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20 grams of carbohydrate per day (primarily in the form of salad greens or other permitted vegetables).
4) Do not eat any fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables, dairy product (other than cheese, cream, or butter), or protein/carbohydrate foods (legumes).
5) Only eat acceptable foods (group leaders, see Atkins, pp. 124–129) listed in the Instruction for Induction pamphlet.
6) Adjust quantities of non-carbohydrate containing foods to suit your appetite (amount that makes you feel satisfied, not stuffed).
7) Read food labels and check carbohydrate content (see Be a Carbohydrate Detective handout).
8) Be aware for hidden carbohydrates in gravies, sauces, and dressings when eating out. For example, gravy is often made with flour or cornstarch and sugar is sometimes added to salad dressings.
9) Drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water per day (for hydration, to avoid constipation).
10) Alcohol is not a source of nutritive carbohydrate and shouldn't be consumed in place of food (Atkins for Life, p. 46). Alcoholic beverages should be avoided during Induction for a variety of reasons:
a) acts as alternate fuel source
b) decreases hydration
c) decreases self-control
C. Do not try to do a low-fat version of the program as it will disrupt weight loss (Atkins, p. 127).
D. In addition to these rules, we ask you to also take a multivitamin each day.
E. This approach counts carbohydrates rather than calories. Although you will not be counting calories, calories do matter. Gaining weight results from eating more calories than you burn, so eat until satisfied and do not gorge (Atkins, p. 143).
VII. Carbohydrate Counting (10 minutes)
A. Explain the general concept of carbohydrate counting using a household budget or bank account as a model. Review the basic principles of carbohydrate counting.
1. You receive a 20-gram carbohydrate deposit each day, which you can spend according to your own personal preferences. You decide how to spend your carbohydrates. This will require you to consider how much you enjoy a particular food versus what it costs. You can have 4 cups of salad vegetables per day. However, if you would like to add vegetables that contain slightly higher carbohydrate contents (limited to 1 cup per day), you must reduce your intake of salad vegetables from 4 to 3 cups per day. Emphasize that participants cannot simply eat the maximum amount of servings from each food group listed in the pamphlet because they will likely go over the 20-gram limit. The sample menu handout provides some meal ideas during Induction.
2. Using your carbohydrate counter and food labels, record the number of carbohydrates that you spend each day in your weekly record.
3. Using the handout, briefly review key aspects of the food label and review how to calculate net carbohydrate.
4. Tally your carbohydrate consumption. The key factor is to consume no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate per day. Point out that grams of carbohydrate are based on serving size, so measuring utensils and scale (distributed during baseline food intake measurement) should be used to accurately determine the amount consumed. Need to weigh and measure foods in the short-term (2 weeks) to become accustomed to actual portions. Review guidelines for estimating portion sizes when measuring utensils are not available (see weekly record). Over time, can perform occasional checks or weigh novel foods.
B. Review two principal benefits of carbohydrate counting.
C. You can lose weight while eating high protein and/or fat foods. Fish, shellfish, fowl, meat, and butter are unrestricted.
D. Does not involve self-deprivation or hunger. This eating plan consists of a variety of foods that are palatable, pleasant, and filling (Atkins, pg. 5, 19, 32).
E. Tips for consuming a reduced carbohydrate diet.
1. Eliminate unnecessary, hidden carbohydrates, which you do not need such as sugar in sodas and coffee, and choose lower carbohydrate alternatives such as saccharin or sucralose. Limit sweeteners to 3 packets a day (Atkins, p. 144).
2. Plan ahead. Examine your schedule and prime your environment. Stock up on low carbohydrate snacks and eliminate high carbohydrate temptations. Some examples of low carbohydrate snacks are turkey and cheese roll, single serving can of tuna, hard boiled eggs, Laughing Cow cheese or string cheese, seeds, nuts or nut butter on a celery stick, and sugar free Jello. Carbohydrate controlled foods are generally found around the periphery of the grocery store.
3. Avoid deprivation. Eat regularly (every 4 hours) to prevent hunger. Have a small carbohydrate controlled snack high in fat or protein if you are hungry between meals (Atkins, p. 153).
4. Eat primarily unprocessed foods but when you eat packaged foods (i.e., cheese), read the food labels carefully. Generally, “low fat” means “high carbohydrate.”
NOTE: Although ATKINS Ready to Drink Shakes (up to 1 per day), ATKINS Shake Mix (up to 2 scoops per day), and ATKINS ADVANTAGE BARS (up to 1 per day) can be consumed in place of whole foods during Induction, this option should only be initiated when it has been determined that the individual cannot incorporate whole foods into his/her eating plan (like during crunch times). At this point it would be premature to offer this as an option. ATKINS Endulge products cannot be consumed during Induction.
F. Inform participants that they may experience some undesirable symptoms (i.e., headaches, constipation) after the second day of Induction (see back of Instructions for Induction sheet). Call participants after the third day of Induction and ask about their progress and whether they are experiencing any problems. Do not specifically ask about symptoms. Example: “I am calling to see how you are doing on your new eating plan and to find out whether you have any questions or are experiencing any problems so far.”
VIII. Skill Building (Handout) (5 minutes)
1. Follow Induction diet.
2. Take one multivitamin each day.
3. Record all food (time, amount, type and description of food, carbohydrates).
4. Use the carbohydrate counter and food labels to determine carbohydrate intake. Key thing is to eat a wide variety of acceptable foods.
5. Record one personal goal for this week in the beginning of the weekly record and assess progress as appropriate.
IX. Handouts
1. SAFE Handout
2. Self-Care Handout
3. Effective Goal Setting Handout
4. Induction Guidelines Handout
5. Instructions for Induction Pamphlet
6. Sample Menus
7. Be a Carbohydrate Detective Handout
8. Carbohydrate Gram Counter Handout
9. Skill Builder
10. Weekly Record
Low Fat
Week 2
I. Welcome (5 minutes)
A. Begin with reintroduction (names only). If new members, include reasons for weight loss as in week 1, but keep abbreviated and limit your comments.
B. Ask for volunteers to recall as many names as possible.
C. Address any questions left from last week.
D. Briefly review tonight's agenda. This week we will focus on making changes in eating habits.
II. SAFE (Handout) (10 minutes)
A. Indicate that we want to provide a way for members to check in briefly at the beginning of each group. For the next few weeks, everyone will check in but over time (depending on the number of persons in the group, guest lecturers, etc), participants may take turns. Remind about the need to avoid spending too much time on any one individual.
B. SAFE was chosen to remind us that we want this to be a safe place to discuss eating and exercise habits. (Remind about confidentiality). It also reminds us about the key things to concentrate on each week.
1. S~self care—Important to view weight loss as self-care rather than as punitive. It's something to do for yourself rather than some punishment that is imposed. Also important to develop non-food alternatives to nurture self. Each week participants to report things they did to take care of themselves that did not include food. Should be things focused on the participant rather than her/his family, job, etc. (e.g., massage, going to movie that they have been wanting to see, pedicure, manicure, small “gift”; being inaccessible to others for brief times; going home on time). See “Self-Care” handout for more examples. Part of long-term success is being nice to yourself. Complete “Self-Care” handout and pick at least one thing each week.
2. A~adherence—How were you able to achieve your goals this week? This includes skill development each week (slow eating, limiting times, etc) as well as individualized goals (special situations, behaviors from goal worksheet). Review particular successes or difficulties. This is a way to get individual attention as well as help the group sharpen its problem-solving skills.
3. F~food records—Review progress with keeping records of food, exercise and other activities. This is the primary tool of weekly assessment.
4. E~exercise—The physical activity that you performed this week (type, duration, frequency).
C. Note that W~(Weight) is not included in the weekly review. Review reasons why weight is a poor short-term measure of success (Brownell, pp. 48–49).
1. salt intake
2. water shifts, menstrual cycle, humidity
3. no relation between weight and weekly behavior
D. Focus on SAFE and weight loss will follow.
E. Next week, we will use SAFE to check in.
III. Skill Review (10 minutes)
A. Ask participants to describe rationale for self-monitoring from week 1 (Brownell, pp. 14–15).
B. Ask about participants' experiences with recording.
1. Was it helpful?
2. What patterns emerged?
3. What were the barriers to recording?
4. Did they have difficulty estimating portions?
5. What were participants' experiences with recording in previous programs?
6. Was it difficult to record overeating episodes?
7. Did friends or family members comment about record keeping?
C. It is especially important that participants believe in the utility of keeping records, so be sure to assess this before suggesting ways to record better. Focus on any barriers (time, size of record booklets, embarrassment, forgetting) with specific suggestions. Use group to come up with benefits and suggestions. Emphasize that this is a skill that is critical for individualized treatment.
D. Review the new food record booklets and how to complete them (time, amount, type and description, add calories this week). Stress importance of recording ASAP after eating or it will be difficult to recall. Tally calories later if necessary. Recommend that they subtotal calories throughout the day. They can calculate calories using the calorie counter we will distribute tonight. Briefly review how the book is organized.
E. Indicate that you will collect food record booklets each week and make brief comments about any patterns you observe. This review should be brief (2 minutes) and include positive comments. Emphasize that these records are for the participants' benefit not yours. You are trying to provide a structure to make record keeping easier.
IV. Goal Setting (Brownell, pp. 61–62) (15 minutes)
A. Weight
1. Ask participants to think about how much weight they expect to lose over the next 20 weeks. Record them on the board. Ask several participants to describe how they arrived at their numbers. Point out that they are probably making assumptions about the benefits (e.g., losing 40 pounds will make me feel/look twice as good as losing 20 pounds) as well as the costs (e.g., losing the second 20 pounds will be similar to losing the first 20 pounds). Are these assumptions about additional weight loss correct? Review faulty assumptions briefly. Avoid getting into a contest of wills about how much weight people can or should lose. Ultimately, the decision is the participant's.
2. Compare participants' goals on the board to what can be reasonably expected (1–2 lb per week) (see Brownell p. 38). Use Brownell diagram (pp. 100–101) to illustrate that when outcomes (what is achieved) do not match goals (what is expected) there are typically negative effects on self-evaluation. How would participants feel if they did not reach their desired weight goals? Probably tend to blame self rather than program or unrealistic goals. Use examples (based on their weight goals) of how same outcomes can be viewed differently based on what was expected.
3. Actual weight loss will vary due to differences in weight, metabolism and genetics (we will review causes of overweight next week). Typical weight loss is 1–2 pounds per week (see Brownell p. 38). Rather than setting a final weight goal now, we recommend that participants focus on behavior change and observe what weight loss is accomplished. Weight loss after week 12 will probably be representative of monthly weight loss during the program.
4. We recommend an initial goal of a 10% reduction because it is associated with improvements in medical conditions and most persons can achieve it with modest changes in eating and exercise. When 10% is reached, another goal can be set based on costs/benefits. Remind participants that body composition will be measured at week 26 so they can make an informed decision about further weight loss. It is impossible and imprudent to set a long-term weight goal now because of the lack of information about costs/benefits.
B. Behavior
1. Have participants think about one change in their eating that they would like to make (over the next 4 weeks) that would lead to weight loss. Use several examples to discuss the following characteristics of effective goal setting (see handout).
a. specific—define precisely what is to be accomplished. Specific goals such as “walk two times this week after work on Tuesday and Thursday in the park are more likely to be accomplished that general ones such as, “walk more this week.” Similarly, “eat 1200–1400 calories per day” is more likely to be accomplished than “eat less this week.”
b. reasonable—make small changes. If you're not walking at all, do not try to walk every day. If you're eating 10 candy bars each week, do not attempt to eat only 2. The smaller the difference between your current behavior and your goal behavior the greater the chances you will accomplish it. Small successes lead to big successes.
c. active—define your goals in terms of what to do rather than what not to do. For example, “eat every four hours” instead of “stop going all day without eating” or “walk after dinner” rather than “stop lying on the couch after dinner.”
d. short-term—assess your goals over short intervals (no more than a week). Sometimes, even shorter intervals are helpful (day by day). Reviewing your progress after short periods will enable you to review your accomplishments and troubleshoot any difficulties.
e. limited—select no more than two goals per week. Selecting more will decrease your focus and make adherence more difficult. Once your goals have been accomplished and maintained, you can select new goals.
f. record—it is helpful to keep a written record of your goals and progress each week. It will increase awareness of your goal and provide an accurate record of your progress. The simplest and easiest records work best. Do what works for you.
2. Instruct each participant to select one behavioral goal for the next week (using the handout as a guide) and have them record it in the front of their weekly record. There will not be time in group to review each goal. They will discuss this goal under “A” of SAFE next week.
V. Weight Loss: Short-Term Dieting Versus Long-Term Behavior Change (10 minutes)
A. Before establishing a caloric prescription for weight loss, let's review how our approach to long-term weight control differs from dieting (Brownell, pp. 6–7, 12–13).
1. Diets are all-or-none. For many people a diet implies short-term dietary change. You're either on the diet or off the diet; you've had either a good day or a bad day. There is no middle ground (Brownell, pp. 220–221). Furthermore, many diets are based on fads, extremes, and severe deprivation. As such, they are only successful in the short-term. Can only make dramatic changes for a short time.
2. Long-term weight control is based on a regular pattern of eating that avoids extremes and deprivation. It emphasizes small changes that last. It is based on choosing foods that you enjoy while staying within the boundaries of daily caloric allowances. There are no forbidden foods. Allow yourself to have some special foods or treats and work them into daily/weekly/monthly allowances. You will be less prone to feeling deprived, irritated, unhappy. These are feelings that lead to overeating.
B. There are no absolutes (never, always, must) in successful weight control. Some days will be better than others; it is not realistic to assume that you should eat the same amount every day. The goal is to consume a variety of foods that you can enjoy and sustain balanced eating over the long haul. The goal is not perfection. Eating is not a moral issue. It is inaccurate and ineffective to make self-evaluations based on eating and exercise behavior.
VI. Picking a Calorie Range (10 minutes) (Brownell, pp. 44–46)
A. Review principles of energy balance:
1. Intake > Output = Weight Gain
2. Intake < Output = Weight Loss
3. Intake = Output = Weight Maintenance
B. 3500 calories = 1 pound. To lose one pound/week, you'll need to eat 3500 calories less than you burn. Easier to decrease intake than to increase output (i.e., easier to eat 500 calories less per day than it is to exercise 500 calories more per day). Give examples. That's why exercise alone is not the best method for weight loss. Regular physical activity, however, is the best predictor of maintaining weight loss.
C. We are recommending a calorie range (1200–1500 calories/d for women and 1500–1800 calories/d for men); participants will decide how to “spend” those calories using the principles below. As above, need to observe weight loss over 1-month period.
VII. A Calorie Account (10 minutes)
A. Explain the general concept of a calorie account using a household budget or bank account as a model. Review the basic principles of using a calorie account. The sample menu handouts provide some meal ideas.
1. You receive a 1200–1500 (women) or 1500–1800 (men) calorie deposit each day, which you can spend according to your own personal preferences. You decide how to spend your calories. This will require you to consider how much you enjoy a particular food versus what it costs calorically.
2. Using your fat and calorie counter, record the number of calories that you spend each day in your weekly record. Point out that calories are based on serving size, so measuring utensils and scale (distributed during baseline food intake measurement) should be used to accurately determine the amount consumed. Need to weigh and measure foods in the short-term (2 weeks) to become accustomed to actual portions. Review guidelines for estimating portion sizes when measuring utensils are not available (see weekly record). Over time, can perform occasional checks or weigh novel foods. Briefly review some basic components (e.g. serving size, calories) of the food label using the “Be a Calorie Detective” handout.
3. Tally your calorie account as expenditures are made. Although you are allotted a certain number or calories each day, you will not spend this amount every day. You can save calories for special occasions, just as you save money. For example, a person could save 100 calories per day, Monday through Friday, and spend the extra 500 calories over the weekend. You may also spend less to adjust for an unusually large expenditure.
4. The key factor is that the calorie ledger must balance (i.e., average 1200–1500 calories/day or 1500–1800 calories/day) in order for your rate of weight loss to remain constant. It is best to review your ledger for a weekly balance (8400–10,500 calories per week).
B. Review two principal benefits of keeping a calorie account.
1. Allows for flexibility and variety.
2. No single overeating episode is paramount, since you can balance your calorie account with adjustments.
C. Tips for reducing caloric intake.
1. Reduce or eliminate unnecessary, hidden calories which you do not need or really enjoy (e.g., eliminate butter, sugar in sodas and coffee, reduce use of cream, choose lower calorie alternatives if similar taste).
2. Plan ahead. Examine your schedule and prime your environment. Stock up on low calorie snacks and eliminate high fat and calorie temptations. Be conscious of the caloric cost of food choices. Are the calories worth it? If they are, fine; if not, skip it or choose an alternative. Examples of low calorie snacks can be found on the handout. Encourage participants to consume a variety of foods.
NOTE: Although meal replacement shakes and bars (e.g., Slim-Fast) can be consumed in place of whole foods, this option should only be initiated when it has been determined that the individual cannot incorporate whole foods into his/her eating plan (like during crunch times). At this point it would be premature to offer this as an option.
3. Avoid deprivation. It's a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Do not totally eliminate foods that you really enjoy. Find a way to work them in. Make changes that you can live with.
4. Eat regularly (every 4 hours) to prevent hunger. This will be addressed in greater detail next week when we discuss developing an eating schedule.
D. Remind participants to take a multivitamin each day.
E. Inform participants that they may experience some undesirable symptoms. Call participants within the first three days to ask about their progress and whether they are experiencing any problems. Do not specifically ask about symptoms. Example: “I am calling to see how you are doing on your new eating plan and to find out whether you have any questions or are experiencing any problems so far.”
VIII. Skill Building (Handout) (5 minutes)
1. Eat a diet that is consistent with your calorie goal (1200–1500 calories per day for women, 1500–1800 calories per day for men).
2. Record all food (time, amount, type and description, calories).
3. Use the calorie counter and food labels to determine calorie intake. Key thing is to eat a wide variety of foods.
4. Record one personal goal for this week in beginning of the food record and assess progress as appropriate.
IX. Handouts
1. SAFE Handout
2. Self-Care Handout
3. Effective Goal Setting Handout
4. Tip the Calorie Balance Handout
5. Be a Calorie Detective Handout
6. Enjoy the Variety-Healthy Food Choices
7. Sample Menus
8. Calorie King
9. Skill BuilderLTE Base Station Software
Introduction
LTEENB is provided with a complete Evolved Packet Core (EPC) so that it can work without an existing LTE network behind it. In short, it is possible to use it like a Wifi access point. The EPC contains the following programs:
LTEMME is an MME including the HSS, SGW and PGW.
LTEIMS is an IMS server providing voice (VoLTE) and SMS support.
LTEMBMSGW is an MBMS gateway.
Example configuration
PC Core i7 at 2.93 GHz. Software radio frontend PCIe SDR board or USRP N210. RF configuration Band 7 (2600 MHz FDD), 20 MHz bandwidth. User Equipment Huawei E398 USB dongle (Qualcomm MDM9200 chipset) SIM card Anritsu Test USIM card
Potential use
Low cost LTE network simulator. Since everything runs on a PC, it is very easy to add and test new LTE features.
Educational purposes. Configuring and running a base station is a way to learn many details of LTE.
Low cost LTE network infrastructure for private or public networks.
Availability
A UE simulator is now available. It simulates hundreds of terminals sharing the same antenna. It uses the same hardware configuration as the LTE eNodeB.
An embebbed NB-IoT modem based on Amarisoft UE software.
ReferencesGETTY Bakondi claims the referendum will convey an important message to Europe
On Monday, Jean Claude-Juncker told reporters the EU "quota regulation" on immigrants was based on the principle of working together. But Gyorgy Bakondi, the Hungarian prime minister's chief security advisor, has hit back against the EU leader, saying security is far more important than support for EU neighbours. The Hungarian PM Viktor Orban has fiercely opposed the EU's plans to relocate 160,000 migrants around the bloc by using mandatory quotas.
GETTY Hungarian PM Viktor Orban has fiercely opposed the EU's plans to relocate 160,000 migrants
Now his citizens will be asked whether they want to accept any future quota system for resettling migrants in a referendum to be held in September or October. Residents will be asked: "Do you want the European Union to be entitled to prescribe the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary without the consent of parliament?" Bakondi claims the referendum will convey an important message to Europe, and the government will be obliged to put forward the results at any future EU negotiations over immigration.
GETTY Hungary is also applying new approaches to halting illegal migration
Do you want the European Union to be entitled to prescribe the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary without the consent of parliament? Hungarian referendum question
He said Hungary is also applying new approaches to halting illegal migration, including the technical border barrier and the presence of police and military officers along the borders. The Chief Security Advisor pointed out that one of the big questions for autumn is whether there will be a shift in the EU’s position on immigration, adding the union could see changes as more and more member states introduce border control activities. According to data compiled by the Hungarian news site Index, turnout for the referendum will comfortably surpass the 50 per cent required to make it valid under the country’s laws.
GETTY Bakondi said security is far more important than support for EU neighboursAlmost 50 MPs were accused last night of claiming hundreds of thousands of pounds in expenses for renting and using hotels in London despite owning properties in the capital.
Many of the 46 MPs are said to have originally purchased the London properties using taxpayer-funded second home mortgages under the expense regime that existed before the 2009 scandal when widespread abuses were exposed.
Mortgage claims were banned after the scandal but some MPs started letting out the London properties and started claiming expenses for rent and hotels, according to Channel 4 News.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 $0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.
The programme said that the MPs were doing nothing wrong under the rules set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), which runs the expenses system, but the claims will doubtless be questioned by voters.
Some MPs were said to have argued that the new rules banning mortgage claims meant they had been forced to let out their second home in order to be able to afford the mortgage and other costs.
But Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, told the programme: "It's not always just about exactly what the rules say. It is about you taking personal responsibility that public funds are used in a proper and appropriate way.
"I'm sure we will hear all sorts of sob stories about why it's justifiable to do what they've done. But they must know in their heart of hearts that the public will see this as MPs on the make."
The 46 MPs include 25 Conservatives, 14 Labour, and four Liberal Democrats. Among those named by Channel 4 was Angus MacNeil of the Scottish National Party who owns a flat in Lambeth. Since 2012/13 he claimed £42,177 to stay in hotels in Westminster.
Mr MacNeil told Channel 4 the current expenses rules were to blame and that MPs should be allowed to claim for flats they own, as they did in the past. He said: "Ipsa should stand up to media pressures and enable MPs to take up cheaper accommodation alternatives in London, something that they currently do not support in regard of own flats."
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 now.Description
Taken 2017-07-28 at 20:56:32 in Seattle, WA
First off, thanks to http://transit-finder.com/ for helping me identify this event! I've photographed the ISS before, but there's only so many bright trail photographs you can take. I've been keeping track of this particular even for a few weeks, hoping the ISS' small orbital eccentricities would put the transit in a favorable location for me. And lucky me - All I had to do was take my telescope outside and get set up!
I used RegiStax to stack the 68 frames with the ISS in it, as well as a few on either side in order to create a clean background. Then, I used Photoshop to mask where the ISS was in each frame. It was a bit tough to not have obvious boundaries where I masked each frame, but I think I'm happy with the end product.Brimming with imagination, energy, and genre-smashing scope, Fitz & The Tantrums defied the odds to become an indisputable phenomenon, a chart-topping, show-stopping modern pop combo unlike any other. Now, with their spectacular Elektra Records debut, More Than Just A Dream, the Los Angeles-based sextet have ramped up the timeless songcraft and soul sonic force that made them a worldwide sensation to fashion a kaleidoscopic milestone that delivers on the promise of their 2010 breakthrough, Pickin' Up The Pieces. Songs like the impossibly catchy first single, "Out Of My League" are positively brazen with verve and vivacity, demonstrating all the drama and passion of the band's famed live shows. From the charged back-and-forth between co-lead vocalists Fitz and Noelle Scaggs to the incontrovertible power of The Tantrums in full flight, More Than Just A Dream is the sound of a great band taking it right to the edge.
Kopecky Family Band
Like all families, Kopecky Family Band beats with the same heart and writes in the same blood. 'The Family' began creating music together in Nashville, Tennessee in the Fall of 2007. What began as late night talks about life and dreams gradually flowed into eccentric and beautiful music that has led to numerous tours, including adventures to CMJ, SXSW and Bonnaroo, three EP releases, a recent full length album release (Kids Raising Kids) and friendships across the country.
"Family" is a word that encompasses a variety of definitions. With that in mind, let this introduction to Kopecky Family Band be taken with an open mind and with a grain of salt. This family is connected not by blood or by heritage, but by circumstance. No, this is a family bound by the miles on their odometer and by the songs they have crafted over the years. These six young musicians have created a family through their commitment to each other and to their craft. Crack open your dictionary, if you need to.
The Kopecky Family Band – a non-traditional family, at that – is dynamic, and they wield an equally dynamic slew of instruments. Their thoughtful songwriting is supported by a diverse backdrop of sound. And the musical canvas is covered with broad brushstrokes – ranging from clanging tambourines and guitars, booming percussion, intelligent string arrangements, and triumphant horns. These six band-mates – siblings, if you will – swap their musical tools without a second thought, creating an emotive, adventurous, and energetic environment onstage.
In late 2007, founding members Kelsey Kopecky and Gabriel Simon became united with four friends who shared a mutual vision. They planted seeds that have been nurtured for the past five years through persistent touring and recording – and those seeds are rapidly reaching maturity. With thousands of miles traveled, and surely thousands to come, the Kopecky Family Band is only just beginning their adventure – and they want to bring you along for the ride.If keeping the brain spry were as simple as pumping iron, everyone would want to own the ultimate piece of cognitive exercise equipment. But designing activities to reverse the mental effects of aging is tricky. A new video game created by neuroscientists shows promise in reversing some signs of decline. Now, the researchers behind it aim to prove that video game training can be more than the latest workout craze.
Games designed to keep the brain healthy as it ages have found an eager audience. “Many, many people have gotten into the business,” says neuropsychologist Glenn Smith of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The brain does appear to be capable of changing its structure and developing new skills over the course of a lifetime. But not all the products on the market are designed using scientific knowledge of the aging brain, and their ability to make meaningful, lasting changes hasn’t been proven, says Smith, who studies games as treatment for early signs of dementia. “There’s an awful lot of skepticism out there,” he says.
The heart of the issue is whether practicing a video game can strengthen skills that are useful away from a computer. Early research showed that people could improve on computerized memory and speed tasks in the lab, Smith says. But it’s not clear whether these gains translate to everyday life. A recent trend puts more value in games that target the underlying problem—the decline in ability to remember and react as people age.
Neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, had this trend in mind as they developed a video game called NeuroRacer. Building on research showing that distractions become more problematic with age, the group worked with the gaming industry to create a 3D environment that would target multitasking skill.
NeuroRacer throws two tasks at a player simultaneously. Players must press a button only when a certain symbol (like a blue circle) appears onscreen and avoid reacting to other symbols that pop up. Meanwhile, they must use a joystick to control a car swerving along a winding, hilly virtual track. As a player gets better at managing the chaos, both tasks speed up, keeping the game “right in that sweet spot, where it’s not too hard and frustrating, and not too easy and boring,” Gazzaley said during a telephone press briefing yesterday.
In an initial test, 174 individuals who ranged in age from their 20s to their 70s played the game while wearing electroencephalography (EEG) caps that read electrical activity in their brains.
Then, 16 healthy older adults (ages 60 to 85) took the game home to play on laptops three times a week for a month. They then returned to the lab to play the game wearing the EEG sensors again. Before and after this training, the participants went through a battery of cognitive tests, designed to measure skills such as memory and attention.
After training, the older adults showed improvements in their multitasking skill, measured by how little their performance dropped when the driving task was added on top of the symbol task. In fact, they scored better than untrained 20-year-olds. They also maintained this skill for 6 months after the training, without further practice.
The gamers showed changes in the rhythmic firing of neurons in the part of the brain known as midline frontal theta. This response, which is thought to be associated with memory and attention, occurred right after a new target symbol appeared on the screen and was more pronounced in younger players. But after the older players trained, this pattern strengthened, suggesting that NeuroRacer changes key mechanisms in the aging brain, Gazzaley argues.
Indeed, even outside the video game world, people who trained with NeuroRacer saw improvements on certain tests of memory and attention, the group reports online today in Nature. The older gamers showed gains of about 100 milliseconds in the speed of their response to a test of working memory—the ability to hold something in the mind briefly and then recall it—while there were no improvements in the control groups (who either didn’t play the game or weren’t forced to do the driving and sign recognition tasks simultaneously). The gamers also improved on a test of sustained attention, where they had to remain vigilant and react quickly to a change on the screen.
Smith calls these gains “pretty impressive,” considering that the subjects trained only for 12 hours. Neuroscientist Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, agrees that the results are “very promising,” but he says that some of the most important questions about the game’s value, including “Can it keep me out of the nursing home longer?” can’t be answered from this study. The potential benefits may be revealed by future research on behavior—such as remembering tasks throughout the day and driving safely—in larger groups of adults.
Meanwhile, Gazzaley plans to develop games to improve cognitive skills in other groups, including people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or depression.Women in Game Development
Breaking the Glass Level Cap
Edited by Jennifer Brandes Helpler
Disclosure: I have had the chance to collaborate with many of the women who contributed to this book. Either by writing for them, collaborating with them on projects, having them as a guest on my podcast, or paneling with them at conventions. Prior knowledge of their work has not influenced my opinion of the book. ~ TCD
July 19, 2016
By T. DePass
This book is required reading, not just for young women who might be entertaining the idea of entering the games industry. So often the narrative of women in games is framed around the abuse and harassment they have received in the last couple of years from the public and the industry; but this book puts them back in the narrative.
We get to hear their stories direct from them, unfiltered to know how they came to be in games whether they are an industry veteran like Brenda Romero or a relative newcomer such as Karisma Williams. Stories we’d never get because of how the narrative around women in games has been spun for us.
This collection of personal essays is important not just for learning more about the women that have led the way, are still in the industry and have helped pave the |
of Elsa’s servants picked her up, then she would somehow know what Anna would be wearing and bringing tomorrow.
Elsa bit her lip sweetly and nodded. Anna pressed another kiss against Elsa’s cheek and the older woman let out a sigh. The lingering smell of primroses tickled Anna’s nose. Slender fingers tangled themselves in one of her braids, running through the strawberry-blonde strands gently, keeping her close.
“I should really get back to work,” Anna said. Still, she didn’t move. Elsa laughed softly. Anna grinned and pressed their foreheads together. In response, Elsa closed the last centimeter with a kiss.
All thought banished from Anna’s mind
Work could wait a few more minutes.Developed by Young Horses, Published by Young Horses. Released January 30 2014. Available on PC (reviewed), PS4.
It's hard not to see something inherently dark in the world of Octodad. Here, an octopus dons a suit and attempts to pass itself off as a human man, having gotten itself married and somehow siring children. On the surface, it's a cute concept, reminiscent of The Animaniacs' Chicken Boo character, and we're expected to laugh at the inexplicable lack of suspicion from Octodad's societal peers.
But there's something inherently disturbing about a family witnessing a husband and father staggering uncontrollably about the house, smashing furniture, smacking his children in the head, and burbling incoherently like a drunk, violent monster. If indeed the world sees Octodad as human, at least while he's wearing a suit, then the smiling obliviousness of his family takes on the appearance of desperate denial, the panicked Stepford grinning of Arthur "Trinity Killer" Mitchell's enthralled wife and kids.
That said, it is pretty funny to watch the undercover cephalopod throw bottles around.
For those unfamiliar with the original Octodad, the premise is simple - as the titular tentacled father, you must pass as human while dealing with the awkward movements of a landbound sea creature. With demented physics and controls reminiscent of the delightfully frustrating QWOP, the player must attempt to live a normal life in a most abnormal fashion.
To move or interact with the world, one must take direct control of Octodad's tentacles, thus taking indirect control of Octodad himself. The simple act of walking, for example, requires one to lift a tentacle with a button press, thrust it forward, then lift the other and repeat the process. The arms are manipulated in a similar fashion, manipulated via analog sticks while one presses another button to latch onto objects.
The result of this control scheme is an intended anarchy, as Octodad flails around amusingly when trying to do something as simple as make a pot of coffee. It's hard not to laugh as the gibbering creature knocks over chairs, inadvertently tosses boxes, and propels himself wildly across the floor with his limbs stretching manically in all directions. Thanks to some smart streamlining of the controls (certain actions, such as pouring liquid or using tools, are performed automatically when positioned correctly), Young Horses does a fine job of balancing chaos against playability. For the most part, the game is wild and hard to control, but simple enough in its demands to not get too frustrating as a result.
Dadliest Catch is broken up into several environments with a series of environmental puzzles. For example, the supermarket requires one to pick up several food items by climbing a display stand, squeezing through the shelves of a freezer, and sneaking up to another shopper's cart in order to steal the last box of cereal in the store. Packed with visual gags, references to other popular indie games, and kept ticking along by its own ridiculous physical comedy, Octodad is a hard game to hate, and one may find themselves blazing through its humble two-hour running time.
The game is at its best when it allows the player to tackle objectives at their own pace (and desired level of chicanery). This is a little undermined by an unnecessary fail-state (mess around too much and people will unmask you for what you really are), not to mention a fairly disappointing stealth section that has you sneaking clumsily around and shifts the balance from fun to annoying. The stealth parts in particular feel included for the sake of making Octodad more traditionally "game-like," an insecure move that can be safely shaken off in a post-Stanley Parable world. Instead, 'Dad has to deal with the threat of an evil sushi chef, hell-bent on exposing our hero's charade and turning him into food. It's a needless sense of urgency that turns Octodad into something more typical than remarkable.
I'd much rather the game continue to be as domestic and laid back as it starts, rather than regress into sneaking segments, action sequences, and a fairly mediocre concluding boss fight. The appeal of the game is in trying to perform mundane tasks as an oceanic dissimulator, not in trying to be a poor man's Solid Snake (or in this case, Decoy Octopus), and the deliberately confused control scheme is terribly suited to such bog-standard gameplay.
Outside of the story mode, there's co-op for those who want to try and control one octopus with two brains, and tools to allow users to create their own levels. People are already uploading their own inventive stages, and considering the short campaign, it's highly recommended that one checks them out. From score-based challenges to anti-gravity and shrunken modes, there's some silly stuff to play around with.
Boasting a bright, cartoon-like visual style (probably for the best, as photorealism here would be horrifying), and backed up by some wonderfully catchy music, this is a beautifully presented little adventure. Environments are large and clear, the octopus is hilarious to watch in motion, and the voice acting is pretty endearing to boot. Even the children aren't too annoying to listen to, which is a rare treat!
A few technical issues hold things back, sadly. Twice I had to reload a checkpoint - once because 'Dad's leg got stuck between a child and some scenery, and once thanks to the camera completely freezing, rendering me unable to see anything I was doing. Checkpoints are generally well-placed, but it's a shame that I had to reload any at all.
Dadliest Catch is a damn funny game and is, for the most part, a joy to play. However, being so damn brief while squandering its concluding chapters on some unsavory and unimaginative gameplay makes this one less of a guaranteed must-have than it deserves to be. At its best, this is a brilliant, inventive bushel of laughs. At its worst, it's a stealth game with terrible stealth controls. Nevertheless, it's definitely a fun ride that will make itself more valuable as folks continue to add user-generated levels.
Bottom Line: Its brevity and reliance on contrived challenges work against Octodad: Deadliest Catch, but when it's at its best, it's a damn hilarious game that'll charm the pants off most players.
Recommendation: It may be a good idea to wait and see what user-generated content comes up, but if you're in need of a good chuckle and don't mind spending $14.99 for a two-hour distraction, Octodad will do right by you.This is a paragraph from Thomas Friedman’s book From Beirut to Jerusalem and only seems appropriate given the news of Neil Armstrong’s passing (h/t Stephanie Butnick):
When American astronaut Neil Armstrong, a devout Christian, visited Israel after his trip to the moon, he was taken on a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem by Israeli archaeologist Meir Ben-Dov. When they got to the Hulda Gate, which is at the top of the stairs leading to the Temple Mount, Armstrong asked Ben-Dov whether Jesus had stepped anywhere around there.
“I told him, ‘Look, Jesus was a Jew,'” recalled Ben-Dov.
“These are the steps that lead to the Temple, so he must have walked here many times.”
Armstrong then asked if these were the original steps, and Ben-Dov confirmed that they were.
“So Jesus stepped right here?” asked Armstrong.
“That’s right,” answered Ben-Dov.
“I have to tell you,” Armstrong said to the Israeli archaeologist, “I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon.”In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote,
At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work—as a human being. What do I have to complain of, If I’m going to do what I was born for—the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?” —But it’s nicer here … So you were born to feel “nice”? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands? —But we have to sleep sometime… Agreed. But nature set a limit on that—as it did on eating and drinking. And you’re over the limit. You’ve had more than enough of that. But not of working. There you’re still below your quota. You don’t love yourself enough. Or you’d love your nature too, and what it demands of you. People who love what they do wear themselves down doing it, they even forget to wash or eat. Do you have less respect for your own nature than the engraver does for engraving, the dancer for the dance, the miser for money or the social climber for status? When they’re really possessed by what they do, they’d rather stop eating and sleeping than give up practicing their arts. Is helping others less valuable to you? Not worth your effort?
It’s a beautiful passage, and a good introduction to the Stoic philosophy that follows. For an emperor, too, it seems very sound counsel. But for anyone under the pall of depression, it’s some of the stupidest advice ever written.
And some of the most pernicious. Marcus Aurelius, presumably, is addressing merely the lazy, not those who are weighed down by their brains and bodies and accidents of life and chemistry. And yet, this still seems to be the going line on these things: Get up! Pull yourself together! Look at nature! Take a walk! When the very prospect of showering seems beyond comprehension, though, these are so many abstractions, and the exhortations yet another despair. It’s one more reason to feel bad.
Bad—what an inadequate word.
You don’t love yourself enough—well, no. We live in a time that tells you to live lavishly because you’re worth it. But what about those moments when you’re not worth it? Or can’t conceive of a world where you ever will be worth it? Self-care is so often conflated with self-indulgence that either can become unthinkable. And self-respect? That’s an idea for a world with a past, and a future, and more of a present than the pervasive misery of isolation. And yet, the body and the mind help us forget these things.
One day, in a very low moment, I went to the bookstore and looked at the section of self-help books marked “Happiness.” It was a vast collection, spanning some four shelves: cute books filled with cartoons and happy suggestions. Earnest books about changing your outlook. Practical books that laid out day-by-day plans and encouraged you to write positive messages in the margin. The words danced before my eyes and I felt more alone than ever. I wanted the book that didn’t tell me I was beautiful; I wanted the one that told me to keep makeup wipes by the bed for those days I couldn’t manage to wash my face. I didn’t want to read Emily Dickinson; I wanted to be told to keep my pills close at hand, and to have a set of clean, smooth sheets to put on the bed. I did not want to be told it would pass; I wanted to be told to throw all my mess in an extra-large tote bag and stow it out of my sightlines. I wanted the perverse mindfulness of the eye of the storm.
Later, I knew, there would be walks. There would be poems and cheerful aphorisms. There would be the beauty of nature, the ability to remember what happiness feels like. There would be helping people. There would be looking forward to things. And there would be puppies, literally—I had plans to visit a friend with a puppy later that day. But in the midst of it, these things are present only as a vacuum.
I didn’t buy a book that day. Instead I went home, and I put the new sheets on the bed, because the soft coolness against your cheek, at least, does not make things worse. And by the next day I had forgotten what the emptiness was like, and I wondered why I had not simply taken the Stoic’s advice and gone to work.
Sadie Stein is contributing editor of The Paris Review, and the Daily’s correspondent.Translated and compiled by Shin-wei Chang
On April 21, in response to the 45 Taiwanese deported to China from Kenya, President Ma Ying-jeou said the incident is not related to Taiwan’s sovereignty. Ma emphasized that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) share the same jurisdiction with ROC on the case, but some Taiwanese consider it a matter of sovereignty, leading to unnecessary disputes.
Ma emphasized the Kenya case is not a matter of sovereignty, but an issue of cooperation between the two countries.
He points out that the ROC and PRC should negotiate under the 2009 Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement. However, Taipei Times reports, specific principles need to be established to tackle similar cases in the future.
Consensus reached regarding deportation cases
Representatives from the PRC and ROC government have reached four conclusions through negotiations held in China regarding the Kenya and Malaysia cases.
1. Both sides agree to continue to adhere to the 2009 joint crime-fighting agreement in the future.
2. A joint investigation would be carried out soon.
3. The family members of the 45 people in China are allowed to visit the suspects.
4. Both sides agree to establish principles to fight against crime and realize social justice.
However, whether the remaining suspects would be deported back to Taiwan remains unclear. On April 21, Ma admitted that he would not able to bring the 45 people back before May 20, the day he hands over the office to president-elect Tsai Ing-wen.
As for the Malaysia case, 18 of the 20 suspects that have been deported back to Taiwan and released on April 15 were detained on April 20. The remaining two suspects have been banned from leaving the island.
Edited by Olivia Yang
Sources:
“Kenya case not a sovereignty issue: Ma” (Taipei Times)
“Taipei, Beijing to jointly probe cross-border fraud rings” (China Post)
Sanlih E-Television
China Times
CNA
ETTodayRyan Lee Blu-Ray Commentary Way back in the day you may remember that Joe Del Mar’s genius plan was to buy a bunch of copies of his first appearance, throw a fight to the Cthulhian, then reap the financial rewards. We never dealt with that fight on-panel of course, we only cover the pub here at Superpub for reasons that one hopes are obvious. Long story longer, Joe did throw that fight and he’s been dead for a couple months. Until now! Did you miss him? His friends didn’t.
This is the first script I wrote for Colugo, and he was a jerk from the beginning. I believe this is also our first attempt at an extended “Sunday edition” strip. Mike’s better equipped to talk about that. We just love torturing poor Joey around here. The whole joy for me is the fact that these people are way more interested in recipes than regenerating dead people. And that’s exactly how it would be, in my opinion. Even Blue Beetle can come back from the grave…who knows how to jazz up those dinner parties with a fresh hors d’oerve?"We knew we had to get some things together to really catalyze development in this area," says Amy Donahue of River City Company, a nonprofit development group that led the effort. Most of the properties they targeted were vacant and antiquated. Still, their value was clear: Most were within walkable distance to the local public university and surrounding restaurants and coffee shops. And the picturesque Tennessee River was right around the corner. Also, many were revered hotels and office buildings that told the history of the city—relics from an industrial-boom after WWII. In total, 1,260 new housing units were planned to occupy the fallow buildings. A year and a half later, Chattanooga's urban core is showing signs of a more vibrant residential area.
The latest downtown housing effort began in 2013, three years after the city's gigabit Internet was first introduced. The community was of course enthused by the changes they were seeing in the city. But to local policymakers, the level of housing density in downtown Chattanooga was far from ideal. Over 50,000 people showed up to work there each day, but a dearth of adequate housing prevented many of them from moving there. Over the course of several months, more than 70 local stakeholders came together to identify 22 downtown buildings that needed to be remodeled (some razed) to make room for new housing.
But there are other valuable infrastructure lessons being hashed out in Tennessee's fourth-largest city. Chattanooga is aiming to build on the reputation it's earned from its world-class broadband service. The goal is to make the city a sustainable innovation hub, showing that it's a well-rounded city rather than a one-trick pony. Evidence of this forward-thinking strategy can be seen in an ambitious expansion of housing downtown—known locally as the City Center—which is aimed at attracting young professionals that value walkable urban cores.
Chattanooga gets a lot of press thanks to its smart-grid Internet. Both The New York Times and The Guardian ran affectionate spreads of "Gig City" this past year. Both mentioned that Chattanooga residents can download a two-hour movie in under a minute. And both mentioned that the city's economy has been revolutionized as Chattanooga emerges as a destination for tech-driven innovation.
Already, 11 out of 22 buildings have been redeveloped or are in the process of being redeveloped, according to Donahue. Why have the structures flipped so quickly? One reason is that tech-focused venture capital firms have been getting into the mix—recognizing that downtown housing goes hand in hand with start-up activity.
Chattanooga won a second shot at life with its revolutionary Internet service. And it hasn't sat on its winnings.
Of the most recent proposals is a 43-unit microhousing project. The units will be built in a former hotel dating back to 1888, and will feature 300-400 square foot co-living spaces that are expected to cost roughly $850 per month to rent. Named the Tomorrow Building, the project is led by the Lamp Post Group, a well-known local venture capital firm that finances a number of Chattanooga-based startups. Joda Thongnopnua, Lamp Post's communications director, says he sees the project bringing a variety of changes to downtown. Best case scenario: Entrepreneurs from other tech hubs relocate to Chattanooga. In turn, more and better start-up activity takes off. But equally importantly will be the project's sidewalk-level retail. These types of social spots that accompany new housing, Thongnopnua says, is what will densify the city.
A denser downtown may prove to be more important to Chattanooga's tech scene than the speed of its Internet. A 2014 study by Brookings' Metropolitan Policy Program concluded that density "enhances innovation." Yet, compared to rival and aspirational start-up cities, Chattanooga lags behind in urban density.
The demand for downtown housing is clearly there, however. And the need to diversify the attractiveness of Chattanooga beyond its Internet-centric image is increasingly apparent. "Chattanooga can't keep relying on the 'Gig-City' thing," Carson Kahn, a San Francisco-based entrepreneur, says. Kahn was selected to participate in an innovation delegation held in Chattanooga in 2014, and is enthusiastic about the city's downtown area. He told me the aesthetics were "incredible." But Kahn expressed concern about Chattanooga's viability unless the city can offer a wider basket of resources to entrepreneurs. "[The fiber Internet] makes for a great nickname," but, "past that, Chattanooga's going to have to find out what its real advantages are."
That was made even clearer by a Federal Communications Commission ruling last week. The decision struck down regulations—in Tennessee and North Carolina—that largely prevent publicly owned broadband services from expanding. That's not entirely bad news for Chattanooga—for now. If the FCC ruling isn't shot down by an appellate court, according to reports, Chattanooga will have the right to offer its fiber Internet to new municipalities. But if Chattanooga-style Internet sweeps across the country, implies David Dayen of The New Republic, Chattanooga will look a lot less special. "The ruling has major implications for promoting competition, increasing broadband speeds, and perhaps even making broadband speeds look more like electricity," he writes.
But a city smart enough to build America's best Internet infrastructure is smart enough to know that can't be the end of its urban planning. Chattanooga essentially won a second shot at life with its revolutionary Internet service. And it hasn't simply sat on its winnings. Chattanooga's future will hinge on a broad range of infrastructure investment rather than simply its Internet—and that's a sustainable future.Good news, we finished Anodyne and it will be available for purchase on our website, Desura, and Gamersgate on February 4th.
Posted by seagaia on Jan 25th, 2013
Hey everyone,
Thank you for your patience and kind comments over the past half year - we've finally finished Anodyne and will be releasing it on our website, Desura, and Gamersgate, on Monday, February 4th. Currently I'm just sanity checking the game for any last minute issues before we upload it and get ready for the press push.
I also put up the new demo of the game. It has a lot of small changes from the September version, but the biggest addition is the area after the end of the original demo! Check it out and tell your friends and extended family.
That's about it. Don't forget you can pre-order the OST I wrote for Anodyne at seagaia.bandcamp.com for the low, low price of $3.
See you at release...
- Sean Hogan (@seagaia2)What do Papua New Guinea, Oman, and the United States of America have in common? They are the only three countries in the world with no paid-maternity-leave law. When you point out the deficiencies of the United States in this regard, somebody often replies, “This isn’t Scandinavia; we can’t impose cuddly capitalism”—the M.I.T. economist Daron Acemoglu’s phrase—“and still enjoy economic growth.” Granted, we’re not Sweden, but neither are we Romania, Uganda, Bolivia, or any of the hundred and eighty-five other countries that, according to a 2014 report from the U.N.’s Institute of Labor, provide their citizens with paid leave to care for a new child. Ninety-eight of those countries offer paid leave for fourteen weeks or more. In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Barack Obama vowed to make family leave and sick days a priority in the final two years of his Presidency. He has work to do. In the United States, where all sorts of powers are commonly attributed to the private sector, many people might imagine that employers take up the slack. But the majority of U.S. employers do not offer paid family leave, for the simple reason that they don’t have to.
When it comes to unpaid leave, the picture is brighter, thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act, which Congress passed in 1993. Remarkably little progress has been made in the two decades since then, despite the F.M.L.A.’s manifest weaknesses. The law allows workers to take up to twelve weeks’ leave without losing their jobs if they or their close family members fall ill, or when a baby arrives. But the leave is unpaid, so most low-wage workers cannot take advantage of it. And, because the law exempts workplaces with fewer than fifty employees, among other eligibility regulations, it only covers about sixty per cent of workers, anyway.
The F.M.L.A. had all the hallmarks of a first step; the problem was that there was never a second or third one. The economic downturn made the expansion of family leave—or, for that matter, guaranteed sick days—look much too cuddly, and congressional Republicans tended to want nothing to do with it. Nor was it an issue that feminists and women’s-rights activists focussed on all that intently. In recent years, it seems, we’ve heard more about work-life balance among professional women than among the working classes—more about how the Sheryl Sandbergs and the Marissa Mayers might finesse the demands of a job and a family than how a nurse, a bus driver, or a cashier could. Women in managerial and professional positions are more likely to work for employers that offer paid leaves, and if you happen to be a new parent who works at a tech company like Google or Facebook you can count on generous policies. But most workers can not.
There’s a similar divide when it comes to paid sick days, which, as President Obama noted in his address, about forty-three million American workers do not have. The Washington Post reported this week that eighty-eight per cent of private-sector managers and financial workers can take paid sick days, compared with only forty per cent of service workers. In November, Massachusetts voters passed a ballot measure that allows workers to earn up to forty hours of guaranteed sick leave a year; they can use it to stay home when a child is sick, or when they themselves are.
The Boston Globe told the stories of a few of the people the new law would help. There was Rosario Cabrera, a home health aide who’d gone into debt after she took a few days off from work to care for her son, who had been hospitalized. Barbara Fisher, of Hyde Park, had gone to work at Dunkin’ Donuts, “ ‘coughing and sneezing everywhere,’ wearing gloves and a mask,” because she couldn’t get the day off. Kettly Dehoux had to bring “her feverish 10-year-old daughter to work at Logan Airport, propping her up on a couch and sneaking into the break room to check on her throughout the day.”
“If you don’t work, you don’t get paid,” Dehoux, a fifty-six-year-old contract customer-service agent for two airlines, told the Globe. “It’s not human.”
Obama is offering two billion dollars in incentives to states that come up with their own family-leave laws. And he urged Congress to mandate paid sick days for the forty-three million workers who lack it, so that, as he said, people wouldn’t have to “make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home.” The Republican Congress is unlikely to take him up on these proposals, but Obama can at least do something for federal employees. He has signed a memorandum that allows them to take up to six weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or a seriously ill family member.
To those who worry that such policies are too costly for small businesses, the government, or maybe even women hoping to advance in their careers, there is some reassuring data. In the years since the F.M.L.A. was passed, California and New Jersey have both instituted six-week, partially paid family leave, funded by employees in the form of a small payroll tax.
The New Jersey law went into effect in 2009, and three years later the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers conducted a study that showed some remarkably robust and positive results. Women who had taken the leave were far more likely to be working nine to twelve months after the birth of their child than new mothers who had not; they were also thirty-nine per cent less likely to be on public assistance, and fifty-four per cent more likely to have seen an increase in their wages. This finding is important: in some of the European countries that offer very long leaves—of a year or more—women who take advantage of the policies often pay a price in promotions and earning potential. But, based on the evidence here, shorter leaves seem to boost women’s wages.
Studies also showed that, after the law in California went into effect, in 2004, people there took more and longer leaves. This was especially true for less advantaged women—non-college-educated, unmarried, and non-white mothers, who had previously taken maternity leaves that lasted, on average, only a week. (Among their college-educated, higher-income counterparts, the average was three to five weeks.) For all the attention being paid to the importance of bonding with infants, the fact that bonding isn’t instantaneous receives relatively little notice. A week of maternity leave goes by in a twilit blur; it’s hardly long enough for a new mother to get her physical strength back, let alone figure out the operating instructions for a tiny, dependent new creature. Women who went on paid leave breastfed their babies longer. Meanwhile, most of the businesses surveyed in California reported either positive or no noticeable impact from the family-leave law. Presumably, their employees came back to work happier, healthier, and less distracted.
The data on the California and New Jersey laws suggests something not altogether expected but very encouraging. Since women who take paid family leaves are more likely to see a wage increase and less likely to go on welfare, such policies may exert a positive effect not only on gender inequality but on economic inequality.
Obama’s new proposals don’t offer sweeping changes, but they are significant as the first real expansions of family-friendly—people-friendly, really—policies in a long time. There is popular momentum behind the idea of guaranteed sick days, in particular; along with Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, and a number of cities have now enacted such laws. These measures, along with minimum-wage laws, were among the few victories for Democrats in the midterm elections. If conservatives oppose these policies now, they will have to explain why American workers, virtually alone in the world, must struggle on without such basic protections. And that won’t be easy.Have scientists discovered how to create downpours in the desert?
Technology created 50 rainstorms in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain region last year
For centuries people living in the Middle East have dreamed of turning the sandy desert into land fit for growing crops with fresh water on tap.
Now that holy grail is a step closer after scientists employed by the ruler of Abu Dhabi claim to have generated a series of downpours.
Fifty rainstorms were created last year in the state's eastern Al Ain region using technology designed to control the weather.
Dry as dust: The sand dunes of the United Arab Emirates, which sees no rain at all for months. Now a secret project has brought storms to Abu Dhabi
Plan: Scientists are attempting to make clouds in the desert to give man control over the weather Most of the storms were at the height of the summer in July and August when there is no rain at all. People living in Abu Dhabi were baffled by the rainfall which sometimes turned into hail and included gales and lightening.
HOW TECHNOLOGY IS KICKING UP A STORM
The Metro System scientists used ionisers to produce negatively charged particles called electrons.
They have a natural tendency to attach to tiny specks of dust which are ever-present in the atmosphere in the desert-regions.
These are then carried up from the emitters by convection - upward currents of air generated by the heat release from sunlight as it hits the ground.
Once the dust particles reach the right height for cloud formation, the charges will attract water molecules floating in the air which then start to condense around them.
If there is sufficient moisture in the air, it induces billions of droplets to form which finally means cloud and rain.
The scientists have been working secretly for United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
They have been using giant ionisers, shaped like stripped down lampshades on steel poles, to generate fields of negatively charged particles.
These promote cloud formation and researchers hoped they could then produce rain.
In a confidential company video, the founder of the Swiss company in charge of the project, Metro Systems International, boasted of success.
Helmut Fluhrer said: 'We have achieved a number of rainfalls.'
It is believed to be the first time the system has produced rain from clear skies, according to the Sunday Times.
In the past, China and other countries have used chemicals for cloud-seeding to both induce and prevent rain falling.
Last June Metro Systems built five ionising sites each with 20 emitters which can send trillions of cloud-forming ions into the atmosphere.
Over four summer months the emitters were switched on when the required atmospheric level of humidity reached 30 per cent or more.
While the country's weather experts predicted no clouds or rain in the Al Ain region, rain fell on FIFTY-TWO occasions.
The project was monitored by the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, one of the world's major centres for atmospheric physics.
Professor Hartmut Grassl, a former institute director, said: There are many applications. One is getting water into a dry area.
'Maybe this is a most important point for mankind.'
State visit: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, accompanies the Queen at the Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi last year
Desert: Scientists created 50 rainstorms in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain region last year
The savings using the Weathertec technology are huge with the system costing £6 million a year while desalination is £45 million.
Building an ionising system is about £7 million while a desalination plant would be £850 million and costs a lot more to run.
Some scientists are treating the results in Al Ain with caution because Abu Dhabi is a coastal state and can experience natural summer rainfall triggered by air picking up moisture from the warm ocean before dropping it on land.
But the number of times it rained in the region so soon after the ionisers were switched on has encouraged researchers.
Professor Peter Wilderer witnessed the experiments first hand and is backing the breakthrough.This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: As we continue looking at some of the Republican presidential candidates, we’re joined by a former Christian evangelical whose father’s writings and work played a key role in Congress Member Michele Bachmann’s religious development. Our guest is Frank Schaeffer. He recently wrote a piece called “Michele Bachmann Was Inspired by My Dad and His Christian Reconstructionist Friends — Here’s Why That’s Terrifying.”
Schaeffer’s dad was Francis Schaeffer, one of the nation’s most influential evangelical Christian theologians and philosophers in the ’70s and ’80s.
In a recent profile in The New Yorker magazine, Michele Bachmann reveals she entered politics after watching Francis Schaeffer’s film How Should We Then Live? The film was directed by his son Frank, our guest today. Frank Schaeffer joins us from Boston, the author of several books, including Sex, Mom, and God and Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back.
Frank Schaeffer, welcome to Democracy Now! Talk about, well, Michele Bachmann and her relationship with your father, how she has felt about his teachings.
FRANK SCHAEFFER: Well, when she was at Oral Roberts Law School, founded by someone called Herb Titus, who then went on and worked for Pat Robertson and the 700 Club and founded a law school for him, she was unwittingly being trained by one of my father’s closest disciples who had been at his ministry many times. And Herb Titus and my dad and people like Rousas Rushdoony and other founders of the Reconstructionist movement, or the Dominionists, because they want to take dominion over the earth, including American politics, really believe that the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights should be replaced by what they regard as biblical law.
So what people have to understand about Michele Bachmann, and that I talk about in my book Sex, Mom, and God, is that she doesn’t just come from the far right of evangelical politics. She comes from a fringe even of the fringe, which is the Reconstructionist, Dominionist movement, that honestly, in the best of all worlds, as far as they’re concerned, would replace American democracy with a theocracy on a Christian level that would mirror something like modern-day Iran after it fell to the Ayatollah Khomeini.
AMY GOODMAN: At last week’s Republican presidential debate, Byron York of the Washington Examiner asked Michele Bachman about her relationship with her husband.
BYRON YORK: In 2006, when you were running for Congress, you described a moment in your life when your husband said you should study for a degree in tax law. You said you hated the idea. And then you explained, quote, “But the Lord said, 'Be submissive. Wives, you are to be submissive to your husbands.' As president, would you be submissive to your husband?”
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN: Thank you for that question, Byron.
BYRON YORK: You’re welcome.
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN: Marcus and I will be married for 33 years this September 10th. I’m in love with him. I’m so proud of him. And both he and I—what submission means to us, if that’s what your question is, it means respect. I respect my husband. He’s a wonderful, godly man and a great father. And he respects me as his wife. That’s how we operate our marriage. We respect each other. We love each other. And I’ve been so grateful that we’ve been able to build a home together. We have five wonderful children and 23 foster children. We’ve built a business together and a life together. And I’m very proud of him.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Michele Bachmann in the Republican debate. Frank Schaeffer, can you explain this whole issue of submission?
FRANK SCHAEFFER: Yeah, sure.
AMY GOODMAN: You wrote a piece called “Are Michele Bachmann’s Views about 'Christian Submission' Even More Extreme than She’s Letting On?”
FRANK SCHAEFFER: Yeah, that piece is on AlterNet right now, and I wrote it because, actually, what you just heard Michele Bachmann say there was a well-rehearsed, planned, bare-faced lie. In 2006, she |
en put it in his 2013 Average Is Over, the next generation of workers will be defined by their relationships with the machine: You can do very well if you are able to use technology to leverage your own productivity. You can also do very well if you are able to use your human skills to leverage the productivity of the machine. If you can’t do either, though, you might gradually fall into a welfare-supported underclass – because the world of work, even apparently merely “manual” labor, is largely out of your reach.Abdulgadir Masharipov was captured in a police raid after 17 days on the run
ISTANBUL // An Uzbek man, 34, confessed on Tuesday to slaughtering 39 people at an Istanbul nightclub on New Year’s Eve.
Abdulgadir Masharipov was captured in a police raid after 17 days on the run. Three women and an Iraqi man were also arrested during a massive operation involving 2,000 police officers in Istanbul.
“The terrorist confessed his crime,” Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said. He said fingerprints retrieved by forensics teams matched those of the attacker.
The governor said Masharipov was trained in Afghanistan, speaks four languages and is believed to have first entered Turkey illegally via its eastern border in January, 2016
“He is a well-trained terrorist,” Mr Sahin said.
Masharipov’s wife and daughter were detained in Istanbul on January 12. He is thought to have been with his four-year-old son at the time of his arrest. Photos showed Masharipov with a bruised eye and blood on his face and shirt, his neck gripped by a police officer.
__________________________________
ISIL in Turkey
■ With nothing to lose, ISIL shows its hand in Turkey
■ Capture of Istanbul attacker a small victory among Turkey’s security woes
■ The arrest of the Istanbul nightclub attacker – in pictures
________________________________
Police also confiscated 185,000 euros, two firearms and clips during the raid on an apartment.
The arrest came as a relief to Istanbul residents who were already on edge after several attacks in the city and who had feared for more than a two weeks that a trained killer was on the loose.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the arrest and congratulated the security forces.
“From now on in this country, nobody will get away with what they have done,” he said. “Everyone will be brought to account within the rule of law.”
After the attack on the Reina nightclub, which was claimed by ISIL, Masharipov had apparently slipped into the night. Security at the border was tightened but he did not leave Turkey. Instead, he was hiding in the working-class, densely populated western districts of Istanbul. The police eventually traced him to an apartment in the residential Esenyurt district.
An Iraqi man was also detained with him, as well as three women – one an Egyptian citizen and two others from African states.
Police allowed reporters into the apartment, which had been turned upside down during the 20 minute raid. Drawers had been flung open and clothes thrown on the floor, but there were also tantalising glimpses of daily life, such as handwritten notes and a half-eaten loaf of bread.
Neighbours were shocked to discover they had been living next to the most wanted man in Turkey. “It is like a nightmare, this man was living under the same roof and we didn’t know it,” said neighbour Sezen Aras.
Ali Haydar Demir knew something was wrong when he heard a commotion at around midnight in his apartment block on 911 Street in Esenyurt. “I heard a noise and went out – I thought someone was stuck in the lift. Then I saw the police in the corridor, and they told me to go inside,” he said. In fact, Mr Demir had stumbled upon the final preparations in the operation to capture Masharipov, who was living on the same floor.
There had been confusion over the attacker’s identity after the massacre, with reports initially suggesting a Kyrgyz national and then a Uighur from China was responsible.
But authorities later identified him as a 34-year-old Uzbek who was part of a Central Asian ISIL cell using the code name Ebu Muhammed Horasani.
Police released images taken from a chilling silent video he filmed with a selfie stick in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, before carrying out the attack.
The police are thought to have identified his location three days before the arrest, but delayed the raid so they could track his movements and his contacts.
The investigation had also focused on the central Turkish city of Konya where the attacker lived for several weeks after returning from Syria before moving to Istanbul.
Fifty people have now been detained in the investigation as a result of raids on 152 locations.
Of the 39 killed in the Reina nightclub, 27 were foreigners. They included citizens from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq and Morocco.
Although ISIL had been blamed for several previous terrorist attacks, including the triple suicide bombings at Istanbul airport last June, this was the first time the group had openly admitted a major attack in Turkey. It said it was in retaliation for Turkish military operations in northern Syria.
Capturing the attacker alive is a major victory for the Turkish security forces as he may be able to shed light on the existence of other ISIL cells in the city.
Prime minister Binali Yildirim said: “What matters is the capture of the perpetrator of this vile attack and exposing the powers behind him.”
* AgenciesJust like Garageband’s Amp Designer, the Pedalboard has enough power under the hood to really help bring out the best in your guitar tracks.
Whether you’re looking for bone crunching distortion, psychedelic delay or something more subtle to round out your sound, chances are you’ll find just what your looking for amongst the Pedalboard’s 30 stomp boxes.
Find out everything you need to get started in this Garageband Pedalboard tutorial ; from finding your way around the UI to using it’s advanced Router feature.
Complete your Garageband guitar knowledge by checking out my tutorial on the Amp Designer, young grasshopper.
What’s your favorite Garageband Pedalboard set up? How do you think these effects compare to some other, premium options? Let me know in the comments below, or come join in the tomfoolery on Facebook.Courtesy of womanagainstfeminism.tumblr.com
Michelle Smith is a research fellow at the Centre for Memory, Imagination and Invention at Deakin University.
Australian university campuses last week marked Bluestocking Week, a celebration that remembers the first women who entered English universities in the late 19th century.
Women in lecture halls were pioneering. Yet these trailblazers couldn’t take exams or expect to graduate with an actual degree. Newnham College for women at Cambridge University was established in 1871, but it was not until 1948 that women could hold a full Cambridge degree.
This is merely one area of discrimination that restricted what women could do with their lives. The reality of how little choice women had only a century ago is nevertheless absent in contemporary manifestations of anti-feminism, such as “Women Against Feminism.”
The phenomenon began on Tumblr, with women taking photographs of themselves holding signs that explain their reasons for opposing feminism. The site has been online since July 2013, but it’s only in the last month that it’s really started to generate heat online. Women’s statements range from claims that men are now the true victims of discrimination, to homophobic categorizations of feminists as “man-haters” and “lesbians”.
Any social justice movement with a long history and diverse adherents will exhibit contradictions and problematic ideas. However, Women Against Feminism is not only ahistorical, but fundamentally misreads the nature of feminism and the current status of women.
Let’s work through some of the common assumptions made in these anti-feminist declarations.
(1) “Men and women already have equal rights where I live.”
It is indeed true that in many Western nations women enjoy formal equality, but substantive equality remains elusive. Any of these rights also has the potential to be revoked at any time. Abortion rights, in particular, are continually challenged and overturned. We cannot simply say that feminism has done its work and that women will enjoy the rights and freedoms it has helped to achieve indefinitely.
Also, people regularly travel and migrate. Things might be better “where you live,” but what if you want to go somewhere where women aren’t allowed to drive, gain an education, or report a rape?
(2) “I was raised to be an independent woman, not a victim of anything.”
Prior to feminist activism, it would have been impossible for most women to be “independent”, regardless of their parents’ intentions. At various points in history, women couldn’t inherit property, work outside the home, learn to read, or even walk down the street unaccompanied. The efforts of generations of feminists helped to give women a say in government, the right to be educated, and social and sexual freedoms.
An independent woman would want to pursue any path in life that she wishes. She’s the kind of woman who would speak up when informed that her job has been made redundant because she’s pregnant, or who would get angry when told that she can’t walk home alone because otherwise she’d be inviting sexual assault. Independence and refusal to be a victim are feminist qualities.
(3) “I am an abomination to feminists” (because I am a stay-at-home mother).
Many Women Against Feminism believe that feminism opposes women’s work at home and denigrates those who don’t pursue careers. Historically, most women had no choice but to remain within the home and care for their children. Until as late as 1966, Australian women had to resign from the public service as soon as they married.
Feminism has always sought rights for women as mothers. Early Australian feminists, for example, campaigned for the government to provide an income to all mothers to recognize that parenting was the equivalent of a job and that it benefited the country. Feminism did challenge the expectation that women have no vocation of her own and be solely focused on cleaning and cooking for her family. This does not mean that feminism derides women who choose to focus on raising children and maintain a traditional division of labor. Though feminists would argue that the reverse situation, in which a male partner cares for the home and children, should be equally possible.
(4) “Men have rights too.”
As the vast majority of the world’s government and business leaders and holders of its wealth, it’s bizarre to suggest that men now lack social and political power. Women Against Feminism, however, often propose that men’s rights have been eroded because they usually have less access to their children after separation or divorce.
The continuing perception in courts and the general community that women are better suited to raise children, while men are better equipped to be in the workforce, is not a “right” that women enjoy. In dozens of ways, this belief restricts and hampers women’s rights and capacity to earn. The one drawback that affects men is the only one that anti-feminists mention.
(5) “I don’t need feminism because…”
It is impossible to extricate yourself from collective rights relating to gender, race, or sexuality. Unless you wish to withdraw from society, you will both benefit and suffer from political and social changes to what women can and cannot do. You may not want to need feminism, but you will benefit from its continued work toward maintaining basic rights and eliminating the kinds of sexism that cannot be legislated against regardless. It’s very easy for Women Against Feminism to declare that they don’t need feminism using the voice and powers that feminism made possible and which it continues to fight for.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.Estonia will mark the 20th anniversary of the restoration of its independence in August of this year. It will be a major milestone in a remarkable year - one that brought the European Capital of Culture to Tallinn and the euro to Estonia. It will also be an occasion for numerous speeches and newspaper articles on how our independence was won back, whether this is "the Estonia that we wanted," and what it means for Estonia to be an independent country in a globalized world.
To a large extent, the anniversary will be a rather Esto-centric, self-congratulatory affair. I, however, offer a proposal to use it for something even more meaningful – as an opportunity to show ourselves and the world that Estonia is as committed to the idea of freedom as it was in 1991 – by recognizing the independence of Palestine.
There are at least four compelling reasons why Estonia should formally recognize Palestine’s independence, not just (passively) support a two-state solution as is current official policy.
Firstly, recognizing Palestine’s independence would be in line with what the majority of Estonians would consider the right thing to do, given our national character and values. Granted, the Middle Eastern conflict is not covered in the Estonian media with the same rigor as in many other parts of Europe. As a result, general awareness and interest in the topic is relatively low. However, my subjective experience has been that if solicited, most Estonians recognize and support peaceful pursuits of Palestinians to rid themselves of occupation and to establish their own state.
Secondly, this would be a show of solidarity with another small nation that has been occupied by a foreign power since 1967, roughly the same time period that Estonia had been occupied for by the Soviets in 1991. Conditions on the ground, however, defy comparison. Life in Soviet Estonia during the 1970s and 80s was a breeze compared to the West Bank, let alone Gaza. At least Estonians were allowed to use the same roads as Soviet settlers to get from point A to point B within our country – which cannot be said of the West Bank today. Estonia’s solidarity with Palestine is particularly fitting at a time when the Palestinian Authority has made significant progress in institution-building, a fact that even Israel appears to admit.
Thirdly, it would be an affirmation of Estonia’s own sovereignty. Over the past decades, it has not always been obvious that Estonia chooses its foreign policy course with the necessary autonomy expected from an independent state. Estonia’s decision to enter the war in Iraq is a case in point – there was clear pressure to join the "coalition of the willing" despite two-thirds of Estonia’s population being against it. The 20th anniversary of restoring independence would be the right time to prove to ourselves and the world that once in a while, Estonia is capable of making up its own mind on issues of global importance.
Last but not least, this year Palestine continues to actively seek broad international recognition of its independence based on pre-1967 borders. Indeed, given the stalemate in official negotiations, and the incapability of the US and the Quartet to secure any kind of peace agreement, this may be the only remaining option for the Palestinians. As of today, Palestine’s independence has been formally recognized by several Latin American countries (including Brazil, Argentina and Chile) as well as Russia. France, Spain and Ireland have upgraded official embassy status to the Palestinian delegations in their countries. According to Haaretz, Spain may become the first European state to formally recognize Palestine’s independence. The momentum in support of Palestine is clearly there, which will force Estonia to take a stand as well.
But are there good reasons for why Estonia should not support Palestine’s independence among the first nations in Europe?
The fear of upsetting Israel (and by proxy, the United States) should not be one of them. Recognizing Palestine’s independence should not be seen as a hostile act towards Israel. The Jewish state can and should be Estonia’s ally and friend in many walks of life – culture, science, business, etc. - just not in the occupation of Palestine, please.
Nor can Estonia stay on the sidelines by arguing that the Middle Eastern conflict is none of our business, something for other nations to sort out. Estonia is already investing its resources in the region, as demonstrated by opening an embassy in Israel in November 2009, followed by a state visit of President Ilves in June 2010. Estonia is even advising the Palestinian Authority on developing e-government capabilities.
Clearly, the region does matter to Estonia.
Finally, one could argue that recognizing Palestine’s independence would be of no consequence; Estonia is too small and insignificant to shape in any way the course of the Middle Eastern conflict. I am convinced, though, that Estonia’s recognition of Palestine’s independence would not remain unnoticed among our neighbors and in the world at large. If Estonia were to take a clear stand on this issue, it might very well force more countries to prioritize the issue, take a stand, and thus help increase international pressure on Israel to eventually stop the occupation.
Fewer than 20 years ago, on August 22, 1991, Iceland became the first foreign state to recognize Estonia’s independence. Needless to say, this was an act of immense symbolic importance for Estonia. Today, there is an Iceland Square in central Tallinn with just one building carrying its address - Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The time is approaching for this very institution to support the pursuit of Palestinian people for freedom in the same spirit Iceland did for us 20 years ago.
This is Estonia’s Iceland Moment – a fundamentally right thing to do and an act of symbolic importance that would be noticed within Estonia and elsewhere in the world.
Oliver Loode is a member of MTÜ U-Pööre (NGO U-Turn), an Estonian activist group dedicated to the pursuit of free, humane and responsible societies. Oliver also moderates an Estonia-Palestine support group on Facebook.A European contribution to Native American ancestry could explain two longstanding puzzles about the people’s origins. One is that many ancient Native American skulls, including that of the well-known Kennewick man, look very different from those of the present day population. Another is that one of the five mitochondrial DNA lineages found in Native Americans, the lineage known as X, also occurs in Europeans. One explanation is that Europeans managed to cross the Atlantic in small boats some 20,000 years ago and joined the Native Americans from Siberia.
Dr. Willerslev thinks it more likely that European bearers of the X lineage had migrated across Siberia with the ancestors of the Mal’ta culture and joined them in their trek across the Beringian land bridge.
He said his finding does not solve the much-disputed question of when the Americas were first settled. Archaeologists long believed the people of the Clovis culture, dated from 13,000 years ago, were the first Americans, but several recent finds point to an earlier date. “We need the sequencing of more ancient genomes to address this question,” Dr. Willerslev said.
The Mal’ta people built houses that were partly underground, with bone walls and roofs made of reindeer antlers. Their culture is distinguished by its many art objects and its survival in an unforgiving climate.
Dr. Willerslev presented his team’s findings last month at a conference in Santa Fe on Native American origins. “There was a lot of surprise and some skepticism, as is often the case in science toward new findings,” said Dennis H. O’Rourke, an anthropologist at the University of Utah who works on ancient DNA and the North American Arctic.
Dr. O’Rourke said the result would prompt a search for more ancient DNA from Siberia in order to provide a better context for Dr. Willerslev’s reconstruction of early American origins. “I think it’s a very important and really interesting result, but it is from a single individual,” he said.
Theodore G. Schurr, an anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania, said Dr. Willerslev had provided an interesting new perspective on Native American origins that helped explain the presence of the mitochondrial X lineage in North America and enlarged the understanding of population history in Siberia. But the time and place of the East-West population mixing adduced by Dr. Willerslev is not yet clear, he said.Today I’m going to talk about a very different kind of gamebook to the ones I am used to. It’s “The Big Adventure of the Little Gremlin“, by Nikola Raykov a gamebook written for children ages 3 to 8. There have been gamebooks written for young children, but this is one of the first I see for children this young.
The story talks about a small gremling who lives in the forest, and suddenly discovers that the winter is going to arrive and… there won’t be that much food to eat! So this little guy starts a big quest in search of, you’ve guessed it, lots and lots of things to eat during the winter. And there he must go, travelling to one of several places in his magic world: the Big Mountain, the Deep River, the Dark Cave, the Enchanted Forest or even the Houses of Humans.
And each path he takes, leading to twenty different endings, is a complete joy to read. Playfully written, full of word plays and humour, the book is not only enjoyable to kids, but even I was able to enjoy reading these stories enormously. And each and every one of these pages is illustrated beautifully by a lot of different artists (Including the author!). Every page of this book speaks of a work of love.
If you have kids, and want to find a different way to play together that allows them to take choices and see their consequences, think no more. If you are a gamebook fan, and want to share with your children what makes interactive literature so special, this is a good chance.
Also, surprisingly for a product this good, you can download it COMPLETELY FOR FREE from its website.More Indians are planning to take an international holiday this summer, as a strong rupee boosts consumer confidence.
This is the verdict of major Indian online travel agency Yatra.com, which conducted a study into Indian travel plans for the coming summer season.
While last year a weak rupee saw most Indian travellers opt for a domestic break, this year a stronger currency is leading 89% Indians to consider making international travel plans, according to the survey.
Of these, 78% of travellers said they were hoping for the rupee to rise further before making firm plans, while 16% said they were willing to go even if the rupee stayed unchanged. The remaining 6% said they were undecided on their travel plans.
“As compared to last year, where we saw the rupee devalue to over INR68 to the US dollar, the strong resurgence of the rupee to INR59 this year has kick-started a significant surge in overseas travel due to attractive savings on air tickets. We have observed an increase of over 32% in travellers booking our international holiday packages this year,” said Sharat Dhall, president of Yatra.com.
The survey revealed that Europe, the US and the Southeast Asian countries are the destinations of choice for Indian outbound travellers, followed by Turkey and Mauritius.
But despite the increased confidence, Indian travellers are still seeking out bargains this summer. Yatra.com found that 46% of travellers would prefer spending less than INR10,000 (US$169) on hotel stay, and only 5% were willing to spend more than INR40,000 on their accommodation. But 49% said they would consider upgrading their hotel due to the rupee appreciation.
The Yatra.com survey was conducted among 4,000 individuals, 71% of whom were either professionals or self-employed.Lisp in Munich
Welcome to the Lisp User Group in Munich, Germany.
If you are fond of languages in the Lisp family and live in or close to Munich, we're the perfect place to find fellow Lispers.
If you heard about the Lisp language and now are curious about it, just drop by and find people who love to talk about what makes Lisp so great, or why Lisp and all other programming languages suck!
Common Lisp, Scheme,...
Although the majority of people in the group thinks that "Buddha is big, has hairy armpits, and laughs" (i.e. uses Common Lisp), we do not discriminate against those who live up with tiny standards (Scheme), or no standard at all (e.g. Clojure).
Communication
Coordination takes place via the munich-lisp mailinglist, be sure to subscribe so that you won't miss our meetings. It is quite low-traffic and the archive is public.
Meetings
To give purpose to the meetings, each meeting is supposed to be initiated by an informal, short talk. That's your perfect opportunity to show off what you recently have done in Lisp!
After the talk we likely have a beer, or two, in some pub.
Note that although we are in Germany, the talks and much of the discussion is actually in English, so don't hesitate to bring your english-speaking friends along. If you do not feel savy speaking English, this is no problem as most of the people are actually German, happy to talk to you in Deutsch. :-)
Next meeting
Any next meetings planned?
Location
The LMU describes how to get there.
Discussion of new Location
[1] Old Place, Tivolistr., see above
[0] Gene Center, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 25 http://www.lmb.uni-muenchen.de/mainframes/genecenter/content3.htm http://www.openstreetmap.de/karte.html?zoom=17&lat=48.11271&lon=11.46492&layers=0B
[3] Physics Departement, Theresienstr. http://www.openstreetmap.de/karte.html?zoom=16&lat=48.14801&lon=11.57309&layers=B0
[1] CCC, Balanstr. 166 http://www.openstreetmap.de/karte.html?zoom=17&lat=48.11271&lon=11.46492&layers=0B (I haven't discussed this with the ccc people yet, so I'm not 100% sure if we can do it there. There is also not that much space, maybe for 8 people)
Past meetings
24. April 2009, Marek Kubica: Why Scheme rocks
27. January 2009, Jim Newton presented SKILL, a Lisp dialect developed and used by Cadence Design Systems
3. December 2008, Tobias Rittweiler gave a talk about SLIME (slides available).
These are not all, but there was a long, long break since the earlier meetings, so this user group can be considered reborn. We hope that this time it'll last, just like the Python user group which also needed a second try to get moving.
Future meeting topics
Add yourself if you've got some topic to give a short talk about. We can then decide after each meeting what the topic of the next meeting will be.
TCR:
The Alexandria library is meant to contain functions that are needed on a regular basis, and that could be thought of being incorporated into a revision of the standard.
LLVM, the Low-Level Virtual Machine. Very brief introduction. It's not about Lisp per se, but about compiler technology in general.
Lorenz Mösenlechner:
Lisp & Lego Mindstorms
Matthias Benkard:
Marek Kubica:
A look on Clojure
rudybot: an IRC bot in Scheme
Jim Newton
CLOS Common Lisp Perspective on Object Oriented Programming
Charlotte Herzeel
Reusuable building blocks for software transactional memory (pdf)
Martin Loetzsch
Understanding the Dynamics of Complex Lisp Programs (excursions in lisp based web applications) pdf
A graphical terminal for Lisp gtfl
Christoph Senjak
A short introduction to Lispbuilder-SDL
category-other-communitiesLead Photo Credit: Snoridge CrossFit
Here's what you need to know...
According to Starrett, CrossFit doesn't leave many gaps when it comes to skill or metabolic conditioning. Starrett believes those who do CrossFit must get out of the gym and apply their fitness to see where they're at. It takes decades to optimize aerobic capacity. The best athletes are the ones who are competent technically and are the best movers. Training is the place to identify and correct problems before athletes test out their capabilities in competition.
The Mobility Guy
Kelly Starrett is a physical therapist, author of Becoming a Supple Leopard, owner of San Francisco CrossFit, and creator of MobilityWOD, a resource for helping athletes address the issues that limit movement.
Dr. John Rusin: What do you think about the latest developments of the CrossFit Games?
Kelly Starrett: The Games have turned into a really interesting performance festival with new technology, new ideas, and innovations in equipment. It's fun to be a spectator and tap into the current thinking about training and conditioning.
Another aspect of the Games that excites me is the examination of human function. What we've seen the past few years are athletes exceeding expectations of what's possible physically in terms of strength and metabolic demand, skill sets, and overall function.
With the programs changing just enough year to year, it's forced athletes to become generalists.
Whether we like it or not, the central tenant of GPP (general physical preparation) comes down to asking yourself the question, am I keeping an eye on all the aspects of my physical self? Am I challenging myself with new skills or new sports?
Dr. Rusin: You've worked with elite athletes from almost every sport. What sets top CrossFit athletes apart?
Kelly Starrett: One hallmark is that they were all excellent junior athletes that played lots of sports.
There's a rich history of competition and aerobic based work, so many of these athletes come in with a nice sport specific skill set and aerobic base that's used to being tested. What we're finding is that you can't fake your aerobic package.
There's been a good coach recently, Mark Rippetoe, that says it only takes two weeks to get in shape, but that is so not reality.
What we're seeing is that it takes decades to optimize an aerobic package. Just look at world class cyclists who are peaking in their mid-thirties.
The generalist athlete tends to be very durable. There are obviously some speed wobbles on the way to mastery, but these athletes have the ability to survive that.
What's interesting to see is the refinement of skill and technique. The best athletes are the ones who are competent technically and are the best movers.
It turns out that using great technique and stabilizing the core and spine is not only the best way to stay healthy, but also the best way to compete at the highest levels by being the most mechanically efficient.
Dr. Rusin: Is non-specific sport training something you think necessary for building physical longevity and performance?
Kelly Starrett: When we talk about traditional training, we're usually talking about high-rep skill training in a specific sport. We need a balanced strength and conditioning model that's very thorough.
I'm seeing that all the best practices across sports are starting to look very similar. What's good about CrossFit as a base practice is that it doesn't really leave many metabolic or skill holes.
If we look at CrossFit as a GPP to compete in other sports, sometimes people become excited about fitness as a sport and forget about using the fitness.
My only critique would be that people have forgotten about the original tenant of CrossFit – having constant exposure to new skills and sports, not just fitness. People must get out of the gym, apply their fitness, and see where they're at.
Dr. Rusin: You're known for breaking down athlete movement patterns and what you call archetypes. Is that something you attribute to CrossFit?
Kelly Starrett: I'm grateful that I had some formal physio training at the same time I discovered CrossFit, because those things grew up into two gigantic trees with root systems that intertwined.
It made me think about how we could improve how we think about sport performance and physio together. Having all that pattern recognition and having worked in so many other different sports made me identify dysfunctions across many different populations.
CrossFit Costa Mesa
Dr. Rusin: You've seen the progression of CrossFit and the CrossFit athlete over 13 years. What's allowed them to advance, break PRs, and continue progressing?
Kelly Starrett: There used to be a time where you could just outwork everyone and leverage your mutant self to do amazing things and compete at the highest level, but that ship has sailed.
What we're now seeing is real refinement in programming and adaptation to programming.
Athletes and coaches are now very sophisticated. There are a lot of things going on behind the scenes now at the highest level that would shock the person looking in from the outside.
The overall workload has really increased. There used to be a time where you could train once a day and qualify for the Games, where now it's a full time job for the top athletes, working out multiple times a day in many different training domains.
What we're seeing in the Games is the consummation of over five years of really high-end training. That's definitely one of the common denominators.
At this elite level, we've seen things like nutrition, recovery, and hydration become very sophisticated just to maintain this level of intensity and high amount of workload. It's not just about working hard anymore.
Dr. Rusin: Is training for elite CrossFit athletes different from the traditional CrossFit WODs?
Kelly Starrett: The CrossFit model has always been extremely flexible.
The idea of GPP for the average CrossFit consumer is short and fast. Work on a skill, work on a strength, have a lift, then get in some conditioning. This allows us to program infinitely.
What people are not doing is pulling up really big heavy volume and smashing themselves day after day. That's not what it looks like at all. Periodization, progressive loading, and systematic training methods are becoming more mainstreamed.
Because CrossFit involves using heavy 1RM-style movement in addition to heavy metabolic work, there are specialty coaches that are being sought out to program for high-level CrossFit athletes.
What we aren't seeing is top-level athletes just doing random WODs. That's not what it is. These athletes are still challenging their skill sets and endurance while doing multiple movements, but there are multiple pieces to every day's training plan.
Dr. Rusin: Let's talk injuries and career longevity.
Kelly Starrett: I think we've seen a lot of longevity in the careers of elite CrossFit athletes, but once in a while something freakish happens.
