are just as critical but address different issues. In the core, most people bike or walk to get around, and those are much less expensive projects to contemplate, she said.
The city also secured two large parks in the past two days, totalling 5.3 acres, and approved several mixed-use buildings.
St. Paul’s Councillor Joe Mihevc called for “creative” solutions to manage the growth, which he said is happening at an “alarming rate.”
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who represents the downtown ward 27, used less strident language, noting that there are intentions to build more affordable housing, and expand park land. Her ward, for example, secured in this council meeting $37-million from so-called “section 37” fees that developers pay for community enhancements in exchange for more density.
“We’re responding to it as it comes in. At the same time we are also hearing from residents that we don’t necessarily raise property taxes. So, you cannot necessarily build more community facilities only on the back of section 37,” she said.
Mr. Mihevc said the city couldn’t arrest the rate of growth even if it wanted to, adding that Toronto would be overruled by the Ontario Municipal Board if it tried to impose a moratorium on development in the core. Ms. Keesmaat concurred that there would be “a variety of legal issues” to consider before imposing such a ban, but insisted it’s not necessary.
“I believe we’re still pretty far off from being in the situation where we would want to actually [press] the pause button,” she said.
National Post
• Email: nalcoba@nationalpost.com | Twitter: nataliealcobaAs Jalopnik first reported this morning, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has booted Donald Trump from the driver's seat of the pace car for the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 after fans complained he was too politically motivated.Update!
A source affiliated with the race told us a meeting was held this morning to determine precisely how the Indy speedway folks will enforce the decision. The choices included replacing Trump outright with another celebrity pace car driver, asking him to pull out or keeping Trump involved with the race, but change the pace car to another Chevrolet vehicle and bring on another driver to drive it.
The move comes after widespread negative response from fans and outsiders. A Facebook group founded by Indianapolis attorney Michael Wallack devoted to bumping Trump has already grown to over 17,000 supporters within a few weeks. Wallack and others say the race doesn't need the spotlight Trump lugs with him. Trump's controversy-seeking also had no upside for the speedway or its corporate backers, including Izod and Chevrolet.
Although a Trump spokesman earlier today said he had no plans to withdraw, Trump did just that, saying it would be "inappropriate" while he was considering an official announcement of running for president:
Trump says he won't bow out of Indy 500 A spokesperson for Donald Trump, in response to the movement to replace him as pace car driver for… Read more Read
I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there, especially with the necessary practice sessions, impossible to fulfill.
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Because when you think of refraining from public appearances, Donald Trump immediately comes to mind; and getting yourself in front of millions of voters in an important swing state for free is a big impediment to a presidential campaign.
A replacement will be announced soon.Alabama Governor Agrees to Allow Syrian Refugees Who Can Run a Sub-4.5 40
SportsPickle Blocked Unblock Follow Following Nov 18, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama governor Robert Bentley reversed his stance today on stopping Syrian refugees from entering the state, saying Alabama would be a “safe harbor to all refugees who prove they can run a sub-4.5 40 and have college eligibility left.” Bentley’s change of mind comes after heavy lobbying efforts from Alabama head coach Nick Saban, the state’s highest-paid employee.
“After careful consideration, I felt that it wasn’t fitting with American ideals to just ban an entire group of people who are being persecuted, no questions asked,” said Gov. Bentley. “Yet there has to be a middle ground. And that middle ground is adding some speed at the skill positions.”
Saban told Bentley in a phone call yesterday that he could take an athletic Syrian who hasn’t been coached any bad habits previously and make him into a contributing player in one year.
“That was all I needed to hear,” said the governor. “If we can open up the recruiting pipeline to Syria, and then to the Middle East and the entire Arab world, Alabama could be the top school for millions of four and five-star kids. Let other states take their best and brightest, or even Syrians who are truly in need, if they want. In Alabama, we’ll focus on the fastest and strongest. We’re not trying to be the world’s savior. We’re trying to win national titles.”
Starting today, Alabama will begin processing Syrian refugees in Tuscaloosa. Men, women and children will be put through an NFL combine-style test to see if they will be allowed permanent entry. All those who don’t pass muster will be sent over the border to Mississippi.
Gov. Bentley insisted that he doesn’t feel there is any security threat in allowing speedy Syrian refugees.
“Security threat? The only threat I see is the hopes of any other state winning a national title,” he said, high-fiving reporters.Asian carp. (Photo: Marlin Levison/AP)
Don’t buy a lottery ticket. There is a better way to get rich. All you have to do is invent a solution to the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes.
The state of Michigan has a $1 million prize purse for anyone who comes up with “new and innovative solutions to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes.” The money could be awarded to a single brilliant idea or shared among several genius innovators.
Apparently, lawmakers, the governor’s office and the Department of Natural Resources didn’t get my first two proposals.
The first remains the most obvious one — which is why I probably don’t deserve the million bucks: Close down the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, fill it with sand and permanently separate the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin where invasive bighead, silver and black carp are already established and already wreaking havoc on the environment.
Read more:
The argument against that plan has been that it would add to transportation costs for some Chicago-area businesses and maybe have a negative affect on the region’s economy.
As the DNR’s Michigan Invasive Carp Challenge website points out, letting the carp through and into Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes would threaten a $7 billion fishing industry and about $38 billion in water recreation and tourism activity. Those numbers make Chicago’s resistance seem sort of petty.
Many canal critics figured patching the canal wouldn’t happen while Chicago native Barack Obama was president. Maybe Donald Trump will win the $1 million prize.
But even the Michigan DNR says, “Preventing further movement of silver and bighead carp is the best, most cost-effective way to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem and valuable recreational economies from these invasive species.” They can’t fly. Close the canal.
Actually, they can sort of fly, but not that far. Airborne 100-pound invasive pests are part of the reason we don’t want them in the Great Lakes. The real damage they do is below the surface, though, where they out-compete native species, eat everything that isn’t bolted down and destroy fishery habitats.
My second idea would probably be more expensive than the Invasive Cart Challenge’s $1 million prize, but would be cheap compared to losing those fisheries, recreation and tourism billions.
Lansing should use the revenue windfall it expects this year to put a bounty on Asian carp. It worked for wolves. Michigan had bounties on rats, English sparrows and starlings as recently as 2000.
Anglers in Illinois and Indiana have been advocating for a $10-a-head bounty on bighead, silver and black carp. Given the right incentive, American anglers can do the same thing to Asian carp that the Chinese have — wiped them out in the wild. The only bighead and silver carp in Asia are grown at fish farms.
Maybe $10 each is too low. Still, at $20 each, anglers would have to kill 350 million of them to match the $7 billion value of the Great Lakes fishery.
The precise details of the Invasive Carp Challenge are not yet final, so you still have time to come up with an idea better than mine. That shouldn’t be difficult.
To read more and to get on the Carp Challenge mailing list, go to the DNR’s website at http://bwne.ws/2iPrLbZ.
Contact Michael Eckert at meckert@gannett.com, 810-989-6264, on Facebook @michaeleckert or on Twitter @michaeleckert.
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2jF2oOdFRESNO — A magician who compared himself to the legendary Harry Houdini and had himself buried inside a plastic-and-glass coffin for a Halloween night escape trick was killed when the coffin collapsed under tons of dirt and wet cement.
Joseph Burrus, 32, a recovering drug addict, was performing the stunt at a local amusement park, Blackbeard's Family Fun Center, when the coffin unexpectedly collapsed.
As trick-and-treaters watched in shock, rescuers frantically dug Burrus out but were unable to reach him in time.
"I consider myself a master of illusion and escape artist," Burrus said before the stunt. "I believe I'm the next Houdini and greater."
Harry Houdini, considered the master of escape artists, died on Halloween night in 1926.
Burrus had done the escape-from-the-buried-casket stunt successfully a year ago in Oregon using only dirt over the coffin.
Wednesday night, wearing a white tuxedo, Burrus was handcuffed, wrapped in chains, locked inside the see-through coffin and then lowered into a seven-foot-deep hole.By Moni Basu, CNN
(CNN) - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has apologized for "a serious breach of protocol" in which the parents of the late Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal were posthumously baptized as Mormons.
The church also acknowledged that three relatives of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel were entered into the genealogy database, though not referred for baptism.
Asher Wiesenthal and Rosa Rapp were baptised in proxy ceremonies in temples in Utah and Arizona, according to the database records discovered by researcher Helen Radkey in Salt Lake City.
The Wiesenthal baptisms violated a 1995 pact in which the church agreed to stop baptizing Jewish Holocaust victims.
"We sincerely regret that the actions of an individual member of the church led to the inappropriate submission of these names," said church spokesman Michael Purdy.
"These submissions were clearly against the policy of the church. We consider this a serious breach of our protocol and we have suspended indefinitely this person's ability to access our genealogy records."
Mormons believe that they may be baptized by proxy for deceased ancestors who never had that opportunity.
Church members, however, are supposed to request such baptisms only for their own relatives, Purdy said.
The agreement over Holocaust victims came about after it was discovered that hundreds and thousands of names had been entered into Mormon records.
Jewish leaders said it was sacrilegious for Mormons to suggest Jews on their own were not worthy enough to receive God's eternal blessing. Radkey, who has been tracking Mormon genealogy records for a while for people who ought not to be there, said she inadvertently stumbled upon the Wiesenthal name a few weeks ago. Among others people she discovered had been baptized by proxy is President Barack Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center denounced the baptisms.
Wiesenthal's father died in combat in World War I. His mother perished at the Belzec concentration camp in 1942. Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal died in 2005 after spending years hunting down Nazis.
"We are outraged that such insensitive actions continue in the Mormon Temples," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, who participated in many of the high-level meetings between Jews and Mormon officials.
"Such actions make a mockery of the many meetings with the top leadership of the Mormon Church dating back to 1995 that focused on the unwanted and unwarranted posthumous baptisms of Jewish Victims of the Nazi Holocaust," he said in a written statement.
He expressed gratitude to Radkey for "exposing the latest outrage."
Radkey also found the names of relatives of Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, author and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
"In this case, the Wiesel family names were not submitted for baptisms but simply entered into a genealogical database," Purdy said. "Our system would have rejected those names had they been submitted."
Purdy said it was "distressing" that church members had violated policy and regretted that "an offering based on love and respect becomes a source of contention."
Radkey said the church makes such breaches possible because any member can submit a name not connected to their own family.
"There are way too many entries slipping through the cracks, including Jewish Holocaust victims," she said. "It's (the Mormons') belief to save the dead that is causing the problem."
Wiesel, meanwhile, told the Huffington Post that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who is Mormon, should speak to his own church and tell them to stop the practice of proxy baptisms on Jews.The grant application deadline is January 15, 2017
Apply here.
Since the inception of the Institute for Anarchist Studies in 1996, the grant program has been a central project. By awarding grants to radical writers and translators around the world — many of whom work without the support of academic institutions, and are connected in important ways to the movements about which and for which they write — the IAS has tried to support the development of the theoretical tools necessary for critiquing the systems of domination in which we are enmeshed as well as proliferating resistances and alternatives to these systems in order to maximize freedom, justice, and dignity.
The IAS usually grants $2,000 annually to writers and translators treating themes of significance to the development of contemporary anarchist theory and practice. Approximately two to four projects are awarded between $250 and $1,000 in our yearly funding round. Applications for are due on January 15, 2017, by midnight EST; late applications will not be accepted for that round. The IAS also provides editorial assistance to the grant recipients, who generally commit to completing their projects in the six months following their award. Moreover, the IAS publishes many of the finished essays in its print and/or online journal Perspectives on Anarchist Theory, or in some cases, as part of its Anarchist Interventions book series, among other publishing projects.
Our next deadline is: January 15, 2017, by midnight EST.
Funding Priorities
The IAS encourages theoretical work that develops an antiauthoritarian critique of dominant social structures, and the exclusion and marginalization they yield. In addition, the IAS supports scholarship that nurtures the ideal of a democratic, cooperative, and ecological society, and aids in the creation of a politics to realize that vision. The IAS also funds historical works insofar as they help challenge the historical consciousness prevailing in our society and renew the exploration of suppressed possibilities of social development.
The IAS awards grants to writers and translators who embrace the broad antiauthoritarian and utopian views characteristic of the anarchist tradition (whether or not they describe themselves as anarchists), and whose work connects to the larger project of social transformation and the creation of a public intellectual culture. Clear financial need on the part of applicants is a key consideration, along with the grant applicant’s writing skills, ability to complete their essay, political and intellectual experiences, and publishing plans.
The IAS prioritizes work from people who are reflecting on struggles and organizing in which they participate. We welcome applications from people who do not think of themselves as writers and who are not rooted in university contexts. We especially encourage women, queer people, people of color, working-class people, people with disabilities, grassroots activists, and others often excluded from scholarly life to apply.
For more information, visit our FAQs page, or contact us directly.
AdvertisementsWrestling fans eager to play the newly released WWE 2K15 video game were unanimously annoyed today to discover that every gaming session begins with a droning, over-long promo by a digital avatar of Triple-H.
With wife and co-member of The Authority, Stephanie McMahon, grinning smugly by his side, Triple-H opens every gaming session with an interminable diatribe about what’s “best for business.”
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No amount of button-mashing will allow players to skip the promos, which mandatorily unfold at the beginning of every gameplay session, even if the player is resuming a saved game.
There are three different Triple-H built into the game, but each of them is essentially a variation on the same theme: The Authority will do what’s best for business, because the fans are too dumb to know what they really want.
The only recourse players have is to quickly press the controller’s trigger buttons, which causes the in-game audience to chant “What?!” after each line of Triple-H’s monologue (but that only causes him to blather on for longer).
Once the gamer is finally able to play a match, the game goes to an automatic two-minute commercial break.
Early reviewers rave that it’s the most realistic WWE game yet.The former chair of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) believes the agency is doomed to fail because the three Republicans on the six-member panel have no interest in carrying out its mission — to ensure that the electoral process remains fair, open, and free of corruption and bribery.
“What we now have is people who don’t believe in the law and don’t believe in the purpose of the Federal Election Commission as it was enacted,” Commissioner Ann Ravel told WhoWhatWhy in an exclusive interview.
In Washington’s hyper-partisan environment, where compromise is considered weakness, the FEC seems set up to fail. No more than three members of the panel can come from the same party, which practically speaking means that either bloc can obstruct on any issue it wants. But while the commission used to be able to at least get some work done, dysfunction now rules the day.
Ravel, who chaired the commission last year and is now again a regular member, is blunt in blaming the on-going impasse on her Republican colleagues. In May, she told the New York Times that, with the FEC in self-destruct mode, she didn’t see any likelihood of the federal election laws actually being enforced.
Not surprisingly, this high-level dysfunction has devastated morale at the agency. In October, a survey of federal employees rated job satisfaction at the FEC extremely low.
Ravel told WhoWhatWhy that the three Republican appointees to the FEC are opposed to the legislatively prescribed mission of the agency. “It’s because of the ideological views of the [GOP] bloc… that nothing happens.”
She has little hope that the FEC can straighten itself out. But that hasn’t stopped her from trying. Ravel started off her year as chair (the chairmanship rotates among commissioners annually) by inviting employees to participate in a forum on how to improve working conditions at the agency.
“I wanted to have more [forums] but my fellow commissioners refused to agree to pay for it,” complained Ravel. “We had to pay a couple thousand dollars at a theater down the street to hold all the staff and they refused to pay for it.”
To raise employee spirits, Ravel spent her own money to throw a mariachi party with a live band for the staff. The rest of the commissioners had balked at using agency funds for such morale-building — despite the fact that the FEC showed a budget surplus at the end of the year. (One reason for the surplus, of course, was the agency’s inability to mount a full range of investigations or enforcement actions.)
Ravel insists that rank-and-file employees believe in the Commission’s mission: “They came here because they think it’s important work — and it is important work. It’s hugely important work.”
The FEC is supposed to ensure that political candidates, parties and committees follow federal election laws when they raise money, spend it and disclose where it came from. However, with more and more money flowing into politics each election cycle, the agency is increasingly overwhelmed.
One symptom of the FEC’s deep dysfunction is its inability — or, as Ravel claims, refusal — to fill vacant positions. This extends well past replacing the commissioners whose terms have expired.
Since 2013, the agency has been unable to hire a replacement for the post of general counsel, which would seem like an essential job for an agency tasked with legal enforcement. In August, under Ravel’s tenure as chair, Daniel Petalas was hired as acting counsel, but the job still lacks a permanent appointee.
For another perspective on the FEC’s problems, WhoWhatWhy reached out to Larry Noble, who held the position of general counsel at the FEC until 2000 and now works for the Campaign Legal Center, an election watchdog group.
“It just shows a total lack of respect for the staff,” Noble said, about the Commission’s leaving the post of general counsel vacant.
“That reflects an outlook that they’re not looking for the best person,” Noble told WhoWhatWhy. “They’re looking for a person who both sides feel will do what they want them to do, and since the commissioners can’t agree on what to do, it makes it very difficult.”
During Noble’s 13 years at the FEC (1987-2000), in-fighting among the politically divided commissioners had already become a problem. Noble said that one of the reasons he resigned was the persistent meddling of the commissioners in the day-to-day work of the staff.
“Some of the commissioners, and it tended to be the Republican commissioners, didn’t want to hear from the office of general counsel. They would say things like, ‘Well, we know what the law is, and we don’t need your advice,’” Noble said.
Referring to the almost total paralysis that partisanship has brought to the FEC Commissioner Ravel said change can only come from outside.
“I think a public outcry is what will cause the change, and more public involvement in the political process,” Ravel told WhoWhatWhy. “Understanding that [we] need to hold our elected officials accountable.”
“The problem of the FEC has to do in part with how the appointments have been made,” Ravel said. “In many cases those appointments have been ceded to the majority leaders and minority leaders in Congress to choose.” That’s a problem because, for example, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the current Senate majority leader, “has explicitly said on many occasions that he does not believe in campaign finance rules.”
Related front page panorama photo credit: Adapted by WhoWhatWhy from Fox (peggycadigan / Flickr – CC BY 2.0)
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Our Comment Policy Keep it civilized, keep it relevant, keep it clear, keep it short. Please do not post links or promotional material. We reserve the right to edit and to delete comments where necessary. Related printWhen Nintendo unveiled an infographic of confirmed games coming to the Switch eShop in 2017, we searched for information and shared a breakdown of all the new names that could be seen. Four of those titles now have a confirmed publisher - PLAYDIUS.
It's a new Indie publisher "which will focus on publishing and marketing Indie games across all platforms"; it's confirmed it'll be at booth #11124 at PAX East, too.
Our previously written profiles on the four games the studio is bringing to Switch are below.
sU and the Quest for meaning - Developed by Guillaume Bouckaert and familiar from Indie Jam events, this is a stylised 'endless hardcore platformer'.
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NeuroVoider - From Flying Oak Games, this is a twin-stick shooter 'RPG' that you can play in "coop with up to 4 friends, or go alone in an adventure of hack'n'slash rampage, with a pinch of rogue-lite, and some permadeath". This seemed to make a good impression on PC and other consoles last year.
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Pankapu - A title that's previously arrived on Steam in episodic form and seems to have been well received, it's a "n |
all worked immediately after installation – no drivers or other software required.
As with previous versions, Gutsy Gibbon ships as a "live CD," which means you can boot from your DVD drive and test Ubuntu without touching your existing system. If you like what you see, committing to Ubuntu is just a matter of clicking "Install." From there, Ubuntu will lead you through the process of installing the OS.
If you choose to dual boot with Windows, you can tell Ubuntu to import all your settings and files. This is what most new Ubuntu users will be doing, so I tried it. Including the importing, installation took under 20 minutes.
My testing was done on a Toshiba laptop using the final release candidate for Gutsy Gibbon. Canonical says that, if all goes well, there will be no difference between the candidate and Thursday's final release.
Once Ubuntu was installed, it rebooted, immediately recognized my laptop's Wi-Fi card and automatically joined my local network using my imported settings. It even defaulted to Wi-Fi Protected Access encryption, something that required additional configuration in previous versions.
Music management is good enough with the built-in Rhythmbox player, though I did have to install additional codecs to get MP3 and Windows Media Audio support. However, the process has been improved since Feisty Fawn, the 7.04 release. Rhythmbox imported all my music from a Windows XP partition without issues, and had no trouble uploading music to my iPod Shuffle.
DVD playback was a slightly different story. The Totem media player, Ubuntu's default DVD player, lacked the necessary codecs out of the box, but helpfully offered to fetch them. Unfortunately, even after the codecs were installed, I was unable to get any of my Netflix DVDs to play.
This isn't a new experience, as I was never able to get DVDs to play under either of the previous two versions of Ubuntu using Totem. Luckily, finding and installing the more robust MPlayer DVD player through the Add/Remove programs panel is easy, and DVD playback in MPlayer worked without a hitch.
When it comes to finding and installing applications, the Add/Remove Programs feature in Ubuntu surpasses both Windows and Mac OS X.
Whereas Windows and Mac users usually need to comb the web for popular applications for their newly installed systems, Linux users simply turn to the package management program, which makes it easy to browse and install software without scouring Google. Open up Install/Remove Applications and you'll see all the available software listed in one easy-to-browse panel. Ubuntu will also inform you any time there are updates available – something that just isn't possible on Windows or a Mac without a third-party utility. There's also a similar component for installing add-ons in Firefox, Ubuntu's default web browser.
Other notable changes in Ubuntu 7.10 are the latest GNOME Desktop, which provides much improved drag-and-drop support to the user interface, and Compiz, the whiz-bang 3-D desktop effects package, which is enabled by default.
Ubuntu and the GNOME Desktop team have put considerable effort into improving the user experience for accessing many of Linux's under-the-hood options. A new graphical interface makes it much easier to make adjustments to monitor settings and set up a dual-monitor workstation – both of which previously required using the command line.
Beyond these key enhancements, Gutsy Gibbon incorporates some of Mac OS X's most useful desktop traits to improve the user experience. New to this release is fast user-switching, a mimic of the same feature in OS X for switching between user accounts without logging out. Another nod to Apple is the improved Spotlight-like applet designed to search the hard drive and act as an application launcher. Printing has also been overhauled, and each print dialog now features a default virtual "PDF printer" which allows any application to output PDF files, something Mac OS X users will recognize.
If you've been considering making the switch from Windows or Mac, Ubuntu makes the process painless. It's ability to seamlessly import your settings, music and data from a Windows partition erases one of the most pressing barriers for new users. And once you're in, the learning curve is minimal. In fact, besides requiring a little futzing to get multimedia playback set up, Gutsy Gibbon is about as easy as Linux gets.Story highlights A Canada-backed body is sponsoring health innovators to pursue creative ideas
The goal is to improve access to care in developing countries
Grants of $100,000 have been given to 68 projects, 38 of which will be implemented in Africa
Successful projects will be able to apply for funding of up to $1 million
Only innovation can reduce illness and poverty in Africa, according to a program that is funding creative approaches to healthcare in developing countries.
In countries such as Tanzania, where nearly 4,500 women die annually from the disease, the problem is exacerbated by an acute shortage of medical experts and a lack of quality screening services, especially in rural areas.
But now a group of Canadian and Tanzanian health innovators have joined forces to apply simple and safe mobile technologies to improve cervical cancer screening and thus potentially reduce mortality rates in the East African country.
The idea is to send teams of two trained non-physician healthcare workers in remote Tanzania to examine women living several hours away from health centers. The nurses, who will be equipped with cervical screening and treatment tools as well as standard smartphones, will take a photograph of the cervix with their phone and send it via SMS to a medical expert in a specialized clinic.
Trained doctors will then be able to review the image immediately and text the diagnosis back to the health worker, as well as give instructions about treatment.
"That's the beauty of it -- for early grade cancers, those will be able to be treated right in the field, right in the rural area," says Dr Karen Yeates, of Queen's University, Ontario, the principal investigator of The Kilimanjaro Cervical Screening Project
The effectiveness of the idea will be put to the test in the coming months as Yeates was named Thursday amongst the 68 innovators to receive $100,000 Canadian grants to pursue bold concepts for tackling health issues in developing countries.
In total, some $7 million has been awarded to 51 innovators in 18 low and middle-income countries, and to 17 Canadian projects, by Grand Challenges Canada, a group sponsoring breakthrough concepts to improve health in poor parts of the world. Thirty-eight of these projects will be implemented in Africa.
"This is probably the largest pipeline of innovation in global health from the developing world," says Peter Singer, chief executive of Grand Challenges Canada, which is funded by the Canadian government. "It shows that poor countries are very rich in ideas because talent is everywhere, opportunity is not, and what we are trying to do is to bring opportunity to talent to improve health."
Amongst the Africa-based projects is a new trading system in Kenya where researchers will create a barcoded vaccination card that people can redeem for farm seeds and fertilizer as part of efforts to encourage vaccination of children.
Benson Wamalwa, of the University of Nairobi, says the project "would powerfully incentivize parents to seek and adhere to their children's immunization schedule even when hard pressed financially to reach a distant vaccination center. The idea is a practical solution that would significantly boost small farm productivity and incomes for poor households while safeguarding the general health of children in farming villages through up-to-date immunizations."
Other programs include restoring native freshwater prawns in Senegal to eat the populations of snails that are responsible for the spreading of the parasitic disease schistosomiasis; paying youth in Uganda to collect and sort garbage and deliver it to a plant for conversion to fertilizer and biogas in order to improve sanitation; and anti-diarrhea kits for children hitching a ride on Coca-Cola's distribution chain to improve the availability of life-saving drugs
Grand Challenges Canada says it will repeat its Stars in Global Health program every six months, funding hundreds of projects over the coming years. It also plans to work with partners to provide scale-up funding of up to $1 million to those ideas that are proved to be successful so that they can have a bigger impact in a more sustainable way.
Singer says that many of the traditional approaches when it comes to aid have proved to be inadequate. Instead, he argues, fostering innovation and investing in the ideas of the people can be an effective exit strategy from poverty.
"There are only two ways for a country to develop, there's only two sources of wealth in the world," he says. "Either you mine the ground for resources and minerals, if you do that in a non-corrupt manner, or you mine the brains of your citizens for their bold ideas and help them to create social enterprises, to create businesses that can improve the local conditions in a broader scale."
He adds: "I do think that these innovators can help the problems of their community -- in fact, they are the only thing that can."Ministry investigates pills made of 'baby flesh' Updated: 2011-08-10 07:55 By Zhou Wenting and Liu Mingtai (China Daily)
BEIJING / CHANGCHUN - The Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that it has launched an investigation in the wake of a media report in South Korea about capsules from China - made from the flesh of dead babies - being used as stamina boosters.
Deng Haihua, spokesman of the ministry, said on Tuesday that the ministry has instructed its provincial agency in Jilin to look into the case.
Deng said China has strict management of disposal of infant and fetal remains as well as placentas.
"Any practice that handles the remains as medical waste is strictly prohibited," Deng said.
According to the country's regulations, medical institutions and their staff are prohibited from trading corpses.
The Global Times reported on Monday that SBS, one of the three major national television networks in South Korea, broadcast a documentary on Aug 6 about the appearance of capsules from China containing dead baby flesh.
According to the report, the TV program warned that some of the capsules were taken by Koreans.
The television team claimed to have been to China, found the hospital that sold the materials, and taken video of the manufacturing process.
It quoted insiders saying the "tonic" capsules are mainly sent to South Korea through members of the Korean ethnic group in China.
The ethnic group mainly inhabits Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang provinces.
A test from the national customs office and institute of scientific investigation in South Korea showed the content of the pills received by the television team was 99.7 percent identical with humans, the program said.
It was not reported which hospital or city in China the team visited.
Phone calls to Customs in Jilin went unanswered on Tuesday.
A professor at the Third Hospital of Jilin University said he has never heard of such cases in his two-decade career.
"It's hard to comment, because it looks like a rumor," said the professor, surnamed Zhang. "This is impossible from my professional judgment."
Three traditional Chinese medicine experts and obstetrics doctors in Beijing and Shanghai contacted by China Daily said they have never heard of such cases and it seemed senseless.
It has long been a folk tradition to eat placentas in China. Placentas are believed to make up sperm and support the sufficiency of blood in traditional Chinese medicine.
In China, placentas belong to mothers of newborns. Medical institutions will handle a placenta if a mother gives it up or donates it. Nobody is allowed to sell or buy placentas according to the regulation from the Ministry of Health.
China Daily
(China Daily 08/10/2011 page3)Flipping a water bottle
Bottle flipping was a trend that involved throwing a plastic water bottle, typically full or partially full of liquid, into the air so that it rotates, in an attempt to land it upright on its base or on its cap. It became an international trend as of summer in 2016, with numerous videos of people attempting the activity being posted online. With its popularity, the repetitive thuds of multiple attempts have been criticized as a distraction and a public nuisance. Parents and teachers have expressed frustration at the practice, resulting in water bottle flipping being banned at a number of schools around the world.[7]
History [ edit ]
In 2016, a viral video of a teenager, Michael Senatore, flipping a water bottle at a talent show at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina popularized the activity.[8][9][10] Senatore had started flipping water bottles the year prior in his chemistry class, and mastered the trick.[9] After his performance, the recorded video became a viral success; the trend spread across the rest of the world, but became less popular at the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018.[9]
Description [ edit ]
Water bottle flipping involves taking a plastic water bottle that is partially empty and holding it by the neck of the bottle.[6][8] Force is applied with a flick, with the bottom of the bottle rotating away from the person.[6][8] If performed successfully, the bottle will land upright.[8][9] Additionally, the bottle may land upside-down, or on its cap. Doing this is significantly more difficult than flipping a bottle so it lands upright.[11] The amount of fluid in the bottle greatly influences the success of the feat, and it has been shown empirically that filling the bottle about one-third of the way improves the rate of success.[6][8] The type of water bottle also plays a role; for instance, the brand Deer Park Spring Water has been noted to make the task easier due to its unique hourglass shape with a third divot.[9]
The feat is often performed with disposable plastic water bottles due to their availability, but other containers can be used as well.[1][12] The bottle flip is often combined with the Dab after a successful flip.The complex physics behind the activity incorporates concepts of fluid dynamics, projectile motion, angular momentum, centripetal force, and gravity.[6][13] In 2018, a group of students and professors from the Netherlands developed a minimal model of the water bottle flip involving conservation of angular momentum and, most importantly, the redistribution of mass along the bottle. The model estimates that the best filling fractions for water flipping lie in the range between 20% and 40%.[14]
Multiple mobile apps have been created to recreate the activity; the app "Bottle Flip 2k16", was downloaded 3 million times in the first month of its release.[15]
See also [ edit ]Time Warner’s Turner and Warner Bros. will test the subscription VOD waters for ‘toon fans with the launch of Boomerang, a service starting at $5 per month that will include more than 1,000 episodes of classic and current series.
The Boomerang service, which is ad-free, draws from the Warner Bros.-owned animation library of 5,000-plus titles from Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes and MGM. Shows on the service include “Looney Tunes,” “Scooby-Doo,” “Tom & Jerry,” “The Jetsons,” “Yogi Bear,” “Popeye” and “Magilla Gorilla.” The content will be updated weekly. (Boomerang’s library includes “The Flintstones,” but that show isn’t available at launch.)
The Netflix-style service doesn’t supersede the linear Boomerang TV channel, which Turner continues to distribute to pay-TV providers worldwide and includes many of the same titles. Rather, Turner positions the subscription VOD service as complementary to the product it sells to pay-TV providers.
The Boomerang SVOD service is the exclusive home for new episodes of three popular series: “Scooby-Doo,” “Looney Tunes” and “Tom & Jerry” — so those will not be airing on Boomerang TV. In addition, the service will host exclusive original series; the first are Warner Bros. Animation’s “Dorothy and the Wizard Of Oz,” a new spin on L. Frank Baum’s fantasy classic, and “Wacky Races,” a reboot of Hanna-Barbera’s slapstick-y road-rally series from the late ’60s.
Related Viacom's Sean Moran and Turner's Donna Speciale on TV Viewership Gavin O'Connor in Talks to Direct 'Fast' at Warner Bros. (EXCLUSIVE)
Boomerang is available only in the U.S. It is accessible on the web and via iOS and Android devices for $4.99 per month (with a seven-day free trial) or $39.99 annually (with a 30-day free trial). Turner expects to expand later to more platforms, including Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.
It’s the second direct-to-consumer OTT play for Turner: Last fall the cable programmer launched the Turner Classic Movie-managed FilmStruck, stocked with classic, foreign and indie movies. Warner Bros., meanwhile, a year ago acquired SVOD service DramaFever, which will power the Boomerang internet-video service and also handle customer service.
Other OTT services are expected from Warner Bros. Digital Networks, which in addition to DramaFever encompasses Machinima, Warner Instant Archive, Blue Ribbon Content and the digital components of the studio’s partnerships with Ellen DeGeneres and LeBron James.
Watch a promo video for the Booomerang SVOD service:A Genius Evolution: How Rap Genius Almost Collapsed Before It Got Started
Eric Rogers Blocked Unblock Follow Following Aug 2, 2017
Genius.com (formerly known as Rap Genius) is a site founded in 2009 dedicated to community sourced analyzation of lyrics, documents, and more. The site allows both members of the community and the artists themselves to take a deeper dive into lyrics on a line by line basis and break down details to the minutia to provide context.
Example of a lyrical annotation for Tyler, the Creator’s most recent project.
The ability to talk about and discuss lyrics with a critical eye differentiated it from its peers (shout out to AZ Lyrics, I remember printing out the lyrics to Lookin’ Boy from that site when I was in 7th grade), and gave Genius a unique place in the music community. In a way it also added validation to the art of rap by proving the level of detail and wordplay that may often go overlooked.
Over the last 2–3 years the site has expanded dramatically, however it wasn’t always the cultural cornerstone it is today. In fact, there were several bumps in the word they may have killed off a site with less resilience. But through rebranding, restructuring, and the ability to earnestly admit their mistakes Genius prevailed. So, let’s look at what almost killed them before they got started.
Google Goes After Genius
In 2012, just 3 years after its launch Rap Genius received a $15 million investment from Andreessen Horowitz. At this moment things were looking good for the site. They were having more artists verify the interpretation of their lyrics on the site and were looking to continue expanding. However, in 2013… for lack of a better phrase they pissed Google OFF. In December of 2013 Google de-indexed Rap Genius from its results. De-indexing means it became incredibly hard to find the site via a simple google search. Prior to the de-indexing, when you googled virtually any song followed by the term “lyrics” Rap Genius was at the top of the results. However, according to the website TechCrunch, following the de-indexing searching for the specific site “rap genius’ would prove a fruitless journey until the sixth page.
This kills websites.
When was the last time you went to the sixth page of Google for ANYTHING??
So, let’s take a look at why this happened. Before we talk about why, here’s some cursory information on the way Google ranks sites. Part of Google’s algorithms includes ranking websites based on perceived authenticity. One way that Google measures said authenticity is by giving priority to websites/links that are prevalent on sites outside of their own. For example, if say a clothing start up gets mentioned heavily on fashion blogs and on twitter, the SEO ranking for that website inevitably rises. It’s pretty simple, the more people are talking about you, the more prevalent you are.
Where Rap Genius went wrong was with this email.
Essentially Rap Genius was offering to promote links to blogs in exchange for said blogs linking back to Justin Bieber (shout out Bugatti Biebz, when he’s not culturally appropriating the music is actually good) lyrics on Rap Genius. Which on the surface isn’t too shady but it definitely caught the attention of Google. Particularly because Rap Genius was making this offer to people regardless of whether or not the content was relevant to them at all.
What’s interesting is that according to a Washington Post article the de-indexing was only for about a week or two but I personally felt like it lasted for much, much longer. I feel like for at least a month-2 months I was having issues finding the site without specifically typing the URL into my browser. Rap Genius did eventually rectify the situation. Google was kind enough to advise them on how to do that and for more info on that you can read the Genius blog post here.
One of their Co-Founders Was Kind of A Douche
Following the fallout of the incident with Google, Rap Genius made headlines again. This was only 5 months later mind you, and it was for a terrible reason. In May of 2014, Elliot Rodger killed 7 people and wounded 13 in a shooting spree. It was an attack specifically targeted at women which will be important later on. Elliot also had a manifesto where he detailed his rationale and mind state leading up to the shooting. The manifesto is a disgusting look at what happens when toxic masculinity and misogyny goes unchecked, but the manifesto was posted to Rap Genius. That in it of itself is admittedly a bit controversial, but there could be something of value gained by examining the flaws in his arguments so that perhaps we as a society can identify these warnings early on and deal with them in advance.
Mahbod Moghadam
What got Rap Genius in trouble was its co-founder, Mahbod Moghadam. Mahbod actually annotated some of the manifesto and his comments were disgusting and misplaced. He loosely echoes some of the sentiments written in the manifesto, as well as makes some extremely inappropriate comments. I don’t want to fully detail what he said, so I’ll just link to a TechCrunch article that has images of the removed annotations here.
To make matters worse for Rap Genius, this was not the first time Mahbod inexplicably offered his vulgar and inappropriate opinions. A year earlier, Mahbod was being interviewed by Wakefield about the rise of Rap Genius. Within the interview Mahbod details an interaction between himself, Nas, and Mark Zuckerberg. To make a long story short, Zuckerberg doesn’t like having photos of him taken, but Mahbod didn’t care. Mahbod took the photo, posted it to Instagram and then removed it per Zuckerberg’s request. But in this interview with Wakefield, Mahbod straight up says Zuckerberg & company can,
“…honestly they can suck my d — -”.
I could elaborate but needless to say Mahbod Moghadam was bad for Rap Genius. Following his incendiary remarks about both Elliot Rodger and Mark Zuckerberg, Mahbod resigned. You can read the full article detailing the conversation with Mahbod, Mark Zuckerberg, and Nas here. (I highly suggest you do because it is as much hilarious as it is unbecoming of a CEO)
So, how did Rap Genius survive both of these PR nightmares? How did they grow to where they currently are today? Well first and foremost they admitted fault in earnest ways and apologized. As mentioned earlier they apologized for the Google debacle and again for the Elliot Rodger incident. They also rebranded almost immediately. Just a short two months after Mahbod resigned, they announced they would be launching as purely Genius.com
Rap Genius Logo
Early Genius Logo
Current Genius Logo
The goal was to make it clear to users that rap was not the only genre nor piece of art/literature that could be annotated within their site. It came after they’d previously tested different sub URLs like rock.genius and other genres. This simple rebrand came coupled with some fantastic expansions for the site. They acquired Rob Markman, a former MTV hip-hop journalist and editor as an Artist Relations Manager. His ties to the music community run very deep and there is no doubt his addition helped bring in the many artist Genius deals with on a day-to-day basis. In addition to that, Genius announced they would be partnering to bring lyrics to the Spotify app in 2016. They also launched a YouTube channel that is filled with interviews, having artists break-down lyrics, freestyles, and breakdowns from the Genius staff themselves. They launched an app in mid 2014 as and have been positioning themselves as not just a community for annotations but as a reputable music blog. They also launched a clothing line with some pretty cool merch, (if someone from Genius is reading I wear an XL 👀)
In conclusion, watching Rap Genius evolve from a small lyric site, get hit with a ton of pretty detrimental PR, and successfully come out of the other side of it has been phenomenal to watch. Their evolution is perhaps a bit overlooked, but it is without a doubt Genius.
SOURCES:
https://genius.com/Genius-founders-rap-genius-is-back-on-google-annotated
https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/6x7kzr/heres-why-rap-genius-got-banned-by-google
https://techcrunch.com/2013/12/25/google-rap-genius/
http://time.com/116717/rap-genius-dumps-co-founder-over-annotations-to-alleged-ucsb-shooter-manifesto/
https://genius.com/Tom-lehman-a-statement-about-mahbods-annotations-on-elliot-rodgers-manifesto-annotated
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6663866/genius-recruits-hip-hop-journalist-and-editor-rob-markman-to-head-artist
http://www.businessinsider.com/rap-genius-doesnt-like-zuck-2013-2
https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/26/rap-genius-co-founder-resigns-following-elliot-rodger-manifesto-annotations/
https://news.spotify.com/us/2016/01/12/go-behind-the-lyrics-with-spotify-and-genius/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2014/01/04/rap-genius-on-google-ban-we-overstepped-and-we-deserved-to-get-smacked/Gamers have already donated more than $1 million in toys, games and books to the Child's Play charity this year. The goal for 2009 is to surpass the $1.4 million raised last year for children's hospitals around the world. “The game community is really digging deep and we’re on track for a record-breaking year,” Child's Play project manager Kristin Lindsay said in a press release Friday.
With winter holidays fast approaching, there are still many opportunities to pitch in and help the charity reach its goal. Many local fund-raising events are still in the works. Penny Arcade creators Gabe and Tycho will host the sold-out Child's Play Gala and Auction Tuesday in Seattle; on Wednesday, Ümloud! will give San Franciscans a chance to rock plastic instruments for the cause.
If there's no fund-raising event in your town, you can still contribute from home. You can donate directly via Paypal. Or you can buy one of those nifty Oscar Mike T-shirts from Giant Bomb or play BioWare's Facebook game Gift of the Yeti. Proceeds from both will help put fun stuff in the hands of sick kids.
Image courtesy Child's Play
See Also:Are you now, or have you ever been, a terrorist?
That, in one form or another, is the question being asked over and over by Conservative MPs of expert witnesses called before the Commons standing committee reviewing Bill C-51, the so-called anti-terrorism law.
I spoke before the committee last week. I pointed to the danger in the bill’s much-expanded definition of national security and in its false conflation of peaceful protest with terrorism. I was expecting to be called on to defend our arguments, to cite evidence on how the bill’s sweeping new powers could be used against peaceful advocates for action on climate change.
No one on the government side seemed terribly interested in our argument — but they were very interested in us.
Conservative MP LaVar Payne asked me if I consider myself to be a threat to national security — because, he said, if I’m not a terrorist then why would I worry about an “anti-terrorism” bill? He added that our criticism of C-51 made him “wonder if your organization is a national security threat”. (I never got a chance to respond, since Payne kept talking to run out the clock.)
This was no slip of the tongue. Carmen Cheung, senior counsel for the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, spoke to the committee shortly before me. Her carefully-parsed legal arguments on the threats this bill poses to civil rights without enhancing security were dismissed by Conservative MP Rick Norlock as “rambling” — before he had the gall to ask her if she is “simply fundamentally opposed to taking terrorists off the street”.
More than 100 legal experts have written to parliamentarians to say that this legislation is dangerous — including four former prime ministers, five former Supreme Court judges, the federal Privacy Commissioner, Amnesty International, the Assembly of First Nations and a host of other organizations. Are they all terrorists?
The third witness on our panel was Ron Atkey, who has seen national security operations up close as a former Conservative cabinet minister and as the first chair of the Security Intelligence Review Committee. He warned that Bill C-51 is “a constitutional mess” and offered recommendations on how to fix it. It was the Conservative committee members who had invited him to testify — presumably with the expectation that he would support the bill. Oddly enough, they had no questions for him.
You’ve already heard, of course, about what happened to Ihsaan Gardee, executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, when he testified before the committee. Rather than address his concerns, Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy parroted terrorism allegations linked to Mr. Gardee’s organization — allegations he refuted when they came from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s then-spokesman Jason MacDonald and which are now the subject of a defamation lawsuit. (Ablonczy, of course, was speaking from a zone of Parliamentary privilege, protecting her from slander allegations.) “In order to work together,” Ablonczy said, “there needs to be a satisfaction that, you know, this can’t be a halfhearted battle against terrorism and where do you stand in light of these allegations?”
Mr. Gardee rightly dismissed Ablonczy’s ‘question’ as a cheap smear tactic. It’s worse than that.
The Harper government is employing a very dangerous strategy — stoking the politics of fear and division in order to distract voters from the state of the economy. Harper’s dream of turning Canada into what he has called an “energy superpower” by rapidly expanding tar sands exports has proved to be a bad bet for our economy and a political liability. So as oil prices drop, the Conservatives ratchet up the rhetoric on terror.
Good short-term tactics often make for bad laws. More than 100 legal experts have written to parliamentarians to say that this legislation is dangerous — that it will make it harder to effectively fight terrorism while introducing unprecedented infringements on our rights and privacy. Their concerns have been echoed by four former prime ministers, five former Supreme Court judges, the federal Privacy Commissioner, Amnesty International, the Assembly of First Nations and a host of other organizations. Are they all terrorists?
Still, the hearings go on — driving home the message that Canadians shouldn’t risk asking too many questions about C-51. Meanwhile, Canadians took to the streets in over 70 communities across the country on the weekend to say that they will not sit still while our country is ruled by fear and intolerance.
Canada used to be a global beacon on human rights, environmental consciousness and democracy. I’m confident it’s not too late to get that Canada back.
Joanna Kerr is executive director of Greenpeace Canada
The views, opinions and positions expressed by all iPolitics columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of iPolitics.NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered a "mysterious feature" on Saturn's moon Titan. Scientists are working to determine, what, exactly, this feature might be.
NASA reports that the feature is roughly 100 square miles, and it lies in Ligeia Mare, one of Titan's hydrocarbon seas. Cassini's radar has observed the feature twice, but its appearance changed between the two sightings. Scientists suspect the feature's change in appearance could be the result of Titan's changing seasons, which Cassini's current extended mission will monitor.
The feature's first sighting was in July 2013, and the radar images depicted a bright spot, which stood out from the dark sea. Scientists were "perplexed" when the feature couldn't be located with follow-up radar experiments, but they found it again on August 21, 2014.
What is that? @CassiniSaturn sees mysterious feature evolve in sea of Saturn's moon Titan: http://t.co/gRQrPPzYpo pic.twitter.com/gf2ubDEoM0 — NASA (@NASA) September 29, 2014
Though the scientists aren't sure what the feature is, NASA reports that they are "confident" the feature is not a "flaw in their data." Some of their current explanations for the feature include "surface waves, rising bubbles, floating solids, solids suspended just below the surface, or perhaps something more exotic."
Titan's hydrocarbon lakes have long been a source of curiosity for scientists who speculate that life may be able to survive on the moon's surface. "But if life exists on Titan, it would be very different than life on Earth, which is intimately tied to liquid water," Space.com notes.
"Science loves a mystery, and with this enigmatic feature, we have a thrilling example of ongoing change on Titan," Stephen Wall, the deputy team lead of Cassini's radar team, said in a statement. "We're hopeful that we'll be able to continue watching the changes unfold and gain insights about what's going on in that alien sea." Meghan DeMariaWhen Will Media Ask Romney About Muslim Brotherhood Conspiracy His Campaign Surrogates Support? July 31, 2012 2:41 PM EDT ››› Blog ›››››› OLIVER WILLIS
Fox News' Greta van Susteren last night became the sixth journalist to interview Mitt Romney without asking him about the conservative conspiracy theory alleging that the Muslim Brotherhood is using supposed ties to an aide for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to infiltrate the U.S. government. Two surrogates for Romney's campaign have defended that conspiracy during the past week, while Republican leaders like John Boehner and John McCain have condemned it.
On June 13, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) sent letters to several Inspectors General asking for an investigation into "the direct influence within the intelligence community of Muslim Brotherhood operatives." In her letter, Bachmann referenced Huma Abedin, the State Department's deputy chief of staff and a longtime Clinton aide. Bachmann claimed that Abedin "has three family members" who are "connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives."
CNN's Anderson Cooper has noted that "neither Congresswoman Bachmann nor her four colleagues have actually provided credible evidence, just insinuations." Similarly, The Atlantic investigated the allegations and found that "from person to person, you kind of have to do a somersault to get from Huma Abedin to the Muslim Brotherhood." Bachmann's allegations have been condemned by the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House Intelligence Committee, among others.
Former ambassador (and Fox News contributor) John Bolton, who has endorsed Romney and has a formal role with the campaign as a surrogate, defended Bachmann's letter during a July 24 appearance on the radio show of Frank Gaffney, a birther who has been one of the driving forces in conservative media behind the Muslim Brotherhood conspiracy. Bolton said of the controversy: "What is wrong with raising the question? Why is even asking whether we are living up to our standards a legitimate area of congressional oversight, why has that generated this criticism? I'm just mystified by it."
Since Bolton defended Bachman's Muslim Brotherhood attacks, Romney has been interviewed by Van Susteren, ABC's David Muir, NBC's Brian Williams, CBS' Jan Crawford, and CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Piers Morgan. He was not asked about the story by any of these journalists. The Romney campaign limited access to the candidate during his trip, so one-on-one interviews were the only significant opportunities for reporters to ask him questions.
On July 29, former Speaker and Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich became the second Romney campaign surrogate to defend the attacks, writing in an op-ed in Politico:
The recent assault on the National Security Five is only the most recent example of the fear our elites have about discussing and understanding radical Islamists. When an orchestrated assault is launched on the right to ask questions in an effort to stop members of Congress from even inquiring about a topic -- you know the fix is in.
At a Romney campaign event on July 30, Gingrich continued to defend Bachmann's letter, stating "Who's offering advice to Secretary Clinton? I think it's totally legitimate to ask that question."
By contrast, several leading Republicans have condemned the campaign:
In a June 18 speech on the floor of the Senate, Sen. John McCain said, "These allegations about Huma and the report from which they are drawn are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable woman, a dedicated American, and a loyal public servant."
Speaker John Boehner said on June 19 that Abedin "has a sterling character and I think accusations like this being thrown around are pretty dangerous"
Sen. Marco Rubio said on June 19, "Everyone I talk to who has dealt with her, [says Huma Abedin is] a professional and hardworking and patriotic American who loves her country and in the service of her country is serving it."
Prominent conservative media figures have nonetheless promoted the conspiracy, including Rush Limbaugh, Dana Loesch and Sean Hannity.
Romney is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and is effectively head of the party. Leaders and prominent figures in his party -- including those directly involved in his campaign -- have weighed in on the conspiracy theory from either side. The media should be asking him for his point of view.UCPD responded to a report of an alleged kidnapping, battery and robbery in People’s Park on Sunday morning about 11 a.m., according to a Nixle alert.
The victim, a male unaffiliated with campus, alleges he was approached in the park by another male wearing a tan wide-brim hat and burgundy fleece jacket when the suspect punched him several times, dragged him out of the park and stole his cell phone, according to the alert.
UCPD was |
vary from pack to pack, and are always clearly labeled on the product package."
Sanat Kumar and I did the math, and their calorie explanation made sense. The Peanut Butter M&M's are so big, adding just one more M&M to one of the packages would push the calorie count over 250.
Mystery solved! Except for one thing. Why exactly were the peanut butter M&M's so much larger? Did it have to do with how they were made?
I sent a follow-up email to Mars and got a one-sentence response.
"Because of proprietary reasons, we are unable to elaborate on the size of Peanut Butter M&M's."Back in 2010, I wrote a column about Telus Mobility and subsidiary Koodo adding a $2 monthly fee for bills sent by mail. “We’re being charged an additional $24 a year, not for a service but for how we’re billed for a service,” said Edward Carson, who protested the policy. “We’re being asked to pay for delivery of the bill we’re going to pay.”
CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais in a June, 2013 file photo. Two consumer groups have applied to the CRTC to eliminate fees for paper bills. ( Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS )
Telus had urged customers to go paperless for a decade. When the majority switched to online bills, the company decided to penalize the rest. “It doesn’t make sense for our customers who have chosen online billing to subsidize those customers who are choosing to receive paper bills, the more expensive option,” said company spokeswoman Megan Fielding. Then, Bell Canada joined the trend. Customers who had internet service bundled with phone service had to switch to electronic bills by June 1, 2010, or face a monthly $2 charge for paper bills.
Article Continued Below
Adding fees was “part of our ongoing effort to be environmentally friendly and improve the level of billing information,” Bell told customers. Many felt it was part of an ongoing effort to boost profits. Rogers followed suit last spring, tacking a toonie onto bills mailed to clients who didn’t download and print them from their home computers. Some were surprised to see Rogers add HST, bringing the paper bill charge to $2.26. “I closed my cable account when they charged me $2.26 for a paper bill,” said Randel Cuenca. “I told them it was OK to charge new customers, but not existing customers. It leaves a bad impression.” Since I was getting hundreds of complaints, I figured the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission was bombarded as well. It seems that was the case. In the Oct. 16 throne speech, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised to end extra charges to receive bills. On Oct. 23, two consumer groups applied to the CRTC to eliminate them immediately.
“As our own research shows, these surcharges are highly unpopular,” said the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Consumers’ Association of Canada in their application. In a survey done by Environics Research, 83 per cent of Canadians agreed that people should have the right to get a paper bill in the mail without a fee. It was part of a company’s cost of doing business.
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One third said they weren’t comfortable with receiving bills electronically. And 54 per cent admitted to paying a fee to receive paper bills. In response to complaints, the CRTC had asked telecom firms to disclose their extra billing fees. It found they ranged from 99 cents to $4. Fee exemptions “appear to differ substantially between service providers and also appear to be somewhat arbitrary,” the two consumer groups said. I’ve gone to bat for some people who should have been exempted from fees. In two Bell cases, the clients were over 75 and had only landline service, with no access to computers. In a truly competitive market, the major telecom firms wouldn’t all impose punitive surcharges, the consumer groups said. People need access to their monthly statements in order to understand them and act upon them. “Customers should not be penalized for simply continuing to use a feature that had always been part of their communications service,” they said. The addition of extra fees is a common trend. But telecom is still regulated, so there’s a good chance the odious paper bill fee will be stamped out. It took three years, but the government is finally on the case. The banks, which also charge for paper bills, could be next to feel customers’ rage. More columns by Ellen Roseman Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca or www.ellenroseman.com
Read more about:Originally published Monday, January 14, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Area’s average rent drops slightly, with several Eastside markets reporting the biggest declines. A huge apartment-construction boom and bridge tolls may be having an impact.
Local landlords may have to get used to more vacant apartments and smaller rent increases, a recent report suggests.
The average monthly rent in complexes with 50 or more units in King and Snohomish counties fell slightly during the last quarter of 2012, to $1,140 from $1,142, after three straight quarters of “impressive” growth, according to research firm Apartment Insights Washington.
And, while the two-county vacancy rate dropped from 4.85 to 4.75 percent, the decline was all Snohomish County’s doing, said Tom Cain, who owns the research firm.
King County vacancies were unchanged.
“The market is still very healthy” for landlords, Cain said, “but it’s flattening out, and I’m concerned about the impact of all the new construction in the pipeline.”
Redmond, Kirkland and East Bellevue saw the biggest quarterly drops in average rents — more than 3 percent — and the Bothell and Woodinville-Juanita areas experienced the steepest increases in vacancies.
The region is experiencing its biggest apartment-construction boom in at least 20 years. Larger complexes containing about 2,000 new apartments opened during the last three months of 2012, Cain said, and about 2,000 more will be added to the region’s inventory in each quarter of 2013.
“That’s going to work to keep rent increases down,” he said.
Apartment Insights based its quarterly report on a November survey of every larger project but one in the two counties. The statistics don’t include new complexes that are still leasing up.
Cain suspects tolls on the Highway 520 bridge are responsible for the rent drops in some Eastside markets. The tolls were imposed a year ago with no discernible impact on the Eastside apartment market through most of 2012.
But by fall, “people had had time to adjust,” Cain said, with some former commuters perhaps choosing to live closer to jobs in Seattle.
Traffic on the bridge has fallen about one-third since motorists began paying tolls, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Increased congestion on Highway 522 as more commuters take it to avoid the 520 toll may be discouraging people from renting in Bothell, Cain said. The vacancy rate there rose from 5 percent to 6.7 during the quarter.
But Jim Wiard, executive director of the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association, an industry group, said apartment owners in those Eastside submarkets report no impact from the tolls.
They attribute recent fluctuations in rent and occupancy instead to employment patterns and competition from recently completed apartment buildings, he said.
Ellen Miller-Wolfe, Kirkland’s economic-development manager, said the city still is documenting the tolls’ impacts and hasn’t yet looked at their impact on housing.
The apartment vacancy rate rose nearly a full percentage point in downtown Seattle, including Belltown and South Lake Union, during the last quarter, according to Apartment Insights.
High rents there — the average is $1,626, second only to downtown Bellevue — may be diverting prospective tenants to less-expensive surrounding neighborhoods such as First Hill and Capitol Hill, Cain said.
The vacancy rate dropped during the quarter in those two neighborhoods.
Eric Pryne: epryne@seattletimes.com or 206-464-2231Devo’s Bob Casale, affectionately known as Bob 2, died a year ago today at the age of 61. Though the iconic Ohio band has carried on after his death, enlisting the talents of Boston’s Josh Hager to help fill Bob 2’s void, a cloud of sadness still hangs over the world of Devo.
This morning, co-founder Gerald Casale penned a letter on the one-year anniversary of his brother’s death, which you can read in full below. It was originally posted on the Devo Facebook page about an hour ago…
THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BOB 2’S PASSING
The cliché that time heals all wounds is simply not true when it comes to Bob Casale’s untimely death; at least not for me.
The circumstances surrounding my brother’s death on February 17th, 2014 were strangely circumspect. He went to the emergency room because he was coughing up blood. They stabilized him and suggested to Lisa, his wife, and Alex and Samantha, his son and daughter that they could go home while the technicians performed some tests including an MRI to try to establish a root cause. That’s when things turned upside down.
According to the attending doctor on call Bob “became agitated”. They reduced his anxiety with medication but supposedly his blood pressure dropped unexpectedly so he was administered Epinephrine. From there the records really make little sense as to how they decided to put him on a ventilator while they tried to stabilize his blood pressure. When they proceeded to re-start his heart and restore breathing they failed.
It was all so wrong and shocking. I was overcome with anger and disbelief. I had just spoken with him 2 days earlier and all was fine. He was excited that in June we were going to finally perform the Hardcore Devo songs we had not performed in 30 odd years. Bob was not a drug abuser and no definitive cause of death was ever established other than heart failure – a result of medical procedures, not an initial cause of treatment. Suing the hospital was deemed a dead-end by medical advisors we consulted.
My anger and shock has turned to an overwhelmingly deep sadness one year later. I miss Bob now more than ever. He was a good soul, a dedicated husband and father and one of the original 5 gears of Devo. He was slow to anger and suffered stoically. He provided balance in a band driven by two sets of brothers, content to play the anchor rather than vie for ego-driven attention.
Bob’s many talents extended far beyond his ability to play guitar and keyboards performing live with the rest of Devo. He was an astute technician and an experienced audio engineer. He was quick-witted, funny and shared significantly in Devo’s creative cosmology. He gave much more than he took from the band’s success.
In recent times he was my chief ally in keeping the promise and rightful legacy of Devo from being quashed by the oblivion of historical neglect. It was his idea to mount a tour based on Devo performing the songs we created prior to the pains and pitfalls of major record label success. The concerts were meant to re-affirm the art collective roots of Devo when the idea and the message we projected was more important than the individual cult of personality.
Although way too short and, unfortunately for Bob, months too late getting a green light on February 14th, 2014, the Hardcore Devo tour happened against all odds. Luckily my dogged efforts to film that tour as a memorial to Bob came to fruition.
So now on the eve of the commercial release of “Hardcore Devo Live” I reflect on the dark year I’ve weathered since Bob 2 went into another dimension. I’d like to think that he would approve of the merits of our performance in his absence.
Yours in Devolution,
Gerald V Casale/DEVOTORONTO -- The National Hockey League made a proposal Tuesday for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that could allow an 82-game regular-season schedule to be played, beginning Nov. 2.
"We're focused on getting the puck dropped on Nov. 2 and playing a full 82-game regular-season and full [Stanley Cup] Playoffs," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "That's what this offer is all about."
Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly made the offer during an hour-long meeting at the National Hockey League Players' Association's office.
Commissioner Bettman said the League's offer -- which he termed a "long-term" deal -- includes a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue for the duration of the deal. NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr revealed the League's offer calls for "at least" a six-year CBA.
Commissioner Bettman also said the proposal addresses concerns the Union has expressed about how salaries will be affected with their share of hockey-related revenue being reduced from 57 percent in the final year of the previous CBA to a 50-percent share in the proposal made Tuesday. Commissioner Bettman also said the NHL's proposal does not include a rollback on current player contracts.
"We believe this was a fair offer for a long-term deal and it's one that we hope gets a positive reaction so that we can drop the puck on Nov. 2, which backing up entails at least a one-week training camp," Commissioner Bettman said. "So, we have about nine or 10 days to put this all to bed, signed, sealed and delivered in order for this offer to be effective and for us to move forward. We hope that this effort that we've undertaken today will be successful because we know how difficult this all has been for everybody associated with the game, particularly our fans."
Fehr said the Union needs time to digest the League's proposal and it would spend Tuesday afternoon doing so before the NHLPA's executive board and negotiating committee discusses the offer in a conference call, scheduled for 5 p.m. ET
"Our hope is that after we review this that there will be a feeling on the players' side that this is a proposal from which we can negotiate and try and reach a conclusion," Fehr said. "But, we are not in a position to make any comments about it beyond that at this point."
Commissioner Bettman said the League will wait to hear from the Players' Association.
"We're going to be on-call to them," he said. "They have some work to do internally. Obviously, we didn't put this proposal, this offer, together overnight and they're going to need a little time to review it. I'm hoping that review will get us to a positive and constructive place."
For an 82-game regular-season to begin Nov. 2, Commissioner Bettman said each team would have to play one additional game every five weeks. That would allow the completion of the Stanley Cup Final in late June.
"Beyond that, we don't think it would be good for the players or for the game," Commissioner Bettman said. "If you look at what our ability would be to schedule 82 games and you work back from Nov. 2, if we didn't do it now, if we didn't put an offer on the table that we thought was fair and could get us playing hockey, then it probably wasn't going to happen for a while because, again, it is done in the spirit of getting a full season in."
The NHL locked out the players on Sept. 16 due to the lack of a CBA. The regular-season schedule through Oct. 24 has been cancelled and Daly has estimated the shared revenue loss so far between the League and the NHLPA is in the neighborhood of $250 million.
Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter: @drosennhlLinux giant Canonical said on Wednesday that it would release its own mobile operating system, joining a growing fray that includes Tizen and Firefox — and that’s not to mention the coming relaunch of the BlackBerry OS with version 10.
CNET’s Jessica Dolcourt has made her mind up in “No, we don’t really need another smartphone OS”:
Would you ever consider buying a smartphone running Ubuntu, Tizen, or Firefox as its operating system? For most of you, the answer is and will probably remain: no. Why would you? Android and iOS fight for worldwide domination, with no signs of slowing down. Both have extremely well-developed ecosystems that make sharing information across services and even across individual handsets a fairly simple, unified process. App development is strong, and OS updates are regular enough to give phone owners new party tricks to show off.
Dolcourt also points out that: “Microsoft is still reaching deep into its pockets to secure double-digit market share…”
Why, then, with four operating systems competing for your attention, would anyone give a serious thought to a platform masterminded by the makers of a browser (Firefox), a hardware powerhouse that has an iffy software track record (Samsung’s Tizen), and a Linux OS that still hasn’t gone mainstream for desktops despite years of effort?
Canonical, which will launch its new mobile OS later this year or early next year, is designing it for use on ARM or x86 processors, and unlike Google’s Android, which is also based on Linux, it will not rely on Oracle’s Java Virtual Machine.
The company is also said to be “taking aim at Android’s fragmentation issue…,” IDG News reports. Canonical has promised to maintain the code base for multiple mobile platforms, the report said.
To prevent Ubuntu from fragmenting, Canonical built a set of frameworks that allow handset providers to insert their own content, apps and stylistic modifications to the OS. With these frameworks, handset providers can customize the operating system, while the base OS itself remains consistent across all handsets, which should please third party app developers. With Ubuntu, Canonical is “trying to find a middle ground between the super-locked down proprietary approach and the anything-goes, prone-to-fragmentation approach,” Shuttleworth said, in an interview with the IDG News Service.
But the differentiation from Android is not 100%. “When developing the mobile OS, Canonical made sure that it can run all device drivers written for Android, which means phones that run Android could also run Ubuntu. ‘We wanted to reduce the costs to silicon companies and OEMs [that want to] experiment with Ubuntu,’ Shuttleworth [told IDG News].”
Join the conversation: Will you welcome Ubuntu to the mobile OS mix? With Google looking to shore up its fragmentation issues, will it be too little too late? Or will Ubuntu’s architecture — and ability to run on Android hardware — give it its place at the table?Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Dec. 10, 2016, 1:21 AM GMT / Updated Dec. 10, 2016, 1:26 AM GMT By Phil Helsel and Associated Press
The Michigan Supreme Court has turned down an appeal by Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein to restart a vote recount in the state.
The state high court denied the appeal Friday by a vote of 3-2. Earlier, two judges who made Republican President-elect Donald Trump's list of possible U.S. Supreme Court nominees had removed themselves form the case.
The denial comes two days after a federal judge ended the recount, which began Monday. The judge tied his decision to a state court ruling that found Stein had no legal standing to request the recount.
Stein's recount case had only a remote chance to succeed before Michigan's high court: Three of the five justices were nominated by Republicans.
The Michigan Secretary of State said Friday that because the recount was halted before it was finished, the results certified on Nov. 28 stand. Trump beat Clinton in the state by 10,704 votes according to the official results, the secretary of state's office said.
Stein in a statement Friday acknowledged the appeal had little chance.
"Although we are deeply disappointed in today’s decision by the Michigan Supreme Court not to hear our appeal that would have allowed Michigan’s recount to finish, we are not surprised given the political motives of the majority," she said in a statement.
Stein said "in Michigan, political cronyism, bureaucratic obstruction, and legal maneuvering have run roughshod over the democratic process," and added that she would "continue to fight for the hard-fought, hard-won civil voting rights of all Americans."
Stein also sought recounts in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. A judge in Pennsylvania said he'll rule Monday on the bid for a recount there.
Wisconsin's recount, which started last week, has increased Trump's margin of victory over Clinton thus far.Choose: graphic + color + cut
Specific T-shirt sizes and order information will be collected through an email survey after this Kickstarter is complete.
In the style of Old European and ancient tomes -- cover is distressed and stylized, pages will be tact, vibrant, and colorful
Animal Gods is a stylized top-down action / adventure game set in Bronze Age Europe, 15th century BC. The game pairs the tight and polished action of The Legend of Zelda: A Link between Worlds with a cast of characters and touching story moments that might remind you of classic 90's JRPGS
Thistle -- [Ancient Warrior]
Bronze Sword / RPG Elements
Open World Exploration
Rift Bow --------------------------- Ancient Tribes --------------------------- Dash Cloak
Platforms: Nintendo Wii U, PC, Mac, Linux
Stretch Goal Platforms: PS4
Release Date: Q4 2016
ESRB: T for Teen [violence, minimal blood & suggestive themes]
Animal Gods
STORY
The Animal Gods have fallen. Once sacred, they are now husks—haunted beasts lost to toxic fumes from a great bronze industry. Play as Thistle, a small & agile warrior hellbent on destroying the curse that plagues these creatures.
. Once sacred, they are now husks—haunted beasts lost to toxic fumes from a great bronze industry.hellbent on destroying the curse that plagues these creatures. Wield a 17th century BC Bronze Sword... and set the Gods free
Charged Strike!
Hatchlings!
Multishot!
Temples!
Some games have epic origin stories. If you'd like to, you can imagine that Animal Gods is a game idea that was given to us by the squawking specter of a raven that rose from the ashes of our 7th birthday party, a sight that divinely haunts us for ages, inspiring us to pursue the noble path of indie game development.
Perfect.
Animal Gods' real story is simple. Afternoon, a gravel road. Peter explains a game with battles of a truly grand scale and player mechanics that are perfectly reduced. He uses words like "crunch" and "sizzle," and it all feels very musical. We move forward.
Animal Gods' story boards are sketched on a very large scroll
Up until now, Animal Gods has been a self-funded title, but we need your help to continue pouring our hearts into its development. We are verified by Nintendo to develop for the Nintendo Wii U! The game will also be released for PC, Mac and Linux.
Coup De Grâce
Animal God's mission is to bring the charm, grandeur and engaging gameplay of the greatest 90's classics into the 21st century with full-HD, dynamic lighting, Hi-res textures, and a brilliant story. To get this done the right way, the way that Thistle's plight demands, we need the budget to do it and we appreciate your support!! Animal Gods is a culmination of a hard-working team dedicated to the highest possible standards.
Thank you!!
We are a pocket-sized development studio located on the East Coast in a beautiful and remote town on the outskirts of Washington DC. You can check us out at www.still-games.com. For information about all updates, please visit our page on Facebook. And if you want more, don't forget to follow us on Tumblr & Twitter.
Kara Myren +++++ the "Muscle" ==== Lead Programmer
Peter Harmon +++++ the "Eye" ==== Game Design / Lead Art
Austin Gifford +++++ the "Soul" ==== Character & Concept Artist
Michael Rasbury +++++ the "Machine" ==== Sound Engineer / Composer
Additional Responsibilities
The "Muscle" – Programming + Debug + HTML + Animation + Accounting + Writing + Communications + Typography + Illustration + T-Shirt Design. Scientifically fickle about details.
– Programming + Debug + HTML + Animation + Accounting + Writing + Communications + Typography + Illustration + T-Shirt Design. Scientifically fickle about details. The "Eye" – Level Design + Illustration + Animation + In-game Graphics + Storyboards + Concept Art + Beat Charts + Beatdropping + Writing + Character Art + Communications + Logos + Promotional Materials. Has a vivid imagination.
Level Design + Illustration + Animation + In-game Graphics + Storyboards + Concept Art + Beat Charts + Beatdropping + Writing + Character Art + Communications + Logos + Promotional Materials. Has a vivid imagination. The "Soul" – Digital Painting + Concept Art + Character Art + T-Shirt Design. Adds heartfelt charm to this otherwise nightmarish project.
Digital Painting + Concept Art + Character Art + T-Shirt Design. Adds heartfelt charm to this otherwise nightmarish project. The "Machine" – Music + Soundscape Artist + Professor of Sound Design at University of Virginia. You can hear more of his work here.
During this campaign we have joined forces with PR Hound, indie gaming gurus with experience working on projects like MyDream, InSomia, Warlocks and Planets³. They know their way around the Kickstarter and have helped the Animal Gods' voices boom!Wikipedia was hit by a scandal in 2009 when the public learned that William Connolley, a British Green Party politician and avid climate alarmist, was a Wikipedia administrator using his privileges to push climate alarmism while simultaneously suppressing dissenting voices. In addition to this, he personally edited more than 5,000 Wikipedia articles related to climate change debates. Wikipedia revoked his administrator’s privileges and the scandal has since dissipated.
But Wikipedia has continued to serve as a mouthpiece for climate alarmism. In 2010, the Wikipedia Arbitration Committee banned Connolley and 15 other editors, most of whom had neutral or “skeptical” views in climate change.
Jimmy Wales, a founder and public face of Wikipedia, lived in Florida and held older Libertarian views (as in Friedrich Hayek and Ayn Rand, not Gary Johnson). But in order to get funding for Wikipedia, he transferred it to the special-made Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), which became quickly dominated by a group of people that might be referred to as “San Francisco-type liberals.” WMF even moved to San Francisco. These people built a Wikipedia that mirrored their own ideological orthodoxy, including climate alarmism.
Wikipedia has identified itself as being a community-driven space. This is simply not true. Wikipedia is fully owned and controlled by the WMF. In place of an editor-in-chief, Wikipedia has a hierarchical administrative structure, including an Arbitration Committee, stewards, and bureaucrats at the top. Administrators and other privileged account holders serve below them. Ordinary editors and contributing content are at the bottom of the hierarchy. Recently, the WMF created a position called Wikipedian in residence, apparently to give taxpayer-funded Leftist institutions more power over Wikipedia content.
Jimmy Wales has been on the International Climate Change Taskforce since at least 2009. “The International Climate Change Taskforce was launched on 16 March [2004] by three of the world’s leading think tanks: The Australia Institute, the Institute for Public Policy Research in London and the Center for America Progress in Washington DC.” The Center for America Progress (CAP), founded by John Podesta with money from the offshore Quantum Hedge Funds, has been a closely-associated power to the Democratic Party, strongly pushing it to the Left. The Institute for Public Policy Research was its British twin. The purpose of this enterprise was, “to bring the two countries that have rejected the Kyoto Protocol, the US and Australia, back into the multilateral process.” In other words, to fasten the U.S. and Australia to the EU suicidal train.
Despite its flaws, Wikipedia is considered trustworthy on non-controversial subjects, especially technical and scientific ones. Thus, by capturing the climate change debate on Wikipedia and presenting their false and pseudo-scientific arguments as non-controversial science, climatists have been successful in deceiving plenty of smart and reasonable people.
P.S. Wikipedia Administrators have the power to re-write the history of their articles, and in fact, use this power to do so.
Revised on 03/01/2017.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption BBC's Shahzeb Jillani: "Thick smoke can be seen above the airport"
Heavily armed gunmen have attacked Karachi international airport in Pakistan, killing 13 people.
An army spokesman said all 10 of the gunmen who attacked Jinnah International Airport's old terminal had also been killed.
Army commandos were called in, and gunfire lasted for more than five hours before the airport was secured.
But all operations at the terminal remain suspended and all flights are being diverted to other airports.
Staff and passengers were evacuated.
At least 14 people were wounded.
Billowing smoke
The dead terminal staff were said to be mostly security guards from the Airport Security Force (ASF) but also airline workers.
Image copyright AP Image caption The army has been called in to tackle the gunmen
Image copyright AP Image caption Exchanges of fire are said to be continuing
Dawn News said the gunmen had infiltrated from the Fokker Gate area.
The attackers are believed to have entered the area using fake ID cards. Other reports suggest they cut through a barbed wire fence.
There is no indication yet who carried out the attack.
Smoke was seen billowing from the terminal.
'Plane on fire'
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Passenger Ignas Vosylius said he heard "several explosions" shortly after his plane landed
An ASF spokesman earlier told Agence France-Presse that the gunmen had reached the runway and that a "gun battle is continuing between terrorists and [armed] forces".
There were also reports of at least two huge blasts at the airport.
Hammad, a diplomat staying near the airport, told the BBC he had gone on to his rooftop and could see a plane on fire in the airport.
The army later said no aircraft was damaged and that a fire at an oil facility was brought under control.
Sarmad Hussain, an official with Pakistan International Airlines, told AP: "I was working at my office when I heard big blasts - several blasts - and then there were heavy gunshots."
He said he and a colleague escaped by jumping from a window. His colleague broke a leg.
Image copyright AFP Image caption An injured man is evacuated from the airport
The terminal is not normally used for commercial flights but for cargo and special VIP operations.
Pakistan has been fighting an Islamist insurgency for more than a decade, with the Pakistani Taliban the main militant group.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently told the BBC he was still hopeful his peace initiative with the Taliban could succeed.
But little headway has been made since February and there have been frequent violent clashes.
Karachi has been a target for many insurgent attacks.
Gunmen attacked the Mehran naval base there in 2011, killing 10 personnel and destroying two aircraft in a 17-hour siege.Movie studio Lionsgate has moved the filming of one of its new TV shows out of North Carolina and into British Columbia after the U.S. state passed a law that cracks down on rights for gay and particularly transgender people.
Lionsgate was set to film a new Hulu series called Crushed in the Charlotte, N.C., area about a family in the wine business. Preproduction was to begin this month, with filming starting in May, but the studio informed local employees that the production would be scrapped and moved to B.C., the Charlotte Observer reported this week.
A local news outlet reported the move would cost North Carolina 100 jobs.
Lionsgate will reportedly maintain other productions in the state that are farther along in their development. A spokesman for Lionsgate did not immediately return a request for comment from CBC News for this story.
House Bill 2
The decision comes on the heels of North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory's signing of House Bill 2 into law on March 23. The law requires that all bathrooms in the state be used only by people according to the biological sex on their birth certificates.
It's the first law in the country that attempts to limit bathroom options for transgender people, and it also excludes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from anti-discrimination protections, and blocks municipalities from adopting their own anti-discrimination and living-wage rules.
The law has attracted an avalanche of criticism and a flurry of companies eager to pull out of the state in protest. Yesterday, payment processing firm PayPal axed plans to build a $3.6-million US facility in the state that would have created 400 new jobs.
"This decision reflects PayPal's deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect," the company said in a statement.
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, offered his state as a site for PayPal's expansion in response to the company's announcement. In a statement Tuesday, Shumlin said he had written to PayPal CEO Dan Schulman pointing out that Vermont has a "proud history of non-discrimination and protecting the rights of all citizens."
New Jersey-based Braeburn Pharmaceuticals said it was reconsidering building a $50-million US facility in Durham County, N.C., that would have created 50 jobs paying an average of $76,000 a year.Health human T cell. T cells play a vital role in the immune response. Production of CD4 and CD8 cells was shown to be affected by MRV exposure. Credit@ NIAID/NIH(NIAID Flickr'sphotostream) ViaWikimediCommons
The human body is a complex and sophisticated structure comprising of about 37.2 trillion cells according to a recent estimate. What connects all these cells is the simple fact that, be they erythrocytes or lymphocytes, heart cells or skin cells, they all contain an identical set of chromosomes. Each set of chromosomes providing a copy of the human genome, the instructions necessary to make a human.
Yet when compared to the host of microbes (bacteria, fungi and protozoa) that reside in the human body, human cells are outnumbered ten to one. These microbes provide valuable services and traits ranging from controlling obesity in the digestive system, to coping with mechanical challenges in the oral cavity. Yet what about the virome? Typically considered pathogenic, little work has been done to identify and quantify the viral load present (often inconspicuously) within the human body and light is only now being shed on the matter through deep sequencing. Such studies seem to show that a number of viruses are present in healthy individuals without challenging the immune system, or are held in check by the beneficial microbiota mentioned above.
One such example is Murine norovirus (MNV), a common enteric virus (i.e. found in the intestine) which may persist in mice with healthy immune systems non-intrusively, yet it causes an inflammatory pathology in mice without the At16L1 gene (a gene associated with Crohn’s syndrome in humans). Considering that similar phenomena may be observed with some bacteria of the body’s flora in immune defective test subjects despite them normally being beneficial, a recent study explored whether the occurrence of intestinal viruses may similarly be beneficial.
Many such studies use germ-free animals (GF), test subjects that have had their microbiotas removed, i.e. absence of microbes living in or on them, which live in controlled environments known as germ-free isolators. The absence of the microbiota in mice causes a number of abnormalities in the intestine and immune system, making them an interesting base model to study developmental effects of enteric viruses.
In this case, breeding pairs of GF mice were exposed to the MRV virus (strain CR6) and effects were studied on the pairs and their litter. MRV exposure restored to an extent the intestine and immune system of the test subjects. Specifically, in the intestine there was an increase in cellularity, i.e. type and number of cells, which in turn increased production of lysozyme and granules of Paneth cells, compounds used as antimicrobial agents and an integral part to the immune system. Additionally, there was an increase of CD4 T cells, which are an important part of the adaptive immune system and CD8 T cells, which are recruited to treat cancerous cells among other things.
Both initially exposed adults and offspring that inherited MRV from their parents, showed similar effects, removing the possibility of the effects being neonata. Additionally the beneficial effects only became evident in GF mice, with conventional mice carrying on unchanged after MRV exposure, suggesting that the viral benefits overlap with those provided by the bacterial flora. Supporting this idea, similar effects to MRV exposure were created to an extent, when bacteria (namely Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Lactobacillus johnsonii) were introduced to the mice.
The effects of MRV exposure was also tested in regards to different strains. In addition to CR6, CR3 and SKI strains were also used, producing the same effects albeit quantitatively distinct. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of MRV exposure, were absent in IFN-a receptor knockout mice (mice without the gene coding IFN-a receptor, an interferon receptor involved in the innate immune response against viral exposure), suggesting that the viral effects are dependent on the IFN-1 pathway.
The value of MRV in cases of microbiota depletion due to antibiotic use was also shown, as exposure restored intestine health, but furthermore provided chemical injury protection and alleviated the symptoms of Citrobacter rodentium by enhancing the immune response to bacterial virulence. So viral exposure might become routine treatment in countering the adverse effects of antibiotic cocktails. Regardless, there’s still much to learn about the “ecological” role of viruses within the human body.
What other benefits might the human body owe to viral presence?From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.
Nationalist Furries flag
Nationalist Furries, also known as Furry Nationalism, was a short-lived movement, created (and mostly dissolved) by SciuCaro (Santo C.) in 2005, to promote a more exotic, sovereign, nation-like spirit in the furry community.
History [ edit ]
Long before Santo (a general nationalist himself) encountered Furry online drama on LiveJournal, he was really into the cultural beauty of the furry community. One day, he saw a video on an exotic dance, called the Lambada and it inspired him to expand the Furry culture on things like that and other establishments for Furry, such as architecture, music styling, cuisines, sports, language arts, traditions, holidays, etc.
He figured it would be an even better aspect for Furry to be real deep and cultural, to the point it would feel like a nation, instead of being regarded as just another geek fandom.
Quick downfall [ edit ]
S |
the leakers "heroes."
This interference in domestic politics by the CIA should be regarded as a major threat to our democracy, but of course our Trump-hating domestic media are reveling in a major point scored against the new president.
David P. Goldman (aka Spengler), writing on PJ Media, explains the level of hatred the CIA has for Flynn for daring to take on its spectacular failures:
… the CIA has gone out of its way to sandbag Flynn at the National Security Council. As Politico reports: "On Friday, one of Flynn's closest deputies on the NSC, senior director for Africa Robin Townley, was informed that the Central Intelligence Agency had rejected his request for an elite security clearance required for service on the NSC, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation." Townley held precisely the same security clearance at the Department of Defense for seventeen years, yet he was blackballed without explanation. At DoD, Townley had a stellar reputation as a Middle East and Africa expert, and the denial of his clearance is hard to explain except as bureaucratic backstabbing.... Gen. Flynn is the hardest of hardliners with respect to Russia within the Trump camp. In his 2016 book Field of Fight (co-authored with PJ Media's Michael Ledeen), Flynn warned of "an international alliance of evil movements and countries that is working to destroy us[.]... The war is on. We face a working coalition that extends from North Korea and China to Russia, Iran, Syria, Syria, Cuba, Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua." The unsubstantiated allegation that he presides over a "leaky" National Security Council tilting towards Russia makes no sense. The only leaks of which we know are politically motivated reports coming from the intelligence community designed to disrupt the normal workings of a democratic government – something that raises grave constitutional issues. Flynn is the one senior U.S. intelligence officer with the guts to blow the whistle on a series of catastrophic intelligence and operational failures. The available facts point to the conclusion that elements of the humiliated (and perhaps soon-to-be-unemployed) intelligence community is trying to exact vengeance against a principled and patriotic officer[.]... The present affair stinks like a dumpster full of dead rats.
Note that the suspicions eagerly being raised by the media center on Trump being a pawn of Putin and Flynn secretly pledging fealty or some such absurd subordination. In other words, suspicions of treasonous behavior by the new president are being cultivated in the general public. We can expect the media to fan these flames at every opportunity.
Spengler also explains why the Logan Act references are insulting:
Senior officials speak to their counterparts in other countries all the time, and for obvious reasons do not want these conversations to become public. The intelligence community, though, was taping Flynn's discussions, and the transcripts (of whose existence we are told but whose contents we have not seen) were used to embarrass him.
This last point is critical. The entire "scandal" is based on innuendo. Flynn tripped over his own feet by misinforming Vice President Pence on the nature of his call and allowing the veep to issue a too sweeping denial of any discussion. If Flynn had said in his conversation with the Russian ambassador that we will discuss the sanctions after Trump takes office, he might well have told Pence that they did not discuss the sanctions. And the CIA leakers could have used the appearance of the word "sanctions" in their transcript to brand Pence a liar. We don't know, and for some reason, nobody is gaining access to the actual transcripts so that we may see the content. Perhaps the congressional investigations to come will gain access. But Flynn is now gone, and media memes have been firmly planted in the public mind.
The Flynn Affair is a huge scandal, all right. But the media are misdirecting our attention toward the lesser dimension while they studiously ignore the real threat to our democracy.A secondary school in south London has banned students from all physical contact with each other, including hugging, high-fives and handshakes.
The Quest Academy in South Croydon has enforced the new policy since it replaced Selsdon High School in September last year.
Anita Chong, whose 15-year-old daughter was given a detention for hugging a friend, called the rules "crazy".
The school's principal, Andy Croft, said the rules helped combat bullying.
He said: "Physical contact between students is not allowed at the academy because it is often associated with poor behaviour or bullying and can lead to fighting."
Ms Chong said the school had taken its rules too far.
"We live in a society where we use touch and we use terms of endearment," she said.
"My daughter is one of those that is having exams and she is being taken out of lessons for something so trivial. I find it diabolical really."The man charged in connection with a Sept 18, 2013, assault on two lesbians who were exiting a Hastings Street bus pleaded guilty Nov 12 to assault causing bodily harm.
Andrew Joseph Walko, 46, had been charged with assault and assault causing bodily harm for allegedly following the women off the bus and punching one in the face and one multiple times in the head.
Walko had been due to begin a three-day trial in Vancouver Provincial Court when he entered the guilty plea before Justice of the Peace K Butler.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) announced the charges against Walko on Jan 14, 2014, after releasing TransLink surveillance footage and asking the public for help in identifying the suspect.
The footage shows a man boarding a #135 Hastings express bus westbound at about 5:15pm on Sept 18, 2013, at Hastings and Kensington in Burnaby. The tape also shows Ali Matson and girlfriend, Jacqueline Clarke, boarding the bus at 6pm at Hastings and Renfrew.
The women alleged the man followed them as they left the bus at Commercial Drive, where they say he attacked them.
“He grabbed me by the shoulder, and he punched me in the face with all his body strength,” Matson told Xtra last year. “My nose was bleeding everywhere, and he gave me two black eyes. He was not holding back at all.”
When she tried to pull him off Matson, Clarke alleges, the approximately six-foot-three, 200-plus-pounds man punched her several times in the head as well. “It was so terrifying because I remember I just sort of watched it all happen and then he turned on me,” she told Xtra last year.
Matson and Clarke both believe they were attacked because of their sexual orientation after they exchanged a kiss and were flirting during the bus ride. They allege the man screamed repeatedly, “Shut up, you sluts!” during the unprovoked attack.
“He just did not like to see two girls kissing,” Matson suggests.
“Yes, uh, guilty, guilty,” Walko said, when asked by the court for his plea.
Butler adjourned the case to Jan 12 for the preparation of a pre-sentencing report. An accused found guilty in a summary conviction of assault causing bodily harm is liable to imprisonment for a maximum of 18 months.
VPD Constable Randy Fincham said earlier in the case that police take the allegation that the crime was motivated by the women’s sexual orientation very seriously and that the VPD’s hate crimes unit had reviewed the file.
Neither Walko nor his lawyer, Benjamin Tarnow, representing Walko’s lawyer, David Tarnow, had any comment outside court.
“I have nothing to say,” Walko told Xtra.The film will be based on a proposal for a book by Jack Ewing.
The Volkswagen scandal is heading to the big screen.
Paramount and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way have acquired the rights to a book proposal by Jack Ewing.
Ewing's book will investigate how a "more, better, faster" ethos fueled one of the greatest frauds in corporate history. The German car company had programmed their diesel cars so that U.S. standards emissions were met only when the car was undergoing emissions testing. On the road, emissions rates were up to 40 times higher.
The scandal has severely damaged the iconic car company's reputation, and led to the resignation of CEO Martin Winterkorn.
Ewing's untitled book, pitched as the Too Big To Fail of the auto industry, inked a mid-six figures book deal with Norton earlier in October.
DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran will produce via Appian Way.
Shari Smiley of The Gotham Group repped the book.While the recently discovered treasure in a Kerala temple has grabbed the world’s attention, India’s real treasure is hidden elsewhere.
Noah Seelam/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images India’s private gold holdings are worth approximately $743 billion.
It’s in steel cupboards and in bank vaults across the country, where India’s housewives and other private owners have stashed their jewelry and gold savings. India’s private gold holdings probably total 15,000 tons, according to an estimate by Citigroup analysts in May. Some jewelers like T.K. Chandiran of Coimbatore thinks this number is too conservative, and the real amount is more like 30,000 tons, counting other hidden temple treasures.
These private stores are in addition to the 560 tons of gold kept as reserves with the Reserve Bank of India, which are worth around $26 billion.
If we stick with the conservative 15,000-ton estimate, at the current gold price of $1,549 per ounce, India’s private gold holdings are worth approximately $743 billion.
But this is not all in the purest form of gold, so let’s knock 20% off this amount to reflect what this gold could be worth now. That would be a cool $600 billion. The Kerala temple treasure, by the way, is only an estimated $22 billion, although there could be more riches in a still sealed vault that the Supreme Court is scheduled to hold a hearing on today.
So what would happen if all of India’s private gold could be released into the system? Here are some options:
Win India’s neighbors over…
By buying them. The $600 billion could be used to buy Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan, whose Gross Domestic Product add up to just $390 billion, according to the CIA World Factbook.
That still leaves $210 billion. That’s nearly enough to cover Malaysia, with a GDP of around $240 billion.
Of course, the one neighbor we can’t touch is China with its nearly $6 trillion GDP. India’s GDP, in comparison, is just $1.5 trillion.
Heal the world.
Benevolent housewives would also have the power to help some foreign countries which have been struggling in recent years.
They should probably start with Greece. Normally, we wouldn’t care much about this country, but their precarious financial situation has caused much anxiety throughout the world in recent months, and some economists fear Europe’s sovereign debt troubles could rebound on the U.S., which in turn could hurt India. Greece has become the go-to excuse for market analysts every time stocks fall somewhere in the world, including India.
The housewives could end its problems once and for all by paying off Greece’s entire national debt – long and short-term – of around $474 billion.
That still leaves us with $126 billion.
It would be nice to also help our “strategic partners” the United States of America, which has been in deep financial trouble in recent years.
But like many things in America, their financial problems are super-sized.
Their budgeted fiscal deficit for 2012 is around $1.1 trillion, and their national debt at $14 trillion is enormous.
The best we can do is to help wipe out their trade deficit which stood at $44 billion in April.
But since we wouldn’t want our other powerful friend, Russia, to feel slighted, we can pay them the $36 billion we promised for creating next generation stealth fighter aircraft.
Building Blocks.
On a more serious note, India’s gold treasures could be used in several ways to help develop the country.
Food, education, housing – all of these need urgent investment, so our gold buyers can take their pick.
One of the options could be to use the money to build roads, power plants and other much-needed infrastructure in India. The Planning Commission says India needs to invest $1 trillion between April 2012 through March 2017 to develop infrastructure needed to keep India’s economy growing at 9% or ideally higher.
Gold owners can fund half of this.
The remaining $100 billion can be used to hire more doctors in hospitals and add more beds in them. That level of investment could help bring India’s healthcare standards to “50-75 percent of the present levels of other developing countries,” says a report by the World Health Organization.
Quench Oil Thirst.
The gold hoards can also pay for all of India’s oil imports for the next six years. India imports two-thirds of its oil requirements. Last year India’s oil import bill came to around $106 billion, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma told reporters in June.
Once oil is taken care of, it will automatically help turn the fate of several key economic issues for us – the trade deficit will turn into a trade surplus, and the fiscal deficit will come under control, and importantly also help bring down persistent inflation.
Thoughts? Share your ideas on how to put this $600 billion to use in the Comment section and follow Ms. Anand on Twitter @shefalianand.Asus announced that it is now seeding Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Padfone Infinity and Fonepad Note 6. The software update also brings along the company's latest ZenUI boasting refreshed visuals.
The update isn't only about adding new features, but will also remove some of the previously loaded by Asus apps. Gone will be Buddybuzz, Car Home, Watch Calendar, My Library, My Bit cast, Pinpal, ASUS Sync, ASUS Echo, AO Link, Birthday Reminder, Mode Manager, System Bar Lock, Device tracker, Floating app and Quick Tool.
Whew, that's a long list, but there are more apps that get modified. ASUS Studio gets renamed to Gallery, while ASUS To Do will be Do It Later from now on. On the Fonepad Note 6, the update improves radio modem stability as well as combining the App Locker feature into the custom launcher.
The updates are quite large in size, the Padfone Inifinity's is 1GB, while the Fonepad Note 6's is 1.15GB. Follow the source links below to obtain the required files if you haven't received the notification already and have no more patience remaining.
Source Source (2) | ViaA Republican state Senator in Wisconsin is upset with everyone paying so much attention to Kwanza, a made-up holiday he claims, “almost no black people today care about.”
According to the Shorewood Patch, Sen. Glenn Grothman railed against the holiday in a December press release, saying it was invented by a racist radical in the 60s and is kept alive today by fanatical liberals who want to destroy America. African Americans, however, have almost no interest in the holiday themselves.
“Of course, almost no black people today care about Kwanza—just white left-wingers who try to shove this down black people’s throats in an effort to divide America,” he wrote.
Later in the release, which is titled “Why Must We Still Hear About Kwanza,” Grothman frets about the danger of schools teaching children about Kwanza.
“Irresponsible public school districts…try to tell a new generation that blacks have a separate holiday than Christians,” he warned. “Be on the lookout if a K-12 or college teacher tries to tell your children or grandchildren it’s a real holiday,” he added.
Activist and professor Maulana Karenga created Kwanza in 1966, hailing it as an alternative winter celebration to honor African American heritage. According to Grothman, that makes Karenga a racist.
“Karenga was a racist and didn’t like the idea that Christ died for all of our sins, so he felt blacks should have their own holiday—hence, Kwanza.”
Grothman is no stranger to controversy. When Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) decided to repeal the state’s equal pay law, Grothman defended that action by saying that, “money is more important for men.”Glenn Beck is becoming the model for the Intentionally Obtuse bloc of America's right wing nutcases: At the very moment when it's becoming virtually unanimous -- even on Fox News -- that all this talk about "death panels" is the biggest load of hooey since black helicopters, he host a segment on his Fox News show with Ron Paul's son, Rand, proclaiming the threat of government-sponsored euthanasia real, real, real.
Of course, it came with a Beckerwockian caveat:
Beck: Tell me about – am I wrong in saying, without any inflammatory speech here, don’t call them “death panels”, just let’s call them what they are – you have a certain amount of money, you have a certain amount of people, you can’t -- they don’t -- you can’t give everything to everybody, isn’t it inevitable that you have to make tough choices? Paul: Well, you know, the president says he isn’t going to pull the plug on grandma, but what I think he really means is, he’s not going to put the plug in in the first place, because you have to decide, some committee’s going to have to decide, what is the cost-benefit analysis for grandma? Grandma is not just your grandmother, she's a statistic, we have to decide, what is the cost to society to keep her alive? And I think she won't get plugged in. Her ventilator won't be plugged in if she's 92 years old, because society may say we don't have the money to do that.
Sounds like someone has been watching Soylent Green -- or maybe Logan's Run late at night. But then, what else should we expect for someone named after one of the world's worst now-deceased writers in combination with one of the world's worst living writers?
If Beck keeps this up, the stream of advertisers deserting him will turn into a flood. Which is no less than he deserves.People across Ireland and Britain experienced something rather special as they turned their eyes to the heavens last night - a rare glimpse of the Northern Lights.
Irish Twitter users in the north of the country tweeted spectacular images of the Northern Lights casting their eerie glow over stunning scenery.
Spectacular red and green lights of the Aurora Borealis lit up skies as far south as Gloucestershire, Essex and Norfolk last night, the result of a strong magnetic storm.
The lights were clearly visible in Glasgow, Orkney and Aberdeenshire in Scotland, at Preston in Lancashire and in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.
The bright dancing lights known as the aurora borealis are caused by charged particles colliding in the Earth’s atmosphere.
They are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.
Many different colours can be seen, with green and pink being the most common, but red, blue and yellow are also possible.
The rare red aurora seen last night across the UK is caused by high-altitude oxygen, which can be as high as 200 miles.
Electrons and protons are hurled from the sun’s atmosphere and are blown towards the earth by the solar wind.
Often these particles are then deflected by the earth’s magnetic field but as it is weaker at either pole, some particles enter the earth’s atmosphere and collide with gas particles, causing the light display.
Usually the best spots to see the lights are those places close to the North Pole, such as Iceland and Norway.
In the southern hemisphere they are known as the Aurora Australis and often can be mirror-like images that occur at the same time as the north.
Additional reporting: PAIn 2002, quietly and behind closed doors, the Internet giant Google began to scan millions of books in an effort to create a privatised giant global library, containing every book in existence. Not only this, but they claimed they had an even greater purpose—to create a higher form of intelligence, something that HG Wells had predicted in his 1937 essay “World Brain”. Working with the world’s most prestigious libraries, Google was said to be reinventing the limits of copyright in the name of free access to anyone, anywhere. But what can possibly be wrong with this picture? As Google and the World Brain reveals, a whole lot. Some argue that Google’s actions represent aggressive theft on an enormous scale, others see it as an attempt to monopolise our shared cultural heritage, and still others view the project as an attempt to flatten our minds by consolidating complex ideas into searchable “extra-long tweets” for the screen. At first slowly, and then with intensifying conviction, a diverse coalition of authors and others mobilise to stop the ambitious project. Google and the World Brain explores this high-stakes story with an important alternative voice to the technological utopianism of our age.An F-15E Strike Eagle departs from RAF Lakenheath on Nov. 12 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. (Photo11: Senior Airman Erin Trower, U.S. Air Force)
The U.S. is withdrawing a dozen F-15 fighters from the key Turkish air base of Incirlik, less than two months after their arrival.
The fighters — six F-15Cs from the 48th Fighter Wing and six F-15Es from the 48th Fighter Wing — will be returning to Europe. The U.S. will still maintain a dozen A-10 Warthog close-air support fighters at the base, located about 100 miles from the border with Syria.
The six F-15Cs arrived at Incirlik on Nov. 6 to help protect Turkish airspace.
“The F-15C deployment to Incirlik Air Base was always intended to be of short duration and serve not only as an immediate response to a request from the Turkish government, but as an exercise of our ability to deploy aircraft on short notice to Turkey,” said Capt. Thomas Barger, a spokesman for U.S. Air Forces in Europe. “Turkey is fully capable of patrolling and protecting its own airspace.”
The F-15E mission was also a temporary use of U.S. European-based forces to augment the counter-Islamic State mission from Incirlik Air Base, Barger said in an email.
Barger declined to say whether the 12 F-15s might be replaced by other aircraft.
“However, one of the advantages of having European-based forces is that they provide our nation with a quick response option when needed, as this temporary deployment clearly proved,” he said.
When the F-15s’ arrival was first announced, Pentagon officials emphasized having the capability located so close to Syria was vital for the fight against the Islamic State, commonly known as ISIS or ISIL. However, on Wednesday, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis downplayed the removal of the fighters, noting that capability would still be in Europe and able to flow down if necessary.
He also noted that increased presence from European allies, including British and French jets that have begun striking in Syria, means the Pentagon does not expect a capability gap. However, Davis would not rule out another wave of American jets coming through the Turkish base.
"It's still absolutely an option," Davis said of another rotation to replace the F-15s.
Davis also said this move was planned before Monday's visit to the Pentagon by President Obama.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter answers questions from coalition troops on Dec. 15 at Incirlik Air Base,Turkey. (Photo11: Sgt. 1st Class Clydell Kinchen, Department of Defense)
The move was announced the day after Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visited the base, but Davis said the timing was coincidental. Carter did not have a high-level sitdown with Turkish officials during his visit, part of a wider tour of the region as the US seeks to bolster local input on the anti-Islamic State campaign.
While the Pentagon has said the F-15Cs were not flying regular operations, defense watchers also noted the C models greatly enhanced the air-to-air capabilities of the US and Turkish assets as they operate in close proximity to Russian fighters above Syrian airspace. That concern took on added weight after a Nov. 24 intercept and shootdown of a Russian Su-24 in Turkish airspace by Turkish F-16s.
When asked about the fallout from the shootdown, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told reporters on Tuesday, “Don’t cross somebody’s border without permission.”
“Any time there are a number of forces operating in close proximity, there is the potential for errors and mistakes and bad things to happen,” Welsh said at Tuesday’s news conference at Langley Air Force Base, Va. “It’s an ugly environment any time you are conducting combat operations. People must coordinate and cooperate to do it properly.”
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1Ym8Ao5PutTheKettleOn9989 Sat 02-Sep-17 09:10:59
My friend has a DD who is starting school shortly. The DD pees herself most days. They've taken her to a doctor etc, and basically the issue appears to be that there is no deterrent for doing it (which is what I always expected). Much like my SS, if they are engrossed in what they are doing then they'd rather not have to get up and go to the loo. The parents don't really discipline the child, and I think she enjoys the attention she gets from doing it. She's only really happy when she's the centre of attention, so I think it's all related. All this is an aside really, just wanted to explain that I don't think the child has any serious underlying issues, just that it's behavioural (she's had tests for cystitis etc).
The last time the child visited, she wet herself (narrowly avoiding my sofa) and then, after running around with no knickers on, nearly pooed on the floor (her Mum only just noticed the 'poo dance' in time). I find it super stressful having her over, I'm always on edge wondering if she's going to pee on the sofa (this has happened at another friend's house) or if she'll pee the bed (sometimes they 'put her to bed' at mine so they can stay late).
AIBU? WWYD?What is fasting and can it be beneficial? Many of us know it as a protocol the doctor prescribes before blood testing.
For others, it may mean giving up a favorite food for a period of time or not eating food at certain times of the day or year out of respect for various religious holidays.
Strictly speaking, fasting is the voluntary absence of food. While the idea of missing even one meal might put most of us in misery, fasting does have many benefits for the body.
Give your body a rest
We take vacations, we have weekends off from work, we rest our tired bodies through sleep, and we "take a break" to rejuvenate from stress. One thing, though, that we hardly ever do, is take a break from food for longer lengths of time.
Our digestive system is very busy and hard-working, which requires high amounts of energy; in fact, the digestive system can even drain energy needed for healing, repair and general maintenance of the body. Therefore, it makes sense to give it a vacation once in awhile.
An ancient tradition
The art of fasting is an ancient tradition practiced for thousands of years for curing illness of all kinds, rejuvenation, clarity and decision making, cleansing and strengthening. Have you noticed that when you're sick, your appetite diminishes? (Similarly, when animals are ill, they lie down and often don't eat or drink.) Energy goes towards healing our bodies instead of digesting food.
Tetra Images, Getty Images There are innumerable good reasons to lose excess weight before pregnancy. There are innumerable good reasons to lose excess weight before pregnancy. (Tetra Images, Getty Images)
Fasting also allows for the body's enzyme system to focus on detoxifying and breaking down toxins in the body quickly and efficiently without the job of heavy food digestion. During fasts, toxins are being circulated in the body in order for our organs to de-arm them. Therefore, it's not always wise to detoxify quickly because a flood of toxins being released at once can cause serious distress to the body that can do more harm than good.
Effective ways to fast
If you've never fasted before, and would like to experience a fast, have no fear. Fasting should be gentle and nurturing and can range from a one day to as long as a week. More rigorous fasts, such as a water-only fast, should only be undertaken by those experienced in fasting and detoxification.
A gentle fast is great way to start -- without even having to go hungry.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Eating a raw food diet of fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts
Eating a "mono" diet of one food (for example a fruit or rice gruel)
Consuming mineral-rich bone and vegetable broths
Drinking green smoothies
Drinking only fresh pressed vegetables/fruit juices
Eating salads exclusively
Eating kichadi ( a traditional Indian rice/vegetable dish full of healing herbs and spices)
Having an early dinner and refraining from food for a 16-hour period before eating breakfast.
Fasting may seem overwhelming or daunting, but if you simply choose one day per week and practice any of the above tips, you'll get used to this healing practice.
When fasting, always remember to listen to your body, letting it decide when and how long fasting should last. For those who still have doubts, seeing a Naturopathic Doctor or Holistic Nutritionist may help ease your hesitation and motivate you to get started.
Fasting is a message to your body that you're embarking on a new beginning, flushing out the old and bringing in the new. Fasting is the perfect way to introduce new healthy habits and foods into your life. It can give you that jump-start, boost clarity, and clear your body toward shifting things in a positive direction.
Make a resolution to give your digestive system a break once in a while. What better way to start a new year?
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Rachel Hynd is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and certified Raw Food Instructor. NaturallySavvy.com is a website that educates people on the benefits of living a natural, organic and green lifestyle. For more information visit www.NaturallySavvy.com
(c) 2011, NATURALLY SAVVY DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.Having reviewed the feedback submitted by yesterday's deadline from supporters, the Club have taken the decision to postpone the proposed Feedback Forum scheduled for Monday 26 September. It will now be held during the upcoming international break on Wednesday 5 October 2016 at 6pm.
This decision has been taken in response to a significant number of supporters wanting to attend expressing their desire for a more formal group set up to discuss issues with more members of the Board in attendance.
So with the help of an independent selection committee, the Club has decided to appoint key advisors representing key sections of the supporter-base, whose role it will be to act as representatives of supporters and meet with the Board on a regular basis.
This group of advisors will include supporters from each section of the General Admission areas of the Stadium, in addition to Corporate Members, Bondholders, Accessibility supporters, young supporters, fan bloggers and key groups including LGBT Hammers and other such affiliate groups.
With a strong task team, including Board members, having thoroughly reviewed the feedback, the Forum is expected to focus on some key themes from different perspectives.
The Board are very grateful for the detailed feedback received, many points of which have already been acted upon, and are pleased that supporters are overwhelmingly supportive of the Club’s aim to ensure the Forum achieves tangible outcomes for the benefit of the Club and supporters.
This is a genuine opportunity to listen to supporters’ views from a true cross-section of the fanbase and work together to improve the Stadium and matchday experience.
The Club actively invite fans to come forward themselves, or to nominate individuals they think can adequately represent their area, expressing their interest in becoming a key advisor. To do so, please email supporterservices@westhamunited.co.uk.
The Feedback Forum meeting will act as a good test for the soon-to-be-elected new West Ham United Supporter Advisory Board. It is proposed that the SAB will follow a similar format, meeting more regularly with a pool of different representatives focusing on key areas of expertise.
Should they be selected as key advisors, supporters will be invited formally to attend no later than Friday 30 September at 5pm, with the Feedback Forum to take place on Wednesday 5 October 2016 at 6pm.Having just spent what felt like weeks waiting for a sweater to dry after blocking in a cold, damp house, I decided there must be a better way than drying them flat - especially when they need a bit of stretching in particular direction.
I subsequently discovered that you can get such a thing as a woolly board or sweater board - a kind of wooden frame to block a sweater on - however such things are expensive and hard to find! So I set out to make my own, and thought I’d post some clear instructions, since the pictures and directions online are all a bit vague in places.
Materials
6 rods (broom handles or equivalent will do): 90cm long, 25mm in diameter - for uprights and lower and upper arm bars.
1 dowelling piece: 90cm long, 6mm diameter - to make the bottom bar to pin the sweater body cuff to.
1 piece of scrap wood - at least 90cm long, and 3cm thick, of any width, to make a base/stand.
2 long (25cm or more) stainless steel M6 (6mm) bolts or threaded rods.
5 pieces metal rod: each 5cm long, 6mm diameter - for dowel pegs. You should have spare 6mm threaded rod or bolts which can be cut down to length with a hacksaw.
2 washers to fit thread (also stainless steel).
2 nuts to fit thread (also stainless steel).
String or flexible wire.
You will also need a drill with 6 and 7mm wood drill bits.
(Note - I initially started with wooden dowel pegs - which can be seen in the pictures. However these are very fragile and snap easily, so I updated to using 6mm metal dowel pegs instead).
Instructions
Preparation
Sand the end of the rods well, taking off the corners entirely, to prevent catching on the knitted item later. Prepare the metal rod by cutting into 5cm pieces with a hacksaw.
Uprights
Take 2 of the 90cm rods, drill a 6mm diameter, 2.5cm deep hole into each end, and insert dowel pegs. These are to pin it to the upper arm and base. Drill 10 7mm diameter holes through each upright, centred 2.5cm apart, starting 10cm from the bottom end of the upright. This is to fit the horizontal bar to pin the body cuff. Rotate the rod 90 degrees, now drill 10 6mm diameter holes, starting 10cm from the top end of the upright. This is to tie the lower arm bars through.
Upper Arm Bar
Take 2 of the 90cm rods, drill a 6mm diameter, 2.5cm deep hole into one end of each rod. Insert a dowel peg into one of the ends. This allows these rods to be pinned together. On the side of each rod, starting at the ‘join’ end, drill 10 6mm diameter holes, centred 2.5cm apart, starting 10cm out from the join end. This is for the uprights to connect to. Drill 3 or 4 7mm dimples, 5cm apart starting at the outer end of each bar, on the same side as the upright holes. This is to slot the tension bolt into.
Base
Mark the centre point lengthwise on the bar. Drill 10 6mm diameter holes on each side of this mark, starting 10cm out from the mark. These holes match those on the upper arm bar, for the bottom of the uprights to connect to.
Lower Arm Bar
Take 2 of the 90cm rods, drill a 6mm diameter hole through one end of each. This is to thread the string to tie to the uprights. At the other end, rotate the rod through 90 degrees, and drill 5 or 6 6mm hole through the rod at around 25-30 degrees (leaning the drill is enough, it doesn’t need to be exact!), angled towards the body. This is for the tension bolts.
Finishing Up
Thread string through the inner holes of the lower arm bars. Thread the bolts through the lower arms, with the washer and nut on top. The nut doesn’t tighten anything - it’s just there to stop the bolt falling out when not under tension. We’re using stainless steel fittings as they’re likely to get damp from the sweater, and we don’t want anything to rust. If you can’t get stainless fittings, then wooden dowels with some kind of rust-proof pin in place of the washer could work. Make sure to sand down all the wood after drilling, to remove any snags and burrs. You don’t want the woolly board catching on your sweater and pulling it!
Assembly
It is easiest to assemble the woolly board on a flat surface, inserting it into the sweater, then standing it up once assembled. Start with the sweater laid down, arms stretched out, and the body rolled up to ijust below the armholes, to make it as short as possible. Thread the upper arm bars through the sleeves of your sweater, joining with a doweli peg in the middle, centred on the middle of the neck hole.. Insert the uprights into the body of the jumper, pushing out to gently stretch the garment sides, and pin to the upper arm bar at an appropriate point. Insert the lower arm bars into the sleeves, and tie/wire to the uprights at an appropriate point, so that the lower bar rests at the bottom of the sleeve/armhole. Unroll the sweater, and pin the uprights to the base, spaced the same number as holes as on the upper arm bars. Stand the woolly board upright. Gently push the lower arm bars down at the wrist to tension the sleeves. Slot the bolt into the notch on the upper arm bar, and let the washer fall down onto the top of the lower arm bar. The washer should jam on the thread, stopping the lower bar from springing back up against the sleeve tension. Thread the thin rod through the lower holes on the uprights just below the body cuff, and pin or tie the body cuff to the bar to achieve appropriate tension. To release the lower arm bars, simply pull down gently |
minister of state, who addressed the question in a written response to a question from a member of Parliament, Lord Jonathan Harris.
Lord Bates wrote:
“HM Revenue and Customs does not offer digital currencies as a payment method and has no current plans to do so.”
Profits made on speculation in cryptocurrency “are currently chargeable at the normal Capital Gains Tax rates, depending on the facts of the case,” Bates wrote in response to a separate question from Lord Harris.
Those gains could be considerable. Bitcoin alone has made a 10x return since the end of last year, including briefly crossing the psychological threshold of $10,000 this week. At press time, bitcoin is trading at £6,992.34.
Lord Harris asked several other questions concerning cryptocurrency regulation.
In response to another, Lord Bates said that the government plans to bring wallet providers and exchanges under anti-money-laundering rules, pending amendments to a European Union directive. Negotiations over those amendments should wrap up by early next year, he told Lord Harris.
“This will require such firms to conduct due diligence upon their customers, with their activities being overseen by national competent authorities for these areas,” Bates wrote.
And in answering Lord Harris’ question about U.K. banks’ reluctance to provide accounts to digital currency firms and their employees – a problem faced by startups in the space for years – Bates offered little encouragement.
“The stance of individual firms towards providers of digital currencies is a commercial decision for those firms, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene,” he wrote.
Parliament image via Shutterstock.The episode comes just ahead of Japanese elections in which conservatives pushing for a more robust military to counter China’s rise are in the lead.
For months, patrol ships from the two countries have sporadically faced off near the islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, exchanging protests over loudspeakers that each is infringing on the other’s sovereignty. Recently, Chinese ships have sailed near the islands more regularly in what analysts in Japan interpret as a new strategy by China, either trying to wear down Japan’s resolve or to use the patrols to bolster its claims that it is protecting the islands and therefore is in charge.
It was unclear on Thursday whether the plane’s flight might have been part of such a strategy. This week, China appeared to increase the pressure on Japan by sending a flotilla of navy ships near the islands, instead of the maritime surveillance ships it sent before.
Some analysts have said they consider the standoff more dangerous than separate conflicts Beijing is involved with over islands in the South China Sea because those pit China against countries less powerful than Japan, which has one of the world’s most sophisticated navies.
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The episode was an embarrassment for the administration in Japan, already struggling in national polls, since radar systems failed to detect the Chinese surveillance plane on Thursday. The authorities in Tokyo became aware of its presence only after a Japanese Coast Guard ship spotted it near the islands.
The Coast Guard ship’s crew radioed the Chinese plane, “Do not intrude into Japanese airspace.” The aircraft’s crew responded, “This is Chinese airspace,” according to the Japanese public broadcaster, NHK.
By the time fighter jets reached the area from a base in Okinawa, the Chinese plane was gone, the Defense Ministry official said.
In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura called the Chinese actions “extremely regrettable.” Gen. Shigeru Iwasaki, chief of Joint Staff of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, said it was regrettable that the plane had entered Japanese airspace unnoticed. “We are going to make sure this does not happen again,” General Iwasaki said.
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Kurt M. Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told reporters, “We are encouraging all sides to take appropriate steps so that there will be no misunderstandings, no miscalculations that could trigger an environment that would be antithetical to the maintenance of peace and stability.”
Mr. Campbell, who was in Malaysia, also reiterated the Obama administration’s stance that the security treaty between the United States and Japan applies to “any provocative set of circumstances.”
The United States has not taken a position on the sovereignty of the islands.
The flare-up over the islands began when the Japanese government started considering buying some of the islands from a private Japanese owner, which it did this year. Japan said it hoped that would calm tensions by keeping the islands out of the hands of a hawkish Japanese politician, but China took the government’s move as provocation.There was an odd moment on the BBC last summer, during Jeremy Corbyn’s first leadership campaign. A reporter had asked him a simple question about nationalisation: “Where did you get these words from?” he snapped. “Has somebody been feeding you this stuff?”
At the time I was taken aback, but before long the campaign would become defined by paranoia, manifested in its leader as an extreme suspicion of “mainstream media”, and in its supporters as a widespread belief that establishment forces were conspiring to “fix” the Labour leadership contest, the so-called #LabourPurge.
This summer, Corbyn is fighting another leadership election. The main focus of his campaign so far has been an attempt to paint his rival Owen Smith as a “Big Pharma shill”, while Corbyn’s most influential supporter, Unite’s Len McCluskey, has claimed that MI5 are waging a dirty tricks campaign against the Leader of the Opposition. On stage Corbyn has attacked national media for failing to cover a parish council by-election.
Corbyn’s time as Labour leader has been marked by an extraordinary surge of paranoia and conspiracy theory on the left. The sheer intensity of it, combined with some of his supporters’ glassy-eyed denial of reality and desire to “purge” the party unfaithful, has led some to compare Corbynism to a cult or a religious movement. Unfortunately, the problem goes much deeper. Corbyn didn’t create or lead a movement; he followed one.
In the last few years, a new breed of hyperbolic pundits has emerged on left-wing social media who embody what Richard Hofstadter called “The Paranoid Style” in politics, “a sense of heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy”.
Hofstadter’s 1964 essay was inspired by McCarthyism, but the Paranoid Style as a political and psychological phenomenon has been with us for as long as modern politics. Of course conspiracies and misdeeds can happen, but the Paranoid Style builds up an apocalyptic vision of a future driven entirely by dark conspiracies. The NHS won’t just be a bit worse; it will be destroyed in 24 hours. Opponents aren’t simply wrong, but evil incarnate; near-omnipotent super-villains control the media, the banks, even history itself. Through most of history, movements like this have remained at the fringes of politics; and when they move into the mainstream bad things tend to happen.
To pick one example among many, science broadcaster Marcus Chown’s Twitter feed is full of statements that fall apart at the slightest touch. We learn that billionaires control 80 per cent of the media – they don’t. We learn that the BBC were “playing down” the Panama Papers story, tweeted on a day when it led the TV news bulletins and was the number one story on their news site. We learn that the Tories are lying when they say they’ve increased spending on the NHS. As FullFact report, the Tories have increased NHS spending in both absolute and real terms. We learn via a retweet that Labour were ahead of the Conservatives in polling before a leadership challenge; they weren’t.
The surprise Conservative majority in last year’s election shocked the left to the core, and seemed to push this trend into overdrive. Unable to accept that Labour had simply lost arguments over austerity, immigration and the economy, people began constructing their own reality, pasting out of context quotes and dubious statistics over misleading charts and images. Falsehoods became so endemic in left-wing social media that it’s now almost impossible to find a political meme that doesn’t contain at least one serious mistruth. Popular social media figures like Dr Eoin Clarke have even built up the idea that the election result itself was a gigantic fraud.
The problem with creating your own truth is that you have to explain why others can’t – or won’t – see it. One answer is that they’re the unwitting stooges of an establishment conspiracy that must involve the “mainstream media”, a belief that seems more plausible in the wake of scandals over expense claims and phone-hacking. Voters can’t be expressing genuine concerns, so they must have been brainwashed by the media.
The left have long complained about the right-wing bias of the tabloid press with some justification, but in recent years the rage of a hardcore minority has become increasingly focused on the BBC. “Why aren’t the BBC covering X” is a complaint heard daily, with X nearly always being some obscure or unimportant protest or something that in fact the BBC did cover.
Bewildered and infuriated by the BBC’s refusal to run hard-left soundbites as headlines, the paranoid left assume Auntie is involved in some sort of right-wing establishment plot. Public figures such as Laura Kuenssberg, the Corporation’s political editor, have been subjected to a campaign of near-permanent abuse from the left, much of it reeking of misogyny. By asking Labour figures questions as tough as those she routinely puts to Conservative politicians, she has exposed her true role as a “Tory propagandist whore”, a “fucking cunt bag”, or a “Murdoch puppet”.
This was the context in which Corbyn’s leadership campaign was fought, and with his own dislike of the media and love of a good conspiracy theorist, he swiftly became a figurehead for the paranoid left. Suddenly, the cranks and conspiracy theorists had a home in his Labour party; and they flocked to it in their tens of thousands. Of course most Corbynistas aren’t cranks, but an intense and vocal minority are, and they have formed a poisonous core at the heart of the cause.
The result is a Truther-style movement that exists in almost complete denial of reality. Polls showing double-digit leads for the Conservatives are routinely decried as the fabrications of sinister mainstream media figures. The local elections in May, which saw Corbyn’s Labour perform worse than most opposition leaders in recent history, triggered a series of memes insisting that results were just fine. Most bewildering of all is a conspiracy theory which insists that Labour MPs who quit the shadow cabinet and declared ‘no confidence’ in Corbyn were somehow orchestrated by the PR firm, Portland Communications.
The paranoid left even has its own news sources. The Canary manages, without irony, to take the worst traits of the tabloids, from gross bias to the misreporting of a suicide note, and magnify them to create pages of pro-Corbyn propaganda that are indistinguishable from parody. On Facebook, Corbyn has more followers than the Labour Party itself. Fan groups filter news of Corbyn and his enemies so effectively that in one Facebook group I polled, more than 80 per cent of respondents thought Corbyn would easily win a general election.
This kind of thinking tips people over a dangerous threshold. Once you believe the conspiracy theories, once you believe you’ve been denied democracy by media manipulation and sinister establishment forces mounting dirty tricks campaigns, it becomes all too easy to justify bad behaviour on your own side. It starts with booing, but as the “oppressed” gain their voices the rhetoric and the behaviour escalate until the abuse becomes physical.
I’m prepared to believe Jeremy Corbyn when he says that he doesn’t engage in personal abuse. The problem is, he doesn’t have to. His army of followers are quite happy to engage in abuse on his behalf, whether it’s the relentless abuse of journalists, or bricks tossed through windows, or creating what more than 40 women MPs have described as a hostile and unpleasant environment.
Supporters will point out that Jeremy Corbyn hasn’t asked for this to happen, and that in fact he’s made various statements condemning abuse. They’re not wrong, but they fail to grasp the point; that the irresponsible behaviour of Corbyn and his allies feeds into the atmosphere that leads inexorably to these kinds of abuses happening.
We see this in Corbyn’s unfounded attacks on media conspiracies, such as his absurd complaints about the lack of coverage of council elections. We see it in the shadow chancellor John McDonnell’s angry public jibes at Labour MPs. Surly aggression oozes out of the screen whenever a TV reporter asks Corbyn a difficult question. Then there’s the long history of revolutionary rhetoric – the praise for bombs and bullets, the happy engagement with the homophobic, the misogynistic, the anti-Semitic, the terrorist, in the name of nobler aims.
Even the few statements Corbyn makes about abuse and bigotry are ambiguous and weak. Called upon to address anti-Semitism in the Labour party, he repeatedly abstracts to generic racism – in his select committee evidence on the topic, he mentioned racism 28 times, and anti-Semitism 25 times, while for his interviewers the ratio was 19 to 45. Called on to address the abuse of women MPs in the Labour Party, he broadened the topic to focus on abuse directed at himself, while his shadow justice secretary demanded the women show “respect” to party members. Corbyn’s speech is woolly at the best of times, but he and his allies seem determined to water down any call for their supporters to reform.
Still, why reform when things are going so well? Taken at face value, Corbyn’s summer has been appalling. It began with the poor local election results, continued with Labour’s official position being defeated in the EU Referendum, and then saw the party’s leader lose a vote of no confidence, after which he was forced to watch the resignation of most of his shadow cabinet and then face a leadership challenge. Labour are polling terribly against Theresa May (who, admittedly, is in her honeymoon period), and the press are either hostile or find Corbyn impossible to work with.
If Corbyn were a conventional Leader of the Opposition these facts would be catastrophic, but he’s not and they’re not. To understand why, let’s look at some head-scratching quotes from leading Corbynistas. Jon Lansman, Chair of Momentum, was heavily mocked on Twitter recently for saying, “Democracy gives power to people, ‘Winning’ is the small bit that matters to political elites who want to keep power themselves.” The former BBC and Channel 4 journalist Paul Mason released a video clip suggesting Labour should be transformed into a “social movement”, along the lines of Occupy.
These sentiments are echoed at the heart of Team Corbyn. Owen Smith claimed to have asked Corbyn and his Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, whether they were prepared to let the Labour party split. According to Smith, whose version of events was denied by John McDonnell but backed up by two other MPs, Corbyn refused to answer while McDonnell said “if that’s what it takes”. Many activists seem to hold the same view – Twitter is full of Momentum warriors quite happy to see the bulk of the PLP walk away, and unconcerned about their diminishing prospects of winning any election.
Which on the face of it makes no sense. Labour has 232 seats, considerably more than David Cameron inherited in 2005. Their opponent is an “unelected” Prime Minister commanding a majority of just twelve, who was a senior figure in the government that just caused Britain’s biggest crisis since the war, and is now forced to negotiate a deal that either cripples the economy or enrages millions of voters who were conned by her colleagues into believing they had won a referendum on immigration. Just before leaving office, George Osborne abandoned his budget surplus target – effectively conceding it was a political gambit all along.
A competent Labour leader, working with other parties and disaffected Remainian Tories, could be – should be - tearing lumps out of the government on a weekly basis. Majority government may be a distant prospect, but forcing the Tories into a coalition or removing them from government altogether by the next election is entirely achievable. Yet it’s fair to say that many Corbynistas have little interest in seeing this scenario play out.
Which makes sense, because to these people Labour – real Labour – doesn’t have 232 seats, it has about 40. The others seats are occupied by “Red Tories” or, worse, “Blairites”. Since these groups are as much the enemy as the Tories are, exchanging one for the other is meaningless. The Corbynites could start their own party of course, but why do that when they can seize control of Labour’s infrastructure, short money and institutional donors. The only long-term strategy that makes sense is to “purify” Labour, and rebuild from the foundations up. That may mean another 10 or 20 years of Tory rule, but the achingly middle-class Corbynistas won’t be the ones to suffer from that.
Seen through that prism, Corbynism makes sense. A common theme among the dozens of resignation letters from former shadow ministers has been his apparent disinterest in opposition policy work. A recent Vice documentary showed his refusal to attack the Tories over the resignation of Iain Duncan Smith. Even Richard Murphy, a supportive economist who set out many of the basic principles of ‘Corbynomics’, lost patience in a recent blog post:
“I had the opportunity to see what was happening inside the PLP. The leadership wasn’t confusing as much as just silent. There was no policy direction, no messaging, no direction, no co-ordination, no nothing. Shadow ministers appeared to have been left with no direction as to what to do. It was shambolic.”
So where are his attentions focused? Unnamed “insiders” quoted in the Mirror paint an all too feasible picture of a team that, “spent hours in ‘rambling’ meetings discussing possible plots against him and considered sending ‘moles’ to spy on his Shadow Cabinet.” That claim was given more weight by the recent controversy over Karie Murphy, Corbyn’s office manager, who allegedly entered the office of shadow minister Seema Malhotra without permission. Vice’s documentary, ‘The Outsider‘, showed Corbyn railing against the BBC, who he believed were ‘obsessed’ with undermining his leadership, and other journalists.
By all accounts, Corbyn’s team inhabit a bunker mentality, and their genius – intentional or otherwise – has been to use the ‘paranoid style’ to extend that bunker to accommodate tens of thousands of their followers. Within that bubble, every failure becomes a victory. Negative media coverage simply reinforces their sense of being under attack, and every bad poll or election disappointment becomes an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of their faith. Shadow cabinet resignations and condemnations reveal new ‘traitors’, justifying further paranoia and increasing the feeling of being under siege.
It’s terrible for a functioning opposition, but brilliant for forming a loyal hard-left movement, driving screaming protestors into CLP meetings, keeping uppity MPs in line with the prospect of more abuse or deselection, and ensuring that Corbyn will sign up enough supporters to win the leadership election by a landslide.
Hofstadter wrote that ”the paranoid is a militant leader. He does not see social conflict as something to be mediated and compromised, in the manner of the working politician.” In the United States, Bernie Sanders was ultimately forced to compromise when Hillary Clinton won the Democrat nomination. The Bernie Corbyn & Jeremy Sanders Facebook group, hardcore loyalists to the end, immediately disowned him, and suggested the group change its name.
Corbyn need make no such compromise, which is his whole appeal. Those who expect him to step down after a general election defeat, or to compromise with the rest of the party to achieve greater success, have completely failed to understand what they’re dealing with. For Corbyn and his followers there is no compromise, only purity, and a Red Labour party with 50 MPs is better than a centrist party with 400. That is the reality of the movement that Labour and the left are facing, and it is catastrophic.Hackers associated with the Thailand branch of Anonymous took down several hundred Thailand justice and federal websites Tuesday after two Burmese migrant workers were sentenced to the death penalty last month for the murder of two British tourists in September 2014. The verdict has come under heavy criticism after claims that the police tortured the two men forcing them to confess to a crime they didn’t commit surfaced.
Anonymous, the loosely based hacktivist group spanning the globe claimed responsibility after all of Thailand’s federal and government websites began going offline, carrying out their second cyber-protest following their previous January 6 attacks. The 297 websites run by Thailand’s court of justice were found offline due to the murder of two backpackers that occurred on the Thai island of Koh Tao.
The Thailand case in which Anonymous has launched attacks against centers around the mysterious murder of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who were both found beaten to death on a beach at the Koh Tao island. It was reported that Witheridge was also raped before her death.
After a speedy 18-day trial in Thai courts, the two Burmese migrant workers, whose DNA was allegedly found on the victims, were convicted of murder. Following their conviction both men later said they were forced to confess after being tortured and not given proper interpreters to translate for them during the trial.
Anonymous is just one of the countless groups and individuals who have openly criticized the Thai justice system in this case.
“Anonymous is preparing a huge leak of all Thai officials involved in corruption in Thai Courts,” Anonymous Thailand announced on Facebook just before hundreds of Thai government websites went offline. “Anonymous has found the Thai courts to be GUILTY of unfair treatment of non Thai nationals, using scapegoats and using foreign prisoners as political pawns and for political gain. You have been found guilty by Anonymous and justice will prevail.”
Following their threat they began to publish pictures of the judges working the murder trial against Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin, pronouncing the judges guilty and labeling them corrupt.
Anonymous hacktivists also announced “We stand by Laura,” referring to Laura Witheridge’s elder sister who openly criticized the Thailand government on Facebook stating the police and justice system are corrupt.
“The thai police chief had no intentions of giving us an update,” wrote Laura Witheridge in a statement posted to her Facebook page Sunday, describing when her family went to retrieve her sister’s body from Thailand. “After all, the bungled investigation meant he had nothing to tell us. The invitation was merely an opportunity for the press to take photographs of our family.”
The latest operation of demanding justice for the two men who are believed to be wrongly accused of murder is just one of the dozens of operations Anonymous has carried out over the past few months. Recent Anonymous operations included unmasking KKK members and declaring a vicious cyber-war against ISIS.
Anonymous is supporting a campaign that asks tourists to boycott Thailand entirely until changes are made with the way Thai police handle investigations involving foreign tourists.
It’s been over 20 hours since the initial attacks started and many of the Thai websites are still offline at the time of publication.Weary and tired, the leopard entered the box, which was carefully brought up.
Three-year-old female leopard was discovered by a farmer in his well.
A box trap was lowered down carefully in an operation which lasted three hours.
A farmer in a village near Pune in Maharashtra was startled on Sunday morning when he heard loud panicking roars echoing from deep inside the village well close to his house. As he peeped in, he saw a leopard trapped and struggling to stay afloat inside the nearly 60-feet-deep well.The farmer, after recovering from his initial fear, called the forest department which in turn called the Manikdoh Leopard rescue centre, run by the NGO Wildlife SOS in the area.The team first lowered a small log to help the three-year-old female leopard to stay afloat. Next a box trap was lowered down carefully in an operation which lasted three hours. Perhaps weary and tired from having to battle to stay afloat for a long time, the leopard entered the box, which was carefully brought up."The leopard was in a state of panic and had to be rescued immediately," said Dr Ajay Deshmukh at the Manikdoh Leopard rescue centre. After a thorough physical examination, the officials decided that the animal had not suffered any major injuries and was then released."There are a large number of open wells in the area and most don't have proper nets, increasing the risk of wild animals getting trapped inside them," said Ramesh Kharmale, forester, Junnar division. Leopards are often found in this area as the sugarcane fields provide a good hideout and cover for these animals struggling to find a foothold in vanishing thinning and vanishing forests.A shrinking habitat for the big cat means that human-leopard conflicts are on the rise, at times with tragic outcomes.Couple jailed in France for mutilating daughters' genitals
United Kingdom,Crime/Disaster/Accident,Religion, Mon, 04 Jun 2012 IANS
London, June 4 (IANS) An African Islamic holy man - alleged to be endowed with magical powers - and his wife have been jailed in France for mutilating the genitals of their four daughters.
At the trial in Nevers in central France, the couple was charged with involvement in an act of mutilation by an older person of a minor under the age of 15 years, a crime punishable in France by a maximum of 20 years in jail, the Daily Mail reported.
The father was sentenced to two years and his wife got 18 months for allowing a so-called doctor to remove parts of their daughters' genitals.
The man was said to be a "marabout" -- an Islamic holy man alleged to be endowed with magical powers, the report said.
The couple hail from west Africa's Guinea, where according to a 2007 study, 96 percent of young girls have their genitals mutilated in the name of religion, the Daily Mail said.
African marabouts are said to be able to cure illnesses and restore whole communities to well-being simply by waving feathers and intoning magical words.
At the trial, the two youngest daughters declared themselves plaintiffs under French law but the elder girls withdrew their complaint and sided with their parents.
The two eldest girls defended their parents' action, saying that they did not understand why they were appearing in court. All four victims are now aged between 11 and 20.
The mother told the court she now regretted what had happened.
French Minister of Women's Rights, Moroccan-born Najat Vallaud-Belkacem has vowed to track down people who have performed such surgery on an estimated 50,000 girls in France.LAS VEGAS - On a fateful night in Anaheim, Jon Jones made an offhand comment to Daniel Cormier that has echoed for years.
"I bet you that I could take you down," Jones told Cormier, moments after meeting the former Olympic wrestler the first time.
How was Jones to know when he crossed paths with Cormier backstage at UFC 121 that he and Cormier would find themselves on a collision course? Jones, at the time, was still five months away from winning the UFC light heavyweight title, and he only got there that fast because then-teammate Rashad Evans had to drop out of a fight with champion Mauricio Rua.
Cormier, who was in town to watch teammate Cain Velasquez win the heavyweight belt from Brock Lesnar, had just five pro bouts under his belt, just debuted in Strikeforce and was in a different weight class than Jones.
And yet here we are, four years later, with Jones and Cormier getting set for one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history. And while the tensions between the two -- fueled again on Thursday with an intense staredown and a hallway argument between the two fighters' camps -- continues unabated, the words Jones dropped on Cormier on that fateful SoCal night which started it all have never been forgotten.
"He really needed that moment to create a story in his head," Jones said at Thursday's UFC 182 media day. "I was completely joking. I was reaching out, everything I said, my body language, everything I said was just a way to introduce myself.... To take it seriously, deep down, he wanted to have a story with me. He wanted to have beef."
Still, the question remains: Is the champion, whose amateur wrestling career maxed out at the junior college level, actually bold enough to try a wrestler who came up one spot shy of an Olympic medal at his strong point?
Cormier hopes so.
"I want him to try to wrestle me," Cormier said at Wednesday's open workouts out on the MGM Grand's casino floor. "I would love for him to test my wrestling. And what if he takes me down? It doesn't matter, I'm just going to get back up. That's the key. I'm not sitting here saying I won't ever get taken down in a mixed martial arts fight. Will I defend every takedown? Yes. What happens if a guy scores a takedown? You get up. It's not that big of a deal."
Jones, of course, has made a game out of beating his opponents at their strengths, from clobbering Glover Teixeira with heavy hands to outwrestling Chael Sonnen.
And Jones' wrestling coach, Izzy Martinez, knows it's a part of the champ's nature.
"You know Jonny," Martinez told MMAFighting.com. "He loves the challenge, he loves to embrace the challenge, he loves to break guys and he likes to break them by beating them at their own game."
Still, Martinez insists that Jones isn't going to go too far out of his way just to prove a point. It was just over a year ago, after all, that Jones fixated on trying to outbox Alexander Gustafsson, a move which nearly cost him his championship.
"He didn't want to overemphasize on anything," Martinez said. "In the Gustafsson fight, he emphasized the boxing a lot, and he wasn't too happy with the performance. He made sure this fight, he didn't overemphasize in anything. He did what Jon Jones does best. He's in great shape, mentally he pushed through some barriers. It's just exciting."
Still, that hasn't stopped Jones from believing he can hang Cormier if it turns into a wrestling meet.
"I just love the fact that people assume that if Daniel takes me down, he wins the fight," Jones said. "I love how people assume he needs to get close to me and then I'm suddenly at some type of a disadvantage. Honestly man, I'm so secure in my abilities as a fighter - in the clinch, in the top game, my bottom game, about my wrestling."
Middleweight contender Luke Rockhold was among those who have helped Cormier prepare at San Jose's American Kickboxing Academy for the fight. For his part, he's not sure whether Jones will actually attempt to outwrestle the Olympian or whether it's just an attempt at playing mind games.
"Jon tries to manipulate his opponents," Rockhold said. "Who knows if he's going to wrestle or not? He might just be saying that to open other avenues. If Jon comes to wrestle, he's going to be in big trouble. DC is just as good a defensive wrestler as an offensive wrestler."
"Jon has never fought a wrestler better than himself," Rockhold continued. "His best wrestler was Chael, and Cormier is on a different level. We've never seen on Jon on his back, Daniel has good top position and control. Jon, we've never seen it, so who knows what he has on his back? Other than that, there's more openings. You make him think about the takedowns, it opens up the standup."
Jones remained unimpressed. "Cormier has a big ego when it comes to his wrestling credentials," he said. "I think he thought about me every time he saw me. He was a guy who was off my radar. It was so much more to him than it was to me when I said it."
True enough, on Jones' last point. As for Cormier, he left reporters with a simple reminder that after all this talk, there's only one way to find out how things will go.
"I don't care what Jon Jones says about me," Cormier said. "The thing I love about this sport is he can make fun of my fourth place in the Olympics, he can make fun of my body, he can make fun of everything. At the end of the day, he has to stand in front of me for 25 minutes. That'll be the judge."Residents of the greater Philadelphia who were hoping to see a rocket blast across the city skies on Sunday night were disappointed because the launch was delayed 24 hours.
NASA announced that an equipment problem forced the postponement of the Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket, which was scheduled to launch Sunday at 8:03 p.m. from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
During a pre-launch check, a ground support equipment cable did not perform as expected.
The rocket is now slated to blast off no earlier than 7:40 p.m. on Monday night.
The rocket's plume should be visible to most residents of the East Coast from Maine to Georgia, according to Space.com.
Meteorologists at The Weather Channel call for mostly clear skies in Philly when the launch is scheduled.
Depending on conditions, NASA officials expect the rocket to appear in the Philadelphia area about 90 seconds after liftoff.
Google/NASA/Source Rendering of view from the Art Museum.in Philadelphia.
The unmanned cargo ship will carry more than 5,100 pounds of supplies and vehicle hardware to the International Space Station in a resupply mission.Economics in One Lesson
by Henry Hazlitt
The Lesson Applied
Who's “Protected” by Tariffs?
A MERE RECITAL of the economic policies of governments all over the world is calculated to cause any serious student of economics to throw up his hands in despair. What possible point can there be, he is likely to ask, in discussing refinements and advances in economic theory, when popular thought and the actual policies of governments, certainly in everything connected with international relations, have not yet caught up with Adam Smith? For present-day tariff and trade policies are not only as bad as those in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but incomparably worse. The real reasons for those tariffs and other trade barriers are the same, and the pretended reasons are also the same.
Since The Wealth of Nations appeared more than two centuries ago, the case for free trade has been stated thousands of times, but perhaps never with more direct simplicity and force than it was stated in that volume. In general Smith rested his case on one fundamental proposition: “In every country it always is and must be the interest of the great body of the people to buy whatever they want of those who sell it cheapest.” “The proposition is so very manifest,” Smith continued, “that it seems ridiculous to take any pains to prove it; nor could it ever have been called in question, had not the interested sophistry of merchants and manufacturers confounded the common-sense of mankind.”
From another point of view, free trade was considered as one aspect of the specialization of labor:
It is the maxim of every prudent master of a family, never to attempt to make at home what it will cost him more to make than to buy. The tailor does not attempt to make his own shoes, but buys them of the shoemaker. The shoemaker does not attempt to make his own clothes, but employs a tailor. The farmer attempts to make neither the one nor the other, but employs those different artificers. All of them find it for their interest to employ their whole industry in a way in which they have some advantage over their neighbors, and to purchase with a part of its produce, or what is the same thing, with the price of a part of it, whatever else they have occasion for. What is prudence in the conduct of every private family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom.
But whatever led people to suppose that what was prudence in the conduct of every private family could be folly in that of a great kingdom? It was a whole network of fallacies, out of which mankind has still been unable to cut its way. And the chief of them was the central fallacy with which this book is concerned. It was that of considering merely the immediate effects of a tariff on special groups, and neglecting to consider its long run effects on the whole community.My latest project is Vogue 9100, which claims to be a “very easy” pattern. Although I’m satisfied with the finished garment, it proved to be anything but.
I wanted to make a simple sundress to take part in the Sundress Sew-A-Long 2015 hosted by Handmade By Heather B. Also, this the Monthly Stitch Challenge for July is Checks so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone and make a checked sundress. I cut out View A in a size 12 but when I got to the skirt pieces I was stumped. They did not line up at all. I was totally confused so I did a little online research and discovered the pattern was to blame. There must have been a printing issue or something but other sewers had similar issues. I decided to take the hem for View B and tape it back onto View A so that the pieces would be more closely aligned.
After that, I laid the two pattern pieces on top of one another and then trimmed the hems so that they would be as close a match as possible. I had to ignore all of the markings on the pattern pieces as they were totally off and would not match up. After doing my best to fix the pattern pieces I was good to go and finished my muslin.
The pattern calls for a lined bodice. I decided to underline my skirt, too, even though the pattern does not call for it. My outside fabric is a cotton madras and I used cotton broadcloth for my underlining, which I hand basted to the skirt.
This process is a little tedious but I think you get a nicer finish this way. Your basting stitches should be inside the seam allowance so that they won’t be visible when your project is finished and you won’t have to pull the stitches out.
This dress features a full gathered skirt. I’ve always done my gathers the old fashioned way: two rows of basting stitches. I figured it was time to graduate from gathering by hand so I researched a few tricks and tried out a new method. What you do is you line up a piece of cord, or in my case some embroidery thread, and secure it to where you are going to begin stitching. Once it is secure, switch to a wide zig zag stitch and stitch over your cord, pulling the cord taut as you go along. This will cause your fabric to gather.
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and I could even see framing these cards or using them as some decorative piece (especially given how much I disliked the actual gameplay). Personally, I find the period art really evocative. The art in Troyes comes to mind as another game, with similar art, where I could stare at the visuals all day.
The tarot sized cards feel good…until you have to shuffle 80-some weapons… For a game that requires this much shuffling, the tarot cards will put cramps in your hands and that is a disappointing concession to have to even suggest. I love these cards and they feel great…unless you’re shuffling.
Oddly, though, some of the colors on the cards appear to be off. Laying out an entire suit reveals quite a few discrepancies in color and shade – almost as if the cards were printing in different places. Some colors are so far off that it’s initially a bit disorienting. Coincidentally, I can’t seem to dig up a promo photo that demonstrates this, so they must have noticed…
Pacing
Tricks move quickly enough, but I can attribute that, disappointingly, to the general lack of strategy that seems to be involved here. Your choices are too frequently made for you and while this carries the turns along smoothly, you begin to pine for your character’s grim finale. Tournament at Camelot quickly becomes tedious (especially at lower player counts) and you may find yourself strategically tanking your game, purely to put everyone out of their misery.
Value
I can’t imagine I paid more than $20 for this. I’ll admit that the low cost was a selling point for me on Tournament at Camelot, but you might have to pay me to get me to play this game any more than I have already… Any value comparison I can give is skewed, as I’m not sure I know who this game is even intended to please.
Perhaps if you like lovely, Arthurian-myth themed art, this game could possibly be worth it to you, just to hold the admire the cards and art?
Accessibility
Stacked up to other trick-taking games, Tournament at Camelot is fairly easy to learn. The game ramps in subsequent rounds, with Godsends and special abilities coming to play. This allows players to really understand what is happening before the rules begin to morph out of shape. On subsequent plays, you could experiment with dealing Godsends into the first hand, but this would certainly make things confusing for any newcomers.
Longevity
The longevity is getting some hard dings for me on my own preference, which may or may not be fair. I typically try to understand who might like a particular game, even if I don’t care for it, but I am sort of at a loss on this one… The art is wonderful and I think the theme is likely going to be the big selling point here. I also praise this game on its accessibility and how smoothly it ramps up to more stimulating play after players understand what is happening. Still, while this shakes the trick-taking concept up a bit, it does not do enough that is satisfying or even really logical that would entice players to want to get this out again. Our group unanimously disliked this game.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Tournament at Camelot feels like it was barely playtested. The mechanics are a mess and fanning the flames of frustration and chaos with randomly-selected, overpowered abilities is a recipe for disaster.
Edit – 8/30/17
Ken, one of the designers of this game, contacted me with some potential variants that were fun to try out.
The first is to draft 3 cards to your left at the beginning of the tourney round. Then 3 cards to your right on the next tourney round, switching each round. Draw up the regular 12, draft 3, and play as normal.
The drafting was fun and a way to sort of focus your hand a bit more in preparation for the round. Obviously, didn’t always work out when you got something you didn’t want, BUT the ability to focus your hand in that way made the round feel a bit more focused and less chaotic.
The second suggestion was to be able to play alchemy cards whenever you want, not just if you can’t follow suit.
Being allowed to play alchemy cards was a big improvement for us. It added more overarching strategy to the entire melee and gave us fewer instances where it was *obvious* what needed to be played. Made us think a bit more and that was nice.
These two changes added some of the tactical strategies we were hoping for.This is a brewing tool to take your home brewery to the next level and it's fun to use. Many home brewers don't pitch nearly enough yeast. A stir plate helps you culture higher cell counts of healthy yeast for quicker fermentations, lower risk of infections and better tasting beer. All in less time than it takes to make a conventional yeast starter.
"I just wanted to say a big thank you for my recent StirStarter purchase. The shipping was incredibly fast, and the instructions you provided with the unit were detailed and professional. The unit works perfectly so far and can't wait till my next starter day! Not only do you have the best prices on stir plates I've seen online or in a retail store, but it's made better than most commercially available models I've seen, and I also really appreciate the warranty. It tells me you really believe in your product, and I can see why. I'm glad I bought from you instead of going elsewhere, and I will recommend your stir plates to all of my homebrewing friends."-Shawn M. in Austin, TX "I am certainly one of your biggest fans and I recommend you to all my beer brewing buddies. Hopefully you've sold at least couple of units because of me. Jessie and I have both been heavily enjoying the benefits of the StirStarter. In fact, I've noticed a definitive change in taste since making starters with your stir plate. I guess that's the best review a person can give, huh? Your stir plate has become a necessity in my brewing tools...with your very reasonable pricing and stellar warranty, I would think you'd be selling more of these than you can put together" -Chuck in Washington "I received the StirStarter stir plate today and wanted to say thank you for such great customer service, a very high quality product, and the fast shipping. I can't wait to start my next batch of homebrew!"-Shane in Idaho
February News
Same day shipping is included on all products! This means you can buy a complete package of a StirStarter stir plate, stir bar, keeper magnet and operating instructions for $42 delivered by USPS Priority Mail to your door! All you need to add is starter wort in a flask and yeast.
Five gadgets every homebrewer needs from ZDNet. (Full disclosure: #4 is a stir plate, a StirStarter in fact!)
What's Inside?
This unit has two powerful NdFeB button magnets in the 12 VDC stir motor, which is controlled by a precision voltage regulator for easy speed adjustment. The RPMs of the drive motor are limited, so the motor will not "throw" the stir bar, yet it provides enough to get a good vortex going. A low voltage, plug-in wall transformer provides power to the unit. The black plastic case dimensions are 6" x 4" x 2", large enough to accomodate a 2000 mL flask as shown. A Teflon coated 1" x 5/16" stir bar is included. A "keeper" magnet is also supplied to lock the stir bar in place while the yeast is pitched, so the stir bar won't end up in your fermenter!
About Me
My name is Dan Jeska, and I live in southwest Michigan. I have been homebrewing since 1995. I have an engineering background and enjoy building my own brewing gear. I am a member of the local club in Kalamazoo
You may contact me at dan@stirstarters.com or by Google Voice 269.425.1314
Favorite Homebrew LinksA woman in Spain had a little too much fun at her bachelorette party, if sources are to be believed. The bride-to-be slept with a dwarf stripper at the party and became pregnant with his child. The Mirror has picked up the story that originated from a Spanish news site.
Sources close to the unnamed couple say none of the bride’s friends or family knew what she had done. Even her husband believed up until the birth of a baby boy that the child was his son. It was when the woman realized her baby was born with dwarfism that she decided it was time to finally confess to cheating.
“As you can imagine, no one that sleeps with a stripper at her bachelorette party broadcasts it, or at least they try to take their secret to the grave,” the woman’s mother reportedly told Las Cinco Del Dia.
Had the child been born without Dwarfism, the woman from Valencia, Spain, might never have come clean about his true paternity.CSS Grid meets the real world - a login form
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Once CSS Grid Layout ships in browsers we will be able to use it as an enhancement to existing layout methods long before we can consider using it as our main layout tool. I’m starting to work on some examples that demonstrate this kind of usage – and they also help to explain how some parts of grid will work as they hit the real world.
In this example I have created a login form. The final form looks like the image below.
You can take a look at the CodePen, depending on the browser you are using and whether you have enabled Grid Layout, you will see one of the three versions.
See the Pen Login Form grid example with fallback support by rachelandrew (@rachelandrew) on CodePen.
Step 1: Really old browsers
As we want to make sure this works for all of our users, I start out by building the form with minimal layout. To centre the box I use the time-honoured method of setting auto margins left and right, I’m just setting padding on the body in this case to push the box away from the top of the screen. You could use display: table or similar if you wanted to.
body { padding-top: 20%; } h1,.login,.account,.contact{ width:80%; margin: 0 auto; }
There is some other CSS that will be used in all versions for styling the form fields, adding background and borders and so on. We get something that looks like this.
Step 2: Our flexible friends
Flexbox has great browser support and can give us our horizontal and vertical centering. My next step is to check for browsers with flexbox support using a CSS feature query. If the browser supports flexbox I use display:flex on the body – set it to a height of 100 vh units – and then use the alignment properties that are in flexbox to align and justify the box.
@supports (display: flex) { body { padding:0; height: 100vh; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; flex-direction: column; } h1,.login,.account,.contact { margin: 0; width: 80%; } }
I need to do some minimal overwriting of the values set for the non-flexbox version. I could go further with this to do more alignment of the internals of the form, but I’m going to pretend that I’m building this at a point where we have widespread grid support (mostly to cut down the amount of code you need to wade through).
Step 3: invoke the grids!
I’ve now got something, with very little work that looks pretty good. However Grid Layout can add some finishing touches here.
One again I am using a feature query to check for grid support. I can then add CSS specifically for those grid supporting browsers.
@supports (display: grid) { }
Aligning the form
If you create a grid with column and row tracks that do not add up to the size of the grid container, you can use alignment properties to align the tracks within that container.
The align-content property controls the block axis, aligning the grid rows. I set align-content to centre and all the tracks line up at the centre up of the grid.
The justify-content property controls the inline axis, aligning the grid columns. I set justify-content to centre and all the tracks move to the centre of the grid. These properties are part of the Box Alignment Level 3 module, the module that takes all the nice alignment properties that are part of flexbox and makes them available to other CSS layout techniques.
body { display: grid; align-content: center; justify-content: center; }
Aligning the content of grid areas
At the bottom of my form is some help text, I’m using the align-self property with a value of end to align the text to the bottom of that row.
.account { align-self: end; }
Nested grids
Inside my form are my form elements, with labels and fields. As these are nested inside the grid and not direct children of the grid container, I need to create a new grid on the div elements that wrap the form fields. If we had subgrid support in any browsers, this would be a good use case for that, but I digress.
My nested grids create a flexible three column grid in each row and also align those items to centre so the labels neatly line up with the fields.
.login > div { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr; align-items: center; }.login > div.actions { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; }
I could have chosen to use flexbox for this part of the grid, it would be a valid choice. There is a key difference between grid and flexbox however. When we use grid we decide our grid sizing then put things into it, this makes it very easy to align things in both directions. Where flexbox shines is in being able to look at the content, and distribute space according to the size of the content. By adding a width to items that is used by flex-basis we could get this grid like behaviour for these items, in an ideal world it seems more grid-like however, and we do more of the layout on the container rather than needing to add properties to the items.
This decision making process is something we’ll find we can do more and more as we move to layout methods actually designed for the tasks we put them to. It will be nice once we can actually make these decisions for real – using the right layout tool for the job, rather than the one that has the fewest compromises.
Find out more about some of the techniques used here:
- Jen Simmons has written a great article on Feature Queries
- Lots of small example of pieces of grid layout over at Grid by Example
- more about the difference between grid and flexboxShane Long is hoping to recreate the moment he downed world champions Germany when he lines up for Republic of Ireland against Sweden on Monday.
Long's goal defeated Germany in October in qualifying for Euro 2016 and he went on to enjoy a superb season with Southampton, in which he scored 10 goals in 28 Premier League appearances.
Now, Long has his sights set on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Sweden.
"For four months now I've been waiting for this Sweden game and I just really want to get out there and get the result we deserve," he said.
"We've worked hard to get here, we've come from a difficult situation in the group to qualify.
"And it would be a shame to just throw it all away in the first game.
"So that's our full motivation – to go out there and beat Sweden and put ourselves in a good position to qualify.
"We're fully focused on that Sweden game and we'll try to not let the occasion get to us."
Long said his side loved proving people wrong, pointing to their road to qualification.
"After we drew to Scotland, everyone was saying it was a three-horse race and Ireland were out of it," he said.
"It really spurred us to go on. Of course we relied on a few other results to go our way but we still had to capitalise on our games.
"Just to qualify is an amazing feeling. We've been here once before and we didn't really perform the way we should have or the way we can.
"And we've been regretting it for four years. So hopefully we can put that right this time."Developers and die-hard Code Geeks are well aware with online playgrounds or code editors that provide you instantly ready coding atmosphere for experimenting as soon as page loads. Code playgrounds combine the power of CSS, HTML, PHP and JavaScript to help you to develop innovative and useful web applications.
If you are developer and looking for best code playgrounds to play with code then you are at right place. In this article I have gathered 10 of the best free code playgrounds and sandboxing tools for testing, debugging and sharing your code snippets. If you are aware of any other nifty code playgrounds, do let us know by commenting in comment section.
Enjoy!!
1. Codepen
CodePen is a playground for the front end side of the web. It’s all about inspiration, education, and sharing. The service highlights popular demonstrations (“Pens”) and offers advanced functionality such as sharing and embedding. Need to build a reduced test case to demonstrate and figure out a bug? CodePen is great for that. Want to show off your latest creation and get feedback from your peers? CodePen is great for that.
2. CSSDesk
CSSDesk is an Online CSS Sandbox. It allows people to quickly test snippets of CSS code, and watch the result appear live. I had very high ambitions for the project. There are line numbers and syntax highlighting appears live in the text box as you type. One of the greatest things is that it allows users to share their code with others as well.
3. Google’s Code Playground
Google’s Code Playground is a web-based tool that lets web developers try out all of the APIs that Google provides, tweak the code, and see the results. Google’s Code Playground lets you play around without opening an external editor, and all of the APIs are loaded for you in the Pick an API box
4. JS Bin
JS Bin is a webapp specifically designed to help JavaScript and CSS folk test snippets of code, within some context, and debug the code collaboratively. JS Bin allows you to edit and test JavaScript and HTML. Once you’re happy you can save, and send the URL to a peer for review or help. They can then make further changes saving anew if required.
5. JSFiddle
jsFiddle is a shell editor that eases writing JavaScript code by creating a custom environment based on popular JS frameworks. You can select the framework & the version of your choice (MooTools, jQuery, Dojo, Prototype, YUI, Glow,Vanilla). Also, if there is, you can add a complimentary framework like jQuery UI or MooTools More A great feature is the ability to save & share the code created with a unique URL generated. Optionally, jsFiddle has an embedding feature too. It is an almost perfect platform for trying & sharing your JavaScript code without the need of a website.
6. Dabblet
Dabblet is an interactive playground for quickly testing snippets of CSS and HTML code. It uses -prefix-free, so that you won’t have to add any prefixes in your CSS code. You can save your work in Github gists, embed it in other websites and share it with others. It currently only supports modern versions of Chrome, Safari and Firefox. All posted code belongs to the poster and no license is enforced. Dabblet itself is open source software and is distributed under a NPOSL-3.0 license.
7. Editr
Editr is a HTML, CSS and JavaScript playground that you can host on your server. It is based on ACE Editor. Its super easy to setup. It supports multiple instances on one page. Configurations are available via JS object or HTML attributes. Editr supports 3 layout views: horizontal, vertical and single. First two are for live edit. Third one is for presentation. Editr is licensed under MIT License.
8. Livewave
Liveweave is a HTML5, CSS3 & JavaScript playground and a real-time editor for web designers and developers. It is a great tool to test, practice and share your creations! It has resizable panels, so that you can write your code (or weave, as we call it) the way you want. Liveweave also has built-in context-sensitive code-hinting for HTML5 and CSS3 tags / attributes that makes life a lot easier.
9. D3 Playground
The D3.js Playground is designed to allow you to play with the D3.js library in an interactive manner. Every edit made (that results in valid code) affects the playground in realtime. Because CSS is such an important part of visualizations, you can edit CSS live, too.
10. HTML5 Playground
The HTML5 Playground includes a library of code snippets you can explore to see HTML5 in action. They include some basic getting-started examples, such as the use of the HTML5 Doctype and the audio tag (which nevertheless is a good demo of the playback features in a compatible browser). There’s an interactive form, including HTML5 elements such as range and date inputs and automated validation for email addresses and websites.Much needed move to empower people?
Has the time come for an effective Citizens Right to Grievance Redress Bill? Will the government enact a legislation that will truly empower ordinary people? Civil society needs to debate the provisions of the draft bill that is released for public discussion and feedback
The Citizens Right to Grievance Redress Bill, 2011 seeks to “lay down an obligation upon every public authority to publish citizens charter stating therein the time within which specified goods shall be supplied and services be rendered and provide for a grievance redressal mechanism for non compliance of citizens charter and matter connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
The bill, drafted by the Department of Training and Personnel was placed in the public domain on 3rd November as part of the pre-legislative consultation process. Although it was expected that the Bill would be introduced in the winter session of Parliament that began today, it does not figure in the reported agenda for the session.
This may help by giving civil society and advocacy groups the time to gather public opinion on the provisions of the draft and give their suggestions to the government. Moneylife Foundation is holding a workshop on 24th November to discuss the draft Bill. Aruna Roy, member National Advisory Council, and her colleague Nikhil Dey from the National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI), who have pointed out some important lacunae in the Bill will address the workshop.
The demand for an effective mechanism to handle citizen grievances is as old as the hills. Forty years ago, in my PhD dissertation on Administration and the Citizen (Bombay University), I had reviewed the many administrative attempts that had already been made in India until the mid-1960s. Every administrative reforms committee or commission set up by the government until then had suggested ways to deal with expectations of people – and their complaints. Many of these recommendations had been accepted by the governments of the day – at the Central as well as state. And it might be interesting to note that several of these mechanisms had been ‘wound up’ due to lack of resources and as measures to cut down government expenditure.
There is one major difference between then and now. Until the 1970s, when India was still on the course of ‘planned development’ pursuing a ‘Welfare State’ vision and the objective was to seek citizen participation in development processes. Today, as we pursue the goals of a market economy when the State is no longer providing ‘welfare’ but ‘goods & services’ for which it levies user charges, the demand for such mechanisms has become more vociferous, and urgent, because we the citizens want to get our money’s worth; no longer is it doles from a maa-baap sarkar. Government officials – of every kind – the lawmakers, bureaucracy, and judiciary – have to understand that no longer is the citizenry going to treat them as ‘those in power’; they are ‘public servants’ providing services to the citizens; their salaries and perks are paid by citizens – from the taxes they pay. And those who pay the piper are going to call the tune. The sooner this is accepted at every level of government, the less stressful will it be for them to adjust to the new reality.
It is commendable that the government wants to embody the need for grievance redress in legislation and give it to us as a ‘Right’. But if legislation alone could yield good governance, it would have been a different India. Only a vigilant and articulate citizenry can ensure that the laws that are enacted have responsive provisions built into them so the bureaucracy does not hijack the spirit of the law through subordinate legislation. It is to this end that advocacy groups should take the citizen’s voice to the government and the parliamentary committee debating the Bill.
You may also want to read...Carrie Underwood admits that when she was growing up, she never really thought about what happened to the cows her family raised on their farm in Oklahoma. When she finally thought to ask, and learned that they were slaughtered for meat, she decided she was done with beef.
“It just freaked me out and that was that,” Underwood tells SELF. “I didn’t become vegan right away, but I quit eating beef and didn’t eat a whole lot of other meat,” she explains. She recalls trying to find tofu in her small town so she could experiment with it, but it was in short supply. “And then when I was on American Idol, being in California, there were all these places that had vegan food, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is easy here!’” By the time she was 22, she had completely cut meat from her diet.
Underwood now calls Nashville home, and says the vegan options are plentiful there, too. But sometimes, she can’t stick to it 100 percent. “I want to be vegan so badly, all the way, 1,000 percent,” she says. “But traveling and stuff, it just kind of gets hard. Sometimes I may have to do some egg whites or something for breakfast,” she says.
On a typical morning, Underwood likes to make a tofu scramble for breakfast. “I always keep chopped bell peppers and onions in the fridge so I can just throw ’em in some coconut oil, throw some tofu in, and I love salsa and toast.” For lunch, “I love a good sandwich,” she says. She’ll use vegetarian sandwich “meat” from brands like Tofurky, and of course, avocado is a staple. On the side? Veggie straws, or something similar, she says.
“For dinner, I’m always roasting vegetables, like sweet potatoes, or spaghetti squash —it’s easy to make, and you can make a lot of it.” Veggie burgers or “chicken” scaloppini also show up on the menu often, as does brown rice. “All my food has little air quotes around it,” Underwood jokes. She likes Gardein for meatless chicken and beef products.
While Underwood doubts her cooking skills—“I wish I were better at it, I wish I had more time to devote to it,” she says—she really enjoys baking. “I’m always making muffins or something like that to keep around.” Some of her favorite healthy snacks include her homemade muffins (a mix of oatmeal and fruits like banana and blueberry), an English muffin with some peanut butter, pea protein bars, or cereal. “I’ve always got cereal on me,” she says, “like Kashi, because it’s healthy and my son likes it too, so if I just always have it in my purse then we’re always good. I have snacks on me all the time. I don’t ever want to be hungry, I hate being hungry.”
Another tip for fellow new moms out there: Wear your workout clothes all day. “I will wear my Calia all day long and then if my son takes a nap, I’m good to go. He will take a nap, but it might not be very long. But I’m ready for it,” Underwood says. Calia is her fitness apparel line, available exclusively at Dick's Sporting Goods, that launched in 2015. She keeps basic equipment at home—like a bosu ball, a bench, and dumbbells—so that she can sneak in a quick workout when she has time. On a nice day, her workouts may take the form of pushing her son in his stroller and running around with him at the park. Sometimes, he’ll take his nap time in the stroller, while Underwood gets a solid walk in. “He enjoys just being outside and looking around. It’s good for both of us,” she says.
Recently, Underwood has been adding weights into her routine whenever she can. “I’ve been getting more and more into doing more stuff with weights,” she says. “I’ve noticed a big difference in the past year on things just being easier, where I’m like, ‘Ooh, I can lift that!’ I love it,” she says. “I just love seeing that forward progress and I like feeling strong.”
You might also like: A Healthy Vegan Farro Minestrone Under 400 CaloriesBlog: Mortal Kombat FightStick Ultimate Edition Top Panel and Bundle
Posted by: goukijones Mar 5, 2011 | 12 comments
Tagged: blog fightstick mad-catz mortal-kombat parts
View all stories by goukijones
Mad Catz has released parts to change your FightStick so it is compatible for Mortal Kombat. The Top Panel includes a new button layout and new artwork. A separate bundle includes new buttons. Opening your FightStick will void your warranty.
MadCatz just announced the Combat FightStick Top Panel. Obviously there are some licensing issues, because MadCatz is really trying to tell you this panel is for use with Mortal Kombat, without actually saying Mortal Kombat. That's cool right? Check out the new lay out:
Combat FightStick Ultimate Edition Top Panel for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 - Price $39.99
Includes top metal panel and replacement artwork
Compatible with all Mad Catz Tournament Edition FightSticks
With the Mad Catz Combat FightStick Ultimate Edition Top Panel, you can experience the bloody goodness of your favorite old school fighting games with this ergonomic new take on a classic arcade fighting game layout! Original artwork adorns the metal top panel and houses all existing parts that are compatible with the current Tournament Edition Arcade FightSticks. Prepare for hours of flawless victories as you finish your opponents! Note: Opening your Mad Catz FightStick will void your warranty. Mad Catz will not warranty your FightStick/FightStick TE if damaged using these parts.
Combat FightStick Top Panel Button Bundle for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 - Price $49.99
Includes top metal panel, replacement artwork, and 6 Sanwa OBSF-30 action buttons
Compatible with all Mad Catz Tournament Edition FightSticks
With the Mad Catz Combat FightStick Ultimate Edition Top Panel Button Bundle, you can experience the bloody goodness of your favorite old school fighting games with this ergonomic new take on a classic arcade fighting game layout! Original artwork adorns the metal top panel and houses all existing parts that are compatible with the current Tournament Edition Arcade FightSticks. The Button Bundle includes 6 premium quality Sanwa OBSF-30 action buttons in black/grey. Prepare for hours of flawless victories as you finish your opponents! Note: Opening your Mad Catz FightStick will void your warranty. Mad Catz will not warranty your FightStick/FightStick TE if damaged using these parts.
This is just an upgrade/swap of components already on your fight stick so you can play Mortal Kombat. It looks good and I'm confident this will work well.
For more information check out MadCatz.com.
[UPDATED] Apr 19, 2011 1:05:46 PM
Apr 19, 2011 by goukijones
Get FREE SHIPPING when you use our exclusive code: GOUKISTICKS - On any Mad Catz or GameShark Store order.HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s legislature on Thursday vetoed a China-backed electoral reform package criticized by opposition pro-democracy lawmakers and activists as undemocratic, easing for now the prospect of fresh mass protests in the financial hub.
The rejection had been expected and will likely appease some activists who had demanded a veto of what they call a “fake” democratic model for how the Chinese-controlled territory chooses its next leader in 2017.
But it was a setback for Beijing’s Communist leaders, who said in response that they remained committed to universal suffrage for Hong Kong but signaled no further concessions to the pro-democracy opposition.
Beijing had pressured and cajoled the city’s pro-democracy lawmakers to back the blueprint that would have allowed a direct vote for the city’s chief executive, but with only pre-screened, pro-Beijing candidates on the ballot.
The vote came earlier than expected, with only 37 of the 70 members of the Legislative Council, known as “legco”, present. Of these, 28 legislators voted against the blueprint and eight voted in favor, while one did not cast a vote.
“Today 28 legco members voted against the wishes of the majority of Hong Kong people, and denied them the democratic right to elect the chief executive in the next election,” said the city’s current pro-Beijing leader Leung Chun-ying.
“Universal suffrage for the chief executive election has now been blocked. Universal suffrage to elect all members of legco has also become uncertain. I, the government and millions of Hong Kong people are disappointed.”
A spokesman for China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress (NPC), said a few Hong Kong lawmakers remained “stubbornly opposed” to the central government.
“It fully exposes their selfish interests, hinders Hong Kong’s democratic development and damages the essence of Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability,” the spokesman said, in comments carried by state news agency Xinhua.
“VICTORY OF DEMOCRACY”
In an unexpected twist, moments before the ballot a large number of pro-establishment and pro-Beijing lawmakers suddenly walked out of the chamber. The votes of one-third of legco members are sufficient to push through a veto.
Democratic lawmakers, all 27 of whom voted against the plan, marched to the front of the chamber immediately after the veto and unfurled a sign calling for genuine universal suffrage and for Hong Kongers not to give up.
Some carried the yellow umbrellas that became a symbol of the mass protest movement that brought parts of the former British colony to a standstill last year.
“This veto has helped Hong Kong people send a clear message to Beijing... that we want a genuine choice, a real election,” said pan-democratic lawmaker Alan Leong.
“This is not the end of the democratic movement,” he said. “This is a new beginning.”
Outside the legislature, pro-democracy protesters broke into cheers and clapped wildly after the result.
Pro-democracy lawmakers chant slogans after voting at Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China June 18, 2015. REUTERS/Bobby Yip
“It’s a victory of democracy and the people,” said a 75-year-old pro-democracy protester surnamed Wong, who fought back tears.
Meanwhile, around 500 pro-Beijing supporters outside the chamber staged a minute’s silence then began chanting: “Vote them down in 2016!” calling for democratic lawmakers to be kicked out of the legislature in a citywide election next year.
Hundreds of police were in and around government headquarters with thousands more on standby, but there were no reports of trouble.
Weeks of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong late last year posed one of the biggest challenges in years for China’s ruling Communist Party. Then, more than 100,000 people took to the streets.
ONLY OPTION
The reform proposal was laid out by the NPC Standing Committee in Beijing last August and supported by Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing leadership.
Opponents, however, want a genuine democratic election in line with Beijing’s promise of universal suffrage made when the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Rejection of the proposal now means going back to the old system where a 1,200-member committee stacked with pro-Beijing loyalists selects Hong Kong’s leader.
Democratic lawmakers want on Beijing to restart the democratic reform process and put forward an improved, truly democratic electoral package.
Slideshow (25 Images)
But the NPC spokesman indicated that would not happen, saying that Beijing’s proposal was a “constitutional, lawful, fair and reasonable” decision. “It is legally binding and unshakeable,” he said.
Hong Kong lawmaker Michael Tien said that meant the rejected blueprint remained the only option. “It’s very simple. They put forward a proposal. The legislature for this term vetoed it,” he said.
“Next year is legco elections. The power is now in the hands of the voters. If the voters really want the current package they would then have to choose candidates that will support this package in the next term.”by Brett Stevens on October 21, 2017
If you listen to the egalitarian narrative, you will believe that we are all the same and the only difference between us is that some groups were oppressed and others were not. The only possible reason for this, we are led to believe, is that some groups are mean and others are nice, so the former oppressed the latter.
This nonsense lasted for centuries and when it finally failed as the presidency of Barack Obama and the chancellorship of Andrea Merkel failed in unison, the backlash was intense: all of us of one race are supposed to join up together, fight off the others, and live in some kind of Utopia.
This is merely a restatement of the egalitarian narrative that controls for race, but it does not address ethnicity, or the ethnic groups within those races, including hybrids.
The above map expands upon traditional knowledge and a body of genetic knowledge which shows us that the different European ethnic groups are both highly distinctive, and less separated when placed in clusters like Northern/Western, Eastern and Southern/Irish Europeans.
Here is another map, from GNXP in 2008:
Even more, notice how this corresponds to a European tribal map which shows the national identity of each regional entity:
It is not PC to notice this, nor is it “far-Right friendly” for most values of far-Right, but Europe is divided into many ethnic groups, although similar groups may cluster.
For this reason, “white nationalism” will never work, because we are not only divided into different ethnic groups, but are divided by caste, and people see no reason to engage in ethno-Bolshevism to make us |
playing for the Stanley Cup this season in Vancouver than in Dallas.
[irp]
Edmonton Oilers
Don’t look now, but the Edmonton Oilers are going to make the playoffs. After years of being the laughing stock of the NHL, human highlight reel Connor McDavid is going to will the Oilers back into Stanley Cup contention. McDavid hasn’t done all the heavy lifting on his own, however. Goaltender Cam Talbot has impressed this season with a 27-15 win/loss record, a 2.33 GAA and.921 Sv%. The concern with the
Goaltender Cam Talbot has impressed this season with a 27-15 win/loss record, a 2.33 GAA and.921 Sv%. The concern with the Oilers, however, is that Talbot has played 49 of the team’s 55 games this season and the team’s current backup Laurent Brossoit has played only eight games in the NHL.
Talbot hasn’t shown many signs of breaking down under his heavy workload, but one can imagine that the Oilers would feel more secure with Miller as a second option should Talbot falter or need some rest down the stretch. The big question: does Miller think the Oilers are the real deal? Would he waive his no-trade clause to simply watch Connor McDavid from the bench and spell Talbot when required?
A Return to Active Duty
Let’s assume that the Canucks decide to stand pat and ride out the remainder of the season with Miller on their roster. What then? Do they attempt to re-sign him and bring him back as a 37-year old for next season?
What might this mean for the development of Jacob Markstrom who begins the first year of a three-year, $11 million contract next season? And what do they do with top prospect Thatcher Demko? The 21-year old has asserted himself well during his first pro season with the Utica Comets. Another season in the AHL may serve Demko well, but it’s also likely that the Canucks would like to see how he fares against NHL level competition next season.
[irp]
A Fitting End for Ryan Miller
Of course, there’s the possibility that Miller departs the Canucks as a free agent and signs with a new team in the offseason. Canucks fans, anxious for a rebuild, might feel conflicted if this were to transpire. On the one hand Markstrom and Demko would both benefit from the increase in playing time, but on the other hand, management would fail to capitalize on the opportunity to acquire any assets for Miller.
There’s the very real possibility that Miller’s career as a Vancouver Canuck will be characterized by the proverb, “in like a lion, out like a lamb.” The lauded veteran who cashes in only to leave for nothing a few years later. While this may technically be the case with Miller when it’s all said and done, you’d be hard pressed to find a Canucks supporter with a negative opinion of the man and his abilities.
Whether Miller is in fact traded or leaves the franchise on his own accord, he may be the first goaltender to leave Vancouver in an understated manner in years. It’ll be refreshing and, quite frankly fitting given his career as a Vancouver Canuck.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Weather forecast: Icy conditions hit the UK
A blast of freezing weather has swept across the UK, bringing disruption to evening travellers.
Large parts of the UK have already been hit by heavy snow, which also reached southern areas during Thursday evening's rush hour.
The Army has been helping to prepare thousands of people for flooding along England's east coast, where a tidal surge is expected.
Flights were pre-emptively cancelled at Heathrow and Gatwick on Thursday.
Latest updates on winter weather
Click here to see your pictures of snow
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Heavy snow hits large parts of UK
Image copyright PA Image caption Snow has been falling at Tower Bridge in London
Image copyright PA Image caption The snow has also been falling in other parts of the South East, settling here in a street in Godalming, Surrey
Long delays were reported on many major roads in London due to snow, including queues in both directions on the M25.
BBC Weather's John Hammond warned that the temperature "will drop like a stone" after midnight resulting in icy conditions first thing on Friday.
Another band of sleet and snow was forecast to hit overnight in Scotland, and then the south east of England during Friday morning's rush hour, he said.
Tidal surge
Communities in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex have been warned by the Environment Agency they are particularly at risk from the tidal surge, which is expected to peak on Friday with severe flooding anticipated at midday and at 21:00.
The Environment Agency has issued seven severe flood warnings, meaning there is a danger to life, and more than 65 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, along the east coast of England.
There are also more than 70 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A gritter travels on the A62 past snow-covered hills near the village of Marsden in northern England
Image caption In Lincolnshire, about 100 soldiers are helping to prepare for flooding
In Lincolnshire, about 100 soldiers are helping to prepare for flooding and more than 3,000 residents on the coast have been advised to leave their homes or move upstairs.
Counties most at risk include Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
Essex County Council said its main concern was the tide at 13:00 GMT on Friday.
Around the country
For the latest on the roads visit the BBC's travel news page and keep up to date with incidents on the motorways here.
Other links
Heavy snow hit parts of Northern Ireland earlier, with Coleraine and Ballymena among the towns worst affected, and snow and ice have caused disruption to travel networks and prompted school closures in parts of Scotland.
How hot is it really? Compare the temperature where you are with more than 50 cities around the world, including some of the hottest and coldest inhabited places. Enter your location or postcode in the search box to see your result. Find a location Your location °C °C °C
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption One woman took advantage of the snowy weather in the Brecon Beacons
On Thursday, Gatwick Airport said route restrictions had been put in place by air traffic control which might cause delays and cancellations to flights and advised passengers to check before travelling.
Heathrow Airport said its cancellations had been necessary so that flights could be rescheduled if the weather caused delays.
Other airports, including Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast International and Belfast City airports are operating as normal.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption There was snowfall across Scotland earlier
The Local Government Association said councils in England and Wales were well prepared for the low temperatures and snow.
It said about half of local authorities had full stocks of grit, having stored up 1.2 million tonnes of salt to prepare for winter.
Image copyright PA Image caption A cyclist pedals through the snow in the Peak District
Image copyright PA Image caption Snow fell over the Dark Hedges in County Antrim, a tunnel of trees made famous by TV show Game of ThronesDoctors group contradicts U.S. mammogram advice HEALTH
Dr. Deborah Kass of Kaiser Permanente reviews mammograms on the Imagechecker in May 1997. Dr. Deborah Kass of Kaiser Permanente reviews mammograms on the Imagechecker in May 1997. Photo: Frederic Larson, The Chronicle Photo: Frederic Larson, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Doctors group contradicts U.S. mammogram advice 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
SAN FRANCISCO --
Less than two years after a key government task force recommended that most women in their 40s may not need mammograms, the nation's largest group representing obstetricians and gynecologists has advised women in that age group to have annual mammograms.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on Wednesday issued the new guidelines, which recommend that woman get annual mammograms starting at age 40. Previously, the group recommended mammograms every one to two years starting at age 40, and annually beginning at age 50.
"We know mammography saves lives. If you can find cancer earlier, we know we're doing some good," said Dr. Mary Gemignani, an associate attending physician in breast surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City who helped write the new screening guidelines.
"We know from a cancer perspective that women in their 40s often have more aggressive tumors and by shortening the interval (between screenings), the cancer may be detected earlier," she said.
The new guidelines put the group in line with other organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging.
But in November 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government-sponsored group that provides guidance to doctors, insurance companies and policymakers, came out with controversial guidelines that suggested women in their 40s may not need regular mammograms and that women 50 and older should get them every other year instead of annually.
The risks for women
Women have a lifetime risk of about 12 percent of developing breast cancer, but less than 2 percent of women in their 40s develop the disease.
The 2009 recommendations acknowledged that mammograms were found to reduce breast cancer deaths in women aged 40-49 by 15 percent, but determined that wasn't enough to warrant routine mammography at age 40. The risks include radiation exposure and unnecessary biopsies. The group also found insufficient evidence to support screening after age 74.
Dr. George Sawaya, a UCSF professor in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences who served on the U.S. task force and voted for its new guidelines, said the two recommendations are not as different as they appear.
Sawaya, who is also a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the task force did not discourage women in their 40s from having mammograms but, instead, suggested they discuss the potential risks of screenings with their doctors.
"The task force said for women in their 40s and older, it's an individual decision based on their values and the benefits and harms," he said.
Nancy Brinker, founder and chief executive officer of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, lauded the new guidelines issued Wednesday and called the task force's 2009 recommendations "confusing and clumsy."
"The more confused the public is, the less screenings that will occur," Brinker said. "Every time we have one of these debates, more people are confused. These guidelines go a long way at clearing up some of those issues."
Anger over confusion
Another breast cancer advocacy group, Breast Cancer Action in San Francisco, agreed that the dueling guidelines create confusion. The organization supports the task force's 2009 approach, contending scientific evidence does not warrant mammography in younger women at low risk.
"We are incensed about this confusion. Our concern is that putting out new recommendations without any supporting evidence puts women in an impossible situation," said Karuna Jaggar, executive director of the group.
Jaggar said the focus needs to shift to preventing breast cancer in the first place. "Mammography works in some situations, but there are limits and there are risks," she said. "Screening is always going to be a tool. It will never be the answer. We need to get at the root of this problem."The National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative’s (NBCI) priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill, a review of what the initiative has accomplished under the first three years Pittman-Roberson (Wildlife
and Sport Fish Restoration Program) funding, and features on bobwhite restoration work in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri and South Carolina are a few of the highlights of the NBCI’s Bobwhite Almanac: State of the Bobwhite 2017.
At 88 pages, it is the largest State of the Bobwhite report since it was first published in 2011, and “is increasingly found in the offices of regional and national decision makers that can help move the needle for bobwhites,” said NBCI Director Don McKenzie. “It’s become a recognized force in the building of partnerships on behalf of bobwhite restoration, as well as providing a range-wide snapshot of population, hunting and conservation status across the 25-state range.”
Additional content this year includes a look at how livestock could be a measurable factor in favor of bobwhites with a conversion of one-third of pastures into native forages and the application of prescribed grazing. Additionally, there is an analysis of the growth of NBCI’s Coordinated Implementation Program for bobwhite focal areas across the range.
An electronic version of the report is available at https://bringbackbobwhites.org/download/nbcis-bobwhite-almanac-state-of-the-bobwhite-2017/
About NBCI
Headquartered at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, NBCI is an initiative of the National Bobwhite Technical Committee (NBTC) to elevate bobwhite quail recovery from an individual state-by-state proposition to a coordinated, range-wide leadership endeavor. The committee is comprised of representatives of 25 state wildlife agencies, various academic research institutions and private conservation organizations. Support for NBCI is provided by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program, state wildlife agencies, the Joe Crafton Family Endowment for Quail Initiatives, the University of Tennessee, Quail and Upland Game Alliance, Park Cities Quail and Roundstone Native Seed.People go to great lengths in order to reduce the weight of their bikes and gear, but is it justified?
It is my experience that bicycle travellers tend to split into two different camps: there are people who are perfectly happy carrying everything they need to be comfortable/independent on the road (your typical bicycle tourer), and there are people who cut every corner they can, spending top dollar to shave a few kilos off their total setup (bikepackers, ultralight tourers).
Given these polarising views, that makes weight a central focus for any discussion with bikes, parts and gear. I see it at bike meets and on forums all the time – I get sucked into it myself.
It isn’t always just about hauling the extra weight around, I get it. People reduce their overall packing weight in the pursuit of minimalism, to improve bike handling, in order to use a bike that isn’t designed for touring (a road bike for example), to make flying cheaper, to make carrying your bags up stairs (and into hotels, onto trains) easier, and to reduce the stresses on your wheels and frame.
But despite this, I believe that the emphasis on weight has gone way too far.
When you spend that $200 to shave 1000g off your setup it seems like you’re saving a lot, right? But consider this: 1000g makes up less than 1.0% of your total weight (75kg rider, 25-60kg bike+gear+food+water). Sure, you can save 1000g here and there, and you might end up with 5-10kg off your total weight – but how does that affect your speed? Let’s find out!
I have travelled with touring bikes, tandems, folding bikes, road bikes and mountain bikes. I have used panniers, trailers and bikepacking bags. I have cut every corner and I’ve brought everything including a kitchen sink. My criteria for choosing gear for a bike trip these days is more simple than weight alone: will I use it regularly? If the answer is no, I will leave it behind. Interestingly, this criteria can see me carrying more on an overnight trip than I do on a three-month tour of Asia…
Finding Out How Much Bike and Gear Weight Slows You Down
Here’s what I want to know: the time difference between 5kg, 6kg, 15kg, 25kg and 35kg of additional weight on a typical day of touring. Once I have an idea about the time-savings involved with the reduced weight, I can try to justify whether the additional costs and sacrifices to my comfort are worth it.
In this resource, I will be using maths to calculate time differences. For the next part of this resource series, I will conduct my own experiment on a hilly cycling route to see if the maths adds up.
How Does The Maths Work?
I am using BikeCalculator.com to find out the speed differences between my different bike setups, all else being equal. You can easily do this yourself by heading over to the website and inputting your numbers.
For the comparison, you can assume the same:
Touring bike (capable of actually carrying 35kg)
Rider position
Power output (200w)
Weather conditions
Road surface
Wind speed
Number of panniers
Tyre pressure (adjusted to have the same rolling resistance)
Weight loss over the duration of the ride
Setup1: Ultralight / BikePacking
Rider: 78kg – Bike: 15kg – Gear: 5kg
Total: 98kg
Setup2: Ultralight with 1kg Extra Gear for Comparison
Rider: 78kg – Bike: 15kg – Gear: 6kg
Total: 99kg
Setup3: Lightweight, Relatively Self-Sufficient, Services
Rider: 78kg – Bike: 15kg – Gear: 15kg
Total: 108kg
Setup4: Multi-Month, All-Seasons, Some Services
Rider: 78kg – Bike: 15kg – Gear: 25kg
Total: 118kg
Setup5: Round the World, All-Seasons, Limited Services
Rider: 78kg – Bike: 15kg – Gear: 35kg
Total: 128kg
Less Gear = Lighter and More Aerodynamic Too
If you are carrying less, your bike can undoubtedly weigh less. Bikepacking bags also reduce the frontal area of a bike compared to a pannier, resulting in wind resistance savings too. Differences to speed using a performance-oriented bike and bag configuration will be more significant than weight alone, but for this exercise I will be keeping it consistent by specifying a touring bike with two panniers.
The Results
I realise that the maths here is hugely simplistic, but consider it an exercise to put weight into perspective.
A 100km Flat Ride with Zero Metres Climbing
5kg Load: 192.04 mins @ 31.24km/h
6kg Load: 192.21 mins @ 31.22km/h +10 secs (0.1% slower)
15kg Load: 193.73 mins @ 30.97km/h +1 mins 30 secs (0.9% slower)
25kg Load: 195.45 mins @ 30.70km/h +3 mins (1.7% slower)
35kg Load: 197.20 mins @ 30.43km/h +5 mins (2.6% slower)
My take: Carrying extra weight on a flat ride has a minimal effect on time assuming you don’t have to stop and start regularly. One kilogram adds just seconds to the ride, and even if you’re carrying 30kg extra, it’s just 5 minutes extra to your day.
A 100km Undulating Ride with 1000 Metres Climbing
10km up, 10km down x5 @ 2% Gradient
5kg Load: 212.00 mins @ 28.30km/h
6kg Load: 212.55 mins @ 28.23km/h +30 secs (0.2% slower)
15kg Load: 218.00 mins @ 27.52km/h +6 mins (2.8% slower)
25kg Load: 224.40 mins @ 26.74km/h +12 mins (5.5% slower)
35kg Load: 231.20 mins @ 25.95km/h +19 mins (8.3% slower)
My take: The effects are getting greater when you add a bit of elevation to the mix. That $200 that you spent to save 1kg off your gear is now saving you 30 seconds of ride time, which is still insignificant. For every 10kg that you add, that amounts to extra 6 minutes on your ride. Even with enough gear capable of all-seasons and a round-the-world trip – the time penalty is only 19 minutes over a four hour ride (I really thought it would be more).
A 100km Mountainous Ride with 2000 Metres Climbing
10km up, 10km down x5 @ 4% Gradient
5kg Load: 263.85 mins @ 22.74km/h
6kg Load: 265.35 mins @ 22.61km/h +1 min 30 secs (0.6% slower)
15kg Load: 279.00 mins @ 21.51km/h +15 mins (5.7% slower)
25kg Load: 294.75 mins @ 20.36km/h +31 mins (10.5% slower)
35kg Load: 311.00 mins @ 19.29km/h +47 mins (15.2% slower)
My take: 2000m climbing on a 100km ride is a big day in the saddle, and is something I very rarely do. But it will happen in the more mountainous parts of the world. That $200 that you spent to save 1000g off your gear is now giving you 1.5 minutes extra rest at the end of the day. As your load goes up, you’re adding about 15 minutes per 10kg of extra gear. Again, that’s not as significant as I would’ve thought.
What If You Weigh Less or Put Out Less Power?
The weight of your bike and gear is MORE important the less you weigh, or the less power you can sustain.
When you weigh less, the bike and gear numbers become a bigger proportion to your total weight.
So Is Weight As Significant As We Think?
A little bit of extra weight isn’t that significant in terms of time.
For me, carrying 10kg extra (adding between 1 and 15 minutes to my day over 100km) so that I can have a nice cooking setup, a solid tent, a few spares, a laptop and some nice camera gear is completely justified, as long as I know I’ll be regularly using them. Heck, you’d be crazy not to bring something that makes you comfortable (a full-sized camping mat, a pillow, a coffee maker) if it only weighs a few hundred grams and adds just a minute to your daily ride.
The flatter your tour route, the less weight matters.
This seems obvious, but if your ride is completely flat, you can go pretty nuts with what you bring because it only adds a handful of minutes to your day.
The more distance you’re looking to travel per day, the more weight matters.
If you’re wanting to cover twice the distances above, the time penalty for the additional weight will double over the course of a day. That can make bike and gear weight account for an hour of your time – every day. Conversely, if you’re covering half the above distances above, then these time differences will be less significant over the course of a day.
The Experiment
You may not be convinced by the numbers above. That’s fine.
In the next part of the series, I will be taking my Surly Long Haul Trucker with two panniers on a 15km cycling route which offers lots of climbing, some flat, plus a section with undulating hills. I will conduct six runs in one day, the first with a 5kg load, the second with a 15kg load and the third with a 25kg load. I will then do all three loads again to get an average time. These are pretty typical amounts of gear that people carry on their bike trips.
I will be measuring my power using a Stages crank-based power meter and I will attempt to push my pedals at a constant power (200w) for all six test runs. This is a power rate that I know I can push all day long.
I will attempt to pick a day with no variation to the weather, I will maintain the same bicycle position (hoods) and I will carry the same amount of water for each run. I am really looking forward to seeing what the results are!German police launched a large-scale search operation after traces of explosives were found in an apartment in the city of Chemnitz. The suspect is still at large while at least three people have been detained.
Saxony police discovered “highly sensitive explosives” in the apartment of the suspected blast plotter, according to their official Twitter.
We found explosives in the affected apartment. It is therefore necessary to carry on further evacuation measures at the area. — Polizei Sachsen (@PolizeiSachsen) October 8, 2016
A large scale security operation was launched after police received intelligence about a terror plot being planned in the city on Friday night, according to police.
Authorities are now looking for the suspect – a Syrian-born man named Jaber Albakr, aged 22. They released a photo of a dark-haired man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and said he was last seen wearing similar clothes.
“We have to assume that the person is dangerous,” an official representative of the Saxony police, Tom Bernhardt, said in a statement on Saturday.
The spokesman said it is yet unclear whether the wanted man had come to Germany as a refugee.
The suspect is believed to be connected to Islamic extremist groups, according to dpa news agency's security sources. But police only confirmed he was "known"' to German intelligence.
Chemnitz’s central train station was temporarily closed for the manhunt. Two people were detained, and their luggage is being examined, police said.
A third person was detained in the city center, according to the police spokesman.
All of them are believed to be either accomplices or acquaintances of Jaber Albakr. Their identities are yet to be determined.
We are looking for a suspect. If you can give relevant hints please call LKA 0351/8554114. Further information at: https://t.co/iaaCgNkfO0 — Polizei Sachsen (@PolizeiSachsen) October 8, 2016
The initial operation in the Fritz Heckert district was wrapped up, but now police say they need to evacuate more people as a precaution.
Earlier police reported "a static threat situation in the Fritz Heckert district" and deployed a large task force on the ground.
Zur Zeit haben wir eine statische Gefährdungslage im Fritz-Heckert-Gebiet in #Chemnitz, #C0810 und sind mit starken Einsatzkräften vor Ort — Polizei Sachsen (@PolizeiSachsen) October 8, 2016
Police say the possible blast was averted; force apparently was used to enter the suspicious apartment.
"The explosion heard was an access measure by the police. A relevant person could not be found," law enforcers tweeted amidst the operation.
Local media said at least one building was evacuated and that police arrived in scores armed with machine guns.
Chemnitz is the third-largest city in Saxony.
The state in eastern Germany has been the target for a number of explosions. Two improvised bombs went off in the city of Dresden less than two weeks ago that targeted a mosque and an international conference center. No one was injured, according to police, although the mosque was severely damaged.
READ MORE: Aiding terrorist group: German court convicts men who sent Ahrar Al-Sham $145,000 in supplies
Police have raided several towns across Saxony looking for alleged Islamists suspected of planning terror attacks in recent months.FILE PHOTO: Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) speaks with reporters as he leaves the Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., May 10, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new Republican bill to replace Obamacare will be unveiled in the U.S. Senate on Monday with backing from President Donald Trump, according to one of two Republican senators who have crafted the legislation.
The lawmaker, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, told reporters he was optimistic the legislation could pass before a Sept. 30 deadline, if it can attract the bare minimum of 50 votes needed to succeed in the Republican-led Senate with tie-breaking support from Vice President Mike Pence.
The bill, which Cassidy is sponsoring with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, could revive Republican hopes of overturning the Affordable Care Act weeks after their last attempt on July 28 came up one vote short in a humiliating defeat for Trump and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
The new measure, which would give more healthcare powers to the states, is a revamped version of legislation that did not gain enough support during the summer healthcare debate.
"Mitch has said that if we get 50 votes, he'll hold a vote. I can tell you that the president's all about it," said Cassidy, noting the bill had also drawn some favorable comment from a key July 'no' vote, Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona.
Some Senate Republicans doubt there will be a successful last-ditch effort this year to replace former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.
"It is not easy to get 50-plus-one (votes). Everybody's kind of got another idea. But I'm open to it," said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, the chamber's No. 2 Republican.
Cassidy said the legislation has had fulsome support from White House officials including Pence, who he said had sought to rally the support of state governors.
Graham and former Republican Senator Rick Santorum have held discussions with the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which played a key role in getting an Obamacare repeal bill through the House of Representatives earlier this year.
If approved in the Senate, the bill would need to be reconciled with the House legislation. Both chambers would then need to vote a second time.
Since Democrats oppose repealing Obamacare, Republicans need to use a parliamentary procedure known as reconciliation to move healthcare legislation on a simple majority through the Senate, which they control by a 52-48 margin. The tool that allows reconciliation is contained in a 2017 budget resolution that will expire with the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Peter Cooney)Hassan Rouhani, president of Iran, addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York last year. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo
TEHRAN, March 2 (UPI) -- Tehran says it's time to lift sanctions against the oil-rich country imposed in response to nuclear concerns, though a new U.N. report raises questions.
Iran and members of the international community are working to resolve long-standing issues over the country's controversial nuclear program. A sanctions package from November 2013 allows Iran to export some crude oil in exchange for concessions on nuclear research.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said sanctions on his country should be "lifted all at once" because of its commitment to nuclear talks.
"Iran has always honored its commitments and it is currently clear to everyone that Iran is a completely serious side in the talks," he said in a statement Sunday.
Yukiya Amano, general director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, briefed delegates in Austria on the progress of the talks. Iran, he said, has verified it hasn't diverted any of its declared nuclear material to non-peaceful activity.
"However, the agency is not in a position to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities," he said in a statement.
Iran is working on a budget for a new year that begins mid-March that diminishes the weight given to oil revenue. Already, Rouhani said the economic progress "has been like a miracle," even under the weight of sanctions.
RELATED Turkey eyes oil in northern Iraq
The Iranian economy emerged from recession in December.
Iranian officials in Tehran said Monday that even if sanctions are lifted, the government needs to ensure economic progress can continue.CryZENx has done some absolutely insane recreations of iconic locations from Ocarina of Time using Unreal Engine 4, but his latest effort is easily his best yet.
In this new video, we’re taken back to Zoras’ domain. Fans will probably remember being blown away by this location when Ocarina of Time was first released. Even on the N64, seeing the water shimmering against the cave walls was a real sight to behold.
Of course, Unreal Engine 4 makes the original character models and locations look like a crude child’s drawing. The rocky stairways, tall waterfalls, and pools of water (my God, the water) all look incredible.
You can watch a video below. It’s one thing to see a cursory sweep through of the area, but as soon the video shifts focus and lets us explore with Link, it becomes truly impressive. Something about the original sound effects, and Link moving and behaving exactly as he did in Ocarina paired with the updated visuals just makes me feel all warm inside.
When he dives into the water and swims around… goodness me. Can Nintendo just hire this guy and give us an HD remake of Ocarina of Time? I don’t even give a fuck that it’d be an obvious cash in. I just want it in my life.Dana White CM Punk in the UFC? 'I Wouldn't Mind Talking to Him'
Dana White -- CM Punk in the UFC?... 'I Wouldn't Mind Talking to Him'
EXCLUSIVE
honchotellshe's definitely interested in having a conversation withabout fighting in the octagon... now that Punk's no longer with the WWE.White was at an event in NYC to celebrate the new UFC-Reebok partnership when he told us he likes Punk and knows he's a fan of MMA -- and would be open to having a conversation with the 36-year-old about joining the organization."I don't know if he can fight or anything like that," White said... "but sure, I wouldn't mind talking to CM Punk."As for rumors aboutwanting to get back into MMA at the end of his contract with the WWE -- White says, "If and when his deal if up with them and he wants to fight, I'm, sure he'll call me."Stay tuned...News on the next update, our next features, and when ranked play will arrive.
Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. We peaked at 600 simultaneous players (5k daily total), and have stabilised at around 200 simultaneous (2.5k daily total). So that means between a third to a half of the people who tried the game stayed. For comparison, this new level is about 15 times more players than we had in the week leading up to F2P. A lot of our time in the past weeks has been fixing master server problems that only emerge when 600 people try to play at the same time.
There's a lot of topics to talk about, but right now I'm going to focus on current/future development, otherwise this will be way too long.
We've got a hitlist of development requirements that have been made apparent by the recent influx of new players. The big items are related to player retention. We mean that in a few different ways.
Make it easier to keep playing.
Provide early extrinsic motivation for playing more matches, to make it more likely players will find the intrinsic fun of the game.
Allow newer players to develop their skills with similar-level players.
Provide motivation for players to continue once they have reached an understanding of the game's core mechanics.
So, to answer the question "When is ranked coming?", the answer is after we've done the following things:
One-more-match screen in-game, so you don't have to leave the game to requeue for matchmaking.
Level-up rewards and item exchanging. Aka get stuff for levelling up, and trade multiple common items for better items.
Add skill filters in matchmaking. Ranked would suck really badly if multi-year-veterans played with 2-week-rookies.
And then... we can tackle ranked play. We have said that we want to have a certain number of people at level X (replace X with whichever number seems about right experience-wise) before we release ranked matchmaking. Ranked will not have bots to fill in the gaps, so we need to be sure there will be enough players for everyone to get matches quickly. With our part-time team, definite dates are extremely hard to give, but we'll probably be starting the work in 4-6 weeks. We will be able to reuse a lot of the existing logic from our previous ranked system, but since that was active, matchmaking has completely changed, so it's not just a case of flipping a switch. If it were, we would probably have done so already.
We've also got a bug-fix update coming soon. We're testing this internally at the moment. Expect the update to go public around the middle of next week. Some of the more interesting changes are:Newspaper Page Text
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They are also expected to address a Russian ban on imports of fresh produce from the EU, introduced in response to the outbreak.
Spain has made it clear it will seek damages after Spanish produce was linked to the outbreak.
Spain's fruit and vegetables exporters association has estimated losses at 225m euros (£200m) a week.
"We have told Germany that it must reimburse us for the loss, Spanish Agriculture Minister Rosa Aguilar told Spanish public television.
"If it covers 100%, which is what we are demanding, the affair will be closed. Otherwise we reserve the right [to take] legal action."TV Reviews All of our TV reviews in one convenient place.
Welcome back, everybody! Welcome back, Brooklyn Nine-Nine! It doesn’t feel like that much time has passed, but hopefully we can all agree to never let it happen again until it’s time for the second season to end. Then we can all throw out all of our “stay cools” and “have a nice summers” the way childhood taught us to.
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Speaking in terms of the greater plot, “Beach House” is an “inconsequential” episode of the season. Much like “Stakeout” felt off as a winter break episode (apparently “The Pontiac Bandit Returns” was originally supposed to be the last episode of 2014), “Beach House” feels kind of like an anticlimactic return to the story. It’s not an episode that screams (or even really says) “Hey, did you miss us?” and that’s not typically what one expects with the return of a show from any type of hiatus.
However, while the episode may not make a clear statement for the season moving forward or a grand declaration of the show’s return, it still manages to be one that subtly shines a light on the ways in which Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s characters have changed and become more comfortable with each other. Of course, one of the first season’s strengths was how lived-in the show felt and how comfortable and familiar the character interactions were, but watching from the pilot to now, there’s also a clear, natural progression of the characters and their relationships with each other. If it’s possible to be proud of a television show and its characters, then Brooklyn Nine-Nine deserves that and then some.
Last season, Jake would never have been the character to be guilted into inviting Holt along on the group vacation. In fact, he would probably be leading the charge of “no bosses allowed,” perhaps even reaching a level of inappropriate tantrum-throwing. It would actually be such an Amy thing to do, especially with her inviting Holt to Thanksgiving last season (in the episode appropriately titled “Thanksgiving”). But now, it’s clear that the key to the Jake Peralta character is that he likes being liked. It’s not just the basic human quality of enjoying being liked—he likes being the coolest, most popular guy in the world, and in order to do that, he will often times go above and beyond. In his mind (and, in a lot of ways, in reality), he is the cool, gruff, always knows what to do cop, which is one of the biggest versions of Cool Guy possible. Jake isn’t just the lead character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine; he’s the Big Man On Campus (BMOC).
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So in “Beach House,” it’s that need to be liked (as well as the fact that he’s also just a Good Guy, in addition to being the Cool Guy) that causes him to invite Holt to join in on “DOG Party ‘15” (“WOOF, WOOF, WOOF!”). In theory, the character could have just as easily invited Holt to a separate, later event, not necessarily this one all about joshing around with his peers. However, that wouldn’t lead to the same amount of shenanigans and it wouldn’t make Jake as much of a Good Guy. But bringing that theory into to play also highlights the main “problem” with the episode: Even with the success of this scenario’s gags, it all leads to the (still very fun to watch) plot point of having two parties, a real, fun one and a boring, Holt one. This is a plot that, much like the stakeout and “no-no list” in “Stakeout,” makes the show enter the realm of coming across as too much of a sitcom.
It’s always strange to chide a sitcom for being “too much of a sitcom,” but the reason that criticism gets thrown at certain plots or shows is because television has evolved so much in the past two or three decades that audiences expect more than the simple plots and structures that you can see coming a mile away. One of the marks of a good sitcom these days (not necessarily considering the dramatic comedy that is prominent in a cable setting) is the ability to take the more hammy, cliched aspects of sitcoms past (think any episode of Full House ever) and make it work within the context of the modern era. It’s the ability to improve upon the standard trope everyone has seen hundreds of time. While Holt being a buzzkill when the gang wants to party all the time is already a very obvious plot, the most “too much of a sitcom” moment of “Beach House” is Jake’s idea of having two parties. Friends was doing this back in 1996, and the basic concept of having character being two places at once is a tale as old as The Flintstones.
This also sticks out because this isn’t a typical episode of the show. Brooklyn Nine-Nine succeeds greatly when it’s a sharp workplace comedy, but given how important the friendships in this show are (and that’s really a staple of Schur and Goor’s work), an episode like “Beach House” is sometimes necessary. It’s for the best that episodes like this have no focus on the workplace aspect at all, because otherwise, it would feel like a strange situation shoe-horned in (and in this scenario, it would only make sense that Scully and Hitchcock would be the ones left behind—shudder the thought). Even with the more obvious sitcom tropes in this episode, it is still an especially good one for two relationships varying in “importance” to the show’s story: Boyle/Rosa and Gina/Amy.
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Rosa is still interested in Nick Cannon’s Marcus Holt for some reason, and because of that, she enlists Boyle for a little Cyrano de Bergerac style help in texting. The plot itself is actually a little underwhelming—the anticipation of the plot once it begins is at an all-time high, but the actual action is again another example of the show hitting the standard sitcom button hard in this episode. But the highlight of the plot—which is not even addressed by the episode but really proof of how much work the show is doing—is the fact that at no point is there any weirdness (besides the inherent weirdness of Boyle texting Rosa’s boyfriend) between Boyle and Rosa about her new relationship. Gone are the days of the Boyle who pines after Rosa and who would most definitely be in agony over having to do something like this for her. Just earlier this season, there was still some lingering awkwardness in “Chocolate Milk,” but none of that is present here. Despite the fact that he is still peculiar as ever (again, he brings up the intimacy of washing a lover’s hair), this has been a fantastic season for Charles Boyle and one that has done a lot to remove any problems audiences may have had with his character last season. Hopefully the same can be said about the Gina character as well:
Gina: “It’s the pinnacle of the Santiago drunkenness scale. One drink: Amy’s a little spacey…Two drinks: Loud Amy…Three drinks: Amy Dancepants!…Four drink Amy is a bit of a pervert…And five drink Amy is weirdly confident…But I’ve never seen six drink Amy. Maybe she’s the one I could actually be friends with. AKA: My Sasquatch.”
Naturally, the Gina/Amy plot is a beacon of light. After all, I have done my best to chronicle the times Gina goes out of her way to tease Amy this season. “The Ballad Of Six Drink Amy” is one that closes out the trifecta of “too much of a sitcom” territory (maybe I’m doing it wrong, but that’s not how drinking works) but the difference in this case is that it’s the one plot out of the main three that makes the best use of its trope and its participants to also actively shows the evolution of these characters. The Boyle/Rosa plot obviously also shows such evolution, but comes across as more of a happy accident. Plus, the Gina/Amy plot it’s the perfect reason to take a character like Amy out of her comfort zone and another reason to consider Melissa Fumero the stealth MVP of Brooklyn Nine-Nine season two.
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Wrapping this up, it’s important to note that there’s nothing inherently wrong with a show being “too much of a sitcom” once in awhile (or even all of the time). As long as the goal of making the audience laugh is achieved, that’s sometimes all you really need from a sitcom. But Brooklyn Nine-Nine has shown itself to be a series that can do so much more, and that’s where the need for it to be so much more comes from. Having the knowledge or at least faith that the show won’t simply rely on such tropes on a regular basis is part of what prevents “Beach House” from being a mess. (Also, it’s pretty darn funny.) This is a show with writers and a cast that work too hard to even allow it to be a mess. “Beach House” is fun, and you know what? Maybe that’s all that an episode needs to be right now coming off of hiatus.
Stray observations:
This week in webisodes Brooklyn Nine-Nine needs: Your initial thought may be something to do with Amy reviewing alcohol, but then you’d be ignoring two very important premises for webisodes. 1. An infomercial for Scully and Hitchcock’s “scheme.” 2. Gina teaching Greek Mythology. Speaking of…
Your initial thought may be something to do with Amy reviewing alcohol, but then you’d be ignoring two very important premises for webisodes. 1. An infomercial for Scully and Hitchcock’s “scheme.” 2. Gina teaching Greek Mythology. Speaking of… Gina: “AND THANK YOU POSEIDON! GREAT GOD OF THE SEA!”
“AND THANK YOU POSEIDON! GREAT GOD OF THE SEA!” Jake: “Ain’t no party like a Captain Holt party, ‘cause a Captain Holt party is a total surprise to everyone!” (Well at least it’s not mandatory. Or a Nick Cannon party. Seriously.)
“Ain’t no party like a Captain Holt party, ‘cause a Captain Holt party is a total surprise to everyone!” (Well at least it’s not mandatory. Or a Nick Cannon party. Seriously.) Jake: “You guys are being a bunch of racist, homophobic, golf cops.”
“You guys are being a bunch of racist, homophobic, golf cops.” Holt (to Amy, re: drinks): “You’re on vacation—who’s counting?”
Gina (seductively whispers to Amy): “I AM.”
“You’re on vacation—who’s counting?” “I AM.” The tongue waggle after “I AM” is what makes it a classic.
Jake’s impression of Captain Holt needs to make an appearance more often. It’s not even accurate. It’s just necessary.
Amy mentions how Rosa’s got “them thangs,” and the pain of Happy Endings’ death stings even more.
By the way, pervert four drink Amy’s two moments both involve Rosa. I’m sure for some people, that makes up for the lack of Rosa in a bikini, so I figured I’d point that out.Kexcoin is a user issued asset on the BitShares network.
Key Information
We selected BitShares as the platform to power this project due to the processing speed and the built in exchange, two features that will make the user experience smooth.Kexcoins are cryptocurrency tokens that will be sold to participants in our crowdfund on 15th September 2017.The funds we raise will then be used to buy investment properties in the student accommodation market, a market that brings reliable returns.Using the rental profits from the properties we buy, we will begin a process of buying back Kexcoins and burning them. This will have the affect of making Kexcoin increasingly scarce and naturally more valuable.If you are familiar with the OBITS project this is the model they originally adopted.Our vision is to build a new funding network through the use of the blockchain, making it available for almost anyone in the world to participate, in any amount, large or small.We are unique in the business as we are already supported by an existing infrastructure. Kexgill, an associated company to Kexcoin has been investing and growing their European portfolio for almost 39 years.With an experienced team, they are an award winning student provider, owning almost 3,250 beds throughout the UK and 360 multi-family apartments in Germany.You can place buy orders now for fulfilment at 15:00 UTC 15th September 201730 days (15 September 2017 – 14 October 2017) or until we sell out, which ever comes sooner.8,500,000 KEXCOIN0.0025 BTC = 1 KEXCOINYou can get in touch with us via Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, Bitcoin Forum, Bitshares Forum.Once per quarter on a pre-announced date, we will take 50% of the net profits generated by the rental income from the properties and use it to buy back as many KexCoins as we can.Participants will be able to offer their KexCoins for sale on the market and we will buy them back starting with the cheapest first.Once the buyback budget has been exhausted, all KexCoins purchased within that budget will be permanently burned. This reduces the total remaining supply and increases the scarcity of the coins that remain, thus inflating the price.The remaining 50% net profits will be reinvested in further investment property to speed up the buyback process.10m KexCoins have been created. This is the total number that will ever exist.10% of this amount (1m KexCoins) will be retained for the core team.An additional 5% (500k KexCoins) will be retained for contingencies.The remaining 85% (8.5m KexCoins) will be sold to participants during the token sale.In order for the KexCoin team to profit, KexCoins must be worth something. This will only happen if the project is a success.When a core team member wishes to take some profit, they would have to sell their coins on the market in exchange for Bitcoin in the same way as an ICO participant does. The core team are not allowed to sell or trade their Kexcoin for a 1 year period after the ICO.Any coins that are left unsold when the crowd funding period closes will be immediately and publicly burned.WebsiteWhitepaperStep-by-step guide to participateDr. Mark Hyman — the great soul who convinced Bill Clinton to radically change his diet, and hence his health — is a believer in “functional medicine.” Rather than separately treating particular diseases, such as diabetes or heart disease or obesity, functional medicine treats the underlying biologic causes.
American politics urgently needs a Dr. Mark Hyman. It desperately needs an analogous “functional politics.” The pundit-sphere is filled with analysts diagnosing disease after disease, each offered with its own cure. The problem is the Senate. The problem is the House. The problem is the Republicans. The problem is the Tea Party. The problem is too much money in politics. The problem is too few participating in politics. The list is endless, and as it grows, endlessly depressing. What is a nation to do?
A functional politics, however, would ask how these problems are linked. Is there one that induces the others? Or one which if cured would make curing the rest much easier?
Consider Howard Fineman’s latest article as just one example. Fineman enumerates “15 Reasons Why American Politics Has Become An Apocalyptic Mess,” each summarized in just one paragraph. Here’s his list:
1. The Tea Party
2. Slow Growth
3. Obamacare
4. Scorecards
5. Two Cultures
6. Congressional Ignorance
7. Gargantuan Money
8. No Big Tents
9. My District Is My Castle
10. The End Of 'Regular Order'
11. They Either Don't Know Or Hate Each Other
12. Misjudging Obama
13. The New Iowa
14. Apocalypse America
15. You're Not My President
These “reasons” are linked—or at least, almost all of them are. But to see how, we must set the context a bit more clearly.
Since Newt Gingrich became Speaker, and the Republicans took control of the House in 1995 for the first time in 40 years, the culture of Congress as undergone a radical change. That change was induced by increased inter-party competition: At each election, the control of Congress is now effectively up for grabs. Each party thus fights ferociously to secure control, by fighting hard to win the next election.
Elections cost money, so the day-to-day struggle of both parties is the fight to raise more and more money. Congress thus works less and fundraising by Congress increases.
In the old days (aka, before the Tea Party), much of that fundraising was linked to government spending. Earmarks, as Robert Kaiser describes in his fantastic book, So Damn Much Money, became the currency of the realm. And as government spending could be channeled through the earmarking process, it inspired campaign contributions by the earmark-obliged.
But after the election of 2010, the Tea Party put an end (basically, not completely, but certainly fundamentally) to earmarks. And so the strategy of fundraising has had to shift. No longer is funding linked to government spending. Increasingly it is tied to government stalemate. “Just sell ‘no’” became the mantra for the lobbying shops on K Street — with one even explicitly promising to create Senate holds and filibusters to prevent legislation from passing.
The strategy is different for the politically active base. Extremism with the base is the best fundraising strategy. Hatred and vilification are its fuel. Chris Murphy (D-CT), the Senate’s youngest Member, reports that emails to his list attacking Republicans raise three times the money that emails praising Democrats raise. The same is certainly true the other way around. As in every war, in the permanent war that is now D.C., we rally our side by demonizing the other. And of course, once we’ve succeeded in proving the other side is the devil, it becomes a bit difficult to strike a deal with that devil.
Against this background, Fineman’s list is a bit more digestible. The key is #7, Gargantuan Money, and the endless struggle to raise money. That struggle is aided by #3 (Obamacare) and #15 (You're Not My President), as well as #4 (Scorecards). Obamacare, the epithet, has little to do with Obamacare the insurance program; it is instead a lightening rod bolted to the President, which then inspires a certain kind of grassroots funding. So too with scorecards; politicians now work to score well on the report cards of lobbying and interest groups to ensure funding. And so too with #13 (The New Iowa) — a perpetual presidential campaign tied also to the endless need to raise money.
Gargantuan Money also ties to polarization: If extremism excites passion, then the extreme wings of the parties will be the most successful in fundraising. Hence the significance of #1 (The Tea Party), #8 (No Big Tents), #14 (Apocalypse America), and over time #5 (Two Cultures). Number 9 (My District is My Castle) is the product of gerrymandering, not polarization. But gerrymandering both lowers the cost of campaigns for a party overall, since there are fewer competitive races that a party must help fund, and increases the incentive to fund the extremes (if indeed the extremes can fund more easily).
Gargantuan Money also helps explain the increasing institutional dysfunction of Congress. Of course there is #6 (Congressional Ignorance). Who has time to read when there is fundraising to do? The same with #11 (They Either Don't Know Or Hate Each Other): one Member explains having lunch with other members just six times in six years, “if you have time for lunch, you have time to fundraise.” And, of course, there is #10 (The End of Regular Order). The very agenda of Congress is driven by what might flush the most money into campaign coffers. That has no relationship to order, regular or not.
Money doesn’t explain everything. It doesn’t explain #2 (Slow Growth), or at least immediately. Maybe it’s because Congress is so distracted by endless fundraising that it can’t address the issues that might actually help the economy. And money certainly doesn’t explain #12 (Misjudging Obama), at least so long as the President isn’t himself raising money. Indeed, the character of the President that we’re now seeing is precisely the character that has been covered up by his own six-year struggle to raise the money he needed — a battle that is tempered now that reelection is past.
So 12 of 15 explained by just one — not bad for a theory, and not even bad for the Republic. Because functional politics gives us a strategy, there is at least one clear thing to fix. If we changed the way we funded elections, we would change this other dozen too. Not necessarily fix perfectly; no one’s promising utopia. But at least we could get something good enough for government work.
Of course, it’s a party pooper who simplifies so radically. Single causes are boring, and simple causal accounts are always incomplete. Money might explain polarization, but it doesn’t explain all polarization. The same with each of the stories I’ve told above — money is just part of the account, if it’s a part at all.
But the critical point is this: Money is the part we could fix. Congress is so competitive because of who we’ve become as a nation — demographics, and the like, shifting slowly over many years. But we can’t ban Republicanism, and Texas is not going to secede. We are who we are, and the only important question is how we make it possible to govern us again, given who we’ve become.
Political scientists will remain skeptical. Their standards are high. In the academy, there is no truth without a statistical regression. So few will risk reputation or promotion by speculating beyond the facts that SPSS will whisper.
But in the middle of a crisis, certainty is an expensive luxury, and one we can’t afford anymore. We need to tackle the problems that explain most of our problems first, and soon.
For remember, there was only one clear victor in this latest governance collapse: the war chests of the radicals who brought this government to its knees. We lost $24 billion. They raised millions.The 2014 Open Austin Candidate Questionnaire features nine questions that we are asking all candidates in the City of Austin municipal election this November. You may view the candidate questionnaire here: 2014 Open Austin Candidate Questionnaire (94KB PDF document).
Open Government Briefing Guide
New for 2014, our Open Government Briefing Guide provides information on key open government and open data issues. We distributed this to all candidates along with our quesionnaire. You may view the briefing guide here: Open Government Briefing Guide (1.8MB PDF document)
Campaign Finance Data Challenge
In our questionnaire, we asked candidates if they would provide machine readable versions of their required campaign finance filings. We’re calling that our Campaign Finance Data Challenge.
You can read more about why we issued the challenge here.
Mayor
Place 1
Andrew Bucknall – did not respond
Michael Cargill – did not respond
George Hindman – did not respond
Ora Houston – did not respond
Chris Hutchins – did not respond
Norman Jacobson – did not respond
DeWayne Lofton – did not respond
Valerie Menard
Samuel Osemene – did not respond
Place 2
Delia Garza
Mike Owen – did not respond
Wally Reyes Jr. – did not respond
John Sheppard – did not respond
Place 3
Place 4
Greg Casar
Katrina Daniel – did not respond
Monica Guzman – did not respond
Louis Herrin III – did not respond
Marco Mancillas – did not respond
Sharon Mays – did not respond
Roberto Perez Jr. – did not respond
Laura Pressley – did not respond
Place 5
Daniel Buda – did not respond
Jason Denny – did not respond
Dave Floyd – did not respond
CarolAnneRose Kennedy – did not respond
Ann Kitchen
Mike Rodriguez – did not respond
David Senecal – did not respond
Place 6
Jimmy Flannigan
Mackenzie Kelly – did not respond
Pete Phillips Jr. – did not respond
Matt Stillwell – did not respond
Jay Wiley – did not respond
Don Zimmerman – did not respond
Place 7
Jeb Boyt
Ed English – did not respond
Zachary Ingraham
Jimmy Paver
Leslie Pool
Pete Salazar – did not respond
Darryl Wittle – did not respond
Melissa Zone – did not respond
Place 8
Becky Bray
Eliza May – did not respond
Darrell Pierce – did not respond
Edward Scruggs – did not respond
Ellen Troxclair – did not respond
Place 9
Place 10Ohio's 54-year-old governor, Robert Lucas (the 1800s equivalent of Methuselah), took exception with a map presented by Michigan, mainly because it included the port city of Toledo, which happened to sit in a tiny strip of land that both states wanted.
Instead of saying, "Sure, are you kidding? Take it!" Michigan would not back down.
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The young Stevens and the seasoned Lucas would wage a turf war over the territory, which later became a slightly more actual war. In March of 1835, Ohio sent about 600 militia north to the disputed Toledo Strip. Michigan responded with about 1,000 men who occupied Toledo and prepared for invasion.
The federal government (under President Andrew Jackson), realizing the situation was about to get stupid, sent representatives to tell everybody to calm down until they could figure out where the border was. The peace lasted a few weeks, when Ohio's governor sent out a survey team to again paint a dotted line where they thought the border should be.
The Michigan militia would have none of that shit, so 50 or 60 of them attacked the survey team in what would be called the Battle of Phillips Corner. Shots were fired. Nobody was killed, but they took nine of the survey team prisoner.
Further details can be found on a slab of wood in the middle of nowhere.
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Now that pissed everybody off. Both sides started rapidly building up their militias in preparation for all-out civil war. Ohio raised 10,000 men. A Michigan newspaper then welcomed them to enter the Toldeo Strip and find "hospitable graves" there.
President Jackson, again hoping to put an end to the bullshit, removed the governor of the Michigan territory (again, there were just no rules at all back then) and replaced him with a guy named John Horner. The people flew into a rage, burned Horner in effigy and pelted him with vegetables when he entered the capital. A few months later, voters held an election and brought the other guy back.
Finally, Jackson told Michigan they could become a state... if they would just give up that freaking little strip of land. Michigan said hell no. Then Jackson announced the government was giving away $400,000 to all of the states. And Michigan could get in on that... if they accepted the terms. Realizing they were now broke--due to paying for a huge militia to fend off freaking Ohio--they finally gave in.
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The first "stimulus" was born, turning Michigan into the modern economic powerhouse it is today.
And oh by the way: Toledo War is the basis for the storied Michigan-Ohio State football rivalry.
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If you're looking to lose weight, here's a simple tip: don't dine with the skinny dude who stuffs his face. According to a study that will appear in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and the consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should steer clear of eating with heavier people who order large portions, it's the beanpoles with the big appetites you really need to avoid. "They're big trouble," says Gavan Fitzsimons, a marketing professor at Duke's Fuqua School of Business and one of the study's co-authors.
To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited to a lab ostensibly to participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack of either M&M's or granola. Another "participant," who was actually an actor hired by the research team, grabbed her food first, in full view of the subjects at the snack line. In her natural state, the phony participant weighed 105 lb. and wore a size 0. But in about half the cases, she wore a prosthetic designed by an Academy Awardwinning costume studio. The fat suit increased her weight to 180 lb. and puffed her clothes to a size 16. (See the top 10 food trends of 2008.)
Both the fat and the skinny versions of the actor scooped five tablespoons of food (approximately 71 g of granola or 108 g of M&M's) onto a plate. That's a heap. The subjects followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have had they eaten alone. However, the subjects took significantly higher portions when the actor was thin. During the movie a five-minute clip from the Will Smith film I, Robot they also ate significantly more if the actor was skinny. "It's our intuition sometimes that you don't want to eat with big people because you're afraid you'll eat more," says Fitzsimons. "In fact, the opposite is true." (See how hula hoops can help you lose weight.)
What happens when a thin person takes a small portion? Again, we tend to mimic those around us. For the second test, in one scenario the actor took two pieces of small candy from a set of snack bowls. In the other scenario, she took 30 pieces. Under the lots-of-food condition, the results mimicked the first test: subjects grabbed and ate significantly more candy when the actor was thin. Under the little-food condition, the subjects took the lead of the actor and restrained their candy consumption. However, in this scenario it was the obese lunch date who posed a threat: the subjects ate more if the actor was wearing a fat suit. (Watch TIME's video "How to Lose Weight Like a Real Loser.")
Each of these tests illustrates the psychological trait known as anchoring. Humans tend to latch on to one specific piece of information when making decisions, in this case the habits of the actor. The social environment is extremely influential. If this fellow study subject is going to take an above-average number of M&M's, so will I. Call it the "I'll have what she's having" effect. (See pictures of what makes you eat more food.)
However, we adjust the influence of the social environment on the basis of how we perceive the people around us. So if an obese person is helping himself to a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because, well, I see the ultimate results of his eating habits and don't want the stigma associated with being overweight. But if the thin person eats a lot, why shouldn't I follow suit? If she can gorge herself and still keep trim, why can't I?
At the same time, if a thin dining companion orders a small portion, I too will hold back because I want to mirror the habits of a body type to which many people aspire. However, if an overweight person orders light, I'll make an adjustment. Obviously, small portions aren't working for him. If tiny meals don't help you stay trim, what's the point? Get me the cheeseburger deluxe.
Read "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin."Image copyright Reuters Image caption John Ashe is accused of taking $1.3m in bribes
US authorities have charged a former United Nations General Assembly president with taking bribes from a Chinese billionaire.
New York prosecutors said John Ashe "converted the UN into a platform for profit" as he helped real estate mogul Ng Lap Seng gain government contracts.
Mr Ashe is accused of taking $1.3m, spending the cash on luxury goods.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked and deeply troubled" by the allegations.
"In return for Rolex watches, a basketball court and bespoke suits, John Ashe sold himself and the global institution he led," said US Federal Attorney Preet Bharara. "United by greed, they converted the UN into a platform for profit."
Prosecutors say Mr Ashe used his position as permanent resident to the United Nations for Antigua and Barbuda and General Assembly head to introduce a UN document supporting a multibillion-dollar UN-sponsored conference centre that Mr Ng hoped to build as his legacy in Macau, where he lived.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said he was shocked by the allegations against John Ashe
The conference centre was supposed to function as a satellite operation for the world body.
The scheme unfolded between 2011 and 2014, including Ashe's tenure as General Assembly head, prosecutors said.
Mr Ashe also set up meetings with government officials in Antigua and Kenya to help the real estate developers land big development contracts, Mr Bharara said.
He is also said to have evaded tax on the bribe money he received and allowed the businesspeople pay for him and his family to stay at an $850-a-night hotel in New Orleans.
Mr Ashe was arrested on Tuesday. Five others including Mr Ng are also being held.
They include another diplomat, Francis Lorenzo from the Dominican Republic, and two naturalised US citizens who live in China who allegedly helped facilitate the scheme, who have been charged with offences including bribery of a UN official and conspiracy to launder money.
Mr Bharara said the investigation was continuing and more arrests were likely.Police carding is alive and well — I just witnessed it. On my way to a Blue Jays game on Tuesday, I saw a young black man standing on the sidewalk in Chinatown, surrounded by Toronto police, his hands held in the air. The man was backed up against a storefront window, wide-eyed and trembling. The fear in this man’s face gripped me and I approached the scene to make sure he was all right.
A man is having his bag searched by a Toronto police officer on Spadina Ave. in Chinatown early Tuesday evening. The man called 911 for assistance. ( Desmond Cole photo )
Toronto Police tell us that carding — the arbitrary stopping and documenting of civilians in Toronto — is over, but I witnessed it yet again this week with my eyes, and through the lens of my cellphone camera. Cops say they care about good community relations, but their treatment of this man, and of me for looking out for him, proves that many officers value intimidation over dialogue. They continue detaining, searching, and documenting innocent people, especially black people, and putting our lives at risk to satisfy their own prejudices. I couldn’t determine this young man’s name, but we’ll call him Omar. When I arrived at the scene on Spadina Ave. near Dundas St. W., police were clearly running Omar’s name through their databases to determine his identity. As he stood flabbergasted, Omar kept asking police, “Why are you making this about me? I’m the one who called you!” Police were repeatedly questioning Omar about his middle name, and about his precise address, as if he may have been trying to mislead them. An officer on the scene would later tell me that Omar himself had called 911 to say he’d been stabbed (I heard Omar tell police about being robbed, not stabbed — he produced some cash from a pocket to indicate what he’d lost). But at that moment, Omar was being treated as a suspect, humiliated on a public street after he’d called for help.
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An officer was busying himself by searching through Omar’s bag. I watched, stunned, as the officer then began patting down Omar’s pockets and crotch, and reached his hands into Omar’s pockets, right there on the sidewalk. The police should never search us, or put their hands on us, unless there is a very clear reason for them to do so. I called out to Omar, telling him he had the right to refuse a search if he was not under arrest. The police immediately turned their attention toward me. One of them repeatedly called me “ignorant,” and told me to go to a library and read about the law. The officer who had been searching Omar, who identified himself as “Peters,” approached me and attempted to grab my camera, which I was using to film him, out of my trembling hand. I have written before that people who oppose carding should approach its victims and make sure they’re okay, as I did. I know why this makes people scared. They don’t want to be harassed, or have their property seized by police. They don’t want to be arrested. But our collective inaction leaves people like Omar at the police’s mercy. The cops eventually put Omar in the back of one of several vehicles on the scene — there were at least 10 officers present by this time. Peters, who was clearly upset about my filming and intervention, encouraged me to ask Omar where the cops were taking him. I approached Omar and asked if he was okay. “I’m good,” he replied, and added after being urged by Peters, “they’re taking me home.” In the |
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Leaked UN report says Pyongyang is using front companies to export nuclear and missile technology to Iran, Syria and Burma
International efforts to avert a full-blown crisis on the Korean peninsula were given greater urgency today after a leaked UN report claimed that North Korea is defying UN sanctions and using front companies to export nuclear and missile technology to Iran, Syria and Burma.
The report, by a panel that monitors sanctions imposed after Pyongyang conducted nuclear weapons tests in 2006 and 2009, said the regime was using shell companies and overseas criminal networks to export the technology.
The revelations came just hours before the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao, arrived in South Korea for a three-day visit certain to be dominated by mounting tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.
At a meeting today, Wen told the South Korean president Lee Myung-bak that China would not "harbour" anyone over the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, in which 46 soldiers died.
But he added that China has not yet concluded that North Korea was responsible. Pyongyang has denied involvement
According to a South Korean official, Wen said: "China objects to and condemns any act that destroys the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula."
China, the North's closest ally and main benefactor, has so far refused to condemn the Pyongyang regime after a multinational investigation concluded that a North Korean torpedo sank the Cheonan.
Analysts say Beijing is unlikely to support any UN security council moves against North Korea, but might be persuaded to abstain on a resolution rather than wield its veto.
Wen and Lee will continue talks tomorrow, at a three-way summit that will also include the Japanese prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama. A spokesman for Lee said South Korea was "fully concentrating on diplomatic efforts to hold North Korea responsible".
However, experts said China's options were limited, given its desire to defuse tensions and avoid sparking a political and humanitarian crisis in its own backyard.
"China has its own strategic stake in the Korean peninsula, and if North Korea is further isolated or sanctioned, that would escalate tensions and risk serious instability," said Prof Wei Zhijiang of Zhongshan University in southern China.
The sanctions report, leaked to journalists in New York, said UN bans on nuclear and ballistic missile technology, and on all arms exports and most imports, were having an effect. But it conceded the North had found ways to circumvent sanctions using companies and individuals who are not subject to asset freezes and travel bans.
The 47-page report contains a long list of sanctions violations reported by UN member states, including four cases of arms exports.
Pyongyang, the panel said, had used "a number of masking techniques," including falsely labelling the contents of shipping containers and giving inaccurate information about their origin and destination.
North Korea was using "multiple layers of intermediaries, shell companies and financial institutions" to get around sanctions, it added.
An unnamed western diplomat based at the UN said: "The details in the report are not entirely surprising. Basically it suggests that North Korea has exported nuclear and missile technology with the aid of front companies, middlemen and other ruses."
The report said the regime had tried to conceal arms exports by sending items in kit form to be built at their destination, and called on recipient countries of North Korean cargo to act with "extra vigilance".
Pyongyang is also suspected of using overseas criminal groups to transport and distribute "illicit and smuggled cargoes", possibly including parts for weapons of mass destruction.
In response to the sinking, South Korea froze trade with the North, resumed propaganda broadcasts across the border and announced joint naval exercises with the US.
The North retaliated by severing ties with its neighbour, expelling South Korean officials from a joint industrial venture and banning the country's aircraft from its airspace. It also ditched an agreement designed to prevent naval clashes and threatened to attack any South Korean vessel entering its waters.Opposition leader and presidential hopeful Alexei Navalny said on Wednesday he was attacked with sausages as he returned from Europe.
The incident took place after a young woman approached Navalny at the arrivals gate of Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport asking to take a picture, he wrote on his blog.
“At this point, three fiends are swooping in from behind and throwing a bunch of sausages on my shoulders,” Navalny said.
Police were standing nearby and “smiling,” he added.
Photographs circulating on social media showed the opposition leader standing amid scattered sausages.
The attack came a day after the lawyer for Alexei Ulyukayev said in court that the former economy minister thought he was being gifted a fruit basket with wine and sausages rather than a $2 million bribe, just before he was detained on charges of corruption. It is unclear whether the attacker's choice of weapon was a nod to that statement.Joe Biden spanked Paul Ryan – on Medicare and Social Security, taxes and budget cuts, the direction of the economy, abortion and the Supreme Court. On foreign policy, Biden stood as the anti-war candidate and Ryan looked like a chicken hawk.
Biden’s smirky smile didn’t do him any good. But looking straight into the camera and talking to seniors about their Medicare costs was powerful – especially when he held Ryan to account for his own budget plans and its devastating impact on recipients.
Most important for the Democrats, all of those liberals who were dispirited and freaked out about President Obama’s miserable performance in his debate with Mitt Romney came away from the veep debate with a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm.
Republicans mostly breathed a sigh of relief that Ryan did no overt damage to Romney. But on some of the issues Ryan handled – especially abortion, where he flatly argued that human life begins at conception – Romney will face more trouble with women.
CBS’s poll of uncommitted voters scored it 50-32% for Biden. CNN’s survey of debate watchers (however they randomized them, we have no idea*) scored it 48-44% for Ryan. But the professional analysts agreed that on the issues that voters care about most, Biden, with his passion and hard facts, was the clear winner.
Best word in the debate: malarkey.
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* Thanks to our old friend Cragg Hines for calling our attention to this, from CNN’s bullshit survey — SPECIAL NOTE OF CAUTION #2: The sample of debate-watchers in this poll were 31% Democratic and 33% Republican. That indicates that the sample of debate watchers is about eight points more Republican than an average CNN poll of all Americans, so the respondents were more Republican than the general public.The Firewood 5 is the latest vape from Firewood Vapes.
The Firewood 4 is the latest vape from Firewood Vapes. It’s a portable convection vaporizer and, like their previous models, it’s made of wood. The Firewood 4 is made out of Walnut. Each vaporizer is handmade by an Artisan named Marc, in Massachusetts USA.
Firewood 4 Features
swappable 18650 battery – No tools required. The battery door slides off and the battery is easily replaced in a matter of seconds.
full convection heating
super fast heat-up time: coil heats in 5 seconds
draw sensing technology – To preserves battery life, the heater is only on while you’re taking a draw.
borosilicate glass capsules and mouthpiece system
Build Quality & Design
The craftsmanship of the Firewood 4 is impressive. I consider the Firewood 4 a functional piece of art. It has style and personality and it will develop character as you use it. It feels solid, and absolutely wonderful in the hand. It’s finish has a luxurious feel to it, soft and smooth. All of the edges are smooth and well finished. The wooden pieces fit together perfectly! It feels durable enough to handle daily carry if you’re an office worker.
Vapor
The vapor flavor is really special. It starts out rich with terpenes and distinctly flavorful. The first few pulls from all convection vapes are wonderful, but the vapor from the Firewood 4 has different character. The wooden body and cooling unit, along with the natural wax and oil they’re sealed with, add a sweet and warm undertone to the vapor. It’s not a dominant flavor by any means, but it’s there and I love it. Some may not like this, but so far the 4 people I’ve shared with really enjoy it.
The quality of the vapor is pretty good. I get about 5-7 really nice pulls before the flavor starts to decay and the vapor becomes a bit harsh. The capsule is pretty narrow, so some of the material really cooks more/faster than the rest. It’s really about your technique with this vape. The airflow is wide open, which means it is possible to pull too fast. Pulling too fast doesn’t give the fresh air enough time in the heater to actually heat up and vaporizer your herbs. Slow your pull to give the heater time to heat up the air. Experiment with different speeds, or go by the feel of the vapor on your tongue/throat. You can also crank up the heat, level 4 WILL combust and that’s no bueno. Level 4 is for faster pulls, bongs, concentrates if you dare.
Ease of Use
The interface is pretty simple. Hold the button for 5 seconds to turn the unit on. When it turns on, it will indicate the current battery level by a series of vibrations. 5 vibes = fully charged. 1 vibe = low battery. After turning the unit on, you need to choose a temp setting. Push the button once for 250F-299F, twice for 300F-350F, three times for 350F-400F, and 4 times for 400F-450F. I only really use the 3 and 4 settings. You can change the temp settings at any time by pressing the button 1-4 times again. Turn the unit off by holding the button for 3 seconds. When you turn the unit off, it will indicate the battery level again. This comes in really handy.
The vapor pulling technique isn’t abnormally difficult. Start with brief draw to activate the heater, wait a couple of seconds, and then take a long slow draw. The FW4 will give a short vibe when it senses you’re drawing. After a draw or two the capsule will have some residual heat, which enhances vapor production. You can pull a little faster now for lighter cough-less vapor, or pull slower if you want dense vapor. My wife had it figured out by her 3rd pull, and she gives it two thumbs up and 3 more pulls because she doesn’t know the puff-puff-pass rule.
The capsule system is interesting. The capsule itself is on the small side. Holds about.1g, which is probably perfect for most people. I have a higher tolerance and the.1g capsule is perfect for daytime use with me. If I want a stonier/foggier high, I need to vape several capsules – which is fine because I purchased the kit that comes with 3 extra capsules and a convenient holding block. This is worth it. The unit does get hot after a single session and I don’t feel comfortable vaping two sessions in a row.
Loading the capsules isn’t a problem. You can insert the capsule upside down in mouthpiece and use the mouth vacuum technique to suck up your herbs, or you can just drop the capsule into your ground up herb container and scoop it full.
Unloading and cleaning the capsules is a bit more of a chore. This requires a small pick to get the spent material out, and often needs a brush to get the capsule and the rubber mouthpiece fully clean. It’s not difficult, but it’s slightly time consuming. I consider it a ritual and I try to unload/load all 4 capsules at the same time.
The replaceable battery and cover functions well. Mine was initially tough to remove (in the unboxing video) because I was pushing from the bottom. If you hold it sideways and grip the battery cover like the slide of a handgun, it will come off with minimal force. Swapping batteries takes a few seconds and doesn’t require any special tools. It’s perfect.
Although when the battery is first inserted, the unit powers on. That’s kinda weird.
Battery
The vape may or may not come with a battery. The option I chose did. It came with an LG HG2 18650 3000mAh 20A Flat Top Battery, which is a really good battery. I’m able to get 6 full sessions out of a single charge. Each session is 6-8 minutes long, with exactly twelve 15-second pulls. Three minutes of draw time per session means the heater was on for roughly 18 minutes. That seems pretty good to me. I haven’t ran it dead yet, however I’m still pushing and testing it. Either way, it’s easily swappable and batteries are cheap ($7). Buy a few and you are SET.
Final Thoughts
The Firewood 4 is a huge improvement over the FW3, and I really liked the FW3. The cooling unit makes a world of difference. The look and feel of the FW4 is unique and overflowing with character and charisma. I love how it feels in my hand, and I cannot get enough of the wax/oil aroma it carries. It smells so warm and sweet with hints of citrus and sunshine. It performs VERY well and it will certainly be one of my favorites.
If you’re looking for a great vape that has a lot of character, this is the one to get.
It’s only available on the official Firewood Vapes website… But good luck, because this vape is badass and everyone wants one.At least eight police officers have been injured as rioting broke out in Belfast in the latest flare of violence in Northern Ireland.
Tensions have risen in Northern Ireland since Belfast's council voted on Monday not to fly the British flag all year round, angering Protestant loyalists who believe Northern Ireland should retain strong links to Britain.
Police clashed with hundreds of loyalists close to the city centre on Friday night and five people were arrested, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.
"This behaviour is unacceptable. These people are wrecking their own communities and putting lives at risk," said Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr of the PSNI.
"This mob violence cannot continue. I am urgently appealing to politicians and those with influence to do what they can to put a stop to this."
Two cars were set alight while eyewitnesses said protesters hurled stones, bricks and bottles at the police.
Loyalists have held nightly protests in several parts of Northern Ireland since councillors ruled that the British flag can only fly above Belfast's City Hall for a maximum of 17 days a year.
Police said some 1,000 people rioted on Monday leaving 15 police officers injured, and Belfast legislator Naomi Long received a death threat on Friday for her non-sectarian Alliance party's support for the change in flag policy.
Two bombs were also found in other parts of Northern Ireland in a sign of the lingering sectarian tensions despite the peace process, which largely ended three decades of sectarian violence in the 1990s.
Clinton visit
The violence took place just hours after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the troubled British province urging peace.
"There can be no place in the new Northern Ireland for any violence. Any remnants of the past must be quickly condemned," she told a press conference in Belfast.
With more protests expected in the city on Saturday, Clinton urged: "People have strong feelings, but you must not use violence as a means of expressing those strong feelings."
The flag, signifying Northern Ireland's links with Britain, has been flying on top of the building since 1906.
After the Irish War of Independence in 1922, the six provinces of Northern Ireland remained with Britain, while the former southern Ireland became an independent state - now the Republic of Ireland.
Monday's decision by the council prompted angry protests from Loyalists - supporters of the pro-British Protestants in the province - who stormed the building. Daily protests and clashes with Catholics followed.
They took an unpleasant turn when Protestants directly targeted the homes and offices of members of the small, cross-confessional Alliance Party, whose votes secured the passage of the flag rules initiated by Catholics on the city council.
Some 3,600 people died in the three decades of violence between Northern Irish Protestants favouring continued union with Britain, and Catholics seeking a unified Ireland.
A 1998 peace agreement largely ended the conflict, but sporadic unrest and bomb threats continue as dissident offshoots remain violently opposed to the power-sharing government in Belfast, formed of Catholic and Protestant parties.In a "eureka" moment worthy of Dr. Frankenstein, scientists have discovered that two 3,000-year-old Scottish "bog bodies" are actually made from the remains of six people.
According to new isotopic dating and DNA experiments, the mummies—a male and a female—were assembled from various body parts, although the purpose of the gruesome composites is likely lost to history.
The mummies were discovered more than a decade ago below the remnants of 11th-century houses at Cladh Hallan, a prehistoric village on the island of South Uist (map), off the coast of Scotland.
The bodies had been buried in the fetal position 300 to 600 years after death. (See bog body pictures.)
Based on the condition and structures of the skeletons, scientists had previously determined that the bodies had been placed in a peat bog just long enough to preserve them and then removed. The skeletons were then reburied hundreds of years later.
Terry Brown, a professor of biomedical archaeology at the University of Manchester, said there were clues that these bog bodies were more than they seemed.
On the female skeleton, "the jaw didn't fit into the rest of the skull," he said. "So Mike [Parker Pearson, of Sheffield University] came and said, Could we try to work it out through DNA testing?"
Brown sampled DNA from the female skeleton's jawbone, skull, arm, and leg. The results show that bones came from different people, none of whom even shared the same mother, he said.
The female is made from body parts that date to around the same time period. But isotopic dating showed that the male mummy is made from people who died a few hundred years apart.
Quick Dip in the Bog
Another clue to the odd nature of the Cladh Hallan mummies is their unusually well-preserved bones.
A peat bog is a high-acid, low-oxygen environment, which inhibits the bacteria that break down organics, said Gill Plunkett, a lecturer in paleoecology at Queen's University Belfast who was not involved in the current study.
"The combined conditions are particularly good for the preservation of most organic materials," she said. (Also see "Medieval Christian Book Discovered in Ireland Bog.")
"But on the other hand, the acidic conditions will attack calcium-based materials," so most known bog bodies have better preserved skin and soft tissue than bones.
In the Cladh Hallan bodies, the bones are still articulated—attached to each other as they would be in life. This suggests that the buriers removed the bodies from the peat bog after preservation but before acid destroyed the bones.
When the mummies were later reburied in soil, the soft tissue again began to break down.
The researchers aren't sure why the villagers went through this unusual process, or why they built composite mummies in the first place.
A cynical theory, study author Brown said, assumes that the Bronze Age people of Cladh Hallan were just eminently practical: "Maybe the head dropped off and they got another head to stick on."
Another possibility is that the merging was deliberate, to create a symbolic ancestor that literally embodied traits from multiple lineages.
Brown cites the example of the Chinchorro mummies discovered in the Chilean Andes, where embalmers reinforced or reconstructed bodies with sticks, grass, animal hair, or even sea lion skin. (Also see "Prehistoric Mummies Poisoned.")
"It seems the person is not so important, but the image is. So it's not a single identity, but it's representing something."
More Combo Mummies Out There?
According to Brown, there may be other composite bodies waiting to be discovered.
Often when scientists study the DNA of very ancient remains, they sample only one part of a body to prevent needless damage to the skeleton.
Additional composite bodies, if they exist, are likely to come from such long-ago time periods.
"I think you'd have to go back to a time when the rituals were more bizarre," Brown said. "You'd have to go back to the mists of unrecorded time."(This is a joint post by Douglas and Cato)
Once upon a time, a small group of indigenous people took on the Klan and won in the rural South in 1958.
The Lumbee tribe is not a big or especially well-known tribe outside of North Carolina. Its members make up the overwhelming majority of the population of Pembroke, NC and they constitute 40% of the population of Robeson County, which is on the North Carolina-South Carolina border. The Lumbee are denied access to the funds set aside for most federally recognized tribes despite gaining federal recognition in 1956. This is part of why Robeson is not a rich county: 1 in 3 residents live in poverty as of 2012, with 8% unemployment as of 2015.
Aside from poverty, there was another thing making life hard for the people of Robeson County in 1958. It was a Klan Grand Wizard obsessed with preventing miscegenation. His name was James ‘Catfish’ Cole, and he had come up from South Carolina to teach the Lumbee a lesson about not intermarrying with white people. He deployed two tools from the usual array of Klan terror: night rides and cross burnings. Cole was planning on holding a rally and cross burning near the town of Maxton by a place called Hayes Pond.
It did not go as he wanted it to. When approximately 50-150 Klansmen were all set to rally, 500 Lumbee, armed with rocks and sticks and firearms swarmed them. Four Klansmen were wounded by gunfire, the rest (including Cole) ran for the woods, leaving behind their families. The sheriff ultimately showed up and dispersed the ‘Klan rout’ after the Lumbee tribe took the Klan’s banner as a trophy, which is pictured above with the leaders of the Lumbee group who confronted the Klan, Charlie Warriax and Simeon Oxendine. Cole was ultimately arrested and prosecuted for inciting a riot, and the Lumbee still celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Hayes Pond to this day.
So. What does that have to do with Trump?
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The violent confrontations between Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters did not come from nowhere. Trump supporters have a history of violence against people who disagree with them. Or look different from them. Or have the temerity to protest against Trump inside one of his rallies. And this behavior has been egged on by Trump himself, including promising to pay for the legal bills of those who assault anti-Trump protesters (a promise which he has reneged on).
Something changed, though, on the night of March 11 in Chicago. When Trump attempted to run another of his bund rallies, the city turned out against him. Thousands of protesters filled the hall and congregated outside the venue, forcing him to ultimately cancel the rally and denying him an opportunity to spread his poison. Despite the vacuous concern trolling from media liberals and overheated fury from the right, there was no real violence, few injuries, and five arrests.
This pattern has continued elsewhere and it has worsened. This past Saturday, Trump supporters pepper-sprayed anti-Trump protesters in San Diego. Similar scenes played out in New Mexico. All this came to a head this past Thursday, when in San Jose anti-Trump protesters egged a few Trump supporters and beat up a few more. The incident lead to four arrests, and a stampede of every sniveling pundit to deplore the breakdown in civility.
Liberals, finding themselves entirely unequipped to deal with a candidate and a group of supporters who could care less about the niceties of modern American politics, can do nothing but sit back and complain on social media and in their blogs about how dangerous and uncivil the confrontation of people who are calling for what amounts to ethnic cleansing was. A couple of them have even made the entirely hilarious claim that socialists and communists fighting against fascism in its ascendancy actually made things worse. From Chris Hayes:
And from a piece written by Jamelle Bouie:
“There are times when political violence is effective, even permissible. Now is not one of those times. Americans—and those on the left, in particular—have every tool needed to stop Trump. We can use those tools, which show every sign of working. Or we can choose the other option, the one that clears the path to genuine bloodshed. But here’s why we shouldn’t: The simple truth is that reaction feeds on disorder. And when there are legitimate means to stop Trump, you’re just as likely to cause a backlash in favor of his effort by forsaking them to attack his supporters. (At the risk of tripping Godwin’s law, German Communist violence against ultra-right targets in the 1932 elections didn’t stop Hitler and his enablers as much as it emboldened and enabled them.) If anything, Trump wants violent attacks on his supporters. Don’t give them to him.”
Time for a history lesson, y’all.
In 1921, Prime Minister Luigi Facta was faced with the March on Rome by the Blackshirts, led by Benito Mussolini and the National Fascist Party. Facta was a member of the Liberal Party, one of two dominant parties in pre-war Italy. What did Facta do about this? History has not judged him well on this front:
“The weak coalition government led by Luigi Facta knew that Mussolini was planning a coup, but at first the prime minister did not take the Fascists’ intentions seriously. ‘I believe that the prospect of a March on Rome has faded away,’ Facta told the King. Nor were all of the Socialists eager to confront the Fascist threat. Indeed, some radical Marxists hoped that Mussolini’s ‘reactionary buffoonery’ would destroy both the Socialists and the Liberals, thus preparing the way for a genuine Communist revolution. For their part, the Liberals worried most about the Socialists, because of their anticapitalist ideology.” (Delzell 1976, 124)
Facta guessed wrong: in order to save his place on the Italian throne, King Vittorio Immanuel III dismissed Facta and Liberal-led coalition government. Amazingly enough, he gave Mussolini the keys to power even though it is debatable whether Mussolini could have survived an assault from the Royal Army were it to have intervened to save Facta. Some of his top lieutenants stated that they would not break against the King, and Mussolini had drawn up alternate plans to leave the country were the King to stand and fight the fascists.
It seems that the tendency for establishmentarians to dismiss the fascist threat was common in that time, as it is now. For in Weimar Germany, a situation emerged that was similar to the one faced by Facta in Italy. The Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP), once a small formation in the conservative south of Germany, had grown to become a real political force. By 1930, the Nazis, as supporters of the NSDAP had become popularly known, led by Chancellor-candidate Adolf Hitler, had captured about 19 percent of the vote in that year’s federal election. Aided by big business in Germany, former Chancellor Franz Von Papen of sought an alliance with Hitler that would, Von Papen thought, allow Hitler to become a puppet chancellor, with Von Papen’s Centre Party and German industry calling the shots:
“Most of the leaders of big business were, to the very end, under a basic misapprehension about the nature of the new cabinet taking shape in January 1933. Their information came mainly from Papen and his circle, and they were led to believe that what was coming was a revival of the Papen cabinet, with its base widened through the inclusion of the Nazis. Even when it was learned that Papen would be Vice-Chancellor under Hitler, big business continued to assume that he would be the real leader of the new government. In the eyes of the business community, January 30, 1933, seemed at first to mark the fall of the hated Schleicher and the return of the trusted Papen, not the advent of a Nazi dictatorship.” (Turner 1969, 68)
Lest we think, however, that business was appalled at Hitler’s suspension of parliamentary rule under the Enabling Act, Turner goes on to state that, “By the time the leaders of big business were disabused of this illusion, they were ready to make their peace with Hitler.” As for those dastardly Communists that Bouie and Hayes seem to blame for the rise of Hitler? They were actually the targets of Nazi violence in the lead-up to the November 1933 federal election, along with the Social Democratic Party and the Centre Party. That election would be the last to feature multiple parties until 1949.
Leftists had more success against fascists, however, in situations where the latter were not backed by the power of the state. Perhaps the most famous example of this was the Battle of Cable Street, which occurred on the East End of London in October 1936. The background for that conflict was the rise of the British Union of Fascists (BUF), led by former Conservative MP Sir Oswald Mosley. After a tour of Mussolini’s Italy, he returned to the United Kingdom a strong adherent of fascism and set about forming the BUF in 1932. The BUF grew rapidly, and claimed over 50,000 members at one point. On October 4, 1936, the BUF were to march through the East End, which was home to a politically and ethnically diverse community, including the UK’s first ever elected Communist MP. When the Metropolitan Police and the BUF showed up, however, they were confronted by 100,000 working-class Londoners; they were promptly routed. Afterwards, the House of Commons passed the Public Order Act of 1936 soon after the conflict, which banned the wearing of political uniforms and required police consent for marches beforehand. The BUF was dead by the end of the decade, and Oswald Mosley lived on in disgrace.
And what of the South and the Klan? The latter was an entrenched force by the term ‘fascist’ came into vogue, despite being perhaps the first true example of a fascist movement and having taken power as one. While the resistance to Jim Crow and the Klan during the Civil Rights Movement largely took on the characteristic of nonviolent resistance, this narrative is frequently exaggerated and occludes the militant resistance that took place contemporaneous to the more-publicized efforts of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Freedom Riders and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to say nothing of the Battle of Hayes Pond. Given the Redeemer governments were completely unwilling to let Black men and women even vote (and were restricting poor, frequently illiterate whites from voting as well through literacy tests), how would have an electoral strategy to stop them even get off the ground?
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Concentration camp survivor, Franz Frison, on the value of debating fascism, IT 12 December 1988 pic.twitter.com/AiXDgeid59 — Niamh Puirseil (@NiamhPuirseil) February 7, 2016
All of this history underlines a basic truth: electoral politics in a liberal democracy are not enough to stop (or even contain) a fascist political movement. Concepts like the rule of law, property rights, and the exclusion of violence from the political process are things that only work if an overwhelming majority of those participating in the process agree to them and are willing to unite and drive off those who do not. Since fascists never challenged the entrenched business interests that have historically dominated countries about to fall to fascist movements, the existing parties involved in the electoral politics of those states were never able or willing to unite and exclude them in the way they historically had against the Left. And since fascists have no compunctions about rigging elections through fraud, false crises, and intimidation, those parties never got the chance to do so after the blackshirts took over.
All of the confrontational actions by anti-Trump protesters share a basic element: they are reactive in nature, like a fever when faced with a serious infection. Trump’s call for mass deportation and his wall are right-wing wonk approved ways of saying ‘ethnic cleansing.’ By rallying thousands of people who support his program of ethnic supremacism into diverse cities, Trump is absolutely provoking the people who would be the target of his ire. Is it any wonder, then, why these people turn out with such hostility to prevent him from spreading such bile in their communities?
Finally, there is a staggering dissonance here when it comes to the concept of resistance. The liberals who complain about the actions in Chicago and San Jose seriously believe that mobilizing people to vote is resistance against fascism. It is an appeal to authority against authoritarianism: just elect these people, and you will not have to get your hands dirty engaging in any kind of battles against these hooligans sullying our cherished democratic institutions. And for those who dissent, liberals seem pretty open to some harsh measures:
This is despicable mob violence. Anyone and everyone who participated in assaults tonight needs to be identified and prosecuted. — Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 3, 2016
That’s right. Chris Hayes thinks that the folks who are engaging in actual resistance to Trumpism should be arrested and prosecuted, while the folks who would happily have those protesters shot get to attend their political rally in peace. Hayes also believes, apparently, that arresting people of color and prosecuting them for what he describes as “assault” will not likely result in prison time. Which is a pretty insane assertion in a country where a 19-year old kid gets a 12-year suspended sentence for breaking a car window during a riot.
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In the end, we have to ask a relatively simple question. If it was wrong for (mostly) Latino and Latina protesters to egg and sucker-punch Trump supporters, does that mean it was wrong for the Lumbee tribe to run the Klan out of Robeson County with guns in hand? Where would the piously civil liberals of today stand on the Battle of Hayes Pond? Would they join the Klan in demanding that the “kinky-haired so-called Indians”, as ‘Catfish’ Cole’s wife put it, be charged and prosecuted for assault? These are (barely) rhetorical questions, but they reflect the uncomfortable truth that these issues are not as cut and dry as some in the media have made them seem.
Liberals literally want to bring a book and a well-reasoned argument to a gunfight. That may work in a Sorkin drama or Hamilton, but the world we live in is not a well-scripted drama where the good guys always win in the end. It is a place where justice and equality will only be won by battling those who would place the boot of revanchism, reaction, and repression upon the throats of all who reject their vision of society.
This is not a debate. It is a fight. Which side are you on?Tap here to view theScore's NBA Offseason Tracker, which includes the latest transactions and rumors.
Lou Williams will be boomin' out in the Staples Center now.
The Los Angeles Lakers have reached an agreement with the unrestricted free agent, according to multiple reports. The reported contract is worth $21 million over three years, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
This past season's NBA Sixth Man of the Year hit a career high with 15.5 points per game in his lone season playing for the Toronto Raptors. It wasn't widely expected he'd be back in Toronto given the price Williams would come at, and the Raptors' priorities in other areas.
While a streaky shooter who can score in bunches, Williams isn't the most efficient marksman. He's also an abomination defensively, and it's hard to figure what the Lakers are doing if they plan on adding Williams to a roster that features another volume shooter in Nick Young.
The Lakers hoped Nick Young would be NBA sixth man of the year at some point. It hasn't happened. So they went and got Lou Williams today. — Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) July 5, 2015
Williams will project to form a backcourt rotation with Kobe Bryant, D'Angelo Russell, and Jordan Clarkson. The Lakers will be Williams' fourth NBA stop - the 28-year-old has averaged 11.9 points on 34.1 percent 3-point shooting in his 10-year career.Longtime Republican politico allegedly punched, choked and had sex with woman when she blacked out after drinking glass of wine
Former Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton was charged with second-degree assault Monday stemming from a woman’s claim that he hit her in the face several times and choked her.
The 42-year-old Republican was named in a complaint filed Monday in Scott County Circuit Court in southeastern Missouri. The complaint alleges that on Nov. 15, Jetton “caused serious physical injury” by hitting the woman on the head and choking her, which resulted in unconsciousness and the loss of function for part of her body.
Second-degree assault is a felony that carries a prison sentence of up to seven years.
According to a probable cause statement filed by a Sikeston police detective, Jetton and the woman discussed having sex, he came to her home on Nov. 15 and stayed until the next day. Jetton poured her a glass of wine in the kitchen while she remained in the living room. After drinking wine while watching a football game, the woman reported fading in and out of consciousness several times during the evening.
Police say the woman claimed Jetton hit her in the face several times “very hard” and she said she woke up at one point, lying on the floor as Jetton was choking her. The woman said she then remembered waking up while Jetton was behind her having sex in the bedroom. Police say there were bruises on the outside of the woman’s thighs, left side and breast that were photographed.
According to the probable cause statement, the woman reported “blank spots” in her memory that she had not experienced before while drinking.
The Associated Press is not identifying the woman.
Jetton, who is from the southeast Missouri town of Marble Hill, did not immediately return a call seeking comment. There was no immediate response to a message sent to his e-mail address.
Online court records show that bond was set at $2,500 for Jetton and that he is required to avoid the woman. It was not known Monday if Jetton had been arrested. The probable cause statement indicates that Jetton was not in custody.
Police in Sikeston referred calls for comment to the city attorney, who was out of the office and unavailable for comment. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office said it had not taken Jetton into custody.
A woman who answered the |
leaker hunting down other leakers and the man who bought into and considered paying for the filth produced by ex MI6 agent Christopher Steele who passed on a dirty dossier including the ‘Golden Shower’ mother of monstrous lies. Few believed that Trump hired prostitutes to urinate on a bed the sacrosanct Obamas slept on at a Moscow Ritz-Carlton. But the FBI must have as they planned to pay Steele to do further research for the bureau. It defies belief that Mueller’s Dream Team is going out gung-ho on a predetermined mission, in which they can rest assured that their former boss Barack Obama, his failed protégé Hillary Clinton and the entire Democrat team wait with bated breath for their return.
The masses who buy into the bunk that the real life FBI are like the ones they see ion popular television shows will be easy to fool when they come back to announce to the world that Hillary Clinton was right all along, the tag team of Donald and Vladimir stole the election from her. The FBI has never corroborated or verified any of the outrageous allegations in Steele’s dirty dossier. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein gave the special counsel job to Mueller on May 17. Lawyers with loyalties to the Democrat Party have been jumping aboard the Dream Team ever since. “Mueller has his pick of some of the top lawyers in the country. “If you’re a prosecutor, this is what you dream of—getting on a case like this,” says Peter Zeidenberg, who prosecuted I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff. (Bloomberg, June 14, 2017) “Among the most notable of Mueller’s early hires is Michael Dreeben, who’s argued more than 100 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and is considered an expert on whether the president can legally keep his staff communications secret. “Another is Andrew Weissmann, former head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s fraud unit. Aaron Zebley has spent years in proximity to Mueller, most recently at WilmerHale and before that as his chief of staff at the FBI. Zebley worked as a national security prosecutor in Virginia, where at least one of the Russia-related cases was based. He was also the lead FBI agent in the case against a key Sept. 11 conspirator. “This is an incredibly intelligent, tenacious, and thorough team,” says Tom Hanusik, a former prosecutor on the Enron Task Force. “Regardless of your political persuasion, if you’re interested in having this resolved, you should be heartened by this kind of team.” “Trump allies have already questioned the independence of some of Mueller’s investigators over their political donations to Democrats. “Trump’s personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, is having trouble persuading people to join his defense team, according to two people familiar with his efforts. Instead, Kasowitz is leaning on his longtime partner, Michael Bowe, a prominent litigator. He also signed up Jay Sekulow, chief counsel to the conservative American Center for Law and Justice, who was dispatched to cable news shows to attack Comey’s credibility.”
It shouldn’t be Trump’s past that should be coming back to bite him. Trump arrived at the White House as an outsider and a successful businessman—and had no say in what the FBI did or didn’t do before his highly unexpected arrival. “Robert Mueller took office as FBI director in 2001 expecting to dig into drug cases, white-collar misdeeds and violent crime. A week later was Sept. 11. (Chicago Tribune, May 18, 2017) “Overnight, his mission changed and Mueller spent the next 12 years wrestling the agency into a battle-hardened terrorism-fighting force. “Now, Mueller once again finds himself catapulted into the midst of historic events: The Justice Department has named him special counsel to investigate potential coordination between Russia and the Trump team during the 2016 presidential election and related matters.
Republicans and Democrats alike praised Mueller, 72, as someone widely respected for his integrity and independence. “As FBI chief, Mueller stood alongside James Comey, then deputy attorney general, during a dramatic 2004 hospital standoff over federal wiretapping rules. The two men planted themselves at the bedside of the ailing Attorney General John Ashcroft to block Bush administration officials from making an end run to get Ashcroft’s permission to reauthorize a secret no-warrant wiretapping program.
“Republican Rep Jason Chaffetz of Utah, chairman of the House oversight committee, tweeted that Mueller was “a great selection. Impeccable credentials.” “Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Mueller’s appointment gave him “significantly greater confidence that the investigation will follow the facts wherever they lead.” That’s akin to saying that the mainstream media of the day follow the facts wherever they lead in this era of Fake News, Mr. Schumer. Where is the proof that Mueller transformed the FBI into a “battle-hardened terrorism-fighting force”? Where is the evidence that Mueller delivered on his promise to delve into “drug cases, white-collar misdeeds and violent crime?” With violent crime multiplying every weekend in the streets of Chicago, the evidence must be in the whitewash. The media has been cutting Mueller a break from the get-go: “Mueller’s effort to shift the FBI’s top priority from solving domestic crimes to preventing terrorism was a daunting challenge: Even preventing 99 out of 100 terrorist plots wasn’t good enough for a traumatized nation. (CBS News, May 17, 2017) “In response, the FBI shifted 2,000 of the 5,000 agents in its criminal programs into national security. “Two terrorist incidents occurred toward the end of Mueller’s watch — the Boston Marathon bombing and the Fort Hood shootings. Both weighed heavily on him, he acknowledged in an interview two weeks before his departure in 2013. “You sit down with victims’ families, you see the pain they go through and you always wonder whether there isn’t something more” that could have been done, he said.” Did the victims’ families know that Mueller let Islamists rewrite FBI training manuals? There was no FBI tip-off when James Hodgkinson cut loose at the Alexandria baseball practice Wednesday injuring five, including House Majority Whip, Steve Scalise. Police often stand-down at public events where Trump supporters are assaulted. In short, the Donald Trump administration can look to little support from the FBI in an era where violence seems to be the norm. There may be good agents in the FBI but somehow they never get to the top. The FBI of the present day is nothing like the ‘good guys’ viewed on television drama. For mainstream America, the FBI is the Robert Muellers and Jim Comeys—a clear and present danger that is now coming to take down America’s duly elected president.
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Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience in the print media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared on Rush Limbaugh, Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com.
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Demme was born in Long Island, New York in February of 1944, growing up in the Americana-infused Eisenhower era that would profoundly influence his directorial obsessions later in life. He initially wanted to be a veterinarian, but a lack of scientific aptitude led him to writing film reviews, then to a job as a press agent at now long-shuttered studio AVCO Embassy, then to legendary exploitation producer Roger Corman, who Demme would come to consider a mentor. Corman served as an uncredited producer on Demme’s directorial debut, the women-in-prison flick Caged Heat (1975), which also marked Demme’s first collaboration with his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Tak Fujimoto. Although inarguably part of the Corman B-movie machine, the film shows flashes of the eccentric genius Demme would become.
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Corman also produced Demme’s next two projects, the kitschy road movie Crazy Mama (1975) with Cloris Leachman and the Peter Fonda-starring revenge thriller/capitalist critique Fighting Mad (1976). After the failure of his next movie, Citizen’s Band, a.k.a. Handle With Care (1977), which Senses Of Cinema refers to as Demme’s “first masterpiece” in its overview of the director, Demme was hired by actor Peter Falk to direct a Colombo TV movie in 1978. A string of smaller works—including Melvin And Howard (1980) and Swing Shift (1984), which was extensively, disastrously re-worked before its release—followed, until Demme broke through with his first music documentary, the 1984 classic Stop Making Sense. The playful spirit of the Talking Heads carried through to Demme’s next two films, the charming, romantic Something Wild (1986) and stylized Married To The Mob (1988); Demme also directed a number of music videos and Saturday Night Live sketches during this creatively fruitful decade, along with the film version of Spalding Gray’s one-man show Swimming To Cambodia (1987).
The work that would win Demme his first and only Academy Award for Best Director was also something of a departure for the director. Silence Of The Lambs (1991) is a crime thriller dark enough to be frequently cited as the only horror movie to have ever won the Oscar for Best Picture. Still, in its invocations of Tom Petty and The Fall, the film retains Demme’s signature rock ’n’ roll spirit. Silence Of The Lambs was criticized by LGBTQ groups for its portrayal of serial killer Buffalo Bill, leading Demme to take a different, arguably more respectful approach for his next film, Philadelphia (1993), starring Tom Hanks in an Oscar-Winning turn as Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer dying of AIDS who sues his former law firm for wrongful dismissal.
Demme went heavy again for a film adaptation of Toni Morrison’s magical-realist classic Beloved (1998), followed by remakes of the Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant film Charade (re-titled The Truth About Charlie) in 2002 and John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate in 2004. And although he would go on to direct a few more fictional features—including 2008’s Altman-esque Rachel Getting Married, which netted Anne Hathaway her first Oscar nomination—Demme committed himself anew to his talent for documentary, and particularly music documentary, in the last decade of his life, directing documentaries on Neil Young, Jimmy Carter, and Justin Timberlake, among others. Like many prominent directors, he also began directing television in the 2010s, helming episodes of The Killing and two extraordinary episodes of HBO’s Enlightened.
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Demme’s last fictional feature film was 2015’s Diablo Cody-penned, Meryl Streep-starring aging-rocker dramedy Ricki And The Flash, and his last documentary feature was Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids, which came out last year. However, his last televised work, an episode of Shots Fired, airs tonight on Fox. The famously private Demme leaves behind three children and legions of friends and admirers, many of whom have already paid their respects on social media.Conservatives are accustomed to being accused by the Left of proposing policies that will “kill” thousands or millions of innocent Americans. As National Review mockingly compiled:
The magic words underling these assertions are: “according to studies,” and with the Left owning academia, there are plenty of studies premised on ridiculous assumptions, liberally manipulated data, questionable logic, and unhedged conclusions to accuse small government types of being bloodthirsty, because more government is always the answer to human problems.
Perhaps it is time to turn their own weapon against them. My friend Mike Nadler writes:
Democrats have had a long and still active habit of accusing Republicans of promoting policies that will kill people, including running ads stating the same. Well, a study just reported in JAMA Cardiology suggests that ObamaCare may have done just that. I haven’t checked whether MSNBC, CNN, or the network news channels have reported on this.
The Wall Street Journal is the only place Mike had seen reference this:
Liberals have touted data showing that readmissions have fallen since the penalties took effect in 2013, but the JAMA researchers examined whether quality of care has improved as a result. Their observational study examined 115,245 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with heart failure across the U.S. in the four years prior to and first two years following implementation of the program. Researchers found that the 30-day readmission rate (adjusted for patient risk) declined to 18.4% from 20% after the penalties were introduced. Yet the 30-day mortality rate increased to 8.6% from 7.2%—about 5,400 additional deaths per year. Over a one-year period the readmission rate fell by 0.9 percentage points while the mortality rate rose by five. In other words, while fewer patients were being readmitted, many more were dying.
The logical chain here is quite strong: imposing penalties for re-admission of patients incentivizes them to deny re-admissions. So, people who do not receive follow-on care then die in larger numbers.
ObamaCare is killing thousands of Americans!
Oh, the humanity!
Let’s see how the progs like a taste of their own medicine.
Alinsky tells us that forcing the enemy to live up to its own rules is a great tactic. And since the Left owns the culture, the Deep State, the media, and the educational system, Alinsky works for us now.WASHINGTON — The final day of the Senate’s 2013 session ended on an anticlimactic note on Friday as senators pressed the pause button on the bickering that had kept the chamber nearly paralyzed this year.
The day opened with a bit of a scare when Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, was hospitalized in the early morning after falling ill.
Mr. Reid, who just turned 74, remained in the hospital for most of the day and was at home by the evening.
Mr. Reid’s spokesman, Adam Jentleson, said the senator went to the hospital as a precaution.
“The doctors diagnosed him as exhausted, not anything more serious, and have cleared him to go back to work,” he said. “He spent today resting, talking to family, friends and colleagues, reading the news and discussing Senate business.”IT SHOULDN’T be a surprise that Hillary Clinton has tough words for Republicans. Not all of them will be as deserved as the brickbats she lobbed at them on Thursday.
“I call on Republicans at all levels of government with all manner of ambition to stop fear-mongering about a phantom epidemic of election fraud and start explaining why they’re so scared of letting citizens have their say,” she said in calling for a system of universal and automatic voter registration instead of pernicious new limits on the franchise.
Politicians have waged war over voting rights over the past several years, with Democrats trying to maximize access to the ballot box and Republicans attempting to limit it. Think about that: A major political party has devoted time and effort to discouraging eligible voters from exercising their most fundamental democratic right.
GOP leaders justify their anti-voting agenda as an answer to voter fraud, but voter fraud is an imaginary problem. In fact, Republicans want fewer people to vote, especially fewer poor and minority people, because low turnout tends to favor the GOP, and poor and minority people tend to vote for Democrats. To be sure, Democrats have political incentives to increase turnout. But that doesn’t discredit the overriding logic that democracy is healthier when more people participate.
The debate about whether the government should make it harder to vote should give way to a discussion about how to maximize turnout. Some have suggested mandatory voting, which is both unrealistic and raises tough questions concerning liberty and conscience. Ms. Clinton’s universal registration idea is less radical and raises no such questions.
Voter registration has operated as a barrier to voting since states began instituting it in the 19th century. Though the Voting Rights Act and other measures ended the worst registration abuses, most of the country still uses a two-step voting process that requires opt-in registration, followed by actual voting. Perhaps the least surprising research social scientists have ever conducted has found that higher registration burdens lead to less voting. And there’s no good reason for them.
Some states have already instituted same-day registration, merging registration and voting into the same session. American University’s Jan Leighley and New York University’s Jonathan Nagler found that this has produced a 6-percentage-point increase in turnout. Automatic registration should do better than that. Automatically registered voters would get election information in the mail, encouraging them to vote, whereas same-day registration just helps those who already know when Election Day is and where their polling places are. Even Republicans should be attracted to the idea of more comprehensive, fraud-resistant voter rolls automatically filled and updated with information collected by DMVs, post offices, the Census Bureau or other government agencies.
Automatic registration is not a panacea. It wouldn’t result in anything like 100 percent turnout, especially for the country’s frequent non-presidential elections. If the system is left up to states, implementation would vary widely. A federally run system would be better, though policymakers would have to ensure that federal officials can gather the needed information, and it’s hard to imagine Congress approving this approach.
But these caveats don’t detract from the idea’s merits. Oregon is already moving forward with universal registration. Other states should follow. If they don’t, Congress should push the policy forward.The Guantanamo Bay military tribunals on Wednesday won their first conviction without a plea deal since 2008. Only it wasn’t a terrorist who was convicted – it was a one-star Marine general sticking up for the rights of the accused to have a fair trial.
In defending the principle that attorneys ought to be able to defend their clients free from government surveillance, Brigadier General John Baker was ruled in contempt of court and sentenced to 21 days in confinement. He also must pay a $1000 fine.
Baker is a senior officer within in the highly controversial military commissions process: the Chief of Defense Counsel. Maj. Ben Sakrisson, the Pentagon spokesman for detentions, confirmed that Baker is being confined in his quarters – at Guantanamo Bay.
“The military commissions are willing to put people in jail for defending the rule of law,” Jay Connell, who represents another Guantanamo detainee facing a military commission, told The Daily Beast. “If they’re willing to put a Marine general in jail for standing up for a client’s rights, they’re willing to do just anything.”
Baker’s sentence Wednesday was first reported by Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald, the only reporter actually at Guantanamo and who saw the hearing. He outranks the judge who sentenced him, Air Force Colonel Vance Spath.
The shocking development at Guantanamo, described as a “national disgrace and an embarrassment” by the executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, came on the same day President Donald Trump publicly mulled detaining accused New York terror suspect Sayfullo Saipov at Guantanamo. (As a lawful permanent resident, Saipov is likely ineligible for a war-crimes trial under the 2009 Military Commission Act, which specified the court is for non-Americans, even if the Pentagon decided his alleged acts rose to the level of a war crime.)
The path that led to Baker’s contempt confinement started with a group resignation and a clash with Spath.
Earlier this month, three civilian attorneys for Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the accused bomber of the USS Cole in 2000, abruptly quit the death-penalty case. The attorneys said that they had significant reason to believe the government was listening in to their communications. Spath, the judge in the Nashiri case, barred them from discussing the issue with Nashiri, since it was classified. Nashiri had lost his lawyers without ever knowing exactly why.
It is not the first time that concerns over government spying have rocked the Guantanamo military tribunals. In 2014, pre-trial hearings for the accused 9/11 co-conspirators snarled after defense attorneys revealed indications that the FBI had turned their technical adviser into a secret informant, prompting the judge in that case to prohibit monitoring attorney-client communications in November 2016. And in 2013, in the same case, the CIA cut the audio feed at the war court before an attorney discussed an aspect of the defendants’ confinement at undisclosed CIA “black site” prisons.”
Baker supported the Nashiri attorneys’ decision to quit – and believed he, as chief defense counsel, had all sufficient authority to permit them to walk. Baker released them on October 11. But, facing the prospect of the Nashiri death-penalty commission snarling to a halt, Spath disagreed, and ordered them to return to Guantanamo.
Instead, Baker showed up at the war court this week, without now ex-Nashiri attorney Rick Kammen and Kammen’s team. Spath instructed Baker to change his mind and instruct Kammen and the two other attorneys that they still represent Nashiri. Baker did not, believing that Spath lacked the authority to do so. On Wednesday, Spath held Baker in contempt and ordered him to 21 days’ confinement in his Guantanamo quarters.
Connell, who represents 9/11 co-defendant Ammar al-Baluchi, said all this could have been avoided had the government simply not spied on the Nashiri team, “or allowed the defense counsel to discuss this issue with their client.” He added that Baker’s sentencing did not settle the issue of who in the military commissions process – a judge in a specific case, or the Chief of Defense Counsel – has final say over an attorney quitting.
“It will come up again the next time someone tries to resign or otherwise leave the case,” Connell said. He did not know if other Guantanamo defense lawyers would resign in protest.
Baker had a history of supporting unmonitored attorney communications, which are a bedrock principle of civilian trials. In June, shortly after learning of the suspected surveillance on the Nashiri lawyers, he advised defense attorneys “not to conduct any attorney-client meetings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO), until they know with certainty that improper monitoring of such meetings is not occurring,” according to a letter obtained by the Miami Herald.
“At present,” Baker continued, “I am not confident that the prohibition on improper monitoring of attorney-client meetings at GTMO as ordered by the commission is being followed.”
It’s possible that Baker won’t serve out his sentence. Harvey Rishikov, the convening authority of the military commissions, “will determine whether to affirm, defer, suspend or disapprove the sentence in the next few days,” the Pentagon’s Sakrisson said.CLOSE Eric Holcomb, Indiana's Lt. Governor, announces that he has been chosen by the state Republican party to lead the Fall ticket for Indiana's top position. Indianapolis, Tuesday, July 26, 2016. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
It took two rounds of secret-ballot voting before Holcomb secured the nomination over Susan Brooks
Buy Photo Eric Holcomb, the Republican candidate to fill Mike Pence's spot as Indiana governor, is announced in a conference room downtown, Indianapolis, Tuesday, July 26, 2016. (Photo: Robert Scheer/IndyStar)Buy Photo
The Indiana Republican central committee has nominated Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb for governor, snubbing two members of Congress in favor of Gov. Mike Pence’s former running mate.
The decision caps off a wild month in Indiana politics that saw Pence abruptly drop his re-election bid to run for vice president, upending the state’s governor’s race and leaving Indiana Republicans without a clear standard-bearer less than four months before the election.
With Tuesday’s vote, the sitting lieutenant governor and former party chairman becomes the new face of the Indiana Republican Party, and will face Democrat John Gregg in November.
"We've got work to do and a short time to get there," Holcomb said at a news conference announcing his nomination. "I'm ready to answer this next call and lead us to victory."
Gregg, though, questioned Holcomb's commitment to being governor during a year in which he ran for U.S. Senate, became lieutenant governor and is now seeking the state's top job.
"I've spent the last six years running for governor because I'm passionate about this job," Gregg said after Holcomb's selection. "I didn't start running for anything else. This isn't a consolation prize."
The 22-member state committee, comprised of party insiders and elected officials, had four gubernatorial contenders to choose from: Holcomb, U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks and Todd Rokita and state Sen. Jim Tomes.
Pushing a party unity message, Indiana Republican Party Chairman Jeff Cardwell declined to release the voting results from the closed-door meeting.
"As you know, this has been a very tough campaign," Cardwell said. "We have a very deep bench. We are blessed with a lot of great talent."
But sources with direct knowledge of the outcome told IndyStar it took two rounds of secret-ballot voting before any of the candidates reached the required majority. On the first ballot, Holcomb received 11 votes, Brooks 9 and Rokita 2. On the second ballot, Holcomb received 14 votes and Brooks received 8, sources said.
A longtime Republican political operative, Holcomb is a former top aide to U.S. Sen. Dan Coats and former Gov. Mitch Daniels. He was in the midst of an uphill primary battle to replace the retiring Coats when Pence tapped him to become lieutenant governor.
As Pence's sitting lieutenant, Holcomb had entered the race as the heir apparent though he has never won an election. But over a frenzied week-and-a-half lobbying effort, some committee members said Brooks had closed the gap by making the case that she was the more electable candidate.
Pence’s endorsement on Friday, followed by an email in which Holcomb suggested that he alone could reliably command Pence’s financial support, may have helped put Holcomb back in the driver’s seat.
That financial support was called into jeopardy almost immediately after Tuesday’s vote. The bulk of Pence’s roughly $7.4 million in campaign cash may not be available to Holcomb in his run for governor because of restrictions on how those seeking federal office can use their state accounts, according to campaign finance experts.
Pence cheered the committee's decision, saying in a statement that it gives Indiana voters a clear choice in November between his candidate and Gregg, a former Indiana House speaker and lobbyist.
"Hoosiers will choose between a veteran who has always answered the call to serve or a career politician turned lobbyist," Pence said.
Because Holcomb has aligned himself with Pence, his selection will likely be seen as a victory for social conservatives, who for years have been jockeying with moderates over the party’s direction, culminating most prominently in the bitter debate over religious freedom and gay rights.
Gregg in an interview wasted no time linking the lieutenant governor to Pence, saying Holcomb has "already endorsed the discriminatory policies of the last administration."
Gregg discussed Holcomb's selection Tuesday after touring Poynter Sheet Metal, a factory in Greenwood. Gregg, who supports a statewide anti-discrimination law, said LGBT rights represents "just one of the many" major disagreements between the candidates.
"Our focus is going to be on jobs that are high-paying," Gregg said. "That's what it's about. It's focusing on those issues, not on divisive social issues."
Holcomb declined Tuesday to distance himself from Pence’s opposition to a proposed statewide ban on discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Hoosiers.
“When you speculate about future legislation, we’ll play it as it comes to my desk should I be honored with being the next governor of this state,” he said. “But we have a balance right now of protecting our religious liberties while making sure we’re not discriminating.”
Despite his conservative roots, Holcomb has proven adept at winning friends on both sides of the culture war. As such, his selection as Pence’s lieutenant governor earlier this year — and as the party’s nominee for governor on Tuesday — widely was seen as an attempt to reconcile the two wings of the party.
“There is a little bit of a divide on those social issues,” said Rick Martin, a member of the committee who declined to share information about how the committee voted. “Eric, having worked for both Daniels and Pence, can serve as a bridge to bring back people who may have been put off by the whole RFRA thing.”
Holcomb now will have 105 days to persuade Indiana voters which Republican Party he represents — the party of Daniels, Pence or something in between.
For Democrats, Holcomb may represent the best chance to paint the November election as a referendum on Pence, an embattled governor whose approval rating had dropped to below 50 percent over the past year.
"While there may be a new name on the ballot, the issues remain the same," Gregg said following Holcomb's selection.
The Indiana Democratic Party, meanwhile, issued a news release titled, “With Eric Holcomb, Hoosiers are Getting Just Another Out-of-Touch Ideologue.
The next task for Holcomb and the state committee will be to decide who will be his running mate. A caucus meeting is scheduled for Aug. 1 to fill the ballot vacancy for lieutenant governor.
CLOSE Indiana Republicans have chosen Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb as their candidate to replace Mike Pence in the race for governor. In doing so, they passed over two GOP members of Congress. (Dwight Adams/IndyStar) Wochit
IndyStar reporter Chelsea Schneider contributed to this story.
Call IndyStar reporter Brian Eason at (317) 444-6129. Follow him on Twitter: @brianeason.
Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/2ahORIFThe friendship between Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and Indiana coach Tom Crean was on display in a very private way on Sunday.
Crean’s mother is having health issues and not able to travel from Michigan to Indiana for basketball games, Crean said tonight during his weekly radio show.
Crean’s mom was able to make it to Sunday’s game between IU and Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.
Izzo arranged for his wife to host Crean’s mom in her suite area and gave Crean’s mom his personal parking pass. “It was the closest one to the arena,” Crean said.
Crean told that story as the latest example of how Izzo helps out those around him.
Crean was an assistant to Izzo at Michigan State early in his career.
The two got to know each other when Crean was coaching at Alma College while a student at Central Michigan. A trip to recruiting events in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Rensselaer, Ind., was when the friendship really began to take shape.
“He took me with him, and that was one of the greatest experiences I had about learning about recruiting, about players. But the greater experience was, this is what someone is capable of as far as caring about you,” Crean said.
“He had no other reason other than he wanted to help you. Our friendship has been incredibly strong, and he’s as close of a friend as I have.”
Crean also mentioned Izzo being up for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame this year.
“If he’s not unanimous, they need to take someone’s credentials,” Crean said.Recently, we have witnessed major strides in both the animal-rights and gay-rights movements. In honor of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Month, we spoke with activists about what these two groups can learn from each other, and how we can support the work of both. Three proud gay vegans—Ari Solomon, president of A Scent of Scandal; Dan Hanley, half of the blogging duo behind The Gay Vegans; and Jasmin Singer, co-founder of Our Hen House—weighed in on key points in both movements.
VegNews: How do you see the connection between the animal-rights movement and gay rights?
Ari Solomon: In the simplest terms, I believe that most LGBT men and women understand firsthand what’s it like to be oppressed and bullied. This is what happens to animals every day, whether it is on factory farms, or in laboratories, circuses, and marine parks. I try to make the case that because we know how it feels, we should be more inclined to go vegan and get involved with trying to end the war on animals.
Dan Hanley: Both fall into our goal of “making the world a better place for all living beings.” I believe that injustice is injustice, regardless of the community it affects or how voiceless the affected community is.
Jasmin Singer: I believe that the fundamental connection between gay rights and animal rights, as well as countless other rights movements, is the mindset of the oppressor, which is always based in the thought that, “I am better, and more important, than they are.”
VN: There is so much happening in both movements—the legalization of gay marriage is on the forefront of this election, and several major companies are phasing out gestation crates, among other pivotal issues. What are some other great strides forward that we’re seeing?
AS: With regards to gay rights, it’s wonderful that marriage is on everyone’s mind, but the truth is that you can still be fired from your job just for being gay in 29 states. I do think, however, that we are seeing amazing leaps in progress in such relatively short spans of time. I really think that in the next 10 years, LGBT people will achieve full equality in the US. With regards to animal rights, it’s been incredible to witness the growing public concern over animals on factory farms. That being said, I think the growing awareness around veganism is what excites me the most.
JS: There is much more awareness of both issues, as is evidenced by the increase in positive media coverage. And there is no doubt that the increasing acceptance of gay marriage represents a deep societal shift, though issues of discrimination and violence still remain. Though not on the same level, attention to farmed-animal issues is clearly on the rise, and the potential eradication of the gestation crate is a notable step forward, though we still have a very, very long way to go.
VN: How can activists get involved in LGBT Pride month?
AS: There are so many organizations on national and local levels that are always looking for volunteers and donations. Some of my favorites are The Trevor Project and the Matthew Shepard Foundation. But I think the most important thing to do as an LGBT activist is to talk about these issues with your friends and family.
DH: The best thing an activist can do is find out who their state representative is, and find out their opinions on marriage equality, animal rights, and any other topic important to them. All one has to do is plug in their zip code on votesmart.org to find out who represents them at their state house.
VN: In our July+August 2011 issue, Portia de Rossi told us that, “I think it’s more difficult to be vegan than gay. I think people have a harder time accepting it; people feel more uncomfortable with a vegan at their dinner table than they do a lesbian.” What do you think?
AS: In my opinion, homophobia is much different psychologically than an aversion to veganism. Men and women are beaten and killed just for being gay. My veganism might make certain people uncomfortable, but I’ve never feared for my life for being vegan. I have for being gay.
DH: With many of us living in privilege, myself included, I need to remember that LGBT people who live in poverty, live in very conservative areas, or who are yet to come out face many things an “out” vegan does not face—mainly the potential of harassment, name-calling, losing their job, and even brutality and death.
JS: Living in downtown Manhattan, it’s almost assumed you’re gay! Others aren’t as lucky to live in a place where they are accepted. But I think Portia makes a good point in differentiating the reasons that people might give you a hard time. Not everyone feels threatened by homosexuality, but almost everyone who isn’t vegan recognizes, on some level, that they should be vegan.
VN: In your own personal journey to come out and go vegan, what challenges did you face?
AS: I think it’s just about having the courage to live authentically and not be afraid to stand out. Luckily, I haven’t had too many people in my life who have an issue with either. My father had a mini-meltdown when I told him I went vegan (it was so much worse than telling him I was gay) but over the years he’s learned more about the issues, and now he begs my husband and I to cook for him when we’re back home!
DH: I was in the military when I came out, and it was extremely difficult living two lives and constantly having to lie. This was in 1990, and of course, times have changed. At the time I was also incredibly grateful for the loving support I had both off and on base. My activism began within the AIDS movement in the late ‘80s and I am always grateful for the many people who engaged me and taught me how to fight for what is right. Becoming vegan was a little difficult as I was living in the South and not in a major metropolitan area.
JS: When I came out 14 years ago, I faced some initial skepticism, worry, and misguided hurt from some family members. It seems almost ludicrous since those people are now extremely accepting of my partner and me. Of course, a lot of kids and young adults who come out face much worse ramifications from their friends and family. I can’t help but note that my dietary shift from meat-eating to vegetarianism, then to veganism, immediately preceded me shifting my sexual identity (straight to bisexual, bisexual to gay). Perhaps as I began to live a life in harmony with my ethics, I opened up space within myself to be true to my identity as a lesbian.
For more with our experts, check out our VegNews Twitter chat transcript.
Heading to a gay pride parade? Check out our local vegan guides for select cities:
Chicago
Brooklyn, NY
San FranciscoM |
. We have been behind you guys for most of the last two decades,” Harrington said. Her comments are especially striking, given the bleeding edge technology the NRO traditionally deploys and its supposed strong commitment to ground stations and its communications networks over the last decade.
Part of the NRO’s problem, Harrington told several reporters after her talk, is that its DNA is building the best satellites in the world and they hire the best satellite builders — not the best networks or cyber experts. So there’s the cultural hurdle to overcome. The NRO also tends to work with the biggest defense companies — especially Lockheed and Raytheon — who build most of its satellites and its ground stations. Harrington made clear both satellites and the ground need to be secure from cyber intrusion or supply chain infection, but she kept coming back to the ground as the more pressing vulnerability. That would be Raytheon’s ground network, bearer of the wonderful acronym MIND (Mission Integration and Development).
But one of the major obstacles to improving our cyber security is the Pentagon’s fabled acquisition system. Just getting through the budget system takes about two years. Add the requirements process and you’re talking another two years. That means you are about three years behind the latest technologies, thanks to Moore’s Law. As Harrington put it succinctly: “Two years to get it is two years too late in the cyber industry.”
She said the Director of National Intelligence is leading efforts to speed cyber acquisition for her part of the world and suggested the issuance of IDIQ contracts might be a good way to build a flexible stable of secure providers from whom one could buy quickly and with assurance.
Hullings pointed to the so-called 933 report which was meant to help break the logjam of IT and cyber acquisition. If implemented it could really help speed the purchase of cyber products.
The best story of the day came from Harrington. Talking about the security of the supply chain — the military and intelligence communities worry that foreign suppliers might build code into chips or firmware to thwart or warp how a US weapon works — she pointed to the example of a long-time trusted supplier at the NRO. The vendor decided to change the wax it used to keep the NRO’s floors bright and shiny to a new “green” substance.
“It created electronic status discharge and fried one of my electronics,” Harrington said. Wow.Affiliation: NetService Ventures
Duncan is an advisor to NetService Ventures, where he focuses on digital media and the mobile Internet.
Previously he was at four start-ups: Xumii, a mobile social service based on a Social Addressbook; SkyPilot Networks, the performance leader of wireless mesh systems for last-mile access, where he was the founding CEO; Covad Communications (Amex: DVW, $9B market cap at the peak), the leading independent DSL access provider, where he was the founding Chairman; InterTrust Technologies ($9B market cap at the peak), the pioneer in digital rights management technologies, now owned by Sony and Philips, where he was SVP Business Development and the pitchman for the IPO.
Before these ventures, Duncan was a partner at Cambridge Venture Partners, an early-stage venture firm, and managing partner of Gemini McKenna, a joint venture between Regis McKenna's marketing firm and Gemini Consulting, the global management consulting arm of Cap Gemini.
He serves on the board or is an adviser to Aggregate Knowledge (content discovery), Livescribe (digital pen), AllVoices (citizen journalism), Xumii (mobile social addressbook), Verismo (Internet settop box), and Widevine (DRM for IPTV).
Visit: Duncan Davidson's BlogsIt's been a rough year for Rubio Rubin. The FC Utrecht striker and United States youth international was expected to have a breakout year in his second season in the Eredivisie, but his sophomore campaign was quickly derailed by a foot injury.
The 19-year-old forward suffered a stress fracture in his foot back in October. Despite the initial prognosis of a January return, the club now say that Rubin isn't expected back until the middle of March.
FC Utrecht rep updated me on #USMNT/ U-23 fwd Rubio Rubin - "expected to be back in training beginning of March." Hopes to play "mid-March" — Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 11, 2016
This news all but rules him out of contention for a spot on the U-23 roster for the upcoming home-and-away playoff series against Colombia during the same month.
Rubin was one of the leaders of the USA U-20 team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2015 U-20 World Cup during this past summer. His tireless work rate and tremendous technical quality make him an exciting prospect. Hopefully once he's fully recovered from his injury he can get back to the promising track he was on before it sidelined him for this long spell.Sony’s Brian Silva confirmed publicly today at IndieCade in Los Angeles that the company does pay developers to use their games in PlayStation Plus promotions, either as part of the Instant Game Collection or in sales, Shacknews reports.
“They come to you with a deal,” Futurlab’s Kirsty Rigden told GamesIndustry in August. “They say, we’ll give you this much money if we can have the game for free, or exclusive, or money off, or a combination. There are a lot of different ways you can do it. The amount of money that they’ll suggest will be relevant to the package.”
Silva’s comments today, though, are the first public confirmation of that sort of deal from Sony themselves. It’s admirable that even for a deal that could easily be presented as a way for indies to “get their names out there,” as it were, Sony is paying them.In 1994, I eagerly accepted my first full-time position in research at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. Part of my job was to find patients willing to participate in a prostate cancer study. After meeting these men, I got a glimpse of how their diagnoses had changed their lives.
Specifically, I observed a stark difference in behavior between sick and healthy patients. The cancer patients obsessively tracked results of a blood test for circulating prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, which is typically elevated in men with various prostate conditions, including cancer.
I realized that every man old enough to be screened for prostate cancer knew whether or not his PSA score was “okay.” However, every man diagnosed with prostate cancer knew his PSA score down to the decimal point.
I remember one man in particular – an engineer – who arrived at the clinic with his PSA score charted over time on graph paper. It seemed that tracking PSA gave him a sense of control in a stressful situation. I began to wonder if the very act of tracking this data improved his overall mental well-being and quality of life.
While life science companies have been largely absent from the wearable health landscape, the intersection of drugs and these technologies is an obvious place for them.
What motivates people to become fastidious custodians of their own health? Clearly, a medical emergency – a cancer diagnosis, heart attack, or trip to the hospital – can be a powerful motivator. However, I left my university job thinking more broadly about the science of behavior change. Can tracking basic biology create positive reinforcements for health-related behaviors?
Twenty years ago, graph paper, a pencil, and commitment were the only option. Today, however, the solution is something everyone has in their pocket, or on their wrists. Modern wearable sensors can track heart rate, calories burned, sleep patterns and so much more. The data and trends can be presented on our computers and our phones every day.
Early adopters of 24/7 monitoring are already seeing the benefits. As one of them, I can attest that my own behavior has changed as a direct result of activity tracking. I use resting heart rate as a basic proxy for my overall health. It is a well-documented indicator of cardiovascular fortitude, and the positive reinforcement I get from my activity tracker is perfectly aligned with health habits my doctor wants to see.
And yet, those who actively track their health metrics, including myself, still represent a minority of consumers. The reality is most people who should be keeping track of health metrics don’t – until something goes wrong.
Ironically, while life science companies have been largely absent from the wearable health landscape, the intersection of drugs and these technologies is an obvious place for them. So far, tech firms – like Samsung, Apple and Google – have been filling the void. Shouldn’t companies making drugs, medical devices and therapeutics also have skin in the game? I believe they should, and I suspect they soon will.
The opportunity for technology and medicine to intersect and make a meaningful impact on patient behavior is immense. According to the Consumer Technology Association’s (CTA) semi-annual industry report, the wearables segment will be dominated by fitness activity trackers where volumes are expected to hit 17.4 million units in 2016 and revenues reaching $1.3 billion.
And CES this year, wearable technologies focused on health and fitness dominated the show floor and went beyond devices to include clothing, ultimately making tracking one’s well-being as simple as putting on a T-shirt.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that unhealthy behaviors account for almost 40 percent of the risk of preventable, premature deaths in the United States. However, studies have demonstrated that behavior change programs work to improve health but are vastly underutilized in healthcare.
Medication non-adherence is one of those behaviors. For a number of reasons, many patients either forget to take medications or decide to forgo doses altogether. Nearly half of Americans are on at least one prescription medication, and at least 20 percent are taking three or more, according to the CDC.
For example, statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medications for decreasing the risk of heart disease. If more patients with high blood pressure took their medication as prescribed, 89,000 premature deaths could be avoided in the United States per year.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that unhealthy behaviors account for almost 40 percent of the risk of preventable, premature deaths in the United States.
According to Pew Research Center, more than 60 percent of American adults own a smartphone. Why doesn’t every pharmaceutical company that sells a statin have a behavior change program aimed at improving medication adherence? This could be as simple as a smartphone app that reminds patients to take pills on time, or that works as a companion to a medical device, such as a home blood pressure cuff. Integration with social networks, such as PatientsLikeMe or Facebook, could also give patients a social support system that helps reinforce behavior change.
But I understand it’s not just about any old app – it’s about the right app. The same way it takes a lot of careful research to pinpoint the perfect dose for each drug, it requires a lot of feedback from patients to determine exactly how these apps should work most effectively.
Still, the time has come to directly address the behavior change questions I started thinking about 20 years ago. Today we can reliably study the science of behavior change. Mobile and wearable technology has replaced the graph paper and pencil, and most patients – not only engineers – already have.
Everyone wants better outcomes for patients. The techniques, data and infrastructure necessary to democratize the science ofbehavior change exist today. Insurance companies, life sciences companies and patients all stand to benefit.
So what are we waiting for?Sprite has launched a new range of limited-edition soda cans emblazoned with inspirational lyrics by Drake, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., and Rakim. The 16 can designs comprise the inaugural "Obey Your Verse" Lyrical Collection, which will run through summer. Artists were picked "based on their reputation for being true to themselves through their music and advancing the culture," a press release says.
In the press release, Nas, a longtime partner of Sprite, says: "Legacy means everything to me. When I wrote these lyrics, I never imagined my fans would someday have the opportunity to enjoy a can of Sprite and experience my art in a totally original way."
Lyrics will appear on individual cans as well as 20-ounce bottles and multipacks. See a table of the featured lyrics below:"Skyy" redirects here. For other uses, see Skyy (disambiguation)
SKYY vodka is produced by the Campari America division of Campari Group of Milan, Italy, formerly SKYY Spirits LLC.[1] SKYY Vodka is 40% ABV or 80 proof, except in Australia and New Zealand where it is 37.5% ABV / 75 Proof and in South Africa where it is 43% ABV / 86 Proof. Its creator, Maurice Kanbar, claims the vodka is nearly congener-free due to its distillation process. The bottle is a cobalt blue with a clear, adhesive label. In 2008, SKYY expanded the SKYY Vodka line with seventeen new flavors, referred to as SKYY Infusions. These SKYY Infusions are made with fruit.
Brand ownership history [ edit ]
SKYY vodka was originally sold by SKYY Spirits LLC, established in 1992 by Maurice Kanbar. In 2009 SKYY Spirits LLC was acquired by Campari Group, and in 2012 was renamed Campari America.[2] It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Gruppo Campari, and markets not only the vodka line, but other Campari products as well.[3][4]
Manufacturing [ edit ]
Production and bottling of the product was initially outsourced to Frank-Lin Distillers Products in San Jose, California.[5] Bulk ethanol was delivered in railroad tank cars to Frank-Lin's railroad siding near the San Jose rail yards. The ethanol was mixed with filtered and deionized water, flavoring was added, and the product was bottled using a 42-head US Bottlers Machinery Company filling machine to ensure uniform product level.[6]
The ethanol was purchased from MGP Ingredients of Atchison, Kansas,[7] a bulk ethanol producer for beverage, industrial, and fuel applications.[8] MGP uses wheat as a feedstock for the process. The distillation plant is in Pekin, Illinois and is currently powered by natural gas, but United States Environmental Protection Agency approval has been requested to convert the plant to burn coal.[9]
After the acquisition of the brand by Gruppo Campari, production was moved to Campari facilities.
Awards [ edit ]
The unflavored SKYY won silver medals[when?] at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.[citation needed]
References [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]A former top CIA covert officer who ran one of the spy agency's secret domestic networks says there are now more foreign spies on U.S. soil than at the peak of the Cold War. The former officer, Hank Crumpton, who also served as deputy director of the CIA's Counter-Terrorism Center and led the U.S. response to 9/11, speaks candidly to Lara Logan about his life as a spy on 60Minutes, Sunday, May 13at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
As the chief of the CIA's National Resources Division, the highly-sensitive, secret domestic operation, he conducted counter-intelligence within the U.S. "If you look at the threat that is imposed upon our nation every day, some of the major nation states -- China in particular -- [have] very sophisticated intelligence operations, very aggressive operations against the U.S.," says Crumpton. "I would hazard to guess there are more foreign intelligence officers inside the U.S. working against U.S. interests now than even at the height of the Cold War," he tells Logan. "It's a critical issue."
Also critical in Crumpton's mind is the danger posed by al Qaeda, especially factions operating in North Africa. "I'm particularly concerned about al Qaeda in Yemen, which is fractured as a nation state," he says. "The Sahel, if you look at al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb, they pose a threat, and in Somalia. Those are the places I'd be concerned," says Crumpton.
Crumpton says al Qaeda could make a comeback in Afghanistan if the U.S. withdraws too quickly. The current situation there reminds him of a "Greek tragedy," he tells Logan. "You've got so many mistakes on the U.S. side, and you've got a feckless, corrupt government on the Afghan side. I am really more pessimistic now than I've been in a long time," says Crumpton.
The retired spy also tells Logan about the early months in Afghanistan after 9/11, when the U.S. effort to topple the Taliban was led by the CIA and about how two administrations' failure to let CIA assets kill Osama bin Laden led to the development of predator drones.Supporters of the pro-Jeremy Corbyn grassroots movement Momentum are calling on Labour’s national executive committee to discipline two MPs for disloyalty in an attempt to tighten the left’s grip on the party, the Observer can reveal.
In a sign of a power struggle between Corbyn’s backers and those on the centre and right of the party, Momentum members are urging Corbyn loyalists to sign up to demands for action against Frank Field and Simon Danczuk, as well as against a former parliamentary candidate, Emily Benn. The move is part of a counterattack against efforts to expel Corbyn’s leftwing policy adviser Andrew Fisher.
The NEC is already scheduled to discuss further action against Fisher, who has been suspended by general secretary Iain McNicol.
Momentum supporters are circulating documents urging Corbyn loyalists to contact McNicol before the NEC meeting to demand action against the three. A document from Momentum supporters in Southampton, posted on Facebook, has similar wording to documents being circulated among constituency parties across the country.
Activists to harness Corbyn campaign energy with Momentum Read more
Its says that Field, a highly respected former minister and now chair of the House of Commons work and pensions select committee, should be disciplined for saying that any Labour MP deselected as a result of leftwing purge should stand again as an independent. It argues that Danczuk is guilty of “serial disloyalty” against Corbyn and says Benn, granddaughter of Tony Benn, has previously showed support for the Women’s Equality party.
Senior Labour sources said it was clear Momentum supporters wanted to protect Fisher in his job by highlighting what they saw as comparable offences by others. Benn, the Labour candidate for Croydon south in May’s general election, made a formal complaint against Fisher last month, saying he had supported Class War rather than her campaign before the May election. Danczuk has said he might be prepared to stand as a stalking horse challenger next year. The NEC may also debate whether to change rules on potential leadership challenges, which would make it more difficult to remove Corbyn from the job.
A spokesman for Momentum said the organisation did not want anyone to be expelled and that the campaigns were not official.Researchers at USC have stumbled on a huge change in how Google architects its search services. The result? Reduced lag in serving search queries, especially in more far-flung regions (as in, far from Google’s own data centres).
The insight into Mountain View’s pipes stems from other research the team was doing to develop a new method for tracking and mapping servers, identifying when they are in the same data center and estimating where that data center is. The method also identifies the relationships between servers and clients, and — as luck would have it — the team happened to be using it when Google made its big move. Unless of course Mountain View makes such massive shifts regularly (which seems unlikely).
According to the findings, over the past 10 months, Google has “dramatically” increased (by 600 percent no less) the sites around the world from where it serves client search queries (the animated GIF at the top of this post depicts this ramping up — with black circles being Google data centres, and red triangles being others’ sites now being utilised by Google to relay search traffic).
The researchers note:
From October 2012 to late July 2013, the number of locations serving Google’s search infrastructure increased from a little less than 200 to a little more than 1400, and the number of ISPs grew from just over 100 to more than 850.
The USC team says Google has made this change by repurposing existing infrastructure — utilizing client networks it was already relying upon to host content such as videos on YouTube, and reusing them to relay — and crucially speed up — user requests and responses for search and ads.
“Google already delivered YouTube videos from within these client networks,” said USC PhD student Matt Calder, lead author of the study, commenting in a statement. “But they’ve abruptly expanded the way they use the networks, turning their content-hosting infrastructure into a search infrastructure as well.”
Previously search queries would have gone direct to a Google data centre, a network structure that could introduce an element of lag — based on how far from the data centre the query originated. The new architecture means searches go to a regional network first, and are then relayed on to Google’s data centre. While that might sound more long-winded, it actually has the opposite effect, thanks to the continuous connection between regional node and Google data centres, keeping speeds up and helping to mitigate the effect of lost data packets.
The researchers explain:
Data connections typically need to “warm up” to get to their top speed – the continuous connection between the client network and the Google data center eliminates some of that warming up lag time. In addition, content is split up into tiny packets to be sent over the Internet – and some of the delay that you may experience is due to the occasional loss of some of those packets. By designating the client network as a middleman, lost packets can be spotted and replaced much more quickly.
Google’s new search architecture resembles the architecture of content delivery networks (CDNs) — such as Akamai and Limelight Networks — which are used to support video services to reduce lag when streaming content.
How much lag is Google’s new world order for search eliminating? Report author Ethan Katz-Bassett told TechCrunch that’s difficult to assess at this point (the team is doing ongoing work to quantify the performance implications of the change), and said lag reduction will also necessarily vary “a lot” by region. But he described one example where search latency looks to have decreased by around a fifth.
“To eyeball results from one machine in New Zealand, it used to get served from Sydney, and now it is directed to a frontend in NZ. As a result, it looks like the latency dropped by about 20%,” he said.
“The high level implication is that many regions around the world that were previously somewhat underserved should receive faster performance,” he added. “For example, of the networks we see using these new servers, 50% were 1600+km away from their old server on Google’s network. Now, half of them are within 50km of their new server in the local ISP.”
The new infrastructure looks to be a win not just for users (getting faster results) and for Google (delivering more ads), but also for ISPs — because it should lower their operational costs since they are now serving more local traffic. And if Google is leaning more heavily on their infrastructure, it’s possible Mountain View is paying them more too.
Rather than the shift being about Google future-proofing for expected global growth in search queries, Katz-Bassett’s view is this is about helping to serve existing users around the world better. “On its own, it doesn’t necessarily aid capacity, but is probably mainly useful for improving performance,” he said when asked.
Why has Google made this change now? Again, hard to say (Google isn’t commenting on the research). Katz-Bassett speculates that there were engineering and technical challenges preventing it from routing search traffic this way before (more likely that than a lack of business partnerships, at least — since the study notes that Google is ‘mostly’ utilising existing client networks, such as Time Warner Cable, for this new search topology).
That and prioritising this change vs other performance improvements, said Katz-Bassett.
“It does introduce some challenges: how should the system decide which server to direct a particular client to to get the best performance? In the past, Google controlled the whole path as soon as a request hit a frontend. Now that most of the frontend locations are outside Google’s network, the frontends have to relay it over the public Internet (towards Google data centers), so I imagine the conditions vary more (congestion, available bandwidth, etc), and it is a very large system to manage,” he added.
The USC team presented their findings at the SIGCOMM Internet Measurement Conference in Spain yesterday."Come On Down" is a 2001 single recorded by Crystal Waters, produced by Orlando Ortiz and co-written with Waters and Robert A. Israel. The track, her first release for Strictly Rhythm Records, samples the theme song to the American game show The Price Is Right, whose music was written and produced by Israel for his in-house company Score Productions. The show's parent company Pearson Television (now part of FremantleMedia) gave its blessing to let Waters use the theme song, and as such received publishing rights and credits on the song.[1] The single also marked the first time that lyrics were added to The Price Is Right theme song and the first song based on a television theme song (and the first to come from a game show) to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart the week of December 29, 2001.[2]
Official versions [ edit ]
CD Maxi (US)[3]
"Come On Down" (Live Element Radio Mix) – 3:40
"Come On Down" (The Tamperer Radio Mix) – 3:33
"Come On Down" (DJ Dome's Radio Mix) – 3:49
"Come On Down" (Live Element Extended Club Mix) – 8:18
"Come On Down" (Tamperer Club Mix) – 6:30
"Come On Down" (DJ Dome Original Mix) – 6:23
"Come On Down" (Just Keith Sub Dub Mix) – 7:44
"Come On Down" (Silent Nick Dub Mix) – 9:03Some of the country's most severely disabled soldiers will take a major financial hit once they hit old age and risk living out their final years in near-poverty, Canada's veterans ombudsman has concluded.
A report and a painstaking actuarial analysis by Guy Parent's office are due to be released on Tuesday, but copies were obtained by The Canadian Press.
The study compares the old system of compensating veterans under the Pension Act with the New Veterans Charter, marquee legislation championed by the Harper government since it was enacted in 2006.
It shows that roughly 406 severely disabled veterans, mostly from Afghanistan and recent peacekeeping missions, will be left out in the cold because they don't receive certain allowances — or a Canadian Forces pension.
"It is simply not acceptable to let veterans who have sacrificed the most for their country — those who are totally and permanently incapacitated — live their lives with unmet financial needs," said a leaked copy of the report.
Almost a full one-third of the nearly 1,500 soldiers, who have thus far been declared permanently disabled, could also be a risk, depending upon their circumstances. Many of them receive only small allowances and pension entitlements.
It is simply not acceptable to let veterans who have sacrificed the most for their country — those who are totally and permanently incapacitated — live their lives with unmet financial needs - Veteran Ombudsman Guy Parent, from a leaked copy of a report to be published Tuesday
The report, which was four years in the making, shows families of veterans who've passed away also take an old age hit because "the cash flow going to survivors ceases when the veteran reaches the age of 65," whereas it continued under the previous pension system.
Compensation for pain-and-suffering awards was also found to be lacking, and Parent noted that specific "improvements are required" only two years after the Conservatives completed the first overhaul of the charter.
Officials in Parent's office and a spokesman for veterans minister Julian Fantino were both not immediately available for comment.
Fair compensation
The Harper government, which has had a copy of the report all summer, tried to avoid some of the political fallout last week by preemptively announcing it supported a planned, legislated review of the charter by a House of Commons committee.
Indeed, Parent said he prepared the twin reports to guide the committee and to help separate fact from fiction.
Since its inception, many veterans have criticized the charter as being less generous than the previous system. The notion is at the centre of a lawsuit by Afghan war veterans.
The actuarial report shows ex-soldiers end up with more money in their pockets up front and to the age of retirement than with the checkerboard of pensions it replaced.
But awards for so-called non-economic benefits, such as payments for lost limbs and trauma, pale in comparison to what was given out before when pensions are stretched over a lifetime.
The lump sum payments don't even equal what are handed out by Canadian courts in personal injury cases.
Parent is expected to recommend that the maximum payout be increased to $342,000 from the current $285,000, but the report says the government must engage in a meaningful dialogue to determine what is "fair compensation" for injuries.
The lump sum has been a lightning rod issue because its structure is similar to the provincial workers compensation system, something many in uniform have said is inappropriate for those called upon to risk down their lives for the country.
Many soldiers have said they'd like to see it abolished.
Mike Blais, president of Canadian Veterans Advocacy, said a happy medium exists.
His group has called on the federal government to make changes that would see veterans without pensions given some other kind of life-time compensation, either through an extension of the current earnings loss benefit — or some other mechanism.
He has also pushed for a substantial increase in lump sum awards that would make it equal to what ex-soldiers received under the old pension system.
"Nobody can accept a lump sum award that is completely inadequate," he said on Sunday. "All veterans from all eras deserve to have (the country's) sacred obligation to them honoured until end-of-life."Excerpt from The Peripheral
1. THE HAPTICS
They didn’t think Flynne’s brother had PTSD, but that sometimes the haptics glitched him. They said it was like phantom limb, ghosts of the tattoos he’d worn in the war, put there to tell him when to run, when to be still, when to do the bad- ass dance, which direction and what range. So they allowed him some disability for that, and he lived in the trailer down by the creek. An alcoholic uncle lived there when they were little, veteran of some other war, their father’s older brother. She and Burton and Leon used it for a fort, the summer she was ten. Leon tried to take girls there, later on, but it smelled too bad. When Burton got his discharge, it was empty, except for the biggest wasp nest any of them had ever seen. Most valuable thing on their property, Leon said. Airstream, 1977. He showed her ones on eBay that looked like blunt rifle slugs, went for crazy money in any condition at all. The uncle had gooped this one over with white expansion foam, gone gray and dirty now, to stop it leaking and for insulation. Leon said that had saved it from pickers. She thought it looked like a big old grub, but with tunnels back through it to the windows.
Coming down the path, she saw stray crumbs of that foam, packed down hard in the dark earth. He had the trailer’s lights turned up, and closer, through a window, she partly saw him stand, turn, and on his spine and side the marks where they took the haptics off, like the skin was dusted with something dead- fish silver. They said they could get that off too, but he didn’t want to keep going back.
“Hey, Burton,” she called.
“Easy Ice,” he answered, her gamer tag, one hand bumping the door open, the other tugging a new white t‑shirt down, over that chest the Corps gave him, covering the silvered patch above his navel, size and shape of a playing card.
Inside, the trailer was the color of Vaseline, LEDs buried in it, bedded in Hefty Mart amber. She’d helped him sweep it out, before he moved in. He hadn’t bothered to bring the shop vac down from the garage, just bombed the inside a good inch thick with this Chinese polymer, dried glassy and flexible. You could see stubs of burnt matches down inside that, or the cork- patterned paper on the squashed filter of a legally sold cigarette, older than she was. She knew where to find a rusty jeweler’s screwdriver, and somewhere else a 2009 quarter.
Now he just got his stuff out before he hosed the inside, every week or two, like washing out Tupperware. Leon said the polymer was curatorial, how you could peel it all out before you put your American classic up on eBay. Let it take the dirt with it.
Burton took her hand, squeezed, pulling her up and in.
“You going to Davisville?” she asked.
“Leon’s picking me up.”
“Luke 4:5’s protesting there. Shaylene said.”
He shrugged, moving a lot of muscle but not by much.
“That was you, Burton. Last month. On the news. That funeral, in Carolina.”
He didn’t quite smile.
“You might’ve killed that boy.”
He shook his head, just a fraction, eyes narrowed.
“Scares me, you do that shit.”
“You still walking point, for that lawyer in Tulsa?”
“He isn’t playing. Busy lawyering, I guess.”
“You’re the best he had. Showed him that.”
“Just a game.” Telling herself, more than him.
“Might as well been getting himself a Marine.”
She thought she saw that thing the haptics did, then, that shiver, then gone.
“Need you to sub for me,” he said, like nothing had happened. “Five- hour shift. Fly a quadcopter.”
She looked past him to his display. Some Danish supermodel’s legs, retracting into some brand of car nobody she knew would ever drive, or likely even see on the road. “You’re on disability,” she said. “Aren’t supposed to work.”
He looked at her.
“Where’s the job?” she asked.
“No idea.”
“Outsourced? VA’ll catch you.”
“Game,” he said. “Beta of some game.”
“Shooter?”
“Nothing to shoot. Work a perimeter around three floors of this tower, fifty- fifth to fifty- seventh. See what turns up.”
“What does?”
“Paparazzi.” He showed her the length of his index finger. “Little things. You get in their way. Edge ’em back. That’s all you do.”
“When?”
“Tonight.
Get you set up before Leon comes.”
“Supposed to help Shaylene, later.”
“Give you two fives.” He took his wallet from his jeans, edged out a pair of new bills, the little windows unscratched, holograms bright.
Folded, they went into the right front pocket of her cutoffs. “Turn the lights down,” she said, “hurts my eyes.”
He did, swinging his hand through the display, but then the place looked like a seventeen- year- old boy’s bedroom. She reached over, flicked it up a little.
She sat in his chair. It was Chinese, reconfiguring to her height and weight as he pulled himself up an old metal stool, almost no paint left on it, waving a screen into view.
MILAGROS COLDIRON SA
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Who we’re working for.”
“How do they pay you?”
“Hefty Pal.”
“You’ll get caught for sure.”
“Goes to an account of Leon’s,” he said. Leon’s Army service had been about the same time as Burton’s in the Marines, but Leon wasn’t due any disability. Wasn’t, their mother said, like he could claim to have caught the dumbfuck there. Not that Flynne had ever thought Leon was anything but sly, under it all, and lazy. “Need my log‑in and the password. Hat trick.” How they both pronounced his tag, HaptRec, to keep it private. He took an envelope from his back pocket, unfolded and opened it. The paper looked thick, creamy.
“That from Fab?”
He drew out a long slip of the same paper, printed with what looked to be a full paragraph of characters and symbols. “You scan it, or type it outside that window, we’re out a job.”
She picked up the envelope, from where it lay on what she guessed had been a fold- down dining table. It was one of Shaylene’s top- shelf stationery items, kept literally on a top shelf. When letter orders came in from big companies, or lawyers, you went up there. She ran her thumb across the logo in the upper left corner. “Medellín?”
“Security firm.”
“You said it’s a game.”
“That’s ten thousand dollars, in your pocket.”
“How long you been doing this?”
“Two weeks now. Sundays off.”
“How much you get?”
“Twenty- five thousand per.”
“Make it twenty, then. Short notice and I’m stiffing Shaylene.”
He gave her another two fives.
2. DEATH COOKIE
Netherton woke to Rainey’s sigil, pulsing behind his lids at the rate of a resting heartbeat. He opened his eyes. Knowing better than to move his head, he confirmed that he was in bed, alone. Both positive, under current circumstances. Slowly, he lifted his head from the pillow, until he could see that his clothes weren’t where he assumed he would have dropped them. Cleaners, he knew, would have come from their nest beneath the bed, to drag them away, flense them of whatever invisible quanta of sebum, skin- flakes, atmospheric particulates, food residue, other.
“Soiled,” he pronounced, thickly, having briefly imagined such cleaners for the psyche, and let his head fall back.
Rainey’s sigil began to strobe, demandingly.
He sat up cautiously. Standing would be the real test. “Yes?” Strobing ceased. “Un petit problème,” Rainey said.
He closed his eyes, but then there was only her sigil. He opened them.
“She’s your fucking problem, Wilf.”
He winced, the amount of pain this caused startling him. “Have you always had this puritanical streak? I hadn’t noticed.”
“You’re a publicist,” she said. “She’s a celebrity. That’s interspecies.”
His eyes, a size too large for their sockets, felt gritty. “She must be nearing the patch,” he said, reflexively attempting to suggest that he was alert, in control, as opposed to disastrously and quite expectedly hungover.
“They’re almost above it now,” she said |
strong mental habits. Work your brain like you would work your muscles at the gym. This will keep you in the right mindset. Pay attention “on purpose” and develop a resistance to negative thoughts that may try to enter your mind. Having the right mindset will guarantee success.
2. Create a minimal lifestyle. Do not be in such a hurry. Slow down. Enjoy the moment – or should I say, moments! Life is beautiful and meant to be enjoyed. Take time to go to the park, or beach (my personal favorite). Slow things down at least twice a week. Find that personal time to just be alone and learn to enjoy your own company. Create a space of freedom in your life where calmness and contentment can grow.
3. Evolve. Be in a state of constantly growing and learning. Elevate your game so that you can become better. Accept the challenge of being a better you. Do not wait for others to open a door for you, find a window to squeeze through or build another door. Find out what it is you like – do more of that. Be unapologetic about achieving your goals.
4. Be your best cheerleader. Do not be the reason you do not succeed. Self-talk is so important. Learn to lift yourself up by freeing yourself of negative talk. Encourage yourself, love yourself, and believe in yourself. And whatever you do, do not go negative on social media. If you feel that you cannot be positive, just go neutral until you can pick yourself back up. Your social media is your business card and you will be held to what you post. Besides, it is hard to lift someone else up if you are negative. No negative talk – period.
5. Give back. Volunteer. Find a cause to support or a person to mentor. Learn to be a vessel of hope and encouragement to someone else. Research shows that those who volunteer are happier and healthier. Volunteering and helping others can help you reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. Remember, if you’re not reaching back to help anyone, then you’re not building a legacy.
Follow Germany @germanykent
Germany Kent is an award-winning journalist, social media expert, bestselling author, and entrepreneur with decades of experience in personal branding, social networking, and entertainment. A successful Hollywood commercial actress and media personality, she has interviewed Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, and Grammy winners, pro athletes and news makers. She is also a dynamic public speaker and in demand coach and consultant and a former award winning college administrator and corporate executive. Her newest book You Are What You Tweet: Harness the Power of Twitter to Create a Happier, Healthier Life is a self help guide packed with tools, tips, tricks, secrets, and strategies for mastering Twitter and turning it into a powerful vehicle for self transformation.The Vikings are not playing the role of favorite in 2014, but that’s OK, because I think there are fewer favorites in the NFL this year than any year I can remember.
There are only a few teams that are locks to make the playoffs, but almost every other team in the league can be competitive. There are four teams that I feel 100 percent sure about: Seattle, Denver, New England and New Orleans. They all have top-notch quarterbacks playing with top-notch teams. There are no question marks. Barring something catastrophic, they’ll be there in the end.
With everybody else, there are question marks.
San Francisco is dealing with age, injury and disciplinary problems. Cincinnati has a great team but a questionable quarterback. Atlanta has a great quarterback but a questionable team around him. And so on.