But if we look at the actual numbers of people participating, that number is very high, and the number of tweaks and outlier injuries is very low. Sometimes I can't correlate an injury that happens during strength and conditioning movements into being a CrossFit injury.
What really good programming does is force us to move consistently in multiple motor patterns so we're fluent in lots of different pillars. Very thorough programming is looking at the position that the body's in and asking, "Are we spending time in this range?"
Dr. Rusin: Freak injuries happening in sports is nothing new. Freak things that happen on the main stage like the Julie Foucher injury causes people to point fingers.
Kelly Starrett: That's just like Kobe Bryant tearing his achilles!
Dr. Rusin: Exactly. And instead of blaming the NBA for setting up Kobe for injury, fans accepted this as part of the game. But as soon as the same injury happens in CrossFit, people want to point fingers at the system.
Kelly Starrett: The research has shown that CrossFit is as safe as any other sport and much safer than sports like running.
I'm being completely honest here. The key is looking back and having a fundamental conversation about the things that we can control, and identifying the mistakes that we made.
As a physio, I'd say that 98% of the problems we see orthopedically are preventable. What people miss sometimes is that real sport is a chance to test our abilities from our training skills.
That's what sport is. If we redline, then we go back and we should be able to figure out where the holes and deficiencies are.
Training is a chance to run the diagnostics all the way through. We've moved beyond answering the question, "Are we getting stronger and faster?"
Really good training is also saying when you fatigue or default, you have the ability to fix it. Training is the place to identify the problems, so that when we test it in competition it can work for us.
We should be able to see everything there is to see in the gym. When we get into competition, there shouldn't be any surprises.
CrossFit 19 North
Dr. Rusin: The most intriguing thing about the CrossFit model is the ability to perform under heavy metabolic fatigue.
People need to perform under fatigue in sport and their daily lives. Figuring out what an athlete's default mechanism is when they reach failure is pivotal both for performance and long-term safety in any sport.
Kelly Starrett: That's right! Look at Rich Froning for example. When Rich gets tired, his mechanics actually become better.
In the Games, everyone is really good in the first couple workouts because they're fresh. The differences metabolically between these guys and girls are very small.
One of the reasons the Games are so long is that it rewards efficiency and mechanical competency. The athletes that are really efficient will have more energy on the last day. They'll have better success in the last workouts. No different than any other sport.
It's crucial to understand that we can always push as hard as we want to push because we want to get a task done.
We must take the ego out of it when we train. When I see you on the edge of your technique or when your technique is about to falter, you're either done, or you rest, or you decrease the load.
We have to get out of the mindset that we'll just do more work because that's what you think you're supposed to do.
The idea that we work until we lose quality has to be forgotten. That's the key concept.
Yes, there are still gut-checks in the gym that are about grinding, but it's not about grinding in a bad position and hurting yourself. Everyone can work hard, but now people are starting to test intensity by the ability to maintain robust positions.
Dr. Rusin: It's almost like the runner's mindset of just finishing a race just to say you clocked the mileage. Their goal is to finish, not to actually run with a high quality gait.
Kelly Starrett: I'd say that the runners are the epitome of this old school notion that you run until you break, then back off and run until you break again.
If you talk to the best runners, they talk about refining their technique at the end of a race just the same as it was at the start of a race.
Dr. Rusin: What would be some of the top pillars for people to stay safe and perform at a high level for the long run?
Kelly Starrett: The things that we've been saying from the beginning would still hold true. It's consistency; it's mechanics. We got so excited about working hard that we forgot about position integrity and technique.
CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning system which means that we prioritize spinal stability and midline stabilization first.
Having a braced, organized spine before all else is key. Have that spinal position locked down? Great! Keep it and do a squat, keep it and do a push-up. Keep that spine |
bore a calf. The entire pod may have been left barren, as no calf has ever been seen in the 23 years the group have been monitored.
PCBs were used for decades in electrical equipment but finally banned in the 1980s after the full toxic impacts on people and wildlife were revealed. PCBs, which cause cancers and suppress the immune system, are especially harmful to top predators because they accumulate in fat up the food chain. Killer whales can live for many decades, meaning they can end up with very high levels of PCBs.
Tilikum and Granny are dead. Here’s why you should care about these killer whales | Patrick Barkham Read more
PCBs are extremely tough chemicals and do not break down in the environment. The decline in PCB levels in marine wildlife seen after the 1980s ban has now levelled off in some places, indicating that the toxic chemicals are still leaking into the oceans from inadequate waste storage sites.
“Once PCBs get into the marine environment, they are difficult if not impossible to remove,” said Brownlow. “There are still many PCB stockpiles in Europe, and it is absolutely essential that these toxic reserves do not reach the marine environment.”
Bottlenose dolphins in the north-east Atlantic have also shown both high PCB levels and low reproductive rates. Other PCBs hotspots around the world include the entire Mediterranean and the Black Sea, while specific populations suffering from PCB poisoning include belugas in Canada and polar bears across the Arctic.
In February, scientists discovered “extraordinary” amounts of PCBs had even reached the most remote and inaccessible place on the planet – the 10km deep Mariana trench in the Pacific Ocean.Provided by: Dominic Cantin
Summary authors & editors: Dominic Cantin; Martin Ruzek; SpaceWeather.com
A pair of solar wind disturbances buffeted Earth's magnetosphere during the weekend and triggered a geomagnetic storm. On Sunday, Sept. 30th, and Monday, Oct. 1st, high-latitude sky watchers spotted some of the most beautiful Northern Lights of the young aurora season. Intrepid night sky photographer Dominic Cantin captured this brilliant display north of Quebec City despite the nearly full moon. Forecasters say there is also a chance for more auroras during the nights ahead. The best time to look is around local midnight. A solar proton storm was underway earlier this week following an M9-class eruption on the Sun. The blast also hurled a bright lopsided coronal mass ejection into space and, perhaps, a solar wind disturbance toward Earth.
Related Links:Conservative commentator Bill Kristol responded to Donald Trump Donald John TrumpREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails Trump urges North Korea to denuclearize ahead of summit Venezuela's Maduro says he fears 'bad' people around Trump MORE’s attack on Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) on Saturday, arguing the president-elect treats the civil rights icon worse than he does Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It’s telling, I’m afraid, that Donald Trump treats Vladimir Putin with more respect than he does John Lewis,” tweeted Kristol, a leading figure from the "Never Trump" movement.
It's telling, I'm afraid, that Donald Trump treats Vladimir Putin with more respect than he does John Lewis. — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) January 14, 2017
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Kristol was a vocal critic of Trump during the campaign. After his electoral win, Kristol said, “I hope President-elect Trump proves to be a far better president than I had expected.”
Trump slammed Lewis in a pair of tweets on Saturday morning after he questioned the president-elect’s legitimacy and announced that he would not attend Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Numerous lawmakers rushed to Lewis’ defense on Twitter, painting the civil rights icon as a devoted activist and politician. Several made similar observations to Kristol, noting Trump's relationship with Putin.
"Trump stands with V. Putin. I stand with John Lewis," New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler tweeted.
A strategist for former GOP presidential candidate John Kasich also knocked Trump over his claim that Lewis was "all talk" and "no action."
"Trump attacks: POWs, Mexicans, Muslims, disabled reporter, military & intel officers, Gold Star Parents, John Lewis. But never Putin. Never!" Kasich strategist John Weaver tweeted.Share 0 SHARES
CURRENTLY un-impeached President Of The United States Donald Trump yesterday announced that the USA would be pulling out of the Paris Accords agreement on climate change, ticking a big one off his list marked ‘Undo Everything That Barack Obama Spent Eight Years Doing’.
Having made it his business to go after ‘the big ones’, Trump has added cancelling America’s pledge to tackle climate change to his earlier act of repealing the Affordable Care Act, also known as ‘Obamacare’, just to remove any trace of the work done by a non-Republican president over the last two presidential terms.
With millions of Americans now facing the same crippling healthcare debt that they fleetingly escaped from thanks to the ACA and the entire world now facing an uncertain future filled with drought, mass-migration, famine and war, Trump has locked himself in the Oval Office with a team of aides to ‘go through the list’ and see what to undo next.
“He’s probably going to go for ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, get them gay lads out of the military,” said a source close to the White House.
“That one never sat well with the GOP. Then we’ll spin Guantanamo up to full speed again, torture the fuck out of some Muslims for a while, then go find the corpse of Osama Bin Laden and bring him back to life”.
Meanwhile, Trump has downplayed any fears about global warming, stating that it might mean ‘everyone has a nice tan like me’.I think you are absolutely correct. During the odimwit administration, we basically saw all the various federal bureaucracies weaponized against any that dared to disagree with their agenda. The IRS with lois lerner targeting tea party organizations, the AP wire tapping, members of the Senate being wire tapped, the BLM harassment of rural farmers, the EPA taking over people's property under the ridiculous expanded interpretations of the waters act that meant if you had a puddle on your property they could use it to take your property away from you, the military leaders that were dismissed for daring to disagree with the administration, the fact that hildahag clinton was being given access to national security information when she was running her campaign although she hadn't worked for the government for years and had committed espionage.
There's a MASSIVE can of worms that was hidden by the odimwit administration and it needs to be opened up and aired out for all to see now that President Trump and AG Jeff Sessions are in office.It was as if Samson had been reincarnated.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, many Jewish men and their children were transfixed by their black-and-white television screens on nights when wrestling was televised and the featured fighter was Rafael Halperin.
After a war in which six million Jews were slaughtered, here was a Jew, sinewy and fearless, who could vanquish most of his opponents, some of whom were chosen because they looked like comic-book villains. So what if there were rumors that the fights were staged. Halperin was someone who appeared to be a genuine ethnic hero.
Halperin and other Jewish Samsons — wrestlers and boxers — are the focus of a modest new exhibition, “Yiddish Fight Club,” opening Thursday evening at the Yivo Institute of Jewish Research at the Center for Jewish History on West 16th Street in Manhattan. The show is laced with multiple Yiddish terms for pugilistic moves, like “knak” (a hard punch), “shtaysl” (an uppercut) and “der gubernator” (jabbing one’s thumb into a foe’s rib cage).
“Jews were traditionally stereotyped as intellectuals and nebbishes,” the exhibition’s creator, Eddy Portnoy, said, “but there was always an element of the working class that was tough and street smart and worked with their hands and fought with their hands.”Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attacks the Koch Brothers, claiming they don't care about middle class and calling them "power-drunk billionaires." (The Washington Post)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) mentions the Koch brothers so frequently these days it almost wouldn’t be a Senate floor speech without at least one or two barbs directed at the Republican mega-donors.
And Monday was no exception.
Seven minutes into the new Senate week, he laid into Charles and David Koch, this time comparing them to Vegas magicians and referring to them as “power-drunk billionaires.”
In February, Reid called the Republican benefactors “un-American” in response to anti-Obamacare ads run by a Koch-backed group.
"It's too bad that they're trying to buy America, and it's time that the American people spoke out against this terrible dishonesty of these two brothers who are about as un-American as anyone I can imagine," Reid said on the Senate floor.
Koch brothers-backed groups have already spent tens of millions of dollars attacking vulnerable Democrats on Obamacare, turning them into a popular Democratic target for the midterm elections.Typically, a Thug show prior to this tour would be at a club, with an all-black, all-urban crowd. The majority of these [Rodeo] shows are a mixed crowd, race-wise. Before, Thug would perform three or four songs with no DJ, just a CD, so it was really more like hosting a party. He went from doing shows like that to having his own tour DJ, having visuals on screen that him and his team created, to having his own merch, selling t-shirts. He was doing meet and greets by the end of the tour. Actually interacting and talking to fans, doing autographs, all the little things.
He made it a point every night to change clothes. The fashion and his style was definitely something that stood out. He performed in long johns one time, and the poncho. One end of the spectrum he's wearing Hooters tank tops, then on the other end he would come out in the new Yeezys or the Red Octobers, stuff which caught people like, 'Oh wow, this guy can dress.' That's something I've seen since the beginning with Thug. No matter how people try to make fun of it, he's so confident in his skin he can literally wear anything and make you a believer. He made it cool to wear whatever and no one questions it. They love it. That's what people love about Thug and what makes him such a dope artist. The way he performs after this tour is going to be a whole different experience.April 9th, 2011
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http://www.soundwaveaz.com/The somewhat pleasing aspect was that the victories were by no means polished. There is more in the tank. I do like the way coach Michael Cheika is drilling into the players that each session and each game they are trying to improve. So what went wrong in Auckland? You could question the selections, but they are internationally experienced so I think that is drawing a long bow. Certainly the knock-on effect from the win in Sydney was a driving factor. The New Zealand public were livid at the loss and more focused on the why than some of the extras surrounding the game. Extras such as Richie McCaw playing a record-breaking 142nd Test and his posse of Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu turning out for the last time at home made for some emotional footy from their side. Then there was the ground itself. The noise the other night was immense. I have never heard anything like that before.
I am one to say the crowd can't affect you but it would be great to run out to that each time you play. The lift you get would be immeasurable. Fortunately for all the other teams in the World Cup, they can't transport Eden Park to the UK. Earlier in the season I stressed the importance of bench players and what impact they have on a team. For the Wallabies The Rugby Championship was a gold mine. Unearthing bench players who, when they took the field, upped the speed and tempo and closed out games. That's just what Cheika is looking for. Being a bench player, however, does not necessarily mean that you can control a game from the off. That is the responsibility of the starting XV.
There has been plenty of speculation about who should wear the No.10 for the Wallabies in the UK. Plenty of criticism was levelled at Quade Cooper's performance on the weekend but, to be honest, I don't think any other five-eighth would have been able to arrest the onslaught from the men in black. He and Bernard Foley are the two main contenders for the position, with Matt Giteau and Matt Toomua the other options. I think Foley should be the playmaker to lead the team. Remember, this bloke has just broken 20 Test caps, which is relatively new to the scene, but we are putting all the pressure on his shoulders. He has the responsibility of both running the team and kicking goals. I think if you asked him about his performance against South Africa and Argentina he would say a pass mark, maybe a little more, but what you have to take into account is that his position cops the onslaught of any team in those opening minutes.
A player who distributes well, understands game management and what looks like the Wallabies mantra at the moment - possession - should occupy the role of pivot. I did feel for him on occasions in Argentina as communication was lacking. A contributing factor in that, I suspect, stemmed from the responsibility of kicking goals. He has become quite the sharpshooter and certainly was able to hold his nerve in the Waratahs' breakthrough win last season, but I know from experience that if you miss a couple of shots your mind can start to wander. You question things that should be second nature. I remember vividly playing a game where I hoped the ball didn't come my way as I felt that if it did I would make an error. That all came back to poor goalkicking. I have been replaced mid-Test. There is no harm in making a tough decision. The mind is a wicked thing.The Canada Revenue Agency wants to set the record straight when journalists fail to include its upbeat take in their stories.
A new document shows the CRA is considering a special web page to post rebuttals to media coverage it doesn't like. The web page would also be a place where the agency could direct journalists to a canned response if it gets flooded with calls on a hot topic.
Officials pitched the idea to CRA commissioner Andrew Treusch in an August 2014 memo.
"The purpose of this briefing note is to follow up on a discussion with your office of actions that might be taken to get our positive messaging out in instances where media coverage does not reflect the content we have provided," it says.
The agency wants to put out facts and data, 'both in a broad sense and in instances where we are encountering difficulties in generating media pickup of this information and balanced coverage.' (Canada Revenue Agency)
The Canadian Press obtained a copy of the memo under the Access to Information Act.
The document weighed the pros and cons of the idea. On the one hand, the agency saw the advantage of putting out facts and data, "both in a broad sense and in instances where we are encountering difficulties in generating media pickup of this information and balanced coverage."
Media stories
On the other hand, the CRA wants to avoid scooping journalists by posting responses to their questions on its website before their stories are published or broadcast.
"Constructive relationships with the media are important to the CRA's compliance communications goals, as the CRA relies on the media to convey information for taxpayers throughout the year, particularly during filing season," the memo says.
The CRA...is always seeking new ways to provide timely, relevant and factual information to all media and to Canadians. - Spokeswoman Jennifer McCabe
"We also want to avoid outcomes that incur significant costs for the agency — for example, as a result of the need for translation."
In the end, agency officials recommended going ahead with the plan.
"(Public affairs branch) proposes the creation of a new section in the newsroom on the CRA website where the agency could post relevant, approved material in instances where a journalist has written an article without reflecting the CRA's input or when the agency is responding to numerous media requests on a significant subject."
Officials told Treusch that if he approved of it, the new section of the website could be up and running by the end of September. The commissioner signed off on the idea on Aug. 8.
The federal revenue agency wants to make sure positive messages get out during tax season. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)
In the comments section, he told staff to brief the officials in the office of National Revenue Minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay and to ask them if they'd like a similar memo.
The new section had not appeared on the agency's website as of Sunday.
CRA spokeswoman Jennifer McCabe said the idea is "still under consideration."
"The CRA puts a lot of time into the development of comprehensive responses to individual media inquiries, and is always seeking new ways to provide timely, relevant and factual information to all media and to Canadians," she wrote in an email.By -
Social Networking plays a crucial role in many aspects like getting the recognization, popularity, which leads to a great deal of traffic. In my previous article I have provided Top 50 Social Networking Websites for Sharing, Organizing, Searching and Bookmarking the web resources which dealt with Top list of Social bookmarking websites like digg, Stumble, Twitter, Reddit, Mixx, Dzone, Delicious etc.
If article is King, then publicity is the jack that which guides the King to drive enough Popularity. In this article, I mentioned 5 Websites that you need to promote your articles. Its just simply useless to have a diamond in our house, unless we show others.
Now in this article I am going to deal with 5+ websites that gives your articles great promotion. These were the proved websites, and one can submit articles easily without any registration required.
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Its really a great attempt to submit our articles in Social Networking websites that doesn’t require any registration or logins. So Let us switch to the List straight away.
List of 5+ Websites To Promote Your Articles with Direct Submission :
Fav Share : This gathers the best articles around the web, mostly related to web/graphics/blogging. All the articles are hand-approved by them to ensure the highest quality. You are supposed to just submit you article, they will check it and if it meets the requirements and standards it will be shared among huge masses of people. WP Candy : If you would like to submit an article, plugin, theme, or website on WordPress to be added to WPCandy. One of the best place to submit your WordPress reference articles. WP Arena : WordPress Arena is a WordPress-developers, designers blog, WPArena offers a collection of tips, tools, and resources for WordPress. You can submit your blog/website if you have any WordPress Powered articles. TripWire Magazine : You can submit links with short description which will appear in the side bar. Only the quality material will be allowed to be posted here. Only the approved articles will be displayed. You can submit articles of various categories like 3d, CSS, Design, Development, News Photoshop, Themes, Tools, Tutorials, WordPress etc. Smashing Post : A place of web development related resources. Smashing post giving you all kinds of helpful tutorials and resource links to improve your skills. You can submit the articles on various categories like Technology, Tips, Tutorials, WordPress, Themes, Programming, Photoshop etc. Area 1 : You can submit your Top articles here for much popularity. AREA 1 is mostly related to graphic/web design, WordPress, blogging tutorials & articles. Instant Shift : You can submit links with a short description which will then appear in the sidebar. Links will be approved before appearing and they filter out links that aren’t relevant to the audience. You can submit articles on various like Articles, HowTo, CSS, Fonts, Freebies, Events, Icons, Showcases, Inspiration, Tools, Tutorials, Wallpaper, Web Design, WordPress.
[ad#Google Adsense 468]The German newspaper Die Zeit has published a heated interview with French economist Thomas Piketty, who reminds us that the finger-wagging Germany is the ultimate nation who never repaid its debts. The interview is translated into English by Gavin Schalliol and published on Medium, the full version there.
DIE ZEIT: Should we Germans be happy that even the French government is aligned with the German dogma of austerity?
Thomas Piketty: Absolutely not. This is neither a reason for France, nor Germany, and especially not for Europe, to be happy. I am much more afraid that the conservatives, especially in Germany, are about to destroy Europe and the European idea, all because of their shocking ignorance of history.
ZEIT: But we Germans have already reckoned with our own history.
Piketty: But not when it comes to repaying debts! Germany’s past, in this respect, should be of great significance to today’s Germans. Look at the history of national debt: Great Britain, Germany, and France were all once in the situation of today’s Greece, and in fact had been far more indebted. The first lesson that we can take from the history of government debt is that we are not facing a brand new problem. There have been many ways to repay debts, and not just one, which is what Berlin and Paris would have the Greeks believe.
ZEIT: But shouldn’t they repay their debts?
Piketty: My book recounts the history of income and wealth, including that of nations. What struck me while I was writing is that Germany is really the single best example of a country that, throughout its history, has never repaid its external debt. Neither after the First nor the Second World War. However, it has frequently made other nations pay up, such as after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, when it demanded massive reparations from France and indeed received them. The French state suffered for decades under this debt. The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.
ZEIT: But surely we can’t draw the conclusion that we can do no better today?
Piketty: When I hear the Germans say that they maintain a very moral stance about debt and strongly believe that debts must be repaid, then I think: what a huge joke! Germany is the country that has never repaid its debts. It has no standing to lecture other nations.
ZEIT: Are you trying to depict states that don’t pay back their debts as winners?
Piketty: Germany is just such a state. But wait: history shows us two ways for an indebted state to leave delinquency. One was demonstrated by the British Empire in the 19th century after its expensive wars with Napoleon. It is the slow method that is now being recommended to Greece. The Empire repaid its debts through strict budgetary discipline. This worked, but it took an extremely long time. For over 100 years, the British gave up two to three percent of their economy to repay its debts, which was more than they spent on schools and education. That didn’t have to happen, and it shouldn’t happen today. The second method is much faster. Germany proved it in the 20th century. Essentially, it consists of three components: inflation, a special tax on private wealth, and debt relief.
ZEIT: So you’re telling us that the German Wirtschaftswunder [“economic miracle”] was based on the same kind of debt relief that we deny Greece today?
Piketty: Exactly. After the war ended in 1945, Germany’s debt amounted to over 200% of its GDP. Ten years later, little of that remained: public debt was less than 20% of GDP. Around the same time, France managed a similarly artful turnaround. We never would have managed this unbelievably fast reduction in debt through the fiscal discipline that we today recommend to Greece. Instead, both of our states employed the second method with the three components that I mentioned, including debt relief. Think about the London Debt Agreement of 1953, where 60% of German foreign debt was cancelled and its internal debts were restructured.
“We need a conference on all of Europe’s debts, just like after World War II. A restructuring of all debt, not just in Greece but in several European countries, is inevitable.”
ZEIT: That happened because people recognized that the high reparations demanded of Germany after World War I were one of the causes of the Second World War. People wanted to forgive Germany’s sins this time!
Piketty: Nonsense! This had nothing to do with moral clarity; it was a rational political and economic decision. They correctly recognized that, after large crises that created huge debt loads, at some point people need to look toward the future. We cannot demand that new generations must pay for decades for the mistakes of their parents. The Greeks have, without a doubt, made big mistakes. Until 2009, the government in Athens forged its books. But despite this, the younger generation of Greeks carries no more responsibility for the mistakes of its elders than the younger generation of Germans did in the 1950s and 1960s. We need to look ahead. Europe was founded on debt forgiveness and investment in the future. Not on the idea of endless penance. We need to remember this.
ZEIT: The end of the Second World War was a breakdown of civilization. Europe was a killing field. Today is different.
Piketty: To deny the historical parallels to the postwar period would be wrong. Let’s think about the financial crisis of 2008/2009. This wasn’t just any crisis. It was the biggest financial crisis since 1929. So the comparison is quite valid. This is equally true for the Greek economy: between 2009 and 2015, its GDP has fallen by 25%. This is comparable to the recessions in Germany and France between 1929 and 1935.
ZEIT: Many Germans believe that the Greeks still have not recognized their mistakes and want to continue their free-spending ways.
Piketty: If we had told you Germans in the 1950s that you have not properly recognized your failures, you would still be repaying your debts. Luckily, we were more intelligent than that.
ZEIT: The German Minister of Finance, on the other hand, seems to believe that a Greek exit from the Eurozone could foster greater unity within Europe.
Piketty: If we start kicking states out, then the crisis of confidence in which the Eurozone finds itself today will only worsen. Financial markets will immediately turn on the next country. This would be the beginning of a long, drawn-out period of agony, in whose grasp we risk sacrificing Europe’s social model, its democracy, indeed its civilization on the altar of a conservative, irrational austerity policy.
ZEIT: Do you believe that we Germans aren’t generous enough?
Piketty: What are you talking about? Generous? Currently, Germany is profiting from Greece as it extends loans at comparatively high interest rates.
ZEIT: What solution would you suggest for this crisis?
Piketty: We need a conference on all of Europe’s debts, just like after World War II. A restructuring of all debt, not just in Greece but in several European countries, is inevitable. Just now, we’ve lost six months in the completely intransparent negotiations with Athens. The Eurogroup’s notion that Greece will reach a budgetary surplus of 4% of GDP and will pay back its debts within 30 to 40 years is still on the table. Allegedly, they will reach one percent surplus in 2015, then two percent in 2016, and three and a half percent in 2017. Completely ridiculous! This will never happen. Yet we keep postponing the necessary debate until the cows come home.
ZEIT: And what would happen after the major debt cuts?The United States Department of Defense has granted provisional authorization for Amazon to host “Impact Level 5” workloads.
The Defense Department and Pentagon’s highest level of unclassified information may now be stored within Amazon’s cloud. According to the company’s official statement:
We are pleased to announce that Amazon Web Services has achieved a Provisional Authorization (PA) by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) for Impact Level (IL) 5 workloads, as defined in the Department of Defense (DoD) Cloud Computing (CC) Security Requirements Guide (SRG), in the AWS GovCloud (US) Region.
DDS Director Chris Lynch confirmed that they have “deployed our first ever national security system, or Impact Level 5, to AWS GovCloud,” and expects the results to be dramatic. According to Lynch, “the real impact is that when we are done, we are going to take something that took three weeks down to 15 minutes.”
Amazon Web Services joins Microsoft and IBM as the third company with the authorization to host some of our most valuable information. AWS also boasts that it was the only cloud able to “meet the IL5 security requirements and scale of the US Air Force’s GPS OCX program,” a process which required no less than “200+ Dedicated Hosts running upwards of 1,000 individual Virtual Machines. Each Virtual Machine needed at least eight vCPUs and 32GB RAM.”
AWS continues to dominate service of the greater intelligence community, not least because of its $600 million deal with the Central Intelligence Agency. All told, 17 intelligence organizations are currently served by the AWS C2S cloud.
The company will add as many as 1,500 jobs to in the East Coast, with the debut of a new AWS corporate headquarter in Fairfax County. “US-East” will exclusively serve governmental interests, including expanded support for the Department of Defense. The funding for this will come from within President Trump’s robust $8.5 billion budget for such services — roughly ten percent of the government’s overall IT budget.
Follow Nate Church @Get2Church on Twitter for the latest news in gaming and technology, and snarky opinions on both.Aged 69, Seneca the Younger had spent many years in the service of the Emperor Nero, but suspecting him of treason, the Emperor ordered him to commit suicide. Seneca cut open the arteries of his own arms and the veins of his legs and knees, but his blood flowed slowly and his death did not come quickly. To hasten the process, he drank poison, but still death eluded him. Finally he was carried into a hot bath and suffocated in the steam. Politics in ancient times meant risking everything and sometimes losing everything.
Modern democracies require politicians to take fewer risks. We are accustomed in Britain to the idea that each party will spend time out of power, which means that the major parties keep each other reasonably honest. But right now the Labour party look far from power, sliding in the polls even from the low levels they achieved in 2010 and 2015, and with a leader who seems more interested in building a national movement than in future forming a government.
No other party is currently set to step into the gap. The SNP have huge support in Scotland but no desire or prospect of ever expanding from that. The Lib Dems are too crushed from their 2015 defeat to fill the gap. UKIP look too chaotic. For now, despite their small majority, the Conservatives have the field to themselves. We are in practice living in a democratic one party state.
As Seneca found out, the absence of other parties does not bring an end to politics. So how will the new politics work in the near future?
The first thing to do is to put the opposition parties out of your mind. They have moved beyond the category of “unpopular” and into “largely irrelevant”. Jeremy Corbyn could advocate state guardianship of children, the abolition of private property rights and political union with Venezuela, and the only people who would notice would be despairing Blairites. A member of the general public who actually registered the announcements would inwardly sigh again and be completely unmoved. For most people, Labour don’t begin to come close to being a possible choice right now. So for now the important politics take place around the Conservative party. That doesn’t mean that the politics are exclusively within the Conservative party – UKIP and the Lib Dems in particular will each be able to influence politics by tugging on the sleeves, and the media will at times take up the role of opposition in the absence of any other – but the impact of outsiders will be relevant only in so far as it might influence figures internal to the Conservative party. In the late 1980s, the big political battles were between Mrs Thatcher and her personal advisers and other senior Conservatives such as Nigel Lawson, Sir Geoffrey Howe and Michael Heseltine. Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians were commentators more than opponents. The arguments were played out in the newspapers between different Conservative-affiliated journalists. We can already see this happening. The Telegraph reported the story that MPs had complained about a perceived anti-Brexit bias at the BBC with the words “More than 70 MPs from across the political spectrum have written to Lord Hall of Birkenhead”, but the rest of the front page dealt exclusively with concerns of different wings of the Conservative party. Such is the political spectrum in 2017.
Indeed, those of a Brexitish persuasion might see that perceived anti-Brexit bias as another sign of this, as the BBC fills the vacuum of opposition. I wouldn’t – the letter cited no examples of how the BBC had Done Down Britain (and the one programme cited in newspaper articles, Countryfile, had for weeks run an extended series of sections from New Zealand showing how its farmers had coped well over time with a shock similar to that of Brexit), suggesting that the MPs have succumbed to paranoia.
In reality, the media opposition will in large part be more apparent than real. The media will orientate itself around differing wings of the Conservative party. The need to keep lines of communication open with other parties will seem less pressing as the need to have access to good stories from the governing party. George Osborne’s shock appointment as editor of the Evening Standard can be seen in that light.
The absence of external pressure on the Conservative party will make it less likely to hold together on any given topic. As a result, they will often seem divided and the media will make great play of this. Some will be lulled into believing that division signifies a loosening grip on power. In fact, the opposite will be true. With political debate taking place within the hegemonic party, the irrelevance of other parties will be increased. For 10 years, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown led teams who sparred more or less continually. This did not assist the Conservatives in breaking their stranglehold on power (at least, not until one of the sparring partners retired).
In short, having established complete dominance, a circle (virtuous or vicious according to political taste) is forming that will act as a powerful reinforcement of that dominance. It will eventually come to an end but it probably will do so for other reasons. The Thatcherite hegemony of the 1980s and the Blairite hegemony of the 2000s ended with the political demise of their founders. But the current Conservative hegemony is nothing like as strongly founded on Theresa May. It could founder on Brexit. But if it doesn’t, it could be very enduring indeed.
Alastair Meeks
Follow @AlastairMeeks
TweetFamed attorney Alan Dershowitz has retained former President Bill Clinton’s FBI director to help show Clinton was not present at alleged sex orgies thrown by his former client, a convicted pedophile and close Clinton friend.
Clinton’s friendship with a convicted child sex predator, Jeffrey Epstein, again is coming under increased scrutiny, thanks in part to a recent civil lawsuit for defamation filed in Florida against Dershowitz by representatives for two of Epstein’s alleged victims. Dershowitz served as Epstein’s lawyer during Epstein’s criminal trial.
Not only has Bill Clinton’s name come up in the court proceedings, but Dershowitz, one of the key figures in the case, says that he cannot conclusively deny that Clinton was present at lavish sex orgies thrown on a Caribbean island by Epstein. What’s more, one of the victims said that Bill Clinton in fact was present at an Epstein island orgy.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor. Though he was represented at trial by Dershowitz, he still had to serve 13 months in prison on an 18-month sentence.
Flight logs also connect Clinton as they show he made multiple trips on Epstein’s private plane, including a September 2002 jaunt to Africa with actor buddies Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker. So does Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts, who claimed that she was used as a sex slave by Epstein and his friends, said that she met Bill Clinton on one of his trips with Epstein when she was only seventeen, but that she did not have sex with him.
Super-lawyer and Clinton and Epstein pal Dershowitz recently testified in circuit court in Broward County, Florida. Transcripts of his testimony reveal that Clinton administration FBI chief Louis Freeh has been called in to run interference. Freeh served as FBI director from 1993 to 2001, during almost the entirety of the Clinton presidency.
Freeh is representing Dershowitz, who recently has been at the center of civil claims involving allegations that he had sex with underage women on Epstein’s private plane and at parties on Epstein’s private island, including at times when Clinton also was on the island.
“Well, we have made a Freedom of Information request,” Dershowitz testified. “My — my attorney in New York, Louis |
Raijin StoryUnder Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, Japan outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes. A restriction imposed upon them by the United States and the UK after World War II. In July of 2013 Japan announced its desire to assume a more active role in regional security by the acquisition of offensive weapons and surveillance drones. Of coarse this was a was only a half truth as Japanese intelligence discovered North Korean plans to build what South Korea is now calling Goliath. At first the US was in a state of uproar over the decision but after the recent destruction of Califonia, the US has more pressing matters to deal with.After the mysterious death of robotics genius Hayato Kano, Mizuki and their only daughter Sayoko fled to England. There, Sayoko quickly caught the attention of the Ministry of Defense when she created a small robotic toy from everyday parts found at home and without her mothers knowledge, brought it to school. Later on she would create the MMP and SAM which soon gave birth to Behemoth, UK's first combat mecha. Japan quickly recognizing Hayato Kano's work and ripped through his government lab and found, locked deep within his files, detailed plans of a smaller version of SAM which he used to implant all of his knowledge into his daughter Sayoko's brain. Tensions mounted when England refused to deport Mizuki and Sayoko back to Japan. England final gave in but not until Sayoko produced design plans for 2 new combat mechas that the UK immediately began work on.Once Sayoko was back in Japan, the government wasted no time in having her design their very own combat mecha, and within months Raijin was born.Raijin - Awaken Destructions newest Combat Mecha from JapanThanks for watching!Association
A federal appeals court has reinstated an antitrust lawsuit against Dallas-based Dean Foods brought by Food Lion grocery stores and other plaintiffs alleging a conspiracy to drive up prices of milk.In 2001, the nation's largest milk bottler Suiza acquired Dean Foods and kept the name and its Dallas headquarters. At the time, Dean got most of its milk from independent farmers, but Suiza got much of its milk from a subsidiary that was partially owned by the Dairy Farmersof America.As part of the merger plan, which was monitored by the Department of Justice, Suiza sold its stake in subsidiary to Dairy Farmers, who took full ownership of six milk processing plants.Those six plants were quickly transferred to a new partnership called National Dairy Holdings, which was owned in part by the Dairy Farmers and in part by former Suiza executives. After it added more plants, it became the second largest milk bottlerin the southeast, according to today's opinion.Those were the facts, and Food Lion and its co-plaintiffs alleged that the while the new company was set up to be a competitor to Dean Foods, the fact that it was half-owned by the Dairy Farmers of America created a conflict of interest. That's because the DFA also had contracts to supply milk to Dean Foods.The grocery store plaintiffs alleged that the new firm ran its processing plants at a loss and allowed some to close -- all to protect its part-owner's relationship with Dean.Dean Foods filed for summary judgment on all five counts of the original lawsuit, asking the judge to dismiss it before trial. The district judge agreed to dismiss three of the five counts. The company asked again, with new arguments, and the judge dismissed the two remaining counts.But today's ruling reverses the lower-court judge, and reinstates Count 1 of the original lawsuit, which alleges a "conspiracy not to compete" between Dean Foods and the new firm half-owned by the Dairy Farmers of America.Like the suit by the DOJ against American Airlines that was recently settled, this case involves a host of complicated and nuanced issues that bounce between the fields of law and economics.Check back here for more analysis of the legal decision and responses from the parties. You can read U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove of Kentucky's opinion, written on behalf of a three-judge appellate panel, here.Early Life
Born Juliette Magill Kinzie Gordon on October 31, 1860, in Savannah, Georgia, “Daisy,” as she was affectionately known, descended from a long line of strong and independent women. Her home, often referred to simply as the Birthplace, was designated a registered National Historic Landmark in 1965.
Juliette was a sensitive, curious, and adventurous girl known for her sense of humor, compassion, and concern for others. She was interested in athletics, the arts, animals, and nature—attributes that would one day become central to the Girl Scout Movement.
As a child and young adult, she experienced several ear injuries resulting in almost total hearing loss that affected her for the remainder of her life.
She married William Mackay Low in 1886, and together they set up homes in both England and Georgia. Juliette returned often to the United States to connect with her many friends and family members—and also to find support during what ultimately proved to be a calamitous marriage that ended shortly before her husband’s death in 1905.lumpatronics:
peteseeger:
rosalui: onedeadkitty: tariqah: Interspecies lesbianism It’s cute guys nothing but respect for MY lesbian big cat couple Butch/Butch couple
This is actually hella interesting, bc in simple terms, tigers are extroverts and lions are introverts. There’s more to it, but that’s the gist.
Whenever zoo’s tried to put lions and tigers in the same enclosures, the tiger would eventually try to groom the lioness and play constantly. The lioness would lose patience and snaps at them
So basically what I’m saying is that you have a regal and refined gf who stands at the edge of a balcony during parties, sipping champagne
Then you have the other girl who drank all of the little flutes on the servers platter, and is now drunkenly pointing at her gf and telling everyone that that’s her gf and doesn’t she look beautiful I love her so muchA few days ago, I wrote an article in which I expressed surprise that none of my critics had publicly commented on my documentary film, UFOs and Nukes: The Secret Link Revealed, which has been available at Vimeo On Demand since April.
A search of the Internet reveals the extent to which some debunkers have attacked me over the years, following the 2008 publication of my book UFOs and Nukes, in which I present dozens of incidents involving UFO activity at American nuclear weapons sites, as reported in declassified files and military witness testimony. Consequently, I was expecting more of the same once the film was released.
By Robert Hastings
The UFO Chronicles
9-16-16 By Robert HastingsThe UFO Chronicles9-16-16
Robert Kaminski
- click and or right click on image(s) to enlarge
Shortly after my article appeared online, one of those skeptics, Tim Hebert, wrote a critique which, not surprisingly, contains a number of factual errors, convenient omissions and other misrepresentations.For example, he writes, “There is little to no information offered to the viewer that numerous pages of documents are available that tell an entire different story, or when the highlighted document segments are shown in context to the full document itself, a different interpretation takes shape that has nothing to do with UFOs.”This is wishful thinking on Hebert’s part. There are hundreds of declassified U.S. government files concerning UFO incursions at ICBM sites, weapons storage facilities, bomb and missile test ranges, and other nukes-related sites. The film presents excerpts from 16 of those documents—made public by the U.S. Air Force, FBI and CIA in response to FOIA requests—15 of which explicitly and entirely concern UFO activity at nuclear weapons locations. Additionally, two Soviet Army documents, smuggled out of Russia, detail UFO incidents at that country’s ICBM sites or nukes storage facilities.The one American document that doesopenly mention UFO activity is a military teletype message, known as a TWX, sent from Malmstrom AFB, Montana in March 1967, concerning the mysterious full-flight shutdown of ten Minuteman ICBMs at Echo Flight. Because the message was only the initial report of an event, prior to any investigation of it, no mention of UFOs is made.However, two U.S. Air Force veterans—Col. Walter Figel and TSgt. Henry Barlow—have stated for the record that a UFO was reported near one of the missiles moments before all ten dropped-off alert status. Both men appear in the film—the former on audio tape—and make startling admissions.Figel confirms that a missile security guard had called him in the Echo Launch Control Capsule to report “a large, round object” hovering directly over one of the ICBMs. Further, during my lengthy interview with him—not shown in the film—Figel stated that he had sent out two Security Alert Teams to investigate, one of which confirmed the presence of the UFO. Figel also revealed that he and his missile commander, Captain Eric Carlson, were later debriefed back at Malmstrom by “everybody and his brother” and ordered not to talk about the incident.Figel’s first taped telephone interview with me, recorded in 2008, may be heard in its entirety. It should be noted that the colonel has never disputed the accuracy of the recording or asked me to remove it from my website. Two other telephone interviews with Figel, taped in 2009 and 2010, are also available. (These three audio files are not available ondevices.)Tim Hebert and Eric Carlson’s son, James, have repeatedly denied or misrepresented Figel’s comments to me. Unfortunately for them, I have our conversations on tape. The reader may listen to them and judge for him/herself the nature and importance of Figel’s candid remarks.The other veteran who discusses the Echo Flight incident in the film, former Electro-Mechanical Technician Henry Barlow, was involved in bringing up some of the stricken missiles. On the way to the first ICBM silo, he and his team member were told by radio to keep their eyes open “because UFO activity had been reported in the area”. Barlow was later told that a disc-shaped UFO had been spotted hovering over the missile designated Echo-2 just before the full-flight shutdown occurred.In any case, Hebert’s characterization of the documents presented in the film—which he claims are misleading because they are either not pertinent or are taken out of context—is simply inaccurate. One may go to my website’s Documents page and leisurely read several of the declassified files that, of necessity, only briefly appear in the documentary.Also presented in the film are confirmatory revelations about the Echo Flight incident by the Boeing engineer who investigated it, Robert Kaminski, who has written (see below) that his team could find no known technical explanation for the missile shutdown and further mentions that a Boeing-Air Force liaison later informed him that Air Force personnel had categorized the incident as “a UFO event”.Further confirmation in the film comes from retired Lt. Col. Dwynne Arneson, who was the Officer-In-Charge of the 28th Air Division’s Communications Center at Malmstrom at the time of the incident. Speaking at my 2010 press conference in Washington D.C., Arneson told the media that he had once read another classified TWX, in March 1967, which unequivocally stated that “a UFO had shut down several missile silos in Montana”.In short, the one document in the film that does not mention UFOs per se, only an alarming full-flight missile shutdown event, nevertheless has multiple, credible witnesses confirming that the incident mentioned in it was indeed UFO-related. Not surprisingly, Hebert fails to mention any of this in his critique—while at the same time accusing me of being unfairly selective when presenting my evidence.Hebert has long referred to the claim that UFOs are interested in our nukes as “Hastings’ theory”. Actually, I’m only reporting on what has been said by high-level government officials and hundreds of military eyewitnesses. For example, in the film I present a CIA memorandum from December 2, 1952, in which the Assistant Director of the agency’s Office of Scientific Intelligence, Dr. H. Marshall Chadwell, writes, “Sightings of unexplained objects at great altitudes and travelling at high speeds in the vicinity of major U.S. defense installations are of such nature that they are not attributable to natural phenomena or known types of aerial vehicles.”Other declassified CIA, FBI and USAF documents confirm that UFOs had been sighted at Oak Ridge, Hanford, and Savannah River—all nuclear weapons facilities—during the seven-month period preceding Chadwell’s statement. Indeed, as mentioned in the film, USAF Project Blue Book chief, Captain Edward Ruppelt, once referred to the “ominous correlation” between UFO sightings and atomic bomb production, testing and deployment sites.Hebert complains that the military witness interviews in the film are too short. Well, if the documentary were three hours long, instead of its current 48-minute length, all of the full-length interviews with the veterans would have been presented, instead of the brief snippets that appear in it. However, anyone buying the documentary at Vimeo also gains access to extended interviews with six of the former USAF missileers. (It cost the film’s producer, Jared Tarbell, several thousand dollars to fly those witnesses to Albuquerque, and put them up in hotels, during the extended interview process.)Hebert also writes, “[Hastings claims] ICBM launch officers are contacted by above ground security personnel and told of UFO sightings. The officers themselves see nothing (they're 60 to 100 feet underground) but the security personnel are treated to bizarre aerial performances that are not of this world. Where are the on camera testimonies from those security personnel?”Actually, I have dozens of USAF missile security policemen on audiotape, describing in great detail the dramatic aerial displays they had witnessed at one base or another. Those verbatim testimonies appear in my book and in several articles at my website. When deciding which veterans to re-interview on video, given the high cost involved, I concluded that the missile launch and targeting officers offered the most comprehensive summaries of the UFO events at their missile flights and, therefore, included those individuals in the film.I suppose I could go on here but there’s really no point. Those who strongly believe that I am full of shit probably won’t utilize even one of the many links provided in this rebuttal, while those who know that I document my public statements about nukes-related UFO activity, as best as possible, have already read or viewed many of the items I have posted over the years. Regardless, one may view my documentary film hereThere has been over 400 versions of the English Bible since the King James Bible was published in 1611. They come in every flavor, fashion and fad imaginable. Starting with the Revised Version (1881); to the American Standard Version (1901); to the Amplified Bible (1958); to the Living Bible (1967); to the New International Version (1973); to the New King James Bible (1979); on and on they go... There’s feminists Bibles such as the Feminist NIV Inclusive and the TNIV; the African-American Jubilee Bible; and the piles and piles of Children’s and Teen Bibles – we have seen it all. Or... We just thought we had seen it all... The latest $cam running the gamut of the Bible PERversion trail is the new "fashion" magazine teen Bibles. They are modeled after the "teenage-fashion" magazines complete with the trendy "beauty secrets", "ask a guy", and "BLABS" columns. The first to crawl out of the "fashion" pile is the Revolve Bible. The Revolve Bible is aimed directly at the young teenage Christian girl. It is published by Thomas Nelson Publishers under Transit Books (www.transitbooks.com).Transit.com says of it’s new creation, "It's the complete New Testament, but it looks just like a fashion magazine!" and a little P.$. "Order your copy today at www.amazon.com!" A "boy" version of the Revolve is also in the works. Zondervan reportedly, also has "fashion-bibles" on the way. (did I hear ca$h-ching?) And yes... The Revolve "Bible" does indeed, look, feel and read just like a teenage "fashion" magazine. As the saying goes, "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck – it’s probably a duck." An updated Bible PERversion translation says, "If it looks like a fashion magazine, feels like a fashion magazine, and reads like a fashion magazine – it’s probably a new Bible PERversion". If the fashion-magazine-madness was not bad enough – the Bible text used in the Revolve is the New Century Version (NCV). The NCV is the product of the Church of Christ affiliated World Bible Translation Center (WBTC). The NCV was originally created in 1978 as an easy-reader Bible for the Deaf titled the Easy Reader Version (ERV). In 1983, the ERV was repackaged (can you say ca$h-ching?) as the best-selling Children’s International Version. And in 1984, it was repackaged again (can you say ca$h-ching... ca$h-ching?) as the New Century Version. The NCV holds the title as feminist "gender-neutral translation". (Vern S. Poythress & Wayne A. Grudem, The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy, Muting the Masculinity of God’s Words, p. 9) It’s odd with so much emphasis put on "gender-inclusive" and all the Bible publishers zooming into overdrive to produce "gender-inclusive" Bibles that they are now producing a "gender-exclusive" Bible devoted EXCLUSIVELY to teenage girls? (Did I hear a ca$h-ching...?) The NCV ranks among the most liberally mis-translated and corrupted Bibles in circulation. We will examine the history and text of the NCV a later with our article: The New Century Version: Easy to Read OR Easy to Mislead? But let’s first examine the fashion-folly-foolishness of the Revolve. The cover of the Revolve screams at you with the typical "in your face" fashion magazine gaudy layout. The cover of Revolve shouts the following headlines: "Are You Dating a Godly Guy?" and other Quizzes
Beauty Secrets You’ve Never Heard Before!
Radical Faith What Scripture Really Means
200+ BLAB Q & A’s
How to Get Along with Your Mom and other Relationship Notes
100+ Ways to Apply Your Faith
Guys Speak Out on Tons of Important Issues
The above feature columns are colorfully scattered throughout the Revolve, weaving in between the New Testament text of the New Century Bible. Interesting, the top of Revolve reads, "NCV The Complete New Testament" but "new testament" is not found in the New Century Version! The NCV replaces "New Testament" with "New Agreement". Why didn’t the Thomas Nelson-Revolve staff write on the cover "NCV The Complete New Agreement"? Simple... They knew better. But they’ll market and promote the same misleading and mis-translated Bible to our teenagers. Can you say ca$h-ching, see 1 Timothy 6:10? The Revolve "design" is the work of "rock ‘n roll" Four 5 One of Dublin, Ireland. Four 5 One is also the design team for the album covers, CD inserts, posters, programs, etc. for the rock group U2, among others. Four 5 One... Now, that is a good "godly" choice to design "God’s Word". Let’s take a few examples of the Revolve’s feature columns: "GUYS SPEAK OUT" Like the other features, the "Guys Speak Out" sections are littered throughout the Revolve. Described on the cover of Revolve as: "Guys Speak Out on Tons of Important Issues". Let’s look at a couple of the "important issues" found in the "Guys Speak Out": Q: How long should you date before you say "I love you?"
A: I would say that when all you can do is think about that person, and you know them really, really well, then you can say "I love you."
(Revolve, p. 67)
Q: Do you ever think about getting married?
A: Kinda, I guess. But not really. Like, I’d never buy a wedding magazine or anything.
(Revolve, p. 281) Brilliant... Spiritual words of wisdom... Parents, do you really want hormone-crazy teenage boys to give advise on "tons of important issues" to your young teenage daughter? As a father of two teenage daughters, I think I’ll pass on that deal. To show the hormone mindset of the average teenage boy, look at the following answers to the simple question: "What do you think about girls and guys praying together?": Q: What do you think about girls and guys praying together?
A: There are exceptions, but usually it’s pretty sketchy. I’d avoid it until you’re engaged.
(Revolve, p. 342)
Q: What do you think about girls and guys praying together?
A: It’s cool, but you gotta be careful that you don’t get carried away.
(Revolve, p. 258) It sounds like these teenage "guys" are talking about necking, making out or something worse! The question was about "praying"! Avoid "praying together" until "you’re engaged"! Be careful about "praying together" so that you "don’t get carried away". The last time I checked, "praying" was talking to the Lord. You know what’s "on their mind" And it’s not "praying". What a goofy, godless, carnal, mess. Young ladies, may I give you the Lord’s ANSWER: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6
Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Of course, why ask the Lord when you can always pick up the Revolve and get the "Guys Speak Out" spiritual wisdom. "BLAB's" The most popular and numerous section infecting the Revolve is the "BLAB" Question and Answer sections. The "BLABS" cover topics such as tattoos, homosexuality, witchcraft, mini-skirts, environmentalism, drinking beer, boy-girl relationships, MTV and sex. Hence, the title of our article "revolve blable". Let’s examine a few examples of the "BLAB's": Our first "BLAB" deals with "making-out" (a.k.a heavy kissing, necking, etc.). Q: I have a question about dating. If I’m going out with a guy, is it bad to make out with him? In other words, is making out a sin?
A: That’s a really good question. There is no place in the Bible where it says "Making out is a sin." But there are places where you can go to read that you shouldn’t let there be even a hint of sexual immorality. Making out is a really dangerous thing. So your best bet is to avoid heavy make-out sessions ‘till you are married. It will be so much better then and you won’t have to feel any guilt.
(Revolve, p. 77) What an irresponsible answer to an impressionable, teenage girl! "There is no place in the Bible where it says ‘Making out is a sin’". That’s the same wicked logic of this lost, "present evil" world. How many times have I heard; "The Bible never says smoking marijuana is a sin"... Or "Show me in the Bible where gambling is a sin"... Or "Just show me a verse in the Bible that says making out is a sin". I have an enlightening "revelation" for the spiritually-blind staff of Revolve. The Word of God is an eternal book (Matthew 24:35). A book for not only 2003 or the 21st century or the 19th or 20th century, et. al but – FOR ALL GENERATIONS! If the Lord would have said "Thou shalt not make out" – who in the 1300’s or 1400’s or 1700’s would have a clue to what He was referring to? Does the Lord address the subject of "making out"? Of course, He does. He gives a very precise, simple answer: 2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Notice also the lack of spiritual discernment and warning found in the last part of the answer: "So your best bet is to avoid heavy make-out sessions ‘till you are married..." The answer was not to avoid "make out sessions" but "your best bet" is to avoid "HEAVY make out sessions". How different from the Lord’s compassionate warning, "Flee also youthful lusts..." Not just "AVOID HEAVY make out sessions" but "FLEE – run" from even the mere "LUSTS or thoughts" of it. Thank you Lord for warning our young people! I must also mention the contrast our wonderful Lord makes in 2 Timothy 2:22, not only "Flee also youthful lusts" – but then the Lord adds "but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a PURE heart." Wow! Isn’t that beautiful! Is there any greater advice anyone could give to our young people. P.S. Compare the previously quoted 2 Timothy 2:22 in the King James Bible to the dull, dreary, dead 2 Timothy 2;22 in the Revolve’s NCV: 2 Timothy 2:22, NCV
But run away from the evil young people like to do. Try hard to live right and to have faith, love, and peace, together with those who trust in the Lord from pure hearts. Several "BLABS" deal with the subject of homosexuality. Being "politically-correct" (and may I add, spiritually-stupid) the Revolve staff downplays the sin of homosexuality. For example, in the following "BLAB" the Revolve downplays the "sin of homosexuality" as "just like gossiping about your best friend is a sin". The Revolve answer also includes a swipe at the church whose "view" of the sin of homosexuality is a "little harsher" than the sin of "gossiping about your best friend". Q: What is God and the church’s view on homosexuality and its place in our world?
A: You want God’s view, or the church’s? Start with God. Romans chapter 1 says that it is impurity. It’s a sin, just like gossiping about your best friend is a sin. You need to stop acting on your impulses. Sometimes the church’s view can be a little harsher. Many people in the church see it like the worse of all evils. But they are looking at it through human eyes. God says it’s a sin; It’s not how he made you, so stop.
(Revolve, p. 310) I can’t help but thinking how God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the "sin of homosexuality" with fire and brimstone (which by the way, is the same judgement as hell); or in Leviticus 13:20 where the Lords commands Israel to kill those who commit the "sin of homosexuality"; or Romans 1 where God "gave them up" for the "sin of homosexuality"; or in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 where the "…effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind... shall inherit the kingdom of God" that maybe... just maybe... the Lord considers the "sin of homosexuality" a little-bit more serious than "... just like gossiping about your best friend..." I would have to add the Lord’s view of homosexuality is a "little harsh". In another "BLAB" dealing with homosexuality (p. 43) a teenage girl asks advice on how to deal with another girl who is in love with a female teacher. Look at this lame and pathetic answer. Q; This girl at church told me that she was in love, yes, in love with one of her female teachers. This girl is fourteen years old. I just need some advice on what I should say to her if I get to speak to her again.
A: For a woman to fall in love with another woman is considered a sin according to the Bible. You’ve got to remember one thing though: It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict her and teach her. In the Bible it says that God remains faithful even when we are faithless. Your job is to show this girl the love of God. How? Stay her friend. Prayer changes things. It can move mountains. It can radically alter lives. Just make sure you remember who God is and that you’re not him.
(Revolve, p. 43) In other words, do not "judge" her for the lusts of homosexuality. And don’t dare tell her it’s wrong – that would be judging her. But just "show her the love of God". Remember "it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict her and teach her". Can a saved person actually READ the Bible and be that far off base? Look at the last part of the BLAB – now preachers, this is a nugget – "Just make sure you remember who God is and that you’re not him." What spiritual insight! That had to come through hours of study and prayer... Compare the Revolve’s absurd answer to John the Baptist’s open rebuke in Matthew 14 of King Herod. 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.
3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. Notice, who John the Baptist openly rebuked and judged... THE KING... May I also remind you, The Lord Jesus said John was the greatest man born of women (Matthew 11:11). And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of the open rebuke and judgement of Jeremiah, Noah, Joshua, David, Daniel, Gideon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, Peter, James, Martin Luther, John Knox, Billy Sunday, J. Frank Norris and thousands of others. In another "BLAB" a teenager girl asks how to reach a friend involved in Witchcraft. Q: Hey, I have friends who are into Wicca. I know a lot about witchcraft, but I don’t know how to start a convo with people who are happy with that religion. I need an example of something one might say. Could you please help me out? I don’t want them to go to hell because I didn’t try to help them.
A: If you want something to say, just tell them how you feel. Say, "You know my religion and you seem cool with it. However, I can’t say I agree with your choice. I just want you to know that I’ll be praying for you." Don’t try to talk them into changing their faith—no one likes to be forced into anything. Pray for them.
(Revolve, p. 344) Here is a Christian young lady who is burdened about her friend "going to hell" – and she is asking advice from the Revolve staff on how to reach this friend. And the Revolve staff replies, "Don’t try to talk them into changing their faith—no one likes to be forced into anything." How can you possibly witness without talking to them about "changing their faith"? How can they EVER know the wonderful plan of salvation without "talking to them"? Can you believe this? Again, look at John the Baptist. The Bible said John "was a man sent from God" (John 1:6). The Bible also says "The same came for a WITNESS" (John 1:7) And what is John’s definition of a witness? A VOICE. John 1:22-23
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the VOICE of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. Young person, if you are saved and you have family and friends that are going to hell – DON’T LISTEN TO REVOLVE! Talk to them about Jesus Christ and the judgement of hell! Warn them – over and over and over! Pray for them. Don’t give up! TALK to them. You may be the only VOICE God has to deal with them. Please do not listen to Revolve. Another BLAB deals with the subject of tattoos. Tattoos have taken over this generation. From the rock stars, Hollywood celebrities, sports stars, even children’s toys – virtually every walk of life is sporting a tat. Thank God, the Lord clearly "nails" the pagan and satanic "blood-letting" tattoo to the forbidden wall in Leviticus 19:28 Leviticus 19:28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. That should certainly clear up any doubt for the Christian and tattoos. Right...? Wrong... Check out the Revolve and the forbidden tattoo: Q: I really, really want to get a tattoo, but what does the Bible say about them. Is it against God?
A: In the Old Testament law tattoos were forbidden. But when Christ came, he redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3). This means that now God looks at your heart, your motives, when it comes to what you do. Check with your parents, and follow their advice.
(Revolve, p. 85) Galatians 3 means "that NOW God looks at your heart, your motives, when it comes to what you do"? Chapter and verse? That is completely contrary to the clear word of God. Have you ever read 2 Corinthians 5 and the "judgement seat of Christ" "knowing therefore the TERROR of the Lord"? 2 Corinthians 5:10-11
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
It’s not our motives – but "the things DONE" – "according to that he hath DONE". It’s not your motives – but what you DID! In 1 Corinthians 3:13, which also refers to the "judgement seat of Christ, the Lord says, "Every man's WORK shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's WORK of what SORT it is". Christian young person, do not believe the Revolve staff. You will be JUDGED for your WORKS and what you DO. Let me also mention, the Lord Jesus Christ did not do away with or destroy the law. Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. You do not have the Lord’s blessing to kill, or commit adultery, or worship other gods, or steal, etc. – which is found in the ten commandments. Nor do you have the Lord’s blessing to "mark" your body, which if you are saved is the temple of the Holy Spirit(1 Cor. 6:19) with a forbidden, pagan, blood-letting tattoo. If Leviticus 19:28 has been done away with and God is looking at our hearts... Then I would assume Leviticus 19:29, the next verse, is also no longer valid. Leviticus 19:29
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. Leviticus 19:29 is the ONLY verse in the Bible, both the Old and New Testament, that explicitly forbids someone to "prostitute thy daughter". Applying Revolve’s same wicked logic of tattoos, I wonder if the Revolve staff would answer the "BLAB" question: "It is alright to be a prostitute"? with the same answer: "when Christ came, he redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3). This means that now God looks at your heart, your motives, when it comes to what you do. Check with your parents, and follow their advice" There are several other BLABS that discount the "action" and emphasize the "motive". The following is a BLAB that explains what you can or can not wear, such as revealing "mini skirts, tube tops", depends on the motive. I wonder how Revolve would reply to "Hookers for Christ". Don’t laugh. I have an actual article of a group of "Hookers for Christ". According to the article their "motive" is to win people to Jesus Christ. I wonder if they got their idea from the Revolve? Hmm… Q: What is appropriate for girls to wear? I’ve been told I can’t wear tube tops and mini skirts. But it is okay to wear a tankini-top bathing suit that hardly shows your belly button? What is going too far?
A: You’ve got to look at your motive when it comes to clothes. If your motive is to get guys to like you because of your body, your dress will be more revealing. If your goal is to worship God in everything you do, your clothes will naturally be more modest. You can’t decide item by item—it’s a lifestyle decision.
(Revolve, p. 241) As far as the |
little flavour" to the role-playing exercise, pitting fictional terrorists against counter-terrorism forces.
He claimed he had "forgotten" about the text, believing it had "been burned" at a beach party along with other material used in the game, and only remembered it when police brought it up.
Asked by the prosecution if he would have made use of the "cookbook", Walker replied: "No, I'm quite fond of my hands - I don't want to lose them following some possibly rubbish ingredients from recipes from years ago."
He also denied it would be of use to potential terrorists, telling jurors "I don't know those kinds of people".
Mr Walker said: "Now, having been brought through the process, now I know there's some possibility that it could be used [for terrorism].
"But at the time I had no idea about that."
Mr Walker denies a charge of possession of a record of terrorist information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terror.
The trial continues.ACTS 15:36-41
« Acts 14 | Acts 15 | Acts 16 »
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,
40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Once again, the Attorney General's office is offering help to those who have issues at the primary polls with a special hotline.
The Attorney General's Office has been offering a hotline to voters who encounter barriers at their polling place since 2012.
"Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and my office is deeply committed to ensuring equal access for all eligible voters on election day," Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said. "I urge all New Yorkers to immediately contact my office if they face any barriers or issues that prevent them from casting an effective ballot."
Schneiderman says disabilities, intimidation and issues faced by minority voters cause problems at the polls. In the past, Schneiderman's office has received hundreds of complaints from voters who experienced difficulties. The Attorney General says his office has worked with election officials to resolve the issues in the past and will continue to do so.
For those who wish to submit a complaint, the hotline number is 800-771-7755. It is available from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Anyone who wishes to email their complaint can do so by sending a message to civil.rights@ag.ny.gov.
New York's Presidential Primary takes place on April 19.President Obama is taking a sharp, populist tone with Wall Street and scolding the ways of Washington as he once again looks to the Senate to follow the House and pass one of his top legislative priorities: sweeping financial regulatory reform. It might feel satisfying to hear the President criticize “reckless”, “fat cat” bankers, but the financial reform legislation passed by the House last Friday (and lauded by the President) provides little incentive to change their behavior. In reality populism, with nothing of substance behind it, is just cynical posturing designed to mask genuine failure. Like everything else with this President, he is again showing himself to be (to use an expression of his predecessor), all hat, no cattle.
Appealing to the peanut gallery at this stage is an insult to the voters’ intelligence. The current bill is yet another in a series of major disappointments. The most telling comment on the latest reforms came from the stock market: Bank stocks ended the day higher last Friday (when the House bill was passed to great fanfare), with the KBW Banks index slightly outperforming the benchmark Dow Jones industrial average.
At its most basic level, a bank is an entity that has a reserve account at the Fed, which makes loans and takes deposits. That is its primary public purpose, and we should not be allowing activities which undermine this central function, especially seeing as it is the government which guarantees the public’s deposits via the FDIC. (As an aside, even though the government creates all reserves and guarantees deposits, we do not want it to be directing lending activity because, as “Winterspeak” notes:
“we do not want the Government to make credit decisions, they are too likely to dole out money to politically connected constituencies, while starving worthwhile, but unconnected borrowers”
However good the political optics of resorting to name-calling and demonization of Wall Street, the legislation itself does nothing to recognize that the behavior criticized is a direct consequence of incentives built into the current institutional structure. It completely misses the point because it does nothing to ban activities which were at the heart of the crisis and which will likely be perpetuated as a consequence of the new legislation. All the new legislation does is institutionalize tax payer bailouts and, in so doing, continues the process of privatizing profits and socializing losses. There is no attempt to ban activities that were central to this crisis. The problem is that insolvent institutions have a habit of “betting the bank” through control fraud and the new legislation will not prevent this.
Even positive aspects of the bill, such as the establishment of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, were significantly watered down. New Democrats – the people we used to call “Republicans” – won concessions that give federal regulators more scope to preempt state consumer-protection laws deemed to “significantly interfere with or materially impair a national bank’s ability to do business.” The change was sponsored by Congresswoman Melissa Bean, who is the most bought and paid for member (by bankers) in the House, not an inconsiderable political achievement amongst our current political profiles in courage in Congress. Bean justified the change on the basis of having, “robust national standards and enforcing them uniformly”, which sounds good until one considers the history of federal regulators, none of whom have historically moved when they plainly should have done so. How many federal regulators do you recall actually blocking the most egregious excesses in the mortgage market over the past 15 years? Preventing the states from moving proactively means that we will likely repeat the experience of the 1990s. Historically, the reform impetus has emanated from the states, not the Federal Government, Governor Eliot Spitzer’s administration being a prominent illustration.
More and more voters are beginning to believe this façade of reform is deliberate – a cynical act of kabuki theater by the President to mask his own reticence to deal with the problem in an honest manner. It was clear to many of us that the President may not have been serious about reform when he picked Tim Geithner and Larry Summers as the leaders of his economic team a year ago, and essentially relegated any genuine progressive to the Cabinet equivalent of Siberia, as Matt Taibbi recently highlighted. Yes, Summers and Geithner both have ample experience: but does that mean that they were qualified to take on the positions they were granted in the Administration? I suppose that depends on whether you think a doctor who botched your surgery ought to be given the role for the next one, simply because he has greater familiarity with your body than another surgeon.
Some on the left have attacked Taibbi very hard for the attacks on Obama, and Matt is no conservative. More importantly, he is correct: Taibbi calls the President for what he is, a sweet talking man who cannot fulfill one single promise he made to the public to get elected. So we have this incompetent financial reform bill, which will not place any limits on another systematic collapse. We have a health bill with no means of sensibly restraining cost pressures within the private health insurance industry. We are still fighting two wars, one of which is being escalated. The economy is still struggling and jobs are being lost.
Far easier to resort to cheap populism than actually do something about it. If the President were serious, he would be pointing out that the bankers have been undercutting every effort at reform, and have been paying off Congress to put loopholes into all legislation. If he were genuinely upset, he would be channeling the country’s anger constructively, by calling on the population to take to the streets in mass protests against Wall St., with a view to shutting down the biggest banks and breaking their power once and for all. Of course, the President would never do anything so “irresponsible”. Far better to throw a few bones to the peasants and hope that the appearance of reform pacifies them.
The economist Hyman Minsky argued that the Great Depression represented a failure of the small-government, laissez-faire economic model, while the New Deal promoted a Big Government/Big Bank highly successful model for capitalism. The current crisis just as convincingly represents a failure of the Big Government/Crony Capitalist model that promotes deregulation, reduced oversight, privatization, and consolidation of market power. Yet the very people, who have shredded the New Deal reforms and replaced them with self-supervision of markets, are the champions of today’s financial “reform”. As appealing as the story of Paul on the road to Damascus might, there is no certainly no evidence of any Damascene conversion here amongst the policy makers of the Obama Administration. It’s business as usual, along with the championing of monetary and fiscal policy that is biased against maintenance of full employment and adequate growth to generate rising living standards for most Americans.
We must return to a more sensible model, with enhanced supervision of financial institutions and with a financial structure that promotes stability by aligning the banks’ activities with public purpose, rather than abetting speculation and then bailing the financial sector out after the fact. If banks want to blow themselves up, that’s fine, but not with taxpayers’ money or taxpayer guaranteed deposits. President Roosevelt proved that we could reform the financial system, rescue homeowners, and deal with the unemployed even as we mobilized and then fought World War II. By contrast, this is an Administration that defines reform as muddled compromise within a profoundly broken polity.“I am judge, jury, and executioner.”
When Captain Nathaniel Barnes (played by Michael Chiklis) was introduced in the first-half of Gotham's second season, he was a by-the-book cop committed to cleaning up the city and its corrupt police force while hewing to the strictest codes of conduct. And while he often butted heads with Jim Gordon, he also was a mentor and a father figure to the young detective. Plus, his unwavering moral code showed Gordon that you can make a positive impact on the city without resorting to bribery, extortion, and questionable alliances with the underworld.
However, once Barnes was infected with the Alice Tetch virus, it brought the darkness lurking deep inside him to the surface. As Executive Producer John Stephens explains to us: "His desire for justice overwhelmed his ethical code, and transformed into the Executioner, summarily hunting down, trying and executing criminals whom he deems guilty." Head down to our gallery to check out exclusive images of Barnes dressed in his Executioner costume, which features a Mad Max-like leather get-up, a menacing blade replacing his left hand, and exaggerated charcoal eye makeup that reminds me of Daryl Hannah's look for Priscilla "Pris" Stratton in Blade Runner.
You'll have to tune in this Monday to see Barnes transformation, though I'm sure Indian Hill mad scientist Dr. Hugo Strange is to blame. In the comics, Batman and Robin fought a criminal who used the identity of the Executioner. His real name was Willy Hooker and worked at a carnival. To make an extra buck, he would break criminals out of jail and then kill them so that he could collect the reward money. He only appeared in one issue: Detective Comics #191 (January 1953).Blind Men's Bluff: FED-Defending, Gold-Hating Economists
Dec. 3, 2011
Higher education in the United States was transformed by Rockefeller money, beginning in 1902: the General Education Board. The GEB made grants to colleges only if they hired Ph.D-holding graduates of a handful of universities, which alone granted the Ph.D. This way, the universities could indirectly take over the rest of the colleges, which were mostly church-related. The strategy worked.
Rockefeller's academic empire included the University of Chicago, which he founded. From the turn of the 20th century, the University of Chicago's department of economics repudiated the use of gold in monetary affairs.
Milton Friedman earned his Nobel Prize for a book researched mainly by his co-author, Anna J. Schwartz: A Monetary History of the United States (1963). Born in 1915, she still works full time. In the Wikipedia entry for her, we read:
Anna Jacobson Schwartz (born November 11, 1915) is an economist at the National Bureau of Economic Research in New York City, and according to Paul Krugman "one of the world's greatest monetary scholars". She is best known for her collaboration with Milton Friedman on A Monetary History of the United States, 1867--1960 which laid a large portion of the blame for the Great Depression at the door of the Federal Reserve. She is a past president of the Western Economic Association (1988).
The book is known in academic circles and policy-making circles only for its thesis regarding the Federal Reserve System, 1930-33. It says that the FED had not inflated enough, 1930-33. The book is never quoted by the media on any other topic, although it is a fat book. That is the only academic thing that Friedman ever wrote that was adopted by his Keynesian peers. Why? Because he came out on their side.
The academic economics profession is united on only one topic: the superiority of central banking to the gold standard.
There has never been a college textbook in economics that called the FED a government-created cartel that exists for the sake of the largest banks. This outlook shapes the thinking of the students who get certified to teach. They are literally unable intellectually to apply the economic theory in the chapter on cartels to the Federal Reserve System, despite the fact that the theory in the cartel chapter fits seamlessly onto the facts of the FED. Support of central banking is basic to the entire curriculum in modern economics.
So, the graduates have a blind spot: central banking. This means they have another blind spot: a gold coin standard. It means that they have literally never examined the theory of a monetary standard that is based solely on the enforcement of voluntary exchange, including contracts. They are literally incapable of imagining a free market for money. The methodological tools which they apply with mathematical precision -- a fake precision -- to every other area of life, including marriage, they are intellectually incapable of applying to money.
For decades, the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors (government) and its 12 regional banks (privately owned) have spent tens of millions of dollars (created out of nothing) handing research jobs to academic economists. The FED has literally bought off the profession. This story was concealed for years by the FED and its bought-off defenders, but it has recently surfaced.
This strategy was first adopted by the Rockefellers. John D. Rockeffer, Jr. hired Raymond Fosdick to run the Rockefeller Foundation. After he took the running of the foundation, Fosdick continued to pay public relations pioneer Ivy Lee to help reduce criticism of the Rockefeller oil empire. Lee had been on the Rockefellers' payroll ever since 1914. One of Lee's suggestions was to pay academics a lot of money to write pro-Rockefeller books. This worked so well that Fosdick began spending millions to buy off academia. There is a book on this: Donald Fisher, Fundamental Development of the Social Sciences: Rockefeller Philanthropy and the United States Social Science Research Council. It was published by the University of Michigan Press in 1993.
THE CLASH OF THE BASHERS
With this as background, I examine a Yahoo article on ending the FED. The article appeared only because of Ron Paul's campaign to end the FED. Paul has single-handedly made this a topic of public discussion. No one else has ever achieved this.
The "End the Fed" movement appears to have a lot going for it these days. Its adherents now include both conservatives and supporters of the Occupy movement. Perhaps its most prominent proponent, Rep. Ron Paul, has garnered respectable poll numbers in the 2012 Republican presidential race and blasts the Federal Reserve at every opportunity. Plus, the succinct slogan fits well on protest signs.
Paul has been so effective that the FED hired a public relations specialist in 2009. It had never done this before. The lady was famous in Washington as the lobbyist who ran Enron's Washington office until the firm went bust in 2002. She was also an adviser to all three of Clinton's Treasury Secretaries.
Removing the institution at the helm of U.S. monetary policy since 1913 seems unrealistic, though, and opponents consider it a crazy idea, even dangerous. However, proponents keep up the call, using an array of arguments from economic theory to promoting liberty.
Academic economists call no other academically defended idea "crazy." They literally cannot imagine as sane the suggestion that the world could not run -- and run better -- without the government-licensed, privately owned monopoly of central banking.
Whatever view one takes, ending the Fed is a goal much more easily stated than accomplished. But if Fed bashers got their wish, here are a few snapshots of how the country might change....
Notice the pejorative term, "Fed bashers." It is true, of course. We are indeed Fed bashers. But the term is not used with respect to academically certified critics of any other government-created cartel.
A New Monetary Standard Many advocates of ending the Fed argue for a return to the gold standard, which President Nixon ended in 1971, due in part to growing inflation, which was itself due to the costs of the Vietnam War. In addition, Nixon was concerned that Fort Knox contained only one third of the gold needed to back the dollars in foreign hands at that time. Under this system, the dollar's value would once again be tied to the price of gold. Another option is to tie the U.S. dollar's value to a basket of commodities.
The gold-exchange standard in 1971 was a hybrid created by governments at the 1922 Genoa conference. It was their way to avoid returning to the pre-World War I gold coin standard, which put tight limits on government deficits funded by bank credit. After World War II, this system subsidized the USA's expansion of fiat money. It broke down in 1971 because the Federal Reserve had inflated ever since 1933, when the right of Americans to own gold was made illegal. The article mentions Ft. Knox, when the bulk of the country's gold is held in the vault of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a privately owned firm. Again, the FED's supporters refuse to discuss the facts.
End to Constant Inflation (for better or worse) Tying the dollar's value to a commodity could very well moderate inflation. If the country moved to a strict gold standard, for example, the money supply would be bound to the supply of gold, so printing more dollars would require acquiring more bullion to back them, a big disincentive. This notion, of course, pleases proponents of controlled government spending. Though there might be short-term bouts of inflation and deflation, in the long run, prices could easily remain stable.
This is correct. For 250 years, this has been the #1 defense of the gold standard. Also, for 250 years, the inflationists have rejected it, as we see here.
There are, of course, caveats. For example, massive borrowing could spark inflation.
This is nonsense. It ought to be obvious nonsense, but gold standard bashers cannot think straight. Massive borrowing cannot "spark inflation," because borrowing cannot spark inflation without fractional reserve banking. When borrower A borrows money from lender B, no money is created. The use of an existing supply of money changes by voluntary agreement. Demand rises for the items borrower A buys. Demand falls for the items lender B would otherwise have bought. Simple. But it's not simple for gold standard bashers to grasp.
And the country would also be forced to periodically deal with the relatively unfamiliar territory of deflation.
This is nonsense, for the same reason that the previous argument is nonsense. The supply of money does not change. If prices fall, it is because production rises. You know: "More goods chasing the same amount of money." Isn't the idea of slowly falling prices the whole idea of economic growth? If scarcity is a curse -- and it is -- then increased output reduces scarcity. If scarcity is defined as "greater demand than supply at zero price" -- and it is -- then falling prices point to reduced scarcity. Yet gold standard bashers regard this as a problem of the gold coin standard.
Returning to the gold standard in particular could make these problems worse. "The gold market can have very large movements within a day," says Randall Kroszner, an economics professor at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and a former governor of the Federal Reserve System. He adds that during recent times of economic uncertainty, this added volatility would likely not have been helpful.
Excuse me? The gold market today establishes the price of gold in terms of fiat money systems run by central banks. So, the price of gold as denominated in fiat money varies. Why? Mainly because the value of currencies fluctuates wildly because of investors' doubts concerning the policies of central banks and commercial banks.
The wholesale price level (a statistical construct) in the West did not change much from 1815 to 1914, the era of the international gold, coin standard. The Federal Reserve began operations in 1914. The inflation calculator of the Bureau of Economic Statistics reveals that the purchasing power of the dollar has declined by 95% since 1914.
But the gold coin standard bashers blame gold in a fiat money standard for gold's price swings.
Shock to the System A change to the U.S. currency system could potentially be destabilizing to foreign economies. Kroszner says that, as many countries tie their currencies' values to the dollar, the potential deflationary effects of being linked to a gold standard would lead to more exchange-rate volatility.
Excuse me? Are we supposed to believe that a gold coin standard would be dangerous to America because it will call attention to the monetary instability of foreign nations' currency systems, which are run by central banks? I fail to see that this is a liability.
But advocates say the result would be more long-term stability for the global economic system. "I think it would be extremely positive, but the initial effect would be so bold as to be alarming," says Judy Shelton, a senior fellow at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for free markets.
Alarming! Similarly, when the employees of a house of prostitution come to the conclusion that they are living in sin, and they all walk off the job together, their patrons no doubt are alarmed. Should the ladies therefore stay on the job?
A Sad Day for Keynesians Most Keynesian economists believe that expansionary monetary policy moves can boost economic growth.
This is surely accurate.
The U.S. has seen this at work most notably with the latest round of quantitative easing, known as QE2.
This is assumed, not proven, by Keynesian economists.
The fastest economic growth in history was 1815 to 1914, the era of the gold coin standard. Wholesale prices were flat for a century. It is interesting that Friedman and Schwartz's book shows that American economic growth was unprecedented, 1870-1914. But the academics never refer to that section of their book.
The effectiveness of quantitative easing, especially balanced with associated inflation risks, have been hotly debated in recent years. But no more Fed would simply mean no more easing programs.
He's got it!
Saving May Be More Attractive Shelton argues that the Fed, with its near-zero interest rates and contributions toward dollar devaluation, "makes a sucker out of a saver." "You save money, you've got zero interest for saving it, and by the time you get it back out, it's worth less," she says. Without the Fed pushing interest rates low in hopes of stimulating the economy, says Shelton, saving money could be much more rewarding.
She would be correct if the FED were the cause of today's low rates. It isn't. It has not been since late 2008. The cause of today's historically low rates is the panic of commercial bankers and borrowers. They fear a return of recession. They prefer 0.01% per annum in Treasury bills to the likely effects of the central bank's attempt to avoid inflating. I do not blame them.
Ending the Business Cycle This is how Ron Paul put it in his 2009 book, End the Fed. According to Paul and the Austrian school of economics, the booms, bubbles, and busts of business cycles are the result of meddling by central banks. But Shelton moderates this slightly, saying that the Fed has worsened the cycle's negative effects: "Instead of smoothing out that cycle, [the Fed has] tended to exacerbate it," generally providing too much credit. Ultimately, she says, this can lead to irrational exuberance. Whether or not this would be universally true, many economists do blame former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's policies for encouraging the housing bubble that sparked the economic crisis.
Notice that he interviews Shelton, who is among the best of the non-Austrian academic economists -- she stood alone in 1989 in forecasting the collapse of the Soviet economy one year later -- but she is not an Austrian School economist. This is typical of mainstream financial journalism. "What do the Austrians teach?" This is always asked of non-Austrian economists.
A New Regulatory System The Fed does much more than determine the monetary base; its chief functions also include supervising and regulating banks--arguably very important functions, especially post-financial-crisis. Without the Fed in place, a new entity would have to perform these functions. In Shelton's opinion, this could be done either privately or federally.
Excuse me? Are we supposed to believe that the FED, which funded the bubbles, is the agency best equipped to regulate commercial banks? This is the agency that did not see the 2008-9 crash coming, when Austrian economists did. Are we also supposed to believe that the federal government's Civil Service-protected functionaries are reliable regulatory agents, even though they cannot be fired for not forecasting and then preventing another crisis? I ask: Which economic theory of profit and loss, cause and effect, supports that conclusion? (Hint: see the works of public choice economics.)
More Market-Based Interest Rates The Fed has been around since 1913, so it seems difficult to envision exactly how a Fed-free monetary system would look. According to Kroszner, without a central bank, the U.S. might revert to the system in place before the creation of the Fed: one of private clearinghouses that would determine short-term liquidity, altering short-term interest rates. However, Kroszner points out, longer-term rates are already largely determined by supply and demand.
Yes, long-term rates are set by supply and demand. But the FED is now involved in "operation twist." It increases the supply of money going to long-term instruments, meaning Fannie, Freddie, and Timmy.
A Fairer Banking Industry? "Fairness" is, of course, subjective, but Fed critics argue that two of the Federal Reserve's chief functions--selling bonds and regulating banks--are at cross purposes and make for an unfair market. "If [the Fed] goes into a community bank and says, 'We're very uncomfortable with your loans to entrepreneurs...but we won't penalize you at all if you buy U.S. Treasury bonds,' that's a huge conflict of interest. That makes me uncomfortable, that the Fed has the inside track on the financial resources of the country," says Shelton.
It makes me uncomfortable that the FED can create bubbles, pop them, and thereby wipe out the dreams of millions of Americans.
It makes me uncomfortable that academic economists cannot think straight on any aspect of money, including basic theory of supply and demand.
It makes me uncomfortable that self-proclaimed free market economists refuse to understand that a government-created cartel is bad for the public.
That is why I am a FED basher and proud of it.
It is also why I served as Ron Paul's first staff economist. Back then, nobody paid any attention to him. Today, they do.
You can keep the good old days. The future looks good for FED bashers.
Every time there is another monetary crisis or sovereign debt crisis, the FED's army of academic defenders goes into ad-hoc explanatory mode. Every time it happens -- every few weeks, these days -- I am reminded of Bobby Fischer's answer at age 14 when he was asked why he loved chess. "I love to see them squirm." Me, too.Venezuela's state oil company said Tuesday that it has stopped selling crude to Exxon Mobil Corp. in response to the U.S. oil company's drive to use the courts to seize billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets.
Exxon Mobil is locked in a dispute over the nationalization of its oil ventures in Venezuela that has led President Hugo Chavez to threaten to cut off all Venezuelan oil supplies to the United States. Venezuela is the United States' fourth largest oil supplier.
Tuesday's announcement by state-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, was limited to Exxon Mobil, which PDVSA accused of "judicial-economic harassment" for its efforts in U.S. and European courts.
PDVSA said it "has paralyzed sales of crude to Exxon Mobil" and suspended commercial relations with the Irving, Texas-based company.
"The legal actions carried out by the U.S. transnational are unnecessary... and hostile," PDVSA said in the statement. It said it will honor any existing contracts it has with Exxon Mobil for joint investments abroad, but reserved the right to terminate them if permitted by the terms of the contracts.
It was unclear how much oil PDVSA supplies to Exxon Mobil, the world's biggest publicly traded oil company. Both Chavez and Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez previously said the company is no longer welcome to do business in Venezuela.
Venezuela's decision leaves up in the air the situation of a refinery in Chalmette, La. - a joint venture supplied by Venezuelan oil in which PDVSA and Exxon Mobil are equal partners.
Exxon Mobil spokeswoman Margaret Ross declined to comment on the move by Venezuela but added that "it is our long-standing practice to take appropriate steps to meet our customers' needs."
Exxon Mobil is challenging the Chavez government's nationalization of one of four heavy oil projects in the Orinoco River basin, one of the world's richest oil deposits.
A British court issued an injunction last month temporarily freezing up to $12 billion of PDVSA's assets. Exxon Mobil also has secured an "order of attachment" from U.S. District Court in Manhattan on about $300 million in cash held by PDVSA. A hearing to confirm the order is scheduled for Wednesday.
Other oil companies including Chevron Corp., France's Total, Britain's BP PLC and Norway's StatoilHydro ASA have negotiated deals with Venezuela to continue as minority partners in the nationalized projects. ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil balked at the government's tougher terms and have been in compensation talks with PDVSA.
Earlier Tuesday at an energy conference in Houston, Exxon Mobil senior vice president Mark Albers declined comment on any court proceedings with Venezuela, though he said the company is eager to negotiate fair compensation for its assets.
Exxon Mobil is taking the dispute to international arbitration, to which Venezuela has agreed. Its legal actions essentially seek to corral Venezuelan assets ahead of any decision by the arbitration panel.
Venezuela's announcement came after Ramirez, the oil minister and PDVSA president, reiterated in a newspaper interview Tuesday that Venezuela is ready to cut off oil supplies to the United States if pressed into an "economic war."
"If they want this conflict to escalate, it's going to escalate. We have a way to make this conflict escalate," Ramirez was quoted as saying.
The White House on Tuesday declined to comment on Venezuela's threat. "When there's a litigation that's ongoing, different parties will say anything to try to win over on an argument," said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan state television has begun airing short anti-Exxon segments, with a message appearing on the screen in red text reading: "Exxon Mobil turns oil into blood."
The U.S. remains the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan oil, and Chavez relies largely on U.S. oil money to stimulate his economy and bankroll social programs that have traditionally boosted his popularity.
Some analysts say it would make little sense for Chavez to follow through on his broader threats to cut off oil sales to the U.S. because Venezuela owns refineries in the United States that are customized to handle the South American country's heavy crude.
Ramirez said Venezuela is selling the U.S. a daily average of 1.5 million barrels of crude and other products derived from oil.It begins with a total disregard for public opinion when defense strategy is formulated. Exempting extreme situations, what the American people want just doesn’t matter all that much. A hawkish consensus in Washington between Democrats and Republicans, both championing shockingly similar interventionist ambitions, sets the terms of debate. The inertia of a bloated defense bureaucracy that protects its budget at all costs then sustains interventions. And so we find ourselves in places like Africa, which only an elite few ever want us to be in to begin with.
The answer lies in distinguishing the superficial differences in foreign policy debates from the actual policies favored by both parties. The reality is that U.S. foreign policy isn’t nearly as democratic as it should be and the elites forming it tend to pretty much agree on everything. This elite consensus then gets further constrained by the insatiable budget appetites of defense bureaucracy. These are the reasons intervention is so often presented by the defense and foreign policy establishment as entirely obvious and completely inevitable.
What’s going on here? Why do elected officials give credence to the myth that U.S. military power is somehow fettered, when our troop presence looms large, even to the point of appearing overextended? Why does there seem to be a consensus in Washington that assumes a broad, expensive and invasive U.S. military presence to be a panacea?
Without much fanfare or input from the public, U.S. military activity in Africa increased a whopping 217 percent from 2008 to 2013. This happened during a period supposedly defined by American isolationism and cuts to the military required by federal budget sequestration.
Despite the 4,000 troops stationed there, Lemonnier alone doesn’t begin to illustrate the full scope of our presence in the continent. As Nick Turse reported in Tom Dispatch, the U.S. military is involved in the affairs of more than 90 percent of African countries. A discreet mission creep in Africa has led to our government’s quietly building military infrastructure, expanding an intelligence network and training local militias.
One of the more interesting recent encroachments of our military, which has received only intermittent attention, is the growth of our troop presence in Africa. Nominally, the United States has just one active military base in Africa. Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti serves as the headquarters of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa and acts as the launch pad for drone strikes in the region.
If you share their fears, rest assured: The U.S. military isn’t retreating to our shores. It’s already deeply entrenched in a global archipelago of virtually countless bases in at least 38 countries (PDF) around the world. And that’s just troops and bases, to say nothing of the tertiary influence of arms sales.
Hawks such as Sen. John McCain and commentators such as former New York Times columnist Bill Keller and Wall Street Journal editor Bret Stephens fret about America’s growing isolationism and the potential for a de-Americanized world, in which the absence of our stabilizing presence leads to chaos.
Peter Beinart argued in The Atlantic in August that U.S. foreign policy has traditionally been a blue-blooded affair, well insulated from the vulgarities of public opinion. The gap between the opinions of the elites creating foreign policy and those of average Americans is historically large. Beinart used Hillary Clinton’s hawkishness as an example. Her key advisers are all “good poll readers,” according to Politico, keeping her tethered to the middle of the road when it comes to domestic issues. And yet she remains significantly more hawkish than the public on key hot-button issues such as Iran and Syria.
But it’s not just Clinton, and it’s not just a recent occurrence. Political blogger Matthew Yglesias pointed out the divide between mass and elite opinion on foreign policy issues in 2009. He cited a Pew study that year that compares public opinions and those of the foreign policy elite, in this case represented by the positions of the Council on Foreign Relations. The divergence is striking. The American public was resolutely less eager to engage in foreign adventurism than the elites.
Yglesias summed it up by writing that “it’s the very eliteness of the elite views that makes them influential out of proportion to the actual number of people who hold them.” It’s a pat solipsism that doesn’t address the quandary of asking working-class Americans to pay and die for policies they don’t have a say in creating. And it doesn’t address the fundamental unfairness of your opinions’ not mattering unless you belong to a prestigious think tank.
A point that Beinart emphasized is that the larger gap in foreign policy opinion exists between the mass and the elite, not between Democrats and Republicans. So not only are the people at the top not listening to you; they pretty much already agree with one another. The bipartisan cheer that rose up around the nomination of Ashton Carter for secretary of defense was disturbing evidence of this. It is what MIT professor Barry Posen calls the “liberal hegemony” that exists among America’s foreign policy elite.
Simply put, nearly everyone in Washington agrees on a default policy of internationalist military activism. It’s why Carter, who served as secretary of defense for international security policy under Bill Clinton, was lauded by notorious neoconservative Donald Rumsfeld. Glenn Greenwald responded to a New York Times article describing Carter as “someone who may advocate a stronger use of American power” by asking, “For a country at war for 13 straight years with no end in sight, and which more or less continuously bombs multiple countries simultaneously, what would a ‘stronger use of American power’ look like?” But the point is that Carter was the safe choice for President Barack Obama precisely because he favors stronger use of American power. It’s at least one position that everyone in Washington can get behind.
Having a |
after the 2011 Japan and 1994 California earthquakes.[241][242]
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee echoed that fewer claims were expected through the EQC than for 2010. In the 2010 earthquake, 180,000 claims were processed as opposed to the expected 130,000 claims for the 2011 aftershock. The total number of claims for the two events was expected to be 250,000, as Brownlee explained that many of the claims were "overlapping".[243][244]
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) announced it would be the largest single event they had paid out for, with an estimated 7,500 injury claims costing over $200 million.[245]
On 2 March 2011, John Key said he expected an interest rate cut to deal with the earthquake. The reaction to the statement sent the New Zealand dollar down.[246]
In January 2013 Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said repairs to damaged homes to date had totalled more than $1 billion.[247]
A KPMG survey in March 2013 suggested as much as $1.5 billion could be sucked from the rebuild in fraud.[248]
In March 2013 a researcher at the University of Canterbury said after the quake, residents – particularly women – turned to comfort food and began eating unhealthily.[249]
Cancellation of 2011 census [ edit ]
The chief executive of Statistics New Zealand, Geoff Bascand, announced on 25 February that the national census planned for 8 March 2011 would not take place due to the disruption and displacement of people in the Canterbury region, and also the damage sustained by Statistics New Zealand's buildings in Christchurch, which was scheduled to process much of the census. The cancellation required an amendment to the Statistics Act 1975, which legally requires a census to be taken every five years. The Governor-General also had to revoke his previous proclamation of the date of the census. It is the third time the census has been cancelled in New Zealand; the other occasions occurred in 1931, due to the Great Depression, and in 1941 due to World War II.[250] Much of the NZ$90 million cost of the 2011 census was written off. The census was ultimately deferred to 5 March 2013.[251]
Mental health [ edit ]
Negative mental health impacts [ edit ]
The Christchurch earthquake of 2011 had widespread mental health effects on the population.[252][253][254][255][256][257] Research following the Christchurch earthquakes has shown that increasing exposure to the damage and trauma of a natural disaster is correlated with an increase in depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[252][254][255][256] Those with the most exposure suffer the most from mental health deficits, compared with those that are relatively unaffected.[252][254][255][256] Increases in trauma exposure are related to increased dependence on alcohol and nicotine, as well as prescribed psychiatric medication.[252][253] This information is important to consider when reacting to future earthquakes and other natural disasters. There is evidence that suggests that the mental health effects of natural disasters can be debilitating and detrimental to the community affected.[252][253][254][255][256][257][258]
Positive mental health impacts [ edit ]
Evidence from research on the Christchurch earthquakes reveals that increased trauma exposure is not exclusively correlated with negative outcomes.[254][258] Those with relatively high exposure to earthquake damage show an increase in positive effects, including an increase in personal strength, growth in social relationships, the bringing of families closer, and realizing what's important in life.[254][258] It's thought that natural disasters, such as earthquakes, are able to induce these positive effects because they affect an entire community, in comparison to an event that targets only an individual.[258] The damage on a community can lead members to engage in pro-social behaviors[258] which are driven by empathy and desire to support others who have endured a similar traumatizing experience. Positive effects, such as a greater sense of community connection, can aide in helping the community heal as a whole. Implemented programs can use this knowledge to help survivors focus on the positive effects, possibly working with families to help them get through the disaster with the people they feel closest with.
Predictors of mental health deficits following trauma [ edit ]
Predictors of poor mental health after a trauma, such as mental health status prior to a trauma and individual characteristics, can help determine those who will be more vulnerable to developing mental health problems.[252][256][258] Those that exhibit lower mental health prior to an earthquake will be more likely to experience negative life changes than positive life changes with regard to personal strength.[258] Depressive symptoms before a disaster can predict higher chances of developing PTSD following a trauma.[256] People who exhibit lower mental health prior to the trauma don't adapt as well following trauma, and show higher levels of PTSD.[256][258] Personality traits, such as neuroticism and low self-control are associated with a lower sense of normalcy following an earthquake,[256] however optimism is predictive of lower and less severe PTSD symptoms.[256]
Limitations of studying earthquakes and mental health effects [ edit ]
Studying earthquakes has shown to be a difficult task when considering all the limitations created by natural disasters.[252][253][254][255][256][257][258] Clinical interviews are difficult because of the widespread damage to infrastructure and roads, which leads to reliance on self-report.[256][257][258] Self-report can introduce bias to results, leading to skewed data. Researchers are unable to reliably compare an individual's mental health status to their health status previous to the trauma because they must rely on retrospective self-report.[257][258] Retrospective self-report is affected greatly by the individual's current state of distress.[258] The displacement of large numbers of citizens following a trauma poses as a problem for researchers of natural disasters.[252][253][256] It is predicted that the people who are displaced experience the worst of the damage, and therefore the reported levels of PTSD and depression are often lower than they would have been had the displaced citizens been available to collect data from.[252] Because large number of citizens are being displaced, it is difficult to find a representative sample population.[253][256] For example, after the Christchurch earthquakes, studies reported that older educated females of European New Zealand descent were over represented in their sample population,[253][256] which isn't accurate of the Christchurch population as a whole.
Importance [ edit ]
Researching the mental health effects of earthquakes and other disasters is important so communities can heal properly after experiencing a traumatic event. This is a difficult topic to research because fixing the physical damage from a disaster is usually the first step a city takes towards recovery. Each individual can react differently to traumatic events, and more research needs to be done to learn how to predict vulnerability and access the effects to find solutions that work best. Because it has been found that different demographics are affected differently,[252] this also needs to be taken into account when finding solutions to aid recovery. Different demographics may benefit from different types of mental counseling to help them recover from trauma. It will be important to have information on a wide variety of demographic groups because the same mental health treatment will not help all of those affected by a trauma.
Screen portrayals [ edit ]
When A City Falls (2011): feature-length documentary about the 2010 and 2011 quakes in Christchurch directed & produced by Gerard Smyth and released in cinemas in November 2011. [259]
(2011): feature-length documentary about the 2010 and 2011 quakes in Christchurch directed & produced by Gerard Smyth and released in cinemas in November 2011. Hope and Wire (2014): 3-part television mini-series dramatising the 2011 Christchurch quake. Screened on TV3 in July 2014. [260]
(2014): 3-part television mini-series dramatising the 2011 Christchurch quake. Screened on TV3 in July 2014. Sunday (2014): feature film set in Christchurch one year after the 2011 quake, depicting a young couple living amongst the re-building of the city.[261]
See also [ edit ]
Similar earthquakes:
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]
Official response and recovery
Scientific and engineering reports
News
DocumentariesGetty Images
Recently released data from the Pew Research Center shows that an increasing number of young people are ditching creationism in favor of evolution, which many scientists have asserted preeetttyyy much as fact for years.
Per Slate:
According to a recent Pew Research Center report, 73 percent of American adults younger than 30 expressed some sort of belief in evolution, a jump from 61 percent in 2009, the first year in which the question was asked. The number who believed in purely secular evolution (that is, not directed by any divine power) jumped from 40 percent to a majority of 51 percent.
The numbers are potentially another symptom of a larger ideological shift: In May, Pew published a report that found Millennials are leaving religion in droves, or choosing not to identify with any faith. "Overall, 35% of adult Millennials (Americans born between 1981 and 1996) are religiously unaffiliated," that report said. "Far more Millennials say they have no religious affiliation compared with those who identify as evangelical Protestants (21%), Catholics (16%) or mainline Protestants (11%)."
~Believe~ it or not, the evolution v. creationism discussion is far from over. There are still several publicly funded schools across the country where creationism is taught as an "alternative." In Tennessee and Louisiana, state law allows public schools to teach creationism. And in Texas, one network of charter schools -- which currently has about 170,000 students enrolled -- is actively teaching creationism in class.Climate change may play a part in rising diabetes numbers, a new study reports. Based on population data from 2015, the researchers estimate that a 1°C increase in outdoor temperature contributes to more than 100,000 new cases of diabetes each year in the United States alone.
The intention of the team of Dutch researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center was to investigate the association of outdoor temperature with diabetes incidence and prevalence of glucose intolerance, on a countrywide and global scale. The researchers used data on diabetes incidence among adults in 50 states of the USA and three territories (Guam, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands) for the years 1996 to 2009 from the National Diabetes Surveillance System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The team wanted to know if global increases in temperature were contributing to the current type 2 diabetes growth by negatively impacting on glucose metabolism via a reduction in brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity.
Global Warming And Insulin Sensitivity
Brown adipose tissue’s function in the body is to transfer energy from food into heat. Previous studies have shown that exposure to cold stimulates BAT, thus leading to modest weight loss and improved insulin action and sensitivity – making a person less likely to develop diabetes.
Worldwide, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly. In 2015, 415 million adults globally had the condition and it is expected that prevalence will rise by almost 55% – up to 642 million cases by 2040.
Researchers found that on average, per 1°C rise in temperature, age-adjusted diabetes incidence increased by 0.314 per 1,000.
Similarly, the worldwide prevalence of glucose intolerance increased by 0.17% per 1°C rise in temperature. These associations were the same after obesity was taken into account.
Such findings indicated that the diabetes incidence rate in the USA and prevalence of glucose intolerance worldwide did increase with higher outdoor temperature.
Observational Study
This was an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, but the authors analyzed longitudinal state-level data for each state separately before pooling the results. They also found that once they had taken into account important inter-country differences, such as age, sex, income and obesity, this did not materially change the results on the global level.
The study was not able to assess the directness of an association between body mass index (BMI) and diabetes incidence or prevalence in its models because continuous data on BMI were not available.
The authors conclude:
“These findings emphasise the importance of future research into the effects of environmental temperature on glucose metabolism and the onset of diabetes, especially in view of the global rise in temperatures with a new record set for the warmest winter in the USA last year.”
The work was supported by a grant from the Board of Directors of the Leiden University Medical Center, and a grant from the Netherlands Organization of Scientific Research.
Blauw LL, Aziz NA, Tannemaat MR, et al
Diabetes incidence and glucose intolerance prevalence increase with higher outdoor temperature
BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care 2017;5:e000317. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2016-000317By Aleksandar Sarovic for Veterans Today
Many people do not believe that conspiracy exists. My interest in conspiracies arose when I found out that they exist in the case of the destruction of my homeland Yugoslavia. World media presented the destruction of Yugoslavia as an internal conflict amongst the Yugoslav people; this depiction was just a facade. The essence of the breakup of Yugoslavia was rooted in the colonization of the country. In 1990, the western republics, Slovenia and Croatia, elected parties that supported capitalism. Previously ruling communists won the Serbian election. As a result, Serbia impeded on the pro-Western reforms in Yugoslavia. I realized that the Western politicians and media supported the pro-Western republics and accused the Serbs for all of the problems Yugoslavia entered. This bias was the result of a conspiracy that aimed to alienate people and weaken them politically and economically, which is exactly what happened. The conspirators got power over the whole territory of the former Yugoslavia and cheaply took resources that were built by all the people of Yugoslavia.
People realize that injustice happens around the world. Many media accuse the corporations that rule the world and produce injustice but they do not blame the people who rule the corporations. In that way the media accept that nothing can be done against these rulers. Conspirators like such media because they spread general apathy in society. I have recognized that the allegations against corporations are useless and that it is necessary to find people who benefit from the ruling of the corporations in order to be able to stop them.
Ten years ago I wondered, who might have such great power that they could destroy Yugoslavia? Through investigation, I came to the conclusion that all roads lead to the Rothschild family, although they are very unexposed. The Rothschild family secretly governs the Western world, and so no one could hold them responsible for it. No one could remove them from power. Is that not the goal of conspiracy? At that time, I noticed that many religious people believed that doomsday is approaching and speculated on the identity of the Antichrist. They suspected George Soros, Prince Charles, and even the Pope. I tried to take advantage of the interest of Christians and suggested in the article “Has the Antichrist Come?”, written in 2003, that Jacob Rothschild could be the Antichrist.
By the nineteenth century, the Rothschild family had already become the richest family in the world. Lord Byron presented the family in his poem “Don Juan,” canto 12/5, written in the old year of 1823.
Who hold the balance of the World? Who reign
O’er congress, whether royalist or liberal?
Who rouse the shirtless patriots of Spain?
(That make old Europe’s journals “squeak and gibber” all)
Who keep the World, both old and new, in pain
Or pleasure? Who make politics run glibber all?
The shade of Buonaparte’s noble daring?–
Jew Rothschild, and his fellow-Christian, Baring.
Then began the industrial revolution and the blossoming of colonialism where the Rothschilds certainly became even richer; but then they withdrew from the public arena. Why did they do this? After conquering the Western world, as expected, they wanted to conquer the whole world. Taking into account that rulers were often unpopular, and for this they could even pay with their heads, the Rothschilds have decided to conquer the world secretly. And they have succeeded. Today, they barely place on the list of the richest men in the world. One could get the impression that they lost wealth in the last two hundred years but there is no supporting evidence. On the contrary, I believe that the Rothschilds have never been richer or more powerful than today.
How can the Rothschilds increase their wealth and influence in the world while decreasing their visibility? The Rothschilds, as the richest people in the world, have cleverly come to idea to make contracts with poor agents who then represent them in the ownership of companies. As a reward, these people usually receive about 15% ownership as a gift, in order to incentivize their work, while the rest belongs to the Rothschilds. These people were immediately able to buy mansions, yachts and planes. They are very grateful for it, loyal to the Rothschilds, and do their best not to disappoint them. Such contracts are mutually very beneficial.
An example: After the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky for tax evasion in the oil company “Yukos” in Russia, there appeared a risk that his stocks would be seized. Control over Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s shares of “Yukos” were transferred to Lord Jacob Rothschild. Source is the article from “The Washington Times”, November 2, 2003: “Arrested oil tycoon passed shares to banker”. Oddly, the article cannot be found in the archives of the publishing house any more but fortunately, a copy of the article is available on the web page “Action Report Online”. The significance of this article lies in the fact that it shows Jacob Rothschild as a real majority owner of the company “Yukos”. In this case, greed has forced Jacob Rothschild to act erroneously because for the first time, it was uncovered that he hides his own wealth behind other people and, most interestingly, he uncovered it on his own. It should be added that the value of these shares exceeds the entire wealth of the whole Rothschild family, according to Forbes. This means that the wealth and power of the Rothschild family is presented falsely. Why?
Can we assume that the Rothschild model of hiding their wealth behind Khodorkovsky was applied to the other families throughout history? Of course we can. The Rothschilds were the richest people in the world long before the wealthy families Rockefeller, Morgan, Buffet, and others appeared. The Rothschilds have most likely sponsored the rise of these families in a similar fashion toKhodorkovsky. The Banking Monopoly states: “During WWI, JP Morgan was thought to be the richest man in the US, but after his death it was discovered that he was only a lieutenant of the Rothschild’s. Once Morgan’s will was made public, it was discovered that he owned only 19% of JP Morgan companies “. David Icke writes in Children of the Matrix, that the Rockefellers and Morgans were just “gofers” for the European Rothschilds. Political Vel Craft argues: “Warren Buffett Is Rothschild’s Front Man In The United States.” None of these articles provides evidence that the Rothschilds contracted Rockefeller, Morgan, Buffet, and others to represent them in the ownership and management of the world’s biggest companies because the contracts that regulate their relationship are secret and as such are inaccessible to the public. But the articles provide beyond a reasonable doubt that something like that is more than possible. In this way, the Rothschild familymost likely controls the largest banks, the most profitable companies and the most influential media. They are united in a single hierarchical organization that has predominant financial power, which brings them political power and controls all power centers in the Western world. In such a manner, the Rothschilds most likely manage the Western world, although they are not in politics nor on the lists of the world’s richest.
If there were two centers of such power, then they would have fought for dominance and through their strife we would know who they are, but there is no such thing. The absence of such conflicts tells me with complete certainty that the Rothschild family has monopoly power in the Western world. Therefore, we can hold the Rothschilds accountable for almost everything in the western world. This article will do that to a large extent.
Jacob Rothschild hides his power so much that he does not hesitate to use any means to present himself as a humble philanthropist. An insinuation: A photo of Jacob Rothschild taken by mistake in his home, Waddesdon Manor in England, with the “richest” man in the world, Warren Buffett, and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, has recognized Jacob Rothschild as a very influential man. That is most likely why Jacob Rothschild decided to present Warren Buffett as a great philanthropist and himself as a man surrounded by such people. I think that Jacob Rothschild was behind Warren Buffett’s statement that he intends to donate 85% of his wealth to charity. Of course in this case, this wealth belongs to Jacob Rothschild. The source: Reuters.
Recently, David Rockefeller decided to sell 37% of his Wealth Advisory and Asset Management Group to Jacob Rothschild for an undisclosed sum. Source: Financial Services. It’s no surprise they cooperate well, but this is not the problem here. When people buy something they usually need to pay taxes. According to the law, there are some exceptions and buying corporations is one of them. In this particular case even issuing a bill is not necessary. Why is the law so convenient to those who purchase corporations?
The Rothschilds have such a huge financial power that they could easily redeem all the worth of the stock exchange. In addition, they offer investments to independent companies that the companies could hardly refuse. If the owners of the companies accept the terms of the investment, they may even retain control of their companies. It is critical for the Rothschilds that they are cooperative. If these companies oppose the Rothschilds they run into problems. A huge campaign comes to mind that was supposed to split Microsoft in two because of the allegedly unacceptable monopoly that the company had in the world. The majority owner Bill Gates started playing bridge with Warren Buffet on which occasion Buffet probably explained to Gates the importance of “cooperativeness” in the Western world. I believe that Bill Gates accepted and since then there was no pressure to split Microsoft any more.
The same happens with entire countries. Saudi Arabia has been cooperative with the Rothschilds and therefore nobody touches it. The Rothschilds do not care what oil company exploits oil in the world as long as it belongs to them. If it does not, then the people who control the oil lose their power or even their lives like Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein. I do not claim that the Rothschilds have organized the killing of those people. No, their deaths were a side product of the Rothschild’s need to control oil in the world. I do not claim either that the Rothschilds wanted to steal the oil. It will still belong to Iraq and Libya. But the Rothschilds will bring to power obedient people contrary to Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein. Thus, the Rothschilds will establish control over these countries and then of course over their oil. No one else has such power. The Rothschilds are able to achieve this goal because they are invisible and cannot be held accountable.
One of the most important agents of the Rothschild family is George Soros. By portraying himself as a “great benefactor”, he helped the reforms in Eastern Europe and donated to these countries one billion dollars through his organization “Open Society”. The name he gave his organization is at least shamelessly hypocritical because he is one of the prominent members of the most closed society. He is a pirate who wounded many countries and peoples as a result of his greed. William Engdahl wrote about it in his article: The Secret Financial Network Behind “Wizard” George Soros. The article also presents Soros’ connection with the Rothschilds.
Can you who do not believe in conspiracies explain why Soros has donated one billion dollars? Here is my explanation. It was not a gift but a big scam by which the agents of the Rothschild family’s secret organization took the properties of Eastern European countries. I have no evidence. But if you think that the pirate Soros donated one billion dollars to the countries of Eastern Europe to let independent people get rich, then the Rothschild’s conspiracy has successfully formed the way you think. By giving donations to Eastern Europe, Soros promoted capitalism as an ideal systemfinanced parties and media, and corrupted politicians. That allowed other agents of the Rothschild’s to step in in organized manner and buy the state ownerships in these countries. That is how an investment of one billion dollars returned trillions. This is the only proper way to interpret Soros’ philanthropy. It was organized crime. Some local people in these countries got rich as well, but they are agents who run the Rothschild companies and generally work for commissions.
The governments of East European countries received assistance from representatives of the West, binding them to follow the policy of Western countries. If some government of the East European countries opposes the policies imposed from the West then that country experiences rebellion against the government. The President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich was dismissed by violent revolution because he tried to build a closer relationship with Russia. This was a very complex operation that funded the revolution in Ukraine, which has misguided the world about occurrences in Ukraine by controlled media, which has forced the leaders of the world to support a violent change of government in Ukraine. Who could have an interest and the power to achieve it? Only the Rothschilds.
Russia opposes the aggressive policy of the West and therefore the West increasingly attacks it. I believe that this is the beginning of the third major aggression against Russia after Napoleon and Hitler. I do not think it would be an armed war between America and Russia because both sides know they cannot win. The battles will be performed by economic and political exhaustion and will last until one of the parties gives up. The Russians defeated Napoleon and Hitler, and I believe they might defeat Rothschild as well, primarily because they are moral contrary to the corrupt West and therefore stronger. It would take years, if not decades, of exhausting struggle, during which the countries will stagnate and people will suffer.
The Rothschild family decides for whom people vote in the elections in the US and in all influenced countries around the world by investing large amounts of money to political parties that are most suitable to them and by promoting them through the media they control. In the end, it does not matter to them who will win because they finance, through their agents, all influential parties that follow their interests around the world. Thus they ensure that the policy that suits them would be accepted wherever liberal democracy exists. In the previous presidential elections in the US in 2012, both the dominant parties have spent around a billion dollars. There were more candidates for the presidential position but the Americans did not even know they exist. Where is the democracy? This is a hidden dictatorship of the Rothschild family.
It very rarely happens that things do not work out as the Rothschilds predict. But it does happen. On the way of conquering the world, the Rothschilds met resistance from the Serbs. Serbs resisted the Rothschild family in the attack on Yugoslavia for ten years. The Rothschilds lost patience and decided to break the resistance by way of military aggression of NATO pact on Yugoslavia. Only the Rothschilds can organize an aggression against a sovereign country without consequences because no one can connect them to this aggression. Only Rothschild can mobilize all the western media to justify this aggression through lies. This has backed the support of the world nations for aggression against Yugoslavia. Only Rothschild can benefit from it.
US President Bill Clinton, as the highest authority of NATO, was supposed to command the aggression against Yugoslavia. He knew that such a command would be criminal because it did not have permission from the UN. Therefore, Clinton persistently refused to issue such a command even though the Rothschilds pressured him for years. Then the Rothschild agents set up the Lewinsky case and blackmailed him with impeachment if he refused the aggression against Yugoslavia. Only the Rothschilds can blackmail the US President in such a manner. President Clinton of course preferred his position more than the lives of thousands of people and commanded the attack on Yugoslavia. Immediately after his approval, the Lewinsky case was completely forgotten. Please see the chronology at CNN. But it’s not all. Clinton got a 500 million dollar donation to build his library in Little Rock, Arkansas. May it be the reward for the attack on Yugoslavia? I wrote excessively about the war in Yugoslavia in the article “My debt to Yugoslavia.” I am deeply convinced that an investigation against US President Bill Clinton for the criminal aggression on Yugoslavia would lead to Jacob Rothschild. But who can sue President Clinton?
The successful aggression on Yugoslavia encouraged the Rothschilds to go further in conquering the world. Thus, in turn came Iraq and Afghanistan, countries rich with minerals. These states were independent and that is something the Rothschild family certainly wanted to change. To make it easier to accomplish they chose George W. Bush for the US President because he was completely on their side as opposed to President Clinton. For the aggression on Afghanistan and Iraq they needed the support of the people. It was found in the terrorist attack in New York on 9/11/2001. I think the Rothschilds would wait way too long for such an opportunity so that I believe they made it happened much sooner by the help from their Muslim allies which the terrorists did not know about. There is an open suspicion that Saudi Arabia had their fingers in it. President Bush immediately accused Afghanistan and Iraq for the terrorist attack even though he had no proof. He gave the ultimatum toAfghanistan and Iraq which they could not accept and ordered the aggression against these countries.
Practically only the Rothschilds can control the American government, only they could benefit from the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, only they are able to launch the aggression, and only they could establish a puppet government there. Only they could have profited from these wars. In order to hide their responsibility if something went wrong, they cunningly sought reserve culprits for the wars. They could not find anyone else but the US government itself. Therefore they formed the conspiracy theory that claims the Bush administration carried out the attack on the twin towers in New York 9/11/2001 in order to obtain a pretext for attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan. This is nonsense. President Bush did not have the operational ability to derive a significant personal benefit from theaggression on Iraq and Afghanistan. I am sure President Bush did not know about that because he was surprised and reacted very awkwardly when he heard that the planes hit the World Trade Center.
But numerous experts who claim that building number 7 was demolished with explosives were found and they accused the US government. This conspiracy theory is presented a lot in the media which would not be possible without the support of the Rothschild family that controls the media. I am an architect and I know that the steel structure is very sensitive to high temperatures and rapidly loses its loading weight capacity when it is exposed to fire, as opposed to concrete structures. Building number seven was burning on low floors almost all day collapsing under the heavy load of the building, which looks like a demolition. The same thing happened to the twin skyscrapers. With such conspiracies the Rothschilds deceive people. The accusation against the US government does not bother the Rothschilds at all, because it serves to carry the burden of all the evil that the Rothschilds commit. Some indication exists which presents the possibility that the Rothschilds bypassed the president, helped the terrorists in the United States achieve their goal, and obstructed the investigation to bring additional suspicion to the US government. Thus they remove any possible doubt from themselves.
The Rothschilds support false conspiracy theories because they invalidate the credibility of real conspiracies. Many people write about the evil Rothschilds even though often they do not have evidence. The Rothschilds have never sued any such writers because such trials would have brought negative attention. Instead of it, they clean themselves from all the evil they cause by beingcrafty. You may not believe it but they alone accuse themselves of the stupid conspiracies. Yes they are doing it. Example: Before it‘s News recently published: “Rothschild Takes Down Malaysian Airliner MH370 to gain rights to the Semiconductor Patent – Getting Rid of Those Who Stood In His Way!” What a stupidity! It is equally absurd as if they are accused of stealing food from a grocery store. The authors of such texts should be afraid the Rothschilds might sue them for slander. Of course unless the Rothschild’s agents hired them to write such articles. Such articles can bringbenefits to the Rothschilds because by it’s shallowness devaluate the real accusations. Unconvincing conspiracy theories create the opposite effect, so that people dismiss conspiracy theories as impossible in today’s “democratic society”. And that is a part of the Rothschild’s conspiracy as well. With such articles, the Rothschilds become innocent people who suffer unjust accusations in the eyes of the world. Therefore the Rothschild themselves help distribute such articles. Media today deliberately indoctrinate people by imposing misinformation and shallow values, because misinformed and stupid people are obedient and cannot resist.
On the other hand, nobody investigates the real conspiracy. In the TV broadcast, Democracy Now on 3.2.2007, the U.S. General Wesley Clark said that immediately after 9/11, the Pentagon planned attacks on Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran. Is not that enough proof that there is a conspiracy? Clark is a true whistleblower because he unadvisedly betrayed the criminal action by the U.S. authorities. The U.S. Army General’s statement has not awakened any interest in the U.S. judiciary or the media. On the other hand I am not sure if whistleblowers Assange and Snowden have said anything that is not known, but still they are persecuted by the American justice system. Why? Because the U.S. justice and the media are controlled by the Rothschild family. The media have a purpose to remove public interest from the real issues by imposing endless useless public discussions. Assange and Snowden are victims created exactly for that purpose. If what they have revealed did not fit to big capital, you would not know that they exist.
To return to the US aggression on Iraq and Afghanistan; if you physically attack a man you will most likely end up in jail; if you attack Iraq and Afghanistan, kill hundreds of thousands of people to steal their resources, nothing will happen. It cannot be like this. Given that I am very well versed with the aggression against Yugoslavia, I recognized in the criminal aggression against Iraq and Afghanistan the handwriting of the Rothschild family. Have you ever asked yourself why the President of the US may be impeached for cheating on his wife but cannot be impeached for the criminal aggression against Iraq? I am deeply convinced that the investigation against US President George W Bush for the criminal aggression on Iraq would lead to Jacob Rothschild. But who can suePresident George W Bush?
In order to decrease the dissatisfaction of the people in the United States due to bad policies of George W. Bush, the Rothschild family, aided by their agent David Rockefeller, chose the young and intelligent Barack Obama for the US presidential position. I read somewhere that David Rockefeller, agent of the Rothschild family, first congratulated Barack Obama on his victory long before the election. Barack Obama as a humane man, attracted the American left and tried to remove the problems that the right wing Bush administration built in America. But he is not strong enough to succeed in doing so. Just before the nomination for the presidency, Obama graduated Harvard law. People who complete university must be obedient followers of authority otherwise they would not be able to complete their studies. The Rothschilds knew that they could relatively easily manipulate young Obama and that is why they chose him.
The Rothschilds made from an exemplary law student who believes that everyone is innocent until a court proves him guilty, a criminal and murderer. Obama signed an order for the predatory arrest of Osama Bin Laden that resulted in his cruel murder. He spat on his own diploma. Why has he done this? He felt pressure from the media and the U.S. government officials that surrounded him. They are all controlled by the Rothschilds because otherwise they could not be in the position they hold. No one has convinced me that Osama Bin Laden had anything to do with the terrorist actions that are attributed to him. If you noticed, all the media’s gravest charges have been proved only by putting his picture on the television screen. It is possible that the death was the silencing of a man who was wrongly accused and who could tell an uncomfortable truth in court.
America, pressured by the Rothschilds, kills people around the world with the excuse that in this way they fight terrorism, spread democracy and human rights. That is a lie; this is only about the discipline of disobedient countries. Obama sends drones that kill people in Afghanistan daily under the pretext that it prevents terrorism and spreads democracy. This is terrorism. Could you imagine Afghan drones flying over the United States and killing people because America is an undemocratic and terrorist state? The biggest crime of President Barack Obama was the aggression against Libya. I am deeply convinced that the investigation against US President Barack Obama for the criminal aggression on Libya, would lead to Jacob Rothschild. But who can sue President Barack Obama?
On the way to conquering the world, the Rothschilds certainly want to conquer Russia. The newly elected President of the United States Donald Trump, in his election campaign, promised reconciliation with Russia, because cooperation is the best solution for both countries. With such statements he could not gain the support of the Rothschilds. The victory of President Trump shows that the Rothschilds are still not omnipotent.
President Trump during the election campaign announced the crackdown on lobbying by “global elite,” which is synonymous with the Rothschilds. He should launch an investigation against Rothschild based on facts which beyond a reasonable doubt accuse Rothschild for the conspiracy against America and humankind. But the Rothschilds leave no traces behind their covert operations, so that it would be difficult to prove the accusation against them. In addition, it would require President Trump to clash with the corrupt US administration and powerful people who draw benefits from the existing system. It suggests to me that President Trump will not take the risk of opening an investigation against the Rothschilds. This means that nothing significant can be changed.
It can be expected with great certainty that the Rothschilds will pressure President Trump to follow their policies. They will try to bribe him, and if they fail, they will look for Trumps flaws, such as theyfound with Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky case. It will not be difficult to achieve knowing Trump’s peculiar character. Trump has already showed weakness in keeping election promises before entering the White House. So a variant of continuing conflict between Russia and America is more likely than cooperation.
Sometimes leaders lose their lives through violence. Knowing what kind of power the Rothschild family possess, if I were in the position of public attorney I would ask the Rothschild family if theyknow something about the unsolved murders of Presidents John Kennedy, Salvador Allende, Olof Palme, Slobodan Milosevic, and others. For this |
icked to Papua ended up being mistresses and after I investigated the cases, these women came from Manado, North Sulawesi,' she said. 'I need to go to Manado to meet religious leaders and regional government and ask them to stop sending young girls to Papua.'I'd worked tirelessly, relentlessly, to come back, pushed myself to defy all expectations. Throughout my rehab, I insisted it wasn't enough just to return to the game that I loved. I was determined to return as an elite player and compete at the highest level. Nothing less would satisfy me, despite all the questions about whether my goal was even achievable.
At seven o'clock on the night of April 10, 1987, I was getting ready to step onto the hardwood for the first time in over two years. The first time since the injury that was supposed to end my NBA career. No one had come back from it before, and most of the experts said it couldn't be done.
I couldn't begin to answer those questions until I plunged into the fast-paced action and physicality of a pro basketball game … a challenge that was now only minutes off.
The night my knee exploded, I was in my third year with the New York Knicks and playing the best basketball of my life. My All-Star appearance in 1984 was the springboard that elevated my confidence and my game, leading to what I call my Season of Ascension. That year I entered a zone, locked in, and never left, establishing my ability to match up against Larry Bird, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, or any of the top players in the world.
Representing the Eastern Conference alongside Bird, Julius Erving, and Isiah Thomas, and competing against the likes of Magic and George Gervin, I reached a new level of confidence. Whether I had one man guarding me, two, or three, I knew I could have my way offensively on the court.
That roll continued into the next year, becoming a new personal standard. In 1985, I was the league's leading scorer and could put the ball into the hoop almost at will.
I was twenty-eight years old. At the peak of my career.
I felt unstoppable, and I was.
Then one night in Kansas City, I jumped to block a layup after hustling down the court on a fast break, a situation I'd been in countless times, and a split-second instant later everything changed. Not just for my career, but for every facet of my life.
The crack of my knee blowing out was heard throughout the arena, but I didn't hear it. I didn't hear the horrified gasps from crowd or really even know what had happened to me.
But I knew it was bad. As bad as it could be.
I screamed—"Oh my God!"—and landed in a heap, then curled into a semi-fetal position and couldn't get up. The pain was excruciating, more intense than any I'd ever felt. I repeatedly banged my fist on the floor, clutching my right knee with my opposite hand.
Imagine being in midair, soaring above the rim, and simultaneously knowing your career is over.
It was like I'd been struck down by a stray rifle shot.
Yet it would prove to be the best thing that ever happened to me.
Some might find that hard to believe, and it's understandable. I certainly didn't realize it while awaiting diagnostic surgery at Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital. All I knew was that my prospects looked grim.
I would soon learn I'd suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn knee cartilage, and a shattered bone in my right knee. The damage was so severe I was unable to lift my leg off my bed without a therapist's assistance, and I was bound to a wheelchair for months. But during my journey back, through all the obstacles I faced, I had evolved as a player and person.
Now, two years later, two long years, I was gearing up for the most important game of my life.
Arriving at the Garden, I broke my silence only to say hello to the security people, attendants, ushers, and other arena personnel. They had treated me well throughout my time in New York, and I always considered them to be very important to the organization. That night I especially wanted to let them know how I felt.
Everything was the same as the last time I'd played. Yet nothing was the same. Hubie Brown, my former head coach, was gone. He'd been replaced by Bob Hill, someone with a very different manner and style of play. I had new teammates, and a new, surgically rebuilt knee.
I'd been away for quite a while.
When I finished dressing for the game, I did some stretches, then decided to go out onto the floor for pregame warm-ups, concentrating on the special drills I had learned from my physical therapist, Dania Sweitzer.
You'll hear much more about Dania later on, and with good reason. Throughout my rehabilitation, she worked with me five hours a day, six days a week, making countless personal sacrifices to bring me back. Again, not just to playing form, but All-Star form. I do not have the words to adequately express my debt to her.
The arena was filling up as I started my exercises, and although I normally blocked out the crowd noises, I could hear a murmur spreading through the stands. New York is a basketball town, and my return was being met with tremendous anticipation around the area. A legion of Knicks fans had left work early that day to find bars where they could watch the game on television. I was the team's captain and high scorer, and my presence on the floor had been greatly missed.
They were exhilarated, and I shared their feelings.
During my warm-ups, I noticed Don Nelson, the Bucks' head coach, quietly observing me from courtside. Nelly was a shrewd tactician, and I knew he was sniffing for an edge like a hound dog on the trail. He had a way of casting sidewise looks at players when sizing them up, so that you couldn't really catch him at it. But I felt his eyes on me and stayed clear of his side of the court. I didn't want to expose any vulnerabilities in my game.
About seven o'clock, I returned to the locker room for the pregame meeting. At those talks, you studied the scouting reports, discussed the opposition's strengths and weaknesses, and reviewed your overall game plan as a group. Then the coaches would toss questions around the room, asking each player about the man he was going to guard, and how he intended to go about it.
You couldn't get answers shorter than mine. A question about the player's tendencies? "He goes left." How was I going to stop him? "Block every damn shot."
I didn't give those clipped responses out of disrespect for my coaches or teammates. On the contrary, I wanted to be ready to do my best. For myself, the ballclub, and our fans.
So, minutes before game time, I hung a figurative Do Not Disturb sign from my locker, dropped my head to my chest, and went within, once again walling myself in silence. My expression twisted into a glowering, threatening scowl.
This was the face I'd worn as a kid growing up in Fort Greene, one of Brooklyn's toughest neighborhoods. The face I'd worn fighting off bullies and predators at school, standing up for myself and my siblings. The face I'd worn on the cracked asphalt courts near my housing development, where I played pickup basketball with kids much older than myself.
My Game Face.
I was more than focused. After years of playing the game, focus was natural for me. I could flip a switch and it was there. When my Game Face was on, I was tapping a deeper well of concentration.
As we went out onto the floor, I felt the charged atmosphere in the arena. The murmurs I'd heard before had become a loud, electric buzz. Normally I didn't hear it when I was locked in. But I couldn't block it out. Not that night. I was nervous, giddy with eagerness.
I stood there in the lights, trying to stay loose. Heel and toe. Side to side. My parents were in the crowd. Dania and her husband. My ex-wife and friends. And Diz, of course … all of them among the nineteen thousand fans in the arena.
"I think we've waited long enough! Here's the captain …"
It was incredible. John Condon, the legendary voice of Madison Square Garden, was announcing me. I wasn't even among the starters, and he was announcing me first. It gave me goose bumps.
"… Bernard King!"
I'll never forget the noise from the rafters, the swelling roar of the crowd. The fans, my teammates, all were on their feet. People were cheering, applauding, and waving handmade signs.
I breathed once, twice, deep breaths to fill my lungs with oxygen. I started to clap my hands, wanting to let everyone around me know how I felt about their reception. But then I caught myself and awkwardly rubbed my palms together. I was fighting to control my emotions.
WELCOME BACK BERNARD.
The words flashed from the auxiliary scoreboard on the first promenade.
Suddenly a smile broke through my Game Face. That had never happened to me on the court. But I couldn't keep from letting the crowd in. I needed to honor them.
I looked around, glancing up at the seats, and brought my hands together in applause.
The crowd had taken me out of my comfort zone. I couldn't play like that. But I had to. I had to find a way.
I'd risen from the schoolyards to the legendary court at Madison Square Garden. I'd gone from a shy, lonely kid longing for my mother's embrace, to having thousands of people take me in, touching my heart with their raucous show of warmth and appreciation.
I owed it to them… owed it to myself … to take the ultimate test and see what I could do.
It was now or never.
Let's go, I thought, a flood of memories blurring through my mind. I can do this.
Let's go.“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity,” Simone Weil wrote. Decades later, cognitive scientist Alexandra Horowitz observed in her marvelous inquiry into our everyday blinders: “Attention is an intentional, unapologetic discriminator. It asks what is relevant right now, and gears us up to notice only that.”
More than a century earlier, in his masterwork The Principles of Psychology, Vol. 1 (public library), pioneering psychologist William James (January 11, 1842–August 26, 1910) examined the interplay of generosity and mercilessness in this greatest of human superpowers, which shapes our basic experience of reality.
James offers a wonderfully precise yet alive definition of attention:
Attention … is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought, localization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatter brained state which in French is called distraction, and Zerstreutheit in German.
Long before contemporary psychologists came to examine the self-referential base of consciousness, James writes:
Millions of items of the outward order are present to my senses which never properly enter into my experience. Why? Because they have no interest for me. My experience is what I agree to attend to. Only those items which I notice shape my mind — without selective interest, experience is an utter chaos. Interest alone gives accent and emphasis, light and shade, background and foreground intelligible perspective, in a word. It varies in every creature, but without it the consciousness of every creature would be a gray chaotic indiscriminateness, impossible for us even to conceive.
It’s a notion at once commonplace and utterly radical for us today — somehow, mesmerized by the glowing rectangles we carry everywhere, we seem to have relinquished this most elemental form of agency shaping our experience of life. There is a striking similarity between James’s vivid description of inattentiveness, predicated on the now-endangered phenomenon of boredom, and the mind-body state induced by the vast majority of our device use, portending to ward off boredom but effecting the very same result:
Most people probably fall several times a day into a fit of something like this: The eyes are fixed on vacancy, the sounds of the world melt into confused unity, the attention is dispersed so that the whole body is felt, as it were, at once, and the foreground of consciousness is filled, if by anything, by a sort of solemn sense of surrender to the empty passing of time. In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who has spoken to us, trying to make the next step in our reasoning… Every moment we expect the spell to break, for we know no reason why it should continue. But it does continue, pulse after pulse, and we float with it, until also without reason that we can discover an energy is given, something we know not what enables us to gather ourselves together, we wink our eyes, we shake our heads, the background-ideas become effective, and the wheels of life go round again. […] The abolition of this condition is what we call the awakening of the attention.
James offers a similarly sobering lens on multitasking. To the question of how many things we can attend to at once — how many “entirely disconnected systems or processes of conception can go on simultaneously” in our consciousness — he answers:
Not easily more than one, unless the processes are very habitual; but then two, or even three, without very much oscillation of the attention. Where, however, the processes are less automatic … there must be a rapid oscillation of the mind from one to the next, and no consequent gain of time. […] When expectant attention is concentrated upon one of two sensations, that the other one is apt to be displaced from consciousness for a moment and to appear subsequent; although in reality the two may have been contemporaneous events.
The act of paying attention and the way in which it is performed, James argues, is what sets geniuses apart from ordinary people:
Sustained attention is the easier, the richer in acquisitions and the fresher and more original the mind. In such minds, subjects bud and sprout and grow. At every moment, they please by a new consequence and rivet the attention afresh. But an intellect unfurnished with materials, stagnant, unoriginal, will hardly be likely to consider any subject long. A glance exhausts its possibilities of interest. Geniuses are commonly believed to excel other men in their power of sustained attention… Their ideas coruscate, every subject branches infinitely before their fertile minds, and so for hours they may be rapt.
But the ultimate measure of genius, James notes in a sentiment that echoes Goethe, isn’t so much the mental style of how attention is paid as the disciplined discernment of what we attend to:
When we come down to the root of the matter, we see that [geniuses] differ from ordinary men less in the character of their attention than in the nature of the objects upon which it is successively bestowed.
The Principles of Psychology, which is in the public domain, remains a foundational text of understanding the human mind. Complement this particular portion with Mary Oliver on what attention really means and Annie Dillard on the two ways of looking, then revisit James on how habit works, what our emotions really are, and the psychology of the second wind.Sharing is a natural act in human behavior, while capitalism is based on the idea of ownership and property, which in turn foster consumerism. Over the last years, the sharing economy has arisen as a new economic paradigm, which, many authors say, may even replace capitalism.
This optimistic idea is then met with reality, where many websites working in the sharing field (like Uber and Airbnb) are extremely profitable for their investors, and of course these profits are not shared with the users, de facto replicating the traditional capitalist model.
Sharing has always been a component of the human identity, but over the last ten years it has received increased attention, both at academic and “practical” levels. This is partly due to its link with the economic crisis, and partly to the new forms and instruments that today allow the act of sharing to take place.
On the one hand, the sharing economy can be seen as a social innovation, i.e. a new solution that is more effective in responding to social needs than existing ones, and that also helps building new social relationships.
On the other hand, the way that sharing economy takes place is also relevant and draws growing attention (and capital) to it. Usually online platforms and apps allow users to communicate that they have extra resources available to share, and they put them in contact with those who are interested in getting access to those goods.
How does it work?
The idea (and the practice) of sharing is now a reality in many economic sectors, such as housing, transportation, food, tourism, service provision etc. We all know, and many of us probably used, websites such as Airbnb, Couchsurfing, Blablacar, Uber and the likes.
The typical model involves the offer side (i.e. people offering certain goods to be shared with others), a website acting as an intermediary, and the demand side (i.e. people looking to borrow certain goods or other people’s time or services). This means that the act of sharing, in the form that characterizes the sharing economy, needs the Internet and a dedicated website to take place: people have to register to the website (in some cases registration fees are required) to be able to connect with others. This type of sharing is certainly able to go beyond geographical and physical barriers, but we may question its ability to promote a more “immediate” type of relationship.
Access vs ownership
On the other hand, this phenomenon prioritizes the idea of access over the idea of ownership: if I have an extra amount of any resource, I can share it with strangers, who will be paying me (and the website) money to be able to access the good, without needing to buy one themselves. This is easiest to understand if we think about website where people can share tools and other objects: rather than buying a drill, which I will probably use only a handful of times, I can borrow it from someone else, paying them a small amount of money to do so (in turn, helping them to cover the price they paid for the item).
Of course, one positive consequence of sharing emerges: the chance of a switch in behaviors from consumerism to more responsible and sustainable consumption. At the same time, capitalism and its extreme consumption-based culture are deeply rooted into many Western societies (where the sharing economy trend is stronger) and we can question how easy it would be to start removing them.
So, the sharing economy has a clear positive outcome in saving resources (and therefore in greater sustainability), and many see it as an anti-capitalist model.
All that glitters is not gold
However, concerns arise. The first is that people normally receive a monetary compensation for making their resources (be it a house, a car seat, a meal, a tool) available to others: rather than just exchanging goods and services back and forth with others based on the contingent availability or scarcity, people are turning to the sharing economy as a side job to cash in additional money and improve their quality of life. Many are going further and turning their act of sharing into their main job (just see Airbnb hosts with multiple properties listed on the website, or Uber drivers who use it to escape unemployment). We cannot criticize people for trying to get by, but many doubts have emerged about the exploitation and unfairness displayed by sharing companies toward their users.
The second is that, as already mentioned, the sharing economy is strongly based on the existence of websites acting as intermediaries: many of them charge users with fees for using the service (just try making a reservation on Airbnb). On the one hand, the fee can be justified as the price you pay for using that service and accessing a worldwide community of suppliers of the good you need; it can also represent part of the website’s owners compensation for their business expenses. This point alone already raises a question: is this really the type of sharing we want to encourage?
However, we also know that the most prominent sharing economy companies are worth billions of dollars and are seen as great investment opportunities by the capitalist market. Which leads us to question whether the sharing economy is really anti-capitalist (or alternative to capitalism), when the companies involved in it are making high profits (not shared with the outside) and drawing so much capital to themselves (which should mean, in turn, that the capitalist market encourages these ventures): maybe, the current model of sharing is just a different manifestation of capitalism, and its true objective is profit-making for owners and investors.Every night you turn on the news, there’s something new to worry about – the Zika virus being the latest. In the drug and alcohol arena, the Heroin epidemic is getting a lot of attention now that it’s taking center stage in the presidential race.
While this coverage continues to raise awareness of a national epidemic, people are ready for more than talk, they need solutions based in science and research.
We recently spoke to Tom McLellan, former Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, who says that, “people are tired of hearing about new problems, they want solutions.” He goes on to say that as a parent:
You CAN help your kid avoid problems with drugs.
You CAN recognize the early signs of an oncoming addiction.
You CAN prevent addiction.
McLellan describes a sobering thought: Imagine that the local high school offers a public meeting on the topic of “ways to get your kid into college.” Chances are, it would be standing room only. However, if that same facility was used for “how to avoid and/or overcome substance abuse,” nobody would come. Why? For the first scenario, parents WANT to plan for their kid’s college, in the latter, nobody wants to plan for drug abuse. But just because we don’t want it, doesn’t mean that it can’t happen.
Some parents are “okay” with the idea that their kids might try smoking or alcohol. Some even think that there is nothing you can do to stop it. But the truth is, using drugs isn’t a rite of passage. And there are solutions. They begin with you.
Believe or not, studies show that 80% of teens say that the most influential people in their lives are their parents. Stop waiting for someone else to get through to your kid. You have a voice.
Okay, so now what? If you’re like most parents, you probably feel ill-equipped and alone. That’s okay says McLellan. “I was an expert in the addiction field, and when my son was experiencing problems even I felt helpless. It’s normal. Parents have to reach out and get the help that is there.” And while the road is not an easy one, there is hope. Here are six points McLellan makes:
First of all, McLellan believes that people throw the term “addiction” a little too freely. Research shows that it takes seven years for a full-on addiction to take root. Faster for certain drugs like Opiates but not overnight. Since addiction comes on over time, you can recognize the signs and stop it. Of course, the sooner you do, the better. It is important to note that addiction is not a character disorder; it’s a progressive illness brought about by changes in the brain. Despite what you may have heard or think, these behaviors can be changed. Understand that you have a right and you can learn valuable skills to speak into your kid’s life and work to change their dangerous behaviors. “Your kid is living in your house, he’s driving your car, eating your food and sleeping in a bed you bought him,” says McLellan. “You have a lot of power as a parent if you know how to use it properly and constructively.” “Don’t leave the drug prevention talk to your kid’s school. Schools only give drug abuse prevention in 8th grade for one semester and they think they’re done. This is not enough. Kids are still using and abusing.” Contrary to common belief parents don’t have to wait for their kid to hit rock bottom. We know waiting doesn’t work because that is why Heroin and prescription drug abuse is the leading killer of our children. They can intervene, strengthen their bond and change drug and alcohol behaviors of their teen or young adult. I wish that every parent would learn the communication skills that have been proven to be effective in changing their child’s behavior around substances. What parents do naturally often doesn’t work well, so it is critical that they take the time to learn the skills that CAN make a difference in saving the life of their child.
“Parents can help their kid avoid problems with drug use and Parent CRAFT can be very effective. That’s pretty simple. I don’t think people get that ‘shit happens’ but when something bad happens you have solutions.”
In addition to Parent CRAFT as a solution, McLellan strongly suggests DrugFree.org as well who are a fantastic resource for drug prevention. It will help start a conversation with your kids about the heavy topic in a more realistic, non-threatening way.
Read more:0 Gaston commissioner has change of heart after voting for lifetime benefits
GASTON CO. - One Gaston County commissioner has had a change of heart and the commission's chair has posted an apology after commissioners approved a big perk for themselves Tuesday night.
Comissioners voted to continue providing health insurance to any commissioner who serves at least one 4-year term.
Tom Keigher, one of the commissioners, told Channel 9 he has changed his mind and is drafting a resolution to rescind the vote.
Keigher told Channel 9 reporter Ken Lemon that he realized he voted for something that he goes against and was even waffling at the decision during the vote Tuesday night.
Keigher said his hand was the last one raised during the vote.
The commission's chairman, Tracy Philbeck, offered an apology via Facebook Thursday, which read:
A special note to the citizens of Gaston County and Media:
Courageous Leaders Don't Make Excuses...They Apologize I read this statement this morning and in light of recent events it caused me to pause.
First, I want to apologize to the citizens of Gaston County, my friends, and family. The resolution that was passed by the commission was not intended for commissioners to make money or have special treatment. However it is obvious that is how it is perceived. I believe everything rises and falls on leadership. I take full responsibility as Chairman of the Gaston County Commission. I have called a special meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at 9:30 AM to not only address this issue but fix it. I plan to amend the resolution to make commissioners eligible after 10 years not 4 which is provided by State Statue. I also plan to amend the resolution to read that if a commissioners chooses to purchase the health insurance they can do so only at the full cost and no taxpayer monies at all will be used to subsidize the cost. In other words they pay full cost and the taxpayer pays nothing. I think this is reasonable.
I have heard you loud and clear and plan to fix this issue. I thank you for your time and consideration. I sincerely apologize for my actions.
Figures Channel 9 received from county staff show more than $600 monthly is spent per commissioner.
All seven commissioners were listed as sponsors of the resolution. Currently, county employees cannot keep their health insurance after they retire.
Taxpayers said they are disappointed with the news.
"Working as hard as we are, we can’t even afford the insurance they are taking out of our checks," said Alberta Hope Wilson.
Protesters marched Wednesday, less than 24 hours after those commissioners approved having taxpayers pay for a portion of the commission's health insurance.
The march ended at the front door of the Gaston County Administration Building Wednesday morning. The organizer of the protest was a Republican, but Channel 9 found Democrats and Independents in the group all angry at the vote by the all-Republican Board.
The protesters began by standing in front of the Gaston Courthouse with signs expressing their frustration with the vote by the board.
Protesters told Channel 9 that greed was behind the vote, and they want the board to reverse their decision, adding that commissioners need to change their decision or they will lead a push to vote them out.
Taxpayers would pay the majority cost to keep commissioners on the plan.
For the basic PPO the commissioner would pay $18.72 every two weeks. Taxpayers would cover the remaining $322.65 cost.
A commissioner with family would pay $128.21 and taxpayers would spend $586.47 to cover the rest of their insurance plan.
The county manager recommended health insurance for outgoing commissioners. He said the county is already dealing with a $1.2 million increase in health care cost for employees.
Commissioner Tom Keigher told Channel 9 reporter Ken Lemon by phone only three or four commissioners would use the option.
"What it really comes down to is taking money from the taxpayers in order to support somebody who is no longer in office and that's just wrong,” said Democratic Party Chair Robert Kellogg.
Commissioner Keigher told Channel 9 he would not vote on it unless there was a healthy debate.
Commissioners who have health insurance as of 04/28/2015:
Name Coverage Level Cost
Tracy L. Philbeck PPO / Family $128.21 (Bi-weekly)
Joe D. Carpenter No Coverage
Allen R. Fraley PPO / Employee Only $18.72 (Bi-weekly)
Thomas C. Keigher HSA / Employee Only No Cost
Chad R. Brown No Coverage
Michael A. Price PPO / Employee-Spouse $104.59 (Bi-weekly)
Effective: 6/01/2015
Robert J. Williams PPO / Family $128.21 (Bi-weekly)You would imagine a historic rout like the one the Indian National Congress has just suffered couldn’t be attributed to just one factor. You're right. As India’s Grand Old Party struggles to come to terms with the fact that it didn’t manage to win even 10% of the seats in the Lok Sabha, fingers are being pointed in every possible direction.
Here’s what the Congress has blamed for its downfall so far.On paper, the “communication strategy” is the official scapegoat for the party’s loss of more than 160 seats in the Lok Sabha, bringing it down from 206 seats to just 44. At the Congress Working Committee meeting last week, the party passed a unanimous resolution expressing faith in the leadership of president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi. It also passed a resolution criticising the aforementioned “communication strategy,” not of the party but of the government, i.e. Manmohan Singh. The government was not able to convey to the people about its programmes and all the good work it was doing,” said senior party leader Kamal Nath, after the results. His colleague, Jairam Ramesh, had nothing to say about the man who led the campaign — Rahul Gandhi — except to point out that he was “indefatigable".If American marketing agency APCO can take some of the credit for making Narendra Modi the phenomenon he is, shouldn’t the equivalent on the Congress side embrace its fair share of the blame? Realising this, Congress leaders have turned their sights on Dentsu, the Japanese communication agency which carried out the party’s campaign, which is estimated to have cost Rs 600 crore.“Dentsu cannot be absolved of the blame for the debacle,” a senior unnamed Congress leader told The Times of India. “They not only charged a premium for the creatives, but they also released ads at an abnormally high premium in connivance with various media houses.”A small set of parties have for years used “communal forces” as shorthand for their opponents and as an explanation for why they might be tying up with other parties that they might otherwise prefer to stay away from. So what happens when said communal forces win the election? You begin to talk about polarisation.“The Congress defeat and the BJP’s victory can be explained by large-scale polarisation of votes,” former petroleum minister Veerappa Moily told the Business Standard. “The Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh were the beginning and then Amit Shah was made in charge [of the BJP in the state]; secular parties, including the Congress, failed to respond. They [the BJP] succeeded in polarisation and it had a wave-like effect on the electorate of UP.”As soon as the votes starting coming in on counting day, the talking heads on television started to face the obvious questions from anchors: why is the Congress doing so badly? The answer on offer at least during the early part of the day was AAP. Spokespersons across various channels said that they had lost the initiative to AAP, although later in the day, as the extent of the Congress rout became clear alongside AAP’s minimal success outside Punjab, this narrative started to disappear.For days on end in the run-up to the elections, people representing the Congress turned up on corporate-owned TV channels and in corporate-run newspapers, and blamed the corporate media for creating a non-existent wave. “Modi wave is a creation of the media,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said. Confirmed former telecom minister Kapil Sibal, “There is no Modi wave. It is a creation of the media.” So when this creation ended up having made its way into reality, the Congress knew exactly who to blame for it.If you’re going to go after the corporate media, might as well go to the root of the problem: the corporations. In a surprising move, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi made attacks on the business houses of Ambani and Adani one of the key planks of the latter part of his campaign, accusing — with little sense of irony — the BJP of indulging in crony capitalism. Congressmen and supporters everywhere insist all the corporations were behind Modi and that he bought the elections.Rahul Gandhi was the face of the campaign, even if most politicians in the Congress have come out to insist that he should not be blamed for the way things turned out. Those willing to be slightly more adventurous have instead blamed “Team Rahul”: the group of advisors who the Gandhi scion brought in as part of his campaign efforts.“A political party cannot be an NGO,” Congress leader RPN Singh told India Today. “It's fine to have people with degrees from the best colleges, but if they don't have a grassroots connect, they cannot be decision-makers. We must get rid of them.”Some even went a few steps further, while still managing not to name Rahul Gandhi. Milind Deora, an ex-MP who was considered close to Rahul, was the first of the leaders to blame his team claiming they did not have their ear to the ground. He then went on to blame the advisee, without naming names.“It is not the advisors alone,” he told the Indian Express. “The people who take the advice also have to bear responsibility. Those who gave advice and those who received the advice as also those who feel they can give better advice — all have to bear responsibility.”Unhappy about being made the target in this blame game, members of Team Rahul decided to use the media to clarify who they thought were at fault: all those who were blaming Team Rahul. Jitendra Singh, a member of this team, insisted that people like Milind Deora could not point fingers because he too gave advice to Rahul Gandhi."You [Deora] tweeted and Rahul followed, be it the ordinance on convicted MPs or Adarsh report,” Youth Congress chief Rajiv Satav told The Times of India. "You were yourself an advisor and you never questioned Rahul's advisors."Faced with a rival party that has won the biggest mandate in decades after campaigning on a political plank that moves away from welfarism and towards reforms, some Congress personnel have arrived at an unusual conclusion: they should have been more Leftist. In the Indian Express, an aide of Rahul Gandhi insisted that the political blame lay with the “right wing” of the party, and insisted instead that it is time to move from Rao (as in PV Narasimha Rao, a former prime minister famous for economic reforms) to Nehru (i.e., Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister whose approach was studiously socialist). “The Congress does not know how to connect with the poor people anymore and we need to correct that,” he said.The Israeli intelligence service managed to earn the suspicion of Congress general secretary Mohan Prakash. "On Monday at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, general secretary Mohan Prakash dropped a bombshell, revealing that Israeli intelligence Mossad was in league with the RSS since 2009 to bring down the UPA government," DNA reportedANALYSIS/OPINION:
Did you know that the nation soon will undergo a test that will determine how effectively the president of the United States can seize control of the media in the event of an “emergency”? Well, that’s not the way the administration is putting it.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a press release on Feb. 3 outlining the plan for the “first-ever presidential alert.” On a date yet to be set, the presidential alert will go “to television and radio broadcasters, cable systems and satellite service providers who will then deliver the alert to the American public,” according to the FCC.
This is not an opt-in plan. “The national test will require [Emergency Alert System] participants to be part of the exercise and to receive and transmit a live code that includes a presidential alert message to their respective viewers and listeners.”
Maybe it’s harmless. Maybe it’s somehow needed. The current EAS replaced the old Emergency Broadcast System back in 1997, and both list a presidential message as the first priority. But it has never been used for that.
That’s partly because we have so much instant media anyway. Also, having the president seize the media even for a short time sounds more like something out of Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela, the Castro brothers’ Cuba or Dear Leader’s North Korea.
This “first-ever” presidential alert dovetails with another development, Sen. Harry Reid’s proposed presidential Internet “kill switch.” The Cyber Security and American Cyber Competitiveness Act of 2011 (S. 21) would “secure the United States against cyber attack, to enhance American competitiveness and create jobs in the information technology industry, and to protect the identities and sensitive information of American citizens and businesses.” Right now, the bill has few details and is considered a “place holder” until a more muscular version appears.
According to Wired.com’s David Kravets, a Senate Homeland Security Committee aide said a previous version of the proposed law would, for example, require “the system that connects the floodgates to the Hoover Dam” to cut its Internet connection if the government learns of a cyber-attack.”
“What’s unclear, however,” the Wired article says |
this doesn’t matter anyway, because in actual fact, the hillclimb event - in the town of Hemberg - is only 102km from the hotel.
This means that if the range of the Concept One meets Rimac’s boasts, the car could in fact drive there and back with 100km to spare. According to the event’s website, the track is 1758m long, so that would certainly leave enough capacity to do the hillclimb numerous times over - even if you assume the incline will use more energy and that the car will have to drive back to the start (I mean, assuming you don’t crash the car at the end of the race).
In any case, as we’ve previously established, Switzerland has quite a lot of chargers. So let’s imagine Hammond had really floored it and needed to charge up, what could he have done?
Hemberg is quite rural, so there aren’t as many chargers. But here’s a map of compatible chargers in the local area - with Hemberg in the middle:
Yeah, but there are no chargers in Hemberg itself, right? Well, actually there are no petrol stations either. Here’s a map of the nearest petrol stations, showing drivers would be going back to the main road as it is.
So basically it turns out that almost everything in the film was bullshit. Even when Clarkson and May get to the hillclimb and are delighted to see a hot dog van you’re left wondering not just “Did Amazon hire a food truck just for this shot?” but also “Wouldn’t they be a bit full up from all of the meat available at the Park Weggis?”.
Fossil Fools
Why does this matter? Why have I spent 1500 words systematically unpicking The Grand Tour?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely questioning my own life choices, but also I think that this matters. The Grand Tour is one of the highest profile shows on TV, and is watched by millions of people. Particularly car nerds and people at least casually interested in automobiles. And yet its representation of electric cars is misleading.
We all know cars have to go electric as soon as possible if we’re going to be able to do anything about climate change. We know that the combustion engine must be destroyed if we want to live on a sustainable planet. (We also know that banning cars from cities and building cycle lanes is vital, but that’s another argument.)
So despite trying to be little more than jesters dancing a tune for King Jeff Bezos, Clarkson, May and Hammond actually have a responsibility here. Their words matter, as it is Grand Tour viewers who are the early adopters, who will drive opinions about what makes future vehicles desirable. Grand Tour viewers are the fragile men who will need to be convinced that going electric won’t somehow destroy their masculinity.
To be fair, during a drag race segment, Clarkson does express shock and surprise at the speed and acceleration of the Rimac - but this is offset by sneers about the lack of noise and the hysteria about range anxiety.
This Switzerland film may have celebrated the past and the present: But perhaps it is time for The Grand Tour to get a grip and start worrying about the future too.
James O'Malley tweets as @Psythor.
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One would be forgiven for not noticing every little nugget involved in Rudy Giuliani’s always unhinged and vigorous while often sputtering advocacy of Donald Trump. However, it sure looks like Giuliani dropped a clue about the FBI’s soon-to-be-renewed email probe of Hillary Clinton in this brief clip from last Wednesday’s episode of Fox and Friends. The former NYC mayor hinted, “We’ve got a couple of surprises left.” As the Daily Beast reveals, this clip may have revealed much more than anyone suspected at the time.
Giuliani went further: “I think [Trump’s] got a surprise or two that you’re going to hear about in the next few days. I’m talking about some pretty big surprises.” He then claimed that the books were “cooked in advance” on the initial investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server (because Bill met with AG Loretta Lynch on an airplane). Then on Friday, FBI Director James Comey sent his vague letter to Congress, which publicly reopened the digging into Clinton-related emails.
The Beast reflects upon Giuliani’s immediate media blitz after Comey’s Friday letter. The Trump surrogate appeared to theorize about the probe involving “the pressure of a group of FBI agents who don’t look at it politically.” Then he revealed more from his sources within the FBI:CONWAY (Log Cabin Democrat) - Police are investigating the aggravated robbery of a Salvation Army bell ringer outside of JC Penney in Conway Towne Centre Tuesday night.
The bell ringer told police he originally didn't report the incident because he was a veteran and wasn't afraid after it happened.
According to officials, the driver of a red Chevrolet Camaro, a black male believed to be in his 20's, pulled up to the bell ringer and offered a dollar for the Salvation Army's kettle. The volunteer then reportedly placed the dollar into the kettle and turned to thank the man for his donation, but instead found himself face-to-face with a 9mm handgun.
The driver demanded the kettle, but the bell ringer refused. The pair reportedly stared at each other for a while before the man drove away from the scene.
Click here for more on this story from the Log Cabin Democrat.Sri Lanka fans burst firecrackers and danced on the streets as the national team won the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 title beating India by six wickets in Dhaka on Sunday.
Instant celebrations broke out at cricket grounds and public parks in the capital Colombo as well as in suburban towns where thousands of fans watched the game on giant television screens.
President Mahinda Rajapakse telephoned the Sri Lankan team in Dhaka to congratulate them for their biggest cricket win since the 1996 World Cup, his office said.
"A short while ago, the President spoke to the team and officials and congratulated them," an official said.
Motorists took to the streets tooting their horns and waved the national Lion flag to celebrate what many saw as a historic win bringing back memories of 1996 when Arjuna Ranatunga brought home the 50-over World Cup.
"Congratulations Sri Lanka," said President Rajapakse's legislator son, Namal Rajapakse. "Well played boys. Good game."
Sri Lanka went into the game with the offer of a million dollar bonus if they shed their reputation as chokers in the final against India.
The cash-strapped Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board had said it would treble the money it had previously promised if the team returned home from Bangladesh with the trophy.
"The Executive Committee of SLC which met at an emergency meeting this morning and decided to offer $1.5 million (including the original fee of $500,000) to the national team players in the event that they win the final," the board said in a statement.
Sri Lanka were the beaten finalists last time round when they lost to the West Indies even though they were the tournament hosts. They have also been beaten in the final of the last two 50-over World Cups.
Sri Lankan fans heaped praise on Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, the stalwart duo who will retire from the shortest form of the game, for their final performance.
Sangakkara, the veteran left-hander knocked a 35-ball 52 not out in his last Twenty20 match to guide Sri Lanka's chase of a modest 131-run target in 17.5 overs at a packed Shere Bangla stadium.
Meanwhile, there are reports emerging irate fans pelted Indian player Yuvraj Singh's home with stones after his ball-sapping 11 from 21 balls in his side's first innings.
Singh's scratchy knock halted the momentum Virat Kohli had built up in India's innings, which ultimately wasn't enough.
"Police immediately rushed to the cricketer's home to pacify the angry crowd that had gathered outside", reported DNAIndia, among other online news outlets.
Unhappy fans have reportedly attacked the homes of other cricketers in the past, including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
There has been no official confirmation of the stoning, and Singh himself has not tweeted since a joyful post after India's semi-final win.Who is Bellona?
Bellona is the ‘Goddess of War’ of the Roman pantheon within Smite and falls under the warrior category of character. Bellona has been one of the strongest releases from the game for a while now, many players struggling to match against her no matter what role she was playing at first release. Bellona now typically plays in the roles of solo laner and jungler for her team with high damage and sustain whilst being able to create the defense of a tank.
Bellona’s Abilities
Passive - Master of War
Bellona’s passive is called ‘Master of War’ and this will give Bellona additional movement speed and protections when she is either hit by an enemy basic attacks or hits her own basic attacks. This allows Bellona to manipulate fights easily in her favour as when needed she is able to give chase to enemies or make a speedy escape or enable her to take far more damage than her enemies will be able to when building her protections.
The best way to avoid an enemy bellona using this to the full potential would be to rely on your own abilities and capability to position yourself as far away from her as possible, such a combination like Neith’s ‘Back Flip’ into ‘Spirit Arrow’ which allows her to position herself far away from Bellona and deal damage to her at the same time.
1st Ability - Shield Bash
With the use of her 1st ability - Shield Bash - Bellona will dash forward and deal damage in a cone radius to enemies, enemies hit will take damage and become slowed. For the enemies hit she will gain a block stack (the max amount of stacks being 3) and when Bellona is next meant to be hit by a basic attack she will absorb the damage and reflect a portion of it to enemies around her. Bellona will switch to her sword and shield at this point and for every 3 successful hits on enemies whilst using these, she will gain another block stack.
Bellona will generally use this for the mobility but it can also sway the tide of a fight and it is important to make her lose her weapon kit as quickly as possible in this case as she will lose her weapon kit and therefore use her ability to block. To stop Bellona using her sword and shield you must aim to keep her out of combat though this will be difficult as Bellona will implement more pressure than most other characters so retreat would be the best option. In terms of countering her mobility where she will be able to use her transport and slow to keep up with others, it would be best to use a mobility ability of your own before she does this as she will then be stuck at roughly the same distance away from you but with a wasted ability that she could have then made a better use of elsewhere.
2nd Ability - Bludgeon
Bellona’s 2nd ability is called ‘Bludgeon’ and when using this Bellona will spin her hammer around and slam down, damaging enemies on the swing and even more on the slam in a full area in front of her. For every enemy caught in the spin attack her damage of slamming is increased and she is then able to use her hammer which will allow her to attack all enemies within a melee range of her.
This ability is where the majority of Bellona’s damage comes from and can take out mass amounts of health against unsuspecting targets however this ability is very susceptible to cancellation methods. The ability can be entirely stopped by a variety of crowd controls and will just leave Bellona with her hammer, completely cancelling the ability, such crowd controls would include stuns and abilities that knock her back and can then leave her confused as to what she is to do next, a huge source of damage she uses is gone!
3rd Ability - Scourge
Scourge is Bellona’s 3rd ability and when used Bellona will whip her Scourge forward, dealing damage to all enemies hit in the line style area of effect, she will then be able to use her scourge in combat which will give Bellona additional melee range and on every third basic attack she will be healed. Enemies hit by the initial ability have a disarm effect applied to them, a new type of control to Smite that will disable the use of basic attacks, therefore impacting greatly on any character that is heavily focused on their basic attacks.
It is important to counter the use of this as the ability can give Bellona a huge amount of sustain and keep her a huge contender in nearly any fight. It is best to do so by not allowing her to hit her basic attacks on to a target, whether it be a minion or yourself as she will then be unable to heal and this means that use of mobility is great to counter this ability. It is important to remember her scourge will not disappear until she is considered out of combat so in this time a player facing her should aim to apply as much pressure on her as possible so she faces no opportunity to engage in combat, or rely on the rotations of teammates to increase pressure against her further.
Ultimate Ability - Eagle’s Rally
Eagle’s Rally, the ultimate ability of Bellona’s kit allows her to jump to a target location, planting her flag in the ground, giving physical power and protections to her teammates in the target radius and stunning enemies hit directly under the flag when it is planted. This has a notably low cooldown and can allow Bellona to constantly make great escapes or great engagements and can very easily sway the flow of any fight in her favour.
Countering will rely on your ability to make yourself mobile as it will be very difficult to make any direct counter to this ability except for running from it to make it pointless and the use of items and actives that remove or reduce crowd control are also useful for this as Bellona will not be able to land her stun on to you which can remove major set up to what would probably be a dreadful fight for you.
Counter Picking Bellona
Countering Bellona in terms of characters is much more simple that most people think, the best option for counter picking Bellona being any character that has the potential to interrupt an ability or has high mobility.
One of my personal favourites to play against the character is Aphrodite as she is able to cancel Bellona’s 2nd ability easily with ‘Back Off!” and she can easily take Bellona out of combat when her ‘Kiss’ is used to stun Bellona away from entering futher content and can allow an engagement on to Bellona or a much easier escape from her, making up for the lack of mobility against her. Though Bellona also counters the majority of the hunters most players forget to utilise the control that some provide such as the mobility and crowd control from hunters like Anhur, Apollo and Neith who can all work to great effect against the Goddess when used appropriately.
A now great contender is Ullr as of 'The Sly Messenger' patch he can now remove her disarm by switching stances, making the coltrol completely useless against him, being the only hunter directly able to cancel her disarm.
Counter Building Bellona - Items
When countering Bellona by using items it would be best to focus on cooldown reduction, physical defense and passive abilities to counter her (some focus points may not be appropriate depending on the rest of the enemy Bellona’s team).
Cooldown reduction will allow you to take down Bellona without having to worry about her disarm control as you won’t be focusing on your basic attacks at this point if you had specifically tried to counter her in such a way. Physical defense does what the name suggests and will reduce the damage Bellona does to you and in some cases make her completely insignificant to you. Building items that have passive abilties can function to benefit you or have a negative impact on Bellona, a benefit to you would be using such an item like ‘Magi’s blessing’ as this will make you immune to the stun from her ultimate whilst an item like ‘Midgardian Mail’ will hinder Bellona’s ability to keep up in combat against you.
Counter Building Bellona - Actives
The best actives to focus on if you want to counter Bellona would be actives that reduce the effectiveness of anything she does. The first great investment for you would be ‘Greater Purification’ as this will be able to cleanse the stun Bellona would apply with her ultimate for the majority of her uses of it and will make the ability a complete waste of time for her. Another great active I would suggest using is ‘Greater Sprint’ as this will nullify the slow applied by Bellona’s 1st ability and provide mobility to escape her when required.
Though these two are primarily the best to counter her there are other possible actives depending on your situation and the play style of the enemy Bellona such as the ‘Curse’ actives or the other sprint active that can apply to your whole team, ‘Heavenly Agility’.
All the best in taking down the Goddess and follow me here on Twitter to keep up with further content!Hey All, it's time for another look at another Not Lego building block set. This time, I did a picture dump of the Ausini brand 25004 Freight Train.
I actually bought this off Aliexpress quite a few months ago, maybe even a year ago. Just never got around to building it. It's a fairly large set that consists of a train locomotive and two small flatbeds to carry a couple of cargo containers. Also featured is the cargo crane with moveable winch and control cabin. Finally, you also get a tractor trailer with flatbed carrier. In total, there are 792 pieces to this set.Oh, I also forgot to mention you get quite a bit of track as well. You get ten pieces of straight track and two pieces of curved track. The train only takes up about four or five sections of track, so you get to move it around on all the track. Note that Ausini track only has the single railroad ties and not the double ties you get with Lego train sets. Also, the Ausini tracks are a light gray colour, whereas Lego tracks are usually dark gray.Here's all the bags of parts. You get the instruction manual and a sticker sheet, and some tools still on the plastic tree.Assembly is easy using the manual and brick clutch is very good. Bricks are not scratched either.In no time at all, I completed assembly of the locomotive. It's fairly symmetrical on the front and back.There are two cabins in the forward and rear parts of the train. Access is by simply lifting the nose piece on either end. There are also several doors along the side of the engine.Here's one of the cargo containers on the rail car. This one is red and it comes with stickers, which I didn't put on it. The containers don't come off the rail cars easily, as it attaches using all the studs. I'm gonna replace some of the plate pieces to make removal easier. The red cargo container has a bar attached so the crane can hook it off the railcar. I don't know why but Ausini, didn't put one on the orange cargo container.Here's the orange cargo container. It comes with some printed pieces, so I don't know why they couldn't have done the same for the red container, instead of providing stickers.Here's a look at the completed train with locomotive and the two rail cars. If it was up to me, I would prefer that the cargo containers were just one colour, either red or orange, but not both.The train rolls along the provided track very smoothly and the magnets that attach to each railcar have a good hold. Here's the train pulling up to the cargo crane and getting offloading the containers, well one anyways.The cargo winch is quite strong and you can roll it up or down using the gear mechanism.The crane operator cabin slides along the top of the beams for precise offloading.Here's the overhead view.Almost forgot about these guys. You get four Lego compatible minifigures, however they are all the same. Their faces are pretty dopey looking, so I'll probably yank their heads off and replace them. They all have orange shirts with blue overalls and a red cap that says CITY. They get to use some tools like a pickaxe, a saw, and other tools.I was just testing out the placement of the yellow pieces on the rail cars to see which would hold the cargo containers better. The red one has the proper placement as per the manual.Here's the tractor trailer. A fairly sturdy build.The trailer detaches from the cab and you can lower the struts to hold it up.It has a pretty good turning radius. Both cargo containers will fit on the trailer at the same time.This pic is just to show the scale of the cargo terminal and one of the worker bees.The operator cabin has good views all the way around. The winch motor is attached to the back of the cabin and both of them slide on the beam. It's got lights so they can still work in the dark.Here's a look at the winch.An overhead view of the cargo terminal.Finally, this is how you get into the operator cabin.Conclusion:The Ausini 25004 Cargo Train building set is quite a large build that will keep you occupied for a few hours. The play value is excellent with the inclusion of the cargo terminal and tractor trailer. I would have liked some variety in the minifigures but I have lots of other ones from other sets I can use.As mentioned before the Ausini brick quality and clutch is very good. I didn't have any missing or defective pieces.This is my second Ausini train set and I'm very happy to have it in my collection. Looking back at my notes, I paid approx $40 USD for this set shipped.I reviewed the Ausini passenger train here: https://bricksandfigs.blogspot.ca/2015/04/ausini-25903-passenger-train-part-one.html I now have a total of four trains in my collection now: The Enlighten freight locomotive 627, the Ausini 25903 Passenger train and the Lepin Horizon Express.Thanks for looking!The festival Diwali may have contributed to severe air pollution in India’s capital New Delhi, but a far more worrisome practice in the country could be its major cause.
SEE ALSO: New Delhi continues to choke with polluted air after Diwali
Four days after Diwali, Delhiites continue to grapple with a heavy smog blanket with poor visibility and the air quality index reaching alarming levels across the city.
Until now, many were pointing to bursting of crackers (a norm during Diwali) as the main cause of the severe air pollution, but images published by NASA suggest that burning of crops in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana could be the biggest reason why the air quality in the world’s most polluted city refuses to clear.
Image: NASA
A forecast by NASA points to high levels of "fires and thermal anomalies" in areas such as Punjab and some portion of Pakistan. A staggering amount — 32 million tons (30 billion kgs) of leftover straw — are being burned by farmers, according to the NYT.
This is an age old practice, and though the government has suggested alternative methods and support (such as using seeders that don’t required crop burning and subsidizing half of the cost of these equipment), farmers still find them unfeasible.
Image: clonewdelhi
At the time of writing, the air quality in the capital city read 943 AQI PM2.5, more than 15 times the healthy limit set by the Indian government. PM2.5 describes tiny particles suspended in the air with diametre of 2.5 micrometres or less. These particles can lodge into the lungs and cause respiratory diseases.
Amid all of this, the day to day life of people in the national capital is severely impacted by the air quality, with an increasing number of people visiting hospitals for breathing issues. Thousands of people in Delhi are signing petitions to urge the government to take immediate steps to curb the air pollution.
The state government has announced it will be vacuum cleaning and sprinkling water on arterial roads. It said a team will be formed to work on decreasing the dust from construction sites. The government will also install smoke-tappers to control emission at 75 cremation grounds.
Punjab's crop burning over the last two weeks, mapped in one gif. #airpollution pic.twitter.com/eXSye3ynoO — Anand Katakam (@anandkatakam) November 3, 2016According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 28 percent of transgender women (biological men) are infected with HIV, a fact that the CDC attributes in part to the “stigma” faced by transgender people.
While 28 percent of transgender women test positive for HIV, only 12 percent report being infected, implying that a significant number of transgender women either don’t know they have HIV or aren’t reporting it.
Among African-American transgender women, the HIV rate is more than three times that of their white or Hispanic counterparts. The CDC states that 56 percent of African American transgender women are infected with HIV, compared to 17 percent of white transgender women and 16 percent of Hispanic transgender women.
Some of the “factors that contribute to the high rates of HIV,” the CDC states, are “stigma,” “lack of familial support,” and discrimination.
The CDC also lists “receptive anal sex without a condom,” “sex with multiple partners, and exchanging sex for drugs or money,” as some of the factors contributing to the high transgender HIV rates. But the health organization cautions against jumping to conclusions.
The CDC warns that “Individual behaviors alone do not account for the disparate HIV diagnoses among transgender people. Many cultural, socioeconomic, and health-related factors contribute to these diagnoses and prevention challenges in transgender communities.”
For example, the CDC website states, “Many transgender people face social rejection and marginalization that excludes them from participating and functioning in society.”
One of the results of this “rejection and marginalization” is that “[s]ome transgender people who experience poverty rely on sex work to meet their basic survival needs,” the CDC claims.
Thus, the CDC claims, the social rejection and marginalization that transgender people face can force them to engage in sex work and become infected with HIV. According to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, 42 percent of transgender women report engaging in commercial sex work.
Follow Peter Hasson on Twitter @PeterJHassonThe new LEGO's headquaters was designed by Scandinavia-based architectural practices C.F. Møller which is inspirated by colourful modular bricks of LEGO.
Architects: C.F. Møller
Location: Billund, Denmark
The new office complex is included 52,000 m² of building and a large, public park are the framework for flexible workplaces, new communities, new ways of working and sustainability. The design is based on the LEGO Group's values and innovative culture, to serve as both workspace and play space for employees. It brings together bright, flexible office spaces around a spectacular atrium with familiar LEGO-features and colors, while the ground floor is a coherent LEGO People House with spaces for social and physical activities surrounded by a new public park.
The extensive new building will house a large portion of LEGO's Danish-based employees, while at the same time providing spaces for a wide range of community facilities and for receiving guests from the outside,not least many LEGO employees from the rest of the world.
“The new complex will be the place where disciplines meet, experiences are exchanged, new ideas are born, and inspiration is encouraged. Along with its embracing landscape, the project embodies the feel, flavour and function of the classic campus” says Klaus Toustrup, partner and CEO in C.F. Møller Architects.