In this wide-open season, the Vikings can contend even as they bring along a lot of young talent to build for the long term. I like the decision to start Matt Cassel and develop Teddy Bridgewater at his own pace, and I’ll be watching the quarterback situation closely. Bridgewater looked better in the preseason than I expected, but there’s no need to rush him along if we don’t need to.
Cassel is a solid, veteran quarterback, and he was behind every win the Vikings got last year, keeping the team afloat after a very disappointing start. He can do that and more this year with a very strong cast of offensive weapons.
Adrian Peterson is still the man, and Cordarrelle Patterson is becoming a real game changer. Kyle Rudolph can be one of the best tight ends in the league, and Greg Jennings is a strong veteran receiver.
Minnesota needs to find its pass rush and defense, but the Vikings don’t need the Purple People Eaters back there. There are a lot of new faces on the defense, and we’ll have to watch how they come together.
Mike Zimmer has been a great defensive coordinator for a long time, and he’s going to be a good head coach. He’s a real football guy, and I am confident that he will be able to coach his guys up. And he’s put together a very good, veteran coaching staff. This team is going to be a lot of fun to watch.
The Vikings can contend in the Black and Blue Division right now because there are no dominant teams. Green Bay has Aaron Rodgers, but the Packers don’t have the supporting cast they had a few years ago. Greg Jennings plays for the Vikings now. James Jones is a Raider. Jermichael Finley is gone. The offensive line has struggled to protect Rodgers for years. The Packers are no lock to repeat.
Chicago’s best asset is its coach (and Minnesota product) Marc Trestman. He will put his team in a great position to compete. Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are great, but Jay Cutler has never put together a complete season in five years with the Bears, and their defense struggled to stop anyone last year.
Detroit, what can you say? It has not been a competitive franchise year-in, year-out for more than 50 years. The Lions have a lot of talent, but they always seem to have a lot of talented players, and they rarely put it together into a contending team. I’ll believe it when I see it.
After a couple of great drafts, the Vikings have the young talent to win for years to come. But this team is not rebuilding; it can compete right now, especially with so many playoff spots completely up for grabs
Fran Tarkenton is Minnesota Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press. He is a former Vikings quarterback and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also is an advocate for small businesses and the founder of www.GoSmallBiz.com. Follow Fran at twitter.com/Fran_Tarkenton.Two weeks after the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, the geniuses of sacred non-action are still at it.
Between “an-tee-fuh”, the “alt-left” and “violence on both sides“, we’re back to J20 and Pikeville as everyone crawls out of the woodwork to talk about the “violence on the left” and circulate their ready-made expertise on anti-fascism, all while dodging what lit a fire under them, or fighting the actual philosophical meat of it and broader anarchism with condescending outrage.
I’ve been focused on this since I got back, since this was my first major action since being physically involved in such things. Not only that, but the discussion has been going on for longer than expected. Charlottesville was the tamest anti-fascist demonstration I’ve ever seen. We came into a small town and ruined a white nationalist rally before it can even start, without many arrests and without much trouble from the cops, and yet this might be the one event of this decade’s anti-fascist activity that garners the most commentary from the right and center.
Those in the combination of their sheltered media chambers and traditional social litanies, instead of being on the ground in front of struggles, always get the loudest mic to speak into. Not like this is surprising: They get to be pampered by the social byproducts of others’ subordination, and simultaneously defend their legitimacy in all corners of life. Nonetheless, it peeves me when we continue encountering the same angry questions under a different name, and someone is expecting a new answer.
I think, along with someone being killed, the legalistics of permits and free speech coming into this really set the popular stage, allowing the white panic of preserving the current structures to coming into conflict with the larger goals of anti-fascism. Beyond that playing out as usual, I certainly think we’re on track toward a civil conflict for better or worse. Thats precisely why anti-fascists are going all out, we intend to win.
And with the “why” absolutely cleared just now, the heavier baggage of attacking assembly and working outside the perimeters of the law remains. Particularly, the use of violence.
We are always denying ourselves the reality of violence when talking about disrupting social systems. For Industrial Society 101, violence has been monopolized for generations through the state. This is the crux of the issue when looking at how smashing a corporation’s window stacks up to letting thousands of people go uninsured each year, and so on. People have an instinctive way of judging those scenarios with a set of obfuscated, reproduced norms that totally demonize one act while not paying a second glance to another.
Getting to where people see that and understand why its like this involves rediscovering history through a different lens, one that demonstrates how people then and now are affected and repressed. Even trickier is explaining why civility in these conditions is instantly surrender, and how developing our own strategies and coming together on our own terms is the best way to win a better world.
Civility, in how society is presently arranged, is the effect of the privileged accumulating the complacency of the ruled. Alternative social patterns are simply unthinkable or collectively hammered into our skulls as impractical and dangerous, so generations typically reproduce an atmosphere of things being stable the way they are, or disseminating spirituality as a coping mechanism for life being unbearable. Coupled with familial castes and popular media, we have the central nervous system of capitalist state society: a populous that is comfortable and obedient in the limits they were told are the infinite expanses of life.
Resistance happens when the requirements for capital and privilege (subordination, stratification) build up into distinct social groups. With what freedom of thought the ruled have to themselves, there is capacity to design alternatives and nourish its growth while in bondage. Cultures that solidify around exploitation always secure their dreams with a rich and resonating community. Slavery in North America and a class of African descendants carried on a particular consciousness that lives in the changing face of racism and white supremacy. From Nat Turner in 1830s Virginia plantations, to the Black Panthers in 1960s Harlem, to Black Lives Matter in contemporary liberal America, the consciousness that intersects with other struggles (workers’ and queer struggle, etc.) finds the very channels that mediate or propagate oppression and grow beneath them.
Over time, however, incremental reformism has proven to be the most hypnotizing buffer between the dissolving of bondage and the securing of privilege. After trade unionism was legalized, participation in social movements became increasingly perfunctory and symbolic, crystallizing the aversion to direct action in favor of seeking legitimacy from higher authorities. People’s self-confidence in their own actions were, and have increasingly become, disarmed and filtered into a singular, designated political sphere that was reinforced by the doctrines of civility.
Those who cling to this model do so for varying reasons. Commonly in the United States, its liberals whose political identity was forged solely out of this model and know nothing beyond it, or its conservative-right people who find this model to always be a stepping stone toward a real instance of their ideals. The sanctity of what they’re familiar with, the desperation in avoiding what requires fundamental restructuring and demonizing the interests of the exploited always play a synchronized part in propping up a confused warning of danger to further influence civility.
What makes for an obvious double-standard but a opportune entryway is how people who declare that life is savage and that things like markets and speculation are rooted in a human instinct toward savagery can’t at least reconcile this with anti-fascists acting in such a way. The doctrine of “tough shit” is always hammered into those with social grievances, but suddenly the lecturers are shaking in their boots when the act of brutality expands inward on the whole framework.
Undoing this ritual requires understanding violence and the relationships around it: whats is considered violent, how it is regulated, how it is ultimately relative and where to go with that understanding.
Violence is a character of life, a means of dispensing power. But more deeply, violence as a social phenomena isn’t a defined, tangible thing as we might envision it. The underpinnings of force are typically applied to an inherently political situation and manipulated depending on the actor. This covers everything from breaking the windows of a bank that evicts people from their houses, the police arresting protesters, to any form of speech that resonates in society.
Expression has long been painted in the light of reducing the consequences of what people say. On one hand, people today seem to allow racists as well as far-left radicals to say what they please in equal measure. But on the other, they reserve their rights to “disagree” with whomever. These reactions are the modifications to consequences in the light of mediation. They acknowledge an idea of consequences of speech, but only in the form of their own reaction and its relationship to discourse. The possibility of any consequences outside of this are left up to pacifying or quelling forces, like the police. So long as an authority rests on top of these transactions, and as long as they are imbued with trust in stopping anything that deviates from civility, there can only be popular displacement from the genuine consequences outside of upper middle class communities. So while a racist spreading lies about marginalized communities means little to a well-off liberal, it means a hell of a lot to those who will see and live through the consequences of that speech right in front of them.
This is probably the summary for why free speech isn’t so much “opposed” by anti-fascists and anarchists as much as its just a terrible reduction of what language is. Language is a tool as powerful as cutting individuals off from your life or starting rumors. Such things have intention and weight, they accomplish things whether explicit or not. If we can imagine what such things mean for tight-knit social groups of single-digit amounts of people, think of its impact on anything from towns, to cities, to whole continent populations. But again, as long as quelling authorities rest on top of these intimately human transactions, they will always be reduced down to the ins and outs of politics while the genuine consequences play out unaccounted for. Disconnected from any social importance.
So in this framing, the features and levels of violence are anything but unanimously agreed on. Political actions are commonly measured by the weight they carry and how forceful or affective they are, but the affiliation the action is bound to is always the deciding factor for whether its violent.
But the relativity of violence doesn’t imply a disregard for what it accomplishes. For anti-fascists, it isn’t unitary violence that is examined as much as whats behind the violence, who is doing it and to what ends. Violence is expected from the opposition as much as it is from the bindings of today’s society, and so which violence we oppose is made clear because it enforces what we want destroyed. Regardless of seeing the word violence and knowing that people will imagine vastly different examples, it describes an emotional reality underneath the vagueness, and it can be used to align our intentions properly.
Denouncing violence is like denouncing the force required in tackling anything that works against you, but we cannot take this to just mean “in self-defense.” Reducing all of self-defense down to immediate physical protection neglects what violence and preserving oneself entails, especially in a setting where the lifeblood of society is constant threat. The end goal is to eliminate structures of violence: coercion, domination and the like, which comprise forces decidedly not relative, and perform concrete functions such as capitalism, state repression and social bigotry that build a reality of suffering.
The instinctual disregard for criticism from the right and center comes from their dependence on what social emancipation requires destroying. By relying on “its not that bad”, “haven’t you learned anything from Stalin?” or “you hate free speech”, we meet at the same starting point over and over. All that time wasted trying to explain our case just for it to be thrown out could be spent organizing and arming around worthwhile goals.
Obedience to currently acceptable ideals has driven the left away from debate, because the requirement to be taken seriously is to lie down and submit or risk being named “alt”. And every time a glimpse of our case is made, the reaction is simply angry defense of political essentialism or flipping the narrative.
So speaking calmly and acting how we’re told has been proven fruitless, a spectacle for the media facade and self-service repression. We’re over playing pretend. As spontaneous action finds its way in the streets and communities, as the structures of privilege and coercion are discredited, we’re reaching a trying time of discovering our strength and wielding it together, or once again rebranding the game of domination.
Non-violence can only persuade authority to take a new shape or expand appeasement, but it can never mend the relations of exploitation and violence that anarchists will always oppose. Autonomy and dignity in our lives will always be sacrificed so long as we act obediently in the shadow of power.
We might have landed on a particularly stubborn generational spot for the next social transition to happen, as most people still don’t see how we went from Kings and Surfs to Bosses and Employees. Its always difficult to attack the conscience of the population without seemingly devaluing the whole of their character. In doing the latter, we become just as bad as our enemies in allowing material mechanisms to segment us from the whole of humanity. It takes reminding oneself of the values they inherited and the vessel that expresses them, seeking only to revise one of them for everyone’s wellness.
We don’t desire or get anything out of talking down to everyday people, but the frustration and outrage that is perpetuated through popular channels creates the only audible tone. As much as we would prefer diverse and colorful images of anarchy and vanquished white supremacy as a gift to all, a rich connection between the individual, the world, and what fills the space between them, those would be dismissed as utopian in a heartbeat.
The monotone black [and red] of militant negation appears to set the stage well enough for what we have to deal with presently. We appear to be assholes because we’re backed into such a corner where we only have so much to work with. And with what is available to us, we consistently build up our conclusion.
Nazis are for shutting down and putting down, not assimilating and regulating as you would anyone else. Free speech is a political right afforded to you by the same class of elites who arrange the wages of starvation, mandate ritualistic appeals to higher-ups and draw out who suffers and who dispenses. When people aren’t separated from consequences, it isn’t a social axiom that anybody abides by even in their most intimate setting.
We’ll soon be forced out of our screen-lit rooms and into the world we’ve abandoned, reeling at what we left to fester. Popular conscience will experience a thermal shock of reality when people understand that mediating fascism, whether by trademarked Rational Centrism over twitter or the holiness of legislation, is a joke when the bodies start piling up.
So, whats the solution? Social revolution.
AdvertisementsN.J. Trans Woman Murdered, Media Misgenders Victim
Local news outlets reported on the murder of Eyricka Morgan by using her given name and referring to her as a man.
A 26-year-old transgender woman was murdered in New Brunswick, N.J., Tuesday — and local media outlets are once again misgendering the victim and calling her a man.
Several independent LGBT outlets have confirmed the stabbing death of Eyricka Morgan as well as the arrest of Devonte Scott, a man who lived in the same city boarding house as Morgan. Police reports confirm that Scott, 21, was arrested shortly after Morgan was declared dead at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Scott is being held in a New Brunswick jail on $1 million bond.
Morgan was a former student at New Jersey's Rutgers University and was involved with the North Jersey Community Research Initiative, according to Elixher, a magazine dedicated to queer women of color. Elixher also notes that Morgan was featured in a 2011 Rutgers article about queer people in Newark, where she spoke about her family's disapproval of her gender identity.
Mainstream media outlets, including the Star-Ledger, referred to Morgan as a man and used her given name, despite journalistic standards endorsed by the Associated Press and GLAAD that suggest reporters use a transgender person's preferred name and gender identity when reporting on them, especially in instances of violence. The Star-Ledger report made no mention of Morgan's transgender identity or gender expression, and local police seem to have avoided the topic in their comments as well. A 2012 report from the National Coaltion of Anti-Violence Programs determined that 73% of anti-LGBT homicides that year were people of color, and 53% of those murders were of transgender women.
The New Brunswick Police Department is investigating Morgan's death and asked anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Det. Kenneth Adobe at (732) 745-5200 or Middlesex County investigator Jose Rodriguez at (732) 745-3300.Ethan’s recent article on the best way for skeptics to dialogue with non-skeptics definitely hit home, and is something I’ve struggled with. Being confrontational is tempting — after all, who doesn’t love to prove how right they are? I am certainly sympathetic to the view presented in the comments by some readers that good manners is not of itself a moral imperative, and that even if it were, skeptics aren’t required qua skepticism to take up the battle for hearts and minds. If I care neither whether the ranks of skeptics swell, nor how I’m viewed by non-skeptics, then why should I be required to take an accommodating stance when engaging with non-skeptics?
I believe there is quite a good reason to do so, based on a very powerful idea found in cognitive psychology: that systematic errors in judgment are a natural side-effect of our native cognitive processes. If pseudo-scientific beliefs can be shown to be an example of such an error, and thus something innate to human thought, I would argue that there is a moral imperative to be accommodating and empathetic — something akin to the Golden Rule. After all, if someone’s only crime is to operate their cognitive machinery according to the manufacturer’s instructions, it’s hardly fair to vilify them for it. We skeptics all did the same thing once upon a time, before we found the sheet with all the cheat codes and Easter eggs.
Golden Rule, Golden Bough
A very large subset of pseudo-scientific belief falls under the heading of “sympathetic magic”, a system codified by the anthropologist Sir James Fraser around the turn of the last century in his opus, The Golden Bough. Fraser identifies two core principles of sympathetic magic. The first is the Law of Similarity, which says that “like produces like, or that an effect resembles its cause”. The second is the Law of Contagion, which says the “things which have once been in contact with each other continue to act on each other at a distance after the physical contact has been severed.”
This isn’t just about tribal shamans and voodoo dolls, though those certainly loom large in the anthropological literature. For example, it’s pretty easy to see how homeopathy fits the bill, with like curing like and water having a memory even after the physical contact (i.e. with molecules of the original proved substance) has been severed. Similarly, those “toxins” we keep hearing about are a contagion, and the “cleanses” we’re exhorted to undertake are a form of purification ritual to remove that contagion, as is our bias toward things “natural”. Divination (e.g. astrology) is another large subset. Sympathetic magic isn’t the only form of magical thinking, but it’s one of the broadest, and indeed, Fraser acknowledges that there’s something in us that that makes sympathetic magic appear to be a sort of “natural law”:
For the same principles which the magician applies in the practice of his art are implicitly believed by him to regulate the operations of inanimate nature; in other words, he tacitly assumes that the Laws of Similarity and Contact are of universal application and are not limited to human actions.
There is, in fact, a reason for this, which a century later we’re finally starting to really understand. It’s rooted in recent research showing that human thought is reliant on a dual process:
System 1 is generally automatic, affective and heuristic-based, which means that it relies on mental “shortcuts.” It quickly proposes intuitive answers to problems as they arise. System 2, which corresponds closely with controlled processes, is slow, effortful, conscious, rule-based and also can be employed to monitor the quality of the answer provided by System 1. If it’s convinced that our intuition is wrong, then it’s capable of correcting or overriding the automatic judgments.
Although humans flip effortlessly (and for the most part unconsciously) between the two systems, much of our decision making is reliant on System 1 for the simple reason that it’s quick and broadly effective. Also, evolution has honed our thought processes to avoid certain mortal perils, which means such behaviours will seem intuitively and “affectively” (emotionally) correct, and exert a strong pull on us. System 2 can intervene, but often it has its work cut out for it when it tries.
While humans wouldn’t have gotten where we are as a species without System 1, it certainly has its flaws. The dark side of heuristic thinking is that it exposes us to systematic biases that can, under certain circumstances, lead us to make very bad assessments. And these bad assessments will seem just as intuitively and emotionally correct as the good ones that System 1 engenders.
The Magic of Heuristics
And that’s what the psychologists who study Heuristics and Biases believe is at play in sympathetic magic systems. The relevant research is rooted in a particularly fun sub-discipline — the psychology of disgust. In short, disgust is an evolved intuitive response to contact with everyday things that can cause us harm, such as feces, rot, dirt, other people, and their icky, icky fluids. Although the specific objects of disgust are learned, and vary from culture to culture, the response and its mechanisms are universal.
Paul Rozin is the leading light in the field, and his research has shown that those mechanisms include two heuristic processes that we rely on in making the assessments that lead to disgust. The Similarity Heuristic says that appearance equals reality. It’s an aspect of the more well-known representativeness heuristic that Rozin says is “related to the principle of generalization in learning, and is almost certainly part of our genetic endowment at birth.” He bears this out in a series of studies that show the heuristic’s power. In one, participants are asked to eat chocolate shaped like dog feces; in another, to drink perfectly safe juice from a jar marked “Poison”. The participant knows full well that the food is safe and tasty, yet still there is a strong disgust response.
The Contagion Heuristic holds that:
physical contact between a source and a target results in the transfer of some effect or quality, which we call essence, from source to target. The source and target may mutually influence each other (exchange essence). The qualities exchanged may be physical, mental, or moral in nature, and negative or positive in valence. The contact between source and target may be direct, or may be mediated by a third object, or vehicle, that makes simultaneous or successive contact with both the source and target.
The research here is just as fun. Would you eat food that had been touched by a cockroach? What if the food had been frozen for a year after contact? Or if the roach was sterilized first? Would you wear a sweater that was once owned by Hitler? Even if it had never been worn? What if it had been dry cleaned? Study after study shows a strong aversion that belies our pretense at rationality.
A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Like all heuristics, the mechanisms described above are extremely useful. Most things are as they seem, and in the absence of germ theory, a natural aversion to feces and other people’s fluids is a pretty good natural advantage. But they also allow us to intuit sympathetic magic, and to make the leap Fraser describes from the personal to the universal — in short, to see the laws of sympathetic magic as a natural law.
This bias in favour of magical thinking is very difficult to overcome. Rozin found that the Similarity and Contagion heuristics differ from other heuristics in two ways: (1) they’re associated with a significant emotional resonance, which makes them very strong, and (2) people are, in the studies at least, usually aware of the fact that their assessment is irrational. “They can overcome this aversion and ‘be rational’, but their preference is not to.” The contagion heuristic in particular has been associated with insensitivity to dose, time, and the route taken between source and target — in other words, resistant to common scientific arguments. It also shows a strong negativity dominance — we “catch” bad things more readily than good ones — which is why toxins resonate more than, say, probiotics.
Not all hope is lost of course. One of the central insights of the cognitive revolution is that we can learn to monitor our thought processes and challenge them prior to making judgments. But while such meta-cognitive abilities may be innate, not everyone is endowed with these skills to the same degree.
Yet everyone can develop and strengthen them, if someone has the patience and empathy to teach them. I believe it’s incumbent on skeptics to try. After all, we’re only human.These little chocolate cheesecakes are what I like to call heaven in 4 bites. They are rich in chocolate flavor, especially with the layer of ganache on top. Large cheesecakes are fun, but somehow I prefer to make mini portions when baking for guests or friends. Aren’t they just the cutest? These mini chocolate cheesecakes go great with fresh raspberries, so don’t forget to top them with a raspberry before serving! Keep them chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This recipe only makes 9, so you can double it for more!
If you don’t already know, I am so excited to share with you that we are expecting a little one in June :). So far, the pregnancy has been really easy, and I haven’t even really noticed much until right about now! At 6 months, my stomach is starting to get annoyingly large, getting in the way of everything and even taking a toll on my back. I have had to get pretty creative with my wardrobe, and kissed all of my jeans goodbye for now. I wish I could tell you that my cravings have been healthy, but they have mostly been unhealthy! I have never wanted to eat so many burgers or chocolate donuts or chocolate peanut butter ice cream in my life. It is really important to me to stay healthy throughout my pregnancy, so I have been frequenting the grocery store to keep my fridge stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. I have never obsessed so much about what I eat as I do right now, and never realized how hard it is to make sure I am eating enough servings of fruits, grains, protein and vegetables every day.
I can’t believe how fast the time is flying by…
Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 25 mins Total 40 mins Type: Dessert Serves: 9 Ingredients 1½ cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp sugar
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
⅓ cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp half-and-half
Fresh raspberries for topping Instructions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a bowl until evenly mixed, then evenly divide among 9 paper-lined muffin cups. Firmly press against the bottom and sides to form the crust. Set aside. Add the remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips to a mixer or blender and mix/blend until you get a creamy texture. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler (30 seconds at a time in the microwave, or they will burn!), then add the smooth melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and mix/blend until smooth. Evenly divide the cheesecake filling among the baking cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops become raised and firm. Remove from the oven and let cool. Melt the remaining chocolate chips and stir with the half-and-half to create the ganache. Once cooled to room temperature, add the ganache on top of the cheesecakes and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 9 mini cheesecakes 3.2.2925
Share and EnjoyPanel 1
Text: Women smile for lots of reasons.
(A smiling woman in an apron and ball cap)
Woman: I smile at work because it’s good customer service.
Panel 2
(A cheerful-looking woman, smiling)
Woman: I smile when I make eye contact because it’s polite.
Panel 3
(A smiling, tattooed woman wearing a bikini top)
Woman: I smile when I’m dancing because I love my job.
Panel 4
(A smiling woman who looks worried)
Woman: I’m a nervous smiler – I smile to defuse tension.
Panel 5
(A relaxed-looking, smiling woman)
Woman: I smile on the subway ’cause that’s where I listen to my favorite podcast.
Panel 6
(A smiling woman who is shrugging)
Woman: That’s just what my face does when it’s relaxed – I’ve got resting smiley face.
Panel 7
(A resigned-looking woman, smiling)
Woman: It feels awkward if someone smiles and you don’t smile back – they might call you a bitch or something.
Panel 8
(A woman smiling widely with raised eyebrows and wide eyes)
Woman: I use this particular smile to tell my friends to come get me away from whoever cornered me.
Panel 9
(A sad-looking woman with a slight smile)
Woman: I smile when I get catcalled because if I ignore catcallers, they might follow me.
Panel 10
(A scared-looking woman, smiling nervously)
Woman: I smile when someone is scaring me because I don’t want to make them angry.
Text: Not the least of which is that they’re often told to smile.
Panel 11
(A smiling man)
Man: You’re so pretty when you smile!
Panel 12
(A man with a pleased expression on his face, smiling)
Man: Hey girl, gimme a smile!
Text: And yet this bullshit continues:
Panel 13
(A scowling man)
Man: Look, if you didn’t want me to talk to you, you shouldn’t have been flirting with me. I came over because you smiled at me.
Panel 14
(A sneering man)
Man: If she didn’t like what I was saying, she should have stopped smiling.
Panel 15
(An angry-looking man)
Man: I wasn’t bothering her! Didn’t you see her smiling when we were talking?
Panel 16
(A confused-looking man)
Man: If she wanted to be left alone, why did she keep smiling at everyone?
Text: So, as a public service announcement, please keep this in mind:
Panel 17
(A circular shield in which three women are smiling and hugging one another, with a banner above the shield and a banner below)
Top Banner Text: Don’t assume invitation is the correct interpretation of my expression.
Bottom Banner Text: I am under no obligation to talk to you.Between Election Day and the Inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump and his team were caught up in “incidental surveillance” that was unrelated to Russia, House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes (R-California) has said.
Nunes was given “dozens of reports” that made “no mention of Russia,” he told reporters Wednesday.
“This information was legally brought to me by sources who thought we should know it.”
The information was collected as part of a routine investigation, and is considered “incidental surveillance,” Nunes said. The “normal, formal surveillance” provided “significant information” about Trump and his team during the transition period.
FBI wiretapped Trump Tower in search of ‘Russian mobster’ – report https://t.co/I3qSntepUupic.twitter.com/Xn3JN9tWst — RT (@RT_com) March 21, 2017
Details about Americans associated with the incoming administration “with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting,” Nunes said. Additional names of Trump transition team members were “unmasked” in the widespread reporting.
Nunes’ statement comes two days after FBI Director James Comey testified in front of the House Intelligence Committee about any surveillance done on Trump Tower in New York during the presidential campaign.
During the hearing, he confirmed that the bureau is investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. However, when questioned over Trump's claim that former President Barack Obama ordered surveillance of the billionaire's communications in Trump Tower, Comey stated that he had "no information that supports" the allegation.
READ MORE: Trump trolled on Twitter as Comey debunks Obama wiretap claim
Any electronic surveillance must be granted by the courts, and "no individual in the United States can direct electronic surveillance of anyone," the FBI chief added.
BREAKING: U.S. House Intelligence Committee confirms U.S. spies intercepted Trump team communications "on numerous occasions" #Vault7pic.twitter.com/hPV5cOxCcO — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 22, 2017
The intelligence chair will head to the White House later on Wednesday to brief the Trump administration on what he has learned, Nunes said.
At the White House, Nunes told reporters that the surveillance appeared to be similar to when members of Congress were caught up in NSA spying when talking with ally governments as part of their jobs.
His biggest concern, Nunes said, was that American citizens who were caught up in the incidental surveillance were unmasked, despite their names being protected by law, and that it is unclear who ordered the unmasking.
“What I’ve read bothers me, and I think it should bother the president himself and his team because I think some of it seems to be inappropriate,” Nunes said, adding that it was hard to say how important these revelations are until all the information is presented to the committee.
If it's not about Russia, not illegal, and maybe classified |
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So if I want to win my group I will need to win Solo then have almost 3 times a build order win against Reality or Hydra. I decided to keep my good builds secret and not play my best build against Solo to surprise Hydra in the next round.
In the second game against Solo I played a pool first build with drone pull and spine rush. It is a very risky build and sadly Solo had the hardcounter to this because he went for a 1 base play.
In that kind of situation most players don’t expect their opponent to do 2 times the same crazy build, so in the third game I tried the same build and he went for a 1 base play again so I lost again.
I lost 3-0 against Solo and I am out of the tournament.
2 days after the tournament Rifkin wrote this to the community :
“Ruling on Firecake:
Firecake was contacted with almost a full 24 hours to provide a response, but has chosen not to (relevance of this statement in a moment to do with punishment). For those who don't know, while it wasn't publicized, after the qualifier incident for this tournament, he was given a formal warning / strike against him for his previous actions regarding sortof. This in mind, Firecake during the Ro16 chose to throw games, provide public misinformation via twitter, disrespect the fans, the broadcasters, and most importantly, the sponsors of this event. It is this last point that concerns us the most, as it's become more difficult over time to secure sponsorship for Starcraft 2 in general, and to have the amazing, generous folks at Ting treated this way by a player scares us of future involvement with him. We do not want to risk accusations of match fixing, letting the fans down, or deal with general misinformation from this player in the future. Thus, firecake has officially been banned from all BaseTradeTV related events for the next 9 months. He was offered the opportunity to have this sentence significantly reduced in exchange for an apology & explanation of his actions, but chose to argue instead.”
Let’s take every points one by one.
Firecake during the Ro16 chose to throw games
This is wrong
I explained why I played very risky build against Solo. Yes I would have probably win Solo by playing my best builds but it would have lower my chances to win Hydra after and if don’t win Solo AND Hydra I earn nothing.
I did the exact same thing in the previous group stage where I didn't play my best builds in my group against Reynor Solo and Pengwin in order to hide my builds to my opponent in the WCS (serral).
It is a very common thing to do among pro players, you keep your best builds for the important matches.
Firecake provide public misinformation via twitter
Rifkin is talking about this tweet :
https://twitter.com/FireCakeSc2/status/707631906175766528
I said that Rifkin told me the games of the loser finals will be played on NA central. Rifkin didn’t say that but ZombieGrub did.
My bad, I am sorry, it is my mistake.
Sometimes it is really difficult to know who I am talking to in games, most casters are sharing their accounts. The only thing I remember is someone with the tag [BaseTrade] or [Caster] answering my question, if it’s not Rifkin it must be ZombieGrub.
Firecake disrespect the fans, the broadcasters, and most importantly, the sponsors of this event.
This is wrong
I am a player my goal is to play, I did my best to win the group but I failed. End of the story.
I didn’t insult fans, my opponent, the brodcaster or the sponsor.
Many people asked me questions about this drama, I will answer some of the questions that people ask the most :
FireCake, why not forfeit your match against Solo instead of playing bad games.
I was thinking about forfeiting my match, I think my chances to win Reality or Hydra on a bad server were very small, but most importantly I couldn’t show good games to the viewers.
Players are not allowed to forfeit in tournaments organized by BaseTradeTv, SortOf got banned from doing so 3 weeks ago.
Also, many people were looking for this group so I decided not to forfeit and I think it was the good decision.
FireCake, on twitter you said this “I am asking for a drone and instead the server cancel my upgrade”, how is it possible?
I was playing with a lot of delay so when I hold a button it takes a long time before an action is performed by the server.
But some actions are performed on the client side like selecting and army and are not affected by the server.
This lead to some desynchronization between actions that I want to perform one after the other and thus lead to misplay such as canceling an upgrade instead of making a drone.
In order to prevent these misplay I have to perform action, wait and check if the action is performed correctly, then proceed to do the next action… If I do this my play is way too slow.
FireCake, you knew you will have to play on NA server in this tournament, why does suddendly its not ok for you?
As I said, there are many different NA server, I can play on the NA server east (which is the one people use usually), but on the others it is not playable.
If I knew before the tournament that I will have to play on this server then I would have never play this tournament.
BaseTradeTv doesn’t have specific rules about this, the only rules about the servers is this one :
“BaseTradeTV reserves the right to change the rules at any time.”
So I can play the tournament and hopes for the best or don’t play the tournament.
If you are a full time player, what do you choose?
Conclusion :
I am sorry for the fans that were looking for these matches, I wish I could have play well and deliver nice games but it was not possible.
I don’t really care about my ban of the BaseTradeTv tournaments, after this event I was not going to play in their futures events anyway because the servers they use prevent me to make good games. However I feel this is a very unfair ban because I didn't throw my matches and followed all their rules.
I hope this explanation will help to forget this episode and move on to something more interesting.
Reply · Report PostRussian heavyweight Alexander Povetkin (32-1, 23 KOs) is getting close to finalizing his next ring return.
According to the executive director of RCC Boxing Promotions, Alexei Titov, who is organizing the event - it is 99% certain that Povetkin will square off in the ring against Christian Hammer (22-4, 12 KOs) of Germany.
The event would take place on December 15 in Yekaterinburg.
Titov reveals that he plans to travel to the WBO's annual convention and plans to submit a request to the sanctioning body to approve Povetkin vs. Hammer as a world title eliminator for the opportunity to face current champion Joseph Parker.
Hammer is the number one ranked fighter under the WBO, while Povetkin is ranked at six and also holds the WBO's International title.
"The team behind Hammer are already in possession of the contract. It is 99.9% certain that he will sign it. I think that by the end of next week we will officially announce it. Hammer holds the highest position in the rankings - the first line under the WBO, the eighth in BoxRec. Next week I'm flying to the WBO's convention, and we will directly agree with President (Francisco) Valcarcel that Alexander will become the mandatory challenger (in the event he beats Hammer on December 15)," Titov explained.
"Alexander has the second most important WBO title - the International, and I think the WBO should meet us halfway on this issue and give their fight the status of being a title eliminator. We do not want a one-time fight for Povetkin. We want to make a showdown with Parker in July 2018 under the international exhibition Innoprom in Yekaterinburg. This is a big fight for Russia, for Alexander. These are the plans, the long-term perspective. Alexander deserves to become a world champion."
Last month, Parker retained his world title with a close twelve round majority decision over mandatory challenger Hughie Fury.Betting firm 888 Sport in the running to become Norwich City’s main sponsor
888sport logo. Supplied
Norwich City is believed to be in discussions with online betting company 888 Sport as a possible successor to Aviva as main club sponsor.
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It is understood the bookmaker is one of a number of companies who have held talks over a potential commercial tie-up but no deal has yet been concluded to replace the insurance giant, which becomes a community partner after eight years as Norwich City’s main sponsor. An announcement on the main sponsor is expected within the next few weeks.
City declined to make any official comment on Tuesday, although Canaries’ chairman Ed Balls indicated last month work was well underway on finalising a main sponsor and a replacement for Jarrold as sponsor of the South Stand at Carrow Road.
Gibraltar-based 888 Sport have a long track record in professional football and were unveiled as the new shirt sponsor for Norwich City’s Championship rivals Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.
Prior to that, 888 Sport had previously been the main sponsor for newly-promoted Premier League club Middlesbrough.
888 Sport is a subsidiary of 888 Holdings plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The company, formed in 1997, claims on its official web site to be one of the world’s most popular online gaming entertainment and solutions providers. They also have the naming rights to one of the stands at Middlesbrough’s Riverside and have had similar deals with the likes of Football League clubs Reading, Burnley and Swindon Town.
Norwich City already have a tie up with bookmaker Coral, who became the Canaries’ official betting partner and sponsors of the Barclay Stand in 2015.
Aviva had been the club’s main sponsor since 2008 during which time the club spent four seasons in the Premier League and won three promotions, including a Championship play-off victory at Wembley in 2015.It’s been a porny month here: I wrote a piece about Playboy for The Conversation (mostly about how the magazine wasn’t porn, but still); I gave a talk about Porn Studies at the University of Oregon, then drove (!) from Newark to Madison, Wisconsin, to give a paper on the editing of adult films on VHS at the Film & History conference; finally, I’ve put in some labor-intensive editorial work on a collection about pornography in the 1970s that should finally come out next year (more on that later).
It was all tremendously refreshing, in the sense that I had been suffering from smut-overkill after writing two books on the matter. My academic interests had shifted toward leftist film history, the Queer Newark Oral History Project, and other things that I’ve been working on lately. But meeting a dizzying roster of scholars, archivists, and writers working on porn (and exploitation film)—Peter Alilunas, Chuck Kleinhans, Laura Helen Marks, Casey Scott, Dan Erdman, Kevin Heffernan, David Lerner, Finley Freibert, Maureen Rogers, and more!—really highlighted how much exciting work is going on in this area, and reinspired me to stay engaged with it.
All of which is a preface of sorts to this, a sketch history of pornography in Newark. For a few years, I thought maybe a history grad student could write a strong master’s thesis on the topic, but since no one is beating down my door to do that, I figured I’d take on the project as a sheer labor of love and write this as a sort of indulgence, to wallow in a world where no copyeditor can strip me of my semicolons (look ma; no grammar!). It also gave me an excuse to finally visit the Newark City Archives... but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Newark’s history of smut doesn’t seem to get really robust until the advent of hardcore in the early 1970s. But before that, there were several skirmishes over varieties of adult entertainment that set the stage for later porn politics, while also reflecting the changing social and political history of the city. So, things get more graphic in later posts, but here’s what I dug up through the 1950s:
The earliest reference I can find—and I’m not being systematic here; I visited several archives for this series, but my base methodology is really just googling around and using a few databases, so there is assuredly a pre-history to this, probably mostly located in local legal records—to smut in Newark comes, fittingly enough, from my colleague Donna Dennis’ truly fantastic book Licentious Gotham, about erotic publishing in 19th century New York. Showing that early-1840s obscenity cases against the so-called flash press of young libertine men’s magazines like The Rake often “involved some degree of defamation against individuals” (rather than mere content-based charges for explicit sexuality per se), Dennis notes an 1842 case against Whip publisher George Wooldridge, based on five articles including “Seduction-Conviction of the Libertine,” which “accused a man in Newark, New Jersey, of repeated acts of seduction and libertinism and also made a thinly veiled request for payment.” So, Newark: subject of some quasi-smut, but not really yet the site of it.
Obscenity didn’t really flare into an issue of national concern until the 1870s, when anxieties over urbanization, immigration, changing gender roles, and the devastating onset of modern corporate capitalism manifested in widespread anti-smut sentiment among the WASP bourgeoisie. The young dry-goods clerk Anthony Comstock capitalized brilliantly on this moment, building a moral empire through his New York Society for the Suppression of Vice and spearheading the passage of the 1873 Comstock Act, the first federal obscenity law with real teeth.
This story has been told many times—Dennis covers it in her book, I write about it in Obscenity Rules, and Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz gives perhaps the best telling in Rereading Sex, showing how Comstock’s relentless self-promotion and use of the media gave his seemingly anti-modern politics a distinctly modern bent. Much Comstock scholarship revolves around his home base of New York City, but his federal appointment kept him on the move for four decades, including some memorable moments in Newark—in fact, when I assigned my Gender & Sexuality history students some passages from his overwrought 1883 anti-porn manifesto Traps for the Young, I lamented that it didn’t include anything about Newark, since it discusses some other cities. As my students astutely pointed out, Newark does in fact make a cameo; anyone who laments contemporary undergraduate reading practices, take note: they gave it a better close reading than I did! Score 1, Rutgers-Newark students:
In fact, Comstock arrested the aforementioned Charles Conroy in Newark (without a warrant, as D.M. Bennett pointed out in his landmark 1878 critique Anthony Comstock: His Career of Cruelty and Crime, available at the Internet Archive and well worth reading). And when he did, Conroy “lunged desperately” with a knife—as Charles Gallaudet Trumbull reports, “he tore Comstock’s face open and slashed through four facial arteries.” Comstock lived, but carried “a deep scar, several inches long, running across his left cheek.” One lesson to take away: don’t fuck with Newark.
(Comstock, for the record, employed his own scorched-earth tactics. When Ann Lohman, the famous abortionist known as Madam Restell, committed suicide after he arrested her, his response was simply, “a bloody end to a bloody life.” And the sexological writer Ida Craddock blamed his persecution for her death in her public 1902 suicide letter, as powerful an indictment of obscenity law as anything I’ve ever read. So it’s hard to feel much sympathy for Comstock, period.)
Comstock returned to Newark at least a few more times. In 1892 he announced “a deplorable state of affairs among the pupils of one of the public schools of Newark, N.J.,” tracking a “vile” paper being read by a group of schoolboys back to “a well-known business man of Newark.” Nothing about this story really rings true—was he just hanging around Newark making sure kids weren’t having too much fun? (well, okay, maybe that is plausible after all)—but it does reflect his effective moral entrepreneurship, in which he announces a problem whose only solution is—SURPRISE!—himself.
Still, not even Comstock could singlehandedly suppress the rising tide of mass culture and its eroticized entertainments, and in one amusing 1894 incident, his moralistic speech to the New Jersey chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union was paired with licensed vendors alongside the conference who included “thinly clad” women giving “imitations of ‘du ventre’ dances”—until the godly women of the Newark WCTU protested and put a stop to it!
Indeed, there seems to have been a local moral campaign in Newark in the 1890s that reflects both the “moral reconstruction” that Gaines Foster has written of and also the persistence of adult entertainments in the city—the earliest archival document I could locate (courtesy the wonderful Newark Archives Project) are two 1894 letters from the Christian Citizenship Union demanding action from the city government “in view of recent exhibitions of obscene pictures on bill boards and in other public places in the city.”
I don’t know the nature of these purportedly obscene images, alas; there might be more detail somewhere in the city government’s files, but municipal archives are rarely organized in the same manner as academic archives, and I wasn’t sure where to pursue it. Anyway, this is just a sketch overview, and it was really mostly an excuse to take a quick stroll to the Newark City Archives!
From there, the trail goes cold for a while, though I caught a glimpse of 1920s Newark city politics while researching the background of the landmark 1957 Supreme Court obscenity case Roth v. U.S. for what became Obscenity Rules. Because Roth was written by Justice William Brennan, I read Seth Stern and Stephen Wermiel’s definitive biography Justice Brennan: Liberal Champion. Brennan was from Newark, where his father, Bill Sr., was a well-connected city politician, in charge of the fire and police departments in his capacity of director of public safety. A strong supporter of labor rights, “Bill’s liberalism did not extend, though, to his attitudes toward civil liberties,” and during the post-WWI Red Scare backlash, he opposed radical speakers and protests, as well as the screening of The Naked Truth in 1926. The silent film, about a father warning his son of the dangers of VD, was barred from playing at the Capitol Theatre by “the board of censors appointed by Bill”—a body I know very little about, and certainly a topic for further research (see below)—but the ban was overturned by a state judge, who rejected Brennan’s authority.
I found this ad for The Naked Truth from late October 1926, showing at the Capitol. In Bold! Daring! Shocking! True!: A History of Exploitation Films, 1919-1959 (one of my favorite books, period), Eric Schaefer shows how “gender segregation was the standard for hygiene films in the 1920s,” and Newark followed the pattern, with women-only matinees and some “extra special reels” for the nighttime men’s screenings.
A 1941 article from the Newark Call (included in a clippings file about neighborhoods at the Newark Public Library’s New Jersey Information Center) reflects the racialized sexual anxieties of the time in its coverage of the “Sordid Third Ward Night Life,” as police claim the “biggest problem on their hands involves out-of-town white men who cruise through the ward after the taverns have closed looking for whatever excitement they can find.” Naturally, the police “tell them in a nice way to scram”; would that they treated local black residents with any such semblance of respect. Yet the article lists prostitution, gambling, and venereal disease as the social ills of the Third Ward (later made pulp-canonical in Curtis Lucas’ 1946 novel Third Ward Newark), also making a glancing reference to “chas[ing] a lot of undesirables” out of the ward that might be read as an allusion to a queer presence (I think here it might be a stretch, but still, that was a powerfully coded term at the time). What’s absent, though, in Newark’s own purported vice district, was smut.
In the middle of writing this post, I swung back by the Newark Public Library, and when archivist George Hawley pulled a file of clippings on local theaters for me, I came across this 1944 article about the city censor board—at least it’s a start!
Turning to case law, the record of published cases (at least, based on a cursory skim of the academic database Westlaw) again suggests Newark was not a hotbed of smut cases. Hygienic Productions v. Keenan (62 A.2d 150) in 1948 directly replayed the Naked Truth case, except this time the director of public safety threatened to revoke the Broad Street Theatre’s license for showing Kroger Babb’s notorious Mom and Dad commercially. A judge rejected the city’s authority to intervene. A few years later, that same official, John B. Keenan, confiscated the documentary Latuko from the Newsreel Theatre on Broad Street. Once more, Judge Freund from the earlier case overturned Keenan, relying on classic colonial logic that bodies of color were simply naturally nude: “While it is true that the men have been photographed naked and the women naked above the waist, the exposure of their bodies is not indecent; it is simply their normal way of living” (American Museum of Natural History v. Keenan, 89 A.2d 98, 1952).
This was, of course, commensurate with the racial logic of such films themselves; as Eric Schaefer notes, “by emphasizing the primitive or ‘freakish’ aspects of these cultures, these movies invited audience to feel superior about the United States.” Brian Hoffman also exposes the perverse ironies of American nudism in his great new book Naked: even as nude bodies of color were naturalized as such, African Americans were rarely welcomed into white nudist communities—the American Sunbathing Association even tried to frame segregated nudism as fostering “the happier development of the local social unit or group.”
Still, this isn’t really pornography by any measure, though I came across an article from The Reporter in the Kinsey Institute’s clippings file on cinema censorship that mocked people who had to drive from Manhattan (where Latuko was banned by the New York state film censors) to New Jersey, “a state so lost to virtue that it is not shocked by sight of the human body.” Nor is a 1958 case (State v. Cosnat Distributing Corp., 145 A.2d 59) involving “indecent records” sold at 415 Halsey Street, though we learn from that case that someone in Newark wanted to listen to the LP Nipsey Russell Presents Borderline Records.
Actually, discovering that made me curious about Russell. Full disclosure: I LOL’d at least twice at his 7” (the jokes, they write themselves….) “Nudist Wedding,” where there’s “no question as to who the best man is.” So, thanks again, censorship in Newark!
The most prominent contestations over adult entertainment in midcentury Newark revolved around burlesque. Indeed, a dispute over the granting of licenses generated an important but overlooked case that I wrote a bit about in Obscenity Rules, Adams Newark Theatre Co. v. Keenan, which reached the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1953 while William Brennan was heading it. Adams really served as a test run for Roth, with Brennan musing that the “mere fact that sexual life is the theme... or that characters portray a seamy side of life and play coarse scenes or use vulgar language … does not constitute the presentation per se lewd and indecent.”
Under the aegis of Adams, which specifically declared burlesque a form of free speech subject to First Amendment protections, burlesque in Newark seems to have flourished, at least momentarily. It even made Time magazine in December 1954, with an article following a class from “Manhattan’s mercurial New School for Social Research” to Minsky’s, where prudish professor Bill Smith decided mid-show he had made “a terrible mistake” and had forgfotten “how low burlesque had sunk.” But 21-year-old performer (Time disparagingly called her “stripper,” a tellingly reductive word choice) disagreed with Smith’s claim that Newark burlesque was a “joyless corruption of the ‘10s and ‘20s,” asserting, “It’s not dead for me. I own my own house in Gardenia, California, and I have a car—all paid for... I’m doing all that and I’m just 21. I think I’m doing all right.” Good for her!
Yet “Newark didn’t grin when they bared it,” as a post at Newarktalk.com has it. While Tempest Storm “loved it” at Minsky’s on Brandford Place (the Minskys had fled Mayor LaGuardia’s antiburlesque crusade in New York, taking over the Adams Theatre in 1953—see Andrea Friedman’s Prurient Interests: Gender, Democracy, and Obscenity in New York City, 1909-1945 for a brilliant analysis of NYC antiburlesque activism), it was a shortlived Newark erotic renaissance: Valentine’s Day 1957 marked the death knell of Brick City burlesque. Despite Brennan’s earlier ruling, Newark nonetheless passed new ordinances in late 1955, against both actual nude performances and “the illusion of nudeness.” While a trial court rejected that standard as “nebulous,” the state supreme court reversed, placing more stock in Newark’s desire to “prevent moral contamination.” On the same day as Roth, but to much less acclaim, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed, in a per curiam decision with Brennan sitting out because he had been involved in the other NJ Adams case.
To this point, probably the most interesting aspect of Newark’s history of adult entertainment is that the legal end of it was often more permissive than that of New York City, which was still governed by a state film censorship body and the periodic bursts of social conservatism that would mark city politics from LaGuardia to Wagner to Lindsay and on through the wretched Giuliani. But what of the underground market? There, NYC had a clear lead, what with its cohort of Samuel Roth, Edward Mishkin, and others.
Still, I’ve found glimpses of a secret Newark history, one where male physique dealers such as Angelo Iuspa and Gerard Nisivoccia corresponded with Alfred Kinsey (though not with much personal revelation—mostly they just supplied him with material). As I mentioned in a Queer Newark history piece co-authored with Tim Stewart-Winter for OutHistory.org, Nisivoccia published an undeniably erotic book, Sandow: The Mighty Monarch of Muscle, mostly composed of photos, in 1947. The important gay male physique photographer Al Urban attended St. Benedict’s in Newark in the 1930s, and later Art Modern—“a lawful and legal and tax-paying firm,” as its flyer insisted—sold physique photos from a P.O. box in Newark. Surely there’s a deeper and richer queer history here—but one that currently remains elusive.
When it comes to straight smut, the evidence strongly suggests Newark wasn’t a smoldering hotbed of activity in the early Cold War years. When Estes Kefauver pointed his congressional committee toward pornography in the mid-1950s, the body amassed a huge trove of material, housed at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The National Archives are not user-friendly, and the Kefauver Committee records are particularly difficult to navigate, but there’s amazing stuff buried there—I found a great mug shot of David Alberts (whose Los Angeles case was fused with Roth’s for the Supreme Court), and the script for the lost Citizens for Decent Literature film Target Smut, among other things!
Kefauver sent his investigators out around the nation to gather dirt, the more sensationalistic, the better. Newark city officials seemed reluctant to participate—it’s hard to read this letter from the police chief, stating that “traffic in pornography in the city of Newark is light,” as anything but a rebuff—he goes on to note that no evidence links smut in Newark to narcotics or “white slavery,” reflecting Kefauver’s eagerness to make such associations (the police also consider porn an adult problem—Kefauver would disregard this entirely, and link smut to the corruption of children in his official report, something I’ve written about fairly extensively in Perversion for Profit).
The police did send Kefauver a list of Newark obscenity arrests—a useful document, but also one that proves the trade was fairly minimal.
So what was being sold under the table in Newark? The evidence is fairly scant—here are the handwritten notes of Kefauver’s investigator George Butler, who also wrote a lackluster memorandum reflecting his inability to get any good headline-worthy scoops—
–but there are a couple of documents in the committee records that point toward the smut trade in Newark. From this, we can see that a “Metropolitan Films” operated out of 50 Branford Place in 1949—just down the block from the Adams Theatre at 28 Branford!—
–and from this we can get the titles of some stag films confiscated in the city: Naughty Darlings, Dykes, Country Boy, and Ex G.I.’s First Night at Home. I haven’t had any luck tracing these—the first three are so generic that online searching is hard, and the last one yields nothing. If anyone has further knowledge, drop a line!
So, here we are: into the 1950s, with Newark cleaned up to fit the tenor of a repressive historical moment. It wouldn’t last, of course—but in the next post, I want to shift back slightly and look at some more anti-smut activism in the city... and its crashing failure. Until then, a preview of what “decency” in Newark looked like, circa 1955:
AdvertisementsBy Jake Donovan
The cruelest of cynics could gloat that Adonis Stevenson had this coming to him. A year after he left Sergey Kovalev high and dry when the two were believed to be on a collision course to face one another, the unbeaten Russian returned the favor on Tuesday when promoter Main Events announced it was withdrawing from an ordered purse bid hearing to be held on Friday.
Back when Stevenson and Kovalev were realistically expected to face each other, both owned separate titles, which meant neither were obligated to fight. However, it was the fight that fans, cable giant HBO and seemingly both fighters wanted, at least until Stevenson changed course, signing with Al Haymon and aligning himself with Showtime.
With Kovalev under contract with HBO, it meant the end of talks for such a fight – until Main Events forced its fighter into a mandatory ranking for Stevenson’s title, despite owning three belts of his own. The unique ruling made by the WBC allowing Kovalev’s clash with Jean Pascal to determine Stevenson’s next opponent was one that caught his team by surprise, but to which they were willing to comply.
In that vein, a feeling of disappointment and disgust surfaced when a note from Kathy Duva – head of Main Events - hit promoter Yvon Michel’s desk, indicating a drastic change in plans just three days before Friday’s purse bid hearing in Mexico City.
“It’s very disappointing,” Michel bluntly stated to BoxingScene.com after receiving the news. “The whole process was initiated by Main Events,” points out Yvon Michel, Stevenson's longtime promoter. “It was requested at the WBC Convention (last December) for Kovalev-Pascal winner to face Adonis. (Kathy Duva) went there requesting, to force Stevenson to fight the winner, without us knowing about it, as we were preparing for Adonis' fight with Dmitry Sukhotksy. We had been informed afterward by (WBC President) Mauricio Sulaiman; nobody asked our opinion.
“But we said fine, it’s a fight that everyone wants. We ensured to get the best revenue possible with the network that will invest the most and believes that has the most value for its viewers. We agreed to go through with the fight, no matter the result of the purse bid and what network aired the fight.”
Michel countered Main Events’ initial flurry, requesting an expedited purse bid hearing in lieu of a 30-days negotiation period. It was a bold move, one that nobody saw coming especially since it was common knowledge that Stevenson was in training at the time for an April 4 bout with Sakio Bika – which he won by decision – while Kovalev was moving towards a mandatory title defense of his own, versus Nadjib Mohammedi.
As the date drew closer, it became more apparent that – barring its getting HBO to crack open the vault – Main Events stood little chance of writing a check big enough to compete with what Stevenson’s team could bring to the table. With Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series running across several platforms, comes a deep bankroll well into nine figures.
The likely scenario was that Haymon – through Michel, or another promoter in his rotation, such as Goossen Promotions, DiBella Entertainment or Warriors Boxing – would win the purse bid and bring the fight either to NBC or CBS, the latter network on which Stevenson headlined during Saturday afternoon coverage on Easter weekend.
In the spirit of fair play, Michel and Stevenson were willing to accept whatever outcome came of Friday’s purse bid, even if it meant Main Events winning and the fight taking place on HBO.
What rubs the promoter the wrong way is the fact that the other side knew the circumstances all along, yet decided to pull the plug when it was believed everyone was on the same page.
Sounds familiar? Sure. In all fairness, however, Stevenson and his team caught plenty of hell from the media and fans alike for more than a year in its role played in the fight falling through. Now it’s time for the other side to read about themselves.
“When Kovalev beat Pascal and became the mandatory, we requested a purse bid,” Michel notes. “We told the WBC that, given the past history with them, we had no plans to negotiate. But we guaranteed right away to the WBC that if we lost the bid, we would go through with the fight.
“They never mentioned anything like that; that the fight had to take place only on HBO. That big proposal that they made, you can’t just limit it to one network. We evaluated the gate, the sponsorship and revenue. We believed it was going to be the same on their side.
“They fought Pascal over here (in Canada). It was just a question of HBO assisting them and bringing a big bid. But they didn’t believe they will win the bid. They want to make everyone believe again that if the fight doesn’t happen, it will be our fault, it will be Adonis’ fault. They have instead decided to take a dive.”
While Duva’s statement to the press cited claims of Stevenson’s declining popularity in attendance and viewership, Michel is quick to point out whose recent fight generated the higher ratings. The easy counter is that more homes have access to CBS (which hosted Stevenson-Bika) than HBO (Kovalev-Pascal), but it also goes to Michel’s point that there’s more than one horse in the race in determining where the fight lands.
“They brought this proposal to the table, for Kovalev to be mandatory challenger and a 50/50 split. I agree, we go 50/50 and go with the network that could put up the best offer,” Michel notes. “We don’t have a contract with Showtime, but everyone knows we are affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions, with Showtime and now CBS.
“It was cheap that she mentioned decreasing popularity in Stevenson. He fought on Easter Sunday. His numbers were still higher than Kovalev-Pascal. But all they had to do was bring a good fight to the purse bid. If they win, they put the fight wherever they want. If we win, all they have to do is show up and collect the money.”
The Achilles heel finally came out that – due to his exclusive deal with HBO – Kovalev is locked out of fighting on any other network. Of course, that wrinkle had four months to get ironed out, which leaves Michel unsympathetic to any pain felt on the other side. Conversely, the promoter in fact questions whether or not Kovalev’s handlers really wanted the fight, knowing the limited scope they had to make it happen.
“I believe now it was a publicity stunt,” Michel states. “They were the ones who approached the WBC. They wanted to try to increase Kovalev’s popularity and notoriety off my fighter’s name. They wanted to make it seem like Adonis had to be forced by the WBC. We were going to do everything within their power to. His goal is to fight Kovalev.”
“They want to limit us to where they have their fighter fight, because they can’t get out of that contract (with HBO). If they were honest and said from the beginning that if not HBO then Kovalev can’t fight, we wouldn’t have to go through with this.”
For now, it appears that the biggest fight to be made at light heavyweight will have to marinate for a little while longer. Kovalev will likely move forward with a bout with Mohammedi, while a new mandatory challenger will be named for Stevenson.
That’s if, of course, present matters stand firm. Michel still hopes that – this being boxing – the other corner opts to get off its stool and soldier on.
“Unless the WBC says otherwise, we are going to Mexico City (for Friday’s purse bid),” Michel insists. “If they don’t show up, they lose by default. Knowing that, the WBC will name another mandatory and we will have to face another contender.
“I don’t know who that fighter will be, but there’s only one fighter I’m thinking about next for Adonis and that’s Sergey Kovalev. I still hope that his team will change their mind and put up a fight. They need to finish this fight - a |
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Our technocracy is detached from competence. It's not the technocracy of engineers, but of "thinkers" who read Malcolm Gladwell and Thomas Friedman and watch TED talks and savor the flavor of competence, without ever imbibing its substance. These are the people who love Freakonomics, who enjoy all sorts of mental puzzles, who like to see an idea turned on its head, but who couldn't fix a toaster.The ObamaCare website is the natural spawn of that technocracy who love the idea of using modernity to make things faster and easier, but have no idea what anything costs or how it works.It's hard to have a functioning technocracy without engineers. A technocracy made in Silicon Valley with its complete disregard for anything outside its own ego zone would be bad enough. But this is a Bloombergian technocracy of billionaires and activists, of people who think that "progress" makes things work, rather than things working leading to progress.Healthcare.gov showed us that behind all the smoother and shinier designs was the same old clunky government where everything gets done because the right companies hire the right lobbyists and everything costs ten times what it should.If the government can't build a health care website, how is it going to actually run health care for an entire country is the obvious question that so many are asking. And the obvious answer is that it will run it the way it ran the website. It will throw wads of money and people at the problem and then look for programs it doesn't like to squeeze for extra cash.The Navy had to be cut to the bone and the Benghazi mission had to make do without security so that a Canadian company which began employing a classmate of Michelle Obama's could score over half a billion to build a broken website. Obama mocked Mitt Romney's criticism of his Navy cuts by telling him that we don't fight with bayonets and horses anymore. Bayonets and horses are outdated. In our glorious modernity, we spend fortunes to build websites that don't work instead.Modernity has to be built. It has to be constructed brick by bit by rivet by cable by people who know what they are doing. Modernity without competence is as worthless as the ObamaCare website which looked pretty enough to give the illusion of technocratic modernity, but didn't actually work.Competence is the real modernity and it has very little to do with the empty trappings of design that surround it. In some ways the America of a few generations ago was a far more modern place because it was a more competent place. For all our nice toys, we look like primitive savages compared to men who could build skyscrapers and fleets within a year... and build them well.Those aren't things we can do anymore. Not because the knowledge and skills don't exist, but because the culture no longer allows it. We can't do them for the same reason that Third World countries can't do what we do. It's not that the knowledge is inaccessible, but that the culture gets in the way.It's our very hollow modernity that gets in the way of our truly being modern. We can no longer build big things because the ability to implement vision on a large scale no longer exists. We can still do impressive things as individuals, but that's also true of Kenya or Thailand. And in China, they can carry out grandiose projects, but those projects have no vision or competence.We used to be able to combine the two by competently implementing grandiose visions, but our "modern" culture is the roadblock that prevents us from working together to make the great things that we can still envision individually.Our modernity is style rather than substance. It's Obama grinning. It's the right font. It's the right joke. It's that sense that X knows what he's doing because he presents it the right way. There's nothing particularly modern about that. In most cultures, the illusion of competence trumps the real thing. It's why so many countries are so badly broken because they go by appearances, rather than by results.The idea that we should go by results, rather than by processes, by outcomes rather than by appearances, was revolutionary. For most of human history, we were trapped in a cargo cult mode. We did the "right things" not because they led to the right results, but because we had decided that they were the right things. There were many competent people, but they were hamstrung by rigid institutions that made it impossible to go from Point A to Point B in the shortest possible time. And we're right back there today. The entire process of ObamaCare was the opposite of going from Point A to Point B. It was the least competent and efficient solution every step of the way. There was no reason to think that its website would be any better. The process that led to it being dumped on the American people was completely devoid of any notion of testing or outcomes. It was the right thing to do because... it was the right thing to do. It was cargo cult logic all the same. So was its website.Healthcare.gov, like ObamaCare, was going to work because it was "good". Its goodness was by some measure other than result. It was morally good. It was progressive. And so the deity of liberal causes, perhaps Karl Marx or Progressia, the Goddess of Soup and Economic Dysfunction, would see to it that it would work. Karma would kick in and everything would work out because it had to.This brand of magical thinking was once commonplace. It still is. And it's why things so rarely work out in some of the more messed up parts of the world. But the sort of attitude that would once have made anthropologists shake their heads is now commonplace here. Savages in suits, barbarians with iPads are certain that things will work because they have appeased the gods of modernity with their fonts, they have made a website that looks like a functioning website. And like the cargo culters who built fake control towers expecting planes to land, they thought that their website would work.Competence is built on the unhappy understanding that things won't work because you want them to, they won't work if you go through the motions, they will only work if you understand how a thing works and then make it work by building it, by testing it and by expecting failure every step of the way and wrestling with the problem until you get it right.That's modernity. It isn't glamorous. You can see it in black and white photos of men working on old planes. You can see it in the eyes of the astronauts who first went to the moon. You can read it in the workings of the men who built the longest suspension bridges, laid undersea cables and watched their world change. They were moderns and their time is done. They have left behind savages with cell phones who make decent tinkerers, but whose ability to collaborate falls apart in large groups.The difference between savages and civilized men isn't that savages are dumb and civilized people are smart. Savages can individually be quite clever within their parameters and civilized folk can be quite stupid. It's the ability to extend that intelligence in groups that makes for a civilization.Savages cannot work together. They can fantasize, but they can't build anything bigger than a small group can manage. Savages are warriors, but not soldiers, they are tinkerers, not engineers, they are inventors, not scientists, they cannot work together on a large scale and thereby push past their own limitations as a culture and grow. They may have individual geniuses, but they cannot pass on what they learn.We have not yet been reduced to savagery, but our incompetence increases in large groups to such a staggering extent that it often seems not to be worth the trouble. Individual geniuses can occasionally carry large groups on their shoulders, micromanaging them, terrorizing them and motivating them, the way that tribal chieftains do, but without that singular personality the whole thing collapses.The United States government is the ultimate giant unworkable mess. It is a living cargo cult where everyone marches around following routines that are supposed to yield great prosperity, but never do. The processes themselves are broken and make no sense, but the cargo culturers of the government cannot and will not hear that. They know that the government will magically make everything work.Because government is progress. Government is modernity. Government is magic. The cargo culters on the islands, who once witnessed the might and power of the American military during WW2 make American flags and uniforms, they build airstrips and wooden control towers, and wait for the planes to land and make them rich. They don't understand why these things should work, but they do them anyway because that is how they remember it happening.Our own cargo culters invoke FDR and JFK, they talk about the New Deal and the Great Society, they make grand promises and roll out big programs, and then they wait for it all to work. They don't understand themselves how or why it would work. But government is magic and the appearance of a thing is just as good as a real deal.Build a website and it will work. Pass a law and they will come. Get a degree and you're competent.There is no need to know how to do a thing. You don't need engineers or competent men. All you need to do is remember the great dreams of the past, listen to a few inspirational JFK speeches and then carve a computer out of wood and wait for free health care to arrive.In cargo cult America, the food is free, the cell phones are free and the money can be printed forever because government is magic.One of the worst things you can be when you're a dogmatic person is wrong. If you insist that you're right about something and it turns out you're wrong, you're not just wrong about that something. You're wrong about having been right. You're wrong simply for your attitude toward your own knowledge. This is something Paul gets at when he writes "Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?"
Years ago, I believed in a lot of things like heaven and God. And I was told that to really believe in them, I had to eliminate any kind of doubt. The problem was I'd study the Bible and doubts would creep in. I'd find difficult passages that we'd based clear-cut theologies on. I'd learn more about the writers of the books and why they wrote and to whom and suddenly everything was looking a lot muddier.
This kills belief. Belief can't handle being wrong. Belief is concerned not with what is believed but the the rightness of the one believing. And so belief takes things like "God" and "heaven" that should be fluid and evolving and growing and maturing as ideas and separates them from the people. Belief puts God behind a curtain, preserving God like a museum piece.
Since then, I've gone from believing in these things to hoping in them. Because when you believe in something "unseen" to use Paul's word, you become dogmatic. You can't prove it to anyone, and so you end up insisting that you are right instead of insisting on what is right. But hope -- hope leaves room for doubt. Hope embraces your doubt. I hope in God, but I could be wrong. I hope in heaven, but I could be wrong.
This does two things -- one, it opens you up to people. It opens you up to loving people. To seeing who they really are, and seeing how they see you. To discovering new things every day in them. To finding reality in other people instead of in creeds and beliefs and dogmas. To finding God in all of life, not just the smells and bells of the church.
Second, this kind of hope turns away from belief and discovers faith. When I have faith in something, I don't have a handle on it. I don't have it in my grasp. I have to hold it with open hands, but when I do, I discover true freedom. Sure, hold on to your truth, faith says, but your truth doesn't have to hold on to you. The freedom to have faith instead of belief -- the freedom to doubt -- is one of the most beautiful things about following Christ.
With faith, I can work for good in the world. I can see the world in all of its messy, random, meaningless tragedy and say: So what? I'm going to create meaning. I'm going to love my neighbor. I'm going to work to free the oppressed. I'm going to live out grace. I'm going to feed the hungry. I'm going to live as if life has meaning, despite the evidence, and hope that I'm right.
This allows me to live with the mystery, to love my neighbor without having an agenda for their conversion. My agenda is for their peace, their equality, their worth as a human being. Doubt allows me to follow Jesus in my own life, and help people find grace and peace and acceptance in their lives.
Doubt also keeps me sane. Rather than making me like a wave tossed by the sea, as the book of James puts it, it allows me to go on. It allows me to participate in the grace and love of God even though I feel separated from it so often. It allows me to read the Bible seriously -- which is very different than how I grew up. It allows me to rethink things like hell and sin and this thing called penal substitution that imagines God demanding blood for sins (and offering Jesus to die to satisfy that bloodlust). And it allows me to love, to really love.
Because love, too, doubts. Love is uncertain. Love is a risk. It's something you have to have faith in, not something you can believe in. Love "hopes all things" Paul tells us, and that means it doubts.
I'll be honest, it's hard to doubt. There are days I want to just give up on this whole thing. It's hard. But that's what community is all about. We're there to help each other doubt more, and have more faith. I wouldn't be who I am today without the people who have encouraged me to doubt, and to have faith, and to let go of my belief.
One thing I know: We can't conquer hopelessness with certainty. We can't fix tragedy with dogma. We can only embrace the doubt that comes when we hope, when we have faith, when we love.6.0.0.CR1, 6.0.0.CR2 and 6.0.0.CR3 where we polished the features and the API.
6.0.0.Beta2 with support for non generic container types in value extraction;
You can read the whole story in the announcements of our Alpha, Beta and Candidate releases:
We also have leveraged the new features of JDK 8 (built-in constraints are marked repeatable, parameter names are retrieved via reflection) as it is now the minimal version required.
Support for the new JSR 310 date/time data types for @Past and @Future ;
First and foremost, Hibernate Validator 6.0 is the Reference Implementation of the Bean Validation 2.0 specification so it comes with all its new features:
We’re going to publish the results of our benchmarks on this blog soon.
We have done quite a lot of benchmarking and have significantly improved the performances of Hibernate Validator. It can be up to two times faster in various scenarios.
Hibernate Validator should now consume significantly less memory than before to store your constrained beans' metadata.
To do its magic, Hibernate Validator collects a lot of metadata on your constrained beans. After a report from the Keycloak developers, we worked on reducing the memory footprint used by the collected metadata.
Easy upgrade
The first thing you’ll notice is that the groupId of the artifact has changed: it is now org.hibernate.validator (we added validator at the end to better compartimentalize the various Hibernate technologies).
Other than that, it will probably just be a drop-in replacement if you didn’t use experimental features.
If you used the old value handling infrastructure to deal with custom containers, you need to migrate them to the new value extractor infrastructure.
The detailed list of potential migration concerns can be found in our migration guide.It's unfortunate that it can take a great player's death for us to go back and really appreciate what a talent like Alfredo Di Stéfano brought to the sport. That's especially so in America, where the popular notion of soccer involves Brits inventing the game, Pelé and Brazil mastering it, us continuing not to care, and then then a few global icons—Ronaldinho and Beckham then, Cristiano and Messi now—coming around.
Lost in that gross conflation of soccer's rich history are the abilities of a huge number of greats, among whom Di Stéfano is, maybe, tops. We've already touched on the basics of his career, and his stature as the galvanizer of the soccer superclub era for the single embodiment of soccer superclubs, Real Madrid. What can never be overstated is the reason why he was so revered and became an icon on the two most soccer-crazed continents. It came down to his unique, transcendent style of play.
You know when you're watching little kids play basketball—like, really little, second or third graders, big enough to handle the ball a little but too small to shoot outside of about 10 feet? There's always that one kid head and shoulders better than the rest, usually the one with a couple older brothers and the house next to the park, who's been practicing for a while. In games with his peers, his talent is so superior that he pretty much does everything.
On offense, he takes the ball up the court, peers around the floor at the amorphous array of bodies for a teammate to pass to, and often decides to just put his head down and charge into that muck himself, somehow careening out the other side with a neat little layup that no amount of picks or passes could've bettered.
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On defense, he's like a one-kid tornado, flying around the floor, always harrying the ball no matter where it goes. It's not a zone or man defense, it's "the good kid guards the kid with the ball, the rest of us make way." It would all be off-putting to the others if it wasn't so obvious that letting him do his thing was their best chance to win.
While no one would claim that Alfredo Di Stéfano—especially not the version that played for the late-'50s, early-'60s Real Madrid juggernaut that was the crux of why the team was named FIFA's Club of the Century—played with a bunch of scrubs not fit to share a pitch with him, that was more or less his style. When he played, he did everything.
The Blond Arrow is most renowned for a goal-scoring prowess that saw him net 418 goals in 510 appearances while at Madrid, but knowing how he scored so much is more important to understanding him than the mere fact itself.
Above is footage from a Barcelona-Real Madrid match in 1960. In that highlight reel, you can see a lot of what made Di Stéfano so unique. (If you're looking for him, he's the burly guy with the blond hair in the number 9 shirt.) He was the team's center forward, but very rarely was he the furthest man on the pitch. Usually, you see him deep in midfield, charging forward with the ball, transitioning from defense to midfield to attack all by himself. He always wanted the ball. One highlight that makes all his compilation videos is when he runs up and takes it away from one of his own teammates.
This video, from the 1957 European Cup semifinal against Manchester United, further exhibits his particular quality. In those days, soccer was a game of space. The WM formation, consisting of three at the back, two in what we'd call defensive midfield, two in attacking midfield, two wingers and a striker was the formation of the day. It required its players to cover lots of ground, which meant there were often huge pockets of space to be found. The next, from the 1960 European Cup final, is much the same.
The basic attacking ethos in that era was to spread everyone out and get the ball to the open man, who would then gobble up as much space as he could before running into a swarm of defenders, then try to find a teammate in another pocket to do it all over again.
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This created a game of specialists. You needed a couple quick players to sprint into space and send in crosses from wide, a cadre of men in defense with iron lungs and a willingness to chase after a player in space, a big center forward with a soft touch who could power in those crosses with either a strong header or a perfectly angled flick of the boot, and maybe a couple of guys adept at picking incisive passes to cut through all the bodies in the final third.
Di Stéfano was probably the best on his team at each of those. He was as big as anyone else on the pitch, and athletic enough to corral long balls with the hardest of defenders. He was as agile as any winger, and could dribble past multiple defenders trying to impede his progress towards goal. His stats tell the story of his goal scoring, but even then he was the team's most creative passer, able to snake the ball through the tiniest of openings with each and every part of his foot.
Even with all of the goal scoring and the mazy dribbling and the dropping deep to start attacks and charging back to tackle a ball he'd lost, it was the way he operated in space that was revolutionary. The game in his day was about maximizing the copious amounts of open space that was available; Di Stéfano was at his best in those times when there was practically no space. Foreseeing a future where the dominant defensive strategy would be constant, immediate pressing, Di Stéfano was completely at ease with bodies around him. He could feint this way and that, feather the ball around before leaving the defenders in the dust, or wait until enough defenders are magnetized in his direction to back heel a perfect through ball for Ferenc Puskás to run onto.
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Before there was Total Football, there was Alfredo Di Stéfano running up and down the pitch, commanding his entire team from any spot on the entire field back when most were taught to stick to their positions. Before there was the modern focus on first touch and close control, there was Alfredo Di Stéfano cushioning in 50-yard long balls and dribbling amid a fog of defenders, when most were content only to sprint in the clearings. He was a player well ahead of his time, and it was what made him the iconic player of his day, and one of the greatest to step foot on a pitch.[/caption]
For a long time now, we have heard the mantra “follow the water” when it comes to searching for life elsewhere. Life as we know it here on Earth requires liquid water, whether it is tiny microbes or elephants. It has thus been assumed that carbon-based life somewhere else that is basically similar to ours in its chemical makeup (another assumption) would also require water for its survival and growth. But is that necessarily true? In recent years, more consideration has been given to the possibility that life could develop in other mediums as well, besides water. A liquid is still ideal, for allowing the necessary molecules to bond together. So what are the alternatives? Well, one of the most interesting possibilities is something we have already seen now elsewhere in our solar system – liquid methane.
It should be noted that the importance of water cannot be overlooked. According to Chris McKay, an astrobiologist and planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, “We live on a planet where water is a liquid and we have adapted and evolved to work with that liquid. Life has very cleverly used the properties of water to do things not just in terms of solution, but in using the strong polarity of that solution to its advantage in terms of hydrophobic and hydrophilic bonds, and using the very structure of water to help align molecules.”
But McKay also published a paper In the journal Planetary and Space Science last April, postulating how life on some worlds could use liquid methane in place of water. There could be planets orbiting red dwarf stars, which are smaller and cooler than our Sun, and could have a “liquid methane habitable zone” where methane could exist as a liquid on the surface of planets orbiting within that zone. They could also exist around Sun-like stars, although they would be easier to detect around the smaller, dimmer red dwarf stars. But there is already one methane world that we know of, much closer to home…
Orbiting the sixth planet out from the Sun, Saturn, is a moon which in some ways is eerily Earth-like, with rain, rivers, lakes and seas – Titan. It is the first world we’ve found so far that has liquid on its surface like Earth does. But there is one major difference; the liquid is not water, it is liquid methane/ethane. With temperatures far colder than anywhere on Earth at –179 degrees Celsius, water cannot exist as a liquid, it is frozen as hard as rock. But methane can exist as a liquid under those conditions and indeed does on Titan. Beneath an atmosphere that is thicker than ours (but also made primarily of nitrogen), the surface of Titan has been modified in much the same way as Earth’s; liquid methane plays the same role there as water does here, with a complete hydrological cycle. It is like a familiar-looking but colder version of our planet, which has raised the question of whether an environment like this could even support life of some kind.
McKay had also previously suggested that methane-based life could consume hydrogen, acetylene and ethane, and exhale methane instead of carbon-dioxide. This would result in a depletion of hydrogen, acetylene and ethane on the surface of Titan. Interestingly, this is just what has been found by the Cassini spacecraft, although McKay is quick to caution that there could still be other more likely explanations. There is still a lot we don’t know about Titan. Whatever the explanation, there is some interesting chemistry going on.
At the very least, Titan is thought to represent conditions similar to those on the early Earth, a sort of primordial Earth in deep-freeze. That alone could provide vital clues as to how to life took hold on our planet. If there are other planets or moons out there that are similar, as now seems likely, they could also reveal valuable insights into the question of the origin of life, whether there is anything swimming in those cold lakes and seas or not. While water is still considered the primary liquid medium of choice, liquid methane could be the next best thing, and if we have learned anything, it is how amazingly adaptive and resourceful life can be, perhaps even more than we think.Cows enjoy some water at the South Mountain Creamery farm in Middletown, Md. Randy and Karen Sowers run the successful dairy farm that has become popular in Washington for its home-delivered milk.
April 9, 2015 Cows enjoy some water at the South Mountain Creamery farm in Middletown, Md. Randy and Karen Sowers run the successful dairy farm that has become popular in Washington for its home-delivered milk. Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post
A Maryland farm known for its home-delivered milk is better known on Capitol Hill as an example of IRS overreach.
A Maryland farm known for its home-delivered milk is better known on Capitol Hill as an example of IRS overreach.
A Maryland farm known for its home-delivered milk is better known on Capitol Hill as an example of IRS overreach.
Randy Sowers always expected the government to show up one day and ask where all the cash he was depositing at his bank came from. He thought he had the right answer: from his business selling eggs and milk at farmers markets.
But under a federal law designed to target money laundering, Sowers and his Maryland dairy farm lost a big chunk of that income — $29,500 — to the government. Three years later, he hasn’t gotten any of it back and almost certainly never will. In the court of public opinion, however, South Mountain Creamery has become a potent symbol for the movement against civil asset forfeiture.
Sowers’s case is perfect for libertarians trying to stir up opposition to government seizures of cash. It appeals to conservatives, liberals and anyone who likes baby cows.
Sowers is a high-school-educated entrepreneur who describes himself as inspired by God to deliver local dairy products to busy locavores. The chickens he and his wife, Karen, raise are cage-free, their cows grass-fed, their milk pumped into glass jugs. Nestled in the farmland of Frederick County, Md., South Mountain has fans in both Washington and Baltimore.
On the other side is the seemingly perfect villain for forfeiture critics. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan Cassella, who handled the case, helped draft Justice Department asset-forfeiture policy and launched an entire forfeiture unit in Maryland. Cassella quite literally wrote the book on goverment seizures: “Asset Forfeiture Law in the United States, 2nd Edition.” The single review on Amazon gives the book one star and asks, “How do you sleep at night?”
After milking cows for several hours, Karen and Randy Sowers have breakfast and read the local newspaper at 4:30 a.m. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
South Mountain Creamery, on Yelp, gets 4 1/ 2 stars. Sample comment: “OMG! their butter tastes like ice cream!”
Sowers was not accused of money laundering or attempting to hide illegal profits. Federal agents who showed up at his farm in February 2012 told him that they thought he was an honest businessman. But he had run afoul of federal law requiring banks to report deposits of more than $10,000 and making it a crime to evade the reporting requirement by “structuring” cash into smaller amounts.
The law is aimed at fighting money laundering, terrorism financing, tax evasion and other fraud, and its use against small businesses has become a target for critics of government overreach.
“The South Mountain case happened to be one of these that captured the imagination,” said Walter Olson, a blogger for the libertarian Cato Institute who has written about the Sowers case. “Once you’ve bought ice cream for your kids from one of their little trucks, the name sticks in your memory.”
Unlike many business owners accused of financial crimes, Sowers was also willing to talk. He told anyone at the farmers markets who asked how he was doing. He told the state secretary of agriculture.
The story he’s now told to members of Congress, Christian broadcasters and Chinese-language television begins in 2011, when South Mountain’s weekend farmers market business started to take off. He told it again recently to a reporter in the sunroom he added to his farmhouse three years ago, overlooking what was his first chicken coop and is now used for his booming dairy-delivery business.
“We wanted to put the money somewhere my employees wouldn’t see it and think we had a lot of money to spend,” Sowers said. So his wife started putting the farmers market cash in a new account. A teller told her, Sowers said, that depositing more than $10,000 at once would require the filling out of a form. So the Sowerses kept their deposits below that amount, even when a weekend could yield $12,000 to $14,000 in cash.
Taking a break at 4 a.m. after several hours of milking, Randy Sowers pauses to say hello to the family cat on his way into the house. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
On Feb. 29, 2012, two special agents showed up at the farm and asked Sowers about the deposits. He told them, according to court filings, that he was trying not to “throw up red flags.” In other words, he admitted that he had intentionally avoided triggering the disclosure requirement.
“That’s about when they quit asking me questions,” Sowers said. The $63,000 in his account had already been seized.
Based on Freedom of Information Act requests, the libertarian Institute for Justice has reported that the Internal Revenue Service has seized almost a quarter-billion dollars in such cases from 2005 to 2012, about half of which was never returned. A third of those cases, like the Sowers case, did not involve allegations of criminal activity beyond the structured deposits themselves.
[Report: IRS took cash, asked questions later]
Sowers’s attorneys, Paul Kamenar and Dave Watt, said attempts to negotiate were fruitless, in part because their client went to the press. Sowers had denied wrongdoing in an interview with Baltimore City Paper. Because of that, as part of a 2012 settlement in which both parties agreed that the government would keep 10 percent of the $295,220 in deposits that were allegedly structured, Cassella required Sowers to agree that there was reason to seize his funds.
Needing the cash to buy that season’s crops, Sowers agreed. But the settlement has not stopped him from dissenting in the meantime. “I think the government ought to give me my money back,” he told lawmakers at a Capitol Hill hearing in February.
The Maryland U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment, beyond noting that Sowers signed the settlement.
The Capitol Hill appearance was arranged by the Institute for Justice (IJ), which found out about Sowers’s case from media reports a few years ago and has been following it ever since. The group alerted the office of Rep. Peter J. Roskam (R-Ill.), chairman of the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee.
“It’s just such a compelling example of what happens when the government is just seizing money,” said Robert Johnson, one of several IJ attorneys who have visited the farm.
“What’s more, he added, “I have a lot of friends who drink South Mountain Creamery milk.”
Roskam said he has told the Sowers story to senior citizens in his suburban Chicago district — and watched as their jaws dropped. “This is not a meth lab,” he said. “This is not a mafia front group. There’s no drug ring. These are people who have been in the dairy business a long time.”
Roskam has hounded the IRS not just on the issue of structuring but also on denying tax-exempt status to tea party groups and its choice of HealthCare.gov contractors.
The forfeiture issue crosses party lines. When Sowers testified, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) recalled his own farm childhood and apologized “for what the IRS did to you.”
Sowers is not that interested in politics. (Invited to the inauguration of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), he decided to stay home.) So he was only vaguely aware of the change in Justicer Department policy announced March 31. From now on, bank accounts won’t be seized unless serious illegal transactions have been documented.
He also hadn’t heard that Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) is working on legislation to address loopholes in that guidance. An earlier bill brought by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), citing Sowers’s case, has languished. Grassley has a hearing on the topic scheduled for Wednesday — also known as Tax Day, which conservatives and libertarians have turned into an opportunity to protest the IRS.
“I never thought too much about politics before,” Sowers said. “I like to go to work, go back to bed, wake up and go back to work.” He used to wake up at midnight to milk the cows; now that he has robots doing some of the work, he wakes up earlier to check on the robots.
Sowers gets angry only when he recalls the lack of interest in his case closer to home. “Annapolis should have been rocking,” he grunted. Instead, he said, he heard nothing from the state legislature.
Still, he’s at least a little impressed that his woes have made waves further afield. “I can’t believe,” he marveled, “it’s gone this far.”Actors Chrissie Fit and Cyrina Fiallo, both from Miami, are living in Los Angeles doing some pretty big things in Hollywood. (You might recognize Fit from Pitch Perfect 2 and Fiallo from Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie). Although the two are West Coasters now, their latest collaboration proves you can take the girl out of Hialeah, but you can't take Hialeah out of the girl.
In between gigs, those creative juices all actors keep hidden in their fridge can start to run a little dry. So in an effort to stay expressive, Fit and Fiallo took to YouTube for Hialeahwood, where the two assume 17-year-old alter egos Yalixa and Bea ("You know, like Bae?") and review movies.
The first episode was released on Fit's channel this past Friday, and the girls reviewed Disney's live-action flick The Jungle Book. As the video description states, "BFFs, Yalixa Diaz and Beatrix Fernandez, from Hialeah, Florida, share their critiques on the latest Hollywood films. These teenage girls break it down. Like for real, bro."The mother of the alleged Boston Marathon bombers spoke with her older son about going to “Palestine.”
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, in a telephone conversation from Russia with her older son Tamerlan, suggested that he go to Palestine during a discussion about jihad, the Associated Press reported. The Russian security service intercepted the phone conversation, according to the news service.
Mother and son reportedly discussed the idea of Tamerlan going to the Palestinian territories, but he apparently said he didn’t speak the language there.
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Russian officials told the FBI in early 2011 that they believed Tamerlan, 26, and his mother were religious extremists. Following what the AP called a “limited inquiry,” the FBI closed the case in June 2011.
Tamerlan traveled to Russia in 2011, spending six months there.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has denied that she and her sons, Tamerlan and Dzhohkar Tsarnaev, 19, were involved in Islamic terrorism, saying her sons are being framed by United States security officials.
Police say the brothers, ethnic Chechens from Russia who had lived in the US for about a decade, carried out the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, which killed three people and wounded more than 260. The brothers later killed a university police officer at MIT.
Tamerlan was killed in a shootout with police and Dzhohkar was apprehended by police. He was questioned for two days before he got a lawyer and refused to continue providing information.
Investigators and lawmakers briefed by the FBI have said the Tsarnaev brothers — ethnic Chechens from Russia who had lived in the US for about a decade — were motivated by anger over the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that Zubeidat Tsarnaeva was added to a federal terrorism database about 18 months ago.
Dzhohkar was transferred to a prison medical facility on Friday from Boston’s Beth Israel hospital.
The hospital’s Israeli-trained CEO Kevin Tabb told |
.by Maxwell Foret on April 4, 2015
We are told it would be terrible to be “on the wrong side of history”, which is another way of saying whoever wins a war is morally righteous and deserves sham pledges of loyalty for toppling the previous order.
Revolutionaries are quick to utter this demoralizing propaganda to normalize their reckless acts, while the forces driving culture wars send millions of useful idiots into battle promising to overturn standards held since the beginning of civilization.
These agitators eager to make history through their actions expect to prevail, though few of them ever experienced any success or excellence in the actual world. They are all bluff, noise, phony posturing, fake outrage, and passive aggression.
The standards they propose possess neither a new capability nor new idea, while delegitimizing desirable and historically proven forms. They tell us they will win, and smugly suggest we should therefore stand aside, declare surrender, and accept their dictated demands.
They propose idealistic fantasies as a solution to genuine problems, and though it is possible to spend fortunes gathered from tax payers and pass laws requiring people to act out these fantasies, this merely props up illusion with flimsy scaffolding. At some point reality will rudely intrude with ruthless mockery of this farce.
If the action they seek to mandate was beneficial, rational people would choose it without law requiring them to do so. The first few supporters yielding beneficial results would start a wave of copy-cats seeking the same advantage for themselves. No coercion or threats of force would be needed.
As no demonstrable benefit exists and no rational advantage can be credibly asserted, advocates attack by accusing all non-believers of harboring extreme irrationality that cannot be mediated by intellectual means, and therefore requires the imposition of law to force all to accept a position that is claimed to be substantially advantageous, though the supposed gains can’t be explained and most oppose these changes as undesirable.
Opposition to these new measures is ignored, whether the concern is personal harm, degradation of society, moral objections, religious principles, or philosophical recognition that evidence is entirely lacking for the claim that benefit should be expected from these changes.
Once debunked by rational examination, advocates will describe the new laws as being benign, and promise they will have no net effect, which makes their vigorous fight for binding legislation to nullify centuries of standards seems like overkill to achieve a non-result. Doing nothing so that no errors are introduced accomplishes the same without agitating the public, undermining trust, and sidetracking a government which is intended to act on behalf of citizens.
As public discussion on the plan highlights the lack of evidence for any advantage, advocates will claim neither is there evidence for harm because the experiment has never been attempted, and therefore we should try it on ourselves to find out what happens. They will say many people want it and will be angry if it isn’t done, again precluding a reason or consideration of its consequences.
With these politics, it’s a mob all the way down.
We’ve seen these tactics before, and they are merely tactics without a basis in reason, science, or improvements in quality. By deferring each time to the same propaganda techniques, attacks and false promises in an effort to create history, the mob has overreached in their attempt to overthrow standards that have stood the test of time.
As there remains plenty of history to still be written, and their baseless experiments are likely to fail once played out, society will do its best to absorb these blows before gradually restoring its institutions. Its path will allow it to discover the healthiest system, eventually deciding upon something close to what we already figured out before, inevitably restoring the traditional form that was originally reached through the same comparative measurements for robust results.
These confused and angry outbursts share a similar origin and the healthy parts of society both refrain from contract with rebels and shelter away from any effects caused by the fruitless attempt at remaking the world.
With good nature, we would do well to advise those cheering for the mob that they should not want to be on the wrong side of history by joining a group with such an abysmal record of errors and oversights. Their proposed improvements for civilization are poised to fail and be remembered as an embarrassing mistake with which no one should desire association.
Tags: collapse, crowdism, decay, decline, degeneration, liberalism, wrong side of history
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Varanasi: As the high-voltage campaign for the last phase of polling on Monday ended in this temple town, Aam Aadmi Party today announced that it has deployed 250 spy cameras across the city to keep a tab on BJP workers, alleging they may try to influence voters by offering money and liquor.
In a press conference, AAP leader Sanjay Singh claimed that the BJP may try its best to lure the voters by "illegal means" as it has realized that its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was going to be defeated by Arvind Kejriwal in the mega battle.
"We think there will be efforts by BJP to distribute money and liquor in the run up to the elections on Monday. So we have deployed 250 volunteers carrying spy cameras to check such illegal activities," he said while exuding confidence of? handing a crushing defeat to Modi who is contesting from here.
Singh said the contest will be between Modi and Kejriwal and Congress candidate Ajay Rai will not be able to make any significant impact in the elections.
He said though Rahul Gandhi held a road show today, it will not help Congress win hearts of people in Varanasi.
Another senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said the party was amazed to see the "massive support" for the fledging party across the country in its debut Lok Sabha election.
The AAP has fielded 422 candidates in the election.
"We have charted a different course challenging the established parties as well as some top industrial houses who have huge financial power. We are happy with the love and support given by the people of the country," he said.
Mainly targeting the BJP, Yadav said "this election will be known for shameless use of money and media to create a wave for one person. It had never happened before. We had to fight against all the odds".
"For us the result of the election was not everything. What we are aiming is to make systemic changes in our polity and governance structure," he added.
The AAP leader refused to answer if the party would support a Third Front government.
Claiming that BJP was totally frustrated by the support extended to Kejriwal by the people of Varanasi, Singh said it was reflected by the number of instances wherein AAP volunteers had been beaten up across the city allegedly by workers of the saffron party.
"They may even resort to booth capturing. I appeal to people to remain vigilant in the next 48 hours," he said.
The city witnessed intense campaigning by AAP, BJP and Congress in the last three-four days as prominent leaders of all the three parties campaigned here to win the support of the people.
The contest here is being dubbed as the most engrossing one as two of the most widely talked about politicians are putting up an aggressive fight in the holy city.
Kejriwal had yesterday carried out a massive road show criss-crossing various key localities of the city a day after Modi drove through a five kilometer stretch after being denied permission to hold a rally at Beniabagh.
In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi had won the seat after defeating Mukhtar Ansari by a margin of 17,000 votes.
Ansari, who is known to have a strong support base among the Muslims, has supported Congress` Rai.
The Samajwadi Party has fielded Kailash Chaurasiya, a sitting MLA from nearby Mirzapur.Convicted killer Stuart Horner has continued his rooftop protest at Manchester’s Strangeways prison for a third day amid a tense standoff with riot police.
Horner, 35, who was jailed in 2012 for shooting dead his uncle with a sawn-off shotgun, vowed to continue his protest for “40 days and nights” after scaling the roof of HMP Manchester on Sunday afternoon.
Two officers armed with riot shields climbed ladders inside the roof void today, but were unable to reach Horner, who was seen smashing windows and throwing pieces of metal to the ground in scenes that echoed the Strangeways riot of April 1990.
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The protest has sparked claims that conditions inside the prison are at ‘boiling point’ – 25 years after the jail last erupted. Prisoners could be heard shouting and rattling their cell windows.
Horner earlier appeared on the roof wearing a T-shirt scrawled with the words: “It’s not 1990. Tell the Government we’ve all had enough. Sort the whole system.”
Crowds of people gathered in the street outside the prison last night for a “protest party”. They played music and lit fireworks. Another crowd was starting to gather this afternoon.
A Prison Service spokesman said that staff were negotiating with Horner to “safely resolve the situation”.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
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Subscribe nowI'm Kind of a Big Deal
When people start trying to claim complex people are "opposite" to each other, you already have plenty of reason to simply dismiss their point of view as being divorced from reality.Every pair of people has something they differ on by virtue of being different people. That doesn’t make them opposites. Some people have "a lot of differences" and lack common ground. Some people have "a lot, but not quite as many as the last group" and maybe have tenuous ground to come together on. And so on, with a lot of nuanced gradients on the scale. If you keep going too far where you hit "there is very little actually different between the two" you’ll eventually hit a stopping point where it is difficult to find meaningful differences.Regardless of where a couple lies on that scale, they might fall in love. Love is a fickle thing. If they lack common interests, they may find they don’t have any activities they can do together and both enjoy. Some couples like that find sex to be the only thing they enjoy together, while others don’t even have that. If a couple doesn’t enjoy being with each other, love doesn’t really overpower that, despite what the storybooks say.Those couples which seem very different usually still have things they’ve found in common, even if you as an outsider don’t see them.There is also a concept known as "foe-yay" in which it is super popular to ship characters who are not merely "very different" but actual legitimately hostile to each other. Hero x Villain ships.I’d say RariJack falls high on the scale of difference. The fact that they are friends at all often feels forced. If they have common ground at all, it feels like they ignore it in favor of bickering. In areas that are important to them, they have different approaches and beliefs that turn otherwise "similarities" into differences (like both being business owners).When it comes to Trixie and Twilight (yay, finally on topic), canon has shown us that Twilight has held a grudge towards her. Even if she forgave her at the end of Magic Duel, she didn’t forget. Her forgiveness wasn’t, "OK, lets be friends and hang out now. Wanna get a smoothie?" Trixie ran off to try to salvage her career. When we see her again in No Second Prances, the two are downright icy to each other. Even by the end of that episode, Twilight merely agreed to step back and let Starlight have her own friends, and not meddle. She still never became friends with Trixie, let alone romance.So, all the work to get them past that "working out their differences" and so on needs to be performed by anyone supporting the ship. If you’re writing a fanfic, you have all that to get past. That is the story you’re stuck telling. In order to get past that to tell any other story involving the ship, you have to make a sequel.In contrast, Starlight x Trixie has a lot of that work done. They get along well, even if they have the usual problems friends/couples have. You can tell the same "get together" stories you can with Twixie, but you can also tell a story about a day in their usual life as a couple. You can address a lot wider range of topics.As an author, my interest in a ship is heavily weighted by that sort of concern. I like all three characters, but the better ship is Starlight and Trixie by far. They make a cute couple. Both are super interesting people. They have an appealing chemistry. Trixie has already stated she loves Starlight in canon (obviously intended to be platonic love, but we’re shipping here, dammit). And best of all, you have far more variety of interesting stories to tell, without constantly going back to the "convince people" stage.As for anyone else to ship Trixie with, such as Maud: I was a fan of that series by Foudubulbe too. But you’re either telling your own sequel to his work or you’re doing your own version of his work (especially for non-Maud candidates). It’s the same as with Twixie, only even more made up from scratch. You’re not so much writing fanfic of stuff but writing your own original story at that point.Anyone is free to ship who they want for whatever reason. But the number of people who have made something actually interesting with that freedom are few and far between.I'll Walk You Home pt. 54
Chapter 19 pt.1
Letters
Toph was awake. It took her a moment to recall where she was. She managed to disentangle herself from Sokka, not an easy task, his long arms and legs enveloping her, as they lay on their sides facing each other.
"What?!" The boy asked, moving to grab his sword.
Sokka always surprised Toph with how fast he would wake up. One instant he was asleep and the next he was awake and moving. Of course he could fall asleep just as quickly, and often times did in the morning.
"Have to get back to my room." She explained, moving to the edge of the sleeping platform and swinging her legs out and planting her feet on the solid ground.
"Oh... Right." The tribesman said moving to his side of the bed.
Toph stood up, pulling down her sleeping robe, where it had bunched up around her waist in the night. She sent out a quiet wave of bending to feel what was going on around the estate. The garden was clear. She sent out a slightly stronger wave toward the mansion, and felt the tell-tale movement of a few servants moving in the kitchen.
Still early. She told herself. Plenty of time to get back to my room.
"All clear?" Sokka asked.
He had felt the vibrations of her bending beneath his feet.
"All clear." She agreed. "What are you doing?"
"Getting dressed." He answered.
"What for?" She asked
"So I can walk you to your room." He explained.
"I can find my own way, Snoozles." She told him with a little sharpness in her tone.
"Yes of course you can." He told her as he walked around the sleeping platform. "Better than I can, I'm sure."
She felt his arms encircle her as he pulled her into a hug; she sent her own arms around his waist and hugged back.
"I just don't like to say goodbye, even for a little bit, and want to put it off for as long as I can." He said the side of his face against the top of her head.
They stood holding each other for a time.
"I gotta go." Toph finally said.
"Right." Sokka agreed letting her go.
She took his hand and led him into the garden. The moon was not quite a quarter full and high in the western sky so he had no problem following her as she led him to her window.
"This is me." She said turning towards him.
"Right." He told her. "It's maybe an hour... or a little more before sunrise."
The two of them stood for a moment holding hands in the early morning mist.
Toph pulled her hands away and spreading her feet made a downward gesture with her fists. Sokka felt the familiar trembling, and then he felt the earth fall away beneath his feet, and found himself standing in a shallow hole in the ground.
He looked up to see Toph step into him. Her hands found his face and her lips found his as she gave him a long loving kiss, which he returned with all his heart. One of his arms around her waist and the other up her back to her shoulders pulling her tight in against him.
Finally she stepped back, breaking the kiss.
"I love you Toph." Sokka told her in a whisper.
"I love you Sokka." Toph told him in reply.
"See you at breakfast." He said letting her go.
She just stood for a moment, giving him a frustrated look.
"Right..." He said, blushing. "I'll see you and you'll feel... sense me."
"Smartest guy in the world." Toph muttered getting into her bending stance. "And he's still a complete idiot."
An earth pillar shot from the ground and launched her into the air towards the stone balcony of her room. She landed easily and silently. She turned back, and with a gesture the pillar returned into the earth and Sokka's hole pushed him up leaving no sign that the earth near the window had ever been disturbed.
"Don't forget to mess up your bed." Sokka whisper shouted to her.
"I've done this before." Toph whispered shouted to him, leaning over the railing, in as scathing a tone as she could manage in such a quiet voice.
"Right! Sorry!" Sokka whisper shouted back, turning his head down and away from her.
"Now what are you doing?" She asked.
"I'm not looking up your robe." He answered, keeping his head down.
"Oh..." She said pushing the skirt of her robe between her legs.
She could feel the blood rush to her face. Her loin cloth still felt a little damp from last night.
"Toph!" The young man whispered called to her.
"What now?!" She asked letting some irritation enter her quiet question.
"I love you." He answered.
"Go away!" She commanded him. "Or I'm gonna get caught."
"Sorry!" He said a sad tone in his whisper.
He started to walk away.
"Sokka!" Toph whisper called to him.
"Yeah!" He answered looking up, and then quickly looking down again when he realized just what he was seeing.
"I love you too, Meathead." She told him. "Now go away!"
"Right!" He called back running off.
Toph sent her bending after him, and felt him run back towards the earthbent guest house. About half way there he suddenly jumped into the air, spinning around once with his arms held high over his head. He landed at a run and continued on his way.
"What an idiot." The blind girl said under her breath, but with a little smile on her face.
She walked back into her bedroom and closed the window door and latched it. She climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over herself. She lay there for a few seconds, before remembering something.
"Ah... Fuck!" She cursed throwing the covers off and getting out of the bed.
She took her horse stance and felt for the stone under the carpet. She had to metal bend the lock on the door to the suite to release it, but she didn't feel like walking all the way to the door to do it.
Toph had never metal bent from a distance before. Normally she had to be in contact with the metal to bend it, unlike her earthbending, which she could do at a distance.
But why? She asked herself. Metal bending is just another form of earthbending.
She was grumpy at having to sneak around now that she was home, and she just didn't feel like walking through the bathroom, through the school room, just to touch the stupid door. She sent her bending through the stone of the floor to the front door of the suite. She found the door. The blind girl shifted into her forward stance, her right hand forward, and felt for the metal of the lock.
There!
Toph turned her hand, bending the small steel parts, and allowing them to move once again. It was a simple, subtle bit of bending that took concentration not power. She felt the metal slip, and a smile moved across her lips.
I am the greatest! She told herself raising her arms over her head in triumph.
The nearly thirteen year old girl climbed back into the bed and pulled the covers over herself. She had time for a nap before the official start of her day. She lay in the cold stiff sheets, in the too soft bed, that cut her off from the world, and gave a sad little sigh as she closed her eyes. She missed Sokka already.
XXX
Madame Wang paced up and down the corridor angry and unsure. She had arrived early to make sure her precious little child was safe and comfortable, but when she had tried to open the door the latch had not moved. It was as if the mechanism was frozen in place. The servant had tried her key, but even that did not move in the lock. And so for an hour she had paced before the door unsure of what to do next.
Had they changed the lock? She wondered.
She could go down and ask Butler Hong to unlock the door for her. He had the master keys for all of the house. But why would he change the lock and not inform her and give her the new key.
Ever since mistress Toph had runaway Madame Wang had been unsure of her place in the house. The blind girl was her responsibility and the servant had failed in her duty. From that moment the governess had been unsure of her place. She had even feared that she might be let go, since her charge had runaway, which had been a failure on Madame Wang's part on many different levels.
Perhaps Hong wants to get rid of me? She wondered pacing. All the servants may be against me.
She wasn't sure but she was a privileged servant, the governess with access to the Grand Duchess and even the Grand Duke occasionally. The other servants must be jealous of her. They could be trying to get rid of her, get her out of the way.
She continued to pace up and down the hallway.
.
Poor girl stood, holding a rattan cane in her hands, out of the way across from the door and waited.
Poor girl was very good at being out of the way. It was her second greatest skill.
Her greatest skill was her ability to wait. She spent most of her day waiting. Waiting for the order to pick something up, or to put something down. To walk here or walk there. To prepare herself for a beating. For many things. She had years of practice and she was an expert at it. A true master of the art.
To many it would seem that waiting would be easy, but to the true master it was a subtle and complex art. You couldn't just stand and let your mind wander. You had to train your mind to listen for the certain words that you had to respond to. You had to flow into action, as if you had been alert and waiting for that exact command. You could not pause or appear startled.
You could not lean on things, no matter how tired you were, or how little sleep you had had, or how much your knees and back ached from standing in one place for hours. You had to be alert yet relaxed, conscious, yet uninvolved. No matter how much you wanted to you couldn't let your mind wander too far.
Over the years she had learned all these skills and had mastered them. Her eyelids fell in a slow blink. Her mind drifted for a quarter of second in the darkness of her eye lids. To the dark face of a young man, with beautiful blue eyes, who struck out at the strong to save the weak. Even a poor servant girl. Then her eyes opened and she was back in the hallway, staying out of the way and waiting for Madame Wang's next command. Waiting for her eyes to close again, and the handsome vision to return.
.
Madame Wang paced by the door. She hated that door. It was an insult to her, and all the love she had for the little girl who was her responsibility. It was a symbol of her shame and failure.
She would have to go down to the servant's hall and wait for Butler Hong to rise. The other servants would smile and whisper about her failure, her newest failure. But she could see no other way. The door was locked and she had not been informed and her key no longer worked.
Out of frustration she grabbed the door handle one last time, and to her shock, she felt it move under her hand. Before it had been frozen, as if all the various parts of the latch had been welded together, but now it moved and she felt/heard the click as the door opened to her.
The servant pushed the door open with authority and walked into the room. One of the advantages of having a blind girl as her charge was that Toph's rooms were always well lit with glow crystals. Even at night when the nobleman's daughter was asleep.
Madam Wang moved to the bathroom door, turning back to see the servant girl closing the outer door and then scurrying to hang the new cane from its hook on the wall.
Seeing that everything was now back to normal, the governess, with only a slight hesitation, placed her hand on the door handle and felt the mechanism shift as it should. She opened the door, and moved through the bathroom to the bedroom door. She found this one unlocked as well, and opening it quietly she stepped into the room.
There on the bed was her beautiful little girl. The woman felt her throat close and her eyes burn with joyful tears at the sight. For month after month she had made this pilgrimage and the bed had been empty. Her delicate little flower gone. But now everything was as it should be and her world was safe again.
She silently crossed the room and sat in the chair next to the bed where she would watch and wait for the sun to rise.
Poor girl quietly closed the door behind her and took up her place by it, near but not touching the wall, and stood out of the way and waited. Waited for her eyes to blink, waited for another quarter second of beautiful blue eyes and smiling lips to appear on the inside of her eyelids.
XXXX
Sokka was awake and full of energy after what Toph had told him. He ran around the garden for a while, jumping up in the air and trying to use the gymnastic skills that Ty Lee had tried to teach him. He ran leaping up onto benches and doing front and back flips off of them, while trying to maintain his momentum as he ran.
Finally tired and panting from all the running and leaping, he just stood in the garden and stared up at the moon high in the western sky. It was just a little shy of a quarter full. The young man stood and stared up into the sky for a time.
"I hope you can forgive me." He finally said to the cool white sliver in the sky.
He stood and stared, the sweat turning cold on his skin. It was fall and the garden had lost its blooms. The color now just shades of green and brown as the breeze caused the last few leaves to fall from the trees.
"I don't know." He finally said. "I went after you and you pushed me away. I don't mean like pushed… but yeah… I mean being betrothed and all… but I really loved you. I still love you."
"Suki… Well Suki came after me and I felt like I had to love her back. It seemed only fair. If someone loves you, you should love them back, right? But now… now we just don't seem to fit right… like were two stones that are just grinding against each other, wearing each other down. Maybe I was trying to love her, instead of just loving her. I mean… I still love her… I don't know… Maybe I never really… no… I don't know…"
His head dropped and he stared at the grass for a time. Finally he looked up into the sky again.
"I really love Toph. I mean really love her. It's weird… I don't love you any less… It's just that I love Toph. It's like she makes my heart bigger somehow. Like loving her makes it easier for me to love more. I can love her and you and Gran Gran, and dad, and Katara, and everyone. I just really love her."
"Maybe…" He said thinking aloud. "Maybe the more you love the more you can love. I don't love you any the less it's just that I really love Toph and she loves me back. Maybe if I had never loved you, I wouldn't be able to love her. I'll always be grateful to you for that, letting me love you, letting me love."
He looked back at the earthbender's balcony and smiled. Then he turned once again to the night sky with a sheepish little smile on his face.
"I'm jealous of Aang." He confessed. "He told me how he got to see you and talk to you that time he was out on the ocean. I was a little hurt too when he told me. I mean you came to him but you've never come to me, except for that time in the swamp, and from what I understand that wasn't really you, just the swamp playing with my head. I know he's the Avatar and he can talk to spirits and stuff and I can't. So… Yeah… I'm jealous of Aang."
"Well it's getting late." He told the moon. "Or early really, should be starting my day. Talk to you later."
With that, the young man walked into the miniature library. He returned a few seconds later with his sword and began to practice his forms under the moon light in the dark garden.
.
Toph had fallen back asleep while lying in the bed, and was in the middle of a dream when Madame Wang pulled the covers off of her, and announced,
"The sun is up mistress! You will not be some spoiled little girl who sleeps the day away."
Toph's eyes shot open and her heart began to race. The old routine, with years and years of re-enforcement caused her mind to race. She had been dreaming of Aang and Katara and Sokka, back in their time together during the war. Now she feared that it had all been a dream. That the months of freedom and adventure and love, were just a dream.
She pushed herself up in the bed, unable to breath.
She felt something slid and tap against her throat. She reached up with her right hand and found the jade coin pendant that Sokka had given her. She took a breath. Her hand moved to her left bicep and found the space earth armlet. It had not been a dream. She sighed in relief.
"Up!" Madame Wang commanded, irritated that the girl had yet to get out of the bed. "You have a busy day ahead of you and the sun has already risen. We need to get you out of that... peasant's robe, cleaned up, and into some proper clothing."
Toph felt the cold hard fingers of the governess on her wrist pulling her hand away from the armlet, and her body from the bed. She tried to pull free but the woman just clamped down harder till it was painful. Finally she was dragged from the bed. The girl's resistance only irritated the older woman more as she pulled the earthbender from the bed.
The blind girl's feet hit the carpeted floor. She sent her bending out and recognized Madame Wang holding onto her, and felt Poor Girl over by the bathroom door.
The governess began to undress the twelve year old, none too gently. She pulled the water tribe top off of the girl. Now that the woman had the robe in her hand she realized it was some sort of thin animal hide. It made her skin crawl to be in contact with it.
"Girl!" Madame Wang commanded, as she threw the robe at the younger servant standing by the door. "Don't just stand there. Make the bed! And then get rid of that!"
"And what is this Thing on your arm?" The governess demanded of the blind girl, grabbing for the armlet. "You are the daughter of the House of Bei Fong, not some wild savage that wears old bits of iron, and animal skins."
Toph tried to pull her arm away, which only infuriated the older woman even more. The Governess pulled the armlet off of the girl and threw it on the night stand.
"I don't know what you and that wild beast have been doing for the last months…" Madame Wang proclaimed as she began to pull the girl's loin cloth down. "But it is going to stop right now.
Toph felt cold hands on her loin cloth pulling at it, tearing it off.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Toph shouted lashing out at the governess and shoving the woman away, with both hands.
Taken by surprise Madame Wang stumbled back losing her footing and falling to her knees. The older woman felt the floor under the carpet role beneath her.
Poor Girl who had begun to make the bed stopped, and tried to remain on her feet as the floor shifted.
The Governess looked up, fury in her eyes. She watched as Toph swept her right arm up, and the black metal armband flew from the table into the girl's hand, then the earthbender pushed the circle onto her upper left arm.
The woman struggled to her feet, using the wall to support her. The only sound being the metallic clicks of the ornaments dangling from her long hair pins.
Toph stood nearly naked and shivering in the cold room. The small girl forced the vomit rising in her throat back down into her roiling stomach. Terror, hurt and anger raged within her.
"How DARE you!" The woman cried. "I'll teach you not to strike your mother, you spoiled little bitch!"
Madame Wang advanced on the girl, her right hand raised and ready to strike. But Toph shifted her stance and swept her hands forward. The floor under the governess rolled again, throwing her off her feet and against the wall, causing lights to dance in her vision and her knees to give way as she slumped to the floor again.
"Now listen to me you little cunt!" Toph said in a tight breathy voice, pointing at the Governess. "By Oma and Shu if you ever touch me again, I will bury you so deep that they will need badger/moles just to find the body."
"I will decide what I wear, what I do, and who I do it with!" The blind girl went on, her voice growing stronger. "You are never to enter my bedroom again without my permission. Now get out of my room, before I do something that I will not regret in the least!"
"Wait till your Father hears about this." Madame Wang said, the venom evident in her voice as she pulled herself painfully to her feet.
"I'm sure he will be very interested when I tell him all about it." Toph replied. "Now get out!"
Madame Wang gave a short nod of a bow and left the room, the silk of her robe sounding like a heavy rain on a cold night, the metallic clack of the hair pins adding a quiet counterpoint.
Toph stood shivering, not from the cold air but from the storm of emotion running through her. The floor even seemed to be rolling though she was no longer using her bending to move it. The room spun around her. She had to struggle to keep from being sick.
I would have killed her! She realized, but she didn't know why.
The knowledge sent another wave of nausea through her already shaking body. She bent over fighting the need to vomit, wrapping her arms around herself to hold herself together.
The blind girl started as she felt something touch her shoulders. It was a bathrobe, soft and fuzzy and warm. She straightened grabbing at the cloth.
"Are you alright mistress?" Poor Girl asked, wrapping the robe about her.
The young servant had stayed behind more out of surprise than anything else. Madame Wang had not made any sign to the young servant, nor had the governess given any command when she had left the room, so Poor Girl had just stood there.
It took a moment for the thirteen year old to come to her senses. Then she saw the blind girl standing cold, naked and alone shivering on the far side of the room. The servant grabbed the bathrobe from the hanger, and rushed to the younger girl.
"Fine!" Toph answered pulling the robe on.
"Can I get you anything?" The servant asked.
"No." The blind girl replied, closing the robe.
Toph realized as she cinched the robe closed that she was covered in a layer of cold sweat and was still shivering. What she wanted was Sokka to be here, so he could hold her in his strong arms, to have his warm body against hers, warming and calming her.
"Is there any hot water?" She asked the servant.
Toph had never really cared for taking baths, until her last one. That hot bath with Sokka there helping her, had changed her attitude. If she couldn't have her boyfriend, well at least she could have the hot bath.
"Oh yes mistress." Poor Girl answered. "But it is a little different now. They just installed a new way of washing yourself."
.
Toph stood under the streams of hot water as they poured down onto the back of her neck and her shoulders, willing her muscles to relax.
A Rain Bath! She smiled.
It was smaller than the one they had in Ba Sing Se, but in every other way it was the same. Poor Girl had told her it was new, having only been installed last week along with a number of others in the big house. Toph didn't really care. She just let the fall of hot water pound the emotions from her body.
This was good, not as good as having Sokka there holding her, but still good.
The thought of her boyfriend eased the tension inside her even more. She wrapped her arms around herself and raised her head, the hot water spilling off of her shoulders and now down her chest and stomach covering all of her in the wonderful heat.
That would be better. She thought wickedly, as blood moved up |
wrinkled skin a smoker gets if they don’t quit), the one of the drooping cigarette ash (impotence), the one of a bared gummy mouth (tooth loss), and several more. But none of these have the same effect on me as does the image of Mr Throat.
Mr Throat is the name I give to the man whose photograph appears as a health warning on many of the cigarette packs I smoke from. His image is accompanied by the message, bold and chilling in its simplicity: ‘Smoking can cause a slow and painful death.’ As if to demonstrate the truth of this, there is the picture of Mr Throat, which is truly stomach-turning.
A young(ish) man, age indeterminate, photographed from the bridge of the nose down almost to his clavicle, mouth shut in seeming determination, has a tumor growing on his throat. And what a tumor. The size of a deflated football, it is the color of raw chopped liver, and bulges, shapeless, under his chin, covering his Adam’s apple, spreading each side as far as his ears and down over his neck. Above the tumor Mr Throat is mostly expressionless, apart from that grimly set mouth, although it is hard to determine his expression given the absence of eyes from the portrait. He has a florid but wispy mustache, and has made a half-hearted attempt to nurture a goatee; truth be told Mr Throat does not have a very strong facial hair growth.
Mr Throat’s appearance is nauseating, shocking, and terrifying to the smoker. No one wants to end up like this. But that is what will happen to us, the health warning implies, if we continue to smoke: we, too, will look like a monster. Mr Throat is there to tell us, in earnest, that smoking can cause a slow and painful death, and he delivers that message well.
Nonetheless I continue to smoke, and go on loving it.
Brands are important, and only some will do for me. It has to be either Lucky Strike Silver (‘It’s Toasted!’) or Camel Lights, the ones in the blue pack. These are both a mid-strength (6mg) cigarette. Anything milder has no effect on me, no kick at the back of the throat, no nicotine rush; anything stronger is nauseating and too strong to inhale deeply. Occasionally I find Gauloises Bleu which are a nice change. While travelling I sometimes come across the brand I smoked while living in the States, American Spirit Yellow, a good alternative to Luckies (and supposedly free of ‘additives’).
But I still keep coming back to my two favorite brands: Camel and Lucky Strike. I smoke the 6mg level exclusively, feel it is just right. The only times I smoke other brands is during those brief, periodic episodes of attempting to ‘quit’ in my twenty-odd-year smoking career, during which I inevitably bum cigarettes off strangers incessantly so as to feed the habit that my attempt at ‘quitting’ has only put on temporary hold. At these times my choice of brand is at the whim of the smoker I bum from: I may end up with a Major (un-inhalable due to the strength), a Marlboro (unpleasant taste), a Silk Cut (not strong enough), or worse of all, a Kent Menthol (simply nauseating).
Inevitably I get back to buying my own brand again and I joyfully open and smoke from a pack of Camel Lights or Lucky Strike Silver once more. Back, finally, to my own brand and strength. It is one thing that could be said in my favor: I am nothing if not loyal.
I never quite get to the stage of being a chain smoker, but do I smoke my cigarettes in couplets, one cigarette followed by another, before leaving an interval until the next one (which is actually two); which makes me a chain smoker of sorts. The intervals last anywhere from thirty to sixty minutes depending on what I am doing. Sometimes they last a bit more, on occasions when it is unavoidable. Frequently, however, they last less. I am going through a lot of cigarettes every day, needing them more often.
So it is I begin to dread going to the cinema to see long movies, one of those occasions when the gap between cigarettes is longer than strictly bearable. Any movie over ninety minutes is a real strain to get through. I sit through it growing increasingly anxious as I wait for it to end, for the moment I can smoke again. Then, as soon as the film is over, as soon as the credits roll, I am up and out of my seat, out the door, and outside, grasping at a cigarette and smoking. I often leave whatever cinema-going companion I am with to come find me. It occurs to me that roughly speaking I now need a cigarette every thirty minutes, minimum, or I grow agitated.
I meet an American girl at a busy bar. She is nice. We have a lot in common. We click. She says, See you in a bit, and goes to the bathroom.
I go for a smoke, resolved to talk to her on my return. When I come back, she is standing by the bar waiting to order and I go join her.
When I speak, leaning in close so she can hear me over the bar noise, she visibly recoils.
Do you smoke? she asks, startled, as if she has never heard of such behavior in an adult: she has caught my smoky breath, and ends the conversation.
The encounter has led nowhere; she has no interest in hanging out with a smoker. Needless to say I don’t bother asking for her number.
It is imperative never to run out, never to be in a position where I have no cigarettes on me or in the house. To this end I always make sure I have two packs about me at all times. One pack is the previous day’s leftovers: the final cigarettes remaining from a pack of twenty begun the preceding day which I use to begin the day’s smoking, and rapidly finish. Then I open a fresh pack which I bought the previous day and start that. Thus for a brief period I have only one pack on me; the imperative takes over now and I make sure as soon as possible to buy pack two. Buying this second pack gives me a sense of security. I continue to smoke pack one, getting through perhaps sixteen or seventeen (I have already consumed two or three from the previous day’s pack two). I have thus two or three left over for the following morning, plus the fresh unopened second pack to start once I have got through them.
The system ensures I always intake a minimum of twenty cigarettes a day; but also means that if, for example, I am out late, or get up very early, that pack two can be opened earlier and begun ahead of schedule, though still leaving some aside for morning consumption. On these days consumption goes up to twenty-five or thirty cigarettes, and always, always, the imperative to have two packs on me is fulfilled and justified. It means, in practice, that every day I need to monitor consumption levels closely, stop somewhere and make a purchase, and thus reassure myself that stocks are good and I do indeed have enough, because the thought of running out fills me with dread. I obsessively stroke pack two unopened in my pocket to calm myself at these moments of anxiety.
I can’t help wondering, as I’m handed a pack in the newsagent and am unable to avoid seeing the image on the health warning: Who is Mr Throat really? Does he have his own story, biography, experience, somewhere? In the past, or even now, living or in the memories of those living? How did he go from being an individual, a man, to being an image, dehumanized, on a pack of cigarettes, used as a health warning, merely a function? Did he consent to that photograph being taken and distributed or was it taken as part of some health screening program, or test, and then used at other times, in other contexts, without his knowledge? Is he actually alive in that photograph, or is this an image of a corpse? Is Mr Throat alive today?
These are the thoughts that go through my mind every time I am unlucky enough to see the nauseating image of Mr Throat. Then I try and forget him again.
I go to a country wedding, pocketing two packs of cigarettes as usual. I idly wonder, as I get dressed and prepare to board the hired coach that will take me to the wedding venue, would three packs be better; but in my wedding outfit I don’t have enough spare pockets to carry more than two, so it will have to suffice.
The reception is held out in a remote rustic estate in the countryside; there are no shops nearby, nor vending machines within. My two packs will have to get me through the night. It is a long night and inevitably I run out. What follows is an orgy of begging for cigarettes fueled by increasing panic as I realize I will be on this estate, out, awake, away from any source of buying cigarettes, for several more hours and I will, in no way possible, make it through this without smoking.
Other smokers have now realized the same thing: the coaches back to town won’t arrive until dawn. There is now a finite and unrenewable quantity of cigarettes available to smokers on the estate and they are being rapidly consumed. Rationing begins, and it becomes harder and harder to bum a smoke. More and more smokers refuse me, waving their packs at me and demonstrating they only have two or three forlorn cigarettes left to get them through the rest of the night. I begin to feel a sense of utter fear as the anticipation of withdrawal symptoms kicks in.
Finally dawn breaks over the misty fields of the estate and I am able to catch the coach and return to the hotel in the regional town where I am staying. There the hotel bar is open for breakfast, and selling cigarettes also; sweet oblivion overcomes me as I open my own pack at last and can smoke my own cigarettes, in control of my nicotine intake once again.
There have been – there actually continue to be – intermittent attempts to quit for good even as my career as a smoker progresses. In the course of the two-plus decades of being a smoker, these attempts have resulted in me quitting for periods ranging from a few hours to a few years. Always they have ended in the same way: me bumming cigarettes off strangers to satisfy cravings, on the streets or outside pub entrances:
— Excuse me, spare a cigarette?
Followed by the humiliating refusal:
— Sorry bud, it’s my last one.
— Sorry, I don’t have any more on me.
— No.
Sometimes no verbal reply at all, just a physical brushing off, even more humiliating in its casual brusqueness.
Then, the occasional hit:
— Spare a cigarette?
Followed by:
A barely perceptible eyeroll, a silent acquiescence, the slow drawing out and offering of the pack (inevitably followed by my slight disappointment that the brand is not one of my favorites, tempered by the relief that at least I am getting a hit), the giving of the light, then my furtive walking away from the bummee, inhaling the cigarette with glee, perhaps the first one I’ve managed to acquire in an hour if the bumming hitherto has gone badly; but, a successful bumming at last, after several humiliating failures.
Eventually it is this constant recurring humiliation — of asking and being rejected or patronizingly given to — that gets to me and drives me back to buying my own cigarettes. And so, once again, I quit quitting. I give in. I go and buy a pack of cigarettes, my own brand again, my own supply. And that is that: I am a smoker once again.
I conjure up a life for Mr Throat. He has the air of someone used to the wide open spaces, the prairies, the high plains about him, but he seems too winsome, not rugged enough, to be from the American West. He is Canadian, I conclude. He is a bit of a dandy too, evidenced by that attempt to grow that florid mustache, the wispy goatee. I think of him as a dreamer and a schemer and an optimist (look at the determined set of that mouth), and that all his dreams have become derailed by this gigantic carbuncle growing on his throat. He wanted a future and now thanks to his smoking his future has been cruelly curtailed.
In this he is a warning to me.
In this, he could be me.
It isn’t always the experience of bumming that brings me back to the smokes.
I start to smoke again, and in earnest, so as to deal with the effects of emotional turmoil: periods of stress, or distress, or duress. To deal with a low mood brought on by relationship breakups, job loss or change, bereavement, sickness, sheer having-a-bad-dayness. Indeed the only reason smoking began as a serious component in my life at all was to ‘deal’ with the ‘stress’ of completing my Master’s thesis.
Sitting in the café of the University Arts Department, I admit to a group of fellow postgraduate students that I am getting increasingly anxious about all the work I have yet to do, when one woman in the group opens up her handbag, takes out a pack of Marlboro Red and offers me one.
— You should really try one of these. They really help me with the stress.
I take one, light it, and inhale. Get the rush in my head, the euphoric feeling, and yes, for a moment I get the sense that my anxiety has abated. I thank the woman, go buy a pack of my own, and in that moment become a smoker.
If I had only known the history of smoking that early cigarette would kick off, maybe I’d have considered another form of relaxation.
Since then cigarettes have always been my fallback curative of choice when going through hard times: buy a pack, rip it open, light up, smoke whatever feelings I am experiencing away in a rush of nicotine, let it calm the nerves (even as I know, rationally, that nicotine is a stimulant and is doing the exact opposite of relaxing me). Feel a momentary twinge of regret that I have, once more, failed to quit and returned to being a smoker. Then feel a sense of what can only be called homecoming: a sense of this is where I belong, and how.
During one particularly heavy day of smoking, during which I manage to consume two full packs and make serious dent on a third, resulting in me feeling seriously nauseous and wired, I take stock of my life, my situation, my future. I can’t help conjuring up the image of Mr Throat, and make a resolution: yes, it is time to try to quit for good again.
So I sign up for a series of one-to-one smoking cessation counselling sessions, held once a week in a local health center. These are basically therapy for smokers, and give me the opportunity to let off steam and talk a lot about smoking. This I enjoy doing so I continue to go to the sessions for a long time. Throughout this period I keep smoking between sessions however.
Then, amazingly, I actually manage to stop. This is mainly guilt-driven quitting: I can’t bear seeing my smoking cessation officer week after week and admitting to him I am still a smoker. There is no use denying it: he makes me blow into a tube every week that shows the nicotine levels in my blood.
I quit through the simple expedient of wearing two nicotine patches at all times, as well as pulling on a nicotine inhaler any time I have a craving. I struggle through the week without actually smoking with this method (apart from the occasional bummed cigarette which in my mind doesn’t count, as they are smoked in times of dire emergency withdrawal symptoms).
Then the London Olympic Games begin.
I’ve been anticipating them for years, and sit down to watch them on TV eagerly that weekend. But there are a lot of gaps in the action: pundits chatting as the athletes stand around in tracksuits apparently doing nothing. Then there is finally a brief burst of activity followed by another gap, another period of waiting.
It is during one of these gaps that I grow impatient, and this impatience leads to restlessness that develops into a growing agitation, an agitation I know can only be relieved by nicotine, and not the kind that is delivered by patches or an inhaler, but by smoke. So immediately after a fleeting heat on the TV, I skip the commentary, don shoes and jacket, and head for the local newsagent, there to buy a pack of cigarettes which I smoke with relish and appreciation.
Somehow, perversely, the sight of the most physically fit men and women on the planet has driven me back to the unhealthiest pastime legally available.
I have lasted all of four days, and return to my next smoking cessation session a smoker once more. Sure enough, when I blow in the tube my smoking cessation officer proffers me, the nicotine levels in my blood are sky high.
Every time I toy with a pack of cigarettes, idly looking at the health warnings (or avoiding looking at them if it is Mr Throat), the same questions go through my mind: when did this all start, this health warning thing, the slogans, the photographs? Who picks the particular images, how and why? Where do the images come from – was the guy with the gummy teeth happy to be photographed, for example? And should I try and actually understand more about my nicotine addiction so as to help my attempts to deal with it?
These are the thoughts that pop into my mind as I rip off the cellophane from a fresh pack of twenty, pull out the tinfoil, take out a cigarette, light up and smoke. Again and again and again.
Friends assure me that hypnotherapy is the way to really quit smoking. I locate a hypnotherapist in the city center and make an appointment. Just before going into his office, I smoke my last cigarette and throw the rest of the pack, half-full, rather optimistically into a bin outside.
The hypnotherapist – bearded, swarthy, otherwise unremarkable in appearance – sits behind and just to one side of me as I sit back in a divan. He urges me to close my eyes, relax, and just listen. Then he begins to speak, his voice a low but clear mumble, the words quickly falling into a repetitive pattern:
– You are going to stop smoking, Arnold, you no longer need to smoke, Arnold, when you wake up you will not want to smoke, Arnold, you have no need to smoke, Arnold, cigarettes have no control over you, Arnold, you are going to stop smoking, Arnold, when you wake up you will not want to smoke, Arnold, you have no need to smoke, Arnold, cigarettes have no control over you, Arnold, you are going to stop smoking, Arnold, you no longer need to smoke, Arnold, when you wake up you will not want to smoke, Arnold—
On and on and on in a low monotonous hum until —
Hang on.
‘When you wake up?’
Am I meant to be asleep for this? But I am wide awake, fully conscious, aware of every word.
It occurs to me that this is not working.
Sure enough I leave the hypnotherapy clinic and walk not ten meters before I stop, turn into a newsagent, buy a pack of cigarettes, rip it open ravenously, and smoke. The hypnotherapist’s words come back to me: obviously they have not sunk in.
I have lasted less than an hour and a half without a cigarette.
The hypnotherapist phones me to follow up on our session, and when I explain it didn’t work he offers me a free second consultation.
I return to the office. I sit, I relax, I close my eyes, and I listen once again as he rumbles on, telling me, assuring me, but failing to persuade me, that I will no longer want to smoke. As soon as I leave I again go into the newsagents and buy a pack of cigarettes. The failed exercise in hypnotherapy has cost me €350 and a dent in my pride: obviously I am not hypnotherapy material.
I buy and read two books on quitting smoking; I return to the one-to-one smoking cessation sessions; I try a program of nicotine patches, gum, pills, spray, inhaler. I try cold turkey.
Nothing works.
I still smoke.
I still love it.
Then, one day, all the pieces for quitting actually fall in place.
There is a day, for example, that it really gets to me: I get a pack with Mr Throat and realize I am sick of seeing the grotesque lurid bulge jumping out at me from the back of a pack every time I reach for a smoke. I realize not only am I afraid of this fate I seem destined for — to develop a painful and incurable throat disease — but I am also weary.
Weary of the constant fear of running out of cigarettes, weary of going outdoors into the cold for a smoke, weary of leaving conversations and company behind when I do so, weary of people being repulsed by my smoker’s breath, weary of the expense, weary of the shortness of breath I am developing, weary of the increasing nausea that accompanies my habit, weary overall of the fact that cigarettes control me now: they control my routine, my very life at this stage. I realize, genuinely, that I have had enough of all this.
I resolve to quit.
For keeps this time.
And I do. But this is a story of smoking, not quitting, so suffice it to say here that the weeks go by, and then the months, and then the years, without a smoke.
I don’t remember my last cigarette now, although at the time it was loaded with significance and I thought I would remember it forever. Perhaps I can’t remember it because there have been so many ‘Last Cigarettes’ in my past and they have always been followed, sometimes after a gap of many years, by yet another cigarette. Maybe I don’t remember because deep down I didn’t really believe that this was going to be the last cigarette.
But nonetheless I do know how that last cigarette would have been.
It would have been a morning cigarette, sitting in the garden with a coffee, my favourite combination. I would have already consumed two or three cigarettes from the pack, the leftovers from the previous day. And then I would have rattled the box, looked down, and seen it: The Last Cigarette.
I would have picked it out reverently, with appreciation and relish, and I would have acknowledged to myself how much I enjoy smoking. Then I would have lit it, inhaled deeply, and smoked it with as much attention as possible, slowly, and fully present to its pleasures. Finally, regretfully, and with loaded significance, I would have finished the smoke and stubbed it out.
And so I would have left that part of my life behind.
For good, it can only be hoped. But I know that I will always have a love of smoking, that cigarettes are my weakness, and that deep down, no matter how many years pass, I will always struggle with that addiction.
The fact remains: I currently do not smoke: but I am, and always will be, a smoker.
Because I love to smoke.
***
This essay was published in the fourth issue of Banshee. Co-edited by three writers in three Irish cities, this biannual print journal is a vocal part of Ireland’s thriving literary culture and print renaissance.This is a poem written in freestyle dedicated to the New York Mets career of #20, Howard Johnson. A man strong in his faith and a dedicated baseball man, I decided to write a piece in honor of him.
To listen to the audio version of the poem, listen to Episode 199 of the Hardway Podcast here.
AN ODE TO HOJO – Jon Harder 12/17/16
--------
The year was 1985
And you were traded to the Mets
For Walt Terrell
Your first full season
The year before
You won a World Series
For those Alan Trammel led Detroit Tigers
However now
You left behind the navy blue and orange
For an orange and a blue of a different shade
Your first two years
You struggled mightily
Low batting average in ‘85
Hairline fracture in forearm in ‘86
Yet somehow you won
Another World Series
Despite your struggles
A did-you-know fact
When Mookie was at the dish
And the ball went through Buckner’s legs
You were on deck
My prediction
Will always be
Game winning hit
If Mookie got on base
Regardless
Ray Knight was not re-signed
And you got the everyday spot at 3rd
Well, let’s just say
You blew everyone away
You were the 10th guy
In Major League Baseball history
To join the 30/30 Club
36 home runs
32 steals
And, alongside DARRYL
Were the first teammates to do it in the same season
Also made the All-Star Team
And shoved it in people’s faces
Coincidentally
Everyone thought you corked your bat
In ‘87
However x-rays proved negative
And there was ZERO PROOF
Thankfully
You refrained by telling everyone
To go cork themselves
1988 was a step back
You still had over 20 home runs
But the playoffs were a moment
That I had to forget
Seeing tape years later
Your struggles were tough
But even I would have struggled mightily
Against that bulldog Hershiser
1989 brought you back into the fold
In a MAJOR way
In spite of early defensive problems
You pulled through big
36 homers and 41 steals
And single-handedly carried
The Mets on your back
Davey was fired
But Bud stayed the course
And you came within an eyelash of the playoffs
1990 was average
But more all-around than power
You showcased your talents strong
However 1991
Showed you were the MAN
You won two-thirds of the Triple Crown
Another All-Star berth
And another 30/30
For someone with impressive stats
You’ve always been overlooked
38 homeruns
117 RBIs
30 steals
The second man since BOBBY BONDS
To have three 30/30 seasons
It makes no sense to me
To see your ’91 campaign
Highly overlooked
Sadly
Just like our current Captain
Your body started breaking down
And struggles set in
1993 you were gone
And by the time I discovered your greatness
You were in Colorado
And Chicago
And then out as an active player
Looking back at your career
You were immensely skilled
For the Mets
During your time in Queens
#4 in home runs
5th in doubles
#10 in hits
6th in games with 1154 in a Mets uni
4th in runs
4th in RBIs
3rd in stolen bases
HOW ARE YOU NOT IN THE METS HALL OF FAME?
It’s preposterous you are not
HoJo, you need to be recognized
For your tremendous contributions
As a player
As a coach
As a mentor
You are a New York Met
And deserve to be treated
Like the legend you are
Thank you for the memories
And thank you for your skill
HoJo is my favorite Met
And he always will.Singer’s 1989 world tour boosted her earnings to $170m, $60m more than second-placed One Direction, says Forbes
Women dominate the upper reaches of Forbes magazine’s list of the highest-paid musicians of 2016. Four of the top five places are occupied by women, with Taylor Swift topping the list. Between June 2015 and June 2016, the magazine estimates she earned $170m, largely from her 1989 world tour.
She earned $60m more than second-placed One Direction, who were followed by Adele, Madonna and Rihanna.
Taylor Swift tops chart of highest paid female artists Read more
What’s noticeable is how many of the biggest acts generated the bulk of their revenue from live performance. Garth Brooks, in sixth place, began his first tour in 13 years in September 2014, and has been on the road ever since, plating multiple arena shows in scores of US cities, and sometimes playing two shows per night, and taking only Christmas and August off. His tour is scheduled to continue until February 2017.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Garth Brooks plays on TV show Jimmy Kimmel Live on 15 November. Photograph: Randy Holmes/Getty Images
AC/DC, in seventh place, completed their Rock or Bust world tour earlier this year, and despite a number of fans demanding – and getting – refunds when singer Brian Johnson had to pull out, still earned $67.5m. The presence of Axl Rose as Johnson’s replacement doubtless helped sell some of those returned tickets.
Adele is unusual in the list, in that the bulk of her earnings came from recorded music. Her most recent album 25, released in November 2015, broke sales records on both sides of the Atlantic, and was the bestselling album of 2015.
Ninth-place Calvin Harris combined popularity as a recording and touring artist with the colossal fees he earns as a resident DJ at the Las Vegas nightspot Hakkasan. His three-year deal earns him a reported $400,000 per appearance.
Forbes calculates its figures using information from Pollstar, which tracks tour revenues, Nielsen, which measures music sales, and the Recording Industry Association of America, as well as interviews with those involved in the inner workings of business.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Calvin Harris performs at the T in the Park festival in Perthshire, Scotland, in July. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA
The full top 20 highest-paid musicians
1. Taylor Swift ($170m)
2. One Direction ($110m)
3. Adele ($80.5m)
4. Madonna ($76.5m)
5. Rihanna ($75m)
6. Garth Brooks ($70m)
7. AC/DC ($67.5m)
8. Rolling Stones ($66.5m)
9. Calvin Harris ($63m)
10. Diddy ($62m)
11. Bruce Springsteen ($60.5m)
12. Paul McCartney ($56.5m)
13= Justin Bieber ($56m)
13= Kenny Chesney ($56m)
15= U2 ($55m)
15= The Weeknd ($55m)
17. Beyoncé ($54m)
18. Jay Z ($53.5m)
19. Luke Bryan ($53m)
20. Muse ($49m)The roster includes a director of land and property, a director of health and safety, a director of risk and assurance – each of whom is paid £150,000 a year or more, while the Prime Minister is on £142,500.
It comes after official Whitehall figures showed the number of civil servants who are paid more than Mr Cameron has jumped by a third in just less than three years.
Simon Kirby, HS2 Ltd's chief executive, is paid up to £754,999 a year, while managing director Jim Crawford gets £394,999 a year.
Alistair Kirk, HS2's Programme & Strategy Director, is paid £304,999 a year and and Sir David Higgins, the group's chairman, earns £242,400.
We already knew that chief executive Simon Kirby is the country's highest paid public servant on £750,000 a year.
Now it emerges there are 35 bosses working on the project, each of whom is earning £150,000 a year or more. Three of them rake in more than £300,000.
The roles include a director of land and property and a director of risk and assurance - both vitally important to the scheme, I'm sure.
It is a startling fact that these fat cats are earning more money that the Prime Minister, for working on a project that is largely unwanted.
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Mr Cameron, love him or loathe him, is paid £142,000 a year to run the country. He spends his days making decisions that affect every aspect of our lives.
With that in mind it would be interesting to take a peek at the daily routine of the HS2 director of health and safety. Is the role so demanding and involved that it deserves to be paid more money than the Prime Minister?
I very much doubt it. Funding for the HS2 rail line has soared to £55bn, with campaigners accusing the Government of losing control of the project's spiralling costs.
Last month its construction was brought forward by six years in a barely disguised ploy to prevent costs increasing further.
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As yet not a single track has been laid, and no start date for work has been confirmed. It has taken years for the precise route to be revealed.
We are left in a position where the public is funding millions of pounds in civil servants wages, without really knowing what they are doing with their time.
We live in a time of grave threats to our security, yet the British Army has seen huge cuts to its budget. The NHS is at breaking point.
Police stations are closing down all over the country and the number of bobbies on the beat is at an all time low.
Yet we are committed to ploughing cash into a rail track the country can ill afford. There are numerous better uses of public money than feathering the nests of HS2 staff.
And only 96 people - 15 per cent of HS2 Ltd staff - are based in Birmingham. This is despite the fact HS2 Ltd signed a deal for 100,000sqft of office space in the city in July last year.
The figures have been branded a 'disgrace' by campaigners fighting the rail project, just weeks after the cost rocketed to £55 billion from £50.1bn.
Opponents in Staffordshire are fighting the route from London to Birmingham, which will tear through miles of the county's countryside.
"It seems that George Osborne forgot to send the memo about austerity to HS2 Ltd, as the quangos bosses continue to run their own gravy train. There are an ever increasing number of snouts in an ever expanding tax-payer funded trough, as the only thing anyone at HS2 Ltd seems to know how to do is to chuck money at this financial black hole. The chief executive's £750,000 salary is about 28 times that of the average wage in the UK."
"It is clear these are grotesque salaries and a real kick in the teeth to all those whose jobs and services are under threat from cuts, which will intensify after the Autumn Statement. HS2 Ltd are simply out of control, burning money which everyone else is being told isn't there. This gross injustice must stop, and HS2 must be cancelled."
Penny Gaines chairman of Stop HS2 added: "At a time when other services are being drastically reduced and support for the poorest is being cut, it is shocking to see the number of people at HS2 Ltd on this level of salary. HS2 will not just be a fast train for fat cats when it opens, it's also proving to be a fast buck for fat cats even before it gets parliamentary approval."
HS2 Ltd spokesman Ben Ruse said: "In order to deliver a project of this scale and complexity, on time and on budget, we need to recruit the most capable team possible and the best expertise from around the world."Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Oct. 28, 2017, 5:55 PM GMT / Updated Oct. 28, 2017, 5:55 PM GMT By Pete Williams
Dana Boente, one of the nation's most high-profile federal prosecutors, has submitted his resignation after he was asked to step down to make way for a successor to be named by President Donald Trump.
One of the few remaining Obama administration holdovers, Boente will continue to serve until a replacement is nominated and confirmed.
Dana Boente listens during a county sheriff listening session with U.S. President Donald Trump, not pictured, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Feb. 7, 2017. in Washington. Andrew Harrer / Pool via Getty Images file
He is the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, handling cases from the state capital in Richmond north to suburban Washington. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the office is one of the nation's largest, with prosecutors specializing in intelligence and terrorism cases.
The district includes the Pentagon, the CIA and Naval Station Norfolk,the world's biggest U.S. Navy base.
Boente, who has served in the Justice Department for three decades, became the U.S. attorney in 2015 during the Obama administration. A well-regarded veteran prosecutor, he became acting attorney general in January after Trump fired Sally Yates, who refused to enforce the first executive order restricting travel.
He served briefly as acting deputy attorney general, and more recently, as the acting assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's National Security Division.
Related: Way in Which U.S. Attorneys Told to Resign Came as Surprise, Sources Say
In his acting capacity at the Justice Department, it was Boente who had the task of notifying the nation's U.S. attorneys in March that they must submit their resignations.
During all those interim assignments, he continued to be the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
On Wednesday, Boente was notified by the chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he should submit his letter of resignation, so that the political process for naming a successor could begin.
The next day, he notified the 300 lawyers he oversees that he will be stepping down.
"I will be around for a while and hope to visit with all of you to discuss how much the office and our work means to each of us," Boente said in a memo to the staff. Many of them had expected him to remain in the position and were surprised by his announcement.
Virginia's two Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, will recommend nominees for the U.S. attorney position. John Demers, a former Justice Department lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, was nominated in September for the national security position and awaits confirmation proceedings.In the wake of last week’s protests and resignations at Claremont McKenna College (CMC), “safe spaces” for students of marginalized identities are popping up all over the campuses of the Claremont Colleges. After protestors called for action, CMC President Hiram Chodosh stated his commitment to providing a permanent safe space for students of color in the near future. Until then, the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College (ASCMC) have dedicated part of their office as a safe space for these students.
Safe spaces for minority students have appeared on the campuses of other Claremont Colleges as well. Last week, the Motley Coffeehouse at Scripps College issued a statement on its official Facebook page, “The Motley sitting room |
.
Training procedures are divided into two separate components, according to Kuan. The first is the the actual training system, where annotated data is collected from radiologists and incorporated into the company’s training data. Then an updated version of the software (including the latest training data) is distributed to the network of hospitals.
“In no way will this technology ever replace doctors. It is intended to eliminate much of the highly repetitive work,” said Kuan.In a move that reminds us of the kid that leaked the first in the wild shots of the Xbox 360, YouTuber Jackson Carter has posted a two minute video claiming to show a working Xbox One. After flashing the console itself and a controller as proof, he focuses mostly on the UI, displaying its Windows 8-style tile layout. You can check out our detailed impressions of the console's UI right here, but this will be the first opportunity most have had to see the system's default menu -- multitasking, Ryse beta, Kinect 2.0 and all -- in motion. There's no info on exactly where this console came from, but our friendly narrator mentions he can't access other beta games just yet. While conspiracy theorists debate if this legitimate and/or intentional, everyone else can just take a peek at it embedded after the break.
Update: The original video has been pulled from YouTube, we've embedded a working version after the break.United States Supreme Court case
Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964),[1] was a United States Supreme Court decision handed down in 1964 involving whether the state of Ohio could, consistent with the First Amendment, ban the showing of the Louis Malle film The Lovers (Les Amants), which the state had deemed obscene.
Background [ edit ]
Nico Jacobellis, manager of the Heights Art Theatre in the Coventry Village neighborhood of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was convicted and fined $2,500 by a judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas for exhibiting the film, and his conviction was upheld by the Ohio Court of Appeals[2] and Supreme Court of Ohio.[3]
Supreme Court [ edit ]
The Supreme Court of the United States reversed the conviction by ruling that the film was not obscene and so was constitutionally protected. However, the Court could not agree as to a rationale, yielding four different opinions from the majority. No opinion, including the two dissenting ones, had the support of more than two justices. The decision was announced by William J. Brennan, but his opinion was joined only by Justice Arthur Goldberg.
Justice Hugo Black, joined by Justice William O. Douglas, reiterated his well-known view that the First Amendment does not permit censorship of any kind.[4] Chief Justice Earl Warren, in dissent, decried the confused state of the Court's obscenity jurisprudence and argued that Ohio's action was consistent with the Court's decision in Roth v. United States and furthered important state interests.[5] Justice John Marshall Harlan II also dissented; he believed that states should have "wide, but not federally unrestricted" power to ban obscene films.[6]
The most famous opinion from Jacobellis, however, was Justice Potter Stewart's concurrence, holding that the Constitution protected all obscenity except "hard-core pornography". He wrote, "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that."[7]
Subsequent developments [ edit ]
The Court's obscenity jurisprudence would remain fragmented until 1973's Miller v. California.[8]
See also [ edit ]With action cameras mounted on helmets becoming increasingly common, C-Preme founder Conan Hayes thought, 'Why not build a video camera in a helmet?' The result is the US$119.99/£78 BULT, which features a 720p HD camera mounted inside the front of a skate-style helmet. Similar all-mountain and snow helmets will be shown at trade shows later this fall.
The BULT shoots 1280x720 video at 30 frames per second with a 120-degree angle lens. It also takes 5MP still photos. C-Preme calls the integrated camera 'Videohead Technology'. The BULT is CPSC and ASTM certified.
The helmet is launching in the US, but C-Preme plans to sell to the UK in 2014, and to expand to Australia, other parts of Europe, and Asia by the end of 2014.
The control buttons are easy to feel
“Athletes around the world are becoming videographers, capturing and sharing video with friends and family, now more than ever,” said Hayes, a former pro surfer. “We’re putting a camera in a place it’s never been before, inside the helmet, making it as simple as pushing a button to capture their next ride.”
“BULT is a better way to shoot – there’s no extra weight and nothing extending off your helmet that could get in the way,” said pro snowboarder Trevor Jacob. “It’s like the camera is a natural part of your body.”
BULT helmets will be available at action sports retailers and bulthelmets.com.(UPDATED WEDNESDAY MORNING with new information from police)
FIRST REPORT, 10:53 PM TUESDAY: An “assault with weapons” response is on the way to 25th/Findlay – and we’re hearing from several people who say they heard multiple gunshots. Per scanner, a male victim has a gunshot wound in his upper leg. Police say they’re finding shell casings. More to come.
11:09 PM: We’ve just arrived at Delridge and Findlay – while most of the SFD response has been dismissed, a private ambulance is here. We hope to find out more from police about scanner traffic suggesting this might be related to a robbery at Hamilton Viewpoint Park in Admiral.
11:28 PM: Police are still trying to sort out what exactly happened and why it all wound up here after starting at the park in Admiral. No one is in custody so far. The victim’s been taken to the hospital and his injuries are not life-threatening. The car he was in is here at Delridge/Findlay and police are talking to possible witnesses.
11:52 PM: As pointed out in comments, there are shell casings on 25th near Puget.
Police are here too and crime tape is up (so if you’re out driving or riding at this hour, 25th is blocked).
12:46 AM: We went by Hamilton Viewpoint Park – no police cruisers with lights on, but there appeared to be an officer with a flashlight; gates were closed and not close enough for us to reach safely, so we’ll have to verify in the morning what if anything was found there, as well as whatever other details police have determined.
SIDE NOTE: While there have been other incidents involving gunfire, this is the first time someone has been shot in West Seattle since this incident near 35th and Morgan more than four months ago. One person was “grazed” in the June road-rage incident that started under the bridge.
ADDED 10:52 AM WEDNESDAY: A few additional details are in what police just posted to SPD Blotter, including the victim’s age and confirmation that shots were fired at Hamilton Viewpoint as well as in North Delridge:The rigid austerity measures brought on by the euro crisis are having catastrophic effects on the health of people in stricken countries, health experts reported on Wednesday.
Not only have the fiscal austerity policies failed to improve the economic situation in these countries, but they have also put a serious strain on their health care systems, according to an analysis of European health by medical journal The Lancet. Major cuts to public spending and health services have brought on drastic deterioration in the overall health of residents, the journal reported, citing the outbreak of epidemics and a spike in suicides.
In addition to crippling public health care budgets, the deep austerity measures implemented since the economic crisis began in 2008 have increased unemployment and lowered incomes, causing depression and prompting sick people to wait longer before seeking help or medication, the study found.
The countries most affected by this have been Portugal, Spain and Greece, the latter of which saw outbreaks of both malaria and HIV after programs for mosquito spraying and needle exchanges for intravenous drug users were axed. There were also outbreaks of West Nile virus and dengue fever.
"Austerity measures haven't solved the economic problems and they have also created big health problems," Martin McKee, a professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the research, told news agency AP.
It will take years to understand the health consequences of the euro crisis and the policies it has prompted, but some effects are already clear, the study said. Not only has there been an increase of mental disorders in Greece and Spain, but the number of suicides for those younger than 65 has increased in the EU since 2007 -- "reversing a steady decrease." In Greece, the Ministry of Health reported a 40 percent jump in suicides between January and May 2011, compared to the same period the year before.
Officials Accused of Ignoring Problems
While budget cuts have restricted health care access with increased costs for patients in these three nations, Greece has also seen shortages in medication, hospital staff and supplies, according to the study, commissioned in part by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, a partner of the World Health Organization.
The study authors also accuse European officials of failing to address these issues, writing that "public health experts have remained largely silent during this crisis."
"There is a clear problem of denial of the health effects of the crisis, even though they are very apparent," lead researcher McKee told Reuters, comparing their response to the "obfuscation" of the tobacco industry. "The European Commission has a treaty obligation to look at the health effect of all of its policies but has not produced any impact assessment on the health effects of the austerity measures imposed by the troika."
The troika, made up of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, has been in charge of bailing out ailing European economies -- most recently in Cyprus -- and of policing the implementation of the austerity measures the study blames for deteriorating health in these countries.
But it doesn't have to be that way, the study suggests, citing Iceland as a success story. Though the country was one of the first to be hit by the financial crisis, it "rejected the economic orthodoxy that advocated austerity and invested in its people who, evidence suggests, have had very few adverse health consequences."by
In the early fall of 1937, African American poet, Langston Hughes, arrived in Barcelona in the aftermath of an air raid that killed several dozen people. That summer, Hughes had joined a bevy of writers and artists from around the world who had convened in Spain to take part in the Second International Congress of Writers for the Defense of Culture. Like his fellow literati, Hughes was entranced by the civil war taking place in Spain, distraught over its broader implications for the slow withering of democracy and deepening racial injustice around the world.
In addition to reporting on the International Brigades fighting Franco and fascism, which included members of the Lincoln Brigades from the United States, Hughes was particularly focused on the volunteer Moors, those soldiers of color primarily from Morocco who signed up for both Republican and Nationalist causes. He and Afro-Cuban poet, Nicolás Guillén, bussed through Barcelona admiring relics of its modernist antiquity while lamenting the visible destruction in the wake of war. By day two of their trip, Hughes and Guillén witnessed an air raid for themselves, which rattled Hughes from his bed and sent him scurrying to his hotel lobby where he met Guillén. Hughes was overwhelmed with the traumatizing scenes of death and inhumane violence to such a degree that he would record the event in several articles, essays, and poems. Together, these macabre vignettes speak volumes about how the war impacted his political and artistic consciousness. Not long after the experience in Barcelona, he penned these verses:
Black smoke of sound Curls against the midnight sky. Deeper than a whistle, Louder than a cry, Worse than a scream Tangled in the wail Of a nightmare dream, The siren Of the air raid sounds.
“Air Raid: Barcelona” is a lyrical testimony to fascist bombing campaigns employed during the Spanish Civil War and a paean to its victims. The short, staccato phrasing elicits confusion and anxiety, as if to place the reader in the center of the frightening chaos. Hughes’s punctuated, march-like iambs slowly accelerate in anticipation of the bedlam to come:
Flames and bombs and Death in the ear! The siren announces Planes drawing near. Down from bedrooms Stumble women in gowns. Men, half-dressed, Carrying children rush down. Up in the sky-lanes Against the stars A flock of death birds Whose wings are steel bars Fill the sky with a low dull roar Of a plane, two planes, three planes, five planes, or more. The anti-aircraft guns bark into space. The searchlights make wounds On the night’s dark face.
The verses read like an image taken from a journalistic account that puts a print story in lyrical form. “Air Raid: Barcelona” literally reads as a headline, making Hughes’s rendering of war a kind of textual documentary and therefore more immediate and sensorial to the reader.
We live in a time when Hughes’s horror may be relived in a different context, when leaders in Washington increasingly advocate the use of drones in the arsenal against terrorism. In contrast to the high visibility of the German- and Italian-backed bombing campaigns in Spain, which proved to be a dress rehearsal for World War II, today we remain at a safe distance from the sequestered scenes of the “War on Terror.” The strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia pose a different moral dilemma for western observers because there appear to be no witnesses and few “innocent” bystanders. Civilian casualties are by and large disavowed in favor of an assertion that modern technology has cleaned up war, so that only the guilty are eradicated and the lawful safely preserved. The use of drones reportedly maximizes security for the United States with minimal civilian casualties. Local governments and international media outlets silence the voices of those impacted by surgical strikes. Implemented with the consent (and even urging) of foreign governments, these clandestine operations seek to promote regional and international stability yet actually contribute to domestic inquietude, as leaders pay a price for allowing and encouraging U.S. actions.
In conventional war, the argument proffered by the administration is that the use of drones for surveillance and “signature attacks” is, in fact, in accordance with international law. Most recently, John O. Brennan, President Obama’s chief counterterrorism adviser, defended the wide implementation of drones against terror suspects, saying they were “legal, ethical, and wise.” But it is precisely their legality, ethicality, and wisdom that are in doubt. In targeting non-state individuals, questions of human rights and rightful protections readily present themselves. They center on uncovering the criteria that deem certain individuals “terrorist,” “militant,” or “insurgent.” A select, multinational decision making network of high level intelligence officials act as judge and jury regarding who and what constitute global and local threats. But in this process there are no democratic standards, no transparent forms of indictment, no outside accountability. We do not always know the exact crimes suspects were meant to have committed. In short, there is no definite way of pinpointing how guilt of an individual is assessed or the resulting consequences bore by families and communities that fall victim to unmanned war.
Consequently, omitted from much of the public record is exactly how many civilians have been killed in the 260 Predator and Reaper Drone attacks since President Obama took office. According to the New American Foundation, out of the nearly 300 drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004, somewhere between 1,785 and 2,771 individuals have died, with a “non-military fatality rate” of roughly 17%. With the expansive use of drones, estimates vary on the number of innocent people killed. In Yemen, where strikes are on the rise, some 50 civilians have perished in over two dozen operations since 2009. Numbers vary according to independent tabulators, but most point to several hundred as the total number of collateral damage to date, dozens of them children.
Hughes painted his bombing scene as indiscriminate, a slow crescendo and accelerando that peaks as the bombers arrive, which generates the gruesome frenzy of war:
The siren’s wild cry Like a hollow scream Echoes out of hell in a nightmare dream. Then the BOMBS fall! All other noises are nothing at all When the first BOMBS fall. All other noises are suddenly still When the BOMBS fall. All other noises are deathly still As blood spatters the wall And the whirling sound Of the iron star of death Comes hurtling down. No other noises can be heard As a child’s life goes up In the night like a bird. Swift pursuit planes Dart over the town, Steel bullets fly Slitting the starry silk Of the sky: A bomber’s brought down In flames orange and blue, And the night’s all red Like blood, too. The last BOMB falls.
Today, bombing “militants” for national preservation and regional stabilization poses the additional problem of labeling. How do we distinguish militant from civilian? For targets also have families, friends, and communities. Those killed are uncles, fathers, brothers, children, wives, and mothers. Such actions increase the probability of fueling flames of anti-American discontent. The matter is further complicated when U.S. citizens are added to the list of targets, as were Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, both killed in Yemen for their suspected role in Al Qaida. Critics question the elimination of due process that formally charges and sentences suspected criminals.
However, more human rights organizations are taking note. The ACLU, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and other agencies are crying foul at the Obama administration’s expansion of the drone program. Recently, a “Drone Summit” was convened in Washington, D.C., by CODEPINK, Reprieve, and the Center for Constitutional Rights as an effort towards interrogating the legality and morality of state-sponsored bombing of individuals and their communities. A multinational conglomeration, which included attendees from Pakistan, discussed the controversial deployment of drones and their wider social and political ramifications.
Hughes’s evocation of war was made more surreal with its reliance on naturalist metaphor to convey destruction wrought by technology. He concluded his poem with the avian attackers retreating but leaving damage behind:
The death birds wheel East
To their lairs again
Leaving iron eggs
In the streets of Spain.
With wings like black cubes
Against the far dawn,
The stench of their passage
Remains when they’re gone.
In what was a courtyard
A child weeps alone.
Men uncover bodies
From ruins of stone.
One cannot help but ruefully ponder Hughes’s words when reading headlines about drone strikes seventy-five years later. Further use of drones not only means the laying of more “iron eggs” but also increased surveillance of U.S. citizens in the effort to enhance border security. Beyond surveillance is the human toll that such warfare inflicts anonymously, with little public record or scrutiny. In wanting to install democracy in conflicted areas around the world, the U.S. loses credibility while undermining sovereignty abroad by resorting to an anti-democratic method of eliminating its enemies. These developments should beckon America’s attention and spark urgency to seek information about conditions on the ground. It is the public’s right to know whose lives are overturned and the degree to which such strikes actually produce a more peaceful world.
John Gronbeck-Tedesco is Assistant Professor of American Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey.It was offered to the first person to successfully expose himself in front of the President by a British billionaire who encouraged people to attempt the stunt and post the footage on a website in exchange for $1million.
Juan Rodriguez, 24, from Staten Island in New York ran naked out of a crowd during a political rally in Philadelphia before being arrested by police.
The American was bailed on Monday after being charged with indecent exposure, open lewdness and disorderly conduct and is waiting to hear whether he will receive his money.
Battlecam.com, the website set up by digital media entrepreneur Alki David, is awaiting confirmation from the Greek Embassy whether Mr Obama heard and saw the actions of Mr Rodriguez.
In accordance with the rules laid out by Battlecam.com the streaker must be in the eye-line of the President and also within earshot so that he can hear them shout out the name of the website six times.
Mr David, 42, who is 45th in the Sunday Times Rich List, said: "We are delighted with Mr Rodriguez. I am looking forward to presenting him with a big bag of cash. We are just waiting for confirmation that Obama did hear him and then we can hand over the money. I've nothing against Obama himself - it's just we knew this stunt would attract so much publicity if it was with the President."
Mr Rodriguez is reportedly intending to share the money with four others, including his girlfriend, who helped him pull the stunt off.
Since Battlecam.com was set up in May this year it has already paid out more than $250,000 in prizes. A competition to encourage people to get tattoos of the website's name led to 107 people being paid $1,500 each to have the letters permanently inked onto them which were 6'' high.Known for his seminal but immensely controversial book, Why I am not a Hindu (1996), Kancha Ilaiah, does not mollify his audience — an experience I have lived firsthand, having attended Ilaiah’s lecture series at the Asian College of Journalism. Currently, the Director of the Centre for Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at Maulana Azad National Urdu University and former associate professor at the Department of Political Science in Osmania University, Ilaiah’s works have often been described by his critics as “cheap rhetoric”, provocative, while some others point to the inconsistencies in methodology, lack of academic rigour. He acknowledges that he has been told be “mild” and that he “should not be writing what he does” by many in his lifetime.
Perhaps that is true for most writers who write on Hinduism, Hindu Culture and Brahminism: Wendy Doniger’s Hinduism: An Alternate History drew ire from the religious right wing outfits, Perumal Murugan’s book about ritual, One Part Woman was not accepted by right wing groups and the author decided to withdraw books from sale. Late MM Kalburgi, noted scholar on Vachana literature was shot dead; he found that the worship of Ganesha was not prescribed in texts, but a myth. Last year, a case was filed against Ilaiah by the VHP for hurting religious sentiments over his article published in a Telugu daily titled — Devudu Prajasamya Vada Kada (Is God a democrat?); around the time IIT Madras clamped down hard upon Ambedkar Periyar Circle, a student group that engages in socio-political discussions. More recently, Rohith Vemula’s suicide exposed the seedy cracks in the walls of higher education, where caste discrimination is bona fide.
Ilaiah circles around a miscellany of topics when he speaks — he has examples, stories and tales, ready for your eager consumption. Ilaiah also keeps his ears to the ground and reacts whenever there is a need. Soon after Rohith Vemula’s suicide, Ilaiah wrote in an op-ed that dalit students like Vemula were creating a “new cultural idiom” and by that he meant engaging in a quest for transformation. Ilaiah is quick to correct me when I drop the word, identity: The struggles at JNU, University of Hyderabad, Jadavpur University, IIT-Madras’s issue with Ambedkar Periyar Circle, beef festivals in Osmania or EFLU are “not a struggle for identity” according to Ilaiah — these are about “transformative, political, ideological issues.”
The eating of beef, exercising the right to freedom of speech and being a human without the politics of caste, is the “transformation” he means. “I am more bothered about transformation of society where equality is the goal. These are not identity issues, but equality issues, these are issues of Indian democracy becoming mature. Identity is just a low grade of that, transformation is the next level,” he asserts.
A conversation with Ilaiah is never linear, but one that meanders. Elaborating upon Ambedkarism, Ilaiah decides to make a point about democratic food culture being a pertinent aspect of the doctrine. To illustrate this point, however, Ilaiah resorts to grand rhetoric that unabashedly trespasses into the absurd — “vegetarianism is anti-nationalism...if a whole (sic) nation becomes vegetarian, its protein levels will go down. You know why West Indies won all the games? It is because they eat protein rich food.”
Despite such digressions, Ilaiah tells me, “everyone should be free to consume what they want, pork or beef,” — an appropriate critique of the State that is currently obsessed with regulating its citizens’ lunches and dinners.
As far as Ambedkarism is concerned, it is hard to miss that political parties across all leanings have embraced Ambedkar in the recent past, including the RSS. Most posters have his image and speeches are not made without invoking his name. How does Ilaiah understand this? “Ethicality of equality is missing in Hinduism” and the RSS cannot pick and choose ideas.
The Congress, Ilaiah feels is on the heels of repositioning itself into importance by deploying Ambedkar’s thoughts into their political strategy. “Rahul Gandhi has taken a radical position, he likely to become a reformist politician.”
Ilaiah’s beef with most parties is with their dilly-dallying on aspects of Indian history and not taking a solid stand on any of those aspects, especially Buddha and Ambedkar’s relationship with Buddhism. Again, always one to poke the grizzly, he makes statements about how the RSS must embrace Buddhism.
Ilaiah is also not particularly enthused by Communism’s tepid treatment of ancient Indian history — “they want to take everything combined from (sic) Hinduism is good, Vedas are also good...Socialism is good and Vivekananda is also good or that Shankaracharya is also good...no! This doesn’t work. This puts them in a confused status.”
Caste politics are updating across the country, protests have sparked in various regions over gaining the ‘Backward Caste’ tag — Jats, Harayana’s farming community members sought to be included in the OBC list in 2008, Kapus from Andhra Pradesh, Gujjars from Rajasthan, Patels from Gujarat, Marathas from Maharashtra also demanded the reservation tags. This renewed interest in claiming the backward caste tag, according to Ilaiah is “dalitisation” — a term he coined in his 1996 book, he had ideated that a time would emerge when people would look for spiritual equality — “Dalitised mode of thinking, God has made all humans equal,” he explains. “Today the caste which did not want want reservations, Jat, Gujjars, Patels and Kapus are asking for reservations,” and the solution he says is to give them their position in society, in the community. “What is an open quota? In essence it is a Brahmin quota,” he slickly pronounces. The Dalitisation process “will happen more and more, labour will be respected” he says.
When I ask him about how things have changed since Independence, he says that while there has been gradual progress, the oppressed are still oppressed. “There is a quantitative change, but there is no qualitative change,” says Ilaiah, his disenchantment is manifest. He attributes positives to the Constitutional provisions, such as the right to vote, employment and education but strongly espouses the idea that the caste system is “rigid” and benefits those in the upper echelons: Brahmins.
The Shudras, according to Ilaiah have been kept away from the spiritual and intellectual domain — Brahmins still have a tight grip on areas of “policy formulation and transformation.” He says in an exasperated tone, “change is very little,” and explains that if men and women are burnt alive for marrying into other castes, there is no change; “Shankaracharya saying women entering temples will increase rape is not Ambedkar’s India,” he adds. Often understood as a staunch anti-Brahmin or one that is looking to annihilate an entire race through his “venomous” writings, Ilaiah addresses these with ease, “We are not saying that there Brahmins should have no place in this country or that we should be violent. In our religion, as Ambedkar has given, equality in every sphere.” The envelope needs to pushed — “where we are free equal human beings.”
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.BII It's an incredibly exciting time in mobile payments thanks to a number of shakeups that promise to turn the industry on its head.
In a new report from BI Intelligence, we look at the most important developments in the last few months, how they've reshaped the mobile payments landscape and whether they'll be the catalyst for people to finally start paying with their phones.
Apple Pay: The biggest shakeup was Apple's launch of its new payments feature: Apple Pay. The NFC-compatible system allows iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users to make payments at over 200,000 retail locations in the US. Apple Pay boasts a number of security features that speak directly to consumers' top mobile payments concerns.
Big Retail's move: Hoping to steal the show, MCX, a consortium of over 70 of the largest retailers in the US, announced its own mobile wallet, "CurrentC," days before Apple. These merchants control one in five retail dollars spent in US stores, and MCX merchants won't be accepting Apple Pay, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The in-app crowd: Finally, a new breed of apps that bypass the payment terminal by allowing users to make in-store purchases entirely within their phone. They promise to fundamentally change the way we pay in restaurants and bars, and make it a software-only process.How Corporations Hijacked Personhood Commerce is not a dirty word, nor is the creation of wealth when it is achieved within a free market economy. The problem is that the remnant of a free market existed only in an age before the mercantile interests were able to redefine the character of business transactions. Today, few question the nature of the corporation. Even small business ventures migrate towards the organizational structure of a corporate entity. However, an in-depth analysis of the entrepreneurial enterprises indicates that America’s Shrinking Corporate Sector is in retreat. “Recently released IRS data shows that there were 1.6 million C corporations in 2011. This is the lowest number of traditional corporations since 1974 and 1 million fewer than there were at the peak in 1986.” But before you shed a tear, review A Short History Of Corporations. “What is a corporation? Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary defines it as 'an ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility'. It is a legal construct, a charter granted by the state to a group of investors to gather private funds for a specific purpose. Originally, charters were granted in the service of a public purpose, and could be revoked if this were not fulfilled. The relationship between state and corporation is a complex one. Over the past 400 years corporations have conquered territory and brought in resources for the state, breaking laws put in place to constrain them and gaining in power and privilege. History shows a repetitive cycle of corporations over-reaching, causing such social turmoil that the state is forced to reign them back in through regulation.” Now it is popular to condemn corporate greed and excess, but many make the fundamental mistake of accusing business endeavors as part of that intemperance. If greed was really good, as the fictional tycoon of Wall Street argued in Oliver Stone’s movie, just how did the robber barons build their empires? Contrast the era of the Rockefeller’s, Carnegie’s and Vanderbilt’s with the way Our Hidden History of Corporations in the United States, started out. “For 100 years after the American Revolution, legislators maintained tight control of the corporate chartering process. Because of widespread public opposition, early legislators granted very few corporate charters, and only after debate. Citizens governed corporations by detailing operating conditions not just in charters but also in state constitutions and state laws. Incorporated businesses were prohibited from taking any action that legislators did not specifically allow. States also limited corporate charters to a set number of years. Unless a legislature renewed an expiring charter, the corporation was dissolved and its assets were divided among shareholders. Citizen authority clauses limited capitalization, debts, land holdings, and sometimes, even profits. They required a company’s accounting books to be turned over to a legislature upon request. The power of large shareholders was limited by scaled voting, so that large and small investors had equal voting rights. Interlocking directorates were outlawed. Shareholders had the right to remove directors at will.” How did the concept of granting a limited corporate charter morph into the huge monopolies that a financial magnate like J.P. Morgan was able to control? Well, the answer points to the basic formula that is at the root of government itself. Human nature does not change, but the legal system does. Lawyers and judges are the central operatives that change legal concepts and expand the definitions of acceptable conduct. They derive their financial interests from the corporate boards who pay their fees or provide their campaign contributions. Political legislatives become dependent upon the money class to feed their appetites and pockets. The end results is that the tight restrains upon corporate constructs are gone with the wind just as clearly as the sovereignty of individual states were quashed in the conflict that centralized more power under the Federal Government hegemony. For an examination on the most tortured perversion and betrayal of the American Revolution, the Totalitarian Collectivism - Part 8 – CORPORATIONS and LAW segment, cites the most irresponsible legal precedent. “The 1886 case, Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company, is often cited that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations are "persons" having the same rights as human beings based on the 14th Amendment.” The Supreme Court has a long legacy of absurd and tyrannical usurpation of the most basic precepts of the Bill of Rights. How can a corporation be elevated to the same level as a living breathing citizen when crowning magistrates strip the basic human rights from the unborn? If a conceived being with a created soul can be de-legitimated by a capricious and arrogant court, while fabricated and artificial corporation entities can be endowed with personhood status, how can this be a lawful society? Explore the significance of this irrational legal injustice. Corporate Personhood explained in simple terms for the rest of us makes some valuable points. “Corporate personhood changes the relationship between people and corporations and between corporations and the government, and even between government and the people. The effects of this change in relationships range from loss of liberty and income for citizens to the destruction and poisoning of the earth and the corruption of the U.S. governments (including state and local governments). As outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the Anti-Federalist Papers, government derives its powers and responsibilities from the people. Corporations, chartered by governments, are subject to the people with the government acting as an intermediary. Corporate personhood allows the wealthiest citizens to use corporations to control the government and use it as an intermediary to impose their will upon the people. It is this basic about-face from democracy that should most concern us. But because of our corrupted legal system, corporate media, and corrupted elected officials, social activists usually focus their efforts on the bad, even horrible, results of corporate control of government and society. Reformers run around trying to get bureaucrats to enforce the minimalist regulations that have been enacted into law, rather than finding a way to prevent the corporate lawyers and lobbyists from writing the laws.” Essentially, the economy is dominated by money interests, who provide the capital to selective and favored corporations in order that monopolies can stamp out competition and dominate future technology. Upstarts that develop innovation and cutting edge ventures are not allowed to grow into major players. They are either bought out or are left to starve for lack of working capital. Government backed companies are nurtured and expanded with public contracts, which are groomed to become takeover targets for the grand oligopoly corporatists. Domination of economic activity has gone international under the globalism umbrella of transnational corporatism. In the face of such 21st century expansionism of the corporate model, even Alexander Hamilton would be shocked with this application of corporate personhood to trade jurisprudence. Since the Citizens United decision that favored corporate political speech, the Hobby Lobby and the Supreme Court essay bring into question the First Amendment religious protections of a corporation. Still, in this example the endowment of personhood standing defies the original composition for a corporate entity. Are there no limits for excuses used to revere the corporation? The United States is a Private Corporation Not a Public Government helps to explain a provocative viewpoint that is never taught in business schools. “Despite the seemingly altruistic intentions outlined in the US Constitution, the United States is actually now a series of inter-connecting legal entities structured as a corporation, granting dubious powers to the Federal government and other ‘governing entities.’ Beginning with the Organic Act of 1871, the nation has since been stripped of any legitimate sovereignty, and the citizens herein are now traded as stocks in bondage to a corporate machine.” Strange as it seems to many, this interpretation clarifies better than any court decision. Allowing the courts to assign personhood to an artificial LLC that can be registered online for a fee, is a maniacal anti human affront to civilized society. Any legal system that exempts or grants immunity from liability cannot claim to be a bona fide authority. Exempting accountability is a license to defraud, injure and steal. The concept of the public good is absent in a world where companies change names as often as adverse publicity hits the news wires. People need and deserve to have confidence that companies, they buy and sell to, have an actual person who stands legally liable for any evidential claim. This standard is easy to understand when applied to a small business. But can it be enforced upon a mega corporation? Only stripping each derivative rendition variation of personhood from any and all corporations can restore a sense of legal justice. Now the $64,000 question, how can this benchmark be applied to the described government |
... MUST WATCH Gun range tragedy raises bigger issue 03:18
She further told CNN's "New Day" on Tuesday that their father often schooled them on gun safety when they were younger, telling them "how to be safe with guns, but he never let us fire them because we were too young."
It's unreasonable, she said, that children smaller than her little brother are able to handle automatic weapons "that military personnel are trained for weeks to handle."
"It's time for a change. We have a voice, and so do you," the children said on the petition's website.
"The adults haven't been able to keep people safe, so it's time for us to speak up," 15-year-old Tylor said.
On August 25, 2014, Vacca was teaching the 9-year-old girl how to shoot an Uzi at the Bullets and Burgers shooting range in Arizona. The gun range, which caters to Las Vegas tourists about an hour away, has said on its website that children between the ages of 8 and 17 can shoot if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Cell phone video shows Vacca standing to the left of the girl as she fires. Gun experts have said that was the wrong position because the Uzi would have recoiled to the left
JUST WATCHED Slain gun instructor's family reaches out to girl Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Slain gun instructor's family reaches out to girl 03:13
In the video, the girl fires several rounds in rapid succession. (Experts said an Uzi can fire five rounds in one-third of a second.) The gun kicks to the left as the girl loses control.
It's easy for anyone -- including adults -- to lose control of an automatic weapon. That's why beginners should have no more than three rounds in a magazine at a time, said Steven Howard, who runs American Firearms & Munitions Consulting.
"The thing begins to fire, and it begins to jump and buck all over the place," he said.
"Your first human instinct is for your hands to clamp down, and you clamp down on the trigger, and if the thing has a 32-round magazine... it starts spraying all over and people get killed," Howard said.
Just days after Vacca was killed, his children said they forgave the girl who shot him. They released a video through their attorney, in which they read a letter they'd written to the girl they've never met.
"You are only 9 years old. We think about you. We are worried about you," Tylor said. "We pray for you, and we wish you peace. Our dad would want the same thing."
Christopher, the youngest, said he hopes to one day meet the girl and give her a hug. Elizabeth told CNN's "New Day" that it's important to her and her siblings' healing process that they get to know her one day.
"We hope we will get to meet her. It's a lot easier to not like someone when you don't know them," she said.
Added Christopher: "We didn't blame her. We never have."
And with the petition, they hope, no other families will have to suffer what these two families are enduring.Southampton look set to resolve their issues in the centre-back position with the loan signing of QPR defender Steven Caulker.
Ronald Koeman has found himself short of centre-backs after the Saints failed to sign Toby Alderweireld on a permanent deal, with the Belgian joining Tottenham Hotspur. Meanwhile Florin Gardos has recently been ruled out for over six months with a knee injury, forcing Southampton to move quickly in order to find defensive cover.
Caulker, 23, is looking to return to the Premier League after being relegated for the second consecutive season, and may see Southampton as the place to really kick start his career in the top flight.
QPR would prefer to sell the young defender permanently rather than loan him out, but the south coast club are keen on bringing Caulker in on a loan move initially with a future fee option of around £8m.
Reports suggest that Southampton want to conclude the deal for Caulker before they take on Vittese Arnham in Thursday nights Europa League clash at St Mary's.
Ronald Koeman is still interested in Celtic's Virgil Van Dijk, regardless of a deal for Caulker, and could step up his interest in the Dutch defender with Jose Fonte and Maya Yoshida the only fit first team centre-backs at the club.Scaramucci got his marching orders from the new chief of staff John Kelly, whose military experience now seems invaluable in this melee of warring factions
On Monday morning Donald Trump sought, via Twitter, to reassure a troubled nation: “No WH chaos!”
For six blissful hours, there was calm in sunny Washington. Then the news broke that White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci had been ousted after just 10 days. The chaos was back with a vengeance.
“The Mooch” got his marching orders from the newly appointed chief of staff, John Kelly, a four-star marine general whose experience in Iraq suddenly seems invaluable for this White House: now a melee of competing actors, rival factions and complex alliances fighting for territory.
As it happened, minutes after the Mooch’s fate was sealed, Trump and Kelly were in the east room of the White House to award a medal of honor to a veteran army medic who served in Vietnam. What should have been a solemn ceremony suddenly felt cheapened.
Scaramucci burned twice as bright and half as long; he had not even been formally sworn in to his new position. He reportedly had the backing of fellow New Yorkers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. He was described by Charlie Sykes, a conservative commentator, as “Trump’s id”.
Evidently Kelly determined that Trump’s id has no place in the White House. Scaramucci’s vulgar, expletive-riddled interview with the New Yorker magazine last week was a sackable offence, especially in the eyes of a military man looking to instil some old-fashioned discipline. Among other things, the Mooch proved himself a communications director who did not grasp the rules of “off the record”.
When Trump’s White House came into being, there was a readily identifiable three-way struggle for power between the family, the party establishment and the “alt-right” disruptors.
Where does the power struggle within the White House stand now? One of Scaramucci’s targets in that interview, chief of staff Reince Priebus (“a fucking paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac”), was ousted last week, perceived by the president as weak, thus severing another link with the Republican party establishment. But another target, Steve Bannon, may suddenly have got a reprieve, preserving an influential nationalist/Breitbart voice in the administration.
Timeline Scaramucci: gone in 864,000 seconds Show Hide “I think it’s super important for us to let the president express his personality” Scaramucci, loyal and telegenic, was named White House communication director, a move that immediately prompted the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer. "Full transparency: I'm deleting old tweets." Scaramucci spent his first Saturday on the job cleaning up his Twitter feed to remove historic tweets critical of the president and his agenda. "We’re strong as our weakest leak” 'The Mooch', as he likes to be known, appeared on the Sunday morning politics TV shows. He promised to root out “leakers” and said any he found would be fired. "A great night in West Virginia." Scaramucci’s estranged wife, Deidre Ball, gave birth to their second child in New York. Scaramucci traveled on Air Force One with the president to the Boy Scouts annual jamboree. “If the leaks continue, then I’ve got to let everybody go” Thumbs up and smiles aboard Air Force One on the way to Ohio. “I’m not Steve Bannon, I’m not trying to suck my own cock” Scaramucci dined at the White House with the president, the first lady, Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Fox News executive Bill Shine. After dinner, he placed a fateful call to New Yorker writer, Ryan Lizza... “I sometimes use colorful language"... The New Yorker published that conversation. "Leave civilians out of this" The New York Post reported that Scaramucci’s infatuation with Trump was a catalyst for his wife’s decision to file for divorce while nine months pregnant. Meanwhile Trump announces on Twitter that Reince Priebus is out as chief of staff. “Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director" Scaramucci watched as John Kelly was sworn in as the president’s new chief of staff. Hours later, the White House announced that Scaramucci was out as White House communications director, reportedly at the urging of Kelly.
The Republican establishment may yet pick itself up off the canvas too. Sean Spicer had felt compelled to announce his resignation when Scaramucci erupted on the scene on 21 July. But he has not left yet and could potentially be persuaded to take on the communications director role. As a military man himself, it might appeal to his sense of duty.
Scaramucci’s blowout raises fresh questions over the judgment of Ivanka and her husband, although their presence, along with national economic adviser Gary Cohn and deputy national security adviser Dina Powell, ensures the so-called New York Democrats will remain a force.
It has long been said that Trump’s White House needs an injection of “grown-ups”. Scaramucci, a verbal brawler from Wall Street who channeled the president’s ego, clearly wasn’t it. The sober Kelly might be. But he faces a Rubik’s cube of battling constituencies, full of personal and political conflicts and “my enemy’s enemy is my friend” attitudes. And then there is Trump’s mercurial temperament and 24-hour Twitter trigger.
As for the Mooch, it was one of the briefest White House careers in history. But it is safe to say he has left his mark on American history and satire. As someone once sang: “Don’t ever let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was Camelot.”
Sign up for Guardian US Today to receive the day’s top US stories every morningWashington (CNN) A group of women who have publicly accused President Donald Trump of sexual harassment and assault detailed their accounts of being groped, fondled and forcibly kissed by the businessman-turned-politician at a news conference on Monday.
"This was serial misconduct and perversion on the part of Mr. Trump. Unfortunately, this behavior isn't rare in our society, and people of all backgrounds can be victims. The only reason I am here today is that this offender is now the President of our country," said Rachel Crooks, a former Bayrock Group receptionist who accused Trump of kissing her on the mouth without her consent in 2006.
Samantha Holvey, the former Miss North Carolina 2006 who has accused Trump of inspecting beauty pageant contestants, and Jessica Leeds, who has accused the President of grabbing her chest and attempting to move his hand up her skirt on a flight, also sat with Crooks at Monday's event.
The firsthand accounts come as a public conversation on sexual assault and harassment -- spurred by a series of accusations against high-profile figures in politics, Hollywood and journalism -- rages throughout the United States. Brave New Films, a production company that realized a film on the women who have accused Trump of sexual assault, hosted the event.
At least 15 women have come forward with a wide range of accusations against Trump, ranging from sexual harassment and sexual assault to lewd behavior around women. Of the women, 13 say Trump attacked them directly and two others say they witnessed behavior that made them uncomfortable. All the alleged incidents took place prior to his assuming the presidency.
On Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that the allegations took place "long before he was elected president" and that Trump has "addressed these accusations directly and denied all of these allegations."
Sanders also claimed that "eyewitnesses" have backed up Trump's denials.
"The President has denied any of these allegations, as have eyewitnesses," Sanders said. "Several reports have shown those eyewitnesses also back up the President's claim in this process and again, the American people knew this and voted for the President and we feel like we are ready to move forward in that process."
Asked by CNN to detail these eyewitness accounts, a White House official noted two reports that were made public during the 2016 campaign, one from The New York Post and another from The New York Daily News
The first eyewitness was Anthony Gilberthorpe, who the Trump campaign made available to the Post during the 2016 contest to rebut Leeds' claim that Trump groped her on a flight. Gilberthorpe claimed to be on the same flight and has been known in British media for making claims about the sexual conduct of politicians.
The second eyewitness is Katie Blair, the Miss Teen USA 2006 who told TMZ that she never saw Trump come backstage during a beauty contest.
"As far as the rumors surrounding him coming backstage and things like that, dressing rooms -- absolutely not," she told TMZ, but Blair was not present at the 1997 Miss Teen USA pageant, where Trump was accused of walking in.
Trump bragged on the Howard Stern show in 2005 about going backstage during beauty pageants.
"Before a show, I'll go backstage and everyone's getting dressed, and everything else, and you know, no men are anywhere, and I'm allowed to go in because I'm the owner of the pageant and therefore I'm inspecting it," he said. "You know, I'm inspecting because I want to make sure that everything is good."
The White House failed to provide other examples of eyewitnesses corroborating the President's denials.
In addition to the woman at the press conference on Monday, Trump's accusers include Temple Taggart, the former Miss Utah USA who accused Trump of kissing her on the lips in 1997; Mindy McGillivray, who accused Trump of grabbing her butt at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in 2003 and Natasha Stoynoff, who accused Trump of "forcing his tongue" down her throat during a photo shoot at Mar-a-Lago in 2005.
Crooks called on Congress to "put aside party affiliations and investigate Trump's history of sexual misconduct."
"In an objective setting, without question, a person with this record would have entered the graveyard of political aspirations, never to return," she said. "Yet here we are with that man as President."
Leeds added that while some areas of society are "being held accountable for unwanted behavior... we are not holding our President accountable for what he is and who he is."
Trump has personally vehemently denied the accusations.
"The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over," Trump said months before the 2016 election in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Trump, however, has never filed a lawsuit against the accusers.
Sanders said earlier this year that the White House's position is that all the women are lying.
"Yeah, we have been clear on that from the beginning and the President has spoken on it," Sanders said in October.
Trump opened the floodgates of accusations against him during the 2016 campaign when he downplayed the release of a 2005 "Access Hollywood" video that showed him saying he was able to "grab them by the p**sy" because he was famous.
Trump downplayed his remarks as nothing more than "locker room talk" at the second presidential debate and said he never kissed or groped women without consent.
But not all those close to the President have been so dismissive.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday that women who accuse a man of inappropriate sexual behavior -- including Trump -- "should be heard."
JUST WATCHED Nikki Haley: Trump's accusers should be heard Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Nikki Haley: Trump's accusers should be heard 00:45
"Well, I mean, you know, the same thing, is women who accuse anyone should be heard," Haley said when asked specifically about Trump's accusers. "They should be heard and they should be dealt with. And I think we heard from them prior to the election. And I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way, they have every right to speak up."
The renewed focus on Trump's accusers comes as Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore fights to win a reliably Republican seat, despite accusations he pursued relationships with teenagers, including molesting a 14-year-old and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old when he was in his 30s. Moore has denied all the allegations.
Trump has stood by Moore despite the accusations and has raised questions about the women who have leveled the charges. Trump traveled to Florida -- just miles from the Alabama border -- to rally support for the Senate candidate and has repeatedly tweeted about the need to back Moore and keep his Democratic opponent Doug Jones out of the Senate.
Two Democratic senators -- Cory Booker of New Jersey and Jeff Merkley of Oregon -- called for Trump to resign over the multiple accusations of sexual harassment and sexual assault against him.
The calls come days after Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, announced his intention to resign over accusations of sexual assault.
"I just watched Sen. Al Franken do the honorable thing and resign from his office," Booker said. "My question is, why isn't Donald Trump doing the same thing -- who has more serious allegations against him, with more women who have come forward. The fact pattern on him is far more damning than the fact pattern on Al Franken."
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the year Crooks alleges the encounter with Trump took place.The UCD9090 is a 10-rail PMBus/I2C addressable power-supply sequencer and monitor. The device integrates a 12-bit ADC for monitoring up to 10 power-supply voltage inputs. Twenty-three GPIO pins can be used for power supply enables, power-on reset signals, external interrupts, cascading, or other system functions. Ten of these pins offer PWM functionality. Using these pins, the UCD9090 offers support for margining, and general-purpose PWM functions.
Specific power states can be achieved using the pin-selected rail states feature. This feature allows with the use of up to 3 GPIs to enable and disable any rail. This is useful for implementing system low-power modes and the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification that is used for hardware devices.
The TI Fusion Digital Power™ designer software provides device configuration. This PC-based user interface (UI) offers an intuitive interface for configuring, storing, and monitoring all system operating parameters.There is something I want to share with “fellow Europeans”, and it is something hard to describe. It is to, in a moment, “feel” the past. How can I convey this? How can I show this?
Around 7700 BC, white skin had “reached fixation”, or the highest prevalence in the genome until today or some later decline, in modern-day Sweden. Some time around 3500 BC, white skin reached fixation in the rest of Europe.
I don’t say this because white skin is super-important (though melanin is a hormone and it’s absence will have causal effects on behavior), but just to give an idea of how quickly a genetically-based trait can spread. The late Henry Harpending in his book “The 10,000 Year Explosion” explains introgression, whereby the genes of a different population can enter another population, and then those genes get selected upon, the result being that a trait could spread through the population faster than you would expect from traditional natural selection.
For example, a mutation that increases fitness by 10%, if it came into existence in a single person, would come to dominate a population of 149,000 people in about 125 generations. If each generation is 25 years, this would be 3,125 years. And that’s assuming the mutation only happens in one place. If the mutation for light skin or ability to drink milk into adulthood independently crops in 10 places, and has a 10% reproductive advantage, then it would “fix” (reach nearly 100% prevalence) in a population of 1.49 million in 3,125 years. If it independently pops up 100 times, 14.9 million.
And since most people at the time successfully had between 1 and 3 children, factoring in the number who had zero, a 10% increase in reproductive fitness wouldn’t be noticed. If people who could tolerate lactose had 2.1 kids on average versus 1.9 for those who didn’t, what would this look like in practice? Well, in 10 households with lactase persistence, 9 would have two children, and 1 household would have three. In 10 households that did not have adult lactose tolerance, they would have 9 with two children, and 1 household would only have one. Nobody who wasn’t keeping records and looking for these kinds of correlations would even notice.
But the important takeaway is that evolution happens fast – or at least the “small” things such as the range of cognitive differences between what are considered functional humans.
The Collapse in Homicide
From 1300 to 1900, there was a collapse in homicide rates in most European countries.
In 2003, Manuel Eisner did amazing work estimating the homicide rates in historical homicide rates in England, Belgium & Holland, Scandanavia, Germany & Switzerland, and Italy:
Historical Homicide Rate in England (Eisner 2003)
Historical Homicide Rate in Holland and Belgium
Historical Homicide Rate in Scandanavia
Historical Homicide Rate in Italy
Historical Homicide Rate in Germany and Switzerland
Remember these are all logarithmic scales, and so the decline in from each y-axis interval is a 10 times decline.
Historical Homicide Rates in the 5 Regions
Eisner also combined all of this data here:
Bogoyavlenskiy et. al also found some historical homicide data for Russia from 1880 on:
During the mid 1980s-early 1990s, Russia appears to have had a spike up to medieval levels of homicide. More recent data shows Russia with a homicide rate of around 9.5, which is probably about as high as England in 1450.
Gregory Clark, in A Farewell to Alms, also shows the proportion of noble males who died violent deaths declined over this period:
Keep in mind the lower life expediencies than today, only reaching 62.7 years for males around 1805. This means that to some extent, the higher homicide rates in the middle ages are merely a function of a higher proportion of the population being at peak homicide years.
By comparison, blacks in the United States are only about 7.5 times more likely to commit homicide than whites are. This puts the stereotype that the Romans had of the violent “barbarian” in a new context. And of course the Viking Age, according to wikipedia, is said to have been from around 775 to 1050.
My interest here is not so much in the homcides for their own sake. It is about the kind of people they were. The fact that there were 10 times as many murderers in England than among similarly-aged white males in England today is not, on it’s own, all that interesting.
What IS interesting is that you probably also had 10 times the amount of behavior, in the whole population, that is associated with murderousness today.
Based on state-level racial ratios on homicide data, UNDOC’s estimate of the US homicide rate, and the presumption that the US in 2013 is 62% non-hispanic white, 14% black and 16% hispanic, we get an estimated homicide rate of 1.87 per 100k for US Whites, 14.08 for US Blacks, and 4.77 for US Hispanics. US Whites then are about 1.5 times more violent than Western Europeans. This is small enough that it could easily be “cultural”, but it could also be that the kind of people who emigrated places like the United States were on average more violent than the Europeans who stayed behind.
This would make US Whites about 1.5 times more violent than modern Western Europeans, but also suggests that Europeans in 1250 AD were more violent than US Blacks are today; in fact probably 3 times as violent.
If this seems radical, consider the use of public executions, in which members of the crowd would chop off limbs to keep as souvenirs.
A Genetic Argument
Shifts in homicide can be explained with “environment” or “culture” or changes in law. For example, the spike in homicide in Russia following the end of the USSR was not a result of a rapid change in Russian genetics.
But when we consider a change from 1250 to 1750, that’s 500 years, or 20 generations of 25 years each. And when we see either a gradual, or a series of stepwise changes over that time, then a genetic explanation becomes plausible.
There are two mechanisms by which this change could have come about. The first is the war on murder, and the second is the downward social regression of the elite.
Downward Social Regression
From 1250 to 1800, the top 35.4% of the population by wealth or other status indicators of status had 32.9% more offspring than the bottom 65% did within “Europe and North America”, according to a paper by Vegard Skirbekk in 2008:
Fertility by Social Status in Europe and North America (Skirbekk 2008)
And so what this means is that, assuming these numbers are roughly accurate, the top 35.4% of the population produced 42.16% of the next generation. And so in ten generations, the bottom 64.6% was effectively replaced by the top 35.4%. If we assume a generation time of 25 years, there were 22 generations from 1250 to 1800, and so the top 35.4% “replaced” the bottom 2.3 times. Of course in reality it wouldn’t have happened exactly like this, as there’s no rule saying that certain genotypes were necessarily wiped out, just that they kept getting mixed in with constant waves of downwardly mobile offspring from the “upper class”.
So how much of a genetic effect would this have had? Well, that would depend on how much the top 35.4% and bottom 64.6% of the population differed in genetic ways.
In A Farewell to Alms, Gregory Clark actually documented this playing out in Suffolk County, England:
The War on Murder
Another factor that would reduce violent behavior and, more important and interestingly, the other traits that go along with a violent personality – is that from around 1000 AD to around 1750 AD, countries in Catholic Europe had very draconian punishments against criminality.
What Henry Harpending and Peter Frost argued in their paper Western Europe, State Formation, and Genetic Pacification was that from around 1000 AD to 1750 AD, about 1.5% of the male population was executed for some sort of crime, either by court of by mob. Over 30 generations, this adds up to 45% of the males, or just 22.5% of the population. But the effect on whatever genotypic correlates with criminality will be greater than this.
This is an important point. It is not merely that those criminal individuals got removed. It is that their genes got removed out of the collective genetic tumbler. And so it is not merely that a few bad apples got removed each generation, but that those genes then couldn’t spread throughout the rest of the population. Each criminal can thus be seen as vessel in which a cluster of more criminal genes. And so when executed, those genes got removed throughout.
And each generation, there would be fewer and fewer hard criminals popping into existence, because there are fewer criminal genes within the whole of the population, and so less and less likely that an individual will get a “criminal draw” from the tumbler.
The reduction in the number of true criminals may interest some people, but I find that rather trivial and boring. What is interesting to think about is what traits a lower percentage of “criminal genes” among Western Europeans produces in a typical person. They’re not going to kill you, but they may be more willing to get in a fight, they may be more likely to get drunk, and they’re probably not very abstract thinkers or very entrepreneurial, or intellectually-oriented.
So conceptually, removing 0.75%% of the population each generation for 30 generations could remove something like 50% of the “criminal genes”, since you’re removing the most concentrated clusters of those genes each generation, not just the equivalent of the top 22.5% of a single generation.
We also don’t know how heritable homicide was in the middle ages. Arguments for it being very low could have to do with there being more variation in education levels (literacy vs. illiteracy), the developmental effects of undernutrition, famine and disease.
There’s also the argument that around 80% of the population had the same job – farmer – and the same education level – none – and the same parental socioeconomic status – peasant. And that the middle ages actually serve as a controlled environment experiment, and since everyone lived in the same crappy environment, any differences between individuals would be a function of genetic differences.
We know that the heritability of aggressiveness in the modern world is about 0.4. Given that we can speculate reasons for the heritability of variance in homicide in the middle ages being higher or lower than the modern figure, 0.4 seems to be the best starting assumption.
But for those who wish to say that variance in criminality in the middle ages must have been overwhelmingly due to environment – remember that it was still overwhelmingly males being executed for crimes, just as it is today. And we at least know that THAT gap is a function of genetic differences, perhaps made larger with societal expectation. The female executions happened, but they were few enough to ignore.
The European Revolution
Something that I think is difficult for the modern person to comprehend is just how regimented and proscribed ancient economies were. Take “the market” for example. For you it’s an abstract thing, but in medieval Europe – or anywhere – it referred to specific locations where all major exchange was regulated.
For example, the price of grain may be allowed to be haggled, up to a point where the laws of a particular market may disallow selling at too high or too low a price. To sell manufactured goods, you had to be licensed, and while the gilds didn’t always have legal monopolies – it was kind of irrelevant. Because lets say you wanted to start a shoe-making business; well, first you would have to set up your practice with all of those costs, and all of your manufacturing techniques would have to be the same as the current gild in order to be a licensed seller at a particular market.
And then, after all of that, you would have access to one of the 800 markets in England, each of which served about 10,000 people.
If one wished to sell at a different market, they may have to pay a toll or tariff. The market was an institution, with its own market court, prison and could even carry out executions.
In such an environment, what does “starting a business” even mean? How would you get a “loan”?
There’s no real way to “make it big” in producing stuff. At most you could become a tradesman, but it was far easier to try to get an apprenticeship into a gild than to start a new business. As in, starting a new business would be basically impossible, something almost never done, to the point where it wouldn’t even enter the minds of anyone to do so.
The European revolution went like this:
1. (1000 AD – 1500 AD) Increased yield in agriculture resulting from the privatization of common and and the creation of capitalist farms allowed for more people to live in cities around 1600. There weren’t factories at this point, but a higher proportion of people able to be something other than a farmer.
2. (1500 AD – 1700 AD) Firms get bigger and start selling beyond their local market. They are aided by government spending on Canals and Turnpikes. This government spending is made possible by the increased tax revenue from the new tradesmen, who exist because farming is now more productive. This is commonly referred to as the “merchantilist era” or the “colonial era”.
3. (1700 AD – 1880 AD) A “common market” is formed in England, the old local markets become obsolete and are retired or simply become part of a uniform trade law emanating from London. This makes mass production profitable, i.e. factories, because now the “market” you are selling to is the whole of England, not 10,000 people, of whom perhaps only 1,000 need new shoes every year. Factories are water-powered. This is “early industrialization”.
4. (1880 AD on) The steam engine becomes economical, which is then used to make farming even more efficient, which then frees up more labor for factories, which are also made more economical as they no longer have to rely on water-power – and at that point you have entered the world of “the economy” as we know it today.
These changes occurred over the same years that the war on murder and the downward social regression was happening. Where the bottom two-thirds was being genetically replaced by the upper-third, and the equivalent of the most violent 22.5% of the population was removed from the gene pool.
The people in Western Europe in 1525 were a completely different genetic stock from the people there in 1250. And the people in 1800 were also a totally different stock from those in 1525.
And so the commoner of 1525 was the elite of 1250, and the commoner of 1800 was the elite of 1525.
What then was the commoner of 1250? He was something radically different from the modern European. He was a serf and a perpetrator of the traditional “feudal” economy that existed, with minor variation, around the whole planet.
The conclusion just pops out at you: The Industrial Revolution, product of the Agricultural Revolution, were both a product of the European Revolution. A genetic change that involved the indirect genocide and replacement of the majority of the Western European population at least twice, possibly three times. And this process probably occurred in Eastern Europe and Russia as well, though apparently to a lesser extent.
First Worldism
This is why the “first world” as you know it is entirely a function of the European genetic changes that created a New European, which, without any outside help, destroyed serfdom and the traditional economy and created the modern world, modern government, and a generalized “economy” as we know it.
Other peoples – the Oriental Caucasians, Indians, East Asians – only broke out of serfdom and the traditional economy when the Europeans either did it for them, or, as in the case of Japan, witnessed Europe and rapidly emulated the final outcomes of the agricultural and industrial revolution.
And when you can “see this”, it’s an amazing feeling that I don’t know how to convey with words. In an instant, you can see people, a hop skip and a jump removed from the stone age, with burlap clothes, farming in a way not dissimilar from caveman, with modest changes in their clothing – and to see, every piece of “technology” is understandable within perhaps 10 minutes of explanation. And world where all of the technology could, in perhaps a week or so, be understood by a single person.
And the “elite” of 1250 being like “chavs” or “trailer trash” or “traq soot” slavs that you know today, and the lower classes being so casually crude, and casually violent in a surprising way. To see them go about their daily lives, and then when they catch a criminal, mutilate him, or, just for the fun of it, throw a bunch of cats onto a bonfire, and then go back to weeding their wheat fields. Then in 1500, seeing those chavs and “trailer trash”, once the elite, now just the average person, and the elite being like the average white guys of today – what we think of as normal aggression, normal levels of abstract thinking.
Then in 1750, white people who are like today, with the elite being of similar demeanor and intellectual leanings of doctors and corporate managers of today. And to see that iron forged by hand into new shapes and molds, and then into the parts of a primitive steam engine, and then hand-building a steam engine with a better design, the blacksmith changing in character over the centuries from someone unrecognizably brutish and prone to fights to someone like you and me as the complexity of what he makes increases. And then the blacksmith turns into an iron workshop, and then that building gets bigger and the blast furnaces grow larger, requiring steam engines and 5-man crews to move them.
It’s like I can feel this material creation, as if crafting and screwing and gluing the wood and iron and cloth together myself, and I know the people in each phase of genetic development. I can hear an old hag cursing in some indecipherable precursor to modern English; a dashing young blonde-haired man who doesn’t look like the criminal sort at all, who then robs you, and later rapes a woman. Women who smile courteously at you, but then stuff their bags full of produce and sneak out; who mock the boys who can’t fight and are attracted to only the most physical and dominating men. People who are European in appearance, but then behave like… well… do I need to say it? As if an alien race entered their bodies. But no, that’s them! That’s who the Romans called Barbarians, the blonde brutes, until the genetically pacified Romans were overrun by the Barbarians.
The modern world as we know it came from this genetic change in Western Europe, most concentrated in England. This is where the modern world, “the first world”, started to come into existence.
Which is why First Worldism means not mere “white nationalism”, but also the mentality of the New European. Which is to say free speech, private property, and consistent law free from clannish sentimentalism, and the genetic foundation needed to sustain those things over time. And it’s proud, because there is is much to be proud of! If anyone should have racial pride, it is Europeans, the more northern and western the moreso.
And when you understand what this thing is we call “modern civilization”, the totally new and revolutionary conception of property, of law, and of life itself that preceded it, the hidebound traditional economies it replaced, and the genetic changes in Europe from which it came – then you have a visceral understanding, |
your thoughts on the Microsoft executives believing their company owned the rights to DK? Sound off the comment section below.
Thanks to Ryan Millar for the tip!We’ve been dying to get our hands on both the HTC One X and the HTC One S for one particular reason: The two phones finally give us an opportunity in which we can — as closely as possible – compare the performance of the NVIDIA Tegra 3 chip and the Snapdragon S4 (hands-on video here). The One X employs the quad-core Tegra 3 processor while the One S runs on Qualcomm’s MSM8260A Snapdragon S4 Krait CPU with Adreno 225 graphics and, since the pair’s hardware is similar and the software is nearly identical, we can test the two processors fairly evenly.
That said, the One X has a much higher resolution screen (720p HD versus qHD on the One S), so things are skewed towards the One S’s S4 from the get-go. Judging GPU performance has a lot to do with how quickly the pixels are refreshed, and fewer pixels makes it easier on the processor. The One X, for example, has 77% more pixels to render than the One S, which puts its GPU at a disadvantage.
Tegra 3 and Snapdragon S4: A Brief Comparison
Before we get started, let’s compare the processors. The NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor offers four cores and a fifth “battery saver” companion core that can be used for side tasks that do not require quad-core power. NVIDIA explained that the four ARM Cortex A9 cores in Tegra 3 are also capable of scaling down their clock speed automatically in order to meet the demands of applications. If, for example, you’re playing a resource-intens ive game, Tegra 3 will power all four cores to 1.5GHz and give you all you need. But if you’re just browsing the web, the cores may scale down to 750MHz each for more efficient battery life. Why?
“By operating each core at a lower frequency, each of these cores can also be run at a lower voltage level,” NVIDIA marketing manager Sridhar Ramaswamy explained. “Semiconductor physics dictate that the power consumption of a core is proportional to the frequency and the square of the operating voltage. Due to this square law relationship, even a small reduction in voltage would result in a larger reduction in power consumption. Therefore the total power consumption of a quad core CPU to process the same workload would be lower than that of a dual core CPU.”
Qualcomm’s S4 processor, on the other hand, is powered by two more powerful Cortex A15-class “Krait” cores. Those cores, much like NVIDIA’s, are capable of scaling the processor clock speed up or down to meet the needs of the applications that take advantage of them. Qualcomm calls this tech “power smart.” The Krait processor is more energy efficient in general than the A9, which means it should offer more power without consuming as much energy.
Dual-Core vs. Quad-Core, A Video by Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments has already published a video that shows two ARM Cortex A15 chips killing four Cortex A9 chips in a benchmark test, but we don’t know is if the devices were otherwise identical, or how they actually performed in real life. We’ll go through a series of benchmarks so you can see the numbers for yourselves, but then we’ll also walk you through real-world tests of the One X and One S. Overall, we’re expecting the phones to perform similarly to one another — although NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 is expected to blow the S4 away in gaming tests, mainly because NVIDIA has developed games to specifically take advantage of their quad-core CPU. In any case, let’s dive in first with that video from TI.
AnTuTu v2.7.3 Benchmark, SmartBench 2012 and AndEMark
First, a brief explanation of what each of these benchmarks does. AnTuTu v2.7.3 is capable of testing the performance of multiple cores. We chose this test because it allows us to see how two cores compete against four cores. In addition, it shows how 2D/3D and I/O capabilities of each processor perform. However, the 2D/3D tests are resolution dependent so the Snapdragon S4 has an upper hand because it has fewer pixels to render on the One S’s display.
SmartBench 2012 starts by calculating pi and then running a series of graphics-based tests, string tests and 3D renders. It’s a standard test that’s frequently used to benchmark phones.
AndeEMark is especially important because it was built by the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium. AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and many others are part of the consortium, so this is a test that’s been standardized and approved by a group of chipmakers and industry insiders. AndeEMark is capable of testing multicore and multithreading capabilities of a given processor and can also test the Java efficiency of the CPU.
Winner: Tegra 3. Higher scores are better in the chart above and we can see that NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 was the clear winner in AndeMark Native, SmartBench 2012 and AnTuTu v2.7.3. It posted higher scores for every test, although the benchmarks for SmartBench 2012 were relatively close.
Winner: Tegra 3. In this test, Tegra 3 came on top. It’s visible here that the Snapdragon S4 Krait processors were showing their ability to compete nearly head-to-head with four Cortex A9 processors.
Quadrant:
Quadrant is a popular test that’s used all over various Android forums to compare devices. It’s an accurate test for performing multi-threaded CPU tests, but it doesn’t accurately portray 2D or 3D graphics performances because there isn’t an option to change the screen resolution.
Winner: Snapdragon S4, but if anything is clear here both processors absolutely slaughtered the dual-core chips in the Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Nexus. In this test the Tegra 3 was rendering 3D graphics for a much higher resolution display than what the S4 had to power. You’ll see here that the S4 generally outperformed Tegra 3 but that its CPU results fell behind T3′s. The S4 won Quadrant’s Memory, 2D and I/O tests but it lagged in the 3D tests, even though the One S has a lower resolution display.
GLBenchmark 2.1.4 Egypt Offscreen:
GLBenchmark 2.1.4 is an excellent comparison test because it provides an “Egypt” benchmark that tests Open GL ES 2.0 performance, which most new games take advantage of. It also supports “offscreen mode” for rendering to a specific, display-indepen dent resolution. This allows us to test the S4 versus the Tegra 3 without taking the physical screen resolutions of the HTC One S and the HTC One X into consideration.
Winner: Tegra 3. Tegra 3 won simply because it was able to display a greater number of frames per second (higher scores are better). However, the S4’s 56 frames per second is still an incredibly respectful score. It would be pretty much impossible to distinguish a game playing at 64 frames per second versus one playing at 56 frames per second.
Moonbat for Chrome
Moonbat allows users to test the multithreaded CPU performance inside of the Chrome web browser using a series of Java-based tests. In this case, the lower score is better because it means the benchmark finished faster.
Winner: Snapdragon S4. I set the “Webworkers” figure to four for Tegra 3, so that all four cores were running, and set the same figure to two for the S4 to activate both of its cores. The Snapdragon S4 won, completing the tests roughly 33% faster than Tegra 3.
UPDATE: We’ve added a second chart and in this case set both processors to run four threads in Moonbat (representing four tabs in Chrome, for example). That means that Tegra 3 will offload one thread to each core while the S4 chip will run two threads on each of its cores. Tegra 3 wins in this test because it’s able to better execute the task across more cores. However, the S4 only has two cores and so we originally ran the first test to reflect that.
Gaming:
Shadowgun THD Tegra 3 vs Shadowgun (Standard Edition):
NVIDIA has created a tweaked version of Shadowgun for Tegra 3 devices. There’s more detail in the 3D world, which means the game looks better overall. That’s one upside to owning a Tegra 3 device: the company works with developers to create Tegra-specific versions of games (sold through the Tegra Zone application) with much more detail, including water effects, smoke, fire and physics. There’s more glowing effects around lights, for example, and the armor is noticeably much more elaborate on Tegra 3 than on Snapdragon S4. There are quite a few Tegra-optimized games out now and many more are expected to launch later this year.
Shadowgun THD on Tegra 3:
Shadowgun (Standard Edition) on Snapdragon S4:
Shadowgun (Standard Edition)
It’s not fair to compare the S4 against the Tegra 3 in a game that was specifically designed for the Tegra 3. So in this test, I simply compared the real-world gaming experience of Shadowgun on both the HTC One S and the One X to see if there were any noticeable differences. Overall the game acted and looked nearly the same on both phones, although the graphics were admittedly a bit more crisp on the One X simply because it has a higher resolution display. What does this tell us? That the S4 can hold its own to the One X when it comes to games that are designed to run across multiple processors. As you’ll note in the screenshots below, there are relatively few differences between the two games.
Shadowgun (Standard Edition) on Tegra 3:
Shadowgun (Standard Edition) on Snapdragon S4:
Conclusion
Tegra 3 Pros:
Tegra 3 offers four processing cores (plus a fifth battery saver core), which allows applications to unload onto a larger number of processors. That means you’re splitting the power across four cores instead of just two, which theoretically will help save battery life.
NVIDIA is working closely with developers to create special Tegra Zone games. That means you not only have access to the original games in the Google Play store but also the enhanced versions from NVIDIA.
Incredible multitasking performance in real world tests.
Support for real-time physics and dynamic lighting in games.
Tegra 3 Cons:
NVIDIA has not yet announced partnerships with U.S. carriers to offer 4G LTE devices with Tegra 3 in the U.S., but that is likely to change down the road. That means Qualcomm, with its Snapdragon S4 processor, has the upper hand when it comes to providing 4G LTE chips. Qualcomm is the largest supplier of 4G LTE radios in the U.S. To its credit, NVIDIA already has solutions for 4G LTE support in Japan and the company has partnerships to provide 4G LTE solutions elsewhere, too.
Currently only available in the One X, LG’s upcoming Optimus 4X HD and the ASUS Transformer Prime tablet. Tianyu, ZTE and Fujitsu have also announced Tegra 3 powered devices although we don’t suspect we’ll see them in the United States.
Snapdragon S4 Pros:
Excellent gaming performance in real-world tests, plus the ability to play hit games such as Order & Chaos from Gameloft.
Qualcomm adds support for 4G LTE networks, which means we’ll see these devices in the United States before Tegra 3 smartphones. The HTC One X on AT&T and the EVO 4G LTE on Sprint are just two examples, although we’ll surely see more.
Utilizes Cortex A15-class Krait processors instead of last-gen A9 chips.
Better browser performance score in Moonbat.
Snapdragon S4 Cons:
No access to Tegra Zone games.
Fell behind in 3D benchmark tests as well as in AnTuTu v2.7.3, SmartBench 2012 and AndEMark Native/Java.
NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor wins this comparison because it not only performed better in a larger number of tests, but also because the company has a developer community creating excellent games that are specifically designed for its devices. No other chipmaker is doing this right now. While Tegra 3 employs older ARM Cortex A9 processors, it does so in a power efficient way. Our only reservation is that, while it supports 4G LTE networks right now, there haven’t been any announcements as to when it will launch on a U.S. carrier with that support. That’s a huge, huge drawback but we should see progress later this year.
For everyday smartphone owners, Snapdragon S4 comes out on top, however. Why? It’s faster when it comes to Web performance, which is huge in day-to-day use. Also, it’s going to be available on more devices in the United States sooner, and choice is a good thing.
But if you’ve been following NVIDIA since the early days when the company was building PC GPUs, you know it’s a company focused on delivering the most power to gamers while providing an experience that’s future proofed against heavier applications down the road. NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 is the chip for mobile gamers, mobile enthusiasts and anyone who wants to milk every last drop of power out of their smartphone or tablet.JUBA, South Sudan — Gunmen attacked a bus carrying players and officials of one of South Sudan's top-flight soccer clubs, killing the driver and injuring six others.
The Confederation of African Football says the Young Stars team was traveling from the capital Juba back to their hometown of Torit when the attack happened.
CAF says the club chairman was among the injured. It says the gunmen were unidentified.
Article continues below...
The Young Stars were going home after losing in the South Sudan Cup final.
CAF says the bus attack followed an attack on a bar in Juba, where gunmen opened fire on people watching a soccer game on TV, killing 11.
South Sudan has been in a near-constant state of civil war since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.Rosa Moussaoui is the Tunis, Tunisia, special correspondent for L‘Humanité.
Lawyer, former president of the Tunis Bar, Maître Abdessatar Ben Moussa heads the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights, one of the member organisations of the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015.
The Nobel Committee stated: “The Arab Spring originated in Tunisia in 2010-2011, but quickly spread to a number of countries in North Africa and the Middle East. In many of these countries, the struggle for democracy and fundamental rights has come to a standstill or suffered setbacks. Tunisia, however, has seen a democratic transition based on a vibrant civil society with demands for respect for basic human rights.
“The National Dialogue Quartet has comprised four key organizations in Tunisian civil society: the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT, Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail), the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA, Union Tunisienne de l’Industrie, du Commerce et de l’Artisanat), the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH, La Ligue Tunisienne pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme), and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers (Ordre National des Avocats de Tunisie).
“The Quartet was formed in the summer of 2013 when the democratization process was in danger of collapsing as a result of political assassinations and widespread social unrest. It established an alternative, peaceful political process at a time when the country was on the brink of civil war. It was thus instrumental in enabling Tunisia, in the space of a few years, to establish a constitutional system of government guaranteeing fundamental rights for the entire population, irrespective of gender, political conviction or religious belief.”
R.M. Five years after the fall of the Ben Ali dictatorship, after the 2014 ratification of a new constitution, do you consider that democratic transition has been achieved in Tunisia?
Me. Abdessatar Ben Moussa Absolutely not. It’s a long process. Democracy is easy to destroy but is very difficult to construct. It is true that Tunisia now possesses a constitution which enshrines human rights, collective and individual liberties, a civil state based on alternation of power, equal rights for men and women. However we have a long way to go: we hoped for more, with, for example, the abolition of the death penalty. Democracy cannot rest on a constitution and the holding of free elections.
Legislation is still not yet aligned with the Constitution: draconian laws are still in force in Tunisia. Journalists are still tried and imprisoned according to ancient laws though they are in conflict with legal decree 115 of 2011, relating to the freedom of the press. Equally, though the Constitution provides for the presence of a lawyer during police detention, Criminal Procedure Rules have still not been amended. However it’s a fundamental safeguard against the torture and mistreatment that persists in police stations, in National Guard bureaus and in overcrowded prisons. Torture is no longer orchestrated as it was under Ben Ali but it’s a culture that persists for the extraction of confessions. We have not had a radical transformation of the police and prison systems.
One positive thing is that the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights has signed a convention with the ministry of the justice that allows us to visit prisons without notice. We are working on a similar agreement with the interior ministry to allow us to visit police stations. That said, we remain concerned and vigilant over the state of liberties in Tunisia.
R.M. Do you fear the consequences of implementing the fight against terrorism in a Tunisia placed under a state of emergency?
Me. Abdessatar Ben Moussa Obviously! The police carry out investigations, searches, without any judicial control. Every day we see attacks on fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Constitution. We remain convinced that respect for human rights is the best weapon against terrorism. Youths denied the right to work are easy prey to terrorist groups who recruit in the slums and poor rural areas. For as long as social and economic problems remain unresolved, as long as youth unemployment remains high, measures solely based on security are doomed to failure.
R.M. The program of change from dictatorship to the establishment of a system of transitional justice, is this progressing? How far are you towards creating a truth commission to examine crimes committed by the dictatorship?
Me. Abdessatar Ben Moussa This transitional justice system should have been in place by 2011. After five years it appears to be a problem for us… I do not believe we can achieve transitional justice based on the South African model. There are still people who belong in prison holding positions in the machinery of power. It’s true a Commission for Truth and Dignity has started work, however, it was assigned to people based on partisan persuasion, during a period when the majority in the National Constituent Assembly was held by the troika dominated by Ennahda.
R.M. Most Arab countries that underwent popular uprisings in 2011 have plunged into war, chaos or the return to dictatorship. How has Tunisia managed to keep on the path to democracy?
Me. Abdessatar Ben Moussa After the assassinations of Chokri Belaïd and Mohamed Brahmi in 2013, we were on the brink of civil war. Mobilisation of civil society and the opening up of national dialogue allowed us to evade a political struggle fraught with dangers. The trick that Tunisia employed was to find a congruent and organised civil society and an elite imbued with progressive values. I also stress the central role of emancipated and militant Tunisian women who engaged in each step of the constitutional debate to defend their gains and acquire new rights. The course of events in Egypt also bore weight: political parties, with Ennahdha at the helm, understood that confrontation would lead only to destruction. Finally, the political powers accepted the debate. Several factors played a positive role. However this scenario cannot be replicated elsewhere such as in Libya or Syria.
R.M. For you, what is the most significant change Tunisia has undergone in the past five years?
Me. Abdessatar Ben Moussa I don’t hesitate in saying freedom of expression, freedom of the press. In Ben Ali’s era, no journalist could enter the headquarters of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights. It is an inalterable acquisition.
Original French article: Abdessatar Ben Moussa : « Le respect des droits humains est la meilleure arme contre le terrorisme » by Rosa Moussaoui
Translated by Adrian Jordan
Reposted from L’Humanité in English.
Photo: Ben Moussa Abdessatar with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet. Ons Abid.California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Sect. of State Padilla still resists Trump voter records request 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla blasted President Trump’s plan to reduce legal immigration over the next decade as “an unconscionable position to take and one that has no respect, frankly, for the history of our nation as a whole.”
The bill proposed by Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Sonny Perdue, R-Ga., and backed by President Trump would bar people from sponsoring siblings, parents and adult children who are citizens of other countries from immigrating to the U.S. and obtaining green cards, which confer legal residency status. They could still sponsor spouses and minor children.
Padilla, the child of Mexican immigrants, said the proposal overlooks the vital contributions immigrants have long made to American life.
“To deny that is not only morally wrong but is not in our country’s economic interest especially,” Padilla told Chronicle political reporters Joe Garofoli and John Wildermuth Thursday during an episode of the “It’s All Political” video podcast.
Padilla also vowed to continue to refuse to give information to Trump’s voter fraud commission. This week, New York became the first state to turn over information requested by the panel after initially declining to comply. State officials in New York said handing over information including voter names, birth dates, addresses and voting history complied with open records laws.
Padilla said that’s not the case in California.
“The voter file in California is not public information. It is made available to certain people and for certain uses,” Padilla said, such as an academic doing scholarly research on a political campaign.
He called Trump’s commission a sham and vowed that California would continue to resist giving it information.
“I have a lot of reasons to not participate or legitimize this commission,” Padilla said. “And we’re going to keep battling.”
Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoliSources: Body Found at NAS Pensacola, Believed to be Missing Boater Copyright by WKRG - All rights reserved Authorities say Gunther was murdered and they believe Michael Paul Rodgers is responsible. [ + - ] Video
Copyright by WKRG - All rights reserved
News 5 has confirmed a body was discovered Friday afternoon on the coast of NAS Pensacola.
There is currently an active crime scene on the strip of beach where the body was located, News 5 is told.
The body is believed to be that of 62-year-old boater Brad Gunther, who went missing last week. Family members who spoke to News 5 a short time ago confirmed that's what they were told by local authorities.
Copyright by WKRG - All rights reserved The body was found in this area, near Sherman Cove, News 5 is told.
Copyright by WKRG - All rights reserved The body was found in this area, near Sherman Cove, News 5 is told.
Gunther was last seen on the 48-foot sailboat he owned and captained, "Reliant." The boat was found anchored at Fort McRee last week with no sign of Gunther or the sailboat's dinghy.
Copyright by WKRG - All rights reserved
This past weekend, an arrest was made in connection with Gunther's disappearance. Michael Rodgers was taken into custody after allegedly trying to use Gunther's credit card and passport.
Rodgers is a registered sex offender from Milton, Florida. He served almost 8 years on a robbery, armed burglary, and sexual battery conviction.
This is a developing story. More tonight on News 5 at 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00.We see their spokespeople quoted in the papers and their ads on TV, but beyond that we know very little about how Australia’s lobby groups get what they want. This series shines a light on the strategies, political alignment and policy platforms of eight lobby groups that can influence this election.
Late-19th-century American journalist Ambrose Bierce once defined politics as “a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles”. Health politics today is similarly riddled with self-serving interest groups that masquerade as something else. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is a key player in this strife.
Who it represents
The AMA is sometimes referred to as the “doctor’s union”, in reference to its muscle and zeal in protecting its members’ interests, if not its formal industrial status. Salaried medical practitioners employed in public hospitals, for example, are represented industrially by the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation. Visiting medical officers are represented by state-based associations that often have close links to the state branch of the AMA.
The AMA was formed in 1962 with the merger of the Australian branches of the British Medical Association. It now has around 30,000 members, about 30% of the medical profession. This is a significant decline from its heyday 50 years ago when almost all medical practitioners were members (if only to receive its academic publication, the Medical Journal of Australia).
The AMA is strongly committed to ensuring it represents – and is seen to represent – a “medical voice”. The spokesperson for the AMA is typically its president, with the non-medical chief executive, quaintly titled the secretary-general, rarely seen in the public domain.
Key competitors
The AMA is the most diverse of the medical profession’s advocacy groups. This is both its strength and weakness. Although some causes unify medical practitioners – preserving their autonomy, for example – the interests of general practitioners and specialists do not always align. This was most recently seen when the private pathologists negotiated a deal with government which potentially advantages the pathology companies at the expense of general practices.
More cohesive medical groups (such the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and others that represent surgeons, obstetricians, and so on) may be potential allies with the AMA but may also pursue a distinct policy position.
Because these speciality groups have a narrower barrow to push, they can often respond to policy changes more quickly than the AMA.
The pathology companies’ interest groups, Pathology Australia and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australia, for instance, were quicker than the AMA to mobilise against proposals in the 2016 budget to remove the pathology bulk billing incentive with a Don’t Kill Bulk Bill campaign, which included petitions and posters in pathology collection centres.
Contemporary campaign
The 2015 budget announced an extension of the freeze of Medicare rebates for another two years, until 2020. Labor introduced a seven-month deferral of indexation in 2013 but this was converted into a freeze on indexation in the infamous 2014 Abbott-Hockey budget.
If the freeze continues, the gap between practice costs and revenue will increase, and bulk billing rates are likely to fall.
This makes the current election an important one for patients and the medical profession. The AMA has opposed the freeze, pointing out the potential adverse impact on patient access if out-of-pocket costs were to increase. Here we see a nice coincidence of interests between the medical profession and patients, as the freeze cuts first into medical practice revenue and only impacts patients if doctors increase their fees.
Labor has announced it will end the freeze funded by rolling back company tax changes. The Greens have also announced a rollback of the freeze.
Only 30% of specialist consultations are bulk billed compared to 83% of general practice consultations. The impact of the freeze is therefore greater on general practitioners, who would have to introduce more widespread billing, compared to specialists who would only need to adjust fees already charged.
The Royal Australian College of General Practice has also argued stridently against the freeze and run television ads on this issue.
Political alignment
The AMA is conservative in orientation. Two of its former presidents entered party politics as Liberals: Bill Glasson ran twice for the Liberals in Queensland and Brendan Nelson was a one-time leader of the Liberal Party.
This does not mean the AMA always gives Coalition governments a free ride. The immediate past president of the AMA, Brian Owler was vociferous in leading AMA opposition to the 2014 budget cuts to health care, the proposed introduction of a co-payment, and funding cuts to Indigenous health care. He also voiced concerns about the medical treatment of asylum seekers.
These “progressive views” were cited as an issue by newly elected AMA President Michael Gannon, who is looking to “build bridges” with what he expects will be a returned Turnbull government.
If Labor were to win the election, an AMA president who proudly proclaimed his friendship with Liberal politicians may not find building bridges so easy.
Fifty years of opposing
As one would expect of a conservative organisation, the AMA has attempted to stem the tide of change in health care, particularly when it comes to doctors’ rights to set their fees without government controls.
The history the AMA released for the 50th anniversary of its foundation outlines a mixed history of struggles against government. It had some victories negotiating with Liberal governments up to the 1970s. But the election of Gough Whitlam in 1972 brought the AMA up against a Labor government that was not prepared to compromise on its plan to introduce universal health insurance.
The AMA opposed a universal health system because it threatened the financial autonomy of doctors. The AMA showed it was prepared to get down and dirty, pulling out all stops to undermine the government and vilify ministers in an effort to stop the Labor scheme.
The AMA was partially successful in the Fraser years in having the Whitlam scheme unwound, but the election of the Hawke Labor government ushered in a revamped Medicare that is with us still.
But by positioning itself so firmly against universal health insurance, the AMA lost its ability to influence federal Labor ministers.
Influence today
Traditionally, once doctors finished their training, they started practising in independent, small businesses. Although this is changing with the growth of corporate chain practices (such as Primary Health Care Ltd), medical practitioners are generally very independently minded, which makes them hard to corral.
This, coupled with the divisions in the profession and the fact that only about one-third of medical practitioners are members of the AMA, reduces the AMA’s bargaining power because it cannot necessarily deliver on agreements it reaches. The AMA is therefore better able to argue a position about stopping change than negotiating a positive vision or, indeed, an acceptable compromise.
But the AMA cannot be written off. It is still a very powerful lobbyist. Although strong governments, with majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, can see off challenges from the AMA, this is not the contemporary state of federal politics in Australia. And it’s unlikely to be so in the next few years.
Crossbenchers still listen to the AMA, which gives it a position of influence. It is well-resourced and staffed with people who generally know the lobbying ropes.
The AMA is adept at dressing up its concerns in high-sounding rhetoric about the public interest. It is also skillful at concealing its weakness in terms of representing a united medical profession. For these reasons, it has been able to maintain its position as the foremost medical lobby group, and will probably continue to do so.
Read the other instalments in The Conversation’s Australian lobby groups series here.Sadiq Khan today invited Donald Trump to visit him and his family in London to learn about Islam.
London's new mayor has been engaged in a war of words with the Republican White House nominee amid a continuing fallout over his plan to'shut down' Muslim immigration to the US.
Mr Trump has insisted Mr Khan is 'ignorant' about the plan and claimed he would create an exception for the Muslim mayor.
Mr Khan yesterday repeated his belief the policy was 'divisive and dangerous' and suggested it would lead to Mr Trump's defeat at the US general election in November.
Mr Khan today told ITV's Good Morning Britain he wanted to engage with Mr Trump to try and change his mind.
Scroll down for video
Sadiq Khan, pictured on today's GMB show with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, invited Donald Trump to London to meet his family and ease his concerns about Muslims
He said: 'I invite Donald Trump to come to London: meet my wife and my daughters; meet my friends and my neighbours; meet Londoners... who are British, they are Londoners, they are Muslim.
'If I can educate the presumptive Republican presidential nominee about Islam, I'm happy to do so.'
Mr Khan warned the billionaire tycoon risked making the world 'less safe' by creating a 'clash of civilisations.
He said: 'Are you doing the job of Daesh and the extremists for them by saying the West hates Islam?'
Mr Trump has insisted he is intending only to tackle a'real problem'.
He said: 'I have many Muslim friends... I was with one the other day, one of the most successful men, he's Muslim and he said, 'Donald you have done us such a favour, you have brought out a problem that nobody wants to talk about'.'
Rejecting claims he was anti-Muslim, he told interviewer Piers Morgan: 'Absolutely not. I am anti-terror.
'There's something going on that's not good, there's something going on that's very bad, there's something that you are not understanding and maybe the Mayor of London is not understanding.'
David Cameron has continued to refuse to apologise for branding Mr Trump 'divisive, stupid and wrong' when the politician made his proposals in the wake the California terror attack last year.
Mr Trump continued his war of words with Sadiq Khan and David Cameron in an ITV interview with Piers Morgan this week, branding the London Mayor 'ignorant'
Mr Trump has warned he will struggle to build a 'good relationship' with the Premier if an apology is not forthcoming.
But a Downing Street spokesman said yesterday: 'The Prime Minister has made his views on Donald Trump's comments very clear. He disagrees with them, and I haven't got anything further to add.
'He continues to believe that preventing Muslims from entering the US is divisive, stupid and wrong.'
The Number 10 spokesman said that Mr Cameron was 'committed to maintaining the special relationship' whoever wins the presidential election.
'He has been clear that he will work with whoever is president of the United States,' said the spokesman.
No proposal had been made for a phone call between the PM and Mr Trump, but Downing Street would be willing to consider it, the spokesman added.
David Cameron, pictured on the stump for the referendum campaign, has refused to apologise for attacking Mr Trump as'stupid, divisive and wrong'385 SHARES Share Tweet Linkedin Reddit Pinterest Whatsapp
Shane Black Screenplays
Shane Black Screenplays have been studied for decades now. He’s the screenwriter of Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang just to name a few. For a time he held the record for the biggest payday of any screenwriter in Hollywood History (The Long Kiss Goodnight for $4 Million). He started the crazy 90’s spec script gold rush where spec scripts were being sold for millions almost on a weekly schedule.
If you want to learn how to write hard-boiled dialog and amazing action Shane Black screenplays are required reading. Watch the view below to see how Shane Black reveals his characters.
(NOTE: For educational and research purposes only).
Take a Listen to the Bulletproof Screenplay Podcast #1 Screenwriting Podcast for the Rest of Us! Guests include Jim Uhls (Fight Club), Doug Richardson (Bad Boys), Michael Hauge, Chris Vogler & much more.
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SaveSaveOscar winner Reese Witherspoon likes to pump her own gas. The Wild actress was photographed at a gas station in Brentwood filling her car-up. Reese has just returned from being on a Christmas break with her family back to her home in Los Angeles. The Oscar winner was bundled-up for the cold wearing a black quilted jacket with leggings with her hair tied-back and wearing very little make-up. Earlier on Saturday morning she had taken a yoga class as she tries to stay in tip-top condition after the Christmas festivities and she seemed only to happy to pump her own gas without help from anyone else either. The Nashville raised actress is being tipped to win her second Oscar for her role in Wild -- she won Best Actress first playing June Carter for Walk The Line in 2006. In the movie she plays troubled Cheryl Strayed who embarks on a 1,100-mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent catastrophe as she looks to re-discover herself.
It's also unclear whether the Mud star brought along her husband Jim Toth and their two-year-old son Tennessee along for her Christmas break after she jetted back into Los Angeles recently.
But she was in good spirits at the airport as she signed autographs and posed for photographs with her waiting fans.
The actress has two other children - daughter Ava, 15, and son Deacon, 11 - with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe.
The talented actress got a Golden Globe nomination and a SAG Award nod too for her role in the big-screen adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's 2012 memoir Wild.
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The film tackles some tough topics and fans will see Witherspoon using profanity and being promiscuous just like the character in the book.
But she does not regret those choices -- the actress told Vogue: “I wanted it to be truthful, I wanted it to be raw, I wanted it to be real.”Dear Americans,
We don’t want you here. Well, not most of your lot.
We’re a rather liberal populace, and we’ve been watching the narrowing presidential race with the same anxiety and disbelief as many of you. Canada, like your country, has never elected a dangerously unqualified demagogue either—and put in a similar situation, many of us might go shopping for a new country as well.
But for those of you thinking of moving to Canada as your Plan B, we’re sorry.
We really like newcomers, generally speaking. Canada takes in 250,000 annually, and |
, or is that some silly thing the spec allows that will never happen? There isn't enough information in this post to answer the bonus question, but I believe I've linked to enough information.
We can try this with a simple code snippet
#include <stdlib.h> #include <thread> #define NUM_ITERS 10000 #define NUM_THREADS 2 int counter = 0; int *p_counter = &counter; void asm_inc() { int *p_counter = &counter; for (int i = 0; i < NUM_ITERS; ++i) { __asm__("incl (%0)
\t" : : "r" (p_counter)); } } int main () { std::thread t[NUM_THREADS]; for (int i = 0; i < NUM_THREADS; ++i) { t[i] = std::thread(asm_inc); } for (int i = 0; i < NUM_THREADS; ++i) { t[i].join(); } printf("Counter value: %i
", counter); return 0; }
Compiling the above with clang++ -std=c++11 -pthread, I get the following distribution of results on two of my machines:
Not only do the results vary between runs, the distribution of results is different on different machines. We never hit the theoretical minimum of 2, or for that matter, anything below 10000, but there's some chance of getting a final result anywhere between 10000 and 20000.
Even though incl is a single instruction, it's not guaranteed to be atomic. Internally, incl is implemented as a load followed by an add followed by an store. It's possible for an increment on cpu0 to sneak in and execute between the load and the store on cpu1 and visa versa.
The solution Intel has for this is the lock prefix, which can be added to a handful of instructions to make them atomic. If we take the above code and turn incl into lock incl, the resulting output is always 20000.
So, that's how we make a single instruction atomic. To make a sequence atomic, we can use xchg or cmpxchg, which are always locked as compare-and-swap primitives. I won't go into detail about how that works, but see this article by David Dalrymple if you're curious..
In addition to making a memory transaction atomic, locks are globally ordered with respect to each other, and loads and stores aren't re-ordered with respect to locks.
For a rigorous model of memory ordering, see the x86 TSO doc.
All of this discussion has been how about how concurrency works in hardware. Although there are limitations on what x86 will re-order, compilers don't necessarily have those same limitations. In C or C++, you'll need to insert the appropriate primitives to make sure the compiler doesn't re-order anything. As Linus points out here, if you have code like
local_cpu_lock = 1; //.. do something critical.. local_cpu_lock = 0;
the compiler has no idea that local_cpu_lock = 0 can't be pushed into the middle of the critical section. Compiler barriers are distinct from CPU memory barriers. Since the x86 memory model is relatively strict, some compiler barriers are no-ops at the hardware level that tell the compiler not to re-order things. If you're using a language that's higher level than microcode, assembly, C, or C++, your compiler probably handles this for you without any kind of annotation.
Memory / Porting
If you're porting code to other architectures, it's important to note that x86 has one of the strongest memory models of any architecture you're likely to encounter nowadays. If you write code that just works without thinking it through and port it to architectures that have weaker guarantees (PPC, ARM, or Alpha), you'll almost certainly have bugs.
Consider this example:
Inital ----- x = 1; y = 0; p = &x; CPU1 CPU2 ---- ---- i = *p; y = 1; MB; p = &y;
MB is a memory barrier. On an Alpha 21264 system, this can result in i = 0.
Kourosh Gharachorloo explains how:
CPU2 does y=1 which causes an "invalidate y" to be sent to CPU1. This invalidate goes into the incoming "probe queue" of CPU1; as you will see, the problem arises because this invalidate could theoretically sit in the probe queue without doing an MB on CPU1. The invalidate is acknowledged right away at this point (i.e., you don't wait for it to actually invalidate the copy in CPU1's cache before sending the acknowledgment). Therefore, CPU2 can go through its MB. And it proceeds to do the write to p. Now CPU1 proceeds to read p. The reply for read p is allowed to bypass the probe queue on CPU1 on its incoming path (this allows replies/data to get back to the 21264 quickly without needing to wait for previous incoming probes to be serviced). Now, CPU1 can derefence p to read the old value of y that is sitting in its cache (the invalidate y in CPU1's probe queue is still sitting there). How does an MB on CPU1 fix this? The 21264 flushes its incoming probe queue (i.e., services any pending messages in there) at every MB. Hence, after the read of p, you do an MB which pulls in the invalidate to y for sure. And you can no longer see the old cached value for y. Even though the above scenario is theoretically possible, the chances of observing a problem due to it are extremely minute. The reason is that even if you setup the caching properly, CPU1 will likely have ample opportunity to service the messages (i.e., invalidate) in its probe queue before it receives the data reply for "read p". Nonetheless, if you get into a situation where you have placed many things in CPU1's probe queue ahead of the invalidate to y, then it is possible that the reply to p comes back and bypasses this invalidate. It would be difficult for you to set up the scenario though and actually observe the anomaly.
This is long enough without my talking about other architectures so I won't go into detail, but if you're wondering why anyone would create a spec that allows this kind of optimization, consider that before rising fab costs crushed DEC, their chips were so fast that they could run industry standard x86 benchmarks of real workloads in emulation faster than x86 chips could run the same benchmarks natively. For more explanation of why the most RISC-y architecture of the time made the decisions it did, see this paper on the motivations behind the Alpha architecture.
BTW, this is a major reason I'm skeptical of the Mill architecture. Putting aside arguments about whether or not they'll live up to their performance claims, being technically excellent isn't, in and of itself, a business model.
Memory / Non-Temporal Stores / Write-Combine Memory
The set of restrictions outlined in the previous section apply to cacheable (i.e., “write-back” or WB) memory. That, itself, was new at one time. Before that, there was only uncacheable (UC) memory.
One of the interesting things about UC memory is that all loads and stores are expected to go out to the bus. That's perfectly reasonable in a processor with no cache and little to no on-board buffering. A result of that is that devices that have access to memory can rely on all accesses to UC memory regions creating separate bus transactions, in order (because some devices will use a memory read or write as as trigger to do something). That worked great in 1982, but it's not so great if you have a video card that just wants to snarf down whatever the latest update is. If multiple writes happen to the same UC location (or different bytes of the same word), the CPU is required to issue a separate bus transaction for each write, even though a video card doesn't really care about seeing each intervening result.
The solution to that was to create a memory type called write combine (WC). WC is a kind of eventually consistent UC. Writes have to eventually make it to memory, but they can be buffered internally. WC memory also has weaker ordering guarantees than UC.
For the most part, you don't have to deal with this unless you're talking directly with devices. The one exception are “non-temporal” load and store operations. These make particular loads and stores act like they're to WC memory, even if the address is in a memory region that's marked WB.
This is useful if you don't want to pollute your caches with something. This is often useful if you're doing some kind of streaming calculation where you know you're not going to use a particular piece of data more than once.
Memory / NUMA
Non-uniform memory access, where memory latencies and bandwidth are different for different processors, is so common that we mostly don't talk about NUMA or ccNUMA anymore because they're so common that it's assumed to be the default.
The takeaway here is that threads that share memory should be on the same socket, and a memory-mapped I/O heavy thread should make sure it's on the socket that's closest to the I/O device it's talking to.
I've mostly avoided explaining the why behind things because that would make this post at least an order of magnitude longer than it's going to be. But I'll give a vastly oversimplified explanation of why we have NUMA systems, partially because it's a self-contained thing that's relatively easy to explain and partially to demonstrate how long the why is compared to the what.
Once upon a time, there was just memory. Then CPUs got fast enough relative to memory that people wanted to add a cache. It's bad news if the cache is inconsistent with the backing store (memory), so the cache has to keep some information about what it's holding on to so it knows if/when it needs to write things to the backing store.
That's not too bad, but once you get 2 cores with their own caches, it gets a little more complicated. To maintain the same programming model as the no-cache case, the caches have to be consistent with each other and with the backing store. Because existing load/store instructions have nothing in their API that allows them to say sorry! this load failed because some other CPU is holding onto the address you want, the simplest thing was to have every CPU send a message out onto the bus every time it wanted to load or store something. We've already got this memory bus that both CPUs are connected to, so we just require that other CPUs respond with the data (and invalidate the appropriate cache line) if they have a modified version of the data in their cache.
That works ok. Most of the time, each CPU only touches data the other CPU doesn't care about, so there's some wasted bus traffic. But it's not too bad because once a CPU puts out a message saying Hi! I'm going to take this address and modify the data, it can assume it completely owns that address until some other CPU asks for it, which will probably won't happen. And instead of doing things on a single memory address, we can operate on cache lines that have, say, 64 bytes. So, the overall overhead is pretty low.
It still works ok for 4 CPUs, although the overhead is a bit worse. But this thing where each CPU has to respond to every other CPU's fails to scale much beyond 4 CPUs, both because the bus gets saturated and because the caches will get saturated (the physical size/cost of a cache is O(n^2) in the number of simultaneous reads and write supported, and the speed is inversely correlated to the size).
A “simple” solution to this problem is to have a single centralized directory that keeps track of all the information, instead of doing N-way peer-to-peer broadcast. Since we're packing 2-16 cores on a chip now anyway, it's pretty natural to have a single directory per chip (socket) that tracks the state of the caches for every core on a chip.
This only solves the problem for each chip, and we need some way for the chips to talk to each other. Unfortunately, while we were scaling these systems up the bus speeds got fast enough that it's really difficult to drive a signal far enough to connect up a bunch of chips and memory all on one bus, even for small systems. The simplest solution to that is to have each socket own a region of memory, so every socket doesn't need to be connected to every part of memory. This also avoids the complexity of needed a higher level directory of directories, since it's clear which directory owns any particular piece of memory.
The disadvantage of this is that if you're sitting in one socket and want some memory owned by another socket, you have a significant performance penalty. For simplicity, most “small” (< 128 core) systems use ring-like busses, so the performance penalty isn't just the direct latency/bandwidth penalty you pay for walking through a bunch of extra hops to get to memory, it also uses up a finite resource (the ring-like bus) and slows down other cross-socket accesses.
In theory, the OS handles this transparently, but it's often inefficient.
Context Switches / Syscalls
Here, syscall refers to a linux system call, not the SYSCALL or SYSENTER x86 instructions.
A side effect of all the caching that modern cores have is that context switches are expensive, which causes syscalls to be expensive. Livio Soares and Michael Stumm discuss the cost in great detail in their paper. I'm going to use a few of their figures, below. Here's a graph of how many instructions per clock (IPC) a Core i7 achieves on Xalan, a sub-benchmark from SPEC CPU.
14,000 cycles after a syscall, code is still not quite running at full speed.
Here's a table of the footprint of a few different syscalls, both the direct cost (in instructions and cycles), and the indirect cost (from the number of cache and TLB evictions).
Some of these syscalls cause 40+ TLB evictions! For a chip with a 64-entry d-TLB, that nearly wipes out the TLB. The cache evictions aren't free, either.
The high cost of syscalls is the reason people have switched to using batched versions of syscalls for high-performance code (e.g., epoll, or recvmmsg ) and the reason that people who need very high performance I/O often use user space I/O stacks. More generally, the cost of context switches is why high-performance code is often thread-per-core (or even single threaded on a pinned thread) and not thread-per-logical-task.
This high cost was also the driver behind vDSO, which turns some simple syscalls that don't require any kind of privilege escalation into simple user space library calls.
SIMD
Basically all modern x86 CPUs support SSE, 128-bit wide vector registers and instructions. Since it's common to want to do the same operation multiple times, Intel added instructions that will let you operate on a 128-bit chunk of data as 2 64-bit chunks, 4 32-bit chunks, 8 16-bit chunks, etc. ARM supports the same thing with a different name (NEON), and the instructions supported are pretty similar.
It's pretty common to get a 2x-4x speedup from using SIMD instructions; it's definitely worth looking into if you've got a computationally heavy workload.
Compilers are good enough at recognizing common patterns that can be vectorized that simple code, like the following, will automatically use vector instructions with modern compilers
for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) { sum += a[i]; }
But compilers will often produce non-optimal code if you don't write the assembly by hand, especially for SIMD code, so you'll want to look at the disassembly and check for compiler optimization bugs if you really care about getting the best possible performance.
Power Management
There are a lot of fancy power management feature on modern CPUs that optimize power usage in different scenarios. The result of these is that “race to idle”, completing work as fast as possible and then letting the CPU go back to sleep is the most power efficient way to work.
There's been a lot of work that's shown that specific microoptmizations can benefit power consumption, but applying those microoptimizations on real workloads often results in smaller than expected benefits.
GPU / GPGPU
I'm even less qualified to talk about this than I am about the rest of this stuff. Luckily, Cliff Burdick volunteered to write a section on GPUs, so here it is.
Prior to the mid-2000's, Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) were restricted to an API that allowed only a very limited amount of control of the hardware. As the libraries became more flexible, programmers began using the processors for more general-purpose tasks, such as linear algebra routines. The parallel architecture of the GPU could work on large chunks of a matrix by launching hundreds of simultaneous threads. However, the code had to use traditional graphics APIs and was still limited in how much of the hardware it could control. Nvidia and ATI took notice and released frameworks that allowed the user to access more of the hardware with an API familiar with people outside of the graphics industry. The libraries gained popularity, and today GPUs are widely used for high-performance computing (HPC) alongside CPUs.
Compared to CPUs, the hardware on GPUs have a few major differences, outlined below:
Processors
At the top level, a GPU processor contains one or many streaming multiprocessors (SMs). Each streaming multiprocessor on a modern GPU typically contains over 100 floating point units, or what are typically referred to as cores in the GPU world. Each core is typically clocked around 800MHz, although, like CPUs, processors with higher clock rates but fewer cores are also available. GPU processors lack many features of their CPU counterparts, including large caches and branch prediction. Between the layers of cores, SMs, and the overall processor, communicating becomes increasingly slower. For this reason, problems that perform well on GPUs are typically highly-parallel, but have some amount of data that can be shared between a small number of threads. We'll get into why this is in the memory section below.
Memory
Memory on modern GPU is broken up into 3 main categories: global memory, shared memory, and registers. Global memory is the GDDR memory that's advertised on the box of the GPU and is typically around 2-12GB in size, and has a throughput of 300-400GB/s. Global memory can be accessed by all threads across all SMs on the processor, and is also the slowest type of memory on the card. Shared memory is, as the name says, memory that's shared between all threads within the same SM. It is usually at least twice as fast as global memory, but is not accessible between threads on different SMs. Registers are much like registers on a CPU in that they are the fastest way to access data on a GPU, but they are local per thread and the data is not visible to any other running thread. Both shared memory and global memory have very strict rules on how they can be accessed, with severe performance penalties for not following them. To reach the throughputs mentioned above, memory accesses must be completely coalesced between threads within the same thread group. Similar to a CPU reading into a single cache line, GPUs have cache lines sized so that a single access can serve all threads in a group if aligned properly. However, in the worst case where all threads in a group access memory in a different cache line, a separate memory read will be required for each thread. This usually means that most of the data in the cache line is not used by the thread, and the usable throughput of the memory goes down. A similar rule applies to shared memory as well, with a couple exceptions that we won't cover here.
Threading Model
GPU threads run in a SIMT (Single Instruction Multiple Thread) fashion, and each thread runs in a group with a pre-defined size in the hardware (typically 32). That last part has many implications; every thread in that group must be working on the same instruction at the same time. If any of the threads in a group need to take a divergent path (an if statement, for example) of code from the others, all threads not part of the branch suspend execution until the branch is complete. As a trivial example:
if (threadId < 5) { // Do something } // Do More
In the code above, this branch would cause 27 of our 32 threads in the group to suspend execution until the branch is complete. You can imagine if many groups of threads all run this code, the overall performance will take a large hit while most of the cores sit idle. Only when an entire group of threads is stalled is the hardware allowed to swap in another group to run on those cores.
Interfaces
Modern GPUs must have a CPU to copy data to and from CPU and GPU memory, and to launch and code on the GPU. At the highest throughput, a PCIe 3.0 bus with 16 lanes can achieves rates of about 13-14GB/s. This may sound high, but when compared to the memory speeds residing on the GPU itself, they're over an order of magnitude slower. In fact, as GPUs get more powerful, the PCIe bus is increasingly becoming a bottleneck. To see any of the performance benefits the GPU has over a CPU, the GPU must be loaded with a large amount of work so that the time the GPU takes to run the job is significantly higher than the time it takes to copy the data to and from.
Newer GPUs have features to launch work dynamically in GPU code without returning to the CPU, but it's fairly limited in its use at this point.
GPU Conclusion
Because of the major architectural differences between CPUs and GPUs, it's hard to imagine either one replacing the other completely. In fact, a GPU complements a CPU well for parallel work and allows the CPU to work independently on other tasks as the GPU is running. AMD is attempting to merge the two technologies with their "Heterogeneous System Architecture" (HSA), but taking existing CPU code and determining how to split it between the CPU and GPU portion of the processor will be a big challenge not only for the processor, but for compilers as well.
Virtualization
Since you mentioned virtualization, I'll talk about it a bit, but Intel's implementation of virtualization instructions generally isn't something you need to think about unless you're writing very low-level code that directly deals with virtualization.
Dealing with that stuff is pretty messy, as you can see from this code. Setting stuff up to use Intel's VT instructions to launch a VM guest is about 1000 lines of low-level code, even for the very simple case shown there.
Virtual Memory
If you look at Vish's VT code, you'll notice that there's a decent chunk of code dedicated to page tables / virtual memory. That's another “new” feature that you don't have to worry about unless you're writing an OS or other low-level systems code. Using virtual memory is much simpler than using segmented memory, but that's not relevant nowadays so I'll just leave it at that.
SMT / Hyper-threading
Since you brought it up, I'll also mention SMT. As you said, this is mostly transparent for programmers. A typical speedup for enabling SMT on a single core is around 25%. That's good for overall throughput, but it means that each thread might only get 60% of its original performance. For applications where you care a lot about single-threaded performance, you might be better off disabling SMT. It depends a lot on the workload, though, and as with any other changes, you should run some benchmarks on your exact workload to see what works best.
One side effect of all this complexity that's been added to chips (and software) is that performance is a lot less predictable than it used to be; the relative importance of benchmarking your exact workload on the specific hardware it's going to run on has gone up.
Just for example, people often point to benchmarks from the Computer Languages Benchmarks Game as evidence that one language is faster than another. I've tried reproducing the results myself, and on my mobile Haswell (as opposed to the server Kentsfield that's used in the results), I get results that are different by as much as 2x (in relative speed). Running the same benchmark on the same machine, Nathan Kurz recently pointed me to an example where gcc -O3 is 25% slower than gcc -O2. Changing the linking order on C++ programs can cause a 15% performance change. Benchmarking is a hard problem.
Branches
Old school conventional wisdom is that branches are expensive, and should be avoided at all (or most) costs. On a Haswell, the branch misprediction penalty is 14 cycles. Branch mispredict rates depend on the workload. Using perf stat on a few different things (bzip2, top, mysqld, regenerating my blog), I get branch mispredict rates of between 0.5% and 4%. If we say that a correctly predicted branch costs 1 cycle, that's an average cost of between.995 * 1 +.005 * 14 = 1.065 cycles to.96 * 1 +.04 * 14 = 1.52 cycles. That's not so bad.
This actually overstates the penalty since about 1995, since Intel added conditional move instructions that allow you to conditionally move data without a branch. This instruction was memorably panned by Linus, which has given it a bad reputation, but it's fairly common to get significant speedups using cmov compared to branches
A real-world example of the cost of extra branches are enabling integer overflow checks. When using bzip2 to compress a particular file, that increases the number of instructions by about 30% (with all of the increase coming from extra branch instructions), which results in a 1% performance hit.
Unpredictable branches are bad, but most branches are predictable. Ignoring the cost of branches until your profiler tells you that you have a hot spot is pretty reasonable nowadays. CPUs have gotten a lot better at executing poorly optimized code over the past decade, and compilers are getting better at optimizing code, which makes optimizing branches a poor use of time unless you're trying to squeeze out the absolute best possible performance out of some code.
If it turns out that's what you need to do, you're likely to be better off using profile-guided optimization than trying to screw with this stuff by hand.
If you really must do this by hand, there are compiler directives you can use to say whether a particular branch is likely to be taken or not. Modern CPUs ignore branch hint instructions, but they can help the compiler lay out code better.
Alignment
Old school conventional wisdom is that you should pad out structs and make sure things are aligned. But on a Haswell chip, the mis-alignment for almost any single-threaded thing you can think of that doesn't cross a page boundary is zero. There are some cases where it can make a difference, but in general, this is another type of optimization that's mostly irrelevant because CPUs have gotten so much better at executing bad code. It's also mildly harmful in cases where it increases the memory footprint for no benefit.
Also, don't make things page aligned or otherwise aligned to large boundaries or you'll destroy the performance of your caches.
Self-modifying code
Here's another optimization that doesn't really make sense anymore. Using self-modifying code to decrease code size or increase performance used to make sense, but because modern caches tend to split up their l1 instruction and data caches, modifying running code requires expensive communication between a chip's l1 caches.
The Future
Here are some possible changes, from least speculative to most speculative.
Partitioning
It's now obvious that more and more compute is moving into large datacenters. Sometimes this involves running on VMs, sometimes it involves running in some kind of container, and sometimes it involves running bare metal, but in any case, individual machines are often multiplexed to run a wide variety of workloads. Ideally, you'd be able to schedule best effort workloads to soak up stranded resources without effecting latency sensitive workloads with an SLA. It turns out that you can actually do this with some relatively straightforward hardware changes.
David Lo, et. al, were able to show that you can get about 90% machine utilization without impacting latency SLAs if caches can be partitioned such that best effort workloads don't impact latency sensitive workloads. The solid red line is the load on a normal Google web search cluster, and the dashed green line is what you get with the appropriate optimizations. From bar-room conversations, my impression is that the solid red line is actually already better (higher) than most of Google's competitors are able to do. If you compare the 90% optimized utilization to typical server utilization of 10% to 90%, that results in a massive difference in cost per unit of work compared to running a naive, unoptimized, setup. With substantial hardware effort, Google was able to avoid interference, but additional isolation features could allow this to be done at higher efficiency with less effort.
Transactional Memory and Hardware Lock Elision
IBM already has these features in their POWER chips. Intel made an attempt to add these to Haswell, but they're disabled because of a bug. In general, modern CPUs are quite complex and we should expect to see many more bugs than we used to.
Transactional memory support is what it sounds like: hardware support for transactions. This is through three new instructions, xbegin, xend, and xabort.
xbegin starts a new transaction. A conflict (or an xabort ) causes the architectural state of the processor (including memory) to get rolled back to the state it was in just prior to the xbegin. If you're using transactional memory via library or language support, this should be transparent to you. If you're implementing the library support, you'll have to figure out how to convert this hardware support, with its limited hardware buffer sizes, to something that will handle arbitrary transactions.
I'm not going to discuss Hardware Lock Elision except to say that, under the hood, it's implemented with mechanisms that are really similar to the mechanisms used to implement transactional memory and that it's designed to speed up lock-based code. If you want to take advantage of HLE, see this doc.
Fast I/O
I/O bandwidth is going up and I/O latencies are going down, both for storage and for networking. The problem is that I/O is normally done via syscalls. As we've seen, the relative overhead of syscalls has been going up. For both storage and networking, the answer is to move to user mode I/O stacks (putting everything in kernel mode would work, too, but that's a harder sell). On the storage side, that's mostly still a weirdo research thing, but HPC and HFT folks have been doing that in networking for a while. And by a while, I don't mean a few months. Here's a paper from 2005 that talks about the networking stuff I'm going to discuss, as well as some stuff I'm not going to discuss (DCA).
This is finally trickling into the non-supercomputing world. MS has been advertising Azure with infiniband networking with virtualized RDMA for over a year, Cloudflare has talked about using Solarflare NICs to get the same capability, etc. Eventually, we're going to see SoCs with fast Ethernet onboard, and unless that's limited to Xeon-type devices, it's going to trick down into all devices. The competition between ARM devices will probably cause at least one ARM device maker to put fast Ethernet on their commodity SoCs, which may force Intel's hand.
That RDMA bit is significant; it lets you bypass the CPU completely and have the NIC respond to remote requests. A couple months ago, I worked through the Stanford/Coursera Mining Massive Data Sets class. During one of the first lectures, they provide an example of a “typical” datacenter setup with 1Gb top-of-rack switches. That's not unreasonable for processing “massive” data if you're doing kernel TCP through non-RDMA NICs, since you can floor an entire core trying to push 1Gb/s through linux's TCP stack. But with Azure, MS talks about getting 40Gb out of a single machine; that's one machine getting 40x the bandwidth of what you might expect out of an entire rack. They also mention sub 2 us latencies, which is multiple orders of magnitude lower than you can get out of kernel TCP. This isn't exactly a new idea. This paper from 2011 predicts everything that's happened on the network side so far, along with some things that are still a ways off.
This MS talk discusses how you can take advantage of this kind of bandwidth and latency for network storage. A concrete example that doesn't require clicking through to a link is Amazon's EBS. It lets you use an “elastic” disk of arbitrary size on any of your AWS nodes. Since a spinning metal disk seek has higher latency than an RPC over kernel TCP, you can get infinite storage pretty much transparently. For example, say you can get 100us (.1ms) latency out of your network, and your disk seek time is 8ms. That makes a remote disk access 8.1ms instead of 8ms, which isn't that much overhead. That doesn't work so well with SSDs, though, since you can get 20 us (.02ms) out of an SSD. But RDMA latency is low enough that a transparent EBS-like layer is possible for SSDs.
So that's networked I/O. The performance benefit might be even bigger on the disk side, if/when next generation storage technologies that are faster than flash start getting deployed. The performance delta is so large that Intel is adding new instructions to keep up with next generation low-latency storage technology. Depending on who you ask, that stuff has been a few years away for a decade or two; this is more iffy than the networking stuff. But even with flash, people are showing off devices that can get down into the single microsecond range for latency, which is a substantial improvement.
Hardware Acceleration
Like fast networked I/O, this is already here in some niches. DESRES has been doing ASICs to get 100x-1000x speedup in computational chemistry for years. Microsoft has talked about speeding up search with FPGAs. People have been looking into accelerating memcached and similar systems for a while, researchers from Toshiba and Stanford demonstrated a real implementation a while back, and I recently saw a pre-print out of Berkeley on the same thing. There are multiple companies making Bitcoin mining ASICs. That's also true for other application areas.
It seems like we should see more of this as it gets harder to get power/performance gains out of CPUs. You might consider this a dodge of your question, if you think of programming as being a software oriented endeavor, but another way to look at it is that what it means to program something will change. In the future, it might mean designing hardware like an FPGA or ASIC in combination with writing software.
Now that it's 2016, one year after this post was originally published, we can see that companies are investing in hardware accelerators. In addition to its previous work on FPGA accelerated search, Microsoft has announced that it's using FPGAs to accelerate networking. Google has been closed mouthed about infrastructure, as is typical for them, but if you look at the initial release of Tensorflow, you can see snippets of code that clearly references FPGAs, such as:
enum class PlatformKind { kInvalid, kCuda, kOpenCL, kOpenCLAltera, // Altera FPGA OpenCL platform. // See documentation: go/fpgaopencl // (StreamExecutor integration) kHost, kMock, kSize, };
and
string PlatformKindString(PlatformKind kind) { switch (kind) { case PlatformKind::kCuda: return "CUDA"; case PlatformKind::kOpenCL: return "OpenCL"; case PlatformKind::kOpenCLAltera: return "OpenCL+Altera"; case PlatformKind::kHost: return "Host"; case PlatformKind::kMock: return "Mock"; default: return port::StrCat("InvalidPlatformKind(", static_cast<int>(kind), ")"); } }
As of this writing, Google doesn't return any results for +google +kOpenClAltera, so it doesn't appear that this has been widely observed. If you're not familiar with Altera OpenCL and you work at google, you can try the internal go link suggested in the comment, go/fpgaopencl. If, like me, you don't work at Google, well, there's Altera's docs here. The basic idea is that you can take OpenCL code, the same kind of thing you might run on a GPU, and run it on an FPGA instead, and from the comment, it seems like Google has some kind of setup that lets you stream data in and out of nodes with FPGAs.
That FPGA-specific code was removed in ddd4aaf5286de24ba70402ee0ec8b836d3aed8c7, which has a commit message that starts with “TensorFlow: upstream changes to git.” and then has a list of internal google commits that are being upstreamed, along with a description of each internal commit. Curiously, there's nothing about removing FPGA support even though that seems like it's a major enough thing that you'd expect it to be described, unless it was purposely redacted. Amazon has also been quite secretive about their infrastructure plans, but you can make reasonable guesses there by looking at the hardware people they've been vacuuming up. A couple other companies are also betting pretty heavily on hardware accelerators, but since I learned about that through private conversations (as opposed to accidentally published public source code or other public information), I'll leave you to guess which companies.
Dark Silicon / SoCs
One funny side effect of the way transistor scaling has turned out is that we can pack a ton of transistors on a chip, but they generate so much heat that the average transistor can't switch most of the time if you don't want your chip to melt.
A result of this is that it makes more sense to include dedicated hardware that isn't used a lot of the time. For one thing, this means we get all sorts of specialized instructions like the PCMP and ADX instructions. But it also means that we're getting chips with entire devices integrated that would have previously lived off-chip. That includes things like GPUs and (for mobile devices) radios.
In combination with the hardware acceleration trend, it also means that it makes more sense for companies to design their own chips, or at least parts of their own chips. Apple has gotten a lot of mileage out of acquiring PA Semi. First, by adding little custom accelerators to bog standard ARM architectures, and then by adding custom accelerators to their own custom architecture. Due to a combination of the right custom hardware plus well thought out benchmarking and system design, the iPhone 4 is slightly |
------------------------------------------------------- Case Study 1: The Streamer Wersterlobe and the Pokemon fanbase Werster is somebody who I've been on good terms with since the pre-Twitch days, we used to race Sonic Adventure 2 purely for fun if you'd believe that, considering neither of us actually do or have ever seriously ran the game (speed running a game without aiming to borderline be the world's best at it, what a thought right?). He has two franchises that he clearly has undying love for. First is Pokemon (the IP he led streaming endeavours with) and Sonic (an IP that still has a more than passable community, albeit a much more fragmented one). As Pokemon has one of the biggest communities in the entire gaming landscape, attention was very quickly thrown upon him, as one of the leading Pokemon routers and runners. A few months ago he made a declaration that he would be weaning himself off of being a Pokemon-only streamer, which he had essentially been exclusively streaming for well over a year. Since then, he has been constantly harassed whenever he plays non-Pokemon games. "Why aren't you playing Pokemon?" the viewer inquires, interpreting him as a service, a business with a sole purpose which doesn't possess the ability to shift ideals and objectives. This exact message comes in a thousand forms, screamed at him by a thousand different faceless voices. I've seen it wear on him greatly, as much as he may shield himself from the brunt of it. So why is he in this situation? The answer is pretty simple, although sad. Reputation and an expectation for a particular product. You see, since he is on a partner and subscription program, money has changed hands. Essentially, a product has been bought, the product of a top-tier Pokemon player. Now you should be saying "No, they've bought the product of him as a streamer. The game played is irrelevant", and I wish I could agree with you. However, I see it through the perspective of a neutral non-streamer observing all of these happenings. The majority of people who have subscribed to him have done it during his Pokemon-only era. The fact he wanted to solely focus down a few of the Pokemon games has delivered the message that this is all he plays, and it is all that he will ever play. "How did he not see this coming?" you may ask. Because when he started his endeavours this type of message was not possible to send. ----------------------------------------------------------- People weren't known as Pokemon Speed Runners or Zelda Speed Runners pre-Twitch popularity boom. They were simply Speed Runners: people who chose to play any video game at their disposal in a fast manner. This was and still is done as a play-style. The thing that separates us speed runners from so many other gamers is that it is a purely competitive medium, without the need for a competitive infrastructure within the game itself. However what has changed over the past half decade has been the ideal that doing this is a means to an end, the end in question being the runners personal idea of a reasonable time. Not World Record. Not a theoretical ceiling of human capability. Not striving to gain the fastest time ever achieved, but personal hurdles, determined by the individual. The environment as it is essentially discards the efforts of anyone who isn't the very best. You no longer deserve acclaim unless you have proven that no one can best you. Now I understand that this has been caused by the introduction of money to the hobby, as well as the pack mentality and loyalty the audience has for the runner in question, which has slowly grown from a scene that used to purely be speed runners watching speed runners. There is now actually a huge audience demographic, far outweighing the actual speed running community itself. Let's go deeper... -------------------------------------------------------------- Case Study 2: The Website Twitch TV I am completely confident in saying that subscriptions, in particular subscription emotes, is at the core of corrupting SOME speed runners. It's a giant sign in the ground reading "appeal to the largest demographic possible and you will reap the highest reward from it". This is why the site even without speed runners has a million Kappas and a million meme emotes, with nary an emote that only makes sense in the context of the channel it is sold in. It's a game of scope, in which you create the most general, non-contextual images possible. That pairs up with the emote and subscription model, essentially allowing subs to come for the emotes OR for the streamer, with more subs gaining more emotes, keeping the train rolling. First let me verify that I don't have anything against Twitch TV as a streaming platform, a business or as a brand. What I DO have issues with however, is it's blatant monopolization over the entire speed running scene and where attention is diverted to. What do I mean by this? Well look at the few instances of speed running they have promoted. We have the multiple site-wide shout outs towards people breaking Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 records and the like. Why these in particular? Why a handful of games released over 15 years ago? Simple answer: Like many of us, the people at Twitch with an interest in speed running are born and raised Nintendo Kids. Not just regular Nintendo Kids however. A special breed, a breed that exists in waves across the internet. This group of people haven't cared nor given the chance to anything that isn't directly correlated to their own childhood. What they played when they were 10 years old is considered the cream of the crop, because they can't detach themselves from the concept of child-like wonder and instead stifle variety by convincing themselves that "because I enjoyed this game the most, regardless of whether I was a child, it is objectively the best and most worthy of attention". This in itself is a problem that also exists within the speed running community itself, but it has been magnified tenfold by the website promotion. I have much more to say on the site but if I don't digress now I will be typing until 6am, so I'll leave it at that. ------------------------------------------------------------------ You may wonder where this is going. What point do I have to make here? Well hopefully a few of said points have already got through to you, if not return to the start and read again. You've clearly missed something. Now, onto what has done the most damage to the hobby... ------------------------------------------------------------------- Case Study 3: The Audience Shitters and the comparatively small Core Audience I open Speedrun TV right now and look at the top, and I see Cosmowright, someone who has worked tirelessly through the popularity boom, sitting pretty with about 15-20% of his usual viewership. "WHAT? WHY'S THAT?" you ask. Well that's a no-brainer, he isn't playing Zelda. Those that remain are known as the core audience, the people that actually view the stream to interact with and watch Cosmo, instead of only caring about the game in question. These are the people that I wish more runners would cater to, as they are the ones that truly care about the person in question. Those not present are the reason why streamers have been slowly manipulated into running particular games. "Nonono they don't have to do that". I know they don't, but they feel like they need to. When a streamer that usually peaks at 1k+ viewers sees that they have more than halved the people that care about what they are doing, it sends the message that they are doing something wrong. Now I know Cosmo himself won't be affected by this, as he clearly knows the concept of the core audience, considering he has gone on entire stints without playing Zelda without becoming visibly concerned about viewership. Keep in mind Cosmo is someone who has dedicated himself FULL TIME to speed running, and the community it has. If he wasn't so savvy, he might be thinking he's about to lose his livelihood. Hell, if he played something other than Zelda for long enough, he very well may. Why uncaringly use Cosmo as an example like that? Because unlike the majority of the biggest speed run streamers, he actually runs more than one game, even just within the Zelda series. He knows his core audience will stick with him. However, this unfortunately is not the case for the majority. I think to myself "Where are the rest and when do they choose to turn up?". Well this comes back to Case Study 2. I'll tell you exactly where and when they turn up. Anywhere with people playing (who could've guessed it) Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time etc. These are a large contingent of people that learned of speed running through Twitch itself. Now this isn't inherently a bad thing, sheep get led, this isn't a new concept nor a particularly terrible one. HOWEVER, this chain reacts with something else, which results in something far more damaging to the ability to be noticed as a speed runner..... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Case Study 4: The Marathon (Popular and Profitable) Games Done Quick Now I am totally OK with the idea that SDA can personally govern what does and doesn't make it into it's own marathon. Hell, it's a right, it's THEIR marathon. H O W E V E R, the fact that the GDQs each year are gaining more popularity, garnering more donations and warranting more media attention, it is essentially the beacon of speed running to the internet at large. I couldn't even begin to presume the amount of people that have learned about speed running as a play-style through these marathons. So let's observe the past and present mentality of screening submissions to participate in said marathons. What is guaranteed:- - Handful of core Nintendo games. THE SAME ONES EVERY TIME (SM64/Zelda/Megaman X/Super Metroid) - 1 or 2 6+ hour RPGs to either fill graveyard or finale slots (usually both) What is questioned:- - The amount of money that can be reaped from incentives - "How large the fanbase of said game is and how much nostalgia can be tickled from them" - "Has it been ran before and if so how did it go?" - This is a big one that skews perspective. Just now I see SpikeVegeta talking about the possibility of KH not getting in due to a lacklustre performance last time. This essentially means if you do not play near-perfect, you are borderline condemning the game from marathon involvement for a good period of time for no reason other than those screening only ever seeing that one run. What loses a game priority:- - You can pretty much move a game further up the priority list the closer it is to that "golden era" of Nintendo games. A new game? Doesn't matter if it has the entire industries attention, it isn't from our childhoods. A great example of this is what happened the first marathon after Skyrim was released. What means nothing:- - "How entertaining the run is" - Entirely subjective - "How difficult running the game is" - Although I don't think this is exactly a good bullet point for a run, it clearly matters not when someone always gets to runs a 6+ hour game of menu navigation. - Cult popularity - Large and involved game communities - Dedication This may seem like an extremely cynical criteria, but I honestly read this and it fits perfectly with the games already accepted, and those already rejected. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- So here it is, the GIANT underlying point to this 2500+ word mess that started 3 hours ago while conversing with fr0kenok. Step 1: Audience gets introduced to speed running through GDQ Step 2: Audience gains interest in the runs that are showcased, which are borderline the same each time, with the largest emphasis always placed on the SAME GAMES (Above) Step 3: They follow biggest runners of said games, and never budge. Step 4: Speed runners are unknowingly guilted into only playing said games, otherwise their accumulated "fans" attack them, expecting them to play those same games, presuming they are what matter the most because the GDQs put them front and center above all else. Step 5: Up and coming speed runners realise the only way they will get a foot in the door of the scene is to play THOSE EXACT SAME GAMES. Step 6: We end up with 5 years of the exact same games dominating any and all media coverage of speed running. Thankfully though, there ARE still sub-communities out there, willing to support people, albeit within the reach of individual IPs. A great example is Talon, DsS, Bertin and frokenok. All sit within the Sonic series, and most if-not all community is universal between these channels, albeit on varying volumes. But you still see the same people around, with said Sonic games ranging anywhere from Sonic R all the way up to 2013's Sonic Lost World. Another superb, possibly the best example, is the Dark Souls community. Although this is merely an extension of the behemoth that is the Souls fandom, these fuckers will literally file in in the thousands if there is an even decent-quality speed run of any of the Souls games being ran. This is completely detached from GDQ and all the phenomenon that I have referenced here, and if it weren't for self-sustained communities like this, speed running would already be 100% Nintendo Exclusive, at least in the spotlight. This all started with frokenok being taken aback when I said "GDQ used to be a speed running showcase, now it is a calculated money generator". If anything, I hope I haven't stumbled over my words too much within this extremely lengthy rant. Also, if you are a speed runner, I hope you can take something away from these observations. I know I'm not the only one who recognises these things, so you may already be aware and be like "duh". If so, well, good.The developers of a ground-breaking solar plus storage installation for a large communications tower in NSW say the potential to take infrastructure off-grid in Australia is huge.
Michael Gartner, the head of Photon Energy Australia, which led the project, says interest in solar plus storage has surged in the last few months. And it’s not just for off-grid applications where the cost of diesel makes solar and storage a “no-brainer.
Installations on the grid, such as the BAI communications tower in Muswellbrook (in the heart of NSW coal country), are looking to use solar and storage to take their installations off grid because it will be cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable.
“The market potential is exploding in front of us,” Gartner told RenewEconomy in an interview on Friday.
“The cost of off-grid diesel is crazy. You can halve the energy costs with solar and storage, and that’s very significant,” he said. (Please note graph to the right).
For on-grid customers, the main attraction of going –off-grid” is reliability. “These installations cannot afford to lose power. These solar storage systems are more reliable, and they provide certainty on future costs. It matches extremely well with the long-term infrastructure model that they have.”
As RenewEconomy reported back in July, the systems will include a 39kW solar array and a 215kWh battery storage installation. That’s enough solar to power 7 homes, and enough storage to power the tower for 43 hours, or to power an electric vehicle to Melbourne and back.
The technology – 156 solar panels, 72 BAE batteries (supplied by R&J Batteries), 3 SMA inverters and a monitoring system – is mostly made in Germany. There is a small 8kW diesel system as back-up, but is expected to be seldom used. The planning if for 7%, but it may not be used at all.
Leslie Williams, the NSW parliamentary secretary, says the project what is possible in NSW with its “abundant” renewable energy resources. “This project brings us closer to achieving our goal of secure, affordable and clean energy future for households and businesses in NSW,” she said.
Gartner says the potential market for solar plus storage is in the “gigawatt hours in Australia. He says there is potential for “thousands” of such installations across Australia, and also cites storage as a compelling proposition for business customers looking to shave their peaks and reduced capacity and demand charges.
BAI confirmed it is looking at a network-wide rollout once the pilot project is proved. “BAI is excited to be at the forefront of integrating this advanced technology into the communications sector,” BAI Group CEO Jim Hassell said.
Gartner added in a statement:“Our vision is to take infrastructure off-grid with highly reliable solar power and battery storage. Not only does the storage technology provide off-grid power or remove grid reliance in the areas where the grid costs the most, but it does this cost-effectively and without fossil fuel emissions.
“The system has been designed to be rugged and reliable with the choice of the highest quality Australian outback tested Q CELLS solar panels, SMA inverters and BAE batteries to provide maximum power and longevity in the toughest Australian conditions.”
Michael Schiemann, from German battery developer BAE Batteries, said there was clearly a change in the market.
“If you look at general market, the philosophy is changing from producing energy to energy storage applications. Just a few yeas ago, it was just about solar panels.”
For the tech-minded, here is a schematic of the project ….Overview (4)
Mini Bio (1)
Tall (5'8"), buxom, and gorgeous blonde bombshell Emma Starr was born Jane Jones on January 6, 1971 in San Diego, California. Emma attended Catholic school while growing up and met her husband Brad in a bar. She previously worked as a secretary and was already a swinger prior to her involvement in the adult entertainment industry. Starr first began performing in explicit hardcore movies at age 32 in 2003. Usually cast in MILF roles, Emma has piercings in her navel, nipples, and clitoris. Her hobbies include motorcycle riding, traveling, UFC fights, jet skiing, and betting on horse races. The mother of a son, Starr runs two official websites and also works as an attorney in Dallas, Texas.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: woodyanders
Spouse (2)
? (? -?) ( divorced) ( 1 child) Brad (? -?) ( divorced) ( 1 child)
Trivia (9)
One of her favorite hobbies is betting on horse races.
She is a practicing attorney in the state of Texas.
She met her future husband in a bar.
Her favorite movie is "Pretty Woman" starring Julia Roberts.
She grew up attending Catholic school.
Became an Episcopal Priest after graduation with a Ph.D. in Pastoral Ministry from Trinity Seminary. Associate Rector St. James in Tempe, AZ.
Has a son with her ex-husband.
She is staying at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house at the University of Texas-Dallas. [November 2006]
Took Holy Orders in the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. She now is a Assistant Priest in Tempe, Arizona. She plans a move in 2012 to the Jacksonville, Florida area. [September 2008]
Personal Quotes (1)
The way to personal wealth is by Wealthtime Increase; a formula ordained by God where 10% goes to Him, 25% to your home, 20% to taxes, and 25% to retirement savings leaving 20% on which to live.Sorry, this video has expired
In a waiting room crowded with relatively minor deformities like cleft palates and webbed fingers, Eng Kheng stood out.
His cheeks bulged as if he was trying to swallow a large pink grapefruit, with sections pushing through his lips.
"He basically has a benign bone growth of his facial jaw bone, the condition is called fibrous dysplasia," said Andrew Cheng, a surgeon visiting from Adelaide.
"It's certainly one of the most severe cases I've seen," said Dr Cheng, back in February.
The huge growth was not cancerous or painful.
WARNING: This story contains graphic images.
Mr Eng said he managed to eat, although it could be a messy process.
Fibrous dysplasia is a rare condition, but not in Eng Kheng's family — his brother has it and so does his father.
The farmer had pretty much accepted his uncomfortable deformity, until a health worker came to his village to check people's eyesight and made a referral to the capital, Phnom Penh.
The facilities at Preah Ket Mealea Hospital would be considered basic by Australian standards — a crude wheelbarrow by the lift acts as patient transport — but it was the biggest hospital Mr Eng had ever been inside.
Dr Cheng showed him the surgery plan on an iPad, Mr Eng looked bewildered by the high-tech image of his face, with the tissue destined for removal coloured green.
He hoped that the doctors could "heal" him, but had little idea how his face might look after the surgery.
"I wonder about that, hopefully my face is more handsome than before," Mr Eng said.
Doctors regroup after 1970s slaughter
After his consultation, Mr Eng went to visit his brother in the next room, recovering after having a similar but smaller growth removed in the Phnom Penh hospital.
Cambodia's few specialised surgeons are desperately understaffed.
The medical ranks are still recovering from the madness of the Khmer Rouge years.
Between 1975 and 1979, the ultra-Maoists tried to turn the country into a peasant utopia by sending urbanites to the rice fields and killing everyone with an education, including doctors.
Nous Sarom is one of those leading the recovery.
He is in charge of maxillofacial, plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery at Preah Ket Mealea Hospital.
Dr Nous shows off a small cordless drill that he bought in the post-Khmer Rouge days from Phnom Penh's Russian Market to use in the operating theatre.
"It's healed thousands of patients," Dr Nous said.
"It's good, it [has] a chargeable battery and you put the bit in and then you can drill to the bone, make a hole and fit the screw and we can fix the patient," he said with a smile, obviously having shocked foreigners with this story before.
These days, the little hardware store drill has been retired, superseded by modern, donated equipment.
Since 2012, Cambodian's International University has run a masters degree in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Its five students are taught in modules by visiting surgeons, mostly from Australia, Japan and the United States, who cram as much knowledge as they can into one- or two-week courses.
But cases like Mr Kheng's are too much for Cambodia's health system.
"During the surgery he might encounter massive blood loss and unfortunately, currently blood transfusions in the Cambodian surgical world are unpredictable," Dr Cheng said.
Which is a polite way of saying there would probably be no blood stock and the patient would die.
'I felt like I'd been born again'
In late February, Mr Eng flew to Adelaide for his surgery.
His trip was made possible by the fundraising of Walk on Water, pro bono care from Ashford Hospital and the local Cambodian community.
"In Australia they cared for me so well," Mr Eng said.
"I was offered meals all day — breakfast, lunch and dinner, even coffee.
"They took me to the beach, to the mountains and the shops."
Acclimatized to Cambodia's intense tropical heat, Mr Eng wore a thick jacket, scarf and beanie to hospital, even though it was late summer.
"The operation was painless, I just fell asleep [and] dreamed I was in a big plane," he said.
The new experiences in Australia and the warm welcome he received put him in a philosophical mood before the operation.
"I thought, 'If I die, I die', but then I woke up and I was still alive," he said.
"When I woke up and saw my face it looked beautiful. I felt like I'd been born again."
Reason to smile
Mr Eng is now back in his village in Kampong Cham province.
The difference to his face is extraordinary.
There is some scarring and he has to wear dentures, but his jawline is normal and he can smile.
"I don't want to change much, just keep farming sugar cane and vegetables," he said.
His relatives gather under the wooden stilt house and tease him about a female admirer in the village.
But after decades as a bachelor, Mr Eng is not ready for romance just yet.
"Someone said that if I got married, he'd give me $3,000 [for the wedding] but I didn't take the offer," he said.
His main emotion for now is gratitude, for the lucky discovery by the visiting health worker, and the generous fundraisers and Cambodian diaspora, but especially for the surgeons.
"I want to thank the doctors," he said, with a smile those doctors made possible.The 2015-16 curling season is underway and before you know it the Season of Champions will arrive when the Canada Cup kicks off December 2 from Grande Prairie, Alberta. With that being said, TSN's curling experts Vic Rauter, Cheryl Bernard, Russ Howard, Bob Weeks, Cathy Gauthier and Bryan Mudryk are here to make their picks for this season's Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Tim Hortons Brier, the World Curling Tour money winners as well as their dream mixed doubles pairings which will make its Olympic debut in 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea. Do you agree with what they have to say?
Take a look at TSN.ca's 2015-16 curling previews: MEN - WOMEN
Vic Rauter's Picks
2016 Brier Champion - Brad Gushue (St. John's, NL)
I think it’s going to be a magical year for Brad Gushue. He will win the Brier and then go back next year as Team Canada when St John’s is named as Brier host in 2017.
2016 Scotties Champion - Val Sweeting (Edmonton, AB)
Val Sweeting will finally take the big step after losing last year in the final to Jennifer Jones. A full year with Lori Olson-Johns as her third will be big for this rink.
Men's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Brad Gushue (St. John's, NL)
Team Gushue is always up early money and will play a lot again this season. My only question is whether he burns himself out, hurting his Brier chances.
Women's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Chelsea Carey (Edmonton, AB)
Throw stones and Carey On. Chelsea Carey, now skipping the team previously led by of Heather Nedohin, brings more bite to the team. She could give Sweeting a good run in Alberta.
Dream Mixed Doubles Pairing - John Morris and Joanne Courtney
Morris loves it and has the ability to throw up-weight while Courtney (Rachel Homan’s second) is arguably the best brusher in the women’s game right now. Also, Cathy Gauthier and Russ Howard. They would simply win because the other team would die laughing.
Cheryl Bernard's Picks
2016 Brier Champion - Kevin Koe (Calgary, AB)
As a second year team I think they will have worked out a lot of the kinks that all new teams have. They have all the talent, just needed a year to find common ground with regards to style of play and timing. Not an easy route out of Alberta, but if they make it, I pick them at the Brier.
2016 Scotties Champion - Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, MB)
You can’t argue with her track record at the Scotties. She has won it five times in the past 10 years and the years she didn’t win, she was in the playoffs. And the other important element is that she is guaranteed to be at the Scotties as Team Canada from last year.
Men's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
McEwen was the overall money winner in the 2014-15 season, making $172,500. They have been the No. 1 money winner four out of the past five years. You can’t argue with that type of consistency or talent.
Women's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Rachel Homan (Ottawa, ON)
Homan was the overall money winner last year with a total of $91,000 in winnings and now a second year under their belt with Joanne Courtney as their second will give this team the benefit of knowledge and experience as a unit.
Dream Mixed Doubles Pairing - Val Sweeting and Marc Kennedy
He can do it all and she is a clutch skip that can draw. They're a perfect pair to win Canada another medal in curling.
Russ Howard's Picks
2016 Brier Champion - Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
Finally, it is going to be Mike's year. The new father will finally win Manitoba and the flood gates will open and he will win the Canadian Championship on his first try. They are the best all round team in the world right now.
2016 Scotties Champion - Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, MB)
Now that Dawn McEwen has had the baby, the team will round into form for the Canadian Championship and defend their title. Amazingly enough, this team is still motivated, looking for a world championship.
Men's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
Team McEwen has been the top money winner two years in a row. There is no reason to believe they won't repeat as they are extremely consistent at all four positions.
Women's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Rachel Homan (Ottawa, ON)
She is very motivated after last year’s disappointing Scotties. Emma Miskew has changed careers to dedicate more time to training which should only help this young team.
Dream Mixed Doubles Pairing - John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes
In mixed doubles you need a skip that can brush - John fits that bill. He’s a great team player, gets along with anyone and is not afraid to make the big shot. Kaitlyn is very similar. She has a great attitude as a team player, has all the shots and like John, the sweeping judgement is key for all the finesse shots required in mixed doubles.
Bob Weeks' Picks
2016 Brier Champion - Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
This is finally the year that the team not only reaches the Brier but goes on to win it. They're just too good and too hungry.
2016 Scotties Champion - Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, MB)
Being Team Canada gives them a leg up on the field and when this team gets the Maple Leaf on its back, there's no team better in the game.
Men's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Brad Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)
These guys will be rolling again this year after a solid WCT season a year ago and looking to improve on the $100,000 they won in 2014-15.
Women's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Rachel Homan (Ottawa, ON)
There are no better money players in the game today than the four on this squad. They are truly pros.
Dream Mixed Doubles Pairing - Marc Kennedy and Emma Miskew
Two of the best thirds in the game would be an awesome combination and a favourite for gold.
Cathy Gauthier's Picks
2016 Brier Champion - Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
Mike and his team consistently perform well on the money tour and has been one of the best three for several years – just cannot get out of Manitoba. The arrival of the new baby will provide the all-important perspective (or sleep deprivation) needed to break through.
2016 Scotties Champion - Val Sweeting (Edmonton, AB)
She is consistently a Cool Hand Luke throwing the last rock. Getting as close as she did last year has shown her what they need to do as a team to take it that one notch higher. Team Sweeting will be one of the hardest working teams this year.
Men's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, MB)
They have figured out how to win at the highest of levels and this year should be no different. Team McEwen are being driven by the Olympic potential and there will be no change in focus in this season.
Women's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, MB)
Jennifer will be close at the Scotties – she always is. The Scotties is one week but the season is a long one. Their incredible strengths throughout the lineup will generate a lot of high finishes and when Dawn rejoins the team when she is ready, look for an even bigger surge on the cash circuit.
Dream Mixed Doubles Pairing - Charley Thomas and Kalynn Park
There will be a big surge to mixed doubles now that it is an Olympic sport, but these two have worked hard at it and are very strong. I watched them in Sochi at the World Mixed Doubles in April of this year and was impressed on many levels. They are incredibly fit and have been great students of the European Mixed Doubles game in anticipation of the announcement of Olympic status.
AND
TSN Curling Guru Bryan Mudryk's Picks
2016 Brier Champion - Brad Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)
After last year’s disappointment in Calgary, Ryan Fry vowed to work even harder this season. He’s changed tactics and it’s paying off. Fry will actually drop his chin another inch closer to the ice this season ensuring chin burn and no broom missed. With the Brier returning to his home city of Ottawa, John Morris will win the Patch. Relegation or not, Jamie Koe will finish a close second.
2016 Scotties Champion - Stefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, SK)
Why not? She’s a lovely young lady and I bet none of my colleagues select her. Also, Saskatchewan will get a major event again eventually and this pick ensures me no line and no cover at the Patch. Rachel Homan wins best kitchen (Pinty’s) and Val Sweeting’s squad with best performance at a charity golf tournament this year. (It might have been mine, but never let facts ruin a good prediction).
Men's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Marc Kennedy (Calgary, AB)
During an event in Northern Manitoba, Marc will be scouted by a top European speedo model company and make $1.4 million alone this year. Vogue Magazine also has him in the running to be Mr. July in the “2016 Dreamboats of Curling.”
Women's World Curling Tour Money Winner - Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, MB)
Former World Champion. Olympic Gold. Scotties Champion. Married Lainger. The hits will keep on coming.
Dream Mixed Doubles Pairing - Kate Upton and Taylor Swift
We can all dream. Get them a broom.
National Championships
Scotties Tournament of Hearts - February 20-28 from Grand Prairie, AB
Tim Hortons Brier - March 5-13 from Ottawa, ON
Full SEASON OF CHAMPIONS ScheduleThe initiative, which would apply to the UK if passed, would wipe out 44m tonnes of food waste every year
People are being urged to support calls by a major pan-European group to halve ‘farm to fork’ food waste in Europe by 2030, on the eve of a landmark vote later this month.
The European parliament’s environment committee will vote on new regulations on 24 January, which are set to shape the next 15 years of EU food waste policy and have the potential to be the most ambitious, legally binding target on food waste in the world.
A new campaign urges MEPs to halve the amount of food waste generated in the EU by 2030, and for this target to be legally binding at member state level. A movement of 42 organisations from across 15 countries has backed calls for the EU’s circular economy package to support a 50% reduction of food waste by 2030. Separately, 47,000 people have to date signed the public petition (28,000 from Change.org and 19,000 from Global Citizen) backing the move.
If the target is passed, it would become British law before the UK leaves the European Union, making it difficult for the government to backtrack.
Martin Bowman, Campaigner for This is Rubbish, who started the UK public petition, said: “The circular economy package has potential to be the most ambitious food waste agreement in the world, and that’s urgently needed – both for the environment and the millions suffering from food poverty in Europe.”
An estimated 88m tonnes of food is wasted in EU countries every year, which This is Rubbish estimates could feed the 55 million people living in food poverty in Europe more than nine times over.
Kierra Box, campaigner for Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland added: “If approved, this ambitious target to halve food waste across Europe should enter into UK law before we leave the European Union, meaning that it will influence our approach to food waste even after Brexit. If our government tries to wriggle out of this commitment when we leave Europe, it will have a fight on its hands.”
Some EU countries, including France and Italy already have national schemes in place to combat their food waste. Meanwhile, the UK’s major supermarkets will be questioned on Wednesday about food waste throughout the entire supply chain and why there is little comparable data between retailers on food waste data.
In the third evidence session of its inquiry into food waste in England, MPs will want to know why the UK’s levels of redistribution, where out-of-date but edible food is redistributed to the hungry and the needy via charities and food banks, is at less than 2% – much lower than in other European countries.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose will all give evidence, along with the Food and Drink Federation, which represents the UK food and drink industry. They will be asked to explain their policies on selling ‘wonky’ or imperfect fruit and vegetables, and whether current best by/use by labelling is contributing to food waste by creating consumer confusion.
Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick of the environment, food and rural affairs committee, said: “Despite the progress made reducing food waste along the supply chain, the amount of reusable, recyclable food that we throw away in the UK is still staggeringly high. Of the estimated 7m tonnes we discard from our homes each year, nearly half is edible.
“We will be asking the supermarkets what more can be done to reduce food waste and this needless expense to our households. We know there is a lot of good practice out there – from Tesco’s work with the Fareshare charity to a £1m food waste trial by Sainsbury’s – and we want to find out more about it.”I first wrote the initial draft of the Ethereum whitepaper on a cold day in San Francisco in November, as a culmination of months of thought and often frustrating work into an area that we have come to call “cryptocurrency 2.0″ – in |
Imaan feels that the banners that the group marched with serve only to deepen divisions between communities. "As a charity it is our aim to support LGBTQI Muslims who want to find their place in the Ummah (wider Muslim community) and we extend a welcome to all parties who wish to resolve the LGBTQI-Muslim divide”. Imaan’s Chair has also invited East London Mosque to meet with them in order to "combat the scourge of gay-phobia, lesbian-phobia, bi-phobia and transphobia". Imaan also confirmed that CEMB have an invitation to any future events "to show that LGBTQI Muslims and Imaan are a well established community who continue to grow."New study shows robots can fulfill our emotional needs as effectively as humans.
Futurists believe that robots will soon play a significant role in our everyday lives, and while the prospect of this might evoke visions of a world filled with fraught interpersonal relationships, there's some good news: The robots are capable of filling the emotional void.
According to a new study carried out in partnership with three American universities – Rochester, Northwestern and Cornell – researchers at IDC University in Herzliya, Israel found that humans can actually have their emotional needs satisfied by robots.
This conclusion was arrived at following two studies in which participants recounted a personal experience to a small desktop robot. For half the participants, the robot responded with positive gestures and sympathetic on-screen text. The other half interacted with an unresponsive robot, who looked "alive" but did not respond with body language, and who used generic text to acknowledge that it was listening.
"We found that people who interacted with a responsive robot (a) felt more positive about the robot; (b) had more desire to use the robot as a companion in stressful situations (e.g., visiting the dentist); and (c) their body language exhibited more approach [sic] behaviors towards the robot (e.g., leaning, smiling, and eye contact)," wrote the study's author, Professor Gurit Birnbaum of IDC Herzliya.
Additionally, participants who interacted with the responsive robot and then underwent a stress-generating task (introducing oneself to potential romantic partners) were more confident.
So will we all become alienated from one another and turn to robots for comfort? Only time will tell, but in the meantime it definitely can't hurt keeping one around the house for emotional support.Ray Bradley, a Major in the Army Reserves at Ft Bragg, NC, is a strong supporter of atheists and humanists in the military. He has found an innovative (but still legal) way to transfer his government benefits to MAAF [Donate Here]. Every time you feel government officials are promoting religious activities, consider what Ray has done to turn his patriotic fervor into real change:
In 2010, Americans gave over $100 billion in charitable donations to religious activities which amounts to more than 35% of all giving for the year. (Education came in a distant second with $41 billion or 14% of all donations.) [Source: Giving USA 2010] As you know, the IRS allows a tax deduction for every dollar of these contributions which, in effect, subsidizes the donors’ tithes to the church.
Don’t get me wrong. Charitable giving should be encouraged. But isn’t it a shame that religious organizations are flush with cash while most secular groups flounder on a shoe-string budget? Well, I have developed a way to help remedy this imbalance and it doesn’t cost me a dime. In fact, with my solution, our wonderful government gives me tax-free dollars to donate and then, at the end of the year, gives me a tax deduction for the very amount I donated.
Here’s how it works. When traveling on government orders, I receive non-taxable per diem for meals and lodging. I rarely spend even half my daily allowance. When my travel voucher settles, I donate the excess per diem to various charities. Simple as that! In the last twelve months alone, my excess per diem supported the Rapture After Party held by the Central NC Atheists and Freethinkers, paid my membership dues to many secular organizations, and left enough for one-time donations to several national organizations and events.
The best part is that at the end of the year, the IRS lets me deduct all these contributions made with the tax-free money that the government gave me in the first place. You can imagine the gratification I get with this simple plan when I think of all the tax breaks our government gives to religious groups.
Jason Torpy, President of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) recently announced a drive to raise $100,000 for MAAF in 2012. MAAF is the unsung hero for secular members of the military. There’s a lot more work to be done and we need to keep MAAF strong in order to do it. So, this year, I pledge all my excess per diem to MAAF! Let’s give MAAF the financial standing needed to continue working for us by answering Jason’s call for support! Please join me in this campaign to help Jason raise $100,000 to keep the MAAF working for us.
Ray Bradley
Major, US Army Reserve
* This does not imply endorsement by the US governmentAfterward an attorney and family friend commented briefly, indicating Price will dispute government claims he defrauded investors of millions before disappearing to evade punishment.
“The facts in the case are going to be different than the facts in the (newspapers), and (the facts will be) in Mr. Price’s favor,” said D. Duston Tapley Jr., a Vidalia lawyer who said he’s known Price since his client was a child. One of Tapley’s sons, he said, is a close friend of Price, who grew up in the small town of Lyons in Toombs County.
At the request of prosecutors, a federal magistrate ordered Price to be held with no bond.
Price appeared in court in a grey-striped jumpsuit, looking much as he did at his first court appearance in Brunswick last week. He still had dark facial hair and locks down to his shoulders. He made no statement to the court but appeared to smile during conversations with defense counsel.
Price has told the government he does not have the money to afford his own defense, and his court-appointed attorney, Joshua Lowther, entered the not guilty plea.
Tapley, who said he is volunteering to assist in Price’s defense, declined to say more about the government’s accusations or about Price’s life as a fugitive.
Price told a federal probation officer he lived as a migrant worker doing odd jobs around the country. Authorities in rural Florida say Price is a suspect in the operation of a marijuana grow house near Ocala, where neighbors say a man they believe was Price was known as “Jason.”
Prosecutors allege Price, 47, embezzled more than $21 million from a small Georgia bank he and his investors tried to save. He is also under federal indictment in New York for wire fraud, and in a raft of civil litigation is accused of defrauding investors in his money management business of many millions of dollars more.
Price was captured after a traffic stop near Brunswick on New Year’s Eve. Prosecutors say he led family members and others to believe he’d killed himself by jumping off a ferry boat. He was last seen in June 2012 at a ferry terminal in Key West, Fla.
A Florida court declared Price, who also was a former preacher, dead just over a year ago. In a purported suicide note that was not signed, Price allegedly confessed to falsifying financial statements and defrauding clients in his investment business as well as the bank.
Wednesday’s hearing, which lasted about 10 minutes, drew local, national and French media, but it did not appear relatives of Price attended. At least one investor and a woman who described herself as a former employee of the failed Montgomery Bank & Trust were in the gallery. Ailey-based Montgomery Bank failed not long after Price disappeared, and prosecutors say Price’s alleged embezzlement depleted the already troubled bank of its capital reserves and led to its failure.
Tapley said he believed Price’s wife, Rebekah, and two of the couple’s four children had visited Price in jail.
Tapley said his client, known to friends as Lee, is “doing well.”
“He was kind of down at the beginning, but he’s better now,” Tapley said. “He’s tough, he’ll be all right.”>>
04/19/09(Sun)17:00 No.4327988 >>4327756
Now the Rogue player goes crazy, he says he takes out his dagger and grabs the druid. "You and me are the only ones who we haven't seen die in front of us. We can't trust any of these people" The druid goes well we don't know that because the Paladin was just taken not killed in front of us and when we were asleep any of us could have been taken and replaced. Then the rogue goes "What makes you think something is replacing us? Unless..." The Rogue player decides to stab the druid. I give him the sneak attack and the other players all jump on the rogue and attempt to grapple him to the ground. They soon have him disabled and disarmed and pinned and they tie him up. The rest of the party decide that the best thing to do is to try and re cross the entry chamber and make it back to the surface. They all agree that there must be something in the temple that is making them see things. They all head out back the way they came and get into the paladins magic pearl that he used to transport them to the temple. As they are ascending the sea floor the paladins head spins around with a loud crunch and he flops to the floor dead. Then as the Wizard sits up to see the situation his head falls off and he sprays everyone in the pearl with a fine mist of blood. The cleric looks horrified and takes control of the pearl and tells me that she is going back to the temple. The Rogue is screaming no like bloody murder.I pass a note to the druid saying that the wound where he was stabbed by the Rogue starts to throb with pain and when he looks down sees that the veins and arteries near the wound have begun to turn black in a web like pattern and spread toward his neck and down his shoulder.On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney wants to have his cake and eat it too. "Governments do not create jobs," a stern Romney told CNN's Candy Crowley twice during the second debate. Here in Wisconsin, however, he is running ads promising to "crack down on China" and create 12 million new jobs.
When attempting to square the circle, a look at Bain Capital's investment strategies might be helpful. In 1984, Romney co-founded Bain Capital, a spin-off from Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm. A new accounting details Bain Capital's history in shipping some 15,865 manufacturing jobs overseas (see chart below). Using a conservative multiplier, which takes into account other jobs in the supply chain or community dependent on those manufacturing jobs, Bain is responsible for some 31,730 lost jobs.
According to the analysis by Dr. Raymond Lenzi of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, "Bain has followed a consistent pattern of buying American manufacturing plants and, within one to four years, shipping equipment and jobs to China, Mexico, and India. While Bain may have added some jobs in service companies in which they have invested (Burger King and Staples office supply for example) these jobs have little or no positive impact on the American economy since they pay much less than manufacturing jobs."
What may be most shocking is the diversity of jobs that firms like Bain have decided the nation can do without. Bain has not only offshored Mr. Coffee, it is in the process of offshoring profitable high-tech, high-wage manufacturing jobs, the type of jobs that American workers were told would be the upside of terrible trade deals like the 1994 NAFTA and the 2000 China pact.
"Bainport" Illinois
Bain's recent decision to close the Sensata Technologies plant in Freeport, Illinois is particularly galling. The plant, which employs some 170 workers, is high-tech, highly profitable, and efficient. It makes sophisticated sensors needed for vehicles including domestic General Motors and Ford cars. In 2011, the company had a net revenue of $1.8 billion and adjusted net income of $355 million. This represents "record levels for the company," Sensata said in a financial report.
But blockbuster profits are not good enough for Bain who apparently can make more money by shipping the entire firm overseas. So they are.
Piece by piece, Sensata's equipment is being dismantled, crated and shipped to Jiangsu Province, where the Chinese government has built a new plant. (Maybe governments can create jobs after all?) Not only are Sensata workers being forced to train their Chinese counterparts, who reportedly flew into this small town near the Wisconsin border and took down the American flag, they have been ordered to dismantle the equipment's safety functions because it slows production and the new Chinese bosses didn't want it.
The kicker? The plant is closing November 5, the day before the election.
Romney says he gave up control of Bain prior to the 2002 winter Olympics, but when it comes to his personal wealth, "Mr. Romney never left Bain," says the New York Times. In 2011, Romney reported Bain holdings between $12.4 million and $70 million on federal disclosure forms. He also has a lot of money invested in China through Bain. He has refused to respond to communications from Sensata workers.
Contempt for the American Worker
If you have ever asked yourself, how can an American company do this to fellow Americans? Edward Conard, Bain Capital's former head of manufacturing, explains:
Let's not kid ourselves about just how cheap offshore labor really is. We not only pay substantially less per hour, we also avoid the costs we would incur if these workers immigrated here. We don't pay for their medical expenses when they show up in the emergency room without insurance. We don't pay for their pension costs if they don't save for retirement. We don't pay for their children's public education. Nor do we pay for their out-of-wedlock children, their unemployment benefits and workers' compensation, their slip and fall torts, their wear and tear on our public infrastructure, and the cost of their drunk driving, drug use and other crimes. We outsource pollution, its adverse effects on our health, and its clean-up costs. Neither the employees nor their employers are here to vote and seek political handouts.
When the plutocracy speaks, it's not pretty. This attitude underscores a business model vastly privileges the 1% while accelerating the race to the bottom in wages and benefits for American workers.
Trade on the Campaign Trail
China and free trade is a hot topic in key elections this cycle in industrial swing states. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who has fought against every job-killing trade agreement since she has been in office, framed her whole race on China "they lead the world in cheating" and her consistent opposition to the offshoring of U.S. jobs. Now Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS is blanketing the state in direct mail falsely asserting that she voted to offshore jobs to China when she voted for the Obama jobs package in 2009. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio has cut some of the best "Made in America" ads around, an appeal based on a car whose parts are made all over Ohio, along with a tough ad on China currency manipulation -- an issue he has a long track record on.
As for President Obama, he has promised to bring 1 million manufacturing jobs back to America. He deserves credit for saving jobs in Freeport and other towns by applying trade sanctions on China to stop a flood of cheap Chinese tires. But he also pushed through Congress the Korea Free Trade deal and others objected to by the majority of his own party. Worse, the administration is in the process of negotiating another terrible free trade pact called the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a NAFTA deal for Asia.
The good news is that according to the American Alliance for Manufacturing, America really can have a high-wage future in manufacturing. "The brightest minds at Harvard, MIT, and in the consulting community see enormous possibilities for American manufacturing. We're competitive in energy costs, labor productivity, and other factors. Reshoring has already begun," and both Presidential candidates are being forced to discuss the issue wherever they go.
But Americans who want to secure that high-road, high-wage future will continue to have their work cut out for them.PPP’s newest New Hampshire poll finds both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders leading the Republican field in the state, although Sanders does an average of 9 points better than Clinton in the general election match ups.
The Republican who comes closest to Clinton is Marco Rubio, who trails by 3 points at 45/42. The rest of the Republican hopefuls lose by wider margins than Mitt Romney did in the state in 2012- Jeb Bush trails by 6 at 46/40, Ted Cruz is down 8 at 48/40, Ben Carson has an 11 point deficit at 50/39, and Donald Trump does the worst with a 14 point gap at 50/36.
Sanders is the only candidate with a positive favorability rating among the overall electorate in the state, and it’s a very positive rating- 55% of voters see him positively to only 35% who have a negative opinion. He leads the entire GOP field by double digits- it’s 12 points over Bush at 50/38, 14 points over Rubio at 51/37, 19 over Carson at 53/34, and 20 points over both Trump and Cruz at 54/34 and 55/35 respectively.
The New Hampshire Senate race remains a toss up. Kelly Ayotte gets 44% to 42% for Maggie Hassan. Every poll PPP has done of this race in the last year has found the candidates within 2 points of each other. Hassan continues to be more popular with a 48/39 approval rating to Ayotte’s 41/43 approval spread. The reason Hassan’s numbers are so much better is that she has a 79% approval rating with Democrats to Ayotte’s 66% approval with Republicans- but when it comes to the head to head Ayotte’s 83% of the Republican vote is basically the same as Hassan’s 82% of the Democratic vote. So while Ayotte faces more dissension within her own party than Hassan does in hers, they get to the same level of support when it comes to the general. Ayotte owes her slight overall edge to a 40/36 advantage with independents.
The Governor’s race is very tight as well, with 42% of voters saying they’d pick a Democrat and 42% saying they’d pick a Republican if the election was today. Chris Sununu has modest leads over both Mark Connolly (38/36) and Colin Van Ostern (39/35), but those are largely a function of his having 65% name recognition compared to just 25% for Van Ostern and 17% for Connolly. The Democrats both lead Frank Edelbut- Connolly by a 31/24 spread, Van Ostern by a 30/25 one- perhaps a function of Edelblut’s being even less well known than they are.
Other notes from New Hampshire:
-Granite State voters are overwhelmingly in favor of the potential gun measures that have received the most attention lately. There is 83% support and 11% opposition to both requiring a criminal background check on all gun purchases, and to barring people on the terrorist watch list from purchasing a firearm. The measures have broad bipartisan support with 94-96% of Democrats, 80-82% of independents, and 72-73% of Republicans backing each of them.
-New Hampshire provides another strong example of the extent to which the politics on Obamacare has shifted in political battlegrounds. 47% of voters in the state now say they support the Affordable Care Act to only 40% who are opposed to it. One key change we’re finding over and over is that Democrats (85%) are far more united in their support of the ACA than Republicans (70%) are in their opposition to it. That used to be the other way around.
-The new year brings a continued mandate for a significant increase in the minimum wage. 70% of voters think it should be increased to at least $10 an hour to just 14% who think the status quo is fine and another 14% who would like to eliminate the minimum wage altogether. 95% of Democrats, 68% of independents, and 48% of Republicans want an increase to at least $10 an hour. On another topic, 66% of New Hampshire voters support the EPA’s Clean Power Plan to only 28% who are opposed.
-We also asked about a couple sports issues. There’s no need for any of the Presidential candidates to pander in relation to the College Football Championship game on Monday night- 63% of voters in the state say they don’t care one way or another who wins the game and among those who do have a preference there’s pretty even division with 20% going for Clemson and 17% for Alabama. Voters say that out of New England’s professional sports teams the Patriots are by far and away the one they care about the most- 42% say it’s the Pats to 24% for the Red Sox, 9% for the Bruins, and 6% for the Celtics.
Full results hereDuring the last couple of days, the industry was surprised by the huge success of Conan Exiles. Even us at Nitrado didn't expect such an immense rush.
We haven't seen anything like this in a while: within a few days of the release of Conan Exiles,
several thousand servers were rented at Nitrado.
At the current time, over a quarter of all privately hosted Conan servers globally are hosted with Nitrado.
We typically have extra hardware in waiting for circumstances like this, but we had no idea we'd see so many rentals so quickly. This caused some systems to be overloaded. Many of you may have noticed random disconnects followed by restart loops on games requiring Windows. Because Conan requires a hefty amount of RAM, memory was the largest bottleneck within our systems. We've upgraded all systems where possible, to
384GB of RAM. A total of around 5000GB of RAM was installed in Germany alone, and another 1500GB of RAM
for the US locations as well.
After those upgrades, we still had some bottlenecks that needed to be addressed, so
we ordered $234,000 worth of new servers.
In order to avoid some delays with the shipment of these, part of our team went directly to the European SuperMicro warehouse in Holland. From this large order, over half have been installed overnight from Friday to Saturday. These new systems are resilient to the existing bottleneck, meaning all servers are fully functional again. The remaining systems are expected to go online throughout the coming week and will serve as a buffer and will also be for new game servers.
We would like to sincerely apologize for any inconveniences this has caused, but we promise that our usual quality of service will return soon!
We would like to thanks Funcom for their cooperation and openness to hear our feedback by sending reports and suggestions to improve game performance.
Many thanks to all our teams across the globe to have worked like crazy during this under high pressure period.
Let's keep upgrading our infrastructure so you can enjoy your game on the go.
Nitrado teamAtari U.S. operation files for bankruptcy
Although the 31-year-old brand is still known worldwide for its pioneering role with video games such as "Pong" and "Asteroids," Atari has been mired in financial problems for decades. Since the early 2000s it has been closely tied to French company Infogrames, which changed its name to Atari S.A. in 2003 and in 2008 acquired all the gaming pioneer's American assets.
Its leaders hope to break the American business free from French parent Atari S.A. and in the next few months find a buyer to take the company private. They hope to grow a modest business focused on digital and mobile platforms, according to a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Atari Inc. and three of its affiliates filed petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York late Sunday.
The U.S. operations of iconic but long-troubled video game maker Atari have filed for bankruptcy in an effort to break free from their debt-laden French parent.
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Chief Executive Jim Wilson has been with Atari Inc. since 2008, and in 2010 became CEO of the French parent. The New York-based executive has attempted to rebuild the company, which has just 40 employees in the U.S., by developing games for smartphones and the Web based on well-known properties -- among them a successful "greatest hits" compilation of arcade titles and an updated version of "Pong." He has also licensed the Atari logo for consumer products, a business that provides about 17% of the company's revenue.
There is evidence that the U.S. operation, which after the sale of other assets now makes up the bulk of Atari S.A.'s business, has been improving. The corporate parent has been profitable for the last two fiscal years, save for the effect of a money-losing French subsidiary, Eden Games, that has been up for sale. Before that, neither Atari S.A. nor Infogrames had been profitable for about a decade.
Still, its profits have been small ($11 million and $4 million, respectively, for the last two fiscal years) and revenue plummeted 34% in fiscal 2012 and 43% in fiscal 2011.
But the company's growth potential has been hampered by its near total reliance on London financial company BlueBay Asset Management for cash. A $28-million credit facility with BlueBay lapsed Dec. 31, leaving Atari without the resources to release games currently in the works, including a real-money gambling title titled "Atari Casino."
Efforts to recapitalize the corporation have been unsuccessful, in part because of its complex structure as essentially an American business with a French public stock listing.
THE ENVELOPE: Awards season insider
Shares in Atari S.A. have dropped in value from more than 11 Euros in 2008 to less than 1 Euro recently.
Atari Inc. has secured a commitment for $5.25 million dollars in debtor-in-possession financing to continue operations and release games. If Chapter 11 is successfully completed, the U.S. business could reemerge with its own resources and little or no debt to BlueBay.
It's not yet clear who might step up to buy Atari Inc., although Wilson will probably seek backers to help him keep control. It's also possible the company could be sold to another buyer, whole or in pieces.
Atari's remaining French businesses would probably seek legal protection to find a buyer or dissolve in that country.
Representatives for Atari S.A. and Bluebay did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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PHOTOS: Hollywood back lot momentsThe BBC has obtained a more localised breakdown of votes from nearly half of the local authorities which counted EU referendum ballots last June.
This information provides much greater depth and detail in explaining the pattern of how the UK voted. The key findings are:
The data confirms previous indications that local results were strongly associated with the educational attainment of voters - populations with lower qualifications were significantly more likely to vote Leave. (The data for this analysis comes from one in nine wards)
The level of education had a higher correlation with the voting pattern than any other major demographic measure from the census
The age of voters was also important, with older electorates more likely to choose Leave
Ethnicity was crucial in some places, with ethnic minority areas generally more likely to back Remain. However this varied, and in parts of London some Asian populations were more likely to support Leave
The combination of education, age and ethnicity accounts for the large majority of the variation in votes between different places
Across the country and in many council districts we can point out stark contrasts between localities which most favoured Leave or Remain
There was a broad pattern in several urban areas of deprived, predominantly white, housing estates towards the urban periphery voting Leave, while inner cities with high numbers of ethnic minorities and/or students voted Remain
Around 270 locations can be identified where the local outcome was in the opposite direction to the broader official counting area, including parts of Scotland which backed Leave and a Cornwall constituency which voted Remain
Postal voters appear narrowly more likely to have backed Remain than those who voted in a polling station
The national picture
Education
A statistical analysis of the data obtained for over a thousand individual local government wards confirms how the strength of the local Leave vote was strongly associated with lower educational qualifications.
Wards where the population had fewer qualifications tended to have a higher Leave vote, as shown in the chart. If the proportion of the local electorate with a degree or similar qualification was one percentage point lower, then on average the leave vote was higher by nearly one percentage point.
Using ward-level data means we can compare voting figures in this way to the local demographic information collected in the 2011 census. Of the main census statistics, this is the one with the greatest association with how people voted.
In statistical terms the level of educational qualifications explains about two-thirds of the variation in the results between different wards.
The correlation is strong, whether based on assessing graduate and equivalent qualifications or lower-level ones.
This ward-by-ward analysis covers 1,070 individual wards in England and Wales whose boundaries had not changed since the 2011 census, about one in nine of the UK's wards. We had very little ward-level data from Scotland, and none from Northern Ireland.
It should be noted, however, that many ward counts also included some postal votes from across the counting area, and therefore some variation between wards will have been masked by the random allocation of postal votes for counting. This makes the results less accurate geographically, but we can still use the information to explore broad national and local patterns.
Age
Adding age as a second factor significantly helps to further explain voting patterns. Older populations were more likely to vote Leave. Education and age combined account for nearly 80% of the voting variation between wards.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity is a smaller factor, but one which also contributed to the results. Adding that in means that now 83% of the variation in the vote between wards is explained. White populations were generally more pro-Leave, and ethnic minorities less so. However, there were some interesting differences between London and elsewhere.
The ethnic dimension is particularly interesting when examining the outliers on the graph that compares the Leave vote to levels of education.
Image copyright PA Image caption Some wards in Birmingham illustrate the pattern of ethnic minority populations being more likely to support Remain.
There are numerous wards towards the bottom left of the graph where electorates with lower educational qualifications nevertheless produced low Leave and high Remain votes. This is where the link between low qualifications and Leave voting breaks down.
It turns out that these exceptional wards have high ethnic minority populations, particularly in Birmingham and Haringey in north London.
In contrast, there are virtually no dramatic outliers on the other side of the line, where comparatively highly educated populations voted Leave. Only one point on the graph stands out - this is Osterley and Spring Grove in Hounslow, west London, a mainly ethnic minority ward which had a Leave vote of 63%. While this figure does include some postal votes, they are not nearly enough to explain away this unusual outcome.
In fact, in Ealing and Hounslow, west London boroughs with many voters of Asian origin, the ethnic correlation was in the other direction to the national picture: a higher number of Asian voters was associated with a higher Leave vote.
Overview
Image copyright PA
This powerful link to educational attainment could stem from the lower qualified tending to feel less confident about their prospects and ability to compete for work in a competitive globalised economy with high levels of migration.
On the other hand some commentators see it as primarily reflecting a "culture war" or "values conflict", rather than issues of economics and inequality. Research shows that non-graduates tend to take less liberal positions than graduates on a range of social issues from immigration and multi-culturalism to the death penalty.
The former campaign director of Vote Leave, Dominic Cummings, argues that the better educated are more prone to holding irrational political opinions because they are more driven by fashion and a group mentality.
Of course this assessment does not imply that Leave voters were almost all poorly educated and old, and Remain voters well educated and young. The Leave side obviously attracted support from many middle class professionals, graduates and younger people. Otherwise it couldn't have won.
While there was undoubtedly a lot of voting which cut across these criteria, the point of this analysis is to explore how different social groups most probably voted - and it is clear that education, age and ethnicity were crucial influences.
After these three key factors are taken into account, adding in further demographic measures from the census does little to increase the explanation of UK-wide voting patterns.
However, this does not reflect the distinctively more pro-Remain voting in Scotland, since we are short of Scottish data at this geographical level. It is clear as well that in a few specific locations high student numbers were also very relevant.
To a certain extent, using the level of educational qualifications as a measure combines both class and age factors, with working class and older adults both tending to be less well qualified.
But the association between education and the voting results is stronger than the association between social or occupational class and the results. This is still true after taking the age of the local population into account.
This suggests that voters with lower qualifications were more likely to back Leave than the better qualified, even when they were in the same social or occupational class.
The existence of a significant connection between Leave voting and lower educational qualifications had already been suggested by analysis of the published referendum results from the official counting areas.
The data we have obtained strengthens this conclusion, because voting patterns can now be compared to social statistics from the 2011 census at a much more detailed geographical level than by the earlier studies.
The BBC analysis is also consistent with opinion polling (for example, from Lord Ashcroft, Ipsos Mori and YouGov) that tried to identify the characteristics of Leave and Remain voters.
Local patterns
The data we have collected can be used to illustrate the sort of places where the Leave and Remain camps did particularly well: it is hard to imagine a more glaring social contrast than that between the deprived, poorly educated housing estates of Brambles and Thorntree in Middlesbrough, and the privileged elite colleges of Market ward in central Cambridge.
It is important to bear in mind, however, that most of the voting figures mentioned below also include some postal votes, so they should be treated as approximate rather than precise. It is also important to note that the examples are limited to the places for which we were able to obtain localised information, which was only a minority of areas. The rest of the country may well contain even starker instances.
Leave strongholds
Of the 1,283 individual wards for which we have data, the highest Leave vote was 82.5% in Brambles and Thorntree, a section of east Middlesbrough with many social problems. Ward boundaries have changed since the 2011 census, but in that survey the Thorntree part of the area had the lowest proportion of people with a degree or similar qualification of anywhere in England and Wales, at only 5%. And according to Middlesbrough council, the figure for the current Brambles and Thorntree ward is even lower, at just 4%.
Second highest was 80.3% in Waterlees Village, a poor locality within Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. This area has seen a major influx of East European migrants who have been doing low-paid work in nearby food processing factories and farms, with tensions between them and British residents.
Other wards with available data which had the strongest Leave votes were congregated in Middlesbrough, Canvey Island in Essex, Skegness in coastal Lincolnshire, and Havering in east London.
Remain strongholds
The highest Remain vote was 87.8% in Market ward in central Cambridge, an area with numerous colleges and a high student population, in a city which was strongly pro-Remain.
This was followed by Ashley ward (85.6%) in central Bristol, a district featuring ethnic diversity, gentrification and alternative culture.
Next highest was Northumberland Park (85.0%) in Haringey, north London, which has a substantial black population.
Other wards with available data which had the strongest Remain votes were generally located in Cambridge, Bristol and the multi-ethnic London boroughs of Haringey and Lambeth.
In the middle
The count for Ashburton in Croydon, south London, split 50-50 exactly, with both Leave and Remain getting 3,885 votes, but that did include some postal ballots.
Nationally representative
As for being nearest to the overall result, the combined count of Tulketh and University, neighbouring wards near the centre of Preston, was 51.92% for leave, very close to the UK wide figure of 51.89%. The individual ward of Barnwood in Gloucester had Leave at 51.94%. Both figures however contain some postal votes.
Given that a few councils provided even more detailed data down to the level of polling districts, it is possible to identify some very small localities that were nicely representative of the national picture.
The 527 voters in the neighbouring districts of Kirk Langley and Mackworth in Amber Valley in Derbyshire, whose two ballot boxes were counted together, produced a leave proportion of 51.99%. And this figure is not contaminated by any postal votes.
So journalists (or anyone else for that matter) who seek a microcosm of the UK should perhaps visit the Mundy Arms pub in Mackworth, the location for that district's polling station.
Similarly, the 427 voters in the combined neighbouring polling districts of Chiddingstone Hoath and Hever Four Elms to the south of Sevenoaks in Kent delivered a leave vote of 51.6% (again, without any postal votes).
Switching areas
The data obtained points to 269 areas of various sizes (wards, clusters of wards or constituencies) which had a different Leave/Remain outcome compared to the official counting area of which they were part.
This consists of 150 areas which backed Remain but were part of Leave-voting counting areas; and 119 in the other direction.
The detailed information therefore gives us an understanding of how the electorate voted which is more variegated than the officially published results.