A key part of the new building will be the LEGO People House, an area that includes shared facilities for a variety of activities in an informal and inspirational atmosphere. Therefore, the LEGO People House is designed from a systematic involvement of the LEGO Group's employees. C.F. Møller has coordinated this process, and co-creation has been an important parameter in the layout of the new office complex, explains Klaus Toustrup:
“Working closely with LEGO and their staff, we have made sure that the project is all about openness, quality and all-round sustainability – all of them core LEGO values,” he says.
“LEGO's vision is to invent the future of play, and we have emphasized this in an architecture designed as a place for collaboration and play, for both employees and the public.”The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pictorial Photography in America 1920 by Pictorial Photographers of America This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license Title: Pictorial Photography in America 1920 Author: Pictorial Photographers of America Release Date: February 7, 2008 [Ebook #28015] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PICTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN AMERICA 1920***
Pictorial Photography in America
1920
Tennant and Ward, New York
Publisher's Agents
Editorial Board Clarence H. White W. H. Porterfield John Paul Edwards Dwight A. Davis Committee on Publication Henry Hoyt Moore Walter L. Ehrich Ray Greenleaf John A. Tennant
FOREWORD [pg 5] To many people photography is merely a mechanical process. To an increasing number, however, photography is being seen as an art, by which personal impressions of nature or human life may be expressed as truly as by the brush. These workers in photography see in it a medium by which the action of light upon sensitive surfaces may be so controlled as really to interpret scenes and persons in the individualistic spirit of a true art. From every part of our country come evidences of the growing appreciation of photography as a pictorial medium. Exhibitions in many museums which have hitherto been indifferent to pictures made with the lens have opened the eyes of the public to the possibilities of the camera. Clubs of photographic workers in various cities have maintained or fostered the movement. The lure of the moving picture has stimulated the interest of countless multitudes in photography, and the occasional presentation of fine pictorial work in this direction has given a prophecy of better things to come. The time, therefore, seems ripe to present in this book a collection of the work of American pictorial photographers in all sections of the country. Many of these workers are members of the organization known as the Pictorial Photographers of America; but the appeal for photographic material for this book has been confined to no one society or club, but has been widely inclusive of associations and individuals, and it is believed that the work here presented is fairly representative of the best American effort along these lines at the present time. It is the hope and intention of the organization that publishes this book to stimulate interest in this branch of pictorial art. This is believed to be the first attempt in America to give a comprehensive presentation of the status of pictorial photography as illustrated by the product of many of its best workers. As such it is commended to the consideration of photographers both professional and amateur, of artists and art lovers, and of the public generally.
[pg 6]
The Pictorial Photographers of America The Association's Work and Aim The Pictorial Photographers of America is an association having in mind solely the development of the art of photography from a standpoint of educational value. Its position is unique, since the worker is afforded not only an opportunity to exhibit his pictures in various museums and art galleries, but is made to feel that maintaining photographic standards and studying the arts for breadth of view are of chief importance. Some of the advantages which photography offers are worth restating. It helps to draw one closer to nature and to seek fresh air. Through the exercise and cultivation of choice, it teaches how to decorate the home, to dress with taste, and to keep an alert eye and mind on the passing events of the world. Because the Association knows that photography is able to teach these things, it sought the aid of art museums and public libraries to conduct photographic exhibitions so that children and adults may not only see fine examples of the work of the camera in the hands of artists, but be led thereby to appreciate more fully the value of photography as an aid to interesting composition and a quickening of the eye in realizing the beauty of sunlight and shadows which flit around us much unrecognized at times. Succeeding in gaining the sympathetic co-operation of seventeen museums, in the winter of 1917-18 the Association collected, from many of the most important workers in this country, more than two hundred prints, which were divided into two groups and exhibited as follows: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Milwaukee Art Institute, Art Institute of Chicago, City Art Museum (St. Louis), Toledo Museum of Art, Detroit Museum of Art, Cleveland Art Museum, Cincinnati Museum of Art, Morristown Library, Newark Museum Association, New Britain (Conn.) Institute, Worcester Art Museum, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Guild of Allied Arts (Buffalo), Grand Rapids Art Association, University of Oklahoma, New Orleans Art Association. There was also held in New York City an exhibition of the work of the New England, New Jersey and Connecticut photographers, and among the immediate activities of the Association will be the holding in New York of exhibitions of the work of members of the Pacific Coast and other places, so that there may be established a fuller understanding of the points of view among the various pictorialists throughout the country. The Association hopes to establish, in designated cities, pictorial centers where photographs may always be seen, and centers for intercourse and for exchange of views among workers. As a result of its plans, there will soon be opened a branch of the Pictorial Photographers of America, which will be called the Pacific Coast [pg 7] Chapter, embracing workers in the following States: Oregon, California, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah. Meetings will be held monthly, and lectures and exhibitions arranged in co-operation with the parent body in New York. As soon as this chapter has begun active work, another will be opened in the New England and Middle West States, modeled after the California chapter. In this way the Association hopes to be of national service in the advancement of photography on educational lines, and it asks the sympathy of the public as well as that of every worker of the camera in America. Among other of its plans are: honoring those who have given valued service to photography; the formation of a library; the establishment of a home headquarters; the distribution of knowledge tending toward the making of better catalogues; the art of hanging pictures so that their individual beauty may be enhanced; the application of the motion picture to pictorial expression; the recommendation of books on the development of the individual, as well as others relating to the study of contemporary arts, so that, through an acquaintance with all these, there may be brought to the student a new and an individual approach in his photographic work. The Association holds monthly meetings at the National Arts Club, 119 East 19th Street, New York, where exhibitions and lectures are given. Admission is free. The Association now publishes its first annual “Pictorial Photography in America,” which comprises the work of important pictorialists in this country, whether or not members of the Association. And in following out so broad a plan the Association has demonstrated to its friends that its main interests lie in the presentation of fine work, little caring who the individual may be. As soon as the world has resumed its normal stride, the Association will extend invitations for an exhibition of foreign work to be shown in America. In turn, the Association will be glad to send an exhibition of American work abroad to those who desire to see, more intimately than we are able to do by the process of reproduction, what American pictorialists are doing. In another volume we hope to present the work of foreign pictorialists. Plans are now being made whereby the original prints selected for this Annual will be exhibited, under the direction of the American Federation of Arts, in the galleries of many art museums throughout the country. Herewith we list the names of the present officers and executive members of the Association, as well as those who are members of the Council having to do with pictorial activities in the different States. Membership in the Association is open to men and women of good character and ambitious intentions, including those who, though not photographers, are interested in the development of the art. CLARENCE H. WHITE, President Dr. A. D. Chaffee, Vice-President Gertrude Kasebier, Hon. Vice-President Prof. Charles F. Chandler, Hon. Vice-President Dr. Charles H. Jaeger, Treasurer. Edward R. Dickson, Recording Secretary Margaret Watkins, Corresponding Secretary [pg 8] EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Walter L. Ehrich Ray Greenleaf Bernard S. Horne Charles J. Martin Henry Hoyt Moore Dr. D. J. Ruzicka W. G. Shields Adele C. Shreve COUNCIL Arizona Forman G. Hanna California John Paul Edwards Louis Fleckenstein Connecticut George S. Hawley Florida Dr. Addison O'Neill Illinois Eugene Hutchinson margaret rhodes peattie Indiana Albert Ernest Schaaf Iowa Charles B. Keeler Maine Sylvan B. Phillips Massachusetts Dwight A. Davis Walter G. Wolfe Michigan Herman Gabriel Eleanor W. Willard Missouri Edwin Loker New Jersey Joseph R. Ashmore New York State Spencer Kellogg, Jr. George B. Hollister New York City Edward R. Dickson Walter L. Ehrich Antoinette B. Hervey Dr. Charles H. Jaeger Mervin W. Palmer Clarence H. White Edith R. Wilson Thomas Coke Watkins Ohio Jane Reece Austin R. Breed Carle Semon Oregon Clementine Hirsch Pennsylvania Will D. brodhun Elias Goldensky Maurice L. Fleisher Mrs. M. W. Wiltse Utah Thomas O. Sheckell Wisconsin B. F. Langland England Alvin Langdon Colburn Canada Charles H. Barnard
*
Pictorial Photography in New Jersey In New Jersey, as well as in other States, pictorial photography was at its lowest ebb during the period of the war. The official ban on the use of the camera in places that presented just the sort of material which stirs the enthusiasm of the amateur photographer tended so to dampen his ardor that his trusty “box” was left at home to accumulate dust. But not for long, for a New Jersey cameraist, with the vision of a seer, saw an opportunity to use his beloved instrument in a far-reaching service. His enthusiasm was soon imparted to fellow members of the Newark Camera Club, and there quickly followed the birth of the Red Triangle Camera Club, affiliated with the local Y. M. C. A. Its object was pithily expressed in its slogan, “A picture of home to every soldier overseas”—at least to every Newark soldier in service. |
the Seventh Circuit did not offer reasoning for its decision to keep Dassey in custody, making it impossible to know exactly what factors it considered.
Almost a decade ago, juries convicted Dassey and his uncle, Steven Avery, in Halbach's homicide. Their cases have been in the international spotlight since the release of the Netflix docu-series "Making a Murderer" last December.
Kathleen Zellner, the attorney representing Avery in his appeal, took Thursday’s news in stride. She has been fighting for Avery's release since taking his case soon after the docu-series was released.
“It was disappointing, but not totally unexpected because it’s so rare for someone to be bonded out of prison over appealing a murder conviction,” Zellner told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
Milwaukee attorney Alex Flynn said he was surprised by the Seventh Circuit's decision.
“They ruled quickly,” he said of the court, which received the state’s motion for a stay late Wednesday afternoon and issued a ruling before noon on Thursday. “I don’t know how to read that. To me, it’s remarkable how quickly it happened.”
Since the federal appeals court only had the appeal for a short time, it may have decided that “status quo is safer” in terms of Dassey being released from prison, Flynn said.
Flynn also speculated that the Seventh Circuit may have determined that it had jurisdiction in the request for Dassey’s release, not Duffin.
Flynn said it is “very, very unlikely” that the defense would appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying it isn’t a venue for such a request.
Michael M. O'Hear, a professor at Marquette University Law School, also doubts that the Seventh Circuit’s order will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Dassey could try to appeal to the Supreme Court now, but it's extremely rare for the Supreme Court to take up a preliminary procedural issue like this,” he said.
Contributing: John Ferak and Alisa M. Schafer.
Follow Alison Dirr on Twitter: @AlisonDirr; Follow Andy Thompson on Twitter @Thompson_AW
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2fArxazA row has erupted over a list of gay Church of England clergy published by a conservative Anglican group.
GAFCON UK released the list on Sunday of clergy known to be in same-sex relationships or who have officiated over gay unions. Although those named have already publicly come out as gay, it is the first time such a list has been compiled and raised fears it will lead to increased abuse.
Reuters The CofE's House of Bishops will meet to discuss the Church's next steps over teaching on gay marriage in December.
The list on the GAFCON UK website said it was recently given as a briefing for conservative bishops around the world to highlight the state of the Church of England.
The notes described "chaos" in each Anglican province and listed a number of "violations" of the Church's ban on same-sex marriages, as laid out in the landmark Lambeth 1.10 resolution passed in 1998.
"While orthodox believers certainly hope that the Church of England does not go further in violating Lambeth 1.10, the situation in England as it currently stands is already a scandal within the Anglican Communion," said the briefing.
The "partial list" catalogues "some of the ways in which Lambeth 1.10 has been violated within the Church of England".
Canon Chris Sugden, a retired minister on the Church's conservative wing, told Christian Today the list was "a helpful gathering of information".
He said the Church's discipline rules for clergy who broke rank were difficult and expensive to enact but said there was a "simple route forward". He called on bishops to declare they are "individually in impaired communion with those who have breached the Church's teaching and discipline in these regards".
But a number of LGBT clergy raised fears the list could lead to targeting and abuse.
Rev Andrew Foreshew-Cain, a married gay vicar in London who regularly receives hate mail, said the list served "no other purpose other than to make us targets in some way".
Foreshew-Cain's marriage was highlighted by the list. He told Christian Today: "None of us are ashamed. I am legally married and that should be celebrated." But he said the list would "encourage the harassment of clergy and lay people" who are openly gay. "If anyone is ashamed here it should be GAFCON."
Canon Jeremy Pemberton, another married gay priest named on the list, said it was "disgusting to try and target people like this". But he added he was "glad" GAFCON had made the point the CofE had crossed a line.
Tracey Byrne, chief executive for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM), slammed the list as "contemptible" and added: "It is quite clear that their intention is to 'name and shame'.
"This goes beyond political strategy – this is a deliberate attempt to deny God's presence in the lives of real people, and to condemn them by public shaming."
The list was released as senior bishops are preparing to meet in December to discuss the next steps for the Church over its ban on gay marriage. A group of bishops will bring a recommendation to the CofE's ruling general synod in February. One possible option is some form of "pastoral accommodation" that would allow liberal clergy to celebrate same-sex unions in church without an official change in teaching.
GAFCON has made its opposition to any change in direction clear. The briefing on Sunday said: "To restore order and a credible Christian witness, the upcoming meetings of the House of Bishops and General Synod would need to not merely avoid going further in violating Lambeth 1.10, but it would need to take constructive steps to rectify the numerous public (and presumably private) breaches that have been strategically taken by some to undermine the teaching of the Communion."
Rev James Paice, part of the GAFCON UK Taskforce, told Christian Today: "This report is shocking because it shows the extent to which revisionism has infected the the Church of England." He said CofE leaders had turned a "blind eye to blatant violations" and added more conservative Anglican leaders around the world had "concluded that the Church of England is a sinking ship".
Rev Canon Andrew Gross, press officer for Gafcon Global later said:
"There was never any intention to 'name and shame' individuals. How could there be? The document lists public actions taken by individuals who are very proud of what they have been doing. In many of these cases, these activists were actively courting the media in order that their violations of Lambeth 1.10 would have the greatest possible impact.
"For these same activists to then turn around and claim that cataloguing each of their media blitzes is some kind of personal attack is completely disingenuine. The "naming and shaming" narrative was invented by activists in a self-serving attempt to paint themselves as victims. It is completely inaccurate."
GAFCON UK incorrectly state Diverse Church "openly advocate for violating Lambeth 1.10". They do not and do not campaign for a change in Church teaching.Roy Moore's stunning collapse in Alabama represents as a self-inflicted wound by Senate Republicans, however unintentional.
Facing what they believed were few good options, the GOP's top strategists tried to execute a complicated play in a three-way race for the party's nomination to succeed Jeff Sessions, who left the seat to become attorney general.
The path to victory for the establishment favorite, appointed senator Luther Strange, was to ignore Moore on the initial ballot, assuring him a spot in the Republican runoff in late September in the belief that Strange would defeat him and cruise to victory in Tuesday's general election.
As we all now know, that didn't happen. Moore, a controversial former judge, ran away with the Republican nomination, only to fall apart in the general election amid allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers when he was a local prosecutor in his 30s.
Now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his top lieutenants are left with few options other than to contain the damage of this brutal defeat. They will soon hold a perilously thin majority, 51 to 49, in the Senate — and more perilous prospects of losing it altogether in the November 2018 midterm elections.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) needs a net pickup of two seats next year, and although that would still seem like a high hurdle — Democrats are defending almost three times as many seats as Republicans are, and 10 of them are in states that Trump won last year — Jones has opened that path.
The Jones victory might encourage other Democrats to make long-shot bids in Republican states such as Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming. GOP incumbents are considered overwhelming favorites in those places, but if a Democrat can win in Alabama, it will provide encouragement to others.
Republicans placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of Moore. Some compared the race to the Louisiana governor's campaign in 2015, when then-Sen. David Vitter (R) lost in a deeply conservative state because the race turned into a referendum on "his activities," in the words of Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.). Those included allegations that Vitter was connected to two prostitution rings years ago.
In Alabama, the race turned entirely into a referendum on Moore.
"My sense is that Mr. Moore is the issue. It just happens in a lot of races that one candidate can become the de facto incumbent, and that's what Mr. Moore is here," Kennedy said.
This is exactly what McConnell has been trying to prevent since the 2012 Senate campaign in Missouri. Then, Republican Todd Akin lost after claiming, in an effort to explain his opposition to abortion even in cases of assault, that pregnancy rarely results from a "legitimate rape." Ever since, Senate Republicans have forcefully tried to defeat candidates they consider on the fringes of public opinion to protect themselves from being damaged by out-of-step views.
GOP establishment goes after Alabama congressman running for Senate for criticizing Trump
Until the Alabama campaign, McConnell's team had a more than four-year run in successfully thwarting those types of insurgent Republicans in primary races. The strategy helped Republicans end the 2014 and 2016 elections with the majority.
But the run ended this year in Alabama, in the unpredictable era of President Trump. And now, Republicans are unsure about how to proceed.
"I guess you can do a postmortem on anything and dissect it, I don't know," Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who opposes Moore's candidacy, said Monday evening. He then added, perhaps philosophically: "We're where we are today, I wish we weren't where we were, but we are."
This is now the sixth Senate seat that Republicans have lost since 2010 with deeply flawed candidates winning contested primaries, but it is easily the biggest upset given how conservative Alabama is.
In 2014, seven statewide races appeared on the Alabama ballot. Strange, easily winning reelection to his previous post as attorney general, was the only Republican to receive less than 60 percent. He received 59 percent.
There are no well-known, proven public polls in Alabama. RealClearPolitics has no public surveys available for the 2016 presidential campaign or for Shelby's reelection last year.
Bitter Senate race tests Alabama’s image in the country — and at home
The only benefit of Tuesday's outcome, for Republicans, is that they will not have to face an endless flow of questions about the ethics investigation into Moore or any other statements that he made as a senator.
"We're all fielding these questions about, whether it's Judge Moore or the latest tweet of the day, it is more than a distraction from the very significant work that goes on around here," Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Tuesday, before the polls had closed.
She did not endorse Jones, but she was open in hoping Moore lost.
Back in the summer — what seems like several lifetimes ago — Republicans cooked up the early strategy to try to knock out two GOP candidates who were not in step with establishment views. Interim Gov. Kay Ivey (R) called for the contest this year, because of a backlash against Strange getting appointed by the outgoing governor, Robert J. Bentley, whom Strange had been investigating for corruption as state attorney general.
The oddly timed race allowed anyone to jump in without giving up their current seat, including Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.).
The McConnell-affiliated super PAC, Senate Leadership Fund, mounted a multimillion-dollar campaign to tear down Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) to ensure that Strange would face Moore in the runoff. One TV ad showed Brooks slamming Trump, early in the 2016 campaign, when he was backing another candidate.
Brooks is a member of the rabble-rousing House Freedom Caucus, giving him credentials with deeply conservative voters, but he also enjoyed inroads more traditional business-friendly interests. The thinking of Senate leaders was that if Strange's allies took out Moore in the initial vote, Brooks would win the runoff in a rout because Moore's past controversies would doom him.
So they buried Brooks's campaign in that initial three-way race. But Moore, 70, defeated Strange by a wide margin, and last month The Washington Post broke the first story about Moore's alleged pursuit of teenage girls nearly 40 years ago.
McConnell tried to force Moore to step aside, but he refused and the race turned into a nail-biter against Jones.
On Monday, Strange, in office just a few months, acknowledged that he was unaware of the custom for outgoing senators to escort their successors into the well of the Senate to be sworn in by the vice president.
Strange presumed that he will not fulfill that role.
"That's a good question, I assume that's up to Shelby, that's kind of what I'm guessing," he said Monday. "That will be his responsibility."
And McConnell's responsibility will be protecting a narrower majority.
Read more from Paul Kane's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.Mamadou Sakho (right) has won 28 caps for France
Crystal Palace have signed centre-back Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool for £26m.
The offer was Palace's fourth of the summer for the defender, 27, after a £25m bid was rejected on Tuesday.
Liverpool previously said they would not take less than £30m for the French international, who had a loan spell at Selhurst Park last season.
"I loved the challenge last year," said Sakho. "It was difficult but beautiful and it's why this summer I thought that Palace was the best choice."
Palace had also made bids for Everton striker Oumar Niasse and Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala but were unable to complete either deal.
Senegal's Niasse, who had also been a £10m target for Brighton, spent last year at Hull, where he scored five goals in 20 games.
And Mangala was the subject of a failed £23m offer from the Selhurst Park club.
Palace instead refocused their efforts on recruiting Sakho, who was surplus to requirements at Anfield after falling out of favour with manager Jurgen Klopp.
Palace chairman Steve Parish was successful with his latest offer after a bid worth £22m plus £3m in add-ons was turned down.
But having made a slight compromise, Liverpool have turned a profit on a player they signed for £18m from Paris St-Germain in September 2013.
Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion had also been interested in the defender but it is believed a return to London was always his favoured option.
Sakho established himself as a favourite during his loan spell last season, making the club's player of the season shortlist despite managing just eight appearances before picking up a knee injury.
Palace have started the season with three Premier League defeats under new manager Frank de Boer.
Sakho's return was marked by a video of the defender himself saying, "the soldier is back"
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.Image copyright Getty Images
Thousands of children and teenagers were referred to the government's anti-terror programme in England and Wales last year, Home Office figures show.
The Prevent programme aims to stop people being drawn into terrorism.
There were 7,631 referrals in 2015-16, a quarter of which were of under-15s, but only 381 required specialist help.
Labour's Naz Shah said the figures reinforced her concerns about the scheme, but security minister Ben Wallace said it had got "real results".
Chief Constable Simon Cole, the national policing lead for Prevent, said the number of referrals showed that "trust and support is growing" for the programme.
Warning signs
In one case a nine-year-old boy was helped by the Prevent programme after he stood up in class and said he supported so-called Islamic state.
He found their propaganda online after searching for news coverage of the Paris attacks, the Home Office said, but received support from the government's intensive de-radicalisation scheme, known as Channel.
It is the first time the government has published detailed figures on the initiative, created in 2003.
They reveal that 2,127 of those referred to the scheme in 2015-16 were under 15, including more than 500 girls.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Rahmaan Mohammadi was referred to Prevent aged 14, describing it as "toxic"
Another 2,147 people reported were aged between 15 and 20 - meaning more than half of the 7,631 people referred in the 12 months to March 2016 were aged 20 or under.
The figures suggest there has been an increase in cases involving under-15s, but officials believe this could be due to a greater awareness among teachers of the potential warning signs - a third of the referrals came from the education sector.
Home Office officials said academic research indicated that while there had been some initial concerns about "over-zealous" referrals by teachers, they now had a good grasp of which young people needed help.
Image copyright Getty Images
Every time a case is referred to a local Prevent panel, experts consider the evidence - such as a report from a teacher - and decide whether the individual needs to be steered away from extremist ideology.
The latest figures show that the vast majority of people referred to Prevent required either no official support, or were given help with a problem unrelated to violent extremism.
But 1,072 individuals caused such alarm they were assessed for inclusion in Channel, the government's intensive de-radicalisation programme, which is voluntary and provides tailored support to individuals in England and Wales.
Of those cases, 381 went on to receive specialist help in an attempt to change their thinking - and 302 were later given the all-clear.
Sixteen of those were still in the process at the time the figures were collated, but a further 63 people withdrew from the scheme - meaning they stopped co-operating with expert mentors altogether.
Analysis
Image copyright Getty Images
By Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent
All the indications are that the number of Prevent referrals for 2017, when they are eventually collated and published, is likely to be considerably higher than this historical data.
Having said that, we have learnt a lot today about the character of those causing the most concern.
For a start, 2016 wasn't all about Syria. The figures show how the emergence of new far-right groups is causing concern.
In Wales, for example, the ratio of far-right referrals to Islamist was the highest of anywhere in the UK.
Across England and Wales, only a small number of all Prevent referrals cases ended up requiring intensive de-radicalisation, but a sixth of all those who were offered this specialist counselling - 63 people - refused to take part and withdrew.
What we don't know for sure is what happens next to those people. Ministers suggest they are neither abandoned nor forgotten.
And that means there will be someone watching - and some of these people will end up in court.
'Very alarming'
Approximately 65% of the Prevent referrals related to Islamist/jihadist extremism and 10% concerned right-wing extremism.
The remaining cases were either impossible to initially categorise, because the individual was flitting between ideologies, or involved smaller threats relating to Northern Ireland, or Sikh extremism.
The highest number of cases came from London - 1,915 individuals - followed by 1,273 the North East, an area covering Yorkshire to the Scottish border.
Security minister Ben Wallace said the Channel scheme was helping to "save lives" and had seen "real results" in helping divert people away from terrorism.
Labour's Naz Shah, who sits on the Commons Home Affairs committee, said the fact the majority of Islamic extremism referrals required no further action reinforced suggested problems with the scheme.
She said: "If you've referred a child, a young person, and there turns out to be actually nothing that they're doing that's wrong - that's really worrying for me and it's very alarming."
But Dr Usama Hasan, head of Islamic Studies at the counter-extremism organisation Quilliam, said it was not surprising there had been lots of "false" referrals.
She said: "This is a new duty on schools and a lot of teachers are worried that if they miss somebody, they could lose their job for missing a potential terrorist."In a May 7 article, Haaretz reporter Ilana Hammerman described in dramatic detail a crime she had methodically planned and committed. In defiance of laws supposedly related to Israel’s security, Hammerman picked up three teenage Palestinian girls in their village in the West Bank, took them through the Betar checkpoint, and drove them into Tel Aviv. There they ate ice cream, visited the mall and museum, and played in the sea. Even though the girls lived just a few kilometers from the beach, Israel’s military occupation had prevented them from ever visiting it before their illegal "day of fun."
Hammerman wrote in her account of the experience, "If There Is A Heaven:"
“The end was wonderful. The last photos show them about two hours after the trip to the flea market, running in the darkness on Tel Aviv’s Banana Beach. They didn’t want to stop for even a minute at the restaurant there to have a bite to eat or something to drink, or even to just relax a bit. Instead they immediately removed their sandals again, rolled up their pants and ran into the water. And ran and ran, back and forth, in zig-zags, along the huge beach, ponytails flying in the wind. From time to time, they knelt down in the sand or crowded together in the shallow water to have their picture taken. The final photo shows two of them standing in the water, arms around each others’ waists, their backs to the camera. Only the bright color of their shirts contrasting with the dark water and the sky reveals that the two are Yasmin and Aya, because Lin was wearing a black shirt.”
But the fun ended as soon as a group called The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel filed a request with Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein demanding that Hammerman be prosecuted for breaking the country’s "Law of Entry to Israel" forbidding Israelis from assisting Palestinians in entering Israel. If Weinstein agrees to the request, Hammerman could face as much as two years in prison.
The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel was founded by a religious nationalist settler named Nachi Eyal. When I reached Eyal on the phone, he maintained to me that his concern related strictly to Hammerman’s disregard for the rule of law. "She broke the law and she made a report about her breaking of the law," Eyal told me. "She wanted everyone to know that you can take Palestinians in against the law and lie to police officers and the Army. I want to send a message that no citizen in Israel can take the law into his hands and if he does they have to pay."
However, a glance at Eyal’s past campaigns and statements reveal his targeting of Hammerman as part of a broader agenda that has less to do with the rule of law than with opening a new phase in the settlement movement’s political agenda. A former aide to settlement founding father Chanan Porat, Eyal founded his Legal Forum in 2004 to combat the Israeli government’s planned evacuation of the radical Gush Katif settlement from the Gaza Strip. In recent years, the Legal Forum has focused its efforts increasingly inside the Green Line, ramping up the pressure against Palestinian citizens of Israel and anyone who advocates on their behalf.
Eyal has boasted of his latest campaign to push Jewish settlement activity in coastal cities of Israel like Jaffa, Akko and Haifa which maintain sizable communities of Palestinian citizens of Israel. He claimed he has "encouraged Jews not to put up ‘for sale’ signs in these areas in order to dissuade Arabs from buying up these properties." The Legal Forum is also intent on preventing Palestinian Israelis from building on their own land. "We are mapping Israel’s land resources, investigating illegal Arab building sites and filing suits against such building," Eyal has said.
The Legal Forum is a prominent player in right-wing efforts to disqualify Palestinian-Israeli legislators from the Knesset. In May, when Balad MK Jamal Zahalka made anti-Zionist statements during a speech in Ramallah, Eyal called on the government of Israel to revoke his citizenship. "If a member of Knesset goes to the enemy and says bad things about Israel they must pay for this," Eyal insisted to me. "Israeli democracy must have weapons to preserve the democracy or it will be destroyed."
In another recent campaign, Eyal attacked a military investigation of an Army colonel who publicly justified his use of torture techniques to compel Palestinian detainees into confessions. The investigation "ties the IDF’s hands during the war on terrorism," Eyal said, "and helps the terrorists." Eyal’s Legal Fund spearheaded the campaign to suppress a book, "The House of Dajani," that portrayed the early Zionists in unflattering terms. His efforts led to the reversal of a decision to award the book the Sapir Prize, Israel’s most prestigious literary award.
Now Eyal’s efforts are focused on ensuring that Hammerman’s kindness does not go unpunished — "they have to pay," as he said. The Attorney General has ordered the police to open an investigation of Hammerman and Eyal is confident that case will proceed to the next stage.
"I think we will succeed because [Hammerman] broke the law and she made a lot of noise," Eyal remarked. "Israel will not allow these kinds of things to continue."Reuters Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-Virginia) on Thursday became the latest contender to throw his hat into the 2016 presidential race.
"After many months of thought, deliberation and discussion, I have decided to seek the office of the Presidency of the United States," Webb said in a lengthy statement on his campaign website.
Webb faces daunting odds in the face of other, more prominent Democrats who are seeking the presidency. Notably, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has locked up the support of most of her party's establishment.
Webb's statement acknowledged the uphill battle before him.
"I understand the odds, particularly in today's political climate where fair debate is so often drowned out by huge sums of money," he said. "But our country needs a fresh approach to solving the problems that confront us and too often unnecessarily divide us."
"Let's work together to make America an even better place," he concluded. "I am ready to fight on behalf of every one of these issues. Will you help me do that?"
View his full statement below:
Dear friends:
After many months of thought, deliberation and discussion, I have decided to seek the office of the Presidency of the United States.
I understand the odds, particularly in today's political climate where fair debate is so often drowned out by huge sums of money. I know that more than one candidate in this process intends to raise at least a billion dollars - some estimates run as high as two billion dollars - in direct and indirect financial support. Highly paid political consultants are working to shape the "messaging" of every major candidate.
But our country needs a fresh approach to solving the problems that confront us and too often unnecessarily divide us. We need to shake the hold of these shadow elites on our political process. Our elected officials need to get back to the basics of good governance and to remember that their principal obligations are to protect our national interests abroad and to ensure a level playing field here at home, especially for those who otherwise have no voice in the corridors of power. And at the same time our fellow Americans need proven, experienced leadership that can be trusted to move us forward from a new President's first days in office.
I believe I can offer both.
We all want the American dream - unending opportunity at the top if you put things together and you make it, absolute fairness along the way, and a safety net underneath you if you fall on hard times or suffer disability or as you reach your retirement years. That's the American Trifecta — opportunity, fairness, and security. It's why people from all over the world do whatever they can to come here. And it's why the rest of us love this country and our way of life.
More than anything else, Americans want their leaders to preserve that dream, for all of us and not for just a few.
We need a President who understands leadership, who has a proven record of actual accomplishments, who can bring about bipartisan solutions, who can bring people from both sides to the table to get things done. And that leader needs to gather the great minds of our society and bring them into a new Administration and give them direction and ask them to help us solve the monumental challenges that face us.
What should you ask for in your next President?
First, there is no greater responsibility for our President than the vital role of Commander in Chief.
I have spent my entire life in and around the American military. I grew up in a military family. I fought as a Marine rifle platoon and company commander on the battlefields of Vietnam. I spent five years in the Pentagon, four of them as an assistant secretary of defense and secretary of the navy. I covered our military on many journalistic assignments, including the Marine Corps deployment to Beirut in 1983 and as an "embed" reporter in Afghanistan in 2004. And while in the Senate I spent six years on both the Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.
Let me assure you, as President I would not have urged an invasion of Iraq, nor as a Senator would I have voted to authorize it. I warned in writing five months before that invasion that we do not belong as an occupying power in that part of the world, and that this invasion would be a strategic blunder of historic proportions, empowering Iran and in the long run China, unleashing sectarian violence inside Iraq and turning our troops into terrorist targets.
I would not have been the President who used military force in Libya during the Arab Spring. I warned repeatedly that this use of our military did not meet the test of a grave national security interest, that it would have negative implications for the entire region, and that no such action should take place without the approval of the Congress. The leadership in the Congress at that time not only failed to give us a vote; they did not even allow a formal debate, and the President acted unilaterally. The attack in Benghazi was inevitable in some form or another, as was the continuing chaos and the dissemination of large numbers of weapons from Qaddafi's armories to terrorist units throughout the region.
5And today I would not be the President to sign an executive order establishing a long-tem relationship with Iran if it accepts Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons. This Administration and those in Congress should be looking very hard at the actual terms of this agreement, which we on the outside cannot yet see or evaluate. They should also be questioning whether it is appropriate for such an important agreement to be signed without the specific, prior approval of the Congress.
On the other hand, I would make it clear to our friends and our potential adversaries that we will retain vigorous relationships with our treaty partners and our allies, and that we will meet and defeat any international terrorist movement that threatens our national security. We will work with our NATO allies to restore stability in Europe, and with our friends in the Middle East, particularly Israel, our most stable partner and friend in the region, to reduce the cycle of violence and turmoil in that part of the world.
I have been warning for many years that the United States is the essential guarantor of stability in East and Southeast Asia, and that China's increasingly aggressive military posture in that region threatens our own national security. If I am elected as your President I can promise you that we will not accept China's continuing military expansion and intimidation in such areas as the South China Sea. Nor will we be so fearful of our economic reliance on trade with China that we fail to protect our citizens in such matters as cybersecurity, where it is becoming increasingly apparent that the personal information of millions of Americans have been penetrated and breached, apparently by Chinese intelligence agencies.
Second, on domestic issues I would ask you to look at the results we were able to obtain during my time in the Senate, when many were throwing their hands up in the air and lamenting that little could be done when the government had become so paralyzed. 40I spoke loudly and consistently on the issue of economic fairness, and made this issue the principal focus when I was asked to deliver the Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union Address in 2007.
Despite the warnings of political advisers that being portrayed as soft on crime was political suicide in American politics, from the beginning of my campaign for the US Senate and throughout my tenure, I spoke long and loud about the need to fix our broken criminal justice system. We pushed this issue directly from my Senate office, meeting with more than 100 stake holders from across the political spectrum, taking the hits and the criticism along the way and eventually bringing the need for criminal justice reform out of the shadows and into the mainstream of political debate.
I wrote and introduced the Post-911 GI Bill on my first day in office. Some said I hadn't earned the right to introduce such broad legislation as a brand-new freshman Senator. The Bush Administration opposed the bill until the day it was signed. But we built a bipartisan coalition - a prototype for how things can indeed be accomplished in Washington - and within 16 months we passed the finest, most comprehensive GI Bill in history, which now has allowed more than a million of our Post-911 veterans a first class shot at the future.
Third, once we have brought together many of the great minds and leaders of America, what else should we be asking them to do?
Let's work to restore true economic fairness in this great country, starting with finding the right formula for growing our national economy while making our tax laws more balanced and increasing the negotiating leverage of our working people. Our doors will be open to everyone who wants to work with us to find real, lasting solutions, from either party and from all segments of the American economy. But our goal will be to increase the financial stability of the American work force.
Let's work to rebuild the infrastructure of this country vigorously and thoroughly, including roads, bridges, water systems, schools, alternate energy systems, and, vitally, the electrical grid through which all of our energy sources flow. A better infrastructure guarantees the increase of our inherent national wealth - it's a "capital" investment in all of us - and it brings jobs that cannot be exported.
Let's put a priority on fixing our educational system, and in the process giving our young people the priorities in our society and the future that they deserve. Not long ago a high school senior made a comment that still gives me pause every time I think of it. She said, "I'm not afraid of fighting for a cause. I'm afraid I won't find a cause worth fighting for."
Let's give our younger people a cause worth fighting for. Let's clean out the manure-filled stables of a political system that has become characterized by greed. Let's rebuild an educational system that gives everyone a fair chance. A democracy is only as strong as the promise it offers its young citizens through the public education system.
When it comes to education in America we are looking at three challenges, which could actually intersect and become opportunities. The first is the benefit we can get through Pre-K programs that would allow less-privileged children to begin socialization and education at an earlier age. The second is the huge student loan debt that is hanging over the heads of so many of our talented young people who must mortgage their futures in order to have one. And the third is the reality that about 25 percent of the young people in this country do not even finish high school.
During my time in the Senate we worked hard to create second-chance programs for those who had not finished high school, financed in part by employer tax credits combined with programs in local community colleges. If I am elected President we can make these programs happen. We could also find a way for those who have finished their education to complete a period of public service, with loan forgiveness as an incentive for that service.
42Let's work together to fix our broken criminal justice system. This isn't a political issue, it's a leadership issue. It's costing us billions of dollars. It's wasting lives, often beginning at a very early age, creating career criminals rather than curing them. It's not making our neighborhoods safer. We can fix this, strengthen our country, and make our people safer in their own homes and communities. It won't happen overnight, but it won't ever happen if we don't start.
And let's work toward bringing the complex issue of immigration reform to a solution that respects the integrity of our legal traditions while also recognizing the practical realities of a system that has been paralyzed by partisan debate. The holistic leadership approach I instituted nine years ago regarding criminal justice reform offers a prototype that can be used on the multifaceted challenges of immigration reform.
With every one of these recommendations I can make you two promises. The first is that every endeavor will be based on the premise that has been the foundation of our society from the day the United States Constitution was signed: that we are a nation of laws, not of specially privileged people, and that our greatest strength comes from the power of our multicultural heritage. And the second is that I mean what I say, that if I make a promise I will keep it, and that outside my faith and my family, my greatest love will always be for this amazing country that for more than 200 years has given so many people the opportunity to have a good life, raise a family, live in freedom, and achieve their dreams.
Let's work together to make America an even better place.
I am ready to fight on behalf of every one of these issues. Will you help me do that?
Jim WebbThree months ago when we questioned the FAA's decision to issue a no-fly zone over Ferguson "to provide a safe environment for law enforcement activities" because TV crews recording every incident put "law enforcement" in jeopardy? We were scoffed at by the usual suspects as conspiracy wonks who need to get out of our mom's basement. Sadly - for America and its citizenry - we have once again been proved 100% correct as yet another conspiracy theory becomes fact. As AP reports, audio recordings show that local authorities privately acknowledged |
and safety visits for children under private instruction
ID HB 133 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for 3rd reading by the full house on 2/25/2019 Requires schools to inform parents of their right to exemptions from vaccine requirements
ID HCR 4 1/29/2019 SUPPORT Referred to the House Committee on Ways & Means on 1/28/2019 Resolution to reject rule that adds 2nd dose of meningitis vaccine for 12th grade students
IL HB 342 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for a hearing in the House Human Services Committee on on 2/27/19 Requires information and notification of vaccines derived from aborted fetal tissue
IL SB 1659 2/17/2019 OPPOSE Introduced on 2/15/2019 and referred to Assignments Mandates HPV Vaccines for 6th grade students
IN SB 273 2/7/2019 OPPOSE Passed the full senate on 2/7/2019, now in the house Allows Kids First board to set up nonprofit corp. to increase childhood immunizations
IN SB 228 1/29/2019 OPPOSE Passed Senate Committee and ordered engrossed on 1/28/2019 Expands standing orders and the release of information in the immunization data registry
KY SB 133 2/8/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Senate Health Committee 2/7/2019 Enacts a new law requiring vaccines for college students based on ACIP, gives rule making authority
MA HD 541 2/21/2019 OPPOSE Hearing scheduled on 2/25/2019 Gives access to immunization data in the registry to insurance companies for rate improvement
MA SD 1520 1/20/2019 OPPOSE Filed Mandates HPV Vaccine for school children in MA
MD HB 316 2/25/2019 OPPOSE Passed the House Health and Government Operations Committee with Amendments on 2/25/2019 Requires health care providers who administer vaccines to report them to the vaccine tracking system
MD SB 783/HB 1332 2/15/2019 SUPPORT SB 783 scheduled for a hearing on 2/26/2019, HB 1332 introduced 2/15/19 Requires informed consent be given before administration of HPV Vaccine
ME LD 798 2/11/2019 OPPOSE LD 798 is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday 3/13/2019 in Education and Cultural Affairs committee Eliminates religious and philosophical exemptions to vaccination in Maine
MN SF 1520 2/21/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to Health and Human Services Finance & Policy Committee on 2/21/2019 Eliminates the conscientious belief exemption to vaccination
MN HF 999 2/12/2019 SUPPORT Introduced on 2/11/19 and referred to the House Labor Committee Enacts a new law protecting employees who refuse vaccination from discipline/discharge
MO HB 711 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Introduced on 1/29/2019 Prohibits discrimination against children who are not vaccinated
MS SB 2398 2/6/2019 SUPPORT Died in Committee on 2/5/2019 Adds a religious belief exemption to vaccination in Mississippi
MS SB 2255 2/6/2019 SUPPORT Died in Committee on 2/5/2019 Adds philosophical and religious belief exemptions to vaccination for school children
MS SB 2074 2/6/2019 SUPPORT Died in Committee on 2/5/2019 Directs the State Health Officer to require vaccine information statements be given
MS HB 479 2/6/2019 SUPPORT Died in Committee on 2/5/2019 Allows adults to deny vaccines, provides protection, adds philosophical exemption for 1st responders
MT HB 471 2/24/2019 OPPOSE Passed 2nd reading by the full house on 2/23/2019, sheduled for 3rd reading on 2/25/2019 Requires health care providers offer patients and parents the option of being in the tracking system
MT HB 231 2/24/2019 OPPOSE Passed the House Committee on 2/18/2019, now in the Senate Allows pharmacists to administer vaccines to children 7 and older
MT HB 596 2/22/2019 OPPOSE Scheduled for a hearing in House Human Services Committee on 2/25/2019 Allows disclosure of a patient's immunization record without the patient's authorization
MT HB 574 2/22/2019 SUPPORT Scheuded for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on 2/25/2019 Prohibits the dept. from mandatig vaccines for foster care children and families
MT HB 575 2/22/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on 2/25/19 Allows the dept. of health to recommed, but not mandate vaccines for child care
MT HB 564 2/22/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on 2/25/2019 Protects the privacy of medical exemptions, restricts the exemption form to state law only
MT HB 113 2/11/2019 OPPOSE Died in committee on 1/24/2019 Removes the option for registration certificates for day care & exceptions to vaccine records
MT SB 99 2/11/2019 SUPPORT Died in the full senate Requires schools to provide information on exemptions to vaccination, allows for written exemption
MT SB 23 2/11/2019 WATCH Passed the full Senate, referred to the House Judiciary Committee on 2/5/2019 Require accommodations to employer-mandated vaccinations to be uniformly offered
NH HB 331 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for an executive session on 2/26/2019 Allows veterinarians to make decisions regarding rabies vaccines bases on titers.
NH HB 426 2/24/2019 OPPOSE Scheduled for an executive session in theHouse Enviroment and Agriculture Committee 2/24/19 Establishes study program that would allow town clerks to accept exemptions to rabies vaccines
NJ A3818/S2173 2/6/2019 OPPOSE A3818 amended on the Assembly floor to eliminate religous belief exemptions on 1/31/2019 3818 Eliminates/S2173 Restricts the religious belief exemption to vaccination
NJ A1991/S941 2/5/2019 OPPOSE A1991 passed the full Assembly on 1/31/2019 Mandates Meningitis Vaccines as recommended by ACIP for residential students at 4 year colleges
NJ A3587/S634 8/2/2018 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to Health Committees, not moving Forced vaccination of health care industry vendors with only very limited medical exemptions
NJ A2397 8/2/2018 OPPOSE Introduced on 2/1/2018 and referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee, not moving Allows the Commissioner of Health to adopt rules for mandatory vaccination of healthcare vendors
NJ A1847 8/2/2018 OPPOSE Introduced on 1/9/2018 and referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee, not moving Mandates HPV Vaccines for students in grades six through 12
NV AB 123 2/20/2019 OPPOSE Hearing held in the Assembly Committee on Education 2/19/2019 Violates privacy and forces parents to submit medial and religious exemptions every year
NY S3424A 2/12/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to Senate Education Committee on 2/6/2019 Creates Uniform Religious Exemption Form Subject to Arbitrary Superintendent Approval
NY S2994 2/1/2019 OPPOSE Introduced on 1/31/2019 and referred to the Senate Health Committee Eliminates the religious belief exemption to vaccination
NY A2841 1/26/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Assembly Health Committee on 1/25/2019 Mandates vaccines for employees working in children's camps
NY S2289 1/24/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Senate Health Committee Requires a phycian signature for a religious belief exemption to vaccination
NY S2276 1/24/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Senate Health Committee on 1/23/2019 Mandates flu vaccine for school and daycare in NY State
NY A2371 1/23/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Assembly Health Committee on 1/22/2019 Eliminates the religious belief exemption to vaccination
NY A2316 1/23/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Assembly Health Committee on 1/22/2019 Mandates flu vaccine for school and daycare in NY State
NY A973/S3899 1/16/2019 OPPOSE A973 referred to the Assembly Health Committee on 1/14, S3899 introduced 2/21 Allows health care practitioners to administer HPV/Hep B Vaccines to minors without parental consent
NY A1135 1/16/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to the Assembly Health Committee on 1/14/2019 Requires a signature from a healthcare provider for religious exemptions to vaccination
NY S477 1/5/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to Senate Health Committee on 1/9/2019 Strengthens and expands existing medical exemptions to vaccination
NY S298 1/3/2019 OPPOSE Introduced and referred to Senate Health Committee 1/9/2019 Mandates HPV Vaccine
NY A099 1/3/2019 OPPOSE Introduced 1/9/2019 and referred to Assembly Health Committee Allows forced vaccination and medical treatment under certain circumstances
OK HB 2420 2/26/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for a hearing in the House Committee on Insurance on 2/26/2019 Prohibits managed care entities from imposing requirements relating to vaccination protocol
OK SB 925 2/25/2019 OPPOSE Scheduled for a hearing in the Health and Human Services Committee on 2/25/2019 Requires school districts to report exemptions, gives Health and Ed Dept. rule making authority
OK HB 2430 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Schedule for a hearing in the House Public Health Committee on 2/26/2019 Requires the option of an antibody titer test be given to determine immunity to MMR
OK HB 2339 2/18/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for a hearing in the House Public Health Committee on 2/19/2019 Requires prior written consent before a child can receive a vaccine at school
OK HB 1112 2/18/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for a hearing in the House Public Health on 2/19/2019 Requires legislative approval for changes to the list of vaccines required for school
OK HB 1098 2/5/2019 WATCH Referred to the House Rules Committee on 2/5/2019 Allows employers to adopt reasonable alternative policies to flu vaccine requirements
OK SB 534 1/27/2019 SUPPORT Filed 1/27/2019 Clarifes that vaccines are not allowed to be given to a child protective custody without consent
OK SB 861 1/21/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for first reading on 2/4/2019 Clarifies refusal to vaccinate or delaying vaccination is not child abuse
OK SB 146 1/5/2019 SUPPORT Scheduled for first reading on 2/1/2019 Requires health care facilities to grant religious exemptions to flu vaccine requirements
OR HB 3063 2/25/2019 OPPOSE Scheduled for a hearing on 2/28/2019 in the House Committee on Health Care Eliminates all non medical exemptions to vaccination Oregon
OR SB 649 2/18/2019 SUPPORT Hearing held on 2/18/2019, still in Senate Committee on Health Care Requires information packets be given by health care providers before vaccination
OR SB 488 2/18/2019 WATCH Hearing held 2/6/2019 in Senate Judiciary, still in committee Requires correctional facilities to offer flu vaccines to each inmate and prisoner
OR HB 2779 1/29/2019 SUPPORT Referred to House Committee Human Services & Housing with sub. referral to Ways & Means on 1/28/2019 Requires parental consent before a child in protective custody can be vaccinated
OR HB 2745 1/27/2019 SUPPORT Referred to the House Health Care Committee on 1/25 Requires information packets be given by health care providers before vaccination
OR HB 2783 1/27/2019 OPPOSE Referred to House Health Care Committee on 1/25/2019 Requires health care practitioner signature for all exemptions to vaccination
OR SB 653 1/25/2019 SUPPORT Referred to Human Services on 1/24/2019 Requires parental consent before children in protective custody can be vaccinated
OR HB 2220 1/18/2019 OPPOSE Referred to Health Care on 1/15/2019 Allows dentists to administer vaccines, requires reporting to tracking system
OR SB 565 1/18/2019 SUPPORT Referred to the Workforce Committee on 1/17/2019 Establishes that it is unlawful for an employer to mandate vaccines for healthcare employees
PA HB 286 2/13/2019 SUPPORT Introduced on 1/30/2019 Establishes the Informed Protection Act to provide informed consent for vaccination
PA HB 48 1/29/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to the House Education Committee on 1/28/2019 Requires schools to inform parents of their right to exemptions from vaccine requirements
RI S303 2/22/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to Senate Health and Human Services 2/13/2019 Allows refusal of vaccines for non-casual, sexually transmitted diseases
RI S213 2/2/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee 1/31/2019 Enacts the Rhode Island Informed Consent Protection Act
RI H5165 1/23/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to the House House Health, Education & Welfare Committee on 1/23/2019 Adds a personal and philosophical belief exemption to vaccination in Rhode Island
TX HB 2067 2/24/2019 OPPOSE Introduced on 2/20/2019 Requires assisted living facilities to provide flu vaccine information to each resident every year
TX HB 1966/SB 873 2/20/2019 OPPOSE Filed 2/19/2019 Allows child care facilities to provide notice of immunzation rates of children attending
TX SB 830 2/15/2019 OPPOSE Filed 2/14/2019 Requires first responders to be vaccinated based on policies adopted by emergency response entities
TX HB 1418 2/7/2019 OPPOSE Introduced on 2/6/2019 Requries rules be adopted to provide EMS applicants immunization information in the registry
TX HB 1361/HB 1423 2/7/2019 OPPOSE Introduced on 2/4/2019 Requires long-term care facilities to track vaccination status of employees and residents
TX HB 1256 2/1/2019 WATCH Introduced on 1/31/2019 Allows access to first responder's immunization history in the registry during a disaster
TX SB 329 1/11/2019 OPPOSE Filed on 1/10/2019 Requires reporting of vaccine exemptions by individual schools
TX SB 145 11/27/2018 OPPOSE Filed on 11/12/2018 Requires all insurance plans to cover all CDC recommended vaccines without copays/deductibles
UT SB 83 2/20/2019 OPPOSE Passed the House Health and Human Services Committee on 2/19/2019 Grant program for children that requires adherence to the state-approved immunization schedule
VT H.310 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Introduced 2/21/2019 and referred to the House Committee on Health Care Requires informed consent before vaccines are administered
VT H.311 2/24/2019 SUPPORT Introduced on 2/21/2019 and referred to the House Committee on Health Care Requires the Dept. of Health to submit annual reports regarding adverse reactions to vaccination
VT H 238 2/17/2019 OPPOSE Referred to the House Judiciary Committee on 2/14/2019 Eliminates religious belief exemption for vaccine required for school and daycare
WA SB 5841 2/24/2019 OPPOSE Passed Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care, in Senate Rules Committee Eliminates personal and philosophical exemptions to all mandated vaccines
WA HB 1638 2/24/2019 OPPOSE Passed out of the House Committee on Health and Wellness Committee on 2/15/2019 Eliminates personal and philosophical exemptions to MMR Vaccination
WA HB 1019/SB 5365 2/24/2019 SUPPORT SB 5365 passed the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care 2/22/19 8:00 am Allows for serologic proof of immunity, requires notification of available titer tests & exemptions
WA HB 1976 2/9/2019 SUPPORT Intoduced and referred to the House Health Care and Wellness Committee on 2/8/2019 Restricts vaccines from the immunization program that don't meet certan criteria
WA HB 1275 1/22/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to House Health Care and Wellness Committee 1/17/2019 Establishes a state database to monitor adverse effects of vaccinations in Washington State
WV SB 454 1/29/2019 SUPPORT Introduced and referred to the Seante Health and Human Resources Committee Establishes religious and conscientious belief exemptions to vaccination for students and employees
WY SF 60 2/25/2019 WATCH House Speaker Signed SEA No. 0051, 2/22/2019 Changes to current Child Protective Custody law in WYIn January 1994, I started a weekly Friday night Star Wars trivia game on America Online. It was the first official AOL Star Wars Fan Club (AOLSWFC) event. After the first year, I turned it over to other hosts and eventually multiple trivia games sprung up -- at its peak, I think there were more than six different games each week. Unfortunately, I don't have reports from many of the nights, but the main one on Friday night is nearly complete.
Please note that AOL Star Wars trivia started years before the new movies and even before the Special Editions (and many other products) were released. Some of the trivia question and answers may no longer be correct.
Thank you to ThtDarnGAT for providing many games results I was missing. If you have any trivia results not included here, please send them to me.Get the biggest Liverpool FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
£115m of 'flops' morphing in front of our eyes
Summer 2014 was seen as a key transfer market for Liverpool FC, with Luis Suarez needing to be replaced and Champions League football giving the Reds the opportunity to attract world class talent and push on from last year’s second place finish.
Brendan Rodgers’ shopping basket – or at least the one finally secured by the Anfield transfer committee – has come in for plenty of stick, much of it rightly (especially the absence of a marquee striker).
But forget about whispering it quietly, it’s time to say it out loud. The 'flops' are morphing before our very eyes.
Before his injury the most expensive of those signings, £25m Adam Lallana, had found his comfort zone alongside Coutinho and Sterling in a front three that was starting to mitigate for Daniel Sturridge’s lengthy absence. Those two dropped shoulders in front of the Kop for his second goal against Swansea oozed class.
£20m Lazar Markovic is getting better with every game, clearly benefiting from time and a more defined role in the team, yesterday switched to the right hand side, while Emre Can’s versatility (at centre back and then switched to a much more forward role after Gerrard’s injury) could yet make him a £10m bargain.
Finishing still an achilles heel which must improve
For all their dominance – and even against 10 men – the Reds failed to put away a game in which they should have been out of sight by half time. While Markovic was unlucky to see his audacious volley – all technique – hit the woodwork in the first half, the Reds are constantly hampered by their lack of a natural goalscorer. That’s not something that the return of the rested Raheem Sterling against Aston Villa next week will solve either. Philippe Coutinho is a little Brazilian magician who must look into his box of tricks and extract the one that says ‘Goalscorer’ far more often. Here he had two trademark right-foot shots, both dragged just wide of the post on the side he always seems to miss on. You know the one. His two league goals this season are matched by Jordan Henderson and both quite simply must get on the scoresheet more often.
Distribution of Sakho and Can taking pressure off Mignolet
Improved distribution from the back is giving Liverpool an attacking boost. Emre Can was the man who started the move which led to Markovic’s goal and there were plenty of examples of he and Mamadou Sakho in particular getting the Reds moving from the back. Sakho of course had a big role to play in Albert Moreno’s opener against Swansea with that lovely curled ball with his left foot setting the Spaniard away in front of the Main Stand, before meeting Henderson’s returned cross. That ability to play out will delight Rodgers, taking pressure off Simon Mignolet who will also have pleased those of a nervous disposition that he cleared his lines in generally simpler fashion at the Stadium of Light, perhaps influenced by the windy conditions.
No more 'quarterback' for US-bound Gerrard
The last few months of Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool career must be spent in a forward, attacking role. He may be heading off to the USA but it’s time for the ‘quarterback role’ which he has often been employed in to be forgotten about for now.
Perhaps it is something which can return when Liverpool have an over-the-top threat like Daniel Sturridge back in the side – and Reds fans will have been purring at the sight of him strolling into Heathrow on Friday after his American rehabilitation.
But for now Gerrard remains far more valuable hurting the opposition than sitting in front of his own back four and it is no surprise he leads the LFC scoring charts with nine, even allowing for the help of penalties. He had a small role to play in Markovic’s winner here but it was enough. Fans will be anxiously awaiting news of that tightness in his leg which forced his halftime departure.
Watch: James Pearce on Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
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Rodgers is capable of 'finding a way'
Brendan Rodgers has had plenty of stick in the first half of the season but maybe it’s time to give some credit to his ability to shuffle his pack and produce a hand which is often proving a winning one.
Jordan Henderson was this week the latest player to speak in glowing terms about his manager’s ability to change things quickly and find a workable solution with the players available to him. Gerrard and Luis Suarez have also praised his coaching ability.
With his strikers misfiring, Rodgers has (literally) found a way forward with a 3-4-3 (or 3-4-2-1 if you like) formation which is getting the best out of his players. Dejan Lovren’s struggles saw him switch Emre Can into a back three and while there remains plenty of scope for improvement defensively, you wouldn’t bet against the Ulsterman managing to eke it out. Last year's Manager of the Year did not become a bad one in just one summer.Wolves in the Throne Room
After 20 minutes of driving around in the dark near Santa Cruz, I found the right road and pulled up in front of a cemetery. I was looking for a rock band called Wolves in the Throne Room, whose gig tonight was advertised as occurring “somewhere in the woods.” Stepping into the chilly evening, I slammed the car door and started walking down an unlit lane toward a forest of cypress and eucalyptus. Where the asphalt gave way to dirt, a scruffy kid with a lantern led me and a few others along trails and over streams. A sign asked us not to smoke, to turn off our cell phones, and to try to refrain from talking. Nobody asked me for any money.
Stumbling through the weeds, I came across 30 or 40 young folks gazing at a black-and-white film loop of ravens and ravaged forests that was projected onto a sheet pegged to a massive conifer. The crowd shuffled and stared and occasionally burped and giggled. Then we lumbered through the bushes toward a nearby clearing marked by a few antique hanging lanterns, a drum kit on a carpet, and a couple of amps and guitars. There was no stage, no risers, no proper lights. A massive tree limb stretched over the clearing, and a few people had clambered up for a better view, young gents with furry hats and Rasputin beards passing around bottles of nameless homebrew. Waves of ambient electronica began flowing out of an old analog synthesizer, merging with the groan of a nearby generator. After 15 minutes of this, three rather nondescript guys shuffled out of the crowd and took up their instruments.
Given the setting, you might think that Wolves in the Throne Room was some West Coast jam band or a freak-folk combo. But what these three fellows played was melancholic and often brutal black metal. Nathan Weaver, one of the two guitarists (there was no bassist), rasped incomprehensible lyrics in the throat-shredding “Cookie Monster” vocals that mark the genre. (Sample it here.) Using tremolo picking, he and longhaired Rick Dahlin created darkly stacked melodies that soared through the rapid-fire “blast-beats” and cymbal sheen flawlessly delivered by Nathan’s older brother Aaron. The band performed for about an hour and played four songs. When Nathan wasn’t singing, he faced away from the rapt crowd, toward his mates.
To understand why a metal band from the Pacific Northwest was playing their ferocious and lamenting music in a forest, you need to delve into the back story of black metal, perhaps the most evocative, emotionally challenging, and risible of the many subgenres of heavy metal that have emerged since the 1970s. Black metal, which was kick-started by the bands Venom and the mighty Bathory, at the turn of the ‘80s, began as a raw and self-consciously devilish rejection of commercial hard rock, and it flowered in Norway in the early 1990s. Production and musical values were ranked lower than atmosphere and emotion, especially feelings of bitterness, despair, and hatred—those “serious” sentiments beloved of alienated adolescents, which is what these groups were largely composed of. Black-metal acts adopted pseudonyms like Count Grishnackh and Fenriz from mythology and Tolkien’s Orc lore, wore ghoulish corpse-paint, and released crudely produced recordings decorated with spidery, unreadable logos. They earned a justified reputation for extremism and misanthropy. Satanism was proclaimed, churches were burned, bandmates occasionally stabbed.
Like gangster rap, black metal drew a great deal of its charisma from its claims of countercultural authenticity, a realness defined not by criminal boasts and urban play-by-plays but by an ultimately spiritual fidelity to misanthropy and infernal nihilism—an uncompromising (if easily parodied) Satanic sensibility salted with occasional bursts of violence, obscenity, and tabloid controversy. But as the genre grew in popularity, an interesting mythological transformation occurred. Classic bands like Ulver, Windir, and Enslaved left the Christian devil aside to reach for an older, pagan stratum of Norse and heathen lore (“Viking metal” is now its own subgenre). In their quest to express the atmosphere of awe and gloom that permeates these ancient ways, black-metal acts began extending and deepening their use of melodies, both folkloric and epic. What emerged was a powerful dark-side Romanticism, perhaps the most unalloyed descendent of old-school Sturm und Drang that we have.
So, how did three guys from Olympia, Wash., neo-hippies and veterans of the DIY punk scene, come to emulate this deeply European music, and to make it so thoroughly their own? On the surface, the Wolves are not your typical black-metal band. Besides being American—black-metal bands in the United States are few and far between—they don’t go in for corpse-paint or silly pseudonyms. Most importantly, their music is unusually textured and rich. On the their recent album Two Hunters (Southern Lord), melodies slash through a shoe-gazing haze of guitars, analog synths, and shimmering cymbals. Genres are woven together, with folk, ambient, goth, and environmental samples rising and falling through the material like tides. For the first half of “Cleansing,” which opens with the crackling of a fire, guest singer Jessica Kinney provides a clean and keening lament over a steady tribal beat. Most black-metal bands sound cornball when they go softy like this, but the music here conjures the mournful exotica of the Goth crossover band Dead Can Dance.
You can’t understand the lyrics, of course, and the band, in a typical black-metal move, does not print them. However, the aural sleuths at the Encyclopaedia Metallum, which tracks more than 50,000 metal bands, do offer some convincing transcriptions. These suggest that Two Hunters is about an apocalyptic struggle. On one side, there’s a cruel mounted priest-king, whose steed beats the earth to “lifeless chaos” with his 24-7 galloping. On the other, there’s a tribe of earth folk who flee into the forest, dance in the dark of night, and prepare for a final conflagration and a cleansing rain. The album closes with the 18-minute (!) swan song “I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots.” While not abandoning the tragic mode, the song’s shiny timbres and a yearning, hopeful chord progression sound the first glimmerings of a new dawn, when “the sun god is born anew.”
The contours of this myth echo what my chat with the band after the Santa Cruz show confirmed: Wolves in the Throne Room are hard-core tree-huggers, with a Manichaean view of the environmental crisis and a pagan faith in the transformative powers of nature. I mostly talked to Aaron, an articulate and intelligent fellow wearing a green Tyrolean hat. After honing his politics in the Pacific Northwest’s DIY punk scene, Aaron moved to D.C. to fight the good fight as a secular lefty. It didn’t work out, and he moved back to Olympia, where a surprising series of spiritual experiences he hasn’t really talked about made him a clear-eyed seeker of earth wisdom. With his brother and their respective partners, he now lives on 10 acres of land near Evergreen State College, where his posse is painstakingly crafting a sustainable life off the grid. And finding time to play hard-core, shamanic eco-metal.
“The intersection of dark, spiritual music and radical ecology is quite natural,” explains Aaron, who has not given up on the DIY punk scene’s penchant for packaging radical political platforms with music. In interviews, he’ll make favorable mention of the Earth Liberation Front—some of whose monkey-wrenching adherents have been branded as “terrorists.” He also expresses cautious admiration for Finland’s merciless eco-philosopher Pentti Linkola, who argues that the best way out of the environmental crisis lies in a swift, lethal, and authoritarian process of de-industrialization.
This is disturbing stuff, and it’s supposed to be. I mean, aren’t you a bit disturbed? Lots of people who open their souls to today’s seemingly relentless assault on wild creatures and wild places find themselves gripped by bitterness, melancholy, and misanthropy. For the Wolves, black metal just makes sense; it’s melodramatic Satanism transformed into an angry lament for human folly. But the band doesn’t just mourn. It also aims its epic melodies toward the old Romantic sublime, drawing the listener into the dream of a vital and resurgent earth. Which is why, as the long last stretch of blistering riffs echoed through the Santa Cruz woods that night, the crowd started headbanging like dervishes, discovering in the harsh hyperspeed beats a deeper, more archaic pulse.CHENNAI: The lighthouse at the Marina that has, in various incarnations, safely guided mariners to port for years, will soon be open to the public again.More than two decades have passed since the authorities closed it to the public due to security concerns and to protect the structure after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.The directorate of lighthouses and lightships has decided to open the 45.72-metre-high structure to the public from August. Visitors will be able to take the elevator within the tower till the 9th floor of the 10-storey structure. Sea-facing balconies on two sides of the tower, painted in distinctive red and white bands, will offer an unrivalled view of the Bay of Bengal.Former Union shipping minister G S Dhillon opened the new lighthouse off Kamarajar Salai in January 1977, but the city has had a lighthouse at least since 1796. Madras Lighthouse is the only one in the country within city limits, but it has been off limits for the public for more than 22 years.The authorities closed it to the public following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991. “It is the only lighthouse in the country in which the public is not permitted,” directorate-general of lighthouses and lightships regional director T Ramadoss told TOI. “We have received the go-ahead to reopen it to visitors from August.”Visitors will be permitted to take the stairs or the elevator till the 9th floor of the 10-story tower, where balconies on two sides of the three-sided structure provide spectacular views of the Bay of Bengal. But the authorities fear the balconies may not be safe for the public now and have decided to raise their railings by four feet.The directorate-general of lighthouses and lightships is also considering a revamp of the 27-year-old elevator, possibly with transparent walls so as to give visitors a glimpse of the town through portals in the lighthouse.The lighthouse has a fascinating history, Ramadoss said. “While there must have been some system of lighting to guide East India Company vessels into Madras port during 17th and 18 th centuries, there are no records available to confirm this or show exactly what it was,” he said.Chennai’s first conventional lighthouse was powered by an oil wick lamp. It was built on the terrace of the officer’s mess and exchange building, within what is now known as Fort Museum at Fort St George, in 1796, when the sea came up close to the walls of the fort, said Ramadoss.The British installed a new flashing light, consisting of Argand oil lamps and reflectors, in 1844. Fifty years later, the lighthouse equipment with lantern was shifted onto the dome of the high court building.The new lighthouse was opened in January 1977. “It uses electrical equipment manufactured by BBT, Paris,” Lighthouse keeper S Palaniswamy said.The light generated by three 150V metal halide lamps, enhanced by a four-panel convex lens, can be seen from up to 30 nautical miles (34.5 miles /55.6km ) out at sea.The lighthouse also has radio beacons on the ninth floor to aide navigation of vessels. “The national automatic identification system and coastal static sensors installed by coast guard atop the lighthouse also monitor movement of ships extensively,” said DLL deputy director K Shakthi.Mike Dubke confirmed his resignation as White House communications director Tuesday.
The resignation was first reported by Axios which said Dubke, who has been in the role for three months, handed in his resignation on May 18.
"It has been my great honor to serve President Trump and this administration. It has also been my distinct pleasure to work side-by-side, day-by-day with the staff of the communications and press departments," Dubke said in a statement.
Dubke did not work on the Trump campaign, and did not know Trump before his hire. When news of his then-imminent appointment surfaced in February, it prompted a leak investigation within the West Wing.
Axios reported that he offered to stay until end of the president's first overseas trip as U.S. leader. Trump returned to Washington on Saturday from a nine-day foreign trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Vatican City, Brussels and Italy.
White House Communications Director Mike Dubke is out, CBS News has confirmed https://t.co/PTiuLEnqR2 pic.twitter.com/4Ec32o8QLI — CBS News (@CBSNews) May 30, 2017
Dubke's last day as White House communications director has not been set yet, officials said.
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Trump did not immediately address Dubke's resignation.
"We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change," He tweeted at about 7 a.m. ET.
Soon afterward, he tweeted: "Russian officials must be laughing at the U.S. & how a lame excuse for why the Dems lost the election has taken over the Fake News."
Dubke, the founder of Crossroads Media, a conservative media relations firm, replaced Jason Miller, who accepted the communications director job before changing his mind in December, citing family reasons.
Dubke's hiring helped to ease the burden on White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who also served as communications director before Dubke was hired.Dorcas Aiden, 20, was another of the girls caught in |
nor are several substances having the same attribute given ; therefore, no sub stance besides God is given. All these suppose the definition of substance, namely, being which is conceived through itself, and many others noted above which are not to be admitted. [It does not yet seem certain to me that bodies are substances. It is other wise with minds.] COROLLARY 1. God is one. COROLLARY 2. Extension or thought are either attributes of God, or, by Axiom..., modifications of attributes of God. [This is speaking confusedly ; besides he has not yet shown that extension and thought are attributes or conceived through themselves.] PROPOSITION 15. Whatever is, is in God, and without God nothing can be, or be conceived. For since there is no substance except God, Prop. 14, so all other things will be modifications of God, or modes, since besides substances and modes nothing is given. [Again he omits attributes.] PROPOSITION 16. From the necessity of the divine nature must follow an infinite number of things in infinite ways ; that is, all things which can fall within the sphere of infinite intellect, by Def. 6. 19 COROLLARY 1. Hence it follows that God is the efficient cause of all things which fall under his intellect. COROLLARY 2. God is a cause through himself, not indeed per accidens. COROLLARY 3. God is the absolutely first cause. PROPOSITION 17. God acts solely by the laws of his own nature, and is not constrained by any one, since there is nothing outside of himself. COROLLARY 1. Hence it follows, 1st, that there can be no cause which, either extrinsically or intrinsically, besides the perfection of his own nature, moves God to act. COROLLARY 2. God only is a free cause. In the SCHOLIUM he further explains that God created everything which is in his intellect (although, nevertheless, it seems that he has created only those which he wished). He says also that the intellect of God differs from our intellect in essence, and that, except equivocally, the name intellect cannot be attributed to both, just as the Dog, the heavenly constellation, and a dog, a barking animal, differ. The thing caused differs from its cause in that which it has from the cause. A man differs from man as respects the existence which he has from that man ; he differs from God as respects the essence which he has from God. PROPOSITION 18. God is the immanent, not the transient cause of all things. From this it follows that God only is substance ; other things are its modes. PROPOSITION 19. God, or all his attributes are eternal. For his essence involves existence, and his attributes involve his essence. In addition, the author cites and approves the way in which he demonstrated this in Prop. 19 of his "Principles of Descartes." PROPOSITION 20. The essence of God and his existence are one and the same thing. He proves all this from the fact that the attributes of God because eternal (by Prop. 19), express existence (by the definition of eternity). But they also express essence, by the definition of attribute. Therefore essence and existence are the same thing in God. I answer that this does not follow, but only that they are expressed by the same. I note, moreover, that this proposition supposes the preceding, but if in place of the pre ceding proposition its demonstration be employed in the demon stration of this, a senseless circumlocution will be apparent. Thus : 20 I prove that the essence and existence of God are one and the same thing, because the attributes of God express both existence and essence. They express essence by the definition of attribute, they express existence because they are eternal ; they are, moreover, eternal because they involve existence, for they express the essence of God which involves existence. What need is there, therefore, of mentioning the eternity of the attributes and Prop. 19, when the point merely is to prove that the existence and essence of God are one and the same thing, since the essence of God involves existence. The rest is pompously introduced that it may be fash ioned into a sort of demonstration. Reasonings of this sort are exceedingly common with those who do not possess the true art of demonstration. COROLLARY 1. Hence it follows that God s existence, like his essence, is an eternal truth. I do not see how this proposition fol lows from the preceding ; on the contrary, it is far truer and clearer than the preceding. For it is immediately apparent when it is posited that the essence of God involves existence, although it may not be admitted that they are one and the same. COROLLARY 2. God and all his attributes are immutable. This the author proposes and proves obscurely and confusedly. PROPOSITION 21. All things which follow from the absolute nature of any attribute of God must always exist and be infinite ; or, in other words, are eternal and infinite through the said attri bute. He demonstrates this obscurely and quite at length, although it is easy. PROPOSITION 22. Whatsoever follows from any attribute of God, in so far as it is modified by a modification which exists nec essarily and as infinite through the said attribute, must also exist necessarily and as infinite. He says the demonstration proceeds as in the preceding. Therefore, also obscurely. I could wish that he had given an example of such a modification. PROPOSITION 23. Every mode, which exists both necessarily and as infinite, must necessarily follow either from the absolute nature of some attribute of God, or from some attribute modified by a modification which exists necessarily, and as infinite. That is, such a mode follows from the absolute nature of some attribute either immediately or mediately through another such mode. 21 PROPOSITION 24. The essence of things produced by God does not involve existence ; otherwise, by Def. 1, they would be the cause of themselves, which is contrary to the hypothesis. This from elsewhere is manifest ; but this demonstration is a paralogism. For cause of itself, by his Def. 1, has not retained its common meaning, but has received a peculiar one. Therefore the author cannot substitute the common meaning of the word for the pecul iar one assumed by him at his will, unless he shows that they are equivalent. [Leibnitz has remarked on the margin of the manu script : From this proposition it follows, contrary to Spinoza him self, that things are not necessary. For that is not necessary whose essence does not involve existence. Gerhardt.\ PROPOSITION 25. God is the efficient cause not only of the existence of things but also of their essence. Otherwise the essence of things could be conceived without God, by Axiom 4. But this proof is of no moment. For even if we concede that the essence of things cannot be conceived without God, from Prop. 15, it does not therefore follow that God is the cause of the essence of things. For the fourth axiom does not say this : That without which a thing cannot he conceived is its cause (which would indeed be false, for a circle cannot be conceived without a center, a line with out a point, but the center is not the cause of the circle nor the point the cause of the line), but it says only this : Knowledge of the effect involves knowledge of the cause, which is quite different. For this axiom is not convertible; not to mention that to involve is one thing, not able to he conceived without it is another. Knowl edge of a parabola involves in it knowledge of a focus, nevertheless it can be conceived without it. COROLLARY. Individual things are nothing but modifications of the attributes of God, or modes by whicli the attributes of God are expressed in a fixed and definite manner. This, he says, is evident from Def. 5 and Prop. 15, but it does not appear in what way the corollary is connected with this Prop. 25. Certainly Spinoza is not a great master of demonstration. This corollary is sufficiently evident from what was said above ; but it is true if it is understood in a right sense, not indeed that things are such modes, but modes of conceiving particular things are determinate modes of conceiv ing divine attributes. PROPOSITION 28. Every individual thing, or everything which is finite and has a conditioned existence, cannot exist or be condi tioned to act, unless it be conditioned for existence and action by a cause other than itself, which also is finite, and has a conditioned existence ; and likewise this by another, and so on ad ifijmitwii. Because nothing conditioned, finite and existing in a certain time, can follow from the absolute essence of God. From this opinion strictly taken many absurd consequences follow. For indeed things will not follow in this way from the nature of God. For the conditioning thing itself is again conditioned by another, and so on ad infinitum. In no way, therefore, are things determined by God. God only contributes of himself certain absolute and gen eral things. It would be more correct to say, that one particular thing is not determined by another in a progression ad infinitum, for otherwise, indeed, they always remain indeterminate, however far you progress; but rather all particular things are determined by God. Nor are posterior things the full cause of prior things, but rather God creates posterior things so that they are connected with the prior, according to rules of wisdom. If we say that prior things are the efficient causes of the posterior, the posterior will in turn be in a way the.final causes of the prior, according to the view of those who claim that God operates according to ends. PROPOSITION 29. Nothing in the nature of things is contingent, but all things are conditioned to exist and operate in a particular manner by the necessity of the divine nature. The demonstration is obscure and abrupt, deduced from preceding propositions abrupt, obscure and doubtful. It depends upon the definition of contin gent, which he has nowhere given. I, with others, employ contingent for that the essence of which does not involve existence. In this meaning, particular things are contingent, according to Spinoza himself, by Prop. 24. But if you employ contingent according to the custom of certain scholastics, a custom unknown to Aristotle and to other men and to the usage of life, for that which happens, so that a reason can in no way be given why it should occur thus rather than otherwise ; the cause of which also, all the requisites as well within as without it having been posited, was equally disposed toward acting or not acting ; I think that such a contingent implies that all things are by their nature, according to the hypothesis of the divine nature and the condition of things, 23 certain and determinate, although unknown to us, and do not have their determination in themselves but through the supposition or hypothesis of things external to them. PROPOSITION 30. Intellect, in action (actu) finite, or in action infinite, must comprehend the attributes of God and the modifica tions of God, and nothing else. This proposition, which is suffi ciently clear from the preceding and in a right sense true, our author according to his custom proves by others which are obscure, doubtful and remote ; namely, that a true idea must agree with its ideate, that is, as known per se (so he says, although I do not see how r what is known per se is any the more true) ; that what is contained in the intellect objectively must necessarily be granted in nature; that but one substance is given, namely, God. Never theless, these propositions are obscure, doubtful and far-fetched. The genius of the author seems to have been greatly distorted. He rarely proceeds by a clear and natural road ; he always goes by an abrupt and circuitous one. And most of his demonstrations rather surprise (surpr&rMwnf) the mind than enlighten it. PROPOSITION 31. The intellect in action, whether finite or infinite, as will, desire, love, etc., should be referred to passive nature (natura naturata], not to active nature (natura naturans). He understands by active nature, God and his absolute attributes ; by passive nature, his modes. But the intellect is nothing else than a certain mode of thought. Hence elsewhere he says that God properly does not know or will. I do not assent to this. PROPOSITION 32. Will cannot be called a free cause, but only a necessary cause, because, forsooth, that is free which is determined by itself. The will, moreover, is a mode of thought and so is mod ified by another. PROPOSITION 33. Things could have been produced by God in no other manner or order than that in which they have been pro duced. For they follow from the immutable nature of God. This proposition is true or false according as it is explained. On the hypothesis of a divine will choosing the best or operating most perfectly, certainly nothing but these could have been produced ; but according to the nature of things regarded in themselves, things might have been produced otherwise. Just as we say that the angels confirmed [in holiness] cannot sin, in spite of their liberty ; they can if they will but they do not will. They may be able, 24 absolutely speaking, to will it, but in this existing state of affairs they are not able to will it. The author rightly acknowledges in the scholium that a thing is rendered impossible in two ways, either because it implies it in itself or because no external cause is given suitable for producing it. In the second scholium he denies that God does all things with the Good in view (sub ratione boni}. He certainly has denied to him will, and he thinks that those differing from him subject God to fate, although nevertheless he himself confesses that God does all things by reason of the Perfect (sub ratione perfecti}. PROPOSITION 34. God s power is his very essence, because it follows from the nature of essence that he is the cause of himself and of other things. PROPOSITION 35. Whatever exists in the power of God exists necessarily ; that is, follows from his essence. PROPOSITION 36. Nothing exists from whose nature some effect does not follow, because it expresses the nature of God in a certain and determined mode ; that is, by Prop. 34, the power of God [it does not follow, but it is nevertheless true]. He adds an APPENDIX against those who think that God acts with an end in view, mingling true with false. For although it may be true that all things do not happen for the sake of man, nevertheless it does not follow that God acts without will or with out knowledge of good. In the copy of Spinoza s Opera Postkuma, now contained in the royal library at Hanover, Leibnitz has written the following notes : PART SECOND OF THE " ETHICS." On Def. 4, " By an adequate idea, I mean an idea which, in so far as it is considered in itself, without relation to the object has all the properties or intrinsic marks of a true idea," Leibnitz writes : He had therefore to explain what a true idea is, for Part I, Axiom 1, it is employed only as agreement with its ideate. At the end of the Proof of Prop. 1, "Thought is an attribute of God or God is a thinking thing," Leibnitz adds : In the same way he will prove that God fears and hopes. If you reply that they are modes of thought, it can perhaps be said that thought is a mode of another attribute. 25 On Prop. 6, " The modes of any given attribute are caused by God, in so far as he is considered through the attribute of which they are modes, and not in so far as he is considered through any other attribute." Leibnitz remarks : I doubt it, because it seems that something besides is required for modifying any attribute. The reason is the same with that which concludes that not all exist ; on the contrary, that certain distinct ones exist. On Prop. 12, " Whatever comes to pass in the object of the idea, which constitutes the human mind, must be perceived by the human mind, or there will necessarily be an idea iri the human mind of this occurrence. That is, if the object of the idea constitut ing the human mind be a body, nothing can take place in that body without being perceived by the mind," is written : Ideas do not act. The mind acts. The whole world is indeed the object of each mind. The whole world in a certain way is perceived by any mind whatever. The world is one, and nevertheless minds are diverse. Therefore the mind is made not through the idea of the body, but because GOD in various ways intuites the world as I do a city. To Prop. 13, " The object of the idea constituting the human mind is the body; in other words, a certain mode of extension which actually exists, and nothing else," Leibnitz adds: Hence it follows that some mind is momentarily, at least, in the same man. At the end of the Proof to Prop. 15, " The idea which consti tutes the actual being of the human mind, is not simple, but compounded of a great number of ideas," he remarks : Therefore, also, the human mind is an aggregate of many minds. On Prop. 20, " The idea or knowledge of the human mind, is also in God, following in God in the same manner, and being referred to God in the same manner, as the idea or knowledge of the human body," he writes : Therefore the idea of the idea is given. Hence it would follow that the thing would go on in injvnitum, if indeed the human mind is an idea. On the words of the Scholium to Prop. 21, " That is, mind and body are one and the same individual, conceived now under the attribute of thought, now under the attribute of extension," he remarks : Therefore, in fact, mind and body do not differ any more than a city regarded in different ways differs from itself. It fol lows that extension does not in fact differ from thought, drona. 26 At the end of this scholium Leibnitz adds : Hence it follows that to understand the idea of the body, or the mind, there is no need of another idea. On Prop. 23, " The mind does not know itself, except in so far as it perceives- the ideas of the modifications of the body," he writes : If the mind perceives itself in any way whatsoever, it fol lows that there is no idea of the mind in God, other than from the mind itself, for it perceives itself in so far as it expresses God per ceiving the mind. On the words in the proof of this proposition, " The human mind does not know the human body itself," he remarks : On the con trary, just as God.or the mind knows the body through the ideas of the modifications of the body, so they know the mind through the ideas of the modifications of the mind. PART THIRD OF THE " ETHICS." On Def. 3, " By emotion I mean the modifications of the body by which the active power of the body itself is increased or dimin ished, aided or constrained, and also the ideas of these modifica tions," he remarks : Emotion is understood also when we do not think of the body. To Propy. 23, "When we love a thing similar to ourselves we endeavor, as far as we can, to bring about that it should love us in return," he writes : The reason why we endeavor to do good to it is to bring about that we may be loved. But this can and ought to be proved otherwise, for any one can will to do good although he does not seek and think to be loved in return. On Def. 2 of the Emotions, " Joy is the transition of a man from less to greater perfection," he remarks : I can increase the perfection of the body, so that I am not aware that I am becoming more beautiful and that my limbs are growing to greater strength. It may be replied that this transition is insensible, and so also is the joy. On Parts I Y and V of the Ethics no remarks are found. III. THOUGHTS ON KNOWLEDGE, TRCTH AND IDEAS. [From the Latin. Acta Eruditorum Lipsiensium, Nov., 1684.] SINCE eminent men are to-day raising discussions concerning true and false ideas, and since this subject, which even Descartes has not always satisfactorily explained, is of the greatest importance for the knowledge of truth, I propose to explain in a few words, what, in my opinion, may be said with certainty regarding the distinctions and the criteria of our ideas and of our knowledge. Thus knowledge is either obscure or clc-ar, and clear knowledge is farther either, confused or distinct, and distinct knowledge is either inadequate or adequate, or again, symbolical or intuitive ; and if it is at the same time symbolical and intuitive, it is perfect in every respect. A notion is obscure when it is not sufficient to enable us to recognize the thing represented ; as for example, where I should have some vague idea of a flower or of an animal which 1 should have already seen but not sufficiently to be able to recognize it if offered to my sight, nor to distinguish it from some neighboring animal ; or where I should consider some term badly defined in the schools, such as the entelechy of Aristotle, or cause in so far as it is common to matter, to form, to efficient cause, or to end, and other expressions of which we have no lixed definition ; this renders the proposition of which such a notion forms part equally obscure. Knowledge then is clear when it is sufficient to enable me to recognize the thing represented, and it is farther either con futed or distinct / confused, when I cannot enumerate separatelv the marks necessary to distinguish one thing from others, notwith standing that the object has in reality such marks, as well as data requisite to the analysis of the notion. It is thus that we recog nize clearly enough, colors, odors, flavors and other particular objects of the senses, and that we distinguish the one from the other by the simple testimony of the senses and not by enunci- able signs. This is why we cannot explain to a blind person what red is, nor can we make other people recognize qualities of this 28 kind except by placing them in direct communication with them, that is, by making them see, smell and taste, or at least by recalling to them a certain sensation which they have already experienced ; and nevertheless it is certain that the notions of these qualities are composite and may be analyzed, because they have their causes. Just so we often see painters or other artists who judge very correctly that a work is good or defective, without being able to account for their judgment, and who reply to those who ask their opinion, that that of which they disapprove, lacks somethings, / know not what. But a distinct notion resembles that which the assayers have of gold, by the aid of distinctive signs and of means of comparison sufficient to distinguish the object from all other similar bodies. Such are the means of which we make use for notions common to several senses, such as those of number, of magnitude and of figure, as well as for many affections of the mind, such as hope and fear : in a word, for all the objects of which we have a nominal definition, which is nothing else than an enumeration of sufficient distinctive marks. We have however a distinct knowledge of an indefinable thing when it is primitive, or when it is only the mark of itself that is, when it is irreducible and is only understood through itself, and consequently does not possess the requisite marks. As for composite notions where each of the component marks is sometimes clearly known, although in a confused way, as gravity, color, aqua fortis, which form a part of those [the marks] of gold, it follows that such a knowledge of gold is distinct without always being adequate. But when all the elements of a distinct notion are themselves also known distinctly, or when its analysis is complete, the idea is adequate. I do not know that men can give a perfect example of this, although the knowledge of numbers approaches it very nearly. It very often happens, nevertheless, especially in a long analysis, that we do not perceive the whole nature of the object at one time, but substitute in place of the things, signs, the explanation of which, in any present thought, we are accustomed for the sake of abbreviation to omit, knowing or believing that we can give it ; thus when I think a chiliogon, or polygon with a thousand equal sides, I do not always consider the nature of a side, of equality, and of the number thousand (or of the cube of ten) ; but these words, the sense of which presents itself to my mind in an obscure, or at least 29 imperfect manner, take the place to me of the ideas which I have of them, because my memory attests to me that I know the signifi cation of these words, and that their explanation is not now neces sary for any judgment. I am accustomed to call this thought Hind or again symbolical and we make use of it in algebra, in arithmetic and almost everywhere. And assuredly when a ques tion is very complex, we cannot embrace in thought at the same time all the elementary notions which compose it ; but when this can be done, or at least as far as this can be done, I call this thought intuitive. We can only have an intuitive knowledge of a distinct, primitive notion, as most often we have only a symbolical knowledge of composite ideas. From this it clearly follows that even of the things which we know distinctly, we only conceive the ideas in as far as they form the object of intuitive thought. Also it often happens that we imagine that we have in our minds the ideas of things, from suppos ing wrongly that we have already explained to ourselves the terms of which we make use. And it is not true, as some say, or at least it is very uncertain, that we cannot speak of anything, understand ing fully what we say, without having an idea of it. For often we vaguely understand each of these terms or we remember that we have. formerly understood them; but as we content ourselves with this blind thought and as we do not push far enough the analysis of notions, it happens that unwittingly we fall into the contradiction which the composite idea may imply. I have been led to examine this question more closely by an argument, long celebrated in the schools and renewed by Descartes, for proving the existence of God. It is as follows : All that follows from the idea or from the definition of a thing may be affirmed of the thing itself. From the idea of GOD (or the most perfect being, or one a greater than whom cannot be conceived), existence follows. (For the most perfect being involves all perfections, among which is also existence). Therefore existence may be affirmed of GOD. But it must be known how it comes about that if God be possible, it follows that he exists. For to conclude, we cannot safely use definitions before knowing whether they are real and do not involve any contradiction. The reason of this is, that if the ideas involve contradiction, opposite things may be concluded at the same time, which is absurd. I am accustomed, in order to render 30 this truth clear, to make use of the example of quickest motion, which involves an absurdity. Suppose then that a wheel turn with the quickest motion, who does not see that a spoke prolonged will move more rapidly at its extremity than at the center of the cir cumference ; therefore the motion is not the quickest, which is contrary to the hypothesis. However it seems at first view, as if we might have an idea of quickest motion, for we understand fully what we say, and yet we cannot have an idea of impossible things. So it does not suffice that we think the most perfect being, to assure us that we have the idea of such a being, and in the demon stration which we have just produced, the possibility of the most perfect being must be shown or supposed, if the conclusion be legitimately drawn. However it is very true both that we have an. idea of GOD, and that the most perfect being is possible, and even necessary; but the argument is not conclusive and has already been rejected by Thomas Aquinas. And it is thus that we find a difference between nominal defini tions, which only contain the marks of the thing which is to be distinguished from others, and real definitions which show clearly that the thing is possible. And in this way answer is made to Hobbes, who pretended that truths were arbitrary, because they depended on nominal definitions, not considering that the reality of the definition is independent of arbitrariness, and that no tions are not always reconcilable among themselves. Nominal definitions are only sufficient to a perfect science when it is well established otherwise that the thing defined is possible. It is very evident also what a true idea is, what a false ; the idea is true when the notion is possible ; it is false when the notion involves contra diction. Now we know the possibility of a thing either a priori or a posteriori. A priori, when we resolve the notion into its elements, or into other notions of known possibility, and when we know that it includes nothing which is incompatible ; and, to cite but one case, this takes place when we understand by what means a thing may be produced, a fact which makes causal definitions more useful than any others : a posteriori, when experience shows us the thing actually existing ; for that which exists in fact is necessarily possible. Every time that we have an adequate knowledge, we have also knowledge of the possibility a priori ; for if we push the analysis to the end and no contradiction appears, the notion is 31 necessarily possible. Now, is it possible that men should ever con struct a perfect analysis of notions, or that they should reduce their thoughts down to first possibilities, to irreducible notions, or what is the same thing, down to the absolute attributes of God ; that is, to the h rst causes and to the final reason of things? I should not dare to actually decide this question. Most often we content our selves with learning from experience the reality of certain notions, from which afterwards we compose others, after the example of nature. Whence I think it may be understood that it is not always safe to appeal to ideas, and that many abuse this specious title for establishing certain imaginations of their own. For we have not always immediately the idea of the thing of which we are conscious of thinking, as we have shown above in the example of greatest swift ness. And I see that none the less to-day do men abuse this famous principle : Everything that I conceive clearly and distinctly of a thing is true or may l>e predicated of it. For often men, judging hastily, imagine things clear and distinct which are obscure and confused. The axiom is therefore useless unless the criteria of clearness and distinctness, which we have indicated be applied, and the truth of the ideas be well established. As for the rest, it is not necessary in the exposition of truth to reject as criteria the rules of ordinary logic of which geometricians make use and which consist in admitting nothing as certain which is not proved by exact expe rience or solid demonstration. Now a solid demonstration is one which observes the form prescribed by logic, without, however, always having need of syllogisms disposed in the regular order of the schools (like those of which Christianus Herlinus and Conradus Dasypodius made use for the demonstration of the first six books of Euclid) ; but at least in such a way that the reasoning is conclu sive by virtue of its form an example of such reasoning conceived in the regular form may be found in any legitimate calculus. Thus no necessary premise will be omitted, and all the previous premises must be either proved or at least admitted as hypotheses, in which case the conclusion is hypothetical. Those who will care fully observe these rules will easily guard themselves from deceptive ideas. It is in accordance with such principles that the great genius, Pascal, in an excellent dissertation on the Mathemat ical Genius (a fragment of which exists in the remarkable book of 32 the celebrated Antoine Arnauld, On the Art of Thinking Well), says that the geometrician must define all terms in the least obscure and prove all truths in the least doubtful. But I wish he had defined the limits beyond which a notion or an affirmation is no longer in the least obscure or doubtful. However, we may judge what there is in it by an attentive examination of the considerations which we have just mentioned, for now I wish to be brief. As to the question whether we see all things in God (an old opinion, too, which reasonably understood ought not to be altogether rejected), or whether we have ideas of our own, it must be understood that even if we see all things in God it is none the less necessary that we have also ideas of our own ; that is, not as it were certain little images, but affections or modifications of our mind, answering to that which we perceive in God. For since our thoughts are constantly being succeeded by others, a certain change is wrought in our mind ; as for the things not actually conceived by us, ideas of them are in our mind as the statue of Hercules in the rough marble. But with God, on the contrary, must neces sarily exist in actuality the idea not only of absolute and infinite extension, but also of each figure, which is nothing else than the modification of absolute extension. Moreover, when we perceive colors and odors we have no other perception but that of figures and motions, but so multiplex and delicate that our mind, in its present state, is incapable of distinctly considering each one and consequently it does not notice that the perception is only com posed of extremely small figures and motions. So when, after having mixed yellow powder with blue we perceive a green color, we do not perceive anything but the yellow and blue minutely mixed, although we do not notice it, or rather imagine that we per ceive some new entity. IV. EXTRACT FROM A LETTER TO BAYLE, CONCERNING A GENERAL PRINCIPLE USEFUL IN THE EXPLANATION OF THE LAWS OF NATURE. 168T. [From the French.] I HAVE seen the reply of Malebraiiche to the remark which I made concerning certain laws of nature which he had estab lished in the Search after Truth. He seems sufficiently disposed to abandon them himself, and this ingenuousness is highly praise worthy ; but as he gives reasons and restrictions, which would land us in the obscurity from which I think I have relieved this subject, and which clash with a certain principle of general order which I have observed, I hope that he will have the kindness to permit me to avail myself of the present opportunity to explain this principle, which is of great use in reasoning and which I think is not yet sufficiently employed nor sufficiently known in all its bearing. It takes its origin from the infinite j it is absolutely nec essary in geometry but it holds good also in physics, for this reason that the sovereign wisdom which is the source of all things acts as a perfect geometrician, and according to a harmony to which noth ing can be added. This is why this principle often serves as proof or test to show at first sight and from without, the error of a badly constructed opinion, even before coming to the discussion of the matter itself. It may be stated thus : When the difference of two cases may be diminished below any magnitude given in datis or in that which is posited, it must also be found diminished below any magnitude given in quaesitis or in that which results therefrom. Or to express it more familiarly, when the cases (or that which is given), continually approach each other and finally lose themselves one in the other, the results or events (or that which is required), must also do the same. This depends again on a more general principle, to wit: datis ordinatis etiam quaesita sunt ordinata. But in order to understand it examples are necessary. It is known that the case or the supposition of an illipse mav approach the case of a parabola as much as may be, so that 3 34 the difference of the illipse and of the parabola may become less than any given difference, provided that one of the foci of the illipse be sufficiently distant from the other, for then the radii com ing from this distant focus will differ from the parallel radii as little as may be, and consequently all the geometrical theorems which are true of the illipse in general can be applied to the parabola by considering the latter as an illipse, one of the foci of which is infinitely distant, or (to avoid this expression), as a figure which differs from some illipse less than any given difference. The same principle holds good in physics ; for example, rest may be considered as an infinitely small velocity, or as an infinite slow ness. This is why all that is true in respect to slowness or velocity in general, must be true also of rest thus understood ; so much so that. the rule of rest ought to be considered as a particular case of the rule of motion ; otherwise, if this does not hold, it will be a sure sign that the rules are badly contrived. So equality may be considered as an infinitely small inequality, and inequality may be made to approach equality as much as you please. It is among other faults of this consideration that Descartes, very able man as he was, failed in more than one way in his pretended laws of nature. For (not to repeat here what I said before of the other source of his error, when he took the quantity of movement for force), his first and his second rules, for example, do not agree ; the second says that two bodies, B and C, meeting in the same line with equal velocities, and B being as little as possible larger, C will be turned back with its first velocity, but B will continue its movement ; whereas according to the first rule, B and C being equal, both will turn back and retrograde with a velocity equal to that which had carried them thither. But the difference in the results of these two cases is not reasonable ; for the inequality of the two bodies may be as slight as you please, and the difference which is in the suppositions of these two cases, to wit : the differ ence between such an inequality and a perfect equality could be less than any given ; hence, by virtue of our principle, the differ ence between the results or outcomes ought also to be less than any given ; notwithstanding if the second rule were as true as the first the contrary would happen, for according to this second rule any increase, however small, of body B before equal to C, makes a difference grandissime in the effect, such that it changes absolute retrogression |
HANOI — The Obama administration announced Monday that the United States would fully lift a longstanding U.S. embargo on lethal arms sales to Vietnam, a decision that reflects growing concerns about China’s military clout and illustrates the warming bilateral ties between the former enemy nations.