Scotland
Image copyright AFP Image caption Scotland voted to Remain - but some wards backed Leave, analysis shows
Every one of Scotland's 32 counting areas came down on the Remain side. Yet, despite the |
I would be very grateful for any support or guidance you may be able to provide in my quest to work on Hilary's campaign. Again, I hope all is well and I look forward to hearing back from you. Many thanks, PJ KadzikCONCORD (CBS) – Two teenagers have been accused of planting homemade bombs on the MBTA commuter rail tracks in Concord Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters were responding to a brush fire just before 5 p.m. near the Sudbury Street crossing on the Fitchburg commuter line when they found two bottles.
Sources told WBZ-TV both contained liquid chemicals that had the potential to explode. Transit police described the devices as “incendiary.”
“They were made up of a plastic bottle that contained 2 liquid chemicals that can be purchased over the counter,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday. “When the chemicals interact with one another, over a period of time, they heat up and cause a flash fire.”
Officers shut down the tracks, stopping the evening commute, so they could search the area for evidence.
No one was hurt.
Detectives from the Transit and Concord Police later identified two teen boys from Concord, ages 14 and 15, as the suspects.
Both will be summoned into court for possession of incendiary devices and interfering with public transportation.
Trains were cleared to go through the area by 7 p.m.
Normal service is expected Wednesday morning.This month, Amazon informed the Associated Press that it had “given the city [of Seattle] tens of millions of dollars for affordable housing” for a story that appeared on more than 300 news sites, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ABC News. Amazon’s been under public scrutiny lately for the issues its rapid growth is causing in Seattle, so I decided to look into their statement more closely.
Recent protests outside the company’s headquarters have focused on the company's negative impacts on housing prices in the city, and its lack of engagement with or support for the local community. The Seattle Times called Amazon a “virtual no-show in hometown philanthropy” in 2012. As I've written recently, the success of Amazon is a big reason people are being priced out of the city.
Therefore, it was surprising the company heralded itself for its affordable housing support. Looking at the numbers, Amazon has paid fees of $18.2 million toward affordable housing in Seattle. This bought them the rights to build an additional 970,778 gross square footage in two office towers the company is building, according to Seattle’s Office of Housing.
But these fees aren’t donations. Under the city’s Incentive Zoning Program, developers can build bigger or taller by either providing affordable housing units or purchasing rights to do so from the city. Developers have paid $73.1 million in fees since the program began in 2004.
Further, it’s not accurate to describe $18.2 million as “tens of millions” of dollars. To make that claim, the company should have at least paid more than $20 million. My guess is that Amazon thought it’s okay to bundle in fees paid by its landlord, Vulcan Real Estate, between 2009 and 2011. During this time, Vulcan reports it paid fees of $6.5 million for additional heights in projects that Amazon would later lease. However, Amazon didn’t pay these fees, nor did Vulcan make these as donations.
In making a case that Amazon is a good corporate citizen in Seattle, Amazon further stated that it "has contributed to nearly 100 charitable organizations.” Broken down, this figure is less impressive than it sounds. Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, 21 years ago. That would add up to less than five charities per year. Amazon’s been called out repeatedly for its lack of philanthropy within the city. It’s very difficult to find any evidence of the gifts the company has made or their magnitude. The company’s philanthropy web page seems to discuss only environmental efficiencies. Its community page seems to list only employee donations. Its Smile donation program, which is driven by shopping incentives, has been criticized as potentially making people less charitable.
In the future, it would be great to see the company issue a report on exactly how much it is donating to improve the quality of life, diversity and transit in our city, and to coordinate a series of targeted, strategic donations to this end.
The AP reported that Amazon’s spokesman Ty Rogers told them, “We made a decision to invest in our hometown.” The facts show this to be misleading. And now readers around the world believe the company actively contributes to Seattle’s affordable housing, when in fact its rapid growth, high wages and political silence are causing real problems for existing residents.Eden Hazard has grown used to the stream of instruction barked from the touchline. He puts his head down, stays in the zone as best he can, and might occasionally flit over to the opposite flank in search of respite. But there is never any real escaping Antonio Conte’s exhortations or, even when spotted out of the corner of his eye, the Chelsea head coach’s accompanying histrionics. Just as well, then, that he would not have it any other way.
There is no questioning the manager of the moment’s unwavering intensity when his team have won five games on the bounce without conceding a goal, and their stellar playmaker’s form has soared to new levels. “If someone had told us before the season that if we did everything Conte asked of us we’d have a chance to become champions again, we’d all have signed up,” says Hazard, the Premier League’s player of the month award, as well as the world, at his feet. “We have bought into it. This is what he wants from us and believes we need to do to achieve something special.
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“He kicks every ball, heads every ball. If he could, he’d be out there with us, our 12th man on the pitch. You can see he was a player. It’s only now and again, when he’s screaming at you to do this or that, demanding you concentrate or work even harder, you find yourself thinking: ‘Hold on a second, we’re 4-0 up with five minutes to play. Easy now, boss. Calm down …’ But that’s the way he is. That’s his personality. That’s how he works. He expects a lot of us, he’s demanding, and he never stops wanting more from his players. But when you’re in his side winning matches every week, it’s obvious his methods work.”
They have revived both team and talisman. Chelsea careered into the international break on such a scorching streak of form that the interruption seemed desperately untimely, with Middlesbrough braced to confront opponents eager to restore a ferocious rhythm on Sunday.
Conte’s team have not looked back from the moment they limped, crestfallen and humiliated, to the dressing room at half-time in the Emirates Stadium on 24 September with defeat to Arsenal already inevitable. The manager, raging at the deficiencies, swapped to a back three that afternoon merely to stop the bleeding but in so doing, effectively came up with the answer. Their defensive record in a 3-4-3 has been exemplary ever since, their attacking play utterly scintillating. Everton had sought to mirror systems at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago but could not live with the hosts’ dynamism.
Hazard sliced through them that evening, forever drawing tentative defenders to him before spinning off at pace. His was a mesmeric performance, the kind that stays seared in the memory for years to come. Take the teasing glide away from Ashley Williams and Séamus Coleman before he curled in his side’s opening goal or, 23 seconds of game-time later, the pirouette and scuttle from a trio of broken opponents to spread confusion and pave the way for Marcos Alonso to crunch in a second. It was Hazard who had flicked the ball down the right touchline for Pedro, burst into space beyond Ramiro Funes Mori to gather the Spaniard’s backheel and ram in a fourth, and his shot that was parried by Maarten Stekelenburg for Pedro to score the fifth. Conte spent much of his post-match debrief cooing over potential but he knows he inherited a gem. Albeit one that had needed another polish.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hazard, seen here leaving the field after tormenting Everton, has thrived under the tutelage of his latest manager at Chelsea, Antonio Conte. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images
Last season had damaged reputations up and down this Chelsea side, but Hazard’s in particular took a pummelling. The previous campaign’s player of the year and title-winning inspiration had been diminished, his form blunted by a series of niggling injuries. It took him until April even to register a league goal. Now that nagging ache in his hip has receded, his commitment to the cause reaffirmed in a face-to-face meeting with Conte back in March, as he revels in his role on the left of a front three.
“I’m playing without pain,” he says. “Last year was complicated. Some people didn’t believe it but I played with an injury [he points at his hip] for a long time. I was never 100%, and when you’re not completely fit it’s hard to play at your best. But I had a good break after the Euros, a good pre-season, and was ready. Liberated, yes. It feels like that sometimes, being injury-free and if a system brings the best out of you.
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“Back in March I’d spoken [to Conte] about the difficult season I’d had up to then, and what he expected of me in the year to come. I’d not scored many goals, but he saw me as a goalscorer. He spoke to me about his preferred systems, the 3-4-3 or even with two up front. His passion and enthusiasm for the job were obvious. I made clear I had no intention of leaving after such a poor year. I didn’t want to go out like that. If I ever leave, it’ll be after winning a championship. You need to go out on a high so that people remember you for the right reasons.
“Up to now, under him, we’re being rewarded for the work we’re putting in. Everything changed at Arsenal. A turning point. We were losing 3-0, we were beaten, but we got together – coaching staff and players – and determined then things would improve. It was a crossroads. From the first day I arrived at Chelsea four years ago, and even last season, I’ve never sensed panic among the players. We are professionals. We know when we’re playing badly so, if you have a poor game, you work in training to put things right so form comes back. So that is what we did. We reminded ourselves we are good players, we know our qualities. We have to work, work, work and make things better. Something just clicked.
“The change in system has made an impact. It’s such a difficult formation to play against: I played for Belgium against [Conte’s] Italy at the Euros and, even though we saw plenty of the ball, it was so hard to break down that defensive block. They only conceded once from open play in five matches, and when teams come up against us now they find they don’t have many sights of goal either. Personally, it allows me to concentrate more on the attacking parts of the game, the offensive side.
“I play this way with Belgium, too. Defensively, with the national team I have [Yannick] Carrasco close to me. Here I have Alonso just behind me who defends a bit more, and has those responsibilities. That allows me to concentrate more on hurting teams going forward. And it’s worked. I’ve managed to make a positive impact in games, and my form is there.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Eden Hazard shows schoolchildren some of the dribbling ability he has demonstrated on a regular basis in the Premier League. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian
His status is scaling new heights. Hazard was presented with his award for player of the month by children from Servite primary school, on Fulham Road, and St Polycarp’s from Farnham, two of the 14 schools to whom the Chelsea Foundation has delivered a pilot programme of equality workshops as part of its year-round Building Bridges campaign.
The pupils’ faces had lit up as he strode across the artificial turf in the club’s new indoor facility at Cobham, jaws hitting the floor before the squeals of delight and chorused “Good afternoon, Eden Haz-Ard”, with the playmaker subject to the same level of hero worship he once afforded Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry “and that generation of French players who were so successful” in his youth. He listened as the children eloquently and even lyrically delivered their ideas on diversity and with roles reversed, was stumped by a series of questions offered from the floor. He apparently now considers fame “normal”. His allegiance to Anderlecht is exposed. He does not have a clue how many goals he has scored for Chelsea.
The club’s classroom-based equality workshops have been developed in partnership with the Football Association and may eventually be extended to reach 500 schools across the country, with football considered a means of breaking through society’s barriers. Hazard had been substituted as a precaution in Belgium’s 8-1 World Cup trouncing of Estonia on Sunday having experienced discomfort in a calf, but there were no signs of an injury as he joined the youngsters’ small-sided games as if enjoying a kickaround back at the family home in Braine-le-Comte. Their house had backed on to a pitch, with Eden and Thorgan forever sneaking through a hole in the fence to lose themselves in football, just as their younger brothers Kylian and Ethan would after them.
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It is remarkable to consider next week marks the ninth anniversary of the professional debut of the eldest of the brothers, Claude Puel having substituted the journeyman forward Nicolas Fauvergue 12 minutes from time and asked Lille’s 16-year-old tearaway to salvage a 2-0 deficit at Nancy. “I didn’t see much of the ball, spent most of my time defending and we still lost, but it was an amazing experience. I played without fear. I’ve done that since I first kicked a ball in my back garden as a five-year-old, whether it’s been my first game, my 100th game, or my 500th game. I’m still only 25, only young. But I still say you have to enjoy it and go out to express yourself. We’re all enjoying playing at the moment.”
He is a player content again, settled in London with his family and his mood improved by the arrival of his compatriot and friend Christian Benteke as a near neighbour. The pair used to speak all the time on the phone. “When he decided to leave Liverpool and had the opportunity to sign for Crystal Palace, a good club in the Premier League where he’ll play and score goals because he has team-mates of quality, I told him: ‘Come to London. Come, come, because I’ll see you all the time.’” The recommendation still seems slightly surprising given Hazard’s first experience of Selhurst Park was being dive-bombed by Palace’s bald eagle, Kayla, as the sides entered the arena pre-match back in 2014. Chelsea’s No10 had been visibly shaken up that afternoon. “But it’s not every day you’re walking out on to a football pitch, look up and there’s a massive eagle swooping down at you,” he offers through a smile.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Crystal Palace’s mascot, Kayla, sits poised before the match with Chelsea in 2014 – with Eden Hazard looking like ready prey. Photograph: Scott Heavey/Getty Images
Boro will have to unearth some method of unsettling the Belgian and knocking Chelsea off their stride if they are to prosper on Teesside. Conte’s team have appeared unstoppable of late, a squad intent upon exorcising the memories of last term and restoring their place at the pinnacle. Beyond the game at the Riverside there are tantalising, and potentially revealing, encounters with Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur to come over the next few weeks, with that derby in particular a mouthwatering prospect.
One of the quirks of Hazard’s time in England is the reality he has scored the decisive goals that claimed the title for Chelsea in 2015 and – courtesy of an equaliser whipped right-foot and emphatically into the top corner against Spurs – Leicester City earlier this year. The celebrations among the majority at Stamford Bridge that night were almost as raucous as those up in the east Midlands. “That was the best memory of last year because of the rivalry with Tottenham,” he adds. “I was on the bench, we were losing 2-0 at the break and had been up against it, and at half-time we were in that dressing-room saying: ‘Lads, it’s 26 years since we last lost to Tottenham here. This isn’t the day that record is going to end.’
“It kickstarted us. Gary Cahill scored from a corner, and then my goal... Even a 2-2 draw felt like a victory because it had been such a difficult season, and we knew we had wounded our local rivals in Tottenham. Leicester were the ones who really enjoyed that night, of course. So yes, I’ve scored the goals that have decided the title in the last two years, but hopefully this season I’ll be scoring one to bring the trophy back to Chelsea.”
That might have sounded fanciful a little over seven weeks ago. Now it seems far from outlandish.Devonte Shipman said he just wanted to protect himself when the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer called him over after he and a friend crossed Arlington Road on June 20.
Instead, the video of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Officer J.S. Bolen threatening to jail the 21-year-old Shipman during a jaywalking stop and ticketing him for not carrying identification became the latest national touchstone in relations between law enforcement and young black men.
The American Civil Liberties Union tweeted about it as demonstrating a need for diversity and community policing training. CNN discussed it. Surfers of media sites from the Miami Herald to CBS News to the London-based Daily Mail watched and hyperlinked to the video that first appeared on Shipman’s Facebook page.
And questions about police overreaction in the face of dark skin arose as they did after the shootings of Philando Castile, a 32-year-old black man killed by Officer Jeronimo Yanez in Minneapolis last year, and Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old black boy killed by Timothy Loehmann, a Cleveland rookie police officer, in 2014.
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Or, Sandra Bland, yanked out of her car during a traffic stop for failing to signal a lane change, who wound up hanging herself in a jail cell in Texas. The ruling of the 28-year-old woman’s death as a suicide got eyed suspiciously by family near and other black Americans far.
Or, on a quieter if more parallel note, former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams, who found himself being questioned by four Tyler, Texas, officers while just out for a walk. Williams was suspected of hopping a fence behind a hotel to walk through a backyard.
The stated reason Bolen stopped Shipman was crossing against the light.
“I never knew anybody who got stopped for jaywalking,” Shipman told the Miami Herald. “I didn’t know you could be stopped for jaywalking. I thought, ‘How can it be a crime if you see it done so often?’ ”
Shipman said he’s walked through the intersection at 1000 Arlington Road, a half mile from his home, hundreds of times. His antennae — and smartphone video — went up when Bolen got his attention.
“Just from everything that’s been going on nowadays with police and civilians, I wanted to make sure I was recorded,” he said. “There’s no telling what he would’ve done if I wasn’t recording.”
Rather than use “broken windows” tactics that prove ineffective, Jacksonville PD should have diversity & community policing training. — ACLU of Florida (@ACLUFL) June 27, 2017
The video opens with Shipman asking without rancor what he did wrong. Bolen tells Shipman: “Take your camera and point it across there at the red hand,” and then says that Shipman and his friend crossed against the light.
“My bad,” Shipman says to Bolen, who tells him that jaywalking is a $65 fine and orders him to the police car.
Shipman, at first, refuses. He said the episode confounded him. “I was unsure of the whole situation. I didn’t know why he stopped me,” he told the Miami Herald. “I’m thinking, what did I do? You can’t take me to jail just because you feel like it.”
Bolen then threatens: “I’m about to put you in jail for resisting [an officer] without” violence.
As Shipman begins walking toward the car, Bolen asks for his identification. Shipman says he doesn’t have it and Bolen snaps, “That’s another infraction! In the state of Florida, you have to have an ID card on you identifying who you are or I can detain you for seven hours until I figure out who you are.”
Bolen ticketed Shipman for violating Florida Statute 322.15, driver’s license not carried/exhibited on demand. That covers only people driving a vehicle. No statute requires a pedestrian to carry identification.
Near the end of the video, Shipman points out a third JSO car coming on the scene for what’s still a jaywalking stop. His friend stands against another JSO car.
A group called the Jacksonville Community Action Committee asked its Facebook followers to demand Bolen’s firing. Shipman wasn’t as absolute.
Asked what he’d like to see happen to Bolen, Shipman said, “Either he gets suspended from the force, so he has to go to another county and we don’t have to deal with him in our community. Or he just has to get fired, period.”
Responding to a voicemail inquiring if Shipman’s video was under review or if Bolen was under investigation, JSO Officer Melissa J. Bujeda emailed the Herald, “It violates the law for us to identify any officer under investigation. It is confidential per state statute 112.533 until the investigation is concluded.”GOTHENBURG, Sweden — The first amplified call to prayer in Sweden was not publicly broadcast until 2013, when it reverberated out from a minaret of the Fittja Mosque in southwestern Stockholm on a Friday morning. In the run-up to that historic moment, local Muslims faced a wide range of opposition, including accusations that the azan violated noise regulations and claims from the far right that broadcasting the call amounted to disseminating Islamic propaganda. While Sweden is deeply attached to its reputation as a democratic, secular, humanitarian superpower — having provided safe haven for refugees from Chile’s Pinochet regime, secular leftists fleeing Iran’s Islamic revolution and a massive influx of Syrians and Afghans escaping their present crises — historically speaking, Sweden’s experience of other cultures and religions is still in its infancy. In the 1970s and ’80s, Swedes spoke in terms of assimilation (a term they have since updated to “integration”) and its companion concept, mångfald, roughly equivalent to “diversity.” Sweden’s dedication to mångfald is promoted in work and employment opportunities and lauded in the country’s daily papers. Yet while equal opportunity exists in theory, many of Sweden’s immigrants feel a pervasive sense of societal exclusion. Gothenburg, a port city and former industrial powerhouse on Sweden’s rain-swept west coast, is probably most comparable to Seattle or Baltimore. In the wake of the 1970s oil crisis, its world-class shipbuilding, ball bearing and automobile industries fell into decline, leaving behind a burned-out landscape of factories and warehouses that in the late 1990s began to be reimagined as a gritty hub for the creative class. Today, Gothenburg is one of Sweden’s most diverse cities, its working-class heritage celebrated in a new much-vaunted Volvo commercial that portrays immigrant residents going about their early morning rituals before heading in to the assembly plant — mångfald, equal opportunity, a new Gothenburg, for everybody.
The northern neighborhood of Gårdsten is home to many of Gothenburg’s immigrants. Per Kårehed for Al Jazeera America In reality, the city’s experience of integration has been more complex. While about a third of the city’s population consists of non-ethnic Swedes, as people from immigrant backgrounds are called, nearly 80 percent of them, including some of the 160,000 asylum seekers who arrived Sweden last year, live in the northeastern suburbs of Angered and Bergsjön as well as nearby Backa and Biskopsgården. Sweden’s massive housing shortage and years-long waits for rent-controlled apartments near the center of town mean that many immigrants start in and stay in these outlying neighborhoods, where residents are subject to more frequent gang violence, worse schools, longer commutes and discrimination in job placement. “We have a divided picture. You have certain people getting the top jobs, the best education, but then you have another group who are left over, so to speak,” said Zan Jankovski, a longtime social worker in the suburbs and the Gothenburg coordinator for the National Center Against Violent Extremism. These northern neighborhoods have supplied the highest percentage of ISIL foreign fighters per capita in all of Sweden and perhaps in all of Western Europe. Though Sweden’s national security agency, the SAPO, officially estimated that 299 Swedish nationals have traveled to fight with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the actual number is widely suspected to be higher. As it stands, the official figure makes Sweden the second-largest per capita supplier of foreign fighters in Europe, just behind Belgium. (Brussels’ Molenbeek neighborhood was a known hot spot for ISIL recruiting before it was the focus of an enormous manhunt after the Paris attacks in November.) By way of comparison, an estimated 250 foreign fighters have come from the U.S., which has a population more than 30 times Sweden’s. “As a city, I think we were caught by surprise by the numbers going down there to fight,” said Jankovski. Groups of young Swedes started leaving Angered and Bergsjön as early as 2012, joining factions affiliated with Free Syrian Army. In 2013, he said, the neighborhoods started to feel the first effects of combat deaths. “If you’re a young man in Angered and you die in combat in Syria, everybody knows … both people who like it and people who don’t.” The following year, he said, ISIL started to gain popularity. “Our social workers started to notice more and more young people talking about ISIL. ISIL was the winning team. They were fighting for good things. In the youth centers, we saw IS flags were being downloaded. Some of the young people had [Anwar] al-Awlaki speeches on their phones.” Many of the Swedish nationals killed while fighting in Syria were honored on Facebook as martyrs and portrayed as role models.
Last February, Sweden’s national job agency dismissed its staff of migration resettlement assistants after it began to suspect that some of them were doubling as ISIL recruiters.
Sweden and Gothenburg in particular are now reckoning with this problem. “Most people who go fight with ISIL from Malmö, Stockholm or other cities in Sweden arrange their travel with people from Gothenburg,” said Karwan Faraj, a longtime Angered youth organizer. “The reason is that there are a few big families here in Gothenburg who have good networks down in Syria with these groups — sons, cousins, nephews, relatives already down there fighting. Gothenburg is the strongest base for these recruiting networks.” But the foreign fighter issue, isn’t just a local one: Last February, Sweden’s national job agency dismissed its staff of migration resettlement assistants after it began to suspect that some of them were doubling as ISIL recruiters. In late November, Sweden’s prime minister admitted that the country had been “naive” about domestic threats and its foreign fighter problem. The absence of a law prohibiting people from fighting for armed groups abroad has meant that many people have traveled, fought and returned to Sweden, like Michael Skråmo, a blond Islamic convert from Gothenburg who returned from Syria to late last fall in order to pick up his wife and four children before heading back. One local journalist said that a common joke in the Gothenburg suburbs is that if you live with your parents and want a job and your own apartment, you should go to Syria and fight for half a year, then return to Sweden — the implication being that returning fighters are fast-tracked at the jobs and housing agencies. Yassin Ekhdahl, the committee secretary of the National Center Against Violent Extremism, denied that any such fast-tracking exists but says returning fighters are given “coordinated support” and suggested that they might be “traumatized” and dealing with “stigma, shame and guilt.” “I think in some groups around Gothenburg, they have this idea that ‘We can do whatever we want, no one can catch us, they can’t sentence us,’” Jankovski said. In December, Sweden concluded its first foreign terrorism case: Hassan al-Mandlawi and Al-Amin Sultan, Swedish nationals from Gothenburg, were sentenced to life in prison for a beheading and a separate murder they allegedly committed while fighting with an ISIL-affiliated group in Syria. The key evidence in the case, pictures and videos saved on a USB stick, were discovered during a drug raid in Gothenburg. Despite the trial, ISIL’s pull in Sweden has not shown signs of abating. Earlier this month, a known Swedish Islamic fighter from the Gothenburg area who had just been released early from prison was arrested in Greece en route to Syria. In mid-February, five Swedes appeared in an ISIL video announcing the death of 20-year-old Anas Khsassi from Angered. The Swedish paper Expressen reported that his 17-year-old brother, Abdelkarim Khsassi, was killed in 2014 while fighting with ISIL. Like many other European countries watching their youths run away to join ISIL, Sweden is basically fumbling in the dark for ways to intervene in what is often obliquely described as the radicalization process.
From the ground up
“There are 550,000 people in Gothenburg, and we are the city that has the most ISIL fighters. How come? Because we have different centers of very strong Wahhabi leaders and they work like religious engines,” said Ulf Boström, a middle-aged Swede with twinkling eyes and a mellifluous baritone who left his position as a beat cop in Gothenburg 11 years ago to become Sweden’s only integration police inspector. Now he works in the suburbs and is charged with getting to know the area’s religious leaders, having meaningful conversations with them and stopping problems before they start. The religious engines to which he referred are the Wahhabi-style religious schools that are heavily concentrated in the northeastern suburbs of Gothenburg — a result of a controversial school voucher program Sweden passed in the early 1990s. The program gave students the option of attending religious and private schools and has been widely blamed for the declining quality of Sweden’s once lauded educational system. In Boström’s office on the second floor of Angered’s podlike police headquarters, Palestinian and Kurdish flags adorned the wall, and a hefty edition of the Quran lay half-buried on his cluttered desk. “The recruiters work 24 hours a day, seven days a week at many places where newcomers and refugees stay and live,” he said.
Ulf Boström, Sweden’s only integration police inspector, whose aim is to help integrate immigrants into the community. Per Kårehed for Al Jazeera America In mid-December, he was struggling to find a place to stay for a young homeless Somali boy who has been repeatedly approached by ISIL recruiters. In many ways, Boström is paradigmatic of the Swedish police, who are attached to their reputation as enlightened and restrained good cops and want to avoid racial profiling at all costs. At a weekly lecture he gives to younger officers on integration, he began by saying, “When I first got to Angered, I asked, ‘How the fuck do you integrate immigrants?’ But then the immigrants helped me to integrate.” After laying out a litany of statistics about the violence of the northeastern suburbs — which he said have the most shootouts and gang violence per capita in Scandinavia — Boström went into a long presentation on the composition of the Quran and the meaning of the hadiths and charted various branches of Islam on a scale of democratic to theocratic. “Not many people believe in God in Sweden. We are kind of secularized. That makes us very weird for the rest of the world,” he said. He tried to break down the profile of a stereotypical recruiter. “These guys have an extreme warmth and compassion. They’re trying to do something good.” A few days later at a public gathering space in a northern suburb, he gave a lecture on democratic law for 150 prospective asylum seekers, mostly refugees from Syria. “As-salaam alaikum” (peace be upon you), he said walking onstage. “‘Integration’ means “part of.” You are part of your family. You are also part of Sweden.” What followed was an introduction to Sweden’s government, judiciary and rights. “In many of your countries, there is a lot of crime and corruption and undemocratic systems,” he said at one point. “The right to free speech means I have the possibility to say anything I want about religion or politics or other questions.” He got people up from their seats to act out issues they might encounter in Sweden, such as someone speaking ill of the Prophet Muhammad (“He has the right to speak his mind”), abuse of women (“Democracy starts at home”) and gay marriage (“The Environmental Minister Andreas Carlgren is gay, and he signed a pro-immigration law”).
Boström makes his rounds in the northern neighborhoods of Gothenburg. Per Kårehed for Al Jazeera America After the lecture, Boström insisted on taking me around to meet local shop owners. At our first stop, a clearly uncomfortable elderly Arab shopkeeper shook my hand and politely answered questions with a smile. “This neighborhood? Oh, there are so many nationalities here. I like it so very much. Extremist groups like ISIL? They’ve have gone down. People are nice to each other now … but I guess you can’t really tell what hides in a person’s heart.” As soon as we left, Boström nudged me, saying, “See? Gothenburg is a fine place, not so many terrorists. What he didn’t say is that his son spent two or three weeks in the hospital and almost lost an eye after he was beaten by a radical young Islamic person.” The next place we went was a grocery store run by Arab Christians. When they heard what we wanted, the owners nodded yes, but said they couldn’t speak freely in the store and took us out back. On a loading dock behind the shop, the men railed against what they viewed as a growing number of Islamic extremists in the neighborhood. “You can’t live here as you did before. There are many things to think about. For instance, if you’re Christian, can you show you’re a Christian?” One man jerked his gold crucifix out from under his sweater. “We live in a democratic country, and I can’t show my religious belief. They don’t stand here with machine guns, but you see the way they look at you. We can’t sell pork here anymore.” The other man, who was from the Middle East and has lived in Sweden for 25 years, said, “It used to be more mixed here in the ’90s. There were more Swedish people living here, and they moved away. Some people I know here agree with ISIL 100 percent. I do business with them every day. They could do something here in Sweden. I lived through war, and now I am so worried, I don’t know where I would take my three kids.” Standing in the cold, Boström smiled. “See? After a while, the mixed areas become segregated areas. They’ll eventually be segregated by religion, and you’ll have your Christian area and your Muslim area.” Seeming somewhat self-conscious, he asked for my honest view of the Swedish situation. I told him that I admired Sweden’s high-minded, gentle approach to counterterrorism but I also worried that this was being taken advantage of by affiliates of ISIL and could ultimately hurt social democracy. He nodded. “Have you ever heard of Pippi Longstocking? … She says if you’re strong, you have to be kind. They know you have power. You just have to wield power carefully.”
Looking to the future
“I think one of the big problems is that Swedes don’t believe in religion. They think that because they don’t believe in religion, they don’t need to respect religion,” said Faraj, the youth organizer. A peshmerga devotee and a co-author of a novel about the Kurdish-Swedish diaspora, he went with his family to Angered from Kirkuk, Iraq, after the Persian Gulf War. As he walked through a crowded mall in the suburbs, it was clear that he was known and respected, with a number of people pulling him aside to shake hands and chat. In recent years, he has dedicated his time to cataloging and interviewing men and women from Angered who have gone to Syria to fight and live in ISIL territory. “Sweden is open market for recruiting people to ISIL, especially Gothenburg,” he said. “Almost all of the recruits from here were born in Swedish hospitals.” One woman who went on a grim odyssey to ISIL territory before returning home to Gothenburg told him that she was motivated in part by her bad experiences wearing a niqab in Sweden — “people were swearing at her, trying to take it off her head.” Faraj said that after the Paris attacks and the sentencing of the two Gothenburg men for murder in Syria, somewhat open recruiting has more or less gone silent and has been increasingly hard to penetrate, even for him. “There is no special manual. [People get involved through] social media, friends and relatives who are fighting … There are basement mosques. A lot of people initiate contact with ISIL from their side. Sometimes there are seminars where maybe five guys talk about stuff but not in an open way.” In a similar manner, Boström compared ISIL recruiting to Scientology. “They have their bible at their headquarters, but to read it, you have to be fully in,” he said. |
expressed serious concern about the inability of these two companies to retain capital. In fact, he highlighted the escalating risks of this perpetual conservatorship. Do you believe that Fannie and Freddie will need another bailout? Bruce Berkowitz: Mel Watt is telling the truth. If you ask Director Watt if the Treasury Department is helping or hurting Fannie and Freddie, do you know what he will say? Treasury is hurting, and in fact making the situation much worse. The Treasury is significantly constraining his ability to effectively manage the conservatorship. He’d tell you that the sheep dog has turned into the wolf. Fannie and Freddie have over $5 trillion of liabilities outstanding, yet Treasury is milking them of all their income and forcing them to operate with no capital. It’s absurd. If the government takes all of your wealth every quarter as the return on a forced investment, and never allows the repayment of that forced investment, then it is inevitable that there will come a time in the future when the government will force more investment on you, another so-called bailout. Through the imposition of the Net Worth Sweep, Treasury usurps all past, present, and future earnings of Fannie and Freddie as so-called “dividends” in order to make repayment impossible. It is illegal. It defies contract, corporate, and investment laws that allow confidence in American financial markets. But I can understand Treasury’s viewpoint. The Net Worth Sweep tries to cement a de facto nationalization of Fannie and Freddie. It has allowed and continues to allow an administration to magically reduce budget deficits and avoid congressional debt ceiling negotiations before presidential elections. I get it. But it is wrong, and it’s shortsighted.Why are all financial institutions except for Fannie and Freddie subject to more stringent capital requirements imposed under Dodd-Frank? Leaving out the two largest financial institutions in the country makes Dodd-Frank toothless. How can you have a designation process for Systemically Important Financial Institutions and not start with Fannie and Freddie? It makes the entire SIFI designation process look like a sham. Representatives in Congress are just now beginning to learn the truth and consequences of Treasury’s actions. Luckily, Director Watt has ample authority to fix this situation. A few days ago in the Financial Times, Fannie Mae CEO Tim Mayopoulos noted that Mel Watt had a range of options for solving the capital problem, such as allowing the companies to retain earnings, changing the terms of Treasury’s agreements with each company, and pushing the companies out of conservatorship so they can be recapitalized in another way. Letting the companies retain what they make would be an awfully useful start to this process – after all Fannie and Freddie made over $17 billion in 2015, and they have repaid the government $250 billion to date. Daniel Schmerin: That’s a lot of money, even in Washington. Some shareholders have asked whether you believe this investment has a binary outcome, and whether our success hinges solely on a court decision. They also wondered whether there was an alternative dispute resolution mechanism beyond the courts.Bruce Berkowitz: I don’t believe this is a binary outcome. This isn’t a light switch, there isn’t an on or off, zero or one. That would clearly violate our investment rules. We have a margin of safety: there is no alternative to Fannie and Freddie. They are tremendously profitable. They are not shrinking; they are growing. Sooner rather than later, they will be transformed into low-risk, public utilities with regulated rates of return just like your local water or electric company. The government can’t have its cake and eat it too. It cannot de facto nationalize the two largest financial institutions in America, and pretend that it doesn’t have to consolidate their assets and liabilities on the federal balance sheet. Congress did not authorize the Treasury Department to nationalize these two companies. This charade must end soonbecause our housing market, which comprises 23% of GDP, and our national economy are increasingly at risk. America cannot afford to get this wrong. We remain ready, willing, and able to help explore any feasible option in order to reach a mutually beneficial outcome for all stakeholders. Litigation was not our preferred course of action, but it has proven necessary. Make no mistake, we have been willing to negotiate and compromise from day one. We have been willing to talk constructively with Treasury from the get go. In 2013, Treasury seemed to believe that Fannie and Freddie were worthless, so a consortium of investors, including Fairholme, offered to buy the insurance businesses of Fannie and Freddie. We received no written response to our offer. More recently, in late 2015, there was settlement communication between plaintiffs and the government, but frankly, given how deep Treasury has dug in its heels and tried to hide the truth by withholding evidence, it remains unclear to me whether Treasury is capable of having an earnest conversation. And the fact that Treasury has sent some staffers to work next door at the White House really raises the specter that the President and his most senior advisors are being purposefully misled."Posted: November 10, 2015 by Jérôme Segura
Last updated: March 30, 2016
Soccer, or rather football aficionados in the UK may have had their computers infected whilst browsing the Premier League’s official fantasy website fantasy.premierleague.com.
A malicious advert displayed on the sports portal which draws in over 16 million visitors per month according to SimilarWeb automatically redirected unsuspecting soccer fans to the Nuclear exploit kit.
The Flash-based ad for a British yacht company was hosted on a highly suspicious server and distributed over https, making detection at the firewall or gateway much more difficult because it would encrypt the content of the page.
The malvertising chain is familiar as it makes use of goo.gl URLs (Google URL shortener) which are injected dynamically within compromised or blackhat sites. Those shortened URLs are used and discarded frequently and yet, because they belong to Google, a trusted company, cannot be blacklisted entirely at the root domain level.
This particular attack redirects to the Nuclear exploit kit which makes use of Flash Player exploits to compromise the end-user machine. Besides hiding its IP address behind the CloudFlare service, this “advertiser” has a very short history. According to archiving website screenshots.com, the domain okzilla.com was up for grabs just a few months ago:
The barren website was put together in a hurry and has no contact details. We alerted the Premier League fantasy website and also reported the malicious shortened URL to Google.
We did not collect the malware payload associated with this campaign but Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit users were protected against this attack.Any questions for Josh? Drop him a line on Twitter: @joshuacanfield
Any questions for Reed? Drop him a line on Twitter: @thereedkelly
1. Joe: Pros: Pre-game favorite male. How do you not like Joe? Capable, athletic, smart, fun, sweet. This guy could go all the way.
Cons: Becoming a threat after the merge because everyone likes him, and he’ll have the potential to go on an immunity streak. 1. Joe: What’s not to like? Looks sturdy, speaks well, sounds clever, is cute and comes across as the very personable boy-next-door. Things look good on paper. My only concern is that if he gets deep into the game people will cut him loose because he seems like too much of an all-around threat.
2. Lindsey: Pros: My favorite pre-game female. She seems fun, flirty, smart, and willing to do what it takes to actually win this game.
Cons: She may irritate some of the other females, and the elements plus lack of sustenance may wear her down.
2. Shirin: Bright, articulate, and oddly eager to put random things in her mouth. All are qualities that come in useful in this game. Can see her getting into numbers and doing very well. I hope her quirkiness works for her and not against her out of the gate.
3. Shirin: Pros: She is fun, likable, and seemingly easy-going. I think she has amazing potential to go all the way. Her alliance won’t see her as a threat until it’s too late.
Cons: She could be a first or second boot on her tribe based on her physicality and the fact that the rest of the white collars seem extremely fit.
3. Lindsey: I want to see her come onto the beach and break stereotypes. May she show the world that not all tatted-up hairdressers named Lindsey quit “Survivor.” I love a redemption story. I hope she uses her open personality, physicality, and her “quieter, more grounded, sneaky side” to her advantage as she has planned in pre-game.
4. Hali: Pros: I don’t see any good reason to vote out Hali. She has her southern charm and seems to be prepared for the rough challenges, and intense strategic game.
Cons: Will she be able to make moves that will win her votes at the FTC? Not sure if she will be able to manipulate an alliance. 4. Max: I would really like to see this fan, who has spent so much time studying/appreciating the game, do well. He seems like a smart, clear thinker who I’d be willing to work with. If he doesn’t make too big a deal about his extra “Survivor” knowledge back at camp, ruffling feathers of other aficionados in the process, it may serve him better.
5. Max: Pros: Well, he obviously knows “Survivor.” He is ready, eager, intelligent, and someone I would definitely want as an ally. He will be great at challenges, whether physical or mental.
Cons: He may know too much (if that’s possible) and over-think every decision. After the merge will he be the biggest target? 5. Sierra: She appears agile and athletic, two nice qualities to have in a tribe-mate to keep you out of Tribal at the beginning. She has potential to fit in well if some of the other girls aren’t threatened by her stature.
6. Carolyn: Pros: I think she will be able to slip into the dominant alliance as a female who is strong but doesn’t seem to pose a huge threat. She seems strong and able to discern where she should place herself in the game.
Cons: Her age may become a factor. The cold nights in Nicaragua will be difficult for her to handle. 6. Kelly: I like her energy and her attitude. She has already talked about maybe playing too hard pre-game, which has me a bit uneasy about her playing too aggressively too soon. This season feels replete with gamers with their heads already in the game however, so it may all be fine. Hoping her over-emphasis on trust doesn’t become a stumbling block for her.
7. Sierra: Pros: I think Sierra will stay in the game for awhile based on her athleticism and that she won’t be perceived as a threat. She will make a great #2 for someone who is more dominant.
Cons: She may lack drive to make the moves that will need to be made to keep herself on top.
7. Jenn: All this talk about wine reminds me of Jon! I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with Jenn though. I think she’ll either click with others or she won’t, not sure how much in-between there is for her because of her big personality. My goal for her would be to not alienate the other girls by doing too bro-focused.
8. Vince: Pros: I would want to work with Vince because he would take the focus off of my gameplay. If Vince is self-aware enough to realize how tribemates perceive him, he could do wonders.
Cons: He may rub people the wrong way in the long run, and be a little too unpredictable. 8. Carolyn: Seems like a cool chick who has now grown up and had kids. This may lend to being able to relate to people well, but will she be able to keep her opinions in check? I’m not sure … and neither is she. If she’s able to keep her tongue tame until her confessionals, I could see her being ensconced in numbers quite easily.
9. Tyler: Pros: If Tyler plays his cards correctly he could do very well in this game. He doesn’t seem like he will make too many enemies, and potentially be an underestimated strategic mind.
Cons: He may become a threat in challenges, and I can see him trusting the wrong person, that will ultimately be his downfall.
9. Tyler: Appears physically capable and smart. We like those qualities in tribe mates early on because they keep us out of Tribal, plus later you can point to them as bigger threats. Wonder though if his quest to be a “difference maker” will backfire by overcomplicating things for himself. As with most agents, I’m hoping he’s not too slick for his own good.
10. Jenn: Pros: Easy-going, athletic, and probably really great to hang out with. I think she can easily make allies, and can use the trust everyone will give her for her own advantage.
Cons: She may become a target from other girls who will find her connection with the guys an issue.
10. Hali: I think people may underestimate her, which could work to her advantage. If there really is more under the surface, to which she hints, I’d love to see that come into play. Having a harder time seeing her running the game though. My fear for her is that she may get too caught up in her attempt to bond with one person to the end and pay the ultimate price for it.
11. Rodney: Pros: Will most likely be great in challenges and be someone who is useful around camp.
Cons: May be too alpha male for his own good. Later in the game his alliance will want to take him out when he tries to make all the decisions.
11. Dan: This is the second Gorham, Maine contestant to be on the show. Will he flirt as hard with Jeff Probst as the first one did? Fingers crossed that he spent some time thinking through some game strategies between making all those audition videos, because he may be staring off with a bit of a handicap because of the age difference.
12. Mike: Pros: Will be of great use in the challenges at the beginning.
Cons: Uncertainty of how he will play the game may lead to unpredictability. His stature will make people immediately think that he is a threat, and after his alliance has used his strength, they will say “bye, bye.” 12. Mike: Whenever someone says they’re a hero in their real life but wants to come out and be a villain on “Survivor,” it always makes me always wonder why. I don’t trust it, but it’ll likely make for some interesting TV. He could be useful brawn in strength challenges and heavy lifting around camp early on, but not sure just yet where his place is after that.
13. Kelly: Pros: Strong and willing to play hard. The elements won’t bother her.
Cons: Don’t feel like she will connect to the other players, and probably will find herself outside of the numbers fairly quickly. 13. Rodney: He’s another who would be good muscle to have in challenges and around camp, but comes across a bit less worldly than many of the other players out there. Wondering if he’ll be out of his depth with these self-proclaimed strategic thinkers due to his prevalent posturing and alpha-male attitude. GTL for life, baby.
14. Will: Pros: The rest of the tribe won’t expect him to get very far, so he could potentially fly under the radar.
Cons: I don’t expect him to get very far. He may be a little lost out there once the game begins, and if the strongest thing you have going for you is that you are nice and a people-person, then I fear for your torch. 14. Nina: Seems sweet, nonthreatening and says she’s great at manipulating. I like all of those things for her game. Could be a solid vote to count on if she’s not taken out right away. I worry that her need to have people talk one at a time may hinder her game play or alienate her, but it could actually endear her even closer to some tribe-mates – time will tell.
15. Dan: Pros: Eager, eager, eager. He really wants to be here, which I love. He’s going to try really hard.
Cons: Unless something crazy happens, he would be first boot on his tribe. He may not fit in with the rest of his tribe who will see him as a liability. 15. Vince: Holy feathers, Batman. This guy looks physically capable. Wondering who is going to fall for his guru magic because apparently some do in real life. Curious to see how this Icarus’ personality will integrate with other tribe mates because it could honestly go either way.
16. Joaquin: Pros: Has potential to charm the ladies who are blinded by his physique. Great goat to take with you to the end. Athletic.
Cons: Cocky, Brash, and doesn’t seem to be self-aware. “Basically a bad-ass.”
16. Joaquin: He’s clearly amazing … just ask him. Everything about Joaquin screams basically a badass. It’ll be interesting to see which girl gets swept off her feet by his megalomania, because there’s always one. I’m shocked he’s still single.
17. Nina: Pros: Sweet, confident, and unassuming. She could play under the radar the whole game if she wanted to, and suddenly end up in the final 3.
Cons: But can she make it past the first few votes? She may be an easy target for her tribe to take out. 17. Will: He said he was going to use his Spidey-senses, so he wins points there with me, lol. Doesn’t feel too threatening, which could make him most useful as a vote, but worries me when he says he’s “trusting to a fault.” Could fall victim to being picked off in the as-long-as-it’s-not-me first few days.WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. prosecutors have charged more than 400 people with taking part in health care fraud and opioid scams that totaled $1.3 billion in false billing.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the charges Thursday. Officials say those charged include more than 120 people involved in prescribing and distributing narcotics.
In prepared remarks, Sessions calls it the "largest health care fraud takedown operation in American history."
Among those charged are six Michigan doctors accused of a scheme to prescribe unnecessary opioids. A Florida rehab facility is alleged to have recruited addicts with gift cards and visits to strip clubs, leading to $58 million in false treatments and tests.
Sessions says nearly 300 health care providers are being suspended or banned from participating in federal health care programs.Dozens of fighters of the Daesh group (the so-called Islamic State) have surrendered over the past day in their one-time bastion Raqa, the US-led coalition backing the offensive on the Syrian city said Saturday.
"Within the past 24 hours, approximately 100 Daesh terrorists have surrendered in Raqa, and were removed from the city," the coalition said in an emailed statement to AFP.
"Foreign fighters are not being allowed to leave Raqa," it said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said all Syrian Deash militants — numbering around 200 fighters — had left their former stronghold with their families.
"All Syrian fighters from the Daesh group left Raqa over the past five days," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, saying they headed to unknown destinations.
A Raqqa official told AFP that Syrian Daesh members had surrendered overnight to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling to take full control of the city, without specifying how many.
"They sent a message to the Raqa Civil Council and to the tribal mediators," the official said.
"Those that surrendered are local, not foreigners — the foreigners have not handed themselves in yet," he said.
Members of the council — a provisional administration for the city set up by the SDF — had been working with tribal leaders throughout the week to try to secure safe passage for civilians.
"Hundreds of civilians have managed to flee the battle-ravaged city, which once served as the de facto Syrian capital of the jihadist group.
According to Abdel Rahman, up to 150 foreign jihadists remain in the city and negotiations on their fate are still ongoing.
"The foreign fighters are asking to leave in one group towards areas under Daesh control in Deir Ezzor province," in eastern Syria, he said.
But a spokesman for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which spearhead the SDF, denied on Saturday that any discussions were taking place for the surrender of the city.
"We completely deny any negotiations or deal for the exit of Daesh. Until this very moment, we are fighting Daesh," Nuri Mahmoud told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for Daesh.
Backed by US-led coalition air strikes, the SDF's Arab and Kurdish fighters have recaptured around 90 percent of Raqa from Daesh.Gwalior Now Has A Temple Of Mahatma Gandhi's Killer Nathuram Godse, Why On Earth Was It Needed?
Gwalior Now Has A Temple Of Mahatma Gandhi's Killer Nathuram Godse, Why On Earth Was It Needed?
The Hindu Mahasabha has built a "temple" to honour Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's killer, in Gwalior on Wednesday.
twitter/ani
The foundation stone was laid in Hindu Mahasabha's Daulatganj office area. A statue has already been put up in the office and floral tributes were paid today.
The Hindu Maha Sabha had earlier applied for land for a temple that they proposed to build in the name of Nathuram Godse. The application for the land was rejected by the district administration.
twitter/ani
According to Jaiveer Bhardwaj of the Maha Sabha, a decision to construct the temple in the Daulatganj area has been taken after the district administration rejected its application for land.
Don't Miss 8.5 K SHARES 94.4 K SHARES 48.6 K SHARES 64.9 K SHARES 19.2 K SHARES
twitter/ani
Nathuram Godse who was convicted of killing the father of the nation was hanged to death on November 15, 1949, and his supporters observed the day as'sacrifice day.'
#MadhyaPradesh: Observing the death anniversary of Nathuram Godse, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Sabha built a temple and installed Godse's idol inside their office in Gwalior, yesterday pic.twitter.com/zkEuR0v5cF — ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2017
Inputs From TNN~
Kicking off the seventh annual Twelve Days of Christmas with hosting chef Christopher Kostow at The Restaurant at Meadowood a couple of nights ago, an event with which I have been a part since 2012, was Matthew Orlando, chef and owner of Amass in Copenhagen, and Jonata and The Hilt wineries. [To read more about this collaborative dinner series hosted by Kostow at his three Michelin-starred restaurant at Meadowood Napa Valley, refer to the restaurant’s website. You may also read about all 24 dinners from the past two years on this blog. I have provided a full inventory of the dinners from 2012 and 2013 at the bottom of this post.]
In keeping with the last two years, I plan to post short recaps of each of this year’s twelve dinners here, with a slideshow of photos.
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Orlando’s cooking career began, in the coastal kitchens of his home state of California, merely as an accessory to a life of snowboarding and skateboarding. Since then, he has recorded some meaningful time in two celebrated kitchens. He spent three years cooking at Per Se in New York (straddling both Jonathan Benno’s and Eli Kaimeh’s tenures). And, more recently, he spent five years in the kitchen at Noma in Copenhagen, where I first met him in February, 2013. It was his last week at the restaurant as chef de cuisine, and it was his day off. So he came in and joined my friends and me for dessert at the end of our meal. He told us about his own restaurant, which he opened later that summer in a nearby warehouse.
Earlier this year, in September, I had the opportunity to visit his restaurant, Amass, a cavernous space with big, picture windows framing a field outside, which runs along the banks of the Copenhagen canal. (You’ll find photos from my dinner at Amass on my Flickr account.)
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As in past years, Paolo Lucchesi at the San Francisco Chronicle will be interviewing all of the chefs cooking at this year’s Twelve Days of Christmas. You’ll find his interview with Orlando on his blog, Inside Scoop, where Orlando briefly described his approach to his collaboration with Kostow for this dinner.
Quite a few of Orlando’s dishes at the Twelve Days of Christmas were adapted from ones that I had at Amass, like aged carrots encrusted with crispy bits of caramelized yogurt; and potato bread served with a spicy, vegetable condiment (at Amass, the condiment was made from pickled cabbage; at the Twelve Days of Christmas, he used kale and Calabrian chiles). The bread dough, made from fermented potatoes, was formed into thick discs, quickly grilled to set the shape, brushed with butter, and finished in the oven. The bread was quite dense, but very moist on the inside. The outside was dusty with char marks, with a slight hint of smoke from the grill. Served warm, it was incredibly comforting.
Instead of pork neck and apples under a canopy of kale, he served venison with pears topped with a rainbow of chard. And adapting my favorite dish from my dinner at Amass to the ingredients available in Napa Valley, Orlando switched out crosnes* for aged beets in a dish that also included dried plums, warm almond oil, and a dusting of black limes. As with the original, this dish was was an phenomenal meeting of flavors and textures.
At Amass, I had a terrific salad of lettuces with “croutons” made from compressed layers of chicken skin. At this dinner, Orlando tossed those chicken skin “croutons” with chopped scallops to a make a delicious filling for a “dolmade” wrapped in young, tender beet greens. This was served as a canapé.
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Kostow’s team presented two canapés and three courses, two of which put twists on skin. One dish presented a gorgeous piece of cured sea trout with a super-crisp “skin” made of buckwheat and vegetable ash. The fish was served with a baby turnip and a creamy sauce made with turnip tops.
The other dish featured slices of beautifully cooked roulade of guinea fowl stuffed with black truffles. The hen was wrapped in a thin sheet of yuba, and then fried to crisp the tofu wrapper to mimic the fowl’s “skin.” The slices were blanketed with paper-thin coins of king trumpet mushrooms, and drizzled with a rich reduction of guinea jus.
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Below, you’ll find the menu from the first night of the Twelve Days of Christmas with Matthew Orlando, with wines by Jonata and The Hilt. Following the menu, you’ll find a slideshow of all of the photos that I took at this dinner.
Canapés
Scallop, Chicken Skin
Wrapped in beet leaves.
Mackerel
Black garlic chip.
(Matthew Orlando)
Sunchoke Chip
Sunchoke purée, trout roe, and sea lettuce.
Clam
Lardo, bean.
(The Restaurant at Meadowood)
~
First Course
Buckwheat-Cured Trout
Crisp buckwheat “skin,” radish.
(The Restaurant at Meadowood)
Second Course
Carrot
Buttermilk, pickled Douglas fir, sour curd.
(Matthew Orlando)
Third Course
Kohlrabi
Rye porridge
(The Restaurant at Meadowood)
Fourth Course
Beets
Red seaweed, plum, almond oil, and black lime.
(Matthew Orlando)
Fifth Course
Guinea Hen
Black truffle, soy.
(The Restaurant at Meadowood)
Sixth Course
Venison
Walnut, pear, rainbow chard.
(Matthew Orlando)
Seventh Course
Malt
Parsnip, dark chocolate.
(Matthew Orlando)
Eighth Course
Caramel Ice Cream
Fried candy cap, chestnuts, and cep oil.
(Matthew Orlando)
~
Jonata “Flor”
White Wine, 2012
The Hilt “Old Guard”
Chardonnay, 2012
The Hilt “Vanguard”
Pinot Noir, 2011
Jonata “El Alma”
Red Wine, 2009
Jonata “La Sangre”
Syrah, 2009
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Below are links to my posts and photos from all of the Twelve Days of Christmas dinners I have attended over the past three years at the Restaurant at Meadowood. Each chef is listed with the restaurant with which they were cooking at the time they participated in the event (some have moved on to other projects and restaurants).
2012
Scott Anderson (Elements; Princeton, New Jersey)
John & Karen Shields (Formerly of Townhouse; Chilhowie, Virginia)
Phillip Foss (EL Ideas; Chicago, Illinois)
Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski (State Bird Provisions; San Francisco, California)
Jason Franey (Canlis Restaurant; Seattle, Washinton)
Matthias Merges (Yusho; Chicago, Illinois)
Mori Onodera (Formerly of Mori Sushi; Los Angeles, California)
James Syhabout (Commis; Oakland, California)
Nick Anderer (Maialino; New York, New York)
David Toutain (Agapé Substance; Paris, France)
Josh Habiger & Erik Anderson (The Catbird Seat; Nashville Tennessee)
Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood; St. Helena, California)
2013
Andy Ricker (Pok Pok, Portland, Oregon & New York, New York)
Rodolfo Guzman (Boragó; Santiago, Chile)
Carlo Mirarchi (Blanca and Roberta’s; Brooklyn, New York)
Tim Cushman (O Ya; Boston, Massachusetts)
Ashley Christensen (Poole’s Diner; Raleigh, North Carolina)
David Chang (Momofuku; New York, New York)
Matthew Accarrino (SPQR; San Francisco, California)
Mark Ladner & Brooks Headley (Del Posto; New York, New York)
Rasmus Kofoed (Geranium; Copenhagen, Denmark)
Nicolaus Balla & Cortney Burns (Bar Tartine; San Francisco, California)
David Kinch (Manresa; Los Gatos, California)
Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood; St. Helena, California)
~
* Orlando told me that the original version of this dish that I had at Amass was created rather spontaneously, when his gardner’s successful experiment with growing crosnes yielded a small batch, only enough for about 20 portions.
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Posted in 12 days
Tags: 12 days, california, christmas, kostow, matthew orlando, meadowood, napa, st. helena“Girls Night In” Star Complains About Hula Doll
by Josh Guckert
In a new video shared on Facebook by I, Hypocrite and on YouTube by Lauren Southern, a social justice warrior takes aim at her Lyft driver for his Hula Doll. The complaining party, Annaliese Nielsen, is the founder of “Girls Night In,” a secretive online community of women.
The clip begins with Nielsen complaining of the “pillaging of the continent of Hawaii.” She then chastises the driver for purchasing the doll at Goodwill and displaying it on his dashboard. After several minutes of back-and-forth, the other passenger states that Nielsen’s reaction is “pretty pathetic” before the driver finally tells Nielsen that she must get out of his car and find another driver. Humorously, Nielsen threatens to expose her driver’s insensitivity on the now-defunct website Gawker.
Watch the video, preceded by commentary with Lauren Southern, below:
SJW BERATES LYFT DRIVER
Watch this video on YouTubeTo gain more insights into the in vivo stability of miRNA mimics, we injected 125 mpk of miR‐29b mimic and sacrificed the mice 1, 2, 4, or 7 days later. Robust presence of miR‐29b mimic could be detected by both Northern blot and real‐time PCR analysis 1 day after injection in all tissues examined; however, tissue clearance greatly differed thereafter (Fig 1 E and F). Liver and kidney rapidly cleared miR‐29b mimic with minimal detection after day 1. Lung and spleen demonstrated the most pronounced detection of miR‐29b mimic over time, which sustained at least 2–4 days post‐treatment (Fig 1 E and F). The increase was specific for miR‐29b without any effect on miR‐29a and miR‐29c levels as measured by real‐time PCR ( Supplementary Fig S3 ). Also, here real‐time PCR analysis of miR‐29 targets showed no downregulation at the mRNA level in non‐stressed animals ( Supplementary Fig S4 ).
To start exploring the in vivo applicability and distribution of miR‐29 mimic, we injected mice intravenously with 10, 50, 100, or 125 mg per kg (mpk) and sacrificed them 4 days later. Northern blot analysis on multiple tissues indicated little to no increase in miR‐29b in kidney or liver samples compared to saline control. Cardiac distribution was detected; however, this appeared to be quite variable and spleen delivery could be observed at the highest dose only. In contrast, delivery to the lungs could be observed at all 3 of the highest doses 4 days after injection (Fig 1 C). No effects on liver function (transaminase, ALT) were observed in the plasma, indicating that these miRNA mimics are well tolerated at these doses ( Supplementary Fig S1 ). Real‐time PCR demonstrated similar results with robust dose‐dependent distribution of the miR‐29b mimic to the lung compared to saline‐injected animals (Fig 1 D). Additionally, real‐time PCR analysis of miR‐29 targets showed no regulation at the mRNA level in the treated animals except for Col3a1 at the highest dose in the spleen ( Supplementary Fig S2 ). This suggests that the target genes are either at steady state in non‐stressed animals and that mimics lower target genes when they are elevated, or that functional delivery was inadequate or insufficient.
To test for functional efficacy, we transfected miR‐29b mimic into a mouse fibroblast cell line (NIH 3T3) and measured the effect on Collagen1a1 ( Col1a1 ) expression, a known direct target gene of miR‐29 (van Rooij et al, 2008 ). Increasing amount of miR‐29b mimic showed a dose‐dependent decrease in Col1a1, compared to either untreated or control oligo treated cells, indicating the miR‐29b mimic to be functional. An siRNA directly targeting Col1a1 was taken along as a positive control (Fig 1 B).
Synthetic RNA duplexes can be used to therapeutically mimic or increase the level of a miRNA to enhance the endogenous activity of the miRNA of interest. These miRNA mimics harbor chemical modifications for stability and cellular uptake. We designed double‐stranded miR‐29 mimics utilizing lessons learned from antisense and siRNA technologies. The “guide strand” or “antisense strand” is identical to the miR‐29b, with a UU overhang on the 3′ end, modified to increase stability, and chemically phosphorylated on the 5′ end. Since the guide strand has to function as a miRNA and the RISC machinery in the cell needs to recognize it as such, the allowed chemical modifications are limited. The 2′‐F modification helps to protect against exonucleases, hence making the guide strand more stable, while it does not interfere with RISC loading. The “passenger strand” or the “sense strand” contains 2′‐O‐Me modifications to prevent loading into RNA‐induced silencing complex (RISC) as well as increase stability and is linked to cholesterol for enhanced cellular uptake. Several mismatches are introduced to prevent this strand from functioning as an antimiR and to lessen hybridization affinity for the guide strand (Fig 1 A).
miR‐29b mimic blunts bleomycin‐induced pulmonary fibrosis
Current treatments of tissue fibrosis mostly rely on targeting the inflammatory response; however, these are ultimately ineffective in preventing progression of the disease, underscoring the need for new mechanistic insights and therapeutic approaches (Friedman et al, 2013). Recent studies indicate the involvement of miRNAs in pulmonary fibrosis (Pandit et al, 2011).
Due to the preferential lung distribution of our mimic, we set out to explore whether stress and subsequent induction of target gene expression would allow for detectable changes in mRNA target genes and downstream therapeutic effects in response to miR‐29b mimic. To this end, we used the bleomycin‐induced model of pulmonary fibrosis as described (Pandit et al, 2010) and injected the mice with 100 mpk miR‐29b mimic, control or a comparable volume of saline at two time‐points: 3 and 10 days after bleomycin treatment. As expected, 14 days after bleomycin treatment, miR‐29 levels were reduced, while miR‐29b mimic treatment resulted in the increased detection of miR‐29b levels compared to either control or saline‐injected animals as measured by real‐time PCR, albeit with a high level of variation (Fig 2A). It is currently unclear why the increase in miR‐29b levels is less than we detected in baseline mice (Fig 1). A comparable decline in miR‐29 levels was observed in pulmonary biopsies of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) compared to normal controls (Fig 2B). Histological examination by trichrome staining showed a clear and robust fibrotic and inflammatory reaction in response to bleomycin, which was blunted by miR‐29b mimic treatment (Fig 2C). Additionally, hydroxyproline measurements to assay for total collagen content indicated a significant increase following bleomycin treatment in both saline and control‐treated groups, while there was no statistical difference in the miR‐29 mimic‐treated group between saline and bleomycin‐treated |
up about 75% of the Earth's crust, the compound silica is quite common. It is found in many rocks, such as granite, sandstone, gneiss and slate, and in some metallic ores. Silica can be a main component of sand. It can also be in soil, mortar, plaster, and shingles. The cutting, breaking, crushing, drilling, grinding, or abrasive blasting of these materials may produce fine to ultra fine airborne silica dust.
Silica occurs in 3 forms: crystalline, microcrystalline (or cryptocrystalline) and amorphous (non-crystalline). "Free" silica is composed of pure silicon dioxide, not combined with other elements, whereas silicates (e.g., talc, asbestos, and mica) are SiO 2 combined with an appreciable portion of cations.
Crystalline silica exists in 7 different forms (polymorphs), depending upon the temperature of formation. The main 3 polymorphs are quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. Quartz is the second most common mineral in the world (next to feldspar). [14]
exists in 7 different forms (polymorphs), depending upon the temperature of formation. The main 3 polymorphs are quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. Quartz is the second most common mineral in the world (next to feldspar). Microcrystalline silica consists of minute quartz crystals bonded together with amorphous silica. Examples include flint and chert.
consists of minute quartz crystals bonded together with amorphous silica. Examples include flint and chert. Amorphous silica consists of kieselgur (diatomite), from the skeletons of diatoms, and vitreous silica, produced by heating and then rapid cooling of crystalline silica. Amorphous silica is less toxic than crystalline, but not biologically inert, and diatomite, when heated, can convert to tridymite or cristobalite.
Silica flour is nearly pure SiO 2 finely ground. Silica flour has been used as a polisher or buffer, as well as paint extender, abrasive, and filler for cosmetics. Silica flour has been associated with all types of silicosis, including acute silicosis.
Silicosis is due to deposition of fine respirable dust (less than 10 micrometers in diameter) containing crystalline silicon dioxide in the form of alpha-quartz, cristobalite, or tridymite.
Diagnosis [ edit ]
There are three key elements to the diagnosis of silicosis. First, the patient history should reveal exposure to sufficient silica dust to cause this illness. Second, chest imaging (usually chest x-ray) that reveals findings consistent with silicosis. Third, there are no underlying illnesses that are more likely to be causing the abnormalities. Physical examination is usually unremarkable unless there is complicated disease. Also, the examination findings are not specific for silicosis. Pulmonary function testing may reveal airflow limitation, restrictive defects, reduced diffusion capacity, mixed defects, or may be normal (especially without complicated disease). Most cases of silicosis do not require tissue biopsy for diagnosis, but this may be necessary in some cases, primarily to exclude other conditions.
For uncomplicated silicosis, chest x-ray will confirm the presence of small (< 10 mm) nodules in the lungs, especially in the upper lung zones. Using the ILO classification system, these are of profusion 1/0 or greater and shape/size "p", "q", or "r". Lung zone involvement and profusion increases with disease progression. In advanced cases of silicosis, large opacity (> 1 cm) occurs from coalescence of small opacities, particularly in the upper lung zones. With retraction of the lung tissue, there is compensatory emphysema. Enlargement of the hilum is common with chronic and accelerated silicosis. In about 5–10% of cases, the nodes will calcify circumferentially, producing so-called "eggshell" calcification. This finding is not pathognomonic (diagnostic) of silicosis. In some cases, the pulmonary nodules may also become calcified.
A computed tomography or CT scan can also provide a mode detailed analysis of the lungs, and can reveal cavitation due to concomitant mycobacterial infection.
Chest X-ray showing uncomplicated silicosis
Complicated silicosis
Silicosis ILO Classification 2-2 R-R
Fibrothorax and pleural effusion caused by silicosis
Classification [ edit ]
Classification of silicosis is made according to the disease's severity (including radiographic pattern), onset, and rapidity of progression.[15] These include:
Chronic simple silicosis Usually resulting from long-term exposure (10 years or more) to relatively low concentrations of silica dust and usually appearing 10–30 years after first exposure.[16] This is the most common type of silicosis. Patients with this type of silicosis, especially early on, may not have obvious signs or symptoms of disease, but abnormalities may be detected by x-ray. Chronic cough and exertional dyspnea (shortness of breath) are common findings. Radiographically, chronic simple silicosis reveals a profusion of small (<10 mm in diameter) opacities, typically rounded, and predominating in the upper lung zones. Accelerated silicosis Silicosis that develops 5–10 years after first exposure to higher concentrations of silica dust. Symptoms and x-ray findings are similar to chronic simple silicosis, but occur earlier and tend to progress more rapidly. Patients with accelerated silicosis are at greater risk for complicated disease, including progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Complicated silicosis Silicosis can become "complicated" by the development of severe scarring (progressive massive fibrosis, or also known as conglomerate silicosis), where the small nodules gradually become confluent, reaching a size of 1 cm or greater. PMF is associated with more severe symptoms and respiratory impairment than simple disease. Silicosis can also be complicated by other lung disease, such as tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection, and fungal infection, certain autoimmune diseases, and lung cancer. Complicated silicosis is more common with accelerated silicosis than with the chronic variety. Acute silicosis Silicosis that develops a few weeks to 5 years after exposure to high concentrations of respirable silica dust. This is also known as silicoproteinosis. Symptoms of acute silicosis include more rapid onset of severe disabling shortness of breath, cough, weakness, and weight loss, often leading to death. The x-ray usually reveals a diffuse alveolar filling with air bronchograms, described as a ground-glass appearance, and similar to pneumonia, pulmonary edema, alveolar hemorrhage, and alveolar cell lung cancer.
Prevention [ edit ]
A video discussing a field-based approach to silica monitoring. Monitoring could help reduce exposure to silica.
The best way to prevent silicosis is to identify work-place activities that produce respirable crystalline silica dust and then to eliminate or control the dust ("primary prevention"). Water spray is often used where dust emanates to control the kick up of silica dust. To avoid dust accumulating on clothing and skin, place your clothes in a seal-able bag and, if possible, shower once returning home. When dust starts accumulating around a workplace, utilize an industrial vacuum to contain and transport dust to a safe location.[17] Dust can also be controlled through personal dry air filtering.[18]
Following observations on industry workers in Lucknow (India), experiments on rats found that jaggery (a traditional sugar) had a preventive action against silicosis.[19]
Treatment [ edit ]
Silicosis is a permanent disease with no cure.[13] Treatment options currently available focus on alleviating the symptoms and preventing any further progress of the condition. These include:
Experimental treatments include:
Epidemiology [ edit ]
Silicosis resulted in 46,000 deaths in 2013 down from 55,000 deaths in 1990.[5]
Occupational silicosis [ edit ]
Silicosis is the most common occupational lung disease worldwide; it occurs everywhere, but is especially common in developing countries.[22] From 1991 to 1995, China reported more than 24,000 deaths due to silicosis each year.[9] In the United States, it is estimated that between one and two million[23] workers have had occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust and 59,000 of these workers will develop silicosis sometime in the course of their lives.[9]
According to CDC data,[24] silicosis in the United States is relatively rare. The incidence of deaths due to silicosis declined by 84% between 1968 and 1999, and only 187 deaths in 1999 had silicosis as the underlying or contributing cause.[25] Additionally, cases of silicosis in Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio are highly correlated to industry and occupation.[26]
Although silicosis has been known for centuries, the industrialization of mining has led to an increase in silicosis cases. Pneumatic drilling in mines and less commonly, mining using explosives, would raise fine-ultra fine crystalline silica dust(rock dust). In the United States, a 1930 epidemic of silicosis due to the construction of the Hawk's Nest Tunnel near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia caused the death of at least 400 workers. Other accounts place the mortality figure at well over 1000 workers, primarily African American transient workers from the southern United States.[27] Workers who became ill were fired and left the region, making an exact mortality account difficult.[28] The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster is known as "America's worst industrial disaster.[29] The prevalence of silicosis led some men to grow what is called a miner's mustache, in an attempt to intercept as much dust as possible.
Chronic simple silicosis has been reported to occur from environmental exposures to silica in regions with high silica soil content and frequent dust storms.[30]
Also, the mining establishment of Delamar Ghost Town, Nevada was ruined by a dry-mining process that produced a silicosis-causing dust. After hundreds of deaths from silicosis, the town was nicknamed The Widowmaker. The problem in those days was somewhat resolved with an addition of a nozzle to the drill which sprayed a mist of water, turning dust raised by drilling into mud, but this inhibited mining work.
Because of work-exposure to silica dust, silicosis is an occupational hazard to mining, sandblasting, quarry, ceramics and foundry workers, as well as grinders, stone cutters, stone countertops, refractory brick workers, tombstone workers, workers in the oil and gas industry[31], pottery workers, fiberglass manufacturing, glass manufacturing, flint knappers and others. Brief or casual exposure to low levels of crystalline silica dust are said to not produce clinically significant lung disease.[32]
Protective measures such as respirators have brought a steady decline in death rates due to silicosis in Western countries. However, this is not true of less developed countries where work conditions are poor and respiratory equipment is seldom used. For instance, life expectancy for silver miners in Potosí, Bolivia is around 40 years due to silicosis.
Recently, silicosis in Turkish denim sandblasters was detected as a new cause of silicosis due to recurring, poor working conditions.[33]
Silicosis is seen in horses associated with inhalation of dust from certain cristobalite-containing soils in California.
Social realist artist Noel Counihan depicted men who worked in industrial mines in Australia in the 1940s dying of silicosis in his series of six prints, 'The miners' (1947 linocuts).[34]
Desert lung disease [ edit ]
A non-occupational form of silicosis has been described that is caused by long-term exposure to sand dust in desert areas, with cases reported from the Sahara, Libyan desert and the Negev.[35] The disease is caused by deposition of this dust in the lung.[36] Desert lung disease may be related to Al Eskan disease, a lung disorder thought to be caused by exposure to sand dust containing organic antigens, which was first diagnosed after the 1990 Gulf war.[37] The relative importance of the silica particles themselves and the microorganisms that they carry in these health effects remains unclear.[38]
Regulation [ edit ]
In March 2016, OSHA officially mandated that companies must provide certain safety measures for employees who work with or around silica, in order to prevent silicosis, lung cancer, and other silica-related diseases.[39]
Key Provisions [ edit ]
Reduce the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift.
Use engineering controls (such as water or ventilation) to limit worker exposure to the PEL; provide respirators when engineering controls cannot adequately limit exposure; limit worker access to high exposure areas; develop a written exposure control plan, offer medical exams to highly exposed workers, and train workers on silica risks and how to limit exposures.
Provide medical exams to monitor highly exposed workers and gives them information about their lung health.
Provide flexibility to help employers — especially small businesses — protect workers from silica exposure.[40]
Compliance Schedule [ edit ]
Both standards contained in the final rule take effect on June 23, 2016, after which industries have one to five years to comply with most requirements, based on the following schedule:
Construction – June 23, 2017, one year after the effective date.
General Industry and Maritime – June 23, 2018, two years after the effective date.
Hydraulic Fracturing – June 23, 2018, two years after the effective date for all provisions except Engineering Controls, which have a compliance date of June 23, 2021.[40]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Women in East Asia are putting tiny pegs into their nostrils so their nose could look more European.
The beauty trend apparently started from South Korea about two years ago and has spread to Japan, mainland China and Taiwan, where women with a pointier European nose are considered more attractive.
The beauty trend, however, has sparked serious health concerns. In a recent case from China, a woman reportedly swallowed a peg by accident and the small item was later found in her stomach.
Before (left) and after (right) pictures show a model's nose apparently becoming pointier after she used the nasal pegs. The image was posted by a seller on Taobao, a Chinese shopping site
Women in Asia are using the nasal pegs and hook to make their nose look more attractive. The advertisement on Taobao shows models posing for before-and-after pictures with the product
One advertisement, using a Western model, asked the public 'is your nose perfect enough'. As the it shows, the curved pegs are to be put inside the nostrils and remain there
The non-surgical nose-lifting trend apparently involves a set of tools which are popular on shopping websites in East and South-east Asia.
A typical set consists of two small curved pegs, measuring two to three centimetres long, as well as one adjusting hook.
The most popular brand seems to come from South Korea, but various other copycat products have cropped up and sell for as little as £1.
According to the instructions online, users should first insert the two pegs into their nostrils respectively. The pegs are said to be made with silicone.
Then they should use the hook to adjust the pegs so they stand in a 45-degree angle inside the nose.
A typical set consists of several pegs of different sizes and a hook for adjusting the angle
The beauty trend apparently started from South Korea about two years ago. Above is an advertisement found online showing the nasal sets which were made in South Korea
Online instructions say users should first insert the pegs into their nostrils. Then they should use the hook to adjust the pegs so they stand in a 45-degree angle inside the nose
One seller on China's popular shopping site, Taobao, claimed that because the product was invisible, it could be a woman's secret weapon in getting a beautiful nose without surgery.
An advertisement posted by the seller said the product, said to be 'anti-bacteria', could change the shape of a nose in less than 10 seconds and is safe to use.
However, potential customers are advised not to wear them for more than eight hours.
Although the nasal pegs are popular among beauty-conscious females, they have also brought health issues to the customers.
Eurasian actresses with pointier noses are huge popular in Asia. Above are Maggie Q (left), half American and half Vietnamese, and Michelle Reis (right), half Chinese and half Portuguese
Angelababy (left), who is a quarter German, and Cecilia Cheung (right), who is a quarter English, are also considered to have the perfect features by people in East Asia
Last November, a 25-year-old woman in Taipei nearly lost her nose after a peg poked through her nasal membrane and caused a bacterial infection, according to Apple Daily.
It was reported that the woman wanted to change the shape of her nose tip, but couldn't afford plastic surgery.
Dr. Liao Guoliang, who treated the woman, warned against the nasal beauty product.
Dr Liao said he noticed more and more female patients had come to the hospital after suffering from nasal diseases and injuries caused by the silicone pegs.
In another report from mainland China last week, a women from Chongqing had to be taken to the hospital after she accidentally inhaled the pegs then swallowed it.
After a medical checkup, doctors found the object in her stomach and it was eliminated from her body two days later.
The woman, surnamed Zeng, told a reporter from Chongqing Broadcasting Group that she had bought the product online, and that many other customers had suffered from similar problems judging from the comments left on the online shop.
Dr Zhou Xin, an ear-nose-throat specialist, called the beauty trend 'life-threatening'.
Dr Zhou said in the same report that the tiny objects could block a person's respiratory tract, causing difficulties in breathing and even posing danger to life.
Dr Zhou suggested women not use the nasal pegs.Washington has enjoyed a full-circle ascent to the College Football Playoff. When the Huskies square off against No. 1 Alabama in Atlanta on Dec. 31st in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, they'll also reunite with former head coach Steve Sarkisian -- who is now part of Nick Saban's Crimson Tide staff.
Let's take a chronological look back at the key steps the Huskies took on their path to college football's promised land:
1. Washington hires Sarkisian, who delivers the 2013 recruiting class: The Huskies went 0-12 in a dreadful 2008 season, leading to the termination of Tyrone Willingham. Sarkisian took his spot at the helm. Though Washington didn't morph into an elite program under Sarkisian's leadership, it improved into a consistent winning team. This set the foundation for an eventual conference championship.
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In hindsight, Sarkisian's greatest contribution was his final recruiting class. The Huskies' 2013 haul included receiver John Ross, running back Lavon Coleman, linebackers Azeem Victor and Keishawn Bierria, pass-rush specialist Joe Mathis, cornerback Kevin King, defensive linemen Connor O'Brien and Elijah Qualls, offensive linemen Andrew Kirkland and Coleman Shelton, and kicker Cameron Van Winkle -- all key 2016 contributors.
It also featured quarterback Troy Williams, who transferred and is now starting at Utah.
Sarkisian struck gold with his last Washington recruiting class, and it ended up fueling this version of the Huskies with veteran speed and power capable of winning a Pac-12 championship.
2. Sarkisian heads to USC: The Huskies won seven regular season games in three straight years under Sarkisian before winning eight in 2013. Despite consistent finishes above.500, unrest materialized because of Washington's inability to surpass Oregon and Stanford in the Pac-12 North. "Seven-win Sark" became a popular complaint in Seattle.
When Sarkisian left for USC following the 2013 season, the Huskies had an opportunity to infuse the program with fresh blood that could catapult them to the next level.
3. Washington hires Chris Petersen: In December 2013, the Huskies turned to a coach whose name was synonymous with 11-plus win seasons at Boise State. Washington hoped that Petersen could successfully mesh the lethal efficiency he had established in the Broncos with some of the top-level talent that the Huskies were attracting.
Petersen presided over seven and eight wins over his first two years. On paper, that wasn't an improvement over the Sarkisian era. But some key moments within those two years set the table for Washington's 2016 explosion.
Quarterback Jake Browning got his feet wet as a true freshman in 2015 against Boise State. AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger
4. Beaten in Boise: Petersen opened 2015 with his own quarterback, Jake Browning, in charge of Washington's offense. This was a critical part of the plan in the Huskies' effort to successfully leverage their bevy of emerging talent at the skill positions. Petersen, returning to his own stomping grounds at Boise State, opted to start Browning as a true freshman on the blue turf in the season opener. The Huskies lost 16-13, but this trial by fire spurred the growth of Browning and the rest of the young offense.
5. Big win at the Coliseum: Washington's first reunion with Sarkisian was a sweet one. The Huskies beat USC 17-12 on the road. This was a coming out party of sorts for true freshman running back Myles Gaskin, who rushed for 134 yards. The Washington defense, which would go on to lead the Pac-12 over the next two seasons, also announced its presence here. The Huskies held the Trojans out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.
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6. Setback in Tempe: Many Washington players point to this November 2015 loss as the final motivational fuel they needed to enter the realm of the elite. The Huskies blew a 17-0 lead at Arizona State, eventually losing 27-17. After that point, Washington won three straight to close 2015 with a bowl win. The Huskies have won 15 of 16 games since that meltdown in the desert.
7. John Ross' triumphant return: On paper, the Huskies were loaded with the league's best defense, an offensive line returning four of five starters and maturing talent at both quarterback and running back entering 2016. The remaining question mark waited at receiver, but Washington answered it when Ross returned even faster than his pre-ACL tear self. Ross ran a hand-timed 4.25 40-yard dash in spring before returning his first kick-off back for a touchdown -- just as he had envisioned in a dream. Ross leads all Power 5 receivers with 16 touchdown catches in 2016.
8. Changing of the Pac-12 North guard: Entering 2016, the Huskies had gone 1-11 against Oregon and Stanford this decade. They finally reversed that troubling hex in a two-week stretch. It began with a 44-6 Friday night spanking of Stanford and finished with a 70-21 obliteration of Oregon at Autzen Stadium eight days later. Suddenly, Washington was the Pac-12 North's new top dog -- and it wasn't even close.
9. The goal line stands: One final regular season test awaited Washington in Pullman. That's where the Huskies muscled up and stuffed rival Washington State twice at the 1-yard line. Those rugged stops paved the way to a 45-17 Apple Cup victory and a spot in the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings.
10. Dominating ugly: Colorado's nation-leading secondary stymied Browning's normally sensational efficiency in the Pac-12 championship game, holding him to only nine completions for 118 yards. But the Huskies proved they could win in a bar fight, too. Both Gaskins and Coleman rushed for over 100 yards, and Washington's defense -- especially its elite secondary -- absolutely smothered the Buffs in a 41-10 victory.
This finished the journey to the playoff, where a reunion with Sarkisian -- now an offensive analyst on Alabama's staff -- awaits. Now, we'll see how this story ends.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- Mark Middlebrooks disappeared from Colonial Heights nearly two weeks ago. His last communication with his wife was a day later to say he was heading home.
He never showed up. Now, his family is desperate to find him safe.
"Baby please come home. We need you, we love you. I don't know what has happened but we need you home,” said Amy Middlebrooks.
She’s a wife and mother, desperate to find out why her husband has disappeared.
"It's terrifying,” said Amy. “I have no answers, nobody has seen him. But he is a big dude, he's 6’5” and 240. He's just gone."
Mark Middlebrooks was last seen by a friend on November 18 and texted his wife that afternoon, to say he was heading back home. But he never showed up.
"A little more time has passed, and this has gone from just missing to highly suspicious at this point," said Colonial Heights Capt. William Anspach.
Colonial Heights detectives made a trip to Essex County Tuesday, searching for anyone who may have had contact with Middlebrooks.
His family and friends say as a son, and a father of six, it's not like Middlebrooks to vanish without a trace, considering he has one child who is special needs, and parents who depend on his help.
And he always has his cell phone in his hand.
"He’s a heavy phone user, and is always on social media, none of which he has used,” said his distraught wife.
Mark Middlebrooks has a noticeable king of hearts tattoo on his neck and is believed to be driving a 1996 white Lexus 4 door sedan, with Virginia license plate VXS7260.
His wife is begging for answers.
"Someone has to know something, somewhere," said Amy Middlebrooks.
Crime Insider sources tell Jon Burkett that Middlebrooks’ debit card has also gone unused.
If you have any information about the whereabouts of Middlebrooks or his vehicle you are asked to contact the Colonial Heights Police Department at (804)520-9300 option 7.CALGARY - Former Conservative cabinet minister Jim Prentice is urging Canada and the United States to look beyond the contentious and high-profile Keystone XL oil pipeline when it comes to their trade relationship, calling the debate over the US$5.4-billion project a "distraction."
"We have become largely preoccupied by a dispute over a single pipeline," he said in a speech to the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute in Calgary.
Prentice — who handled the environment and industry files during his time in government — reiterated his staunch support for the 830,000-barrel-per-day line, which would enable oilsands crude to flow to Texas refineries, saying it's in the "national interest" for both countries.
"But we must move beyond this distraction," he said Thursday. "In my view, we need a renewed focus on the bigger picture and the longer term."
Prentice, who is now an executive with CIBC (TSX:CM), zeroed in on three broader areas in which the United States and Canada should be working together.
First, he calls for greater harmonization on transportation or renewable fuel policies, rather than leaving it to a patchwork of sub-national standards. He says the two countries have made good progress on fuel consumption standards for passenger cars and trucks, but those can be expanded to heavy truck, rail and aviation. He'd also like to see more collaboration on making the continental energy grid more green with Canadian hydroelectric power.
Secondly, Canada and the United States should pursue environmental policies that are in their mutual interest.
"In a world focused on environmental issues generally, and climate change specifically, energy leadership and environmental leadership have become two sides of the same coin. Today, if you are in the energy business, you are in the environment business," he said.
Lastly, Prentice said the ability to export both oil and natural gas to global markets is a major issue not only Canada, but for the United States as well, with the continent on track to be energy self-sufficient by 2020.
In an interview Friday, Prentice expressed optimism as far as Keystone XL is concerned.
"I've been an outspoken supporter of the Keystone project and I continue to hope and believe that the president will approve it, because I think it's in the national interest of both Canada and the United States," he said.
The Obama administration's delays in making a decision on the pipeline — the regulatory process is now in its sixth year — has put a strain on Canada-U.S. relations.
"I think for sure the entire process on Keystone has been harmful, certainly not helpful, to the overall Canada-U.S. energy relationship," he said.
"I think the free market that we have created in North America is so strong and the need for continued integration is so compelling that I personally believe that at the end of the day... the United States will see its way clear to approve the project. But in the meantime, it is not helpful to the overall relationship."
Both countries have enjoyed the "biggest, most successful energy trading relationship in the world," but "there are signs that perhaps we're beginning to take aspects of that relationship for granted," added Prentice.
"Let's stand back from Keystone and look at what it is that we'll need to do to renew the North American energy relationship over the next 10 years."
Also on HuffPostby
Today in the UK, people are waking up to their first week of a five-year rule under a Conservative majority government. It’s been the first time the Tories have managed to form such a government since 1992. Only 37 percent of those who bothered to vote actually voted Conservative. In fact, the current administration is in government with 24 percent of support from all those who were eligible to vote.
Under the UK’s ‘first past the post system’, the Scottish Nationalist party gained 56 seats with 4.8 percent of votes cast. The Greens gained one seat with a share of 3.8 percent. Under a system of proportional representation, the Greens would now have 25 seats in the new parliament. With the current system, a party could theoretically gain the most number of seats nationally but fail to gain a single seat. This is the nature of the ‘democratic’ voting system in the UK.
What the UK now has in store is five years of an ideologically driven administration that will push through its welfare-cutting, pro-privatisation policies wrapped up in talk of a need for austerity and presided over by a millionaire-dominated cabinet which represents the interests of the richest echelons of global capital.
Out of those who voted Tory, a good deal comprised people of relatively modest means: people who will have been led to believe that ordinary people’s interests equate with the ‘national interest’ as defined by Tory politicians. These are people who for some strange reason believe that more privatisation, more deregulation, more austerity, more inequality, more concentration of wealth and more attacks on the public sector will be good for them as individuals and good for the economy.
The acceptance of this ideology is not just down to Tory methods of persuasion but is also due to its perpetuation by the corporate mainstream media and the other main political parties, which have fully embraced neoliberalism. However, many people feel that the Tories can be best trusted to see through such things, unlike Labour (Tory-lite) or the Liberal Democrats who might mismanage, waver or may not be quite as committed to the neoliberal cause. As a party by the rich, for the rich of and of the rich, they may have a point.
What we can now expect to see is the attempted completion of a project that had begun under Thatcher in the eighties: the complete subservience of ordinary working people to the needs of powerful corporations, the tax-evading corporate dole-scrounging super rich and the neoliberal agenda they have imposed on people. And key to securing this is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
The European Commission tries to sell TTIP by claiming that the agreement will increase GDP by one percent and will entail massive job creation. These claims are not supported even by its own studies, which predict a growth rate of just 0.01 percent GDP over the next ten years and the potential loss of jobs in several sectors. Corporations are lobbying EU-US trade negotiators to use the deal to weaken food safety and restrictions on GM food and agriculture as well as labour, health and environmental standards, among other things. Through certain regulatory and investor trade dispute stipulations, the outcome would entail the by passing of any existing democratic processes in order to push through the ultimate corporate power grab.
This proposed trade agreement (and others like it being negotiated across the world) is based on a firm belief in ‘the market’ (a euphemism for subsidies for the rich, cronyism, rigged markets and cartels) and the intense ideological dislike of state intervention and state provision of goods and services. The economic doctrine that underpins this belief attempts to convince people that they can prosper by having austerity imposed on them and by submitting to neo-liberalism and ‘free’ trade: a smokescreen the financial-corporate elites hide behind while continuing to enrich themselves.
Current negotiations over ‘free’ trade agreements have little to do with free trade. They are more concerned with loosening regulatory barriers and bypassing any current democratic processes that hinder their profits. These deals could allow large corporations to destroy competition, enforce privatisations and secure lucrative government procurement markets and siphon off wealth to the detriment of smaller, locally based firms and producers. We see this from TTIP, to the US-India Knowledge Agreement on Agriculture, CETA, TPP and beyond.
Cameron: handmaiden to the rich
Whether based in New York, London, Berlin or Delhi, the planet’s super rich and their corporations comprise a global elite whose members have to varying extents been incorporated into the Anglo-US system of trade and finance. For them, the ability to ‘do business’ (exploit labour – or automate – and make profits) is what matters, not national identity or the capacity to empathise with an ordinary working person that was born on the same land mass and who will lose their livelihood.
Notions of the ‘national interest’ that governments churn out are merely rhetorical devices to be used to rally the masses. And notions of being ‘against the national interest’ are used to curtail of destroy dissent, as we currently see happening with Greenpeace in India.
In order ‘to do business’, government machinery has been corrupted and bent to serve their ends. In turn, organisations that were intended to be ‘by’ and ‘for’ ordinary working people to challenge capital have been successfully infiltrated and dealt with.
The global takeover of agriculture by powerful agribusiness, the selling off and privatisation of assets built with public toil and money and secretive corporate-driven trade agreements represent a massive corporate heist of wealth and power across the world.
Whether it concerns rich oligarchs in the US or India’s billionaire business men, corporate profits and personal gain trump any notion of the ‘national interest’. 300,000 dead farmers in India who killed themselves or the ranks of the unemployed in Spain or Greece are regarded as mere ‘collateral damage’ in what is ultimately a war on working people and the environment itself.
Looting economies for personal gain is disguised as ‘free trade’. Austerity is sold as ‘growth’. Massive profits is ‘wealth creation’. Ecological degradation is ‘progress’. From Obama in the US to Cameron in the UK or Modi in India, their neoliberal agenda betrays them as handmaidens to the rich.
In Britain expect to see militarism, brutality and imperialism continuing to be sold under the banner of ‘humanitarianism’ and ‘democracy’. Expect more cronyism, an increasingly wider revolving door to facilitate the flow between private interests and government, more insidious lobbying by big business and a continued free for all in the corrupt City of London.
Some 11,334,000 voted Conservative in the UK last Thursday. The other 53 million in the country now face having deal with the outcome for the next five years.
Colin Todhunter is an extensively published independent writer and former social policy researcher based in the UK and India.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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Nearly every morning for eight years, my husband would go into the shower with the news blaring on the radio, and I could hear him over the rush of water grumbling, "I hate George Bush. I hate George Bush." And, occasionally, "Won’t somebody kill George Bush?"
Don’t call the Secret Service, Newsmax: My husband was, of course, simply filled |
would not wish that upon any child, being a child of a single mother who had also left an emotionally abusive marriage. If I had continued with the pregnancy, I know the baby would’ve been loved by me. But my love alone would not have been able to raise and support a child with what it needs to succeed in life. I would never knowingly put any child of mine in a situation for them to be harmed, which is what would've happened if I had given birth. I like to think of my baby sometimes, though. I like to think they're watching over me, and that they're proud of me. —Anonymous, 17, New Zealand
18. "I told my husband that I would get the abortion whether he approved or not." I am happily married and have a beautiful 3-year-old daughter. We had decided not to have any more kids, but I still hadn’t gotten my tubes tied when I fell pregnant two years ago. I was first sad, then I panicked. I told my husband, and although we had decided not to have more babies, he said he wanted us to keep it. In his religion, abortion is not an option.
I had already gone through two miscarriages and one pregnancy to term, with a birth that left me scarred mentally for life. I told my husband that I would get the abortion whether he approved or not. I said even if he would divorce me for it, I would do it. He finally came around to a certain degree, but refused to talk about it. I honored that. So I booked an appointment at the hospital two weeks later and went in. I was scared and alone, but it could not have been a better experience. The doctor who examined me to verify the pregnancy understood my situation, and we talked about my tattoos during the exam. Afterwards, I went to a nurse and had to read and sign a paper saying that this had been done voluntarily, then she talked to me for a few minutes and gave me two pills to swallow. I got another vaginal tablet to take two days later. A week before Christmas I took it in the morning, and by the afternoon it all came out. It was uncomfortable, but did not hurt. It was weird for a few days, but I got back to normal soon enough. The holidays were not so nice, but I got through it. My husband and I never spoke about it, and three months later I got the surgery to cut my tubes. It’s been over two years, and although I don’t regret my decision, I still think about it sometimes. I have told few people about this, but wish this was more openly talked about. It is not something done with ease, it’s such a hard thing to do. But I would do it again, and I support anyone who feels the same. —Siv, 32, Norway
19. "I'm very grateful to the NHS for dealing with this so compassionately and quickly." I was forced into an abortion by a family member who systematically mentally and emotionally abused me for years, and used my daughter against me. She said that if I didn't go through with it, she'd have my daughter taken away by making false allegations to social services — and since she played the part of the sweet old lady perfectly, I have no doubt they'd have believed her story. The hospital staff were very reassuring and kept me calm, and made sure I was okay afterwards as I made it very clear I had no choice and didn't want to do it, but I was never made to feel bad or talked out of it, as they knew this would only cause more emotional upset and potentially harm me or my daughter.
The situation was sensitively handled, and I was continually reassured that there was not yet a baby with functioning cognitive and nervous systems, so there was no suffering involved. I was kept calm during the procedure and after. There was no real physical pain, it was comparable to bad period cramps. I still struggle with guilt and wishing I had my baby, but other than my own emotional problems and personal beliefs, I have no issues with how the abortion was performed. I did the right thing for my family; I'd have ended up homeless with either two children or none, as I was threatened with physical violence to get rid of the fetus and she'd have had my living daughter taken away from me. I'm very grateful to the NHS for dealing with this so compassionately and quickly. —A, 22, Scotland
20. "I thank whatever is up there for my ever-loving family." I found out on my 17th birthday. My mother hugged me and asked, "What do you want to do?" It kind of hit me. I was with my first boyfriend. I was on the Pill and we used condoms, so I was never prepared for the chance of pregnancy. I stood there for a minute thinking, but I knew that I had already made the choice. I could not afford a child. I was almost done with high school. Just being pregnant scared me. My boyfriend was in no position to be a father, plus his parents hated me and would kill him. My doctor scared me when she told me that I was further along than I thought. In Denmark, abortions are not performed after the 12th week, unless special permission is granted. However, the ultrasound showed I was eight weeks pregnant, qualifying me for a medical abortion. I took the pills and cuddled up next to my boyfriend and fell asleep. After 30 minutes I was woken up by a wincing pain throughout my body. My boyfriend tried calming me, but it got worse and worse. He called my mother, and for several minutes, which felt like an eternity, I lay there, crying and shaking from the pain. My parents and my boyfriend sat next to me all the time, holding my hand, humming and calming me. And then it stopped, and I fell right back to sleep for another 10 hours. I felt the fetus falling out of me. Afterwards, I was relieved. My boyfriend and I are still together, and I thank whatever is up there for my ever-loving family. —Anonymous, 18, from Greenland, had an abortion in Denmark
21. "Right before I went in, when it was time for evening prayers, my girlfriends excused themselves to go and pray for me." Sara Wong for BuzzFeed News
Malaysia bans abortion except to save a woman's life or preserve her physical or mental health. I've had two abortions. In this country, it is an illegal procedure in most cases and is often done clandestinely. The first time I was date-raped, but I only found out nine weeks later. I couldn't understand how I was pregnant, as I had not had sex for four months since my fiancé went overseas. Based on the calculation of the fetus's age, I realized that this one afternoon when I woke up in my friend's car after lunch must've been the day the rape happened. I'd assumed I was sleeping in the car because I'd been tired. I was in a long-distance relationship with my fiancé, and even though he wanted me to keep it, the baby would just remind me of my rape. My mother was there when I found out, and she helped me find a place to abort and to pay for it. The second time, it happened because the condom broke. We went to the clinic that same day to get an equivalent of Plan B, but the doctor said because I was ovulating, it may not work. My fiancé was in the Army, serving overseas (we conceived when he joined me for a holiday). My mother was battling cancer, while my brother was in jail. I was a teacher, which meant that I couldn't be pregnant out of wedlock. On top of that, I am Muslim. So it was a whole bunch of cons that outweighed the pros. This time around, it was a difficult process for me emotionally. I couldn't tell my mom, as I worried it would break her heart, but I did tell my sister and my girlfriends, who all came to support me at the clinic for the procedure. For some closure, I named it before the procedure took place, so I could say goodbye. It really broke my fiancé's heart that we couldn't keep it. I still feel an immense amount of guilt, but I also know that it was the best decision at the time. What really helped me was the support of my girlfriends and my sister, some of whom were very religious but respected my decision and knew that it was not an easy one to make. Right before I went in, when it was time for evening prayers, they excused themselves to go and pray for me. That meant the world to me, that I wasn't alone. —Anonymous, Malaysia
22. "I am lucky and privileged that I live in a country where abortion is not frowned upon and is free." I had a feeling I was pregnant after I slept with this guy. I waited for two weeks until I was supposed to get my period and kept telling myself I was being paranoid. When I was a couple of days late, I took a pregnancy test, still telling myself I was just being stupid — until the first one came back positive, and then second, and the third. I immediately made an appointment. Because I was so fast, I only was given the pill and had a fast abortion. I never considered keeping it as I was not in a good place, and did not want to be stuck to this guy and have his baby. I am lucky and privileged that I live in a country where abortion is not frowned upon and is free.
—Anne, 26, Netherlands
23. "It's a head fuck, it's never left me, and I would not have changed a thing." My abortion was over 14 years ago now. I still think about it every day. When I found out I was pregnant, I was 22, working the late shift in a shitty kitchen in a shitty bar in a shitty town. I was using the Pill but something went wrong and I wound up seven weeks pregnant before I knew. I read the positive test result shaking in the basement hole of a staff bathroom and knew that I couldn't do it. As a survivor of (ongoing, relentless, for years) childhood sexual abuse, however, nothing filled me with cold dread more than the prospect of being entered and opened and having a life withdrawn from me. It was paralyzing and I knew I couldn't be awake for it. I live in Canada, where we have fairly reasonable access to health care and I'm very grateful for this. Still, the only hospital I could find that would perform the procedure under general anesthetic was a two-hour drive from my town and booked for the next five weeks. By the time I was able to get it done, I was over 12 weeks pregnant. I had grown protective of and attached to the fetus and was heartbroken, but there was no way that I would have been able to provide any stability or future for a child at that point in my life. The doctors were aggressive and judgmental. One literally threw a packet of misoprostol (to soften the cervix — I knew because I looked it up, not because he explained it to me) at my head and barked, "Take these." I crossed myself going in and a visibly pregnant doctor sneered at me. I sat in my friend's car on the way back, on an old blanket in case I bled through, and stopped to sob and bleed in a truck stop toilet stall. This is not a decision any individual takes lightly. I am wholeheartedly pro-choice but recognize the agony and struggle that anyone who makes this decision goes through and respect everyone's journey through abortion. It's a head fuck, it's never left me, and I would not have changed a thing. —Anonymous, 36, Canada
24. "I went to the clinic and it was all in Spanish. I hardly spoke a word." My boyfriend at the time instantly said, "We are not ready for this." A part of me saw us happy and settled with a baby. In Spain the abortion law is up to 12 weeks, so the doctor told us to check. It turned out I was only about seven to eight weeks, but there were two babies. I had a massive mix of emotions. My boyfriend basically said to me, if you want this, you're on your own and you have to go back to England. He was from a very different culture and background than I was, so it would never have worked. After a lot of thought, I decided at 21 I wasn't prepared to end my life and have two babies on my own. I went to the clinic and it was all in Spanish. I hardly spoke a word, so I had my best friend with me to translate. Then the doctor called my name and I had to go alone. He spoke in Spanish and I just looked at him. He sent me into what was basically a cupboard and told me to put a gown on and leave my bag in there. I was scared. He took me into the room, and I lay on the bed and burst into tears. I said I couldn't do it and didn't want to. Then I remember lots of people looking at me. I saw a needle on my right and an older Spanish lady who told me to relax: In three minutes, it's over. Everything went hazy and I woke up in another room with two other girls on either side of me. For the next month I cried every day. I grew to hate my boyfriend and blamed everything on him. I drank and partied a lot. Eventually I got over it, but our relationship completely broke down. I knew I was missing something. I fell pregnant a year later with a guy I had only been seeing a short while. We never worked out, but now I have the most beautiful 1-year-old. I know I only have her because I let someone else influence my decision before. I always to this day think, What if I had never gone through with it, what would my life be like? But I wouldn't have her. —Emily, 24, from England, had an abortion in Spain
25. "The only hospital I could go to was full of pro-life doctors who did everything they could to delay my abortion." Eric Feferberg / AFP / Getty Images People at a protest against abortion in Paris on Jan. 22, 2017.
I became pregnant because my ex-boyfriend didn't think it was important to tell me he had ripped the condom while opening it. When I told him the news, the first thing he said was, “Get rid of it. I don't want to be a dad, I'm too young.” That's when I realized that I would be alone through the process. I went to see a doctor who helped me through a few steps and told me to come back once I had my ultrasound done. I did my ultrasound with another doctor who shamed me for wanting an abortion and for being pregnant. Then I went back to see the first doctor, who spent 20 minutes yelling at me that I should already be at the hospital, that I was stupid to come back (even though that was what he had asked me to do). He gave me the name of a gynecologist who could help me, and told me to pay him. I just felt terrible because I had very little money. I finally got an appointment with this gynecologist who was of great help. She explained everything and told me to go have an ultrasound again to know if the baby's heart had started beating. I went, and they asked me to wait in the waiting room where there were only women far into pregnancy, who were rubbing their bellies and were so happy to be future mothers. I felt like a criminal among them, and I understood that the receptionist had done it on purpose, because there were five waiting rooms, one dedicated to women that would have abortions. I wasn't in it. A med student saw me and took me to the other waiting room, apologizing for my having been placed in the wrong one. He was very sweet during the appointment and explained the whole process in detail. Two days later, I finally had my abortion. The nurses were rather sweet with me. But it was something that completely broke me. I didn't tell any of my friends before my abortion, except one, who supported and checked on me. He's now my boyfriend, and whenever I freak out when I think about the experience, he's there to reassure me. It was really hard to have that abortion, because the only hospital I could go to was full of pro-life doctors who did everything they could to delay my abortion until I would run out of time. I was 19, a student already dealing with mental illness, and this child would never have been a blessing. The fact that those anti-abortion doctors made it an even harder experience brought on a suicidal state of mind that didn't go away until I knew it was gone. —Eliane, 20, France
26. "I went to a clinic well-known for reproductive health but also on the DL for safe abortions." Kenya bans abortion except to save a woman's life or health. I was 21 with just a month until my university graduation. I had taken my closest friend for the procedure about two months before my incident, so I knew what I needed to do. My then-boyfriend had a conscience and wanted to keep it, but I was sure I could not spend the rest of my life with him just because I had his child. I gathered my girls and all my savings at the time — it was15,000 Kenyan shillings or about $150. I went to a clinic well-known for reproductive health but also on the DL for safe abortions. What shocked me most was in line to get worked on there were some 13-year-olds. (13?!) It was a pill insertion because I was just a month along. There were 15 to 20 minutes where I was just shivering and shaking involuntarily, my boyfriend looking on all scared, and that was it. I bled it out like a normal period the rest of the month. I was so calm during the procedure, surprisingly. Guilt checked in later that night and I cried my eyes out and prayed for forgiveness. Now it’s a past I don’t talk about. Wouldn’t do it again, though. —Sheila, 26, Kenya
27. "If we somehow made it to live birth, it would mean watching him die in front of our eyes." I conceived via IVF, and my pregnancy was very wanted and planned. However, my baby was diagnosed with fatal abnormalities I'd never even heard of until it happened to me — ectopia cordis, omphalocele, and cystic hygroma — strongly suspected at 10.5 weeks and confirmed at 12.5 weeks. It was the worst feeling of being trapped I've ever felt in my life, where every option facing me was awful. I didn't want to end my pregnancy. However, continuing to carry meant a higher likelihood that my baby would feel pain from the abnormalities and complications. It also meant continuing to walk around every day knowing I wouldn't be bringing my baby home and wondering if he was already gone. Then the further along I ended up being when he died, the more complicated the procedure would be for removing the pregnancy. If we somehow made it to live birth, it would mean watching him die in front of our eyes, likely with vain resuscitation attempts because hospital policies provide protection for trying to keep a baby alive but not for letting one die. We live in a conservative state where it is hard to find anyone willing to perform a termination aside from at abortion clinics, so that is where we had to go. The clinic was a three-hour drive away. We had enough money for the fee, and we paid cash. We had a surgical termination at 13 weeks and received compassionate care at the clinic, but it was an extremely traumatic day having to say goodbye, especially because I could only have conscious sedation for the procedure and was aware of what was happening. In a perfect world, I would have liked general anesthesia in a hospital with insurance coverage and supportive people (like they do for women having a D&C who have had a spontaneous loss), but I felt we were blocked from that dignity. Afterward, I felt a sense of relief, but our hearts were crushed. We are slowly healing, but we will always love and miss our baby and wouldn't wish this experience on anyone.
—Anonymous, United States
28. "I couldn't get out of that feeling of being pregnant. Kept having my hand on my belly, kept being careful." Sara Wong for BuzzFeed News
I was in a long-distance relationship for four years and was basically living somewhere between Germany and Turkey. My boyfriend was everything but supportive. I told him if that if he didn't want to be a dad, he didn't have to, and that I would do it on my own. We could live separate lives 3,000 kilometers apart. That's when I found out it was twins. I realized without a working support system, I wouldn't have had a chance. Single mum with two babies? Thank you, Mother Nature! I begged for him to do this with me but he just wouldn't. By that time I was full of hormones, and to be honest not in a state of mind to make that decision. But I did. I told myself that there was no other way but abortion. So I got my appointment and was cold about it. But when I was lying on that table, right before I got sedated, I started crying. Not a tear — I cried heavily. I woke up crying. Not this dizzy waking-up-from-anesthesia feeling, not the way you wake up when you overslept your finals. I woke up crying like I’d lost everything. They couldn't calm me down, so they had to give me something. I remember the nurse saying she sees abortions every day but had never seen someone devastated the way I was. I felt bad for a really long time. I couldn't get out of that feeling of being pregnant. Kept having my hand on my belly, kept being careful. Couldn't delete my pregnancy app, was looking at the progress of growing my two little babies, every day not being able to accept that there was no growth inside of me. It completely controlled my life. It's been over a year now. I had to delete the app, because after I would have been full term, it kept sending me notifications: "Did you have your baby yet?" I still think about them. Last month I followed a lady with little twins in a mall for like an hour just to look at them. It never goes away. I have a fulfilled life: good job, nice house, beautiful location by the sea, and a caring, loving new boyfriend. As a human being, I couldn't ask for more happiness, which makes me think — and wonder how perfect my children would have made my life. —Hilal, 26, Turkey
29. "It's obvious that banning abortion isn't stopping it from happening at all." Chile bans abortion with no exceptions.
I was about three weeks pregnant. A friend connected me with an OB-GYN who secretly performed medical abortions, as the surgical abortions here carry higher risk due to lack of proper training. Not having a network to fully talk about and process my feelings with was hard, as it's still taboo to discuss abortion openly. I felt a lot of apprehension about going through a procedure I wasn't sure would work, as my friend herself had multiple complications. The physician was professional, kind, and thorough. He answered all my doubts about the abortion, and I felt generally safe in his care. Overall the procedure was $600, which is double what the average Chilean makes monthly. The abortion itself took about three visits, or a week, more or less. The anxiety never lessened every time I stepped into the doctor's office, making an excuse to his secretary about why I needed to see him without an appointment. I don't regret going through with my abortion — but seeing the secret network of women who also walked in with vague reasons for seeing her physician, it's obvious that banning abortion isn't stopping it from happening at all. I asked the doctor why he chose to do such a risky thing that could cost him up to three years in prison. He told me that for him it wasn't some sort of "leftist, liberal agenda," but it was more a matter of doing the medically ethical thing. Women will do it regardless of its legality, so why not provide a safe source and prevent unnecessary deaths?
—Alexandra, 26, ChileWhen the calendar flipped to September, Tomas Fleischmann didn't have a contract with an NHL team, but he did have the confidence that he was talented enough to earn one.
So the veteran who had played with the Capitals, Avalanche, Panthers and Ducks in his 10 seasons endured a waiting game, and just before training camps opened for the 2015-16 campaign, Fleischmann signed a tryout agreement with the Canadiens.
"I knew I still could play in this league," Fleischmann said. "I was just happy I got an opportunity. It's the best league in the world, so that's where I want to be."
Fleischmann won a job in camp and started hot for a Canadiens team that had high hopes for a run to the Stanley Cup. But things turned south for Montreal, and when it fell out of contention for the playoffs, Fleischmann became an asset to deal. That's when Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman came calling, and Fleischmann — along with fellow forward Dale Weise — was acquired in a trade Feb. 26.
In what has turned out to be a whirlwind season for Fleischmann, the winger now finds himself skating on the third line for the defending Cup champions who are serious contenders to repeat.
"We were fighting for the playoffs in Montreal, and it wasn't really working," Fleischmann, 31, said. "I got traded, and now I'm looking forward to playing for the Cup. I have something to play for after April."
Photos of former Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa.
Fleischmann has made a smooth transition to the Hawks and notched his first goal for them during a 4-2 loss to the Bruins on Thursday night in Boston. He appears to be a natural to play alongside Teuvo Teravainen and on the opposite wing of Weise.
"I like him," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said of Fleischmann. "He has a real purpose to his game, he thinks the game well, gives us an opportunity to play with skill, an opportunity to be responsible. We used him for a short amount of time in penalty killing. I like how he's positioned himself, the way he thinks out there as well. It's a good addition for us."
Helping matters is the chemistry Fleischmann developed with Weise on the Canadiens.
"We played probably the first 30 games together this year," Weise said. "We had instant chemistry from the first day of training camp. He's just such a smart player. He has really underrated skill. I'm more of a shooter, he's more of a passer, so it's a good combination. He's always looking for me and I like to shoot, so it's perfect."
Hossa, Kruger skating: Marian Hossa and Marcus Kruger skated Saturday after the Hawks practice. Hossa (leg injury) will not play Sunday against the Red Wings but will travel with the Hawks for Wednesday's visit with the Blues. Quenneville is "hopeful" Hossa can play then.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville discusses the impact of new acquisitions Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville discusses the impact of new acquisitions Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise. SEE MORE VIDEOS
Kruger was expected to be out until the playoffs after fracturing his left wrist in December but Quenneville said the Hawks now expect Kruger to play a few games before then.
Winger Brandon Mashinter missed Saturday's practice because of an illness, Quenneville said.
Chicago Tribune's Chris Hine contributed.
ckuc@tribpub.com
Twitter @ChrisKucWhen Nazr Mohammed lost his mind on Friday night and put LeBron James on the floor with a two-hand shove, we were kind of shocked by the amount of people we heard from on the site/Twitter/Facebook calling ‘Bron an actor, saying he was flopping. Huh? Nazr is a huge, very strong guy, who in the moment was blind with rage – of course he’s strong enough to take down all 6-8, 250 pounds of LeBron when he’s not ready for it. But there it was from fans and Bulls players alike, mocking James for flopping.
So why the skepticism and outrage? Well, you can argue that James has brought it on himself. Some of his work in the flopping department over the years rivals the work of Manu Ginobili and Derek Fisher, the Obi-Wan and Yoda of Flopping [Check out The NBA’s Top 20 Flops and Fisher’s title as the NBA’s Worst Flopper], and it seems to have ramped up in the last two years.
Check out LeBrons 11 Greatest Flops:
The LeBron Going for a Loose Ball With J.R. Smith Flop:
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The Derrick Rose “My Eye” Flop:Buy Photo Santa Ono (Photo: The Enquirer/Sam Greene)Buy Photo
Santa J. Ono made it official Monday. He’s leaving the Queen City after four years as the president of the University of Cincinnati – and taking a 30 percent pay cut in the process.
He will become the 15th president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, UBC announced at a news conference Monday. Ono’s last day at UC will be in mid-July and he will start his new job in August.
UC Board Of Trustees Chairman Rob Richardson Jr. said there would be a national search to replace Ono that will begin next week. The board Monday named Provost Beverly Davenport as UC’s interim president.
Richardson said board members had multiple meetings to try to persuade Ono to stay. He informed trustees last week that he was leaving.
“We did everything we could,” but Ono’s desire to return to his hometown couldn’t be overcome, Richardson said. “We’re confident we’re going to keep moving forward.”
Ono acknowledged his love for Cincinnati and its people at a Vancouver news conference.
Buy Photo University of Cincinnati Provost Beverly Davenport speaks during Monday's press conference to announce the resignation of President Santa Ono. (Photo: The Enquirer/Sam Greene)
“It will be very tough leaving them and more generally the city of Cincinnati and the state of Ohio,” he said. “The only reasons I’m willing to do so are one, that I know the university is on strong footing and has a very capable executive team. And two, that UBC is that very special, once-in-a-lifetime place that I simply could not pass (up) the opportunity to lead.”
Ono is leaving in the middle of his 10-year contract with UC, which he signed in 2012. The move is a homecoming of sorts for Ono, who was born in Vancouver. His father, Takashi Ono, was a mathematics professor at UBC in the early 1960s.
“Vancouver is one of our special, favorite places,” Ono said at a news conference there. “It’s incredibly important. When you think of any family, there are certain people and certain places that our transformative. For the Ono family, University of British Columbia was transformative.”
Ono added that if his family’s experience in British Columbia hadn’t been so positive, the family might have left North America.
Ono also released a letter thanking the UC community and Cincinnati for his time spent in the Queen City:
“It is with very mixed emotions that I write to tell you that I have accepted an offer from the board of governors of the University of British Columbia to serve UBC as its 15th president and vice-chancellor....
“Please accept my thanks for giving me the opportunity to serve the University of Cincinnati as your 28th president. UC will always have a special place in my heart. It has been an honor and privilege to serve you.
“I will miss you Cincinnati. Go Bearcats!”
UBC is larger than UC, with more than 60,000 students (an enrollment nearly 40 percent bigger than UC’s. Its annual budget is $1.8 billion U.S., or about 44 percent bigger than UC’s. The UBC website calls the university, the third largest in Canada in enrollment, “a global center for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world.”
Canadian universities rarely appoint senior leaders from the United States, the Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, noted in a story about Ono. Only 15 percent of recent Canadian university appointments for the top job came from outside senior administrative ranks, according to a 2012 study.
It wasn’t clear if Ono is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, but he could be since he was born in Canada. He also received his Ph.D. in experimental medicine from Montreal’s McGill University.
UBC began looking for a new president after Arvind Gupta abruptly resigned last August.
NEWSLETTERS Get the News Alerts newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Be the first to be informed of important news as it happens in Greater Cincinnati. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-876-4500. Delivery: Varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for News Alerts Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters
At UBC, Ono will be paid $367,000 a year, free housing on the university’s coastal property, a car, club memberships and six weeks paid vacation. He also will be named a professor of medicine.
At UC, Ono’s annual salary was $525,000 and his contract included additional compensation, including a housing stipend, a car and an annual performance bonus (which Ono has consistently turned down).
Ono has become a high-profile figure and advocate during his tenure as UC’s president.
Ono, 53, was Ohio’s first Asian-American university president and was recently awarded the national Diversity Leadership Award by the American Council on Education. At UC, Ono created the most diverse executive team in the institution’s history. He was also named the nation’s most notable college president by Washington, D.C.-based website Inside Higher Ed in 2015.
He recently spoke out on mental health issues, publicly acknowledging his own battle with depression as a young man. He said he hoped to act as a model for college students and warn them against putting too much pressure on themselves.
Ono has promoted efforts by the university to expand by considering bringing UC’s law school Downtown, building a new outpatient facility for the UC Neuroscience Institute, and remodeling academic buildings and dorms.
His presence on social media has left a lasting impact on students. He raised UC’s profile on Twitter, naming it the #HottestCollegeinAmerica, which has been adopted internationally. Ohio Gov. John Kasich made that official in 2013 by passing a Twitter resolution that recognized UC by its nickname.
Read or Share this story: http://cin.ci/28xAVQkI cannot believe there is a hashtag for this. Well, actually, I can believe it, but that doesn’t make it any less silly.
SO controversial. #Not MT @ppnne: It's “Thanks, Birth Control Day!” dedicated 2 turning down the controversy around BC #ThxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
What does Viviana Hurtado have to say?
.@Bedsider You will die barren and alone. (Except for your degrees and a bunch of cats.) #ThxBirthControl @vivianahurtado — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
Viviana didn’t take that very well.
.@vivianahurtado Oh noes! Please don't block me! Tell me about your abortions! Viiiiiiiiiiiivvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn! @Bedsider — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
What? I was trying to reach out to her! I know they love talking about their abortions.
Wait for it… RT @GynAndTonic: Women's ability to control fertility is essential for our economic & political empowerment. #ThxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
Wait for it… Wait for it…
There it is. MT @GynAndTonic: Birth control access… AND paid family leave, food assistance, good schools, safe neighborhoods #reprojustice — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
Boom. There’s the crazy!
Made me a sandwich. MT @marieclaire: What has birth control done for you lately? #ThxBirthControl pic.twitter.com/NwDVxavCPR — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
I noticed a recurring statistic in these tweets to the effect of 99 percent of women have used birth control at least once. Interesting…
So 99% of women have used birth control, and y'all are still hysterically claiming it's going to get outlawed? Seems legit. #ThxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
[Weeping on the inside] —-> MT @slackmistress: My kids didn't get me a card for Birth Control Day b/c I DON'T HAVE ANY! #thxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
Birth control literally saved my life. The pill case was in my breast pocket, and stopped a bullet during a shooting. #ThxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
True story.
It organized my closet. MT @marieclaire: What has birth control done for you lately? #ThxBirthControl pic.twitter.com/NwDVxavCPR — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
Because there are no other acne-control medications on the market. #ThxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
That is not a real day. Stop it. MT @RachelEClement: Happy World Contraception Day! #ThxBirthControl — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
Gets it. —-> RT @RachelEClement: @ThisIsJoshSmith well, since you seem super important I'll trust your declaration makes it so. — Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) November 12, 2014
.@RachelEClement 100% of all people breathe. By your logic, we should have a World Oxygen Day, too. @FormerDemin |
omes and the ancillary mechanisms necessary to generate a contractile ring, both of which influence microtubule behavior during cytokinesis. Thus, the ability to cross-link and slide along microtubules in vitro may be a property required of the KLP when associated with contractile ring structures. In any event, the pav mutant phenotype shows no indication of a defect in anaphase B, and we find that spindles extend to the same length as in wild-type embryos at late anaphase and telophase. Moreover, the rare binucleate cells that have lost pav function in the previous mitosis can perform anaphase perfectly well. Thus, if PAV–KLP does play a role in anaphase spindle elongation or spindle assembly, it would seem that this role is redundant and can be fulfilled by other KLPs. Although MKLP-1 is the most closely related klp to PAV–KLP, the sequence homology outside the conserved motor domain is not particularly high (20%), so there could be nonidentical functions. The idea that KLPs in the same subfamily can have distinct functions in different organisms is not without precedent. For example, the chromokinesin subfamily of DNA-binding KLPs involved in chromosome congression includes Drosophila KLP3A, which does not appear to bind DNA and is also required for cytokinesis (Williams et al. 1995). Nevertheless, as the size, domain structure, ability to associate with plks, and dynamic localization of pav–KP is so similar to MKLP-1, it would be surprising if it were not a functional homolog.
The presence of PAV–KLP and its mammalian counterparts at the centrosomes and the central region of the spindle raises the possibility that it may transport a signaling molecule required for either centrosome function, cytokinesis, or both. The serine–threonine protein kinase encoded by polo is an ideal candidate for such a molecule. polo mutants show abnormal centrosome behavior, including the formation of monopolar spindles, a phenotype that is also seen following the microinjection of anti-plk antibodies into mammalian cells (Sunkel and Glover 1988; Llamazares et al. 1991; Lane and Nigg 1996.) In addition to the formation of monopolar spindles, the additional consequence of disruption of the fission yeast homolog is to prevent cytokinesis (Ohkura et al. 1995). It is not clear whether the polo mutation results in cytokinesis defects in Drosophila as the mitotic cycle is blocked at an earlier stage. Nevertheless, the localization of polo kinase throughout the mitotic cycle would be consistent with a dual role for the enzyme similar to that demonstrated in fission yeast. The association that we have demonstrated between Polo kinase and PAV–KLP leads us to speculate that in addition to a role in assembling the central region of the spindle, PAV–KLP may also be responsible for transporting Polo kinase from one set of centrosome-associated substrates to a second set of substrates in the midzone of the spindle as mitosis progresses.Apple has reportedly hired two executives from Google's satellite division to head up "a new hardware team," with goals that are still unclear.
The two people include John Fenwick, Google's head of spacecraft operations, and Michael Trela, who was in charge of satellite engineering, Bloomberg said on Friday. In February, Google confirmed a deal to sell off its satellite mapping business, Terra Bella, to Planet Labs. Google's parent company Alphabet likely wanted to cut out the expense of launching and running satellites.Fenwick and Trela are reporting to Dropcam co-founder Greg Duffy, who joined Apple in January, according to Bloomberg sources. Duffy's hiring was confirmed by Apple but likewise mysterious, with other sources only hinting that he was probably working on a special project.The new hires were at one point co-founders of Skybox Imaging, a satellite imaging startup Google bought in 2014 for $500 million. It designed fridge-sized satellites capable of producing detailed, rapidly-updated images of the Earth's surface.Apple could conceivably want to launch its own satellite cluster, which would provide it with proprietary data for Apple Maps instead of having to rely on third parties. Such a project might cost billions however, and involve hiring many more people.Bloomberg noted that aerospace giant Boeing has allegedly talked to Apple about investing in a project to put over 1,000 satellites in low Earth orbit for expanding internet access. Boeing's technology would purportedly offer faster-than-cellular speeds.For Apple this would presumably increase the appeal of its devices and services, guaranteeing access even in places normally cut off from broadband. Unlike other companies that have explored global internet, such as Google and Facebook, Apple wouldn't gain any significant advertising revenue.You know how we love our cosplay here and we especially love sharing it with you. So here is finished Jedi Armor that looks absolutely awesome and we just had to show you. It comes to us from MYNOCKSDEN.COM, an active and talented cosplayer and prop-maker who “encourages aspiring prop-makers to awaken their own inner awesomeness!” Taras has been building props and costumes since he was a child and even back then, his work was pretty impressive. Now, it’s on an entirely new level.
Here you can see videos from his Facebook account that showcase the process. The captions are below so you can see what he said about each phase while making this great Jedi armor. It’s really impressive, movie-level stuff here. The detail is great and you can see the thought that is put into each and every piece. He’s also creating a build diary on his website so you can follow every single detail of how it was made.
TOR Jedi COD assembled and ready to wear! All COD parts shown (with the exception of the web duty belt) will be included in the actual kit when done
Durability of the TOR Jedi/Sith Acolyte cast chest plate
All pieces unique to the TOR jedi armor set are now completed! The remainder of the parts are pretty well the same as the Sith Acolyte, which I have already built. So, with these new parts done, I can finally complete my TOR Jedi!
So, what do you think? Pretty impressive work, isn’t it?
(Visited 9,597 times, 1 visits today)Lewis Hamilton was the highest profile victim of the tyre situation in Monaco, when being unable to get his front and rear tyres at the right temperature led to him being knocked out in Q2.
But even for Grosjean, who qualified his Haas eighth, the situation was difficult as he is at a loss to explain why he was suddenly able to get his tyres switched on after difficulties earlier in qualifying.
"The frustration is that you cannot go into qualifying building your weekend and working on car balance – feeling we can improve there, we can fine tune this – and then really go for the last hundredths," he explained.
"Here you have one lap that is six tenths faster and another one is nowhere, and again. I don't even know what I did differently other than the out-lap. They said I was 5 km/h faster into turns 12, 14 and 15…."
He added: "It is the pain in the bum needing to be in that window. The window is so small and if you don't have all the tools in the world to get there, the car balance changes from one run to the next one and you never know what set-up to run.
"I have been struggling all weekend with the front not working, not working, and eventually on the out-lap and fine tuning we get them to work. But then it is the rear that goes away."
Grosjean said that the tyre situation was leading to further complications – with many of the traffic issues in Monaco being put down to drivers needing to go so slow on out-laps so they can prepare their tyres.
"We've been pretty good with the traffic and the guys have done a really good job putting us in the right place on the track, which is good," he said.
"The ultrasoft is a really hard tyre so the out-lap has to be perfect to get the tyres into the window. If you have more downforce you get the tyres into the window easier, but I have the feeling it is just too much about tyres."
Hamilton mystery
Hamilton said it was hard to judge whether or not the tyre situation was too much for F1 as a whole, as other teams had got on top of the situation this weekend.
"I think it's difficult to say whether it's setting up the car, I don't know how it is for everyone else," he said. "But for us, obviously we don't understand it currently, how one car can have them working, and the other not.
"But I can't currently say whether it's an issue or a mistake or anything, the way their designed, because other people are making them work. We just have to try and get our head around it."An Ebola outbreak in West Africa has continued to devastate the region but officials in Guinea are indicating that the outbreak may have peaked.
According to Reuters, the Health Minister in Guinea said that people are dying at a slower rate and that the outbreak is nearly contained. It will not be said to be under control until no more cases are reported, according to spokesperson Rafi Diallo.
The fever, which is said to be deadly in approximately 90 percent of the cases, is actually does not spread that easily and to catch it you have to spend a great deal of time close to someone who has it, according to CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The most common way to get it is through family members or close friends, he indicated.
Still, this is precisely why it has managed to spread across these areas because people are close together for long periods of time. In addition to Guinea, the outbreak has spilled into Liberia and Sierra Leone. As outbreaks intensify, Gupta says, the chances of dying become even higher.
"With an international airport close by, that means you could be on the other side of the world before you develop the headache, fever, fatigue and joint pain which make up the early symptoms of an Ebola infection," he said in an article for CNN. "The diarrhea, rash and bleeding come later. Hiccups is a particularly grave sign with Ebola. It means your diaphragm, which allows you to breathe, is starting to get irritated."
What do you think will happen next with this outbreak? Could it spread beyond West Africa or will it be under control soon? Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section located below.Jason Funk
I think a lot about climate change; it’s my job. So every day I am confronted with the sobering facts of the issue. But for me, as for so many people, the worst impacts of climate change always seemed to take place in some vague and distant future. Recently, however, all that has changed.
Why? Because my first child was born a few weeks ago, and I know he will experience those impacts firsthand. Suddenly, I can’t stop thinking about the world my little boy will live in, and I am painfully aware of how different it will be from the one in which I grew up.
For instance, we just visited my parents in my home state of Ohio, where we have an old family tradition of hunting for morel mushrooms every spring. I want my son to learn how to hunt morels with his grandfather, but he may never have the chance. Drier spring seasons may mean fewer and fewer morels to be found, even as the ash and elm trees on which these mushroom depend gradually succumb to pests emboldened by warmer winters. So even if my son is able to go morel hunting, the accumulating effects of climate change on Ohio’s forests make it unlikely that he (or I) will be able to pass on the skill to his own children. A cherished family tradition will be lost.
On the other hand, my son may be able to fulfill one of his father’s dreams: to be a forest firefighter. By the time he reaches young adulthood, the extreme fire season we experienced in 2012 will be commonplace, and the country will need unprecedented numbers of firefighters to protect our forest resources. If, for example, my son lives near his uncle in Denver, he could find himself fighting devastating fires that race through the dry deadwood of forests decimated by the bark beetle, which thrives in a warmer climate. But his father’s dream of protecting forests will instead become a nightmare of powerlessness as my son watches them disappear.
As he enters old age, my son’s world could be one his parents would barely recognize. Western Europe and the Middle East may experience years of extreme droughts at a stretch, crippling their economies and transforming their cultures (imagine Italy and Spain without wine or the Alps without snow). The Brazilian Amazon, where we studied the rainforest as graduate students, may vanish after droughts trigger catastrophic dieback. All that will remain of the world’s greatest forest is arid savanna.
In Africa and Australia, heat waves and decades of drought will make many places uninhabitable, and reduced harvests in India and China will drive millions to uproot themselves and search for new lives in the few remaining fertile areas of the world. The world he was born into, so full of wonder and potential, could become a world of hardship and uncertainty.
These are the visions that, as a new dad, make me worry about my son’s future. But we can secure a better future if we begin to change course now. There’s still time to protect the places and traditions we hold dear. I think it’s worth it, for my son’s sake.CSCC Web/Mobile Development!
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The arrested construction workers have been identified as Uttam Mandal (24) and Ram Mandal (21) of Malda district in West Bengal, police said.
"The accused have confessed to their involvement in the crime. The accused further confessed that they sexually assaulted the victim and took away her mobile phone and credit card", a CB-CID official involved in the investigations told PTI.
Police said the arrested would be produced before a local court tomorrow.
The decomposed body of Uma Maheswari, who was working with Tata Consultancy Services, was found at Siruseri near here on 22 February.
Uma Maheshwari had gone missing on 13 February and her father had filed a case of missing with the police who had not taken the matter seriously.
Following the discovery of the girl's body which bore stab injuries, the police suspended the Kancheepuram police station Police Inspector.
As the case evoked criticism over safety of women employees working with IT firms in the wake of the gruesome murder, the state government transferred the case to CB-CID wing for investigation and the police had announced Rs two lakh reward to those who provide information on Uma Maheswari's killers.
Uma was a native of Salem district and living in Medavakkam here.
PTI
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.Aug 30, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; A general view of Florida Field as it is in rain delay before the game between the Idaho Vandals and Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Florida Gator football team has the opportunity to get rested and regroup this weekend. But is that really what they needed this weekend?
At the time, the decision to not reschedule the rained-out Idaho game made perfect sense. Though both teams had open schedule dates for this Saturday, the teams elected to cancel the game rather than reschedule.
We all imagined a competitive Florida Gator team needing the rest this weekend before a pivotal match with Georgia to decide the SEC East. In hindsight, the rains that poured on Florida Field that September night didn’t only soak the athletic association for almost $1 million dollars, it also may have ended up drowning the Gator season.
Need the Win
At 3-3, the Gators need to get to six wins in order to qualify for a bowl game. Florida has two winnable games against Eastern Kentucky and Vanderbilt, which is in Nashville, to get them to five wins. The Gators would have to win one of the remaining three, two of which are against top-10 opponents, with Georgia next week and at Florida State to end the season.
After these two, South Carolina is the next toughest team on the schedule. The Gamecocks were predicted by many to win the SEC East this year, but with three conference losses, they are underperforming. Still, no game is a sure thing for the Gators, and without an Idaho win on the ledger, the South Carolina may be do-or-die for their postseason hopes.
Canceling Idaho looming large. MT @NickdelaTorreGC: #Gators 3-3. Are there 3 more wins on schedule? Does this team miss bowl season again? — HailFloridaHail.com (@HailFloridaHail) October 19, 2014
Missing a Bowl Game Hurts
Bowl games aren’t just for the entertainment of fans. Attending a bowl game delivers many benefits for the football programs invited to attend. One of the most valuable benefits is the practice it generates for players. Teams preparing for a bowl have 10-15 practices before the game. Coaches say this practice time is enormously helpful in helping prepare players for the next season. Teams that don’t qualify for bowl games aren’t permitted to hold these practices. Turn out the lights, the season is over. Bowl games are also crucial for player recruitment, who can attend bowl practices and the bowl game. Teams that don’t play in a bowl are often seen by recruits as a program in decline.
Preparation for Treon
Coach Will Muschamp announced that freshman Treon Harris would be the starter at quarterback. Though both quarterbacks struggled early, Harris led the team to two touchdowns late in the game, when the outcome was long since decided. Though scored in “garbage time,” these drives are good for his development, which he needs more of before he’s ready to face the improved defense at Georgia. A game this weekend against the 1-6 Idaho Vandals would be just the opponent for Harris to work out the kinks of the offense.
Florida & Idaho declare last Saturday’s suspended game a no contest, will not be rescheduled http://t.co/3WkYr7w7I7 pic.twitter.com/2Clu1lXw7O — ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) September 3, 2014
No More September Nights
For future scheduling, how about no more September night home games? I know they’re good for the fans but it just rains too much in Florida to pull that off. The Idaho game would have gone off at a noon or 3 pm start, but with all the Florida heat at that time of the year, you just have to count on a rain storm in the evening. It rains practically every evening in August. Let’s just assume the same thing will happen if we’ve got a September night game scheduled and avoid this problem in the future. Set a few up in October and November, they’ll be great, and will most likely be able to go off without a hitch.An expert independent evidence review published today by Public Health England ( PHE ) concludes that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.
Key findings of the review include:
the current best estimate is that e-cigarettes are around 95% less harmful than smoking
nearly half the population (44.8%) don’t realise e-cigarettes are much less harmful than smoking
there is no evidence so far that e-cigarettes are acting as a route into smoking for children or non-smokers
The review, commissioned by PHE and led by Professor Ann McNeill (King’s College London) and Professor Peter Hajek (Queen Mary University of London), suggests that e-cigarettes may be contributing to falling smoking rates among adults and young people. Following the review PHE has published a paper on the implications of the evidence for policy and practice.
The comprehensive review of the evidence finds that almost all of the 2.6 million adults using e-cigarettes in Great Britain are current or ex-smokers, most of whom are using the devices to help them quit smoking or to prevent them going back to cigarettes. It also provides reassurance that very few adults and young people who have never smoked are becoming regular e-cigarette users (less than 1% in each group).
However, the review raises concerns that increasing numbers of people think e-cigarettes are equally or more harmful than smoking (22.1% in 2015, up from 8.1% in 2013: ASH Smokefree GB survey) or don’t know (22.7% in 2015, ASH Smokefree GB survey).
Despite this trend all current evidence finds that e-cigarettes carry a fraction of the risk of smoking.
Emerging evidence suggests some of the highest successful quit rates are now seen among smokers who use an e-cigarette and also receive additional support from their local stop smoking services.
Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England said:
Smoking remains England’s number one killer and the best thing a smoker can do is to quit completely, now and forever. E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm. The problem is people increasingly think they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from quitting. Local stop smoking services should look to support e-cigarette users in their journey to quitting completely.
Professor Ann McNeill, King’s College London and independent author of the review, said:
There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are undermining England’s falling smoking rates. Instead the evidence consistently finds that e-cigarettes are another tool for stopping smoking and in my view smokers should try vaping and vapers should stop smoking entirely. E-cigarettes could be a game changer in public health in particular by reducing the enormous health inequalities caused by smoking.
Professor Peter Hajek, Queen Mary University London and independent author of the review said:
My reading of the evidence is that smokers who switch to vaping remove almost all the risks smoking poses to their health. Smokers differ in their needs and I would advise them not to give up on e-cigarettes if they do not like the first one they try. It may take some experimentation with different products and e-liquids to find the right one.
Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s expert in cancer prevention, said:
Fears that e-cigarettes have made smoking seem normal again or even led to people taking up tobacco smoking are not so far being realised based on the evidence assessed by this important independent review. In fact, the overall evidence points to e-cigarettes actually helping people to give up smoking tobacco.
Free Stop Smoking Services remain the most effective way for people to quit but we recognise the potential benefits for e-cigarettes in helping large numbers of people move away from tobacco. Cancer Research UK is funding more research to deal with the unanswered questions around these products including the longer-term impact.
Lisa Surtees, acting director at Fresh Smoke Free North East, the first region where all local stop smoking services are actively promoted as e-cigarette friendly, said:
Despite making great strides to reduce smoking, tobacco is still our biggest killer. Our region has always kept an open mind towards using electronic cigarettes as we can see the massive potential health benefits from switching. All of our local NHS Stop Smoking Services now proactively welcome anyone who wants to use these devices as part of their quit attempt and increase their chance of success.
Ends
Please contact PHE press office for:
the full review E-cigarettes: an evidence update - A report commissioned by Public Health England
interviews with PHE spokespeople or the review’s independent authors
case studies of stop smoking services who work with e-cigarette users and smokers who have quit completely with a combination of e-cigarettes and attending a service
Notes to Editors:
Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. It does this through world-class science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. www.gov.uk/phe, Twitter: @PHE_uk, Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland
PHE ’s remit letter for 2014 to 2015 requested an update of the evidence around e-cigarettes. PHE commissioned Professors Ann McNeill and Peter Hajek to review the available evidence. The review builds on previous evidence summaries published by PHE in 2014.
The full list of authors of the report are:
McNeill A, Brose LS, Calder R, Hitchman SC: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, National Addiction Centre, King’s College London and UK Centre for Tobacco & Alcohol Studies
Hajek P, McRobbie H (Chapters 9 and 10): Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry Queen Mary, University of London and UK Centre for Tobacco & Alcohol Studies
Implications of the evidence for policy and practice: Based on the findings of the evidence review PHE advises that:
e-cigarettes have the potential to help smokers quit smoking, and the evidence indicates they carry a fraction of the risk of smoking cigarettes but are not risk free
e-cigarettes potentially offer a wide reach, low-cost intervention to reduce smoking in more deprived groups in society where smoking is elevated, and we want to see this potential fully realised
there is an opportunity for e-cigarettes to help tackle the high smoking rates among people with mental health problems, particularly in the context of creating smokefree mental health units
the potential of e-cigarettes to help improve public health depends on the extent to which they can act as a route out of smoking for the country’s eight million tobacco users, without providing a route into smoking for children and non-smokers. Appropriate and proportionate regulation is essential if this goal is to be achieved
local stop smoking services provide smokers with the best chance of quitting successfully and we want to see them engaging actively with smokers who want to quit with the help of e-cigarettes
we want to see all health and social care professionals providing accurate advice on the relative risks of smoking and e-cigarette use, and providing effective referral routes into stop smoking services
the best thing smokers can do for their health is to quit smoking completely and to quit for good. PHE is committed to ensure that smokers have a range of evidence-based, effective tools to help them to quit. We encourage smokers who want to use e-cigarettes as an aid to quit smoking to seek the support of local stop smoking services
given the potential benefits as quitting aids, PHE looks forward to the arrival on the market of a choice of medicinally regulated products that can be made available to smokers by the NHS on prescription. This will provide assurance on the safety, quality and effectiveness to consumers who want to use these products as quitting aids
the latest evidence will be considered in the development of the next Tobacco Control Plan for England with a view to maximising the potential of e-cigarettes as a route out of smoking and minimising the risk of their acting as a route into smoking
From October this year it will be an offence to sell e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18 or to buy e-cigarettes for them. The government is consulting on a comprehensive array of regulations under the European Tobacco Products Directive.
Photo by pixelblume, used under Flickr Creative CommonsIt’s often a sign of good character when a government lives up to its promises. Occasionally, however, politicians must recognize that circumstances have changed, and what they thought seemed like a fine idea is no longer in the public’s best interest.
The Rachel Notley government campaigned on the pledge to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018, and has already edged closer to that figure since coming to power in May 2015. The minimum wage was lifted by a full dollar to $11.20 and the practice of providing a lower wage for liquor servers — who can count on tips as part of their income — will come to an end this year.
It was one thing to debate the wisdom of a $15-an-hour minimum wage more than a year ago; it’s quite another matter to press on with the increase given the perilous state of Alberta’s economy. Predictably, business groups, which have warned of layoffs and reduced hours if their labour costs continue to climb, are upset the NDP is going through the charade of consultations while boasting at its weekend convention that it will live up to its election promise.
“So what was the purpose of the consultation?” asks Ken Kobly, president of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, who had already participated in three consultation sessions hosted by the government and had planned to be involved in more.
Kobly is right to question the government’s actions. Consultation comes with the expectation of flexibility, and yet the NDP says it won’t waver from its goal, nor the timeline. That’s a mistake and shows the party is motivated by ideology rather than the possession of a realistic appraisal of current economic conditions.
The government can’t be blamed for the price of oil and gas. It can’t be blamed for the thousands of job losses that are paining families and playing havoc with the government’s ledgers. And the NDP can’t be blamed for resistance to pipelines that would help Canada fetch a higher price for our natural resources.
The government can be faulted, however, for stubbornly increasing the cost of living and doing business in Alberta. It has hiked corporate taxes and passed a carbon tax that will cause untold damage to the economy. At a minimum, the NDP should heed the well-reasoned arguments of the business community and delay any further increase in the minimum wage until the economy is on a more solid footing.
That would show good character. Pushing ahead with dodgy wage policies demonstrates just the opposite.LUXEMBOURG — The towering, rusty blast furnaces of the industrial wasteland in Belval stand in stark contrast with Luxembourg’s fairy-tale image of wealth and stability. But the former industrial area about 20 kilometers south of Luxembourg City is undergoing a radical metamorphosis. Where the country’s largest steel works once spewed smoke into the sky above the French border, the government has been erecting an entire new neighborhood, aiming to position Luxembourg as Europe’s next hub for technological innovation.
Behind one of Belval’s blast furnaces, at the heart of the ambitiously named City of Science, sits Technoport, the national tech-oriented incubator. Anyone with a business idea can apply to have it evaluated there, and — if the idea is deemed viable — Technoport offers access to its sleek collaborative spaces and guidance in setting up a business plan.
Ideas take shape with a rented laser cutter or 3D printers in the Fab Lab, a digital laboratory that is part of a growing global network introduced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Bits and Atoms.
Power hubs, suspended from high ceilings in the communal spaces, guarantee that the juice never runs low.Although new buildings are being put up at a slower pace than before the financial crises — Denmark is part of the European Union but not the euro zone — building in Orestad has not stopped. And officials here say it is because they must grow or stagnate.
“When the development of the new town on the Orestad site was decided by the Danish parliament in the early 1990s, the politicians realized that Copenhagen lacked the dynamic and attractions to function as the driving force for Denmark and to be able to compete with other metropolitan cities in Europe,” said Rita Justesen, chief planner at the City and Port Authority.
Orestad, a 310-hectare, or 766-acre, development, was meant to help change that, introducing new energy into this windswept city between the North Sea and the Baltic.
“We had 310 hectares on the edge of the city with no existing buildings,” Ms. Justesen said. “It could act as a testing ground for new urban and architectural ideas. For example, we had the possibility of building high-rise blocks which were not allowed elsewhere in the city.”
Copenhagen’s latest reinvention — there have been a number through the centuries — started in earnest when an international architectural competition was announced in 1994 to develop Orestad, then an empty strip of land about 600 meters, or 2,000 feet, wide and 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles, long in the flatlands between the southern fringe of the capital and its international airport. A plan submitted by Arkki, a Finnish studio, was selected.
There was also a synergy to be tapped: in 1995, construction started on a combined road and rail bridge-tunnel to connect Copenhagen with the Swedish city of Malmo across the strait. The link, the longest such structure in Europe, gave the Danish capital the chance to enlarge its sphere of economic influence to embrace Malmo, a prosperous city of just over 300,000 people.
The link opened in 2000 and Orestad is ideally situated to benefit, as it straddles the highway that connects Jutland, the peninsula on which mainland Denmark sits, to Stockholm via Malmo.
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Essentially, the City and Port Authority had two main goals: getting enterprises to set up in the city instead of on the outer fringe of Copenhagen — or abroad — and encouraging young families to stay in Copenhagen rather than buying a home in the distant outskirts.
Businesses have moved into Orestad, but the plan has not yet proved hugely successful in attracting new residents, though the wider malaise of the Danish property sector is undoubtedly a key factor: average real estate prices in Denmark have dropped about 15 percent since 2007, when the market was at its peak.
According to research provided by Danish Homes, a real estate agency, the average cost of a two-bedroom apartment of 70 square meters, or 750 square feet, in Orestad is around 2.1 million Danish kroner, or about $373,000. This compares with, for instance, 1.5 million kroner for a two-room unit of a similar size in Norrebro, a mainly working-class district to the north of the historic city center that is in the process of gentrifying.
Planned suburbs are nothing new in Copenhagen. The quarters of Christianshavn and Frederiksstad were built in the 17th and 18th centuries, respectively, following plans to expand the city into new areas. Both districts are now regarded as “natural” parts of Copenhagen, even though developers originally found it difficult to attract new residents.
In the 20th century, the architect Arne Jacobsen — internationally famous for his Egg and Swan chairs — designed Bellavista, a stylish housing estate on the Oresund coast about five miles north of Nordhavn. Completed in 1934, Bellavista’s white-washed walls, rounded corners and flat roofs are a faintly exotic take on modernism.
Less exotic but arguably much bolder than Jacobsen’s interwar project, the Orestad development deliberately mixes housing — mainly blocks of flats and compact brick single-family homes with modest backyards — with offices and stores, including the largest mall in Scandinavia.
From the automated train that connects Orestad to Copenhagen’s historic center in about 10 minutes, day and night, the visitor can glimpse the originality of the plan: broad green spaces juxtaposed with dense pockets of housing, office blocks and retailing space, interspersed with sometimes breathtaking standalone buildings. These range from the huge, squat block of Field’s shopping center to the shimmering blue form of the city’s new concert hall, which appears suspended 45 meters above the ground.
In its brochure, “Copenhagen Growing: The Story of Orestad,” the City and Port Authority includes a striking image of two cows grazing on pastureland with an angular block in the background. The building is the 8 House which, typically for Orestad, combines housing units, shops and offices — and it is beginning to fill with new residents.
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All told, right now just over 6,100 people live in Orestad. In time, some of the current green spaces will disappear; when the project is complete the new suburb will be home to around 20,000 residents and may offer jobs to as many as 80,000 people. Field’s, the mall, already employs around 3,000.
But Orestad is not without its critics. A prominent local architect, Jan Gehl, says the new suburb was old-fashioned from its inception. “It was built on principles — specifically those of the modernist movement — that were popular in the middle part of the last century,” he said. “Orestad was built from the top-down, rather than from the bottom-up. Plus, there was an idea that if you got enough ‘starchitects’ on board, then things would be fine.”
The French architect Jean Nouvel designed the DR Concert Hall, which is the focal point of the new Danish TV and radio complex, and home to the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.
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Images can be projected onto the building’s semi-transparent exterior facade when a performance is in progress. (Mr. Nouvel’s creation overran its budget and its final cost was around $300 million, making it the world’s most expensive concert hall.)
Meanwhile, the Polish-born American architect Daniel Libeskind was hired to design a striking 710-room hotel, the Cabinn Metro, close to the center of the district.
Arguably more beautiful than either of these is the Tietgen student dormitory, a ring-like structure designed by the Lundgaard & Tranberg firm of architects, with a copper alloy facade that is intended to |
the styles of Morrowind and Oblivion/Skyrim in that it not only shows your location on the local map, but also identifies nearby points of interest and enemies in the area. This design is necessary due to the fact that players will need to be much more aware of their surroundings at all times, especially in PvP zones. If players aren't satisfied with the layout, rumor has it that we'll be able to move the different interface elements to anywhere on the screen. There will most likely be some who wish to use the old style compass regardless, so hopefully Zenimax has prepared a method to ease the concerns of these worried RPGers.
One element that Elder Scrolls fans will love is the fact that we’ll be seeing a very similar control system to what we used in Skyrim. Although some small changes were made to the keys controlling sneak and opening your menus, the fundamental controls will help to ensure that TESO feels just like an Elder Scrolls game. While Zenimax has utilized the system already employed by Bethesda, they’ve also added their own spin by including the hotbar to implement new and original combat strategies into the game. Hotbars have never been featured in the Elder Scrolls series, but have become commonplace in nearly every major MMO on the market today. Although the hotbar will be a vital tool in every battle that players contend in, the mouse is going to be the primary tool for inflicting or preventing damage to our characters. Hotbars allow players to plan their battles more strategically, while the use of the mouse for live action combat allows for a deeper immersion into the battle itself. If one of these elements becomes more important than the other, battles could become purely spamming your abilities on your keyboard or breaking your finger by using your basic attack as quickly as possible. To ensure that this doesn't happen, the power of each attack style will need to be designed very carefully, along with how many resources in attributes each attack takes up.
Communicating with your allies during a battle or during game play will be vital to your success as a team, so the chat bar and other communication systems need to be implemented flawlessly. Because movement and interacting with the world relies directly on your keyboard, a system must be devised to allow you to quickly switch from moving your character to communicating with nearby allies. There isn't very much information on the web in regards to the in-game chat, primarily because most of the Alpha testers have never mentioned it. Although this information is scarce, discussions in regards to communicating with your enemies during PvP in Cyrodiil have become increasingly common as the release of Beta testing draws closer. Because TESO will be incorporating pre-existing social networks such as Facebook or Google+, some speculate that we’ll be able to communicate using a built-in voice chat. Although everyone will be able to communicate with the chat box, voice chat would hopefully be reserved solely for friends and guilds if added. However, a conflict comes into place when we can’t talk to our enemies in PvP, but members of our guilds are from other Alliances. Allowing players to communicate with their enemy can have unexpected results, such as diplomacy between enemy guilds or abuse of the alliance point system.
The final topic that I’ll discuss is one that has recently exploded with debate, and will probably stay a very important topic until Zenimax releases a statement with more information: first person view. While a first person view does already exist in TESO, many Elder Scrolls veterans became angered when they realized that it isn’t a true first person in that players won’t be able to see their hands and weapons. As someone who has played the past 3 Elder Scrolls games in first person, I can easily agree with the argument that having a realistic first person view is vital to roleplaying and total immersion. The success of The Elder Scrolls has been directly related to this immersion aspect, and Zenimax should be doing everything in their power to support it. However, MMO veterans understand that nearly every battle in TESO is going to be fought in third person because we’re going to need to be more actively aware of our surroundings.
Based on the fact that Zenimax had no plans on improving the first-person view already implemented, it appears that they believed that adding a view of this nature simply wasn't viable. In Skyrim, there are hundreds of different weapon styles, varying from the material of the weapon to the weapon style itself. If you multiply this by the number of attack types you can do (normal, power attacks, running attacks, etc) it results in over 300 different attacks that your character can do. TESO will have all of these weapons and attack styles, but there will also be special abilities with the hotbar that you can use for all of those weapon types. This changes the number of attack styles from the hundreds to the thousands; and that doesn't even include Synergy moves! If Zenimax added in a realistic first person view, they would need to design both the third-person and first-person combat styles, eating up time and resources that could be used on more important aspects of the game. One option that's been mentioned that could fix this problem involves automatically zooming out to third-person view once you enter combat, but that would remove the point of a realistic first-person view altogether!
Ultimately, Zenimax will be limited in their ability to create a balance between designing The Elder Scrolls Online as both an RPG for Elder Scrolls veterans and an MMO for hardcore gamers. While making their best effort to ensure the TESO plays just like the previous ES games, the basic mechanics that most players are used to will be turned on their head when we begin to incorporate a multiplayer design. Although Zenimax will be making an effort to update any aspects of the game that the players disagree with, their primary focus will be ensuring that the game's content is strong enough to provide players with years of entertainment. Cosmetic features such as a realistic first-person view and player housing are at the bottom of the list when it comes to core content updates.
This is no reason to be discouraged! Zenimax is still working to ensure that all lore, basic combat mechanics, and everything that helps to make the Elder Scrolls a great series is still added; but only if the additions of these elements make sense. Personally I would love to see the addition of a realistic first-person view, but I'd much rather see Zenimax focus their efforts on the core game mechanics. It's important to remember that this doesn't mean that we as members of the community can’t disagree with their choices; it will be our job to provide Zenimax with constructive feedback on the creation of The Elder Scrolls Online to assist them in making it both the game we expect and deserve. It's their job to cater to us, the customers, and that may include focusing on parts of the game that the developers would have otherwise left alone.
Thanks for reading!
Feel free to discuss any of the information in this article, or anything related to the controls and user interface that will exist in TESO.
Remember to follow all forum rules, and respect others' opinions that differ from your own.
A new article of The Balancing Act will be releasing every Tuesday afternoon, so stay tuned for more in the future! This issue, The Balancing Act will analyze one aspect of The Elder Scrolls that helped to define it as a series: the user interface and controls. While the history and lore of the Elder Scrolls is one of the most important qualities of TES, Bethesda has gained respect from RPers everywhere by being able to successfully design a UI that allows for nearly total game immersion. The control system of a game is what allows players to directly interact with the world they see around them. A broken UI and control system could be comparable to a broken leg; both leave you unable to interact with the world around you in the way you best see fit. When the system is damaged and doesn't let you reach your full potential, it greatly inhibits your ability to appreciate your experience and become immersed into the game.The controls will be relatively similar to that of previous Elder Scrolls games, although some changes have been made. Players will control their characters through the WASD keys, and your mouse controls the reticle that directs your character's view and direction. Your mouse is also your primary attack and block tool, with the E key being used for all general interaction with the world. You can still hold Shift to sprint using Stamina, but the ability to sneak has been moved to the Alt key; the Control key now allows access to the in-game menus and map, along with the customization of your hotbar. The T key allows you to quickly open your quest log, and the R key may be used for consumables during combat. Finally, a hotbar will utilize the numbers 1-6 on your keyboard for special attacks and abilities during combat. Matt Firor has claimed that, "…there are a couple of new moves, like a really fast left click then right click will stun someone, plus things like double-tapping a key to roll away” and there is speculation that other abilities will be added as well.Moving into the available menus and UI, the in-game menu will consist of a Main Menu tab, a Quest Journal, Character Settings, the Inventory, Skill Progression, and a Misc tab for other settings. While many people believe that no pictures of the actual user interface exist online, there are two available from videos that have been publicly released by Zenimax themselves. Although the quality is low, we can still get a more specific idea of just how minimalistic they plan to make the UI:I’d like to emphasize that the date these pictures were taken is unknown; they could have been taken the month they were published in June, or 3 years ago. We can tell that these images were taken moments apart though, based on the color of the clothes on people in the room. Based on the similarities between the design of the minimap when compared to the introduction videos, we can assume that the information we can obtain from them is relatively accurate. However, everything in the Alpha and Beta testing is subject to change, including the layout shown above.These images support the knowledge of the fact that the player chat will be located in the bottom left, and the minimap will be in the bottom right. Between these two will be the hotbar, along with the indicators for what consumable item, shield and/or weapon you have equipped. If engaged in combat, our magicka and stamina bars will appear in the top right corner of our screen (look closely at the second image). We’ll be able to see our opponent’s health at the top center of our screen, along with their hostility towards us and their combat level (see below).One of the most important and widely used tools that will be at our disposal is our minimap and compass. The ESO compass appears to be a cross between the styles of Morrowind and Oblivion/Skyrim in that it not only shows your location on the local map, but also identifies nearby points of interest and enemies in the area. This design is necessary due to the fact that players will need to be much more aware of their surroundings at all times, especially in PvP zones. If players aren't satisfied with the layout, rumor has it that we'll be able to move the different interface elements to anywhere on the screen. There will most likely be some who wish to use the old style compass regardless, so hopefully Zenimax has prepared a method to ease the concerns of these worried RPGers.One element that Elder Scrolls fans will love is the fact that we’ll be seeing a very similar control system to what we used in Skyrim. Although some small changes were made to the keys controlling sneak and opening your menus, the fundamental controls will help to ensure that TESO feels just like an Elder Scrolls game. While Zenimax has utilized the system already employed by Bethesda, they’ve also added their own spin by including the hotbar to implement new and original combat strategies into the game. Hotbars have never been featured in the Elder Scrolls series, but have become commonplace in nearly every major MMO on the market today. Although the hotbar will be a vital tool in every battle that players contend in, the mouse is going to be the primary tool for inflicting or preventing damage to our characters. Hotbars allow players to plan their battles more strategically, while the use of the mouse for live action combat allows for a deeper immersion into the battle itself. If one of these elements becomes more important than the other, battles could become purely spamming your abilities on your keyboard or breaking your finger by using your basic attack as quickly as possible. To ensure that this doesn't happen, the power of each attack style will need to be designed very carefully, along with how many resources in attributes each attack takes up.Communicating with your allies during a battle or during game play will be vital to your success as a team, so the chat bar and other communication systems need to be implemented flawlessly. Because movement and interacting with the world relies directly on your keyboard, a system must be devised to allow you to quickly switch from moving your character to communicating with nearby allies. There isn't very much information on the web in regards to the in-game chat, primarily because most of the Alpha testers have never mentioned it. Although this information is scarce, discussions in regards to communicating with your enemies during PvP in Cyrodiil have become increasingly common as the release of Beta testing draws closer. Because TESO will be incorporating pre-existing social networks such as Facebook or Google+, some speculate that we’ll be able to communicate using a built-in voice chat. Although everyone will be able to communicate with the chat box, voice chat would hopefully be reserved solely for friends and guilds if added. However, a conflict comes into place when we can’t talk to our enemies in PvP, but members of our guilds are from other Alliances. Allowing players to communicate with their enemy can have unexpected results, such as diplomacy between enemy guilds or abuse of the alliance point system.The final topic that I’ll discuss is one that has recently exploded with debate, and will probably stay a very important topic until Zenimax releases a statement with more information: first person view. While a first person view does already exist in TESO, many Elder Scrolls veterans became angered when they realized that it isn’t a true first person in that players won’t be able to see their hands and weapons. As someone who has played the past 3 Elder Scrolls games in first person, I can easily agree with the argument that having a realistic first person view is vital to roleplaying and total immersion. The success of The Elder Scrolls has been directly related to this immersion aspect, and Zenimax should be doing everything in their power to support it. However, MMO veterans understand that nearly every battle in TESO is going to be fought in third person because we’re going to need to be more actively aware of our surroundings.Based on the fact that Zenimax had no plans on improving the first-person view already implemented, it appears that they believed that adding a view of this nature simply wasn't viable. In Skyrim, there are hundreds of different weapon styles, varying from the material of the weapon to the weapon style itself. If you multiply this by the number of attack types you can do (normal, power attacks, running attacks, etc) it results in over 300 different attacks that your character can do. TESO will have all of these weapons and attack styles, but there will also be special abilities with the hotbar that you can use for all of those weapon types. This changes the number of attack styles from the hundreds to the thousands; and that doesn't even include Synergy moves! If Zenimax added in a realistic first person view, they would need to design both the third-person and first-person combat styles, eating up time and resources that could be used on more important aspects of the game. One option that's been mentioned that could fix this problem involves automatically zooming out to third-person view once you enter combat, but that would remove the point of a realistic first-person view altogether!Ultimately, Zenimax will be limited in their ability to create a balance between designing The Elder Scrolls Online as both an RPG for Elder Scrolls veterans and an MMO for hardcore gamers. While making their best effort to ensure the TESO plays just like the previous ES games, the basic mechanics that most players are used to will be turned on their head when we begin to incorporate a multiplayer design. Although Zenimax will be making an effort to update any aspects of the game that the players disagree with, their primary focus will be ensuring that the game's content is strong enough to provide players with years of entertainment. Cosmetic features such as a realistic first-person view and player housing are at the bottom of the list when it comes to core content updates.This is no reason to be discouraged! Zenimax is still working to ensure that all lore, basic combat mechanics, and everything that helps to make the Elder Scrolls a great series is still added; but only if the additions of these elements make. Personally I would love to see the addition of a realistic first-person view, but I'd much rather see Zenimax focus their efforts on the core game mechanics. It's important to remember that this doesn't mean that we as members of the community can’t disagree with their choices; it will be our job to provide Zenimax withon the creation of The Elder Scrolls Online to assist them in making it both the game we expect and deserve. It's their job to cater to us, the customers, and that may include focusing on parts of the game that the developers would have otherwise left alone.We studied the effects of frontal theta electrical stimulation on multitasking performance, as well as changes in neurophysiological measures associated with tACS effects. The results showed that repeated runs of theta-tACS generates positive effects on multitasking performance accompanied by an offline increase in posterior beta power. Additionally, changes in frontal oscillations positively correlated with changes in multitasking performance. These results suggest that applying frontal theta stimulation increases power in multiple frequencies of brain oscillations related to improved multitasking performance.
tACS effects on multitasking performance and neurophysiological measurements
The present results indicated that low frequency oscillating (i.e. theta) currents introduced extracranially to the brain modulated higher frequency oscillations (i.e. beta oscillations) in brain regions close to and distant from the stimulation sites. This finding corroborates several previous reports. With intracranial recordings, Ozen et al., (2010) demonstrated that weak slow oscillatory stimulation could affect neurons in widespread cortical areas, including regions distant from the site of stimulation. Notably, a larger fraction of neurons were affected as the stimulation intensity increased [43]. It has been proposed that depending on the intensity of the stimulation, neurons distant from the stimulation site can be activated directly via emphatic coupling or indirectly through synaptic connections [44, 45]. A relatively high current density (318.5 μA/cm2) was applied in the present study in comparison to other tACS studies that do not exhibit effects in distant regions or other frequency bands (14.2 μA/cm2~28.6 μA/cm2) [27, 29, 46]. The stimulation electrodes were centered at F3 and F4 of the 10–20 system to be over bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) [47]. Since there are abundant structural and functional connections between frontal, parietal and visual cortex to direct top-down modulation of sensory activity that mediate bottom-up information processes [48, 49], the distant neurophysiological effects generated by tACS might be a result of the potentiation of these long-range associative connections.
In contrast to previous studies [29, 50, 51], our results suggest that tACS can affect power in a frequency (i.e. beta) other than the stimulating frequency (i.e. theta). Similar cross-frequency modulation has been reported in several other studies [30–32, 52]. Notably, a recent study showed that by applying theta-tACS over parietal regions, alpha power decreases in multiple regions across the whole brain [31]. Indeed, with a repetitive stimulation protocol (five 5-min stimulation runs with 1-min interval in between) and a high current density (517 μA/cm2), Kirov et al., (2009) found a pronounced and widespread power enhancement in theta and beta oscillations after transcranial slow oscillation stimulation at 0.75 Hz. The exact cellular mechanism involved in such a cross-frequency modulation is elusive. However, the similarity between the current findings and the effects observed by Kirov et al., (2009) likewise suggests that repeated runs of oscillatory stimulation with short inter-run-intervals (1-min) and high current density (larger than 300 μA/cm2) may result in general functional neuroplastic effects. Neuroplastic changes have been proposed to be responsible for the after-effects of tACS [28, 53], although an online tACS-induced neural entrainment may be a prerequisite for such plasticity [54]. Ali et al., (2013) demonstrated that periodic perturbation (i.e. 3-Hz stimulation) effectively increased the power of higher harmonics of the resonant frequency (i.e. 6 Hz). Furthermore, the range of the affected frequencies broadened as the stimulation intensity increased [30]. Since the current density of the present study is relatively high, the cross-frequency modulation might be a consequence of network entrainment. An important question for future research is to address the frequency specificity and intensity required to yield the observed effects.
To successfully perform a multitasking challenge, several domains of cognitive control abilities are required, such as sustained attention [55], task switching [56], selective attention [57], and inhibitory control [58]. Given that multitasking is a higher-order cognitive process that involves the integration of processes from many domains of cognitive control abilities, a multi-frequency network may exist to support cognitive subcomponents that contribute to the successful multitasking behavior. The interregional cross-frequency modulation induced by tACS may be the result of enhancing multiple cognitive functions subserving multitasking behavior. Therefore, instead of affecting endogenous brain oscillations in a specific frequency manner, tACS may have generated an overall positive effect on multiple active cognitive networks, which may explain the positive correlations between the improvement of multitasking performance and the enhancement of frontal theta, alpha, and beta power.
Another important open question is what do posterior beta power changes represent in this context. Increased beta activity outside motor-related regions is associated with anticipatory attention processes [38, 39], or maintenance of the current cognitive state [40]. In other words, beta activity is associated with the continuation of the sensorimotor cognitive set by helping endogenous top-down influences manage the effect of impending external events [40]. In the current context, increased beta power may serve to maintain sensorimotor representations of the driving task so that attention may be allocated to the appearance of an impending sign for discrimination without changing concurrent driving performance. The result of the pre-stimulus analysis shows that tACS resulted in an anticipatory change in posterior beta power, which supports the hypothesis that tACS optimized the maintenance of sensorimotor representations that contributes to successful multitasking behavior.
Interestingly, the application of theta tACS over bilateral PFC failed to significantly increase endogenous theta rhythms. One explanation is suggested by studies that have indicated stimulation effects are most efficient when the externally applied frequency is at the intrinsic frequency [29]. However, this possibility seems unlikely in the present study according to our analyses based on baseline peak theta band. As effects of transcranial electrical stimulation on electrophysiological activity critically depend upon the prevailing brain-state [27, 59] and because young adults demonstrate relatively high theta power during multitasking [7], a more plausible explanation to account for this finding is that during multitasking, endogenous theta power has reached a maximal level and cannot be further enhanced (i.e. ceiling effect). Since the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation may be graded across different populations from healthy young adults to physiological aging and pathological conditions [60], it is possible that the effect can be only observed in older adults, clinical populations or younger adults with room to improve. Indeed, this interpretation receives some support from the correlations that show participants who were able to increase theta power exhibited the greatest performance improvements.
Regarding the interpretation of the present results, it is important to note that the lack of a frequency control condition means we offer no direct evidence that the observed behavioral and neurophysiological effects are specifically dependent upon theta-tACS. Similarly, without a control site for stimulation, it is unclear whether these effects are specific to PFC stimulation or whether similar effects may be observed by stimulating other cortical regions. This will be the focus of future research.A Montreal couple and their son were convicted Sunday of first-degree murder in the deaths of four family members in a case the judge called "despicable," "heinous" and stemming from "a completely twisted concept of honour."
Mohammad Shafia, his wife Tooba Yahya and their son Hamed, who had pleaded not guilty, were each handed an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. They were accused of killing Hamed's three sisters and his father's childless first wife in a polygamous marriage.
The bodies of Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti Shafia, 13, along with Rona Mohammad Amir, 50, were found in the family’s Nissan, submerged in a lock on the Rideau Canal on June 30, 2009.
"It is difficult to conceive of a more despicable, more heinous crime," Justice Robert Maranger said.
"The apparent reason behind these cold-blooded, shameful murders was that the four completely innocent victims offended your completely twisted concept of honour … that has absolutely no place in any civilized society."
'We didn't commit the murder'
When Maranger asked whether they wanted to say anything, each declared their innocence.
"We didn't commit the murder and this is unjust," Mohammad Shafia said through a translator. "Your honourable justice, this is not just. I am not a murderer and I am a mother," Yahya said.
Hamed Shafia said in English: "Sir, I did not drown my sisters anywhere."
One female juror started crying after the verdict was read. Hamed grabbed a hold of the prisoners' box for support, his parents rubbing his back as each juror affirmed the verdict.
"This is a good day for Canadian justice," the chief Crown prosecutor Gerard Laarhuis said outside the courthouse, adding the four women were "murdered by their family in the most troubling of circumstances."
[IMAGEGALLERY galleryid=1479 size=small]
"This verdict sends a very clear message about our Canadian values and core principles in a free, democratic society that all Canadians enjoy and even visitors to Canada enjoy," he said.
In a statement following the verdict, federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson called honour killings a practice that is "barbaric and unacceptable in Canada."
"This government is committed to protecting women and other vulnerable persons from all forms of violence and to hold perpetrators accountable for their acts."
Patrick McCann, Hamed’s lawyer, told The Canadian Press his client will appeal and his parents likely will as well.
The verdict came after about 15 hours of deliberations, less than 48 hours after the jury was charged by Maranger.
Moosa Hadi, the private investigator hired by the Shafia family to find "the truth," was removed by police after shouting at the prosecutor that the decision was an "injustice."
Geeti, Zainab and Sahar Shafia were found dead with their father's first wife, Rona Amir Mohammad, in June 2009. (Trial evidence)
Traditional values
During the nearly three-month trial, the Crown maintained the family road trip was part of a plot to kill the four because they had tainted the family’s honour. The Crown alleged the family's patriarch was upset that his two eldest daughters wanted boyfriends, betraying his traditional Afghan values.
The Shafias moved to Canada in 2007. They fled their native Afghanistan more than 15 years earlier and had lived in Dubai and Australia before moving the family to Montreal and applied for citizenship.
At the time of the deaths, they were all permanent residents, except for Amir who had only a visitor's visa. They told authorities, and initially maintained after the deaths, that Amir was Mohammad Shafia’s cousin.
Mohammad Shafia, by all accounts a prosperous business man, owned commercial property in the Montreal area and ran a business buying used cars in North America and shipping them overseas.
Rona Amir was Shafia’s first wife. The couple wed in an arranged marriage in Kabul before civil war broke out in their homeland. Amir wasn’t able to conceive and encouraged Shafia to take another wife, which he did in 1989, marrying Tooba Yahya in another arranged marriage.
A crowd gathers outside the Frontenac County Court House in Kingston, Ont., on Sunday. (CBC)
Yahya and Shafia had seven children, which Rona helped to raise. Court heard Yahya gave daughter Sahar to her co-wife to raise as her own.
However, the family situation deteriorated for Amir over time. Her diary details her trials and tribulations in the family and states she was like a servant to the preferred wife, Yahya. She describes a lonely life in Canada and that she would "wander in parks and cry." Court also heard testimony about her unsuccessful request for a divorce. According to the diary, Yahya likened her to a dead weight.
Eldest daughters had secret boyfriends
Zainab and Sahar, the two eldest daughters, also had trouble assimilating into life in Montreal within the strict boundaries of the household rules, which included a prohibition on relationships with boys. Both had secret boyfriends, wore fashionable clothes and, according to evidence heard in court, resisted pressure from their parents and eldest brother to wear the hijab.
They both reported incidents or threats of violence from their father and brother to authorities.
Geeti was described by the Crown as a rebel. While there’s no evidence to show she was hiding any boyfriends, she also resisted her family’s rules and had been caught shoplifting and expelled from class for wearing a shirt deemed too revealing.
Motive for murder According to the Crown’s case, the murder plot was sparked when Zainab ran away to a Montreal women’s shelter in April 2009. This, the Crown alleged, was the ultimate act of betrayal. She had made the family’s problems public and she did it so she could ultimately marry an unapproved man, the boyfriend she had hidden from her parents and brother. She was eventually coaxed back home by Yahya with the promise that the wedding could go forward. Court heard evidence that Mohammad Shafia had called a relative of Yahya’s and proposed a plot to take Zainab to Sweden, have a picnic by the water and then drown her. Another relative testified Shafia had told him he would have killed his daughter if he had been at the marriage to her boyfriend, which was annulled the next day.
The murder plot came to include Sahar, according to the Crown, when photos of her with boys and dressed in revealing clothes were discovered and a younger sibling spotted her at a restaurant with her boyfriend and reported it back to the parents and Hamed.
The photos, which the defence claimed were found after the deaths, were recovered by police in a suitcase in Hamed’s room. They were in a pocket that also contained his used boarding passes from a trip to Dubai to meet his father earlier in June.
Geeti and Amir were also killed because they had also been involved in acts of betrayal and couldn’t be counted on to tell the same story after the deaths, according to the Crown’s case.
While the jury had a significant amount of evidence to consider, more than 160 exhibits and testimony from nearly 60 witnesses, most of that evidence was circumstantial.
It included computer searches made on the Shafia laptop, most often used by Hamed, for things including: "Where to commit a murder;" "Can a prisoner have control over his real estate;" and other various searches for bodies of water.
The bodies of Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti Shafia, 13, along with Rona Mohammad Amir, 50, were found dead in the family’s Nissan, submerged in a lock on the Rideau Canal on June 30, 2009.
It also included seemingly damning wiretaps of the accused discussing the state of the Kingston locks at night, making disparaging remarks about the women and, in Mohammad Shafia’s case, remarks about the value of family honour.
The jury saw a series of police interviews with the accused where they at first all told the same story about the incident; Yahya later claimed she had been there and fainted when the car went into the water. She later recanted that story.
They heard from collision experts who talked about damage on the Nissan that was consistent with coming into contact with the family’s Lexus SUV.
They heard from the motel manager in Kingston who recalled Hamed and Shafia checking in that night and telling him there would only be six guests in two rooms. He recalled them leaving after check-in and seeing only one vehicle.
Family dysfunction There was evidence given from teachers and social workers who talked about the girls’ complaints about abuse at home. Cultural experts were brought in to explain the concept of honour killings and to tell the jury why some of the vulgar expressions on the wiretaps weren’t that offensive in the Shafia’s native Dari.
They heard arguments from the defence about a timeline of the night, based largely on cellphone records, which the lawyers said proved the accused wouldn’t have enough time to drown the women after reaching Kingston just before 2 a.m. and for Hamed to reach Montreal, where his phone was recorded at 6:48 a.m. on June 30.
What they didn’t hear was exactly how the women died. They drowned, that’s certain according to the forensic pathologist who signed off on their post mortem exams.
However, the Crown could not conclusively tell the jury where they drowned or why they sat seemingly calm in the Nissan with the window open and in relatively shallow water.
Bruising on their heads
The Crown’s theory was that the women were drowned elsewhere or incapacitated and then put in the car. That was supported by evidence of fresh bruising on the heads of three out of the four women
The car was in first gear when it was pulled from the water with the ignition off. The headlights were also off, the girls weren’t wearing seatbelts and the seats were reclined at an awkward angle.
This, the prosecution told the jury, supported the theory that they were placed in the car which was then pushed into the locks by the family’s SUV. Pieces of the SUV's headlights were found at the scene.
However, the defence argued, without conclusive proof of how the car went into the water, no one would know exactly what happened that night and it might well have been an accident.
Hamed Shafia gave another version of the events to a private investigator hired by his father after the arrests. He said he followed the girls and rear ended the car by accident when they stopped short at the lock.
Car plunged into water
P.O.V. Do you agree with the Shafia verdict? Take our poll.
While he was picking up pieces of the broken headlight, the car plunged in the water as the driver was trying to turn around. He rushed over, called their names, dangled a rope in the water, but when no one responded he took off to Montreal and didn’t report the incident because he said he feared his father’s anger.
He then staged an accident in Montreal to cover the damage to the SUV.
Hamed’s lawyer told the court in his closing arguments his client was guilty of being "stupid" but not murder.
The jury of seven women and five men listened to more than 40 days of proceedings that included delays for a health emergency with Mohammad Shafia, a power outage caused by an ice storm and an evacuation caused by a security threat at the courthouse.In honor of the show’s 25th anniversary, a revised and updated version of our 2003 Springfield Hall of Fame. Woohoo!
25. “The Regina Monologues”
Airdate: Nov. 23, 2003
Episodes of The Simpsons that qualify as all-time classics are rare in the new millennium, but ”The Regina Monologues” has a connection to the show’s golden age: writer John Swartzwelder, the man behind a slew of classic episodes (including five others on this list). His final writing credit, ”Monologues,” takes the family to England in a joke-dense episode filled with allusions to Trainspotting, My Fair Lady, and James Bond, and features a cameo by a sitting head of state (Tony Blair), as well as big-name Brits Ian McKellen and J.K. Rowling. ”The Simpsons are going to ________!” has become a trope on the show, but seldom has it worked so well.
24. “You Only Move Twice’”
Airdate: Nov. 3, 1996
One of the Golden Age’s wackiest episodes also happens to be one of its funniest. In this season 8 standout, the Simpson clan leaves Springfield behind when Homer gets a new job at the Globex Corporation — a mysterious mega-company run by friendly-seeming ginger Hank Scorpio (Albert Brooks, giving his best Simpsons guest performance). Gradually, it becomes clear (to everyone but Homer) that Scorpio’s actually a ruthless supervillain hell-bent on defeating secret agent James Bont. It’s an absurd setup bolstered by one of the show’s best laughs-per-minute ratios. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have to take a trip to Hammocks-R-Us; it’s in the Hammock District.
23. “Lisa’s First Word”
Airdate: Dec. 3, 1992
The best Simpsons episodes aren’t only hilarious—they’re also poignant, showcasing the big, beating heart beneath the series’ occasionally caustic satire. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the show’s early flashback episodes, including ”The Way We Was,” ”I Married Marge,” and ”And Maggie Makes Three”—the latter of which ends with what may be the most heartwarming image ever seen on TV. Of that stellar quartet, though, ”Lisa” reigns supreme, thanks both to its emotional high points (the titular event, which shines a spotlight on Lisa and Bart’s relationship; its closing moment, in which Maggie (played by guest star Elizabeth Taylor, of all people) says her own first word, ”Daddy”) and its barrage of ace jokes (Bart’s ”spout medley,” ”It’s not easy to juggle a pregnant wife and a troubled child, but somehow I managed to fit in eight hours of TV a day,” ”can’t sleep, clown’ll eat me”).
22. “Hurricane Neddy”
Airdate: Dec. 19, 1996
Homer’s mild-mannered nemesis had a few spotlight episodes before this one—but none were as juicy as ”Hurricane Neddy,” which digs into just what makes Springfield’s model citizen tick. It all starts when Hurricane Barbara sweeps through town, sparing most residents—except the devout, endlessly generous Flanders clan, who lose everything they own. (Ned doesn’t have insurance because he considers it a form of gambling.) What follows is half an hour of darkly-tinted soul searching in which Ned questions his faith (”I’ve done everything the Bible says, even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff! I’ve even kept kosher, just |
, the nerds appear to have social science firmly on the side of their life decisions. And the next time your snot-nosed teen refuses to do his homework, you can now show him why he should, in one graph.Vintage 101: Eternally Extravagant
by Islandswamp // Jun 24, 2016 Tweet
vintage 101 Paper eldrazi Landstill budget Workshops
It's the Eldrazis' World; We Just Live in It.
Did you think we'd seen the last of the Eldrazi in Vintage? I thought not. Seriously though, these things are like an escaped laboratory experiment let loose on an unsuspecting ecosystem. Eldrazi decks ranging from Workshops with Eldrazi, to Eldrazi Hatebears, to tribal Eldrazi have been terrorizing Vintage players and haunting our collective nightmares for weeks. I really wonder if people would rather have Lodestone Golem back instead. At least Ol' Lodestone dies to Lightning Bolt. The last Power Nine Challenge on MTGO was all about the spaghetti monsters, as were the top eight at the NYSE. This past weekend, the Eldrazi struck yet again, contaminating a large Vintage event.
Eternal Magic was being played all weekend long at Eternal Extravaganza 4. This event, run by Tales of Adventure in Coopersburg, PA, featured a weekend full of high-stakes Modern, Legacy, and Vintage. The Vintage event was on Sunday, and the scourge of Zendikar wrought destruction on the masses in attendance.
The finals featured a whole heck of a lot of Eldrazi creatures. There were an astounding twenty copies of Thought-Knot Seer in the Top 8 of the event!
Eternal Extravaganza 4—Top 8 1. Ben Williams White Eldrazi 2. Mark Hornung Eldrazi Tribal 3. Nick Dijohn TKS Shops 4. Joe Graff UW Standstill 5. Roland Chang TKS Shops 6. Jonathan Suarez Jeskai Mentor 7. Sam Castrucci 5C Humans 8. Kenan Diab Ravager (Non-Eldrazi) Shops
The finals was an all-Eldrazi faceoff, with Ben Williams's White Eldrazi eventually overcoming the non-powered Eldrazi Tribal deck piloted by 2011 Vintage Champion Mark Hornung.
Mark's deck was an updated take on the deck that Jason Jaco played to a fantastic finish at NYSE IV.
No Moxen? No Problem!
Mark's deck featured the powerless mana base and Null Rods that Jaco's deck had utilized, but the creature package was changed slightly. Mark chose to run two copies of World Breaker and added a Corrupted Crossroads to support the Green mana requirement. With four Cavern of Souls plus the Crossroads, there were five sources with which to cast the two copies of World Breaker.
Adding World Breaker may not seem like a huge deal, but it actually adds a lot to the deck. Tribal Eldrazi can deal with many creatures using Dismember, but it can't take out Wurmcoil Engine or Batterskull (although it could kill a Germ token). World Breaker gives the Eldrazi deck a clean way to answer a Wurmcoil, and it can also take out problematic enchantments and artifacts. Moat can shut down an Eldrazi Tribal deck cold, and Ensnaring Bridge can also negate each attack phase. Even in games where there are no good artifacts or enchantments to exile, World Breaker can still exile a land. With all of the land destruction built into these decks, exiling a land simply adds to the resource-denial plan.
People were impressed when Jason Jaco did well with unpowered Eldrazi at the NYSE, but nobody knew for sure if it was a fluke or not. With Mark Hornung's second-place finish in Eternal Extravaganza, I think it's safe to say that this deck is the real deal.
White Eldrazi Strikes Back
Ben Williams stole the show with this White Eldrazi deck, taking first place and cementing Thought-Knot Seer as the new boogeyman of Vintage. White Eldrazi is a hybridization of Eldrazi Tribal and White Hatebears. White Hatebears has always been right on the fringes of playability. At certain times, Hatebears could be a great choice, but the overall power level of a weenie deck is low. Adding Eldrazi creatures to a Hatebears deck raises the power level by giving the deck its own kind of haymaker play. Reality Smashers and Thought-Knots might not be as flashy as a Yawgmoth's Will, but they're just as deadly. Congratulations to Ben Williams for winning Eternal Extravaganza 4!
Smashing Realities
The third-place deck also featured Eldrazi, but not quite as many. This deck only had seven of these colorless creatures, including the required four Thought-Knot Seers. Nick Dijohn's deck blends the more aggressive Arcbound Ravager lists with the heavy-Eldrazi Shops lists that have been played recently. The Shops decks sporting four Ravagers and zero Reality Smashers have been the most popular builds as of late, but Nick's third-place finish shows that the Smasher / TKS duo has game.
Rise of the Nightmare Creatures
Why is it that these Standard-legal creatures are so dominating in Vintage these days? The reasons for the Eldrazi's success are varied, but one of the main issues is that many traditional Vintage tactics don't work against the Eldrazi. Cards like Hurkyl's Recall can't touch the spaghetti monsters, and Lightning Bolt can only kill the small ones. Sweeper effects can be good against the Eldrazi menace, but the best sweepers cost 3 to 4 mana. It can be hard to cast a 3- or 4-mana sorcery when your mana base is strained under Thorn of Amethysts, Null Rods, and Wastelands. Your life total will diminish rapidly while you're sitting there trying to build up enough mana to cast your Supreme Verdict.
Each Eldrazi creature is aggressively costed, and they're also aggressive on the battlefield. Four- and five-damage creatures, sometimes with Haste, really keep the pressure up. There's usually a flood of creatures, so spot removal isn't enough, and your counterspells are useless once Cavern of Souls comes into play.
Playing with Eldrazi also means that you get to play with a ton of lands that tap for 2 mana. Magic players have known for years that "Sol lands" and Mishra's Workshops are very powerful. Eldrazi decks utilize Sol lands better than almost any deck that's ever existed, with only Workshop decks really being comparable.
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The final piece of the puzzle regarding the dominance of Eldrazi is Gush. All of the various Eldrazi decks occupy the same design space as Workshop decks (and some are Workshop decks). Shops decks have always been good against decks with smaller mana bases. The prison element of Eldrazi lists also hurts cantrip-heavy token strategies, which are what most Gush decks are.
Gush hasn't been the best-performing deck recently, but that probably has a lot to do with the fact that everyone is gunning for it. Everyone who builds a deck is very much concerned with their Gush / Mentor matchup. One could say that if you're not playing Gush, you're building a deck to beat it. The natural foil to Gush has been to play decks with prison elements. It's hard to stay at card parity with a Gush deck if you're playing a different unrestricted draw spell.
The one draw spell in Vintage that is positioned well against Gush did end up making an appearance in the top eight.
UW Landstill
Joe Graff made fourth place with a Landstill deck. Standstill is one of the few draw spells in Vintage that can draw more cards than Gush and be played quicker. Gush is a Turn 3 (or later) card under optimal conditions. Standstill can come online on Turn 2, or even Turn 1 with the aid of a Mox. Once the Standstill enters the battlefield, it will put three cards in your hand, or your opponent will refuse to play anything. Drawing three cards and playing "draw, go" with an opponent are equally favorable situations for a Landstill pilot. Eventually, a stalemate will be broken with Mishra's Factory, and the game will end in short order.
The only caveat with Standstill is that it can't just go into any deck. To play a Standstill effectively, one must follow certain deck-building rules. First of all, most of your mana sources should be lands. Landstill needs to keep up its mana production like any other deck, but it can't afford to draw too many artifact mana sources because they conflict with Standstill. Since you want to be able to make plays with a Standstill on the battlefield, you'll need to use lands that can fill the role of spells. This means using creaturelands like Mishra's Factory and lands that cripple opposing mana bases, like Strip Mine and Wasteland.
Even though it takes special deck-construction techniques, Standstill offers an overwhelming card advantage. The ability to draw three cards for two mana makes it a formidable draw spell. Very few decks can stay at card parity when you've got four extra copies of Ancestral Recall in your deck. Playing Standstill also gives you access to the rest of the awesome card-drawing spells, so you're usually playing with a full grip.
Landstill decks can also be built in many different ways, and they're always built with specific metagame considerations in mind. Blue and White offer some of the best countermagic and removal spells that Vintage has to offer. Joe Graff's deck also included Moat, which is an all-star against Mentor and Eldrazi decks.
Moat is probably better right now than it has been in years. There was one Moat in the top eight of last year's Vintage Championships, but for the most part, it has mostly been on the fringes of the format. I think that moving forward, Moat will continue to be a card to watch, and indeed the price on it has spiked on Magic Online and in paper recently.
Most of the top threats in Vintage can't win through a Moat, so the Legends enchantment buys a control deck a lot of time to take over a game. Tribal Eldrazi doesn't have much to deal with enchantments other than World Breaker, and Workshop decks don't have any ways to stop it either.
UW Landstill gets to utilize some of the best sideboard cards as well. White gives the deck Containment Priest, Ethersworn Canonist, Stony Silence, and Rest in Peace. This list also had an extra copy of Supreme Verdict in the sideboard to go with the main-deck copy.
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Supreme Verdict is quietly one of the best sweepers in Vintage. This former Standard-format star is a little on the expensive side at four mana, but the fact that it can't be countered is amazing. Verdict can act as a trump in Mentor or Pyromancer matchups, and it's fantastic against Shops or Eldrazi if you're able to resolve it there as well. Hatebears decks also hate to fall victim to this updated Wrath of God.
Is Standstill the Answer?
Joe Graff went into the Top 8 as the number-two seed and finished in fourth place overall. That's a fantastic finish, and I think it's indicative of the fact that this is a very strong deck choice. I do think UW Landstill is a solid choice moving forward in this Eldrazi-infested Vintage metagame, but it is also a tough deck to pilot. Even with all of the card advantage, permission spells, and creature removal, control decks can be weak to a powerful draw or lucky top-deck by a combo player. Landstill decks win their games slowly, so there can be windows where a combo or control / combo deck can steal a game.
I do think that if Landstill is tuned correctly, it always has the potential to be a contender. I'd even say that UW is probably the best combination of colors to use with Standstill these days. With a seasoned pilot playing the right list, Landstill would be a good option to bring to an event.
The Rest of the Top 8
I'm not suprised to see Roland Chang in the Top 8, since he's a perenial Top 8 contestant in Vintage events. Playing Workshops is what Roland is known for, and he did not disappoint. Roland was one of three Workshops players at the top tables, along with Nick Dijohn and Kenan Diab. Kenan was the only Workshops player of those three to not include any Thought-Knot Seers in his deck.
There was also a Humans deck in the finals. This was a five-color list similar to the one that won the Bazaar of Moxen. It seems that Thalia, Guardian of Thraben has been getting a lot of play in Vintage lately.
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The most surprising thing about the event is that only one Gush deck made it to the Top 8. Monastery Mentor has had a target on its head for a long time now. I guess everyone found solutions to defeat it. I think that Gush Mentor is still one of the best decks in Vintage right now, but it really looks like a dog against Eldrazi. Mentor players are going to have to start looking for better answers if they want to compete.
If you're interested in reading a full breakdown of the metagame for Eternal Extravaganza 4, Ryan Eberhart made a great post on TMD about it.
Even More Extravagance!
Eternal Extravaganza has had four weekend-long events so far, and they've each been well-received. This latest event broadcasted all of the events on Twitch, with coverage by Reuben Bresler. The Vintage finals even had guest commentary by Christian Calcano and 2015 Vintage Champion Brian Kelly.
There's going to be even more eternal Magic to come, though. The dates haven't been set yet, but there should be another Eternal Extravaganza this fall. I'm personally excited about it, and I'm hoping to be able to attend the Vintage event. The Modern and Legacy events are normal sanctioned events, but the Vintage event is run much the same as other Vintage events. Fifteen "play-test" cards are allowed in each Vintage deck, so the tournament is actually a lot more accessible than you might think.
That's all the time I have for this week. I'll see you in seven days. In the meantime, keep on cracking those Eternal Masters packs looking for that foil Mana Crypt!
You can follow me on Twitter @josephfiorinijr—Islandswamp on Magic OnlineMegyn Kelly’s star-studded Fox special just got a little starrier.
Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas and former O.J. Simpson “Dream Team” defense attorney Robert Shapiro will join GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on the Fox News anchor’s primetime Megyn Kelly Presents program next month.
Douglas and Shapiro are the second and third additions to the program, after it was reported earlier this week that Trump would sit down for an interview with Kelly in what will likely be a ratings booster for Fox.
“Mr. Trump and I sat down together for a meeting earlier this month at my request,” Kelly said earlier this week. “He was gracious with his time and I asked him to consider an interview. I am happy to announce he has agreed and I look forward to a fascinating exchange – our first sit-down interview together in nearly a year.”
While few details are known about the special, Kelly will reportedly interview “celebrities from the worlds of politics, entertainment and other areas of human interest.” The Fox News anchor will also reportedly discuss her prominent role in covering the 2016 presidential race.
The interview with Shapiro will be the first he has given since his depiction in the wildly popular FX television series The People vs. O.J. Simpson this year, where he was played by John Travolta.
The primetime special comes as Kelly’s media profile has been elevated in recent weeks. The anchor was feted at Variety‘s Power of Women event in New York earlier this month and was featured on the cover of the entertainment trade’s April issue. In the accompanying interview, Kelly revealed that she is unsure whether she will remain at Fox News in the long-term.
Kelly also appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in January and attended VF‘s pre- and post-Oscar parties in February.
Megyn Kelly Presents is set to air May 17 at 8pm ET on the larger Fox Broadcasting channel. Portions of the special will be replayed on Fox News’ The Kelly File.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaumShare your thoughts
Webcomic Transcription
Insanely Great
panel 1: The slide behind Anise says Simply Magical™
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Audience: Umm... isn't it voilà?
panel 5: Anise thinks....
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panel 8: Then laughs arrogantly at the classroom.
Anise: HA HA HA HA HATwo years ago today Mom was on cloud nine, having spent the night before with her grandchildren and great nieces on the Polar Express train. She had sent me pictures of their little smiling faces all night long. She soaked up every second of showing them the magic of Christmas, her favorite holiday.
It was a cold Sunday afternoon at the lake house and Chris and I were packing up to go home. Like she did every weekend when we left, Mom followed us outside to say goodbye. Before I hopped into the truck she gave me one of her famous Dawn hugs and a big Mommy kiss.
As I was closing the door I looked at her and told her I love her for the very last time. She took about four steps from the truck and spun around on her tippy toes, opened the truck door and whispered something that I cannot repeat (as to not ruin the oh-so-proper reputation of Dawn Alyson) and laughed her beautiful Dawn laugh... she said "I love you baby" and closed the door.
As we backed down the driveway she stood at the top waving until the truck was out of view. I had no idea that this was going to be the last time that I saw my beautiful Mommy, my best friend in the entire world.
As December 14 approaches, I choose to cherish the memories like this. I choose to remember the good times, the smiles and the laughter. I choose to honor my mother every second of every day. I can only hope that she is looking down, smiling and loving me. I strive every day to make her proud of the little girl that she poured her heart and soul into raising.
This year, I ask you all to honor my mother's life with action. I ask you all to take one small step to honor her, and all of the others whose lives were taken far too soon by gun violence. Make a phone call to your legislators, sign a petition, contribute to a gun violence prevention organization, go to a rally, host a house party -- help me fight the epidemic of gun violence that kills 86 Americans every day. Help me prevent other families from feeling the constant pain that I feel every second of every day.KEY WEST (CBSMiami) — A Key West man has died days after a brutal attack inside a home that stemmed from an argument about cannibalism, according to authorities.
Mark Brann, 67, succumbed to his wounds Wednesday.
His alleged killer, Justin Calhoun, 24, is faced with murder.
Calhoun, a stripper from Tampa, the Miami Herald reported, told police they were involved romantically and Calhoun would often spend the night at Brann’s residence.
On Monday, Calhoun said an argument began because he believed Brann to be a “cannibal” and questioned him about it. Upset, Brann grabbed a gun, forcing a struggle between them until it went off. No one was hit.
The fight continued with Calhoun eventually gaining control of the gun. He told police he aimed at Brann and tried to shoot him but the gun jammed.
That’s when Calhoun grabbed a pen and stabbed Brann in both eyes, police said in an arrest report.
Bran fell to the ground, yelling for help and “yelling that he was guilty,” Calhoun told police. The young man grabbed a broken piece of wood from a dresser, damaged during the fight, and stuffed it into Brann’s mouth to shut him up.
Next, Calhoun stood up and “stomped” on the piece of wood, he said, driving it further into the man’s mouth, and continued to beat him by slamming a dresser drawer down onto Brann’s head and throat.
At this point, Brann’s roommate tried to get in the room to help but Calhoun locked the door. He would later admit that he thought he went too far in his attack after Brann brandished the gun.
Calhoun told police he grabbed his backpack, money, and a dress to wear, then jumped out of the bedroom window naked.
He avoided Key West Police by jumping fences and climbing on roof tops.
After his arrest, police discovered cocaine and Brann’s prescription pills in Calhoun’s backpack, as well as more than $10,000 in cash.A leading doctor says Asians are putting themselves at a significant risk of mouth cancer as a result of 'traditional high-risk habits'.
Dr Chet Trivedy, who is an A&E consultant at Kingston Hospital in London says common cultural habits in many British-Asian communities, such as tobacco and betel (areca) nut chewing, is placing thousands at severe risk of developing mouth cancer.
Dr Trivedy, who is also a dentist and trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, says chewing tobacco and betel nut increases a person’s risk of developing mouth cancer by up to seven times.
Highlighting the significance of the issue, Dr Trivedy, wants more British Asians to be aware of the dangers of chewing products containing betel nut and tobacco, also referred to as ‘paan’ or ‘paan masala’, and emphasises the need for greater education about its links to mouth cancer.
Dr Trivedy said: “I grew up in the Gujarati (Indian) community in Britain and have seen first-hand the devastating effect that mouth cancer can have on our community, not only through my work but also on a personal level. I am therefore incredibly keen to draw attention to this major problem.”
A report from the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), has revealed that mouth cancer is among the top three cancers in India and accounts for 30% of the country’s cancer burden.
Mouth cancer also has incredibly high rates in other Asian nations such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and Taiwan.
“Without a doubt one of the biggest reasons for this is the traditional cultural behaviour of paan masala chewing,” Dr Trivedy adds.
“This highly carcinogenic substance is commonly used in Asian communities as a powerful stimulant and is widely available in most South Asian grocery stores.
"It’s used commonly in religious ceremonies and to aid digestion, you can often spot a betel nut user as it stains their mouths a bright red colour.
“How it is consumed differs between communities, but it is most commonly consumed as a substance called ‘quid’ involving a mixture of slaked lime, betel leaf and flavourings such as cardamom and tobacco.
“By including slaked lime, the ‘quid’ causes hundreds of tiny abrasions in the mouth which the cancer-causing carcinogens in the betel nut can enter the cells of the mouth.
“Chewing is incredibly unsafe as it allows prolonged exposure to these carcinogens and, dangerously, far too many people are unaware of the severe damage it can cause.”
A recent study led by the University of York revealed as many as a quarter of a million deaths worldwide are caused by smokeless tobacco products every year.
The study found a ‘hotspot’ of use in South and South-East Asia, in particular India, which accounts for almost three quarters (74 per cent) of the total global disease burden.
Dr Trivedy has issued the warning as part of Mouth Cancer Action Month, a campaign which aims to raise awareness of mouth cancer, promote the value of self-examination and encourage regular trips to the dentist, as they perform a visual mouth cancer check during every dental check-up.
The charity campaign is organised by the Oral Health Foundation, sponsored by Simplyhealth Professionals and has further support from Dentists’ Provident.
“Mouth cancer awareness in Asian communities is vital as it has a very high mortality rate,” Dr Trivedy says.
“Survival chances are closely linked to late diagnosis but far too many cases are being caught too late for effective intervention, particularly with Asian communities who may be less active at accessing healthcare.
“I encourage British Asian communities to spot the warning signs, ulcers which do not heal within two weeks, red or white patches in the mouth and any unusual lumps in the head or neck area. Visit a dentist or doctor if they notice anything unusual.
“Betel nut chewing is particularly associated with a condition call oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), which causes severe scarring in the mouth resulting in affected patients only being able to open their mouth by a few milometers’. About 7% of those affected will go on to develop mouth cancer.
“I want the British Asian community to become more involved in mouth cancer awareness and help make a difference by spreading lifesaving messages throughout their communities and beyond.”
As Mouth Cancer Action Month draws to a close today, the Oral Health Foundation is keen to stress that mouth cancer can affect anyone, so everybody needs to be able to recognise and act on the early warning signs all year around in order to improve early diagnosis and help save lives which otherwise could be lost to this terrible disease.They are adorably cute, with grubby brown fur so soft it seems to slip through my fingers like flour. It is only when one of the nine-week-old cubs playfully grabs my arm with its teeth and squeezes with an agonising grip that I remember – this is a lion, a wild animal. These four cubs are not wild, however. They are kept in a small pen behind the Lion's Den, a pub on a ranch in desolate countryside 75 miles south of Johannesburg. Tourists stop to pet them but most visitors do not venture over the hill, where the ranch has pens holding nearly 50 juvenile and fully-grown lions, and two tigers.
Moreson ranch is one of more than 160 such farms legally breeding big cats in South Africa. There are now more lions held in captivity (upwards of 5,000) in the country than live wild (about 2,000). While the owners of this ranch insist they do not hunt and kill their lions, animal welfare groups say most breeders sell their stock to be shot dead by wealthy trophy-hunters from Europe and North America, or for traditional medicine in Asia. The easy slaughter of animals in fenced areas is called "canned hunting", perhaps because it's rather like shooting fish in a barrel. A fully-grown, captive-bred lion is taken from its pen to an enclosed area where it wanders listlessly for some hours before being shot dead by a man with a shotgun, hand-gun or even a crossbow, standing safely on the back of a truck. forHe pays anything from £5,000 to £25,000, and it is all completely legal.
Like other tourists and daytrippers from Jo'burg, I pay a more modest £3.50 to hug the lions at Moreson, a game ranch which on its website invites tourists to come and enjoy the canned hunting of everything from pretty blesbok and springbok – South Africa's national symbol – to lions and crocodiles. After a cuddle with the cubs, I go on a "game drive" through the 2,000 hectare estate. Herds of blue wildebeest, red hartebeest and eland run from the truck, then stop and watch us, warily: according to the guides, the animals seem to know when visitors are not carrying guns. At the far end of the property is an abandoned farm, surrounded by pens of lethargic-looking big cats. One pair mate in front of us. Two healthy looking tigers tear at chicken carcasses rapidly rotting in the African sun.
The animals look well cared for. But Cathleen Benade, a ranch assistant who is studying wildlife photography and is devoted to the cubs, reveals that they were taken away from their mothers just an hour after birth and bottle-fed by humans for the first eight weeks of their life. After dark, as the lions roar in the cages below the pub veranda, Maryke Van Der Merwe, the manager of Lion's Den and daughter of the ranch owner, explains that if the cubs weren't separated from their mother – by blowing a horn to scare the adult lion away – the young lions would starve to death, because their mother had no milk. She says the mother is not distressed: "She's looking for the cubs for a few hours but it's not like she's sad. After a day or two I don't think she remembered that she had cubs."
Animal welfare experts disagree, however. They say breeders remove the cubs from their mother so that the lioness will quickly become fertile again, as they squeeze as many cubs from their adults as possible – five litters every two years. For an animal that is usually weaned at six months, missing out on the crucial colostrum, or first milk, can cause ill-health. "These breeders tell you they removed the cubs because the mother had no milk; I've never seen that in the wild," says Pieter Kat, an evolutionary biologist who has worked with wild lions in Kenya and Botswana. "Lions and tigers in captivity may kill their young because they are under a lot of stress. But the main reason breeders separate the young from their mother is because they don't want them to be dependant on their mother. Separation brings the female back into a reproductive position much faster than if the cubs were around. It's a conveyor-belt production of animals."
A lion bred on a farm in South Africa for commercial use. Photograph: Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
South Africa has a strong hunting tradition but few people express much enthusiasm for its debased canned form. It is still legal to bring a lion carcass back to Britain (or anywhere in Europe or North America) as a trophy, and much of the demand comes from overseas. Trophy-hunters are attracted by the guarantee of success, and the price: a wild lion shot on a safari in Tanzania may cost £50,000, compared with a £5,000 captive-bred specimen in South Africa. Five years ago, the South African government effectively banned canned hunting by requiring an animal to roam free for two years before it could be hunted, severely restricting breeders and hunters' profitability. But lion breeders challenged the policy in South Africa's courts and a high court judge eventually ruled that such restrictions were "not rational". The number of trophy hunted animals has since soared. In the five years to 2006, 1,830 lion trophies were exported from South Africa; in the five years to 2011, 4,062 were exported, a 122% increase, and the vast majority captive-bred animals.
Demand from the Far East is also driving profits for lions breeders. In 2001, two lions were exported as "trophies" to China, Laos and Vietnam; in 2011, 70 lion trophies were exported to those nations. While the trade in tiger parts is now illegal, demand for lion parts for traditional Asian medicine is soaring. In 2009, five lion skeletons were exported from South Africa to Laos; in 2011, it was 496. The legal export of lion bones and whole carcasses has also soared. "It's definitely a rapidly growing source of revenue for these canned breeding facilities," says Will Travers of the charity Born Free. "The increase and volume are terrifying."
Breeders argue it is better that hunters shoot a captive-bred lion than further endanger the wild populations, but conservationists and animal welfare groups dispute this. Wild populations of lions have declined by 80% in 20 years, so the rise of lion farms and canned hunting has not protected wild lions. In fact, according to Fiona Miles, director of Lionsrock, a big cat sanctuary in South Africa run by the charity Four Paws, it is fuelling it. The lion farms' creation of a market for canned lion hunts puts a clear price-tag on the head of every wild lion, she says; they create a financial incentive for local people, who collude with poachers or turn a blind eye to illegal lion kills. Trophy-hunters who begin with a captive-bred lion may then graduate to the real, wild thing.
"It's factory-farming of lions, and it's shocking," says Miles. She began working to protect lions after watching a seminal documentary about canned hunting. "The lion all around the world is known as the iconic king of the jungle – that's how it's portrayed in advertising and written into story books – and yet people have reduced it to a commodity, something that can be traded and used."
An alternative use for the captive-bred lions might be tourism. We go for a "lion walk" with Martin Quinn, a conservation educator and lion whisperer. This involves strolling through the veld with three adolescent white lions, which have been bred on Moreson ranch and trained by Quinn and his assistant, Thompson. These striking white lions (which tend to be very inbred, say animal welfare groups) bound around us, rush on, and then lie in the grass, ready for an ambush. Armed only with sticks, Quinn and Thompson control them, while warning us that they are still wild animals. It is an unnerving experience, but Quinn hopes this venture will persuade Moreson ranch that a live lion is worth more than a dead one.
He claims that since he began working with lions at the ranch in January, the owners have not sold on any lions to be hunted. He hopes the ranch will eventually allow the offspring of its captive animals to grow up in the wild. (Breeders sometimes claim their lions are for conservation programmes but examples of captive-bred lions becoming wild animals again are vanishingly rare; even the most respectable zoo has never established a successful programme for releasing captive-bred lions into the wild.)
Pieter Kat, who founded the charity Lion Aid, says the lion walks are simply another income stream for breeders before their lucrative charges are sold on. Van Der Merwe is doubtful that Quinn's lion walks could replace the income the farm receives from selling its lions: "We keep them up until six months for attractions for the people so they can play with them and then we sell them to other lion parks," she says. She insists her ranch's website is wrong, and it does not hunt lions: "We sell them to other people who have the permit for lions. What they do with the lions is up to them. So we don't know what they do with the lions, but we don't do the canned hunting."
Three hours' drive from the ranch is Lionsrock, a former lion breeding farm transformed into a sanctuary for more than 80 abused big cats since it was bought by Four Paws. Some come from local breeding farms, but Four Paws also rescues animals kept in appalling conditions in zoos in Romania, Jordan and the Congo. Unlike in the lion farms, the animals here are not allowed to breed, and instead live within large enclosures in their natural prides, family groups of up to 10 lions.
Lionsrock can rehouse another 100 lions but does not have space for every captive-bred lion in South Africa. Four Paws and other charities working in South Africa want a moratorium on lion breeding because they fear that if lion farms were abruptly outlawed thousands of lions would be dumped or killed. After its high court defeat, there is little sign that the South African government will take on the powerful lion breeders again any time soon. "If we can stop people supporting those industries in the first place and make them aware of what's actually going on and what the life of a [captive-bred] lion is actually like, I believe there will be an outcry," says Miles. "There's far more value for a live lion long-term."
Lion breeders such as Van Der Merwe are not so sure. She says her caged lions have little to do with canned hunting, but admits that if the authorities banned canned hunting, "it would probably not be good for us … There's a lot of people from overseas coming to shoot lions. All the people know you come to Africa to shoot the lion or have a mount against your wall to say 'I've shot a lion'. They surely bring some money into South Africa."
She sees nothing wrong with hunting lions or keeping them in captivity. In fact, she says, she is part of a family of animal lovers: "We grew up with them, so it's nice. It's like babies in your house – when they are really small they walk around in your house and they follow you."Web inventor says world needs an online ‘Magna Carta’ to combat growing government and corporate control
The inventor of the world wide web has warned that the freedom of the internet is under threat by governments and corporations interested in controlling the web.
Tim Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist who invented the web |
Apparently that wasn’t the modus operandi of one York University student.
Last September an online sociology course was given an assignment that involved classmates meeting in person in groups.
One student wrote in and said he couldn’t comply because his religion doesn’t allow him to meet with women in public.
Considering over half the population of Canada is female, avoiding contact with the fairer sex is a tall order in academic pursuits.
The professor put his foot down and said too bad.
“We have to make a value choice,” J. Paul Grayson, the professor, told QMI Agency. “What’s more important, the rights of females who make up 54% of the population, or those individuals with religious notions incompatible with egalitarianism?”
Bingo. The politically correct crowd loves religious accommodation. But what sort of precedent does it set?
Should this government-funded institution have to create gender segregated classrooms and study halls if more men claim this religious rule? Didn’t we deal with that subject decades ago?
Why would anyone think it’s acceptable to make a request like this? We’re not in Saudi Arabia, folks.
If someone holds religious beliefs that set them at odds with Canadian society, which stresses equality, then that’s their problem. Go deal with it.
Granted, the student sort of was dealing with it. He specifically chose online courses in the hopes this problem wouldn’t arise.
Then, to his credit, the student understood the professor’s firm stance and the problem blew over.
So why are we still talking about this?
Because Grayson let the bureaucrats in on the situation!
The dean’s office sent a letter to Grayson explaining he had a “legal obligation” to fulfill the request. Nonsense.
The assignment was a reasonable one. It’s accommodating gender separation that’s unreasonable.
“Do we want our daughters going to universities where it’s OK for male students to say that we don’t want to interact with you?” Grayson said.
Here we go again: high-paid bureaucrats busying themselves by trying to comply with ridiculous demands that, in the end, nobody actually wants to see enforced.
An apple for this smart teacher.A public charter school in Texas is being investigated for pushing religion onto students as if it were a private Christian school.
According to a letter from Freedom From Religion Foundation Attorney Sam Grover to Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath, Advantage Academy is out of control when it comes to preaching faith.
It all stems from the school’s founder, Allen Beck, a Christian evangelist who says in the video above that he began Advantage Academy to “bring Christianity and the bible ‘back’ into public schools.”
Beck continually flaunts how he has deceived the state and the Texas Education Agency for years by claiming that Advantage Academy is not promoting Christianity… Beck also admits that Advantage Academy is teaching the bible to students, encouraging students to pray, and spreading misinformation about the foundations of American history based on the writings of widely discredited pseudo-historian David Barton. Additionally, Beck is adamant that Advantage Academy is “God’s school” and that he acquired the school by “attacking the educational system.” The main point of his sermon, Beck sums up, is that everyone, no matter their position within the public school system, needs to be incorporating religion into their work and evangelizing.
The issue isn’t that a Christian like Beck founded this school, only that he insists on running it as another church while getting all the tax benefits of being an ostensibly public school. Even in Texas, this should be unacceptable.
FFRF is asking for the school to get back into compliance with the law or have its charter revoked. Texas officials need to act on this immediately before more money and minds are wasted.Betalingsservice.
Ordet lyder formentlig velkendt hos de fleste voksne med en budgetkonto. Men derimod er automatiske korttræk knap så velkendt. Endnu.
Automatisk korttræk er et alternativ til Betalingsservice, hvor virksomheder trækker direkte fra dit betalingskort i stedet for din konto.
- Når du som forbruger opretter en aftale med automatisk korttræk, så tillader du virksomheden at trække et beløb fast og automatisk hver måned direkte fra dit betalingskort. Det kan for eksempel være mobilselskabet eller din optiker, siger Michael Kjær, salgschef i ePay, der samarbejder med virksomheder, der gerne vil tilbyde kunderne automatisk korttræk.
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Formålet ved de to produkter er altså det samme – at sørge for, at dine regninger bliver betalt til tiden, så du slipper for træls rykkergebyrer. Men prisen er derimod en anden.
Ved at trække direkte fra dit kort vil gebyret typisk koste to kroner per trækning, mens Betalingsservice tager 4,32 kroner per trækning.
- Vi ser en stor interesse for et alternativ til Betalingsservice, og det er helt klart prisen, der er det bærende i den interesse. Betalingsservice er et solidt produkt, men det er dyrt, og virksomhederne ønsker et billigere produkt. Det kan vi tilbyde med halvt så dyre gebyrer, siger Michael Kjær.Truthout readers like you made this story possible. Can you help sustain our work with a tax-deductible donation?
La Gloria corner store is packed with nearly 200 Mexican men, passports and checks in hand. They are temporary workers – blueberry pickers – on contract from Mexico, and today is payday. They’re here to wire money home, because, I am told, the local Wells Fargo won’t serve them.
That was last summer, in Whatcom County, Washington, the most northwestern county in the nation. La Gloria owner PetraApreza told me she’d never seen anything like it, at least not in Whatcom; the region’s berry farm owners have long relied on domestic migrant workers for labor – not guest workers bused in from Mexico.
And just south of Whatcom is the fertile Skagit County, where agricultural (H-2A) guest workers also arrived last year. However, the guests’ arrival in Skagit came after more than 300 domestic berry pickers struck at Sakuma Farms Inc., the region’s largest producer. Their grievances included wage theft, ethnic and racial harassment, the presence of private security guards, being forced to work while sick and poor living conditions. Thanks to the strikes, the workers won agreements with Sakuma that protected the workers from retaliation, gave them a say in how wages are calculated and abolished the use of security guards on the farm. But the fight did not end there.
Sakuma’s next move – to declared a labor shortage and bring in H-2A guest workers – revealed an effort to “shift the whole face of the workforce in Whatcom and Skagit County,” said Rosalinda Guillen, executive director of Community to Community, which works closely with the workerst.
The systemic abuse within the H-2A program, and its undermining of US labor has been well documented.
H-2A
Recently, the “unskilled” H-2A guest worker program – the progeny of the highly controversial bracero guest worker program (1942-64) – has ballooned from 16,011 workers nationally (1997) to 31,538 (2002) to 65,345 (2012), (not counting some Caribbean nationals); and 1,984 (2009) to 6,251 (2013) in Washington State. Dan Fazio, director of the Washington Farm Labor Association (WAFLA) attributes the expansion to the crackdown on undocumented work seen since 2001. The militarized boarder and programs like E-Verify have made it harder to employ undocumented workers, increasing demand for guests. WAFLA is a guest worker middleman – in 2013 they were responsible for 46 of the 56 standard H-2A applications in the state.
Compared to working while undocumented, says Fazio,t he H-2A program gives workers “higher wages, better benefits, and best of all, the dignity of legal presence.” And some farm workers agree. Emiliano Garcia, 65, who in his youth jumped the border annually to work in the fields of Texas and California, tells me that contracted work, during his time, was preferable to taking the risks that came with illegal border crossings and working while undocumented. But that’s not saying much.
The recent expansion of the guest worker program, Fazio tells Truthout, is taking place “in spite of, not because of, the government.” In Washington, some of this expansion has come from farm-owner-to-farm-owner cooperation. Through WAFLA, growers can provide workers with consecutive contracts, (workers can stay in the country for as long as three years, but no longer than 10 months at any one farm).
And the federal government’s refusal to pass immigration reform and the accompanying expansions for guest worker programs – requested by large-scale employers – has only encouraged these non-federal tactics.
The conservative powerhouse that is the Cato Institute, highlighted the concept of state-based visas and state-based guest worker programs in a recent executive summary titled “State-Based Visas: A Federalist Approach to Reforming U.S. Immigration Policy.” The summary argues, “A federalist approach to immigration is preferable to one entirely dominated by the federal government.” As Cato points out: State-based visas have been proposed in California and elsewhere, and Utah passed a state-based guest worker program in 2011 – though it still awaits a federal waiver. And there are precedents: Canada and Australia sport provincial and regional visa programs.
These state-based approaches require federal approval. However, those wanting to expand guest worker programs are getting impatient, as are a broader swath of immigration reformers.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures,184 state-level immigration-related laws were passed in 2013, up from 156 in 2012. And all but five states passed an immigration-related law or resolution in 2013.
Attempts at a state-based approach to immigration can take on ghastly forms: Consider Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070, which tried to criminalize undocumented life. In the hands of the guest worker industry and xenophobes frustrated with the federal government’s “stasis” on immigration, “federalism” could be a sharp and very damaging weapon.
However, with the support of century-old law – the Civil Rights Act of 1870 – a growing push from the left is also taking to the states and local governments.
State and local governments are increasingly granting in-state tuition for noncitizens; authorizing drivers licenses and municipal IDs for the undocumented; offering free legal counsel to immigrant detainees; allowing noncitizens to practice law and to vote; and opting out of discriminatory federal initiatives that target noncitizens, like ICE’s “Secure Communities.” Says Emily Tucker, attorney for the Center for Popular Democracy, a group proposing the concept of state-based citizenship in New York, which would empower the state to loosen, but never to tighten, federal citizenship requirements [note: thanks to the 14th Amendment, states have NO power to restrict citizenship, but Tucker et al. argue that states might have the power to expand on federal citizenship, raising the floor (this specific argument has not been tested in the courts, and it might merely be a symbolic gesture as it has already been found, legally, that noncitizens can be afforded benefits of citizenship, like the vote, so making them state-based citizens might not actually have much impact): "Localities are realizing that they actually do have a lot of power to change what the day-to-day experience is of an immigrant.”
So what is – legally – the difference between sub-federal laws that increase protections for noncitizens and those that discriminate?
It depends on whether federal law is defined as a floor that states and local governments canraise, or if it is a ceiling that cannot be moved. And if federal law is a floor, the question then centers on the difference between lowering and raising the floor. As federal law does provide protections against discrimination, furthering the intent of that law – i.e. imposing greater protections – would be considered a raise of the floor, while passing discriminatory state/local laws contrary to that intent – i.e. a lowering the floor.
This debate was brought to the fore in the Supreme Court’s Arizona v. United States (2012) ruling, which struck down portions of Arizona’s infamous law. The sections struck down were those that made it a crime for the undocumented to work, made it a crime to be undocumented and not registered as such, and permitted police to arrest persons they had probable cause to think committed a "public offence” that would justify deportation, without a warrant. The court did not strike down the section that requires police to ask for immigration papers from people stopped for unrelated reasons. But rather than articulate how Arizona had lowered the federal floor of discrimination protections, the court remained silent on the floor issue and discrimination. Instead, the court rested its decision and authority on SB 1070’s potential impact on foreign relations (a federal matter) and the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
Writes Lucas Guttentag, founder and former director of the ACLU Immigrant Rights Project: "The court read federal law as erecting a de facto federal ceiling on immigration enforcement that state laws cannot exceed.”
As Guttentag argues in his paper "The Forgotten Equality Norm in Immigration Preemption: Discrimination, Harassment, and the Civil Rights Act of 1870,” the Arizona decision overlooked the key Civil Rights Act of 1870, which defines federal immigration law as a floor – that local and state governments can build on. The 1870 Act expanded equal protection for all citizens (freed slaves) to all persons (noncitizens) – in direct response to state-based discrimination against Chinese and other immigrants at the time.
The 1870 Act provides a foundation for the immigration floor/ceiling debate.
Thanks to the Act of 1870, part of that "intent” includes protections against discrimination.
And beyond this contribution to the definition of federal "intent,” writes Guttentag, the 1870 Act "helps to distinguish between two types of contemporary subfederal immigration measures;” those that degrade federal protections for noncitizens, and those that complement or bolster them.
A federalist approach to immigration provides space for sub-federal governments to participate. But that space is conditional – floors cannot be lowered, only raised. The 1870 Act helps define that role for sub-federal immigration policies by adding "a grounds for preempting laws that cause discrimination and for validating measures that promote integration and protection,” writes Guttentag (my emphasis).
But in Skagit and Whatcom, the debate is less abstract. Beating back the expansion of guest worker programs is at the fore. This year, workers won round two, defeating Sakuma’s 2014 H-2A application by proving – through written testimony – their willingness to work.
According to the Washington State Employment Security Department, other than the 438 guest workers requested by Sakuma, two other H-2A applications totaling 26 workers were also submitted in Skagit in 2014. None were requested in Whatcom.
Washington berry pickers are not alone in challenging the exploitation of farm labor. The Florida-based Coalition of Immokalee Workers is famous for the change they’ve driven into corporate buying standards – to improve the lot of both domestic and guest workers. There, after years of community-based organizing, workers shifted their focus from growers to the corporate buyers that CIW attorney Steve Hitov tells Truthout, "set the terms of the market.” This is in line with what guest worker labor organizer Saket Soni said during a June 2014 lecture at Stony Brook University: "We need to bargain with the people who are really controlling the economy, not just the people who are signing checks.” And despite the odds in North Carolina, thousands of guest workers have been unionized.
Says Guillen,”In the agricultural industry and in the food system, I believe, organizing strategies should be based regionally.” Corporate buyers don’t control the Whatcom and Skagit berry market as they do Florida’s tomato industry. Håagen-Dazs, which has been pressured to drop Sakuma’s account, accounts for a fraction of Sakuma’s sales only. For now, in Skagit and Whatcom, "the pressure is on the [check-signing] employer... because that’s where the authority is,” Guillen told Truthout.
The workers and their local allies are demanding a union contract. But it’s not coming easily, as many members of Familias Unidas por la Justicia, Guillen tells me, have not been hired. The fight continues.
And whether the feds act or not, immigrant and worker-friendly locals like Familias Unidas will remain in the crosshairs of federal and nonfederal forces. And those working locally from the left appear to rest on sturdier legal ground than their counterparts; raising the floor of protections for noncitizens is supported by established legal precedent, while measures like AZ 1070 have been proven unconstitutional and state-based guest worker expansion dependent on federal approval.
Of raising the federal “floor,” Tucker says, “I think it’s really important for localities and states that have strong immigrant populations to think about the fact that they have the power to impact people’s daily lives.”The bassist left the band to become an actor back in 2010
Former Interpol bassist Carlos D has revealed why he left the band, claiming that had ‘had enough of this fucking rock star bullshit’.
Dengler parted ways with the NYC band after the completion but before the release of their self-titled fourth album in 2010, before pursuing a career as an actor.
He’d said feeling ‘bored while watching Coldplay‘ was when he had his realisation to leave the group, but now has given a lengthy, hour-long discussion about his final years with the band and his life since. Listen to the full interview below.
Read more: Carlos Dengler’s Best Quotes – The Acid Wit Of The Interpol Exile
“I was experiencing so much pain being in the band, being in the music industry,” he told Talk Music Talk. “I have to admit that I couldn’t help but to feel that the band was constraining a creative impulse. It wasn’t for lack of actually trying to make it work; it was still three tortuous years of trying to… I got sober and I said, ‘Okay, enough of this fucking rock star shit. Who am I really?’”
Frontman Paul Bank also said Dengler was ‘an asshole’ but ‘a genius’. Dengler later made his musical comeback during when he made an appearance playing bass on Late Night With Seth Myers.
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Interpol are said to be working on the follow-up to 2014’s ‘El Pintor’, while Banks is touring his collaborative album with Wu Tang’s RZA – ‘Anything But Words’ by Banks & Steelz.
https://link.brightcove.com/services/player/?bctid=3420950259001Dec/Jan 2015 Invitation to a Beheading James Camp
Severed: A History of Heads Lost and Heads Found by Frances Larson Liveright $27.95 List Price For more info visit:
Amazon • IndieBound • Barnes & Noble
Humans are easy to decapitate: Our large heads rest on little necks. Most mammals have thick muscles joining the shoulders with the base of the skull; ours are so slender that our spines show through the skin. It is the price tag of standing upright, of casting off the hominid hunch. “Heads,” writes Frances Larson in Severed, are “tempting to remove.” Above the shoulders, our anatomy resembles a teed-up golf ball.
Larson, an English anthropologist, thinks that before turning to the mind-body problem, we might consider the head-neck situation. She wrote the book, a survey of our “traditions of decapitation,” because she believes dead heads can tell us things about our souls: “What can we learn about our common humanity from this, the ultimate image of inhumanity?” The answers she provides to this question are fascinating and unexpected (as well as grisly and paradoxical). Beheading isn’t barbaric, if by that we mean archaic. On the contrary, it is modern, the dark side of the belief that “we are our brains.” Historically, it is the people who wanted to prove something, not those who wanted to hurt somebody, who have cut off the most heads. Science “excused a multitude of sins,” Larson writes, “particularly when the ‘subjects of study’ were impoverished, imprisoned or deemed to be primitive.” She distinguishes between “those people who are labeled” and “those who label people.” The labelers get away with murder (literally). In her story, curiosity opens the door to monsters.
Of course, Larson is curious too, and curious about her curiosity. She knows it’s nasty but assumes
…The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra hopes a new Anzac Centenary Coin Collection will act as a tangible tribute to those who have served and sacrificed for Australia in all its conflicts.
The coins will be released at intervals throughout the centenary period of World War I, marking significant events and dates from Australia's military history.
The first coin struck in the series is triangular in shape and features a sun setting over the rolling hills of the Western Front, with a poppy in the foreground.
It is the second triangular coin in the Mint's history. The institution released a similar coin in 2013 to mark the 25th anniversary of the opening of the new Australian Parliament House in Canberra.
Only 10,000 Lest We Forget coins will be available from the Mint and they are expected to be quickly snapped up by collectors.
The collectable coin has a face value of $5 and retails for $85.
Mint chief executive Ross MacDiarmid says like other national institutions, the Mint is responsible for sharing the stories of Australia's past.
"Coins are not just money... they are keepsakes and mementos," he said.
"By releasing a series of coins over the next five years, we will contribute to telling the stories of the events that help to define a nation.
"It's a role the Mint is incredibly proud to play and one that we do with dignity and a deep sense of respect."
Mr MacDiarmid says coins have long-played a role in the Anzac tradition.
"In World War I they started the game of two-up and that's been a tradition that's been part of the Anzac Day program ever since then," he said.
"Coins have always played a role and there are lots of stories from the Anzacs that relate to coins as well."
Retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston says it is important Australians have physical reminders of Anzac history.
"People really appreciate something tangible that they can use to remember the service and sacrifice of several generations of Australian servicemen," he said.
The collectable coins are in addition to the $1 Anzac Centenary coin released into circulation earlier this year.As the United States and Britain prepare to send advisors to support the Ukrainian military, Canada seriously considers doing the same. But many Canadian lawmakers are leery of becoming further involved in a conflict half-way around the world.
Canadian Defense Minister Jason Kenney announced on Wednesday that Prime Minister Harper’s administration is seriously considering taking part in US-led training missions in Ukraine. Kenney said Canadian efforts would focus primarily on battlefield medical training.
“That’s the kind of technical training that we can offer,” he said, according to the Canadian Press. “We are in discussions and looking at options, and we’re open to – as I’ve been saying for two weeks now – open to participating in training missions.”
He did not rule out the possibility of Canadian advisors also taking part in combat training.
© AP Photo / Jacques Brinon Minister Jason Kenney in 2010
Canada has already provided Ukrainian soldiers with two shipments of non-lethal military gear. They have also provided satellite images which track pro-independence militias’ movement in the east of the country. Any action beyond that must first be approved by the House of Commons.
“If we are going to work towards anything different than what we’re doing now, which is non-kinetic flak jackets…we could send night vision goggles. That’s been agreed to and we’re on board with that,” Kenney said. “Anything beyond that requires two things. One, concerted NATO action. Two, a decision by the Parliament of Canada.”
Kenney insists that the proposal would only be an extension of Canadian NATO commitments.
“We’ll be doing more later this year in NATO exercises, all of which is designed to send a message to Russia that Canada, together with our NATO allies, stands with our eastern European friends against any intimidation or territorial aggression on the part of Vladimir Putin,” he said.
© AP Photo / Czarek Sokolowski Warsaw May Send Military Instructor Mission to Ukraine
Russia, of course, categorically denies its involvement in the conflict.
Still, many express concerns with escalating Canadian involvement in the conflict.
“Unless there’s a prospect for years of war, and I don’t think there is, it’s already very late in the game to be reinforcing Kiev’s ragtag forces,” former Canadian ambassador to Russia. Chris Westdal, told CBC News.
Lawmakers may also be hesitant to send advisors after an incident last month, in which Canadian military advisors fired back at self-proclaimed Islamic State militants in northern Iraq.
“I asked the prime minister straight up in September whether this was a combat mission, whether Canadian troops would be involved in combat. I got a categorical answer, and the answer was no,” New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair told reporters, accusing Harper of misleading Parliament about his administration’s intentions.
© AP Photo / Mark Lennihan US Lethal Assistance to Ukraine to Evoke Negative Reaction - Official
If a similar incident occurred in Ukraine, it could escalate tensions and draw Canada into the conflict even further.
Leader of the Liberal opposition, Justin Trudeau, also wants more details about the government’s plan before signing off on training missions.
On Wednesday, the British government announced it would send 75 military advisors to Ukraine next month. This follows a decision by the US to send 800 troops to train soldiers in western Ukraine.Act I: Other Characters
– The owner of Equus Oils. Joseph has gray hair and wears glasses, and is blind, or so Lula says. He created the XANADU software with Lula and Donald, and has also adapted two of Lem’s plays for. According to the Rust Archives, he owns a 1974 VAM Station Wagon (Mexico City) and created a kinetic sculptural art piece (Elizabethtown) in 1968. Created the game "If I Had My Way, I’d Tear the Building Down" shown in the (text) museum near the Márquez farmhouse. Has a niece who works at the hospital. Named after the computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum ('Weizenbaum' is German for 'wheat tree') who created ELIZA (named after the play's Eliza Doolittle), a computer program that took on the persona of a psychotherapist (like the "Psychotherapist" game found on Joseph's computer); this program had a large influence on the development of text-adventures.– The Bedquilt Ramblers; the basement people and Museum visitors; main (player) characters in "Limits and Demonstrations." They have been seen playing a game underground in the start of the first act, and seen singing songs throughout—according to the developers, they are "like a chorus in Greek or Elizabethan theatre" or "kind of like the choir in a play – they kind of suggest to the audience how to feel, sometimes."– Friend of Joseph’s from College and friend of Lula’s. Walks around with a pair of antlers slung over his shoulder. Carrington is initially looking for an outdoor venue to perform his play, an experimental adaptation of Robert Frost's "The Death of the Hired Man," and is also director of the play in "The Entertainment." References many plays in his conversation with Shannon at the Self Storage in Act III:, andshould– Shannon's cousin. Mysterious. Likes reading. Has a residence at 100 Macondo Lane (a reference to Gabriel García Márquez's novel), a house in front of a barn at the base of the mountain. Weaver left her family after learning of their massive debt. Used to be an intern at the Bureau of Reclaimed Spaces, and previously worked at WEVP, but left on "kind of weird terms." At WEVP, Weaver handled the archives, and had a "head for signals," according to Dashiell. A gifted mathematician; she also speaks Spanish often performed translation work in the past. She was also one of Donald's research assistants in the XANADU project and studied mathematics in University. Presumably the mathematician inventor of The Formula, used at the Strangers' whiskey factory. In Act I, she asks Conway, "Which of your parents was it who wouldn't allow you to watch television?", a nearly-direct quote from Peter Shaffer's play. Weaver is named after scientist and mathematician Warren Weaver and author Gabriel García Márquez.there– A college friend of Joseph and Donald, all of whom were involved in a complicated love polygon. Lula helped to build XANADU, but grew apart from the two after living in Mexico for three years without contacting them. Her installation-based artwork is featured in a museum shown in "Limits and Demonstrations." She is the set designer forand a senior Clerk at the Bureau. Used to own a dog. Lula was born in Elizabethtown but frequented, and loved, Mexico City. She is based on or a reference to William Chamberlain, the author of "The Policeman's Beard is Half Constructed," the first book written by a computer and quoted by one of the pieces in "Limits & Demonstrations."– Antique shop owner. Ira's widow. Conway's employer and former schoolmate. Likely has Alzheimer's, or is losing her memory. Has a sister in Nashville. Originally sang– Lysette’s deceased husband. Owned a roofing company. Described as wiry, irritable.– Miners working in Elkhorn Mine along with Weaver’s parents, who were archivists. Presumably died in the flooding of the mine.– Shannon's aunt who lives in Knoxville. From Colombia. Married to J. Márquez. Weaver's parents; worked at the University, then later in Elkhorn Mine. At some, she point traveled to Colombia. Her name (just like her cousin Weaver's address) is one of many references toin which two characters are named Remedios.Square Enix Announces 15 I Am Setsuna Facts
By Jenni. June 3, 2016. 8:30am
Today on the PlayStation Blog, Square Enix’s Kaori Takasue, a Social Marketing Manager, revealed a list of I am Setsuna facts created by Dan Seto, the Community Manager, and her. The hope is that people will learn something they didn’t know before about the Tokyo RPG Factory and Square Enix RPG, before heading out on an adventure to sacrifice Setsuna to protect her home from fiends.
Here’s the full list Takasue and Seto has compiled. It explains the reason for the title and character names, decisions made during development, and even offers a hint for dealing with overwhelming battles.
I am Setsuna is known as “Ikenie To Yuki No Setsuna” in Japan. In Japanese Ikenie means sacrifice, Yuki means snow and Setsuna means sorrow. The team felt that the word “Setsunai” feeling sorrow was a very heartfelt term in Japan, and it is one of the key themes of the game but obviously that word doesn’t have any meaning outside of Japan so the name of the game in the west was changed to I am Setsuna because of the character Setsuna’s role in the story. The word “Setsuna” also means “a moment in time” in Japanese. This ties into the momentum system in the game where you gain SP (Setsuna Points) by letting the momentum gauge fill once the ATB bar is full. SP points can be used to add various bonus effects to a character’s attacks and techs. The characters leave trails in the snow as they run which slowly fill up again over time, covering their tracks. You can try to write your name in the snow! The game development studio behind I am Setsuna is called Tokyo RPG Factory and their goal is to carefully create RPG’s of yesteryear, merging the nostalgic elements from the 90’s with today’s technology. When hiring staff for Tokyo RPG Factory, applicants were not told that the studio was part of Square Enix. Yosuke Matsuda (CEO of Square Enix) wanted to hire people who were passionate about RPGs, rather than people who wanted to work for Square Enix. Tokyo RPG Factory is a micro studio of ten dedicated staff. A further 20 freelance staff make up the rest of the studio so it’s a small team like how games were created back in the day! Coincidentally, the director of I Am Setsuna (Atsushi Hashimoto) previously worked at Racjin and worked with Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi on a RPG called ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat. Atsushi Hashimoto stated in an interview that he wants people to reflect back on the game and remember the game as “An RPG of Snow”. He really wants to create a game that people can reflect back on that is impactful. Remembering the PlayStation and Super Nintendo era, the team crafted I am Setsuna by bringing rich story, music, simple turn based controls and gameplay mechanisms that include dungeon crawling, shopping in the cities and carefully upgrading your party, I am Setsuna allows those who grew up loving these elements to enjoy what they loved. This is a game that will strike deep emotion. The concept of I am Setsuna was written in September 2014, development began the following month and, by August 2015, an alpha version (in Japanese) was complete. In the story, the main character Endir protects Setsuna as she journeys through the environments of snow and ice. There are also other characters that Setsuna will travel with and their names are Keel, Kuon, Yomi and Julion. The character design was done by toi8 — the team knew they wanted this character designer from the get go. Not only is he known by the current generation, his art style matches up nicely reflecting a melancholy spirit and heroic defeat that is visually striking. Previously he has worked on popular anime series Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Attack on Titan. The original soundtrack for the game features 2 discs, packed with over 70 tracks that solely utilizes the piano. The music was created by Tomoki Miyoshi who had his debut project on Soul Calibur V when he was 16 years old (he is now 22)! The melodies are soft and reminiscent of a yearning for calmness except during battle. The soundtrack includes the piano performance by Randy Kerber, who has worked as a studio keyboardist on many Hollywood films including Forrest Gump and Titanic. Unless you have an item in the game called Mistone, you cannot escape from battles.
I am Setsuna will come to the PlayStation 4 and Windows PCs on July 19.Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga) greets supporters after being selected as the number eleven overall pick to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Thunder in the news: What to do in the offseason
Thunder in the news: What to do in the offseason by Matthew Hallett
Views from OKC is a public diary from an OKC Thunder fan. Today we address last night’s lottery and the teams who might be willing to trade their pick.
One thing I’ve learned in my ten years following Sam Presti is to never underestimate the man behind the thin-wired glasses and pristine haircut. The upcoming NBA draft will be no different.
Last year the Thunder entered with 0 draft picks yet left with a lottery pick. Even with Domantas Sabonis‘ mediocre numbers this season, the 11th pick in 2016 still looked more prepared and better suited than a few of the players picked before him.
Fast forward to this season and fortunes have changed in Oklahoma City. The need to add proven talent is a must for a team that wants to contend again – at the same time giving Presti a chance to draft in this loaded lottery may sound sweeter.
The Thunder have the 21st pick. Any trade up will assuredly include that pick as well as one of OKC’s best young talents: Steven Adams, Enes Kanter (the most likely choice) or Victor Oladipo. At the end of the day it depends just how high Presti would be willing/is able to make a deal.
Want your voice heard? Join the Thunderous Intentions team! Write for us!
Teams in the top seven
Philadelphia 76ers: Last night Joel Embiid said he thinks his Philly team will be ready to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers next season. Adding Josh Jackson or Jayson Tatum – two players who need time to develop – won’t help with that proclamation. At some point the 76ers need to add a proven piece and Oladipo would be a nice fit for this team.
1% chance
Phoenix Suns: The Suns are in an interesting dilemma. The top of the 2017 draft board is point guard and stretch forward heavy, two positions Phoenix have already heavily invested in. Instead of trading their actual pick to the Thunder, however, we could see Eric Bledsoe moving to OKC to free up the starting point guard spot for a De’Aaron Fox or Dennis Smith, Jr.
5% chance
Minnesota Timberwolves: Tom Thibodeau is ready to get back to the playoffs – the seventh pick in the draft won’t do that. But a deal centering around Oladipo would give Minnesota the defensive shooting guard they need while also putting Presti in range to draft my favorite fit for the Thunder: Johnathan Isaac.
15% chance
Teams in the bottom seven
New York Knicks: Can we ever rule out the Knicks from doing anything? Especially when the Thunder possess the perfect big man for Phil Jackson’s triangle offense: Enes Kanter. Although New York desperately needs to add a young talented piece to pair with Kristaps Porzingis, we can’t assume they will make the smart decision come draft night.
3% chance
Sacramento Kings: Like New York, you can never rule out the Kings from making a poor decision. And with the 5th pick in the draft they have the ability to move back with |
he says. Others disagree. “The word ‘indisputable’ would not apply to that paper,” says Steven Benner, an astrobiologist at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Alachua, Florida. Arguments have raged for decades over whether certain Australian rocks contain the oldest fossilized life on Earth (6). Given such disagreements about life on our own planet, Benner says, “You will not see any consensus emerging from any extrasolar planet experiment in our lifetime.”
Lopsided Life Instead, could the shape of molecules reveal alien life? Some molecules such as amino acids can arrange themselves in two mirror-image, or chiral, configurations. When amino acids are made in the laboratory, they form equal numbers of left- and right-handed versions. However, life uses left-handed amino acids exclusively. Why? Amino acids build enzymes and other proteins, which fold in a complicated way. This requires that the amino acids all be of the same handedness, otherwise the proteins could not fold properly, explains Jeffrey Bada, a geochemist at the University of California, San Diego. If an excess of chiral amino acids were found on another planet, that would indicate life, says Bada. Also, the left-handedness of Earth life may have been an accident, so extraterrestrial life may have chosen left- or right-handed amino acids. “My great hope would be to go to Mars and find right-handed amino acids in abundance,” says Bada. “That would mean not only that we had life but we had unique life because it couldn’t be related to Earth in any way.” Finding two independent origins of life in the same solar system would suggest that life is common elsewhere in the universe too, says Daniel Glavin, an astrobiologist at NASA Goddard. The drawback is that chirality would be extremely difficult to detect with a telescope unless the chiral compounds were abundant and exposed. Scientists would almost certainly need to send a lander, which restricts the search to our own solar system. Bada has developed an instrument called Urey to look for chiral molecules on Mars, but so far it has not been given the green light for launch—in part because the version that meets NASA’s requirements costs $75 million, which the agency has deemed too expensive, says Bada. Hands can be used to demonstrate how amino acid molecules are mirror images of each other, a phenomenon, known as chirality, that represents a key characteristic of Earthly life. Image courtesy of NASA.
Live to Eat In any case, looking for chirality or for particular gases may just be too parochial. Other worlds with different temperatures and pressures may hold a strange biochemical brew. Researchers have pondered the possibility of life based on silicon instead of carbon, or using liquids besides water as solvents—such as the methane/ethane mixtures that fill seas on Saturn’s moon Titan. “How do we detect life if we don’t know what to look for?” says Christoph Adami, a physicist who simulates evolving life at Michigan State University in East Lansing. “You really need to have some understanding of what makes life universal before you can be confident that you’re not going out there looking with a prejudice, like, ‘All life has to look like a lion,’ or, ‘All life needs amino acids,’” he says. Perhaps a more universal property is the need to eat. “All living systems metabolize,” says Benner. “Life is life because it captures resources that are not ‘it’ from the environment... and makes more of ‘it’ from these resources.” Metabolism creates vibrations, for example, from the opening or closing of ionic channels in a cell’s membrane. “Anything that is alive moves,” says Giovanni Longo, a physicist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Longo and his colleagues have developed a sensitive probe for these faint vibrations. Samples are placed on a diving board less than a millimeter long, and a laser reveals shifts in the board’s position of just a nanometer (7). Studying the frequency of these motions can distinguish life from nonlife. Nonliving things vibrate due to the thermal energy in their atoms, which should cause the diving board to shake at its resonant frequency, whereas life should vibrate at lower frequencies too. Single mammal and plant cells, groups of bacteria, and even the contortions of proteins have been detected with this method. Motion alone would probably not be enough to prove alien life, as noise could potentially create a life-like signature, says Longo, but this kind of sensor could “be used in parallel to identify any kind of energy-consuming system.” Longo’s goal is to use this system on an interplanetary probe, but Benner points out a practical snag. “The hazard is getting the living thing into the detection instrument without killing it,” he says. Sensing motion this way requires a fluid medium, and flushing, say, a Martian soil sample with liquid water might kill any organisms it contains. Unless, of course, a microscope or high-powered camera shows something that is clearly beetling around. “If it’s keeping its form and scurrying around, I think that we would conclude that it’s life,” says Carol Cleland, a philosopher who studies astrobiology at the University of Colorado Boulder.
We Are Data But perhaps there’s a better definition. That supposed letter “B” on Mars may have offered a hint at the right recipe for defining life after all. “Life is information that replicates,” Adami asserts. The information encoded in life gives it a particular signature, he says. Human languages, for example, each have their own alphabetical “fingerprint,” with certain letters and letter combinations used much more often than others. This, Adami says, is a sign that the letters are conveying information (8). Life on Earth also uses an uneven distribution of letters in a molecular alphabet: our 20 amino acids. Thousands of these molecules are theoretically possible, so nonliving chemistry should not favor a particular set of 20. Searching for similar patterns on alien worlds could reveal otherwise unrecognizable forms of life, he says. This could include creatures that do not use nucleic acids to transmit hereditary information, or that are not chemical-based at all. “Adami [is] describing excellent and elegant ways of showing that life’s information could be detected with an algorithm,” says Chris Impey, an astronomer at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “The weakness is that it requires a high level of measurement.” Adami agrees. “To be able to detect information, you have to reliably characterize what is not information,” he says. That means surveying an extraterrestrial environment well enough to understand its chemistry, so that the molecular alphabet of life can stand out against the nonliving background. This is not only beyond telescopic observation, it is probably beyond even an automated probe, says Impey. Bringing rock samples back to laboratories on Earth might be good enough, he says, “but Mars is the only place from which we can get the rocks back any time soon.”
Aliens on Earth Or maybe there is one other place we could look. Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University in Phoenix, suggests there could be life on Earth unrelated to the kind we know—a “shadow biosphere” that arose independently and has gone unnoticed because it cannot be grown in a culture or genetically sequenced. If, as many researchers argue, life should emerge readily on Earth-like planets, why wouldn’t it have started more than once on Earth? “It could be right under our noses—or in our noses,” says Davies. “It’s an interesting concept,” says Tanja Woyke, head of the Microbial Genomics Program at the Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, California. Although she is reluctant to comment on the likelihood of completely alien Earthlings, her research has shown that our DNA-based life is more diverse than previously thought (9). She found two new phyla of bacteria that use a different dialect in their genetic codes. Instead of reading certain sequences as commands to halt production of a protein, as other organisms do, these creatures interpret them as commands to make the amino acid glycine. Woyke’s team has also found another potential new phylum, Kryptonia, with substantial To be able to detect information, you have to reliably characterize what is not information. —Christoph Adami differences in a gene that appears spectacularly similar in all other known life. “It is reasonable to speculate that undiscovered and highly divergent branches of life may exist,” she wrote in Science in November (10). If so, maybe we will need information theory to recognize it.
Indefinite Definitions Cleland argues that even information theory is “too crude” a definition for extraterrestrial life, however. Any attempt at defining life, she says, is too limiting. “You only find what you’re looking for,” she says. “If you want to find alternative forms of life, you’re not going to find them with a definition.” Instead, she suggests using more tentative criteria that provide grounds for suspicion. “What you’re looking for is a system that—given your knowledge of abiotic chemistry and physics—doesn’t seem like it should be there,” Cleland says. That might include unexpected ratios of different atomic isotopes, she says, pointing out that on Earth, life uses more carbon-12 than carbon-13, a measurement that can be done with automated probes. “Life is lazy; it likes to haul around one less neutron,” says Cleland. According to Cleland, who coined the term “shadow biosphere,” we may already have an example of life as we do not know it here on Earth. Some canyon walls in deserts around the world are coated in a hard, dark glaze enriched in manganese and iron, even though the underlying rocks are not. The glaze evades a purely geological explanation, she argues, raising the possibility that it's a form of life or perhaps a byproduct thereof. These “desert varnish” coatings are more than a million years old, which leads some to argue that they could not be alive. “But why not?” asks Cleland. “Who’s to say that all life is based on our particular time frame?” We may never find alien life even if we look under every rock on Mars and analyze the air of a million exoplanets. In the end, perhaps the definition of life itself—alien or otherwise—will actually stem from our own efforts to create it. Already, there are various projects underway to create life from scratch here on Earth—part of the burgeoning field of synthetic biology (11). In the last several years, biologists have attempted to create exotic life-forms, using, for example, new nucleotides (12). “Research agendas are proceeding away from natural towards the unnatural,” says Benner. “I have a suspicion the first time you discover an alien life-form, it will be one that’s created in the laboratory.”Is a pill to banish phobias too good to be true? (Image: Jun Ahn/Barcroft Media)
Talking cures for phobias or addictions take ages to detrain your brain. What if a memory-boosting drug let you do it in a day?
IT’S happening again. My heart starts pounding and my pulse races. I can feel my face flush and my palms start to sweat. It is all I can do to prevent myself from breaking into a full-blown panic attack. And yet I’m not in any real danger. I’m just at the top of an escalator, making my way down to a London Underground rail platform, along with hundreds of other Londoners who don’t seem fazed in the slightest – but the sight of the drop below me is the stuff of my nightmares.
This scenario will sound familiar to the many other people with phobias. All it takes is a worrying thought or glimpse – whether of a steep drop or a spider’s web – for the mind and body to race into panicked overdrive. These fears are difficult to conquer, largely because the best way of getting over a phobia is to expose yourself to your fear many times over.
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But there may be a short cut. Drugs that work to boost learning may help someone with a phobia to “detrain their brain”, losing the fearful associations that fuel their panic. This approach is also showing promise for a host of other problems – from chemical and gambling addictions to obsessive nail-biting. In a bid to find out if it really …Cape Town - FC Twente midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo has announced his decision not to honour any future Bafana Bafana call-ups.
The 25-year was recently called up to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Cameroon.
However, he was not included in the match-day squad for the first-leg in Limbe and warmed the bench for the return leg in Durban at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
At the post match press conference Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba was left irritated when he was asked about his decision to leave Mokotjo out of such an important match.
Mashaba said that "players select themselves" and he wished that he could allow the media into training sessions and see how the players train.
Mokotjo took to his Instagram account detailing his reasons for turning his back on the national team.
"To all the die-hards of SA football, the people that spent their hard earned money to come and watch us, the supporters. I write this letter with a heavy heart. As you all know, I have for my entire and ongoing career devoted my life to the game of football - proudly representing the country at junior and senior national team levels," said Mokotjo.
"I have always supported the cause to improve our game in South Africa and ensure we do well in all competitions.
"I have gracefully honoured every call-up and always have given my best whenever presented with the chance to don the national team jersey.
"It is very unfortunate that current circumstances are not conducive to for me to break into the Bafana line-up and I respect the decisions of the technical team led by coach Shakes Mashaba.
"I hereby wish to notify you all that I will not honour the national team call-ups in the near future until circumstances change."
"I also wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my teammates - my fellow soldiers who have supported me throughout; trust me our paths will cross again.
"Thank you to my family, friends, members of the media, sponsors, coaches I've played under and all those that have backed me through these trying times. I'm optimistic that things will change and I will proudly wear the Bafana jersey again one day.
"I will continue working hard as a footballer and ensure that I improve my game so that I can one day be able to don the Bafana jersey with pride and represent the country in our quest to reclaim our number one position on the continent.
"Please respect the decision I have taken. It was not an easy one as I love my country with all of my heart. I will continue to be the number one fan of South African football for the rest of my life.
"Once again, endless gratitude to the South African Football Association for the opportunity and my fellow teammates for the times we've shared. It has been an honour and a dream come true representing my country."About
Jet Pack Cats started as a Idea i had while i was singing a nursery rhyme to myself while working and sang "the cow jumped over the moon" i thought to my self man he must of had a rocket pack but he's a cow he'll probably land on his side and die! but what if he was a cat!!.. in that moment the Idea for Jet Pack Cats had arrived!
These Posters are Screen printed on Black French Paper in white ink and are 11x17 with rounded corners for that extra touch of awesome
The Jet Pack Cat Shirts are - well they are awesome and They are Shirts! (Screen printed)
The "Peel Here" sign above the cats is just a personal touch i like to add to my sketches simply because stickers are the purest form of magic! (i mean i still put the banana sticker on my nose)
Why Kickstarter- well there is a ton of amazing cat and Jet Pack lovers, so i wanted to use this platform to get the Jet Pack Cat Poster and Shirts produced so everyone and anyone who would want to own them could get their rocket fuel covered paws on them!
You Have Pledged so now what? 1st and foremost THANK YOU! 2nd you will receive a survey at the end of the campaign if its successful, where you can enter your poster/shirt choices and Shirt Sizes as well as your address so i can send you your Amazing Jet Pack Cat goodies!
Note: International Backers I love you this is why i didn't want to charge you crazy amounts for shipping Fees! Sorry :(
Rewards:
Tier 1- Jet pack Kitty- your Choice of 1 Jet Pack Cat 11x17 Screen Print Poster!!!
Tier 2- Jet Pack Cat - Your Choice of 1 Jet Pack Cat T-Shirt
Tier 3 - JET PACK CATS - Both Jet Pack Cat Screen 11x17 Screen Print Posters
Tier 4- Jet Pack Super Cat- Your choice of 1 11x17 Screen Print Poster and 1 Jet Pack Cat T-shirt
Tier 5- Jet pack Super Cat Shirts Both Jet Pack Cat Shirts
Tier 6- Crazy Jet Pack Cat Lady/Man - EVERYTHING JET PACK CAT both 11x17 Screen Prints and both Tshirts463 diggs Lilithiel 2008-04-21 05:37:51
Love RAW fish everyday and WHISKEY to wash it down at lunch time. Then back to boring boring legal work as a underdog to some schmuck sacramento attorney who pays me shit wages.
457 diggs 2007-11-03 17:19:53
very talented.
455 diggs It's not fish 2008-04-29 09:43:20
For anyone who thinks sushi is gross because it's raw fish, rest assured: sushi is actually just vinegared rice usually topped with something that may or may not be raw fish (also known as sashimi). It could also be cooked fish, vegetables, or a number of other things. So raw fish may be gross, but sushi is tasty.
447 diggs Nathan 2007-11-03 22:49:39
Cool but i have 1 question...what is the 5th from the top meant to be?
447 diggs seether 2008-01-19 06:30:24
I have no clue what the 5th one is and I really don't want to know, either.
445 diggs Gassy Garry 2007-11-14 09:13:54
I LOVE SUSHI!!!
445 diggs Nathan 2007-11-04 00:33:48
Cool but i have 1 question...what is the 5th from the top meant to be?
443 diggs Kristen 2007-11-07 22:21:13
OH EM GEE!
sushi is soooo goood!
I like EVERY KIND!
espessialy the tuna shashimi one!
*licks lips*
I looove it =]
443 diggs 2007-11-19 17:21:02
girl hfedghbgdfbnhfdaassd rocks my sushi
441 diggs natalie 2007-11-02 17:29:58
sushi is so disguisting...i dont know how u crackheads eat it dang!
441 diggs Dean 2008-01-30 11:22:47
Very nice art with food. I love it.
437 diggs 2007-11-08 13:18:11
Um, what people are eating is sashimi, not sushi. Sushi in the literal sense is a rice or a rice-type product, probably literally "vegetable" in english. Sashimi is excellent, by the way. So is Saki.... yum.
435 diggs mangocathy ;]] 2007-11-02 18:36:58
THAT IS SO COOL!
i love that laptop one
:]]
433 diggs SayBlade 2007-11-02 17:35:11
I like sushi as long as they are vegetarian (no animals, fish or shellfish). Also, I gotta skip the wasabi. It's not just the heat, it's the taste in general, like horseradish times ten and I can't stomach the stuff.
Lovely art creations with colourful food!
433 diggs MoniandLex 2007-11-03 16:10:53
My friend hates sushi but we think it all looks cool
433 diggs SplendidBaker 2007-11-05 07:29:47
Too pretty to eat! Very creative and awesome!
433 diggs nica 2007-11-05 21:28:07
for those that say they don't like it, you should try making it yourself with veggies or cooked meat that you like. it's very different when you're putting in things that you actually know and like.
i can't imagine the time that goes into the ones that have pictures in the wraps! so cool! i'm guessing the 5th one down is a type of squash for the wrapper, sliced very thin.
431 diggs j 2008-01-19 14:59:58
loooooooooooooooooove sushi
431 diggs dude 2008-05-06 07:32:41
dude that looks good
429 diggs Get some real taste buds peopl 2007-11-03 19:47:48
sushi is probably one of the best things in the world you all should die :)
429 diggs Val 2007-11-05 14:22:14
The Pikachu one is adorable.
429 diggs ha;lfkj;sHDKJRHFIW 2007-11-19 17:20:20
i like chicken
429 diggs àðé 2007-12-07 13:15:54
àðé ìà àåääáú.
îä àôùø ìòùåú îãâéí?!
429 diggs Foodaholic 2008-04-08 18:28:33
That's talent! I can't even roll plain rice.
427 diggs 2007-11-03 22:38:46
screw you sushi haters, it's delicious.... mmmmm
427 diggs Gracie 2007-11-04 14:53:36
YUM!!!
AND pleasing to the eye!
427 diggs alicia 2007-11-06 16:57:31
wow it's....different...kool,but different.
427 diggs SuNsHiNe 2007-11-07 05:49:47
c00l :)
427 diggs Ben Everywhere 2007-11-09 05:31:01
Oh God, I'm such a genius. That's not sushi... that's Boshiwa Goslsti. You wouldn't know.. you can only get it 18 feet under the ground of Japan. It's expensive, and since you really don't know who I am, I'm going to take the liberty in saying I'm rich and can definitely afford it. Trust me... I know everything, and am more than willing to share that fact with everyone, all the time.
427 diggs Mislove 2007-11-09 14:00:48
This is really cool food art. or sushi art or shashimi... either way it's adorable!
427 diggs huli 2007-11-19 17:19:45
cool sushi love it
427 diggs seether 2008-01-19 06:33:20
ok, sushi has to be the most yucky thing in the world. Dudes, get some real food! I think the 5th is a dragon, figered that out! HAHAHAHAHA
425 diggs yep 2007-11-02 16:31:14
cool
425 diggs aliceee 2007-11-02 19:13:36
woww
that is really amazing :]]
425 diggs Hillary 2008-05-01 14:46:56
This is very very cool!
425 diggs Madeline 2008-05-01 16:50:14
Brilliant!
425 diggs foodmakesmehappy 2008-05-01 22:07:44
Haha the pikachu one is so cute!
425 diggs eve DeLong@verison.net 2008-05-16 15:26:42
If you had this pitcher you would say oh my josh!It is very funny.
423 diggs mangocathy ;]] 2007-11-02 18:37:07
THAT IS SO COOL!
i love that laptop one
:]]
423 diggs Oceanwatcher 2007-11-07 05:41:10
SayBlade: most of the wasabi sold today is just horseraddish. The real thing is too hard to grow and way too expensive :-)
BTW - Sushi has nothing to do with raw fish. Sushi refers to the rice. You can use raw fish, cooked fish, meat, vegetables, pretty much anything that comes to mind and you think taste good together with the rice. The rice is seasoned with a ricewine vinegar mixed with sugar and a pinch of salt. You could add a couple of more things, but those are the basics.
So for those that think sushi is not good, I have to ask: What kind of sushi?
I think the sushi in these pictures look real cool, but can be a bit hard to eat with chopsticks - way too big. But they are nice as a show-off for the sushi chef. Personally, I am more impressed with well done bite sized sushi. Di you ever watch the technique these chefs have while making it?
423 diggs 2007-11-08 12:47:44
Um, what people are eating is sashimi, not sushi. Sushi in the literal sense is a rice or a rice-type product, probably literally "vegetable" in english. Sashimi is excellent, by the way. So is Saki.... yum.
423 diggs popstar 2007-11-29 16:24:58
I love sushi.My favorite is the octipus tenticals!
423 diggs Shari 2008-05-01 17:48:08
To all these people who are trying to convince others that sushi isn't raw fish, you have a point, but not a completely valid one. There are many kinds of sushi and some use egg, vegetables, and even in relatively rare cases, meat (though even more rarely cooked meat), most varieties of sushi are about the raw fish topping the (seasoned) rice. Not everyone can get excited about eating cold rice mixed with vinegar, salt, etc. topped with whatever. Seriously, how exciting is that?
I don't hate sushi, but I don't love it. From a culinary viewpoint, it's just not all that interesting. It's something Japanese people like because they prefer subtle flavors and elegant preparation. Sometimes I think all the sushi fanatics are just trying too hard to be hip.
421 diggs brandi 2007-11-02 16:07:58
wow i love sushi.......those dragon rolls look pretty nice..
419 diggs Lluvy 2007-11-03 23:12:33
I had the same question as Nathan... is that like... cucumber or banana or something? I honestly couldn't figure out its wrapping..
413 diggs mo 2007-11-02 19:42:31
I hate sushi sorry, it all looks disgusting.
411 diggs lalaine 2008-05-17 01:11:15
food and cooking have always been a form of art...this just proves it!
391 diggs butterfly 2008-04-03 19:26:01
wawwwww very very sexy delishhhhhh
i heve suprise for you...if y onlz t seriosly...
wawww i love it to see th... beatifull hotels but im also intrested to show you drime artstik...paintings piktures...if you are intrested to worck with me so...im in the moment in macedonija ex jugoslav repablik but i can send everzwere in the world everz month 21 paintings... i hope zou will ench too...see ya
ok i have 130 new apstrakt paintings for sale i dont have mony i can give 40% for the buisness persone ho can be able to sale mz worck sorz a baut my english i tock verz nice mesinger is perfeckt opsion mesinger fluturaagai.live.com my mai fluturaa@hotmail.com thencks...
389 diggs 2009-06-09 09:36:32
yum
387 diggs Sacrosanct 2008-05-14 22:28:49
These pictures reflect the skillful art of making sushi. It is surely an acquired taste and not always prepared with raw fish (a misnomer associated thereof)
Arguably one of the best contribution from the Japanese to the world of culinary delights. It seems quite apparent that some of the crass comments stated above are from persons who are uninformed about Japanese culture and in particular sushi.
387 diggs JUST GIVE ME A PIZZA NO LITTLE 2008-09-13 13:20:00
The art is cute but they could have picked a better medium SUSHI SUCKS!!!
387 diggs MMMMMMMMM Sushi 2008-12-01 19:46:45
I like the computer because I like computers and it must be hard making it, I also like the bunny and flower
385 diggs zawhtwe 2008-05-22 14:59:51
That's great. I love that kind of photos.I never seen it in my life.
385 diggs 2009-01-09 09:02:07
I LOVE SUCHI!:)
379 diggs chefyD 2008-12-13 21:24:53
To all "Armchair" sushi know-it-alls..the word sushi is a compound word "su" means VINEGAR, and "shi" means SKILL of HAND. (I am not Japanese, nor a know-it- all) LoL
379 diggs 2008-12-18 14:55:26
i don't care
377 diggs Niall Harbison 2008-04-17 09:18:31
Hi there,
I just stumbled accross your blog by using stumbleupon and love the design of the whole thing! I normally skip straight past food blogs as I have over 20 in my RSS and dont even have enough time to read the ones that I have! I am started out as a blogger myself and always tried to keep the design simple like yours as I think it is crucial, especially if you can back it up with some nice food pics like yours! Keep up the good work and if you feel like sharing some of the photos with other foodies pop over to www.ifoods.tv which is my new site for foodies! Cheers!
375 diggs :) 2008-12-18 17:24:49
what is the fifth one from the top supposed to look like
375 diggs Dave 2009-08-17 19:57:52
HATE SUSHI!!!
NO flavor what so ever!
373 diggs 2008-11-02 01:05:00
amazing!!!
371 diggs MMMMMMMMM Sushi 2008-12-01 19:50:05
The sushi looks so cool
369 diggs www.youlinchng.com 2008-10-27 18:10:43
COOL! "KAWAI"! INNOVATIVE!! ESPECIALLY LIKE THE LAPTOP SUSHI..:))
367 diggs M 2008-10-09 00:51:38
SUSHI IS SO YUMMY. IT LOOKS REALLY CUTE!
365 diggs Rhaav 2008-11-06 17:25:23
Where is the Canadian flag? Or don't you recognize Canada.
365 diggs MMMMMMMMM Sushi 2008-12-01 19:51:44
Im bot a big fan of sushi, I kind of like sushi raw fish C(:
365 diggs 2009-08-06 13:08:00
...wow...
363 diggs SUSHI RULZ 2008-11-23 16:23:31
weirdo, sushi is awesome, everyone likes sushi
363 diggs MMMMMMMMM Sushi 2008-12-01 19:54:39
I like shushi it chins
363 diggs HELANE JAMES 2009-06-14 21:58:50
WOW SUPER CREATIVE!
YOU SHOUOLD MAKE ONE OF MY FACE
THATS WOULD BE HOT
361 diggs kiki 2008-12-20 09:33:31
i h@te sushi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
357 diggs 2009-05-29 10:17:05
learn to spell sushi
353 diggs 2009-05-07 18:07:46
sishu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
345 diggs mccuistion 2009-06-29 07:55:29
yummy
345 diggs inty 2010-09-13 06:50:01
looking to have sushi party at 115 sw ash street.. portland oregon! stop by and try some and get some japanese crepes as well!
343 diggs sushilover13 2008-05-14 08:10:59
u all may love sushi but i am so luckey there is a sushi resraunt right next door to my appartment!!!!!!!!
I LOVE SUSHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
343 diggs Çý 2011-02-16 08:35:25
¿ÏÁ¯ ±è¹äó·³ »ý°å´Âµ¥...
341 diggs sara 2010-09-01 21:48:01
where as I hate fish ofcourse raw fish,I like just watch sushi!!!!!!
339 diggs maddy 2010-04-12 17:20:25
that was amazing!!!lol
339 diggs (: 2009-02-28 11:51:39
i love sushi!
339 diggs 2009-05-21 04:28:28
"Windows"! Yeah!
339 diggs McKenna 2009-07-18 17:22:30
This sushi is SOOOOO awesome and it looks SOOOO YUUMMYY!!!!!!!!!
337 diggs sushi sucks 2008-05-14 08:12:38
sushi is so gross!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE SUSHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
337 diggs matbar 2011-04-02 14:19:53
SUSHI IS SO YUMMY.............really i like toooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
335 diggs inty 2010-09-13 06:45:34
looking to have sushi party at 115 sw ash street.. portland oregon! stop by and try some and get some japanese crepes as well!
331 diggs inty 2010-09-13 06:44:08
i really like how the cucumber and sashimi is done...
impressive!
331 diggs Magoomike 2010-01-21 23:24:09
I wouldn't say sushi has NOTHING to do with raw fish. It has a little to do with it. It has more to do with raw fish than say, cotton candy.
325 diggs 2009-05-12 13:59:56
the computer one was funny
319 diggs 2011-03-04 17:05:22
like the pikachu and laptop sushi art
225 diggs YOYOMAH 2012-02-09 20:46:13
I love how "Ben Everywhere" came down off his cloud in richee land to come tell us commoners about something he made up cause he has no clue what it is either... Boshiwa Goslsti is completely made up unless Ben is the founder/inventor. Regardless of how "rich" you are if what you say is true there would be evidence of it somewhere in the world. But then again since you know "everything" and are so much more privileged than all of us, why dont u ACTUALLY say what it is other than some sensationalized story to make you feel important or like you have more than $20 in your wallet. Apparently according to Ben its some strange substance of unknown form or makeup that is being harvested exactly 18 feet underground in Japan. Yeah..... OK BUDDY.... And most likely Ben everywhere and Richard Branson sit down in the mornings and eat this delicacy while they blow each other being there the only two people rich enough to know about this, I mean yeah cause theres a picture of it above just taken in some standard restaurant... must be so hard to find ben!
225 diggs ole 2012-10-22 06:37:21
how much www.ccchinachic.com how much coupons on it!! how much free gifts u can get!!
181 diggs QUETECOMO.ES 2013-06-21 02:39:39
A range to be considered.
Regards from https://www.quetecomo.es/
179 diggs James 2013-12-10 04:06:58
http://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&site-redirect=&node=468642&tag=tabbooingcom-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325
85 diggs 2016-12-15 12:17:28
umaging
YUMMY Breakfast on the Train!!
Feeling hungry after waking up in the train!!Xpressrasoi presents Yummy and Hygienic breakfast in the train just order online at xpressrasoi.com #foodintrain #foodontrain #orderfoodintrain #onlinefoodorderintrain #j |
Marriott, also call Maryland home.
There will be an opportunity for a veto override vote when the General Assembly reconvenes in January, and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch should exercise this option.
As wide majorities of both legislative chambers already recognized with their "yes" votes on Senate Bill 190, this would promote fairness and a competitive landscape for hoteliers in Maryland, who support some 25,000 jobs in the state. It would also be an important step toward a modern and balanced tax code that is essential to a business-friendly atmosphere.
Arne Sorenson, Bethesda
The writer is president and CEO of Marriott International Inc.The five-day hearing will be presided over by Justices Chao Hick Tin, Chan Seng Oon and Woo Bih Li.
SINGAPORE: The appeals of six City Harvest Church (CHC) leaders sentenced to jail for misappropriating S$50 million of church funds will be heard over five days, from Sep 19 to Sep 23 this year.
Both the prosecution, which called the sentences "manifestly inadequate", and the six convicted filed their appeals last year.
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The six were convicted on Oct 21 last year, and sentenced on Nov 20 to between 21 months and eight years' jail, over charges of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts.
Senior pastor Kong Hee, the founder of the church, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for criminal breach of trust, while former board member Chew Eng Han was given a sentence of six years and senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, five years and six months.
Serina Wee, former finance manager for the church, was handed a five-year jail term, while John Lam, the former secretary of the church's management board, was sentenced to three years' jail. Former finance manager Sharon Tan received the lightest sentence of 21 months' jail.
The five-day hearing will be presided over by Justices Chao Hick Tin, Chan Seng Oon and Woo Bih Li.
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"SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CONVICTED": EX-BOARD MEMBER
Chew Eng Han, who is appealing both his conviction and 6-year sentence, told reporters after a pre-trial conference at the High Court on Friday (Mar 4) that the first three days of the appeal hearing will see the six aim to convince the High Court that they are not guilty of misappropriating S$50 million from the church.
The prosecution, who have launched an appeal to convince the High Court to increase their jail terms, is expected to make its submissions on the fourth day.
The fifth and last day will give the six an opportunity to reply to the prosecution's submissions, Chew said. He added: "I don't agree with the conviction. I shouldn't even have been convicted".Ed Murray is showing where the money lands in his priorities for Seattle as the mayor details his proposals for the city’s $4.8 billion 2015-2016 budget in a Monday afternoon presentation to the City Council.
“I believe the budget is where this City can show how government can be an incubator of change and support bold policy experimentation,” Murray said.
Murray said Seattle’s local economy is growing but growth in city services is not keeping pace.
The mayor also announced that some of his budget proposals are designed to replace services cut at the county and state level. The King County budget proposal was also released Monday.
Murray has already revealed details for some of his highest priorities in the new proposals:
Public safety : In response to a surge in street crime on Capitol Hill and in downtown, Murray announced his intention to put $3.3 million behind the hiring of more officers and the development of new tools and resources to improve policing in Seattle:
Mayor Murray’s 2015-16 budget for the Seattle Police Department will propose funding more civilian expertise, including a civilian Chief Operating Officer and a civilian Chief Information Officer for improved operations and systems management and innovation. The COO has been hired, and has already implemented CompStat, the crime and disorder data tracking and analysis method made famous by Commissioner William Bratton in New York City in the 1990s, where it was credited with reducing crime by 60 percent.
The mayor’s office says Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole is also “conducting a resource allocation study of position assignments within the department,” and available officers will be reassigned from “lower priority work” to “the high-priority work of patrol.”
: In response to a surge in street crime on Capitol Hill and in downtown, Murray announced his intention to put $3.3 million behind the hiring of more officers and the development of new tools and resources to improve policing in Seattle: The mayor’s office says is also “conducting a resource allocation study of position assignments within the department,” and available officers will be reassigned from “lower priority work” to “the high-priority work of patrol.” Homelessness and mental health : In the same announcement, Murray’s office pledged $2.75 million for human services, including $1.5 million for more homelessness services in Seattle including money to “backfill” the DESC of Seattle service centers budget, support Project 360 to aid homeless youth, and help fund the Urban Rest Stop hygiene center.
: In the same announcement, Murray’s office pledged $2.75 million for human services, including $1.5 million for more homelessness services in Seattle Minimum wage : As the new minimum wage takes effect and begins the climb to $15 in 2015, the mayor teamed with the City Council’s Nick Licata to announce plans to create a seven-person Office of Labor Standards to enforce the new rules and other Seattle workplace issues. The Office of Labor Standards would have a budget of $511,000 in 2015 and $660,000 in 2016. The director of the office will report to the mayor.
: As the new minimum wage takes effect and begins the climb to $15 in 2015, the mayor teamed with the City Council’s to announce plans to create a seven-person Office of Labor Standards to enforce the new rules and other Seattle workplace issues. The Office of Labor Standards would have a budget of $511,000 in 2015 and $660,000 in 2016. The director of the office will report to the mayor. Education and Early Learning: Murray plans to reorganize the city’s education and support programs into a new Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL). The new department would house 38 employees and manage a budget of $48.5 million, including $30 million each year from the voter-approved Families and Education Levy.
In Monday afternoon’s announcement, CHS is also on the lookout for planning around transit spending in light of the November ballot measure to support Metro schedules in Seattle with an increase in the sales tax, and specific Capitol Hill-related line items.
Affordability: Mayor Murray is committed to developing a coordinated set of strategies that address critical affordable housing needs in Seattle. Development of a Housing Affordability Agenda and planning for the 2016 Housing Levy renewal are closely linked. The proposed budget provides the Office of Housing with the funding needed to research new and expanded strategies to ensure Seattle has housing affordable to diverse household types across a range of income levels. In 2015 and 2016, $125,000 in funding will support the development of the Housing Affordability Agenda. In addition, in 2015 $185,000 will support planning for renewal of the 2016 Housing Levy.
Parks : In August 2014, the voters of Seattle approved a measure to create the Seattle Park District. Once fully implemented in 2016, the district will have resources of approximately $48 million per year, which will be used in partnership with the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) to fund recreational services, major maintenance of existing Parks assets and investments in new park facilities. This district will provide critical resources for maintaining existing facilities, enhancing services within the existing park network, and developing previously acquired properties. During 2015, the City will loan an initial $10 million to the district, helping provide a smooth “ramp up” of district-supported activities ahead of full implementation in 2016. The district will repay this amount over eight years, once tax collections start in 2016.
: In August 2014, the voters of Seattle approved a measure to create the Seattle Park District. Once fully implemented in 2016, the district will have resources of approximately $48 million per year, which will be used in partnership with the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) to fund recreational services, major maintenance of existing Parks assets and investments in new park facilities. This district will provide critical resources for maintaining existing facilities, enhancing services within the existing park network, and developing previously acquired properties. During 2015, the City will loan an initial $10 million to the district, helping provide a smooth “ramp up” of district-supported activities ahead of full implementation in 2016. The district will repay this amount over eight years, once tax collections start in 2016. Small business: Micro and small businesses provide job creation, innovation and wealth creation opportunities that are an important aspect of the economic vibrancy of Seattle. Supporting entrepreneurs in accessing the appropriate information, resources and training is critical to ensuring the success and growth of their enterprises. The proposed budget provides $210,000 of additional resources to increase the level of technical assistance, outreach and engagement, and financial services provided to small businesses. The proposed budget also increases support for the existing Only in Seattle (OIS) program in 2015 and 2016 to support neighborhood business district economic development efforts, with targeted focus on better serving ethnic, minority, and immigrant and refugee-owned small businesses. OIS promotes a safe and healthy business environment for business organizations and neighborhood business districts. Significant one-time and ongoing resources are added to OIS to expand the reach of the program and increase the number of grants made available.
Micro and small businesses provide job creation, innovation and wealth creation opportunities that are an important aspect of the economic vibrancy of Seattle. Supporting entrepreneurs in accessing the appropriate information, resources and training is critical to ensuring the success and growth of their enterprises. The proposed budget provides $210,000 of additional resources to increase the level of technical assistance, outreach and engagement, and financial services provided to small businesses. The proposed budget also increases support for the existing Only in Seattle (OIS) program in 2015 and 2016 to support neighborhood business district economic development efforts, with targeted focus on better serving ethnic, minority, and immigrant and refugee-owned small businesses. OIS promotes a safe and healthy business environment for business organizations and neighborhood business districts. Significant one-time and ongoing resources are added to OIS to expand the reach of the program and increase the number of grants made available. Central District : In conjunction with the proposed budget, the Mayor has proposed legislation to broaden the uses of the Central Area Equity Fund. The Central Area Equity Fund was created in 1995 to provide support to community development organizations to assist with the acquisition and development of real estate in the Central Area. Maintaining a commitment to the community and economic development purpose of the fund, the Mayor proposes to expand potential uses of the fund to include supporting several community-based projects and initiatives, all with the goal of celebrating the Central Area’s identity, culture and history, and enhancing the economic opportunities for its residents.
: In conjunction with the proposed budget, the Mayor has proposed legislation to broaden the uses of the Central Area Equity Fund. The Central Area Equity Fund was created in 1995 to provide support to community development organizations to assist with the acquisition and development of real estate in the Central Area. Maintaining a commitment to the community and economic development purpose of the fund, the Mayor proposes to expand potential uses of the fund to include supporting several community-based projects and initiatives, all with the goal of celebrating the Central Area’s identity, culture and history, and enhancing the economic opportunities for its residents. Libraries : We’re not exactly sure what it means — but something’s being cooked up for the Capitol Hill library: The Library will use REET funding in 2015 to restructure library spaces to address changes in how patrons use the Library. This includes projects in the Northeast, Capitol Hill, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle branches. As Library resources and programming evolve to meet customer interests, there are opportunities to use spaces in innovative ways that provide flexibility, expand learning opportunities and encourage interaction.
: We’re not exactly sure what it means — but something’s being cooked up for the Capitol Hill library: The Library will use REET funding in 2015 to restructure library spaces to address changes in how patrons use the Library. This includes projects in the Northeast, Capitol Hill, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle branches. As Library resources and programming evolve to meet customer interests, there are opportunities to use spaces in innovative ways that provide flexibility, expand learning opportunities and encourage interaction. Ecodistrict : $145,000 was cut from the 2014 budget for the Capitol Hill program. We’re checking with Capitol Hill Housing to find out if this was an unexpected change.
: $145,000 was cut from the 2014 budget for the Capitol Hill program. We’re checking with to find out if this was an unexpected change. P-Patches: Get $24 grand and half-employee bump to help provide more gardening space in the city.
The mayor’s proposal also includes some important transportation and transit line items — including a plan to expand bike sharing to the Central District in 2015:
Expand investments that make biking, riding transit, and walking easier alternatives to get around in Seattle, by including increased funding for sidewalks (see above), $800,000 for development of a Downtown Cycle Track Network, and $2.4 million for new bicycle greenways parallel to the 23rd Avenue Corridor.
. Launch a bike sharing program in the Central District neighborhood in 2015.
Improve the 23rd Avenue corridor, which is a major north-south thoroughfare connecting the Rainier Valley and Central Area to the University of Washington.
, which is a major north-south thoroughfare connecting the Rainier Valley and Central Area to the University of Washington. Activate streets and right-of-way areas so people can walk, bike, shop, and explore their community in a new way by increasing funding for the Summer Streets program and supporting new concepts for plazas and parklets.
The proposed budget doubles annual funding for the Neighborhood Street fund, from $1 million to $2 million. These resources, which are allocated through a process that is driven by neighborhood priorities, will support investments that improve safety and mobility in neighborhoods across the city. The Streetcar budget section manages some excellent civic gymnastics when it comes to the question of when the line will begin serving Broadway: “the First Hill line is expected to begin operations in winter 2014/2015,” the proposal reads. The Murray proposal would spend more than $9 million to run Seattle’s two streetcar lines in 2015 up from $5.7 million in 2014: The Seattle Streetcar consists of two lines – the South Lake Union line and the First Hill line. The City of Seattle contracts with King County Metro to operate the streetcars. Pursuant to interlocal agreements, King County contributes a set amount of the operating costs for the South Lake Union line and Sound Transit contributes a set amount for the First Hill line. The City pays the remaining costs to operate the streetcars. The City’s share of the costs is covered by the following: streetcar fares, Federal Transit Administration funds, sponsorships, leases and contributions. Planners forecast the First Hill Streetcar to generate $1,114,000 in farebox revenue and $200,000 for sponsorships in 2015. There is also money earmarked for one of the most complained about aspects of Capitol Hill’s building boom. The Mayor’s Office is pledging funding for the Construction Hub program. “The program actively plans, coordinates, and monitors construction activity in downtown as well as in neighborhoods, and will become even more important as major downtown construction activity is expected to continue in 2015,” the budget proposal explains.
CMs Rasmussen & Harrell escort Mayor Murray to Council Chambers for his annual budget address pic.twitter.com/R44bkvKKoU — Seattle City Council (@SeattleCouncil) September 22, 2014
Here are some of the Hill-related priorities CHS expected Murray to tackle after his election victory.
The process for public feedback and City Council-driven modifications to the budget plan now begins. Here’s how some of those areas shook out in last year’s budget process as then-Mayor Mike McGinn unsuccessfully campaigned to keep his seat in City Hall.
The full executive summary of the budget proposal is below.
You can review the specific proposals for each budget category here.
15 Proposed Budget Exec SummaryKHUZAA, Gaza — In a small bathroom on the edge of the Gaza town of Khuzaa there are the haunting signs of what looks like the summary execution of several Palestinians. This once vibrant village near the border with Israel sits on the edge of the city of Khan Younis, but it is well within the 1.8-mile “buffer zone” that Israel has turned into a no-man’s land. It has been inaccessible for weeks as Israeli bombardment and troops try to take out heavy guerrilla resistance. Now all that’s left is rubble, bombed-out buildings and the all-encompassing, sickening smell of death.
The temporary ceasefire announced Thursday night was supposed to give the residents of places like this time to return home, take stock of the damage and collect belongings. But the “72-hour” ceasefire broke down after 90 minutes, and as I walked through the main street, where pieces of humans were visible beneath homes and stores, the constant thud of exploding Israeli shells grew closer and closer.
As I reach the berm of sand, tile and stucco that marked a kind of front line, bodies are being piled on carts in the street. Near the ruins of a demolished store, the black ammunition vests worn by Palestinian fighters lie in tatters as if hastily stripped off. There are no bodies or weapons nearby.
Suddenly journalists and local residents are shouting from a house on the edge of the front. The small family home is still intact but the stench of rotting flesh that comes from inside is overpowering.
A barefoot corpse in camouflaged khakis is being carried into the street, partially wrapped in rug, as I enter the house. His partly burned and partly decomposing face is unrecognizable as anyone who was ever alive and breathing. Witnesses say there were at least six bodies piled together inside this one tiled room where the air is poisonous with decay.
Blood and blackened remnants are caked on the bathroom floor. The walls have been drenched in blood and they are pocked with scores of bullet holes that look as if they were fired from an automatic weapon at waist level. Some of the bullet holes are in line, as if the gun were sweeping across its targets. There is also soot staining the tiles, suggesting the bodies were burned or there had been a small blast. Several tiles have fallen away from the wall. The house is filled with casings from the bullets used in assault rifles. They are marked on the bottom as “IMI” (Israel Military Industries).
What happened here? It is the kind of place and the kind of incident that may be studied for years. We may hear that the Palestinians were executing suspected collaborators, or that a lone Israeli soldier went mad and started murdering prisoners. It could be that members of an Israeli army unit at the center of the fighting decided to take out their rage on those they captured. There may be many theories. All I can tell you is what I saw and heard at the scene this day.
Twenty-one-year-old Naban Abu Shaar told me he was one of the first to find the bodies. He said they looked as if they were “melted” and piled on top of each other.
“When we entered the bathroom, I found the bodies of people slumped on top of each other in the corner,” he said, staring into the distance as if disconnected from his words.
The owner of the house, Mohammad Abu Al Sharif, said he couldn’t recognize the bodies but believed, because of their clothes, some of the dead may have been from his family. He did not say if any of them were fighters. The house had nine members living in it before Abu Al Sharif, his wife and four daughters escaped Khuzaa 20 days ago. He lost contact with those who stayed, he said.
In the streets around, some residents pulled clothes and blankets from the crushed concrete of obliterated homes while others used farming tools to unearth the dead. Shell-shocked women stumbled down the pulverized road, wiping sweat and tears with their hejabs as they cursed—to no one in particular—both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi for not protecting them from Israel.
The signs of the panicked flight almost three weeks ago were apparent everywhere in town. Neatly hung laundry still dangled over the main street from the second-floor balcony of an apartment above a blown-out storefront.
Khalid al Najar, 27, was half dazed as he walked back toward Khan Younis with a plastic bag of clothes. This is his first time returning home since he fled nearly three weeks ago. “I’m from a place that used to be called Khuzaa,” he told me.Interface Scaling Mod by Mgamerz
This mod scales up PC platform-specific HUD elements, such as the PC Power Wheel (Command HUD), atlas, subtitles, main HUD, MP HUD, and others. This mod will make the game much easier to use on high resolution displays (such as 4K) and on displays at a distance (like a TV). It scales up interfaces to the size they were on consoles, which is natively set to 720p. A few adjustments are made to make them more PC friendly.
This mod works with both singleplayer and multiplayer
You need retaliation DLC to scale up the reticle and fix the collector’s swarm overlay in MP. If you don’t play multiplayer or have retaliation DLC installed, you can ignore the message Mod Manager will show when installing the mod.
Compatibility with other UI scaling mods
This mod is the equivalent of the UI scaling done in Singleplayer Native Controller Support, except done for PC interfaces. It will not work if any of the controller mods are installed. It is designed to work with the Interface Scaling Add-On so all intefaces are scaled up.
This mod does not scale up all interfaces. Platform-agnostic UI elements such as progress bars, timers and counters are not scaled up. These items are scaled up by the Interface Scaling Add-On mod, which you should additionally install with this mod. This add-on mod is separate because it can be shared with the Singleplayer Controller Support mod. This is an optional add-on but will greatly improve your high-res Mass Effect 3 experience.
See the difference! These are images of the game at 3200x1800.
Stock ME3 (Click here for full size):
This mod (+Interface Scaling Add-On) (Click here for full size)
Download This mod is not included in any version of Mod Manager. It requires Mod Manager 4.1 or above to install and 4.2.1 or higher to receive updates. Download from ME3Tweaks Download Mirrors Download from Mega.nz - Download from NexusMods Version History 1.091: First public release
1.092: Fixes some UIs using xbox interface (copy paste error)
2.0: Fixes kill text not scaling in MP (score indicator for kill)
2.1: Now requires Mod Manager 4.5 or higher. You can disable/enable the mod branding in the mod utils menu / alternative installation options. Raised mount priority.
2.2: Now supports ITA and JPN game language versions. Fixes the mount priority to be 31039 instead of 32039.
Mod Installation
Drag and drop this mod’s download onto Mod Manager to import it into Mod Manager. Install the same way as any other Mod Manager mod. Uninstall this mod by restoring BASEGAME, TESTPATCH, RETALIATION, and removing the DLC_CON_UIScaling Custom DLC.
Use of this mod with ALOT Texture Pack
The ALOT texture mod pack is a common addition to this mod. ALOT should be installed after all other mods are installed as it will update installed mods with new textures. Installing updates to mods (both mod manager and non-mod manager) will require you to reinstall A LOT. You may consider ignoring updates unless you find a game-breaking one in a mod as A LOT takes a really long time to install.
Mod Support
This mod is connected to the ME3Tweaks mod updater service. Mod Manager will notify you of updates to this mod and prompt you to download and update the mod as new updates are released. Install the mod afterwards to use the new update.
Support for my mods are primarily provided on my website on the ME3Tweaks Forums. I only check NexusMods occasionally. Please read the Mod Manager mod description as well. If you ask questions that are already answered there I'll tell you read it again.
Known Issues
This mod has only been tested on 16:9 and limited 16:10. It may not look proper on other aspect ratios.
Mod Info
Mod info is located on the forum thread.Announcing... ink Jam! July, 12, 2018
Interested in ink? Been meaning to have a go at learning it, but never had the motivation? Or are you a skilled inkist, looking to show off your skills?
Either way, if you want a chance to take ink for a spin, we've got a great opportunity coming up. In collaboration with The Pixel Hunt, the studio behind the multi-award-winning Bury Me, My Love, we're launching ink Jam - a 3 day game jam for games made in ink.
About ink
ink is a scripting language for interactive fiction that's designed to be used by humans. Using a simple but powerful mark-up based approach, it's easy to create a branching flow that responds and shifts based on everything the player chooses. It's quick to test, redraft and restructure. But ink is also powerful, with significant features that allow for complex state-tracking world-modelling. It comes with an IDE, javascript output, and Unity integration.
It's totally free, and being used by studios all over the world to create all kinds of interactive experiences, from a news-game about Uber drivers created by British newspaper the Financial Times, an E3 favourite (https://www.neocabgame.com/) and an IGF finalist (http://wherethewatertasteslikewine.com/), through to a sailing qualitification course, Air New Zealand's chatbot, a game entirely written in emoji, a procedural ASCII dungeon crawler, and a celebrated globe-trotting adventure to name but a few.
How to get involved
The jam is being hosted on itch.io over the weekend of August 31st to September 3rd. Entries can be submitted via the itch jam page, and we'll be judging the results for creativity and technical wizardy.
Once the jam starts we'll be announcing a theme to help get your ideas going. Until then, if you need any inspiration, check out one of the many games written and released using ink, or visit our Patreon tips page for some of the stranger and more powerful things ink can do!Attacking someone for “look[ing] like a Muslim,” on the other hand, arouses barely any controversy. Some liberal blogs condemned O’Reilly’s comments, but it’s unlikely that he will apologize and unthinkable that he’ll resign.
In conservative circles today, in fact, high-profile expressions of anti-Muslim bigotry are as routine as anti-black or anti-Jewish slurs were a half-century ago. In 2011, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain vowed not to appoint a Muslim to his cabinet. Far from crippling his candidacy, the comment preceded his meteoric (if short-lived) ascent into the lead in national polls. Newt Gingrich traveled the country warning, “I believe Shariah is a mortal threat to the survival of freedom in the United States.” At its 2012 national convention, the GOP featured a Catholic priest, a rabbi, an evangelical minister, a Sikh, a Greek Orthodox archbishop, and two Mormon leaders but, conspicuously failed to invite an imam.
It’s not just conservative elites. A 2012 poll for the Arab American Institute found that while 29 percent of Democrats hold an “unfavorable” view of Muslims, among Republicans it's 57 percent. In 2013, two researchers at Carnegie Mellon sent out the resumes of a fictitious Christian and Muslim job applicant with the same credentials. In the 10 states where Barack Obama recorded his highest vote percentage, the two applicants received interview requests at the same rate. In the 10 states where Romney did best, by contrast, the Christian applicant was more than eight times more likely to be asked for an interview.
It would be comforting to believe this is merely a holdover from 9/11, and anti-Muslim bigotry will fade as we move further from that trauma. But according to the Arab American Institute poll, Republicans are 17 points more likely to dislike Muslims than they were in 2003 (although the numbers were even higher in 2010). Between 2002 and 2013, according to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Republicans who said Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence rose 29 points.
Even as public tolerance for most other forms of bigotry declines, hostility to Muslims has actually grown, despite the winding down of America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, the rise may be partially due to the end of those wars. After 9/11, George W. Bush told Americans that although we were fighting “bad Muslims” (al-Qaeda) “good Muslims”—who constituted the large majority—would embrace our invasions.
It hasn’t worked out that way. My hunch is that faced with the realization that many Iraqis and Afghans hated America’s occupation of their countries, Democrats have been more likely to blame the U.S. for starting those wars in the first place. According to polls, large majorities of Democrats now see both Iraq and Afghanistan as mistakes. Republicans don’t. For Republicans, I suspect, America’s problems in Iraq and Afghanistan say less about us than about them. They prove that Bush was wrong: Most Muslims really are our enemy. Otherwise, why would they oppose our efforts to make them free?When it comes to improving your gut health, there’s nothing more important than what goes on your plate. In fact, the number one cause of leaky gut is what is (and isn’t) in your diet.
While many foods in today’s SAD (Standard American Diet) have been shown to damage the intestinal lining and worsen gut health, there are several foods found in nature that can repair intestinal damage and heal the gut. True to the saying “the road to health is paved with good intestines,” eating foods that promote gut health will not only help heal leaky gut, but allow you to regain your health and happiness.
If you’re suffering from leaky gut, then your best course of action is to add foods that will heal it and remove foods that will make it worse. Take charge of your gut health by knowing exactly which foods help heal leaky gut, and which foods must be avoided for optimal digestion.
Here are the best foods to eat for healing a leaky gut.
The 6 Best Foods to Eat to Heal Leaky Gut
Bone Broth
Bone broth contains collagen, gelatin, and glutamine which all help repair the gut lining. Collagen and gelatin help “heal and seal” the gut lining, while glutamine helps strengthen it to prevent future damage.
The benefit to drinking bone broth versus taking a nutritional supplement with these nutrients is that bone broth is much easier for a weakened system to digest. When making bone broth, the long simmer and cook time of the bones helps break down and “predigest” all of the beneficial nutrients, which allows them to be absorbed by your body right away.
You can make bone broth at home with literally any type of bone (necks, knuckles, ribs, wings, feet and tails) from any animal. Chicken and beef bone broth are the most popular varieties, but you can also use ox, bison, pork, lamb, and fish bones. We recommend choosing grass-fed bones whenever possible, which many health food stores now sell.
And if you don’t have time to make bone broth, you can always order some!
Steamed Vegetables
Vegetables are full of vitamins, such as B vitamins, which help you break down carbs, fats, and proteins, and vitamin D, which can help reduce inflammation in the GI tract. However, the tough fiber in raw vegetables can be tough on a weakened digestive system, which is why it’s best to steam your veggies when healing leaky gut.
Non-Dairy Fermented Foods: Unsweetened Coconut Milk Yogurt, Coconut Milk Kefir, Sauerkraut, Kimchi
The beneficial bacteria, called “probiotics,” found in fermented foods such as coconut milk yogurt and coconut milk kefir, prevent harmful pathogens and bad bacteria from accumulating in your GI tract. Probiotics keep your system “clean”, which creates a favorable environment to begin the gut healing process.
When it comes to improving gut health, stick to dairy-free fermented foods because cow’s milk is a common hidden food sensitivity for many people. Dairy products also contain a pro-inflammatory fatty acid called arachidonic acid, which can worsen existing inflammation in the GI tract ( 3 ).
Coconut Oil
One of the best fats you can eat for your gut is coconut. Although coconut contains saturated fat (a nutrient that has a bad reputation for causing inflammation in the gut), the saturated fat it contains is very different than the saturated fats found in red meat or dairy.
Unlike animal products, the saturated fat in coconut, called lauric acid, has antimicrobial and antifungal properties— which is why it’s a food recommended on many gut healing protocols. Coconut oil is also a natural anti-inflammatory, which can help soothe the intestinal lining and improve inflammatory bowel conditions ( 4 ).
Grass-fed Meats
You are what you eat, which can be a good or bad thing when it comes to the type of meat you’re eating. You see, when we eat meat, we’re also ingesting what the animal ate during its lifetime.
Pasture raised animals are brought up grazing fields, eating grass and plants, which is why their meat is rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids and minerals— two nutrients needed for gut health.
On the other hand, factory farmed animals are fed a diet of corn and grains, which are high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 essential fatty acids. While we do require omega-6s in our diets, we tend to over-consume them through vegetable oils found in processed foods and deep fried foods. A diet rich in omega-6s and low in omega-3s is a major cause of the systemic inflammation that contributes to damaging the gut lining and lowering immunity ( 5 ).
It should be mentioned that factory farmed animals are commonly injected with hormones and antibiotics, which are toxic to us when we ingest them. As mentioned above, toxins contribute to damaging the gut lining, and may deplete natural stores of healthy gut bacteria.
Switching from eating factory farmed meat to grass-fed meats, such as beef, chicken, turkey and bison, will help increase your omega-3 intake and reduce the inflammation associated with leaky gut.
Wild Fatty Fish and/or Fish Oil
Wild fish and fish oil (especially cod liver oil) are another excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids. Fish also contains vitamin D— and although it’s not entirely clear how, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to leaky gut ( 6 ).
As you can see, the ticket to optimal gut health is eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense foods.
Now that you know which foods to focus on, let’s take a look at the foods to avoid for leaky gut.
4 Foods to Avoid if You Have Leaky Gut
Gluten
Research shows a direct link between eating gluten and the development of leaky gut. This is because gluten increases zonulin production, which is a protein that breaks apart the tight junctions in your digestive tract ( 7 ). For this reason, gluten should be avoided at all costs when it comes to improving gut health.
Gluten is found in the majority of grains such as spelt, wheat, rye, and barley, but it also hides in condiments, sauces and most packaged and boxed foods.
Grains
Not all grains contain gluten, but even gluten-free grains such as brown rice should be avoided when healing your gut. This is because grains contain phytic acid, a protective coating that’s difficult for the body to breakdown and digest, resulting in inflammation in the digestive tract.
Soaking and sprouting grains can help remove the phytic acid, so sprouted, gluten-free grains can be eaten in moderation. However, they should still be avoided in the early stages of healing leaky gut.
Refined Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar feeds yeast, which allows it to overpopulate and outnumber the good bacteria in your digestive tract. Candida, bacterial dysbiosis and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) are linked to refined sugar consumption, and as we remember, these conditions can all promote intestinal permeability.
Candy and anything sweet are the most obvious examples, but this also includes alcohol and white flour. And artificial sweeteners are no better than refined sugar, as they’ve also been linked to depleting healthy gut bacteria ( 8 ).
While it’s recommended to limit all sugar sources when healing leaky gut, small amounts of natural sweeteners such as green leaf stevia or coconut nectar can be used in place of processed sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Refined Vegetable Oils (Sunflower, Safflower, Canola, Soybean)
As mentioned above, one of the major sources of pro-inflammatory omega-6 essential fatty acids in our diets are vegetable oils. High oleic vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola and soybean oils should be avoided to reduce systemic inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining. Instead, use unrefined coconut oil, grass-fed butter or ghee for cooking on medium-high heat, and extra virgin olive oil for your salad dressing recipes.
3 Steps to Start Healing Your Leaky Gut
Now that you know how your diet can be helping or hurting your leaky gut, implement these three strategies to make sure you’re on track to curing it.
1. Make a “leaky gut shopping list”
It’s difficult to stay on track with a gut health diet if you’re not prepared. Prepping your meals at home with gut-friendly foods will prevent you from reaching for convenience foods that are loaded with refined sugar and vegetable oils.
2. Begin an elimination diet
Foods that damage gut health should be avoided for at least 6 months to allow sufficient time for your gut to heal. Doing an elimination diet with the help of a licensed healthcare practitioner can be helpful for creating a gut-healing action plan that’s realistic for you to stick to.
3. Take supplements for gut health
You may want to consider taking nutritional supplements for gut health, such as pure aloe vera juice, which can help soo |
laws.
Nonetheless, read the United States of America's Constitution to apprehend all of the current treasonous laws.
You're literate, listener?
If the property owners and government official are no longer in ownership of their land and laws from a revolution then the revolutionary's from the revolution are in control of the land and laws.
The property owners and government officials are no longer in ownership of their land and laws from a revolution.
Thus, the revolutionary's from the revolution are in control of the land and laws.
In conclusion, reading the second United States Constitution, I can't trust the current government because of the ratifications: The government is implying mind control and brainwash on the people by controlling grammar.
No! I won't pay debt with a currency that's not back by gold and silver!
No! I won't trust in God!
What's government if words don't have meaning?
HOW TO: MIND CONTROLLER, posted December 6, 2010
[Video Link]
If you're editing of every belief and religion reaches the final century then the writer for every belief and religion is you.
You're editing of every belief and religion reaches the final century.
Thus, the writer for every belief and religion is you.
You control every -- thought, action, and lifestyle -- for the person or people as the mind controller.
I'm able to control every belief and religion by being the mind controller.
THIS STUDENT AT PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE: AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL CRIME! Posted Nov 30, 2010
[Video Link]
(The below is listed right under the video in the Info section)
Fraud
If I'm not receiving the purchase from a payment then I'm a victim of fraud. I'm not receiving the purchase from a payment. Therefore, I'm a victim of fraud.
All purchases for an educational course in The United States as of now are unconstitutional in the United States of America because of Section 10 in the United States of America's Constitution. A student paying for a Pima Community College course is a purchase for an educational course in the United States as of now. Therefore, a student paying for a Pima Community College course is unconstitutional in the United States of America because of Section 10 in the United States of America's Constitution.
If you're receiving a grade from Pima Community College class then the grade you're receiving is unconstitutional because of the United States Bill of Rights. You're receiving a grade from Pima Community College class. Therefore, the grade you're receiving is unconstitutional because of the United States Bill of Rights. The grading you purchase from Pima Community College is unconstitutional at tuition.
The United States Department of Education is allowing unconstitutional education facility's to operate or the United States Department of Education is allowing free constitutional education facility's to operate. The United States Department of Education isn't allowing unconstitutional education facility's to operate. Thus, the United States Department of Education is allowing free constitutional education facility's to operate.
If the police remove you from the educational facility for talking then removing you from the educational facility for talking is unconstitutional in the United States. The police remove you from the educational facility for talking. Thus, removing you from the educational facility for talking is unconstitutional in the United States. This situation is fraud because the police are unconstitutional!
Every police officer in the United States as of now is unconstitutionally working. Pima Community College police are police in the United States. Therefore, Pima Community College police are unconstitutionally working. The police are unconstitutionally working!
All United States of America's college programs are unconstitutional colleges that's in accordance with the United States of America's Constitution. Pima Community College is a United States of America's college program. Hence, Pima Community College is an unconstitutional college that's in accordance with the United States of America's Constitution.
Every Pima Community College class is using free sources for education from the internet. Algebra is a Pima Community College class. Thus, Algebra is a free source for education from the internet. Every Pima Community College class is always a scam!
If you're literate in English grammar then you know English grammar. You don't know English grammar. Thus, you're not literate in English grammar. Most of the teachers and students at Pima Community College are illiterate.
If I'm thinking of adding the 1 new symbol and number to the current alphabet and number system then I'm thinking of creating 1 new symbol and number to the current alphabet and number system. I'm thinking of adding the 1 new symbol and number to the current alphabet and number system. Thus, I'm thinking of creating 1 new symbol and number to the current alphabet and number system. You control the grammar!
Don't be scared to know you can't find the location of a subject: Most students can't locate a subject! Most people know all the subjects are for mind control and brainwash! The students are unconstitutionally paying for free education! The students are attending a torture facility! You know the teachers are con artists?
You now know - every college's unconstitutional crime! You shouldn't pay unconstitutional money for free speech! Don't trust the current government, listener!
HOW TO: YOUR NEW CURRENCY! Posted November 22, 2010
[Video Link]
How To:
Your New Currency!Washington’s raging battles over health care finance reform are missing a fundamental point: the real problem with American health care is the fundamentally flawed business structure underlying its delivery. So far, no one is addressing it.
Most would agree that improving our nation’s health system is essential in order to preserve the protections of coverage and ensure that high quality affordable care will be there for our children and grandchildren.
As a pediatric anesthesiologist and citizen-legislator, I know first-hand the promise of modern medicine and the financial devastation that fulfilling that promise can hand a family. And as a former Democratic state Senator, I know how difficult it can be to find political common ground on contentious issues, especially those that inspire as much passion as health care reform.
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From an old-fashioned mom-and-pop shop where physicians hung out their shingles and made house calls to a massive and complex industry that accounts for over 17 percent of our nation’s GDP, American health care has rapidly progressed. But while the industry has advanced, today’s modern medicines, highly educated physicians and nurses, complex technologies and disparate hospital systems provide poorly coordinated, highly inefficient and expensive care.
The system is exceptionally good at caring for the very sick, injured and dying but poorly equipped to promote a healthy society and the healthy lifestyles that consume less care. It financially rewards hospitals, doctors, and pharmaceutical and technology companies for maximizing their sales volume, instead of rewarding the delivery of quality care that ensures value for the money spent and keeps people healthy.
ObamaCare was never meant to be the ultimate solution to these problems. It was intended as the first step in transforming a massive fragmented, immature industry into a highly consolidated and integrated business system, where intense market competition would improve operating efficiencies and eliminate redundancies while providing high quality care. But its promise has not been fulfilled.
Large industries typically pass through a series of changes as less efficient, less market-desirable entities that cannot effectively compete are merged into others or forced out of business. But the health care system has yet to undergo these fundamental changes. The answer to securing lower cost, high quality health care for all Americans is to fix that broken business structure and accelerate the health care industry’s passage through the normal business consolidation life cycle.
Only then, when the industry is highly consolidated and effectively integrated, will intense market competition deliver high quality, affordable care to all Americans.
With a new president in office — one who has pledged to repeal and replace ObamaCare — and a Republican-controlled Congress, modernizing and transforming America’s health care industry faces enormous challenges. In this hostile political environment, Congress must enact public policy that preserves and improves competition. Universal health coverage, originally proposed by the conservative Heritage Foundation, is a reliable mechanism to fund a competitive free-market health system. And since all Americans benefit from that system, it is only fair that all citizens help pay for it.
Next, in order to have healthy communities, health care should be tailored to the specific needs of each community and managed through national population health initiatives. Population health management works to improve the health of an entire population by acting on multiple factors that influence our health. Consolidated and integrated health systems are best equipped to manage population health because they can deploy their advanced flagship hospital talent and resources to rural and remote communities.
Finally, intense market competition in a highly consolidated industry will drive health systems to compete on price. By replacing the current expensive fee-for-service payment model with a value-based system, patients will receive higher quality, lower cost care with better health outcomes.
What is needed now in order to develop a consolidated and integrated health system is top-level political leadership. Leadership with the vision and business skills to guide the restructuring of a massive health care system and to raise awareness for Americans about the social and economic importance of a healthy society. That means people who recognizes our society’s moral obligation to achieve health equality. We can do this by constructing a system that enables all citizens to live a healthy life.
It is time for President Trump to be that leader, and to work with a bipartisan Congress and our nation to achieve consequential health system reform to secure high quality affordable care for every American.
Michael S. Katz, MD MBA, is a pediatric anesthesiologist, a former Delaware state Senator and Delegate to the American Medical Association.John Edwards, the disgraced, slack-jawed lawyer turned Senator was fond of telling his populist “Two Americas” story before his life imploded with – you guessed it – another classically Anglo-American sex scandal. Squeamish about all things sex as this overly repressed culture is (when people actually have sex rather than looking at it on a screen or advertisement), and as worshipful as it is of women, how many men have we seen brought down in the last generation by sex scandals? That’s a story in and of itself, but we’ll discuss that another time.
Edwards’ story did have some merit to it:
During the campaign, I spoke often of the two Americas: the America of the privileged and the wealthy, and the America of those who lived from paycheck to paycheck. I spoke of the difference in the schools, the difference in the loan rates, the difference in opportunity.
It needs to be revised, however.
Let’s tell a tale of two Americas. A story that is never told in the lamestream media and by lying politicians. The story of what happens to a man who makes a solid effort to pull himself up by the bootstraps and earn himself a slot in the middle class, and the story of a guy who mooches or government dibsmedat programs, fucks hoes and enjoys recreational drugs. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that if you can pay for it yourself!)
Beta Provider Guy
Meet Contestant #1. He was instilled with a solid work ethic from youth. He’s worked since he was old enough to be of use to anyone, and started “official” employment at age 16. All while earning top grades in school and prepping himself for college. Totally ignored by women in his teens, he is assured that if he “does the right thing” there will be a reward waiting for him at the end of his long road.
He endures liberalism in the public education system and suppresses all his natural male instincts to fit into the female-favoring education environment. He spends the best years of his life studying rather than partying, staying out of trouble rather than enjoying the rowdy lives boys want to live, and graduates college 4 years later with a rubber stamp and an average of $30,000 in debt. Not to worry, with his newfound credentials, he’ll be able to pay off his debt and earn his place in the middle class.
Well, not so fast. The industrious, give 100% go-getter WILL BE punished with today’s Socialist schemes.
The more he earns, the less he gets to keep thanks to a progressive income tax scheme. Even with his median $43,000 a year salary, he finds himself nothing more than an indebted rat in a wheel, spinning as fast as he can only to watch money come in and money go out each pay period. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Your student loan guarantor. It’s time to start making $300 a month student loan payments. He soon discovers he is trapped by rather than freed by his education and J-O-B.
He still can’t get laid without making Herculean efforts since women find him BORING because he works 70 hours a week and has no free time on the side to do anything except sleep. Bitches don’t realize Betas are boring because they have to be to keep the world they enjoy functioning.
It doesn’t take too many years before he has a Walter White moment, realizing the system he faithfully supported has fucked him, and at the same time turned him into a villain because of his “success” in the economy. His job is soon off-shored to India and he finds himself filing bankruptcy.
Total Loser Guy
Meet Contestant #2. Total loser guy does whatever the fuck he wants from boyhood through adolescence into adulthood. Of course, women find this irresistible. Total loser guy spends his teens in and out of trouble with the law. He can’t keep women off him because every girl loves a bad boy. He knocks one up. Then another. Then another.
He can’t pay his child support, though. That’s okay, the tax money from the try-hard dupe will cover his kids’ expenses. And his exes don’t pursue him for back child support in the court system because he doesn’t have any money for them to take. He’s in and out of different jobs until he “gets injured” on the job, sues, and then fakes a disability and goes on Social Security Disability.
Even though he does nothing but lay around and smoke weed, he doesn’t go without women because they come offer and offer themselves to him to get into some of his stash. He scams tax-free money on the side selling dope, paying no taxes on what he earns.
This guy gets taken care of for life, because he’s “disabled.” It’s not his fault the system failed him.
More than Hyperbole
This is exactly how our government works in America. People who are industrious, give 110% go-getters are punished for their industriousness while those who contribute nothing to society are rewarded with free money. Well, as we all know, nothing is truly free as the government steals tax dollars from the contributors to society and “redistributes” it to those who are “less fortunate.”
This story might sound like a farce but it’s about half autobiographical. I’ve personally lived and seen much of what is written here.
It goes without saying women also avail themselves of the industriousness of Contestant #1 as most government spending benefits women. This system is unsupportable, and an abomination on free men. Politicians do not care that the oblivious Beta Provider Guy is being screwed over by their system, because his tax money is how they maintain their power. As long as they can buy Total Loser Guy’s vote, and Beta Provider Guy stays quiet, politicians and other miscreants can continue to ride the gravy train.
That is, until a man gets fed up and decides to work only to support himself and his interests, to starve the beast of the lifeblood it needs – his industriousness and tax dollars. Here’s a revelation: It’s doesn’t take much for a man to live on. Through the evangel of minimalism, men can turn this system on its ear. Find yourself enslaved by the economic system? Take a page from the corporate playbook and downsize what they’re selling out of your life. You don’t need ANY of what they’re selling beyond food to eat, clothes on your back, and a modest roof over your head.
All it takes is a critical mass of John Galts and Walter Whites to emerge and it’s Game Over for abusing the productive men in society. Just like the mooches, CEOs, princesses, and government larcenists, former hard-working, tax-paying, honest men who have been shit on will start to fist fuck what they want out of this economy. When a critical mass of former worker bees starts behaving like everyone else, the best laid plans of mice and men and government officials will go awry.
I’ve already made my fist with my trucking and living abroad half the year plan. Have you?
Help us grow by making a purchase from our Recommended Reading and Viewing page or our Politically Incorrect Apparel and Merchandise page or buy anything from Amazon using this link. You can also Sponsor The New Modern Man for as little as $1 a month. This The New Modern Man article originally ran on Return of Kings.CTVNews.ca Staff
The search for three Canadian crew members missing in frigid Antartica after their plane disappeared over a mountain range is on hold until there's a break in the weather, search officials said Friday (New Zealand time).
A rescue plane flew over the Queen Alexandra Passage mountain range on Friday morning but failed to spot the missing plane.
Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air, which owns the missing plane and a rescue aircraft, said it will make another attempt to locate the Canadians as soon as weather permits.
In a statement, the company said a second aircraft has been deployed in “a spotter capacity,” flying at a higher altitude over the area where the plane disappeared.
The missing Twin Otter's emergency locator transmitter was activated around 10 p.m. local time Wednesday as the plane travelled from a U.S. research station at the South Pole to an Italian research base in Terra Nova Bay.
A plane from the U.S. McMurdo Base then flew over the site where the beacon activated on Friday, but heavy cloud and strong winds prevented any visual contact, said search and rescue officials in New Zealand who are co-ordinating the search.
Hurricane-force winds, heavy snow and cloud cover made it all but impossible to see the men or their plane.
Michael Flyger of the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand told CTV News that wind gusts have been reaching 170 kilometres per hour.
However, there is hope that the winds will die down and the cloud cover will life over the next 24 hours.
"When conditions ease, the intention is to set up a forward base at a location approximately 50 kilometres from the beacon site, from which to launch operations to the site," search and rescue mission coordinator Kevin Banaghan said in a statement.
Two helicopters are on standby, ready to fly in when conditions improve.
Rescue crews have obtained a fix on the plane's location from its beacon, but there has so far been no contact with the crew. The beacon has stopped transmitting, likely because the battery-- good for roughly 24 hours-- has died, officials said.
Flyger said the missing plane is equipped with survival suits, cold-weather tents and food and water to last up to five days.
Friends have identified the pilot as Bob Heath from the Northwest Territories, an experienced pilot in both the Antarctic and Arctic. Heath has more than 20 years’ experience flying in extreme conditions.
His wife, Lucy Heath, told the Calgary Sun newspaper that she'd been called by airline officials and told "Bob's plane was down, and they were trying to reach it." She said she was just waiting for more news: "I'm so worried."
His friends said if anyone can get through an ordeal like this, it's Heath.
"He's a bit of a living legend up (North)," friend and fellow pilot Sebastien Seykora told The Canadian Press. "He's a very experienced pilot."
"He's been flying down there for at least a decade," said Seykora. "If somebody had a question about how to do things, especially about going down there, he would be the guy they would ask."
Heath, who lives in Inuvik, N.W.T., has logged thousands of hours teaching young flyers in regions from the Maritimes to northern Ontario and administers tests to other pilots, said Roger Townsend, who was a co-pilot with Heath out of Red Lake, Ont. Flying with Heath was always a learning experience, Townsend said.
"He used it as an opportunity to impart knowledge. He's a true instructor with an extraordinary passion for teaching and training."
On the online networking site LinkedIn, Heath writes that he typically spends this time of year coaching and mentoring other pilots to upgrade their skills in polar regions.
It's believed that Heath was accompanied by a co-pilot and an engineer on the flight.
Officials from the Canadian High Commission in Wellington are working closely with local authorities organizing the search from New Zealand.
"Consular officials stand ready to provide consular services as required," said spokesperson Barbara Harvey.
Chris Payne, an oceanographic technician of the University of British Columbia, has participated in the U.S. and German Antarctic programs.
He said the geography would be "tricky" for making an emergency landing but noted the pilots are experienced.
"I have the utmost confidence that these men will have the food and equipment and clothing necessary to survive several days," Payne told CTV News Channel.
Marianne Douglas, director of the Canadian Circumpolar Institute and a professor at the University of Alberta, told CTV News Channel that Antarctica is known as the windiest continent because of its mountains, location at the South Pole and its glaciers.
Douglas, who's travelled to Antarctica by plane and ship, said most people who go there are trained in survival.After finishing off a National Championship runner-up season with LSU, and placing fifth in the Heisman voting, reports are trickling out of Baton Rouge that Tyrann Mathieu, a.k.a. "The Honey Badger," has been dismissed from LSU's football team.
Our source: Tyrann Mathieu has been kicked off team. Privacy laws may prohibit Miles from disclosing reason for dismissal — Tim Fletcher (@FletcherKTBS) August 10, 2012
The five-foot-nine junior cornerback was considered one of, if not the best defensive player in all of college football.
UPDATE: Les Miles has confirmed that the Honey Badger is donezo.
"We did what we could do, but Tyrann Mathieu is no longer on our team," said Les Miles in a live press conference. Miles said Mathieu broke "team rules," but due to privacy issues, could not disclose further details.
Follow Evan SporerFaced with an opponent in Donald Trump with historically low national favorability among Hispanic voters, Hillary Clinton's campaign is growing its Latino vote program.
The campaign is hiring staffers nationally and regionally to work in battleground states with large Hispanic populations, as well as in states where Latinos live but are not expected to directly affect the electoral outcome, and states the campaign is monitoring that may eventually come into play, like Arizona.
Lorella Praeli, who developed a Latino outreach program in the primary, is now the national Latino vote director. She's brought on Keylin Rivera to serve as her deputy in charge of grassroots organizing to Latinos, and Sara Valenzuela as Latino outreach director, who will do surrogate work with elected officials and other stakeholders.
In addition to deputy political director Carlos Sanchez — who recently joined the campaign from Rep. Joaquin Castro's office and oversees the regional political directors — Eduardo Cisneros has joined the campaign from the labor department under Secretary Tom Perez. Cisneros will be a regional political director responsible for Michigan, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Non-battleground states like California and Texas that are the center of much Latino volunteer energy will fit into the voter outreach mobilization side, which is focused on coalitions of voters, like black, Latino, women, youth, and labor voters. Cristobal Alex, the president of Latino Victory Fund, has joined as a deputy under Addisu Demissie.
Another recent hire, Sergio Gonzales, who served as Colorado political director for Obama in 2012, is serving as a regional director monitoring these so-called "expansion" states.
The Latino vote operation will employ traditional efforts in states like Nevada and Florida, but will also run programs in states with growing Latino populations like Wisconsin and Iowa.
This infusion of Hispanic staffers across the Clinton operation is part of a Latino vote program that will focus on ramping up efforts to reach Latinas and "millennial or billennial (bilingual millennial) voters," the campaign said. All along, the campaign expected that Latinas would respond positively to the prospect of the first woman president. During the primary it saw heightened success reaching Latinas — in Texas, the support was 72% compared to 69% for Hispanic men, and 74% in Florida compared to 69%, for example.
The campaign also feels confident about its SMS texting program aimed at Latinos. In November it boasted that tens of thousands of Latinos, many young, signed up for the bilingual texting program in key states like Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, along with Texas and California. Now the campaign says that number is a few hundred thousand Hispanics.
"We've used it as a way to get volunteers, as a policy explainer, for fundraising, rapid response and communications work," said digital organizing director Jessica Morales Rocketto. "One of the things we're proud about is using it for GOTV translation and voter education. In the final months, we used it as a voting place look-up tool. And as a reminder after you vote to share it with your friends."
Trump, of course, is not Bernie Sanders, and the campaign has already begun using the tools it developed during the long primary against him. After Trump attacked Gonzalo Curiel, the Mexican-American judge presiding over a civil suit involving Trump University, the campaign saw higher than average responses to its texts bashing Trump over Curiel, as well as the number of people who made it all the way through the follow-up texts.
"Another data point is how people feel," Morales Rocketto said of the Curiel texts. "They were responding, 'This isn’t our country, this doesn’t represent our values.'”
Led by Jorge Silva, the campaign's Hispanic media director who did the same work for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during his time with Sen. Harry Reid, the campaign has built a database of small newspapers and radio stations in Hispanic communities around the country, which it weaponized regionally during the primary, by having Clinton speak to radio hosts with local clout and surrogates like Dolores Huerta write op-eds for welcoming local newspapers.
Clinton, who has been criticized for her infrequent press conferences with English-language media, routinely spoke to Spanish-language press ahead of the California primary and recently spoke to Univision's Enrique Santos in Florida. (Santos often tells his listeners that his conservative parents support Trump but he thinks the presumptive Republican nominee is crazy.)
While the Cuban-American Santos is a Spanish-language host, he's also listened to by young Hispanics, which the campaign considers crucial, mirroring the intersectional way it aims to integrate the Latino vote program into other facets of the operation and the multi-layered approach it believes must be taken in engaging Hispanics.
"The biggest mistake is to treat the community as one block," Praeli said, stressing that Latino operations will be part of every facet of the general election campaign. With women voters, the campaign has done events aimed at Latinas, like Latina-to-Latina phone banking and when it comes to reaching young people, the campaign is aiming to connect its youth outreach led by Sarah Audelo, who is Latina, to its Hispanic engagement because 44% of Latino voters are under the age of 35 and 25% of so-called millennials are Hispanic.
"You can’t have a Latino vote program without a millennials component and you can’t have a millennials program without youth of color," Praeli said.
Democratic strategist Maria Cardona said it would be easy for the campaign to rest on its laurels or save resources when it comes to Latino voters, which many consider in the bag for Democrats because of Trump's rhetoric and policies. "They’re doing completely the opposite," she said. "They understand that it's never a given that a Latino is going to get out and vote."
While the focus during the primary was on early voting and mail-in ballots, the campaign acknowledges it will face challenges with voter ID issues and what it considers other voter restriction efforts. Another will be bringing young Sanders' supporting Hispanics into the fold.
"It’s very important that they recalibrate the Latino strategy to include the large number of Latinos they did not win under the age of 30," said Solidarity Strategies' Chuck Rocha, a Sanders consultant during the primary.
He, like many within the Clinton campaign, said the message to Hispanics cannot merely be an anti-Trump one, but a pro-Clinton message that doesn't just rely on fear to motivate Latinos to vote.
"I'm not a fan of turnout via fear," one campaign operative said. "It's not the best of us — better to tell our common story and reach for our common goals."
Clinton's first splashy general election message to Latinos titled "Nuestra Historia" or our history, featured a little bit of both. The 60-second Univision ad, which aired during the Chile-Argentina Copa America final, began with Trump's words invoking a "deportation force" before featuring Hispanics of different ethnicities and concluding with a message of unity from Clinton.
And Praeli had a response to Democrats who have wondered publicly whether Trump was the extent of the Clinton Hispanic voter plan.
"The idea that Trump is a driver of our mobilization strategy is wrong because we’ve known from day one that the Latino community needs something to look towards," she said.
Still, "it's personal, it's about our families," she said. "It's about Hillary Clinton and the threat Trump offers to our country and our community."Spread the love
Staffordshire, Eng — An abuse survivor has bravely broken her silence to tell her horrific childhood story. In an interview with Sky News, Esther Baker, 32, explained how she and other children were raped by politicians as uniformed police officers stood guard.
“I got the feeling very much that they were protecting somebody, that they were with one of the men,” said Baker.
“One of them (police officers) I knew from church. There were a few occasions where they would be in uniform, and I kind of knew, I learnt that when they were in uniform that it was going to be a rough night,” she explained. “On occasion they would – they would sort of join in.”
During one of the incidents, Baker recalls that she was able to run away, only to be chased down and caught by a police officer. Apparently the police officer was apologetic as he carried her back to the rapist politicians. He must have “just been doing his job.”
“There was one that I can remember, one of the times I tried to run away and tried to get away from them and he came after me, caught up with me and he was carrying me back to where the rest of them were and he said he was sorry,” she said.
Baker explained how she and other children around the age of 6 were often brought to various properties and given alcohol and then raped by judges and lords.
This poor young girl thought the rape was normal. Since everyone called these men “lords,” she thought they were doing God’s work.
“I don’t quite know how to explain. I was brought up in a religious household and one thing that kept me so sure that what they were doing was right was that there were references to people, Lords and a judge,” she said. “I picked up on those names because I thought one of them must have been God because one of them was ‘Our Lord.'”
“I just thought that they were on God’s authority.”
Now that Baker has courageously come forward, despite the deadly threats she received and the police being involved, authorities are claiming that they will investigate her claims thoroughly.
“I always swore I would never go near the police again – never. I was scared because it feels like, yeah, they are going to know I have said something so the only way I can now protect myself is now to tell,” Baker said. “I just hope others will do the same. That is the only way we are going to be safe.”
Sadly Baker’s story is not an isolated one.
Jessa Dillow-Crisp recently testified at the Colorado State Capitol, during Human Trafficking Awareness and Advocacy Day, about the horrible experiences that she had in her past.
She was unable to report the abuse or go to the police because there were a number of police officers who were involved in her kidnapping and abuse.
“There was gang raping, the police officer who handcuffed me and raped me, told me I would be put in jail if I opened my voice,” she said.Donald Trump may wind up having a depressing effect on the convention this summer. If I left that sentence hanging out there on its own you could probably fill in all sorts of analysis or jokes about the GOP slug-fest that’s widely expected in Cleveland, but today we’re talking about the Democrats’ big party in Philadelphia. While it may sound counterintuitive, The Hill has been talking to some of the big corporate donors who pour money into these quadrennial shindigs and some of them are sitting on their cash because of the Manhattan real estate mogul.