President Obama unveiled the new arrangement at a news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during the opening day of his first visit to the country. Obama emphasized that his decision reflected a maturing relationship and deepening cooperation on security and economic investment four decades after the end of the Vietnam War.
Two years ago, the administration eased portions of the arms embargo that had been in place since 1975 to help bolster Vietnam’s maritime security in the South China Sea, where China’s move to exert more naval control of crucial shipping corridors has angered Vietnam, the Philippines and other nations that have claimed sovereignty.
Obama said the latest step "was not based on China or any other considerations. It was based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalization with Vietnam."
With U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, a veteran of the Vietnam War, in the front row at the Hanoi Convention Center, the president heralded "a new moment" in the bilateral relationship. The lifting of the ban "will ensure Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself and removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War."
Obama acknowledged, however, that the United States and Vietnam share a mutual concern over China's provocations in the region, and he reiterated a previous pledge that the United States would "continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows."
President Obama and his Vietnamese counterpart, Tran Dai Quang, walk following a bilateral meeting at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on May 23, 2016. (Reuters/Kham)
The new arrangement would allow the United States to sell military weapons to Vietnam on a case-by-case basis and would be predicated on improvements in the country on human rights and freedom of expression, White House officials said.
Ahead of Obama's trip, human rights advocates in the United States had called on the administration to maintain the weapons ban until more progress has been made by the ruling Communist Party.
"The United States government has been telling the Vietnam government for years that they need to show progress on their human rights record if they are going to be rewarded with closer military and economic ties," said John Sifton, Asia policy director for Human Rights Watch. "Yet today President Obama rewarded Vietnam even though its government has done little to earn it: It has not repealed any repressive laws, nor released any significant number of political prisoners, nor made any substantial pledges."
At the news conference with Obama, Quang asserted that his country has made progress on human rights.
"We need to work closely together and expand dialogue together," he said. "By so doing, we can narrow the gap in understanding and narrow the differences between the two countries."
A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing is "pleased to see Vietnam developing normal relationships with all countries including the United States, and we hope it benefits regional peace, stability and development." But ahead of Obama's visit, China's state news service Xinhua accused the United States of having “shown no restraint in meddling in a regional situation” in the South China Sea.
The conflicts in the South China Sea have escalated in recent years after China installed an oil drilling rig off the coast of Vietnam, within the exclusive 200-mile economic zone established under international law. The Chinese military has embarked on a massive land reclamation project in the disputed Spratly Islands, prompting the U.S. Navy to conduct two freedom-of-navigation missions aimed at dissuading Beijing from militarizing the area.
The Philippines has taken its claims against China over sovereignty in coastal regions to an international tribunal at The Hague, a case being closely monitored in Washington. A ruling is expected in June, but China has said it does not recognize the tribunal’s authority in the matter.
"Our hope is that ultimately the various claims and disputes can be resolved," Obama said. "We are doing everything we can to promote that."
Last year, Obama visited the Philippines and announced $250 million in new U.S. aid for maritime security efforts in the region, including Vietnam. In February, Obama hosted leaders from 10 Southeast Asian nations at the Sunnylands retreat in Southern California.
Patrick Cronin, an Asia-Pacific expert at the Center for a New American Security, said Washington and Hanoi were aiming to convey to China that its neighbors are "determined to provide their own self-defense against aggression and assertiveness. Not looking for a fight but very much just saying, 'We're not going to be endlessly pushed around.'"
Obama became the third consecutive president — after Bill Clinton and George W. Bush — to visit Vietnam since the normalizing of relations in 1995. Air Force One arrived late Sunday, and the president was greeted on the tarmac in Hanoi with a red carpet and a bouquet of flowers.
Children dressed in red, white and blue outfits lined the streets Monday as Obama’s motorcade made its way to the presidential palace, an ornate mustard-colored building with sculptured gardens and a massive water fountain. Quang greeted Obama, and they were feted by a military band playing each country’s national anthem during an official welcome ceremony.
In addition to closer military cooperation, the United States and Vietnam are partners in the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an expansive free trade and regulatory accord that Obama has made a centerpiece of his economic and foreign policy agenda. However, Congress has not yet ratified the agreement, and the major presidential candidates have publicly opposed it.
Three congressional Democrats — Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.), who supports the TPP, and Reps. Joaquin Castro and Beto O'Rourke, both of Texas, who remain undecided on the pact — flew to Vietnam with Obama on Air Force One. They sat in the front row during his news conference, along with Kerry, national security adviser Susan E. Rice and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.
Obama said he remains confident that Congress will approve the trade deal.
"I have not yet seen a credible argument that once we get TPP in place that we are worse off," he said. "We will be in demonstrably better shape."
But he acknowledged than in an election year, "the politics of it will be noisy."That's according to media reports, which say that 23 hospital trusts in England have reached the highest level on the NHS’s system for saying whether they are under pressure, or are otherwise under serious strain. The Department of Health doesn't use the term 'black alert'.
“20 hospitals yesterday declared a black alert, so that’s the worst thing you can declare”. Paul Mason, 12 January 2017
It was reported by the Guardian on Wednesday 11 January that 23 hospitals had declared ‘black alerts’ since the previous Monday.
This mostly refers to hospital trusts reporting a high level on NHS England’s Operational Pressures Escalation Levels (OPEL). This is a series of levels that hospital trusts can say they are at to indicate how much pressure they are under.
OPEL 1 is the least severe and is used when hospitals can “maintain patient flow and are able to meet anticipated demand within available resources… Additional support is not anticipated”.
At the other end of the scale, OPEL 4 is when “organisations [are] unable to deliver comprehensive care” and “there is increased potential for patient care and safety to be compromised”. OPEL 4 also means that external support for the trust is required.
The guidelines also say that “Where multiple systems in different parts of the country are declaring OPEL 4 for sustained periods of time and there is an impact across local and regional boundaries, national action may be considered.”
The Guardian reported that most of the 23 trusts it described as being on ‘black alert’ had actually gone onto OPEL 4. The Department of Health told us that it doesn’t use this phrase.
We’ve asked NHS England whether or not the Guardian’s figure is accurate. The latest published figures are for 7 and 8 January.
On these two days there were no OPEL 4s, but 52 trusts had reported an OPEL 3. This means that the trust was “experiencing major pressures compromising patient flow” and that some outside help might be needed.
Since 31 December there have been 74 hospital trusts which said they were at OPEL 3 or 4 on one or more days. That’s just under half of all trusts in England. Eight of these said they were at OPEL 4.
This factcheck is part of a roundup of BBC Question Time. Read the roundup.A Danforth Ave. restaurant where three people have been killed in the past three years — including a fatal drive-by shooting this past weekend — is being converted into a child care centre. Councillor Mary Fragedakis said the child care centre — to be operated by new management — is scheduled to open at the site of the former Rotana/Cloud Nine café on Danforth Ave. near Coxwell in July.
Police inspect the scene outside the Cloud Nine Cafe at 1530 Danforth Ave.on Sunday after a fatal shooting hours earlier. ( GEOFFREY VENDEVILLE / TORONTO STAR )
“It will be a significant change in the neighbourhood, but a positive change,” Fragedakis said in an interview on Tuesday. She said she understood that talks between the site’s landlord and the day care operators have been in the works for awhile. “My understanding is they have been in discussions for a very long time,” Fragedakis said. “It didn’t just happen there overnight.”
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The dramatic shift in the facility’s use comes after the city pulled the café’s business license for two weeks on Monday. Then the landlord evicted the tenant altogether. The tenant could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. After the shutdown, Councillor Paula Fletcher triumphantly tweeted a photo of the bailiff’s notice saying the lease of the Cloud Nine Café had been terminated. “CLOSED! Bailif closed it down today,” Fletcher tweeted on Tuesday. “Baillif takes possession of Rotana/Cloud Nine. Locks changed GONE. Community has finally been heard!,” Fletcher said in another tweet.
“Finally!” Councillor Mary Fragedakis tweeted. The notice is dated April 18, just a day after a fatal drive-by shooting early Sunday.
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Abdullah Farah, 20, of Toronto was fatally shot on the sidewalk outside the restaurant around 1:30 a.m. in what police believe was a targeted shooting. Reaction was immediate and sharp, with Fragedakis tweeting, “@PaulaFletcher30 & I are asking ‘landlord, landlord where are you?” on Sunday afternoon. “Even Lightning does not strike the same place 3 times!” Fragedakis tweeted. “Now maybe authorities will believe us — no a co-incidence,” Fletcher added on Twitter. “Mayor and Chief need to step up.” Councillor Janet Davis also denounced the establishment, tweeting: “Cllrs try to use what regs we have to sanction and close bad bars. But provincial AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) keeps giving liquor licenses.” In 2015, Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, 21, was shot to death inside the café. Markham firefighter Dominic Parker, 45, was stabbed to death in 2013 when the Rotana Café operated at the same site."Ertränken im Fass oder Sack", a 1560 sketch showing capital punishment Poena cullei (from Latin 'penalty of the sack')[1] under Roman law was a type of death penalty imposed on a subject who had been found guilty of parricide. The punishment consisted of being sewn up in a leather sack, with an assortment of live animals including a dog, snake, monkey, and a chicken or rooster, and then being thrown into water. The punishment may have varied widely in its frequency and precise form during the Roman period. For example, the earliest fully documented case is from ca. 100 BCE, although scholars think the punishment may have developed about a century earlier. Inclusion of live animals in the sack is only documented from Early Imperial times, and at the beginning, only snakes were mentioned. At the time of Emperor Hadrian (2nd century CE), the most well known form of the punishment was documented, where a cock, a dog, a monkey and a viper were inserted in the sack. At the time of Hadrian poena cullei was made into an optional form of punishment for parricides (the alternative was being thrown to the beasts in the arena). During the 3rd century CE up to the accession of Emperor Constantine, poena cullei fell out of use; Constantine revived it, now with only serpents to be added in the sack. Well over 200 years later, Emperor Justinian reinstituted the punishment with the four animals, and poena cullei remained the statutory penalty for parricides within Byzantine law for the next 400 years, when it was replaced with being burned alive. Poena cullei gained a revival of sorts in late medieval and early modern Germany, with late cases of being drowned in a sack along with live animals being documented from Saxony in the first half of the 18th century. Contents
Execution ritual Edit
The 19th-century historian Theodor Mommsen compiled and described in detail the various elements that at one time or another have been asserted as elements within the ritualistic execution of a parricide during the Roman Era. The following paragraph is based on that description, it is not to be regarded as a static ritual that always was observed, but as a descriptive enumeration of elements gleaned from several sources written over a period of several centuries. Mommsen, for example, notes that the monkey hardly can have been an ancient element in the execution ritual.[2] The person was first whipped, or beaten, with virgis sanguinis ("blood-colored rods", probably[3]), and his head was clad/covered in a bag made of a wolf's hide. On his feet were placed clogs, or wooden shoes, and he was then put into the poena cullei, a sack made of ox-leather. Placed along with him into the sack was also an assortment of live animals, arguably the most famous combination being that of a serpent, a cock, a monkey and a dog. The sack was put on a cart, and the cart driven by black oxen to a running stream or to the sea. Then, the sack with its inhabitants was thrown into the water. Other variations occur, and some of the Latin phrases have been interpreted differently. For example, in his early work De Inventione, Cicero says the criminal's mouth was covered by a leather bag, rather than a wolf's hide. He also says the person was held in prison until the large sack was made ready, whereas at least one modern author believes the sack, culleus, involved, would have been one of the large, very common sacks Romans transported wine in, so that such a sack would have been readily available. According to the same author, such a wine sack had a volume of 144.5 US gallons (547 l).[4] Another point of contention concerns precisely how, and by what means, the individual was beaten. In his 1920 essay "The Lex Pompeia and the Poena Cullei", Max Radin observes that, as expiation, convicts were typically flogged until they bled (some commentators translate the phrase as "beaten with rods till he bleeds"), but that it might very well be the case that the rods themselves were painted red. Radin also points to a third option, namely that the "rods" actually were some type of shrub, since it documented from other sources that whipping with some kinds of shrub was thought to be purifying in nature.[5]
Publicius Malleolus Edit
The picture gained of the ritual above is compiled from sources ranging in their generally agreed upon dates of composition from the 1st century BCE, to the 6th century CE, that is, over a period of six to seven hundred years. Different elements are mentioned in the various sources, so that the actual execution ritual at any one particular time may have been substantially distinct from that ritual performed at other times. For example, the Rhetoricia ad Herennium, a treatise by an unknown author from about 90 BCE details the execution of a Publicius Malleolus, found guilty of murdering his own mother, along with citing the relevant law as follows: Another law says: "He who has been convicted of murdering his parent shall be completely wrapped and bound in a leather sack and thrown in a running stream"... Malleolus was convicted of matricide. Immediately after he had received sentence, his head was wrapped in a bag of wolf's hide, the "wooden shoes" were put upon his feet and he was led away to prison. His defenders bring tablets into the jail, write his will in his presence, witnesses duly attending. The penalty is exacted of him[6] As can be seen from the above, in this early reference, no mention is made of live animals as co-inhabitants within the sack, nor is the mention of any initial whipping contained, nor that Malleolus, contained within the sack, was transported to the river in a cart driven by black oxen. The Roman historian Livy places the execution of Malleolus to just about 10 years earlier than the composition of Rhetoricia ad Herennium (i.e., roughly 100 BCE) and claims, furthermore, that Malleolus was the first in Roman history who was convicted to be sewn into a sack and thrown into the water, on account of parricide.[7]
Possible antecedents Edit
The historians Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Valerius Maximus,[8] connect the practice of poena cullei with an alleged incident under king Tarquinius Superbus (legendary reign being 535–509 BCE). During his reign, the Roman state apparently acquired the so-called Sibylline Oracles, books of prophecy and sacred rituals. The king appointed a couple of priests, the so-called Duumviri sacrorum, to guard the books, but one of them, Marcus Atilius, was bribed, and in consequence, divulged some of the book's secrets (to a certain Sabine foreigner Petronius, according to Valerius). For that breach of religion, Tarquinius had him sewn up in a sack and thrown into the sea. According to Valerius Maximus, it was very long after this event that this punishment was instituted for the crime of parricide as well, whereas Dionysius says that in addition to be suspected of divulging the secret texts, Atilius was, indeed, accused of having killed his own father.[9] The Greek historian Plutarch, however, in his "Life of Romulus" claims that the first case in Roman history of a son killing his own father happened more than five centuries after the foundation of Rome (traditional foundation date 753 BCE), when a man called Lucius Hostius murdered his own father after the wars with Hannibal, that is, after the Second Punic War (which ended in 201 BCE). Plutarch, however, does not specify how Lucius Hostius was executed, or even if he was executed by the Roman state at all. Additionally, he notes that at the time of Romulus and for the first centuries onwards, "parricide" was regarded as roughly synonymous with what is now called homicide, and that prior to the times of Luicus Hostius, the murder of one's own father, (i.e., patricide), was simply morally "unthinkable".[10] According to Cloud and other modern scholars of Roman classical antiquity, a fundamental shift in the punishment of murderers may have occurred towards the end of the 3rd century BCE, possibly spurred on by specific incidents like that of Lucius Hostius' murder of his father, and, more generally, occasioned by the concomitant brutalization of society in the wake of the protracted wars with Hannibal. Previously, murderers would have been handed over to the family of the victim to exact their vengeance, whereas from the 2nd century BCE and onwards, the punishment of murderers became the affair of the Roman state, rather than giving the offended family full licence to mete out what they deemed appropriate punishment to the murderer of a family member.[11] Within that particular context, Cloud points out that certain jokes contained in the plays of the early-2nd-century dramatist Plautus may be read as referring to the recent introduction of the punishment by the sack for parricides specifically (without the animals being involved).[12] Yet another incident prior to the execution of Malleolus is relevant. Some 30 years before the times of Malleolus, in the upheavals and riotings caused by the reform program urged on by Tiberius Gracchus, a man called Caius Villius, an ally of Gracchus, was condemned on some charge, and was shut up in a vessel or jar, to which serpents were added, and he was killed in that manner.[13]
First-century BCE legislation Edit
Two laws documented from the first century BCE are principally relevant to Roman murder legislation in general, and legislation on parricide in particular. These are the Lex Cornelia De Sicariis, promulgated in the 80s BCE, and the Lex Pompeia de Parricidiis promulgated about 55 BCE. According to a 19th-century commentator, the relation between these two old laws might have been that it was the Lex Pompeia that specified the poena cullei (i.e., sewing the convict up in a sack and throwing him in the water) as the particular punishment for a parricide, because a direct reference to the Lex Cornelia shows that the typical punishment for a poisoner or assassin in general (rather than for the specific crime of parricide) was that of banishment, i.e., Lex Pompeia makes explicit distinctions for the crime of parricide not present in Lex Cornelia.[14] Support for a possible distinction in the inferred contents of Lex Cornelia and Lex Pompeia from the remaining primary source material may be found in comments by the 3rd-century CE jurist Aelius Marcianus, as preserved in the 6th-century collection of juristical sayings, the Digest: By the lex Pompeia on parricides it is laid down that if anyone kills his father, his mother, his grandfather, his grandmother, his brother, his sister, first cousin on his father's side, first cousin on his mother's side, paternal or maternal uncle, paternal (or maternal) aunt, first cousin (male or female) by mother's sister, wife, husband, father-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law, (daughter-in-law), stepfather, stepson, stepdaughter, patron, or patroness, or with malicious intent brings this about, shall be liable to the same penalty as that of the lex Cornelia on murderers. And a mother who kills her son or daughter suffers the penalty of the same statute, as does a grandfather who kills a grandson; and in addition, a person who buys poison to give to his father, even though he is unable to administer it.[15] Modern experts continue to have some disagreements as to the actual meaning of the offence called "parricide", on the precise relation between the Lex Cornelia and the Lex Pompeia generally, and on the practice and form of the poena cullei specifically. For example, Kyle (2012) summarizes, in a footnote, one of the contemporary relevant controversies in the following manner: Cloud (1971), 42–66, suggests that Pompey's law on parricide, the Lex Pompeia de Parricidiis (Dig. 48.9.1), probably of 55 or 52 BC defined parricide in terms of the murder of parents or close relatives, assimilated it with other forms of homicide, and suspended the sack and replaced it with the interdictio;[16] but see Bauman's cautions, (1996) 30–2, about whether Pompey changed the nature of the penalty[17]
Writings of Marcus Tullius Cicero Edit
Marcus Tullius Cicero, the renowned lawyer, orator and politician from the 1st century BCE, provides in his copious writings several references to the punishment of poena cullei, but none of the live animals documented within the writings by others from later periods. In his defence speech of 80 BCE for Sextus Roscius (accused of having murdered his own father), he expounds on the symbolic importance of the punishment as follows, for example, as Cicero believed it was devised and designed by the previous Roman generations: They therefore stipulated that parricides should be sewn up in a sack while still alive and thrown into a river. What remarkable wisdom they showed, gentlemen! Do they not seem to have cut the parricide off and separated him from the whole realm of nature, depriving him at a stroke of sky, sun, water and earth – and thus ensuring that he who had killed the man who gave him life should himself be denied the elements from which, it is said, all life derives? They did not want his body to be exposed to wild animals, in case the animals should turn more savage after coming into contact with such a monstrosity. Nor did they want to throw him naked into a river, for fear that his body, carried down to the sea, might pollute that very element by which all other defilements are thought to be purified. In short, there is nothing so cheap, or so commonly available that they allowed parricides to share in it. For what is so free as air to the living, earth to the dead, the sea to those tossed by the waves, or the land to those cast to the shores? Yet these men live, while they can, without being able to draw breath from the open air; they die without earth touching their bones; they are tossed by the waves without ever being cleansed; and in the end they are cast ashore without being granted, even on the rocks, a resting-place in death[18] That the practice of sewing murderers of their parents in sacks and throwing them in the water was still an active type of punishment at Cicero's time, at least on the provincial level, is made clear within a preserved letter Marcus wrote to his own brother Quintus, who as governor in Asia Minor in the 50s BCE had, in fact, meted out that precise punishment to two locals in Smyrna, as Marcus observes.[19]
Julio-Claudian Dynasty, the two Senecas and Juvenal Edit
In whatever form or frequency the punishment of the sack was actually practiced in late Republican Rome or early Imperial Rome, the historian Suetonius, in his biography of Octavian, that is Emperor Augustus (r.27 BCE–14 CE), notes the following reluctance on the emperor's part to actively authorize, and effect, that dread penalty: Furthermore, he administered justice not only with the utmost care but also with compassion as is illustrated in the case of a defendant clearly guilty of parricide; to keep him from being sewn into the sack (only those who confessed suffered this punishment) Augustus reportedly asked, "Surely you did not kill your father?"[20] Quite the opposite mentality seems to have been the case with Emperor Claudius (r.41 – 54 CE) For example, Emperor Nero's mentor, Seneca the Younger sighed about the times of Claudius as follows: The Emperor Claudius sewed more men into the culleus in five years than history says were sewn up in all previous centuries. We saw more cullei than crucifixions.[21] It is also with a writer like Seneca that serpents are mentioned in context with the punishment;.[22] Even before Seneca the Younger, his father, Seneca the Elder, who lived in the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula, indicates in a comment that snakes would be put in the culleus: The postponement of my punishment was unpleasant: waiting for it seem worse than suffering it. I kept imagining the culleus, the snake, the deep.[21] The rather later satirist Juvenal (born, probably, in the 50s CE) also provides evidence for the monkey, he even pities the monkey, at one point, as an innocent sufferer.[23] Not so with how Emperor Nero was reviled. In one play, Juvenal suggests that for Nero, being put in merely one sack is not good enough.[24] This might, for example, be a reference both to the death of Nero's mother Agrippina Minor, widely believed to have been murdered on Nero's orders, and also to how Nero murdered his fatherland.[25] Not only Juvenal thought the sack was the standard by which the appropriate punishment for Nero should be measured; the statues of Nero were despoiled and vandalized, and according to the Roman historian Suetonius, one statue was draped in a sack given a placard that said "I have done what I could. But you deserve the sack!".[26]
Emperor Hadrian and later jurists Edit
It is within the law collection Digest 48.9.9 that perhaps the most famous formulation of the poena cullei is retained, from the sayings of the mid-3rd-century CE jurist Modestinus. In Olivia Robinsons translation, it reads: According to the custom of our ancestors, the punishment instituted for parricide was as follows; A parricide is flogged with blood-colored rods, then sewn up in a sack with a dog, a dunghill cock, a viper, and a monkey; then the sack is thrown into the depths of the sea. This is the procedure if the sea is close at hand; otherwise, he is thrown to the beasts, according to the constitution of the deified Hadrian.[27] Thus, it is seen in the time of Emperor Hadrian (r.117–138 CE), the punishment for parricide was basically made optional, in that the convict might be thrown into the arena instead. Furthermore, a rescript from Hadrian is preserved in the 4th-century CE grammarian Dositheus Magister that contains the information that the cart with the sack and its live contents was driven by black oxen. In the time of the late 3rd-century CE jurist Paulus, he said that the poena cullei had fallen out of use, and that parricides were either burnt alive or thrown to the beasts instead.[28] However, although Paulus regards the punishment of poena cullei as obsolete in his day, the church father Eusebius, in his "Martyrs of Palestine" notes a case of a Christian man Ulpianus in Tyre who was "cruelly scourged" and then placed in a raw ox-hide, together with a dog and a venomous serpent and cast in the sea.[29] The incident is said to have taken place in 304 CE.[30]
Revival by Constantine the Great Edit
On account of Paulus' comment, several scholars think[31] the punishment of poena cuelli fell out of use in the 3rd century CE, but the punishment was revived, and made broader (by including fathers who killed their children as liable to the punishment) by Emperor Constantine in a rescript from 318 CE. This rescript was retained in the 6th-century Codex Justinianus and reads as follows: Emperor Constantine to Verinus, Vicar of Africa. Whoever, secretly or openly, shall hasten the death of a parent, or son or other near relative, whose murder is accounted as parricide, will suffer the penalty of parricide. He will not be punished by the sword, by fire or by some other ordinary form of execution, but he will be sewn up in a sack and, in this dismal prison, have serpents as his companions. Depending on the nature of the locality, he shall be thrown into the neighboring sea or into the river, so that even while living he may be deprived of the enjoyment of the elements, the air being denied him while living and interment in the earth when dead. Given November 16 (318).[32]
Legislation of Justinian Edit
The Corpus Juris Civilis, the name for the massive body of law promulgated by Emperor Justinian from the 530s CE and onwards, consists of two historical collections of laws and their interpretation (the Digest, opinions of the pre-eminent lawyers from the past, and the Codex Justinianus, a collection of edicts and rescripts by earlier emperors), along with Justinian's prefatory introduction text for students of Law, Institutes, plus the Novels, Justinian's own, later edicts. That the earlier collections were meant to be sources for the actual, current practice of law, rather than just being of historical interest, can be seen, for example, from the inclusion, and modification of Modestinus' famous description of poena cullei (Digest 48.9.9), in Justinian's own law text in Institutes 4.18.6. A novel penalty has been devised for a most odious crime by another statute, called the lex Pompeia on parricide, which provides that any person who by secret machination or open act shall hasten the death of his parent, or child, or other relation whose murder amounts in law to parricide, or who shall be an instigator or accomplice of such crime, although a stranger, shall suffer the penalty of parricide. This is not execution by the sword or by fire, or any ordinary form of punishment, but the criminal is sewn up in a sack with a dog, a cock, a viper, and an ape, and in this dismal prison is thrown into the sea or a river, according to the nature of the locality, in order that even before death he may begin to be deprived of the enjoyment of the elements, the air being denied him while alive, and interment in the earth when dead. Those who kill persons related to them by kinship or affinity, but whose murder is not parricide, will suffer the penalties of the lex Cornelia on assassination.[33] It is seen that Justinian regards this as a novel enactment of an old law, and that he includes not only the symbolic interpretations of the punishment as found in for example Cicero, but also Constantine's extension of the penalty to fathers who murder their own children. In Justinian, relative to Constantine, we see the inclusion in the sack of the dog, cock and monkey, not just the serpent(s) in Constantine. Some modern historians, such as O.F. Robinson, suspects that the precise wording of the text in the Institutes 4.18.6 suggests that the claimed reference in Digest 48.9.9 from Modestinus is actually a sixth CE interpolation into the 3rd-century CE law text, rather than being a faithful citation of Modestinus.[34] Abolition Edit The poena cullei was eliminated as the punishment for parricides within the Byzantine Empire in the law code Basilika, promulgated more than 300 years after the times of Justinian, around 892 CE. As Margaret Trenchard-Smith notes, however, in her essay "Insanity, Exculpation and Disempowerment", that "this does not necessarily denote a softening of attitude. According to the Synopsis Basilicorum (an abridged edition of Basilika), parricides are to be cast into the flames."[35]
German revival in the Middle Ages and beyond Edit
The penalty of the sack, with the animals included, experienced a revival in parts of late medieval, and early modern Germany (particularly in Saxony). The 14th-century commentator on the 13th-century compilation of laws/customs Sachsenspiegel, Johann von Buch,[36] for example, states that the poena cullei is the appropriate punishment for parricides. Some differences evolved within the German ritual, relative to the original Roman ritual, though. Apparently, the rooster was not included, and the serpent might be replaced with a painting of a serpent on a piece of paper and the monkey could be replaced with a cat. Furthermore, the cat and the dog were sometimes physically separated from the person, and the sack itself (with its two partitions) was made of linen, rather than of leather.[37] The difference between using linen, rather than leather is that linen soaks easily, and the inhabitants will drown, whereas a watertight leather sack will effect death by suffocation due to lack of air (or death by a drawn-out drowning process, relative to a comparatively quick one), rather than death by drowning. In a 1548 case from Dresden, the intention was to suffocate the culprit (who had killed his mother), rather than drown him. With him into the leather sack was a cat and a dog, and the sack was made airtight by coating it with pitch. However, the sack chosen was too small, and had been overstretched, so as the sack hit the waters after being thrown from the bridge, it ripped open. The cat and the dog managed to swim away and survive, while the criminal (presumably bound) "got his punishment rather earlier than had been the intention", that is, death by drowning instead.[38] The last case where this punishment is, by some, alleged to have been meted out in 1734, somewhere in Saxony.[39] Another tradition, however, is evidenced from the Saxonian city Zittau, where the last case is alleged to have happened in 1749. In at least one case in Zittau 1712, a non-venomous colubrid snake was used. The Zittau ritual was to put the victims in a black sack, and keep it under water for no less than six hours. In the mean time, the choir boys in town had the duty to sing the Psalm composed by Martin Luther, "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir" (From deep affliction I cry out to you).[40] The punishment of the sack was expressly abolished in Saxony in a rescript dated 17 June 1761[41]
From Chinese accounts Edit
Modern fiction Edit
Notes and references Edit
Bibliography Edit
Further reading EditBART police probe porn video shot on train
(07-12) 14:43 PDT San Francisco -- BART police are investigating an amateur pornographic video shot on a moving BART train that came to their attention Thursday, authorities said.
The cell phone video shows a "partially disrobed" couple having intercourse on a seat at the end of a train car, said deputy police chief Ben Fairow.
The video was apparently recorded by a third party |
only stop it from leaving the trap. You are then free to let it escape somewhere far from your house, like a nearby field. Not everyone though will be comfortable being anywhere near a live mouse though!
When setting a trap, the bait is quite important too. They tend to like fat and sugar, so things like cheese or butter can be quite effective, and from my own experience, they can’t resist tomato ketchup!
Combining the traps with other mechanisms like the rodenticides or repellants may be more effective, but you will need to try a number of things to see what works for you.
Use glue strips
When the need calls for it, glue traps can be an effective tool for catching and eventually getting rid of mice altogether. Though it depends on how bad your mouse infestation is it is always better to be prepared for the contingency that they have made a permanent home in your house. Because the unfortunate truth is that if you see only one scurrying around all over the place, odds are there are at least several more than are crawling around the walls somewhere, just waiting to snatch at a plate of food that was carelessly left out in the open.
The major problem with the strips is that you will have to place them in an exact location and if not, you will hardly get any result. You will also have to un-trap the mice and dispose them correctly.
Use a natural predator
Another good way to deal with the pests is to prevent infestations in the future, is to invest in a cat. How to get rid of mice naturally – a natural predator like a cat can easily reduce the number causing an infestation in your home within a short time. There are many services that offer cats for free – such as cat rescue centers. These cats are generally very good mousers. If you want a tamer animal, you can purchase a cat or find one at a local animal shelter. You’ll have the benefit of a new pet as well as natural elimination of mice..
Use of Professional Mouse Exterminators
One of the most effective methods is to hire experts from pest control agencies. An awareness of rodent biology, eating patterns and behaviour are important skills that professional mouse removal services will have. Seasoned experts will come to your house, find places where they live and use special poisons that are safe for your family.
They also decontaminate the infested areas after complete removal of the pest. However, if you want to do it yourself, you can do that by following some of the other advice given in this article. Although this is the most expensive method, it is the most effective. Besides, these people know lots of various methods for ridding your home of pests. On top of that, pest control agencies offer warranties. It means that if mice show up in your house again, they will return and do the job for free. Although there may be various companies which can offer solutions for how to get rid of mice, there are some which really stand out when it comes to their thorough approach, their fantastic levels of customer service and the great value for money that they offer. They will be able to deal with your problem, no matter how big or small it might be, but you will need to do some research to find out about recommendations or reviews on business websites or directories. Sometimes a local business association can be helpful in finding a reputable company.Delhi Jan Lokpal bill that would be passed within 15 days of coming into power. (Lokayukta would be modeled along this line, and all ministers and MLAs would come under its purview. Whistleblowers to be given protection) Devolving power directly to people. Introduction of Swaraj Bill. (Power to Mohalla Sabhas, approximately 3000 new Mohalla Sabhas) Full statehood to Delhi. (Police to be under govt’s control) Cutting electricity bills by half. (Audit distribution companies, independent agencies to check meters, withdraw cases against those who participated in civil disobedience earlier with AAP, Discoms brought under RTI) Clean water in every home, cited as the party’s first priority. (Tanker mafia, installing water meters, use of Munak canal, provide water to unauthorized slums, free water to families that use 700l, rainwater harvesting, water recycling.) Building sewage systems and 2,00,000 community toilets. (Sewage meters, recycling water) Waste management. (Littering to be fined, plastic bags to be banned, segregation of waste) High quality education, with building at least 500 new schools. (Teachers appointed at all vacant posts, regulate fees in private schools/colleges, introduce child-friendly education system) Improving public healthcare, with a special task force getting to work on Dengue cases currently in Delhi. (Fill all vacant doctor and nurse posts, complete half built hospitals, controlling pollution) Increased security. (Citizen’s Security Force that would install lighting and CCTVs. Police and security martyrs’ famlilies to receive 1 crore compensation) Swift dispensation of justice. (Establish new courts, temporary courts for pending cases) Power to Gram Sabhas. (Remove restrictions on land use and claim, provide tenure to farmers, improve bus service in villages, veterinary hospitals, sports facilities) Regularize unauthorized colonies and rehabilitate slums. (Repair streets, provide water, waste management in slums first) Increasing employment. (Young entrepreneurs to get loans at lower rate, vacant posts in govt. filled, space, security, license to street vendors) Facilitate trade. (Withdraw FDI, make trade friendly policies, simplify VAT) No contractualisation of jobs and social security. (Ensuring strict minimum wage) Public transport imporovements. (Unified Transport Authority to be established, developing Ring Rail services, expand metro) Improved roads, parking, arrangements for drivers and commuters. (multi storeyed parking, pavements, special corridors for cyclists, auto stands) Ending pollution and encroachment in Yamuna, Delhi Ridge. Implement SC, ST, OBC reservation. (Simplify issuing caste certificates) Provide opportunities to Valmiki community. Peace and equality to Muslims. (Second language status to Urdu, Punjabi, no fake encounters against Muslims, resolve Muslim graveyards land issue, make Delhi Waqf board transparent) Justice to victims of 1984 massacre (infrastructure in areas where they live) Protecting people with disabilities, provide rights to trans-gender community and nomadic tribes. Encourage sports and culture. (Bring sports under RTI, public library in each constituency, recreation facilities etc)
Arvind Kejriwal
Manish Sisodia
Rakhi Birla
Somnath Bharti
Satyendra Jain
Madhu Bhaduri
Kumar Vishwas
Shazia Ilmi
Yogendra Yadav
Binayak Sen
Kundan Singh
should
allotted
not
among the women attacked by the mob and pulled out by Bharti.
will not be punishable by the Lokpal.
Note
Arvind Kejriwal resigned because he engineered the situation so as to facilitate his resignation.Brace yourselves, this is aanswer. If you’d rather skip all the talk about their short lived term, please scroll down to the bolded “What did AAP do in 49 days?”I’ll lay out here the facts, hopefully without bias, and provide my comments as well, which will be biased. For all purposes, I will use ‘AAP’ and ‘Kejriwal’ interchangeably. Facts are in regular text andI’ll start with the manifesto. This consists of the promises they’ve made before coming into power, to be executed when they come into power.Aam Aadmi Party’s manifesto can be found here:andThe main objectives outlined in this manifesto are:When they came to power, these are the key points they wanted:Here’s another link outlining the 18 points they made in a letter to the BJP and Congress:: AAP is voted into power, with the support of Congress, and then taking a mass SMS poll,website poll, email campaigns, and public meetings from Delhi residents. () The decision for a referendum evokes mixed responses. () () (Members of the party and their background:: Reputed Magsaysay award winner. Mechanical Engg in IIT-KGP. Tata Steel 1989 to 1992, with one year’s sabbatical to study for the civil services exams (). Joined IRS in 1995. Granted 2 years of paid leave in 2000 to pursue higher education on condition that upon resuming his work he would not resign from the Service for at least 3 years. Failure to abide by that condition would require him to repay the salary given during the leave period. Rejoined in 2003 and worked for 18 months before taking unpaid leave for 18 months. Resigned from his position as a Joint Commissioner of Income Tax in Feb 2006, in New Delhi. Government of India claimed that Kejriwal had violated his original agreement by not working for three years. Kejriwal refuted this, saying that 18 months of work and 18 months of unpaid absence amounted to the stipulated three year period during which he could not resign and that this was an attempt to malign him due to his involvement with Team Anna. The dispute ran for several years until, in 2011, it was resolved when he paid his way out of the Service with the help of loans from friends. () He has an impressive track record of activism, starting from 1999.: A journalist who had worked for All India Radio and Zee News previously. (: Masters in Mass Comm., previously a reporter for Jain TV.: MSc. from IIT-D, degree in law.: Former architect.: A former Indian diplomat, has served as ambassadors in Hanoi, Mexico City, Vienna, Belarus, Lithuania, Portugal, Hamburg. Also a writer.: Hindi poet and literature professor in Rajasthan for 16 years. Recipient of numerous awards () Performed standup comedy and in Kavi Sammelan in multiple reputed education institutions and abroad.: Mass Comm major, former prime-time television anchor at Star News. Regularly touted as the ‘Muslim Face’ of AAP, her family reportedly has ties with Congress () Her uncle is a member of Congress, while her brother in law, a former Congress politician, is now a member of BSP. Her brother contested against as an independent candidate (), and publicly alleged her of concealing assets, and requested police protection from Shazia for allegedly resorting to violent behavior with him and their mother. () Her eldest brother is close to Salman Khurshid () She is also a film director and documentary maker. (: Academic (political, social sciences), Senior Fellow at, former member of NAC, appointed by the UPA government. Also a psephologist and analyst, appeared on numerous TV shows, writer, and award winner. (). He was, along with Shashi Tharoor, the former, informal political advisor to Rahul Gandhi () (: A pediatrician and activist, he's the winner of numerous awards, including the Gandhian International Peace Prize. He had been detained for allegedly aiding Naxalites in 2007 in Chattisgargh, and then sentenced to life again in 2010 for helping Naxalite forces form a network, violating Chattisgargh state laws. He is currently out on bail, with the case still pending. () (, an allegedly notorious outlaw in Bihar who has over 24 cases of kidnapping, extortion, and murder against him. His membership was subsequently canceled by Kejriwal after objections raised within the party. () (Kejriwal takes oath, with 6 ministers in Ramlila Maidan, where he traveled to via the metro. Expense of Rs.6.33 lakh was incurred, excluding expenses for public works department, north Delhi city corporation, Delhi water board, health and family planning department, Delhi fire brigade services, Delhi Police, power department, and information and broadcasting department. () {The actual expense incurred was Rs. 13.41 lakh) The decision draws mixed response and is criticized by the opposition for tokenism display as taking the oath in Ramlila Maidan allegedly costs the tax payer Rs.50 lakhs, as opposed to only Rs.20,000 that would have been the cost had he taken oath in LG's residence. (He promises enquiry into the CWG scam. () He orders transfer of nine officials (), banned red beacons, and removed security for all ministers and MLAs. (Vinod Kumar Binny of AAP goes on record to call Kejriwal a dictator and states that his agenda, when fulfilled, will cheat the public.Deadline for the original passing of Lokpal bill as promised by Kejriwal, but revised since manifesto. ().Delhi policemen come out to declare their support for AAP. ().Party recruits new volunteers in Kolkata. AAP reaches out to ant-Kudankulam protesters. () Kejriwal urges Udayakumar to join them and contest in Lok Sabha elections.AAP attempts to implement their promise of 700l free water, but due to lack of pipelines and spiked costs, settles at 667 litres of water per household with pipelines, starting Jan 1st, 2014. Kejriwal clarifies that the decision is permanent, and not only for 3 months. The free water comes at a price though- a spike in water tariff of 10% for anyone consuming above this quantity. AK explains that this would cause a revenue loss for DJB of Rs. 160cr per year, and Rs. 40cr this year. Implementation of the system is expected to be faulty at best, as only a little over 65% of Delhi has pipelines, and the poor without water would continue to remain without water. Another issue raised was that the DJB has no existing system to measure the amount of water provided to a house or information on the population of an area, based on which water supply quantity is to be decided. () Almost only half of the installed meters are functional (AAP confirms that it will contest in Lok Sabha polls. (Members of the AAP continue to tout the press and media as being unbiased and bringing in attention to important and relevant events.The first meeting of the Secretariat was clumsy and haphazard as the ministers learn the ropes. Satyendra Jain calls for a press meet, but humbly apologizes for turning up late and cancels the meet. Manish Sisodia promises the party would be more transparent.Jain inspects healthcare facilities in N. Delhi and proclaims them as excellent, while Sisodia inspects primary schools and notes them as miserable, without infrastructure or even toilets. (Former BJP MLA, Kanu Kansaria joins AAP. He is a gynecologist and states he was on the verge of joining Congress, but joined AAP instead. Retired IAS officer and director of MGLI, AR Bharadwaj joins AAP. (Kejriwal promises 50% power subsidy on power consumption upto 400 units. This decision would cost the exchequer Rs. 200 crores practically (or Rs. 61 crores on paper). DERC claims that the government cannot fix the tariff as it’s a regulatory body issue. Kejriwal says that govt can’t fix the tariff but can provide subsidy (ie, compensate the power companies for the rest of the 50%, compensating for the loss incurred). Kejriwal requests CAG to order probe into 3 power distribution agencies. (), (AAP wins trust vote in Delhi Assembly. Kejriwal states that Jan Lokpal Bill is the next priority. AAP declares that they are against FDI in retail.Congress’s Arvinder Lovely backs Kejriwal, but states that the free water will make it more expensive for the poor people and easier for the ones who can afford it.First questions about AAP funding being raised. (AAP’s MS Dhir wins the Delhi Assembly speaker post.AAP start preparation for Lok Sabha polls. () AAP states that only people with no criminal or personal charges will be considered for candidates.It is revealed that Kejriwal was allotted twin bungalows of 5 bedrooms each, which he backs out of taking due to public furor. Expensive repair work on the twin bungalows is suddenly stopped, people question waste of tax payers’ money.{Edit:So, I have decided to forego them.Kejriwal takes to twitter to defend his minsters being allotted Toyota Innova cars, saying that they had refused only red beacons, not official cars. (Delhi court sets hearing date as Jan 25 for five cases filed against AAP and Kejriwal for violating prohibitory orders, unlawful assembly, and other offences. (Kejriwal says that he willcontest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections despite the party going national. (Prashant Bhushan starts trouble by stating that there should be a referendum in Kashmir to decide whether the army should take care of internal threats.Kejriwal clarifies that the view's are Bhushan's own and do not reflect that of the party.{Edit:AAP promises to initiate schemes for labour and against contract workers, as stated in their manifesto. (Educationist and Padma Shri recipient, JAK Tareen joins AAP. (Shoaib Iqbal threatens to withdraw support over Kumar Vishwas’ remarks against minority community.Kejriwal goes on record to say that he would probe Sheila Dixit. () When asked about his expose on the CWG scam in 2010, and why he hasn’t taken action against those involved, he states that there were no names in the report.Rakhi Birla files an FIR stating that her car is attacked with a stone, but she is unhurt. Meanwhile, the police claim that a teenager’s gilli-danda stick hit her car accidentally.800 DJB employees transferred.AAP also announces 90% reservation in institutions fully funded by govt for Delhi students.Arun Jaitley reveals that Prashant Bhushan had previously suggested a referendum for the people of Kashmir, asking them to decide whether they wanted to stay in India or Pakistan. () Bhushan had been physically beaten up by unknown workers for his comments, back in 2011. Both Congress and BJP condemn the attacks, neither claims responsibility.AAP creates an internal committee to protect women within the party. (Anti-corruption helpline to be setup in two days, Swaraj bill to be drafted in 10 days. (AAP announces that it will convert abandoned buses into shelters for the homeless. 1000 new shelters are announced. (AAP workers are beaten by Congress workers at Amethi. Congress defends itself by stating that none of the representatives of AAP were from Amethi. (AAP members allegedly walk into a hospital and set up jhuggis, claiming that since the hospital has a lot of empty land that belongs to the government, they are free to do so. More AAP accuse an NGO of encroaching on a community center that the NGO takes care of, maintains, and pays bill for. Delhi Speaker and AAP member, MS Dhir does not allow discussion on this issue for the day, asking that it be brought up later. () Kejriwal promises to look into the issue.AAP office attacked by Hindu Raksha Dal workers.AAP draws flak for misleading the public about 90% reservation as only 12 institutions satisfy the criteria. AAP defends by saying that they plan to construct new colleges, carrying over the previous Congress govt’s plan. The reservation draws more flak as it is seen as regressive to promoting national integration. (Kejriwal and Somnath Bharti come under fire for illegally calling a meeting of all district judges in Delhi.Kejriwal claims that this step was taken to improve the system. A petition is filed against AAP in the Delhi high court. (The govt threatens to cancel licenses of discoms who do not allow audits.Noted dancer Mallika Sarabhai joins AAP.AAP announces anti-corruption helpline number that receives almost 4000 calls in the first 7 hours. AAP talks about a rollback in CNG prices for auto drivers. (Manish Sisodia given government residence.) {Edit: AAP had stated they would not be taking up government bungalows, not government residences}Kejriwal urges the common public to undertake sting operations if they have a phone, and use video and audio recording facilities. This sees a huge spike in illegal spy gadget sale across the city. (Kejriwal gets Z-category security. Senior journalist of Network 18, Ashutosh, quits upon the verge of being let go, and joins AAP.Kejriwal states that after the Lokpal bill is drafted, it would be passed in Feb. He also states that the bill will be passed to the public at Ramlila Maidan and the people’s consent taken. The Jan Lokpal bill provides the Lokayukta powers to tap phones, spy on, and put up surveillance on any member of the public or ministry who is suspected of indulging in corruption. (In a complete violation of the Electricity Act, Kejriwal promises exemption for people who had defaulted on electricity bills and withdrawal of cases against those booked for power theft since March 23 last year. (A helpline is announced to report power cuts. A Janta Durbar every day in the future is announced, starting the next day.The first Durbar is overrun with a crowd of 20,000 against an expected 500, prompting the government to cancel all proceedings.Crowds complain about mismanagement and lack of access to the ministers. (AAP volunteers attacked in Bangalore.Kumar Vishwas shown black flags in Amethi, due to his allegedly insensitive remarks against Hindus and Shia Muslims. (After the exemption in power that was promised two days ago, Kejriwal does a U-turn and states that the govt is not sure of this decision. (Communist and CPI member, Kamal Mitra Chinoy joins AAP. () () He's a professor at JNU. He has previously courted controversy for alleged sedition, and for speaking out in defence of Osama Bin Laden, especially on twitter.Opposition slams the excessive power cuts and irregular water supply since AAP’s tariff reduction was announced. (Kejriwal discontinues the idea of Janta Durbar.FDI in retail is withdrawn. AAP defends this action by claiming Delhi needs more jobs. () Water supply is affected, Delhi faces water shortage.UP police force starts providing security to Kejriwal. This is over the Delhi police, who tail him in plainclothes wherever he goes. (: Law minister Somnath Bharti is accused of tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses in a case last year, where Bharti’s client was facing corruption charges. (AAP member Mallika Sarabhai calls fellow AAP member Kumar Vishwas misogynist, anti-minority, and anti-women. (Danish national is gang-raped in Delhi.: Congress claims FDI rollback violated the legal process, as it was not discussed in the cabinet and approved by the Assembly. () Top AAP member and Air Deccan founder, Captain Gopinath criticizes scrapping the FDI, calling the move populist. (AAP promises that CCTV would be installed in buses after a gang rape of a Danish woman.Kejriwal states that the Jan Lokpal Bill would be ready in two days. (Kejriwal states that the government is looking into water recycling. (Congress attacks AAP for taking a soft stand on the gangrape. Kejriwal blames the Delhi Police for not executing their duties. (: Somnath Bharti acts upon the complaint of residents of Khirki extension regarding a sex and drug racket propagated by people of Ugandan and Nigerian nationalities, and conducts his infamous midnight raid. He gathers a crowd of people, informs the media, and goes to Khirki extension with policemen. When the residents of the house don’t answer the door, seemingly away, he orders policemen to break into a house without a warrant, which they refuse to do. All of this is captured by television cameras that were present at the scene. Bharti allegedly makes racist remarks, and crowds attack Ugandan and Nigerian female students, two of whom emerge out and three, who return home, who are then taken to a hospital to take drug samples and are allegedly forced to urinate in public. Samples come clean. There is no evidence of drug peddling or sex trade) Rakhi Birla accuses police of shielding members of a family that burned their daughter in law.AAP puts Vinod Binny on notice.Sisodia threatens to “fix” the police. (18 people die of cold wave.Ugandan woman complains to the police that she was attacked by a mob when returning home, physically beaten, and the police protected her. (Government promises shelters for homeless to prevent deaths due to the cold.Kejriwal threatens to go on a dharna if the four cops involved in the previous night’s raid were not suspended. (Kejriwal also appeals to the public to join him. Bharti is accused of vigilantism and flouting the law, attracts a lot of ire.Former Karnataka Lokayukta (attacks Bharti for his conduct. (AAP goes on record to say that it supports Telangana.Kejriwal skips defamation case filed against him. (Sisodia states that carrying out sting operations is one of the rights of the people. (Six people die of cold wave.Somnath Bharti calls members of Congress and BJP ‘pimps’. (Ugandan woman lodges FIR against Somnath Bharti, identifying him in news vides as the person who instigated the mob against her. Seven women are deposed in court in connection with the case. One of them asks for a second case against Bharti. Bharti denies all allegations. () Delhi Police register criminal case against Somnath Bharti.Kejriwal calls for a 10-day dharna to have the five policemen suspended.The protest would take place in the most protected zone of Delhi’s region, owing to the upcoming Republic Day parade. Kejriwal urges the public to not come join them, citing the issue of disturbance and safety, saying that the protest would only be undertaken by members of the AAP. However, AAP sends undercover messages to AAP units in Haryana and UP to mobilize crowds. (Later in the day, Kejriwal calls out to the public, going back on his word, and join them. He also urges the police to throw away their uniform and join them.As Kejriwal wasn’t allowed to take the protest outside the Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s office, he launches his protest outside Rail Bhavan. Four metro stations shut down.The protests causes security concerns as the Republic Day parade is scheduled six days hence, with full dress rehearsals in three days. The parade is scheduled to take over the area 72 hours before the Republic Day. The threat of terrorism is high, and classified weaponry and crafts of the Indian military, navy, and airforce are scheduled to be present. Kejriwal dismisses security concerns, stating that there is no point in the Parade as the women in our country are not safe. Kejriwal refuses to take the protest to Jantar Mantar, despite the fact that it is an area of high security that has prohibitory orders on it to allow gatherings of more than 5 people, although he is causing major damages to security. (The protest turns unruly, with AAP volunteers jumping barricades and getting violent, hurting two policemen with stone pelting. The police is then forced to lathi charge. AAP members call the police brutal.Kejriwal defends Bharti by producing letters written by residents of Khirki extension to Bharti. He also displays a letter written to him from Ugandan High Commission that was allegedly handed to him by a Ugandan official, who encouraged Bharti, supporting his decision to lead a mob.AAP supporter allegedly grabs reporter’s neck and slaps cameraman. Sisodia urges people not to break barricades and become unruly, while Kejrwial is caught on camera encouraging people to break and climb over barricades.Captain Gopinath of AAP condemns the protest stating that the CM should not be sitting in protest. (Supreme Court agrees to hear a PIL against Kejriwal and Bharti for resorting to street fight and agitation. Supreme Court also declares that holding constitutional posts, the AAP cannot agitate against other constitutional entitites. (Hearing is scheduled for two days hence. If the Court stays the protest, Kejriwal would be forced to move the protest to a different location.Kejriwal makes a controversial statement that he is indeed an anarchist if people call him so.Center appeals to Lieutenant Governor to facilitate Kejriwal calling off the dharna so as to not hamper security and increase losses to the tax payer. LG appeals to Kejriwal, who refuses. LG then sends two of the five police officials on paid leave. Kejriwal terms it ‘people’s victory’ and calls off the dharna.Bharti states that he wants to spit in the faces of Arun Jaitley and Harish Salve. (Manish Sisodia tells an NDTV panelist that they’re asking for lawful protests over the burning of a girl, and to wait till his daughter is burnt.Yogendra Yadav tweets in defence of Kejriwal saying that even Gandhi did not get his original demands when he protested. (AAP defends the move, stating it was the principle that counted, rather than the results.An FIR against Kejriwal is lodged by the Delhi Police. (Captain Gopinath urges Kejriwal to suspend Somnath Bharti. (CPM party, which has been pro-AAP so far slams Kejriwal for protests. (Congress workers protest for Bharti’s arrest or suspension. (Committee is formed for drafting Jan Lokpal bill. (Kumar Vishwas’s earlier tapes where he makes sexist and racist remarks against Keralite nurses comes to attention. He calls them dark and says that’s why people refer to them as ‘sisters’. Multiple FIRs are launched against Vishwas under IPC 499 and 509. () Vishwas defends his actions, saying he was making people laugh, and asks Kerala CM to apologize to him for breaking into the AAP office in Kochi. (Kejriwal’s claims about an official who visited him and handed over a letter (previous image) is rubbished by the Ugandan High Commission. Uganda registers an official protest with India, accusing AAP of misusing the letter from a year earlier and lying about their officials. Two of the letters circulated by AAP are clarified by Uganda to be not related to the Bharti incident, and being from the previous year. () African missions in India withdraw support, and Indian foreign office calls an emergency meeting with African envoys to assure safety, as Uganda talks to multiple journalists from India to clarify that the letter wasn’t genuine. (Vinod Binny of AAP comes out to slam AAP’s governing tactics for not meeting the promises made to teachers in the manifesto about permanent jobs. (Thousands of part-time teachers had canvassed for Kejriwal because of the manifesto objective to convert part-time teachers to full-time teachers. (Binny also claimed that those who didn’t pay the bills by responding to Kejriwal’s call to shun the bills now have to pay exorbitant amounts.AAP’s anti-corruption helpline is now terminated due to the increasing amount of calls and the inexistence of a process to manage them. (Kumar Vishwas’s videos cracking offensive jokes about Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik emerge, where he reportedly calls Malik a eunuch.Eight senior govt officials are transferred.Binny meets the police, and requests action against Bharti. (AAP justifies its protest by releasing a video of Delhi cops’ brutality at Red Fort on Jan 12, unrelated to Bharti’s raid. Police suspend three officials in the video. (Supreme Court issues notice to Kejriwal for leading a dharna comprised of thousands of people in the capital when prohibitory orders were in place. (AAP’s NRI donations drop by half, as a sign of disillusionment. AAP admits that many of its members are fake. (Somnath Bharti skips his court hearing and goes kite flying.Kejriwal does a U-turn in his stance about the media, suddenly complaining that the media is being paid to report negative stories about him. (Somnath Bharti apologizes for accusing reporters of being paid by Narendra Modi. (Bharti also apologizes for calling the DCW chief of being an agent of Congress and politically motivated. (Africans in Khirki extension start moving out. Delhi Court clarifies that a second FIR is not needed against Bharti as the first one is strong enough.AAP releases an alleged video of Ugandan women exchanging drugs. () Ugandan women who were met by Bharti claim he used racist remarks against them.Kejriwal reports that corruption has come down by 30%, the police have stopped taking bribe, tea sellers have reduced rates. Shazia Ilmi reaffirms this, stating a study undertaken by Transparency International proves corruption is down. () Transparency International later claim that no such study was undertaken.AAP gives Rs. 1cr to officer who fought against liquor mafia. He says that the Jan Lokpal bill is almost ready, and a female protection committee is to be formed.Kejriwal incites anger by breaching protocol before the Republic Day parade by refusing to return the parade commander’s salute and walking off the podium.Bharti goes on record to say that he wasn’t aware of the procedures regarding the midnight raid he conducted. (AAP lives up to its name and has an aam aadmi, a rickshaw driver, inaugurate an upgraded hospital. (President Pranab Mukherjee calls AAP ‘populist’ and ‘anarchist’ indirectly. () Kejriwal retorts, stating that the Presidet must have referred to Congress.AAP expels rebel leader Vinod Kumar Binny. () Binny goes on record to say that AAP is planning a fall of government to “escape from duties”. (AAP reverses its move for increasing working hours for teachers, reverting to the old system. (Manish Sisodia states that 200 new schools will be created within one year, and will awarded tenders in 15 days. (Kejriwal retweets a tweet by musician Vishal Dadlani, an AAP supporter.The tweet refers to Narendra Modi as a murderer and Rahul Gandhi as a madman.Yogendra Yadav holds a Google hangout to raise funds, Rs. 18 lakhs raised.DCW chief files complaint against AAP for harassing her for summoning Bharti. (Kejriwal refuses to share details of funding and expenses incurred during his swearing in ceremony with the court. A PIL has been filed against him for illegally accepting NRI funding after flouting rules. (A Delhi NGO invokes RTI to ask for details on AAP’s expenditure during Kejriwal’s swearing in ceremony, which is refused by AAP.After the now infamous interview of Rahul Gandhi by Arnab Goswami, where Rahul Gandhi conceded that some members of Congress were involved in the 1984 riots, AAP orders a special committee formed to probe into the riots. () There have been 9 panels set up to probe the case in the past.Kejriwal and Barkha Singh of DCW have a faceoff.AAP courts controversy again when Kejriwal states in Haryana that Khap Panchayats should be encouraged and are a part of the culture. Khap Panchayats are unelected bodies, known for their honor killings, and are branded by the Indian Legislative body as illegal and unconstitutional entities. () The gangrape of a 20 year old by 13 men was ordered by a Khap Panchayat. (Nido Taniam is killed in a racist attack by the Delhi public and police.Kejriwal is silent on the issue.Kejriwal threatens to revoke licenses of discomms if they fail to provide uninterrupted power.Discomms claim that they are short on funds and cannot pay public sector generation units for power supplies. (AAP leader Gopal Rai accuses discomms of being politically motivated as they didn’t complain of shortage of funds previously.) The NTPC, to whom the discomms pay bills, come out to state that power supply to discomms would be terminated if funds are not met. NTPC is a national body. (Multiple areas in Delhi face 8 to 10 hours of power cut each day.Kejriwal names corrupt leaders in press meet. List does not contain Sheila Dixit. () (Congress reiterates that it will continue supporting AAP. In a bold move, BJP states that if Congress withdraws support, BJP will provide support.AAP member declares that they do not endorse Nido Taniam’s death and the police would be probed. (Nitin Gadkari threatens to sue AAP for defamation. (Kejriwals alleges blackmail when NTPC warns of blackouts. (AAP founding member, Madhu Bhaduri quits, cites reason as never being allowed to speak in party meetings against Somnath Bharti, and AAP’s views about and behavior towards women. (Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission allows 6 to 8% hike. Delhi Govt condemns it. BJP starts protest against power tariff hike.AAP states they will list out a list of corrupt politicians by state.Kejriwal asks for power licences to be canceled for two discomms. (Information is unearthed that Somnath Bharti was a former unethical spammer. () He is the former owner of Magden Solutions.accused him ofon behalf of TopSites LLC, naming him in(ROKSO) as one of the top spam operators in the world.() PCQuest found that he had been sued in afor spamming by. Balsam's attorney revealed that in 2004, Bharti and two others had paid Balsam in damages apart from making a court declaration agreeing to use only confirmed opt-in e-mail addresses when sending commercial e-mails. Bharti claims that he chose to settle because defending the case in the United States would have been costlier for him. Bharti also claimed that he was in touch with SpamHaus, but the SpamHaus CEO,went on record to deny. () SomnathBharti also sold porn domains. (Madhu Bhaduri further exposes AAP’s internal policies and functioning. States that AAP doesn’t treat women as humans. She also states that the party has compromised its principles for votes. () She publishes a written article about AAP and her reason for resignation. (AAP alleges that Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi are conspiring against the party.An AAP member, Madan Lal claims he was offered Rs. 20 cr to split AAP before the election results. He also alleged that Arun Jaitley had tried to contact him via phone but he didn’t respond. () BJP has rubbished the claims.Chaired by Kejriwal, Delhi Cabinet approves the Jan Lokpal bill, details of which are not revealed to the public. Some points have been outlined |
New York for the United Nations General Assembly
Washington (CNN) A retweet may not always equal an endorsement, but when you're a public officeholder, it certainly can carry a lot of weight.
That's what made President Donald Trump's retweet of a GIF Sunday morning that showed him swinging a golf club and appearing to hit Hillary Clinton with a golf ball so stunning.
The GIF puts together footage of Trump, wearing a red cap, taking a swing on a golf course, with footage of Clinton tripping and falling as she boarded a plane while serving as secretary of state in 2011. The edited footage makes it appear as though the ball hit Clinton in the back, causing her to fall.
"Donald Trump's amazing golf swing #CrookedHillary," the Twitter user whom Trump retweeted wrote in the image's caption.
For any president or public official, retweeting an image that seems to make light of violence against women would be questionable.- Feliks Zemdegs (Rubik's Cube World Champion 2013, 3x3 average WR holder. Widely considered to be the most successfull competitive cuber in history)
- Kevin Hays (World Champion on 5x5, 6x6 and 7x7 cubes. WR in 6x6 single/average, 7x7 average and in solving most Rubik's Cubes underwater)
- Robert Yau (Creator of the Yau Method for 4x4+ cubes, first to create a 100% OLLCP table and UK NR holder for 4x4 single and average)
- Ron van Bruchem (Co-founder and board member of WCA, main organizer for all the major Europen competitions, former WR holder at 2x2, 3x3 and 5x5)
- Rafael Cinoto (Rubik's Cube ambassador in Brazil, having personally taught around 500 kids to solve the Rubik's Cube, owner of the biggest Rubik's Cube Youtube Channel in South America and WCA delegate) Click to expand...
- Mind to ask questions for all the guest in your post.
- Feel free to come up with fun/creative questions. Suggestions:- Mind to ask questions for all the guest in your post.- Feel free to come up with fun/creative questions
Hi everyone,My name is Gabriel Dechichi, and I'm happy to announce, as many of the registered competitors have already seen at a official e-mail, that we will have Rubik's Cube Panel, Comic Con style, at the last day of competition (July 19), 12:30 AM.This event, called the "World Championship Panel - Hobbz", will be a quick Q&A with some of the biggest speedcubing personalities of all time,So we're making this thread for you guys to post the question you would most like to ask for our guests. You don't need to be attempting to the World Championship to post a question, the Panel will be recorded live so you'll see your question there!Our guest are:The move may be part of a strategy overhaul – dubbed as “Future BP.”
Tony Hayward, the embattled CEO of BP, will soon be stepping down from his post, according to a report in The Times of London.
“You would be hard-pushed to find anyone within the company who does not think he is irreparably damaged – both by his own performance and by the event itself,” a company insider was quoted as telling the paper.
Hayward is expected to step down within ten weeks –possibly as soon as next month– according to the report.
An American, Robert Dudley, who is currently heading BP’s Gulf Coast restoration efforts, is seen as Hayward’s most likely successor.
BP has denied the report, with a company spokesman saying that Hayward still has “full support from the board and will remain in place.”
Hayward took a beating in the media and caused a major PR problem for BP after his “I want my life back” comment on May 30. His battered image failed to recover since that remark, which forced BP to replace him with Dudley as the company’s point man in the spill cleanup and containment operations.
The Times reported that a move to replace Hayward may be announced together with a full strategy overhaul for the company which is being dubbed as “Future BP.”
The company has watched as BP shares lost 40 percent of its value since the well exploded in late April and has come under increasing pressure to replace Hayward following the failures of BP to cap the leaking well. While the leaking oil well has since been capped, tests are still underway to see if the containment cap will hold and effectively stop the flow of oil.
BP agreed this week to sell $7 billion worth of assets to Apache Corp. as the company scrambles to pay for the mounting costs of damage and cleanup operations caused by the spill.The British Prospect Magazine just published this article in which I explain why Brexit, if confirmed, is unmitigated bad news for the City of London, and as a consequence also for the UK and for Europe as a whole.
“Brexit frees us to build a truly global Britain,” enthused Boris Johnson in his Telegraph column immediately after being appointed Foreign Secretary. If anything presently embodies the vision of “Global Britain,” it is the City of London, that marvel of a world-leading, cosmopolitan, ferociously competitive and efficient financial centre that serves as a powerhouse for the entire UK economy. But just as the City owes much of its current awe-inspiring prosperity to European integration, the brutal realities of Brexit will make it shrink, not thrive.
The reason, in a nutshell, is that the European Union’s single market has always been much more than a free trade zone. From its very inception as the 1950s European Coal and Steel Community, the EU has been about removing “behind-the-border” barriers to business and creating a single economic space regulated by supranational authorities. (This is why EU-level competition policy is so central to the whole project.) Deep economic integration goes hand-in-hand with supranational administrative capacity, especially in economic sectors that require intrusive public oversight, such as regulated services and especially finance. As Dani Rodrik, the Harvard economist, put it in his 2011 book The Globalization Paradox: “Markets are most developed and most effective in generating wealth when they are backed by solid governmental institutions.” The EU project, for all its twists and turns, can largely be summarised as applying this insight to a continent-sized region. The fact that the single market vision is still far from fulfilled, especially in services sectors, does not invalidate the logic of deep integration.
Until now, the City has benefited disproportionately from the EU single market. London achieved its current dominant position in international finance in three phases: a head start in the 1970s with the development of international currency markets; a sharpened competitive edge in the 1980s thanks to the de-regulatory “big bang” of the Thatcher era; and in the 1990s and 2000s, a centralisation of most of Europe’s wholesale financial activity thanks to the aggressive dismantling of national barriers by EU legislation on investment services, financial instruments, fund management, accounting standards, market infrastructure, and much more. Crucially, the structure of the EU single market allowed non-EU financial firms, including financial behemoths in the United States, to conduct most or all of their European business from a single location—London—allowing for significant cost savings. On most measures of wholesale financial activity, London’s share of the EU financial market rose sharply after the early-1990s, typically to three-quarters or more, while the other contenders such as Frankfurt or Milan or Paris all shrank to single-digit percentages.
These benefits, of course, might be preserved if the UK stays inside the European single market. But the more one explores possible scenarios, the clearer it becomes that “Brexit means Brexit” not only from the European Union, but also from its single market. This is only partly about free movement of people, the issue that tends to dominate English debates. Even assuming all sorts of emergency brakes on foreign workers, UK membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) would provide the exact opposite of the “Leave” campaign slogan of “take back control.” On almost all non-tax issues of financial regulation, and many more in other sectors, the UK would have to submit to EU diktats in the preparation of which it would have no voice, an essentially unacceptable position for a sovereignty-focused post-Brexit government. It is no coincidence that all EEA members are nations whose independence is rather recent (1806 or 1866 for Liechtenstein, 1905 for Norway, 1944 for Iceland) and who make comparatively less of a fuss about national superiority. In other terms, and quite independently from the EU’s tactical choices and psychological stance in any exit negotiations, there is (to paraphrase George Osborne) a remorseless logic that will lead the UK to leave the single market as it leaves the EU, at best with a few years’ additional delay. Only a reversal of the entire Brexit process could prevent this from happening, but would certainly require a second referendum and for the moment appears improbable.
In sum, by far the most likely scenario for the City’s future post-Brexit is one in which there might be access to the single market, but from outside, as is currently the case for jurisdictions such as the US, Canada or Japan. In some market segments, EU regulations and bilateral agreements may allow for equivalent status, but not in all areas and presumably not forever. One may call this scenario “Switzerland-minus”. Switzerland is not a member of the EEA and has its own sovereign framework for financial regulation. It has agreements with the EU that grant its firms some access to the single market. But this stops well short of single market membership. Not coincidentally, much of the large Swiss banks’ services to EU clients are provided through their London affiliates, rather than directly from Zurich.
The impact on the City from being outside of the single market is inevitably a matter of speculation, given the complete absence of precedents. The optimistic view is that only a limited share of the City’s business, perhaps somewhere between 15 and 25 per cent of its activities, will need to remain inside the single market and thus will move outside the UK, with the rest unaffected by Brexit. It would be a significant blow, but far from a fatal one. This view, however, downplays the risk-management and cost advantages of keeping all parts of a business in one single entity. In the current system, the UK affiliates of large international financial firms internalise a vast array of transactions, exposures, and market segments, which would be split if a significant subset had to move to a separate jurisdiction. For at least some of these firms, it might be preferable to move the bulk of the business, rather than suffer the consequences of fragmentation. If so, the financial services that move onto the continent may drag a much larger volume of activities along. The network effect, which has been the City’s best friend in the past 20 to 30 years, could become its most implacable enemy.
Or look at it this way: the City has thrived in recent decades because it was the best place to do financial business in its part of the world, which the financial set refers to as Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Post-Brexit, the loss of single market membership will become a clear disadvantage in comparison to EMEA financial centres inside the EU, which the City’s other comparative advantages may not offset. British firms such as, say, Barclays or Aviva may endeavour to keep as much of their business as possible in the home country. But non-domestic ones, whether from America, Asia, or the EU itself, will have no sentimental or otherwise non-bottom-line-related reasons to linger in London if there are better business conditions elsewhere. A number of places will surely jostle to eat the City’s lunch, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Edinburgh (if Scotland has serious prospects of staying in the EU), Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna, and probably others as well. Given the enormous opportunity, these cities and their respective countries will compete hard to burnish their existing credentials and remedy some of their handicaps in terms of attractiveness for financial service activities. It may be that neither of the two most often cited contenders, Frankfurt and Paris, will be winners in this contest, because of unchangeable rigidities such as onerous labour regulations. But there are enough places in the EU with top marks in cultural vibrancy, physical infrastructure, English proficiency, independent judiciary, and other key factors, so that it is likely that at least one and possibly even several (in a first phase) will emerge good enough to become, as London has been so far, the best place to do financial business in EMEA.
Attitudes of regulators may further tip the balance. In the EU, national and euro-area authorities have been effectively prevented from discriminating against UK-based firms thanks to the single market framework and its forceful enforcement by the European Commission and European Court of Justice. Such protections will erode when the UK leaves. Perhaps less evidently, the US authorities’ stance may change as well. In recent decades, American federal regulators have tended to be rather accommodative in their relations with their British counterparts, since operations from the UK provided US firms access to the vast EU market. When this beachhead function disappears, one may expect them to become more demanding in terms of UK regulatory standards as they are with smaller offshore places—seeing no particular advantage in having US firms conduct activities from London rather than from New York, Boston or Chicago. Similar incentives may apply in other non-EU jurisdictions.
To be sure, London is set to remain the largest financial centre in EMEA for the foreseeable future. It is currently so dominant that it will presumably take a very long time for any of its regional competitors to surpass it. There are also factors that will make it burdensome for some activities to move elsewhere, such as the depth of case law from English courts that can’t be easily replicated. But that will be little comfort. For the reasons exposed above, the City is likely to decline in absolute size, and even more so in relative terms as global financial activity can be expected to keep expanding. The EU will probably pursue further cross-border integration, perhaps implementing its project of a Capital Markets Union alongside the ongoing reshaping of the euro-area banking landscape under the policy framework known as Banking Union. Meanwhile, financial activity will probably keep growing at a rapid clip in Asia. Over the long term, at least one major financial centre may emerge inside the EU, and at least one also in Asia, that would grow enough that they would eventually outrank London. Given the likely continued strength of New York, the City would then drop to fourth place globally if not lower. The future of London outside of the EU single market may resemble the present situation of Tokyo in Asia: a highly developed financial centre with respected institutions, but too insular to maintain itself in the truly global leadership league.
What can the British (or, if Scotland secedes, English) government do to improve the City’s prospects against this grim future? Two different paths may be pursued, and it is possible that both will be tried at different times, or perhaps even simultaneously, in the years to come. The first strategy, which may be labelled “near-remain,” is to stay as close as possible to the single market, by emulating most EU rules and maintaining close cooperation between UK financial authorities (such as the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority) and their counterparts in the EU. The second strategy is of “going alone,” enhancing the difference between the UK and its larger neighbour and boosting the City’s competitive edge on at least some market segments through more favourable tax and regulatory treatment, as most off-shore financial centres do. But these two strategies are largely incompatible with each other. Furthermore, none of them is exactly a winning one: “near-remain” will never be as good as being in the single market in terms of mainstream EU financial business; “going alone” implies focusing on a limited number of niche segments and losing the one-stop-shop position that the City currently enjoys—not to mention possible retaliation from the EU and others in case the stance becomes overly aggressive. Different firms in the City, and different factions within government, can be expected to advocate either strategy. If, as may be the case, UK policy shifts from one to the other and then back, it will fail to reap the full benefit of either.
All this is bleak news, not just for the City but for the national economy. London’s financial sector is a huge generator of tax receipts for the government: according to the City of London Corporation, in the year to March 2015, the City paid £66.5bn in tax, equivalent to almost two thirds of the national education budget. It also provided revenue and profits for innumerable non-financial businesses, not to mention easier access to capital for many UK companies. For all the anger directed at fat-cat financiers, their mass emigration will do the nation no good. The market reaction has been rather muted so far, but this may only be because the harsh reality of Brexit has not fully surfaced yet. Reliable data about the “Leave” vote’s impact on investment or capital outflows will not be available until this autumn. Moreover, the international financial media, being largely headquartered in London, have various incentives to focus on the bright side. The London-based financial community, which normally acts as a ruthlessly unemotional processer of information, may also be biased in its initial judgment, not least because so many of its members have themselves voted in the referendum. The rest of the world, including non-European investors, is critically dependent on these two clusters of sources—London-based international media, and City analysts—for their own assessments. On this particular issue, then, global information channels may be viewed as temporarily impaired. But this gap cannot last forever.
Recognising the high probability of the City hollowing out as a consequence of Brexit is not about “talking down” the UK economy, but rather acknowledging an impending tragedy. The future described here is terrible news not just for London and England, but for Europe as a whole. No prediction is ventured here about the pace of decline, which, among many other things, will be highly dependent on the occurrence of financial crises. But its reality appears inexorable, and only secondarily dependent on the specific political motivations of policymakers in London, Brussels, Berlin, Washington and elsewhere in the years ahead. The golden age of London in the 2000s and early 2010s, a place of blatant excesses but where everything seemed possible, that made Paris and even New York or San Francisco feel provincial, a de facto capital of the world, may be wistfully remembered as a fleeting wonder. It will be sorely missed by many.Check yourself into The Tokyo Hotel. An eight-part comedy radio series.
Situated in a neglected corner of LA, time has been unkind to this once-iconic establishment. No longer do A-list Hollywood celebrities hob-knob under the chandeliers. Check-ins are down and-long term squatters are up.
Staff and guests are continually misled by the magical thinking of the hotel’s well-meaning leader, Con Cierge. Jive-talking Latino-lover Carlos plays jazz in the lobby. They also employ bears, a cranky Spanish chef, a failed mentalist, a bellhop who can’t speak and the famously miserable German Director Werner Herzog who operates the ancient lift.
If you can locate your room, please feel free to explore the hotel. You may be engulfed in a love story, a (sort of) murder mystery, a heist and a journey into an arctic tundra with sleighdogs via the kitchen’s freezer.
But, be quick, before everything changes. You see, a stranger with news is about to arrive. It seems there may be a chance for The Tokyo Hotel to rise to its former grandeur, relive the hype and become the sexiest hotspot in town once more!