Corporations are considering sitting out the Democratic National Convention this summer for fear of looking partisan if they decide to skip the GOP’s event because of Donald Trump. Major companies that have budgeted money for the quadrennial events are sitting on their cash and weighing their options, with just over three months to go until the Republican convention in Cleveland and the Democratic one in Philadelphia. “Corporations don’t want their name or brand near Trump, and if they don’t participate in Cleveland, that means they can’t play ball at the Democratic convention. They have to do both or nothing,” said a person planning events at both conventions. “People who have typically been a part in a big way are just saying no,” the person added. “They’re sitting this one out.”
The corporate donor question is always a sticky one. Contributions to candidates by corporations are verboten by law (at least “officially” on the books, anyway) but they can and do take part in some of the sideshow events and the conventions are big ticket items on that list. But in order to avoid a huge hit to their customer base, the majority of companies tend to contribute to both parties just to cover their bets. If word gets out that a company is only supporting one side or the other in this nation’s bitterly divided environment they could quickly come under the threat of a boycott and an avalanche of bad press from half of their potential customers.
The assumption here is that the nation is listening closely to the media portrayals of Donald Trump as being a racist, Islamophobic member of the He Man Woman Hater’s Club and the big potential donors don’t want their names or their money associated with him. But due to the above noted rule of thumb, if they don’t pay part of the tab for the GOP in Cleveland they will hesitate to pour any cash into Hillary’s party in Philadelphia either.
That’s a serious pain in the wallet for both parties. As The Hill reminds us, these gatherings are not cheap in any way, shape or form.
In 2012, the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., cost $66 million, which included a $10 million loan from Duke Energy, whose CEO sat on the host committee. The company ultimately wrote off the loan. Republicans spent $74 million on their 2012 convention in Tampa, Fla.
These corporate participation efforts are a regular feature at the conventions most of the time. I was at the 2012 party in Tampa and we ran into quite a few advertisers who were handing out promotional goodies and swag. (I’m going to miss Cleveland this year because I’ll be in Philly watching the Democrats.) The expenses are huge and host cities don’t really get as much of an economic infusion out of them as people tend to expect. Much of that has to do with the massive security protocols, setting up a virtual “green zone” around the convention center which is such a pain to get in and out of that most attendees are reluctant to leave except to go back to the hotel at night to sleep.
Will this wind up impacting the two conventions very much? Doubtful, in my opinion. The parties always seem to come up with the money somewhere and I suspect it won’t be any different this time.#397: Pretty should be optional.
People are always telling me I could be attractive if I wanted to, and I acknowledge the truth of this – thing is, I don’t want to. I don’t care about my appearance beyond being clean and presentable. I’m not interested in putting more effort in just to please other people, and I’m perfectly comfortable looking like the slightly androgynous weirdo I am.
But it seems like I’m the only person comfortable with it. Friends and family friends and stepfamily I have to tolerate are constantly threatening me with makeovers and wheedling me to wear makeup or dress more feminine or switch to contact lenses. It makes me dread being around them. I tried doing the “pretty girl” thing once, felt like a fake the entire time, and got weirded out by the extra attention. I don’t WANT random dudes hitting on me – NO, EVEN IF THEY ARE BUYING ME THINGS. MAYBE ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE BUYING ME THINGS – but these, er, “friends” never accept this, and seem to take my stance as a personal attack. It gets extremely tiresome. Can we please just play Apples to Apples and not debate about my wardrobe? Just once?
So, some of these people I could feasibly break contact with. Am I justified in doing so (or is there some magic explanation that will get them off my case)? And as for the ones I still have to deal with for the foreseeable future, is there any way I can get them to drop the subject without giving them room to launch into their usual bullshit tirades about how society would implode without rigid gender roles and women looking nice for their man?
First order of business: fistbumps. Major fistbumps to you for knowing what you want and standing up for it despite the torrent of society-wide and local pressure for you to internalize the message of “beauty isn’t a choice for women, it’s a duty.”
Because you’re completely right. Regardless of your gender, how you dress and present yourself is your business. Whether you want to look like a goth, a hipster, a pretty girl, a not-pretty girl, a boy, an androgyne, Batman–it’s your right as a human being to express yourself through your appearance. And for Chrissakes, it’s bad enough that so many jobs and schools have asinine gender-based dress codes; your personal life sure as hell doesn’t need one.
But you already know this. And your family friends and stepfamily sound like they’re so far from knowing this that you can’t take the reasonable-intellectual-discussion approach with them. Trying to make ideological arguments or engage them in a dialogue about their motivations only opens the floor for debate, and you shouldn’t have to win a debate to get permission to dress yourself.
So instead, take the broken record approach with them. Whenever they bring up the subject of your appearance, respond with a brief, polite, but extremely not-inviting-of-further-conversation |
about the mechanics of the game itself – not what the author wants you to think and feel. Surely that’s what makes games such a powerful storytelling medium? We have choices in gameplay (go left, go right) but not so much in story – because we’re always aspiring to tell stories in ways akin to novels and film. But we’re a different medium and developers should be braver in celebrating such difference, even if it risks failure. The experiment paves the way for greater success.
III. In Review
Apologies for the stream-of-conscious nature of this pitch. By avoiding any specific details of the game and world I have envisioned, I’ve relied on stereotypes and basic mechanics in order to prove why an open-world game such as A World Without End is so necessary for the genre and the medium.
Of course, there are certain complications with an idea like this. However, unlike other pitches I have made recently – that is, a prison-based game and a detective-themed game – many open-world titles confront issues of violence and inequality without sacrificing their tone. Typically, there’s a nice balance between humour and drama, with certain characters in the modern metropolis serving as an antagonist or comic relief respectively. Admittedly, A World Without End focuses more on social, economic and political oppression than some menacing threat or far-away and fantastical enemy, but I’m certain that such a game can still be made enjoyable across its lengthy runtime.
Likewise, although I haven’t mentioned it here (please read my earlier essays on Grand Theft Auto IV and The Last of Us), such a setting naturally blurs ‘on-’ and ‘off-mission’ content quite nicely without having to litter the player’s map with mission markers. I also feel the dynamic gameplay allows for a lot of player choice without having to arm players with a million weapons, thereby distinguishing this title from other open-world games like Grand Theft Auto and the Red Dead Redemption franchise.
Perhaps the biggest difficulty I can see this game raising is that its enemies aren’t ‘bad’, per se. Despite some reviewers flinching at the brutality of combat in The Last of Us, an excellent game which went to great lengths in humanising its enemies, the combatants were still very different from today’s civilians. A string of compelling notes in Pittsburgh gave you the impression that the ‘hunters’ players were fighting and being relentlessly pursued by had been forced to become killers, but other characters in the game like Henry and Sam, and even Maria, wait before they shoot at Joel and Ellie. No ‘enemies’ in the game do this. It’s understandable that the Fireflies be cautious around Joel, given his history in Boston (which Marlene was reluctantly accepting of, assuming Ellie would just be escorted a short distance – not the entire breadth of the U.S.), but everyone else shoots on sight. The same goes for Bioshock Infinite, albeit for the sake of story purposes and the theological autocracy of Comstock. That wouldn’t be the case with A World Without End, which could prove very problematic in motivating players to engage in combat (or, at the very least, hostile actions).
Still, there are many positive features to take away from this thought experiment for the next generation of open-world adventure:
Most notably, migration functions as a mechanic. Players no longer feel safe in the open world. Therefore, they treat its denizens and police officers with respect, if not fear, when traversing through environments as the story unfolds.
The visual details are perfectly suited to an open world. Seeing an entire street be sectioned off by the police months into the revolution, and having to sleep on the floor of your former house with no electricity or heating, would really emphasise how player’s memory of locales (and people, lest we forget) can be manipulated through interactive entertainment. Getting nostalgic in a videogame is extremely powerful.
In turn, the hostility typically present in game mechanics (such as killing the enemies in your way) would become a much more difficult and ethical dilemma; more so than it is in other open-world games, differentiating itself from existing titles developed by Rockstar Games.
The characterisation made available by such mechanics is dynamic, too. Forming a bond with the kinds of people that some deem terrorists but you deem friends, whilst still challenging their actions from time to time, adds such depth to the standard archetypes found in games. Questioning why you’re completing objectives and making your way through a world which is unrecognisable would prove profound.
Importantly, both the police force and the revolutionaries would lead everyday lives outside of the activities for their respective causes. Life goes on, even amidst such confusion, anger, and perhaps even suffering. To be a plausible experience, not everything the player needs to be what a hero or antihero would do in a movie or biography of their lives. They need to have fun and relax in this kind of world. Seeing what opportunities are available for that kind of experience, especially as the world decays around them, would be incredible. Under such conditions, how would people have fun? Back in the interwar period, dancing occupied the country’s youth – as much as it did terrify them. Surely, if cities were under such strict control, people would have to revel outside urban areas and take advantage of the countryside. This could even tie into ‘missions’ or story beats and set pieces.
Historically, such a world draws from moments found in the recent past. As such, researching how a society like this could come to be would mean that the in-game revolution wouldn’t be unfathomable for the player to believe and buy into.
Perhaps most interestingly, in the sense that it reshapes what we understand an open-world game to be, is that there’s more consequence to the world. Each time a new day starts, or players boot up the game, a graphic would read ‘Day X in a world without end’. Players have no idea what dangers are ahead, and they have no idea if former allies in the game’s major city (or cities) are still alive.
Mimicking the story arcs of film and television is fine, but games provide better than any other medium a sense of place and memory. I remember Grove Street; I know which houses belonged to Ryder, Sweet and OG Loc. I know how I felt when returning with Sweet near the end of the game, after having spent months away from the Grove, the need to clean the streets and reclaim what was ours. This is a real strength of the medium that goes underutilised in existing open-world games, because they are made to allow the player to do anything at any time. A World Without End confidently confronts this feeling and imbues it into the actual gameplay without overreliance on cut scenes.
Such an approach builds on much-heralded moments in existing games and gears them even more towards the interactive medium. To alter an example I’ve discussed before, think about the fantastic storytelling in Ish’s sewers. Thought went into how the place operated for Ish and his surrogate family to survive, and it’s a shame the place wasn’t active when you got here. It reminded me of the hatch, or Station 3: The Swan, in Lost, and how Desmond lived before abandoning the site. In an open-world game, perhaps if you had found the sewers in the midpoint of the game you would interact with Ish and see how the community lived. If you arrived later, you see how it collapsed. It feeds back to the idea of using open-world games as a mosaic for narrative. Again, A World Without End wouldn’t depend on such moments – every single feature of the game world would passively communicate such a story. This level of thought would be ingrained into the entire world.
Ultimately, by emphasising an everyday people and everyday institutions which are affected by change on a daily basis, this would be a game which details a world in revolution, capturing the sense of ‘bottling real life’ that recent Rockstar titles like Grand Theft Auto V have been attempting to achieve. It is for this reason that A World Without End would not only set the benchmark for what open-world games can become, but what the interactive medium as a whole is capable of producing with gameplay, story, characterisation, world building and atmosphere. It is a game I want to be involved in making, and, more than anything, it is a game I want to play.
For a detailed synopsis of my actual pitch for this type of game, along with character profiles, a thorough description of mechanics, the game’s setting, and history of the landscape players would explore and struggle to thrive in, as well as script samples, please e-mail J_Ford2017@hotmail.com.
***
This game is the culmination of what I have been thinking about in other articles on this blog, so please read them to best understand what qualities I believe open-world titles should explore to push the potential of this medium forward in terms of both gameplay and storytelling.The former Liverpool striker says Vardy benefited from luck last season
Michael Owen described Vardy's technique as 'head down and hit it'
Jamie Vardy fired yet another blank, making it 11 games without a goal
Former England striker Michael Owen has doubted Jamie Vardy's goalscoring ability after claiming Leicester's struggling forward doesn't strike him 'as a natural finisher'.
Vardy was a shining light in the Foxes' Premier League title triumph last term, netting an incredible 24 goals as they clinched an historic crown.
But the goals have dried up for the 29-year-old this season and he has now gone 11 games without scoring after firing a blank in their goalless draw at Copenhagen.
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has doubted Jamie Vardy's goalscoring ability
Vardy once again failed to score as Leicester drew 0-0 with Copenhagen on Wednesday night
VARDY STATS THIS SEASON Premier League Appearances: 10 Goals: 2 Champions League Appearances: 4 Goals: 0 EFL Cup Appearances: 1 Goals: 0
And Owen, who is seventh on the all-time Premier League top goalscorers list, has admitted he isn't convinced by the former non-League forward.
Speaking before the match - where Vardy failed to score - the BT Sport pundit said: 'Even when he was scoring loads of goals last season he wasn't convincing me as a natural finisher.
'But then again Alan Shearer used a lot of brute force and power. He was a different type – not everyone finishes the same way.
'Look at Ozil from last night [his goal against Ludogorets]. He was so cool, calm and collected but others go for pure power.'
Vardy's sensational goals tally last season, where he also scored in 11 straight games to break a Premier League record, helped Leicester to a memorable league title.
Owen suggested, however, that the striker was fortunate with some of his goals and he isn't getting as much luck this season.
The England international has now failed to find the net in 11 consecutive games for the Foxes
Owen believes Vardy benefited from a 'bit of luck' during Leicester's title charge last season
VARDY STATS LAST SEASON Appearances: 36 Goals: 24 Assists: 6
'Vardy does contribute to the team with his running into the channels and his closing down. But he's in the team to score goals and we've seen a contrast from last season.
'He's the type of centre forward or type of finisher that is very much head down and hit it. He goes for power a lot. He's not necessarily a real cute, classy type of finisher.
'He doesn't once lift his head. He almost hits it through goalkeepers. To be a finisher like that you need a lot of luck – sometimes you'll have it, sometimes you won't.
The former non-League striker was a key part of the Premier League title-winning squad
Vardy proudly kisses the Premier League trophy after playing a starring role in the triumph
'This season it's been very different. He goes for power a lot of the time.
'Last year he was having a little bit of luck and would sometimes almost go through goalkeepers.
'When you are a power finisher and go for that over accuracy then you have to accept that sometimes your luck's in and sometimes it's out.'Now that I’m more or less moved out of my old place, I’ve commenced regular development on Gunmetal Arcadia, starting with some of the things I perceived as particular weaknesses on Super Win the Game.
In You Have to Win the Game, I had some fairly limited rules for authoring the hazards and powerups that appear in the world. These were written in XML markup, often using hardcoded tags that the code could interpret in a few known ways. These looked something like this:
<entity name="cash" type="treasure"
texfile="cash.bmp" texname="Texture_Cash"
width="8" height="8"
boxwidth="8" boxheight="8"
x="4" y="4" z="4"
/>
When I began working on Super Win, I wanted to move away from hardcoded rules and towards a more full-fledged method of authoring every component that describes an entity. This took the form of an entity composition tool in my editor. This tool still relied heavily on XML markup, but it gave me greater access to each component, which allowed me to create a richer set of game entities.
This was sufficient for shipping Super Win, but it came with its own set of difficulties. Animations in particular required some esoteric knowledge of how sprite sheets were intended to be laid out. For instance, the below example illustrates how the animation for the heart beacons that appear inside the Hollow King were written.
These beacons have two states (off and on), each accompanied by a looping animation, and there is also a transitional animation to go from the off state to the on state. The markup only specifies a single frame of animation for each of these sequences, but each <frame> tag contains a “dx” attribute that indicates an additional number of frames are to be added under the hood. This is convenient in that it required me to write less error-prone copy/paste markup, but it’s not exactly clear at a glance how it’s supposed to work.
Super Win also enforced a few restrictions on animated sprites that were especially annoying when I was animating the player character. The sprite’s quad were allowed to be a different size and shape than its collision box, but neither were allowed to change at runtime, and they were also required to be centered about the same point. In the below picture, the dark magenta around the sprite is the excess image data required to fill the entire quad, and the white box in the center is the collision box. Each frame of the player’s animation contains blank space beneath the feet because of this requirement.
Lastly, I had no support for mirroring sprites in Super Win, so characters who could face either left or right required twice as much sprite sheet data.
I’m attempting to address all of these problems in Gunmetal Arcadia with the introduction of an animation tool. This tool allows me to visually select the region for each frame, adjust its location relative to the origin and the collision box, and preview the sequence.
Under the hood, this tool will produce the same sort of XML markup that Super Win utilized (plus some new elements to specify offsets and such), but ideally, I should never have to think about that side of things once I start producing game content.
I’m hoping to continue improving my tools in this way across the entire development process. Animation felt like a natural place to start insofar as it would push me to break some hardcoded assumptions I’ve been making for years, but it’s easy to imagine applying the same mentality to other systems, from dialog scripting (a nightmarishly error-prone system on Super Win) to random level prefabs for Gunmetal Arcadia.A former immigration judge who was famously caught on video trying to solicit sex from a female refugee claimant in exchange for safe haven in Canada has received his final punishment—a decade after the disturbing footage first surfaced.
Stevan Ellis, who presided over hundreds of asylum claims as a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), was criminally charged in 2006 with breach of trust and bribery; convicted four years later, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. But this week, a Law Society Tribunal tackled the one question still hanging over his high-profile case: should the disgraced Ontario lawyer lose his licence?
The answer was never really in doubt.
Ellis displayed “an utter lack of integrity” and “brought Canada’s justice system into disrepute,” the tribunal concluded, and taking away his licence is the only way to maintain public confidence in the legal profession. “It is hard to imagine more egregious actions,” reads the panel’s 12-page judgment, released Feb. 2. “He used his position to offer a female claimant a positive decision in exchange for a sexual relationship.”
Now in his mid-50s, Ellis has two weeks to surrender his licence. He must also pay $5,000 in legal costs to the Law Society of Upper Canada.
The judgment marks the final chapter in a humiliating saga that began in September 2006, when Ellis, a former Toronto city councillor, presided over the case of Ji Hye Kim, a South Korean refugee claimant. After the hearing, Ellis approached the 25-year-old and asked where she worked. A Korean restaurant, she replied.
Ellis went to the restaurant—twice—but Kim wasn’t there. During a third visit, he told the woman he still hadn’t reached a decision on her asylum file. When he stopped by a fourth time, he convinced Kim to meet him for coffee. Suspicious by that point, she and her boyfriend set up a camera near the coffee shop’s outdoor patio to record the conversation. “You’ve got a boyfriend and I’ve got a wife,” Ellis told her, as the camera rolled. “If we do things on the side, that’s OK. I’m not going to be asking you to move in with me.”
The couple sent the undercover footage to both the RCMP and numerous media outlets. When Ellis was arrested two weeks later, his sex-for-citizenship scheme triggered headlines across the country.
At trial, Ellis said he suffered from untreated bipolar disorder and was in a hypomanic state—making him feel invulnerable and grandiose—when he tried to take advantage of Kim. The judge accepted the medical evidence, but still ruled Ellis “knew that what he was doing was wrong.” (Because he filed numerous appeals, Ellis didn’t begin serving his 18-month sentence until April 2014; he was released on early parole six months later.)
At the tribunal hearing, the Law Society sought to have Ellis’s licence revoked, the standard penalty for a lawyer guilty of conduct unbecoming. Ellis requested a “significant suspension” instead, holding out hope he would one day be allowed to work as a lawyer again. Alternatively, he asked for permission to surrender his licence—a punishment slightly less harsh than outright revocation—on the grounds that his medical condition played a role in his egregious conduct.
The tribunal shot down any possibility of a temporary suspension—“reassurance to the public requires that Mr. Ellis no longer practise law,” it ruled—and like the trial judge, the panel concluded that the bipolar diagnosis did not excuse his “dishonest” behaviour. “Mr. Ellis knew, when he did it, how unethical his actions were,” the ruling continues. “Even though he did not fully understand that it could hurt him, he made the choice to do something terribly wrong.”
Still, the tribunal did agree that Ellis’s medical condition was enough to justify a licence surrender instead of revocation. “Because of the effects of his illness, Mr. Ellis did not behave as he might have otherwise,” the ruling states. “This should be recognized in the penalty.”
The tribunal also acknowledged that Ellis, who resigned from the IRB shortly after his arrest, “has paid a heavy price” for what he did. “He has has lost his job, his reputation, gone to jail and experienced serious financial consequences,” the panel wrote. “We accept that Mr. Ellis feels remorse for what he did. With his recovery, he now understands the impact it has had on all involved, including the complainant, his family, the IRB and the Canadian justice system.”
A justice system in which he’s no longer welcome.1. Female fetuses are more likely to be aborted than male fetuses. For every 100 girls born in the respective country, there are:
115.9 boys born in China.
115.6 boys born in Azerbaijan.
114.0 boys born in Armenia.
112.2 boys born in Vietnam.
110.0 boys born in India.
Source: Guilmoto, C. Z. (2015). The masculinization of births: overview and current knowledge. Population, 70(2), 185-243.
2. Female infants are more likely to be killed or abandoned by their parents. For instance, in Pakistan, nine out of ten infants found in dumpsters are female.
3. Sick baby boys are more likely to be taken for treatment than sick baby girls. A study done in Nepal concluded that “Ill boys were consistently more often taken for care than girls, despite comparable referral…. Addressing gender bias in care-seeking, explicitly and within interventions, is essential to reducing neonatal mortality differentials between boys and girls.”
An older study in Pakistan showed that ill male children were twice more likely to be treated at a hospital than ill female children.
Still, due to biological factors, baby boys are more susceptible to infections and conditions, and the global male infant mortality rate is higher than the female infant mortality rate. The male infant mortality rate has significantly declined in comparison to the female infant mortality rate, and of course, any decline in infant mortality is a good thing. However, male infant mortality is largely due to biological factors (like weaker immune systems) whereas female infant mortality can be more attributed to social factors (like a societal preference for boys).
Source: Drevenstedt GL (2008). “The rise and fall of excess male infant mortality”. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105 (13): 5016–21.
4. Male infants are more likely to be nourished by their mothers than female infants. About 45% of all infant death are linked to malnutrition.
5. The cries of baby girls are more likely to be discounted than the cries of baby boys, specifically by adult men. Caretakers are also more likely to associate louder and higher-pitched cries will female infants, even though there are not sex differences between infants’ cries.
All of these are caused by a societal preference for boys over girls. As children grow older and begin to form distinct personalities and gain understandings of the world, they will be socialized to behave certain ways even more. But as infants, baby boys and girls are still treated differently and girls are more likely to die from infanticide or absence of healthcare for treatable medical conditions.
Before they can speak or express any sort of identity, and sometimes before they are even born, female infants are at a social disadvantage and in many cases, it is deadly. UNFPA estimates 117 million “missing” girls globally due to female infanticide.
Soon I hope to elaborate on disadvantages in different stages of life and on how the societal preference for boys can also materialize in domestic violence against women. (For example, in some countries like my own, Iraq, many people mistakenly believe women can choose the sex of their baby and react with violence when she gives birth to a female child instead of a male. I will discuss this more in the future.)
We can protect all infants by providing better access to maternal and infant healthcare, vaccines, baby formula, and sanitary supplies. We can specifically protect baby girls by radically changing society to abolish the construct of gender that attaches different rules and expectations for babies based on their biological sex and creates circumstances in which one sex becomes favorable to the other.Spaghettieis ( German pronunciation: [ʃpaˈɡɛtiˌaɪs]) is a German ice cream dish made to look like a plate of spaghetti. In the dish, vanilla ice cream is extruded through a modified Spätzle press or potato ricer, giving it the appearance of spaghetti. It is then placed over whipped cream and topped with strawberry sauce (to simulate tomato sauce) and either coconut flakes, grated almonds, or white chocolate shavings to represent the parmesan cheese. Besides the usual dish with strawberry sauce, one may also find variations like ice cream with dark chocolate ice cream and nuts, simulating Spaghetti Carbonara instead of Spaghetti Bolognese.[1]
Spaghettieis was created by Dario Fontanella in the late 1960s in Mannheim, Germany.[2][3]Fontanella recalls serving his innovative creation to children who broke into tears because they wanted ice cream and not a plate of spaghetti.[4]He received the "Bloomaulorden", a medal bestowed by the city of Mannheim, in 2014.[5]
For many years, the dish was not well known outside Germany, and could only be found at some gelaterias and specialty ice cream parlors, special events, and hotels and restaurants around the world. Recently, Spaghettieis has begun to appear as a novelty in more restaurants and has had some attention on social media.
References [ edit ]Media Browser is a great cross platform media system with client for Windows 8, Windows Phone, Android, iOS and Windows Media Center. You can watch videos and listen to music streaming from a Media Browser server and now the Media Browser team are adding live TV to the mix.
Media Browser 3 TV features are going to use Windows Media Center as the TV server and then you should be able to browse the EPG and watch live TV from a Media Browser client. From the screenshots you can see that it’s looking great.
As well as Windows Media Center support the developers are also looking at other TV providers like DVBLink and Nextpvr.They could do with extra help from developers to help with the project. You can see more screenshots and read more about it on the Media Browser forum. Developers can get in touch with the team also on the Media Browser forums.
About the author Ian Dixon:
Ian Dixon is a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional), founder of TheDigitalLifestyle.com tech site and producer of the weekly The Digital Lifestyle Show podcast. Ian has been writing and talking about Windows for over 10 years and has over 20 years in IT as an IT Manager. Ian has thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook and over 4 million views on his YouTube channel.With the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in full swing, personal driver app Uber is testing a food delivery service in the Indonesian city of Jakarta. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company has launched a temporary service, UberBuka (Buka meaning "break fast"), in partnership with 11 restaurants that brings dinner to fasting Muslims at the touch of a button.
The service is offered Monday through Friday during Ramadan — when Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk — to app users in Jakarta's two main business district. Customers can choose from two meal options daily and have them delivered in 10 minutes or less. However, the Wall Street Journal notes that deliveries will likely occur during peak traffic in Jakarta, which could lead to longer wait times.
Uber isn't the only company trying to appeal to Muslim consumers during Ramadan. Quartz reports that tech company Google is also launching a Ramadan web app to help Muslim worshipers plan their fasts. Called My Ramadan Companion, the app will help direct users to make OpenTable reservations among other services.
The UberBuka promotion represents yet another push by the company to break into the food delivery market. Last year, the app launched the UberEats (formerly uberFRESH) service in select cities. So far the delivery option has struggled to catch on among consumers. The UberBuka service runs through July 15.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption James Gallagher demonstrates the iKnife
An "intelligent" knife that can sniff out tumours to improve cancer surgery has been developed by scientists.
The Imperial College London team hope to overcome the dangerous and common problem of leaving bits of the tumour in a patient, which can then regrow.
Early results, in the journal Science Translational Medicine, showed the "iKnife" could accurately identify cancerous tissue on the spot.
It is now being tested in clinical trials to see if it saves lives.
To avoid leaving cancerous tissue behind, surgeons also remove surrounding tissue.
They can even send samples off for testing while the patient is still in theatre, but this takes time.
Yet one in five patients who have a breast lump removed still need a second operation to clear their tumour. For lung cancer the figure is about one in 10.
New tool
We believe it has the potential to reduce tumour recurrence rates and enable more patients to survive Dr Zoltan Takats, Imperial College London
The team at Imperial College London modified a surgical knife that uses heat to cut through tissue.
It is already used in hospitals around the world, but the surgeons can now analyse the smoke given off when the hot blade burns through tissue.
The smoke is sucked into a hi-tech "nose" called a mass spectrometer. It detects the subtle differences between the smoke of cancerous and healthy tissue.
This information is available to the surgeon within seconds.
Tests on 91 patients showed that the knife could accurately tell what type of tissue it was cutting and if it was cancerous.
Dr Zoltan Takats, who invented the system at Imperial, said: "These results provide compelling evidence that the iKnife can be applied in a wide range of cancer surgery procedures.
"It provides a result almost instantly, allowing surgeons to carry out procedures with a level of accuracy that hasn't been possible before.
"We believe it has the potential to reduce tumour recurrence rates and enable more patients to survive."
Trials are now taking place at three hospitals in London - St Mary's, Hammersmith and Charing Cross.
Prof Jeremy Nicholson, head of the department of surgery and cancer at Imperial College London, said: "This is part of what we call precision medicine, we're trying to change the world by very aggressively translating scientific discovery in to the NHS."
Surgeon Dr Emma King, of Cancer Research UK, said: "The iKnife is an exciting development to guide cancer surgeons during operations.
"If its usefulness is supported in further clinical trials, it could potentially reduce the time spent in theatre for many patients."Your Bitcoin transactions The Ultimate Bitcoin mixer made truly anonymous. with an advanced technology. Mix coins
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kano
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LegendaryActivity: 2730Merit: 1105Linux since 1997 RedHat 4 Re: Avalon batch [2] countdown! May 14, 2013, 11:44:47 PM #685 Quote from: glendall on May 14, 2013, 05:21:49 PM No way man, we aren't anywhere near BFL territory.
Avalon is only about 1/12th as a bad as BFL for delays. Maybe 1/11th.
... hmm... except that BFL hasn't shipped hundreds of devices then suddenly stopped for months without explanation after receiving millions of dollars...
Though someone inside did seem to imply the Avalons will appear shortly...
I'd guess that GitSyncom would find it rather difficult to stand in front of an audience and talk about BTC while they hadn't released any Batch #2 devices... so that should probably be an incentive for him to make sure they start shipping and stop mining on some of them... since there is no other incentive.... hmm... except that BFL hasn't shipped hundreds of devices then suddenly stopped for months without explanation after receiving millions of dollars...Though someone inside did seem to imply the Avalons will appear shortly...I'd guess that GitSyncom would find it rather difficult to stand in front of an audience and talk about BTC while they hadn't released any Batch #2 devices... so that should probably be an incentive for him to make sure they start shipping and stop mining on some of them... since there is no other incentive. Kano Pb8cKYqNrswjaA8cRDk4FAS9eDMLU
FreeNode IRC: irc.freenode.net channel #kano.is Majority developer of the ckpool code
Help keep Bitcoin secure by mining on pools with full block verification on all blocks - and NO empty blocks! Pool: https://kano.is Here on Bitcointalk: Forum BTC: 1Pb8cKYqNrswjaA8cRDk4FAS9eDMLUFreeNode IRC:channeldeveloper of the ckpool codeHelp keep Bitcoin secure by mining on pools with full block verification on all blocks - andempty blocks!
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Hero MemberActivity: 896Merit: 1000 Re: Avalon batch [2] countdown! May 15, 2013, 12:08:24 AM #687 One thing I have learned in business and the real world....being a man of your word speaks volumes. from the updates yesterday, it seems more batch #2 devices have shipped. HOWEVER, where are the batch #2 trade-in orders at??? THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE PRIORITY. emphasized with capsOne thing I have learned in business and the real world....being a man of your word speaks volumes.
shapemaker
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Full MemberActivity: 238Merit: 100I run Linux on my abacus. Re: Avalon batch [2] countdown! May 15, 2013, 08:09:02 AM #692 Quote from: kano on May 14, 2013, 11:44:47 PM... hmm... except that BFL hasn't shipped hundreds of devices then suddenly stopped for months without explanation after receiving millions of dollars...
Indeed! They have shipped 5 units then stopped. Such an awesome display of manufacturing prowess. And it only took a year, for sure this will go into the annals of Bitcoin as the most succesful ASIC shipment ever!
/sarcasm off
Dude, just get over your ego. Indeed! They have shipped 5 units then stopped. Such an awesome display of manufacturing prowess. And it only took a year, for sure this will go into the annals of Bitcoin as the most succesful ASIC shipment ever!/sarcasm offDude, just get over your ego. Shut up and give me money: 115UAYWLPTcRQ2hrT7VNo84SSFE5nT5ozoRussia is in dire economic straits.
Amid a crashing ruble and shaken markets due to global sanctions over Russian president Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea, wages have stagnated and many normal Russians have sought new and often less-than-moral methods of earning a living.
Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) has increasingly become one of these dubious and criminal methods. Ransomware, or software which locks data and operating systems while demanding often exorbitant payouts, has targeted more and more corporations and individuals despite all attempts by cybersecurity firms to stop its advance.
Over the past several months, new and unique variants of ransomware have made their debut. In March, the Russian ransomware software Petya was shown to encrypt entire hard drives rather than individual files. And days ago, Microsoft warned of self-reproducing ransomware which is able to move from one computer to another via flash drives and network drives.
A new report by data intelligence firm Flashpoint details an organized Russian ransomware campaign which has targeted thousands of Westerners and Western companies. The campaign, which has netted ringleaders exorbitant salaries - 13x the salary of the average Russian - has targeted thousands of systems across the Western world, from hospital data sets to the computers of unsuspecting end users.
According to Flashpoint, Russian ransomware bosses reached out to low level cyber-criminals on the deep web, offering lots of money for just a little work. The following message was distributed to forums and users across the deep web by members of the Russian digital underground:
Good day, This offer is for those who want to earn a lot of money via, shall we say, not a very righteous path. No fees or advance payments from you are required, only a large and pure desire to make money in your free time. I propose mutually beneficial cooperation in the sphere of distribution of my software. It is desirable, of course, that you have already had some minimal experience in this business. But if you have no experience, it is not a problem. In addition to the file, you will receive detailed instructions on how and what to do - even a schoolboy could do it; you need only time and desire. The scheme is simple, and tested and working 100%, revenue yields are decent. Thus, you are not risking anything in particular (money being the most important), and are getting valuable experience, and if you succeed - a good cash reward. At the same time, you do not need to bother looking or work ideas, encryption software, nor for receipts and processing of payments. Details - for all correspondence, write in this topic or personal message or Jabber.
After affiliates are targeted and agree to participate in the ransomware campaign, they can immediately begin distributing the software via several means, including botnet installs, email and social media spam, compromising dedicated servers, and distribution via torrent and file-sharing websites.
According to Flashpoint, the Russian ransomware campaign they uncovered does not utilize a command-and-control infrastructure. Rather, it utilizes custom ransomware that encrypts the files on the infected machine and drops a text file containing an email address that the victim needs to reach out to obtain a decryption key to retrieve the encrypted data.
Ransomware bosses handle the legwork of collecting the payments and decrypting the files, and as a result, keep roughly 60% of the ransom paid. In several cases, bosses skimmed off the top, refusing to unlock software and data until the victim paid an additional ransom directly to the boss.
Ransomware bosses collected payments via Bitcoins, then laundered the money and distributed 40% of the ransom to affiliates from an unattributable clean Bitcoin wallet.
According to Flashpoint, this ransomware campaign - and its Russian ringleader - has been active since at least 2012. Metrics collected on activity of the ransomware campaign showed motivation behind the campaign, as well as the most likely times individuals are targeted, which correlates to sleep/wake cycles and indicates the campaign's national origins.
“Ransomware is clearly paying for Russian cybercriminals. As Ransomware as a Service campaigns become more wide-spread and accessible to even low-level cybercriminals, such attacks may result in difficult situations for individuals and corporations not yet ready to deal with these new waves of attacks,” said Vitali Kremez, Flashpoint's Cybercrime Intelligence Analyst. "As |
Abd al-Rahman Sulayman
Mohammed Nasir Yahi Khussrof Kazaz
Abdul Muhammad Ahmad Nassar al-Muhajari
Muhammad Ahmad Said al-Adahi
Abdel Qadir al-Mudafari
Mahmud Abd Al Aziz al-Mujahid
Saeed Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah Sarem Jarabh
Mohammed Kamin
Zahar Omar Hamis bin Hamdoun
Hamid al-Razak (aka Haji Hamidullah)
Majid Mahmud Abdu Ahmed
Ayub Murshid Ali Salih
Obaidullah
Bashir Nasir Ali al-MarwalahFolder Structure.png
DialogVideoInfo.xml
C:\Users\urname\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\
XBMC Home Theater Experience
Intros
Trivia
Audio, Misc
Ratings
Q&A
Stills
XBMC Home Theater Experience script.part01.rar
C:\Users\urname\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\XBMC Home Theater Experience
system/addons/enable addons/program addons/Cinema Experience
configure button
XBMC Home Theater Experience script.part01.rar ( http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8G4FPFMR
DialogVideoInfo.xml
<control type="button" id="13">
<description>Home Theater Experience</description>
<include>ButtonInfoDialogsCommonValues</include>
<label>Theater</label>
<onclick>Dialog.Close(MovieInformation)</onclick>
<onclick>Playlist.Clear</onclick>
<onclick>RunScript(special://home/scripts/Home Theater Experience/default.py)</onclick>
</control>
C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC\addons\skin.confluence\720p
"Theater"
DialogVideoInfo.xml
C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC\addons\skin.confluence\720p
<onclick>RunScript(special://home/scripts/Home Theater Experience/default.py)</onclick>
<onclick>RunScript(special://home/addons/script.cinema.experience/addon.py)</onclick>
I had just started playing around with this script a couple of days ago and had many questions on how to get it to run. Like most people i downloaded the zip fromand installed from the addons in xbmc through install from zip file.I proceeded to then enable and install the Home Cinema Experience addon in xbmc under the program addons. Once installed I then looked at all the stuff I could configure in it. Seeing the run script before video under the misc section I assumed I needed to click that and point it toward the Home Cimema Experience script., which I located under Home/ addons then script.cinema.experience and finally addon.py. I left the configure screen and proceeded to start up a video and see what would happen. Nothing. So I close off XBMC and head on over to the forums searching for some answers.Before I go on I will state that I am running XBMC Darma RC2 on a Windows Vista 64 bit machine using the Confluence skin which is the default skin.After reading most of 1 day with 80 plus pages on the HTE, I dove in and started to grap some files.First off I grappedfrom the links by "Slaveunit". Thanks by the way. In that file which is the first part of 8, I found theandLooking at the Folder Structure made me create a new folder in myWhich I called. Inside of that folder (XBMC Home Theater Experience) I created folders calledand. In the Intros folder I the created folders called, and. In the Trivia folder I created folders calledandNow with the file I had from "Slaveunit" () which isonce extracted gave me audio files which i put in the Audio folder i just created. But these were not enough stuff to fill up my needs for a complete HTE, so I grabbedfrom "steppedup" ( Thank you). In short this file is a condensed version of what Slaveunit posted.Now with this file I had a good start with all my needs Intros, Outro's, advertisement, trivia, all sorts of goodies. Placing all the files in the needed folders I had created under myfolder I now thought I was ready to use the HTE addon. Opened up XBMC and went to, clicked on it then hit the. filled in all the stuff i thought I needed by pointing the trivia folder, into's, outro's etc etc to the files i put in my home folder under XBMC Home Theater Experience folder accoding to the names that were called for in the config section. I still had in the misc section pointing to the addon.py file which I assumed would launch HTE before watching a movie.So off I go to launch a flick. I choose " It's a Wonderful Life" and hit the play button. Wow wth the movie just starts no HTE for me. SO now I think the HTE is fubar. In a last ditch effort I create a custom button under programs on the main screen to point to the HTE script and run it once clicked. Once created I try it out and WOW the script is running in all it's glory. Trivia starts off then goes on to previews then trailers start to play and finally the presentation intro, but no main movie. Sigh. Close off XBMC and search forums again.I am bound and determined to get this to work. Came across some info that started me to think that I may need to adjust some xml files. In the) I find "". I open the xml up and take a look at it, toward the end of the file I findNow I am thinking that this is the answer.I copy the xml and find out where it is to go. I find that inis where there is the same xml file so I rename the original in the 720 folder and paste the other in, to replace the original. fire XBMC back up and lo and behold i now have abutton in my info screen of movies.i click it and still nothing. Open thewhich I just put inand replace this linewith this lineBack to XBMC and try again. Open up an info screen on a movie and click the theater button and YAH BABY works.Now the only short fall that I have come up with is that HTE will not play the Trivia Q&A's slides, It will play the Trivia Stills. so that is where I sit as of tonite.If anyone has other pointers on other skins to help this out I am sure it would be much appreciated by all.A bartender in San Juan, Puerto Rico, pours rum into a glass. Alcohol sales are banned on election days on the island, a rule the territory's Republican party would like changed for the upcoming presidential primaries. | AP Photo Puerto Rico GOP: Let voters buy booze on election day
Puerto Rico’s Republican Party is calling for the island’s government to allow alcohol sales during Sunday’s GOP presidential primary there, despite dry laws that usually ban those sales on election days.
Puerto Rico Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer González Colón said in a news release issued Friday that the island’s dry laws shouldn’t be enforced during the primary, since alcohol sales won’t interfere with the voting process or the distribution of electoral materials.
Reached at the island’s party headquarters, Kevin Romero, chairman of the GOP’s youth committee, said, “We believe that the Republican Primary on Sunday is exempted from the dry law due to it being a federal election.”
Moreover, González Colón said, the GOP doesn’t want “to interfere with economic development in such a fragile moment” — a reference to the island’s fiscal crisis — by having alcohol sales banned so Republicans can have their say in the presidential nominating process.
The dry law isn’t in effect throughout the island — there are exemptions for tourist hotels and on cruise ships.
There’s been little attention to the Puerto Rico primary — though the territory will award 23 GOP delegates, the same number as Maine, which votes on Saturday. Most of the island’s GOP establishment has lined up behind Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and Rubio will be making a last-minute visit to Levittown, Puerto Rico, on Saturday night.
Bans on alcohol used to be fairly common in the U.S., but a number of states have scrapped those laws in recent years. The final bans on buying alcohol on election days in the 50 states — in Kentucky and South Carolina — were repealed in 2014.
Gabriel Debenedetti contributed to this report.As most of you know, I am a high school teacher at Shaker Heights High School. I am privileged to teach a class about Human Rights & Conflict, where we explore a case study about the history, genocide and what it is like to live in Cambodia today.
Spring break 2015, I will be able to lead 12 students on a trip to Cambodia to experience what they have studied. I am going to Cambodia this summer, in the first week of August, with my lifelong friend Annie Kemmerling to preview our school trip and work with the Trailblazer organization.
I was introduced to the Trailblazers organization back in 2007 and their mission has never left my mind. They build inexpensive water filters for Cambodians who have have no access to clean water. I can't even remember the last time I did not have access to clean water. With so much abundance in our country, I am hoping this can be a small opportunity to reflect and give back.
Annie and and I hope to collect and present a donation from our family and friends this August of $500. Any contribution, whatever you feel comfortable with giving, will be greatly appreciated.
Please check out the Trailblazers Foundation website, which goes it to much more detail about the amazing work that they do for those living in Cambodia.
http://www.thetrailblazerfoundation.org/EDMONTON – There was no winner in Thursday night’s leaders’ debate but there was a loser and that was Thomas Mulcair.
Mulcair and his New Democrats have been leading or tied for the top in 21 of 24 national polls since the beginning of June even though, as party strategists themselves say, Canadians have yet to get to know Mulcair well. Their mission for the last few months and the first weeks of this long election campaign has been to introduce him to the voting public.
Thursday’s debate then was a glorious opportunity to do just that but it was an opportunity lost, partly because Mulcair’s opponents had a strong night — particularly Green Party Leader Elizabeth May — but also because Mulcair himself seemed less the politician than I and many members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery have seen over the last several months.
Just before the writ was dropped last week, in fact, I followed Mulcair around southern Ontario as he engaged in two or three campaign events a day including rallies in Conservative-held ridings attended by hundreds of enthusiastic well-wishers.
On the stump, in media scrums and during some policy announcements over that week, Mulcair was confident, he easily mastered details of issues he was asked about, and he displayed a warm “retail” touch as he met and interacted with everyday voters.
I’ll concede that, because I had seen Mulcair perform so well that week, my expectations for his debate performance may have been too high. But I didn’t see much of the politician on the debate set in Toronto that I’d seen in Windsor or Hamilton or Brampton. But even still, I’m not sure Mulcair left much of an impression on voters as a result of Thursday’s debate.
As for Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, certainly, the pummelling he has taken from the Conservative marketing blitz had lowered my and most Canadians’ expectations of him so much that, as Conservative campaign spokesperson Kory Teneycke quipped before the debate, all Trudeau had to do to win the debate was show up wearing pants.
But, of course, he did more than that, delivering a few well-rehearsed lines and, in calling out Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a liar a couple of times, provoked Harper into looking impatient and annoyed at “Mr. Trudeau.”
A couple of times Trudeau complained about the attacks Harper’s team has levelled at him. He shouldn’t do that as it sounds whiny. He should do what he did in his closing address: Present himself as a caring father ready for some new challenges. That’s the most effective way to put the lie to the “dumbo” caricature of the Tory attack ads. Though, it must be said, his hair did look pretty good Thursday.
As for Harper, how could he not be pleased with the debate result? He wins if the 65 per cent or more of Canadians who will not vote Conservative cannot decide between Trudeau or Mulcair. As I watched the exchanges Thursday between the NDP and Liberal leaders, my sense is that the Harper-haters were left with no hands-down winner.
The Conservatives hope it stays that way. A Liberal Party that stays in third place will help vote splits in dozens of ridings across the country break their way — and give Harper an historic fourth term in office.Riding on the Acela express train between New York and Washington, DC, Hayden had the bad luck of sitting near entrepreneur and former MoveOn.org director Tom Matzzie. “Former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden on Acela behind me blabbing ‘on background as a former senior admin official’,” Matzzie wrote on his Twitter account. “Sounds defensive.” For the next twenty minutes, Mattzie continued to livetweet Hayden’s conversations slamming the Obama administration, all the while insisting that he be referred to only on background. The conversation also seemed to touch on Hayden’s time as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under President George W. Bush as well. “Hayden was bragging about rendition and black sites a minute ago,” Mattzie wrote. Hayden has in the past defended the use of waterboarding against detainees held in various sites around the world, and dismissed torture as a "legal term."
Former National Security Agency director Michael Hayden needs to be a little bit more aware of his surroundings when he's mouthing off about, well, national security. Making this pretty much perfect Matzzie determined that Hayden's interview was predicated on the latest reports about NSA spying on foreign allies. So the next "former senior administration official" talking about the NSA you see in a traditional media story, you know who it is.The Louisiana flood has taken at least 13 lives and damaged 40,000 homes. This multibillion-dollar disaster is a devastating example of the damage water can do and proves that a hurricane is not required to leave behind a flooding catastrophe.
[Louisiana disaster reveals deep challenges in flood communication]
This unnamed storm produced three times as much rain in Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina.
The multi-day rainfall totals, shown both in the map above and in the list below, are stunning — many in the 20-30 inch range.
Multi-day rainfall totals from Louisiana flood, August 2016. (National Weather Service)
Some areas of Louisiana saw more rain from this event in three days than Los Angeles has in the last several years.
This says it all, really. More rain in four days than L.A. has seen in 55 months. pic.twitter.com/GWgAHHTcQe — Sean Breslin (@Sean_Breslin) August 16, 2016
What makes the rainfall output most remarkable is that it didn’t originate from tropical storm or depression, but just a weak area of low pressure that tapped into a unusually deep tropical moisture stream — fueled by warmer-than-normal ocean waters.
[How an oddball, nameless storm unleashed a disastrous deluge in Louisiana]
Ryan Maue, a meteorologist for WeatherBell Analytics, computed that the no-name storm deposited the equivalent of 7.1 trillion gallons of water on Louisiana. “Enough water fell that it could fill Lake Pontchartrain about four times,” he said.
Hurricane Katrina, by comparison, only left behind about 2.3 trillion gallons of rainwater in the state. (It produced a lot more rain in Mississippi, about 4.26 trillion gallons). The flooding in Louisiana from Katrina was mostly caused by storm surge, the tsunami-like swell from the Gulf of Mexico, which caused levees and flood walls to fail, not freshwater rain.
This no-name storm also generated more rainwater (in Louisiana) than 2012’s Hurricane Isaac, which produced the equivalent of 5.31 trillion gallons, Maue said.
[Here’s every billion-dollar weather disaster in the U.S. from 1980 to July 2016]
The exceptional nature of this event is best described by how statistically unlikely it was determined to be. According to the National Weather Service Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center, the amount of rainfall in the hardest-hit locations had a less than 0.1 percent chance of happening or was a (less than) 1-in-1,000-year event.
This great Louisiana flood reinforces the point that weak or unnamed tropical weather systems, frequently embedded within weak steering currents, produce some of the most devastating rain events. They deserve comparable media and public attention as many hurricanes as they are frequently just as threatening and ultimately damaging.Clinton making second run for president
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton picked up a key endorsement in Portsmouth on Saturday.Click here to view News 9’s report.Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her endorsement for Clinton last week, but formally endorsed her at an event in Portsmouth Saturday morning.Click to view raw video from the event.Shaheen and Clinton delivered remarks in front of supporters at the kickoff event for New Hampshire Women for Hillary.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton picked up a key endorsement in Portsmouth on Saturday.
Click here to view News 9’s report.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her endorsement for Clinton last week, but formally endorsed her at an event in Portsmouth Saturday morning.
Click to view raw video from the event.
Shaheen and Clinton delivered remarks in front of supporters at the kickoff event for New Hampshire Women for Hillary.
AlertMeMinister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has announced the establishment of an Open Data Governance Board with Emer Coleman at its helm.
The Open Data Governance Board will be responsible with advising the Irish Government on a national strategy for its Open Data Initiative, which was launched in July of last year.
Open data in government is about making the data held by public bodies available and easy to access online so that it can be reused and redistributed. The Minister cited the potential of open data to “deliver real economic, social and democtratic benefits across society” in a statement released with the announcement today (23 October).
Nine board members have been appointed following what has been described as an intensive application process. Leading the board as chair is Emer Coleman, an experienced digital leader with a background in both the public and private sector.
Who is Emer Coleman?
A graduate of University College Cork, Coleman left Ireland in 2005 and went on to work on open data and policy in the UK and other countries. She was the architect of the London Datastore, which involved releasing all of London’s public sector data.
She has provided leadership training to organisations such as the Local Government Association, The Leadership Centre for Local Government, PwC Ireland (and their clients), Chinese publishing giant PPMG and The National University of Singapore. In 2014, she was named in Silicon Republic’s Top 100 Women in STEM.
“I’m absolutely delighted that I’ve been asked to chair the board in the company of a group of very able and talented board members,” wrote Coleman in a blog post announcing her new appointment.
“I very much welcome and am excited about the opportunity to be able to bring home the experience that I’ve gained in the field of open data and innovation.”
Who else is on the Open Data Governance Board?
Coleman is joined on the Open Data Governance Board by eight others: three women and five men.
Prof Dietrich Rebholz-Schuhmann, a medical doctor and a computer scientist by training, has had a 20-year scientific career encompassing positions such as a director of research in biotech and principal investigator and group leader roles at the European Bioinformatics Institute and the University of Zürich. He is currently professor of informatics at NUI Galway and director of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics in Galway.
Dr Dennis Jennings was recently inducted into the Internet Society’s Hall of Fame for his internationally recognised work as one of the pioneer’s of the worldwide online network that connects us all today. Dr Jennings has leadership experience in the areas of change management and innovation, primarily with tech start-ups, as well as academic and research experience.
Civic entrepreneur Denis Parfenov is co-founder and director of Open Knowledge Ireland and an Open Knowledge Advisory Council member. He is also the founder of ActiveCitizen, a grassroots initiative which prompted the Government’s commitment to the Open Government Partnership.
Suzanne Duke is director of public policy for Europe at LinkedIn and formerly held the role of head of public policy at Google Ireland. A key part of her job is to partner with governments in harnessing LinkedIn’s data resources to help policymakers better understand and react to their labour markets.
Founder and CEO of Creme Global Cronan McNamara leads a senior management team that accesses, gathers and curates public and private datasets from all over the world and makes them available in their cloud-based analytical models. McNamara also chairs the Irish Software Association in IBEC and recently hosted Dublin’s first Predict conference on data analytics.
Dr Daithí Mac Síthigh is the director of research at Newcastle Law School and his interests lie in both the intersection of law and technology, and public law. He is a member of Create, the centre for copyright and new business models in the UK’s creative economy, which is funded by Research Councils UK.
A recognised leader in the area of open data (and another of Silicon Republic’s Top 100 Women in STEM 2014), Dr Sandra Collins is director of the National Library of Ireland, having previously held the role of director of the Digital Repository of Ireland in the Royal Irish Academy. Here she established and led an ambitious national research centre, developing both policy and e-infrastructure for digital preservation of cultural and social data.
Ashling Cunningham, chief information officer for Ervia (formerly Bord Gáis Éireann), completes the board. She is responsible for information security and data protection in Ervia, as well as developing and implementing data strategy, data quality and data architecture across the organisation.
What is Ireland’s open data plan?
The mandate of the board has been set, and the short summary of this five-page document is to provide leadership and governance in line with best international practice in the area of open data
The board will advise on how to improve the capability of public bodies in implementing open data and to consider opportunities to maximise the value of public sector data and information for long-term benefits.
“I’ve seen first-hand the innovation and economic stimulus that can happen when public bodies make their data open for re-use by third parties. But I’ve also gained lots of experience about the difficulties that public bodies face in dealing with the challenges of data release,” wrote Coleman, who notes Ireland’s own strides towards open data from the first Irish local government data portal, Open Data Fingal, through to the establishment of Dublinked and a national Open Data Portal.
Following the launch of the revamped Open Data Portal this summer, 1,214 datasets are now available from 86 public bodies, and this is growing.
In her new role, Coleman has promised to push for data release, even if unrefined and ‘ugly’, as well as accountability and transparency.
“While not all citizens (and I include myself in that) may be able to understand and wrangle with large datasets filled with numbers and statistics the willingness of government to release its data for public scrutiny and debate has to be the cornerstone of any modern democracy,” she wrote.
Inspirefest is Silicon Republic’s international event connecting sci-tech professionals passionate about the future of STEM. Join us again from 30 June to 2 July 2016 for fresh perspectives on leadership, innovation and diversity. Buy your Ultra Early Bird ticket now!
Women Invent is Silicon Republic’s campaign to champion the role of women in science, technology, engineering and maths. It has been running since March 2013, and is kindly supported by Intel, Open Eir (formerly Eircom Wholesale), Fidelity Investments, Accenture and CoderDojo.
Emer Coleman photo by Paul Clarke
Update, Friday 10 June at 12.37pm: This article has been updated to reflect that Emer Coleman will no longer be speaking at Inspirefest 2016.Share On more Share On more
BBC / Love Productions / Mark Bourdillon
1. Bake Off was born because Anna Beattie, its creator, thought there was something about village fete baking competitions that could work on TV. 2. Anna brought homemade scones to the show's first production meeting. 3. Mel and Sue were approached to do the show together. 4. And it was Mel who suggested that the producers should ask Mary Berry to get involved. 5. Before getting in touch with Paul, producers considered The Fabulous Baker Brothers, Dan Lepard, and Rick Stein.
6. Prospective bakers must first fill out a seven-page application form. 7. It includes personality-determining questions and questions about applicants' previous mishaps and successes in the kitchen. 8. It also specifies that bakers are not permitted to have achieved any professional catering qualifications within the last 10 years, worked as a chef, or received their main source of income from commercial baking in a professional environment.
9. The next stage of the application process is a 45-minute telephone call with a researcher. 10. In that phone call, applicants are asked to talk through a few basic recipes. 11. The next stage involves bringing two bakes to an audition in London, being interviewed by a producer, and having a screen test. 12. There is then a second audition, which involves completing a Technical Challenge set by Paul and Mary in front of the cameras, as well as bringing a bake with them for which they have previously received a recipe. 13. Finally, they are interviewed by the show's psychologist to make sure they can handle the pressure of filming.
14. Once the finalists are selected, they're told what the challenges will be. They then have to send their ideas to the show's producers to be approved. 15. The show is filmed over a 10-week period between April and June, and it's only aired once filming has ended. 16. But they only film at weekends so the bakers can continue working during the week. 17. Filming can take up to 16 hours a day. 18. The Signature and Technical Challenges are filmed on Saturdays, and the Showstopper is filmed on Sundays.
19. On the first day the bakers meet each other, and they are taken out for dinner by the producers. 20. And throughout the process, they end up getting quite close. After filming, they often go out for dinner and drinks together. 21. The bakers are picked up from their hotel in a bus ready to start filming at 9am. 22. In order to check that all of the ovens are working, the technical team bake a Victoria Sponge in each of them before filming begins. 23. There are about 50 crew members working on Bake Off.
24. Taking part in Bake Off is quite expensive. Bakers are only provided with their ingredients once they've reached the final stage. 25. Food producers are on stand-by around the kitchen while everyone is baking in order to offer recipe advice or bring fresh ingredients to struggling contestants. 26. Whenever contestants want to put something into an oven, or take something out, they have to hail over a producer to get it filmed. 27. Bake Off employs a food researcher whose main job is to make sure the Technical Challenge is achievable. 28. One runner is positioned at the closest big supermarket every morning of baking, in case any bakers decide they need additional ingredients overnight.
29. Bakers typically use between 12-20 ingredients per bake. 30. Francis Quinn hit the record for most ingredients used in a single bake, with 124 in her finale Showstopper, a Midsummer Night's Dream-inspired three-tier wedding cake. 31. This year's bakers used a whopping 1,600 eggs, 130kg of flour, and 150kg of sugar between them. 32. The bakers are allowed to specify the brands of the ingredients they want to use, but the crew then have to unbrand them before filming begins. 33. The show also employs home economists to do the washing up afterwards. 34. They can't use a dishwasher because it'd be too noisy to run during filming.
35. Once the judges have sampled the bakes, the cast and crew get to tuck in. Any leftovers get put into baskets for the cast to take back to their hotel. 36. Sue often stays in touch with the contestants via email once the show is over. 37. But Paul and Mary never socialise with the bakers outside of the tent. They like to keep things professional. 38. The knives used on the show are replaced every year.
39. Bristol-based Tom Hovey is the show's illustrator. He provides all the sketches of food and drink for the show. 40. He is given up to two weeks to provide his sketches for each episode. 41. Simple Business Insurance, which provides insurance for start-ups, now receives 325% more quote requests from cake entrepreneurs than it did when Bake Off began. 42. In February 2012, the word "cake" replaced "chicken" as the most searched-for term on BBC Good Food's website. This was thought to have been inspired by Bake Off. 43. M&S and John Lewis have reported an increase in sales of both baking ingredients and equipment since Bake Off became popular.
44. Women's Institute membership is currently at its highest since the 1970s. Its chair thinks Mary Berry and Bake Off may be responsible. 45. A baking club inspired by Bake Off called the Clandestine Cake Club was set up immediately after the first series aired. There are now 200 regional organisations, with 10,000 members collectively. 46. Last year's Bake Off final was watched by 12.3 million people, compared with 12.1 million people who tuned in to watch last summer's World Cup final on BBC1. 47. It also beat the final of The X Factor, which got 9.1 million views last year.Samsung Electronics has sold out of initial stock of the Galaxy S8 Plus 128GB model in Korea, five days after pre-orders began, the company said.
The South Korean tech giant prepared 150,000 units for pre-orders of the Galaxy S8 Plus 128GB model, which only comes in jet black and has 6GB RAM compared to 4GB RAM of the Galaxy S8. Now initial stock has sold out, those who newly pre-order the phone will get the model as late as end of May, Samsung said.
The company also said it has sold a total of 620,000 units of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus in the country so far.
The new phones broke the firm's pre-order record by selling 550,000 units over the weekend.
Samsung is launching the Galaxy S8 Plus with 6GB RAM in Korea and China. Those who pre-order the model get Samsung Dex, the new docking station that allows the phone to be used like a PC with Bluetooth keyboard and monitors.
The company is offering unprecedented benefits for pre-ordering customers, including a Bluetooth speaker for free and a one-year warranty for repairs. They can also start using the phone as early as April 18 before official sales begin three days later.
Analysts expect the latest flagship phones to help Samsung reach record profits in the second quarter.Here we are a full day after the Moto X officially launched on AT&T, yet we’re still without official, specific dates from other carriers, Verizon being one of the most important. Back in early August, we received word from sources suggesting that August 29 was the current target. As of yesterday, the 29th still appears to be Big Red’s goal, according to multiple sources of ours. But as much as I’d love for you all to pencil in next Friday, this is the mobile industry we’re talking about. We have seen launch dates change hours before we are expecting phones to arrive in stores (Galaxy Nexus, anyone?). But no matter what, we are 5 days away from the 29th, so the chances of seeing the Moto X in Verizon stores by then seems to be getting stronger. If anything, we should know for sure before long.
As a reminder, the Moto X will be available on Verizon as a 16GB model in woven black and woven white at launch, with MotoMaker customization coming some time later down the road. It could be November or it could be September for all we know – everything at this point on that front is nothing but rumor.
We should point out that some third party Verizon retailers are labeling this launch as having “constrained inventory” and only being fulfilled through direct fill. That means they would have to order the phone for you, and may only have limited amounts in stock. As far as corporate stores are concerned, there may not be any inventory issues. Should the phone launch on August 29, you may want to call ahead to see what the status is with your local shop.
Be sure to check out our Moto X review if you haven’t already.
Cheers D, ___, and ___!The role of art in Nietzsche's philosphy
One of the most outstanding features of Nietzsche's work is his highly elaborated and ornamental poetic prose. Frederick Nietsche was an artist above all and as artist he ought to be judged. The popular view of Nietzshe as a misanthropic nihilist is totally invalid. My endeavor shall be, then, to give evidence of Nietzsche's life-affirmation drive and optimistic approach to life; to help the reader understand some of the esthetical notions that have bearing on his theory of art; and to analyze the role art in Nietzsche's philosophical system.
For Nietzsche, Man is the source or order and structure in the universe. Man moulds the universe through language and ideas. Life itself is devoid of sense and meaning. The only meaning life may have is the one Man endows it with, therefore, Man is also the source of sense and meaning in the universe. A practical question then arises: Through what ways and means may Man bestow the world with meaning, that it will further his growth and development towards perfection? It is by virtue of artistic creativity that Man may be enabled to justify his existence, and give meaning and direction to it. It is through art that Man may find the path to self-engrandizement, to the übermench.
In Nietzsche's view, the beautiful lies in the eyes of the beholder. Man is the source and cause of beauty. Man mirrors himself on the world and reflects the beauty that resides within him upon the world. In the beautiful, Man praises and glorifies himself. For Nietzsche, the first esthetical truth (for him, the only true values are the esthetical values): "Nothing is beautiful, except for man alone: all aesthetics rests upon this naïveté." His second truth is then, "Nothing is ugly, except the degenerating man." In reference to man, Nietzsche writes: "His feeling of power, his courage, his pride - all fall with the ugly and rise with the beautiful." Hence, we can appreciate the scope that aesthetics holds in Nietzsche's philosophy: "Only as an aesthetic product can the world be justified to all eternity."
Nietzsche identifies a basic physiological condition that engenders, or makes possible, the artistic production: "If there is to be art, if there is to be any aesthetic doing and seeing, one physiological condition is indispensable: frenzy. Frenzy must first have enhanced the excitability of the whole machine; else there is no art." Nietzsche uses the term "physiological" because he denies the dichotomy of body and soul. For him the psychical state is to be found in the bodily condition proper to that specific psychical state; that is, in the corporeal-psychical unity. Thus, The constituent of this basic aesthetic state is frenzy, or rapture: that rapture engendered by sexual excitation above all - sensuality for Nietzsche is a fundamental ingredient for the aesthetic condition - or rapture reached through dance, music or narcotics. What is primordial is the increase of strength, fullness, and plenitude bestowed by rapture. It is in this state that Man's artistic will is enhanced: "In this state one enriches everything out of one's own fullness: whatever one sees, whatever wills is seen swelled, taut, strong, overloaded with strength. A man in this state transforms things until they mirror his power - until they are reflections of his perfection. This having to transform into perfection is - art."
For Nietzsche, art is not the imitation of nature, but a metaphysical complement that will enable the transcendence of nature itself. Art is the fundamental metaphysical activity of Man; art is the highest form of human activity. Nietzsche's view of art is, at the same time, the most sublime and metaphysical: "The world is a work of art that gives birth to itself."
The realm of aesthetics holds for Nietzsche a supremacy over ethics and knowledge. Hence, Nietzsche launches an attack on Schoppenhauer's and Aristotle's interpretation of art, but above all, against the Christian posture: "The purely aesthetic interpretation and justification of the world I was propounding…[sic]…placed them at the opposite role from the Christian doctrine, a doctrine entirely moral in purport, using absolute standards: God's absolute truth for example, which relegates all art to the realm of falsehood and in doing so condemns it." Here we can clearly appreciate how Nietzshe propounds a counterdoctrine of an esthetical nuance to oppose the Christian view of life. So, we arrive to the basic role of art in Nietzsche's philosophy, art as a countermovement to nihilism: "Art as the single superior counterforce against all will to negation of life, art as the anti-Christian, anti-Buddhist, anti-Nihilist par excellence."
Nietzsche states in "Twilight of the Idols": "In art man enjoys himself as perfection." Art is then the supreme delight of existence; art is the fountain and source of joy in the world par excellence. And joy for Nietzsche does not require justification because joy justifies itself; joy, too, justifies existence: through joy, life is affirmed. Thus, we reach another basic role of art: art as the supreme source of joy.
Art sustains life. Art is what makes life endurable and thus possible. Art is what make life worth living. Nietzsche depicts this through a beautiful metaphor: "Once again we may see the artistic buoyancy and creative joy as a luminous cloud shape reflected upon the dark surface of a lake of sorrow." Hence, this is another basic role of art: art as a metaphysical solace. Nietszsche, analyzing the Greek tragedy writes: "The metaphysical solace (with which, I wish to say at once, |
met them outside. Subaru twirled Petra around and complimented her on her cute maid outfit. Petra slightly blushed and seemed to headbutt Subaru in his gut. Subaru smiled down at Petra who smiled back and handed him a white handkerchief, which Subaru accepted graciously.
Frederica handed Subaru a blue pyroxene necklace for Emilia in order to enter the Sanctuary, lest they become trapped in the Lost Woods. She was unsure if Batman would be okay, as the only other person to arrive by air was Roswaal.
Batman met with Frederica who was saying goodbye to them with a courteous bow.
"Good luck to you all, and may you be safe in your travels."
"Hey Frederica, can ask you a favor?"
"Yes you may."
"Okay, please take care of Petra while we're gone, she may act like an adult but she is still a child."
"Hahaha, yes she's like Ram when she was younger."
"Oh? So Ram was the same as ever even as a child? Interesting. And another thing."
"Yes?"
" Could- *ahem* could you also keep an open guard around the mansion."
"Pardon?"
"It's just...yesterday...I felt like someone was outside in the forest, watching us. I hope it's just my paranoia acting up again."
"...Not to worry, I will be ever vigilant in protecting the mansion."
Batman then walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks, I'm counting on you."
"Oh….yes."
"Well, we're off, take care."
"You as well…"
When Batman turned around to watch Otto speak to Patrasche using his Divine Protection, he was unaware of Frederica looking at his back with a red hue to her cheeks.
The Batwing soared through the sky leaving behind a stunned Frederica.
Subaru smiled as he looked at Patrasche.
"We can't let him beat us there now can we?!"
Patrasche let out a mighty roar along with Otto's ground dragon, Verhoe, and they sped off to catch up with him.
Frederica and Petra waved them all goodbye.
"Hey Frederica onee-sama?"
"Yes?"
"You think they'll be okay?"
"I'm sure they will be. Why do you ask perchance?"
"Well...it seems like you're worried about Batman-sama the same way I worry about Subaru-sama."
"What?!"
Petra started to laugh seeing the red faced Frederica lose her composure. Making the current head maid start pushing Petra back inside the mansion.
Frederica could only sigh loudly as she also wondered why she was feeling so weird…
It was now hours later, Batman was in the Batwing when he received a signal from Subaru in his Comm Link.
"Yo Batman-san, how's it looking so far?"
"Subaru. Nothing out of the ordinary so far, how is everyone else doing?"
"Good for the most part."
"And that means?"
Batman could then tell that Subaru was now starting to whisper.
"Emilia is worried since we haven't heard from Puck…"
"Where could that spirit be?"
"Emilia said he was probably going off spreading world peace."
"How righteous of the little guy."
The two had a good chuckle about the whole thing...that was until another call a few hours later.
"Batman-san! BATMAN!"
"What happened Subaru?!"
"It's Emilia, she passed out and I can't wake her up!"
"Hold on I'm turning around right-"
"- The stone that Frederica gave Emilia is glowing! You don't think it's a-!"
Then absolute quiet…
"Subaru come in! SUBARU!"
Batman turned the Batwing around to find out what had happened to them. He flew over the carriage and found it had grinded to a stop. He landed nearby and was able to leap out to search inside. There he found an unconscious Emilia and a frazzled Otto...but…
"Subaru? SUBARU?!"
Batman realized that Subaru had gone missing. He searched around for awhile until he thought he saw something. He chased after it for a while and finally saw it.
It was a young looking girl with pink hair a white robe who was staring at him, then she ran off again.
Batman chased after her through the forest until he made it to a clearing and found it…
"Is this a tomb?"
He was staring at a large stone structure that seemed to be reminiscent of an ancient tomb of some sort. As he began to slowly move towards it, he heard a voice behind him.
"Best not go in there if ya know what's good for ya!"
He heard a strange accent coming behind him and turned around to see a young man with blonde hair, emerald eyes and vicious beast like teeth.
It reminded him of…
"Are you related to Frederica Baumann?"
"Wuh?! Tha' hell do ya mean by that?! You know my sis or somethin'?!"
"Yes, I met her a while ago. You almost look like a splitting image of her."
"Tch. Stupid ass compliments ain't gonna be gettin' outta this mess!"
The young man stepped forward closer as he narrowed his eyes at Batman.
"My amazing self ain't gonna tell ya this again...GET AWAY FROM THERE."
Batman furrowed his eyes as he said this, as the participants stared at each other.
Subaru was lost in daze as he found himself on bottom of a grassy hill, that was unfamiliar to him.
As he reached the top he found a small white table set up. Sitting there she saw a young woman sitting there, with snow white hair, a fair complexion and dazzling black dress.
As he got closer the woman opened her eyes to reveal them as lush brown as she looked up at him.
"Ah, so you've finally arrived."
"Who-who are you exactly?"
"Ah yes, let me introduce myself."
She set the teacup in her hand down as she smiled sensually.
"I am Echidna, and currently you are in my grave."
Subaru stared at her and moved towards her uncomfortably, as he took a seat she passed him a cup of tea and smiled.
"Well, is there anything you should be saying?"
"Oh right...um my name is Natsuki Subaru, nice to meet you Echidna-san."
"Oh just Echidna is fine. But I'm sure you want to ask me more of than that right?"
Subaru took a breath as he began to ask Echidna any questions he could.
Firstly, he had learned that he was currently inside a separate dimension inside her very Tomb, one that she crafted herself.
Secondly, he had learned that who he was meeting in person was in fact Echidna the Witch of Greed, who has of course, long since been dead.
Thirdly, he had learned that the Mathers family had been in charge of taking care of the tombs for centuries.
But also…
"Hey Echidna."
"Hmmm? Yes something you'd like to ask?"
"Do...do you know anything about the Sin Archbishops?"
Subaru hoped that she would know something about them and maybe even a way to bring Rem back.
"I'm sorry, I do not. But I am all the curious of you telling me about them."
"Oh next time. Forget I asked…"
Once again, hope was dashed away from Subaru, but he couldn't give up yet.
"Sorry, but I think I'm done for the day...could you well, show me the exit?"
"Huh? Really, but we were both learning so much from each other! You can ask me anything! I'll tell you-"
"Well Echidna, it was interesting and all, but I have to go, I'm sorry."
Echidna sighed sadly as she put her teacup down. Then she smiled.
"Well, the least I can do is to inform you that the tea you drank was made with my body fluids, it'll help the Witch Factor inside of you settle in, okay?"
"Yeah I mean it is-WAIT! I drank your what?!"
Echidna laughed as she put her hands on his chest.
"You have been given the qualifications and the Witch Factor should settle soon. You must not speak of this little tea party between us, Subaru."
She then took her hands off of Subaru and licks her fingers.
"Hopefully, we'll see each other soon."
The world around him shattered away….and he awoke inside a strange structure.
"Where am I?"
As he got up and exited the strange stone building he found himself inside of, he looked out to see the outside…
"Uh...hey."
He saw Batman and a young man staring at each other. The young man's eyes widened as he saw Subaru exit out of the Tomb. Batman saw Subaru and rushed over to him.
"What the hell were you doing?!"
"Sorry, I got lost after all the craziness."
"Honestly, you can be such-"
As Batman took a step closer to Subaru and his feet touched the steps, Batman felt his entire body burn and an electric surge hit through skull. Batman let out a slight grunt as he fell to his knees.
The feelings went away as he began to breathe normally again.
"Batman-san?!"
"I'm alright Subaru really. Just a little-"
Batman then looked up at Subaru, to see the black vines surrounding him once again, but when he looked up further…
"What the…?"
In his eyes he could see the Tomb was encased in humongous black vines, and when he looked closer, he could see very tiny vines slowly growing. When he blinked his eyes they were gone.
"Hey get tha' hell outta there!"
The young man jumped behind Batman, most likely to grab at his cape. Batman leaned back and allowed the young man's hand to lightly touch his cape. Then he spun his body hard and flipped in the air before skidding on the ground with his feet. The young man turned around and showed a displeased face, gritting his teeth hard as he looked at Batman.
It seemed as if the two were about to fight…
"Wait! Batman-san, where is Emilia?!"
Batman then relaxed as he looked up at Subaru's worried expression.
"She's unconscious but alive! In fact-!"
Batman dropped his fighting stance and fired a grappling hook up a large tree and flew into the air with it. This seemed to startle the young man as he watched. Batman reached the top and could see Otto looking around nervously, he seemed to have a bump on his forehead, most likely having a run in with the strange young man from earlier.
"Otto! If you can hear me, wait right there! We're on the way there!"
Otto looked up and became relieved to see him and waved back. Batman then leaped down and looked at Subaru and the young man.
"Subaru! We are heading out and...Frederica's brother, we may need your help so hurry up!"
"HUUUUUH?! The fuck kinda' reasoning is that? First' a all-"
Before he could finish Batman summoned the Batwing, it was high over them as they all looked up at it. The young man slightly shook seeing it, not out of fear but…
"THA'S HELLA COOL!"
Batman entered the Batwing and spoke through the intercom to alert anyone nearby.
"I'm heading to the town inside the Sanctuary, I'll check it out before you enter. Young man, help Subaru and the others get to there safely."
"...HUUUUH?! NO WAIT-"
Before the young man could finish, the Batwing sped off and eventually found the town. The denizens looked up in absolute terror at the metallic beast that was high up in the air. They began to run into their homes and the streets emptied out in seconds. Batman landed it and looked around the shabby looking town. He ran around and even jumped onto a rooftop to get better look around. In the distance he could see the carriage riding along to the town.
"Please do not frighten the citizens this much, they'll poison your food at this point, just be done with you."
"Only a person like you would think up something so cruel you know?"
Batman responded as such to the familiar voice. He then jumped off the roof, letting his cape float him down to meet her.
"Good to see you made it here in one piece, Ram."
"Hmph! My skills for survival are at their top peek, thank you very much!"
"So is that why I had to leave you all that food for yourself when I left?"
"Nevermind that, Emilia fell unconscious as we got here, I wasn't informed that was going to occur."
"For a person who excels at gathering information, you were taken by surprise eh?
Ram put up mischievous smile at him, which made Batman slightly upset.
"Though do not worry, I know that once she makes it here, she will be fine."
"Good, Subaru is on the way along with Frederica's brother."
"Oh you met Garf?"
"Garf? Please tell me that's another one of your nicknames."
"...Right, his name is Garfiel, but I have known him for a long time, so that is what I call him."
Batman nodded and smirked a bit when he looked again at Ram.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, it's just good to see you again."
"...Yes, well it is good to see you as well."
They both smirked at each other as they began noticing the townspeople were now coming out of their homes and looking at Batman. Some children hid behind their parents as they stared at him. Seeing this Ram took charge as she put a hand on Batman's chest.
"Everyone do not worry, this is a bodyguard of Emilia-sama, Batman. He is a special guest of Roswaal-sama, please show him some hospitality."
The residents could be seen murmuring as they heard this, with some surrounding the Batwing and simply marveled at it.
Batman began walking away with Ram next to him.
"Let's go greet the others and get things started."
"Yes, I know Barusu will have a lot of questions...but what about you?"
"...I want to talk to Roswaal."
Ram seemed distraught by his answer, it did make him feel guilty but he couldn't let it go.
He NEEDED to speak with Roswaal.
And thus, the carriage arrived past the town gates.
"Now...let's see what's going on here.
The party has now arrived at the Sanctuary, unaware of what fate had in store for them.You know how on the Internet, fan games seem to come and go like women with George Clooney? You always see and hear about them but they’re never memorable and don’t last long? Well Zelda Universe’s official fan game Timeless Haven is not going to be one of those!
Since debuting our first demo back in May, our team has been working hard on this game in order to try to fix, and improve on everything from that fist little display of what we have. A lot of progress has been made over that time and so it is now my please to present to you The Legend of Zelda: Timeless Haven’s second playable demo! This link will take you to the thread where you can find the demo, as well as some more detailed information. There you’ll also be able to leave us your feedback and ask us questions.
For those of you who played the original demo, you’ll find a number of things have been improved. We’ve developed a more in-depth combat system (which is also still being expanded), added a first look at Haven North, Link’s home town and main setting for the game where you’ll be able to talk to villagers and buy supplies for your adventures. We’ve also included just a couple little hints at the story, but that part of the game is still a secret!
On behalf of the whole Timeless Haven team, come one, come all! Tell your friends, bring your neighbours and family! The second Timeless Haven demo is here! We hope you enjoy what we have so far and will look forward to more in the future!
…seriously, why are you still reading this? Go! Play!Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has decided to hold a city council meeting Thursday afternoon, after Wednesday's events were disrupted by protesters.
Activists with the Don't Shoot PDX and Black Lives Matter movements were set to testify before council on the police union's new contract during Wednesday morning's council meeting.
They don't want outgoing Mayor Hales to sign the contract, saying Mayor-elect Ted Wheeler should be the one handling it. They also want Portland schools to stop utilizing resource officers, and also keep officers with aggression problems away from protests and other similar gatherings.
Two people, David Davis and Laura Vanderlyn, were arrested on trespassing charges after disrupting the meeting.
Mayor Hales declared a recess of city council around 11 a.m. He and the rest of the city council members left chambers and didn't return.
The city council was supposed to vote on the police contract Wednesday, but officials now say that vote will be pushed by another week.
The doors to city hall have been locked. People can leave, but they can't get back in.
A memo from Hales' office says Thursday's meeting will be held in a room at 1 p.m. where "public access will be limited."
KATU's Stephen Mayer broadcasted live on Facebook from city hall:
About a dozen Black Lives Matter and Don't Shoot PDX activists protested against the contract last week by camping outside city hall.Why Is Live Action Doctoring Its Planned Parenthood Audio? February 4, 2011 2:50 PM EST ››› Blog ›››››› JEREMY SCHULMAN
When the anti-abortion rights propagandists at Live Action began releasing their Planned Parenthood smear videos earlier this week, we explained that their claim that Planned Parenthood was covering-up "child sex trafficking" was clearly a lie. That's because way back on January 18, Planned Parenthood's president wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder about the incidents and requested an FBI investigation into the possibility that "an individual or individuals are engaged in activities that violate several federal criminal statutes relating to sex trafficking involving minors." So Planned Parenthood obviously wasn't covering up anything; they were fulfilling their obligation to keep children safe. We also warned that media should be skeptical about the heavily edited video footage released by Live Action. As it turns out, we were right to raise concerns. Yesterday, Live Action released a video that it claimed showed a Richmond, Virginia, Planned Parenthood's supposed "willingness to aid and abet sexual exploitation of minors." In reality, it showed nothing of the sort. ABC News reported that the Planned Parenthood employee "appears to act professionally and appropriately" and that "[l]egal experts... said the clinic worker's advice on how a minor could obtain an abortion without her parents' consent is consistent with state law." According to Planned Parenthood, the employee "immediately notified her supervisor, who subsequently notified members of Planned Parenthood's national security team, who are working with the FBI, which is investigating these visits." But Live Action also appears to have doctored the audio of its Richmond "sting," moving audio from one portion of their video to a different portion.
Take a look at the 7-minute, heavily edited video that Live Action promoted. Go to the portion of the video where the camera's timestamp reads "10:32:58" (frame number 21125). The "pimp" asks how they could "set up" an abortion for a "15 year old." From off-screen, the employee apparently asks, "Well, I mean the judicial bypass?" The employee apparently goes on to explain the process. (I say "apparently," because you can't actually see the employee talking; it's just a video of the wall.)
Now look at what Live Action says is the "full" 14-minute video of the Richmond encounter. Again, go to the portion of the video where the camera's timestamp reads "10:32:58" (frame number 21125). This time, the audio is different; the employee appears to be discussing the cost of birth control and STD screenings.
In the "full" video, the portion of the exchange about the judicial bypass process discussed above begins when the camera's timestamp reads "10:34:28" (frame number 22604) -- a minute-and-a-half later than in the heavily edited video.
The only explanation is that someone at Live Action moved around the audio in one of the versions of the video.
All of which leads to this question: If Live Action is doctoring audio of their Richmond sting, what else are they lying about?A 12-year-old girl who uses a wheelchair was detained for nearly an hour at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport by Transportation Security Administration agents who said they detected traces of bomb residue on her hands, according to her mother.
MyFoxDFW.com reports that Shelbi Walser, who suffers from a genetic bone disorder, was traveling with her mother from Texas to Florida for medical treatment Dec. 8 when she was prevented from proceeding through a security checkpoint.
When a screener swabbed Shelbi's hands and fingers, she tested positive for explosives, her mother, Tammy Daniels tells KHOU.com. The wheelchair, she said, was never tested.
Daniels said a bomb specialist showed up and TSA agents prevented her from getting close to her crying daughter, according to MyFoxDFW.com.
Other passengers reportedly spoke out in support of Shelbi, according to Daniels, who used her cell phone to record a video of the incident.
After nearly an hour, Daniels said agents suddenly told them they were free to leave, offering no explanation for the detention.
TSA responded in a statement to MyFoxDFW.com that reads in part, "TSA's mission is to safely, efficiently and respectfully screen nearly two million passengers each day at airports nationwide. We are sensitive to the concerns of passengers who were not satisfied with their screening experience and we invite those individuals to provide feedback to TSA through a variety of channels."
Click for more from MyFoxDFW.com
Click for more from KHOU.comINDIANAPOLIS -- Adam Gase thinks he left Jay Cutler in good hands.
Gase, currently the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, heartily endorsed the Chicago Bears' promotion of Dowell Loggains from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. It's arguably Chicago’s most important offseason move to date considering Gase's impact on Cutler in just one year on the job.
“It's a great dynamic [between Loggains and Cutler], I know that,” Gase said at the NFL combine. “I always loved going around those two guys and kind of seeing the banter between them. When they hit the field, there's something special there between those two guys and the way they work together and the way they communicate. It'll be a great situation for Jay.”
The Bears like to spread credit around for Cutler’s resurgence in 2015, but Gase is largely responsible (after Cutler himself) for the positive changes in Cutler’s game and approach. After years of often excellent play followed by bouts of questionable decision-making, Cutler, 32, consistently flourished in Gase’s system, posting a career-best 92.3 QB rating and passing for 3,659 yards with 21 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions.
The key for Loggains -- the former offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans for one-plus seasons -- is keeping Cutler engaged and calm during adverse moments. Cutler never seemed to panic last year in tight spots, a testament to not just the quarterback's growth but also to Gase’s steady and confident demeanor on the sideline.
Cutler trusted and respected Gase from the moment John Fox’s coaching staff took control last January. He has to have the same attitude toward Loggains if the offense is going to succeed in 2016.
Gase is confident that will happen.
“That offense is in great hands,” Gase said. “I mean that whole coaching staff is top-notch. I enjoyed working with all those guys, but those two guys together, they'll be able to keep that system going. They'll be able to keep that continuity going.”“The Islamic Organization of the Southern Tier worries the wording could encourage hatred toward Muslims living in the area, painting all Muslims with the same brush.”
This is an oft-used and tired talking point. How does identifying the motivating ideology of the 9/11 attackers paint all Muslims with the same brush? Does referring to the Italian mafia amount to calling all Italians mafiosi? Does referring to German Nazis mean that one is calling all Germans National Socialists?
This is just an attempt to deflect attention away from the ideology of the 9/11 hijackers, and to keep people ignorant and complacent regarding the fact that those hijackers were working from Islamic principles that are embedded within the Islamic texts that are read and studied and taught by the Islamic Organization of the Southern Tier.
“Group in southern New York town takes issue with writing on 9/11 memorial monument,” WWMT, September 1, 2016 (thanks to Blazing Cat Fur):What is this ‘How to 100’ thing and where did I come up with it? Well, let me explain …
Lately, I’ve really been itching to give back
Maybe it’s the holiday season. Maybe I need something productive to do on Saturdays besides watch football.
Whatever the case may be, I’ve decided to channel my energy into something productive: Sharing small business advice.
Why small business advice?
Just the other day I was giving a friend some advice on how to develop profiles of his most profitable types of clients so he could sort through his new client referrals with more confidence.
When I got off the phone with him, I thought to myself:
I give a lot of advice to other entrepreneurs & small business owners … Why don’t I ever write these things down?
For every conversation I do have where I share some helpful advice on growing your business, there are a few requests to chat every week that I’m simply not able to help with because I don’t have enough time.
Writing down all the tips I’ve learned about building a sustainable, profitable small business over the past 30 months would allow me to help more people.
Why should you pay attention to my advice?
I know I know; you’re probably wondering why to trust me in the first place. Well, you should also have some faith in my advice because …
My company has worked with more than 20 clients ranging from Microsoft to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
We have increased revenue by 50x at the end of year 1 and generated 98% revenue growth again at the end of year 2
We’ve never received a single dime of funding and are continuing to focus on building a profitable, sustainable business without having to seek outside investment
So what am I going to write about?
I’m dubbing this series the ‘How to 100’ and will focus the majority of the content around easy how-to tips and tricks to grow your business faster.
A few great examples include:
How to fire all your bad clients
How to increase revenue from existing clients
Where to turn for help when your company is growing too fast (or not fast enough!)
The real kicker: All the content I do produce will also be less than 100 words in length.
Why am I providing small business advice in 100 word increments?
Because I want to make it easy and effortless for you, my fellow entrepreneurs & small business owners, to learn from my mistakes and failures!
My favorite business book mentions that most people write too much! Instead of getting to the point, they hammer home their points over and over and over and … well, you get the point.
My goal is to get to the point, share helpful advice to grow your business and engage with other small business owners online through this series of articles.
What am I personally looking to get out of this?
My goals are simple:
Article Comments: I’m looking to get all the feedback I possibly can on each piece of advice in the comments section of the article
Comments to Shape Future Content: Not only do I want to have conversations with my readers, but I want to use suggestions in the comments section to guide the type of content I write in the future
What can you do to help?
I’m glad you asked! You can sign up by clicking on the link below and share each article using the social share buttons on the left hand side of the screen.A 22-year-old police officer in central Oklahoma died Monday after a shootout with a man trying to escape a traffic stop in central Oklahoma, police announced.
We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the family of Officer Terney & the TPD. We are deeply saddened at the tragic loss. #OfficerDown pic.twitter.com/OHb6DexRS4 — Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) March 27, 2017
Officer Justin Terney died Monday morning after undergoing surgery overnight, Tecumseh Assistant Police Chief J.R. Kidney said.
VIDEO: DOUBLE-AMPUTEE MARINE VETERAN TO BECOME POLICE OFFICER
The suspect was also shot and was in intensive care Monday morning, Kidney added.
Terney pulled over a vehicle around 11:30 p.m. Sunday in Tecumseh, 35 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, police said. The suspect -- apparently a passenger -- bolted as Terney checked with dispatchers to see if he had any outstanding warrants, according to Kidney.
THOUSANDS PAY TRIBUTE TO NYC MEDIC RUN OVER BY STOLEN AMBULANCE
Terney used a stun gun on the man but it was ineffective, Kidney said. The man then shot at Terney, who returned fire. Both men were wounded and paramedics rushed them to OU Medical Center.
Kidney said Terney, who graduated from police academy last summer, was shot in the "lower extremities." He was hit three times, Fox 25 reported.
He said authorities are still working to confirm the identity of the suspect, who was also shot multiple times.
"If it is who we think this person is, there's a possibility that he has some warrants," Kidney said. "That could be the reason that he ran."
The driver of the vehicle was in custody as well, police added.
Terney had a new puppy and had hoped to become a canine officer, Kidney told The Oklahoman. Terney grew up in eastern Oklahoma and also was a volunteer firefighter, Kidney added.
Click for more from Fox 25.San Jose evened up the Pacific Division Finals on Saturday night with a convincing 5-1 win over San Diego in Game 2 at SAP Center.
With the best-of-seven series all square, San Diego hosts Game 3 on Wednesday night.
Ryan Carpenter recorded a goal and an assist for the Barracuda, giving him AHL-leading totals of six goals and 10 points this postseason.
Nick DeSimone, Buddy Robinson, Adam Helewka and Barclay Goodrow also scored for San Jose, and Timo Meier, Tim Heed and Julius Bergman notched two assists each.
Troy Grosenick (4-3) made 31 saves in the win.
Sam Carrick tallied the only goal for the Gulls. Jhonas Enroth (4-3) allowed five goals on 35 shots before Dustin Tokarski (seven saves) mopped up in his first appearance of the postseason.
Pacific Division Finals – Series “L” (best-of-7)
P1-San Jose Barracuda vs. P2-San Diego Gulls
Game 1 – Fri., May 5 – San Diego 3, SAN JOSE 2 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., May 6 – SAN JOSE 5, San Diego 1
Game 3 – Wed., May 10 – San Jose at San Diego, 10:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 12 – San Jose at San Diego, 10:00
Game 5 – Sat., May 13 – San Jose at San Diego, 10:00
*Game 6 – Tue., May 16 – San Diego at San Jose, 10:00
*Game 7 – Wed., May 17 – San Diego at San Jose, 10:00
*if necessary… All times EasternRobber gunned down on Pasadena street
A man shot and killed a robber who allegedly held him at gunpoint on a Pasadena street Friday night.
The victim was walking in the 600 block of Hawthorne near Wafer around 10:30 p.m. after shopping when a dark-colored truck pulled up beside him, said Pasadena Police spokesman Vance Mitchell.
An armed man then got out of a vehicle, pointing a gun in the victim's face and demanding that he give him everything he had, Mitchell said.
After the victim handed over a bag with the boots he'd just purchased, he heard another man in the truck yell to the gunman to shoot him, Mitchell said.
In fear for his life, the victim pulled out his own gun and began shooting toward the robber, striking him, Mitchell said. The suspect then jumped back in the vehicle, which fled down the street to the intersection of Wafer and Southmore.
A few moments later, witnesses flagged down police officers and told them the truck had been involved in a robbery.
Paramedics took the gunman in the robbery to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, Mitchell said. Officers arrested the driver and another passenger in the truck, Mitchell said, adding that charges are pending against the two men.
No charges have been filed in the shooting and Mitchell said the case will be referred to a Harris County Grand Jury.Preview | Recap | Notebook
Grizzlies-Mavericks Preview
By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Mar 05 2011 7:30PM Dallas has never lost a season series to the Memphis Grizzlies. Based on the way the Mavericks have played over the last 1 1/2 months, there's a good chance that won't change. The Mavericks look to extend their winning streak to nine games and split the season series with the visiting Grizzlies on Sunday night. No team is hotter in the league than Dallas (45-16), which beat Indiana 116-108 on Friday for its eighth straight victory and 18th in 19 games. The Mavericks are second in the Western Conference, but trail San Antonio by 5 1/2 games. Playing some of their best basketball of the season, the Mavericks hope to continue their recent success against a Memphis team that has won two of the three previous meetings in 2010-11. That included a 91-90 victory at Dallas in the second game of the season to snap a nine-game road skid against the Mavericks. Though the teams have split their season series twice since the Grizzlies debuted in Vancouver in 1995-96, Memphis has never won a series with Dallas. While Memphis (34-29) is in position to finally accomplish that feat, the challenge won't be easy. Dallas has averaged 107.1 points on 49.6 percent shooting over its last 19 games. Dirk Nowitzki has averaged 26.8 points in the last six and sixth-man Jason Terry 23.8 on 58.5 percent shooting over the last four. The pair combined for 50 points on 18-of-28 shooting Friday as the Mavericks pulled away in the final three minutes to shake the pesky Pacers and win their season-high ninth straight at home. "We were aggressive and attacking," Nowitzki said. "That was good to see." Dallas has had trouble doing that against the Grizzlies this season, averaging just 88.7 points in three games. That included a 106-91 win at Memphis on Nov. 10 as the Mavericks shot 54.1 percent. Though Nowitzki has averaged 15.3 points versus Memphis this season, he had 27 in the October home matchup. He had seven points and was ejected after picking up a pair of technical fouls in the Mavericks' 89-70 loss at Memphis on Jan. 15. Rudy Gay had 21 points to lead Memphis at Dallas earlier this season, but a dislocated shoulder suffered last month will force him to miss this contest. Memphis fell to 3-3 minus their leading scorer with a 98-91 loss to New Orleans on Friday. Still, the Grizzlies still own the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Zach Randolph, who had 20 points with 11 rebounds against the Hornets, scored 23 points in each of the last two meetings with Dallas and pulled down 20 boards in the January win. A back injury kept him out of the contest in Dallas. Looking to fill the void until Gay returns later this month, Memphis signed veteran Leon Powe on Saturday. He averaged 5.0 points in 14 games for Cleveland before he was waived Feb. 24 Dallas is expected to be without starting center Tyson Chandler for a second straight game because of a sprained ankle.
Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited
Randolph's jumper with 0.3 left sinks Mavericks
By JAIME ARON
Posted Mar 06 2011 11:31PM DALLAS (AP) Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins already had seen his club score more points in the third quarter than they did in the first half. He'd seen them erase an 18-point deficit against a team that had lost just once in its last 19 games. So in a timeout with 3.1 seconds left, he asked for one more improbable feat. He wanted Zach Randolph to make a long jumper from the corner, even though he'd be covered by a 7-footer and probably have a guard chasing him, too. Randolph made it work, putting extra arch on a 17-foot jumper and dropping it straight through the net with 0.3 seconds left, lifting Memphis to a 104-103 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night. "It's definitely higher than I normally shoot it, but I can hit a lot of shots like that," Randolph said. "I felt comfortable when I released the shot." The Grizzlies won the season series against the Mavericks for the first time in franchise history. They went 2-0 in Dallas, after having lost the previous nine. The Mavs had won eight straight games and 18 of 19, and seemed likely to keep those streaks alive when they dominated the first half. Then they gave up 41 points in the third quarter and were trailing going into the final period. Dallas regained control, although never by very much, and Memphis went back ahead with 14.3 seconds left when Shane Battier caught a blocked shot and flicked in a reverse layup. Dirk Nowitzki answered with a jumper from the foul line over Battier that put Dallas ahead with 3.1 seconds left, only to have his potential game-winner trumped by Randolph's. "It could've gone either way down the stretch, and they made a good play to win it," Now |
a different environment.
If Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson aren't there to suck in defenders with their gravity, perhaps Green sees more honest coverage and can't sustain his already modest perimeter accuracy.
His defense is likely to translate wherever he goes, but even that aspect of his game gets a situational boost with the Warriors. Having Andrew Bogut waiting at the rim makes perimeter defense easier, as does the cadre of rangy wing stoppers populating the Dubs' roster.
Still, Green's defensive prowess, as we've mentioned, stands up on its own for the most part—statistically and anecdotally.
The complications keep coming, though. And the rising salary cap is one of them. We just saw the Warriors go big on a contract for Thompson (although that has turned out to be a very fair deal rather quickly) in part because they knew the inflating cap would make a four-year, $70 million pact look smaller in short order.
Noah Graham/Getty Images
Not every team with cap room will line up to toss a four-year, $66 million contract (which is the most another team could offer based on the current projected cap). But one probably will. And for the Warriors, who'll be in a position to match, that's all the matters.
One big offer sheet is all it takes to set the market (See: Hayward, Gordon).
Green's name has been tossed around with the word "max" enough times and by enough esteemed voices to create an environment where seeing him ink that kind of deal won't be considered a shock. Not that public opinion should necessarily control the market, but when Jeff Van Gundy says "I really think he's going to be a max player" on a Jan. 9 broadcast, per ESPN.com's Ethan Strauss, it has the effect of normalizing what before seemed like an abnormal concept.
So what's Green worth?
It depends.
If we're talking about the Warriors, the perfect situation for him, where he can improve at his own pace in a sound system on a hefty ration of good shots, the answer might be the max.
Per Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, Warriors owner Joe Lacob has conveyed a willingness to take his team into the luxury tax to keep Green, which, if you think about it, means he's actually worth more than the max to them because of the added penalty for exceeding the tax line.
Lacob said:
I’m not allowed per NBA rules as you know to make certain statements about who we’re going sign or how hard we’re going to try to sign that person. What I will say is, (Green) was born to be a Warrior. And we love him. I certainly think today as we look at our team, he’s part of our core and can’t imagine it being otherwise.
Rocky Widner/Getty Images
If we're talking about a floundering team in search of an emotional leader who can't carry a club on offense, maybe the max is too much. Maybe Lacob won't have to take a massive tax hit to retain a player he unabashedly adores.
If you want to get practical about it, asking what Green is worth is really just asking how much somebody's willing to pay. You can plug in all the numbers and comparisons you want, but in the end, Green is worth whatever the market says he is.
Thanks to the growing buzz around his defensive game, his unique stats and the high profile of his team, it looks increasingly like the market is going to say he's worth as much as the collective bargaining agreement allows him to be paid.
In other words, max money.
Follow @gt_hughes
*Stats accurate through games played Feb. 2 and sourced from Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless otherwise indicated.Some generally awkward television took place Thursday afternoon when Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) -- invited on CNN to discuss the botched Christmas terrorist attack -- was quizzed about ethics allegations that he set up and aided the husband of his mistress with a lobbying gig.
The Nevada Republican insisted throughout the segment that he had done nothing unethical or untoward in arranging for his former staffer Doug Hampton to join a political consulting firm and then setting him up with clients. But with each attempt at evasion, host Rick Sanchez came back with another the excruciating question.
"Did you help [Hampton] get a job because you felt bad for him or because you had been sleeping with his wife and you wanted to get him out of the way," the CNN anchor asked at one point.
For his part, Ensign didn't walk off the set. But it seemed pretty clear that the senator and his staff had secured a promise from CNN beforehand that the topic of his affair would not be discussed.
Here is video courtesy of Talking Points Memo:
"I commented all I was going to comment on that," said Ensign. "And we told you when we were going to come on here that I'm going to be focused on health care, I'm going to be focused on the economy... You can ask it all the ways you want to ask it."
Ensign largely dropped off the national political scene after his affair with Hampton's wife, Cynthia Hampton, became public this past June. The CNN appearance was his first on the network since the story broke, Sanchez said.
But a New York Times story months later raised the possibility that the senator skirted ethics rules in order to outfit his mistress's jilted husband with a consulting gig, one in which he was allowed to lobby Ensign's staff. In addition, the senator reportedly encouraged friends and associates to give Hampton business when money started going dry.
Asked by Sanchez whether the arrangement violated restrictions on staffers lobbying their former bosses, Ensign replied, succinctly: "That's his problem. That's not my problem.... I believe that based on facts, the ethics committee will clear me and I will go on being a senator."By Iwazaru
[UPDATE] According to Herald Media and the Joongang Daily the assailant said to the police that there was some confusion and that he thought the 61-year-old man, a Mr. Seon, was demeaning black people. The Joongang quotes the police saying, “The suspect said that he felt humiliated by Seon’s words, and it really fired him up,” a Bundang Police official said. “He didn’t deny the assault, so we will charge him soon without detention.” In addition, the man said he’s willing to apologize to Mr. Seon.
The video of an apparent African-American man going off on an elderly Korean man has gone viral. According to a news report on TBSeFM this morning, on Saturday night the black man, who’s an American English teacher, was talking loudly on his cell phone when the Korean man told him to be quiet several times. The word Nee ga (니가), meaning you in Korean, was allegedly spoken, causing the black man to fly into a rage which can be seen in the video below (two are there in case one or the other is shut down). The report also said the bus driver drove right to the police station near Bundang where police arrested the suspect, later releasing him. [UPDATE] According to Herald Media the American has apologized and said the “shut up” set him off.
Little more is known except that the blogosphere is buzzing over the story which is stoking the long festering topic of race relations not only in the West but here in Korea. Mike Hurt goes off on his blog saying, among many other things:
“When the Nigger Starts to Win…
…then we all jump in!”
Well, figuratively, of course.
Most people — including the foreigners — see a black man acting out and don’t even bother to consider what happened. He’s just a nigger being a nigger, case closed.
THAT’S what I’m hearing.
And given Mike’s time here and the situations he’s written about going through as a black Korean-American, it’s worth reading his take, whether you agree or not:
Never has there been a discussion — in general — of the fact that black folks like myself get harassed DAILY on subways and buses and trains, but THAT never becomes an issue, no Korean thinks to flip on their cellphone to start making YouTube videos. I don’t condone this young man’s type of behavior, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT.
The idea continues that non-black/minority people cannot understand the situation from some ESL teacher named Eve (who’s identifies herself as a “minority woman”) who says among other things:
Even though I am not Black, I am closer on the social constructs of the crayon box than White people are. As a member of a minority currently being vilified, exploited, and used as a scapegoat in the U.S., I’m a member of a class of people (non-White) that has been where you, as a White person, have never been. You think you’ve experienced “racism” here in Korea because you’re White?
What you are experiencing is not racism. It is “anti-foreigner-ism” and it’s not the same.
White people get this wrong a lot. There is a BIG difference between a Korean not liking you because you’re a foreigner and not liking you because you’re Black.
A David Wills takes a rather rational view of the situation, pulling few punches:
The problem would never have arisen if the black guy had bothered to learn a little Korean. I admit that my Korean skills during my first months in Daegu were a little lackluster, but I still knew the basics, and I knew that 니가 was certainly not a racial slur.
The problem would also have never arisen if the guy had kept his fucking voice down in the first place. By the time I left Korea I had begun to realize why there’s so much racism there in the first place – it’s partly because foreigners act so fucking dumb. Americans in particular are guilty of being LOUD. Not just raising their voices, but practically shouting at each other on buses and in the subway. It’s humiliating to be associated with them.
But, like I mentioned, there is a ton of racism in Korea. It’s not all the fault of the foreigners, of course. Koreans don’t just hate blacks and whites because we’re loud – but we don’t help ourselves. And when we act like idiots and flip our shit over absolutely nothing, then we trivialize the genuine problem.
Robert at Marmot’s Hole advises the assailant and all foreigners for that matter to learn the language and to lower their voices when on the phone in a public place:
To Foreigners in Korea: Please learn a little Korean
…in addition to learning a bit of Korean, please, for the love of Christ, keep your voices down when speaking English on buses and subways. You might not notice, but your voices carry, and it can be seriously irritating.
And, of course, what would this be without Robo putting in his two cents or a few wooden nickels and then trying to find a way out of a bind (blame it on Google!):
What did that Korean Call Me? 니가 and “nigga” – a PSA.
Yes. I used a word in the title there that I never use in real life. One of only about two I never use. Maybe I’m throwing a rock at a hornet’s nest, but I hope not. I’m not an expert on this specific set of race issues, and would never pretend to be one.
[added August 30] I’m aware there’s a lot more going on here that I’m not really qualified to comment on, either through personal experience or through careful study…
but I think my readers are sharp enough to know I’m not using the word in the title to insult or marginalize anyone, and to see that I haven’t spoken on behalf of anyone who didn’t ask me to speak of their experiences.
The reason I used the word, and used it in the title, is because somebody’s going to be called that word, and go to google to find out whether they actually heard the word they thought they heard or not. And if I don’t use the word, this post won’t show up when they google it, and they won’t get the explanation they need.
And then we have the Korea Times with it’s always reliable and thorough coverage.
3WM only cares to say that unless the old man hit him, spit on him or attacked someone he was with, the American erred and will have to pay for it. No, I am not a “minority” (as it is defined in the West) but I am a minority here in Korea like every other foreigner on the street. I’m well aware of the difference between whites (like myself) and people from southeast Asia and African-Americans, Latinos and so on. Korean’s discriminate plain and simple–they even discriminate among themselves; the darker skinned, the North Koreans. There is no argument there.
However, conducting yourself in public and not letting someone turn you into a monster for a camera is your responsibility. I have no doubt that the Korean man did something wrong and likely discriminatory, but the younger man fell into the trap and lowered himself to that level. As Lincoln said: “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.”
This was not what to do nor how to do it and the young man is going to–if he isn’t already–wish he’d never flown off the handle.
Comments
commentsImage: Kalle Niskala / Yle
The court sentenced the 32 year-old defendant to 9.5 years in prison for convictions on one count of aggravated child sexual abuse, 29 counts of child sexual abuse and three counts of sexual abuse.
Petri Joonas Ylönen has been in prison since April 2015 and remained in detention during his court hearing.
The court heard that the man used different online discussion forums to befriend young girls under the age of 16.
The defendant’s sentence also reflected convictions for six counts of distributing indecent sexual images and 25 counts of possession of indecent sexual images of children.
The man was also ordered to pay a total of 98,000 euros compensation to 28 plaintiffs for suffering he caused them.
A psychiatric evaluation found that the man was criminally responsible for his actions.People send me stuff. Readers will surely recall ‘I’m Michael E. Mann, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology at Penn State, Ask Me Almost Anything!’. A reader who does not wish to be named writes about the questions he posed. Readers probably won’t be surprised at the outcome. – Anthony
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I gave it quite a lot of thought, and asked three questions of Michael Mann during his Ask Me Anything on Reddit:
Given the Oxburgh Panel’s criticism on your use of statistical methods and McShane and Wyner 2010 finding significant statistical lapses in Mann et al 2008, do you foresee consulting with statisticians before publishing future papers? Do you regret the splicing of instrumental data with proxy data in your Nature study, something that Phil Jones referred to as “Mike’s Nature trick?” Darrell Kaufman issued a correction after he discovered that your orientation of the Tiljander data set was upside down in Mann et al 2008. Do you regret reversing this orientation, and why have you not issued a similar correction?
Unfortunately, Michael Mann saw none of these questions.
And it’s not that that the questions showed up but were down-voted into oblivion by the users (seems to be a safe zone for alarmists). I half-expected that! What transpired instead was that the moderator blocked my comments from appearing entirely. Which was weird, because the only reason they should not have shown up is if I was posting spam.
The questions: (click to enlarge)
I contacted the moderator to inquire and his response was that my questions were “inappropriate” for Michael Mann.
The moderator action: (click to enlarge)
So when the moderator specified that “hard questions are allowed” for Dr. Mann, I guess what he really meant was that “hard questions are definitely not allowed”. And as to “inappropriate”, I can hardly imagine more appropriate questions!
What Michael Mann took part in was more along the lines of a puff piece or a public relations show than anything like an “Ask Me Anything.” I’m disappointed, but not surprised. And if Dr. Mann ever reads this, I imagine there are a lot of us who would love the answers to those 3 questions. And about a hundred others after that.
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RedditColes fined for out-of-date food in McLaren Vale supermarket
Updated
Retailer Coles has been fined more than $31,000 for displaying food beyond its use-by date at its McLaren Vale supermarket on Adelaide's southern outskirts.
The Magistrates Court was told some of the 33 items including packaged salami and shaved ham were about two weeks out of date.
Magistrate David Whittle said the store's date-checking process had failed as many as three times.
Lawyers for Coles entered guilty pleas on seven counts of breaching the food code and the prosecution dropped another 15 charges.
We set high standards and when we do not meet them we take accountability and fix the problem. Coles statement, in part
Coles had recently moved to new supermarket premises in the Main Road shopping centre when council inspectors found the out-dated items last year.
The magistrate said the store staff had been under considerable pressure.
"The Coles supermarket at McLaren Vale had been recently opened to replace an older, smaller store. A larger than forecast increase in customers and business had occurred," he said.
"Working in the new store was a mixture of employees from the old supermarket [and] new employees of whom a number had not previously worked for Coles, and other Coles employees who had been transferred from other stores."
The magistrate said there was no evidence the items had become unsafe but out-of-date food had the potential to be a risk to public health.
Mr Whittle said the fine should serve as a warning to other food retailers of the need for diligence.
"The defendant has expressed deep regret and sincere remorse for the offending. I have accepted that it takes a proactive approach to compliance with its obligations and took immediate steps to overcome identified deficiencies in its processes," he said.
"General deterrence is the primary consideration, that is the penalty must be such as to deter food retailers, large or small, from breaching their obligations relating to the sale of food, and particularly from allowing food to be displayed past its use-by date."
The court was told Coles had changed its procedures to avoid any repeat of the problem.
The company also issued a statement: "At Coles we take food safety seriously and our South Australian stores have had an outstanding record in this area," it said.
"We set high standards and when we do not meet them we take accountability and fix the problem."
The court also ordered the retailer to pay $10,000 for Onkaparinga Council's legal costs.
Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, food-safety, retail, mclaren-vale-5171, adelaide-5000, sa, australia
First postedWomen’s March Surrounded by Armed Guards As They Protest Gun Rights
True to the left’s habit of having one set of standards for itself and another set for the common man, participants in Friday’s Women’s March against gun rights were surrounded by armed guards. …
Townhall reports:
Leftist agitators like Linda Sarsour and Shannon Watts hiring armed protection while demanding the rest of us turn in our guns into government bureaucrats is nothing new. Watts does the same every time she shows up to protest at the NRA annual meeting. Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who pays Watts millions to take away the Second Amendment rights of everyday Americans, doesn’t go anywhere without his security detail.
On April 27, 2014, Breitbart News reported that Everytown for Gun Safety spokeswoman Erika Soto Lamb defended the fact that the group uses armed security while fighting to disarm average Americans.
Read more at BreitbartThe prospect of F1 switching back to two-metre-wide cars of the type last seen in 1997 provoked a mixed response from readers last week.
One similar observation came up several times from those who expressed doubts about the plan: a concern that wider cars would be more difficult to overtake, and so we will see less exciting racing if the plan happens.
But the reality is probably a lot less straightforward than this, and there’s plenty of data which can give us some perspective on it. First of all, will how much harder will it be for drivers in wider cars to overtake each other?
As the current cars measure 1,800mm wide, if that is increased by 200mm then an extra 400mm of track width will be required when two cars go side-by-side. (For a rough comparison, the first image is of a 2,000mm wide car and the second shows a 1,800mm wide car, and both have the same front and rear wing widths).
Are the tracks wide enough to accommodate this extra width? Appendix O to the International Sporting Regulations specifies the requirements for circuits which hold Formula One races. Track designers get some leeway when it comes to width, particularly in the case of street circuits where brief sections may be very narrow (such as Singapore’s Andersen Bridge).
However the recommended minimum track width is pretty generous:
When planning new permanent circuits, the track width foreseen should be at least 12m. Where the track width changes, the transition should be made as gradually as possible, at a rate not greater than 1m in 20m total width. The width of the starting grid should be at least 15m; this width must be maintained through to the exit of the first corner (as indicated by the racing line).
Appendix O to the International Sporting Code
In practice, tracks are often considerably wider than this, especially at key overtaking places. Bahrain’s grand prix circuit, for example, is up to 22 metres wide at points – enough to get 11 2m cars side-by-side (although they would all be touching). Even the new temporary street circuit at Sochi, used for the first time last year, is no narrower than 13 metres wide at any point.
The table below gives examples of minimum and maximum track widths at a range of F1 circuits, and shows how many cars of the two different widths can fit alongside each other in that space:
Track Max/Min Width (m) 1.8m cars side-by-side 2m cars side-by-side Bahrain International Circuit Minimum 14 7.7 7 Bahrain International Circuit Maximum 22 12.2 11 Silverstone Minimum 14.5 8.1 7.25 Silverstone Maximum 17 9.4 8.5 Spa-Francorchamps Minimum 10 5.5 5 Spa-Francorchamps Maximum 14 7.7 7 Monza Minimum 10 5.5 5 Monza Maximum 12 6.6 6 Sochi Autodrom Minimum 13 7.2 6.5 Sochi Autodrom Maximum 15 8.3 7.5
Older circuits tend to be narrower than new ones. Most of the latter were built since the narrow-track cars were introduced in 1998. However even comparatively cramped tracks such as Monza are still able to accommodate at least three two-metre-wide cars running side-by-side with a reasonable amount of space between them.
Monaco is the perennial exception when it comes to F1 track design. But realistically, we already see very little passing there with 1.8m wide cars, and it’s doubtful adding a few extra centimetres in width is going to make a considerable amount of difference.
For further proof of the possibility of racing with wider cars, consider that in 1997, when cars last measured two metres wide, F1 raced on the old Hockenheimring which is far narrower than most current circuits. Yet fabulous side-by-side (and DRS-free) racing was still possible:
It’s also worth remembering the rules on defensive driving are more clearly defined now than they were then, making it easier for a driver to make a pass.
But there are other, more subtle ways that having wider cars and the proposed wider tyres could influence the quality of racing and the difficulty of overtaking. It’s hard to make a clear-cut case for whether it would make life harder or easier for the drivers.
The mooted widening of the rear tyres from 325mm to 400mm could have a very significant effect. The turbulent air produced by tyres is a major challenge for aerodynamicists. They would prefer to shroud the tyres in bodywork to reduce drag, but the rules forbid it.
Therefore a potential 23% increase in the width of the tyres would significantly increase the disturbed air coming off the back of an F1 car. As every racing fan knows this has both positive and negative effects when it comes to encouraging overtaking: a chasing car is robbed of downforce in a corner and therefore loses grip, whereas on a straight the car in front provides a slipstream effect which allows the pursuer to catch up.
Assuming the increase in car width extends to its wings and bodywork, designers would have greater scope to increase the amount of downforce a car produces. The FIA has been wary of allowing speeds to escalate in this way, however, so it should not be taken for granted that this would happen. And then there’s the question of what they might do with DRS.
While 2,000mm F1 cars will not be drastically more difficult to pass by dint of being wider, exactly what effect the move will have on the quality of the racing will depend on the detail of the regulations.
However it is likely that another major change in the car regulations would force costs up at a time when teams are already struggling. The question therefore becomes whether F1 can afford the change, whether the positives outweigh the negatives, and whether the aesthetic improvements will be appreciated by everyone. That is all up for debate.
2015 F1 seasonYou'll get to vote on whether to make marijuana legal in Nebraska two years from now, that's if one group has its way.
It has now opened an office in Omaha that it will use to try to convince you, but at least one state lawmaker says that's going to be an uphill battle.
Krystal Gabel said, "We can make this happen and it's a really exciting feeling for Nebraska."
Gabel is part of the group Legal Marijuana Now.
"Let us live with the freedom like alcohol users have, that tobacco users have...it just touches my heart how many people could use it medically. They are being forced on prescription drugs."
It's why Gabel wants people to come to the group's new office in south Omaha and sign a petition. She wants you to vote two years from now to legalize pot "to completely remove all fines and penalties for possessing an ounce or less of marijuana."
State Senator Merv Riepe says trying to make this happen is going to be a difficult fight.
"I don't know who they would look to in the legislature to carry a bill that would expand or legalize marijuana."
Riepe says he thinks it's a bad financial deal for the state.
"Legalizing it would cost, I think, more money than we'd ever make in revenue...I just think that it's not a good precedent to set and I don't think it leads to responsible behavior."
However, Gabel and others won't be giving up.
The petitioning office is open every Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. until July 2018. It's located at 3309 R Street.
Gabel says on Monday night about 40 people signed the petition. About 100,000 signatures are needed to get the initiative on the November 2018 ballot.Professional football players lead enviable lives. The pro athletes on an NFL roster make a minimum of $435,000 per year, approximately 10 times the U.S. median income. The top earners get paid over $20 million per year. While that income guarantees a certain level of financial security and material comfort, there’s at least one day of the year that NFL players don’t get to enjoy: tax day.
Try SmartAsset’s high-powered income tax calculator.
As high earners, NFL players face top tax rates at the federal and local level. In some places, these marginal rates exceed 50%.
But it doesn’t end there. In addition to paying taxes to the IRS and their home team’s state, many professional football players have to pay taxes to every single state in which they play a game, the so-called “jock tax.” That can mean filing as many as 10 different tax returns and coughing up as much as 50% of their salary and bonuses in taxes.
To estimate the tax bills for the top-earning NFL players, SmartAsset ran salary and bonus data from overthecap.com (accurate as of time of writing) through the income tax model that drives our federal, state and local income tax calculator.
We calculated the federal, state and local taxes for the two highest-paid players on every NFL team. Our analysis also incorporated taxes paid to the states and cities of away-game opponents, as well as applicable deductions, credits and exemptions. (Read more about our methodology below.)
Key Findings
California hits hard. Athletes who play for one of the NFL’s three California teams pay a marginal tax rate of 13.3%, the highest state-level tax in the country. For that reason, players on those teams give up more of their income in taxes than players anywhere else in the country. Phillip Rivers, QB for the San Diego Chargers, has the highest effective tax rate of any NFL player, according to our analysis.
Athletes who play for one of the NFL’s three California teams pay a marginal tax rate of 13.3%, the highest state-level tax in the country. For that reason, players on those teams give up more of their income in taxes than players anywhere else in the country. Phillip Rivers, QB for the San Diego Chargers, has the highest effective tax rate of any NFL player, according to our analysis. AFC South is the most tax-friendly NFL division. While on-field results for the four teams in the AFC South have been mixed this season, they are clear winners of the tax bracket. Three of the four teams play in states with no tax on regular income (Texas, Florida and Tennessee), which means no jock taxes on away games. Tax bills for players on Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee are among the lowest in the league.
While on-field results for the four teams in the AFC South have been mixed this season, they are clear winners of the tax bracket. Three of the four teams play in states with no tax on regular income (Texas, Florida and Tennessee), which means no jock taxes on away games. Tax bills for players on Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee are among the lowest in the league. AFC West is worst for taxes. With two teams in California and another in Kansas City (where there are both state and local taxes), the AFC West is the worst division for away-game jock taxes.
NFC East
New York Giants
New York City has some of the highest taxes in the country, with marginal rates reaching 12.7% when including both the state income tax and city income tax. The good news for players on the Giants: they don’t actually play (or practice) in New York. The Giants’ stadium and practice facility are located in New Jersey.
Instead of paying New York taxes, Giants players face the moderately lower tax burden of the Garden State. That means that Jason Pierre Paul and Eli Manning (the top two earners on the Giants for 2015) pay a “mere” 46.6% of their NFL income in taxes, instead of the over 50% rate they would pay in NYC. (Note: Our analysis was done before JPP’s newest and smaller contract.)
Dallas Cowboys
America’s Team is a dream destination for any football player. The ‘Boys have the largest stadium, the biggest fan base and a brand with international appeal. They also pay some of the lowest taxes. That’s because Texas has no state or local income taxes.
Washington
Washington doesn’t actually play in Washington, D.C., which means that players on the team avoid the city’s 8.95% top tax rate. Furthermore, while their home games occur in Maryland (where the total state and local tax rate is also 8.95%), they practice in Virginia, which has a top rate of 5.75%. Thanks to a reciprocal agreement between Virginia and Maryland, the team’s players likely do not have to pay any Maryland taxes whatsoever.
Philadelphia Eagles
Among states with an income tax, Pennsylvania’s flat 3.07% rate is one of the lowest. Unfortunately for Eagles players, they also have to pay a 3.92% tax to the city of Philadelphia. That’s in addition to the jock taxes paid to other states.
Jock taxes in Atlanta, Massachusetts, Detroit and North Carolina also tack on an additional $97,000 to quarterback Sam Bradford’s taxes and $61,000 to offensive tackle Jason Peters’s taxes, according to the SmartAsset tax model. In sum, that leads to effective rates of just over 46%.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
The division-leading Packers have one of the highest-paid players in the league in Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers will earn about $18.2 million in salary and bonuses for the 2015 season but after paying federal and state taxes equaling 46.4% of his income, he’ll have “only” $10 million left, according to our tax model. (Note: that does not include income earned for his State Farm commercials, data on which is not publicly available.)
Minnesota Vikings
After California, Minnesota is the highest-tax venue for NFL players. The state’s top marginal rate is 9.85%. For someone like Adrian Peterson, who earns over $15 million per year, that means more than $1 million annually in state taxes alone.
Chicago Bears
Chicago is the country’s third largest city, but it ranks nowhere near the top when it comes to income taxes (property taxes are another story). The state income tax rate in Illinois is 3.75% and the city has no local income tax. Nonetheless, thanks to high federal taxes, Jay Cutler and Matt Forte pay an estimated 44% and 43.5% of their income in taxes respectively.
Detroit Lions
Calvin Johnson is the NFL’s highest-paid receiver, earning more than $20 million per year. He’s known for out-muscling DBs to snare tough catches, but not even Megatron can beat the Tax Man. SmartAsset estimates that nearly half his playing income – 46.1% to be exact – goes to taxes.
The largest recipient is the IRS, but the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit also tax residents at rates of 4.25% and 2.4% respectively. (QB Matt Stafford earns slightly less than his top wideout but still pays an effective tax rate of 46%.)
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are one of the surprise teams of 2015. Matt Ryan to Julio Jones has been the league’s most lethal QB-receiver combo. They are also one of the highest paid pairings, earning $31.9 million together this season.
Thanks to a fairly moderate income tax in Georgia (the top rate is 6%) they get to keep more of that income than many other top NFL players. Overall, however, they are still paying an estimated $14.4 million combined in income taxes on their NFL earnings alone.
Carolina Panthers
Over the past several years, North Carolina’s income tax shifted from a progressive tax with rates as high as 7.75% to a flat tax with rates at 5.75%. That shift has likely meant hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax savings for players on the Carolina Panthers.
Charles Johnson and Cam Newton will pay an estimated $9 million and $5.8 million, respectively, in total taxes on their 2015 income. Cam will be seeing his tax bill rise next season when he enters the first year of a new contract (as will linebacker Luke Kuechly).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s looking like another disappointing season for the Bucs but the players can take solace in the fact that they pay some of the NFL’s lowest taxes. The Buc’s highest-paid players give up about 43% of their income in taxes.
That number would be lower if not for an away schedule that features seven states which collect an income tax of their own. For example, SmartAsset estimates that Gerald McCoy will pay over $240,000 in income taxes to the home states and cities of his away-game opponents.
New Orleans Saints
This is the last season in which Drew Brees qualifies as the top-earning NFL player (Aaron Rodgers looks to claim that title next year). Despite moderate tax rates in Louisiana (the top rate is 6%), he also has the largest overall tax bill in SmartAsset’s analysis. We estimate that Mr. Brees will pay $11.7 million in state and federal taxes.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Income taxes in Arizona are fairly low, topping out at just 4.54%. That’s good news for Patrick Peterson, one of the league’s best and most well remunerated defensive backs. He will pay an estimated effective tax rate of 44.7% on his 2015 income, below average for top NFL players.
Saint Louis Rams
Tax cuts in Missouri will reduce the state’s top income tax rate from 6% to 5.5% in coming years. That means big savings for Rams players. For example, defensive lineman Robert Quinn will pay an estimated $969,000 in state taxes on his $16.74 million in 2015 income. At a top rate of 5.5%, he would pay closer to $885,000. That’s $84,000 in savings, enough for a new Lexus!
Seattle Seahawks
The Hawks have been one of the NFL’s hottest teams in recent years. Two consecutive Super Bowl appearances have helped them draw top free agent talent like Percy Harvin (in 2014) and Jimmy Graham. Another reason free agents love Seattle? The taxes. Washington State has no personal income tax.
The flipside of that is that when the Seahawks leave the confines of vaunted CenturyLink Field, they have to cough up big dollars to their away-game hosts thanks to the jock tax. Richard Sherman, for example, will pay an estimated $241,000 in additional income taxes to other states in 2015, highest of any player in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers
It’s been a rough season for the 49ers, who are breaking in a new stadium with one of their worst seasons in years. The one bit of good news (for players, not fans)? The location of that new stadium means they’ll all pay lower taxes this season.
Thinking about a move to San Francisco? Find out what your taxes will be with SmartAsset’s California tax calculator.
The city of San Francisco levies a city income tax of 1.5% against people who live or work within city limits. |
, the Popup service is used to help alert to errors in loading data. In the getQuotes() method, if the request promise is resolved with an error it will alert that it could not load the quotes. Likewise, when the user tries to add a quote that doesn't exist, it will alert that the symbol was not found. In this example you are not waiting for the popup promise to be resolved (with the alert is closed), it simply just closes and allows the user to continue using the app.
Popups can be easily abused from a usability standpoint. Much like an alert/confirm window you see in JavaScript, it blocks the interface and requires the user to interact to continue. Using Popups should be limited to situations when the user needs to acknowledge or respond to the Popup to continue. You could argue that this example could use a different method to give feedback to the user.
Ionic List Component
The Ionic List component is a powerful user interface component, which is really a combination of several different directives that work together. Lists are a very common and clean way to display content, as mobile content has limited space. Android and iOS have introduced many features to lists that users have become accustomed to using, such as the ability to reorder items, swiping to show additional buttons, and deleting items. So much of the data shown in apps are really just lists, such as lists of news articles, emails, locations visited, and more.
In this app, the List component supports reordering and deleting of items. The ionList component is used to wrap the ionItem components. The ionItem s have an ngRepeat so it will display the entire list of quotes that are stored (or the default list from the localStorage service). Then, each ionItem displays the quote and price.
The ionList has several attributes that control when the list is in a'reorder' mode, which is a boolean that is evaluated. The ionItem contains an ionReorderButton to power this feature. When the state.reorder model is true, the reorder button (which is a stacked three lines icon) will slide into view and allow you to tap and drag the list items. When the item is released, it will call the reorder() method that was declared by the on-reorder attribute. It passes three items, the item, the index value of the item originally, and the new index after it was released. The reorder() method takes these values and moves the item in the $scope.quotes array.
The last feature is the ionOptionButton, which is a button that appears when the user swipes left on an item. This option button is designed to act like a delete button, so if the user taps on the button it will call the remove() method to remove that item from the list. You could make buttons for other purposes, such as to edit or share an item.
Ionic Lists are quite powerful, and very intuitive for users to manage lists. They are used so often, I would even suggest you can't use it too often. Anything that is a collection of items is probably ideal for a list. Ionic Lists can also be styled in many ways with default Ionic CSS classes, found in the documentation. Some common styles include lists with an avatar or icon to the side, large images like cover art, or cards style that modifies the entire list to have a similar card feel like you see in Google Now or Tinder style apps.
The Ionic Footer Bar is a way to display text or simple content at the bottom of the view. It automatically positions based on the other components, was discussed earlier with ionContent. It does need to be outside of the ionContent to position correctly, just like the ionNavButtons.
The Footer Bar in this app also has a simple form, which has some Ionic styling (plus a little extra custom styling in the Sass file). Form styles are not fully designed to work in the Footer Bar, but it only took a few lines of styling to clean it up. This form is just a simple search input and button, and on submit the form will call the add() method to attempt to lookup and add a stock symbol to the current list.
Add the portfolio state
The last major step for your app will be to add another view to keep track of your portfolio. The idea is you can specify how many stocks you purchased at a given price, and see a current rate of return or loss for that purchase. This whole state has about 60 lines of markup and 100 lines of JavaScript.
Create a new file at www/views/portfolio/portfolio.html and add the contents below.
<ion-view view-title="My Portfolio"> <!-- Add buttons to both primary and secondary sides of the navbar --> <ion-nav-buttons side="primary"> <button class="button button-clear" ng-click="openModal()">Add</button> </ion-nav-buttons> <ion-nav-buttons side="secondary"> <button class="button button-clear" ng-click="state.remove =!state.remove">Edit</button> </ion-nav-buttons> <ion-content> <!-- Use a list to display the list of stocks in portfolio --> <ion-list show-delete="state.remove"> <!-- Repeat over each stock in the portfolio and display relevant data --> <ion-item ng-repeat="stock in portfolio" class="item-dark item-text-wrap"> {{stock.symbol}} ({{stock.quantity}} @ {{stock.price | currency}}) <div class="quote" ng-class="quoteClass(stock)" ng-if="quotes[stock.symbol]"> <!-- These bindings calculate the current value and gain/loss of the stock --> <div class="quote-price">{{getCurrentValue(stock) | currency:'$'}}</div> <div class="quote-change">{{getChange(stock) | currency}}</div> </div> <!-- Use an ionSpinner to display while the stock price is loaded --> <div class="quote" ng-if="!quotes[stock.symbol]"> <ion-spinner icon="lines"></ion-spinner> </div> <!-- Delete button allows the item to be removed --> <ion-delete-button class="ion-minus-circled" ng-click="remove($index)"></ion-delete-button> </ion-item> </ion-list> </ion-content> </ion-view>
Create another file at www/views/portfolio/add-modal.html and add the following markup.
<!-- Modals require a special ionModalView wrapper --> <ion-modal-view> <!-- Use Angular form to have automatic validation --> <form name="addQuote"> <!-- Add an ionHeaderBar with buttons and title --> <ion-header-bar class="bar-balanced"> <button class="button button-clear" ng-click="closeModal()">Cancel</button> <h1 class="title">Add Stock</h1> <button class="button button-clear" ng-click="addStock(item)" ng-disabled="addQuote.$invalid">Save</button> </ion-header-bar> <ion-content> <!-- Use Ionic's CSS list and form classes to format forms --> <div class="list"> <label class="item item-input"> <span class="input-label">Symbol</span> <input type="text" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off" ng-model="item.symbol" required /> </label> <label class="item item-input"> <span class="input-label">Quantity</span> <input type="number" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off" ng-model="item.quantity" required /> </label> <label class="item item-input"> <span class="input-label">Price</span> <input type="number" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off" ng-model="item.price" required /> </label> </div> </ion-content> </form> </ion-modal-view>
Lastly, create a file at www/views/portfolio/portfolio.js and include the code below. Also be sure to create a new script tag to load this into the app in www/index.html.
angular.module('App').config(function($stateProvider) { // Declare the state for the portfolio, with the template and controller $stateProvider.state('tabs.portfolio', { url: '/portfolio', views: { portfolio: { controller: 'PortfolioController', templateUrl: 'views/portfolio/portfolio.html' } } }); }).controller('PortfolioController', function($scope, $ionicModal, $ionicPopup, LocalStorageService, QuotesService) { // Create the portfolio model from localstorage, and other models $scope.portfolio = LocalStorageService.get('portfolio', []); $scope.item = {}; $scope.state = { remove: false }; // Private method to update the portfolio function updatePortfolio() { LocalStorageService.update('portfolio', $scope.portfolio); } // Method to get the latest quotes $scope.getQuotes = function() { var symbols = []; angular.forEach($scope.portfolio, function(stock) { if (symbols.indexOf(stock.symbol) < 0) { symbols.push(stock.symbol); } }); if (symbols.length) { QuotesService.get(symbols).then(function(quotes) { var items = {}; angular.forEach(quotes, function(quote) { items[quote.Symbol] = quote; }); $scope.quotes = items; }); } }; // Method to calculate the current value of the stocks $scope.getCurrentValue = function(stock) { return parseFloat($scope.quotes[stock.symbol].LastTradePriceOnly) * stock.quantity; }; // Method to calculate the change in value $scope.getChange = function(stock) { return $scope.getCurrentValue(stock) - stock.price * stock.quantity; }; // Method to determine if the stock has positive or negative return for background color $scope.quoteClass = function(stock) { if (!stock) { return ''; } var className = ''; var currentValue = $scope.getCurrentValue(stock); if (currentValue && currentValue > stock.price) { className = 'positive'; } else if (currentValue && currentValue < stock.price) { className = 'negative'; } return className; } // Create an Ionic modal instance for adding a new stock $ionicModal.fromTemplateUrl('views/portfolio/add-modal.html', { scope: $scope }).then(function(modal) { $scope.modal = modal; }); // Open the modal $scope.openModal = function() { $scope.modal.show(); }; // Close the modal and reset the model $scope.closeModal = function() { $scope.item = {}; $scope.modal.hide(); }; // Ensure the modal is completely destroyed after the scope is destroyed $scope.$on('$destroy', function() { $scope.modal.remove(); }); // Method to add a new stock purchase $scope.addStock = function(item) { $scope.state.remove = false; QuotesService.get([item.symbol]).then(function(quote) { if (quote[0].Name) { item.symbol = item.symbol.toUpperCase(); $scope.portfolio.push(item); updatePortfolio(); $scope.closeModal(); $scope.getQuotes(); } else { $ionicPopup.alert({ title: 'Could not find symbol.' }); } }); }; // Method to remove an item from the portfolio $scope.remove = function($index) { $scope.portfolio.splice($index, 1); updatePortfolio(); }; // Get the quotes on load $scope.getQuotes(); });
Once all of these changes are made, ensure ionic serve is still running and go to http://localhost:8100/#/tabs/portfolio to see this new tab. You could also tap on the Portfolio icon in the tabs to navigate.
There are a few features of Ionic used here again, such as the Ionic Popup. However, in addition there are some new features such as the Ionic Modal, Ionic Header Bar, Ionic Spinner, and another feature for the Ionic List component.
Ionic Modal Service
The Ionic Modal service is a way to overlay an entire view on the app, and can typically be thought of as a temporary state. They are used to provide related, contextual content without cluttering the original view. In traditional desktop websites, modals have gotten a bad rap from usability professionals, but in a mobile context they are often more functional and user friendly. A modal is a completely new view, so it can contain anything from a form, to a scrolling list of content, to a video.
In this example, the $ionicModal service creates a modal based on a loaded template, which points to the www/views/portfolio/add-modal.html file (you can also use fromTemplate() instead to pass a template as a string, but I don't recommend it). The modal is created and loaded when the controller first executes, but it does not immediately open. Here is the section that creates a new modal.
$ionicModal.fromTemplateUrl('views/portfolio/add-modal.html', { scope: $scope }).then(function(modal) { $scope.modal = modal; });
The $ionicModal service generates the modal, which is very similar to registering a new state except in this case the modal is not part of the app routing. You also pass an object with some configuration, and in this case you have {scope: $scope} which will use the current state's scope as the modal's scope. Creating a modal from a template returns a promise, and when it resolves the loading of the template it returns a modal instance which can be used to control the modal (such as open and close).
The app then has an openModal() and closeModal() which handle the opening and closing of the modal. The portfolio view contains a navbar button with ngClick that calls openModal(), and inside of the modal view there is a cancel button that calls closeModal(). If a user submits the form to add a stock quote, if the stock is found it will also call the closeModal() method to hide the modal and return to the portfolio.
Ionic Modals also require that you also add a listener for the scope destroy event, so you can manually remove the modal as well. Since modals are created manually and not registered with the state provider, Ionic doesn't know when they are safe to be deleted from memory. This is easy to do, as you see here.
$scope.$on('$destroy', function() { $scope.modal.remove(); });
I find the Ionic Modal to be a very useful tool given the size of most mobile devices. Instead of trying to show lots of content on one long scrolling screen, the modals are able to provide one way to break that content up and show it only when it is relevant to the user action. If the add form was in the portfolio view instead of a modal, it would clutter the view, so the modal provides a better experience to only show it when the user is about to add a new item. They do take some design consideration since the modal will show until it is dismissed. It is also not possible to directly navigate to a modal (at least not without some additional custom logic to handle this), so anything that a user might directly navigate to is probably not a candidate for a modal.
Ionic Header Bar Component
The Ionic Header Bar is essentially the same as the Footer Bar, except it sits in the header as you might expect. There are several different color presets that can be used as CSS classes, and in this case it uses the bar-balanced class, which is modified from the default by the app Sass stylings. Since the modal is a blank slate that overlays the app, the navbar does not appear and requires you to add a Header Bar to place buttons along the top.
Ionic Spinner Component
The Ionic Spinner is a helpful component to display an animated SVG to indicate your app is doing something that the user has to wait for to complete. With animated SVG the indicators are be more flexible than with just rotating an icon with CSS. These spinners (which not all spin, so it is a bit of a misnomer) are possible to style and Ionic comes with 10 different animations.
In this app, the lines animation is used in place of the quote price while the quotes are loaded. The ngIf controls when to show the spinner.
Ionic List Component Continued
The Ionic List component also has a delete mode, which is similar to the reorder mode you saw in the quotes state but instead of moving items it will delete them. You can use both delete and reorder modes on the same list, depending on your app design and needs. The delete mode slides an icon from the left to allow users to quickly delete items.
To toggle the delete mode, the ionList has a show-delete attribute that should be true or false to toggle the delete mode. Then each of the ionItem components have an ionDeleteButton component, which have an icon declared and use an ngClick to call the remove() method in the controller.
Finishing touches
There is one last thing that our app needs, a default route. Right now if you go to http://localhost:8100/ it will not load the tabs and content. This is an easy remedy, but needed to be implemented after the states were added. The following snippet should be placed into your www/js/app.js file, and it uses the $urlRouterProvider.otherwise() method to define where the app should go when it can't find a route (in this case the default / route is not registered).
angular.module('App', ['ionic']).config(function($urlRouterProvider) { $urlRouterProvider.otherwise('/tabs/quotes'); })
Now when you go to the app without any path in the URL, it will load up the quotes view by default for you. Congratulations, you now have a fairly feature rich mobile app, with around 120 lines of HTML and 200 lines of JavaScript! Who knew you could build so many features so easily?
Digging deeper into Ionic
We've flown through the example app, and learned a lot about how Ionic components work together to create a beautiful and functional mobile app using just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You've seen how to use many components and services such as Ionic Lists, Popups, Modals, Navigation, Content, Refresher, and others. This foundation should be great for you to build from to learn the rest of the components and dive deeper into other ways they can be leveraged.
The Ionic documentation is really good and the best place to look up detailed information about how components and services work. It also provides some primers on how to get your environment setup to build and deploy the app to an emulator or to a real device. For that, you will be using Cordova and will want to spend some time understanding how it works. You can also spend time on the Ionic Forum to find answers or ask your own questions.
If you are looking for more, I recommend you check out my book Ionic in Action which covers everything in much more detail. It also provides an Angular primer, lots of examples on how to use Ionic and Cordova plugins (with ngCordova), how to test, and how to properly build and submit to the app stores.Previously, the Bucks and the Bradley Center operated on year-to-year leases. Credit: Michael Sears
By of the
The BMO Harris Bradley Center board of directors and the Milwaukee Bucks have been discussing a new six-year lease that, if approved by the National Basketball Association, will provide stability for both sides as discussion continues over the possibility of a new, multi-purpose arena.
Details of the lease were not released. Information on an extended lease came from the minutes of the BMO Harris Bradley Center's March meeting, which were released this week.
If approved by the NBA, a six-year lease would be, by far, the longest lease the two sides have had in years. In general, the Bucks and the BMO Harris Bradley Center have gone year-to-year on leases.
Assuming the NBA signs off on the lease, the agreement is more good news for the financially strapped arena. In late May, representatives of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the Bradley Center, the Milwaukee Bucks and BMO Harris Bank announced a naming-rights deal.
Coupled with new financial sponsorship commitments from some of Milwaukee's biggest corporations, including Harley-Davidson, Kohl's, Northwestern Mutual and Rockwell Automation, BMO Harris Bradley Center officials estimated the new revenue would total more than $18 million over six years.
It is notable that the lease and financial commitments are both for six years. That seems to be the time frame BMO Harris Bradley Center officials, the MMAC and U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), the owner of the Bucks, have concluded is needed to start planning for a new arena.
As of last November, the BMO Harris Bradley Center owed the Bucks $9.5 million, but those payments were extended out to as late as 2019.
In previous years, the Bucks have paid no rent at the arena and received 27.5% of total gross receipts from concessions, other than programs and merchandise, at all arena events. The franchise also received 13.75% of gross revenue from food and beverages sold in suites and 30% of merchandise sales at Bucks home games. It could not be determined whether those agreements are still in place.
The Bucks are the BMO Harris Bradley Center's main tenant and generate as much as 40% of all revenue.Illegal immigration across the southwest border is down more than 60 percent so far under President Trump, officials revealed Tuesday, even before the first new agent is hired or the first mile of his promised border wall is constructed.
Mr. Trump took a victory lap over the “record reductions” in illegal crossers, saying he is already saving Americans’ jobs by preventing them from having to compete with unauthorized workers.
“Down 61 percent since inauguration. Gen. Kelly is doing a fantastic job,” Mr. Trump told a labor union gathering in Washington, praising Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general.
Mr. Kelly is scheduled to detail the numbers Wednesday to the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which is investigating the situation on the border.
Testifying to the committee in a first hearing Tuesday, former Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar said the percentage may be even higher than Mr. Trump teases. Compared with 2016, he said, apprehensions on the southwest border were down 67 percent through March.
Mr. Aguilar credits Mr. Trump, who has freed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to pursue illegal immigrants in the interior of the U.S. and vowed to tighten border controls.
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“This administration has said we’re going to address illegal immigration. ICE has started working in the interior, unlike other times. So that message resonates,” Mr. Aguilar said.
The numbers were announced just hours before the deadline for the first round of proposals for prototypes of Mr. Trump’s border wall.
Homeland Security is asking for a 30-foot fence that can withstand up to four hours of cutting, blowtorching or other attempts to break through the barrier. Concrete walls and fencing are being sought, and companies selected will build prototypes that will be tested in San Diego.
The early successes of Mr. Trump’s get-tough approach, however, are sparking questions about whether a wall is really needed.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, Missouri Democrat, said the Homeland Security Department has siphoned $20 million away from its technology fund to pay for the initial wall prototypes.
She said early estimates from the department call for $2.6 billion to build less than 75 miles of the wall next year — an average of about $35 million per mile. That is seven times the average cost of existing parts of the wall.
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota Democrat, said she has not found any border official who says a wall along the entire southwestern boundary with Mexico is needed.
“No one, not one person, no matter what political persuasion,” she said. “I just wish we could get beyond that so we can actually talk about what we need to do on the border.”
Mr. Aguilar and Ronald S. Colburn, a former deputy chief of the Border Patrol, said technology is the most important factor in securing the border — but both said barriers do help.
Mr. Colburn, who headed the Border Patrol’s Yuma sector in southwestern Arizona and southeastern California, recounted the differences before and after barriers were built along the sector’s 125-mile border with Mexico. Before, he said, agents arrested 138,000 illegal immigrants, recorded more than 2,700 attempts to barrel across the border in vehicles and seized nearly 36,000 pounds of drugs.
The year after the fence was completed, more agents were deployed and technology was added, they saw just six vehicle attempts — all of which were stopped. The number of apprehensions dropped to about 8,400.
“Ask the Border Patrol agents in the field — they know,” Mr. Colburn said. “When I ask them about fence, every one of them responds yes, build new barriers where needed.”
He said the barriers also made communities in Mexico safer. Before the fence was built, bandits roamed freely, preying on the migrants, often in collusion with human smugglers. Robberies, beatings, rapes and killings were common.
Mr. Colburn said his agents recorded 200 attacks, with 1,800 victims, the year before the fence. That number dropped to zero after the fence.
The number of assaults on Border Patrol agents also declined drastically, he said.
Border officials have long tried to figure out ways to carry Yuma’s successes to the rest of the southwest border and appeared to have made progress through 2012. But a surge of illegal immigrants from Central America, pushed by rough conditions at home and enticed by law policies in the U.S., sent the totals soaring again.
Now, Mr. Trump appears to have reduced those numbers, judging by Border Patrol apprehensions. Analysts say the number of people caught is a rough yardstick for how many people are trying and getting through — so fewer apprehensions means a lower level of illegal immigration.
Mr. Aguilar said similar drops occurred during the Reagan administration after Congress passed a broad amnesty granting legal status to millions of illegal immigrants and promised to get tough on enforcement.
The legalization followed, but not the tough enforcement. Illegal immigration soared in the ensuing 20 years.
“It doesn’t hold for long unless those substantive actions continue,” Mr. Aguilar said.
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By Zach Arnold | March 27, 2013
In private conversations, many important players who are involved in the fight industry (both boxing & MMA) are upset by what they saw with ESPN profiling Garrett Holeve, a young man with Down’s Syndrome who is participating in amateur MMA fights. However, there is trepidation of speaking out in public due to fear of retribution & backlash.
On Sunday night, we posted the following item: Florida allows young man with Down’s Syndrome & Rheumatoid Arthritis to do MMA fights
Last Thursday, ESPN PR posted the following pitch for their Sunday night video feature on Garrett Holeve:
Garrett Holeve, 23, was born with Down Syndrome and has spent the last three years training his body and mind for the rigors of MMA fighting. While some question the decision to allow Holeve to engage in such physical competition, the sport has given him a sense of fight – a belonging, purpose and acceptance – that extends beyond the ring. Tom Rinaldi reports. “He’s got all these problems you know, all these limitations. But he keeps driving through, he keeps fighting through you know. And you can’t ask more from a person than that” – Rodrigo “Baga” Ramos, Garrett’s coach, on the motivation Garrett provides to the other fighters at the gym.
The fight involving Garrett Holeve that ESPN aired was from February 23rd, 2013 in Sunny Isles, Florida at the Newport Beachfront Hotel.
When ESPN aired the feature on Garrett Holeve, I knew what the reaction would be on social media and what the reaction would be inside the fight industry. Here’s a clue: two very, very different and vociferous responses. Amongst sports fans on social media, the video package was heralded as a profile-in-courage and something to be celebrated. Take this comment for example:
Pls RT this inspirational story of strength,courage,determination & how far 1 can go if u believe …..
Writer Daniel Serrano characterized the ESPN video this way:
Holeve’s father said people called him sick for letting his son fight, accusing him of exploiting Holeve and putting him at unnecessary risk. I say he’s a hero, because if he really wanted to, Holeve’s father could have prevented his son from fighting. He could have made a compelling argument as to why his son wasn’t ring-ready and should be barred from competition. But he didn’t. Instead, he treated his son like a human being. He didn’t look at him like a disabled kid who needs to be coddled and protected from the real world. He honored his son’s decision and training and let him fight.
This item Jordan Breen wrote (January 8th, 2013) titled Should Garrett Holeve, MMA fighter with Down Syndrome, be given a fair fight? pretty much is the opinion that as long as Garrett isn’t involved in a full-fledged pro MMA fight, the situation is OK.
Inside the industry, however, a lot of individuals are angry and terrified by what they saw on television Sunday night.
The top regulators are upset, not so much with the way ESPN portrayed Garrett Holeve but rather the fact that someone with Down’s Syndrome is in a position to do amateur MMA fights in Florida. Fight lawyers who normally are cautious with their words were anything but hedging their vernacular in disgust. Reputable doctors went ballistic at what they saw as the dangerous exploitation of a young man with a serious health condition.
Due to the high-profile nature of the two individuals I’m about to relay comments from, I can’t reveal their names. However, they are serious names in their respective fields and have sharp track records.
First, a comment from a prominent lawyer in the fight industry:
“This is exploitative and unethical. You should speak with a neurologist about the impact of repeated brain trauma to someone who already has Down’s Syndrome. The injuries will also make his arthritis worse. To me, this is outrageous. Not everyone who wants to do something should have the chance. I bet his reaction speeds are also diminished because of the Down’s Syndrome. So who are they going to match him up with? Healthy MMA fighters with faster reaction times? Or another fighter with Down’s? … The job of the commission, the doctors, and the ref is to protect his health and welfare. Allowing him to step in the ring is already failing him in that duty. … Just because this kid wants to do something doesn’t mean he should. Would we let him drive a bus? Would we let him fly a plane? Would we let him join the military and go fight in Afghanistan? So what’s the difference? That he’s only going to hurt, maybe kill himself, not others? If so, that’s just unconscionable.”
The lawyer in question not only says that Florida’s athletic commission (Cynthia Hefren & Frank Gentile) & the ISKA have big liability concerns by allowing Holeve to fight, they also are putting themselves in a legal bind if opponents are told to take it easy on the young man and not to do a real fight. Plus, it puts the opponents in a no-win situation. If the opponent beats up Garrett Holeve, they’re beating up someone who has Down’s Syndrome. If the opponent loses, then they just lost to someone with a disability.
Now, the medical issues arising from Florida’s commission (via the ISKA) allowing Garrett Holeve to participate in MMA fights. Here is how one upper-echelon fight doctor summarized the situation:
“Concerns: skeletal — instability of the first two cervical vertebrae [must] be ruled out via an x-ray examination. Other musculoskeletal issues: scoliosis and hyperflexible joints (making sure he knows when to tap).
“Cardiac malformations — frequent, and likely [Garrett] should have an Echocardiogram, regardless of age, with any type of murmur.
“Visual — given how cross-eyed he was, I do not think he would pass a simple vision test.”
The issue of spinal stenosis was also discussed.
To bring this full circle, the doctor raised another important legal question that should worry Florida’s athletic commission and the ISKA should a major accident happen with Garrett Holeve during an MMA fight.
“Informed consent of signing a contract — really? I would not let my [child] sign a form for combat sports and she is an A student.”
Topics: Florida, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday that forward C.J. Sapong has signed a new contract with the club. Per club policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.
“I’m definitely very excited to sign an extension with Sporting Kansas City,” said Sapong. “It’s an amazing feeling, because I feel like I progressed so much this past year and I feel like I can progress even more. We have an amazing situation in Kansas City from the ownership to staff to players to fans. It’s truly amazing to be a part of it all.”
“C.J. Sapong was yet another one of our current nucleus of players that we prioritized offering a new contract to this off-season,” Manager Peter Vermes said. “His work ethic and willingness to learn is unsurpassed as is his commitment to this organization and city. We look forward to C.J.’s progression with Sporting Kansas City.”
Sapong, 23, earned MLS Rookie of the Year honors in 2011 after recording six goals and five assists in MLS competition. Taken in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft with the 10th overall pick, the James Madison University product was the only Sporting KC player to appear in all 34 regular season matches last year.
In December, Sapong received his first invite to a U.S. Men’s National Team training camp and earned his first two international appearances in victories against Venezuela and Panama earlier this year.
The Manassas, Virginia native opened the 2012 season last Saturday with a game-winning goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to propel Sporting KC past D.C. United 1-0 at RFK Stadium in front of his friends and family. It marked the second straight season that Sapong has scored the first goal of the season for Sporting KC, who are 7-0-0 in games that Sapong scores, and he also scored the first-ever goal at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.
Sapong becomes the fifth Sporting Kansas City player to secure a new contract with the club since the end of the 2011 season, along with goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen, defender Seth Sinovic and midfielders Graham Zusi and Luke Sassano.
Sporting Kansas City will host the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in the team’s 2012 home opener. A limited number of tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the LSP Box Offices.We are the people Massimo Faggioli warned you about. In his article seeking an end to the political polarization of Catholics in the United States, Faggioli mentions us by name as representing the road not to follow. We are accused of “withdrawal from the nation-state,” “withdrawal” and “retreat” from the polis, and so on. Our approach is divisive, sectarian and, if implemented in Europe, even “risks a return to the wars of religion that ravaged Europe for at least a century”—quite a feat on a continent where the percentage of the population who are regular churchgoers has plummeted into the single digits in many places.
The idea that we advocate or practice withdrawal strikes us as rather odd. We work at DePaul, the largest Catholic university in the country, with two campuses and 24,000 students, many of whom are working class, commuters and “non-traditional.” When we are not teaching, we are involved in the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul, a forum for connecting Catholics from the global South with those from the North. We sponsor lectures, conferences, scholars-in-residence programs and so on. A few weeks ago, visiting research fellow Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, S.J., gave a paper that highlighted the challenges facing the churches in East Africa. The following week another fellow, Maria Clara Bingemer from Brazil, gave a paper comparing the communal life and apostolic work of two communities: the monks of Notre Dame d’Atlas of Tibhirine, Algeria, who were killed in 1996, and the Jesuit community of San Salvador, murdered in 1989. These are the martyrs of our time, Maria Clara urged, and their deaths are a gift from God to teach us how to live and what to live for. Both communities rejected the politics of their governments. Were they sectarian?
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Our point is that there is a big world out there, and it is much larger than the world of Republican versus Democrat, First Things versus Commonweal. Faggioli wants Catholics to insert themselves into U.S. politics as the particular into the universal, but it is the Church Catholic that is universal, worldwide. When compared with the global embrace of the Body of Christ, the nation-state appears as a truncated and “sectarian” attempt to draw borders around a particular territory.
Are we advocating a Catholic “withdrawal from the nation-state”? Not any more than we could advocate withdrawal from the weather. At this point in history, nation-states are a fact of life; they are there, like the sun and the rain. We drive on the roads, pay taxes, use the postal service, obtain passports, etc. Faggioli is absolutely right when he says “The question for Catholics is not whether to engage with the state and one another, but what defines this engagement.”
What we advocate in our work is that Christians be more realistic about what the nation-state is and how it works. The United States in particular is a great place to live in many ways. It is also the nation that spends more on its military than all other nations combined; promotes a muscular and often idolatrous civil religion; erodes the autonomy of faith-based institutions; has spent over a thousand billion dollars over the last decade on a secretive security apparatus that tortures, assassinates by drone strikes and conducts massive spying on its own citizens; and is run by two corporate-sponsored parties who respond almost exclusively to the interests of those with money. Half of the eligible electorate already does not bother to vote even in major national elections, without any encouragement from us.
We acknowledge that voting and lobbying—or, better, “witnessing”—can make a difference, even if it usually doesn’t make much. But we do not think it is adequate simply to encourage Catholics and other Christians to pick one of the two parties and get back in the game. A Catholic especially is right to feel a sense of homelessness in the political process, both because her loyalty transcends national borders and because neither of the two parties comes close to representing what Catholic teaching sees as a just and peaceful world.
This homelessness, however, should not drive Catholics out of the world but more deeply into it. We advocate for experiments in local, face-to-face community where democracy is not an empty slogan—unions, buying cooperatives, houses of hospitality, credit unions, alternative schools, farmers’ markets, projects in community-supported agriculture, sanctuary for immigrants, micro-lending, |
control my knee and ankle to make me move involuntarily and hurt me. And what does that look like if somebody can communicate with my pancreas? Or my kidney? If I'm getting information to that.
I'm from Sierra Leone, and I remember vividly … and actually, it ties both of my big questions together. I remember when I left Sierra Leone, and I went to Norway for two years, and I attended a Red Cross Nordic United World College, which is a high school that brings together 100, 200 young people from all over the world to go to school for international understanding and world peace. There are 12 of them around the world. I had learned that I got into Harvard. What did I do the very first day that I got into Harvard was I searched for technology entrepreneurship Harvard, and it so happened that there was a center called Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard and this professor, this lecturer, who became my very, very good friend and mentor, Paul Bottino, whose name, and Email, and phone number were there. So I picked up and called, and I said, "Hey, can I speak to Paul, please?" And he said, "Paul speaking," and we ended up speaking for 40 minutes. And the topic of that conversation was an observation I had made.
A lot of amputees in Sierra Leone were sitting on the street begging. And then I went to my dad's office. My dad works for UNICEF, and we're hanging out with his friends, and then I said, "Why are all the amputees on the street begging? Don't they have free prosthesis?" And somebody in the audience said, "Well, obviously, they all like to beg. I mean they give them free products, and they go and sit by the street, because they don't want to do anything for themselves." And this was not a satisfying answer, but it was also very disheartening to hear that this was what they thought about amputees. So I went to this camp, just in Freetown, and I met with the director of the center where they were making the prosthetic devices, and I went and saw the tools that they used to make the prostheses, and I spoke with a bunch of amputees. And it became very clear that the reason why they don't use their prosthesis was because it was uncomfortable. It was free, but it was uncomfortable, and gave them pressure sores and blisters. And obviously, nobody in their right senses will use such a prosthesis.
There are two problems here: One, they're uncomfortable and cannot have a normal life, even though the product has been given to them for free. There are these people who are leading the country, who think yes, I mean we give them for free, they should be able to use it. They're not trying to help themselves. The science of improving how you connect the body to machines needs to be improved, and it does not only need to be improved in Boston, it needs to be improved globally.
It so turns out that connecting the body to machines is still crude, whether you're in Boston, or Bombay, or Freetown, so that's a global problem, and it was an obvious one to try to start solving and thinking about. There's a bigger picture of why these people, who are highly academic, are clearly not solving the problems that are leading to the challenges that's keeping this amputee in the street. They do not understand those problems. All they talk about is PhDs and what's in the news, and books, and education, and learning these formulas, hence the conversation that I have with them is "David, how is school? David, how is your PhD? How's your master's?"
Clearly, the reason why this person, this amputee, who is not doing anything with their life, is still sitting down on the street begging is because probably they did not make something when they're young. They are not entrepreneurial enough. They are not using the technology that's readily available to them, to take advantage of the opportunities that are so readily available to them as well, to lead prosperous lives. I love making, I love solving these problems. I think beyond me, beyond our individual silos. To achieve prosperity and development in a place like Sierra Leone does not involve giving free devices to victims, which leads to low self-efficacy and dependence on external actors; we need to make new minds. That involves giving young people the platform to innovate, to learn from making, and to learn, and to solve very tangible problems within their communities.
So it seems like those two things were connected. And I still don't know how to solve them at all, I mean it's not like I know how to solve this idea of connecting the body to machines. That's why I'm doing the PhD, and at the end of it I will know how to do it, but it's very relevant. And then for myself, selfishly, I just like to think about what will happen when I'm old and I need bionic units. I want all my bionics to be talking to my body so I can be Superman.
My professor is a double amputee, and I work with him very closely, and the products I design he tests out. He actually uses some of my products. And it's wonderful to see him describe a product I make as "It's like walking on pillows." It's great, especially when you know that, globally, amputees are in a lot of pain, and we ourselves don't know how to comfortably connect our bodies to machines in a repeatable way.
As we solve those problems, what does it mean to say I want to see a prosperous Sierra Leone? What is the nervous system of a country like Sierra Leone that has a lot of the resources necessary for development, for economy development, for job creation, for lowering poverty, any of these things that they use at the UN as jargons. What does it mean to enable the generation that can solve those problems and move towards actual global development, and avoid all the rhetoric that goes on with Vision 2025 or Vision 2030?South Africa's Test players will not be required on the 2013 tour of Sri Lanka © Associated Press
Cricket South Africa have agreed to a request from the Sri Lanka board and postponed their Test series scheduled for next year until the middle of 2015. Jacques Faul, CSA's acting chief executive, said the change would give South Africa's players an opportunity for rest after the Champions Trophy, which takes place in England next June.
Sri Lanka Cricket had asked for the three home Tests, due to have been played at some point in July and August 2013, to be moved in order to accommodate a one-day tri-series featuring West Indies and India. The rearrangement also averts South Africa's visit from clashing with the Sri Lanka Premier League, which is likely to begin in early August.
CSA said it was still committed to playing five ODIs and three T20 internationals in Sri Lanka next year, as mandated by the Future Tours Programme (FTP). The Tests have now been put back until June 2015.
"We have acceded to the request for two reasons," Faul said. "In the first place we have a very good relationship with Sri Lanka Cricket and we have done our best to assist them. In the second place it actually works out quite well for the Proteas in handling their workload effectively.
"Had we proceeded with the Test series in Sri Lanka next year it would have meant that the Proteas would have played 11 Test matches between July 2013 and March 2014. In addition they would have had no break between the start of the ICC Champions Trophy [in June 2013] and the end of the ICC World T20 in Bangladesh in April, 2014. The rescheduling of the Test series means that the Proteas will now have a three-week break between the Champions Trophy and the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka."
"The matter has been discussed with the Proteas team management as well and it has been agreed that this is the best way forward both for CSA and Sri Lanka Cricket. The Proteas will now undertake their Test tour of Sri Lanka in June 2015, before they move on to Bangladesh in July as part of the ICC Future Tours Programme.
"I would like to stress that there was never ever any question of the Test series against Sri Lanka not happening. The status of Test cricket is paramount as far as we are concerned. We retain the same number of Tests as far as the FTP is concerned until 2019-2020."
The agreement means that after completing their tour of Australia, which includes three Tests, Sri Lanka have only four Test matches - two against Bangladesh and two against Zimbabwe - slated between January and December next year. A two-Test series against West Indies that would have potentially clashed with the 2013 IPL was scrapped last month.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have set their next project at HBO.
Titled Confederate, the series explores an alternate history of America in which the South succeeded in seceding from the Union during the Civil War, and in which slavery is still legal and has become an accepted institution, according to Deadline.
According to a brief description of the new series from HBO, the series takes place during the “Third American Civil War” and follows the lives of “freedom fighters, slave hunters, politicians, abolitionists, journalists, the executives of a slave-holding conglomerate and the families of people in their thrall.”
In this alternate history, the Mason-Dixon Line has been turned into a demilitarized zone.
“We have discussed Confederate for years, originally as a concept for a feature film,” Benioff and Weiss said in a statement. “But our experience on Thrones has convinced us that no one provides a bigger, better storytelling canvas than HBO. There won’t be dragons or White Walkers in this series, but we are creating a world, and we couldn’t imagine better partners in world-building than [executive producers] Nichelle [Tramble Spellman] and Malcolm [Spellman], who have impressed us for a long time with their wit, their imagination and their Scrabble-playing skills.”
Game of Thrones producers Carolyn Strauss and Bernadette Caufield will also reportedly be producing the new series.
Production on Confederate is expected to begin after Game of Thrones wraps its seventh and final season.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum0 Experts: Stink bug invasion may be worse than ever
PITTSBURGH - They're back! Channel 11 News viewers called, emailed and wrote on WPXI's Facebook page to talk about the return of stink bugs, and it seems the invasion is worse than ever before.
Experts said the cooler weather over the past few weeks has left the annoying bugs searching for a warm place to hibernate.
Washington resident Bobby Buckner allowed Channel 11's cameras inside of his home to show just how bad the problem is.
"There were probably 1,000 at least. They were all over the windows, the columns, the walls, the floor. You couldn't even walk out here without being attacked," Buckner said.
WPXI Facebook fans sent dozens of photos showing hundreds of the bugs covering everything from walls to windows.
Even Steelers pro bowler James Harrison is battling the bugs. On his Facebook page, Harrison said hundreds, maybe thousands, were outside of his home.
Channel 11’s Jodine Costanzo went to Tara Zawodni’s Irwin home along with an exterminator Wednesday to check on her problem.
“They’re all over my siding, on the siding, on the dormers, on top of the house and all over the windows,” Zawodni said.
Because of the hot summer, entomologists with the National Pest Management Association said residents should expect much higher populations of the brown marmorated stink bug.
Douglas Reilly, who works for Court Exterminators, said exterminators are a safe and smart option for those with a large stink bug problem, but not for those who have a small problem.
“Seal up all cracks and openings. Any small gap or quarter-inch gap, they can get through,” Reilly said.
Since the bugs first became a problem in Pittsburgh, Target 11 has tested traps to stop the bugs from entering homes.
Many are now sold in hardware stores.
Experts said the best way to keep them from entering your house is to seal cracks around windows and doors. They also said to keep outdoor lighting to a minimum since stink bugs are attracted to light.Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/18639
Posted on 19 May 2014 at 12:38 GMT
Pensioners applaud TUSC in Lewisham
TUSC's ideas got a fantastic reception at the Lewisham Pensioners' Forum hustings for the local elections.
Paul Callanan, speaking for TUSC, ripped into the Labour mayor for cutting tens of millions of pounds from the council budget - throwing workers on the dole and devastating services in the process. He explained how TUSC would set a budget to meet the needs of the community, using council reserves and campaigning for more resources to achieve it.
That would make it possible to build 18,000 council houses for all the people on the waiting list, create jobs and raise wages. Even without additional resources a council could control the rents demanded by racketeering landlords, refuse to implement the bedroom tax and ensure a £10 an hour minimum wage for council workers and contractors.
Yet the Labour Party were mysteriously silent on all these things! Despite the havoc wreaked upon people's lives by the onslaught of cuts, the Lib Dems said they agreed with everything Labour is doing, but just want a different style of leadership - in reality they are only interested in lining their own pockets and advancing their careers.
Paul also highlighted the hypocrisy of the Green Party, who talked Left at the hustings, but always voted for cuts when they were on the council, and have even jailed a pensioner in Brighton who was unable to pay the council tax.
Our rousing programme was enthusiastically received by Lewisham's pensioners, who were angry at the impact of austerity on living standards and public services. Several people said that Paul was the best speaker, and there was a clamour to buy the Socialist at the end. All of this underlined the need for a new mass workers' party, which TUSC is paving the way for. Regardless of the outcome of the election, there will be a fighting, working class voice in Lewisham to resist the bosses' attacks.To earn money in London, Ms. Lipa also tried modeling, until her agency insisted that she had to lose weight. “It really messed up my body confidence, because I was so young,” she said. But the experience eventually resulted in a sassy boast of a song, “Blow Your Mind (Mwah).” The idea was “to show everybody to learn to love yourself every day a little bit more,” she said.
Ms. Lipa is a flamboyant dresser; she came to the interview wearing a choker, a baggy yellow cropped-top shirt with waves and the sun sketched on it, high-waisted denim jeans, and “the craziest” fluffy green and orange jacket that made her look, she said, “like the Honey Monster mixed with a tropical bird,” referring to the character from an English breakfast cereal. But modeling left her reluctant to trade on her looks. “I would like to think that my voice is my best feature,” she said. “I want something more like a sonic image — that someone hears it on the radio and hears my voice and thinks, instantly, that it’s me. That’s more important to me than anything else.”
Eventually, her music reached Lana Del Rey’s manager Ben Mawson, and in 2015 Ms. Lipa was signed to Warner Bros. Records. A synth-pop song she quietly released online in 2015, “Be the One,” was unexpectedly picked up by radio stations in Germany and then across Europe; it now has 125 million Spotify streams. Ms. Lipa, meanwhile, was assembling the rest of an album, collaborating in studios across continents with musicians including Chris Martin of Coldplay, with whom she wrote a ballad called “Homesick.”
Her immediate future is mapped out: touring for the rest of the year followed by a break for songwriting in early 2018. “I’m ready to write about the next chapter,” she said. “By shielding myself through music I’ve been able to create this overly confident persona that can say anything and is not afraid of it. It’s made me feel empowered, and from the songs I’ve released, the fans have come back and told me that they feel empowered by it. If I’m able to use music as a shield, I’ll just keep doing that.”Former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones has declared his Jackson’s MMA team-mate Holly Holm the greatest female fighter in combat sports history after her remarkable upset win over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 this past weekend in Australia.
Jones cited the fact that Holm has successfully transitioned from being a decorated boxing champion to becoming an MMA title holder at the highest level, something that’s never been done before, as the reason he belives she’s the greatest of all time.
However, ‘Bones’ says that it’s Holm’s character that really sets her apart from everyone else, stating that she’s, “the most classy and down to earth athlete I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around.”
Read Jones full statement on social media about the champion below.
“In my opinion Holly Holm is already the G.O.A.T. of women’s combat sports. She was considered the greatest female boxer to ever compete in the sport and now she has defeated the greatest female mixed martial arts fighter to date. Her accolades are absolutely unheard of, but that’s not what makes me such a fan of Holly. It’s the way she carries herself outside of the bright lights and the arenas.
I know the MMA community doesn’t really know Holly yet, so let me be the first to tell you. She is the most classy and down to earth athlete I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around. She is the long time pride of Albuquerque, New Mexico not only because the way she competes, but the way she treats each and every individual that has the opportunity of meeting her. This actually can be a problem at times, a simple trip for a gallon of milk to the grocery store could take her an easy 45 minutes and she doesn’t even mind haha. If you’re impressed by Holly’s talent, wait until you get an understanding of what type of character she possesses, it is truly world class. She is a role model that you would love to have your daughters look up to. I’m so honored to be able to call her a teammate and most importantly a friend.
Congratulations again, Champ and keep kicking ass at life. Jackson’s Martial Arts & Fitness Academy Westside UFC.”
Meanwhile, another former champion, Anderson Silva, took to social media to send a message of support to Ronda Rousey after her devastating defeat.
Silva, who’s uniquely positioned to offer advice, having also reached the very peak of the sport before having his historic undefeated run abruptly ended by KO against Chris Weidman in 2013, offered words of encouragement to the former bantamweight champion, reminding her that the greatest victory is to rise back up after you fall down.
Read Silva’s full message below.Here’s some last second stocking stuffer suggestions for the small press sycophant in your life!
Street Angel X-mas Special – These are available exclusively through Copacetic Comics until Jan. 31st, when you order a copy of Jim Rugg’s Street Angel HC collection. A 2nd edition is coming soon printed on pink and purple pages from AdHouse Books, so this might be your last chance to pick up the few remaining copies of the original. Plus, the X-Mas Special is well worth buying an extra copy of the book, if you already have it.
By my count, it comes in at 25 pages of story, and it’s very funny/action-packed, as you’d expect from Street Angel! So, if you want to see Jesse tell Santa to shut-up while warding off the usual sword wielding goons, you might not want to sleep on this one, since it may not be available again, after the 31st.
*The pink paper on the above-left image is more representative of the actual page color..I guess I need to learn how to use PS, again…
The Middle Nowhere by Jordan Crane– This is some grade-A Jordan Crane sequential storytelling here. It clocks in at 16 pages with a lush green/light green silk screened cover. The action on the page tells the story to full effect, with no need for those pesky words(other than some well placed sound fx/emotes). This was made for the recent inaugural Comic Arts Los Angeles, and I understand that it’s a limited run(maybe, never to be reprinted). It might be too late to get one delivered in time for X-mas, but I do see that Secret Headquarters carries them, if you’re in the area.
On Your Marks #2: A SHORT RUN anthology – I’m pleased to see another edition of the SHORT RUN(Seattle’s premier comix fest) anthology series. This year we get a smaller edition(#1 was standard comic book size), and they added a nice silk screened cover, with an eclectic group of cartoonists contributing, including Suzette Smith, Drew Miller, Jamie Coe, Anna Saimalaa, Scott Longo, and Yumi Sakugawa. You can still order issue #1, too, on their online store.
**For the candy-canes & beanie baby, raid your mom’s purse.Maurizio Sarri, a former banker born in the city of Naples, is single-handedly revolutionising Calcio and has turned Napoli into one of the most attractive football sides on the planet.
#SarriFootball, as it is affectionately referred to by fans on social media, is more than just a signal of admiration for Napoli’s easy-on-the-eye football, it is an appreciation of the tactical revolution which has reintroduced the real possibility of Naples becoming the epicentre of Serie A.
Napoli finished the 2016-17 season with a total of 86 points, a tally big enough to clinch the league in most other countries, however this stat alone does not do Sarri’s Napoli justice. Behind the puffs of cigarette smoke and tracksuits lies a remarkable tactical brain, one which has given a whole region hope lost since the days of Diego Maradona in the 1980s.
Pep Guardiola, the hipsters’ long-standing manager of choice, may well have been ousted by the Italian in bullish, unfaltering, typical Sarri style. It'll be fascinating to see them go head-to-head in the Champions League when Manchester City face the Partenopei.
Napoli is a team laden with talent, however such this alone does not develop the level of style and swagger Sarri’s side possesses. One of Napoli’s understated strengths is their symmetry and design. The term ‘methodical’ in the sporting circle would commonly be used to describe a process considered mundane, but Sarri’s Napoli explore an approach that encourages freedom, fluid movement and interchangeability. Common patterns and movements typify Sarri’s incredibly successful system, with overlaps and overloads down the left flank being a critical part of how Napoli play.
The excellent Faouzi Ghoulam’s balance with his opposite counterpart Elseid Hysaj allows him to break free infield, with Marek Hamsik overlapping him in wide positions. This symbiotic movement creates panic and confusion amongst the opposition defence, and this, coupled with the free rein talisman Lorenzo Insigne has to drift wherever he pleases, helps to create a chaotic attacking system comfortable within its tactical parameters.
However, to accuse Sarri’s football of being one-dimensional would be wrong, as last season’s emergence of Dries Mertens as one of the finest centre-forwards in European football disproves this notion. The diminutive Belgian’s relationship with Insigne is nothing short of mesmerising, and the individual quality of such players coupled with the excellent framework around them propels Napoli to an elite level.
Where Sarri differs from his now dethroned peer Guardiola is that his brand excels in its simplicity. The Spaniard is often critiqued for his teams lacking defensive performances and choppy team selection, all of which alters the balance of his sides, giving them a sometimes-unwanted unpredictability. Conversely, Napoli’s continuity and balance is testament to the way in which they are still so successful, even with a familiar tactical framework. There is no confusion or disorganisation in Sarri’s system: everybody has their role and it combines style and substance, making Neapolitans hopeful.
Critics may question the lack of silverware to show for Sarri’s reign at Napoli, however Serie A over the past few years has been like no other league. Juventus’ near freakish brilliance has hamstrung their competitors, but should the Old Lady endure a season of inconsistency, Napoli will be ready to pounce.
The sky is the limit for this current Napoli team. It is evidently close knit, and with them all united under the umbrella of #SarriFootball, it is not surprising to see why they are the hipsters’ preferred choice.It would be absurd to try to return to the social relations of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. But these social relations did last for 100,000 years in the most successful anarchist-communism experiment in history. So there must be something to learn from hunter-gatherers. The pygmies of Central Africa traditionally live in ways that come closest to the ways prehistoric hunter-gathers may have lived. This article is one of the most recent studies of the way African pygmies maintain egalitarian social relations and so make anarchist-communism work.
The Pygmies of Central Africa
The steady reduction in access to forest by Pygmy groups across central Africa has resulted in most being more accurately called “former hunter-gatherers” than hunter-gatherers. Today, the different Pygmy groups are characterized by great diversity (Bahuchet 2012). One small group in Cameroon, the Medzan, now occupies a savanna; many Twa groups in DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda have sedentarized among farming communities; and increasing numbers of Baka in Cameroon and Gabon are becoming sedentarized and alcoholized, along roadsides (Agland 2012). All experience increasing pressure from rampant commercial hunting, artisanal and industrial mining and logging activities, protected areas encompassing good forest, and in some places warring militias, government forces, and refugees.
Despite the great diversity of situations that many Pygmy groups find themselves in today, they share some remarkable similarities. In particular, their egalitarian social organization is bound up in a matrix with other key cultural practices. Hewlett identified some of these as spending at least four months a year hunting and gathering in the forest; strongly identifying with and preferring forest life; contrasting the “forest world” to the “village world”; having economies based on demand-sharing; practicing important rituals associated with elephant hunting; having intimate parent-child relations; and diverse relationships with neighboring farming groups (1996).
Ethnomusicologists working among Pygmy groups across the Congo Basin remark on similarities in their unusual highly integrated choral yodeled (alternating between chest and head voice) and polyphonic (multiple overlapping melodies) singing style among groups living very far apart (Arom 1978, 1981, 1985 on western Pygmies; Cooke 1980; Demolin 1993 on the eastern Pygmies; Fürniss 1993, 1999, 2006, 2007; Fürniss and Bahuchet 1995 on western Pygmies; Kazadi 1981 on similarities across Tua or Twa groups in DRC; Merriman 1980 on similarities in DRC; Rouget 2004 on the Pygmy musical style; and others).
Bahuchet tabulated his observations of cultural similarities and differences between Kola, Bongo, Baka, Aka, Twa, Asua, Mbuti, and Efe Pygmies stretching from west to east across the Congo Basin (table 5.1, 1996). Across the region yodel and polyphony together are consistently associated with forest mobility, camps made of round leaf and liana huts, woven-handled axes, and an egalitarian political and economic social order. The greater the degree of acculturation to farmer and village lifestyles the less frequent is yodeled polyphonic music. Those groups Bahuchet identifies as no longer singing polyphonies (Kola and Bongo) are those that Verdu et al. (2009) show to be the most influenced by outsiders’ genes (also see Verdu, chapter 2).
The different Pygmy groups have been isolated from one another long enough to develop different languages, genes, technologies and techniques for exploiting forest resources. But there are underlying structural and cultural similarities in music, a predatory and mimetic language style (Lewis 2009), ritual structures (Lewis 2002), identification with a forest hunter-gatherer lifestyle, a gendered division of labor based on the symbolism of blood (Ichikawa 1987; Lewis 2008), economies based on demand-sharing, egalitarian social organization, and their status as the “first people” of the region.
These elements are too specific to emerge from convergent evolution and with genetic evidence proving a shared past, appear to be key components of a highly resilient and effective adaptation to forest hunting and gathering. I will elaborate on the political aspects of this adaptation using the Mbendjele BaYaka as an example of this egalitarian social order.
Mbendjele BaYaka
Mbendjele living in the equatorial forests of northern Republic of Congo (RC) will be the focus of this paper since this is the group I know best[1]. Most Mbendjele spend about two-thirds of the year hunting and gathering in forest camps and some part of the year near agriculturalists’ villages. Although continuing to hunt and gather, here they will also trade, labor or perform services for villagers in return for food, goods, alcohol or money. However, the situation varies. Some Mbendjele near the Central African Republic (CAR) are evangelized and although relatively sedentary do not farm. Those living near logging towns may spend long periods working outside the forest. Others further south spend most of the year in the forest, with some groups not coming out to villages for years at a time.
Just like people from other Pygmy groups that I have talked to, the Mbendjele say that they belong to a larger group of forest people generically referred to as “bayaka” people. Indeed, Mbendjele more often refer to themselves as bayaka than Mbendjele. “Mbendjele” is principally used to distinguish themselves from neighboring bayaka groups such as the Mikaya, Ngombe, or Baka. While not concerned about height, bayaka is equivalent to the academic term “Pygmy.”
The bayaka groups I will be focusing on here occupy forest west of the Ubangi River, in CAR, RC, Cameroon, and Gabon. They are made up of Mbendjele (15–20,000), Baka (45–60,000), Aka (15–20,000), and several smaller groups such as the Mikaya, Luma, Kola, Gyeli, Bongo, and others (maybe 10–15,000). Many still largely depend on hunting and gathering in an immediate-return society, though others, such as the Bongo, Kola, Gyeli, Luma, and increasingly Baka too, are engaged in increasingly diversified economies. The term “bayaka” is contracted to different extents and used by Aka, Baka, Luma, Mbendjele, and Mikaya, typically as baaka, or baka. Because the Baka are speakers of an Ubangian language, whereas the Aka and Mbendjele speak Bantu languages, I write the ethnonym as “BaYaka” to emphasize this dual classification. I shall use BaYaka to encompass all these western groups, but their individual ethnonyms when providing specific examples.
BaYaka groups claim shared identity based on common descent from the first forest hunter-gatherers, a shared history, some shared oral traditions (e.g., gano fables) and taboo complexes (e.g., ekila), an economy based on forest hunting and gathering, ritual and singing styles, and the possibility of marriage relations, but not on trading goods. This contrasts with BaYaka peoples’ relations with “village people” that are predominantly based on trading and exchanging goods. Most villagers refuse to marry BaYaka, many will not eat together with BaYaka nor allow them to stay in their homes or villages. Rivers divide the territories of different BaYaka groups so they do not overlap; however, villagers superimpose their land claims over parts of BaYaka land.
BaYaka and Bilo
The Mbendjele distinguish between themselves as “forest people” (bisi ndima) with neighboring farming groups who they call “village people” (bisi mboka). The Mbendjele clans with whom we lived have exchange relations with four different groups of farmers: the Bongili, Kabunga, Sangha-Sangha and recently with the Bodingo. In addition to those just mentioned, I came across Mbendjele in relations with many different farmer groups: the Kaka, Ndongu, Ngando, Enyelle, Pomo, Yekinga, and Yasua. All these various groups are referred to using the ethnonym “Bilo.” Bilo makes a meaningful distinction between non-BaYaka Africans and BaYaka (Pygmy) people that is based on perceived racial, ideological, knowledge, political, and economic differences. Instead of “Bantu,” farmer or villager, in this chapter, as elsewhere, I follow their lead and use “Bilo.”
Mbendjele describe Bilo as recent arrivals in the forest who discriminate against them, attempt to exploit them, claim rights over their land and labor, and make aggressive claims to own farmland, rivers, forest, and even other people. While Mbendjele resent these claims, Mbendjele elders often emphasize that it is their transience in the forest that makes Bilo claims vacuous and therefore not to be taken too seriously. Bilo are useful for providing Mbendjele with access to goods from outside the forest (notably iron and salt), and appreciated for their role in judging disputes between Mbendjele that the community is unable to resolve.
There exists a developed oral tradition that elaborates and entrenches cultural stereotypes differentiating BaYaka forest people from Bilo village people through accounts of the past. These numerous and widely told stories (gano) attest to the enduring and elaborate nature of the opposition between them. The cultural significance of the contrast between forest people and village people has been commented on by other ethnographers in central Africa as one of the most fundamental markers of ethnic difference in forested regions (see for instance Turnbull 1966; Bahuchet and Guillaume 1982; Waehle 1986; Grinker 1994; Kenrick 2000; Lewis 2001; Kenrick and Lewis 2001; Köhler and Lewis 2002). Where forest people no longer have access to forest, they speak the same language and share many similar cultural practices and beliefs with their farmer neighbors, and these oppositions do not break down. Indeed, they can become more entrenched as segregation and discrimination increase, as has happened to the Twa Pygmies of the Great Lakes Region (Lewis 2000).
The Egalitarianism of Hunter-gatherer Societies
In the late 1970s, James Woodburn developed his comparative analysis of the ethnography of hunter-gatherers to show that they could be divided into “immediate-return” or “delayed-return” societies (1982). Although taking economic activity as the starting point, the implications of the difference between immediateand delayed-return societies go well beyond economics to determine key aspects of social structure and political organization. So, for instance, the sharing and immediate consumption of whatever has been hunted or gathered has political consequences because it ensures that individuals do not accumulate more than others. Individuals are therefore unable to use accumulated goods to exert authority or to oblige or influence others to do their will. Neither do people invest in long-term production strategies that would involve long-term binding commitments between them. People in immediate-return societies do not depend on specific others for access to food, land, resources, or tools and so can move easily should they so wish. In these societies pressure is not put on people to produce, but on them to share whatever they have produced.
By contrast, people in delayed-return societies invest labor over long periods before a yield is obtained. Typical examples include farming, herding, or capitalist systems, but also certain hunter-gatherer societies that invest labor over time or store yields (such as the Kwakiutl and Inuit, and most Amazonian farmer-foragers, including the Ache). The requirement to manage labor during the period in which the yield is being produced results in relations of dependence and authority developing between people to assure that labor is put in at the right times and that those who contribute are recompensed when the yield is obtained, and so willingly provide their labor again. Control over the distribution of vital resources promotes political inequality and hierarchy through the emergence of elites. Whereas delayed-return societies are by necessity hierarchically organized with inequalities between peers, seniors and juniors and gender groups, immediate-return societies are politically and economically egalitarian. While both delayed and immediate return societies exist among hunter-gatherers, only delayed return societies exist among non-hunter-gatherers.
In this paper I will focus on an immediate-return hunter-gatherer group to avoid the distorting effect of mixing delayed return hunter-gatherers into discussions of egalitarianism and inequality. By definition, delayed return societies cannot be egalitarian; therefore, the analyses of “egalitarian” societies done by Alden-Smith et al. (2010) that consider delayed return, non-egalitarian societies as comparable to immediate-return ones produces confused and ultimately arbitrary results, based on unreasonably forced categories of analysis such as “relational wealth,” “grip strength,” and so on that focus on individual variation rather than the social mechanisms (such as demand-sharing) that ensure individual variation does not result in inequality. Social mechanisms must override individual variation for a society to be egalitarian.
While individual variation in skill or ability will exist everywhere, immediate-return societies impose economically egalitarian relations through procedures that force sharing on anyone with more than they can immediately consume and so prevent saving and accumulation. A range |
anded Lumix ZS20)
The V-Lux 40’s manual is identical to that of the older Lumix ZS7 and ZS10 when it comes to describing GPS limitations (see above).
FujiFilm:
FinePix F550 EXR (Jan 2011)
FinePix XP30 (Jan 2011)
FinePix F600 EXR (Aug 2011)
FinePix F770 EXR (Jan 2012)
FinePix XP150 (Jan 2012)
All FinePix cameras carry this disclaimer:
Nikon:
Nikon seems schizophrenic about its approach to GPS:
Coolpix P6000 (Aug 2008)
One of the very first compacts on the market to have built-in GPS, this camera’s manual makes no mention of GPS restrictions or China. This is how it should be. Nikon’s GP-1 GPS unit for its DSLRs also makes no mention of restrictions.
Coolpix AW100 (Aug 2011)
Coolpix S9300 (Feb 2012)
Coolpix P510 (Feb 2012)
By 2011, however, Nikon’s cameras warn that “GPS may not function properly” in and around China:
On a Nikon website, A user shares his experience using GPS with his Coolpix AW100 in China:
The GPS in my Lumix [TZ10] camera is disabled when in China. The camera gives an information message that it disables the GPS while in China. I was pleasantly surprised that Nikon [Coolpix AW100] does not disable the GPS in China but places some limitations on its use. The locations using the GPS in China seem to be off by about 500 ft to the west. In addition, the map function does not work in China and there are not location points for China in the database. I found it interesting that while I was in Southern China, several miles from Hong Kong, the camera would like the closest location point in Hong Kong (which turned out to be a KCR metro station about 10km away. I am very glad the GPS works in China even with these limitations.
Samsung:
Samsung’s manuals, alas, border on the unintelligible. They are obviously transcribed from some other language:
ST1000 (Aug 2009)
HZ35W (Jan 2010)
It is not clear at all where the GPS works, nor does it make any sense to only allow cameras purchased in China to receive GPS signals in China.
Discussing the GPS performance of the Samsung HZ35W may be academic, however — DPReview’s review says that the camera’s GPS function is “idiosyncratic at best, and at worst, non-functional”, with many users not being able to get it to work at all. (Maybe because it appears to work only in a minority of countries, as per the manual.) Meanwhile, Samsung has not come out with updates to its GPS cameras for over two years.
Next up, those manufacturers who do not second-guess their customers:
Sony:
Cyber-shot HX5 (Jan 2010)
SLT-A55 (Aug 2010)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V (Jan 2011)
Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V (Jan 2011)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V (Feb 2011)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V (Feb 2011)
SLT-A65 (Aug 2011)
SLT-A77 (Aug 2011)
Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V (Jan 2012)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V (Feb 2012)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V (Feb 2012)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V (Feb 2012)
Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V (Feb 2012)
None of these camera manuals reference China in any way. All manuals carry the exact same text:
Canon:
PowerShot SX230 HS (Feb 2011)
PowerShot S100 (Sep 2011)
PowerShot SX260 HS (Feb 2012)
PowerShot D20 (Feb 2012)
None of these camera manuals reference China in any way. All manuals carry a version of this text:
Additionally, Canon gets points for reminding users of potential privacy issues when geotagging photos.
Pentax:
Optio WG-1 GPS (Feb 2011)
Optio WG-2 GPS (Feb 2012)
The GPS utilities guide for these cameras carries an identical short reference:
Casio:
Exilim EX-H20G (Sep 2010)
The EX-H20G’s manual is perhaps the most straightforward of all:
Olympus:
Tough TG-810 (Mar 2011)
Tough TG-1 iHS (May 2012)
The manual is not up on the web yet, but the camera’s web page makes no mention of China or restrictions, and there is no reason to suspect a policy change since the TG-810.
Implications
Why does all this matter? Wherever local laws prohibit the sale or use of a personal electronics device able to perform a certain function, manufacturers have traditionally chosen not to sell the offending device in that particular jurisdiction, or — if the market is tempting enough — to sell a crippled model made especially for that jurisdiction.
For example, Nokia chose not to sell the N95 phone in Egypt when the sale of GPS-enabled devices there was illegal before 2009, whereas Apple opted to make and sell a special GPS-less iPhone 3G for that market. Early models of the Chinese iPhone 3GS lacked wifi, while the Chinese iPhone 4/4S has firmware restrictions on its Google Maps app.
The risk to consumers in freer countries is that personal electronics brands might be tempted to simplify their manufacturing processes by building just one device for the global market, catering to the lowest common denominator of freedom — especially if the more restrictive legal jurisdictions contain some of the most attractive markets, such as mainland China.
Still, in the absence of more information from Panasonic, Leica, FujiFilm, Nikon and Samsung, I can’t decisively say whether this is the business logic behind their decision to cripple the GPS in their cameras. And yet uncrippled GPS cameras from Sony and others are freely available for sale in China, for example on Taobao, China’s eBay:
And Sony’s official mainland China site is more than happy to offer instructions in Chinese on how to use the GPS function.
Consumers in the market for a GPS-enabled camera should be informed that five of the mainstream brands engage in location-based censorship. Choose another brand, or get a dedicated handheld GPS device to sync tracklogs with your camera — I don’t suspect Garmin or Magellan will stop working in China anytime soon.Plausible Libertarianism: Philosophy, Social Science, and Huemer
There are two main strains of libertarianism: rights-based and consequentialist. For rights-based libertarians like Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard, and Robert Nozick, violating a person’s libertarian rights (also known as “initiating the use of physical force,” breaching the “non-aggression axiom,” or simply “coercion”) is not merely bad, but morally impermissible.[1] Rights-based libertarians are often interested in social science,[2] but social science plays no fundamental role in their defense of a free society. In their view, people can justifiably become libertarians before they ever open an economics textbook —and nothing in the textbook can bring libertarian principles into question.
For consequentialist libertarians, in contrast, violating libertarian rights is not inherently wrong. We should respect libertarian rights because the overall consequences of doing so are good.[3] For consequentialist libertarians, social science is all-important. People cannot justifiably become libertarians until they know enough social science to weigh the overall consequences of various policies against each other. Furthermore, as soon as the evidence shows that coercion has slightly better overall consequences than leaving people alone, consequentialist libertarians must support that coercion.
Counterexamples to rights-based libertarianism are notoriously easy to find.[4] The classics are hypotheticals where a small rights violation leads to vastly better consequences. Is it really morally impermissible to steal a dime to save a person’s life? To steal a dime from each and every person on earth to save the world? Furthermore, if even small rights violations are forbidden, why don’t we need other people’s consent before we vibrate their eardrums by speaking to them—or shoot molecules at their bodies by breathing on them?
Counterexamples to consequentialism are lower-profile, but equally devastating.[5] The classic: Suppose a doctor cares for five patients, each of whom needs a different organ transplant to survive. The doctor also happens to know a perfectly healthy but utterly friendless stranger. The doctor could easily murder the stranger, make his death look like an accident, then use his organs to save five patients’ lives. Consequentialism seems to imply that this murder is not only morally permissible, but morally obligatory. The most a consequentialist could do is appeal to seemingly morally irrelevant facts like, “In the real world, the doctor would be caught.”
Philosophically literate readers of Michael Huemer’s The Problem of Political Authority will feel a strong temptation to place him in either the rights-based or consequentialist categories. At times, Huemer seems to appeal to rights. When he critiques social contract theory, for example, the substance of Huemer’s argument closely parallels Lysander Spooner’s No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority, a long-time favorite of rights-based libertarians. At other times, however, Huemer seems to appeal to consequences:
Return to the lifeboat scenario. The boat is in danger of sinking, unless most of the passengers quickly start bailing water. This time, however, suppose that none of the other passengers are willing to bail water. You cannot perform the task alone, and no amount of reasoning or pleading will persuade the myopic passengers to take up their buckets. Finally, you pull your trusty Glock out of your jacket and order the other passengers to start bailing out the boat. In this situation, regrettable as the resort to force may be, your action seems justified.[6]
If you read Huemer closely, however, you will discover what makes The Problem of Political Authority so remarkable: Huemer offers a genuinely new defense of libertarianism that combines the strengths of the rights-based and consequentialist approaches while avoiding their flaws.
Instead of making a tortured effort to somehow prove that “human nature” or Kantian meta-ethics implies the blanket immorality of violating libertarian rights, Huemer starts with a modest presumption that libertarians share with the rest of mankind: Under ordinary circumstances, attacking a peaceful person or stealing his stuff his immoral. As he explains:
Almost no one, regardless of political ideology, considers theft, assault, murder, and so on morally acceptable… I have made no particularly strong assumptions about these ethical prohibitions. I do not, for example, assume that theft is never permissible. I simply assume that it is not permissible under normal circumstances, as dictated by common sense morality.[7]
For example, almost everyone accepts the moral presumption that stealing bread is wrong. This principle is not absolute: When Jean Valjean says, “I stole a loaf of bread to save my sister’s son,” his justification is credible. Nevertheless, most attempts to rebut the presumption against stealing bread fail: “I stole the bread because I knew I would savor it more than its owner would have,” shows chutzpah, not moral insight. You don’t have to be remotely libertarian to see the inadequacy of such excuses.
After establishing this common ground, Huemer points out the apparent conflict between ordinary morality and state authority. If anyone other than the state acted like a state, we would brand him a criminal. Unlike most rights-based thinkers, however, Huemer does not hastily declare victory after making this point. Instead, he methodically considers the leading attempts to exonerate the state: appeals to social contract theory, democracy, fairness, and consequences.
The first three families of arguments all fall flat, for reasons Huemer’s book explains in detail. When Huemer turns to consequences, however, matters get sticky. After all, he explicitly admits that violating libertarian rights is morally permissible if the consequences of doing so are sufficiently good. How can a mere philosopher emphatically condemn real-world governments after making such an open-ended concession?
Huemer responds with a simple yet powerful observation: when we say “common sense morality allows coercion under special circumstances,” the emphasis should be on “special circumstances.” Continuing with his lifeboat example:
Your entitlement to coerce is highly specific and content-dependent: it depends upon your having a correct (or at least well-justified) plan for saving the boat, and you may coerce others only to induce cooperation with that plan. More precisely, you must at least be justified in believing that the expected benefits of coercively imposing your plan on the others are very large and much larger than the expected harms. You may not coerce others to induce harmful or useless behaviors or behaviors designed to serve ulterior purposes unrelated to the emergency. For instance, if you display your firearm and order everyone to start scooping water into the boat, you are acting wrongly – and similarly if you use the weapon to force others to pray to Poseidon, lash themselves with belts, or hand over $50 to your friend Sally.
The political ramifications:
If, therefore, we rely upon cases like this one to account for the state’s right to coerce or violate the property rights of its citizens, the proper conclusion is that the state’s legitimate powers must be highly specific and content-dependent: the state may coerce individuals only in the minimal way necessary to implement a correct (or at least well-justified) plan for protecting society from the sorts of disasters that allegedly would result from anarchy. The state may not coerce people into cooperating with harmful or useless measures or measures we lack good reason to consider effective.
Whenever Huemer uses phrases like “good reason to consider effective,” readers may feel tempted pigeonhole him as a thinly veiled consequentialist. They should resist this temptation. True, like consequentialists, Huemer has to take relevant evidence from social science into account. Unlike consequentialists, however, Huemer does not need to argue that libertarian policies lead to the best possible consequences. He merely needs to argue that the consequences of libertarian policies are tolerable. As a result, even Huemer’s defense of anarcho-capitalism manages to be both unusually measured and unusually convincing.
For rights-based libertarians, morality is virtually independent of social science. If you have a right to do X, the consequences of X don’t really matter. For consequentialist libertarians, morality is almost entirely dependent on social science. If you know the consequences of X, you can safely ignore anyone who asserts a right to do X. Huemer stakes out a middle ground between these extremes. For most purposes, “It’s my life, so you should leave me alone,” is perfectly adequate. Social science is valuable, however, because it tells us when we can safely dismiss complaints about the overall consequences of free choice—and when we need to take such complaints seriously.
When people criticize The Problem of Political Authority, I often want to quote John Maynard Keynes on Huemer’s behalf:
Thus those who are sufficiently steeped in the old point of view simply cannot bring themselves to believe that I am asking them to step into a new pair of trousers, and will insist on regarding it as nothing but an embroidered version of the old pair which they have been wearing for years.[8]
Huemer’s “new pair of trousers” is a libertarianism designed to be plausible to non-libertarians as well as libertarians.
How does he make his brand of libertarianism plausible to non-libertarians? He starts with moral premises most non-libertarians already accept, argues methodically and transparently, and generously considers a wide range of objections. When social science is relevant, Huemer appeals to mainstream economics, political science, and psychology – not the heterodox approaches that libertarians love so well. While I don’t expect The Problem of Political Authority to make millions of converts, it as broadly convincing as a reasoned argument for an unpopular conclusion can be.
How does Huemer make his brand of libertarianism plausible to libertarians? He escapes objections to rights-based libertarianism by turning the “Non-Aggression Axiom” into a “Non-Aggression Presumption.” He escapes objections to consequentialist libertarianism by taking this Non-Aggression Presumption seriously. The result is a position immune to all of the standard counter-examples to rights-based and consequentialist libertarianism.
As a free bonus, Huemer dulls the urge consequentialist libertarians often feel to stretch the truth, to make stronger claims about the benefits of libertarian policies than the evidence warrants. Thus, libertarians who oppose a war with Iran don’t need to confidently assert, “This war will clearly make matters even worse.” We should just stick with what we really know: “We shouldn’t murder thousands of innocent people unless we have strong reason to believe doing so will make matters vastly better. And we don’t have a strong reason to believe this.”[9]
When libertarians want to appeal to a broader audience, they usually dial down their rhetoric and their radicalism. The Problem of Political Authority dials down the rhetoric, but leaves the radicalism intact. Libertarians don’t need Aristotelian metaphysics, exceptionless moral axioms, or heterodox social science to call the entire status quo into question. Michael Huemer shows that common sense, common decency, and careful observation are more than up to the job.
Notes
[1] See e.g. Ayn Rand. 1957. Atlas Shrugged (New York: Signet); Murray Rothbard. 1978. For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto. (New York: Libertarian Review Foundation); and Robert Nozick. 1974. Anarchy, State, and Utopia (New York: Basic Books).
[2] Or even, like Murray Rothbard, a social scientist by profession.
[3] See e.g. Ludwig von Mises. 1996. Liberalism: The Classical Tradition. (Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Foundation for Economic Education), and Jeffrey Miron. 2010. Libertarianism: from A to Z>E,?. (NY: Basic Books). Milton Friedman. 1982. Capitalism and Freedom. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press), and David Friedman. 1989. The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism. (Chicago: Open Court) are often seen as canonical consequentialist libertarian tracts, but the authors’ positions are actually more nuanced.
[4] See e.g. Friedman, 1989, pp.167-200.
[5] See generally Samuel Scheffler, ed. 1988. Consequentialism and Its Critics. (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
[6] Michael Huemer, 2013. The Problem of Political Authority: An Examination of the Right to Coerce and the Duty to Obey. (NY: Palgrave Macmillian), p.94.
[7] Huemer, p.177.
[8] John Maynard Keynes. 1931. “The Pure Theory of Money: A Reply to Dr. Hayek.” Economica 31, p.390.
[9] For elaboration on this point, see Bryan Caplan. 2010. “The Common-Sense Case for Pacifism.” EconLog.A week ago, i released my first iOS app to the App Store: Winmail.dat File Viewer Pro. This post is about how I did market research to find what to build as my first iOS app on App Store.
If Microsoft Outlook server is not configured correctly, it can send out emails as “winmail.dat” files instead of the actual email with attachments.
The winmail.dat file is a TNEF-encoded file containing the email body text as a “.rtf” file along with any other attachments if present.
Receiving such files on any platform can be a problem because the recipient is not sure how to open the winmail.dat file to access text and attachments contained within the email. Moreover, most senders will be unaware of the cause of this issue and may need help of their IT department to solve the issue.
Some users on Apple forums are also suggesting that this issue has started occurring more frequently after they updated to iOS 7 but i have not been able to find any such direct correlation.
Microsoft (or Apple) do not seem to be keen on providing a solution to this years-old problem which would allow users to view contents of TNEF-encoded winmail.dat files without using any 3rd party software.
I saw this as a niche iOS app opportunity and just the kind of weekend project which was perfect for me to release as my first iOS app in the App Store after about 20+ apps shipped to various clients over nearly 5 years as a full-time iOS Developer.
This app may not be useful to everyone but it is inevitable for anyone who receives one of these dreaded winmail.dat email attachments on their iPhone or iPad and have no idea what to do with it. Now, by using Winmail.dat File Viewer Pro, you will be able to open winmail.dat attachments on your iOS device with ease. You can also save the attached files to your Dropbox, Google Drive, Photo Gallery or share it with others using email, Facebook, Twitter etc. depending on the file type.
Since this app is already live on the app store since about 7 days, i will be doing another post this weekend sharing sales/downloads data and thoughts about pricing and designing the app.
So there goes the first app of my own in App Store after thousands of hours of client work!
App Store link: Winmail.dat File Viewer ProOne of America's all-time great cartoonists has left us at the age of 91. Jack Davis made his initial fame in EC Comics like Tales from the Crypt and MAD but went on to become one of the most visible (and imitated) creators of advertising, movie posters and record album covers ever. His ability to make anything funnier when he drew it and his keen eye for caricatures could be seen darn near everywhere in this country for well more than half a century.
Jack Davis was born in Atlanta, Georgia on December 2, 1924. His first drawing in print was a small sketch that ran in Tip Top Comics in the thirties. It was on a page that printed reader contributions and he was not the only soon-to-be-famous cartoonist who first saw a drawing of his published there. So did Mort (Beetle Bailey) Walker and Davis's soon-to-be collaborator/employer, Harvey Kurtzman.
Davis attended the University of Georgia and his work on the campus newspaper (and an independent humor publication) got him an intern job at the Atlanta Journal which in turn led to assistant work on the newspaper strip, Mark Trail and later on The Saint.
In 1950, he hooked up with EC Comics and became one of the firm's most popular artists on its popular line of horror, crime, war and humor comics. Davis could do any of those but it was the funny stuff he did for MAD that really set him apart from the pack. When MAD's first editor Harvey Kurtzman left, Davis followed him to other humor periodicals (all short-lived) but returned to MAD in the mid-sixties. By then, he also had a steady flow of work for movie posters, record album covers, magazine covers (including Time) and other commercial venues.
His poster for the 1963 movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World wasn't his first film job but it was the one that everyone noticed. Thereafter, a hefty percentage of folks marketing comedy films — especially those with large casts of well-known comedians — turned to Davis for their key art. Just as there are performers who have made good careers impersonating Elvis Presley or The Beatles, there are artists whose livelihoods have involved outputting commercial art more or less in the Jack Davis style.
I loved everything he drew but Jack was not fond of some of them. He was great at horror comics but uncomfortable with the subject matter. He turned up occasionally in Playboy, often assisting on his friend Harvey Kurtzman's "Little Annie Fanny," but didn't much like the magazine or its hedonist philosophy. He eventually stopped drawing for MAD partly because of his advanced age but partly because he didn't like its politics or a subtle trend he perceived towards raunchiness. He also just plain wanted to take it easy, drawing when and what he felt like drawing. (One job he was very glad to do was for the U.S. government in 1989: A postage stamp he drew to honor postal carriers.)
Mr. Davis won every award he could possibly win for cartooning and was widely-loved and respected among his peers. The photo above was taken at a 2006 dinner held in his honor in Los Angeles by the Comic Art Professional Society. That's Jack on the left, me in the middle and the guy at right is Jack's friend and fellow MAD artist, Sergio Aragonés. I always found Jack to be a delightful man — cheery and gentle with what is generally described as old-school Southern Manners. He loved talking about the Civil War and old monster movies and his fellow cartoonists, all of whom he loved. He was truly as adored as his cartooning was, and that's a lot of adoration.
There was something about his art that just plain made you smile, starting with the fact that there was no meanness whatsoever in his caricatures. He didn't like all the politicians he drew for magazine covers but you wouldn't know it from his renderings. He made every movie he drew look a little funnier and livelier. I have the original to one of his movie posters on a wall in my home and everyone who sees it — artists, writers, my plumber, my electrician, etc. — knows that style and grins when they see it. That's a great legacy to leave behind.
You can see a lot of Jack's work on this page and this page and this page and this page. See if there's one drawing there that doesn't make you smile.+ Show
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note to mods: i didn't add any time&date tags because this is for germany/europe only.A tournament by BarCrafts for BarCrafts. The international BarCraft network, “BarCraft-Connect” (short: BCON; http://www.barcraft-connect.net ) is launching this tournament, so friends of watching StarCraft II tournaments can have a go in a tournament themselfs – and fight for the honor of their city. Participating BarCrafts each need to decide on a champion to represent their BarCraft. How they make that decision is up to each individual organizer.The big showdown of the BCON Clash is most likely to go down in June/July. BarCrafts will be organized for this tournament and each champion will compete on-site of their respective city-BarCraft. It will be streamed, casted and everything else that can be done with such an event! There are ongoing negotiations with various community Casters, primarily from the German scene. Details about the stream, and most importantly about the prizes/prizepool will be announced by the BCON soon.You want to participate? Then check out the list below - and if there isn't a qualifier announced for your BarCraft yet, contact the local organizers about it - or even better, why not start your own barcraft? A quick overview of the location of all BCON BarCrafts can be found on this googlemap Oh! a link! *click* or on Oh! a link! *click* Some rules regarding the- Only players from the organizing BarCraft region are allowed for each Qualifier. Admins can ask the player to provide proof (passport scan, photographic evidence (e.g. has ever visited a BarCraft and is seen in a photo))- Players who played/play in Grandmaster-league EU last or current Season are not allowed. Also Players who are sponsored (getting paid for playing) must not participate (e.g. mouz.Protosser is not allowed to play because he is in contract with mousesports)- Whether a player is permitted or not is the decision of the admins.You need even more information? Then contact your local BarCraft organizer or write us an eMail to contact@barcraft-connect.netThis list will be updated when new qualifiers are announcedFollow BCON @thebcon or on Oh! a link! *click*With the NHL Trade Deadline quickly approaching, we’re once again reminded that while Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi is known in some circles as Dealin’ Dean, there is at least one thing he loves to hold on to – first round draft picks.
Since taking the head seat at L.A.’s table in 2006, Lombardi has selected at least one player in the opening round each year, with only two exceptions – 2011 (traded pick to Edmonton in the Dustin Penner deal) and 2013 (traded to Columbus in the Jeff Carter deal).
When the Kings returned to the podium for some first round fun last June, they announced the name of a then-17-year-old forward, Adrian Kempe of Sweden.
“When there were only two or three teams left to pick, I thought I’d need to come back the next day for the second round,” said Kempe, the Kings’ youngest prospect. “I talked to L.A. twice before the Draft. They told me they really liked me and I was the type of the player they wanted. [Even so], before the Draft, I wasn’t thinking, like, ‘Oh yeah, the Kings are going to take me.’ That made it a little bit shocking when it happened.”
Through 45 games this season, Kempe’s 16 points are only slightly above where they were last season, but it isn’t something he or the Kings are spending much time worrying about.
“He’s well on track,” stated Mark Yannetti, the Kings’ Director of Amateur Scouting, who just returned from a trip to Sweden, where he spent some time with Kempe. “He plays on the second or third line right now, depending on the night. At the [recent] World Junior Championship, he played a little more of a defined role, skating in the top-6, playing with like players. In the Swedish League, it’s such a defensive league on the big ice, it’s harder to make an impact shift in and shift out for everybody. He was solid though.”
For Kempe, having members of the Kings’ management team come to Sweden is a double-edged sword, yet one he welcomes.
“It puts a little extra pressure on my shoulders, but it’s also fun when they watch me,” he said. “When I’m out there on the ice, I don’t think about it as much. I try to relax and just play the same game that I always do. I play about 20 minutes a night and I think that’s good for me right now. I’m continuing to develop here, and getting better, until I’m ready to take the next step to the AHL or the NHL. That’s my dream, in the future.”
Which leads to the all-important question when dealing with non-North American players – when is he coming over?
“I had a really good talk with him while I was there,” Yannetti shared. “A lot of times, Europeans have a tough time rationalizing coming over to play in the AHL. They don’t understand how good it is. They get caught up thinking, ‘Well, I’m already playing in the highest league in Sweden, why would I come over to play in the minors?’ But Adrian, he’s well aware of where his next step on the development path is and what a challenge the American League is.”
To be clear, it is not exactly a done deal that the ultra-talented winger will suit up in a Reign jersey when the Kings’ AHL affiliate debuts in Ontario next season.
“I don’t think it’s fair to talk about that during his season,” explained Yannetti. “He’s playing for his team over there and his goal is to get that team as far as he can, do what he can to help them win. We talk about guys who are ‘Kings’ - guys that have the ‘it’ factor, the intangibles, to help you come back from being down 3-0 in the playoffs or help you win two Stanley Cups in three years. You have to be single-minded and focused on winning. If we’re going to preach that, it isn’t fair to [establish firm timetables right now]. You always want to have your future in mind, but in terms of formal discussions, that takes place once this season is over.”
Thus far, Kempe has only had just a brief taste of what the Kings’ staff has to offer, through his participation in the team’s annual Development Camp last July.
“I think off the ice, in terms of working and competing, in terms of developing, he took a big step last year,” Yannetti said. “He was over here working with our coaches – guys like Mike O’Connell and Nelson Emerson - and that’s an area in his game he has not always been committed to as a pro. It’s not as common. It’s just he doesn’t understand what a pro mentality is. So he’s learning that, and it’s the right step. However, to truly get there he’s going to have to come over here and spend the vast majority of the summer here… I think he understands what it is in theory. You saw it with [Tyler] Toffoli and [Tanner] Pearson, they understood it in theory. But until you actually get to practice that, day in and day out, you don’t.”
The week or so Kempe spent in Southern California may have started out a bit rough, but it’s all part of the process, as they say.
“It was a little challenging in the beginning because I was all alone. I was the only Swedish guy there, so it was really hard,” said the youngster. “After the first day, I started to get to know everybody a little bit better and the coaches took good care of me. It ended up being a lot of fun. I had a short meeting with Darryl Sutter, I liked him. In the end, they told me they liked my play and I had a good camp… I think they drafted me because I’m a big, strong player and I’m a good skater. I need to use that [to my advantage] and I need to improve in all those areas. Plus, I need to put on some more weight. I need to be stronger to take the next step. I’m working on my skating and I’m trying to be more physical.”
Overall, Kempe continues to reinforce the Kings decision to select him with their first pick in last year’s Draft.
“His skating is high level and it just keeps - each time I see him, the way he glides and the speed he’s able to maintain - you forget how fast he really can be,” Yannetti said, sounding part impressed, part amazed. “You saw glimpses of his skills at the World Junior tourney. You saw the way he cycles the puck, the way he created a line of protection. He was able to establish body position in danger areas and put defenders off his hip too. He has a good release. I’m not sure how much of a natural goal scorer he is, but he’s got an excellent shot and an excellent release. That’s where he’s going to get better and these are things he’ll work on once he spends more time with our development team.”
Again, much of it comes back to giving him full access to the people who will provide him the best opportunity to hone his game for the rigors of an 82-game NHL season, followed by the grind of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“It’s the same as talking with a junior kid or college kid,” continued Yannetti. “You don’t see a whole lot of college teams playing a half-court possession game… That’s why college quarterbacks excel in college and then they have to learn a whole new language. It’s obviously not the same amount of information they need to learn, but similar in that you have to learn a new game. You have to learn a new style. You do have to learn the vernacular, but you also have to learn to employ it. What Adrian needs to learn, the AHL does it for you. The development guys do it for you. They build the foundation and the AHL is where you get to employ it.”
Fine, but what type of timeline are we talking here? Just a ballpark, should people expect to see him in the NHL next year or three years from now?
“When he comes, I liken Kempe to somewhere between Pearson and Toffoli, two guys who figured things out fairly quickly. I think Kempe is in that same boat, where he has a lot of the tools. He has a lot of the foundation… I don’t think he’s going to take three years, like some guys did. I would expect him to have to play a minimum of a half to a full year in the AHL. Is it out of the realm of possibility he could make the team [out of camp]? He’s a hell of a player and, as a finished product, he is well along. There are a lot of things that will help him translate immediately to the NHL pro game. However, in my professional opinion, he most likely will still need a year in the AHL.”
And here we are again, back to the original question.
“Maybe next season,” Kempe said, when asked about his plans to play in North America. “I haven’t thought about it very much. We’ll see what happens after the season. We’ll see what the Kings want me to do, what my agent thinks I should do, and especially what I want to do.”BEIJING: Chinese prosecutors have made sure that the court considers giving former security czar Zhou Yongkang a death sentence or at least the sentence of death with a reprieve. This has been done by adding the charge of sedition to the list of other allegations that including corruption and moral turpitude.If that happens, the prosecutors will be creating history because no leader of such high rank, who has been a member of the powerful political standing committee of the Chinese Communist Party, has been given a death sentence in the past.Zhou, 72, who headed the country's internal security apparatus in the previous Hu Jintao regime, has been accused of leaking state secrets, secret documents of the party besides adultery, corruption and abuse of power.A important question is whether the government will opt for an open trail as in the case of his protege, Bo Xilai. Bo got a death sentence with reprieve but used the open trail and media coverage to garner sympathy for himself. He was accused of corruption and abuse of power but spared the charge of sedition.Zhou has been accused of leaking state secrets, secret documents of the party besides adultery, corruption and abuse of power."There has been an understanding in the leadership over the past few decades that the maximum punishment for corrupt senior officials is a death sentence with a few years' probation," Zhang Ming, a political science professor at the Renmin University was |
category on the first page, you’ll have earned access to a huge amount of traffic. Again, Grouphunt is a place you should not ignore when searching for crowdfunding distribution channels.
How to Sell on Grouphunt
Submit a URL with the product you want hunted Gather Interest, collect votes from friends, family and the GroupHunt community Once the product has enough support GroupHunt negotiates a deal for the collective buyers Deal Goes Live
9. Target Open House + Indiegogo
In late 2015, Target Open House partnered with Indiegogo in order to enable tech innovators to showcase their successful Indiegogo products in Targets experimental space in San Francisco, “part retail store, part lab, part meeting venue for the connected home tech community.”((Target: A Bulls Eye View | Target Open House Teams Up With Indiegogo to Feature Early-Stage Connected Home Technologies))
This concept shop focuses on the ever growing Internet of Things (IoT) and other so called connected devices.
You can see some of the Indiegogo products that have been included in the program here.
Tech innovators who have been successfully funded on Indiegogo can apply to have their products be included in the experimental space via this Target Product Submission Form.
10. Shopify
Shopify is one of the easiest ways to launch an ecommerce storefront.
Once you’ve proven a market and shipped all your crowdfunding perks to your backers, setting up a Shopify storefront may be the next step on your quest for sustainability.
“The great part about Kickstarter projects who come on Shopify is they not only have initial funding to get their business off the ground, but they come to Shopify with a community that is already endorsed…They have social proof that they’re dealing with a viable business.”((Wired | Shopify Simplifies E-Commerce to Boost Crowdfunding Graduates))
Shopify actively attempts to attract crowdfunders and they have a useful resource for those at the beginning of their crowdfunding journey, if you haven’t seen it, it’s worth taking a look at–The Ultimate Guide to Crowdfunding.
11. b8ta
“If you operate stores like software and sell them like #SaaS, you can change how #retail is done as a business.((Twitter | Beta Post))”
Retail distribution at bigger stores, like Brookstone, may still be a major challenge for new creators; for a less daunting challenge, you may have better luck with a newer concept retail experience, b8ta, currently only in a few location–Palo Alto(( MIT Technology Review | In Palo Alto, a Brick-and-Mortar Store for Test-Driving the Latest High-Tech Gadgets)), Santa Monica((LA Times | Silicon Valley’s ‘try before you buy’ tech showroom is coming to Santa Monica)) and Seattle((Geek Wire | New b8ta store in Seattle’s University Village gives smaller tech companies their own Apple Store)).
Seeking to merge the uniqueness of items often found only online with the convenience and experience to try out novel products before purchase, the stores tagline “Discover here first” gets to the bottom of what this retailer is all about — a place to discover novel products in the real world. Imagine that!
“Vendors who want to show their gadgets must pay to rent space. After a customer has tried out a product at a B8ta location, he or she can buy from the store or go online and buy directly from the vendor.”((LA Times | Silicon Valley’s ‘try before you buy’ tech showroom is coming to Santa Monica))
Even better, the process to get your products into one of B8ta’s retail locations is easy, and in their words, “b8ta is the fastest way to get into premium retail—and the smartest way to stay in control”, to submit your product for distribution with b8ta, go here and start selling.
12.Fulfillment By Amazon
Unless you’e been off the grid and digital free for the past few years, you have surely heard about Fulfillment by Amazon, widely known by its acronym–FBA.
Their are many advantages to using Amazon as one of your online sales platforms post crowdfunding because they are highly trusted, you can benefit from Amazon’s one click checkout, customers that have Amazon Prime can get fee shipping, and you don’t have to package and ship everything.
To get started:
Create an Amazon Sellers Account Set up your product listing page (Images, Sales Copy, etc) Ship your item to Amazon Reach out to your community and get some sales
Now just because you are on Amazon does not guarantee sales you will still need to have great images, persuasive page copy and–to really get your sales moving–reviews.
The popularity of Amazon as a sales platform for white label sellers has exploded in the past few years and there are hundreds of Facebook groups, podcasts and other services to help you get going as an FBA seller.
Some of the better ones in no particular order are:
The above resources are enough to get you going in the right direction so you can be successful selling your crowd funded products on Amazon after your Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign.
13. Jet Partner Program
Like Amazon Jet.com provides a marketplace platform to get your goods in front of millions of customers.
Being a relatively new company with its sites set on rivaling Amazon, Jet is a sales channel you will want to consider after your crowdfunding launch is over.
The company was acquired by Walmart((Fortune | Walmart Has Completed Its Acquisition of Jet.com)) and tends toward a deal oriented audience but, depending on your product, it could be a great fit.
Like Amazon FBA, there are many sources to help you sell on Jet as a Jet Partner.
A few places to check out include:
Because Jet is a fast growing young company, it’s a promising marketplace to keep your eye on and list your product so you can get a foothold in while it’s still maturing.
The Path to a Sustainable Business After Your Crowdfunding
The above 13 options just scratch the surface of potential post-campaign growth opportunities that can set you on the path to a sustainable business that launched on a crowdfunding site.
Indiegogo seems to be the leader in proactively seeking partnership to help their creators go from crowdfunding dreamers to full on businesses.
To keep up with Indiegogo’s latest partnerships–and new opportunities for crowdfunders like you–keep an eye on their marketplace page here.
More Crowdfunding Launch ArticlesNetflix has signed another interconnection deal with another ISP: AT&T. The two sides have reached an agreement that should over time result in better streaming performance for Netflix subscribers. Terms of the deal aren't being disclosed, so we don't know how much Netflix paid for direct access to AT&T's network. But it's likely modeled after similar deals Netflix reached with Comcast and Verizon earlier in the year. Mashable first reported the new agreement between Netflix and AT&T.
Unbeknownst to customers, Netflix and AT&T actually came to an interconnection agreement back in May. But the company is only now "beginning to turn up the connections," a spokesperson told The Washington Post. That process will be completed within a couple days, though it may take longer before buffering and playback interruptions become a thing of the past for U-verse customers. Verizon hasn't exactly taken the ISP performance chart by storm in the months since reaching its deal with Netflix, and AT&T has traditionally ranked fairly low on the list. The FCC has said it's looking into streaming hiccups customers have experienced as Netflix, ISPs, and companies like Level 3 and Cogent continue to spar over who's responsible for shouldering the costs of delivering content across the web. "Consumers must get what they pay for," FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said last month.Get the biggest Aston Villa FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
With Aston Villa's fate all but sealed, attentions will turn to a season in the Championship.
It's well documented how competitive a division England's second tier is, and should Villa suffer relegation as expected, to bounce back at the first attempt they'll need surgery on their existing squad.
It begs the question - who of Villa's current crop can perform week in, week out in the Championship?
Who can they rely upon to influence a promotion-winning campaign?
Tricky Spaniard Carles Gil was signed by Paul Lambert from Valencia in January 2015, but barely featured at all under Tim Sherwood.
Gil has been a regular since Remi Garde's arrival, and has started the last couple of games after being dropped back to the bench for a handful of matches.
He has shown merely glimpses of what he can do during his time at B6, but when he does find the back of the net, you tend to remember them!
Gil is a creator, inventive with the ball and a player who can be dangerous in the final third.
He was the best player on the pitch at The Hawthorns in a match Villa should have won in January, and put in a similar shift when the claret and blues breezed past Norwich.
While these performances may be fleeting, they offer encouragement that, in the right set-up, Gil can thrive.
The Championship is a different ball game to the top flight, but that's not to say Gil can't perform.
Take Jon Toral for example.
Gil's compatriot down the road at Birmingham City has been largely excellent in the number ten role at St Andrew's this season, on loan from Arsenal.
Toral, a product of Barcelona's La Masia academy, tends to be clinical in front of goal (the recent trip to Molineux aside) and possesses similar technical abilities to Gil.
The 21-year-old's goals have contributed towards a decent number of Blues' points tally and, although admittedly he's physically bigger than Gil, he copes comfortably with the rigorous demands of second tier.
The clear-out at Villa Park is expected to be extensive this summer - holding onto Gil might just be worthwhile business.In Michigan we are in the process of reinventing ourselves.
Once the premiere manufacturing hub of the western hemisphere, Michigan has struggled in recent decades with a weakened economy associated with de-industrialization and the corresponding shrinking of our cities. The Big 3 automakers and Detroit stand as our most obvious examples of change, however the vast majority of industries and communities throughout the state were affected by the industrial apocalypse as well. As a result, the state’s per capita income fell from 18th among the 50 states in 2000 to 35th in 2013 and college attainment fell to 33rd.
If you’re expecting the next paragraph to read like an obituary then you may be surprised. While the state is still realigning itself to compete in the new global economy, Michigan stands as a leader in areas of community based development and placemaking.
Innovative economic models and authentic, grass-roots led engagement efforts literally dot the landscape from one end of the state to the other. At the League we’re working with partners across the state to enact a long-term, more sustainable pattern of growth that can serve the state well long into the 21st Century and I can tell you that the innovative capacity that we witness is truly remarkable. Creative placemaking is chic in our state, in big cities and small towns alike. And…. (sshhh don’t tell anybody) the folks at city hall are actually helping with the efforts and, in many cases, even leading the way. With the recent passage of best-of-its-kind crowdfunding legislation I expect the flywheel to begin turning even faster.HALF of Scotland’s entire electricity needs must now be generated through green energy by 2015, the First Minister has announced.
The ambitious new target is the latest set by the SNP government in its bid to produce all the nation’s electric power from renewable sources by 2020.
Alex Salmond yesterday also revealed new figures showing Scotland’s electricity generation capacity is expected to exceed demand by about 35 per cent in 2015, allowing the nation to meet its own power needs while producing a “vital surplus” for the rest of the UK.
The announcement at the latest UK renewables industry conference in Glasgow follows growing confidence in the administration after Scotland exceeded its previous interim goal of 31 per cent by 2011, creating 35 per cent instead.
Yesterday also saw the publication of record figures in an annual UK report into renewables which showed that wind – “led by Scotland” – is on track to power one in ten homes by 2015, and to be second only to natural gas as the largest single source of UK electricity by 2020.
Addressing delegates at the RenewableUK 2012 Annual Conference and Exhibition at the SECC in Glasgow, the First Minister described Scotland’s renewables success as a “massive economic opportunity”.
Mr Salmond said the new target would bring thousands more jobs to a sector which already employs 11,000 thanks to £2.3 billion of investment in projects north of the Border.
He said: “Last year, we published a routemap for renewable energy for Scotland, outlining how we would meet the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020. Today, we are publishing an update to that routemap. It shows clearly the progress that has been made in the last year.
“In the light of that progress, I can announce that we have set a new interim target – by 2015, the equivalent of 50 per cent of Scotland’s electricity demand will be met by renewable sources.
“This target is ambitious, but also achievable. It is based on current data about capacity which is operational, under construction, or has been consented.
“I believe creating more clean energy is essential for Scotland and this target provides three benefits in particular – energy security; environmental sustainability; and employment opportunities.”
When the SNP came to power in 2007, it inherited a target of producing 50 per cent of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020, five years later than the new target.
Mr Salmond added that the latest target would also improve progress on another SNP goal, that of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 42 per cent by 2020, the first annual deadline of which was missed this year.
Environmentalists in Scotland said that failure showed greater focus on reducing carbon emissions from homes and transport was still needed, although they welcomed the latest drive to improve green energy production.
Dr Dan Barlow, head of policy at WWF Scotland, said: “Scotland is already making good progress in realising our green energy potential and this commitment will help maintain confidence in the sector and support thousands of new jobs.
“It’s vital we build on this progress with similar ambitions aimed at improving energy efficiency in our homes and tackling emissions from transport, in order to deliver a truly low-carbon Scotland.”
Earlier this month, Ofgem warned that overall UK electricity production could exceed peak demand by just 4 per cent in 2015, a sharp decline on the current level of 14 per cent.
However, RenewableUK reported a record year in 2011-12, with wind energy output rising by a quarter, or 1,825MW, last year UK-wide.
For the first time in five years, the UK also saw a rise in the number of onshore windfarm proposals approved by councils, up to a record 1,701MW, compared with 1,142MW last year – a leap of nearly 50 per cent.
RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery said: “We have taken significant strides forward … 2011-12 saw overall capital investment in the offshore wind industry rise by 60 per cent to £1.5bn and a record amount of onshore wind capacity approved, with Scotland leading the way.
“These strong figures underline the importance of a secure trading climate to attract investment, especially in difficult times. Although we still have a long way to go, we are firmly on track and gathering momentum.”
Campaigners in Scotland opposing wind farms, however, maintain that the SNP is obsessed with the “turbinisation” of the country at the expense of the landscape and tourism.
A public inquiry is under way into plans for a wind farm beside the Cairngorm National Park, which opponents say would be like “building a Tesco in the Grand Canyon”.A little bit more than an hour into “Fail State,” a documentary about the rise of for-profit colleges, Jennifer Wilson, a graduate from one of these schools, looks at the camera and distills the essence of the film into one sentence.
“This $50,000 piece of paper,” she says, holding up her degree from the now-defunct Everest College, “is actually completely worthless.”
“Fail State,” which recently premiered in New York, chronicles the system that allowed thousands of students to wind up in Wilson’s position. The film’s central argument: aided by sympathetic lawmakers, cuts to public funding for higher education and motivated by a drive to increase their bottom line, for-profit colleges have lured students into taking on high levels of debt with little concern for their future.
In Wilson’s case, that meant falling prey to a recruiter who used sympathy over her daughter’s untimely murder to gain her trust and push her into signing a paper that enrolled her in the school without her knowledge. After graduating summa cum laude from her program, Wilson was unable to find work in her desired field and wound up continuing in the job she had before she attended school — airport security.
Meanwhile, Corinthian Colleges, the parent company of the school Wilson attended, filed for bankruptcy in 2015. It was the company’s spectacular collapse that inspired Alex Shebanow, the film’s creator, to focus the documentary on for-profit colleges instead of the wider student loan problem. As he began to do more research into the for-profit college sector, he realized “there was something going really wrong in this industry,” he told MarketWatch.
Several investigations documented the ways the for-profit college industry systematically targeted students in dire straits, mined their pain and a desire for a better life
And indeed, for-profit colleges have been the subject of intense scrutiny for years. Several government probes and media investigations documented the ways the for-profit college industry systematically targeted students in dire straits, mined their pain and a desire for a better life to convince them to enroll, ultimately capturing the federal financial aid dollars that came with them.
The Obama administration even took a stab at reining the schools in — an effort that now hangs in the balance since Donald Trump became president. Stakeholders are meeting this week as part of sessions convened by Betsy DeVos’s Department of Education to rewrite Obama-era rules on how borrowers like Wilson can access loan forgiveness when they’ve been ripped off by their schools.
But this film illustrates through interviews, press clips and old commercials that this cycle of malfeasance and regulatory crackdown is nothing new for the for-profit college industry. Ever since the end of World War II, when the government started providing students with money to use at college, for-profit operators have popped up to take advantage. “The incentives to do bad by students are so good and so profitable that there’s almost no incentive to do good by students,” Shebanow said.
The film illustrates through interviews, press clips and old commercials that this cycle of malfeasance and regulatory crackdown is nothing new for the for-profit college industry.
He’s hoping “Fail State” will help build the kind of outrage and momentum of other recent regulatory scandals — he cited John Oliver’s campaign to maintain net neutrality as an example — around the for-profit college industry.
Shebanow has one theory why the issue hasn’t gotten as much attention as he thinks it deserves: Many of those suffering are single moms, first-generation, low-income and other “voiceless” parts of society. “People feel embarrassed, they feel like they were duped and they don’t want to speak out about it,” he said.
Through the film, Shebanow aimed to illustrate that these students are the victims of a “very well-oiled machine” set up to dupe them, he told the audience during a Q&A following the screening.
That machine includes companywide instructions to recruiters of how best to lure students and convince them to sign up regardless of the cost. It also features intense efforts to avoid regulation; the film documents how contributions flowed from the industry into the coffers of members of Congress who used that money to raise their profile.
That for-profit college machine includes companywide instructions to recruiters of how best to lure students and convince them to sign up regardless of the cost
“In so many places elected officials are basically bought and sold,” broadcasting legend Dan Rather, the film’s executive producer, told the audience during a Q&A following the screening.
But like Shebanow, he’s hopeful the film will help build enough momentum to spur legislators and the public to take action. “When you talk about predators taking advantage of veterans, that’s bipartisan,” Rather said.
The incentives for for-profit colleges to target veterans is a major theme running through the film. Murray Hastie, one of the borrowers featured in the movie, reveals that he used up all of his GI Bill benefits — money the government provides veterans to pay for their education — on a for-profit college. He only discovered that his benefits were gone after trying to enroll in a community college following a stint in a VA hospital to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder. Even with the benefits, Hastie still wound up with $50,000 in debt.
“There are a lot of outrageous things happening but it’s hard to find anything more outrageous than this,” Rather said.
And if the screening is any indication, the general public may agree. Following the movie, one audience member suggested Shebanow mobilize defrauded students and supporters to march on Washington. Another said simply, “This is the most depressing thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
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.In Sunday’s paper, New York Times Public Editor Margaret Sullivan tackles one of the most contentious topics in contemporary journalism: media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “This is the column I never wanted to write,” she opens, in a nod to the subject matter’s fraught nature. But however reluctant she may have been to produce it, Sullivan’s contribution is a measured one, with several intriguing recommendations for the paper’s improvement.
Perhaps the most eye-opening tidbit of the piece is Sullivan’s disclosure that “The Times has no native Arabic speakers in its [Jerusalem] bureau.” This, she notes, can make it difficult for the paper to adequately cover Palestinians in all their complexity. It’s a concern Matti Friedman raised in his widely shared Tablet critique of media coverage of Israel, which Sullivan cites in her column. “If you follow mainstream coverage, you will find nearly no real analysis of Palestinian society or ideologies, profiles of armed Palestinian groups, or investigation of Palestinian government,” Friedman wrote. “Palestinians are not taken seriously as agents of their own fate … Who they are and what they want is not important: The story mandates that they exist as passive victims of the party that matters.”
Sullivan picks up where Friedman left off, and recommends that the Times invest in beefing up its investigation of Palestinians:
Diversify. Strengthen the coverage of Palestinians. They are more than just victims, and their beliefs and governance deserve coverage and scrutiny. Realistic examinations of what’s being taught in schools, and the way Hamas operates should be a part of this. What is the ideology of Hamas; what are its core beliefs and its operating principles? What is Palestinian daily life like? I haven’t seen much of this in The Times. There should be a native Arabic speaker on staff who can penetrate Palestinian society with understanding and solid news judgment.
Read the full column and Sullivan’s other recommendations for the Times here.
Related: An Insider’s Guide to the Most Important Story on EarthLAS VEGAS – UFC welterweight contender Johny Hendricks added fresh fuel to a fiery controversy over drug testing in advance of his title fight against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 167.
During a pre-event press conference, Hendricks all but accused the welterweight champ of using performance-enhancing drugs in the past six years of his career.
“Have you seen him in the last two months? He shrank a little bit, hasn’t he?” Hendricks said of St-Pierre. “Realistically, I don’t know. I saw him on the press tour. The only thing I know is whenever I step into the octagon, do I still have a six-pack? Check out my pictures. I’m fat. But I love it. I’m a fat dude.
“I’m pretty shredded at 170. I look good right now at 184. I look pretty strong, pretty jacked. But whenever I step into that octagon, I was looking at a picture with (Carlos) Condit, I was like, ‘Dude, you’re fat.’ You can’t see the bottom two abs.
“You don’t gain 15, 20 pounds and still keep that form. Everybody bloats a little bit. You don’t put a little water in your system without bloating. You don’t put 20 pounds of water in your system without bloating.”
Hendricks also took offense to suggestions that he was doping because he declined to participate in an enhanced testing program completed by St-Pierre.
In a recent interview with MMAjunkie, the champion pointed out that he enrolled in a program conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, and Hendricks didn’t.
“It worked for me because I said I’m a man of my word,” St-Pierre said. “I said I was going to do it, and I did it. I’ve been tested, so far, three times randomly. They can come any time right now. But Hendricks didn’t do it.”
Hendricks fired back, “I’ve been clean my whole entire life. And all of a sudden, some dude doesn’t know me, (and) he’s been accused the last six years of being on something. He picks me and says I must be on something because I don’t want to follow the pony train to VADA. Get out of here.”
Hendricks pointed to his clean record in collegiate wrestling and said he had never been accused of using steroids or human growth hormone.
He also repeated earlier arguments against participating with VADA and said the Nevada State Athletic Commission had advised him against it.
“[St-Pierre’s] face is all over the front page,” he said. “If me and you are going for a job interview, and this job is going to pay millions of dollars, and I say, ‘I’ve got somebody that’s going to drug test us,’ are you going to go to it?’ If you go to it, you’re a moron.
“The state athletic commission of Nevada said don’t do VADA. They said don’t do VADA. Are you going to trust your opponent, or are you going to trust the Nevada state commission, (who) doesn’t care?”
Two months ago, the camps of St-Pierre and Hendricks agreed to undergo enhanced testing through a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited lab, but later scrapped the idea when St-Pierre’s camp suggested instead using VADA.
Although both programs aim to provide the same service, which often is called “Olympic-style” testing, Hendricks said they’re different.
“I’m not going to lay my life into his hands,” Hendricks said. “I said WADA. WADA is so much tougher to pass, and they don’t do just random drug tests where he randomly gives drug tests the first time cameras are around. No. WADA, you have to have your schedule for three to four months, and they know exactly where you’re at, and if you don’t show up within an hour of when they call you, you fail. Then, you’ve got to give them a three-day notice before any changes. So that’s so much harder to pass, and they test for stuff that VADA doesn’t.”
Echoing his manager, who cut off talks when the St-Pierre camp claimed to be endorsed by VADA, Hendricks said he doesn’t care what St-Pierre does or doesn’t use, only that he shows up on fight night.
“If he needs that to beat me, I got beat by the drug,” he said. “I don’t need drugs to win. I’ve proven that. If I can’t be champ without them, I’ll never revert to drugs to be champ.”
For more on UFC 167, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.One of the many issues left unresolved by last year’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller was the question of whether or not the Court’s holding, and the Second Amendment in general, would apply to the states. Back in 1886, in the case Presser v. Illinois, the Supreme Court specifically held that the Second Amendment only limited the national government, and no subsequent case has applied the doctrine of incorporation to the Second Amendment.
Until now that is.
Yesterday, a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Second Amendment does in fact apply to the states:
The Constitution’s protection of an individual right to have guns for personal use restricts the powers of state and local government as much as it does those of the federal government, the Ninth Circuit Court ruled Monday. The opinion by the three-judge panel can be found here. This is the first ruling by a federal appeals court to extend the Second Amendment to the state and local level. Several cases on the same issue are now awaiting a ruling by the Seventh Circuit Court. Ruling on an issue that is certain to reach the Supreme Court, the Circuit Court concluded “that the right to keep and bear arms” as a personal right has become a part of the Constitution as it applies to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause. That right, it said, “is ‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition.’ Colonial revolutionaries, the Founders, and a host of commentators and lawmakers living during the first one hundred years of the Republic all insisted on the fundamental nature of the right. It has long been regarded as the ‘true palladium of liberty.’ “Colonists relied on it to assert and to win their independence, and the victorious Union sought to prevent a recalcitrant South from abridging it less than a century later. The crucial role this deeply rooted right has played in our birth and history compels us to recognize that it is indeed fundamental, that it is necessary to the Anglo-American conception of ordered liberty that we have inherited. We are therefore persuaded that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the Second Amendment and applies it against the states and local governments.” But, following the lead of the Supreme Court’s decision last June in District of Columbia v. Heller, finding a personal right in the Second Amendment for the first time, the Circuit Court concluded that the right as interpreted by the Justices is limited to “armed self-defense” in the home.
Based on this, the Court upheld the law at issue in the case; a county ordinance that prohibited gun owners from bringing guns on county property or, more specifically as Chris Byrne notes, the county passed an ordinance prohibiting the Plaintiff’s in this case from holding a gun show at a county convention center.
Given the holding in Heller, this result is as unsurprising as the Ninth Circuit’s decision on incorporation. Consider this excerpt from Justice Scalia’s majority opinion:
Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. From Blackstone through the 19th-century cases, commentators and courts routinely explained that the right was not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. See, e.g., Sheldon, in 5 Blume 346; Rawle 123; Pomeroy 152–153; Abbott333. For example, the majority of the 19th-century courts to consider the question held that prohibitions on carrying concealed weapons were lawful under the Second Amendment or state analogues. See, e.g., State v. Chandler, 5 La. Ann., at 489–490; Nunn v. State, 1 Ga., at 251; see generally 2 Kent *340, n. 2; The American Students’ Blackstone 84, n. 11 (G. Chase ed. 1884). Although we do not undertake an exhaustive historical analysis today of the full scope of the Second Amendment, nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.26 We also recognize another important limitation on the right to keep and carry arms. Miller said, as we have explained, that the sorts of weapons protected were those “in common use at the time.” 307 U. S., at 179. We think that limitation is fairly supported by the historical tradition of prohibiting the carrying of “dangerous and unusual weapons.” See 4 Blackstone 148–149 (1769); 3 B. Wilson, Works of the Honourable James Wilson 79 (1804); J. Dunlap, The New-York Justice 8 (1815); C. Humphreys, A Compendium of the Common Law in Force in Kentucky 482 (1822); 1 W. Russell, A Treatise on Crimes and Indictable Misdemeanors 271–272 (1831); H. Stephen, Summary of the Criminal Law 48 (1840); E. Lewis, An Abridgment of the Criminal Law of the United States 64 (1847); F. Wharton, A Treatise on the Criminal Law of the United States 726 (1852). See also State v. Langford, 10 N. C. 381, 383–384 (1824); O’Neill v. State, 16Ala. 65, 67 (1849); English v. State, 35Tex. 473, 476 (1871); State v. Lanier, 71 N. C. 288, 289 (1874).
While this is dicta that was not essential to the ruling in Heller, it was a clear signal from the Court to the Circuit and District Court’s that it’s decision was not intended to be, and should not be interpreted as, a blanket declaration that restrictions on gun ownership of all kinds were per se unconstitutional. In fact, Scalia was careful to say in his opinion that the basis for the Court’s ruling in Heller was based primarily on what it saw as a fundamental right of self defense in the home.
Given that, the present makeup of the Court, and the likelihood that we’ll see at least one new Justice before this case is argued in Washington if it is appealed, it seems likely to me that the Supreme Court would agree with the Ninth Circuit on the incorporation issue, but that it would also agree that Alameda County’s restriction on guns on public property was a reasonable regulation under the Second Amendment.
That said, though, this is an important decision for gun rights because it means that restrictive gun laws across the country — in places like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco — are now potentially subject to being struck down for the same reasons that the Court struck down the laws at issue in Heller.
On the whole, that’s a big victory.
C/P: Below The BeltwayI’ve stopped wearing makeup entirely. Well almost entirely–I still don mascara and the occasional lip gloss, but otherwise, my face is makeup free. While undeniable that it’s frugal not to buy makeup, this decision wasn’t solely motivated by my desire for the extreme frugality lifestyle. This choice is more about my drive for a simpler, less stressful existence that’s centered on what brings me joy–not on things I think I “should” be doing.
For years, I felt that in order to make a superb impression, succeed, and be well-liked, I needed to wear makeup, style my hair, and spend a fairly righteous amount of time and money on my appearance. I cringe when I think of just how much of those two precious resources–time and money–I wasted on something as insignificant as my physical appearance. My devotion to how I look was spurred on in equal parts by insecurity and the pressures that our culture mercilessly levies on women to reach increasingly unattainable levels of perfection.
Surrendering To The Acne Battle
I used to stare in the mirror and categorize my flaws: too much fat here, not enough there, oddly long arms and fingers, long feet and toes, a really sharp jawline, moles!, body hair, and of course, the bane of my visage since age 13: acne. At 31, I thought I would’ve outgrown it by this point, but it seems my acne is here to stay–an indefinite, uninvited parasite.
I’ve taken no less than 11 different prescription medications (topical and oral) in my battle against the oily menace and used countless over-the-counter/herbal/essential oil remedies–not to mention altered my diet in every conceivable way (no dairy, no wheat, no sugar, no caffeine, etc). I’ll spare you the details and simply state: nothing has worked. Actually, one medication was effective, but guess what? I’m not allowed to take it while pregnant or nursing, so it’s back to the acne for me.
For nearly two decades, the second weapon in my acne arsenal was cover-up: concealer sticks, gels, powders, solids–I made the rotation of commodities created to mask blemishes on women (notably, these are not marketed to men). And then last year, I gave up. Who was I kidding? You could still see the acne under the concealer–it looked like a zit with some gross paste packed on top.
After this revelation, I decided to follow the most effective course of treatment: I stopped thinking about my acne. Instead of tormenting myself over each new spot and maniacally categorizing them, I just stopped caring. I took on a new perspective and asked myself: am I really here on earth to waste time fretting over something so superficial as acne? Nope.
And so I began challenging myself to stop looking in the mirror to think belittling thoughts about my acne, and by extension, the rest of my body too. I decreased the amount of time I spend getting ready each day and slowly, I eliminated beauty products and regimens from my life. As each new routine fell by the wayside, an interesting thing happened: I began to like myself more. Gone was the self-inflicted misery of pinching fat and scanning my skin for breakouts. It was replaced by a newfound sense of confidence, pride, and integrity about who I am as a person–and notably, I’ve discovered I’m not a problematic bag of cosmetic issues.
Thinking Of Those Around Me
It was actually Mr. Frugalwoods who took me to task about my habit of self-berating mirror-gazing. He pointed out that when I criticize my figure, I’m projecting negativity onto everyone around me. By pinching my stomach and whining that “I look fat,” I was by default, making him feel insecure too. And anyone else in the vicinity. This message really resonated once we got pregnant, and even more so when we found out we’re having a girl.
The last thing I want |
burials.
Conclusion
I hope that it has been made clear that even a simple synthesis of the Knossian cemeteries is neither an easy nor an insignificant matter. In the following lines I have summed up the tombs and cemeteries which in my opinion should be used in a contextual analysis regarding Early Iron Age Knossos:
1) The burial sites north of Knossos BA Palace, including the Khaniale Teke, the Teke, the Medical Faculty and the Fortetsa NE tombs. Isolated tombs found within this area should also be included. Together, all these sites probably compose the Knossos North Cemetery which was the main cemetery of the city, with the Medical Faculty being the densest. 2) The tombs at Ayios Ioannis, since they probably belong to the main settlement despite the considerable distance from it and from the central cemetery. 3) The Atsalenio tombs, which might have been the northernmost cemetery of the city. However, due to the absence of more published archaeological data, this is only a working hypothesis [note 7]. 4) The Fortetsa SE tombs, because, as the surveys have shown, they are attached to the central settlement and any other one. However, it is clear that it is a different cemetery from the North Cemetery. 5) The tombs at Kephala ridge, because they form a group of tombs which contains burials (Sub-Minoan) as early as the earliest of the North Cemetery. It remains to be seen whether these tombs belong to the same cemetery as well (the area between the North Cemetery and the Kephala ridge tombs has neither been excavated nor thoroughly surveyed due to intensive agriculture). 6) The two reused LMIII tombs at Upper Gypsades, which apparently contain Sub-Minoan burials. 7) The Lower Gypsades hill tomb, because it is the only published tomb south of Knossos in an area very close to the IA settlement. 8) The three tombs from the LM cemetery at Mavro Spilio, which were reused in the Late Geometric period.
Vyron Antoniadis, PhD Candidate
BA, MA Archaeology Cardiff University
MA Ancient History of Near East Universitat Pompeu FabraThis is an update for the skipper about the current situation. I have kept quiet all this time out of respect and loyalty for you, but since there is so much speculation in the media, I think it is fair for you to know what’s really going on at the moment.
As announced earlier this year you had a meeting with the Boss and Mr. Gazidis after the season. This was a meeting about the club’s future strategy and their policy. Financial terms or a contract have not been discussed, since that is not your priority at all. Unfortunately for you our expectation was that your contract would have been discussed. We didn’t buy you, sustain you through six and a half injury-prone years, and pay you decent money to be a strategy consultant. We made a significant investment in you to score goals, and boy, in the last eighteen months did you score goals. Thanks for that much at least.
You personally had a great season and say your goal has been to win trophies with the team and to bring the club back to its glory days. Funny that. Quite a few of your former team mates have come out with that old chestnut, conveniently forgetting that you yourselves were a significant cause of that lack of silverware. A team you captained, and that included trophy-hunters Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy, couldn’t even beat Birmingham in a Cup Final. Where would you lay the blame for that, pal?
Out of huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans you don’t want to go into any details, but unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to you that in many aspects you disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward. That is your prerogative chum, but there’s precious little respect there for the manager and supporters who backed you one hundred percent through the frustrating times. Now you are in a position to take advantage of your first unbroken season you throw that support back in our faces.
You’ve thought long and hard about it, but have decided not to extend your contract. You say “You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision and I will always respect your opinions.” Is that so? Then I shall have to ask you to respect my opinion that you have seen one last chance to grab the megabucks being dangled under your nose by our friends in the north. Rather than come out with all of this strategy nonsense why not be open and honest. “Guys, Arsenal don’t look after over thirties so good, and I am off so I can secure my family’s future” would have been understood far more than the absurd claim that your terms were not your priority at all. If I was offered triple my salary from a new employer I’d be off, and I wouldn’t be two-faced about the reason why.
You say you love the club and the fans, no matter what happens. You have grown up and became a man during your time with Arsenal FC. Everybody at the club and the fans have always supported you over the years and you have always given your all on and off the pitch. You are very proud of being part of this fantastic club for the last 8 years. You say “I will update you if and when there are more developments.” It seems to me there have been quite a few developments of late that you have not updated us on, old son.
Well, here is my update. You are still contracted to Arsenal Football Club for another twelve months. Fergie can tap you up all he likes, but unless he shows how much he thinks of you by stumping up the hopefully excessive fee we are requesting then you will stay put. If we decide to keep you until August 31st so you don’t help out a major rival for the opening weeks of the season you will just have to respect that also. Should your suitors not agree to compensate us fully for losing your services then I hope you will knuckle down for a season and earn your free move next summer by continuing to give your all for the manager and fans who have stood behind you for so long.
But don’t expect our respect in return.The posterior cingulate cortex (CGp) is a major hub of the default mode network (DMN), a set of cortical areas with high resting activity that declines during task performance. This relationship suggests that DMN activity contributes to mental processes that are antagonistic to performance. Alternatively, DMN may detect conditions under which performance is poor and marshal cognitive resources for improvement. To test this idea, we recorded activity of CGp neurons in monkeys performing a learning task while varying reward size and novelty. We found that CGp neurons responded to errors, and this activity was magnified by small reward and novel stimuli. Inactivating CGp with muscimol impaired new learning when rewards were small but had no effect when rewards were large; inactivation did not affect performance on well-learned associations. Thus, CGp, and by extension the DMN, may support learning, and possibly other cognitive processes, by monitoring performance and motivating exploration.Background Edit
The riot Edit
At 7:30 am on May 8, several-hundred anti-war protesters[6] (most of them high school and college students) began holding a memorial at Broad and Wall streets for the four dead students at Kent State. By late morning, the protesters—now numbering more than a thousand—had moved to the steps of Federal Hall National Memorial, gathering in front of the statue of George Washington which tops the steps. The protesters demanded an end to the war in Vietnam and Cambodia, the release of political prisoners in the United States, and an end to military-related research on all university campuses.[5][7][8] At 11:45 am, about 200 construction workers converged on the student rally at Federal Hall from four directions. Nearly all the construction workers carried U.S. flags and signs that read "All the way, USA" and "America, love it or leave it".[9] Their numbers may have been doubled by others who had joined them as they marched toward Federal Hall. A thin and inadequate line of police, who were largely sympathetic to the workers' position, formed to separate the construction workers from the anti-war protesters. At first, the construction workers only pushed but did not break through the police line. After two minutes, however, they broke through the police line and began chasing students through the streets. The workers chose those with the longest hair and beat them with their hard hats and other weapons, including clubs and steel-toe boots. Onlookers reported that the police stood by and did nothing.[5][7][8] Some of the construction workers and counter-protesters moved across City Hall Park toward city hall. They mounted the steps, planted their flags at the top of the steps, then attempted to gain entrance. Police on duty at city hall initially barred them, but soon the mob pushed past. A few workers entered the building. A postal worker rushed onto the roof of city hall and raised the U.S. flag there to full mast. When city workers lowered the flag back down to half-mast, a large number of construction workers stormed past the police. Deputy Mayor Richard Aurelio, fearing the building would be overrun by the mob, ordered city workers to raise the flag back to full mast.[5][7][8] Rioting construction workers also attacked buildings near city hall; most were of Irish Catholic extraction and some ripped the Red Cross and Episcopal Church flags down from a flagpole at nearby Trinity Church. One group invaded two nearby Pace University buildings, smashing lobby windows with clubs and crowbars and beating up students. More than 70 people were injured, including four policemen. Most of the injured required hospital treatment. Six people were arrested.[5][7][8]
Aftermath Edit
See also Edit
Notes Edit
References EditAfter a disturbing incident where a woman was catcalled and spit on for ignoring an unknown man's advances, one Toronto couple is speaking out about street harassment and hoping to encourage a broader conversation about the issue.
At around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Anna Salgado was on her way home from a get-together with her friends when she was approached by a stranger asking her where the nearest McDonald's was. He then asked her what she was doing "being so beautiful and alluring."
Taken aback, she quickly said she didn't know. Moments later, she was approached by another man who was riding his bike towards her, she told CBC News.
"He was yelling something at me as he rode past me. I didn't pay any attention to him so he spat on the side of my face," she says. "I was totally taken aback. I didn't really understand what had just happened. I was really surprised at just this random act of hate."
Both incidents occurred in the area of Queen Street West and John Street.
"I've always said that I wished when people say things or do things that make me uncomfortable that I could say something back," Salgado says. "But I'm also always partly scared when this happens because I don't want it to turn physical, so I just try to de-escalate."
'Sense of helplessness'
Salgado was on the phone with her partner, Joey Landreth, before the incidents occurred; she kept the line open and he overheard both encounters.
The way that women have become accustomed to street harassment is what's most disturbing about incidents like this, Landreth says.
"The fact that Anna, at the end of the whole thing, she was fine — if it had been me my reaction would have been totally different," he says. "I was confronted with the craziest sense of helplessness. I was two time zones away. There was absolutely nothing I could do."
Joey Landreth shared what happened to his partner, Anna Salgado, in a Facebook post that has garnered attention and spurred conversations about street harassment. (Joey Landreth/Facebook)
Both Salgado and Landreth, who are originally from Winnipeg, hope that sharing her experience will spur a larger discussion about street harassment.
"It's not a compliment. It's astounding how much ignorance is out there regarding how this actually makes people feel and what some of the actual real life consequences are," Salgado says. "No one can tell me for a second that because I ignored what [he] said and he spat on me that that was in any way shape or form a compliment."
Taking action
In a Facebook post that's been shared hundreds of times, Landreth described what happened to his partner and addresses other men directly.
"I'm calling on you to behave like gentlemen. You can control your actions, so do. If you find someone being predatory, call them out," he wrote. "As men, we are in a position of privilege and I believe that we have a responsibility to act."
Landreth has a large social media following because of his work as a musician. He says the Facebook post is generating many eye-opening conversations.
"One upsetting post I read was about a woman who says she chooses her footwear based on whether or not she can run away," he says.
"I just can't believe somebody in North America, in Canada, in Toronto has to think about that when they get dressed. It's made me realize I always feel safe because I'm a man."CARTMAN QUITS TWITTER
IN AN ALL-NEW “SOUTH PARK” PREMIERING
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21 AT 10:00 P.M. ET/PT ON COMEDY CENTRAL
——–
All-New Season 19 Episodes will be Available to Stream in HD
Exclusively on Hulu and SouthPark.cc.com
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NEW YORK, October 19, 2015 – Cartman is the latest victim of body shaming in an all-new episode of “South Park” titled “Safe Space” on Wednesday, October 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central.
Randy has to deal with uncomfortable confrontations every time he shops at the new Whole Foods. He feels exposed at every turn and it’s ruining his Whole Foods experience. Randy and Cartman are both seeking a safe space.
The all-new episodes from this season will be available in HD exclusively on Hulu and South Park Studios the day after they premiere. Fans will have next-day access to new episodes, as well as the entire “South Park” library with their Hulu subscription. New episodes and a selection of curated episodes will be available to stream on the free, ad-supported Hulu.com, SouthPark.cc.com, cc.com and the Comedy Central App. The uncensored episodes are also available for download on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, XBOX Live, Google Play, Sony Entertainment Network, Vudu and Verizon Flexview.
Named “One of the All-Time Greatest TV Shows” by Entertainment Weekly, Comedy Central’s “South Park” launched on August 13, 1997. The series airs Wednesday nights at 10:00 p.m. and repeats later that night at Midnight (all times ET/PT). “South Park” season 19 will begin rolling out on Comedy Central channels internationally in October.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the co-creators of “South Park.” Parker, Stone, Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II are the Executive Producers of the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning “South Park.” Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Vernon Chatman are Producers. Chris Brion is the Creative Director of South Park Digital Studios. “South Park’s” Web site is SouthPark.cc.com.
For showtimes in your country, please visit our schedule page.Unless you are Tex Richman or [card gruesome encore]Jonathan Medina[/card], it is likely that you don’t have an infinite amount of money with which to feed your Magic addiction.
While smart trading and making good speculation choices can help you turn a profit, that’s only a small part of balancing your magical budget. To use a home finance analogy, reading up on stock tips might help you manage your investment portfolio, but it’s not going to help you decide whether or not to refinance your home loan or whether to buy a new or used car.
Today, we’re going to look at how to make safe, smart, long term decisions about where to allocate the cash you spend on Magic. Whether your budget is big or small, whether you’re a kitchen table warrior or a PTQ grinder, it’s important to think about your goals and make smart decisions with your money.
Before we begin, a quick disclaimer: a lot of the advice in this article is geared toward people who are newer to the game or have smaller, less cohesive collections. The sort of people who never quite have enough cards to get what they want and are often frustrated with the financial/acquisitions aspect of the game.
If you are trying to make the Pro Tour and Magic is the #1 priority in your life, obviously you shouldn’t heed any advice that would lead you to playing suboptimal decks or attending fewer events. But for FNM hobbyists, this should help you grow your collection without breaking the bank.
Why Budget?
For a finance guy, I am poor at setting budgets for myself.
Generally, I make my purchases one of two ways. For impulse buys, I only bite the bullet if something is either an absurdly good deal or will not be available to me later.
For example, the last impulse purchase I made was for a pair of vinyl records put out by one of my favorite bands. They reissued their first two albums that have been out of print for years and they limited the print run to 500 copies. If I didn’t buy them now, chances are I’d never have another opportunity.
For larger purchases, I make it a rule to wait at least a week between getting an idea and executing it. Even then, I only pull out my wallet after at least an hour of online pricing research. A few months ago, for example, I decided that I needed a new vacuum cleaner. Instead of just going to Target and buying one to replace the yard sale purchase that was in no way dealing with the amount of cat hair collecting on my floor, I spent hours online seeing if there was a way to get something as good as a Dyson without paying upwards of $400. I eventually found one, and my life has gotten much cleaner since then.
Beyond that, though, I am generally content as long as the number of dollars in my bank account trends slowly upward over time. I buy coffee every morning before work, eat out more than I should, and generally spend what I need to when I need to without much worry. Since I generally don’t make stupid purchases or overreach, it works out. For now.
Of course, if I ever want to own a house in Southern California, I’ll need to start making a big push toward having more in the bank. And that means drawing up a budget, sticking to it, and saving as much as possible. I’m saving money now, my assets are growing, but by actually establishing a budget and sticking to it I could be saving so much more.
In Magic, most people don’t have a budget drawn up. The most savvy of you probably have a certain amount that you allow yourself to spend in a given month, but beyond that it’s likely the Wild West in terms of where you allocate your funds. Scrub out of FNM? Buy a fat pack to ease your troubles. Read about a cool deck? Trade that set of Jaces for a few key pieces and then buy the rest before even testing it.
One of the major complaints people have with tournament Magic is the financial barrier of entry, and I agree – it’s brutal. One of the reasons the ‘value trading’ subculture sprung up in recent years was to counteract this. But you don’t have to be rich or even do much value trading to have the experience you want playing Magic. Just stop spending your money and tradable assets stupidly. Draw up a budget and make every penny count.
The Road Ahead
The first step in setting up a Magic budget is to identify what your goal is in terms of card ownership.
Do you need to own a mint condition playset of every card ever printed, including [card]Black Lotus[/card]? Because if so, I can think of a couple moderate sized countries that would be happy to have your cash flow.
How about playsets of everything attainable – say, Legends or Revised onward? Is that attainable at all?
What about just the staples – enough to make every possible deck in Legacy, Modern, and Standard?
What about just a couple of Standard cards and a Commander toolbox? Or even just one really, really awesome Legacy deck?
How about one reasonable Standard deck that won’t embarrass you on Friday night?
In order to figure out what you need to acquire, take a moment and think about what your goals are in terms of playing Magic.
If you’re the kind of person who likes playing lots of different rogue decks in Standard, it’s important for you to own playsets of basically every current rare. If, however, you’re the kind of person who picks a tier-1 deck and sticks with it, all but a few dozen newer cards are worthless to you.
Someone going to PTQs every weekend who wants to audible into metagame-specific sideboard choices needs to own WAY more cards than someone who plays against the same 16 people every week at FNM and never leaves their home store.
Before we go forward, actually take a moment and think about what your collecting priorities are. What is actually important to you? What cards do you actually need? Might you be better off aggressively attempting to acquire those things instead of trading for a foil you have no use for or buying yet another Innistrad pack with a [card]Sturmgeist[/card] inside?
Drawing it Up
If you’ve ever traded with anyone online, you are familiar with the concept of a have/want list. This is a valuable tool that going to be essential in building your budget.
Let’s invent a hypothetical Magic player – Juan. Juan plays Standard every week at FNM, and makes it to either a Prerelease, PTQ, or other large event every month. He’s got a Legacy deck he’s tinkering with, and about $500 worth of Standard rares including his U/R Delver deck complete with a playset of [card]Snapcaster Mage[/card]s.
Juan’s budget might look something like this:
Magic Budget – Calendar Year 2012
Total cash out:
Yearly allowance: $1,200.
Tournament entry costs: $10/wk (avg.)
Card acquisition costs: $15/wk (avg.)
Assets (trade-able):
{List of Rares & approx. value}
Cards Desired:
{List of highest priority wants}
Yeah, I realize this is basically just a modified have/want list. But if you’ve never used one before for real life trading, you’ll be astonished at how much your focus will change.
Having a budget will force you to make intelligent decisions. If you start to think of your cash and highest value trade-able assets as part of the same budget, you will be less likely to trade them away for cards that you don’t really need and don’t really have a place in your future. When buying those last couple of sideboard cards for means that you won’t have enough cash left to enter the Legacy event on Sunday, your priorities might change entirely. On the flip side, if you win enough store credit to pay for a month of events, you can use that money – guilt-free! – to buy singles and upgrade your decks.
If you really want to make smart decisions, keep track of all of your Magic related expense and transactions, no matter how small. It’s similar to how the act of counting calories allows you to lose weight – by tracking the information, you are able to catch your poor decisions much more easily.
With a strong budget in mind, let’s look at some ways in which you can maximize your cash and assets in order to effectively grow your collection.
Smart Drafting
So many players on a budget avoid drafting because they can’t deal with the $15 or so that it usually costs. Instead, they opt for the $5 Standard event – after all, it’s a much cheaper night out.
Or is it?
Most game stores pay out roughly similar prizes for Standard and Draft tournaments. Assuming yours is among them, that would make the true cost of packs just $10 on top of the $5 fee you are paying to enter the tournament. This is a discount of around $2 over the packs’ MSRP.
Better still, though, you’re not just opening the packs and keeping what you find – you’re drafting them, meaning that each one yields not only its own rare but the chances of someone else passing you something of value.
In my opinion, most people don’t rare draft enough at the FNM level. They often get obsessed with making the ‘pro’ pick and taking [card]Brimstone Volley[/card] over foil [card]Hinterland Harbor[/card], neglecting to realize that they aren’t the ones battling it out with the world championship on the line. Practicing for a top 8 draft is one thing, but if you’re battling it out for a maximum of 3 packs’ prize support? Take the money.
It’s just as important to factor rare drafting into your pick order as everything else. People who go to stores where the support is a joke should be rare drafting as much as possible while still enjoying their deck. This is the easiest way to build a collection, and is a fast way to get your set of the Innistrad lands on the cheap – I’ve seen them go 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th pick all the time.
If your store has very good prize support with a steep drop-off, make sure you’re constantly managing expectations. If you split pods and do more than three rounds, by the end of pack 2 you likely know if your deck has a shot to take down the room. If so, rare drafting is likely a poor idea. If not, it makes sense to rare draft aggressively.
Now, I know there are a lot of you out there who will never, ever do this. Some of you are fighting for every possible planeswalker point, and a single FNM match win is more important than a $5 bill. For others, drafting is no fun if you don’t try to end up with the best possible deck and wouldn’t dream of rare drafting anything less than a [card]Tarmogoyf[/card]. I get that.
There are also a lot of people who don’t draft because they ‘can’t afford it,’ instead throwing their $5/week at a chance to go 1-2 drop with a bad Standard deck that still probably cost at least $100 to build while keeping their collection stagnant.
If you enjoy drafting and care about the value of cards at all, you can likely make it into a better weekly investment than Standard even though the initial costs are greater.
The Siren’s Call
Ah – Legacy! Modern! The formats where nothing rotates, and every staple you acquire will be playable forever.
You know, like [card]Survival of the Fittest[/card]/[card]Vengevine[/card], [card]Vesuva[/card]/[card]Cloudpost[/card], [card]Blazing Shoal[/card], [card]Mental Misstep[/card]…
With WOTC riding the ban hammer pretty heavily these days, any deck that performs too well could find itself on the chopping block. This is especially true with Control/Combo pieces, as no one seems to mind losing to a swarm of little dudes quite as much.
There was a strong argument to be made even as late as this time last year that Legacy was the format that made the most sense to invest in from a budget perspective. The initial investment was likely to be north of $500, sure, but the deck would be playable forever and you’d never have to worry about format rotation again.
These days, you’d be lucky to get a competitive Legacy deck for under $1,000, and if your deck got too good it might get the axe. Modern is cheaper, sure, but there aren’t too many stores running these events at the local level right now.
Let’s face it – the fact that FNM is limited to Standard and Draft is the real problem here. If you live in a place where Legacy events fire every weekend, that’s one thing, but most of you probably don’t have that option. That means that you’re looking at Legacy as an additional expense on top of Standard or Draft.
Legacy is still a fine deal if you can get the staples in trade or for a reasonable price. I recommend picking up a set of ‘Goyfs, Forces, and Wastelands if you ever see them for trade – all three cards are essential to the format, and none of them are likely to ever get banned. Just understand that Legacy is likely going to enter your life as an addition to whatever else you play.
Chances are if you’re the type of person who is satisfied just playing Legacy every couple of weeks in lieu of FNM, you probably own at least a couple of Legacy decks already.
A Better Standard of Living
When most people build a deck they want to use to battle at FNM, they copy something that they read online – some hot new deck that took down a large tournament and looks powerful and fun.
By and large, this is a mistake.
If you’re reading this site, chances are you understand decks are entirely metagame dependant. Is Tempered Steel the best deck in Standard? Likely not. The reason Team Fireball picked it up for Worlds wasn’t because they thought it exemplified some platonic ideal of ‘the best deck,’ but because they analyzed the field decided that it was likely to be the best deck in that room on that weekend. That’s it.
The biggest acquisitions mistake I see Standard players make is in being a slave to decklists – especially going out of their way to trade for or buy narrow cards that don’t really have any application at the local level. Take the singleton [card mikaeus, the lunarch]Mikaeus[/card] in LSV’s Tempered Steel deck from Worlds. Is 1x Mikaeus correct in that deck? Should you run two copies of him? Zero copies of him? That depends entirely on what your metagame looks like. You aren’t LSV, and you aren’t playing at Worlds. Using his deck as a template is a good idea, but copying it card-for-card is likely not.
Even worse, many of the people who copy decklists like this will run their brew for 2-3 weeks, lose more than they win, and then break the deck up in a huff.
“This deck isn’t good anymore,” they’ll say. “I need something more consistent.”
And then they’ll trade away all those hard-earned rares at a loss and wonder why they never seem to have a good deck.
If you want to play an excellent Standard deck on a budget, the place to start is in identifying a proven rare or mythic that you want to build around. Good examples in the current format are [card]Mox Opal[/card], [card]Liliana of the Veil[/card], [card]Snapcaster Mage[/card], and [card]Primeval Titan[/card]. All of these cards cost $10 each or more, and all of them have won their share of tournaments.
Better yet, I can pretty well guarantee that all of these cards will be at least tier-2 for their entire run in Standard. If you build a deck with 4x any of these guys, you’ll have a shot to take down any small event you play in.
Too many people see the price tag on cards like these and decide to build something cheaper instead. The problem is that budget decks are often either bad or very metagame dependent, meaning the investment you put into a whole raft of $3-$6 cards may completely disappear on you. If your budget deck becomes unplayable, you’ll likely be left disappointed and the cards you took time and money to acquire will have become hard to trade. You’ll be on the outside looking in yet again.
If you had leveled up to a set of [card]Primeval Titan[/card]s instead, you would have had months of being able to play Valakut, and then you could have made the switch to Wolf Run decks. And while the Titan has dropped in price significantly over the past year, it is still a highly desirable card that will always trade well.
I see a similar future for [card]Snapcaster Mage[/card]. Acquiring a set will likely cost you $100 or more, but every blue deck for the next two years will likely start with four of them. And if at any point you should tire of them, they will be easy to trade or sell. Instead of having your deck be worthless once you’re done with it, then, you’ll be able to put those Snapcasters toward whatever you decide to build next.
This is part of the secret of getting and maintaining wealth in any part of life, by the way. Renters like myself give $1,000 a month to a landlord and we never see that money again. Homeowners spend more on their mortgage, after a couple of decades they’re left with a major asset. It’s the same with anything nice that you buy – expensive things often last longer and have a high retail value, while shoddy things break down and need to be replaced from scratch.
Another strong investment is lands, especially after they’ve been released for a while. The M10 lands are $3 or less each. The Scars lands are expensive now, but were $3-$4 each for months. The Innistrad lands are falling fast, and will soon be in that range as well. (hint hint.)
Lands don’t always go up in value during their second year in Standard – the Worldwake manlands never did – but they are always in demand and you will never have a problem trading them. You should at least own all of the lands corresponding to your ‘flagship’ mythic – for example, if you have a set of Snapcasters, make sure you also have a set of [card]Sulfur Falls[/card], [card]Hinterland Harbor[/card]s, [card]Drowned Catacomb[/card]s, and [card]Glacial Fortress[/card]es.
Pimpin’ is Greedy
One of the pieces of advice that financial writers give out a lot is to de-foil your decks, cash out, and buy regular versions of cards. After all, unless you’re trying to intimidate your opponent, the only thing that foils add to the actual game is to open you up to possible marked cards accusations.
I agree with this sentiment, but only to an extent. I absolutely adore foils, and I actively trade for them whenever I can. Of I see a foil I’ve never seen before, I generally have to have it.
If foils are a source of joy to you, keep them. You should especially hold on to the ones that mean the most to you – ones you had in your casual decks from years ago, or cards you find especially beautiful. So many people regret trading really rare foils and never finding them again.
Just keep them out of your trade binders – I don’t want to get all excited and then be told I can’t have them!
What you shouldn’t do, even if you’re a major foil lover, is to trade staples for random durdle foils that you don’t have a home for.
It’s easy to think of cash as money – it’s green, and we’re used to understanding it as legal tender. What’s harder is thinking of staple Magic cards – I’m talking [card]Force of Will[/card], Jace, [card]Wasteland[/card]…the cards that never seem to go down in value – as currency as well.
No matter where you are, certain cards will always trade well. These are the ones you should always be trying to hold on to.
Foils, on the other hand, are like little black holes of value. Occasionally you someone who will flip out over one that you have for trade, but most of your foils will either end up in a casual deck forever or sitting in your binder for years being admired by people who have no interest in paying full value for it.
I also don’t recommend ever ponying up for foils of mid-value Standard cards – things like [card]Stromkirk Noble[/card]. These will cost you ~$20 in trade and will often go down to $5 or less after rotation.
By all means go big into foils if you love them or if you get a really good deal, but make sure you work that into your budget. Otherwise, you’ll be sitting there at the end of the year with a weak trade stock and a mediocre Standard deck wondering where all your money went.
Don’t Sweat Pennies
I have a section similar to this one in nearly every article I write. That’s because it’s one of the most important things I talk about.
I see way too many trades fall through because someone balks over a couple of dollars in a trade between volatile Standard cards that go up and down by ~20% in any given week.
One of the big complaints people have about Magic trading these days is how hard it is to acquire expensive mythic staples in trade. It is – but pulling out your smartphone and refusing to give more than a penny over market price is one way to insure that you’ll have as difficult a time as possible.
Small, low value rares are always easy to acquire – it’s the high ticket mythics that are hard. If you want to get a set of one, be prepared (and willing!) to give up value in order to do so. These are the cards that will allow you freedom in deck building, and they’re also the cards that will make your binder attractive later if you decide to switch decks.
Here’s an example of two trades (all values from Channel Fireball, per usual) that most people wouldn’t make but I certainly would under the right circumstances:
Trade #1
My:
[card]Geist of Saint Traft[/card] – $15
[card]Past in Flames[/card] (Foil) – $12
[card]Ratchet Bomb[/card] x3 – $9
His:
[card]Snapcaster Mage[/card] – $30
Trade #2
My:
[card]Elspeth Tirel[/card] – $25
[card]Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon[/card] x2 – $16
[card]Stromkirk Noble[/card] – $6
[card]Bloodline Keeper[/card] – $5
[card]Slagstorm[/card] – $4
[card]Glissa, the Traitor[/card] x2 – $4
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Turkey, whereas Washington considers the YPG its most effective partner on the Syrian battlefield.
Earlier this year, U.S. special operations forces were deployed to Tal-Abyad, a Kurdish-controlled city near the Turkish border, to counter a buildup of Turkish forces amid rising tensions.
"It’s as if the U.S. is on the same team with the Turks and Syrian Kurds, but has also had to referee them," said Nicholas A. Heras, a Middle East security fellow at the Center for a New American Security. "The Trump administration would like to have Turkey on its side, but has decided that if Turkey comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, they’ll have to manage it alone."
Military leaders, frustrated by what they considered micromanagement by the previous administration, have argued for greater leeway on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria. Trump, meanwhile, has expressed reluctance to ramp up troop levels in any of the conflicts he’s inherited.
While Trump was praised for a decision in April to strike a Syrian government airfield — punishment for Assad’s use of chemical weapons against civilians — his administration faces the same thicket of problems as the Obama administration did when trying to find a solution in Syria.
"The more you come close to defeating ISIS in Raqqa and elsewhere, the more it exposes the fact that we don’t have any clear strategy for Iraq and Syria or for dealing with Turkey or the growing Russian influence in the region," Cordesman said. "We may be on the edge of destroying the physical caliphate, but the problems that remain are great indeed."It is now three decades since Ethiopia experienced the infamous famine that cost the lives of more than a million people. The tragedy prompted the BBC’s Michael Buerk to describe it as “a biblical famine in the 20th century” and “the closest thing to hell on Earth”.
In sharp contrast with that devastating poverty, Ethiopia is now widely considered to be one of a pack of “African tigers”, with ambitious plans to become a middle-income country by 2025. The nation has, “like the proverbial phoenix, managed to rise from the ashes to become Africa’s fastest-growing non-energy-driven economy”, a senior tax adviser at KPMG Kenya recently noted.
The changes that have taken place in Ethiopia since the 1984 famine are commendable. Despite some dispute over the figures, there is consensus that Ethiopia has registered impressive economic growth for the past decade of somewhere between 8% and 10%. One effect of the progress is a greater capacity to cope with drought, preventing the descent into famine conditions that have occurred in the past. Ethiopia’s development efforts are also praised internationally for meeting some of the millennium development goals, particularly universal primary education and a reduction in infant mortality.
The government’s investments, the main engine of growth, abound, from building a road network to expanding basic social services, and making a big push in the energy sector. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, an impressive, self-funded hydropower project heralding the country’s rebirth, will be the continent’s largest upon its completion in 2017.
Changes are equally visible in trade and investment. Exports have diversified and the country has become a major shipper of oil seeds, flowers, gold and, increasingly, textiles and leather products. This has been enabled by a steady growth in foreign investment, particularly into floriculture and manufacturing. It is indeed astonishing to see Ethiopia fast becoming a popular destination for global giants such as Chinese shoemaker Huajian and H&M, the world’s second-biggest clothing retailer.
The spectacular change in Ethiopia has been enabled by the relative peace and stability it has enjoyed over the past two decades, which in turn has allowed its regional diplomatic influence to increase. Although there are still low-level insurgencies in some parts of the country, the ruling coalition has generally governed effectively. This has been buttressed by its allocation of more than 60% of the national budget to sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, education and health, that favour poorer people. Its predecessor spent most of the treasury’s coffers on the military.
Ethiopia’s big push, like previous surges by the “Asian tigers”, also has costs that cast doubt on its sustainability. Although the government labels it a “democratic developmental state”, the political-economic order that the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front follows resembles those Asian models, which delivered rapid economic growth in an authoritarian environment.
Yet unlike nations such as Singapore and China, whose economic transformation occurred within a closed political system, the EPRDF operates in what is formally a liberal democracy. This ideological entanglement has created structural tension, evident in the restrictions on political and civil rights that are, in theory, enshrined in the constitution.
Growing economic inequality also threatens to undermine the political stability and popular legitimacy that a developmental state acutely needs. Who benefits from economic growth is a much-contested issue in contemporary Ethiopia. Although the government argues that the suffering caused by rapidly rising living costs is a transient phenomenon inherent in developing economies, the emergence of new economic elites through rentier activity and clientelism has exacerbated the sense of relative deprivation, particularly among urban poor people.
Additionally, Ethiopia’s economic ambition has a cost for sections of its huge rural population. The country’s five-year growth and transformation plan, begun in 2010, includes tapping into the “abundant extensive land” in the lowlands for large-scale commercial agriculture.
These peripheral areas - such as South Omo and the Afar region - are where ethnic minorities with a weaker political voice live. The government’s policy of urging these communities to shift away from livelihoods such as pastoralism to sedentary farming, while incentivising foreigners to invest in the same areas raises human rights issues, such as the right to choose a lifestyle and livelihood strategy which are included in the country’s constitution. These are particularly controversial in Ethiopia’s new federal political order, which claims to ensure ethno-cultural justice.
Whether Ethiopia will attain its ambitious goal of becoming a middle-income country in the next decade depends how it manages the transition from public investment-driven growth to a dynamic, private sector-heavy model. It will also hinge upon its attempts to mitigate the many political and social costs of the transition. Notwithstanding these challenges, it has already been a long, arduous and successful journey from a land of “biblical famine” to one of the brightest economies in Africa.
• Dereje Feyissa Dori is the Africa research director at the International Law and Policy Institute, a research fellow of the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation and adjunct associate professor at the College of Law and Governance, Addis Ababa UniversityWith Martian ambitions but earthly pragmatism, SpaceX spent nearly $2 million on lobbying in 2016, a new high for the gravity-defying upstart. The company met with Congress, the Defense Department, and NASA, among other federal agencies, to discuss issues central to its business like commercial space transportation and NASA funding.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk was recently tapped by President Trump to serve as an economic adviser, along with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. Musk met with Trump on Monday along with a cadre of industry chieftains that included Dell CEO Michael Dell and the head of Ford, Mark Fields. During the two-hour meeting, Trump asked the business leaders for ideas to grow the US economy and to list the obstacles preventing them from hiring more workers and expanding their operations, according to White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
In 2016, Uber spent nearly $1.4 million lobbying Congress, traffic safety regulators, and US trade officials, nearly tripling its expenditures from the year before, according to federal lobbying disclosures due Monday. The company dwarfed what it spent in 2015, which totaled $470,000.
Not only did Uber cross the $1 million mark for the first time, but it continues to tower over ride-hail rival Lyft as far as lobbying money is concerned. Lyft spent $250,000 on federal lobbying last year, a significant increase from its 2015 total, at $30,000, but still a way's off from Uber.
AT&T, whose proposed merger with Time Warner was quickly denounced by Trump on the campaign trail, has also spent big in 2016. The media and communications titan racked up $16.4 in lobbying last year, topping its 2015 total by $1.5 million. In the months after the $85.4 billion mega-deal was announced, AT&T spent $3.7 million lobbying the House and the Senate on a wide range of issues including surveillance, arbitration in consumer contracts, and cybersecurity.
While the AT&T–Time Warner deal undergoes a lengthy Justice Department review, the merger may ultimately serve as a major test of Trump's campaign promises. In October, Trump condemned the merger, describing the deal as an undue concentration of media power. Since then, antitrust and media experts have been left pondering whether Trump's initial statements would lead to a White House skeptical of mergers and inclined to shield consumer, or if Trump would simply revert to the traditionally Republican stance of deregulation.
Earlier this month, Trump appeared to soften his position on the merger, even as he admitted to a lack of knowledge of the deal. "I have been on the record in the past of saying it's too big and we have to keep competition," he told Axios. "So, but other than that, I haven't, you know, I haven't seen any of the facts, yet. I'm sure that will be presented to me and to the people within government."
With or without Trump's blessing, AT&T must win the approval of the Justice Department to proceed, but it is unclear who will lead the agency's antitrust division. Whoever is chosen to fill that role, like the attorney general, requires Senate confirmation. Trump's pick for the nation's chief lawyer and law enforcement officer, Sen. Jeff Sessions, has not yet been approved by the Senate.
In the last quarter of 2016, only four corporations in the US spent more money lobbying than AT&T.
Google once again led the tech industry in Beltway cash, spending over $3.5 million in the final months of the Obama era. Google was the sixth-biggest spender of any corporation, behind only AT&T and a handful of industry giants that included Boeing and Comcast. In 2016 Google spent $15.4 million lobbying on issues like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (nixed by Trump on Monday), immigration, email privacy, and encryption.
Amazon and Microsoft came next. With lobbying expenditures of more than $2.6 million, Amazon ranked 13th overall and second only to Google in tech. The Treasury Department and the Federal Aviation Administration were among the agencies that Amazon lobbied in the fourth quarter of 2016. Amazon's issues included corporate taxation, drone privacy, and cloud computing. Microsoft ranked third in the tech industry and 16th overall, forking over $2.4 million.
Oracle followed, spending $2 million and ranking 27th overall. Hewlett Packard was close behind at $1.8 million and in the 31st position.
Facebook's lobbying spend was down for both the fourth quarter (compared to 2015) and for the entire year of 2016. Facebook spent $1.7 million in the last quarter of 2016 compared to $2.1 million in 2015. And the social network tallied $8.7 million for all of 2016, while it spent just under $10 million in 2015. Facebook lobbied the White House, Congress, and federal agencies on high-tech worker visas, terrorism, and government surveillance, in addition to other concerns.
Apple's spending for the quarter and the year roughly tracks its 2015 figures: about $1.4 million for the fourth quarter and $4.7 million for the year. Apple's disclosures listed energy efficiency standards, encryption, and the regulation of mobile medical apps as issues the company lobbied. The iPhone maker held meetings with the office of the president, Congress, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Commerce Department, among other federal agencies.MSNBC's Joe Scarborough said early Tuesday that first lady Melania Trump's anti-bullying initiative will be seen in the future as an example of President Trump's hypocrisy.
Scarborough said on "Morning Joe" that the first lady's decision to take on cyber bullying is "interesting," given her husband's behavior on social media.
"That's a curious thing to be doing," Scarborough said, referencing President Trump's attacks on Sen. Bob Corker Robert (Bob) Phillips CorkerBrexit and exit: A transatlantic comparison Sasse’s jabs at Trump spark talk of primary challenger RNC votes to give Trump 'undivided support' ahead of 2020 MORE (R-Tenn.). The former Republican congressman also brought up the president's criticisms of co-host and fiance Mika Brzezinski.
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Scarborough said Melania Trump has been mostly quiet as her husband uses social media to criticize opponents.
"Historians will look back at this initiative, and they will say, 'Want to see something that really encapsulated the hypocrisy of the Trump presidency? This would be a good place to start,'" Scarborough said.
"The first lady actually going out and having the audacity to talk about anti-bullying when she is living with the biggest bullier in the history of the White House."
Scarborough continued to go after President Trump, saying if someone can't be trusted with the small things, they won't be trusted on the larger issues either.
Melania Trump earlier this week visited a Detroit middle school to kick off her anti-bullying campaign as part of the nationwide "Week of Inclusion" and "National Bullying Prevention Month."
She encouraged students to take part in the anti-bullying #NoOneEatsAlone campaign.An Israeli shot dead a Palestinian on Thursday who was among a group of Palestinian rioters throwing rocks at a group of Israeli children visiting the Samaria region of the West Bank near the village of Qusra.
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According to the settlers, one of whom opened fire on the Palestinians, the violence erupted after the Israeli group came under attack in what was described by the Samaria Regional Council as an "attempted lynch."
"Dozens of Palestinians threw stones and rocks at us, we were in a life-threatening situation, and we were trying to protect the children," said one of the children's fathers, who shot the Palestinian.
Scene of the clash (Credit: TPS) (צילום: מועצה אזורית שומרון ו-TPS)
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"I had to shoot in self-defense. I hope common sense prevails, and people understand what happened here," the father added.
Two of the adults in the group were lightly wounded in the clashes and the children were spirited away from the danger zone under IDF supervision.
Clashes between Palestinians and settlers
The Palestinian man who was shot dead was identified as 47-year-old Mahmoud Za’al Odeh. According to the Yesh Din NGO, he was toiling the land before he was shot.
Resident from Qusra claimed that riots broke out after a group of Israelis approached the village from the direction of the outpost Esh Kodesh.
Palestinian Authority official Ghassan Daghlas said settlers confronted Odeh and ordered him to move. When he refused, one of them shot him in the chest, Daghlas said.
IDF soldiers were rushed to secure the area as medics provided emergency aid to the wounded Palestinian while attempting to disperse the enraged crowds.
Israeli lightly wounded in the clashes
According to one of the two fathers who accompanied the children on the trip, the group of children from different communities in the Samaria region was on a bar mitzvah trip.
"We were hiking in an open area, near the road. Some 200 meters from Highway 5 and the Alon road, we were attacked by dozens of Arabs with stones, rocks and clubs. We were busy protecting the children, and I got hit in the head with a stone. The second father was also wounded. Thank God, the children are safe and sound, that's what's important."
Children escorted away from the clashes
The second father who accompanied the trip said he took the children into a nearby cave to protect them from the barrage of stones.
The children, he said, "were determined and brave, but some of them were frightened."
"I was busy protecting them, when at some point the Palestinians came really close, outflanked us and really boxed us in. The second father left his gun with me. I tried to keep them away by shooting into the air, and it didn't help, they kept coming closer."
He noted there were two Palestinians who tried to protect him and the children, but "30 others just tried to lynch (us)."
One of the parents accompanying the children said his gun was stolen by one of the Palestinian rioters, but was later recovered.
One of the children who came under attack told Ynet the Palestinians "started threatening us with a gun, throwing stones at us, told us 'give us your bags, give us your phones.' They swore at us, slapped us, punched us. I got a stone to my knee, my rabbi got a stone to his head, my friends got slapped and punched. They (the Palestinians) also tried to use tear gas."
"There were also Arabs who chased away the Arabs who wanted to throw stones at us, protected us for a little until the army came and found us," the child added.
Keren Perlman, the mother of one of the children, said her son told her the Palestinians "sprayed pepper spray into the cave" the children were hiding in. "They took their bags, equipment and candy," she added.
"He also told me many children made vows, about the feeling of imminent death, about (children) saying the 'Shema Yisrael' prayer, and about heart-rending crying," Perlman added.
She criticized the IDF for taking too long to arrive to the children's aid. "It took the army an hour and a half. An hour and a half in which the children hid in a crumbling cave with hundreds of Arabs above them. An hour and a half of the heroic parents standing at the entrance, enduring beatings and stones to protect the children, and the army just didn't bother showing up," she lamented.
The Samaria Regional Council said in a statement that “around 100 Palestinians tried to carry out a lynch against a group of tourists and attacked them from about a kilometer from the village."
The Judea and Samaria Division is checking whether the trip was coordinated in advance with the head of the Samaria Territorial Brigade, as some of the parents claimed.Show full PR text
The Toyota Mirai Brings the Future to Your Driveway
Fuel Cell Electric Sedan Marks Turning Point for Zero-Emission Vehicles
Range and Refuel Time Compete with Traditional Internal Combustion Engines
World-Class, 360 Degree Ownership Experience
Available for Sale or Lease in California Beginning Fall 2015
November 17, 2014
2016 Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Sedan Product Information
TORRANCE, Calif., (Nov. 17, 2014) – For the second time in a generation, Toyota has re-imagined the future of mobility.
The Toyota Mirai is a four-door, mid-size sedan with performance that fully competes with traditional internal combustion engines – but it uses no gasoline and emits nothing but water vapor. The groundbreaking fuel cell electric vehicle is powered by hydrogen, re-fuels in about five minutes, and travels up to 300 miles on a full tank.
Mirai will be available to customers in California beginning in fall 2015, with additional markets tracking the expansion of a convenient hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Powered by an industry-leading fuel cell electric drivetrain and supported by an exceptional 360-degree ownership experience, Mirai marks a turning point for consumer expectations for a zero-emission vehicle.
Making its Mark with Performance
In its basic operation, a fuel cell vehicle works much like a battery electric vehicle. But instead of the large drive battery, Mirai's fuel cell stack combines hydrogen gas from tanks with oxygen to produce electricity that powers the electric motor.
Toyota's proprietary fuel cell stack represents a major leap forward in performance, delivering one of the world's best power outputs of 3.1 kW/L at a dramatically reduced size that fits under the front driver and passenger seats. The system provides Mirai with a maximum output of 153hp, accelerating from 0-60 in 9.0 seconds and delivering a passing time of 3 seconds from 25-40 mph.
What's more, thanks to fuel cell technology's versatility and adaptability, the Mirai offers performance options that go well beyond a traditional automobile. In fact, the vehicle will be offered with an optional power take off (PTO) device that enables Mirai to serve as a mobile generator in case of emergency. With the PTO accessory, Mirai is capable of powering home essentials in an average house for up to a week in an emergency – while emitting only water in the process.
Safe and Reliable Transportation
Toyota began fuel cell development in Japan in the early 90s and have developed a series of fuel cell vehicles, subjecting them to more than a million miles of road testing. In the last two years alone, fuel cell test vehicles have logged thousands of miles on North American roads. This includes hot testing in Death Valley, cold testing in Yellowknife, Canada, steep grade hill climbs in San Francisco and high altitude trips in Colorado. The Toyota-designed carbon fiber hydrogen tanks have also undergone extreme testing to ensure their strength and durability in a crash.
This extended legacy of research and development is reflected in Mirai's safety and reliability. At Toyota's advanced Higashifuji Safety Center, the vehicle has been subjected to extensive crash testing to evaluate a design specifically intended to address frontal, side and rear impacts and to provide excellent protection of vehicle occupants. A high level of collision safety has also been achieved to help protect the fuel cell stack and high-pressure tanks against body deformation.
Mirai will also feature a broad range of standard onboard safety technologies, including vehicle pre-collision, blind spot monitor, lane departure alert, drive start control and automatic high beams.
Focused on the Consumer
Toyota believes that outstanding vehicle performance must be matched by an exceptional ownership experience. And Toyota is committed to delivering on that promise.
When it hits the market in 2015, customers can take advantage of Mirai's $499 per month/36 month lease option, with $3649 due at lease signing, or purchase the vehicle for $57,500. With combined state and federal incentives of $13,000 available to many customers, the purchase price could potentially fall to under $45,000.
The vehicle will be matched by a comprehensive, 360-degree Ownership Experience offering a range of services, including:
24/7 concierge service, with calls answered by a dedicated fuel cell representative;
24/7 enhanced roadside assistance, including towing, battery, flat tire assistance, trip interruption reimbursement, and loaner vehicle;
Three years of Toyota Care maintenance, which covers all recommended factory maintenance, up to 12,000 miles annually;
Eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on fuel cell components;
Entune and three years of complimentary Safety Connect, including hydrogen station map app; and,
Complimentary hydrogen fuel for up to three years.
Building a Convenient Refueling Infrastructure
In addition, Toyota continues to support the development of a convenient and reliable hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
Research at the University of California Irvine's Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP) has found that 68 stations, located at the proper sites, could handle a FCV population of at least 10,000 vehicles. Those stations are on their way to becoming a reality. By the end of 2015, 3 of California's 9 active hydrogen stations and 17 newly-constructed stations are scheduled to be opened to the general public, with 28 additional stations set to come online by the end of 2016, bringing the near-term total to 48 stations.
Nineteen of those 48 stations will be built by FirstElement Fuels, supported by a $7.3 million loan from Toyota. The company has also announced additional efforts to develop infrastructure in the country's Northeast region. In 2016, Air Liquide, in collaboration with Toyota, is targeting construction of 12 stations in five states – New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.Wireframe can be defined as a schematic or screen blueprint, is a visual guide that represents the skeletal framework of a web-design. Wireframes are created for the purpose of arranging elements to best accomplish a particular purpose. The purpose is usually being informed by a business objective and a creative idea. Wireframes make it easier to communicate ideas, reduce scope creep, cut down on project costs, and enable greater upfront usability and functionality testing.
In this roundup we have covered 21 of the best wireframing tools available, including standalone applications, web-based tools both free and paid versions. If you’re aware of a particular wireframing tool available for free download, let us know in the comments. Enjoy!!
1. MockFlow
MockFlow is an online tool for creating wireframes of software and websites. It helps to enhance your planning process by enabling to quickly design and share interactive UI mockups. It also comes with ready-to-use 70+ Components and 200+ icons, all designed to suit wireframing. Nothing to download or install, create and access your mockups from anywhere. You can share your mockups in private/public mode and get feedback from your clients & users, As simple as sharing an URL. The Basic account is completely free with 10 MB storage.
2. Moqups
Moqups is a nifty HTML5 App used to create wireframes, mockups or UI concepts, prototypes depending on how you like to call them. They’ve tried to make things simple and fairly intuitive so you can unleash your creativity without any obstacles. Moqups is built on open standards, striving to provide the best experience within the browser, without compromise.
There are 60+ handcrafted, crisp-looking SVG stencils (and more down the pipeline). You can export to PDF and PNG. It supports Auto-save. You can easily Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy and Paste. You can use Desktop-like keyboard shortcuts. It supports snap to objects/grid when manipulating objects as well. And it’s free.
3. Sqetch
Sqetch is an Illustrator Wireframe Toolkit, consisting of several templates and elements: Browsers, iPad, Smartphone, GUI Elements and Form Elements. Download of sqetch is free and you are allowed to use the toolkit in commercial projects.
For maximum flexibility everything was created with vectors, no bitmap in sight. Every element can be scaled without loss of quality, every single stroke can be edited separately, to adapt the look of a sketch as ever you like. Colors are in CMYK for easy printing. And if you are a CS5 user you will be pleased to find out that all symbols are attached to a 9-slice scaling grid.
4. HotGloo
With HotGloo you can easily create wireframes and prototypes for web and mobile. Getting an accurate feel for the information architecture, the interactivity and the usability of a website is one of the most important aspects of any web project and HotGloo makes it easy and accurate. Since HotGloo is an online application you can even co-work with team members in realtime or send preview links to clients for gathering feedback and apply changes quickly without touching a line of code. Benefit from prebuilt UI stencil libraries, instant feedback and more innovative features like responsive wireframing.
5. Responsive Wireframes
Responsive Wireframes is a free and web-based tool for quickly creating wirefames for any project. It enables us to insert elements, style them (color, opacity), add text and also resize if wanted. These elements can be re-positioned with drag ‘n drops and the work can be saved for future reuse.
The tool is focused on responsive layouts as we can define multiple viewports and decide how each element will look on different viewports. This again work by positioning + resizing each element for each viewport and simplifies the sharing of “responsive ideas” a lot.
6. Sneakpeekit
Creating wireframes in the beginning of any design process can help creating an output without any surprises. Sneakpeekit is a website providing high-quality PDF sketch sheets for web designers. The sheets are compatible with the most popular grid systems like Less Framework 4, 978 grid system, 1140 css grid, The Semantic grid system, Bootstrap from Twitter, etc. And, they are not only for the desktop browsers but there are versions for tablets and mobile as well.
7. Axure
Axure RP is the standard in interactive wireframe software and gives you the power to quickly and easily deliver much more than typical mockup tools. Generate an interactive HTML website wireframe or UI mockup without coding. Then, send a link to clients or users to review. Or design an Android or iPhone app interface and view it right on your mobile device.
8. Mobijectify
Mobjectify is a free web application which makes it so much simpler by offering an awesome web-based mockup builder. The application enables us to create pages and add various web elements(like forms, buttons, content areas, footers, etc.) with few clicks. It also offers multiple themes to choose from or you can create new themes. There is a live preview and results can be exported as a single HTML file anytime. Mobjectify powers the mobile web pages with jQuery Mobile + its theme engine and only leaves the custom coding to you.
9. MockUPhone
MockUPhone, a free to use web app, simplifies creating such mockups a lot. It asks you to choose a device from a list of popular tablets + phones and upload the screenshots with drag ‘n’ drops. Once uploaded, the screenshots in different orientations + views are generated automatically and offered for download.
10. Mockingbird
Mockingbird is an online tool that makes it easy for you to create, link together, preview, and share mockups of your website or application.
11. Balsamiq Mockups
Using Balsamiq Mockups lets you tweak and rearrange controls easily, and the end result is much cleaner. With 75 pre-built controls to choose from, you can design anything from a super-simple dialog box to a full-fledged application, from a simple website to a Rich Internet Application.
12. Protoshare
ProtoShare is an easy-to-use, collaborative prototyping tool that helps teams visualize requirements with website wireframes and interactive prototypes while working together in real-time.
13. iPlotz
iPlotz allows you to rapidly create clickable, navigable mockups and wireframes for prototyping websites and software applications. Create a project, add wireframe pages with design components and discuss your creations with others.
14. Lumzy
Lumzy is a Mockup and Prototype creation tool for websites and applications. By Mockup, we mean that quick sketch that gives an idea of what the site or application you are planning to build will look like.
Further more with Lumzy, you can create prototypes of how the site or application will function by adding events within your Lumzy controls. For instance, what happens when the user clicks a button? You can create Message Alerts, Page navigation or Links to external content, when your client interacts with your Mockup, yet with the hand drawn feel of a sketch.
15. Pencil Project
The Pencil Project is a free and open source tool for making diagrams and GUI prototyping that everyone can use. Web designers and web application developers can use Pencil Project creating mockups for their websites or web applications easily. Pencil will always be free as it is released under the GPL version 2 and is available for virtually all platforms that Firefox 3 can run.
16. ForeUI
ForeUI is an easy-to-use UI prototyping tool, designed to create mockup / wireframe / prototypes for any application or website you have in mind. With ForeUI, your prototype project will be skinnable, since you can easily change the style of your prototype by simply switching the UI theme. You can even design the behavior of prototypes by defining intuitiveflow charts to handle specific events. Your prototype can then be exported to wireframe images, PDF documents orHTML5 simulation. All of these make ForeUI a very useful productive tool for sharing ideas, reviewing design concepts, collecting feedback and usability testing.
17. GridPapr
Gridpapr is an excellent online tool for easy wireframing and prototyping grid based designs.
18. Framebox
Framebox is handy, simple and fast for creating superb wireframes.
19. Flair Builder
FlairBuilder is a prototyping tool that lets you create interactive wireframes for websites and mobile applications. It’s easy to learn and use, and comes with lots of options. FlairBuilder lets you start with a low fidelity sketch, and jump to a higher fidelity wireframe with just one click. All interactions will stay in place. Switch back and forth if you need to. Adapt to your audience!
20. Wireframesketcher
WireframeSketcher is a wireframing tool that helps designers, developers and product managers quickly create wireframes, mockups and prototypes for desktop, web and mobile applications. It’s a desktop app and a plug-in for any Eclipse IDE.
21. OmniGraffle
OmniGraffle can help you make eye-popping graphic documents—quickly—by providing powerful styling tools, keeping lines connected to shapes even when they’re moved, and magically organizing diagrams with just one click. Create flow charts, diagrams, UI and UXinteractions, and more. Whether you need a quick sketch or an epic technical figure, OmniGraffle and OmniGraffle Pro keep it gorgeously understandable.At age 33 and boasting an Ivy League graduate degree, Kitama Cahill-Jackson never thought he’d end up a security guard.
But after years of layoffs and coming in second in job interviews, the Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker took the job.
Cahill-Jackson dreamed of a career as a news producer. But now, after years of unsuccessfully searching for journalism jobs, he said he can’t even look at the news.
“When I got to work at 4:30 in the morning, I would listen to NPR. I don’t listen anymore because it makes me sad. That’s the career I didn’t have,” he said.
“I don’t read the paper because it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart that I put on this uniform every day and come in here, and I’m not seen as a professional. I worked so hard academically, and for all of that, to work at a job that only requires a GED.”
Cahill-Jackson is among the more than half of black college graduates who are underemployed, according to a study (PDF) released by the Center for Economic Policy and Research this month.
Recent black college grads ages 22 to 27 have an unemployment rate of 12.4 percent, more than double the 5.6 percent unemployed among all college grads in that demographic and almost a threefold increase from the 2007 level of 4.6 percent, before the Great Recession took its toll on the U.S. economy. More than half of black graduates, 55.9 percent, are underemployed.
Even for those who enter the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, areas where grads are the most needed and paid the highest, African-Americans still have a 10 percent unemployment rate and a 32 percent underemployment rate.
The study’s authors blame racism, a faltering economy and an unequal playing field.
“We live in a racist society,” John Schmitt, one of the authors, told Al Jazeera.
“We internalize a lot of views about the way people are that are deeply embedded in a lot of our economic and social policies. It’s extremely complicated, but the first step is that we need to acknowledge that we have a problem.”Do you miss the biting dialog and clever characters that filled the Whedonverse of Buffy, Firefly and Angel? Then Cabin In the Woods, which premiered at South by Southwest this past weekend, is the movie for you.
Simply put, the whole movie feels like a very special Buffy episode. And in a genre that's currently buried under the scraps from the success of past torture porn and "found footage" horror films, Cabin is a shining beacon of promise for people that don't need shaky cam to get their fear fetish rocks off. It's the thinking geek's horror film, and we love it so much we want to pony up and buy it a hotel room after Prom. Seriously, we want Cabin In the Woods inside of us.
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Warning, there are a few minor spoilers ahead...
The premise for Drew Goddard's directorial debut isn't as simple as the title. Although, yes, five kids do head out to a remote cabin and unknowingly meet their untimely demise. But as you already know from the trailer, it's so much more than just a simple "let's see what the inside of these horny teens looks like" type of film.
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Together, Goddard and Joss Whedon (also the producer on this project) penned one lovingly twisted screenplay. The movie is halved into two worlds, lovingly described as Upstairs and Downstairs (which, yes, gave us some hefty Wolfram & Hart Angel flashbacks, but this is a completely separate experience entirely).
Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford and a team of white-collar button pushers, pied-piper the group of party-hungry teens towards their destruction with a collection of high tech trickery. The audience sees this manipulation from both the POV of the paper pushers Downstairs, and through the terrified eyes of the kids stuck Upstairs in the cabin. You see the people down below deal in the business of nightmares, and with the simple click of a lighted button or the flip of a switch, the Upstairs world molds to form a death trap for the kiddies. All for reasons that will not be revealed in this review.
By physically manufacturing horror Cabin in the Woods allows itself to just marinate in a collection of genre tropes — not skewering these staples, rather greedily drinking up the bloody bathwater before quickly spewing it back all over the viewers, Gallagher-style.
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The Good
Jenkins and Whitford:The day-to-day office job bullshit, sharply delivered by villains Jenkins and Whitford. There is nothing more delightful than to watch people nonchalantly operate machinery that determines whether or not someone will live or die. But the best part? It's all just shtick. Jenkis and Whitford (while seemingly the bad guys in all of this) are well-developed characters that make you laugh, wince and force you to laugh along with the two old white guys. The whole movie straddles this ambiguous moral post which is the size of a redwood, that changes and moves with each new clue dropped into the audience's lap.
The Comedy: Hot Christ, is this film funny. So funny. Not just "LOL, there's a hippie with a bong" funny (although that's in there). It's "We know you're watching now watch us |
ene Wenger in 2006 while in charge of West Ham.
Victory took Manchester City one point clear at the top of the Premier League, while Newcastle remain in eighth place.This is for my friend Hallor on Tumblr! (* SirLemoncurd here!) She requested Sherlock as Slytherin. <333 I added John as a Gryffindor.I also ADORE him as a Slytherin! I have so many reasons why I'd place him in that house but I don't want to totally bore you guys.Anyways. SOME of you will disagree and that is cool! To each their own. But nothing will change my mind.Anyways, I can see Sherlock hating most of his house because they are such idiots and John playing Quiddich and Sherlock dragging him off for adventures and John loving it of course.Anyways, I ramble!PS: No need to comment if you just disagree with my house placement.--------------------------------------OH MY GOODNESS! hbomb90 wrote a story based on this picture and it's AWESOME! Please go read it right now and leave some feedback, it's really wonderful!----------------------------------------------------------Harry Potter (c) JK RowlingSherlock BBC (c) M & G and ACDLast night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk finally unveiled the company’s new stand-alone batteries. The idea is that you’ll be able to store renewable energy, such as solar, so that you can power your home or business even when the sun isn’t shining.
Tesla is far from the first company to offer batteries that do this. But thanks to its car business, it has the scale to buy the parts its batteries need for less than its competitors can. And thanks to its planned 10-million-square-foot Gigafactory, the company has more capacity to assemble batteries than anyone else.
If Tesla really becomes the energy storage powerhouse it hopes to be, the way we all think about and use batteries could change in a basic way. Competitors are eyeing Tesla’s play to see if it hastens the day when large-scale energy storage batteries become commodities, as interchangeable as the AA batteries you throw into your cart in the checkout line. Many believe that day is coming soon—even as they predict the days of battery innovation are far from over.
Not the Battery, But What You Do With It
To Raghu Belur, co-founder of solar power systems company Enphase Energy, there’s little question that batteries will become commodified. “Absolutely without a doubt,” he says. “Drive down the Valley and you’ll probably find 50 companies working on different chemistry.”
He compares the fate of batteries to that of solar panels themselves, which have become dramatically more affordable in recent years. “When we entered the market in 2006, there was a lot of focus and investment on the panel,” he says. “Eight years down the road, panels are commoditized, and the intelligence is in everything but the panel.”
The winning bet was to drive the industry costs down rather than trying to do it yourself. CODA Energy CEO Paul Detering
The real differentiation will be in how those batteries are designed and integrated into an electrical system, he says. Enphase’s strategy is to make everything smaller and more distributed. Instead of one big power converter and one big battery, the company has opted to build smaller batteries and converters onto each panel. That means that if one component fails, the others will keep working. Plus, Belur says, the smaller components are easier to install and are much safer.
Enphase’s ideas are just one possible way that renewable energy systems will be integrated into homes and buildings, and there’s room for many other variations. That, Belur says, is where to expect the next innovations.
Battery Smarts
Energy storage company CODA Energy offers large storage systems to commercial buildings and manufacturers, just as Tesla plans to do. Its CEO, Paul Detering, agrees that the batteries themselves will just play one part in defining the shape of the future energy storage landscape. Among the most important elements, he says, will be the tech to which the batteries are attached.
Detering’s company, for example, doesn’t sell its systems; instead, it installs and maintains them at its own expense, and then charges customers for the energy they use (much like Musk-backed Solar City does with solar panels for residential customers). To make such an arrangement economical for both sides, it software algorithmically determines peak energy times, when electricity is more expensive, and switches customers’ buildings over to stored energy during those peaks. Customers end up paying less during the peaks while sharing some of that savings with CODA.
Detering thinks that ancillary tech such as software, as well as business model differentiation, will be key points of differentiation for the energy storage market. At the same time, he still thinks batteries will evolve. Although Detering says CODA’s technology is “chemistry agnostic,” he thinks battery chemistry will continue to be an important factor. “It will be quite a few years before that combination of technology, science and, quite frankly, art commoditizes,” he says.
Better Batteries Through Chemistry
Even if traditional lithium-ion batteries like the ones Tesla uses do become everyday commodities, other new types of batteries could make the marketplace even more competitive. Companies like Imergy Power Systems, just a few miles down the road from Tesla’s car factory east of San Francisco, for example, and China’s batteries made from the element vanadium.
John Lemmon, a program director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, says vanadium batteries last far longer than traditional lithium-ion batteries because the chemical process that the batteries rely on don’t require the materials they’re made of to degrade. The upshot is that the batteries can last, in theory, for decades without needing to be replaced, Imergy president Tim Hennessy says.
Competitors are eyeing Tesla to see if it hastens the day when large-scale energy storage batteries become commodities.
That’s a big win for the environment because it means far fewer batteries to dispose of or recycle. It also means the batteries could end up being cheaper over their total life than batteries with a cheaper up-front cost, according to Hennessy.
Meanwhile, companies like Fuji Pigment are working on aluminium-air batteries, for example, that could be cheaper and far more efficient than lithium-ion batteries.
But it could take a while for demand for non-lithium batteries to ramp up. And even though Tesla’s Gigafactory won’t be complete until 2016, competitors will also have to build manufacturing plants in order to compete with Tesla’s scale. That means that we’ll probably see a mix of many different battery technologies on the market for the foreseeable future, each of them seeking to strike a balance between power and price.
Better and Cheaper
What just about everyone agrees on is that Tesla entering the market will be a good thing. Obviously, the company has already brought more attention—not to mention investment—to the battery market. In seeking to become a major player, Tesla will bring down the costs for not just its own lithium-ion batteries, but for lithium-ion batteries as a whole, CODA’s Detering says.
“We saw the same thing in solar, the cost of panels came down quickly,” he says. “The winning bet was to drive the industry costs down rather than trying to do it yourself.”
And more competition will mean more innovation—especially if Tesla holds true to Musk’s promise, re-emphasized last night, to open its patents to the world. Better, cheaper batteries appear to be on the way—and more power to them.I have written before about my Syrian friend Mohammed. First he left the army, and then he stopped fighting for the rebels. Based in the outskirts of Damascus, Mohammed is now finding a moment of refuge from years of battle, thanks to the local truces announced between rebels in the area and Assad’s regime.
In February, Mohammed hadn’t eaten in five days and survived on what he could find on the dusty ground. Today, things have changed for the better, he tells me in a personal conversation over Skype.
Adam Hedengren: Brief me, what has happened?
Mohammed: Maybe you heard about it, they (are) re-establishing good relations between three cities inside southern Damascus with the regime, and they agreed to stop fighting and letting the food aid going through the checkpoints to the people inside the region.
AH: So no fighting?
M: No there is not.
AH: Can you head into central Damascus?
M: No, they let only women go there. Men are not allowed at all.
AH: What are you doing during the days?
M: I am still working at the pharmacy. The humanitarian sector is the best job these days.
AH: And do you get support, financially?
M: No, but they give us food and almost everything we need to live better. The best thing in this truce is that people are eating now again.
AH: Who are “they”?
M: An Islamic organisation supports us here.
AH: Have you gotten closer with Islam during the war? I understand it must be a source of strength in times like these.
M: Yes, you can say that. I’m much closer to my religion now. For real. But I accept every idea from all. If I answer “yes”, does it mean to you that I’m being close to the side that is worst to the western world?
AH: No not at all. I have the fullest respect for Islam. And I fully understand that you see your religion in a different light now, compared to when I lived in Syria. I remember you being more critical towards religion back then.
M: I learned the simple Islamic rules.
AH: Are the rebels ok with the fact that you quit fighting?
M: Yes, no problem with that.
That was the last question Mohammed wanted to answer before sparking a conversation about my life in Europe. No doubt it feels uncomfortable complaining about a stressful big city lifestyle when the other person is surrounded by war and starvation. But in a way, I suppose it acts has mental ventilation, imagining a world beyond his own.
While things may have changed for the better since the truce came into effect, Mohammed still ends with the very same lines he did two months ago: “3 years, I am really exhausted. I hope it’s gonna end soon.”The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) wants to return to Mars with a second Mars Orbiter Mission. It has published an ‘announcement of opportunity’ on its website soliciting proposals from institutions around India of the scientific studies that the orbiter could undertake. The mission will likely be launched in March 2018, when Earth and Mars become optimally aligned again in their orbits around the Sun for a craft to journey between them using a fuel-saving manoeuvre. However, no date has been officially announced.
The following is an annotation of the announcement with the relevant details.
The geomorphological features on Mars suggests an early warm and wet climate, and perhaps conducive to the emergence of primitive life. Mars is considered to be unique as it has experienced processes similar to that existing on Earth during formation and its evolution. Recent discoveries have revealed that Mars possesses a record of diverse surfaces created as a result of geological processes occurring prior to 3 [billion years], and recent volcanism, weathering events during the last few 100 million years. This complete geological record is yet to be found on Moon or the Earth, and therefore new Mars missions provide an opportunity to address questions regarding planetary evolutionary processes, how and whether life arose elsewhere in the solar system, and the interplay between geological and possible biological history. Previous orbiter and rover missions to Mars have provided direct evidence for the presence of hydrated minerals on the exposed surface and the presence of water ice at sub-surface regions. Existence of methane has been proposed from a few limited ground based and space based observations, but these are yet to be confirmed unambiguously.
ISRO’s first MOM (MOM-1), which got into orbit around Mars in September 2014, has been looking for signs of atmospheric methane while studying surface features – just like the NASA MAVEN mission that started operating around the same time. Methane is considered a biomarker: a substance whose presence indicates the current or historical presence of life. The American space agency’s Curiosity rover on the Martian surface has also been analysing minerals and dust, looking for signs of water as well as other biomarkers. These explorers will soon be joined by the Euro-Russian ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a satellite en route to Mars and which will closely study Mars’s atmospheric composition once it gets there.
The understanding of the [evolution over time] of the Martian atmosphere necessitates new measurements to quantify the loss of atmospheric water and carbon dioxide.
This loss has been driven by the solar wind, the stream of charged particles emerging from the Sun. As the particles flow past Mars’s atmosphere, they excite charged particles, which then get accelerated and shot into space. The NASA MAVEN mission has measured this rate to be 100 grams per second.
One key finding revealed today is that the solar wind strips gas from #Mars at about 100 grams (~1/4 lb) per second. pic.twitter.com/VOjMSTY4mZ — NASA's MAVEN Mission (@MAVEN2Mars) November 5, 2015
Future Mars missions are focusing on in situ surface/subsurface probing by landers and rovers, with orbiters continuing studies of Martian surface and sub-surface and also serving as continued communication link to Earth. An orbiter mission with focused science objectives can provide valuable global Mars science. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has successfully demonstrated India’s technological capability for interplanetary exploration.
This was actually the mission’s primary objective. Studying the planet using its payload of scientific instruments was the secondary mission.
MOM carries five scientific payloads to study the Martian surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere. Analysis of MOM data is under progress.
The last line is particularly relevant: since September 2014, only a few scientific studies based on MOM’s findings have been published in peer-reviewed journals. While ISRO releases a squirt of photos taken by the orbiter of the red planet every now and then, information of no other discoveries – if any – is yet available in the public domain.
While it is commendable that the space organisation is doing what needs to be done to continue the Indian scientific community’s contribution to the interesting-as-ever study of Mars, the announcement for a MOM-2 is also important for what it says about the relevance of MOM-1’s findings. As mentioned earlier, MOM-1 was primarily a technology demonstrator while the science was secondary, so the delay in publishing results is not that acutely felt. MOM-2 won’t have this leeway.
In fact, the sooner some results are available, the easier it will be for ISRO to make decisions about future missions, their scientific agenda and payloads and, overall, the problems that the space organisation will be uniquely positioned to tackle in the longer term.
It is now planned to have the next orbiter mission around Mars for a future launch opportunity. Proposals are solicited from interested scientists within India for experiments onboard an orbiter mission around Mars (MOM-2), to address relevant scientific problems and topics.
The last date to submit proposals is September 6, 2016. The Hindu reported that a “total picture of the mission” will likely be available closer to the presentation of the 2017 union budget.
This “Announcement of Opportunity (AO)” is addressed to all institutions in India currently involved in planetary exploration studies/the development of science instruments for space. This orbiter mission will facilitate scientific community to address the open science problems. The Principal Investigator of the proposal should be (i) able to provide necessary details of the instrument which can address the scientific problems and (ii) capable to bring together the instrument team and lead the team for developing a space qualified instrument. The payload capability of the proposed satellite is likely to be 100kg…
To compare, MOM-1’s payload of instruments weighed a grand total of about 14 kg. So a 100-kilogram’s worth of instruments will well-widen the scope of studies and quality of observations that MOM-2 will be able to undertake. A flipside is that launching a 100-kg satellite will require ISRO to use the heavier GSLV rocket – and the GSLV rockets haven’t yet proved themselves reliable, nowhere near as reliable as the PSLV-class rocket that launched MOM-1. So ISRO will also have to focus on getting a reliable GSLV rocket in place.
… and 100W.
This is an oddity. MOM-1 was equipped with three power panels generating a total of 840 watts to power its instruments. MOM-2 should have a power supply of at least 1,000 watts. The ‘100W’ mentioned in the announcement is thought to be a typo.
However final values are to be tuned based on the final configuration. The apoarion of the orbit is expected to be around 5000 km.
The apoareaon is the highest point of an orbit around Mars. MOM-1, which is in a highly elliptical orbit, currently has an apoareon of ~77,000 km. An apoareon of 5,000 km for MOM-2 implies a much more circular orbit, in turn setting the context in which prospective investigators can think about what kind of science can be done.
Note: This article earlier stated that only one study based on MOM’s observations has been published in a peer-reviewed journal. It has been corrected to say a “few studies”.The Alliance is a fictional corporate supergovernment[1] in the Firefly franchise, a powerful authoritarian government and law-enforcement organization that controls the majority of territory within the known universe. Originally composed solely of a number of "core worlds", several years prior to the show's timeframe the Alliance fought the Unification War to bring all colonized worlds under its control. The Independent Faction or "Browncoats" wanted the outer worlds to remain autonomous and attempted to resist Alliance control. The war raged for several years, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, until the Alliance emerged victorious. An armistice was signed between the Alliance and the Independent Faction, thus ending the war and securing Alliance control over the entirety of the system.
Name [ edit ]
Union of Allied Planets flag (episode "The Train Job")
Union of Allied Planets flag (episode "Bushwacked")
The scripts for the pilot, "Serenity" and the first broadcast episode, "The Train Job", refer to an "AngloSino" flag on the IAV spaceship Dortmunder and on the stolen boxes. The Alliance flag shown in the pilot is a blending of the American and Chinese flags, having the blue field and the red and white stripes of the United States flag and the red field and yellow stars of the Chinese flag. Two versions of this flag, one with 13 stripes and one with five stripes, appear in the series.
The alliance is formally described as the Union of Allied Planets in the episode "Ariel".
Corporations [ edit ]
The Blue Sun corporation is a powerful conglomerate with much influence within the Alliance. Joss Whedon compared it with "Coca-Cola or Microsoft" and said that "practically half the government was Blue Sun". Their agents are "Hands of Blue".[2] The Weyland-Yutani corporation from Alien is also alluded to; its logo appears on Alliance weapons. In the movie Serenity, the Alliance also hires local security companies.
Universe [ edit ]
The two worlds that make up the "core planets" (the first worlds to be terraformed) are Sihnon, a mostly East Asia-themed planet, and Londinium, a world with mostly American and Western Europe influences. The alliance of the two worlds leads up to a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious universe.
The Alliance may have some elements of a monarchy. In "Serenity", Malcolm Reynolds (Serenity's captain) said "I'd like to be king of all Londinium" and many of Inara Serra's customers are Lords. However, "King of all Londinium" may just be an idiom (i.e., "king of the world" in modern usage) and Lord could merely be a political title.[a]
In Serenity, the movie set in the Firefly universe, it is revealed that the Alliance is run by a Parliament, as well as a Prime Minister.
It appears that this Alliance was a melding of the People's Republic of China and the United States. The Alliance retains a mixture of American and Chinese culture.[3] Generally, the Alliance is rather authoritarian, although Joss Whedon, the series' creator, has said this is at least partly because the show is seen from the viewpoint of those hostile to the Alliance. Whedon himself admits that sometimes, the Alliance is like the predominant US view of the United States in World War II: doing very good things, helping people, spreading democracy. At other times the Alliance can tend towards black ops and power-grabbing, although rarely more so than any real-world democracy.
Due to the melding of American and Chinese influences in the Alliance, most people in the Firefly universe are equally adept in speaking both English and Mandarin; some characters on the show speak Chinese at times (usually when using obscenities, so Whedon wouldn't have to bleep anything out and ruin the suspension of disbelief), and many signs are printed in both English and Chinese. Additionally, during the episode "Out of Gas", Serenity's warning messages over the intercom are repeated in both English and Cantonese. The Chinese spoken is based on Mandarin (intermixed with Cantonese), but the pronunciation is heavily corrupted from the real-world language by the actors. Chinese appears to be the superior language in Alliance society as it is used for written public communications and for polite address between strangers. For example, when the Alliance agent McGinnis, answers the intercom in the episode "Ariel", he says, "你好" (ni hao) rather than hello.[4]
Alliance military [ edit ]
The Alliance operates a fleet of massive spaceships, resembling huge floating cities, that act as both military and police in the space between the various planets of the Firefly Universe. Alliance ships have the registry prefix IAV (Interstellar Alliance Vessel): e.g., IAV Dortmunder and IAV Magellan. The pilot episode of the series reveals that the large city-ships carry smaller gunships; these are never named nor described further. In the episode "Bushwhacked", it is revealed that Alliance ships have nurseries.
In the film Serenity, we see a fleet of sleeker, more streamlined warships, suggesting that the film had a higher CGI budget.
Uniforms worn by various characters
Alliance ground troops are nicknamed "purple bellies" (in contrast to the Independent "browncoats"). Crewmembers on Alliance starships wear gray uniforms resembling those worn by Imperial German Army from World War I; officers and enlisted crew are identically dressed (except for headgear: officers wear hats, enlisted crew wear berets). In Serenity, Alliance crew members wear blue uniforms.