All artwork created by Stacy Gougolis.Some of the best-known sites on the internet, including Wikipedia, are limiting access today in a "Dark Wednesday" protest against legislation before the U.S. Congress intended to curb copyright infringement that critics say will limit the scope of the web and adversely affect legitimate websites.
Popular Canadian sitesjoining the protest include Tucows, a Toronto-based site that hosts free software for download, Identi.ca, a social microblogging service and the blog of University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, an oft-cited expert on copyright issues.
There are two similar bills addressing protection of intellectual property online currently being considered by Congress: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which is before the House of Representatives judiciary committee, and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), which is to be voted on by the Senate next week.
Last weekend, the White House signaled its opposition to the bills, which are supposed to make it easier for copyright holders to go after "foreign rogue websites" suspected of facilitating infringement of copyright.
Under the current draft of SOPA, courts could order credit card firms, online payment companies like PayPal and advertising networks to stop doing business with those websites. They could also order search engines to stop linking to them and internet service providers (ISPs) to block their customers from accessing them, although in recent days, the lead sponsor of SOPA, Republican congressman Lamar Smith, has backed off the ISP provision. PIPA was also being revised to address some of the concerns voiced in recent days.
Taking sides on SOPA
News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, pictured with his wife at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, has been tweeting his support for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). (Mario Anzuoni/Retuers)
SOPA's backers include the film, recording, media and pharmaceutical industries while internet and technology companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Mozilla, Yahoo and eBay have voiced opposition to the bill.
The debate on the proposed legislation has been heated, as some recent tweets on the subject show.
After the White House voiced its opposition to the bills, media baron Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of Fox News, tweeted, "So, Obama has thrown in his lot with Silicon Valley paymasters who threaten all software creators with piracy, plain thievery."
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales tweeted on Tuesday: "The encyclopedia will always be neutral. The community need not be, not when the encyclopedia is threatened!"
In Canada, SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) general counsel Paul Spurgeon told CBC News, "Anything that helps copyright owners get paid for the use of their works is welcome."
SOPA would affect Canada
Although SOPA and PIPA are intended to target "rogue" websites, for Canadians, the concern is that if the laws are passed, there might be collateral damage that harms legitimate sites.
Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, speaks at the London Cyberspace Conference on Nov. 1, 2011. Wikipedia will black out the English-language version of its website on Jan. 18 to protest anti-piracy legislation under consideration in Congress. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press)
Geist outlined some of the ways the proposed laws could affect Canadians in a Jan. 17 blog post:
In the eyes of U.S. law, websites with domain names ending in.com,.net and.org are treated as American domestic domain names, regardless of where their owners are based, he wrote.
SOPA ignores the fact that IP addresses are assigned by regional, not national, entities. The American Registry for Internet Numbers allocates IP addresses for Canada (both for individual customers and governments) and 20 Caribbean nations, as well as the U.S. However, under SOPA, the IP addresses it allocates would be considered "domestic," i.e., U.S., IP addresses.
SOPA effectively grants the U.S. jurisdiction over some foreign websites, said Geist.
"The long arm of U.S. law reaches into Canada using SOPA," he said.
Intellectual property protection as U.S. foreign policy
If SOPA becomes law, Geist expects the U.S. to try to export its rules to Canada and other countries.
He notes that the Canadian government's proposed copyright modernization act, Bill C-11, was modelled on a similar U.S. law backed by the same industries pushing SOPA. The bill has been criticized for its provisions to prohibit the recording and copying of content protected by digital locks, which many say are too restrictive and prevent even the lawful use of copyrighted material.
University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist is expressing his concern about the potential impact of SOPA in Canada by making his website dark on Jan. 18. (CBC)
U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal that Bill C-11 came about at least in part as a response to U.S. pressure on Canada to tighten its copyright laws.
Spurgeon said SOCAN hopes Bill C-11 "will also address the issues of online piracy, but it remains to be seen if the proposed law will achieve this purpose."
Under SOPA, intellectual property protection will become "a significant component of U.S. foreign policy," Geist writes.
If a website owner outside the U.S. wants to challenge a U.S. court order issued under SOPA, "the owner must first consent to the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts."
A viable alternative
Corynne McSherry, intellectual property director for the internet rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, raised several other concerns about SOPA in an interview in November with Dan Misener of the CBC Radio program Spark.
SOPA could require Visa, MasterCard and PayPal to block payments to certain foreign websites or to websites a U.S. court rules are facilitating access to those sites. The payments wouldn't necessarily have to come from Americans; they could be from anywhere in the world.
McSherry also worries that under SOPA, some of the websites that activists living under authoritarian regimes, such as those behind the Arab Spring protests, use to circumvent government blocks on parts of the internet could be viewed as infringing on copyright and shut down by a U.S. court order.
But McSherry does see a potential benefit for Canada if SOPA becomes law: cutting-edge technology entrepreneurs will just offer their services outside the U.S.
"You may see a lot of new jobs in Canada," she said.
For McSherry, copyright is "an issue you cannot legislate your way out of." And with SOPA, she says, "the cost so far outweighs any conceivable benefit."
There is a simple solution, she told Misener: "Give people access to authorized, legitimate alternatives, and they will go there."Share Share 0
TOTW 2 in-form (IF) players (including Sergio Aguero, Pedro, Isco, Leighton Baines & David Alaba!) will be available in packs from 6pm (UK time), September 25th 2013 until 5:30pm (UK time), October 2nd 2013. This team can be challenged in the ‘Team of the Week’ section within FIFA 14 Ultimate Team on your console.
For live FUT 14 updates (including TOTW details & Happy Hour reminders)
Follow @UltimateTeamUK
STARTING 11:
GK: Brad Guzan – Aston Villa (79 > 80)
LB: Leighton Baines – Everton (83 > 84)
LB: David Alaba – Bayern München (81 > 82)
CB: Dejan Lovren – Southampton (78 > 80)
CAM: Isco – Real Madrid (84 > 85)
CAM>LM: Koke – Atlético Madrid (81 > 82)
CAM: Thiago Neves – Al Hilal (77 > 79)
CAM>LW: Foued Kadir – Stade Rennais (74 > 74)
ST: Diego Milito – Inter (82 > 83)
RW: Pedro – FC Barcelona (85 > 86)
ST: Sergio Aguero – Manchester City (88 > 89)
SUBS:
GK: Robert Green – Queens Park Rangers (76 > 78)
LB: Dmitriy Kombarov – Spartak Moskva (76 > 78)
RM: Acorán – SD Ponferradina (69 > 72)
CAM>LM: Lucas Piazon – Vitesse (73 > 74)
RM>LW: Robbie Kruse – Bayern 04 Leverkusen (74 > 74)
ST: Frode Johnson – Odds Ballklubb (63 > 64)
CAM>LW: Jesse Lingard – Birmingham City (63 > 64)
Let us know your thoughts on this Team of the Week in the comments below and on our Forum! You can ask questions in the relevant forums to receive support from our community. Remember you can also talk to other online FUTers in our FUT Chat feature!
As always we’ll keep you updated on any Happy Hours for your increased chance of finding these or any other in-form players in packs!WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke today by phone to discuss ways to advance and strengthen the U.S.-Israel special relationship, and security and stability in the Middle East. The President emphasized the importance the United States places on our close military, intelligence, and security cooperation with Israel, which reflects the deep and abiding partnership between our countries. The President and the Prime Minister agreed to continue to closely consult on a range of regional issues, including addressing the threats posed by Iran. The President affirmed his unprecedented commitment to Israel’s security and stressed that countering ISIL and other radical Islamic terrorist groups will be a priority for his Administration. The President emphasized that peace between Israel and the Palestinians can only be negotiated directly between the two parties, and that the United States will work closely with Israel to make progress towards that goal. The President invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to an early February meeting at the White House.States demand nuclear waste reform
Today was another chapter in the never-ending fight over 66,000 metric tons of very hot nuclear waste that is currently stored all over the country.
In Washington today, South Carolina and Washington State argued before a federal appeals court that the Obama Administration should not have pulled the plug on the nuclear waste storage site in Yucca Mountain, Nevada last year.
"The government's decision to arbitrarily break federal law and derail Yucca Mountain is wrong and unconstitutional," said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a statement. Wilson contends that Congress passed a law to build Yucca Mountain and then killed the project after spending $14 billion.
"Our concern is that waste find its way to a permanent disposal place where it's safe so our communities aren't exposed to the potential dangers from it," said Andrew Fitz, assistant attorney general for Washington state who argued the case before the court today.
But the appellate judges in Washington DC were not interested in the merits of the arguments from the states. Instead they said the case had come before them prematurely since the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has yet to make a final ruling on Yucca.
Critics say the NRC is dragging it's feet. The NRC is led by Chairman Greg Jaczko who used to work for Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the man who convinced the Obama administration to abandon Yucca Mountain.
Moving ahead on Yucca Mountain would be a tough political fight.
"Ultimately, if the US government wanted to do Yucca Mountain, it would have had to shove it down Harry Reid's throat," said Jeffrey Lewis, nuclear safety expert with the Monterey Institute.
According to an industry spokesperson from the Nuclear Energy Institute, even if Yucca Mountain was approved, the amount of nuclear waste around the country already exceeds the approved amount of space available in Yucca Mountain.
While Washington State, South Carolina and three other states are suing a reluctant federal government to come up with a long term solution to nuclear waste, there is at least one government entity who wants it.
Yucca Mountain is located in Nye County, Nevada, a county with a population of 50,000 spread over 18,000 square miles. Nye County officials say they want the 12,000 jobs that a federal waste site at Yucca Mountain will bring, even though their families will be in close proximity to thousands of metric tons of radioactive waste.
Citing dozens of scientific reviews, Richard Osborne, Nye County Manager told CBS News, "One of the reasons that I feel comfortable in supporting Yucca Mountain is that it is the most studied piece of real estate in the history of the world."Deep in a nest of vipers – traitorous snakes intent on destroying you, and us, and our dreams for ourselves and future generations of Americans
Tweet to President Trump: We the People Have Your Back
Members of the media have derisively compared President Trump to President Nixon.—Chris Pandolfo “Media hit the gas on the ‘Trump is Nixon’ theory” The globalist media’s (AKA mainstream media) comparison of President Trump to Nixon is marginally less absurd and offensive than their previous leitmotif of comparing Trump to Hitler, but the media still has a long way to go before they touch back down on terra firma. I for one am not holding my breath awaiting the media’s return to sanity, as they seem hell bent on staying stuck on stupid in perpetuity.
Media, Academia, Hollywood, the “Deep State,” and more NGOs than you can shake a rolled up 501c3 tax code at are arrogant snobs I’ll let you in on a not so secret secret—the media, academia, Hollywood, the “Deep State,” and more NGOs than you can shake a rolled up 501c3 tax code at are arrogant snobs. You heard me correctly, arrogant snobs. In fact, arrogant snobbery is a thread that runs throughout all of the radical left’s history. It is oh so obvious if you keep an eye out for it. There is no law against being an arrogant twit (or twitette), unfortunately, but as Sun Tzu noted long ago it is wise to know your enemy. In any event, when the snobbish globalist media hysterically attack Trump they are in effect hysterically attacking we the people, for he is our messenger and we put him where he is. Make no mistake, when the media show disdain for President Trump’s “commonness” they are being arrogantly dismissive of we the people by proxy. The Democrats apparently could not care less what we the people think, and are enthusiastically digging themselves a deeper and deeper political pit. I say “Bravo Democrats!” Here, let me help. When we the people protect Trump’s back we are merely exercising enlightened self-interest. By protecting Trump’s back, we are protecting our own backs.
My friend Joan Swirsky recently penned an article in which she outlined the many ways in which we the people have already benefited from Trump’s presidency, which she compares to a juggernaut.
This Mt. Everest of accomplishments belongs to a man who is straight out of central casting. Every day, he looks like a million dollars and is stunningly successful in his dealings with everyone from heads of state to manual laborers to ardent fans to entrenched skeptics. Every day, he brings both ebullience and laser-like focus to a job he clearly relishes, displays admirable courage in making hard choices, and is zooming along at warp speed to Make America Great Again!—Joan Swirsky “The Juggernaut and the Jerks” President Trump has set a phenomenally fast pace for getting America back on track. His is a vision of hope and freedom, sustenance and safety. He, and his agenda are, in the words of William James, “a powerful and magnetic force.”
Positive images of the future are a powerful and magnetic force…. They draw us on and energize us, give us courage and will to take on important initiatives. Negative images of the future also have a magnetism. They pull the spirit downward in the path of despair.—William James (1842-1910) I believe that ultimately history will put President Trump in the same league as Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. But for now, we the people have to suffer through the lashing out and flailing of globalism’s death throes – an ugly and dangerous time indeed. But we the people are getting hip to the left’s tricks. For example, one of their favorite tactics is to preempt an attack from an opponent by first claiming that their opponent is guilty of what they themselves are guilty of. This tactic is used so often that anymore when the Democrats accuse conservatives of anything my Pavlovian response is to immediately look for whatever the Democrats are hiding of the same nature.
Russian brouhaha The Russian brouhaha comes to mind. As far as President Trump is concerned there is no “there” there – as has been proven ad nauseam. But if we the people look to the left what do we see? We see collusion aplenty between the Russians and the Clintons and other Democratic “movers and shakers.” My, my, imagine that. As more and more concrete, tangible, positive results of the Trump Administration’s policies come to fruition, more and more people will board the “Trump train,” and the current strident cries of hysterical derision and slander will gradually fade into a richly deserved ignominy. President Trump, know this: We the people are well aware that you are deep in a nest of vipers – traitorous snakes intent on destroying you, and us, and our dreams for ourselves and future generations of Americans. We pray for you, your family, and your aides. We know that many media pundits are hate-filled liars, and we dismiss them out of hand. We greatly appreciate that you are tirelessly working on America’s behalf, on freedom’s behalf, on our behalf. President Trump, know that we the people feel blessed to have you at the helm, and we have your back boss, believe it. Obviously, this isn’t an actual “tweet” per se…but it’ll do.
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Born June 4, 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Served in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974 in both UDT-21 (Underwater Demolition Team) and SEAL Team Two. Worked as a commercial diver in the waters off of Scotland, India, and the United States. Worked overseas in the Merchant Marines. While attending the University of South Florida as a journalism student in 1998 was presented with the “Carol Burnett/University of Hawaii AEJMC Research in Journalism Ethics Award,” 1st place undergraduate division. (The annual contest was set up by Carol Burnett with money she won from successfully suing a national newspaper for libel). Awarded US Army, US Navy, South African, and Russian jump wings. Graduate of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School, 1970). Member of Mensa, China Post #1, and lifetime member of the NRA and UDT/SEAL Association.
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greatest level of detail possible.
But there are moments like the tragedy that unfolded in Egypt and Libya that test candidates. The element of surprise often illuminates a candidate’s ability to inspire and to lead.
When given the opportunity, Mitt Romney’s response was far from presidential.
Romney preferred to call the president’s handling “disgraceful”.
Romney was so eager for the news cycle to turn in his favor that he forgot what office he was running for.
At times of death and national tragedy – and especially on September 11 – candidates should be respectful and acknowledge the loss.
Instead of thinking about the public servants who lost their lives in a horrible tragedy, Romney was thinking about losing in November
In a hasty attempt to score cheap political points and try to contain the president’s momentum, Mitt Romney released a statement criticizing the administration before the facts were in.
Romney’s goal was to deliver a critical blow to the president rather than address the national tragedy.
In that moment Mitt Romney failed the leadership test.
Just like John McCain, who failed to inspire confidence during the financial crisis four years ago.
This is not the first time Romney has blundered when attacking the administration on foreign policy. Earlier this year he criticized the US handling of a Chinese dissident. But while Romney was criticizing Obama was acting. The administration was successfully negotiating his safe departure.
Every Romney foray into foreign policy has been a disaster for his campaign.
There are three presidential debates and a vice presidential debate to go, but Mitt Romney may have squandered his only opportunity to make the case that he is prepared to be president.
About Bill Buck
Bill Buck is a Democratic strategist, President of the Buck Communications Group, a media relations and new media strategies consulting business based in Washington, DC, and Managing Director of the online ad firm Influence DSP. He has over twenty years of international and national communications experience. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local.President Trump on Friday blamed Democrats, not Republicans, for the stunning collapse of the GOP healthcare plan.
"We were very close, it was a very tight margin. We had no Democrat support, no votes from the Democrats," Trump said, flanked by Vice President Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price in the Oval Office.
"I think the losers are Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer because now they own ObamaCare," the president added, referring to the House and Senate Democratic leaders.
But he said he would be "open" to working with Democrats on healthcare again if ObamaCare "explodes."
"When it explodes, which it will soon, if they got together with us and we got a real healthcare bill, I would be totally open to it, " Trump said.
The comments were Trump's first since he and GOP leaders decided to pull the American Health Care Act (AHCA) off the House floor after it became clear they were well short of the votes they needed to pass it.
The bill's failure was a humiliating setback for Trump, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and other Republican lawmakers, who campaigned for years on repealing and replacing ObamaCare.
Trump sought to distance himself from the promise to repeal ObamaCare.
"I never said repeal and replace it in 64 days," the president said.
In slamming Democrats, Trump is trying to quell a blame game between the White House that has erupted behind the scenes as the bill ran into major trouble on Capitol Hill.
While Democrats were united against the plan, defections from both conservative and moderates mounted even as Trump personally attempted to convince members of both factions to get on board.
But Trump evinced some annoyance with opponents of the measure, saying that, "We all learned a lot, we learned a lot about loyalty."
The president, however, praised Ryan for working "very, very hard" to pass the bill.
"I'm not going to speak very badly about anyone in the party," he said.Bridgeport DJ Logan Bay’s life forever changed in an instant while he was unloading his car two weeks ago in Chicago. Ash-har Quraishi reports.
Bridgeport DJ Logan Bay’s life forever changed in an instant while he was unloading his car two weeks ago in Chicago.
The 30-year-old who works for radio station WLPN was hit by another car in the 2900 block of South Archer and pinned, crushing his legs.
“A car pulled up behind him and stopped and he thought, ‘OK, I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing,’” said friend and colelague Ed Marszewski. “And the next thing you know the car accelerated into him and pinned him against his car.”
Bay underwent four surgeries and doctors had to amputate his left foot and his right leg up to the knee. According to a police report, the driver of the vehicle that struck him was cited for failure to reduce speed and improper lane usage.
For the prolific Bridgeport DJ, it was a difficult medical catastrophe, but he has kept his spirits up by continuing programming work from his hospital bed.
“A few days after his first surgery, while he was reducing his medication, he immediately started going on to his laptop to start scheduling and working on the radio station,” Marszewski said.
On Friday, Bay posted about his recovery on Facebook.
“It has been an amazing process and I couldn't do it without all your messages and magic and LOVE,” he wrote.
Marszewski has set up a YouCaring crowdfunding campaign to help cover Bay’s medical expenses. As of Wednesday, the page had raised more than $43,000.
“It makes me want to cry actually, how many people around the world know who Logan is and contributed to help this guy,” Marszewski said. “He’s the sweetest guy on Earth and it’s really beautiful to see that people care about other humans.”
Bay remained in the hospital Wednesday recovering from another surgery.It’s no secret that the Facebook app for Android hasn’t been the most thrilling experience in the world. While their app is a lot better than what it used to be (and believe you me, it stunk), there’s still a ton of room for improvement.
But for all the critics there are on the Google Play Store ranting about the app’s shortcomings, the most important critic of all has reportedly said “enough is enough.” According to Business Insider, Facebook is so fed up with its subpar Android app that he is forcing its developers to ditch their iOS devices in favor of Android devices.
They apparently want their developers to suffer the same nonsense Android users do every day, and perhaps then they’ll come together and get serious about offering an exceptional experience.
Yours truly has flown the coop on the official Facebook app in favor of alternatives like Friendcaster long ago, and until I see substantial improvement I don’t see myself coming back anytime soon. You can imagine the intrigue this story stirred within me, and I’m sure it’s stirring within you all the same.
If this story happens to be true then we should definitely be headed for greener pastures before too long. If you haven’t heard the news, the iOS version of Facebook was updated today to rebuild the app from the ground up.
That means they got rid of the HTML5-ridden mess and decided to make full use of iOS’ native user interface elements. Having used the update on my iPad I can say without a shadow of doubt that change was for the better.
Hopefully they are looking to do the same for their Android app. Oh, and let’s not forget that they don’t even have a tablet interface yet — we’re going to want that whenever you can get it to us, Zuck. What do you think of the current Facebook experience? Let us know in the comments section below!Think you’ve got what it takes to qualify for the Hearthstone Spring Championships? Okay, but can you do it in a Buffalo Wild Wings? If you’re looking to compete in this year’s Hearthstone Spring Playoffs, you might have to throw down in a loud room that smells like honey barbecue sauce.
Blizzard Entertainment announced this week that this year’s Hearthstone Spring Playoffs—which will determine who qualifies for the $250,000 Hearthstone Spring Championship in Shanghai—will take place on May 27 and 28 in 10 venues across the United States. Five of those venues are Buffalo Wild Wings locations.
Blizzard has approved BWW as a venue in the past for Hearthstone’s Winter Tavern Hero qualifiers, and some players say the setting was a huge distraction. In one participant’s account, the shoddy internet led to multiple disconnections, and the wait staff who came to the table actually interrupted the flow of the game.
Let’s be clear: as a digital collectible card game, Hearthstone is not a good game to play at a Buffalo Wild Wings, especially when there’s money on the line. For one, B-Dubs is a sports bar, which means that while you sit there trying to figure out whether you have lethal on the Quest Rogue sitting across from you, you’ll also be forced to listen to The Chainsmokers on repeat while surrounded by drunk basketball fans yelling at the ref for a bullshit charging call.
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The professional Hearthstone player base seems to hold a similar suspicion toward the BWW decision, as evidenced by this succinct Tweet from pro player Anthony “Ant” Trevino:
When I reached out to Blizzard for the rationale behind selecting so many Buffalo Wild Wings locations for this tournament, they responded with the following statement:
When considering Playoff venues for the Hearthstone Championship Tour, one of our goals is to encourage diversity in geographic location to provide more convenient venue options for our HCT competitors. We’re always looking at ways to reach new locales while still supporting previous locations where it makes sense. Working with Buffalo Wild Wings this season has allowed us to bring the Spring Playoffs to new locations including Denver, Colorado and Marietta, Georgia. The participating Buffalo Wild Wings locations have been vetted to the same standards as each of our other existing Playoff venues. This vetting process includes a review of the physical space and internet stability, among other factors. We’ve paired some of our most experienced Innkeepers with new venues to ensure smooth execution. Each Playoff Venue, including Buffalo Wild Wings, will also feature two dedicated tournament admins.
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This is a good sign for players who were worried about bad connections and inadequate seating, which are really the two most important factors when it comes to something like this. Beyond that, though, it might not address all the concerns of playing inside a packed sports bar. When I reached out to the manager of one of this year’s host venues, the Buffalo Wild Wings in Lake Forest, California, she confirmed to me that the restaurant would remain open to the public during the Playoffs (which, coincidentally, are happening at the same time as both the NHL and NBA Playoffs).
When it comes to determining what constitutes an appropriate venue for an esports event, the truth is that most esports still don’t really know what they’re doing. Yeah, League of Legends’ World Championships happened at the Staples Center a few years ago, but the corporate event planning teams at organizations like Riot Games are the exception, not the rule. Just last year, a Chinese esports organization got the bright idea to hold a Dota 2 tournament on a cruise ship, which seems like one of the absolute worst venues possible when you consider things like seasickness, scurvy, and the possibility of becoming stranded Carnival Triumph-style.
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Beyond that, some players are understandably riled up about more than just the type of venue. If you’re one of the 64 regional top-level Hearthstone players who qualified for the tournament and you live in the northeast United States, you’ve got to travel down to Fairfax, Virginia, just outside of DC, if you want to play in the tournament. And since the tournament is in just a couple weeks’ time, there’s not a lot of wiggle room for trip planning.
For most West Coasters, the situation isn’t as dire, but it’s still kind of a bummer. In Southern California, the Winter Playoffs took place at a pretty handy esports venue called The Esports Arena In Santa Ana. For the Spring Playoffs, that venue, along with many others, has been scrapped and replaced with various B-dubs restaurants.
While Blizzard’s BWW arrangement is probably best in that it allows them to set up more venues for more players, I’m curious to see how long they’ll hold onto sports bars as a viable competitive venue. In an ideal world, we could all play high-stakes Hearthstone in the middle of a crowded bar where spectators would gather ‘round to watch us and murmur quietly to one another. But I’m not sure that such a place actually exists, and if it does, it’s certainly not Buffalo Wild Wings. Yes, Hearthstone matches are supposed to take place in fantasy taverns, and the sports bar is probably the best real-world equivalent in 21st-century America. But the point is: you don’t hold tournaments in the places they might take place if your in-game lore had magically come to life, you hold them in the places that’ll best accommodate for the players and their needs.
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Still, if you ever catch word of someone holding a Street Fighter tourney in a boatyard, a night market, or a military runway, let me know; I can assure you that I’ll be the first one there.News / Uplifting Stories
105-Year-Old French Cyclist Sets World Record
Nearly a century ago, Robert Marchand was told by a coach that he should give up cycling because he would never achieve anything on a bike. On Wednesday January 4, 2017, he proved that prediction wrong. The 105-year-old Frenchman, made cycling history by covering 14.08 miles in one hour on a track near Paris.
Marchand, who has a huge following in France, and was cheered on by hundreds of fans as he rode round the velodrome at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
However, he fell short of his own previous record of 16.73 miles in the over-100s category, which he set in 2014 at the age of 102 years old.
"I did not see the sign warning me I had 10 minutes left," Marchand said after his effort. "Otherwise I would have gone faster, I would have posted a better time. I'm not tired. I thought my legs would hurt, but they don't. My arms hurt, you have to hurt somewhere."
Marchand is not making plans for the future, although his coach would not be surprised to see him back on the boards.
"Setting goals for himself is part of his personality," Mistler said. "If he tells me he wants to improve his record, I'll be game. Robert is a great example for all of us."
ref.: http://www.nbcnews.com
Articles featured in CES News are derived from a variety of news sources and are provided as a service by cesultra. These articles do not necessarily represent the opinions nor constitute the advice of cesultra.Analysis Buried deep in the pages of the March 1946 issue of Astounding Science Fiction magazine sits a short story by Murray Leinster that, 70 years on, has proven a remarkably sharp prediction of both 21st century consumer technology and culture.
One of two pieces contributed by Leinster, a pen name used by author William Fitzgerald Jenkins, A Logic Named Joe [PDF] tells the story of a humble repairman who finds himself scrambling to stop a machine that has become a bit too good at helping people.
Though Leinster never achieved the notoriety of other science fiction visionaries such as Asimov or Philip K Dick, A Logic Named Joe has been recognized by, among others, the Computer History Museum as "one of the most prescient views of the capabilities of computers in a network."
In the story, Leinster envisions a future in which every home is equipped with a "logic" device that serves as both a reference source and entertainment box. Each logic connects to a "tank" where huge stores of data are kept. In Leinster's own words:
You got a logic in your house. It looks like a vision receiver used to, only it's got keys instead of dials, and you punch the keys for what you wanna get. It's hooked in to the tank, which has the Carson Circuit all fixed up with relays. Say you punch 'Station SNAFU' on your logic. Relays in the tank take over an' whatever vision-program SNAFU is telecastin' comes on your screen... But besides that, if you punch for the weather forecast or who won today's race at Hialeah or who was the mistress of the White House durin' Garfield's administration or what is PDQ and R sellin' for today, that comes on the screen too.
The story goes on to tell how "Joe," a rogue logic with a slight manufacturing defect, becomes self-aware and resolves to provide his owners and all other "logic" users with whatever information they require. Leinster says of Joe:
Joe ain't vicious, you understand. He ain't like one of those ambitious robots you read about that make up their minds the human race is inefficient and has got to be wiped out an' replaced by thinkin' machines. Joe's just got ambition. If you were a machine you'd wanna work right, wouldn't you? That's Joe. He wants to work right. And he's a logic, an' logics can do a lotta things that ain't been found out yet.
This, in turn, leads to logics around the city providing tips on everything from poisoning spouses to covering up drinking binges and robbing banks. Only when Joe is taken offline is that information hidden away from humanity and order restored.
It's important to note the state of science and technology at this point. The United States had only recently come out of World War II, having dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Soviet Union would not test its atomic bomb to kick off the Cold War for another three years, and computers only existed as massive projects like the Colossus, Harvard Mark I and ENIAC. The transistor computer would not be built until 1953, and ARPANET would not go online for another 23 years.
Technology in the home, meanwhile, was only beginning to emerge with electric appliances and television was still in its infancy (the BBC had only begun broadcasting TV 10 years prior.) Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was lauded for seeing a market for home computers in the late 1970s. Murray Leinster predicted it nearly a decade before Jobs was even born.
Science fiction, too, was in a transitional period, with many publications not yet running the darker, dystopian themes that would mark later periods in the genre. Gene Bundy, special collections librarian for the Williamson Science Fiction Library at Eastern New Mexico University, said that this was no accident.
"In general, the post-war years science fiction was controlled by [Astounding Science Fiction editor] John W. Campbell who thought science would solve it all," Bundy told The Register.
"He steered the direction stories took, only bought stories that went where he wanted them to go, hired writers to write the stories he wanted."
Where A Logic Named Joe really inspires, though, is not with its vision of the placement of technology, but in the ways in which it could be used both for the benefit and detriment of society. Leinster is able to present conflict by making technology a solution that works just a bit too well.
Dr Ellen Peel, Professor of English and Comparative Literature at San Francisco State University, noted that Joe, by design, is never truly portrayed as a villain or menacing figure, as machines are so often viewed in more dystopian works of science fiction.
"It's often interesting to look at the names (or the lack thereof) for robots and other constructed bodies," Peel told The Register.
"By giving the logic a name, the narrator makes it less threatening. Since the name is a human, common, and informal one, it's even less threatening."
Joe poses a threat to society not by turning himself into an "evil" character, but merely by being helpful to the point of enabling man's worst qualities. This, too, is eerily prescient, as the modern internet has proven to be both a great enabler of education as well as a way to expose and indulge our worst tendencies.
Peel said this part of the story may attest not only to Leinster's vision of technology, but to some basic tenets of human psychology, a field that, like computing, was just coming into its own when the story was written.
"Ordinary logics already grant many wishes, but what Joe grants are the forbidden ones, the'monsters from the id,' as they are called in Forbidden Planet," Peel said.
"It is suggestive that the narrator stores Joe in the basement, sort of a subconscious."
This, perhaps, is what makes A Logic Named Joe such an eerily prescient work of literature. Leinster had not only the foresight to envision a world in which technology in general, and computing in particular, take up a central role in the day-to-day life of the average family, but also the way in which having so much knowledge at our fingertips can lead us into the worst parts of our collective psyche.
Great works of science fiction examine not only the roles in which science will change our lives, but also isolate the basic qualities of the human experience and study just how the human condition will react, and endure, when new experiences are presented and new frontiers are opened.
In this way, Leinster does in a few pages what many authors spend an entire year hoping to accomplish. ®When you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a flood, chances are you weren’t expecting it. Chances are you’ve never been in this situation before, and you have no idea how to handle it. But you’re not alone. People all over the world have to deal with unexpected floods from time to time, whether they’re caused by plumbing issues or severe storms or simply leaving the water running. So if you find yourself in this situation, here’s what you should do and what you shouldn’t do during a flood disaster.
DO Call a Professional
A true flood disaster is not one that you can clean up on your own. You need a professional’s help because there’s no knowing what damage the flood has caused. Floodwater can ruin furniture and the entire structure of your home if moisture isn’t dried up. Insulation can be ruined and mold can grow, and the only way to prevent such things is to have a professional home remediation crew from 911 Remediation come in and inspect, clean up, and treat the area to make it as good as new.
DO Get Everyone to Safety
Safety is critical when there’s a flood. At the very least, you want to clear everyone out of the flooded area and keep it contained. You probably shouldn’t even go in there to try to clean it up. If the flood water is continuing to rise, evacuate the area and possibly the home and get everyone to a safe area. When a home fills with water there is always a risk of significant structural damage. If it’s not a very deep flood, get everyone to the higher level, but if it’s significantly deep, evacuate the structure.
DO NOT Go in the Flooded Area
You may want to go into the area that is flooded, but unless you are going to rescue a loved one or something extremely important, you’re risking life and health. You may not realize the significance of this, but there are great health risks present in flooded rooms. Chances are the water is filled with contaminants and debris that could injure you or make you ill.
DO Get to Higher Ground
That’s the best tip we can give you in a flood: since water runs downward, get to higher ground.
DO NOT Drive During A Flooding Disaster
This is more applicable if it’s a flood caused by inclement weather. If there’s a bad storm with torrential rainfall, most likely there are collapsed bridges, submerged roadways, and flash floods on the road. Your vehicle could easily get stuck and leave you completely stranded, so avoid such areas and get out of the area as quickly as possible.
DO Protect Your Valuables
Your valuables include important possessions and documents and should be protected if at all possible. If you notice a flood disaster in your home and it’s rising, after you’ve gotten everyone to safety you’ll want to get all valuables that you can to a safe area.
DO NOT Go Near Downed Power Lines
If there are any downed power lines in your area because of the flood, avoid them! There are great risks of electric shock or worse when water meets electricity, so avoid this at all costs.
DO Shut Off Your Power and Water
If possible, shut off your power so that there are no complications and fire hazards with the flood. Additionally, try to shut off your water so that no plumbing or pipe disasters cause similar problems.
During a flood disaster, the most important thing to do is stay calm, get everyone to safety, and call for help.In a move swift to the point of blindsiding the man pegged to be his replacement and shocking to the pitching staff, the Astros fired pitching coach Brad Arnsberg Tuesday — a stunning fall for someone who was credited with much of the Astros staff’s improvement in 2010.
Doug Brocail was pulled off the trade-deadline preparation he was doing in his former role as special assistant to the general manager to take over on an interim basis.
After several weeks of mounting tensions and what the club described as “philosophical differences,” things came to a boiling point in a disagreement in Monday’s series finale against the Braves. Manager Brad Mills and general manager Ed Wade spoke by phone after the game, and Wade called Arnsberg on Tuesday morning to inform him he had been fired.
“We couldn’t seem to get on the same page. Brad Arnsberg is a tremendous pitching coach, has a great work ethic and a tremendous passion for what he does and the guys that he worked with,” said Wade, who flew back to Houston from a personal trip, speaking to the suddenness of the change. “But when differences of opinion become philosophical differences, then something has to be done about it.”
Added Mills: “To do something like this is tough. But at the same time, we’re trying to do what we can and create an atmosphere for these guys to be successful.”
Arnsberg felt the atmosphere had been deteriorating for weeks.
Job became ‘less fun’
“It got less and less fun to come to the ballpark, and that’s not good,” Arnsberg said, citing disagreements with Mills and Wade. (All parties declined to get into specifics.)
The move was so sudden that Brocail, a 15-year major league veteran, said he had not been given the time to brief his wife before accepting. Brocail said he would have that conversation late Tuesday, but he could see himself finishing the year as pitching coach.
Arnsberg’s firing comes 20 months after he was hired following a stint in Toronto to replace Dewey Robinson, who was gone in the purge of much of Cecil Cooper’s coaching staff.
After a slow start last year, Arnsberg’s staff finished in the middle of the National League pack, with particular improvements from Bud Norris and Wandy Rodriguez, both of whom have continued their success in 2011.
The rest of the staff, for the most part, has plummeted. At the time of Arnsberg’s firing, the Astros stood second-to-last in the National League with a 4.69 ERA and had a major league-worst 13 blown saves in 23 chances.
The firing was not performance-related, it was stressed, nor was it part of a larger housecleaning by the incoming ownership group. In fact, because Arnsberg signed a contract extension last September and there was more than a season and a half left on the deal, the current brass reached out to owner-to-be Jim Crane regarding the move.
So Arnsberg, who will receive the money he is due on his contract, packed up his truck and headed to the Metroplex, where he keeps his permanent home. He spent much of Tuesday morning speaking with the pitchers he is leaving behind and said those relationships were never strained.
“I think there were philosophical differences between the skipper and myself and Ed and myself,” Arnsberg said. “I’ll leave here, for whatever it’s worth, with my head held extremely high, and I wish (owner) Drayton (McLane) and the players, coaches and front-office people nothing but the finest.”
Among those whom Arnsberg aided most was Brett Myers, who credited the coach with helping revitalize his career. Arnsberg was a big reason Myers signed a midseason extension last year instead of testing the free-agent market.
Players, staff offer praise
“He was very strong-minded and believed what he believed in, just the way I am,” Myers said. “It’s kind of hard not to butt heads with a guy when we think we’re right most of the time. Sometimes it doesn’t work, and sometimes it does.
“It’s just tough to see a guy who has a mind like that and understands baseball as much as he does … to get rid of what I thought was one of our assets. But that’s not our decision.”
That was the feeling around the clubhouse and one echoed by Brocail, who last pitched in the majors with the Astros in 2009.
“I’m taking over for one of the best pitching coaches in the game,” said Brocail, who will try to be a fast learner and who, like Arnsberg, will emphasize video work as part of preparation. “I sat the guys down to say, ‘Hey, I’m not here to make changes.’ We’re going to go out, get our work in, and hopefully be successful.”
zachary.levine@chron.comCLOSE Breaking his silence on the issue, President Donald Trump is discounting allegations of sexual assault against Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore and said Tuesday that voters should not support Moore's "liberal" rival. (Nov. 21) AP
Laurie Roberts: Trump told us you can do anything to a woman if you were powerful. We just didn't believe him. Until now.
President Donald Trump (C), first lady Melania Trump, their son Barron, National Turkey Federation Chairman Carl Wittenburg and his family and members of the Draper County, Minnesota, 4-H chapater pose for photographs after Trump pardoned, Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the Rose Garden at the White House November 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Following the presidential pardon, the 40-pound White Holland breed which was raised by Wittenburg in Minnesota, will then reside at his new home, 'Gobbler's Rest,' at Virginia Tech. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images)
It’s galling enough that we have president who has been accused of groping women and assaulting women.
Galling enough that he was caught on a hot mic bragging about how a powerful man can do anything to a woman.
“Grab them by the p---y,” Trump said in that now-infamous "Access Hollywood" video. “You can do anything.”
On Thursday, he proved his point. He all but endorsed Roy Moore for the open Senate seat in Alabama. Moore, a man who has been accused of molesting 14- and 16-year-old girls and trying to start a relationship with three other teens when he was twice their age.
“He totally denies it," Trump said of Moore. “He says it didn't happen.”
True. And Trump says he didn’t assault any of the 16 women who came forward during the campaign to describe their experiences with Trump. All 16, we are told, are liars.
Would it be different if Moore was a D?
One wonders how Trump’s thinking might be altered if Roy Moore had a D behind his name rather than an R.
Actually, one doesn’t have to wonder. Within hours of Leeann Tweeden accusing Democratic Sen. Al Franken of forcibly kissing her and posting a 2006 picture of him groping her as she slept, Trump pounced.
"The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?" Trump tweeted. "And to think that just last week he was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women."
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GABRIEL: Why sexual predators exist in politics
MY TURN: Vote for Roy Moore to get rid of him
Yes, and to think that just today, our president was telling us that a possible pedophile is preferable to a liberal Democrat in the United States Senate.
It's stunning. But it's not terribly surprising.
After all, Trump said you can do anything to a woman and get away with it.
Clearly, he was right.
MORE FROM ROBERTS:
Al Franken gets a pass because Trump got elected?
Al Franken should resign
Roy Moore proves how out of step Jeff Flake is with GOP
Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/2B1b4UCBy Mark Athitakis
In late March, novelist Marilynne Robinson caused a stir after a reading when she casually let slip that she was working on a fourth novel set in the fictional town of Gilead, Iowa. “People should be prepared to say quartet instead of trilogy,” she told an audience at Columbia University, to rousing cheers.
Why so excited? Of course, Robinson is among America’s finest novelists, and the broad themes of her writing — faith, home, community — have wide appeal, especially for readers who recognize her as one of the few non-didactic writers on those subjects. Robinson has bridged stereotypically red-state and blue-state values without seeming to compromise either; her prose conveys patience, care, and consideration in a society sorely lacking in all of those things. “She evokes the hope of heaven in the everyday, and the promise of baptismal blessing in ordinary water,” as Briallen Hopper wrote in a recent critical essay on Robinson’s work.
[blocktext align=”right”]We’ve been projecting our complex feelings about God, conformity, and Middle America onto Iowa for a while now. A couple of science fiction novels that predate them suggest just how flexible and provocative the theme can be.[/blocktext]Thing is, Robinson hasn’t just been sending us to Iowa and dunking us in sacred streams. If religious comfort is what we’re looking for, cozy devotionals abound. Part of the appeal of Gilead, Home, and Lila for many, I suspect, is how they undo our received notions about religion and the Midwest. This isn’t the place to get into the details of that, since what I really want to talk about are space aliens and police states. But the strength of the Gilead novels is the way they decouple faith from clichés about faith. There’s a hint that that’s what many of Robinson’ readers hunger for in a question one audience member had for Robinson after her announcement: Would the book feature Jack Boughton, the complicated prodigal son of the earlier novels? Robinson replied that she got that a lot.
Robinson and Jane Smiley have spent their careers weaving transgression into the seeming calm of the Iowa cornfields. But we’ve been projecting our complex feelings about God, conformity, and Middle America onto Iowa for a while now. A couple of science fiction novels that predate them suggest just how flexible and provocative the theme can be.
In 1951, Robert A. Heinlein published The Puppet Masters, a lively, pulpy allegory on groupthink and political manipulation. Aliens have arrived on Earth eager to attach themselves, barnacle-like, to the backs of unwitting humans, and they’ve landed in what is apparently the easiest place for them to take over: Grinnell, Iowa. Soon the state is a “pest house of slugs” that quickly spreads through the nation’s center, and Federal agents Sam and Mary are charged with eradicating them. (The first hint that these zombie Iowans are no longer red-blooded Americans is that they’ve resisted Mary’s feminine wiles: “Something was wrong with them. They were dead inside. Harem guards, if you know what I mean.”)
Heinlein has his share of fun throughout the novel riffing on Iowa’s blandness. (“There was no news from Iowa, but when is there any news from Iowa?”) But less overtly, The Puppet Masters argues that Iowa — and much of the Midwest — is a place where appearances are deceptive. Kansas City, in this post-World War III future, has a “gamy reputation” despite outward appearances that make it “feel like an enclave of security, impregnable, untouchable.” Iowa, meanwhile, responds to a government edict that citizens strip to the waist by sending out fake TV footage that all is well. Beneath those genial exteriors is a malevolence — or, perhaps more precisely, Heinlein suggests that the Iowan geniality is easy for malevolent forces to exploit.
But The Puppet Masters isn’t about Iowa so much as it’s about Iowa as a placeholder for a country’s Cold War fears. As Heinlein himself put it, the novel is a “thinly disguised allegory, a diatribe against totalitarianism in all its forms.” A more sophisticated treatment appeared a couple of decades later, in Thomas M. Disch’s 1979 novel On Wings of Song, a science fiction novel that’s also a fine coming-of-age novel as well, and with enough digressions into matters of faith that it’s Robinson-esque in its own way.
The novel’s premise at first rains some Heinleinesque contempt upon the state where Disch grew up. Growing up in Amesville, teenaged Daniel dreams of being able to fly under his own power, which some (like his mother) are able to do by singing. But in this dystopian future the Iowa government can barely tolerate music, and flying is banned outright — “people were concerned about it as part of Iowa’s general decline,” as Daniel explains. Eager to escape the “undergoders” in charge, he makes a trip to more liberal Minneapolis and starts exploring. But when he starts delivering copies of the Star-Tribune back home he’s sent to prison for a year, where among his jobs is processing “a specially mutated form of termite that was used as a supplement in various extended meat and cheese products.”
Clearly, the only thing a smart and ambitious young man ought to be doing in Iowa is getting the hell out of Iowa — something he eventually does alongside his girlfriend, Boadicea (unsubtly named for a first-century rebel against the Roman Empire). But after Daniel settles into New York in the second half of the novel, it’s also clear that Disch is balancing a ledger of sorts. On Wings of |
one of the few entrepreneurs with a successful exit of a tech company in Kenya;
Bitcoin community in Kenya and Nairobi: the Bitcoin community has been growing and their passion is infectious. Back in 2014, we used to gather for meet ups on Ngong road. Today, the community has grown beyond any physical space. Even i find it difficult to pin exactly how many people are involved now. But, everyday, there’s someone new sending me a text or a call to ask – what is this Bitcoin?
That tells me people are talking, and there is organic growth.
Bitcoinist: Are there other African jurisdictions you consider are leading the way in this respect?
MK: Perhaps South Africa.
What do you think is the best use-case for Bitcoin in Sub-Saharan Africa? Let us know in the comments below!
Images courtesy of youtube.com,Authored by Daniel Ameduri via FutureMoneyTrends.com,
As I sat down to enjoy some smoked salmon at a recent BBQ I attended, I ended up at a table with two recent high school graduates.
To my disappointment, when I asked them what their plans were for the summer and beyond, both said they were heading to college.
With student loans and a wasteful four years in front of them, I couldn’t help but ask why.
Is there really anything that takes 4 to 8 years to learn or become an expert in?
Seriously, what a waste of time. Even Ham, the first ape that went into space, only trained for 2 years.
Colleges have convinced nearly everyone that you need a degree to be an effective employee or higher-income adult, but this is just not true.
I can tell you as an employer that I’ve never asked a single person what their grades were and I’ve never asked to see a degree.
The ugly truth is the ones with college degrees usually end up writing SEO articles for $15 an hour and the skilled workers who’ve been writing code as a hobby or editing videos for years on a MAC end up as managers making $75+ per hour.
Young people today who sign up for college are committing to 3 things.
1. Debt: It’s pure insanity that you’re required to pay for information that is freely available to all.
Think about it: a Google search, a 6-week or 6-month course, on the job training… All of these beat the price of college tuition.
Why anyone would borrow money for a college degree makes no sense. Unless the government has screwed your industry with a mandatory college degree in order to get some sort of license, like to practice medicine or law, what exactly is it that you need to pay the college for?
2. Four unproductive years: Ouch! One of the biggest negative effects is that you’re detouring a life for 4 full years or more.
It’s totally unnecessary at this point. When I was 18 years old, I made $55,000 while my peers sat in a classroom learning things that were forgotten before they even left the campus that day.
By the time I was 22 years old, instead of having a degree, I had made $260,000 working at a job for the past four years, I owned two businesses that cash-flowed, and I had over 10 rental properties, not including about $400,000 I had made from flipping homes as a side gig.
3. A workforce that isn’t there: Let’s be honest, colleges are preparing our young people for an economy that no longer exists!
We live in a global freelance economy. Employers want results for the lowest possible price, and they have the entire world to hire from.
The entitlement mindset and enormous false expectations a college puts in a person’s mind are only setting them up for failure.
Summary: The disservice in teaching people that education comes only from school has put millions of families in debt.
The college bubble — both the 1.2 trillion worth of student loans and the lie that you need a degree — is literally coming apart at the seams.
If you know a young person, help them get ahead by not going to college.The Neurocritic has compiled a collection of interesting neurological studies where a number of patients seems to have experienced a profound change in their sexual preferences as a result of brain disturbance.
One of the most well-known of these studies is a recent case of a man who was convicted of paedophilia late in life, but was later found to have a brain tumour, and on removal of the tumour his sudden interest in children disappeared. It reappeared again when the tumour once more began to grow.
The case has raised questions about free will and self-determination in light of the fact that such morally reprehensible acts seemed only to occur when a tumour was affecting brain function.
It’s importantly to mention that brain damage rarely causes such tragic events, although sexual difficulties, in general, are not uncommon. Problems can range from difficulties with arousal and enjoyment, to behavioural disturbances and inappropriate behaviour.
In some rare cases, preferences themselves seem to be affected, although it’s never clear whether it’s actually that the person has different desires, or whether they always had them but now are, perhaps, less able to stop themselves acting on them.
It’s easier to think that damage has changed people’s desires when the behaviour markedly unusual, such as this case of a man who was, to put it bluntly, screwing the coin return tray of a public telephone after brain deterioration.
But one thing we know from the forensic literature and cases of healthy people who accidentally die during sexual practices (for example, these two), is that no matter how strange the attraction seems to you, someone is out there expressing it.
Not all of the cases of changes sexuality after brain damage are where people act outside of the norm, of course. In one, admittedly, not brilliantly detailed case, an apparently exclusively homosexual man found he developed heterosexual attraction after a stroke.
Sadly, this area is massively under-researched so we really know relatively little about how different aspects of desire, emotional attachment and sexual behaviour are handled by the brain, but these case studies give us a window into the possibilities.
Link to The Neurocritic on ‘Unusual Changes in Sexuality’.There are many metrics Wall Street analysts use when breaking down a stock’s value. The common ones of course are earnings, revenue, sales, margins and other important benchmarks. One that many like is free cash flow yield, which is calculated by taking the free cash flow per share divided by the share price. The higher the number, the more attractive the investment.
In a new research note, a Jefferies analyst combined the highest free cash flow yield with at least 10% return on invested capital and 6% return on assets over the past 10 years. This screen produced 14 outstanding stocks, and we focus on the five with the highest free cash flow yield: Western Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: WDC), Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) and Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR).
Western Digital
This top tech company is a leader in the total addressable hard disk drive (HDD) market at a very strong 43%, and it also sports a very impressive 7.89 free cash flow yield. Western Digital attributed much of the gain in revenue growth in recent quarters to the consumer electronics/gaming unit, which saw the biggest upside in the fiscal fourth quarter, shipping 10.9 million units, up 67% year over year. This could help temper the current PC decline that is hurting some tech companies.
While most on Wall Street acknowledge that some believe that cloud data centers are being built using solid-state drives (SSD) and NAND flash memory, the vast majority of storage in the public cloud is stored on traditional HDDs, a positive for top companies like Western Digital in the space.
Western Digital investors are paid a 2% dividend. The Thomson/First Call consensus price target for the stock is $119.42. Shares closed Friday at $99.75.
ALSO READ: Huge Dividend Index Rebalance Means Massive Buy Orders for 5 Stocks
Intel
Intel was recently highlighted as one of the companies having among the highest shareholders cash returns at approximately 8%. This goes along with any outstanding free cash flow yield of 7.63%. The iconic chip giant had a stellar 2014 on the tailwind from continued PC and notebook sales, but it has suffered this year as PC sales have slowed. The stock has underperformed the S&P 500 year to date.
Intel warned first-quarter earnings and forward guidance would be less than expected, and it delivered just that earlier this month. The stock has turned up since and is offering patient investors a solid entry point.
Intel investors are paid an outstanding 3% dividend. The consensus target is posted at $34.95. Shares closed trading on Friday at $32.08.Declassified Documents Prove NSA's Bulk Metadata Collections Completely Unnecessary
from the but...-but...-haystacks! dept
Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall have posted a statement in response to the NSA's compelled release of declassified documents. The statement points out that Americans will now have a better grasp on the size of the "iceberg" that once lay hidden below the barely-visible tip.
Wyden and Udall go on to state that what's been released in these documents indicates that the bulk metadata collection programs the NSA swears are so essential to its counterterrorism efforts are clearly unnecessary.
In addition to providing further information about how bulk phone records collection came under great FISA Court scrutiny due to serious and on-going compliance violations, these documents show that the court actually limited the NSA’s access to its bulk phone records database for much of 2009. The court required the NSA to seek case-by-case approval to access bulk phone records until these compliance violations were addressed. In our judgment, the fact that the FISA Court was able to handle these requests on an individual basis is further evidence that intelligence agencies can get all of the information they genuinely need without engaging in the dragnet surveillance of huge numbers of law-abiding Americans.
All the violations of civil liberties have likewise been unnecessary and the supposed high wire act of "balancing" privacy concerns with national security is swiftly being proven to be just that: an act. If the NSA was able to still operate under these restrictions, its claims that only huge haystacks have the capability of producing needles is demonstrably false. General Alexander's desire to grab all the data has had a markedly deleterious effect on the agency's ability to operate within the guidelines set down by the FISA court.Udall and (especially) Wyden have been muted in their attempts to warn US citizens about the data harvesting occurring just out of sight. But Ed Snowden's leaks have forced the issue into broad daylight, vindicating these senators' rigid stance against the increasing reach of our nation's security agencies.As they say, the NSA's bulk records collection is not only a "significant threat to the constitutional liberties" of American citizens, it's also a "needless" one. The second half of that statement is the most damaging. Abuses, overreach and data collections amassed for the sake of collecting data -- an ultimately all for nothing.
Filed Under: bulk colleciton, mark udall, metadata, nsa, nsa surveillance, ron wyden, section 215This is a pretty cliche topic Lol Watched a bunch of theories..I liked some of them but this like my favorite one so I made a comic about it(basically about lion beinng pink pearl)The panels (layers) Corrupted so much in the making hahhaha. I was suppose to finish this 2 days ago when one of the panels corrupted...and I felt like ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I am so not doing that again. But hey..uh...it turned out fine right?...right?..right?..Lol..I just hope the quality is good...I rlly hate dealing with quality ugh. The flow of the story is weird but..you know me. I didn't show much pink pearl cuz I was running out of panels and I didn't feel like extending the whole thing. (extending ruined one of my works..so no Lol) anyways..hope you like mah crappy background hahahhahaha I didn't put much details since..I seriously forgot how steven's room looked like..So I just went for whatever comes to my head. Although, I could've gotten reference, dunno why I didn't. anyways For those of you who hate or disagree with this theory..Please don't hate me LolI just seriously Find the the whole idea cool. Although there's not much evidence to it hehePs. hehe geddit?..Lion..is Lion :> : > :>Whoops! Maybe you were looking for depression?
Article about a person or thing written in the style of that person or thing
This article is funny because it is written in the writing style (or what one might imagine to be the writing style) of its subject. If you do not find it funny, it is probably because you are an ignorant, cultural philistine, who does not recognise this fact without having it explained to you.
Radiohead have been around since 1985, making shed loads of money for corporate suits but with 110% artistic control about what they choose to wear on stage. Thom Yorke sings every Radiohead song except for "Fitter happier", a song sung by guest star Stephen Hawking. Hawking expressed the hope Radiohead would record an audio version of his book A Brief History of Time in return.
The band consists of Thom (Also known by his stage name, thong_defiowncewin//1_yt) Yorke, Thom Yorke_2.0, That guy from Red Hot Chili Peppers and an ensemble of 42 other motherfuckers. However, thong_defiowncewin//1_yt and his successor/desciple/clone/fanboy Thom Yorke_2.0 (whom, surprisingly, are the only two original members of the band) have been downgraded for consistently having their decisions over the band and its members, including claiming to have had 11 different trumpeters in the recording for their Grammy-award winning/"loved by the public" album Kid A (which was later remixed by Some fucker named under the title Kid A Reborn, Remixed, and Reloaded. Even though this album brought the chaotic sounds of Kid A to a mainstream audience, this was still the fucker's worst reviewed and most hated album of his entire career. Score 1 for unnecessary criticism.)
The name Radiohead, however, came all the way from 1983 when a then-teenaged Thom Yorke went on a field trip to a world-famous museum. While there, he encountered a special copy of the Bible. After buying the book for an indistinguishable price, he finally opened up the book to, oh, somewhere in the freaking book. However, he never realized that opening that one book could change his life forever. One of the storys (or however you spell it) in there that he remembered for the rest of his life was one from around the middle of the book. It had stated that Jesus and Satan fought in a game of Twister and, when Satan won, Jesus took the thing nearest to him and threw it at Satan, thus redeeming him to hell. 3 years later, when Thom Yorke was on tour for the band Masculine Family Killas or Thom Yorke and all his Friends and had just summoned his de facto successor Thom Yorke_2.0, Mr. Yorke and founding member Ed Sullivan were playing a game of chess. When Ed Sullivan won with a checkmate, Thom Yorke remembered what to do. He picked up the thing nearest to him (In this case, a boombox that had been placed on the nearby coffee table) and threw it at Sullivan's forehead. The somewhere-around-50 members of the band loved the so-called "trick" that Yorke pulled off, and declared Sullivan and the band as Radiohead.
Outsiders have criticised Radiohead as 'difficult', 'pretentious', 'best advertisement for anti-depression drugs' and 'analogue anoraks' but the band insist their music speak for them. So here goes.
sung to the tune of “Airbag”
>we are phil selway >thom yorke and colin greenwood we are in a band >then theres ed and theres jon: jon is colins brother now we are in a band..!!in the nineties we was cool but then we ripped off Aphex Twin!! >in the deep deep sssleep of the self-assured we are in a band >in a weird screwed up song we're amazed that we survived our hubris saved our lives
sung to the tune of "Paranoid Android"
please could you stop the noise im tryin to teach a CLASS? we formed our band inside our highschoolmusic room huh dont stare!! when we were kids they called us gits and kicked our balls they took our lunch money and gave us quite a fall huh dont stare!! nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnature made us look pretty ugly b a ld i n g w h i n y s q u i n t y l i t t l e f a i r i e s “you dont remember “why dont you remember our names?
]!!warning!! song is too long truncating for radio edit**
Artist:Thom Yorke, Title: I'm going to sell this for USD $600,000
fitter wealthier more productive
comfortable
not sucking so much
regular play on the radio (3 times a day)
getting on better with your hypocrite college contemporary audience
at ease
playing well (no more local bar concerts and no more name-calling)
a better songwriter
a nicer car (groupie smiling in back seat)
touring lots (with REM)
still paranoia
careful to all producers (always following orders)
keep in contact with old favourites (playing creep on command)
will frequently check account at (moral) bank (tons of money)
favours for favours
fond but not in love
charity for the cameras
on fridays recording session
(starting to compose with piano instead of guitar)
get drunk (also on fridays)
still afraid of cars
and airplanes
writing so ridiculously teenage and desperate
writing so childish
at a faster pace
quicker and more complicated
no chance of escape
now self-employed
concerned (but self-absorbed)
an empowered & informed member of Oxfam (pragmatism and idealism!)*]
etc, etc,
]syntax error
]more syntax error
sung to the tune of "Karma Police"
karma police arrest this band they ripped me off singing bout computers and bout crashing aeroplanes. karma police arrest this man his whiny singing is making me depressed &he just took our m0ney. tHis is what you get. tHis is what you get. tHis is what you get when you spend on us. karma police ive given all ican its not enough ive given all i can but theyre still milking b-sides. tHis is what you get. tHis is what you get. tHis is what you get when you spend on us. (phew for a minute there i had to ralph)
sung to the tune of "No Surprises"
our hearts were full up like a landfill got bored with playing music. started playing noise. we were so tired and unhappy. tired of our old sound. we searched. searchedfornovelty. we found noisy synthesizers. a wonky beatbox.+ you pretended that you liked us. you pretended that you liked us. you pretended that you liked us yeah. silence! silence! here's a final song with final whacked out brass band you pretended that you liked us. you pretended that you liked us. you pretended that you liked us, yeah. such a shitty song and such a shitty album. you pretended that you liked us. you pretended that you liked us. you pretended that you liked us yeah
2.5Amnesssiac(1)///Half of nothing, nothing of halfs/////2001 [ edit | edit source ]
sung to the tune of "All I Need"
>We're the next act. You will hear our sound. >We're the best thing our computerized music's so profound. >Singing 'bout knives out and some distorted static sound We're all you need. We're all you need. You're in the middle of our picture. Buying our CDs. >It's all wrong. It's all right. >It's all wrong. It's all right. >Wait how could something so wrong be so right? >It's so wrong. It's so right.
hail to the thief*52365435737474374374374733376437564375697569700 [ edit | edit source ]
sung to the tune of "The Tourist"
i guess we've seen the top and fallen. nowhere else to go. awesome, then we got too clever, our fanbase would know. sometimes I get over-smart, that's when you see red. they ask me where the hell i'm going?? i'm john cage the second hey man slowdown. idiots slow down.
Artist: Thom Yorke, Title: I made this when I was Drunk
RADIOHEAD HAVE MADE A RECORD.
SO FAR, IT IS NOT ANY GOOD.
sung to the tune of "High And Dry"
Two discs in a set I bet you think that’s pretty clever don’t you boy We’re without a record label watching as our profits quickly drop You’d kill yourself to buy the discbox; you’d kill yourself to ever pay for that We broke another rule; We're turning into something that we fought So please pay high Don’t leave us dry The songs on here are less depressing, but that really isn’t saying much The album feels like broken pieces, the songs here simply do not measure up We’re the ones who'll rip you when we make you scrounge and pay the forty pounds We might as well just spit at you; you will be the one screaming out So please pay high Don’t leave us dry It’s the worst thing that we’ve ever done; the worst thing that we’ve ever, ever done It’s the worst thing that we’ve ever done; our good years really have since gone away
sung to the tune of "Reckoner"
YOU CAN'T PLAY IT MORE THAN ONCE IT BRINGS YOU NO PLEASURE THOM MUST BE TO BLAME FOR THIS RECORD'S LAME DISTRACTORS DARE NOT LET JONNY PLAY DEDICATED TO MEDIOCRITY BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF IDEAS FOR ROCK SONGS THE KING OF FAIL BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF IDEAS FOR ROCK SONGSS R E C O R D L A B E L S TAKE US WITH YER IT'S YORKE'S NEW SOLO ALBUMOn a crisp Saturday morning, Delga Park, just north of downtown Fort Worth, was beautiful. The deep blue sky was spattered with cumulus clouds, and birds flitted among shade trees at one end of the park, sandwiched between I-35W and the Trinity River. The grass was neatly trimmed and trash-free; the ball field sparkled. The only thing missing from the scene was anyone to enjoy it.
Over the course of nearly two hours not a single parent with a stroller walked the footpath. No kids played ball or swung on the swings or used the slide. No one except this reporter was enjoying a cup of coffee at the picnic tables.
Maybe the park’s emptiness was a fluke. Or maybe not: Within a half-hour of arriving, I felt a light searing of something acrid at the back of my throat. Within an hour my eyes began to unexpectedly tear, and after two hours I had to leave because breathing was becoming difficult, even though I was sitting still.
If a recent snapshot of the park’s air quality is accurate, the same might happen to anyone who spent time in the park — and to many who live in the neighborhood.
At the far end of the park is a huge natural gas compressor station built by Chesapeake Energy. Over the past several years, pictures and videos taken with forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, which detect gases not visible to the human eye, have consistently shown the Chesapeake facility to be leaking huge plumes of poisonous gases into the atmosphere around Delga Park.
A June 1 air sampling by the nonprofit ShaleTest Environmental Testing, paid for by a $10,000 grant from the Patagonia Environmental Fund, showed the makeup of those emissions: benzene, a carcinogen, in quantities many times what is deemed safe by state guidelines; xylene, which can have developmental effects on fetuses, in concentrations much higher than allowed; and lower but still troublesome levels of toluene, also a carcinogen, plus a long list of volatile organic compounds that contaminate groundwater when they eventually sift out of the air and fall to earth.
The study, called Project Playground, involved collecting air samples in state-of-the-art canisters from five park areas in North Texas located near gas drilling or processing sites. One sample from each site was taken on single days between Oct. 28, 2012, and June 1, 2014. Besides Delga, the sites included Trinity Park in Fort Worth; McKenna Park in Denton; a playground in DISH, in Denton County; and a spot in Mansfield that’s surrounded by four parks. At Delga Park, pollution dispersion air modeling was also done to project how far the airborne toxins would travel from their source.
The study’s most damning finding is that benzene levels at three of the parks exceeded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s maximum recommended limits for long-term exposure. At Delga Park the levels were more than seven times that maximum level; in DISH they were nearly three times the limit and in Denton one and a half times the limit.
Other troubling findings: Toluene levels exceeded TCEQ’s maximum for long-term exposure at two parks, and propene — also known as propylene, which can cause headaches, confusion, memory loss, and even seizures — was above the allowable levels at the Mansfield location.
Dozens of other dangerous chemicals were found that did not exceed TCEQ long-term exposure limits. However, many researchers believe those chemicals still represent a serious health threat. In combination, even at allowable levels, the chemicals could be much more dangerous than they are individually.
The report was released on Monday.Scientists who were told of its results said the findings should cause concern for kids living near and playing in those parks. Breathing those chemicals for long periods each day, over months or years, could cause a myriad of illnesses, many of them potentially life-threatening, they said.
“The mix of chemicals from the gas operations might be more toxic than they would be for any single chemical,” said Dr. Anne Epstein, a specialist in internal medicine.
“The people living around Delga Park, in particular, are going to be sacrificed in the long term,” said Calvin Tillman, former mayor of DISH, and co-founder of ShaleTest. “And the sickening thing is that they’re being sacrificed so that the gas company can make a few bucks.”
********A pair of male swans have made a love nest in the UK:
"The pair show no interest in their female companions and only have eyes for each other. Dave Wheeler, from the swannery, said: 'The two birds both hatched in 2002 and are sort of together. "They have been together for several nesting seasons and basically keep territory as if they are a nesting pair.' The twosome flock together at the start of the nesting season in March and perform rituals associated with a breeding couple."
Said Manager of Abbotsbury Swannery, John Houston: "They sit on the nest and act in every way as if they were a pair expecting to lay eggs. It is quite sweet…They just always stay together and I hear that they have some spectacular fights with each other, but they always make up and get back together. We have more than a thousand swans here in the reserve and they are the only two doing this. We realised they were together because the swan herds can obviously tell the difference between the males and females as the cobs have a much larger bump on their nose. They are sexed and tagged at birth so we know from their rings that they are both male."I received very thoughtful gift package that contained a couple chocolate bars that look delicious (peanut butter and toffee & almond crunch, mmm!).
A gift card to Sephora which I definitely can use!
A few tins of whipped shea butter which I can't wait to use (lavender coconut, tangerine vanilla, and warming ginger)! Thanks holycrapwtfatheism's wife! :)
And a pair of comfy red thermal socks since we're both in the northeast and it's freezing out! And I actually have a condition that makes my fingers and toes painful when it's cold so I love warm socks.
But quite possibly the best part was the sweet handwritten card that was also included. Reading the reasons behind each gift was fun and the part wishing me happy holidays for my first holiday season as the real me brought tears of joy to my eyes. What he means by that is this is my first holiday season as Jessica. I'm a transgender woman who finally figured things out and started my transition earlier this year. I've been going through so many positive changes but it's also been hard at times but even so I've been filled with holiday spirit this year since I'm finally happy and able to be the real me so reading those kind words just made me so happy!! :)
This was such an amazing gift and I really needed some cheering up after being a bit down lately and I'm just so happy that awesome people like holycrapwtfatheism and his wife are out there!
Thanks!The native ad boom, in one chart. BI Intelligence Native is one of the hottest topics in digital media, and advertisers and publishers are taking notice.
By creating advertisements that are in the same format as the content audiences are there to consume, marketers hope to provide a much less disruptive advertising experience. Native ads have also proven effective, drawing higher click rates than traditional banner ads, particularly on mobile devices.
New and exclusive data from BI Intelligence finds that spending on native ads will reach $7.9 billion this year and grow to $21 billion in 2018, rising from just $4.7 billion in 2013. We are the only research service that has provided a detailed breakdown of spend projections and growth rates for each of the three main native ad types — social-native, native-style display ads, and sponsored content.
Here are some of the key takeaways:
Social native ads will account for the biggest share of native ad revenue during this time period, but native-style display ads will grow the fastest.
Social-native, including Facebook News Feed ads and promoted tweets on Twitter, will draw a majority of native ad revenue between 2013 and 2018.
Native display ads, like the splashy native ads on Yahoo's news pages and apps, will see the fastest ramp-up.
Sponsored content, like some of the paid stories and sections on BuzzFeed and The New York Times (and Business Insider), has also attracted considerable attention.
Native ads perform better than traditional display. This is particularly true on mobile. Desktop native click-through rates (CTRs) averaged a respectable 0.15%, while native-mobile ads had CTRs over 1%, according to recent data from Polar Media Group and Celtra, respectively.
Consumers hold a generally positive attitude toward native advertising, according to survey data, but advertisers and publishers must ensure that ads are relevant and are purchased by trustworthy brands to avoid the risk of any mainstream backlash.The two sides are now in agreement on "the exact content of a joint action plan" to stem the flow of refugees arriving to Europe, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said after the refugee summit in Brussels early Friday.
The EU and Turkey also agreed to "speed up" the talks on easing visa restrictions for Turkish citizens, according to Juncker.
The plan mostly deals with providing more aid to help Turkey manage around 2 million refugees on its soil. Turkey is also the main starting point for the hundreds of thousands of refugees crossing the Mediterranean and entering Europe, with many EU officials pressuring the country to crack down on human smugglers.
Turkey had previously asked for 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) in financial assistance, while the EU offered only 1 billion euros.
Commenting on the request after the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Turkey had already spent 7 billion euros on refugees, and it would make sense for the EU to provide the equivalent.
However, financial details are still being worked on, according to Juncker. There was also no immediate schedule on the plan's timeline.
EU needs 'adequate response' from Turkey
Speaking to the press, European Council President Donald Tusk stressed that the agreement "only makes sense if it stems the influx of refugees."
He added that Turkey would have to meet its commitments to help control the flow of migrants, mostly fleeing the war in Syria, and ensure that their asylum requests were properly dealt with.
"We need a response and an adequate response from the Turkish side; they are our partners in the crisis and the'more for more' principle applies," he said.
Merkel also announced that the EU had agreed to open new chapters in Turkey's long-running EU accession talks, without providing further details.
Merkel will meet Turkish leaders in Istanbul on Sunday.
dj/cmk (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)Download your Facebook information (and maybe that of others)
The Facebook nightmare of a security bug exposing the contact information of some of its more than 1 billion members has come true, the social networking company admitted today.
The good news is that the impact was minimal, outing only 6 million members' email addresses and phone numbers in a very roundabout way, and Facebook has already corrected the White Hat glitch.
"No company can ensure 100 percent prevention of bugs, and in rare cases we don't discover a problem until it has already affected a person's account," Facebook said in a statement.
"A bug may have allowed some of a person's contact information (email or phone number) to be accessed by people who either had some contact information about that person or some connection to them."
Inadvertently stored information
Facebook's friend recommending service, which asks to use a member's third-party contact lists and address books, is the source of this White Hat bug.
"We try to match that data with the contact information of other people on Facebook in order to generate friend recommendations," explained the company.
"Some of the information used to make friend recommendations and reduce the number of invitations we send was inadvertently stored in association with people's contact information as part of their account on Facebook."
No evidence of malicious hacking
There is no evidence that this bug was exploited maliciously, according to Facebook, which said it has not received complaints from users or detected anomalous behavior.
That's probably because it would have taken a little work for a chance to access the exposed information.
"If a person went to download an archive of their Facebook account through our Download Your Information (DYI) tool, they may have been provided with additional email addresses or telephone numbers for their contacts or people with whom they have some connection."
"This contact information was provided by other people on Facebook and was not necessarily accurate, but was inadvertently included with the contacts of the person using the DYI tool."
Facebook immediately disabled the DYI tool and fixed the issue within 24 hours, however, it's still emailing the 6 million potentially affected users.
It stressed that "no other types of personal or financial information were included and only people on Facebook – not developers or advertisers – have access to the DYI tool."
"Your trust is the most important asset we have," Facebook said at the conclusion of its statement. "We are committed to improving our safety procedures and keeping your information safe and secure."WASHINGTON - Sixteen water protector groups along with local residents, Indigenous representatives and activists attended the Water Is Life: Strengthening the Great Lakes Commons in Flint this past weekend. Attendees pledged to challenge Nestlé’s water takings and end the water crises in Flint, Detroit and Indigenous nations.
Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians presented the keynote speech on Friday evening to a crowd of more than 200 people at Woodside Church in Flint.
“The summit this past weekend was a powerful moment for water justice organizations, Great Lakes residents and Indigenous representatives. We came together to challenge the issues that our governments are failing to address,” said Barlow. “We renewed our commitment and outlined concrete steps to secure the human right to water and bring about water and social justice for all communities around the Great Lakes.”
People shared stories of violations of the human right to water – that echoed a similar message – water in communities around the Great Lakes is being put at risk by privatization and commodification.
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Sylvia Plain, from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, near Sarnia, expressed that Indigenous nations have always kept their treaty promises but are still waiting for American and Canadian governments to reciprocate.
In her Saturday keynote, Claire McClinton of Flint Democracy Defense League told the crowd, “In Flint, Michigan, you can buy a gallon of lead free gas, or a gallon of lead free paint, but you can’t get a gallon of lead free water from your own tap.”
Nestlé Waters is the common face of water privatization in Ontario and Michigan. Summit participants expressed outrage that Nestlé to take water (cheaply) for private gain while Flint, Detroit, and Indigenous communities cannot rely on public systems or the government for clean water. The Ontario government is allowing the bottled water company to pump up to 4.7 million litres of water per day on two expired permits in Wellington County. Bottled water is used as short-term band-aid solutions to water crises in Flint, Detroit and Indigenous nations.
At the Summit conclusion, representatives of the sixteen water protection organization pledged to work together to protect water in their communities. Leading up to the Ontario provincial election next year, the Council of Canadians is calling on party leaders to commit to phasing out bottled water permits over the next ten years.
###It’s one of the strangest holiday traditions in late 19th and early 20th century New York City.
On Thanksgiving day, kids (and often adults as well) used to dress up in costume (cowboys, pirates, and princesses were big) or in their most threadbare clothes and go door to door in the neighborhood, asking, anything for Thanksgiving?
How the tradition started isn’t all that clear. Though New Yorkers had been celebrating Thanksgiving as an official holiday since 1817, it was only nationalized in 1864.
Somehow, a day to feast |
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I think it's a pretty safe bet to say that the GE Tigers will make it into the finals seeing as how they are the clear favorites with an undefeated record in the LCK. But as for the other side of the bracket, I think the competition will be a lot closer because of how random the teams there can play. Between WE/TSM/CJ and Gambit whoever is having the best day would win. I wouldn't say there are clear favorites.
There has been a lot of discussion recently about the changes to the jungle during this season and the most recent patch. What are your thoughts on the current state of the jungle?
I think that at the moment the jungle is still the most influential role in the game just because it can get the lanes rolling very well. The downside is that in competitive matches, teams don't take that many risks in the laning phase meaning that the jungler likely doesn't get big advantages and therefore finds himself in a position of a utility/ward bot with minimal damage. The days of carry junglers like Kha'zix or Nocturne could be long gone.
How are you finding the transition from the European LCS to the NA Challenger scene? Is it hard acclimating to a new region?
Alex Ich: I haven't played in LCS for a while already, and switching from LCS to challenger scene is relieving a lot of pressure, but at the same time LCS allows you to keep yourself in shape. So overall I would like to get back there to start competing on top level. I don't think there is much difference between EU and NA scene though. All in all, I am really enjoying playing with the people in the Challenger scene and really excited about my team’s vision and future prospects.
Your former team, Gambit Gaming, have had an up-and-down season, with them now playing some of their best play since you left the team. They've played with both Niq and Betsy, finally choosing Betsy as their starter. Which of the two mid-laners would you choose to build a team around?
I think it is really hard decision for anyone. Switching players is always hard, especially if they were performing good enough to be there. I think Betsy is better choice, especially right now when NIQ hasn't played League for couple of weeks and is out of shape, but in my opinion he really needs to prove himself long-term.
You and Crumbzz have been in the professional scene for a long time, but you two have always been in separate regions. How does it feel playing with him and building a team together?
We have both earned a lot of haters and a lot of people underestimate us a lot. I don't really want any hype around us building a team together but at the same time we both need and want to prove a lot to the community and ourselves. At the very least, I know it’s going to be a lot of fun!
You have a lot of fond memories from IEM. Do you have any predictions for IEM Katowice?
No predictions. My heart belongs to kings of IEM - Gambit Gaming. I hope they get IEM boost and crush everyone. #GOGAMBIT
Have there been any players in NA solo queue/the Challenger scene that have left a positive impression on you?
There are a lot of good players here. I don't see much difference in playing solo-queue in different regions. It is always the land of throws. It is fun and annoying at the same time, mostly depending on your mood. I think the best players you can meet in solo-queue are mostly LCS players and Challenger series players. Honestly, there aren’t really a lot of good players outside the teams right now in solo queue.
A year from now when people are talking about Alex Ich, what do you want people to say about you with your new team?
Well first of all we need to get to challenger series and LCS, that's our goal. But ultimately I want them to know me as a team-player who never gives up and will never stop fighting.
We would like to thank the Chris Badawi, Alberto "Crumbzz" Rengifo and Alexey "Alex Ich" Ichetovkin for the interview. theScore will continue to bring coverage as their new Challenger team attempts to move up the ranks in North America.In the 1950s, Democratic senators from the solidly Democratic South uniformly supported segregation and opposed civil rights and voting rights bills. They dutifully spent long hours on the Senate floor filibustering such efforts. Legend has it that during one marathon filibuster, after Olin Johnston of South Carolina, a populist liberal on economic matters, handed off the baton to Strom Thurmond, Johnston went into the cloakroom where many of his colleagues were seated, gestured back toward the Senate floor, and said, "Old Strom, he really believes that [expletive]."
This story came to mind with the recent blizzard of attacks on Barack Obama by Republican presidential wannabes and other office-seekers, along with their allies on cable television and talk radio. The most extravagant rhetoric has come out of the gathering of Southern Republicans in New Orleans, led by former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who called Obama "the most radical president in American history" and urged his partisan audience to stop Obama's "secular, socialist machine."
At the same conference, Liz Cheney, the former vice president's daughter who is often mentioned as a possible Senate candidate from Virginia, fiercely attacked Obama's foreign policy as "apologize for America, abandon our allies and appease our enemies." And last week the ubiquitous Sarah Palin said of the arms-control treaty Obama signed with Russia, "No administration in America's history would, I think, ever have considered such a step," likening it to a kid telling others in a playground fight, "Go ahead, punch me in the face and I'm not going to retaliate."
On talk radio, Rush Limbaugh accused Obama of administering "statist-assisted suicide." Talk show host Michael Savage called Obama's health-care plan "socialized medicine" and described the nuclear treaty as "insane." These are not isolated comments; the terms "radical," "socialist" and even "totalitarian" are bandied about frequently by Obama opponents, including congressional and other GOP leaders.
To one outside the partisan and ideological wars, charges of radicalism, socialism, retreat and surrender are, frankly, bizarre. The Democrats' health-reform plan includes no public option and relies on managed competition through exchanges set up much like those for federal employees. The individual mandate in the plan sprang from a Heritage Foundation idea that was endorsed years ago by a range of conservatives and provided the backbone of the Massachusetts plan that was crafted and, until recently, heartily defended by Mitt Romney. It would be fair to describe the new act as Romneycare crossed with the managed-competition bill proposed in 1994 by Republican Sens. John Chafee, David Durenberger, Charles Grassley and Bob Dole -- in other words, as a moderate Republican plan. Among its supporters is Durenberger, no one's idea of a radical socialist.
What about Obama's other domestic initiatives? The stimulus was anything but radical -- indeed, many mainstream observers, me included, thought it was too timid in size and scope given the enormity of the problems. The plan could have been more focused on swift and directed stimulus. It included such diversions as a fix for the alternative minimum tax -- at the insistence of Grassley. And it excluded some "shovel-ready" ideas such as school construction -- at the insistence of Republican Sen. Susan Collins. It did not include the kind of public works jobs program employed by Franklin Roosevelt. Nonetheless, it has been widely credited with ameliorating the worst effects of the downturn and helping to move us back toward economic growth. The widely criticized Troubled Assets Relief Program -- initiated by Obama's predecessor -- is now returning to the Treasury most of the taxpayer money laid out to keep us from depression and deflation.
It is true that, in an attempt to head off a meltdown stemming from a collapse of the automobile industry, Obama engineered a temporary takeover of two of the Big Three auto companies. But nothing suggests that this is anything but temporary, and Obama has resisted many calls to take over major banks and other financial institutions.
The nuclear treaty with Russia excoriated by Palin, Savage and others was endorsed by Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, the GOP's resident foreign policy expert, and it was crafted under Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was first appointed to that post by George W. Bush. Obama's approach to terrorism has been similar to Bush's, while more aggressively targeting leaders of terrorist groups; his larger foreign policy has received the seal of approval from James Baker, former chief of staff to Ronald Reagan and secretary of state to George H.W. Bush. Obama's energy policies include more nuclear power and more offshore drilling. Obama's education policies have received wide acclaim across the political spectrum. The "secular" president has shored up and supported federal faith-based initiatives, to the dismay of many in his base.
Looking at the range of Obama domestic and foreign policies, and his agency and diplomatic appointments, my conclusion is clear: This president is a mainstream, pragmatic moderate, operating in the center of American politics; center-left, perhaps, but not left of center. The most radical president in American history? Does Newt Gingrich, a PhD in history, really believe that [expletive]?
The writer is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.Most women hate their bodies. This is one of those boring facts that everyone knows and no one bothers to change. We half-heartedly order women to “love themselves” and “embrace their curves.” We encourage them to watch Dove adverts so that they may campaign for Real Beauty (while also worrying about ugly underarms). We eventually tell them fuck it, beauty is empowerment, why not embrace your self-hatred? Whatever we do, it’s not all that important since at the end of the day it’s all vanity. Hate away.
I can’t remember a time when I haven’t hated my body. Really, truly hated it, albeit in a way that I don’t tend to think of as hate (I think of it as “having a shit body” or “being a fat, ugly bitch” or in countless other ways which problematize not my hatred, but my body itself as an offensive object). At times my hatred of my flesh has almost killed me, leading to hospitalisations and force-feedings. I still wish there was less of me. Whatever my size I will always wish to be less.
When women like me shrink away, no one finds it strange. When we have our thighs sucked off, our breasts inflated, our cunts trimmed, we might find it an oddity – just about – but it will be positioned as personal choice. We don’t think of it as oppression. It is privilege and narcissism that makes us do it, a silly desire to be just like the women on the telly. The fact that we are susceptible to a mass of cultural influences telling us we should be bare, tiny and plastic is seen as weakness on our part. We are meant to overcome this (while also being bare, tiny and plastic, as if by magic, as if by sheer force of will).
In Redefining Realness Janet Mock defines cis as “a term used for people who are not trans and more likely to identify with the gender that correlates with the sex they were assigned at birth”:
Most cis people rarely question their gender identity because the gender binary system validates them, enabling them to operate without conflict or correction.
Has anyone who has been assigned female at birth ever been enabled to “operate without conflict or correction”? Don’t most cis women spend their whole lives trying to “become women”? I see this very much in the context of beauty ideals (amongst other things). Cis women do not get handed womanhood on a plate. On the contrary, most of us never escape the feeling of having failed.
We spend our waking hours trying to conform, trying to manage personhood, trying not to take up too much space. We have ourselves sliced and inflated, we starve ourselves, paint ourselves, rip out our body hair, binge, vomit, cry at the sight of our ugly thighs and flabby stomachs. We live our lives on hold, waiting to blossom, then watch ourselves become invisible as we age. We do all this without even noticing, let alone protesting. Our dissatisfaction with our bodies in relation to how womanhood is perceived is viewed as our problem alone. We don’t talk about it to anything like the degree to which most of us are thinking about it (that is, most of the time).
Cis women – primped, primed cis women – are not believed to have a problematic relationship with gender, or if they do, it is seen to be of their own making. Because discomfort within one’s own body is so embedded since girlhood it is not remarked upon, which leads to the assumption that cis women do not even experience gender sufficiently to be able to critique it. This is of course bullshit. It is there with us every day of our lives. It constrains us. The idea that cis women don’t ask questions because they don’t have to – not because they are oppressed in ways others simply view as normality – betrays a shocking lack of empathy. Transitioning from male to female is no more a dramatic or meaningful expression of discomfort with one’s own gender identity than having one’s labia reshaped. Yet one is considered so extreme it must betray a deeper engagement with gender as a fundamental truth, while the other is seen as just some stupid thing cis women do.
All women are gender non-conformists, every single one of us. We have to be because we are human, something which gender itself does not recognise. We have to challenge the strictures of gender in order to assert our own personhood and we do so in different ways, in accordance with the conditions of our own lives. Anyone who positions themselves above this — who believes themselves to be queering gender in a way that other women don’t need to – simply can’t be bothered to consider the specificities of other women’s lives. It’s privileged nonsense. When we starve, when we binge, when we hate ourselves for taking up space, we are negotiating the same old shitty relationship with women’s bodies in the world. We should not make light of it nor should we accept it as the best we can have. If we want all people to love their bodies – or at least to live in them without hate – we need the space to critique what gender is doing to each and every one of us right now.
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Last year, New Mexico passed one of the most restrictive asset forfeiture laws in the country. It requires state and local governments to actually get a criminal conviction before they can take a suspect’s property. It essentially does away entirely with “civil” asset forfeiture, a practice most people tend to find appalling once you convince them that it actually happens.
Somehow, Albuquerque didn’t get the message. There’s ample evidence that the city simply chose to ignore the law and continued with the seizures. It’s easy to see why — over about five years, the city brought in more than $8 million in revenue by taking property from people who were never convicted of a crime. In some cases, it took cars from people who could prove they had nothing to do with the alleged crime associated with their automobile. Last November, two state lawmakers sued the city to make it stop.
Additionally, several citizens sued. One of them was Arlene Harjo, whose car was seized after her son was pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence. With the assistance of the Institute for Justice, she went to court, and was scheduled to have a court date this week. Instead, the city conceded defeat and returned her car. (All the while, Harjo has had to continue to make payments on the car, despite not being able to use it.)
But the city’s lawyers found a way to concede without giving a state court the opportunity to halt its continued flouting of the state law. The city claimed that Harjo’s car was outside city limits when it was taken (and that the police officer who claimed otherwise wasn’t telling the truth.) Therefore, the argument goes, the city didn’t have jurisdiction to take the car. By admitting to violating one law, the city hopes to continue violating another. As the Institute for Justice attorney points out in the linked article, the city had no interest in determining whether the car was within city limits when police initially seized it, nor when the city demanded Harjo pay $4,000 to get it back. It was only when Harjo put millions of dollars of city revenue at risk that Albuquerque officials bothered to check whether the officer had broken a different law.
The good news is that the state judge rejected the city’s request this week, and Harjo’s lawsuit to halt the city’s illegal forfeitures will continue. Ideally, this will end with not only a halt to the illegal forfeitures, but also an investigation into appropriate sanctions for the city officials who decided that the city didn’t need to obey the law.Ours is an upside down America under siege. And it’s not from war-ravaged Syrian refugees, Muslim adversaries, or even Russian spy ships lurking off our eastern coast. Rather it’s from a dispassionate political party for whom facts are malleable and a self-aggrandizing man who is, at best, a delegitimized president and, at worst, perhaps the most effective Russian operative to ever infiltrate American politics. Trump and the GOP have created a blueprint on how to spread hate from the top down whilst trampling all over the tenets of our democracy. Brace yourself: America’s undoing has begun in earnest.
Many argue that our perilous times were foreshadowed with ringing bells and blaring whistles. Trump, after all, breathed life into voter’s anger, giving their resentment a pulse and their fear a heartbeat. Now, Trump and the GOP are set to lead a fascist movement that will send America careening off its axis, ushering in an era replete with tragedies of Dickensian proportions. From wire-hanger abortions and state-sanctioned discrimination, doom and gloom are headed our way. To wit: in January atomic scientists advanced the doomsday clock closer to an apocalypse, in part due to Trump’s rhetoric and the fear that he’ll escalate an arms race. Through willful isolation, plans to create an affluent oligarchy, the promise of protecting white privilege, and misinformation warfare, they’ve already begun repealing rights and politicizing the absurd.
Having a defiant and derogatory leader, intent on creating a new world order, will weaken our alliances and embolden terroristic elements.
A master propagandist, Goebbels Trump is at his best when he peddles in fiction, distributing demonstrably false news and repeating a lie until it has the look and feel of the truth. (He continues to baffle with the ridiculous claim that millions of illegal immigrants voted for Hillary Clinton, and he implied there was a terrorist attack in Sweden when no such incident occured). The media, which he tries to delegitimize, and who are already taxed with having to report fairly on a candidate encased in secrecy—is he heavily in debt to Russian banks and why won’t he release his taxes—now has to dispel ridiculous conspiracy theories from an incoming regime that believes in “alternative facts” of the “Elvis is alive” type. The scope and depth of his nescience is staggering. And while Trump diverts the media’s attention by lashing out at everyone from swanky department stores to the Pope, he is simultaneously agitating our allies, debasing the judicial branch and sparking constitutional crises. American stability impacts much of the world. Having a defiant and derogatory leader, intent on creating a new world order, will weaken our alliances and embolden terroristic elements.
It’s in America’s best interest if there is a unified Europe. As such, Trump and the GOP’s plan to willfully isolate America and her interests should be more alarming than the “war on Christmas” or entrusting a woman to govern her own uterus. From slighting China (who must remain an ally if we’re intent on impeding North Korea’s nuclear ambitions), German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mexico, NATO members, and those countries involved in brokering The Iran Deal, to suggesting that America pillage from her allies in wartime—a violation of international law—Trump continues to prove that he has a dangerously dim understanding of national and international policy. Speaking to congress, General Petraeus recently weighed in, warning that Trump poses a “threat to global stability,” more a highly plausible prediction than sheer partisan hyperbole.
Race matters. And the preservation of white privilege and fragility were as much a campaign promise as erecting a ridiculous wall on our southern border.
Further, how can Trump master international relations if he—ignorant to domestic legislation—can’t complete the elementary task of culling together a cabinet? His controversial picks—a gaggle of grossly unqualified billionaires who’ve bankrolled dozens of Republicans—prove that he’s solely focused on creating a caste system, deregulating Wall Street and creating policies that are a boon for America’s elite. If all are confirmed, his cabinet will also be the richest and whitest administration in our nation’s history. (Ben Carson, while black, doesn’t count in the same way that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas doesn’t matter). What does matter is having a cabinet that is out of touch with much of the country it plans to govern. Lest we forget Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell—whose own home state happens to be the food stamp capital of the country—voted a half dozen times to raise his own pay while he and Republicans routinely voted against raising the minimum wage. And if the middle class is vulnerable then the working poor are in grave danger, including those who voted along racial lines. Their skin, no matter how white, won’t curry favor from a cabinet only interested in matters they can privatize and monetize, to ridiculous effect.
Race matters. And the preservation of white privilege and fragility were as much a campaign promise as erecting a ridiculous wall on our southern border. Contrary to conservative thought, Mexicans aren’t raping and pillaging entire communities. And blacks aren’t languishing in super ghettos, their illegal guns pressed to their chests. Yet Republicans have spent years delegitimizing and marginalizing minorities by upholding a justice system that is inherently biased and engaging in voter suppression. The confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General—he once argued that those registering black voters should get a 200-year prison sentence—is concerning in the same way that far-right ideologist Steven Bannon having a seat on the National Security Council is both frightening and maddening.Governor Mike Pence of Indiana, pictured on March 31, 2015, joined the two dozen state leaders refusing to accept Syrians for fear that violent Islamist infiltrators are concealed among them (AFP Photo/Aaron P. Bernstein)
Washington (AFP) - A family of Syrian refugees accepted into the United States has been re-routed after the governor of Indiana objected to them coming to his state, officials said Wednesday.
A non-governmental resettlement agency had planned to send the family of three, selected from a UN refugee camp in the Middle East and vetted by US security agencies, to start a new life in Indianapolis.
But after Indiana's Governor Mike Pence joined the two dozen state leaders refusing to accept Syrians for fear that violent Islamist infiltrators are concealed among them, the agency re-directed them to Connecticut.
Spokesman John Kirby said the US State Department respected the NGO's decision to re-route the family, but made it clear that the federal government did not agree with state governments blocking refugee settlement.
"Obviously," he said, "we want to uphold our values as an immigrant nation. And we want to see communities around the country -- and there are some 180 that routinely welcome refugees -- we want to see that continue.
"So, is it optimal to re-route based on concerns expressed by one or other state? No, that's not."
Kirby said the US mood had changed because of a "very strident and in some cases hyperbolic reaction" to last week's murderous attacks in Paris, and defended the vetting process that potential refugees undergo.
Some 187 Syrians have been admitted to the United States since the start of the fiscal year on October 1, a tiny fraction of the 10,000 President Barack Obama has said he wants to admit over the 12-month period.
It is also a small fraction of the total US refugee resettlement program, still the world's largest despite public concern about immigration from the Islamic world.
"The program has admitted 785,000 refugees in the 14 years since 9/11," Kirby said.
"Of those, only about a dozen have been arrested or removed from the United States due to terrorism concerns that existed prior to their resettlement in the United States. And none of them were Syrian."President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will formally inaugurate their partnership Wednesday in talks that could shape a new approach by Washington that does not emphasize a two-state peace framework for the region.
Such a move, outlined by a U.S. official before the meetings, would mark a sharp contrast to Obama administration policies that strongly supported the two-state formula as the best option for potential peace deals between Israel and the Palestinians.
Many Palestinians also would view the shift as a virtual abandonment of the principle adopted by preceding administrations, both Republican and Democratic. In a possible attempt to ease Palestinian concerns, however, Trump’s CIA chief held secret talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, according to a senior Palestinian official.
On the U.S. side, the Trump administration seeks a clean break from President Barack Obama’s Middle East policies and wants to forge an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement — what the businessman-turned-president calls “the ultimate deal.”
A White House official told reporters that the United States will not insist on two states as the only outcome for peace.
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“Maybe, maybe not. It’s something the two sides have to agree to. It’s not for us to impose that vision,” the official said. “A two-state solution that doesn’t bring peace is not our goal,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the potential U.S. policy change.
While the previous administration did not insist on a two-state solution, it was presented as the best approach. That approach, however, is increasingly out of favor with the Israeli government.
In the West Bank city of Jericho, Saeb Erekat, a top Palestinian official and former peace negotiator, called any possible attempts to undermine support for the two-state solution as a “disaster and a tragedy for Israelis and Palestinians.”
“To those who think the current system today is acceptable, having one state with two systems, which is apartheid, I don’t think they can sustain it, not in the 21st century,” said Erekat, a veteran of seven U.S.-brokered peace talks with Israel.
On Tuesday, CIA chief Mike Pompeo held secret talks with Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the Palestinian official said, marking the first high-level meeting between the Palestinian leader and a Trump administration envoy. The Palestinian official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pompeo visit.
The CIA declined to comment on the report.
On the Israeli side, Netanyahu is counting on the Trump administration’s aggressive and skeptical U.S. approach to Iran and the 2015 nuclear deal, as well as nearly unqualified support for policies toward the Palestinians that have brought international condemnation. And to his political right at home, an increasingly powerful Israeli political constituency wants carte blanche from the new U.S. administration to turn away from the once-shared U.S.-Israeli goal of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“As the president has made clear, his administration will work to achieve comprehensive agreement that would end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so that Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday. “The way forward toward that goal will also be discussed.”
Spicer avoided any mention of Palestinian sovereignty or direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians as peers. That subtle change in the public U.S. stance cheers Israeli hard-liners. But Trump has also sent recent signals that Israel should be cautious about settlement building in the West Bank, a likely point of future conflict with Washington.
“There is going to have to be some tough love,” said David Makovsky, a former senior U.S. envoy during the most recent, failed peace push in 2013 and 2014.
As he headed to Washington, Netanyahu characterized his meeting with Trump as “very important” and said he believed the relationship between Israel and the United States was “about to get even stronger.”
The longtime Israeli prime minister has made clear that he hopes to focus much of the meeting on Iran, which he considers a threat to Israel’s existence and an increasingly emboldened menace in Syria and elsewhere across the Middle East.
“President Trump and I see eye to eye on the dangers emanating from the region but also on the opportunities,” Netanyahu said as he boarded his flight to Washington. “And we’ll talk about both, as well as upgrading the relations between Israel and the United States in many, many fields.”
Netanyahu will also see Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and members of Congress. He and Trump are scheduled to hold a joint news conference following their meeting Wednesday.
The visit takes place in the unexpected shadow of Michael Flynn’s resignation as Trump’s national security adviser. The resignation occurred Monday night as Netanyahu flew to Washington.
Despite the upheaval and potential scandal surrounding the resignation just three weeks into the Trump administration, Flynn’s absence is unlikely to affect the agenda or U.S. positions. His hawkish voice on Iran reflects Trump’s views, and he was not expected to be a main player in any White House push for a peace agreement.
“For both sides, the primary objective of this meeting is to change the political theater of the relationship,” said former U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy Michèle Flournoy. “To change the vibe, the feeling, the perception,” of deep divisions between Israel and its most important ally.
For now, she and other observers said, the inevitable differences will be mentioned as little as possible. “It’s all kumbaya,” Flournoy said.
In the short term, the veteran Israeli leader must show he can deliver on the expectations of firm U.S. support for standing against Iran, the issue that caused the biggest breach with the Obama administration and left Netanyahu looking weak. The Israeli leader tried and failed to stop the international nuclear agreement Obama instigated, going so far as to defy the White House by speaking against the deal in an extraordinary direct address to Congress.
Former U.S. peace negotiator Dennis A. Ross said the Israelis know that Trump will not tear up the Iran nuclear pact, even though he campaigned by calling it “a terrible deal.”
Netanyahu wants an understanding that the United States will act to deter Iran, Ross said, a declaration that any Iranian move toward a nuclear weapon “will produce a military response and not a sanctions response.”
In the future, Netanyahu will need to show that he is not being steamrollered in any peace effort driven by Trump and his close adviser, son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump has already named Kushner as his chief envoy and signaled that he is looking to Arab states to help push the Palestinians toward an accommodation.
Although Trump has nominated settlement supporter David M. Friedman as his ambassador to Israel, he is also on record twice warning Netanyahu against expanding Jewish home-building in the West Bank.
“No deal is a good deal if it isn’t good for all sides,” Trump said in an interview last week with Israel Hayom — a widely circulated free newspaper owned by a Netanyahu patron, the Las Vegas casino magnate and GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson.
“We are currently in a process that has been going on for a long time. Decades. A lot of people think that it can’t be done. And a lot of smart people around me claim that you can’t reach an agreement. I don’t agree. I think we can reach an agreement and that we need to reach an agreement.”
In the same interview, Trump suggested he is slowing down a campaign promise to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, whose future status the United States has long insisted must be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.
Hours before Netanyahu’s departure, Israeli media published leaked information from a discussion that took place Sunday inside the security cabinet. According to the reports, Trump told Netanyahu, when the two spoke for the first time on Jan. 22, that he is determined to pursue a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.
Netanyahu responded that he still supports the two-state solution but stressed it was the Palestinians who are unwilling at this time to reach a peace deal.
“We have to make every effort to avoid a confrontation with him,” Netanyahu reportedly told his ministers on Sunday. “Trump believes in a deal and in running peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. We should be careful and not do things that will cause everything to break down. We mustn’t get into a confrontation with him.”
Trump’s swaggering “new sheriff” posture in defense of Israel on the world stage has “raised a lot of hopes in Israel,” said Yoaz Hendel, an Israeli military historian who chairs the Institute for Zionist Strategies.
“Maybe the Messiah is there and they are going to change everything,” Hendel joked as he characterized the pro-settler view that the American president might reverse years of Republican and Democratic policy by greenlighting a West Bank building boom.
“There is also fear that maybe Trump will wake up one day and decide he wants the Nobel” Peace Prize, Hendel said. “Say to Netanyahu, ‘Make Israel Great Again, let’s cut a deal. What’s so hard?’ ”
That would put Netanyahu on the spot, as his critics at home well know.
Naftali Bennett, Israel’s education minister and leader of the pro-settler Jewish Home party, called the coming White House session “the test of Netanyahu’s life.”
William Booth in Jerusalem and Greg Miller in Washington contributed to this report.Loading...
Dutch PVV leader Geert Wilders has a statement about the loss of freedom of speech in the Netherlands, which he compares to Turkey's recent crackdown on free speech."I just heard penal sentence demanded by the public prosecutor; a penalty of five thousand euros. Speaking about one of the biggest problems of our country, the problem with Moroccans, is now punishable according to the elite, and hence we are slowly but surely losing our freedom of speech. Even asking a question is no longer allowed. Even though millions of people agree.""And Moroccans have suddenly become a race, so if you say something about Moroccans, you are now a racist in the Netherlands. Nobody understands that. It is utter madness. Only meant to shut you and me up. While in other countries the people sent the elite home, here they want to silence an opposition leader. The Netherlands is running the risk of becoming a dictatorship. It looks like Turkey. The differences between the Netherlands and Turkey are getting smaller.""The opposition is silenced. I was elected by nearly a million people. That number will even be higher on march 15th next year. And it is my duty to talk about the problems even when the political correct elite led by Prime Minister Rutte refers not to mention them. Because looking away and remaining silent is not an option. I have to say it like it is."Watch the full statement:Comment below.The Easter Bunny is an anthropomorphic, egg-laying rabbit who sneaks into homes the night before Easter to deliver baskets full of colored eggs, toys and chocolate. A wise man once told me that all religions are beautiful and all religions are wacko, but even if you allow for miracles, angels, and pancake Jesus, the Easter Bunny really comes out of left field.
If you go way back, though, the Easter Bunny starts to make a little sense. Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal. Plants return to life after winter dormancy and many animals mate and procreate. Many pagan cultures held spring festivals to celebrate this renewal of life and promote fertility. One of these festivals was in honor of Eostre or Eastre, the goddess of dawn, spring and fertility near and dear to the hearts of the pagans in Northern Europe. Eostre was closely linked to the hare and the egg, both symbols of fertility.
As Christianity spread, it was common for missionaries to practice some good salesmanship by placing pagan ideas and rituals within the context of the Christian faith and turning pagan festivals into Christian holidays (e.g. Christmas). The Eostre festival occurred around the same time as the Christians' celebration of Christ's resurrection, so the two celebrations became one, and with the kind of blending that was going on among the cultures, it would seem only natural that the pagans would bring the hare and egg images with them into their new faith (the hare later became the more common rabbit).
The pagans hung on to the rabbit and eventually it became a part of Christian celebration. We don't know exactly when, but it's first mentioned in German writings from the 1600s. The Germans converted the pagan rabbit image into Oschter Haws, a rabbit that was believed to lay a nest of colored eggs as gifts for good children. (A poll of my Twitter followers reveals that 81% of the people who replied believe the Easter Bunny to be male, based mostly on depictions where it's wearing a bowtie. The male pregnancy and egg-laying mammal aspects are either side effects of trying to lump the rabbit and egg symbols together, or rabbits were just more awesome back then.)
Oschter Haws came to America with Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in the 1700s, and evolved into the Easter Bunny as it became entrenched in American culture. Over time the bunny started bringing chocolate and toys in addition to eggs (the chocolate rabbit began with the Germans, too, when they started making Oschter Haws pastries in the 1800s).
The Easter Bunny also went with European settlers to Australia—as did actual bunnies. These rabbits, fertile as they are, got a little out of control, so the Aussies regard them as serious pests. The destruction they've caused to habitats is responsible for the major decline of some native animals and causes millions of dollars worth of damage to crops. It is, perhaps, not a great idea to use an invasive species as a symbol for a religious holiday, so Australia has been pushing the Easter Bilby (above, on the right), an endangered marsupial that kind of looks like a bunny if you squint. According to some of our Australian readers, the Easter Bunny is not in danger of going extinct.WASHINGTON — Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, speaking Jan. 2 on National Public Radio’s “The Diane Rehm Show,” made some of her |
right or wrong answer to all of this.
Pederson and Roseman need to figure out what they want to do at QB and then go from there. They need the Eagles to be competitive in 2016, but you can argue that leaning more toward a youth movement is the way to go for building for the future. Is it better to go 6-10 and have an extra couple of rookies in the lineup vs going 8-8 with veterans in those spots?
It will be interesting to see if there are any disagreements and how they play out. Roseman isn’t the most patient guy, but the offseason moves of 2011 and 2015 might be enough of a lesson that he’s willing to pass on quick fixes. Roseman had nothing to do with Chip’s decisions last March so that might help the perspective of that situation to resonate even stronger than it would if those were his moves.
Pederson was part of Reid’s first Eagles team so he knows about building a strong core and how that can pay off. Will he have the patience to go that route? Just how good does he think the Eagles roster is?
Soon enough we’ll start to see what the Eagles plans are. We’ll see how they handle Bradford. We’ll see what they do in free agency. Those will give us some hints about pick 13 and what we should expect in 2016.
_0 Lakewood man booked for manslaughter in wife's shooting
LAKEWOOD, Wash. - A man who said he accidentally shot and killed his wife Thursday night in Lakewood has been booked on first-degree manslaughter charges.
Skylar Nemetz, 20, is a Specialist in the 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The shooting happened at the Beaumont Grand Apartments in the 8500 block of 82nd Street Southwest about 6 p.m.
According to police, Nemetz told detectives he accidentally shot his 19-year-old wife, Danielle, while cleaning his rifle in their third-story apartment.
She died at the scene.
Police said during an interview, Nemetz told detectives that he thought the gun was unloaded, but did admit to intentionally pointing it at his wife and pulling the trigger. Police said Nemetz was never able to articulate exactly why he shot her.
The Pierce County Prosecutor's Office said Danielle was sitting at the computer when Nemetz shot her in the back of the head with an AR-15 rifle.
Neighbor Brandon Cochran said he heard the gunshot.
"I just heard one bang and then I heard him saying, 'Oh my God, oh my God.' And then she started to scream and yell, and then she stopped screaming, and he just kept saying, 'Oh my God, oh my God,'” said Cochran.
He said Nemetz, who was wearing a white T-shirt with blood stains on it, came out of the building looking distraught.
When asked if the shooting was a case of domestic violence, police said they didn’t have a record of officers coming to the unit for domestic violence calls.
Neighbor, friend and fellow soldier Ben Bergmark said he did not hear any arguing before the single gunshot was fired and said his friends had a good marriage.
"He's a hard-working person and I think it was all accidental. They've always been very nice when we would talk to them. And I try to give people the benefit of the doubt as well," said Bergmark.
Want to talk about the news of the day? Watch free streaming video on the KIRO 7 mobile app and iPad app, and join us here on Facebook.If there was any hope that the state was seeking a compromise with the federal government over Texas’ Women’s Health Program, it’s fading fast. At the direction of lawmakers and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, the Texas Health and Human Services commissioner signed a rule on Thursday that formally bans Planned Parenthood clinics and other "affiliates of abortion providers" from participating in the program — something the Obama administration has said is a deal-breaker for the nearly $40 million-per-year state-federal Medicaid program.
"The Obama administration is trying to force Texas to violate our own state laws or they will end a program that provides preventative health care to more than 100,000 Texas women," said Allison Castle, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry. "This boils down to the rule of law — which the state of Texas respects and the Obama administration does not.
The rule, signed by Commissioner Tom Suehs on Thursday, takes effect March 14. Unless some last-minute agreement is brokered, the program, which receives $9 in federal funds for every $1 in state funds, will be either phased out or cut off by the end of March. At least 130,000 poor Texas women will lose access to cancer screenings, well-woman exams and contraception.
“No one’s politics should interfere with a woman’s access to health care," said Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast President and CEO Peter J. Durkin. "It is shameful that Governor Perry and Commissioner Suehs continue to politicize lifesaving breast cancer screenings and birth control access for low-income women."
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Republican lawmakers worked overtime last legislative session to design language that would keep any Planned Parenthood-affiliated clinics from receiving state family planning and women’s health dollars, despite the fact that taxpayer-funded clinics may not perform abortions. They got the backing of Abbott, who said their efforts were legal, and gave the state’s health commissioner the go-ahead to implement the new language.
But when Texas was faced with renewing the Women’s Health Program this year, officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the state’s plans violated the Social Security Act. They gave the program a three-month extension, but said they had no intention of renewing if Planned Parenthood, which provides 44 percent of the program’s services, was blacklisted.
The stalemate appears unbreakable — Republican lawmakers have made clear they’d rather forgo the program and the federal money than allow Planned Parenthood to participate.
"The Legislature has spoken. The attorney general has said it is constitutional. The Commissioner has signed the rule," said Kyleen Wright, president of the Texans for Life Coalition. "If Planned Parenthood cared as much about affordable health care for women as they say, the would get out of the way so that the program could continue."
State health officials said Thursday that starting in mid-March, Women’s Health Program providers will be required to certify that they meet the new requirements. The Health and Human Services Commission will conduct outreach to enroll more providers who do meet the criteria. And the agency will ask the federal government for another extension of the program in the meantime.
It will be too little, too late, said Rebecca Acuña, a spokeswoman for the Texas Democratic Party.
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"Texas Republicans never miss an opportunity to throw the most vulnerable Texans under the bus so that they can pick a fight with the federal government," she said.
Thanh Tan contributed to this report.
Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.AKRON, OH - AUGUST 22: Supporters hold up signs during a campaign rally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at the James A. Rhodes Arena on August 22, 2016 in Akron, Ohio. Trump currently trails Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Ohio, a state which is critical to his election bid. (Photo by Angelo Merendino/Getty Images)
My mother was 16 years old when she was crowned Queen of the Caruthersville, Missouri American Legion Fair. The prize: escorting President Truman to the county fair. I grew up with a picture of my mother shaking President Truman's hand hanging in the hallway. With pride and awe, I paraded anyone who came to the house past that picture. My mom met the president of the United States!
When I was 18 years old, Ronald Reagan was running against incumbent president Jimmy Carter. My mother, a Democrat, and my father, a staunch Republican, each secretly tried to convince me and each of my siblings to support their candidate, knowing that they'd cancel out each other's vote at the ballot box. We have laughed many times through the years remembering the stories of "backroom deals" made in our household around election time.
Participating in democracy was in many ways simpler, and more civil, then. We conducted our lives and our politics without social media, the 24-hour news cycle, and the ceaseless yammer of pundits yelling past each other. We depended on the evening news, the newspaper, debates, and discussion with our family, friends, and community. And we emerged from the election cycle with our trust in our democracy and our government intact, even if we disagreed with the outcome.
This election cycle has been different than the ones of my younger years. It has been nasty, brutal, and seemingly never-ending. Over the past two years my kids have come home from school with questions about who would be our next president. They haven't had questions about big or small issues of the day, but about whether we were going to have the liar or the crazy person in office. My kids are six- and nine-years-old.
I can't wait for this election to end; I know I am not alone in this.
I am sickened by the hate talk and how, through two years of this campaign season, it has become the norm. I am saddened that the friction between people is palpable and the mistrust in our politics and our politicians is vividly apparent. I can't wait for this election to end; I know I am not alone in this.
I don't think our country can or should tolerate another two years of this kind of disgraceful and vicious discourse. Although we will all be leaving this election behind us in November (hallelujah), we can count on being hijacked again in two years when the next presidential campaign cycle begins in earnest. I don't want that for my kids, my community, or my country. So I've started a petition to limit the campaign season. I am hoping everyone who is sick of what we have all just been subjected to will join me and sign the petition.
Many modern democracies have a limit to the length of political campaigns, as well as restrictions on campaign spending. In the UK in 2015, political parties and candidates had 38 days to make their appeal to voters. In Canada, the last election lasted 11 weeks, which was the longest modern campaign in that country. In France, the election campaign process is generally 2 weeks and in Mexico, it is 90 days with a 60-day "pre-campaign" where candidates vie for the nomination.
The Supreme Court's interpretation of our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech limits the ability for our representatives in Washington, DC, to legislate a more reasonable and healthy campaign cycle. But the Democratic and Republican National Committees can and do set the rules and timelines for the presidential nominating process, which in part drives the extended timeframe for our presidential elections. I hope this petition can deliver a roundly non-partisan message to both the DNC and the RNC: as voters, parents, and citizens of this great nation we demand better from the two dominant political parties.
This petition will not change the quality of the candidates we nominate. It will not fundamentally change the challenges of money in politics or transparency in decision-making. But it's a place to start the conversation about breaking free from the never-ending campaign and the nastiness it brings.She was the Click heard ’round the world: “Hey, who wants to help me get this reporter out of here? I need some muscle over here!”
It’s been a year and a half since the students and faculty of the University of Missouri showed us their unique approach to journalism and free speech. How’s that working out for them?
Jillian Kay Melchior, Heat Street:
New data shows freshman enrollment at the behemoth University of Missouri is just 4,009—down 35 percent since Fall 2015…
The raucous protests — which were sparked by various incidents of alleged racism, racist graffiti and “hate crimes” on campus — were enormously damaging to the university’s reputation, scaring away prospective students in droves…
In response to the declining enrollment and a shrinking student body, Mizzou has taken a total of seven residence halls “offline” in the past two years.
Weird. It’s almost as if people don’t want to pay tens of thousands of dollars a year to be screamed at and scolded for the color of their skin. They can get that anywhere.
Look on the bright side, Mizzou: You’re becoming an increasingly safe space. You can’t have students disagreeing with each other if you don’t have any students!* FDA urges consumers to stop taking intranasal products
* Shares of Zicam maker Matrixx fall 70 percent
* Company says products do not cause loss of smell
* Says may remove products from market (Adds analyst comment, company suspending shipments, closing share price)
By Lisa Richwine and Bill Berkrot
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators warned Matrixx Initiatives MTXX.O to stop selling intranasal versions of its zinc-containing Zicam cold remedy after more than 130 reports of people losing their sense of smell after using the products, sending Matrixx shares into a tailspin.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also urged consumers to stop taking the over-the-counter products, agency officials said on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
Shares of Matrixx, which said the affected products account for about 40 percent its net sales, fell 70 percent to close at $5.78 on Nasdaq.
The company must seek FDA approval if it wants to continue selling the Zicam zinc products that are administered through the nose, agency officials said.
Matrixx, in a news release, said it believes the FDA action to be unwarranted and is in the process of determining its response, which may include pulling the products from the market. The company said it has suspended shipments and will reimburse any customer desiring a refund.
“This is not a short-term overreaction, this is potentially a game changer on the negative side,” Scott Henry, analyst with Roth Capital Partners, said of the plunging share price.
The FDA warning applies to Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size. A public health advisory posted on the FDA website said the products “have all been associated with long lasting or permanent loss of smell” and “have not been shown to be effective in the reduction of the duration and severity of cold symptoms.”
The action does not affect Zicam oral zinc tablets or lozenges, the FDA said.
“There could be fallout on the rest of the brand,” Henry said. “Assuming they cannot overturn the FDA’s decision, you could lose 60 percent of profits, if not higher.”
There is also the possibility of a rash of personal injury lawsuits as a result of a product recall.
“This is a small company. $100 million in litigation expenses could wipe them out,” Henry speculated.
The FDA told Matrixx in its warning letter that the Zicam products are misbranded for failing to adequately warn of risks associated with them.
Matrixx defended the products, saying they are safe and do not cause a loss of sense of smell.
The FDA in its notice to consumers said many people who experienced a loss of smell said the condition occurred with the first Zicam dose, while others reported loss of sense of smell after multiple uses of the products.
The agency noted that loss of sense of smell can limit the ability to detect the smell of gas or smoke or other signs of danger in the environment, and said affected patients should contact their doctors. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Bill Berkrot; Editing by Maureen Bavdek, John Wallace, Dave Zimmerman, Richard Chang)In the very near future Joe Logan lives in a time commonly referred to as the ‘Dislocation’. The price of gasoline is frightfully expensive, unemployment is in the double digits, and Essex, his home town, is as marginal and defunct as is most of the country and the planet at large. On the same evening when Logan is laid off from his job his dog, Tara, is brutally mauled by a large, hideously ugly creature Logan can only describe as a ‘dog-man’. Its body is canine but the face is all too human in appearance. Strangely enough, Tara’s remains are stolen in the middle of the night by figures dressed in protective gear and speed away in a large van. The local police are of little help and seem reticent about giving some indication as to what sort of animal killed Logan’s dog. This sets him on a path to find out for himself and is soon brought into contact with Natalie Schneider, a research assistant for a self styled internet journalist and UFO investigator named Chris Glass. The couple had moved to Essex recently in an effort to discover the cause of an accident that had occurred at the old Pine Haven estate right outside of town. The USAF had taken over the property several years earlier to conduct ‘generic’ research experiments and there was little to no involvement with the local community. At the time of the accident there were fatalities to some of the scientific and technical staff and a shroud of silenced encompassed the estate for nearly five years. Air Force security had maintained a presence up until recently when it was replaced by a private military contractor, Tactical Response Team Management and Control, to guard the estate grounds. The acreage surrounding Pine Haven has since expanded and the fence line beefed up with the latest security technology. A policy of ‘nobody in - nobody out’ is strictly enforced.
Anomalies of a paranormal nature have occurred since before the accident and still continue and Logan has come to believe that Pine Haven holds a key to the death of his dog and the creature that killed her. Logan doesn’t believe most of the stories generated over the years about the ‘Pine Haven Project’, such as interdimensional teleportation and contact with aliens. It was all so much folklore; nonetheless, Natalie Schneider entices Logan to assist her in breaking into the estate grounds in an effort to retrieve an artifact that might give some indication as to what kind of experiments the Air Force was involved in and why it its failure was so catastrophic. Their efforts lead to some rather disastrous results.April 14, 2016
Islamic State Attacks, Occupies Erdogan's "Safe Zone"
The Turkish President Erdogan offered the U.S. "Turkmen" troops to take the Syrian-Turkish border region currently held by the Islamic State. In return he demanded that the U.S. stop its support for the Syrian-Kurdish YPG group that also fights the Islamic State. Erdogan's new demand comes on top of the long standing plan to create a "safe zone" in north Syria in which refugees and "rebels" would be kept safe under a Turkish artillery and U.S. air umbrella.
Over the last two weeks "Turkmen" (Turkish special forces, Turkish volunteers and some Uighur fighters) together with al-Qaeda and some Syrian "rebels" proceeded from the Azaz area towards east along the Turkish-Syrian border. With Turkish cross-border artillery support and U.S. A-10 ground attack air support they managed to take a dozen Syrian villages from the Islamic State. They also captured the important Al-Rai border station.
But the Islamic State counterattacked, reoccupied Al-Rai and today cut off some of the attacking "rebel" forces from their support area around Azaz (black arrow).
Here is a map of the current situation in north Syria.
bigger
In yellow shade the YPG held enclave around Efrin. In red the Syrian government held area around Aleppo city. In green the al-Qaeda and "rebel" held areas. The northern part around Azaz next to the Turkish border is the current point of action. The dark blackish areas are held by the Islamic State.
One can see the corridor next to the Turkish border which the Islamic Sate managed to cut today. It took several villages and a refugee camp that was established on the Syrian side. The refugee camp was then shelled by Turkish artillery to again drive out the Islamic State.
This attack demonstrates that the idea of "safe zones" in norther Syria is nonsense. Such "safe zones" would be major battle ground and would be attacked, as today, from two sides. They are indefensible. On top of that Erdogan's "Turkmen" have proven to be less capable than the YPG Kurds who have withstood similar attacks by the Islamic State.
Further south the Syrian army is near closing the corridor into eastern Aleppo city which is held by al-Qaeda (Jabhat al-Nusra) fighters. This "squeezing" and several other operations, marked with red arrows on the map, are in preparation for a large Syrian army attack along several axis in Aleppo governate and in Aleppo city.
Meanwhile hawks in the CIA and Pentagon want to turn the fighting in Syria into a campaign against the Russians. They want to provide serious anti-air capabilities to al-Qaeda and its "rebel" allies should the current cessation of hostilities not hold:
Officials said the CIA has made clear to its allies that the new systems, once agreed upon, would be given to the rebels only if the truce and the concurrent political track toward a lasting peace—Plan A—fall apart and full-scale fighting resumes.
I consider that to be a CIA offer to the "rebels": Break the ceasefire and you will be rewarded with better quality weapons.
One can only hope that the Obama White House, which earlier had rejected a proxy war with Russia, will therefore also reject this lunatic scheme.
Posted by b on April 14, 2016 at 10:36 AM | Permalink
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Anthony Bourdain and Asia Argento have apparently been staying away from pasta and gelato while in Rome.
see also Anthony Bourdain and Asia Argento flaunt their love The 60-year-old celebrity chef posted a photo of the pair...
The 60-year-old “Parts Unknown” host and his girlfriend were in Italy this week to celebrate her 42nd birthday.
Despite their matching 6-pack abs, it looks as though the couple indulged in a celebratory dinner for Argento, who posted a sweet pic of her and family around a dinner table.
“Best birthday ever. Thank you for the wishes,” the Italian actress wrote.
It must have been a cheat day for Bourdain, who trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu to stay fit.
“I train every day, wherever I am in the world,” he explained to Food & Wine.
The couple started dating in February after she appeared in an episode of his show. Bourdain separated from his wife, Ottavia, who trains as an MMA fighter, last year.Two music stars led a march through North Philadelphia today as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. (Published Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015)
Singer Janelle Monae and hip hop star Jidenna marched through North Philadelphia Wednesday bringing awareness to police brutality and the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
The singers and about 150 protesters gathered near Broad and Susquehanna and marched towards the Uptown Theater on North Broad Street.
During the peaceful rally the protesters spoke out against police brutality and injustice. Organizers of the rally told NBC10 they wanted to spread the message of “black joy.”
“In the wake of police brutality and numerous other things we wanted to make sure that the world knew that black joy is still important and it’s relevant,” said Melanie McCoy, one of the organizers. “Just as important as black rage is, black joy is equally as important. We feel like we can use both.”
Dozens March on Philly Streets for Black Lives Matter Movement
Dozens of people marched through the streets of Philadelphia this afternoon as part of the Black Lives Matter movement that's sweeping the country. NBC10's Doug Shimell reports in North Philadelphia with more on their message. (Published Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015)
Both Monae and Jidenna spoke at the rally.
Monae is a Grammy-nominated R&B, soul and alternative singer whose albums “The ArchAndroid” and “The Electric Lady” have garnered widespread critical acclaim. Jidenna is a hip hop artist signed to Monae’s label Wondaland Records. He is best known for his hit song “Classic Man” which has peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The incident happened on the Monaghan Road near Milford, as Gordon Adair reports.
A teenager accused of killing a 19-year-old jogger in a hit-and-run incident claims he had sold the car involved 45 minutes earlier.
The 17-year-old, who can not be named because of his age, is charged with causing the death by dangerous driving of Lesley-Ann McCarragher in Armagh.
The teenager was taken to hospital in Belfast but later died from her injuries.
The court heard the accused bought the white Saab on Friday.
On Saturday, a witness described seeing it being driven at speeds estimated at up to 90 mph.
The witness said it appeared to be racing a second car, believed to be a black Volkswagen Golf.
The police are still seeking that car and its driver.
A detective told Newry Magistrate's Court that the white Saab was undertaking another vehicle on the hard shoulder when it struck Lesley-Ann McCarragher.
Image copyright City of Armagh High School Image caption A 17-year-old has been charged in connection with Lesley Ann's death
The court heard that the 17-year-old initially denied owning the car when contacted by police on Saturday.
A detective revealed that the woman who had sold the car to the accused received a text from him on Saturday urging her to tell the police, if they asked, that she had sold the car to foreigners.
On Saturday evening, the accused handed himself into police and told them he had sold the car 45 minutes before the accident to foreigners at the side of the road.
The white Saab was later found in a garage rented by his brother.
The accused is also charged with failing to stop or report an accident and having no licence or insurance.
Objecting to bail, the detective said the woman who had sold the youth the car had told officers that she was scared of the accused and his family.
Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Floral tributes were left at the spot where the teenager died
The court also heard that the accused had refused to hand over his mobile phone.
The magistrate said it was a case of "no phone, no bail" and adjourned the hearing while two police officers took the accused to retrieve the phone.
When the court sat again in the afternoon, a solicitor for the accused said an agreement had been reached for the phone to be handed over.
Bail was granted on condition that happens.
The accused will appear again in court later this month.Pareidolia In Space! Rosetta Spacecraft Spots A Face On Comet 67P
You've heard of the 'Man on the Moon' and you may have even heard about the 'Face on Mars', but did you know there is also a face on a comet? ESA's Rosetta spacecraft recently arrived at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after a 10 year journey, but when it sent back images of the 4km space rock, a few eagle-eyed folks on social media remarked that they thought they could see a face staring back at them.
Such occurrences are not as rare as you would think. The trickery of seeing a face on a comet is no different to that of thinking you have seen Jesus on a slice of toast, it's all because of a psychological phenomenon called Pareidolia in which your brain confuses visual or aural stimuli as something completely different.
Check out a few other examples of space pareidolia below:
The Face on Mars
(Credit: NASA/JPL)
A Rat on Mars
(Credit: NASA)
Mimas, the Death Star Moon
(Credit: NASA/JPL - Caltech)
The Martian Man
(Credit: NASA/JPL)
....and of course this beautiful Nebula flipping the bird
(Credit:Hubble)John P. Johnson/HBO
Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Westworld."
As fans try to suck all of the marrow out of the season finale of the first season of "Westworld," HBO is already delivering a slew of Easter eggs in the form of its Delos incorporated website, DiscoverWestworld.com.
The website, which before the finale featured a friendly help bot named Aeden, is now going haywire. And though it may seem like a silly game for fans, there is actually a lot of buried information in the website.
One such Easter egg, spotted by Reddit user Herbrax212, is that we finally know when the events of "Westworld" are taking place.
HBO
As previously discussed, the events of "Westworld" are taking place in three different time frames: Before the park opened, five or so years after the park opened, and 30 years after the park opened.
So when Herbrax212 noticed a timestamp in security footage of Maeve's grand escape — June 15, 2052— we were finally able to date all of the events in "Westworld":
2018— Arnold and Dr. Ford are about to open the Westworld park together.
Arnold, realizing that Dolores is sentient and the park would be hell for her, combines Dolores with a character named Wyatt and has her and Teddy massacre their fellow hosts before Dolores turns the gun on Arnold and then herself. It's a (failed) attempt to keep the park from opening.
HBO
~2022 — William and Logan visit Westworld.
This is when William falls in love with Dolores and the park. After he loses her, he goes on a rampage through the park and realizes he needs to buy it and save it from closing after it reveals his true self.
HBO
2052— Dr. Ford's final narrative, the Man in the Black, and Maeve's escape.
This is "present day" when the Man in Black/William is seeking the maze and Maeve is attempting to escape from the park. June 15, 2052 is the official date the hosts declare war on the humans and Dr. Ford is killed by Dolores.
John P. Johnson/HBO
The second season of "Westworld will be out by 2018— here's hoping we don't get an announcement for a new AI-themed park that same year.Jon Hamm has seemed rather content with the conclusion of "Mad Men" on Sunday, which marks the end of the line for the character that effectively launched his career. But it wouldn't have to be the end for all of the show's beloved characters if Hamm had it his way -- he's got a pretty solid idea for a spinoff.
At the Television Academy's "Farewell to 'Mad Men'" event on Sunday, the now-former Don Draper claimed it would be "less fulfilling" to watch the ensemble move on into the 1970s and beyond, with one exception: Sally Draper.
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“I think a big part of what I really appreciate about this show is that, when people are crying when they watched [Sunday’s] episode, is that the story is complete," Hamm said. "So I think the idea of a spinoff, or a prequel, or an origin story, or whatever longer time to spend with these characters, I think it would be less fulfilling somehow.”
"With that said, it would be Sally,” the star added. “We would want to watch Sally grow up. Move through the ’70s and turn into a rock star and turn into Joan Jett or something. Ride a motorcycle and kill a guy. Make a bunch of money and then become Oliver Stone in the 80s. Date Kurt Cobain in the 90s. She’s just a touchstone for every generation. Yeah, I’d watch that show. 'Sally Through the Decades.'”
Hamm also spoke highly of actress Kiernan Shipka, who has played Sally since she was just six years old. "I’ve looked at pictures of Kiernan when she was in season one... and I don’t have children, but I don’t understand how that works," he said. "They just grow into completely different people. That’s so weird. But that’s been part of Don’s journey, is watching this child, who he’s responsible for, grow into this woman, who he’s also responsible for."
And, like Hamm, we would really, really like to watch that woman's story unfold -- either that, or a gander at what's going on at Holloway Harris by 1980.
(h/t Entertainment Weekly)A winning goal to knock your bitter local rivals out of the cup is one way to endear yourself to your new club's fans, but Fernandes has higher hopes still.
Edimilson Fernandes has told West Ham’s official website that he aims to maintain his impressive start to life in English football and emulate his cousin – former Manchester City midfielder Gelson.
The Hammers replenished their already enviable squad with a number of recognisable names in the off-season, with Sofiane Feghouli, Andre Ayew, Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza all arriving to add to the expectation surrounding the club’s new beginning at the London Stadium.
However, injuries, and a slower than expectation adaptation period, have dogged the aforementioned quartet and the team as a whole so far, with Slaven Bilic’s side only recently hitting their stride after a dismal start to the season that had the Croatian linked in some quarters with a shock sacking.
Thankfully, in a season where many of West Ham’s biggest hitters have underperformed, Bilic has been able to rely on the versatility of 20-year-old Fernandes, the summer signing from FC Sion adapting seamlessly to an unfamiliar left-wing back role before helping seal a famous EFL Cup win against London rivals Chelsea with a sweetly struck 20-yard effort.
And Fernandes has set his sights on maintaining his current rate of progression in order to outdo his older cousin Gelson, who arrived on English shores in 2007 during Sven Goren Eriksson’s short lived stint in charge of a newly-moneyed City.
“I spoke to my cousin Gelson before I joined West Ham. In fact, I speak to Gelson every day about living in England and the Premier League, and we both agree it’s one of the best leagues in the world,” the younger of the Fernandes clan told the club’s website.
“All of the advice he has given me has been really useful, and everything he has told me about English football has come true.
“Although we don’t play the same way, if I could achieve what he has achieved in his career, that would be amazing. If could do more, that would be even better!”
Edimilson certainly has a lot to live up to. Last December, Gelson (below) became the first player this century to score in the Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Serie A.
SEE ALSO: West Ham newboy reflects after making his full Premier League debut out of position
West Ham fans will be hoping their Swiss dynamo doesn’t have any ambitions of equalling that particular feat at this moment in timeNewsGender
December 23, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – An association of pediatricians is condemning National Geographic over its decision to put a 9-year-old child who identifies as transgender on the cover of its January issue.
National Geographic will be highlighting the “gender revolution” for its January 2017 issue, featuring Avery Jackson, a 9-year-old child, the first appearance of a transgender person on the publication’s cover.
Avery is quoted on the cover stating, “The best thing about being a girl is, now I don’t have to pretend to be a boy.”
Michelle Cretella, MD, president of the American College of Pediatricians, told LifeSiteNews that National Geographic is “promoting a political agenda over science and the wellbeing of innocent children” by featuring a young transgender child.
“'Affirming’ so called transgender children means sterilizing them as young as 11years old,” said Dr. Cretella. “Puberty blockers plus cross-sex hormones causes permanent sterility. And biological girls who ‘transition’ to male by taking testosterone may have a double mastectomy at age 16. The life time use of cross-sex hormones also puts these children at risk for stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cancers and more.”
Since the child began to identify as a girl at the age of three, Avery’s parents have remained avid supporters. Avery’s mother, Debbie Jackson describes her and Avery’s father’s feelings of confusion and doubt at the beginning of the process in a video statement: “Until that point she was quite a rough-and-tumble little boy with a buzz cut and a shark tooth necklace. But when she was three, she asked her dad and I if we could buy her a princess dress.”
Jackson explains not buying Avery a dress at first because they thought it was just a phase, but when they found out their son was wearing his favorite dress at daycare they went and bought him a princess dress. According to Jackson, Avery wore that dress every moment while at home, and eventually asked for more: dresses, nightgowns, headbands, and sparkly shoes. But his parents drew the line at girl underwear.
After meeting with a psychologist and endocrinologist, and ruling out any hidden medical issues, Avery was allowed to go to school dressed as a girl. Jackson and her family lost friends and family members and went “into hiding” for a year while Avery “grew out her hair to look like the girl she is,” Jackson explains. When the family emerged, “it was with a very happy and confident daughter.”
Cretella believes it is both unethical and harmful for parents to make such decisions regarding their children’s gender because they will most likely grow out of their gender dysphoria. “When a child under the age of 12 thinks they are the opposite sex and is allowed to naturally pass through puberty, 75%-95% of the time that child will accept his or her biological sex by the late teen years.”
Though National Geographic has covered the transgender before, this is by far it’s most high-profile treatment of the issue to date.
Cretella argues that public support of “transgenderism” in children is tantamount to “child abuse.” “When academic, medical and other public institutions propagate the lifetime use of toxic hormones and the surgical removal of healthy body parts as healthcare for children they are engaged in institutionalized child abuse,” she said.Pacification of students' protests on Maidan, 30 November 2013. Photo: Supercoolpics
Two years after being tortured by militia, Maidan protesters meet their offenders face to face. This time, activists get to decide the fate of ex-Berkut policemen.
Ukraine’s glamorous new Patrol Police is only the tip of the iceberg in Ukraine’s law |
competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. 8/8 Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped £4m off of Flybe’s revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airline’s estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. 1/8 Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis 2/8 Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid £3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA 3/8 RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA 4/8 Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty 5/8 Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty 6/8 Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty 7/8 French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rue’s contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. 8/8 Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped £4m off of Flybe’s revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airline’s estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.
"Firms need to be subject to the same standards of authorisation and ongoing supervision across the EU27 in order to avoid competition on regulatory and supervisory practices between member states."
The watchdog set out nine principles to ensure effective policing of firms looking to set up new operations in Europe.
These include regulators verifying "the objective reasons for relocation" and paying special attention to avoid "letterbox entities" springing up in the EU27.
It added that "outsourcing and delegation" to other financial centres, including the City of London, should only be allowed "under strict conditions".
A spate of Square Mile companies have already announced plans to start shifting operations to the continent in response to Brexit, including JP Morgan, HSBC, AIG and most recently Legal & General.
PA
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
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Subscribe nowAfter five ‘suspenseful’ Thursday announcements, and five times laid out on the mat, we’ve got the 5th breakdown for the stats crowd.
I’ve got plans for at least one more post about the Open, so please, post any requests for analyses here in the comments or in this reddit thread.
Participation and Scaling
In the end, 55% of the 262,037 athletes who registered posted a score all 5 weeks, and 25% completed all 5 WODs at Rx. Congrats if you’re in either of those groups. 15.3 (muscle ups) definitely took the crown for most scaled, while the 20 or 30 lb discount was not enough to convince many to do scaled for the finale.
Observant regular readers might notice that this chart shows more attrition than the plots I made in previous weeks. It turns out that’s because I scraped the leaderboard on Monday night for 15.1 and 15.2 and later in the week for 3 through 5. Since coaches have until Wednesday to validate scores, I had undercounted the participation in weeks 1 and 2. The complete downloadable data is now updated for each wod on my site.
15.5 Rx
27-21-15-9 reps for time of:
Row (calories)
Thrusters (95/65)
Only the second “for time” Open workout ever after last year’s 14.5 and once again we get a beauty of a distribution. We can see a lot of men who were motivated to get sub-10 minute times and big notches for the women at sub-15 and sub-16.
Can we quantify how much people want a “sub-something” time? There’s no explanation for spikes in the distribution in this WOD around switching movements or equipment since everyone finished after the same 72nd thruster. And yet, we see that Rx athletes were 18% more likely to finish in the last 10 seconds of a minute than the first 10 seconds. Finishing at something:30 is the most common, and men and women are doing just about the same thing on this front.
The median man finished about 80 seconds ahead of the median woman and that gap was actually pretty constant all the way to the top of the leaderboard with Fraser and Paquette finishing 67 seconds faster than Colleen Fotsch.
15.5 Scaled
27-21-15-9 reps for time of:
Row (calories)
Thrusters (65/45)
The scaled WOD this week was only different by weight, so the patterns in outcomes look super similar.
Age
Ah, to be 25 again.
Height & Weight
I heard opposite predictions on height for 15.3 since the lanky folks get those mile-long pulls on the rower, but have to push most of the way to the ceiling on the thrusters. How did it play out? I’m going to say the tall women benefitted slightly more than the men. You can see in the last plot that no matter how tall a guy was, there was a sweet spot on weight, where as almost all of the women over 5’9″ were well above the median.
I’m planning to do at least one more post about the Open with regional, gym, and multi-year analyses. In the mean time, this has been a blast. Post analysis requests here in the comments or on Reddit, or download the data and do your own exploring.
– Sam Swift. I’m a data-scientist at Betterment, and 3 years into CrossFit, now at CrossFit Prospect Heights (previously CrossFit Carrboro). I’ve got more posts in the works, follow me @swiftsam. All 2012-2015 data available for download here. Scraping and visualization code available here on github.DISCLAIMER: this review sample was provided by CM-Rajiv. When Rajiv approached me about reviewing a novatouch sample, I told him that I was going to buy one anyway, but that I'd be happy to receive a review sample to review that could be then be used as a general sampler of Topre switches that could take a tour through the community. Rajiv then sent me two copies. Watch out for a Topre/Novatouch tour organized by dorkvader and cptbadass in the near future.
As some may know, I own exactly one keyboard: a 55g uniform Realforce 10th Anniversary. It's blue. I like it. When I first met Carter of CM Storm, he told me that they had worked out and were going to market a Topre switched board with MX-compatible cruciform stems. This was the first statement in our first ever discussion and I have been waiting and dying to buy one since then. When I finish with this long-term review, I'm going to buy one regardless of the conclusion of the review. I am probably the most biased reviewer you have ever met. OK, you have been warned.
WEEK ONE: first impressions
I received a gigantic brown box last week. I wasn't sure what was in it. When I opened it, it was full of butcher paper and more cardboard.
Oh, there were two black boxes in them. Each one contained a Novatouch TKL. OK, that makes more sense.
The packaging designed for the Novatouch is beefy. It consists of a large black box with inset black logos, black text and black foam inside. The box opens with a single black flap that is magnetized. Nice touch.
Inside, there was a black keyboard, a set of black o-rings and a nice wire keycap puller with a black handle. Does the packaging explode if you put white keycaps on the keyboard? Made a note to investigate this.
My first encounter with a Novatouch sample was the unit that CM-Nurumu brought to Keycon. Without a 55g reference, my feeling was that it actually felt like 55g and not 45g as the specs indicated. However, comparing a final production unit to my 55g 10ae, the Novatouch is definitely a 45g uniform. My feeling is that this is a good thing because the samples of the Leopold FC660C that I've tried have felt more like 30g; I have not been crazy about the 660C.
To be fair, my 55g 10AE sliders have been lubed with straight Krytox GPL206, but one can still feel the dome actuation, and my 10AE feels a little heavier than Cherry MX Browns while the Novatouch feels very close to Cherry MX Reds. This feel is consistent across the Novatouch, which, I think, is another good thing that the 660C lacks. This speaks to a high level of quality control on the part of the Novatouch and possibly a different rubber formulation than the 660C. I'm completely speculating on this point.
I then pulled out a GIGANTIC LIGHT and read the Novatouch box. The front of the box indicates that the switches are made in Japan, presumably by Topre, and the back of the box indicates that the board is made in China. What this means in the context of a Topre switched board is that the entire internal assembly, which is a produced as a single unit, is made entirely in Japan, while the outer plastic casing and final assembly are likely done in mainland China.
The next day, I put the review sample in my bag and brought it to work. I removed the logitech 2mm travel rubber dome keyboard from my terminal and broke it in half (dear employer, I actually just put it on the floor, but I did so very forcefully). The Novatouch takes an (included) mini USB cable. The cable that comes with it is a pretty standard cable. Previous CM Storm cables that I've used have had plastic fiber braided outers, but this one is smooth with an elastomer outer. The mini USB side of the cable is a right angle, and the computer side is straight.
If you're familiar with the quickfire rapid, the casing and board feels substantially more hefty and solid. There is an overlaid inset on the rear that is a lighter gray with a relatively plain CM Storm logo on it. This indicates that the board chassis probably uses at least three pieces. The quickfire rapid, stealth, XT, etc. all use two, an upper and lower casing. Regardless, the Novatouch casing is noticeably smaller than my TKL realforce.
The keys on the keyboard are ABS, and seem like OEM profile. The legends are pad printed. Like the other keyboards in CM Storm's oeuvre, the included keys are placeholders for customized and premium keysets. Since the stems are MX-compatible cruciforms, any keycap set that fits an MX-compatible keyboard will fit on the Novatouch. After using the board with the included keycaps for some time, I will probably replace them with either GMK doubleshots or IMSTO's thick dyesub PBT caps.
Typing on the board does not set off fireworks. It is a little noisier than other Topre boards I've used, but not alarmingly so. It feels pretty natural and was immediately familiar. To me, to be quite honest, the Leopold 660C feels only slightly better than a membrane board. The leopold's actuation point is difficult to feel out, and the actuation form is far too light. Not so with the Novatouch. The CM Storm board gives good positive feedback. I assume the clackiness has more to do with the keycaps, but I will have to wait until I can pick up some beefier keys before determining whether this is true.
There are no LEDs on the Novatouch. I don't believe in caps lock or any other kind of lock on a keyboard, so this doesn't bother me in any way. If it bothers you, then that may be something you want to consider before buying.
So, I'm typing on the Novatouch at work, and mostly just doing work. This is a good thing. It integrated into my workflow with zero effort or annoyances. It feels good to type on. I like it.
NEXT: MORE TYPING! (it's a keyboard. I mean seriously.)The “second yacht” problem: Why America’s economy is stuck in the doldrums
There are two main reasons why America can’t get out of the economic doldrums.
The first is, wages are stagnant:
The U.S. economic recovery – slow as it is – is leaving workers’ wages in the dust. Average hourly wages, which took a big hit in the Great Recession, are growing slower than they did before the recession, and their real value compared to inflation has fallen over the past year. The National Employment Law Project said in a study published Thursday that weak wage growth is permeating all industries. But, equally worrisome for the consumer-fueled economy, most of the post-recession jobs being created are lower-paying. [McClatchy]
This isn’t a new trend – in fact, wages have been more or less flat – despite big gains in productivity – since the mid-1970’s:
Which brings us to the second reason we’re stuck in the mud, economically speaking: Income isn’t stagnant at all for the top 1%. That small group has not only seen huge wage gains, but also big increases in investment income, year-end bonuses, golden parachutes, and the like:
Why is this a problem? The middle class simply doesn’t have the purchasing power to get the economy rolling again, because too much of the wealth they’ve helped create is being held by too few people. Robert Reich explains:During the last 72 hours, 12 farmers from Vidarbha region in Maharashtra committed suicide due to crop losses, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samittee Chief Kishore Tiwari announced here today.
According to press release issued by Kishore Tiwari, 12 farmers took their lives. All the farmers belong to the cotton-producing belt of western Vidarbha.
Saiyad Ansar Ali of Chikhalvardha village, Khushal Kapase of Dahegoan village, Punaji Manvar of Mangkinhi village, Someshwar Wade of Tamba village and Maroti Rathode of Nignur village, are all farmers from Yavatmal district who committed suicide.
Three farmers from Wardha district namely Madhukar Adsar of Pimpalgoan village, Vithhal Taywade of Deoli village and Maroti Gode of Pimpalgoan village, also committed suicide.
Two others, Shivanand Gite of Shivani village and Sunil Rakhunde of Gavthala village of Buldhana district as well as Sanjay Dakhore of Regoan village in Washim district and Nilesh Walke of Gunji from Amaravati district also committed suicide.
Talking to PTI, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishore Tiwari pointed out that, farmers' suicide is a serious issue in the entire Vidarbha region.
The government should think about increasing the minimum support price paid to cotton farmers, he said.
The farmers' suicide toll this month is 52 and since January 2014, Tiwari said.Veteran journalist Ram Bahadur Rai, former ABVP general secretary, was appointed chairman of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts in April. Questions were raised about his contribution to the arts and his RSS connection. In one of his first interviews, Rai talks about his passion for a new Constitution—a demand that has reared its head in previous NDA dispensations. Excerpts from a conversation with Pragya Singh.
You said at a recent function organised by RSS ideologue Govindacharya that the 16th Lok Sabha should be made into a constituent assembly. Why?
Despite Gandhiji talking of gram swaraj in the independence movement, even today, the centre of governance remains Delhi. Panchayati raj and the decentralisation of urban governance has been on since the ’70s but neither panchayats nor corporations have substantial rights. Also, the Directive Principles of state policy impose a moral obligation on how we are to be governed. Right now, they are like some sant's updesh. The biggest improvement would be to include them in the body of the Constitution, convert them into basic rights. Everything good for society is in the Directive Principles, they should make them justiciable.
How is the Constitution letting us down?
The Constitution does not encourage federalism. Since the 1950s, it has slowly converted itself into a prime ministerial form of government. Even the cabinet system gives ministers autonomy, but I don’t think ministers have enjoyed autonomy beyond what a PM allows. There have been over 100 constitutional amendments; one every year, and we still cannot say there won’t be need for more. This in itself is proof the Constitution does not fulfil today’s needs.
Would you attribute the conflict between the executive and judiciary over judges to flaws in the Constitution?
The Constitution retained 85 per cent of the Government of India Act, 1935. This Act was a culmination of the British efforts to establish control. The judicial system the British set up is still functioning, while the political set-up has weakened. What we have seen since the ’90s is not ‘judicial activism’, but, as Jaitley says, politicians stand limited to imposing taxes, all else is done by courts. Decades after Kesavananda Bharati, the judiciary never even defined the basic features for the Constitution.
The basic structure has been defined through many, not one judgement.
From 1973 to 2008 there are different rulings—but they are interpreted to arrive at conclusions about basic features. Subhash Kashyap has determined five or six, based on these rulings. But these are his conclusions—the SC has never said what they are. A constitution without basic features—god alone knows what such a constitution is.
Why then is there talk of a new Constitution only by parties in power?
“The Constitution does not encourage federalism. Since the ’50s, it has converted itself into a prime ministerial form of government.”
Neither BJP nor Congress talked about changing the Constitution. Yes, Indira Gandhi did set up the Swaran Singh committee, but even that was during the Emergency. Take, for instance, Narendra Modi. He took the position that in this Constitution, there is no need for change. The underlying sentiment is that should the need arise, they will make one or two changes and their work will be done! I say, no! This Constitution needs to be reconsidered afresh.
Why would things turn out differently?
There has not been any people’s movement around the Constitution, but for the last 20-25 years, this issue has been raised consistently. And it is now taking the shape of a popular demand.
Still, why is it so important now?
Socialists boycotted the Constituent Assembly. Jawaharlal Nehru kept the Communists out. Some 55 per cent of people in it were from a Congress background. The Muslim League left the Assembly after June 4, 1947. Their seats were also occupied by Congressmen. It finally had 85 per cent members from the Congress—our first objection is this. Reading the CA’s proceedings, people may feel it did a lot of work, but conditions in India were such that the leadership had no time for reflection. Another kind of Mahabharata was being fought in which Nehru or Sardar Patel or anyone in the CA had no chance to make a constitution for India’s future.
But wasn’t the Congress the dominant political force back then?
The Constituent Assembly was a creation of the British. Though formed on December 9, 1946, the decision was taken in London. Gandhiji, on December 3, 1946, wrote to Sardar Patel through Ghanshyamdas Birla, arguing that the Assembly was against Congress resolutions, that it was not the Assembly that had been asked for and that it was, in fact, a part of the British plan.
As the imperial power, wasn’t British intervention only to be expected?
Even before the Constituent Assembly was formed, Lord Mountbatten had decided who would make the Constitution. Nehru’s contemporary from Cambridge, B.N. Rau, was brought in. A bureaucrat with nature like water—which takes the shape of whatever vessel he was poured into—Rau became the instrument to create a constitutional regime of the kind the British had imagined for India. Many allege that our Constitution picked up details from Australia, US, Canada and elsewhere. This was all B.N. Rau’s doing. People say B.R. Ambedkar was the drafting committee chairman and that there were seven others in it. But consider their attendance at its meetings—all members were roaming around in their constituencies, not working on the draft. They knew that once the Constitution is ready, there would be elections.
So are you questioning Dr Ambedkar’s role in framing the Constitution?
“There is a single party majority and all parties are in Parliament. This is the right time to convert the Lok Sabha into a constituent assembly.”
B.R. Ambedkar’s role was limited, so that whatever material B.N. Rau gave him, he would correct its language. It was like RAW or IB, where footsoldiers write reports in broken English and IPS officers turn it into good English, capable of being presented to the PM. So, Ambedkar did not write the Constitution. In fact, he said, if the Constitution is ever to be set afire, then ‘I will be the first to do so’. He said this in anger, reacting to being mocked for amending a constitution he himself wrote, during the RS debate on creation of Andhra Pradesh. But he also said it when he was calm.
Is his role then a myth?
Yes, myth hai, myth hai, myth hai. It is a part of identity politics.
You also say the Preamble is an issue.
From August 15, 1947, the Constituent Assembly took on a sovereign character. Yet, it represented only 12 per cent of the people, for only that many had the right to vote prior to independence. The Preamble was not even discussed in the Assembly. Even when Nehru put forward the objectives resolution, the Preamble was not so much as mentioned. Nehru brought in British jurist Austin to work on the Constitution. We don’t need Austin’s certification for our Constitution. He may call the Preamble the Constitution’s crown, but I disagree—it was added later, like a cart placed before a horse. Whatever is in the Preamble is open for a new constituent assembly to do as it pleases.
Do you have other objections?
This Constitution is a haven for lawyers—lawyers wrote it, the kind with no connection to India’s nature or culture. This does not mean that they were not desh bhakts, or learned or that they did not want a good constitution. But they were trapped in circumstances, which is why the Constitution they came up with became, broadly, a new testament of our gulaami (slavery).
But even previous BJP government made attempts to change it.
Vajpayee set up a review commission and if it had been given full freedom they would have done their work. But I know that the chairman of the commission, Justice Venkatachalaiah, was called by Vajpayee and told, aap zyaada sameeksha mat kariye—don’t review too much. I know, because when Justice Venkatachaliah was asked to chair this commission, I met him. Even that report is with the government. Then, there’s Moily’s Administrative Reforms Commissions report. I’m saying, this process is endless and meaningless.
You say secular people don’t want the Constitution to be changed.
In our country, some myths have been created, although they are breaking slowly, and one is that the Constitution is like a temple idol nobody can touch. Some people feel, if the Constitution is tampered with, what will happen to the dreams of Babasaheb Ambedkar. But people to represent Babasaheb’s dreams are in this Parliament, so this danger does not exist. I told JP too, that this establishment is based on the Constitution, why don’t you talk of changing it? Some say this Lok Sabha has thieves and criminals—that’s no argument. Elected representatives have every aid at their disposal to debate what is being said at a people’s forum and a constituent assembly is the right forum for them to debate it.The Andhra Pradesh government is trying to make the state a mobile manufacturing hub of India.
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Till sometime back setting up a factory in any part of India was an uphill task and investors were wary of long waiting time required for getting all the clearances. But, it seems like things are moving in right direction and the old system is fast becoming a history.Take the Xiaomi plant in Visakhapatnam for instance. The Andhra Pradesh government gave all the clearances for the plant, which was the second ever plant of Xiaomi outside China, in just eight days!This was revealed by Kartikeya Misra, chief executive officer, AP Invest, Govt of Andhra Pradesh. Kartikeya said to The Mobile Indian, "We gave all the permissions needed for establish a mobile manufacturing unit to Xiaomi in flat eight days."He further added, "There are a set of 24 clearances needed for setting up a manufacturing unit and we at AP have a process in place where all the clearances can be taken in maximum 21 days."He also said as a result Xiaomi factory in Visakhapatnam around 10,000 jobs will be generated by the end of the current fiscal year. As far the future road map of establishing AP as a manufacturing hub is concerned he said, "Staring an assembly line is the first step in that direction and within next 2-3 years auxiliary components manufactures (like battery, charger etc) will also be invited to start their manufacturing in the state. In the next few years we are striving to become a mobile manufacturing hub of India where end to end solution will be available."Kartikeya further added in total there are 12 different levels in manufacturing a phone and currently we are planning to have around 5 five of those done in AP which will include assembly, packaging, body manufacturing, battery and charger in first phase. So essentially AP government is planning to get everything manufactured in state except PCB, Display and component.• Protesters charge Hollywood film “Chavez” omits huge contribution of Filipinos
• Documentary “Delano Manongs” shows Filipino Larry Itliong as equally important
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• Hollywood director reportedly says, “That’s movie-making”
OAKLAND, California — Two events in March provided counterpoints to the new Hollywood movie “Chavez,” starring America Ferrera as Helen Chavez, the wife of the iconic Cesar Chavez and directed by actor Diego Luna.
One event saw a sold-out crowd on Sunday March 23 fill the New Parkway Theater in Oakland in the premiere of the 30-minute documentary, “Delano Manongs,” directed by Marissa Aroy.
The film was a highlight of CAAMFEST 2014, an 11-day celebration of Asian American artists who made significant benchmarks in history. “Delano Manongs” is also filmmaker Aroy’s entry to the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival in May.
The other event, in Los Angeles, on March 12, saw a picket line, including not only Filipino Americans but also Latinos, waiving huge posters of farm worker leader Larry Itliong, along Hollywood Blvd., across the red carpet of Mann’s Chinese Theater, where Luna’s “Chavez” was being premiered.
“Delano Manongs,” based on old photos and “films from the agricultural lands” is a factual depiction of the primary role of Filipinos in the successful “Great Delano strike of 1965,” which improved the conditions of farmers in the U.S., from establishing fair wages to securing medical plans.
It shows the leadership of Larry Itliong who was the assistant director of the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, the right hand man of Cesar Chavez.
Controversy over “Chavez”
In contrast, the Hollywood movie “Chavez” shows Itliong “not as the militant, older sage and equal of Chavez, but a silent sidekick in awe of the main character,” said artist-muralist Eliseo Silva and one of the picketers in Los Angeles.
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Historical “inaccuracies” in “Chavez” led Silva and others to the March 12 picket. “That movie’s narrative perpetuates the myth that Cesar Chavez was a one-man movement,” said Silva. “This is very unfortunate, because Cesar Chavez’s greatness lies in his ability to bring people together, despite so many ‘cooks in the kitchen’.”
Silva explained that by avoiding the “elephant in the room,” which is the significant role that Filipino Americans played in the farm labor movement, “the film suffers immensely and loses the rare opportunity to truly honor a great man (Chavez), who was a hero for all Americans, not just Chicanos.”
“Larry Itliong and Cesar Chavez were equally marching side by side, unlike how it was portrayed in the film, where the lone representation of the Filipino American contribution is a Philippine flag being held by a non-Filipino,” protested Silva. Darion Basco, a Filipino American actor, plays Larry Itliong in the Hollywood film.
Gross misrepresentations
Larry Itliong’s son, Johnny, told INQUIRER.net, “One of the movie’s gross misrepresentations of facts is a scene depicting the signing of the contract outlining reforms resulting from the Great Grape Strike of 1965.”
Actual photos show that Larry sat next to Cesar Chavez and Jerry Cohen, United Farm Workers’ (UFW) as signers of the contract between UFW and the growers, signaling victory for the farmers.
“Yet this Hollywood movie eliminated my father from the table and instead, showed Larry passively smiling in the sidelines,” said Johnny Itliong.
The younger Itliong said he confronted the director at the March 12 showing, asking why his father was cut out from this historical photo. Luna reportedly replied, “It’s movie-making.”
“The problem,” said Silva, “is there is an obvious attempt to camouflage this part of the narrative. It will not be a surprise if some viewers would find it disturbing that glimpses of Filipino American contributions appear unexpectedly, instead of the director making a clear message.”
For example, it was very odd that in one scene Cesar Chavez was speaking in a room-full of Latinos, while a gigantic sign stretches across the entire room: FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER OF DELANO, and there’s a row of portrait photos on the wall, including the Philippines 1st President, Emilio Aguinaldo.
“There where only four or five Filipinos in the entire hall, all shoved at the back of the room, with Larry Itliong as a passive observer,” lamented Silva whose “Gintong Kasaysayan” mural at the Historic Filipino Town in Los Angeles prominently features Itliong.
“The Filipino farmers from the 1920s and the generation of Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz, led many, many strikes in the field for fair conditions,” said author Peter Bacho, whose parents were farmers and cannery workers from Seattle.
“As a teen-ager, I met Itliong in the ‘60s and he does not have a retiring personality as portrayed in this film. He definitely was articulate and assertive and was leading the strikes even while Chavez was just a young boy.”
Assemblyman backs documentary
In attendance at the “Delano Manong” premiere in Oakland was Assemblyman Rob Bonta, who spearheaded the California State Senate adoption of AB 123 to re-write school books to reflect the leadership of Filipino Americans and others in the farm labor movement.
Johnny Itliong was pleased to hear Bonta’s personal support of the documentary. “Before the picket, I received a call from one of his staffers discouraging me from proceeding with the picket of ‘Chavez’ as it would be viewed as divisive by the Hispanic communities,” the young Itliong disclosed.
“After I pointed out to Assemblyman Bonta about the discrepancy between the Hollywood movie and the actual historical data as reflected in “Delano Manongs,” he said he was on my side.
“Even Cesar Chavez would turn in his grave, because in as much as he owed a debt of gratitude to Sen. Robert Kennedy for being the champion of the civil rights of workers (which was accurately depicted on film), Cesar was equally indebted to Larry Itliong, who had more than 30 years organizing experience and taught himself nine Philippine dialects and three foreign languages (including Chinese, Japanese, Spanish) to become an effective organizer and communicator to non-Spanish speaking members of the union,” said Silva.
“’Chavez’ would have succeeded had it taken a risk in telling the true story of this triumvirate — Bobby Kennedy, Larry Itliong, Cesar Chavez — that converged to create an American phenomenon known as Cesar Chavez,” said Silva.
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MOST READUlsterman: I was brutalised in Israeli custody BelfastTelegraph.co.uk An Ulster aid worker deported from Israel has described how he was beaten and repeatedly threatened while in custody after he was taken from the flotilla of boats that has caused international controversy. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/ulsterman-i-was-brutalised-in-israeli-custody-28539800.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/migration_catalog/article25696679.ece/fc55f/AUTOCROP/h342/fiachra4
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An Ulster aid worker deported from Israel has described how he was beaten and repeatedly threatened while in custody after he was taken from the flotilla of boats that has caused international controversy.
Fiachra O Luain (28) from Carndonagh, Co Donegal, arrived back in Dublin Airport yesterday and said he had feared for his life during the incident which resulted in their deportation from Israel to Turkey.
Despite this the humanitarian aid worker has already vowed to return on a new flotilla to Gaza. Mr O Luain said he was “brutalised” while in custody in Ben Gurion airport. He said there are bruises all around his body as a result.
“As soon as one of them grabbed me, about 15 or 20 jumped me, kicked me, punched me as soon as I hit the ground,” he said.
“They had my arm in stress positions, they tried to break my finger.”
He said he feared for his life during his time in custody and at one stage asked to see a Rabbi.
“I asked to see a Rabbi and they told me I would only see a Rabbi when they killed me,” Mr O Luain said.
Others who were taken into custody were also “brutalised” and “hammered” to the ground, he said.
When they were held in Ben Gurion prior to a scheduled flight out to Istanbul, Mr O Luain said they were repeatedly threatened and he had his passport taken from him. “I have no reason to believe that my passport will not be abused as Israeli agents have previously abused Irish passports,” he said.
Mr O Luain also described the terrifying moments when Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, which was close to the Challenger 1 vessel he was travelling on.
He said: “The Israelis first made contact by radio at 11.05pm exactly. They identified themselves as an Israeli navy warship and threatened to use force, claiming it would be the responsibility of the captains onboard. We reminded them we were a humanitarian convoy in international waters and they said they would use any mean necessary. Then they assaulted all boats.
“I saw what they did. I was on the bow of the Challenger 1 and there was live gunfire straight away from below and from the helicopters. One of the men was shot in the head. Another man was shot with a bullet right between his eyes at point blank range.”
Belfast TelegraphIstanbul: Dozens of Turkish police including high-ranking officers were detained on Tuesday, accused of spying and illegal wire-tapping of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his inner circle in what the chief prosecutor said was a concocted probe of an alleged terrorist group.
The former Istanbul anti-terror police chief, himself among those detained and led away in handcuffs, said the incident was entirely political, coming just a few weeks ahead of a presidential election in which Erdogan is standing.
The operation follows a stream of purges targeting the police, judiciary and state institutions this year which government critics have condemned as a symptom of Erdogan's tightening grip.
Concern about his autocratic style has been fuelled by his intention to boost the |
the previous two seasons as the Hawks' assistant video coordinator, St. Andrews admits to being blindsided when Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer approached him with the news.
"Incredibly fortunate, incredibly lucky," said St. Andrews, who was in Erie on Friday to watch the Hawks' G League affiliate, the BayHawks, play at Erie Insurance Arena. "Coach Bud and, really, the whole staff gave me an incredible opportunity to fulfill a dream to coach basketball — really at any level."
The move from basketball operations to the coaching staff was another leap forward in what has been a rapid ascent for the 27-year-old State College native.
After four seasons at Behrend in which he averaged 4.8 points over 110 career games and earned two bachelor's degrees along with an MBA, St. Andrews landed with the Hawks in what amounted to a surprise opportunity.
Two friends in basketball, including his coach at Behrend, Dave Niland, had recommended St. Andrews to a contact with the Hawks, who offered him a seasonal position in operations in 2013.
His duties quickly expanded and he spent the next two seasons helping break down video reports for the coaching staff, a role that often called on his background in number-crunching and statistical analysis.
In college, he had completed an internship heavily focused on statistics with Behrend economics professor James Kurre, and by the time he left school St. Andrews felt he might be capable of carving out a niche in the growing area of basketball analytics.
Then came Budenholzer's offer in September to join the coaching staff with a primary focus on scouting and player development.
"Every time we play the Boston Celtics, every time we play the Detroit Pistons, I have seven or eight teams that are my teams and every time we play them it's my (scouting report) and I deliver it to the team," St. Andrews said. "I help them get prepared, walk through some plays. And on the court, obviously I'm doing a lot more than I was in the video room, which I love."
His stop in Erie dovetailed with a travel day for the Hawks, whom he rejoined in Brooklyn, New York, ahead of Atlanta's Saturday afternoon game against the Nets.
While St. Andrews doesn't yet know how frequent his drop-ins on the BayHawks might become, he acknowledges the visits are beneficial as the Hawks' NBA staff familiarizes itself with its new G League operations. The relationship took on added, and more immediate, significance when the organization underwent an offseason makeover under first-year general manager Travis Schlenk that resulted in one of the league's youngest rosters.
With that turnover comes opportunity for players at the G League level. The Hawks already have displayed a willingness to move players like point guard Josh Magette, a two-way contract player, along with NBA guard Tyler Dorsey and NBA forward Nicolas Brussino, back and forth between their own roster and that of the BayHawks as needs arise.
St. Andrews believes his own opportunity came about in part because he and Budenholzer share common ground. Like St. Andrews, Budenholzer played Division III basketball at Pomona College in California, where he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics and economics. His NBA roots can be traced to an opportunity San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich gave him with that organization in 1994.
"He was Coach Pop's video guy in San Antonio and kind of grew up in the video room," St. Andrews said of Budenholzer, who was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2015. "He's been in my shoes. He knows how hard it is at times. He treated me with a lot of respect and gave me a lot of responsibility and opportunity to grow and find my own voice and obviously learn a lot about the game."
John Dudley can be reached at 870-1677 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNdudley.Mumbai, Aug 10 () The Reserve Bank has halved its dividend payout to the government to Rs 30,659 crore for the fiscal ended June 2017, which analysts attributed to increased printing cost of new currency notes post demonetisation, among other reasons.
Last fiscal, the RBI had transfered Rs 65,876 crore surplus as dividend to the government.
"The Reserve Bank's Central Board at its meeting held today approved the transfer of surplus to the Government of India amounting to Rs 306.59 billion (Rs 30,659 crore) for the year ended June 30, 2017," the central bank said in a statement.
The apex bank, however, did not cite any reasons for paying less dividend.
The government had expected Rs 58,000 crore in dividend from the RBI in 2017-18. As per the budget estimate, the government had pegged Rs 74,901.25 crore as dividend from the RBI, nationalised banks and financial institutions for the current fiscal.
The decline in dividend by RBI may put pressure on fiscal maths and the government has to find resources to meet its fiscal deficit target of 3.2 per cent for 2017-18.
Explaining the rationale, former RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi said for the past few years, returns have been coming down because of negative interest rates in the developed countries.
Due to increased liquidity in the system, the RBI has been borrowing money under reverse repo and paying interest which has implications on the revenue, he added.
According to analysts, one of the reasons for the dip in the RBI's revenue was the cost of printing new currency and also return of junked notes post demonestisation.
The government on November 8 last year demonetised old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as part of efforts to fight corruption and the black money menace.
As on November 8, 2016, the total value of currency in circulation was Rs 17.7 lakh crore. The value of scrapped notes was Rs 15.44 lakh crore, about 86 per cent of all currency.
An average cost of printing one new note of Rs 500 denomination is in the range of Rs 2.87 to Rs 3.09, and Rs 3.54 to Rs 3.77 for Rs 2,000, Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal had said.
However, he did not give total cost the Reserve Bank incurred on printing of new currency notes.
According to India Ratings & Research Chief Economist D K Pant, the significant decline in dividend is due to reverse repo transactions, printing of notes and appreciation in rupee's value against the US dollar.
"First quarter direct tax collections if continued in the fiscal will provide some buffer for central government deficit," he said.
Direct tax collection has registered a steady growth of 19.1 per cent in the first four months of the current fiscal to Rs 1.90 lakh crore. DP ANZ MKJBike Lanes on Beulah Road in Fairfax County. Image by Elvert Barnes licensed under Creative Commons.
Fairfax County will be laying down over 19 miles of new bike lanes over the next few months, and they're going to go all over the county, from Reston to Mount Vernon. This map and list will show you where they'll go.
Fairfax will add the new bike lanes as part of its road maintenance and re-paving season, as transportation planners have an opportunity to see whether a road can be repainted with bike lanes. The program has been around for about ten years, but got a real boost in 2013 thanks to that year's transportation bill that provided more money for road maintenance. That gave planners in Fairfax County the chance to work with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) on finding roads that could be redesigned to include bike lanes.
This year includes a mix of bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, climbing lanes that give cyclists going up hill a break; and sharrows for cyclists headed downhill.
Where Fairfax County is building new bike lanes. Click to see an interactive map. Image by Dan Reed.
Before 2015 the county had only added a few miles of bike lanes, but since then that number has exploded. 2016 saw 16 lane miles (one mile of bike lanes in both directions counts as two lane miles) of new bike lanes and 2015 saw 26 lane miles. With 2017's additions, Fairfax County will have around 140 lane miles of bike lanes.
This is a great way to build out a bike network over time, says Jeff Anderson, president of the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB). He notes that the bike lanes are essentially free to build, since the road is already being repaved and repainted with new stripes. FABB also helps let people know about which roads are slated for repaving and may be eligible for bike lanes. That way people can go to public meetings, learn more about the proposed bike lanes, and show county leaders their support.
That support can be crucial when some resident protests about parking or safety could stop the county from adding bike lanes along a certain street. That was almost the case on Rose Hill Lane in Springfield, but bike lane supporters were able to convince both their neighbors who bike and county planners that bike lanes will benefit the entire community.
A table of the roads getting bike lanes in Fairfax this year, listed by district. Image by the author.
One important bike lane is going to be striped along Hummer Road in Annandale. The bike lanes along Hummer will connect to existing bike lanes on Annandale Road and Heritage Drive, making a five-mile long corridor that's one of the longest on-street bike routes in the region.
Other bicycle projects are in the works. New wayfinding signs are being installed all over the county to help cyclists figure out good routes to get to where they want to go. In addition, Capital Bikeshare stations are already up and running in Tysons Corner and Reston, and a second phase will add ten more stations to the network.
Bike lanes are becoming a common sight around all of Fairfax County, and it's all because the county looks at whether it can paint new bike lanes whenever it repaves a street. Have you used any of the new bike lanes in Fairfax? Let us know in the comments.While we don’t anticipate the frenzy surrounding NHL’s free agent class of 2017 reaching Stammergeddon heights, Burnziepalooza should provide some fun speculation nevertheless.
Potential summer of ’17 UFA bank-breakers Jamie Benn, Victor Hedman and Brad Marchand all inked max-term extensions this past summer, opting to remain with their clubs for eight more seasons.
That still leaves a compelling mix of mid-prime defencemen, No. 1 goaltenders, and stud forwards embarking on critical contract years, plus the trade rumours and financial pressure that comes part and parcel with it.
Some of these stars will move on due to salary cap restraints, younger talent and the looming expansion draft. Others will be retained at any cost (but, y’know, within reason).
Here is an early look at the NHL’s Top 10 unrestricted free agents of 2017, plus a list of some of the other household names who will be playing for their next job this season.
1. Brent Burns
Age on July 1, 2017: 32
Position: Defence
2016-17 salary cap hit: $5.76 million
Bargaining chips: Hot off a 27-goal, 48-assist season (both career highs) and a dominant playoff performance. Norris Trophy and Stanley Cup finalist. World Cup and IIHF World Championship gold medalist. Arguably the most lovable man in the sport.
What the future holds: A sweet payday. Burns is already the highest-paid Sharks defenceman (Paul Martin is second at $4.85 million). There’s no reason to believe San Jose and Burns would not want to continue their relationship. Look at the extension signed by the NHL’s other defenceman/forward hybrid, Dustin Byfuglien, in 2016 ($7.6 million times five years) as a comparable here.
A pure guess: Burns stays in San Jose for seven years and about $52 million.
“You know how we feel about Brent. Phenomenal year,” GM Doug Wilson said back in June. “There’s no doubt he’s important to us. We want him. I think he loves being here. Those conversations will take place shortly.”
Burns, however, told us he is in no hurry to put pen to paper.
“I don’t even think about it, to be honest,” Burns said of his next contact in late September. “I got another year left. I’m excited for the year.”
2. Ben Bishop
Age on July 1, 2017: 30
Position: Goaltender
2016-17 salary cap hit: $5.95 million
Bargaining chips: A Vezina Trophy finalist for the second time in three seasons. Set a franchise record with his.926 save percentage in 2015-16 and is regarded among teammates as the club’s MVP.
What the future holds: This is a tough one. As all-world as Bishop has played, he also has been injured in the past two post-seasons and the Lightning have young goaltending prospects they’re high on in Andrei Vasilevskiy, 22, and Kristers Gudlevskis, 24. Bishop has a full no-move clause he’d have to waive to facilitate a trade, but he could be the key to a blockbuster. Otherwise, the Lightning core takes one more stab at Stanley in 2017 before the band breaks up.
Tampa GM Steve Yzerman said he could see keeping both Bishop and Vasilevskiy for the duration of the year. These comments were made after he nearly traded Bishop to the Calgary Flames in June.
“It was up to me. They were on my no-trade [list] or whatever, so that kinda has to get worked out. It was one of those things where at the draft it could’ve happened,” Bishop told us in September. “Obviously, it’s not that close if it didn’t.
“I’m not going to go into a game thinking, Oh, it’s a contract year. I’m not going to change the way I play or the way I prepare. I’ve been doing the same thing for five or six years. Nothing’s going to change.”
Let’s revisit at the trade deadline.
SNEAK PEEK: NHL’s Top 12 Restricted Free Agents of 2017
3. Joe Thornton
Age on July 1, 2017: 37
Position: Centre
2016-17 salary cap hit: $6.75 million
Bargaining chips: Slam-dunk Hall of Famer. One of the greatest passers to ever pick up a hockey stick. Legitimate Hart Trophy consideration at age 36. World Cup champion and Stanley Cup finalist. Dope beard.