The exact structure of the Alliance military, such as its rank system and branch organization, is not described. Some Alliance officers are seen with naval ranks, such as Commander, and others with ground force ranks such as Colonel and General.[5]
Future [ edit ]
During the events of the 2005 film, the crew of Serenity discover the truth behind River Tam's insanity; she had discovered the truth behind the Reavers, in which the Alliance had inadvertently created the first Reavers in an attempt to create peace on the planet Miranda. Malcolm Reynolds resolves to reveal this to the universe, and after a lengthy battle with the Operative, succeeds in doing so, ruining the Operative's faith in the Alliance's methods and revealing the existence of the Reavers (plus the true colors of the Alliance) to the system at large. Before he departs, the Operative tells Mal of how much trouble he had caused the Alliance (in the shooting script, he states that they had gotten multiple complaints from several worlds), and warns him that, although their regime is weakened, they will be after him in revenge.[6]
Critical analyses [ edit ]
Author Stanley C. Pelkey notes the marked influence of the Western genre on the Firefly franchise. He says that in contrast to most westerns, the central civilising force (The Alliance) is portrayed as evil. He goes on to say that little concrete evidence is given to support this, especially in the series as opposed to the movie. He notes an example where the Alliance gave medical aid to a Serenity crew member, and then let the ship go, and contrasts it with the implausibility of similar treatment being afforded to the rebels by an Imperial Star Destroyer from the Star Wars milieu.[b] Pelkey says that even in the movie with its "dark revelation", there is still some ambiguity about the Alliance's moral alignment.[7]
Whedon himself has said the Alliance sometimes represents a "beautiful shining light of democracy" but at other times reflects the American government as it was when it intervened in Vietnam, which Whedon sees as something the US had no right to do, nor any ability to do successfully.[8]
See also [ edit ]
^ Similar to the courtesy-titles for judges and elected mayors of some cities in Britain (e.g., the “ Lord Mayor of London ”). ^ Note, however, that medical aid is given Shepherd Book only after showing his ID badge to the Alliance crew, to which they react with surprise followed by deference — no other crew members received such treatment. Shepard Book receives free medical treatment for a very specific reason explained in the graphic novel The Shepherd's Tale.
References [ edit ]RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia’s defense minister said on Friday Russia was trying to stir unrest in the Baltic state by using “specially-trained, professional provocateurs” in the wake of its intervention in Ukraine.
The Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, now NATO and EU member states, were once part of the Soviet Union and have substantial Russian-speaking minorities, like Ukraine.
“There are risks that Russia might try to destabilize the situation in the region,” Raimonds Vejonis, Latvia’s defense minister, told Reuters in an interview.
“We see it very clearly in Ukraine’s case, where they have acted and are still trying to escalate the situation in different ways,” the minister added.
“They are trying to increase negative sentiment in society through certain specially-trained, professional provocateurs.”
As an example, he mentioned comments by Aleksandr Gaponenko, an activist for non-citizens’ rights in Latvia, to Norwegian television that Latvia’s government intended “to suppress protests with the power of army”.
Around 26 percent of Latvia’s 2 million people are ethnic Russians. Many do not have Latvian citizenship and so cannot vote or apply for certain public-sector jobs. Moscow has long complained about the rights of ethnic Russians in the Baltics.
“There are no direct military threats to Latvia and the Baltic region, but there is increased activity of Russia’s Armed Forces near the border,” Vejonis said.
NATO “ESSENTIAL”
He stressed that NATO’s presence in Latvia was critical, but the country also needed to develop its own military capabilities.
“Memories of Soviet times are still alive here, nobody wants those times to return. The NATO presence is essential to dispel these concerns,” Vejonis said.
NATO is temporarily boosting its presence in eastern Europe to reassure allies that NATO would protect them if they ever faced Russian aggression.
The United States has sent 600 soldiers to the Baltic countries and Poland for infantry exercises. Soldiers are expected to stay in the region until the end of the year.
It will also send more ships and planes to eastern Europe.
Latvia’s defense spending, along with several other NATO members including Lithuania, is short of the alliance’s target of 0.9 percent of GDP for 2014. It says it will gradually increase funding for the military to 2 percent of GDP by 2020.
“We see now that if there is no defense, then there are no other industries, because there is only chaos, as we can observe in Ukraine,” the minister concluded.From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were—I have not seen
As others saw—I could not bring
My passions from a common spring—
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow—I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone—
And all I lov’d—I lov’d alone—
Then—in my childhood—in the dawn
Of a most stormy life—was drawn
From ev’ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still—
From the torrent, or the fountain—
From the red cliff of the mountain—
From the sun that ’round me roll’d
In its autumn tint of gold—
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass’d me flying by—
From the thunder, and the storm—
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view—Maro Itoje (second right) captained England to victory in the 2014 World Junior Championship
RBS Six Nations: Italy v England Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Date: Sunday, 14 February Kick-off: 14:00 GMT Coverage: Live commentary on Radio 5 live, online, tablets, mobiles and BBC Sport app. Text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Highlights on BBC Two at 19:00.
Saracens forward Maro Itoje is in line to make his England debut after he was named on the bench for Sunday's Six Nations game against Italy in Rome.
The 21-year-old can play in both the second and back rows.
The starting XV shows three changes from the team that beat Scotland 15-9 last weekend.
Lock Courtney Lawes, loose-head prop Mako Vunipola and scrum-half Ben Youngs come in for Joe Launchbury, Joe Marler and Danny Care respectively.
Podcast: Six Nations week two preview
"We've made a few changes to the line-up for Italy," said head coach Eddie Jones.
"I believe this is the strongest 23 to go to Rome and get the performance and result we want.
"Mako, Ben and Courtney have been pushing hard for selection during training, but they also fit the game plan we want to implement against Italy."
This weekend's live coverage Six Nations coverage on the BBC Sat, 13 Feb (14:25) France v Ireland BBC One & Radio 5 live Sports Extra Sat, 13 Feb (16:50) Wales v Scotland BBC One and Radio 5 live Sun, 14 Feb (14:00) Italy v England ITV and Radio 5 live
Itoje joins a bench that also contains fellow former England Under-20 captain Jack Clifford, who won his first cap as a replacement against Scotland and turned 23 on Friday, and uncapped Northampton prop Paul Hill.
Head coach Jones has opted for a 6-2 split among the replacements, with the uncapped Bath back Ollie Devoto dropping out to make way for Itoje.
Care and Saracens full-back Alex Goode are the two backs on the bench.
England team to face Italy:
Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs); George Ford (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Mako Vunipola (Saracens); Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers); Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), George Kruis (Saracens); Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), James Haskell (Wasps), Billy Vunipola (vice captain, Saracens).
Replacements: Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens).Congressman Mike Simpson has been on a crusade to allow more arsenic in drinking water.
For more than a decade, the eight-term Idaho Republican has fought battle after battle to permit higher levels of the toxic chemical in small-town water supplies.
The Environmental Protection Agency requires that drinking water contain less than 10 parts per billion of arsenic—a problem for states like Idaho, where higher levels of arsenic are found naturally in the water supply thanks to higher levels in the earth’s crust.
Simpson for years has objected to EPA rules on arsenic in drinking water, arguing that it creates a burden on rural communities that are ill equipped to upgrade their water-filtering systems.
In 2004, Simpson co-sponsored the Small Community Options for Regulatory Equity Act, which would have allowed small communities to be exempt from national drinking water regulations. He reintroduced this bill in 2010. In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill that would have directed the EPA to allow higher levels of arsenic in small-town drinking water for two years. None of these bills became law.
“Communities across Idaho have struggled to meet the federal government’s arsenic standards and are often forced to make difficult, even impossible, budget decisions in order to do so,” Simpson told The Daily Beast in a statement.
This week, Simpson was in the spotlight after a Center for Public Integrity report concluded he was the representative who stalled a scientific review of arsenic at the EPA. The review was necessary for the EPA to ban herbicides containing arsenic. ”All evidence from the Center’s investigation pointed to one congressman: Mike Simpson of Idaho,” the report said.
Simpson’s office told The Daily Beast they were short-staffed this week, and could not confirm or deny that the congressman worked to stall the arsenic review.
Simpson’s explanations don’t fly with water quality advocates, who note the deleterious public health effects that could come from not removing enough arsenic from water. Arsenic cause cancer, nervous system damage, and diabetes.
“There is no safe level of exposure to a genotoxic chemical—any exposure may incur some risk because genetic errors introduced in a single cell following arsenic exposure can cascade into cancer, birth defects and developmental damage,” said Dr. Kathleen Burns, director of Sciencecorps, a network of health professionals focused on environmental and occupational health.
Burns also argues that removing arsenic is an issue of racial justice. Arsenic can also cause cardiovascular disease, which African-Americans have greater genetic susceptibility for, she said.
The question should be how to pay for water treatment in rural areas, advocates say, not to allow more toxic chemicals there due to budget restraints.
“We never, ever question that cost is an issue. But we could never concede that cost is a reason to [lower] drinking water standards,” said Lynn Thorp, a senior policy specialist at Clean Water Action.
Castleford, a community of 300 in Simpson’s district, is one example of a town the congressman might have had in mind during his campaign to exempt small towns from EPA arsenic regulations.
It had a notorious problem with the toxic chemical in the local water supply. In 2004, the levels of arsenic in its drinking water was measured at more than double the EPA’s current limit. But its low population and overall budget of about $250,000 a year meant the construction of a filtration facility would place a large financial burden on the few hundred people living there. Castleford officials even considered a lawsuit against the EPA rule.
But in the end the city found a way to comply. With the help of federal funding and nonprofits dedicated to water quality in rural areas, the treatment facility was built for about $1 million. Now the water supply meets EPA standards for arsenic.
“Our question as a society... is how do we help people comply?” Thorp said. “We don’t agree that the way to solve this problem is to interfere with science or roll back drinking water standards.”After weeks of rumors, and without an official announcement from the team, it appears that Spurs assistant coach Chad Forcier will be joining the Orlando Magic as their head assistant.
New Magic head coach Frank Vogel had reportedly been going after Forcier, a member of the Spurs coaching staff since 2007, for a few weeks. Then a bit more news surfaced this week, courtesy of Orlando Magic Daily:
The #Magic appear to have hired Chad Forcier as an assistant coach: https://t.co/ApbU9u1ehd — Orlando Magic Daily (@OMagicDaily) June 23, 2016
In this photo the #Magic released, Chad Forcier has a nameplate. Current Spurs assistant rumored to Magic: pic.twitter.com/vH7M2FRPQx — Orlando Magic Daily (@OMagicDaily) June 23, 2016
And now a source has confirmed to PtR (specifically, to our Fearless Leader J.R. Wilco) that Forcier indeed will be headed to south Florida after nine great years in San Antonio.
Forcier has been one of Popovich's top aides for some time, particularly in the area of player development. He's received a lot of credit, along with Chip Engelland, for evaluating and maximizing the talent the front office has brought in, most notably in nurturing the rise of Kawhi Leonard from mid-first-rounder to, now, MVP runner-up, and in that way the Spurs will continue to reap the benefits of his hard work for years to come.
San Antonio's coaches and executives have a history of finding success in their new endeavors, and Forcier will likely be no exception. Likewise, the Spurs front office has been terrific at restocking its staff with each exit, so I think they'll be OK, too.
If Forcier is indeed headed to Orlando, we thank him for all he's done with the Spurs and wish him all the best.The following essay is a modified version of the introductory chapter to the book Damned Facts: Fortean Essays on Religion, Folklore and the Paranormal (available now from Amazon US and Amazon UK).
Intermediatism and the Study of Religion
by Jack Hunter
Over the course of four groundbreaking books published between 1919-1932,1 Charles Hoy Fort (1874-1932) meticulously presented thousands of accounts of anomalous events that he found documented in scientific journals, newspapers and books at the New York Public Library and the British Museum. In conducting his wide-ranging textual excavations, Fort uncovered impossible numbers of extraordinary reports of fish and frogs falling from the sky, poltergeists wreaking havoc on unexpecting families, spontaneous human combustion, unidentified flying objects, levitations of people and things, mysterious disappearances, apparitions, and so on.2
All of these strange events, according to Fort, had been brushed under the carpet by mainstream science,3 indeed his books were deliberately intended as an out-and-out affront to the scientific establishment, and in particular to the idea that science has essentially ‘sorted it all out’ already. Fort was not at all convinced by this, and his collections of ‘Damned Facts,’ as he called them |
. China is currently developing a new fifth-generation fighter that is believed to have been modeled after stolen F-35 plans.
Chinese hacking often serves to boost the country's economy, as hackers steal trade secrets related to nuclear power, metal and solar product industries, and defense technology.During Tuesdays media event I was able to speak with Eiji Aonuma briefly. The topic of choice was The Wind Waker HD and he was nice enough to provide a good answer. Check out what was said after the break.
For those unaware of what the "Message in a Bottle" is that is being talked about - it is a new feature in The Wind Waker HD where players get to interact with one another by sending them a message in a bottle using Miiverse. When you post the message on Miiverse - a bottle will wash up on shore in the other players game, where they will be able to pick it up and read it. The event was really noisy so it may be hard to hear the audio in the video. A transcript has been included below for those that can not hear or understand what was said.
Austin: Where did the message in a bottle concept come from? What gave you that idea?
Aonuma: I think people are aware of the message in a bottle concept but that concept really worked well when the environment is the sea. So, it was something that I thought was natural and it really made sense as a communication device.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. -- A North Carolina man faces charges in an accident involving a tractor trailer, a fire truck and a Dinwiddie Sheriff's Office vehicle on I-85.
Police have charged Lonnie Mixter of Highpoint, NC with reckless driving after his tractor trailer struck the fire truck, causing it to hit the sheriff's deputy car and split in half.
The right lane, where the accident occurred, reopened at about 8 a.m. The left lane remained closed for cleanup until nearly 3.30 p.m.
The crash
A firefighter on scene said crews first responded to an accident involving a semi-truck at about 1:30 a.m. Police say that a fire truck and a sheriff's deputy car were blocking off the right lane on I-85 by mile marker 43 when they noticed a 2013 Volvo tractor trailer approaching and saw that it was not slowing down. The tractor trailer then struck the firetruck, causing it to hit the deputy vehicle. The tractor trailer continued on, taking out more than 200 feet of guardrail before it overturned on its left side.
The impact of the hit split the fire truck.
Officials said the driver of the tractor trailer was airlifted to VCU Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The sheriff's deputy and the fireman were transported to a local hospital in stable condition.
Traffic and detours
Traffic was being routed off of the interstate at Exit 42 to McKenney Highway to bypass the crash.
Drivers can take McKenney (Route 40) west to Boydton Plank Road (Route 1) north and get back on I-85 north at mile marker 48 or mile marker 53.
Please enable Javascript to watch this videoGood player, Tiemoue Bakayoko. Broke into the Rennes team at 19; sold to Monaco before his 20th birthday. Hasn't looked back since. That's what they do in France. They give young players a chance. For that reason, Bakayoko may go straight into the Chelsea team, at 22, if his transfer is completed.
Who else will be 22 when the season starts? Nathaniel Chalobah. No chance of him walking into the team any time soon, though. For a start Bakayoko plays in his position and costs £35.2million.
And, last season, while Bakayoko started 25 Ligue 1 matches for Monaco, plus 14 in Europe, Chalobah started one for Chelsea. With the title already won, he made the line-up against Watford on May 15.
Midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is set to join Chelsea from Monaco in a deal worth £32.5million
So, as it stands, once the deal for Bakayoko is complete, Chalobah will be pegged behind four central midfielders: N'Golo Kante, Nemanja Matic, Cesc Febregas and the new guy. For how long is up to him.
Chalobah's contract expires next summer. Chelsea say they want to talk about a new one. Yet, to what end? So they can sell him for top price at some indeterminate point of their choosing?
It surely isn't because they see him in the first team at Stamford Bridge. If that were the case, why buy a player of his age, in his position?
Now, here's the twist. What if Chalobah does a Solanke? In fact, what if all of Chelsea's young players follow that example? What if they all turn the tables and reject the club, before the club gets a chance to reject them? And, worse, what if they do it in a way that threatens the precious revenue stream?
Bakayoko's expected arrival makes the future look bleak for England's Nathaniel Chalobah
It appears it is not just the Conservative Party that has much to fear from youthful insurgence.
On May 30, it was confirmed Dominic Solanke — a striker Jose Mourinho once considered Chelsea's outstanding academy player — would join Liverpool on July 1 when his current contract expires. As Solanke is under 24 there will be compensation decided by tribunal, in the region of £3m.
It was known Solanke would leave, having rejected a new contract last season, and Antonio Conte did not give him a minute of game time.
Yet now he is free and Chelsea are frustrated. They have lost a good prospect — to a rival, no less — and also good money. And what if Solanke gives others ideas?
Chalobah, for instance. What if he now takes the signing of Bakayoko personally and decides that, 23 in December, he is running out of time to be noticed? He can let his deal run down, as Solanke did, and leave on the cheap, too.
Chalobah could follow the path of Dominic Solanke, who got fed up of his role on the bench
Maybe the club will react with annoyance and this will cost his place in the squad. But, even if he is frozen out this season, what is he actually missing? One start when it no longer matters? A few substitute appearances that lead nowhere.
Chalobah has a title-winners' medal from 2016-17, but it is not the same as the one Bakayoko got for Monaco's campaign. It marks appreciation, not involvement.
Chelsea use youth to generate money but that may change. Maybe the academy graduates will start to use them: their fantastic facilities, their excellent coaching and care, their wealth, the loan spells for experience at clubs such as Vitesse Arnhem, Bournemouth and Swansea.
Maybe they will take all of that and then, when the time comes for a first professional contract beyond the teenage years, say thank you and farewell.
Could you blame them? Could you blame any young player who decided to use rather than be used?
Solanke, pictured on loan at Vitesse Arnhem last season, has joined Liverpool on the cheap
Josh Harrop scored a lovely goal against Crystal Palace on his debut for Manchester United last season. Just 33 days later he agreed to join Preston, having rejected a contract at Old Trafford. Harrop will be 22 in December. All the club have ever done is sign players in his position. So, he has moved on. He gave United their chance; they didn't give him his. It wasn't as if that cameo had purpose.
Chelsea appear almost to have given up on the final, vital stage of youth development. Nathan Ake returned from his loan at Bournemouth with high hopes but is likely to return there this summer, permanently.
Each year a knot of young players are on the brink of breaking through but never do. John Terry needed to be the greatest defender of the Premier League era to get his chance from the Chelsea academy. He had to be not just good, not just great, but the absolute best.
And would it happen now? We'd like to think so, but possibly not. If Terry was 22 today he'd be mad to sign his Chelsea contract; like Solanke, like Chalobah.
Highly rated youngster Josh Harrop is another to have swapped the top level for lower league
More boys of the Parish? Don't bet on it
Steve Parish, the Crystal Palace chairman, said Brexit could bring a sea of change to English football. He cited Premier League rules stating eight of the 25-man squad had to be homegrown. As it stands, this includes youngsters who come from European Union countries, but do not qualify to play for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales.
'Because of Brexit, in theory that will change,' said Parish. 'We'll be able to have a rule that says five or six of the eight have got to be English and the rest from the home countries. It's a fantastic opportunity.'
Actually, this opportunity always existed. There is nothing to stop Palace, or any other club, putting local talent first — just as Bayern Munich have always prioritised young German players and Barcelona's youth group is predominantly from Spain. EU rules don't make it compulsory to scout talent on the continent; they merely afford that option. So, with the Brexit negotiations beginning, how did Palace greet this impending independence? They will appoint a Dutch manager, Frank de Boer.
It's words, people. That's all it ever is. Just words.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said Brexit could bring a sea of change to English football
Downside to the technology revolution
Even in its earliest stages, one of the big problems with video technology in football is coming to the fore. Its impact on the spectacle is largely negative, because it will chalk off many more goals than it will add on.
Basically, unless the ball goes into the net, and is wrongly disallowed — a rare occurrence — the video assistant referee cannot add to the scoreline.
Say the striker has broken away and is flagged offside. If the play stops, which it will, the VAR is then redundant. He cannot recreate that attack even if, plainly, the linesman has got it wrong. The whistle has been blown, the moment lost.
Yet if a goal is scored, the play has also stopped, and there is now time to analyse every aspect of the build-up.
At the Confederations Cup, Portugal's Nani had a goal disallowed for an offside that occurred much earlier in the move. There was no flag around the goal itself. So, yes, justice was done.
But say an incorrect offside is given halfway up the field. There is no way the VAR can put that play back together to create a goalscoring opportunity. The balance is skewed to the negative.
Nani had a goal disallowed at the Confederations Cup for an offside that had occurred earlier
Equally, it depends on the specific question being asked of the VAR. Rugby referees sometimes say: 'Is there any reason I cannot award this try?' That's too vague. How far do we wind back? There could be an infringement in a previous phase of play. It would be the same in football.
Asking if the scorer was offside is markedly different to seeking a reason the goal cannot be given. There might have been a minor foul on the halfway line, 45 seconds earlier.
So yes, we'll get greater accuracy; but it will become frustrating if excitement and entertainment levels start to fall because goals get scrapped over petty infringements long passed. Particularly as, unlike rugby, cricket and tennis, football has an obstructive aversion to informing those inside the stadium. Fans are not allowed to listen in on the officials' conversations, so do not even know what is up for discussion. There is confusion off the field as well as on it.
Considering the time football's rulemakers spent poring over the VAR system, it seems ludicrous that some very obvious nuances, complications and weaknesses were not foreseen. What else did they have to think about?
There have already been some complications with football's new video assistant technology
Sell, sell, sell! The Saints way
As expected, Mauricio Pellegrino is the new manager of Southampton.
'He has an excellent understanding of the "Southampton Way",' said vice-chairman Les Reed. 'His style of play and aspiration matches the philosophy, culture and ambition of the club. He knows our players and believes we have a great squad that with some fine-tuning will be able to deliver continued success.'
Continued what? Southampton's success is largely financial. They haven't won anything since 1976. They have made it into Europe three times since 1985. They haven't progressed beyond the group stage or first round of a European competition since 1982.
Last season's EFL Cup run was their first domestic final since 2003. They have had a decent team for a number of years, but are not successful by recognisable sporting standards because they sell their best players.
So, they can't have it all ways. They can't duck the responsibility of genuinely aiming for a major trophy, then pretend that eighth place is success. Leicester won the Premier League with half the squad that Southampton could have had with a little more ambition.
Mauricio Pellegrino has an 'excellent understanding of the "Southampton way"', says Les Reed
If there is a 'Southampton Way' it involves a fine academy that generates revenue and helps maintain an upper mid-table position.
It is, indisputably, a very well-run club. But that's all it is. In the modern game, there are plenty of clubs that survive in the Premier League. Stoke, Swansea and West Brom have all been in the top division longer than Southampton. Are they considered successful, too?
Let's see. Swansea won the League Cup in 2013 and have gone further than Southampton in Europe, while Stoke have reached as many domestic finals this decade and got to the Europa League's last 32. One could argue they're more successful.
Claude Puel having been dumped because his football was deemed dull, Pellegrino already has a difficult job emulating last season's League position, while upping entertainment levels. He may also find out more about the 'Southampton Way' if a better offer comes in for Virgil van Dijk.
Pellegrino may find out about the 'Southampton way' if a big offer comes in for Virgil van Dijk
It is hardly a surprise that FIFA are now investigating whether Russia's 2014 World Cup squad were part of a state-controlled doping programme. As just about every sport was in on it, the more logical question surely is: why wouldn't they be?
Twelve years on, the consequence of the infamous spear tackle on Brian O'Driscoll in the first Test of the 2005 Lions tour still rankles.
O'Driscoll, captain and a talismanic figure, lasted 75 seconds before being planted into the ground like a tent peg by All Blacks Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu.
Referee Joel Jutge took no action. O'Driscoll took no further part in the tour. More than a decade on, Jutge has finally admitted his mistake.
'It should have at least been one red card,' he said. 'Maybe two. We didn't see it so didn't sanction it. When I reviewed it at the hotel, I was very unhappy. We don't care what the crowd think. If we have to give a red card, even if it's against an All Black in New Zealand, we give a red card.' No they don't. That's never happened. Only two All Black players have ever been sent off, both away from home and it's almost 50 years since the last one.
Referee Joel Jutge has finally admitted his mistake in the first Test of the 2005 Lions tour
Cyril Brownlie was first, against England in 1925, followed by Colin Meads against Scotland in 1967.
There were no cards back then, so Meads was asked to depart. Irish No 8 Willie Duggan and Geoff Wheel of Wales were the first to be sent off in a Five Nations game, after a fight in Cardiff in 1977.
According to Duggan's team-mate, the late Moss Keane: 'Duggan always maintained he was never sent off. He said the referee came towards him and asked if he would mind leaving the field. And Duggan says: "Sure not at all, I was bolloxed anyway".'
Those were the days.When strolling through a museum or reading scholarly works, we rarely question the history lessons as they're presented. But Janet Stephens, a hair archeologist (yes, that's her job), made her greatest discovery by questioning a simple fact about ancient Roman hair that everyone had thought to be true. All it took was one encounter with an ancient Roman portrait bust.
Stephens, a hairdresser based in Baltimore, took a trip to the Walters Art Museum back in 2001 and learned about the intricate hairdos worn by Vestal Virgins so she could duplicate them herself. But she ended up delving further into the fashion and art history books than she'd anticipated. Four years later, Stephens made a phenomenal discovery that she says "essentially changed the field of classical hair studies."
While reading Roman literature, she stumbled across the term "acus" which has been translated to "hairpin." But Stephens' experience with embroidery sparked the theory that these ancient hairdos were actually created using a needle and thread -- which was pretty convincing. Her findings were published in the 2008 edition of the Journal of Roman Archaeology.
"That quote everyone was referencing for centuries, but no one took it literally until I came along," she said. "Maybe that was the naivety in me."
When she's not cutting, coloring and highlighting at Studio 921 Salon and Day Spa in Baltimore, Stephens is practicing what she preaches by recreating ancient Roman hairstyles at home. Her YouTube channel includes tutorials featuring background on the women who wore these intricate hairdos, insight on their hair textures, the types of styling tools used and how they'd maintain these looks.
Keep reading below.
Ancient Roman Hairstyles SEE GALLERY
Stephens told us that she has no shame when approaching people with "cool hair." The long-haired ladies in her videos include salon co-workers, college students and someone she met in the fabric store. "Wherever I can find hair that is suitable for the work, I ask them to come model for me," she said. "Frankly, I prefer hair that's little abused, longer than it should be and doesn't possess a strong cut."
According to the "hair archaeologist," the majority of ancient Roman hairstyles were designed to work on hair that was never formally cut. And while there were periods where they did cut the front of the hair, Stephens' research shows that the back was pretty much allowed to grow to its full length. (Though these days, it's very difficult to find a woman who hasn't chopped her locks.)
Besides finding someone with really long hair, one of Stephens' greatest challenges as a hairdresser is actually finding enough published views of the ancient Roman hairstyles. "The history of works and museum displays prefers the facial view," she explained. "When you're encountering the hairstyle as a stylist, you need to see the back or a profile."
Stephens has also managed to translate these skills into modern styling. She's used some of the stitching in bridal hairdos, but on one condition. "The challenge in sewing the hair up is taking it down afterwards,' she said. "If a bride can't come back to me after her wedding night for me to take down, I won't put a lot of stitching in it because the groom may not be able to help her."
She adds, "The whole look was predicated in ancient Rome essentially with the acceptance of slavery -- you had to have somebody you could call on to take your hair down. We forget how very few reflective surfaces existed back then. There were no windows, and a bowl of water was used by most people to see how they actually looked.If they had a mirror it was only a couple of diameters in maximum."
Stephen also gave a male client, who discovered her via her YouTube channel, the Augustus Caesar haircut. "I used modern tools because that's what I use in the salon. And he actually had the right type of hair texture for the look," she said.
However, there is one hairdo that she's still working tirelessly to perfect: the Hadrianic. "I call it the beehive but some people call it the turban. There's something about that hairstyle that is defying me," said Stephens. "It's like a stack of braids that spiral around the head, but they don't hug tightly. They start to flare out a bit like a hat. And I'm having real trouble getting that flare to happen."An advanced robot with a unique human-like hand is working with astronauts on board the International Space Station, thanks to revolutionary technology developed by a project team headed by Myron Diftler.
Diftler, an aerospace engineer at NASA, used his engineering and technical know-how to help his team strategize, troubleshoot problems and find innovative ways to build Robonaut2, the first-ever humanoid robot in space.
Robonaut2, developed by NASA and General Motors, not only has advanced robotics to assist astronauts in space, but has the potential to revolutionize work in the automobile industry, as well as contribute to developing prosthetic devices for people with disabilities here on earth. There are 16 patents awarded or in process on the robotic hand alone, which Diftler started working on 15 years ago as part of NASA’s first foray into humanoid robotics.
This second-generation robot astronaut, R2 for short, can work safely with people, a huge advance in robotics. High-energy robots have caused injuries to their flesh-and-blood coworkers in the past, and it’s expensive to install the safety measures that wall off and restrict mechanical workers to their own separate areas.
“R2 is still in its early stages, but to have a humanoid robot that can work alongside humans and perform tasks traditionally performed by humans is an incredible advancement,” Diftler said.
R2 can wiggle its fingers, lift weights, feel contact forces and shake hands with people. More importantly, hands are essential for the efficient use of human tools and devices, such as the latches, knobs and handles found on the space station. The hands are connected to skin covered arms that have multiple levels of force control to ensure safe and comfortable interaction with astronauts.
Diftler took the innovative approach of building safety into the design and development of the robots from the beginning, under a vision that was “antithetical” to what most in the robotics world were doing, according to Michael Ryschkewitsch, NASA’s chief engineer.
Although NASA has been working on humanoid robotics for more than a decade, the first R2 prototypes weren’t specifically designed to work in space.
Diftler and his team were asked in 2010 to be ready to put a robot on the space station in six months, when it normally takes three to four years to build such a complex piece of hardware and certify it.
This required testing deficiencies and dismantling the robot while new parts were designed and built to survive the radiation environment on the space station, and then reassembling the robot meticulously so it was ready for the rigors of launch. They managed to successfully redesign and fabricate replacement parts, certify the robot in record time and launch it with the astronauts in February 2011. That allowed R2 to show off in space, signing, “Hello World,” in American Sign Language, thanks to the dexterous limbs and state-of-the-art processers.
“When faced with very aggressive timelines, Dr. Diftler’s team rose to the occasion,” said Ryschkewitsch. “These guys carried through with their strategy to build a robot from the ground up that can work with humans.”
NASA hopes that the R2 units can take over repetitious, dull or ergonomically challenging tasks astronauts have to do in space. With only six crew members on the space station, R2 can be an extra “body” in space that will allow crew members more time to conduct vital scientific research.
“There are many tasks that can be more efficiently offloaded to robots,” Diftler said. “In space, there’s a lot of set-up before the task is actually started and a lot of teardown after the task is done, particularly on the space station. If a robot can perform that task, it allows a crew person to spend more time doing the things only a crew person can do.”
There are four R2’s, although the other three have been terrestrial robots so far.
Despite funding issues, the project advanced as far as it did because Diftler not only was technically astute at the engineering aspect, but also is an expert at managing a team with diverse skills. The results of Diftler’s work will have long-lasting value. “What Ron and his team have accomplished is truly compelling and is changing the world of robotics,” said Stephen Altemus, director at NASA’s Engineering Directorate.
This article was jointly prepared by the Partnership for Public Service, a group seeking to enhance the performance of the federal government, and washingtonpost.com. Go to www.servicetoamericamedals.org/nominate to nominate a federal employee for a Service to America Medal and http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/fedpage/players/ to read about other federal workers who are making a difference.There is no justice in following unjust laws. It’s time to come into the light and, in the grand tradition of civil disobedience, declare our opposition to this private theft of public culture.
~Aaron Swartz (1986–2013)
… open-access publishing is a brilliant way around the failure of academic and trade publishers to fend off corporatization and the consequent loss of quality (such as the ever-intensifying limits on page-length and reference apparatus) and even corruption. Open-access publishing also helps us to resist growing administrative and corporate attempts to interfere with academic intellectual property rights (… academics, unlike journalists, do not “work for hire,” and therefore legally retain the right to publish their own material as they choose)—unless, as so many scientists have done, we sign away said rights on behalf of the corporations funding our research. When taxpayer money is also used in such projects, the “public” university becomes yet another covert means of transferring wealth from taxpayers to private corporations. Openness cannot guarantee fairness (only because nothing can), but in these days of plummeting transparency, it seems both strategic and joyous to embrace it. Share what you know.
~L.O. Aranye Fradenburg, Staying Alive: A Survival Manual for the Liberal Arts
*UPDATE // 23 June 2016: Sean B. Palmer, the executor of Aaron Swartz’s estate, after securing the approval of Swartz’s circle of family and closest associates, and as a direct result of the gentle urging of staff and friends of both punctum books and Discovery Publishing, has appended to Aaron Swartz’s archived writings this notification — “Original articles on this site are CC BY-NC-SA licensed unless otherwise stated.” Palmer has also indicated in our correspondence with him that he will also be adding “a universal waiver allowing specific charitable commercial use” in the near future, once he works out the wording with legal counsel. We thus offer a huge THANK YOU to Sean B. Palmer and the friends and family of Aaron Swartz for this humane and forward-looking decision, and to all of YOU who supported punctum’s petition. Thanks also go out to Carl Straumsheim at Inside Higher Ed, the only reporter who cared enough to cover the story. The New Press and Verso Books UK never responded to our letter.
*NOTE // As of 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time on 25 April 2016 at West Campus Beach, Santa Barbara, California, this Open Letter has been closed for signatures. However, the Letter will remain permanently archived here and will always remain open for further comments. You might be interested to also read Inside Higher Ed’s coverage of this letter HERE, and Steven Berliner’s blog post “What’s Wrong with the Aaron Swartz Book” HERE.
25 April 2016
Dear Verso Books (UK) and The New Press,
On March 31st, Eileen A. Joy, punctum books’s Founding Director, posted on Facebook a meditation on Aaron Swartz and his legacy, vis-à-vis Verso’s blog announcement on that same day, “Pssst! Downloading Isn’t Stealing [for today],” that they were giving away for free for a limited amount of time the e-book edition of Aaron Swartz’s posthumously published writings, The Boy Who Could Change the World. We will share here what she wrote that day on her personal Facebook page —
I am thinking a lot about Aaron Swartz today, thanks to the fact that Verso has recently published a collection of his writings titled The Boy who Could Change the World. After “illegally” downloading thousands and thousands of MIT’s shuttered journals holdings (with a laptop hidden in a janitor’s closet) and making them freely available, and facing 35 years of jail time as a result of overly aggressive federal and university lawyers, Aaron committed suicide at the age of 26. The legacy he left behind at such a young age is breathtakingly immense — for starters, he helped to develop Reddit and with his mentor, Lawrence Lessig, he helped to create our Creative Commons. But some lessons never get learned. Today, there are three ongoing lawsuits against the founders of three open, online academic libraries — LibGen, SciHub, and aaaaarg — all of whom are vulnerably precarious in terms of their insecure employment (such as Sean Dockray, who while a graduate student founded aaaaarg as well as The Public School in Los Angeles). These three libraries were all founded to provide access to published academic work (books and journal articles) to vast numbers of people throughout the world with no access to institutional libraries but who are students and scholars nevertheless and who, without this access, would not be able to further their knowledge or careers. At the same time, publishers such as Elsevier, Informa/Taylor&Francis, and the recently merged Holtzbrinck-Macmillan-Palgrave-Nature Publishing Group-Springer, thanks to their bloated profit margins depending upon obscene subscription “packages” and “bundles” being forced down university libraries’ throats, have brought about a state of affairs whereby librarians within the University of California system, for example, must choose between books or journals. They can no longer afford both and some are calling 2016–2017 “ground zero” for the academic monograph as a result…. I am someone who, because I no longer have an official university job, can no longer access any university library holdings. Therefore, while working on an essay with Jeff Butcher about the Academic Jobs Wiki, I “illegally” downloaded an article by Lauren Berlant (“Cruel Optimism”) and a book by Marc Bousquet (How the University Works). If I had Swartz’s skills, I would hack into every journals database in the world and give it all away to everyone. I consider it an ethical imperative that more of us within the so-called Radical Open Access movement should work harder to make such a state of affairs as Aaron dreamed a reality (and a revolution is brewing thanks to selfless and heroic academics such as Martin Eve, who created, with Caroline Edwards, the Open Library of Humanities, or the folk behind Open Humanities Press, and even punctum books — shameless plug — and so on). It might require walking away from corporate publishers, resigning our positions as editors of journals published by corporate publishers, and taking our work elsewhere under different names (because corporate publishers take 100% of our copyright away from us — even the names of journals we dream up in the middle of the night belong to them). It might mean some of us resigning our academic positions or not pursuing traditional academic jobs, post-PhD, in order to devote all of our energies to building new platforms for more open and more creatively contoured dissemination of our research and writings. It might mean “turning pirate.” It might mean breaking the law, where the “law,” as Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us, is unjust. The “laws” of academic publishing, even within university presses, are becoming more and more untenable and unlivable for those of us who believe in the Public University and the ways in which that University contributes, as Aranye Fradenburg has written about so movingly (in her book Staying Alive: A Survival Manual for the Liberal Arts), to eudaimonia (in the Greek, the “good demon, or good spirit, within ourselves”), or more plainly, to our thriving and flourishing. The Public University, and all of its work and ideas, must be Open to All. Where it is not, and under the aegis of the Techno-Managerial Neoliberal University (as illustrated so well at Chris Newfield and Michael Meranze’s Remaking the University weblog), we have a moral obligation to steal back our own work and to make it freely available to everyone. Where the State, or the Nation, or the University Administrators, fail us in this endeavour, we must do it ourselves. There is no other way.
When Eileen went to download the book herself several days later, she noticed two things that bothered her:
1) that the book was not available for free download in North America, and
2) that the period for accessing the download was over and she had somehow missed the language on Verso’s blog post explaining that the giveaway was for one day only.
FIRST, it is disconcerting that the writings of one of Open Access’s fiercest advocates (who also committed suicide while under federal indictment for downloading a large number of academic journal articles from the JSTOR library) should be under any sort of interdiction at all, as regards their mobility, in whatever form, derivative or otherwise. Granted, the majority of the writings of Aaron’s compiled in these particular volumes (print and digital) are freely available via Aaron’s own weblog archives, and both of you may only be asserting your so-called “rights” over your uniquely edited and designed derivative versions of those writings (but please also see our fourth concern below, since it is possible that The New Press is also claiming “exclusive” rights over Aaron’s entire corpus of writings, or some portion thereof). Nevertheless, it is really dismaying to see Verso in particular run a blog campaign for this book that implies anyone downloading the Verso e-book for “free” after your one-day “giveaway” is “stealing,” especially since “Downloading Isn’t Stealing” is a direct nod to the title of a 2004 op-ed by Swartz, in which he wrote, “Even if downloading did hurt sales, that doesn’t make it unethical….We live in a democracy. If the people want to share files then the law should be changed to let them.” This is all further exacerbated, ironically, by the fact that one of the chapters in the book is Aaron’s “Guerrilla Open Access Manifesto,” which the FBI used against Aaron in their ongoing case against him. Verso’s ad campaign was therefore in horribly bad taste at best and not at all in keeping with the spirit of Aaron’s own writings at worst.
SECOND, by applying copyrights to the derivative editions that ostensibly reserve “all rights” to the publishers and which also assert the “moral rights of the author” (more on which below), and by also cordoning off certain “regions” (sales and distribution-wise), both of you have decided not to honor the stipulation of the one Creative Commons license that Aaron himself seemed to have preferred (because it is the only one he ever appended to one of his own writings) — CC BY-NC-SA — which allows others to “remix, tweak, and build upon” work non-commercially, “as long as they credit [the original author] and license their new creations under the identical terms.” While you may have sought, and been granted, “permission” to republish Aaron’s writings from the “virtual executor” of his corpus, Sean B. Palmer, that does not obviate Aaron’s own wishes, as much as you can glean of those from his own testimony (which is copious throughout the volume itself, especially in the first section, titled “Free Culture,” and also on his blog, Raw Thought).
THIRD, e-books sold by Verso (delivered to purchasers as EPUB or MOBI files) come with this caveat: “Ebooks from the Verso website are watermarked and DRM-free, and will work on any of your devices — but they can’t be uploaded to websites or file-sharing networks.” Of course, the e-book actually is available on file-sharing sites such as Library Genesis (LibGen), in both EPUB and MOBI versions that can be easily downloaded for free, but according to Verso’s own more fully detailed “terms and conditions,”
Verso ebooks are free of Digital Rights Management (DRM-free), but are subject to the terms of this license. You own the file once you’ve downloaded it, and you can use it on any of your devices in perpetuity. It has visible and invisible watermarks, applied by Booxtream, which contain your name and email address. You are prohibited from uploading Verso ebooks to any website or file-sharing network, or in any other way making them available for distribution, sharing, copying, downloading, or reselling. Royalties from every sale will be paid to the author: if you’re reading someone else’s copy, then please buy your own license from Verso Books.
And what is really discomfiting about this watermark is that it “tags” each purchased e-book edition with a name + email address that can be used later to penalize (or prosecute) a reader-purchaser who may later upload the e-book file to a file-sharing service such as LibGen or aaaaarg. At the very least, Verso should remove this watermark from their edition of Aaron’s writings as it calls to mind, again, the federal lawsuit that threatened to put Aaron behind bars for a minimum of 35 years for “illegally” downloading JSTOR database files. Further, there is something called “the moral rights of authors” and because one of you, Verso, actually invokes them on the Copyright page in the e-book edition, we can only ask: Who is the “author” here? Is that not Aaron Swartz? Would Aaron believe his “moral rights” had been violated because copies of the e-book had been uploaded to file-sharing sites? Would he have appreciated his work being watermarked in this manner? This is doubtful in the extreme.
FOURTH, further digging has revealed to |
encourage future supply”. That’s a frequent argument for America’s rent-dripping system of health care finance, for example. But, even if we concede that the availability of high producer surplus does incentivize innovation in health care, that provides us with absolutely no reason to think that existing supply and demand curves (which emerge from a crazy patchwork of institutional factors) equilibrate to make the correct short- and long-term tradeoffs. Maybe we are paying too little! Our great grandchildren’s wings and gills and immortality hang in the balance! Often it is simply incorrect to posit long-term price elasticity masked by short-term tight supply. The New Urbanists are heartbroken that, in fact, the supply of housing in coveted locations seems not to be price elastic, in the short-term or long. Their preferred solution is to cling manfully to price rationing but alter the institutions beneath housing markets in hope that they might be made price elastic. An alternative solution would be to concede the actual inelasticity and just impose price controls.
But… but… but… If we don’t “let markets clear”, if we don’t let prices ration access to supply, won’t we have day-long Soviet meat lines? If the alternative to price-rationing automobile lanes creates traffic jams and pollution and accidents, isn’t price-rationing superior because it avoids those costs, which are in excess of mere lack of access to the goods being rationed? Avoiding unnecessary costs occasioned by alternative forms of rationing is undoubtedly a good thing. But bearing those costs may be welfare-superior to bearing the costs of market allocation under severe inequality. There is a lot of not-irrataional nostalgia among the poor in post-Communist countries for lives that included long queues. And there are lots of choices besides “whatever price the market bears” and allocation by waiting in line all day. Ration coupons, for example, are issued during wartime precisely because the welfare cost of letting the rich bid up prices while the poor starve are too obvious to be ignored. Under sufficiently high levels of inequality, rationing scarce goods by lottery may be superior in welfare terms to market allocation.
The point of this essay is not, however, to make the case for nonmarket allocation mechanisms. There are lots of things to like about letting the market-clearing price allocate goods and services. Market allocations arise from a decentralized process that feels “natural” (even though in a deep sense it is not), which renders the allocations less likely to be contested by welfare-destructive political conflict or even violence. It is not market-clearing I wish to savage here, but the inequality that renders the mechanism welfare-destructive and therefore unsustainable. Under near equality, market allocation can indeed be celebrated as (nearly) efficient in welfare terms. However, if reliance on market processes yields the macroeconomic outcome of severe inequality, the microeconomic foundations of market allocation are destroyed. Chalk this one up as a “contradiction of capitalism”. If you favor the microeconomic genius of market allocation, you must support macroeconomic intervention to ensure a distribution sufficiently equal that the mismatch between “surplus” and “welfare” is modest, or see the balance tilt towards alternative mechanisms. Inequality may be generated by capitalism, like pollution. Like pollution, inequality may be necessary correlate of important and valuable processes, and so should be tolerated to a degree. But like pollution, inequality without bound is inconsistent with the efficient functioning of free markets. If you are a lover of markets, you ought wish to limit inequality in order to preserve markets.
Related — here Welfare economics seriesAs the term “pro-choice” — and those who support it — suggests, a woman has the right to choose what to do — or not do — with her body.
Setting aside legal and/or moral arguments as to the claim, someone who no longer has “the right to choose” whether or not to support abortion rights is any Democrat running for office who expects support from the Democratic National Committee.
On Friday, as the Huffington Post reported, DNC chairman Tony Perez declared that “every candidate who runs as a Democrat” should “fight to protect a woman’s right to choose.”
“Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman’s right to make her own choices about her body and her health. That is not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state. At a time when women’s rights are under assault from the White House, the Republican Congress, and in states across the country, we must speak up for this principle as loudly as ever and with one voice.”
Perez’s statement comes in the wake of controversy within the party and abortion rights advocacy groups over the DNC’s support of Omaha, Nebraska, mayoral candidate Heath Mello during the Democrat “unity tour” last week.
As Politico reported, Mello sponsored a 2009 state senate bill requiring women be informed of their right to request an ultrasound prior to obtaining an abortion.
Mello told HuffPo on Thursday that “while [his] faith guides [his] personal views, as mayor [he] would never do anything to restrict access to reproductive health care.”
NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League) Pro-Choice America revoked it endorsement of Mello earlier in the week after learning of his beliefs and sponsorship of the 2009 legislation. President Ilyse Hogue blasted both Mello and the DNC in a Thursday statement.
“The actions today by the DNC to embrace and support a candidate for office who will strip women — one of the most critical constituencies for the party — of our basic rights and freedom is not only disappointing, it is politically stupid.”
In the statement, released prior to the “unity tour” stop in Omaha, Hogue called out Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — also part of the tour — in addition to Perez and the DNC.
Perez said he “fundamentally disagree[s] with Heath Mello’s personal beliefs about women’s reproductive health,” adding that “every candidate who runs as a Democrat should do the same, because every woman should be able to make her own health choices. Period.”
Following Perez’s statement, Hogue lauded Perez and the DNC:
“Kudos to Chair Tom Perez and the DNC for recognizing that we are a stronger party when we stand for our core values. Women across the country who are, and have always been, the heart and soul of the party, are breathing a sigh of relief to know that the DNC has our backs, and we look forward to a day when we don’t have to fight this fight again.”
Big-tent party?
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, an anti-abortion Democrat, said during the 2016 Democratic National Convention that “it’s hard to remain a big-tent party if you have a very small platform. We have to make our voices heard.”
That is, as Perez sees it, unless you expect support from the Democratic National Committee.Emergency Preparedness Tips for Businesses
If an emergency could impact employees, customers or the workplace itself, do you have a plan for how business operations might continue?
According to a 2010 study by Forrester Research, 7% of businesses did not have plans to develop a formal business continuity plan in the event of disaster, although 14% of businesses had plans to develop a plan within six to 12 months.
Ensuring you have a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan in place is key. It requires plenty of preparation before problems occur, the right response while facing those problems, recover procedures to address damage and mitigation strategies to reduce damage from the next disaster. It doesn’t even have to be an earthquake or large-scale power outage to have drastic consequences. Small challenges such as burst pipes and fires can create significant work stoppages. Many internal emergencies should be preventable.
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Unfortunately, 90% of business can fail within a year if operations shut down for five days or more. Following an emergency preparedness plan will not only protect employees and infrastructure, but it also should mitigate damage. Read on to learn the top emergency preparedness tips.
What Types of Disasters Can Affect Your Business?
You should know your region and the types of disasters likely to impact your business. Business emergencies take many forms and can often be completely unexpected. Depending on the location of your business, however, some potential emergencies are much more likely than others.
Possible emergencies that impact all businesses include:
Fires and explosions. Fires and explosions occur in approximately 70,000 American businesses. Even everyday products can present fire hazards under certain conditions.
Severe weather such as extreme temperatures, hurricanes and tornadoes. Keep in mind that roughly 1,200 tornadoes occur every year in the United States.
Local disasters such as earthquakes and flooding. There’s a possibility of quakes in most states.
Chemical releases and spills, which may require the use of protective clothing, gloves and goggles.
Medical emergencies
Terroristic acts
Cyber attacks
Flu pandemics
Equipment failure and power outages
Before You Create Your Disaster Preparedness Plan for Business
In addition to knowing the possible emergencies that could occur in your area, you should also:
Review your area’s history —Review a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) from a local emergency management agency to determine what emergencies have occurred in the past.
Consider your building and location —Consider your facility’s physical capacity to withstand damage and proximity to hazards such as seismic faults, hazardous materials, nuclear power plants, flood plains and dams.
Know your Achilles’ heel — Are there particular dangers that could be particularly damaging to your business? What are critical operations, and how might they be impacted? What if electrical power gets interrupted for an extended period? Or, what if a piece of vital equipment breaks down when the business is busy?
Understand your insurance coverage — Consult with insurance companies to ensure you have proper coverage for disasters likely to impact your business, including liability and property insurance. Take notice of what the policy covers and what it excludes, considering any and all deductibles limiting coverage for a loss. Be sure to keep business insurance coverage up to date and address any coverage gaps. Get flood insurance if your business is located in a potential flood zone and ensure that computer equipment and data are covered under a policy. Business interruption insurance will cover costs necessary to ensure the business survives. Don’t wait to check your insurance coverage when disaster strikes.
Document valuable business assets — It’s wise to take an inventory of valuable business assets before anything gets damages, including make, model, serial number and purchase price. Taking photos of equipment can help verify their condition before a disaster occurs. Getting a business valuation could mean getting paid more when disaster strikes, since it makes it easier for insurers to make more accurate determinations of loss. Don’t wait until you’re close to selling a business to get a valuation report.
Who Should Your Emergency Plan Cover?
When designing an emergency plan, you should address the needs of your:
Employees — This requires an examination of chain of command, leave policies, sick-day policies and communication infrastructure. Be sure to have contact numbers for all employees and keep that information up-to-date.
Vendors and suppliers — Keep contact numbers for vendors on hand and consider plans for any disruption in product distribution. Also, consider recommending disaster preparedness measures to vendors since a disaster shutting down a key supplier can be devastating to your business.
Customers or clients — Keep contact numbers for customers on hand and ensure there’s a plan in place for any interruption in service.
What You Need to Include in Your Disaster Preparedness Plan for Business
An effective plan includes:
A designated leadership structure — During emergency situations, you need a clear chain of command. This involves determining key individuals, their emergency roles along with skills. A large company may need a more extensive emergency management organization to coordinate evacuations.
A warning system — You need to be able to communicate with employees during an emergency. How would you let employees know an emergency has occurred? If you have a building has a PA system, create a plan to utilize it. If no PA system exists, consider installing one or an alert siren.
Exit maps — Your employees need to know how to safely exit your building. Maps should clearly mark critical utility and emergency routes. Make it easy for people to locate stairways, exits, fire escapes, fire extinguishers, hazardous material, restricted areas, fire hydrants, utility valves and utility shutoffs.
Considerations for those with special needs —Your plan should address the needs of anyone with disabilities or medical conditions. This may require first identifying co-workers with special needs and also engaging them in emergency planning.
Communication — You will need to communicate with employees, families and the media during and after an emergency. Keep in mind that ordinary communications may be disrupted during an emergency. Having a place to assemble becomes important when communications are down.
A place for employees to assemble — After evacuation, your employees should know where to meet and have shelter during extreme weather. Evacuation coordinators can account for all employees, visitors and customers using a roster or checklist.
First-aid procedures — Your plan should cover how to address internal medical emergencies. You should educate employees on where to locate medical supplies and training them on basic medical care, such as CPR. Consider having at least one medically trained employee per department.
Equipment and supplies — You should identify what may be useful during an emergency, as well as the names of people who you can call for repairs. You should keep a stock of basic repair items, as well as create relationships with repair companies so you know you’re covered.
A list of people and resources — Establish an emergency number so employees can check in after an emergency. A good way to go about this is to have department members check in with their immediate supervisors and then have supervisors report to one central person.
Emergency drills — At least once a year, make sure employees know what to do in the event of an emergency. This will also help test the effectiveness of existing procedures to determine if changes are needed.
How to Create a Business Continuity Plan
A business continuity plan, also called a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), is key to proper emergency preparedness for businesses. It should help keep the business operating while experiencing an emergency or disaster and while recovering from an emergency. Your COOP should:
Designate employees to develop the plan — Involve co-workers from all levels, including managers and employees with technical skills, to comprise an emergency management team. Ensure that people understand individual responsibilities and there are others who can assist as backup.
Determine activation procedures — You should know when to activate your COOP. Determine if different procedures are needed for different business locations.
Identify essential business functions — Ensure you have the staff to carry out these functions.
Establish procedures with suppliers and vendors — For those critical to daily operations, your plan should cover what to do in the event of an emergency.
Identify a location to continue conducting business if the facility is inaccessible. Can work be conducted from an alternate location or home? Since it can take weeks to restore a facility after a disaster, it helps to consider alternatives facilities to house the business. Identify records that must be accessible to perform essential functions and ensure you can continue meeting payroll. Determine what equipment or supplies are needed to ensure business continuity. Stock up on spare parts to expedite repairs.
Protect vital equipment — The plan should outline what needs to be done to protect business-critical equipment. Protect systems such as computers and telephones from failure and attack. Uninterruptible power systems and surge protectors should be installed on key circuits. You also should ensure you’re installing antivirus software and firewalls, as well as updating system protection regularly.
Set up an electronic backup system — Your plan should cover how to protect vital business records, ensuring arrangements are made for offsite storage or placing items in a fire safe. While many companies now use the Cloud for storage, a physical location is also helpful in case an online system isn’t accessible. You should consider backing up tax returns, bank statements, financial statements, accounting records, insurance policies, employee contracts, site maps, asset records and records of corporate meetings. Don’t forget to create backups regularly and store them in another secure location.
Maintain an updated list of vendors and customers — You need to know who to notify of any interruptions in work.
We Have a Plan — Now What?
To ensure successful response in the event of an emergency, you need to:
Train employees — It’s important that employees understand the types of emergencies that can occur and know what to do when they do. Community organizations can help employees acquire preparedness training. Employees should be responsible for the knowing their role during a disaster and being aware of evacuation procedures.
Practice your plan — It’s extremely important to conduct regular evacuation drills as well as COOP activation, shelter-in-place procedures and medical emergency responses. This will ensure that employees know what to do when emergencies arise.
Steps You Need to Take Now
When it comes to protecting your business and employees, you need to:
Identify a planning committee or first aid team —These individuals will help design an effective emergency plan.
Obtain necessary safety equipment such as disaster preparedness equipment — You should gather items needed for emergency preparedness. The top 10 emergency preparedness items include first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) and shelter-in-place supplies such as sanitation supplies, portable battery-powered radios (e.g. NOAA weather radios), blankets, dust masks, work gloves and emergency food and water. Safety latches can secure cabinets, and fasteners can secure bookcases to walls. Hook-and-loop fasteners can be used to keep more valuable items such as computers from falling.
Ensure emergency backup power and lighting — Portable battery backup should permit the limited use of equipment during loss of electric power. Additionally, you should consider having portable light towers ready to ensure lighting needs are covered.
Take precautions against fire — To protect against fires, install smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and an automatic sprinkler system. Have the facility inspected for fire safety.
Use a backup generator — Consider installing a fixed or portable generator powered by diesel, gasoline, propane or natural gas. A commercial generator can decrease business interruption during a power outage, although they will need to be refueled periodically during long power outages. Generators are ideal for short-term blackouts to keep critical systems running until normal power returns.
Keep in mind that improper installation or operation can cause fires and serious injury. You should use the services of a licensed electrician to set it up. Don’t connect generator outlets into wall outlets and never use them indoors since they require proper ventilation. A generator should be grounded and never overloaded. A regular maintenance schedule will help ensure continued safety.
When purchasing a generator, consider your equipment needs first. A permanent generator typically runs longer than a portable unit. The device will be wired directly into the business using a transfer switch, which will reconnect wiring back to the utility lines upon restoration of power. A portable generator, on the other hand, can be moved to different locations based on power needs.
How to Encourage Personal Preparedness of Employees
While having a well-thought-out plan in place is crucial, it will mean nothing if your employees are not well prepared. To ensure a proper response, you should offer first aid, CPR/AED and emergency preparedness training to your team. It’s helpful if at least 10 to 15% of employees are skilled in first aid and CPR.
You should also encourage employees to consider alternative routes when entering and exiting the facility, and keep emergency preparedness kits at work. Remind employees to keep emergency contact information current.
Additional Resources
Be sure to review emergency plans annually, since preparedness needs do change. You can obtain up-to-date information from:
American Red Cross — For assistance in assessing the emergency preparedness of your business, you might consider the American Red Cross Reading Rating, a 1-2-3-point self-assessment of preparedness to reveal areas for improvement.
Ready.gov — This site offers a sample business emergency plan, along with advice on how to build disaster kits and prepare for emergencies.
FEMA — FEMA also provides resources on emergency preparedness in addition to disaster specific information.
Small Business Administration — If you’re a small-business owner, the Small Business Administration offers tips on preparing for disaster and other helpful information. The SBA has a disaster recovery loan program to provide capital to get through the recovery process.
OSHA — You can access an eTool to help small, low-hazard services and retail businesses implement emergency action plans.
Contact Us Today for Help With Your Emergency Response Plan
Whether you’re working on a small-business emergency response plan, or you’re a large corporation, Warren CAT can help. Contact us today for assistance developing your plan.
Get Plan Assistance TodaySome pretty big changes are on their way to Landmark, not the least of which is the final full character wipe and an extensive land reformation. Anticipation is certainly high for the new biomes, and to say many testers are looking forward to finally keeping character progression into the open beta phase and launch is an understatement! But that’s only a small part of the new build: The achievement, crafting, and harvesting systems are all getting their own facelifts.
With so many modifications incoming, players may not be too surprised to learn that the big wipe will happen later than anticipated; instead of April 29th, the wipe is postponed until the week after. At least that gives everyone a bit more time to digest all of the information, including these new details we’ve gathered from our talk with Senior Producer Terry Michaels and Lead Designer Darrin McPherson.
More claims to love
The face of the land will be altered pretty significantly with the new landmass shapes, new biomes, and the return of the surface caves. With that, it is almost guaranteed that players will find more than one beautiful spot to set up shop, and choosing between a cave entrance, beachfront, mountains, forest, or even underwater might be almost too much to bear. The good news is you won’t really have to. Michaels noted that players will have access to a far greater number of claims than they did previously through the Marketplace; the claim caps are being expanded to eight root and 24 attached. Going forward, players will be able to acquire only one root and three attached claims in-game, except for current players (as of the update), who will retain the two root and eight attached claims limit that is in game now.
Those hoping for the larger, seamless landmasses to place said claims on will have a longer wait than this update. Michaels clarified that the larger islands and connected zones spoken about previously are still being worked on but not ready. With this update there will be around 22-25 islands on each world, leaving space for the larger islands to be put in later without disrupting (or causing a wipe of) any of the existing islands. Players who want to live and build on those larger landmasses when they appear will need to either pull up stakes and move or place new root claims.
Free building materials
If you weren’t looking forward to harvesting the hundreds of thousands of stone necessary to rebuild your amazing multi-claim castle after the wipe, we have good news for you: You don’t have to! Michaels announced that the five basic materials of stone, dirt, ice, sand, and snow will be completely free for players to build with. No matter how much you need, you do not have to harvest any for your construction projects. Conversely, you also don’t receive any back in your inventory when you delete or change the material. “Because they are so prevalent in the world, we didn’t want players to have to go out in the world and gather one hundred million stone to build their castle,” Michaels said. “If you want to make it out of obsidian, however, then you have to go out and get that.” Players should be mindful that this only applies to physically building; any crafted items that need said materials can only be made with stuff that was actually harvested.
This change is also a boon to those who want to experiment with the shape templates as the templates themselves are crafted from dirt and sand. Those who want to just start experimenting with building can jump right in instead of waiting until inordinate amounts of resources are gathered first. As McPherson put it, players who want to can focus their time on just basic building.
Speaking of basic elements, Michaels assured that dynamic water is still in development; however, it is not far enough along for there to be an estimate on its inclusion into the game.
Sayonara salvaging (and other crafting tidbits)
The previously released crafting update notes revealed the removal of the salvaging system. Michaels explained that while this system is integral to EverQuest Next, it’s served its testing purposes in Landmark for now. The team received lots of valuable information and great feedback. He noted that removing salvaging, as well as the randomized stats on tools and weapons, is meant specifically to prevent future character wipes if significant changes are needed on these systems later. Instead, the systems will be pulled now and will be worked on internally until they are in a more polished state, at which point they will come back to Landmark.
Some changes are definitely a boon to crafters. As of this update mobs will no longer drop any gear, only materials for crafting it. Players will still be able to reforge and modify gear, and aspects and essences for weapons are still crafted from ether shards. The various props will still need ingredients from different biomes. However, with the removal of salvaging, the reduction of the crafting machines to just two, and the removal of randomized stats on crafted tools, the crafting changes herald a real simplification of this type of gameplay. There’s no question that removing the mob-dropped ether shards as a component to basically everything is certain to be very appreciated, but is the new system too simplistic and shallow for a serious crafter? That’s for players to test out and give feedback on. The dev team definitely wants and expects feedback; Michaels explained that this update’s iteration of crafting is in direct response to feedback from the player-base. He said,
“We found that over time, we had overcomplicated the system to the point that it was cumbersome to players. […] We don’t think we are simplifying the system; we’re just simplifying the interface to it and the things you have to do to be able to be engaged in it. That’s our goal with these changes.”
Michaels emphasized that the devs want to know if they hit or missed the mark they were aiming for in this iteration of crafting. Will your feedback matter? Just look at the removal of the ether shards from most recipes. He said, “We thought we had a good idea, but we turned out to be wrong, and players let us know.”
About combat
About the upcoming combat changes, McPherson pointed out that players will not be seeing any new weapon styles anytime soon, rather there will be refinement to the basic core of combat, such as how players move and the timing of swings as well as changes to NPCs and their timing. Taking cues from player feedback, Daybreak now wants to make the combat feel crisper, more precise, and more solid. Michaels then emphasized that this is still only one iteration, and once players get in and test this build out and offer feedback, the team will adjust more and more.
Achieve this!
McPherson also addressed concerns that the achievement system is taking away from the sandbox nature of the game by putting it on rails. He emphasized that while the achievements do give players suggestions of what they can do and direct players to something else they might enjoy (do you hear a hint of EverQuest Next’s Rosong system here?), the system is not a tutorial. Players don’t have to do these achievements in any particular order — if they even do them at all. Players can turn off the suggestions and ignore the achievements, but they will complete as a player moves throughout the game anyway. As McPherson put it, “We have achievements in the game primarily because we wanted to have this ability to direct players without forcing them along a path.” And Michaels added that the system is really a way to give new players a small amount of direction.
The status of the player-controlled AI
Besides the impending threat of character wipes (which is now negated), one of the factors keeping some players away is the absence of the content creation system for players. Michaels assured me that this system is still in the works. The content-creation tools, from the AI to dialogues to questing, will show up in Landmark as soon as possible. “It’s definitely our intention to roll all of that functionality into Landmark as soon as we can,” he said. “But it’s a considerable amount of work for every area that we want to do. […] We want these tools for creating content to be integrated into the game itself, which is a considerably more complicated process.”
A little less testy
Players should also notice another change going forward: updates containing more polished systems. As Michaels put it, the perspective of how updates are done in Landmark is changing. “Before we were giving things to players very, very early because we knew we could wipe whenever we wanted to, or that we had an upcoming wipe that could handle any issues that we had.” Now, changes will be tested more internally before they go into the game:
“That doesn’t mean we won’t talk about [changes/plans], that doesn’t mean we won’t post about some of the things we are doing and get feedback on ideas; it just means that they won’t show up in the game until they are a little more solid.”
This a departure from the past is not to remove players from the development loop, but specifically to avoid wipes. And everyone can certainly appreciate that!Test multiple user accounts without logging out
Have you ever needed to test multiple user accounts in your web app?
If you need to check your permissions are working correctly, you might find you are constantly switching users by logging in and logging out. Or you could have an admin user signed in to Chrome, and another user signed in to Firefox. Either way, its a bit of a pain.
Here's a simpler solution; define multiple aliases to 127.0.0.1 in your /etc/hosts file. That way you can have one tab open at http://adminuser:8000/ and another open at http://user1:8000/ with two entirely different user accounts.
This assumes of course that you have a development server running locally, and that your app is configured to serve to these 'domains'.
For example (append this to /etc/hosts ):
127.0.0.1 adminuser 127.0.0.1 user1 127.0.0.1 user2
Not sure if this trick is common knowledge. But it literally just occurred to me.An official communique from the Venezuelan government on the helicopter attack perpetrated against the Supreme Court and Justice Ministry Tuesday evening.
Official Statement
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela hereby notifies the general public and sister countries of the world of the armed attacks carried out in the evening of Tuesday, June 27th 2017, against the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court Justice, as part of the escalation of a coup against the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and its state institutions.
Both attacks were carried out from an Airbus Volcom helicopter, model 105, initials CICPC02, stolen from the General Francisco Miranda airbase in La Carlota, Caracas, by a subject named Oscar Alberto Perez, who took advantage of his credentials as an inspector subscribed to the aerial transport division of the CICPC [special investigative police body].
The perpetrator flew the aircraft within the vicinity of the Justice Ministry on Urdaneta Avenue, firing around 15 shots against the building while a reception was being held on the rooftop terrace for a group of journalists celebrating the National Day of Journalists. At the moment of the attack, 80 people were present.
Afterwards, the helicopter was flown to the headquarters of the Supreme Court of Justice, where the Constitutional Tribunal was in session, including all of its judges and a group of workers in their offices. There were shots fired against these people and at least four grenades thrown, [which were] made in Israel and of Colombian origin. Of these [grenades], one did not go off and another was collected. Two of these grenades were launched at agents of the Bolivarian National Guard who were guarding the building.
Thanks to the rapid response of the National Guard soldiers, a tragedy was averted. The perpetrator of these acts is being investigated for his links to the Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] of the United States and the embassy of that country in Caracas, as well as for his links to a former justice minister who recently publicly confirmed his contacts in the CIA.
For the Bolivarian government, these are terrorist attacks framed within the insurrectional offensive advanced by radical sectors of the Venezuelan right-wing, with support from foreign governments and powers.
The Bolivarian National Armed Forces and state security forces have been deployed, with the objective of capturing the perpetrator of these acts and to recover the aircraft. We call on all of those who can contribute information to help locate their whereabouts to communicate with authorities through telephone number 911.
The Bolivarian government calls on the political parties grouped together under the so-called Roundtable of Democratic Unity, as well as the Catholic Church hierarchy and other factors of Venezuelan society, to condemn these acts and to disavow the use of violence once and for all.
The Bolivarian government calls on the Venezuelan people to be alert in the face of the escalation of a coup, which is an attempt to alter the constitutional order in Venezuela and has shown to be unscrupulous in its political and economic ambitions.
None of these attacks will stop the activation of the constituent popular process, nor will they impede the Venezuelan people’s right to vote on July 30th to choose the members of the National Constituent Assembly.
The legitimate president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, who today headed the presentation of National Prizes for Journalism, is at the head of his governmental team taking actions to safeguard the security and tranquility of the Venezuelan people.
Now more than ever, the words of Commander [Hugo] Chavez prevail: Unity, struggle, battle and victory.
Caracas, June 27 2017
Ernesto Villegas, Minister of Communications
Ministry of Popular Power for Communication and Information
Translated by Venezuelanalysis.VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The Conservatives have arguably become more well known for their use of attack ads and websites in election campaigns, but it looks like the NDP is getting in on the action.
The party has launched a new website labelling Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau a flip-flopper.
The site is called Trudeau vs Trudeau. It basically contains a multiple choice quiz, asking you to pick out the Liberal leader’s position on issues like electoral reform, Bill C-51, balancing the budget, and corporate taxes.
The options contradict each other and the correct answer every time is “all of the above,” since the NDP says Trudeau has been flip-flopping on some key topics in this election.
The timing is likely mean to irritate the Liberal camp shortly before tonight’s French language debate. Ahead of the debate on the economy, there was also a leak of an internal NDP poll that suggested Trudeau could lose his seat in Montreal.
Polls show the NDP still has a commanding lead in Quebec, although there has been a rise in support for the Liberals.SESTA and FOSTA Are Cut from the Same Cloth. Both Would Be Disastrous for Online Communities
There are two bills racing through Congress that would undermine your right to free expression online and threaten the online communities that we all rely on. The Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA, S. 1693) and the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA, H.R. 1865) might sound noble, but they would do nothing to fight sex traffickers. What they would do is force online web platforms to police their users’ activity much more stringently than ever before, silencing a lot of innocent voices in the process.
We’ve already written extensively about SESTA and the dangers it would pose to online communities, but as the House of Representatives considers moving on FOSTA, it’s time to reiterate that all of the major flaws in SESTA are in FOSTA too.
Section 230 Protects Online Communities. Don’t Weaken It.
Contrary to SESTA’s supporters’ claims, Section 230 does nothing to protect platforms that are directly involved with breaking federal criminal law.
Like SESTA, FOSTA would erode a law referred to as Section 230. Passed in 1996, Section 230 says that online platforms can’t be held liable for their users’ speech, except in certain circumstances. Without Section 230, it would be extremely risky to host other people’s speech online: one lawsuit could destroy your company. Most social media sites wouldn’t exist, or they’d look very different from the ones we enjoy today.
Section 230 strikes an important balance for when and how online platforms can be held liable for their users’ speech. Contrary to SESTA’s supporters’ claims, Section 230 does nothing to protect platforms that are directly involved with breaking federal criminal law. If an Internet company is directly contributing to unlawful activity, the Department of Justice can and should prosecute it.
Under FOSTA, a site would be on the hook if a court simply found that someone had used it for sex trafficking purposes. The law would force platforms to become much more restrictive in their moderation policies, which is likely to disproportionately silence marginalized groups.
FOSTA carves an even bigger hole out of Section 230 than SESTA does. It defines the state law exemption to Section 230 more broadly, applying it to “any State criminal statute” related to sex trafficking. State sex trafficking laws are notoriously inconsistent: in Alaska and Massachusetts, for example, statutes define trafficking so broadly that they don’t require any indication that someone was forced or coerced into sex work. FOSTA could open the door to litigation far beyond the sex trafficking activities it’s intended to target.
Broad Criminal Law Would Hurt Legitimate Communities
Like SESTA, FOSTA expands federal sex trafficking law to sweep in third parties that unknowingly facilitate sex trafficking (like web platforms), but FOSTA defines those third parties even more broadly than SESTA does, criminalizing conduct by “any person or entity and by any means that furthers or in anyway aids or abets” sex trafficking. It even goes a step further by explicitly making it a crime to be a provider of an Internet service that was used for sex trafficking purposes, provided that you acted in “reckless disregard” of the possibility that your service could be used for trafficking (we’ve written already about the dangers of applying the “reckless disregard” standard to online intermediaries).
Remember, Congress already made it it a federal crime to “advertise” sex trafficking online, via the SAVE Act of 2015. No new law is necessary to prosecute platforms that knowingly facilitate sex trafficking ads. If the Department of Justice has failed to prosecute platforms that violate the SAVE Act, then lawmakers should demand an explanation. In the meantime, Congress shouldn’t pass laws threatening every other online community.
Bottom Line: These Bills Go After the Wrong Targets
It’s not pleasant to confront the dark realities of sex trafficking, but Congress must. Otherwise, it risks passing a bill that would harm the very victims it’s trying to help.
We’ve talked a lot about the damage that SESTA and FOSTA would do to speech and communities |
des Migrants, told The Local on Friday.
"It is probably the only camp in the world where there is so little water. There is only one water point and some people have to walk more than a kilometre to access it. This is unacceptable. There are no toilets either."
(A hut at the camp known as "The New Jungle". Photo: AFP)
He added that his team brings material to help build the slum every day, but that the organization has had to keep putting pressure on French authorities for things as basic as water points and toilets.
"For the first time the migrants have an official piece of land - but it remains a slum," he said.
In the meantime, non-profit organization Doctors of the World has started to dig dry toilets, basically a hole in the ground.
The 18-hectare wasteland dubbed by the migrants as "The New Jungle" - tents and makeshift shelters covered by big, grey plastic canvas sheets have started to pop up.
Located on the seafront, a half an hour walk from the ferry terminals, five kilometres from the town hall, and far from any residential area, the new camp is situated in a marsh and is part of a flooding area.
In the camp, the Jules Ferry centre, a former holiday spot for children, has been converted into an emergency day centre. It accommodates 50 vulnerable women and children and from April 13th it will be equipped with warm showers.
During the day, the centre is open to everyone and every day at 5pm it serves 600 warm meals, just about enough to feed half of the camps’ population.
(The kitchen facilities at the old camp, The Jungle. Photo: The Local)
Meanwhile, the migrants have been forced to rebuild the mosque and church they once had at their old camp - buildings crudely put together with wooden boards, corrugated iron and anything they could find.
Volunteer Christian Salomé said it might take another few days to build the school again.
The old camp was built on the land of the Tioxide factory, one of Europe’s main producers of titanium dioxide. In July 2014, the firm was granted the legal right to ask for the eviction of the migrants. But until now, there was nowhere to send them.
Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart hopes the move will help the local authorities to better control the fluctuating migrant population by establishing one official camp.
This is the first purpose-built camp for migrants since the 2002 closure of the Sangatte centre near Calais, which used to host about 1,500 migrants.
Both France and the UK are at loggerheads as to who is responsible for the migrants in Calais. France's Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve suggested in November that the UK should send its own officials across the Channel to help block the tide of illegal migrants, but the idea was dismissed by Britain's government, which said it was "for the French to maintain security and public order on their own soil".
By Chloé FarandPrison Architect may look cute but the campaign content is not: build an execution chamber and send a man to his death - a man who's tale of murder and repent will challenge your beliefs and leave a lasting impression.
And that's just chapter one.
"It definitely starts on a dark note," creator Chris Delay told me. "I wanted it to start on a very dark note. I wanted you to feel a real shock of arrival in a different world when you first start playing Prison Architect.
"This is prisons, this is not world you're used to. You're not going to build an army and then attack an enemy base. This is much more morally grey than all of that. And the first chapter is probably the darkest of them all.
"We haven't made the later chapters yet," he added, "so who knows what foul mood I'll be in when I come to write the later chapters! But I imagine that will be as dark as it gets."
"And this will be your chair for the evening."
Originally Prison Architect had no story, no campaign. It was a sandbox only. Introversion bolted the story on as a tutorial - a brief tutorial.
"But as we put the game in front of people, friends and family, there was a real connection formed with Edward, the character who finds himself in the electric chair. And that was something we wanted to explore further," Mark Morris, the other half of Introversion and the business brain, explained.
"So Chris and I sat down with - it was quite good fun actually: we had the old post-it notes out with all of the things we needed to hit, these emotional themes, the themes within prison that we wanted to touch on. So obviously Death Row is one of them, but things like the prison industrial complexes is another one; prisoner riots. All of these sorts of things we need to, I believe, make some kind of commentary on within the game.
"So we've tried to create a structure now of stories that touch on these different prison themes, touch on some kind of ethical decision making for the player and also introduces new game systems. We have the spider framework, if you like, of what we need to achieve in each chapter. But they're not written yet."
Neither Chris Delay nor Mark Morris has ever been locked up in prison. They know what research and popular culture tells them. But the more they learned, the more they realised how thorny the real and serious world of prisons was. And then they started to worry.
"The worst criticism we would face is if we had made light of an issue." Mark Morris
"We became aware pretty quickly after Prison Architect was announced that prisons are a quite contentious issue," said Morris. "Certainly in the States people have very different views on prisons than Chris or I potentially have.
"So we realised we needed to get some consultancy in on the project to make sure that we had knowledge, actual knowledge, from people, from individuals that were in prison and could say, 'Right, this is totally nonsense.' And we might go, 'OK it's a game, we're still going to leave that in,' but we wanted to be made aware of it.
"We have got in touch with - we're not announcing who they are yet because we're still figuring it out - ex-prisoners, convicts and also prison staff," Morris revealed, "and are engaging with them, letting them play the game, letting them tell us what they think about it and using their expertise to assist us to make sure we're not being glib.
"The worst criticism we would face is if we had made light of an issue," he added, "which doesn't mean we need to tackle everything in a hugely serious manner."
"Hey neighbour!"
So on the mark will Prison Architect be, that Morris believes actual prison wardens and prison officers will play it when it's done. "Because if we get it right hopefully they will enjoy it," he said.
"Probably part of our marketing campaign when we launch it will be to go send it off to prisons. My favourite part of Defcon was when I got an email from a lieutenant in the US navy aboard a nuclear submarine wanting a copy to take on his next deployment. So we knew that Defcon was being played under the water. Hopefully we'll have something similar regarding prison wardens.
The Prison Architect sandbox is the main part of the paid alpha, which you can pay to play now. We've written about how it can be a confusing beast, and that's partly because Introversion intends to explain and introduce big features through the story campaign. Whole chapters will be based around them, and Delay hinted at rehabilitation, education, industry and "hardcore right-wing security" themes.
"The list of big systems we still have to write are all tied to the story that we want to tell in the campaign," Chris Delay explained. "It's all sort of fallen out of that.
"We've got a certain number of chapters and they require a certain number of features. One of the chapters is going to be all about the prison industrial complex and it will require a series of new systems to be written that will govern how prisons work and how they perform industry and what happens during that. But it's all in service of that main plot-line.
"By the end," he added, "you're learning about the much much higher level, much harder concepts like industry or rehabilitation or education or really hardcore right-wing security. Those are the much harder concepts that come much later in the story."
Prison Architect costs $30 to play in alpha form now. Obviously that buys you the full game whenever it's ready, and the uptake to the paid alpha so far has been strong - over $100,00 was raised in 72 hours. That means Introversion can relax, bring on extra help if needed and finish the game to a really high standard. It also means the thousands of alpha players can feedback about things Introversion may have overlooked. It's a business model really suited to Introversion, and it should result in the British developer's best work yet.Pioneer Electronics
LAS VEGAS -- Last year, Pioneer's NEX receivers became the first to bring Apple's CarPlay to the road. Today, Pioneer aims to also be among the first to bring Google's Android Auto to the aftermarket, pulling the wraps off of the second generation its NEX series in-dash multimedia receivers at CES 2015 today.
The new AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX will all feature Android Auto integration. This will allow users of compatible Android 5.0 Lollipop smartphones to connect their devices and gain access to Google's purpose-built, simplified in-car interface. We've seen this system in action already in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata; Pioneer's system will allow drivers to add Android Auto to any car.
Drivers can interact with Android Auto apps on the 7-inch touchscreen or using Google's extensive voice command system with the receiver's external microphone. The three new NEX models also retain the Apple CarPlay compatibility that debuted in the previous generation, as well as AppRadio mode, Mirrorlink and Bluetooth connectivity, making them acceptable for cross-platform households. The two AVIC models in the series also feature Here Maps onboard, giving drivers the choice of navigation even without their smartphone.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
"Integrating Android Auto into our second-generation NEX receivers provides compatible Android smartphone owners the ability to utilize the power and connectivity of their devices for navigation, communications, music and more," said Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing for the Car Electronics Division of Pioneer Electronics USA.
The top of the line AVIC-8100NEX ($1,400) will feature a capacitive touchscreen, while the AVIC-7100NEX ($1,200) steps down to a resistive touch display. The least expensive AVH-4100NEX ($700) makes do without Pioneer's on-board navigation software, which shouldn't be an issue for drivers who plan on using their smartphone anyway.
These second-generation Pioneer NEX receivers hit the road with Android Auto compatibility in March 2015, racing in an attempt to beat the Parrot RNB 6 to the market.
Pioneer will also be offering Android Auto compatibility in the UK and Australia, but models and pricing haven't yet been announced. The US prices convert to roughly £920, £790 and £460, or AU$1,720, AU$1,475 and AU$860 respectively. Expect final prices to differ significantly, however.Real-time view data is not available at this time. Learn more.
Cold Dead Hand. Don't be afraid. It's just a funny little song.
Actor Jim Carrey Writer Jim Carrey Writer NickCorirossi Director/Show Lead NickCorirossi Writer Charles Ingram Director/Show Lead Charles Ingram Executive Producer Funny Or Die Sound Designer BoTown Sound Hair and Makeup Chris Mills Hair and Makeup Chris Mills Costume and Wardrobe Melissa Gould McNeely Producer mattmazany
Starring Jim Carrey
Featuring Bill Oberst Jr, Dink O'Neal, Justin Kelly, Neal Kumar, Cate Beehan, Tia Barr, Whitmer Thomas, Clay Tatum, Russel Wadle
Producers Betsy Koch, Matt Mazany, and Michael Aguilar
Associate Producers - Nicole Montez and Linda Hill
Directors - Nick Corirossi and Charles Ingram
Director of Photography - Kevin Atkinson
Music Produced by E of the EELS
Music Written by Jim Carrey
Lead Vocals: Jim Carrey
Arranged by: Jane Carrey and Kyle Turek
Recorded at The Compound
Recorded and Mixed by Koool G Murder and P-Boo
Mastered by Dan Hersch, D2 Mstering
Production Sound by Botown Sound
Production Sound Mixer Ryan Knouf
ADR - Brennan McVicar at Silver Sound
Production Designer - Flower Cole
Wardrobe Stylist - Melissa Gould McNeely
Wardrobe Assist - Alexandra Casey
Camera Operator - Gabe Diniz, Yoni Aviaram
DIT - Dan Moses
Gaffer - Corrin Hodgeson
Construction Coordinator - Lupe Sanchez
Set Decorator- Ananda Friedman
Art Assistant-Matthew Berry
Key Grip - Michael Asinger
Electric - Adrienne Garcia
Swing - Michael Tingley
Make Up FX - MillsFX
Make Up/Hair - Chris Mills, Amy Mills
Make Up Assist - Brenna Haukedahl
PA - Luis Sanchez, Andrew Grissom, Anthony Knasas, Ross BuranThe opposition groups criticized the Assad regime's "horrific targeting of unarmed civilians" (Al Bawaba/File)
Two main Syrian opposition groups have agreed on a political roadmap to end the ongoing civil war in Syria.
Officials from the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNC) and the National Coordination Commission for Democratic Change (NCC) made the decision after a meeting in Brussels on Friday where they presented their roadmap to reporters.
The two opposition groups, who were at odds with each other, said that they agreed to "condemn the [Bashar al-Assad led Syrian] regime’s horrific targeting of unarmed civilians in all Syria’s cities, towns and villages using barrel bombs and missiles".
"The barrel bombs dropped daily on civilian population is being met [with] silence [by the international community]," president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Hadi al-Bahra, claimed.
Disagreements and accusations between the groups have caused divisions within the Syrian opposition. While the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces is exiled, the National Coordination Commission for Democratic Change has been tolerated by the Syrian government.
However, on Friday, both opposition groups said that they "reaffirm that the solution to the crisis in Syria can be achieved through a political process undertaken by Syrians themselves, under the auspices of the United Nations".
"The international community (is) talking about the opposition needing to unify rather than pressuring the regime," Hadi al-Bahra said.
"We are unified with regards to final demands; there is no country in the world with only one opposition," al-Bahra said.
More than 220,000 people have been in Syria’s civil war since March 2011, according to the U.N., prompting a refugee crisis that has seen Turkey become the world's largest refugee host.In recent news, the newly founded SEVIA USA announces that China manufacturers appear as if they’re not interested in helping assist with US regulatory and litigation battles.
For those that aren’t familiar with SEVIA USA (Shenzhen Electronic Vaporizer Industry Association – USA Chapter), it’s an organization started by Dimitris Agrafiotis, claiming the role as the SEVIA USA Chairman. SEVIA USA was created on January 20th 2016, when over 100 e-cigarette manufacturers came together at a conference in Shenzhen China. The gathering was held “to commit resources and financial support in the fight against unfair and burdensome FDA regulations.” – In other words, they’ve formed a coalition of Chinese e-cigarette manufacturers to generate funds and resources in a push “to keep vapor products affordable, accessible, and with the variety needed in order to help smokers transition to a less harmful alternative.”
However, things aren’t going quite as expected. Since returning from the conference, Dimitris has attracted big names such as Innokin Technology, Aspire, KangerTech and Smok, but that’s when the organization came to a sudden stop. It was very expected for Innokin to jump on board, partly due to Dimitris’ hefty relationship with the manufacturer (and, of course because Innokin has always been involved in helping the vaping industry thrive for years). And, it can almost be expected that Aspire, Kanger and Smok would follow suit, since they are the largest names in vaping and want to protect their interests. However, it was completely unexpected that many other manufacturers and brands aren’t showing interest in becoming members of SEVIA USA.
Today, Dimitris Agrafiotis posted a status update on Facebook sharing acknowledgement and thanks to those 4 manufacturers that have become members, but also sharing light on the situation of others, saying “It appears not every Chinese manufacturer is interested in our fight and some seriously take profits over seeing the long-term benefits for their business and vapers.”
This is a serious cause for concern. There were 100 e-cigarette manufacturers to attend this conference, and only 4 of them committed to becoming a member and joining forces to battle in the fight that awaits them – a fight that can be the determining factor if this industry survives the FDA’s proposed regulations, and a fight that will ultimately protect their businesses.
I’m not quite sure if these non-participating manufacturers are just stupid, or simply do not care.
Anyhow, this status update by Dimitris has started gaining some traction from the vaping community, and by the time this news article makes its way to the masses, other China manufacturers will most likely begin to take notice. If you haven’t learned from my past articles, and the social networks we call Facebook and Twitter, situations can change drastically with the help of the vaping community.
The outcome of this situation could definitely affect consumers buying decisions, and could determine which manufacturers are in it for themselves and which ones are in it for the vaping industry as a whole.
If you’re interested in learning more about SEVIA USA, feel free to visit them at: http://seviausa.org
If you’re interested in encouraging China manufacturers to take notice to this organization, tag them in your status updates, share this article with them, provide the SEVIA USA link, and be sure to include the #seviausa hashtag.I thought the Hebrew word “cushi” meant African. So a “cushi mamzer“, a common slang term in Israel, means “black bastard.”
Now I learn cushi means nigger.
I thought the Yiddish word shvartze simply meant black but now I learn it is pejorative.
So what is a Jew to do? How are you to say black in Hebrew and Yiddish?
Dave Deutsch emails:
“Kushim” is definitely pejorative, but to translate it as “nigger” is inflammatory and inappropriate. “Nigger” has a whole history to it, and carries a lot of baggage that “kushi” doesn’t. I don’t know enough to know if there are other derogatory terms for blacks in Israeli Hebrew–but I’m presuming that the range is far smaller in Hebrew than in American English. “Kushi” may be the worst pejorative for blacks in Israeli Hebrew, but it also may be the only pejorative term for blacks in Israeli Hebrew. At that point, you might as well have said he made reference to “jigs” or “spades” or “darkies.” It’s an interesting question, all in all. Is there a relativity in racism? If an Israeli makes a negative comment about blacks, is it different, given the absence of the history we have, than if an American makes it? Is an anti-Jewish comment different coming from a Laotian than from German? Certainly, Israel has it’s racial issues and history, but it isn’t ours. It may be argued that, when it comes to blacks, Israelis don’t have a word for “nigger,” because they don’t have a concept of blacks so venomous as to produce it. I presume that the Israeli vocabulary is a lot richer when it comes to Arabs, but “Kushi” is probably a bit more benign. I once read about an Ethiopian immigrant complaining to a police officer that he was called a “Kushi,’ and the officer responding that he should relax–it’s like calling a redhead “gingy” or a Jew from soouthern Poland a “galitzianer.” I’d say that’s a bit optimistic, but it’s somewhere between that and “nigger.” “Nigger,” as it is currently used by whites, is a pretty self-conscious choice, that demonstrates a certain amount of bile (unless of course, you’re simply trying to show how “anti-pc” you are); “kushi” I would say shows derision, but not necessarily animus or hatred. I just like the fact that he [Rabbi Dov Lior] refers to it as “boogie woogie.” I have an image of him getting a hold of a recording of “Minnie the Moocher” when he was a teenager and going off on a musical bender, missing mincha, an event which so traumatized him that he swore he would never listen to the siren song of “boogie woogie” again.
Sam posts: Haaretz might also want to define the word ‘shvartzer’ as “a derogatory term for black people”, but “shvartze” doesn’t mean “nigger”, it means simply ‘black’. One can also call blacks ‘shechorim’ in Hebrew; the degree of derision is not in the word itself, but in the level of derision imparted ONTO THE WORD by the speaker.
A.E. Anderson posts: There seem to be people of two minds on contemporary use of “כושי’ (kushi): in very contemporary usage, the word is used pejoratively, and it is used in its traditional, neutral fashion as a reference to African people of dark skin colour who hail from the biblical land of Kush or are descended from the son of Noah named Kush.
It doesn’t equate to, or rise the pejorative level of, “nigger,” which itself takes on different shadings when used in the American, compared with the British, context. The word couldn’t mean the same in Israeli Hebrew simply because Israel hasn’t hundreds of years of history dealing with the colour line and its problems.
Even in contemporary usage, “kushim” has varying shades of nuance: in pre-Ethiopic Aliyah times (i.e., 20-30 years ago), it was pretty much equivalent to “Shachorim” (blacks), which itself has become pejoratively tinged. Non-Hebrew speakers, speaking English, Yiddish, Yinglish or Yeshivish, may resort to the term. For some, it is clearly used as stand-in for “nigger,” while others continue to say and hear the word in its classical sense. You almost have to look to the inflection to divine the intent.
There is also the inherent problem that any word used to label a hated, disliked or lampooned group will become over time a racist insult: coloured, negros, Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity hirees, and, yes, kushim.
My inclination would be to let the user of the word live with the actual phrase they used, letting the chips fall where they may. I still think there are many alive who cling to the classical, non-pejorative use of “kushi” and mean no harm. After all, the word comes from the bible, and God would presumably not use bad words to describe his creations.
TRANSLAT0R POSTS: As a translator of both Hebrew and Yiddish I’d like to weigh in here.
First of all the word Schvartz is the only way to say black in Yiddish. There is no other word.
A native Yiddish speaker would describe anything black as “schvartze.”
Such as this exchange:
Velecher hoise is dayntz? (Which house is yours?)
“De Schvartze”
Velecher is dayn car? (Which is your car?)
“De Schvartze”
Velecher mench is er? (Which guy is he?)
“De Schvartze”
It’s no more an insult to the person than it is to the car or the house. It’s just the color black for heaven’s sake.
Tell me any other way to describe black in Yiddish? There is none. People use euphemisms to refer to black people in Yiddish only because people spread that Schvartze was derogatory, but none of those are considered “proper” Yiddish.
Streimel posts: Now “shvartze” was a perfectly good word to use until the shvartzes started to riot in Newark and other places full of Yidden so now it means something worse. I agree with this rabbi in Hebron. A yeshiva bachur I know began to listen to the music of the colored, then he got involved with drugs, and he became involved with heroin, stole from pishkas, stopped davening, ate pork, and finally, went to mixed dances with shiksas. From China no less! Chinese women are stealing Jewish men and so Jewish women cry, this is a fact, and it all begins with this jungle music.My only concern is where SQ42 is.
I look at SC, and I just shrug when it comes to time tables. I've played MMOs for literally longer than some people in this subreddit have been alive. Consequently I know what to expect when it comes to making an MMO. You have two options with them. One of which is essentially no longer viable given the overall scope and depth required of modern MMOs and the systems that go into making them. The road that is the only viable path is to start developing something, and then have the publisher cut it in halfway a few months before the firm launch date. Then post-launch you hope that the whole ship stays together long enough for you to patch in the content that you were working on, and iron out the bugs. This can literally take years. And most MMOs do not get that far before they fold due to lack of playerbase post the 6-month honeymoon experience.
I've had to readjust my expectations when it comes to timetables (literally talking years here) as a result of the massive, sweeping changes in goals and organization structure (for CIG, as a company). I heard Chris's original pitch with the Bengal, Hornet and the Vanduul as it happened in real time, and I knew that this could not happen in even three years. My background with CryEngine told me that this was an impossible task. Plus, he was going to have to build an entire dev studio from the ground up on top of everything.
To be completely, 100% frank, I would not be surprised if actual development had started sometime this year. With everything else just being forays into figuring out how to even make the game work, let alone build it. My theory is supported by the insane amount of refactoring CIG has done, the time between when the MoCAP wrapped and now, how large the separate studios are, their sudden willingness to show off dev solutions, and a host of other reasons. That being said... the silence concerning SQ42 is perturbing due to the much more lax development constraints that CIG should be seeing given the considerably smaller scope and requirements to make everything work.
They've had all of the missions written out, branches plotted, everything for over two years now. We've seen them all, repeatedly. And in the original leaked database from two years back we even received a list and details of the missions. We also got assets with Vanduul. We saw, just an absolutely massive amount of work that doesn't seem to have gone anywhere.
And I want to know why. Chris can take another four years with SC for all I care, really. He has the capital and people to leverage into fundraising if need be. Assuming a total collapse in faith of the project, he can still just shrug it off and continue working away for literal years given his financial options. And I am not talking about money in the bank, I am talking about taking out an actual loan or again, fundraising.
Chris has the expectation that he'll be able to sell millions of copies of SQ42/SC. And that even if he were to attach a 30 dollar price tag to each copy, it would be an immense sum of money. Forget about all of the other extraneous ways he intends to generate cash for the studios - that expectation alone should secure him funding from an outside source.
But seeing as how we haven't heard anything about SQ42... I do worry, a lot. What is going on there? Are they literally still tinkering around with the first level? I almost think that they are. I dearly want to be wrong about this, but all we have seen concerning SQ42 at all has been the first level. Nothing else has been intentionally released by CIG.
Consider this - every ATV, literally EVERY ATV, where they say, "We are hard at work on SQ42 and SC." Do they ever show SQ42 footage? Ever? Nope. Not a once. Not a single time has this ever occurred. And you can't even say, "Well because spoilers!" No one cares. It's not a shield you can hide behind. It isn't a valid excuse. It is not an argument one can make and be sound in their opinion. I've seen so much of the different iterations of SC over the years, but this one thing, the thing that is the other half of the game: next to nothing. Just part of a walkthrough mission that's likely been completely reconfigured based off information we've been told since then. And a couple pictures of people standing in front of holographic screens. That's it.
If Chris says that 3.0 is coming out this Dec, or whatever. Cool. Neat. Great, really. It is great, they're actually moving ahead with SC. It's about time. But if we don't get anything new regarding SQ42, or hell, if they show us the same god damn walkthrough mission again I am just going to be baffled.
I don't even know why I am so interested in SQ42 either. I don't particularly care about it as a game. I want SC and not SQ42. But the deafening silence concerning SQ42's development should make anyone looking forward to playing it suddenly become overwhelmed with a queasy feeling.Martin Poole / Getty Images
Child prodigies evoke awe, wonder and sometimes jealousy: how can such young children display the kinds of musical or mathematical talents that most adults will never master, even with years of dedicated practice? Lucky for these despairing types, the prevailing wisdom suggests that such comparisons are unfair — prodigies are born, not made (mostly). Practice alone isn’t going to turn out the next 6-year-old Mozart.
So finds a recent study of eight young prodigies, which sought to shed some light on the roots of their talent. The prodigies included in the study [PDF] are all famous (but remain unidentified in the paper), having achieved acclaim and professional status in their fields by the ripe age of 10. Most are musical prodigies; one is an artist and another a math whiz, who developed a new discipline in mathematics and, by age 13, had had a paper accepted for publication in a mathematics journal. Two of the youngsters showed extraordinary skill in two separate fields: one child in music and art (his work now hangs in prestigious galleries the world over), and the other in music and molecular gastronomy (the science behind food preparation — why mayonnaise becomes firm or why a soufflé swells, for example). He became interested in food at age 10 and, by 11, had carried out his first catering event.
All of the prodigies had stories of remarkable early abilities: one infant began speaking at 3 months old and was reading by age 1; two others were reading at age 2. The gastronomist was programming computers at 3. Several children could reproduce complex pieces of music after hearing them just once, at the age most kids are finishing preschool. Many had toured internationally or played Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall well before age 10.
Six of the prodigies were still children at the time of the study, which is slated for publication in the journal Intelligence. The other two participants were grown, aged 19 and 32.
(MORE: Should Depressed People Avoid Having Children?)
The study found a few key characteristics these youngsters had in common. For one, they all had exceptional working memories — the system that holds information active in the mind, keeping it available for further processing. The capacity of working memory is limited: for numbers, for example, most people can hold seven digits at a time on average; hence, the seven-digit phone number. But prodigies can hold much more, and not only can they remember extraordinarily large numbers, they can also manipulate them and carry out calculations that you or I might have trouble managing with pencil and paper.
Working memory isn’t just the ability to remember long strings of numbers. It is the ability to hold and process quantities of information, both verbal and non-verbal — such as, say, memorizing a musical score and rewriting it in your head. All the children in the study scored off the charts when tested on measures of working memory: they placed in at least the 99th percentile, with most in the 99.9th percentile.
Surprisingly, however, the study found that not all of the prodigies had high IQs. Indeed, while they had higher-than-average intelligence, some didn’t have IQs that were as elevated as their performance and early achievements would suggest. One child had an IQ of just 108, at the high end of normal.
There was something else striking too. The authors found that prodigies scored high in autistic traits, most notably in their ferocious attention to detail. They scored even higher on this trait than did people diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism that typically includes obsession with details.
Three of the eight prodigies had a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder themselves. The child who had spoken his first words at 3 months, stopped speaking altogether at 18 months, then started again when he was just over two-and-a-half years old; he was diagnosed with autism at 3. What’s more, four of the eight families included in the study reported autism diagnoses in first- or second-degree relatives, and three of these families reported a total of 11 close relatives with autism. In the general population, by contrast, about 1 in 88 people have either autism or Asperger’s.
Other unusual parallels between prodigies and those with autism: they’re both more likely to be male (though that finding may be due in part to the failure to recognize either girls on the autism spectrum or, perhaps, girls’ hidden talents) and both are associated with difficult pregnancies, suggesting that uterine environment may play a role in their development. In the math whiz’s case, for example, his mother “started labor nine times between the 29th and 37th weeks of her pregnancy and required medication to stop the labor. During the 35th week of her pregnancy, her water broke and she had a 105-degree fever from an infection in her uterus. The child prodigy did not have a soft spot at delivery,” the authors write.
(PHOTOS: A Summer Camp for Autistic Kids)
When Asperger’s was first described in 1944 by Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, he referred to children with the syndrome as “little professors” because of their prodigious vocabularies and precocious expertise, and because they tended to lecture others endlessly without being aware of their own tediousness. Poor social skills and obsessive interests characterize the condition.
Yet, despite the obvious similarities, very little research has been done on the connection between autism and extreme talent. One previous study, published in 2007, did find that close relatives of prodigies — like close relatives of people with autism — tended to score higher on autistic traits, particularly in problems with social skills, difficulty switching attention and intense attention to detail. Other than that, however, the issue hasn’t been studied systematically, beyond the observation that autism is often seen in savants, or people with exceptional abilities who have other simultaneous impairments.
Prodigies, in contrast, appear to benefit from certain autistic tendencies while avoiding the shortfalls of others. On a standard assessment of traits associated with autism, the prodigies in the current study scored higher than a control group on all measures, including attention to detail and problems with social skills or communication (though this result was not statistically significant, probably because the sample was so small). But they also scored significantly lower than a separate comparison group of people who had Asperger’s — except on the attention-to-detail measure, in which they outshone everyone.
“One possible explanation for the child prodigies’ lack of deficits is that, while the child prodigies may have a form of autism, a biological modifier suppresses many of the typical signs of autism, but leaves attention to detail — a quality that actually enhances their prodigiousness — undiminished or even enhanced,” the authors write.
In other words, these children may have some genetic trait or learned skill that allows them to maintain intense focus, without compromising their social skills or suffering from other disabilities that typically accompany autism spectrum disorders. Comparing these children with those who have full-blown autism or Asperger’s could therefore potentially help pinpoint what goes wrong in those who develop disabling forms of autism and what goes right in others with similar traits who simply benefit from enhanced abilities.
(SPECIAL: The Top 10 New Findings in Parenting)
The current study doesn’t tread that ground, but its findings do fit in with the intense world theory of autism, which posits how the disorder may arise. The theory holds that certain patterns of brain circuitry cause autistic symptoms, including excessive connectivity in local brain regions, which can heighten attention and perception, and diminished wiring between distant regions, which can lead to a sort of system overload. In both animal and human studies, this type of brain wiring has been associated with enhanced memory and also with amplified fear and sensory overstimulation. The former is usually a good thing; the latter may cause disability.
The intense world theory propounds that all autism carries the potential for exceptional talent and social deficits. The social problems, the theory suggests, may ensue from the autistic person’s dysfunctional attempts — social withdrawal and repetitive behaviors, for instance — to deal with his heightened senses and memory.
It’s possible, then, that the wiring in prodigies’ brains resembles that of an autistic person’s, with tight local connections, except without the reduction in long-distance links. Or, their |
the director and producer, Tom Trbovich directed the video while Quincy Jones served as producer.[180]
Juno Awards [ edit ]
Year Nominee / work Award Result 1985 Born in the USA International Album of the Year Won 1993 Himself International Entertainer of the Year Nominated
Grammy Hall of Fame [ edit ]
MTV Video Music Awards [ edit ]
Tony Awards [ edit ]
Year Nominee / work Award Result 2018 Himself Special Tony Award Won
Other recognition [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
^ "Blinded by the Light" would later be a hit for Manfred Mann and reach No. 1, the only time Springsteen had a No. 1 single as a songwriter. ^ This quote is an excerpt from Springsteen's speech from the stage at a rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama on November 2, 2008
References [ edit ]
Sources* Bus was transporting prisoners to Baghdad when attacked
* Kurdish fighters regain northern town from militants
* Violence underscores need for power-sharing government
* Ban says Iraq facing "existential threat" (Adds Ban Ki-moon, scene of attack)
By Michael Georgy
BAGHDAD, July 24 (Reuters) - A shooting and bombing attack on a bus near Baghdad killed 52 prisoners and nine policemen on Thursday, Ministry of Justice sources said, as politicians faced pressure to form a power-sharing government that can tackle a Sunni insurgency.
The bus was transporting prisoners from a military base in the town of Taji to Baghdad when it was hit by roadside bombs, the sources said. Gunmen then opened fire. The attack left a burned shell of the vehicle along a rural road.
Much of Iraq's recent bloodshed is linked to sectarian divisions that have deepened since Sunni militants formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) seized large swathes of northern Iraq last month and declared an Islamic empire.
Sunni militants have been carrying out attacks around the southern edge of Baghdad while in response, Shi'ite militias have been active in rural districts of Baghdad, abducting Sunnis they suspect of militancy. Many later turn up dead.
The tit-for-tat attacks have escalated dramatically since the Sunni militant advance towards Baghdad, the most serious challenge to the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki since the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 2011.
Mass killings of scores of victims have become a regular occurrence in Iraq for the first time since the worst days of sectarian and ethnic cleansing in 2006-2007.
The motive for Thursday's killings was not immediately clear. In June, 69 prisoners were killed while being transported from an outlying town to a jail in Baghdad. The official account, given by the governor of Hilla, was that militants had attacked the convoy, killing 10 prisoners and one policeman.
But a police captain, a second police officer and a senior local official told Reuters no attack took place, and that police had killed the 69 men.
Graphic depicting territorial gains of the Islamic State militants: http://link.reuters.com/xan99v
"EXISTENTIAL THREAT"
In northern Iraq, Kurdish peshmerga fighters, who have for weeks been battling Islamic State militants in Jalawla, 115 km (70 miles) northeast of Baghdad, took complete control of the town after overnight clashes.
Jalawla lies in disputed territory, and is one of several towns where Iraqi troops and Kurdish peshmerga regional guards have previously faced off against each other, asserting their competing claims over the area.
In June, Kurdish forces took control of the northern oil city of Kirkuk after government troops abandoned their posts in the face of the Sunni Islamist rebel march towards Baghdad.
Kurds have long dreamed of taking Kirkuk and its huge oil reserves. They regard the city, just outside their autonomous region, as their historical capital.
Thursday's violence underscored the urgent need for Iraqi leaders to hold Iraq together as its future as a unified state is increasingly under threat from Sunni Islamist militants and the growing power of sectarian militias.
Iraq's million-strong army, trained and equipped by the United States, has largely collapsed, especially in the north after Islamists overran the city of Mosul last month.
Iraq's politicians have been in deadlock over forming a new government since an election in April.
Washington hopes a more inclusive government in Baghdad could save Iraq by persuading moderate Sunnis to turn against the insurgency, as many did during the "surge" offensive in 2006-7 when U.S. troops paid them to switch sides.
Maliki has ruled since the election in a caretaker capacity, defying demands from the Sunnis and Kurds that he step aside for a less polarising figure. Even some Shi'ite politicians want Maliki to go.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he was "profoundly worried" about violence engulfing Iraq and urged politicians to bury their differences and form a power-sharing government.
"Iraq is facing an existential threat but it can be overcome through the formation of a thoroughly inclusive government -- a government that can address the concerns of all communities, including security, political, social and economic matters," he told a press conference with Maliki in Baghdad.
Iraq's parliament, which had been due to elect the country's president on Wednesday, postponed the vote by a day.
Under Iraq's governing system, in place since the post-Saddam Hussein constitution was adopted in 2005, the prime minister is a member of the Shi'ite majority, the speaker a Sunni and the largely ceremonial president a Kurd. (Additional reporting by Raheem Salman and Isra' al-Rubei'i; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.1 of 10 View Caption
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Sophomore Ashlynn McCarter looks at historical books at the University of Utah's Special C Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Senior Curtis Whitear looks at an original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon signed by Jo Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Junior Colby Townsend looks at an original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon signed by Jo Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Dr. David Bokovoy and Junior Colby Townsend look at historical books at the University of Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Senior Curtis Whitear looks at an original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon signed by Jo Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Students look at historical books at the University of Utah's Special Collections Departme Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Junior Isa Hanswille looks at historical books at the University of Utah's Special Collect Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Dr. David Bokovoy and Junior Colby Townsend look at a first edition of Noah Webster's Engl Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Sophomore Tyler Talbot looks at an original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon signed by J Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Sophomore Tyler Talbot looks at an original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon signed by JThe German Foreign Ministry on Wednesday confirmed a report by a Korean newspaper that the diplomat's dog had attacked the 72-year-old Mrs. Lee, spouse of an unnamed chaebol conglomerate president during a stroll around Seoul's popular Namsan Park.
"The German embassy in Seoul is in contact with all involved parties in order to find a constructive solution," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told The Local.
The daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported on Tuesday that the police booked and released the German diplomat, identified only as Mr. H, for assault after he allegedly kicked and pushed Lee's adult son as he was trying to fend off the wiener dog.
"The diplomat was strolling around Mt. Nam with his dachshund when he ran into the mother and son," the paper's online English edition wrote.
"The victims claim the dog suddenly bit the woman's thumb, and when the son tried to stop it with an umbrella, the diplomat kicked him in the right leg and shoved both him and his mother."
The woman reportedly suffered only minor injuries, but she still went to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Local/mryThe all-woman jury of France’s prestigious Prix Femina has decided to not to stage its awards ceremony at a luxury hotel owned by the Sultan of Brunei because he is introducing sharia law in his tiny country.
The Prix Femina, which was founded in 1904, has a jury exclusively composed of women but awards its prize regardless of the author’s gender.
Women's rights in France - given or taken?
The ceremony takes place on the first Wednesday of November every year.
With its usual venue, the swish Hôtel Crillon on Paris’s Place de la Concorde, closed for refurbishing, this year’s ceremony was due to take place at the equally fancy Hôtel Meurice, part of Dorchester Collection of hotels owned be the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.
But in April the sultan announced a phased introduction of Islamic sharia law in Brunei.
That sparked an international boycott campaign, which has attracted support from celebrities and businesses opposed to such measures as flogging for women who have undergone an abortion and for the drinking alcohol, amputation for theft and stoning for other offences, including adultery and homosexuality.
In a statement Thursday the Prix Femina announced it was scrapping its booking at the Meurice in protest at the sharia decision.German striker, Lukas Podolski, has been ruled out of the World Cup Round of 16 clash against Algeria on Monday.
Podolski suffered a thigh injury in the first half of the 1-0 win over the USA on Thursday in their final group stage match in Recife and was taken off at half-time. After receiving an MRI scan on Saturday, it was announced that the 29-year old had suffered a small tear.
Germany coach, Joachim Low, made clear that Podolski must rest a couple of days, but should they progress in the tournament it wouldn't be a problem for him to play. Podolski has won 116 caps and is playing in his third World Cup. He won the Best Young Player Award in 2006 as Germany reached the semifinals. Podolski came on as a late substitute in the opening 4-0 win over Portugal, but did not feature in the other group game against Ghana. He is no longer considered a first team starter for Low's side.
Podolski believes that Jurgen Klinsmann’s USMNT has a genuine chance of beating Belgium to reach the quarterfinals. The USA take on Belgium at Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova on Tuesday. “They play well,” Podolski told Yahoo Sports. “They play like Germany and they fight, they run, this is the game of the U.S. I think they are happy that they are second in the group and they go through to the next round."
Arsenal's striker and Bayern Munich star Bastien Schweinsteiger were filmed watching Brazil's nervous penalty shoot-out win over Chile with staff from their hotel in Bahia. With Schweinsteiger enjoying the match while draped in the Brazil flag, the pair celebrated with local people after the host team clinched victory in the tensest of ways with Podolski even hugging one fan afterwards.Under severe attack for his remarks that Bengaluru International airport should have been named after 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan rather than the city founder Kempegowda, Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad today offered his apology.
As he remained in the eye of a storm, the noted playwright and actor sought to end the controversy, saying, "If anybody has been hurt by my remarks, I apologise...what will I gain by doing it (by giving such comments)."
He said he had only expressed his view and there was no ulterior motive, as his remarks drew strong criticism and protests from different quarters.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government has nothing to do with the remarks made by Karnad at a state government-organised function to mark the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan here yesterday.
"It is his personal remarks. The government does not have any connection to the remarks made by Karnad," Siddaramaiah said, as he also came under criticism for not rebutting the Jnanpith awardee immediately at the function itself.
Siddaramaiah also said it was a mistake on the part of the Jnanapith award winner to have made such remarks. "It is a mistake. I have told you," he said.
"I do not know why Girish Karnad made such a remark. I was also there (when he made the remark), I wanted to counter but I did not do," he said.
Siddaramaiah also said there was no question of renaming Kempegowda International Airport. "A decision had already been taken to keep the name of the BIAL as Kempegowda - there arises no question of replacing Kempegowda's name given to Bengaluru International Airport," he said.
In a controversial remark, Karnad had said that it would have been "apt" had the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli near here been named after Tipu Sultan rather than Kempegowda, a feudatory ruler under the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire who founded Bengaluru in 1537.
"It is true that Kempegowda was great, he founded Bengaluru. But he was not a freedom fighter, so naming Bengaluru airport after Tipu Sultan would have been apt," Karnad had said.
In another controversial remark at the same function, Karnad had said that Tipu Sultan would have enjoyed the same status as of Maratha king Chhatrapathi Shivaji, if he was a Hindu and not a Muslim.
BJP, JDS and various Kannada outfits slammed Karnad's remarks on naming the international airport after Kempegowda.
BJP said he had insulted the founder of Bengaluru on an issue which was a "closed chapter".
JDS leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the remarks were an attempt to divide the society and the Chief Minister should have immediately responded to Karnad's remarks. "Does he (Karnad) know history? I don't know for what reason he was given Jnanpith," the JDS leader said.
Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President SaRa Govindu said those with sense should not speak in that manner. Karnad's remarks were an insult to Kempegowda and an attempt to tar his image, he said, adding, the entire film industry condemned it.
Tipu was a ruler of the erstwhile kingdom of Mysore, who was considered an implacable enemy of the British East India Company. He was killed in May 1799 while defending his fort of Srirangapatna against the British forces.
The Congress government's decision to hold celebrations marking Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary for the first time had triggered a controversy, with BJP boycotting the functions statewide, saying Tipu Sultan was a "religious bigot".
It also led to violence claiming the life of a local VHP leader in Kodagu district where, several historians say, the Kodavas (Coorgis) were persecuted by Tipu Sultan with forcible conversions and killings, the scale of which, as portrayed, is disputed by many other historians.Military Recruits Children: Game Violates Int Law
In May of 2002, the United States Army invaded E3, the annual video game convention held in Los Angeles. At the city's Convention Center, young game enthusiasts mixed with camouflaged soldiers, Humvees and a small tank parked near the entrance. Thundering helicopter sound effects drew the curious to the Army's interactive display, where a giant video screen flashed the words "Empower yourself. Defend America... You will be a soldier."(1)
The Army was unveiling its latest recruitment tool, the "America's Army" video game, free to download online or pick up at a recruiting station, and now available for purchase on the Xbox, PlayStation, cell phones and Gameboy game consoles. Since its release, the "game" has gone on to attain enormous popularity with over 30,000 players everyday, more than nine million registered users, and version 3.0 set for launch in September. "America's Army" simulates the Army experience, immersing players in basic training before they can go on to play specialized combat roles. Most of the gameplay takes place in cyberspace where virtual Mideast cities, hospitals and oil rigs serve as backdrops for players to obliterate each other. As a "first person shooter," the game allows players to "see what a soldier sees" in real combat situations - peek around corners, take fine aim, chose weapons that replicate those actually used by the US Army.
For the game's commercial developers, realism is one its strongest selling points. Console version programmers were shipped to military training facilities in Wyoming, where they ran boot camp obstacle courses, fired weapons at the shooting range and got whisked around on helicopters. Back at hip, safe San Francisco Bay Area game companies, Army weapons specialists worked with developers to ensure aim, fire, sound and reload functions for all of the game's weapons were as close to the real thing as possible. The Army also ensured that players learn real weapons skills such as breath control and the reload time for a M4 carbine. And in order to edge closer to the Army's goal of "realism" and "authenticity," several of the game's missions are based on actual combat experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even the training simulators and firing ranges are modeled on the real life versions at Ft. Benning, Ft. Lewis and Ft. Polk. In a 2005 press release, Ubisoft, the multimillion-dollar publisher of the console version of the game, wrote that "America's Army" is the "deepest and most realistic military game ever to hit consoles," hoping that it gave players a "realistic, action-packed, military experience."(2)
But behind the fun and games is an attempt, in the words of a military booklet on "America's Army," "to build a game for Army strategic communication in support of recruiting." The Army spent $6 million to develop the game at the Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation Institute (MOVES) before handing it over to private companies for adaptation to the console formats in 2004. As the name implies, the MOVES Institute is the military center for creating virtual training environments and simulators. A MOVES Institute booklet proclaims a later version of the game, "America's Army: Special Forces," was developed specifically to increase the number of Army Special Forces recruits. "The Department of Defense want[ed] to double the number of Special Forces Soldiers, so essential did they prove in Afghanistan and northern Iraq; consequently, orders... trickled down the chain of command and found application in the current release of 'America's Army.'"(3)
Like so many aspects of contemporary military operations, the development of later versions of the game has been handed over to corporations for private profit. Some of the biggest game companies have worked on the console, arcade and cell phone versions of "America's Army." Ubisoft, the world's seventh largest video game company, is the game's exclusive producer and has recently publicized record profits for the first quarter of 2008. Ubisoft worked closely with San Francisco based Secret Level to develop the 2005 Xbox version. Global VR, in San Jose, California, is preparing the release of the arcade version, and Gameloft programmed a version available for download to cell phones. Getting in on the action are other more traditional military contractors, such as Digital Consulting Services (DSC), a multimillion-dollar military tech company based in Newbury Park, California. Among DCS's other projects are the Encore II Information Technology Solution for the innocuous sounding Global Information Grid, "an all encompassing communications project for the Department of Defense," worth $13 billion over five years. Or the Navy's Seaport-Enhanced - a $100 billion multicontract program to integrate Navy warfare operations. The Army worked closely with these and other companies to produce "America's Army," the first and only officially licensed Army game. It is this partnership and the close attention to technical detail that the Army and game companies claim gives "America's Army" its realistic quality. As Col. Casey Wardynski, director of the US Army's Office of Economic and Manpower Analysis (OEMA) and director of the game project proclaims, "America's Army" is "the most authentic console game about soldiering in the US Army."(4)
Yet, far from providing realism, "America's Army" offers a sanitized version of war to propagandize youth on the benefits of an Army career and prepare them for the battlefield. In the game, soldiers are not massacred in bloody fire typical of most video games, or for that matter, real combat. When hit, bullet wounds resemble puffs of red smoke, and players can take up to four hits before being killed. To further protect youth, concerned parents can turn on optional controls that sanitize the violence even more - shots produce no blood whatsoever and dead soldiers just sit down. This presentation of war contrasts to the much more grisly reality unfolding every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, like a June suicide attack on the Fallujah City Council in which three Marines, two interpreters and 20 Iraqis, including young children, were killed. Photos by American photojournalist Zoriah depict a horror scene in a small courtyard, dismembered body parts - ears, hands and pieces of skull - spot the ground; one Marine's head looks smeared into the pavement. Zoriah writes of the scene, "There are dying people strewn around like limp dolls along with lifeless bodies of all ages. People are screaming and crying and running as if they have something important to do, only they can't figure out what that important thing could possibly be... people are literally frantic removing the dead, as if their pace may bring some of them back." It is this violent, realistic quality of combat that has been excised from the game.(5)
Another ploy in the Army's "realism" playbook is what the Army calls "America's Army's Real Heroes." On the "America's Army" web site, visitors can explore the stories of eight combat veterans who received silver or bronze stars, purple hearts, or other awards. Among them is Sgt. Tommy Rieman, an Iraq veteran who used his body to shield his gunner from incoming fire, miraculously surviving bullet wounds to the chest and shoulder. He was selected to be a "Real Hero" and media celebrity for Army recruitment not solely for his courage, but also because he survived his experience. Those who have made the "ultimate sacrifice" are unlikely to be chosen at all, like 22-year-old Specialist William L. McMillan, who was killed on July 8 when his vehicle was destroyed by a roadside bomb. Or 35-year-old Sgt. Steven Chevalier, of Flint, Michigan, father of two, who joined the Army after high school in 1991 because he couldn't find work in Flint. On July 9, in the midst of his third tour in Iraq, Sergeant Chevalier was destroyed by a grenade attack in Samarra. Other Army nonheroes include those who have taken the courageous step of refusing orders in an illegal and immoral war, like Lt. Erin Watada or members of 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment who refused patrol orders in Adhamiya, Iraq.
What the game's "realism" is attempting to do is to mask the violent reality of combat, and military experience in general, for very specific purposes. At a minimum, the Army hopes "America's Army" will act as "strategic communication" to expose "kids who are college bound and technologically savvy" to positive messaging about the Army. Phase one of the propaganda effort is to expose children to "Army values" and make service look as attractive as possible. The next phase is direct recruiting. According to Colonel Wardynski, who originally thought up selling the Army to children through video games, "a well executed game would put the Army within the immediate decision-making environment of young Americans. It would thereby increase the likelihood that these Americans would include Soldiering in their set of career alternatives." To make the connection between the game and recruitment explicit, the "America's Army" web site links directly to the Army's recruitment page. And gamers can explore a virtual recruitment center through the "America's Army Real Heroes" program. Local recruiters also use the game to draw in high school children for recruitment opportunities. Recruiters stage area tournaments with free pizza and sodas; winners receive Xbox game consoles, free copies of "America's Army" and iPods. Game centers are also set up at state fairs and public festivals with replica Humvees and.50 caliber machine guns, where children as young as 13 can test out the life-sized equipment.(6)
When players walk into Army sponsored tournaments, the government knows more about them then they may suppose. The game records players' data and statistics in a massive database called Andromeda, which records every move a player makes and links the information to their screen name. With this information tracking system, gameplay serves as a military aptitude tester, tracking overall kills, kills per hour, a player's virtual career path, and other statistics. According to Colonel Wardynski, players who play for a long time and do extremely well may "just get an e-mail seeing if [they'd] like any additional information on the Army." The "America's Army" web site, however, is quick to point out that the Army respects players' privacy. The Army claims that player information is not linked to a person's real world identity unless that person volunteers their identity to a recruiter. But it is not clear that recruiters have to give any sort of discloser that a voluntary relinquishing of one's name is also an invitation to a player's statistical information. Answering seemingly innocent questions from recruiters in "America's Army" chat rooms or at state fairs about one's screen name may divulge personal information without intending to.(7)
Beyond its recruitment goals, the game serves as a training device for both military tactics and weapons, and to condition players for battlefield operations. To this end, "America's Army" game assignments are designed to simulate real world battlefield missions. For example in one mission, "Special Forces fight alongside Indigenous Forces they have trained. For this mission, [players] must rescue and escort a wounded resistance leader who's escaped to a neutral hospital for treatment - or hinder the escape of a wounded enemy courier, depending which side you're on." Missions like this shadow real world military actions such as the November 2004 seizure of a Fallujah hospital, a blatant violation of international law. The Army justified the war crime by explaining the hospital was furthering enemy propaganda. Other missions designed to acclimate players to warfare take place on an offshore oil rig or reenact the "Blackhawk Down" scenario. The oil rig game environment mimics possible combat deployments like to the new military installation being built by the Navy on the Khawr al Amaya Oil Terminal in the Persian Gulf. Interestingly, in these mission environments every gun-carrying character found online has a real person behind it. Yet, all players perceive themselves as American Forces while their avatars may be represented as black masked "terrorists" to their opponents.(8)
If this weren't enough, the Army has designed weapons systems and training simulators based on "America's Army" simulations and gameplay and incorporated them into the game. Players are organized into groups of Army units to learn to think, act and work together, a key component of basic infantry training. With a system of honor points that can help or hinder a virtual career, players are rewarded for their teamwork and strategic thinking, and discouraged from acting like a lone Rambo. Weapons training programs are also developed from the game or incorporated into "America's Army." These include the Live Fire Virtual Targetry for Urban Combat, in which boot camp recruits fire live ammunition at huge screens with "America's Army" simulations projected onto it. Additionally, training software for the Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station, a remote control vehicle with automatic weapons, was incorporated into the 2.7 version of "America's Army." The Army has also used the game to test new weapons. The Army's weapons research laboratory, the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), uses "America's Army" simulators to create virtual weapons testing grounds that are so lifelike ARDEC can "try out a new weapons system before any metal is cut." In "America's Army" one can play and undergo real-world military training at the same time.(9)
Most troubling of all, these recruitment and training techniques are targeted at children. Apart from sanitizing the violence of war, the Army toned down the gore in the game to get a Teen rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the equivalent of a PG rating on movies, so that children as young as 13 could play "America's Army." Chris Chambers, the game project's deputy director explains that "we have a teen rating that allows 13-year-olds to play, and in order to maintain that rating we have to adhere to certain standards. We want to reach young people to show them what the Army does... We can't reach them if we are over the top with violence and other aspects of war that might not be appropriate. It's a choice we made to be able to reach the audience we want."(10)
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has found that Army use of the game, and its recruiting practice in general, violate international law. In May, the ACLU published a report that found the armed services "regularly target children under 17 for military recruitment. Department of Defense instruction to recruiters, the US military's collection of information of hundreds of thousands of 16-year-olds, and military training corps for children as young as 11 reveal that students are targeted for recruitment as early as possible. By exposing children under 17 to military recruitment, the United States military violates the Optional Protocol." The Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, ratified by the Senate in December 2002, protects the rights of children under 16 from military recruitment and deployment to war. The US subsequently entered a binding declaration that raised the minimum age to 17, meaning any recruitment activity targeted at those under 17 years old is not allowed in the United States. The ACLU report goes on to highlight the role of "America's Army," saying the Army uses the game to "attract young potential recruits... train them to use weapons, and engage in virtual combat and other military missions," adding that the game "explicitly targets boys 13 and older." In June, at the 48th session of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee noted US violations of the Protocol and urged the United States to "ensure that its policy and practice on deployment is consistent with the provisions of the Protocol."(11)
Four years after the game was introduced at the 2002 Los Angles E3, and half way around the world in Mosul, Iraq, "America's Army" was having an effect. Sgt. Sinque Swales had just fired his.50 caliber machine gun at so-called insurgents for only the second time. "It felt like I was in a big video game," he said. "It didn't even faze me, shooting back. It was just natural instinct. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!" While Sergeant Swales found game training conditioned him for combat situations, other soldiers report "America's Army" played a direct role in guiding them to the military. Pvt. Doug Stanbro told The Christian Science Monitor in a 2006 interview that he "never really thought about the military at all before I started playing this game." An informal Army study of the same year showed that 4 out of 100 new recruits in Ft. Benning, Georgia, credit "America's Army" as the primary factor in convincing them to join the military. Sixty percent of those recruits surveyed said they played the game more than five times a week. And a 2004 Army survey found that nearly a third of young Americans aged 16 to 24 had some contact with the game in the previous six months.(12)
"America's Army" is not a game; it is a recruitment and training tool that the Army uses in violation of international law. While soldiers and civilians continue to kill and die in Iraq and Afghanistan, private corporations like Ubisoft reap handsome profits from the Army's project to train and recruit children. Military game developers are very open about this role, as Colonel Wardynski proudly proclaims in article after article, "We want kids to come into the Army and feel like they've already been there." In this sense, "America's Army" is more than a recruiting tool; it is an attempt to shift public perceptions about the Army and a conscious effort to militarize youth and video game culture. Indeed, the Army has been largely successful, so long as we accept sophisticated propaganda, recruitment and training programs like "America's Army" as simply games and entertainment. In a statement that could apply to any of the military propaganda programs for youth, including popular movies like "Transformers" and "Iron Man," Wardynski says, "If you don't get in there and engage them early in life about what they're going to do with their lives, when it comes time for them to choose, you're in a fallback position." With the need for fresh recruits at an all-time high due to popular opposition to the murderous and illegal wars, the Army is hoping their game will keep them from stepping into a fallback recruiting position. According to Colonel Wardynski, "today's Soldiers are gamers," and, we might add, the Army is hoping to make the statement true in the converse as well. When this means the militarization and recruitment of our children, we should all take special notice.(13)
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Michael B. Reagan is an activist and graduate student in the San Francisco Bay Area. He can be reached at micatron@berkeley.edu
(1) Knight Ridder Tribune News Service: "Army Game to Draft Virtual Soldiers," May 23, 2002, pg. 1 (2) Business Wire: "US Army and Ubisoft Join Force in Unprecedented Agreement to Deploy 'America's Army' Brand Worldwide," April 14, 2004; Business Wire: "US Army and Ubisoft Bring 'America's Army: Rise of a Soldier' to Video Game Consoles; The Most Authentic Military Console Game Ever Created Ships to Retail Stores Today," Press Release, November 15, 2005. (3) The United States Army and the Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation Institute: "'America's Army' PC Game Vision and Realization: A Look at the Artistry, Technique, and Impact of the United States Army's Groundbreaking Tool for Strategic Communication," January, 2004, pg. 22, henceforth, "MOVES Booklet"; MOVES Booklet, pg. 37. (4) DCS web site: http://www.webdcs.com/contracts.php?id=encoreII; Business Wire: "US Army and Ubisoft Bring 'America's Army: Rise of a Soldier' to Video Game Consoles; The Most Authentic Military Console Game Ever Created Ships to Retail Stores Today," Press Release, November 15, 2005. (5) Zoriah Photojournalist: "Suicide Bombing in Anbar - Eye Witness Account - Iraq War Photographer Diary - Graphic Images," posted June 26, 2008, http://www.zoriah.net/blog/suicide-bombing-in-anbar-.html (6) Carrie Kirby: "The advertising game: Adopting the latest thing in advertising, Army out to do some computer recruiting," San Francisco Chronicle, August 5, 2002, Sec. E 1; MOVES Booklet 7; a Wisconsin counter-recruitment group was recently successful in booting recruiters armed with the video game from "Summerfest" before the Army pressured festival organizers to let them back in if they restricted game to those 17 or older. (7) Gary Webb: "The Killing Game," Newsreivew.com, November 4, 2004, http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=23529 (8) MOVES Booklet 28. (9) Jason Dobson: "Army Game Project's Frank Blackwell on 'America's Army,'" Serious Game Source, September 2006; Webb: "The Killing Game." (10) Seth Schiesel: "On Maneuvers with the Army's Game Squad," The New York Times, February 17, 2005, Sec. G1 (11) American Civil Liberties Union US Violations of Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict: Sons of Misfortune: Abusive US Military Recruitment and Failure to Protect Child Soldiers, May 23, 2008; United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Forty-eight Session: "Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 8 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict," June 6, 2008. (12) Jose Antonio Vargas: "Virtual reality prepares US soldiers for real war; Young warriors say video shooter games helped hone skills," The Wall Street Journal Europe, February 15, 2006; Patrik Jonsson: "Enjoy the video game? Then join the Army," The Christian Science Monitor, September 19, 2006. (13) The Washington Post: "'America's Army' video game doubles as military recruiter; Officials hope online multiplayer adventure will encourage teens to volunteer of service," May 30, 2005, Sec. A13; Joan Ryan: "Army's war game recruits kids," San Francisco Chronicle, September 23, 2004, Sec. B1; Eric Gwinn: "Uncle Sam wants you - for 'America's Army,'" The Chicago Tribune, November 7, 2003.
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© Scoop MediaThe problem
Django is great but it’s frontend toolchain is stuck in the past. Imagine if someone told you to copy all your python module dependencies in your source tree and import them from there. Unthinkable, right? We’ve pip and virtualenv for that. We also have npm and bower for frontend packages but we still choose to manage frontend packages manually or write very complex wrappers over javascript tools so that we only have to deal with Python. I think this needs to change. The javascript community has come up with some awesome pieces of software. Npm is one of the best, probably the best package manager I’ve come across. Tools like grunt, gulp, browserify, webpack are too good to ignore.
Problems with the currect approach
Manually maintaining dependencies is a pain.
No integration with managers like npm and bower.
Horrible for frontend engineers and designers to work with.
Backend and frontend systems are tightly coupled and sometimes limit each other.
What about django-npm, pipeline and compressor?
Apps like django-pipeline and django-compressor have done a great job with static assets. I |
Fries, executive director of the non-profit, in an e-mail. “We’re supportive of it being promoted.”
Members of the Somerville Bicycle Committee have also stood behind Charney’s charge.
“An education campaign focused on this would be a fantastic new initiative,” said Ken Carlson, chairman of the advisory group. “It would really have an impact. Let’s see where we can take this.”
So will drivers go Dutch? Charney hopes so.
“My campaign is to get Americans to do what the Dutch have been doing for a long time,” he said. “It makes total sense, and it becomes automatic.”
Steve Annear can be reached at steve.annear@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @steveannearDid Edward Snowden risk everything for nothing? It certainly seems that way, since his shocking revelations about the NSA haven’t changed anything for the better. In fact, while Snowden continues to hide from the White House, the NSA continues to grow in power. This TED talk from a computer cryptographer should make all of us who care about freedom and privacy very concerned indeed.
Matthew Green explains how the NSA is collecting personal address books and buddy lists and plans to gain full access to skype, cellphone conversations and all emails by ending encryption. Encryption dates back to the Founding Fathers and the Bill of Rights. Now, the United States National Security Agency is breaking and undermining core encryption technologies that power the Internet, saying it’s being done for our own protection from terrorists. But is it? Green doesn’t think so.
More like this:Getty Images
DeAndre Hopkins already is good enough to become fodder for training-camp trash talk directed at Darrelle Revis. Hopkins apparently isn’t good enough yet to earn a second contract from the Texans.
The fact that Hopkins wisely decided a day after launching a holdout that the Texans held all the cards (and soon would be holding a lot of his money) doesn’t change the fact that he deserves a new contract. Every draft pick who becomes a great player deserves a new contract when he becomes eligible for a new contract after his third season ends. But more on that in a paragraph, or two.
For now, the Texans don’t seem to be inclined to give Hopkins a new contract. G.M. Rick Smith (who recently was rewarded for a decade consisting mainly of “meh” with another new contract of his own) said Saturday on NFL Network that there are no negotiations with Hopkins, via James Palmer of NFL Media.
Yes, the Texans have the right to force Hopkins to play every snap of every game of every year of his five-year rookie deal. They also have the right to apply the franchise tag in 2018, extending his stay to six years before he gets a long-term deal. If willing to give him a 20-percent raise over his 2018 tag, they can do it again in 2019 — tying him up for seven years without Hopkins ever getting the kind of life-changing security he deserves.
That’s not how it’s supposed to be happening. Five years ago, when the NFL parlayed the prevalence of first-round busts into a wage scale that dramatically reduced the money that went to players taken at the top of the draft, the league didn’t include a device for ensuring that the non-busts would still get their money. Instead, the NFL has left it to the goodwill of the teams to reward the first-rounders who would have earned the millions they’ll never see under the new wage scale.
“My argument to that is one of the things that clubs are doing over the past several years is when they see someone perform at a level higher than they may have anticipated, they adjust and they try to avoid them becoming free agents by signing them to long-term deals,” Commissioner Roger Goodell told PFT in 2010.
Apart from the term in the 2011 CBA that delays from two years to three years the ability to sign draft picks to new contract, teams still aren’t required to do anything. And the Texans, who gave 2011 first-rounder J.J. Watt a new deal after three years but won’t give one to Hopkins after three years, apparently aren’t inclined to do anything.
The end result is that Hopkins will be required to continue to bear the risk of injury, earning far less than he has proven he’s worth because there’s no way that he can force the Texans to do what Goodell predicted teams would do with players who outperform their rookie deals. The better and more fair approach would be to take some of the money they didn’t have to pay to Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, and give some of it to Hopkins.
The Texans don’t seem to be willing to do that for now, and if Hopkins suffers a career-altering injury in 2016 they may not be doing it ever.I have a love for old maps, they give us a unique insight into the history and evolution of our cities. This project hopes to make old maps available for the enjoyment and education of all.
The old maps project came about when my grandmother was clearing out her garage, after the death of my grandfather. Amongst the treasure trove of things my grandfather collected over the years was a collection of old maps of Paris.
I wanted to share these maps online but after many failed attempts at trying to digitise the maps and on the verge of giving up, I discovered that many of them had already been digitised and submitted to Wiki commons, downloadable but not easily viewable online.
As my personal project, I decided to set out and make these maps, along with any that I had, more accessible and easier to enjoy online.
After some Google Maps hacking and a bit of programming magic I created oldmapsofparis.com which brought together 25 old maps of Paris dating from c360 AD to 1937.
I want to thank all the organisations and individuals that have added these old maps to Wiki Commons and shared them into the public domain, in particular Geographicus who have shared the majority of these maps. If you are interesting in purchasing any of the original maps the Geographicus are the people to speak to.“They think fish are more important than people, that pigs are treated mean and chickens should run loose,” said Mr. Rogers, who said he hitched a ride in 1940 to Visalia from Oklahoma to escape the Dust Bowl, with his wife and baby son in tow. “City people just don’t know what it takes to get food on their table.”
Photo
The final straw for folks like Mr. Rogers was Proposition 2, a ballot measure in November that banned the tight confinement of egg-laying hens, veal calves and sows. While many food activists and politicians in the state hailed the vote as proof of consumers’ increasing interest in where their food comes from, the proposition’s passage has angry farmers and their allies wanting to put the issue of secession to a vote, perhaps as soon as 2012.
“We have to ask ourselves, Is there a better way to govern this state?” asked a former Republican member of the California Assembly, Bill Maze, president and a founder of the nonprofit group, Citizens for Saving California Farming Industries, which is spearheading the secessionists’ efforts. Mr. Rogers, another co-founder, is chairman of the board.
When he sat down to divvy up the counties, Mr. Maze said, he made sure to keep the large suburban and conservatively leaning counties east of Los Angeles on his side of the border, assuring a majority of the population. He plans to spend the next several years selling their residents on the benefits of secession.
Since statehood was granted in 1850, “there have been more than 200 serious-minded calls for the division of the state,” said Kevin Starr, a professor of history at the University of Southern California and a former state librarian.
Agitators in northern California and southern Oregon have been angling to establish a state, which they would call Jefferson, since 1941. In 1993, the California Assembly passed a proposal to split the state in three, though it later died in the Senate. Under the United States Constitution, any such plan would require Congressional approval.
These efforts at division point to California’s “cultural disjunctions,” “red-blue divide” and “sectional anxiety,” Mr. Starr said.
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The mood for secession has also been amplified by a string of hard luck years in Central Valley cities like Visalia, 40 miles southeast of Fresno. California’s agricultural heartland is at the epicenter of the foreclosure crisis, and counties there have some of the highest unemployment rates in the country. A drought has farmers scrambling for water.
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Some farmers are also suspicious of the political direction in Sacramento, the state capital. In January the Senate Agriculture Committee was renamed the Food and Agriculture Committee, signaling a broader, more consumer-oriented approach to agricultural policy. The committee’s chairman, State Senator Dean Florez, Democrat of Fresno, finds the secession effort emblematic of larger tensions between food consumers and producers.
“Rather than split California, come sit at the table with consumers,” Mr. Florez said. “The agricultural industry is in this mode that says, ‘You will eat what’s put in front of you,’ and that’s a very condescending view of consumers and eaters. If customers are changing their preferences, the industry needs to change its ways.”
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Food and animal rights activists here agree with Mr. Florez. “It’s unfair to say consumers don’t care about farmers,” said Rebecca Spector of the Center for Food Safety. “With the increase in food-borne illnesses, all eaters, both urban and rural, have the right to demand food that is grown in a safe and healthy way.”
The secessionists have a long way to go. The group has raised only about $12,000, a meager sum in a state where ballot campaigns come with multimillion-dollar price tags. Still, since the group unveiled its Web site, www.downsizeca.org, in mid-February, at least 150 people a day have signed up to receive information and offer their services to the cause, Mr. Maze said.
Mr. Rogers contributed $3,000 of his savings. Most of that went to rent a booth at the World Ag Expo, an agricultural fair near Visalia, in January. Several thousand people stopped by the booth, and many left carrying fliers and wearing “Downsize California” T-shirts, all of which Mr. Rogers took as evidence of money well spent.
“I’m an old hound dog,” he said. “If I’m barking up a tree, I want to know how many squirrels are up there.”Sharing is caring!
How long should an engagement last before a marriage? This is a question that can be very applicable to students here at BYU-Idaho, the university otherwise known as “BYU-I Do.”
There are many couples that are engaged for a couple semesters up at school, while others are engaged and married within a couple of months.
What is the happy medium between an engagement and a marriage?
According to The Huffington Post, 40 percent of couples wait 13 to 18 months between their engagement and marriage. Here at BYU-I that time is usually shrunken down.
Emma Ewell, a sophomore studying nursing, shared her experience being proposed to and engaged since March.
“I would say that some people date and get engaged really fast after meeting,” Ewell said. “Sometimes it’s good to be engaged a bit longer to get to know more about the person and how they do under stress and different situations. Aka wedding planning.”
Mackenzie Casper, a sophomore majoring in marriage and family studies, shared her perspective on how long the engagement period in a relationship should last. She is also known as a lifestyle and relationship advice blogger.
“Engagements are the times to discuss expectations, your hopes and dreams, how to raise kids and gospel involvement,” Casper said. “The engagement phase is the time to solidify your relationship with you partner.”
Ewell said she is happy with how long her engagement has lasted.
“I would say my engagement was pretty short, like three months, and I’m really glad because I think it was the perfect amount of time to plan and still enjoy the time we spent engaged,” she said.
There are many couples at BYU-I that plan their futures and their weddings before they are even engaged. Casper said that the time of an engagement is blurred here at BYU-I.
“Dating them longer than you are engaged to them is more important,” Casper said. “I would say a long courtship and a short engagement is the way to go.”
Christie Toborg, a sophomore studying recreational management, said that being engaged to her husband for about three and a half months was the perfect amount of time for them.
“The engagement is time for logistical things, time to grow closer together and also for spiritual preparedness before marriage,” Toborg said. “Having that longer dating experience before our engagement was important because it helped us understand each other more.”
Are longer or shorter engagements better in the long run?
Toborg said she preferred a longer engagement because it gave her and her husband time to get to know and understand each other more.
“I would say you don’t want too short of an engagement,” Toborg said.
So what is the engagement period in a relationship really for? Casper shared her feelings about what the purpose of an engagement really is.
“The engagement is not a time to plan your wedding, but to prepare for marriage,” Casper said.(CNN) CNN anchor Chris Cuomo clashed with a top editor at the far-right news website Breitbart on Monday after the writer defended Alabama Senate GOP candidate Roy Moore by citing Ringo Starr's hit cover of the the song "You're Sixteen."
"You know, in 1973, Ringo Starr hit No. 1 on the billboard charts with the song 'You're Sixteen, You're Beautiful and You're Mine,'" said Breitbart senior editor at large Joel Pollak, speaking on "New Day."
"[H]e was 30-something at the time, singing about a 16-year-old. You want to take away Ringo Starr's achievement?" Pollak asked.
"You can't be serious," replied Cuomo. "You think that Ringo Starr's song is supposed to be a nod towards allowing 30-year-old men to prey on teenagers?"
"You don't believe that, Joel," Cuomo added. "You're a parent. You don't believe that."
Read MoreThe Utah prisoner of war massacre (headlined by Time as Midnight Massacre[1][2]) was a massacre that took place after the end of World War II in Europe at midnight on July 8, 1945 at a German and Italian prisoner-of-war camp in Salina, Utah. Nine German prisoners of war were murdered and nineteen prisoners were wounded by American private Clarence V. Bertucci, who was on active duty in the camp. After a night out, Bertucci returned to camp around midnight to assume his night duty at the guard tower. Bertucci subsequently loaded the.30-caliber M1917 Browning machine gun on the tower and fired at the tents of the sleeping prisoners. After the massacre, he revealed his motivation was that, "he had hated Germans, so he had killed Germans." Six Germans were immediately killed, three died in Salina's hospital, and nineteen were wounded.
The victims were buried with full military honors at the Fort Douglas Cemetery. Wounded prisoners were sent back to Germany after they were healthy enough to travel. After the massacre, Bertucci was taken into custody with little resistance. He was evaluated for a few weeks, before doctors determined that he was "mentally unbalanced". Military officers forewent a court-martial on account of insanity and he was sent to Mason General Hospital in New York for an undisclosed amount of time. The Midnight Massacre is remembered for being "the worst massacre at a POW camp in U.S. history" and represented the largest killing of enemy prisoners in the United States during World War II. A museum was opened at Camp Salina in 2016.
Background [ edit ]
During World War II, Utah was home to around 15,000 Italian and German prisoners that were distributed across several camps. Camp Salina was a small, temporary branch camp to accommodate overflow prisoners in Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City. It was occupied from 1944 to 1945 by about 250 Germans, most of whom were from Erwin Rommel's Afrikakorps. It was a simple complex; forty-three tents with wooden floors, an officer's quarters, and three guard towers around the perimeter. Before it became a prisoner of war camp, Camp Salina was a Civilian Conservation Corps facility.[3] Unlike many other American prison camps, which were built in isolated areas, Camp Salina was located within the small town of Salina, at the eastern end of Main Street. The Germans had been sent there to help with the harvest of sugar beets and other produce, and, according to Pat Bagley of the Salt Lake Tribune, they were well-behaved and friendly to the locals.[4][5][3]
Soldiers unfit for front line service, such as those with behavioral problems, were typically assigned to guard duty on the camp.[3] Private Clarence V. Bertucci was born in New Orleans in 1921. He dropped out of school in the sixth grade, and then joined the United States Army in 1940. After five years of service, including one tour to England with an artillery unit, Bertucci seemed to be incapable of being promoted and also had a "discipline problem". According to later testimony, he was unsatisfied with his tour and said that he felt "cheated" out of his chance to kill Germans. He was also quoted as saying, "Someday I will get my Germans; I will get my turn." Apart from overtly expressing his hatred of Germans, Bertucci did not show any indications of what he was planning on doing in the days before the massacre.[5][6] He was 23 years old at the time of the massacre.[7]
Massacre [ edit ]
El Paso Herald-Post. A photograph of Private Clarence V. Bertucci from a July 10, 1945, edition of the
On the night of July 7, 1945, Bertucci was out drinking; he drank several glasses of beer.[7] He stopped at a cafe on Main Street to have some coffee and to speak with a waitress, telling her "something exciting is going to happen tonight", before reporting for guard duty back at the camp.[8] After the midnight changing of the guard, Bertucci waited for the previous watch to go to bed, then he climbed up the guard tower nearest to the officer's quarters, loaded the.30-caliber M1917 Browning machine gun that was mounted at the position, and then opened fire on the tents of sleeping Germans. Moving the gun back and forth, Bertucci hit thirty of the forty-three tents before being removed from the tower by another soldier. Bertucci was quoted to have said "Get more ammo! I'm not done yet!"[4][5][6]
With three trigger pulls, the firing lasted about fifteen seconds, long enough to fire 250 rounds of ammunition.[9][10] Lt. Albert I Cornell demanded Bertucci come down from the tower. He refused because, "some of them [Germans] are still alive".[9] After another guard was sent to bring him down, Bertucci was reportedly taken into custody without any resistance.[4][5][6] Despite his drinking prior to the incident, he was not found to be intoxicated upon arrest.[7] Guards kept a close watch for prisoner retaliation, but there was none.[9] Six of the Germans were killed outright, two later died in Salina's hospital, one died in an army hospital, and nineteen others were wounded.[11]:223-224 There was reportedly not enough room in the hospital so many prisoners were treated on the hospital lawn.[8] One of the prisoners was "nearly cut in half" by the machine gun fire, although he managed to survive for six hours. It was said that "blood flowed out the front door" of the hospital.[4][5][6]
The victims (died on 8 July except Ritter, who survived until 13 July) were:[12]
Otto Bross (b. 16 November 1919, Pforzheim), age 25, single
Ernst Fuchs (b. 19 January 1921, Kirchberg, Rhein-Hunsrück, age 24, single
Gottfried Gaag (b. 3 June 1916, Nordrhein-Westfalen), age 29, single
Georg Liske (b. 16 August 1913), age 31, wife Antomie Liske
Hans Meyer (b. 29 August 1920), age 24, single
Adolf Paul (b. 5 February 1917), age 28, single
Fritz Stockmann (b. 23 January 1921), age 24, single
Walter Vogel (b. 17 December 1912, Rossach, Franconia), wife Emma Vogel
Friedrich Ritter (b. 13 November 1896) died of his wounds five days later, age 48, wife Berta Ritter.
The Piqua Daily Call reported, "Clarence V Bertucci was under mental observation today [July 10] after admitting that he sprayed gun bullets on a group of war prisoners while they slept, killing eight and wounding 19 because he 'just didn't like Germans'."[13] An article from the Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune reported that Bertucci showed no remorse about the shooting at a hearing conducted shorty after the massacre.[7]
A July 23, 1945, article from Time stated,
Ninth Service Command officers admitted that Bertucci's record already showed two courts-martial, one in England. His own calm explanation seemed a little too simple: he had hated Germans, so he had killed Germans.[2]
Although there were rumors that Bertucci committed the murders in order to avenge the death of a loved one in Europe, his mother confirmed this was false. She did, however, tell reporters that she believed his actions were due to an appendectomy he received five years prior to the massacre. She told the New York Times, "something must have happened to him as a result of the spinal injection, otherwise he would never have shot those men."[11]:224
Aftermath [ edit ]
Immediately following the attack, Bertucci was placed under guard at Ninth Service Command headquarters at Fort Douglas. His army record revealed that he had been punished for three offenses: once for being absent from his post, once for refusing to go on guard duty, and once for missing a train. He was additionally hospitalized 12 times during his service, several of which were mental examinations.[9] Army officers initially cited the reason for the attack as insanity. Captain Wayne Owens of an Ogden POW camp was assigned to investigate the incident. In contrast to the initial conclusion of the army officers, Owens concluded that Bertucci was sane and should be court-martialed. Owens's superiors, however, claimed that Owens had no authority to judge the sanity of a man. Owens responded that a man is sane until proven insane.[11]:224 Owens scrapped his initial report, but still recommended that Bertucci be court-martialed. Owens claimed there was no evidence that Bertucci had been drinking or was unfit for duty and as a result, the act was calculated and of murderous intent.[11]:225 Some disagreed with Owens's claim; some telegrams showed sympathy for Bertucci and the massacre.[11]:225 Major Stanley L. Richter of the Prisoner of War Operations in United States Army Provost Marshal General's office reported that, after receiving an initial report of the investigation, there was a possibility of court-martialing Bertucci. However, Bertucci had been evaluated for several weeks at Bushnell Army Hospital in Brigham City, Utah. Doctors concluded that he was "mentally unbalanced".[14] Foregoing a court-martial, Bertucci was found to be insane by a panel of military officials[15], and hospitalized in Mason General Hospital in Brentwood, New York for an undisclosed amount of time.[14][16][17][5] He died in December 1969.[15]
The victims were buried with full military honors at Fort Douglas Cemetery on July 12. They were dressed in khaki American uniforms, but there were no flags on the caskets because the Nazi flag had been banned, and there was no new German flag available at that time. Each casket was adorned with two wreaths made from roses, gardenias, and carnations.[11]:230 Fifteen prisoners from Salina attended the memorial. A seventeen member choir from the Ogden camp sung "Song from the Monks", "Good Comrade", and "Down in the Valley". American soldiers made sure no Nazi songs were sung.[11]:231 A second service was held for Friedrich Ritter who died in the hospital July 14.[11]:231 There were significant delays in notifying family members about the dead prisoners and legal loopholes made it difficult for family members to receive financial compensation from the deaths.[11]:234-235 The wounded soldiers were sent back to Germany when they were deemed healthy enough for the journey. A German agreement with the U.S. government prevented wounded prisoners to get American compensation from their injuries, and they were only entitled to the same benefits offered for German veterans.[11]:236 A statue called the German War Memorial has been placed at the cemetery. In 1988, the German Air Force funded the refurbishment of the statue. A ceremony was held on Volkstrauertag, the German national day of mourning, and two of the prisoners who were wounded in 1945 attended.[4][6][15]
On November 12, 2016, a museum on the site of Camp Salina was opened to the public.[18] The Midnight Massacre is remembered for being "the worst massacre at a POW camp in U.S. history".[19][10] The Utah prisoner of war massacre is known as the largest killing of enemy prisoners in the United States during World War II.[3]
See also [ edit ]A recent article in The New Yorker titled “American Battleground,” by Harvard’s Jill Lepore, has been gnawing at me ever since I critiqued it last week for The Daily Caller. As I wrote then, it is a convoluted piece of quasi-academic work that is intended to make gun owners question the founders’ position on private gun ownership and, if possible, open 21st-century American minds to the idea of more gun control.
Lepore does this via subtle and not-so-subtle attacks on the Second Amendment throughout the article. By attacking the Second Amendment, she hopes to somehow convince us that we really don’t have an individual right to keep and bear arms. Rather, we were only intended to have a right to form militias to use guns in that capacity when emergencies arise.
In an attempt to prove her point, she quotes FDR’s solicitor general, Robert H. Jackson:
[The Second Amendment] is restricted to the keeping and bearing of arms by the people collectively for their common defense and security, [and that right] is not one which may be utilized for private purposes but only one which exists where the arms are borne in the militia or some other military organization provided for by law and intended for the protection of the state.
This brings me to what has been gnawing at me so badly for the past week. Lepore has made a mistake that’s all too common with anti-gunners and even with some staunch defenders of the Second Amendment. That mistake is to look at the Second Amendment as the source of our right to keep and bear arms.
You see, in Lepore’s mind, if she can just disprove the “perceived meaning” of the Second Amendment, gun owners across the country will sell their gun safes, throw away their ammo and let Obama collect all the guns so we can have safer streets. But in reality, the Second Amendment is only a reflection of the dictates “of nature and of nature’s God.”
Ultimately, we don’t have rights because the Bill of Rights says so. Rather, the Bill of Rights says so because we have rights intrinsic to our very beings: rights with which we were endowed by our Creator.
One of the reasons Lepore and her fellow academics don’t teach students about natural law anymore is that they don’t want students to understand that long before the U.S. government existed, God had endowed his creatures with rights. These rights were explained and defended at length by men like John Locke and William Blackstone long before ideas like the U.S. Constitution or the Bill of Rights were even passing thoughts.
Recent Supreme Court decisions like District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald v. Chicago (2010) have upheld and incorporated the Second Amendment. But what happens when an academic or two with the mindset of Lepore gets appointed to the Supreme Court and pro-Second Amendment decisions become a thing of the past? At that point it will be crucial that every American understands that our right to keep and bear arms does not rest in the Second Amendment, but in the God who endowed us with rights which the founders dutifully expressed in the Bill of Rights.
The bottom line: Had the Bill of Rights never been written, the fact that God endowed us with certain inalienable rights would remain a fact that academics like Lepore could never change.
AWR Hawkins is a conservative columnist who has written extensively on political issues for HumanEvents.com, Pajamas Media, Townhall.com, and Andrew Breitbart’s BigPeace.com, BigHollywood.com, BigGovernment.com, and BigJournalism.com. He holds a Ph.D. in U.S. military history from Texas Tech University, and was a visiting fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in the summer of 2010. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.(AP) BATON ROUGE, La. - A 27-year-old police officer in Louisiana has resigned after authorities say he stole an iPhone from the scene of a drunken-driving crash.
Cpl. Tommy Stubbs, a police spokesman in Baton Rouge, says the phone wasn't in the car when the driver got out of jail. Stubbs says a tracking feature showed that its name had been changed to "Jake Chustz's iPhone," and the driver recognized the name as that of an officer who had worked at the wreck June 2. He filed a complaint.
Stubbs says Chustz (SHOOTS) was booked late Wednesday with felony theft and malfeasance in office, and resigned early Thursday. He had worked for the department for five years.
An online jail listing shows he's free on $10,000 bond. A message left at a listing for Jake Chustz wasn't immediately returned.Speaker Paul D. Ryan has been critical of the tone coming from Donald Trump's campaign. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that a tweet that Donald Trump's campaign sent out attacking Hillary Clinton, which included Star Of David imagery, is another sign that the campaign has to fix its social media messaging.
"I really believe he has got to clean up the way his new media works," the Wisconsin Republican said in an interview on the Milwaukee radio station WTMJ.
Ryan told host Charlie Sykes that the tweet is a distraction and blasted the campaign staffer who posted the the image of Clinton with the words "most corrupt politician ever" inside a Star of David.
"Look, anti-Semitic images have got no place in a presidential campaign. Candidates should know that," Ryan said. "The tweet has been deleted. I don't know what flunky put this up there, but obviously they got to fix that. We got to get back to the issues that matter to the public."
This is not the first time the speaker has criticized the presumptive GOP nominee. Last month, Ryan called out Trump's comments about the judge presiding over the Trump University lawsuit, saying the remarks were the "textbook definition of a racist comment."
[ Trump's Comments On Judge Highlight Legal Themes In Campaign ]
The Wisconsin Republican said that he will continue to speak out against comments he disagrees with.
“As you know, one of the few times I spoke out against him during the primary, very forcefully, was in this area when he failed to disavow white supremacists," Ryan said, referring to the time he hit Trump over his refusal to distance himself from the Ku Klux Klan during the primary season.
Trump campaign spokesman Dan Scavino said in a statement that the image in question was selected for being a sheriff's badge, not the Star of David, and Scavino chose to take down that tweet because he "would never offend anyone."
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said that Trump needs to accept that this tweet was anti-Semitic and not play the blame game.
"It's long past time for Trump to unequivocally reject the hate-filled extremists orbiting around his campaign and take a stand against anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hate," Greenblatt said in a statement.
Onetime GOP presidential rival turned ally Dr. Ben Carson was also critical of the tweet.
Social media provides a great platform for discourse, but we must be careful with the messages we send out. — Dr. Ben Carson (@RealBenCarson) July 5, 2016
Contact Smith at jeremysmith@cqrollcall.com and follow him on Twitter @JeremySilkSmith.
Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone or your Android.CTVNews.ca Staff
An exercise camp for toddlers is no longer welcome at Lynndale Parkette in Toronto after the city says they received a dozen noise and parking complaints.
Sportball coaches were told that their permit had been revoked from a parkette in the city’s upper Beaches neighbourhood due to excessive noise -- and if participants returned, they could be fined.
The classes, designed for children as young as 16 months and as old as five years, have an average size of about five children and a maximum size of 10. The children do different activities three days a week, totalling six hours over seven days.
“I don’t think it made any sense whatsoever just because kids at that age, they don’t really make that much noise,” said Vineet Kauden, a coach at Sportball.
Other area residents agreed, saying they hadn’t heard any noise and that parks were meant for children to play, especially during the day.
According to Henrik Anderssen, whose son Liam is in Sportball, some of the residents whose houses back onto the park seem to see the parkette as their personal property, a sentiment echoed by others.
“It seems odd that a permit gets revoked as fast as it did and the fact there was no dialogue with the parents or the organization,” said Anderssen.
According to Gary Crawford, the local councillor, the complaints had to do with noise but also parking restrictions and safety and were immediately passed on to the city.
“We haven’t investigated in any particular way whether or not the complaints were valid or how significant they were,” said Matthew Cutler of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation.
The city still decided however to revoke the permit and feels that they compromised by moving the children’s program to Blantyre Park, a 10 minute walk from the Lynndale Parkette.
With files from CTV Toronto’s Janice GoldingResponse to reports of legal action against UWinnipeg
Posted on: 02/03/14 | Author: Communications | Categories: All Posts
Reports have been published in the media today indicating that The University of Winnipeg, along with the publisher of The Uniter student newspaper, Mouseland Press, and a reporter, is being sued by Mayor Sam Katz.
The inclusion of the University of Winnipeg is erroneous as the University exercises no control whatsoever over The Uniter’s actions, editorial content, reporters or editorial board. The University has neither administrative control over Mouseland Press nor representation on its Board of Directors. Mouseland Press Inc. is a private and independent company established in 2006 and is separate from the University.
————————
Contact:
Kevin Rosen, Director, Marketing + Communications
The University of Winnipeg
T: 204.786.9381 E: k.rosen@uwinnipeg.ca
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Do you have a story to share? Let UWinnipeg’s communications team know by completing this form!Traversing Southeast Asia With A Crew Of Subaru Imprezas, Pt. 1
Story and photography provided by Herbert Chow/Classicsracer
Dream vacations too often consist of lounging around somewhere so hot as to keep you immobile, or, “recharging.” For a car enthusiast though, there’s one cliche that will never lose its appeal: the road trip. That might be an unfair classification for the journey that the Hong Kong-based group Classicsracer recently embarked on though. Their trip was more akin to country-tripping. This is the story of 5 Subaru Imprezas, 11 car enthusiasts, 23 days, and an adventure across Southeast Asia spanning from China to Thailand.
This trip is all about the act of exploration, seeing things that we’ve never encountered before, and also meeting new friends around the world. We believe that “car” is a universal language, and using our group of Subarus to get us to all these new places, we were proved correct in that assumption with every interaction we had along the way.
Beyond meeting new people, the general purpose was to challenge ourselves—we are all proponents of the belief that life begins at the end of your comfort zone. This journey would certainly test that theory!
The origins of all this began in 2016, when we were invited to a retro car show in Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur. We accepted the invitation and met a lot of great people at that event, and also felt their passion for vintage metal that we know so well in ourselves. For instance, there was a Nissan Skyline C10 from Chiang Mai, a northern city in Thailand, that had driven almost 2,200km (~1,400mi) all the way to the show in Kuala Lumpur. It took them five days to cover that distance in their classic Skyline, both ways. Serious dedication.
Inspired by people like them, we decided to create our own massive road trip on our way to the event next year. We knew that we didn’t want to make it easy on ourselves with brand new cars, so for our drive from Hong Kong to Malaysia for the 2017 show, we chose to travel in a pack of 1990s Subarus. Indeed, the Imprezas of this generation were capable cars for whatever we’d find |
storms that once might have gone unrecorded.
“We have more people chasing and more storm spotters,” he said, adding, “I suspect that they were always occurring, but there are more people chasing them now and documenting them with cameras.” But, Mr. Bunting said, there was an “active pattern” in which large-scale conditions like stronger jet streams interacting with widespread areas of unstable air were making an environment more favorable for tornadoes to form.
The tornadoes were part of a weather system that encompassed parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa and spawned 122 confirmed tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. Officials said that 99 twisters hit Kansas on Saturday, but as of late Sunday afternoon, no deaths had been confirmed in the state.
“God was merciful,” Governor Brownback said on CNN.
The governor said that officials were continuing to assess damages across Kansas, and he signed an emergency declaration on Sunday.
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That there was not more damage, loss of life or injuries caused by this weekend’s swarm of storms was due to at least two reasons, officials said. Most of the reported tornadoes were either brief or struck largely in sparsely populated rural areas.
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Perhaps the most important reason that so many people were kept out of harm’s way was the Storm Prediction Center’s unusual step of issuing a dire warning days ahead of the storm.
Matt Lehenbauer, emergency management director for both the city and county of Woodward, said that 89 homes and 13 businesses were destroyed. He said the tornado struck between 12:15 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. Sunday, on a path that was two to three miles long and a quarter of a mile to a third of a mile wide.
There were eight tornadoes in Woodward County on Saturday. And on the previous Monday — the 65th anniversary of a deadly 1947 tornado — seven tornadoes touched down.
“It has been a very active week for severe weather for us,” Mr. Lehenbauer said.
But Mr. Lehenbauer said that a series of problems affected Woodward’s 20 sirens. One was struck by lightning. Others failed to work because the tornado took out master power lines south of the city, he said.
“We do know that the ones that did work were on for two to three minutes before they shut off, from the loss of electricity,” he said.
Mr. Lehenbauer said city officials were stunned by the destruction, but grateful as well.
“Looking at the damage, we are a bit surprised we don’t have more injuries and/or fatalities, because some of the damage is very, very extensive,” he said.
Johnny McMahan, 55, managing editor of The Woodward News, the town’s six-day-a-week newspaper, said Woodward is largely an oil-and-gas town with a population close to 15,000.
In one of the heavily damaged neighborhoods on Sunday afternoon, Gov. Mary Fallin, Mayor Roscoe Hill, and other city and state officials met with residents who were cleaning debris from their homes and making repairs.
Mr. Hill walked down the middle of a street as a light rain began to fall. The five residents who died were very much on his mind. So was the long-ago tornado that had killed so many.
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Asked if he had any regrets that several of the sirens failed, Mr. Hill replied, “Absolutely.”
“You don’t know if our sirens were working, maybe we could have saved one life,” he said.Hi Everyone,
It is hard to believe it has been six months already, but at the same time, it's even harder to believe it has only been 6 months considering everything that has happened. We opened our doors April 23rd, 2014 for a soft opening to the public, and I want to say we had no idea what we were doing, but honestly, our team did amazing then and continue to do amazing today. If there is one thing I look back over the last six months and I am proud of, it is our team, our family here at the brewery.
Our brewers simply put are amazing. They make the highest quality, best tasting beer and they do it consistently. They are never satisfied, always trying to figure out how to do things better, how to get more aroma, better control the souring, further dry out a beer,... it is never ending, I get tired just listening to them contemplate. They are absolute rock stars, and I was so proud to see them get recognized for that fact at the Great American Beer Festival, where they won a bronze for American-Style Brett beer. To put that award in perspective, the winners in that category last year were Wicked Weed, Russian River, and Crooked Stave. If you don't know who those breweries are, that's okay, I didn't know them all that well 6 months ago, but you should find out because there are so many unreal breweries out there pushing the envelop on beer, and getting engulfed in that culture, is worth the journey.
It is still surreal to know that for this year at GABF, we actually beat breweries that we admire and that we did it in our first year,...in our first 5 months of operations. I know that might sound a bit arrogant, but when it comes to talking about our brewers, Adam, David, and Blake, I am okay with sounding arrogant, because they are that good, and I know their beer will back me up. I would be remiss to not also mention Drew, because it doesn't matter how well you brew the beer, if you screw it up with unsanitary cellar conditions, and our cellarman Drew, simply put crushes every single day. The final part of our production team back there is Jamie, and if not for Jamie helping us maintain our equipment, package our products, and do everything else that is asked of him, we could not do what we do here. So thank you guys!
The other major part of our team are the amazing tour staff that people meet when they come to our brewery. Led by Katie, who really holds this place together, we have bar none the best tour staff anywhere. They all come voluntarily to beer school every other Monday for two hours to learn more about beer and brewing, they all got certified as Cicerone Beer Servers, and I have no doubt that some will get further certifications down the road. They make our brewery a family friendly environment, a place of learning, a place of positive energy, a place for enjoying finely balanced artisanal beers and equally good camaraderie and conversation. I am extremely grateful for what they do every day, and I know I can never tell them that enough, so thank you all as well.
Another aspect of our business is when we get the privileged to host private events. Katie oversees this business too, and we have Shannon who runs it day to day, meeting with people, showing them the space, talking to them about our home and our business. Our events are staffed by the same group of wonderful employees that work our tours, and they have really done a great job of pulling off wonderful events, ranging from birthday parties, to office parties, to University events, business presentations, and weddings. So thank you to everyone who plays a role in making this the premier event facility in Athens.
Finally we have our Quality team. A lot of breweries start hiring sales people when they want to grow... we decided to higher a quality team, because we know that growing sales is pointless, if the quality of the product getting served is below expectations. So a huge thank you to Brannen, who is our lone wolf, wandering the streets of Athens with his tool kit in hand, helping ensure that the retail accounts of Athens are able to pour our products perfectly by fixing draft systems and educating staffs. He makes sure that the there is no gap between the quality of product coming out of the brewery and the quality of the product coming out of the tap, and for that I am personally grateful.
It has really been a wonderful journey over the last six months. I've gotten to work with our team to design cans, design logos, improve our tour space, start our barrel program, brew beer, come up with beer ideas, come up with merchandise designs, buy a canning line, throw our first industry party, expand distribution into Atlanta, host great events, hire new staff, start building a culture, get involved in our legislative agenda (you can help), walk on stage to accept a GABF Medal for American-Style Brett Beer, secure distribution for our brands, build great relationship with local accounts, meet amazing people, throw a killer industry party, and most importantly, be a part of an amazing team of people dedicated to following our passion and building a great company that allows us to enjoy the creature comforts of life every day.
We are getting to live our dream, we are getting to do what we have always wanted to do, and I cannot thank my family at home who support me and love me, our staff, our accounts, our distributor, and the amazing people who take their hard earned money and choose to purchase our products and support our brewery. The next six months are going to be amazing, I know a lot of what is coming already, and I can assure you that it is exciting. If anyone asks you what's going on with the GA beer scene, you should let them know, that when it comes to beer... "the south's got something to say!"
Stay curious and chase your dreams,
Chris HWASHINGTON — Thousands of dangerous federal prison inmates will be released in November as a result of the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s decision to lower federal sentencing for all drug trafficking and distribution crimes, two Republican lawmakers warned Tuesday.
According to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, the release will include inmates with violent criminal histories who committed crimes involving assault, firearms, and even murder.
Goodlatte and Grassley sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch Wednesday asking for more information about these inmates including a history of offenses for each offender projected release date, any known aliases of the offender along with the full legal name, the offender’s country of citizenship, and whether BOP has notified or intends to notify ICE about the release of any unlawful criminal aliens.
“It is our understanding that tens of thousands of federal inmates are eligible for early release as a result, and that the BOP inmate population will fall by more than 12,000 inmates by the end of fiscal year 2016. Overall, the Sentencing Commission has estimated that 46,376 prisoners are eligible for early release under Amendment 782 — with nearly 8,000 offenders eligible for immediate release on November 1, 2015,” they wrote.
Last year, the Sentencing Commission made a two-level reduction, through Amendment 782, in the base offense levels for all drug trafficking and distribution offenses — including those that impose mandatory minimum sentences. Those reductions are retroactive and apply to every drug offense inmate in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. Thousands of inmates filed motions for sentence reductions in their jurisdictions within the last year.
Grassley and Goodlatte initially sent a letter to the Commission when changes to the sentences were first being considered last year, but say their requests for further information were ignored.
They wrote in their March 2014 letter, “We understand that the Commission’s objective is to lower sentences for so called ‘low-level non violent’ drug offenders who have nevertheless triggered mandatory minimum sentence by trafficking large quantities of drugs. However, this amendment would reduce the base offense level and corresponding guideline range for all drug defendants. The result of the Sentencing Commission’s proposal will be to reward drug traffickers and distributors who possessed a firearm, committed a crime of violence, or had prior convictions.”
Congress is expected to take up legislation relating to mandatory sentencing reform in the near future.
This story has been updated.One of the best things about teaching Trek Class is hearing from students about how Star Trek has influenced or inspired them. Many times these are stories of technology and exploration, but often Star Trek fans are equally inspired by the very human aspects that come along with its famous future technologies.
Star Trek technologies often seem very real to us because they are more than exciting gadgets used to dress up the futuristic scenery. For Gene Roddenberry and the writers of Star Trek, the technology of the 23rd and 24th Centuries offered another, subtle way to show us the possibilities of human achievement and how technology can be used to improve our quality of life. The VISOR, for example. gives LaForge not only sight, but the ability to see a spectrum his normal-sighted shipmates cannot. Perhaps to the credit of Levar Burton’s performance, as well as the writing, we can truly believe that this wearable device isn’t far off in our own future.
Trek
But the early 21st Century is a great time to be a Star Trek fan — our world is suddenly starting to look just a little bit like the Final Frontier! I almost envy the students who are experiencing the shows for the first time in my class this semester. They are able to look around and see the earliest steps toward Star Trek’s once-astonishing concepts in the form of real-life products and breakthroughs, many of which have been directly inspired by the series.
For example, that tricorder — Star Trek’s ubiquitous scanning device — has long been the dream of scientists and engineers, and pretty much anyone else who has ever had to measure or collect information about something. Today, the tricorder is a very real (albeit very basic) device called the Scandu Scout that can read a person’s vital signs in seconds and send them instantly to a mobile phone. Similarly, sensors are showing up everywhere — in our mobile phones (there are at least five different types of sensors in an iPhone) and other consumer electronics. These devices, along with wristbands, “smart watches" and other trackers, are part of the “quantified self” trend that has some people already monitoring their own biometric data - from. like activity to nutrition and even sleep quality — as if they had access to the sick bay computers.
Those who have been following Trek Class also know about our discussion of the replicator, which is slowly becoming a reality through 3D Printers. These machines can form objects on-demand (from plastic, not molecules) and are quickly becoming one of the hottest new areas in the tech industry. They have already been used to print prosthetic ears and hands, toys, machine parts and even (unfortunately) weapons. And if the replicator seems like an impossible dream starting to come true, what about the holodeck? You might be enjoying a very early holo-novel soon enough as technologies like the Oculus Rift virtual reality device continue to evolve.
In a recent experiment, I taught a class while wearing Google Glass — the VISOR-like device that projects information onto a tiny screen in front of your eye. With the help of a special app, I was able to receive messages from my class Twitter feed while I was teaching. It was a little distracting at first (ok, very distracting), but after a few minutes I found it very helpful to see the students reactions to my lecture in real-time. Happily, the experiment led us to many new ideas about how a technology like this could be used to enhance our everyday lives, including how we learn at school, which will guide the next steps of this project.
We have a long, long way to go before we reach the technical capabilities of the VISOR, or just about any gadget on the U.S.S Enterprise. These few examples are just a small sample of the rapidly emerging technologies that are bringing us ever closer to that day. As I think of the student who was inspired by Geordi and his VISOR, and then the engineers at Google and around the world who are just now taking the first steps toward making that a reality, I am reminded of the important role Star Trek has played in the process by inspiring curiosity around technology and science of all kinds. Star Trek continues to have this effect on viewers today, including those seeing it for first time in my class.
______________
Anthony Rotolo is a professor at Syracuse University, where he teaches “Trek Class.” He is also the founder and “Captain” of the “Starship NEXIS,” a lab that explores new and emerging technologies.Introduction
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say The Black Riders is one of the most popular Lord of the Rings: The Card Game expansions to date. It brought what a lot of players had been eagerly anticipating: a chance to play through the familiar Lord of the Rings story. It also introduced Hero cards for many players’ favorite hobbit characters, offered a significant boost to the Secrecy mechanic (for those of us who love Secrecy), and established rules for Campaign Mode. This last one is very important, as it’s fundamentally shifted the paradigm for how players think about interconnected quests. Deluxe boxes and expansion cycles in Lord of the Rings have always told singular connected stories, from the Hunt for Gollum to Lord Alcaron’s betrayal in Against the Shadow, but even as one quest leads directly into the next, there was no framework for how to deal with player card cohesion, or making the choices of one quest matter in future ones, as you’d expect in a single multipart story. Introduce Campaign Mode, where Heroes and Allies can be permanently killed and where Boons and Burdens make the quest’s choices matter in a more significant way. It came as little surprise that shortly after people were able to play with the new Campaign rules, they started talking about adapting them to other quests.
There have been discussions of custom Campaign Rules for the expansion cycles on numerous occasions, complete with some custom Campaign cards or perhaps just with specific deckbuilding restrictions. It’s not a new concept, and even before The Black Riders people have been playing quest cycles with the same deck to maintain a campaign. But after I heard a discussion during one of the Grey Company Podcasts in which they discussed alternatives for the Nightmare Decks as Game Day kits, I realized one of their suggestions was exactly right: Print-on-Demand Campaign packs for pre-existing expansion cycles.
Recently, FantasyFlightGames has changed their Lord of the Rings Game Day kits to being special one-day events featuring a new Print-on-Demand quest. For one-day kits like this, akin to a Tournament Kit, the custom-quest route works excellently as a means of delivering an early look at a unique product, as well as allowing for them to further increase the quest pool and gather disparate players to local game stores. However, that only works to build community on a single day. One of the best ways to build a gaming community, I’ve found, is to have regular (often weekly) events at a LGS. Not only does it keep people out playing and gathering around the game, it also allows potential new players to observe the games, learn how to play, and then come back the following week with perhaps cards or decks of their own. A one-day event isn’t going to offer this possibility, but a regular sanctioned event will. (Magic: the Gathering’s Friday Night Magic has learned this.) This is where Print-on-Demand Campaign Kits, which encourage multi-session play, come into play.
In this post, I’m going to introduce a project I’ve been working on: a custom campaign mode for the first expansion cycle of Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Mirkwood. The project itself is designed to model a Game Day pack distributed through normal channels (and made available as Print-on-Demand cards eventually), and the printed cards consist of the Campaign Cards, Boons, and Burdens necessary to turn Shadows of Mirkwood into a single campaign. Due to the limits of available Boon and Burden card frames (there have only been Treachery and Objective burdens, and there have only been Objective and Attachment boons), I’ve elected to create these using standard card frames, with the intent that they’d stand out to established players, and since they’re usually going to be proxied out anyway they should be easy to pick out in a deck. The GenCon Print-on-Demand decks are all around 50 cards, so I decided to make this Campaign Deck (and any future ones) exactly 50 cards. This prevents me from making too many, but also forces me to consider where I can add a few cards to increase replayability of these original quests.
With the introduction out of the way, let’s look at the Campaign itself!
A Tale in Nine Acts
“Wait, nine acts?” you say, “I thought the stories were made in six-expansion parts?”
Well, you’d be partially right. The traditional six-Adventure-Pack cycles do tell a singular story, but they always come attached to a Deluxe Expansion which contributes to the Adventure Pack quests in a not-insignificant way. Despite the fact that the Deluxe quests don’t always lead directly into the Adventure Pack quests (see Khazad-Dum as a particularly troublesome example), I decided that there were enough reasons to include them in the equation to make it worthwhile. In addition, it wouldn’t be much worth making campaigns of only three quests, so if the Deluxe quests weren’t fit in here they wouldn’t get to be involved in campaigns at all.
The big sell for me was the fact that the encounter sets are all shared between each deluxe and its corresponding adventure packs. This links all nine quests thematically, if not sequentially, and it doesn’t seem absurd (except in the case of Khazad-Dum) that the heroes who succeeded at completing the first three quests would also be asked to take on the challenges of the six adventure packs. It’s often the same characters instigating the deluxe and adventure pack quests, and they often take place in the same locations. Being developed and released as a single cycle makes them all a part of the same story, and therefore I thought it would be best to include them in a single campaign.
If nothing else, it lets me make the campaign that much longer, and if it makes no sense to you to include the three deluxe expansion quests, you can always start the campaign with the first adventure pack!
Appointed By the Eldar
The three quests in the Core Set, more than any other set of deluxe quests, were not designed to tell a single connected story, though they were linked together sufficiently through the device of making them quests given to the heroes by Thranduil and Galadriel. As the story was basically not present in these quests, I decided to attempt to inject some of the story’s presence into the gameplay. First, simply adding narrative text to each campaign card would make the players more aware of the story, but since the first two quests revolved around delivering Thranduil’s message to Galadriel, it seemed necessary to create a card for Thranduil’s Message. The card effect is small, but in Journey Along the Anduin the possibility for location lock and threating out is significant, so a persistent threat increase seemed significant. The effect still seems weak, perhaps, but remember that I’m not attempting to increase the difficulty of the quests.
There had to be some boons to offset the increasing threat and other burdens pursuing the heroes, and since the story placed them in Lothlorien between Journey Along the Anduin and the Escape From Dol Guldur, it seemed fitting to include a set of boons for the players to earn before braving one of the more difficult quests in the game. Initially it was a set of zero-cost player cards (of all types), but after the release of the new Silvan-themed events it seemed too obvious not to make the boons all zero-cost events based on Lothlorien’s prominent figures. As each player is allowed to choose one boon to add to their deck, I allowed these cards to push the power envelope pretty hard. Unlike the Treasures of The Hobbit quests, there isn’t an easy way for the players to search them out of their deck when they need them. Dol Guldur is one of the only quests in which they’re readily available.
A Hunt Against Time
Fortunately, the story of the Shadows of Mirkwood adventure pack cycle is pretty loud and clear: the heroes are hunting for Gollum to capture him and bring him back to Thranduil’s halls. The idea for a burden objective that stayed in play through all the quests and tracked how long it took for the players to find him seemed like the obvious choice when it became apparent that I needed some way to reconcile the fact that the Conflict at the Carrock and Journey to Rhosgobel both had nothing to do with hunting Gollum. If those were side missions taking you away from the main hunt, then I needed to encourage players to defeat them quickly. The objective would essentially track the number of rounds in each game, with certain boons and burdens adding or removing progress as the heroes struggle to keep up with Gollum. In this way, Gollum’s lead would build up between quests until they reached the big showdown in the Dead Marshes, when all those progress tokens would be put to use.
There’s a lot of text on this campaign card, but unfortunately much of it is required to fix the problems inherent in the original quest (that were originally fixed in the nightmare version). The basic fixes make Gollum easier to recover if he escapes, allow the deck to continue collecting resources if he isn’t in play, and prevent you from winning if he isn’t in play when you made the final escape test. But the meat of the campaign card comes from how it utilizes the progress from The Hunt for Gollum: by turning its progress into resources for Gollum at the start of the game, it forces you to dredge through the Dead Marshes until you’ve used up all the “anti-progress” you’ve accumulated before you can actually capture Gollum. And the more times he escapes, the more times special Gollum-themed burden cards can be added to the Campaign Pool. All of them reference either escape tests or the player guarding Gollum, but since they only would appear in this quest or Return to Mirkwood, they have relevance in both quests.
Once the players have finally captured Gollum and successfully deliver him to Thranduil after Return to Mirkwood, the campaign is completed and the players are victorious!
Rewarded For Your Altruism
The heroes’ challenging pursuit of the ever-elusive Gollum has to be offset in some way, especially as the heroes spend two quests doing nothing to further their quest as they step aside to aid Grimbeorn and Wyliador. Fortunately, those two powerful beings in Middle-earth are not without gratitude, and have the resources to reward the heroes for their assistance. After the other quests, progress can be removed from The Hunt for Gollum through doing things vital to the quest: finding Signs of Gollum or exploring Emyn Muil locations. However, there is no inherent way to keep up with Gollum when you’re fighting trolls or saving Wyliador. For that you must turn to your patron and ask for a boon in return for your assistance: but whether it’s an actual boon card or simply reports of Gollum’s movement is up to the players to decide. Choosing these boons can be hugely advantageous, as they give the players access to powerful player and encounter cards, but if Gollum has accrued too much of a lead they may need to be turned down in favor of getting rid of those pesky progress tokens.
I included a number of these moments in the campaign, where the players are allowed to choose one boon each from a number of options. In order to keep them somewhat differentiated from each other, I themed each set of choices even as I gave the individual cards different functions. In Lothlorien, you may choose between zero-cost neutral events with powerful effects. After the ordeal at Dol Guldur, you may choose between permanent attachments that boost stats (similar to those in the Black Riders box). From Grimbeorn you may choose player cards, whether powerful allies or even more powerful stat boosts for your heroes. And from Wyliador you may choose encounter cards. One of them, Words of Wisdom, starts each game in play and grants a permanent bonus to all the players. Two others are objectives that can randomly appear out of the deck, either allowing for a free healing or offering a conditional-yet-powerful ally. The last is a treachery that helps rather than hurts the players. I tried out including a treachery with only the text Doomed 1 (but not Surge) to see what a boon that was essentially a “dead draw” out of the encounter deck would look like, but it turned out to be boring. If you’re going to give the encounter “dead draws” like that, you might as well also make them powerful allies like Gildor or Wyliador’s Companion!
Enter the Campaign at Your Pace
Hopefully this gives you a sense of how the campaign works. For those complaining that the campaign doesn’t increase the difficulty of these original quests, which frankly aren’t as much a challenge as more recent ones, there’s nothing stopping you from playing through a NIGHTMARE CAMPAIGN, and seeing how you fare with burdens that all have surge (whether printed or not) and all nine nightmare decks! And for those who are just looking forward to a chance to replay through the Shadows of Mirkwood and tell an interesting story along the way, I recommend you give this expansion a try. I’ve uploaded an archive of all fifty cards (technically fifty-nine cards, as the Campaign Cards are two-sided) to Dropbox and included the link below, so you’re welcome to download it and give it a shot.
And for those who are really interested in the idea of this project, but aren’t terribly thrilled by the Shadows of Mirkwood… I’m already working on one for Khazad-Dum 😉
~Dav FlamerockClick to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
The ninth annual Otronicon celebration of technology is now open at the Orlando Science Center, bringing together video game experiences, state-of-the-art medical and military simulators, workshops taught by industry professionals, and much more.
Once again this year, Disney is showing off some of its theme park prowess with a bigger-than-ever booth featuring demonstrations and simulations that include a behind-the-scenes peek at popular attractions like Star Tours, Test Track, Toy Story Midway Mania, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Disney’s exhibit, dubbed Disney Math Magic, is front-and-center on the 4th floor of the Science Center, with the goal of teaching Otronicon attendees a bit about the science behind theme park fun. The entire event focuses largely on the STEM program – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – to showcase how important these fields are to so many roles and jobs.
The Star Tours simulator demo shows how the Starspeeder 1000 ride vehicle creates a feeling of movement for riders without ever leaving a platform. Specifically, it’s called a Stewart platform, and though the small scale one on display at Otronicon isn’t configured exactly like the much larger real-life one, it gives the basics behind how computer-controlled motions make the ride vehicle bounce around in time with the projected video. The demo is even running an old ride sequence, alongside a computer screen showing the interface Imagineers use to help program the attraction.
There are several opportunities to get hands-on at Disney’s booth, including at a roller coaster simulation demo that shows off the dispatch and lift controls of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland, enabling Otronicon guests to “run” the attraction.
An accelerometer demo teaches how Disney engineers collect data on moving objects, recording their G-forces.
Familiar screens and controls from Test Track and Toy Story Mania show how Imagineers developed these interactive attraction portions before they were installed in the parks.
The robotics of an old Audio-Animatronics figure from Pirates of the Caribbean is also dusted off and on display at Otronicon, though not in motion.
An interactive quiz game lets attendees test knowledge of Disney engineering and trivia, geared toward kids to introduce technical information.
The whole event was launched last night by the mayors of Orlando and Orange County along with a gathering of VIPs from sponsors and technology-oriented companies.
Beyond Disney, the most impressive site at Otronicon 2014 is the showcasing of the incredible exoskeleton technology from Lockheed Martin and Ekso Bionics. Lockheed’s HULC suit helps dismounted warfighters carry heavy combat loads. But more impressively, Ekso Bionics’ suit allows those who are wheelchair-bound to walk again.
Microsoft and Sony are present at this year’s event with the latest in video game and home entertainment consoles, including the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as well as Sony’s Personal 3D HDTV Viewer, which believably recreates a big screen 3D viewing experience behind the privacy of a personal headset. It’s $1,000 in the market, so this is a great opportunity to test drive one without shelling out the big bucks. Microsoft is also raffling off an Xbox One system all four days of Otronicon for guests to win.
There are plenty of flight and military simulators to get immersed in the action of battle.
Other notable exhibits include wearable technology like Google Glass, a two-button fighting game that’s simple yet surprisingly fun, realistic modeling and facial expressions used in EA Sports games, and Medical Sim City from Florida Hospital enabling guests to go hands-on with the same multimillion dollar technology that doctors use — medical degree not required.
Adults visiting Otronicon this weekend can enjoy special 18+ entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings in the Nerdy Lounge, include a Video Game Burlesque show by Skill Focus, a cash bar, geek trivia, and live music with the band A Brilliant Lie on Saturday night only.
And no gaming event would be complete without a retro arcade featuring classic standup and pinball games.
Admission to Otronicon is $19 for adults and $13 for youth (ages 3-11). Tickets also include access to the new traveling exhibit “Zoom Into Nano,” giant screen and 3-D educational films, one Hollywood feature-length film, and live programming. Science Center members can experience Otronicon for free.
Otronicon is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 and Saturday, Jan. 18; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19 and Monday, Jan. 20.
For more information, visit www.otronicon.org.
More photos from Otronicon 2014:Information: Quote ID
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Currently, 164 detainees, mostly low-level fighters captured overseas, remain in the detention facility at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Of those, 84 are cleared for release, around four dozen are designated for indefinite detention – seen as too difficult to prosecute, because there is not enough evidence to try them or evidence is inadmissible because it was produced through torture, but also too tricky to release – and a handful are being tried in military commissions. About 20 can be “realistically prosecuted,” according to chief prosecutor Brig. Gen. Mark Martins. Indefinite detention, the practice of incarcerating an individual without trial, violates international human rights standards, yet is still embraced by the Obama administration.
The military stopped providing daily updates of the six-month hunger strike in September, saying the strike was mostly over. However, the Miami Herald has continued counting. The numbers continue to hover around a dozen. As of this writing, 15 prisoners are on hunger strike, all of whom are being force-fed.
As part of its plan to close the Guantanamo prison, the Obama administration is in talks with the Yemeni government to build a detention facility outside Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, to hold Yemeni prisoners. The plan would affect Yemeni prisoners in Guantanamo only. More than half of the detainees – 89 of 164 – are from Yemen, and 55 are cleared for release. The governments are debating funding issues and whether the facility should include a rehabilitation center or be purely a prison. Recently, the Senate voted down two competing bills regarding restrictions on transferring Guantanamo detainees to US soil. One tightened restrictions, and the other eased them.
Among the topics discussed in the October pretrial hearings were the issue of torture, who ordered the search of Mustafa al-Hawsawi’s cell and legal bins (no closure on that issue), al-Qaeda funding, when the case will go to trial, and a motion to end force-feeding brought by Navy Cmdr. Walter Ruiz, al-Hawsawi’s defense attorney. The trial is expected to start in September 2014.
Torture Dominates Military Commissions
The topic of torture dominated the latest pretrial hearings. At issue were the US government’s obligations under the Convention Against Torture, an international treaty banning torture, to which the United States is a party.
Supporters of the CIA’s interrogation program, such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and conservative political commentator Joe Scarborough, argue that torture was necessary to obtain information that could prevent another terrorist attack on American soil. However, the convention states, “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.” Torture is recognized as a war crime and a crime against humanity by the International Criminal Court. Moreover, along with slavery, genocide, wars of aggression and crimes against humanity, torture is seen as violating customary international law – aspects of international law derived from custom for which no derogation is permitted.
Under the CIA’s Rendition, Detention and Interrogation (RDI) program, all five defendants were held in secret prisons, known as “black sites,” to be interrogated. The US government committed acts of torture – euphemistically known as “enhanced interrogation techniques” – as part of the interrogations. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed |
to hike Half Dome, these graphs show how popular different days are.
Daily Lottery
Approximately 50 permits will be available each day by lottery during the hiking season. These permits will be available based on the estimated rate of under-use and cancellation of permits (the exact number may change through the summer). The daily lotteries have an application period two days prior to the hiking date with a notification late that night. (So, to hike on Saturday, you would apply on Thursday and receive an email notification of results late on Thursday night. Results will also be available online, or by phone the next morning.) The application period is from midnight to 1 pm Pacific time.
If you have flexibility on which days to hike Half Dome, these graphs show how popular different days are. In general, your chances of success are higher on weekdays (especially beginning at the end of August). For the entire season (2013), average success rate on weekdays is 56%, but only 31% on weekends.
How to Apply for a Permit To apply for a permit, visit Recreation.gov or call 877/444-6777 (call center is open from 7 am to 9 pm Pacific time; online requests can be made any time during a lottery period).
Fees
Two separate fees are collected. The first fee, which is charged at the time you submit an application, is $6. This non-refundable fee, which is per application (not per person), is charged by Recreation.gov for the costs of processing your permit application.
The second fee is $10 per person and is charged only when you receive a permit. (This fee also applies to wilderness permit holders.) This fee pays for park rangers checking for Half Dome permits and providing Half Dome visitors with hiking and safety information. The $10 fee is fully refundable if you cancel your permit or if the cables are not up on the date for which your permit is valid.
Still have questions? You can call us at 209/372-0826 (Monday-Friday, 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4:30 pm, March through early October).After India suffered a massive defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in the ICC World Twenty20 finals on Sunday evening, Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh's house in the Manimajra locality of Chandigarh was pelted with stones, according to Amar Ujala.
Police immediately rushed to the cricketer's home to pacify the angry crowd that had gathered outside.
Yuvraj scored a painfully slow 11 off 21 balls, which drastically reduced the pace of the Indian innings towards the end. Sri Lanka went on to win the match by 6 wickets with over 2 overs to spare.
Yuvraj Singh, who recovered from cancer and made a comeback to the Indian side, has not looked his old aggressive self for quite some time, including in the World Twenty20 and other tournaments in the recent past.
In the past too, irate fans have attacked the homes of cricketers including that of the skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.Batch 119 voting is now open. The following polls are currently open:
Batch 119
Batch 118
Batch 117
Batch 116
Batch 115
Batch 114
Batch 113
Batch 112 results will be up soon.
The full list of matchups for today is:
Planeswalker’s Mischief vs Bringer of the Red Dawn
Spirit Weaver vs Desperate Sentry
Jelenn Sphinx vs Cloud Dragon
Infectious Rage vs Battle Brawler
Brutal Suppression vs Ulamog’s Despoiler
Bog Initiate vs Fracturing Gust
Essence Extraction vs Royal Herbalist
Rakdos Cluestone vs Rootrunner
Mesmeric Orb vs Faerie Mechanist
Grassland Crusader vs Divergent Growth
Pulsating Illusion vs Emissary of Despair
Primeval Titan vs Argivian Archaeologist
Eternal Flame vs Renegade Tactics
Forgeborn Oreads vs Coral Trickster
Saberclaw Golem vs Depala, Pilot Exemplar
Vexing Devil vs Vengeful Dead
Battlewise Hoplite vs Sinister Possession
Nearheath Chaplain vs Gallantry
Remedy vs Frontier Siege
Gilt-Leaf Ambush vs Prism Array
Krovikan Elementalist vs Nahiri, the Harbinger
Caustic Tar vs Cobra Trap
Disintegrate vs Opal-Eye, Konda’s Yojimbo
Harsh Mercy vs Manipulate Fate
Bone Harvest vs Steadfast Cathar
Goblin Taskmaster vs Geistblast
Cathartic Adept vs Aim High
Flight Spellbomb vs War Dance
Kiln Fiend vs Fiery Impulse
Call to Glory vs Volcanic Rambler
Sealock Monster vs Ashenmoor Cohort
Phantasmal Bear vs Krosan Colossusby Gordon Duff, … with New Eastern Outlook, Moscow
You can read this article here without advertisements.
When I told my father, back in 1968, that I was joining the United States Marine Corps he responded: “I hope you aren’t going to claim you are doing this to defend your country. Nobody attacked us, look around, no Viet Cong here, this is Wall Street’s war like the last one and the one before it and the one before that.”
Everything my father predicted has come to pass, America as a deindustrialized police state with a clown in the White House, nothing new there. Anyone unware that Eisenhower was a useless puppet as was Ford and Reagan and Bush 43 and the monstrosity we have now, deserves the America we have earned. His generation, those who grew up before the First World War, those who experienced the Great Depression with eyes open, they knew it was coming.
Life in America was pure injustice, the lash and the iron boot, despite the version of history we have been given by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations who “re-invented” America and its history through taking control of public education in the late 1940s. You see, the multi-generational ignorance we bask in today is not unplanned. The threat represented by advances in communications and other technology was recognized and dealt with, utterly quashed at birth.
I recommend just a look at the Constitution itself. Why the “electoral college?” Few Americans know that the Senate was chosen, not elected, until the 20th century. Why two senators for states with no people? Why a Supreme Court? Those unaware that these unique aspects of America’s governmental organization need to read Charles Beard’s An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution (Columbia University Press, 1935).
There is nothing “democratic” about America and its government, the whole thing is a con. Election after election, every time Americans think they are voting to “drain the sewer” that Washington represents, only find themselves deeper in it. That was planned from the first also, but we are getting ahead of ourselves a bit.
Today Americans are “defending democracy” in 6 dozen nations and, as predicted, invariably siding with tyrants, pushing a colonial agenda, there as bullies and thugs in uniform and doing so hiding behind the flag and the “honored dead.” I know this well because I was part of it.
When I served in Vietnam, there was no pretense that we were defending anything. Even in the elite combat unit I was in, the war itself was universally opposed as comic and absurd, it was impossible to miss. The Saigon government was beneath consideration, evil and corrupt, their military a useless pack of rabble compared to “the enemy,” the Viet Cong and NVA, relentless and highly motivated.
We were clearly fighting people who were defending their country from foreign invaders, the real enemy, “us.” Nations around the world are now doing the exact same thing and, under Trump, seemingly more each day.
The title statement is an amended quote from a 1960s-comic strip by Walt Kelly, called Pogo. It was famous once, used continually in one form or another. However, when American lost its sense of humor and began taking itself seriously, most likely sometime in the 1980s, all history, all balance, and certainly all real humor was forgotten. This is a boorish place. Let me explain.
For those of us who were born during the “post war baby boom,” the absurdity of patriotic rhetoric in response to the “red menace” poisoned our lives, polluted our educational experience, sickened our souls.
Even then, the reality of a government controlled by Wall Street was there to be seen. Higher education was unaffordable for all but the few, cities were dung heaps of filth and crime and America’s South was a land of starvation and poverty. Nearly half of all Americans lived in poverty, while the industrial workers of the North worked under conditions that made survival to retirement a pipe dream.
Every day my father would return from the Ford factory, describing 120-degree heat and air steeped in carcinogenic solvents. His friends and coworkers died in their 50s. By age 55, he had suffered half a dozen heart attacks and was on disability of $60 a month to support a family of 4. This is a common story, not an exception, this is how my generation grew up, mowing lawns, shoveling snow for money for shoes, working to support a family as early as 10. This is the American generation that went to Vietnam and it was the generation that taught the Pentagon that their games would not continue unopposed.
Today it’s different. The public questions little, those in the military question nothing. When America’s invading armies in Iraq and Afghanistan, under Bush never found WMDs or the massive underground terrorist fortresses Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld spoke of, what was the downside? Thousands of American military were killed over not just nothing but abject lies.
When billions in cash was stolen in both Iraq and Afghanistan, when 250,000 AK 47’s purchased by the US government for the Iraqi military simply disappeared, nobody saw it. When Haliburton Corporation furnished the US Army with drinking water taken unfiltered from the Euphrates River, one of the most polluted bodies of water on Earth, hundreds infected with Hepatitis and other diseases, nothing was said, certainly no congressional investigation, but the Pentagon was silent as well. Also silent were the troops in the field, silent then and still silent.
This is a huge change from Vietnam when those who returned home told everything.
Then again, back in 1969, I was a Marine, not a “war fighter” or a “warrior.” I made $100 a month, not $8000, I was fed 400 calories a day, not 7000, I had no PlayStation, no $400 boots and didn’t buy my combat gear from online outfitters. The life expectancy in a line unit was 3 months and nobody did year after year in a rifle squad as part of the “professional army.”
You know, with all that expensive gear and all that war fighter rhetoric, we still are beaten just as easily by poor people with broken weapons, poor people defending themselves against a foreign invader.
That part hasn’t changed, but back in 1969, we knew we had it coming. We still fought to survive, but we never fought to win. Win what? Nobody asks that anymore. Nobody every asks “why?”
Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War that has worked on veterans and POW issues for decades and consulted with governments challenged by security issues. He’s a senior editor and chairman of the board of Veterans Today, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”
Originally published June 7, 2017 at New Eastern Outlook:
http://journal-neo.org/2017/06/07/we-have-met-the-evil-empire-and-it-is-us/
*A group of friends at Grand Prairie High School vowed to make up for their classmates' cruel prank by awarding the homecoming crown to a deserving senior. (Published Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014)
Two friends at a North Texas high school vowed to make up for their classmates' cruel prank by awarding the Grand Prairie High School homecoming crown to one of their best friends.
Lillian Skinner, 17, is described by friends as "just an amazing girl" and "one of the nicest people I've ever met."
"She's so sweet," said 17-year-old Anahi Alvarez, a senior at the North Texas school. "We need people in this world like Lilly."
"My mom tells me, and I remember to tell my friends, 'Look inside [to see what] counts. Not the outside. Look inside your heart,'" Skinner told NBC 5 about her life motto. "If you judge people's skin, that's bad. But look inside their heart, to who they are."
But Skinner's sweet and innocent nature also made her the target of a recent prank in which some unnamed girls told her she had been nominated for the homecoming court alongside her longtime best friends, Alvarez and Naomi Martinez, also a GPHS senior.
After learning of the prank, Alvarez and Martinez, who have been friends with Skinner since 7th grade choir, hatched a plan to pass their crown to Skinner should either of them be named homecoming queen.
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"We promised each other and we were like, 'No matter what, no backing down. If one of us wins, we're giving Lillian the crown,'" Martinez said.
On Friday night, in front of thousands of friends, family members and fans at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl, that is exactly what happened.
Principal Lorimer Arendse, now in his fourth week at the helm of Grand Prairie High School, was let in on the plan shortly before halftime and the planned announcement of the homecoming winners.
"In all my time in school, this is probably the greatest moment I've ever experienced as a principal," said Arendse, who has five years of prior experience in school administration.
It was Arendse's job to escort Skinner onto the field, under the guise of helping to take pictures of the homecoming court's procession. So Skinner had front row seats for when her friend, Anahi Alvarez, was named 2014 homecoming queen.
"When she won the queen, I took a picture and she told me to come over. And I said, 'It's OK. It's OK. It's your crown, you know? My name is not on the list,'" Skinner said.
Slowly it dawned on Skinner what was really happening, according to the others in attendance.
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"That's when it was just, the moment itself took over," Arendse said, still smiling four days after the fact.
"Seeing the look on her face and the way she reacted toward it, it was priceless," said Martinez. "I knew it was the right decision."
Skinner did not know what to think as Alvarez placed the crown on her head.
"I was like, 'Wow, really? Like, wow! Like, is this a dream or something?'" Skinner said Tuesday, pinching her arm as she did.
As for the girl who got the most votes Friday, she said she would gladly do it all again.
"Well, for me, I want to say, and I always say, 'Lilly won. I just ran in her place, in her position,'" Alvarez said. "When they ask me, 'Were you homecoming queen?' I say, 'No, Lilly is homecoming queen.'"Last week, Sarah Wiles, a science teacher in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Schools with a master's degree and six years' experience, sent an email to every member of the North Carolina General Assembly with the subject line: “I am embarrassed to confess: I am a teacher.” That email is below.
Monday morning, Sen. David Curtis, a Republican from Denver, NC, replied (actually “reply all” as it went to every member of the General Assembly.) And it’s a message that is sure to get some attention from public-school advocates.
Here’s what he had to say:
From: Sen. David Curtis Date: May 12, 2014 at 9:46:57 Dear Sarah, I have given your e-mail titled “I am embarrassed to confess: I am a teacher” some thought, and these are my ideas. A teacher has an incredible influence on students–for good or for bad. My teachers, coaches, and Boy Scout leaders had a great influence on my decision to go to college which was not a family tradition. My concern is that your students are picking up on your attitude toward the teaching profession. Since you naturally do not want to remain in a profession of which you are ashamed, here are my suggestions for what you should tell your potential new private sector employer: 1. You expect to make a lot more than you made as a teacher because everyone knows how poorly compensated teachers are. 2. You expect at least eight weeks paid vacation per year because that is what the taxpayers of North Carolina gave you back when you were a poorly compensated teacher 3. You expect a defined contribution retirement plan that will guarantee you about $35,000 per year for life after working 30 years even if you live to be 104 years old. Your employer will need to put about $16,000 per year into your retirement plan each year combined with your $2,000 contribution for the next 30 years to achieve this benefit. If he objects, explain to him that a judge has ruled that the taxpayers of North Carolina must provide this benefit to every public school teacher. Surely your new employer wants to give better benefits than the benefits you received as a poorly compensated teacher. 4. Your potential employer may tell you that he has heard that most North Carolina workers make less than the national average because we are a low cost-of-living- state, private sector workers making 87% of the national average and teachers making 85% of the national average. Tell him that may be true, but to keep that confidential because the teachers union has convinced parents that teachers are grossly undercompensated based on a flawed teachers union survey of teacher pay. I support the teacher pay raise but am very concerned that the teachers union has successfully presented to the public a deceptive view of total teacher compensation that is simply not consistent with the facts. Sincerely, Senator David Curtis
And the original email:CHENNAI: The Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio is ready to return more than 100 Indian antiquities donated by art dealer Subhash Kapoor now lodged in Puzhal prison. On September 22, the museum said it will return four objects including a bronze Ganesha it purchased from Kapoor who is also under investigation by the US departments of justice and homeland security for illegally importing and selling stolen antiquities and other art objects and for providing false histories of prior ownership (or provenance) to buyers.Kapoor had donated more than 115 antique objects in 2006 and 2007 to the museum, of which more than 50 are terracotta pieces. According to a list made available to TOI by the museum, these include a terracotta Kubera Rattle and a man riding an animal from 1st century BC. Some others are from the Gupta period. The terracotta objects are largely from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and western India."The museum will coordinate the return of four objects it purchased, as well as all of the donated objects, with US representatives of the Republic of India. Four other objects acquired from Kapoor by TMA have confirmed provenance and they will remain in the museum's collection," said an official."The museum purchased a total of eight objects from Kapoor between 2001 and 2010. The purchased items have been on public display at the museum in the past. Between 2006 and 2007 Kapoor donated 54 small ceramic objects and his art gallery manager Aaron Freedman donated 64 works on paper to the museum," said the official.Vijay Kumar, who blogs on Indian art and heads an online initiative to combat idol smuggling via the India pride project, told TOI it was time all the stolen Kapoor objects returned home.Share this...
By Kenneth Richard
We routinely read from fellow skeptics that they wish Dr. Murry Salby’s research could be made available in written form, or perhaps in a peer-reviewed paper.
Indeed we do have access to his Youtube lecture research (at least a written summary of it) from an even better source than peer-reviewed paper: Dr. Murry Salby’s 2012 university-level textbook: Physics of the Atmosphere and Climate.
Here is a pdf link to the full textbook written by a world-renown expert on atmospheric physics (he’s published several dozen papers in the scientific literature on the subject). We therefore can effectively say that a skeptical view of the CO2-dominated climate paradigm is actually textbook science, not “fringe” science for the “3 percent”.
Below I’ve compiled a short list of some of the written statements from the textbook (emphasis added):
(a) temperature changes occur first and lead to CO2 emission from natural sources (e.g., more ocean outgassing upon warming, more CO2 retention as the ocean cools), indicating that warmer temperatures are driving up CO2 concentrations significantly more than human activity or fossil fuels;
(b) CO2 only accounts for a small portion of the greenhouse effect relative to water vapor/cloud; and
(c) our presumptions about paleoclimate CO2 concentrations are probably inaccurate (too low and too stable), as significant temperature fluctuations would have caused wider fluctuations in CO2 concentrations than current proxy-based reconstructions indicate.
Page 546:
Together, emission from ocean and land sources (∼150 GtC/yr) is two orders of magnitude greater than CO2 emission from combustion of fossil fuel. These natural sources are offset by natural sinks, of comparable strength. However, because they are so much stronger, even a minor imbalance between natural sources and sinks can overshadow the anthropogenic component of CO2 emission.”
And page 249:
The vast majority of that [greenhouse] warming is contributed by water vapor. Together with cloud, it accounts for 98% of the greenhouse effect.” pg. 249
Page 249/50:
Surface temperature depends on the atmosphere’s optical depth. The latter, in turn, depends on atmospheric composition through radiatively active species. Water vapor is produced at ocean surfaces through evaporation. Carbon dioxide is produced by decomposition of of organic matter. These and other processes that control radiatively active species are temperature dependent.”
Page 253:
Revealed by natural perturbations to the Earth-atmosphere system, the sensitivity accounts for much of the observed variation of CO2 emission on interannual time scales (Fig. 1.43). It establishes that GMT cannot increase without simultaneously increasing CO2 emission – from natural sources.”
Page 253:
The results for the two periods are in broad agreement. Together with the strong dependence of CO2 emission on temperature (Fig. 1.43), they imply that a significant portion of the observed increase in r˙CO2 derives from a gradual increase in surface temperature.”
Page 546:
Warming of SST (by any mechanism) will increase the outgassing of CO2 while reducing its absorption. Owing to the magnitude of transfers with the ocean, even a minor increase of SST can lead to increased emission of CO2 that rivals other sources.”
Page 254:
The resemblance between observed changes of CO2 and those anticipated from increased surface temperature also points to a major inconsistency between proxy records of previous climate. Proxy CO2 from the ice core record (Fig 1.13) indicates a sharp increase after the nineteenth century. At earlier times, proxy CO2 becomes amorphous: Nearly homogeneous on time scales shorter than millennial, the ice core record implies virtually no change of atmospheric CO2. According to the above sensitivity, it therefore implies a global-mean climate that is “static,” largely devoid of changes in GMT and CO2. Proxy temperature (Fig. 1.45), on the other hand, exhibits centennial changes of GMT during the last millennium, as large as 0.5–1.0◦ K. In counterpart reconstructions, those changes are even greater (Section 1.6.2). It is noteworthy that, unlike proxy CO2 from the ice core record, proxy temperature in Fig. 1.45 rests on a variety of independent properties. In light of the observed sensitivity, those centennial changes of GMT must be attended by significant changes of CO2 during the last millennium. They reflect a global-mean climate that is “dynamic,” wherein GMT and CO2 change on a wide range of time scales. The two proxies of previous climate are incompatible. They cannot both be correct.”
These statements fully correspond with some of the main themes of his lectures.You are good the way you are — nothing needs to be achieved
Jonas Salzgeber Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jan 15, 2017
There is nothing to be achieved. Life is not an achievement, it is a gift. It has already been given. For what are you waiting? The door is open, and the host has already invited you. Come in! — Osho
My mind sometimes trips me up. It makes me feel bad for no good reasons. Especially when I don’t get done what I aimed for. And even if I get it done, it still won’t be enough. I should do more. I should feel happier. I should live differently from how I’m living.
My mind tells me that I am not good enough.
I don’t know. But maybe you know this feeling. No matter what you do, something inside you tells you it’s not enough. And it pulls you down.
Long story short, I find that Osho’s texts help me deal with that (he was an Indian spiritual teacher, google). So, I put together some quotes from the book Living on Your Own Terms — What Is Real Rebellion?
I find them helpful and thought you might, too.
Stupid idea: you are unworthy
The society has been telling you continuously, persistently, day in, day out, from your very childhood — in the school, in the college, in the university, in the church, the priest, the politician, the parent, the professor — they are all joined together to give you the idea that as you are, you are unworthy. That you have to do something, that you have to prove yourself, then only will you be worthy.
Slowly, slowly the idea settles, sinks deep in your heart, becomes almost your second nature, that just to be is not enough. Trees are enough, animals are enough, birds are enough — only man has this stupid idea that just to be is not enough.
We are giving people ideals and saying, “Unless you fulfill these ideals you will never be worthy.” And those ideals are impossible. We are giving people ideas of being perfect. And once the idea of being perfect enters in one’s being, it turns us into a neurotic.
For me, this is true. I don’t know where that feeling of not being enough comes from, and it does not matter. It is there and affects my way of living.
Egoistic race: you feel you need to be approved
Everybody is an egoist… Nobody is there in the world to fulfill your ego; everybody is trying to fulfill his own. Who has time to fulfill your ego? And if sometimes somebody fulfills your ego, he must be fulfilling it as a means to fulfill his own.
Basically, everybody is interested in himself. As you are interested in yourself, others are interested in themselves. Just become aware of this.
Everybody is trying to compete, and in this competition, in this egoistic, ambitious race, one is destroying all that is beautiful… Everybody is asking others, begging: “Approve of me! Say something that gives me a good feeling about myself.” Hence, flattery works. Hence, everybody can deceive you just by flattering you.
And people go on doing things that they never wanted to do, but they go on doing them because that is the only way they can get the approval of others. Everybody is distracted from his destiny because others are looking, and they have a fixed idea as to how to approve of you.
You are asking from others like a beggar: “Approve of me!” — and they are also beggars just like you… Just a little alertness and one drops all begging. And with that, ambition drops, ego drops. One starts living.
We’re all in this together, and yet, it seems, everybody is fighting for himself. Everybody needs to have his ego jar filled up. Otherwise he feels miserable.
I like how Osho puts it: we are all beggars. We all want our needs fulfilled, and to get there, we need the approval of others.
Let that sink.
Because we are unworthy we need the approval of others to feel worthy. And because everybody is in that same boat, everybody feels the same and is constantly looking for approval. Beggars are asking beggars for approval.
At the root of this circus: the idea that you are not enough.
The exit door: the understanding that as you are, you are enough.
And the key lies in acceptance.
Accept yourself, you are already perfect
People go on wasting their time and life and energy. There is no need! In fact, as you are, you are perfect. Nothing is to be added to you.
Accept yourself as you are… Because whenever you accept, you are no longer divided; the split disappears. The split is between you and the should, between you and the ought.
Accept you limitations, accept your imperfections. That’s what it means to be a human being! And accept yourself as you are — with joy, not in helplessness. Because existence accepts you — this is my basic teaching — existence accepts you, so accept yourself; love yourself.
Why are we here? And how did we get here? And why on earth would we get here not being enough?
Remember, trees are enough, animals are enough, birds are enough — only man should not be enough? This doesn’t make sense. A man is a man. A woman is a woman. We are humans. And it’s how Rag ’n’ Bone Man sings: I’m only human. And that’s enough. There’s no superpower to be earned. Or at best, it may lie in the acceptance of yourself.
What are you waiting for? — Start living
Dance, while you are alive. Breathe blissfully while you are alive. Sing while you are alive. Love, meditate, while you are alive.
Share your joy, your love, your ecstasy. Make life as beautiful as possible. Just out of thankfulness that existence has chosen you to be, that you are allowed to be, that you are given life. What else can you do? If you can sing a song, sing it with your totality! If you can paint, paint, and put your whole heart in it. If you can dance, dance to abandon so you disappear completely in the dance and there is no more any dancer but only the dance remains.
Start living. You don’t need to be approved by anybody. You are enough just the way you are (to quote another song).
What are you waiting for?Israeli Army commander and top Likud member Uzi Dayan today warned on Israeli Army Radio that Israel would consider any attempt by the Turkish military to protect future aid ships from attack an “act of war.”
With Israeli protesters already condemning Erdogan, is war on the table?
Dayan then added that if Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan attempted to accompany the aid ships personally, as he has reportedly considered “we would not try to take over the ship he was on, but would sink it.” He added that Erdogan’s presence on a future aid ship would also be a casus belli for an Israeli war against Turkey.
Turkey has expressed outrage at last week’s Israeli attack on a Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza, an attack in which Israeli troops killed at least nine civilian aid workers. Israel has insisted that the aid ship was secretly in league with al-Qaeda and has since tried to spin Turkey as the villain for even allowing a ship to try to deliver aid to the besieged strip.
The Israeli killings have only increased the number of groups planning attempts to deliver aid, and Israeli officials have promised to stop all these attempts militarily as well.
The explicit threat of war against Turkey is something new, however. While Israel starts wars with a casualness rarely seen in other nations, an attack on Turkey, a key NATO member with an enormous military, would be something quite different from a monthlong attack on the Gaza Strip or blowing up metro Beirut with air strikes.
Last 5 posts by Jason DitzAttention to detail. It has become the default criterion for any coach who appears to be organised and ambitious. In Ireland it was Eddie O'Sullivan who first was accorded this status; then his successor, Declan Kidney, was slotted into the same category; and sure enough the incumbent, Joe Schmidt, is credited now with ploughing fields looking for unturned stones.
An example from his Leinster days, where he won four trophies in three seasons: after every game Schmidt would put in around five hours poring over the tape and storing away every scrap of information. The next morning the players would arrive for their medicals and recovery, and inevitably a couple would stray into his office wanting to rewind a moment from the contest. Always the response from the coach would be forensic. The players might not always like what they heard but they would leave knowing that every move they made was registered.
Tomorrow afternoon is Schmidt's first time on duty in England with his Ireland side. When he goes back there again it will be for the World Cup, which illustrates how little time he has to achieve his goal: a 30-man squad where everyone has the ability to start the big games. In Ireland's World Cup history that would be unique. He is expected to achieve it because he has brought quality to the operation at just the right point in the journey. As he did with Leinster.
"His timing was really good to be fair," says Jono Gibbes, the forwards coach with Leinster. "Michael Cheika's job had been really to put a spine into Leinster and he established that well. So the group had moved on from needing a spine to needing something more, and Joe arrived with good, clear – not simple – messages that had purpose. He gave it focus, and that's how he won the players over – not by impressing them with anything in particular other than well-thought-out rugby.
"And I think he benefited from the fact that he didn't have to spend time motivating them to play for Leinster, getting them to'show up' at Dragons away – the things that Cheiks had fought for in his time. Joe was able to channel his strengths into getting the group clear and focused on how we wanted to play the game."
And that was with minutiae in bold, capital letters. It was always interesting to watch Leinster train because Lions, grand slam winners and Heineken Cup champions were constantly being pulled up on getting wrong, by a matter of a few degrees, their entry to a breakdown, or the angle of a support run, or the placement of a pass. There were not many toys being thrown out of prams either.
"I think his experience of being a school principal stood to him, directing 1,400 students – all that sort of stuff," Gibbes says. "That really armed him with good skills so he didn't have to manage egos. The message was clear and he didn't invite too much opinion."
Schmidt was a skinny winger for Manawatu before his coaching career started at a school in Palmerston North on New Zealand's North Island. He was ahead of the game in the planning he brought to the operation.
That led him to New Zealand schools, and then into the professional game where he hooked up with Vern Cotter. At the time Gibbes was playing for Waikato and Schmidt was assisting Cotter with Bay of Plenty, both provinces feeding the Chiefs franchise though from different points on the food chain.
"There were some real grudge matches there," Gibbes says. "There was a real sense that Waikato had been a bit entitled in the Chiefs region and the Bay were sort of second class. But with him and Vern they turned the Bay into something pretty awesome I thought."
The next time they got together would be in Clermont, after Schmidt had spent three seasons as assistant with the Auckland Blues. The set-up in France appealed to him: a blue-collar town with a desperate need to secure the national title that had eluded them through their history. The Top 14 finals of 2009 and 2010 went the same way as the previous eight: south. Schmidt's last game in the Auvergne was the final of 2010. They won, and he left for Dublin with the reassurance that the right methods applied consistently would set you free.
And that's how Leinster played. At least it looked that way. In reality there was a lot of choreography, and the off-the-cuff stuff worked only because the team had the skills to carry it off.
All of which was a far remove from his first four games – three of which were defeats – in charge, after which one unfortunate pundit declared Schmidt had lost the dressing room. A delegation of senior players assured him the next morning that they did not need finding. Leinster would crown that season by beating Saints with a remarkable second-half comeback in the Heineken Cup final in Cardiff.
The only way Schmidt could avoid the Ireland job was by leaving the country. Staying was easy, for his family were well settled in Dublin. Moreover the national job would afford him more time at home where his son Luke suffers from epilepsy.
Schmidt has campaigned on behalf of epilepsy sufferers in Ireland. This has added something to his image as a decent human being. He has generated overwhelmingly positive comment from all quarters since arriving in the summer of 2010, which is unique in this business. It goes a bit further than dotting Is and crossing Ts.Hours after the Senate passed its measure, the House voted 285 to 144 to approve the Senate plan, which would fund the government through Jan. 15 and raise the debt limit through Feb. 7.
Most House Republicans opposed the bill, with the party splitting 87 in support and 144 against. The breakdown showed Republican leaders were willing to violate the Hastert rule, their informal rule against advancing bills that do not have majority Republican support, in order to end the shutdown. All 198 Democrats voting supported the measure.
House members debated the measure for a half-hour before the vote.
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, urged members to vote for the bill, which she said was “the best we can do,” and accused House Republicans of recklessness for shutting down the government and risking default on the nation’s financial obligations.
“My colleagues, do you think that your recklessness was worth $24 billion to our economy?” she said.Greg van Avermaet’s BMC Team Machine has been given a golden makeover in honour |
District to gain a vote in Congress would be to rejoin Maryland, a suggestion that infuriated District activists.
Chaffetz, a Mormon who says he is morally opposed to assisted suicide, contends he is fulfilling his responsibility to oversee the District and brushed off any suggestion that he’s catering to conservative voters.
“Everything I do isn’t because of politics,” he said. “I do it because it’s right.”
Eight years after joining Congress, Chaffetz relishes his role at the center of Washington’s rollicking vortex. A ubiquitous presence on cable news shows, the congressman is the GOP’s ever-ready flamethrower, using his committee perch to not only meddle in the District’s affairs but to savage the IRS and Secret Service, and lambaste former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for the Benghazi attack and her use of a private email server.
Yet, since the election, Chaffetz’s refusal to aim his committee at Trump’s financial web has fed accusations that the congressman is unwilling to take on his party’s leader. Not even his public chiding late last week of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway for promoting Ivanka Trump’s clothing line could quell the criticism.
While he was critical of Trump during the campaign, rescinding his endorsement at one point, Chaffetz now crows about the president. After their White House meeting last week, the congressman described Trump’s “natural curiosity” as “refreshing,” and said that “he was very calm, very nice,” and that “it was a thrill to be there.”
People shout to Rep. Jason Chaffetz during his town hall meeting on Feb. 9 in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. (Rick Bowmer/AP)
Chaffetz has repeatedly insisted that he won’t lead a “fishing expedition” on Trump, despite what critics — including nonpartisan watchdogs — contend is ample material.
“Very conveniently, this great advocate and apostle for vigorous oversight of the executive branch announced that maybe it was time to put more energy into reform and not oversight,” said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), a member of the House committee that Chaffetz chairs.
The Republican congressman is frustrated by criticism that he is kowtowing to Trump, a sentiment expressed in a recent Salt Lake Tribune cartoon which rendered the president as Jabba the Hutt, holding a miniature Chaffetz in his palm.
“I’m with him,” Chaffetz says in the cartoon, beneath the words, “Republicans refuse to investigate Trump’s shady dealings.”
Between visits with lawmakers at the state capitol in Salt Lake City last Thursday, Chaffetz called aides in Washington, pushing them to finalize a letter condemning Conway that he and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) sent to the Office of Government Ethics.
“Let’s get it out now,” Chaffetz insisted, before composing his own tweet to his 225,000 Twitter followers that described Conway as “wrong, wrong, wrong,” accompanied by a hashtag of “#Donteverdothis.”
Moments later, he bristled as he read on his phone a conservative blogger’s post in The Washington Post that congressional Republicans are not committed to oversight.
“What the crap is this?” he asked. “They wanted me to investigate Trump even before he was sworn in. Really? Come on.”
In addition to his criticism of Conway, he said, his committee is examining the Trump Organization’s Old Post Office lease with the General Services Administration. During the campaign, he reminds audiences, he criticized Trump for not releasing his tax returns.
Chaffetz, who is “leaning toward” a 2020 campaign for governor, voiced no concern over support in his overwhelmingly Republican district, which extends from just south of Salt Lake City to the state’s southern border. “I’m very reflective of my district,” he said, noting that he has won all his elections by massive margins.
Yet Republicans in Chaffetz’s district said they are concerned about the president’s potential conflicts of interest.
“The jury is still out on Chaffetz,” Jeff Nilson, an accountant who has voted for the congressman, said as he waited on line to enter his town hall. “If he challenges him, good for you Jason. Trump has to be answerable for what he does.”
During the recent Republican retreat in Philadelphia, Chaffetz and his wife, Julie, met Trump backstage, an encounter the congressman shared with a photo he posted for his 16,000 Instagram followers.
“ ‘I’m the president, you have a job to do,’ ” Chaffetz said Trump told him. “ ‘You do the oversight. You don’t slow down. You go after everything you want to go after.’ ”
Chaffetz described Trump’s message as “inspiring,” even as he batted away Democratic members’ demands that the committee investigate whether Trump was violating the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which bars presidents from receiving payments from foreign entities.
Chaffetz also has refused to probe Trump’s potential conflicts of interest, saying that federal law exempts the president from such violations. “To dive into somebody’s personal records hoping to find something is not something we have done,” he said.
While Democrats accused Chaffetz of partisanship, Tom Davis, the former Republican congressman from Virginia who chaired the oversight committee, said that “reality” dictates that “you tend to over-investigate the other party and you under-investigate your own.”
“You protect your quarterback, you go after the other guy. That’s always the way it has been,” Davis said.
Yet Norman J. Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, said that ignoring Trump’s foreign ties “is a highly partisan and utterly irresponsible act.”
Chaffetz became the committee’s chairman in 2015, seven years after he won his seat defeating a Republican incumbent with a tea-party-fueled campaign. He made an early impression eschewing earmarks and insisting on sleeping in his Capitol Hill office on a cot that he lugged from Utah.
The congressman still sleeps on the cot, which he stores in a closet along with beef jerky he buys at a Costco in Virginia. His experience in the city is relatively limited. He identified Chinatown as among his favorite neighborhoods “because they have a Five Guys.”
From early in his congressional career, Chaffetz opposed progressive District initiatives such as same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana, stances that help him maintain high ratings from conservative interest groups.
In recent weeks, District activists have flooded phone lines at Chaffetz’s offices with complaints. D.C. Council members have mocked his interest in District laws and policies by inviting him to their oversight hearings and calling his office to report problems with garbage pickup.
“I would deem him the king of the hypocrites,” said Josh Burch of Neighbors United for DC Statehood. “He is a small-federal-government conservative until it comes to the District of Columbia.”
Chaffetz said the Constitution requires that his committee weigh in on District matters, including what he considers profound issues such as assisted suicide, which he refers to as “killing people.” “I did not go to Congress thinking I would take on death with dignity, but that’s what they put on my plate,” he said.
In interviews in his Utah district, Chaffetz’s constituents expressed vague awareness of his involvement in D.C. affairs, and said they could understand residents objecting to congressional intervention. Yet Gordon Larsen, 62, a retired coal miner who lives 100 miles south of Provo, said he would not fault Chaffetz for “standing up for the morals he has.”
A garrulous pol, his smile framed by dimples, Chaffetz has shown he is unafraid of combat, even when it requires turning on allies. In 2012, he endorsed Mitt Romney for president over his own mentor, former Utah governor Jon Huntsman.
Three years later, Chaffetz surprised congressional colleagues when he unsuccessfully ran against his “good friend” Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for House speaker. “We need a speaker who can speak,” Chaffetz said, a not-so-subtle dig at McCarthy’s propensity for mangling sentences.
McCarthy’s defenders included Huntsman, who tweeted: “McCarthy just got ‘Chaffetzed.’ Something I know a little something about. #selfpromoter #powerhungry.”
During the presidential race, Chaffetz targeted Clinton’s private emails, a probe he announced on Instagram that he wasn’t relinquishing when he posted a photograph of himself shaking her hand at Trump’s inauguration.
“I thanked her for her service and wished her luck. The investigation continues,” he wrote, a message that outraged Democrats who said it was evidence of the congressman’s viciousness.
“It wasn’t as sensitive as I probably could’ve been,” Chaffetz acknowledged, though he also added that “factually, those sentences are correct.” He also made sure to point out that the post was among his most popular.
In recent weeks, Chaffetz said, a woman he encountered on a street in Washington said, “I hope you will investigate Donald Trump with the same exuberance and intensity that you investigated Hillary.”
“I understand,” the congressman told her. “I think we’ll make you proud.”Trans Activist Mara Keisling Arrested at N.C. Protest
Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, was arrested today at the North Carolina State Legislative Building — not for using the women’s restroom, although she did that too.
Keisling was arrested during a “peaceful sit-in” at the building in Raleigh, protesting against the state’s anti-LGBT House Bill 2, according to reports from the NCTE via Facebook and email. Police led about 18 demonstrators away from House Speaker Tim Moore’s outer office early this evening, the Associated Press reports. As they were taken to a detention center via bus, onlookers chanted, “Thank you, we love you.”
They have been charged with trespassing and are expected to be released in a few hours, according to NCTE. Asked if they were being held in gender-appropriate facilities, an NCTE spokesperson said the only information available so far is that they are all being held together in a center that has single-stall restrooms.
The sit-in was led by the North Carolina NAACP as part of its Moral Monday movement, the spokesperson said. The group organizes sit-ins on a regular basis on a variety of issues while the legislature is in session.
Another 36 protesters were arrested after Keisling's group, BuzzFeed’s Dominic Holden reports via Twitter, as does AP, bringing the total to 54. “Authorities say those latest arrests came after protesters failed to leave the Legislative Building after it closed for the night,” the AP reports.
“Acting General Assembly Police Chief Martin Brock says all of those arrested would be charged with second-degree trespassing,” the AP dispatch continues. “He also says they'll be cited for violating building rules or the fire code. Brock says one also faces a resisting arrest charge.”
Earlier in the day, Keisling and her fellow demonstrators locked arms and sang “We Shall Not Be Moved” and other protest songs outside Gov. Pat McCrory’s office, according to the AP. She told the group, “On the bright side, I used the women’s bathroom here.”
She posted a picture on Facebook of the ladies’ room door, with the comment “I used the women’s room in the governor’s office. Governor McCrory can’t even enforce his law in his house.”
HB 2 expressly bars transgender people from using the restrooms and other sex-segregated facilities that match their gender identity, if those facilities are in government buildings (private-sector companies and organizations can set their own policies). Passed by legislators in a special session and signed into law by McCrory last month, the bill also struck down all LGBT-inclusive municipal nondiscrimination ordinances in the state (it was aimed at blocking one adopted in Charlotte) and prevents cities and counties from enacting new ones. It further bars North Carolinians from suing for discrimination in state courts and prohibits municipalities from setting a minimum wage higher than the state’s.
Her trip to the restroom “was uneventful,” she told BuzzFeed. “No one was bothered, because when I go to the bathroom, I do my business, I mind my own business, and then I go about my business.”
“How many tourists and lobbyists carry their birth certificate when they go to capitol?” she added. “If they are going to check my birth certificate, they damn well check everybody’s birth certificate. And if they check my anatomy, they have to check everybody else’s. That is how this country works — laws have to be enforced equally.”
Keisling and her group were at the state office building today for the beginning of the legislative session. There were also thousands of others objecting to HB 2, and they delivered petitions with 190,000 signatures calling for the law’s repeal, according to a Human Rights Campaign blog post. The petition delivery was coordinated by TurnOUT! NC, a joint project of HRC, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, the Campaign for Southern Equality, and Equality North Carolina.
A bill to repeal HB 2 was filed today.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.Skopje, 10 July, 2016 - 20:12 (META)
The “Colourful Revolution” on Monday, at 19:00, will protest against the Eurobond, which will start outside the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“Protest! There is no justice when the public debt keeps doubling. Every citizen in Macedonia already owes 2.200 euros, and the regime wants to put everyone in more debt, another 330 euros. This is another desperate attempt by this criminal government to keep ruling this country. We will not allow it! We will not accept the country and its citizens to be drowned by more debt! We do not recognize the debts of these people who squandered the states money!” Said a post on the Facebook page of the “Colourful Revolution”.
The last protest by the “Colourful Revolution” was last Wednesday. It was then the citizens demanded that the Constitutional Court rule on the constitutionality of the SPO, and also demanded that political parties allow civil organizations to participate in the negotiations to resolve the crisis.New information helps explain why consumers have been cautious in recent months, despite a better job market and cheaper gas.
The usual explanation is that consumers are still paying down debt and building up savings — and will return to freer spending ways in due time. But a report this week from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York challenges that view.
The report shows that outstanding household debt increased by one percent from the third to the fourth quarter of 2014, to a total of $11.8 trillion as of Dec. 31. Balances were up in all major borrowing categories, including mortgages, student loans, auto loans and credit cards. In two of those categories — student loans and auto loans — delinquency rates worsened.
Researchers at the Fed zeroed in on student debt as a probable cause of weak spending. The data confirm what has been noted before: That student loan delinquencies and repayment problems appear to be reducing the ability of young adults to embark on “household formation,” a.k.a. getting married, starting a family and buying a house — all of which portend steady and rising spending.
Worse, the Fed report found that the drag of student debt lasts longer than previously believed. Much of the public discussion about student loan defaults is based on analyses that look at loan performance over two and three years. The report found rising default rates in years four through nine.
Another sobering finding is that many student borrowers who are current today are likely to have had serious payment problems in the past. That suggests enduring credit problems. The report found that only about 63 percent of borrowers appeared to have avoided delinquency and default altogether.
For the economy to thrive, young adults need ways to get an education without taking on ruinous debt. They need plentiful jobs that pay them enough to shoulder their debts. And when those jobs are not forthcoming — as has been the case for years now — they need relief and repayment plans, so that their problems today do not become lasting, economy-wide problems.
Outstanding student loan balances now stand at nearly $1.2 trillion, an increase of $77 billion in the past year. They are a drag on spending now, and are likely to remain so for a long time to come.Australia To Stop Payments To Families Who Refuse Child Vaccinations
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lukas Coch/EPA/Landov Lukas Coch/EPA/Landov
Updated at 12:50 p.m. ET
Australia has announced plans to halt welfare payments and child care rebates to families that refuse to have their children vaccinated — an aggressive move aimed at clamping down on a rising number of parents who opt out of immunizations.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Sunday that the government was closing a loophole and would stop payments of up to $11,500 per child (15,000 Australian dollars) for parents who don't get their kids immunized by claiming to be "conscientious objectors."
"Parents who vaccinate their children should have confidence that they can take their children to child care without the fear that their children will be at risk of contracting a serious or potentially life-threatening illness because of the conscientious objections of others," Abbott said. "The government is extremely concerned at the risk this poses to other young children and the broader community."
Stuart Cohen, reporting for NPR from Sydney, says that while 90 percent of Australian children are vaccinated against such illnesses as measles, mumps and rubella, about 40,000 have had parents and guardians take an exemption.
"All parents had to do was have a one-page form signed by a doctor stating a personal, philosophical, religious or medical objection," Cohen says.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports:
"From 1 January 2016 people who are registered conscientious objectors will no longer receive either of the two childcare payments — the childcare benefit and the childcare rebate — or the end of year supplement to Family Tax Benefit Part A.... "People who have medical grounds for not vaccinating will continue to receive government payments. "But people with religious reasons will have their eligibility for government payments tightened."
Australia, like the U.S., has seen sharp growth in the anti-vaccination movement, fueled at least partly by fears of an unsubstantiated link between some childhood vaccines and autism.
A year ago, News.com.au, an Australian news website, noted the trend of parents raising "ethical" concerns against vaccinations, including more than 4,000 in the period 2012-2013 in Queensland state alone.According to Section 13.28.190 of the San Jose Municipal Code, the city expects you to care for your tree in the same way that your parents expected you to care for your pets, water them, feed them and clean up after them (walks are optional). It’s a big responsibility. There’s only one downside…
2) You are held accountable for any mischief your tree causes
But how could a tree get into trouble? They don’t bite and can’t walk! What’s the deal? Guys, I hate to break it to you, but your tree can get up to plenty of trouble where you can’t see. The roots can grow outward and disrupt buried utilities, roads and sidewalks. Branches can interfere with power lines or grow in ways that impede traffic and visibility. Trees with structural problems or dead branches may even pose a safety hazard.The documentary Blackfish, which details the history of marine mammal abuse and the downplaying of trainer deaths and injuries at the park, has, as one would expect, been a public relations nightmare for SeaWorld.
Now, the theme park is allegedly manipulating public perception of the documentary and its enterprise.
Most recently, a post on Forbes.com by contributor James McWilliams ("SeaWorld's Popularity Tanks As Blackfish Documentary Makes A Splash") was removed from the site approximately a day after publication (Google has cached the original post here).
On January 2, McWilliams put up a post on his personal site admitting that he had been pressured to change the article, then quit after refusing to do so. "Management demanded changes that I could not, in good conscience, make," he writes, adding that his article "rattled some corporate cages."
A source that requested anonymity told Outside that after the article was published editors at Forbes asked McWilliams to draw on empirical evidence to downplay any suggestion of a causal connection between Blackfish's popularity and criticism surrounding SeaWorld—an impossible mandate, according to this source.
Mia Carbonell, a spokesperson for Forbes Media, said that Blackstone is not a principle investor in Forbes Media, adding:
"In his post, Mr. McWilliams didn't seek comment from SeaWorld, he misinterpreted the company's financial position and he leaned heavily on the work of a controversial author, a decision that made Forbes editors uncomfortable. When Forbes asked Mr. McWilliams to rework the post, he declined to do so and resigned. Forbes has not been contacted by SeaWorld or Blackstone."
A few days earlier, on December 31, the Orlando Business Journal held an online poll asking viewers whether Blackfish had changed their opinion of SeaWorld. A suspiciously large percentage, 99 percent in fact, said that it had not. Given the documentary's profile, writers at the Journal found the numbers to be a little bit suspicious and decided to investigate.
The Journal's staff discovered that 54 percent of the votes had come from one IP address. The owner of that address turned out to be SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
In July, SeaWorld attempted to counter the film's assertions with a press release filled with bogus scientific assertions that were quickly debunked by both the makers of Blackfish and independent sources.
More Stories About the Orca ControversyJust last year, the Buffalo Bills used their fourth-round draft pick to select Ohio State star quarterback Cardale Jones. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound passer became an overnight celebrity during a three-game stretch that concluded with him holding a National Championship Trophy after being thrust into action as the Buckeyes’ third-string quarterback. In those three 2014 contests, Jones threw for 828 passing yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions, adding 296 rushing yards and a score with his legs.
His big frame, mobility and huge arm gave former Bills general manager Doug Whaley the confidence that Jones had the physical tools to be developed into a quality passer.
Unfortunately, Jones’ flaws — accuracy, staring down receivers and relying too much on arm strength — showed up during the preseason last year when he completed just 49.2 percent of his 59 pass attempts.
Buffalo cleaned house following the 2016 season, bringing in an entirely new front office and coaching staff that have no ties to Jones. Making matters worse for the 24 year old is the that the Bills signed T.J. Yates, a 30-year-old veteran who played under offensive coordinator Rick Dennison for four years as a backup with the Houston Texans.
Related Todd McShay says Nathan Peterman was Bills top draft pick
Yates’ physical abilities don’t scratch the surface of those possessed by Jones, but he knows Dennison’s offensive scheme requires quick decision making, rhythm passing and an understanding of various option route combinations — three traits Jones hasn’t shown capable of executing.
Furthermore, Buffalo used its fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to select Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman. Like Yates, Peterman doesn’t have a cannon for an arm but rather a solid fit for a scheme that maximizes efficiency and accuracy.
Regardless of what the coaching staff says about an open competition, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Tyrod Taylor isn’t Buffalo’s starting quarterback, and it’s unlikely the team keeps four passers on the roster.
If Jones’ poor showing in minicamp foreshadows training camp, Jones could be looking for a new team — and soon.Ancient Romanian Celebration of the Summer Solstice: Fairies, Goddess Diana and Pagan Rituals in Eastern Christianity
The Sînziene festival is celebrated annually in Romania, on June 24th. The Romanian Orthodox Church affirms that Sînziene is related to the celebration of Saint John the Baptist’s Nativity, which also happens on June 24th. But the name of this festival and the rituals associated with it contradict this claim. Sînziene is, actually, a pagan festival dedicated to fairies, which are considered connected with the ancient Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon and the nature (counterpart of the Greek goddess Artemis). In his book „Occultism, Witchcraft, and Cultural Fashions: Essays in Comparative Religion“, the Romanian historian of religion Mircea Eliade offers some valuable information about the cult of Diana and of „zîne“.
SÎNZIENE, ZÎNE OR IELE, ROMANIAN FAIRIES ASOCIATED WITH GODDES DIANA: „The „zîne“, the fairies who show in their own name their descent from Diana, display a rather ambivalent character. They can be cruel, and for this reason it is safer not to pronounce their name. one refers to them as „The Holy Ones“, „The Munificent Ones“, „The Rosalia“ or simply „They“ (Iele). The fairies are immortal but look like beautiful girls, playful and fascinating. They are clothed in white, with their breasts nude, and are invisible during the day. They are provided with wings, and they fly through the air, especially at night. The fairies love to sing and dance, and on the fields where they have danced the grass looks as if burnt by a fire“.
WHY IS DANGEROUS TO MEET SÂNZIENE, THE FAIRIES: „They strike with illness persons who see them dancing of who fail to respect certain interdictions. Among the diseases which they cause, the most common are psychomental affections, rheumatism, hemiplegia, epilepsy, cholera and the plague. All these maladies are successfully cured by the choreographic and cathartic ritual of a group of dances, who constitute a sort of secret society (Mannerbund) called „călușari“, a name derived from the Romanian term for „Horse“, cal (˂Lat. caballus)“.
SÎNZIENE, FAIRIES OF DIANA – ANCIENT ORIGINS: „Let us now turn to the second Latin word which played an important role in Romanian folk beliefs: „Diana“. The history of this goddess in the ancient province of Dacia (the Carpatho-Danubian regions inhabited now by Romanians) may throw unexpected light on the development of European witchcraft in general. Indeed, among the Western peoples speaking Romance languages – Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese – medieval references to beliefs and rituals related to Diana may, in the main, be suspected of reflecting the opinion of learned monks familiar with Latin written sources. No such suspicion can arise with regard to the history of Diana among Romanians. The very name of the goddess became in Romanian „zîna“ (˂dziana), meaning „fairy“. Moreover, there is another word deriving from the same root: „zînatec“, meaning „one who is thoughtless, scatter-brained or crazy“, that is „taken“ or possessed by Diana or by the fairies. It is very probable that the name Diana replaced the local name of an autochthonous Thraco-Getic goddess. In any case, the archaism of the rituals and beliefs related to the Romanian Diana is unquestionable“.
MIDSUMMER CELEBRATION AROUND THE WORLD: There many other festivals around the world, in the period of time centred upon the summer solstice. In Sweden, the Midsummer is so important that there have been discussions to make the Midsummer’s Eve into the National Day of Sweden, instead of June 6. During the Viking age, Midsummer rituals were centred on fertility, patronized by the God Freyja or Freyr. In Denmark, Midsummer also has been celebrated since the times of the Vikings. This celebration is called sankthans or sankthansaften. It is the day where the medieval wise men and women (the doctors of that time) would gather special herbs that they needed for the rest of the year to cure people.
Romanian Modern song related to Sînziene and rituals associated with this celebration:Tom Lawrence has struggled with injury recently, but has scored 11 goals in 36 matches for Ipswich this season
Championship side Ipswich Town have "no chance" of signing on-loan top scorer Tom Lawrence on a more permanent deal, according to manager Mick McCarthy.
The 23-year-old Wales forward has scored 11 goals during his season-long loan at Portman Road from Premier League side Leicester City.
"I think Tom will have his heart set on the Premier League and I think he'll get that," said McCarthy.
"If Leicester are going to sell him, there'd be a lot of takers."
He continued to BBC Radio Suffolk: "Tom has been brilliant and we've all loved him, everybody's really appreciated what he's done, but I think he has his heart set on Premier League football and why wouldn't he?"
The Tractor Boys were assured of Championship safety thanks to Easter Monday's 3-1 defeat of promotion hopefuls Newcastle United.
And McCarthy hinted that there could be a large turnover of players this summer as the club go into their 16th consecutive season in England's second tier.
Emyr Huws, scorer of Ipswich's third goal against Newcastle, is on loan from Cardiff until the end of the season
McCarthy said: "It's been tentative before being completely safe. I'll sit down and talk to (owner) Marcus (Evans) now about what we want to do and hopefully we can come up with something.
"But there's a real opportunity to freshen it up because there are a lot of players out of contract and we've quite a few players on loan.
"Do they want to stay? Do we want them? Can we have them? Can we sign them? There's all those things. We'll be losing a few players."click to enlarge Photo Courtesy of City of Berkeley
A large number of leopard sharks died last year at the Berkeley Aquatic Park, possibly due to broken tide tubes.
click to enlarge Photo by James Robinson
A dead bat ray found in Lake Merritt on February 21.
A surprising number of sharks and rays are turning up dead in East Bay tidal lagoons, including more than a dozen bat rays in Lake Merritt since February, and nearly 100 leopard sharks that died in the Berkeley Aquatic Park last spring.Conservationists are perplexed by the recent phenomenon: It’s the first time anyone can recall so many bat rays dying in Lake Merritt.Volunteers with the Lake Merritt Institute, a nonprofit founded in 1995, first noticed dead rays in mid-February. They tried to track down other sightings via social media, including Reddit, and on the crowd-sourced wildlife reporting website iNaturalist.In all, there have been at least 15 reports of dead rays since February 11, though it’s hard to say if some of those are the same fish that may have drifted elsewhere in the lake.On February, 21, Institute volunteers found a three-and-a-half-foot ray while scooping trash out of the Glen Echo Creek inlet, near Children’s Fairyland. Most of the others have been found on the lake’s east side, near Lakeshore Avenue, or on the southern end, near the 12th Street Bridge.But as Institute board member Katie Noonan explained, the currents could have swept them there, so it’s impossible to know where in the lake they were dying. “One thing this event has pointed out to us is we don’t have a really clear protocol or pathway of what to do when this happens,” she said.Noonan wrote an article for the Institute’s newsletter, “Tidings,” documenting the dead bat rays and suggesting possible causes. A science teacher in Oakland Unified School District for 25 years, Noonan retired in 2014 and joined the Institute’s board last year. She looked through the old records, newsletters, and talked to people who have watched the lake closely for a long time, but found no record of there ever being such a large die-off of rays in the lake.Sean Van Sommeran, a shark expert who helped found the Santa Cruz-based Pelagic Shark Research Foundation in 1990, agreed that it was an unusual event for Lake Merritt, and said he’d never heard of rays dying there until this year. The rays all appeared to be in the same state of decomposition, and presumably died at about the same time, he said.In the Institute newsletter, Noonan speculated that stratification of the lake could be a culprit: After periods of rain, low-density rainwater can “float” above the saltier estuary water, with the lower level becoming depleted of oxygen.But tests of the water in mid-February and early March, with the help of Oakland High School and Laney College students found, little stratification; at the bottom of the lake, salinity was low and dissolved oxygen was higher than usual. However, they took no measurements in January before the trend started, so it’s unclear what the conditions were like when the rays started dying.Though stratification might not be to blame, it has been an ongoing concern for conservationists, and ensuring that the lake water is flushed regularly and maintains oxygen levels is a constant challenge. One method is the aeration fountains, maintained by the institute, but those can only do so much. Opening the tide gates to the bay mixes the layers and replenishes the water with oxygen.Tide gates are an important mechanism to keep tidal shifts from flooding surrounding areas during periods of heavy rainfall. Most of the time, the gates are open. But they close when there’s a 50 percent chance of rain, allowing water to drain into the bay but not come in to the lake. As the city continues working on the Lake Merritt Channel as part of ongoing infrastructure improvements at the lake funded by Measure DD bonds, it is also studying ways to keep the tide gates open more often.In the Institute’s newsletter, Noonan called for more transparency in the tide-gate operations and more complex method of determining whether they will be open or closed than the precipitation forecast.In Berkeley, a much larger die-off of leopard sharks occurred at the Berkeley Aquatic Park last year. This might have had something to do with its tide tubes, which have been broken for years.Nearly 100 sharks were found in various stages of decomposition.Van Sommeran said it appeared they’d been dying off in bouts, and accumulating over a period of time. But because most of the sharks were extremely decomposed by the time he discovered them, it was difficult to draw any conclusions about how they died.“It was the biggest concentration of dead sharks we’ve seen since 2011,” Van Sommeran said.In addition to Berkeley, he encountered dozens of dead sharks in near Redwood City, as well as Foster City and Oyster Point.More troubling is that the sharks at that time of year are typically pupping, so the impact on the overall shark population could be greater.“As a conservationist, that’s alarming, because you see a dozen dead sharks, but each shark is loaded with other sharks,” Van Sommeran said. He speculated it could be related to the long-broken tide tubes that run under Interstate 80.Berkeley spokesperson Matthai Chakko said the city has no evidence that tide tubes are linked to last year’s shark die-off. But he acknowledged that the city never researched the issue, so how the sharks died will likely remain a mystery.Three out of the five tide tubes have failed, limiting the removal of stormwater and causing flooding along the aquatic park during periods of heavy rain. To design a repair plan, the city recently allocated $250,000 in revenue from Measure T1, a $100 million infrastructure bond passed by voters last November.Built in the 1930s, the tide tubes were deteriorating and collapsing even a decade ago. A 2008 city report on the aquatic-park watershed found that installing new tide tubes would be expensive and infeasible. But if not replaced, the increased stormwater could decrease the salinity and increase the amount of pollutants entering the lagoon.While bat rays and leopard sharks aren’t protected species, Van Sommeran said their populations have diminished from historical times, and used to be much more abundant — and would even grow larger in size than they do today. Leopard sharks are fished for food or sport, and could be overfished, but since new regulations were enacted in the 1990s they are considered a species of least concern.While there has been no clear indication that pollution is to blame in the Berkeley and Lake Merritt cases, in the past pollution has caused large shark strandings. Van Sommeran pointed out that he traced some previous strandings in the early 2000s to spills by Cargill Salt, which was pumping bittern across the bay between Redwood City and Newark. In 2007, the company had to pay a $228,000 fine for violations of state water pollution law.By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — At the Gardenia Deli near Penn Station, fighting off the riff-raff has become a war.
Each night, staff stand guard, trying to fend off drunks who barge in,
screaming at and harassing customers, and gangs of kids who try to
make off with anything they can grab.
"It’s bad," said Karina Cuellar, 21, who works as a cashier at the Eighth Avenue deli, between 30th and 31st streets.
"It’s really bad. It doesn’t matter if it’s night or day."
Earlier this month, two men were arrested for robbing the deli, leaving a worker with a bloody nose.
"It’s really scary," Cuellar said, standing alone behind the register Thursday, minutes after yet another incident when a man came in yelling and demanding cash.
It’s no secret that homelessness is a problem in New York, and Penn Station has always been a place where the homeless gather.
But businesses near the station say the problem is getting worse.
A study published last week declared "a homeless crisis" in the city, with the shelter population now larger than at any time since record-keeping began. In 2010, 113,553 homeless people slept in city shelters, up 37 percent from 2002, it said.
Business owners near Gardenia say that aggressive panhandlers are terrorizing their staff and patrons, and are begging police for help.
"Our customers are getting terrified. What do we do? They’re hurting our business," Andrew Impagliazzio, 50, the long-time owner of the Blarney Stone bar, told police at a Midtown South Precinct Community Council meeting Thursday night.
He and fellow bar owners complained of men aggressively begging, blocking the entrance and fighting. They asked police to step up patrols, warning that as the weather improves, the situation will only get worse.
Sometimes the beggars stare menacingly at customers through the glass for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. One especially aggressive beggar, they said, alternates between crutches and a wheelchair and wears an oxygen mask |
Nobody needs to take my word for this. It’s trivial to test it if you have Avast installed, and have not disabled Avast’s HTTPS scanning: just navigate over to revoked.grc.com, a site designed for testing purposes that uses a revoked SSL certificate. As you can see from the screenshot at right, the site opens just fine, using Avast’s replacement certificate.
You may say that my hypothetical situation above is unlikely to happen. That’s true. However, the news in recent years has been frequented by stories about SSL certificate theft. Hackers can use stolen certificates to execute real man-in-the-middle attacks, tricking your browser into believing that it is visiting a legit site when it isn’t. Stolen certificates are generally revoked after the theft has been discovered, but this vulnerability in Avast will allow those certificates to continue to work.
I’ve had some tips that other anti-virus apps behave the same way, in particular BitDefender, Kaspersky and ESET. However, I was unable to bypass the revoked certificate using Kaspersky, and ESET’s Mac software appears not to do any kind of HTTPS scanning as far as I can tell. The jury is still out on BitDefender, as I haven’t yet been able to download a trial version. (I haven’t received the e-mail I need in order to download the trial software.) I’ll update later, after I’ve tested BitDefender.
This is precisely the kind of security issue that tampering with HTTPS can result in, and is exactly why it should not be done. Case closed.
Thursday, March 5, 2015 @ 10:30 am EST: I finally got a copy of BitDefender’s Mac anti-virus software, and it appears not to be doing any HTTPS scanning. It may do that on Windows – I have to rely on third-party reports there – but as best I can determine, it doesn’t have this problem on the Mac.
Thus far, Avast is still the only one I’ve found on the Mac to do on-by-default HTTPS scanning and to fail to check certificate validity.
Tags: Avast, man-in-the-middle, SSLPearls:
After a divorce, stressing to the family that consistency with their routines pre-divorce is key to helping the children feel secure.
The average divorce rate in the United States is 42%. Often, children of families going through divorce will present with psychosomatic complaints.
Are there health effects seen in children of divorced parents? Like many social stressors, divorce tends to affect children as they present with many vague complaints, such as abdominal pain, headaches, poor sleep, fatigue and/or over- or under-eating.
What is the role of the pediatrician in divorce? The first thing to remember is that you may never know unless you ask. At every well child visit, ask “Any big changes at home?” If you have a family going through a divorce, it is important to stress some important points:
Regardless of age, children feel vulnerable and we must emphasize that it was not the child’s fault.
Emphasize talking to the children and explaining the situation. Being open and honest and at the same time, understanding that the child should not be used as the parents confidant or sounding board.
Discuss with the family that the most trying time might be when the separation happens and that, with time, the situation will hopefully improve.
The child’s routine should stay the same; even after the parent’s are separated and living in different situations.
Consistency makes children feel secure and they tend to thrive when they feel this way.
If a new partner comes into the situation, good communication between the former spouses, even if it is uncomfortable, is key. Perhaps encourage an interaction between the former spouse and the new partner if that person is going to be a consistent part of the child’s life.
How about for infants and toddlers? Again, consistency is key. For example, nap times should stay the same at both parent’s houses and, if possible, keeping the crib in the same location in the rooms in the respective living situations.
For toddlers, saying something like “We are going to be living apart. We’ve decided that is what is going to work best for our family.”
How do you handle parents who are having a difficult divorce? Without the child, as the pediatrician, you can speak to the parents and set some ground rules. This should be framed as strategies to help the child thrive: routine, structure and consistency. This can lead to a lot of open discussion.
To avoid having the child being used against one parent, which only leads to internalized stress and anxiety in the child, try encouraging a relationship between the former spouses using parenting as the connection.
What if the child has a preference for one parent? This may occur after any infidelity. These children may need to be referred for family counseling. In these situations, it is important to encourage the parent with whom the child prefers to not speak poorly of the other parent. Having the parents play off one another creates a lot of conflict for the child. Try to have the parent think long term and ask what he/she wants for their child long term with their former spouse.
Should therapy be recommended to every family? Deblasio generally refers these families to either a psychologist or family therapist. Family therapists can work through the family dynamics during the clinic visits. For younger children, red flags include more acting out, escalating temper tantrums and attention seeking behavior. For older children and teenagers, red flags include becoming withdrawn, weight changes, increased anxiety and/or school performance. Any red flags should prompt a counseling referral.
How do you mitigate school performance issues? As the general pediatrician, you can engage with the teacher. It might also be helpful to advise the family to look for falling grades; if they notice this occurring, it is better to intervene with counseling sooner rather than later.Parents of four-year-olds from a low-income neighbourhood of Philadelphia have said in a survey that most of their children own mobile media devices, and now researchers who made that discovery say more study is urgently needed to draft guidelines for families.
As recently as 2013, studies pointed to a "digital divide" in ownership of devices such as tablets and smartphones based on income. To see if this gap persists, researchers surveyed parents of 350 children aged six months to four years.
"Our study found almost universal exposure, early adoption, and use of mobile media devices among young children in an urban, low-income, minority community," lead author Dr. Hilda Kabali of Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and her co-authors report in Monday's issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the journal's publisher, advises eliminating screen time for children younger than two, because of concerns for how the use of the devices may delay how children learn language.
At age two, most children were using mobile devices daily and spending comparable amounts of time on television and mobile devices, the researchers found.For example, daily screen time in minutes for two-year-olds in the study was 44 minutes, time watching videos or TV shows on a mobile device was 29 minutes, and time spent using apps was 20 minutes.
Educational and entertainment apps were popular, as were sites such as YouTube and Netflix.
Almost all the 350 families said they had televisions (97 per cent), and most had tablets (83 per cent) and smartphones (77 per cent). More than half had video consoles such as Xbox (56 per cent), computers (58 per cent) and internet access (59 per cent).
Overall, 97 per cent of the children, or 338 kids, had used a mobile device. The researchers gave falling costs, marketing strategies and subsidies by cellular service providers as possible contributing factors.
Other findings from the survey included:
About 44 per cent of children under age one used a mobile device on a daily basis to play games, watch videos or use apps. The percentage increased to 77 per cent in two-year-olds and plateaued after that.
One-quarter (28 per cent) of two-year-olds did not need any help navigating a mobile media device, and 61 per cent needed help sometimes.
Of parents surveyed who allowed their child to use a mobile device, 70 per cent reported letting their children play with mobile devices to do chores, to keep the child calm in public places (65 per cent) or run errands (58 percent), and 28 per cent used a mobile device to put their children to sleep.
Parents completed the survey in English or Spanish during a visit to a pediatric practice in the Pennsylvania city in October and November 2014.
Multi-tasking with several devices
Child ownership of a device and age at first use weren't associated with ethnicity or parent education.
The study's authors also found one in three children used several media devices at the same time.
The high level of media by young children and reduced degree of parental involvement both in this study and in Canadian research is concerning, said Matthew Johnson, director of education at MediaSmarts, a Canadian digital literacy group that works on education, public awareness, and research and policy. It is funded by public and private-sector sponsors, donors and partners, according to its website.
Co-viewing with kids encouraged
"It's worrying that mobile devices are encouraging children and parents to use media reflexively rather than mindfully. We need to promote the idea that using media is something you choose to do, rather than something that just happens in the background, from an early age," Johnson said in an email.
"As well, when possible, parents should try to turn media use into an interactive experience, co-viewing with their kids to help them learn to engage critically with the messages they receive and encouraging the use of media as a springboard to creative play."
There are questions, too, about whether trying to pay attention to more than one medium at a time has long-term consequences on young children's ability to focus on a single task, he said.
Johnson also said there's no evidence young children get any benefit from educational media, whether apps or programs.
Little is known about how children's independent activity on mobile devices affects their cognitive, social and emotional development, Kabali and her team said. They urge further research to evaluate the impact of mobile device use on child development and to determine ways to approach it constructively.
Among the limitations of their study is that parents may have given answers they thought were expected, known as social desirability bias, and they may not have recalled use of devices correctly. Also, the apps were classified based on descriptions from the app developer rather than an independent source.
There was no external funding for the U.S. study."The game has completely changed. It's about tempo and skill (and) getting out of your end zone as quickly as possible."
"It's a speed game now," head coach John Tortorella told BlueJackets.com "It's not 15-20 years ago (where you are) worrying about if your 'D' is going to be able to handle the physical play. It's about moving the puck and getting going.
The NHL game is getting faster and faster, and the Blue Jackets are building a young and skilled defense in order to keep pace.
Six of the 11 active defensemen left on this year's training camp roster are 23 or younger, so there's ample reason to be optimistic about what that means for the organization over the long haul.
When it comes to speed and skill, look no further than Seth Jones. Jones signed a six-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets over the summer and participated in the World Cup of Hockey as part of Team North America before joining camp in Columbus.
In just 41 games with the Blue Jackets last season, Jones led all club defensemen in shot assists that led to scoring chances with 42.86% (data courtesy of Ryan Stimson's passing project*) and was the third-highest scoring defenseman (two goals, 18 assists).
Jones' most frequent defense partner last year was Ryan Murray. Murray, who just turned 23, joined Jones on Team North America after playing in all 82 games last season. He tied David Savard for the scoring lead among all defensemen (4-21-25), and, with the most shot assists tracked in the passing project, he was third behind Savard and Dalton Prout when tracking passes that led to shots on goal (46.05%).
Then, there are the players in the Blue Jackets' developmental pipeline.
Zach Werenski is attending his first NHL training camp fresh off a Calder Cup championship with the Lake Erie Monsters. The 19-year-old was third among all Monsters and seventh among all AHL players in playoff points (5-9-14) with.82 points per game.
"The skill set he has: his size, strength and poise with the puck, he's a complete player," former Monsters head coach Jared Bednar said during the playoffs. "To be able to step into our lineup in intense games and get the job done, it's impressive especially for his age, and that's why everyone's so excited about him."
Another player who's drawn notice in camp? Finland's Markus Nutivaara who is experiencing his first foray playing on North American ice, and the smaller rink hasn't seemed to be challenging for the 6-foot tall, smooth-skating defenseman.
Even though it's the preseason with a sample size of just four games, Nutivaara has posted an impressive 58.29% 5-on-5 score and venue-adjusted Corsi For percentage (fourth overall on the team) in a team leading 65:07 minutes on ice, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
"What he has, we can't teach - his skill and his moxie," Tortorella said. "He's not afraid to make a difference in the game and I think that's really important for a young defenseman. He's willing to hold on to pucks, to maybe make that next play. He has some speed too."
There's still more than a week left in training camp to decide which players will slot into the Blue Jackets lineup for the start of the regular season, but Tortorella believes the future is bright for his team's defense.
"(Defense) is a very important position now," Tortorella said. "We have youth in that situation and I don't think it's all going to come to fruition right away, but the progression of this is very encouraging on the back end. I look at the youth there, that's your engine as far as to get you up the ice and play with speed, and it's encouraging."
*Passing project data for the Blue Jackets includes 22 games from the 2015-16 regular season. Data tracked by Ryan Stimson and team.The initiative is aimed at making bus project ‘more successful’
ISLAMABAD: The capital’s civic agency has decided to construct five “park and ride” plazas at different locations of Blue Area, the city’s busiest commercial centre.
The move aims at making Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project more successful, as parking plazas will be established at locations in the close vicinity of five metro bus stations along the Jinnah Avenue.
Lahore Metro Bus service to be extended to Rachna Town
The CDA Board has approved the project.
According to the board decision, the lower ground, ground and first floor of the multi-storey parking plazas will be used for commercial purposes to make the venture self-sustainable.
Plazas will be constructed along stations including Kachehri Station at F-8/G-8, PIMS Hospital Station at F-8/G-8, North of 7th Avenue Station at F-7/G-7, Stock Exchange Station at F-7/G-7, and south of Parade Ground Station at F-6/G-6.
“The move is aimed to enhance ridership of the metro buses, which is on the lower side in Islamabad-section of the project,” said a CDA board member.
He said the majority of the working class did not use the facility as they did not find any secure place to park their motorbikes and cars before riding the bus.
The general ridership report for June-September 2015 compiled by the Punjab Metro Bus Authority (PMBA) says 100,558 passengers used the service on a routine day. The official said the authorities intend to raise the average ridership to 135,000 passengers a day.
The CDA Spokesperson, Ramzan Sajid, said he did not have any knowledge of the current ridership.
Facilitating commuters: Second phase of the Metro Bus route soon
Talking about the project, he said, the board directed the Planning Wing of the civic body to submit detailed innovative designs of the plazas that were commercially viable and cost effective.
Sajid said designing of the plazas was in progress and it had been decided that height of the plazas would not surpass the adjacent or nearest buildings.
He said three floors of each plaza would be rented out for commercial purposes in a bid to make the project self-sustainable.
The spokesperson said the project would not only facilitate users of the metro bus service but it would also help overcome the parking problem in Blue Area.
Sajid, when asked, said that the project cost would be worked out as soon as the design for the plazas was finalised.
A senior official of the authority, who declined to be named, said on an average day, some 58,559 passengers get on the busses at the 10 metro bus stations in Rawalpindi while some 41,999 use the 14 stations in Islamabad.
“Decision has been taken to bridge the gap between ridership in Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” he added.
Unfinished parking plazas in F-7
The decision to construct five new plazas has been taken at a time when the citizens have already been awaiting completion of work on two under-construction parking plazas at Jinnah Super Market, F-7.
It has been almost two years now since the CDA announced that it will look into growing parking issues on “a priority basis” in city’s busiest business centres by constructing multi-storey parking plazas.
The project was put up on a list of “priority projects” announced by the CDA in 2014, and then in 2015.
Economically unviable: Metro Bus – a white elephant painted red
However, work on these plazas has yet to be completed despite the passage of repeated deadlines.
These plazas are under construction at southern and northern sides of the Jinnah Super Market. Both plazas would have a parking facility for 440 cars while the cost of the project is Rs289 million.
The CDA spokesperson said construction work on one of the plazas was 100 per cent complete and soon it would be opened to the general public.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2016.
Read full storyWomen in Paris demonstrate during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Photo by Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
In theory, domestic homicide should be easy to prevent, since men who kill their wives or girlfriends (85 percent of victims are female) generally give us lots of warning by beating, stalking, and even raping their victims, usually for years before they finally kill. In reality, it’s surprisingly hard to stop someone who really wants to murder you, especially if he has easy access to a gun. Restraining orders don’t create a magic force field around the victim. Shelters help, but they are underfunded and depend on the victim giving up substantial rights to hold a job (which gives the abuser the ability to find you), have a social life, or even speak to family members. And trying to figure out which abusers are just run-of-the-mill woman batterers and which will actually kill is surprisingly hard to do.
Rachel Louise Snyder, writing for the New Yorker, details one solution that’s being implemented in Massachusetts. Domestic violence social workers there developed a high-risk assessment team that, using statistical methods and employing the court system in creative ways, has figured out a way to target the men most likely to kill and take special care to make it that much harder for them to do so. Kelly Dunne started the Domestic Violence High Risk Team in 2005, and since then, not a single case she’s taken on has ended in murder, and the men who have been sentenced to GPS tracking have not committed any future acts of violence. In addition, the team has done wonders to help victims return to normal life:
Dunne also notes that, of the hundred and six high-risk cases documented in the team’s most recent report, only eight women were forced to seek refuge in shelters. She estimated that, before the formation of the high-risk team, ninety per cent of similar cases would have resulted in the women’s going into shelters.
How do they do it? They take the details of each reported case of abuse, looking at risk factors such as stalking and chronic unemployment, and rate each abuser on a point system for how violent and controlling he is. Men who are rated high are then subject to heightened risk monitoring, and their victims are given extra resources to stay safe. If the abusers start acting up, they can have their child visitations terminated or be made to wear GPS trackers. They may even be put in jail or in a psychiatric hospital for violating probation or restraining orders—courtesy of a preventive detention program that was mostly used to prevent gang or drug violence in the past, a program that gives the government leeway to restrain you even if your behavior otherwise falls short of the threshold to charge you with further crimes.
The system works in no small part because it turns the logic of an abusive relationship on its head. The abuser works by making the victim feel like she will never be free of him, his violence, and his surveillance. If she tries to leave, he escalates. If she gets a new boyfriend, he escalates. The idea is to make her feel like her choices are to submit or to live in terror. The high-risk teams shift the burden of being surveilled from the victim to the abuser. Now, if he makes a threat, Massachusetts has the power to escalate. If he uses visitation time to attack her or her children, Massachusetts restricts visitation. Now he’s the one who has to make his decisions with the understanding that someone with power can further restrict his movements and his ability to live freely. Abusers often victimize for years before taking things to the level of a serious beating or murder. By restricting movements in the early stages, it appears that the program helps keep abusers from getting to that point.
It’s such a simple principle and one that hopefully other states will pick up on: The person who should pay for the abusive relationship should be the perpetrator, not the victim. It’s not just the fair and moral way, but it also seems to be more effective.The latter was a shot at an implausible goal. With no top-level experience, Marzano decided to chase a spot in a talented Glory squad that includes several key players from the Australia side, who will compete in June’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in Canada. Having pestered Glory coach Jamie Harnwell for a trial, Marzano crossed the country paying her own way for a week-long audition. As it transpired, Marzano was the only one of 30 aspirants to make the cut.
*Realising a dream * Marzano’s back-story would make a seasoned traveller’s head spin. She was born in the tiny rural town of Harvey, grew up in Townsville, attended military college in Canberra, lived briefly in Sydney, was posted to Brisbane with the army, before a football-based move to Perth.
Her football dreams were similarly improbable. In an era when many senior players come through the traditional development pathways, Marzano took a very different route. Marzano was playing club football at a modest level in Sydney’s second tier competition, when she decided to reach out for the seemingly unattainable. Sure enough, sheer resolve as much as anything landed her a contract in the ranks of Perth Glory’s all-star W-League premiership-winning side.
To be a diver in football is usually frowned upon. But an exception to this rule is found in the shape of Gabrielle Marzano. The forward for Perth Glory in Australia’s W-League has, in the space of a year, ticked off two unlikely ambitions: to play football at the highest level, and to become a qualified diver in the Australian army. The latter is particularly significant, with Marzano the first female to earn such a rank in Australia.
“I really wanted to achieve the dream of playing in the W-League,” Marzano told FIFA.com. "I’m grateful the way the stars aligned. I think the fitness aspect that army life brings certainly helped me out, especially in terms of cardio fitness. And most definitely the army’s discipline and professionalism is translatable to the football field.”
Marzano became the first female Australian Army diver last year. “It (football) has been great exposure for both the army and Perth Glory,” said Marzano who holds the rank of lieutenant and is also an engineer in the Army. “A commanding officer had to approve flexible work arrangements. I’m lucky to have such supportive bosses, they wanted to see me play in the W-League.”
Marzano’s specialisation as a diver involves search tasks, survey or recovery missions. The next step in her rare underwater world is to work with explosives. Before then the 23-year-old is aiming to achieve the rank of army captain, around the same time that the new W-League season starts later this year.
*Multiple talents *
With a seemingly permanent relaxed demeanour and smile in her voice, Marzano tells of early forays into football. “I started playing football when about five or six,” she says. “I always loved the game. It's fair to say I was a 100 per-cent tomboy, and loved running around playing sport with the boys. I didn’t want a bar of dolls or any of that kind of thing.”
Fast forward to the present day, and Marzano is enjoying every minute of her new-found life in football. Almost predictably her ambitions are grander still. “I think now it is a matter of getting my game time up, and playing more alongside these top players. I’m hopeful of coming back and securing a starting position, getting that experience and seeing where it takes me. It has certainly been a tough gig trying to get on the field ahead of the likes of Kate Gill, Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord, but it has been amazing to be surrounded by so many great players, and it means I can only get better.
“I have set one of my goals as playing in somewhere like Sweden or the US in one of their tiers. I also really want to now play in the W-League as a regular starter and give that a red-hot crack. And then see how far I can go with it. I can then switch my full time focus on the army one day. I’m just really grateful for how things have turned out.”
For the self-confessed go-getter Marzano, the greater the challenge the more resolute she becomes. Persistence and determination, it seems, do pay off.Populist Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has suspended part of his deadly half-year campaign against illegal drugs to go after police officers suspected of corruption and abuse of power. Someone in the Philippine National Police killed a South Korean businessman in October in their own headquarters, hence the suspicion.
But a couple of officers are biting back and they're getting heard. Their voices are expected to fortify organized opposition to use of extrajudicial killings in the drug eradication effort, which has made Duterte a hero at home and generated criticism from human rights advocates abroad.
The extrajudicial killings of would-be drug peddlers, despised by common Filipinos, are supposed to pick up again after the police shakedown ends. That campaign has claimed about 7,000 lives since the tough-talking Duterte took office June 30 on election pledges to expunge the crime.
Then on Feb. 20, a retired police officer from the southern city Davao where Duterte was mayor for 22 years told a news conference he took money from the former city leader to kill people. The ex-cop, Arthur Lascañas, said he was part of a city death squad that Duterte paid 3 million pesos ($59,737) to kill a radio host in 2003, Philippine media say.
His testimony follows an account in September by former militiaman Edgar Matobato. He testified in a Senate inquiry to seeing Duterte shoot a man dead with an Uzi machine pistol and order police to kill suspected criminals, Philippine news website Inquirer.net reports. Lascañas may be called to testify to a Senate inquiry, as well.
The Senate could use those testimonies to seek curbs on Duterte’s anti-crime work, which has already sprouted questions because of the Korean businessman's death. A Social Weather Stations polling service survey also found in December that 78% of Filipinos fear they or someone they know will become victims in the anti-drug effort.
But according to a 2012 United Nations World Drug Report, the Philippines had East Asia’s highest abuse rate of the methamphetamine strain “shabu." Common Filipinos were fed up with drug dealers on their street corners. They liked Duterte’s election pledge to kill 100,000 criminals and eradicate drugs.
That support has allowed Duterte to dismiss his accusers as political operatives. But the police probe plus the testimony of former officers could make those dismissals less persuasive.
“As more people are willing to come forward, regardless of their motivation, coupled with the revelations about police scandal in conjunction with the anti-drug operations, it will become more difficult for the Duterte Administration to dismiss these charges as being politically motivated,” says Carl Baker, director of programs at the think tank Pacific Forum CSIS in Honolulu.
Police officer stories may not change mass public opinion but could restart debate between Duterte’s camp and political opposition figures who dispute the use of extrajudicial killings in routine police work, says Jay Batongbacal, associate professor of law at University of the Philippines.
Political opponents include the country's separately elected vice president and some powerful senators. The vice president, Leni Robredo, on Thursday issued a news release calling the Lascañas and Matobato statements "a matter for great alarm and concern."
“The opposition will probably benefit from (police testimony) in the sense that they will get more numbers,” Batongbacal says. “This just adds on to whatever other issues will be raised against the administration. It’s only going to keep building up like a pressure cooker.”Adobe has recently released Lightroom 6 with several great features including HDR merge. Other features include stunning panoramas, faster performance by using existing graphics processor, easily find photos of specific people with the help of face recognition, advanced video slide shows, improved web galleries, better control of filters, share your work, support for more devices, tell your stories, copy-paste enhancements, perfect presentations and get the perfect composition. In this post I will show you how to do HDR merge in Lightroom 6. If you are new to Lightroom you may read my previous posts Install Adobe Lightroom 5 in Windows 8.1 and Getting started with Lightroom 5
What is HDR?
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. It contains a series of photos captured in different exposure. One captured underexposed, one overexposed and one with balanced exposure. After that all of these captured photos are combined to get the best out of them. Some cameras do have HDR support which does all the steps for you. So, it is very easy to capture an HDR photo by using such cameras. For example Nikon D7100
.
HDR photo can also be captured by using a camera without built-in HDR functionality. You have to capture the same photo in three different exposures. One underexposed, one overexposed and one in balanced exposure. After that using lightroom 6 you can easily merge them into a HDR photo.
Lightroom 6 HDR Merge
This is what I captured using my Canon EOS 600D (EOS Rebel T3i)
with Canon EF-S 18-55mm Lens –
Merging Steps :
Goto Library module or Develope module after importing all of your photos in to Lightroom.
Select those photos in sequence that you want to merge into HDR.
Click on Photo -> Photo Merge -> HDR or press Ctrl + H. Wait for the preview to appear on the screen.
or press. Wait for the preview to appear on the screen. Check on the Auto Align ( Checked by default ) and Auto Tone check boxes. “Auto Align” feature automatically aligns all the photos.
This feature also crops any uneven edges after aligning the images. “Auto Tone” enhances the resulting image by changing the color tone based on the dynamic range of the combined exposure.
( Checked by default ) and check boxes. “Auto Align” feature automatically aligns all the photos. This feature also crops any uneven edges after aligning the images. “Auto Tone” enhances the resulting image by changing the color tone based on the dynamic range of the combined exposure. Change the Deghost Amount to medium. ( You can check the Deghost overlay by checking the “Show Deghost Overlay” check box. )
to medium. ( You can check the Deghost overlay by checking the “Show Deghost Overlay” check box. ) Click on Merge.
After merging the photo will look like below. You can see vast changes in the horizontal middle area.
Retouching Merged Photo :
After merging Lightroom will create a.dng file which will be automatically added to your catalog. The name of the new dng file ends with -HDR. This will help you to search the HDR files easily.
This dng file is now ready to export or if you want to retouch further you can go for it. I want to add some brush stroke, filter or other settings to make the photo look better, since I had not done the basic retouching on the original files.
Under Lens Corrections check Enable Profile Correction and Remove Chromatic Aberration check box. You can check if the correct lens profile is loaded or not in the Profile section. If not, select your lens profile settings in the Lens Profile section.
check and check box. You can check if the correct lens profile is loaded or not in the section. If not, select your lens profile settings in the Lens Profile section. While converting the photos into HDR, Lightroom will change the basic settings automatically. You can tweak these settings according to your need. Under Basic Panel change Exposure to +1.15 and White to 0.
Adding Graduated Filter
Click on Graduated Filter icon. Change Temp to -54, Exposure to -31, and Shadow to +58. Now using the mouse add the graduated filter by dragging from bottom to middle of the photo.
Add another Graduated filter with these settings – Exposure -0.75, and Shadow +100. Drag from top middle to the center.
Add the last Graduated Filter with the following settings – Temp +60, Tint +54, Exposure -0.13, Contrast +23, and Saturation +12. Drag from top middle to the center.
Final Result
Conclusion
HDR in Lightroom is a great feature added to version 6. This will be very beneficial for Lightroom users. Multiple features in same software reduces time and cost of the user. But the merge process takes a long time to complete. I am running Lightroom 6 in Windows 8.1 with Core i3 processor and 4 GB of RAM. The merge process with 3 photos took more than half an hour to complete in my system. Does your system take less time to complete? I would love to hear from you. Do share your experiences with me and let me know in the comments below. Thanks!Ian Wright has defended Mesut Ozil after the German came in for some serious criticism following the 1-0 defeat to Stoke.
Some pundits singled out the Arsenal playmaker as a big problem for the Gunners, but the former record goalscorer believes the current set-up, particularly in midfield, doesn’t get the best out of the 28.
Asked on Sky Sports Debate show if he understood frustrations about him, he said, “What, the one that’s already created 10 chances for his teammates when he’s supposed to be having a nightmare? Because he looks frustrated when he loses the ball or something happens?
“If I’m Arsene Wenger, I’m saying ‘When he gets the ball, I just want you to back him up, and if he loses it you get it back and give it back to him to let him get on with it again.
“Because some players you have to give them the licence to do that. The stick he gets, it really annoys me, it jars me.”
Wrighty also questioned whether the midfield combination of Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey had the right attributes in the current set-up.
“I know that Xhaka’s a good passer,” he said. “He’s playing in that deeper role, the holding role, with Ramsey. They haven’t got the legs for me. Even when they do lose the ball they’re so easy to get past.
“I believe he [Ozil] is somebody who should have even more licence to do what he wants. He’s a creative player, he’s not going to start running back and tackling people. They can utilise him better.”Training camp is finally almost here. They allow tackling there and everything. Around the League will count down the top 30 position battles to watch throughout the preseason.
No. 24: New York Jets right tackle: Wayne Hunter vs. The World
⢠As shocking as this might be for New York Jets fans, this remains Hunter's job to lose. Don't believe me? Here's what offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo said in May: "Until they ship him out of here or shoot me dead in my office, the guy's the starting right tackle." Jeez man.
⢠Despite his coach's faith, make no mistake -- Hunter was a wreck in 2011. He gave up 8.5 sacks, 11 penalties and 32 QB hits last season. He was serviceable in the run game -- a positive trait with the arrival of Tony Sparano and the supposed return of "ground and pound" -- but too often resembled a turnstile when Mark Sanchez dropped back to pass.
⢠General manager Mike Tannenbaum surprised many by not targeting Hunter's replacement in the draft. In fact, the Jets didn't take an offensive lineman until Robert T. Griffin in the sixth round. Baylor's other RG is viewed as a project at this point.
⢠The best bet to push Hunter comes in the form of third-year pro Vladimir Ducasse. The Jets had high hopes for Ducasse when they took him with the No. 61 overall pick in the 2010 draft, but Ducasse struggled mightily in spot work at tackle and guard last season. Ducasse told The Star-Ledger he sees 2012 as a make-or-break year for him. He ain't lying.
Projected winner: Rex Ryan's in too deep to give up on Hunter now. He'll be the starter Week 1. But don't be surprised if they kick the tires on Ducasse before it's through.The mother of a 2-year-old girl who became known as Baby Doe |
. 26 to 29 and has a margin of error of +/- 4%.
Write to Tessa Berenson at tessa.berenson@time.com.Italian police raided suspected anarchists across the country today following the Rome riots.
Homes and youth centres used by extremists in cities including Florence, Palermo and Ancona were targeted.
Six people were detained, along with the seizure of gas masks, ski masks and other gear used by rioters as protection from tear gas and to hide their faces.
Interior Ministry under-secretary Alfredo Mantovano dismissed criticism that police were not tough enough against the several hundred rioters on Saturday who used clubs and sledgehammers to smash bank cash machines and store windows, torched police and private vehicles and hurled rocks.
Police battled back with tear gas, water cannon and batons.
Politicians from both the opposition and Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition called for a get-tough campaign against so-called “urban guerrillas.”
“There was tried and true urban terrorism,” Francesco Giro, a Culture Ministry under-secretary said, surveying damage near Rome’s St. John Lateran Basilica.
“We need to apply anti-terrorism laws,” he said in a call for authorities to launch preventive crackdowns on anarchists and insurrectionists.Dean Treml/Red Bull via Getty Images The pound's flash crash early on Friday morning— where it suddenly dropped 6% in two minutes for no obvious reason — is just the beginning. It is going to get so much worse.
Most people in Britain have no clue. They think things are going great!
We've got full employment, low inflation, and the dip in sterling since the June Brexit vote has boosted our exports. Recent macro data on services, manufacturing and retail sales show the economy is in good shape.
What's not to like?
The problem is that the reality of Brexit has barely begun to sink in yet. When it does, the economy will be hobbled and the pound will sink ever lower. That will make imports more expensive, squeezing corporate margins. Expect companies to get those margins back by laying off workers, making the economy even smaller, further weakening the pound.
The current strength we're enjoying from exports will disappear — we can't export to a market we are not part of. And the loss of the customs union will increase tariffs, barriers, and bureaucracy for UK companies trying to sell goods in Europe. The economic cost of those tariffs may be 10-15%, according to HSBC economist Douglas Lippoldt.
So we will be trading at a disadvantage to Europe in a currency worth much less.
Foreign investment will thus flee — especially when the UK loses its access to the EU Single Market. Already major corporations are warning that they will leave Britain once Brexit occurs:This article describes extreme locations on Earth. Entries listed in bold are Earth-wide extremes.
Extreme global temperatures [ edit ]
Extreme elevations and air temperatures per continent [ edit ]
Climate chart [ edit ]
Climate data for the World (both hemispheres) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 50.7
(123.3) 50.5
(122.9) 45.5
(113.9) 50.2
(122.4) 53.5
(128.3) 54.0
(129.2) 56.7
(134.1) 53.9
(129.0) 57.8
(136.0) 48.8
(119.8) 48.7
(119.7) 49.5
(121.1) 57.8
(136.0) Record low °C (°F) −71.2
(−96.2) −67.8
(−90.0) −75.5
(−103.9) −86.0
(−122.8) −81.2
(−114.2) −86.1
(−123.0) −89.2
(−128.6) −93.2
(−135.8) −85.9
(−122.6) −80.0
(−112.0) −66.1
(−87.0) −64.5
(−84.1) −93.2
(−135.8) [ citation needed ]
Coldest and hottest inhabited places on Earth [ edit ]
Hottest inhabited place Dallol, Ethiopia (Amharic: ዳሎል), whose annual mean temperature was recorded from 1960 to 1966 as 34.4 °C (93.9 °F).[26] The average daily maximum temperature during the same period was 41.1 °C (106.0 °F).[27] Coldest inhabited place Delyankir (Russian: Делянкир), a rural locality (selo) in Oymyakonsky District of the Sakha Republic, the Russian Federation, has the coldest monthly mean, with −51 °C (−60 °F) the average temperature in January, the coldest month.[28] Eureka, Nunavut, Canada has the lowest annual mean temperature at −19.7 °C (−3.5 °F).[29] The South Pole and some other places in Antarctica are colder and are populated year-round, but almost everyone stays less than a year and could be considered visitors, not inhabitants.
Extreme ground temperatures [ edit ]
Temperatures measured directly on the ground may exceed air temperatures by 30 to 50 °C.[30] A ground temperature of 84 °C (183.2 °F) has been recorded in Port Sudan, Sudan.[31] A ground temperature of 93.9 °C (201 °F) was recorded in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California, United States on 15 July 1972; this may be the highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded.[32] The theoretical maximum possible ground surface temperature has been estimated to be between 90 and 100 °C for dry, darkish soils of low thermal conductivity.[33]
Satellite measurements of ground temperature taken between 2003 and 2009, taken with the MODIS infrared spectroradiometer on the Aqua satellite, found a maximum temperature of 70.7 °C (159.3 °F), which was recorded in 2005 in the Lut Desert, Iran. The Lut Desert was also found to have the highest maximum temperature in 5 of the 7 years measured (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009). These measurements reflect averages over a large region and so are lower than the maximum point surface temperature.[30]
Satellite measurements of the surface temperature of Antarctica, taken between 1982 and 2013, found a coldest temperature of −93.2 °C (−136 °F) on 10 August 2010, at. Although this is not comparable to an air temperature, it is believed that the air temperature at this location would have been lower than the official record lowest air temperature of −89.2 °C.[34][35]
Greatest vertical drop [ edit ]
Subterranean [ edit ]
Greatest oceanic depths [ edit ]
Deepest ice [ edit ]
Ice sheets on land, but having the base below sea level. Places under ice are not considered to be on land.
Northern and southernmost points of land on Earth [ edit ]
The Gould Coast (Coordinates: )[43] is the southernmost point of ocean while the southernmost open sea is nearby Bay of Whales at 78°30'S, at the edge of Ross Ice Shelf.[44]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
[45] [46]The Planets this Month - July 2015
Mercury
Mercury remains a morning object for observers in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere for about the first 10 days of July. The nearest planet to the Sun may be spotted about 45 minutes before sunrise in the twilight sky low down above the east-northeastern horizon; brightening from magnitude -0.1 to -0.9 during this time period. Mercury is then unobservable for the remainder of the month as it moves closer ever in the sky to the Sun. The planet reaches superior conjunction on July 23rd.
From northern temperate latitudes Mercury is unobservable during July.
The diagram below shows the June / July morning apparition of Mercury from a latitude of 35S (approx. equal to Sydney, Cape Town and Santiago). Positions of the planet are displayed 45 minutes before sunrise.
Venus
Venus continues its run as brilliant evening star this month although from mid-northern temperate locations the observation period shortens noticeably and from about the middle of the month the brightest planet will be lost to the sunset. From more southerly latitudes Venus remains visible throughout July.
On July 10th, Venus attains its greatest brilliance when it peaks at magnitude -4.7. Before this on July 1st it passes only 0.4 degrees south of Jupiter (mag. -1.8) with Venus 15 times the brighter of the pair. Another conjunction occurs on July 19th when the waxing crescent Moon passes 0.4 degrees south of Venus with an occultation visible from northeastern Australia and the French Polynesia (1:07 UT).
On July 23rd, Venus reaches a stationary point in Leo, afterwards retrograde motion commencing. It then draws back towards the Sun with the planet once again passing south of Jupiter on July 31st although this time the separation is more than 6 degrees. Of course the events described during the second half of July are only visible from more southerly climes.
During the month the Venus phase decreases from 33% to a very slim 8% crescent.
Earth
Earth is at aphelion - furthest from the Sun - on July 6th at a distance of 1.017 AU (152 million kilometers or 94.5 million miles).
Mars
Mars reached solar conjunction on June 14th. The Red planet is currently located on the far side of the Sun and remains unsuitable placed for observation throughout July.
Jupiter
Jupiter, mag. -1.8, continues to be visible as an early evening object during July although observers at northern temperate latitudes are likely to lose the planet to the bright long evening twilight during the third week of the month. The largest planet of the Solar System can be seen low down towards the western horizon as soon as it dark enough.
Now moving direct in Leo, Jupiter's long evening period of visibility is almost over as it heads towards next month's solar conjunction. As previously mentioned, much more brilliant Venus will pass less than half a degree south of Jupiter on July 1st. For those located at tropical and southern latitudes another Venus - Jupiter conjunction occurs on July 31st. On this occasion Venus passes 6 degrees south of Jupiter.
The thin waxing crescent Moon passes 4 degrees south of Jupiter on July 18th.
Saturn
Only two months passed opposition, Saturn remains an evening object during July. The beautiful planet famous for it's wonderful ring system continues to move slowly retrograde amongst the faint stars of Libra. It appears to the naked eye as off-white or creamy "star" located 10 degrees northwest of orange/red first magnitude red giant Antares (α Sco mag. +1.0).
Saturn is visible as soon as it's dark enough towards the south-southeast from northern temperate latitudes or towards the northeast from south latitudes. It sets just after midnight at months end from northern latitudes although two hours later for those further south.
The planet fades slightly from magnitude +0.2 to +0.4 with its apparent diameter shrinking from 18.1 to 17.3 arc seconds as the month progress.
On July 26th, the waxing crescent Moon passes 2 degrees north of Saturn.
Saturn during July 2015 - pdf format
Uranus
Uranus is now well placed for observation amongst the stars of Pisces. At magnitude +5.8 Uranus is actually visible to the naked eye, albeit faintly. To achieve this goal a dark moonless site is required along with good seeing conditions and a good star chart to pinpoint the exact location.
At the start of July from northern temperate locations, Uranus rises 4 hours before sunrise and by months end is visible from about midnight. The visibility period from locations further south is even better with Uranus visible in the evening sky by months end.
On July 9th the last quarter Moon passes 0.8 degrees south of Uranus with an occultation visible from Western Australia and the Southern Indian Ocean at 2:47 UT. Two weeks later on July 26th, Uranus reaches its first stationary point signaling the beginning of this year's opposition period. The planet then commences retrograde motion.
Uranus during July 2015 - pdf format
Neptune
Neptune (mag. +7.8) is moving retrograde in Aquarius as it heads towards opposition on September 1st. The eighth and most distant planet from the Sun is positioned about 30 degrees southwest of the Great Square of Pegasus and a few degrees southwest of star lambda (λ) Aqr (mag. +3.7). It now rises before midnight from northern temperate latitudes and up to a couple of hours earlier from locations further south.
Although observers may be able to spot Uranus with the naked eye they have no chance do the same with Neptune, it's far too faint. However, the planet is relatively easy to spot binoculars.
On July 6th, the waning gibbous Moon passes 3 degrees north of Neptune.
Neptune during July 2015 - pdf format
Solar System Data Table July 2015TL;DR: depending on your app, using define_method is faster on boot, consumes less memory, and probably doesn’t significantly impact performance.
Throughout the Rails code base, I typically see dynamic methods defined using class_eval. What I mean by “dynamic methods” is methods with names or bodies that are calculated at runtime, then defined.
For example, something like this:
class Foo class_eval <<EORUBY, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1 def wow_ #{ Time.now.to_i } #... end EORUBY end
I’m not sure why they are define this way versus using define_method. Why don’t we compare and contrast defining methods using class_eval and define_method?
The tests I’ll do here use MRI, Ruby 2.0.0.
Definition Performance
When defining a method, is it faster to use class_eval or define_method? Here is a trivial benchmark where we simulate defining 100,000 methods:
require'benchmark'GC.disable N = 100000 Benchmark.bm( 13 ) do |x| x.report( " define_method " ) { class Foo N.times { |i| define_method( " foo_ #{ i } " ) { } } end } x.report( " class_eval " ) { class Bar N.times { |i| class_eval <<-eoruby, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1 def bar_ #{ i } end eoruby } end } end
Results on my machine:
$ ruby test.rb user system total real define_method 0.290000 0.030000 0.320000 ( 0.318222) class_eval 1.300000 0.120000 1.420000 ( 1.518075)
The class_eval version seems to be much slower than the define_method version.
Why is definition performance different?
The reason performance is different is that on each call to class_eval, MRI creates a new parser and parses the string. In the define_method case, the parser is only run once.
We can see when the parser executes using DTrace. We will compare two programs, one with class_eval :
class Foo 5.times do |i| class_eval " def f_ #{ i } ; end ", __FILE__, __LINE__ end end
and one with define_method :
class Foo 5.times do |i| define_method( " f_ #{ i } " ) { } end end
Using DTrace, we can monitor the parse-begin probe which fires before MRI runs it’s parser and compiles instruction sequences:
ruby$target:::parse-begin /copyinstr(arg0) == "test.rb"/ { printf("%s:%d
", copyinstr(arg0), arg1); }
Run DTrace using the define_method program:
$ sudo dtrace -q -s x.d -c"$(rbenv which ruby) test.rb" test.rb:1
Now run again with the class_eval version:
$ sudo dtrace -q -s x.d -c"$(rbenv which ruby) test.rb" test.rb:1 test.rb:3 test.rb:3 test.rb:3 test.rb:3 test.rb:3
In the class_eval version, the parser runs and compiles instruction sequences 6 times, where the define_method case only runs once.
Call speed
It seems it’s faster to define methods via define_method, but which method is faster to call? Let’s try with a trivial example:
require'benchmark/ips'GC.disable class Foo define_method( " foo " ) { } class_eval'def bar; end'end Benchmark.ips do |x| foo = Foo.new x.report( " class_eval " ) { foo.bar } x.report( " define_method " ) { foo.foo } end
Here are the results on my machine:
$ ruby test.rb Calculating ------------------------------------- class_eval 115154 i/100ms define_method 106872 i/100ms ------------------------------------------------- class_eval 7454955.2 (±5.0%) i/s - 37194742 in 5.004418s define_method 5061216.4 (±5.2%) i/s - 25221792 in 5.000041s
Clearly methods defined with class_eval are faster. But does it matter? Let’s try a test where we add a little work to each method:
require'benchmark/ips'GC.disable class Foo define_method( " foo " ) { 10.times.map { " foo ".length } } class_eval'def bar; 10.times.map { "foo".length }; end'end Benchmark.ips do |x| foo = Foo.new x.report( " define_method " ) { foo.foo } x.report( " class_eval " ) { foo.bar } end
Running these on my machine, I get:
$ ruby test.rb Calculating ------------------------------------- define_method 23949 i/100ms class_eval 23015 i/100ms ------------------------------------------------- define_method 261039.7 (±6.3%) i/s - 1317195 in 5.066215s class_eval 228819.7 (±12.2%) i/s - 1150750 in 5.286635s
A small amount of work is enough to overcome the performance difference between them.
How about memory consumption?
Let’s compare class_eval and define_method on memory. We’ll use this program to compare maximum RSS for N methods:
N = ( ENV ['N'] || 100_000 ).to_i class Foo N.times do |i| if ENV ['EVAL'] class_eval " def bar_ #{ i } ; end " else define_method( " bar_ #{ i } " ) { } end end end
Here are the results (I’ve trimmed them a little for clarity):
$ EVAL=1 time -l ruby test.rb 3.77 real 3.68 user 0.08 sys 127389696 maximum resident set size 0 average shared memory size 0 average unshared data size 0 average unshared stack size 38716 page reclaims $ DEFN=1 time -l ruby test.rb 0.69 real 0.63 user 0.05 sys 69103616 maximum resident set size 0 average shared memory size 0 average unshared data size 0 average unshared stack size 24487 page reclaims $
The maximum RSS for the class_eval version is much higher than the define_method version. Why?
I mentioned earlier that the class_eval version instantiates a new parser and compiles the source. Each method definition in the class_eval version does not share instruction sequences, where the define_method version does.
Let’s verify this claim by using ObjectSpace.memsize_of_all!
Measuring Instructions
MRI will let us measure the total memory usage of the instruction sequences. Here we’ll modify the previous program to measure the instruction sequence size (in bytes) after defining many methods:
require'objspace'N = ( ENV ['N'] || 100_000 ).to_i class Foo N.times do |i| if ENV ['EVAL'] class_eval " def bar_ #{ i } ; end " else define_method( " bar_ #{ i } " ) { } end end end GC.start p ObjectSpace.memsize_of_all( RubyVM :: InstructionSequence )
Let’s see the difference:
$ EVAL=1 ruby test.rb 44718112 $ DEFN=1 ruby test.rb 718112
Growth Rate
Now let’s see the growth rate between the two. Here is the growth rate for the class_eval case:
$ N=100 EVAL=1 ruby test.rb 762112 $ N=1000 EVAL=1 ruby test.rb 1158112 $ N=10000 EVAL=1 ruby test.rb 5118112 $ N=100000 EVAL=1 ruby test.rb 44718112
Now let’s compare to the define_method case:
$ N=100 DEFN=1 ruby test.rb 718112 $ N=1000 DEFN=1 ruby test.rb 718112 $ N=10000 DEFN=1 ruby test.rb 718112 $ N=100000 DEFN=1 ruby test.rb 718112
The memory consumed by instruction sequences in the class_eval case continually grows, where in the define_method case it does not. MRI reuses the instruction sequences in the case of define_method, so we see no growth.
Caution
Defining methods with define_method is faster, consumes less memory, and depending on your application isn’t significantly slower than using a class_eval defined method. So what is the down side?
Closures
The main down side is that define_method creates a closure. The closure could hold references to large objects, and those large objects will never be garbage collected. For example:
class Foo x = " X " * 1024000 define_method( " foo " ) { } end class Bar x = " X " * 1024000 class_eval( " def foo; end " ) end
The closure could access the local variable x in the Foo class, so that variable cannot be garbage collected.
When using define_method be careful not to hold references to objects you don’t care about.
THE END
I hope you enjoyed this! <3<3<3<3On Portland’s East Side, a Sea of Empty Parking and a Plan to Change It
There’s no blight like a surface parking lot in the middle of downtown — especially an empty one. And no city is safe apparently.
Portland is wrestling with the parking issue on its Central Eastside — a major employment district.
Portland Transport has the details:
Sarah Mirk has an interesting piece in this week’s Mercury in which she talks about the proposed parking plan for the Central Eastside (including some metering, which of course, everyone loves). But the fascinating part is the amount of parking that exists in the district. She documents 400+ parking lots with 14,000+ spaces. Only 8% of that is open to the public, and 40% of it is vacant at peak hours. What a wasted resource! And then we fight over the available on-street parking. Some of this is a function of a societal attitude that parking (which is VERY expensive to build, and chews up a tremendous amount of valuable real estate) must be free. Any time we take an expensive commodity and treat it like it doesn’t cost anything, there are bound to be negative effects. But some of this is the result of zoning. The zoning code defines parking in a lot of zones to be ‘accessory’ to the main use – i.e., I can park in the medical office parking lot if I’m going to the medical office, but they are NOT free to rent spaces (even if they have an excess) to a neighboring business.
Sounds like a lot of those parking lots could be shared between businesses, freeing up space to put to more productive use.
Elsewhere on the Network today: Reconnecting America looks at a study examining how low-income households manage transportation costs. Hard Drive investigates whether TriMet board members use transit. And Greater Greater Washington wonders whether business attire rules for federal employees discourage active transportation.Francis Kallon has only been playing American football for a few months and is still learning the rules.
But that hasn't stopped the 17-year-old from becoming the most talked about young player in the US.
He's had more than a dozen offers from universities across America to join their teams after playing the game for the first time last spring.
Now the 6ft 6in (1.98m) teenager is tipped as a future star of the National Football League (NFL).
To find someone with so much talent who's never played the game before is rare Todd Wofford Coach
Francis moved from London to Lawrenceville, Georgia, last year with his family.
When he started at his local school he says he had no interest in trying out American football
"I didn't even know what American football was about," he admits.
"I'd seen it before on the TV but I would just switch it off."
Francis was first spotted in the gym at Central Gwinnet High by school coach, Todd Wofford, who believed the teenager had the potential to be a useful player for his team.
"I watched him playing soccer and he was phenomenal. His footwork was great and he was so tall and strong," says the coach.
'Something special'
It took the coach several months to persuade Francis to give the game a try but he says it was worth the wait.
"I looked at my assistant and said, 'I think we just might have something here.'"
"Anybody can look at him and see he is something," says Todd. "He has as much potential as anyone I've ever seen - or more."
Within weeks Francis had been spotted by scouts across the US and was offered 13 scholarships.
Playing college football, as it's known, is a big deal in the US.
Games are televised and played in stadiums with as many as 80,000 spectators.
Francis says he's likely to study in Georgia so he can be close to his family, but after that the next step is the NFL - one of the highest-paid leagues in the world.
"My goal is to focus on doing what I've been doing and getting better," he says. "And if the NFL comes I'll take it."
It's a step Francis's coach believes will happen.
"To find someone with so much talent who's never played the game before is rare," he says.
"There are guys who've played the game for years who'll never be as good as he is after just a few months."Get the biggest daily news 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
Think you know your favourite actor? Look again at these hyper-real drawings.
The pictures of Hollywood actors including Patrick Stewart, Johnny Depp and David Tennant are so life-like they look just like photos.
But Italian artist Franco Clun, 51, has created the incredible portraits using just pencils.
He spends a painstaking 50 hours on each image, which he sells for 500 Euros each (£440).
“I started drawing famous people that somehow gave me something special back,” said Franco.
“At the end of each drawing, I feel I know so much more about the person I have drawn."
Franco hopes to exhibit his work in Milan this year.
He added: “For each new drawing I dedicate more time and attention and I try to push forward my technical limitations."I love data visualisation, and every now and then a gem comes along that blows my mind. Last week I came across Ben Schmidt’s tool for analysing gendered language in teaching evaluations. The tool allows you to plug in any word (or two-word phrase) and see how much that phrase is used in 14 million RateMyProfessor.com reviews. You can see usage is split across gender and discipline. While intended to show gender differences, it turns out the tool is excellent for revealing all sorts of weird and wonderful trends.
1. There are predictable and problematic gender differences.
The words ‘smart’ and ‘intellect’ are more likely to be used to review male professors, and ‘genius’ is more likely to describe a male professor in every single discipline for. By contrast, words such as ‘awful’, ‘terrible’, and ‘incompetent’ are used much more in relation to females. More on this here.
2. There are also some less predictable gender differences
Female professors are more likely to be called ‘mad’ and ‘crazy’, while the males are more likely to be ‘strange’. Males are simultaneously more likely to be reviewed as ‘funny’ and ‘boring’.
3. All professors can be ‘dumb’ and ‘stupid’
These two words remain satisfyingly gender neutral (with the exception of in engineering).
4. Men are idiots
By contrast, the word ‘idiot’ seems to be reserved for males.
5. Hair grows in unusual places
A search for ‘hairy’ ranks physics top of the class, due to an unexplained preponderance of hairy females. The hairiest men are overwhelmingly in education and philosophy.
6. Some disciplines have poor dental hygiene
A search for ‘bad teeth’ reveals that male anthropologists and female historians and apparently have problems going to the dentist.
7. Anthropology professors are irritating
As are those in Fine Arts and, ironically, communication.
8. Criminal Justice professors are awesome
As are psychology professors.
9. Music teachers have no dress sense
I personally love elbow patches and tweed, but if you subscribe to the view that they are outmoded attire for the modern academic, you best steer clear of music.
10. You aren’t allowed to claim that your prof is an alcoholic
Yet I couldn’t find any other prohibited phrases. Believe me, I tried all the taboos I could think of.
11. Weird stuff goes on in classrooms.
Even the most unlikely words will have been used in a review somewhere. ‘Tea bag’, ‘sand castle’, and ‘baby food’ all appear, for some reason. Find some solace in the fact that neither ‘naked twister’ or ‘strip poker’ appear in any.On Saturday the Spanish government decided to implement article 155 of the Spanish Constitution to suspend Catalonia’s political autonomy. The government will use the article to call a regional election in Catalonia, which will likely take place in January 2018. In the interim period, the Catalan parliament will be partially suspended and Madrid will assume the powers of the regional government.
This comes after the decision by the Catalan government to announce a unilateral declaration of independence earlier this month. According to the Catalan government, the move towards independence was the result of a “democratic mandate” given by an unauthorised referendum on 1 October.
Catalonia's leaders are now accusing the Spanish government of organising a “coup”. Social unrest and large demonstrations in the streets are likely to follow in the coming days and weeks.
Catalan separatists have been effective at building their case internationally. They picture Catalonia as a united community fighting for democracy – the so-called “right to decide” – against an authoritarian and repressive Spanish state.
However, the story is not that simple. In fact, the unilateral decisions taken by the Catalan government over the last two months are neither legitimate nor democratic.
At the beginning of September, the Catalan parliament passed two laws (“the Referendum Law” and “the Transition Law”), overruling the Spanish constitution and the Statute of Autonomy (the law that defines the relations between Catalonia and the Spanish government). Illegal parliamentary procedures were applied at the will of the speaker of the house – a former radical pro-independence activist – violating in numerous ways the rights of the minority in parliament.
For example, changing the Statute of Autonomy requires a majority of two thirds of the Catalan chamber. However, the rupture laws, which were destroying a 500-year relationship with Spain and the constitutional order established in 1978 (voted for by 90 per cent of Catalans), were approved by a pro-independence majority in parliament of just slightly more than 50 per cent. Despite this, on the basis of those laws, the government decided to go ahead with a referendum.
According to the Catalan government, about 2.2 million people voted on 1 October (43 per cent of the census), of which more than 90 per cent chose independence. However, the vote took place with no democratic guarantees whatsoever. There was not an official census or an independent electoral board. In many constituencies there were more votes than actual people registered.
After the vote, the Catalan government said the result was valid and signed a unilateral declaration of independence. Immediately afterwards, however, the declaration was suspended in order to ask for “dialogue” to Madrid. There was a pre-condition for the “dialogue”, however: it could only address the referendum issue, something unacceptable for the Spanish government. But why?
A vote to solve all problems?
A large majority of Catalans support the so-called “right to decide”. However, many of us believe that a referendum is unlikely to be the solution to the Catalan problem. First, Spain, like Germany, France or the US, has a written constitution that recognizes the sovereignty of all Spanish people over the territory (thus, regions are not considered a sovereign entity).
The right of self-determination (i.e. the right to decide) is in fact not recognized by any constitution in the world, besides Ethiopia and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The UN only recognises such right for oppressed minorities or authoritarian states. So, if a vote to fragment the sovereignty of the Spanish people was to be allowed, the constitution has to be changed first, or, alternatively, the rest of Spaniards should be allowed to vote.
Second, given the existence of different “nationalities” in Spain, such as the Basque Country or Galicia, opening the Pandora’s box of a referendum could end up in a balkanisation of Spain. Moreover, the same demand for referendums would likely extend to other countries in Europe, with lethal consequences for the European project.
Third, Catalonia is almost a fifth of Spain’s GDP so a potential separation would certainly reopen a deep economic crisis in Spain with dramatic consequences for the populations on both sides. Brexit would look like childs’ play, compared to the mess of dividing the rights and obligations between Spain and Catalonia. Last week Catalans had a taste of the dramatic potential economic effects of independence: more than a thousand companies, including all the largest banks and multinationals, moved their their official headquarters from Catalonia.
Fourth, two years ago Catalonia had a de facto referendum. The two large pro-independence parties, ERC and CiU, formed a coalition, Junts pel Sí, to run in a regional election in 2015. Together they got a majority of seats in parliament and managed to form a coalition with the anti-capitalist CUP. However, they fell short on votes: they only got 47 per cent. Even though nationalists had assured that a majority of votes was a necessary condition to continue with the “process”, an 18-month path towards independence was the next step.
Fifth, and more importantly, many of us think that a binary vote could not express the variety of political views, preferences and identities existing in Catalonia after so many years of co-existence. Jean Charest, the former prime minister of Québec, said while visiting Barcelona in 2015: “Referendums are no panacea, they offer an answer but they also divide, create tensions, and leave scars”.
In fact, when Catalans are given more options to choose from than the simple Yes or No to independence, a different reality emerges. For instance, when asked to choose between “an independent State”, “a State within a federal Spain” or “an Autonomous community within Spain”, support for independence falls consistently below 35 per cent.
One single people?
The Catalan nationalist government talks about Catalonia as if it were one single people fighting for independence. But that’s not true either. Pro-independence support has never been above 48 per cent. In the decades before the 2008 economic crisis the average support for independence was about 15 per cent.
And looking at the data on independence support, there are sharp geographical, economic and cultural cleavages that divide Catalan society.
According to analysis by Kiko Llaneras of El País, there is a strong positive correlation between income and support for independence. While only about a third of Catalans earning below €900 a month want independence, the number goes up to 53 per cent of those earning €4,000 or more.
The family origin is a key driver of those divisions: while 75 per cent of Catalans with all their grandparents born in Catalonia support independence, only 29 per cent of those born in Catalonia but with grandparents from another autonomous community support it. The same story is reflected geographically. Pro-independence support is clearly majoritarian in rural areas, while in places such as the capital, Barcelona, it is not – in the last election support for pro-independence parties was 44.3 per cent.
The silent majority
Catalonia is a diverse, dynamic, multi-cultural society with a wide variety of identities and complex political preferences. However, for many years the hegemonic nationalist narrative has ignored the voice of the “other Catalans”, those that do not support independence.
After almost 40 years of nationalist governments, followed by the rise of a Catalan nationalist agenda in the schools and public media, unionists have suffered what the German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann calls a spiral of silence: when a group of people, for fear of isolation, remains silent instead of voicing its opinion.
These people, the “other Catalans”, did not sit on the boards of the strong multinational firms. They were not presenting TV programmes on television. They could not afford the expensive private international schools where Catalan elites sent their children. Their Catalan language (if they spoke it at all) did not sound as refined as that of the native elites. Millions of them had come in the Sixties or Seventies from poorer regions in the south to work in the booming industries of Catalonia, Spain’s industrial powerhouse (19 per cent of GDP, 16 per cent of the population).
Until the nationalist government brought the country to the brink of collapse, they weren’t brave enough to come out with a single voice against |
the cipher around the same time.
The IETF moved towards killing off the venerable-but-vulnerable RC4 cipher with a proposal that net-standard clients and servers need to quit using RC4 in Transport Layer Security (TLS) that surfaced in December 2014. ®Funk of Titans is a refreshing cartoon-ish game that is a lot of fun!
70’s one liners, check. Funkiness, check. Mythology and modern media, check. You are Perseus, and Zeus wants you to bring back the funk by defeating the Titans of Pop, Rap and Rock. A Crowd of Monsters did a fantastic job of mixing in modern media elements into the world of Greek Mythology. Funk of Titans has to be the most unique indie title that I have ever played on the Xbox One, and I loved it.
To be honest this game brought back a lot of memories for me. Each world (Pop, Rap and Rock) remind me of the way Super Mario World levels were designed. Every time you beat a level you advance Perseus by moving him onto the next circle. Along the way you will talk to various characters that will acknowledge your success. You can advance your hero level by completing specific tasks such as jump so many times in one level. The advancement of the hero level was not a game changer for me but it allowed you to use in game currency (vinyl records) to purchase a new weapon or helmet.
The controls were easy and perfect. It’s a great game to unwind and relax to. Perseus auto-runs from left to right in a side scrolling platform fashion with timed jumping and weapon slashing to get through the levels. From jumping on enemies heads to jumping over enemies with spiked helmets leading to wall jumping and hitting levers at the right time to obtain a Pegasus stick throughout the levels, which grants you access to a bonus round. It feels like the perfect combination for this fun and fast game.
The in-game items reference modern media culture. I couldn’t imagine anything more creative for this game. I used my vinyl records to purchase a bloody hockey mask, a transformer style helmet, and a futuristic storm trooper mask. For the weapons I purchased a flaming sword, and a machete. There is plenty more to choose from but these were my favorites.
When it came down to the boss fights, I could feel a reference to modern musicians but found the button sequence style battles too easy. I wish it were more of a rhythm style battle for each boss and mini boss, however this did not take away from the cleverness of Funk of Titans. I have heard some people say this game was repetitive but it’s no more repetitive then games like Subway Surfers and other auto-runners. The cartoon style humor and platform graphics were great. It could use more in-game dialogue, but A Crowd of Monsters set out to make a fun stylish game and this is exactly what they have accomplished. I played this game non-stop and beat it within about 4 and a half hours. I would highly recommend picking this up if you like auto-runners and games like Subway Surfers.All the information you need to know about the Breaking2 project, a Nike initiative aimed at breaking the two-hour mark in the marathon. The current men’s marathon world record is 2:02:57, set by Dennis Kimetto at the 2014 Berlin Marathon.
Nike Breaking2 live YouTube stream
Quick hits
Date: Saturday, May 6 (the night of May 5 in North America)
Start time: 5:45 a.m. (11:45 p.m. EDT Friday)
Location: Autodromo Nazionale Monza Formula One race track, Monza, Italy
Goal: 1:59:59 for 42.195K
Athletes: Eliud Kipchoge, Zersenay Tadese and Lelisa Desisa (there are many superstars who will act as pace setters)
Broadcast details: Live commentary from the event, with hosts Sal Masekela, Craig Masback and women’s marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe!
Trailer
Athlete’s credentials
– 32 years old, Kenyan
– Third fastest marathoner in history
– 2014 Chicago Marathon champion
– 2015 Berlin Marathon champion
– 2015, 2016 London Marathon champion
– 2016 Olympic Marathon champion
– Marathon PB: 2:03:05
– 34 years old, Eritrean
– Five-time IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships gold medallist
– 2004 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist
– Half-marathon world record holder (58:23)
– Marathon PB: 2:10:41
– 27 years old, Ethiopia
– 59:30 half-marathon PB
– 2:04:45 marathon debut (2013)
– Two-time Boston Marathon champion
– 2013 IAAF World Championships marathon silver medallist
– Marathon PB: 2:04:45
Canadian Running is in Italy for the attempt so make sure to check back at runningmagazine.ca for the latest as well as follow us on social media for an exclusive look at the Breaking2 project.
Useful Canadian Running links
– The pacers
– Breaking2 shoes
– Weather
– CR podcast on the sub-two-hour marathon attempt
– The venue
– Motivational Breaking2 videos
– How fast is a 1:59:59 marathon?
– Expert predictions + poll
Follow Canadian Running live from Monza, Italy on social media
– Snapchat
– Instagram
– Twitter
– Facebook
– YouTubeScientific study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment
Ecology Ecology addresses the full scale of life, from tiny bacteria to processes that span the entire planet. Ecologists study many diverse and complex relations among species, such as predation and pollination. The diversity of life is organized into different habitats, from terrestrial (middle) to aquatic ecosystems.
Ecology (from Greek: οἶκος, "house", or "environment"; -λογία, "study of")[A] is the branch of biology[1] which studies the interactions among organisms and their environment. Objects of study include interactions of organisms with each other and with abiotic components of their environment. Topics of interest include the biodiversity, distribution, biomass, and populations of organisms, as well as cooperation and competition within and between species. Ecosystems are dynamically interacting systems of organisms, the communities they make up, and the non-living components of their environment. Ecosystem processes, such as primary production, pedogenesis, nutrient cycling, and niche construction, regulate the flux of energy and matter through an environment. These processes are sustained by organisms with specific life history traits. Biodiversity means the varieties of species, genes, and ecosystems, enhances certain ecosystem services.
Ecology is not synonymous with environmentalism, natural history, or environmental science. It overlaps with the closely related sciences of evolutionary biology, genetics, and ethology. An important focus for ecologists is to improve the understanding of how biodiversity affects ecological function. Ecologists seek to explain:
Life processes, interactions, and adaptations
The movement of materials and energy through living communities
The successional development of ecosystems
The abundance and distribution of organisms and biodiversity in the context of the environment.
Ecology has practical applications in conservation biology, wetland management, natural resource management (agroecology, agriculture, forestry, agroforestry, fisheries), city planning (urban ecology), community health, economics, basic and applied science, and human social interaction (human ecology). For example, the Circles of Sustainability approach treats ecology as more than the environment 'out there'. It is not treated as separate from humans. Organisms (including humans) and resources compose ecosystems which, in turn, maintain biophysical feedback mechanisms that moderate processes acting on living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of the planet. Ecosystems sustain life-supporting functions and produce natural capital like biomass production (food, fuel, fiber, and medicine), the regulation of climate, global biogeochemical cycles, water filtration, soil formation, erosion control, flood protection, and many other natural features of scientific, historical, economic, or intrinsic value.
The word "ecology" ("Ökologie") was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel. Ecological thought is derivative of established currents in philosophy, particularly from ethics and politics.[2] Ancient Greek philosophers such as Hippocrates and Aristotle laid the foundations of ecology in their studies on natural history. Modern ecology became a much more rigorous science in the late 19th century. Evolutionary concepts relating to adaptation and natural selection became the cornerstones of modern ecological theory.
Levels, scope, and scale of organization [ edit ]
The scope of ecology contains a wide array of interacting levels of organization spanning micro-level (e.g., cells) to a planetary scale (e.g., biosphere) phenomena. Ecosystems, for example, contain abiotic resources and interacting life forms (i.e., individual organisms that aggregate into populations which aggregate into distinct ecological communities). Ecosystems are dynamic, they do not always follow a linear successional path, but they are always changing, sometimes rapidly and sometimes so slowly that it can take thousands of years for ecological processes to bring about certain successional stages of a forest. An ecosystem's area can vary greatly, from tiny to vast. A single tree is of little consequence to the classification of a forest ecosystem, but critically relevant to organisms living in and on it.[3] Several generations of an aphid population can exist over the lifespan of a single leaf. Each of those aphids, in turn, support diverse bacterial communities.[4] The nature of connections in ecological communities cannot be explained by knowing the details of each species in isolation, because the emergent pattern is neither revealed nor predicted until the ecosystem is studied as an integrated whole.[5] Some ecological principles, however, do exhibit collective properties where the sum of the components explain the properties of the whole, such as birth rates of a population being equal to the sum of individual births over a designated time frame.[6]
The main subdisciplines of ecology, population (or community) ecology and ecosystem ecology, exhibit a difference not only of scale, but also of two contrasting paradigms in the field. The former focus on organisms distribution and abundance, while the later focus on materials and energy fluxes.[7]
Hierarchy [ edit ]
System behaviors must first be arrayed into different levels of organization. Behaviors corresponding to higher levels occur at slow rates. Conversely, lower organizational levels exhibit rapid rates. For example, individual tree leaves respond rapidly to momentary changes in light intensity, CO 2 concentration, and the like. The growth of the tree responds more slowly and integrates these short-term changes. O'Neill et al. (1986)[8]:76
The scale of ecological dynamics can operate like a closed system, such as aphids migrating on a single tree, while at the same time remain open with regard to broader scale influences, such as atmosphere or climate. Hence, ecologists classify ecosystems hierarchically by analyzing data collected from finer scale units, such as vegetation associations, climate, and soil types, and integrate this information to identify emergent patterns of uniform organization and processes that operate on local to regional, landscape, and chronological scales.
To structure the study of ecology into a conceptually manageable framework, the biological world is organized into a nested hierarchy, ranging in scale from genes, to cells, to tissues, to organs, to organisms, to species, to populations, to communities, to ecosystems, to biomes, and up to the level of the biosphere.[9] This framework forms a panarchy[10] and exhibits non-linear behaviors; this means that "effect and cause are disproportionate, so that small changes to critical variables, such as the number of nitrogen fixers, can lead to disproportionate, perhaps irreversible, changes in the system properties."[11]:14
Biodiversity [ edit ]
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life and its processes. It includes the variety of living organisms, the genetic differences among them, the communities and ecosystems in which they occur, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that keep them functioning, yet ever changing and adapting. Noss & Carpenter (1994)[12]:5
Biodiversity (an abbreviation of "biological diversity") describes the diversity of life from genes to ecosystems and spans every level of biological organization. The term has several interpretations, and there are many ways to index, measure, characterize, and represent its complex organization.[13][14][15] Biodiversity includes species diversity, ecosystem diversity, and genetic diversity and scientists are interested in the way that this diversity affects the complex ecological processes operating at and among these respective levels.[14][16][17] Biodiversity plays an important role in ecosystem services which by definition maintain and improve human quality of life.[15][18][19] Conservation priorities and management techniques require different approaches and considerations to address the full ecological scope of biodiversity. Natural capital that supports populations is critical for maintaining ecosystem services[20][21] and species migration (e.g., riverine fish runs and avian insect control) has been implicated as one mechanism by which those service losses are experienced.[22] An understanding of biodiversity has practical applications for species and ecosystem-level conservation planners as they make management recommendations to consulting firms, governments, and industry.[23]
Habitat [ edit ]
[24] Biodiversity of a coral reef Corals adapt to and modify their environment by forming calcium carbonate skeletons. This provides growing conditions for future generations and forms a habitat for many other species.
The habitat of a species describes the environment over which a species is known to occur and the type of community that is formed as a result.[25] More specifically, "habitats can be defined as regions in environmental space that are composed of multiple dimensions, each representing a biotic or abiotic environmental variable; that is, any component or characteristic of the environment related directly (e.g. forage biomass and quality) or indirectly (e.g. elevation) to the use of a location by the animal."[26]:745 For example, a habitat might be an aquatic or terrestrial environment that can be further categorized as a montane or alpine ecosystem. Habitat shifts provide important evidence of competition in nature where one population changes relative to the habitats that most other individuals of the species occupy. For example, one population of a species of tropical lizards (Tropidurus hispidus) has a flattened body relative to the main populations that live in open savanna. The population that lives in an isolated rock outcrop hides in crevasses where its flattened body offers a selective advantage. Habitat shifts also occur in the developmental life history of amphibians, and in insects that transition from aquatic to terrestrial habitats. Biotope and habitat are sometimes used interchangeably, but the former applies to a community's environment, whereas the latter applies to a species' environment.[25][27][28]
Niche [ edit ]
[29][30] Termite mounds with varied heights of chimneys regulate gas exchange, temperature and other environmental parameters that are needed to sustain the internal physiology of the entire colony.
Definitions of the niche date back to 1917,[31] but G. Evelyn Hutchinson made conceptual advances in 1957[32][33] by introducing a widely adopted definition: "the set of biotic and abiotic conditions in which a species is able to persist and maintain stable population sizes."[31]:519 The ecological niche is a central concept in the ecology of organisms and is sub-divided into the fundamental and the realized niche. The fundamental niche is the set of environmental conditions under which a species is able to persist. The realized niche is the set of environmental plus ecological conditions under which a species persists.[31][33][34] The Hutchinsonian niche is defined more technically as a "Euclidean hyperspace whose dimensions are defined as environmental variables and whose size is a function of the number of values that the environmental values may assume for which an organism has positive fitness."[35]:71
Biogeographical patterns and range distributions are explained or predicted through knowledge of a species' traits and niche requirements.[36] Species have functional traits that are uniquely adapted to the ecological niche. A trait is a measurable property, phenotype, or characteristic of an organism that may influence its survival. Genes play an important role in the interplay of development and environmental expression of traits.[37] Resident species evolve traits that are fitted to the selection pressures of their local environment. This tends to afford them a competitive advantage and discourages similarly adapted species from having an overlapping geographic range. The competitive exclusion principle states that two species cannot coexist indefinitely by living off the same limiting resource; one will always out-compete the other. When similarly adapted species overlap geographically, closer inspection reveals subtle ecological differences in their habitat or dietary requirements.[38] Some models and empirical studies, however, suggest that disturbances can stabilize the co-evolution and shared niche occupancy of similar species inhabiting species-rich communities.[39] The habitat plus the niche is called the ecotope, which is defined as the full range of environmental and biological variables affecting an entire species.[25]
Niche construction [ edit ]
Organisms are subject to environmental pressures, but they also modify their habitats. The regulatory feedback between organisms and their environment can affect conditions from local (e.g., a beaver pond) to global scales, over time and even after death, such as decaying logs or silica skeleton deposits from marine organisms.[40] The process and concept of ecosystem engineering is related to niche construction, but the former relates only to the physical modifications of the habitat whereas the latter also considers the evolutionary implications of physical changes to the environment and the feedback this causes on the process of natural selection. Ecosystem engineers are defined as: "organisms that directly or indirectly modulate the availability of resources to other species, by causing physical state changes in biotic or abiotic materials. In so doing they modify, maintain and create habitats."[41]:373
The ecosystem engineering concept has stimulated a new appreciation for the influence that organisms have on the ecosystem and evolutionary process. The term "niche construction" is more often used in reference to the under-appreciated feedback mechanisms of natural selection imparting forces on the abiotic niche.[29][42] An example of natural selection through ecosystem engineering occurs in the nests of social insects, including ants, bees, wasps, and termites. There is an emergent homeostasis or homeorhesis in the structure of the nest that regulates, maintains and defends the physiology of the entire colony. Termite mounds, for example, maintain a constant internal temperature through the design of air-conditioning chimneys. The structure of the nests themselves are subject to the forces of natural selection. Moreover, a nest can survive over successive generations, so that progeny inherit both genetic material and a legacy niche that was constructed before their time.[6][29][30]
Biome [ edit ]
Biomes are larger units of organization that categorize regions of the Earth's ecosystems, mainly according to the structure and composition of vegetation.[43] There are different methods to define the continental boundaries of biomes dominated by different functional types of vegetative communities that are limited in distribution by climate, precipitation, weather and other environmental variables. Biomes include tropical rainforest, temperate broadleaf and mixed forest, temperate deciduous forest, taiga, tundra, hot desert, and polar desert.[44] Other researchers have recently categorized other biomes, such as the human and oceanic microbiomes. To a microbe, the human body is a habitat and a landscape.[45] Microbiomes were discovered largely through advances in molecular genetics, which have revealed a hidden richness of microbial diversity on the planet. The oceanic microbiome plays a significant role in the ecological biogeochemistry of the planet's oceans.[46]
Biosphere [ edit ]
The largest scale of ecological organization is the biosphere: the total sum of ecosystems on the planet. Ecological relationships regulate the flux of energy, nutrients, and climate all the way up to the planetary scale. For example, the dynamic history of the planetary atmosphere's CO 2 and O 2 composition has been affected by the biogenic flux of gases coming from respiration and photosynthesis, with levels fluctuating over time in relation to the ecology and evolution of plants and animals.[47] Ecological theory has also been used to explain self-emergent regulatory phenomena at the planetary scale: for example, the Gaia hypothesis is an example of holism applied in ecological theory.[48] The Gaia hypothesis states that there is an emergent feedback loop generated by the metabolism of living organisms that maintains the core temperature of the Earth and atmospheric conditions within a narrow self-regulating range of tolerance.[49]
Population ecology [ edit ]
Population ecology studies the dynamics of species populations and how these populations interact with the wider environment.[6] A population consists of individuals of the same species that live, interact, and migrate through the same niche and habitat.[50]
A primary law of population ecology is the Malthusian growth model[51] which states, "a population will grow (or decline) exponentially as long as the environment experienced by all individuals in the population remains constant."[51]:18 Simplified population models usually start with four variables: death, birth, immigration, and emigration.
An example of an introductory population model describes a closed population, such as on an island, where immigration and emigration does not take place. Hypotheses are evaluated with reference to a null hypothesis which states that random processes create the observed data. In these island models, the rate of population change is described by:
d N d T = b N − d N = ( b − d ) N = r N, {\displaystyle {\frac {\operatorname {d} N}{\operatorname {d} T}}=bN-dN=(b-d)N=rN,}
where N is the total number of individuals in the population, b and d are the per capita rates of birth and death respectively, and r is the per capita rate of population change.[51][52]
Using these modelling techniques, Malthus' population principle of growth was later transformed into a model known as the logistic equation:
d N d T = a N ( 1 − N K ), {\displaystyle {\frac {dN}{dT}}=aN\left(1-{\frac {N}{K}}\right),}
where N is the number of individuals measured as biomass density, a is the maximum per-capita rate of change, and K is the carrying capacity of the population. The formula states that the rate of change in population size (dN/dT) is equal to growth (aN) that is limited by carrying capacity (1 – N/K).
Population ecology builds upon these introductory models to further understand demographic processes in real study populations. Commonly used types of data include life history, fecundity, and survivorship, and these are analysed using mathematical techniques such as matrix algebra. The information is used for managing wildlife stocks and setting harvest quotas.[52][53] In cases where basic models are insufficient, ecologists may adopt different kinds of statistical methods, such as the Akaike information criterion,[54] or use models that can become mathematically complex as "several competing hypotheses are simultaneously confronted with the data."[55]
Metapopulations and migration [ edit ]
The concept of metapopulations was defined in 1969[56] as "a population of populations which go extinct locally and recolonize".[57]:105 Metapopulation ecology is another statistical approach that is often used in conservation research.[58] Metapopulation models simplify the landscape into patches of varying levels of quality,[59] and metapopulations are linked by the migratory behaviours of organisms. Animal migration is set apart from other kinds of movement; because, it involves the seasonal departure and return of individuals from a habitat.[60] Migration is also a population-level phenomenon, as with the migration routes followed by plants as they occupied northern post-glacial environments. Plant ecologists use pollen records that accumulate and stratify in wetlands to reconstruct the timing of plant migration and dispersal relative to historic and contemporary climates. These migration routes involved an expansion of the range as plant populations expanded from one area to another. There is a larger taxonomy of movement, such as commuting, foraging, territorial behaviour, stasis, and ranging. Dispersal is usually distinguished from migration; because, it involves the one way permanent movement of individuals from their birth population into another population.[61][62]
In metapopulation terminology, migrating individuals are classed as emigrants (when they leave a region) or immigrants (when they enter a region), and sites are classed either as sources or sinks. A site is a generic term that refers to places where ecologists sample populations, such as ponds or defined sampling areas in a forest. Source patches are productive sites that generate a seasonal supply of juveniles that migrate to other patch locations. Sink patches are unproductive sites that only receive migrants; the population at the site will disappear unless rescued by an adjacent source patch or environmental conditions become more favourable. Metapopulation models examine patch dynamics over time to answer potential questions about spatial and demographic ecology. The ecology of metapopulations is a dynamic process of extinction and colonization. Small patches of lower quality (i.e., sinks) are maintained or rescued by a seasonal influx of new immigrants. A dynamic metapopulation structure evolves from year to year, where some patches are sinks in dry years and are sources when conditions are more favourable. Ecologists use a mixture of computer models and field studies to explain metapopulation structure.[63][64]
Community ecology [ edit ]
Community ecology examines how interactions among species and their environment affect the abundance, distribution and diversity of species within communities. Johnson & Stinchcomb (2007)[65]:250
Community ecology is the study of the interactions among a collections of species that inhabit the same geographic area. Community ecologists study the determinants of patterns and processes for two or more interacting species. Research in community ecology might measure species diversity in grasslands in relation to soil fertility. It might also include the analysis of predator-prey dynamics, competition among similar plant species, or mutualistic interactions between crabs and corals.
Ecosystem ecology [ edit ]
These ecosystems, as we may call them, are of the most various kinds and sizes. They form one category of the multitudinous physical systems of the universe, which range from the universe as a whole down to the atom. Tansley (1935)[66]:299
Ecosystems may be habitats within biomes that form an integrated whole and a dynamically responsive system having both physical and biological complexes. Ecosystem ecology is the science of determining the fluxes of materials (e.g. carbon, phosphorus) between different pools (e.g., tree biomass, soil organic material). Ecosystem ecologist attempt to determine the underlying causes of these fluxes. Research in ecosystem ecology might measure primary production (g C/m^2) in a wetland in relation to decomposition and consumption rates (g C/m^2/y). This requires an understanding of the community connections between plants (i.e., primary producers) and the decomposers (e.g., fungi and bacteria),[67]
The underlying concept of ecosystem can be traced back to 1864 in the published work of George Perkins Marsh ("Man and Nature").[68][69] Within an ecosystem, organisms are linked to the physical and biological components of their environment to which they are adapted.[66] Ecosystems are complex adaptive systems where the interaction of life processes form self-organizing patterns across different scales of time and space.[70] Ecosystems are broadly categorized as terrestrial, freshwater, atmospheric, or marine. Differences stem from the nature of the unique physical environments that shapes the biodiversity within each. A more recent addition to ecosystem ecology are technoecosystems, which are affected by or primarily the result of human activity.[6]
Food webs [ edit ]
A food web is the archetypal ecological network. Plants capture solar energy and use it to synthesize simple sugars during photosynthesis. As plants grow, they accumulate nutrients and are eaten by grazing herbivores, and the energy is transferred through a chain of organisms by consumption. The simplified linear feeding pathways that move from a basal trophic species to a top consumer is called the food chain. The larger interlocking pattern of food chains in an ecological community creates a complex food web. Food webs are a type of concept map or a heuristic device that is used to illustrate and study pathways of energy and material flows.[8][71][72]
Food webs are often limited relative to the real world. Complete empirical measurements are generally restricted to a specific habitat, such as a cave or a pond, and principles gleaned from food web microcosm studies are extrapolated to larger systems.[73] Feeding relations require extensive investigations into the gut contents of organisms, which can be difficult to decipher, or stable isotopes can be used to trace the flow of nutrient diets and energy through a food web.[74] Despite these limitations, food webs remain a valuable tool in understanding community ecosystems.[75]
Food webs exhibit principles of ecological emergence through the nature of trophic relationships: some species have many weak feeding links (e.g., omnivores) while some are more specialized with fewer stronger feeding links (e.g., primary predators). Theoretical and empirical studies identify non-random emergent patterns of few strong and many weak linkages that explain how ecological communities remain stable over time.[76] Food webs are composed of subgroups where members in a community are linked by strong interactions, and the weak interactions occur between these subgroups. This increases food web stability.[77] Step by step lines or relations are drawn until a web of life is illustrated.[72][78][79][80]
Trophic levels [ edit ]
[6]: 598 A trophic pyramid (a) and a food-web (b) illustrating ecological relationships among creatures that are typical of a northern boreal terrestrial ecosystem. The trophic pyramid roughly represents the biomass (usually measured as total dry-weight) at each level. Plants generally have the greatest biomass. Names of trophic categories are shown to the right of the pyramid. Some ecosystems, such as many wetlands, do not organize as a strict pyramid, because aquatic plants are not as productive as long-lived terrestrial plants such as trees. Ecological trophic pyramids are typically one of three kinds: 1) pyramid of numbers, 2) pyramid of biomass, or 3) pyramid of energy.
A trophic level (from Greek troph, τροφή, trophē, meaning "food" or "feeding") is "a group of organisms acquiring a considerable majority of its energy from the lower adjacent level (according to ecological pyramids) nearer the abiotic source."[81]:383 Links in food webs primarily connect feeding relations or trophism among species. Biodiversity within ecosystems can be organized into trophic pyramids, in which the vertical dimension represents feeding relations that become further removed from the base of the food chain up toward top predators, and the horizontal dimension represents the abundance or biomass at each level.[82] When the relative abundance or biomass of each species is sorted into its respective trophic level, they naturally sort into a 'pyramid of numbers'.[83]
Species are broadly categorized as autotrophs (or primary producers), heterotrophs (or consumers), and Detritivores (or decomposers). Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food (production is greater than respiration) by photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Heterotrophs are organisms that must feed on others for nourishment and energy (respiration exceeds production).[6] Heterotrophs can be further sub-divided into different functional groups, including primary consumers (strict herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivorous predators that feed exclusively on herbivores), and tertiary consumers (predators that feed on a mix of herbivores and predators).[84] Omnivores do not fit neatly into a functional category because they eat both plant and animal tissues. It has been suggested that omnivores have a greater functional influence as predators, because compared to herbivores, they are relatively inefficient at grazing.[85]
Trophic levels are part of the holistic or complex systems view of ecosystems.[86][87] Each trophic level contains unrelated species that are grouped together because they share common ecological functions, giving a macroscopic view of the system.[88] While the notion of trophic levels provides insight into energy flow and top-down control within food webs, it is troubled by the prevalence of omnivory in real ecosystems. This has led some ecologists to "reiterate that the notion that species clearly aggregate into discrete, homogeneous trophic levels is fiction."[89]:815 Nonetheless, recent studies have shown that real trophic levels do exist, but "above the herbivore trophic level, food webs are better characterized as a tangled web of omnivores."[90]:612
Keystone species [ edit ]
A keystone species is a species that is connected to a disproportionately large number of other species in the food-web. Keystone species have lower levels of biomass in the trophic pyramid relative to the importance of their role. The many connections that a keystone species holds means that it maintains the organization and structure of entire communities. The loss of a keystone species results in a range of dramatic cascading effects that alters trophic dynamics, other food web connections, and can cause the extinction of other species.[91][92]
Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are commonly cited as an example of a keystone species; because, they limit the density of sea urchins that feed on kelp. If sea otters are removed from the system, the urchins graze until the kelp beds disappear, and this has a dramatic effect on community structure.[93] Hunting of sea otters, for example, is thought to have led indirectly to the extinction of the Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas).[94] While the keystone species concept has been used extensively as a conservation tool, it has been criticized for being poorly defined from an operational stance. It is difficult to experimentally determine what species may hold a keystone role in each ecosystem. Furthermore, food web theory suggests that keystone species may not be common, so it is unclear how generally the keystone species model can be applied.[93][95]
Ecological complexity [ edit ]
Complexity is understood as a large computational effort needed to piece together numerous interacting parts exceeding the iterative memory capacity of the human mind. Global patterns of biological diversity are complex. This biocomplexity stems from the interplay among ecological processes that operate and influence patterns at different scales that grade into each other, such as transitional areas or ecotones spanning landscapes. Complexity stems from the interplay among levels of biological organization as energy, and matter is integrated into larger units that superimpose onto the smaller parts. "What were wholes on one level become parts on a higher one."[96]:209 Small scale patterns do not necessarily explain large scale phenomena, otherwise captured in the expression (coined by Aristotle) 'the sum is greater than the parts'.[97][98][E]
"Complexity in ecology is of at least six distinct types: spatial, temporal, structural, process, behavioral, and geometric."[99]:3 From these principles, ecologists have identified emergent and self-organizing phenomena that operate at different environmental scales of influence, ranging from molecular to planetary, and these require different explanations at each integrative level.[49][100] Ecological complexity relates to the dynamic resilience of ecosystems that transition to multiple shifting steady-states directed by random fluctuations of history.[10][101] Long-term ecological studies provide important track records to better understand the complexity and resilience of ecosystems over longer temporal and broader spatial scales. These studies are managed by the International Long Term Ecological Network (LTER).[102] The longest experiment in existence is the Park Grass Experiment, which was initiated in 1856.[103] Another example is the Hubbard Brook study, which has been in operation since 1960.[104]
Holism [ edit ]
Holism remains a critical part of the theoretical foundation in contemporary ecological studies. Holism addresses the biological organization of life that self-organizes into layers of emergent whole systems that function according to non-reducible properties. This means that higher order patterns of a whole functional system, such as an ecosystem, cannot be predicted or understood by a simple summation of the parts.[105] "New properties emerge because the components interact, not because the basic nature of the components is changed."[6]:8
Ecological studies are necessarily holistic as opposed to reductionistic.[37][100][106] Holism has three scientific meanings or uses that identify with ecology: 1) the mechanistic complexity of ecosystems, 2) the practical description of patterns in quantitative reductionist terms where correlations may be identified but nothing is understood about the causal relations without reference to the whole system, which leads to 3) a metaphysical hierarchy whereby the causal relations of larger systems are understood without reference to the smaller parts. Scientific holism differs from mysticism that has appropriated the same term. An example of metaphysical holism is identified in the trend of increased exterior thickness in shells of different species. The reason for a thickness increase can be understood through reference to principles of natural selection via predation without need to reference or understand the biomolecular properties of the exterior shells.[107]
Relation to evolution [ edit ]
Ecology and evolutionary biology are considered sister disciplines of the life sciences. Natural selection, life history, development, adaptation, populations, and inheritance are examples of concepts that thread equally into ecological and evolutionary theory. Morphological, behavioural, and genetic traits, for example, can be mapped onto evolutionary trees to study the historical development of a species in relation to their functions and roles in different ecological circumstances. In this framework, the analytical tools of ecologists and evolutionists overlap as they organize, classify, and investigate life through common systematic principals, such as phylogenetics or the Linnaean system of taxonomy.[108] The two disciplines often appear together, such as in the title of the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution.[109] There is no sharp boundary separating ecology from evolution, and they differ more in their areas of applied focus. Both disciplines discover and explain emergent and unique properties and processes operating across different spatial or temporal scales of organization.[37][49] While the boundary between ecology and evolution is not always clear, ecologists study the abiotic and biotic factors that influence evolutionary processes,[110][111] and evolution can be rapid, occurring on ecological timescales as short as one generation.[112]
Behavioural ecology [ edit ]
Bradypodion spp.). Chameleons change their skin colour to match their background as a behavioural defence mechanism and also use colour to communicate with other members of their species, such as dominant (left) versus submissive (right) patterns shown in the three species (A-C) above.[113] Social display and colour variation in differently adapted species of chameleons spp.). Chameleons change their skin colour to match their background as a behavioural defence mechanism and also use colour to communicate with other members of their species, such as dominant (left) versus submissive (right) patterns shown in the three species (A-C) above.
All organisms can exhibit behaviours. Even plants express complex behaviour, including memory and communication.[114] Behavioural ecology is the study of an |
the chorus “You know it’s better with a man”. It’s not blatantly homophobic, but it does cast LGBTQ love as being inferior to heterosexual love, with the last verse stating:
“All your lovers, they look just like you/But they can only do the things you do/Come on baby, take me by the hand/I’m gonna show you what it’s like to be loved by a man.”
I see these lyrics, acknowledging the words and actions he displayed in later years, and have to come to the conclusion Prince was always, as much as he benefited from all his gender-bending, against LGBTQ relationships. That’s to say nothing of the actual music on the track, showcasing Prince’s guitar chops, and honestly, who doesn’t want to hear The Purple One shred?
Paced exceptionally well, I have to credit Prince with the exceptional pace at which he created these songs, as the album was recorded in a span of two months, from April 13th to June of 1979, beginning recordings for this album one year after his debut. Unlike For You, which had six of the nine songs already recorded as demos, “With You” was known the only known demo recorded beforehand. Understanding this was his first real impression with a wider audience, he succeeded in creating a well-paced, funky pop album. In 1979, he created himself a buzz, in 2017, he stands out in a big way from his contemporaries, especially as disco (and R&B/Soul by extension) started to die out as the decade ended.
Slow burners such as “When We’re Dancing Close and Slow”, “With You” and “Still Waiting” are offset perfectly by funky uptempo pop tracks like “Sexy Dancer”, “I Feel for You”, which later became a hit (#3 on the Top 100) once Chaka Khan covered it, and the afermentioned rocker “Bambi”. The album never drags, funkin’ along at it’s own leisure, inviting you in and forcing you to tap your feet, sing, and dance along with the groove. It’s Prince, what else can I say?
AdvertisementsEarl M. Lindsey testified that he feared for his life when an unarmed man threw a punch at him and a large group of people, some with guns, surrounded him in a South Side intersection.
So, Lindsey said, he pulled a handgun and fired a single shot into Rashawn M. Wilson's chest. Wilson, 18, died six days later.
"I didn't have any other option," Lindsey told a Franklin County jury last week.
On Monday, the jury acquitted him of murder, determining that he acted in self-defense.
Wilson's mother responded to the verdict by cursing at Lindsey after the jurors had been excused.
"You put a bullet in my son," she shouted as deputies hustled her from the courtroom.
Lindsey testified last week that he saw at least three people with guns and heard two gunshots as a crowd converged on him during a street brawl at the intersection of East Gates and Ann streets on May 23, 2016.
Wilson "swung on me," Lindsey said, but he never saw a gun in Wilson's hands.
To shoot Wilson under those circumstances was "extreme, unnecessary and unjustified," Assistant Prosecutor Mark Wodarcyk told the jury Monday in his closing argument.
"At most, Rashawn was going to engage in a fist fight."
Seconds after Lindsey shot Wilson, a neighbor fired at Lindsey from a nearby front porch, striking Lindsey in the side of the neck. The bullet remains lodged near Lindsey's spine and left him with some paralysis. He wasn't able to fully lift his right hand when he was sworn in before testifying.
The neighbor, Aaron Mahan, wasn't part of the confrontation in the street. He testified that he fired when Lindsey pointed the gun in his direction after shooting Wilson.
"I shot the guy who shot the kid," he said.
Mahan, who said he is a concealed-carry instructor, was not charged in the case.
Testimony established that the fatal encounter began with a fist fight among several young women. Lindsey said he was trying to separate the combatants when a large group of people, some with guns, began to close in on him.
Wodarcyk called it "a simple neighborhood fight" and said Lindsey "decided to put himself in the middle of it with a loaded handgun."
Defense attorney Byron Potts argued to the jury that Lindsey was justified in using deadly force because he was surrounded by a large crowd that included "multiple people with guns."
jfutty@dispatch.com
@johnfuttyRick Westhead TSN Senior Correspondent Follow|Archive
Alex Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and other high-profile NHL players may find their endorsement contacts with Bauer hockey cancelled as early as Monday because the equipment manufacturer’s parent company is preparing to file for bankruptcy protection, a person familiar with the matter told TSN.
Bauer’s parent company, Performance Sports Group Ltd., has been struggling in recent months. The Exeter, N.H.-based company, which also owns Easton, expects to end 2016 with $424 million (U.S.) worth of debt and its shares have been battered as the company’s own audit committee has been investigating PSG for undisclosed reasons.
PSG is also under fire from shareholders who have filed a class-action lawsuit in New York, charging the company has inflated its sales figures and misled the market about its future growth prospects.
PSG may file for bankruptcy protection as soon as Monday morning, both Reuters and The Globe and Mail reported on Sunday. A source close to the company later confirmed the reports to TSN.
Bauer spokesman Steven Jones did not respond to an email seeking comment.
PSG’s insolvency would be bad news for both NHL players and their agents.
Ovechkin, Toews and Kane each have deals worth between $300,000 and $500,000 per year for their endorsement contracts, a source close to Bauer said, while less established players such as Auston Matthews can have contracts valued at $200,000 annually.
Endorsement deals are similarly big business for NHL player agents. While agents typically charge players two to four per cent for negotiating a contract with a team, the fee can be as much as 40 per cent for helping land endorsement and sponsor deals, a person familiar with the matter told TSN.
“A bankruptcy judge can simply cancel those endorsement contracts and list the players as creditors, as easy as that,” the person said. “Bauer may simply not be in a position to be able to afford to pay those contracts.”
Toronto-based NHL player agent Don Meehan said he received a letter within the last week from Bauer executive Jim Geary addressing the company’s recent troubles.
“They said they had issues of course, but that they were moving ahead and it was basically business as usual,” Meehan said.Posted on March 20, 2008 in Articles
I will make this brief. This week was the fifth anniversary of one of the most disastrous endeavors in American history. The invasion of Iraq has cost America thousands of lives, billions of dollars, and devastated any future prospects of a normalized state in Iraq for the foreseeable future (not to mention the untold diplomatic damage such unilateral action has caused). It’s fitting that on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, Bush would declare “a major strategic victory in the broader war on terror” was achieved by the five years spent in Iraq. It appears the Chief Executive is either delusional or myopic: the Iraq war neither combatted terrorism (and in fact stoked more of it) and has yet to be a victory in any sense of the word. On the same day, poll numbers showed that Bush has also achieved the lowest approval rating of his Presidency — 31 percent — which is also among the lowest among modern presidency’s (lower then Clinton during impeachment, lower then Carter during the Tehran hostage crisis, and even lower than Nixon after Watergate).
Sources: CNN: Poll: Bush’s popularity hits new low and BBCNews: Bush speech hails Iraq ‘victory’.
Subscribe to Prose Before Hos via email or via RSS feed. |
See Also: Conservatives sure were smart about Iraq — in the early ’90s, Jeffrey Goldberg On Iraq, What does “win” mean?, Five Years of the War in Iraq: Where’s the Media Coverage?, Five years ago, Cheney on Two-Thirds of Americans’ Opposition to Iraq Occupation: ‘So?”, Comparing The Sacrifice, and OIF Anniversary Interview.
[tags]george bush, victory in iraq, speech, low poll numbers, america[/tags]HONOLULU (AP) — The Latest on a judge’s ruling expanding the list of relatives exempt from President Donald Trump’s travel ban (all times local):
6:15 p.m.
A federal judge says the government may not exclude refugees who have formal assurance from a resettlement agency in the U.S.
U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump’s travel ban can’t be enforced against refugees who have assurance that an agency will receive the refugee and provide placement services.
His ruling also expands the list of relatives allowed in under the travel ban.
The U.S. Supreme Court last month exempted visa applicants from the ban if they can prove a “bona fide” relationship with a U.S. citizen or entity.
President Donald Trump’s administration said a bona fide relationship would be a parent, spouse, fiance, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the U.S.
Hawaii successfully sought to include other relatives including grandparents.
___
5:45 p.m.
A federal judge in Hawaii has expanded the Trump administration’s list of family relationships needed by people seeking new visas from six mostly Muslim countries to avoid a travel ban.
U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson ruled Thursday that the travel ban exemptions should include grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts and other relatives.
The U.S. Supreme Court last month exempted visa applicants from the ban if they can prove a “bona fide” relationship with a U.S. citizen or entity.
President Donald Trump’s administration said a bona fide relationship would be a parent, spouse, fiance, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the U.S.
Hawaii filed a renewed request to expand the list.
Watson says grandparents are the “epitome” of close family members.
___
11:45 a.m.
A federal judge could decide soon on Hawaii’s renewed attempt to expand the list or relatives exempt from President Donald Trump’s travel ban.
Hawaii wants the judge to rule on the scope of the ban on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson gave Hawaii until Thursday to file a response to the government’s opposition
Hawaii filed documents Wednesday saying it’s cruel to enforce the ban against grandmothers and other relatives of U.S. citizens who were excluded from the government’s definition.
The government says Hawaii is repackaging a clarification motion that Watson previously denied.
Hawaii says it is following instructions from an appeals court panel. The court says Watson can’t clarify the Supreme Court’s travel ban order, but he can interpret and enforce it.Reading Time: 5 minutes
BattleBots Week 5 – aka the quarterfinals. As always, Anton Olsen and Kishore Hari are here to breakdown the best bouts, worst moments, and everything in between. Spoilers galore, so just watch the embed bouts below before reading the commentary.
Kishore Hari: This week is why I watch BattleBots. What an epic week of battles and upsets. Plus, I finally spotted the drone in the arena that I’d been hearing about.
Anton Olsen: The payoff arrived, and it did so in spades. Four great matches with 8 of the baddest bots this season.
Match #1: Stinger vs Bronco
Bronco wins with a KO
AO: I honestly thought this match could go either way, and Stinger was extremely close to pushing Bronco out of the arena. In the end it was the extreme energy of Bronco’s weapon that repeatedly kicked Stinger into the air then out of the arena. It was hard to tell from the camera angle, but I’m pretty sure that Stinger bounced off the ceiling a couple times.
KH: I called the upset, but who the hell cares? The look on the guy’s face in the crowd when Stinger goes out in a blaze of flipping glory is FANTASTIC (zoom in and pause – worth it). Stinger actually had the early advantage, after Bronco launched itself on top of the screws for the most fantastically bizarre driving expedition. Moments later, the killsaws also got Bronco across the bottom, but that only caused minimal damage to their solid bottom plate. Stinger used the flame many times, but there really isn’t much exposed on Bronco, so it was ineffective. It was delightful watching that mass of metal and fire almost bounce off the ceiling as Bronco finishes the match with two unbelievable flips. I rewatched the fight at least 4 times.
Full marks to Stinger – it made Bronco miss many times, but the bull caught the bullfighter. Could Bronco have run out of flips? Unlikely, given Broncos amazing innards – that’s (2) 415ci carbon fiber tanks. We wouldn’t see an explosion if they ruptured, but would be amazing to watch them vent in a battle with a spinner.
And I loved Matt Maxham’s post-fight respect for losing to a great bot – a class act.
Match #2: Tombstone vs Witch Doctor
Tombstone wins by a TKO.
AO: This was another match that could have gone either direction, but Witch Doctor had the unfortunate luck of landing in the one position he couldn’t right himself. If Witch Doctor had landed on their wheels, Tombstone, with his broken weapon, would very likely have lost that match. We’ve started out the episode with two great matches, can the next two hold up?
KH: Brilliant match – Witch Doctor had no bot luck, as it deserved to win. I physically winced when these bots came together. Witch Doctor brilliantly added a wedge that, when combined with their bottom-weighted vehicle, seemed to channel all the energy from Tombstone effectively. Tombstone drove most of the match upside down after those early collisions – but never backed down. I thought Ray would try to outmaneuver to get at WD’s wheels, but forget strategy – this is TV! One spectacular last collision sheared Tombstone’s blade (that must have left a MASSIVE mark in the 1/4″ Lexan), but left WD helpless.
Poor Shaman. My favorite bot of the tournament was out before we got started. We never got to see you get obliterated by Tombstone in the fireball of glory you deserved.
Match #3: Bite Force vs Overhaul
Bite Force Wins by judges’ decision.
AO: I’d hate to be a judge on this match. There was a lot of back and forth with both bots getting a lot of hits on the other. I do think that Bite Force did a little more damage and may have had an extra hit or two, but it was close, and a lot of fun.
KH: Technical match from start to end as these bots had virtually identical weapons/strategies. Bite Force seemed to have more push (magnetic treads?) early in the match. Mid-match was about spinning into hazards to no avail. Suddenly, Overhaul gets bites into their tread and gets two big hits, but runs out of time before producing a KO.
The judges coming into the arena to survey the damage was a nice touch. I’m not sure Chobot was expecting to wear 4-inch heels into the arena with lots of gaps, holes, and saws, but she embraced it. In the end, the judges got it right – BF deserved the win, but just barely. I’ll miss those MIT brats.
Match #4: Ice Wave vs Ghost Raptor
Ghost Raptor wins with a KO
AO: Going into this match I fully expected to see Ice Wave tear through Ghost Raptor, but that heavily armored wedge on the front was solid GR. It turned Ice Wave’s energy back on himself and destroyed him. The De-Icer was genius and despite the difficulties they had helped keep Ice Wave at bay. I’m sure the extra mass on the end of the arm helped deflect some of the energy back at Ice Wave.
KH: “That’s how they play the game.” What an unbelievable upset. No weapon – so what do you do? Weld together a robot headband of course. Why Icewave drove right into it, we’ll never know. It was a huge mistake as the rear was completely vulnerable. IW gets a little unbalanced on the wedge – followed by big hit = game over.
Did Chuck really say “You’re mine, b—h” during the match? He has quickly assumed the heel role in the tournament, but somehow survives.
Semifinals and Finals
Bronco vs Tombstone
AO: This the match I’ve been waiting for. When we first met the bots on the Tested channel I was hoping they would end up on opposite sides of the bracket and meet in the finals. I’m more than satisfied with this arrangement though.
KH: De facto final, as I can’t see BF or GR handling either. It’s that match we wanted from moment one. I think Bronco is going to flip Tombstone and we’ll see some robot flight. It’ll be an instant classic.
Bite Force vs Ghost Raptor
AO: Can the clever engineering of Bite Force overcome the seat-of-the-pants ingenuity of Ghost Raptor? I think so, but not by a lot. Ghost Raptor hits hard and fast with that heavy wedge. If he can get Bite Force’s magnets off the floor he could rule the match.
KH: I think Bite Force wins this easily. Ghost Raptor is a mess of parts now. I don’t think he can handle BF’s maneuverability. In the end, I expect a lift that overturns GR for the win.
Finals
AO: There’s no doubt in my mind that this will be interesting. Left versus Right. If Bronco advances I think he will win the championship. If Tombstone advances it will depend greatly on who comes up on the left. Ghost Raptor can handle a blade, but can he out-drive Tombstone? As for Bite Force, if he advances I can’t really see him winning, but it will still be an exciting match.
KH: I think the finals will be a letdown from the semis. I expect a quick match with either Bronco or Tombstone dominating. My money is on Bronco flipping a hapless victim over the hazard for a quick win. Well-deserved one too.
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Get the Official GeekDad Books!READER COMMENTS ON
"SIBEL EDMONDS SPEAKS TO UK SUNDAY TIMES: SAYS U.S. OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN RELEASE OF NUKE SECRETS TO TURKEY, PAKISTAN, IRAN, OTHERS, POSSIBLY EVEN AL-QAEDA"
(73 Responses so far...)
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
... Floridiot said on 1/6/2008 @ 3:46 am PT...
Yes!!!
COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
... Dredd said on 1/6/2008 @ 5:47 am PT...
The preznit blush claims to spy on us to save us from "turrists" while his regime outs CIA agents who are really working to protect us, and as his regime sells nuclear secrets to "turrists"? What will happen if this and this get out? The NIST report concerning 9-11 is under appeal/review by well known architects and engineers as to its accuracy and factual well being. NIST admits in writing that it cannot explain the government's conspiracy theory as far as building 7 and towers one and two (ibid). Will Amurka ever turn back into America if Sibel's story is too emotionally difficult to believe for many people? Even when it is already on the record that government officials and government agents have spied for foreign nations? And remember Feeney helping the Chinese spy who plead guilty in Florida? The one Clint Curtis disclosed? That bushies do the same is not at all difficult for me to believe, since they even wanted to sell our ports to mid-east nations who openly supported the Taliban. Yep, the same nation that Halliburton moved its headquarters to. Treason against America is alive and well in BIG BROTHER'S Amurka.
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
... Floridiot said on 1/6/2008 @ 6:32 am PT...
9-11 CD is a distraction from the real story above IMO.
It doesn't help Sibel get her story out, does it?
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
... Pat #1 said on 1/6/2008 @ 7:41 am PT...
...OMG. Would this also explain why they offed the electable Pakistani candidate? After all, they gun used was exclusively ISI. That's just guessing though...
Sibel and others took an oath to defend this country, not an oath to protect the president or secret back room meetings and lies. We need more like her that know these dealings and do their sworn duties and put these criminals out of business.
Tonight Sibel, I raise my glass to you for a toast and/or for to get toasty/toasted.
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
... Michael said on 1/6/2008 @ 7:44 am PT...
Let me pass this along: My problem with this article is, that it is published in The Sunday Times, which is one of the worst war advocate and profiteer Murdoch's propaganda papers. 'The Sunday Times' and propaganda-media owner Rupert Murdoch, have for as long as is known cooperated with the CIA/Mossad, the UK's MI5 and MI6 and the rest of the spooks. Murdoch's papers write about the 9/11 massacre, but still - contrary to the truth - stick to the official US/UK version and brainwashing: Osama's bin Laden's ragheads did it. Nothing in those pro-war papers gets published - and certainly not this kind of 'information' in those outlets - that isn't aimed at certain groups. If you check the source, you'll see that Murdoch is a disinformation pest for mankind. So, I'm inclined to say that @S. Balu is quite correct, in seeing the item as 'CIA/Mossad propaganda'. In reality it was as Tony S. writes: "The CIA pressed Dutch govt. not to interfear, (this must be a Freudian slip... -HR) claiming they were after more suspects surrounding Khan. That's how he got away with the stolen nuclear secrets. This was publicly stated by Ruud Lubbers, former Dutch Prime Minister a couple of years ago." And Lubbers - who also was the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - stated clearly that the CIA and its managers are guilty of nuclear proliferation. - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/38pj2a Now: we know that Sibel Edmunds has a unique 'gag order' as 'The Sunday Times' in this article describes. And that this 'gag order' is global and until further notice by the US/UK junta's henchmen: "The US attorney-general has imposed a state secrets privilege order on her, which prevents her revealing more details of the FBI’s methods and current investigations." So it's logical to ask why Sibel Edmunds now is published worldwide, and - the gag order doesn't count here - is allowed to be quoted by Murdoch's paper and read by everybody? Why, who and on what level was 'permission' given for this in the US and decided to publish this about the nuke proliferation? Concerning Sibel Edmunds, the use which is made of her and to what she now is said to have heard and seen: ''Her story shows just how much the West was infiltrated by foreign states seeking nuclear secrets. It illustrates how western government officials turned a blind eye to, or were even helping, countries such as Pakistan acquire bomb technology. The wider nuclear network has been monitored for many years by a joint Anglo-American intelligence effort. But rather than shut it down, investigations by law enforcement bodies such as the FBI and Britain’s Revenue & Customs have been aborted to preserve diplomatic relations.'' [end excerpt] According to this not to be trusted article: "Khan was close to Ahmad and the ISI. While running Pakistan’s nuclear programme, he became a millionaire by selling atomic secrets to Libya, Iran and North Korea." Meaning: whom can we blame for the next - probably nuclear - 'false flag' operation? Those "infiltrated foreign states seeking nuclear secrets"? We all know that the Pakistani'spooky thugs' from ISI, are the 'little brothers' of the CIA/Mossad, trained and many times paid by them, and get most of their orders from them. There are small rogue groups too, and those are not only dangerous but can be used to set up 'black ops'. So the one to blame - like the stop of the Dakar rally - http://tinyurl.com/3e3pvn - is again the fictitious 'al Qaeda' and the dead Osama bin Laden, just referring to the timeline here: "2001 - Weeks before 9/11, Khan’s aides meet Osama Bin Laden to discuss an Al-Qaeda nuclear device." The drumbeat in the major media now will be: and the rogue states got'm! Original article in Murdoch's propaganda paper 'The Sunday Times' - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/2s2key This is a world of smoke and mirrors, but, as the old Sahrahoui said: "Never drink from a well you don't know."
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
... J.S. Lucas said on 1/6/2008 @ 8:04 am PT...
While we are all very glad to hear this info finally getting out, I wonder how much of it was gained by the illegal wiretapping going on, even before 9/11.
This may end up being used as justification for illegal surveillance.
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
... Pan said on 1/6/2008 @ 8:08 am PT...
There is no doubt that "Sum of all fears" will happen if US keep this crooks in the government. I think US is most corrupt country in the world. US need some serious cleanup from top to bottom.
COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
... JUDGE OF JUDGES said on 1/6/2008 @ 8:15 am PT...
9/11 would has neva happened if Gore wasn't ousted in the 1999 coup
COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
... DeighvedHSternMD said on 1/6/2008 @ 8:36 am PT...
I have a couple of questions that perhaps could be passed on to Sibel: Is her story the key to understanding the real motives for White House action against Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson? Does the Plame-Wilson story hold the key to understanding why there was no follow-through on the investigation of Sibel's story, despite demonstrable evidence and motivation for moving on it by elements within the government? Think about it for a second: Valerie Plame ran an undercover operation that tracked movement of Nuclear technology and materials around the world, with a main focus of interest, presence, and activity centered in Turkey. What if interested parties high in the administration caught wind of an active investigation coming close to the core of these activities, so they outed her in order to shut off the investigation? The act of outing her was high-risk. WAY too high risk to be explained by simple political revenge... But preventing the wholesale incarceration of your power structure could certainly inspire such a risky undertaking. Something to consider...
COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
... The Pakistani Spectator said on 1/6/2008 @ 8:59 am PT...
Hello,
I hope you are fine and carrying on the great work you have been doing for the WWW. I am Ghazala Khan from The Pakistani Spectator (TPS), We at TPS throw a candid look on everything happening in and for Pakistan in the world. We are trying to contribute our humble share in the webosphere. Our aim is to foster peace, progress and harmony with passion. We at TPS are carrying out a new series of interviews with the notable passionate bloggers, writers, and webmasters. In that regard, we would like to interview you, if you don't mind. Please send us your approval for your interview at my email address "ghazala.khi at gmail.com", so that I could send you the Interview questions. We would be extremely grateful. regards. Ghazala Khan
The Pakistani Spectator
http://www.pakspectator.com
COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
... Dredd said on 1/6/2008 @ 10:09 am PT...
Floridiot #3 Sibel is a 9-11 conspiracy afficionado, but she does not buy the official government conspiracy theory:
Alex Jones: You wouldn't be surprised if elements or criminal elements or private contractors were involved in 9/11? Sibel Edmonds: No, I wouldn't be surprised. Alex Jones: So you wouldn't be surprised like many others, because of the evidence and the cover-up you've seen, if 9/11 was an inside job? Sibel Edmonds: At this point, I'd have to say no, I wouldn't be surprised. (Sibel Interview). Some of the information she has includes real 9-11 facts but of course many folk are afraid to consider that aspect of Amurka. The truth about Amurka replacing America is too scary for some to believe and the presstitutes are and have been on a propaganda campaign to cover it all up. Standard fare for the MSM.
COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
... Floridiot said on 1/6/2008 @ 10:50 am PT...
That's right Dredd, I certainly believe (most) of it too, but we all know what happens when 'controlled demolition' or 'inside job' gets thrown at people...it discredits everything else that might lead people to believe anything about this part of the story that needs to be told first IMO. If I said 'Controlled demolition' was a piece of dis-info (propaganda) put out by the spooks to keep us from finding out the real truth of 9-11, would you believe it?, well I do
COMMENT #13 [Permalink]
... Thick-Witted Liberal said on 1/6/2008 @ 11:01 am PT...
Brad, Thanks. You are the news!
COMMENT #14 [Permalink]
... ewastud said on 1/6/2008 @ 11:06 am PT...
Even if Al Gore had prevailed to become President in 2000, perhaps he would have soon met with an untimely death. Remember, Neo-con-friendly Joe Lieberman was his VP. Was that Gore's choice or some other heavyweight funder of the Democratic Party? This is all highly speculative, but I have wondered if Lieberman was not a Bush-Cheney/Neo-con camp infiltrator of the Democratic Party that would have prevailed whatever happened in the 2000 election.
COMMENT #15 [Permalink]
... Anil said on 1/6/2008 @ 11:09 am PT...
This article is very interesting. But if you go deeper, Check out the following link. It suggest that the USA had two different agencies, one trying to stop Pakistan from getting arms and the other trying to help it. Makes you think this is part of the USA's goal to destabilize South Asia by helping Pakistan in a method to slow India's growth. http://www.democracynow...._reporter_andrew_levy_on
COMMENT #16 [Permalink]
... lukery said on 1/6/2008 @ 11:11 am PT...
DeighvedHSternMD - there certainly has been a lot of speculation to that end, although we haven't been able to confirm the motivations of those who outed Plame. This post might be of interest to you to help understand what we know.
COMMENT #17 [Permalink]
... newjesustimes said on 1/6/2008 @ 12:44 pm PT...
> If I said 'Controlled demolition' was a piece of
> dis-info (propaganda) put out by the spooks to
> keep us from finding out the real truth of 9-11,
> would you believe it?, well I do
- Floridiot I would certainly consider it, but I believe the opposite. There's plenty of evidence right from the mainstream news of all the bombs going off in and under the towers. The only reason to deny it is to make LIHOP plausible, which it's not. Silverstein had to get rid of his asbestos nightmare and probably wanted to do some insurance scam for years. Then on 911 Cheney's actions were HIGHLY suspicious meanwhile some equally suspicious Isrealis danced while documenting the event and the rest is history.
COMMENT #18 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/6/2008 @ 12:47 pm PT...
Again, only part of your story.
...decided to divulge some of that information... [emphasis mine] I think shrinks call this "alternation"... a way of keeping interest focused on oneself. A little information alternating with quiet.
COMMENT #19 [Permalink]
... Grizzly Bear Dancer said on 1/6/2008 @ 2:03 pm PT...
Thank you for your strength and conviction Ms. Edmunds because your patriotism is an inspiration to all world people trying to save our planet. Truth will lead to the removal and life imprisonment of the treasonous lying bush/cheney administration. OUR current U.S. political system that favors the reign of influence by the 1%er corporatists MUST END. These skull and bonesmen and their propaganda machine are the biggest corrupt terrorists that WE THE PEOPLE have to deal with or face the consequences. We can stop them from doing any more damage to our world by fostering a truth movement like at B blog. The total damage done to our country and world is still on going because the U.S. Justice system is so corrupted that they STILL REMAIN IN POWER. Alberto Gonzalez, bush's previous choice for Attorney General pushed through congress on the same day when the 2004 presidential rigged electors of New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, and Florida couldn't "recall" virtually anything under oath that happened under his tenure before stepping down. Would you really expect this despicable lawyer from bush's camp given command of the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the bush/cheney crime family? Is anyone really that stupid to believe that criminals are gonna implicate themselves? Not in this life. But you could make these bastards step down like Nixon and that's a start. How disgustingly obvious your control in the U.S. mass media by putting putin, gw bush, and hitler back in the day on the cover of TIME magazine. Describing them favorably as modern man of the year as opposed to the corrupt power hungry good for nuthin murderous leaders that they are. Abolish U.S. politicians from accepting multi-national corporate contributions AND you take away their influencial power.. power that reverts back to WE THE PEOPLE.
COMMENT #20 [Permalink]
... nigeldh said on 1/6/2008 @ 2:27 pm PT...
And I wonder how many of these folks show up in the PMA, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, Pamela Martin & Associates, phone records? I know that the first PMA phone record I looked at had a number that linked back to a non-junior person. But with a 10 year old phone number a number of folks can have had it.
COMMENT #21 [Permalink]
... naschkatze said on 1/6/2008 @ 3:03 pm PT...
Praise God, if he exists, this story is spreading on the Internet today. I've linked it to a couple of blogs, and it is on Raw Story as well as here and getting discussion on a C & L. thread on McGovern's call for impeachment. The crack has appeared in the dam I hope. If true, this story is treason plain and simple like Robert Hanson's. Just when you believe you can't read anything more corrupt and criminal about the Bush administration, something else always turns up. Anyway, thanks BradBlog.
COMMENT #22 [Permalink]
... Off the Grid said on 1/6/2008 @ 3:04 pm PT...
If CNN ran this story I might watch TV again. Nah.
COMMENT #23 [Permalink]
... Dredd said on 1/6/2008 @ 3:08 pm PT...
Floridiot #12 The last thing one wants to do is make a decision. The first, second, and third things a person wants to do is investigate to get the facts. All Sibel has said is that she does not believe the official government story printed in the 9-11 Commission Report. She does not offer to tell the truth (i.e. make conclusions) about it before the investigating is over. She has reason to believe strange things were and are going on but can't tell all. Hundreds, thousands, and now millions of people are of her opinion. Architects and engineers, commercial airline pilots, and a host of other professionals question as Sibel does. Neither Sibel nor those folks are spooks. And all they want is a proper, professional, investigation. One past director of NIST, at the world conference on fire safety, said this:
"I wish that there would be a peer review of this," he said, referring to the NIST investigation. "I think all the records that NIST has assembled should be archived. I would really like to see someone else take a look at what they've done; both structurally and from a fire point of view."
"I think the official conclusion that NIST arrived at is questionable," explained Dr. Quintiere. "Let's look at real alternatives that might have been the cause of the collapse of the World Trade Towers and how that relates to the official cause and what's the significance of one cause versus another." (AE911 and OpEdNews). It isn't kooky to want it done right. Then we will know if spooks did anything or not. And we will know the facts in a more scientific and professional manner. "You're doin' a heckuva job 9-11 Commission" doesn't cut it anymore.
COMMENT #24 [Permalink]
... Floridiot said on 1/6/2008 @ 3:43 pm PT...
Dredd, I only see one problem with asking for a proper investigation, has there |
Cubee - Dr Who Mini Diorama CyberDrone 82 Cubee - Dr Who Mini Diorama 2 CyberDrone 85 Cubee - Classic TARDIS B-W CyberDrone 150 Cubee - Classic TARDIS CyberDrone 490 Cubee - Classic TARDIS '1980s' CyberDrone 270 Cubee - Classic TARDIS 'Pink' CyberDrone 163 Cubee - Bad Wolf TARDIS CyberDrone 521 Cubee - TARDIS (11th and 12th Doctors) CyberDrone 4,176 Cubee - TARDIS (13th Doctor) CyberDrone 61 Cubee - 'Colour Your Own' TARDIS CyberDrone 119 Cubee - The 2nd Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 21 Cubee - The 3rd Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 24 Cubee - The 4th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 21 Cubee - The 5th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 22 Cubee - The 8th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 27 Cubee - The War Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 24 Cubee - The 10th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver CyberDrone 70 TARDIS Interior Walls CyberDrone 46 TARDIS Interior Walls 1 CyberDrone 49 Cubee - Master's TARDIS '1of2' CyberDrone 37 Cubee - Master's TARDIS '2of2' CyberDrone 32Final three teams invited to ASUS ROG Winter 2015 are Virtus.pro, mousesports and 3DMAX. The online qualifier will be held on ESEA on January 10-11.
After inviting NiP, HellRaisers and Titan in the first wave of invitations to the $25,000 tournament on January 30-31, the organizers of ASUS ROG have added three more teams.
Joining the trio from our December world ranking are Virtus.pro, mousesports and Aleksi "allu" Jalli's 3DMAX, who will be debuting with their new roster on their home soil.
NiP NiP HellRaisers HellRaisers Titan Titan 3DMAX 3DMAX mousesports mousesports Virtus.pro Virtus.pro
Two additional spots at ASUS ROG Winter will be given out via the online qualifier, which will be taking place over the coming weekend, on January 10-11 on ESEA.
The qualifier has been moved from ESEA to FACEIT, and you can sign up for it until it fills up here. The schedule has also been released:
Saturday, January 10 15:00 Round of 64 BO1 16:00 Round of 32 BO1 17:00 Round of 16 BO1 18:00 Round 8 BO3 Sunday, January 11 14:00 Upper bracket semi-final BO1 15:00 Upper bracket final BO3 15:00 Lower bracket final BO1 18:00 Consolidation final BO3
Winners of the upper bracket final and the consolidation final will qualify for the main event. Times are only estimates, as each match is expected to start as soon as possible.
ASUS ROG Winter 2015 will offer $25,000 in prizes and be held on January 30-31 in Helsinki, Finland. The grand final will be shown live on Finnish national TV channel YLE.Stylistically and culturally, Trumpian populism screams “blow it up” and “drain the swamp.” But Donald Trump’s actual policies are run-of-the-mill corporatist. The left-wing radicals talk a lot against the systems of oppression and an institutionalized injustice. But they are nothing like the radicals of the 1930s or the 1960s.
Today’s radicals do not want to upend the meritocracy, which is creating a caste system of inherited inequality. They don’t want to stop technical innovation, which is displacing millions of workers. They don’t have plans to reverse individualism, which atomizes society and destroys community. A $15 minimum wage may be left wing, but it’s not Marxist-Leninism.
Second, today’s radicalism is more about identity than social problems.
Both the Trumpian populists and the social justice warriors are more intent on denouncing the people they hate than on addressing the concrete problems before them. Consider the angry commentary you hear during a given day. How much of it is addressing a problem we face, and how much of it is denouncing people we dislike?
Third, today’s radicalism assumes that war is the inherent state of things.
The key influence here is Saul Alinsky. His 1971 book, “Rules for Radicals,” has always been popular on the left and recently it has become fashionable with the Tea Party and the alt-right. One of his first big assertions is that life is warfare. It is inevitably a battle between the people and the elites, the haves and the have-nots, or, as his heirs would add, between the whites and the blacks, the Republicans and the Democrats, Islam and the West. If you’re not willing to treat life as an endless war you’re a cuck.
Fourth, there is the low view of human nature.
Today’s radicals conduct themselves on the presumption that since life is battle, moral decency is mostly a hypocritical fraud. To get anything done the radical has to commit evil acts for good causes. “The ethics of means and ends is that in war the end justifies almost any means,” Alinsky writes. “Ethical standards must be elastic to stretch with the times,” he adds.Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Jake Fisher stands on the field during the first quarter in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on Jan. 12. (Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
The Bengals' staff spends the weeks leading up to the NFL draft preaching their philosophy to always stick to the best talent available on their board, regardless of position. With the 53rd overall selection Friday night, they proved that's not just talk.
For the second straight day, the Bengals selected an offensive tackle by picking Oregon's Jake Fisher. He'll join first-round pick and Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi this year - playing behind starters Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith.
Fisher was in the conversation for the No. 21 overall pick, and the fact he was still available one round later made him easily the highest rated player on the board. The Bengals opted for the player they believed to be the best talent, and will find a way to make the crowded room work going forward.
"He was we felt the best player we had ranked and we just couldn't go by him," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "We'll find a way to fit him in."
Whitworth, 33, and Smith, 28, enter the final year of their contracts, and certainly the outlook on their future alters with two young tackles in the reserves. Both Ogbuehi and Fisher can also move inside and play guard. Both did so in college, so they would be first off the bench to start should injuries occur anywhere on the interior as well.
However, if injuries don't occur on the line, there's a chance the first and second picks in this draft won't make a single start in 2015.
Lewis and Mike Brown sat down together early this week and discussed their possible approach should the board break where they select two tackles in the first two rounds, and decided they'd stick with their best player approach despite the clog at the position for now.
"For (Brown) to stay with the conviction of it, that this was the guy we ranked highest so let's let it flow," Lewis said. "If you go for another position you don't place quite the value on that position player, you are overshooting your thought then you are somewhat disappointed and allowed a better player to go elsewhere.
"We can't tell what happens with the football team with injury and so forth. We want to fill the seats up the best we can and move on from there and then the next one and the next one. You bypass one and leave one sitting and take — in your own minds because everyone has done the work and valued — a different grade then how does your system ever work? Why go through the exercise if you are just going to hodge-podge around and choose willy-nilly? You have to trust your system, you have to trust your board and go with it."
Fisher belongs on the top of their board. At 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, he was a 13-game starter at left tackle for the Oregon Ducks last season and first team All-American. He moved from a high school tight end, bulked up and instantly rose up the depth chart starting 35 games in his final three seasons. He sits well with offensive coordinator Hue Jackson because of the mean streak and attitude in which he plays and high-end overall athleticism.
"There are so many characteristics that drew us to him but, obviously, that's one of them," Jackson said, also not ruling out the idea of rotating linemen if necessary. "He plays with a mentality you like your offensive lineman to play with."
Fisher admitted being slightly surprised that the Bengals took him considering they went tackle the day before, but arrives only hoping to play whatever role the coaches deem necessary.
"You never know what happens... I'm just happy to be part of the Bengals' organization," Fisher said. "My role is to be a teammate and guy off the field that people can rely on. That's what I'll come in as a young player doing and stay focused on that and stay focused on earning respect and earning my job."
Before looking up which tackle will be around in the next rounds, Lewis would admit that should be the end of their foray into the tackle category as they turn to other positions. No matter what happens the rest of the day, the tone of this offseason's focus was set after a free-agency period that saw players pile up on the defensive line.
"From the time I started here I told people we need to be strong and physical up front," Lewis said. "They will set the tempo. The defensive line and offense line have been the energy through this building. They will continue to lead the way."Just when you thought the Tennessee hype train could not get any louder, prepare yourself for expectations of Rocky Top proportion.
College football prediction and analytics website Mcillece Sports, a contributor to the Stassen Poll, ranks the Vols as the No. 1 team in the nation heading into the 2016 season. Before you laugh off the site – as noted by Rocky Top Insider – Mcillece Sports ranked as the second most accurate predictor for 2015 predictions and tied Phil Steele as the second most accurate predictor of college football over the last two seasons combined.
According to the site, the Vols may not even have a tough path to winning the SEC this season, as the only other ranked teams on Tennessee’s schedule this season – judging by their preseason rankings – would be Alabama, ranked No. 2, and Florida, ranked No. 20. Other SEC preseason ranks include LSU at No. 12 and Ole Miss at No. 22.
The site also runs 70,000 simulations of the season and ranks each school’s chances of capturing its division.
By far, Tennessee had the highest number in the SEC with a 61-percent chance of reaching Atlanta. Florida is listed with a 16-percent chance, Georgia with a 15-percent chance while the rest of the East schools all have a 2-percent chance.
In the West, Alabama is listed with a 36-percent chance of winning the division, LSU listed with a 22-percent chance, Ole Miss listed with a 15-percent, while Auburn and Arkansas are listed each with 8-percent chances, Texas A&M with a 6-percent shot andMississippi State representing the long shot with a 5-percent to reach Atlanta.
One thing is for sure after taking in all this data, the hype in Knoxville is only going to continue to grow between now and the Sept. 1 Thursday night season kickoff.The numbers may tell the story when it comes to further recognition of St. Charles County’s place in the St. Louis region.
“From an economic standpoint, the center of the region is probably out somewhere in west St. Louis County and we’re right in the center of it and all the great things that are going on here at a time when the city of St. Louis is the sick man of the region,” County Executive Steve Ehlmann said.
Ehlmann’s remarks were sparked by numbers that highlight the county’s growth and a significant population benchmark – 400,000 people.
As of July 1, 2016, the county’s population was estimated at 390,918 by the U.S. Census Bureau – an increase of 30,423 persons, or 8.4 percent, from 2010. But Ehlmann said the more significant milestone was when the county passed St. Louis City a few years ago. In 2016, St. Louis’ population was estimated at 311,404.
“It won’t be long here that we’ll have 100,000 people more than the city,” Ehlmann said. He conceded that St. Louis is still the center of the region in terms of sports and recreation, culture and tourism, but said downtown St. Louis isn’t the economic center of the region.
Ehlmann added that it would be super if “going over 400,000 will attract attention to all the good things that are going on out here.”
Cities leading growth
Some of those “good things” are happening in the county’s fastest growing municipalities – O’Fallon and Wentzville.
O’Fallon, the county’s largest municipality, has seen its population grow from an estimated 79,329 people in the 2010 U.S. Census to a 2016 Census Bureau estimate of 86,274. Michael Hurlbert, director of the county’s community development department and O’Fallon’s former planning director, said the number is fairly close to what city officials were projecting.
To the west, along Interstate 70, Wentzville continues to experience dramatic growth up from 29,070 people in the 2010 census to an estimated 37, 395 in 2016. “I think is closer to 40,000, based on the single-family housing permits we get a year – 750 to 800 housing permits,” said Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione. “At 2020 or 2021, I think we’re projecting to be at 45,000 right now.”
Houses are on the market for seven to 10 days’ tops, Guccione said.
The city also is seeing a rise in multi-family housing with new apartment complexes and new senior housing. “Wentzville is a popular place to be right now,” Guccione said. “All these other groups are talking about our growth and saying Wentzville may be the biggest city in St. Charles County.”
“O’Fallon continues to grow at a steady pace and Wentzville is obviously booming, that’s where a lot of the growth is occurring,” Hurlbert said. But he said the city of St. Charles, with new single-family housing being built in the northern part of the city, is seeing residential development that they didn’t have for some years.
The county has slowly recovered from the recession that began in 2008 and had slowed home building. For the last three years, the county has had about 1,700 single-family housing permits issued annually. Although new housing permits issued countywide is slightly off through August of this year, Hurlbert said the activity is still fairly consistent.
Growth is happening for a number of reasons
Reasons for that growth are complex and varied. The combination of available land and lower housing and living costs are obvious ones.
“St. Charles County is fairly affordable,” said J.S. Onesimo Sandoval, an associate professor of sociology at Saint Louis University. “It’s very difficult for young families to get into St. Louis County. There are still places – there’s Maryland Heights, there’s Florissant – but beyond that, it’s very difficult for people to get in.”
Sandoval said O’Fallon, St. Peters and St. Charles offer affordable housing in the $175,000 to $225,000 range. “It’s very difficult to find that in St. Louis County, those homes don’t really exist. You have to go 250,000 to 265,000 as the entry price. I think these young families, they are skipping the [St. Louis] County and going straight to St. Charles County.”
Moving away from north St. Louis County
Another factor in the rise in population – although more exact numbers recently remain unknown – may be outmigration from north St. Louis County. Outmigration has been a factor in the county’s growth going back to the 1950s. In recent years, speculation has pointed toward unrest in Ferguson as a catalyst for population growth in St. Charles County.
“We know people are here, we don’t necessarily know where they are coming from except anecdotally,” Ehlmann said. “Anecdotally I think, based on what I hear, there are more Hazelwood high school graduates in St. Charles County than there are St. Charles high school high graduates.”
Guccione, who grew up in Florissant and came to the city 14 years ago, said it’s a little too early to tell the extent of north St. Louis County residents moving into Wentzville. But he’s meeting them.
“I’m seeing it when I knock on doors and am meeting a lot of people I’m familiar with or knew in North County and they also tell me where they came from,” Guccione said. Many are coming from the Florissant area. “We are seeing a lot of that migration.”
Sandoval said a better indication of outmigration from north St. Louis County may appear in Census Bureau updates, from 2011 to 2017, that may be available in December.
Ehlmann sees the county’s growth continuing “indefinitely unless people on the other side of the river start getting their act together.”
“I tell people all the time ‘we don’t spend a dime on advertising.’ These people aren’t coming out here, they’re not being drawn out here as much as they’re being kicked out from where they are,” he said. “They are being discouraged from staying on the other side of the river because they don’t have good schools and safe neighborhoods. If we ever quit providing those two things they won’t come here either.”
Spillover among the neighbors
Population growth in St. Charles and in neighboring Warren and Lincoln counties should continue if people are willing to drive a little longer to get to work, Sandoval said.
Warren County’s population was estimated at 33,518 in 2016 by the Census Bureau, up from 32,513 in 2010. Lincoln County’s population was estimated at 55,267 in 2016, up from 52,566 in 2010.
“It is going to have some growing pains I think,” Sandoval said. “Some of the roads out there are not built for traffic congestion, particularly in the Wentzville and Troy areas.”
Ehlmann predicted that the price of gasoline will play a role. A major obstacle also may be an old railroad bridge across I-70 in Wentzville that limits the widening of the interstate beyond its existing two lanes in either direction. Traffic often bottlenecks on the interstate near the bridge, but removing that bridge may be up to a cash-strapped Missouri Department of Transportation.
“I don’t see a lot of people moving to Warren County if it takes them a half-hour to get under the railroad bridge,” Ehlmann said.
Lincoln County is facing some the growth challenges that St. Charles County faced 25 years ago, Ehlmann said. Its residents may have to look at changing their form of government. “At some point, you have to have a professional planning department and police and you have to start doing things a little bit differently than when you had 30,000 people in the county,” Ehlmann said.Australian progressive metallers Ne Obliviscaris found themselves at the center of one of the greatest feel-good metal stories in recent memory after they successfully crowd-funded $86,000 Australian Dollars (about $67k USD) to go on a full world tour. That tour got underway this past summer in Asia and Europe, and the band just embarked on a month-long run opening for Cradle of Filth, also in Europe.
One problem: drummer Dan Presland’s day job wouldn’t let him take the required time off to do all that globe-trotting. Presland’s solution? He just up and quit, leaving his job as a train driver where he made $150,000/year. That’s commitment to one’s art! Especially so given the fact that NeO aren’t at the level where they can come home with a profit — all the money they earn out on the road gets piped right back into the band.
Here’s Dan’s initial announcement, via Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153197724486169&set=a.10153083717286169.1073741831.732766168&type=3
Dan also sent the following statement exclusively to MetalSucks:
Many people think that NeO are already doing really well financially, and everyone is making an income from touring/merch sales, when in fact none of us have been paid a cent… However we know the only way to make this band our ‘career’ is to go all in and take the risk head on. Money comes and goes, but opportunities don’t.
Dan elaborates that only one member of NeO still has a full time job, as Xen vocals and Tim Charles (violin and clean vocals) also lost their primary jobs to do this tour (guitarist Matt Klavins managed to keep his job is by applying for “long service leave,” whatever that is).
The moral of the story: no one’s getting rich from metal. It’s a true labor or love. Kudos to the guys in NeO for giving it their all, as risky a move as it is.
Get Ne Obliviscaris’ tour dates with Cradle of Filth here.BY: Follow @mchalfant16
Multiple Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the country have been flagged in recent months for insufficiencies in their programs to prevent veteran suicides.
In the last five months, seven VA hospitals have been the subject of reports produced by the agency’s inspector general that highlighted insufficient employee training, patient monitoring, and safety planning in their respective suicide prevention programs.
The inspector general found fault with facilities in Butler, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; San Diego, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; Anchorage, Alaska; and Manchester, New Hampshire.
The Philadelphia VA hospital was the site of a reported veteran suicide in November. The review of the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia was completed about a month before a disabled veteran allegedly jumped to his death from a parking garage after seeking psychiatric treatment.
According to the Jan. 14 inspector general report, the vast majority of new employees at the Philadelphia hospital were not trained in suicide prevention or suicide risk management within the required time frame. Fourteen of 15 employees did not undergo suicide prevention training within a year of being hired, hospital records indicated.
The Philadelphia VA hospital did not complete mandated reports on patients who attempted or committed suicide in the year ending in June 2015, the inspector general found. Electronic health records also indicated that 30 percent of patients at risk for suicide were not given a copy of a safety plan spelling out warning signs, coping strategies, and professional and personal resources for support. These plans were also not given to the patients’ caregivers.
In total, six of the VA medical centers evaluated since September did not meet requirements for training employees in suicide prevention or risk management. Three facilities, like the Philadelphia hospital, also did not properly execute all suicide prevention plans.
Moreover, the inspector general faulted the facilities in Butler, Honolulu, and San Diego for not sufficiently monitoring or assessing patients for suicide risk. The investigation into the VA San Diego Healthcare System was requested by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) when a patient died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after receiving care. The probe, dated Jan. 5, found that hospital staff did not complete a suicide risk assessment of the veteran, in addition to other violations of VA clinical practice.
At the VA Pacific Islands Healthcare System in Honolulu, health records indicated that more than a third of outpatients were not evaluated at least four times in the 30 days after being flagged as high risk for suicide, as required by facility policy. Nearly all inpatients reviewed also did not receive the same frequency of evaluations after being discharged, according to the Nov. 10 report.
The assessments exposing these inadequate suicide prevention programs were all completed within the last year. Four of the reports were issued in January 2016 alone, and the others were distributed between September and December 2015.
"These reports highlight the enduring problems VA faces in providing America’s veterans the mental health care they have earned," Rep. Jeff Miller (R., Fla.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, told the Washington Free Beacon. "The key to curbing the epidemic of veteran suicides is improving the accessibility and effectiveness of mental health care available to our returning heroes."
The reports come at a time when the government agency is struggling to raise awareness about preventing veteran suicide. VA Secretary Robert McDonald and VA undersecretary for health David Shulkin hosted a national summit on veteran suicide prevention on Tuesday.
Miller said that, though Congress passed and President Obama signed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act aimed at boosting access to VA suicide prevention and mental health services last year, lawmakers must do more.
"To that end, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs is continuing its focus on VA overmedication issues, and Congress is currently considering legislation to address these problems," Miller said.
The committee is also investigating circumstances surrounding multiple veteran suicides and plans to hold a hearing on the implementation of the Clay Hunt Act, which was named after a decorated Marine who committed suicide after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A representative for veterans group Concerned Veterans for America said that the inspector general’s findings raise questions about the government agency’s efforts to prevent suicide.
"These reports raise questions about how suicide prevention efforts are being integrated across the VA, and they are an important step in making sure every single veteran receives the care he or she needs," John Cooper, press secretary for Concerned Veterans for America, said in a statement. "Veterans should have assurance that they will be able to count on the VA when they seek mental health treatment."
The VA’s network of health systems has been under increased scrutiny since it was revealed in 2014 that some hospitals were using fake waitlists to cover up the long waits veterans faced for care. An independent assessment commissioned by the agency concluded last September that its flawed health system needed a system-wide reworking.“Apple is struggling,” said Mike Fisher, an education technology analyst at Futuresource.
Apple said education was a longstanding value for the company.
“Mac and iPad are the best tools in education to help teachers teach and students learn,” Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of product marketing, wrote in an email. “We’re incredibly passionate about education and new programs like Apple Teacher,” a site for teachers who want to learn how to more creatively use Apple tools with their students, she said.
The rise of Google’s Chromebooks has disrupted the momentum of Apple, which has been marketing its computers to schools for some 40 years.
Apple has recently widened its education offerings. Last year, it introduced an app, called Classroom, to help teachers see and manage their students’ activities on iPads. It also created a free iPad app, called Swift Playgrounds, that introduces students to writing computer code.
The shift toward Google-powered devices is hurting Apple’s revenue. Of the $7.35 billion that schools, colleges and universities spent on mobile and desktop computers in 2016, sales of Apple devices fell to $2.8 billion in 2016, from about $3.2 billion in 2015, according to IDC, a market research firm. Windows devices generated $2.5 billion in 2016, up from $2.1 billion in 2015, while Chrome devices reached $1.9 billion, up from $1.4 billion.The eye sockets of the slender pigeon are filled with light-colored cotton. Its neck feathers shimmer in iridescent colors, and it has a russet chest and a slate-blue head. The yellowed paper tag attached to its left leg reads: "Coll. by Capt. Frank Goss, Neosho Falls, Kansas, July 4, 1875."
Ben Novak lifts up the stuffed bird to study the tag more closely. Then he returns the pigeon to a group of 11 other specimens of the same species, which are resting on their backs in a wooden drawer. "It's easy to see just dead birds," he says. "But imagine them alive, billions of birds. What would they look like in the sky?"
Novak has an audacious plan. He wants to resurrect the passenger pigeon. Vast numbers of the birds once filled the skies over North America. But in 1914 Martha, the last of her species, died in a zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Novak, a researcher with the Long Now Foundation, a California think tank, wants to give the species a second chance. At the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, Novak used a scalpel to slice small tissue samples from the red-painted toes of the passenger pigeons kept there. He hopes to isolate tiny bits of DNA from the samples and use them to assemble an entire genotype. His ultimate goal is the resurrection of the passenger pigeon.
"It should be possible to reconstruct the entire genome of the passenger pigeon," says Novak. "The species is one of the most promising candidates for reintroducing an extinct species."
The art of breathing new life into long-extinct species is in vogue among biologists. The Tasmanian tiger, the wooly rhinoceros, the mammoth, the dodo and the gastric-breeding frog are all on the list of candidates for revival. To recover the genetic makeup of species, experts cut pieces of tissue from stuffed zoological rarities, pulverize pieces of bone or search in the freezers of their institutions for samples of extinct animals.
The Dream of "De-Extinction"
The laboratory techniques to create new life with bits of genetic material were pure fantasy in the past. But now scientists believe that the vision could become reality, step by step. Experts in bioengineering, zoologists, ethicists and conservationists recently met in Washington, DC for a public forum on "de-extinction."
"Extinct animals are the most endangered species of them all" because "there is hardly anything left but the DNA," says Stewart Brand of the Long Now Foundation, which co-hosted the meeting with the National Geographic Society. The current showpiece project in bioengineering is the rebirth of the passenger pigeon.
The story of Ectopistes migratorius is a striking example of human hubris. When the Europeans arrived, the passenger pigeon was probably the most common bird on the American continent. The birds travelled in giant flocks, sometimes several hundred kilometers long. "The air was literally filled with pigeons," naturalist John Audubon wrote in 1831, after observing the spectacle. "The light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse."
During their long migrations, the pigeons devastated entire forests. They descended upon their breeding grounds in eastern North America by the millions. There are historical accounts, for example, of a breeding ground in Wisconsin the size of Tokyo, where an estimated 136 million passenger pigeons came to breed. The noise was deafening.
Living in a flock guaranteed the pigeons safety from predators. But the behavior also sealed their fate. When hunters discovered passenger pigeons as game birds, they were able to kill them with brutal efficiency, either by catching them in nets or shooting them with birdshot. They also placed pots of burning sulfur under trees until the birds, anesthetized by the vapors, dropped to the ground like overripe fruit.
In some breeding areas, hunters slaughtered up to 50,000 passenger pigeons a day. The birds were shipped by the ton in freight cars and sold to be grilled at a few cents a dozen.
Sequencing the Pigeon DNA
By the time the establishment of a closed season for the birds was proposed in the US state of Minnesota in 1897, it was already too late. The last wild passenger pigeon was shot to death in 1900. Then, Pigeon Martha -- named after Martha Washington, the country's first First Lady -- finally met her end at around noon on Sept. 1, 1914. She was the last surviving specimen in an unsuccessful program to breed the birds in captivity.
Novak's goal is to bring back the species, and he seems perfect for the job. In elementary school, he completed a project on the dodo, the extinct bird species from Mauritius. The passenger pigeon has fascinated him for years. "We caused the extinction of the species," says the 26-year-old. "Now we have a moral obligation to bring them back." To that end, the genetic detective is visiting natural history museums to take tissue samples from as many of the roughly 1,500 remaining samples of the skin and bones of the bird as possible.
The passenger pigeon's DNA has about 1.3 billion base pairs. Their sequence describes what the bird looks like, what its call sounds like and how it behaves. However, the animal's genetic material in the museums is shredded into miniscule pieces, degraded by bacteria and contaminated with foreign DNA. But that doesn't deter Novak. He and Beth Shapiro, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California in Santa Cruz, have begun to decode the bird's DNA.
The biologists have an ambitious plan. Bit by bit, they intend to match the DNA sequence of the passenger pigeon with that of its close relative, the band-tailed pigeon. Then they will essentially stamp out the divergent sequences from the band-tailed pigeon genome and replace them with synthesized passenger pigeon genetic material.
With the help of the genome created in this fashion, the scientists will create primordial germ cells for the passenger pigeon, which will then be implanted into young embryos of an easy-to-breed pigeon species. The scientists hope that once they have grown and mated, the pigeons will lay eggs that will hatch into passenger pigeons.
Chickens in a Duck's Egg
The procedure is not only complicated, but also largely untested. But, says Novak, "all the necessary steps are being studied intensively right now." For instance, he explains, biologists have already managed to insert primordial germ cells from chickens into duck eggs. The drakes that emerged a short time later actually carried the sperm cells of chickens.
Novak is already thinking beyond the hatching of the first passenger pigeon. Once a flock of the birds has been created, he plans to release them into the wild. "The passenger pigeon was a keystone species in the forest ecosystems," says Novak, explaining that the destructive force of the flocks led to a radical rejuvenation of forests. Thick layers of pigeon droppings fertilized the soil, which soon led to new growth. "Passenger pigeons are the dance partners of the forest," the scientist raves. And the "ballroom" still exists.
But even if scientists can pull off this feat, does it really make sense to bring a long-extinct species back into the world? "Conservation biology's priority must remain that of ensuring a future for species (currently) existing on the planet," retired Professor Stanley Temple of the University of Wisconsin-Madison says critically. He fears that species extinction could be trivialized in the future. "People might say: 'Can't we let them go extinct and bring them back later?'"
Zoologist David Ehrenfeld of Rutgers University also criticizes the species resurrection projects, saying that they are "extremely expensive" and, in light of a global species crisis, downright absurd. "At this very moment, brave conservationists are risking their lives to protect dwindling groups of existing African forest elephants from heavily armed poachers, and here we are talking about bringing back the wooly mammoth," he says.
Ehrenfeld also doesn't believe that revived species would stand much of a chance of survival. "Who will care for the passenger pigeon chicks?" he asks, noting that parental care is "critical" for the development of young birds.
Darkened Skies
But Novak rejects the criticism. "Passenger pigeon parents were never incredibly involved in raising their young," he says. He also plans to teach the chicks the basics of passenger pigeon life by dyeing carrier pigeons and essentially using them as flight controllers for the returning species.
"We'll ferry them with homing pigeons down to wintering grounds and back to the breeding area," he says. "After a few years, we have passenger pigeons that fly the same (routes) as their forefathers."
When that happens, clouds of passenger pigeons will darken the skies once again, and another dream could be fulfilled for Novak. "Part of me would really love a passenger pigeon as a pet," says the scientist. And perhaps, he adds, the pigeon zoo could even be expanded.
There are 50 extinct pigeon species worldwide, says Novak. He has already earmarked three of them for resurrection: the Japanese silver-banded pigeon, the Choiseul crested pigeon and the thick-billed ground dove.
"I am a pigeon nut," says Novak.The IndyCar season crept up on me this year! With all the hype around Formula 1’s 2017 regulations and livery launches, IndyCar personally flew under the radar, so when I heard round one was upon us, I was super keen to have proper racing back!
There have been some big changes over the winter with drivers switching teams and teams switching manufacturers, but there hasn’t been too much movement in the livery space, especially when compared to F1. Either way, here’s what we’ve got for the new season.
A.J. Foyt Enterprises
#4 Connor Daly & #14 Carlos Muñoz
As mentioned above, there haven’t been many radical livery changes amongst the teams in 2017. Two new drivers this year but ABC remains with A.J. Foyt Enterprises and therefore, so does the livery. It’s still a good livery, but being unchanged for the 6th straight season, it gains some boredom points. It’s great to have loyal sponsors, but it’s time for an evolution!
★★★☆
Andretti Autosport
#26 Takuma Sato
Whilst Andretti have kept the same blanket design for all four cars again this year, it’s new colours on the #26 with the incoming Sato, bringing with him Panasonic backing. Unsurprisingly it |
interviews, Limitless tells a story of intense, eerie paranoia that would seem to have its antecedents in books/ films like The Manchurian Candidate and Seconds, or perhaps David Fincher’s The Game. Respectively, what were your influences in approaching this kind of material?
LD: That’s primarily an Alan question. I honestly wasn’t too focused on that genre of films, though I know them all, and am a particular fan of Seconds. I have always found the Manchurian Candidate, possibly just in its execution, just a bit outlandish. I wanted Limitless to have a taste of that 70’s paranoia, but seem more realistic and — paradoxically — be a bit more of a thrill ride.
But overall I think Eddie’s behavior, and the behavior of those around him, is quite relatable. He doesn’t have a power-mad mother willing to throw him to the wolves in the name of geo-political domination! (Most of us don’t.)
AG: Influences is a tricky subject. You know what has gone into the overall mix – what you’ve ever read or seen – but it’s hard to be specific without retrofitting or rationalizing. When you start you often have no clue what’s going to emerge and it’s only when you’re up and running, and on safe ground, that you might begin to see influences. With The Dark Fields I quickly realized that Eddie was telling us the story of his own destruction, and that there were great precedents for this, favorite books of mine – Flann O’Brien’s The Third Policeman and John Banville’s The Book of Evidence – very different in many ways, but with an underlying pattern that I found very attractive. Much later on, I came across a brilliant examination of this fundamental story-telling pattern in The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker. It’s a five-stage tragedy arc that you find in the Icarus and Faust myths, in Macbeth, in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, in Lolita. The five stages are Anticipation, Dream, Frustration, Nightmare and Destruction. That seems to me to be a perfect description of Eddie’s trajectory in the book. It was also the first person closeness of the narrator in The Third Policeman that I found irresistible, that clinical dissection of psychological torment. Other influences would have to include The Great Gatsby, with its great American theme of the re-invention of the self and the delusional notion of the perfectibility of man, which I envisaged as being reduced at the tail end of the twentieth century to a commodity, a small white pill. And then, as always, for tone and mood, an over- (or under-)lay of movies from the 70s, Taxi Driver, The Conversation, Marathon Man.
LD: Alan, I know you lived in New York and weren’t exactly rolling in bucks. How much of you is in Original Eddie?
AG: A lot, really. There is always a danger with a first person narrative that readers will assume the voice is the author’s own, that there’s no dividing line, but writers are born liars, it’s what we’re paid to do, make stuff up and make it convincing, and a first person voice is the most efficient delivery system for this. Where things get fuzzy is when the writer draws on his or her own experience to fill in details or provide a setting. Does that mean you’re writing about yourself? Or are you just cannibalizing your life for convenient material? When I was making up Eddie – Original Eddie, as you so diplomatically put it – I didn’t have to look far for the details. I lived in New York in the late 80s, in dingy apartments, I had very little money, I worked as a proof-reader for a cable TV listings magazine, I wanted to be a writer but had serious trouble motivating myself, I craved literary success, but seemed to be short-circuited on how to go about achieving it, or achieving anything for that matter. And if I’d met someone who gave me a hit of MDT-48, I’d have popped it without hesitation. So holy shit, I AM Eddie. (Nice piece of casting, btw).
AG: Leslie, you’ve done a lot of comedy, and I think you’ve brought a really sharp wit to this script, but it’s something of a departure for you. What would you like to do in the future? Any dream projects you have in mind?
LD: What I would most like to do in the future is eat truffle pasta and drink Brunello. Next project? I am so wiped out I can’t imagine ever writing a word again.
You may imagine that this film took quite a bit out of me, and you’d be right. But there is something a little persistent about this mini-funk. The awful feeling is creeping over me if I want to stop fighting to protect my work, perhaps I should write something that isn’t a screenplay.
This concept, to Hollywood types, is the abyss. If the thing flat-out tanked there’d be no studio to blame. I really have to think about this.
MB: Leslie, you’ve written countless scripts. Do you think your experience working with Alan’s material will affect your writing moving forward?
LD: Well, the whole reason I was drawn to Alan’s novel — beside its rocking premise — was Alan’s voice. His prose style reminded me, a lot, of the way I write prose (on the rare and secret occasions I do). I felt I could pick up the ball and continue where he left off with no interruption in service. We would meld.
This experience has made me wonder if I could stop writing scripts altogether. Maybe I could have Alan’s job from now on. And he could have mine — God knows he’s seen every film ever made and writes excellent dialogue. He’d enjoy the checks clearing and I’d enjoy being left the hell alone, to please myself, without having to think thoughts like, “Oh, shit, she said the f-word twice — that’s an automatic R.”
Probably the bylaws of the MPAA should not intrude on the synapses of a fired-up writer.
AG: Leslie, this reminds me of Alan Alda in Crimes and Misdemeanors pulling out his pocket recorder... idea for a reality TV show, two writers swap jobs, a Brunello-quaffing Hollywood screenwriter goes to live in rainy Dublin to write a novel about priests and spinsters set in the 1950s, while an eager Irish novelist goes to live in Beverly Hills to eat truffle pasta and have the soul wrenched out of him by studio executives constantly telling him how “excited” they are...
Okay, not priests and spinsters. But with your attitude and long experience writing whippet-lean scripts you could write a really cracking crime novel with as many f-words in it as you liked. That’d be something I’d really look forward to.
MB: Alan, has seeing your work translated to screen had any kind of effect on your writing process?
AG: Not that I’m aware of. What I think of as my writing process feels like something pretty immutable at this point, and inescapable, like hair color or a tendency to snore. Each time out, I try to do it differently (essentially to speed things up a bit), but it always ends up coming together the same way, and at the same pace. So seeing The Dark Fields become Limitless didn’t really have any effect on how I wrote Winterland or Bloodland. But there might be a broader question here. People often say that my stuff is very “cinematic”, that they can easily imagine it translating to the screen, and just sometimes I detect a note of condescension in this, as though it’s something I do deliberately, even cynically, in order to increase the chances of getting a book made into a film. Only someone who has never written a novel could possibly imagine this was a smart plan. Because it just doesn’t work that way. The truth, of course, is that prose fiction has evolved over the decades and the influence of cinema on it has been enormous. It’s an entirely natural, organic process. So any storytelling style I might have, any sense of pacing or structure, has inevitably – and happily – been informed by the endless hours I’ve spent in the dark watching movies.
Against everyone’s advice, Leslie Dixon left the clean air and charm of San Francisco to move to Los Angeles to become a screenwriter.
With grades too odd for a scholarship, and no family money, Leslie did not go to college, instead suffering a series of menial jobs and guitar playing boyfriends before finally discovering, to her surprise, that she was venally ambitious. She began writing at night. Her second script was made into the hit film “Outrageous Fortune,” starring Bette Midler and Shelley Long, and she was off to the races.
Later credits include “Overboard,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “The Thomas Crown Affair,” “Pay It Forward,“ “Freaky Friday,” and “Hairspray.” Her next film will be the thriller “Limitless,” starring Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro, which she wrote and will produce.
She is married to the screenwriter Tom Ropelewski, and they have one accidental, 14 year old son. They have stopped using his first name and simply refer to him as “Satan.”
Alan Glynn is the author of two novels, Limitless, which was adapted into the major motion picture of the same name, and Winterland, which was published earlier this year by Minotaur and Faber & Faber. He lives in Dublin, Ireland.Microsoft is making some major changes to OneDrive storage, more than doubling their free storage tier. Currently sitting at 7GB, free OneDrive storage will be raised to 15GB.
Office 365 subscribers will be getting additional storage as well. While OneDrive for Business users received this upgrade in April, users of Office 365 Home, Personal, and University will all be getting 1TB of OneDrive storage for now extra cost. Office 365 Personal is available for $6.99 per month, Home for $9.99 per month, and University is available for $74.99 for four years.
Microsoft is also slashing the price of standalone OneDrive storage tiers. Previously, $7.49 per month OneDrive's 100GB level now has a monthly cost of $1.99. The 200GB tier is now $3.99 per month, down from $11.49.
All of these changes are set to roll out next month. Are you excited for these OneDrive pricing changes? Sound off in the comments below.
Source: OneDrive blogThe Novosibirsk regional office of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) will have distributed 25 banners bearing a portrait of Joseph Stalin by May 9th. There is a collage of the Victory Parade of 1945 on billboards as background. The inscription reads: “Happy Victory Day!” The organizers say this re-establishes justice for the participants in the Great Patriotic War. However, the attitude towards Joseph Stalin remains ambiguous.
According to a survey conducted in December 2015 by the polling firm ‘Levada-Center’, today a third of Russians (34%) think that ‘whatever mistakes and sins are attributed to Stalin, the most important thing is that led by him our people won the Great Patriotic War” (28% in 2007). 20% respondents share the opinion that “Stalin was a wise leader who led the USSR to power and prosperity”. In 2007 14% Russians surveyed thought the same.
At the same time, 21% of respondents consider that Joseph Stalin was a "cruel and ruthless tyrant”, to blame for the killing of millions of innocent people” (29% in 2007). 13% people compared to 17% in 2007, said that ‘Stalin’s policies resulted in the country not being prepared for war in 1941 and because of this, it suffered serious losses”.
There are also disputes about the commemoration of the legacy and achievements of the Soviet leader. For instance, in 2015 his portrait was posted on the wall of the plant ‘Tyazhstankohydropress’ in Novosibirsk. That same year, activists from the CPRF installed a sculpture of Stalin in Lipetsk that was immediately vandalized. This February, Stalin’s sculpture was installed in the Pskov Region.
A few years ago, the independent newspaper, ‘Yakutsk Vecherny’, conducted a popular referendum about plans to install a Stalin monument in the main square of the capital of the Yakutia Republic in Siberia, the site of a number of Stalin’s camps. The idea was rejected by a small margin of votes.
Last year, ahead of the May holidays, the human rights group ‘Memorial’ that also addressed the issue of the rehabilitation of the Stalinist purge victims, called for people not to use the image of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin during the 70th Victory anniversary holidays. saying his glorification should be banned.
The Russian Orthodox Church also expressed a negative attitude in its official statement dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Victory Day in 2010:
“There was an infernal system in Stalin’s time and nothing can justify it: neither the industrialization, nor the atomic bomb, nor the saving of state frontiers, nor even victory in the Great Patriotic War, since all that was achieved was not by Stalin but by our multinational people. The regime created by Stalin was based on lies, terror, violence, the suppression of human beings. The regime gobbled itself up when the executioners became the victims, and had only temporary success.”
One of the greatest Russian philosophers of the 20th – early 21st century - who, as a student tried to organize an assassination attempt on Stalin, and suffered in the purges before becoming a pilot during the Great Patriotic War, Alexander Zinoviev wrote:
“A dead man cannot be my enemy”.
According to him, his hatred towards Stalin ended on March 5th 1953, the day of his death.Does Cupid artificially stimulate emotions in his victims by dipping the tips of his arrows in raw cocoa? Should he switch from a bow to a bowl of powdered cacao beans and a straw? That’s the word out of dance clubs and raves where hipsters claim they’re getting legally “high” on cocoa, with some using a special device designed for snorting pure, raw cocoa powder. Is it time to ditch the local bar on the corner for a chocolate bar up the nose?
Let’s get the medical and scientific views on this first. The first users of cacao (the original name for cocoa) were the Mayans and Aztecs, who consumed it unsweetened during rituals to help achieve a state of euphoria (you know something was happening because they kept it from women and children). They didn’t know then that cacao contains endorphins which trigger the brain’s pleasure responses and antioxidants which increase blood flow to the brain and muscles. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says its magnesium can relax muscles and other ingredients can improve thinking (other than thinking about romance or where to get more candy). Does this mean that cacao snorters are actually getting high? And what kind of high is it?
Alchemy & Eros, a trendy club in Berlin, Germany, holds what it calls a “monthly cacao-fuelled dance party” where clubbers imbibe in powdered, liquid or pill-form cacao that club employee Ruby May says gives them “natural high vibes” that “amplify” their experience like a “smooth, sensual hug in a cup.”
Those who prefer their cacao by the toot can thank Belgian chocolatier Dominique Persoone who invented a “chocolate shooting device” based on a tobacco shooter his grandfather once used (it’s actually a device for making cigarettes by shooting tobacco into rolled papers). Persoone claims he developed the chocolate shooter for the Rolling Stones in 2007 (is snorting chocolate keeping Keith Richards alive?), has sold 25,000 of the shooters and says that shooting or snorting cacao is perfectly safe, even though the packaging warns about the harms of excessive usage (who wants Hershey nose?).
Are ravers really getting high on snorting, drinking or swallowing (but not eating – that’s for the unhip masses who will never get into the clubs anyway) cacao? Experts say there’s too little of the psychoactive ingredients in it to create a high and what they feel is a placebo effect. However, they warn to use only pure raw powdered cacao (no M&Ms), avoid harmful additives and snort in moderation.
That’s good advice. As Dominique Persoone says:Game Summary
The Wine and Gold carry their 2-0 preseason record back to Quicken Loans Arena tonight when they square off with the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Cavs took part in NBA Global Games 2014 and came away with a 122-119 overtime win over the Miami Heat on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Six players scored in double figures for the Cavs, who totaled 23 assists led by LeBron James’ eight helpers. Cleveland shot 45-89 (.506) from the field, while also connecting on 15-35 (.429) from the three-point line, including 4-5 (.800) from long distance in overtime.
In Saturday’s victory over Miami, Kevin Love tallied a game-high 25 points on 9-12 (.750) shooting, including 4-5 (.800) from deep, and seven rebounds in 26 minutes, while Tristan Thompson added a near double-double with 18 points on 6-10 (.600) shooting, a game-high nine rebounds (six offensive), three steals and one block in 25 minutes. In front of his home country, Anderson Varejao finished with 14 points in 20 minutes and Dion Waiters chipped in with 16 points on 7-12 (.583) shooting, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in 26 minutes.
Milwaukee enters tonight's exhibition with a 1-2 record. The Bucks rank third in the league this preseason for opponent scoring, allowing only 89.3 points per game.
2014 No. 2 pick Jabari Parker is the only Buck to score in double digits in all three of the preseason games, averaging 12.0 points a contest.
Probable Starters/Status Update* presented by Cleveland Clinic
Cavaliers: PG - Matthew Dellavedova, SG - Dion Waiters, SF - Shawn Marion
PF - Kevin Love, C - Tristan Thompson
Status Update: (Cavs) - Kyrie Irving, (Right Ankle, Out)
Bucks: PG - Jerryd Bayless, SG - Jared Dudley, SF - Jabari Parker
PF - Ersan Ilyasova, C - Zaza Pachulia
Status Update: (Bucks) - Brandon Knight, (Right Groin Strain, Out), Larry Sanders, (Illness, Out), Johnny O’Bryant, (Right Knee Sprain, Out), Damien Inglis, (Post-surgery Right Ankle, Out)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Discuss tonight's game with other die-hard Cavs fans. Discuss For more information on tonight's matchup. Game Notes
Head-to-Head Matchup
The two teams last met this past April in Milwaukee. Tristan Thompson notched his team-leading 34th double-double of the season with 18 points on 5-8 (.625) shooting, an 8-10 (.800) mark from the foul line, a game-high 10 rebounds, two assists and one block in 35 minutes.
Dion Waiters scored a team-high 23 points on 8-15 (.533) shooting to go along with four assists and a career-high five steals in 30 minutes.
Where to Catch the Action
TV: SportsTime Ohio, NBATV, Radio: WTAM 1100, 100.7 WMMS
For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.
On Deck
Five of the Cavs’ seven preseason games will be played in Ohio. After tonight’s game against the Bucks, the Cavs have one more game at The Q in Cleveland (Oct. 17 vs. Dallas) and contests at the Cintas Center of Xavier University in Cincinnati (Oct. 15 vs. Indiana) and the Schottenstein Center of Ohio State University in Columbus (Oct. 20 vs. Chicago).Firedoglake’s Jane Hamsher was on MSNBC/Lawrence O’Donnell’s Last Word show Wednesday night, along with Adam Green of Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Together, they pushed the President and Democratic Congressional leaders to show real leadership in the tax cut and unemployment fights and not simply pretend to lead with meaningless votes they know they’ll lose.
In particular, Jane called out President Obama and Congressional Democrats for staging doomed kabuki votes but failing to lead a tough fight on the tax cut and unemployment issues, leaving their members exposed to another embarrassing and pointless loss, while leaving the real and very desperate needs of 15 million unemployed Americans and their families unmet.
House Speaker Pelosi and Democratic Congressional leaders have signaled they will hold a vote on Thursday on whether to extend the Bush-era tax cuts on incomes up to $250,000 for couples ($200,000 for individuals). Extending the cuts for incomes above that level would not be included in the measure.
But a simple up/down vote would allow Republicans and conservaDems and more to sabotage the effort via a procedural motion to direct the preferred measure to include extending the cuts to all higher incomes too. The conservaDems and Republicans could then combine to pass a permanent extension of all tax cuts, including an unconscionable gift of $700 billion to the richest 2 percent of Americans.
So the Democratic leadership strategy is to structure a vote that precludes this procedure, but it requires a two-thirds majority — and no one expects the Democrats can muster all of their troops plus dozens of Republicans to achieve that. In short, the argument goes, this is all kabuki, a show to mollify the base or use for campaign fodder in 2012, but doomed to fail.
So Jane is rightly calling them out. There are millions of real people hurting. We need to extend unemployment benefits for the two million people who are about to lose them. We need real jobs programs. We need to address real problems and not just engage in kabuki politics and meaningless votes that fail to accomplish anything.
The country desperately needs real leadership on the issues that matter, but we’re not getting any from Obama or anyone else.Image copyright AFP Image caption Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his partners sued the Russian state after Yukos was broken up
Russian state accounts frozen by Belgium in a move condemned by Moscow have been unblocked, Belgium's foreign minister says.
The assets were seized in a move triggered by a court ruling over the now-defunct Yukos oil firm.
In July 2014, an international arbitration court said Russian officials had manipulated the legal system to bankrupt Yukos.
Yukos was then taken over by a Russian state firm.
Its former boss, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was also jailed.
Last year a court told Russia to pay Yukos shareholders $50bn (£32bn) in compensation, after Yukos's break-up.
But Russia does not acknowledge the court's findings, leading former Yukos shareholders to get Russian state assets frozen.
Responding to the asset seizure, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said he would "defend our interests by the route of justice".
Image copyright AFP Image caption Yukos was taken over by the Russian state
Belgium's ambassador to Moscow was summoned to the Kremlin, and told the asset seizure was "an openly hostile act" that "crudely violates the recognised norms of international law".
While visiting China, Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said: "A solution has been found to unblock as a priority accounts for the running of the embassies, and the rest will follow."
France also seized Russian state accounts in about 40 banks, along with several buildings.
It is not known if those assets will also be unblocked.
On Friday, Mr Khodorkovsky - who was freed in 2013 - said the seizure of Russian assets was "a signal that theft will not escape punishment, no matter how all-powerful the thief was".
He has not responded to Belgium's decision to unfreeze the assets.Description and history Edit
Operation Edit
Climate Edit
Typical of inland Antarctica, Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station experiences an ice cap climate (EF).[28] The peak season of summer lasts October to February. Climate data for Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) −14.4
(6.1) −20.6
(−5.1) −26.7
(−16.1) −27.8
(−18.0) −25.1
(−13.2) −28.8
(−19.8) −33.9
(−29.0) −32.8
(−27.0) −29.3
(−20.7) −25.1
(−13.2) −18.9
(−2.0) −12.3
(9.9) −12.3
(9.9) Average high °C (°F) −26.0
(−14.8) −37.9
(−36.2) −49.6
(−57.3) −53.0
(−63.4) −53.6
(−64.5) −54.5
(−66.1) −55.2
(−67.4) −54.9
(−66.8) −54.4
(−65.9) −48.4
(−55.1) −36.2
(−33.2) −26.3
(−15.3) −45.8
(−50.4) Daily mean °C (°F) −28.4
(−19.1) −40.9
(−41.6) −53.7
(−64.7) −57.8
(−72.0) −58.0
(−72.4) −58.9
(−74.0) −59.8
(−75.6) −59.7
(−75.5) −59.1
(−74.4) −51.6
(−60.9) −38.2
(−36.8) −28.0
(−18.4) −49.5
(−57.1) Average low °C (°F) −29.6
(−21.3) −43.1
(−45.6) −56.8
(−70.2) −60.9
(−77.6) −61.5
(−78.7) −62.8
(−81.0) −63.4
(−82.1) −63.2
(−81.8) −61.7
(−79.1) −54.3
(−65.7) −40.1
(−40.2) −29.1
(−20.4) −52.2
(−62.0) Record low °C (°F) −41.1
(−42.0) −58.9
(−74.0) −71.1
(−96.0) −75.0
(−103.0) −78.3
(−108.9) −82.8
(−117.0) −80.6
(−113.1) −79.3
(−110.7) −79.4
(−110.9) −72.0
(−97.6) −55.0
(−67.0) −41.1
(−42.0) −82.8
(−117.0) Average precipitation mm (inches) 0.3
(0.01) 0.6
(0.02) 0.2
(0.01) 0.1
(0.00) 0.2
(0.01) 0.1
(0.00) — — 0.1
(0.00) 0.1
(0.00) 0.1
(0.00) 0.3
(0.01) 2.3
(0.09) Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 1.6 Average snowy days 22.0 19.6 13.6 11.4 17.2 17.3 18.2 17.5 11.7 16.7 16.9 20.6 203.0 Mean monthly sunshine hours 406.1 497.2 195.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 34.1 390.6 558.0 616.9 2,698.2 Mean daily sunshine hours 13.1 17.6 6.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 12.6 18.6 19.9 7.4 Source #1: Pogoda.ru.net (temperatures, 1981–2010, extremes 1957–present)[29] Source #2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (Precipitation 1957–1988 and Sun 1978–1993),[30] NOAA (snowy days data, 1961–1988)[31]
Media and events Edit
In popular culture Edit
Time zone Edit
See also EditTexas-born Patricia Highsmith has long attracted readers with her cunning grasp of criminal psychology in such suspenseful novels as “Strangers on a Train” (1950) and a series starring the villainous Tom Ripley, now perhaps best known for the Anthony Minghella film “The Talented Mr Ripley” with Matt Damon as the title Tom. But the full extent of Highsmith’s own iniquity is now revealed in “The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith,” a new biography by Joan Schenkar out December 8 from St. Martin’s Press.
“The Talented Miss Highsmith” focuses on unpublished material which reveals the novelist in later years to have been a raving “Jew-hater,” as Schenkar puts it, who talked for years about leaving her considerable fortune to the Intifada and concocted a 1988 radio script for broadcast in Germany about Yitzhak Shamir that Schenkar describes as an:
irrational work, poisoned by ethnic prejudices. It reads like a lost chapter from that toxic anthology of antisemitic canards, ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.’ Share
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Highsmith wildly claimed that the novelist Amos Oz would “soon be murdered by Shamir’s government.” German media personalities rejected her text as something “so ghastly that it could be a Nazi text.” Previous books on Highsmith, like the highly readable “Beautiful Shadow: A Life of Patricia Highsmith” by Andrew Wilson from Bloomsbury USA (2004) do not hide the writer’s eccentricity, including her habit of traveling around Europe by train while concealing a half-dozen pet snails in her bra to deceive customs inspectors. Only Schenkar though, fully delves into Highsmith’s mania on the subjects of Jews and Israel. When American publisher Otto Penzler printed her 1983 novel “People Who Knock on the Door” he deleted the book’s dedication “To the Intifada” with the permission of her main Swiss publisher, Diogenes, angering Highsmith, who accused him of being a Jew, despite his Protestant roots.
Schenkar’s well-researched work cites many such incidents, adding up to a devastating portrait of an ugly, twisted soul from which emerged all those fascinating, entertaining and thankfully fictional murders.
Watch a 1982 British TV interview with Melvyn Bragg of The South Bank Show, in which Patricia Highsmith dismisses any notion of the “sanctity of human life” as a mere “mental attitude.”
This story "Patricia Highsmith: Antisemitic Stranger on a Train" was written by Benjamin Ivry.Now that the official watch bands for the Moto 360 are available for individual purchase, we thought it was time for a tutorial on how to swap yours out. Motorola is going to recommend that you head into a jeweler to have the dirty work done, but with a single tool, you can do it yourself within a couple of minutes. It really is that easy.
As a recap, the leather and metal Moto 360 replacement watch bands are now available for $29.99 and $79.99, respectively. The metal bands come in light or dark stainless steel and can be purchased here. The leather bands, made by Horween, come in cognac, black, or stone and can be purchased here.
Ready to swap bands?
Instructions
Tools needed : A single, small flathead screwdriver bit, small enough that it will fit in between your watch band and the housing of the Moto 360. That’s it.
: A single, small flathead screwdriver bit, small enough that it will fit in between your watch band and the housing of the Moto 360. That’s it. Watch bands : Obviously, you need a replacement watch band. This tutorial will work for leather and metal bands.
: Obviously, you need a replacement watch band. This tutorial will work for leather and metal bands. Metal band note: With the metal bands, you may need to take out links in order to get a proper fit, and that’s where you may need the help of a jeweler. Also, the process is a little trickier because the metal band is a single piece band. Still, this process works with some patience.
1. Watch bands are held in place on watches through a spring-loaded pin connector. In order to swap out a watch band, we need to disconnect that pin before we can remove the watch band. Using the flathead bit and a little pressure, you can do this pretty easily.
2. With Moto 360 and flathead screwdriver in hand, you are going to slide the screwdriver in between the leather band and where it connects to the Moto 360. The goal here is to use the flathead bit to slide the watch band’s pin out from the body so that it releases. You may need to squish your watch band to the right or left side of the 360, so that you are exposing the pin connector.
3. If you are using a small enough flathead bit, you should be able to grab ahold of the pin and slide it to the left or right (depending on the side you choose) to release it from one side. The pin has teeth on it, so grabbing it with the screwdriver bit isn’t hard, it just might take some work until you get it just right.
4. If you get your flathead in the right spot and slide the pin over, you should be able to then slide it out from the body of the 360. Once you have one side out, the other side should easily slide out as well.
5. Repeat this process on the other side to remove both watch bands.
6. Remove the pins from your old watch band and place them in the pieces of the new watch band.
7. With pins in the new watch band, it’s time to attach them to your 360. Take one end of the watch band (with pin) and insert the pin into one side of the slot on the 360 (should be able to find a little hole on each side). With it held firmly in place, you need to compress the other side to get it to slide back into the watch. You can use a fingernail if you want, but I had better luck using the flathead screwdriver we used earlier.
8. Once you have compressed the non-connected end and slid it inside, you may need re-compress it another time or two until it pops perfectly into place.
9. With one side of the watch band firmly in place, repeat on the other side.
10. With both watch bands in place, you can now enjoy the new look of your Moto 360. You can use this tutorial for either metal or leather bands.The Straight
By Charlie Smith
Publish Date: August 21, 2008
Lt.-Col. Bob Bowman says citizens must counter corporate influences.
A retired U.S. air force colonel is coming to Vancouver to warn Canadians about the dangers of corporate influences on governments. Lt.-Col. Bob Bowman, a former Pentagon director of advanced space programs development, told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview that he has been travelling across the U.S. for four and a half months to “wake people up”.
“I’m endeavouring to get the people in the United States to take back our country and disempower the billionaires and the multinational corporations who are driving our foreign policy, our international-trade policy, and our military policy—and wrapping Canada into it as well,” Bowman said.
Bowman, who oversaw the Star Wars program during the 1970s, will be speaking tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Maritime Labour Centre (1880 Triumph Street). He said he wants to alert people to Canada’s role in advancing the agenda of those he labels the “lunatic fringe”—U.S. vice president Dick Cheney, former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, ex–Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, and former World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz.
“They represent the most dangerous aspect of the global elite,” Bowman said.
He noted that a Canadian general was second-in-command of all coalition forces early on in the Iraq war. “Canadians supply a lot of logistical support for our troops in Iraq,” Bowman said. “In addition, of course, by taking a major role in Afghanistan, the Canadian military has freed up American soldiers to play cannon fodder in Iraq.”
Bowman, the 74-year-old national commander |
Africa for providing a reliable water supply from the wadis behind many settlements.
Mining [ edit ]
The Romans also made great use of aqueducts in their extensive mining operations across the empire, some sites such as Las Medulas in north-west Spain having at least 7 major channels entering the minehead. Other sites such as Dolaucothi in south Wales was fed by at least 5 leats, all leading to reservoirs and tanks or cisterns high above the present opencast. The water was used for hydraulic mining, where streams or waves of water are released onto the hillside, first to reveal any gold-bearing ore, and then to work the ore itself. Rock debris could be sluiced away by hushing, and the water also used to douse fires created to break down the hard rock and veins, a method known as fire-setting.
Alluvial gold deposits could be worked and the gold extracted without needing to crush the ore. Washing tables were fitted below the tanks to collect the gold-dust and any nuggets present. Vein gold needed crushing, and they probably used crushing or stamp mills worked by water-wheels to comminute the hard ore before washing. Large quantities of water were also needed in deep mining to remove waste debris and power primitive machines, as well as for washing the crushed ore. Pliny the Elder provides a detailed description of gold mining in book xxxiii of his Naturalis Historia, most of which has been confirmed by archaeology. That they used water mills on a large scale elsewhere is attested by the flour mills at Barbegal in southern France, and on the Janiculum in Rome.
Sanitation [ edit ]
The Romans did not invent plumbing or toilets, but instead borrowed their waste disposal system from their neighbors, particularly the Minoans.[13] A waste disposal system was not a new invention, but rather had been around since 3100 BCE, when one was created in the Indus River Valley [14] The Roman public baths, or thermae served hygienic, social and cultural functions. The baths contained three main facilities for bathing. After undressing in the apodyterium or changing room, Romans would proceed to the tepidarium or warm room. In the moderate dry heat of the tepidarium, some performed warm-up exercises and stretched while others oiled themselves or had slaves oil them. The tepidarium’s main purpose was to promote sweating to prepare for the next room, the caldarium or hot room. The caldarium, unlike the tepidarium, was extremely humid and hot. Temperatures in the caldarium could reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Many contained steam baths and a cold-water fountain known as the labrum. The last room was the frigidarium or cold room, which offered a cold bath for cooling off after the caldarium. The Romans also had flush toilets.
Roman military technology [ edit ]
The Roman military technology ranged from personal equipment and armament to deadly siege engines. They inherited almost all ancient weapons.
While heavy, intricate armour was not uncommon (cataphracts), the Romans perfected a relatively light, full torso armour made of segmented plates (lorica segmentata). This segmented armour provided good protection for vital areas, but did not cover as much of the body as lorica hamata or chainmail. The lorica segmentata provided better protection, but the plate bands were expensive and difficult to produce and difficult to repair in the field. Overall, chainmail was cheaper, easier to produce, and simpler to maintain, was one-size fits all, and was more comfortable to wear – thus, it remained the primary form of armour even when lorica segmentata was in use.
The Roman cavalry saddle had four horns [1] and was believed to have been copied from Celtic peoples.
Roman siege engines such as ballistas, scorpions and onagers were not unique. But the Romans were probably the first people to put ballistas on carts for better mobility on campaigns. On the battlefield, it is thought that they were used to pick off enemy leaders. There is one account of the use of artillery in battle from Tacitus, Histories III,23:
On engaging they drove back the enemy, only to be driven back themselves, for the Vitellians had concentrated their artillery on the raised road that they might have free and open ground from which to fire; their earlier shots had been scattered and had struck the trees without injuring the enemy. A ballista of enormous size belonging to the Fifteenth legion began to do great harm to the Flavians' line with the huge stones that it hurled; and it would have caused wide destruction if it had not been for the splendid bravery of two soldiers, who, taking some shields from the dead and so disguising themselves, cut the ropes and springs of the machine.
In addition to innovations in land warfare, the Romans also developed the Corvus (boarding device) a movable bridge that could attach itself to an enemy ship and allow the Romans to board the enemy vessel. Developed during the First Punic War it allowed them to apply their experience in land warfare on the seas.[15]
Other innovations [ edit ]
Rome was responsible for the innovation of other vital technology in addition to cataphracts, siege engines, and the Corvus.
Military Surgery: Although various levels of medicine were practiced in the ancient world,[16] the Romans created or pioneered many innovative surgeries and tools that are still in use today such as hemostatic tourniquets and arterial surgical clamps.[17] Rome was also responsible for producing the first battlefield surgery unit, a move that paired with their contributions to medicine made the Roman army a force to be reckoned with.[17] They also used a rudimentary version of antiseptic surgery years before its use became popular in the 19th century and possessed very capable doctors.[17]
Ballista and Onagers (continued): While core artillery inventions were notably founded by the Greeks, Rome saw opportunity in the ability to enhance this long range artillery. Large artillery pieces such as Carroballista and Onagers bombarded enemy lines, before full ground assault by infantry. The manuballista would "often be described as the most advanced two-armed torsion engine used by the Roman Army”. [19] The weapon often looks like a mounted crossbow capable of shooting projectiles. Similarly, the onager “named after the wild ass, because of its ‘kick’" was a larger weapon that was capable of hurling large projectiles at walls or forts. [19] Both were very capable machines of war and were put to use by the Roman military.
The weapon often looks like a mounted crossbow capable of shooting projectiles. Similarly, the onager “named after the wild ass, because of its ‘kick’" was a larger weapon that was capable of hurling large projectiles at walls or forts. Both were very capable machines of war and were put to use by the Roman military. Greek Fire: Originally an incendiary weapon perfected from the Greeks in 7th century AD, the Greek fire “is one of the very few contrivances whose gruesome effectiveness was noted by”[19] many sources. Roman innovators made this already lethal weapon even more deadly. Its nature is often described as a “precursor to napalm".[19] Military strategists often put the weapon to good use during naval battles, and the ingredients to its construction “remained a closely guarded military secret”.[19] Despite this, the devastation caused by Greek fire in combat is indisputable.
[20] A Roman Testudo Formation
Testudo: This strategic military maneuver is originally Roman. The tactic was implemented by having units raise their shields in order to protect themselves from enemy projectiles raining down on them. The strategy only worked if each member of the tested protected his comrade. Commonly used during siege battles, the “sheer discipline and synchronization required to form a Testudo” was a testament to the abilities of legionnaires.[19] Testudo, meaning tortoise in Latin, “was not the norm, but rather adopted in specific situations to deal with particular threats on the battlefield”.[19] The Greek phalanx and other Roman formations were a source of inspiration for this maneouver.
[21] Example of a Pontoon Bridge
Pontoon Bridge: Mobility, for a military force, was an essential key to success. Although this was not a Roman invention, as there were instances of "ancient Chinese and Persians making use of the floating mechanism”, [19] Roman generals used the innovation to great effect in campaigns. Furthermore, engineers perfected the speed at which these bridges were constructed. Leaders surprised enemy units to great effect by speedily crossing otherwise treacherous bodies of water. Lightweight crafts were “organized and tied together with the aid of planks, nails and cables”. [19] Rafts were more commonly used instead of building new makeshift bridges, enabling quick construction and deconstruction. [22] The expedient and valuable innovation of the pontoon bridge also accredited its success to the excellent abilities of Roman Engineers.
Roman generals used the innovation to great effect in campaigns. Furthermore, engineers perfected the speed at which these bridges were constructed. Leaders surprised enemy units to great effect by speedily crossing otherwise treacherous bodies of water. Lightweight crafts were “organized and tied together with the aid of planks, nails and cables”. Rafts were more commonly used instead of building new makeshift bridges, enabling quick construction and deconstruction. The expedient and valuable innovation of the pontoon bridge also accredited its success to the excellent abilities of Roman Engineers. Pilum (spear): The Roman heavy spear was a weapon favored by legionaries and weighed approximated five pounds.[23] The innovated javelin was designed to be used only once and was destroyed upon initial use. This ability prevented the enemy from reusing spears. All soldiers carried two versions of this weapon (a primary spear and a backup). A solid block of wood in the middle of the weapon enabled legionaries protection for their hands while carrying the device. According to Polybius, historians have records of "how the Romans threw their spears and then charged with swords".[24] This tactic seemed to be common practice among Roman infantry.
In summary, Rome contributed numerous advances in technology to the Ancient World. However, it is also viewed that "the ancient world under the domination of Rome [in fact] reached a kind of climax in the technological field [as] many technologies had advanced as far as possible with the equipment then available".[25] This concept of perfecting the unperfected was a theme that governed Roman technological supremacy throughout its 1,470 year reign. Ideas that had already been invented or designed: like the pontoon bridge, aqueduct, and military surgery, were constructed or utilized to perfection by Roman innovators. It's the innovation of technology that contributed to Rome's military success.
Technologies developed or invented by the Romans [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]John Surtees won but was later disqualified from the first race he ever participated in. He and his father entered a motorcycle sidecar race, with young John occupying the sidecar of his father's Vincent. It was only after that race that event organizers learned that 14-year-old John was under the minimum age requirement. That was in 1948, but by then he was already well and truly hooked on racing.
It was the start of an incredible career that would lead Surtees to world championships in both motorcycle and auto racing. He's still the only person in the world that can make that claim, and today he turns 80 years old.
SEE PHOTOS: Evolution of the Formula 1 car
In 1951 Surtees competed in and won his first solo motorcycle race. Four years later, he was brought on to race for Norton and later for MV Agusta. By the end of the 1960s, he had won 68 races and seven world championships on both 350cc and 500cc bikes.
With not much left to prove, Surtees made the jump to four-wheeled motor sports. In his first single-seater race in 1960, an F3 race at Goodwood, he finished second to a young Jim Clark who at the time was racing for Lotus. Lotus team boss Colin Chapman was so impressed by Surtees' performance that he brought him on for the last four races of the Formula 1 season.
In the following two seasons, he raced for Cooper and Lola with not much success. Then in 1963, Enzo Ferrari came knocking. Two seasons later in 1965, he won races at the Nürburgring and Monza, which was enough to give him his first and only Formula 1 championship.
READ THIS: Ferrari LaFerrari spotted testing at the Nürburgring
He went on to race in a few more Formula 1 races, which included a legendary win at Spa-Francorchamps. He also dabbled in sports car racing at Le Mans and in Can-Am before retiring from racing in 1973. He now lives with his wife in the English countryside.
Imagine Valentino Rossi winning a Formula 1 championship, or Sebastian Vettel suddenly dominating MotoGP. As talented as the two of them are, it's just not going to happen That's why there will never be another John Surtees.Image: Spencer Cooper/Flickr
Last year, a widely discussed study suggested the 47 percent of US jobs were at risk from the robot takeover. Today, the authors of that paper, Oxford University's Carl Frey and Michael Osborne have published the results of similar research for the UK along with a team from financial firm Deloitte—and it looks like the robo-revolution will be slightly slower this side of the pond. But it will still prove significant: their latest report suggests that 35 percent of UK jobs are at "high risk of being made redundant by technology in the next 10 to 20 years."
But as in the US, automation won't hit everyone equally. The chance of finding yourself replaced by a robot varies depending on where you work, the field you work in, and how much you earn (factors that are obviously linked). An engineer in London who earns six figures? You probably don't have to worry. A salesperson in the city on the average UK salary? The odds don't look so good.
Across the whole country, Frey and Osborne estimated, jobs paying less than £30,000 ($48,000) are nearly five times more likely to be lost to automation than jobs paying over £100,000 ($159,000).
To come to their conclusions, the researchers get into some of the finer points of how automation will affect the workplace: They highlight jobs in administrative support, transportation, sales and services, construction, and manufacturing as among the most high-risk from technology.
Jobs paying less than £30,000 are nearly five times more likely to be lost to automation than jobs paying over £100,000
Meanwhile, jobs in sectors like financial services, senior management, engineering, law, science, education, and the arts and media (phew) are at the least risk of being roboticized. That broadly echoes what they suggested in their US analysis and basically reflects where automated systems are at now: great at repetitive drudgery, not so much at creative thought and people skills.
This might also explain to some extent the discrepancy between the figures the researchers give for the US and UK. In a blog post on the Nesta website, the researchers write that the UK has more people working in jobs they classify as creative.
They explain that 21 percent of US jobs have a high probability of being "creative" by the definition they use, a number that rises to 24 percent in the UK. They write that "[P]laces that have specialised in creative work are most likely to prosper in the 21st century. In this regard the United Kingdom is in a good starting position—even better than the US it seems."
Jobs at high and low risk of automation in London vs the whole of the UK. Image: Deloitte
Frey and Osborne suggest some other interesting trends, too. First up, they propose that jobs in London will be less susceptible to automation. While 35 percent of jobs are "high risk" across the UK, only 30 percent of London jobs are. And while 40 percent of all UK jobs are considered at "low or no risk," a whole 51 percent of London jobs find themselves in that safety net.
The report states that, "The reason that the number of jobs at risk in London is relatively low [is] because a large proportion of the work force is already in high-skill roles that technology cannot easily replace."
This is where Deloitte's contribution to the work comes in, as they surveyed 100 London businesses and found a 73 percent majority planned to hire more (human) workers in the next five years. What's really happening is that jobs that are more likely to be automated are moving away from the city, which is instead booming in jobs that humans still dominate. As some jobs are lost to technology, others pop up in their place.
But even in London, which may on the surface seem more prepared to embrace the robot workforce, the burden will not be distributed equally; the rich, as always, have the most to gain from the robot revolution, and the poor the most to lose. In fact, the unequal impact of automation is all the more evident in the capital city.
Salary in London vs probability of computerisation. Image: Deloitte
Because although jobs paying less than £30,000 are predicted to be five times more at risk than jobs paying over £100,000 in the UK on the whole, the discrepancy is even larger in London. In the city alone, the lower-paid jobs are a whole eight times more likely to be lost than the higher-paying jobs.
While the report concludes that, "Cities that maintain their ability to shift workers into new employment opportunities resulting from technological change will prove the most resilient," it seems unlikely that the workers who are in a position to take on these new, human-specific, and likely higher-paid roles will be the same low-paid employees that have lost their job to automation.One letter could solve the 8-month-old murder of Myra Ical. But the two-page letter is missing one crucial clue that police need to catch the killer. Houston police homicide investigators say at this point, there is one person they think may have murdered Ical back in January. But an anonymous letter holds the key to a possible arrest. The letter gives a first name for the possible murderer, but because of the sensitivity of the investigation, Eyewitness News is not releasing that name.
The key to an unsolved murder came in the mail in June, addressed to Cristan Williams, the executive director of the Transgender Foundation in Montrose.
"This person was very much afraid to come forward with this information so they wrote an anonymous tip letter," Williams said.
On January 18, the body of a transgendered woman was found here in the 4300 block of Garrott, next to the Southwest Freeway. Police won't say how Ical died, but eight months later, the case is not cold.
"Most cold cases are not considered cold until every lead has been exhausted, so there is some things that we're working on," HPD Homicide Sgt. Bobby Roberts said.
One of those things is a letter written by someone who signed it only as "Matthew." He described two chance meetings with a man. The first happened in February at the Guava Lamp Bar on Waugh.
"He seems to be a very strange person anyway," Matthew wrote, say the man tried to pick up his friend.
Matthew says he overheard the man talking about leaving the country because of what he had done.
The second meeting happened at South Beach Nightclub in Montrose in May.
"He was again under the influence but remembered my friend and began making a pass again," the letter writer says. He also says a passerby told him the man was violent.
Police say Matthew is detailed enough and credible enough that they need to find him.
"It could assist us in getting warrants for DNA evidence or whatever it is we need to help this case and get us to a conclusion," Roberts said.
The man described in Matthew's letter is the only person police are looking at for Ical's murder right now.
And back at the Transgender Foundation, Williams says Matthew is the key to preventing more murders.
"Unless they come forward, someone else can be the next victim," she said.
Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information leading that leads to the arrest of a suspect. Anyone with tips is asked to call the hot line at 713-222-8477.CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 04: Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren stands at the podium on stage during a walkthrough during day one of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The DNC that will run through September 7, will nominate U.S. President Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Entering the final month of campaigning, support among likely voters continues to be there for Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren (D). Favorability is more up in the air.
A Sunday poll released by Western New England University (WNEU) / MassLive.com shows that Warren is maintaining a five-point lead over incumbent Sen. Scott Brown (R), 50 percent to 45 percent. Yet her unfavorability rating jumped from 33 percent to 41 percent over the past three weeks.
During that span, Warren and Brown partook in two heated debates. The Sept. 20 opener saw the duo spar over tax policy, with the Democratic challenger charging that Brown has impeded progress on jobs bills.
"When I talk about how people who are really struggling, I don't know how Senator Brown can vote against them. but Senator Brown is lining up with the Republicans to vote no," said Warren.
"The criticism you're hearing is that I don't want to raise taxes -- guilty as charged," Brown shot back. "I don't want to raise taxes."
That fervor persisted into last Monday's matchup in Lowell, Mass., where both candidates experienced their share of fumbles. When asked which Republican senators she would best be equipped to work with, Warren mentioned Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.). The only problem was, Lugar lost his primary to Tea Party favorite Richard Mourdock. Brown's hiccup came on the question of his model Supreme Court justice, where he strung together a wide range of choices, from Antonin Scalia to Sonia Sotomayor.As 2014 winds to a close, the editors at Ten Ton Hammer are pleased to present our 10th annual game of the year awards!
As has become our annual tradition, our team spends most of the month of December locked in a secret underground bunker where we review what the year had to offer for massively multiplayer online gamers. Our Best of 2014 Awards represent the titles we consider to be the most impactful in their respective categories and genres. As with previous years, we've also included awards in categories or for titles that may not be core MMOGs, but we consider to be well deserving regardless.
A lot of excellent games were released in 2014, and while each have their merits, we were determined to scale things down to a list of those titles that left the most lasting positive impressions. Our picks for the Best of 2014 can be found below, presented in our spiffy new gallery format for your viewing enjoyment.Rep. Patricia Todd
By Rep. Patricia Todd, a Democrat representing part of Birmingham
I admit it. I'm frustrated and dumbfounded on the current "bathroom" issue.
Recently a fellow legislator wanted to talk with me on the issue and he said he supported the law in North Carolina that mandates people use the bathroom of their birth sex. I asked him how many transgender people he knew personally. His answer, of course, was NONE.
I have many transgender friends. I've witnessed a friend transition from female to male and I was in genuine awe of the strength it took to make that decision and to follow through. He's given me invaluable insight into transgender issues, what it means to be a transgender person in the south, and into simply living your authentic life.
I know many of you can't imagine a person feeling that he or she was born in the wrong body. But there are millions of people in every country around the world who do. I've witnessed so many friends struggle with the mainstream view of "male" and "female" and I've seen the emotional trauma, the isolation from friends, family, and society, and the pain this mainstream view inflicts on them. From my experiences with my transgender friends and loved ones, I became an outspoken advocate and activist for the transgender community.
All of us express our gender identity and gender expression in different ways. There are hundreds of ways that a person expresses his or her gender identity. To think that are is only two ways is ignorant, narrow-minded, avoidant of the truth. People are not "Barbie/female" or "G.I.Joe/male". Each individual is unique and therefore expresses every aspect of his or her uniqueness - including gender identity in myriad forms.
When a person doesn't conform to "traditional" norms, many of us are threatened simply because we don't understand and it is human nature to fear what we don't understand. We want an easy way to categorize people we meet; race, age, gender, size, etc. We want to fit people into boxes. Transgender folks don't fit easily into those boxes and all too often, they are ostracized, teased, disrespected, harassed, and in the worst cases - of which there have been many - physically abused and murdered because of it.
In order to calm our fear of the unknown, the things we don't understand, we need three things: education, an open mind and a willingness to get to know a person. A person who might be very different from ourselves but a person just like ourselves in so many ways.
In a way, I'm glad we're having this public discourse. Open discussion can open minds. Open minds absorb information, the letting go of misinformation, and to further frank conversations about things we once didn't understand or even feared. And once a person gets to know a person who might not fit into one of those neat little boxes, there's great potential for new insight, friendship and love for all people, which I'm fairly certain is what God asks of all of us.
I've heard some stupid things said by my legislative peers demonstrating a lack of education on transgender issues. It's far too easy to go with your current opinions or emotions - or the opinions and emotional statements of others - than it is to face your own lack of information, fears of the unknown, and long-held beliefs that may or may not have any basis in fact, than it is to do the research, get the facts, and then make informed decisions grounded in the facts. Unfortunately, the former happens all too often in Montgomery.
So for those too lazy to some investigating on your own, here some facts to consider:
No evidence has been uncovered showing that fears of transgender persons and "the bathroom issue" are warranted In In fact, most child predators are male (The National Center for Victims of Crime) and The Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute The majority of child sexual assault occurs in locations where children gather, school, church, parks, etc.
Demonizing transgender folks is wrong. Instead of focusing on the facts of where sexual assault occur and who perpetrates these attacks, the right made up a problem that doesn't actually exist according to expert studies. The truth is that the only recorded incidents of violence in the bathrooms has been when opponents to transgender rights initiate it.
This is a classic diversion technique used in politics: If you know you can't win on facts or merit, throw out a damning statement that will appeal to the emotions of voters.
Most people don't have the pleasure of knowing a transgender person so they assume the stereotype promoted by the right is correct. Again, far easier to accept a 30 second sound bite than to form your own opinion by researching the facts.
Most caring parents accompany their children to public bathrooms. Some mothers bring their young male children to use the women's bathroom. Should that be legal? Will that become illegal?
Pay attention. Just read al.com every morning and look at the child predators in our state. They are NOT transgender people. In fact, more and more are teachers, coaches and faith leaders.
So if you really want to protect your children from child predators, don't take them to school, public parks, church or allow them to play sports or use the internet.
Get the point?The Buffalo Bills have traded linebacker Reggie Ragland to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Ragland was drafted in the second round (41st overall) in 2016 by the Bills.
He missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL and Bills.com writer Chris Brown said his roster spot for this season "looked precarious at best."
Ragland was drafted to play in the Bills' 3-4 defensive scheme under Rex Ryan, but has struggled to transition to the lone middle linebacker spot in the team's 4-3 scheme this year.
A standout at the University of Alabama, Ragland posted 102 tackles during his senior year with the Crimson Tide in 2015.
In other Bills news, ESPN's Field Yates reports the team is signing quarterback Keith Wenning as both starter Tyrod Taylor and backup T.J. Yates deal with concussions.
Source: with Tyrod Taylor and T.J. Yates dealing with concussions, the Bills are signing QB Keith Wenning. Familiar with OC Rick Dennison. — Field Yates (@FieldYates) August 28, 2017
A native of Coldwater, Ohio, the 26-year-old Wenning was taken in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, where Bills offensive coordinator Rick Dennison served as quarterbacks coach.
Wenning has appeared on both the practice rosters of the Ravens and New York Giants, as well as the Cincinnati Bengals active roster in 2015 when Andy Dalton went down with a thumb injury.A cat was saved by the firefighters from a burning home on Wednesday July 31 in South Bend, IN. South Bend firefighters Troy Platz and Ken Knoell pulled the black and white cat named "Little" out of the burning home and provided the kitty very needed oxygen.
When Jocelyn Wallace saw her beloved cat, she clutched Little. It was an emotional reunion.
South Bend firefighters battle a house fire, trying to bring all the people and pets to safety
Firefighters Troy Platz carries Little the cat saved from the house fire.
Firefighters Troy Platz and Ken Knoell give the black and white kitty oxygen.
Little is treated with oxygen and care by the firefighters
South Bend firefighter Jeremy Remble reunites Little with his family
When Jocelyn Wallace sees Little, she clutches her beloved cat.
It is an emotional reunion.
Source: South Bend Tribune.A Texas State University history professor called the employers of at least two conservatives, one a current student, in retribution over a political disagreement on Facebook.
Elizabeth Bishop, who is allegedly rumored to become the next dean of the College of Liberal Arts, made phone calls to employers and a university department in an attempt to punish the two conservatives for daring to disagree with her in a Facebook discussion.
“Thankfully, my employer laughed the ordeal off after seeing that the allegations of hate speech were false.”
[RELATED: CSU employee shames students as ‘local racists’]
The Facebook status in question was initially posted by Colton Duncan, the student body vice president, but was apparently later removed by Facebook for “violating community standards.”
Duncan decried Texas State’s apparent double standard in allowing radical communist Angela Davis to speak on campus, calling her an “American terrorist,” but not allowing the College Republicans to hold a Women’s Empowerment Summit.
The status soon developed into a debate over the relative merits of capitalism and communism, where Alexander Morrissette, an employee of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Bishop began commenting at each other.
“It’s a shame we live in an era when university students can’t tell the difference between Stalin and Hitler,” Bishop wrote. “Like, they fought World War II. As enemies.”
Morrissette responded, “Enemies can have similar goals, interests, and dreams of autocratic control.”
Their debate continued in relatively the same vein, but things escalated when the Texas Public Policy Foundation received a call from Bishop the next day asking if Morrissette was one of its employees.
Bishop contended in the call that Morrissette had made a disparaging Facebook post about her, but refused to provide details on what the post said. The employee who answered the call said she would talk to Morrissette about his Facebook habits, and Bishop hung up the phone shortly thereafter.
Seemingly unsatisfied with the Foundation’s response, as Morrissette said they “laughed the ordeal off,” Bishop set her sights on an anonymous Texas State student who had “liked” several of Morrissette’s comments.
Bishop allegedly called the university department where the student works and requested they investigate her and her “associates” for “hate speech,” and further demanded that the student be removed from her leadership positions on campus.
When Morrissette heard of this development, he said it was “worse...that she levied her threats at students who are still directly subjected to her authority on campus.”
[RELATED: CSUF lecturer allegedly assaults conservative student on campus]
“Thankfully, my employer laughed the ordeal off after seeing that the allegations of hate speech were false,” Morrissette explained. “The employers on college campuses, especially campuses that are so rife with Politically Correct culture, may not be so judicious in their evaluation of these kinds of claims.”
Duncan said he was shocked to hear of Bishop’s calls to employers over his Facebook status and asserted that he would be “deeply disappointed” if the rumors about Bishop becoming dean turn out to be true.
“Someone like that, with little to no regard for the First Amendment, has no business educating the next generation of leaders,” Duncan stated. “The political science department has pumped out a good number of leaders, whether they're activists, public servants, or leaders in the private sector. I shudder at the thought of this woman wielding any authority over this process.”
Duncan has received his fair share of criticism for the Facebook status, receiving a number of calls and emails that prompted him to hold an “un-official press conference.”
Campus Reform reached out to Texas State University and Bishop for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @amber_atheyEcoSalon’s favorite quotes about the simple pleasures of cooking and eating.
If we’re not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn’t settle for junk food. -Sally Edwards
Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. -Voltaire
Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. -Jim Davis
Sex is good, but not as good as fresh, sweet corn. -Garrison Keillor
I have long believed that good food, good eating is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime “associates,” food, for me, has always been an adventure. -Anthony Bourdain
After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relatives. -Oscar Wilde
It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. -Lewis Grizzard
One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. -Luciano Pavarotti
When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste. -Laiko Bahrs
All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast. -John Gunther
We plan, we toil, we suffer – in the hope of what? A camel-load of idol’s eyes? The title deeds of Radio City? The empire of Asia? A trip to the moon? No, no, no, no. Simply to wake just in time to smell coffee and bacon and eggs. -J.B. Priestly
There is no love sincerer than the love of food. -George Bernard Shaw
The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found. -Calvin Trillin
Life is a combination of magic and pasta. -Federico Fellini
Soup is just a way of screwing you out of a meal. -Jay Leno
The tradition of Italian cooking is that of the matriarch. This is the cooking of grandma. She didn’t waste time thinking too much about the celery. She got the best celery she could and then she dealt with it. -Mario Batali
Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. -Harriet van Horne
A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe. -Thomas Keller
It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it. -Julia Child
Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts! -James Beard
Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. -Doug Larson
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. -Virginia Woolf
Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements. -Marcel Boulestin
I’ll bet what motivated the British to colonize so much of the world is that they were just looking for a decent meal. -Martha Harrison
Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea. -Pythagoras
I prefer to regard a dessert as I would imagine the perfect woman: subtle, a little bittersweet, not blowsy and extrovert. Delicately made up, not highly rouged. Holding back, not exposing everything and, of course, with a flavor that lasts. -Graham Kerr
Great food is like great sex. The more you have the more you want. -Gael Greene
The belly rules the mind. -Spanish Proverb
For the first time I know what it is to eat. I have gained four pounds. I get frantically hungry, and the food I eat gives me a lingering pleasure. I never ate before in this deep carnal way… I want to bite into life and to be torn by it. -Anaïs Nin
Life is too short for self-hatred and celery sticks. -Marilyn Wann
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ratings decline in Mindanao.
“The SWS survey was taken after his declaration of ML and shows a bump in ratings in Luzon and Visayas and a slight decline in Mindanao. Malamang ang pinapakita nito ay yung malawakang suporta ng publiko sa kanyang aksyon laban sa terorismo at sa pagpasok ng Maute/ISIS sa Marawi city,” Angara said.
Ejercito said: “People understand that the intention of the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao is for the resolution of the rebellion in Marawi. Majority of the People in Mindanao specially are in full support because they want the cirisis to end as soon as possible."
The Senate, with the vote of 17 administration senators, adopted a resolution supporting the martial law proclamation. The Senate, just like the House of Representatives, also refused to convene to discuss it.
The Supreme Court recently upheld the constitutionality of the declaration
In the latest SWS survey conducted from June 23 to 26 – a month after Duterte’s May 23 declaration of martial law – 78 percent of 1,200 respondents said they were satisfied with the President’s performance in the second quarter. Twelve percent were dissatisfied while 10 were undecided.
Duterte’s net satisfaction rating decreased by 12 points in Mindanao – from 87 in March to 75 in June. The net satisfaction rating of 67 is still considered “very good” by the Social Weather Stations.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Duterte has passed the test of leadership, as he lauded the Chief Executive’s “fearless devotion” to end the Marawi crisis.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said the results were similar to the feedback he has been getting from the public. “It’s the same feedback I get from the people in the local level that I touch base with nationwide,” Sotto told reporters. – Rappler.comThe American Civil Liberties Union likes to pretend that it “wubs” civil liberties for American. However, they only pretend when it is politically useful for them to do so.
Case in point: No fly lists.
The ACLU is suing against the use of “no fly lists”, considering prohibiting someone from using one particular form of transportation as unacceptable. Indeed the arbitrary and capricious nature by which people can be added to a list, with no recourse to remove themselves from the list, is indeed noxious worthy of nothing but opposition.
The loss of any civil liberties in such and arbitrary and capricious manner, without recourse to regain such civil liberties, should be eschewed. The abandoning of both due process or the concept of innocent until proven guilty is something that a real pro-civil liberties organization would fight against. The ACLU is not a real pro-civil liberties organization. With “reforms” they have no problem with allowing bureaucrats to arbitrarily and capriciously suspend people’s 2nd Amendment civil liberties, as ACLU’s media strategist Josh Bell mentioned:
“There is no constitutional bar to reasonable regulation of guns, and the no-fly list could serve as one tool for it”
The ACLU is all for civil liberties, at least for some people. This should come as no surprise from an organization that supported religious freedom laws to protect non-Christians from the equal application of the law, but opposes religious freedom to not subsidize someone else’s sex life.
It would seem that the “A” in “ACLU” stands not for “American” but for “Anti-“…
TweetIf you are looking not only for clues into Barack Obama’s character but for a definition of what his presidency will mean to the country, then the speech on fiscal policy that he delivered at George Washington University the Wednesday before last is the most significant one he has ever given. It is, in its own way, an astonishing document, alive with the themes that undergirded his Philadelphia speech on race and his Nobel Prize acceptance, on the tragic enmeshment of American limitations and American strength. Obama was responding mostly to the Republican budget plan, and he understood exactly what its author, Representative Paul Ryan, had in his sights: This vision, Obama said, is less about reducing the deficit than it is about changing the basic social compact in America.
And yet, having defined the fight so starkly, Obama delivered a plea for compromise. He ended a stirring defense of the welfare state by explaining his plans to gut it. Then he said that even this proposed $2 trillion cut in government spending was only a starting point for negotiation: I don’t expect the details in any final agreement to look exactly like the approach I laid out today, he said. This is a democracy; that’s not how things work. There were notes of deference, and passivity: If Obama believed that his vision of society was at stake, why place it so squarely on the partisan bargaining tableor why not at least begin with a stronger gambit? This was, at any rate, the point of view of one particular strain of liberal reaction, whose position was summed up with poignant resignation by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. I could live with this as an end result, he wrote. If this becomes the left pole, and the center is halfway between this and Ryan, then no.
For the first two years of the Obama administration, Krugman has been building, in his columns and on his blog, not just a critique of this presidency but something grander and more expansively detailed, something closer to an alternate architecture for what Obamaism might be. The project has remade Krugman’s public image, as if he had spent years becoming a chemically isolate form of himselffirst a moderate, then an anti-Bush partisan, and now the leading exponent of a kind of liberal purism against which the compromises of the White House might be judged. Krugman’s counterfactual Obama would have provided far more stimulus money and would have nationalized Citigroup and Bank of America. He would have written off Republicans and worked only with Democrats to fashion a health-care reform bill that included a so-called public option. The president of Krugman’s dreams would have made his singular long-term goal the preservation of the welfare state and the middle-class society it was designed to create.
This purism is not a role Krugman is altogether comfortable with, but it is one he has sought: His blog is titled The Conscience of a Liberal. He uses it as a kind of workroom for his column, and it is now, according to Technorati, the most popular single-author blog onlinea more statistically rigorous counterpart to Rachel Maddow’s show and the Huffington Post. The comment section has become a repository for a certain form of liberal anguish, and a community unto itself: His campaign promised a better, more equitable America. Those who believed him feel betrayed, wrote one commenter in regard to a recent column titled The President Is Missing.And another: Come on, Professor Krugman, will you lead the people out?
In December, Krugman and five other liberal economic thinkers (Joseph Stiglitz, Robert Reich, Jeffrey Sachs, Alan Blinder, and Larry Mishel) were invited to the Oval Office for a 90-minute off-the-record audience with the president. It was a month after the midterms, and many progressives were worried that even the modified liberalism of the administration’s first two years would dissolve in a new spirit of conciliation with the ascendant right. The economists present understood the meeting, one of them says, as the moment when Obama talked to the left.
The economists sat ringing Obamatwo Nobelists, a former Labor secretary, and a former vice-chairman of the Fed. Not a Gentile among them, Krugman noticed, but an amazingly high proportion of beards. To begin the meeting, Obama asked each of his guests to identify the most pressing economic issue. Five of the economists emphasized the same problem. Unemployment, they said, was so high that the recovery might never get out of first gear. It was not the time for austerity; the president should focus on short-term job creation and turn to the deficit later. But the other economist, Sachs, the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia, held out. Concentrate on the long-term outlook, he told the president.
For Krugman, the path forward was perfectly clear: The only way to avert a deepening crisis was massive Keynesian stimulus. During the nineties in Japan, he had seen the nightmare alternative. Officials in Tokyo, faced with a very similar scenario, had done too little to stimulate the economy, again and again, and as their nation’s recovery stumbled, they found they were toggling an unplugged joystick. And yet now, after more than two years of economic calamity at home, the liberal solution again wasn’t getting through: Krugman couldn’t even build a consensus among six like-minded economists, let alone convince a Democratic president. I have no idea what Jeff was talking about, he says.David Harmer: “We received numerous reports of malfunctioning voting machines.” But he doesn’t have a single example. And election officials have received no complaints.
This is Harmer’s third congressional election. He lost in Utah in the 1990s and again last year to Democrat John Garamendi in neighboring Congressional District CA-10.
Now he’s losing to incumbent Jerry McNerney (D) in California’s 11th Congressional District.
As a political junkie, ex-Mormon and fan of the only member of Congress with a Ph.D. in Mathematics, I’ve been following this race pretty closely. My latest tally shows a +568 lead for McNerney (based on county tallies as of this posting: Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Alameda).
All that’s left now in CA-11 is to get the remaining votes counted, but it seems that David Harmer is still in campaign mode and trying to sow doubts and cast aspersions on both the vote counting and the counters:
If David had one shred of evidence, that would be one thing. But he doesn’t. He’s just crying wolf and insulting all the civic-minded, honest folks who do the real work of processing and monitoring our ballots, folks like this blogger who, unlike Harmer, actually live in District 11:
What I did on election night: I went to my county registrar’s office and watched ballots being counted. It was eye opening and really satisfying. Without sounding clich, I was watching democracy in action. There were more than a handful of observers there, including journalists, volunteers and employees of various campaigns, a candidate and his friends, and a few concerned citizens. The amount of logistics and planning involved is breathtaking.
Compare the above sentiments and on-the-ground observations to David Harmer’s untethered scaremongering spin as reported by ABC7:
… Harmer sent an e-mail to supporters saying, “As of 4:09 a.m. pacific time, with 99 percent of the precincts reporting, we led by 23 votes then. In the preliminary final count, the incumbent suddenly jumped ahead. If that sounds suspicious, it is. We have reason for serious concern about the integrity of the count and the security of the ballots in some areas.” “We received numerous reports of malfunctioning voting machines, for example, and we’ve asked people to forward those to the appropriate authorities,” Harmer said. But beyond that, Harmer doesn’t have an example. [Contra Costa County Clerk Steve] Weir says he hasn’t heard of a single complaint that would justify Harmer’s concern for the integrity of the vote count. If Harmer was attempting to raise fears, it wouldn’t be the first time that tactic has been used to motivate supporters. The e-mail went out as a pitch for campaign contributions.
It’s suspicious that you lost a sliver-thin lead of 23 votes, David? Seriously? Nearly 300,000 ballots were cast in this same 11th district contest in 2008. But apparently somebody must be cheating in 2010 when you go from being up by 23 votes to down by a few hundred?
Get a grip, man.
And kudos to Michael Cabanatuan over at the San Francisco Chronicle for his original reporting on Harmer’s alarmist antics, excerpted below:
Election day may be past, but the race is not over in the sprawling 11th Congressional District, where Rep. Jerry McNerney, the two-term Democratic congressman targeted by Republicans, holds a tiny lead over conservative attorney David Harmer. Early Wednesday morning, when Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Joaquin counties completed their vote counts, McNerney held a 121-vote lead over Harmer. But tens of thousands of mail-in and provisional ballots probably remain to be counted, and that’s not likely to occur before the end of the week at the earliest. But that didn’t stop Harmer from issuing an e-mail bulletin to supporters implying irregularities in the vote counting …
Emphasis mine.
Your FUD just went THUD, David. Better luck next time.How we tested
Whether or not you’re familiar with sous vide, chances are you’ve eaten food prepared this way. In the past decade, this method of cooking food in a precisely controlled water bath has rippled its way from Michelin-starred restaurants such as Alinea in Chicago and Per Se in New York to chains including Chipotle, Panera, and Starbucks, and it's now making a splash in home kitchens.
Here’s how it works: A water bath is preheated to a precise temperature. The food is sealed in plastic (though not always; you can sous vide in glass jars, and eggs can be cooked right in their shells) and immersed in the bath so that it eventually reaches the same temperature as the water. And in the case of meat and fish, there is usually a quick searing step before serving. This differs from conventional stovetop and oven methods, in which the heat used is much higher than the serving temperature of the food, making it imperative to remove the food at just the right moment so it’s fully done but not overcooked.
But with sous vide there’s usually no risk of overcooking, making it a game-changing technique—especially for temperature-sensitive (and often expensive) foods such as fish or steak. Long, slow cooking breaks down collagen to render even tough cuts such as chuck or pork shoulder extremely tender. The low cooking temperature ensures meat remains juicy, never dry; and dialing in the precise temperature creates exceptional, consistent results that can’t be achieved with traditional methods. It also eases the daunting task of cooking for a holiday meal or dinner party, since large quantities of food can be prepped hours in advance and held at the perfect temperature until serving time.
Home models of sous vide machines now come in two styles: big heated boxes called water ovens and slim, stick-like devices known as immersion circulators, which attach to a pot or container and continuously heat the water. We’ve found in previous testings that we prefer immersion circulators, since they heat faster, store easily, and work with vessels of different sizes, ranging from a saucepan to a large cooler. Circulators started out as hulking, expensive lab instruments, but manufacturers now make smaller, sleeker models with features such as wifi and Bluetooth connectivity, which are marketed to home cooks.
Though sous vide technology is rapidly evolving, we decided to take a look at all the major immersion circulators on the market right now. We evaluated seven models marketed for home use, with prices ranging from $129.99 to $274.95. Three of the models were wifi-enabled, with accompanying mobile apps. We tried the circulators in a variety of different-size containers and cooked foods to a range of temperatures, testing with eggs, salmon, flank steak, pork loin, and beef short ribs.
How Much Does Temperature Accuracy Matter?
We tracked the temperature of each bath throughout testing, timing how long the water took to come up to temperature and to recover after we added cold food and how accurately the circulators held their target temperatures. (All the models we tested can operate in Celsius and Fahrenheit. Though we tried the machines on both settings, temperatures are reported in Fahrenheit for the purposes of this story.) In addition to monitoring the temperature of the water while cooking food, we measured accuracy using lab-calibrated temperature tracking software to evaluate the circulators while they heated an empty 6-quart water bath for 3 hours, first at 149 degrees (the temperature at which, when cooked for 1 hour, eggs are soft-cooked, with just-set whites and runny yolks) and later at 190 degrees, the highest temperature some circulators can reach.
Most of the circulators fluctuated an average of 1 to 2 degrees from the target temperature over 3 hours, particularly when we set them to 190 degrees. The most accurate circulator, however, stayed within 0.2 degrees of the target at both temperatures. All the machines were able to recover quickly when we added food, usually reaching the target temperature after just 2 or 3 minutes.
Temperature accuracy didn’t have an impact on meat or fish; every model we tested produced tender and flavorful salmon, pork, and steak. Accuracy issues were noticeable, however, when we cooked eggs, which are very time- and temperature-sensitive. Circulators that fluctuated more than 1 degree from the target temperature often made over- or undercooked eggs. With eggs, we saw more consistent results with extremely temperature-stable circulators.
Ease of Use Is Paramount
While some circulators whirred to life with one touch, others required a confusing sequence of button-pushing to get started. A few wouldn’t run unless we set their timer function beforehand—a slightly bothersome extra step since one of the selling points of sous vide is that time isn’t as crucial. However, one model lacked an onboard timer, which was frustrating on occasions when we wanted to track the time, such as when cooking eggs. Some models beeped unnecessarily throughout cooking, and we had to repeatedly consult the manual to stop the noise. Others gurgled and churned rapidly, tossing eggs around and jostling delicate salmon fillets. We preferred circulators that were simple, quiet, and user-friendly. Our favorite models sported gentle motors but still heated water quickly; had intuitive dials, buttons, and timer functions; and beeped only when the machine needed our attention.
The Best Immersion Circulators Are Small but Versatile
The size of the circulator also factored in to how easy it was to use. The two circulators that weighed more than 4 pounds quickly heated a 6-quart bath to 190 degrees in under 15 minutes, but they took up so much room in the water bath that there was hardly any space to add food. We could fit only two or three steaks before the bags began to push up against each other, which prevented circulation and produced visibly undercooked spots on the food. Despite their power, these machines were too big to work with 4-quart saucepans or 7¼-quart Dutch ovens—the largest pots most home cooks keep in the kitchen. Smaller circulators were more versatile, easily attaching to whichever pot we tried them on; they were also slim enough to stow away in a kitchen drawer when we were done. We particularly liked the two lightest circulators, which weighed 2½ pounds or less and had minimal footprints. Though they took an average of 5 additional minutes to heat the bath, these products left plenty of space to keep food separated and circulating freely.
Distance Between Minimum and Maximum Water Line Matters
While using an immersion circulator, you have to keep the water level between the minimum and maximum fill lines noted on the unit. The minimum line ensures that there’s enough water for the circulator to pull into its heating ports and circulate, while the maximum line keeps water away from the sensitive electronics at the top of the circulator. In general, the wider this range, the easier a circulator is to use.
Water in the bath evaporates as you cook, though the rate and amount vary depending on the temperature and cooking time. Evaporation can be stalled by covering the cooking container with plastic, but the issue is avoided altogether in machines with a large distance between minimum and maximum water lines. These products didn’t need their pots to be refilled, and we didn’t have to worry about them shutting off in the middle of cooking due to a low water level.
This often came into play during the quicker cooking projects. (Sous vide projects can range from minutes for quick-cooking foods such as eggs or fish to several days for tough cuts like pork belly or short ribs.) For convenience, we prefer to leave the bath uncovered for such projects, but this meant that circulators with a short distance between water lines (less than 3 inches) were beeping and flashing error messages after just a couple of hours of heating.
A larger range between water lines allowed us to cook uninterrupted and gave us more flexibility to use the circulators with vessels of different shapes and sizes. We were particularly impressed with one circulator that had a generous 6.5 inches between minimum and maximum water lines, so we never had to worry about evaporation.
Do You Need a Sous Vide Machine with Wi-fi?
The potential for water evaporation also clued us in to the benefit of a wifi-connected circulator. Three of the circulators we tested could be paired with a smartphone using Bluetooth or wifi and the given brand’s companion app. (A wifi connection lets you monitor the cooking from far away, while Bluetooth requires your phone or tablet to be within range of the circulator to work. All three connected circulators support both types of pairing, though we opted for wifi since the connection is more stable.) The apps allow you to turn the device on and off, set the temperature or cooking time, and browse suggested recipes.
We loved that wifi-connected circulators allowed us to check the temperature, water level, and timer from across town, especially for longer projects. The apps could notify us when water was running low and, if needed, we could adjust the temperature directly from our phone.
However, the apps weren’t as helpful for quicker-cooking foods such as fish and eggs. For these uses, we liked the ability to set the temperature and timer directly on the circulators, which was faster than starting up the app and pairing the device. Of the three wifi-connected circulators, two weren’t completely tied to their apps; they also allowed us to set time and temperature directly on the circulators.
What Makes the Best Sous Vide Machines—and Why
Though we liked the convenience of being able to set temperature and time directly on the machines, the product that most impressed us had no controls on it; it functioned completely through a smartphone app. The Joule ($199.00 for stainless steel model, $179.00 for all white polycarbonate model) was the smallest circulator in our lineup; however, it had enough power to heat a water bath almost as quickly as the largest circulators, and it was accurate within 0.2 degrees of our target temperature. Though we were initially skeptical of having to use a smartphone app all the time, we quickly realized that the absence of exposed electronics was a big boon to versatility. Without front-facing buttons or display screens taking up space, the Joule has an impressive 6.5-inch distance between minimum and maximum water lines, so we never had to worry about evaporation. Plus, it was the only circulator that could tolerate accidentally being submerged in the water bath (the machine turns itself off if it tips over). It also has a magnetic bottom that allows it to stand in the center of metal pots, and it automatically downloads firmware updates that make the circulator even smarter as the technology continues to evolve. These small details combine to make sous vide cooking even more approachable for home cooks. If you are apprehensive about having to use a smartphone to sous vide, we also like the Anova Precision Cooker WI-FI ($199.00), which can be operated with or without a smartphone; it was fast and sleek and produced great results when cooking.
Methodology
We tested seven immersion circulators priced from $129.99 to $274.95. We used each to prepare eggs, salmon, flank steak, pork loin, and beef short ribs. We evaluated accuracy and speed by tracking the temperature as each machine heated and maintained a water bath at 149 degrees and 190 degrees over 3 hours. Weight, height, footprint, and distance between minimum and maximum water lines were all measured in-house. All products were purchased online and appear below in order of preference.
ACCURACY: We tracked how well the circulators maintained a water bath at both moderate heat (149 degrees) and high heat (190 degrees). Top points were awarded to circulators that kept the bath within 0.2 degrees of the target temperature over the course of 3 hours.
SPEED: We timed how long it took each product to heat a 6-quart water bath from room temperature to 190 degrees. Full stars went to those that achieved this in 20 minutes or less.
COOKING: A team of editors evaluated the cooked food straight from the water bath. Points were awarded for food that was evenly cooked and, in the case of meat, juicy and tender. Machines lost points if they jostled and tore delicate fillets, cracked eggs, or left cold spots on the food.
EASE OF USE: Testers awarded full points to circulators that had intuitive controls, easy-to-set timers, clear displays, and meaningful alerts and alarms. We also evaluated the functionality of wifi pairing (if applicable) and the usefulness of companion apps.
VERSATILITY: We tried the circulators on 4-quart saucepans, 7¼-quart Dutch ovens, 8-quart plastic containers, and 9½-gallon coolers. Our favorite circulators secured easily to all these vessels. We also preferred circulators with at least 3.5 inches between minimum and maximum water lines, which allowed us to cook food for more than 72 hours without interruption. Bonus points went to circulators that alerted us when the water level was getting low.As the movement for ranked choice voting gathers steam around the country and its successes mount, we’ve of course had to contend with critics. Usually, these detractors are defenders of the status quo, those who see no problem with our current plurality voting system. There are fewer of these critics all the time, as the number of people who are happy with the electoral system in the US, with its divisive politics and limited options, appears to be dwindling.
However, a small but vocal faction of online critics aren’t defenders of the status quo, but proponents of other alternative voting systems. Their proposed alternatives vary — some have been known about for centuries, others they invented just last week — but what these proposals share is a lack of success in the context of real-world, competitive elections. Curiously, that fact doesn’t seem to bother their proponents. “The great tragedy of science,” Thomas Huxley noted, is “the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.” These critics love beautiful hypotheses on blackboards... but true science, grounded in real-world experience, not so much.
Take backers of “approval voting.” Use of approval voting in competitive elections is limited, but what exists is rife with Huxley’s “ugly facts.” Case in point: elections for the Dartmouth College Board of Trustees. The Dartmouth Alumni Association used approval voting for the trustees elections for several years, but its problems eventually became too much to bear. In a 53-page report authored in 2007, the alumni noted that approval lacks a “runoff mechanism to determine a majority winner” and “permits a form of tactical voting referred to as “bullet voting,” wherein voter vote for just a single candidate. As The Dartmouth newspaper later pointed out, bullet voting rewarded a minority faction at the expense of candidates with majority support. In 2009, alumni voters voted 82-18% to abandon it.
As the saying goes, those that don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. And so in 2011, the Dartmouth elections committee, chaired by a fervent but well-meaning advocate of approval voting, summarily switched their student government elections from ranked choice voting to approval. Six years later, the results are telling:
the vast majority of voters cast “bullet votes” under approval voting, meaning they voted for exactly 1 candidate, just as if it the elections used plurality voting;
votes for winners plunged from previous ranked choice voting elections, with candidates now regularly falling well short of a majority of support; and
voters participation in the choice between frontrunners plunged, too, with more ballots rendered irrelevant to which of the top two vote-getters ultimately won.
We’ll take a look at the data, but first a little background and theory on approval voting.
Background
Here’s how approval voting works. Unlike RCV, voters aren’t allowed to rank their choices in order of preference under approval. Instead, they can vote for as many candidates as they like, but each vote has equal weight. Then the candidate with the most votes wins. This works well-enough for low-stakes decision-making like choosing, say, where to go for lunch. And at first glance, it may seem simple to use for high-stakes elections, too.
However, that superficial “simplicity” quickly fades once your try to fill out an approval ballot in an election that really matters to you. A voter presumably votes for their first choice. But do they vote for their second choice? Their third? When should the voter stop “approving” exactly? As Professor Richard Niemi recognized over two decades ago, that question is inherently a strategic one: “approval voting leaves so much ambiguity that voters are almost begged to think and behave strategically." A quick thought experiment: there are 5 candidates on your approval ballot, and you vote for 2 of them. Now rerun the election in your mind between just the 3 candidates you did not vote for. Do you vote for none of them, effectively abstaining from the election? Of course not. In a high-stakes election, an approval ballot isn’t a sincere assessment of “approval”; it’s a tactical weighing of outcomes.
The strategic burden a voter faces under approval in competitive elections is further complicated by the incentive to bullet vote. Unlike RCV, approval voting puts the voter in an obvious predicament: voting for one’s second choice on the ballot hurts the chances one’s first choice is elected. As a result, many voters will use just a single vote so as not to dilute the strength of their first vote. With enough bullet voting, approval elections will resemble regular plurality elections, and our current system’s most glaring flaws will remain in tact: the election of candidates without majority support due to votes being divided among similar candidates, as well as the limitation of choices and shaming of “spoilers” to prevent this from occurring.
For years, the debate over the likelihood of bullet voting and non-majority winners in approval voting was largely theoretical, untethered from real experiences from real approval voting elections. That came to an abrupt end in 2009 when, as previously mentioned, the Dartmouth Alumni Association ended its use of approval voting and fingered both strategic voting and non-majority outcomes as key reasons why. In light of this experience, the adoption of approval voting for Dartmouth’s student government elections in 2011 was surprising, but at least it was another opportunity to put the system to the test. As the data show, the problems were the same as before.
Data Analysis
We began our analysis of Dartmouth elections by computing their frequency of bullet votes under approval voting. For each of the 6 elections for president of Student Assembly under approval voting (2005 to 2016), we recorded the number of ballots cast, the number of candidates, the number of ballots cast for the winner, and the total votes cast across all ballots. With these numbers, we were able to calculate minimum and maximum bounds on the number of bullet votes. We excluded 2015, because there were only two candidates on the ballot that year, and bullet voting in a 2-person race is benign.
As you can see in Figure 1, the vast majority of voters in these elections cast bullet votes, as if it were a plurality election. Each interval bar in the graph indicate the minimum and maximum frequency of bullet voting that occurred, ranging from a lower bound of 78% in 2012 to an upper bound of 98% in 2016. As a result, we see familiar plurality results: in none of those 5 elections did the winner crack 50% support, measured as a percentage of all ballots counted toward the winner.
Let’s take a closer look at the 2012 election, which featured 5 candidates for president. The winner was Suril Kantaria with 712 votes, followed by Erin Klein with 705 votes, J.T. Tanenbaum with 701 votes, Rachel Wang with 335 votes, and finally Max Hunter with 281 votes. Imagine you’re a voter in this election and your first choice is Tanenbaum, second choice is Klein, and your last choice is Kantaria. How do you vote? Do you vote for both Tanenbaum and Klein to stop Kantaria? Or do you wager that Klein and Tanenbaum will be in the top two regardless and bullet vote for Tanenbaum? That’s the kind of strategic game voters have to play under approval voting. In the end, Kantaria won despite appearing on only 32% of the 2,239 ballots cast. Whether he could have beaten Klein or Tanenbaum head-to-head is not clear. In fact, if 32% was his “ceiling” of support, he could have lost to every candidate head-to-head, making him what voting theorists call a “Condorcet loser.”
Figure 1. Bullet Voting in Dartmouth Student Presidential Elections under Approval Voting
To understand whether these problems are endemic to this kind of student election, it’s instructive to compare the experience with approval voting to the way Dartmouth voters interacted with ranked choice voting, which was used in the 6 prior student elections (2005 to 2010). With RCV, voters can indicate support for more than one candidates, but unlike approval, indicating second and lower preferences has no impact on one’s first choice. The result: winners under RCV accumulated more votes and a higher percentage of ballots than did winners under approval. As shown in Figure 2, the demonstrable support for election winners fell with the adoption of approval in 2011.
Perhaps more telling is a comparison of the levels of “top two participation” between Dartmouth’s approval and RCV elections. By “top two participation” we mean the percentage of ballots that had an impact in determining which of the top two frontrunners ultimately won. With approval voting, that number includes all ballots cast for either of the top two vote-getters but not those that voted for both. These are the only voters who have the opportunity to influence which of the two front-runners win. While voters who voted for both helped them become front-runners, these voters are denied the opportunity to decide which of the two win, an opportunity they would have under any kind of runoff election, including the “instant runoffs” in ranked choice voting.
Figure 2. Fall in Winner Support in Student President Elections under Approval
With RCV, the number includes all ballots that rank either of the two frontrunners, including those that rank both. Given RCV election results, we know the exact top two participation rate whenever the final round of the tally includes exactly two candidates, which it did in all years except 2009. For the 2009 RCV election and for all approval elections, we calculated upper and lower bounds on top two participation.
As shown in Figure 3, the top two participation rate was very high under RCV, with nearly all ballots differentiating between the top two vote-getters. That rate fell significantly with the adoption of approval. In fact, in 2 of the approval voting elections, potentially fewer than half of all voters determined which of the frontrunners emerged victorious. That drop is easily explained. Under RCV, one need only rank all the candidates to ensure their ballot stay in play until the very end. Under approval, the voter must strategically guess which vote will impact that frontrunner decision — a guess that can easily be wrong.
Figure 3. Fall in Top Two Participation in Student President Elections under Approval
Conclusions
While it’s disappointing for advocates of ranked choice voting to see any application of it replaced, even just a student government use, Dartmouth’s switch to approval voting did provide another opportunity to study, and ultimately validate, our claims about the method. Approval is fine for making low-stakes decisions, but in competitive elections voters strategize and bullet vote. As a result, candidates win without any clear mandate, and the outcomes differ insignificantly from plurality voting.
In fact, as of 2017, Dartmouth may have stopped using approval voting altogether for their student government. The results from their most recent 2017 election suggest that either everyone bullet voted, or that it was simply a plurality election. Dartmouth was unable to confirm to me either way, and the student newspaper mentions no such change to plurality. Given how little approval and plurality results seem to differ, perhaps it’s not surprising that a transition to plurality went undetected and unreported.
There have now been two real-world experiences with approval voting at Dartmouth — elections to the Board of Trustees and student government elections — and both suffered from to the same problems: bullet voting and non-majority outcomes. The first of these uses was eventually abandoned; the second seemingly so as well. And yet approval voting advocates remain undeterred. Without a documented success under their belt, they’re calling for approval to be used in even more elections, including elections to local, state, and federal office. Ugly facts be damned.
Greg Dennis, Ph.D. is Policy Director of Voter Choice Massachusetts (VoterChoiceMA.org)There once was a time when written numbers did not exist. Man had only his fingers and toes to use as counting devices — and counting sheep and crops using fingers, toes, rocks and shells will get you only so far.
So human civilization invented the abacus, which the Computer History Museum suggests is “the oldest continuously used calculating tool aside from fingers.”
Though still in use in today, the abacus was merely the beginning of mankind’s interest in calculating machines, which have evolved radically over the years. Here we share with you a visual history of some notable calculating firsts.
1623: First Adding Machine
Photo Credit: History-Computer
Device Name: Calculating Clock
Inventor: Wilhelm Schickard
A Brief History: According to the History of Computers website, Wilhelm Schickard was credited with inventing the first adding machine after Dr. Franz Hammer, a biographer of Johannes Kepler, claimed that drawings of a calculating clock had been discovered in two letters written by Schickard to Johannes Kepler in 1623 and 1624. Prior to this discovery, Blaise Pascal, who developed the “Pascaline” adding machine in 1642, was regarded as the inventor of the first |
is never really pretty for elite athletes,” Fitzgerald, the fourth all-time-leading wide receiver in NFL history, said at the start of training camp. “It never looks good. … Willie Mays running around with bad knees after 20 years, it’s not pretty.”
Right he is … except now the rules are being rewritten for the life expectancy of football players. And truly, we can’t know if this is the end for Palmer or Fitzgerald, because we’ve seen them play at high levels recently—Palmer was the best deep-ball thrower in football in 2015, and Fitzgerald caught 103 balls at 33 last year. And because they both do Tom Brady-type things to stay atop their games.
Palmer, an oenophile, told me Tuesday he’s stopped drinking wine “because I can tell that it makes my muscles dry.” He worked daily for the five off weeks before the start of camp to be sure he was in peak condition when the Cardinals hit camp over the weekend.
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Fitzgerald played the Old Course at St. Andrews two weeks ago, a bucket-list event for this golf addict. But football wasn’t far from his mind. Not only did he bring a football for his workouts away from the fairways of Scotland and England, but his off-season trainer and mental coach, a former Navy SEAL finalist, worked Fitzgerald out in Europe on the trip.
There is a saying in sports that good teams have windows to capitalize on their chances. The popular theory about the Cardinals is their window is closing, starting with the disastrous NFC title loss at Carolina at the end of 2015 and continuing with a 7-8-1 disappointment last year, when Palmer fell to earth and was the league’s 20th-rated passer.
“That window,” GM Steve Keim said Tuesday. “We’ve got two great players with some age, but the rest of our team is not old—at all. I don’t put a lot of stock in it. Look, we know we’ve got to get a long-term quarterback at some point, and we will. But we’ve got good youth all over our roster.”
As important as the two recent franchise cornerstones are, the most important player on this team is a 25-year-old running back who is the envy of 43 million fantasy football players. The Cardinals are going to rise and fall on David Johnson's performance, and also the improvement of a young defense, which gets back Tyrann Mathieu after an injury-plagued season. He’ll join shutdown corner Patrick Peterson in one of the league’s best secondaries.
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The team held a walkthrough Tuesday morning at University of Phoenix Stadium. (Strange place to have training camp, but it was 71 degrees inside Tuesday, 103 outside. And the players practiced for two-and-a-half-hours on spongy grass wheeled in from the parking lot before practice.) Palmer was feeling philosophical when we chatted after practice.
“I just look at it this way: There is no way for two years in a row that our luck can be as bad as last year,” Palmer said. “We lost some bizarre games. We’re a year older, yeah. But I look at it like we’re years younger at some spots too. Robert Nkemdiche will step in and play well this year on our defensive line. We’ve got some rookies who are going to play early and play well. I hear the window thing, but in this league, I think you’re either rebuilding, or you’re overly optimistic. New England? They’re going 16-0. San Francisco? They’re rebuilding. And it’s never really exactly as it seems.”
Coming here Tuesday, I’d heard there was a good chance this would be Arians’ last season. He disabused me of that, pretty strongly, in his office at the stadium here.
“That is not what I’m thinking,” he said. “This is what I love to do. I’ve had a few things happen to me, and recently my friend Don Strock said to me, ‘How many signs do you need?’ But really, I’m afraid of getting old. Football, for me, is the best medicine in the world. This is what I love.”
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One thing to be admired about what Arians has built: He found out at the beginning of December that he had a nickel-sized growth on his kidney, and doctors in Phoenix told him it would have to come out. Because it was slow-growing, he was told he could wait till the end of the season. So he told his players in early December. And it never leaked. In today’s world, with loose lips and social media and families knowing, I find it amazing this story stayed buried till Arians released his book this summer. (It’s called “The Quarterback Whisperer: How to Build an Elite NFL Quarterback,” written with Lars Anderson.)
I asked some players about it, and they said it came back to what Arians has built—with a little threat to boot. “One rule we have that we’re pretty good about keeping: What happens in this [locker] room stays in here,” said Patrick Peterson. “Look at these T-shirts we wear: ‘Trust, Loyalty, Respect.’ Plus, Bruce tells us not to put stuff out on social media. We know he’d get rid of a guy [for disloyalty].”
David Johnson led the NFL last season with 2,118 yards from scrimmage. Matt York/AP
What does that mean for the 2017 season? I doubt very much. When good teams start to go around the bend toward bad in the NFL, and when at the same time they get older at crucial spots, it’s not often they can pivot back to contention. That’s where we find the Cardinals, 18 months removed from the NFC title game and seven months removed from a debacle of a seven-win season. The good news is they’ll have a more consistent kicker this year—Phil Dawson, instead of the shaky Chandler Catanzaro—and they’ll have the running back likely to be the game’s most productive one. And David Johnson has proven he’s a pretty good security blanket.
“I know we’ve got to watch his [touches],” Arians said, “but I want to win the damn ballgames too.”
“That’s good news,” Johnson told me after practice. “I want the ball as much as they’ll give it to me. I’ve got good genetics. I can take it.”
We’ll certainly get a chance to see come September. Lots of fortunes in the Valley of the Sun will depend on Johnson’s legs this fall.
• Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.Quintin Foust was three years into a five-year term for felony drunken driving when he died at Jefferson Correctional Institution in 2012.
Though the 52-year-old prisoner’s death was initially labeled “suspicious” by the medical examiner, Foust’s family would never learn the full details of how he died and why because, an investigator testified last month, the case was closed by the Florida Department of Corrections before inspectors could dig into what happened.
Absent a full investigation, his death was ruled as being from natural causes — even though investigators had strong suspicions that he died of medical negligence.
Foust’s case was among a handful of possible criminal cases that four sworn law enforcement officers testified were shut down by their boss, Jeffery Beasley, the Department of Corrections’ inspector general.
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One month after those officers — three of them current DOC inspectors and the fourth now a sheriff — alleged under oath that Beasley impeded their cases, at least three of them have not been interviewed by anyone looking into the matters, according to the attorney for the three.
The inspectors themselves, who risked their careers by going public, now face intense scrutiny.
The Miami Herald has learned that two of the DOC inspectors who testified last month before state lawmakers — Doug Glisson and John Ulm — have been stripped of their investigative posts and slapped with a pile of internal affairs complaints.
A third inspector, David Clark, who did not testify but publicly alleged Beasley tried to sabotage cases, has also been transferred, DOC officials confirmed Thursday. They are among nine inspectors currently under investigation, according to department spokesman McKinley Lewis.
Glisson, a supervisor who has a 20-year career in law enforcement, had a spotless history with the agency, according to his attorney, Steven Andrews. All three have been moved to DOC headquarters in Tallahassee and assigned to offices with no access to DOC records. For the most part, Andrews said, they’ve been given busy work to pass the time.
“This is the clearest case of retaliation I’ve seen in my 37 years of practicing law,’’ said Andrews, who represents Ulm, Clark and Glisson.
Those three and two other DOC investigators — Aubrey Land and James Padgett — unsuccessfully sued Beasley and the agency last year after Gov. Rick Scott’s inspector general, Melinda Miguel, refused to give them whistle-blower protection that would have shielded them from administrative consequences. They claimed that Beasley placed them under a bogus internal affairs probe last February to punish them for exposing possible criminal wrongdoing in the agency, including the full details behind the gassing death of Randall Jordan-Aparo, a 27-year-old inmate who died at Franklin Correctional Institution in 2010.
The controversy comes as the Legislature considers an overhaul of the department, including a possible new oversight committee that would review agency cases.
Ulm, who has been on the front lines of investigations involving inmate deaths, drug smuggling by staff and medical negligence for years, testified last month that the “atrocities” and corruption within the agency were so systemic and widespread that the department is no longer capable of policing itself.
State lawmakers began hearings in January following a series of reports by the Herald and other media about suspicious inmate deaths, abuse and criminal misconduct in the state’s prisons.
The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating possible civil rights violations, and has made a series of arrests of corrections officers accused of brutalizing inmates or threatening their lives.
Sen. Greg Evers, chairman of the senate’s Criminal Justice Committee, questioned why the inspectors have been transferred instead of being interviewed about the cases they allege were swept under the rug by the agency.
“Maybe their concerns should be looked into before they were taken off their duties,’’ Evers said. “We’re paying investigators to do investigations, not have them sitting in an office apparently doing nothing.’’
John Tupps, a spokesman for the governor, said late Friday that there are several active and open investigations in connection with the inspectors’ testimony. He did not say if the investigations concern Beasley.
Beasley, who took over as inspector general in 2011, declined to comment. As the agency’s chief law enforcement officer, Beasley’s mission is to “protect and promote public integrity and accountability” in a system that houses 101,000 inmates. It is the largest agency in the state, with a $2.3 billion budget, and the second-largest prison system in the nation.
Corrections Secretary Julie Jones has publicly dismissed the inspectors’ concerns, saying they were complaints from “disgruntled’’ employees who wanted to be cops. All of them are sworn law enforcement officers.
DOC spokesman McKinley Lewis said that Glisson, Clark and Ulm, in their new assigned roles, are reviewing policies and procedures to determine whether the agency has the best practices in place.
“The tasks assigned to these employees are critically important to the operations of the Office of the Inspector General,’’ Lewis said in a statement.
By state law, DOC officials are not permitted to say why the inspectors are under investigation, but Lewis said the probes have nothing to do with them testifying against their boss.
Lewis pointed out that all three were reassigned on Feb. 23, well before March 10, when the inspectors testified before lawmakers.
But Andrews contends that the agency — and Beasley in particular —new that the inspectors planned to testify well before they were actually called before the Criminal Justice Committee. All three of them had previously made allegations against Beasley.
Glisson declined to comment and the Herald was unsuccessful in reaching Ulm and Clark.
The current inspectors were joined at the hearing by Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison, a former inspector. He testified that, when he was with the DOC, officials from Beasley’s office prevented him from taking evidence of criminal wrongdoing to the state attorney to review for possible criminal prosecution.
“We did have a criminal element,’’ Harrison testified. “We weren’t allowed to take that information back to the prosecutor.’’
He acknowledged that he could not recall who specifically told him to shelve the evidence, though it was clear to him it came from the inspector general.Insect-sized robots have long held promise in the minds of sci-fi nerds. They could poke through treacherous rubble in search-and-rescue missions, discreetly snoop on the guilty and innocent alike, and sometimes, just maybe, form into giant swarms that block out the sun and do the bidding of larger, less agile, robotic overlords.
Hopefully that last bit won't come true, at least not before they invent robo-bug repellent. But on Thursday, the door to the future was kicked open when engineers at Harvard revealed a penny-sized robot that can hover like a housefly, beating its wings 120 times per second.
"As far as we can tell, this is the world's smallest flying robot," Kevin Ma, a graduate student at Harvard's Wyss Institute and a member of the robot team, told NBC News.
"It's hard to argue that anything is more agile than a housefly — I think anyone who's tried to swat [one] would agree," said Rob Wood of the Wyss Institute at Harvard, and the lead researcher on the project. "This is the first controlled flight of an insect-scaled robot."
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Two mechanical muscles on the robots control the flapping and twisting motion of the wings. Previous versions of this robot would crash soon after they took off, but the most recent model has motion capture sensors and guiding algorithms that corrects its movements as it takes off.
Revealed in Thursday's issue of Science, this marks an early step towards teeny flying autonomous robots. In its current form, it's mostly suited to help physicists and biologists study the dynamics of motion in a controlled environment. Woods estimates we're still about 30 years away from being able to pack in the power and sensors required for a truly environment-aware robo-bug.
"This proof of concept design... give[s] us hope that we can develop insect-scale flying robots some day," Vijay Kumar, professor at University of Pennsylvania who has worked with swarms of tiny quadracopters, wrote to NBC News in an email.
While bug-sized robots working individually or in giant swarms could be helpful — to serve as surrogate bees in pollination efforts, or sniff out dangerous chemicals in the atmosphere — they'd also make stealthy snoopers. This makes them a favorite target of privacy activists who frequently bring up stealthy miniature bots in discussions about technology and privacy.
For example, in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on drone technology in March, the idea of mosquito-sized future drone captivated Senate members. "Presumably at some point you could have one the size of a mosquito that has a battery that operates for weeks and you could have the mosquito following you around and not be aware of it,” Al Franken, D-Minn, said. "God help us if an adolescent boy gets hold of one of these.”
It's not just adolescent boys who dream of robo-insects. Sci-fi movies are full of them. There are the spidery critters that chase Tom Cruise after his eyeball transplant in "Minority Report," the wriggling "bug" that invades the belly button of Keanu Reeves in "The Matrix," and the wire-tapped cockroach that gets smushed a moment too late, in the cheesy Bruce Willis favorite, "The Fifth Element."
But battery power and sensors pose gigantic hurdles for a pea-sized robot. For one, "You have to build everything from scratch," Wood says, as motors and actuators aren't manufactured in their size. The engineering also gets complicated. "When you scale things down like that things flex differently and experience forces that the material reacts to differently," said Rick Cory, a roboticist at Disney Research.
For now, the robotic fly is powered and guided by batteries and sensors that aren't built into its body. Instead, they are tethered to control and power systems by fine copper wire. While Wood's group is developing a sturdy body that'll stay in the air, collaborators around the country are busy shrinking sensors. Still others are working on ways to network them for the day when they will interact as a swarm. "It's roughly broken down into: body, brain and colony," Wood says.
And they're toiling towards the same goal. When the "brains" of the bot are small enough and powerful enough to be hoisted onto a tiny robot frame, Woods and his team hope to have a ready, steady, unswattable robo-fly on their hands.
Nidhi Subbaraman writes about technology and science. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.I changed the ocean water visible from beach lots so the water seems less transparent depending on the camera angle (I think I managed to show that well in the pictures), and doesn’t have blue tint so its colour depends on the sky colour and other things it reflects. For some reason the beach lot ocean water works different to any other water and it keeps the blue sky colour when it’s raining and snowing.
The pond water is completely different to the default one, and similar to the ocean one, but it changes its colour with weather, and I made it act like lake water would instead of crazily waving like sea water. Needs a pool on the lot to work properly.
The sea water visible from non-beach lots is similar to it too – animated and with reflections. Needs a pool on the lot to work properly.
The sea water in the neighbourhood view is changed too to the wavy one, so it has a more natural look.
This mod replaces Maxis shaders with the instances 0xFF1AFA1C and 0xFF3A262A, and the group 0x1C0532FA.
The pond water and the sea water visible from non-beach lots is black without a pool on the lot. This is obviously solved by placing a pool.
The sea water visible from non-beach lots will sometimes have strange reflections, depending on the camera angle and movement. On the pond water this can be solved by placing a pool in a special way (shown in the pictures), but sadly, that’s impossible with the sea water.
I added a version that works properly for Mac users. Huge thanks to Criquette for testingI’ve always liked the pond water from Castaway Stories, I consider it as the best and the most realistic in the whole Sims series. Compared to that the default pond water in TS2 looks quite terrible with its unnatural intense blue colour and no water reflections at all. A solution to that was Moi’s Water Mod Series replacing the pond water with pool water, but it wasn’t perfect either, it was too blue and too transparent, with too subtle reflections.The other thing I like about CS is that the sea water visible from non-beach lots looks nice and no different to beach ones, while in TS2 it’s not even water, just a weird solid blue surface with some transparency. Ocean water visible from beach lots wasn’t bad in TS2, but it seemed too transparent, which made it seem a bit artificial. And while the water in the neighbourhood view was essentially fine, it wasn’t really what I wanted.To solve those problems described above I edited Maxis shaders so I finally have properly looking water in all places, with animations and reflections. The shaders are from CS, modified by me so they work properly and look nice in TS2 (just the copy-paste method didn’t work, crazy things happened when I did that, but after working on those shaders for a while everything seems fine now). So, what does this mod actually do?I mentioned that the pond water and sea water for non-beach lots needs a pool on the lot to work properly. It doesn’t mean that it will make the universe to implode if you don’t place one, but the water will be black, without reflections. The pond needs two 1x1 pools in its opposite ‘corners’ (with only one the reflections will sometimes act a bit strange), for the sea water one will be enough, but sadly, the reflections will sometimes act weird, because sea can’t be surrounded by a pool like a pond can. I showed in the pictures how to place the pool properly and how to hide it, and an example of a strange reflection on the sea water.Anything that modifies those shaders I mentioned; the only mods I can think of are Moi’s Water Mod Series Edit: Another conflict is this mod (info by nuidyaforever).• Edit: A new version of that mod includes mine and can be downloaded here. Thanks!Edit: This mod will conflict with mine as well (info by cheezypuff121P).A gay rights activist waves a rainbow flag in front of the US Supreme Court in a file photo. A lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Fargo, challenges both North Dakota's constitutional ban on gay marriage and its refusal to recognize marriages of same-sex couples who legally wed in other states.
Seven same-sex couples are attempting to overturn North Dakota's ban on same-sex marriage.
A lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Fargo lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the state's ban on same sex marriage and the refusal by North Dakota to recognize same sex couples legally married in other states and jurisdictions.
North Dakota is the last state in the nation to be sued by couples seeking the right to marry in their home state.
• Judge strikes down Wisconsin gay marriage ban
That means cases are currently pending in all 30 states with gay marriage bans. Judges have overturned several of those bans since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act last year.
North Dakota attorney general's office said it had not yet seen the suit and was not commenting. The 2004 voter-approved constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was passed by 73 percent of voters.
The plaintiffs include David Hamilton and Bernie Erickson of Fargo, who were married in Canada. Hamilton said they considered the risk of retaliation before filing suit.
"We'll just have to take that as it comes I guess," Hamilton said. "We're just very matter of factly a couple and we just sort of live our lives as regular guys paying taxes and doting on our grandkids."
Rep. Joshua Boschee, D-Fargo Will Kincaid/AP
Hamilton said North Dakota's refusal to recognize his marriage meant extra work and expense filing taxes this year.
"The most recent example is that we are required to file jointly as a married couple on our federal tax return," he said. "But we're required to file separate returns in North Dakota which led to an awful lot of extra accountant fees this year trying to get it all sorted out."
North Dakota has no specific civil rights protections based on sexual orientation. But that should not affect the case in federal court, said Minneapolis Attorney Joshua Newville, who filed the suit.
"The argument that not allowing same sex couples to marry or not recognizing their marriages is a deprivation of their equal protection under the United States Constitution is not changed by North Dakota's failure to protect its gay and lesbian citizens," Newville said.
But Newville said he warned the couples who filed suit they could face workplace or housing discrimination because they are taking a public stand.
"I had to have a frank conversation with many of them about the implications of that including the lack of protections in housing and employment and talking about the kind of press attention that they might get," he said.
Six of the seven couples who filed suit were married in other jurisdictions.
Besides Hamilton and Erickson, five couples were married in other states. One couple unsuccessfully sought a marriage license in North Dakota.
Newville also represents six South Dakota couples challenging that state's ban on same sex marriage.
Legal experts said the North Dakota lawsuit is largely symbolic, but could carry more serious weight.
"It's symbolic but sometimes symbolism is important, right? I think it has real, practical, actual effects on people nationwide and in North Dakota," said Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law who studies constitutional law.
The lawsuit claims violations on three issues that are guaranteed in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: equal protection, due process and right to travel.
Like the South Dakota lawsuit, the complaint seeks a declaration that the statute and constitutional bans are unconstitutional and asks that the state be prevented from enforcing the ban and be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize gay marriages from other states. It also seeks reimbursement for lawyers and other costs.
"The state will incur little to no burden in allowing same-sex couples to marry and in recognizing the lawful marriages of same-sex couples from other jurisdictions on the same terms as different-sex couples," it states, while saying the couples are subject to "an irreparable denial of their constitutional rights."
Josh Boschee, who became the state's first openly gay legislator in 2012, said he believes North Dakota is much different place than it was 10 years ago and the lawsuit demonstrates that the issue is common throughout the nation.
"I think it shows that there's agreement in all 50 states that current law is unfair to lesbian and gay families," said Boschee.
In 19 states and the District of Columbia, gay couples already can wed, with Oregon and Pennsylvania becoming the latest to join the list when federal judges struck down their bans and officials decided not to appeal.
Before the lawsuit was filed, Tom Freier, executive director of the North Dakota Family Alliance, which campaigned to bring the measure to the North Dakota ballot in 2004, said any such challenge would face strong opposition.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.CLOSE Tohono O’odham tribal leaders broke ground on a new casino north of the University of Phoenix Stadium.
Artist's rendering of the West Valley Resort & Casino. (Photo: Hnedak Bobo Group/Tohono O'odham Nation) Story Highlights Opponents of a West Valley casino have sued Glendale in an effort to allow voters to decide on the Indian gaming development
Glendale will receive $26million over 20 years in exchange for city support
The tribe does not need the city's approval to build the casino
Opponents of a proposed West Valley casino have filed a lawsuit against Glendale seeking to overturn the city's decision to reject their referendums.
The groups, Keep the Promise and No More Bad Deals for Glendale, want voters to decide whether the city should support the casino planned by the Tohono O'odham Nation on the Glendale and Peoria border.
"We believe voters should have a chance to decide the issue," said Gary Hirsch, chairman of both opposition groups.
Last month, Glendale approved a deal with the Tohono O'odham that will pay the city $26 million over 20 years in exchange for its support of the $400 million project. The tribe does not need approval from Glendale to build the casino on newly created reservation land southeast of Loop 101 and Northern Avenue.
City Clerk Pam Hanna, who is named in the suit along with the city, determined that the subject matter of the referendums was administrative, not legislative, and could not be put on the ballot for the voters to decide.
A referendum needs 6,956 signatures to qualify for the ballot and casino opponents said they had more than 13,000 signatures on each of the two referendums they filed earlier this month.
John Blanchard, an attorney for the opposition groups, is challenging the city's decision that the casino-related issues are not referable to the ballot. He said the city clerk is required by law to review the referendum petitions and verify if there are enough valid signatures.
Glendale spokeswoman Julie Watters declined to comment because the city had not been served with a copy of the lawsuit.
Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/1pePyPhUpdate: Steve Jobs has passed away. “Death is very likely the single best invention of Life.”
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
More quotes, video here.
~ original follows ~
Steve Jobs Steps Down as CEO.
I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee. … I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role. I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you. Steve
Biggest company in the US? Most admired? Elegant? Innovative? And headed up by a headstrong, brilliant genius.
End of an era? We’ll have more news and updates here constantly as we know more about the too-soon end to one of the greatest runs of innovation and business genius in…ever.
Update: Reuters. “Apple said Steve Jobs has been elected chairman and Tim Cook has been elected CEO.”
Bonus: This quote via Steve Jobs makes me want to cry.
Click here for his Commencement Speech, other goodies.
Video(s) (more to be added as we get updates):Last time we wrote about our Fluid Controls, which touched on our camera. Today we’ll expand on that and explore how the camera works in ABZÛ.
Our design for the fluid camera started with these goals:
Don’t roll with respect to the horizon, even as the diver rotates freely.
Mirror the fluidity of the diver’s movement while still following predicatively rather than lagging behind. “Just work” from any direction with a wide gamut of unusual scene collision arrangements without needing lots of designer annotation. Seamlessly move in and out of in-game cutscenes.
Overview
We expanded on the basic ideas that John Nesky developed for Journey, while also responding to wrinkles introduced by freeform-swimming:
Orbit Camera
The primary module which runs the interactive camera during gameplay. We use a three-step pipeline: Detectors, DOF Solvers, and Constraints.
Detectors gather data from the scene, sanitize it, and extract the camera-specific inputs: player input, diver kinematic-prediction & acrobatics (as described in the last article), 2D forward direction, the follow direction and strength, gameplay boundary conditions, collision neighborhoods & distance-fields, designer hints, and special events (surface-breaching, flipping, boost-chaining, going-over-ledges, riding creatures, etc).
The 2D Forward Detector generally picks the direction that the diver is pointing. However when the diver is pitched up or down, this direction becomes ambiguous. Therefore, the detector uses her belly or back direction in those cases.
DOF Solvers compute the main Degrees of Freedom:
Tracking Position - the world-space location we’re looking at, usually the diver’s collar-bone. Pitch - looking up and down, deadzoned around a slightly-down pitch. Yaw - looking left and right, pulled along like a leash. Distance - pulled-back from tracking position, annotated by level designers. Framing - where the tracking position is placed on-screen, typically positioning the diver according to the rule of thirds.
The DOF is converted to a world-space POV (”point-of-view”) representing the actual location and rotation of the camera. The rotation, represented as a quaternion, is computed using euler-angles, and the location is the sum of the tracking position and a rotated local vector which combines the distance pull-back and framing offset (X=forward and Z=up):
POV.Rotation = Quat.Euler(0, DOF.Pitch, DOF.Yaw)
// convert the screen-space framing into a
// world-space “parallax” offset using the camera’s
// field of view and the screen’s aspect ratio
TanFOV = Math.Tan(0.5 * DegreesToRadians(FieldOfView))
ScreenToWorld= DOF.Distance * Vec(TanFOV, TanFOV/AspectRatio)
Parallax = ScreenToWorld * DOF.Framing;
// Pullback in the local forward/backward direction (X),
// and parallax in the side-to-side directions (YZ)
LocalOffset = Vec(-DOF.Distance, Parallax.X, Parallax.Y)
POV.Location = DOF.Tracking + (POV.Rotation * LocalOffset)
Screenshot of our in-game Camera DOF Visualizer. The yellow bit is the framing parallax (here placing the diver in the bottom third of the screen).
Constraints take the DOF results and nudge and/or clamp them to safe ranges to account for: line-of-sight occlusion, water-surface breaching, smoothing (using critically-damped springs, to avoid acute speed-hitches), and “custom camera” matching (discussed later).
An example LOS (”line-of-sight”) constraint. First the distance is clamped so that it doesn’t go inside solid collision, and then the pitch & yaw are nudged to try and restore the original orbit distance (biased towards the follow direction).
The orbit camera behaves a little differently at different times. For instance, when the Diver flips, we don’t want to swing the camera around with her. Therefore, each step is post-hooked by an override. These are ordinary game objects which implement an abstract interface with various optional methods to override default orbit behavior. For the programming curious, it looks something like this (though it’s a bit more complicated in production):
interface IOrbitCameraDelegate {
OverrideCamTracking(Camera* Cam, vec3* InOutLocation)
OverrideCamFraming(Camera* Cam, vec2* InOutLocation)
OverrideCamPitch(Camera* Cam, float *InOutPitch)
OverrideCamYaw(Camera* Cam, float* InOutYaw)
OverrideCamDist(Camera* Cam, float* InOutDist)
}
Delegates default to the diver, but can also be set explicitly in scripting for special moments. Structuring these overrides to use ref-arguments instead of return values was helpful to perform blending or hysteresis in the delegate itself.
Custom Camera
We use custom cameras for scene bookending, cutscenes, authored-animations, and other special-cases where we need total control, without any side-effects, smoothing, or constraints. The POV is supplied by a second optional delegate:
interface ICustomCameraDelegate {
CamBlend(Camera* Cam, float* OutTime, EasingType* OutEasing)
CamPOV(Camera* Cam, vec3* OutLoc, quat* OutRot)
}
The advantage of an abstract interface is that anything can be a custom camera. It helped us consolidate our scripting to actors, without having webs of tightly-coupled components.
Orbit <-> Custom Blender
This module transitions fluidly between the orbit and custom cameras. It has three states:
Pure Orbit: there’s no custom camera, so we just pass through the orbit result (99% of the time).
Pure Custom: like pure orbit, we just pass through the custom camera, however we also update the orbit constraints to match the custom camera’s rotation, so that when we return it won’t swing wildly and induce simulation sickness.
Blending: when a new custom camera is set or unset we bookmark the current blended POV (because we might be transitioning from another custom camera, not just the orbit) and then blend in or out of the custom camera. There’s lots of tricky bits here that are necessary to keep the camera fluid:
Extrapolate the blend-from location & rotation using the intial blended POV speed so there’s no speed hitches during the blend. Apply easing to the interpolation so it’s not an unnatural linear movement (we use smoothstep by default, but this can be overridden by the custom camera delegate). Don’t interpolate along a straight line - in general we compute cubic hermite splines whose tangents are scaled by the amount of rotation so we don’t feel like we’re “cutting across corners.” Make sure the rotation axis is consistent. In general, we rotate along the smallest arc using slerp, however, e.g., if we started rotating clockwise, then we make sure to keep rotating that way even if the smallest arc changes mid-transition. In 3D we detect this by ensuring that the dot-product of two consecutive rotation axes is positive.
Shake
Shake is applied after all the other processes as a “post effect” so that we avoid feedback between the shaking parameters and the baseline POV. We support two kinds of shakes: a simple-shake which is easy to script, and a custom shake which takes a curve asset for syncing up with animations.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed our whistle-stop tour. It all seems pretty straightforward in hindsight, but we also experimented with many more false-starts and nice-in-theory-bad-in-practice prototypes along the way. As with the diver movement, each module in the final build had about a bazillion tuning parameters that were constantly mixed and monitored throughout the project.
As always, if you have any questions or would like to follow up for more detail, you can ping me @xewlupus – we look forward to feedback on how our devblogging efforts can better serve fellow developers :)
Max Kaufmann
Gameplay EngineerLAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Forget the sack dance. If Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton matches the performance against the New Orleans Saints that he turned in last week against the Atlanta Falcons, slogans, T-shirts and jingles might be in order.
It has been a while since there has been this much optimism about the Bears' interior line. It seemed no matter what Anthony Adams was doing the past few years, or Matt Toeaina, there was always the bummer that was third-round Dusty Dvoracek's career, the disappointment of Tank Johnson or the lingering frustration that surrounded Tommie Harris.
Henry Melton was a running back at Texas, but he's making a name for himself as a Bears defensive tackle. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Mostly it was Harris.
Even the home run acquisition of Julius Peppers did not make the Chicago defensive line a superb one until Harris' release seemed to open up all sorts of possibilities.
It is ironic that a guy such as Melton -- a short-yard |
stuck with an image that they simply did not deserve. The weak Jew was not a universal phenomenon; there were - and there are - enough strong Jews around. However, the strong Jews are not necessarily Zionists, and that's the punchline."
In Zimmermann's view, Jews became prominent in various sports - as demonstrated by the outstanding Jewish athletes showcased in the exhibition - in order to show that they were part and parcel of their society: "The only possible ways for Jews to become integrated into society in the past were either through sports or by writing literature in the language of the country they lived in. In Germany, for instance, sports activity enabled Jews to show themselves to be just as good as other Germans and yet to remain German Jews."
Athletic activity also allowed Jews to strengthen their ethnic identity. According to Zimmerman, research shows how "even in the smallest of communities, Jews tried to preserve their Jewish identity through sports. You did not have to hold a Torah scroll in your hands to demonstrate that you were a Jew. You could also join a Maccabi club if you were a Zionist, or a Schild club if you were an assimilating Jew."
Although the German community before the Holocaust numbered less than half a million, 40,000 Jews participated in some form of organized sports activity even during the Third Reich. "That's an impressive figure," Zimmermann points out. "It proves that engagement in sports was a refuge for Jews in Nazi Germany."
In 1933, the German government barred the Jews from the various sports associations. "This was the last place on earth where they wanted to see Jews and Aryans together, Jewish bodies alongside Aryan ones," says Zimmermann. However, the Jews were not prepared to give up their love for sports, even during the Holocaust period: "The most striking growth of the Jewish sports associations actually took place during the Nazi era. Although they were deprived of their playing fields and they were not permitted to compete against Aryans, they continued to engage in sports activity, as long as conditions allowed them to do so."
The most dramatic example of this statement was provided by the Theresienstadt camp, in Czechoslovakia, which had a soccer league for youth and adults. The league was extensively documented in the German propaganda film made in the camp, "The Fuehrer Gives the Jews a City." At least three of the athletes featured in the Beit Hatfutsot exhibition were murdered or killed during the Holocaust.
The token Jew
There were also Jewish athletes who enjoyed a favorable fate despite their Jewish background. The unusual story of fencer Helene Mayer of Offenbach am Main, a suburb of Frankfurt, is a classic example. Although she was a 1928 Olympic champion and a world champion, her father was Jewish and, in 1933, she was forced to leave the fencing club she had been a member of. She resettled in the United States. Three years later, however, Germany invited her to join the German delegation so she could serve as the token Jew, thereby silencing the voices claiming that Germany was persecuting the Jews.
Despite the protests of both the American Jewish community and American-Jewish athletes, she accepted the invitation and competed in the Olympics as a member of the German team. Much to the regime's disappointment, she won only a silver medal. Ironically, the gold and bronze medals were awarded to two other Jewish female fencers, from Hungary and Austria respectively. At the medals ceremony, Mayer, wearing a uniform adorned with a swastika, made the Nazi salute.
The photograph documenting her in the greatest moment of her career, which, in the view of many, was also its lowest point, is shown at the exhibition, although it is not given excessive prominence. "Obviously," notes Rubinstein, "her inclusion in the exhibition will arouse considerable criticism, but we were adamant about presenting her story despite the fact that it is the general tendency in Israel to blacklist her and ignore her completely. We have no intention of judging her; we simply wanted to present the story of the 20th century's greatest female fencer, who also happened to be half-Jewish."
A year after the Olympic Games, Mayer won the gold medal at the world championship in Paris. She spent the following years of her sporting career in the United States. Some of her family members perished in the Holocaust. She returned to Germany in 1952 and married, but soon later died of cancer at 43.
Although "The Game of Their Lives" ends in 1948 with Israeli statehood, which, according to the Zionist program, was supposed to attract "muscular Jews," Israel has not produced outstanding athletes. "Even though it is nice to have an Israeli Olympic bronze medalist in windsurfing, Jewish athletes from Israel have not made any prominent achievements. In soccer, we are very good at commentary but we do not know how to get to the right place in that game," says Zimmerman, an amateur soccer player who from time to time is also a television commentator for games featuring the German national team.(CNN) San Francisco on Tuesday became the first city in the US to file a lawsuit over President Donald Trump's executive order targeting sanctuary cities.
Signed January 25, the order aims to crack down on sanctuary cities, the term for jurisdictions with policies that limit cooperation between or involvement with federal immigration enforcement.
The order threatens to withhold federal funding from cities that hinder efforts to capture and deport undocumented immigrants. It contends they harm public safety.
Cities with diverse immigrant populations have adopted various forms of sanctuary laws to counter what some considered extreme federal immigration policies, especially for minor, nonviolent crimes.
San Francisco's lawsuit alleges the executive order is unconstitutional and exceeds the President's power. It claims the city already complies with applicable federal law and seeks to prevent the government from cutting off funding.
"The president's executive order is not only unconstitutional, it's un-American," City Attorney Dennis Herrera said at a news conference. "This country was founded on the principle that the federal government cannot force state and local governments to do its job for it, like carrying out immigration policy. I am defending that bedrock American principle today."
An ideological clash
Mayors of several sanctuary cities, including San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, have vowed to fight the order, saying it will unravel delicate relationships between immigrant communities and law enforcement and tear apart families.
Sanctuary city supporters believe that undocumented immigrants should be shielded from possible deportation when they report crimes.
One exception is Florida's Miami-Dade County, where the Republican mayor has ordered jails there to "fully cooperate" with President Donald Trump's crackdown on sanctuary cities.
The lawsuit cites an analysis by a University of California, San Diego associate professor finding crime is statistically significantly lower in sanctuary counties compared to nonsanctuary counties. The study found that economies are stronger, based on various data points, from higher median household income, less poverty and less reliance on public assistance to higher labor force participation, higher employment-to-population ratios and lower unemployment.
"San Francisco is safer when all people, including undocumented immigrants, feel safe reporting crimes," the lawsuit claims. "San Francisco is healthier when all residents, including undocumented immigrants, access public health programs. And San Francisco is economically and socially stronger when all children, including undocumented immigrants, attend school."
It's no secret that President Trump views sanctuary cities as crime-ridden havens for illegal immigration.
Ending sanctuary cities was one of his top campaign promises, with San Francisco a frequent case in point. The shooting death of San Francisco resident Kate Steinle, allegedly by an undocumented immigrant, in particular became a rallying cry for Trump on the campaign trail.
As the executive order declares, "Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic."
What's in San Francisco's sanctuary city law?
San Francisco has been a sanctuary city since 1989, when the city began to enact ordinances in response to the influx of Central American refugees fleeing civil wars, according to the lawsuit.
Its law does not prevent undocumented immigrants from being prosecuted for criminal activity.
In general, the law prohibit city employees from using city funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law, unless required by federal or state law. They specifically prohibit local law enforcement officers from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to hold people eligible for release on immigration offenses, and limit when local law enforcement officers may give ICE advance notice of a person's release from local jail.
What's at stake?
The order deprives San Francisco of its sovereign power to choose how it devotes resources and forces it "to carry out the agenda of the Federal government," the lawsuit alleges.
San Francisco receives more than $1.2 billion a year in federal funding, most of which goes to health care, nutrition and other safety net programs, the city said in a statement.
"The Executive Order threatens the loss of more than $1 billion in federal funds that support vital services, the loss of community trust, and the loss of San Francisco's sovereign authority to set and follow its own laws on matters appropriately and historically within the control of local government."Iran engaged in secret efforts last year to procure nuclear-related materials that spanned at least half of Germany’s states and involved attempts to advance the Islamic Republic’s chemical and biological weapons capabilities, according to newly-released German intelligence documents examined by the Jerusalem Post.
Iranian operatives targeted German manufacturers whose products could be “implemented for atomic, biological and chemical weapons in a war,” the state of Rhineland-Palatinate’s intelligence agency disclosed in its annual report. “These goods could, for example, be applied to the development of state nuclear and missile delivery programs,” the agency added.
A report by the state of Baden-Württemberg revealed that Iran is trying to acquire components necessary to manufacture nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from Western firms. “In addition to vacuum technology, there is special interest in machine tools, high-speed cameras, and climate test control chambers,” the report said.
The state of Saarland similarly warned in a report published last month that “so-called danger states, for example, Iran and North Korea, make efforts to obtain technology for atomic, biological or chemical weapons.” Iran also seeks “missile delivery systems as well as goods and know-how for proliferation,” the report added.
Clandestine Iranian activities to obtain nuclear-related goods were reported in eight of Germany’s 16 states: Hamburg, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg, Schleswig-Holstein, Bavaria, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. Five German states have still not released their 2015 intelligence reports.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s 2015 report documented 141 Iranian attempts to secure illicit proliferation technology, compared to 83 attempts in 2014. Ninety percent of the attempts were related to the development of nuclear weapons and missile launchers, the state agency said.
The news comes on the heels of a report by Germany’s federal intelligence agency, the BfV, which found that Iran is engaging in “illegal proliferation-sensitive procurement activities in Germany … at what is, even by international standards, a quantitatively high level.”
That report noted “a further increase in the already considerable procurement efforts in connection with Iran’s ambitious missile technology program which could, among other things, potentially serve to deliver nuclear weapons. Against this backdrop it is safe to expect that Iran will continue it sensitive procurement activities in Germany using clandestine methods to achieve its objectives.”
It also identified over 1,000 associates of Iran-backed terrorist groups that live in Germany, including around 950 members and supporters of Hezbollah and 300 members of Hamas.
The BfV warned last year that Iran was still trying to procure illicit technology for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, despite then-ongoing nuclear negotiations with world powers.
The deputy commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, said earlier this month that Iran has over 100,000 missiles in Lebanon poised for the “annihilation” of Israel.
[Photo: Kremlin ]As it approaches a decade in operation, the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit is set to get a multimillion dollar rehab next year.
The three-phase project will include remodeling the historic hotel's 453 rooms, guest floor corridors, restaurants and 39,000 square feet of meeting rooms and public spaces.
Bethesda, Md.-based Marriott International Inc. will manage the renewal project for the 93-year-old building, which is owned by Cleveland-based The Ferchill Group. Ferchill bought the Neo-Renaissance building in 2006, which had been vacant for more than two decades, and invested $200 million to renovate it and open the hotel in 2008.
The 33-story hotel, commissioned by the Book brothers and designed by Louis Kamper in 1924, was once the tallest hotel in the world.
Next month, Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. will open its Starbucks Reserve premium brand at the hotel to kick off the first phase. The project is expected to be completed in early 2019.
The real estate firm has yet to choose an architect and contractor for the project, and did not disclose how much the project would cost.
"Design firms are currently under review and the final selection will be announced later this month," Ferchill Group Vice President of Development Chris Ferchill said in a statement.All of America now can rest easy: Merrill Lynch chief John Thain won’t get his $10 million bonus after all, having succumbed to browbeating calls for fiscal restraint.
Upside: Maybe we can avoid another round of outrage from Congressmen and other whiners who are shocked—shocked!—that anyone on Wall Street could get paid so handsomely, much less actually deserve it.
Downside: Thain gets screwed out of what rightfully was his, for he did deserve a bonus, for myriad reasons. Same goes, arguably, for Morgan Stanley chief John Mack and the seven senior execs at Goldman Sachs, all of whom will forgo any year-end payout. Worse, this whole kerfuffle may embolden the self-righteous, sanctimonious mob that now decries wealth creation and the profit motive. Where were all these populist prudes when the stock market was rising 63% from 2003 through October 2007? Answer: They were fat and happy and counting their money.
It’s one thing when a greedy fatcat utterly fails his shareholders, guts his company and walks away with an undeserved windfall. Two lamentable examples: the $42 million parachute for Charles Prince, who flopped at integrating the smokestacks of Citigroup and let it plunge head-first into the subprime debacle; and the $160 million sendoff for Stanley O’Neal, accumulated over an entire career at Merrill Lynch before he looked the other way while his traders loaded up on wild-eyed risk.
John Thain, by contrast, was brought in only a year ago to fix the Merrill mess, and he worked 24/7 to do it. Troubled rivals Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns dilly-dallied—rather than swallow their pride and sell themselves to healthier partners—and they went belly-up, pretty much. Thain, by contrast, handed Merrill over to Bank of America. Since mid-September, just before that deal popped, the stock price of Citigroup is down 43% and Goldman is down 46%—but Merrill shares are up 5%.
That’s a gain of more than $1 billion in market cap for that floundering firm, so a $10 million bonus barely is a rounding error. Ten million bucks, in fact, is equivalent to how much revenue Merrill collects in just 20 minutes, based on a 40-hour work-week.
'Funny Business' with Jane Wells:
Yet now we’re gonna take pleasure in stiffing John Thain? Sounds a little punitive to me.
This CEO backlash, moreover, could spread far beyond Wall Street to infect the entire U.S. economy. Yet, last year, median pay rose only 1.3% and bonuses fell by 5% for the CEOs of more than 230 multibillion-dollar companies, even as their stock prices rose an average of 7.5%, says the research firm Equilar. At financial giants the median pay package fell 20% in 2007, and Wall Street now braces for haircuts of 40% to 70%.Darryl Webb / REUTERS Guor Marial, 28, smiles in his apartment under a South Sudan flag in Flagstaff, Arizona July 21, 2012. The marathon runner born in what is now South Sudan will be allowed to run under the Olympic flag in London, the International Olympic Committee said on Saturday.
Guor Marial hails from south Sudan, which just celebrated its first birthday as a country, but he will compete as an independent athlete at the London Olympics, under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). “It’s like he’s from nowhere,” says Pere Miró, the IOC’s director of relations with national Olympic committees.
Marial is a refugee from the Sudanese civil war; he’s been living in the U.S. since 2001. He has a green card but is not a U.S. citizen. He does not have citizenship in or a passport from South Sudan. Even if he did, he could not compete for South Sudan, since it has no Olympic team. An Olympic committee is not atop the nation’s priority list. “There’s very little structure there for sports right now,” says Miró.
On July 21, the IOC finalized its decision to offer Marial a spot in the Olympics. His emergence was totally unexpected. “It was very strange,” says Miró. “He just appeared suddenly.”
It all started last fall, the night before the Twin Cities Marathon, when Marial met Brad Poore, a California-based attorney and elite distance runner. The next day, Marial, a former cross-country runner at Iowa State University who was running in his first marathon, finished in a torrid 2:14:32—fast enough to meet the Olympic qualifying standard. So Poore took up his case right away. “It’s kind of been a global effort to get him there,” says Poore.
Miró, a veteran sports official from Spain, says that every Olympics, he receives claims about deserving athletes whom organized sporting bodies might be missing. “We have to be very, very diligent and selective,” he says. “We cannot act all the time.” The first step is to verify that the athlete and performance in question exist. Miró was able to confirm Marial’s amazing debut-marathon time with the International Association of Athletics Federations. He was for real.
Next, Marial needed a home. He could have run for Sudan, but he rejected that option immediately. He was not about to represent the country he’d fled. He says he lost 28 family members to violence or sickness during the civil war that compelled the South to split from the North. When he was a child, he was kidnapped from the South and forced to work in Sudan as a laborer.
After fleeing to Egypt, Marial was granted refugee status in the U.S. and moved to Concord, N.H., in 2001. He earned a scholarship to Iowa State and became an All-American in his junior year in 2009. “I am not wearing the uniform of a country, but that does not change who I am representing in my heart,” he says. “I will be running in London for the people of South Sudan and the people of the United States. I have so much appreciation for both countries.”
Marial is not the first athlete to compete under the Olympic flag. Six former Soviet republics, for example, competed together in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Still, Marial is unique. Since he holds no passport or citizenship, he’s really the first Olympian without any true country. Kenyan runners are favored to win the marathon, but that doesn’t faze him. “There could be 10 Kenyans, but there is only ever one Guor Marial,” he says. And if Marial runs a strong race, the whole world will be looking to claim him.WASHINGTON -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) on Monday refused to apologize for invoking the specter of the Holocaust in his criticism of President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran.
"Three times I've been to Auschwitz. When I talked about the oven door, I have stood at that oven door. I know exactly what it looks like -- 1.1 million people killed," Huckabee, a 2016 presidential candidate, said in an appearance on Fox News' "The Five."
Geraldo Rivera, one of the show's hosts, pushed back on the comparison.
"I love you. You would be a great president," Rivera said. "You have the temperance. You have the experience. But as a Jew -- and I have to tell you, with people who work in the Anti-Defamation League and relatives on both sides, it was inappropriate. There are some places you cannot go."
Huckabee's defense is unlikely to quell outrage among Democrats and representatives of Jewish groups, who over the weekend called on him to apologize.
Huckabee, however, made clear in his interview on Fox that he would not "recant." Instead, he argued the remark was appropriate because Iran has previously called for Israel's demise and would follow through should the country develop a nuclear weapon.
Reaction from other GOP presidential hopefuls has been largely subdued. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) went furthest at a town hall in Florida, when he called the use of such incendiary language "just wrong." Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) declined to comment. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) said he personally wouldn't use that kind of rhetoric, but declined to condemn Huckabee for doing so.
Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. who opposes the Iran deal, also chided Huckabee.
"These are not words that I would use or that I think are appropriate," Dermer said.Officer Joshua Vincek (right) issued more summonses to bicyclists than any other NYPD officer in the past three years. He handed out 1,249 tickets to cyclists in the Upper West Side. View Full Caption Courtesy of Joseph Bolanos
NEW YORK CITY — A scooter-driving NYPD veteran burned through his summons book during the past three years, handing out a record number of tickets to rule-breaking bicyclists pedaling around the Upper West Side.
Officer Joshua Vincek issued 1,249 tickets to bicyclists between Jan. 1, 2012, and Feb. 26, 2015 — far more than anyone else in the police department, according to records obtained by DNAinfo New York.
A review of state Department of Motor Vehicles data shows that during that period, the NYPD issued a total of 51,841 tickets to cyclists, with the number of summonses growing sharply each year.
The data shows Vincek, 33, was peerless in his pursuit of scofflaw bikers, beating out his closest competitor by at least 300 summonses.
Residents in the 20th Precinct on the Upper West Side have complained to police about delivery bicyclists breaking traffic rules. View Full Caption DNAinfo.com/James Fanelli
The officers who issued the most bicycle violations after Vincek were Joseph Gutierrez with 923 and Michael Ignatz with 861.
Even those two were veritable workhorses when compared to the rest of the police department. In all, only 84 officers issued more than 100 bike violations during the three-year period — and most barely made that milestone.
The NYPD did not respond to requests for comment on Vincek’s singular effort.
But Joseph Bolanos, the president of the West 76th Street Park Block Association, spoke glowingly of the 11-year veteran who works in the Upper West Side’s 20th Precinct.
Bolanos, who knows Vincek from his outreach in the neighborhood, credited the officer with helping to curb the bad behavior of restaurant delivery bicyclists and recreational bikers bucking traffic laws along Columbus Avenue.
“He is what I consider the consummate NYPD community-policing officer,” Bolanos said.
Bolanos said Vincek is tasked with addressing quality-of-life issues and zips through the Upper West Side on an NYPD-issued scooter. During his tours, Vincek makes a point of getting to know residents and store owners, he said.
“He’s very aware of what goes on and he gets good intelligence from the community,” Bolanos said.
Bolanos said that he trusts Vincek so much that last year, when he witnessed a package thief in a building near his apartment, he called Vincek’s cell phone rather than 911. The officer rode over and arrested the suspect.
Bolanos said he wished Vincek, who works a day tour, could also pull duties at night, when delivery bikes are really a problem.
Vincek’s tickets seem to stick. Only 21 of the 1,249 tickets were dismissed or declared not guilty.
After an NYPD officer issues a violation to a bicyclist, the summons is adjudicated in the state DMV’s Traffic Violations Bureau. The fine for a ticket ranges from $25 to $190.
Only 3,470 of the 51,841 tickets were thrown out or ruled not guilty at trial. However, more than 20,000 of the guilty judgments were by default, meaning the cyclist never formally responded to the summons or showed up for the court date.
DMV data shows that the number of tickets issued each year has nearly doubled since 2012. That year 11,978 tickets were issued.
In 2013, the year the Citi Bike program rolled out, the number of tickets rose to 18,091. And in 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s first year in office, police issued 21,302 summonses.
Aug. 20, 2014, was when the most bicycle tickets were handed out in a single day. The ticket blitz came a few days into Operation Safe Cycle, a two-week NYPD campaign to crack down on bad biking.
The DMV data shows that the area south of 59th Street in Manhattan was the most ticketed part of the city, with officers handing out 19,800 violations between Jan. 1, 2012, and Feb. 12, 2015. During that time, the north side of Manhattan received 11,537 summonses, and the north side of Brooklyn racked up 8,704 violations.
Staten Island received the fewest bike violations with 176. The Bronx got 711.
About 21,500 of the 51,841 tickets went to bicyclists who blew through red lights. Another 16,198 were issued to cyclists for breaking road rules and 3,734 were for riding on a sidewalk.
Steve Vaccaro, a bike advocate and lawyer, said the dramatic increase in tickets during the past three years may be because of the rise in the number of cyclists on the streets. He said the start of Citi Bike might have also had an effect on tickets because, while experienced bicyclists use the blue cruisers, many novices who don't know traffic laws also ride them.
Vaccaro said that the NYPD should focus enforcement on dangerous traffic behavior like riding a bike on a sidewalk or cycling against the flow of traffic.
The police department, he said, mostly targets bikers who go through red lights, but “sometimes they’re given when there really isn’t a safety concern.”
He said at some T intersections in the city, bicyclists can ride safely through red lights because there is no cross traffic and a bike lane keeps them well away from vehicles.
However, Vaccaro, whose firm represents cyclists involved in accidents or who have received a summons, said that the NYPD will set up checkpoints at T intersections because “it’s the easiest tickets for police officers to write.”
“I think for red lights they should be exercising discretion,” he said. “A T-crossing scenario in a bike lane is a waste of resources.”
The NYPD did not respond to requests for comment on its enforcement of bicycle violations or the rise in ticketing.PROVO, Utah, Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BYUtv today announced the launch of its second original scripted drama series, Extinct, which will premiere in 2017. Created by Ender's Game author and science-fiction legend Orson Scott Card and New York Times bestselling author Aaron Johnston, Extinct will be a co-production of Taleswapper and Go Films, Adam Abel (Forever Strong, Freetown) producing and Ryan Little (Saints and Soldiers, Outlaw Trail) directing. Chad Michael Collins (Sniper) is set to star.
The 10-episode, action-packed sci-fi series takes place 400 years after the extinction of the human race and follows a small group of humans who are revived by an alien civilization. The aliens claim they want to restore the human species, but the reborn humans uncover new dangers, hidden agendas and powerful secrets that challenge that claim and threaten to annihilate the human race all over again.
"We are pleased to debut a sci-fi thriller created exclusively for BYUtv by one of the most awarded and bestselling authors – Orson Scott Card," said Derek Marquis, managing director of BYUtv. "Following the incredible response to our first scripted drama, Granite Flats, we are bringing a powerful apocalyptic story to life, written by two of the strongest writers in the world of speculative fiction, and directed and produced by top independent filmmakers."
Extinct carries the colony of revived humans through struggles with the aliens who extinguished humankind centuries before — while trying to understand and get along with the mysterious aliens who revived them. Nothing is as it seems to be, and if they aren't careful, courageous, and unified, they'll find themselves under the control of one group or the other.
Orson Scott Card is the author of the novels Ender's Game and its sequels, Speaker for the Dead and Ender's Shadow. Two of these books, Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead, have been awarded both the Hugo and the Nebula Awards for Best Novel. Ender's Game was No. 1 on the New York Times' Best Sellers List of Paperback Mass-Market Fiction for eight weeks in 2013. The book has been recommended reading for U.S. Military personnel and was the basis for the science fiction action film Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, and stared Asa Butterfield along with Harrison Ford, Viola Davis and Ben Kingsley. Card is currently the professor of writing and literature at Southern Virginia University.
Aaron Johnston is a co-creator of Extinct, along with Orson Scott Card, and wrote the pilot episode. He is a New York Times bestselling author, comics writer and film producer. He co-wrote the novels Earth Unaware, Earth Afire, Earth Awakens, The Swarm, Invasive Procedures, and the other forthcoming Formic Wars novels. He was also an associate producer on the movie Ender's Game.
Actor Chad Michael Collins has been cast as the lead character, Ezra, and is best known for his work in the feature film Sniper series (Sniper: Reloaded, Legacy and Ghost Shooter). He has also appeared in films and TV shows including Room 33, Lake Placid 2, CSI: Miami, New Orleans and New York, NCSI, Once Upon a Time, 2 Broke Girls, Major Crimes, 90210 and Last Resort. Collins is slated to star in the upcoming feature film, Howlers, alongside Sean Patrick Flanery and new TV show, Freakish.
Other cast members include Victoria Atkin, Variety magazine's 2015 'International Star You Should Know' (Assassin's Creed: Syndicate), Jaclyn Hales (Unicorn City), Yorke Fryer (How to Get Away with Murder), Jack Depew (Mad Men, The Fosters) Matthew Bellows (Grimm, Fuller House) and Jake Stormoen (Mythica).
Director Ryan Little, is a Canadian-born cinematographer who along with producing partner Adam Abel has won 16 "Best Picture" awards on the film festival circuit, including two nominations for the Independent Spirit awards. Some of his films include Saints and Soldiers, Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed and Saints and Soldiers: The Void and Forever Strong. In 2013, Little also directed two episodes of BYUtv's first original scripted drama series, Granite Flats.
Producer Adam Abel started his career at Paramount Pictures before founding Go Films in 2002 with Ryan Little. In 2016, he produced the documentary film, The Journey Home, which chronicled the experiences of Vietnam Veterans as they returned home from the war and featured interviews with actor Jon Voight, and Medal of Honor Recipient Sammy Davis, amongst others. Abel worked with BYUtv in 2015 as a producer on Joan of Arc.
BYUtv's original programming slate includes the critically-acclaimed drama series Granite Flats starring Christopher Lloyd, Cary Elwes, Parker Posey and George Newbern; the long-running, viral sensation and sketch comedy series Studio C; and the recently renewed series, Relative Race, the first family-history based competitive reality show that follows four couples as they meet relatives linked by DNA for the first time in a race across the States; and Random Acts, an unscripted hidden-camera reality show that highlights the altruistic nature of human beings by featuring real people who are the recipients of random acts of kindness. BYUtv is available in every state of the country via cable, satellite and multiple digital media platforms including byutv.org and on all of BYUtv's digital platforms, including Roku, Xbox360, Amazon FireTV, iOS and Android.
About BYUtv
Owned by Brigham Young University and based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is a groundbreaking High Definition cable television network that has created a breadth of original "see the good in the world" programming that fills a void in entertainment the entire family can enjoy together, including sketch comedy, scripted, history, music and documentary offerings. The cable television network continues to build steady momentum, drawing new viewers to its shows from every state of the country. The non-commercial station is available in more than 65 million households in every state of the country on Dish Network, DirecTV and over 800 cable systems, and offers approximately 1,000 hours of original programming annually, including 500 hours of live HD collegiate sports.
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http://www.byutv.orgIt has been happening for a while now. It seems like every season, another couple of Canadian players get drafted to the NBA. But they are also beginning to make a name for themselves in the NCAA tournament as well. Previous tournaments have featured talented Canadians such as Andrew Wiggins, whose Kansas Jayhawks were defeated by Dwight Powell’s Stanford Cardinals in 2014. While in 2015 Trey Lyles and his Kentucky Wildcats were upset in the Final Four, destroying what could have been a perfect season. This year is different, there has never been such a major Canadian connection in the Final Four. Three of the four teams have Canadians on their roster. Had Kentucky beaten North Carolina, all four of the teams would have boasted a Canuck on their team with three-point specialist and Windsor, Ontario native Mychal Mulder being a member of the Wildcats.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Dustin Triano – Junior Guard
This is a team that has a long history with Canadian players and has boasted Canadian internationals Kelly Olynyk, Robert Sacre, Kyle Wiltjer, and Kevin Pangos. The first three of those players have all played in the NBA. This is a down year for the Bulldogs in respects to this season’s roster, despite their long history of players from the North. They have just one Canadian – Dustin Triano, a 6’3″ junior guard from Vancouver, British Columbia. His father is the current head coach of the national Canadian Men’s National team, while his cousin Brady Heslip is a former Baylor Bears star and currently plays for the Toronto Raptors D-League affiliate, the Raptors 905.
Triano is not a big player for Gonzaga, a team that’s loaded at guard with the likes of Nigel Williams-Goss, Silas Melson, and Josh Perkins. He has only played 3.1 minutes per game this season and is scoring 0.6 points per game. Triano has appeared in two games in the NCAA tournament, against Saint Mary’s and Xavier and has not attempted a shot. Triano is not a key player on this team, but still has a roster spot on one of the best teams in the country.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Duane Notice – Senior Guard
Unlike Gonzaga, South Carolina does not have a long history of Canadian players. However, one of their key guards, Duane Notice hails from Woodbridge, Ontario. The senior guard is a member of Frank Martin’s first recruiting class at South Carolina and has been one of the best players in the tournament for the Gamecocks. Notice is a 6’2 guard who his teammates call the best perimeter on the roster. Notice credits his defensive ability from playing on the same AAU team as NBA players Andrew Wiggins and Tyler Ennis as well as top 100 ESPNU recruit and current Florida State point guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes. A member of the Canadian u19 team back in 2012, Notice has represented Canada at multiple youth levels.
The 2016 SEC Sixth Man of the Year, Notice has carved out a place in the starting rotation as a “three and D” player. Notice is averaging 10 points per game this season while shooting a respectable 34% from three. His best game of the tournament came in that thrilling upset over the Duke Blue Devils in the second round. Notice scored 17 points on 6-8 shooting from the field while shutting down superstar Luke Kennard, who only had 11 points. He will probably be remembered best for his game sealing breakaway dunk against Florida in the Elite Eight.
Oregon Ducks
Dana Altman seems to have had a love affair with Canadian players and seems to have one or two every season. Canadian alumni include Jason Calliste, Olu Ashaolu and Devoe Joseph. Devoe Joseph is the brother of Toronto Raptors guard Cory Joseph and cousin of former Boston Celtics draft pick and Syracuse Orange star Kris Joseph. This particular roster has three Canadians, all of whom are key players to the success of the Ducks; Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher, and Dylan Ennis. Brooks and Ennis come from suburban Toronto, Ontario, while Chris Boucher is from Montreal, Quebec.While all three of these players will be leaving Oregon after this season, the Ducks will continue their connection with Canada as four-star recruit Abu Kigab recently committed to playing in Eugene.
Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks attended the highly touted Findley Prep in high-school and was a four-star recruit. He has had a breakout season during his Junior year. His list of accolades is extensive but it includes; Pac-12 Player of the year; two |
say it’s unappreciated. It has a devoted fan base. It’s just not mainstream. Very little in the world is now and that’s totally cool We have a lot of niche interests that take up the space that the mainstream used to that are made up of more passionate followers rather than people who are just taking a passive interest. Poetry has a very strong and thriving community right now both online and IRL. And the community is always innovating and finding fresh ways to interest new people in it through macros and YouTube.
4. Who are some of your influences in writing?
My weird writing influences include: Tumblr, Reddit, Portlandia, internet poetry, Patti Smith, Netflix & chill, Kathleen Hanna, Miranda July, marxism, all nighters, Walt Whitman, Kristen Stewart, macros, surrealism, lolcat, the entire Beat Generation, Twin Peaks and punk rock.
5. You have your own publishing company in Maudlin House, what’s that like and what can you tell us about it?
Maudlin House is one of the best and ambitious projects I’ve undertaken. When I first started writing I didn’t foresee me starting my own press. But that’s where it’s taken me. Maudlin as an idea and a press is constantly growing and adapting to the literary community that it’s in. We just added two new editors to our staff, Erin Taylor and Rachel Charlene Lewis. We’ve also expanded on the kind of content we have. There are now comics, video posts, columns about violence, reviews, and interviews.
We just released an amazing book of poetry by Trey Pharis called EMOJI DEATH MASK and are working on getting a few other projects off the ground. You can look forward to many awesome Maudlin books to come from authors like Ross McCleary, Beyza Ozer, and Amanda Dissinger.
6. What is a typical writing day for you?
A typical writing day for me used to begin somewhere around midnight and end around 7 am with me doused in coffee like Lorelai Gilmore, but more zombie like and way less cute. But these days I’ve gotten really into being health conscious and mindful. I’ve cut back the coffee splurges, write only during the day, and meditate every morning. I found that being aware of the way my mind works and taking that interest in my health has really helped expand my mental abilities when it comes to writing. I don’t feel as bogged down and I’ve opened up a lot of spaces in my mind for creativity amongst other things.
7. What have your found to be the hardest part about being an author/poet?
Lately it’s the idea that anyone can contact you. I’ve had a lot of weird messages and interactions with people these days. I never really predicted that that would happen and it’s really something I just have to get used to.
8. Where do you get your inspiration to write?
Typically, I’ll have an idea that I just can’t get out of my head, something I want to communicate. So it’s that constant nagging that gets me going.
9. What do you want people to take from reading your books?
That’s such a hard question Especially since a lot of the things I write are so insular in nature. But I guess if I wanted them to take anything it would be the the idea that there is no such thing as normal and that they should live their life according to what’s right for them. I think too many people are trying to live up to somebody else’s standard and that’s just a waste of life.
10. Do you have any planned works for the future?
I just finished writing a poetry collection actually I don’t have any publishers lined up for it yet, but I’m looking :~) As a whole the collection is about stress caving in from inside of you, your whole body disintegrating into stardust, anxiety sweats that fill the warm nights that were wasted on bad pot, guilt, and coping with shame. I know that make its sounds dark, but it actually has a rather light undertone that celebrates being weird and different. The working title is “whiskey down my throat hurting and i feel like holding hands & making out”.
Thanks Mallory! For more on Mallory Smart and her works check out her website @ http://www.mallorysmart.com/Water fluoridation prevents dental cavities, which are a costly public health concern. But despite the benefits supplemental water fluoridation remains a controversial subject. Some indicate it may cause long term health problems, but studies reporting side effects have been minimal or inconclusive. The long-term effects of ingested fluoride remain unclear.
A recent study published in the Journal of Water and Health examined links between water fluoridation and diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States. Incidence rates have nearly quadrupled in the past 32 years and show no signs of stopping. According to the study, fluoridation with sodium fluoride could be a contributing factor to diabetes rates in the United States, as the chemical is a known preservative of blood glucose.
The sole author of the paper, Kyle Fluegge, PhD, performed the study as a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Fluegge now serves as health economist in the Division of Disease Control for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and co-director of the Institute of Health and Environmental Research in Cleveland, Ohio.
In the study, Fluegge used mathematical models to analyze publicly available data on fluoride water levels and diabetes incidence and prevalence rates across 22 states. He also included adjustments for obesity and physical inactivity collected from national telephone surveys to help rule out confounding factors. Two sets of regression analyses suggested that supplemental water fluoridation was significantly associated with increases in diabetes between 2005 and 2010.
"The models look at the outcomes of [diabetes] incidence and prevalence being predicted by both natural and added fluoride," said Fluegge.
Fluegge reported that a one milligram increase in average county fluoride levels predicted a 0.17% increase in age-adjusted diabetes prevalence. Digging deeper revealed differences between the types of fluoride additives used by each region. The additives linked to diabetes in the analyses included sodium fluoride and sodium fluorosilicate. Fluorosilicic acid seemed to have an opposing effect and was associated with decreases in diabetes incidence and prevalence. Counties that relied on naturally occurring fluoride in their water and did not supplement with fluoride additives also had lower diabetes rates.
The positive association between fluoridation and diabetes was discovered when Fluegge adjusted fluoride exposure levels to account for estimated per capita tap water consumption.
"The models present an interesting conclusion that the association of water fluoridation to diabetes outcomes depends on the adjusted per capita consumption of tap water," explained Fluegge. "Only using the concentration [of added fluoride] does not produce a similarly robust, consistent association." For this reason, Fluegge adjusted his calculations to incorporate tap water consumption, instead of sticking to calculations that rely on "parts per million" measurements of fluoride in the water.
Fluegge used several estimations in his study, including calculations of county-level water fluoride levels; per capita county tap water consumption; and county measures of poverty, obesity and physical inactivity. Although he doesn't suggest the study should trigger policy changes, he does indicate it should serve as a call for additional research on the important association between fluoridation and diabetes.
"This is an ecological study. This means it is not appropriate to apply these findings directly to individuals," explained Fluegge. "These are population-level associations being made in the context of an exploratory inquiry. And water is not the only direct source of fluoride; there are many other food sources produced with fluoridated water."
In addition to being found in food like processed beverages or produce exposed to specific pesticides, fluoride is found naturally in water in the form of calcium fluoride. Supplemental fluoride was first added to community water supplies in the 1940s.
Said Fluegge, "The models indicate that natural environmental fluoride has a protective effect from diabetes. Unfortunately, natural fluoride is not universally present in the water supply."
Residents can learn more about fluoride levels in their communities through the Centers for Disease Control My Water's Fluoride database.
This work was supported by a National Institutes of Health National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NIH NHLBI) training grant T32HL007567.Family feature about a war-trained dog to film in Charlotte & Western NC Regions
CHARLOTTE—Filming is officially underway in North Carolina on the MGM feature Max.
Starring Josh Wiggins (Hellion), Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man 3), Jay Hernandez (Friday Night Lights, Crazy/Beautiful, the upcoming TV series Gang Related), and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood), the film is the story of a dog that helped soldiers in Afghanistan and upon his return to the U.S. is adapted by his handler’s family after suffering a traumatic experience. The production is written and will be directed by Boaz Yakin (Remember the Titans, screenwriter for Now You See Me and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time).
Principal photography is scheduled to run to mid-July with overall production lasting a little more than 150 days in the state. The production is basing in the state’s Charlotte Region, where the majority of filming will also take place including in the towns and areas surrounding Kings Mountain, Lincolnton and Gastonia. Additionally, the feature will be shooting for about a week in and around Brevard and Asheville in the state’s Western NC Region and may also travel to the parts of the Piedmont Triad Region.
Max is one of 25-plus productions that have to date filmed or will begin filming in North Carolina in 2014. All together, these productions anticipate having a total direct in-state spend in excess of $181 million while providing more than 13,000 job opportunities, including approximately 2,500 possible positions for the state’s highly-skilled crew base. Highlights include the filming of the second season of CBS’s breakout summer series Under The Dome, the third season of Cinemax’s award-winning series Banshee, the highly anticipated second season of Fox’s hit series Sleepy Hollow, production on four television pilots, the feature action film Max Steel, and national commercials for Lowe’s, PepsiCo and Xarelto.The Salvation Army is homophobic.
They have campaigned against homosexuality becoming legalized in various countries.
They believe that being gay is a “social disease” that only God’s love can cure.
They repeatedly spread the myth that gay people are promiscuous, diseased, and corrupt.
The Salvation Army is racist.
They removed Aboriginal children from their families and gave them to white families.
They call traditional African religion “witchcraft” and tried to remove it from South Africa’s constitution.
The Salvation Army is a religious cult.
Members are can only marry within the organization, and they have to leave if they marry “civilians”, which is what they call those who aren’t members.
Members have to get permission to go on dates.
They uses funds raised for charity for evangelical work.
The founder claimed that it was not “whether a man died in the poorhouse but if his soul was saved“.
They aim to control lives so much that they even condemn computer and arcade games.
The Salvation Army are criminals.
They steal money from the sale of donated clothing.
They sell donated clothing to Third World countries.
They burned down a building to hide illegal activity (but got caught and charged).
They were forced to pay back $9 million for fraud, because they falsely classified job seekers as disadvantaged to receive more government money.
The Salvation Army supports the War on Drugs.
They claim that marijuana is just as harmful for people as hard drugs.
They support tougher drug enforcement policies, which even the police admit doesn’t work.
The Salvation Army exploits poor and disabled people.
They employ disabled people for only $8/day.
They make homeless and/or alcoholic members work for meager wages while paying to live in their shelters.
They don’t allow women to live in these shelters.
They argue that the symptoms of poverty (alcohol abuse, prostitution, etc.) are its cause.
Addendum: Due to popular request, I have added my sources. Also, this is not anti-charity. You can find a list of more reputable charities here.Red Line Yarn Crawl 2011
When there is a local yarn crawl in your neighborhood do you get as excited as I do? It’s funny really, how under normal circumstances I would never buy certain yarn. “But it was on sale!” “I bought it at an annual yarn event!” This is how I will justify my prospective purchases this weekend. That and, well, you can never have too much yarn. 🙂
In Boston we have a crawl along the red line, a branch of the underground train system. It’s a pretty fast line compared to some lines *cough* green *cough* and you can hop on and off as you make your way to each destination. Three yarn shops participate: Minds Eye Yarn at the Porter Sq stop in Cambridge, The Windsor Button at the Park St stop in downtown Boston, and The Stitch House at the UMass/JFK stop in Dorchester. All are a short walk from their respective T stops and all mentioned various sales, raffles, or surprises on their websites!
This is only their second yarn crawl but last years was a blast, so knitters should definitely check it out. And if you are one of those poor college students (like myself) who love nice yarn but really shouldn’t/can’t afford it, you will be in for a treat (though I suppose this may be MORE dangerous on your wallet)! A couple highlights are:
Berroco Trunk Show at the Windor Button from 12-3 (and 15% off all Berroco yarn!)
A yarn tasting with Cascade at Minds Eye from 10-11:30
Hourly door prizes and deep discounts for some yarns at the Stitch House all day
All shops will be doing drawings, give-aways, and a coupon that gains value with every store you visit.
Veteran Notes:
The coupon is good at a later date, not this Saturday. You’ll get 5% off your purchase with every stamp you get (but you only get a stamp if you buy something)! Buy something at all 3 stores and you’ll receive 3 stamps, so 15% off one future purchase at one of the three stores.
The Stitch House had bins of sale yarn last year. We hit this store later in the afternoon and it was super picked over. Definitely hitting this shop first this time!
Mingle with the other shoppers/knitters. They are all on Ravelry and you can make some really cool friends.
Don’t talk yourself out of a purchase out loud where others may overhear. You’re in a room of people who are all addicted to the lovely colors, fun textures, and warm wooliness of yarn! They will encourage you to buy more! 😛
The event goes from 10AM – 6PM. We’ll be there chatting with other knitters, filling our baskets with yarn, and hopefully winning some prizes! Hope to see you there.
-L
Advertisementsposter="http://v.politico.com/images/1155968404/201612/3491/1155968404_5249391513001_5249366089001-vs.jpg?pubId=1155968404" true Trump goes on a tear against the media The president-elect attacks Vanity Fair as 'dead' and claims media is unfairly reporting on his vast business conflicts.
President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday morning popped off at the media — one of his favorite targets — taking to Twitter to rail against Vanity Fair and numerous reports hammering him for failing to disentangle himself from his business empire.
The billionaire reserved special scorn for the magazine, which has long been a foe of Trump’s. Graydon Carter, its veteran editor, coined the term “short-fingered vulgarian” to describe Trump while he was at Spy magazine.
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“Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFair Magazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!” Trump tweeted at 8:05 a.m.
The magazine’s “Hive” online page has been needling Trump for days with provocative headlines, including “Trump Grill could be the worst restaurant in America,” “Does Reince Priebus have the ‘worst f***ing job’ in Washington?” and “Someone has finally agreed to perform at Donald Trump inauguration.”
But Vanity Fair wasn’t the only target of Trump’s ire on Thursday morning during his flurry of Tweets. He also railed against “the media” more generally, especially when it comes to his vast business conflicts of interest.
“The media tries so hard to make my move to the White House, as it pertains to my business, so complex - when actually it isn't!” he tweeted at 8:28 a.m.
It’s hard to know which article provoked that missive, but there’s been a slew of coverage about Trump’s failure to build a firewall between his presidency and his real estate empire.
Trump earlier this week pushed back a news conference that was due to be held on Thursday in which he was going to announce a grand plan to minimize his conflicts.
Instead, his team pledged an announcement in January ahead of his inauguration, and he sent off a few tweets with vague details about his plans.
In those tweets, he promised that “no new deals” would be done while he’s in office and said that two of his children — Donald Jr. and Eric — plus executives would run the Trump Organization. He notably left out his eldest daughter, Ivanka, who presumably will join him in Washington along with her husband, Jared Kushner.
In the absence of a detailed plan for managing the conflicts, Trump has faced a deluge of coverage. Plenty of headlines popped up this week over a letter from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics urging Trump to divest his businesses or place his assets in a blind trust, instead of asking his children to manage them.
Four congressional Democrats piled on, saying that the General Services Administration has concluded that Trump must divest his financial interests in his new luxury Washington hotel, located in the historic Old Post Office building. If he refuses, the lawmakers argued, he will violate the terms of his lease with the federal government as soon as he is inaugurated, since it bars elected officials from benefiting from the arrangement. The GSA, however, wasn’t as forceful in its own statement on the matter.
The activities of Trump and his adult children also are further raising eyebrows. POLITICO reported on Wednesday that Donald Jr. was involved with the interview process for interior secretary, despite his role overseeing Trump’s business interests while his father is in the White House.
And Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka all sat in on Trump’s high-profile meeting on Thursday with tech executives at Trump Tower.
But it wasn’t just the media that was irking Trump on Thursday morning. He also fired off a tweet again claiming political influence in the CIA’s assessment that Russia not only meddled in the U.S. election but was also trying to specifically boost Trump’s chances.
NBC News came out with a report Wednesday evening that went even further, citing senior U.S. intelligence officials who believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin became personally involved in the hacking campaign against Democratic targets.
“If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House waite [sic] so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?” Trump tweeted at 8:39 a.m.
Trump did, however, have one upbeat tweet during his rant on Thursday morning. He offered gratitude to two media outlets who recently paid homage to how he’s upended modern politics — including through his Twitter feed.
“Thank you to Time Magazine and Financial Times for naming me ‘Person of the Year’ - a great honor!” Trump tweeted at 8:09 a.m.After reading The Time Machine in 1900, Henry James wrote to H. G. Wells: “You are very magnificent.... I rewrite you much, as I read—which is the highest praise my damned impertinence can pay to an author.” It’s a strange compliment, and he expanded it two years later: “my sole and single way of perusing the fiction of Another is to write it over—even when most immortal—as I go. Write it over, I mean, re-compose it, in the light of my own high sense of propriety and with immense refinements and embellishments... to take it over and make the best of it.”
James’s damned impertinence turned his highest praise into an actual invitation to collaborate with Wells on a science fiction novel: “Our mixture would, I think, be effective. I hope you are thinking of doing Mars—in some detail. Let me in there, at the right moment—or in other words at an early stage....” The two authors shared a literary agent, James B. Pinker, and James wanted to take over and make the best of a Wells manuscript before Pinker saw it: “to secure an ideal collaboration... I should be put in possession of your work in its... pre-Pinkerite state. Then I should take it up and give it the benefit of my vision. After which, as post-Pinkerite—it would have nothing in common with the suggestive sheets received by me, and yet we should have labored in sweet unison.” He ends his letter “your faithful finisher.”
This is a bizarre request. Give me your rough draft to rework however I wish. Wells declined. Of course Wells declined. But first he tested whether the offer was one-sided, asking to peruse the notes to James’ next novel, The Ambassadors. Although James had a “carefully typed” 20,000-word prospectus, he did not share it with Wells. “A plan for myself, as copious and developed as possible, I always draw up,” he explained, but “such a preliminary private outpouring... isn’t a thing I would willingly expose to an eye but my own.” And he wouldn’t expose it to another’s over-writing hand either. He was his own finisher.
James’s notion of an “ideal collaboration” is laughably outside the norms of literary authorship, but it also reveals the damned impertinence of comic book production norms. Pencillers hand over “suggestive sheets” to inkers, or “finishers,” who literally draw over them, refining and embellishing according to their own sense of propriety. That includes erasing. It may be some lowly office helper—Stan Lee in his earliest days—holding the eraser, but it’s the inker who decides what stays and what goes. James’s final pages “would have nothing in common” with Wells’ erased and overwritten rough draft. And yet the plot, the chapter structure, the scene-by-scene movement—what comic book creator would call the layouts and breakdowns—they would still be Wells’. Reworking a sentence—adding flourishes, curving the grammar for new stylistic effects, while preserving and augmenting some paraphrasable meaning—that’s an inker’s job.
Four years later, after reading Wells’ The Future of America, James wrote again, revealing his inking style: “you tend always to simplify overmuch... But what am I talking about, when just this ability and impulse to simply—so vividly—is just what I all yearningly envy you?—I who was accursedly born to touch nothing save to complicate it.”
James would have added complexity to Wells’ overly simplified language—how Eric Shanower inked Curt Swan’s pencils for The Legend of Aquaman.
Swan was nearing the end of his career in 1989, but according to Mark Waid (via Eddy Zeno’s Curt Swan: A Life in Comics) Swan considered the special issues a personal high point. The face, the anatomy, the foreshortened movement, those are recognizably Swan, but look at the background, the clouds, the meticulously scalloped waves, that’s Shanower, an artist renown for his details. His Age of Bronze is almost calligraphic in its precision, each scallop of chain mail a painstaking wonder.
Would Wells have benefited from such a finish by James? Probably. But Swan wasn’t always grateful for Shanower’s efforts. During a visit to my campus, Shanower told a table of professors how he would erase Swan’s background buildings in order to correct all the perspectives errors. Swan didn’t thank him. He thought Shanower was wasting his time, but, like Wells in James’ “ideal collaboration,” his opinions were irrelevant once the sheets were in Shanower’s hands.
Compare Shanower’s chain mail and seas scallops to the inked versions of Swan by other artists, and you’ll see what Swan considered an appropriate attention to detail. Bob Hughes at Who Drew Superman? credits Swan for dominating Superman during that other Bronze Age while collaborating with a dozen different artists. Bob Oksner inked Superman No. 287 in 1975:
Vince Colletta inked Superman Spectacular in 1977:
And Al Williamson inked Superman No. 410 in 1985:
Look at the full-page layouts, and you’ll also see Swan’s signature breakdown: the top 2/3rds divided into 4-5 panels, anchored by a bottom rectangle featuring Superman flying toward the right margin:
The Swan-Oksner background buildings look pretty detailed to my eye–though some of those perspective lines might be a tad wonky beyond Superman’s right shoulder. The Swan-Colletta and Swan-Williamson backgrounds are comparatively sparse. In fact, sparseness was Vince Colletta’s signature “style.” Though his best work is revered for its own Shanower-esque precision, other artists dislike his high sense of propriety.
Editors kept Colletta employed because he got his work in on time, but pencillers, like Wells, avoided the sweet unison of collaboration. Joe Sinnott (who also inked plenty of Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four pages) said Colletta “wrecked” his romance stories because Colletta “would eliminate people from the strip and use silhouettes, everything to cut corners and make the work easier for himself.” Marvel writer Len Wein agreed that Colletta “ruined” art, and Steve Ditko and later Kirby refused to work with him.
Ditko, like Wells, preferred to ink himself. PencilInk documents a range of examples (Amazing Spider-man No. 3, 1963; Monster Hunters No. 8, 1976; Iron Man Annual No. 11, 1990):
But sometimes even Ditko would have to willingly expose his preliminary outpourings for the benefit of another artist’s vision. Wayne Howard, for example, inked House of Mystery No. 247 in 1976:
And Dan Adkins inked Superboy No. 257 in 1979:
But the most discordant of Ditko’s finishers was John Byrne. As an artist used to getting top-billing as both writer and penciller, he, like James, took possession of Ditko’s pages, applying his own immense refinements and embellishments. Look at Avengers Annual No. 13 from 1984:
The thug’s left foot–only Ditko would draw the impossibly upturned sole. But that’s a Byrne mouth on Captain America, the musculature too. When Mr. Fantastic appears, he seems to have beamed in from Byrne’s Fantastic Four run, but that’s a glaringly Ditko-esque face grinning open-mouthed beside him:
The mixture of the two is even stranger:
Is this what a Wells-James collaboration looks like? James would have placed his name first–though only because cutting Wells from the credit box entirely wouldn’t be an option too. That’s what Alexander Dumas did with his collaborators. Auguste Maquet co-authored both The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, but it’s only Dumas on the covers because Maquet was his employee, what Marvel calls “work for hire.” Maquet produced rough drafts for his boss to write-over. He later sued for co-credit, but the French courts ruled in favor of Dumas.
In comics, the prestige position is reversed. Swan and Kirby had so many inkers because their editors wanted them pencilling as many titles as possible. At Marvel, the penciller was the primary creator, laying out stories with empty captions and balloons for the so-called writers to fill-in. In Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy, Jason Lee plays Ben Afflleck’s inker and takes insult when called a “tracer.” Lee’s name also appears below Affleck’s in the actual credits. By the end of the film, Lee has ended their collaboration. H. G. Wells was wise never to begin one with Henry James.
[And if you’d like to read more about their correspondence, check out Nicholas Delbanco’s Group Portrait: Joseph Conrad, Stephen Crane, Ford Madox Ford, Henry James and H. G. Wells. ]When the Avengers first assembled four years ago, it felt like a grand culmination, the ultimate Marvel superhero event: its Big Four characters united (well, eventually) against a colossal planetary threat. Since then, the studio’s ever-expanding Cinematic Universe has delivered sequels of varying quality and introduced new heroes in stand-alone movies (well, as close to stand-alone as Marvel can ever get), but it’s never quite matched the ensemble-balancing finesse and Earth-quaking action scale of Joss Whedon’s initial assembling. Certainly not in his clunkier, team-gathering follow up, Age Of Ultron. Not until now.
Captain America: Civil War is the best Marvel Studios movie yet. There, we said it. First, and most importantly, it does what the best Marvel films do: juggling multiple characters so each is allowed its moment in a story that pushes forward the series’ overall continuity, while also forming and concluding its own cogent plot. So here Scarlet Witch (Elisabeth Olsen) wrestles with the consequences of her immense power; Vision (Paul Bettany) starts getting to grips with being ‘human’; Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) finds herself torn when the battle line is drawn; and supposed retiree Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) just can’t stay out of the fight.
Then there are the new recruits: Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman, playing it gravelly and furrow-browed), nimble protector of a secretive African nation who has his own beef with Bucky; and a quippy kid from Queens (Tom Holland) who crawls up walls in a red-and-blue outfit and can shoot webs at people. His introduction to the action is resoundingly joyous, the reboot the character truly deserves. (“I don’t know if you’ve been in a fight before,” he’s told by one opponent, “but there’s not usually this much talk.”) Even Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man receives more than a tokenistic ‘hey it’s him!’ cameo, and in spectacle terms at least, is given the film’s biggest scene.
Captain America: Civil War is the best Marvel Studios movie yet. There, we said it.
At its not-so-soft-and-gooey centre, though, is the friendship between Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), two war buddies out of time, one of them out of his mind. Stan remains, for the most part, as blank and frosty as he was in The Winter Soldier, allowing only the occasional warm glint of ’40s sidekick Bucky. Evans, meanwhile, further hones a role he’s effortlessly owned for five movies now, pushing Steve to impressive new depths and reminding us that his straight arrow still has a dangerous edge. The Steve/Bucky thread stretches back to the first Captain America, and is what makes this Cap Three rather than Avengers Two-and-a-half. But built around that is the bigger conflict that, despite the title, does place it as a direct sequel to Age Of Ultron.
In a similar way that Zack Snyder’s DC-world reacted to Superman’s ascension and the emergence of its “metahumans” — though here it is more lightly and elegantly handled — the world of the Avengers has had enough of these “enhanced” agents wreaking collateral havoc and decided, not unreasonably, to bring them to account. So US Secretary Of State William Ross (reappearing for the first time since he was just a monster-chasing General in The Incredible Hulk) presents the Sokovia Accord, signed by 117 countries, which states the Avengers should be answerable to the United Nations. Wracked with guilt over his Ultron faux-pas, Tony Stark’s all for it, and Robert Downey Jr burdens the still occasionally glib hero with a weight-of-the-world weariness that is well matched by his own MCU mileage. But stubborn Steve, distrustful of the post-war world’s version of ‘authority’, refuses to sign on the dotted line.
It’s bold of writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to place their title hero in the most obviously dubious position. If the Avengers don’t answer to the UN, who should they answer to? And Steve’s defence of Bucky is questionable: he may be his childhood friend, but now he’s a lethal, robot-armed killing machine forever in danger of being reactivated. It’s fair enough that he should be brought to heel, right? Then again, there are flaws in Tony’s arguments, too, especially the problematic evidence on which he rests them. Who the audience should agree with is hardly a clear-cut matter.
It’s even bolder that the conflict at the film’s heart doesn’t pander to genre convention and become sidetracked by a grandstanding supervillain plot. And this is the second way Civil War earns our ‘Greatest Marvel Yet’ accolade: by rising above the series’ greatest weakness. Too often, the snappy writing and slick action in these films is undermined by flimsy big bads and formulaic final acts. Yet there is no Loki or Ultron (or, for that matter, Lex Luthor) equivalent this time. Not a whiff of Thanos, or any more of those forgettable Marvel sub-baddies with ‘The’ for a middle name. There is a meddling manipulator — of course there is — but, interestingly, their agenda is as blurred as Steve’s and Tony’s. Arguably just as sympathetic, too. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo don’t just want to rocket your heart into your mouth with their action sequences, which have the tight choreography of a Greengrass Bourne, and the brutal flair of a Gareth Evans rumble; they want to keep your brain firmly engaged, too.
Who needs a villain when you have Steve and Tony?
Who needs a villain when you have Steve and Tony? Both protagonists. Both antagonists. And drawing other power-people to their cause in surprising ways. The clashes go far beyond the set-up squabbles of Avengers Assemble. Or even that other big 2016 superhero showdown. Forget Batman v Superman. Here you get Ant-Man v Spider-Man, Hawkeye v Black Widow, Scarlet Witch v Vision, The Winter Soldier v Black Panther and (well, duh) Captain America v Iron Man, all rolled into one. And that is what you call the ultimate Marvel superhero event.
Stream Captain America: Civil War now with Amazon Video
Matching its blockbuster scale and spectacle with the smarts of a great, grown-up thriller, Captain America: Civil War is Marvel Studios’ finest film yet. There. We said it again.Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote, “Work thus belongs to the vocation of every person; indeed, humans express and fulfils themselves by working.” Today we are taking the opportunity to celebrate labor. We celebrate and thank God for our ability to work. It is by work that we get what is necessary for life and provide for our families. It is a gift of God that we are able to be productive and earn a living. Whether a person works for themself or for another, whether they work at home, in the fields, or in the city, the effort they put in each day and the fruits of their labors dignify them. Though some through age or disability are unable to do everything they want, the work they do each day, no matter how small, is a sign of their dignity as human beings.The association of humans with work goes back to Adam whom God put in the Garden of Eden “to work it and care for it.” After the fall, God told Adam, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.” And humans have worked for thousands of years, building civilizations and families. Most work is forgotten because nothing remains for future generations, but some work is memorialized for ages. What are the pyramids but monuments to human labor? The cathedrals of Europe reveal artistry and engineering and trade and construction and leadership. Every highway and street is a monument to human labor. Even the work that is passes away has its monument in the continuation of human life: proof that our ancestors grew food, defended their society, cared for the sick, raised children, made clothing and houses, and so many other things without which we would not exist.On Labor Day we celebrate not only the gift of our own work and the work of our ancestors but the work of every other person on earth. How easy it is to eat a hamburger without thinking of the cook, the baker, the butcher, the rancher, the farmer, the trucker, the civil engineer, the dishwasher, and so many others who make that hamburger possible! On this day, let us pause and be grateful for water that runs in our homes and food available in such abundance: all the signs of people who work. No one makes the sun rise each day, and the rain tends to fall on its own, but most everything else we take for granted is the result of someone working behind the scenes. We hear praise of job-creators, and their work is important, but so is the work of the job-doers. As Pope Leo XIII wrote, “It may truly be said that it is only by the labor of workers that nations grow rich.”Today many workers are rightly concerned that the loss of religious liberty will make them slaves to the culture. It is one thing for a person to not discriminate against others, but something else for someone to be forced to make a cake celebrating homosexuality, as has happened. People are particularly aware of these consequences in the medical field. Some people want to put all the rights in the hands of the customers, clients, or patients, but what about the dignity of the worker who has a right to define their own work according to the truth? On Labor Day let us celebrate the work we can do, the work of others, and the right to do work in the right way.OBJECTIVE:
Agmatine, decarboxylated arginine, was shown in preclinical studies to exert efficacious neuroprotection by interacting with multiple molecular targets. This study was designed to ascertain safety and |
or I-465) means the 3di meets another interstate at both ends (or is a loop). These are usually bypasses or beltway routes.
An odd starting digit (such as I-195) means the 3di meets an interstate highway at only one end. These are usually spurs from a main interstate to a location some short distance away.
The rules for 3di numbers differ from 2di's. First, the "even is east/west and odd is north/south" rule does not apply, because a parent interstate and its 3di often go in different directions. Second, a 3di number is not unique nationwide -- only within the same state.
The Conventions are Often Flouted
The even and odd starting digit rules are often broken. For example, I-780 near San Francisco connects two interstates; and I-495 in New York only connects to the network at one end. These exceptions tend to generate a lot of discussion.
The reasons for a rule-breaking number can include historical intent, reluctance to change a number already in use, a lack of available numbers, or another interpretation of what makes an appropriate number.
Slang and unofficial terms
A 3di is a three-digit interstate. A 2di is either a one-digit or two-digit interstate; Interstates 5 and 15 are functionally identical and are both 2di's.
A parent is the 2di the 3di is based on. I-105's parent is I-5. A sibling is another 3di based on the same parent. In Maryland, I-795 never intersects its parent, but it does start at its sibling (I-695).
A family of 3di's are all those associated with a particular 2di, usually in one state: so Delaware's set of "x95's" are I-295 and I-495. New York is said to have used up all its x90's, because all nine possible 3di's (190 through 990) are already in use.
Interstate 238
In the 1980s, California ran out of x80s in the Bay Area but needed a number for a new route between I-580 and I-880. (The highway itself was decades old, but the designation was new). I-238 was the result: the only 3di whose parent (I-38) has never existed. Many people consider I-238 an x80.
This concludes the primer. Back to the main page? Or on to the table of all 3di's?EXCLUSIVE: China has sent more surface-to-air missiles from the mainland to the South China Sea, and the U.S. intelligence community anticipates these new missiles will eventually go to some of China’s disputed territories for the first time, two U.S. officials tell Fox News.
The new missiles have been seen by American intelligence satellites on China’s provincial island province of Hainan. While Hainan is not part the disputed islands, officials say this location is “only temporary” and anticipate the missiles will be deployed soon to the contested Spratley Islands or Woody Island.
The two missile systems seen on Hainan island are known as the CSA-6b and HQ-9. The CSA-6b is a combined close-in missile system with a range of 10 miles and also contains anti-aircraft guns. The longer-range HQ-9 system has a range of 125 miles, and is roughly based on the Russian S-300 system.
This latest deployment of Chinese military equipment comes days after the Chinese returned an unclassified underwater research drone in the South China Sea. The Pentagon accused a Chinese Navy ship of stealing the drone, over the objections of the American crew operating it in international waters to collect oceanographic data.
The escalation comes weeks after President elect-Donald Trump received a congratulatory phone call from Taiwan’s president breaking decades-long “one-China” protocol and angering Beijing.
China has deployed surface-to-air missiles to Woody Island in the South China Sea before, as Fox News first reported in February.
It has yet to deploy missiles to its seven man-made islands in the Spratly chain of islands. Weeks ago civilian satellite imagery obtained by a Washington, D.C., based think-tank showed gun emplacement on all the disputed islands, but not missiles.
Earlier this month, Fox News first reported China getting ready to deploy another missile defense system from a port in southeast China. China also flew a long-range bomber around the South China Sea for the first time since March 2015 and days after Mr. Trump’s phone call with his Taiwan counterpart.
Days before President Trump’s call, a pair of long-range H-6K bombers flew around the island of Taiwan for the first time.
Beijing has long expressed interest in fortifying its seven man-made islands in the South China Sea.
Last year, China’s President Xi Jinping pledged not to “militarize” the islands, in the Rose Garden at the White House.
“This another example of the adventurous and aggressiveness of the Chinese in the face of an anemic and feckless set of policies that we've seen over the last eigh years,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, former head of Air Force intelligence, in an interview with Fox News.
This month, U.S. intelligence satellites also spotted components for the Chinese version of the SA-21 surface-to-air missile system at the port of Jieyang, in southeast China, where officials say China has made similar military shipments in the past to its islands in the South China Sea.
The Chinese SA-21 system, based on the more advanced Russian S-400, is a more capable missile system than the HQ-9.This month, we pull up our chairs and sit down once again with Robert May, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Linguistics at the University of California, Davis. Click here to listen to our conversation.
It seems sublime, unbelievable, groundbreaking — but maybe it actually doesn’t mean anything at all:
e^(iπ) + 1 = 0
That’s Euler’s identity. Its proof is so deep that it’s beyond this podcast, or at least what this blogger knows about math. Yet without this podcast, we might worry that, once realized, Euler’s identity is as trivial as 0 = 0. For, after all, Euler proved that eiπ + 1 is the same 0. He proved that “eiπ + 1″ refers to “0.” So when we write Euler’s identity, we can substitute the left-hand side of the equation to write that… 0 = 0. Logical enough, but also dull. Disappointing.
And this worry extends beyond math. For instance, as the podcast mentions, Samuel Clemens is Mark Twain. So “Mark Twain” refers to “Samuel Clemens.” So have we really only said that Samuel Celemens is… Samuel Clemens? That’s trivial too. And so on for any identity, any expression of this equaling that.
At least, so said important 19th century philosophers, drawing on Leibniz (who, incidentally, Euler admired). They developed the problem of identity. But if you think that they must have missed something, so did their colleague Gottlob Frege. Frege worked on logicism, working math down to logic. And he did so by taking logic to reflect not only principles, but how we think.
In addressing the problem of identity, then, Frege argued not about reference. That is, he wouldn’t have argued about eiπ + 1 referring to 0. Rather, he argued about sense. So eiπ + 1 has a different sense than does 0 — in short, a different meaning given how we think. And he didn’t just argue this because we’re not great at math; he argued this because he saw the problem as epistemological. He saw the problem as addressing nothing less than how our thoughts reach knowledge.
Join us as Robert May explains how Frege worked out identity, and thus how we think and know.
Dominic SuryaThe Vikings have used a majority of their draft picks over the past three seasons to bolster the back end of their defense and offensive line. But the 2016 draft represented the second time in the past four years that Minnesota brass have taken a big swing at something the team has been sorely missing: a legitimate playmaking wide receiver on the outside.
With Cordarrelle Patterson seemingly on the outs -- the team declined to pick up his fifth-year option -- all eyes are on Ole Miss product Laquon Treadwell. Treadwell was believed by some to be the top receiver available in the NFL draft but ended up sliding to No. 23 overall, which put him behind Corey Coleman (Browns), Will Fuller (Texans) and Josh Doctson (Redskins).
Very early reviews from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater are in. And after two practices, the reviews are positive.
"He's going to be big for this team," Bridgewater told Vikings.com. "There's a reason that we drafted him in the first round.
He added: "He's been here with us for two days now, and he's been looking good. I'm not qualified to judge players and things like that, but from what I've been seeing, I've been pretty impressed."
While most anything said during this time of year following padless practices is meaningless, this is worth keeping an eye on. The development of Patterson won't fall on Bridgewater's shoulders but Treadwell's might. Bridgewater has matured to the point where he should be able to command Minnesota's offense and elevate the play of complementary pieces around him.
Bridgewater won't be able to tell how easy that will be after two days, but Minnesota is hoping they don't swing and miss on this one.Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Nov. 30, 2016, 4:34 AM GMT / Updated Nov. 30, 2016, 5:05 AM GMT By Alexandra Jaffe
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney offered effusive praise for President-elect Donald Trump’s “impressive” transition effort and “message of inclusion” following their dinner together Tuesday night — a striking change of heart by a man who once called Donald Trump “a phony, a fraud.”
The dinner was Romney’s second meeting with Trump as part of the president-elect’s interview process for deciding who to nominate as Secretary of State. Romney remains a top contender, along with longtime Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Bob Corker and several others. Trump also met with Corker on Tuesday at Trump Tower.
President-elect Donald Trump sits at a table for dinner with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his choice for White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus at Jean-Georges at the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York, Nov. 29, 2016. LUCAS JACKSON / Reuters
Speaking to reporters gathered at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan, Romney gushed about the “wonderful” evening he had with the president-elect, where they were joined by incoming Trump Chief of Staff Reince Priebus as they dined on steak, frog legs and scallops.
Romney described the dinner's conversation as "enlightening and interesting and engaging,” before going on to praise the president-elect for besting him in the race for the White House.
“It’s not easy winning. I know that myself. He did something I tried to do and was unsuccessful in accomplishing. He won the general election,” Romney said.
And he continues with a message of inclusion and bringing people together and his vision is something which obviously connected with the American people in a very powerful way."
Romney said he has been “impressed by what I have seen in the transition effort,” praising his selections as “solid, effective, capable people.”
Romney added that America’s “best days are ahead of us,” that their meetings, the president-elect’s comments during his victory night speech and his Cabinet and adviser picks “give me increasing hope that President-elect Trump is the very man who can lead us to that better future.”
Romey’s name on Trump's secretary of state shortlist has sparked controversy because the former Massachusetts governor was one of Trump’s most prominent and harshest critics. He delivered an unprecedented speech in March where he warned that “if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished.”
Romney said Trump is "not smart" on foreign policy and “not of the temperament of the kind of stable, thoughtful person we need as a leader."
He later added: "He’s playing the members of the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat."
But despite Romney's change of heart — and Trump's apparent openness to burying the hatchet — he still faces fierce opposition from at least one of Trump's top aides. Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, publicly opposed Romney's role in a Trump administration in multiple television interviews over the weekend. She pointed to Romney's criticism of Trump and wondered aloud whether he'd be a "loyal" secretary of state.
Conway said she was speaking on behalf of "grassroots supporters" who would feel "betrayed" if Trump chose Romney. The next day, sources told MSNBC that Trump was angry with Conway for her outspoken criticism, which Conway publicly denied.Aboriginal minister Bess Price denied request to speak Indigenous language in NT Parliament
Updated
A Northern Territory Aboriginal Minister has been denied permission to freely speak in her first language of Warlpiri in Parliament.
The failed request from Local Government Minister Bess Nungarrayi Price came after the central Australian MP was warned over disorderly conduct after she interjected in a parliamentary debate in Warlpiri, prompting NT Speaker Kezia Purick to declare that "the language of the assembly is English".
"Should a member use a language other than English without the leave of the assembly it will be ruled disorderly and the member will be required to withdraw the words," Ms Purick said in Parliament last December after receiving complaints from Labor MPs about Minister Price's Warlpiri interjection.
Late last week — in part prompted by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaking an Aboriginal language in Parliament during his Closing the Gap address — Minister Price wrote to the Speaker challenging the Parliament's interpretation of its standing orders.
"I seek clarification as to where in the standing orders it states the official language of the chamber can be English only," Minister Price said in a letter obtained by the ABC.
"I am very concerned that our Parliament may be seen as not providing mutual respect and parity to our Aboriginal members and our constituents. I feel that I cannot effectively represent my electorate without using my first language, Warlpiri."
Do you know more about this story? Email investigations@abc.net.au.
Price may challenge ruling through standing orders committee
Members of Parliament in the Northern Territory are able to speak in language provided they first seek the permission of the Speaker.
Ms Purick said that has happened many times in the past, but that it was not practical to supply translators on demand.
"The official language of Australia is English, and so by nature the official language of every Parliament is English. It's not about whether a Member of Parliament can speak in another language or not, it's about maintaining order," Ms Purick told the ABC.
Warlpiri is one of the first languages for the first people of Australia. Bess Nungarrayi Price, central Australian MP
Minister Price said she accepted it was necessary for all Members of Parliament to understand what was being said in the chamber. But she likened the NT to bilingual cultures such as Canada, where interpreting services are provided to translate French.
"I think all other countries that don't have English-speaking parliamentarians use interpreters. The UN uses interpreters and they are made available," she said.
"Warlpiri is one of the first languages for the first people of Australia, and Warlpiri to me is the easiest language for me to express myself in.
"I believe our languages should be acknowledged and we are forever and a day having to listen to English being spoken around us."
In a letter to Minister Price sent yesterday, the NT Speaker said there was a standing order, number 245, that "applies to prohibit interpreters and translators on the floor of the assembly during proceedings".
"The assembly has transacted its business in the English language since its inception in 1974 and all Australian parliaments have the same practice," Ms Purick's letter said.
"To be fair to all members, including others of Aboriginal heritage who may not speak Warlpiri, the assembly transacts its business in the English language. All members, as well as the general public will have more access to an open and accountable assembly if we use a common language."
Ms Purick said it was open to Minister Price to challenge Parliament's standing orders via moving a motion in Parliament to refer the matter to the standing orders committee.
Topics: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, indigenous-culture, darwin-0800
First postedResearchers have launched a clinical trial that seeks to use the combined power of two viruses to trigger a sustained assault on the cancer cells of patients with advanced tumours.
The clinical trial, which will be led by The Ottawa Hospital, is the first in the world to deploy two viruses at the same time in a biological siege of cancer cells.
It will use modified versions of the Maraba virus — first isolated from Brazilian sandflies — in combination with the Adenovirus, derived from the common cold virus.
“By using two types of viruses, or multiple types of biological agents, you’re really attacking the cancer in multiple ways at the same time,” explained Dr. John Bell, a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, and one of the researchers who developed the novel therapy.
“It doesn’t give cancer cells a chance to escape. And so the chances of success are much higher.”
Viruses are ancient, highly-evolved infectious agents that can take over and destroy cells. For more than a century, scientists have sought to harness that power in the fight against cancer cells, which can replicate wildly, but are strangely vulnerable to infection.
Only in recent years, however, have scientists come to understand how viruses work on a molecular level.
That has given them the ability to engineer viruses, safe enough to test on humans, that also know how to seek out and destroy hard-to-find cancer cells.
“We all know that cancer hides,” said Dr. David Stojdl, a senior scientist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. “It hides amongst our normal, healthy cells. It hides from our immune response.”
The Maraba virus, genetically modified in Ottawa laboratories, has the ability to sense the difference between tumour cells and normal ones, then attack the cancer with the help of the body’s own immune system.
Three of the researchers involved in the clinical trial — Dr. Bell, Dr. Stojdl and Dr. Brian Lichty — began investigating cancer-fighting viruses when they worked together at The Ottawa Hospital 15 years ago. The clinical trial, unveiled Friday, is the culmination of their enduring collaboration.
“We found that when normal cells become cancerous, it’s like they are making a deal with the devil,” Dr. Bell said. “They acquire genetic mutations that allow them to grow very quickly, but these same mutations also make them more susceptible to viruses.”
The clinical trial, which is scheduled to run until November 2017, will enrol up to 79 patients whose cancerous tumours have resisted conventional treatment. Some of the patients will receive one of the viruses, but most will receive both in doses administered two weeks apart.
It will take up to a year after the end of the trial for researchers to analyze all of their data and publish their findings.
If the clinical trial duplicates the results that researchers have realized in mice and other lab models, Dr. Stojdl said, it holds “profound implications” for the treatment of cancer.
“The potential is staggering,” he said.
The clinical trial is open to adult patients with solid tumours whose cancer cells express a specific protein, MAGE-A3, which make them vulnerable to the engineered viruses. More than 30 per cent of cancerous tumours express the protein.
Hospitals in Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton and Vancouver are taking part in the clinical trial, which is being funded by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.
At The Ottawa Hospital, patients have already started to be enrolled. One of the first patients to join the study is Christina Monker, 75, a former nurse from Rockland, who was diagnosed with cancer three years ago. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation, but the cancer spread to her lungs. She completed another 30 rounds of chemotherapy then joined the clinical trial last month and received two doses of the Maraba virus.
“I was of course a bit nervous because this virus had never been tried in humans before, but I felt like this might be my last hope,” said Monker.
Related
It will be months before she knows whether the therapy has altered the course of her disease.
Around the world, scientists are in a race to develop genetically modified viruses and other biological agents that target and kill cancer cells. Other therapies in development seek to leverage the power of the body’s own immune system against cancers.
The clinical trial, unveiled Friday, hopes to deploy both tactics.
“The idea behind this trial is to use the Adenovirus to prime the patient’s immune system to recognize their cancer, and then use the Maraba virus to directly kill their cancer and further stimulate their immune system to prevent the cancer coming back,” said Dr. Lichty, associate professor at McMaster University.
The field of research is known as biotherapy or immunotherapy. For cancer patients, it holds the promise of new and powerful treatments that are easier to tolerate than chemotherapy.
“I’m very excited about this trial because I think it represents in many ways the future of cancer therapy,” Dr. Lichty said. “I think in five or ten years there will be more and more cancer immunotherapies coming on board as we learn how to engage the patient’s own immune system to attack and fight cancer.”
One virus-based therapy, known as T-VEC, is now awaiting approval in both the United States and Europe. Produced by the biopharmaceutical company, Amgen, T-VEC uses a modified herpes simplex virus to attack cancer cells while also triggering an immune system response. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide whether to approve the therapy in October.
Patients seeking more information about the new clinical trial can visit the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s website.
aduffy@ottawacitizen.comThe former Bronx Lebanon Hospital employee who authorities say shot at staff, killing one of them and injuring several more, may have been angry after losing his job over past arrests. Jonathan Dienst reports.
Former Employee Behind Shooting Has Criminal Past
What to Know A family medicine doctor formerly employed with Bronx-Lebanon Hospital opened fire on two floors, killing one doctor and injuring others
The gunman, identified as 45-year-old Henry Bello, shot himself on the 17th floor; an assault rifle was found nearby
Investigators say the shooting appears to be a case of workplace violence
A doctor wielding an assault rifle stormed Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Friday, gunning down at least six staffers before taking his own life, according to a senior law enforcement officials. Police have identified the shooter as 45-year-old Henry Bello, a former employee at the hospital with an extensive arrest record.
Details continue to develop, but here's what we know about him now:
The shooter has been identified as Dr. Henry Michael Bello, a 45-year-old Nigeria-born family medicine doctor formerly employed at the hospital, according to sources.
Authorities believe he wore a doctor's coat and used his old badge to sneak past security at the hospital.
Bello was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the 17th floor after a two-story shooting rampage that left one doctor -- a woman who has yet to be identified -- dead and others fighting for their lives.
A senior law enforcement official said Bello asked for a specific doctor on the 16th floor. When he was told that doctor wasn't there, he became angry and started shooting at everyone.
Officials said Bello tried to set himself on fire before committing suicide. A photo provided by authorities shows him dead on the floor of the hospital, wearing a bloodied doctor's coat.
Bello used an AR-15 in the shooting. It wasn't immediately known if he obtained the rifle legally.
Authorities provided a photo of the AR-15 they say Henry Bello used in the shooting.
Sources tell NBC 4 New York a preliminary investigation reveals Bello was hired at the hospital in Aug. 2014 as a house physician, but resigned from the hospital in Feb. 2015 in lieu of termination.
He went to medical school on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean.
Bello has past arrests for sex abuse, turnstile jumping, burglary and public urination, law enforcement sources said.
A New York State licensing website does not reveal any disciplinary history.
Senior law enforcement officials describe Bello as a transient recently, with at least five different addresses since he left the hospital.
Police are investigating the shooting as a case of workplace violence; authorities say there is no indication of a nexus to terror.
A mugshot of Henry Bello from his 2004 sex assault arrest.
In Pictures: Seven People Shot by Doctor at NYC HospitalDemocrats Won’t Investigate Countywide “VIP” Loans in Order to Protect Chris Dodd
The Democrats campaigned on being the party of open, honest, and transparent government. There were several scandals in the Republican party that Democrats were able to capitalize on which helped them regain power. They promised the American people that if they were elected they would usher in a new age of honest government.
Their rhetoric doesn’t seem to match their actions so far. One needs to look no further than the scandals surrounding Dianne Feinstein, Charlie Rangel, Timothy Geithner, and John Murtha for proof of my statement. But I will look further, because there is more evidence that the Democrat party is not the party of open, honest, transparent government that they claimed to be.
Democrats are refusing to subpoena the records of Countrywide Financial. There are two main reasons for this; those reasons are Kent Conrad and Chris Dodd. Two of their own have received Countrywide mortgages based on the “VIP” system.
Countrywide Financial was made an example by Democrats of what is wrong with the mortgage companies, they were made a sacrificial lamb offered up by the Democrats and painted as a major culprit in the mortgage meltdown.
But Countrywide also had a “VIP” program called the “Friends of Angelo,” (Angelo being the CEO of Countrywide at the time), if you were a “friend of Angelo” you got preferential treatment on your mortgage. Both Kent Conrad and Chris Dodd were “friends of Angelo” and they both indeed got preferential treatment on mortgages. Both men claim that they did not realize being a “friend of Angelo” meant that they received preferential loan treatment.
And now Democrats are refusing to subpoena records that may show us exactly what these men knew. Coincidence? I think not! How convenient is it for the Democrats to just let Countrywide off the hook? How open and honest is that?
If Democrats truly wanted to be the open and honest party they would subpoena these records regardless of which party might be hurt but I guess protecting the party is more important that being open and honest.
AdvertisementsA week after New Year’s Eve, I called up a rideshare driver named Harry Campbell to see how business had gone. He told me it was lackluster. No one made much extra money. In fact, around 6 p.m. as he sat in his Orange County living room just south of Los Angeles, he pulled up his Uber and Lyft apps and could already see how the night was shaping up. Poorly. On Lyft, he could even see maps of the East Coast, where it was 9 p.m. and scores of cars were idling.
Maybe there were too many drivers out. Or maybe the media had terrified customers with reminders of last year’s holiday surge pricing that sent fares soaring with demand. In any case, Campbell didn’t bother going out. Instead, he hit the road around 7 a.m. the next morning. It’s part of a strategy he has perfected in the nine months since he started driving for Uber and Lyft and blogging about his experience on TheRideShareGuy.com. “The walk-of-shame pickup,” he calls the morning-after shift. “I didn’t make a killing—only one ride was surge—but I was getting a ton of requests.”
Turning a buck is hard on ridesharing services, and as these startups compete for customers and launch in new locations, it’s getting a lot harder. A couple of years ago, Campbell says, you could basically turn on the app and be guaranteed $20-30 an hour. “You have to be smarter now,” he told me. Drivers usually learn this on their own. But it takes a while, and there’s no self-help section at the local Barnes & Noble for guidebooks on how to succeed. Search the web, and you’ll turn up a disappointing amount of information on the ridesharing sites, and only about a half-dozen companies that offer support services like health insurance, as well as a few blogs like the one Campbell keeps. Yet the industry giant, Uber, boasted hundreds of thousands of what it so delicately calls “driver partners” on New Year’s Eve. I can’t help but wonder: Shouldn’t there be more people like The Rideshare Guy?
While sharing economy startups are ballooning quickly, the workforce on which they depend needs help. These new workers—a burgeoning crew of freelancers with all of the flexibility and none of the safety nets of their predecessors—will need benefits and disability insurance and healthcare. Sure. I wrote about that last month in a story about the former advocacy group Peers. They also need thought leadership—the kind of scholarly review of the field that helps differentiate a job from a career path. How do you help workers make the most of these opportunities? In effect, the sharing economy needs its Tony Robbins, able to preach an inspirational path to, as Robbins advertises on his website, “Unlimited growth. Record sales. Immediate results.” Its Jack Welch, urging ambitious corporate climbers to “change before you have to.” Its Jim Collins, explaining how to go from good to great.
So far, it just has Campbell.
At 28, Campbell, aka The Rideshare Guy, is a square-jawed extrovert with a day-job as a structural engineer at Boeing. He has always liked to write and for several years kept a personal finance blog. But then last spring he started driving for Uber and Lyft as a side job. As he wrote in his first blog post last May, “I’m getting kind of too old so taking a Friday night off and making a couple hundred bucks sounded a lot better than a massive Sunday hangover.” (He was 27, people, 27.) He started that blog because he couldn’t find any online forums or blogging drivers to advise him, and also because like most successful sharing economy workers, he’s got an entrepreneurial streak. Drivers found him. Loads of them. Seven months in, he has tens of thousands of readers and podcast listeners.
Campbell understood what most people who make serious money off of technology-driven platforms know: Successful driving involves constantly putting yourself in the places where demand—in this case for rides—outstrips supply. As soon as the opportunity for profit has been discovered and exploited, it will disappear. Drivers must always be in pursuit of the next opportunity. He tells them to drive smarter, not longer. His blog posts and podcasts detail the four best days of the year to drive (July 4, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, and usually, New Year’s Eve); how to get the best customer service from Uber and Lyft (add phrases like “phone not working” or “accident” to trigger the autofilters that will get you a faster response to your query); and offer a guide to tax deductions.
His mini media empire is growing quickly. He has a newsletter, and every couple weeks releases a new podcast. Last week, he started a YouTube Channel with a 16-minute recap of the business climate during the New Year’s Eve rush. He invites guests to publish. A new contributor dubbed “The Rideshare Chick” recently wrote, “I have lost count how many times I have to say, ‘Look buddy, just cuz you didn’t get lucky in in the bar doesn’t mean you’re going to get lucky in my car!’”
Campbell also does 30-minute coaching sessions, for which he charges about $50; recently he counseled one driver on how to improve his rating, which was hovering dangerously close to 4.6. (Drop below that and Uber will drop you as a driver.) He advised another on insurance options.
It could be the start of something big. Or not. Campbell readily acknowledges that his fulltime job at Boeing holds much more opportunity, both in terms of salary and future potential, than his sharing economy gig. The sector’s most outspoken and strategic driver says ridesharing makes a better part-time job than a full-time one. That’s a problem for the future of the workforce, which is only set to grow. For the companies that need that workforce to flourish, it’s a crisis.Michael Gspurning will readily admit that 2013 was a difficult year.
In his first MLS season in 2012, he took the league by storm, posting the second-best goals against average in league history and leading Sounders FC to its first appearance in the Western Conference Championship. To some degree a victim of his own success, Gspurning maintained that high standard for most of the 2013 season, save for two matches late in the year that stand out in an otherwise solid campaign in net for Seattle.
“It was tougher this year. To make a statement in the league like I did last year was the first step,” Gspurning said. “To show this year the same quality again is not easy to prove and I’m proud that I did it.”
In his first five matches this season, Gspurning allowed five goals but had no wins to show for it. Then, as the offense picked up, so did Gspurning and the defense, posting four shutouts in a five-game stretch to get Seattle back on track and into the win column.
That patience and ubiquitous confidence would prove paramount for Gspurning in 2013.
After bouncing back from a forearm injury, the Austrian goalkeeper again posted four shutouts in a five-game stretch, this time winning all five matches. In the end, he didn’t match his stellar 0.73 goals against average of 2012 when he was a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, but his 10 shutouts were among the best in the league and his career 1.04 goals against average still ranks tops in club history.
The periods of struggle provided good learning experiences for the 32-year-old and the abrupt conclusion to the season with a loss in the Western Conference Semifinals leaves him hungry for more.
“You can learn at any age. If you stop trying to learn, it’s not good for you. In every year in every situation, every day, you can learn something. I’m proud that I overcame these obstacles and showed my quality,” Gspurning said. “It was a great time when we fought back and it made us very strong, but in the end we lost the focus and we didn’t finish how we wanted to and that’s bad.”
Like the team as a whole, Gspurning had highs and lows this year. But in the end, it leaves him ready for what the future holds.
“There were many obstacles this year – of course for the team and personally for me. But that’s soccer. I’m not happy that we finished in the playoffs in the first round,” Gspurning said. “I learned a lot this year and I’m already prepared for the next year.”Guest Posting by Ira Glickstein
Total US Debt (public and private) as a percentage of US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) correlates with NASA GISS US Annual Mean Temperature Anomaly better than CO2 levels! So, if we want to reduce warming, cut the debt!
The base chart tracks Total Public and Private US Debt as a percentage of GDP (black line) from 1870 through 2009. Notice how it slowly increases from 1880 to 1930 and then peaks sharply in the early 1930’s, declines through the 1950’s and then rises steadily through 2009.
NASA GISS data for the US Annual 5 year Mean Temperature Anomaly from 1880 to the present is superimposed (red line), and fits remarkably well. It is a bit noisier, but it too increases from 1880 to 1930 and then peaks sharply in the early 1930’s. It then declines through 1970, and then rises steadily through 2010.
Notice how CO2 levels (dotted blue line), estimated from 1880 through 1957 and based on Mauna Loa from 1958 through 2010, fail to indicate any peaking in the 1930’s.
It is amazing how the Warmists point to human-caused CO2 as the primary cause of Global Warming when Total US Debt as a Percentage of GDP matches so much better! Perhaps cutting the GISS budget will do more for the Warmist cause than wrecking our economy by cutting energy use and sequestering CO2? Let us save the environment by increasing US productivity and reducing deficits!
BOTTOM LINE:
1) I really do not think that US Debt is related to warming temperature at all, but it seems to be more related than CO2. (A geometric analogy: An ellipse has no corners at all, but it has more corners than a circle :^)
2) Correlation does not prove causation, and CO2 does not even correlate all that well as the cause of warming. Therefore, human activities, while most likely responsible for some small part of recent warming (see this) are overwhelmed by natural cycles and processes, responsible for most of the actual warming since 1880. Indeed, the greatest human cause of the supposed warming has been Data Bias, due to “adjustments” and re-analysis by NASA GISS.
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RedditBelvidere, Dec. 6, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terra Tech Corp (TRTC) subsidiary Edible Garden, a hydroponic herb and produce cultivator, signed a distribution deal with GroRite Greenhouse and Garden Centers in May of this year. Under the terms of the agreement Edible Garden and GroRite planned to convert up to 35,000 square feet of greenhouse space at GroRite's retail location in Lincoln Park, New Jersey into a hydroponic cultivation facility. The companies have recently finished converting 8,000 square feet and are currently harvesting and packaging 4,500 living basil plants from the facility. The Edible Garden hydroponic basil will be shipped throughout the Northeast to their current retail partners |
from The Daily Texan on Vimeo.Eleven-year-old yard services entrepreneur Frank Giaccio locked down his biggest client ever Friday morning, mowing the White House lawn on the invitation of President Trump.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted a photo of Giaccio taking care of business Friday morning.
“Frank is hard at work in the Rose Garden and doing a great job!” she wrote.
At Friday’s press briefing, Sanders said it was an “honor” to host their guest landscaper.
“The president has always loved go-getters like Frank,” she said.
Sanders announced earlier this week that "Frank from Falls Church, Virginia” would help the grounds crew cut the Rose Garden grass.
Trump accepted the Virginia boy’s offer after he wrote to the president saying it would be his "honor to mow the White House lawn." Giaccio, who was 10 when he wrote the letter but has since turned 11, also enclosed a menu of his services, which include weed-whacking.
Giaccio told Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” earlier Friday, “So far it’s pretty much the best day of my life.”
The White House later tweeted a photo of Trump walking alongside Giaccio on the lawn, and another of him and his father in the Oval Office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.LAS VEGAS -- Nestled near the back of the Mandalay Convention Center at the Evolution Championship Series this past weekend, beyond the showroom booths, throngs of fans and an in-house bar, sat a handful of spare tables with monitors on them. Around the area, a few onlookers stopped by for a second to look at the action on the screens and then passed through, onward to a new destination, a new game to watch where the mobs of people are louder, more exuberant. Yet those who stuck around didn't budge, watching the rapid-fire movement on the screen, engrossed in the stylish combat unfolding in front of them.
This is Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, one of the nine fighting game titles officially hosted at Evo this year. A staple of the Las Vegas weekend tournament, Guilty Gear has continued to trudge on through different variations and new releases. While bigger games such as Smash Brothers for Wii U and Street Fighter V take precedence, the fans and players of Guilty Gear were steadfast in their love of the over-the-top, bizarre, '90s hard rock-themed fighting game that was released in Japan almost two decades ago.
Although the prize pool was dwarfed by the two Smash games, Tekken and Street Fighter, Guilty Gear had the fourth-highest payout out of any competition at Evo, thanks to the game's publisher, Arc System Works, which donated $10,000 to the pot. The publisher hasn't wavered in support of its game, and the fans, regardless of how many, remain loyal.
"Part of what sets Guilty Gear apart right now in the broader scene is that it has such a high skill cap," David Vest, one of the dedicated fans standing near one of the Guilty Gear tables, explains. Vest, a veteran of the scene, was glad to help any newcomer to the Guilty Gear scene learn a bit about the expansive game. "It's [like] checkers vs. chess. Right now, Guilty Gear has some of the most options and is the most technically demanding, so there is always room to grow into the technique."
The high skill ceiling was on full display at the back of the convention center, where the main Guilty Gear stage stood; a big screen dedicated to the qualifying rounds was sandwiched in between the stages for Tekken and King of Fighters. There were a few rows of chairs for people to watch the action, and the attendance was lukewarm at best, people coming and going every few minutes after catching a match or two. In front, the players who were awaiting their upcoming matches made up the brunt of the audience, talking to each other casually as the games on stage moved at lightning speed.
In the back row sat Ron Saliza, 35, another lover of the game, playing a mobile game in between sets before raising his eyes once again to watch the games on the big screen. What draws him to Guilty Gear over everything else is the beauty -- the bombastic characters flinging across the screen at a moment's notice, each character with a unique look and playstyle.
"A lot of us started playing [Guilty Gear] as teens. If we're still playing now, you'll sure bet we're playing for another five [or] 10 years," Saliza says.
Fans were given thundersticks to great effect during the final rounds of the Guilty Gear championship at Evo 2017. Gail Fisher for ESPN
Instead of the hollers and chants heard from across the hall at the larger stages for Smash Bros. Melee and Street Fighter V, the fans watching the qualifying rounds of Guilty Gear talked to each other in hushed tones, pointing out a minute detail that led to a combo. Someone who doesn't follow the game closely would never notice it. In some games, a round can be over in a matter of seconds, a combo leading to the next, and before you know it, the two adversaries are shaking hands, having gone through a complex battle that to the common man lasted only a couple minutes.
"You're in for a treat," says Hamad Akbar, one of the American favorites to possibly break into the top eight traditionally dominated by Japanese players. Akbar was talking about the appearance of Omito "Omito" Hashimoto, last year's runner-up. A charismatic showman off stage and stone-faced when the game starts, Omito was the favorite to take the crown. His main character, Johnny -- "a cool pirate captain that only lets cute girls on his ship," per one fan -- hummed along with in-game expression, merciless with a bit of flash, juggling his opponents in the air for minutes on end until the beating finally ceased.
"A lot of us started playing [Guilty Gear] as teens. If we're still playing now, you'll sure bet we're playing for another five [or] 10 years." Ron Saliza, 35, Guilty Gear fan
That's not how his first game on stage went, however. His South Korean opponent, Heetae "LLon_nu13" Kim, took the first round in an upset. Nonplussed, Omito rallied, and one round turned into two, and two turned into three, and his Johnny corralled the faster characters in the game, poking and bouncing them up like a racquet to a tennis ball, and Omito was victorious.
After descending from the stage and talking with a smile on his face to his friends and fellow Japanese players, the player he had just defeated, Kim, came up to Omito with a simple request: a selfie. Omito, reverting from his machine-like tendencies while playing to his softer side in front of the camera, kindly obliged, stepping to the side to take a quick picture.
The cheers heard throughout the venue at that moment were not for Omito, but probably for some Melee player with over 50,000 Twitter followers or a Street Fighter player who has won over $100,000 in the past year. Only about two dozen people were in attendance to watch Omito qualify through pools, but in this small corner of the venue, to the people watching, and even to the people playing against him, Omito was the tournament's main attraction.
Omito reclaims his throne at the top of Guilty Gear in style, much like the game he represents. Gail Fisher for ESPN
The next day, on championship Saturday, the crowd swelled. Instead of the two dozen dedicated fans watching the qualifying rounds, the Guilty Gear show turned into the biggest stage in the convention hall.
On the main stage, the final eight players -- all from the Guilty Gear home country of Japan -- stood in front of a packed crowd to watch the festivities. Arc System Works employees gave out thundersticks in an attempt to drown out the noise of the event's three biggest games -- Street Fighter V, Melee and Smash for Wii U -- on the outskirts of the main stage.
Omito, rested from his first-place finish in his qualification pool, strode to the center stage with an air of confidence, wielding a pair of sunglasses and posing for the crowd. His biggest rival, Masahiro "Machabo-" Tominaga, who withheld the crown from Omito last year, was already out of the tournament, upset in the earlier rounds. His biggest remaining challenge was someone who wouldn't have been at the event without the support of the community. "T5M7," more commonly known as Tomo, was sponsored by the subreddit r/kappa, a competitive fighting game board famous for rallying behind international players to send them to events.
Compared to Omito, Tomo, and his character Leo Whitefang, were complete opposites. Where Omito's display of skill was a rhythmic butchering, Tomo and his character were constantly moving forward, a bullet train confined in the limited dimensions of the screen, falling behind before coming back with a ferocious charge that made the fans - die-hards or not -- leap from their seats. They may not have known the vast intricacies of how Tomo got the victory, but the excitement at the end was something to behold.
As the final eight went along, Omito's theatrics died down until the end, when hundreds watched him win the championship that eluded him last year. All he could do was stand up and stare at the victory screen for a few seconds before raising his arms in the air in victory.
At the far end of that ladder, Jacob "Mintyfresh" Roberson, 23, was far removed from the Omitos and Tomos of the world. He'll most likely never win a Guilty Gear championship, as he claimed he "sucks at the game." But then what is Guilty Gear if you can't grasp the expert combos and keep up with the fast-paced combat?
"Every time I play Guilty Gear... I just leave with a big smile on my face," he told me, smiling. "For every game that I lose -- I lose five games and win one -- that one win keeps you coming back. It's that thirst for blood that keeps the player base alive."
As scenes in competitive video games wax and wane, one thing is for certain: The same guys who were here this year will be there next year, huddled around the same tables, soaking in the metal music and colorful action of Guilty Gear, while talking with their friends about a dropped combo that you didn't see, but ready to help you as they helped me.[Trans] 150518 Yixing EasyIdol Interview
E: You have so many nicknames, what do you like your fans to call you most? And why?
YX: 蛋蛋 (Dan Dan)~ because I like this nickname Dan Dan
E: Out of all the fansupport that your fans prepared, which left the greatest impression?
YX: Each fansupport left a great impression on me, but the one for my birthday left an even greater impression, because that day was special to me, and further more the fans prepared fansupport with a good atmosphere, wished me happy birthday, sang a birthday song at the airport. I was quite touched, so touched that tears began to fall, I had to put on shades so that everyone would not see my tears.
E: Given the title of a “New Chef”, what is your best dish and a dish you’ve learnt recently?
YX: It doesn’t really count as a dish learnt recently, but it’s Korean styled barbecue/roast meat. Before roasting, put a layer of butter in the pot, so that the roasted beef will be very fragrant and tender. There’s another dish I learnt from Steven ge, it’s mixed rice eaten with chilli paste and peanut paste. Oh my god, if everyone has the time you can try this, it’s really very tasty.
E: Have you ever displayed your cooking skills in front of your members? How did they evaluate your cooking skills?
YX: I often cook for them, they always just do me the favour of eating one bite, and then walk away without any comment.
E: Who in the group do you have the best relationship with?
YX: I have a very good relationship with every member.
E: You’ve been appearing in front of cameras since a young age, you always give the impression of an obedient type, warm boy. Generally boys are mischievous when they are young, what is the naughtiest thing you’ve done?
YX: Breaking other people’s windows by kicking soccer balls into them and then running away, or going with my classmates to ring the doorbells of other people, then running away when they open the door.
E: As a little fresh meat idol, share with us your experience in how you take care of your skin and act handsome usually!
YX: I generally don’t try to act handsome or act cool, I am more realistic, what everyone sees on variety shows is my own personality. As for taking care of my skin I need to do some self-reflection, I have not reached a high degree of excellence, when I am hungry and feel like eating I will eat crazily, this is something I’m lacking in, I will slowly control myself.
E: Did you watch your own performance in Running Man (China)? Did you find it enjoyable?
YX: I watched, I found it very enjoyable, I played till I didn’t even know the cameraman was filming me from behind, I’m very sorry. It wasn’t easy for him to find me but I asked him to go away, I thought he was sent by the enemy team, I was very nervous. One bad thing is, I was so focused on the game I neglected the beauty of the process.
E: Previously you filmed Oh My God, what is your greatest feeling about filming?
YX: Filming is a very fun job, because (I) can jump out of my world to play someone else, and in the process of playing someone else I can do something I can never do in my current position or in this lifetime, I can experience people or things I will never get to otherwise. So I feel that this is a job where I can learn many new things.
E: Do you plan on taking drama roles?
YX: Currently my studio has received many offers for dramas, I am very thankful to everyone for giving me opportunities and thinking highly of me, I will keep working hard. As for our plans in the current stage the focus is still on EXO’s comeback, I am consolidating myself in the process of the comeback.
E: If you film a drama, what kind of roles do you wish to take on?
YX: Last time I took part in an event, a fan told me I am suitable for a scholar or a pervert, this left me with an unsettled mind, I’ve never thought that my looks are suitable for a pervert, but I feel that a good actor should try various kinds of roles, I also hope that in the future I can handle various roles, not necessarily (a pervert)…
E: Will you take a role in a historical drama?
YX: I think it’s still possible, the more important thing is the script, I’ll see whether I can handle the role!
E: EXO’s 2nd tour Exo'luxion, comparing the Korean stops and the Chinese stops, what are the biggest highlights?
YX: There are many highlights! In Korea we sang all Korean songs, in China we’ll sing all Chinese songs! Is this a highlight?
E: Will you have a solo stage?
YX: I probably will! If I don’t have a solo who will have a solo (just kidding la…)
E: Will you take part in writing the lyrics for the Chinese version of Promise?
YX: Promise’s lyrics will be written by me. When it comes to China, all the Chinese lyrics will be written by me, including the rap. This song which contains the voices of all the members’ hearts, will you all like it?
E: Your work schedule is always full, if you could have a long holiday how will you spend it?
YX: No need for a long holiday! Finish my work, do well myself, then we’ll see. Actually even when I’m on a break I also want to work, to improve myself.
E: Do you have plans for a birthday event this year? Will there be a chance to spend it with local fans?
YX: Birthday event?! I still don’t know~~ But I also hope there will be more chances to interact with local fans, everyone anticipate a little, who knows, it might happen! Oh~ It’s not bad oh!The issues for the general election campaign have, to a great extent, already been framed. And Donald Trump, being the world-class marketer he is, has successfully forced a debate about whether the U.S. needs to build a wall across the 1,954 miles of our southern border to secure our great nation. The project would cost the government more than $10 billion — unless Mexico pays for it, a deal Mr. Trump would have us believe he can strike as our president.
But Trump, whose platform is based on the premise that his business acumen is a fine — indeed, preferable — substitute for political experience, is making a big mistake. He’s focused on the wrong border.
It’s 2016. There isn’t a wall high enough to keep out the fastest-growing threat to our national security: Cyberterrorism. It follows that our vulnerable corporate networks constitute the border we most urgently need to secure, the one the man who has earned billions through corporate endeavors should care the most about.
Acts of cyberterrorism are occurring more and more frequently, and pose an increasing threat. We learned recently, for example, that Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian terrorist group, has been hacking into the video feeds of Israeli drones for the past two years. Even more disturbing was a recent attack on a Ukrainian power grid that caused power outages for hundreds of thousands of people. Closer to home, a cyberattack shut down the computer systems of a Newark, New Jersey Police Department. It took three days for the city to restore the network.
But attacks on governmental systems are only part of the issue — a part that private citizens can only hope is being addressed by our military and intelligence agencies. The government does not operate most of the critical infrastructure that American citizens interact with every day. Much of this infrastructure is in the hands of private entities. And protecting the companies that operate it, perhaps by forcing them to protect themselves, is the way to build the wall that America actually needs.
Our government knows of these threats and has some of the top minds in the world working on protecting government targets. Businesses, however, are lagging behind.
We’ve just begun to see what cyberterrorists are capable of. A nation-state used a cyberattack on Sony Pictures (in retaliation for a Seth Rogen movie, of all things). A hole in the security infrastructure of Mt. Gox — at that point the largest bitcoin exchange in the world — resulted in losses that approached half a billion dollars. Some of the county’s richest and most powerful law firms were hacked, leading to speculation that the cyber thieves were looking for information to use for insider trading.
Private companies operate our financial system, including our bank accounts and the markets themselves, so what’s to stop cyberterrorists from targeting the New York Stock Exchange and throwing the global economy into a tailspin? A five-year-long insider-trading ring orchestrated from Ukraine, carried out for profit rather than disruption, easily obtained a vast amount of confidential data whose release could have had far worse consequences than the loss of $100 million.
And recently, the Department of Justice indicted seven Iranian hackers, allegedly working on behalf of the Iranian government, who targeted 46 major financial institutions as well as the computer systems controlling a dam in New York.
We already know that planes can be turned into weapons when hijackers are on board, but what happens when terrorists can remotely hijack planes through their autonomous systems? The same holds for cars, or trains for that matter. What if a cyberterrorist hits our water supply or our power grids? The threat to national security would be on par with a weapon of mass destruction.
Part of the growing threat is a form of modern piracy called ransomware, software with which hackers can hold computer networks hostage and, as pirates have always done, demand their ransom. These pirates forced a hospital in Kentucky to declare a “state of emergency” in March, an attack that came on the heels of a Los Angeles hospital having to pay $17,000 to regain control of its computer system in February. The threat has grown so much that the FBI recently issued a “flash alert” pleading with companies to assist the government in stopping its spread.
Our government knows of these threats and has some of the top minds in the world working on protecting government targets. Businesses, however, are lagging behind. Part of the problem is that the United States workforce is suffering from a cybersecurity skills shortage at the worst possible time.
But the more significant problem is that there are few — if any — laws that require businesses to take the necessary steps to defend themselves. And while the government should be lending free support, its interests are not perfectly aligned with those of corporate America. As the FBI has demonstrated in its public fight with Apple, the government has a keen interest in making sure that some private systems are actually not quite secure.
Trump’s Wall is a relic of an era in which invading armies moved across continents and walls kept them at bay. Today a wall is not an impediment for terrorists, and certainly does nothing against the pressing threat of cyberterrorism. Rather, it serves as a reminder that the U.S. is reacting to the threats of the past instead of the threats of the present.This year gave us a bevy of amazing new 3DS games, reinforcing yet again why Nintendo's popular handheld is the most consistent, well-rounded portable console on the market. With a lineup that includes new and exciting games from iconic series, there were a wide variety of experiences to latch onto. From games with complex mechanics that tested our strategic and tactical mettle, to adventures that pulled us into fantastical worlds, the 3DS was on a roll in 2016. With the year about to come to a close, we've narrowed down the five best 3DS games that you need to add to your collection. In no particular order here's our Best of 3DS from 2016:
In an unorthodox, yet ambitious move for a new Fire Emblem game, Fire Emblem Fates was divided into three different adventures: Birthright, Conquest, and Revelation. Unless you were one of the lucky few who managed to pick up the limited edition that combined all three games on one cartridge, you had to purchase three separate games to experience Fates' entire story. Each throws you into a conflict between two warring families where you must choose whom to pledge your allegiance to; but which side do you choose? The version you play dictates that choice.
Regardless of the path(s) you take, Fates has some of the best, most challenging tactical combat the series has to offer, with clever and intricate maps that weave a multitude of ever-evolving and meaningful struggles. And the relationships you build with your allies along the way create even more impactful conflicts, as you wage war and walk the "righteous" path. Fates may veer away from series tradition in its format, but it provides--across its three versions--the signature, epic narrative and strategic turn-based battles that fans have come to love. It's by far one of the most diverse, distinct, and fulfilling games on 3DS this year.
At first glance, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse might seem like a rudimentary expansion to 2013's well-received SMT IV, but it's so much more. Core features like combat, demon hunting, and questing are refined or bolstered by new ideas. Demons now have innate buffs or debuffs to certain skills types, which gives the fusion process a new level of depth as you reconsider what skills it needs. The pacing of Apocalypse's story is also much tighter, quickly throwing you into the conflict terrorizing Tokyo. And at the center is its protagonist Nanashi, a demon hunter brought back to life who must decide whether to follow the commands of the benefactor that revived him or to rebel. Enhancements like these result in an experience that manages to outshine the original game's already stellar foundation. SMT IV: Apocalypse is not only one of the best RPGs on 3DS this year, it's one of the best the handheld has to offer.
Pokemon Sun and Moon launched in November to the delight of series fans everywhere. The latest entry is sure to please the most devoted players by treading familiar ground, but it also introduces new features that make the traditional Pokemon experience more accessible to new players. The structure of the adventure has been revamped, travel simplified, and combat made more intuitive through small but meaningful interface upgrades. But the refinements don't stop there. Sun and Moon's visuals are some of the most memorable in the entire series. The beautiful Hawaiian-inspired Alolan region is a delight to explore; and in keeping with tradition, the new Pokemon roster is vibrant, charming, and expressive. Sun and Moon is a reminder why Pokemon has consistently remained one of the most powerful and iconic franchises in gaming.
Kirby: Planet Robobot embodies the same fundamental charm that has made past Kirby games so endearing. It's not a drastic reinvention of the formula by any means, but it doesn't need to be. What's contained in Planet Robobot is the classic Kirby experience; you run around, absorbing enemy abilities, and use them for your own gain. But the wonderful addition this time around is the use of powerful robot suits, which gives the heroic pink puff added strength and access to a distinct set of moves and abilities. Robobot's level design is also some of the best of the series yet, encouraging exploration and replayability. And myriad extra modes add more variety to an otherwise enjoyable platformer: you can play through the entire game as Meta Knight, there's Kirby 3D Rumble, a mini-game where you dispatch enemies using as few moves as possible; and there's even Team Kirby Clash, a mode that allows you to team up with AI or nearby friends to tackle bosses in a medieval fantasy-themed setting. The sheer diversity of content offered here makes Planet Robobot one of the best Kirby games in recent memory.
Rhythm Heaven Megamix marks the first time the cult favorite rhythm game series has appeared on 3DS, bringing with it the oftentimes absurd scenarios it's known for. Like past games, Megamix presents simple minigames that rely on one or two buttons that you have to press in time with quirky, original music. Its bright and charming art style inspire nothing but joy, as you rhythmically pick the beard hairs off of an onion or catch pineapples falling down a flight of stairs. Megamix's catchy music and ridiculous situations make it consistently endearing. It gives fans more of what they've always loved, and is sure to surprise newcomers with its unconventional sense of humor. If you haven't played a Rhythm Heaven game before, you owe it to yourself to experience the absurd yet uplifting ride that is Rhythm Heaven Megamix.
GAMESPOT'S BEST 3DS GAMES OF 2016
Fire Emblem Fates
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Pokemon Sun and Moon
Kirby: Planet Robobot
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
GameSpot will be unveiling its picks for the best games of the year throughout all of December. Click here to see more.Using a simple set of loudspeakers, scientists have figured out a way to levitate and rotate objects in midair. If perfected, this “sonic tractor beam” could find uses ranging from treating kidney stones to creating artificial gravity on the International Space Station.
Scientists have used sound to levitate objects before. That feat isn't surprising, as sound is a wave of pressure strong enough to move your eardrum. However, instead of audible sound, sonic levitation utilizes higher ultrasonic frequencies that are beyond the range of human hearing. When blared from loudspeakers in the right configuration, these sound waves can combine to form a sonic scaffolding called an interference pattern—a sort of a force field that can hold a small object aloft.
Previously, to lift an object, scientists had to put banks of speakers on opposite sides of it, or a bank on one side and a sound reflector on the other. In the new study, reported online today in Nature Communications, physicists achieve levitation using just one block of speakers on one side. To do that, they employ a special algorithm that calculates the exact interference patterns needed to levitate an object using this “single-sided emitter.” The new technique enables scientists to move the floating object vertically and laterally, but it also allows them to rotate the object, something that previous techniques couldn’t do. Moreover, the one-sided speaker setup allows for easier access and more precise control of the floating object.
“It’s hard to get across how many times we tried and failed,” says lead author Bruce Drinkwater, a mechanical engineer at University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. “You’ve got this array of loudspeakers and you’re continually popping particles where you think they should levitate, and then watching them continually drop down.” But with the algorithm’s help, Drinkwater and his colleagues were able to dictate the bead’s motion, whether it hung in the air, spun on its own axis, or danced from side to side. “After we got the [algorithm] working, we put [the bead] in and it just stayed there—it was absolutely amazing”
The algorithm works by constructing the best possible interference patterns, one that not only keeps the bead floating, but lets it twist and move with some freedom. The interference pattern comes about by adjusting the precise synchronization, or “phases,” of the waves leaving the various speakers. By setting the phase differences just right, the researchers make the waves combine to reinforce one another in some places and cancel out one another in other places. In that way they create a complex 3D pattern of high and low pressure regions, which the authors call an "acoustic hologram," that can support the bead against the pull of gravity. As the algorithm tunes the phases, the interference pattern and resulting hologram change, enabling researchers to move the bead around.
The algorithm can fashion acoustic holograms of various spatial configurations, but Drinkwater and his team focused on three: the “twin trap,” the “vortex,” and the “bottle.” The twin trap pinches the object like a pair of tweezers and allows for rotation and movement of the object. The vortex, which spins and entraps the bead in the center of a tornadolike flurry, rotates the bead on its own axis. Lastly, the bottle traps the bead as if in a sonic container, keeping it stable.
Tony Jun Huang, a mechanical engineer at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, says he hopes this brings acoustic manipulation into the spotlight. “Not many people work in this field, and not many people recognize the importance of it,” he says. He hopes that in the future, Drinkwater and his colleagues will pair with biologists and doctors to demonstrate applications that until now, were impossible to explore.
And that’s exactly what Drinkwater and Asier Marzo, first author and computational engineer at the University of Bristol, hope to do next. “My main target for the future is in vivo levitation,” Marzo says. Ultrasonic waves can penetrate the body relatively gently, he notes, so the sonic tractor beam might be used to remove kidney stones and clots, deliver drug-laden capsules to various parts of the body, or control microsurgical instruments. “This isn’t just theoretical anymore," Marzo says. "Now we have proof that we can do one-sided levitation and that paves the way for lots of other research.”By Angelos Anastasiou
UNIVERSITY of Cyprus (UCy) assistant physics professor Dr Constantinos Skordis has won a €1.2m consolidator grant from the European Research Council (ERC) in order to test the assumptions of the governing theory of gravity, Einstein’s General Relativity.
“What we have observed from various sources is that we need to either amend gravitational theory as we know it or hypothesise the existence of new forms of matter and energy – which we call dark matter and dark energy,” said Dr Skordis, who studies cosmology or the study of the universe.
“The existence of these forms is a hypothesis, meaning it has not been experimentally proven”, he said at a press conference yesterday, adding that his research programme “aims to prove which of the two hypotheses is correct”, he concluded.
The research project, described by the ERC as “a testing of gravitational theories against cosmological evidence”, was the seventh ERC grant won by a UCy scientist out of a total nine awarded to Cypriot scientists in recent years.
Congratulating Dr Skordis, UCy rector Dr Constantinos Christofides said that securing the grant poses a success “not only for Dr Skordis but for Cyprus in general.”
Commenting on the fact that this project will lead to the creation of four employment positions for young scientists, Christofides said that “research can significantly contribute to job creation in Cyprus for young scientists.”
He added that Cyprus needs to build on its successful efforts in research, since “if one looks at the economic indicators of all 28 EU countries, they will realise that Cyprus excels in attracting research funds relative to its size.”
Dr Christofides explained that only 8 or 9 per cent of proposed research projects get approved for funding, and that the success is all the more impressive given that the UCy, although employing fewer academic staff than any institution competing for ERC funds in Cyprus and Greece, has managed to attract the most grants than any other institution in either country.
UCy physics department head Dr Georgios Archontis said that “the science of physics has achieved great leaps over the last century, and researchers like Dr Skordis provide an excellent example to aspiring scientists.”
The research project will draw data chiefly from the European Space Agency’s Planck Surveyor, a space observatory launched in 2009, and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, established in the desert of Chile in 2007.Nagpur: She always had an inclination for farming. But, being a chartered accountant, she never had a chance to take it up until she gave up her job and decided to finally give it a try. Ashwini Aurangabadkar has taken to full time organic farming since 2011 and cultivates almost all cereals, a variety of pulses, linseed, vegetables and fruits like orange, custard apple etc.
Ashwini is not alone. There are a number of city women who have taken up full-time organic farming. Some of them who couldn’t get into farming are even doing organic terrace kitchen gardening. All have something common.
They are part of the Nagpur Seed Festival Group which has members who are completely into organic cultivation and opposed to chemical farming and naturally also other modern technologies like the genetically modified (GM) farming. The group from the last four years has been regularly holding a seed festival to create awareness in masses about preservation of indigenous varieties in various crops.
TOI spoke to some of the women farmers on the first day of the Beejotsav being held at the Vinoba Vichar Kendra on Friday.
“After entering the field, I realized that agriculture by itself was a difficult task and especially organic. I wouldn’t find workers who would listen to my instructions. But I never gave up. I read on line. I attended Padma Shri Subhash Palekar’s workshops, consulted experts like Vasant Futane. But now I have enough animals also to generate farmyard manure, vermicompost and other components of organic farming like use of gomutra, cow dung and neem-based pesticides etc. Farming has become a passion now,” said Ashwini.
Shyamla Sanyal, another dedicated organic farmer from the city, has been into serious agriculture from the past six years. She has a farm about 50km from Nagpur on Chhindwara Road.
“I wanted to cultivate variety of crops only for my own consumption and not buy anything from market. I had met Dinesh Balsawar, who is into organic rice farming in Lonavala, in 1993. But after beginning with a kitchen garden six years back now I am into full time farming. I grow wheat, gram, mung, tur, onions, garlic, mustard, turmeric, fennel, sesame, vegetables and fruits etc. It was trial and error. But now I know which crops are good for my soil conditions,” said Sanyal.
Prachi Mahurkar, who got associated with Beejotsav since last two years, has a farm in Maragsur village near Katol. She grows bajra, mung, maize, ambadi. She left her IT sector job and is a member of Pune based ‘Ecological Society’.
“My perspective to life and farming changed after joining this society. It has taught me to take holistic approach in agriculture too and hence along with crops I also have forest trees like hirda, bheda and amla in my field,” said Mahurkar.
Kirti Mangrulkar left her teaching job in computer science and is also into organic farming since two years. She believes in preserving indigenous varieties and grows desi cotton, ambadi, bajra, jowar and vegetables. “I was impressed by Futane’s work and took up farming only because of him,” she said.
Seema Kaushal, Supriya Deo and Rupinder Nanda are the others who are doing kitchen gardening and are associated with seed festival group. Kaushal tells that since she was a science graduate she understood the cultivation methods in terrace farming easily. She does vermicomposting, composting, Bokashi (anaerobic composting) in her Friend’s Colony house and grows vegetables.
Deo now has joined the seed festival group but was initially inspired by Organic Terrace Gardening Group (OTG) of Bengaluru and Urban Leaves of Mumbai. She watches a lot of videos on You Tube. Nanda is a member of Urban farmers and the Nagpur Organic farmers group on Facebook. She too took up kitchen cultivation impressed by OTG.Pinterest Getty Images
It’s LeBron’s town, sure. But with his own coffee line (G’Day Mate), the 25-year-old Cavaliers guard from Australia is attempting to leave his mark on Cleveland. And it all started because of a little (and perhaps inadvisable) coffee-related pre-game ritual.
On the east side of the Landmark Office Towers building across from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, there’s a 10-story banner of LeBron James hanging, where the prodigal son of Akron has his arms spread out, wearing a jersey that reads CLEVELAND where the player’s name is usually |
wants to win at home for the same reasons a doting grandparent wants Sunday dinner to be flawless: because he’s the host, and he has got guests.
“This is going to sound odd, but I really enjoy road games,” says Ellis. “I get real nervous and real anxious at home games because all you want to do is send 76,000 people home happy.”
The January 2013 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at a frigid-cold playoff game in Denver still haunts Ellis.
“I felt so bad. You talk about sending 76,000 people home disappointed. That was a devastating loss.”
Part of the desire to please is Ellis’ nature: He likes to succeed. Part of it of it is a sense of obligation he feels to Bronco Nation, the collective of orange-bleeding fans who make up Ellis’s core customer base. And part of it is about extending Bowlen’s legacy. Over the eight years he worked for the NFL, Ellis advised and crossed paths with lots of team owners. Among them, he says Bowlen consistently stood out for his appreciation of the civic and emotional attachment football produces.
“(Fans) give equity in the form of money and emotion, and he understands and respects both of those better, I think, than almost any owner in sports,” Ellis says.
Bowlen’s influence on Ellis’s career runs deep. The Broncos owner recommended that Tagliabue consider Ellis for an NFL job in 1990 after Ellis earned an MBA from Northwestern University. Bowlen had been impressed a few years earlier by work Ellis did in the Broncos’ marketing department, where a 25-year-old Ellis had started out by selling advertising space in game-day programs.
When Bowlen was looking for a No. 2 executive to join the organization in 1998, he called Tagliabue again, this time asking for the commissioner’s blessing to poach away a rising star who Tagliabue had promoted to vice president of Club Administration and Stadium Management. “We gave some thought to putting the ‘franchise player’ tag on him,” Tagliabue jokes. “He was one of our better people, and teams were saying, ‘I want to hire him.’”
Since then, Ellis has been the steady if unheralded presence behind the scenes, attentive both to day-to-day management and the occasional burst of unpredictability. When the Broncos parted with short-lived head coach Josh McDaniels following the 2010 season, it was Ellis who summoned McDaniels to his office to deliver the news.
When two senior-level employees were charged with driving under the influence in separate incidents during the summer of 2013, it was Ellis who castigated the men publicly and later suspended them. When it comes time to name one of Bowlen’s children as the owner’s successor, Ellis will have a big say in the decision as part of a three-person evaluation committee.
Ellis’ management style is big on delegation (see sidebar). His approach: Hire talented people and empower them to think through problems.
“I spend more time listening than I do talking, and I think that’s pretty important,” Ellis says. “There are plenty of people in this organization who know a hell of a lot more than I do.”
He says his career clicked into a higher gear once he took a job with the NFL, where bosses Tagliabue and his successor Roger Goodell were inspirations.
“Those were turning points for me, seeing how seriously they took their work, but not necessarily themselves,” Ellis recounts.
Outside the Broncos’ Centennial headquarters, Ellis pays close attention to what’s happening with the core product of NFL football. He sits on two NFL committees: Stadiums and Fan Enhancement/Security. He plays around with digital applications like NFL Game Pass, an online streaming and game-archive platform, and keeps tabs on news developments via Twitter, which now streams live NFL games.
Like almost every NFL executive, he worries about how to keep the live-game experience vibrant and appealing as electronic, stay-at-home alternatives become better and better. He marvels at the seemingly insatiable appetite among fans for more football content, more of the time. “I don’t know if it’s unstoppable, but on the other hand people can’t seem to get enough of this league,” says Ellis.
As a kid growing up in Concord, Mass. – too small for football, Ellis played ice hockey, soccer and baseball – he admired Boston Bruins hockey legend Bobby Orr. It wasn’t just that Orr was one of the greatest hockey players ever. It was his demeanor that resonated with Ellis. “He was a really humble, modest, hard-working competitive guy who I just looked up to,” Ellis says. When I suggest the same characteristics might apply to his own workplace persona, he waves off the comparison to a boyhood hero. “That might be a stretch,” Ellis says.
But if he won’t go there, others will. Tom Burke, the man who hired Ellis out of college and still stays in touch, says Ellis was a star performer from the start.
“When I hired him I figured he was young guy who I hoped would be OK. He turned out to be outstanding,” says Burke. “I hired two other guys from Colorado College and the two of them together didn’t equal Joe. He just went out and worked all day and had the personality and the brains to approach people properly and sell product for us.”
In football, and in business, Joe Ellis has proven that’s the sort of stuff that makes for a winning game plan.
Joe Ellis on the Xs and Os of organizational leadership:
Have a mission: “Ours is to put a Super Bowl championship team on the field each and every year, and be good corporate and individual citizens off the field.”
Empower people: “No one knows it all. If you’re not going to empower people and allow them to take some risks, you’re just going to stay in neutral. I encourage people to bring me solutions and ideas, and not be at all nervous about the outcome.”
Fix conflict the old-fashioned way: “My pet peeve is resolving conflict by email. I can’t stand that. And when I see it happen, I will intercede no matter who it’s involving. You just put people together and air it out and get it over with.”
Take a breath: In dealing with crisis, “You’ve got to think it through, and be reasonable and rational, and use common sense. If you panic based on public pressure, inevitably you’re going to end up in a bad place.”
Cultivate buy-in: Ellis wants everyone from the team’s graphics department to the groundskeepers to understand they’re united in a common goal. “It’s (about) empowering them to make sure they understand that everything they do is important. It helps us win.”The political world thought it had a pretty good idea about how the race for the Democratic nomination was going to wrap up. Six states would hold their nominating contests today; Hillary Clinton would clinch a majority of the pledged delegates; Bernie Sanders would say party elites might yet override the people’s choice despite all evidence to the contrary; and the media would, later tonight, declare Clinton the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
But about 12 hours ago, we were confronted with a curveball: news organizations, including the Associated Press and NBC News, said Clinton has already crossed the finish line
Clinton surpassed the “magic number” of delegates needed to clinch the Democratic Party’s nomination, according to NBC News projections, to become the first woman in America’s 240-year history to be selected as the nominee of a major political party. The projection, based on new commitments from super-delegates, came one day before voters in California and five other states were set to push Clinton over the threshold of delegates needed to claim the party’s presumptive nomination.
As Rachel explained on the show last night, the delegate math is relatively straightforward: there are a total of 4,765 delegates available, so the first candidate to reach 2,383 delegates earns the nomination. Take the pledged delegates Clinton has won through primaries and caucuses, add the number of super-delegates who’ve committed to supporting her, and the arithmetic shows she crossed the threshold yesterday – no matter what happens in the final round of contests. arithmetic shows
This has long been Clinton’s goal, of course, but it’s not quite the way she hoped to wrap up the process. Indeed, her campaign manager, Robby Mook, issued a statement last night downplaying the media organizations’ findings. “This is an important milestone, but there are six states that are voting Tuesday, with millions of people heading to the polls, and Hillary Clinton is working to earn every vote,” he said. “We look forward to Tuesday night, when Hillary Clinton will clinch not only a win in the popular vote, but also the majority of pledged delegates.”
Around the same time, the Sanders campaign issued a statement of its own, emphasizing the same point it’s been stressing for months: super-delegates “do not vote until July 25,” so they may yet decide to give Sanders the nomination, even if he finishes in second place. Therefore, it may look like Clinton has clinched the nomination, but as the senator claimed last night, this is merely “ an illusion.”
Whether or not a person buys into Sanders’ pitch appears to depend largely on whether or not that person wants Sanders to prevail, but there’s an important flaw in the senator’s argument: he used to believe the exact opposite of what he’s saying now.
Eight years ago this week, Sanders endorsed then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy after the Illinois Democrat clinched a majority thanks to a combination of pledged delegates and commitments from party super-delegates.
It didn’t matter, Sanders said at the time, that super-delegates wouldn’t literally vote until the convention – because the outcome was obvious and the results were clear. Obama, Sanders said eight years ago, had won fair and square.
Close video Sanders camp pushes back on presumptive nominee call for Clinton Michael Briggs, Sanders campaign spokesperson, talks with Rachel Maddow about the media projection that Hillary Clinton is the presumptive Democratic nominee, and why the Sanders campaign feels they still have chance of persuading superdelegates. share tweet email save Embed
MADDOW: I have to ask you about when you would consider it to be over because in 2008 Senator Sanders stayed out of the race, stayed out of the primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama until the very end. He told the Free Press in Burlington in 2008 that he had held off supporting either of the Democratic candidates because he had made it a custom not to support any Democrat for the presidential nomination until the party had chosen its nominee. But then he endorsed Barack Obama when Barack Obama was at the position that Hillary Clinton is right now. Not when he had secured the nomination with pledged delegates alone, not even actually, Senator Sanders didn’t wait for Hillary Clinton to get out of the race in 2008. He endorsed Barack Obama saying the race was over between Obama and Clinton once Obama had the right number of delegates with both pledged delegates and super delegates combined. So if that standard ended the race for him fair and square in 2008 why wouldn’t that end the race for him fair and square tonight? BRIGGS: Well, it’s because, there are differences between then and now, he’s led a dramatic revolutionary insurgency in the party and we are trying our darndest to give those people the voice that they have earned and deserved in the Democratic Party process.
It’s clearly an awkward defense, and I don’t blame Briggs for not being sure how best to handle this. Sanders publicly declared what he considered clinching the nomination – pledged delegates plus commitments from super-delegates – and now he doesn’t want this standard applied to his own campaign.Buy Photo Ben Busch, a new Physical Education teacher, runs through the crowd during a parody new staff draft at McNary High School in Keizer on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016. Oregon jobs surged through Sept., spurred by local government education hires. (Photo: ANNA REED / Statesman Journal File)Buy Photo
Oregon job growth climbed through September, spurred an increase in local government and education jobs, and a low unemployment rate, signaling the state is performing well as it enters the holiday season.
The Oregon Employment Department posted gains of 3.5 percent for job growth during September, bringing faster growth than the nationwide average of 1.7 percent and continuing the state's record of beating the national statistic since 2013, the department announced Tuesday. When adjusted seasonally, the state added 1,200 professional and business services jobs and 1,000 wholesale trade jobs, and saw 3,300 government employees sign on as the school year kicked off.
Oregon has fared well in the last year amid reports of incomes increasing quicker here than the average for the nation. The state has largely rebounded in the wake of the Great Recession, with the state's unemployment rate plummeting to a 40-year low in March. Total personal income grew by 1.3 percent in Oregon during the second quarter this year, translating to $2.3 billion for Oregon workers.
The data released Tuesday shows a "continuation of that strong job growth trend," said Nick Beleiciks, the state economist.
While construction cut more than 1,000 jobs in the month, the industry saw solid year-over-year gains, adding more 7,100 jobs, an 8.6 percent bump compared to September 2015. Mining and logging, however, didn't see any year-over-year changes.
The September data shows a move away from summer recreational jobs and into the school season, he said.
"Seasonal hires haven't really picked up yet," he said, though there should be a slight uptick from the norm in the retail sector with about 1,800 more jobs than usual, according to data from the Office of Economic Analysis.
Since May, Oregon has been first or tied for first with the strongest year-over-year job growth rate in the nation, he said. Idaho is the state's competitor, though its data is released later than Oregon's.
Send questions, comments or news tips to jbach@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6714. Follow him on Twitter @JonathanMBach.
Read or Share this story: http://stjr.nl/2epWLxvJennifer Longdon
Jennifer Longdon is a Phoenix-based writer and activist who has dedicated herself to creating changes in policy impacting disability rights and gun violence prevention. Jennifer has advocated at the Arizona State Capitol, U.S. Congress, and the city level for new laws that will keep Arizonans safe. She is a TEDx speaker and has been featured in various news publications locally, nationally and internationally. She has worked as a trainer for the Maricopa County Elections Board, and currently works as the Communications Coordinator and Editor of LivAbility Magazine for Ability360.
Jennifer has served on the Phoenix Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues, Phoenix Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Council, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Public Impact Panel and the Statewide Independent Living Council, among other boards and commissions.
Jennifer is a graduate of Center for Progressive Leadership (2010) and Emerge Arizona’s candidate training programs (2012). She is currently running to represent Legislative District 24 in the Arizona State House of Representatives.Untitled a guest Aug 12th, 2017 839 Never a guest839Never
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rawdownloadcloneembedreportprint text 67.23 KB Name,Type,Episodes,MAL,THEM Your Name.,Movie,1,9.27,5 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood,TV,64,9.25, Gintama Season 4,TV,51,9.2, Steins;Gate,TV,24,9.15,5 Hunter x Hunter (2011),TV,148,9.12, Clannad ~After Story~,TV,24,9.03,4 Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2,TV,25,8.96, Spirited Away,Movie,1,8.93,5 Your Lie in April,TV,22,8.9,4 My Hero Academia 2,TV,25,8.83, Cowboy Bebop,TV,26,8.81,4.5 Fighting Spirit,TV,75,8.81,5 Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal,OVA,4,8.81,5 Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion,TV,25,8.8,4 Princess Mononoke,Movie,1,8.8,5 Wolf Children,Movie,1,8.8,4 The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya,Movie,1,8.77,5 Gurren Lagann,TV,27,8.76,4 Mushi-Shi,TV,26,8.76,4 One Punch Man,TV,12,8.76, Great Teacher Onizuka,TV,43,8.75,5 Howl's Moving Castle,Movie,1,8.74,4 Death Note,TV,37,8.69,5 Fate/Zero Season 2,TV,12,8.69, Monster,TV,74,8.69,5 Assassination Classroom Second Season,TV,25,8.67, Ping Pong the Animation,TV,11,8.66,5 Steins;Gate: The Movie - Load Region of Déjà Vu,Movie,1,8.6, ERASED,TV,12,8.59,4 Gintama: The Movie,Movie,1,8.58, Attack on Titan Season 2,TV,12,8.56, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG,TV,26,8.56, Grave of the Fireflies,Movie,1,8.56,5 Hellsing Ultimate,OVA,10,8.56,5 One Piece,TV,Unknown,8.56,5 Parasyte -the maxim-,TV,24,8.55,3 Slam Dunk,TV,101,8.55, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.,TV,120,8.55, The Boy and the Beast,Movie,1,8.54, Kingdom: Season 2,TV,39,8.53, Mob Psycho 100,TV,12,8.53,3 Nana,TV,47,8.53,5 Attack on Titan,TV,25,8.52,4 Baccano!,TV,13,8.52,5 From the New World,TV,25,8.51, Samurai Champloo,TV,26,8.5,3 Barakamon,TV,12,8.49,5 Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion,Movie,1,8.49, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance,Movie,1,8.48, Fate/Zero,TV,13,8.48,4 Puella Magi Madoka Magica,TV,12,8.48,4 Hunter x Hunter,TV,62,8.47, Magi: The Kingdom of Magic,TV,25,8.47, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,Movie,1,8.47,5 Psycho-Pass,TV,22,8.47,3 Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 2: Eternal,Movie,1,8.47, Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files,TV,112,8.47,3 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex,TV,26,8.46,4.5 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012),TV,26,8.46, Kids on the Slope,TV,12,8.46,4 My Neighbor Totoro,Movie,1,8.46,4 Kino's Journey,TV,13,8.45,4.5 Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion,Movie,1,8.45,2 Noragami Aragoto,TV,13,8.45, Spice and Wolf II,TV,12,8.45,4 "No Game, No Life",TV,12,8.44,3 Nodame Cantabile,TV,23,8.44,5 Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season,TV,13,8.43, Berserk,TV,25,8.42,4 Samurai X,TV,94,8.42,4 Sword of the Stranger,Movie,1,8.42, Toradora!,TV,25,8.42,3 Case Closed: The Phantom of Baker Street,Movie,1,8.41, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie,Movie,1,8.41,4 Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE: Tokyo Revelations,OVA,3,8.41, "As the Moon, So Beautiful",TV,12,8.4,3 My Hero Academia,TV,13,8.4, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,Movie,1,8.4,5 Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad,TV,26,8.39, Welcome to the N.H.K.,TV,24,8.39,4 Castle in the Sky,Movie,1,8.38,5 Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works],TV,12,8.38, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin,OVA,6,8.38, Black Butler: Book of Murder,OVA,2,8.37, One Piece Film Strong World,Movie,1,8.37, Planetes,TV,26,8.37,5 Ouran High School Host Club,TV,26,8.36,5 Angel Beats!,TV,13,8.35,2 Black Butler: Book of Circus,TV,10,8.35, Honey and Clover II,TV,12,8.35,4 InuYasha: The Final Act,TV,26,8.35,4 Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn,OVA,7,8.35, One Piece Film Z,Movie,1,8.35, Spice and Wolf,TV,13,8.35,4 The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,Movie,1,8.35,5 Ghost in the Shell,Movie,1,8.34,4 K-ON! The Movie,Movie,1,8.34,3 Little Busters! ~Refrain~,TV,13,8.34, The Seven Deadly Sins,TV,24,8.34, Durarara!!,TV,24,8.33,3 Millennium Actress,Movie,1,8.33,5 Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III - The Advent,Movie,1,8.32, Redline,Movie,1,8.32,5 Dragon Ball Z,TV,291,8.31,2 Fullmetal Alchemist,TV,51,8.31,5 Neon Genesis Evangelion,TV,26,8.31,3.5 The Garden of Words,Movie,1,8.31,4 Trigun,TV,26,8.31,5 When Marnie Was There,Movie,1,8.31,4 Whisper of the Heart,Movie,1,8.31,5 Death Parade,TV,12,8.3,4 Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings,Movie,1,8.3, A Lull in the Sea,TV,26,8.28, Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage,TV,12,8.28,4 Card Captor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card,Movie,1,8.28,5 Kamisama Kiss: Season 2,TV,12,8.28, Kiki's Delivery Service,Movie,1,8.28,5 Space Dandy 2nd Season,TV,13,8.28, Yuri!!! On ICE,TV,12,8.28, Perfect Blue,Movie,1,8.27,5 Case Closed Movie 5: Countdown to Heaven,Movie,1,8.26, Initial D First Stage,TV,26,8.26,3 Summer Wars,Movie,1,8.26,4 The World God Only Knows: Goddesses,TV,12,8.26,5 Case Closed,TV,Unknown,8.25, Clannad,TV,23,8.25,4 Maison Ikkoku,TV,96,8.25,5 Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo,TV,24,8.24,5 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders,TV,24,8.24, KenIchi: The Mightiest Disciple,TV,50,8.24,4 Darker than Black,TV,25,8.23,3 Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic,TV,25,8.23, Maid Sama!,TV,26,8.23, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid,TV,13,8.23,5 Mobile Suit Gundam 00,TV,25,8.23, Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit,TV,26,8.23,5 Princess Jellyfish,TV,11,8.23,5 Terror in Resonance,TV,11,8.23, Kingdom,TV,38,8.22, Princess Tutu,TV,38,8.22,5 The Wind Rises,Movie,1,8.22,5 Time of Eve,Movie,1,8.22,5 Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE: Spring Thunder Chronicle,OVA,2,8.22, Yona of the Dawn,TV,24,8.21,4 Assassination Classroom,TV,22,8.21, Durarara!! x2 Ketsu,TV,12,8.21, Gosick,TV,24,8.21,2 One Piece Film: Gold,Movie,1,8.21, Revolutionary Girl Utena,TV,39,8.21,4 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society,Special,1,8.2, KILL la KILL,TV,24,8.2, Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Second Season,TV,25,8.2, Patema Inverted,Movie,1,8.2,5 Fairy Tail Series 2,TV,102,8.19, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro,Movie,1,8.19,5 Magi Adventure of Sinbad,TV,13,8.19, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun,TV,12,8.19, Cardcaptor Sakura,TV,70,8.18,5 D.Gray-man,TV,103,8.18, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone,Movie,1,8.18,5 Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu,TV,12,8.18,4 Hikaru's Go,TV,75,8.18,4 Tokyo Magnitude 8.0,TV,11,8.18,5 Den-noh Coil,TV,26,8.17,5 Eureka Seven,TV,50,8.17,4 Free!: Eternal Summer Special,Special,1,8.17, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man,Special,1,8.17, Little Witch Academia (TV),TV,25,8.17, ReLIFE,TV,13,8.17, Case Closed Movie 3: The Last Wizard of the Century,Movie,1,8.16, Case Closed Movie 4: Captured In Her Eyes,Movie,1,8.16, Dragon Ball,TV,153,8.16,4 Fairy Tail,TV,175,8.16, Honey and Clover,TV,24,8.16,5 Hyouka,TV,22,8.16,4 Noragami,TV,12,8.16, Saga of Tanya the Evil,TV,12,8.16,4 AKIRA,Movie,1,8.15,4.5 Black Lagoon,TV,12,8.15,4 ef - a tale of melodies.,TV,12,8.15, Love Live! The School Idol Movie,Movie,1,8.15,3 The Twelve Kingdoms,TV,45,8.15,5 A Certain Scientific Railgun S,TV,24,8.14, Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail,OVA,5,8.14, Initial D Second Stage,TV,13,8.14,3 Kamisama Kiss,TV,13,8.14, Kanon,TV,24,8.14,4 K-ON! Season 2,TV,26,8.14, Naruto: Shippuden,TV,500,8.14, Paprika,Movie,1,8.14,4.5 Snow White with the Red Hair 2,TV,12,8.14,4 Durarara!! x2 Shou,TV,12,8.13, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan - Demon Capital,TV,24,8.13, Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom,TV,26,8.13, School Rumble 2nd Semester,TV,26,8.13,4 Slayers Next,TV,26,8.13,4 Tamako Love Story,Movie,1,8.13, When They Cry,TV,26,8.13,3.5 Durarara!! x2 Ten,TV,12,8.11, Log Horizon,TV,25,8.11,4 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team,OVA,12,8.11,5 Stand By Me Doraemon,Movie,1,8.11, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OVA Collection,Special,4,8.1, Ghost in the Shell 2.0,Movie,1,8.1, Big Windup!,TV,25,8.09, ef - a tale of memories.,TV,12,8.09,3 My Love Story!!,TV,24,8.09,4 Tekkonkinkreet,Movie,1,8.09,2 The World God Only Knows II,TV,12,8.09, Tiger & Bunny,TV,25,8.09, xxxHOLiC,TV,24,8.09,5 Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II - The Battle for Doldrey,Movie,1,8.08, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's,TV,13,8.08,3.5 Samurai X: Reflection,OVA,2,8.08,5 The Secret World of Arrietty,Movie,1,8.08,3 Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha Gaiden,Special,4,8.07, Drifters,TV,12,8.07, Trigun - Badlands Rumble,Movie,1,8.07, FLCL,OVA,6,8.06,3.67 Soul Eater,TV,51,8.06, Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar,OVA,13,8.06, Azumanga Daioh: The Animation,TV,26,8.05,5 Charcoal Feather Federation (Haibane Renmei),TV,13,8.05,4.5 Penguindrum,TV,24,8.05,5 The Dog of Flanders,Movie,1,8.05, The Story of Saiunkoku,TV,39,8.05, Toward the Terra,TV,24,8.05, Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid,TV,13,8.04,4 Golden Boy,OVA,6,8.04,4 Kaleido Star,TV,51,8.04,4 Overlord,TV,13,8.04,4 School Rumble,TV,26,8.04,4 Black Butler,TV,24,8.03, Colorful The Motion Picture,Movie,1,8.03,5 Love Live! School Idol Project 2,TV,13,8.03,4 Tokyo Ghoul,TV,12,8.03, xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream,Movie,1,8.03, 5 Centimeters Per Second,Movie,3,8.02,3 Porco Rosso,Movie,1,8.02,5 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya,TV,14,8.02,4 Case Closed: The Fourteenth Target,Movie,1,8.01, Cromartie High School,TV,26,8.01,5 Emma: A Victorian Romance Season Two,TV,12,8.01,4 Ergo Proxy,TV,23,8.01,4 From Up on Poppy Hill,Movie,1,8.01, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam,TV,50,8.01, My Bride is a Mermaid OVA,OVA,2,8.01, The Devil is a Part-Timer!,TV,13,8.01,4 Ajin 2nd Season,TV,13,8,3 Date A Live: Encore OVA,OVA,1,8, Eden of The East,TV,11,8,4 Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac,TV,114,8, Hakuoki ~Demon of the Fleeting Blossom~ Warrior Spirit of the Blue Sky,Movie,1,7.99, Kokoro Connect,TV,13,7.99,4 Little Witch Academia,Movie,1,7.99,4 Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans,TV,25,7.99, Serial Experiments Lain,TV,13,7.99,4 Fist of the North Star,TV,109,7.98, Giant Robo the Animation: The Day the Earth Stood Still,OVA,7,7.98,5 The Future Diary,TV,26,7.98,4 Tiger & Bunny: The Rising,Movie,1,7.98, Case Closed The Movie: The Time Bombed Skyscraper,Movie,1,7.97, Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters,TV,61,7.97, Initial D Third Stage,Movie,1,7.97,3 Lupin the Third,TV,24,7.97, Outlaw Star,TV,24,7.97,3.5 Prison School,TV,12,7.97, Boruto: Naruto the Movie,Movie,1,7.96, Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Hope Arc,Special,1,7.96, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky,Movie,1,7.96, The Cat Returns,Movie,1,7.96,4 Baka & Test - Summon the Beasts 2,TV,13,7.95, Banner of the Stars II,TV,10,7.95,5 Gundam Build Fighters,TV,25,7.95, Gungrave,TV,26,7.95,5 Haré+Guu,TV,26,7.95, Shiki,TV,22,7.95,2.5 The Irresponsible Captain Tylor,TV,26,7.95,5 D.Gray-man HALLOW,TV,13,7.94, Dusk Maiden of Amnesia,TV,12,7.94,3 Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun Specials,Special,6,7.94, Ghost Hunt,TV,25,7.94,4 Jormungand,TV,12,7.94,3 Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust,Movie,1,7.94,5 Daisy: A Hen into the Wild,Movie,1,7.93, Dragon Ball Z Kai,TV,97,7.93, GATE S2,TV,12,7.93, Haré+Guu Deluxe,OVA,6,7.93, Ponyo,Movie,1,7.93,5 Alderamin on the Sky,TV,13,7.92,4 Barefoot Gen,Movie,1,7.92,2 Bleach,TV,366,7.92, GATE,TV,12,7.92,4 Hetalia: The Beautiful World,ONA,20,7.92, Last Exile,TV,26,7.92,4 Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade,Movie,1,7.92, "Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!",TV,12,7.92,3.5 Paradise Kiss,TV,12,7.92,3 Pokemon: Origins,Special,4,7.92, Slayers Try,TV,26,7.92,3 Snow White with the Red Hair,TV,12,7.92,4 The World God Only Knows,TV,12,7.92,4 91 Days,TV,12,7.91,5 Charlotte,TV,13,7.91, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children,Movie,1,7.91,4 Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence,Movie,1,7.91,5 Hetalia World Series,ONA,48,7.91, Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine,TV,12,7.91, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed,TV,50,7.91,4 Wolf's Rain,TV,26,7.91,3.5 Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King,Movie,1,7.9,3 Claymore,TV,26,7.9,3 Free! - Eternal Summer,TV,13,7.9, InuYasha,TV,167,7.9,4 K: Missing Kings,Movie,1,7.9, Little Busters! EX,Special,8,7.9, Lupin III: Jigen's Gravestone,Movie,1,7.9, Michiko & Hatchin,TV,22,7.9,4 Psycho-Pass: The Movie,Movie,1,7.9, Sailor Moon S,TV,38,7.9,3 Sgt. Frog,TV,358,7.9, Blue Exorcist,TV,25,7.89, Hakuoki ~Demon of the Fleeting Blossom~ Wild Dance of Kyoto |
-Japan alliance had been the cornerstone of regional security for the past six decades, adding: “We dominate the sky, we dominate the sea, we dominate the land and space.”
In what appeared to be a break with his prepared script, Trump promised the assembled troops that they would be receiving “a lot more” defence equipment. “No one makes it like they make it in the US. A lot of stuff is coming – use it well.”
The Observer view on Donald Trump’s tour of Asia | Observer editorial Read more
In September, he said he would also allow Japan and South Korea to buy “highly sophisticated” US military equipment to counter the North Korean threat.
Trump and Abe were to attend a private dinner, complete with a performance of the Japanese viral hit Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen. On Monday, Trump, accompanied by the first lady, Melania, will meet Japan’s emperor and empress. Later he will hold talks with Abe and meet relatives of Japanese citizens who were abducted by North Korean spies during the cold war.
Japan is the least testing stop on Trump’s trip, the longest Asian tour by any US president since George Bush in 1992.
Abe has consistently backed the president’s tough stance on North Korea – support that Trump lauded in his address.
“Japan is a treasured partner and crucial ally of the United States and today we thank them for welcoming us and for decades of wonderful friendship between our two nations,” he said, after swapping his suit jacket for a bomber jacket. “On behalf of the United States of America, I send the warmest wishes of the America people to the citizens of this remarkable country.”
But he can expect a more cautious welcome from the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, when he arrives in Seoul on Tuesday. Trump’s bellicose rhetoric targeting Kim Jong-un has unsettled Moon, a liberal who this week said no military action should be taken on the Korean peninsula without his consent.
Trump defended his provocative remarks about the North Korean nuclear crisis en route to Japan from Hawaii earlier Sunday. “We want to get it solved. It’s a big problem for our country and the world, and we want to get it solved,” he told reporters on board Air Force One.
‘There’s a lot more there’: Mueller ups the stakes in Trump-Russia inquiry Read more
“And there’s been 25 years of total weakness and so we’re taking a very much different approach,” he added, without giving details.
He said he planned to meet the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, during his trip. “I think it’s expected that we will meet,” he said. “We want Putin’s help on North Korea.”
The tour comes at a precarious moment for Trump. A few days earlier his former campaign chairman was indicted and another adviser pleaded guilty as part of an investigation into possible collusion between his 2016 campaign and Russian officials.
Jonathan Pollack, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said the trip comes “at a very inopportune time for the president. He is under growing domestic vulnerabilities that we all know about, hour to hour,” he said.
“The conjunction of those issues leads to the palpable sense of unease about the potential crisis in Korea.”In a story that threatened to undo much of the goodwill earned by Pope Francis during his recent trip to the U.S., we found out this week that he had a private meeting with Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis before he left.
But what does that mean?
We don’t know. Not that we’re going to stop speculating because of it.
Was the Pope supporting Kim Davis? Did he know who she was and what she did?
For a lot of atheists, this was confirmation that the Pope — who opposes marriage equality and believes homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” — and Kim Davis had far more in common than the media would have you believe.
For the Vatican, this was yet another papal error requiring some backtracking.
Just look at the statements from Vatican officials:
“The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis, and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects,” the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said in a statement released on Friday morning. … At the Vatican on Friday, a spokesman, the Rev. Thomas Rosica, said the invitation had been extended by the office of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the nuncio, or envoy, in Washington, not from Rome. … Father Rosica said of the controversy: “I would simply say: Her case is a very complex case. It’s got all kinds of intricacies. Was there an opportunity to brief the pope on this beforehand? I don’t think so. A list is given — these are the people you are going to meet.”
There’s the Vatican spin for you: Someone else arranged the meeting. The Pope probably didn’t know much about Davis before meeting her, other than she’s a “persecuted Christian.” He told her to “stay strong.” That’s it.
But for someone of the Pope’s stature to meet — in private, no less — with someone like Davis without getting a more detailed debrief of who she is? That seems unlikely. Ifmet privately with someone who refused to sell guns to Christians, and offered her words of encouragement, you’d never hear the end of it from conservatives. Do you think they’d believe for a second that Obama had no clue who this person was?
For the Vatican’s story to make sense, how many people close to the Pope had to drop the ball? Surely enough of them knew exactly what was happening.
Yet the Vatican is standing firm on the ignorance claim:
Asked on Friday if the Vatican press office had been unaware that Ms. Davis had met the pope, Father Rosica said: “No, but I think we may not have been aware of the full impact of the meeting. It is very difficult sometimes when you are looking at things in America from here.”
Are you kidding me? Kim Davis, a government employee, denied legal marriage licenses to gay couples because Jesus told her to. That’s it. That’s the whole story. You don’t need a translator to explain the nuance in that one.
It’s not the first time Vatican officials have had to backtrack on the Pope’s actions. But usually, it’s because he said something progressive that the Church wanted to walk back.
This is the first time I can think of when the Vatican had to do damage control because Pope Francis veered too far to the right.
(Image via neneo / Shutterstock.com)Jose Iglesias’ classic car and its cultural statement
MLB.com/blogs Blocked Unblock Follow Following Mar 22, 2015
By Jason Beck
The Tigers parking lot at Joker Marchant Stadium can resemble an auto show some mornings. Justin Verlander’s rotation of sports cars is dizzying. Alfredo Simon’s chrome-painted Mercedes and Yoenis Cespedes’ black Lamborghini have been well-documented.
In that crowd, a classic car can look completely out of place. But then, a baby blue 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible doesn’t have to blend in. If it seems like a surprise in a Major Leaguer’s collection, consider the player who owns it.
“Always been my favorite car,” said shortstop Jose Iglesias, who is 35 years younger than his car.
The car also predates the Castro revolution in Cuba and the embargo between the Island nation and the United States. Between the severing of economic ties and restrictions on new car purchases, classic American cars, bought before the revolution, were vital transportation and maintained for years. Those that lasted, despite a lack of replacement parts, became valuable commodities.
Iglesias bought his car this offseason in Miami.
“My dad likes it,” Iglesias said. “When I saw the car, I said, ‘This is it.’ Convertible. And it’s really rare. It’s different.”
It’s something he could only dream of when he was growing up in Cuba.
“Now I have the money to have it,” Iglesias said. “In Cuba? No chance.”
Will he drive it to Detroit this season? He’s not sure. The early-season weather might lead him to keep it at home.Trailer Frenzy A special place to find the newest trailers for movies and TV shows you're craving.
Superman Lives, the Nic Cage and Tim Burton superhero movie that never was, is getting its very own documentary. And the second comic book monster-filled documentary trailer is out, revealing only more madness and additional shots of Superman’s light up, disco super suit.
Jon Schnepp’s The Death of Superman Lives documentary is rolling forward, promising us to enlighten us about the totally bananas Burton Superman film, which included Superman fighting a giant spider and polar bears that guarded the Fortress of Solitude. This is the second trailer, which reveals a crapload of alien/monster art, plus a lot of folks who worked on the film describing it in probably the most bizarre light ever. Some people still seemed less than convinced that this Superman iteration would have ever taken flight.
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But now the film needs your help to “cross the finish line” and they are asking for additional funds over at Fan Backed. If you want to see Nic Cage in a light up super suit, we suggest you help!Most world leaders would at least pay lip service to the worrisome issue of deforestation, not Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abbot. He thinks the nation has too much “locked-up” forest and declared it open for business for the forestry industry.
The specific part of the Australian continent to which he was referring in a speech to a ForestWorks dinner, is the 74,000 hectares of World Heritage listed forest in Tasmania. They are the tallest flowering forests in the world with many ancient trees over 80 metres in height. Speaking in Canberra earlier this month, Abbott expressed his desire to strip that forest of its World heritage ranking and complained about the extent of national parks already in existence. His government will certainly not be creating any more. These currently constitute 4 percent of the total land mass of Australia.
Evaluating that they had “quite enough” national parks already, the prime minister went on to wonder why so much of this country had to be “locked up” when there was “too much” locked up, as he put it, already. He described the Tasmanian forest as degraded, already logged and planted for timber and blamed green ideology for crippling the economy. One percent of all Tasmanians work in the forestry industry. Tourism accounts for 15 percent of the economy with the forests being a huge drawcard.
Flattering the forestry workers at the dinner, Abbott told them they were not “environmental bandits” but people who work with timber, and “intelligently make the most of the good things God has given us.” In his opinion, the “environment is meant for man” and it is not just the other way around.
Leading defender of the forests, Bob Brown, says the government has misled the UN in applying to have the forest stripped of its World Heritage protection. He counter-claims that 90 percent of it is “ecologically pristine” and boundaries were redrawn to incorporate areas where there had been some peripheral logging. The major proportion of the forest has not been previously disturbed at all.
The Australian Network of Environmental Defender’s Office (ANEDO) said that submission for delisting would remove the imperative for foresters to protect threatened species like the rare Tasmanian Devil.
Bob Brown has concerns that there is a hidden agenda to ultimately privatize the forests. He argues that they are far more valuable as carbon storage than as woodchips. He, along with other observers, noticed a distinctly Biblical theme to the prime minister’s oratory when he addressed the loggers. Christina Milne, leader of the Greens party, also noted the “Old Testament” tone. It’s an “anti-science” view she fears, “where the environment is to be exploited by the resource industry.”
She went on to express her opinion that Abbott is a “dangerous man” with scant regard for the wonders of the natural world. She included his contempt for the reefs as well as the rainforests. These are aspects of Australia which many overseas visitors associate with the continent and serve its international appeal. Closer to home, she believes that even die-hard conservatives will be “scared” by his radical plans to “trash existing national parks.” Mr Abbott has never been to the forest in Tasmania that he hopes to see cut down and logged.
Now a senator from Western Australia has waded into the debate with a memorable speech, albeit delivered to an almost empty Senate. Nevertheless, the public have latched onto his words via YouTube and he has gathered more views than Cate Blanchett winning her Oscar.
Senator Scott Ludlum candidly and caustically tore the prime minister to shreds, even as he invited him to visit his state, and at the core of his dissent was the disdain Abbott shows for exploitation of the natural environment for immediate financial gain, no matter the longer term impact. Pretending the Tasmanian old-growth forests were already degraded, when in fact only a tiny percentage has ever been touched was one in a long list of “crimes” the current leader is prepared to commit.
The speech, which asked Abbot to leave his “excruciatingly boring three word slogans” at home should he take up the offer to visit WA, finished by thanking him. This is because, according to Ludlum, ‘Every time he opens his mouth, the green vote goes up.”
The Tasmanians had only two years ago secured a peace agreement between all parties with vested interests in its forests, the Tasmanian Forest Agreement. This was co-signed by the loggers as well as the environmentalists. It was supposed to end thirty years of disputes and disagreements, and it was signed partly in recognition that all the uncertainty that created was affecting sales. The Japanese, main buyers of woodchips, had started to shop elsewhere. It was proving to be a very workable agreement as it secured supply from plantation forests for the timber workers alongside protecting the native and ancient wilderness. This deal has every chance of being broken should the World Heritage listing be removed.
Some in the timber industry, contrary to what might be expected, fear that the removal of the listing, and the commencement of logging in what was World Heritage site, may injure them. Terry Edwards the head of Forestry Industries Association of Tasmania, said the government was taking a risk that was “unwarranted” and that his members did not want. They had all been enjoying the relative peace wrought by the agreement. Should so-called “forest wars” break out again, then Japan in particular, will not be happy. It could potentially be a massive lose-lose situation.
Global Forest Watch (GFW), a tool that enables users to track real-time deforestation on an interactive website was launched this February. Google was one of the many collaborators on the project, with their role to help visualize the data. It was designed for use by the scientific community and by interested laypeople, and hopes to stem the rapid tide of deforestation across the earth. The transparency offered by GFW is hoped to be an important step towards stopping illegal logging, and protecting indigenous communities.
In the Amazon, the equivalent of 300 soccer fields is still demolished every minute. Although the Forest Code of 1965 had seen a gradual decline in destruction, a 2012 revision has changed all that. The revisions include amnesty for loggers who illegally felled before July 2008. Forgiveness for half a century of illegal land clearance is a strange way to tackle crime. Deforestation shot up by 28 percent between August 2012 and July 2013.
Rainforest now only covers 6 percent of the world’s surface and of that 6 percent, only 9 percent is in Australasia. The Amazon and the Congo Basin are the largest survivors of these invaluable ecosystems. Not only are they home to hundreds of tree species, which provide many medicines, they are also home to 50 million indigenous peoples. Famously called “the lungs of the world” by Al Gore, they are essential for their contribution to carbon emissions. Curbing deforestation has been identified as a key factor in reducing climate change (as per The Stern Report)
The proposal to delist the forest will be considered by the UNESCO Committee on World Heritage at their meeting in Qatar in June.
One internationally known Australian, who is probably better known than Tony Abbott, is writer Germaine Greer. She has recently published White Beech, an account of her own attempts to save a 60 hectare patch of rainforest in Queensland. Her land at Cave Creek has become her passion and she aims to serve, rather than control it, despite the mass infestations of many non-native weeds. She has seen species thought to be in terminal decline return to life and is now a fervent champion of rainforest rescue efforts.
Although she acknowledges the rightful focus on the decline of tropical rainforests, she also warns that sub-tropical forests, like hers, and like the one in Tasmania, are also under attack. Indeed they are, internally, by the incumbent government.
The fight against deforestation will not be helped by the actions of a world leader who does not like to see them “locked up” and would like to send the loggers in to chop them down.
By Kate Henderson
Sources:
The Age
The Australian
The Economist
Rainforest FoundationCARACAS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Standard and Poor’s on Monday downgraded Venezuelan long-term credit ratings to CCC from CCC+, citing falling oil prices and the government’s failure to address economic distortions.
S&P said Venezuela’s economy could shrink 7 percent this year, with further contraction possible in 2016. It added inflation could reach 100 percent or more this year, primarily as a result of continuing shortages of basic goods.
“We believe pressure is growing for the government to reschedule some of its market debt or undertake a liability management operation to refinance some of its maturing debt over the next year or two,” S&P said in a statement.
Venezuela’s three-tiered exchange control system and hefty fuel subsidies are seen draining the country’s international reserves and reducing its ability to service foreign debt.
Its bonds are trading at distressed levels with annual yields between 20 and 53 percent.
S&P added that it sees a one-in-two chance that in 2015 or 2016 it could lower Venezuela’s sovereign credit rating to “selective default,” which could be the result of “a debt exchange undertaken in distressed circumstances.”
Venezuelan bonds have rebounded since last week as oil prices picked up. The country’s Global 2027 was up 3 points on Monday to yield 23.439 percent.
President Nicolas Maduro has vowed to honor commitments and dismissed default talk as rumor-mongering by enemies.
Many Wall Street investors continue to hold Venezuelan securities, noting Venezuela’s sizeable oil reserves and its strong track record of paying its debt. (Reporting by Bengaluru and Caracas newsrooms; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)An Edmonton man who was issued a $543 fine for putting a sign in his car window with an expletive aimed at former prime minister Stephen Harper says his case is being bumped up to provincial court.
Rob Wells made an appearance in traffic court on Thursday, where he served notice of his intent to file a constitutional argument against the stunting ticket.
He had been pulled over last August by an RCMP officer just south of Edmonton and was told to remove the sign but refused, saying it was a political statement and he had a right to have it in his window.
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At the time, RCMP Sgt. Josee Valiquette wouldn't comment on the sign and said police stopped Wells after receiving two complaints about erratic driving.
The case was put over to Nov. 27, when Wells will appear before a provincial court judge and a later court date will likely be set.
Wells devised the handmade, pink "F–k Harper" sign to voice his contempt for Harper's Conservative government.
He said although some motorists gave him the thumbs up of approval, in Alberta he got more than a few birds flipped at him, including one woman who he said filed an official complaint with RCMP.
He said he considers her middle finger gesture just as offensive as his sign, but "it's just that she is a good Harper supporter, and how dare you criticize her political hero? Well, he's not one of my heroes."
His charter argument will be that the RCMP put him under arbitrary detention by pulling him over and the officer had no cause to do so.
"The only reason he pulled me over was because it was offensive. My question is, offensive to who? The woman who complained and maybe him, but that's not illegal. You can't just pull someone over because you don't like something."
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He said he also plans to argue that forcing him to remove the sign would be a violation of freedom of expression.
"If we can't stand up against oppression and speak out against oppressive politicians... that's not a free and democratic society, that's a police state."
It's a road he's been down before. Wells said he was pulled over by Edmonton police 15 years ago, after he put a "F–k Ralph" bumper sticker on his car to protest former Alberta premier Ralph Klein's push for private health care.
He said he wasn't charged because police determined he wasn't doing anything illegal.
"I could have put lots of other signs out there, like `Vote Against Harper' or whatever," said Wells, who describes himself as a retired human rights activist. "But it wouldn't have gotten any attention. The reason I did it is, if I can be this in your face, maybe someone else can be motivated to just get involved."
Wells took down the sign after the "happy day" of the election, when Justin Trudeau's Liberals defeated the Conservatives.
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He hasn't decided yet whether to represent himself at court or secure legal representation, adding he has had offers from lawyers willing to take on his case for free.
"I think the RCMP are digging their heels in on this one," he said.1
– The keyboard up/down keyscan now be used to easily move through individuals lines or layers of your print.
2Jump to Location – New controls allow you to jump to an exact line or layer number to quickly examine a specific point in time. This makes it much easier to navigate to different sections of your print.
3Position Readout – The XYZ position of the toolhead is now displayed in the print preview, allowing you to verify the exact Z-height or XY location where an event occurs.
4Range Controls – New options allow you to limit the number of layers or lines that are shown in the preview. For example, if you know an issue occurred somewhere towards the end of your print, you can easily restrict the preview to only showing the last 20 layers.The US Navy’s brand new $4 billion warship is an incredible technological feat. The futuristic DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer is equipped with two guns that can hit targets from a stunning 80 miles away. The only problem? Rounds for the guns cost over $800,000 each. And the Navy has now decided that it can’t justify spending that much.
According to Defense News, the warship’s two Long Range Land-Attack Projectile (LRLAP) guns were manufactured by Lockheed Martin and they work exactly as designed. But when the Navy cut back its order from 28 warships to three, the costs associated with the destroyers and its munitions skyrocketed.
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“There is no blame on any individual,” a Navy official told Defense News. “The round was working, [and] the way forward was logical. It’s just that the cost with a three-ship buy became a very high cost.”
The Navy has made its recommendation that the LRLAP guns be cancelled, but that decision hasn’t been approved yet. The rounds that have already been purchased are scheduled to be used during the Combat Systems Ship Qualifications Trials in 2018.
The Navy is currently scrambling to find something to replace the pricey guns. It’s reportedly looking at alternatives from Raytheon and BAE Systems, though it’s not clear what kind of cost savings those options will provide, should they move forward.
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But whatever they find, they’re just hoping to get something below $800,000. Because even that figure was probably less than the final cost of each round.
“That’s probably low,” the Navy official told Defense News about the $800,000 estimate per round. “That’s what the acquisition community wanted to get it down to.”
[Defense News]One of the master strokes in the October 1st referendum was the so-called “universal census” [a single, central electoral register]. When the Generalitat found out that the Spanish government intended to block the vote in many specific polling places, it began to think about how they could prevent this. A universal census, the norm in many countries, was an essential tool. The decision was kept secret for a long time, and began to circulate among volunteers committed to opening the polling stations only hours before polling began. The ability to keep a secret was instrumental to the entire operation, which managed to defeat Spain’s crackdown.
The universal census, which allowed anyone to vote at any polling station, called for a complex software system to ensure that nobody could vote twice. It was essential for the program to be very secure, to be able to connect over a simple mobile phone connection, and, obviously, to be reliable. The need to work with extremely sensitive databases —no other than the census— required an extraordinary programming effort to protect the privacy of everyone’s data. For the consultation on November 9, 2014 there was no register, and when someone voted their data was added to the database to prevent them from voting twice. October 1st was different, because there was indeed an electoral register, and given that, this was the base of the entire software program.
The effort to code this program was taken on by a group of top-line programmers. VilaWeb has been able to speak with one of those experts, and we have been able to verify in a reliable and documented way that this person worked on the operation, but we promised not to disclose their name or any details that could compromise other people.
—When did you join the project and what did you find?
—I joined after the arrests on September 20th. I was one of the last additions to the team and I have to say that the great majority of the work had already been done by my colleagues. I’m incredibly proud of having shared some very intense hours with them and of knowing that I developed a small part of the code.
—Was the task difficult?
—Developing a voting program, under normal circumstances, is relatively simple. To make it so this program works and can avoid the censorship and repression of an entire government is something else altogether. What we experienced, and played our part in, was straight out of a movie.
—Facing off against you were all of the experts from the Spanish government…
—That’s true. But we were able to disrupt the efforts of all the technical and intelligence services of such a massive opponent. Thanks to Tor, to Signal, to telephones bought abroad, to Linux and open software, and even to Bitcoin… Oh! and to the work and the imagination of quite a few hackers who gave their all to make it possible.
—And on top of everything, the package was not deployed until minutes before the opening of polls.
—Dozens of servers, scattered throughout the world, received the software minutes before 8 a.m. on Sunday, the scheduled time to set up the polling tables. I remember the whiz who was in charge of the program, how his hands shook while he worked. And everybody (other than the programmers) asking him if the system was ready yet. No, it can’t go any faster! How stressful! It still makes me nervous just thinking about it.
—The Spanish government reacted immediately, as soon as Catalan officials announced the universal census.
—Spain’s censorship was there all along. The domain name was closed in less than 15 minutes, they even closed all of the IP addresses –all of them!– of a known European provider. That was something that affected thousands of services that had nothing to do with the referendum, indiscriminate censorship in its purest form. But every time they acted, we reacted. For each IP they closed, my colleagues opened two more. We were expecting that. I’d like to thank all the voters for their patience, as well as the polling station volunteers, and especially all those who managed the phone support line. These people, some in the same room with us — what great work they did handling thousands of calls!
—There was no way to dodge them, these attacks?
—I have to confess something– we had the code that made the IP changes transparent and automatic…But we didn’t have time to integrate it.
—What would you say to those who claim that it was possible to vote twice?
—It’s untrue. With the universal census it’s simply not possible, in any way. I heard those statements by Mr. Ferreras, on Spain’s La Sexta TV, saying that it was possible to vote several times, and I laughed. I myself was part of the group of people in charge of making sure, specifically, that this wasn’t possible. It’s true, I laughed because I had no strength left for anything more than a smile, after working thirty hours straight.
—Did you work a lot against the clock?
—Among my colleagues, those who worked the most days, their exhaustion was very obvious. There were people who, literally, slept 4 or 5 hours in 3 days. We worked long hours, and very hard.
—And under pressure?
—I would never have imagined, never, that some people who passed through that room came over to us and told us “We are in your hands”, or “The referendum and the 5.3 million Catalans with the right to vote are depending on you”. People came through who have been myths to me for years. Wow, yes, the pressure was incredible. The responsibility was enormous. But we did it and I couldn’t be more proud. There are moments, a cigarette smoked in a very special place on Sunday at five in the morning, that I will never forget.Travellers squatting on Tooting Common, in south London have been "heavily" fined after being suspected of dumping huge amounts of waste in the area. Wandsworth Council took legal action against them after "huge quantities" of construction waste was discovered in the common.
. Credit: Wandsworth Council
The travellers left behind "huge quantities" of construction waste during a three day occupation, Wandsworth council say. According to the council, around 40 tonnes of timber, rubble, mattresses, furniture and other household waste appeared on the common at the same time as the travellers, who’d arrived in a fleet of 19 caravans, cars and transit vans.
. Credit: Wandsworth Council
Following a joint investigation by the council and the Met Police, evidence was compiled linking Patrick and Frances Corcoran, both of St Andrew’s Crescent in Wellinborough, Northamptonshire and Lionel Brown of Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex with flat-bed trucks and transit vans that were believed to be involved in the dumping of the rubbish.
. Credit: Wandsworth Council
At South Western magistrates court on Wednesday all three were convicted in their absence and each was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £225 plus a victim surcharge of £50. The council’s environment spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook said:
There is sufficient evidence to believe that vehicles connected to these men were involved in the disgusting mess that was left behind on the common last year. Their failure to say who was in charge of their trucks and vans at the time was sufficient grounds for us to take them to court and ask magistrates to impose a punishment.
. Credit: Wandsworth Council
Mr Cook added:
Although we were not able to prosecute them for the flytipping itself, we have certainly hit them in the pocket and we hope this will deter people from dumping waste on Tooting Common or anywhere else in the borough in future. We also hope the message will fan out among the travelling community that we will explore every possible legal avenue to bring people to account if waste is dumped in our parks and open spaces.”Walmart is experimenting with autonomous shopping carts. Domino’s, Uber and Auro are heavily invested in autonomous driving research. Robots are serving as security guards, performing surgery, checking inventory at grocery stores, assisting in warehouse work, delivering our room service and even hunting for underwater treasure.
As robotics begins to leave controlled environments and navigate the real world alongside humans, the question remains: How will this affect the way we interact, work and talk to not only robots, but one another?
Our interactions with machines
It’s already becoming commonplace to see drones, survey robots and autonomous vehicles with drivers on autopilot. These aren’t just visions of grandeur in a Sci-Fi novel; they’re our reality now. And one of the most surprising results of the rise of robotics in our daily lives is that most people don’t seem to notice them at all.
As robots used for autonomous delivery, for example, become more prevalent, you can expect that your walk to work will be accompanied not only by other people with places to be, but also by robots of different shapes and sizes, intermingling with the crowd seamlessly on their way to deliver.
As you’re grocery shopping, drones will be flying overhead, on their way to check inventory while your automated shopping cart rolls itself alongside you. Meanwhile, in the back warehouse, robots will be busy retrieving items and moving goods from one spot to another for order fulfillment.
It can already be seen at Stanford Shopping Center and in Uber’s inspection lot in San Francisco. Our offices, malls and retail stores will be protected by security guards of the machine kind, accompanying human patrollers.
There will be robots like the OceanOne, a mermaid-like robot that works alongside divers for deep-sea missions and treasure hunting to retrieve items and data at deeper depths than any diver can go. In fact, there will likely be an array of robots that work with us to go where humans haven’t yet dared to go.
How will the presence of robots change local laws and regulations?
Robots will set new precedents for who and what are allowed to travel in public spaces. Currently, the policies of local governments on autonomous sidewalk vehicles varies from city to city and country to country. But one thing is for sure. As robots become more of a norm, legislatures will have to pay attention and define regulations and protections for the robots and companies using them.
European Parliament drafted a motion this May calling on the European Commission to consider “that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations.” This would saddle corporations with the responsibility of paying social security for their robots, just as they would human workers.
It’s already becoming commonplace to see drones, survey robots and autonomous vehicles with drivers on autopilot.
The draft bill also proposes a register that would equate autonomous bots to funds established to cover its legal liabilities or that organizations should have to declare savings they make in social security contributions by using robotics instead of people, for tax purposes. The motion has seen huge push back from organizations like Germany’s VDMA and will need to win a lot of political backing in Parliament to pass. Regardless of the outcome, the motion has brought to light important questions about robot rights and human responsibilities to them.
While there are many places in the U.S. where robots are already specifically allowed to operate, other states have not yet needed to specifically address regulations. Washington, D.C. recently lead the way in U.S. robot regulations when it passed a law called the “Personal Delivery Device Act of 2016” outlining the rules and regulations for delivery robots and, in turn, specifically allowing these kinds of robots to operate in the nation’s capital. This law will serve as an example as more cities and states realize the importance of addressing this new technology.
The Federal Aviation Administration, after a significant amount of pressure from manufacturers and political figures, in June published final operational rules for the commercial use of small drones, those weighing less than 55 pounds. The rules turned out to be stricter than many had hoped, requiring pilots to be certified and within eyesight of the drone at all times. Pilots also can’t be in a moving vehicle and will have to be vetted by the TSA.
Amongst other regulations, the drones can only fly at a maximum altitude of 400 feet. While reaction to the rules have been reportedly positive, the impact did drive Amazon to partner with the U.K. Government to begin drone delivery testing in more rural and suburban areas. The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority gave Amazon the delivery testing permissions that it was denied through the FAA regulations.
There’s no doubt that the rise of autonomous robots will change the way we perceive many daily tasks. It will alter the way we interact with service providers and couriers. Our perception of robots will continue to evolve as they become commonplace on the road, in our shopping centers and in our homes. On our daily commute, in our jobs and during our leisure time, robot-human interaction will become the norm.A few times in your life, you have a life changing experience. Maybe it’s getting married, having your first child, or finishing your college degree.Well, I just had a life changing experience. And it was because of a video game. Not just a video game, but a video game that I played on Linux.As I am sure many of you are aware, Linux gets the unfortunate notoriety of being a poor operating system for games (this seems to be changing in the public's eyes). Sure, we do have less games than other platforms, but that certainly doesn’t mean the games themselves are of poor quality.I was reminded of this when I completed the recently ported game to Linux, ‘Life is Strange’ [ Official Site Steam ]. Developed by Dontnod Entertainment, and ported to Linux by the awesome folks at Feral interactive. With the combined work on developing the game itself from Dontnod, and the wonderful port by Feral, I have just had one of my best gaming experiences ever. And it was all done on Linux.Life is Strange starts with an eighteen year old girl named Max who finds out she has the power to reverse time, an ability which becomes the game's main mechanic. Does it sound incredibly simple? Well, that’s probably because it is. This is not a game driven by mechanics, it’s made excellent by its story. Many would prefer mechanics to story, which I usually do myself, but Life is Strange, in my mind, is a rare exception.Now that I’ve gotten some of the technical details out of the way, let’s get to my possibly overly emotionally charged point. That emotional part isn’t helped by the fact that I am listening to this song from the soundtrack:Perhaps this game was set to affect me on another level from the very get go. My place in life is very similar to that of Max. We’re both eighteen, and in my case, about to start college. Life is Strange is a true coming of age story. I feel that way as I am about to start my next phase of life, that I am coming |
of disorders, including paranoia.[57]
Conscious control of brain function towards positive brain response with accompanying changes in amygdala activity was suggested in the early 1970s by independent behaviorist T.D.A. Lingo[58] and this possibility has been corroborated by later research, such as that carried on by Sara W. Lazar,[59] Herbert Benson [60]
Future studies have been proposed to address the role of the amygdala in positive emotions, and the ways in which the amygdala networks with other brain regions.[61]
Sexual orientation [ edit ]
Recent studies have suggested possible correlations between brain structure, including differences in hemispheric ratios and connection patterns in the amygdala, and sexual orientation. Homosexual men tend to exhibit more feminine patterns in the amygdala than heterosexual males do, just as homosexual females tend to show more masculine patterns in the amygdala than heterosexual women do. It was observed that amygdala connections were more widespread from the left amygdala in homosexual males, as is also found in heterosexual females. Amygdala connections were more widespread from the right amygdala in homosexual females, as in heterosexual males.[62][63]
Social interaction [ edit ]
Amygdala volume correlates positively with both the size (the number of contacts a person has) and the complexity (the number of different groups to which a person belongs) of social networks.[64][65] Individuals with larger amygdalae had larger and more complex social networks. They were also better able to make accurate social judgments about other persons' faces.[66] The amygdala's role in the analysis of social situations stems specifically from its ability to identify and process changes in facial features. It does not, however, process the direction of the gaze of the person being perceived.[67][68]
The amygdala is also thought to be a determinant of the level of a person's emotional intelligence. It is particularly hypothesized that larger amygdalae allow for greater emotional intelligence, enabling greater societal integration and cooperation with others.[69]
The amygdala processes reactions to violations concerning personal space. These reactions are absent in persons in whom the amygdala is damaged bilaterally.[70] Furthermore, the amygdala is found to be activated in fMRI when people observe that others are physically close to them, such as when a person being scanned knows that an experimenter is standing immediately next to the scanner, versus standing at a distance.[70]
Aggression [ edit ]
Animal studies have shown that stimulating the amygdala appears to increase both sexual and aggressive behavior. Likewise, studies using brain lesions have shown that harm to the amygdala may produce the opposite effect. Thus, it appears that this part of the brain may play a role in the display and modulation of aggression.[71]
Fear [ edit ]
There are cases of human patients with focal bilateral amygdala lesions due to the rare genetic condition Urbach-Wiethe disease.[72][73] Such patients fail to exhibit fear-related behaviors, leading one, S.M., to be dubbed the "woman with no fear". This finding reinforces the conclusion that the amygdala "plays a pivotal role in triggering a state of fear".[74]
Alcoholism and binge drinking [ edit ]
The amygdala appears to play a role in binge drinking, being damaged by repeated episodes of intoxication and withdrawal.[75] Alcoholism is associated with dampened activation in brain networks responsible for emotional processing[clarification needed], including the amygdala.[76] Protein kinase C-epsilon in the amygdala is important for regulating behavioral responses to morphine, ethanol, and controlling anxiety-like behavior. The protein is involved in controlling the function of other proteins and plays a role in development of the ability to consume a large amount of ethanol.[77][78]
Anxiety [ edit ]
There may also be a link between the amygdala and anxiety.[79] In particular, there is a higher prevalence of females that are affected by anxiety disorders. In an experiment, degu pups were removed from their mother but allowed to hear her call. In response, the males produced increased serotonin receptors in the amygdala but females lost them. This led to the males being less affected by the stressful situation.
The clusters of the amygdala are activated when an individual expresses feelings of fear or aggression. This occurs because the amygdala is the primary structure of the brain responsible for fight or flight response. Anxiety and panic attacks can occur when the amygdala senses environmental stressors that stimulate fight or flight response.
The amygdala is directly associated with conditioned fear. Conditioned fear is the framework used to explain the behavior produced when an originally neutral stimulus is consistently paired with a stimulus that evokes fear. The amygdala represents a core fear system in the human body, which is involved in the expression of conditioned fear. Fear is measured by changes in autonomic activity including increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, as well as in simple reflexes such as flinching or blinking.
The central nucleus of the amygdala has direct correlations to the hypothalamus and brainstem – areas directly related to fear and anxiety. This connection is evident from studies of animals that have undergone amygdalae removal. Such studies suggest that animals lacking an amygdala have less fear expression and indulge in non-species-like behavior. Many projection areas of the amygdala are critically involved in specific signs that are used to measure fear and anxiety.
Mammals have very similar ways of processing and responding to danger. Scientists have observed similar areas in the brain – specifically in the amygdala – lighting up or becoming more active when a mammal is threatened or beginning to experience anxiety. Similar parts of the brain are activated when rodents and when humans observe a dangerous situation, the amygdala playing a crucial role in this assessment. By observing the amygdala's functions, people can determine why one rodent may be much more anxious than another. There is a direct relationship between the activation of the amygdala and the level of anxiety the subject feels.
Feelings of anxiety start with a catalyst – an environmental stimulus that provokes stress. This can include various smells, sights, and internal feelings that result in anxiety. The amygdala reacts to this stimuli by preparing to either stand and fight or to turn and run. This response is triggered by the release of adrenaline into the bloodstream. Consequently, blood sugar rises, becoming immediately available to the muscles for quick energy. Shaking may occur in an attempt to return blood to the rest of the body. A better understanding of the amygdala and its various functions may lead to a new way of treating clinical anxiety.[80]
Posttraumatic stress disorder [ edit ]
There seems to be a connection with the amygdalae and how the brain processes posttraumatic stress disorder. Multiple studies have found that the amygdalae may be responsible for the emotional reactions of PTSD patients. One study in particular found that when PTSD patients are shown pictures of faces with fearful expressions, their amygdalae tended to have a higher activation than someone without PTSD.[81]
Bipolar disorder [ edit ]
Amygdala dysfunction during face emotion processing is well-documented in bipolar disorder. Individuals with bipolar disorder showed greater amygdala activity (especially the amygdala/medial-prefrontal-cortex circuit).[82] [83]
Political orientation [ edit ]
Amygdala size has been correlated with cognitive styles with regard to political thinking. A study found that "greater liberalism was associated with increased gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas greater conservatism was associated with increased volume of the right amygdala." These findings suggest that the volume of the amygdala and anterior cingulate gyrus may be associated with an individual's ability to tolerate uncertainty and conflict.[84]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Burning Man is an infamous event that occurs every year in late August in northern Nevada, a 3.5-hour drive from Klamath Falls. Calling it an event is only partially accurate. Considering the infrastructure, this is a city that exists for two weeks. Organizers call it Black Rock City.
Residency of Black Rock City has increased every year since its inception in the early 90s. In 1998 the population was 23,000, roughly the size of Klamath Falls. In 2014 it bulged to 68,000. Roughly one-quarter of the traffic driving to Burning Man passes through Klamath Falls, a fact which some gas stations, hotels, and stores are keenly aware of. Klamath as a whole has yet to cater directly to this accidental tourism, and that is a shame.
Truly curious is that while Klamath can’t maintain consistent commercial air service, Black Rock City is served by several air carriers. Unlike Klamath, they receive no subsidies for their airport, no government marketing funds, and have never solicited commercial air service. They actually discourage it. Klamath continues to clamor for carrier solutions to no avail. More private aircraft visit during the two weeks of Burning Man than an entire year at the Klamath airport. The contrast between these two remote areas is a testament to the ineptitude of Klamath’s myopically deluded community of managers.
In pointing out the obvious, we tend to gift cures to those whom we loathe. Is the the sport of illustrating local incompetence is worth the price of the effort? These people consume our breadcrumbs, then take credit for out-of-the-box thinking. They get paid for it, we do not. And that is the crux of what makes Black Rock City such a huge success and Klamath an enormous failure. Klamath fails to reward creative types that don’t fit the limited conservative profile. So we aren’t going to name the airlines serving Black Rock just to add credibility to our point. Know that they are very easy to identify and contacting those airlines directly won’t achieve air service without subsidization.
Klamath Falls needs to be far more interesting and creative in much different ways (not the car show, fair, quilting, bird watching, gun show activities we’ve been engaged in like most rural communities). The only way we can envision this happening is if the old guard that insists on occupying positions of authority in defense of the status quo suddenly steps down and allows a generation with a different mindset to take over. This isn’t just the people who keep getting re-elected: we’re talking about entire administrations.
Klamath hosts a significant technical university. It strains the mind to ponder how a community filled with upper echelon college students can end up with such a grossly lame social environment. You just don’t see this level of malaise in other college towns. While the curriculum may be appealing, those socially-adept souls that find themselves attending university in Klamath feel the experience is more like doing time in a medieval monastery.
In Palo Alto, where Stanford University is located, there has always been substantial interplay between creative service trades, investors, artists, business development, and university students. Many students utilize the community social network they became part of to catapult startups like Apple Computer and Google. And why wouldn’t they? They enjoyed the community, the area, and merged with an open-minded governance keen on perpetuating the creative environment that retains the talent that changes the world. How does Klamath fail in this so completely? Most of our students leave because there is not enough here for them. They move to creative communities.
In this age, places that reward and integrate the creativity of outliers tend to be economically successful. Ashland, Bend and Hood River are shining examples of towns that fully embraced youthful creativity. In any of these communities, musicians and artists feel immediately welcomed. As they become part of the inviting atmosphere, they build vibrancy. Not only are their ideas incorporated, their creative pursuits are monetized into the business fabric. This is a major reason why property values in those three communities have escalated while Klamath’s has continued to decline. When faced with choices that some would call opportunities, we chose boring.
There are many best practices that Klamath could have adopted from the creative communities leading Oregon, so why hasn’t Klamath done so? While it may be possible to ask a musician playing a saxaphone at 10pm on a Bend street corner what attracted him, the nuances behind cultivating a creative communities are not so plain and seem far beyond the comprehension of Klamath planners. Understanding what works requires an extreme example of an economy built on creativity. That’s where Burning Man comes in.
With awareness that the general population considers Burning Man an enigmatic joke, we catered to that feeling by hooking the reader by placing “hippie” in the title. This archetype has rolled eyes since the 60s. Such categorization allows Burning Man to be readily dismissed as something that offers no lessons for communities like Klamath. This is unfortunate because there are many ways to adapt their practices to cure the stale funk that permeates Klamath’s rural society.
To dispel the negative mythology, consider the people who call themselves Burners. Burning Man consistently attracts annual residency from commercial superstars. These include:
Mark Zuckerberg, the 30-year-old CEO and founder of Facebook. His net worth is estimated at $30 billion. Also from Facebook was Dustin Moskovitz, 30, net worth $6.8 billion.
Sergey Brin, age 41 with a networth of $31 billion and Larry Page, also 41 with a net worth of $31.2 billion are co-founders of Google also go to Burning Man (they also attended Stanford in Palo Alto).
Elon Musk, 43, net worth of $8.4 billion, CEO of Telsa Motors, co-founder of Paypal and SpaceX.
Jeff Bezos, 50, Founder and CEO of Amazon, net worth $32 billion.
These are the most famous captains of industry that attend. A substantial portion of the rest of the Black Rock City population are upper and mid level managers of major companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and engineers.
On the creative side are numerous movie stars, musicians, Djs, and models. Shawn Combs aka P Diddy, 45, net worth $700 million, rapper, actor, record producer men’s fashion designer. Also known to attend are Paris Hilton, Anne Hathaway, Susan Sarandon, General Wesley Clark, Bjork, Daft Punk…the list goes on.
These people are drawn to join a city that exists for two weeks in a Nevada location that is far more rural and isolated than Klamath.
If Zuckerberg alone enjoyed visiting Klamath, there would be no problem anchoring an airline. This could have been a reality, as many others on Burning Man’s A-list if Klamath had not fumbled its data center opportunity (see prior article: Locals Thwart $360 Million Job Creating Project).
The closest permanent town to Black Rock City is Gerlach, NV. That town didn’t ask for Burning Man to move in, but they did eventually embrace it, and it’s a good thing. The only anchor for Gerlach and another small town, Empire, was US Gypsum (USG) that employed 300 people. USG announced in 2010 that it would end its gypsum mine and wallboard manufacturing operations. Without Burning Man and its permanent presence in Gerlach to warehouse, manage, and plan the annual infrastructure deployment, Gerlach may well have become a ghost town. Gerlach has received a steady stream of donations and patronage from the Burning Man presence.
How does all this link back to Klamath?
We learn the lesson that anchoring amenities such as air service doesn’t require government assistance if a community can figure out how to be creative, open and interesting.
Klamath hinges the majority of its tourism marketing on the presence of Crater Lake. The problem is, Crater Lake does nothing to sustain interest or improve the social fabric necessary for development and retention. Jackson County and Medford were way ahead of Klamath in becoming the portal to Crater Lake. Their advantage is they have other creative anchors like Ashland and Jackson Hot Springs that build resilience. Visitors are not impressed by the visitor experience in Klamath over Medford in any way. There’s less to do, fewer shops, and a void of visible creativity. If Crater Lake works as an anchor, why hasn’t it been attracting the A-list that frequents Burning Man? Creatives require unsanctioned gathering places. Klamath offers none. The Ross Ragland and the Fairgrounds are not conducive to spontaneous, organic gatherings. The use of natural amenities in creative ways draws creatives. Many Burners enjoy visiting area hot springs during their trek. With all its geothermal resources, Klamath only offers an atypical swimming pool that is not an adult attractor in any sense. Take the Breitenbush Hotspring example between Bend and Salem, for example. They have built a cultural creative persona around geothermal soaking and camping. The Wellsprings between Ashland and Medford has been reinvented as a creative village for wellness with regular concerts and free-association binges. Less obvious and difficult to pin down are the myriad of city and county regulations and procedures that kill creativity. The thing creatives dislike more than all else is nonsensical bureaucracy that feels like prejudice in practice. That is the greatest barrier locals need to devote the most effort to overcome.
Due to anchor points of a physical nature (OIT, National Guard, Hospital, County Seat), Klamath isn’t going to die, but it will continue to exist in a zombie-like state of limbo, gnawing on the brains of transients, not unlike Lakeview in the mid-90s. There you had a community devastated by the reduction of timber harvesting and value-added manufacturing. They spun in circles for many years, taking large government subsidies, but turning away the few business development opportunities that visited them. The state located a prison in Lakeview that the locals were vehemently opposed to. They are used to it now and in spite of themselves have benefited from peripheral investments such as a tactical training facility. These unwanted investments brought enough employment to sustain or rebuild a few dying eateries and stores.
That’s what happens to communities in limbo. Those that fail to attract favorable investments end up being the dumping ground for projects no one else in the state wants. At Klamath’s current state, there’s no reason to expect a different outcome. Klamath receives more noisy fighter jets, polluting power generation projects, or what’s next…another prison?
Easy Pickings
The best thing Klamath could do is the easiest. Being in a location where 25% of the Burning Man traffic passes, there are many projects Klamath could invoke that would not only capitalize on this human migration, but use it to attract and retain creatives in the long-term.
It simply doesn’t work to write-off that crowd of Burners as penniless vagabonds, certainly not when you consider the multi-billion net worth of the A-list. Tally the net worth of the rest of the lists down the alphabet and there is a substantial pool of capital being spent somewhere, usually not in Klamath. This is something the Chamber of Commerce should be addressing, but they are not. Or the Tourism Department, who just can’t comprehend that Burners are typically more affluent than the dwindling supply of common tourists in spite of their strange appearances and hippie personas as they stampede through.
Still don’t get it? OK, here’s the great idea we won’t see any credit for…
Create and publicize a large stopover campground for Burners along with a vendor fair. Burners prefer to buy their supplies and bling along the way because it makes their long drive more comfortable if their vehicles are not so crowded in the beginning. (Some Burners on the drive are traveling all the way from Vancouver, BC and Seattle). If they know there are places to scrounge supplies and junk for re-purposing, they will make a point of spending more time and money in Klamath. There is surplus unused acreage south of Klamath Falls and extra funding in the Tourism budget to pay for staging this a token to win Burner affection. The community college has its own acreage to offer, but it would probably be too great a stretch for them to wrap their minds about creative use of their unused property. We certainly wouldn’t want to unleash creativity on a college campus around these parts.
One final barrier: Local Government
The County and the City have in the past shut down numerous locals that wanted to host flea markets. Creatives love flea markets and the absence of a junk marketplace continues to harm Klamath’s bootstrappers. The County also seems to frown on collections of RVs camping on any land except the one campground in the City of Klamath Falls (KOA…small and difficult to maneuver into) or the fairgrounds (for rare special events only). These archaic policies need to be eliminated in a very open manner if Klamath chooses to embrace, rather than ignore the tremendous financial resources represented by the annual Burner migration.
Follow these topics: Case Studies
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Thanks for reading! Any suggestions or comments about the changes are welcomed in the comments below.The Crown’s Matt Smith plays Prince Philip as the truculent, charming husband of Claire Foy’s young Elizabeth II. Complete with off-colour jokes, a slight stoop and a rebellious attitude, Philip cuts a dashing figure at his royal wife’s side.
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The Duke of Edinburgh is now in his mid-90s – but what was he really like in his younger years? Will he recognise himself in Matt Smith when he and Lizzy settle down on the sofa with a cuppa and fire up the Windsor family Netflix account?
Let’s take a look…
How did Philip meet Elizabeth?
Prince Philip as a pupil in Gordonstoun, taken around 1938
Philip was born in Greece in 1921, but his family was exiled from the country when he was just a baby following a war with Turkey and the rise of a new military government. It was a tricky escape: Philip was carried to safety in a cot made from a fruit box.
It was a turbulent existence for the young prince, who was sent from country to country. By the time he was 10, his parents had separated, his mother was in psychiatric care and he was essentially homeless. He joined the Royal Navy in 1939 at the age of 18 and distinguished himself at sea. It was during the war years that he got to know the teenage Elizabeth (five years his junior) while staying at Windsor.
After the war, Philip of Greece became a British subject and adopted the surname Mountbatten from his mother’s parents. The newly-titled Duke of Edinburgh married the future Queen in 1947. It was, by all accounts, a love match – helped along by Philip’s ambitious uncle, Louis Mountbatten.
Did he really try to make the royal surname Mountbatten? Prince Philip and then-Princess and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne in 1951
In The Crown, a petulant Philip makes two requests when his wife comes to the throne: he wants to stay at Clarence House instead of Buckingham Palace, and he wants the royal house to be Mountbatten – with the kids keeping his surname.
Elizabeth is initially receptive and tries to negotiate these concessions with Churchill and his Cabinet, but things do not go according to plan. She is persuaded by her grandma and her Prime Minister to issue a royal proclamation declaring that the royal house will remain known as the House of Windsor.
This is true to life. In Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage, biographer Gyles Brandreth reports the Duke’s private remark: “I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children.”
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It was an issue that remained a sore point, and after the death of the Queen’s grandmother Queen Mary and Winston Churchill – the two figures most strongly opposed to the idea – the Queen issued an Order in Council in 1960 declaring that her descendants not bearing royal styles and titles (i.e. Prince or Royal Highness) may use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor."BORAX" redirects here. For the mineral, see borax
A cutaway view of the BORAX-V facility.
BORAX III steam turbine and generator.
The BORAX Experiments were a series of safety experiments on boiling water nuclear reactors conducted by Argonne National Laboratory in the 1950s and 1960s at the National Reactor Testing Station in eastern Idaho.[1] They were performed using the five BORAX reactors that were designed and built by Argonne.[2] BORAX-III was the first nuclear reactor to supply electrical power to the grid in the United States in 1955.
Evolution of BORAX [ edit ]
This series of tests began in 1952 with the construction of the BORAX-I nuclear reactor.[4] BORAX-I experiment proved that a reactor using direct boiling of water would be practical, rather than unstable, because of the bubble formation in the core. Subsequently the reactor was used for power excursion tests which showed that rapid conversion of water to steam would safely control the reaction. The final, deliberately destructive test in 1954 produced an unexpectedly large power excursion that "instead of the melting of a few fuel plates, the test melted a major fraction of the entire core." However, this core meltdown and release of nuclear fuel and nuclear fission products provided additional useful data to improve mathematical models. The tests proved key safety principles of the design of modern nuclear power reactors. Design power of BORAX-I was 1.4 megawatts thermal. The BORAX-I design was a precursor to the SL-1 plant, which was sited nearby and began operations in 1958. The principles discovered in the BORAX-I experiments helped scientists understand the issues that contributed to the fatal incident at SL-1 in 1961.
The BORAX-II reactor was built in 1954, with a design output of 6 MW(t). In March 1955 BORAX-II was intentionally destroyed by taking the reactor "prompt critical".
The design of BORAX-II was modified into BORAX-III with the addition of a turbine, proving that turbine contamination would not be a problem. It was linked to the local power grid for about an hour on July 17, 1955.[6] BORAX-III provided 2,000 kW to power nearby Arco, Idaho (500 kW), the BORAX test facility (500 kW), and partially powered the National Reactor Testing Station (after 2004, the Idaho National Laboratory) (1,000 kW). Thus, Arco became the first community solely powered by nuclear energy. The reactor continued to be used for tests until 1956.
BORAX-IV, built in 1956, explored the thorium fuel cycle and uranium-233 fuel with a power of 20 MW thermal. This experiment utilized fuel plates that were purposely full of defects in order to explore long-term plant operation with damaged fuel plates. Radioactive gases were released into the atmosphere.
BORAX-V continued the work on boiling water reactor designs, including the use of a superheater. It operated from 1962 to 1964.
BORAX-I destructive test and cleanup [ edit ]
Test synopsis:
The (test was) carried out by withdrawing four of the five control rods far enough to make the reactor critical at a very low power level. The fifth rod was then fired from the core by means of a spring. In this test, the rod was ejected in approximately 0.2 seconds. After the control rod was ejected, an explosion took place in the reactor which carried away the control mechanism and blew out the core. At half a mile, the radiation level rose to 25 mr/hr. Personnel were evacuated for about 30 minutes.[7]
The destruction of BORAX-I caused the "aerial distribution of contaminants resulting from the final experiment of the BORAX-I reactor" and the likely contamination of the topmost 1 foot of soil over about 2 acres in the vicinity.[8] The site needed to be cleaned up prior to being used for subsequent experiments. The 84,000-square foot (7,800 m2) area was covered with 6 inches of gravel in 1954, but grass, sagebrush, and other plants reseeded the area since then. The BORAX-I burial ground is located about 2,730 feet (830 m) northwest of the Experimental Breeder Reactor-1, a publicly accessible national monument. Since 1987, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has classified the burial ground as Superfund site Operable Unit 6-01, one of two such sites (along with SL-1) at the Idaho National Laboratory. In 1995, the EPA ordered the primary remedy of the burial ground should be: "Containment by capping with an engineered barrier constructed primarily of native materials."[8] The site is expected to produce no more than a 2 in 10,000 increase in cancer risk for long term residential use after 320 years, with no significant decrease after that time. This risk calculation ignores the shielding provided by the soil cover, which at the time of the EPA decision had reduced exposure to little more than background level, and makes very pessimistic modeling assumptions that greatly increase the projected risk, to deliberately focus on the high rather than low effect side.[8]
See also [ edit ]
SL-1, the only demonstration of the BORAX-I principles during a real nuclear accident
Experimental Breeder Reactor I first production of electric power
References [ edit ]
Notes
Bibliography
Coordinates:I was first called an angry black man while a student in college.
We were in African-American History, and our professor, a white member of Omega Psi Phi (I say this only because in all my years of Greekdom, I have never come across another old-head Omega who was white; I can only imagine what ol’ boy had to endure while pledging during the height of the civil rights movement), was leading a class discussion on the beef between W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.
Many of my classmates were sympathetic to Washington’s approach to black liberation, but I held firm in my presupposition that centering whiteness was a poison pill for black liberation. To me, the only way for black folks to truly be free was to decenter whiteness in our thinking and cultural expressions.
“Damn you, radical,” said my classmate and soror. “You an angry black man fo’ real.”
It was my first time being called angry and a radical, but it would not be my last.
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Initially I rebuffed the idea of being a radical. To me, a radical deviated from the norm to such a degree that one was considered dangerous or illogical. I wasn’t like my uncle who used phrases like “the white devil.” I did not agree with folks who thought we needed a political revolution or a separate nation-state. Hell, I didn’t even like dashikis, and at the time, I didn’t understand what the big deal was with black women embracing their natural hair.
I merely thought that black folks should love themselves and their culture. I did not think that was a radical idea. It felt like common sense. It wasn’t until I read people like James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, bell hooks and Angela Davis. These thinkers were clear in their deconstruction of white supremacy and did not write with an eye for how white folks might feel about what they had to say. I'd spent most of my life worrying if white folks would like me. I pulled my pants up wanting white employers to look favorably upon me. I spoke in a way meant to make white folks see me as intelligent. My whole life was spent centering whiteness.
As I finished Frantz Fanon’s Black Skin, White Masks, I sat back in my chair and looked out the window. It was almost as if scales had fallen from my eyes and now I could see clearly. America had taught me to be ashamed of my blackness. I’d bought into the lie of white supremacy, and I had unwittingly arranged my life around the white gaze. That day I saw for the first time the violence commonly visited upon people of color in this country.
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In America, to forcefully move indigenous people from one part of the country to another in the name of Manifest Destiny is the norm. To use enslaved Africans as an unpaid labor force was not considered extraordinary—it was banal. The norm in this country is the objectification of women in general and the hypersexualization of black women, including black girls, in particular. Normal in this country is black social death and the African in America’s alienation from self, culture and history. These things are normal in the so-called land of the free, and if those are the norms, then I was happy to accept my role as a radical. I was even happier to be called angry.
Unlike white male Trump supporters, who are angered by their perceived loss of privilege, black anger in response to the pervasive nature of white supremacy is logical.
Only a person comfortable with injustice would look at the condition of black people in this country and not be angered. Almost daily, we are confronted with new hashtags that memorialize black women and men who have been murdered by the police. Black children disproportionately attend schools that are underfunded and overcrowded, and black men and women are disproportionately ensnared by the criminal-justice system.
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Yes, I am angry about the conditions of black, brown and red people in this country. Yes, I do think that the norms of oppression and marginalization need to change.
I am a radical, and I am angry. I am all of these things because I unapologetically love my blackness and yours.
Lawrence Ware is a progressive writer in a conservative state. A frequent contributor to Counterpunch and Dissent magazine, he is also a contributing editor of NewBlackMan (in Exile) and the Democratic Left. He has been featured in the New York Times and discussed race and politics on HuffPost Live, NPR and Public Radio International. Ware’s book on the life and thought of C.L.R. James will be published by Verso Books in the fall of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.FILE - In this July 29, 2015, file photo, Chris Cornell plays guitar during a portrait session at The Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills, Calif. Cornell’s finale music video, filmed before the singer died in May, was released Tuesday, June 20, 2017. (Photo by Casey Curry/Invision/AP, File)
Chris Cornell's final music video, filmed before the singer died in May, was released Tuesday.
The video for "The Promise" was released to coincide with World Refugee Day. The clip was filmed in Brooklyn, New York.
Eric Esrailian, who produced the video, said Cornell filmed the video shortly before he died. Esrailian added that the rock singer wanted the video to be released on World Refugee Day.
Cornell and his family toured refugee camps in Greece in April, and there they decided that The Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation would focus its efforts on child refugees.
Cornell was the lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave. Authorities say he killed himself following a concert in Detroit. He was 52. |
on both Virgin Mobile's official website and Spears's official websites.[49]
Synopsis [ edit ]
Spears dressed as a housewife, during the final scenes of the music video.
The video starts with a news anchor (played by Kristina Mitchell) saying the title of the song above a news banner that reads "Britney Spears song lyrics spell out obscenity in disguise". This is a parody of an America's Newsroom report by Megyn Kelly.[50] It then skips to a house, in which a sex party is coming to an end. Spears starts singing while sitting on the edge of a bed while the people that surround her are getting dressed.[51] She gets up and looks out the window. As the first verse ends, she picks up a pair of panties from the floor, recalling her personal struggles and the "Piece of Me" video.[49] She dances with four male dancers in the first chorus. During the second chorus, she dances with four other female dancers dressed in cheerleading outfits, while many men are watching them dance. The screen fades to white and Spears begins to change into a conservative '50s-inspired housewife outfit.[51] As the chorus begins again, she comes out of her bedroom. She walks down the stairs, with dancers surrounding her and a woman gives her a potholder, which she uses to pick up a pie.[49] After this, she walks out the front door of the house and is joined by her seemingly conservative-looking husband and children, one of them dressed with the schoolgirl outfit Spears wore in the "...Baby One More Time" video.[49] As they go down the walkway, they are surrounded by paparazzi, who have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.[51] While the kids and husband wave, Spears smiles for the camera and blows a kiss. The video then ends with the news anchor saying, "Doesn't make any sense, does it?".[49]
Reception [ edit ]
James Montgomery of MTV stated that the video manages to combine elements from her previous music videos, such as the style of "Everytime" and the attitude of "Stronger". He also referred to it as "a pretty amazing amalgamation of all things Brit, and a nice primer of her entire career up to this point".[49] Rolling Stone writer Daniel Kreps compared the party in the video to the 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut and added that "this may be the first Spears video ever crafted strictly with the morally-lax Internet in mind, a brazen clip that doesn't have to tone down its explicit nature lyrically and visually in order to get airplay".[51] Chris Johnson of the Daily Mail compared Spears' housewife style to one of her looks in a 2001 Pepsi commercial.[52] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly said, "it's kind of difficult to believe the song's real meaning will get past even the thickest listener, the video itself is pretty tame...almost disappointingly so". The reviewer also compared the hairstyle of Spears during the housewife scenes to Marilyn Monroe.[53]
Live performances [ edit ]
Spears performed the song during 2009's The Circus Starring Britney Spears. After a performance of "Boys" from Britney, Spears performed a military drill with her male dancers, which ended with her putting on a faux fur vest to perform "If U Seek Amy". At the end, Spears pulled a giant pink hammer and proceeded to knock her dancers off the stage, in a similar way to Whac-A-Mole. Jerry Shriver of USA Today said in the opening night of the tour, "[the] single 'If U Seek Amy' draws a huge roar and sing-along from the crowd as Spears shakes her long blond mane".[11] Craig Rosen of The Hollywood Reporter commented, "The artist that raised the ire of parents from the beginning in her scandalous schoolgirl outfit also continues to use shock-and-awe tactics. Her latest, 'If U Seek Amy' [...] was included in the set, much to the delight of her young fans".[54]
"If U Seek Amy" was also performed by Spears at 2011's Femme Fatale Tour. Spears reappeared onstage after "Lace and Leather" to perform a jazz-inspired version of the song, wearing a white skirt and standing over a fan, recalling Marilyn Monroe's iconic scene in The Seven Year Itch (1955). The backdrops behind her showed 1940s crime film-inspired black-and-white footage while photographers in colorful outfits took pictures of her. Rick Florino of Artistdirect said, "Marrying old school detective fare and stadium-size anthems is something no other pop star has done, and once again Britney's the first."[55] Nicki Escudero of the Phoenix New Times stated that it was "nice" to hear remixed versions of older hits, "such as the jazzy 'If You Seek Amy,' [sic] the sultry and Middle Eastern-inspired 'Boys' and the sped-up 'Toxic'."[56]
Spears currently performs the song at her revamped Las Vegas residency show, Britney: Piece of Me, at The AXIS theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.[57] The performance, which pays homage to Spears' 'Circus' era, immediately follows the song "Circus" (2008) on the set list.
Track listings [ edit ]
CD single "If U Seek Amy" – 3:37 "Circus" (Joe Bermudez Radio Remix) – 3:41 CD maxi single "If U Seek Amy" – 3:37 "If U Seek Amy" (Bimbo Jones Radio Remix) – 2:57 "If U Seek Amy" (Crookers Remix) – 4:29 "If U Seek Amy" (U-Tern Remix) – 6:10 "If U Seek Amy" (Video Enhancement) – 3:46 Digital download – Digital 45 "If U Seek Amy" – 3:35 "If U Seek Amy" (Crookers Remix) – 4:29 Digital download – Remix EP "If U Seek Amy" (Crookers Remix) – 4:29 "If U Seek Amy" (Mike Rizzo – Funk Generation Club Mix) – 7:52 "If U Seek Amy" (Weird Tapes – Club Mix) – 5:14 "If U Seek Amy" (Junior Vasquez Big Room Mix) – 9:43 "If U Seek Amy" (U-Tern Remix) – 6:10 "If U Seek Amy" (Doug Grayson – Club Mix) – 5:18
Credits and personnel [ edit ]
Charts [ edit ]
Certifications [ edit ]
Region Certification Certified units/Sales Australia (ARIA)[92] Gold 35,000^ United States — 1,300,000[93] *sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
Release history [ edit ]JNS.org – A note handwritten by Albert Einstein in the 1920s, detailing the German-born physicist’s simple theory for a happy life, sold in a Jerusalem auction to an anonymous European buyer on Tuesday for $1.56 million.
The auction began at $2,000 and a series of bids pushed the price up rapidly until two final bidders competed by phone to own the historic piece. Thunderous applause erupted at Jerusalem-based Winner’s Auctions when the final bid was closed.
“It was an all-time record for an auction of a document in Israel,” Winner’s spokesman Meni Chadad told AFP.
The auction house originally estimated that the note would sell for between $5,000 and $8,000. The note was written during Einstein’s 1922 visit to Japan after he was informed that he would be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. It was penned on Imperial Hotel Tokyo stationery and says in German, “A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.”
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The note is one of two that were gifted to a Japanese courier at the hotel in lieu of a cash tip. According to the seller, Einstein told the courier at the time, “Maybe if you’re lucky those notes will become much more valuable than just a regular tip.”
The second note written by Einstein sold for $240,000 and reads, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”Focus on what the other person wants and how they're feeling. University of Exeter/Flickr There are plenty of ways to get what you want in a negotiation — kicking and screaming, threats, and bribery among them.
But perhaps the most effective strategy is one that's pretty counterintuitive: Focus on what the other person wants instead.
That's according to Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator and author of the new book, "Never Split the Difference." Voss says that showing your negotiation partner you can see things from their perspective ends up making it easier to influence them.
It's a strategy he calls "tactical empathy," and it works just as well in negotiations between cops and criminals and arguments between friends.
One way to exhibit tactical empathy is by labeling the other person's emotions. You can say, "It seems like…" or, "It sounds like…" and explain how you think the other person is feeling.
In the book, Voss gives an example of how labeling works. A student of his (Voss also teaches at business schools) was fundraising for the Girl Scouts when she encountered a potential donor who was particularly stubborn.
That potential donor said she refused to contribute because she wanted her gift to directly support programming for Girl Scouts — and nothing else.
The student responded: "It seems that you are really passionate about this gift and want to find the right project reflecting the opportunities and life-changing experiences the Girl Scouts gave you."
The woman signed a check, saying she knew the fundraiser understood her and would find the right project.
By labeling the woman's passion and identifying her specific concerns, the student effectively disarmed the woman and won her support.
Here's an easier strategy in Voss' tactical empathy arsenal: Try paraphrasing what the other person is saying. You can practice this technique in everyday life, even if you're not arguing with anyone at the moment.
When Voss visited the Business Insider offices in May, he explained why summarizing the other person's perspective before you move on works so well: "People love to be listened to."
So resist the impulse to tell a story of your own when someone shares an insight with you, and instead take time to reflect on what they just said. In a negotiation, that behavior could make your opponent more amenable to giving you what you need.
Regardless of whether you label, paraphrase, or both, the key takeaway here is that you can surprise your negotiation partner and potentially deescalate the situation by making the person feel heard and valued.
No kicking and screaming, threats, or bribery required.Source: The American Legion Monthly, October, 1935 Note: The famous historian, Will Durant gave many similarly themed speeches concerning American civilization. A more complete version of this can be found here.
The Crisis in American Civilization - Will Durant
Four basic problems confront the American people today—problems so vital that their simultaneous attack upon us constitutes a major crisis in our history. The most fundamental of these problems is biological—the threatened deterioration of our stock through the low birth-rate of the able and the replenishment of our population through the high birthrate of mediocrity. This breeding from the bottom and dying at the top frustrates recovery by flooding our cities with new millions of arms and legs at the very time when invention has made mere muscle superabundant in industry and has put a premium upon brains. It frustrates democracy by sterilizing the families that generate statesmen, and creating in our cities manipulable masses who get born, breed and die before they can possibly find out what it is all about. Worst of all, it frustrates education by sterilizing the educated; the development of the American mind is repeatedly held back because the high-rate of ignorance outruns the propagation of intelligence. Natural selection once eliminated the incompetent ruthlessly; generosity and charity now preserve them; fertility now multiplies them. No constitution could be good enough to enable such a stock to preserve their civilization.
The second problem is economic. Our American system of industry, since its high living standards preclude the capture of foreign markets, cannot continue unless the purchasing power of our people rises as fast as their power to produce. But the natural inequality of men inevitably concentrates wealth, prevents the full spread of purchasing power, and periodically stalls the industrial machine. Our economic system, like our political system, seems to demand a higher degree of equality among men than nature has provided.
The third problem is moral. A civilization requires some form of social order; order depends partly upon law, chiefly upon morals; morals are in large measure transmitted through religion and the family. But industrialism has weakened the Puritan-agricultural moral code, and has weakened the institutions that transmit morality. A decaying moral code usually brings marital disorder, political corruption, epicurean cowardice, and increasing crime.
The fourth problem is political. The sources of statesmanship—in the fertility of the able—are drying up even as problems multiply and the security of isolation disappears. Men are selected for office because of their political skill, and are then called upon to deal with issues requiring economic knowledge and a wide background of education and intelligence. Political machines grow out of the mob, and stand between honest ability and public office; we spend more money on education than nearly all the rest of the world combined, and then we make education a disqualification for public office. Our headless democracy advances confidently to the inevitable test, in diplomacy and war, with the trained aristocracies of Europe and Japan.
We need not be discouraged by these problems; America has scaled such obstacles before. Our stock is still vital; our democracy has preserved our liberties and yet is functioning as successfully as any dictatorship; and our economic system, even in its confusion, feeds and clothes and shelters our people immeasurably better than any other system known to us in the present or the past. Willingness to look a problem in the face is already half its solution. No single mind can cope at once with all these issues; the complexity of our civilization has made the presidency an outwearing and outworn institution. Each of us must ponder these difficulties, and offer our constructive suggestions as modestly as we can to the national mind.
Perhaps we should begin to meet the biological problem by segregating defectives against reproduction, and by using every avenue of education, and every device of taxation, to encourage fertility among the able and discourage it among the incompetent; perhaps the high cost of maternity in the middle classes can be offset by the provision of free facilities for motherhood to all women who have secured a medical certificate of fitness for parentage. Perhaps the economic problem can be solved only when the able minority learns to discipline itself sufficiently to permit such a distribution of wealth as will keep the power to purchase on a level with the power to produce. Perhaps we can meet some part of the moral problem by using the old institution of the dowry to restore marriage to a natural age, and to encourage parentage in the married; the revival of the family is the core of moral renewal. Perhaps we can take a step towards political regeneration by equalizing educational opportunity, organizing Schools of Government in our universities, establishing a United States Civil Academy at Washington, and gradually closing all but the highest offices to those who have not been specifically and technically trained for public administration. Education alone should nominate; and democracy should be redefined not as the equal eligibility of all to office, but as the equal opportunity of all to make themselves fit for office.
These are tentative and preliminary suggestions, open to doubt and dispute. What, after mature and realistic thought, would the reader himself propose as measures designed to meet this crisis in our national life?Monday, January 12, 2015 at 5:36AM
Within today’s growing cloud-based IT market, there is a strong demand for virtualisation technologies. Unfortunately most virtualisation solutions are not flexible enough to meet developer requirements and the overhead implied by the use of full virtualisation solutions becomes a burden on the scalability of the infrastructure.
Docker reduces that overhead by allowing developers and system administrators to seamlessly deploy containers for applications and services required for business operations. However, because Docker leverages the same kernel as the host system to reduce the need for resources, containers can be exposed to significant security risks if not adequately configured.
The GitHub repository referenced below aims at providing some deployment guidelines for Docker developers and system administrators alike, that can be used to improve the security posture of Linux containers within a Dockerized environment.
https://github.com/GDSSecurity/Docker-Secure-Deployment-GuidelinesPaul Thomas Anderson Told the Most Amazing 'Boogie Nights' Story About Burt Reynolds
By Dustin Rowles | Celebrity | January 5, 2015 |
Paul Thomas Anderson is on Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast this week, and I really encourage you to listen to the entire thing because he’s a far more fascinating guy than you might have realized. I had no idea, for instance, that his Dad was the booth announcer for the Carol Burnett Show and that Anderson grew up hanging out with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. Nor did I realize just how much Magnolia was inspired by his own father’s death (when told that his father was dying, Anderson said it felt like frogs falling from the sky, which is something he worked into the movie with an assist from Michael Penn, who explained the Biblical connection).
Anderson, like Louis C.K., also singled out Putney Swope as one of the most influential movies of his career — that movie was directed by Robert Downey, Sr., and apparently, Inherent Vice owes a huge debt to it (I haven’t yet seen Inherent Vice, so I cannot compare). Oh, and at his one year at Emerson College in Boston, he had as his professor David Foster Wallace.
But one of the best stories involved Ricky Jay and Burt Reynolds on the set of Boogie Nights. Anderson admitted that it wasn’t particularly easy working with Reynolds on the movie, in part because everyone else was so young on the movie, and Reynolds — formerly the biggest movie star in America — felt like he was “slumming” it. “It was tough. Really tough,” Anderson said, admitting that Reynolds probably didn’t trust him. But the story involving Ricky Jay actually has little to do with the difficulties of Reynolds.
It concerned a scene in which Ricky Jay was trying to hold back Reynolds while his character was yelling at Mark Wahlberg, and why Ricky Jay couldn’t keep a straight face during the scene (and I wish I could locate a screenshot of Jay from the scene, but Internet searches have turned up nothing).
“Ricky Jay had the obligation, when Mark and Burt are in this big fight scene at the pool. He’s coming at Mark, saying ‘Get out of here, you’re high!’ and all this sort of stuff, and Ricky Jay had the job of holding Burt back, which is not a job that Ricky should have. He has these magician’s hands and everything else. And Burt started to improvise, and Mark says something like, ‘I haven’t been up for two days!’ and Burt said, ‘Nevertheless, you don’t look good …” And every time Burt said ‘Nevertheless,’ I kept noticing something happen over Ricky’s face, and I said, ‘What’s going on?’ and he said, ‘I can’t. I’m suppressing laughter whenever he says ‘Nevertheless.’ And I said why, and he told me this great story of being in a football game when this woman is being introduced to sing the National Anthem and her name is Helen Forrest or whatever it is. And [the announcer] says, ‘And now to sing the National Anthem, Helen Forrest.’ And somebody in the stands screams, ‘HELEN FORREST SUCKS COCK.’ And the announcer [without missing a beat] says, ‘Nevertheless.’
And what’s why, if you watch that scene again, Ricky Jay has such a pained expression on his face when Burt Reynolds says ‘Nevertheless.’
Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here or follow him on Twitter.
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This Doctor Who Series 8 Supercut Reveals the Twelfth Doctor's Favorite Phrase →Barcelona star Javier Mascherano was charged with two counts of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities of a total of more than €1.5 million, Spain's public prosecutor said on Monday.
Mascherano, who joined Barcelona from English club Liverpool in August 2010, is alleged to have sought to conceal earnings from his image rights by using companies set up in the United States and Portugal, the prosecutor's office said.
The 31-year-old is accused of defrauding the authorities of €587,822.01 in 2011 and €968,907.76 in 2012.
The Argentina star made no immediate public comment on the charges, which were reported last week. This month he paid the back-taxes owed plus almost €200,000 in interest, the office said, and local media reported this could work in his favour if he is found guilty.
Mascherano opted to pay the back taxes and the fine based on his legal counsel's advice but was not able to avoid the tax fraud complaint, despite the fact that the state cannot seek more restitution and can only possibly request a minimum punishment. The source said the state will likely ask Mascherano to enter a guilty plea.
The agency opened an investigation into Mascherano's taxes shortly after a Portuguese TV station claimed that the player had avoided paying taxes in Madeira's duty free zone.
A Spanish judge must now rule on whether the Mascherano case should go to trial.
The probe revealed that the fraud had been committed in two tax communities -- Madeira and Miami -- both of them created while the player was with Liverpool and maintained once he moved to Barcelona. The unpaid taxes were €587,822 in 2011 and €968,907 in 2012, according to the report.
The case is similar to that of Mascherano's Barcelona and Argentina teammate, Lionel Messi, who is to stand trial over allegations that he benefited from the network of companies which were established to deal with his financial affairs, leading to the evasion of €4.1 million in taxes between 2007 and 2009.
If found guilty, both Messi and his father could be fined up to €21m and receive a one-year suspended prison sentence.
The Spanish government has recently been cracking down particularly hard on tax evasion amid the country's continuing economic woes, with Messi one of a number of high-profile targets against whom cases have been opened.
La Liga clubs and players have long used "image rights" to avoid paying higher income tax rates, while the Spanish authorities have regularly found this approach to be illegal, with current Barcelona coach Luis Enrique among those who have previously made a settlement.
According to El Pais, Spain considers Madeira a tax haven and investigated a business Mascherano incorporated there in 2010 called Anadyr Overseas, to which Mascherano sold his image rights for €5m.
Spain's tax law allows a player to sell up to 15 percent of his image rights to a company, image rights which Barcelona began to pay to Anadyr Overseas, but Hacienda claimed that Mascherano did not pay, despite the fact that he had established residency in Spain.
The report also said that Spain is charging Mascherano for failing to pay taxes on image rights from Nike via Lofer, a company he established out of Miami. More than one third of the back taxes were related to the Lofer income.Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., is concerned that more violence is on the way, following last weekend's deadly clash between white supremacy and neo-Nazi groups, and left-wing counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Va.
"It feels like violence is coming," Sasse wrote at the end of a long Facebook post Friday evening, titled "The next Charlottesville." "I'm not sure if this moment is like the summer of '67 or not. But it might be. Before that violence strikes again, it's up to us to reaffirm that exceptional American Creed again today, with our neighbors, and in our kids' hearts."
Earlier in the online note, Sasse listed out a number of "observations" from his family discussions this week. Within that 16-point list the lawmaker said he expects the violence will "come when white supremacists and the alt-right fight anarchist groups aligned with the extreme left."
President Trump, he said, will offer little in the way of a solution.
"What will happen next? I doubt that Donald Trump will be able to calm and comfort the nation in that moment," Sasse said. "He (and lots of others) will probably tell an awful combination of partial truths and outright falsehoods. On top of the trust deficits that are already baked so deeply in, unity will be very hard to come by."
Sasse has been a vocal critic of Trump since he took office.
Trump has faced bipartisan criticism for his remarks regarding the violence in Charlottesville, as he initially failed to rebuke white supremacist groups and neo-Nazis. On Monday he did condemn these groups by name, going further than his first statement Saturday, but on Tuesday he doubled back to say there is "blame on both sides."
Sasse expressed concern about those whom the president listens to, advising him to stoke further racial division.
"Besides ability and temperament, I also worry that national unity will be unlikely because there are some whispering in the President's ear that racial division could be good politics for them," Sasse said.
Sasse warned that the "white supremacists from Charlottesville now feel emboldened" and are moving on to their next target city "with the express purpose of spreading their hateful rhetoric and inciting violence."
He repeatedly spoke of the importance of the "American Idea" — "that all people are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights" — and urged Americans to embrace open debate versus "identity politics," white supremacy, and violence.Ever since OpenBazaar launched, people have been drawing parallels to Silk Road. Both projects offer a marketplace system, where people can buy and sell anything and everything. No strict rules are enforced, and Bitcoin is the only accepted currency. But other than that, both platforms could not be more different from one another.
Despite the success of Silk Road, the platform was not decentralized by any means. The vast majority of darknet marketplaces are hosted on servers that are theoretically off-limits, but in reality, are very different. It is possible to keep switching servers and run such a platform locally, but that only paints a bigger bull’s eye on the administrator’s back.
OpenBazaar, on the other hand, exists solely on the Bitcoin blockchain, without hackable servers involved. This aspect alone makes it “better’ than Silk Road, even though that platform will always be dear to Bitcoin enthusiasts’ hearts. Moreover, no one at OpenBazaar controls user funds, whereas Silk Road offered an escrow system controlled by Ross Ulbricht and his moderators.
OpenBazaar Is Not Your Next Silk Road Clone
The difference between a website and a decentralized platform could not be greater. Peer-to-peer accessibility is virtually impossible to shut down, whereas Silk Road was taken offline with relative ease. Nor does OpenBazaar host product listings themselves, and no transaction data is stored either. In doing so, OpenBazaar as a protocol remains unbiased, as it set out to do from day one.
As far as offered products go, OpenBazaar has not fallen victim to illegal listings just yet. The project’s team will not enforce the delisting of illegal goods or services, but they envision a far bigger future. In fact, they want to compete with eBay, Amazon, and even Alibaba in the future. Quite an ambitious goal, but it is not as unachievable as some people think.
OB1 CEO Brian Hoffman made the comparison as follows:
“While it may seem amazing that Silk Road did hundreds of millions of dollars, maybe even a billion dollars, worth of illegal goods, a billion dollars is nothing in terms of how much e-commerce gets done each year. If six months from now OpenBazaar is just flooded with drug listings and illegal services, then most likely it wasn’t a good enough solution for the world’s trade. I would consider that a failure, because this is more about building a free market, not just an illegal market.”
So far, OpenBazaar has been somewhat of a success. It has not achieved the appeal Silk Road once had, but that situation may change in the future. Decentralized free trade has a bright future, as it is quite beneficial to both smaller and large businesses. Moreover, the fact that Bitcoin is the only payment method makes OpenBazaar a global solution everyone can embrace in a heartbeat.
Header image courtesy of ShutterstockWe know far too little about almost every subissue in the gun discussion. We don’t know whether the federal assault weapons ban—it only lasted 10 years, from 1994 to 2004—had any effect on mass killings. We don’t know the effect of most individual gun laws, in part because the effect is probably small, since the laws are often so minor or full of loopholes.
In terms of homicide, we know that a gun in the house is bad for women, but is it bad for men? There are few convincing studies. While women are usually murdered at home, often with the gun that’s in the home, men are mostly killed outside the home, with somebody else’s gun. Which leads to the question: What is the effect of carrying a hidden gun or of concealed-carry laws? If I’m walking around with a hidden gun, does that put me at lower risk because I can defend myself, or at higher risk because I put myself in more dangerous situations? We don’t know.
We lack good data on nonfatal shootings. We know very little about gun theft or gun training, about gun storage or gun shop practices, about the effect of guns on college campuses or guns at work. The list goes on and on.
There is a dearth of research because there’s a dearth of funding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention largely shut down its small firearm research funding beginning in 1996, when the National Rifle Association persuaded Congress to cut the agency’s funding if the agency did anything the gun lobby might possibly construe as promoting gun control. The National Institutes of Health has funded little gun research. The National Institute of Justice supports only a tiny amount. Private foundations haven’t stepped up. No one wants the hassle. This lack of funding hits hard in soft-money schools like ours.
There’s no question that if there were no mental health problems, if no one had anger or alcohol problems, we’d have less violence. If we had less poverty and inequality, we’d have less violence. If we didn’t have racial tensions, we’d have less violence. If we had better education and better parenting, we’d have less violence. But the fact is, we also have a gun problem.
Look at any other developed country. They do much better than we do at preventing gun violence. It’s not that they have fewer mental health problems or fewer violent video games or less moral decay. It’s not that they are less violent or less crime-prone. It’s that with stronger gun laws—with universal background checks and waiting periods and sometimes even notifying a spouse or ex-spouse that someone is planning to get a gun—they’ve made it much harder for the wrong people to gain access to guns.
It used to be that after a mass shooting—Columbine, for example—I’d get phone calls from reporters for two days. Then I wouldn’t hear from anybody until the next mass shooting. Now reporters email and call me all the time: ‘I’m doing this article on this aspect of the gun problem. What does the science say?’ Mostly I tell them, ‘Well, there’s one study, and it’s not quite on point, but at least it’s something.’ It’s frustrating not to have the data, but I’m encouraged by the drumbeat of media coverage. Reporters are staying interested. Gun violence prevention isn’t new, but it’s finally considered news.”Since Trump became the US president, many people have noticed that he posts a lot of tweets. While some people choose to analyze and critique the content of those tweets, I was more curious about something a little less controversial - the timing and quantity. Follow along as I dig into some twitter data, and find the best way to visually analyze it!
But first, speaking of "tweets"... Here's a picture of my friend Danielle's favorite tweeter. Thanks for letting me use your picture, Danielle!
As I was looking into this topic, I came across a related graph on reddit. This pointed me to the data I would need, and served as a good starting point.
In my version, I decided to make a few changes...
Rather than using a 3-color gradient, I used a single color with transparency. That way, when multiple tweets lined up in nearly the same spot in the graph, the colors would combine and make a darker shade.
I added a note indicating when the data snapshot was taken (Nov 30, 2017).
I added time labels along the right-hand-side axis tick marks.
I include a blank space for December in the axis, making it more evident that this data does not include December tweets.
I left off the 'Time' label on the Y-axis (I think people will know that these are 'time' values).
I added 'Noon' and 'Midnight' labels on the time axis, to help prevent confusion between 12pm and 12am.
I use reference lines between the months, instead of in the middle of the months.
While importing the data, I noticed that there were actually tweets available for quite a few years, and thought it might be interesting to also plot the previous years' data. The original author also went down this path, posting the following graph in a follow-up comment on the reddit thread. But his new graph had several problems... Why didn't the "High Tweet Density" colors in this graph match up with the colors used in the previous graph? (Has the definition of "High" changed?) And the tick marks & labels along the bottom axis are poorly chosen (looks like he let it auto-scale, and didn't include the year in the labels... which makes them very confusing).
In my version, I label the bottom axis by year, and add reference lines between each year. I also go back to 2009, rather than just 2013 (if you're going to show a historical graph, why not go back as far as you have data, eh?)
Looks like Trump's tweeting habits have varied over the years - can you correlate any events, or maybe his "job changes" with the density of his tweets? Or perhaps he changed the type of phone he was using in early 2013? I wonder if he was using an automated system to tweet during the night, in the 2013/2014/2015 time period? Perhaps he had employees tweeting for him?
It was a big surprise to me that it appears Trump has actually been tweeting less since he became president! What interesting things do you see in these graphs?A bad season got even worse for Carlos Gomez, the Houston Astros' outfielder who made a pair of key defensive miscues in a 3-1 loss to the Twins Monday night.
Jake Marisnick started in center field on Tuesday, but Gomez got into the game against Minnesota as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and was doubled off second on a line drive by Tyler White.
The 30-year-old Gomez is hitting a paltry.210/.272/.322 in 85 games, and manager A.J. Hinch is offering no assurances of future playing time. "We can win with him in the lineup. We can win without him in the lineup. Playing time's always a sensitive issue, but I'm trying to put out the best team we can to win tonight's game,” Hinch tells Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle.
The Astros still see themselves as postseason contenders despite 11 losses in their last 15 games, and their patience with Gomez may be running thin. Kaplan notes the club's options are limited:
“They could designate the former two-time All-Star for assignment, publicly admitting defeat on a July 2015 trade. They could have him ride the bench and risk the distraction that could become of it. Or they could continue to write into their lineup one of the least productive players in the majors this season."
Cutting ties altogether would not involve a huge financial hit since Gomez will be a free agent after the season. Houston would be eating only the prorated portion of his $9 million salary for 2016.Indian-American lawmakers have slammed the US-based Republican Hindu Coalition for supporting President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, which they alleged takes the country backwards “towards dark times”.
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“As the most senior Indian-American member of Congress, I believe that Donald Trump’s executive order does not reflect who we are as Americans,” Ami Bera, a three-time Congressman, said.
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“The actions of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) today do not reflect the breadth and diversity of the Indian-American community, or our diaspora,” he said in a rare criticism of an Indian-American organisation related to the Republican party.
Bera, along with three other Indian-American lawmakers, vented out his anger against the Coalition.
The Coalition has supported Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees. “We applaud the Trump administration for taking this decisive move to protect our citizens from Islamic terror,” its chairman Shalabh Kumar said yesterday.
The executive order signed on Friday, indefinitely barred Syrian refugees from entering the US, and blocked citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen – for 90 days.
Bera said it was very difficult for people of Indian origin to immigrate to the US before 1965, “and this order takes us backwards towards that dark time.”
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said the Coalition does not represent them. “As Indian-Americans, we believe deeply in pluralism, in freedom of religion, in freedom of speech and in a democratic diverse society.”
“To them, I would say, shame. Shame for trying to divide the Indian-American community. As a Hindu, I can tell you that this group does not represent the much much larger Indian-American community that honour our birth countries commitment to religious freedom and democracy,” Jayapal said asserting that Indian-Americans “will not be bullied” by this president.
“I call on our communities to condemn and resist these executive orders,” Jayapal said.
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Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi termed the executive order an assault on Constitution which “only serves to divide Americans, not unify them.” “It is no longer time to agonize but to organize. It is time to do everything we can to oppose this executive order,” he said.Students of |
in Mezzofanti's archive: flashcards. Stacks of them, in Georgian, Hungarian, Arabic, Algonquin and nine other tongues. The world's most celebrated hyperpolyglot relied on the same tools given to first-year language-learners today. The conclusion? Hyperpolyglots may begin with talent, but they aren't geniuses. They simply enjoy tasks that are drudgery to normal people. The talent and enjoyment drive a virtuous cycle that pushes them to feats others simply shake their heads at, admiration mixed with no small amount of incomprehension.Before PAX South, the only VR headset I had used was the Samsung Gear—which hardly counts in the eyes of the experienced VR user. Last weekend, I got to use the Oculus Rift CV1 (I mistakenly say "Crescent Bay" in the video, oops) and two different versions of the HTC Vive, including the Vive Pre. It was an incredible (if brief) experience and made me more confident and excited for having already pre-ordered the Rift. But it wasn't all perfect: It may be that I had heard so many incredible things about VR that I over-hyped it for myself, but certain aspects of VR didn't manage to live up to my expectations. Watch the video above for more of my thoughts on my first time using proper VR headsets.Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D., is a User Advocate and principal of the Nielsen Norman Group which he co-founded with Dr. Donald A. Norman (former VP of research at Apple Computer). Dr. Nielsen established the "discount usability engineering" movement for fast and cheap improvements of user interfaces and has invented several usability methods, including heuristic evaluation. He holds 79 United States patents, mainly on ways of making the Internet easier to use.
Jakob Nielsen has been called:
"the king of usability" (Internet Magazine)
"the guru of Web page usability" (The New York Times)
"the next best thing to a true time machine" (USA Today)
"the smartest person on the Web" (ZDNet AnchorDesk)
"the world's leading expert on Web usability" (U.S. News & World Report)
one of the top 10 minds in small business (FORTUNE Small Business)
"the world's leading expert on user-friendly design" (Stuttgarter Zeitung, Germany)
"knows more about what makes Web sites work than anyone else on the planet" (Chicago Tribune)
"one of the world's foremost experts in Web usability" (Business Week)
"the Web's usability czar" (WebReference.com)
"the reigning guru of Web usability" (FORTUNE)
"eminent Web usability guru" (CNN)
"perhaps the best-known design and usability guru on the Internet" (Financial Times)
"the usability Pope" (Wirtschaftswoche Magazine, Germany)
"new-media pioneer" (Newsweek)
One of the "world's most influential designers" (Businessweek)
Usability Articles
Since 1995, Dr. Nielsen's Alertbox articles on usability topics have been essential reading for usability and user experience professionals. See list of Jakob Nielsen's articles and videos.
Subscribe to the Alertbox newsletter
Books
Professional Background
Jakob Nielsen holds a Ph.D. in human–computer interaction (HCI) from the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen.
From 1994 to 1998 he was a Sun Microsystems Distinguished Engineer. He was hired to make heavy-duty enterprise software easier to use, since large-scale applications had been the focus of most of his projects at the phone company and IBM. But luckily the job definition of a Distinguished Engineer is "you're supposed to be the world's leading expert in your field, so you figure out what would be most important for the company for you to work on." Therefore, Dr. Nielsen ended up spending most of his time at Sun on defining the emerging field of Web usability. He was usability lead for several design rounds of Sun's website and intranet (SunWeb), including the original SunWeb design in 1994.
Dr. Nielsen's earlier affiliations include Bellcore (Bell Communications Research, Morristown, NJ), the IBM User Interface Institute at the T.J. Watson Research Center (Yorktown Heights, NY), the Technical University of Denmark (Copenhagen), and Aarhus University (Århus, Denmark).
Professional journal editorial board memberships: Behaviour & Information Technology, Foundations and Trends in Human-Computer Interaction, Interacting with Computers, Journal of Usability Studies (JUS), International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, The New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia. For each journal, contact the editor-in-chief to submit a manuscript.
In June 2000, Dr. Nielsen was inducted into the Scandinavian Interactive Media Hall of Fame and in April 2006, he was inducted into the ACM Computer-Human Interaction Academy. He was the 2013 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Human–Computer Interaction Practice from SIGCHI, the premiere professional society in the HCI field.
Profiles
Some profiles and interviews on other sites:
Cover stories and features stories with Jakob Nielsen from the printed press.
Parodies
Many sites have made fun of me. Here are some of the more funny ones:
See Also
Standard Name Identifiers
Katakana: ヤコブ·ニールセンJohn Turner was working in a storm-ravaged area in New Jersey on November 4 when he purchased an instant poker ticket worth $100,000. Emily Florez reports. (Published Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012)
A Chicago man helping with the Superstorm Sandy cleanup struck it big last week.
John Turner was working in a storm-ravaged area in New Jersey on November 4 when he purchased an instant poker ticket worth $100,000.
"It just feels like it was God's gift," his wife, Tracy Turner, said Tuesday.
Turner, 38, says he plans to pay off some bills and possibly buy an investment property in the Chicago area.
Looking Back at Hurricane Sandy's Devastation
"It's not so much about the money. It's the fact that you know God does answer prayers," he said.
The lucky winner works as a water mitigation and restoration technician for National Catastrophe Solutions of Chicago.Well, there once was a chip called 8086, with a cheaper version called 8088 that was used in a personal computer called IBM PC. An improved version of that chip was made and called 80186, though that wasn't a very popular version. However, an improved improved version was then made, and called 80286. Now, that was a very popular chip, in particular because it was used in a computer called IBM PC AT.
Later, Intel, which created and sold the 8086, 8088, 80186 and 80286 chips, all of which had a 16 bits architecture, saw the need to create a 32 bits chip to compete with similar offerings by others. To take advantage of its incumbent position, it made the new chip capable of running software made for the previously mentioned chips. Naturally, Intel called this new chip the 80386.
By then there were lots of computers using various versions of the Intel chips, and there were also non-Intel chips that were compatible with the Intel ones. So people started referring to them as 80x86.
After a while, Intel launched a new chip, but it decided to drop the 80, so it became the 486 instead of 80486. Likewise, people were dropping the "80" from the front of "80x86", and calling this stuff just x86.
Now, I'm pretty sure some will come and say Intel branded their chips x86 at such and such time, which they did, but I don't care.
The fact is that the ever-increasing middle digit gave rise to 80x86, and x86 came from that -- even if 80186 and 80286 were not 32 bits.
So, once Intel finally went 64 bits, what did it call its new architecture? Right! IA64! :-) It also retroactively renamed the x86 to IA32, so to speak. Only IA64 was not compatible with x86, I mean, IA32, so everyone ignored it.
And then came AMD, which decided the market wanted a 64 bits CPU that was compatible, to the extent possible, with the x86 family. As a marketing appeal, they called it the "x86-64" family, and they were hugely succesful. So much so that Intel ended up grudgingly following with their own 64 bits CPU based on x86.
Later, because people are lazy, the x86-64 became known simply as the x64.
So, in answer to your question, because x64 is shorter than x86-64.Quando ganhou em 2014 o concurso Vodafone Big Apps, a Inviita era uma aplicação móvel (app) que tinha como principal originalidade ajudar o viajante a planear roteiros de acordo com o seu estado de espírito. Mais recentemente, a startup portuguesa satisfez a necessidade de grande parte dos utilizadores aderentes de comunicarem entre si e partilharem conteúdos.
Ou seja, a Inviita tornou-se também numa rede social para viajantes. “Não havia uma aplicação que assegurasse o diálogo entre amigos que decidem ir juntos para férias”, constata Paulo Neto Leite, fundador e investidor da Inviita. “Agora é possível criar um roteiro e convidar os amigos”, acrescenta. A forma de utilizar a app também evoluiu. “Deixou de ter uma utilização sazonal, usada apenas em férias, e passou a ser utilizada de forma mais frequente para descobrir a sua cidade ou fazer escapadinhas”, afirma Bernardo Véstia, cofundador do projeto. Mas sem perder a sua marca original: estar sempre de acordo com o estado de espírito do utilizador.
Leia mais na edição deste fim de semanaA city councillor is not happy with the closure of Calgary's only downtown police station, especially in light of a supervised drug consumption site that recently opened mere blocks away.
"It was a surprise to me," Coun. Evan Woolley told CBC News on Friday.
"I am worried that the loss of the only police station in downtown Calgary will have a significant impact on the residents and businesses that it has been supporting to date. I don't think we have properly addressed what the solutions to that might be."
Woolley's Ward 8 used to include the station until ward boundaries were redrawn prior to the civic election last month. Today his ward is adjacent to it.
Finding financial efficiencies
Calgary police announced the Victoria Park office would permanently close on Sunday, with officers being moved about 2.5 kilometres southeast to the Ramsay station.
"By combining the two stations into one, the service will be able to redeploy officers to address crime reduction strategies as necessary, enhance front counter service at other District 1 stations, and support efforts to find financial efficiencies," police said in a press release Thursday.
Police say a mobile station will be located in the core during weekday business hours that will lead to "no decrease in the level of policing service downtown."
Psychological assurance
The executive director of the Victoria Park Business Improvement Area says while he understands the rationale, the closure will still have an impact on how people feel about safety.
"It did provide a certain degree of psychological assurance for people in the area. They knew that even if they didn't need it, that it was there," David Low explained.
"Not so long ago this area was not a happy place to be and the addition of the police station certainly went a long way to helping mitigate a lot of the negatives that we have."
Low concedes that online incident reporting and the ability to access police through social media has changed the need for a physical station, and that Victoria Park has fewer socio-economic challenges than in the past.
Mobile station not enough
Still, the president of the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association says that mobile station is just not enough.
"I think [a mobile station] actually reiterates that they realize they need to have a local presence," Peter Oliver said.
"I mean, if we didn't need local presence of police in terms of stations, then we would just have one central station for the whole city, but obviously that's not the case."
Oliver says with the social challenges the Beltline continues to face, it doesn't make sense not to have an accessible, permanent storefront police station.
Deeply concerning
Meanwhile, Woolley says the closure is bad timing.
"We need to remember that we have opened a supervised consumption site at the Sheldon Chumir," he said.
Woolley adds some people won't be happy.
"This is deeply concerning to me. We need to get a plan together for how we are going to respond to concerns from businesses and residents," he said.By Lucy Wang
Some students find learning to read and write characters the most difficult part of learning Chinese, and they wonder if there are any rules to help them along. Fortunately for them (and you, perhaps), the answer is yes. Students sometimes remark that Chinese characters seem to be random pictures. Although some Chinese characters did in fact originate from pictures, they're not just a random arrangement of strokes.
The part of the character known as the radical (or 部首/bùshǒu in Chinese) can aid language learners in deciphering a character's meaning or pronunciation. In paper dictionaries, they are also used to arrange the order of the characters, so being able to recognize radicals is an important part of knowing the language. Over the next few issues, I'd like to explain some of the more commonly seen radicals.
This month, I'm going to introduce the "bèi" radical (贝). This character means shell and does in fact resemble a shell in appearance. As a radical, it's often seen in characters related to money, valuables, or trades. There are historical reasons for this: Several thousands of years ago, cowry shells were used as currency. Shells are believed to be the earliest known form of currency in use in China.
You can see 贝 (traditional 貝) in all of the following characters, sometimes on the left side and sometimes at the bottom, depending on the structure of the character.
财 (cái) treasure, money
赌 (dǔ) bet, gamble
赎 (shú) redeem
赐 (cì) grant, gift
账 (zhàng) account
贩 (fàn) sell
购 (gòu) buy
货 (huò) goods
贪 (tān) be greedy for
贫 (pín) poor
贵 (guì) expensive
贱 (jiàn) cheap, despicable
赔 (péi) compensate, stand a loss
赚 (zhuàn) gain, profit
Stay tuned until next month, when we'll introduce a "feminine" radical.
This article was first published in CHENGDOO citylife Magazine, issue 54 ("big love").Thirty-eight thousand years ago, someone in southern France carved the image of a wild cow surrounded by rows of dots into a slab of limestone.
Today, nearly 40 millennia later, that limestone slab, uncovered only five years ago, is giving anthropologists a new look at the first modern human beings known to have lived in Europe.
BURIED TREASURE: ANCIENT GRAVE FOUND BRIMMING WITH JEWELS
The engraved slab was discovered at Abri Blanchard in France’s Vézère Valley. The site, initially excavated in the early 20th century, and its sister site, Abri Castanet, are recognized as two of the oldest sites in Eurasia bearing engravings and other human artifacts from the Aurignacian culture, 43,000 to 33,000 years ago.
“The discovery sheds new light on regional patterning of art and ornamentation across Europe at a time when the first modern humans to enter Europe dispersed westward and northward across the continent,” said New York University anthropologist Randall White, who led the team of scientists who uncovered the artwork in 2012, in a press release.
Among the artifacts found at the site are animal teeth, pierced shells, ivory and soapstone beads, engravings and paintings on limestone.
RESEARCHERS UNCOVER NEW CLUES ABOUT MAYAN CIVILIZATION’S COLLAPSE
“Following their arrival from Africa, groups of modern humans settled into western and central Europe, showing a broad commonality in graphic expression against which more regionalized characteristics stand out,” White said.
“This pattern fits well with social geography models that see art and personal ornamentation as markers of social identity at regional, group, and individual levels.”
The team’s findings were reported in the journal Quaternary International.Morrison defends his ability ahead of May budget as Cabinet reshuffle looms
Updated
Treasurer Scott Morrison has defended his ability to make the Government's economic pitch to voters, saying he is not being sidelined by the Prime Minister.
There are concerns inside the Coalition that Mr Morrison's efforts may not be enough to sell the Government's economic policy in the lead-up to the May budget.
Government sources said Malcolm Turnbull planned to make a series of keynote speeches over coming weeks to try to form a stronger economic message, but Mr Morrison said that did not mean he was being sidelined.
"The Prime Minster is always the chief economic spokesperson for the Government, always has been, always should be," he told the ABC.
"The Prime Minister and I work together as a team on these things, we work on budgets together."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has leapt on the reports, accusing the Prime Minister's supporters of "publicly humiliating the Treasurer".
"If the Prime Minister doesn't have confidence in the Treasurer, he should remove him," he said.
"While these two characters are fighting each other and undermining each other, no-one's looking after the Australian people.
The ABC also understands there will be a Cabinet reshuffle after the budget.
Attorney-General George Brandis will move on by June, if not to London as High Commissioner then to another prominent position.
Senator Brandis will likely be replaced by Social Services Minister Christian Porter or Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, and his position as Government Leader in the Senate would go to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, budget, nationals, liberals, scott-morrison, turnbull-malcolm, united-states
First postedIn less than 10 hours, we’ve gotten more than 400 responses to our post that linked to a National Review article by a mother incensed over her daughter’s assignment to a co-ed dorm room at Stanford.
Many have expressed irritation with the mother, Karin Venable Morin, for appearing to try to exert too much control over her adult daughter’s life (she is a senior at Stanford.) Others have taken issue with Stanford for even making such rooms an option. Still other comments have rapped the daughter for missing the dorm meeting at which rooms were assigned, though nowhere in the article is there any indication that the daughter was disappointed in her assignment.
Late this afternoon (on the East Coast, at least), we received an extended comment from someone who described herself as “Karin Morin’s daughter, the person in question.” We spoke soon afterward, and she confirmed her full name, Daisy Morin. She is 22, and her major is film studies. She graduates June 14. (Toward the bottom of this post, you’ll find reference to a comment that arrived late tonight from Karin Morin.)
In her comment, the younger Ms. Morin confirms much of what our readers have suspected, namely that this matter is more a dispute between mother and child than between student and Stanford. The younger Ms. Morin writes:
This conflict has very little to do with Stanford and gender-neutral housing. Is has everything to do with my parents having a hard time adjusting to the fact that I’m out of the house (I’m the oldest), I’m 3,000 miles away, and -especially- that I’m a liberal agnostic while they are conservative Catholics. The NR really should have looked into this situation a little bit before publishing that article.
She also writes, “I was happy with my rooming situation. It made no sense to inconvenience a lot of busy people over something that wasn’t actually a problem for me.”
And she says in her comment that she moved into her co-op dorm fully aware of the possibility of “living in a co-ed room.”
When we spoke by phone, I asked Daisy Morin if her mother had made good on her promise — expressed in the National Review article — to refuse to pay for her daughter’s spring term at Stanford. The mother said she threatened to do so as a sign of her moral outrage at the institution for making such housing available.
Daisy Morin said her mother had indeed cut off her spring tuition payments. In response, the younger Ms. Morin said she had taken out $3,000 in loans, in addition to other loans she already had as part of her financial aid package.
You can read Daisy Morin’s comment in full here. If you wish to comment further, you can do so using the comment box below or the comment box on our original post.
Meanwhile, the comment posted tonight by Karin Morin begins:
I take no particular pleasure in putting my family situation into the public eye. I do think it’s important for other parents to know what they are buying. Some people like to call this concept “transparency.” We would have been happy to have a discussion of what room situations were and were not acceptable to us as a condition of helping with college. We do not believe in giving anyone a carte blanche with our money, even our adult children. Unfortunately, dependents tend to avoid conflict (and that includes college students). That’s why parents rely on institutional transparency. For me, the point of writing about what happened to our family is to help other parents know what questions to ask and what discussions to initiate.
You can read Karin Morin’s full comment here.
Finally, some of you asked in your comments — and in direct e-mails to me — for a bit more detail on the actual room that Daisy Morin was assigned, and whether it was one of several bedrooms off a main suite, or a single room. Lisa Lapin, a Stanford spokeswoman, wrote me tonight to say, “The room in question is a very large quad bedroom — so yes, a single room, but unusually large.”Spanning uses MySQL for several of our products, and our Backup for Salesforce product is no exception. Over the 2015 holiday season we noticed that some of our backups were reporting MySQL deadlock errors. While this wasn’t the first time we had encountered deadlocks (more on that later), this was extremely surprising to us as we hadn’t deployed any code changes over the holidays.
Ultimately, we realized that while we had not deployed any code changes, we had modified our infrastructure. Namely, we upgraded our MySQL instances in Amazon RDS to use SSDs as opposed to HDDs (or magnetic disks, as they are called in the AWS console). The goal was to provide a performance improvement to our application without having to change any code.
While the upgrade accomplished this goal, it also brought along a small handful of deadlocks. To be more precise, we had experienced deadlocks due to the same root cause several months prior, but some recently improved, self-imposed monitoring of production was robust enough to bring the error to our immediate attention.
Fortunately, MySQL (using the InnoDB engine) offers an extremely simple way to diagnose deadlocks, assuming you know where to look.
Locating deadlocked transactions
At a minimum, to locate the transactions (and more specifically, the deadlocked SQL statements), you will need the PROCESS privilege for your MySQL user. If you don’t have this privilege you will simply get an error when you attempt to run the query below. If your user isn’t privileged simply ask your administrator to execute the query for you and forward the output. You can run the following to access the stored information about the most recent deadlock:
SHOW ENGINE INNODB STATUS \G
I recommend using '\G' rather than ';' as a query terminator as the output is much more friendly to read. The output can be rather large, but there is a section specifically titled LATEST DETECTED DEADLOCK which is where you should focus your efforts. Here is an example with most of the irrelevant data removed from the output:
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------------------------
LATEST DETECTED DEADLOCK
------------------------
2016-01-17 13:22:20 2b80eeb5b700
*** (1) TRANSACTION:
TRANSACTION 1418022806, ACTIVE 0 sec starting index read
mysql tables in use 1, locked 1
UPDATE `record` SET `end_date`='2016-01-31 20:04:10', `deleted`=0 WHERE
`sobject_type`='Account' AND `end_date`='9999-12-31 23:59:59' AND
`salesforce_id`='ABC' AND `start_date` <= '2016-01-31 20:04:11'
*** (1) WAITING FOR THIS LOCK TO BE GRANTED:
RECORD LOCKS space id 23 page no 26303736 n bits 112 index
`sobject_start_end_deleted` of table `db`.`record` trx id 1418022806
lock_mode X waiting
*** (2) TRANSACTION:
TRANSACTION 1418022805, ACTIVE 0 sec updating or deleting
UPDATE `record` SET `end_date`='2016-01-31 20:04:10', `deleted`=0 WHERE
`sobject_type`='Account' AND `end_date`='9999-12-31 23:59:59' AND
`salesforce_id`='XYZ' AND `start_date` <= '2016-01-31 20:04:11'
*** (2) HOLDS THE LOCK(S):
RECORD LOCKS space id 23 page no 26303736 n bits 112 index
`sobject_start_end_deleted` of table `db`.`record` trx id 1418022805
lock_mode X
*** (2) WAITING FOR THIS LOCK TO BE GRANTED:
RECORD LOCKS space id 23 page no 26303736 n bits 112 index
`sobject_start_end_deleted` of table `db`.`record` trx id 1418022805
lock_mode X locks gap before rec insert intention waiting
*** WE ROLL BACK TRANSACTION (1)
Here you can see 2 UPDATE statements, one for the record with id of ‘ABC’ in transaction 1, and another with an id of ‘XYZ’ in transaction 2. Note that these statements were running concurrently. We’ll dive into the details of this output below after a slight overview on the table itself.
Diagnosing the source of the deadlock
To explain why the above deadlock happened (without going too far into our architecture and table structure), there are just a few things I should explain first. This is a gross simplification, but:
We have a table in MySQL that represents every version of every record we have ever backed up for a given organization.
Every row effectively stores a point in time when the record first became relevant, and a point in time when the version stopped being relevant. Meaning that if a version is backed up on January 1 at noon, you can think of it as being inserted with a start_date=’2016-01-01 12:00:00’ and an arbitrarily large end_date such as end_date=’9999-12-31 23:59:59’. We actually don’t use dates but it’s easier to demonstrate this way.
So let’s suppose that the table has the following structure to store records that we have retrieved from Salesforce. Salesforce calls them SObjects, and each one has a type (Account, Contact, Attachment, etc.) and a globally unique identifier that we will store in the salesforce_id column.
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CREATE TABLE `record` (
`id` bigint ( 20 ) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
`salesforce_id` varchar ( 255 ) NOT NULL,
`sobject_type` varchar ( 255 ) NOT NULL,
`start_date` datetime NOT NULL,
`end_date` datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT '9999-12-31 23:59:59',
`deleted` tinyint( 1 ) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
PRIMARY KEY ( `id` ),
KEY `sobject_start_end_deleted` ( `sobject_type`, `start_date`, `end_date`, `deleted` )
) ENGINE = InnoDB AUTO_INCREMENT= 1 DEFAULT CHARSET =utf8;
Records in the database might look something like the following:
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mysql> insert into record (salesforce_id, sobject_type, start_date, deleted)
values ('ABC', 'Account', NOW(), 0);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> insert into record (salesforce_id, sobject_type, start_date, deleted)
values ('XYZ', 'Account', NOW(), 0);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql> select * from record;
+----+---------------+--------------+---------------------+---------------------+---------+
| id | salesforce_id | sobject_type | start_date | end_date | deleted |
+----+---------------+--------------+---------------------+---------------------+---------+
| 1 | ABC | Account | 2016-01-29 19:29:13 | 9999-12-31 23:59:59 | 0 |
| 2 | XYZ | Account | 2016-01-29 19:31:00 | 9999-12-31 23:59:59 | 0 |
+----+---------------+--------------+---------------------+---------------------+---------+
2 rows in set (0.00 sec)
Note that we have the key sobject_start_end_deleted which is a non-unique index. This plays an important role in the deadlock, which (SPOILER ALERT) is caused by a technique known as a gap lock. If you aren’t familiar with gap locks, you can read an introduction to them in the MySQL docs and their explanation why it is used. If things still aren’t clicking I would suggest you refer to the following blog post.
During the course of our backup, we will retrieve a page of records from the Salesforce API, and then insert the information for each record into our table. We might receive 100 rows in a page, some of which are records we have never seen before, while others might be an update to a record that we have backed up in the past. Suppose a new version of ABC and XYZ both come in 2 days later. In this case we would need to:
Insert the new version of each record.
Locate the version of each record prior to the most recent one.
Update the end_date of the previous versions to be less than the newest version.
The table might now look something like this:
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mysql> select * from record;
+----+---------------+--------------+---------------------+---------------------+---------+
| id | salesforce_id | sobject_type | start_date | end_date | deleted |
+----+---------------+--------------+---------------------+---------------------+---------+
| 1 | ABC | Account | 2016-01-29 19:29:13 | 2016-01-31 20:04:10 | 0 |
| 2 | XYZ | Account | 2016-01-29 19:31:00 | 2016-01-31 20:04:10 | 0 |
| 3 | ABC | Account | 2016-01-31 20:04:11 | 9999-12-31 23:59:59 | 0 |
| 4 | XYZ | Account | 2016-01-31 20:04:11 | 9999-12-31 23:59:59 | 0 |
+----+---------------+--------------+---------------------+---------------------+---------+
4 rows in set (0.00 sec)
Now imagine this running in our production code, which is having to insert, query, and potentially update millions of records on a daily basis. We have a function in our NodeJS code to update the end_date column for the previous version of a record, and if necessary, mark it as deleted. We run this update function with a small amount of concurrency using the Bluebird.map() function similar to the following:
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VAR ONE_SECOND = 1000 ;
var updateEndDate = function ( sobjectType, newVersionDate, salesforceIds, deleted ) {
var endDate = new Date (newVersionDate - ONE_SECOND),
setValues = {
end_date: endDate,
deleted: deleted
};
return Promise.map(salesforceIds, function ( sfId ) {
return db.update(
setValues,
{
sobject_type: sobjectType,
end_date: '9999-12-31 23:59:59',
salesforce_id: sfId,
start_date: {
lessThan: newVersionDate
}
});
}, {
concurrency: 5
});
};
The specified concurrency argument offers a small performance gain since multiple connections can be made to the database to update several rows in parallel. Bluebird’s map function will simply iterate over the array we pass it in a non-deterministic order, and fire off 5 promises in parallel. As one resolves, another promise is created to update another row to maintain a concurrency of 5 until the array has been completely processed. However, each one of those UPDATE statements creates a transaction that tries to update rows using the above WHERE clause, which targets the non-unique index on the table. This opens the opportunity for a deadlock due to MySQL’s gap locking mechanism.
We noticed that gap lock was occurring due to the output of SHOW ENGINE INNODB STATUS which contained two transactions in the deadlock section (you can refer back to the sample output above). The first has a transaction id of 1418022806 and the second is 1418022805. From the output we can see that the second transaction acquired a row-level lock but that the first transaction acquired a gap lock ( trx id 1418022805 lock_mode X locks gap before rec ). This confirms that we were indeed experiencing a gap lock.
Taking both of those UPDATE statements and converting them to SELECT statements that used the same WHERE clause, we found the primary key (id) of these rows were exactly 1 apart, meaning the rows were right next to each other in the table. Thus, not only was MySQL telling us that a gap lock was in play, it was pretty easy to verify just by running queries and inspecting the output.
It is possible to avoid gap locks by ordering the statements according to the index, but unfortunately the non-deterministic order of Bluebird’s Promise.map() is out of our control, and is actually at the heart of what allows them to always maintain the specified level of concurrency since there is no guarantee how long an asynchronous request will take to complete.
Determining deadlock resolution
Resolving a deadlock obviously depends on what actions are causing the deadlock. Our first encounter with deadlocks was fairly straightforward. In anticipation of our deleted item restore (which we have subsequently improved and replaced with multi-record restore to handle both updated and deleted items), we were executing a long-running process to change the way we represented deleted records in the database. This utility would find specific rows in a table, locate a previous version of each row, then copy over some of the data and delete the row that was no longer relevant. It just so happened that the utility was attempting to delete rows for a Salesforce organization that was in the process of being backed up. Subsequently, our backup code was in the process of modifying the very same records that the fix-up utility was trying to delete, resulting in a deadlock. The path forward in this case was quite simple – ignore it and let it run its course. The fix-up utility was a temporary process that had a very slim chance of ever conflicting again with another backup, and in fact never did. It finished successfully after a few weeks of execution without another hiccup.
Our more recent deadlocks definitely required intervention as our backup code will continue to run as long as this product is still available. We decided to fix them in a two-step process, though depending on the severity and persistence of the problem, you may choose to only implement one. The process was:
Remove the concurrency argument entirely so that only one row is updated at a time. Revisit the code at a later time and add retry logic around the database update call.
Removing concurrency was the simplest code change to make. This allowed us to push out an immediate fix without any real engineering effort, and continue to fully backup data for all of our customers as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it does incur a slight performance penalty, and we don’t like things taking longer than they have to. So we came along later and put the concurrency back into the code. However, the update code was wrapped in retry logic to make sure that any updates which failed due to a deadlock were retried (up to a maximum number of times). This allows us to run at maximum performance when no deadlocks occur, yet gracefully handle the problem if/when it occurs again.
Life after deadlocks
Without any monitoring in place (or even insufficient monitoring), it’s possible that many months could pass before we encounter a problem caused by deadlocks. At that point, the transaction information may have already been purged from the InnoDB engine status log. Living with problems like these can be tricky. If something appears to be working, then we have to assume it is as correctness can be a fuzzy thing to define. Fortunately for us, our self-imposed monitoring of our production environment was able to point out the deadlocks to us, and allow us to investigate them quickly.
In the past, the error itself would be found in a log file as well as a production database table that most employees don’t have access to anyway |
correlation between insomnia and creative thought. This study looked at the incidence of sleep disturbances in thirty highly creative children when compared with thirty control children. The hypothesis was that there would be a higher incidence of sleep disturbance in the highly creative children than in the control children. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups, with the creative children reporting more sleep disturbance, therefore suggesting that creative ability may indeed affect an individual's sleep patterns. More specifically, out of the sixty children tested on a standard creativity test, seventeen of the highly creative children indicated that they had higher levels of sleep disturbance (compared to only eight of the control children). [9]
when compared with thirty. The hypothesis was that there would be a higher incidence of sleep disturbance in the highly creative children than in the control children. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups, with the creative children reporting more sleep disturbance, therefore suggesting that creative ability may indeed affect an individual's sleep patterns. More specifically, out of the sixty children tested on a standard creativity test, seventeen of the children indicated that they had higher levels of sleep disturbance (compared to only eight of the children). In another study that examined the interactive relationships between sleep, fatigue, creativity and personality, participants were given the "Sleep Questionnaire", the "Fatigue Inventory", the "Remote Association Test" and the "Probabilistic Orientation Test". The researchers found that arousal measures of sleep and fatigue were meaningfully related to one another, but not to measures of thinking and of attitudinal orientations. Most importantly, they found that creativity was not significantly related to any of the dimensions of sleep.[10]
Studies that reject creative insomnia [ edit ]
In a series of three studies that analyzed the link between creativity, dreams, and sleep behaviors, researchers discovered that: (1) participants who were classified as "fast sleepers" (those who fell asleep quickly) were more likely to score highly on a creativity test, (2) participants who scored highly on a creativity test were more likely to solve their problems through dreams and to fall asleep quickly, and (3) adults in creative occupations have significantly more dream distortion, visual mentation, and regressive dream content.[11]
See also [ edit ]Sep 6, 2013 - DeeJ
A very wise man once said: “When it rains, it pours.” Or was that a box of salt? No matter. The truth behind those words ring louder than the bells that hang from the top of an ancient German cathedral.
This summer has been a perfect storm of community love. Our sunny season has been bookended by epic adventures. If you haven’t received our message of thanks for following those missions, we’ll begin today’s recap right there
Much has happened since the last time we hunkered down and sifted through the mail. These past several weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. We went on the offensive overseas, and weathered an invasion right here on our home turf. Many keys have opened many doors.
We’ve crossed borders and cleared every kind of checkpoint. We wore lanyards around our necks and our hearts on our sleeves. We’ve flashed passports, badges, name tags, boarding passes, business cards, federal-issued IDs, personalized t-shirts, backstage passes, itineraries, and hotel cards. Behind each door (with the very obvious exception of the ones that lead to our hotel rooms) we’ve encountered gamers like you. That is what has made our travels worthwhile. That’s been the reward for completing those missions.
It’s been dizzying, and delicious. As the dust from that storm settles, we settle back into a more predictable routine. We can take a moment to exhale the memories that piled up in our jetlagged brains during our travels.
Most importantly, we can open the Sack.
ChorizoTapatio Did you pick up any cool German phrases while in Germany?
The words for Taxi and Beer were the same. That piece of linguistic trivia propelled most of us through about 90% of the week. I also rote memorized how to pronounce “Nice to meet you,” but I never worked up the nerve to bust it out. Fortunately, the Germans speak our language a lot better than we speak theirs, except for the one of us who speaks it right here on the Bungie Blog.
I picked up ALL the phrases. Melanie Theisen, Localization Editor (German)
Mehr Bier bitte. Steve Burnaroos, Facilities Manager
Seems like we speak the same language, Burnaroos.
Spawn So what's next for the Fallen Statue after Gamescom?
His fate is, at current, unknown. Our Captain didn’t have his papers in order when it came time for extraction, so we left him behind. He’s on the loose in Europe now, and there’s no telling where he’ll go raiding for treasures. We fear the worst.
Keep an eye out for him. He seemed to enjoy posing for photos with thousands of eager gamers. He’s got a real taste for it now. He likes the attention. If we were to hunt him, we’d watch large gatherings of would-be Guardians.
saxels15 I was hoping you could explain how someone who has no friends will be able to find partners to join up in a fire team together?
The answer to this question lies waiting deeper within this site, lone gunman. You’re on Bungie.net, which puts you one click away from a virtual city of Guardians who have already started to follow one another’s movements.
If you need someone to come along on your adventure, look for them here. Introduce yourself. Follow them into their clubhouses. Some of them are already recruiting. The friendships you build now will serve you well later, when you leave our last safe city to explore the occupied territories that sprawl in every direction beyond the protection of the Traveler.
BBreezy819 What's the coolest thing to do in Germany? And now that you're back in the U.S., what's the coolest thing to do in Washington?
The answer to both questions is meeting people from the Bungie Community. These past two weeks have been a target-rich environment. From gamescom to PAX, we’ve had the chance to breathe the same air as thousands of you, and have real quality face-time with hundreds of you.
The more we hear what excited fans have to say, the more a Destiny Community starts to come into focus. People are leading their own conversations about our work in progress. They’re bringing concept art to life with cosplay.
Meeting these people is the coolest thing to do in any country, which is why our Passports are being kept within reach.
Father Franklin Urk said two things in an interview that I would love to have addressed!
1) Players can combine supers to perform unique actions as a group.
2) He answered to the title of Community Manager, but I thought YOU were the community manager.
Your first question is not linked to said interview. Thus, it is invalid. We don’t comment on rumors.
As for your second question, Guardians are always more powerful when they have someone to back them up. Or is that the answer to both questions?
This community is shaping up to be a real beast. Any hopes of even attempting to “manage” it will rely on a proper Fireteam.
nurseman22 Who was the most interesting person you met in Germany?
All of us met Rixis the Archon Slayer again and again and again. It never got old. We incinerated that four-armed bastard once every twenty minutes for five days. Every single time, he fought his way out of a different corner, threatening to make fools out of us in front of two hundred audience members.
But you’re not asking us that. You’re asking us to pick our favorite person out of this lineup.
I found that impossible, but our panel had some people that stood out in memory.
There wasn´t just one person, but I met several really interesting people at the European Community Meet and Greet. For example the person behind “Desti-nation”(which I have bookmarked because I like the site), or “More Console.” A member of the French community had lived in China for a while, like me, so we got to talk about our experiences there. Good conversations, great people! Melanie Theisen, Localization Editor (German)
I know him only as Batman, due to the distress signal he left on one of our chairs. Somehow we failed to answer the call. Brandi House, Production Engineer
DestinyItaly There will be some sort of squad commands? like "help me" or "attack?"
Whoa, bossypants! Yeah. Thanks to the modern wonders of real time voice chat, you’ll be able to just say things like “help me” or “attack” or “Don’t let that Cabal Centurion flank us, draw your heavy weapon and add them to the dunes!”
gh0st Working on a potentially revolutionary game must come with a heavy dose of pressure, and maybe even some intimidation. What helps the people at Bungie keep their stress at bay?
I mute fools on the Bungie forum. Feels good, man. If only life offered such control over who could harsh our vibe. Don’t take my meaning that the Bungie forum is full of fools. Like any community, it’s a microcosm for the world that surrounds it. I have succumbed to babbling. This has nothing to do with your question. I don’t even remember your question. Panelists, please rescue me. What did he ask?
Ask me another time when I am not about to beat my computer to death with my monitor. Rah Green, Sandbox Test Engineer
We have a cabinet in the kitchen labeled “meat.” Mike Shannon, Senior IT Engineer
Working out on the elliptical, stretching, eating a good... aw, man, I'm totally lying. Beer and video games, mostly. Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, Designer
Every night, I cry. Kevin Yanes, Production Engineer
A cynical attitude and delicious scotch. Cameron Pinard, Artist
Occasionally some awesome person picks up the phone and orders some tasty food for the crew, or hires someone to hand craft delicious espressos and lattes. To those folks that keep us fed and caffeinated, we owe our lives. Jason Payne, Raid Tester
Booze. And Candy. More booze though. Francisco Cruz, Artist
Each week I wonder who will ask the question where “beer” is the answer. This week, gh0st wins the prize. Daniel Auchenpaugh, Investment Test Lead
We talk about spiders and PAX tickets…nonstop. Chris Owens, Test Engineer
You don't keep the stress at bay. All that pressure and intimidation is the best thing to steer you away from mediocrity. Justin Truman, Engineering Lead
Watch out, we got a badass over here!
WarMaster Degan When will we see the character creation in action?
2014. At least, that's when you’ll see it first-hand (or, first-person). That’s where it matters the most.
Valiant Outcast Could you ask the panel when Destiny will release?
I could, not that it will have the desired results. Our panelists are equally brave when it comes to guarding the secrets of Destiny. Check ‘em out. No one here wants to be the spoiler.
Okay, everyone, when will Destiny release?
Coming soon to a console near you. Rah Green, Sandbox Test Engineer
When it’s ready! Games need a while to simmer, like a good all-day sauce. Too early and it just tastes like tomatoes. Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, Designer
Destiny will never release. Release is a transitive verb. Destiny will be released. In 2014. Tom Slattery, Localization Content Manager
Um, we already released it. Last year. Is this a joke? Tom Sanocki, Staff Artist
Are we there yet? Kevin Yanes, Production Engineer
When there are no more arguments on the internet Daniel Auchenpaugh, Investment Test Lead
Whatever those guys said. Jake Lauer, Web Development Engineer
Soon™. Jay Thaler, Senior Engineer
00110010001100000011000100110100 Jen Ash, User Researcher
What’s Destiny? Mike Shannon, Senior IT Engineer
Right on, Mike. Someone really took their “PAX Survival Guide” to heart.
HuNtErW9 Do you have TM87 (I'll be quite surprised if you get what this means).
Swagger? Yes. We have that. We also have Google for when you try to stump us. The Internet is a powerful ally, if wielded carefully with the right device in your hands.
KingIntheNorth Without using the word "soon" when we can expect forums on the android version of the app?
Last week. If anyone missed our announcement about updates to the Bungie Mobile App, forums and groups are live for Android.
Think of your smart phone as your Ghost. A Guardian with the right gear will have a companion to aid them in their quest. What you are seeing now is just the beginning.
Coup de Grace In your opinion, what is the most fantastic spectacle in Destiny?
This debate will rage eternal. We welcome it. We encourage it. If everyone ever agrees universally on this point, we’ll all go home.
180 degree Nova Bombs. Nothing feels better than raining space magic down on some unsuspecting pursuers. Kevin Yanes, Production Engineer
The community forming around Destiny is a spectacle that is pretty awesome. Cameron Pinard, Artist
Seeing the Earth come up over the horizon on the Moon, never knowing what the future may hold. And explosions. Jason Payne, Raid Tester
Unisaur 64 You mentioned the podcast in the previous sack, implying that you would have an update when you were stateside.
I didn’t imply anything. I dared you to ask me again, and you have. Thank you. The Podcast is making a comeback. Urk is even casting the panel on Twitter.
Editor’s Note: With a little bit of help, we’ve located the necessary equipment, and scored a sound proof room. I wanted to book the first go this week, but things got nuts. That’s good and bad news for you. It means the podcast will have to wait just a little while longer, but it also means that something more substantial is in the works.
Sit tight. – Urk
Hylebos Excited for PAX?
We were so excited for PAX that the Mail Sack wasn’t even delivered last week. PAX is a force magical enough to interrupt any routine. In terms of life in Seattle, for the people who live it and the people who wonder about it from afar, PAX is a magical and blatant lie. The weather tends to be perfectly beautiful, and our fair city is invaded by gamers for a celebration of that which they love most. If you’re downtown, there’s a cosplayer on every corner and a lanyard around every neck. It’s like going away to college, only every class offers a graduate-level thesis on achievement hunting, and every student is a total nerd (in the good way that makes you glow with kinship). It’s glorious.
Don’t get me wrong about Seattle. It’s pretty easy to find game-friendly individuals in this tech-friendly town. But PAX is when we rule! Our panelists like it too, as they all attested when this question was originally asked.
I never miss it. It’s my favorite show of the year. Josh Eash, Release Manager
Ef yeah! Rah Green, Sandbox Test Engineer
I am! I'm even going to be on a panel! I should be nervous, but… beer and video games! Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, Designer
Yes. Justin Truman, Engineering Lead
I’ll be the one wearing a t-shirt and jeans, so I’ll be easy to spot. Troy McFarland, Staff Artist
EXPOnentially so, yes. Leland Dantzler, Matchmaking Embedded Tester
DANTHEBOSSMAN Do you have a spare Destiny Trading card set from GamesCom? I would really like a pack, cheers.
We have a few left. They’re in German, because (you know) they were minted to be passed out in Germany. Still want? For the immediate future, in terms of loot drops, cards are the new posters. These will be exceedingly rare someday. And more are on the way.
If you want to collect this first-run, you’ll need to earn them. Exotic loot always requires a mission of bravery. We’ll be giving some out on twitter next week. Keep an eye on us on Monday. That will also be a good chance for you to take a shot at the next Mail Sack.
It’s good to be home. Any great adventure should return a Guardian safely to the Tower. Now that we’re settled back in, we’ll talk to you again soon. And again soon after that.For billions of years, single-celled creatures had the planet to themselves, floating through the oceans in solitary bliss. Some microorganisms attempted multicellular arrangements, forming small sheets or filaments of cells. But these ventures hit dead ends. The single cell ruled the earth.
* Original story reprinted with permission from Quanta Magazine, an editorially independent division of SimonsFoundation.org whose mission is to enhance public understanding of science by covering research developments and trends in mathematics and the physical and life sciences.*Then, more than 3 billion years after the appearance of microbes, life got more complicated. Cells organized themselves into new three-dimensional structures. They began to divide up the labor of life, so that some tissues were in charge of moving around, while others managed eating and digesting. They developed new ways for cells to communicate and share resources. These complex multicellular creatures were the first animals, and they were a major success. Soon afterward, roughly 540 million years ago, animal life erupted, diversifying into a kaleidoscope of forms in what’s known as the Cambrian explosion. Prototypes for every animal body plan rapidly emerged, from sea snails to starfish, from insects to crustaceans. Every animal that has lived since then has been a variation on one of the themes that emerged during this time.
How did life make this spectacular leap from unicellular simplicity to multicellular complexity? Nicole King has been fascinated by this question since she began her career in biology. Fossils don’t offer a clear answer: Molecular data indicate that the “Urmetazoan,” the ancestor of all animals, first emerged somewhere between 600 and 800 million years ago, but the first unambiguous fossils of animal bodies don’t show up until 580 million years ago. So King turned to choanoflagellates, microscopic aquatic creatures whose body type and genes place them right next to the base of the animal family tree. “Choanoflagellates are to my mind clearly the organism to look at if you’re looking at animal origins,” King said. In these organisms, which can live either as single cells or as multicellular colonies, she has found much of the molecular toolkit necessary to launch animal life. And to her surprise, she found that bacteria may have played a crucial role in ushering in this new era.
Nicole King, a biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, studies the origins of animals, one of the big mysteries in the history of life. Courtesy of Nicole King
In a lengthy paper that will be published in a special volume of Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology in September, King lays out the case for the influence of bacteria on the development of animal life. For starters, bacteria fed our ancient ancestors, and this likely required those proto-animals to develop systems to recognize the best bacterial prey, and to capture and engulf them. All of these mechanisms were repurposed to suit the multicellular lives of the first animals. King’s review joins a broad wave of research that puts bacteria at the center of the story of animal life. “We were obliged to interact intimately with bacteria 600 million years ago,” said King, now an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. “They were here first, they’re abundant, they’re dominant. In retrospect we should’ve expected this.”
Multicellular Motivation
Although we tend to take the rise of animals for granted, it is reasonable to ask why they ever emerged at all, given the billions of years of success of unicellular organisms. “For the last 3.5 billion years, bacteria have been around and abundant,” said Michael Hadfield, a professor of biology at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. “Animals never showed up until 700 or 800 million years ago.”
The technical demands of multicellularity are significant. Cells that commit to living together need a whole new set of tools. They have to come up with ways of sticking together, communicating, and sharing oxygen and food. They also need a master developmental program, a way to direct specific cells to take on specialized jobs in different parts of the body.
Nonetheless, during the course of evolution, the transition to multicellularity happened separately as many as 20 different times in lineages from algae to plants to fungi. But animals were the first to develop complex bodies, emerging as the most dramatic example of early multicellular success.
To understand why this might have happened the way it did, King began studying choanoflagellates, the closest living relative to animals, nearly 15 years ago as a postdoc at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Choanoflagellates are not the most charismatic of creatures, consisting of an oval blob equipped with a single taillike flagellum that propels the organism through the water and also allows it to eat. The tail, thrashing back and forth, drives a current across a rigid, collarlike fringe of thin strands of cell membrane. Bacteria get caught up in the current and stick to the collar, and the choano engulfs them.
What intrigued King about choanoflagellates was their lifestyle flexibility. While many live as single cells, some can also form small multicellular colonies. In the species Salpingoeca rosetta, which lives in coastal estuaries, the cell prepares to divide but stops short of splitting apart, leaving two daughter cells connected by a thin filament. The process repeats, creating rosettes or spheres containing as many as 50 cells in the lab. If this all sounds familiar, there’s a reason for it — animal embryos develop from zygotes in much the same way, and spherical choanoflagellate colonies look uncannily like early-stage animal embryos.
When King began studying S. rosetta, she couldn’t get the cells to consistently form colonies in the lab. But in 2006, a student stumbled on a solution. In preparation for genome sequencing, he doused a culture with antibiotics, and it suddenly bloomed into copious rosettes. When bacteria that had been collected along with the original specimen were added back into a lab culture of single choanoflagellates, they too formed colonies. The likely explanation for this phenomenon is that the student’s antibiotic treatment inadvertently killed off one species of bacteria, allowing another that competes with it to rebound. The trigger for colony formation was a compound produced by a previously unknown species of Algoriphagus bacteria that S. rosetta eats.
S. rosetta seems to interpret the compound as an indication that conditions are favorable for group living. King hypothesizes that something similar could have happened more than 600 million years ago, when the last common ancestor of all animals started its fateful journey toward multicellularity. “My suspicion is that the progenitors of animals were able to become multicellular, but could switch back and forth based on environmental conditions,” King said. Later, multicellularity became fixed in the genes as a developmental program.
King’s persistence in studying this humble organism, which was overlooked by most contemporary biologists, has won her the admiration of many of her fellow scientists (as well as a prestigious MacArthur fellowship). “She strategically picked an organism to gain insight into early animal evolution and systematically studied it,” said Dianne Newman, a biologist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, who studies how bacteria coevolve with their environment. King’s research offers a thrilling glimpse into the past, a rare window into what might have been going on during that mysterious period before the first fossilized animals appeared. The research is a “beautiful example” of how bacteria shape even the simplest forms of complex life, Newman said. “It reminds us that even at that level of animal development, you can expect triggers from the microbial world.” The bacteria system in S. rosetta can now be used to answer more specific questions, such as what the benefit of multicellularity might be — a question King and her collaborators at Berkeley are now working to answer.
The first bacteria may date back as far as 3.5 billion years. But animals, the first complex multicellular life form, took much longer to emerge. Russell Chun for Quanta Magazine
Of course, just because bacteria trigger modern choanoflagellates into group living, that doesn’t mean they had the same effect on the first proto-animals. King’s finding is “really cool,” said William Ratcliff, a biologist at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta who experimentally induces yeast to form multicellular colonies. “I think she’s doing some of the most interesting research in the origins of animals.” But, he cautions, it’s possible that choanoflagellates evolved this mechanism long after they diverged from the creatures that became the first ancestors of animals. “We don’t have a clear picture of when the bacterial response evolved,” he explained. “It’s hard to know if something happened before the split between choanoflagellates and animals, or after.”
“I think there is enough evidence to allow us to hypothesize that bacteria were an important influence on animal origins — they were abundant, diverse, and they exert important signaling influences on diverse animal lineages as well as on non-animals,” King said. “But I think it is premature to say what the nature of that influence was.”
One strong hint that bacteria may have prompted that ancient transition to multicellularity is that many of today’s simplest animals are governed by microbial messages. Corals, sea squirts, sponges and tube worms all begin life as larvae floating in the water, and other research teams have shown that they too respond to compounds released by bacteria as signals to attach themselves to rocks or other surfaces and transition to a new life form. If this kind of relationship is so common among animals from the most ancient families, it seems plausible that the first animals were equally attuned to their bacterial neighbors. Figuring out how, exactly, the bacteria trigger this response will help clarify whether they played a similar role long ago. “It was a radical thought to me when we first started studying it, and now I don’t know why it’s a surprise,” King said. “The more I think about host-microbe interactions, the less surprised I become.”
What Took Animals So Long?
What triggered the explosion of complex multicellular life in the Cambrian period? Increased oxygen undoubtedly had something to do with it — prior to a period sometime before 800 million years ago, atmospheric oxygen levels were too low to diffuse easily into organisms with multiple layers of cells, limiting the size of all life forms. But an increase in oxygen is probably not the whole story, said Andrew Knoll, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University. Once oxygen levels rose past this low level, predation likely provided a strong incentive for animals to get bigger and more complicated, and to develop new body plans. It was an ecological arms race of size and complexity: Bigger predators have an advantage in catching prey, while larger prey can more easily avoid being eaten. The need to escape or repel predators also likely inspired the first scales, spines and body armor, as well as some of the wilder body plans seen in Cambrian fossils.
King’s discovery about choanoflagellates is just one of the latest insights into the intimate relationships between bacteria and animals (or, in this case, animal-like organisms). Historically, photosynthetic bacteria pumped oxygen into the oceans for billions of years, setting the stage for complex multicellular life. And according to the endosymbiotic theory, proposed in the 20th century and now widely accepted, the mitochondria inside every eukaryotic cell were once free-living bacteria. At some point more than a billion years ago, they took up residence inside other cells in a symbiotic relationship that endures in nearly every animal cell to this day. In their role as dinner, bacteria also likely provided raw genetic material for the first animals, which probably incorporated chunks of microbial DNA directly into their own genomes as they digested their meals.
But the full story of the microbial-animal relationship is even broader and deeper, argues Margaret McFall-Ngai, a biologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and it’s a story that is only beginning to be told. In her view, animals should rightly be considered host-microbe ecosystems. Several years ago McFall-Ngai, along with Hadfield, convened a broad group of developmental biologists, ecologists, environmental biologists and physiologists, including King, and asked them to formulate a microbial manifesto — a declaration of bacterial significance. The paper, which appeared late last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, cites evidence from many corners of biology to argue that the influence of microbes on the origin, evolution and function of animals is pervasive and essential to understanding how animal life evolved. “They evolved in a world saturated with bacteria,” Hadfield said.
The biology of choanoflagellates resembles that of animals in other unexpected ways, King found. In 2008 she led the team that published the genome of Monosiga brevicollis, a choanoflagellate that doesn’t form colonies. The sequence revealed genes for dozens of sections of proteins that also appear in multicellular animals, where they help cells stick together and also guide development and differentiation. What are they doing in single cells? King’s work suggests they arose in single-celled organisms to monitor environmental conditions and recognize other cells such as bacterial prey. In multicellular animals, the gene domains found new purposes, such as allowing cells to signal one another. Single cells used these tools to listen in on the environment. Later on, the first cells to adopt a multicellular lifestyle probably repurposed the same systems to pay attention to their sister cells, King suggested.
The breadth and significance of the animal-bacteria relationship goes far beyond the development of a handful of ancient aquatic creatures like sponges. McFall-Ngai’s own research shows that bacteria are necessary for the development of organs in squid; others have found similar partnerships that shape the maturation of animal immune systems, the guts of zebra fish and mice, and even mammalian brains. Likewise, bacteria are essential partners in the digestive systems of creatures ranging from termites to humans. The influence of microbes is even inscribed on our genome: More than a third of human genes have their origins in bacteria. These and other new findings will soon fundamentally alter our understanding of life, McFall-Ngai predicts: “Biology is in a revolution.”
So in the end, maybe animals really aren’t all that special. After all, they’d be nothing without their microbial friends. And as King’s research has revealed, much of what animals do that seems to make them interesting can also be accomplished by choanoflagellates. To her, that doesn’t diminish either one. “I love choanoflagellates,” she said. “They’re so fascinating. I see that they’re doing a lot of the same things as animals, and I can see parallels between their biology and the cell biology of animals. I could watch them for hours.”Sen. Kelly Ayotte Kelly Ann AyotteBottom Line US, allies must stand in united opposition to Iran’s bad behavior American military superiority will fade without bold national action MORE (R-N.H.) has a slight lead over Gov. Maggie Hassan Margaret (Maggie) HassanOvernight Health Care — Sponsored by America's 340B Hospitals — Dems blast rulemaking on family planning program | Facebook may remove anti-vaccine content | Medicare proposes coverage for new cancer treatment Trade official warns senators of obstacles to quick China deal Actor Chris Evans meets with Democratic senators before State of the Union MORE (D-N.H) in a potential Senate matchup for 2016, according to a new poll conducted by the New England College Polling Institute for the New Hampshire Journal.
The poll found Ayotte taking 48 percent over Hassan at 42.5 percent.
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Ayotte has said she will seek reelection in 2016, but is also whispered to be a potential vice presidential candidate on the GOP ticket.Hassan was just reelected as governor in 2014 and hasn’t said whether she’s considering a potential bid for U.S. Senate.The poll of 541 registered voters in New Hampshire was conducted on Dec. 1 and has a 4.2 percentage point margin of error.President Donald Trump has a massive campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, tonight. Lines to enter the event are already very long, which presents a security risk… especially after Charlottesville and recent acts of violence caused by angry liberals.
The Bikers for Trump chapter in Arizona will be out in full force to protect Trump-supporting patriots from the angry domestic terrorists, Antifa.
More from The Political Insider
As Steven Emery posted on the official Facebook page of Bikers for Trump. His message shows that they are not messing around:
Chris Cox has a message for Antifa and the radical left:
CALL TO ACTION ARIZONA
BIKERS FOR TRUMP
https://www.gofundme.com/bikers-for-trump-2020 Posted by Bikers for Trump 2020 on Monday, August 21, 2017
This is good news! Antifa, along with Black Lives Matters and other Soros-affiliated groups, has been given a free pass by police to interrupt events with violence. This isn’t free speech. These violent groups are using thuggery and fascist, bloody tactics to silence conservatives they disagree with. FBI action on these organizations is long overdue, but in the meantime it will be up to patriots like Bikers for Trump to keep the peace in Arizona.
The photos of what Antifa did to Trump supporters in Berkeley, San Jose, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere across the country are horrific:
Thank you, Bikers for Trump, for risking your personal safety and showing Antifa that conservative Trump supporters should not be intimidated!Andrew Wyeth: Christina's World Painter Has Died 1917-2009 (Video, Photos)
Andrew Wyeth 1917-2009
Famed American landscape and people painterhas died at his family home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania at age 91 after a brief illness.
The "Painter of the People" drew his inspiration from the land and people around him as his favorite subjects. He painted his beloved Pennsylvania and well as scene near his summer home in Maine. His style, known as regional art made him extremely popular with the American public.
Considered one of the best known of the 20th century artists, perhaps his best known image is the painting Christina's World, currently among a collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
President George W. Bush honored Wyeth in 2007 by awarding him the National Medal of Arts.
We've included photos of some of his works below and a video showcasing more of his life's work.Illustration by Freddy Carrasco
"We're not a melting pot, we're a cultural mosaic!" is one of the most common things any kid growing up in Canada will have pounded into their brain from a young age. We are a diverse country, we're told. We are accepting of all cultures, religions, and political ideologies (*cough*). Truly, you can go to most major cities in Canada and find a significant portion of the population wasn't born in this country.
It's easy to get lost in how diverse we say we are. Outside of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, there's still a lot of whiteness (and trees and rocks and ice) that makes up everything stretching from George Street to the Pacific Ocean. As Canadians, many of us look at through that homogenized, beer-loving, hockey bro lens, but not everyone's experience is the same.
To find out what Canada looks like both from the outside in, and the inside out, we asked some folks who immigrated here about the most shocking things they experienced after moving to the Great White North.
Photo by the author
Zeinab, Lebanon
I was in Grade 7 when I first came to Canada. I remember talking to a few of my new friends and constantly hearing, "I'm staying with my dad this weekend, my mom next weekend, etc." Hearing about step-parents, step-siblings, and half-siblings was a complete shocker because, in Lebanon, for the most part, people don't get divorced. I thought this type of thing only happened in movies.
Also, the drive-thru line for every Tims, McDonalds, Starbucks (or whatever joint that sells coffee) is unbelievably long. It blew my mind that people didn't just make their own coffee at home. Was it that difficult? I then discovered that they sell this Tim Hortons stuff at the grocery store and you can in fact make it at home. Why people still wait in these outrageous lines blows my mind (it's worth mentioning that I have become one of those people).
Dana, United Arab Emirates
My family and I moved to Canada from Dubai about three years ago, and I have to say it was the best decision we have ever made. One of the first things we noticed and surprised us was the fact that people are very kind and friendly here compared to how people were back in Dubai. Everyone tries to help you in every way possible.
Another thing that really shocked me is how anyone can be hired here, especially people with disabilities, since everyone is considered the same no matter what. It's not to say that, back in Dubai, disabled people were not appreciated, but it's quite different how they are treated here. Even with the concept of LGBT people—you're still considered a normal person and no one judges you.
Julianne, France
I don't mean to be rude because I love Canada, but I was, like, really bothered and scared by how boring you can be! America is much more exciting—I have been there many times. I feel a great emptiness living here in many ways because all of the great stuff happens in America. I can't think of any Canadian movies or music that I like. I like Justin Bieber and the Weeknd. Yeah, I can't think of anything else. And everyone is so OK with it! Everyone is very into hockey here, but I can't see many Canadian things here. At home, everyone came for the Eiffel Tower, Paris and all of our stereotypes like cafes, wine, cheese. What is Canadian to be proud of other than everyone being nice?
Miranda, New Zealand
I still have a thick accent as you can probably tell, so I got a lot of people who thought I was Australian and had no idea what the hell a "Kiwi" was until I explained it to them. Definitely the most |
need my controls, I need my cameras, I need my character, my locomotion—all that stuff. I need to feel that my character is doing what it's supposed to be doing." Those basic game design tenants might seem unromantic, but they're essential to navigating the rest of the experience of the game. And while levels are dictated by carefully plotted-out paths and adorned with decorative art, a developer whose responsibility it is to create these still has to keep an eye out to ensure that the core experience remains intact as the game expands.
Otherwise you run into situations Thisdale certainly has experience with, like when a modeler he was working with went well over the polygon limit designing detailed world assets, like dumpsters. "They were soheavy in polygons that it was costing us an actual frame per second, which in agame world is super expensive," Thisdale said. "Experience will tell you how many polygons for each subject, how much texture, can I put a UV filter, can I put bump mapping, is there going to be direct and dynamic lighting on it, should I put bezels on it." These seemingly minor technical details, though visually impressive, add a lot of weight onto the game's performance. It's a delicate balance, and sometimes pretty sacrifices have to be made for the benefit of the overall experience.
Video game development, as Kalman told me, isn't linear. It's "often two steps forward, one step back," she said. She experienced this firsthand in developing Sentris, her first commercial game, an independently-created music game with puzzle elements. (You can watch a timelapse of Sentris development here.)
"I found myself revisiting, refactoring and maintaining code that I had at one point just assumed would be done. This kind of thing happens a lot where it's like 'Oh this will be easy, I'll write this new script in Unity... oh, well, that has these dependencies and how does this affect my order of execution and what's the performance impact of this.' That happens on an almost daily basis."
An early version of the Sentris tutorial. Screenshot courtesy of Samantha Kalman.
The game that you see in its final, presentable form, or even the game that you see in snapshots during E3or any trailer that's released, is not the game that developers work with for the years that development takes. Instead, developers load up small maps, levels, or testing grounds and play through individual experiences to make sure they're playing right. "We spend all our time in a grey box," Thisdale told me. "The game usually takes way too long to load so we just load whatever gym we have, which is usually an empty room with a light in the middle and a box on the side and then you do whatever you need to be doing." This can be running, shooting, or even testing visual effects like rain or smoke. "That'swhat we do. That's the game we play," Thisdale said. "The game I just released—[referencing the latest Deus Ex game, Mankind Divided]—this is the state I saw it in for four years."
That's what video game development looks like: grey boxes and compromises. It's a balancing act between trying to create something new and exciting and making sure you have the time and budget to get even a fraction of your best ideas out there. "It's not just an obsession—it's trying to transmit something from inside of us as creators and manifest it using a team of programmers, artists, musicians, all the different departments that make up video game development. That's a challenge," Naughty Dog's Straley told me. "With video games, trying to hang on to the vision, the tone, the experience that you're trying to reach—that vision inside is already a blessing as a creator. Somehow trying to extrapolate [it] that's the joy and the difficulty of any creative endeavor."
Video games are not, or rather cannot be wholly the product of eccentric, innovative ideas. There are technological limitations and responsibilities to the overall project that have to be factored in, and that informs the entire development process. This meansaccepting the limitations you're working with, which is hard for any creativeto do. "We're more ashamed of what is left in than anyone else," Insomniac Games' Benno told me. "We want to make something we're all proud of."
Magical Boxes Running On Smoke
The creative decisions that developers make aren't always transparent, and the reasoning behind them less so. Take jumping, for instance. Simple enough, right? We've been able to jump in video games since the dawn of video games. If Mario can jump, why can't any modern-day hero? But something as seemingly simple as jumping requires active work to be done to ensure that a character can do so. And then there's the trickle-down effect of work that must follow because of that creative decision to include a jumping mechanic. The camera has to be tweaked to ensure jumping doesn't conflict with it. Levels have to be adapted to make use of jumping, or to ensure players don't get stuck somewhere they shouldn't be able to go. Now we're talking multiple people on a project who have to take jumping into consideration in their work, when maybe, ultimately, they'd prefer to focus their priority on a cover system that might better reflect the intended player experience they're designing for.
Straley worked on The Last Of Us, a game without a jump button. "The code written just to get a character to show up onscreen is astounding. And the code that's written to read animation data and figure out all the skinning and weighting on a character to animate them properly—all of this without actually translating them through space is already months of work for somebody," he explained. "This is all during the process of deciding if you're even going to have the character jump, what the consequences of having jump are, how they jump, what that choice will mean for designers, their layouts, and the effect on artists, all the while remembering your top goal is to try to make the player feel engaged."
Games are these really little magical boxes that run on smoke. The less visible stuff is holding the game up just as much as all that other stuff. - Nina Freeman
The same level of thought went into another seemingly-simple, well-known and well-used mechanic: cover. Straley considered and reconsidered how to best incorporate a cover system in 2013's The Last of Us. "I would play the game for a couple of months and everybody got used to cover and I'd start rethinking. I'd think, 'No, because of Ellie [a character who accompanies the protagonist throughout the game], because of this analogue space, because of crouch, because of all this stuff, I don't want this other button to make the controls cumbersome," he said. "I had to apologize profusely and tell [the programmer] I don't know what I'm doing, and he has to trust me that one of these times I'm going to make the right decision, and I'm going to stick with it, and he's not going to have to reinvent the wheel as far as how we're going to do the cover button." In theend, The Last of Us basically did reinvent the wheel. They went for a crouch button that incorporated a sort of "soft" cover system when Joel (the game's protagonist) nears a low wall or object.
These are just two examples of months of work that appears like magic on the screen. In most video games, press 'A' and you jump instantly. Press 'B' and you're crouching. But behind the curtain it's a lot messier than that. "There's this layer of invisible things that are making your experience really good that also took a ton of work," Nina Freeman, level designer at indie studio Fullbright, told me over the phone. "That less visible work hasjust as much value as any of the presentation polish of a game or any of the really tight-feeling mechanics that are really visceral and that you know are there. Games are these really little magical boxes that run on smoke. The less visible stuff is holding the game up just as much as all that other stuff."
It's easy to appreciate character art, or the music, or the story. It's even easy to appreciate cool animations. But no one really lauds the work done on the save load system, or collision detection. Except for Freeman, of course: "The fact that you can save a Tomb Raider game and all the animals are in the same exact position as when you quit the game, that takes a bunch of work. It's a feature." These features may not be as fancy or as groundbreaking, but at the end of the day, they aren't just switches that are flipped on—they're the result of work. And that work is often the subject of intense scrutiny.
Early on in Uncharted 4 development, levels are basic and flat-shaded. Images courtesy of Naughty Dog.
All of these features take time to nail properly. As the work evolves, those features are impacted by each other's math. Happily, that's sometimes to the game's benefit. Thisdale recounted onesuch story that took place during Mankind Divided's production. For some reason, all of a sudden, protagonist Adam Jensen just seemed to move a little smoother in free look. "Before the change, I was really annoyed at a little latency in the controls and was trying to get rid of it. Then someday it magically disappeared," he told me. "I went completely mad trying to figure out what I'd changed in that version. It was a very tiny thing—we eventually figured out that it was related to the way the code was managing the frame rate. I can't really explain the details, but there was something affecting the latency and refresh rate and, with that fixed, the controls felt much, much smoother.
That little change made it a completelydifferent experience. And from that point on for a year we looked at it and watched it like a hawk." Subtle changes in game development can represent as drastic changes in the overall experience. There's nuance to the tiny details and seemingly random numbers. And even just tracing those changes back to where they occurred takes time. "That day I went home at 10 at night," Thisdale told me. "We were five of us at the office, completely mad, running around looking at numbers and all the data from the build logs. We were completely mesmerized by that thing. You hang on to these little things that are completely magical."
Creativity On A Schedule
Returning to the building-a-house analogy, imagine a contract manager whose financial responsibility is to see a project through—that's the role a game's producer plays. Other people lay the bricks, but the producer makes sure the team has enough bricks to lay. Those producers either represent or answer to a parent company, publisher or investor who, in agreeing to fund the project, decided part of the agreement would be contingent on seeing early developments on the vision of the house. "Most big companies have investors," Thisdale told me."They're [publicly traded companies]. EA, Ubisoft have stock. These people invest, they need a return. They say, my quarterly, my yearly, I need a return." They control the money and, sometimes, resources are meted out on the basis of predetermined milestones, like green light pitch meetings or a demonstration of an early prototype. As long as a studio keeps hitting those internal deadlines, they'll get the money they need to continue work on their project.
As milestone deadlines approach, the main priority is no longer the house itself. Everyone pauses on main development and scurries over to create sketches and mini models of the house to appease the people holding the money. Some of this is guess work—certain features haven't been locked down, art direction could change, etc. The developers might not know exactly how they want the windows to open and where the light switches will be, but they make some creative guesses to get a model out the door because they have to.
Deadlines themselves—whether attached to milestones or internal production schedules—are also determined based on educated guesswork. Artists say it might take them about three weeks to nail the environmental art pieces requested, which would theoretically lineup with a deadline designers suggested would work for submitting the concepts of what those environments would entail. But then, for any number of reasons (including potentially creative pushback from the publisher during a check-in meeting), the designers are delayed and someone will have to crunch to catch everyone else back up to the schedule. All of a sudden, deadlines that started as suggestions turn into solid dates. Those strict deadlines, especially if they're tied to milestones, end up dictating how developers move forward with content decisions, a creative director at a publisher-funded studio who wished to remain anonymous told me over the phone. "There's always constant pressure to not do the thing that you need to do in video games, which is iterate. The unfortunate, sad truth is that iteration time (or time for people to find the right idea) doesn't sound good to money people and it doesn't look good on a spreadsheet." That means an idea that could have formed given evenjust one extra week gets passed over because it didn't fit into the schedule.
Many of the environmental effects in Uncharted 4 were added in the late stages of development. Images courtesy of Naughty Dog.
Some publishers operate with a much more hands-off approach when managing their developers, of course. Depending on the relationship, a publisher could fully entrust the studio to create the game they know they can make, instead of having constant check-in meetings where someone with a business mind is telling a creative what to build. Still, some studios have their entire workflow micromanaged.
Though marketing needs—in the form of trailers, demos, betas—often mean even more constraints on a development's timeline, firm scheduling is also beneficial to the studio. Without any deadlines, most artists wouldn't be prepared to give their babies up to the public for criticism. There will always be something to improve upon or something else to add. "The reality is, left to our own devices, we as developers would never ship a game because there's always something else to iterate on, or new ideas, or more polish to make the game better," Straley told me. "It's always going to be never finished, just shipped."
Art Is Never Finished, Only Abandoned
Arguably the biggest milestone(and one that many companies, regardless of structure, share) is the first real, public demonstration of a game—polished, ready-to-be-played-live experiences for the purpose of showcasing the game to millions of viewers at the big dog-and-pony shows like E3, held in LA every year in June. At these conferences, not only does a studio have to impress publishers and investors, but they have to impress the public, too.
This can mean taking time out from the production schedule to focus on creating a "vertical slice" of their game—essentially a brief demonstration of the game—meant to represent the whole game "pie." Developers take a level or map or section of the game, polish it to the extent that they can with beautiful art and music, and share it with the public as their latest snapshot of progress.
"You don't even have your whole game pinned down, you don't even know all your mechanics yet," Straley told me. "And you're having to pin down something and make it playable publicly, live on a stage, and you're basically saying to the public, 'This is the way it's gonna play, this is the way it's going to look, and this is the experience you can expect from us eight months from now.' It's extraordinarily unwieldy for production."
Everyone is building their own fantasy of what the product needs to be, has to be, wants to be. But you forget about what the product is. - Antoine Thisdale
The best a trailer or demo can do is show you current progress and projections as to what a final product might look like. Even if a vertical slice is a fully built-out level, that doesn't mean developers won't go back and incorporate changes they may have discovered after a trailer/demo went public. In many ways, change and iteration are the cornerstone of video game development. Anything from the style of a character's hair to the way a core feature performs can change throughout a game's development.
Rather than viewing these demos or trailers as suggestions of what development and the vision for a game is currently looking like, viewers frequently take them as promises. Because of the hype machine nature that is modern marketing, promising trailers and demos form an audience's expectations. And should anything change because of necessity or creative decision-making, a final product that does not effectively represent an early vertical slice seems like a failure, or a broken promise.
"Everyone is building their own fantasy of what the product needs to be, has to be, wants to be," Thisdale told me. "But you forget about what the product is." It's difficult to create an accurate depiction of what a game will look like further down the line, because developers don't exactly know what that is until they've created it. "Things change," Thisdale said. "Animations change. Our character, Adam Jensen, changed his animation like four times. If I showed you something three years ago to today, it would be completely different. It's not the same model, it's not the same face, not the same suit, not the same textures, not the same anything."
On the flip side, structure is what forces developers into making decisions. Though bemoaning the sometimes-unreasonable nature of the expectations of deadlines, some of the developers I spoke to felt like it also helps the process. "There are always 50 more questions that come up while trying to solve a problem or pin down a mechanic," Straley said. "There are hundreds of possible art styles or pipeline decisions. It's easy to think the priority is to go down every dead end road trying to come up with the most optimal, 'perfect' solution." Having an E3 deadline means having to nail down those decisions instead of pondering on the 50 alternatives a team of creatives can undoubtedly come up with.
"Grey box" levels are a necessary step on the way to building intricate levels. Screenshot courtesy of Eidos Montreal.
E3 product demos also let the team members themselves see their game with full art, animations, and music, for what could very well be for the first time. This gives the team a chance to peer into the possible future of their game, and give them insight into what's working and what isn't. "Up to that point, the game's vision is scattered in a hundred people's heads," Straley told me. "Deadlines help us unify the vision.
It's not just inspiring to see your creation coming together, though, it's also an opportunity to relish in that feeling in public. So much of a game's development is publically answered with a simple "we're not discussing that yet." E3 and shippables that involve trailer deadlines and beta releases are a developers's chance to show off what's been occupying their time for the last three years. It's a chance for them to finally discuss it.
Video games won't be the perfect, twenty-dimensional vision imagined in a creative person's head. There are realistic limitations to what can be translated from that imagination into a playable experience, dependent on the limitations of technology, and the structure of video game development. And yet we've still had many opportunities to play games that were representations of a studio's best ideas, however cut and culled they may have been.
"Sometimes unfinished works are better," Straley mused on the phone with me. "The joy in creating art, any art, is that it's a snapshot of a temporal time-space and psychology. Where were you on that day when you painted that picture? You captured a certain amount of light, an essence of yourself went into it, did I use bold strokes or did I get very detailed? These choices that we all make as creators are why art is so special. I can look at two different artists and see two completely different takes on a moment in time. That is the abandonment. That's the beauty of the abandonment."
There were so many angles I could have taken in this article. I first set out to write about this idea I had about the nature of video game development several months ago. I interviewed 10 developers with a certain narrative direction in mind. What's left of that piece that's still sitting in my documents is over five thousand abandoned words. This piece is the result of a fresh start and eight developer interviews. Like developing a video game, it took me a lot longer than I originally estimated, and it went through its own series of changes. And even after that, I had dozens of ideas to work with—so many theories and reasons as to why video game development is so hard—but only so many words I could expect readers to want to invest in. That meant compromising, and deciding which stories were the absolute best to tell, that I could tell with the resources at my disposal. And that really is any creative process. Our ideas will likelyalways be bigger in our heads than on paper, or on a screen.
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Follow Waypoint on Twitter, Facebook, and Twitch, and tune in to our 72 hour launch live stream marathon, starting at 12PM ET on October 28.The issue of obedience has weighed on those nuns of late, as the Vatican has deemed the women on stage with the vice president radical feminists who pay too much attention to social justice and too little to promoting church teaching on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.
Mr. Biden’s visit came just weeks after Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the Vatican’s enforcer of doctrine, shocked many American nuns with his comments to a Vatican newspaper. As he defended the effort to rein in the nuns, the cardinal remarked, “Above all, we have to clarify that we are not misogynists; we don’t want to gobble up a woman a day!”
So while political reporters focused on Mr. Biden’s appearance as his first foray back into a presidential campaign season, the outing also put the nation’s first Roman Catholic vice president in the middle of a protracted political fight between the pope he admires and the American nuns he reveres.
“All politics begin here in Iowa,” said Sister Simone Campbell, the head of Network, the group that organized the tour and described Mr. Biden’s papal conversations. She expressed delight that the vice president had lent some star power to what she called “our little, teeny event.”
In an interview, Sister Campbell said Mr. Biden had expressed a willingness to join the nuns after their first tour in 2012, “Nuns on the Bus: Nuns Drive for Faith, Family and Fairness.” That was the year that the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith cracked down on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an umbrella group that represents about 80 percent of America’s 57,000 nuns. The report explicitly cited Sister Campbell’s group, which helped lobby for President Obama’s health care law, as being a particularly bad influence.UPS has imposed new work rules that could force exhausted drivers to work up to 70 hours a week during peak. Drivers deserve a strong union response, not another Hoffa surrender.
UPSers are already working brutal peak season hours and delivering record volume. Now, UPS has unilaterally imposed a new method of calculating hours of service so they can force overworked drivers to work even more.
Under DOT rules, the 70-hours-in-8-days hours of service method means that drivers can legally drive up to 70 hours per week in any 8-day period.
The DOT rules have a loophole called the 34-hour reset rule. Anytime a driver is off for 34 hours, then the work-week resets and a new 8-day period begins.
UPS plans to use this loophole to force drivers in some areas to work a sixth punch on Saturday, and to force all drivers to work up to 70 hours in a week until January 14 (the end of peak).
Without the 34-hour reset, a driver could only work a maximum of 70 hours over an eight-day period—a big difference.
Hoffa Surrenders, Betrays the Members
UPS imposed the Hours of Service change without warning and without negotiating with the union. The issue never came up in peak season talks.
But Hoffa’s Package Division just went along. They issued a weak memo from Denis Taylor and gave UPS the green light to abuse the workforce.
It didn’t have to be this way. By law and by contract, the International could demand that UPS negotiate before making this change.
The IBT could also refuse to recognize the 34-hour restart rule for package drivers. The Freight Division refused to recognize the 34-hour restart rule at ABF, Yellow or Roadway in 2004.
If the Parcel Division took this stand, then package drivers would run out of hours if they worked more than 70 hours in any 8-day period. That would cap average daily hours at 11.66 hours a day.
Instead, Hoffa’s Package Division rolled over and punted the issue to be dealt with by each Area Supplement.
New England Teamsters immediately objected. UPS management backed off and sent the following DIAD message to drivers. Drivers need to demand this response from the IBT and UPS nationwide.Rebel forces lose several Quneitra villages after capturing UN forces, same day UN report reveals half of Syria has been displaced.
Reports Friday indicate that Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces have partially recaptured the Quneitra region just east of the Israeli-Syrian Golan Heights border, which rebel forces captured in intense fighting on Wednesday.
According to the reports from the Iranian Fars news agency as cited by Walla!, the Syrian army has regained control over several Quneitra villages, including Jaba, Tel Krum and Al Ruachi.
The fighting continues on Friday morning in an attempt to take back full control after rebels seized the Quneitra crossing to Israel from the Syrian side.
Senior IDF sources predicted Assad's move, projecting that he would try to reconquer the vital area over the course of Thursday night. One source defined the security situation as "troubling," while adding "it's clear to us that the Syrian army doesn't want to deteriorate the situation and is being very careful about errant fire towards the Israeli side."
There was a spillover of fire on Wednesday, however, as tank and mortar shells lightly wounded two Israelis.
The Syrian rebels, who the US said belonged to the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front, also captured 43 UN peacekeepers from Fiji while conquering the area.
Negotiations are currently ongoing to secure their release, as well as the release of 75 Filipino peacekeepers currently engaged in a stand-off with rebel forces. The Philippines described the situation as "tense," but added that no shots have been fired.
Half of Syria has been displaced
Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird decried the situation, while noting "the Assad regime is solely to blame for the spiraling violence and the diminished security situation."
During the course of the four year Syrian civil war around 200,000 people have been killed according to the UN.
A new UN report Friday adds that 3 million Syrians have become refugees, and another 6.5 million are displaced within Syria, reports Reuters. As a result, "almost half of all Syrians have now been forced to abandon their homes and flee for their lives," stated the UN.
"The Syrian crisis has become the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era, yet the world is failing to meet the needs of refugees and the countries hosting them," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.
That assessment echoes the words of outgoing UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay, who last Thursday lambasted the UN Security Council for not taking action amid "international paralysis."Paginas Amarillas HP40’s Luis Salom reflects on his season so far, his aims for the rest of 2015, and takes a summer 'test'.
Salom currently sits 13th in the Moto2™ World Championship standings with 36 points, after managing to score points in four races, and registering a best placed finish of fifth at both Mugello and Barcelona:
What is your assessment of the first half of the season?
“I expected more really. In some races I have been battling at the front, but I could only get two top six finishes, with the two fifths in Italy and Catalunya, which is much less than we expected. I have had several crashes during the races that were not my fault which have prevented me finishing better, so I am not very satisfied. Anyway, that is racing, sometimes you have good luck, and sometimes bad. Fortunately, despite these crashes, I have not picked up any serious injuries.”
What have you been doing over the summer break?
“I have been working hard so that I can arrive at Indianapolis in peak condition. The first week I used to recover from the bad weekend I had in Germany, where another rider ran over me in Free Practice on Friday. Now I am back training hard, and I will spend some time in Cartagena and Mallorca training on the beach.”
What goals have you set yourself for the second half of the season?
“I want to be as strong as possible for Indianapolis so I can fight for the race win. I would always like to be in the top ten. When you are fighting for the win, you always have the chance of picking up podiums and even the victory. If a weekend is not so good, I need to make sure I am still in the top ten and picking up vital points.”
With nine races remaining, are there any you are particularly are looking forward to?
“The truth is no. I like all the circuits and I have no problems with any of them. Nor do I have a favourite track. After a difficult start to the season, any track would be a good place to achieve my first podium of the season, or even my first Moto2™ victory.”
This is the second season in Moto2™, how does it compare to the first?
“I think it is pretty similar to be honest. Some things, such as the tyres have improved a bit, but overall the level of the championship is pretty similar. We have some new rivals, and some who have made a step forward, but in the World Championships, the level is always very high.”
What do you think of the 2015 MotoGP™ season?
“Very interesting! After Marquez dominated last year on the Honda, it’s been good to see more riders fighting for the win this year. It’s great to see the Yamaha’s doing battle with the Ducati and Honda’s, and I think the title will not be decided until the end of the season.”
Finally, a summer test:
Beach or mountain? Beach
Ice Cream or ice drinks? Depending on the time!
Surf Shorts or speedos? Neither, I wear shorts that aren’t too short or too long!
Blondes or brunettes? Blondes
Training outdoors or in the gym? It depends on the moment and time, but if I can, outdoors…
Road bike or mountain bike? Road
Your favourite beach? A place that is more than a beach, has excellent rocks and is good for fishing and fun is Santanyi, Mallorca.
Sunglasses or hat? Cap
PS4 or Xbox? Neither, I don’t play many video gamesParis (AFP) - Andre Agassi revealed on Friday he is happy to work unpaid as Novak Djokovic's coach and said he would be open to extending his relationship with the Serb at Wimbledon next month.
Eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi teamed up with Djokovic ahead of the French Open, where the Serb is attempting to defend his title.
Agassi, who won Roland Garros in 1999, said he is not being paid to mentor Djokovic but simply wants to help him find his best form again.
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"For me, I do this on my own time and my own dime," said Agassi.
"I don’t want money, I want to help him. And it helps the game. Him at his best is good for the game and it’s a way I can contribute."
Agassi initially committed to just a "few matches" with the former world number one, but the American told Eurosport he was open to working with Djokovic at Wimbledon.
"If he wants me there, yeah, I will come," said 1992 Wimbledon champion Agassi, speaking to Djokovic's former coach Boris Becker.
"It’s a lot of responsibility so whatever’s practical and achievable -– 100 percent I will make the effort."
Becker gave up coaching Djokovic last December after three successful years together, while the 12-time major winner split with long-time coach Marian Vajda last month.
He then named Agassi after he lost to Alexander Zverev in the Rome Masters final a fortnight ago.
Djokovic, speaking after needing five sets to see off Argentina's Diego Schwartzman 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 on Friday, confirmed that Agassi wasn't taking a fee.
"Everything that he said is completely true, so it's completely his decision," said the Serb.
"In terms of some plans for the future, we don't have anything set in stone. We don't say he's going to be here until this time or that time.
Story continues
"You know, he's going to try his best to be in the biggest tournaments with me and as much as his family time allows and all the commitments that he has.
"We both agree that I'm going to need someone also day to-day basis that can work with him, but he's the man."
Agassi's other professional commitments at Roland Garros meant he only arrived for Friday's match midway through the second set.
"I don't have any expectations. I'm just trying to enjoy every possible moment that I have next to him
"As far as I'm concerned, I hope that that's gonna stay for a long time that we can create something that is going to go long term."Editor's note, November 27th, 10:30AM ET: When we originally tested the Surface Book 2, we noticed extreme power drain issues. Microsoft replaced the power supply, and we haven't experienced the same issues with the replacement part. This review and score have been updated to reflect this.
I always wanted Microsoft to build a laptop, and it finally went ahead and built one without any tricks earlier this year. The Surface Laptop has no gimmicks, no kickstand, and no detachable screen. It’s simply the best laptop you can buy right now.
So this raises the question: why has Microsoft created another heavy, gimmicky, yet powerful Surface Book? The answer lies in who the Surface Book is for, and it’s certainly not for everybody.
The best match for Microsoft’s new Surface Book 2 is Apple’s MacBook Pro. Providing an answer to Apple’s option, but with Windows-specific strengths like a touchscreen and detachable display, is really why the Surface Book 2 exists. The new 15-inch model goes one step further in matching and even beating Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup on paper. It’s a hefty and powerful laptop just like the original. It’s also a tablet, thanks to that detachable display. Its high-end graphics card and support for Xbox controllers also make it a miniature Xbox One for gaming on the go. Believe it or not, the Surface Book 2 is the first portable Surface computer that you can actually play the latest games on, but it’s more complicated than just that.
Starting at $2,499 ($1,499 for the 13.5-inch model), the 15-inch Surface Book 2 is $100 more than a comparable MacBook Pro and is at the very high end of the laptop market. The top model with 1TB of storage is $3,299, so you’re going to spend a lot of cash if you want this new 15-inch version. Is it worth the high price for what the Surface Book 2 offers, or is this just another laptop / tablet hybrid that overextends itself with gimmicks?
Visually, the Surface Book 2 looks identical to the first Surface Book. There’s a big — not MacBook Pro giant, but still big — trackpad, an awesome keyboard, and a sleek silver magnesium finish. The Surface Book was always an oversized 13.5-inch laptop that felt like it was edging closer to a 15-inch machine, and for that reason the larger size strangely feels familiar. Sure, it’s bigger in your lap, it’s heavier, and the screen is much larger than a typical ultrabook, but you’re also getting a lot more power under the hood.
The 15-inch screen maintains the typical quality I’ve come to expect from Surface hardware, with great color reproduction and viewing angles. It’s also nearly 4K now (3240 x 2160), and maintains the 3:2 aspect ratio that makes it great for reading or writing. Beneath the display is the same fulcrum hinge from the original Surface Book that stretches around the base and has the same weird gap when you close it. It functions almost identically to the original Surface Book, allowing you to remove the display and use it as a tablet.
Typing on the Surface Book 2 keyboard is a joy. It’s a far better experience than smaller laptops as there isn’t any flex underneath the full-travel keys, and the spacing just feels solid. It’s largely the same as the original Surface Book, but Microsoft hasn’t tried to fix something that isn’t broken here.
The ports are also mostly the same, except for the addition of USB-C. This is the first Surface product to feature USB-C, but strangely, Microsoft hasn’t added Thunderbolt 3, so you still can’t use external GPUs or other higher-speed peripherals. It’s infuriating that Microsoft is ditching DisplayPort without adding Thunderbolt 3, but you can at least use the USB-C port to charge the Surface Book 2. You’ll need a powerful wall charger to do this, though, as a regular phone charger won’t be enough.
For other I/O needs, the Surface Book 2 still has two regular USB 3.1 ports, a (full-size!) SD card reader, and the Surface Connector. If you plug the Surface Connector in while you’re charging from USB-C, the Connector will take over power duties. The Connector can also be used to attach a Surface Dock for multiple monitors, Ethernet, and additional USB connections.
While the outside is very familiar, inside, the Surface Book 2 is where you’ll find all of the improvements, and they add up to a big difference over the prior model. Microsoft is finally using quad-core processors (that latest generation i7 versions from Intel) and a proper discrete graphics chip in the form of Nvidia’s GTX 1060 for the 15-inch version. (The 13-inch model can be equipped with either integrated graphics or a GTX 1050.) The processor bump will help performance in gaming, video editing, and other CPU-intensive tasks. I’d say it’s hard to spot in regular use of apps and browser sessions, but it will certainly make a difference elsewhere in processing images or video.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 specs Processor: Intel Core i5 or i7
RAM: 8GB or |
arrived there as an 18-year-old from Warrnambool and to leave the Club as a four-time premiership player is something I am very proud of,” he said.
“I am truly grateful for everything that Hawthorn has done for myself and my family and I will never forget the memories of what we achieved together as a Club. I want to thank every player, coach, staff member and supporter for everything they have done along the journey and I wish the Club the very best in the future.
“My decision to come to Melbourne started when Clarko and I caught up a couple of weeks ago for what was a really honest chat. We spoke about what my future could look like beyond my current contract and following that catch-up I sat down and looked at my options. I looked at every Club in the competition and after going through every list, Melbourne was the one that stood out – if I wasn’t going to be at Hawthorn. It was clear to me that I wanted to play for the Melbourne Football Club.
“I then met with Goody, Josh and Todd early last week and following that, it really solidified my thoughts about joining Melbourne.
“I believe in what the Club is building. There is some outstanding young talent at the Club and that is an area I can certainly play a role in – mentoring and developing those players both in an on-field and off-field sense.
“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge. We have a lot of work to do but from what I know, and from what I have seen firsthand, the players seem up for the fight and I can’t wait to get to work at the Club.
Lewis was selected with pick 7 in the 2004 National Draft and played 264 games for the Hawks. He was a member of the 2008 and 2012-14 premierships and sits 12th on Hawthorn’s all-time games record list.
In 2014, Lewis was All-Australian and won Hawthorn’s best and fairest award. He finished runner-up in 2016.
Lewis has averaged 22 matches per season since making his AFL debut in round three, 2005 against Essendon at the MCG. He has also averaged 23.76 disposals per match across his career.
He has received 69 Brownlow Medal votes throughout his career, including 34 in the past three seasons.
Lewis will officially be unveiled as a Melbourne player at press conference on Tuesday afternoon.This is a brief post marking the events of this day in history. The circumstances leading to the forced abdication of Edward’s Father are well known and shall not be discussed within this post but I will write about them at a later date. A further reading list is included at the end for anybody wishing to expand upon this blog post.
In early January 1327 Prince Edward of Wales made his first appearance in London since 1325. The city, still in turmoil since the invasion headed by Edward’s Mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, 2nd baron Wigmore had hardly abated since the previous September. Feelings were high and at the opening of parliament on the 7th a mob of people forced their way into Westminster Hall. Edward was not present at the beginning of the proceedings at Westminster. He was certainly at the palace, perhaps in the kings apartments. These apartments were luxurious with brightly coloured tiled floors and painted lions on the walls. The great bed at the far east end overlooking the river Thames between a fireplace and doorway to the kings small private chapel which adjoined. Perhaps Edward prayed there at this time.
It was bound to have been a highly emotive time for him, whatever the failings of Edward II, the king was his Father. Of course we can only speculate at the dynamics of the relationships between long dead people but Edward must have been in turmoil, thoughts of his Father and his failure to rule properly, his Mother and her troubling relationship with the domineering Roger Mortimer must have played on his mind as the nobles and clergy of England debated as to what course to take next.
Roger Mortimer himself, despite being at the top of the list of barons to be summoned for this revolutionary parliament, kept to the shadows to begin with much as he had done since the September invasion. His presence could undermine Isabella’s position as a wronged woman, wearing the robes of a widow, mourning the death of her marriage, torn asunder by her husbands infatuation with Hugh Despenser the Younger. The latter had been put to death the previous November but there was no real effort for the King and Queen to reconcile, although Isabella did write and send small gifts to her estranged husband and declared that she would like to visit him. This was forbidden and it is not unlikely that this was the work of Roger Mortimer. His position depended on the continued goodwill of the Queen, his ally and lover and above all; control of her son. Doubtless, Mortimer was also behind Bishop Orletons assertion -untrue- that the King carried a knife purely to kill Queen Isabella. Certainly, after hearing about it, the king himself denied any such thing.
There cannot be any doubt that the end of Edward II’s reign was brought about through a collusion of Mortimer and the various Bishops. The latter all had their part to play in parliament preaching sermons whipping their listeners up into a frenzy. In Bishop Orleton’s case the sermon preached on January 12th was Ecclesiastes [10:16] “A foolish King shall ruin his people…” It would, however, be extremely inaccurate to say that all of the nobility and clergy were in agreement with deposing Edward II because they were not but any whom spoke up for the king were shouted down, for Mortimer had taken care to pack parliament full of his friends, relatives and supporters. Mortimer himself, growing impatient, on January 13th told parliament that it had already been agreed that Edward would be deposed and his son King in his stead. Earlier the same day a large group of the nobility had taken an oath to protect Queen Isabella and her son, Prince Edward. Parliament, predictably assented to the removal of Edward II from the throne. Prince Edward himself, being thrust into parliament, still only fourteen years old and no doubt bewildered, refused to accept the crown.
A twenty four strong deputation was dispatched to Kenilworth where King Edward was being held. Extreme pressure was placed on the beleaguered king to abdicate in favour of his son, the men dispatched to treat with King Edward stating that his people would repudiate him in favour of his son regardless. It is extremely hard not to feel sympathy with king Edward at this point, who had been very loyal to his favourites- but that loyalty, placed as it was in the wrong people had ultimately led him to disaster. On January 21st after being told of the refusal of his son to take the crown a black clad and extremely distressed Edward II agreed to abdicate and let the prince take his place. No doubt alarmed that Mortimer himself would attempt to make himself king, Edward II realised that he must agree to abdicate so his son would agree to take the crown.
Edward II’s reign came to a close on January 24th 1327 and Edward III was proclaimed King on January 25th, the very next day. Few could have been in any doubt that it was Roger Mortimer who was truly in power.
Isabella and Mortimer at their invasion of 1326
Further reading;
Lanercost Chronicle
Murimuth
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker
Flores Historiarum
Vita Edwardi Secundi
Scalacronica (Thomas Grey of Heton)
The reign of Edward III, W.M Ormrod (2nd edition, 2000)A majority of Americans say they are now more confident in President-elect Donald Trump after last Tuesday’s election, with respondents largely divided based on whether they supported Mr. Trump or Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Fifty-one percent said they are “more confident” in Mr. Trump, compared to 40 percent who said less confident and 9 percent who said there was no difference or they didn’t have an opinion, according to the Gallup survey released Wednesday.
The 51 percent expressing more confidence in Mr. Trump post-election is in line with the 54 percent who said the same of President George W. Bush after the 2000 election and the 53 percent who said so about former President Clinton after the 1992 election.
However, 40 percent also said they were less confident in Mr. Trump, which was higher than the 28 percent for Mr. Bush and 26 percent for Mr. Clinton.
Ninety-five percent of Trump voters said they’re more confident in him now, compared to just 19 percent of those who supported Mrs. Clinton. Three-quarters of Hillary Clinton voters said they’re now less confident in Mr. Trump.
Sixty percent of men said they’re now more confident in Mr. Trump, compared to 42 percent of women. And 61 percent of whites said they’re more confident in Mr. Trump, compared to 27 percent of nonwhites.
Mr. Trump is linked to Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush in that he is in line to fall short of securing a majority of the popular vote during his first successful presidential election campaign, though Mr. Bush did so during his 2004 re-election campaign.
With Mr. Trump also in line to lose the popular vote to Mrs. Clinton, as Mr. Bush did in 2000 to Democratic nominee Al Gore, some Democrats say it’s now time to abolish the Electoral College.
Mr. Trump said if the election had indeed been based on the popular vote, he would have had a different campaign strategy and would have won more easily.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Quick Facts Dates June 30th Hashtag #MeteorWatchDay
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Learn about Meteor Watch Day
Today is Meteor Watch Day! A meteor or “shooting star” is the visible streak of light from a heated and glowing meteoroid falling through the Earth’s atmosphere; it is also call a “shooting star”.
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Legend has it that if you wished upon a shooting star the wish would come true. It is believed to have originated in Greece, when a Greek astronomer Ptolemy, around AD 127-151, wrote that the Gods occasionally, out of curiosity, peer down at the Earth from between the spheres. When this happened stars sometimes slip through the gap, becoming visible as shooting stars. It was though that because the Gods were already looking at us, they would be more receptive to any wishes we made!
Did you know that these shooting stars are actually very small? The size of the meteoroid can vary the size of a closed fist to the size of a pebble. Thousands of meteoroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere on a daily basis, but very few of them actually reach the surface; but when they do, they are called “meteorites.”
To celebrate Meteor Watch Day, hope for clear skies and spend some time star-gazing. Or why not find out when the next meteor shower is going to take place. Remember if you see a shooting start make a wish, the Gods may answer it.I’ve known Steve for a long time now. We haven’t always spoken and there have been some rough periods, but I think all of that is a misunderstanding more than anything. I was wrong about Steve a lot because I didn’t really understand who he was as a person. When we were in grade school together I thought Steve was just an arrogant prick hell-bent on showing off. That’s not the case. Steve is a confident guy that is hell-bent on being the best. Steve has his layers, and it’s been great finding those layers and understanding who Steve is better.
This is Steve.
We love transformations as a culture. Our most recent obsession with weight loss and transforming ourselves underlies what I think is a universal insecurity about what we’ve become and how we can become better people.
Steve has shown me a mirror that is being held up across the nation.
Steven Villarreal is a Chicago based boxer that is trying to make it in multiple worlds. He had a job he wasn’t happy with so he got another one. He had a life he wasn’t happy with so he’s trying to change it. He’s got a dream that he wants to chase down so he’s going to chase it.
He wants to be a Golden Gloves champ. Steve is chasing Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.
He’s willing to go through a lot to get there too.
Boxing isn’t a sport you play. Boxing is a sport you dedicate your life and body to. Boxing is about personal sacrifice and the determination to break through your own personal barriers to chase a dream.
That’s what Steve is doing, he’s becoming a boxer.
I remember what it looked like when Steve started, and he looks like a completely different person now. He was slower before, he had more bad bulk on him. Now he looks like a lean athlete, his training has intensified to a level that I couldn’t imagine before. He’s willingly getting his ass kicked to better himself.
And really, that’s what it’s all about.
Steve recently had a surgical procedure to help someone out that needed it. He doesn’t want to talk too much about it, but it’s delayed his clock by a year.
I know Steve now. This won’t keep him from it.
Steve’s going to compete, and he’s got me believing that he’ll win.EUGENE -- By almost any objective perspective Oregon Ducks cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is a star at the collegiate level.
In June he was named a preseason All-American by Sporting News and Phil Steele.
And from the point of view of one NFL.com analyst, Ekpre-Olomu "will be a dynamite player at the next level" who is compares favorably to NFL corner Darrelle Revis.
Bucky Brooks, who also played in the NFL for five seasons, wrote in his recent video breakdown of Ekpre-Olomu that he knew he would be extending the already high expectations surrounding the Ducks corner, yet felt comfortable he'd live up to the praise
"It's uncommon to evaluate a player who lives up to the substantial hype that surrounds his name," Brooks wrote, "but Ekpre-Olomu is as good as advertised as a shutdown corner."
"He is one of the most polished cover corners that I've evaluated since I started evaluating prospects 14 years ago. Ekpre-Olomu is a better technician than Patrick Peterson and Joe Haden were as collegians; he displays a cerebral playing style that reminds me of Darrelle Revis on the perimeter."
Brooks reviewed Ekpre-Olomu's athleticism, cover skills, ball skills and tackling. You can read the full piece here, but here's one last compliment from Brooks:
After watching Ekpre-Olomu the past two seasons, I'm convinced he's the best perimeter tackler in college football. He routinely delivers big hits on runners in the open field, yet he rarely misses an open-field tackle despite his aggression. Ekpre-Olomu does a terrific job of attacking runners at the knees, resulting in minimal yardage after he makes contact in the open field. Given the importance of having secure tacklers on the perimeter to field an elite defense, Ekpre-Olomu's tackling prowess will make him a hot commodity in defensive meeting rooms around the league.
Here are today's links:
Big day of recruiting for Oregon, which first got a commitment from a four-star quarterback, and then added a three-star safety from Texas.
Former Duck Kiko Alonso reportedly tore his ACL and could miss the NFL season.
ESPN's Pac-12 Blog asks, what is the conference's best position group?
Austin Meek chronicles former UO pitcher Darrell Hunter's return to PK Park.
All the links over at Addicted to Quack.
-- Andrew Greif | @andrewgreifGet information on education programs that could help you increase your earning power.
Enlarge By Steve Marcus for USA TODAY Larry and Anne Marie Watson's home on Rolling Hills Drive was sold in a complicated deal requiring the Watsons to pay $43,000 to a company called Pro Design. They never met the buyer. MANY CASES MANY CASES Top 10 states for reported fraud in single-family home loans in 2007, and their rank in 2006: 2007 2006 Florida 1 1 Nevada 2 6 Michigan 3 3 California 4 2 Utah 5 11 Georgia 6 4 Virginia 7 14 Illinois 8 8 New York 9 9 Minnesota 10 5 Source: Mortgage Asset Research Institute LAS VEGAS In the shadow of Sunrise Mountain, where Rolling Hills Drive turns into Gold Mine Drive, a plain two-story home sits unoccupied, like thousands of other houses here in southern Nevada. Some of these empty homes have "for sale" signs. Others bear signs saying "foreclosure." Authorities say hundreds of them, including this one on Rolling Hills Drive, should have a different sign out front, one that reads "fraud." Prosecutors contend this house was sold last year to a straw buyer as part of a sprawling mortgage fraud perpetrated by a husband-and-wife team involving 277 properties in greater Las Vegas. Prosecutors have charged Eve Mazzarella, 30, and Steven Grimm, 45, with bank fraud, alleging the two caused banks to make more than $107 million in dubious loans and netted a profit of at least $15 million. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been scheduled for October. To the untrained eye, the size, scope and sophistication of the alleged scheme is noteworthy. But to the FBI in Las Vegas, the problem is the opposite: In recent years, there have been so many mortgage fraud cases, the bureau and local prosecutors have had to establish a special task force to combat the problem. Scott Hunter, the FBI's supervisory special agent here, describes the region as "mortgage fraud ground zero." The problem is so widespread that everyone seems to know someone affected by it. Even one of the FBI's Las Vegas agents has a connection: Special Agent Henry Schlumpf's wife was the real estate broker who sold the Rolling Hills Drive house last year to a straw buyer representing Mazzarella and Grimm. The problem is hardly confined to Nevada. On a national level, mortgage fraud is a pandemic that stretches from California to Rhode Island, and from Alaska to Florida. The FBI currently has 1,380 active investigations into mortgage fraud, compared with 818 for fiscal 2006. According to the website MortgageDaily.com, reported cases of fraudulent mortgage loans amounted to more than $4 billion in 2007, up from $1.6 billion in 2006. But the $4 billion number doesn't come close to describing the losses generated by mortgage fraud. Neighboring homeowners take a financial hit. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Las Vegas, where housing prices appreciated by a staggering 40% in 2004 alone. The surge in values drew investors, speculators and first-time buyers into the market like gamblers to a craps table. "We've got people who walked into neighborhoods who paid $200,000 to $400,000 more than they ever should have paid," says the FBI's Hunter. "That story is going on all over Las Vegas. Everybody thought the market was hot, but a lot of that was being manipulated." Many of those who overpaid are stuck with mortgages larger than what their homes are worth. Those who took out home-equity lines of credit based on inflated valuations of their homes are now caught in a financial squeeze. Las Vegas had one of the nation's highest foreclosure rates last year, with 4.2% of its homes being repossessed by banks, up 169% from 2006. "There's a close correlation between states with foreclosure problems and states with mortgage fraud problems," says Sam Garcia of MortgageDaily.com. "There's a good portion of foreclosures that probably resulted from some form of mortgage fraud." Profit or possession Mortgage fraud comes in two flavors: "fraud for housing" and "fraud for profit." Fraud for housing occurs when would-be home buyers overstate their income or misrepresent their credit history to secure a mortgage to buy a more expensive house than they can reasonably afford. In most cases, people who commit fraud for housing intend to live in their homes and pay their mortgages. Fraud for profit is considered the more serious crime, since the goal is to rip off banks. In one common version of these schemes, a fraudster buys a home, gets an inflated appraisal, then resells the home at the artificially high price to a straw buyer who has no intention of living in the house or paying off the mortgage. Mortgage fraud perpetrators can't act on their own; they need accomplices to trick a bank into underwriting a loan that's larger than a property is worth. To pull this off, mortgage fraudsters often work in league with corrupt appraisers, who inflate the value of target properties, says Jenny Brawley, head of mortgage fraud investigations at Freddie Mac. The fraudster also needs someone to play the role of the buyer. In a true sale, a buyer would never willingly overpay for a home, but mortgage fraud schemes don't work unless a straw buyer shows up and puts in a sky-high offer for a property. Straw buyers fall into two categories: willing accomplices who hope to share in the profits; or dupes who are told they can make a quick $5,000 or $10,000 by joining a "real estate investment partnership." Once a mortgage fraud perpetrator has his team in place, he needs to figure out how to cover his tracks. Fraudsters know they can't close a bogus real estate transaction one day, then disappear the next without raising suspicion. To keep the banks at bay, sophisticated con artists pay the mortgage bills for six months or even a year after a sale, creating the illusion of a legitimate real estate transaction. Until 2006, when the real estate market began to cool in earnest, a fraudster could often resell a property, essentially covering his tracks. "A lot of these schemes were masked because of an appreciating market," says Freddie Mac's Brawley. "The orchestrator of a fraud could flip 50 or 100 houses and do pretty well." Case studies In the past few years, regulators have filed hundreds of cases against mortgage brokers, appraisers and straw buyers. Although the details of each case are unique, they often share similar characteristics: • Eye-popping price appreciation. How hot were real estate values in Texas in the winter of 2003? So hot that Carlos Paul Gonzalez arranged to buy a home in The Woodlands, a Houston suburb, for $376,850 on Jan. 29, then sell it for $515,795 on Feb. 12. That sounded too good to be true to federal prosecutors there, who filed an indictment charging Gonzalez and a partner, Ken Russell Browder, with recruiting straw buyers to overbid for a series of properties, including the home in The Woodlands. The two men have pleaded not guilty in the matter, but in April, a title agent named in the indictment, Jannice Bonner, pleaded guilty to participating in the mortgage fraud scheme. • Straw buyers. Last December, federal prosecutors in Utah charged five men and one woman with defrauding two lenders out of $13 million in mortgage loans. Prosecutors allege the defendants inflated the values of homes, buying and selling them through straw buyers and a pair of shell companies, Home Owners Group (H.O.G.) and Paragon Investment Group (P.I.G.). •Professional involvement. In recent years, the FBI has estimated that 80% of mortgage fraud cases involve real estate professionals who couldn't resist the temptations of easy money. Other cases involve people with criminal backgrounds migrating toward the mortgage business. The epidemic of mortgage fraud is a reminder that wherever easy money is made, criminal activity soon follows. "Mortgage fraud has always been here," says Hunter, "but the level of complexity has gone up. It's not just white-collar criminals. There are elements inside the real estate industry. You don't just show up one day and do this. You learn to perfect the craft of mortgage fraud." A 40% rise in one year In terms of mortgage fraud, Las Vegas was bound to become a hotbed. When property values there soared 40% in 2004, speculators saw they could get rich quick without having to visit the city's casinos. For Larry Watson and his wife, Anne Marie, their home at the corner of Rolling Hills Drive and Gold Mine Drive had soared in value since they bought it in 1999 for $139,000. For years, they rented out the property, but they say continuing problems with tenants had resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. In February of 2007, the Watsons say, they just wanted out, and listed the home for sale at $310,000 with a local real estate agent, Erin Schlumpf. But by then, the real estate market in Las Vegas had cooled, and for two months, the Watsons got no offers. In May, Schlumpf stunned them, saying a young man named Jonathan Carter was willing to buy their property for $340,000. But there was a catch: After the closing, the Watsons would have to make a $43,000 payment to a company called Pro Design, effectively reducing the sale price to $297,000. In June, the Watsons say they got worse news: An appraiser determined that the value of their home was only $290,000, and therefore, the bank wouldn't approve the $340,000 mortgage application. Schlumpf then said Carter would be willing to buy the house for $295,000, but the catch remained: The Watsons would still have to pay $43,000 to Pro Design. "I didn't understand where the $43,000 was going," says Larry Watson, who works in the information-technology department of Clark County, Nev. "I was advised that Pro Design is a corporation that holds money to be used in the repair of a property. I really got suspicious." Nevertheless, exhausted by the process and concerned about the weakening market, the Watsons accepted the deal. At closing, a payment of $43,000 was made to Pro Design, a company controlled by Steven Grimm, according to Nevada state records, as well as the federal indictment. According to the documents signed at closing, Grimm's wife, Eve Mazzarella, received a commission as broker and agent for the buyer, and Schlumpf and her boss split a commission for representing the Watsons. The Watsons never met Carter, the buyer, since he didn't show up at the closing. But Schlumpf urged them to sell quickly in June because Carter was in a hurry to move into the house, Watson says. Carter says now he never intended to live in the house. Instead, he told USA TODAY, he was led to believe he'd make money on a real estate investment brokered by Grimm, just as several of his friends had. All he had to do was allow the home to be purchased in his name, and Grimm would handle the mortgage payments. Shortly after the sale of 1729 Rolling Hills Drive last year, Carter began receiving notices from Amtrust Bank saying that he was behind on his monthly payments. Carter says he called Grimm to complain. "He was like, 'Oh, it's getting taken care of,' " says Carter. But Grimm made only one mortgage payment after his call, Carter says, and the bank has been dunning him since. Carter's attorney, Kirk Kennedy, says the bank has begun foreclosure proceedings. Schlumpf, wife of an FBI agent, says she can't comment on the matter, as it's under investigation. The FBI wouldn't comment, either. And there is no evidence to suggest that anyone connected to the deal other than Grimm and Mazzarella is under investigation. Of the 277 properties that Mazzarella and Grimm are accused of using to defraud banks, this is the box score from 1729 Rolling Hills Drive: The Watsons lost $43,000 from the profit they might have earned on their property; Carter's credit rating is ruined; and Mazzarella and Grimm could end up in jail. The property was no gold mine after all. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read moreCHELSEA, QUE.—The agency in charge of enforcing the primacy of the French language in Quebec apparently has a new target — social media. Eva Cooper, the owner of a small retail boutique in Chelsea, Que., has been notified by the language agency that if she doesn’t translate the shop’s Facebook page into French, she will face an injunction that will carry consequences such as a fine.
Eva Cooper, the owner of a retail boutique in Chelsea, Que., has until March 10 to respond to a notice from the Quebec language watchdog before she is hit with an injunction that could lead to a fine. ( Joel Balsam for the Toronto Star )
“Ultimately, to me, Facebook has nothing to do with Quebec,” said Cooper, who uses the social media site to inform customers of new products in her boutique north of Ottawa. The shop — Delilah in the Parc —has an all-bilingual staff of fewer than 10 people. “I’m happy to mix it up, but I’m not going to do every post half in French, half in English. I think that that defeats the whole purpose of Facebook,” said Cooper, who has requested the agency send her their demands in English. Cooper’s case represents a new frontier for the language agency, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). The agency says probes of social media complaints, which started only recently, are “not frequent.”
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This all comes amid election talk in the province. Diane De Courcy, Quebec minister of immigration and cultural communities, said earlier this week that if her party wins the next election, they will toughen language laws for small businesses. In particular, the Parti Québécois will crack down on bilingualism, such as the “Bonjour-Hi” greeting used in many areas, including Chelsea and Montreal. Traditionally, the language agency has targeted non-francophone businesses that have signs or promotional material in a language other than French, but there have been some instances of small businesses’ websites being targeted as well. In 2011, a smokehouse in Chelsea was threatened with a $1,000 fine if they didn’t translate their website into French, and earlier this month, a Montreal-based website called “Provocateur Communications” was told they must comply with the French language charter by translating their page. Still, the question of how the agency is able to dictate what goes on social media in particular is “really murky,” said Cooper. “Would I be able to do my text in English on (Pinterest or) Twitter?”
The notice to Cooper comes almost a year to the day when the “pastagate” scandal made international headlines after a Montreal restaurant was investigated for having the word “pasta” on the menu instead of the French word “pâtes.” The fallout led to the resignation of the language agency’s president and the launch of a “triage system” for complaints to prioritize cases that had the most impact.
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“This is not consistent with what the OQLF said after they evaluated their approach last spring around complaints,” said Sylvia Martin-Laforge, director general of the Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents 41 English organizations. “She’s in Chelsea, (her Facebook page) has only 602 likes. There is no gravity to this. This is ridiculous,” said Martin-Laforge. Jean-Pierre Le Blanc, spokesperson for the language agency, wouldn’t comment on Cooper’s notice but explained how Quebec’s language law applies to Facebook. Cooper has until March 10 to respond to the notice before she is hit with the injunction that could lead to a fine..
Read more about:He began his career as a high school teacher in Fortaleza, Ceará. Lima graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the Universidade do Brasil (today UFRJ) in 1953. He obtained his Doctorate in 1958 from the University of Chicago with Edwin Henry Spanier as advisor.[7] He is a former Guggenheim Fellow, and holds memberships in the Academia Brasileira de Ciências (Brazilian Academy of Sciences) and the TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. He is a professor Honoris Causa of the Universidade Federal do Ceará and of the University of Brasília. He was a member of the Upper Board of FAPERJ from 1987 to 1991. He was also a member of the National Board of Education.
He has written over thirty books in mathematics, some of which were intended for secondary school teachers. Between 1990 and 1995, he coordinated the IMPA-VITAE project, which held skills improvement courses for mathematics teachers in eleven cities from eight states throughout Brazil.
He received the grã-cruz ("Great Cross") of the Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científico ("National Order of Scientific Merit") of Brazil.[8]The Oscar-winning actress talks to the legendary interviewer about everything from pay equity ("I had it up to my f—ing eyeballs") to her dealings with Harvey ("He had only been nice to me — except for when he wasn't") to where she sees herself in 20 years: "I won't have periods anymore, that's a bonus."
Oprah Winfrey barely knew Jennifer Lawrence when the actress called and said she'd like to meet and then on Oct. 5 drove to see Winfrey at her Montecito, California, home. "I was excited to have lunch, and we were just like 'girls in the garden,'" says Winfrey. "We probably talked for three and a half hours about life and fame and growing up and money and management and taking care of yourself and spirituality and philosophy. We drank rosé, and we laughed, and we talked about everything."
Almost everything. One thing they didn't discuss was Harvey Weinstein, whose history of harassment and assault exploded into view that day, when The New York Times first detailed it. But Weinstein became a focal point of the two women's conversation a few weeks later, when THR asked Winfrey, 63, to interview Lawrence for this Women in Entertainment issue. That was shortly before the 27-year-old actress was to receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at THR's annual Power 100 breakfast, an award Winfrey received in 2013.
Since their first meeting, the new friends have been texting back and forth. "I sent her a copy of Wisdom of Sundays and, before that, Power of Now and A New Earth," notes Winfrey. "What resonates with me is that, when you are talking to her, what you're seeing is the real thing. You're not seeing any pretense. She's asking all the right questions: 'How can I be used? How can I use this moment for something bigger than myself?'"
Lawrence grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and was propelled to fame with 2010's Winter's Bone. The Hunger Games made her a global superstar, along with roles in Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and the X-Men series. But it's not so much her stardom and four Oscar nominations (with a win for Silver Linings) that make her the perfect recipient of the Lansing award; it's also her nonprofit endeavors. She's been tireless in supporting Kentucky charities and those that help children in particular.
That's one reason why Winfrey was so impressed by "how much light [Lawrence] carries. Capital L, capital Light. You can feel there's a strong intelligence and a desire to use this moment for something greater than fame and fortune."
OPRAH WINFREY I read this wonderful book by Elizabeth Strout [Anything Is Possible]. And in it, she was speaking about one of the characters who was so embittered and regretful, and the line she used was, "because her life did not turn out the way she had expected." Is your life what you expected?
JENNIFER LAWRENCE When I started acting, I was totally satisfied when I was on a sitcom because I had a steady paycheck. And I was like, "Maybe I can just find a way to be on sitcoms forever." I was totally satisfied and good. I never dreamed that I could have this kind of career.
When you dreamed the dream, what did the dream look like? I used to drive home from church with my father past rich white people's houses — we'd be the last to leave our little church yard, and he'd be in this big, old, green Oldsmobile that I was embarrassed to be in — and I'd pick houses that I dreamed about living in, and that was a big dream for me: I'd have a house, I'd be able to pay my bills, I'd have two cars in the driveway.
I used to do that, too. I remember driving by big, beautiful houses, but I always dreamed of being there with my parents. I never imagined I'd be able to own something like that on my own. I thought for a while maybe I could be an interior designer — that was the only job I knew about because my mom was friends with an interior designer. I was mostly just focused on a family when I was little. I would have never thought I'd be so career-focused. It's not something I knew about myself until I started becoming successful, and then I wanted to become more successful. I'd make a great movie, and then I'd want to make more great movies; I'd make money, I'd want to make more money. It was a mind-set I wasn't ever aware I had until my early 20s.
And then, by the time you're 27, you've got [an Oscar]. By the time you've gotten four [nominations], does it come with —
Fear. You're immediately hit with fear. Or at least I was. I had been climbing and working and fighting, and I remember last year just getting hit with fear. All of a sudden it was, "They're going to get sick of me." That's when all my insecurity came. I've been probably more insecure after last year, and I don't know if that's just a feeling of: I've got more to lose, I have more people to disappoint. I don't know how to explain it.
When [mother! was] not [well received], [was that] disappointing?
I read Twitter, and I was looking for bad mother! things. It was horrible. It was really bad. I loved this so much, and it just broke my |
have previous head coaching work, but was short on experience at the NFL level. He ended up lasting one season with the Fins.
I don’t want to blast Philbin, he may well be the best hire for the team, but the coach can only make so much of a difference. When Jim Harbaugh took over San Francisco last season he inherited a deep roster that was improperly utilized by their former head coach along with a solid draft of youth in the mix.
When training camp opens for coach Philbin he will realize he has inherited a roster full of holes with talent in certain areas but lacking any true stars at the key positions. He also may realize that the former head coach got everything he could have out of this group of players. If he can get the Dolphins to a 6-10 record in 2012, it would be something he can be proud of.Jerusalem- The Wailing Wall
June 7, 1967
(Azure)
Several hours later, Yitzhak Yifat, a twenty-four-year-old reservist about to begin medical school, reached the Wall. As part of the brigade’s 66th Battalion, he and his friends had fought in the Six Day War’s toughest battle: Intimate combat against elite Jordanian Legionnaires in the trenches of Ammunition Hill, on the road to Mount Scopus.
Sometime around 10:15 on the morning of June 7, 1967… The first reservist paratroopers of Brigade 55 broke through the Lion’s Gate leading into the Old City of Jerusalem and reached the narrow enclave of the Western Wall. Having just fought a fierce two-day battle in the streets of east Jerusalem, they grieved for lost friends, and grieved as well for their own lost innocence in what for many was their first experience of combat. They leaned against the Wall, some in exhaustion, some in prayer. Several wept, instinctively connecting to the Wall’s tradition of mourning the destruction of the Temple and the loss of Jewish sovereignty—precisely at the moment when Jewish sovereignty over Jerusalem had been restored.
“The Photograph: A Search For June 1967”
Yossi Klein Halevi
Azure
Summer 2007
The Palestinian Authority or Fatah-Hamas Alliance will submit a proposal to the United Nations this week claiming the Western Wall as its own.
Israel National News reported:
In an attempt to gain international legitimacy for its rewriting of history, the Palestinian Authority (PA) will submit a resolution to UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) next week claiming the Kotel (Western Wall) as its own.
The proposal calls to have the Kotel in Jerusalem – which is an outer wall of the Temple Mount that is the holiest site in Judaism – recognized as part of Al-Aqsa Mosque located on the Mount, reports Yedioth Aharonoth on Friday.
The PA is not a member of the UNESCO Executive Council, and therefore the proposal will be submitted for a vote next week on its behalf by the six Arab member states of Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Senior Israeli sources revealed that the PA is working in parallel to have the proposal submitted at the UNESCO plenum, where the PA is recognized as a state.
In response, Israel is working behind the scenes to rally opposition to the proposal, although there is an automatic Muslim majority making its adoption all but certain.
A copy of the proposal reveals its main points, which begin with the call “to declare and confirm that the Western Wall is part of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and is called Buraq Plaza. The same applies to the Mughrabi Gate.”
Buraq Plaza refers to the “Al-Buraq” Wall, a name given by Muslims to the Kotel in the 1920s in an attempt to claim it. The name refers to Mohammed’s “winged steed” he supposedly rode to Jerusalem in his “night journey.”The "350m-kyū Ōgata Kyojin kara Skytree wo Dakkan Seyo! 'Shingeki no Kyotō' attack on Skytree" (Rescue Skytree From the 350-Meter Colossal Titan: Attack on Giant Tower Attack on Skytree) event will screen a new "original story animation" inside Tokyo Skytree from April 10 to July 14. The event anime will be screened on a "super panorama screen" on the Skytree's Tembo Deck, which is on the 350th floor of the tower at 350 meters (about 1,148 feet) above the ground.
In the anime, Attack on Titan characters will face off against the 350-meter tall Colossal Titan. The event will feature the "Shingeki no Kyotō World" (Attack on Giant Tower World) exhibit related to the anime in the Tembo Galleria on Skytree's 450th floor, which is 450 meters (1,476 feet) above the ground.
A photo spot featuring the 350-meter Titan will be available at the welcome area. The wall in a nearby corridor will feature character images that play original voice recordings as visitors walk past them. There will also be a display of reproduction key animation drawings from the second season of the Attack on Titan television anime. The Skytree Café will offer Attack on Titan menu items served on an original placemat, and those who order from the café will receive one of seven coasters. In addition, the event will include exclusive merchandise and a stamp rally.
Source: Comic NatalieThe town of Big Whisky is full of normal people trying to lead quiet lives. Cowboys try to make a living. Sheriff 'Little Bill' tries to build a house and keep a heavy-handed order. The town whores just try to get by.Then a couple of cowboys cut up a whore. Dissatisfied with Bill's justice, the prostitutes put a bounty on the cowboys. The bounty attracts a young gun billing himself as 'The Schofield Kid', and aging killer William Munny. Munny reformed for his young wife, and has been raising crops and two children in peace. But his wife is gone. Farm life is hard. And Munny is no good at it. So he calls his old partner Ned, saddles his ornery nag, and rides off to kill one more time, blurring the lines between heroism and villainy, man and myth. Written by Charlie NessJapan TPB
Yuka Katsuragi, a beautiful TV news reporter, has attracted the affections of a Yakuza thug, Katsuji Yashima, who travels with his brother all the way to Spain to find her, only to have his affections rebuffed by Yuka. A terrible earthquake hits, and Katsuji, his brother, and Yuka, along with four high-schoolers in Spain on a field trip, all fall deep underground. While trapped below the surface, they encounter a mysterious old woman who reveals to them prophecies that the wealthy nation of Japan will meet the same demise as the once-prosperous city of Carthage. Katsuji and the others insult the old woman, who then sends them to see the world of the future with their own eyes, a future of desolation and death...
Japan is a dystopian action epic by two of manga's premier creators, Buronson (Fist of the North Star) and Kentaro Miura (Berserk).
Japan comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ cover advisory.Looking For Clues: Who Is Going To Run For President In 2016?
Figuring out who is going to run for president is a little like figuring out whom to date. Some potential candidates are honest about their intentions, and others are more coy. Is the person sitting across from you interested in a long-term relationship or just a fling? Is Rick Santorum serious, or does he just want a lucrative Fox News contract?
To try and find some answers, we’re starting a recurring “Will They Run?” feature. We’ll look at three variables:
What the person has said about running. If candidates say they are definitely running, they get a 5. If they say they are exploring or seriously considering a run, they get a 4. If they are unsure, they get a 3. If they haven’t ruled it out but are leaning toward no, they get a 2. If they say they aren’t running, they get a 1. How many events — rallies, fundraisers, political meetings, etc. — they have held in Iowa and New Hampshire (the “early states”). How many national primary polls they have been included in.
The logic here is straightforward. We look at statements because some candidates are relatively honest about their intentions. We look at early-state events because actions speak louder than words: Almost all of the candidates on the ground in Iowa and New Hampshire in early 2007 and early 2011 ended up running in 2008 and 2012, respectively. And we look at the polls under the assumption that pollsters are close political observers with some idea of who is likely to run.
We’ll score every potential candidate who has been included in at least one national poll since the 2014 midterm elections.
Here’s what we get on the Democratic side:
Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders and Jim Webb score highly on at least two of these measures. They have said they are “exploring” a run or are “actively looking at” a run. They have visited Iowa or New Hampshire since the midterm elections (or have a visit planned before the end of January). Perhaps most importantly, all three don’t seem to be basing their decision on what Hillary Clinton does.
Someone who I think will only run if Clinton doesn’t is Vice President Joe Biden. He hasn’t visited any of the early states and hasn’t said whether he is running. But he has been included in every national poll.
Speaking of Clinton, everyone assumes she’s in, but she hasn’t made a peep one way or the other and hasn’t visited the early states recently. Pollsters have been hedging their bets as well, testing the 2016 Democratic field with and without her. I personally think Clinton is likely to run, though some caution is probably warranted.
On the other hand, Elizabeth Warren has been included in every poll, but she said Tuesday that she is not going to run. Warren had previously said that she “isn’t running,” and there’s a subtle difference between “isn’t” and “not going” to run. Expect Warren to be included in fewer polls.
On the Republican side, the picture is a lot more muddled:
Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, Rick Perry and Santorum have been included in the vast majority of polls, have said they are exploring a run, or have made visits to the early states. They seem more likely to run than not. That’s especially true of Paul, Perry and Santorum, who are already hitting the campaign trail hard.
I’m not sure about those just below this top group. Chris Christie and Scott Walker seem the most likely to run; they’re reportedly assembling campaign teams. Ben Carson, Ted Cruz and Bobby Jindal have been making visits to the early states, so we should take them seriously. Marco Rubio has said Bush’s run won’t impact his own, though I’m skeptical.
Pollsters seem to be a lagging indicator in the cases of Carly Fiorina and Mitt Romney. Both potential candidates have recently made campaign-related moves — even though the pollsters haven’t listed them in many surveys. Fiorina is visiting the early states and has said she’s considering a run. Romney has been quoted in The Washington Post as saying he will “almost certainly” run and is quickly putting together a campaign apparatus. (We list Romney as a “maybe” on our scorecard because he hasn’t made a public statement.)
Paul Ryan has said he is not going to run, and I’m doubtful John Kasich will (Kasich has basically said as much). Their inaction in the early states points in that same direction.
We plan to update these numbers regularly and see how much of this changes. Just in the course of writing this article, Ryan and Warren declared they weren’t running, and Romney’s efforts became more serious. The race to the White House is only now beginning.
Dhrumil Mehta contributed to this article.Update (10/19/17): The time has come and you can pick up your Nvidia Shield TV bundle for just $179. Even though you won’t be getting the gamepad with this bundle, you still will be able to play some games with just the remote. In fact, there are a number of games you’ll still be able to play, they include the following:
Nvidia has also announced that on Thursday, October 19, Jackbox Party Pack 4 will hit the Play Store. It’ll run $24.99 and come with five and a half “crowd-slaying” games.
Original article (9/21/17): The 16 GB Nvidia Shield TV now starts at just $179. The new Shield TV bundle, which simply arrives with the streaming box and a remote, joins the $199 game controller bundle and the larger 500 GB Shield Pro option for $299.
Nvidia announced the new bundle earlier today, stating that pre-orders for the unit would begin shipping on October 18. The acclaimed streaming box provides access to TV shows, films and music purchased on Google Play, as well as providing up to 4K HDR streaming from services like Netflix, Amazon Video and Hulu. Spotify and Pandora support is also included.
It’s one of the most comprehensive media streaming machines available and has been through several upgrades this year alone, delivering features like 4K, 60 FPS YouTube video casting support, and the ability to record DVR shows to NAS; it even includes voice search support. Check out the (possibly unnecessarily large) comparison graph below to see how it stacks up against the competition.
Of course, to make use of the games you’ll need to pick up Nvidia’s gamepad separately, which costs $59.99 (or you could just shell out for the $199 bundle mentioned above). Still, it’s nice to see another purchase option for this — especially given how great a piece of kit it is. Read all our thoughts on it in our Nvidia Shield TV review at the link.
Head over to Nvidia.com if you want to take a look at the new bundle.N’Golo Kante believes Spurs were Chelsea’s toughest opponent last season (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea star N’Golo Kante has admitted that Tottenham were the toughest team he faced in the Premier League last season.
Kante, 26, was among Chelsea’s standout players over the course of the 2016/17 campaign and was named PFA Player of the Year as the Blues lifted the Premier League trophy.
How Kepa mocked Caballero when they squared up in furious dressing room row
Antonio Conte’s men got the better of Tottenham in November, with a 2-1 victory over their London rivals, but were beaten 2-0 by an impressive Spurs side in the January return fixture.
On his toughest opponent last term, Kante told the official Chelsea website: ‘I would say Tottenham.
‘We had two very tight games against them in the Premier League.
‘They’re a very good team and in midfield Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele are so strong.’
Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama were singled out by N’Golo Kante (Picture: Getty)
Kante revealed that his favourite moment came at the Hawthorns in mid-May when Chelsea successfully secured the title.
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He said: ‘The game against West Brom when we won the title was fantastic.
‘We were all very happy afterwards and we had some big celebrations in the changing room.
‘That was our reward for all the hard work during the season.’
MORE: Done deal: French wonderkid poses with Chelsea shirt after moveVideo (02:48) : After the Wild's latest loss, Yeo was relieved of his duties. John Torchetti will take over on an interim basis.
Mike Yeo is out as coach of the Wild, fired with his team unable to break out of a spiral down the Western Conference standings.
A week after GM Chuck Fletcher said Yeo’s job was safe, the 42-year-old was fired following the Wild’s 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday. Not long after Yeo said defiantly he was not “quitting on this group” and was “operating under the assumption” he would still be working Sunday, Fletcher informed Yeo he would not be.
The Wild was swept in a three-game homestand for the second time in four weeks. It has lost eight in a row overall (0-6-2), eight in a row at home (0-5-3) and 13 times in the past 14 games (1-11-2).
“I’m a realist. You can’t lose every game and expect to think that there’s not going to be changes,” Yeo said afterward, sounding as if he knew the game might be his last.
Yeo was 173-132-44 in parts of five seasons with the Wild and guided the franchise to three consecutive postseasons, including the Western Conference semifinals twice. He was the league’s fifth-most tenured coach. Via text, Yeo said he was having a tough time coming to grips with the news and would talk later this week.
In a news release, Fletcher said, “I would like to thank Mike for the hard work and dedication he provided behind the bench for the Minnesota Wild organization and wish him the best in the future.”
Gallery: Gallery: Mike Yeo's career with the Wild Gallery: Gallery: Mike Yeo's career with the Wild
Fletcher plans to address the team Sunday morning, then hold a news conference.
Saturday night, the Wild announced that John Torchetti, coach of the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild, will be Minnesota’s interim coach. Torchetti was coaching Iowa against Grand Rapids on Saturday night.
Some members of Yeo’s staff didn’t know if their jobs were safe.
After Sunday’s practice, the Wild leaves for a three-game western Canadian trip. Torchetti will make his debut behind the Wild bench Monday night in Vancouver. The 51-year-old has been an interim head coach with the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings and won a Stanley Cup as associate coach with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
“It’s disappointing and upsetting to hear the news about Mike,” goalie Devan Dubnyk said. “As a group of players, we need to take full responsibility for the situation that we are in. Mike is a great coach that cared about our team and about the entire organization. It’s sad that he needs to take a fall for something that is obviously the result of us as a group not performing.
“He will be missed by many of us in the organization.”
Since Fletcher gave Yeo a public vote of confidence last Saturday and pleaded for the players he assembled to play “the right way,” the Wild has lost four in a row and put forth a shockingly poor performance Saturday.
After Tuesday’s loss to Dallas, sources told the Star Tribune that Yeo’s job was not as secure as Fletcher led to believe. After Saturday’s loss, a source told the Star Tribune “changes were coming.”
Yeo was let down by several of his players, especially veterans to whom he was incredibly loyal, who have been in slumps for weeks. He also was doomed by yet another winter free fall.
In 2011-12, the Wild had the NHL’s best record (20-7-3) on Dec. 10. The Wild then went 11-28-7 from Dec. 13 through March 27 to miss the playoffs. In 2013-14, the Wild went 5-12-1 from Nov. 25 through Dec. 31 but rebounded to go 23-10-7 from Jan. 2 through April 13 to make the playoffs. Last season, the Wild went 7-12-5 from Nov. 22 to Jan. 13 (including a 2-8-4 run). It acquired Dubnyk and went 28-9-3 in the final 40 games to make the playoffs.
The Wild was trucking along well after a New Year’s Eve victory at St. Louis, but since the calendar flipped to 2016, the Wild lost 16 of 19 games (3-12-4).
Yeo’s teams usually have been one with great defensive structure, but in six losses since the All-Star break, the Wild allowed 25 goals. In five years, the Wild ranked 30th, 22nd, 24th, 12th and this season 22nd in goals per game. The power-play rankings were 27th, 16th, 17th, 27th and 23rd.
The Wild’s leading scorer this season is Mikko Koivu with 37 points. That is tied for 66th in the NHL. Zach Parise leads the Wild with 17 goals. That is tied for 46th in the NHL.
On the ice Saturday, the Wild looked jittery and frustrated. Passes were several feet off the mark, shots were several feet wide, board battles were lost, careless penalties were taken and tape-to-tape passes were a rarity.
In the owner’s suite, Craig Leipold fidgeted his usual seat with only Chief Operating Officer Matt Majka and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Pellegrom daring to come near. Leipold left for his vacation home after the game and made clear he finds these results unacceptable.
In the GM’s booth, Fletcher was restless all game. That was evident by his fuming reactions to nearly every mistake, every missed chance, five wasted power plays, a shorthanded goal allowed and the Wild giving up the go-ahead goal 35 seconds after Thomas Vanek’s tying goal. During the first five minutes of the second intermission, Fletcher talked animatedly with assistant GM Brent Flahr, then sat alone in his seat and stared at the ice with his hand on his chin for five minutes.
Gallery: Gallery: Boston 4, Wild 2 Gallery: Gallery: Boston 4, Wild 2
Before the game ended, Fletcher grabbed his phone and stormed out of the booth. Flahr sat motionless.
Fletcher has made no trades during this free fall, so a coaching change was a likely option.
The Wild just didn’t seem to be responding to Yeo anymore. The buy-in seemed gone, but after the previous three games seemed to be steps in the right direction, Saturday was a giant step back.
“I’m disappointed in that game,” Yeo said afterward. “Very, very disappointed with that game.”
The Wild’s eight-game home winless streak is tied for longest in the team’s 15-year history.
“We’ve got a good team,” Vanek said. “I’ve been on teams where squeaking in the playoffs is great. This is not a team that should be hovering where we are. It’s tough. You look around this room, there’s a lot of good players.”Usually, when an American president announces a policy change, it’s part of a thoughtful, deliberate campaign to win hearts and minds, and is carefully timed and worded. Not so for Donald Trump’s announcement of a ban on transgender soldiers in the military. It was first delivered via Twitter in late July, and in late August formally signed into an executive order.
Today (Oct. 30), a federal judge granted a temporary injunction partially blocking the enforcement of the order, citing Trump’s unusual policy tweets as one of the reasons. Judge Colleen Kollar Kotelly of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a lengthy ruling in Jane Doe v. Donald Trump (pdf), finding the plaintiffs were “likely to succeed” on their claims on the merits arguing that the ban is discriminatory. How a judge rules on the “likely-to-succeed” standard for issuing a temporary injunction often (though doesn’t always) predict whether plaintiffs will actually succeed when the case is heard in full.
Officially announced on Aug. 25, Trump’s action would prohibit the military from enlisting transgender individuals and force the discharge of active trans soldiers, reversing a 2016 decision made by the Obama administration to allow trans soldiers to serve openly. The judge agreed with the plaintiffs that they “will be injured by these directives, due both to the inherent inequality they impose, and the risk of discharge and denial of accession that they engender.”
The US Department of Justice had, on behalf of the president, argued that the ban was designed with concern for the workings of the military in mind. In granting the request, Kotelly expressed doubt about the validity of this argument. Quite to the contrary, the judge noted, Trump’s order seemed to undermine a military policy instituted because experts already concluded transgender military service had no adverse effects on the institution or soldiers. The judge writes in her ruling today:
Many transgender service members identified themselves to their commanding officers in reliance on that [Obama administration] pronouncement. Then, the president [Trump] abruptly announced, via Twitter—without any of the formality or deliberative processes that generally accompany the development and announcement of major policy changes that will gravely affect the lives of many Americans—that all transgender individuals would be precluded from participating in the military in any capacity. These circumstances provide additional support for Plaintiffs’ claim that the decision to exclude transgender individuals was not driven by genuine concerns regarding military efficacy.
So far, Trump has not tweeted a reaction to the ruling. Perhaps he got the hint that policy-by-Twitter is not really working; this isn’t the first time that the social-media president has found his own posts cited in cases challenging his most controversial policies. In June and October, federal judges cited Trump’s tweets in rulings for plaintiffs challenging as discriminatory and unconstitutional the president’s thrice-issued ban on travel to the US for people from a handful of predominantly Muslim nations. The travel ban issue is being considered by the US Supreme Court this term.
Steve Vladeck at the University of Texas School of Law told CNN that today’s ruling is significant because it recognizes that “the [US] constitution in some way limits the government’s ability to discriminate against transgendered individuals” and “that the president’s words (and tweets) have consequences, especially when those words are turned into official policy.”
The US justice department argued in its brief opposing the injunction that the plaintiffs’ case should be dismissed altogether but it has yet to announce whether it will appeal the order issued today granting an injunction barring enforcement of the order until the case is resolved. Justice department spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam told BuzzFeed News, “We disagree with the court’s ruling and are currently evaluating the next steps.”MIAMI — As Marco Rubio debated whether to run for the United States Senate in 2010, he made a pledge steeped in loyalty and deference: He would never challenge his political mentor, Jeb Bush, if the former Florida governor wanted the job himself.
This time around, Mr. Rubio is not asking for permission.
Mr. Rubio’s plan to enter the presidential campaign here on Monday, upstaging Mr. Bush in his own backyard, signals a decisive, Shakespearean turn in a 15-year relationship so close, personal and enduring that friends describe the two men as almost family.
It is a bond that has stretched from Miami to Washington, punctuated by late-night telephone consultations, fueled by mutual enemies and fixated on reinvigorating conservatism with big ideas, according to dozens of interviews.
The head-on collision of Mr. Bush’s and Mr. Rubio’s presidential aspirations, once viewed as an outlandish prospect in this state, is now consuming their hometown with talk of unchecked ambition and political backstabbing.A private lending sector, largely unfettered by government intervention, is booming in China.
These companies, called micro-credit lenders, grew to 2,614 in number, compared to 1,334 in 2009 and less than 500 in 2008. They collectively issued 120.2-billion yuan (about $20-billion) in new loans in 2010.
As a percentage of total lending, they’re still small at 0.41 percent in 2010 – however, that’s a big jump from just 0.19 percent in 2009.
If this largely unfettered and for-profit industry were allowed to grow further, its influence and implications for the Chinese economy would become quite significant.
It’s already meeting several crucial needs left unfilled by the large, government-dominated banks.
It’s extending loans to small businesses and individuals who may not have easy access to credit from large banks. The loan approval process is also much faster; banks may take up to three months to grant a loan while micro-credit companies can do it in one day, reported Reuters. So for businesses that need cash on a short notice, micro-credit companies are the preferred choice.
Micro-credit companies may also have better incentive structures than big banks. Chinese government-influenced banks are often accused of making lending decisions based on politics rather than financial considerations -- for the lending officers there, the probability of repayment isn’t always the biggest concern.
In contrast, micro-credit companies lend their own (or investor) capital, so the probability of repayment (or the value of the collateral) is the highest priority. Therefore, it’s likely to have fewer non-performing loans.
Moreover, their lending rates may be a truer representation of financial conditions in China compared to the lending rates at big banks.
Micro-credit companies sometimes charge interest rates that are as much as five times higher than the government’s benchmark lending rate, according to Reuters, suggesting that true interest rates in China are quite high.
In the case of loan defaults, micro-credit companies sometimes go to the courts to resolve disputes. Indirectly, their boom may spur reforms and progress in China’s cumbersome and somewhat weak legal system.
Lastly, if micro-credit companies come to represent a significant portion of total lending, the Chinese government would need a different way to regulate credit in the economy because changing interest rates for big banks won’t really affect micro-credit companies.
Email Hao Li at hao.li@ibtimes.com
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Click here to read recent articles by Hao LiPregnant shark, a favorite among divers at Tiger Beach, shows up with a what looks like a bullet wound in her head; the wound appears to be healing nicely
Tiger Beach at the Bahamas is famous for its frequent tiger shark sightings, which are enjoyed by scuba divers from around the world.
Divers invariably leave with fond memories of their incredibly close encounters, and some of the sharks are so familiar to divers, especially resident guides, that they've been given names.
Emma, a large female, is one such beloved shark. Hook, also a large female, is another.
But apparently these sharks, despite their celebrity status and high eco-tourism value, still have human enemies. That became clear recently when Hook was spotted with what appears to be a bullet wound to the side of the head.
Shark Diver Magazine reported the sad news Tuesday on Facebook, posting an image captured by Martiza Martinez.
Martinez explained on her Facebook page that Hook was named because she had been caught by a fisherman and suffered a broken jaw, which "slightly hangs down on the right side of her mouth."
It seems that Hook, however, is quite the survivor.
After a long absence, she was sighted by members of a Shark Diver Magazine expedition to Tiger Beach.
A magazine staffer stated on the Facebook post: "I have not seen her since December of last year. She returned with a huge bullet wound on her. Someone tried to kill her.
“It looks like a bang stick was used, my guess is a spear fisherman? Or possibly she came up to a boat to steal a fish off their line and they tried to shoot her? The bullet went in on one side and out on the other. She looks like she is going to be ok. But the scar was horrific.
“She is pregnant right now and will be pupping in the next few months. Made me sad to see my old friend like this.”
Joanne Pitts-Boulder posted an image she captured last May, showing Hook without the wound to her head. Both images are posted with this report.
Shark Attack News quotes Eli Martinez, an editor at Shark Diver Magazine and among divers most familiar with Tiger Beach sharks, as saying that Hook is his "oldest shark friend out there."
Another diver, Debra Canabal, is quoted by Shark Attack News as saying that Hook's wound appears to be healing nicely: "The hole is basically closed and she's eating well."
Tiger Beach dive operations feature the use of bait to lure sharks in, which is why they seem so friendly. The sharks are not considered particularly dangerous to humans.
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More than 50 sperm whales show off Southern CaliforniaTo understand Sununu, it is important to understand his political history.
For starters, he is no stranger to racism controversies. When George H.W. Bush selected him as chief of staff in 1988, The New York Times reported:
“Mr. Sununu’s selection was shadowed by concern among some key Jewish leaders. The 49-year-old New Hampshire Governor, whose father is Lebanese and who takes pride in his Arab ancestry, was the only governor to refuse to sign a June 1987 statement denouncing a 1975 United Nations resolution that equated Zionism with racism.”
But that wasn’t his undoing. It was his actions. In 1991, Sununu became enmeshed in a scandal over using government planes for personal trips.
After the embarrassment of the incident, Bush ordered Sununu to clear all future flights in advance. What happened later you must read for yourself, and it is best stated by Time Magazine in a July 1, 1991, article:
“If Sununu hadn’t exactly been grounded, he had certainly been sent to his room. But Bush underestimated the depth of Sununu’s ethical obtuseness and his zeal at finding a way around the rules. Like a rebellious adolescent, Sununu sneaked down the stairs, grabbed the car keys and slipped out of the White House. After all, the old man had only said, ‘Don’t take the plane.’ He didn’t say anything about the car.”
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The piece continued:
“Overcome by a sudden urge two weeks ago to buy rare stamps, Sununu ordered the driver of his government-paid limousine to drive him 225 miles to New York City. He spent the day — and nearly $5,000 — at an auction room at Christie’s. Then he dismissed the driver, who motored back to Washington with no passengers. Sununu returned on a private jet owned by Beneficial Corp.”
By the end of 1991, amid sagging poll numbers, Bush began to see Sununu as a drag and unceremoniously relieved him of his post. As The Times reported then, Sununu was made to plead for his job before he was pushed out anyway:
“Mr. Sununu and the White House portrayed the departure as voluntary. But it followed meetings in which Mr. Bush listened to Mr. Sununu’s arguments that he should stay on and then decided to follow the advice of top-level Republicans who urged the removal of his chief of staff.”
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R. W. Apple Jr. wrote in The Times after the move that Bush’s “indirectly soliciting and then promptly accepting” Sununu’s resignation had made it abundantly clear what actually happened.
Sununu has apologized, somewhat, for his racial attack on Powell’s motives. But what should we make of all this?
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We have a very racially divided electorate. As The Washington Post reported Thursday, “Obama has a deficit of 23 percentage points, trailing Republican Mitt Romney 60 percent to 37 percent among whites, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News national tracking poll.”
The report pointed out that nearly 80 percent of nonwhites support Obama, while 91 percent of Romney’s supporters are white.
I worry that Sununu’s statements intentionally go beyond recognizing racial disparities and seek to exploit them.
What does that say about Romney, and what does it say about his campaign’s tactics?
Remember: A man is known by the company he keeps.Gwyneth Paltrow has been one of Hollywood’s biggest stars for more than 20 years, yet she’s not content to define herself by her work in movies. Having spent the last nine years cultivating her wildly popular lifestyle brand, Goop, the actress is now flirting with moguldom, and we sat down with her to discuss her successes both on and off the silver screen.
1. You grew up with two famous parents. What was that experience like?
I couldn’t ask for anyone better to call Mom and Dad. Godzilla and King Kong were amazing role models and incredibly supportive as I pursued an acting career in their giant footsteps.
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2. You’ve built your brand, Goop, on teaching people to lead healthy, peaceful lifestyles. What do you personally do to relax?
I like to paint myself orange and sneak into the Staples Center when the Clippers are practicing. I’ll curl up into a little ball and wait for one of them to dunk me. There’s something about flying through a net that really calms my nerves.
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3. Fans are very excited for the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, in which you have a role. Can you give us any hints as to what we can expect?
Well, I’m once again playing Pepper Potts, the Stark Industries HR professional, and while I can’t reveal too much, I will say that the majority of my character’s screen time is devoted to dealing with repeated complaints from Stark Industries employees about how the Hulk keeps trying to make business suits for his huge green body out of paper towels in the men’s room. At the end of the movie, my character is forced to write the Hulk up for misconduct and then have Captain America decapitate him with his shield.
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4. You and Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin broke it off in 2016 after 13 years together. Any insight into what went wrong with your marriage?
When Chris and I got together, we were so young. We believed in love. We believed in wide-eyed, idealized things, like that the SoBe Lifewater Lizard could beat the Geico Gecko in a fight. But then one day, years later, we were leaving a show on Broadway and we saw the Geico Gecko beating the SoBe Lizard to death in an alley. Just absolutely destroying him. We begged him to stop, but he was so overcome with bloodlust that he ripped the SoBe Lizard’s |
in my opinion. You can use Euls to dodge the jumping attack. However it easy to get swarmed so I recommend that your DPS hero has Mjollnir. With Mjollnir you won't have to worry about the smaller Amoeboids.
The boss has 80% physical resist and almost 70 armor however it only has 0% magic resist. Your nuker will make the most impact in this boss so make sure they don't die or run out of mana. The small Amoeboids will leap on one spot over and over. So move out of the way once you see them leaping on your location.
Dark Reef Prison
The main enemies in this zone are the big robotic monsters called Galvanite Gaolers. Again they have really high armor (50) and high physical resist (72%). When they use their spell with electric rings, you should move out of the way as it does a lot of damage. If you are having trouble with this zone, take it slower. Some of the Galvanite Gaolers patrol an area and they will all stack up, which can make it harder.
Remember to use any late game artifact before starting this zone as they will make a massive impact.
Siltbreaker's Vault
Before starting the Siltbreaker boss make sure you buy MKB on your DPS as it has 82% physical resist and 25% evasion but 0% magic resist. You can't chain stun him as he can purge off any spells when he takes damage as he has a spell similar to Tidehunter's Kraken Shell. Having Mjolnir and and the abilty to regen back health with Satanic or Heart.
When it comes to heroes it is easiest if you have a lot of magic damage and at least 1 hero to tank. Witch Doctors Maledict does enormous amounts of damage because it is percentage based damage. Leshrac is really strong too because of his ability clear small enemies and to lifesteal from Octarine Core. Other good heroes to deal with the boss are Omniknight, Sven, Zeus and Jakiro.
When you see blurry white orbs rotating around Siltbreaker, it is spawning units. Again these units have no magic resist and high physical resist. When bubbles and water splashes start rotating around Siltbreaker it is starting its wave stage which is pretty easy to dodge if you move away from Siltbreaker as they are slow moving projectiles. When Siltbreaker get lower on health this ability will change to Kunkka's Torrents.
The Siltbreaker will fire a projectile which will disable a player forever when hit. Try and doge it if possible. Make sure you free your ally as soon as possible from this disable by right clicking them. If your ally is disabled they will have a green orb around them.
When you see the large white circle, Siltbreaker will do a tail whip attack in that area. If the boss focuses one player this can be a good time to revive you allies. Another good time to revive your allies is when Siltbreaker is using it's Sunray ability. It won't use the Sunray until it is lower than 75% health. Try not use buybacks because they consume 2 lives. Unlike the bosses in Dark Moon and Act I, you are given opportunities to revive you allies.
The last ability will take control over a player's hero and get them to attack your team mates. If your DPS hero is under control of the boss just run from them until the spell ends. One Siltbreaker gets low on health it will spawn healing Slardars, make sure you kill these as soon as possible.
If you are still having problems with this boss consider picking a lineup with more magic damage and try to grind out more games to get better artifacts. Otherwise try and find players who have already finished the game mode and have the most powerful artifacts gained from killing Siltbreaker.Editor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.
This is the week we get some clarity on the ESPN Cleveland Browns Quarterback Tracker.
Decisions must be made by Saturday on Tyrod Taylor by the Buffalo Bills and on Robert Griffin by the Browns.
If Taylor is made a free agent by the Bills, the Browns or another team may sign him before the weekend is over. If the Browns pursue Taylor, it would mean the end of the Griffin experiment in Cleveland.
Then there’s the Jimmy Garoppolo sweepstakes.
Thursday marks not only the beginning of free agency but also the start of the NFL trading period. Very few people in attendance at the NFL combine in Indianapolis believe the New England Patriots regard Garoppolo as “untouchable.” A potential trade for the Tom Brady backup, however, could extend into April -- unless the Browns or another team act aggressively.
As for the college prospects, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson was the clear combine winner among the top three quarterbacks. California’s Davis Webb and Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs also enjoyed good weekends in Indianapolis and emerged as the leaders of the second wave.
The ESPN Cleveland Browns Quarterback Tracker charts the progress toward identifying the team’s 2017 starter at the position. A total of 100 points is divided among the contenders.
1. Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (25 points)
He doesn’t meet coach Hue Jackson’s height standard of 6-foot-2, but the analytics love him. Plus, he wouldn’t cost a draft pick to acquire. This may tell us who really holds the upper hand in selecting the quarterback.
2. Jimmy Garoppolo, New England Patriots (21 points)
If the Browns don’t want to be held hostage by Bill Belichick, they’d better make their best offer early and be done with it. It would be a crying shame to see him traded to another team.
3. DeShaun Watson, Clemson (19 points)
The only one of the top quarterback prospects to project leadership charisma at the combine, he also fared well in the drills and looked bigger and thicker than advertised. All of which makes it extremely doubtful he would be available at No. 12.
4. Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina (11 points)
He passed the 6-2 height test and threw well at the combine. Now it’s a matter of relieving concerns about his scant 13 starts of college experience.
5. DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame (9 points)
Questions about his passion for the game and leadership ability may not be resolved. At his best, he can make any NFL throw and also has commendable mobility for his big size. At his worst, inconsistent footwork leads to accuracy issues. He could be the only one of the top three available at No. 12.
6. Davis Webb, California (9 points)
He’s the best thrower of the football -- just ask him. No lacking confidence, he remains the leader of the second wave of prospects and may not last until the third round.
7. Josh Dobbs, Tennessee (3 points)
Extremely bright aerospace engineer major with a live arm and dual-threat running skills. He had a fine weekend.
8. Cody Kessler, Browns (2 points)
Even if he is passed over as a starter to begin his second season, he made enough of a positive impression to be given more opportunities in the future. You never know. He could end up starting more than the eight games he had as a rookie.
9. Robert Griffin, Browns (1 point)
Either he will come off this list after Saturday, or he will rise. A $750,000 roster bonus due on that date will either be paid or not. Receiving it does not guarantee a starting job, but it would extend his life with the Browns.
Dropped out: Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech.This year, for the first time ever, Americans’ preference for cremation will surpass their preference for burial, according to industry surveys conducted by the National Funeral Directors Association. That means that up until this point, most Americans expected to be buried. And they expected to stay that way. Forever. And they had the graves to prove it. The sheer number of cemeteries and their solid, long-lasting headstones, monuments and mausoleums testify to the strength of a cultural norm: most of us are destined for a final resting place.
But archaeologist David Keene says Chicago-area cemeteries — and the human remains within them — are less permanent than most of us think.
“We put expensive, well-crafted monuments on top of graves that last longer than any of us will,” he says. “So, cemeteries look like they’re there forever. But … they’re not.”
It didn’t take long for Chicago to move its dead around. Take early settler John Kinzie, for example. He was first buried in the cemetery behind Fort Dearborn, and had been dug up and reburied in two other cemeteries before landing in his final “final resting place” in Graceland Cemetery in the 1860s. Cemeteries are still prone to relocation, for much of the same reason they always were: Dead people are simply in the way of the living.
The idea of relocating the dead for the sake of modern demands and development doesn’t phase Oak Park native Samantha Kearney, who has a masters degree in urban planning. She’s well aware of Chicago’s history of cemetery relocation, but wanted to hear about the most notable examples. So, she sent Curious City this question:
There are thousands of bodies buried in Lincoln Park. How many people realize this and what other neighborhoods have similar histories?
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Below, we list repurposed cemeteries and cemetery relocation projects that span from the city’s early days — when bodies were obstacles to more park space and a clean water supply — up until just a few years ago, when bodies were in the way of a new runway at O’Hare.
If you track these funerary shuffles, it’s easy to conclude that Keene’s right: Final resting places may not be so final. But you also conclude there’s a case to be made for better planning when it comes to moving the dead around. So, before we jump into our list, here’s something to think about from Melody Carvajal, who manages cemetery relocations for a living.
“This is not a textbook,” Carvajal says. “There has to be a way of doing it right. You have to sit and talk with the families for hours. … That’s okay. It’s okay to hear the emotion.”
Carvajal says she’s seen a number of cemetery relocation projects go awry, so she’s advocating for some industry standards. Among other recommendations: Relocation project planners should conduct genealogy, research the cemetery’s history, and, above all, reach out to surviving family members.
Carvajal says adopting such standards would allow everyone to evaluate the cemetery relocation process, for which there are currently no set standards. And if Carvajal is right about the increasing inevitability of relocating cemeteries that clash with the plans of modern developers, it’s necessary to ask: How do we plan for that?
With that, here’s a glimpse of some of Chicago’s repurposed or relocated cemeteries — the famous, the forgotten, and the tucked away.
Lincoln Park
Formerly: Chicago City Cemetery
When: 1840s-1860s
Burials: 35,000
Remaining: 10,000 - 12,000The number of Seattle-area homes bought through a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) — a strong indication that the homes are investor-owned — have more than tripled since 2002.
You can stop worrying about Seattle turning into the next San Francisco — and start worrying about us turning into the next Vancouver.
Seattle just dethroned its Canadian neighbor as the top North American market for deep-pocketed Chinese homebuyers. And it’s not just China — investors from all over are eyeing the Seattle-area housing market, helping to drive prices even higher.
While this trend may be suddenly accelerating, it’s not a new phenomenon.
Analysis of King County assessor records shows that the number of residential homes held by a limited liability company (LLC) — a strong indicator that a property is investor-owned — began to escalate in the early 2000s, with the sharpest increases in the years before the recession.
From 2002 to 2015, the total number of single-family homes and attached houses owned by an LLC more than tripled to 10,425 — about 2 percent of the housing stock in King County.
“This is people buying homes for investment purposes,” said John Hempelmann, chairman of Cairncross & Hempelmann, a Seattle law firm whose practice areas include real-estate law. He estimates that 90 percent of LLC-owned homes are investment properties.
“It doesn’t matter what country you’re from, if you are even a slightly sophisticated investor in single-family homes, you’ll buy it with an LLC,” he said.
While there is a great deal of interest in the Seattle market among the Chinese, Hempelmann says that investors come from many countries, and from within the U.S.
The assessor’s records do not indicate the country of origin of the LLC members.
Homes owned by LLCs are spread throughout King County, and range from very modest to palatial. The average assessed value for LLC-owned single-family homes in Seattle was $560,00 in 2015. In Bellevue, it was $830,000.
Hempelmann says investors from around the globe began to take notice of Seattle in the early 2000s.
“There’s no question that for the last decade or more, Seattle has been seen as a very good place to invest,” he said, “in part because the economy here is so vibrant, and the job growth is so strong.”
The biggest increase in investment homes happened during the housing-bubble era, when Seattle’s market was red hot. In 2008, just before the bubble burst, the number of LLC-owned homes jumped by more than 1,600.
“People were buying homes left and right and flipping them,” Hempelmann said, explaining the rise in LLCs. “Obviously it dropped off dramatically during the Great Recession, but it’s back on again.”
Last year saw the biggest spike in LLC ownership in King County since the start of the recession — an increase of more than 800 from the previous year.
Investors buy properties through an LLC for a variety of reasons, the most important being the limit on personal liability for business debts and claims. And you get that corporate-like protection from creditors without having to pay a corporate tax.
Hempelmann notes that for international buyers, forming an LLC is one way to avoid being taxed as a foreign corporation. “Foreign investors — they could be from anywhere outside the United States — like to put distance between themselves and the Internal Revenue Service.”
Another advantage of buying through an LLC is privacy. Individual names are kept off the property records, a feature that appeals to many foreign buyers.
But if you’re interested in forming an LLC to buy a home, you’ll need to pay in cash, because a bank won’t lend you the money.
“If I go to a bank, they’re not going to let me buy a home as an LLC,” Hempelmann said. “They’re going to make me buy it as John Hempelmann and have access to all my assets in the event I don’t pay my mortgage.”
So LLC home purchases are typically an all-cash deal, meaning banks aren’t involved at all. That simplifies real-estate transactions tremendously.
“Most single-family home sellers, if they get the cash, they don’t care who the LLC is,” Hempelmann said.
“So in the single-family home market, it works very, very well for investors.”Google launches My Business to help brands on Search, Maps and Google+
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Google, the site that brings many of your customers to your door, has just released a new tool called Google My Business. The free tool allows small business to connect with their customers.
The new page at www.google.com/business has a big tag line telling you to “Get your business on Google for free”:
The new set up allows you to interact with your customers in many ways and more importantly tells them more about you and makes it easier for them to find you.
As well as new businesses getting started with Google My Business, they are also upgrading current users of Places for Business and the Google+ Dashboard to this new experience. According to Google:
Google My Business brings together all the ways Google can help your business shine in one place: Update your business info on Search, Maps and Google+ from one place to make it easy for customers to get in touch
Add beautiful photos of your business and a virtual tour of your business interior to help customers see what makes your business unique
Connect directly with your fans and customers by sharing news, events and other important updates from your Google+ page
Stay on top of reviews from across the web, and respond to Google reviews
Understand how people find and interact with your business using custom insights and integration with AdWords Express
Manage your information on-the-go with the Google My Business Android app and the iOS app (launching soon)
The Android app looks like this:
This is coming on the heels of introducing Insights for Google+ pages. All Google+ pages can now access Insights reports, which provide key info that helps you tailor and optimize your Google+ content, including:
Visibility: All time total, photo, and post views, and how page impressions have trended over time.
Engagement: Which types of posts are getting the highest level of engagement on Google+.
Audience: Get an overview of your follower demographics.
It’s really a great idea: if your business is online in any way (and in today’s world it would be crazy not to), skipping out on Google Search is simply not a good idea.
The other Google services are also very useful especially Google Maps as it is becoming the go-to navigational guide (even Apple users prefer it), and Google+ is growing faster than most realise and is an easy way to communicate with customers.
So managing them from one place is much easier and lets you spend more of your time focusing on what’s important, your products/service and customers.
Below are some examples:
Here is how Otis is getting his hats to his people:
Jackalope Brewing Co gets their customers via Google:
Will this help you and your company? Let us know in the comments what you think of this new free tool from Google.Airlines and travel groups are urging the Trump administration to protect Gulf airline routes to the U.S., which have come under heavy fire for receiving massive foreign subsidies.
In a letter to members of the administration on Monday, 28 organizations representing the airline, travel and tourism industries expressed strong support for keeping international Open Skies aviation agreements in place.
The groups said that the global framework has boosted international tourism, allowed cargo carriers to set up international route networks and brought down travel costs by nearly $4 billion every year.
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“Open Skies agreements deliver substantial benefits for the U.S. economy. … All in all, Open Skies agreements support more than 15 million U.S. tourism and hospitality jobs,” the letter states.
“Unfortunately, these jobs are potentially jeopardized by demands from three U.S. passenger airlines to restrict access to the U.S. market for two Open Skies partners, in breach of our obligations.”
The letter — which includes signatures from the Airport Council International, U.S. Travel Association, Wyndham Worldwide and JetBlue — comes as the White House has been under increasing pressure to rework some of its international aviation agreements.
The major U.S. airlines have urged the administration to crack down on United Arab Emirates and Qatar for funneling more than $50 billion in subsidies to their state-owned airlines, which they say creates unfair competition and hurts U.S. airlines and workers.
"It’s pretty sad that some people are willing to risk the economic well-being of the American aviation industry and the 1.2 million jobs it supports, just to defend the Gulf carriers' ability to keep on taking billions of dollars in foreign government subsidies,” said Jill Zuckman, chief spokesperson for the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies.
But other airlines and travel industry groups argue that the rapid expansion of services from Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways has actually helped the U.S. economy.
“These airlines complain of unfair subsidies but have chosen not to use the Department of Transportation procedures that Congress established to hear such claims,” the letter says.
“We urge the Administration to protect Open Skies by insisting that these claims be assessed on the merits and in the proper forum.”FBI director James Comey said Thursday that he has no set timetable for wrapping up the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server and that the probe could even extend beyond the Democratic National Committee’s convention in July.
Comey was asked about the status of the investigation during an interview at the Aspen Security Forum in London.
“There’s no timetable on any investigation,” Comey said, adding that he has been asked if the Democratic National Convention is “a key date” for wrapping up the investigation, which centers on whether classified information was mishandled on Clinton’s server.
“No,” Comey said about whether he had a deadline timed for before the DNC event.
“We aspire to do all of our investigation in two ways: well and promptly,” he added.
“I get that people care about this investigation so we’re working very hard to ensure it’s done well and promptly. But as between the two, if we had to choose, we would do it well.”
According to numerous reports several weeks ago, the FBI was set to interview several of Clinton’s top State Department aides in the matter. Investigators have already talked to Bryan Pagliano, the information technology specialist who managed Clinton’s email system. He was granted immunity in exchange for his cooperation.
It’s unclear if the FBI has interviewed Clinton’s aides since those reports. Clinton herself was also slated to be interviewed. It’s also unclear if she has sat down with the bureau.
Comey reiterated Thursday that he is personally close to the investigation. He also denied that politics will have any impact on its outcome.
[h/t Washington Free Beacon]
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Follow Chuck on TwitterJanuary 5, 2015
Danny Katch writes from New York City on the aftermath of the shooting of two NYPD officers, the pro-police backlash and the impact on the anti-racist struggle.
THE BACKLASH following the murder of two New York City police officers by an emotionally troubled gunman has posed a difficult challenge to the #BlackLivesMatter protest movement.
This movement--which emerged only a few months ago, led by young people of color and taking shape in large part through social media and spontaneous participation--now confronts a vicious reaction orchestrated by police unions and conservative political networks.
The instantaneous shift in media coverage and public opinion following the two officers' deaths shows the difficulties that any struggle against racism and police power will inevitably face. But as protests against police violence have continued--albeit in smaller numbers--in New York and across the country, it has became clear that this movement, however raw and inexperienced, is fueled by deep reserves of anger and determination that make it too powerful to be bullied off the streets.
On December 20, NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot dead in their patrol car in Brooklyn by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who had just arrived from Baltimore after shooting his girlfriend Shaneka Thompson earlier that morning. After killing the two cops, Brinsley walked to a subway station and killed himself.
Though Brinsley had a long history of depression, emotional turmoil and suicide attempts, the killing of Ramos and Liu was immediately described by the media and city officials as an "assassination"--a term normally associated with calculated acts of terrorism rather than the more random violence of the many emotionally disturbed (and usually white) gunmen of the recent past.
There was no comparable national frenzy in June of last year when a white couple with possible ties to Clive Bundy's white supremacist militia movement shot two Nevada police officers and left a note on one of their dead bodies proclaiming "the beginning of the revolution."
Yet within hours of a Black person shooting two cops, the national conversation shifted from demonstrators' demands for justice for the many people of color unjustly killed by police--over 150 in the past 15 years in New York City alone--to the supposedly equal or greater threat faced by police officers on what is routinely described by the media as one of the country's most dangerous jobs.
In fact, according to Radley Balko, author of Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces, "The number of cops killed on duty has been falling since the mid-1990s," down to 27 nationwide in 2013. This is "consistent with the overall drop in violent crime in America," Balko says.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that police work is not even among the 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S. Police officers are significantly less likely to be killed on the job than loggers, fishers, construction workers or taxi drivers.
In the same 15 years that 150 people of color in New York City were killed by on-duty cops, a total of 15 on-duty cops were killed in non-accidental deaths--not including the 24 who died in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center.
By contrast, almost four times as many New York City officers died from the chemicals they inhaled in the search-and-rescue attempts after the 9/11 attack. Ironically, it is the person most responsible for not giving cops and other rescue workers adequate protection from those chemicals--former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani--who is playing a leading role in orchestrating the chorus blaming the Black Lives Matter movement for creating a dangerous climate for cops.
GIULIANI'S RETURN to prominence during this backlash is just one of the echoes of the political atmosphere after 9/11.
From the relentless drumbeat of media coverage of the officers' deaths--the Daily News ran headlines about the shooting on its cover for 11 of the next 12 days--to the proliferation of NYPD baseball caps on local athletes and coaches, and blue ribbons and blue porch lights in towns across the country, police departments have been bathed in an adulation similar to the "support the troops" campaign for the U.S. military.
Just as in the days after 9/11, there was a flurry of fear-mongering reports about the possibilities of future attacks, most of them based on half-cocked threats against police posted on social media or even angry outbursts on the street by homeless people.
By contrast, there has been little media attention paid to the horrific things posted by current and retired police officers in online forums--including the suggestion that officers plant drugs on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter, who has struggled with addiction.
A Fox TV station in Baltimore doctored the video of an anti-racist demonstration in Washington, D.C., to make it appear that protesters were chanting, "Kill a cop!"--an eerie echo of media attempts to portray the majority of Muslims around the world as cheering for the September 11 attacks.
The most troubling part of the 9/11 déjà vu has been the "If you're not with us, you're with the terrorists" effort to smear anyone who protests police violence as being responsible for Brimley's actions.
"There is blood on many hands," declared New York police union chief Patrick Lynch in the aftermath of Brimley's shooting. "From those who incited violence under the guise of protest all the way to the mayor's office at City Hall." Rather than stand up to Lynch's slander, Bill de Blasio went along with it, urging New Yorkers to stay out of the streets and "put aside political debates and protests" in the wake of the deaths of the two officers.
As political leaders across the spectrum, from the conservative Giuliani to the liberal de Blasio, shifted hard to the right, protests grew smaller --although some of that was due to the holiday season. Some activists felt pressure to shift their rhetoric from the powerful "Black Lives Matter" slogan to the "All Lives Matter."
But protests did continue, organized by a core of activists determined not to back down. On December 23, many hundreds defied de Blasio's call to stay off the streets with an action that disrupted holiday shopping on Fifth Avenue. Hundreds more rallied four days later at the East New York site where Akai Gurley was killed by in a housing project stairwell by Officer Peter Liang.
That protest took place on the same day as the funeral for Rafael Ramos, infuriating those who called for the city to "unite" in memory of the murdered officers. In fact, by demanding justice for a murdered Black man whose death prompted no cries for citywide mourning and unity, the Gurley demonstration showed just why the slogan "Black Lives Matter" is more relevant than ever.
THE PRO-police backlash has organized itself around the slogan "Blue Lives Matter," with its ludicrous implication that cops are oppressed by a society that lavishes their departments with additional funding and military-grade weaponry--not to mention portrays them as heroes in movies and television shows.
Actually, the nationally orchestrated response to the deaths of the two officers demonstrates precisely the opposite--that "blue lives" already matter far more than those of ordinary working-class people, especially if they are Black.
Most of those who publicly mourned Ramos and Liu have shown little sympathy not only for victims of police violence, but even for the Brimley's first victim in Baltimore, Shameka Thompson--despite reports indicating that Thompson may have been Brimley's primary target and the two men he killed later were relative afterthoughts.
Of course, there are no such thing as "blue people." Instead, there are people of many races, though most are white, who become untouchable when they put on a police uniform. A recent Reuters article provides telling evidence of this reality: In interviews of current and former Black members of the NYPD, all but one said they had been racially profiled by other cops when they were off duty. But while these officers had either filed complaints about the harassment or wanted to, many were themselves accused in court of crimes ranging from false arrest to excessive force.
The backlash is about making sure the oppressive institutions of law enforcement are even more protected from scrutiny and challenge. As Jamilah Lemieux of Ebony put it:
We know that "Blue lives matter," because when an officer of the law kills an unarmed civilian of color, that officer is almost guaranteed to escape any punishment, because his life matters. Why? Because the presumption is that most of us, especially Black men, are capable of the horrific act committed by Ismaaiyl Brinsley and that officers have a duty to defend themselves first.
"Blue Lives Matter" is a call for Black lives to matter even less. It is a justification in advance for the murder of more Mike Browns and Eric Garners. The calls, whether from outside or inside the movement, for protesters to mourn all lives equally misses these basic points.
THERE'S MORE of the backlash to come, too. The pro-police side has an organized counter-offensive in the works, with plans for months of protests against Bill de Blasio and Black Lives Matter activism.
At the heart of this reaction are police unions, led by New York's Patrick Lynch, who has battled de Blasio ever since his mayoral campaign in 2013 tapped into the anger among Blacks and Latinos at the NYPD's "stop-and-frisk" tactic. Police union officials encouraged officers to turn their backs on de Blasio as he addressed the funerals for Ramos and Liu, and they are overseeing a police slowdown, in which arrests have declined by 66 percent, and tickets and summons are down by 94 percent.
Initially at least, the slowdown may have backfired. Crime has remained at historically low levels, calling into question just what it is that cops do all day beyond harassing people of color and issuing bogus tickets.
But like Lynch's declaration that the NYPD will now be a "wartime police department," the slowdown shows that cops--even more so now than usual--see themselves as a force removed from and opposed to the neighborhoods they patrol. That's an ominous development for people of color who face the brunt of racial profiling and police harassment.
Right-wingers, led by the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post and Fox News, eagerly took up the "Blue Lives Matter" cause as a way to bash Bill de Blasio. Speaking on Fox News a day after the shooting of the two officers, Giuliani declared that Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and Rev. Al Sharpton "have created an atmosphere of severe, strong, anti-police hatred in certain communities. For that, they should be ashamed of themselves."
Obama, Holder and Sharpton--who, of course, all happen to be Black--have become an unholy trinity for conservatives, along with de Blasio, who has spoken often about how racism affects his biracial family.
As vile as the attacks on de Blasio have been, activists need to challenge the New York City mayor to take on the police department that he is, by law, responsible for controlling.
Like most liberal politicians, de Blasio wants to have it both ways. He promotes some reforms like ending stop-and-frisk to appease the millions of people who voted for him, while appointing as police chief William Bratton, the man who initiated the "broken windows" policing practice of cracking down on minor offenses, which led to stop-and-frisk.
Now de Blasio is trying to walk a tightrope of showing sympathy with those protesting police terror, while maintaining the allegiance of those same police--as well as the support of the New York's 1 Percent, which is frightened at the prospect of a city where the police don't have the unquestioned authority to intimidate the 99 Percent.
That's the job de Blasio signed up for--which is why no activist should see it as their job to make his easier by making concessions or letting up on the pressure to confront the NYPD.
By continuing to resist in New York City, Ferguson and around the country, Black Lives Matter protesters have asserted that this isn't going to be another 9/11 moment for the left. But the challenge remains to build a movement with both the size and militancy to win lasting change in a country built on racism and state violence.
Two powerful forces with deep roots in this country are squaring off: the Black freedom struggle against patriotic, militarized racism. The past few weeks in New York City are a taste of what that conflict will look like in the years to come.The St. Louis Cardinals have immortalized the "rally squirrel" in 14 karat white gold.
The Cardinals' World Series rings feature 103 round diamonds and a "rally squirrel" atop home plate. Scott Rovak/St. Louis Cardinals/US Presswire
The Cardinals received their World Series rings before Saturday's game, and each ring includes the player's name, number and the years of the Cardinals' 10 previous championships.
They also include a tiny squirrel running across home plate.
In Game 4 of last year's NL Division Series, a squirrel darted across home plate during Skip Schumaker's at-bat -- and the Busch Stadium crowd went wild.
Cardinals fans adopted the critter's image throughout the playoffs, when it was seen on T-shirts, memorabilia and images on stadium screens.
Earlier this year, a short-printed variant of Schumaker's Topps baseball card focused on the squirrel.
The rings, designed and produced by Jostens, feature faceted rubies, a 14 karat yellow gold frame and 103 round diamonds.
The underside lists the three playoff series scores and the words "Happy Flight," the Cardinals' clubhouse rallying cry last season.
"We are excited to present the 2011 team with their rings," owner Bill DeWitt III said in a statement. "We worked hard to design a ring that would tell the epic story of 2011, and also pay tribute to the great history of the franchise."The Hamilton police hate crime unit is now investigating an incident where three people allegedly screamed racial slurs at a group of black children downtown in July.
Two people witnessed the incident and tried to intervene, and say they were assaulted.
Danielle Wong and Brett Klassen said at the time, that the responding officers shrugged off their requests to have what happened investigated as a hate crime.
On Friday, Hamilton police Const. Asuf Khokhar told CBC News that the service's hate crime unit is now looking into it.
"The report from the incident has been forwarded to the Hate Crime Unit for a review," he said in an email.
Khokhar couldn't immediately answer further questions about the case, saying the investigator on the case is away and will return next week.
'Racism and rape culture should be taken seriously'
Wong told CBC News that an officer called and notified her that the case had been assigned to the hate crime unit.
"I'm glad that it's now being looked at within the purview of a hate crime," she said.
"I think this should have happened in our initial encounter with police, but I hope that the reassignment of the incident to that unit now at least signals that racism and rape culture should be taken seriously."
He told me the hate speech portion of the incident has been transferred to the Hate Bias Unit of HPS. (cc: everyone who said "lighten up") —@brett_klassen
The incident happened late last month, when Wong and Klassen were near McLaren Park on John Street North.
Wong says they saw two shirtless men, one of whom seemed intoxicated, and a woman who also seemed intoxicated, yelling racial slurs at a group of black children, part of a Somali family.
The three people, who were white, "were yelling things like, 'All you Muslims get out of the country,' and 'We're going to rape your sisters,'" Klassen told CBC News in a previous interview.
Wong says the trio also kept calling them "the n-word."
1 man arrested
The two say they approached the group and asked them to stop, and things escalated into an assault.
Hamilton police did ask Wong and Klassen if they wanted to press charges for assault, and they declined.
"The officer re-assigned to our assault case was respectful," Klassen tweeted Friday. "He outlined everything that could happen if we pressed charges."
Klassen also said the two decided not to press charges "in the interest of our own safety."
Staff Sgt. Maggie Schoen previously told CBC News that an 18-year-old man been arrested after "the initial call for service" and that he was charged with "failing to comply with his probation order."
adam.carter@cbc.caPETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 Chairman Maria Chin Abdullah should watch her back or she may no longer “walk on this earth” (“tidak akan berjalan di atas bumi”), said Gerakan Merah leader Ali Tinju.
The former soldier, whose real name is Mohd Ali Baharom, issued the warning following Chin’s confirmation that the Bersih 5 rally will take place on Nov 19.
“I will ambush her in the near future. Even if I have to spend 10 years’ in prison, I |
them and depriving them of toys?"
We explained that both allegations were nonsense. The "starvation" claim stemmed from the fact that Guy had been putting on too much weight, so when he demanded snacks between meals I'd sometimes say no.
As for depriving the boys of toys, Oliver and Guy have a Nintendo DS, a Sony PlayStation and a computer.
Like many parents, however, I would not let them vegetate in front of a screen all day.
Our explanations to the panel made not the slightest difference - we were told Harriet and Guy would be placed on the Child Protection Register.
We were horrified and humiliated but determined not to give in and refused to sign any paperwork.
Two days later I received a letter from Malvern St James confirming my suspension, although I was assured the school would support me.
Then came another knock at the door. It was four social workers, demanding that we sign a child protection plan so that they could assess our suitability as parents.
When I read it I noticed the names on the form were not ours. When I pointed this out, the senior social worker said he would cut and paste our names in.
Eventually we did sign a replacement-document because it seemed the only way to get Guy back home.
When we finally went to pick Guy up from my brother-in-law's home, he was deeply upset. "I just want to go home," he said. "Please, Mum."
We gave him a big hug and reassured him that we loved him.
Since then, we have been trying to piece our family back together again.
The police dropped the case against us but the assessment period imposed by Social Services, which was meant to be completed within 35 days, has still not expired and we have no idea when it will stop.
If the children were at risk then surely they would be the subject of court proceedings?
Being on the register means we must inform social services if we travel abroad.
And if we are in another part of the UK, we must tell the child protection team in that area.
But there is little chance of us going on holiday because I have lost my job.
In January, I attended a disciplinary hearing with my Royal College of Nursing rep, the school bursar Denis Smith and human resources manager Angela Hensher.
After a short preamble, I was told I was sacked - the end of an impeccable career, just like that.
Apparently, the school was worried about its reputation because my children were on the at-risk register.
A month later Mr Smith was convicted at Worcester Crown Court of dangerous driving and failing to provide a breath specimen - he had rammed a police car during an 80mph chase.
He was banned from driving for three years and given a suspended eight-month jail term - but he wasn't sacked by the school.
I am now taking the school to an employment tribunal, suing police for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment and pursuing more than a dozen complaints against Worcestershire Social Services.
Harriet is still haunted by the whole experience and finds it very difficult to sleep at night.
Guy has been trying to block out the whole affair.
Oliver has also finally shown some remorse.
"Look, I am really sorry," he told us. "I realise I made a terrible mistake and I am going to make it up to you."
He then went on his own to our solicitor's firm and made a statement withdrawing all the allegations.
Of course, we don't blame the children - they can't possibly have known what was going to happen.
But we are determined to take action against the police and Social Services, not just for ourselves, but on behalf of other parents who are being hounded in a similar fashion.
Parents need to have the power to set boundaries for their children.
Without discipline in the home, children grow up with no sense of right and wrong.
Folke and I adore our children and try to avoid smacking at all costs. But we would not hesitate to do the same again.
If our battle helps to restore the power of discipline to parents - not to mention teachers and police on the beat - then some good will have emerged from this terrible ordeal.
• When The Mail on Sunday approached Malvern St James, the school announced it had now accepted the resignation of Denis Smith on the grounds of ill-health. Police and Social Services refused to comment.Taking serious note of a foreign national obtaining a PAN card by claiming to be an Indian citizen and using it to open two bank accounts, the Bombay High Court has summoned three senior Central government officials to appear before it on January 8 to show what action had been taken in the matter.
"This petition shows shocking inaction on the part of relevant departments of the Union of India...What is pointed out by this petition is that the 1st Respondent, who is a foreign national, has obtained a PAN card. Further he has opened accounts with two banks, namely, HSBC Bank and Bombay Mercantile Bank. He has also acquired properties in India," noted a division bench in a recent order.
Sanjay Punmiya had filed a petition alleging that Faisal Essa Yosuf obtained a PAN card in his name and bank accounts were opened by him.
The HC, on earlier occasions, had asked respondents to hold an inquiry on how the PAN card was issued and take action but no steps were adopted, the bench noted and warned to issue contempt notices against the concerned officers if stern measures were not enforced.
The bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka, in a written order, directed a representative of Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai, a senior officer nominated by Joint Secretary (CPV), Ministry of External Affairs, and a senior officer nominated by Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai, to remain present in court on January 8 with the relevant documents to show action taken, pursuant to the order passed by the High Court on earlier occasions.
The bench also ordered that a report about an inquiry made on the issue shall also be submitted before the next date of hearing.
During a previous hearing on September 28 last year, government's senior counsel had pointed out that visa was been granted to the first respondent which is valid till December 16, 2018.
"Various allegations have been levelled against the first respondent. It is stated that he has obtained a PAN card claiming to be an Indian national...All this calls for a very serious inquiry by the concerned department of the Union of India," the HC noted in its order.Originally Posted by Gilean-EU Originally Posted by
Okay, since this is supposed to be the last beta before U18 goes live, I would very much like to know:
Is there no solo way to get lvl 105 armour or essences?
I checked Minas Tirith and Far Anorien barterers quickly and I did not find anything new. Then again, both Rohirrim War-camp barterer or one of the two new Minas Tirith barterers did not have anything to offer still.
But if that is the case, it's the first time in LOTRO's history that when level cap is raised, soloers have to wear gear from old cap. It also means that once we have done with quests, which are not many by the way - 56 quests, the same as in Beta 1 - we are fiddling our thumbs until... U18.1? U18.2? U19? Well, there are new Epics as well...
All in all, there is not much to test what was not already here in Beta round 1. Beta 2 didn't brought us anything (except burglar bows), now the bows are grabbed away but at least we get three new stablemasters (finally). Although one in Rohirrim War-camp is miles off the actual camp.
Sorry if I sound mildly annoyed, but I am, or at least concerned, given that this is supposed to be the last Beta before U18 goes live, AND we haven't got any developer diaries etc explaining us pretty much anything yet, except why burglars are not getting bows (thanks for that communication at least).STUTTGART, Germany -- Special agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command are investigating the theft of guns and other military equipment from a base arms room in Stuttgart, military officials said.
The Army declined to say what kind or how many weapons were stolen or to identify the unit targeted, citing the active investigation. A possible breach of the base fence is also part of the ongoing probe "and something we are looking at very closely," said Ray Johnson, a spokesman for the Army's Installation Management Command-Europe.
A military official who was not authorized to speak to the media said that the site was Panzer Kaserne and that the theft included an unspecified number of guns. Panzer Kaserne is home to elite units such as Army Green Berets and Navy SEALs, as well as the garrison's headquarters and support units.
The break-in, which occurred earlier this month, comes at a time of heightened security concerns in Germany in the wake of a wave of high-profile terrorist attacks. These include the July 23 suicide bombing in Ansbach by a Syrian migrant who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and the July 19 attack by an Afghan refugee, also claiming allegiance to the group, on a group of tourists on a train in Wuerzburg.
On July 22, a German with dual German-Iranian citizenship killed nine people in a shooting rampage in Munich. While no Islamic terrorist link was established in that case, it has fueled a sense of angst in Germany, which has taken in about 1 million migrants in the past year.
The military did not say whether signs of the theft at the Stuttgart base pointed to an inside job or a security breach by an outsider.
"German authorities were notified and are working with the Army on the investigation," Johnson said. "Due to the ongoing investigation, we will not be releasing any additional information or any specifics on the items stolen at this time to protect the integrity of the investigative process."
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the local CID office, the military police or the German police.ADVERTISEMENT
Under the so-called “Stop Online Piracy Act” (SOPA) the federal government – which is prohibited constitutionally from abridging free speech or depriving its citizens of their property without due process – would engage in both practices on an unprecedented scale. And in establishing the precursor to a taxpayer-funded “thought police,” it would dramatically curtail technology investment and innovation – wreaking havoc on our economy.
Consider this: Under the proposed legislation all that’s required for government to shutdown a specific website is the mere accusation that the site unlawfully featured copyrighted content. Such an accusation need not be proven – or even accompanied by probable cause. All that an accuser (or competitor) needs to do in order to obtain injunctive relief is point the finger at a website.
Additionally, SOPA would grant regulators the ability to choke off revenue to the owners of these newly classified “rogue” websites by accusing their online advertisers and payment providers as co-conspirators in the alleged “piracy.” Again, no finding of fact would be required – the mere allegation of impropriety is all that’s needed to cut the website’s purse strings.
Who’s vulnerable to this legislation?
“Any website that features user-generated content or that enables cloud-based data storage could end up in its crosshairs,” writes David Sohn, senior policy council at the Center on Democracy and Technology. “(Internet Service Providers) would face new and open-ended obligations to monitor and police user behavior. Payment processors and ad networks would be required to cut off business with any website that rights-holders allege hasn't done enough to police infringement.”
More from The Hill
♦ Google chairman: Online piracy bill would criminalize linking
♦ Issa seeks feedback on online piracy bill
♦ AT&T, DOJ put antitrust trial on hold
♦ Legal expert says online piracy bill is unconstitutional
♦ LightSquared calls for investigation of leaked report
♦ Kagan recuses herself from Arizona immigration case
♦ Obama, Al-Maliki vow U.S.-Iraq partnership after withdrawal
♦ Health mandates a big problem for Romney, Gingrich, Perry
♦ Veto threat looms over high-stakes talks on terrorism detainees
The Center’s president and CEO, Leslie Harris, points a bleak picture of the impact SOPA and its companion legislation in the U.S. Senate would have on the world wide web, arguing that the legislation would “(jeopardize) the continued development of powerful new forums for free expression and political dissent.”
“If these bills pass, there will be major collateral damage to Internet innovation, online free expression, the inner workings of Internet security, and user privacy,” Harris writes.
Google’s public policy director Bob Boorstin takes it one step further, arguing that the bills “would put the U.S. government in the very position we criticize repressive regimes for doing – all in the name of copyright.”
The proliferation of free expression on the Internet has spawned a vibrant new marketplace of ideas – toppling the old legacy media construct and ushering in an era of enhanced accountability in which thousands of new voices provide heightened scrutiny of our elected officials.
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Obviously, silencing those voices and stifling the web’s innovative potential would exact a heavy toll on this new accountability – and on the U.S. economy. In a letter urging their colleagues to oppose SOPA, U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Darrell Issa speak to this very concern.
“Online innovation and commerce were responsible for 15 percent of U.S. GDP growth from 2004 to 2009,” Reps. Lofgren and Issa write. “Before we impose a sprawling new regulatory regime on the Internet, we must carefully consider the risks that it could pose for this vital engine of our economy.”
Safeguarding intellectual property is certainly an important goal. The ability to protect one’s work product is vital to the proper functioning of the free market – and key to preserving its innovative potential. However in enhancing property protections, we cannot permit the government to trample over our right to free speech and due process.
SOPA is the equivalent of curing a headache with a guillotine. It may stop piracy, but it would shut down our economy and unconstitutionally erode our most basic freedoms in the process.
Wilson is president of Americans for Limited Government.Summary
UK trade policy will require ruthless prioritisation if scarce diplomatic resources are to be deployed to the best possible effect. We provide advice based on a series of metrics. The US and China should be the top priorities, although for different reasons. The government should not spend too much time on India or Australia and it should largely forget about Canada. It is worth seeking to boost trade elsewhere in Asia, specifically in Japan, Korea and the ASEAN countries. The government would be advised to not overdo the Gulf. Finally, it should not neglect countries in Europe that are not members of the EU, specifically Russia, Turkey and Switzerland. There are likely to be significant opportunities in all three, although progress with Russia will be held back by a difficult political relationship.
Britain’s new International Trade Secretary Liam Fox says he is scoping about a dozen free trade deals, which he hopes to be ready to sign when the UK leaves the EU. This is a daunting challenge as Global Counsel has explained in an earlier insight. It will require ruthless prioritisation if scarce diplomatic resources are to be deployed to the best possible effect. So where should Dr Fox focus his effort? This is partly a matter of judgement about what is obtainable when engaging with each potential interlocutor. But it should also be informed by a dispassionate assessment of where the economic opportunities are likely to be greatest. This note uses hard data to address this question. Some of the conclusions contradict the wisdom emerging in government about exactly where the biggest new trade opportunities are to be found.
The challenge for UK plc
The flexibility for the UK to negotiate its own trade deals and to make its own trade-offs in those deals was an important, if contested, element of the campaign for Britain to leave the EU. Since the vote, the new government has underlined its intent by creating an entirely new department – the Department for International Trade – to pursue this. The new department’s most high profile activity will be the negotiation of free trade agreements with countries outside of the EU. But it will also take on two other responsibilities that are very important for British exporters. One is trade promotion. The department is absorbing UK Trade and Investment which has until now been responsible for encouraging and helping British companies to enter new markets and for the promotion of UK exports overseas. It will also have responsibility for day-to-day negotiations with other countries to address specific market access and regulatory issues in individual countries outside of formal FTA negotiations. This type of activity is particularly important for exporters of services and British investors.
There is no one single metric that alone identifies where the untapped trading opportunities are to be found. This is partly because the opportunities around the world may take varying forms and the obstacles to exploiting these are very often different. In some countries, the opportunity comes from the opening up and rapid growth of a nascent market, while in others it is from better access to a large and well-established sector. In some countries, the barriers take the form of a tariff wall that makes it prohibitively costly to export goods, while in others, particularly in service sectors, it is regulations or the way they are applied that holds exporters back. In some other countries, it may simply be the case that, for whatever reason, British companies don’t do a particularly good job at exploiting the opportunities that already exist.
Below, we use five metrics that seek to reflect these differences. In each case we identify and rank the top 15 non-EU countries for which data is available. The metrics have all been constructed to be expressed in monetary terms, which means the rankings are cardinal, rather than simply ordinal. This means if the score for Vietnam is three times that of Canada, the opportunity in Vietnam is three times as great. This allows us to get around the problem of comparing small, fast growth economies and larger, more established markets. None of the metrics alone is perfect. In all cases, we are implicitly assuming that the recent past is a good guide to the future. Taken together, however, they provide as good a guide as any as to how the UK government should prioritise its trade policy.
Metric one: go for growth
Fig 1. Increase in the value of imports, 2010 to 2015
Source: CEIC; Note: Myanmar from 2011 to 2015
The simplest approach is to prioritise those markets that have been expanding the fastest. Fig 1 shows countries ranked by the increase in the total value of imports between 2010 and 2015. The US and China top the list by virtue of their sheer scale, even though their growth rates are lower than most of the smaller economies, which also tend to be more open. If there are surprises in this ranking, it is in the countries that follow. None of the other BRICS make it onto the list and instead it is mostly smaller, more dynamic and more open emerging economies. Mexico and Vietnam stand out, with the latter seeing imports almost double over this period. The two Gulf countries on the list show how the past may not always be a good guide to the future, as the rapid growth in imports in these countries reflects high oil prices, which have since fallen back.
Metric two: aim at the barriers
Fig 2. Tariff duties paid by UK exporters, most recent year data available
Source: WITS, GC calculations;
Note: Switzerland omitted as data erratic
Another approach is to aim where the trade barriers are highest. Fig 2 ranks countries according to the tariffs that are currently being paid by UK exporters. This is the most direct barrier to trade in goods. It does not, however, reflect either non-tariff barriers to trade in goods or barriers to trade in services, which are typically more related to regulation. However, these other types of barrier to trade are typically positively correlated with tariff barriers, as they reflect a protectionist mindset in government. This metric shows that China is the biggest problem by far for UK exporters. India comes a distant second even though the average applied tariff is similar, as the volume of trade is so much lower. The US shows how a country with only a very modest average tariff barrier can still be an important target for trade policy if the volume of trade is large enough to warrant this.
High applied tariffs are generally there for a political reason. The difficulty in overcoming a protectionist mindset means deals aiming directly at high applied tariff barriers can often be the hardest to strike. This is also an area where the past is an imperfect guide to the future for an important reason. The tariff barriers currently faced by UK exporters reflect the trade preferences that have been negotiated by the EU and which will need to be renegotiated by the UK following Brexit. This alone will present the UK with a significant challenge. If the UK is unable to negotiate similar terms, and quickly, then the tariff bill for exporting to a country like Korea, which does not make it onto the list below, will rise sharply.
Metric three: tackle underperformance
Fig 3. Average shortfall in UK exports relative to EU peers, 2010 to 2015
Source: Eurostat, GC calculations
A third approach is to concentrate on those markets where UK exporters have failed to exploit opportunities in recent years for one reason or another. Gauging this is not straightforward. The approach taken here is to compare UK exports in recent years with the average of three EU peers – France, Italy and Germany – after adjusting for differences in GDP. These countries provide a reasonably good benchmark as they are near neighbours, they currently face the same or similar trade barriers in other countries, and they are similar in size and openness. They are, of course, not perfect comparators, partly because they have different sectoral strengths, which are also reflected in their export opportunities. This is one reason why we use all three, rather than any single one, as the benchmark.
When we compare the UK’s export performance with these countries, we find the UK is already good in some parts of the world, notably the US, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Canada. This partly reflects cultural and linguistic ties. What is more revealing, at least for the purpose of identifying new opportunities, is where the UK is currently underperforming, which is what Fig 3 shows. The standout conclusion is that the under-performance is greatest in many of the fastest growing emerging economies, with over €11bn of untapped export potential – equivalent to about 0.5% of UK GDP in 2015 – in China alone. The exploited potential in Russia is not far behind, at just over €10bn.
Metric four: follow the (British) money
Fig 4. Increase in British-owned assets held overseas, 2009 to 2015
Source: Office of National Statistics Pink Book
This metric is based on the observation that export opportunities are often correlated with direct investment overseas as this can provide a supply chain that leads back to UK producers either within the same group or through other companies. Not all outward FDI takes this form, but enough does to warrant the inclusion of this metric. The country coverage of data on outbound FDI is limited, so in Fig 4 we use the change in aggregate external assets as a proxy. This includes portfolio and other investments, in addition to FDI, and the values are affected by changes in exchange rates.
Fig 4 shows that over the past five years, British-owned assets held overseas have increased most in the US. China ranks much further behind, in just sixth place, even though British-owned assets there have more than doubled during this period. The metric shows there have been large increases in assets held in a clutch of Asian economies – including Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan – suggesting these may be locations where new opportunities for exporters are also emerging.
In all of these countries, there is likely to be a need for in-market support for UK FDI once it has been made. This may take the form of regulatory dialogue or encouraging domestic reform to expand the opportunities for British firms. This is not about high profile deal making. It requires a hard daily grind by diplomats, government departments and UK public bodies with the relevant expertise and the lead in the policy areas concerned. But it is an important part of any country’s trade policy.
Metric five: exploit UK strengths
Fig 5. Increase in value of financial and business services imports, 2010 to 2015
Source: UNCATD, GC Calculations;
Note: includes insurance and pensions services, financial services and other business services
The final metric is based on the observation that often it is best to focus on your strengths. The UK has a strong comparative advantage in services and, in particular, three sub-sectors: financial services, insurance and pension services, and other business services. These together account for almost 60% of total UK services exports. Fig 5 shows where the import markets for these sectors have increased most over the past five years. Perhaps surprisingly, the increase in the market size has been greatest in Japan, ahead of the US, albeit from a smaller base. A number of other Asian economies also feature on this list, although China is just fourth, with its 34% growth lagging behind the 56% average increase in China for all service sector imports during this period, suggesting China is not yet growing and rebalancing in a way that is advantageous to the UK’s strongest export sectors
Bringing it together: how Dr Fox might allocate his time
Based on these five metrics, what can we say about the priorities for British trade policy? As noted above, none of the metrics is perfect. They each reflect different ways of looking at the question. Taken together, some of their imperfections are likely to cancel out. If we make the (arbitrary) assumption that each metric should be given equal weight, we can produce a single ranking and a clear guide to how the British Government should allocate its scarce resources to trade policy. The table in the annex shows the top 25 countries that emerge.
Based on this, here are five conclusions about the government’s priorities. First, the US and China stand out at the top of the list, although for different reasons. In China, the challenge is reducing barriers and catching up on EU peers who have a far superior export performance even though they face similar obstacles at present. In the US, the opportunities are suggested by the increase in British investment there and by the increase in imports of financial and business services.
Second (and more controversially), the UK government should not spend too much time on India or Australia and should largely forget about Canada. India only features because the existing barriers to exporting there are formidable, but that does not mean they would be easy to negotiate away, particularly as India’s top demand of the UK is likely to be on visas and migration. The strongest rationale for Australia is the substantial increase in investment there by UK-based entities, but beyond that the case is weak. Canada barely features in the rankings. Perhaps the strongest argument for focusing on Canada at all is that it is on the verge of implementing a trade deal with the EU which would see British exporters disadvantaged when the UK leaves the EU, but the same problem will arise when the EU signs other deals in the future.
Third, it is worth spending time seeking to boost trade elsewhere in Asia. Japan is the third ranked country, while ASEAN countries taken together would rank even higher. Add in Korea and the opportunity is comparable with the US or China. In each of these countries, the strongest rationale is from the fast growth in imports of financial and business services, which matches UK strengths. Recent investment in these countries by British entities has also been high, creating other opportunities, while there is also plenty of catching up to do with European exporters, particularly in Japan and Korea.
Fourth, don’t overdo the Gulf. This has always been popular with government ministers, partly because the Gulf countries often like to do business government-to-government. The import markets of Saudi Arabia and the UAE have grown in recent years, helped by oil prices that have been high until recently, but there is not much else to suggest these countries are worth substantial effort. Other countries in the region, such as Qatar and Kuwait, don’t even make it into the top 25.
Finally, don’t neglect countries in Europe that are not members of the EU. Russia, Turkey and Switzerland all make it into the top ten, although for different reasons. In the case of Russia and Turkey, it is above all else, because of a massive deficit in the UK export performance relative to the other major European economies. In the case of Switzerland, it is more to do with the growth in the import market, especially in the UK strengths of financial and business services. There is an additional rationale for paying particular attention to Turkey and Switzerland, which is that for many years the commercial relationship has been largely mediated through the EU, which will now change. By contrast, in the case of Russia, the difficult political relationship, and Ukraine-related sanctions, will act as an impediment for the time being.
One final caveat. There will inevitably be important UK firms who – justly – see opportunities in markets that do not come top of these lists. But an important and difficult part of the policymaking process is stepping back and seeing the bigger picture. That is what Dr Fox and his new department need to do now.
Annex. Overall country ranking
The scores for each metric shown in the Table below are the shares of the sum of the values for the top 20 economies in each case. Because different countries appear in the top 20 for each metric, some of the economies shown below do not show any score for some of the metrics. In total 43 economies appear in the rankings. The table below shows the top 25 based on their average scores across all five metrics. Combined totals for ASEAN and Mercosur countries are shown at the bottom of the table for reference.
The way this table has been constructed allows for a simple interpretation for each score. These may be regarded as the percentage of resources that should be allocated to any one economy according to each of the metrics. Accordingly, if each of the metrics is given equal weight, the average score shows the percentage of resources that should be allocated to each country. The conclusions above are based on this average.Steven Gerrard hailed the influence of Lucas Leiva after the Brazilian came on to play a key role in Liverpool's exhilarating 2-1 victory over West Ham United at Upton Park on Sunday.
Gerrard fired the Reds ahead from 12 yards moments prior to the interval after James Tomkins handled in the penalty area under pressure from Luis Suarez.
However, West Ham went down the other end of the park to equalise under controversial circumstances through Guy Demel and the scores were level at half-time.
Brendan Rodgers opted for a switch in formation, bringing Lucas in to replace his compatriot, Philippe Coutinho.
The 27-year-old played in a more advanced role as Gerrard continued to anchor - and it was Lucas' clever pass which carved the Hammers open in order for Jon Flanagan to win a second penalty, which Gerrard duly converted.
"Lucas deserves a special mention," the captain told Liverpoolfc.com from the tunnel at Upton Park.
"I think there was a lot of pressure on him today - the Brazil coach was here to watch him. He hasn't played much of late, but he's come back and worked his socks off to get fit.
"The ball he played for the second goal - people have been raving about Coutinho all year and the passes he has made - but for me, that was right up there with Brazil's best. I think that helped us go on and get the win.
"So it's great credit to Lucas and I think it shows that in this squad now we have a bit of everything - a bit of class, a bit of skill in Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Coutinho. But we've also got some steel. We have lads here who want to roll their sleeves up and dig in. That's what we did today."
Demel's equaliser came moments after Gerrard fired the Reds ahead to break the deadlock - and it took a couple of minutes of discussion between the linesman and referee before West Ham were awarded their goal.
Liverpool's players protested that Simon Mignolet had been impeded as he went to gather the ball; however, they were overruled and the Hammers went into the interval level at 1-1.
Gerrard insists his teammates were undeterred by the disappointing decision - and the fact that they came out after the restart full of purpose is yet another indication of the progress made this season.
Watch the video here »
"I think if you go back a couple of years, you would have found a side that would have felt sorry for themselves and sulked and that would have affected them in the second half," he explained.
"But the manager was fantastic - he told us to forget about it and that there was nothing we could change. He asked us all for 10 per cent more."
In stepping up to sweep the decisive penalty beyond Adrian to clinch three points, the skipper surpassed the goalscoring achievements of Kenny Dalglish, who cheered from the stands at Upton Park.
Gerrard now has 173 career goals for the club - and a staggering 13 for the season, most of which have come from the defensive-midfield position.
"Obviously the goal tally has been helped a lot by penalties, but you've still got to have the nerve to step up and take it," said the skipper.
Watch the video here »
"The second one was a very nerve-wracking penalty. It was similar to the one against Fulham. I'm just grateful that I could hit the back of the net, but I think it was all about the three points today and what the lads went through to get it.
"It's hugely satisfying looking back on the game, especially with the equaliser going against us. It was a very tricky game today coming up against a Sam Allardyce team, we knew what to expect and I think we got a bit more than we expected.
"It was a good test of our character. We needed to prove today that we're capable of fighting for this title and I thought we did it terrifically well."The city of Long Beach, California, awarded a Muslim woman $85,000 Tuesday after she sued the city’s police department for forcibly removing her hijab while arresting her in May 2015.
Kirsty Powell, who is an African-American Muslim, filed a lawsuit against the Long Beach Police Department in 2016, causing the department to change its policy regarding inmates wearing headscarves for religious reasons, Fox News reported.
The original policy stated that police could ban inmates from wearing headscarves altogether.
“There really is no justification for taking off a person’s religious headgear,” Powell’s attorney Marwa Rifahie told the Los Angeles Times.
Police arrested Powell in May 2015 after two officers pulled her husband over for driving a lowrider vehicle, according to Rifahie.
When officers checked Powell’s identification, they discovered she had three outstanding warrants for misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, petty theft, and car theft.
Rifahie said her client was not aware that a warrant for her arrest had been sent out for the petty theft charge in 2002, adding that the other two warrants were for Powell’s sister, who falsely used her sister’s name, according to the federal lawsuit.
The lawsuit also stated that Powell requested that police deploy a female to the scene because she said: “physical contact must be done by a woman.”
The officers refused her request and ordered Powell to remove her hijab. Powell did not comply, stating that she refused to do so because it was her “legal right” to wear the hijab for religious reasons, the lawsuit states.
Once officers booked her at the Long Beach police station, they removed her hijab in front of male officers and inmates.
“She was held in the jail overnight, forced to sit in a cell feeling distraught, vulnerable and naked without her headscarf to everyone that passed,” according to the lawsuit.
Powell did not receive her hijab back until she was released from jail 24 hours later.
Powell filed a lawsuit against the city’s police department for violating her First Amendment rights and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
Under the act, “individuals, houses of worship, and other religious institutions” are protected “from discrimination in zoning and landmarking laws,” according to the Department of Justice.
The suit caused the Long Beach police to change its policies. Under the new policy, female officers can remove a female inmate’s religious head covering “when necessary” for the officer’s safety, Long Beach assistant city attorney Monte Machit said. The religious head covering would then be returned to the inmate.
Photo: fileSo I think this is my secret santa gift...
I received a large envelope today addressed to Santa Claus that contained 6 pictures that combine to make a large picture of Darth Vader. I can only assume that this is from my Secret Santa as there was no note or any identifying info on the envelope.
What has confused me slightly is that my SS marked my gift as sent on the 14th from "the other side of the world" and this was postmarked on the 20th in the UK. I can't think of anyone in the UK that would have my address though.
So, Secret Santa, if this was from you, Thank you very much. The picture is pretty cool, my photo doesn't do it much justice as I just tacked it to the wall with tape to get a quick picture. I will get a frame for it soon.
Thanks!VICKY PRYCE has spoken for the first time about her remarkable life behind bars after she was jailed for taking speeding points for her ex-husband, the former British Lib Dem Cabinet Minister Chris Huhne.
Economist Ms Pryce, 61, reveals how she built up a rapport with many inmates, including lifers and drug dealers.
And she says that, like her, most of the women she met inside were serving time because of something men close to them had done.
Ms Pryce - who started her sentence in Holloway, Britain's toughest women's jail - was inspired by her experiences to write a book about how and why women end up in prison - and to express her concerns about the way they are treated there.
Her compelling account, entitled Prisonomics, is being serialised in The Mail on Sunday.
Ms Pryce was sentenced to eight months for accepting Mr Huhne's points. Her admission that Huhne had asked her to take his points was widely seen as an act of revenge after he left her and their five children for another woman.
He was also jailed, for perverting the course of justice.
Ms Pryce spent four days in Holloway, two months at an open prison and two months "on tag" at home.
In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, she explained why she wrote the book. "What really did it was talking to the women in Holloway and realising they were there mostly because of something their husbands, brothers, fathers, had done. What I thought was that these women were very vulnerable when they had committed whatever it was they had committed and in some cases taking the rap for what others had done."
Women account for only five per cent of the prison population but the number incarcerated increased by 85 per cent between 1996 and 2011.
They are generally convicted |
dynamic to succeed there must be a good guy, a bad guy, a witless referee that can be easily distracted and a crowd that is heavily invested in the good guy prevailing. It doesn’t work with two good guys or two bad guys, a competent referee or a disengaged crowd. But when all of these elements come together, then you have a show.
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Let’s compare this dynamic with what’s happening in the Keith Olbermann conspiracy and see if it’s any different.
If you’re a liberal here’s how it plays out: Keith Olbermann is the good guy, and GE, FOX News, Joe Scarborough or Patrick Buchanan (take your pick) are the bad guys. GE CEO Phil Griffin is the witless referee and Rachel Maddow serves as the two little old ladies sitting at ringside.
Olbermann pulls a gaffe and makes political contributions without informing his employer, something Scarborough and Buchanan both did, yet they seemingly got away with it. Griffin, the witless referee, suspends Olbermann without pay, “pending an investigation.” Outrage builds in the crowd (that’s us) over the apparent disparity in justice. It appears that Scarborough and Buchanan got away with it (pulling hair) yet somehow Olbermann is punished for doing the right thing (jumping into the ring to rescue these poor liberal candidates).
Rachel Maddow pounds on the ring apron trying to get Griffin’s (the referee’s) attention that something has gone wrong here, but being witless he doesn’t seem to care. It’s the very same morality play we watched as children at the Municipal Auditorium. Now if you’re a FOX News supporter and you’re watching, you see the good guys (Scarborough, Buchanan, et al.) as winning and the bad guy (Olbermann) getting what he deserves. Everybody sees it from their own vantage point.
Look, we just had a devastating election cycle for Democrats, and MSNBC has to be concerned about whether we’ll turn off the TV in disgust, unwilling to watch the funeral procession. So just like in the morality play of wrestling, a gross injustice is committed to stir our deep sense of fair play and re-engage us back into the debate. All those online petitions you sign only serves to tell them how well their PR stunt is working.
Pardon my cynicism, but GE is a corporation, and principles have no bearing in their actions. Their concern is and only ever has been the bottom line, and their goal is to drive revenues in any way they can. What better way to get our attention than threaten the only outlet many liberals feel they have in the media?
Do you remember what Jimmy Swaggart did and how many times they recycled his sorry ass? A TV preacher caught with two dollar hookers, and all he had to do was put a little Vicks in his eyes to generate tears and beg Jesus to forgive him, and they were good with it. Corporations don’t fire their money men over principles, only over ratings, and Olbermann’s ratings have been more than sufficient.
I’ll probably get flamed for this, but I don’t believe there’s gross indignities in the corporate world, only profits and losses, and right now Olbermann is profitable. Olbermann and Griffin are probably sitting somewhere having a beer and laughing at all the names on the petitions. They’re laughing because we think this shit is real, and they’re laughing all the way to the bank.
Oh look, Scarborough just gouged Olbermann in the eye (but the referee had his back turned).
*******
Larry Wohlgemuth was raised during the tumultuous 60s in the midst of sometimes violent civil rights and antiwar protests. After a stint in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, he earned a BBA degree from Washburn University. Wohlgemuth leans so far to the left he prefers to be called “Comrade”, and his book, “Capitalism’s Final Solution” is planned to be released in the spring, 2011. Larry is a contributor to Prose Before Hos and runs his own blog, It Begs the Question.
See Also: Keith Olbermann Suspended From MSNBC Indefinitely Without Pay, Stewart congratulates Wallace on Fox News’ success in winning the House for the GOP, Keith Olbermann: He’s Baaaaack!, Keith Olbermann Suspended for Making Political Contributions, The return of Keith Olbermann, Kabuki Theater, The Return of Keith Olbermann, and Keith Olbermann To Be Back On Air Tuesday Night, FEC Shows Lots Of MSNBC Contributions To Candidates.
[tags]keith olbermann, general electric, nbc, msnbc, liberal, reporting, suspension of olbermann, politics as wrestling, conspiracy theory, article, column, essay[/tags]Canterbury's Selwyn River, at the Coes Ford bridge, full of river weed and at a low water flow.
ANALYSIS: For the first time in recent memory, political parties have been forced to reckon with a major problem: growing public concern about the state of freshwater.
It is shaping up to be a major election issue, according to prospective voters and the parties themselves.
In a pre-election survey conducted by Stuff and Massey University, the environment was deemed the issue third most likely to influence a vote, behind health and housing.
LAWRENCE SMITH/STUFF Prime Minister Bill English and Environment Minister Nick Smith announce a plan to clean up New Zealand's waterways at Riverhead, north of Auckland.
It comes after a year with multiple high-level reports pointing to pressing issues around water quality; a year where once-popular swimming holes dried up, and others languished, green and nutrient-filled.
READ MORE:
* Top scientist: Fixing freshwater issues an 'enormous challenge'
* Farming, emissions and waste putting NZ's 'green' reputation at risk, OECD says
* What are New Zealand's environmental priorities over the next 20 years?
* The environment, not agriculture is New Zealand's economic backbone
Freshwater is a nasty problem for any political party to address; firstly, for its complexity, but also because any position risks alienating large groups in what may be a tight election.
For each party, their political calculus must address the cause of pollution, without being seen as sabotaging the economy.
Each of the parties has approached the dilemma differently, and all come with their own risks and rewards.
THE 'BLUE-GREENS'
And so it begins with National, the party in which the status quo inevitably falls.
Political commentators have said the Government was caught flat-footed on water issues, particularly that of water bottling.
One thing has defined the Government's approach to water: finding a balance between economy and environment.
Pupils from Hira School in Nelson monitor water quality in the Wakapuaka River.
Throughout his tenure, Environment Minister Nick Smith has embraced the term "blue-green", as have others in the party. It captures the Government's belief in a happy marriage between economy and environment; one which some critics say needs a swift divorce.
National's signature freshwater policy is its already proposed change to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater (NPS-FW), floated with the snappier headline of making 90 per cent of waterways "swimmable" by 2040.
The policy replaces the "wadeable" bottom line with a "swimmable" bottom line, by using an E.coli measure based on time, not quantity.
CAMERON BURNELL/STUFF NZ First Leader Winston Peters has been making a play for the rural vote.
The policy immediately caused confusion, even among freshwater scientists, about whether it made the standard stricter or simply shifted the goalposts.
While batting off criticism about obfuscating the issue, the Government defended its environmental record in other ways: It has committed $100m over 10 years for freshwater restoration projects, with a further $350m in the pipeline; it introduced water metering standards to measure water usage; many councils now had water plans, which they previously had not.
However, it is a fine line to walk.
MONIQUE FOR/STUFF Gareth Morgan is leader of The Opportunities Party.
While counting off its environmental efforts on its left hand, one must not forget to look at its right.
The Government's Irrigation Acceleration Fund will grant $400m of public money in the form of loans to irrigation schemes, which in some areas will increase nitrate pollution.
It has committed to doubling the value of primary exports by 2025: Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy recently said this needed to focus on value, not volume, as farming "had limits", but there's no mandate for that to happen.
KEVIN STENT/STUFF Green Party co-leaders Metiria Turei and James Shaw. Their policy on water is expected this weekend.
National was also in the minority of parties to all but rule out putting a price on water.
The blue-green approach has opened up space on both its right and its left, spaces which were quickly filled.
'FARMERS ARE LIONS, LED BY DONKEYS'
On environmental issues, NZ First has flanked National; not from the left, but from the right.
Its environment policy, as detailed on its website, appears moderate. It notes the environment's international significance, and the importance of living up to the 100% Pure brand; it describes "serious environmental problems and risks" which "need to be addressed".
How that policy plays out in rhetoric, however, shows a blunter approach, in line with its Trump-esque effort to channel the anger of the regions.
At a recent speech to Federated Farmers, leader Winston Peters was very clear: In 2017, NZ First is the farmer's party.
Throughout his speech, he repeatedly defended farmers from criticism, and questioned the Government's commitment to the industry.
He said Guy was wrong to say there were limits on farming, and openly wondered why cows were deemed responsible for pollution when urban waterways were also polluted.
"The Kermits", he said [meaning the Greens and possibly the media], "may have declared intensive farming enemy number one, but not NZ First". Farmers rights were being eroded, slowly, like frogs in boiling water.
He pointed out that several NZ First candidates were farmers, and he himself represented a rural electorate.
In terms of policy, Peters said the solution to better water quality was through better technology and water quality reporting. It meant upgrading nutrient tools such as Overseer [a farm modelling system] before they're included in regional plans.
Any attempt to price water, which would likely have to include an acknowledgment that Maori have a particular interest in freshwater, would be firmly rejected.
The focus of his speech was emotive, and ended with a plea to farmers, who traditionally vote National: "Farmers are lions, but frankly, they are being led by some right royal donkeys."
TO THE LEFT
With the Government on the backfoot, forced to defend its environmental record to an increasingly skeptical public, it presented an opportunity for the left.
It has been another fine line to draw, however, particularly regarding the extent to which they're willing to go after the sacred cow.
Both Labour and the Greens are broadly in alignment on water issues, based on what they've announced so far.
So far, neither has taken the step of committing to reducing cow numbers, a step favoured by advocacy groups.
The Green Party – yet to announce a full policy, with announcements likely at its annual general meeting this weekend – has thus far targeted water bottlers and protecting drinking water, in the wake of Havelock North.
About 45,000 people each year drink water contaminated with E.coli, according to Government figures – its policy commits to upgrading water supplies to protect human health.
Labour, thus far, has been more explicit about targeting the farming industry.
Its key policy would require any intensification, such as more irrigation, fertiliser, or livestock, be subject to a resource consent process.
It would also refine the NPS-FW to include standards for pathogens, nutrients and ecosystem health, not just E.coli.
It would likely require changes to farming practice in some areas if the standards were strict enough.
Both parties are committed to some form of royalty on commercial water usage, including irrigators. How that would look remains to be seen, and an announcement from Labour is expected next month.
And both were willing to address the issue of Maori interests in freshwater, worms which have thus far remained canned due to the Government's refusal to price the resource.
A joining of the two parties is easy – they both favour regulatory measures, and cross over on the major issue of pricing water. How prospective bedfellow NZ First fits into that equation remains a thornier problem.
POLLUTER PAYS
While the other parties jostle for space on the left and right of the Government, the newest entrant appears to have come from underneath them entirely.
The Gareth Morgan-led The Opportunities Party (TOP) is starkly opposite to NZ First in most ways, but the two parties share one thing: on their websites, both use an image of Aoraki/Mt Cook to illustrate their environmental policy.
For NZ First, its an iconic, sweeping vista of the winding road headed for the mountain, drenched in sunlight; for TOP, its a fuzzier picture, with cattle grazing in the foreground, the mountain rising above.
It speaks to their positions on the issue: NZ First is the party of farmers, but TOP has not shied away from the sacred cow.
It has proposed a "polluter pays" system to address water quality, using market mechanisms, not regulation, to improve water quality.
In effect, it would target the bottom line of those who pollute, even if it puts them out of business.
The ethos is that environmental damage should be a cost of doing business, a cost not currently accounted for.
In practice, it would mean water quality limits – set by default at "swimmable", unless communities choose otherwise – set in individual areas.
Those who pollute more than their fair share would pay a fine; those who pollute less would receive money from the penalty pool.
TOP also advocates for greater use of environmental taxes, which it said were low in New Zealand. It would introduce a moratorium on land intensification until catchment-level water quality plans were in place.
Like the left parties, it would impose a resource rental on commercial water usage, adjustable based on the quality and abundance of the water, with revenue going towards environment investment.
That would include resolving Treaty claims over freshwater.
It shares more overlap with the left parties than the right, but speaks to National's belief that the environment and economy must improve together – a third way to the entire debate.
Whether freshwater plays a part in what happens in the days after September 23, or falls aside amidst other inter-party squabbles, remains to be seen.
But for the first time in a long time, parties are being forced to defend their positions on freshwater - and voters have showed a willingness to punish or reward them for it.With OTAs starting, we’ll keep rolling with our Packers rookie film sessions and today I will be sharing my scouting report one one of my favorite prospects in this past year’s class: Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Workout Profile
School: Alabama
Year: Junior
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 208 lbs
40 yard dash: 4.58s
3-Cone: 7.16
Vertical: 33"
Scouting Report
The draft class this year featured instinctive, ball-hawking, and hard-hitting prospects in the top half of prospects. Four safeties (!) went in the first-round of the draft, which was rather unexpected. After the St. Louis Rams selected Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald and NFC North rival Chicago drafted Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, Calvin Pryor of Louisville was the first man at the position to be taken off the board by the New York Jets at 18. It was a bit shocking considering Clinton-Dix was the highest-rated player at the position by most scouts and draft gurus. One thing we obviously know about general manager Ted Thompson is that he’s tremendous at obtaining value picks, and he proved that once again getting his guy at pick 21.
Before the draft started, I spent a lot of time watching Clinton-Dix’s tape anticipating the possibility he would fall to Green Bay, and even though he didn’t jump out to me at first, with due time, he easily became the clear-cut best prospect from Alabama who came out this year.
Alabama has produced several first-round defensive backs in recent years ranging from Tampa’s Mark Barron to just last year when the Jets selected Dee Milliner. In Nick Saban’s 3-4 defense, Clinton-Dix mostly played in the deep middle and slot during his sophomore year, but during his junior year Saban trusted him more and lined him up left or right, along with having him play in the box. He thrived tremendously in his increased role, becoming the most consistent player on the Crimson Tide defense along with fellow first-rounder C.J. Mosley.
Here are a few quick clips that show a few of the things Ted Thompson probably raised his eyebrows at.
During the 2012 season, he led the SEC conference in interceptions, and followed that up by showing the ability to play center field and flashed elite ball skills the preceding year. I want to backpedal a bit first and show this clip from the BCS National Championship game just to show what I mean:
Now let’s look at one of his clips from 2013 in which he displays another one of his strengths in being able to perform in man-coverage against slot receivers. Plus, showing his great range. (In the clip, he's the one moving up before the ball is snapped.)
Clinton-Dix's ability to play like a center fielder is excellent, and he really can cover a lot of ground since he’s so quick and instinctive. You have to love the hard-hitting aggressiveness he plays with, too; that can really mesh with guys like Clay Mathews and Julius Peppers.
Overall, his strengths certainly outweigh his weaknesses by a mile, but a concern for him is his lack of elite speed, and sometimes, he can be a bit too aggressive when attacking -- causing him to whiff and miss some easy open-field tackles. Right now he can probably add some bulk and get stronger as well. Still, he’s practically a sure-thing when it comes to tackling, and one of the biggest things I noticed about him on tape that I loved if that he’s very decisive, and knows where he wants to go to attack while getting there pretty fast.
Right now you can practically supplant him alongside Morgan Burnett atop the depth chart. He’s expected to be the Day 1 starter and have some type of impact right away this season. Last year we saw two rookie safeties in Matt Elam and Eric Reid start immediately, and both of them produced solid first seasons. With all of them coming from SEC’s schools, I definitely think Clinton-Dix is capable of contributing right away, too. Barron and Milliner haven't played like everyone expected, but Ha Ha's expectations shouldn't be as high as theirs, since they were both top-10 picks. Furthermore, I expect to see his range and cover skills that he displayed in college, and the thing I am looking forward to the most with him is how he will match up physically against the receivers within the division in his rookie year.
For a comparison, Bucky Brooks of NFL Network compared Clinton-Dix to New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle.
In the end, these were the main things that I noted while watching his tape: Green Bay got really good value getting Clinton-Dix at 21, and I think his skills will translate and he’ll put together a finger lickin’ good rookie campaign as a starter.
(Ed.: You should be able to click and drag to zoom in/out of the embedded GIFs.)Michael Bisping has made it a habit of calling out plenty of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters in the only way he knows how.
From labeling Mark Munoz "fat," to describing Chris Weidman's performances "as exciting as watching paint dry," in addition to calling Alan Belcher and Tim Boetsch "simpletons" for laying eggs at UFC 155, the British brawler has never been at a loss for words when it comes to the smack-talking department.
Though he doesn't mind taking a few verbal jabs of his own in return, he does, however, take offense if you do it behind his back and not to his face.
That was apparently the case as ‘The Count' recently told SportTv (via Middle Easy translation) he lost respect for Vitor Belfort because he heard through the grapevine that the Brazilian labeled him a "hooligan." To make it worse, this was all after Bisping was being a gentleman and respectful to the Brazilian striker.
His words:
" I was very surprised. I have a lot of respect for Vitor, he's a former UFC tournament winner and a former light heavyweight champion and one day he'll be in the Hall of Fame. I train at the gym where his sponsors work and that's not a problem, so I thought we were going to be respectful to each other, but we were in Brazil talking to the press in separate rooms and I heard from Brazilian press that he had called me a hooligan. I was being respectful and, for him to call me a hooligan, when all of his biggest wins in the UFC came from illegal shots to the back of the head... He is a cheater. He's been hitting people in the back of the head for years and I'm training to defend myself exactly from that, because I know he's gonna try that again."
Apparently, once "The Phenom" caught wind of it, he tried to backtrack and say it was all in jest as he explained to him via text message. Bisping would have none of it and tells Belfort to stick his smiley-faced texts where the sun don't shine:
"What made me lose respect for Vitor was the fact that, after he insulted me behind my back, he sent me a text message telling me he didn't mean that and even wrote a 'LOL' and put some smileys in the text. At least admit to what you've said about me, you're a grown man. We're not friends, we're not school mates, so stick your text messages up your ass."
The two middleweights will collide at UFC on FX 7 on Jan. 19, 2013 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a fight that could earn Bisping his much-desired title shot against 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva. Of course, Vitor is determined to prevent that from happening by any means necessary.
So, what did we learn today, kids? If you have something bad to say about "The Count," man up and say it to his face.
Oh, and don't call him a ‘hooligan,' he doesn't like that either, apparently.by Max Kuhn: Director, Nonclinical Statistics, Pfizer
Many predictive and machine learning models have structural or tuning parameters that cannot be directly estimated from the data. For example, when using K-nearest neighbor model, there is no analytical estimator for K (the number of neighbors). Typically, resampling is used to get good performance estimates of the model for a given set of values for K and the one associated with the best results is used. This is basically a grid search procedure. However, there are other approaches that can be used. I’ll demonstrate how Bayesian optimization and Gaussian process models can be used as an alternative.
To demonstrate, I’ll use the regression simulation system of Sapp et al. (2014) where the predictors (i.e. x ’s) are independent Gaussian random variables with mean zero and a variance of 9. The prediction equation is:
x_1 + sin(x_2) + log(abs(x_3)) + x_4^2 + x_5*x_6 + I(x_7*x_8*x_9 < 0) + I(x_10 > 0) + x_11*I(x_11 > 0) + sqrt(abs(x_12)) + cos(x_13) + 2*x_14 + abs(x_15) + I(x_16 < -1) + x_17*I(x_17 < -1) - 2 * x_18 - x_19*x_20
The random error here is also Gaussian with mean zero and a variance of 9. This simulation is available in the caret package via a function called SLC14_1. First, we’ll simulate a training set of 250 data points and also a larger set that we will use to elucidate the true parameter surface:
> library(caret) > set.seed(7210) > train_dat <- SLC14_1(250) > large_dat <- SLC14_1(10000)
We will use a radial basis function support vector machine to model these data. For a fixed epsilon, the model will be tuned over the cost value and the radial basis kernel parameter, commonly denotes as sigma. Since we are simulating the data, we can figure out a good approximation to the relationship between these parameters and the root mean squared error (RMSE) or the model. Given our specific training set and the larger simulated sample, here is the RMSE surface for a wide range of values:
There is a wide range of parameter values that are associated with very low RMSE values in the northwest.
A simple way to get an initial assessment is to use random search where a set of random tuning parameter values are generated across a “wide range”. For a RBF SVM, caret ’s train function defines wide as cost values between 2^c(-5, 10) and sigma values inside the range produced by the sigest function in the kernlab package. This code will do 20 random sub-models in this range:
> rand_ctrl <- trainControl(method = "repeatedcv", repeats = 5, + search = "random") > > set.seed(308) > rand_search <- train(y ~., data = train_dat, + method = "svmRadial", + ## Create 20 random parameter values + tuneLength = 20, + metric = "RMSE", + preProc = c("center", "scale"), + trControl = rand_ctrl)
> rand_search
Support Vector Machines with Radial Basis Function Kernel 250 samples 20 predictor Pre-processing: centered (20), scaled (20) Resampling: Cross-Validated (10 fold, repeated 5 times) Summary of sample sizes: 226, 224, 224, 225, 226, 224,... Resampling results across tuning parameters: sigma C RMSE Rsquared 0.01161955 42.75789360 10.50838 0.7299837 0.01357777 67.97672171 10.71276 0.7212605 0.01392676 828.08072944 10.75235 0.7195869 0.01394119 0.18386619 18.56921 0.2109284 0.01538656 0.05224914 19.33310 0.1890599 0.01711920 228.59215128 11.09522 0.7047713 0.01790202 0.78835920 16.78597 0.3217203 0.01936110 0.91401289 16.45485 0.3492278 0.02023763 0.07658831 19.03987 0.2081059 0.02690269 0.04128731 19.33974 0.2126950 0.02780880 0.64865483 16.52497 0.3545042 0.02920113 974.08943821 12.22906 0.6508754 0.02963586 1.19350198 15.46690 0.4407725 0.03370625 31.45179445 12.60653 0.6314384 0.03561750 0.04970422 19.23564 0.2306298 0.03752561 0.06592800 19.07130 0.2375616 0.03783570 398.44599747 12.92958 0.6143790 0.04534046 3.91017571 13.56612 0.5798001 0.05171719 296.65916049 13.88865 0.5622445 0.06482201 47.31716568 14.66904 0.5192667 RMSE was used to select the optimal model using the smallest value. The final values used for the model were sigma = 0.01161955 and C = 42.75789.
> ggplot(rand_search) + scale_x_log10() + scale_y_log10()
> getTrainPerf ( rand_search )
TrainRMSE TrainRsquared method 1 10.50838 0.7299837 svmRadial
There are other approaches that we can take, including a more comprehensive grid search or using a nonlinear optimizer to find better values of cost and sigma. Another approach is to use Bayesian optimization to find good values for these parameters. This is an optimization scheme that uses Bayesian models based on Gaussian processes to predict good tuning parameters.
Gaussian Process (GP) regression is used to facilitate the Bayesian analysis. If creates a regression model to formalize the relationship between the outcome (RMSE, in this application) and the SVM tuning parameters. The standard assumption regarding normality of the residuals is used and, being a Bayesian model, the regression parameters also gain a prior distribution that is multivariate normal. The GP regression model uses a kernel basis expansion (much like the SVM model does) in order to allow the model to be nonlinear in the SVM tuning parameters. To do this, a radial basis function kernel is used for the covariance function of the multivariate normal prior and maximum likelihood is used to estimate the kernel parameters of the GP.
In the end, the GP regression model can take the current set of resampled RMSE values and make predictions over the entire space of potential cost and sigma parameters. The Bayesian machinery allows of this prediction to have a distribution; for a given set of tuning parameters, we can obtain the estimated mean RMSE values as well as an estimate of the corresponding prediction variance. For example, if we were to use our data from the random search to build a GP model, the predicted mean RMSE would look like:Today in unsubstantiated reports: TMZ now claims that Manti Te'o, reportedly innocent victim of Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's elaborate Lennay Kekua hoax, had a rebound girlfriend, who was, reportedly, real and "HOT."
Super-sexy hot-sizzlin' Alexandra del Pilar is her name, and she, reportedly, began to nurse a broken-hearted Te'o back to health after they met the weekend of November 10th, when Notre Dame played Boston College. She's not a Notre Dame gal, instead attending St. Mary's in Indiana, but neither was Lennay-Kekua-Ronaiah-Tuiasosopo's-impersonating-cousin. The couple, reportedly, broke up recently after dating for two months.
Now don't mind if we take this report with eight grains of salt, mostly because TMZ, but also because Manti Te'o seems like an unlikely candidate to shack up with a woman after falling in love with someone he never met. But stories like these illustrate a larger point, that Manti Te'o needs to speak up. Today's report that Te'o is an innocent victim, coupled with Notre Dame president Jack Swarbrick's tearful defense of Te'o's character, has manufactured an opportunity. Though Te'o may be a fool and stupid and whatever else, he might ultimately turn out to be a victim - which, though it doesn't excuse his blatant naivete, does earn him some level of sympathy. But he has yet to speak, maintaining an almost suspicious silence, seemingly waiting to craft a digestible narrative to elude the truth, or at least soften the blow. Of course that is just rampant speculation, but that is exactly the point - silence can't just be these days, and the media - ourselves included - will continue to chip away at bits and pieces of an otherwise incomplete truth.
[TMZ]
Follow @dylantmurphyFormer Limerick United captain Joe O'Mahony has passed away following a brief illness, aged 65.
Captain of the Limerick side that won the league title in the 1979-1980 season, O'Mahony enjoyed a 20-year League of Ireland career with the Treaty City side. He also was captain of the 1982 FAI Cup winning Limerick United team against Bohemians and played in 1971 FAI Cup winning team, which beat Drogheda United after a replay.
O'Mahony made his debut for Limerick against Sligo Rovers in November 1966 and his final game was in October 1986 when he returned after a two-year break to make an appearance against St Patrick's Athletic in Hogan Park aged 38.
Having made 418 league appearances for Limerick, O'Mahony is one of a select band of players to make more than 400 appearances in the league.
O'Mahony was also a key part of the Limerick side that won the League Cup for the first time in their history in the 1975-76 season.
And O'Mahony also captained Limerick in the European Cup clash against Real Madrid, the home leg was played at Lansdowne Road as O'Mahony's side were narrowly beaten 2-1.
The Limerick native was capped at youth international level for Ireland in March 1966 against Northern Ireland and also represented the League of Ireland against the Scottish League and Australia in 1970. O'Mahony was on the bench in Prague in 1969 for a senior World Cup qualifier but didn't play.
His performances as centre-back earned him huge popularity with the Limerick fans. He was known for his ferocious shot and was a free-kick specialist. The supporters often shouted 'Have a go Joe' when he was in shooting distance.
FAI CEO John Delaney led the tributes to O'Mahony, saying: "I am deeply saddened at this news. I have great memories of Joe playing for Limerick.
"Limerick had great rivalries with Waterford and he was a top class player. My sympathies to his family. The Association will mark his passing in March at the Serbia international."I won't claim to be an expert regarding the NHL salary cap but I do feel that I have a good enough understanding to be able to have developed a program that allows me to track and calculate the salary cap for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. Please note (as I often have problems on Twitter with people not understanding this) that these numbers are ONLY for the 2015-16 season. They have ZERO impact on 2016-17 and beyond. They have ZERO impact on the ability to re-sign Steven Stamkos or any other player. This strictly has to do with the salary cap right now, as of February 28th, 2016 for the Tampa Bay Lightning's ability to add salary at the moment.
I know it's commonly been reported that General Fanager's salary cap numbers are gospel and that the Lightning have basically no cap space left (something like $1.6 million), but I do not fully trust or believe those numbers. In December, when reports were coming out that the Lightning were getting tight on the cap due to the number of players going on injured reserve and being recalled, I realized that General Fanager, the oft-cited salary cap web site, wasn't quite right with its numbers. I noticed that they were simply adding up the cap hits of the players on the roster at that time and using that to calculate the salary cap. That is not an accurate or even close-to-accurate way to determine the salary cap, except on the first day of the season.
So with that, I decided I needed something I could trust to give me accurate numbers to see where the team was as the season progressed. I developed a program that let me input all of the salary cap information on players, to recall and demote players, to make long term injured reserved (LTIR) transactions, and then take all of that input and calculate it on any given day throughout the season. Over the last couple months, I've been reporting these numbers on Twitter to give everyone else an idea of where I thought the Lightning stood on salary.
Too Long; Didn't Read (TL;DR): I believe the Lightning have a lot more cap room ($8.5 million) than has been commonly reported throughout the media ($1.6 million).
If you wish to keep reading, here's my numbers.
The team has had $3,763,238 in LTIR salary relief (Mattias Ohlund and Joel Vermin), making the effective upper limit $75,163,238 ($71.4 cap + LTIR Relief).
The team has retained $1,600,000 salary (Sam Gagner) and had a bonus overage of $332,500 as reported by General Fanager.
The team has current player salary commitments and previous cap applied for players on recall of $71,321,816.
Total cap hit applied (retained + bonus + actual cap salary) is $73,254,316.
This leaves the team with $1,908,922 in cap space.
With 42 days left in the season out of a total of 186 (ends April 9th), this gives the team the equivalent of $8,453,798 in cap space (cap space / 42 * 186).
Ideally, you want to leave a little bit of space for injury recalls. With defenseman Matt Taormina already on the roster at a $600,000 cap hit, you don't need to leave as much as you would otherwise. I would say that the team could probably afford $7.5 million AAV which would give them room for at least 1 more recall right away. However, as the team gets closer to the end of the season, that salary cap available grows bigger as the cap room stays the same and the days left in the season get smaller. That would open up more room for those injury replacements.
Once the regular season is over April 9th, the salary cap doesn't matter as teams are allowed to exceed it by 10%.The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory[1][2][3] was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 12, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when most of its territory, excluding Palmyra Island and the Stewart Islands, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii. The Hawaii |
is the latter.
Tim: My brain immediately removed the word “creature,” when I first read this. We see what we want, I guess. How sweet would that be for Modern, though?? As for the actual card, it counters Siege Rhino, Den Protector, and Deathmist Raptor, while also stopping the latter two from doing their shenanigans. That might be good enough for Standard.
Shawn: So it’s Remove Soul, just worse, except in the corner cases of exiling a recursive card like Deathmist Raptor?
Brendan: Being colorless might be useful, except that most things that protect from counterspells do it without focusing on color.
David: Counter target Den Protector/Deathmist Raptor.
Wasteland Strangler
Rich: I’m a bit surprised this is a rare to be honest. It means that development expects Ingest to be a common enough theme that this creature is a 2-for-1 more often than not and they needed to move it to rare to make sure it wasn’t showing up in every limited deck.
Tim: I’m really hoping that we get enough pushed Processors that we end up with a sweet, janky Flicker-Process deck in Modern (you flicker out their permanents, via Flickerwisp, and then drop them in their graveyard).
Brendan: To be uncommon, this would have to cost five mana. Not sure how easy it will be to get the -3/-3 on turn three, though. Even with Ingest creatures, you usually want to use removal to clear the way, but here you have to have already gotten a hit in to have exiled cards to process.
Molten Nursery
Rich: Seems good with artifacts. Love the flavor on this card’s name.
Jess: Good backup for the Aether Grid in monored machine decks in Commander.
Brendan: Worse than Ghirapur Aether Grid for Affinity decks, since you have to dump your hand before you can cast either.
Dust Stalker
Rich: Could be very, very, very strong… but will probably never find a deck and just end up in your bulk box.
Shawn: Is a 5/3 haste creature for four a constructed playable card? The ability seems like a worse version of raid and a slightly better version of Viashino Sandstalker.
Brendan: There’s going to be a Rakdos Eldrazi beatdown deck in limited. That deck will want this card. I doubt anyone else in any format will.
Jess: Why does this not have Ingest?
David: I’m confused about which Eldrazi get Ingest and which don’t. It seems pretty random to me.
Scour From Existence
Rich: Common, colorless, spot-removal? That could fix those long limited matches I guess…
Jess: I can’t tell if this is a good fit for my pauper cube. On the one hand, colorless instant removal that hits anything, which is bonkers. But on the other hand, I’ve been trying to keep it such that the color pie has some meaning, and a removal spell that can go in any deck seems like it undermines that. Still… it’s probably going to look sweet in foil.
Shawn: I can’t imagine putting this in my pauper cube. Each color has more efficient ways of doing what this card does. Sure red can’t deal with enchantments, but it has other methodologies for winning a game that are probably better than paying seven mana to remove a single threat. This reminds me a little bit of Desert Twister, a card that didn’t feel very green in terms of color identity and didn’t see much play because of how clunky it was. I think it’s cool for EDH purposes but I really hope to not have to play this in limited.
Brendan: Seven mana is a lot, but if games go long this gets the job done.
Angelic Captain
Rich: This looks terrible. Even if an ally deck becomes a thing I can’t imagine this as the finisher.
Curtis: I’m just glad to see that distinctive blinding-halo of Zendikari angels again. Doug Beyer confirmed that all angels are made, not born, so were these celestial allies originally devoted to the Eldrazi “gods”?
Brendan: It’s hard for a four power flyer for five mana to be bad in limited. Angelic Captain is not bad, but it is worse than Air Elemental.
Shawn: I wish it gave all creatures +1/+1 for each attacking Ally. I don’t think that would be too good for standard. Also, I hate the flavor text, “Their span seeming to cover the sky” is a pretty weak description.
Quarantine Field
Rich: If your opponent only has one nonland permanent in play then this is a weird kind of Wrath of God. Also, if you cast this and then have an Eldrazi Processor you can dump the exiled cards into your opponent’s graveyard and then they never come back. I’m sure you knew that already though.
Jess: I feel like a lot of cards in this set are like “what if we scaled another effect to huge levels!” This is only moderately interesting, although in a deck that can make big mana it’s going to be quite useful.
Curtis: I missed one X upon reading and foresaw the dawn of a terrible age of Enchantress. As it is, however, this still might merit a slot as an answer to a lot of Miracles’ board position all at once.
Shawn: I’ll put one in my Hanna EDH deck.
Scatter to the Winds
Rich: Strictly better than Cancel, but worse than Draining Whelk. I miss Draining Whelk in limited (yes I’m old).
Tim: Totally called this card as soon as the mechanic was spoiled, because we always get a Cancel variant with the latest set mechanic stapled to it. Except they’re usually uncommon. This confirms that Awaken Control will be a legitimate deck.
Shawn: This card is awesome. It’s exactly what you want in a control deck. A way to interact early and and close out the game without wasting a slot on a win condition.
Brendan: It’s rare and only Awaken 3 (instead of 4 like most others) so you know it has to be good.
David: Instant-speed Awaken!!
Ugin’s Insight
Rich: Ugin’s insight: “Yes, Ulamog is going to eff your shit up, but Jace, dude, have you forgotten just how boned all of existence is? Now Scry. Scry like your multiverse depends on it.”
Tim: Ew, gross.. what kind of respectable blue mage casts anything at sorcery speed? I’d rather have Jace’s Ingenuity.
Jess: The flavor text says interesting things about the storyline, although it’s fucking stupid insightwise. How hilarious would it be if Emrakul ends up a planeswalker at the end of the next set and squids off? Maybe a WUBRG planeswalker with devoid?
Brendan: Eldrazi are kind of planeswalkers anyway, right? They live in that stupid space where only planeswalkers can travel. Game lore is all made up nonsense anyway, so they can do whatever they want. Tapout control decks tend to have expensive permanents, and those decks will love this card. We’ll see if they exist.
Retreat to Coralhelm
Rich: I wish there was a colorless Retreat to Sea Gate that just ate all your opponent’s permanents. I hope there was one in design but development nixed it. FYI this is the best card in the cycle by a mile. That second ability is bonkers.
Jess: I don’t know… in the allies deck, you’re definitely going to get more value from the white one.
Shawn: I think this might be…the worst one in the cycle.
Brendan: Depends how long you expect the game to last. Making all your lands into scry lands is not really worth a card, unless you get seven scrys out of it, but then it’s like Monastery Siege.
Retreat to Hagara
Rich: More like Retreat to Useless Abilities amirite?
Jess: Yeah, this one is unexciting.
Curtis: I actually like this one! Deathtouch and +1/+0 is a pretty solid Limited ability to have on any attacking creature.
Brendan: Play this with Scapeshift!
Jess: Huh, that’s kinda brilliant. There are a lot of times Scapeshift only hits for 18 damage, which is usually enough for the kill, but stumbles a bit against lifegain or decks without painful manabases.
Retreat to Valakut
Rich: This card should be ashamed to bear the name of the most awesome molten pinnacle in Zendikar’s history.
Brendan: This is about as far from Valakut as possible. I never want to play this card.
Woodland Wanderer
Rich: Turn 1 Forest, Turn 2 Mountain and Rattleclaw Mystic, Turn 3 Tango Land and cast this as a 5/5. Then stand up and do a touchdown dance before your opponent casts the new Hero’s Fall on your dude.
Jess: I think it’s interesting that for Siege Rhino mana this is a 5/5. Did Abzan need a couple more copies of that thing?
Brendan: This card is very efficient. It doesn’t take any work to make it a 4/4, and anything bigger is ridiculous.
Spawning Bed
Rich: Okay. That’s weird. A land that’s also a ramp spell of sorts. Auto four-of in a colorless ramp deck but won’t really find a home anywhere else. Solid in limited though. Super solid.
Jess: Also pretty solid in Commander. Those “sac to make token” lands are really strong when they synergize with your overarching strategy, and this one is going to play well with most, given the mana boost.
Brendan: I love this. Miles better than cards like Spawning Breath because it doesn’t take a card slot in your deck.
Blighted Cataract
Rich: Snore…
Tim: YESSSS! PRAISE ALLAH! I LOVE this new Divination land!
Jess: That’s going into a lot of blue Commander decks.
Shawn: This makes me really happy.
Brendan: I will play this often.
Sandstone Bridge
Rich: Oh it’s like that cycle of lands from Zendikar 1.0, a few of which saw constructed play. This won’t be one that sees constructed play.
Brendan: They had to have made all the non-Eldrazi cards look beautiful to contrast with the hideously pathetic aesthetic of the Eldrazi. This card is gorgeous.
Skyline Cascade
Rich: Nope, this one also won’t see constructed play.
Brendan: Take that, stupid beatdown deck!
David: SO GOOD.
Mortuary Mire
Rich: Maybe this one? Counters that Ingest/Processor stuff I guess?
Jess: This one seems Commanderable, especially in decks that care about the top card of their library.
Brendan: This ability is WAAAAAAAAAAAY better than the others in this cycle. Putting a Siege Rhino on top of your library is great.
Looming Spires
Rich: The red one was constructed playable last time and maybe it will be this time because red loves getting a boost. Though, for the record, +1/+1 pales in comparison to +2/+0 for red decks.
Brendan: First strike helps get through blockers. Pretty useful.
Fertile Thicket
Rich: Oh look, it’s the one that might be constructed playable because I have a feeling between converge and allies and fetch-lands and tango-lands we’re going to see some four and five color decks. Then again, Sylvan Scrying just completely trumps this. Oh well.
Jess: This one also has some promise for Commander, and seems particularly strong with new Nissa.
Brendan: None of these abilities is worth a card, but you aren’t paying a card to get them. Abilities that come for “free” on a land are always better than they seem. That said, I don’t like this one very much.
Monday, September 14
Endless One
Brendan: This card embodies everything that I dislike about the previews I’ve seen for this set. As a theoretical exercise, an X/X for X mana is cool. As a card, it is quite powerful, so long as you just want efficient creatures and don’t care if they do anything above being a normal creature. It is all modular and nothing else. As a flavorful, scary alien monster that will devour everything, this card is a joke. Oh no, here’s comes the giant tapeworm of death! Wizards created this set that required them to make a bunch of Eldrazi to represent an army. The Eldrazi all look the same and most are effectively vanilla. Maybe the Eldrazi represent existential boredom. That is what this card triggers for me.
Jess: Well it’s certainly not a Commander card. Just because this is better than most hydras doesn’t change the fact it’s effectively a hydra. Also, as per usual, Brendan just nailed the flavor fail (failavor?) of these tiny Eldrazi.
Rich: I’m sure someone thought the design of this card was really elegant but in reality it’s just really lazy.
Transgress the Mind
Brendan: We had Thoughtseize in standard for two years. I don’t think we’ll see Inquisition of Kozilek back in standard any time soon.
Rich: Having a casting cost of 1B really is going to relegate this card to the sideboard for decks that otherwise would be packing 4 copies at a cost of B.
Crumble to Dust
Brendan: Colorless Sowing Salt that is easier to cast. Also easier to acquire, once the set is released. Is there any way this is not the strictly better card? Why would you ever choose to play Sowing Salt again? Shrine of Burning Rage?
Jess: Devoid is dumb.
Rich: You can’t counter this with Hydroblast. So much value. This seems like the kind of card development puts in sets, but I’m not sure why.
From Beyond
Brendan: Oh look, they made an Awakening Zone for 1/1s. And they slapped a tutor effect on it. This card is significantly stronger than Awakening Zone, except that it costs one more mana. The extra mana has to be a very big cost or else this card would be overpowered.
Jess: Totally a Commander card. The problem with Awakening Zone is that, while it’s amazing on curve, it is like the worst top-deck in the late game. At least this version gives you a six-mana Eldrazi tutor. Plus, obviously Scions > Spawns.
Curtis: Will this work in Enchantress?? No clue. I think not, really; you don’t usually tutor for Big Spaghetti, and a 1/1 every turn is a pretty unassuming blocker or win condition.
Rich: Is this what’s hidden at the center of an Awakening Zone? If I play a ramp spell on Turn 2 do I want to play this on Turn 3 as my four-drop? I don’t think I do. It’s a good card, but Kiora and Explosive Vegetation completely outclass From Beyond as the four-drop in a ramp deck.
Brutal Expulsion
Brendan: Here’s another card that does a lot of cool and useful things, including killing Etched Champion and Master of Waves, but that looks stupid and makes no flavor sense. I guess the flavor is that Eldrazi will fuck your shit up in ways you never knew possible. Film at 11!
Rich: Venser, Shaper Savant does the first effect and gives you a 2/2 body, so I don’t see this getting a lot of screen time in the near future. I guess the two damage is nice. If RUG tempo is a thing, this still probably isn’t good enough to get played.
Tim: A strong front-runner for my favorite card in the set.
David: So brutal.
March from the Tomb
Jess: Okay, I am getting really psyched for the allies Commander deck, something I’ve wanted to be feasible for literally five years. The problem is… what do you do with this chaff once you’ve made your one ally deck? Most of them are useless elsewhere.
Brendan: All this work and you still can’t take the Grail past the great seal.
Rich: Mark my words right now, there will be an aggressive Ally deck after the next expansion. If you can pick up some of these Ally rares as bulk rares for a quarter now, you should absolutely do so.
Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper
Jess: This being one of the exceptions, of course. I don’t love how this feels like a shitty Talrand, and the ally thing feels like more of a “why not?” than something with actual purpose, but at least they’ve been templating the awaken nicely… Back in Scars Block Standard I got dinged for mistakenly pointing to the wrong land for a Koth activation, and I’ve been rock-salty since.
Brendan: I guess we are all Allies now? Maybe they will reprint Coalition Victory? That’s the vibe I’m getting.
Rich: A reprint of Coalition Victory would be the lamest thing ever. I would come back to playing competitively just so I could quit again if they did that.
Exert Influence
Brendan: I am rooting for Zendikar to win this battle (even though they obviously won’t) because cards like this are beautiful and fun. I don’t know why her dress has to be slit up to her hip, but it could be worse.
Jess: Maybe this will finally be the mechanic that breaks Fist of Suns, as has been eternally promised and never delivered.
Rich: I always wanted to pay five mana to take control of Wall of Roots.
Prism Array
Brendan: If you assemble full domain, you can do a lot better things than play this card. But if you don’t care about being powerful or efficient, then Prism Array looks sweet.
Jess: I dunno… if the tap was an ice-down this might see some Commander play, but that ability restricts it to rainbow decks, and for the same mana you could get Maelstrom Nexus. So I am skeptical as to how much play this will see.
Rich: This would be a better card if they made the remove-a-counter effect Scry X and they made the WUBRG effect Tap X Creatures.
Painful Truths
Sorcery // Converge – Draw X cards and lose X life, where X is the number of colors of mana spent to cast Painful Truths.
Curtis: This could be really good, but three life lost is a hefty price, even without the Converge requirements!
Jess: What I hate about cards like this is that it’s weakest when you need it the most.
Brendan: Grumpy Neitzchean Cat says, “Mana screw is a painful truth. Do not look here for answers.”
Rich: Three life and three mana is a fantastic cost for three cards. Unfortunately it’s only good if you can actually go to three, because at two or one it’s not worth the mana. Luckily, I think Sultai Control has a bright future in Standard.
Tim: Reaaaaallly would’ve wanted instant speed on this, but I’m sure it still sees Standard play.
Akoum Firebird
Jess: I knew Bloodghasts, and this is no Bloodghast.
Brendan: Would this be broken if it cost four mana to bring back?
Rich: Even if it never comes back, or comes back rarely, this could see play. See Phoenix, Chandra’s for reference.
Tim: Generic dumb mythic phoenix that comes back based on something to do with the latest set mechanic. Yaaaaaaaaaaawn…
Dragonmaster Outcast
Jess: Could have done without this reprint, honestly. Particularly in a mythic slot. This thing is just chaff 95% of the time.
Brendan: Glad I sold my copies last year when I moved to Denver.
Rich: Is this even that great in limited?
Jess: No.
Sylvan Scrying
Jess: So they give Tron the gift of making one of its idiotically pricy uncommons cost a reasonable amount again, and then print a better Sowing Salt. Okay then.
Brendan: Nice illustration. That waterfall kind of looks like a popsicle, but still cool.
Rich: I’m surprised it’s taken this long to get around to this.
Aligned Hedron Network
Jess: This is cool, and potentially makes for interesting board states in Commander.
Brendan: The new solution is to imprison Ulamog at Apple’s corporate headquarters?
Rich: Development must have been super worried about Eldrazi being good. Or all those dragon things. Is this an auto-include in every sideboard now?
Ally Encampment
Jess: Again, this is great in your one Ally Commander deck, but pretty damn useless everywhere else. At least something like those two Ugin lands from last block were tied to a generally powerful creature type. Allys aren’t exactly must-play cards without the right support.
Rich: Remind me in three months to go back in time and remind me to buy these up on speculation that Allies will be the dominant theme of the next expansion.
Sanctum of Ugin
Jess: I’m kinda getting tired with all these cards that don’t feel like they would be rare were it not for Limited.
Brendan: Does Eye of Ugin screw this up if you pay six to cast an eight-mana colorless creature? I can never remember all the ways cost reduction and converted mana cost interact.
Rich: How much of a flavor fail is it that you can’t actually use this to search for Ugin, the Spirit Dragon? I mean, come on, is it so hard to say “colorless creature or planeswalker card?”
Thursday, September 10
Greenwarden of Murasa
Brendan: Good luck ever beating this in limited.
Shawn: Deadwood Treefolk bulked up.
Jess: Now this is a Commander card! I just wish it wasn’t mythic, but I imagine it warped Limited at another rarity.
Stefano: Eternal Fatness. Card is way better than however good you think it is. Woodland Bellower doesn’t touch this in Standard (maybe even EDH?), even if this never dies.
Tim: I told my friends that I thought this card was garbage, and should’ve been a 6/6. Then I preordered 8, because either I get to say, “I told you so!” or make some money. Mostly hoping to have spent $40 to say, “I told you so!”
Drana’s Emissary
Brendan: This is a lot of value for the cost of playing two colors. It seems like BFZ encourages multicolor decks, which I guess Wizards does every other set now.
Shawn: I like that even if this gets outclassed in the air and can’t attack, it still gives you a two point life swing.
Jess: Meh. I always get annoyed when this effect isn’t “equal to the life lost”
Stefano: These Limited uncommons are really good. I also love that this is a Vampire Cleric Ally.
Herald of Kozilek
Brendan: Why does this have four toughness? This is very strong if you can cast it. Any deck that has this will have a bunch of scary giant colorless creatures. You won’t want to waste premium removal on this stupid thing, but it will lead to your quick death.
Shawn: I hate devoid as a mechanic.
Jess: I do like how well it works with spellbombs and whatnot…
Stefano: I do think it’s weird that Devoid got a whole keyword (and that Ingest got a keyword without a modular number), but it feels cool. This makes Ghostfire Blade into super-Rancor and makes Hangarback a Gray Ogre (or a 1/1 for 1) — and its name is now Exhibit One in my case for “Lore is a stupid reason to think they won’t reprint Inquisition of Kozilek.”
Tim: This card has me excited, as I think it’s very breakable. In the right deck, it’s a Goblin Electromancer that doesn’t die to bolt!
Catacomb Sifter
Brendan: Unless mana fixing is really bad, somehow, then these two color devoid creatures are all ridiculous.
Jess: Amen, Brendan.
Stefano: Catacomb Sliver???! Oh wait- oh- oh what
(Jokes aside this seems like what we all dreamed Reaper of the Wilds would be, in a Standard where GBx has serious options for SacUs.dec)
Resolute Blademaster
Brendan: Another game-ending uncommon. The power level of BFZ seems very high.
Jess: I am totally making an all-allies Commander deck now that they’ve got critical mass.
Stefano: Okay, these Limited uncommons are ridiculous. Pft lol nice Sorcer- wait it repeats? Uh
Curtis: That art though! Something I love about the pallette of this set is the diverse colors, armaments, and cultural trappings of the peoples of Zendikar against that dead bone-white wasteland of Eldrazi corruption. This guy is standing on the skeleton of his world. A+
Skyrider Elf
Brendan: Skyreach Manta except it doesn’t always cost five mana? Another very strong card. The only limitation I see in this set is mana fixing.
Shawn: Wait, but it’s X mana plus the counters from converge right? So if you pay 3UG, just two colors of mana, it’s a 5/5?
Brendan: No, the X does nothing except let you add extra colors. And dodge Counterbalance I suppose.
Shawn: Hmmmm, I should have realized that, it’s kind of like Engineered Explosives then. Anyway, this is basically Gaea’s Skyfolk with upside, which is totally reasonable in limited.
Stefano: This. Is. So. COOOOOOOOL
It’s a Gaea’s Skyfolk that can be a Skyreach Manta…and it gets around this very next card!
Tim: Possibly Standard-playable, even in a three-color deck. A card that can be a 2/2 flyer for two or a 3/3 flyer for three seems ok.
Void Winnower
Brendan: I hate this card. Why is this a mechanic? What relevance does even or odd have to anything in the game? Is this just a randomizer like a coin flip? “Well, we don’t want it to ruin their entire deck. Just half of it.” I guess this is a sly reference to Gilt-Leaf Winnower, which at least had some silly and contrived flavor explanation for its hatred of unbalanced power and toughness. I hope this card isn’t good enough that I ever have to think about how many “even” creatures I put in my deck.
Shawn: I like the design. It feels mythic to me. I think there was some identity crisis with the Eldrazi in this set after nixing the annihilator mechanic and this at least feels like a logical step forward.
Stefano: I actually really love this. First, I love that “Winnowing” is apparently the new unofficial word for “number-hate,” but this also incentivized diversified deckbuilding. Second, this could be the mirror-breaker for the prophesied See the Unwritten Eldrazi-ramp deck. If you manage to be the first to See, suddenly your opponents’ topdecks of See and Sylvan Scrying and Eternal Fatness don’t look so good. This beast also shuts down the Oblivion Cube and Utter End, while incentivizing that Downfall-on-a-stick spell.
Tim: I really have no idea what to say, except what a weird fucking card. I’m not sure if it actually sees any play, since most of the good removal is odd-numbered. Maybe they’ll give us his twin brother that shuts down evens in the next set. Maybe they’ll remind us again that zero is an even number. Maybe they’ll start stating other known and established facts as reminder text. “Draw seven cards. (seven is a prime number.)”
Creature – Cat Beast // Vigilance, lifelink // At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 40 or more life, you win the game.
Shawn: It’s nice to have a reprint of this card if only to lower the pricetag for the kitchen table crowd.
Stefano: This is actually pretty big finance news. Mythics are not necessarily safe to be reprinted only as mythics — not even iconic ones with big, splashy effects.
Curtis: Has this been confirmed? I thought I heard it was not
Tim: I remember talking about how I thought Mastery of the Unseen was a huge mistake for Standard during GP Miami, when there were mirrors happening where the players would not even finish game 1. I called for a ban, out of how ridiculous the whole situation was. Thankfully, WotC heard our cries over the crazy board states that card can create, and rather than banning, they gave us an elegant solution.
Munda, Ambush Leader
Brendan: I find Allies incredibly boring, and Boros is my least favorite color combination. So at least I don’t have to feel conflicted about this in any way.
Shawn: Would the Goblin Ringleader ability be too good here?
Jess: See, I don’t think there are enough allies in any two-color combination to make this commander decent for the allies deck… and if there are two colors that could support it, they wouldn’t be red and white. This goes in the 99, not leading the team.
Stefano: To respond to Shawn: when I first read this as a 3/4 repeatable Ringleader with haste, I was about to pull up TCGPlayer and start buying out Constructed-worthy Allies. This card would be absolutely ridiculous if it was Rally = Impulse. It still seems potentially quite powerful, especially now that I realize it’s a “may” and doesn’t force you to choose between casting your drops and ever drawing a land again.
Shambling Vent
Brendan: Creature lands are so powerful that they don’t need awesome creature abilities to be great. Still, how boring and lame will it be if all of these new lands mirror the keyrunes?
Jess: That would suck! I mean, this doesn’t seem TERRIBLE, but it certainly compares poorly to Stirring Wildwood, let alone the good ones.
Stefano: Yeah, the art is cool, but I don’t see why this couldn’t be a damn 3/3 at least.
Tim: When I heard that they were splitting the manlands between the two sets, I really had hopes of the Abzan ones being absent from BFZ, because FUCK SIEGE RHINO. Guess I didn’t get my wish. I honestly think this card could’ve been a vanilla 2/2 without lifelink, and it would still see play in Abzan midrange.
Wednesday, September 9
Roil Spout
Brendan: It’s like Azorius Charm got old and slow but could still get it done.
Rich: This effect is probably the most griefer effect in all of Magic. Hey, you see that creature right there? Your best one? Yeah, it’s gone, and that bomb you were hoping to draw next turn? Nope, it’s gonna be that creature again. Ta ta.
Stefano: I don’t think most people realize this, so I’m gonna say it: Awaken is INSANE in Limited. Literally every Awaken spell will be amazing. This is a perfectly on-curve Temporal Spring-type effect, or it’s a goddamn 4/4 Vedalken Dismisser. (Hint: Vedalken Dismisser is HOOD. Also GOOD. But HOOD.)
Ulamog’s Nullfier
Curtis: THIS is what I’ve been waiting for: something that uses the “Ingested” (exiled) cards as a resource so efficiently as to reward their inclusion in a deck. I’m excited just from a design standpoint, but this looks super playable to me.
Rich: Mystic Snake was crazy good back in the day. It looks like they’re going to push a Sultai Ingest/Processor control deck of some sort. This is a pretty powerful creature in that kind of tempo style of deck.
Brendan: Pretty sweet that this can counter the delve spell that put the cards into exile. Also a colorless counterspell could be relevant here or there. Nice Pyroblast.
Stefano: This could be the Snake that Silumgar Sorcerer never could. I love the sort of raw way this uses Processing (i.e. a simple threshold and not a scaling module effect that counts the cards), and I love the fact that Processors coexist in Standard with Delve.
Grove Rumbler
Rich: Obligatory fetchland comment on a Landfall spoiler
Brendan: So this thing benefits from new lands by tearing them up to make weapons? I guess fresh trees hit harder. “Only green wood! Green!”
Stefano: I’m not even gonna keep commenting on how absolutely busted these gold Limited unbombons are.
Grovetender Druids
Jess: So I guess the plants evolved alongside the eldrazi spawn?
Rich: Zendikar fights back! Or something …
Stefano: So Spawns and Plants both grew up… (Plus now none of the set’s tokenbabies can be Winnowed.)
Deathless Behemoth
Jess: Again, I really wish all these “sacrifice two eldrazi spawn” cards just read “sacrifice two eldrazi. Although, from the perspective of a reader, I suppose this doesn’t look like a reiteration. Well, it is!
Rich: Seems unimpressive to be honest
Stefano: “Sacrifice two Eldrazi” is bad flavor, so I get it. Eldrazi are Elder-azi Gods; Eldrazi Scions are just food. Also, a 6/6 Vigilance for 6 for any Limited deck is also absurd, and this is also a freaking Salvage Titan. This feels like a high draft pick to me because it will never, ever Table.
Akoum Hellkite
Rich: Obligatory fetchland comment on a Landfall spoiler
Stefano: ^ lmao Riiiiiiich. I’m not gonna lie, these (presumable) Intro Pack rares are much stronger and cooler than usual. This subtype-matters Landfall variant is really clever and fun, and your opponent gets to try and guess how many Mountains are left in your deck…
Tuesday, September 8
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Brendan: Great card. Even just playing Gideon and making an emblem is solid if you need that, and the flexibility to make tokens or attack with a 5/5 makes Gideon quite strong. Just don’t try to +1 and attack with him the turn you play him.
Derek: this takes my vote for best card in the set so far. For only 4 mana Gideon is capable of winning the game, and on his own terms. He can make an army to protect him, attack, or Anthem your team forever. This emblem stacks well, so I foresee easily playing multiples in both control and aggressive decks.
Jess: I love how Gideon’s thing is that he doesn’t typically ultimate, with the one, rarely-played exception.
Rich: Allies for everybody!
Brendan: Has anyone in history ever used Gideon, Champion of Justice to exile all other permanents?
Jess: I did in Limited once. It was epic, but not good.
Tim: I did it in Standard, due to my horrible obsession with Superfriend decks! This Gideon rules, though. I could even see it breaking into Modern.
Stefano: I love this design. So subtle and nuanced. It builds you back up (with Allies!) when you have no board, tops off your curve when you do, or just pops out an unNaturalize-able anthem for 4. Whenever my casual friends say “Planeswalkers” are dumb, this is one card I’ll think of as proof that it adds dimension to the game.
Kiora, Master of the Depths
Derek: A limited bomb no doubt, as she protects herself with a creature that untaps, or draws you a card while fueling graveyard hijinks each turn, and her emblem is outright calamity. She also has a slight ramping effect, which indicates to me that RUG Ramp could be a deck post-rotation.
Jess: Now this is an emblem I can get behind. I mean, Kiora seems like a great Commander planeswalker, restricted only by her color identity. Ramp, draw, and graveyard fuel are all strong alone, and she has all three.
Rich: They’re definitely pushing a UGx ramp deck and it could be straight up UG with tempo or it could be Sultai or Temur to get a bit more punch. With fetches and dual lands I suspect three colors will be the way to go. There are going to be a bunch of creatures/lands that can tap for 2 mana so her +1 is potentially +4 mana.
Tim: *Looks over at his old, shitty, Ral Zarek Stasis brews* …we have work to do!
Stefano: Lot of potential for UGx ramp. -2 is close enough to Jace Architect, but +1 with nothing but Kiora, a Shaman of Forgotten Ways, and five lands out equals a nice smooth turn-5 Deckatog. I mean New-Mill-OG. I mean Tentacool.
Ob Nixilis Reignited
Brendan: Killing creatures and drawing cards are both good.
Derek: Killing creatures, drawing cards, AND providing a win condition. He does cost five… but that’s never a big hit these days in Standard.
Curtis: I’m delighted that Ob has come full circle – from Planeswalker, to hobbled demon, to freed demon, to Planeswalker once more. Good for you, guy.
Jess: Another great Commander planeswalker. I hope this dude bombs out of Standard so I can pick up a ton of copies on the cheap.
Rich: I can’t look past the terrible artwork. What happened?
Tim: This is a fine |
she did. She was supposed to explain to the baffled American electorate why he's not so damned unlikable after all. Turned out, Ann couldn't really articulate what's so great about her husband either:Oooh. Mitt was tall and nervous and laughed. Swoon!
Compare that to Michelle Obama's description of the man she fell in love with:
You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate…to me, he was still the guy who’d picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door…he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small. But when Barack started telling me about his family – that’s when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine. [...] And I didn’t think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did four years ago…even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met. I love that he’s never forgotten how he started. I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard – especially when it’s hard. I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as “us” and “them” – he doesn’t care whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above…he knows that we all love our country…and he’s always ready to listen to good ideas…he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.
Now, see, that's the genuine, heartfelt—not to mention incredibly eloquent—testimony of a wife who loves her husband, who can tell us exactly why she loves her husband, and can make the rest of the country fall in love with him all over again too. It was so good that even conservatives admitted they were in awe.
And all she had to do was be herself.J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Oregon Rep. Greg Walden skipped around Cleveland Monday talking with reporters, donors and delegates in a short speech at the convention.
His message: Donald Trump may be a polarizing candidate, but he’s not going to endanger the big Republican majority in the House.
Walden, Oregon’s only Republican member of Congress, is the guy his fellow Republicans have put in charge of making sure that they stay in charge. He heads House GOP’s campaign committee, a cash-rich political operation run out of an office building on Capitol Hill.
As Trump moved toward seizing the nomination this spring, Walden’s Democratic rivals started thinking they could maybe pick up the 30 seats it would take to seize control. They’ve continued to talk up their chances in a series of interviews and memos.
“Right now what we are seeing is opportunity that has only gotten stronger because of the ugliness and divisiveness of Donald Trump,” Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, recently told NBC Latino.
Walden has had his own issues with Trump. At the beginning of the primary season, he criticized Trump for calling on a ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S., saying it violated American values.
But after the other Republican presidential candidates dropped out, Walden endorsed Trump. He said the New York businessman is a better alternative than Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Walden remains somewhat measured in his praise of Trump. Asked Monday if he thought Trump had the temperament to be president, the congressman told OPB that “I think he can” because he will “surround himself with solid people.”
In his convention speech, Walden mentioned Trump just once, saying that Trump “would be a partner” in the agenda laid out by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.
Where Walden gets impassioned is when he expresses his confidence that House Republicans will at most lose only a few of the 247 seats they now hold.
In the competitive House districts, Walden repeatedly said Monday, his organization’s polling shows that Republican representatives don’t have to worry about being tied to Trump.
“In most cases I would tell you that Donald Trump is more popular than Hillary Clinton,” Walden said in a breakfast seminar sponsored by The Atlantic magazine and carried on C-Span.
He also said he didn’t have any issues with House Republicans who distanced themselves from Trump. That’s up to each one to decide what is best for their district. And Walden also argued that Clinton’s own low popularity ratings can be a problem for Democratic candidates in many districts.
In the final analysis, Walden said, House districts remain their own unique microcosms, not always subject to national winds. He loves to recite stories about Republican members who work on such things as protecting funding for local military bases.
Walden himself is in one of those local microcosms. While he holds the vast reaches of eastern Oregon in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, he has not had any success at getting a Republican elected to one of the state’s other four districts.
Instead, he quipped at one point Monday, “As the only Republican from Oregon, I am indeed protected by the ESA.”Unlike a lot of festivals, at Bob Wills Day, it doesn't cost a thing to enjoy many of our popular events, like, the downtown parade, arts and crafts show, lawnmower races, or the FREE Outdoor Concert on Saturday at 2 :30 p.m. Featuring friends of the Texas Playboys, Western Swing Entertainer of the Year--Billy Mata and Texas Fiddle-Man-Jason Roberts. We are happy to have Leon Rausch, Jimmy Burson, and Joe Settlemires performing as well. Dr. Charles Townsend will be the Master of Ceremonies for the free outdoor concert. The outdoor concert will be held on the old football field next to the high school. Thursday dance tickets are $20.00, Friday & Saturday dance tickets are $20 per person. Thursday night 7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 20$, we will kick off our annual Bob Wills dances with an all star salute to the legends. On Friday, your $20.00 ticket gets you in for both Jake Hooker and the Outsiders and Friefnds of the Texas Playboys. Dancing from 5:30 p.m. to midnight! On Saturday, we welcome back our...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 in an early morning tweet on Tuesday said Democrats are moving on from the Russia investigation to "false accusations" of sexual harassment.
"Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia - so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met," he said. "FAKE NEWS!"
Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia - so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2017
Sexual harassment allegations against Trump are back in the spotlight after three of his accusers, Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks, during a press conference on Monday recounted alleged harassment by Trump and demanded that Congress open an investigation. Their allegations were first shared during the 2016 presidential campaign.
In a briefing Monday after the Trump accusers' press conference, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders again defended the president.
“The president has denied any of these allegations,” Sanders told reporters. “And again, the American people knew this and voted for the president, and we feel like we are ready to move forward.”
Dozens of Democratic female lawmakers are also calling on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Trump.
Two members of the House of Representatives, former Reps. John Conyers John James ConyersDemocrats seek cosponsors for new 'Medicare for all' bill Virginia scandals pit Democrats against themselves and their message Women's March plans 'Medicare for All' day of lobbying in DC MORE Jr. (D-Mich.) and Trent Franks Harold (Trent) Trent FranksArizona New Members 2019 Cook shifts 8 House races toward Dems Freedom Caucus members see openings in leadership MORE (R-Ariz.), resigned last week over sexual misconduct allegations.
Sen. Al Franken Alan (Al) Stuart FrankenVirginia can be better than this Harris off to best start among Dems in race, say strategists, donors Virginia scandals pit Democrats against themselves and their message MORE (D-Minn.) last week also announced plans to resign after multiple women came forward claiming he touched them inappropriately.
Trump attorney Ty Cobb hinted in a statement earlier this month that special counsel Robert Mueller was wrapping up his investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
“The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel’s work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion,” Cobb said.
His statement came after former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI as part of a plea deal with authorities.
In October, Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, pleaded not guilty to all charges stemming from Mueller's probe.
Manafort's former business associate, Richard Gates, also pleaded not guilty.
George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the FBI as part of the investigation.
--Mallory Shelbourne contributed to this report, which was updated at 8:08 a.m.Today, I'm talking to Josh Kaufmann, founder of PersonalMBA.com, about the process of learning new skills. How do you learn a new skill fast? Find out now.
When I moved to New York, a friend of mine took me out for lunch to welcome me to the city. While we were eating, he made an offhand comment that stuck with me: “Besides work, most people hardly ever leave the 3-block area they live in.”
Years later, after living here, I realize how right he is. We get comfortable. We know what’s around us. And most of all, we don’t want to take a risk (and possibly look stupid) by trying something new.
His point wasn’t just about where we live. The more and more I get better at my own craft, the more resistance I’ve noticed in myself to try something new. When was the last time you learned a new language, took up a new sport, or traveled to a totally different country?
It’s uncomfortable to imagine being a beginner at something again. What if I fall off the skateboard? What if people laugh at me? Ah, screw this, I’m gonna go watch TV.
That’s why I love people who constantly try to reinvent themselves — especially masters of their craft — because it would be easy to coast.
A while ago, I invited one of my friends, Josh Kaufman, to talk about mental frameworks (like the ones I used to answer hundreds of emails/day). As a reminder, Josh founded PersonalMBA.com and is one of the deepest thinkers on systems that I know.
Today, I’ve invited him back to talk about the process of how to learn a new skill. If I want to learn windsurfing, do I really need to spend 10,000 hours? How do I get “good enough” to enjoy something faster than that?
I like having Josh share his techniques because he’s a total weirdo. Instead of using off-the-shelf software, like 99% of people in his business do, he built it himself. When I looked at him disgustedly, saying “Why, dude?” he smiled and said, “It was fun.”
No! It’s not fun to build a shopping cart. But he loves the process of pushing through the initial pain to build something new.
His new book, The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything… Fast, will teach you exactly this.
What I like about Josh is he breaks down learning all kinds of new skills — like playing a new instrument, learning a new language, picking up a new sport, or even learning to cook. These are the things we always talk about wanting to do, but never actually get around to doing. And in today’s guest post, he’ll show you how to acquire any new skill in 20 hours or less. (By the way, I especially love the part where he preemptively yells at you below.)
Take it away, Josh
* * *
In less than 12 months, I’ve learned the following:
1. How to code. My entire business now runs on software I wrote myself, and if I ever decided to stop running my own business, I could land a six-figure position pretty easily.
2. How to do yoga. Now I can practice by myself at home in a safe, effective way, and I’m getting stronger and more flexible every day.
3. Learned how to windsurf. It’s a challenging, physically demanding sport, but it’s super fun.
4. How to play the ukulele. I know how to play many popular songs, and I can pick up a songbook or tab and figure out how to play pretty much anything.
5. How to play Go. It’s the oldest strategic board game in the world, and WAY more complicated than chess.
6. How to touch type (again). I now type using a keyboard layout called Colemak, which is much more efficient than the QWERTY keyboard layout most people use.
7. How to shoot and edit a movie. I bought a camera and shot my first short film: a trailer to launch my second book, an international bestseller that hit #2 on Audible.com overall. Outsourcing production of the trailer to a professional would’ve cost at least $20,000, so even after purchasing my camera and gear, I had an immediate 300%+ ROI on the project.
I learned all of these brand new skills on the side, without quitting my day job or ignoring my family. In the midst of these projects, I overhauled a 140,000+ word manuscript (the second edition of my bestselling business book, The Personal MBA), taught three business training courses, took care of my two-year-old daughter, helped my wife build her business, and wrote the manuscript for my second book.
How? I learned how to acquire new skills very, very quickly.
It’s not rocket science. If you’re smart about how you practice, you can go from knowing absolutely nothing about it to being quite skilled in only a few hours. Put in as little as 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice, and you’ll easily outperform 99% of the human population.
If you learn to practice in an intelligent, strategic way, there’s no limit to what you can learn.
Even rocket science.
* * *
Skill Acquisition: What Would You Like to Learn?
Take a moment to think of all of the things you want to know how to do. Would you like to:
* Learn how to speak or write a new language?
* Figure out how to draw?
* Play a musical instrument, or learn to sing?
* Start your own business?
* Get better at negotiation or public speaking?
* Program, design, or learn some useful new technology?
* Fly an airplane?
Learn how to acquire new skills quickly, and you can pick up ALL of these skills, and many more. You can learn things that’ll help you make more money. You can learn things that’ll raise your profile, earn the respect of people you value, and create new opportunities. You can learn things that’ll permanently enrich your life, and open up entirely new areas of the world for exploration and enjoyment.
* * *
The 3 Major Barriers to Learning Something New
So why don’t most of us spend more time systematically picking up new skills? Three reasons:
1. Most people don’t commit to learning anything specific. They just say things like “I think it’d be totally cool to learn how to speak Japanese someday,” and never actually make a plan to sit down and practice. Even worse, they never take a moment to figure out WHY they’re interested in that particular skill, so it’s close to impossible to make it a priority vs. other, more urgent matters, like going out drinking with friends or watching old episodes of Breaking Bad.
2. Learning new skills is often intimidating. When you’re learning something new, there are enormous gaps in your understanding of the topic. You’re very aware of what you don’t know, and you don’t know where to begin. That ambiguity generates fear and uncertainty, both of which make the ancient survival-oriented parts of your brain freak out. What’s the easiest way to stop feeling afraid? Give up.
3. Learning new skills is usually frustrating. Let’s say you push through the uncertainty long enough to actually sit down and practice. Here’s what’s going to happen: YOU WILL SUCK. Completely, totally suck. What’s the easiest way to stop feeling stupid? Stop practicing, and say to yourself, “it really wasn’t that interesting to begin with.”
Here’s the thing: indecision, intimidation, and frustration are universal barriers to skill acquisition. They’re entirely predictable, so you can prepare accordingly.
The key to rapid skill acquisition isn’t involve complicated memorization techniques or mental hacks. It’s just a simple, systematic way to spend your time and energy doing things that help you build real skill, and avoid things that don’t.
* * *
Don’t Worry About Being an Instant Elite Ninja Master of the Universe
Let’s get one huge misconception out of the way right now: when learning a new skill, you don’t have to worry about “mastering” the skill or becoming an “expert.”
Say you don’t know how to paint, but want to learn. Here’s the absolute worst way to go about it: compare your current level of ability (nouveau third grader) with Picasso, Michelangelo, or any random artist that posts on deviantART. Anything that you produce will look like garbage in comparison, so why bother?
Even worse, you may have heard that it takes “10,000 hours” to master a skill. That’s at least 4 hours of practice every single day for almost 7 years. Who has time for that?!
Here’s the thing: you probably don’t need to be an expert.
Skill acquisition is tied up in many ways with social status: being good at something is a status signal, so our brains track our perceived competence vs. others constantly. When you don’t think you’re as good as other people at something, it’s common to feel self-conscious, and your mind starts looking for ways to protect your fragile ego from feelings of inferiority.
That’s why you get so uptight when you try to learn something new: your brain kicks into social comparison mode, even though it’s unnecessary at best, and counterproductive at worst.
Most of the time, you don’t need to be an expert – you just need to practice enough to get the results you want, whatever they might be. Comparing yourself against other people during the beginning stages of skill acquisition is wasted energy, and it’s a very real barrier to improving your skills.
In the vast majority of cases, people decide to pick up a new skill to either (1) get a particular valuable result or (2) have fun. That’s it. Social comparison is meaningless – who cares what other people can do if you’re able to get the results you want?
Here’s a simple example: I recently learned how to cook on the grill. I wanted to grill burgers, chicken, steak, vegetables, etc. for my family, so I could help out around the house. It only took a few hours of practice, as well as a few simple tools, to get really great results. (Pro tip: using an interval timer and a fast digital thermometer makes grilling anything way easier.)
Am I the most mindblowing expert ninja grillmaster who has ever lifted a spatula? No.
Am I now an internationally recognized celebrity chef? No.
Do I need to be in order to cook a delicious dinner for my family? Absolutely not.
When you decide to learn something new, you’re not competing against other people: you’re competing against your own previous lack of ability, and any improvement is a win.
Once you grok that early phase skill acquisition isn’t a competition, leveling up your skills and abilities becomes much, much easier.
* * *
Here’s the core method to acquire any new skill, personal or professional, as quickly as possible:
1. Set a concrete, specific Target Performance Level
Setting what I call a target performance level makes it much easier to identify exactly what you’ll need to actually practice. It sounds simple, but this is an extremely common point of failure: most people never decide what they want, so it’s impossible to figure out how to get it.
Define what you want to be able to do in a clear, concrete manner – the more detailed, the better. Instead of relying on a mindless, broad goal like “learn how to code,” setting a target performance level like “deploy a functioning Ruby on Rails application to Heroku” is much easier to practice.
Likewise, deciding on ONE skill to work on at a time is crucial. It comes down to arithmetic: you need a critical mass of experience doing something in order to build noticeable skill. If you spread your efforts over too many skills, you won’t improve any of them.
Choosing only one skill to work on is often difficult, so here’s a simple method I use to make it easier to decide. Make a list of all of the skills you’d like to learn. When you’re ready to commit to a new skill, take out your list, and ask yourself this question:
“If I could only learn half of the skills on this list, which ones would I keep?”
Cut your list in half. When you’re done, cut it in half again, and again, and again, until one skill is left standing, Highlander-style. (In the end, there can be only one.)
Remember: you’re not deciding that you’re never going to pick up any of the other skills on your list. You’re just deciding you’re not going to focus on them right now. Pick one skill: everything else can wait.
2. Deconstruct the skill to avoid overwhelm and make practice more efficient
Most of the things we think of as skills (like “public speaking” or “playing the guitar”) are actually bundles of smaller sub-skills that are used in combination. By breaking the skill into more manageable parts, practice becomes way less intimidating, and you can work on improving one sub-skill at a time.
Like so many things in life, skills follow the law of critical few (often referred to as “Pareto’s Law” or the “80/20 principle”). Breaking down the skill into smaller parts is the first step in figuring out which sub-skills are critical.
Take golf. When you “play golf,” you’re not just doing one thing. Driving off the tee, hitting with an iron, chipping out of a bunker, and putting on the green are completely different skills, so it’s best to practice each in isolation. Driving, using an iron, and putting happen most often, it’s probably best to practice those first. (I don’t even play golf: this basic level of deconstruction is possible after watching someone play golf for a few minutes. It’s really not that difficult.)
Most skills follow a similar pattern: a few subskills are critical, while the remainder are rarely used or contribute less to the end result. Practice the most important sub-skills first, and you accelerate your overall rate of skill acquisition.
3. Use 80/20 research tactics to find the most important subskills quickly
Next, find a few books, courses, DVDs, or other resources about the skill. Don’t try to finish them all in detail: skim them all, one after another. The most important techniques and ideas will appear often, in multiple sources, allowing you to establish which sub-skills are critical with more confidence.
An hour or two of research is all you need: too much research is a subtle form of procrastination. You want to do just enough research to identify the critical sub-skills, avoiding the inefficiency of “just getting started” without a strategy.
When I was learning to code, I bought over 20 books on the subject. I thought the best way to learn was to read the books, and THEN try to write my own program. The reality was the opposite: I only started to develop real skills when I used three introductory books to identify a few critical ideas, then spent my time actually writing programs.
Do your homework, then shift to real practice as quickly as possible. Practicing the skill in context is the only thing that generates lasting results.
4. Anything that gets in the way of focused, deliberate practice is an enemy that needs to be destroyed
The more effort it takes to sit down and begin, the less likely you are to practice. We’re all cognitive misers: if something takes a great deal of thought or effort in the moment, we’re less likely to do it.
Want to learn how to play the guitar? Guess what: keeping your guitar in a case, in the back of a closet, on the other side of your house pretty much guarantees you’ll never practice.
Here’s what I did when I wanted to learn how to play the ukulele: I kept it close to where I worked every day. All I had to do to start practicing was reach over and pick it up, so I practiced.
One of my friends (and former clients), Tim Grahl, has a great rule of thumb:
“I assume that future Tim is going to be stupid, lazy, and make bad decisions, so I set up my environment to prevent that from happening.”
Instead of relying on willpower to force yourself to practice, it’s always more effective to change your environment to make practicing as easy as possible. Little changes, like placing your guitar in an easy-to-reach location, make an enormous difference.
Likewise, anything that distracts you or pulls focus while you’re practicing holds you back. Close the door. Unplug your TV. Disconnect your internet. Mute your cell phone. Do whatever it takes to keep your attention on the task at hand.
Anything that gets in the way of focused, deliberate practice is an enemy that needs to be destroyed. No mercy.
5. Use precommitment psychology to break through early resistance
Now, the moment of truth: are you willing to rearrange your schedule to complete at least 20 hours of deliberate practice? (That’s roughly 45 minutes of practice a day for the next 30 days.)
Sit down, take out your calendar, and do the math. When exactly are you going to practice? What are you going to give up, reschedule, or stop doing to make the time?
If you “don’t have time,” or aren’t willing to accept the necessary tradeoffs to MAKE the time, that’s a sign the skill isn’t a real priority at the moment.
There’s no shame in that. If you’re not willing to commit to at least 20 hours of practice to acquiring a new skill, then you’re probably better off dropping the project and doing something else. It’s better to clarify your true priorities and make a conscious decision to stop than dabble just long enough to feel guilty about giving up.
If you’re willing to invest at least 20 hours of focused effort in learning a new skill, precommitting to putting in the time makes it much more likely you’ll practice enough to acquire the skill. This technique is called a “pre-commitment,” and it’s extremely effective at changing behavior.
Here’s how the 20 hour pre-commitment works: once you start practicing, you must keep going until you either (1) develop the level of skill you want, or (2) complete at least 20 hours of practice.
In my experience, pre-commitments are critical. Making a credible promise to yourself (or to other people) before you start practicing is key if you want to get results as quickly as possible.
Here’s why: if you’re “just dabbling,” it’s easy to quit as soon as you face the slightest difficulty. Remember: the early hours of practice are going to SUCK. You’re going to be horrible, and you’ll know it. It’s very, very easy to get frustrated and give up.
Making a pre-commitment completely changes your inner dialog. You find yourself thinking and saying things like “I’m going to keep going until I get what I want or I reach the 20 hour mark. If I suck, I’m going to suck for 20 hours. That’s okay. I expected this. I’m going to keep going, because getting better at this is important to me.”
There’s a wide (and growing) body of evidence that perseverance in working toward long-term goals in the face of setbacks, frustrations, and adversity – usually referred to as “grit“- is an essential element of success in every field. If you’re able to persist when the going gets tough, you’ll reap outsized rewards. Making a pre-commitment makes it much, much, much easier to keep pushing through early frustrations and setbacks. It’s simple, but it works.
There’s nothing magical about the 20 hour mark, by the way: I chose that particular threshold purely for psychological reasons. 20 hours isn’t long enough to feel intimidating, so it feels easy enough to pre-commit, but it’s long enough to see dramatic results.
In my experience, the first few hours of learning anything are frustrating and confusing. A 2-4 hours in, you begin to get the hang of it. By hours 4-6, you start to see really exciting results. By hours 15-20, you’re better than most people will ever be.
After 20 hours, you’ll be in a much better position to judge the skill: do you find is valuable? Are you getting the benefits you were looking for when you began? Could you benefit from further practice?
You can learn many skills, like basic cooking techniques, in a few hours. Here’s an example: I learned how to grill hamburgers, steaks, ribs, and chicken this summer. I can cook dinner for my family, and the food tastes great, which was my target performance level. If you get the benefits you’re looking for, there’s no need to keep pushing forward unless you really want to. You don’t have to be a world-class black belt 6-sigma ninja master of absolutely everything you ever decide to learn. Define what you want, persist until you get it, then move on.
Other skills, like programming, benefit from continued, more challenging practice. I’m about 150 hours into web application programming at this point, and I’m still learning a ton. The core process is the same: if you’re willing to invest the time and energy, you can use this method over and over again to level up a skill all the way to mastery.
* * *
Success is in the SYSTEM. Knowing this stuff is meaningless unless you DO it.
That’s the core of rapid skill acquisition: five simple steps that will help you acquire any new skill as quickly as humanly possible. In practice, I use two more detailed checklists to systematically acquire new skills, which I discuss at length in The First 20 Hours.
Now, you might be thinking something along the lines of “yeah, yeah, yeah, this is all common sense. Tell me something I haven’t heard before. Where are the brain hacks? What about study skills, memory palaces, and nootropics? Can I learn faster by rigging up a 9-volt battery to zap my brain with electricity?“
First, to echo what Ramit has been saying for over eight years now: YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS. Reading about this stuff isn’t enough. Skills require practice, and practice requires effort. No practice, no skill acquisition.
Second: SIMPLE THINGS WORK. This strategy is simple, and it works. If you use it, you will learn fun and useful things in very short periods of time. Unnecessary complexity is stupid.
If you actually sit down to practice, and use this method to practice in an effective/efficient way, you’ll be amazed at how good you become. You’ll be able to do things you’ve never been able to do before, and you’ll see real-world improvements in your abilities extremely quickly.
If you’re willing to work, simple methods can produce extraordinary results.
* * *
Whining is NOT An Effective Skill Acquisition Strategy
One last thing: I recommend removing the phrase “I don’t have time” from your vocabulary. You have all the time you’re ever going to have, and you’re in full control of how you choose to use that time.
If a skill is a big enough priority to learn, you have to MAKE TIME to practice it. If it’s not important enough to rearrange your schedule, be honest with yourself, drop it, and move on.
Whatever you decide, stop whining. Whining is not an effective strategy for skill acquisition.
Allow me to channel Ramit for a moment:
LOSERS SAY: “I don’t know how to do that… so I can’t do it. OMG, learning is so hard: I heard it takes at least 10,000 hours to be any good. I don’t have that much time anyway, so I’ll wait until someone finally invents The Matrix so I can upload new skills directly into my brain while I sit on the couch watching Real Housewives of New Jersey.”
TOP PERFORMERS SAY: “I don’t know how to do that… but it’s important, so I’m going to figure out how. I’m going to practice in a way that helps me improve as quickly as possible, and stop doing things that get in the way. I don’t have an unlimited amount of time and energy to do this, so I’m going to MAKE time for practice, and use it as efficiently as possible.”
The result? Top performers get better and better at skills that help them make more money, get more done, and have more fun… while losers sit on the couch complaining about how the world is so unfair.
Rapid skill acquisition isn’t easy. It requires a huge burst of very intense effort. Skills require practice, full stop. It’s supposed to be hard… but the results are well worth the investment.
So what are you finally going to learn how to do? Decide what you want, break it down, focus on the most important subskills first, make it easy to practice, and pre-commit to at least 20 hours of practice before you begin.
Then get started, and practice well.
* * *
* * *
Josh Kaufman is the bestselling author of “The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything…Fast” and “The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business.” You can find more of Josh’s ongoing research at joshkaufman.net.
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When we finished our teardown article for the A7R III last week, we didn’t anticipate just how badly people wanted to see the new camera body’s weather sealing. This may seem like a no brainer since weather sealing is something avid Sony mirrorless camera shooters like myself are pining for (not that it’s stopped my A6000 from weathering the occasional shower). But, the truth is that the A7R III is not sealed the same way as an underwater camera or the more extreme weatherproof DSLRs. If you open the new Sony up, you won’t find gaskets or air tight rubber seals on each individual button and screw like you might on a Pentax. Instead, Sony appears to have taken a subtler approach to protecting their latest full frame from the elements. A mix of some rubber, a tight fit, and rather large lips at the edge of each piece of the chassis seem to do the job when it comes to keeping the rain out of sensitive components.
The first thing we noticed was this long edge that the top cover attaches to the main body by.
In addition to a tight fit, this edge poses a fairly tight, sealed wall that should be difficult for any rain to climb through and get inside your A7R III.
We noticed this design throughout the major parts of the camera body. From what we’ve seen, as long as all the pieces are fitting together properly and the camera hasn’t been submerged, water should have a tough time making it past these barriers.
The ports are also protected by tight covers similar to those found on the A9.
Moreover, the jacks themselves are their own individual components, protecting the integrity on the camera in the event that one gets waterlogged.
The flip-open dual SD card slot (the unequivocal best new feature of the A7R III, admit it) has rubber stripping running along to edges to keep those memory cards nice and dry.
However, most of the rubber sealing is found on the top cover. This is the part we would expect to bear the brunt of any downpour, so it makes sense to have the most rubber and most aggressive edges here.
Sony went the heaviest on the rubber here by the shutter button, but there’s some rubber stripping throughout the frame of the top cover.
Here’s a little above the viewfinder…
…some more to the left above the LCD…
…and a fair amount here, around the main controls and dials.
After taking a closer look, we found that there is indeed more than one way to skin a cat or, alternatively, to weather seal a camera. As this teardown suggests and as other sources online will tell you, do not expect the A7R III to be 100% weather proof or waterproof. With that said, do expect the A7R III to withstand rain much better than its predecessors. Whether or not it’ll handle adverse conditions better or worse than other weather sealed DSLRs should be left to testing.Obituaries Guy Gabaldon, 80; WWII Hero Captured 1,000 Japanese on Saipan
The actions that earned Gabaldon the nickname "the Pied Piper of Saipan" took place in June 1944 on the 25-mile-long island in the Northern Marianas in the western Pacific Ocean. Marine Pvt. Gabaldon killed 33 Japanese soldiers on his first day of combat, he said. Later he changed tactics.
It is also at the heart of a campaign aimed at persuading Congress and the president to award Gabaldon what supporters say he deserves: the Medal of Honor. In July, the Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa honored Gabaldon.
Gabaldon's wartime experience was the basis for the 1960 Hollywood movie "Hell to Eternity," a memoir, and most recently, Rubin's documentary, "East L.A. Marine: The Untold True Story of Guy Gabaldon."
Guy Gabaldon, who received the Navy's highest honor for capturing more than 1,000 Japanese civilians and soldiers on |
. "That’s only a benefit to the province and the city.
WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Workers scramble to finish Outlet Collection Winnipeg before the doors open at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday
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"It wasn’t unheard of at one time for people to take a trip to Calgary to go to Ikea. Now those dollars are staying here."
Ferguson said it will be important to gauge through future study if regional centres "cannibalize" existing malls or the downtown. But he added: "I remember when there was concerns when the Winnipeg Jets returned to the city that, ‘Who was going to pay for these tickets and where would all this money come from?’ I don’t see that being an issue. The culture and the arts is still being well-supported."
Main, meanwhile, said the bigger picture is better realized with another puzzle piece — whether it’s an NHL team, world-class museums or a simply a place to get cheaper clothes.
"It’s nice to have things to be proud about," she said. "When you’re talking to other people (outside Winnipeg) and they’re asking you, ‘If I’m coming to Winnipeg, what should I do?’ Now we’ve got more things to give people more options. It’s just adding to things we can tell people that are on the menu."
randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @randyturner1Michael Chong's proposed Reform Act has attracted a lot support from pundits and politicians. They seem to like Mr. Chong's idea that 15 per cent of caucus should be able to demand a review in which the leader could be unseated by a majority vote. The proponent and supporters are doubtless well intentioned, but this is a bad idea and Parliament should take a pass on it.
The fundamental problem is that all national parties have constitutions requiring their leader to be chosen not by their parliamentary caucus but by party members, either voting directly for a leadership candidate, or indirectly through delegates to a convention, or through some combination of the two. It makes no sense to have the leader chosen by a democratic process involving tens or even hundreds of thousands of people, but then allow a few dozen caucus members to fire the leader when they feel like it.
But, one might ask, why must the leader be chosen by the party members? Why shouldn't the caucus elect the leader, as used to be done in the 19th century and is still done by some parties in Australia and New Zealand? The answer is that we have moved on from the "Golden Age of Parliament" to an era of mass democracy. Voters now expect to take part in choosing the country's chief executive officer. Indeed, most voters, when they mark Liberal or Conservative or NDP on their ballots, are thinking mainly of the party and the leader, not of the local candidate. That is, they are thinking about choosing an executive government.
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There was a time when conventional wisdom held voters to be incapable of making such a momentous choice. That led to the American Electoral College as a mechanism for indirectly electing a president, and the early parliamentary system of responsible government as a way of indirectly electing a prime minister. But that time is long gone.
A system in which Parliament acts as an electoral college for the prime minister is highly conducive to what Marx called "parliamentary cretinism." Exhibit A is the caucus of the Australian Labor Party, which overthrew prime minister Kevin Rudd in favour of Julia Gillard in 2010, then overthrew Ms. Gillard in 2013 and reinstated Mr. Rudd to lead them into the impending election. Labor now has to reap what it sowed – three years of Liberal majority government.
Or consider what happened in New Zealand in 1997. When prime minister Jim Bolger was out of the country attending a Commonwealth meeting, one of his ministers, Jenny Shipley, organized a caucus coup against him that made her prime minister. Fittingly, she led the National Party to defeat by Labour in the next election.
Australia and New Zealand are wonderful countries (especially at this time of year), but such Third World antics are unworthy of a mature democracy. Canadians would be rightly appalled to see prime ministers overturned by caucus cliques in such a cavalier way.
Empowering party members to choose the leader builds popular support, thus giving the leader not just legal but also political authority to lead the party and the elected caucus. This is critical to giving voters a meaningful choice between parties with different policies, programs and personnel. Otherwise, elections would just mean choosing representatives with little idea of what comes next. Look at the factional, personalized politics of many city councils (not just Toronto) to get an idea of what democracy can be like without responsible political parties. The House of Commons should discuss the Reform Act seriously to expose the fallacious thinking that underlies it, then let it die on the order paper.
Tom Flanagan is a distinguished fellow in the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, and a former campaign manager for conservative parties.A Bulldog who spent two years either lying down or throwing up plays like a puppy thanks to a daily dose of medical marijuana. A Boxer’s skin cancer begins to disappear following topical applications of cannabis oil. A 12-year-old Lab mix diagnosed with liver and lung cancer regains his appetite and becomes more himself after his owner gives him a cannabis tincture purchased from a licensed medical marijuana dispensary.
These stories offer hope to those of us who live with aging and/or infirm dogs, hope that we can improve the quality of their lives and perhaps even extend them.
Even more hopeful is the fact that these aren’t isolated incidents, but rather, three in an ever-increasing narrative of companion animals and cannabis- assisted healing. Yet, veterinarians played little to no official role in them. Why? Because Cannabis sativa (aka marijuana, grass, pot, hash, ganja, et al.)— a plant cultivated for literally thousands of years for its seeds, fibers and medicinal value—is a federally designated Schedule 1 controlled substance, a “drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”
So, even if vets believe that medical marijuana could or would relieve a dog’s pain, nausea or seizures, their hands are tied, including in the 23 states and the District of Columbia where cannabis is legal for human medical use. Physicians in those states are exempt from prosecution, but veterinarians don’t have the same protection. Prescribing, or even recommending, cannabis for medicinal use exposes them to the loss of their license to practice.
It’s a difficult place for a vet to find him- or herself: to have a remedy that has been shown to have very real benefits but not be able to use it, or even mention it, without career-ending consequences. Nonetheless, some have put their livelihoods at risk by challenging that prohibition, usually for the same reasons given by the late Doug Kramer, DVM, of Chatsworth, Calif., in a 2013 interview with Julia Szabo: compassion, and to prevent owners from accidentally overdosing their animals in well-intentioned efforts to relieve their pain.
And that’s part of the veterinary quandary. Medical marijuana has been described as the new “dot.com” boom, fueled by a growing body of research that seems to be validating cannabis’s beneficial effects for people. When people are helped by a particular treatment, they tend to want to share it with their ailing companion animals.
With medical marijuana, they’re doing this in increasing numbers, acting on the belief that if it works for them, it can also work for their dog or cat … or horse, for that matter. In doing so, they’re not necessarily curing incurable conditions but rather, are helping their animals enjoy daily life with better appetite and less pain until age or disease ultimately catches up.
The Backstory
The plant world has given us some of our oldest and most trusted—and, it’s true, sometimes abused—remedies. Pain relievers like codeine and morphine (poppy); colchicine, an antitumor drug (autumn crocus); the cardiac drug digitalin (purple foxglove); antimalarial quinine (quinine tree); and salicin, the chemical precursor to aspirin (white willow). The list is long.
When that plant has a cultural backstory like marijuana’s, however— “demon weed” in the ’50s, counterculture toke of choice in the ’60s, DEA Schedule 1 drug in the ’70s and onward —empirical evidence is harder to come by. Many barriers are placed in the path of those who want to find answers to questions about marijuana’s potential healing powers. Consequently, there’s a scarcity of rigorous research on the topic, particularly for veterinary application.
Determining whether or not to bring medical marijuana into general and legal use nationwide for humans and animals alike—and how to do it in a way that maximizes its benefits and minimizes its risks—requires this research. Stories, no matter how compelling and promising, are not science, and anecdotal evidence isn’t evidence in the scientific sense. Rather, hypotheses need to be tested in randomized, placebo-controlled studies, the results analyzed and conclusions drawn. The results are then retested and found to be replicable (or not) by others.
Until relatively recently, claims for cannabis’s medicinal values haven’t been supported in this way. As Hampton Sides notes in “High Science,” the June 2015 National Geographic cover story, “for nearly 70 years, the plant went into hiding, and medical research largely stopped … In America, most people expanding knowledge about cannabis were, by definition, criminals.”
The Science
Now for the more technical aspects of the topic, greatly simplified and synthesized.
The first published research related to cannabis and companion animals appeared in 1899 in the British Medical Journal. Written by English physician and pharmacologist Walter E. Dixon, the article included Dixon’s observations on dogs’ response to cannabis. However, it would be almost 100 years before we understood where the response originated: in the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
All vertebrates, from sea squirts to humans, have an endocannabinoid system, which scientists estimate evolved more than 600 million years ago. This ancient system, unknown until the late 20th century, is named for the botanical that most dramatically affects it, Cannabis sativa. Cannabinoids are the ECS’s messengers. The system’s purpose is to maintain internal balance— to “Relax, Eat, Sleep, Forget and Protect.”
Marijuana, a complex botanical with more than 400 known natural compounds, contains at least 64 phytocannabinoids (plant-based cannabinoids). The two produced in greatest abundance are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
How do they work? According to the National Cancer Society, cannabinoids “activate specific receptors found throughout the body to produce pharmacologic effects, particularly in the central nervous system and the immune system.” The effects depend on the receptors to which they bind.
Robert J. Silver, DVM and veterinary herbalist of Boulder, Colo., provides another way to look at it. “Receptors are like locks, and cannabinoids are like keys. They fit together perfectly. Once the cannabinoid connects to the receptor and ‘turns that lock,’ a series of actions in the cell membrane occur; these actions are responsible for some of the cannabinoid’s effects.”
In his forthcoming book, Medical Marijuana and Your Pet, Dr. Silver notes that the ECS is unique in the world of neurotransmitters. Instead of releasing signals across a synapse (gap) in a forward direction, “the body’s naturally occurring endocannabinoids travel backward from the post- to the presynaptic nerve cell, inhibiting its ability to fire a signal. This is one way the ECS helps modulate and influence the nervous system.”
Research has revealed two distinct cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. As in other vertebrates, canine CB1 receptors are primarily found in the brain, but also appear in dogs’ salivary glands and hair follicles, while CB2 receptors are localized in canine skin, immune system, peripheral nervous system and some organs, such as the liver and kidneys.
Of the currently known cannabinoids, only one—THC—provokes a “mind-bending” response. CBD, on the other hand, has several well-documented biological effects, including antianxiety, anticonvulsive, antinausea, anti-inf lammatory and antitumor properties.
Terpenoids, components that give plants their distinctive odors, also play a role, helping cannabis cross the bloodbrain barrier and work synergistically. Ethan B. Russo, MD, associated with GW Pharmaceuticals in the UK, calls this the “entourage effect.” In an article in the British Journal of Pharmacology, Russo notes that terpenoids may make a meaningful contribution to cannabisbased medicinal extracts “with respect to treatment of pain, inf lammation, depression, anxiety, addiction, epilepsy, cancer, fungal and bacterial infections (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA]).” The entourage effect also suggests that in general, the whole plant, with all of its phytocannabinoids, is likely to be most effective for medicinal purposes.
Those who choose to treat their companion animals with medical marijuana generally give it to them in one of two ways: as an oil or as an edible —a food item made with marijuana or infused with its oil. While edibles intended for human consumption usually contain THC, those for dogs and cats more commonly use CBD from industrial hemp, strains of cannabis cultivated for non-drug use, which has almost no THC.
In 1996, California became the first state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana. It now has the largest legal medical marijuana market in the U.S. —not to mention an almost clichéd historical relationship with the herb— so it’s no surprise that many who are pushing the boundaries of its use with companion animals are based there.
Constance Finley, founder of Constance Pure Botanical Extracts (a Northern California legal medical cannabis collective) became involved in cannabis use with dogs when her 10-year-old service dog was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma and given six weeks to six months to live.
Finley had been using cannabis oil herself to treat the effects of a debilitating autoimmune disease that began when she was in her mid-40s. The prescription medication she took almost killed her, she says, an experience that inspired her to set aside her long-held bias against marijuana and give it a try. The oil provided both pain- and symptom relief, and Finley went on to study cannabis cultivation and the complicated laws around its use. She eventually developed proprietary blends of highly concentrated oils from multiple strains of cannabis, extracted with organic, food-grade solvents.
So, when her much-loved dog was struggling with cancer, she says she dithered, then began giving the dog small amounts of cannabis oil, wiping it on her gums. Within days, the dog started to move around normally and eat; after three weeks of treatment with the oil, her vet could find no signs of the cancer. Unfortunately, she didn’t completely understand how cannabis worked; she figured her dog was cured and stopped using the oil. Within six months, the cancer was back, and ultimately it claimed her dog’s life.
However, the experience made her a believer in its value for companion animals. While to date, there’s been no dog-specific research on its medical use, Finley is confident that cannabis oil has a place in the veterinary toolbox.
In her work with human clients, Finley says she has yet to see a conflict between conventional medications and cannabis, although anyone using it with dogs needs to be aware of the dog’s entire situation. It’s critically important, she says, that the dose be correctly titrated so the dog’s system isn’t hit with too much THC too quickly. She also notes that the effectiveness of an individual dog’s endocannabinoid system, not the dog’s weight, determines the dose. To establish the correct dose, it’s necessary to work with and observe the dog.
A dosage protocol for dogs is one of the areas in need of study and standardization. In the mid-1970s, researchers found that dogs have a high concentration of CB1 endocannabinoid receptors in their hindbrain and medulla as well as other areas of the brain. This suggests that, in terms of compounds that include THC, dogs require less to get the desired effect. (One of the diagnostic signs of THC overdose is something called “static ataxia,” first described in the 19th century and unique to dogs. Dogs in this condition rock rigidly back and forth and drool, their muscles tense up, and their pupils dilate.) According to Dr. Silver, when it comes to dogs and medical marijuana, “The ratio of brain weight—and by extension, receptors— to body weight is not linear.”
Finley also observes that there are at least two myths about medical marijuana that need to be dispelled. First, that CBD is good and THC is bad; each has its uses, but for cancer in particular, she says, THC is the workhorse. Second, that hemp and cannabis are the same; they are different varieties or sub-species, and while CBD can be refined from hemp, she feels that cannabis provides oil that is more easily used by the body.
In Oakland, Calif., Auntie Dolores has been making cannabis-infused edibles for California’s medical marijuana users since 2008. It recently launched Treatibles, a new, locally manufactured product for dogs and cats. The active ingredients are CBD, CBN (cannabinol) and CBG (cannabigerol) distilled from European industrial hemp, which, founder and CEO Julianna Carella notes, is “non-toxic, 100 percent safe and non-psychoactive. Even dogs who do not have health problems can use the product as a preventive measure.”
Each bag of Treatibles, about 40 pieces, contains 54.6 mg of CBD; each t reat contains about 1 mg. Carella says that the company guarantees 40 mg per bag, but often the consumer gets a bit more. “We feel that all products purporting the health benefits of CBD should have at least enough of the material in the product to warrant the price, as well as to provide a medicinal dose. Even so, dogs are more sensitive to cannabinoids and generally need less than humans.”
Carella says that she was inspired to develop edibles for companion animals by cannabinoid science and research into the endocannabinoid system as it relates to all animals. Like others in the field, she is dismayed by cannabis’s current federal legal status. “Unfortunately, research on cannabinoids and animals is delayed due to the status of cannabis and the Controlled Substance Act, which has disallowed research into its medicinal value. CBD has become part of this controversy, even when derived from hemp.”
Initially, Treatibles was sold only through the company’s Treatibles website, but Auntie Dolores has recently been making it available in California medical cannabis dispensaries and local pet retail outlets. Holistic Hound in Berkeley, Calif., is one of the first stores to carry the product. While its name includes the word “treats,” store owner Heidi Hill considers Treatibles to be more closely aligned with supplements— i.e., to have health benefits. She says her customers have given Treatibles an enthusiastic reception, with most reportedly using the edible to alleviate their dogs’ anxiety and, in some cases, pain.
Hill says she gives Treatibles to Pearl, her aging, arthritic Siberian Husky, and has observed an improvement in her appetite and energy level. The quality of its other ingredients—among them, organic, gluten-free oat flour; pumpkin; peanut butter; organic coconut oil and coconut nectar; organic brown rice flour; applesauce; turmeric; and cinnamon— also recommends it, she says.
Change Is Coming
While many have seen positive outcomes, some veterinary professionals worry about people extrapolating from their own experiences with medical cannabis to their dogs’ health problems and giving dogs inappropriate amounts. “Sometimes public sentiment and activity get ahead of the scientific background, and that can be dangerous,” Barry Kellogg, senior veterinary adviser to the Humane Society of the United States, has said.
To date, the American Veterinary Medical Association has not taken an official position on the use of medical marijuana with animals. The American Holistic VMA is the first, and so far only, veterinary organization to officially encourage research into the safety, dosing and uses of cannabis in animals. In 2014, the group released a statement that said in part, “There is a growing body of veterinary evidence that cannabis can reduce pain and nausea in chronically ill or suffering animals, often without the dulling effects of narcotics. This herb may be able to improve the quality of life for many patients, even in the face of life-threatening illnesses.”
Other developments are on the way. In March of this year, Nevada state senator Tick Segerblom (D-District 3) introduced Senate Bill 372, which makes a variety of changes related to medical marijuana in the state. Among its provisions is one that would allow officials to issue medical marijuana cards to companion animals whose owners are Nevada residents and whose vet is willing to certify that the animal has an illness that might be helped by marijuana (the illness does not need to be fatal).
California is also in the process of creating a structured regulatory system. In the June 4, 2015, edition of the Sacramento Bee, reporter Jeremy White summarized Assembly Bill 266: “[It] would create what’s called a dual-licensure system, with cannabis entrepreneurs needing to secure permits both from local authorities and from one of a few state agencies. The Department of Public Health would oversee testing, the Department of Food and Agriculture would deal with cultivation and the Board of Equalization would handle sales and transportation—all under the auspices of a new Governor’s Office of Marijuana Regulation.”
According to Constance Finley, the fact that the marijuana industry is unregulated has been part of the problem regarding access. But next year may be the tipping point. If California’s AB 266 is passed and the marijuana industry comes out of the shadows into effective regulation, particularly in terms of verifiable cannabinoid content and freedom from contaminants, the rest of the nation could follow. The state’s size, market potential, and trailblazing environmental and technology industries have historically inf luenced trends nationwide, and that dynamic is likely to drive the discussion in this case as well.
Veterinary professionals are generally in agreement that more study is needed. In a 2013 interview with R. Scott Nolen, Dawn Boothe, DVM and director of the Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, commented: “Veterinarians do need to be part of the dialogue. I can see a welldesigned, controlled clinical trial looking at the use of marijuana to treat cancer pain in animals. That would be a wonderful translational study, with relevance to both pets and their people.” (In translational research, laboratory science and clinical medicine combine their efforts to develop new treatments and bring them to market.)
Narda G. Robinson, DVM, director of Colorado State University’s Center for Comparative and Integrative Pain Medicine, agrees. In an email exchange, Dr. Robinson said, “There is a big gap that needs to be addressed between those who are already using hemp products and finding value for their animal and science-based practitioners who want to make sure that their patients are receiving safe and effective treatment. Research will help bridge that gap.”
Next Steps
Clearly, veterinarians—our partners in keeping our animals healthy—need a voice in this debate. While interested in the herb’s potential, many are leery about trying it, not only because of the legal consequences but also, because there’s so little evidence-based information. On the other hand, dog owners who have found it useful for themselves feel that not including it in the vet-med repertoire is a missed opportunity.
Although the tide is slowly turning in its favor, the debate about the utility of medical marijuana and its related components for both people and their pets is often mired in personal bias and opinion. Regardless of what position we take, it would seem that the best way to come to a resolution is to focus on the science. Controlled studies that determine cannabis’s therapeutic and toxic ranges in veterinary use and standardization of THC and/or CBD content have the potential to make a potent natural ally legally and safely available to our four-legged companions.
In transforming anecdote to evidence, we can move from what we think, what we believe and what we imagine to what we actually know. That would be a very good thing for us and for our co-pilots as well.Brooklyn is one of the best movies of 2015.
The simple yet beautiful tale follows a young Irish immigrant woman in the 1950s who moves to America, struggles to fit in, finds love, and ultimately finds herself torn between her new country and her old home. It's an emotionally rich coming-of-age story about desire, culture, family, place, and identity featuring a bravura performance by Saoirse Ronan.
Rating 5
More than that, however, it’s a reminder of the rare pleasures of smaller films that take on life as it is actually lived, in moments of sadness and joy and tenderness, in feelings of confusion and uncertainty, and in decisions that may seem minor to the world at large but mean everything to the person making them. It is a great movie that exists on a relatable human scale; indeed, part of its greatness stems from its insistence on the importance of everyday experience.
Brooklyn's greatest strength is its "true to life" feel
Brooklyn tells the story of Eilis Lacey (Ronan), a young woman who lives in a small Irish village. She works part time at a grocery store, but with few opportunities available to her, she sees little hope for a future in her home country. Her passage to New York is arranged by a friendly American priest, who also sets her up with a job and a room in a women’s boarding house. After arriving in Brooklyn, she struggles to fit in, but eventually falls for a young man named Tony (Emory Cohen, as a kind of manic pixie dream boy). Soon, however, she has to return to Ireland following a family crisis; once there, she finds that both she and the country have changed, and that her homecoming may be more difficult than expected.
The movie is based on the critically acclaimed 2009 novel of the same name by Colm Tóibín, and the screenplay is by novelist Nick Hornby, so it’s no surprise that the whole production exudes a gentle literary sensibility. No film can capture an individual’s complex interiority the way a novelist can, but Ronan’s entrancing performance comes close. It probably helps that she can relate to the experience; her own parents emigrated from Ireland to New York in the 1980s. "These two worlds, America and Ireland, made me who I am, so I knew this would be the right Irish project for me," she recently said at an event promoting the film.
Director John Crowley gives Ronan's performance plenty of room to breathe: Many of Brooklyn's scenes focus on Eilis’s wide-eyed reactions to what’s going around her, emphasizing her thinking, and Crowley stages several wordless, beautiful sequences in which the character simply moves through the world. Unlike a novel, the movie doesn’t tell the audience what she’s thinking, but it makes clear that she is, giving viewers time to consider what her experience must be like. The film continually presents opportunities for identification and empathy without ever demanding them.
Unlike so many contemporary films, Brooklyn seems like it was actually crafted by someone with a feel for the nuances of language
Meanwhile, Hornby's screenplay is at times both disarmingly funny and smartly attuned to the delicate psychology of young romance. One of Brooklyn's most affecting scenes takes place at a dinner hosted by Tony’s family. It’s the first time Eilis has met Tony’s parents and siblings, and, without ever saying it outright, the movie subtly highlights how important the moment is to the progression of their relationship.
At the dinner table, Tony’s brothers begin ribbing him about his love of the Dodgers — then the Brooklyn baseball team — and how tired of hearing about them Eilis must be. But Tony, trying not to scare away his romantic interest, hasn’t said a thing about the Dodgers. He’s been holding back for her benefit. When Eilis prods him, he admits he’s been refraining from talking about the team, and then blurts out that he thinks it would be a terrible shame if their kids ended up as Yankees fans.
The real revelation, of course, has nothing to do with baseball. It’s that Tony has indirectly confessed he’s already thinking about, even planning, marriage and kids — two more topics he’s never discussed previously with Eilis. By opening up about the baseball fandom he’s been holding back, Tony inadvertently discloses something he’s been trying to keep in check: the depth of his feelings for her.
It’s a wonderful moment, delightful not only for the funny, offhanded way it handles the revelation but also for its insight into how the important things in our lives can become unexpectedly bound up in each other, and its exploration of the ways in which people edit themselves in hopes of winning favor with those they like.
Hornby's whole script is like this. Unlike so many contemporary films, which merely feel plotted or outlined, Brooklyn seems like it was actually crafted by someone with a feel for the nuances of language. Even the simplest lines of dialogue display careful consideration.
The carefulness of the storytelling extends to the movie’s period setting, which is rife with telling details and ethnic specificity: Before going to dinner at Tony’s house, Eilis, whose small-town Irish upbringing means she's never had Italian food before, practices twirling spaghetti under the guidance of her fussy roommates at the boarding house. There are ethnically segregated dances and gentle rivalries between Brooklyn’s immigrant cultures. ("I should say that we don’t like Irish people," Tony’s youngest brother, the movie’s most overtly comic figure, impulsively spills to Eilis over dinner.)
And through it all, there is a great, moving respect for the role immigrants played in building America as we know it. The movie’s best scene comes early on, when Eilis agrees to help the priest (played by Matt Glynn, a priest himself) serve dinner to Brooklyn’s downtrodden Irish men. As they slowly file into the dining room to get their meals, unshaken and unkempt, they look like a sad and lonely bunch. But the movie insists on granting their lives real dignity. "These are the men who built the tunnels, the bridges, the highways," the priest tells Eilis, immediately connecting their lives and choices with her own. She’s now part of the world they helped make.
It’s a great moment — small but stirring, and indicative of the movie’s ability to do so much with what seems like relatively little.
The film's lack of villains, plot twists, and life-or-death threats is what makes it so special
Part of what makes Brooklyn so refreshing is what it doesn’t feature: There’s no murder, no fighting, no violence at all, really, nor even any serious physical threats. There’s no blackmail or graphic nudity or even much profanity. There’s romance and sexual tension, but nothing feels emotionally manipulative or contrived. There are a few tense, dramatic moments, but nothing that feels outside the realm of ordinary human experience. And while there is also some common selfishness and poor behavior, the worst person in the film is just a mean-spirited small-town gossip. In other words, Brooklyn is a movie with no real bad guys. Almost everyone in its story is fundamentally a decent person.
On the surface, at least, Brooklyn flouts the screenwriter’s maxim to always raise the stakes, which is why we see so many movies about the fate of the entire world. That’s to be expected from Hornby, who specializes in novels about relatable people coming to terms with life’s unavoidable trade-offs and deciding to be happy with the choices they’ve made.
But in another way, it’s a reminder that the stakes don’t have to be spectacular to be important, and that even the small-seeming situations most people navigate in their everyday lives can be just as meaningful and dramatic as any grand adventure.A petition to the White House demanding treason charges against 47 Republican senators who attempted to sabotage US President Barack Obama's efforts to reach a nuclear accord with Iran has garnered more than 260,000 signatures.
The petition, on whitehouse.gov, was filed on Monday and had 263,312 signatures as of early Friday morning, well above the threshold of 100,000, which requires the White House to respond.
In an unprecedented move on Monday, a group of Republican senators ignored protocol and sent a letter to Iran, warning that whatever agreement reached with Obama would be a “mere executive agreement” that could be revoked “with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time.”
The letter appears at a time when US negotiators are preparing to return to Switzerland to participate in the nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 countries – the US, Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany, which have entered a sensitive final stage.
According to the petition, the 47 Republican lawmakers "committed a treasonous offense when they decided to violate the Logan Act, a 1799 law which forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments."
The US federal law prohibits unauthorized American citizens from interfering in relations between the United States and foreign governments. Violation of the Logan Act is a felony.
"At a time when the United States government is attempting to reach a potential nuclear agreement with the Iranian government, 47 Senators saw fit to instead issue a condescending letter to the Iranian government stating that any agreement brokered by our President would not be upheld once the president leaves office," the petition states.
"This is a clear violation of federal law. In attempting to undermine our own nation, these 47 senators have committed treason," it adds.
In an interview with Press TV on Wednesday, Mark Dankof, former US Senate candidate, said, “The 47 Republican senators in all likelihood had violated the Logan Act, which, if understood properly, would suggest very strongly that there may be a legal case against these Republican senators in regard to having committed treason.”
Tom Cotton (pictured below), a freshman senator from Arkansas, drafted the much-criticized letter. He claimed that the letter has more support in the US Congress than the Republican senators who have signed it.
On Tuesday, the New York Daily News denounced the 47 Republican senators as “traitors” for writing letter to Iran. The Manhattan-based newspaper used its front page to condemn the Republicans for sending the letter to Iran’s leaders.
The tabloid's front page prominently featured Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senators Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton and Rand Paul.
Here are the names of 47 Republican senators who signed the Iran letter:
Signatories
Richard Shelby (Ala.)
Jeff Sessions (Ala.)
Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
John McCain (Ariz.)
John Boozman (Ark.)
Tom Cotton (Ark.)
Cory Gardner (Colo.)
Marco Rubio (Fla.)
Johnny Isakson (Ga.)
David Perdue (Ga.)
Mike Crapo (Idaho)
Jim Risch (Idaho)
Mark Kirk (Ill.)
Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
Joni Ernst (Iowa)
Pat Roberts (Kansas)
Jerry Moran (Kansas)
Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
Rand Paul (Ky.)
David Vitter (La.)
Bill Cassidy (La.)
Roger Wicker (Miss.)
Roy Blunt (Mo.)
Steve Daines (Mont.)
Deb Fischer (Neb.)
Ben Sasse (Neb.)
Dean Heller (Nev.)
Kelly Ayotte (N.H.)
Richard Burr (N.C.)
Thom Tillis (N.C.)
John Hoeven (N.D.)
Rob Portman (Ohio)
Jim Inhofe (Okla.)
James Lankford (Okla.)
Pat Toomey (Pa.)
Lindsey Graham (S.C.)
Tim Scott (S.C.)
John Thune (S.D.)
Mike Rounds (S.D.)
John Cornyn (Texas)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
Orin Hatch (Utah)
Mike Lee (Utah)
Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.)
Ron Johnson (Wis.)
Mike Enzi (Wyo.)
John Barrasso (Wyo.)
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Our first weekly case mod winner is 23-year-old David Barry, of Brooklyn, New York. David’s Star Wars TIE Figher mod blew us away. David gets 120 free downloads from eMusic.com. You can read about it below in his own words.–ed.
My case mod is a scale model of a Star Wars TIE Fighter, with a computer built right into the cockpit. And, it’s also a desk! The whole case is built from scratch. As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I knew my first mod would have to incorporate something from Star Wars, and I could think of nothing cooler than a TIE Fighter. I got the blueprints online and got to work.
Click here to enter your own mod.
I started with the side panels (wings), which were cut from plywood. The cockpit of the TIE Fighter was most problematic part to build. After several failed attempts to create a ball out of Bondo, I finally found the perfect sphere—a Jolly Ball (a pet store item). A plywood cutout that I installed inside the ball holds all the computer components, and PVC piping connects the cockpit to the wings. Accurate detailing was created using wood filler, wood strips, glues, paints, and caulking. The whole thing was painted, and the desktop surface (Plexiglas) was attached.
The wood cutout allowed me to divide the cockpit into two chambers. The front chamber includes a FlexATX motherboard and an Athlon XP 1800+. All other components, including an 80GB hard drive, the power supply, and a CD ROM drive that pops out the bottom, are fitted into the rear chamber. The green laser canons on the front of the cockpit are the power-on and HDD activity LEDs. Power and reset buttons are built into a side panel. Red LEDs light up the interior of the case. A 12cm fan draws air out of both chambers.
The entire project cost me about 300 dollars to complete (sans computer components), and I spent four months working on it.
David Barry
Read more case modding articles on ExtremeTech.
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If there’s one thing that’s become clear from the recent (minor) fallout following the announcement of Oculus Rift’s retail pricing, it’s that being a supremely open company can often mean some backlash. Fortunately the response from Oculus, and its founder Palmer Luckey, hasn’t been to clam up, but to apologize and clarify.
Luckey recently addressed Oculus exclusivity in his second Ask me Anything on Reddit. The concern from fans was that much like consoles, Oculus would be pushing |
play, Matthews must have been fuming after Palmer exacted his sweet revenge. The Cardinals blew out the Packers.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Journalist Sead Numanovic says "poverty and injustice" are fuelling the protests
Demonstrators in Bosnia-Hercegovina have set fire to government buildings, in the worst unrest since the end of the 1992-95 war.
Hundreds of people have been injured in three days of protests over high unemployment and perceived inability of politicians to improve the situation.
Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to quell unrest in the capital Sarajevo and the northern town of Tuzla.
Black smoke could be seen coming from the presidency building in Sarajevo.
In Bosnia the legacies of the war mean that few even hope for change anymore. For this reason, anger has been simmering for years, but now it has boiled over Tim Judah, Balkan affairs analyst A Bosnian Spring?
Sarajevo-based newspaper Dnevni Avaz says police used water to disperse the protesters who were throwing stones at the building. There were also reports of an attempted storming of the office.
On Thursday, clashes between police and demonstrators in Tuzla injured more than 130 people, mostly police officers.
"People protest because they are hungry, because they don't have jobs. We demand the government resign," Nihad Karac, a construction worker, told the AFP.
About 40% of Bosnians are unemployed.
The unrest began in Tuzla earlier in the week, with protests over the closure and sale of factories which had employed most of the local population.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption Protesters in Tuzla vented their anger on a local government building
Image copyright AFP Image caption In Sarajevo, demonstrators threw stones at government buildings
Image copyright AFP Image caption Police try to hold off protesters as fires rage in Sarajevo
Image copyright AFP Image caption Tuzla protesters also hurled missiles at a government building
Demonstrators in other towns, including Mostar, Zenica and Bihac, supported the Tuzla workers and criticised the government for failing to tackle the rampant unemployment.
Analysis This appears to be a case of simmering frustration boiling over. Two decades on from the siege of Sarajevo, Bosnia has fallen off the international radar - and its people feel they have been forgotten. And not just by the wider world, but their own government. The administration is split along ethnic lines - and seems incapable of agreeing on anything but its own above-average pay packets. This has left the rest of Bosnia's citizens struggling to move forward. Even practical matters like national identity cards, get mired in ethnic politics. At one point last year, desperate mothers formed a human chain around the main government building, begging for identity cards for their babies. The economic situation is desperate. Four in ten are unemployed - in large part due to a series of botched privatisations. That is what sparked the initial protests in Tuzla - but empathy with their cause brought demonstrators out in towns across Bosnia.
Hundreds of people also gathered in support in the Bosnian Serb capital, Banja Luka.
Local media are reporting that the premiers of two of Bosnia's cantons - Sead Causevic of Tuzla canton and Munib Husejnagic of Zenica-Doboj canton - are to resign.
'Exasperation'
The BBC's Balkans correspondent Guy De Launey says exasperation at years of inertia and incompetence in Bosnia is at the root of the protests.
Bosnia-Hercegovina is made up of two separate entities: a Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina, and the Bosnian Serb Republic, or Republika Srpska, each with its own president, government, parliament, police and other bodies.
The complex administrative framework and deep divisions have led to political stagnation and vulnerability to corruption.
The current chairman of the Bosnian presidency, Zeljko Komsic, said that politicians were to blame for the protests.
The problem "has been accumulating for several years, but the situation now escalated," he told FTV.
He was also quoted as saying he would be calling an urgent meeting of the top leadership.Bitcoin has received mixed response from governments across the world. Some of them have accepted it and have gone a step further by accommodating them in existing and new regulations while few nations have declared bitcoin illegal and banned them outright. Then, there is another group of nations that doesn’t fall under both these categories. They are willing to wait and watch before they take a decision regarding it.
Middle Eastern countries mostly belong to the third category. Bitcoin is still at its nascent stages in this region. Most people are still at the stage of understanding bitcoin’s concept and ways to use it. Surprisingly, a few businesses in the region have started accepting bitcoin as payment, which is a positive sign.
Currently, Dubai and Amman are the forerunners in this region. Kuwait is catching up, and they seem to have even bigger designs in mind for bitcoin, and considering the MENA region, there is a considerable rise in the number of people using bitcoin based money transfer services instead of conventional players like Western Union and MoneyGram.
A recent report titled – “Disruptive Technology: Bitcoins, Currency Reinvented” published in mid-2014 by Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz) explores the potential of using bitcoin for exports, especially petroleum. It is a well-known fact that about 80% of the Gulf economy is dependent on petroleum and its byproducts. Markaz’s report has stressed upon the possibility of using bitcoin for petroleum sales/exports. This study forms an important basis for exploring alternative payment options in case the US dollar stops being the preferred currency for trading oil and petroleum. Also, the time and costs involved in funds transfer, especially across international boundaries.
Even though it was just a suggestion, the importance and timing of it is not lost. In the present scenario, the US Dollar is being slowly nudged out as the standard currency for international trade. Chinese yuan is the strong contender against the dollar, followed by the Russian ruble. China has been pushing hard to replace the dollar with the yuan. The country has in recent months signed currency swap agreements with about 28 central banks. Meanwhile, Russia has also inked agreements with countries like India, Iran, Turkey and China to trade with their respective national currencies. Ruble also has a strong influence on international trade and national economy of CIS nations. To make matters worse, the United States is being increasingly perceived as an aggressor state due to its undue geopolitical and military influence in the Middle East. United States’ stance has resulted in the destabilization of oil producing countries like Iraq, Libya and Syria, which in addition to sanctions on Iran has convinced many GCC nations to minimize dependency on the petrodollar. The proposal of using decentralized currency like bitcoin presents itself as an attractive alternative option.
Using bitcoin in petroleum trade may sound attractive, but is it a viable option? What will be the repercussions of such a shift, these things have to be well thought-out before taking any step in that direction.
For further reading: Will Petrobitcoin Replace Petrodollar Anytime Soon?Under the programme, based on schemes in Scandinavia, customers would pay a surcharge that would be reimbursed when they return to the shop
The Scottish government is planning to introduce a deposit return scheme for bottles and cans.
Customers would pay a surcharge when purchasing bottles or cans under the programme, which will be refunded when they return them to a shop.
The Scottish government has been consulting Zero Waste Scotland on the design of the deposit return scheme, which the organisation estimates could save local authorities between £3m and £6m on litter clearance alone.
Zero Waste Scotland reviewed schemes in Sweden, Denmark and Norway as part of the consultation.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We have already confirmed that we are looking at new ways to ensure we keep as many valuable materials in circulation for as long as possible and deposit return is one of those options. We have asked Zero Waste Scotland to model a deposit return system to help us assess impacts and benefits.”
Zero Waste Scotland received 63 responses in its call for evidence on deposit return scheme design, including those from Coca-Cola, major supermarkets and Scottish environment groups.
An opinion poll conducted by the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland revealed that 78% of the Scottish publish are in favour of the scheme, but some major drinks companies disagree.
AG Barr, the maker of Irn Bru, warned that “the cost to the consumer would be in the region of £150m extra per year” in its submission.
It added: “The scope for fraud in a Scottish DRS is huge. On a small scale we could see people scavenging in bins for containers, as is the US experience. On a medium scale there is the potential for local authority amenity centre looting. And on a larger scale there is the very real possibility of cross-border trafficking of deposit-bearing containers. It costs around £400 to move a lorry load of cans from England to Scotland. A single lorry could carry 160,000 crushed cans or £32,000 worth of deposits.”
AG Barr put an end to its own 30p deposit return scheme for glass bottles in August 2015, which had been in operation for more than 100 years.Publication date 1864
Language English
Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, May, 1864, Volume LXVIII, (Volume 68), Philadelphia, Louis A. Godey, Sarah Josepha Hale, 88 pages
ILLUSTRATIONS
MAY FLOWERS, a very fine steel engraving; GODEY'S DOUBLE EXTENSION COLORED FASHION-PLATE, Containing six figures; SHIELD SHAPE HANGING PINCUSHION, Printed in colors
A Netted Opera or Useful Cap (pg 481); Aprons (pg 476); Bonnets (pgs 424, 425, 474); Braiding Patterns (pg 428, 482, 483); Caps (pgs 475, 481); L'Elegante, Spring Wrap (pg 420); Spring Walking Suit (pg 422); The Hispania from Brodie, hooded wrap (pg 423); The Spahi, Spring Wrap (pg 421); Walking-dress for a little Girl (pg 427); Coiffures (pg 474); Collars (pg 475); Corner for a Pocket Handkerchief (pg 477); Corset Cover (pg 427); Crape Butterfly for Headdresses (pg 481); Cottage (pg 497); Cupid, Auctioneer (pg 417); Embroidery, Inserting, etc. (pgs 482, 483); Headdresses (pg 426); Initial Letters for Marking (pgs 482, 483); Juvenile Department: Sunday-School Hymn (pg 496); Lady's Dress in Embroidery (pg 428); Names for Marking (pg 479); New Embroidery Patterns (pg 483); Novelties for the Month (pg 474); Patterns from Madame Demorest's Establishment (pg 477); Rural or Suburban Residence (pg 497); Sleeves (pg 476); Spring Bonnets (pgs 424, 425); The Family Drawing Master (pg 462); The Pompadour Porte-jupe (pg 478); The Shoe Pincushion (pg 478); Two Insertions in Crochet (pg 480)
CONTRIBUTORS AND CONTENTS
A Few Friends, by Kormah Lynn (pg 468); Bear and Forbear (pg 435); Both Sides, by Jennie Jennings (pg 442); Concerning Rings and Precious Stones (pg 439); Difficulties (pg 461); Easter-Day, by Leira (pg 436); Anecdotes about Smoking (pg 489); Bible Photographs of Women (pg 487); Hints about Health (pg 489); Letter to the Editress (pg 489); Queen Bees (pg 489); Queenly Examples - the Contrast (pg 489); Vassar College and its Organization (pg 488); Why Washington Irving did not Marry (pg 489); Edna Fairleigh's Temptation, by Clara Augusta (pg 437); Fanny's Bait, by Belle Rutledge (pg 464); Fashions (pg 491); Godey's Arm-Chair (pg 492); Going West, by Mrs. James ---- (pg 458); Lament, by Corolla H. Criswell (pg 441); Last Year's Freight, by Benjamin F. Taylor (pg 473); Literary Notices (pg 490); Maud, by M. M. (pg 447); Much Wisdom in Little (pg 461); Music: Impromptu, by D. W. Miller (pg 418); My First Venture, by Mrs. Harriet H. Francis (pg 471); "Nobody to Blame," by Marion Harland (pg 429); Our Musical Column (pg 494); Paris Letters (pg 495); Receipts, etc. (pg 484); "She hath Done what she Could," by S. Annie Frost (pg 448); The Casket of Temperance, by Willie E. Pabor (pg 456)
Pages were scanned from a full year bound copy of the magazine. View the Table of contents for January to June, Volume LXVIII, here: http://www.archive.org/details/TableOfContentsGodeysVolLxviiiJanuaryToJune1864
Identifier GodeysLadysBookMay1864 Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t4hm62w9v Ocr ABBYY FineReader 8.0 Ppi 600 Year 1864Carlin will add the EuroFormula Open Championship to the team’s race programme for 2016. The British team will enter the eight round championship, which races within Europe on Formula 1 rated circuits, together with the three race winter series which kicks off the season’s racing in February.
The EuroFormula Open is an exciting prospect for the team which has Formula 3 as it’s cornerstone. First named Spanish F3, the championship was rebranded European F3 Open before racing under it’s current name of EuroFormula Open. With races shown both live and deferred, online and on British television, the series offers a cost effective racing package with profile. While the regulation Dallara F312 is a familiar car with which Carlin have enjoyed so much success, the EuroFormula Open cars use Michelin tyres and Toyota-based engines provided by the championship organisers.
For many drivers, the Euro Formula Open Championship is the first opportunity they will have had to race in a Formula Three car. The championship is a great stepping stone for drivers making a step up from Formula 4 or FR2.0, providing generous testing opportunities making it the perfect platform from which to progress to the FIA Formula Three European Championship and GP3. This coupled with multiple Friday test sessions at events followed by two qualifying sessions and races gives drivers a high amount of time on track.
Speaking about the team’s decision to enter the series Trevor Carlin said, “We’re extremely pleased to be entering the EuroFormula Open this season. It’s a championship that prides itself on being cost effective while maintaining a competitive package in this current climate. It also offers a great platform for us to be able to work with drivers and provide them with a perfect stepping stone on their way to the FIA Formula Three European Championship and beyond as they race around some of the top circuits in the world. We’ve received a very warm welcome from the championship organisers and we’re looking forward to getting on track in the next few weeks.”
Jesús Pareja, CEO of GT Sport, stated: “We are delighted to welcome in the Euroformula Open a team such as Carlin, which is one of the most respected references in our sports, and proud to see they have included the Euroformula Open in their portfolio of activities. I am sure that they will enjoy the high level of competitiveness of our series and that they will contribute greatly to an exciting 2016 season.”
-Ends-GEELONG champion Jimmy Bartel and former Carlton defender Michael Jamison have joined the AFL's Match Review Panel for the remainder of this season.
The pair will add to a panel already brimming with football experience, with ex-players Michael Christian, Nathan Burke and Jason Johnson continuing in their roles.
Former Richmond and Adelaide forward Chris Knights has stepped away from his position on the MRP due to work commitments, meaning the panel has effectively grown by one member due to the new appointments.
Bartel retired last year after a distinguished career for the Cats, including three premierships. He was also named the Norm Smith medallist in 2011 and crowned the Brownlow Medallist in 2007.
Jamison's career also came to a close at the end of 2016 after 150 games stationed in Carlton's defence.Al Gore, Vanessa Redgrave and Claude Lanzmann among those who will screen films on the Croisette, alongside new work from Lynne Ramsay and Sofia Coppola
Heavy hitters and hot tickets: Cannes 2017 is as mouthwatering as ever | Peter Bradshaw Read more
The Cannes film festival reinforced its status as the home of politically charged cinema with the announcement of a lineup that encompasses the refugee crisis, climate change, mental health and the exploitation of animals.
Celebrating its 70th year, the festival has attracted the usual roster of star names, including Dustin Hoffman, Marion Cotillard and Nicole Kidman, the latter of whom will appear in four films across the festival fortnight. There was also a nod to the future, with concessions made to the growing clout of streaming services Netflix and Amazon, as well as the increased influence of television, with a screening of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks follow-up.
Politicised film-making will be present both in and out of competition. Appearing as special screenings at the festival are An Inconvenient Sequel, Al Gore’s continuation of his climate-change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and a directorial debut for Vanessa Redgrave with Sea Sorrow, a documentary providing historical context to the current migrant crisis. Shoah director Claude Lanzmann returns to the festival with Napalm, a documentary about North Korea, and Raymond Depardon debuts 12 Jours, a documentary filmed in a psychiatric hospital.
Among the films competing for the Palme d’Or, meanwhile are Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó’s refugee drama Jupiter’s Moon, Robin Campillo’s 120 Battements par Minute, about the Aids crisis. Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja, a Netflix-funded fantasy film starring Tilda Swinton that was described by Cannes director Thierry Frémaux as “a very political movie” about “the way we exploit animals”.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tilda Swinton and Ahn Seo-Hyun in Okja Photograph: PR
Announcing this year’s lineup, festival president Pierre Lescure maintained the political theme, saying that “since we have a new surprise every day from Donald Trump, I hope Syria and North Korea will not cause a shadow on the festival.”
In the wake of a furore over the apparent airbrushing of actor Claudia Cardinale on this year’s poster, the festival was keen to play up its female-friendly credentials. Twelve female directors will appear at this year’s edition. Three of those are in competition: Scotland’s Lynne Ramsay brings her Joaquin Phoenix-starring drama You Were Never Really Here, about a sex-trafficking ring, to the festival; Japanese director Naomi Kawase returns to the festival with Radiance, about a photographer with failing eyesight; and Sofia Coppola appears with The Beguiled, a new adaptation of the southern gothic novel, starring Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst and Nicole Kidman. Kidman and Farrell also appear in competition with The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos’s new film The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Cannes is never short on auteurs and this year’s lineup is no exception. Austrian director Michael Haneke is looking to become the first three-time Palme D’Or winner with his new film Happy End, whose title “doesn’t match the content”, Fremaux quipped. Also present in competition are Fatih Akin with In the Fade, a tale of revenge set in the German-Turkish community, and Cannes regular François Ozon with L’Amant Double, about a woman who falls in love with her psychoanalyst, while eastern Europe is represented by Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa, with the Dostoevsky-inspired A Gentle Creature, and Russian formalist Andrey Zvyagintsev, whose new film Loveless had to be made without funding from his home country after the Russian Culture Ministry were angered by his last film Leviathan.
Cannes film festival 2017: full list of films Read more
Two legendary directors will be present in spirit, if not in person, at the festival. Nouvelle Vague icon Jean-Luc Godard’s latest film Image et Parole will not appear at Cannes, but Oscar winner Michel Hazanavicius’ biopic of the director, Redoutable, will be in competition. Meanwhile, a new experimental work by the late Abbas Kiarostami, entitled 24 Frames, appears as a special screening.
Other notable films appearing in competition include Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories, starring Adam Sandler and Dustin Hoffman (another work supported by Netflix), and Todd Haynes’ Amazon-funded period drama Wonderstruck, while Robert Pattinson makes a return to the festival, starring in Benny and Josh Safdie’s genre movie Good Time. Opening the festival, meanwhile, is Arnaud Desplechin’s relationship drama Les Fantômes d’Ismaël, which stars Marion Cotillard and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Not so vague... Louis Garrel as Jean-Luc Godard in Redoubtable. Photograph: PR
Television will also play an unusually large role at this year’s festival, with the first two episodes of the revival of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and an early screening of series two of Jane Campion’s atmospheric detective drama Top of the Lake, another project featuring Kidman. Cannes has also embraced virtual reality with Alejandro González Iñárritu and Emmanuel Lubezki’s short work Flesh and Sand. Another short film likely to attract attention is Come Swim, which is the directorial debut of actor Kristen Stewart.
Bad Education and Julieta director Pedro Almodóvar is president of this year’s jury, which will award the Palme d’Or and the other major prizes. Cristian Mungiu, whose film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days won the Palme d’Or at the 2007 festival, will head the student and short film jury, while French actor Sandrine Kiberlain will head the Camera d’Or jury.
The Cannes film festival will be held from 17-28 May.We have something special for you today: 10 floor plans of the most famous apartments on TV, which you will probably recognize without us having to tell you which one’s which. We got so used to seeing Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment for over ten seasons, that his small living room with couch in the middle and tiny kitchen has become more than familiar. And aside from being tidy all the time, Monica’s place from “Friends” is what most of us dream of when imagining a comfy crib.
In addition to the homes seen in “Friends” and “Seinfeld”, the photos below (discovered on the Deviant Art profile of Spanish designer Iñaki Aliste Lizarralde ) include floor plans of Carrie Bradshaw’s place, the residence of Dexter Morgan or Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment from American sitcom “Big Bang Theory”. So if you ever had your design-related doubts or wanted to find out more about the layout of each of the apartments below, here’s you chance!The feud between Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton hit a boiling point over the weekend when the former first lady accused the billionaire of sexism. Trump took to Twitter to slam Bill Clinton for his former sex scandals and had a “penchant for sexism.”
Hillary Clinton has announced that she is letting her husband out to campaign but HE'S DEMONSTRATED A PENCHANT FOR SEXISM, so inappropriate! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2015
While everyone knows about Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern who was in love with Bill and regularly performed oral sex on him, most millennials give the former president a pass. After all it consensual between two adults, and Hillary forgave him- to quote Whitney Houston, “It’s not right but it’s okay.”
Lewinsky was not the only one. Bill’s sexual encounters stretched back throughout his entire political career — which predates the first millennial being born and included cases of sexual misconduct, harassment, assault, and even an accusation of rape. Unlike the Duke Lacrosse Players or Mattress Girl, these stories had validity but didn’t get much mainstream attention.
Here’s a run down:
Eileen Wellstone allegedly was sexually assaulted by a 23-year old Bill Clinton at a pub near Oxford University (the future president was a student there). He admitted to the encounter, but claimed it was consensual. Nonetheless, he ended up leaving the school a year after the incident without a degree.
According to Capitol Hill Blue, just three years later while he was dating Hillary at Yale University, a female student called campus police stating that Bill sexually molested her.
In 1974, an unnamed University of Arkansas student complained to her faculty advisor that her law professor Bill Clinton groped her and forced his hand inside her blouse. The 28-year-old law professor claimed that she was the one who came onto him.
Capitol Hill Blue reported that “several former students at the University have confirmed the incident in confidential interviews and said there were other reports of Clinton attempting to force himself on female students.”
Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas in 1977, soon afterward a young woman lawyer in Little Rock claimed that she was assaulted by him — he forced himself on her, biting and bruising the woman, wrote Roger Morris in Partners in Power.
A year later, Juanita Broaddrick claimed that Bill raped her when she was a volunteer on his campaign for governor while she was at a nursing student conference in Little Rock. She claimed that he forced himself on her while she screamed “please stop,” and he bit her lip. Norma Rodgers, a friend who was sharing a hotel room with Broaddrick during the conference, confirmed her claims that she had been sexually assaulted.
Broaddrick did not come forward with the claims for two decades, claiming she was intimidated and ashamed.
Bill also had a consensual relationship with Regina Hopper Blakely and Robyn Dickey in the late 70’s, according to L.D. Brown, a former Arkansas state trooper who guarded Clinton.
In 1979, Carolyn Moffet was a legal secretary in Little Rock who was invited to Bill’s hotel room after a fundraiser. When she got there, she discovered the future president sitting on a couch only wearing a t-shirt.
“When I went in, he was sitting on a couch, wearing only an undershirt. He pointed at his penis and told me to suck it. I told him I didn’t even do that for my boyfriend, and he got mad, grabbed my head and shoved it into his lap. I pulled away from him and ran out of the room,” Moffet said.
After he became governor in 1979, he began to have a 12-year affair with Gennifer Flowers. She was an actress and model, who taped phone interviews that she had with Clinton. In his 2004 autobiography, Bill admitted to a sexual encounter with Flowers, but said it happened just once in 1977.
It was alleged by Brown that he had an affair with Lencola Sullivan, who was Miss Arkansas in 1980.
Bill was a big fan of beauty queens, he bedded two other Miss Arkansas winners, Elizabeth Ward and Sally Perdue in 1982 and 1983. Ward claimed in 1982 that she was forcibly raped by the governor, but recanted those statements in 1998. Ward announced she did have sex with Bill, but it was consensual. Perdue said that she was threatened not to reveal her affair by several Democratic Party staff members
“They knew that I went jogging by myself and he couldn’t guarantee what would happen to my pretty little legs,” Perdue said to the Village Voice about the threat.
In 1984, rock’n’roll groupie Connie Hamzy claimed she was propositioned by then-Governor Clinton who said he wanted to bring her to his hotel room. Clinton denied these claims saying that Hamzy came onto him and showed him her breasts.
Bill also had an alleged longtime affair with Dolly Kyle Browning throughout the mid-1970’s all the way until he became president. She said that when she tried to write a book about the affair Bill did everything he could to stop her. She ended up suing him for damages, but the U.S. Court of Appeals denied her appeal.
On the eve of his run for the presidency, Bill sexually harassed Arkansas state worker Paula Jones in a hotel room where he flashed himself and demanded oral sex. Jones sued the former president and received an $850,000 cash settlement over the matter. Bill still denies he ever had a sexual encounter with Jones.
That was a busy year for Clinton. According to Capitol Hill Blue, he allegedly pinned political fundraiser Sandra Allen James against a wall and stuck his hands up her dress. She screamed so loud that the Arkansas State Police knocked on the hotel door and asked if everything was okay. When she told her Democratic fundraising boss about the incident, he told her to “keep your mouth shut.”
During the ’92 campaign for president, airline stewardess Christy Zercher alleged that the 46-year old presidential candidate fondled her on a plane flight, while Hillary slept just a few feet away.
After he was elected president, Bill was accused again of molesting another volunteer, Kathleen Willey. She claimed that the president grabbed her, fondled her breast, and pressed her hand against his genitals during an Oval Office meeting.
Then there was Monica Lewinsky, enough said.
These days, most of Clinton’s affairs are on the kept out of the media — no new girls have come forward, though several secret service members have claimed that Bill has a mistress with the code name “The Energizer Bunny.”
Earlier this year, the former president’s sex life came under scrutiny again when it was revealed that Bill had flown with billionaire Jeffery Epstein at least 10 times on the “Lolita Express” — his jet that was used to pick up underage prostitutes. Epstein pleaded guilty to the charges of pedophilia in late 2007.
When asked about those trips with the former president, Epstein pleaded the Fifth.
(First reported by Red Alert Politics) http://redalertpolitics.com/2015/12/29/millennials-guide-bill-clintons-20-sex-scandals/#El3ERKppeLhQTD6l.02 (October 30, 2017)NEW YORK (Reuters) - Big business is officially going solar.
The Boston Red Sox unveiled 28 solar hot water panels atop Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts May 19, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
This month, several of the world’s biggest technology and manufacturing companies — including Intel Corp (INTC.O) and International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N) — made major moves into the burgeoning solar power business.
That could be the start of a trend as corporate giants look to capitalize on the growing demand for cleaner energy sources.
“These announcements are a great indication of where the solar industry is going,” Rhone Resch, president of industry trade group the Solar Energy Industries Association, said in an interview on the sidelines of the Renewable Energy Finance Forum conference in New York this week. “This is the beginning of both high-tech and energy companies getting into solar.”
Solar power still makes up a tiny fraction of the world’s energy consumption, but the makers of panels that transform sunlight into electricity are enjoying supercharged growth due to heightened concerns about climate change and rising prices on fossil fuels.
In the last few years alone, solar companies including San Jose, California-based SunPower Corp (SPWR.O) and Germany’s Q-Cells AG QCEG.DE have grown from small technology-focused start-ups into businesses with multibillion-dollar market capitalizations. Now, other companies want a piece of that fast-growing market.
A few tech companies, such as chip equipment maker Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O) and SunPower stakeholder Cypress Semiconductor Corp CY.N, got into the solar business earlier this decade, recognizing the similarities between their own industries and technology-driven solar power. With their proven successes, others are following.
“What the strategic players bring is that ability to bring large-scale manufacturing,” said Kevin Genieser, who heads Morgan Stanley’s renewable energy investment banking practice. “We’re expecting to see merger and acquisition activity ramp up in the solar space,” he said at the conference.
‘THE REAL DEAL’
This week, the world’s largest maker of semiconductors, Intel, said it would spin off solar technology it developed into a start-up called SpectraWatt Inc, and IBM said it had joined forces with semiconductor process company Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co Ltd (4186.T) (TOK) to develop more efficient solar power technologies.
Intel is leading a $50 million investment round in SpectraWatt, which will begin shipping its solar cells next year, while IBM and TOK plan to license their copper-indium-gallium-selenide thin film solar technology in the next two to three years.
Those moves came on the heels of Robert Bosch GmbH’s ROBG.UL announcement earlier this month that it would buy German solar cell maker Ersol for 1.08 billion euros ($1.67 billion). Privately owned Bosch is the world’s biggest automotive supplier.
Finally, also this month Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N), the world’s biggest computer maker, said it would license its clear transistor technology to Livermore, California-based solar power company Xtreme Energetics.
Many said the interest from corporate stalwarts lends new credibility to solar power, proving that it is far from a fad.
“Intel, IBM and HP announcements of new solar initiatives (on the heels of Bosch acquisition of Ersol) validate solar’s long-term opportunity,” Piper Jaffray analyst Jesse Pichel said in a note to clients this week.
Even Tom Werner, chief executive of SunPower, agreed that with Intel and IBM in the business, financiers and others can’t help but see solar as “the real deal.”
Werner said IBM and Intel would certainly raise the competitive bar, but he added that SunPower’s well-established business has a significant advantage.
“For us, it just makes us sharpen our sword a little bit more,” Werner said in an interview. “The Intel thing, they are breaking ground now. We’ve been shipping for several years now, so if we can’t stay in front of that, shame on us.”
Resch and Pichel also said new entrants into the market, however large, were unlikely to hurt established players given that demand for solar panels far outpaces supply.
Still, there are some who say the big companies now coming into the solar fold may just be too late to the party.
“Today it may be a day late and a dollar short,” said CRT Capital Group analyst Ashok Kumar. “Most of the domestic and overseas players have already built up scale.”
(Additional reporting by Duncan Martell in San Francisco)Australia's corporate watchdog accidentally blocked one quarter of a million web addresses this March, Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam uncovered in last night's Senate Estimates hearings.
ASIC admitted to inadvertently filtering 250,000 addresses in March on top of 1200 websites it was known to have accidentally blocked in April. ASIC directed internet service providers to block sites it believed were defrauding Australian citizens by IP address instead of domain name, dragging thousands of innocuous or dormant sites into the same trap as a handful of ‘illegal' ones.
"Three government agencies are using section 313 of the Telecommunications Act to block websites - with no oversight and no transparency," said Senator Ludlam. "In response, the Government has convened a meeting of various Departments who may or may not be blocking websites, to decide whether greater transparency might be required."
"ASIC has used section 313 to block websites ten times in the past 12 months, and though the law has been on the books since 1997, by startling coincidence the agency started using the power under s 313 at the same time as the Australian Federal Police.
"The Government has refused to reveal the third agency using the filter power, it obfuscated when asked which agencies attended the private meeting in May on the issue, and it has also been less than frank about its pursuit of a data retention scheme. This Estimates session has revealed much about the Government's views on freedom of information as well as online privacy."
VIDEO - Senator Ludlam questions ASIC on net filtering: http://greensmps.org.au/content/estimates/asic-internet-filteringWe've seen the issue where it was shown that the Justice League refused to allow other members to join the team. Something really big went down with Martian Manhunter. Green Arrow was determined to join but they would't have anything to do with him. All that's about to change.
Today at Fan Expo, it was announced that the roster is changing, big time.
You should notice one difference. This is going to be JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA. Geoff Johns will be joined by David Finch and the team will be under the guidance of Steve Trevor. On the team we see Vibe, Catwoman, Martian Manhunter, the new Green Lantern, Stargirl, Katana, Hawkman and Green Arrow.
You can check out an interview with Johns and Finch over at MTV Geek.
What do you think about this roster? Does this team make sense? We'll see more of this in 2013. Are you ready for another Justice League comic?
EDIT
To clarify, this is a NEW title. It's mentioned above but to be clear, we'll have JUSTICE LEAGUE and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA.
From DC's blog:
Launching in 2013, DC Comics will publish a new ongoing comic book series, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by David Finch.The Southern Poverty Law Center’s most recent “hate map” pinpoints the location of 892 “active hate groups” in the United States in 2015. California is home to 68 such groups. Only Texas is home to a higher number of designated hate groups—84. And the numbers are growing. Between 2014 and 2015, the list of groups grew by 14%, and the 2016 map due out next month is expected to be even larger.
“We specifically look at organizations that attack, demonize and rob individuals of their right |
-4, 45 pts.) sit atop the NASL’s fall and combine season tables Meanwhile, the RailHawks’ (6-8-11, 26 pts.) compounding free fall has now landed them at the bottom of the fall season standings, tied with Indy Eleven, and just one point above last place in the combined season table.
BOX SCORE
LINEUPS
CAR: Fitzgerald; Wagner (Da Silva, 46’), King (Osaki, 80’), Tobin, Low, Shipalane, Hlavaty, Albadawi, da Luz, Bracalello (Engel, 46’), Novo
OTT: Peiser; Richter, Alves, Falvey, Trafford; Beckie, Ryan, Ubiparipovic (Albayrak, 85’); Paulo Junior (Haworth, 80’) Heinemann, Minatel (Wiedeman, 73’)
GOALS
CAR: Novo, 51’ (PK)
OTT: Heinemann, 19’ (unassisted), Heinemann, 33’ (unassisted), Paulo Junior, 45’ (unassisted)
CAUTIONS
CAR: Novo (52’), Tobin (83’), Novo (90’)
OTT: Peiser (70’)
EJECTIONS
CAR: Novo (90’)
OTT: ---
ATTENDANCE: 3,374LONDON — Charles Kennedy, a former leader of the Liberal Democrats in Britain whose career was marked by success and tragedy, was found dead Monday at his home in Scotland. He was 55.
His family announced the death on Tuesday, and the police said there did not appear to be anything suspicious about it. The family said there would be an autopsy.
Mr. Kennedy was a popular and unpretentious politician who led the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2006 and opposed Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war. He resigned as head of the party after acknowledging that he had a drinking problem.
He did not abandon political life, however. He represented a constituency in northwest Scotland until he lost the Parliament seat last month to the Scottish National Party, which won all but three of Scotland’s 59 seats in the general election.San Francisco is one of the nation’s least affordable cities for renters, unless you happen to be one of the hundreds of thousands of people who can afford it.
That’s the potentially deceptive takeaway from rental site ApartmentList’s recent analysis of the most recent U.S. Census estimates concerning which cities and counties have the highest number of “rent-burdened” residents.
Rent burdened is a term the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses to classify those being squeezed the hardest while paying for a roof over their heads.
Says HUD:
HUD defines cost-burdened families as those “who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing” and “may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.” Severe rent burden is defined as paying more than 50 percent of one’s income on rent.
It’s a quick and dirty rule of thumb that the federal government has used for decades to gauge the breadth and severity of a housing crisis.
ApartmentList research associate Sydney Bennet says that, according to the most recent American Community Survey, covering the 2015-2016 period, 49.7 percent of Americans live rent-burdened.
That’s the lowest rate in years, but “unfortunately, this is largely the result of [...] high-income renters delaying homeownership” rather than any easing of the cost of rental.
Since ApartmentList also routinely fingers San Francisco as having the highest rents in the U.S., you might imagine that rent burden in SF also runs pandemic. But not so, says Bennet.
According to the ApartmentList list, a mere 38.3 percent of San Francisco renters qualify as rent burdened, of which the “severely rent burdened” make up a slim majority at 19.6 percent.
That means that of 1,391 metro areas with data compiled by the rental site, SF comes in just 1,287th place.
The reason, Bennet said in an email to Curbed SF, is that while rents are up 26 percent since 2005, incomes are also up 32.5 percent.
Of course, just like the decline in rent burden nationwide, this is not good news at all—it just means that SF has picked up more wealthy renters (who have to pay an arm and a leg) and lost many more of its working-class and low-income renters.
Which is why it’s probably not a coincidence that isolating the larger SF-Oakland-Hayward metro area in the census numbers instead of just the city itself drives the rent burden rate up to 46.8 percent.CLOSE Private shows and celebrity sightings precede each session of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Video by Jim Walsh
Sen. Cory Booker spoke to an LGBT caucus at the Pennsylvania Convention Center as part of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, (Photo: Ashleigh Albert)
PHILADELPHIA – In a crowded caucus meeting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, a pro-LGBT rights crowd supported their community with applause and cheers. But the energy grew absolutely electric when U.S. Sen. Cory Booker showed up.
A surprise visitor, Booker was just one of dozens of special guests Thursday afternoon who spoke about the importance of advancing LGBT rights.
POP-UP POLITICS: Political sketches go on DNC display
“This was a movement for American rights,” he said. “Every American should have access to full citizenship rights.”
During the caucus, speakers and guests made clear they’re enthusiastic about electing Hillary Clinton as well as other Democratic candidates this election season in hopes of advancing the LGBT agenda.
“We who believe in freedom cannot rest,” Booker said.
The caucus passed four resolutions in support of pro-LGBT legislation.
Kate Brown, the first openly bisexual governor from Oregon, spoke adamantly about the importance of electing Clinton, saying the Democratic nominee for president considers the LGBT community part of her family.
Although the room was full of delegates, educator Shannon Cuttle of Maplewood attended as a guest. Cuttle uses they/them pronouns.
“Especially in schools, it’s important LGBT children’s voices be heard,” Cuttle said. “It’s important to continue the conversation, so that’s why it was important I come today.”
Cuttle said they personally feel confident Clinton is the right choice to advance LGBT agenda, particularly in schools when it comes to removing discrimination.
“Although she didn’t used to support us, over the years she has become one of our strongest allies,” Cuttle said. “She is the strongest candidate not just for LGBT, but also the needs of educators. This is a teachable moment.”
Educator Shannon Cuttle, of Maplewood, attended the LGBT caucus Thursday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. (Photo: Ashleigh Albert)
Joe Longoria, a Clinton delegate from Mohave County, Arizona, said his county vice chair is a lesbian. When gay marriage was legalized last year, she asked him to be her best man.
Touched, he attended the caucus today to “learn whatever I can” for the community.
Longoria, who is running for mayor in Kingman, Arizona, believes Clinton will be an ally for the LGBT community.
Clinton "is also an excellent voice and champion for children, for women, for everyone,” he said.
Read or Share this story: http://on.cpsj.com/2aey0D9The grim legend that has been Richard’s legacy still draws widespread support, and its proponents have been vociferous in condemning this week’s events in Leicester. One of the country’s most widely circulated newspapers, The Daily Mail, told its readers this week, “It’s mad to declare this child killer a national hero.” The Times of London ran a similar headline of its own: “A glorious return for one of history’s biggest losers.”
Since the 1700s, there has been a minority voice among writers and historians that has cast Richard as the victim of a conspiracy by the Tudors, whose dynasty was founded on Henry Tudor’s victory. Among these protagonists, Shakespeare is seen as having won favor at court as a spin doctor for the Tudor cause, especially for Queen Elizabeth I, who, this version contends, wanted Richard’s reputation blackened to strengthen the Tudors’ own shaky legitimacy.
The public response of the past week appears to have been driven in part by the jamboreelike atmosphere that has swept Leicester. The weekend procession in which Richard’s coffin was driven to Bosworth and back featured people dressed in medieval suits of armor, period dress and the habits of Franciscan friars, some shouting “Long live the king!” The enthusiasm continued as the coffin, on wooden trestles beside the cathedral’s baptismal font, was opened to the public for what amounted to an extended lying in state. At one point, the waiting time ran to more than four hours.
Some saw the message encoded in the public acclaim less as one of embracing the idea of Richard as a “good king,” as he has been described by Phil Stone, chairman of the Richard III Society, than one of redemption beyond the grave, a theme that has had a compelling force, across all ages and religions.
That theme was pervasive in the reburial service, perhaps captured best when Archbishop Welby, standing beside the grave as the coffin was lowered, invoked forgiveness for Richard. “We have entrusted our brother Richard to God’s mercy,” he said, “and we now commit his human remains to the ground, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”Julian Gregory Day, better known as Calendar Man, is known for committing crimes that corresponded with holidays and significant dates. He often wears costumes to correlate with the date of the designated crime. Because his crimes are generally petty and often ridiculous in nature, he is notorious among both heroes and villains alike for being something of a joke. He has fought Batman and Robin on many occasions. Fixated on the calendar, Day oftentimes ties his crimes to certain holidays throughout the year. This often leads to him leaving clues by which he could be caught. Gotham City's hopes for a day off are often clouded by the knowledge that any holiday of note is likely to be shadowed by Calendar Man's presence.
Contents show]
History
is fascinated by dates and calendars – even his real name is a pun on the Julian and Gregorian calendars. WHO'S WHO # 4 and Batman # 384 simultaneously confirmed the rogue's real name as Julian Day. In Batman 80-Page Giant # 3, Chuck Dixon took the 1582 revision known as the Gregorian Calendar into account by identifying the villain as Julian Gregory Day.
His crimes always have a relationship to the date that they are committed. The theme may be related to what day of the week it is or to a holiday or to a special anniversary on that date; he will plan his crime around that day. He often wears different costumes which correspond to the significance of the date, though he does have a main costume which has various numbers (meant to represent days on a calendar) sprouting from the shoulders. This outfit was a red and white number that played up the calendar motif and wasn't keyed to any particular season or date. Its cape, for instance, was a collection of calendar pages. The costume reappeared on the covers of Batman # 384 and Detective Comics # 551, and the red and white suit appeared in Calendar Man's entry in WHO'S WHO '85 # 4 and was the costume Calendar Man wore during the Crisis On Infinite Earths. In Batman #400, when Ra's Al Ghul broke all of Batman's enemies out of prison and provided them with replicas of their original weapons and costumes, this was this outfit presented to Calendar Man. It seems fair to say that the Calendar Man committed felonies for reasons beyond pure profit. He was a thrill-seeker who got as much pleasure out of designing theme costumes (an incredible SIXTEEN in his first three crime sprees) and developing weapons (utilizing wind machines, lasers, sonic weaponry and customized motorcycles) and matching wits with Batman. He even had his own above-ground version of the Batcave, a veritable shrine to the timetable—calendar carpeting, a giant calendar rolodex, massive calendars hanging on the wall, ancient stone timepieces and calendar floor tiles. The Calendar Man committed his first crime on a Monday morning in March, when the Gotham City Planetarium was invaded by a man from the moon, complete with a spherical lunar craft whose magnetic field sent the guards hovering helplessly in the air. After helping himself to "stamps which had been hand-cancelled by the astronauts during one of the lunar visits," the man with the round, cratered headgear and spacesuit made his exit. The Calendar Man never did anything in a small way.
The confident Calendar Man placed an ad in the newspaper challenging Batman to stop him. The March 17 edition of the Gotham Gazette noted that an "anonymous letter promises four successful robberies in four days -- each day to correspond to a season of the year -- plus one extra for a 'fifth season.'"
Spring arrived early that year in the form of a man in a flower suit—petals bursting from his collar, leaves functioning as a cape—at Gotham's International Garden Show on the 17th. The Calendar Man's debut was tainted a bit by Batman and Robin's interference but he had invited them, after all. "Summer" proved more amenable and he escaped with the proceeds from a March 18 beauty pageant while dressed in a flaming asbestos suit. "Autumn" blew in on the 19th courtesy of a wind machine that helped him pull off an armored truck robbery. And completing the cycle, the Calendar Man became a snowman to steal "ice" from a diamond show for his March 20 winter showing.
Having racked up four consecutive failures, Batman was determined to thwart the robbery intended for the mysterious "fifth season," which he deduced must be India's Monsoon Season. Noting that an entertainer with the stage name of Maharajah the Magician was in town for a five-day engagement at the Bijou Theater, the Caped Crusader correctly gambled that this might be his target. Still wearing his magician's tuxedo, the Calendar Man was taken into custody on March 21—the first day of Spring. The crime season had come full circle.
In 1965 a reprint of Calendar Man's debut was printed in Batman # 176.
In the new series BATMAN FAMILY, it spotlighted minor rogues, reviving Kite Man, Signalman, Blockbuster, a new incarnation of Clayface and, in 1979 the Calendar Man. This time, an impressive array of super-weapons was added to the villain's arsenal while the issue retained the Calendar Man's trademark one-time-only parade of costumes.
Batman # 312 had found the Calendar Man committing crimes tied to the days of the week. Monday, for instance, was named after the moon, hence the lunar costume and theft. Tuesday, "named for Tiw, the ancient god of war," found Calendar Man in centurian-like garb for his theft of military treasures. And on Wednesday, "named for Woden -- or Odin -- the Norse god of wisdom," the rogue was clad as a Viking when he faced The Batman outside the Metropolitan Museum."Calendar Man is playing this farce to the hilt," he observed. "His cycle even has eight wheels to emulate Odin's eight-legged horse, Sleipnir."
Calling the Dark Knight's attention crimson monocle, the Calendar Man shouted that "Odin sacrificed an EYE to gain knowledge -- but I sacrificed MINE to gain POWER!!" A laser from the eye-piece blasted Batman from his Whirly-Bat and the rogue ultimately made his escape. While playing Thor on Thursday (and carefully avoiding any similarity to the Marvel version), the would-be "God of Thunder" left Batman reeling with an ultrasonic blast from his electronically-lined helmet. Sidelined by damage to his inner ear, the Dark Knight was forced to sit out the Calendar Man's Friday and Saturday robberies. For Saturday, he looked akin to the Roman god Saturn and robbed a garden party while trapping victims in a ring-emitting gun (also a play on the planet named after the god). Friday's robbery was Calendar Man dressed in a Scandanavian outfit meant to honor Frigga, the Norse goddess of love, whereupon he stormed a high society wedding and made off with a fortune in silver and jewelry.
Sunday was a day of rest, and Batman realized late in the game that his foe would regard it as "the perfect time for you to skip town with what you've stolen --and what more appropriate means of transportation that the Western SUN Express?" The civilian-clad Calendar Man took refuge in a train tunnel, taking time to switch to his new red and white costume before resuming his flight. Batman threw a Batarang, to which Calendar Man retorted it missed him. However, Batman's target was not Calendar Man directly, but a railroad signal which the Batarang caused the flag to extend and hit Calendar Man, thus knocking him over and thwarting him. Batman smiles as he remarks "Calendar Man, you have had a busy week, but you will have 20 years to life to recover from it!"
Round three got underway in 1985 when a confederacy of Gotham mobsters put a bounty on The Batman's head and, using the Monitor as an intermediary, hired the Calendar Man to kill him. To Julian Day, it was an agonizing decision. "I've never murdered ANYONE, nor do I DESIRE to bloody my hands -- yet the very calendar itself is BASED on death and rebirth, Autumn to Spring."
Questioning his hesitation, he asked himself, "Could it be that I commit my crimes for reasons OTHER than monetary gain? Could it be that I derive pleasure from passing my time in challenges of wit and skill? Could it be that the crime of murder is too mundane, too artless, to satisfy my needs? Could it be that I actually RESPECT The Batman and LOOK FORWARD to our periodic tests? Of COURSE it could. And were I to KILL The Batman -- red-letter day aside... the rest of my days could well be blank boxes. With The Batman dead, would I have any reason to live? And yet... the money..."
It was more than the Calendar Man could resist and he embarked on a new six-day crime wave, scheduled in his day planner for March 16 through the 21st. "If he has not stopped my spree by then -- he will DIE." For this series of robberies, the focus would cover holidays set between New Year's Day and his self-imposed "D-Day"—March 21, the first day of Spring. The next several days found Batman and his new Robin (a.k.a. Jason Todd) facing the usual succession of specialized motorcycles, weapons and novelty costumes, notably a half-shadowed Groundhog's Day outfit that burst into bright light without warning. When the Calendar Man threatened to kill Robin on March 21, the Dark Knight immediately ordered his partner to halt his costumed activities for the duration of the case.
Meanwhile, the villain of the piece was playing an arrow-wielding Cupid for his Valentine's Day crime, silently wondering whether he should move to Green Arrow's home turf "once The Batman is gone." Distracted by a sniper, Batman lost his target once again. Robin, disobeying orders, was on his trail. The Calendar Man escaped but Batman and Robin reached a truce and the Boy Wonder trailed the rogue to his calendar shrine at the corner of March and Day Streets.
"Now why didn't WE think of that?"Batman laughed. "You've done good work, Robin -- but remember our DEAL. Your part is finished now -- and whatever you do, STAY OUTSIDE." The Dark Knight had reckoned without the Calendar Man's laser rifle and, more significantly, his weakened condition from a gunshot wound sustained earlier in the evening. Robin felt compelled to intervene and smashed into the lair, knocking the gun to the floor thanks to Calendar Man's collapsing Stonehenge replica. Batman got in the last punch but he had to admit that the Boy Wonder had made the right decision.
1985 only got worse for the Calendar Man after that. Transported to the alternate world of Earth-X, with dozens of potential new adversaries rising to its defense, the seasonal scoundrel still wound up being knocked cold by his own foe, Batman in Crisis On Infinite Earths # 10. The next time, Julian Day was freed from prison (by Ra's al Ghul), he had no interest in participating in a group venture on behalf of his mysterious benefactor. "After being behind bars so long," he explained, "A lot of us got plans of our own... OTHER than chasin' the wind". Whatever plans he may have had in mind, the Calendar Man wound up spending most of his time following the jailbreak with other penniless rogues in a super-villain bar called the Dark Side in Justice League of America # 43.
Since the Crisis, Calendar Man even been forced to exclusively wear his seasonally generic red and white outfit. He couldn't afford any others. With his change of fortune, the Calendar Man agreed to join other so-called "misfits" Catman and Chancer in Killer Moth's plot to kidnap Bruce Wayne, Mayor Armand Krol and Commissioner James Gordon for a ten million dollar ransom in Batman: Shadow Of The Bat # 7. Even here, Day was whipped into a rage by Catman's persistent jokes about his theme. Catman apologized but insisted that "a calendar is a pretty, uh, unusual gimmick."
"I happen to like dates, right? There's nothing weird about that!"
Using his technological skills, the Calendar Man crafted a series of traps for the millionaire and the civil servants and predicted dire circumstances for the middle of the week. "Monday's child is fair of face -- Tuesday's child is full of grace -- but Wednesday's child -- Hey, I see nothing but woe!... Now, if it'd just been Thursday -- 'long way to go' -- they'd have been okay. Guess everybody has to have a bad day sometimes." The abductions went off without a hitch and Killer Moth had to admit, "Calendar Man may be going slowly round the bend -- but he hasn't lost any of his skill with gimmicks."
His eccentricities notwithstanding, Day had only agreed to participate in the caper if the hostages were not killed. Unknown to his accomplices, Killer Moth had intended to do just that and only the intervention of Robin averted that dire fate. In a climactic confrontation between Batman and the Misfits, the Calendar Man stunned the Dark Knight with a barrage of lead-weighted calendar tiles and aimed the Moth's gun at him. Batman sneered at his reluctance to fire, noting that he was "going down for attempted murder already."
Calendar Man was stunned but Killer Moth confirmed it. "They were WITNESSES -- they HAD to die! Forget THEM, you squeamish chump -- SHOOT HIM!" Hanging his head and lowering his gun, Julian Day said, "No." With a punch to the jaw, The Batman said "Thanks!"
Within months, Julian Day was approached by the 2000 Committee, an organization devoted to overthrowing the United States government by the turn of the century. In exchange for his freedom, the Calendar Man would orchestrate the escapes of three other time-themed villains, the Clock King, Chronos and the Time Commander and steal a unique hourglass that the latter rogue had once possessed. The jailbreaks were executed flawlessly ("I ALWAYS keep my dates," Day boasted) but the robbery was not. The team had pinned their hopes on the Commander's ability to use the stolen hourglass to step through time but the addled villain insisted that "it's broken."The time bandits quickly ran afoul of the Team Titans, whom Calendar Man desperately tried to hold off with the only tools he had left, his calendar page cape and a miniature stun gun.
Adding insult to injury, the captive quartet was psychoanalyzed by Terra, who observed that "you guys have come up with some pretty peculiar and wasteful -- albeit creative -- ways of addressing your fears about the finite nature of your existence." Day insisted that "even Batman will tell you -- I'm basically a NICE guy. Yeah, I got a mortality fixation. Yeah, I got a problem with death. But I mean, who doesn't?"
Calendar Man and friends got together for one more scheme in Showcase '94 # 10, still seeking a device that would allow them to move through time at will. Instead, they were caught in a temporal loop that was as much a result of the Time Commander as it was the massive assault by Extant and Parallax on the timestream. Determined to break the cycle, the Time Commander shattered the hourglass that was causing events to repeat themselves.
Captured soon after, Julian Day was sentenced to "serve the maximum for his crimes". Informed that he'd "spend millennial New Year's behind bars," Day displayed insanity in the courtroom and was sent to Arkham Asylum. He escaped briefly thanks to a breakout staged by Bane but a heist in Century City attracted the attention of Power Girl and the Calendar Man was in custody once more, this time in Blackgate Prison. His outings with the Time Commander and company had been a disaster, as well.
Freed from Blackgate by the Gotham earthquake, Day spent months in the government- abandoned city before surrendering to authorities. The Calendar Man had been grateful at the time but his opinion changed when he was transferred to Arkham Asylum once more. A doctor suggested "a radical therapy" to eradicate Day's fixation with calendars by placing him in solitary confinement, primarily in darkness. No longer capable of determining the passage of time, the Calendar Man snapped. "They've stolen the most precious thing from me," he agonized. "The passing of one millennium to another."
Living in total darkness with no way of keeping track of the passage of time, Day was slowly coming unglued and losing himself in fantasies. In one recent nightmare, he'd even imagined himself as a jailer at Arkham in Superman # 160.
Calendar Man was eventually released from his cell and informed that he was being paroled. He was stunned ("Could they really have mistaken catatonia for good behavior?") but gleefully returned to the outside world and "the simple glory of watching the shadows chase themselves across the ceiling." Batman was not convinced and told Day as much when he confronted him in his rented room.
The Calendar Man finally went over the edge in that moment. He'd fantasized about destroying Gotham with three tons of dynamite on New Year's Eve but now he would make his dreams of death a reality. "If I missed the big show in January, so what? There are OTHER calendars. OTHER lists of days and moon phases and equinoxes. I will have my wrath on that day!" I will bring suffering down on Gotham on THAT date. And I see now, in a moment's inspiration, how it is to be. I have only MONTHS to prepare. So much WORK to do. And I can't do it ALONE." Dressed in a new costuume, the Calendar Man now wore predominantly red, including hood and cape, with gold shoulder pads and belt and an Egyptian motif that included a Pharaoh's mask and a Sacred Ibis on his chest.
After five months of recruiting henchman and making plans, the Calendar Man delivered a message to police headquarters. With cryptic references to Mai 105, Sextilus Ante Ides X, 12 Tun 17, Sha'ban 23 A.H. and Thoth, the note indicated to Batman, Robin and Alfred that Day was planning his operation around calendars of the ancient world. "Most ancient calendars were based on a three-hundred and sixty-day year... with five days left over. Those five days came at the END of the year. Most people partied down for those days. But some, like the Mayans, saw those days as a time of uncertainty."
Working for hours on end, Robin was able to decipher the clues. "Mai 105 is near the end of the dry season on the calendar kept by the Nuer tribesman of Sudan" and corresponded to August 19 on the modern calendar. The other dates matched up to the 20th, 21st and 22nd. "And Thoth is the Ibis god of the Egyptians. But he's ALSO the symbol of the last day of the Egyptian year as determined by the flow of the Nile."
Although he'd mined his last known residence with explosives and abducted a dozen calendar girls from the Wayne Motors photo shoot as preliminaries, the Calendar Man remained someone whom most regarded as a non-lethal gimmick crook. That image was shattered in the wee hours of August 19 when the Calendar Man used a rocket launcher to blast incoming Flight 601 from the sky, sending two-hundred plus passengers and crew to their deaths. He followed up with an electromagnetic pulse that effectively shut down the city's electrical grid. "For everyone who thought January first was a letdown," the Calendar Man exulted, "here's your Y2K, Gotham."
With a renewed sense of urgency, Batman began to tap into every resource that Gotham possessed, notably its criminal element. Using strongarm tactics and his own underworld alter ego of Matches Malone, the Dark Knight successfully transformed the Gotham mobs into a strikeforce that he'd use to take down the Calendar Man and his own underlings.
Even as his thugs fell before the mobsters, the Calendar Man fled to ensure that the day of Thoth would come to pass. Aiming his bazooka at the Gotham nuclear power plant, he observed that "a single shot will lock up all electronics in the plant. Their meters and readouts go black. Without the controls, the raw power at the heart of the core is unleashed. Gotham City and the surrounding counties become an irradiated wasteland. Until Y3K." Batman barely managed to arrived in time to ruin his aim and beat him into submission.
Calendar Man reappears in Harley Quinn's series, as an inside informant to the fugitive.
In Week 20 of the weekly series 52, a radio broadcasts a message saying that Calendar Man was left tied up for the police in Gotham City, even though Batman is not responsible. It is revealed the new heroine Batwoman was responsible for his latest capture.
Calendar Man appears as a reporter in the Channel 52 promotional feature of The New 52! titles.
Powers and Abilities
Calendar Man is a successful inventor, capable of designing the machinery needed to deploy his various schemes. His talents aid him as he pursues his obsession with quirks of the calendar, carefully planning and theming his crimes around holidays.
Trivia
Because his crimes are generally petty and often ridiculous in nature, he is notorious among both heroes and villains alike for being something of a joke. For instance, during his week themed spree, Day was pointlessly ostentatious enough to switch costumes when Batman was in hot pursuit.
His real name, Julian Gregory Day, is made up of calendar-related puns. Julian is a reference to the Julian calendar and Julian dates. Gregory is a reference to the Gregorian calendar made by Pope Gregory XIII. Day is an obvious reference to the days on a calendar.
In other media
Calendar Man makes an appearance in the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Jim Piddock. He appears in the episode "Legends of the Dark-Mite". When Bat-Mite summons a bunch of villains for Batman to fight, he tricks the former into summoning Calendar Man. Batman then whispers to Day to take a dive, hoping this will cause Bat-Mite to leave them alone. However, the unimpressed Bat-Mite then "upgrades" Calendar Man into Calendar King, which grants him the power to magically summon holiday based henchmen (such as biker Santas and giant mutant Easter bunnies). Batman eventually punches Calendar Man into the wall, destroying his cape of calendar pages, and Bat-Mite causes Day to disappear in order to line Batman up against another villain, Killer Moth.
, voiced by Jim Piddock. He appears in the episode "Legends of the Dark-Mite". When Bat-Mite summons a bunch of villains for Batman to fight, he tricks the former into summoning Calendar Man. Batman then whispers to Day to take a dive, hoping this will cause Bat-Mite to leave them alone. However, the unimpressed Bat-Mite then "upgrades" Calendar Man into, which grants him the power to magically summon holiday based henchmen (such as biker Santas and giant mutant Easter bunnies). Batman eventually punches Calendar Man into the wall, destroying his cape of calendar pages, and Bat-Mite causes Day to disappear in order to line Batman up against another villain, Killer Moth. Calender Man has a cameo in the fan musical Holy Musical B@man where he is played by Lauren Lopez. During the musical number "The Dynamic Duet," he attempts to rob a TGI Fridays, only to be defeated rather easily by Batman and Robin.
A female version of Calender man was "Calender Girl" aka Paige Monroe a model who was fired from her career when she turned 30; she seeks revenge on those who fired her in the "Batman Animated Series" episode "Mean Season" by timing her crimes coincide with holdiays. Defeated by Batman and Batgirl, she has a mental breakdown when her mask is removed-revealng that she is just as beautiful as she was when she was younger-except Paige is obsessed with "Seeing" "Flaws" in her face.
Calendar Man later makes a brief cameo appearance in Mayhem of the Music Meister! as one of the Arkham inmates under the Music Meister's control during the song "Drives Us Bats!"
Batman: Arkham series
The Lego Batman Movie
Calendar Man makes several cameos in the film alongside other Batman villains.Ethereum Classic Community Dynamics Proposal
Ethereum Classic pulsing community. Source Ethereum Classic Slack #website-design channel
Nature Inspired Dynamics
For every opportunity presented to Ethereum Classic community I think it should not disencourage going to several random different approaches as a mutant evolving community. If an individual can grab some fruits in one direction awesome. If it starts to starve in another, that direction might be cancelled like in a Lévy flight foraging hypothesis performed by a bee looking for pollen for example.
Hive and bees. Source Geyser of Awesome
Figure 1. An example of 1000 steps of a Lévy flight in two dimensions. The origin of the motion is at [0,0], the angular direction is uniformly distributed and the step size is distributed according to a Lévy (i.e. stable) distribution with α = 1 and β = 0 which is a Cauchy distribution. Source wikipedia.
Each hive has limited resources depending upon the ecossytem where that hive is located among other factors.
The species (analogous to the community) can be considered as a population of hives.
Each bee's purpose is to make its hive and species grow stronger. A bee is a high valued asset for the hive. As each hive is a valued asset for the species.
A regular bee can develop leadership skills becoming a leading bee.
A leading bee can form a new hive and should be encouraged to do so.
Ethereum Classic community development
The analogy helps to understand a proposed dynamics for the community:According to the resources requirement, the selection of the best looking path by a single bee has to somehow be performed. Going into one direction has a cost function related to the bee fatigue. If it doesn't find pollen after a long run, best to abort mission and return to the hive to rest and recover energy. When that happens the hive is encouraged to welcome that bee with proud, happiness and warming comfort.
Source EthNews
The community behing Ethereum Classic is growing as time goes by in a healthy and pulsating way preserving its outstanding values with determination.
Good ideas that boost motivation and drive inspiration are key factors to reward the community with advances in the crypto space. The idea presented here (nature inspired community dynamics) is philosophical and brings people a good understanding of the sense of a true community. In the other hand, it also could raise questions about diverging development efforts.Based off 4.0.3 Google source Kanged in some Diff From skyrocket ICS leak wi fi working Video working Full AOSP NO I MEAN 0 NATA ZILCH TOUCH WIZ Stock Skyrocket ICS kernel Rooted Swipe able notification Tethering without need for apps :P Much Much More
Need to fix issue with Ril not interfacing with the radio correctly Working on reverting some changes to get audio working again. Will fix youtube crashing on playback Working on fixing internal emmc usb mapping Working on fixing Audio
Wipe Data Factory Reset Wipe Cache Wipe Dalvik Cache TDJs Super Wipe M&S Kernel Cleaner (If You Use It) Flash rom Reboot let rom soak in for up to 10 mins
First off I wanna thank all the people that donated the device to me without it this wouldn't have got as far as it did...With the help of The open source LIb IPC and a few days of working on making it work with the sgs2 i managed to create a open source ril's and ipc for the sgs2 what is working so far you ask data and sms messaging. Audio is still broken at the moment. working on that.7b2fe73e6ed1234a8c29d55934747f91How To Flash:ADTXBoarderTeam AcidWhitehawkKrylon360RomanBBPermian Basin oil producers added seven rigs during the past week, the latest count from Baker Hughes shows.
The latest additions brought the total number of rigs active in the region to 196, all of which targeted oil. Nationally, the oil and gas rig count increased by 10 to 491. Oil rigs increased by 10 nationally to a total 406, and natural gas rigs remained the same at a total of 83. Two were listed as miscellaneous.
Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained eight rigs, Pennsylvania was up two and Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia added one each. North Dakota declined by two and New Mexico was down one.
The regional benchmark Plains-West Texas Intermediate Posting ended Friday at $45 per barrel. National benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude ended at $48.52 per barrel.
ON THE NET: Baker Hughes Rig CountAnti-Assad protests as “national dialogue” launched in Syria
By Jean Shaoul
11 July 2011
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets after Friday prayers to voice their opposition to Syrian President Basher al-Assad’s Ba’ath party dictatorship and to reject his phoney “national dialogue” conference that started yesterday in Damascus.
Demonstrations took place in Homs, Deir al-Zour, and in other towns and some Damascus suburbs, but by far the largest protests were in Hama, Syria’s fourth largest city.
The regime again responded with tear gas, mass arrests, gunfire and imposed a |
deep pockets, and located in a city that can support this venture.
St. Pete will need to prove that, of course, before any stadium expansion goes forward. Edwards made it clear he wants to see a waiting list for season tickets, among other things.
Soccer is a different financial animal than Major League Baseball, though and a team in St. Petersburg would not be as dependent on people from Hillsborough and Pasco making regular jaunts across the bay.
Businesses, especially those downtown, would have to love the idea of having soccer crowds visit the waterfront for at least 17 nights per season. Throw in exhibitions, playoffs and possible international matches and the number swells.
There also would be the potential for a new rivalry with the Orlando MLS franchise, although I guess we’d modify the name from “War on I-4” to the “War on I-4, through Malfunction Junction and across the big bridge.”
We’ll work on that one.
Orlando does control territorial rights to St. Petersburg, but the MLS has signaled that it shouldn’t be a major stumbling block should the league decide to expand here.
I was around in 1975 when the original Rowdies took Tampa Bay by storm. I remember sitting in a downpour at old Tampa Stadium to watch them beat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. I remember the huge crowds for games against the Strikers and New York Cosmos.
Trying to replicate that didn’t work when MLS placed the Tampa Bay Mutiny here a charter member of the league. They played five mostly forgettable seasons before folding. This is a different deal, though.
The league ran the Mutiny because no local owner stepped up and attendance lagged. Ownership is not a problem this time, and for St. Petersburg, well, it’s simple.
This is the right time and the right plan.
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commentsWhen I left Baldwin that day I felt elated that I had met a writer I had so admired, and that we had had a shared experience. But later I realized how much more meaningful it would have been to have known Baldwin’s story at 15, or at 14. Perhaps even younger, before I had started my subconscious quest for identity.
TODAY I am a writer, but I also see myself as something of a landscape artist. I paint pictures of scenes for inner-city youth that are familiar, and I people the scenes with brothers and aunts and friends they all have met. Thousands of young people have come to me saying that they love my books for some reason or the other, but I strongly suspect that what they have found in my pages is the same thing I found in “Sonny’s Blues.” They have been struck by the recognition of themselves in the story, a validation of their existence as human beings, an acknowledgment of their value by someone who understands who they are. It is the shock of recognition at its highest level.
I’ve reached an age at which I find myself not only examining and weighing my life’s work, but thinking about how I will pass the baton so that those things I find important will continue. In 1969, when I first entered the world of writing children’s literature, the field was nearly empty. Children of color were not represented, nor were children from the lower economic classes. Today, when about 40 percent of public school students nationwide are black and Latino, the disparity of representation is even more egregious. In the middle of the night I ask myself if anyone really cares.
When I was doing research for my book “Monster,” I approached a white lawyer doing pro bono work in the courts defending poor clients. I said that it must be difficult to get witnesses to court to testify on behalf of an inner-city client, and he replied that getting witnesses was not as difficult as it sometimes appeared on television. “The trouble,” he said, “is to humanize my clients in the eyes of a jury. To make them think of this defendant as a human being and not just one of ‘them.’ ”
I realized that this was exactly what I wanted to do when I wrote about poor inner-city children — to make them human in the eyes of readers and, especially, in their own eyes. I need to make them feel as if they are part of America’s dream, that all the rhetoric is meant for them, and that they are wanted in this country.
Years ago, I worked in the personnel office for a transformer firm. We needed to hire a chemist, and two candidates stood out, in my mind, for the position. One was a young white man with a degree from St. John’s University and the other an equally qualified black man from Grambling College (now Grambling State University) in Louisiana. I proposed to the department head that we send them both to the lab and let the chief chemist make the final decision. He looked at me as if I had said something so remarkable that he was having a hard time understanding me. “You’re kidding me,” he said. “That black guy’s no chemist.”Continue Reading Below Advertisement
My problem with that story is that it's virtually impossible to find a comedian who has never written or told a joke that was taken in a way other than how he or she intended. You can dig through my tweets and find something that'll upset you, and a lot of jokes that just plain suck, if that's how you feel like spending your afternoon, you unfathomably sad creature. Hell, it's impossible to find any artist anywhere who hasn't accidentally imbued one of their creations with subtext or implications that are weird, disturbing, or out of step with their actual beliefs. Scratch that -- you don't even have to be a creative person. Has anyone reading this never accidentally hurt someone's feelings? The fact is, every comedian has experimented with a "fat chick" joke, just like every musician has experimented with free-form jazz -- yes, they should be ashamed, but we have to forgive them and move on for the good of humanity.
Now, I'm not saying that offensive jokes are okay or that we shouldn't call them out -- they're not okay and they should be called out when we hear them. Because that's how comedians learn and that's how society stays healthy. Chris Rock and Louis CK have written great bits about racism -- do you think they never misworded those jokes, or delivered them the wrong way and offended people, or wrote versions that came off other than the way they intended? And yet, pop comedy is better off because those bits exist, right? I think this guy put it best: We all need to call out shitty jokes, and then give the comedian room to recover and try something new, because we're not Roman emperors dishing out sentences here. We're all just people trying to find laughs in a world that's frustratingly short of them.
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Just to be as clear as possible, I'm not saying that you're wrong if you're offended by those jokes. There's no "wrong" or "right" thing to be offended by, because it's an involuntary human reaction and feelings, man, are hard to get a grip on. I'm saying that those jokes are old, and clearly experimental, so why fire him over it?
Of course, I don't even know how many of you actually care about Noah's jokes, because...As euphemisms go, it's not as powerful as "circumcision" but its potential to legitimize the mutilation of young girls' genitals seems horrifying to me. PZ Myers brings to light the fact that the American Academy Of Pediatrics - yes, the American Academy of Pediatrics - is endorsing a kinder, gentler version of female genital mutilation for cultural reasons in America:
Most forms of FGC are decidedly harmful, and pediatricians should decline to perform them, even in the absence of any legal constraints. However, the ritual nick suggested by some pediatricians is not physically harmful and is much less extensive than routine newborn male genital cutting. There is reason to believe that offering such a compromise may build trust between hospitals and immigrant communities, save some girls from undergoing disfiguring and life- threatening procedures in their native countries, and play a role in the eventual eradication of FGC. It might be more effective if federal and state laws enabled pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a ritual nick as a possible compromise to avoid greater harm.
PZ notes this particularly loathesome passage from the AAP's statement:
"Mutilation" is an inflammatory term that tends to foreclose communication and that fails to respect the experience of the many women who have had their genitals altered and who do not perceive themselves as "mutilated." It is paradoxical to recommend "culturally sensitive counseling" while using culturally insensitive language. "Female genital cutting" is a neutral, descriptive term.
I heartily second PZ's endorsement of Equality Now, a group I've donated to and supported in the past, and which is a vanguard in defending core human rights, with respect to women. Equality Now is horrified by this concession to political correctness - check out their alert page here.AGOT+(Use this if your dragon portraits get messed up > https://www.dropbox.com/s/613d33tuz4nsz... x.zip?dl=0 credit to Vaud.)Hello, today I'll be sharing a mod that I had kept private for a long time now into I found a way to share it without any legal troubles.What is this mod you may ask? It's CPR+ uploaded by the ck2+ team.Features of this mod, More backgrounds including vanila agot versions, better looking characters, detailed textures.Now, if all of that sounds good to you pay very close attention to these steps or you may end up messing something up.1.Download CPR+ from steamworkshop link > https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/... earchtext= 2.Next download the file I provided in googledocs, extract the contents to your mod folder.3.Open it up don't touch or edit anything just leave all those files alone, next head back to your Ck+ zip and extract the character folder to AGOT D character folder.4.PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION DO NOT OVERWRITE ANYTHING IN THE SHARED OR WESTERN/MUSLIM FOLDERS.5.If everything is inside the character folder then you're done.(Doesn't work with any mods that edit the character portraits.)Video >FAQ: 1."Does this work for users who don't own the DLC, No."FAQ: 2 "Is all the portrait dlc required? Could I just have (example) no you're required to own all dlc to download the assets required for this mod to work.)FAQ 3 : Where can I get the character gfx files for this mod https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/... earchtext= FAQ 4 : Why U No credit ck+ team, credits are included in the zip file, alongside other users who assets this mod were based off if any.ScreenshotsTroubleshooting : 1.Imprisoned bug crusader armor, and jihad armor bug, delete the imprisoned.dds in the agot d shared folder.Troubleshooting : 2. Portrait bug, disable CO or any other mods that mess with the portraits.(WARNING! Do not provide any mirrors of CPR+ that is illegal.)News Years Resolution
Most New Year’s Resolutions fail. After a few months a person is back at their old habits and routines. One reason well intended resolutions fail is because we are already overloaded. Our mind is full of things to think about, our daily schedule is full, and our energy spent on existing routines. With our attention, time, and energy spent, we don’t have enough resources to successfully implement anything new.
That is why by the end of the day we just want to sit on the couch and watch TV. Sometimes it is all we have energy for. At that point, we lack the energy necessary to get to the gym and push our body through a work out, a night class, or other things that we seriously intended over too much champagne.
Once your new routine is implemented it can bring you more time and energy in return. However, it takes some personal power to implement the new mental, emotional, and physical habits before you get that energy back. Some people think it just takes a serious commitment and/or discipline. However, the energy we put into the commitment and the energy to keep our selves focused has to come from somewhere. If you are going to make a life change permanent you will have to free up some personal power and energy for it.
Less is More
Before you implement something new you must first free up some resources for it to be successful. Instead of making a New Year’s resolution that just adds something to your schedule, make a resolution to detach from something. Begin to simplify your life by deleting things from your daily or weekly regiment. Once you’ve freed up some energy, start putting in place small positive changes. A way to make large changes successful is to break them up into smaller elements of change.
Why make small changes first? A huge plan for change can overwhelm us, and set us up for failure which leads to self-judgment. To combat this pitfall, start with something small. Besides, large scale change is really just a lot of small changes added together so it works out to be the same. It might not seem as heroic, but better to get results than to try and feed an ego image of the hero and fail. Implement one simple thing. When you have integrated a small change into an easy habit that adds positive energy to your life, then make another small change. Depending on the change you are making, 4 to 6 weeks is enough time to build a new habit.
Example of Less is More
Refrain from making your resolutions about adding something such as “eat healthier.” This is an additional, “to do” item that takes energy, and adds stress to the mind. Instead, make a resolution to eliminate something or do less. I call them NON-DOINGS. Instead consider the commitment, “I’m going to treat my body better by no longer drinking soft drinks.” This statement is not as general, and therefor not as vague. Being specific in your resolutions makes it easier to notice how to achieve them and be successful. Also have a commitment of what you will do instead. “I’ll drink water, or herbal tea instead.” Now you have a new habit to commit to that can fill in that empty space of activity instead of an old habit dropping in.
If you are already drinking diet soft drinks with artificial sweeteners, delete them as well. Studies have shown that diet drinks are equally as unhealthy as regular soda.
Adopt “Non Doings” as a way to change
Think of it as not spending money on unhealthy drinks. Think of it as not picking up something at the grocery store. One less thing to carry to your car, put in your refrigerator, keep cold, or throw in the recycling. Your liver and organs have less toxic materials to purify from your body as well. One simple Non Doing leads to less in other things.
By breaking just one habit, you created a little more time in your week, more money in your pocket, and more energy in your body. As you learn the art of Non-Doing, or refrain, you find that you have more, energy, attention, and money. Then it is time for the next step of change.
Compounding Change
With your added resources and personal power implement the next “Not Doing.” After that habit is an easy and natural way to live, refrain from doing something else in your life that bleeds off your energy With the personal power that you recover from these habits, it is much easier to break each additional habit. As you recover additional power each time you break an old pattern your speed at making changes in your life grows. As your confidence grows in making small changes, the doubtful and skeptical thoughts that can sabotage change have less power as well. The important thing is to start with something small and build.
Do Less with your Time
Perhaps you want to work out at the gym a couple times a week. Where are you going to get the time for the gym if you don’t eliminate something else first? What are you spending time doing that you are going to do less of? If you don’t free it up from somewhere, then you will try to do too much. Eventually you will become overwhelmed and tired. When you are tired your mind will begin to return to old habits and you’ll skip the gym workouts. Perhaps eliminate television or some internet surfing.
Look at where you spend your time and attention that is least worthwhile. One mother was running ragged driving her son to soccer practice, guitar lessons, and then karate on the weekend. It made her tired. She longed for a simple evening with time to make dinner at home with her family. She told her kids that they could only do one activity at a time and they had to choose. To her surprise her children didn’t resent her for it. They were happy with the lifestyle change as well, particularly when they had more time to hang out with friends. Changing this behavior doesn’t take much effort. Actually, because you are doing less of it, it takes less effort. You actually get some of your attention, energy, time back
If you add something to your schedule without eliminating something first, it will put stress on your mind, emotions, and possibly your pocketbook. Your mind will feel overloaded and that will affect your emotional well being. It seems like you are doing more, but you feel less about it.
Make Room to Change Your Thoughts
In order to break a habit or behavior, you will sometimes have to change the belief in your mind that drives that action, or behavior.
Part of why we waste time on things like television and internet games is that we have beliefs that support the behavior. Those beliefs fight against the conscious and reasoned thoughts of it being a waste of time. A belief is a mental construct that we accept as true, and then gets expressed as a behavior. It usually remains unconscious to us until we raise our awareness and put our attention in it. We can have thoughts and tell our self one thing, but we act and behave according to our beliefs. An example of this is when we know that eating healthy is better but we eat unhealthy foods and drinks because we have beliefs about ease, or making changes later. If you believe that exercise is “hard work, there is “no pain no gain” relationship, or “no fun” it will be difficult to keep the habit going. Those types of beliefs sabotage our motivation.
As long as you have a supporting belief about a habit or behavior, it will be difficult to break that habit or behavior. You will often be able to push away the behavior for a while, but since the mental construct is still in your mind, the behavior will tend to creep back in. To make a complete and permanent change in behavior, you will have to change the belief at the root of the behavior.
What does a belief look like?
One place beliefs hide is in justifications. A comment like, “I just need to watch TV for a bit to wind down” is a justification that hides a belief. At the same time those words are so automatic that they are a habit as well. The word “need” exaggerates the desire as if it were food, shelter, or water. This is a distortion that we accept as true when we use such strong misplaced words. From our dialog and thoughts it then appears that we have not choice. We NEED television. When you put your attention on these distortions in a skeptical manner you no longer believe your own justifications and they can begin to change.
How many ways can you wind down and let go of your stress of the day? Perhaps let go of watching TV and go for a walk. If you only come up with one, then you have found a limiting belief. If you come up with several, but only actually do one, you found a limiting belief. Your actions are a big indicator of your beliefs.
Limiting beliefs take up space in your mind, drain your energy with wasteful habits and defensive justifications. When you begin to do less television, internet surfing, or drinking pop, you will find these agreements poking at you. They will attempt to pull and poke you back into old habits.
Your old beliefs will propose lots of justifications for going back to your old habits. This is where awareness comes in handy. If you have awareness when these thoughts tempt you, you can avoid being hypnotized by them. Awareness is your best defense against sabotaging beliefs. It gives you the power to perceive the distortions, exaggerations, and lies behind those words. With that awareness it is easy to say no to temptation before you fall into an old behavior habit.
Why most Resolutions Fail over time
Most resolutions fail over time because people attempt to change the behavior, but don’t address the unconscious beliefs that support those behaviors. Our beliefs are often below our conscious radar of what our mind is doing. We are not trained how to look at them or even that we should. To change these beliefs you will have to LEARN how to look at your thoughts and see the beliefs that support them. The audio program in Self Mastery will help you to do this.
Begin with Less
Begin your resolutions this year with detaching from something that is taking up your attention, time, and energy. Your emotional reactions and emotional drama can be some of the things you detach from as well. Once you have carved out some extra time and energy for your self, then consider what you want to do with it.
Before you add something healthy to your diet make room by deleting something unhealthy. Before you create new beliefs that will add to your happiness, break some old beliefs that create unhappiness. Breaking old beliefs will free up the power you need to make future commitments work out.
If you want to grow a garden you must first clear the ground of weeds. If you don’t, those weeds will take the nutrients and sunlight from whatever you plant. Clearing the space makes it possible for your new creation to grow. To make effective changes in your life begin by clearing away what doesn’t work. Then in the empty space that you create, build something beautiful, nurturing, and beneficial to your self and your relationships
May each new year of your life be happier than the last.
I wish you the happiest year of your life.Think Secret broke the news about the Mac Mini
The legal battle between Apple and the site blew up in January 2005 when Think Secret revealed details of the Mac Mini before its official unveiling.
Apple brought the lawsuit to make the fan site reveal who had leaked details about the cut-down computer.
By agreeing to shut down, the Think Secret site gets to preserve the anonymity of its sources.
Source code
In a statement about the deal Nick Ciarelli, Think Secret publisher, said: "I'm pleased to have reached this amicable settlement, and will now be able to move forward with my college studies and broader journalistic pursuits."
Apple declined to provide details of the settlement but a spokesman said it was "happy to have this behind us."
Apple is notoriously secretive about forthcoming products and it sued Think Secret claiming that bloggers should not enjoy the same rights to protect sources granted to mainstream journalists.
A California court initially sided with Apple but the hi-tech firm lost the case on appeal. The outcome of that said bloggers should be considered as journalists and subject to the same protections.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) aided Think Secret in its legal fight to stop Apple forcing it to reveal its sources.
"I hope that Apple takes from this that it is neither useful nor wise to sue its fans," said Kurt Opsahl, an attorney for the EFF.
Mr Ciarelli started Think Secret when he was 13 years old and is now a student at Harvard University. The name of the website is a play on the "Think Different" slogan Apple once used in its advertising.A Delhi court on Friday refused to grant anticipatory bail to AAP leader Ram Pratap Goel, who — along with party MLA Rakhi Birla’s father Bhupender — was booked by the Delhi Police for allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman on the pretext of giving her a ticket for Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.
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Pressing Goel’s plea for pre-arrest bail, his counsel R K Burman argued that his client had been “falsely implicated” and that the case was “politically motivated”. The lawyer argued that Goel did not have the authority to distribute tickets for elections, and was merely a district office bearer of the party.
Watch What Else Is making News
Therefore, it was asserted that the ground raised in the complaint did not hold any water. Burman also said Goel belonged to a respectable family and was ready to cooperate with the investigation.
Opposing the anticipatory bail plea, the complainant’s lawyer Pradeep Rana and the state prosecutor, argued that the complainant was planning to contest the MCD elections on an AAP ticket and had started convincing the office bearers, who she had got to know over the years.
After considering arguments from both sides, the court observed, “She got in touch with a party official, may be at the lowest rung, and on being promised that she will get the ticket — did not strictly oppose his advances. It appears that on realising that her body is being used by the applicant for self and others’ enjoyment and blackmailing her on the pretext of making her sexual MMS viral, the complainant got this case registered. (sic).”
Therefore, the court said custodial interrogation of the applicant was necessary for not only unearthing the alleged MMS, but also zeroing in on the locations where the accused allegedly raped the complainant.
“Though nothing adverse in respect of the antecedents of the application have been stated by the prosecution, yet the probability of the investigation getting hampered and witnesses being tampered with cannot be ruled out, taking into account the position held by the applicant,” the court observed while dismissing the AAP leader’s plea.
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The case was registered against the two under IPC sections 376 D (gangrape) and 506 (criminal intimidation).According to a tweet from TSN's Bob McKenzie, Brad Winchester will be headed to Sharks camp on a pro tryout. The 30 year old left winger has played in 323 NHL games throughout his career, with the majority of those coming with the St. Louis Blues. Last season he was acquired by the Anaheim Ducks at the trade deadline for a third round pick, where he played in a checking line role.
The 6'5, 228 pound winger should bring size and grit to a Sharks bottom line that is looking to be tougher to play against going into the season. Although Winchester is primarily considered an enforcer, racking up well over a PIM per game average over the last three seasons, he does possess some scoring pop as well. In 2008-2009 he potted 13 goals with the Blues, and in 2010-2011, Winchester scored 10 goals in stints with the Blues and Ducks.
According to an interview with Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson a few moments ago here in Penticton, Winchester is expected to come in and compete for a bottom line role with many prospects. Asked whether or not Winchester will compete primarily with Sharks prospect Frazer McLaren for the enforcer role, Wilson explained he sees both Winchester and McLaren as more dynamic players.
"There are some spots that will be up for competition in camp, whether it be with our own young players or a guy like Brad who has had a lot of experience in this League," Wilson said. "We don't see him as fitting in one specific role [enforcer]. I don't think he's a one-dimensional player, and I don't think Frazer is either. I think both Brad and Frazer will be looking at many roles available for us on the third and fourth line."
Wilson also doesn't see the bottom six serving a solely defensive role next season, explaining that they will be expected to be scoring threats despite the fact Pavelski will not be centering the third line next year and Kyle Wellwood was not retained.
"I think that we have a lot of different ingredients to pick and choose from, things that Todd can work with depending on who we're playing against and how our team is playing at that moment in time," Wilson said. "You look at the skill sets of Jamie McGinn, John McCarthy, Tommy Wingels, Benn Ferriero, Brandon Mashinter, Frazer McLaren and Andrew Desjardins, all of them can play different types of games. Obviously penalty killing is important, but we expect some scoring from those third and fourth lines."
Sharks training camp begins this Friday, where players will take part in team meetings and physicals. The first day of official practice will be on Saturday.R. Tracy Seyfert (born December 2, 1941) is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 5th District from 1997 through her resignation in 2000.[2][3]
Seyfert attended Mountain View Joint Schools.[3] She earned her undergraduate degree from Villa Maria College (now part of Gannon University), her M.A. from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. from University of Pittsburgh in 1988.[3] She worked as a psychologist before joining the Erie County, Pennsylvania Council.[3]
Seyfert won election in 1996, running on her experience as a member of the Erie County, Pennsylvania Council and her pledge to reduce the size of the Pennsylvania state government.[4]
Arrest and Trial [ edit ]
On September 9, 1999, federal and state investigators raided Seyfert's home, located in "Tracy's Ridge" in Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania, and seized a 10-ton (1,500 kilowatt) generating unit and 500-gallon oil tank.[5] New units of that size cost $160,000 and require a crane and flatbed truck to move and are capable of supplying power to a coal mine, a lumber yard, or emergency power to the USX Tower.[5] The total value of the units was less than $1,000.[6]
Prosecutors alleged that in April 1999, Seyfert enlisted Elk Creek Township Supervisor Harold "Frosty" Crane to help her acquire the equipment, which was slated to be transferred to a volunteer fire department. Individuals are prohibited from acquiring such equipment through this program.[7]
It is unclear what she wanted with the non-functioning unit, though employees suggested it was back up power for when the power grid might fail during the Y2K scare, in which all the computers in the world would malfunction.[8] Seyfert pleaded guilty to theft of federal property and conspiring to influence a witness on May 12, 2000. In the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop more serious charges that she attempted to have a witness change his testimony.[6] The judge sentenced her to five years in federal prison and assessed a $5,000 fine.[9] Seyfert was released from federal prison on March 20, 2001.[10]
Joseph Wenzel, a former legislative aide and close associate of Seyfert, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to tamper with a witness in Seyfert's trial. Wenzel admitted to working with Seyfert to get Harold "Frosty" Crane to lie to the FBI during its investigation. In exchange for his guilty plea, federal prosecutors "agreed not to pursue accusations that Wenzel asked his brother to kill the witness.[11]Women, gifted with balance, strength and flexibility, and the will to test themselves, can be intimidated around men. Climbing with other women provides you with a supportive environment to push your limits and bolster confidence.
This article was published in Rock and Ice issue 237 (October 2016).
Stephanie came to Red Rock with four women friends for a weekend of fun in the sun and rock climbing. A couple of them led, and the others enjoyed the topropes.
Guiding their group, I sensed that Stephanie wanted to lead, but hesitated and just kept taking topropes.
She just needed a nudge. Stephanie had the physical ability to lead and she wanted to take charge of her climbing, to feel independent, to improve her skills. I encouraged her to get on the sharp end, yet she remained reluctant. Only when I explicitly gave her the option to bail at any time did she accept the challenge of leading.
Once she was on the rock, I coached as little as possible to let her think for herself. She worked through sequences, and her confidence shone while her doubts faded.
You can do more than you may think.
Women, gifted with balance, strength and flexibility, and the will to test themselves, can be intimidated around men. Climbing with other women provides you with a supportive environment to push your limits and bolster confidence.
TIPS FOR CLIMBING WITH WOMEN
1. Be a mentor for all women out there getting after it. Jump on every chance to encourage and cheer on new, as well as experienced, female climbers. The crag is a better place with our energy!
2. Lead by example. If someone wants to try a climb, but is having trouble committing, collaborate. You could climb the route first and scope options, especially ones that suit her size or skills, for where and how to rest, hand and foot holds, and gear placements or clipping stances.
3. Share beta. One of the greatest benefits of climbing with women is swapping beta with someone of similar size and strengths. Similarly, in crack climbing it is usually more useful to discuss hand- and finger-size cracks with other women. Just remember to adapt the beta to suit yourself and your own climbing.
Also, ask onlookers not to yell beta as you climb. You can always ask for suggestions if you get stuck.
4. Use an encouraging voice while pushing each other in small increments, and choose your words with care. I advise against yelling, “You got this!” especially when you have no idea if she does or not. Say things like “Look around,” “Relax” and “Breathe.”
5. Have fun. You will get to know each other and share life experiences while climbing. Relationships with your female climbing partner(s) may well become some of those you treasure most.
… WITH MEN
1. Speak up! Your opinions and goals matter. When you get to the crag or, better yet, before you arrive, pick out routes you want to climb. Many women find their agendas may become secondary, or that someone else assumes the lead, more often when they are climbing with men. Men can be more likely to arrive at the crag with a plan, and when women do not, they may defer (and can get stuck belaying a lot). You will benefit from having your own goals and ideas, and from leading rather than letting a guy take over. You may have to speak up to get your turn on the sharp end.Have you noticed that when it comes to stressing out about the potential of a political conversation over Thanksgiving turkey, that it is only leftists who are in an annual panic, only our bubbled elites publishing pathetic primers on how to handle your Trump-loving Uncle Bob?
The left-wing Washington Post: When your liberal aunt shows up at Thanksgiving in Trump country
The left-wing Politico: This Is What It’s Like to Be the Only Trump Fan at Thanksgiving Dinner
The left-wing Esquire: This Thanksgiving, Don’t Fear the Five-Letter Word [Spoiler alert: T-R-U-M-P]
The left-wing HuffPo: “[W]hy I don’t want to go home for Thanksgiving this year“
The left-wing Guardian: How to avoid a fight about Trump during Thanksgiving dinner
The left-wing USA Today: Trump’s in the White House … What to do if you don’t want to talk politics
Need I go on?
So, other than this preening narcissism that drives leftists to bore everyone else into an early grave with all that incessant prattling on about their various neuroses, why all the crybaby anxiety over a Thanksgiving debate with Uncle Bob?
Two words: Ignorance and Cowardice.
Do not get me wrong, I am not talking about everyday, rank-and-file Democrats. They are not the ones writing and sharing their delicate angst over Uncle Bob daring to have an opinion. My mom loves Obama, despises Trump, but she lives in the real world and we will have a blast mixing it up today.
No, almost exclusively we see these stories composed by and shared by media elites, urban elites, left-wing activists, and college students — all of whom have one glaring thing in common…
They all live in velvet bubbles, in echo chambers, in safe spaces; in self-contained, hermetically sealed, well-guarded windowless castles built with mirrors that reflect only what they want to see — which is a reflection of their pure selves.
Naturally, then, Uncle Bob drives these provincial snowflakes crazy, he enrages and frustrates them, because outside of the confines of a television studio, newsroom, dormitory, and the social media block button, these leftists simply cannot handle open, honest, unfiltered, unregulated, un-rigged debate.
Because Uncle Bob reads and watches everything, not just CNN, not just media outlets that offer up The Sweet Feelz, he has his act together; he is ready for a debate. The smug, strident, sheltered, simpering, barely-employed pantywaist strutting around in his man-bun…? Not so much.
Most of us have seen this first-hand and up close, which is why on Thanksgiving we seek out our sullenly pierced metrosexual nephew. Watching Wokey McWokenWuss slowly fall apart (like this) under Uncle Bob’s common sense, real world experience, alternative point-of-view, and refusal to collapse into a puddle of Scarborough when smeared as an istophobe,” is what the holidays are really all about.
Once a sheltered, narrow-minded left-winger — be it a fake news-journalist, student, professor, artist, bureaucrat, or unemployed Womyn’s Studies graduate — is removed from Woke World and dropped into the diverse intellectual eco-system of Real World, they crumble like the little girls they all really are.
And if you sprinkle those crumbles on your sweet potato pie, it tastes a whole lot like winning.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.Donald Trump on Friday endorsed House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, ending days of hesitation by the Republican presidential nominee to get behind the party’s most powerful elected leader.
“In our shared mission to make American great again, I support and endorse our speaker of the House, Paul Ryan. He’s a good man,” Mr. Trump said at a campaign rally in Mr. Ryan’s home state of Wisconsin.
The endorsement sent a clear message that the New York billionaire was ready to work with the Republican Party establishment that had opposed his candidacy for the start. However, it also infuriated grass-roots conservative who wanted Mr. Trump to help overthrow establishment figures such as Mr. Ryan, who are viewed as fake conservatives or RINOs, the derogatory acronym for those deemed to be Republicans in name only.
Mr. Trump had withheld his endorsement in Mr. Ryan’s primary race against an anti-establishment rival Paul Nehlen, who is a |
diseases and clinical medicine at the University of Oxford, UK. He adds that even this headline figure is an overestimate, because the vaccine's efficacy seems to wane over time.“A better way of summarizing the data is that the vaccine has 50% efficacy in the first 3–4 months but appears to stop working after about 6 months,“ he says.
David Kaslow, director of the MVI, defends the vaccine's showing in the latest results. “We always want to see high levels of protection, but I think we have shown again that RTS,S has an acceptable safety profile, and helps to provide protection against clinical malaria in the population,” he says. "We remain committed to developing this vaccine." Kaslow argues that even if the vaccine is only modestly protective, it could still have significant impact, given that there are an estimated 216 million cases of malaria, and some 655,000 deaths per year, mostly in children under five.
The trial results, while focused on clinical episodes of malaria, also seem likely to fall short of the expected criteria for a malaria vaccine set out by a WHO-led consortium, which stated that it should have a "protective efficacy of more than 50% against severe disease and death and last longer than one year”. Kaslow argues that these WHO criteria were only “benchmarks”, and that they do not exclude vaccines with lower efficacy, which might also be usefully deployed as part of a basket of malaria-control measures, such as insecticide-treated bednets. Kaslow says that until all the data is in from the entire phase III trial of RTS,SS at the end of 2014, it is too soon to say what that final outcomes will be. "To jump to conclusions is a disservice to the public," he says.
Variable results
The results reported today might indeed become more nuanced once more data are included. Almost 60% of the cases of clinical malaria observed in the current study came from just 2 of the 11 trial sites, for example, says Kaslow. This suggests that vaccine efficacy might be even lower than the headline figure at these two sites, and higher at some other sites, he says. What might explain those differences won't be known until all the data are unblinded at the end of 2014, he says, but an obvious hypothesis is that the vaccine works least well in areas of intense malaria transmission. If that is the case, it could dent the vaccine's cost-effectiveness.
Blaise Genton, of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, Switzerland, agrees that the vaccine may prove to work better at some trial sites than the average reported today. But a reduction in clinical episodes of 50% would be the minimum efficacy desired, he says, although any effect on morbidity would benefit both individuals and health systems to some extent.
The children vaccinated between 6 and 12 weeks have been given a booster shot, and are now being monitored to see if they show reduced incidence of clinical malaria as they grow older, in particular in the period before 5 years old when children are most susceptible to the disease. Data collection over that period will also help answer whether RTS,S offers some protection against malaria, or just delays infection.
Whatever the final outcome for the RTS,S vaccine, many scientists, including its critics, salute the trial's contribution to the science of malaria vaccines, and the intensive cooperation with African research centres to create an unprecedented trial infrastructure on the continent. “Success in developing malaria vaccines depends on many factors: at the top of the list are partnerships and robust evidence, coupled with an understanding that different combinations of tools to fight malaria will be appropriate in different settings in malaria-endemic countries," says Kaslow. “My congratulations go out to the team at GSK and to the African research centres for their exemplary conduct of this trial.”We are a mere two weeks away from the first Saturday in May which brings with it the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby as well as the start of the Triple Crown series. Make no mistake about it, California Chrome will enter the starting gate as the favorite and if it was any other race than the Kentucky Derby he would be entering at 3-5 or better. However, it is the Derby and there are 20 expected starters so a number around 2-1 or 7-2 might just be right. But what makes the California horse so great? Why is he such a favorite? What might go wrong? Let’s take a look.
While California Chrome was always destined to be the favorite, the defections of the number two and number three horses in Constitution and Cairo Prince helped drop his destined gate price. But one thing that should always be remembered is there are 19 other horses in this field and to say it is chaos at the break is the understatement of the year. One misstep can doom a horse in the Derby and if California Chrome breaks like he did in the Santa Anita Derby he could find himself behind a wall of 10 or more horses heading to the first turn.
Assume for a second that he works the gate in his more traditional manner. California Chrome has a few things going for him that no other horse in the field can say. While many do not see a benefit of running at a track like Los Alamitos, there is a blessing in disguise for California Chrome. When California Chrome is training at Los Alamitos he turns for home and traverses a total of 1,350 feet before he crosses the line. When California Chrome crosses the line at the Kentucky Derby he would have traveled 1,235 feet during the stretch run. Think about that for a minute. It might not seem like a big change but when a horse is trained to push for 100 feet farther than required on the day of the big race that equates to a higher rev as he closes. That will matter. Let’s not forget about the tight turn at Los Alamitos compared to the turns at Santa Anita or Churchill Downs. He will be able to carry speed more efficiently and effectively than his peers around each of the two turns. That will matter.
Victor Espinoza climbed aboard California Chrome on the 22nd of December 2013 for the running of the King Glorious Stakes at Hollywood Park. The result was an over six length victory against 10 others. Since then the duo has combined for victories at the California Cup Derby (5 1/2 length victory), the Grade 2 San Felipe (7 1/4 lengths) and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby (5 1/4 lengths). The twosome are riding a four race winning streak and only getting better. As California Chrome pulled away down the stretch at the Santa Anita Derby I saw two things. First, he was hand ridden down the stretch and secondly, he has ALOT left in the tank. California Chrome rode out strong. Victor Espinoza knows how to race at Churchill, he knows how to handle California Chrome and more importantly has experience in the Kentucky Derby where he won aboard War Emblem in 2002.
While evaluating the probable horses for the 140th Run for the Roses I have latched on to something of interest to me. It is all about the shoulder, more specifically the front left shoulder of California Chrome compared to his rivals. Below are a few videos to show what I mean. While not obvious, pay attention to the left shoulder and how California Chrome lowers it into and coming out of the turn. Compare that to a horse like Wicked Strong (video 3). You can see that his natural ability coupled with Los Alamitos sharp turns has allowed California Chrome to handle turns in a way that the rest of the field cannot or has not. If California Chrome has any running room in the turns at Churchill Downs, he will have a leg up on the competition.
httpv://youtu.be/eyzzPjAdWWQ
California Chrome in the King Glorious (Video Courtesy of Hollywoodracetrack)
httpv://youtu.be/a10u6V_Ldus
California Chrome in the Santa Anita Derby (Video Courtesy of Santa Anita Park)
httpv://youtu.be/a4jwGXrXETc
Wicked Strong in the Wood Memorial (Video Courtesy of NYRA Inc)
California Chrome has the unique ability to adapt to the race as it unfolds. If he is given the lead he can take it and utilize his high cruising speed. He also has the ability to press the pace as he showed in the San Felipe and the Santa Anita Derby. The Art Sherman horse can also sit 3-5 lengths off the lead and wait for a moment to pounce on the leaders. The reality is that California Chrome has the ability to let any race unfold and adapt to his surroundings. If you look back through the pedigree of California Chrome you can see it. Okay not really, the reality of it all is that California Chrome was not a $400,000 purchase and he did not come from a long line of sensational horses. In fact a horse by Lucky Pulpit out of Love the Chase (Not for Love) should not be in line to run in the Derby and shouldn’t even be considered a favorite in any upper echelon field. But that is what we have, the stars aligned, the clouds cleared and the world is seeing what happens when a good horseman gets a freak horse.
California Chrome will get his chance on May 2nd to prove to the world how good he really is. If he wins he will earn it beating 19 other horses in the first mile and a quarter test of their careers. Can he do it? Absolutely. Is it smart to take a horse that will give you 2/1 or 7/2 at the gate when he will face the craziest race in the world? That will be up to you. Will I back him as my win choice? You will have to check back in a week to see. Regardless of how the Kentucky Derby unfolds, California Chrome is a deserving favorite and proof that, although rare, you do not need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a horse to end up with a real chance to chase history. Enjoy the 2014 edition of the Kentucky Derby, you just might witness the first of three victories en route to a Triple Crown. Is it likely? No. Is it plausible? Probably not. Can it happen? Anything is possible before the Kentucky Derby but if I was picking one horse to do it, it would be California Chrome.
Will California Chrome win the 2014 Kentucky Derby? Yes (58%, 19 Votes)
No (42%, 14 Votes) Total Voters: 33Prius inverter disassembly
A wonderful opportunity was presented to me -- to have a spare Prius inverter assembly to do whatever I wanted with, and even a few extra bonus modules thrown in. While the technically-astute segments of the Prius owner community are already fairly aware of what's inside these things, having the parts right there to play with and do deeper analysis on adds a whole new dimension of understanding, which I can try to bring to the viewer in as much detail as possible. This project in part follows some earlier footsteps laid down by the National Labs at Oak Ridge and Argonne, where they did fairly thorough analysis of the third-generation Prius as part of the transportation research arm [funded, I might add, by your tax dollars, and yet producing few if any *effective* initiatives with regard to weaning us off oil.] Sometime after data-gathering and early stages of this began, news of the Embedded Systems Conference live-on-stage "Prius teardown" emerged and they've got some interesting results to look at as well. But some different directions have been taken here, possibly leading toward being able to actually re-use the unit in a working car or even as part of an entirely different vehicle project. Where it all heads remains to be seen.More information and resources on TFDMemTable from the FireDAC Skill Sprint.
If you missed the Skill Sprint, or want to review it, here is the video with the recording of the Q&A. The presentation is 15-20 minutes, and the other 30 minutes is from the Q&A.
Here are the slides for now, the replay will be available soon.
Common code samples:
Delphi / Object Pascal
// Create Field Definitions FDMemTable1.FieldDefs.Add('ID', ftInteger, 0, False); FDMemTable1.FieldDefs.Add('Name', ftString, 20, False); FDMemTable1.CreateDataSet; // Append data FDMemTable1.Open; FDMemTable1.AppendRecord([1, 'Jim']); // Load from another DataSet FDMemTable1.CopyDataSet(DataSet1, [coStructure, coRestart, coAppend]);
C++
// Create Field Definitions FDMemTable1->FieldDefs->Add("ID", ftInteger, 0, False); FDMemTable1->FieldDefs->Add("Name", ftString, 20, False); FDMemTable1->CreateDataSet(); // Append Data FDMemTable1->Open(); FDMemTable1->Append(); FDMemTable1->FieldByName("ID")->AsInteger = 1; FDMemTable1->FieldByName("Name")->AsString = "Jim"; FDMemTable1->Post(); // Load from another DataSet FDMemTable1->CopyDataSet(DataSet1, TFDCopyDataSetOptions() << coStructure << coRestart << coAppend);
More information:
Samples C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\15.0\Samples\Object Pascal\Database\FireDAC\Samples\Comp Layer\TFDMemTable C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\15.0\Samples\Object Pascal\Database\FireDAC\Samples\Comp Layer\TFDLocalSQL
DocWiki TFDMemTable TFDCustomMemTable TFDMemTable_Questions
Cary Jensen’s CodeRage 9 Video: TFDMemTable & ClientDataSet Compared [Q&A Log]
Dmitry Arefiev’s CodeRage 9 FireDAC Tips, Tricks and News
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EmailChris Evans uses his super-fame for good.
On Monday, the 33-year-old Captain America actor surprised 9-year-old fan Kenny Botting who is battling cancer in Chris's hometown of Boston.
CBS Boston reported that Botting is "obsessed with Captain America" and that Evans wanted to meet him and cheer him on. During their visit, Chris gave the young boy gifts, took pictures and autographs, and played with him. Kenny even got to tie Captain America up.
View photos Chris Evans poses with Kenny and his family (WBZ CBS Boston) More
Kenny underwent brain surgery back in September and has been staying at Christopher’s Haven for the past few weeks with his mother and sister. He is undergoing radiation treatment for craniopharyngioma next door at Mass General Hospital. Evans is a big supporter of Christopher's Haven, which provides a home away from home for kids and their families while they battle cancer.
View photos Chris Evans stops by Christopher's Haven (WBZ CBS Boston) More
"It’s their strength that gives me strength that gives people like me strength," the actor told the local TV station. "Any way you can bring a smile and give positive words of reinforcement and encouragement, it's worth it."
Kenny could not stop smiling, telling Evans, "I am more than happy. I just want to say thank you, thanks for coming."
Chris is also scheduled to attend a fundraiser for Christopher's Haven on Saturday at Fenway Park along with Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell.Ask litigator Andrew Miltenberg how he decides whether or not to take on the idiosyncratic clients that fall outside his bread-and-butter business litigation practice, and he’ll give you a couple of answers. First, he’ll point you toward Pastor Martin Niemoller’s famous condemnation of German intellectuals for failing to speak out against Nazism when they still had a chance. (“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Socialist …”)
Second, he’ll reference his own stature—at just 5-foot-6, he’s always been one of the shorter guys in the room. The two come together neatly in what might be termed a personal-political symbiosis. “From an early age,” he says, “I decided that I was going to stand up and be counted, and that I was going to look out for the little guy.”
That’s how, in 1997, he came to represent artists suing New York City over the right to sell their work on public sidewalks. (They won.) And how, in 1998, he represented a landlord who was refusing to allow Madonna pal Ingrid Casares and reputed mob associate Chris Paciello to assume a lease at 16 West 22nd Street so they could open an NYC outpost of their Miami club, Liquid. (The landlord prevailed.) And how, in 2002, he represented parents of students at Battery Park City’s P.S. 89 outraged at the Board of Ed’s plan to reopen the school just five months after 9/11 in light of potential health risks. (The two sides compromised.) And how, in 2014, he is emerging as the go-to lawyer in campus rape lawsuits—representing the accused.
Mr. Miltenberg insists his decision to sue a number of universities on behalf of male students who have been suspended or expelled following sexual assault accusations is not inconsistent with any of the above. He’s already filed four lawsuits—against Vassar College, Columbia University, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Drew University—will file several more before month’s end, and is consulting on 20 or so appeals at the college disciplinary level. In each, he is suing the schools for violations of the Title IX gender-parity law of 1972, contractual claims, unfair trade practices, as well as a number of tort claims.
If you feel like you’ve been reading more about campus rape of late, that’s because you have—most recently in a New York magazine cover story in September. The trend has been gathering steam since the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights sent a letter to colleges nationwide on April 4, 2011, mandating policy changes in the way schools handle sexual assault complaints, including a lowering of the burden of proof from “clear and convincing” evidence to a “preponderance” of evidence. Not surprisingly, there has been a marked increase in women coming forward with such complaints.
That doesn’t bother Mr. Miltenberg at all. The man is not pro-rape, for God’s sake. What does bother him is the way that many schools have handled the complaints.
Every single one of the men he’s representing, Mr. Miltenberg argues, has suffered egregious due process violations in closed-door college hearings. (He also believes that his clients are innocent of the charges against them.) And that is how he has found himself in the decidedly impolitic position of not only defending those accused of rape, but also suing on their behalf.
Impolitic, perhaps, but he’s also in good company. Twenty-eight current and retired Harvard Law School professors recently sent a letter to the university asking it to abandon its new sexual misconduct policy, arguing, as Mr. Miltenberg has more generally, that the new rules violate the due process rights of the accused. “This is an issue of political correctness run amok,” Alan Dershowitz, an emeritus professor, told a Boston Globe reporter.
Mr. Miltenberg didn’t go looking for these cases. Indeed, the first one landed in his lap and the inquiry wasn’t even directed at Mr. Miltenberg. In early 2013, Peter Yu, a student at Vassar, was at a loss for how to defend himself against accusations of nonconsensual sex—and even thinking of suing his accuser for defamation. The only problem? Not only did he not have a lawyer, he was a Chinese national attending Vassar on a student visa, and had no idea how to go about getting one. So he did what anyone in his position would do—he Googled “Asian-American lawyer.” That’s how he found the name of Kimberly Lau, a 33-year-old associate at Nesenoff & Miltenberg.
Mr. Yu called the law firm and insisted on speaking with Ms. Lau and no one else. She was curious enough to take the call and, after speaking to Mr. Yu and researching the issue, she concluded that while he might not have a defamation case, he might have something else entirely: a suit accusing the school of violating Title IX. Ms. Lau convinced Mr. Miltenberg to take on the case and has been running point on most of the Title IX suits since. She acknowledges the potential legitimizing effect that having a relatively young female lawyer on one’s side might have in such cases but also claims gender blindness when it comes to her motivations for representing them at all.
“Yes, they’re male students,” she says. “But they’re also victims of a system they trusted, paid money to, thought would give them an education and help them on their way to establishing themselves in a career. That’s exactly what I did. And to see their futures being obliterated by a mix of false statements in the first instance but ultimately by the colleges themselves administering kangaroo courts … that’s highly offensive to me.” (In the Vassar case, the school refused to consider as exculpatory evidence Facebook messages from Mr. Yu’s accuser saying she’d “had a wonderful time” the night of the encounter.)
Ms. Lau and Mr. Miltenberg make an unlikely team—the short, scrappy New York Jew and the taller, more carefully spoken third-generation Hawaiian of Chinese and Korean heritage. But they are very much on the same page on this issue. Neither of them is saying that rape doesn’t have devastating and life-changing consequences for its victims. They’re simply saying that a mishandled rape accusation—especially if it’s unfounded—does, too.
Between the two of them, Mr. Miltenberg and Ms. Lau get about 10 calls a week from parents whose sons have been accused, suspended, or expelled. Too many of those calls, says Mr. Miltenberg, describe the same basic story: “The majority of them have botched the investigations, either on purpose because they’re simply pandering to the current political climate or because they’re not equipped to conduct them in the first place.”
In mid-September, for example, Mr. Miltenberg got a call from the father of a Division I wrestler in Tennessee who’d been accused of sexual assault. After a four-month investigation, the man’s son was found not guilty by college investigators. And then 24 hours later, the hearing officer had a change of heart. “Here’s how that probably played out,” says Mr. Miltenberg. “Someone got the hearing officer on the phone and asked them, ‘Are you out of your fucking mind? We’re not going to be the school that lets this kid stay on campus. Get him out of here for a year and when it quiets down, bring him back. We don’t need 100 women walking around here with mattresses.’ ”
He’s referring, of course, to Emma Sulkowicz, the Columbia University student who has become the face of what New York calls “the revolution against campus sexual assault.” She’s done so by protesting the “not responsible” verdict Columbia rendered against Jean-Paul Nungesser, the man she accused of raping her, by carrying a mattress with her everywhere. She has referred to the protest as performance art, and is receiving class credit for doing so.
Mr. Miltenberg, who is consulting for Mr. Nungesser, has choice words regarding Ms. Sulkowicz’s performance, and they’re not the kind that are going to win him any friends: “While drawing attention to the important issue of campus rape, she’s clearly enjoying the celebrity she’s created through the perverse spectacle of carrying her mattress around campus. But the attendant media frenzy has seemingly legitimized an event, which, after an investigation and hearing, the University determined did not occur—and which the NYPD has thus far declined to pursue.
“What has clearly been lost in all of this,” Mr. Milternberg continued, “is that she has achieved this celebrity status through a systematic campaign of publicly defaming and destroying the life of a young man. It’s absolutely mind-boggling to me that Columbia has sanctioned her conduct by giving her course credits, all after finding that the young man was not guilty.”
When I asked Mr. Miltenberg how he feels about the White House throwing its weight behind the wave of sexual assault accusations with the launch of the “It’s On Us” branding campaign in late September, he sighed. “When that happened, things went from bad to really bad for the position we’re taking. But I think people are ignoring the real—and terrible—impact on some people’s lives. Compare it to the capital punishment debate, where people are adamant that killing one innocent man is more tragic than all the arguments you can make in favor of capital punishment. Here, because the ramifications are not so severe as death, people seem more willing to put up with fact that some innocent people might get caught up in the rush to judgment. And that’s a very slippery slope.”
A self-described outsider, Mr. Miltenberg says he’s motivated as much by the desire to take on institutional hubris as he is to defend the wrongfully accused. “Look, I’m not a senior partner at Blank, Blank, and Blankety Blank. I’m just Andrew Miltenberg with an office across the street from Penn Station. But if you dare question the motives of an Ivy League School, you’re suddenly trapped in a room with a bunch of white-shoed guys with Roman numerals after their names. And they’re all harrumphing about the audacity of questioning anything they do. Well, we’re questioning them. And we won’t stop until the schools admit that they need to severely revamp their approach to handling sexual assault accusations.”
Or abandon it entirely: he thinks it should be up to the criminal justice system to handle campus complaints that rise to the level of felonies. “A school’s disciplinary board wouldn’t be dealing with a campus shooting, would they? So why are they dealing with sexual assault?”
Mr. Miltenberg has always been motivated by a bit of legal restlessness, and he insists that the Title IX lawsuits aren’t going to become the focus of his practice. “When the pendulum starts to swing back and this becomes a fairer process for those accused, then I’m done with it,” he says. “I have no desire to turn this into a full-time thing. If I did, I could have taken six more cases this week.”If you think it’s a great idea for local police to swarm a middle school, guns blazing, to conduct an “active shooter drill” all without any prior warning to parents or students, then boy do we have a school for you.
It was about 9 a.m. last Thursday morning at Jewett Middle Academy in Polk County, Fla., when the principal announced a lockdown.
Tampa’s Fox 13 has some more details:
Students huddled into classrooms waiting for further instructions. Instead, they started hearing voices in the hallway. “A lot of people started getting scared because we thought it was a real drill,” Lauren said. “We actually thought that someone was going to come in there and kill us.” Two police officers burst into Lauren’s classroom with their guns drawn — one carrying, what Winter Haven police said, was an AR-15 rifle. […] The school sent an email out after the exercise, called a “lockdown active shooter drill,” to let parents know it had taken place.
Parents were reportedly furious, prompting the local police to re-evaluate its standard procedure for such drills. “Further lock-down drills that occur at schools within the city limits of Winter Haven will be performed by uniformed officers without weapons,” the department later announced.
Over at Reason, “Free-Range Kids” author Lenore Skenazy lambasted the police department for its short-sighted thinking:
The fear that teachers might suffer heart attacks, that kids might experience psychotic breakdowns, that someone with his own weapon might shoot real bullets in defense—none of that seemed to occur to our peacekeepers. Nor did the notion that distraught parents might race frantically to the school, endangering anyone in their path. No, these cops were so focused on the most horrific, least likely crime that nothing else mattered.
Watch below via Fox 13 News:
FOX 13 News
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.comThe 20/20 Building Blocks to Portability Project recently concluded with widespread endorsement of both a single licensure title for counselors and a scope of practice for professional counseling. Of the participating organizations that voted, 28 of 29 endorsed the licensure title of Licensed Professional Counselor, and 27 of 29 endorsed the scope of practice (read the full scope of practice below). In addition, one organization abstained from voting, while another did not vote.
The Building Blocks to Portability Project was part of the 20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling initiative that began in 2005. Sponsored by the American Counseling Association and the American Association of State Counseling Boards, 20/20 focused on advancing the counseling profession by engaging in profession-wide strategic planning. Ultimately, 31 major counseling organizations participated in the initiative.
The goal of the Building Blocks to Portability Project was to facilitate license portability for counselors by getting the participating organizations to develop and agree to a consensus licensure title, scope of practice and licensure education requirements. Delegates to the 20/20 initiative finalized the licensure title and scope of practice in March 2013 but could not reach agreement on the education requirements.
The consensus licensure title and scope of practice were then sent to each of the 31 participating organizations with a request for endorsement. Of the 29 organizations that voted, only the American Mental Health Counselors Association voted not to endorse the common licensure title of Licensed Professional Counselor, while the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association and the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association were the only two organizations that voted not to endorse the scope of practice.
In an October letter to the 20/20 delegates and participating organizations, Kurt Kraus, the facilitator for 20/20, wrote that the votes mark “the overall conclusion of an exhilarating and exhaustive eight-year process.”
“The next steps — how to ensure that these products are available to those who make major decisions about licensure of professional counselors across the country — are not yet established,” noted Kraus, a professor and chair of the Department of Counseling and College Student Personnel at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. “I look forward to innovative methods from all of our participating organizations to utilize all of the consensus outcomes resulting from … 20/20 to continue to shape the future of the profession of counseling.”
In the letter, Kraus also thanked “each and every one of the delegates … whose efforts to give voice to their organizational affiliates were consistent and clear. The products of your labor have the potential to dramatically support interstate (and district) portability of professional licensure for counselors in the future.”
Earlier accomplishments tied to the 20/20 initiative include development of the Principles for Unifying and Strengthening the Profession as well as a unified definition of counseling: Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals.
For additional background on the 20/20 initiative, including participating organizations, a list of delegates, a statement of principles and concepts for future exploration, visit counseling.org/knowledge-center/20-20-a-vision-for-the-future-of-counseling.
****
Endorsed scope of practice for professional counseling
The independent practice of counseling encompasses the provision of professional counseling services to individuals, groups, families, couples and organizations through the application of accepted and established mental health counseling principles, methods, procedures and ethics.
Counseling promotes mental health wellness, which includes the achievement of social, career, and emotional development across the lifespan, as well as preventing and treating mental disorders and providing crisis intervention.
Counseling includes, but is not limited to, psychotherapy, diagnosis, evaluation; administration of assessments, tests and appraisals; referral; and the establishment of counseling plans for the treatment of individuals, couples, groups and families with emotional, mental, addiction and physical disorders.
Counseling encompasses consultation and program evaluation, program administration within and to schools and organizations, and training and supervision of interns, trainees, and pre-licensed professional counselors through accepted and established principles, methods, procedures and ethics of counselor supervision.
The practice of counseling does not include functions or practices that are not within the professional’s training or education.
****
Follow Counseling Today on Twitter @ACA_CTonline and on Facebook: facebook.com/CounselingToday
****I can remember where I was the first time I learned that a man named Hitler had killed members of my family. It was on a hill in the Bay Area that we drove up to get to our house. I drove on it a few months ago and remembered the conversation. My great-grandfather loved me and always showed care to me in the few years I knew him, and it shocked me to learn that his brothers, sisters, and parents were murdered.
Like most Jews of my generation, I grew up with this legacy on my mind. In every history class I had that covered the 1940s, I would wonder when and how they would talk about the Holocaust. (It wasn't until high school that we did.) I did not know how the Holocaust happened until I was in fourth grade, when I overheard a friend describing how Hitler would get Jews to go into showers and then gas them. My friend clearly found it wrong, but he did not feel the outrage of if it had been done to him. I felt personal outrage. I could see that image in my head viscerally forever af…ATLANTA -- Dan Quinn had spent the last few weeks divining the signals that this season would be different, that the Atlanta Falcons would not repeat the gut-wrenching swoon of 2015 that had branded his team with one of sports' worst pejoratives: mentally soft.
He insisted in public that this team was not like last year's, the one that started 6-1 and then collapsed to finish 8-8, but he was looking for something beyond what showed up in the statistics, the better speed on defense, or Vic Beasley's mounting sack total.
Those were promising signs for the future, but they hadn't averted the disasters of the prior two weeks, the losses to Seattle and San Diego in closely contested games that Atlanta had led late. There had been late interceptions in each of them, but those could be explained away by a quarterback pressing to make a play to save his team -- his sometimes undisciplined team that got mind-numbing penalties at the worst moments, that could not stop an opposing offense.
Still, the two losses were there and it was fair to wonder if whatever Quinn thought he detected with this year's team was a figment conjured of wishful thinking. He was wondering, too.
"I needed to see it," he said Sunday night, after he had finally seen it, in the Falcons' 33-32 victory over the Green Bay Packers. "I so wanted it to switch overnight. Going through difficult experiences was hard on us. I can't explain or quantify it -- it's not a stat of being different. It's just different."
It was certainly different Sunday, with Matt Ryan just barely outdueling Aaron Rodgers in the season's best quarterback matchup. Ryan, playing with a banged-up Julio Jones and without Jacob Tamme (who injured his shoulder early in the game), completed 28 of 35 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns. Most critically, he did not throw an interception, even as Falcons fans covered their eyes on that game-winning drive, after Rodgers' fourth touchdown pass of the day (and a successful two-point conversion) had given Green Bay a six-point lead with less than four minutes remaining. A soft team would have stumbled here, maybe Ryan would have had another turnover. It would have been so easy to let this one slip away, too.
During the offseason, the Falcons worked with Navy Seals on a program that asks the participants how they can get one percent better. On the day after games, the Falcons have "tell the truth" Mondays in which they go through, with excruciating candor, things they did well and things they have to work on. Quinn begins the meetings by telling his players to talk to the person next to them and ask them what they can do to get better. This week, one of the problems was that the defense did not communicate well against San Diego, and so, Quinn said, rookie linebacker Deion Jones stated he would improve in this area. He did it all week, Quinn said, and he did it Sunday. There were bad plays on Sunday, certainly -- a defense that gives up 32 points at home is still one to worry about, and the penalties were there, too -- but even in the dark place that Quinn said his team was in after those two losses, the coach tries to reach for the other side.
"We are a tight group and I told them this is not the time to harden your heart," Quinn said of last week's message. "We're going to talk about the things we did well and the things we need to improve. I'm not coming from a place of 'You can't do this.' I'm coming from a place of 'If we don't get this right, we're not going to be as good as we should be.' "
It has been hard to figure what the Falcons are this season, after four straight wins over, among others, the Raiders and Broncos, followed by those losses to the Seahawks and Chargers. The Packers were equally hard to figure, although the questions about Rodgers and Jordy Nelson can probably be put to rest. But they were deeply wounded by injuries -- three of Rodgers' touchdown passes went to players who caught their first touchdown of the season. But this was a statement victory for the Falcons, nonetheless, and that final Ryan touchdown pass -- in which the QB looked left before quickly turning and finding Mohamed Sanu in the back of the end zone -- was a statement, too. Quinn said Atlanta's equipped to be in these scenarios and that the Falcons respect Ryan and follow him because of his toughness. It was his 33rd career game-winning drive. And most of all, it stopped the Falcons' bleeding.
On Friday afternoon, after the hard work of the week was over, Quinn walked through his locker room and saw about 15 players crowded around the side-by-side pingpong tables that have pride of place in Flowery Branch. The scars make a difference, Quinn said Sunday night, and he thought his team had learned from them -- not just the two recent ones, but the ones from last year, too. He saw what he needed to see Sunday night. But he saw a preview on that Friday afternoon.
"That's the culture I'd hoped we would create here in Atlanta, playing for one another," Quinn said. "Those experiences -- you're done with practice, you're done with meetings, it's not like 'OK, see you |
doubted him a bit but he knows what to do, so credit to him and congratulations to him."
Multiple world champion Michael Johnson: "He is the best in the world and he does not have any rivals. We have to give him a lot of credit for running in the 100m and 200m - this is the most he has been challenged."
Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes: "There are some people in this world who are super human. Bolt wins 200m."
Former British sprinter Darren Campbell: "What Usain Bolt does for the sport is incredible. He's taken the sport to another level. Everywhere you go people know Usain Bolt."
BBC Radio 5 live commentator Mike Costello: "Everybody runs in a sprint race at school and can relate to what he does when he runs fast, but he gives the crowd something to remember afterwards by turning it into a party, and that's why he will be missed so much when he goes."
BBC TV commentator and former athlete Steve Cram: "Resurrecting a performance like that from a season he has had shows Usain Bolt is the greatest."
Photos of Bolt's double delight
Usain Bolt underlines he is the number one as Justin Gatlin trails behind him
Bolt unleashed his signature 'Lightning Bolt' during his victory lap
However, the lap did not go as smoothly as the race when he collided with an eager cameraman
He was soon back on his feet and was almost engulfed by his supporters inside the Bird's Nest
After a week of media hype about their rivalry, Bolt (left) and Justin Gatlin were able to reflectSoft drink giant Coca-Cola India has said that it will be forced to shut down some factories if the government accepts the proposal to impose a 40-per cent'sin tax' on aerated beverages.
Coca-Cola India is the first company to protest the high tax rate proposed in the good and services tax (GST) Bill. Currently, the tax on aerated beverages such as Coke and Pepsi Cola, which have come under severe criticism from health groups due to their high sugar content, is 18 per cent. The companies have also been facing rough weather in the West over health issues.
An acceptance of the Arvind Subramanian committee recommendations with regard to GST rate of 40 per cent on aerated beverages will have a negative ripple effect on the entire beverage ecosystem...we will have no option but to consider shutting down certain factories. Ishteyaque Amjad V-P, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia
"An acceptance of the Arvind Subramanian committee recommendations with regard to GST rate of 40 per cent on aerated beverages will have a negative ripple effect on the entire beverage ecosystem... It will lead to a sharp decline in consumer purchase and for a demand-driven industry, it will mean a significant rationalisation of manufacturing capacity," Coca-Cola India and South West Asia vice-president (public affairs & communication) Ishteyaque Amjad said in a statement.
At the same time, Coca-Cola reiterating that India is one of its most important markets said, "The Coca-Cola Company believes in India and identifies it as one of its strategic growth markets. The Coca-Cola system in India has already invested more than $2.5 billion... Our system is on course to invest another $5 billion in India by the end of 2020."
We are supportive of GST and believe this will be good news for business and the Indian economy.However, a tax rate of 40 per cent is high. Having said that, we are confident that the government will take a balanced view of taxation with respect to our industry Shiv Shivakumar Chairman & CEO, PepsiCo India
Coke's rival PepsiCo said that though the tax rate of 40 per cent is high, it is confident that the government will take a balanced view. "We are supportive of GST... However, a tax rate of 40 per cent is high. Having said that, we are confident that the government will take a balanced view of taxation with respect to our industry," PepsiCo India chairman and chief executive officer Shiv Shivakumar said.
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Council tax in Trafford is set to go up by 4 per cent EVERY year until 2020 as swingeing budget cuts continue to bite - and school crossing patrols are in the firing line.
Town hall chiefs are considering raising the household bill by the maximum amount possible each year for the next three years as part of their budget plans.
Another measure will see schools or community groups that want to keep crossing patrols having to pay for the service.
But the town hall has avoided moving to three-weekly general rubbish collections by instead charging people to collect garden waste and getting more strict on recycling.
Parking charges are also set to rise.
In total, cuts for 2017/18 will total £22m.
There has not been a general rise in council tax in the borough for the past six years - although there was a 2 per cent rise last year under the government’s so-called ‘social care’ tax.
But council bosses say they’ll now need to increase the charge to balance the books.
The majority of the town hall’s income is through council tax.
Half the extra cash, around £1.7m each year, will be ring-fenced to protect social care. The rest will be used to plug the remaining budget gap.
Town hall chiefs have highlighted that council tax bills in Trafford are the lowest in the north west.
The bill for a Band D property will go up by £45 a year.
Budget proposals for next year include:
Hiking parking charges to bring in an extra £702,000
Transferring in-house ‘reablement’ services for those leaving hospital to an outside firm, saving £946,000
Charging schools that want to keep crossing patrols for the service, bringing in £350,000
Reviewing the council tax support scheme, to bring eligibility in line with Universal Credit, saving £160,000. Those in receipt will still get a 100 per cent discount
Charging residents - if they choose - £40 a year to collect away garden waste, bringing in £430,000
Launching a recycling responsibility campaign - which could including fining those consistently putting things in the wrong bins - to save £151,000
Cutting property repair and maintenance bills by £89,000
Slashing energy and water bills by £80,000
Staff taking 1.5 days of unpaid leave, saving £500,000
Transferring bowling green maintenance to individual clubs, saving £18,000
Reviewing the council’s bad debt provision, saving £200,000
Getting the best deal on insurance premiums, saving £50,000
Budget accounting efficiencies, saving £332,000
Parking fees will increase as follows, before being frozen for three years:
30 minutes - 20p to 70p
2 hours - 50p to £1.50
3 hours - £1 to £2.50
4 hours - £2 to £3.50
Full day - £4 (£3 on street) to £7 (£6 on street)
Those using seven off-street car parks, which are currently free, will be charged £1 if they stay for more than two hours.
The sites are Lacy Street in Stretford; Flixton Road, Urmston; Manor Avenue, Urmston; Hampson Street, Sale Moor; Balmoral Road, Altincham; Atkinson Road, Urmston; and James Street, Sale Moor.
Council chiefs highlight that parking charges were cut across the borough in 2008 in a bid to boost town centre trade - and that prices are still among the cheapest in Greater Manchester.
Private car parks, they add, are often more expensive.
Bosses introduced fortnightly collections of smaller general waste bins in 2013, with weekly collections scrapped.
Despite Trafford boasting one of the best recycling rates in the country, they say they need to do more to cut costs - and insist charging people for garden waste collections and being ‘more strict’ means they can avoid moving to three-weekly collections.
It is thought around a third of households will opt into garden waste collections.
Those who consistently flout recycling rules could be fined.
Residents who don’t want to pay £40 for the garden waste collection, can pay £7 for a compost bin.
Weekly food collections will still be free.
(Image: PA)
Schools - or community groups - that want to retain a crossing patrol will have to pay the council.
Bosses say they have no choice but to think of alternative ways to deliver the discretionary service because the current model is ‘not sustainable’.
The council was forced to do a u-turn two-years-ago when they proposed scrapping scores of crossing patrols.
The ‘reablement service’ - which helps people leaving hospital could be transferred to an outside body - is the last social service taken care of in-house.
Handing responsibility to a care provider will save cash, without impacting upon those benefiting from the service.
A £9m cost-effective LED street lighting project was introduced last year, and is around half way through. That will save £100,000 next year.
Some £2.8m of council reserves will be used next year to help balance the books. But the council still needs to find an extra £2m in the coming months.
The bulk of the savings – £9m – will come from measures passed in the last few years. The full-year effect of some of this year’s cuts will help balance the books next time around.
It’s not all doom and gloom.
The council is planning to pump £24m into leisure facilities across Trafford in an ‘unprecedented’ cash-injection.
They want to bring out-dated centres in Urmston, Sale, Altrincham and Stretford up to scratch.
They plan to use capital receipts, some borrowing, and new sources of income to pay for the mammoth project.
Difficult decisions to be made
Council chiefs say the plan is about ‘making the Trafford pound go further’ in the face of continuing austerity measures, changes to government funding arrangements and rising demand for services.
Council leader Sean Anstee said: “We want to take the Trafford pound further, make it more effective in the way we budget and use it for planning for the future, so that employment, housing and investment opportunities are in place to continue to grow Trafford as the economic powerhouse of Greater Manchester it has become.
“There remain difficult financial decisions to be made the achieve savings over the next three years, whilst still providing the best possible services. We want to show residents that by investing in, and developing a range of services, including joined-up healthcare provision and delivery of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, we are committed to supporting the borough to flourish.”Shitty Silverstone
Before yesterday’s British Grand Prix, the Manor Mercedes garage had a bet to see who would retire from the race, partly due to a certain variance gamble. In the spirit of Easter, the driver to retire would be forced to wear bunny ears and mouth for the entire day. Needless to say, the team was not expecting both drivers to retire.
The team decided to play a risk with 4 Variance. This turned out to be a double-edged sword when Felipe Massa qualified 5th and Pastor Maldonado in 18th. Maldonado fell behind quickly and on lap 30, things turned sour when he aquaplaned and collided with a lapping Nico Hulkenberg in turn 6. In rainy conditions, Massa struggled to find grip, being forced to switch to wets shortly before lap 23. Nine laps later, he beached the car in the mud – also in turn 6.
Next week, the Model F1 World Championship begins the second half of the season at Germany.
Midseason Report
As we enter the halfway point of the season, Manor currently sits 6th in the World Constructors Championship, 10 points behind Lotus and 40 points ahead of McLaren. In the World Drivers Championship, Massa is in 10th with 34 points, while Maldonado is 12th with 26; the ham of the Manor sandwich is Lotus’ Giedo van der Garde, 3 points behind Massa and 5 points ahead of Maldonado.
Head-to-head, Massa holds the edge over Maldonado, though team manager splendidtree had hoped for a reliability bump from Maldonado. Overall, though, the team has a 60% finishing percentage, which is reasonable for team expectations.
Team principal macus16 is pleased with the current results, stating: “I am incredibly happy how the start has gone – not only have we more than likely secured the battle of band C, we’ve constantly fought in the top 10 and secured enough 5th place finishes to start our very own conspiracy theory.”
AdvertisementsWASHINGTON -- Back in 2002, when Mitt Romney began running for governor of Massachusetts, his campaign managers thought it would be a good idea to have the millionaire perform various blue-collar jobs around the state. In a move that presaged "Undercover Boss," strategists put Romney in blue jeans, gave him a long, shiny wrench, and had him play at being a mechanic for a photo op.
The campaign called these events "work days." He served sausages outside Fenway Park. He donned a hard hat. He hammered nails. He drove a tractor on a farm, bumping along stiffly in the seat. It was, at times, painfully forced. Then again, every day was basically his first on the job.
"Just keep on doing some stuff?” Romney asked as the cameras whirred before turning back to the engine block. He mumbled under the hood about power steering fluid and stabbed at the engine with a wrench as if unsure where to put it. At one point, he wondered to the crowd, "Whose Bichon Frise is that over there? Is that a neighbor? Oh, that's great."
These kinds of stunts are a political tradition designed to showcase the candidate as just another average Joe. In 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama worked a day as a home health care worker. Romney did similar duty one afternoon with a nurse in Medford, Mass.
Some pols pull it off better than others. Watching the footage from a news report and Democratic trackers today, it's hard not to feel sorry for Romney. For those brief moments, the one thing he seemed to have in common with the common man was, simply, a strong desire not to be caught looking stupid.
The Boston Herald gave him a hard time back then, describing these events as "Village People-esque." His Democratic opponent for governor, state Treasurer Shannon O'Brien, called them a "costume party."
"In 2002, putting Romney in different costumes and having him work with'real people' was the first of many lame attempts during his political career to portray Mitt as a regular guy who understands the challenges faced by average people," O'Brien recently told The Huffington Post. "It backfired back then and appears to backfire every time he's tried to be the 'aw shucks' regular guy in subsequent presidential campaigns."
With the Republican National Convention just days away, Romney is once more looking for a way to present himself to the masses. His campaign has turned to skilled ad men to re-craft his image, with hopes that glossy ads and the right tag line can turn the multi-millionaire businessman into a Republican populist. It's the same task that Romney's 2002 campaign faced. And the jury is out as to whether it works.
"The work day events and spots may have contributed to our success in 2002," said Jonathan Spampinato, who was the deputy political director. "But I don't recall a positive correlation between our polling numbers and the work day adverts."
On those work outings, Romney seemed to really stumble when he stopped acting and became himself.
In front of the microphones, he talked about filling up cars with gas and changing some oil. "On that Jeep Cherokee... it took five quarts," he said, uncomfortably sharing the exacting details of the work.
While on the farm, Romney blurted, "I have severe allergy to hay." He added, laughing maybe to himself, "We'll be dripping from eyes to nose shortly. I sent a crew back to go find as many handkerchiefs as they're able to find."Ghost wreaks havoc on Parker Industries, and the outcome is to die for.
With Peter Parker and Anna Maria Marconi doing the rounds — Marconi lets Aunt May and the top staff at Parker Industries know she and Peter are broken up — things are starting to smooth out. The only thing left to do is get a version of the planned supermax prison in working form.
Enter Ghost, a villain who despises corporations. After causing several glitches in the system, Ghost takes over the infrastructure, sealing off the exits and taking control of the beta test. By turning the security systems against the Parker Industries team, he forces the hand of one of Parker’s associates to betrayal.
The Amazing Spider-Man #17 works on pretty much every level. The artwork is incredible, even by Humberto Ramos’ standards. There’s a polish here that really shows Ramos is still progressing, and it’s apparent in his Sajani Jaffrey artwork. Jaffrey’s look continues to evolve, and her form is beginning to look more mad scientist, especially with the secret plans she and Anna Maria have been working on.
On the action side, things get pretty crazy when the security systems get hijacked, and the artwork tells a great visual story. There’s a stark contrast between Peter and his alter-ego Spider-Man, and this issue shows us both sides by removing the costume off the latter. Though he tries not to reveal his secret identity, Parker still manages to execute some superhero moves, and Ramos nails the section by showing us a sort of cross-section — a way of seeing Peter’s expressions and confidence we wouldn’t normally see because of the suit.
On top of that, you have Victor Olazaba’s wonderful inks which are very attractive. The lines, varying from bold to delicate, capture the details the way punctuation fills in a sentence. On colors, Edgar Delgado works in a spectrum of shades. Flip through the pages quickly, and you’ll see the colors shift and twist. The coloring is high-contrast with another layer for lighting, and it’s beautiful.
The artwork keeps in step with Dan Slott and Christos Gage’s well-paced scripting which is bringing back all of the plot points left hanging while the Spiders tackled the Inheritors. I really enjoy the writers’ tactfulness — during Aunt May’s dinner, the script resolves the issue of Marconi and Parker’s relationship status while also adding a bit of tension when Parker sees one of Felicia Hardy’s paintings from the auction on the wall. Parker and Marconi might be done, officially, but they have a Superman sort of moment when Parker takes her web-slinging. Even then, there’s an added layer — did you see the Mary Jane billboard in the background?
The developments are natural, and the writing adds in a sort of exclamation mark when one of the guards is killed by Ghost. The panel, executed (no pun intended) well by the visual arts team, reminds readers that everything isn’t fun and games. Being able to twist, turn, and maneuver through dramatic shifts in the story is something Slott and Gage are excelling at, and the artists prove they’re just as capable of bringing that vision to the page.
Probably the thing that impresses me most is the tone of the issue. Secret Wars is looming, but The Amazing Spider-Man doesn’t feel like it’s in a rush to end. We do have a lot of plot points coming together, but it doesn’t feel forced — rather, it feels necessary. We also have a villain that’s perfectly suited for the task, and while I’m not familiar with Ghost, I get what he’s all about without the sense he’s just another generic cybercriminal. Ghost also provides the issue’s kicker, and the development opens the door for bigger things ahead.
With the art getting better, the story coming to a full resolution, and an end in sight, The Amazing Spider-Man shouldn’t be ignored. Fans looking for something a little more classic and with less grit should definitely take a look at this superhero comic that’s unashamed for being exciting, fun, and still Spider-Man.
The Amazing Spider-Man #17 (2014)
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Marvel
Words: Dan Slott and Christos Gage
Pencils: Humberto Ramos
Inks: Victor Olazaba
Colors: Edgar Delgado
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Previous Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man #16 Review
Buy The Amazing Spider-Man #17 from Things From Another World!
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TwitterTwo actresses have accused former President George H.W. Bush of groping them during separate photo shoots — and Bush has acknowledged he has “patted women's rears” in an attempt to “put people at ease,” according to Deadspin and Newsweek.
On Tuesday, actress Heather Lind wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post that the 93-year-old ex-president “touched me from behind” during a photo op three years ago before telling her “a dirty joke.” Lind appeared with Bush as part of a promotion for Turn: Washington's Spies, a TV show about the American Revolution.
Then on Wednesday, New York actress Jordana Grolnick told Deadspin a similar story. “I got sent the Heather Lind story by many people this morning,” Grolnick says. “And I’m afraid that mine is entirely similar.”
A spokesperson for the ex-president responded to the allegations with an apology statement, tweeted by the Los Angeles Times’ Matt Pearce:
At age 93, President Bush has been confined to a wheelchair for roughly five years, so his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures. To try to put people at ease, the president routinely tells the same joke — and, on occasion, he has patted women's rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner. Some have seen it as innocent; others clearly view it as inappropriate. To anyone he has offended, President Bush apologizes most sincerely.
The controversy surrounding the ex-president began earlier this week with Lind. In the now-deleted post, Lind documents being groped by Bush while he was in his wheelchair.
As the Daily News reported, Lind wrote:
... When I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo. He didn't shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again. Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say 'not again'.... His security guard told me I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo. We were instructed to call him Mr. President. It seems to me a President’s power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people, and serve as a symbol of our democracy.... He relinquished that power when he used it against me and, judging from the comments of those around him, countless other women before me. What comforts me is that I too can use my power, which isn’t so different from a President really. I can enact positive change. I can actually help people. I can be a symbol of my democracy. I can refuse to call him President, and call out other abuses of power when I see them.
The accusation comes in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and a series of high-profile sexual assault allegations made against powerful men. Since the Weinstein scandal broke, female lawmakers like Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and a state lawmaker in Rhode Island have said they were sexually harassed by male politicians. George H.W. Bush is the latest politician to face these allegations.Governor Charlie Baker took ownership of the problems facing the state’s embattled transit system, empaneling a committee of experts to examine the operations of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and present recommendations next month to improve the agency.
“In order to fix the problems at the MBTA, they must first be diagnosed,’’ Baker said at a Friday news conference. “Let me be clear: We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result.”
The announcement of the commission came as the MBTA’s subway system is slowly returning to normal after weeks of shutdowns and limited service amid record amounts of snow, and as the commuter rail continues to limp along, operating without a third of the locomotives necessary for regular service.
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Though similar commissions have been convened twice over the last decade — primarily to look into the T’s finances — Baker insists this panel will take a different tack by formulating a list of practical recommendations in a relatively short period of time. He has given the panel a deadline of the end of March.
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A spokesman for the T said that the agency would work with the governor “to achieve the shared goal of providing transit riders with services that are reliable, safe, and accessible.”
Some transportation watchers say they are cautiously optimistic that the commission will be able to spur change.
Jim Aloisi, a former transportation secretary who was a member of the 2007 transportation finance commission, said he doesn’t see Baker’s panel as a repeat of the past.
“Thank God the governor didn’t decide to appoint another transportation finance commission, because we’ve been commissioned to death,” he said. “What we need is what he gave us, which is a very quick, agile, and informed approach to getting the solutions that we need.”
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Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said the panel’s charge is not to examine why the MBTA collapsed under the onslaught of snow.
“This panel has been asked to address the larger problems, not the immediate cause of what happened this winter, but the deeper causes, the root causes,’’ she said.
The seven-member advisory group, made up of local and national leaders in transportation and urban planning, has been tasked with looking closely into the T’s finances, operations, and maintenance from past years, and will suggest ways for the system to move forward.
The advisory group includes well-respected national and local officials, including Jane Garvey, former head of the Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Highway Administration leader; Katherine Lapp, former executive director of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, who now works at Harvard University; and Paul Barrett, former Boston Redevelopment Authority director, who will serve as chair.
After Baker introduced him at a news conference, Barrett said he spent two days riding the Red Line talking to employees who want to see system up and running smoothly again.
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“Hopefully we’ll bring some answers to them about a brighter future and a more motivated workforce that can help really deliver the 21st-century system that we all want to have and rely on going forward,” he said.
The MBTA has made progress restoring service after another weekend snowstorm buried exposed tracks and rail beds. On Friday, the T reopened sections of the Green and Red lines, and put the highest number of subway cars in service for the first time since Feb 9.
T officials have said that the entire Braintree branch of the Red Line and the B branch of the Green Line will reopen by Monday.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff “In order to fix the problems at the MBTA, they must first be diagnosed,’’ Governor Charlie Baker said at a State House news conference.
Keolis, the commuter rail operator, plans to run only limited service next week, as workers replace motors on trains and thaw frozen switches. For weeks, canceled trains have stranded commuters packing North and South stations, and state officials have expressed concerns about the company’s plans to rebound from the storms.
“We had an honest meeting with the Keolis folks, and we’re waiting for them to hand us their recovery and communications plan,’’ Pollack said.
Keolis spokesman Mac Daniel declined to comment on the governor’s panel, which will also be looking at the commuter rail, but said the company has been working closely with Baker’s staff and the T.
In recent weeks, Baker, a Republican who took office in January, and his staff have made efforts to be more engaged with the transit system.
Baker said his management staff has been working closely with officials from the T and Keolis, including two meetings with Keolis officials on Wednesday.
Previously, Baker said he received most of his information on the MBTA from Pollack. The governor met MBTA General Manager Beverly A. Scott only last week, after he’d publicly criticized the system’s performance, and after her surprise resignation announcement.
Transportation advocates such as Aloisi said this could be an “opportunity moment” for the T, now that the transit system’s shortcomings have been revealed in a way that is impossible to ignore.
State Representative Bill Straus, a cochair of the joint committee on transportation, said he is looking forward to a serious examination of the T, particularly how it handles maintenance.
“What I’m hoping for most of all are that there would be recommendations to a regular and consistent ‘state of good repair’ programs,” said Straus, a Democrat. “Unfortunately, a series of governors – and I’m not picking on any one – have not paid attention to it.”
Rick Dimino, the executive director of A Better City, a group that promotes improvements in transportation and other services, said he hopes the panel’s recommendations will take into account the need for revenue, despite the governor’s no-tax pledge.
“This commission’s credibility, I think, will be on the line if they’re not talking about revenues, as well,” Dimino said. “And hopefully the governor will be open-minded toward taking recommendations in that regard.”
More MBTA coverage
Jim O’Sullivan and John Ellement of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Nicole Dungca can be reached at nicole.dungca@globe.comThe world’s best-selling insecticide may impair the ability of a queen honey bee and her subjects to maintain a healthy colony, says new research led by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln entomologist.
The research examined the effects of imidacloprid, which belongs to a popular class of nicotine-based insecticides known as neonicotinoids. Honey bees often become exposed to neonicotinoids in the process of pollinating crops and ornamental plants while foraging for the nectar and pollen that feed their colonies.
Queen bees in colonies that were fed imidacloprid-laced syrup laid substantially fewer eggs – between one-third and two-thirds as many, depending on the dose of imidacloprid – than queens in unexposed colonies, the study reported.
“The queens are of particular importance because they’re the only reproductive individual laying eggs in the colony,” said lead author Judy Wu-Smart, assistant professor of entomology. “One queen can lay up to 1,000 eggs a day. If her ability to lay eggs is reduced, that is a subtle effect that isn’t (immediately) noticeable but translates to really dramatic consequences for the colony.”
Wu-Smart and her colleague, the University of Minnesota’s Marla Spivak, assessed colonies populated by 1,500, 3,000 and 7,000 honey bees. Some colonies received normal syrup, with others given syrup that contained imidacloprid in doses of 10, 20, 50 and 100 parts per billion, or PPB.
Colonies that consumed the imidacloprid also featured larger proportions of empty cells, the signature hexagonal hollows that serve as cribs for honey bee broods. About 10 percent of cells in the unexposed colonies were vacant, compared with 24, 31, and 48 percent of the 20, 50 and 100 PPB colonies, respectively. The finding suggests poor brood health in the exposed colonies, Wu-Smart said.
The researchers further found that exposed colonies collected and stored far less pollen, which they convert into a “bee bread” that provides crucial protein for recently hatched larvae. While more than four percent of the cells in unexposed hives contained pollen, less than one percent of cells in even the 10 PPB colonies did.
And the honey bee equivalent of biohazard containment – the removal of mite-infested or diseased pupae before they can infect the hive – also suffered. An unexposed colony of 7,000 bees removed more than 95 percent of the ailing brood, but a 100 PPB colony eliminated only 74 percent and a 50 PPB colony just 63 percent. Wu-Smart said this reduction in hygienic behavior indicates that the exposed colonies could be more susceptible to pests and pathogens.
Yet Wu-Smart and Spivak also discovered that some of the insecticide’s apparent effects, such as decreasing the amount of time a queen spent moving through the hive or the number of worker bees foraging for food, dissipated as the size of a colony increased.
“What we can say is that smaller colonies tend to be more vulnerable, because the queens are more likely to become exposed,” Wu-Smart said. “When we look at our general beekeeping practices, the early spring is when colonies are at their smallest size. They’re coming out of winter, and a lot of them are naturally smaller.”
Unfortunately, Wu-Smart said, growers typically apply insecticides or sow insecticide-treated seeds at that same time. Even imidacloprid-treated crops that bees typically do not pollinate, such as corn, can contribute to exposure when winds sweep up the dust stirred by planting machines and carry it across miles of landscape. That dust can settle in willow trees, dandelions, clovers and other flowering plants that represent food sources for honey bees.
Though Wu-Smart said she doesn’t consider banning neonicotinoids a practical step in protecting honey bee colonies, she did advocate for regulating insecticide-treated seeds the same way the industry does with sprays and other application techniques.
“When you spray a pesticide, you have to consider things like wind and temperature to reduce drift,” she said. “You can’t aerial-spray on a windy day. With seed-treated products, there is no label telling (growers) that it’s been treated with an insecticide. There is no restriction as to when you can plant.
“When we do a lot of the extension outreach and talking to growers, many of them are unaware that this is even a problem. So just having that label on the bag saying that planting these seed treatments on a windy day could potentially cause some effects on bees could be useful.”
The new study represents another step toward understanding the complex, often intertwined ways that neonicotinoids and other insecticides affect honey bee colonies, Wu-Smart said.
“What we’re seeing now is that beekeepers will … check their hives, say that the hives look good, come back a few weeks later, and (see) the colony start to look really weak,” she said. “They’ll come back (again), and the colony is dead or dying. So it’s a slow decline of their colony health.
“In many of these cases, we want to figure out why these colonies are dwindling when they should be at their peak production. This is providing some of that insight. It’s not answering all the questions, but it’s definitely something to consider.”
Wu-Smart and Spivak published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports. The research was supported in part by a fellowship Wu-Smart received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Authorities in Ottawa say they’re investigating a viral video that appears to show a taxi driver berating and menacing an Uber driver and his fare, CBC News reports.
“You think I’m joking? If I see you again, you’re dead meat,” the man is seen shouting at the Uber driver before opening the vehicle’s rear door and telling the passenger, “Come out and talk to me like a man” and “You fuckin’ cheapskate, take a real fuckin’ taxi.”
The @OttawaPolice opened up a file on this incident when it was brought to our attention. @Scott_Gilmore — Charles Bordeleau (@ChiefBordeleau) September 13, 2015
“The issue we are facing is it appears this man is making threats, but we need someone to come forward as a victim,”a police spokesperson told the Ottawa Citizen. “In incidents of a threatening nature, we need a victim to lay charges.”
After seeing the video, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson told the Ottawa Sun
he was “completely disgusted” by the man whose actions tarnished the reputations of “hard-working, honest” cab drivers.
According to CBC News, the incident is just the latest confrontation between the city’s taxi drivers and Uber operators. Over the summer, a group of Ottawa cabbies reportedly posed as fares and secretly recorded videos of Uber drivers in an attempt to “gather evidence against them.”had a dream last night
was with a friend at an event, showed up early, a show in someone’s yard.
some guys were joking about raping girls. didn’t know we could hear them.
needed to decide now whether to speak up. to correct strangers. to call out a large group of dudes I didn’t know.
decided yes. told them how fucked up their conversation was, and exactly why. explained about Rehtaeh Parsons and Steubenville.
two guys appeared on top of the wall next to us, telling me to shut up. i got louder. i did not shut up.
told them to come down off that wall where they felt so big and try saying that to my face.
put my hand on my knife.
then people started showing up all around us and the energy was diffused. dudes backed off and I relaxed into the crowd
and i started belting out pop songsWeather-Related Blackouts Doubled Since 2003: Report
Research Report by Climate Central
Summary
Climate change is causing an increase in many types of extreme weather. Heat waves are hotter, heavy rain events are heavier, and winter storms have increased in both frequency and intensity. To date, these kinds of severe weather are among the leading causes of large-scale power outages in the United States. Climate change will increase the risk of more violent weather and more frequent damage to our electrical system, affecting hundreds of millions of people, and costing Americans and the economy tens of billions of dollars each year.
Click image to enlarge.
Climate Central’s analysis of 28 years of power outage data, supplied to the federal government and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation by utilities, shows:
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A tenfold increase in major power outages (those affecting more than 50,000 customer homes or businesses), between the mid-1980s and 2012. Some of the increase was driven by improved reporting. Yet even since 2003, after stricter reporting requirements were widely implemented, the average annual |
, have been around since the mid-1990s, while the Department of Homeland Security – from whom Sheriff Janke called in the Predator – has been using them for a while now in US border areas to fight illegal immigration, and to help with disaster relief. Even so, when the Los Angeles Times broke news of the Brossart affair, it came as a real shock. It should not have been.
With drones, as with every branch of consumer electronics, the technology grows more powerful and user-friendly every year, while costs fall. Police departments have been itching to get their hands on drones for surveillance operations that would be far more expensive if carried out by humans. For their part, the companies (all of them part of the powerful defence industry lobby) that make the things are only too eager to tap into a lucrative domestic market.
The real worry of the North Dakota case is not that the process has started. Rather, it is that it may herald military-style "mission creep" – only on home soil. First border protection, then help with a criminal case near that border – what's to stop drones being routinely used for every sort of police operation? After all, Sheriff Janke's warrant seems to have made no mention of aerial surveillance. Word that the FAA, the body that runs American civil aviation, is about to bring in new rules allowing unmanned drones to fly more frequently has only increased such anxiety.
Nor is police work likely to be the end of it. Drones are flying video cameras, the difference being they can perform that function more cheaply, and for longer stretches, than any police helicopter. As such they are the paparazzi's best friend. What celeb would ever be safe from invisible but permanent scrutiny a mile aloft?
Indeed, evolving technology makes that more likely. Compared with the industry's latest offerings, the Predator is a lumbering giant. Take the Qube, a drone that weighs just 5lb, with launch equipment you can fit in a car boot. The device, buzzing like a hornet as it flies 200ft above the ground, has been developed specifically for law enforcement by AeroVironment, the California-based company that is the biggest supplier of small drones to the US military.
The one unsolved technical problem is that drones are far more apt to crash than manned aircraft – by one estimate, 25 large drones worldwide have crashed this year alone. But if the FAA is persuaded they are safe, the Qube could soon be coming to state police departments across the land. "This is a tool that many law-enforcement agencies never imagined they could have," an AeroVironment executive proclaims.
And the Qube is not the end of it. Even smaller are so-called "hummingbird" drones that can fly into buildings unobserved and provide a live video feed of what's going on inside: electronic wiretapping, but with pictures as well. Small wonder that the ACLU, the leading US civil liberties group, demanded in a report last week that "hummingbirds" be subject to the same regulation as police wiretaps.
And if unarmed drones replace human surveillance, then why not armed drones instead of armed human police? This is but a distant nightmare. But just in case, AeroVironment can offer the Switchblade, a so-called "kamikaze" drone that fits inside a backpack. Like a switchblade knife, the wings of the device pop out when it is removed from its case. The company describes its product as a portable, single-use "loitering munition". The Switchblade hunts down and destroys its target, destroying itself in the process. Who needs police sharpshooters?
But a drone-infested future need not be Orwellian. The advantages, in terms of disaster assessment and missing person searches are obvious. And it might actually lead to more effective privacy laws. Despite technology's giant strides over the past quarter of a century, the use of electronic surveillance is still governed by a 1986 statute. If the cows of North Dakota produce an overhaul of that regulation, they will not have strayed in vain.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
At The Independent, no one tells us what to write. That’s why, in an era of political lies and Brexit bias, more readers are turning to an independent source. Subscribe from just 15p a day for extra exclusives, events and ebooks – all with no ads.
Subscribe nowNo birthday party is complete without a spectacular cake as the centrepiece.
And one wealthy Arab family have paid a staggering £48.5million for the world's most expensive cake, which features real diamonds.
The cake was created by Debbie Wingham, 33, who has turned to baking after previously making the world's most expensive dress for £11.5million made from black and red diamonds.
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The world's most expensive cake costing £50million, which is six foot long and features 4,000 real diamonds
The cake was created by fashion designer Debbie Wingham who previously made the world's most expensive dress
She was commissioned to create the masterpiece by one of her clients living in the United Arab Emirates, who she works with under a non-disclosure agreement.
The cake was then presented to the client's daughter at her joint birthday and engagment party.
The six-foot long creation, in the style of a catwalk, features garments, which resemble Ms Wingham's couture clothing.
Several of the small models on the cake are wearing gowns that are edible versions of pieces she has previously made for the client.
On the front row of the edible masterpiece, small figures can be seen alongside designer handbags, shoes and designer shades, with some carrying their smartphones and tablets.
Several of the small models on the cake are wearing gowns that are edible versions of pieces she has previously made
The cake was commissioned by a wealthy family from the United Arab Emirates for a joint birthday and engagement party for their daughter
Every piece of the cake, which took over 1,100 hours to make, was hand sculpted by Ms Wingham.
It has over 120kg of fondant icing and 60kg of modelling chocolate which is predominately used for sculpting along with 80 different airbrushed colours and effects.
The cake weighs a staggering 450kg - the equivalent weight of a male grizzly bear and the icing includes a 5.2 carat pink diamond, a 6.4 carat yellow diamond and a total of 15 individual five carat white diamonds.
This means that the 17 stones alone were worth a staggering £30million with another 4000 stones that were a carat or more including amethyst and emeralds also included.
The runway is encapsulated and adorned with 400 one carat and 73 three carat white diamonds and 75 three carat black diamonds.
Every piece of the cake, which took over 1,100 hours to make, was hand sculpted by Ms Wingham
On the front row of the edible masterpiece, small figures can be seen alongside designer handbags, shoes and designer shades, with some carrying their smartphones and tablets
The mother-of-three said: 'I feel delighted that the cake was a great success the clients last night were over the moon and the guests.
'The cake was very time consuming with extremely tiny details but I tried to make it as true to a runway show as possible.
'I find cake artistry relaxing and therapeutic and I am extremely looking forward to my future in pastry.
'I really enjoy unusual projects n I plan to keep creating unusual cakes which are more like edible art installation.'
Her new cake has surpassed the most expensive price tag of the previous holder, Tim Smith, who saw a cake sell for £32.4 million in 2013.EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has warned that Turkey would be barred from joining the bloc if it reintroduces the death penalty to allow the execution of those involved in a recent failed coup in the country.
Speaking in Brussels where she has been meeting with European foreign ministers, Mogherini said that Turkey's return of the death penalty would bar its EU membership.
"Let me be very clear... no country can become an EU state if it introduces the death penalty," the EU foreign policy chief said on Monday.
The EU foreign policy chief noted that Turkey is part of the Council of Europe and is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights, adding, “Turkey is an important part of the Council of Europe and is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights, which is very clear on the death penalty.”
Mogherini had earlier warned the Turkish government against taking any post-coup steps that would damage the constitutional order.
US Secretary of State John Kerry also said during a visit to Brussels that the United States and EU call on Turkey to respect the rule of law in the crackdown following the attempted coup.
"We firmly urge the government of Turkey to maintain calm and stability throughout the country," Kerry told a news conference with Mogherini after talks with EU foreign ministers, adding, "And we also urge the government of Turkey to uphold the highest standards of respect for the nation's democratic institutions and the rule of law."
EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini (R), flanked by US Secretary of State John Kerry delivers a speech as they give a joint presser after their bilateral meeting at the EU Headquarters in Brussels, on July 18, 2016. (AFP photo)
Meanwhile, Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has warned that the idea of the reintroduction of the death penalty in Turkey is absolutely “unacceptable.”
This comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted that the death penalty may be reintroduced in Turkey to allow the execution of those involved in the coup bid.
The restoration of the death penalty, which was annulled in Turkey in 2004 under reforms aimed at joining the EU, would magnify differences between Turkey and the EU in the already-stalled talks over Ankara’s accession to the bloc.
Death penalty would end Turkey's EU accession talks: Germany
In strongly worded remarks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday that Turkey cannot join the EU if it reinstates the death penalty.
"Germany and the member states of the EU have a clear position on that: we categorically reject the death penalty," Seibert told a news conference in the German capital Berlin, adding, "A country that has the death penalty can't be a member of the European Union and the introduction of the death penalty in Turkey would therefore mean the end of accession negotiations."
The spokesman for the German government also stressed that Berlin had grave questions about President Erdogan's response to the foiled military takeover.
Seibert said he expected EU foreign ministers to address their concerns about the revival of the death penalty and disproportionate punishment in Turkey in a joint statement after a meeting in Brussels later on Monday.
"Everyone understands that the Turkish government and the Turkish justice system must bring those responsible for the coup to justice, but they must maintain the rule of law, and that always means maintaining proportionality... and transparency."
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert (AFP photo)
The measures taken by Ankara following the failed coup attempt have prompted increasing international concern.
Turkish officials say that nearly 8,000 police officers have been suspended on suspicion of having links to the coup attempt at the weekend.
More than 7,500 people, including military generals and judges, have been arrested across the country after the failed coup.
EU commissioner Johannes Hahn, who is dealing with Turkey’s request to join the bloc, has said it appears that the Turkish government had prepared a list of people to be arrested even before the coup attempt.
A Turkish police restrains a man on the ground during an operation in front of the courthouse on July 18, 2016, in Ankara. (AFP photo)
The attempted coup began on Friday night and the violence and fighting between the putschists and government loyalists dragged into Saturday, when the coup was largely defeated.
A total of 290 people were killed in the abortive attempted coup d’état in Turkey.Todd Haselton | CES 2013 TechnoBuffalo Poll by
CES has been a crazy ride so far. We’ve seen everything from smart refrigerators to amazing new televisions and the next generation of mobile phones and processors. We have our favorites so far, but as our readers you have a chance to let us know what your favorite announcements were, too.
Was your product Lenovo’s huge 27-inch tabletop PC? Was it the Sony Xperia Z? Or maybe you’re in love with NVIDIA’s brand new Tegra 4 processor and its Project Shield gaming device. Whatever it was, let us know! We’ve created an “other” category for those cool refrigerators or other technology that you may have heard about or seen yourself.
Here’s a quick rundown of our coverage of each product:
NVIDIA Project Shield
Sony Xperia Z
Ooma Office
Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon Table Top TV
Samsung OLED TV
Razer Horizon Windows 8 Tablet
Oculus Virtual Reality
NVIDIA Tegra 4
Samsung 85-inch 4K TV
LG’s 21:9 Ultra-Wide Monitor
Polls close at 4:30 p.m. pst Wednesday. Thanks for voting!
Update: as of Wednesday 4:3 p.m. the polls are closed. Stay tuned to see who the readers have selected as the CES 2013 winner.Public Service
Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year. In fulfilling this responsibility, the lawyer should:
(a) provide a substantial majority of the (50) hours of legal services without fee or expectation of fee to:
(1) persons of limited means or (2) charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters that are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means; and
(b) provide any additional services through:
(1) delivery of legal services at no fee or substantially reduced fee to individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties or public rights, or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters in furtherance of their organizational purposes, where the payment of standard legal fees would significantly deplete the organization's economic resources or would be otherwise inappropriate; (2) delivery of legal services at a substantially reduced fee to persons of limited means; or (3) participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession.
In addition, a lawyer should voluntarily contribute financial support to organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.
Comment | Table of Contents | Next RulePhoto by: Heather Coit/The News-Gazette Bruce Zimmerman, right, and Bruce Pea, who both live near the vacant house seen at right, walk past where a new apartment building is slated to be built on 509 S. Elm St. in Champaign on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015.
CHAMPAIGN — The century-old house at 509 S. Elm St. is definitely going down — preservationists are salvaging trim today — and an apartment house is definitely going up.
Nothing will change that.
But the neighbors are hoping the developer, Green Street Realty, will keep the three-story, 10-unit complex in keeping with the character of the neighborhood, mostly houses built between the 1880s and the 1930s.
There are smaller two-story apartment houses next to 509 and across from it that don't fit the neighborhood, they say.
They argue increasing the density of the neighborhood will not enhance its future desirability or the value of the homes they have lived in for years.
Bruce Pea and Bruce Zimmerman are among the neighborhood residents who thought the city had zoned the site single-family in the 1980s but are dismayed to learned it's on the wrong side of an alley.
"Many of us in the neighborhood have lived here for decades and remember when 509 was occupied by a family with children," Pea said.
Pea said the house was built in the early 1900s in the Georgian/Federal Revival style, as are some other neighborhood houses.
Most of the houses have porches and dormers, Pea and Zimmerman said, and it would be a plus if the new apartment building could have some of the same style.
They're also concerned that if a developer were to buy three lots in a row, a six-story building might be constructed in the area, which so far has escaped the Campustown building boom.
"We don't want this neighborhood to be turned into a canyon," Zimmerman said.
Green Street Realty President Chris Saunders said he has met with neighbors and the city and heard their concerns.
"We are working with the architect to make it a good fit," he said Friday.
"The architect has not finished planning it. We put an early rendering on our website, then we met with those guys and we went back to the drawing board," he said. "It's important for us to fit in the neighborhood; we like the midtown area a lot. There is a mix of residential, duplexes and rental property. We think it could fit in really well."
Pea said his group, the Old Town Neighborhood, had been interested in buying 509 from Green Street Realty with the idea of rehabbing it and selling it to a family. But the company wasn't interested.
Zimmerman said that along with the new apartment building at the corner of Prairie and Healey, neighbors are concerned about losing the Old Town character of the neighborhood.
Rob Kowalski, Champaign's assistant planning and development director, said the realty company was within its rights to build the apartments on Elm Street.
"It's sad that it's a nice house; it looks like it's got good bones," he said. "But it's allowed. There's nothing the city can do to stop it. Green Street Realty is not asking for any special change to what we have in place."
Nothing in zoning has changed since the 1980s, he said.
"There were five zoning districts in that part of town, dubbed the In-town Neighborhood District," Kowalski said.
"In 1988 or 1989, the process looked at 84 blocks on the west side of downtown and came up with five districts to stop single-family teardowns. This particular lot was zoned multifamily," with the house rented as a rooming home for some time.
Kowalski said he hoped there will be an amicable compromise.
"So far Mr. Saunders has shown a willingness to alter his design a little bit to make it more compatible," he said.He was put in prison for 21 days.
He was beaten up by goons dressed as lawyers at the Patiala House court premises in New Delhi.
He was vehemently criticised by certain sections of the media over a video in which he was shown shouting anti-national slogans — it later turned out to be a doctored video.
Despite all of this, Kanhaiya Kumar spoke his mind, without hesitation — he spoke out against the Narendra Modi government, BJP, RSS, ABVP, the Delhi Police and the hooligans who attacked him. Kanhaiya's speech at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Thursday night was both powerful and witty.
If there is one word that can be used to describe the JNUSU president, it is 'fearless'.
Through his words, the beleaguered but brave JNU student told all his critics that he will not be scared or intimidated by hooliganism, false propaganda or frenzied media trials. "We are not asking for freedom from India. We are asking for freedom in India," he thundered.
This statement is especially important because it came on the same day that a Delhi government-appointed magisterial probe concluded that Kanhaiya had not raised anti-India slogans at the controversial event in JNU. According to the probe report, anti-national slogans were shouted at the campus and JNU administration has already identified a "few faces" who were "clearly" heard raising them, PTI had reported. The probe panel had said that their whereabouts must be located and their role must be investigated.
However, the same report had also said that "nothing adverse" could be found against Kanhaiya and that no witness or video was available to support allegations against the JNUSU president.
And in his speech, Kanhaiya made amply clear what his fight was actually about. "Whether it is the person working in the field, whether it is the person fighting for us in the army, or whether it is the person fighting for freedom in JNU, we will not stop fighting for them," he said.
"We fight for equality. So that a peon's son and the President of India's son can study in an equal environment," said Kanhaiya, "We are asking for freedom from poverty and social oppression. And we will get that freedom through this institution. This was also Rohith's dream."
Of course, it is a different debate altogether whether Kanhaiya actually meant those words. We would like to believe he did, but such conclusions cannot be drawn from a single speech.
The conclusion that can be drawn, however, is that Kanhaiya was trying to tell the people that the alternative to the NDA government need not necessarily come from the Congress or AAP. He was trying to tell the people that it can come from a section that claims to fight for the poor, the downtrodden and the backward minorities.
"We will help establish a government which truly works for'sabka saath, sabka vikaas'," Kanhaiya said in his speech.
Compare Kanhaiya's speech at JNU to Rahul Gandhi's flippant and frivolous speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, and you will realise the tragedy of Indian politics today.
That a university student can make a better, and more importantly, more substantial speech than the vice-president of arguably the most significant party in the Opposition today.
"I come from a backward place. I come from a poor family. In the police too, most of the people are from poor backgrounds," said Kanhaiya. This statement about empathising with the police came from a person who had been beaten up because of the alleged negligence of the Delhi Police.
On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi joked about 'Fair and Lovely yojana' and obsessed over 'babbar sher' in his Parliament speech.
Of course, Kanhaiya's speech was also full of witty remarks. The difference though is that his witty remarks and puns were aimed at highlighting something deeper.
"My mother told me that she was not making fun of Modi. She said that it was the government that was making fun of them," Kanhaiya said, adding that the government was not listening to the poor and weaker sections of the society.
The wry wit in Kanhaiya's speech was based on actual serious problems in our society, not just criticism of the government for the sake of criticism. Rahul's speech seemed frivolous because it looked more like a stand-up comedy act aimed solely at taking digs at the government.
Perhaps the most crucial — and tragic — difference between the two speeches was that while Kanhaiya appeared to be trying to push things forward, Rahul seemed more intent on stalling an already gridlocked political process in our country.
Kanhaiya not only showed his fearless character through his speech at JNU, but also set an example for weak Opposition leaders in the country.
They should watch his speech and learn.
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.The Springfield school district responded Aug. 9 to a request from a group seeking to establish an After School Satan Club. (Photo: File photo)
Superintendent John Jungmann has responded to the group seeking to establish an After School Satan Club at Watkins Elementary.
The Aug. 9 letter, obtained by the News-Leader, acknowledges the request from the Satanic Temple of St. Louis, provides links to pertinent board policies governing facility usage and states the district's long-standing approach to such requests.
The letter does not deny the request.
"The district allows community groups to use its facilities for educational, recreational, social, civic, philanthropic and similar purposes when the facilities are not being used by the district or district-sponsored groups," Jungmann wrote.
The letter includes links to the policy governing community use of district facilities as well as the application and contract for facility usage, which outlines the rules and rental fees.
The policy makes it clear the superintendent, his designee, or the board must sign off on facility usage by a community group. It says that priority is given to groups and activities that "directly benefit" students.
Springfield is one of at least nine urban districts that recently received a request from the Satanic Temple to establish an After School Satan Club. Others are located in Atlanta; Los Angeles; Pensacola, Florida; Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City; Seattle; Tuscon, Arizona and Washington, D.C.
The activist group, which advocates for the separation of church and state, has vowed to leverage religious freedom laws and court rulings that have opened the door to faith-based clubs in order to also offer the After School Satan Club.
In a news release announcing the campaign to establish the clubs, the group stated that "decades of Evangelical litigation" have opened the door to the After School Satan Club. The club — rather than studying or worshiping Satan — is expected to focus on "free inquiry and rationalism, the scientific basis for which we know what we know about the world around us."
The group announced it was targeting schools that have hosted a Good News Club, which is a ministry of the Child Evangelism Fellowship based in Warrenton, Missouri.
Teresa Bledsoe, spokeswoman for the district, said the clubs have met in at least 14 Springfield schools including Watkins. She said requests from community groups seeking to use school facilities are handled in a timely manner.
The group said that it wants the After School Satan Club to start in the first few weeks of the school year and expects permission slips to be sent home to students.
"All of the districts we’ve approached are nearby to local chapters of The Satanic Temple, and each school district has hosted, or is now hosting, Good News Clubs in their schools," said Lucien Greaves, spokesman for the group, in a release. "This being the case, we are sure that the school districts we’ve approached are well aware that they are not at liberty to deny us use of their facilities, nor are they at liberty to deny us any level of representation in the schools that they afford to other school clubs — such as fliers, tables, brochures, and school-wide announcements."
Read or Share this story: http://sgfnow.co/2bvfTN7XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” needs. We’ll have interviews with all twenty of the new players to hold you over until the season starts. Then we’ll have full episode recaps, interviews with the players after they’ve been eliminated, and the return of the ever-popular “Survivor” Power Rankings. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news.
Name (Age): Taylor Lee Stocker (24)
Current Residence: Postfalls, ID
Occupation: Ski Instructor
Hobbies: Playing music, brewing beer, and snowboarding.
Pet Peeves: Wobbly tables, people not cleaning up their dog’s poop, loud chewing, slow walkers, selfies, forms without enough space for answers.
Three Words to Describe You: Spontaneous, inventive, and thinker.
NOTE: Usually I get a good thirty minutes with each contestant before the game starts. However, this season I had to get through all 20 players in only two-and-a-half hours. So, these pieces will be short and hopefully sweet.
Gordon Holmes: You’re a man who’s going to make “Survivor” history; good or bad. You’ve got to elaborate on that.
Taylor Stocker: Good, crazy, doing some awesome stuff, climbing trees, having a good time.
Holmes: I’ve seen some “Survivor” in my day and climbing trees is not making history.
Stocker: Dude, falling out of trees!
Holmes: I’ve seen some of that too. Maybe if you set some kind of height record.
Stocker: (Laughs) I’ll find the biggest tree and climb it.
Holmes: Promise me you will stay in one piece. I can’t have this on my conscience.
Stocker: Just for you.
Holmes: You’re going to be hard to vote out because you’re likable. Likable people get voted out all the time. Sometimes because they are too likable.
Stocker: I need to get in with a good crowd, and after the merge is when the good, likable people get voted out. I’ll be able to last until the merge, like Joe (Anglim), then I’ll have a hard time because I’m extremely fit and good at challenges. That’s going to be my biggest struggle right there.
Holmes: Do you have any issues lying?
Stocker: No, I have no problems lying.
Holmes: How do you react to being lied to?
Stocker: Typically, I’m pretty good. There are always people who can put on that actor face and lie right to you. They’re hard to read. But, if those people don’t have a bad side to them that you know about, what can you do? You have to play as hard as you can, and if you get voted out, you have to say, “Hey, I (expletive deleted) up.”
Holmes: How well do you deal with hunger?
Stocker: I can get pretty hangry. If I’m sleep deprived, I can be an (expletive deleted) sometimes. My temper is pretty short. If someone crosses me, I’ll rage out on them.
Holmes: How about extreme temperatures?
Stocker: I’m fine in cold, heat is my enemy. I deal with the cold all the time. The good news is; we’re probably going to be in a rainy season.
Holmes: How do you deal with paranoia?
Stocker: I don’t read into things too much. I’m going to make as many friends as I can. Try to get in as much as I can. And I’m not going to think about it too much because that can mess with your game.
Holmes: Is flirting something you’d be willing to do to get ahead?
Stocker: Oh yeah!
Holmes: Is there anyone at home that’ll be upset if they see you flirting?
Stocker: I really don’t think so. I’m not going to make an idiot out of myself by doing anything too extreme. And I’m pretty likable, so I don’t think I’ll have to work at it too much.
Holmes: Any early thoughts on the cast?
Stocker: There’s some good-looking people. Some strong guys I would get along with.
Holmes: If there is a twist, what do you think it could be?
Stocker: Early merges, something new they haven’t done before. Crazy stuff, hidden idols at challenges. Something new with idols maybe.
Holmes: If you could align with any past player, who would it be?
Stocker: I’d say Joe or Woo (Hwang). We have a similar way of thinking. So, I would know how they are going to think.
Holmes: Lightning round time. Cats or dogs?
Stocker: Dogs.
Holmes: Beer or wine?
Stocker: Beer.
Holmes: Superman or Batman?
Stocker: Superman.
Holmes: Meat or vegetable?
Stocker: Meat.
Holmes: Republican or Democrat?
Stocker: Republican.
Holmes: Books or TV?
Stocker: TV.
Holmes: Swimming or sunbathing?
Stocker: Swimming.
Holmes: Many casual friends or one good friend?
Stocker: One good friend.
Holmes: Nice car or nice home?
Stocker: Nice home.
Holmes: Smart or funny?
Stocker: Smart.
Holmes: Parvati or Boston Rob?
Stocker: Boston Rob.
Holmes: Big TV or big vacation?
Stocker: Big vacation.
Holmes: Working alone or with a team?
Stocker: Team.
Holmes: Dragons or unicorns?
Stocker: Dragons.
Holmes: Careful planning or fly by the seat of your pants?
Stocker: Flying by the seat of my pants.
Holmes: Jeff Probst or Ryan Seacrest?
Stocker: Jeff!
Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X,” Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 8pm ET.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.0 of 10
To say it's been a big week for the Minnesota Vikings would be like calling someone's wedding day an average day in their life. It just doesn't do it justice.
On March 11 the Vikings traded their up-and-coming wide receiver Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks.
The next day they released their Pro-Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield because of his $7.25-million salary, but Leslie Frazier says the Vikings still want Winfield back (so stay tuned).
On March 14 the Arizona Cardinals signed away Jasper Brinkley, Minnesota's starting middle linebacker in 2012.
After all that subtraction, the Vikings wined and dined their way to inking Greg Jennings to a five-year contract on March 16.
They have also re-signed starters safety Jamarca Sanford and Erin Henderson during free agency.
All of this activity has greatly affected how Minnesota will approach the draft.
The Harvin, Jennings and Winfield moves will generate the most media attention (as they should), but the Brinkley makes the greatest impact on the draft of the Vikings.
Their top-five needs remain similar (in no particular order): wide receiver, middle linebacker, safety, outside linebacker and cornerback.
What will they do with their draft picks as a result of one week's worth of free agency?
That's what we'll discuss here.
Minnesota has 11 picks in the draft, but I'll only assess 10 of those selections as the final draft pick coming to Minnesota as part of the Harvin deal is still to be determined. It'll either be the eighth or 14th selection in the seventh round.
Here's how I see 10 of their picks going.It was a cool moment for me personally to have Rick Renteria confirm, without prompting, my theory for why Lucas Giolito’s 92 mph fastball had been effective beyond what his middling velocity would indicate. Though probably not as cool as it was for Giolito to lean on the pitch for seven innings of one-run ball in his season finale.
“‘Cause he’s got angle,” Renteria said. “Just talking about that with Coop [pitching coach Don Cooper] on the bench. He’s got angle, he’s got height. He’s got good angle so that creates, believe or not, some deception and he can ride it up out of the zone. And then he comes out from that angle with the breaking ball or his changeup. So the angle creates some pretty good deception.”
That angle provides optimism for Giolito’s fastball to continue to be effective despite diminished velocity from his peak, and he’s fully committed to leaning on his natural gifts.With Man City’s win over Aston Villa on Wednesday night it now appears that Liverpool will narrowly fail in their quest to win the 2013/14 Premier League. Regardless of the destination of the Premier League title, the general consensus is that the Reds have improved considerably from last season. A cursory look at the league tables appears to confirm this to be the case.
With one game left to play, Liverpool have already gained 20 league points more than last season. Unsurprisingly, their goal difference is also showing a marked improvement as they have scored 28 goals more whilst conceding just 6 goals more than last term – this equates to an improvement in goal difference of 22 goals compared to 12 months ago.
However, for me, the improvement in the general performances of the team isn’t quite as marked as the league table suggests being the case. Before Liverpool fans shut down this page please note that this isn’t entirely a bad thing.
Last Season
We live in the “here and now” and a lot can happen in 12 months, much of which we seem to have the capacity to forget. The Liverpool team of 2012/13 that were dreadful in front of goal now seem to be from another era. Last Summer Constantinos Chappas wrote specifically about Liverpool’s wastefulness in converting chances during the 2012/13 season in this article The second plot in that article shows that Liverpool were just the 14th best Premier League team in terms of how they finished their chances (once the chances were controlled for quality).
Fast forward 12 months and things are entirely different, with the triumvirate of Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling seemingly knocking in goals for fun.
Expected Goals
Based on our ExpG model (in short it assigns goal scoring probabilities based on the specifics of the shot) we expected Liverpool to score 5 goals more than last season. However, we have seen that they have scored a whopping 28 goals more than last term. This substantial increase in goals scored is due to the double effect of Liverpool’s finishing last season being very poor and this one being exceptionally good.
Liverpool fans may say that the brand of football their team is playing this season is much better and expansive than last season, that there has to be a greater difference than just 5 goals between what my model has expected them to score last season and this; that my model is wrong.
To coin a phrase use regularly used by Simon Gleave, this may be a case of Scoreboard Journalism. We (be that football fans or members of the media) tend to evaluate events by reference to the once off outcome rather than evaluating the process or by adequate reference to what “should have happened”. The difficulty with deciding what “should have happened” is that there is no one agreed uniform metric for how to measure this, but all I can say on this is that our ExpG measure is an objective measure that has used the same claculation method over the two seasons in question.
Liverpool’s Fast Breaks
Perhaps my ExpG measure doesn’t accurately take account of the scintillating counter attacks that seem to have been the signature of Liverpool’s charge for the title. Thanks to some research undertaken by Andrew Beasley we can see that Liverpool have had 27 shots from counter attacks this season. So how does that compare with last season?
It may surprise you to discover that they also had 27 last term!!!
In Beasley’s article he makes the point that there is some subjective assessment by Opta in what qualifies as a Fast Break and there may well be attacks that many observers would think qualifies as a Fast Break but which Opta haven’t denoted as such. However, on the assumption that Opta have been consistently applying the same criteria in denoting a Fast Break over the last few seasons then this point is |
2 A and B provide strong evidence that multiple signaling pathways were inhibited in both splenic B cells and CD4+ T cells following CDDO‐Me administration.
Inhibition of selected signaling axes in splenic B cells ( A ) and T cells ( B ) from female B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice treated with methyl‐2‐cyano‐3,12‐dioxooleana‐1,9‐dien‐28‐oate (CDDO‐Me). At the end of the 60‐day CDDO‐Me treatment period (i.e., when all mice were 4 months of age), splenic B cells or T cells were purified using magnetic beads, and cell lysates were examined for signaling status by Western blot analysis. Western blot results were quantified using ImageJ software and plotted as bar graphs. Bars show the mean ± SEM band intensity (n = 10 mice per group). ∗ = P < 0.05; ∗∗ = P < 0.01; ∗∗∗ = P < 0.001, by Student's t ‐test.
Currently, the major therapeutic use of CDDO‐Me is to inactivate signaling pathways underlying cell growth and cell proliferation in cancer. To investigate the effects of CDDO‐Me administration on lymphocyte signaling, splenic B220+ B cells were purified with magnetic beads, and B cell lysates were analyzed by Western blot analysis for several signaling axes. Our results demonstrate that MEK‐1/2 activation was significantly dampened in splenic B cells from the CDDO‐Me–treated mice (Figure 2 A). In addition, CDDO‐Me treatment appeared to diminish the activation of NF‐κB, STAT‐3, and to a lesser extent Akt, although these differences were not statistically significant.
After 60 days of treatment, the serum levels of IgG anti‐dsDNA, anti–single‐stranded DNA (anti‐ssDNA), antihistone, and antiglomerular antibodies were all significantly decreased in mice treated with CDDO‐Me compared to those treated with placebo. Prior to the initiation of CDDO‐Me treatment (day 0), basal levels of IgG anti‐dsDNA, anti‐ssDNA, antihistone, and antiglomerular antibodies were measured and found to be comparable in the 2 groups of mice (Figures 1 H–K). It is important to note that after CDDO‐Me treatment, all of the IgG antibody levels listed above were reversed to normal, similar to the phenotypes previously seen in healthy B6 mice ( 17 ).
Next, we examined whether the administration of CDDO‐Me reduces renal damage in murine lupus nephritis. On day 60 after placebo or CDDO‐Me treatment, urine was collected and tested for proteinuria. Compared to the placebo‐treated group, the CDDO‐Me–treated mice showed significantly reduced proteinuria (Figure 1 E). Examination of the mouse kidneys clearly demonstrated that CDDO‐Me treatment resulted in lower GN scores than placebo treatment. Microscopic analysis revealed increased cellularity in the glomeruli of mice treated with placebo compared to those treated with CDDO‐Me, indicating the presence of more inflammation and greater numbers of infiltrating cells in the placebo‐treated mice. CDDO‐Me treatment also led to reduced BUN levels, further indicating that renal function was improved in these mice (Figures 1 F and G). Most importantly, all parameters of renal disease were reversed to normal, similar to the phenotypes previously seen in healthy B6 mice ( 17 ).
Next, we investigated which cell populations were significantly suppressed by CDDO‐Me. As expected, among splenic T cells, the percentage of CD4+ T cells was decreased (mean ± SEM 12.1 ± 0.35% versus 15.1 ± 1.2%; P = 0.021), while the percentage of CD8+ T cells was increased (9.73 ± 0.4% versus 6.8 ± 1.1%; P = 0.023) in the CDDO‐Me–treated group (Figure 1 C). The absolute number of total splenic CD4+ T cells was also decreased (18.7 ± 3.8 million versus 39.0 ± 2.0 million; P < 0.0001) in the CDDO‐Me–treated group (Table 1 ). Within the CD4+ T cell compartment, the activated population (CD69+) was significantly deceased in the CDDO‐Me–treated group compared to the control group (Figure 1 C and Table 1 ). Of note, besides the dramatic reduction in and deactivation of CD4+ T cells, the absolute cell numbers (if not percentages) of splenic B220+ B cells (both mature and immature B cells, and B1a cells) were also decreased with CDDO‐Me treatment (Table 1 ). B cell activation, as gauged by surface CD86 expression, was also markedly reduced following CDDO‐Me treatment (6.48 ± 0.42 versus 8.72 ± 0.45 mean fluorescence intensity units; P < 0.002) (data not shown). Importantly, after CDDO‐Me treatment, the cell numbers and activation status of splenic B cells and T cells and their subsets were reversed to normal, similar to the phenotypes previously seen in healthy B6 mice ( 17 ).
Attenuation of disease in B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice with spontaneous lupus treated with methyl‐2‐cyano‐3,12‐dioxooleana‐1,9‐dien‐28‐oate (CDDO‐Me). Two‐month‐old female B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice (n = 20 per group) were treated with CDDO‐Me or placebo (sesame oil) as indicated. A and B, Amelioration of splenomegaly, as indicated by spleen weight ( A ) and splenic cell number ( B ) in mice after 60 days of treatment with CDDO‐Me. In A, circles represent individual mice; horizontal lines show the mean. In B, bars show the mean ± SEM. C, Suppression of the expansion of activated CD4+ T cells in B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice examined after 60 days of treatment. Flow cytometry plots show results from a representative experiment. Values are the percent of cells. R2 = gate of CD8+ cells; R3 = gate of CD4+ cells. D, Hematoxylin and eosin staining of kidney sections from a mouse treated with CDDO‐Me and a mouse treated with placebo. Results are representative of several similar experiments (n = 10). Original magnification × 20. E–G, Reduction in proteinuria ( E ), glomerulonephritis (GN) score ( F ), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels ( G ) in B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice after 60 days of treatment with CDDO‐Me. H–K, Attenuation of serum levels of IgG anti–double‐stranded DNA ( H ), anti–single‐stranded DNA (anti‐ssDNA) ( I ), antihistone ( J ), and antiglomerular antibodies ( K ) in B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice treated with CDDO‐Me. In E–K, data are shown as box plots. Each box represents the 25th to 75th percentiles. Lines inside the boxes represent the median. Lines outside the boxes represent the 10th and 90th percentiles. Data are shown for mice at the ages of 2 months (day 0) and 4 months (day 60). Serially diluted sera from B6. Sle1.lpr mice were used for plotting a standard curve, and the highest standard was set at 100 AU. ∗ = P < 0.05; ∗∗ = P < 0.01; ∗∗∗ = P < 0.001, by Student's t ‐test.
Given the previous demonstration that CDDO‐Me suppresses cell proliferation ( 19, 20 ), we investigated whether CDDO‐Me suppressed the development of splenomegaly in mice with lupus. To address this, 2‐month‐old female B6. Sle1.Sle3 mice were treated for 60 days with CDDO‐Me or placebo, and then spleen size and cellularity were assessed in both groups. Notably, the mean spleen weights in the CDDO‐Me–treated group were decreased almost 50% compared to the placebo‐treated group (Figure 1 A). Consistent with these findings, the mean number of splenocytes was also decreased in the CDDO‐Me–treated group compared to the placebo‐treated group (Figure 1 B).
DISCUSSION
Lupus is a highly complex autoimmune disease, in which B cells, T cells, and even myeloid cells are hyperproliferative and hyperactive. These hyperactivated immune cells can infiltrate organs, causing tissue damage, resulting in end‐organ problems such as nephritis. Previous studies have demonstrated that despite the distinct genetic backgrounds of mouse models used for studying spontaneous lupus, these different strains share the up‐regulation of similar cell signaling pathways involving PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), MAP kinases, STAT‐3/STAT‐5, NF‐κB, multiple Bcl‐2 family members, and various cell cycle molecules in B cells (4). Several key signaling molecules, including NF‐κB (22), STAT‐3 (23), Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase IV (24), and Syk (25), have also been observed to be altered in lupus T cells. Furthermore, several of these signaling intermediates are positive regulators of a number of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Hence, intervention in leukocyte signaling pathways might be beneficial in the treatment of lupus.
Triterpenoids are natural plant products generated by the cyclization of squalene and are used for medicinal purposes in many Asian countries, since they have been reported to have anticarcinogenic activity (26-29). Because the biologic activities of some of the natural triterpenoids are not strong enough, new analogs of these molecules have been chemically synthesized in an attempt to produce more potent agents. One of these analogs, CDDO, was found to inhibit the proliferation of many human cancer cells and to suppress the ability of various inflammatory cytokines such as interferon‐γ (IFNγ), interleukin‐1 (IL‐1), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). CDDO‐Me is a methyl derivative of CDDO that was found to be as active as CDDO in suppressing the increased production of nitric oxide by IFNγ in mouse macrophages (30). Furthermore, there are a number of studies showing that CDDO‐Me can block selected signaling pathways. For example, other investigators have identified CDDO‐Me as a potent caspase‐mediated apoptosis inducer in human lung cancer in acute myelogenous leukemia (12, 31). CDDO‐Me has also been shown to directly inhibit both JAK‐1 and STAT‐3 (7) and to inhibit the NF‐κB pathway through direct inhibition of IKKβ on Cys179 (10). This compound has also been shown to inhibit IκB kinase and to enhance apoptosis induced by TNF and chemotherapeutic agents through down‐regulation of NF‐κB–regulated gene products in human leukemia cells (32).
Our findings are consistent with those described above, since CDDO‐Me treatment diminished the activation of MEK‐1/2 in B cells, and of ERK, MEK, and STAT‐3 in T cells. In both T cells and B cells, NF‐κB showed a trend toward reduced activation following CDDO‐Me treatment, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggest that CDDO‐Me can suppress cell activation and inflammatory signals mediated via multiple signaling axes not only in cancer cells, but also in immune cells and possibly in other tissues (including renal cells).
Indeed, this is the first study to demonstrate that CDDO‐Me is beneficial in suppressing hyperactivation of immune cells, particularly CD4+ T cells (Figure 1 and Table 1). In a murine acute graft‐versus‐host disease model, CDDO‐Me exhibited an increased ability to inhibit allogeneic T cell responses and induce cell death of alloreactive T cells in vitro (33). In a transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) cancer model, CDDO‐Me induced apoptosis in TRAMP C1 cells, as revealed by the increased expression of annexin V and cleavage of procaspases 3, 8, and 9; CDDO‐Me also inhibited NF‐κB–regulated antiapoptotic Bcl‐2, Bcl‐x L, and X‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (19, 20). Additionally, CDDO‐Me participates in the induction of apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia (34). In this study, both splenic B cells and T cells were decreased in the CDDO‐Me–treated mice compared to the placebo‐treated controls, suggesting that CDDO‐Me might induce apoptosis in splenic B cells and T cells, thereby subduing autoimmunity.
The reduced activation of lymphocytes was associated with a reduction in the production of autoantibodies such as anti‐dsDNA, anti‐ssDNA, antihistone, and anti–glomerular basement membrane in B6.Sle1.Sle3 mice following CDDO‐Me treatment (Figure 1). Importantly, the most prominent benefit of this drug lies in its effective prevention of renal damage, as marked by the dramatic reduction in proteinuria, BUN, GN score, and other renal pathology measures (Figure 1). A recent clinical trial of bardoxolone methyl (another name for CDDO‐Me) carried out in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus has demonstrated its capacity in sustaining an increase in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (15). Our findings are consistent with the results of that study, and suggest that CDDO‐Me might be of therapeutic benefit in chronic renal disease arising from multiple initial triggers.
Besides dampening cell signaling, triterpenoids may also improve disease outcomes through other mechanisms. CDDO and its derivatives have been found to induce Nrf2 signaling, which in turn induces cytoprotective and antioxidative genes (35, 36). The transcription factor Nrf2 binds and activates the antioxidant response element (37), a cis‐acting sequence found in the 5′‐flanking region of genes encoding many cytoprotective enzymes, including NQO‐1 (38-40). It has been shown that ROS are present at higher levels during lupus nephritis (41). Therefore, antioxidant molecules such as Nrf2 and NQO‐1 might be beneficial in protecting against ROS‐induced kidney damage. In this study, we have shown that Nrf2 and its partner NQO‐1 were significantly induced in the kidneys of B6.Sle1.Sle3 mice after CDDO‐Me treatment (Figure 3). Our results suggest that renal damage and potentially other tissue damage may be ameliorated by CDDO‐Me, in part via the activation of the antioxidant pathway.
The importance of Nrf2 in protecting against lupus nephritis has been reported previously. Interestingly, Nrf2‐deficient female mice develop lupus‐like autoimmune nephritis (42). Similar to the findings of the present study, other natural agents that are beneficial in lupus nephritis have also been associated with the elevation of renal Nrf2. Antroquinonol, a purified compound and major effective component of Antrodia camphorate, inhibited the production of ROS and nitric oxide, but increased the activation of Nrf2 within the kidneys in an accelerated mouse model of severe lupus nephritis. This was associated with significantly reduced infiltrating T cell proliferation and renal lesions (43). Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate, the major bioactive polyphenol in green tea, has also been shown to increase Nrf2 and ameliorate renal disease in (NZB × NZW)F1 mice (44).
The present study showed that CDDO‐Me abrogates ROS both in vivo and in vitro (Figure 5) (additional results are available from the corresponding author upon request). However, our findings suggest that the impact of CDDO‐Me on ROS levels and lymphocyte signaling may be independent events (results are available from the corresponding author upon request), though this needs to be examined more carefully. There is some evidence in the literature linking both of these molecular phenomena. Thus, the inactivation of STAT‐3 has been observed to suppress load‐driven mitochondrial activity, leading to elevated levels of ROS in cultured primary osteoblasts (45). Conversely, ROS activates STAT‐3 and induces IL‐6 production in cancer cells (46). Also, treating rat sympathetic neurons with an MEK‐1 inhibitor greatly decreased cellular concentrations of glutathione, a major cellular antioxidant (47). Clearly, the mechanistic links between ROS production and lymphocyte signaling warrant further study, particularly in the context of autoimmunity.
There is a very interesting relationship between oxidative stress and one particular cell signaling pathway in lupus. The antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) has been shown to inhibit mTOR activity in vitro, and also confer therapeutic benefit in murine lupus (48, 49). Consistent with the results of those earlier studies, more recent work by Lai and coworkers has also demonstrated that NAC confers therapeutic benefit in patients with SLE, once again associated with mTOR inhibition and enhanced lymphocyte apoptosis (50). Although mTOR was not directly assessed in the present study, our finding that Akt phosphorylation is reduced in T cells following CDDO‐Me treatment is consistent with the findings of the studies described above. Although further mechanistic studies are warranted, taken together, these findings suggest that one important mechanism of action of antioxidants in lupus might be reduced signaling via the Akt/mTOR axis coupled with elevated apoptosis of immune effector cells. Indeed, there is recent evidence that mTOR is a direct target of CDDO‐Me (51). The relationship between oxidative stress and mTOR, and its implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of SLE, are elegantly discussed in a recent review by Perl (52).
In summary, CDDO‐Me, a drug known to inhibit cell growth, has a reproducible impact on suppressing murine lupus and lupus nephritis when administered before disease develops, and more importantly, after the onset of disease. This agent appears to be operating by suppressing multiple cell signaling axes in leukocytes (and possibly other tissue) and countering oxidative stress. Given the efficacy of this agent in modulating immune cell signaling as well as lupus nephritis, this may be an attractive option to pursue in the context of human lupus therapies.First off, I’d like to mention that China messes with your body. Especially when you first get here. Systems most notably affected include the digestive system and respiratory system. We’re talking serious diarrhea here, and dirty air. Get that? Bring immodium.
There are some seriously rank odors out there on the street. Rotting organic matter, urine, feces, stinky tofu…. But don’t worry, soon you’ll be gleefully playing “name that odor” with your Chinese friends!
About that food thing again… You’ll have some difficulty. This isn’t “Panda Express,” folks. Inconveniences include little rocks in your rice, tons of tiny, tiny little bones in the fish, pieces of chopped up bone inside meat. Then there’s also the food that’s just plain not good (like chicken feet, maybe?), or hazardous to your intestinal tract. But be adventurous anyway! You’ll learn soon enough what not to eat. (Diarrhea is a harsh but effective teacher!)
Sometimes the pollution is pretty bad. It might even make your eyes water some days, especially if you come from some wussy place with really clean air. Dust is everywhere. Chinese people don’t sit on the floor or ground or non-designated sitting places because everything is dirty. You’ll get dirty.
So you might find yourself washing a lot (at first). That’s OK, though. Soon you’ll learn — filth is fun. It gives you “China stories” to call home about!
So environmental protection has not exactly “caught on” yet in China. You might find this disturbing at first, and think about it a lot. Don’t worry, soon you’ll be wallowing in toxic apathy with the rest of us!
If you’re coming to China, I hope you’re not too tall. That can be inconvenient sometimes.
It also helps if you’re pretty healthy. Sure, they have “modern” medical facilities here, but the standards may not quite be up to what you have come to expect in the West. Solution? Don’t get sick, and don’t get hurt!
Don’t get too attached to elevators. In schools and apartment buildings with 7 stories or less, there are no elevators. According to Chinese building codes, elevators are only required in buildings taller than 7 stories. Hey, it’s cool. Elevators are for capitalist wusses!
You might be impressed by the amount of computers in use in China. Internet cafes are everywhere. You won’t be impressed for too long, though, because building code standards are so low that buildings everywhere are already falling apart scant years after they’re completed.
One weird thing about China is that even though Mandarin is the official language of the entire country, there are tons of dialects which are incomprehensible to the uninitiated. Especially in the south, every town has a separate dialect!
The good news is that stuff in China is really cheap! Sure, the quality might not be quite up to the standards you’re used to, but you’ll get over that. When stuff is this cheap, you can just keep rebuying it every time it falls apart! Neat!
There’s lots more surprises waiting for you in China, so come on over! Before long you’ll be familiar with the slew of inconveniences inherent to life here. Then you won’t be annoyed — rather, you’ll accept them with a smile and a “that’s China!”CGP Grey, in perhaps his most ambitious video to date, has tackled the subject of automation — in short, robots coming for all the jobs. Whether you work in transportation, white collar trades, or even the arts, there's probably a programmer working on putting you in the poor house as soon as possible. Or worse, a programmer teaching a robot to teach itself so it can put anyone out of work.
A little unsettling, huh? The best piece I've ever seen trying to game out the long-term effects of automation is "Four Futures," by Peter Frase in Jacobin magazine. By imagining two axes of possible development — scarcity versus abundance, and hierarchy versus egalitarianism — he outlines four possible futures of the human race. They range from a work-free utopia (as outlined by Iain M. Banks in his Culture series), to a terrifying war of extermination by the rich against the masses of useless poor.
Frase's piece is an excellent complement to the above video, which is rather vague about the political implications of the subject. Definitely give it a read.
Ryan CooperWASHINGTON, DC – Breitbart News Senior Legal Editor Ken Klukowski joined SiriusXM host Stephen K. Bannon Monday on Breitbart News Daily, making the case that if Ed Gillespie wins the race for Virginia governor, it could be a bell weather sign that purple states like Virginia are rallying to President Trump’s #MAGA agenda.
Bannon—executive chairman of Breitbart News—pointed out that GOP nominee Gillespie had trailed by as many as 17 points behind Democrat Ralph Northam, but was now in a statistical tie with his opponent in the polls.
Klukowski’s written analysis explained how Gillespie came roaring back in the polls when he focused his campaign’s attention on immigration, pushing back against leftist attempts to abolish historical references and monuments, and aspects of the Make America Great Again agenda that helped propel Donald Trump to the White House.
With swing voters possibly inclined toward Gillespie on issues like job creation, economic development, and cutting regulations—and with all those factors already baked into the political equation—the race for Virginia governor now becomes a competition for both candidates to turn out their party bases.
“If the Republican base turns out supporting Gillespie and his ticket, it’s going to be a Republican sweep in Virginia,” asserted Klukowski, adding that a Gillespie win should also carry the rest of the statewide ticket: Jill Vogel for lieutenant governor, and John Adams for attorney general.
“A Republican victory in Virginia would be a vindication of President Trump’s agenda,” Klukowski continued. “Gillespie’s focus in the campaign’s final couple weeks on immigration, protecting historical monuments, and individual rights is in harmony with the president’s positions.”
“And as Gillespie focused on those positions he has come from behind to potentially take the lead in the final days,” he concluded.
Breitbart News Daily airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.Want the latest climate news in your inbox? You can sign up here to receive Climate Fwd:, our new email newsletter.
BONN, Germany — If world leaders are angry at the United States for rejecting the Paris climate change agreement, few at United Nations climate talks here are openly showing it.
Delegates from the largest industrial countries to the smallest island states are tiptoeing around the single largest topic of discussion here — the American retreat from leadership on climate change and the Trump administration’s moves to undermine domestic global warming policy and international climate diplomacy.
President Emmanuel Macron of France on Wednesday challenged Europe to “replace America” in financing the United Nations climate change science body, though he did not directly criticize President Trump’s decision to eliminate American contributions to it. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, praised a coalition of American governors and mayors who, in contrast to the White House stance, are still working to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.Opposition MPs aren't the only ones making Bev Oda's spending habits a thorn in the government's side – her own colleague, Conservative MP John Williamson, is also raising them as a point of contention within their caucus.
Williamson used to head the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and was also Prime Minister Stephen Harper's director of communications before he stepped down to run for his New Brunswick seat.
He confirmed to CBC News that he brought up the minister of international co-operation's travel and hospitality expenses behind closed doors at a weekly Conservative caucus meeting. Williamson would not elaborate on what he said, citing caucus confidentiality.
A spokesman from his office, however, said that what Williamson told the caucus could be taken in the context of his previous job with the CTF – an organization that advocates on behalf of taxpayers.
The CTF, according to its website, dedicates itself to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government. It created the annual "Teddy Waste Awards" to highlight government waste, named after a public servant who was fired over his expenses.
Conservative MP John Williamson has raised the issue of Bev Oda's spending practices within the Tory caucus. (House of Commons)
The displeasure with Oda from within her own ranks adds to the opposition's demands for her to be more accountable.
There was a call for her to be fired on Friday, from Liberal MP Mark Eyking, who called Oda an "embarrassment to Canada."
"Yesterday we learned that she changed her public travel expense claims with no explanation. Is the minister ready to admit that there are more $16 glasses of orange juice that she has charged to taxpayers? When will she be accountable for her bad behaviour?" he said during question period.
"Our government is committed to keeping expenses of ministers travelling at a reasonable cost to taxpayers," House leader Peter Van Loan responded. "That is why they are much lower than [what] the honourable member's party spent on ministerial travel when it was in government. In the case of the minister in question, all inappropriate costs have been repaid."
Eyking said Oda can't be trusted to manage her own travel expenses, let alone Canada's foreign aid and development budget.
"I don't know what's wrong with the prime minister, why doesn't he just can her? Fire her. What is he waiting for? The middle of the summer when no one's watching on the Hill to do a cabinet shuffle?" he said after question period.
Opposition wants Oda to testify at committee
Eyking said Oda should explain in front of a parliamentary committee why her travel expenses have so often been amended, according to the proactive disclosure section of her department's website. Ministers are required every quarter to post summaries of their travel and hospitality expenses and those of their staff.
The NDP also wants to see Oda before a committee. It plans to request the appearance of Oda and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird at Monday's foreign affairs committee meeting to talk about their departments' estimated spending. The NDP says Oda would get questions about her personal spending habits "for sure."
The CBC reported Thursday that Oda's office is refusing to answer whether she has paid taxpayers back for any other inappropriate travel expenses in addition to the ones from April. A Canadian Press story revealed that when she was in London last June she stayed at the swanky Savoy hotel – costing more than $600 per night – instead of the less expensive hotel she was booked at, and Oda hired a car and driver costing about $1,000 per day. An orange juice that cost $16 was also among the charges.
She ended up reimbursing the government $4,025.26 after the story broke and apologized for charging the "inappropriate" costs to taxpayers.
The entry for her London trip has since been amended on the proactive disclosure page on the website, but that's not the only change.
Expenses for trips to Haiti, East Africa and Korea over the last year have also been changed at some point after they were originally posted online. An asterisk beside the amount indicates it was modified.
It isn't clear from the website when, how, or why each amount was changed, and Oda's office won't provide explanations. All Oda's spokeswoman would tell CBC News is that they were reviewed "in the interest of accountability." Some entries, for Oda and some of her staff, were modified months ago.
It's not just expenses for trips in 2011 and early 2012 that were amended, some in 2009 and 2010 were also adjusted after they were originally filed.
For example: the airfare, transportation, accommodation and meal expenses for a 2009 visit to Mozambique and South Africa – total cost $13,255.11 – were also amended after they were first posted online.
There could be accounting errors or other reasons why proactive disclosure entries are later changed, but Oda didn't explain when asked in question period Thursday and her office didn't answer repeated requests to provide the information.
The responses from Oda and Van Loan on Thursday and on Friday don't make it clear whether she has paid back inappropriate expenses for only the London trip or other trips. Both of their offices were asked for clarification and they did not provide any.zimmah
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LegendaryActivity: 1106Merit: 1005 Why isn't bitcointalk.org neutral? September 24, 2016, 12:08:22 PM #1 Why only have the link to bitcoin core at the top, and not classic, unlimited and XT as well?
It's easy to remain the client used by most users if you control the main platform of communication, but this is not decentralized at all.
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LegendaryActivity: 1106Merit: 1005 Re: Why isn't bitcointalk.org neutral? September 24, 2016, 01:44:45 PM #3 Quote from: Foxpup on September 24, 2016, 12:36:31 PM Quote from: zimmah on September 24, 2016, 12:08:22 PM Why only have the link to bitcoin core at the top, and not classic, unlimited and XT as well?
Because those are altcoins, and this forum is called Bitcoin Talk.
Because those are altcoins, and this forum is calledTalk.
No, these are called options.
The entire point of bitcoin is that the USERS can choose. Not any one group of devs.
The Core devs are obviously trying to centralize bitcoin under their rule, and not giving the other dev teams a fair chance and an equal playing ground.
This is centralization
Classic, unlimited and XT are all bitcoin, and I'm fairly sure they would all be more popular than Core if they would have the same opportunity to be listed as 'official' bitcoin clients.
Core is in no way more 'official' than Classic, Unlimited or XT. No, these are called options.The entire point of bitcoin is that the USERS can choose. Not any one group of devs.The Core devs are obviously trying to centralize bitcoin under their rule, and not giving the other dev teams a fair chance and an equal playing ground.This is centralizationClassic, unlimited and XT are all bitcoin, and I'm fairly sure they would all be more popular than Core if they would have the same opportunity to be listed as 'official' bitcoin clients.Core is in no way more 'official' than Classic, Unlimited or XT.
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LegendaryActivity: 1834Merit: 1082In Memory of Zepher Re: Why isn't bitcointalk.org neutral? September 24, 2016, 02:19:06 PM #7 Quote from: zimmah on September 24, 2016, 01:44:45 PM The entire point of bitcoin is that the USERS can choose. Not any one group of devs.
No one is stopping any one else from choosing a different version of Bitcoin to use, especially not the forum.
Keep in mind that this is a private forum, and whatever theymos chooses to be listed here is what will be listed here. He has no obligation to anyone to do anything else.
Quote from: zimmah on September 24, 2016, 01:44:45 PM Classic, unlimited and XT are all bitcoin, and I'm fairly sure they would all be more popular than Core if they would have the same opportunity to be listed as 'official' bitcoin clients.
Core is in no way more 'official' than Classic, Unlimited or XT.
If I made a coin named 'Bitcoin 2', and used almost all of the exact same properties of Bitcoin (21,000,000 coins, 12.5BTC/block, same chain) apart from changed some technical aspects (block size, block speed etc) would that be an 'official' version of Bitcoin? If not, why? No one is stopping any one else from choosing a different version of Bitcoin to use, especially not the forum.Keep in mind that this is a private forum, and whatever theymos chooses to be listed here is what will be listed here. He has no obligation to anyone to do anything else.If I made a coin named 'Bitcoin 2', and used almost all of the exact same properties of Bitcoin (21,000,000 coins, 12.5BTC/block, same chain) apart from changed some technical aspects (block size, block speed etc) would that be an 'official' version of Bitcoin? If not, why?
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LegendaryActivity: 1106Merit: 1005 Re: Why isn't bitcointalk.org neutral? September 24, 2016, 02:26:52 PM #8 Quote from: OmegaStarScream on September 24, 2016, 01:54:43 PM Quote from: zimmah on September 24, 2016, 12:08:22 PM Why only have the link to bitcoin core at the top, and not classic, unlimited and XT as well?
It's easy to remain the client used by most users if you control the main platform of communication, but this is not decentralized at all.
Bitcoin Knots (
Bitcoin Knots ( https://bitcoinknots.org ) for example is listed on Bitcoin.org while others aren't because XT, classic,unlimited etc... do changes to the network rules which makes them an Altcoin, as simple as that.
None of them violate the core values of bitcoin.
Decentralized ledger, 21million coins, 10 minute transactions. Any other core values?
The only one violating the core value of decentralization is Core, because they are actively trying to manipulate many platforms in order to gain control, and thereby centralizing bitcoin.
Quote If you truly want decentralization create your own forum. By putting all coins in one forum is centralization.
There are multiple forums, but like many things, the power of the forum is the network. Core somehow managed to get hold of the main communication platforms (this forum and /r/bitcoin) and is leveragng that control to centralize bitcoin and act like the only 'legitimate' developers. Thus, centralization is happening.
Quote Technically, until a Bitcoin fork obtains consensus, it is an alt chain.
All chains should have a fair chance as long as they don't violate bitcoins core values. One of the most important values is decentralization. Core is threatening this core value.
Quote No one is stopping any one else from choosing a different version of Bitcoin to use, especially not the forum.
No but they are using the power of propaganda to make Core seem like the only 'official' client. There are other clients out there that are just as 'official' and legitimate. And arguable healthier for bitcoins longterm
survival.
Quote If I made a coin named 'Bitcoin 2', and used almost all of the exact same properties of Bitcoin (21,000,000 coins, 12.5BTC/block, same chain) apart from changed some technical aspects (block size, |
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