What the future holds: The love affair between Jumbo Joe and San Jose should continue. Even after having his captaincy stripped, the man is comfortable playing where he is, thank you. Expect a short-term, bonus-laden deal with a full no-move clause at a reasonable rate, perhaps in the $5.5 million range. After putting up 82 points in 82 games last season, the durable hobo lookalike still has plenty of juice in the tank.
4. Kevin Shattenkirk
Age on July 1, 2017: 28
Position: Defence
2016-17 salary cap hit: $4.25 million
Bargaining chip: U.S. Olympian. Entrenched as a top-four D-man on one of the league’s best blue lines. Good for about 45 points if healthy.
What the future holds: A trade. Shattenkirk, who has no protection, has been rumoured trade bait for months now. (The Boston Bruins were one reported suitor during the 2015-16 season.)
Surely GM Doug Armstrong would like to keep Shattenkirk around in a perfect (read: non-salary cap) world, but the Blues’ blue line is too expensive. Captain Alex Pietrangelo ($6.5 million cap hit) and Jay Bouwmeester ($5.4 million) are locked up at high rates. Carl Gunnarsson ($2.9 million) is taxing the Blues’ payroll until 2019. But it’s surging 23-year-old Colton Parayko (RFA in 2017) who makes losing Shattenkirk palatable.
If Armstrong doesn’t trade Shattenkirk, he’ll walk for nothing in July like David Backes and Troy Brouwer did this summer.
5. Brian Elliott
Age on July 1, 2017: 32
Position: Goaltender
2016-17 salary cap hit: $2.5 million
Bargaining chips: An NHL-best.930 save percentage in 2015-16, followed by an excellent post-season that got the Blues over the hump and won the veteran goalie a No. 1 job in Calgary—no more crease sharing with Jake Allen. Elliott deserved more consideration for the 2016 Vezina, seriously.
What the future holds: A multi-year extension. Provided Elliott plays well in Calgary, we should expect the Flames to make a pitch to keep in him in the fold for, say, four more years. There is some belief that an inability to extend Bishop helped kibosh that near-deal, so one has to believe Elliott is open to the idea of staying with a Flames roster on the rise. GM Brad Treliving doesn’t really want to go goalie shopping again next summer, does he? No. Especially with new kid Las Vegas hunting for a starting goalie.
6. Martin Hanzal
Age on July 1, 2017: 30
Position: Centre
2016-17 salary cap hit: $3.1 million
Bargaining chips: A big top-two pivot (6-foot-6, 226 pounds) who creates plays and provides a threat on the power play. Free agent centres with first-line expereince aged 30 and under will hard to find.
What the future holds: The Coyotes have a grand total of three forwards signed past 2017-18, and one of those is Dave Bolland, who’s unlikely to play again. This roster is essentially a clean slate but won’t contend in 2017.
Dylan Strome, 19, and 20-year-old Christian Dvorak (a mellow 121 points in 59 games for the OHL’s London Knights last season) are poised to become the centres of the future here.
Management needs to rent the injury-prone Hanzal out mid-season to a playoff team, perhaps with an nudge-wink agreement that he can re-sign as a free agent come summertime (see: Vermette, Antoine). The man could fetch a great return of prospects or picks.
7. Alexander Radulov
Age on July 1, 2017: 30
Position: Right wing
2016-17 salary cap hit: $5.75 million
Bargaining chips: Has put up 102 points in 154 career NHL games. Tore up the KHL scoring race during his prolonged overseas hiatus. A big body that should provide critical scoring punch to a Habs roster that needs it.
What the future holds: Intrigue. A reportedly matured and definitely well-compensated Radulov returns to North America for the first time since 2012 on a one-year, prove-it deal. If he performs as expected, Montreal will need him for a playoff race and he should earn a long-term contract from the highest bidder on July 1. Disappoint, and he could be hopping a plane across the Atlantic—which was the case for Alex Semin in this same market last season.
8. T.J. Oshie
Age on July 1, 2017: 30
Position: Right wing
2016-17 salary cap hit: $4.175 million
Bargaining chips: U.S. national team member. Recorded a career-high 26 goals in 2015-16 after being traded from St. Louis to Washington. Exploded for 10 points in 16 playoff games last spring. In a sport where loser points matter, Oshie’s status as a shootout master matters.
What the future holds: Top-six roles for Washington’s right wing will open up significantly after 2016-17. Trying to retain the services of Oshie seems like the smart play here, even if that means letting a veteran like Justin Williams (who’s six years older than Oshie) walk in free agency. And with the Presidents’ Trophy winners expected to be a Cup contender, a trade would be silly.
9. Patrick Sharp
Age on July 1, 2017: 35
Position: Left wing
2016-17 salary cap hit: $5.9 million
Bargaining chips: 2014 Olympic gold medallist. Three-time Stanley Cup champion (2010, 2013, 2015) with Chicago. Four-time 30-goal scorer.
What the future holds: While Sharp is still producing on the backside of his career (20 goals in 2015-16), captain Jamie Benn’s raise to $9.5 million annually will make him difficult for Dallas to retain long-term.
Sharp’s full no-movement clause and high cap hit make a trade unlikely. We’re guessing he takes one last run at a Cup with Dallas in 2017, then goes to the highest bidder — a contender looking for championship experience — on a short-term deal in the summer.
10. Karl Alzner
Age on July 1, 2017: 28
Position: Defence
2016-17 salary cap hit: $2.8 million
Bargaining chips: Durable top-four defenceman on a good team for a relatively low wage. Hasn’t missed a game since becoming a full-time Capital in 2010. Fifth-overall pick in 2007. Broke NHL’s longstanding sunglasses barrier.
What the future holds: Uncertainty. An excellent Capitals roster was kept almost wholly intact over the summer, but come July 2017 there will be changes. Washington is a, um, cap team, but a handful of regulars —Alzner included — are entering contract years and will be looking for raises.
Evgeny Kuznetsov (RFA) should grab the biggest slice of pie, but is there room to keep the defensively responsible Alzer and the younger Dmitry Orlov (RFA again)? Does Washington consider buying out the pricey Brooks Orpik, 36, if health and speed become a concern by springtime?
We bet the Caps play the season out and reevaluate at that point.
Other notable UFAs in 2017: Patrick Marleau, Dmitry Kulikov, Shane Doan, Jaromir Jagr, Brian Gionta, Dennis Wideman, Andrei Markov, Ryan Miller, Alexandre Burrows, Drew Stafford, Steve Mason, Mike Fisher, Ales Hemsky, Ondrej Pavelec, Patrik Berglund, Thomas Vanek, Trevor Daley, Brian Campbell, Michal Neuvirth, Jonathan Bernier, Jarome IginlaSay the words “gifted education” and you’ll likely be met with a range of questions, some of them curious, some skeptical, a few downright suspicious.
“What’s that?” “Why do we need this?” “Can’t they simply give the smart kids more work or let them skip a grade?” “Why should we give extra help to kids who already have an advantage?”
Jocelyn Bystrom has responses to these sorts of comments and questions—and she gets plenty of opportunity to share them. Bystrom is the District Gifted Education Teacher, which means she delivers a special program—one day per week—for approximately 60 kids each year, from Grades 4 through 6, who, via referral and specialized testing, have been designated “gifted learners.”
These students leave their regular school programs once a week to spend a day with other gifted learners at Courtenay Elementary. Known as Challenge, this program has been offered by the Comox Valley School District for more than 25 years, and is currently one of the longest-standing gifted programs in BC.
“The Challenge program is a lighthouse beacon in the province,” says Bystrom. “There are very few districts left that are providing this. It’s on the chopping block everywhere. I am one of just a few full time gifted educators.”
Bystrom is a tall, articulate woman with a steady gaze who, when she talks about her work, radiates both passion and competence. Sentences pour out of her rapidly, one after the other, peppered with words that aren’t in most people’s daily vocabulary—differentiation, asynchronous. She’d be intimidating if she wasn’t so quick to smile and laugh, and so genuinely enthusiastic.
In answer to the most basic question about gifted education— “What’s that?”—Bystrom explains that there are many ways to define gifted. She cites the definition used by the local School District: “Giftedness is asynchronous development…” Here she pauses to explain: this means that a gifted child’s intellectual, emotional and physical maturity levels can progress at dramatically varying levels.
“So they may have intellectual and/or creative capacities they aren’t able to handle,” she says. “It’s like a five year old with the vision to be a great painter, but the five-year-old fingers can’t manipulate the brush well enough to keep up. This can cause all kinds of confusion and frustration.”
She continues with the definition: “… in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different than the norm.”
Giftedness is not purely about IQ, she says. “All the kids [in the Challenge Program] have the common core that they are cognitively gifted, but it’s much more dynamic than that. There’s a big difference between gifted and bright or talented kids.”
She pulls a handout from a folder while energetically quoting its contents: “A bright learner has good ideas; a gifted learner has wild and silly ideas. A bright learner knows the answers; a gifted learner asks the questions. A bright learner enjoys sequential presentation; a gifted learner thrives on complexity. A bright learner is receptive; a gifted learner is intense…” and more.
It is very hard to meet the needs of these kids in a regular classroom. Giving them extra work or getting them to help other kids can separate them from their peers, which can lead to social problems, or will encourage them to hide their abilities. Skipping a grade generally doesn’t provide all they need either.
“Acceleration is not the only way to help kids who need to go to a deeper level of synthesis and analysis. Research shows that clustering with like-minded peers is best. That way they have others to share in the complexity and intensity,” says Bystrom.
“You can see this dynamic with gifted kids at play. They’ll take an imaginary game into deeper and deeper levels of complexity, and the other kids won’t be able to follow and will get annoyed or drift away, leaving them isolated.” For such kids, the Challenge Program can be a huge relief.
“These kids already have an inkling that they are different. They feel it. When they come here and work with other kids like them, they feel, ‘Wow, there are people from my planet.’”
This dynamic reflects some of the tensions inherent in the use of the word “gifted.” The truth is, “giftedness” doesn’t always feel like a gift. These students face a particular set of challenges and handicaps. Some of these come from within—inner intensity, awareness of complexity, relentless perfectionism—and some from without, as they deal with others’ jealousy and with being singled out, and they try to fit into systems that aren’t designed for people like them.
Bystrom sees her job as helping them negotiate this terrain. Her strategy—address it, literally, head-on.
In the first week of Challenge this September, Bystrom put a sticky note with the word “gifted” on each student’s forehead, and invited them to mill around the room, talking to each other about what that meant. When the bell rang for recess, she gathered them together and asked, “What are you going to do with that label when you go out into the schoolyard with the rest of the kids? You can’t get rid of it—it has to stay with you.”
The students chose to conceal the label in a pocket or in their shoe, says Bystrom. This wasn’t necessarily out of shame, but instead suggested a pragmatic, and perhaps appropriate, social sensitivity.
This exercise may not sound like “education” but it links directly to one of the Challenge curriculum goals—developing social-emotional intelligence.
“I offer them a tool kit of strategies to handle themselves socially and emotionally. Also, because often a gifted learner can be highly perfectionist, they can learn to make mistakes in a supportive atmosphere. We talk about taking risks, about being able to fail as part of the learning experience.”
Like the kids, some adults also need help coming to terms with the implications of the “gifted” designation.
“It’s so important that we demystify giftedness,” says Bystrom.
A common complaint is that the gifted program is elitist. In reality, gifted education is not about status at all. Gifted learners are found in all cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and socio-economic groups. Having a district-wide gifted program creates a level playing field for all gifted students.
“Also, people say it’s a frill, a perk for smart kids. But these students, potentially, are at-risk learners. They need mentors, people who understand their intensities and sensitivities.”
It’s not unusual for a gifted learner to be chronically unmotivated, to get low grades, and exhibit behaviour challenges, because their educational needs aren’t met. As well, some gifted students also have learning disabilities. These “twice-exceptional” students often go undetected in regular classrooms because their disability and gifts mask each other.
The bottom line, she says, is that every child deserves to have their unique learning needs met. And if gifted students get their needs met, they will then be able to share their gifts with their communities. If they’re shut down, their gifts get shut down too—a loss for everyone.
Bystrom started out as a regular classroom teacher. “I’ve taught every grade from one to nine,” she says. “I saw how some kids reached benchmarks much more quickly that I’d imagined. So I got curious. I saw there was this exceptional learning need. I started asking questions of other educators—how are you meeting these needs?”
At the same time, Bystrom and her husband had begun to notice that their children were reaching learning milestones ahead of their peers. The school had contacted them asking them to meet to consider various educational options for their eldest child. All this fueled Bystrom’s thirst to learn more about the needs of the gifted.
In 2007 she enrolled in a Masters Program in Education and Leadership at the University of Victoria, specializing in teaching emotional and social intelligence to gifted learners. She was in her element. “Some people like to go for coffee—I learn for fun! I love to be in situations where people are into inquiry!”
At the same time, she had what you might call an ulterior motive. It seemed likely that the Challenge teacher of the time would be retiring in a few years. “I had my eye on that job. I knew I had the thirst and the desire, so I put the fundamental pieces in place to be well-prepared. It worked! I sure did the big happy dance when I got this job.”
She hasn’t been disappointed. “I LOVE my job!” she says.
“I believe this program can be a life-changer. Because when you have opportunities to be in a community in a safe place, it’s an ideal learning experience. My job is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to this group. I’m not really the teacher; I’m the facilitator of the learning.”
No two days are exactly the same in the Challenge Program. Activities include logic puzzles, group check-ins, improv games, math challenges, plenty of field trips, hands-on science projects, and half an hour of SPA (Silent Passion Activity, when students work on whatever ignites their passion) daily.
This curriculum, Bystrom explains, is not based on content. “It’s not enriched in terms of subject. Instead, it’s about critical thinking, teamwork, listening skills, divergent and convergent thinking, goal-setting, and logic. And there’s the social-emotional piece, too.”
As a way to contribute to this article, third year Challenge students were invited to answer some questions about the program, and about being gifted. As our society explores, ever more deeply, what it means to embrace diversity, the term “gifted” will continue to bring up questions, some curious, some suspicious. Voices such as these provide authentic answers, straight from the source.
Here’s a sample of their responses:
“Some kids in our classroom are gifted mathematicians, some can solve Rubik’s cubes, some are very good at making friends and holding those friends close to them, some are charismatic. All of us are creative. Me too. But also I’m just a normal person. I do the same things as normal people; I laugh like normal people, but apparently I’m gifted, and I like to be gifted. And then again everyone is gifted, but only a few get into Challenge,” writes one student.
“The Challenge Program made my life turn around because when I was in the regular class I was discouraged by my teacher and that made me feel really bad about myself, but when I got into Challenge it all changed and I feel really good about myself,” writes another.
“What I love about Challenge is that Mrs. Bystrom pushes us to the limits and it’s a really fun, creative place. Everyone can be their selves and celebrate their differences. I really like SPA. It’s that break you need from all that craziness… I’m a bit confused about the term “gifted” because I believe everyone is gifted in their own way, but being in Challenge is great,” notes another student.
“The Challenge Program is a beautiful, beautiful place, a warm welcoming environment, a small pool of learning in a chaotic school system, a small ray of sunshine in the dark,” says another student. “Challenge opened up a new world for me. I could blog my poems and receive constructive criticism from more than just three people. The activity I cherish above the rest is called “Mind Benders,” a series of complex puzzles that are constantly frustrating me.
“In a regular classroom, when I would excel at things, people would look at me like I was weird, and call me the teacher’s pet, which I wasn’t. I was just doing my best, which is what we’re supposed to do. In Challenge, you can be yourself and no one will hate you for what you are.”
For more information visit: www.challenge71.edublogs.org
The day I’m supposed to interview local author Miles Olson, his home is being destroyed. So we meet at Serious Coffee instead of his hand-built cabin, which I’d wanted to see because it plays a central role in his book.
Olson had warned me in an earlier email that this might happen: “I suppose if my home has been bulldozed, I’ll just send you an email and we can meet up elsewhere :)” he’d written, smiley face and all.
That Olson is unfazed by the loss of his property does not entirely surprise me, having recently read his book, Unlearn, Rewild. His equanimity reflects a relationship to survival and to the material world that is markedly different than what prevails in Western society.
Olson is a self-described “feral homesteader” who at age 28 has been living outside the norms of civilization for the last 10 years: hunting and trapping, foraging, hand-building his home on squatted land out of salvaged materials, buying almost nothing, and learning the old ways to survive—or rather, he would say, to thrive.
Eventually, although he hadn’t planned to, he wrote a book, which was published in 2012 by Gabriola Island’s New Society Publishers. Unlearn, Rewild presents his reasons for choosing this life, and passes on some of the survival skills he’s learned. It is divided into two sections: “Ideas” and “Skills.” The result combines philosophical musings with practical instructions on gutting and skinning deer, political analysis with recommendations for good plants to use as toilet paper, and poetic reflections on our place in wild nature with suggestions of how we can use road kill as food.
The book changed Olson’s life. Where once he lived in semi-secret on the fringes of society, he is now a blogger, a teacher, and a public speaker. The week of the interview, he’s getting ready for an upcoming trip to Pennsylvania, to speak at a university and give some workshops. And he’s losing his home.
“I’m in a phase of transition right now,” he writes in his email, understatedly. The guy who walks into Serious Coffee at the appointed interview time isn’t immediately identifiable as a wild man of the woods or a burgeoning writer and international speaker. With straight, chin-length blond hair, a woolly sweater and jeans that, while not new, are reasonably clean, Olson looks, well, pretty normal.
But he has not made normal life choices. I begin by asking what started Olson down his path.
“I grew up in a completely normal way, very much a regular North American kid, disconnected from the land. But I had a constant questioning, for as long as I can remember. This is not uncommon—most people have that in the background. I was just really bad at ignoring it,” he says with a laugh.
“In my teens I picked up a couple of books that sparked ideas that what I saw in the world was not all there is: [Herman Hesse’s] Siddhartha, and [Thoreau’s] Walden.
Olson had a high school friend with a cabin on remote Maurelle Island, north of Read Island. When he was 17, after dropping out of Grade 12 at Vanier, he went there for the summer to live alone.
“I thought that was the Holy Grail in terms of getting the world to make sense. It turned out to be a terrifying experience. Being all alone, you don’t have any distraction from your own shadow. Really, it was a classic vision quest, although I wasn’t planning that. It was a hard-core experience of purging and cleansing and gaining clarity. I came out of it with a purer vision of myself and of life.”
After that intense experience of solitude, Olson knew that he wanted human interaction, society and friendship to be part of his life. This took the form of finding an unoccupied piece of land in the woods near Cumberland, and moving in. Thus began a great adventure—still living off the land, but closer to human society.
“If you were to call me a modern-day Thoreau, that would be insanely accurate,” he says and laughs. “I am living on the edge of a small city, just like he |
's office last week and take away his computer and details of constituency correspondence, Straw said that he was "pretty certain" that there would be a parliamentary inquiry into the affair when the case was closed.
The justice secretary also backed Smith's decision not to apologise for what happened to Green.
"If any home secretary had offered an apology, there would have then been a huge furore about the fact that the home secretary was prejudging the actions and activities of the police without an investigation," Straw said.
Straw said that if the Tories were unhappy about what had happened, they could complain to the independent police complaints authority.
MPs have complained that the raid on Green's office in the House of Commons was a breach of parliamentary privilege – the principle the MPs are entitled to special protection to enable them to carry out their work as members of the Commons.
Straw said that he accepted that in this case competing constitutional principles were in play – the right of MPs being free to carry out "legitimate business" on behalf of their constituents, the independence of the police to investigate, and the importance of protecting secrecy and confidentiality "where it is necessary" in government.
Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker, will make a statement about the affair to MPs when the new session of parliament begins with the Queen's speech on Wednesday.
Today Denis MacShane, the Labour former minister, said that Martin had to assure MPs that what happened to Green would not happen again.
"The police have made a mistake, I think the Home Office bureaucracy have made a mistake, and I think the Speaker on Wednesday has to say this will not happen again," he told Today.
"The inner sanctum of our parliamentary democracy is the Palace of Westminster and, in the Palace of Westminster, MPs, yes they are protected under privilege when they speak in the House of Commons, but there is a broader constitutional privilege that says they can meet anyone, talk about anything, discuss their political passions, they can hold files, and the police, the agents of the state, do not storm in there and start breaking in or going into offices and taking away confidential files that all our constituents think will be treated confidentially."
He suggested that the situation could not happen if the UK had its own written constitution: "In other countries... the police would never be allowed into a parliament."
But one of Britain's leading constitutional experts, Vernon Bogdanor, professor of government at the University of Oxford, told the programme: "This does seem to me something of a storm in a teacup.
"The important principle is that MPs, apart from when they are speaking in the chamber and dealing with constituents' correspondence, are as subject to the law as the rest of us.
"If the police decide not to take action against an MP which they would against an ordinary citizen then that would be discriminatory.
"Then people might say: 'Well, we are not living in a police state but a state where people, because they have been elected to parliament, have certain exemptions from the law.' That can't be the case. They are subject to the same laws as the rest of us."This article is over 2 years old
Coalition leads Labor 53% to 47% in latest survey, and premier is now slightly ahead of Luke Foley as preferred leader
The New South Wales premier, Mike Baird, appears to have regained some approval after a topsy-turvy few months of backflips and key staff movements.
The Coalition leads Labor 53% to 47% in a Fairfax/ReachTEL poll of more than 1600 people reported in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday.
The result, just weeks after Troy Grant stood down from the Nationals leadership and deputy premiership, is an improvement for the state government following a 50-50 result in the same poll in August.
Mike Baird to trumpet successes but health and education aren't among them Read more
Baird has also regained the status of preferred premier, taking 50.6% of the vote compared with Luke Foley’s 49.4 per cent.
In August, Foley led Baird 51.3% to 48.7%.
The premier admitted the government had “got it wrong” when he backtracked on a decision to ban greyhound racing in NSW in October.
Almost half (49.3%) of those polled supported the reversal of the ban, while 32 per cent opposed it, according to the reports.
Grant stood down from his key roles after the Nationals suffered a significant swing at the Orange byelection, which resulted in the party’s former safe seat going to the Shooters Fishers and Farmers party.Their fiery hair, along with their bold personalities, makes Irish brides the perfect choice for men looking for a romp of a good time. Women in Ireland are polite but opinionated and quite sharp, so you will find a subject for conversation with her easily. Irish women have a spark that is missing from so many women of other countries. Irish brides can bring excitement into your life and they can be your best friend and life partner. Irish girls are very social and have energetic personalities; they celebrate all the traditional Irish cultural events with gusto. You can find the perfect mail order bride from Ireland who you can have fun with. All of the lonely nights in your life will be a thing of the past.
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Portland’s budget office is projecting another bump in revenue for the city thanks to a growing economy.
The budget office predicts an extra 16 million dollars will be available this year plus an extra 9 million dollars in ongoing funds.
The reason? The cost of health insurance for city employees is growing more slowly than expected, and the city is bringing in more money from hotel taxes and business license taxes.
“Portland’s broken out of its little brother status with Seattle, and now it’s becoming a more global city. We’re seeing that in city revenues and more building activity in the city and that kind of thing,” said city economist Josh Harwood.
But the budget office also warns that the city is more dependent than ever before on hotel and business tax revenue; it contributes more than a third of the roughly $500 million in the general fund. Those revenue sources are highly sensitive to market downturns.
“That kind of leap as a forecaster makes me nervous. We’ve seen enough cycles, we know what goes up will come down eventually,” he said.
The forecast also warns of the possibility of a speculative bubble in the housing market.
And while revenue is rising, so are costs. The mayor is struggling to respond to an affordable housing crisis triggered in part by the same influx of highly educated wealthier migrants that have stoked the growing economy.
“What you’re seeing in the revenue forecast is exactly one side of the city budget. The other side is the expenses and the demand on services,” said Harwood.
Portland Mayor Charlie Hales will release the city’s 2016-2017 budget Monday.1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Joe Vann, course director of the Marshall Center's Countering Transnational Organized Crime course, greets students during the first day of the three week Countering Transnational Organized Crime course. (Marshall Center photo by KarlHeinz Wedhorn) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CTOC adjunct professor Khatia Dekanoidze, the first politically independent head of the National Police of Ukraine, shares her insights on corruption during the three week Combatting Transnational Organized Crime course at the George C. Marshall European Center. (Marshall Center photo by KarlHeinz Wedhorn) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CTOC participant Iryna Tymoshenko works for the Ukraine police force. She was one of 78 participants in the Marshall Center's Countering Transnational Organized Crime. Here, she works on a strategy for Ukraine to counter corruption and organized crime. (Marshall Center photo by KarlHeinz Wedhorn) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Associate Director for International Liaison U.S. Ambassador Douglas Griffiths provides feedback on a counter organized crime strategy for Ukraine. Strategy development was a big part of the Marshall Center's Countering Transnational Organized Crime resident course. (Marshall Center photo by KarlHeinz Wedhorn). (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Students work on a strategy to counter organized crime and corruption in Ukraine during the three week Countering Transnational Organized Crime course at the George C. Marshall European Center. (Marshall Center photo by KarlHeinz Wedhorn) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (Aug. 28, 2017) -- Give any one of the 78 law enforcement professionals who graduated from the George C. Marshall European Center's Countering Transnational Organized Crime course one minute, and they will tell you exactly what they think they need to do to stop transnational organized crime in their nation.
More importantly, they'll share with you their thoughts on how to develop a strategy to counter transnational organized crime because this group of law enforcement professionals spent a good portion of their time at the Marshall Center learning how to draft strategies.
"We always seek feedback from our alumni," said Joe Vann, course director of the Marshall Center's Countering Transnational Organized Crime course. One of the things our alumni asked for was an increased focus on how to develop strategy. They wanted to return home and start writing a countering transnational organized crime strategy for their nations. Too often strategy is crafted in a crisis which is the worst time to develop a strategy. Additionally, writing strategy is typically done at higher levels of a professional's career. Many of these participants, especially the civilians, will never attend a defense college where strategy development is traditionally taught. We saw a gap in this area. No one else is doing what we are doing."
STRATEGY WRITING EXERCISE FOCUSES ON REAL NATIONS WITH REAL PROGRAMS
While the three week course still features auditorium presentations and one-on-one discussions with faculty and senior law enforcement officials with vast experience in countering organized crime, the art of developing strategy and policy is taught throughout the course. Working in seven smaller seminar groups of 11-12 students, each seminar selected one nation from a list of 13 that are dealing with the challenges of transnational organized crime to propose a CTOC strategy. In the final week each seminar presented their work to a Marshall Center panel in the presence of the entire class.
"The participants in each seminar were told that they were assigned to a consulting firm as part of their government's professional development program. Each seminar or 'consulting company' was then asked to submit a proposal for developing a CTOC strategy for a particular country. The seminar consulting company developed a comprehensive strategy proposal that addressed the specific CTOC challenges for the country they selected. Along with the strategy proposal, the consultancy were required to identify three key policy proposals that supported their proposed CTOC strategy," said Vann.
Nothing was simulated as these consultants used data and information from World Bank analysis and other real-world data bases to devise their proposals.
"Our goal in this course was focused on developing functioning knowledge rather than declarative knowledge. Declarative knowledge is about facts and concepts. These participants are mid-level professionals who already have a great understanding because of their careers. We wanted these participants to put to use what they already know and reinforce their knowledge to develop and evaluate strategies and policies for countering transnational crime, said Vann."
On the final day of CTOC, each seminar had 20 minutes to present their strategy proposals to the prospective customer who were represented by three Marshall Center faculty led by the Associate Director for International Liaison U.S. Ambassador Douglas Griffiths.
"These participants really understood that these threats were serious national security threats. I think there was a realization that national security is complex but chief among them are stability and accountability of national governments. A lot of that is threatened by corruption and internal threats and all sorts of illicit trafficking," said Griffiths.
TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME IN UKRAINE TARGETED
Two of the seven seminar groups selected Ukraine in the strategy writing exercise. Ukraine and the corruption challenges there are all too familiar for CTOC adjunct professor Khatia Dekanoidze. Up until last November, Dekanoidze was the first politically independent head of the National Police of Ukraine. She led the transformation of the military to civilian organization of 150 thousand officers under her leadership.
"Ukraine suffers from weak government institutions. The law enforcement and judiciary systems are all very corrupt. This problem is a kind of tradition. The system was telling the people that 'we're not doing everything for you. We're not taking care of you so take care of yourselves.' Government workers were not paid," said Dekanoidze. "For new police officers, the biggest frustration is that the system is not changing. We created a new police force but the system isn't changing. There is fighting between the new forces and the old forces. It's like the fight between good and bad. My number one frustration was that there was no political will to change things."
CTOC participant Iryna Tymoshenko was one of three Ukrainian professionals in the course and was a member of a seminar that formulated a transnational organized crime strategy for her nation. The challenges at home she shared with her group underscored the importance of countering corruption.
"If you want to see a doctor, it costs money to see the one you want. If you want your kids to go to a good school, your parents need to have connections. This is a part of our culture and it will be difficult to change," said Tymoshenko.
DEVELOPING GLOBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS FOR "JOB AFTER NEXT"
CTOC faculty members tell prospective participants and those attending that the course is designed to prepare them not only for their next job, but also the job after next. Participants nominated for the program have already been identified as top performing professionals in their respective nations. Accordingly, the curriculum is developed to teach skills that they will need at the next level of their career.
A large part of preparing these participants for the job after next takes place in seminar sessions where familiarity and trust are formed. Participants return home knowing that if they ever face a problem, there is a trusted network of CTOC alumni that they can call on for help.
"There are more than 500 professionals from nearly 100 nations who have been part of the CTOC program. We know that our alumni have reached out and worked together in several major transnational criminal cases. This program is making a difference in many nations," said Vann.
Another CTOC aspect these professionals will take back with them is the skill and confidence in delivering important information in a short period of time. Seminar sessions begin with a "Marshall Center minute," a structured short speech exercise designed to teach participants how to deliver important information to their leadership in a short period of time.
"Too many times when leaders ask for information to make a decision, it's provided without structure and in a time consuming way. Each seminar we asked the participants about their thoughts on a lecture or topic discussed. It was their job to quickly assess what was asked and provide a structured reply in under 60 seconds," said Vann.
The exercise was extremely valuable to Tymoshenko who attended a five-week Marshall Center English Language Enhancement Course to prepare her for the vocabulary and language of law professionals.
"This course has made me more confident and opened up new opportunities with the people I've met here. The "Marshall Center" minute has taught me to structure my thoughts so that when I speak to my leadership, I can get my points across quickly, not like a politician!" said Tymoshenko.
More information on CTOC can be found on the Marshall Center website at www.marshallcenter.org/?CTOCThe likelihood of suffering a serious injury while cycling on urban roads is extremely low, but it seems our tolerance for risk is even lower
A new study by researchers at Monash University found the total number of deaths in Victoria from road traffic crashes fell over the period from 2007 to 2015. But it’s not all good news. Serious road traffic injuries – which far outnumber fatalities – didn’t fall; they were steady for all modes except cycling.
Cycling is particularly worrying as it was the only mode to experience an increase in the incidence of hospitalisations for road traffic-related major trauma over the period; they increased by a staggering 8% per year (see More cyclists are ending up in hospital with serious injuries, so we need to act now).
So if cycling injuries are increasing, is the conclusion to be drawn from the study, “don’t cycle”? The authors respond:
No, not at all. The health and economic benefits of cycling are well established…And while cycling-related injury rates are on the rise, they made up only 11% of serious road traffic injuries.
But is “only 11% of serious road traffic injuries” really nothing to worry about? That depends in large part on the mode share of cycling but one of the limitations of the study, as the authors acknowledge, is they don’t have data on the exposure of cyclists.
Fortunately, the Victorian integrated study of travel and activity (VISTA) provides an estimate of the number of kilometres cycled annually in Melbourne by mode. The Victorian Transport Accident Commission’s (TAC) road trauma database provides statistics on hospitalisations by mode for Melbourne. It’s only one city but it should give us a reasonable idea of what’s going on.
I averaged the serious injury numbers for 2012 and 2013 as that fits with the VISTA period. They show an average of 330 cyclists were hospitalised due to road crashes per year, accounting for 9.0% of TAC claims involving hospitalisation. But cyclists only accounted for 1.2% of total annual kilometres of travel, indicating cycling casualties were greatly over-represented. (1)
As the exhibit shows, on average cyclists suffered an injury requiring hospitalisation at over nine times the rate of persons travelling in a vehicle. In fact, that significantly overstates the risk associated with a car, because the VISTA data doesn’t permit motorcycles – the most dangerous mode – to be separated from cars.
But the risk associated with cycling is still very small. Consider that a Melbourne worker who makes the average one-way commute of 6.5 km every day will come close to cycling 3,000 km in a year. That compares very well with one cyclist being hospitalised in Melbourne on average every 1,185,000 km of riding.
Or use time cycled as the measure of exposure. The same Melbourne worker commutes by bicycle for circa 250 hours per year. Again, that compares well with one cyclist being seriously injured on average every 107,754 hours in the saddle (that’s every 12 years!). (2)
So why are so many people nervous about cycling on roads? That’s a complex issue but I think a key insight is that our tolerance for risk is extraordinarily low and getting lower. Even though the probability of serious injury when driving in Melbourne is miniscule, the value of a human life is very high; we consequently insist on spending large amounts to equip cars with elaborate safety gear and to build roads that reduce the probability and severity of crashes.
It follows that if that’s what we expect of cars, we aren’t likely to cycle in large numbers while prospective riders feel it’s unsafe compared to other modes. The priority must be to provide infrastructure and a regulatory environment that significantly boosts subjective safety.
And why are serious cycling injuries increasing so fast? Unfortunately we don’t have reliable evidence to answer this question. It could be a composition effect e.g. an increasing proportion of riders are “lycra louts” and/or highly inexperienced. My hunch is the number of cyclists is increasing faster than the available surveys suggest (see Is cycling really declining in Australia?).
_____________I recently went to see the new film The King's Speech. Despite the improbable subject matter, an English king from a bygone era struggling to overcome a speech impediment, the movie appears to have touched the hearts of middle-America. Personally I was very moved by the film and the true story it portrays. It's British filmmaking at its best.
And yet notwithstanding my enjoyment of the film, I found Colin Firth's performance as King George VI difficult to watch. Not because it was anything less than very fine acting indeed, but because it reminded me of many childhood days spent sitting across the kitchen table from my father, waiting patiently as he, like his monarch, wrestled with an often paralysing stutter.
To have something to say and not be able to say it can only be excruciating, and yet it is something that an estimated 65 million people worldwide have to deal with every day of their lives. It's little consolation to know that kings can suffer as much as commoners, or that some notable orators, including Winston Churchill and movie stars such as Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt have had the same problem. If you stutter, life is different for you. Simple things that the rest of us take for granted, like telling a joke or addressing a group at work, giving a speech at your child's wedding, become potential minefields of embarrassment. No wonder my father had a short fuse. For him daily dialogue was an ordeal... frustration was a way of life.
With any other condition one would have expected that treatment would have been sought, diagnoses made and preventive options discussed, but in the 1950s and 1960s, stutterers suffered in silence. My father's stutter was never discussed. We became accustomed to it and tried not to think of it as anything unusual. Some days it was negligible and I would entertain a ray of hope that perhaps it was merely a passing thing... something he might grow out of. Then the next day it would be back, and worse. Simple statements blocked up in his mouth. One of us might unwittingly make things worse by hurrying him into what we thought he wanted to say.
I don't mean to paint a portrait of unalloyed gloom. My father was liked by his friends and colleagues and was considered something of a character. We had happy holidays together and Christmases enjoyed by all, except when we gathered round the wireless radio to hear the King read his annual Yuletide message -- his obvious difficulty seeming embarrassingly close to home. But by and large there was less relaxation in my father's life than there should have been. Jimmy Stewart dealt with his stutter openly and elegantly -- it became a charming part of his persona. In my father's case it was just an impediment, provoking bouts of self-directed anger that spilled out onto those close to him.
A few years after my father died, John Cleese, who had known him, told me he was writing a new film in which one member of a desperately dysfunctional gang of crooks had a stutter. He asked if I could help him understand how a stutter worked and where it came from. So "Ken Pile", with his bad haircut and rudely tight trousers, was born. Despite murdering dogs when he was supposed to be murdering their owners, Ken was the most sympathetic member of the gang, and though bullied because of his stutter, he rose up against his tormentor and squashed him with a steam-roller.
One of the by-products of the film's success was something that never happened when my father was alive. People began to talk about stuttering. Some stutterers thought Ken's character was merely cruel, others were quite tickled that a stutterer figured so prominently in such a widely-loved film. And that he had a chance to wreak such dramatic revenge on those who had mocked his affliction. But it was another four years before the most unexpected legacy of A Fish Called Wanda came to pass.
I was contacted by a man called Travers Reid. A successful businessman and a very funny, warm and delightful man. He had a stutter. He introduced me to Lena Rustin, a tiny power-house of a woman who was also an experienced speech therapist. They asked if I would support the establishment of a clinic in London for the specific treatment of stuttering in children.
My father's silent suffering came immediately to mind. Here was just the sort of thing that might have changed his life. A therapy that aimed to identify a stutter from the first moment it manifests itself, which can be as early as three years old. I agreed, and five years after "Ken Pile" first stuttered in A Fish Called Wanda, the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children opened in the Finsbury Health Centre in Central London. We had one full-time and one part-time therapist. And there was nowhere else quite like it in Britain.
Nearly eighteen years later the Centre has ten full-time therapists, has changed the lives of many hundreds of children for the better, and in 2008 was given a half a million dollar vote of confidence by the UK government, to extend the expertise of the London Centre across the country. Discussions are now underway to create something similar in the north of England.
There is nothing I am more proud of in my life than the establishment and success of the Michael Palin Centre, though all the really hard work has been done by others. A team of highly competent, wonderfully patient, extraordinarily devoted therapists have been supported by the very best management and the generosity of many fund-raisers. The invaluable political clout of a senior government cabinet member with his own experience of stuttering, led to the securing of unprecedented government backing for the work of the Centre. From the USA, the Stuttering Foundation and its President, Jane Fraser, have given us their magnificent support to continue and expand our work.
At the core of Lena Rustin's therapy is the involvement of the family. Without their participation the stuttering child feels isolated and it is only with their participation that it is possible to fully understand where and how the stutter has arisen and can be treated. To meet the parents who have come to the Centre and to see hope where there was once only fear and anxiety is both deeply moving and greatly encouraging. And to sit in on therapy sessions and see groups of bright, clever, funny children sitting together to discuss their own experiences of stuttering is inspiring.
The success of the Michael Palin Centre in London is of course only a small part of the work still to be done worldwide in helping those who stutter and we must never think that this particular battle is won. It has been estimated that one in every hundred people suffers from a stutter at some time in their life. This affects over 600,000 people in my home country and approximately 3 million sufferers in the USA. The demand for therapy and care far outstrips supply. Schools and workplaces need to know far more about how to recognize the problems of stuttering, and all children and parents affected by this cruel affliction deserve the benefit of access to a center like the one we have in London.
The cause for real hope and celebration is that attitudes have changed. Stuttering and all the problems that go with it need no longer be suffered in silence. Today there is every possibility that the lives of stutterers need not be forever blighted, as my father's life was, by the fear of failing to speak. Fifty years ago stuttering meant tight, tense, evenings around the kitchen table. It was a painful embarrassment and something that was, quite literally, left unspoken. Now, thanks to a powerful film, the topic is on everyone's lips.
It is inspiring to think of some of the prominent actors and singers of today who have conquered the affliction of stuttering. Many of those who have received the accolade of an Academy Award ® nomination or victory in recent years were once struggling to be heard. Before they found their voices, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, James Earl Jones, Harvey Keitel, Eric Roberts, Samuel L. Jackson, Carly Simon and many more, had some of my father's problems.
If The King's Speech instills hope in those who suffer from stuttering and galvanizes the rest of us to do what we can to help, then it will have achieved something even more valuable than its deserved Oscar nominations.The new Launch Screen File option in Xcode 6.
Earlier this week, tweets from Nick Lockwood and James Thomson alerted me to an as yet undocumented new feature in the iOS 8 SDK: you can now use a storyboard scene in place of your app’s launch images.
Launch Images
iOS uses launch images to give users the impression that apps launch instantly. While an app is busy loading its initial screen, the OS displays a static image provided by the app developer. For best effect, the launch image should resemble the static parts of the app’s user interface.
Design a launch image that is identical to the first screen of the app, except for: [1] Text. … [2] UI elements that might change. … If you think that following these guidelines will result in a plain, boring launch image, you’re right. Remember, the launch image doesn’t provide you with an opportunity for artistic expression. It’s solely intended to enhance the user’s perception of your app as quick to launch and immediately ready for use. — iOS Human Interface Guidelines
For iOS 7 and earlier, app developers had to provide separate launch images for all screen sizes, resolutions and orientations their app supported. For universal apps, up to seven images were required: retina and non-retina versions for 3.5-inch iPhones in portrait and for iPads in portrait and landscape; and another retina image for 4-inch iPhones (the iPhone requires no landscape version because apps are always launched from the portrait-only Home screen).
Creating these images is a nuisance. And the new screen sizes that are likely coming next month will make the process even more annoying.
An Interface Builder-Based Launch Screen
In Xcode 6, there is another option. You can specify a storyboard whose initial view controller will then be used as the app’s launch screen. This is how:
Create a blank storyboard file named LaunchScreen.storyboard. Go to your target settings and, on the General tab, select the storyboard as your Launch Screen File. Xcode will add a corresponding UILaunchStoryboardName key to your app’s Info.plist. When this key is present, Xcode will prioritize it over any launch images you might have set. Add a view controller scene to the storyboard. Add some subviews to the scene and position them with constraints. When you launch the app on a device, the OS should use the scene as the launch screen.
One Storyboard for All Screen Sizes
You can use the new adaptive UI features in Interface Builder to fit your layout to different screen sizes. If your scene requires screen-size-specific images, use asset catalogs to define different images per size class. Note that you can not only adjust constraints for different size classes, you can also remove selected views from a specific size class entirely by deselecting the Installed check box. See WWDC session 411 for details.
Also Works with NIBs
Despite the name of the UILaunchStoryboardName key, this also seems to work with NIB/XIB files containing a single view. When you open such a XIB file in Xcode, the File Inspector displays a check box named Use as Launch Screen, which is not there for storyboards. In my tests with Xcode 6 beta 6, checking it seemed to have no effect, however. You still have to set the Launch Screen File in your target settings.
The Use as Launch Screen check box for NIB files in Interface Builder seems to have no effect.
Caveats
Note that the launch screen is is not a fully customizable view controller. You cannot specify a custom class name in the storyboard and expect the system to give you the option to execute code at this stage by calling viewDidLoad. Remember, the app hasn’t launched yet.
The storyboard is not limited to a single view controller scene, however. You can set up a more complex scene, for example a navigation controller and an embedded content view controller.
The launch screen storyboard is not localizable at the moment. Neither using a separate.strings file under Base Internationalization nor a localized copy of the storyboard worked in my tests. I hope Apple will add this feature in a future version.
Ideally, your launch screen would use the same storyboard scene you have already built for your app’s initial screen. That way, you would only have to design it once. Since the storyboard can contain an arbitrary number of other scenes, it sounds possible in theory to just use your app’s main storyboard as the launch screen file. The OS would then load and display the initial view controller and seamlessly switch over to the fully initialized instance of the same view controller once the launch is complete. In my tests, this did not work if the scene used as the launch screen contained any outlets (which your app’s initial screen most likely does). As soon as I connected a control from the launch scene to an outlet in the view controller, the OS would simply skip the launch screen entirely. I’m not really sure why.
In practice, there are probably many reasons why you would not want to use your initial screen as your launch scene, especially as long as localization is not supported.Update on NetLimiter translations Thursday, January 3, 2019 8:00:36 PM Hello all, This article is a brief report about NetLimiter translations. 8 months has passed since we opened online translation system. We had some expectations but we didn't have an idea how it will work in a real life. In this article we would...
End of 2018 SALE - 33% discount on NetLimiter 4 Tuesday, December 25, 2018 9:29:28 PM Hello All, Now you have a rare opportunity to purchase NetLimiter 4 with 33% discount. Just use EOY-2018-SALE coupon while checking out in the shop. The sale ends on 3rd January, 2019 and it is for all NetLimiter 4 product licenses. (NetLimiter...
Would you like to help us translate NetLimiter to YOUR language? Wednesday, April 25, 2018 3:41:59 PM Hello all, Currently, we have launched our online system for translating NetLimiter. Everything works just fine, except one thing... We need people who speak other languages that English and are willing to help us to translate NetLmiter's texts t...
NetLimiter dark theme Wednesday, April 18, 2018 6:37:55 AM The NetLimiter 4.0.35 introduces dark theme and accent colors support. Look at screenshots of the new version.Seven states have held nominating contests thus far in the fight for the GOP presidential nod, and Ron Paul has won a grand total of zero of them.
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Still, the Texas congressman’s camp contends that it’s well-positioned heading into the nearly month-long stretch before Super Tuesday.
Paul’s national campaign manager, John Tate, writes in a memo Wednesday afternoon that Team Paul is “thrilled” with Tuesday’s results.
“Not one single delegate was awarded yesterday, instead the caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado were the very first step in the delegate selection process,” Tate writes. “And there are still over 40 states left to go.... We are confident in gaining a much larger share of delegates than even our impressive showing yesterday indicates.”
Tate argues that there are three “significant takeaways” from Tuesday’s trio of contests, namely that 1) Missouri’s primary was a “beauty contest” that does not play a role in the delegate-selection process; 2) Paul “will have good numbers among the actual delegates awarded” in Colorado and Nevada; and 3) Paul will “also have a strong majority of the state convention delegates” in Minnesota, where he placed second Tuesday.
Paul may indeed come out better than expected in the delegate count, given his team’s superior organization and the often-complex rules that govern the awarding of delegates within each state.
But with the latest count showing Mitt Romney taking 107 delegates, Rick Santorum taking 69, Newt Gingrich winning 32 and Paul taking nine, it seems he’ll have quite a bit of ground to make up if he aims to be competitive.
To read the full Paul camp memo, click here.Blanche Monnier (1 March 1849 – 13 October 1913), often known in France as la Séquestrée de Poitiers, was a woman from Poitiers, France, who was secretly kept locked in a small room by her mother for 25 years. Monnier had, according to officials, not seen sunlight for her entire captivity. [1]
Monnier was a French socialite from a well-respected family in Poitiers, France. In 1876, at the age of 25, she wanted to marry a lawyer who was not to her mother's liking. Her mother argued that Monnier could not marry a “penniless lawyer”. Her disapproving mother locked her in a tiny room in the attic of their home, where she kept her secluded for 25 years. Her mother and brother continued on with their daily lives, pretending to mourn her loss. None of her friends knew where she was and the lawyer she wished to marry eventually died in 1885. On 23 May 1901, the Paris Attorney General received an anonymous letter that revealed the incarceration.[a] Monnier was rescued by police from appalling conditions.[b][2][3]
Her mother was arrested, became ill shortly afterwards, and died 15 days later after seeing an angry mob gather in front of her house. Her brother Marcel Monnier appeared in court, and was initially convicted, but later was acquitted on appeal; Marcel Monnier was mentally incapacitated, and although the judges criticized his choices, they found that a "duty to rescue" did not exist in the penal code at that time.[2][4]
After she was released from the room, Monnier continued to suffer from mental health problems that soon led to her admission to a psychiatric hospital in Boisé, France, where she died in 1913.[5]http://gty.im/612041174
Detroit Falls to 1-3 After Embarrassing Performance in Chicago
Detroit came into this week with somewhat of an advantage against the Bears. While both teams are banged up, Chicago was down their starting quarterback and the top two running backs on the team, along with a starting linebacker and defensive lineman. Detroit still couldn’t put up points against a weak defense and couldn’t stop an even weaker offense. Jim Caldwell has to be feeling his seat getting a little warmer after starting off 1-3, losing a game they had the lead in and losing to a team who is injury plagued. Let’s check out what happened.
Offense
Matt Stafford broke the record for the most passing yards in his first 100 games, removing Dan Marino from the record books. He didn’t have the best day though, |
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Google Scholar ISIPA honors Mohannad Shafuk Halabi, who murdered Rabbi Nehemia Lavi and Aharon Banita in Jerusalem three weeks ago.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) city of Surda-Abu Qash named a major road for a terrorist this month, "in order to honor" him for killing Jews.
19-year-old terrorist Mohannad Shafik Halabi murdered Rabbi Nehemia Lavi, 41, and Aharon Banita Bennett, 21,in a stabbing attack in Jerusalem's Old City on October 3.
While Halabi had already had soil from the Temple Mount brought to his grave and an honorary law degree awarded to him, his hometown went one step further - naming the road from his municipality to Birzeit and Ramallah after him as well, Palestinian Media Watch reports.
"This is in order to honor Halabi, who carried out a stabbing and shooting operation (i.e., terror attack) against settlers in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem," the independent Palestinian news agency Donia Al-Watan reported on October 14.
"This is the least we can do for Martyr Halabi," Mayor Muhammad Hussein stated about the glorification of the killer, and went on to say that naming the street after him is "intended to emphasize the national role played by municipalities."
Wanting to honor the murderer further, the municipality of Surda-Abu Qash suggested that the mourning "take place in a municipality building, as Halabi is a pride and badge of honor for the whole village."
Several citizens welcomed the decision, the daily added.
The PA, despite presenting itself as peaceful, has named roads and building complexes in multiple cities for major terrorists - including Yahya Ayash, Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, and Dalal Mughrabi.Yesterday, I went to a town hall meeting with an aid to US Senator Mike Lee (UT) and expressed my concerns regarding NIST's report on WTC 7. The Senator's aid was open minded and well aware that some felt strongly that events of 9/11 were allowed by the US government or even “orchestrated” (his term).
It seems to me that a new investigation by Congress would be most unlikely at this stage. Instead, I requested that NIST's computer model for the WTC7 failure and fall be released to us so that independent testing can proceed (my letter below). The aid to Senator Lee assured me that he would pass this request along to the Senator and include my concerns in his report to Senator Lee.
Do you think this approach has merit? Could we successfully apply pressure to NIST to release their WTC 7 computer model, via Senators, Congresspersons, polls, etc? Is this a worthwhile goal for the 9/11 Truth Community? Could AE911Truth engineers run the model if it were released?
To: Senator Mike Lee (Utah)
From:
Dr. Steven E. Jones
Professor of Physics, Ret.
[address given]
1. The key to good science is independent verification.
2. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was charged by Congress to explain the complete collapse of WTC 7 on 9/11/2001 (the 47-story building that was not hit by a plane).
3. NIST developed a computer model with adjustable parameters to explain the WTC 7 collapse.
4. I request that this WTC7-fall computer model be released immediately in a computer-ready form so that independent testing/verification can proceed. This model was developed using taxpayer funds.
5. In particular, NIST states in their 2008 report,
“The steel was assumed in the FDS model to be thermally-thin, thus, no thermal conductivity was used.” I challenge that assumption, and wish to insert into the computer model the known physical value for thermal conductivity, to see how this changes things.
6. There are now over 1,700 engineers and architects in the AE911Truth.org society, and I am confident that our combined expertise will permit us to perform the independent verification of the NIST WTC7 computer model, once that computer simulation is released in full to us, in computer-ready form.
7. Contact information for NIST:
NIST WTC Investigation Team
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8610
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8610
Phone: (301) 975-6051
Email: wtc@nist.gov
Sincerely,
Dr. Steven E. JonesPlay Four Rounds Of Golf With Our “Play Around The World Pass” And Enjoy 20% To 30% Discounts
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We look forward to hosting you at the “Happiest Place on TURF!”President Obama had a bumpy arrival in Cartagena, Colombia yesterday for the sixth annual Summit of the Americas when a dozen secret service agents were relieved of duty and sent home amid allegations of misconduct involving prostitution. According to the Washington Post, at least one agent has been accused of involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena. “They had arranged to have a bunch of prostitutes come by and one of the agents refused to pay a prostitute,” author Ronald Kessler, a leading experts on the Secret Service and former Washington Post reporter, told the Daily News. “Yes, doubly good judgement there.”
Kessler told the Daily News the spurned hooker went to the police to report the lack of payment. “Their careers are over,” he said, before listing all the reasons why: “Number one, it is against basic ethics to go to a prostitute. Number two, it is incredibly embarrassing to the White House. And number three, it could leave them open to blackmail and a possible assassination attempt.”
Officials said the dismissals wouldn't affect the Summit of the Americas, a gathering of 33 of the hemisphere’s 35 leaders to discuss economic policy and trade. A senior official told Fox News the charges were serious enough to require mediation by diplomats. According to AP, a hotel employee also reported seeing the agents drinking heavily during their stay in Cartagena before Obama's arrival.
Kessler told CNN this was "clearly the biggest scandal in Secret Service history." Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan confirmed the removal of the agents in a statement:Let’s take a tax quiz.
Assuming you owed money on your 2015 tax return, as of what date does the government begin charging you arrears interest?
A) 30 days after it was due
B) May 1, 2015
C) April 31, 2016 (sic)D) May 31, 2016E) All of the above
The answer, at least according to responses given by Canada Revenue Agency telephone agents who were asked this question, appears to be “(e) — all of the above.”
According to a scathing report issued this week by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on the performance of the CRA’s call centre, the incorrect response rate on this question by the CRA was an appalling 84 per cent. Answers (a) through (d) above were among some of the incorrect responses various agents gave on the phone when asked when the interest clock starts ticking. (The correct answer is May 2, 2016 since the normal personal tax return filing due date of April 30, 2016 fell on a Saturday).
The report found that when call-centre agents responded to the AG’s tax questions, they gave wrong information nearly 30 per cent of the time.
This finding is highly troubling because callers assume the information they get from call-centre agents is accurate. If it’s not, it could lead to callers paying too much or too little tax and later being subject to reassessments or objections, with resultant interest and penalties. It might also result in taxpayers not receiving benefits to which they are entitled.
It also flies in the face of the “Taxpayer Bill of Rights.” This bill describes and defines 16 rights that build upon the CRA’s corporate values of professionalism, respect, integrity, and cooperation and describes the treatment you are entitled to when you deal with the CRA.
Specifically, Right #6 states that “you have the right to complete, accurate, clear, and timely information.” The CRA’s own website boasts that “Our enquiries agents have extensive training and reference tools that let them respond quickly and accurately to your questions and provide you with the highest quality of service.”
Between February and April 2017, the OAG made 255 calls to CRA call centres to assess the accuracy of the information provided by its agents. They used 17 questions, some of which were the same as those used by the CRA or other external studies to assess the accuracy of information provided by call centre agents. The questions asked were general in nature so agents didn’t need to access a specific taxpayer account.
While the CRA’s internal assessment found inaccurate responses between 6 and 20 per cent of the time, external tests showed inaccuracy rates of from 24 to 31 per cent while the OAG’s tests found that responses were inaccurate almost 30 per cent of the time overall.
This means that the actual rate of agent errors was significantly higher than the CRA’s own test results.
How can this be? Surely the CRA tests its own call centre agents regularly to ensure they are giving correct information.
While the CRA does have a “National Quality and Accuracy Learning Program,” the OAG found that it did not test the accuracy of agents’ responses effectively or independently and thus the OAG concluded that the results of its tests were “unreliable.”
For example, one method the CRA used to assess the quality and accuracy of responses was to have a “certified listener” sitting beside the telephone agent to listen to both sides of the call. The certified listener assessed the overall quality of the call, including the agent’s technical skills, ability to follow policies and procedures, and accuracy. The obvious problem with this method is that agents knew that their calls were being monitored and this may have encouraged them to change their behaviour to improve their evaluation.
Another method the CRA used to test agents’ accuracy was to have agents make anonymous calls to other agents and ask non-account-specific questions. Not surprisingly, CRA agents told the OAG that in these cases they often recognized the caller’s voice since it was the voice of one of their colleagues. In many cases, their telephone system also identified that the call was coming from a testing line — hardly the most independent way to test an agent’s call performance.
While the CRA did use remote listening assessments where its agents were unaware that their calls were being monitored, agents had to self-select and volunteer to be evaluated using this type of testing and they could withdraw at any time. But due to technology constraints, the ability to listen remotely to calls existed in only three of the nine call centres and therefore an average of just 11 per cent of agents were tested this way.
When CRA agents were interviewed, they said “it was a challenge to find information in the Agency’s systems when responding to questions.” They used about 29 different applications on the individuals inquiries line and about 25 on the business line, making it difficult to find the right information quickly. Depending on the nature of the question, however, the OAG found that the agent may have only been required to access a few applications or tools.
The CRA responded to the OAG report and said that it was “committed to ensuring that its quality assurance practices are effective and result in improved accuracy.” Consequently, the CRA developed a three-pronged improvement plan.
First, the CRA will be launching a new approach to training and evaluating agents “to better assess agent readiness across the national network.” Second, it will be moving to a new call-centre telephony platform which will offer modern call monitoring tools. And thirdly, the CRA will establish a new national quality monitoring team to supplement existing local quality practices to ensure consistency across the national network.
So, what should you do if you feel the information you received from the CRA was inadequate? First, you can use the “CRA Service Complaint process” to file a service complaint.
Second, if you relied on incorrect CRA information that led to interest and penalties, you can apply to the CRA under the “taxpayer relief provisions” of the Income Tax Act to have these charges waived or cancelled.
Jamie.Golombek@cibc.com
Jamie Golombek, CPA, CA, CFP, CLU, TEP is the Managing Director, Tax & Estate Planning with CIBC Financial Planning & Advice in Toronto.If you haven't noticed by now, Chicago has been systematically asserting it's grip over the music at large. That grip tightens this week as a contingent of the city’s top up and coming talent team up for a posse cut, “Going Places”. The single from activist/artist/poet/rapper and TheseDays December cover story subject Malcolm London places him alongside fellow SaveMoney members Dally Auston and Eric B on production for this mile-a-minute ride.
The driving force behind the local scene’s rise to international prominence as of late has been heavily due to the new wave’s ability to reach beyond cliques and city lines to create great art and they continue to do so here, teaming up with Feo Mob’s Logan who offers up a blistering verse to lead off the track. EB continues to step out as well, linking up with longtime friends and frequent collaborators in London and Auston for a piece that continues to build on a resume that got a marked boost from his work on SURF. Meanwhile, we continue to get teasers from London's upcoming debut.
Somewhat akin to a Chicago version of “Fuckin’ Problems”, this single offers a perfect peek into who’s up next from the ‘Go, a sentiment that is underlined by the general idea of the song’s title. Chicago’s going places, SaveMoney’s going places, Feo Mob’s going places. You coming?
We caught up with producer Eric Butler, who got a break from the studio to answer some questions on the new release and what's to come.
TheseDays • What was the process like getting all of you together for this one?
EB • We were in at Classick studio working on Malcolm and I's project and invited Logan and Dally to come thru and listen to what we had been working on and asked them to get on a record for the project and we ended up making going places. Happened so organically. We were at SXSW together and decided we should make some new shit when we all get back to the city & thats exactly what we did.
TheseDays • How does this speak to the connectedness of Chicago's scene?
EB • I think it shows a lot, knowing about how segregated chicago is, knowing artists from north, west and south sides (very different in style), could come together and make something as cohesive. Music scene in chicago is thriving right now.
TheseDays • What is the message of the song to you?
EB • I think the message is pretty self explanatory. Not being complacent. Not getting stuck in the now. But always setting goals and looking for more that we can do for ourselves and our city.
TheseDays • What should the people be looking out for moving forward?
EB • In the near future look out for Dally Auston's Sophomore tape Roses. Logan Cage is also working diligently on his sophomore album, currently untitled & I've been working very closely with Malcolm on his debut project coming to you later this year.Babes Coming to North Richland Hills TX
Information for North Richland Hills, TX provided by Amy Steele Realtor®, CNE®, SRS® of RE/MAX Heritage #NRHRealtor #DFWAmySteele
Good afternoon!
A special city council meeting took place on December 22 here in North Richland Hills. The special meeting was for the discussion of the sale of 6720 NE Loop 820 property. This was where the old library, recreation services and citi-cable services used to be located. The property consists of 3.65 acres.
A notice of intent to sell was posted and then the 14 day waiting period began. After a notice is published there is a mandatory waiting period so sealed bids can be sent to the city and then reviewed. One bid was received and met the requirements of the published notice for this particular piece of property. The city council authorized city manager Mark Hindman to execute a contract for the property.
And therefore, Babes is coming to North Richland Hills! LOL what were YOU thinking, was it the title? This is about FOOD!
Babes-NRH LLC is the buyer which means that North Richland Hills will be getting a desperately needed sit down restaurant to help increase the desirability of our community and also to revitalize that area of the city. Mayor Oscar Trevino said that this is the beginning of great things along 820 with more new businesses coming in and changing the face of that particular area. Councilwoman Rity Wright-Oujesky stated that one of the overwhelming responses on the city survey was that the citizens wanted more sit down restaurants. I completely agree and am seriously hoping that we attract more places along that route and Restaurant Row here in North Richland Hills.
Take care and have a blessed day!
Amy SteelePrincess Kaguya is based on a 10th-century Japanese folk story called The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, which tells of a poor couple that discover a mystical girl in a forest and take it upon themselves to raise her as a princess. Takahata takes this narrative and runs with it, exploring the transient nature of life, the shallowness of wealth and materialism, and the absurdity of societal roles along the way. But Princess Kaguya’s plot is a simple one at first — most viewers will be more immediately grabbed by the astonishing art style.
Much was made of animation legend Hayao Miyazaki’s decision to retire last year, but a new movie out today from his Studio Ghibli comes from the mind of no less great a talent. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was directed by 78-year-old Isao Takahata, a co-founder of the studio, and you won’t see a lusher, more gorgeous movie in 2014.
Princess Kaguya is like an old Japanese painting come to life. The fluid animation is drawn in minimalist, evocative watercolors with charcoal strokes that reminded me a little of the Raymond Briggs adaptation The Snowman. A core theme of the film — how a simple life spent among nature can offer more happiness than urbanity and purported social progression — is one shared by other Ghibli works, but the painterly style helps make a more convincing case here. In one amazing scene, the princess Kaguya’s angry fantasies of escaping an oppressive environment are shown in dizzying, coarse scrawls as the character takes flight. The innovative artwork is typical of Takahata’s Studio Ghibli filmography, which has often reset expectations of what anime can look like. 1999 comedy My Neighbors the Yamadas, for example, wrings expressive, relatable characters out of crude sketches that portray family life. And a personal favorite, 1991’s Only Yesterday, is rendered in two separate styles. The present day events feature vibrant colors and realistic animation, with the muscles in characters’ faces visibly shifting between emotions. The childhood memories of the protagonist, Taeko, on the other hand, take on a style more like conventional kids’ animation, only with washed-out colors and unfinished backgrounds that emphasize the fuzzy nature of recollections. As Taeko matures in the past, her memories are gradually drawn in a style closer to the present.
Princess Kaguya’s art and source material make it one of the most conspicuously Japanese films that Studio Ghibli has ever put out. But for its US release, the voice cast includes American actors like Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, and Lucy Liu. While Ghibli films often feature respectable English dubbing, I haven’t had a chance to see that version for myself. I do feel, though, that if there’s any Ghibli film that would work better in Japanese with subtitles — no matter your personal preference — it’s probably this one. Princess Kaguya’s straightforward plot perhaps doesn’t quite justify its two hours and 17 minutes running time, and viewers unfamiliar with the original story might be thrown sideways by a cosmic twist in the third act. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is often described as proto-science fiction, making Princess Kaguya more than your average Japanese folk tale. And despite some strong scenes, I didn’t find it quite as moving or emotional overall as some of Takahata’s best work, which often has the power to massage your heart and punch you in the gut all at once. But I never felt that Princess Kaguya dragged — even at its slowest, the film is never less than stunning, and it’s hard not to be swept away by its charms.Muslims and Christians have much in common, both groups have enjoyed an amicable relationship throughout history (apart from a few unfortunate hiccups). After all, it was the then Christian ruler of Abyssinia who granted refuge to early Muslim converts who were fleeing persecution from the Polytheists of Makkah. They were advised to go there by the Prophet Muhammad himself (peace be upon him).
The following are 6 Muslim beliefs about Jesus (peace be upon him) every Christian must know.
1. One cannot be a Muslim without believing in Jesus
Muslims must believe in and respect all of the prophets in order to be counted as a believer. From Adam to Noah and from Moses to Jesus up to the final prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon them all).
Say, [O believers], “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.” Qur’an, 2:136
Photo by Lebnen18 via Wikimedia Commons
2. He had a miraculous birth
Muslims also believe Jesus was born miraculously without a father to the Virgin Mary. His mother is also respected and venerated across the world by Muslims and she is known to have been a pious and devout person. An entire chapter of the Qur’an is named after her.
3. He performed miracles
Muslims believe Jesus performed many miracles such as creating a bird from clay or curing the blind and leper and bringing the dead back to life.
And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of God. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of God. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. Qur’an, 3:49
Notice how God explains that all the miracles were carried out only with the permission of God lest people start thinking he was God.
4. He is not God
Muslims believe he was one of the greatest prophets sent by God but he was not divine. Muslims do not believe he was the son of God or God incarnate, they believe he was a human being who was given the task of conveying the message to the people and to preach that there is only One God.
5. He was not crucified
Christian belief holds that Jesus was crucified but Muslims differ. Muslims believe Jesus was raised to the heavens by God and instead, one of his foes was made to look like him who was crucified instead.
And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Qur’an 4:157
6. Jesus will return
Muslims believe Jesus will return before the final days and will establish peace and justice on Earth. As part of a longer narration, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said:
“By the one whose hands my life is in, surely the Son of Mary will descend amongst you as a just ruler…” Sahih Al Bukhari
By Rafiq ibn Jubair
Related: 35 Mentions of Jesus in the Qur’anBack in November we asked what you would do with an old unused laptop. If you have an old laptop that’s not doing much more than gathering dust, chances are you could put it to better use. You could sell it, but you probably wouldn’t get too much for it. Donating or recycling can also get it out your hair, but if you’d like to try something different, read on for some ideas.
Salvage usable parts
Not the flashiest choice, but potentially the most useful one. Just because the processor and RAM no longer meet your needs doesn’t mean that the hard drive, optical drive, and even the LCD screen should be thrown out too. All of these parts can be easily removed, and, with the exception of the screen in some cases, do not require total dismantling. When removing any of these parts, be careful to remove all mounting screws and carefully detach any cables before removing it from the case. LCD monitors almost always have a cable that attaches directly to the mainboard, and tearing it could render the monitor useless. If you wreck it, you’ll have to buy a new monitor to extend your desktop display.
Of course, you can also get a wealth of small parts from an old laptop, including screws, jumpers, heatsinks, cables, LEDs, and even keys from the keyboard. FRC Tech offers a good instructional page on the basics of dismantling a laptop, and a forum on ThinkComputers.com offers a comprehensive set of guides to taking apart many different Toshiba laptops.
Make a digital picture frame
A digital picture frame can be a great gift that you made yourself. Your mom would probably like it more than the ceramic pencil holder you made in the third grade. Unlike that time, though, you’ll have to decide whether the frame will show only preloaded images or whether it will access an online source like Flickr. PopSci.com offers this useful guide to building your own photo frame, as does Repair4Laptop.org.
Install Linux and make a media extender
Old laptops aren’t great at running memory or processor-intensive software, but they can make great Linux terminals. You could outfit it with Linux for exclusive internet use, data storage, or even for controlling other devices like a home entertainment center. Unfortunately you may also have to retrofit it with a larger harddrive or WiFi card to get better use out of it. Yesterday we mentioned both MythTV and XBMC as alternative frontends. This article at Linux.com has more information on building a Linux home media center. There’s also this guide by The MediaCenter Expert or this article by ZDNet’s George Ou.
Get creative with upgrades
Sure, you could do the standard mods and add WiFi or Bluetooth, but why not get adventurous with your modding? You could give the old laptop a snazzy wooden case mod, an extremely potent air-cooling system, or switch to the qwerty keyboard out for a Dvorak keyboard. Your imagination is the limit.
In the spirit of our previous post, what would you do?Valve is working on Source 2, a successor to its long-running Source engine, studio head Gabe Newell confirmed in a Q&A session with members of 4chan's /v/ board.
Newell also mentioned that a game known as "SOB" did exist as Stars of Blood, but said Valve is no longer working on it.
Asked about the existence of Source 2 (go to 6:07 in the video), Newell said, "We've been working on the engine itself for quite a while." At that point, the audio becomes muffled, but according to the transcript provided by the video's author, Newell added, "We've just been waiting for a game to roll it out with." He also said it's a new engine altogether, not a mere extension of the existing Source technology.
Earlier this year, files discovered in Valve's Source Filmmaker software hinted at the existence of a "next-gen" Source 2 engine.
Later in the nearly hour-long session (scrub to 47:45 in the video), a fan asked about a rumored project called "SOB," concept art of which was "floating around" on the web. Newell did not recognize the rumored name, "Stars of Barathrum"; instead, he gave the name Stars of Blood and characterized it as a "space pirates game," but said, "That never saw the light of day."
Update: As commenters have pointed out, Newell has previously used "Ricochet 2" as a joking stand-in for a future entry in the Half-Life franchise such as Half-Life 2: Episode 3 or Half-Life 3 — in other words, when he mentions a sequel to Ricochet, he is referring to a future Half-Life game. We've edited the original article to reflect this. Thanks, everyone!Microsoft has finally won a long-running battle at the International Trade Commission, one of the most popular venues for the corporate patent wars that have broken out in the last few years.
After Microsoft launched its patents against Motorola, the Illinois company—now under Google's control—launched a variety of counterattacks in both federal courts and the ITC. It filed a case accusing Microsoft's Xbox of violating several of its patents back in 2010. Initially, a judge did find that Microsoft infringed on the patents, which were related to video transmission and compression as well as Wi-Fi. The case went back to the full six-member ITC for reconsideration, and the commission took its time to make a decision.
Now its decision is out, and Microsoft is off the hook for patent infringement. The Redmond software company has been successful in using its patents to force companies producing Android handsets to take licenses, and it hasn't really had to take many blows of its own in the process.
Today's ITC ruling isn't the only patent counter-attack that's gone badly for Motorola lately. Earlier this year, a District Court in Washington denied Motorola the chance to charge Microsoft $4-$6 per Xbox in a separate case over standards-essential patents, reducing the license fees to a mere 3.5¢ per console.
"This is a win for Xbox customers and confirms our view that Google had no grounds to block our products," said a Microsoft spokesperson.
Ars also reached a Motorola spokesperson who understandably had a different take. "We're disappointed with this decision and are evaluating our options."Protestants demand deferral; Gov't says absolutely not
By Park Hyong-ki
Religious organizations, particularly members of Protestant churches, are having a fit again over the planned taxation of religious figures and organizations.
With about 50 days before the government's legal authority to impose taxes on them, some Christian sects are asking for more time to prepare, and are demanding the government postpone the taxation again by one or two years.
This is because neither the government nor the religious organizations are fully ready to execute and abide by the new income tax code, which the church leaders said has been drawn up unreasonably.
The Christian task force handling this affair also asked the government to exclude the religious group from regulatory audits by the National Tax Service (NTS).
It continued to argue that being excluded does not mean giving it the "benefit or privilege, but recognition" that churches, temples and other nonprofit religious organizations operate entirely differently from private companies.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding that priests do not want to pay taxes. They do. What we are trying to do is clear up this misunderstanding and help come up with a reasonable law," said Jeong Seo-yeong, president of the Communion of Churches in Korea (CCIK).
The task force suggested running tests or a simulation by imposing taxes on a selected few groups before the nationwide taxation to minimize side effects and confusion.
However, the finance ministry remains adamant that it will execute the tax code and start collecting income tax from them beginning January 1, 2018 as planned.
Until then, it will continue to listen to them closely and mend any problems they point out in the course of debates and discussions.
"We will try to come up with a better measure based on the opinions from the religious group," Vice Finance Minister Ko Hyoung-kwon said in a recent meeting with religious figures.
But he told reporters it would be impossible to accept their demand for taxation deferral and audit exclusion as such an act would be viewed as giving them preferential treatment.
The government will not punish them if they mistakenly forget to file their income taxes due to confusion over the new tax code.
Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon told lawmakers early this month that it is preparing for the taxation as best as it can, and that any necessary changes to the code would have to be done as quickly as possible instead of considering another deferral.
This means the government has put its foot down, and this time it will start collecting income taxes from the religious organizations next year without more delays.
Some religious sects, including the National Council of Churches and the Catholic Church, have been paying taxes, saying that they are not only obligated to serve God, but also the country under the Korean Constitution.
The issue of taxation first came up in 1968 when then NTS chief Lee Nak-sun officially said the country needed to start collecting income taxes from priests and monks.
But succeeding governments continued to hold off on this especially ahead of or during the election season, even despite being the only economy in the OECD to not levy taxes on the clergy.
The issue has gained attention as Korea is becoming a rapidly aging society, while facing a shortage of capital resources to finance its growing social costs.Quantic Foundry is a company that's made it its business to understand and quantify gamer motivations. To that end, it's collected detailed information on more than 140,000 gamers, identifying their favorite games and what makes those titles most attractive. The output of that research is multifaceted, but perhaps the most interesting part of it has been the below chart identifying the relative cognitive burden that each game asks for.
Grand strategy titles like Civilization and Europa Universalis require more "thinking, planning ahead, and making decisions," whereas Counter-Strike is a good example of a game that throws up "fast-paced action and gameplay that rewards rapid reactions." That much is intuitively obvious, however plotting all these various games against one another gives a sense of the proportional difference between them. And it also illustrates the challenge and demands inherent in each game: Football Manager moves at a languid pace, and even though few would argue it's an easy game, it falls into the "easy fun" category here because it doesn |
in concrete terms risks suppressing its potential to nurture relationships that don’t fit neatly within Campus Life, then how can it be critiqued? Without a clear picture of what counts as being a part of “the” autonomous scene, without formal specialization or hierarchy, how can we generalize a shared perception of our situation? What sort of frameworks for decentralized coordination can extend beyond our immediate social circles, when we struggle to do so even on a scale as small as Pittsburgh’s radical youth scene?
The social war is already all around us. It’s not a question of merging the various social and political circles into some unified campaign, but of facilitating the realization of mutual desire.
Find each other, because the Something we’re waiting for is never going to happen unless we become Something. If each of us acts on our own ideas and desires, a shared perception of our situation is temporarily understood every time we act collectively—every time we create spaces, projects, and experiences together. Which is really just a roundabout way of saying, what you do or don’t do makes all the difference.
In California, the kids spray-paint We are the Crisis on the walls of occupied lecture halls. In Greece, they write We are an Image from the Future.
What could “we” be?
“We aren’t revolutionaries, but we are the revolution.
And sometimes I think that the whole movement is just me and you…”
Appendix
There is at least one practice worth prioritizing and refining. Healthy doses of introspection, taken alone or with the guidance of trusted comrades, might be a step in the right direction. Some questions I find myself habitually returning to:
What are my short-term and long-term objectives? What are the first steps, and how can I take them while staying true to my beliefs?
Does my current project require bringing in, training, or even radicalizing new people? Or can it be better accomplished with a few close friends who are already on the same page?
Am I making time and space to hear my comrades’ criticisms, to learn together, and to unpack each other’s shit?
Is this crew/organization a closed collective with a formal process for integrating and welcoming new people? Should there be a separation between public events and collective meetings? What sort of decisions are made in these spaces, and how are they made? Is everyone in the crew/organization participating in planning the next public meeting/event, and if not, what’s the difference between being a member and part of the general public? Are there informal hierarchies that negatively impact the participation of others? Yeah, no shit there are, so what are you going to do about them? What’s the most strategic way to address them?
When was the last time I revised my personal theory of change? How can my crew and I intervene in campaigns that seem to be stagnating? Are my organizing efforts, actions, and events actually getting me closer to any of my objectives?
Is my crew prioritizing its abstract “organizing” work or its participation in an organization/campaign over its capacity to emotionally and materially support the people that comprise it?
If my crew for this project is just me and two friends, is there consensus on whether it’s actually necessary to form or participate in a formal organization? How is everyone doing on, like, an emotional level? Maybe it’s time to just chill and enjoy each other’s company for a bit?
Am I building affinity through trust and compassion? If not, how can I create space for healing?
Am I having fun? Am I getting enough sleep? Am I falling into the trap of capitalist conceptions of productivity?
Click to view slideshow.
[1] So, what is capital? Fredy Perlman defined capital as, “…at once a name for a social relation between workers and capitalists, for the instruments of production owned by a capitalist, and for the money-equivalent of his instruments and ‘intangibles,’ …” Capital is a social relation that necessitates the use of things in a specific way, and it is those things in so far as they are directly reproducing this social relation in the process of value accumulation. As Marx emphasized in the Grundrisse, capital must be understood as a process. Marx defined capital variously as “a social relation of production,” “value in process,” “a Moloch,” “accumulated labor,” and most poetically as “dead labour which, vampire like, lives by sucking living labour, and lives the more, the more labour it sucks.”
– Jan D. Matthews, An Introduction to the SituationistsPREVIEW
Baylor will hit the road and head to Stillwater to try to get back to their winning ways after dropping back-to-back games against Kansas and Kansas State. Oklahoma State has been red hot as of late, winning five straight, including road games against Oklahoma and West Virginia.
The Bears boast a top-10 defense, while the Pokes contain a top-10 offense. Although Baylor defeated Oklahoma State earlier in the season 61-57, this is an entirely different Cowboys team.
Turnovers will likely be the key to this match up. Oklahoma State has done a great job taking care of the ball as of late, while the Bears average 14.8 turnovers in the last five games.
Even though they’ve consistently given up the ball this season, the Bears have played great defense and are a great rebounding team. If Baylor is able to control the glass, they will likely be able to afford a few turnovers and still come away with the win.
Both teams greatly need the win, albeit for different reasons. Baylor needs to quickly return to their winning ways before another matchup with Kansas, while Oklahoma State is still trying to prove they belong in the NCAA Tournament.We are four days away from when the San Antonio Spurs raise the number of the best power forward to ever play for the Silver and Black to the roof, Tim Duncan. Duncan played 19 solid years in San Antonio and through those times he had, as many players do, ups and downs.
During one game in his career, Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks threw down a powerful dunk over Timmy and what happened afterwards was a sign of respect from Horford.
Now,, you'd think Horford would've been celebrating the fact he just crammed one on the future Hall of Famer but not Al.
Horford actually felt weird about his feat and out of respect for No. 21.
"I didn't want to make a big fuss out of it," Horford told MassLive Tuesday before practice in San Antonio, where Duncan is busy enjoying retirement (and 1-on-1 games with Pau Gasol). "Everybody got really excited about it. My teammates, everybody was screaming. I tried to keep it in. That's just how much respect I have for him. I didn't want to make a scene out of it."
Granted it was a move that definitely deserved a celebration but the respect that Horford has for Timmy was apparent as it is still today.
"I really just tried to learn from him just defensively, his presence on the defensive end, and really how he's all about the team," Horford said. "I watched him play -- it's not like I studied his film, but I watched him play a lot, and just one of the things I saw from him is just a guy that's so unselfish, so about the team, and not getting all the individual attention. So those were traits that I just kind of saw and I related myself to that from his game. And I know that he did it that way. And that's the way I try to carry myself."
Classy move Horford, classy move for a man who personified class on and off the court.
Follow: @TexasgmrDanish archaeologists have unearthed a burial site in an ancient town in southern Jordan that suggests the dead were not buried until they had decomposed to skeletal remains. The skeletons were then dismantled and bones of similar types were buried together
“It might sound a bit like something from a splatter movie,” Moritz Kinzel, a researcher at the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the University of Copenhagen, told Videnskab.
“The body parts have been sorted and buried in collective graves, where we find the specific categories of bones together.”
Large numbers of children
Danish researchers are still in the process of excavating the site, called Shkārat Msaied. So far they have found the skeletons of more than 70 people.
“It is interesting there are an unusually large number of children buried, ranging from small babies to adolescents,” said Kinzel. “There seems to have been a strong tendency to bury children inside the houses.”
Kindle said they had unearthed three new burial sites containing at least 10 children and two adults, and that they still had several more sites to look at.
READ MORE: Danish archaeologists playing pivotal role in restoration of Syrian culture heritage
Animal bones, including birds, foxes, goats and sheep, have been found buried along with the human remains.
“We do not know if the burials are related to something religious, but there seems to be some kind of ritual behaviour associated with the funeral,” said Kinzel.
Bones in the box
The bones were for the most part separated and placed in trunks located inside private homes.
“There is, for example, a very fine stone coffin in which the skulls were stacked together at one end and longer bones like those that come from the leg or the arm are located at the other end,” said University of Copenhagen researcher Marie Louise Jørkov.
Jørkov said that old skeletons are very fragile and must be excavated carefully. Some of them have been brought to Copenhagen for further study.
“It is extremely exciting to be involved,” said Jørkov. “We are probably dealing with some of the world’s first agriculturalists, and their bones can give us information about the lifestyle and chronic diseases they encountered.”
Changing lifestyles
About the time the skeletons were buried 9,000 years ago, their society was undergoing a major upheaval from primarily being hunter-gatherers who lived a nomadic life to settling down and becoming farmers.
Kinzel said the excavation of the sites will continue into the foreseeable future.Long before Christopher Nolan's moody Batman sequels kind of seized the phonetic, Dark Night was the title of YTV's annual Halloween celebration: a candy haze, pop and chip frenzy induced bumper marathon of spooky '90s kids shows like Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Freaky Stories, linked together with epic interstitials starring PJs Phil, Paul, Jenn, Katie, Krista and many more. For children of '90s, Dark Night was annual appointment TV, almost as important as Halloween itself...
PJs (or Program Jockeys to the uninformed) began to appear on YTV in 1991, helping to fill out precious time between programs where advertising could not be sold, and to bolster the Canadian content quota mandated by the CRTC. It didn't take long for the first crop of PJs like Jazzy Jan (Janis Mackey Frayer) and Gord the PJ Man (Gordon Woolvet) to catch on and develop cult followings, but it was the fortuitous arrival of one Phil Guerrero aka PJ Phresh Phil that triggered a seismic shift in YTV's image, vibe, and street credibility. When YTV launched in 1988 they billed themselves as "the spirit of youth"; now they had a Reverend to preach it.
By 1993 the PJs were the face of YTV, and after great success with 1992 Canada's Wonderland set Festival of Friends, PJ fronted specials outside of program blocks like The Zone and the Alley began happening with greater frequency. And what better event to build a special night around than one that marketing had determined was key to kids - Halloween. The very first Dark Night premiered in October of 1993, a skin-crawling twenty years ago.
Featuring a triple helping of Are You Afraid of the Dark? along with special Halloween themed episodes of shows like Rugrats and Garfield, the evening was hosted by PJs Phil, Jenn and Ashna in a darkened and cramped candle-lit set. Proving to be a massive ratings success, Dark Night 2 followed in October of 1994 and was sponsored by Smarties, who provided glow-in-the-dark sleeping bags while the PJs promoted sleepovers during the marathon of fearful episodes. Also around this time, the utterly legendary YTV Green Skull first appeared, and forever became associated with scary things on YTV, especially Dark Night.
In October of 1995, YTV's atomic creative explosion knew no bounds and the production of Dark Night 3 kicked the enterprise up several notches by shooting at Casa Loma, bringing a real sense of scale to the nominally low key PJ special events. Paul McGuire aka PJ Paul remembers "Dark Night was a big deal at the time. We were used to the small Zone studio and working with nothing, now we've got multiple crews, lightning rigs and dollies".
However, as ambitious as the 3rd installment had been ("Scooby Doo-esq. Shooting it at Casa Loma with all those hidden rooms and secret passages was far scarier than it was on the air" dryly recalls McGuire) it was merely a dress rehearsal for 1996's industrious and chilling 4th installment:
Dark Night 4 found PJs Phil and Paul wandering around the fog shrouded Toronto streets, looking for a Halloween party while Phil struggles with the fact he has become uncool while Paul's arm has been bitten by a creature and he may be turning into a monster.
In those days, YTV HQ was located at 64 Jefferson Avenue (ironically now home to Moses Znaimer's silver foxy Zoomer empire), and the surrounding area afforded suitably creepy locations for the Dark Night shoots.
"I remember getting home at like 7am in the morning, after shooting all night around YTV in the warehouses there. Before it became Liberty Village, it used to be a landfill, with abandoned buildings and warehouses. It was crazy" recalls Phil Guerrero.
"You gotta remember, back then it wasn't called Liberty Village, it was Lower East Parkdale. When we were shooting (Dark Night 4), in the park there were vagrants, needles and condoms scattered around on the ground, you know? It was a totally different place" adds McGuire, who fondly remembers a zealous make-up artist applying mini-sardines from a tin to create the wound effect on his arm.
As the plots of Dark Night became more inspired, so did the merchandising and promotional tie-ins which became a huge part of the Dark Night experience: from YTV branded bowling ball bags for severed heads, to watches with disappearing YTV skull icon to an actual Dark Night board game. Hasbro Canada provided mind-blowingly massive prize packs rewarding eagle eyed viewers who participated in 1-800 trivia contests. One year the response was so overwhelming the jammed phone lines eventually took down New Brunswick's network, underlining the furious passion surrounding Dark Night.
Dark Night 5 in 1997 was perhaps the apex of them all, prophetically pre-figuring the reality TV/faux horror craze which wouldn't kick off until 1999 with The Blair Witch Project and the rise of the "found footage" genre. The PJs held fort at YTV's control room while monitoring supernatural events unfolding in a small (fictional) town called Tweed. It was as if X-Files had hijacked the Zone and transported it into the heart of Twin Peaks. Was it perhaps too much for kids to see their trusted daily hosts placed into such otherworldly peril?
"There was a lot of controversy back then - if it wasn't kids gambling with Pogs, the horror stuff was too much for them, or the Power Rangers were making kids beat each other up in the school yards. Every time we did a Dark Night we wondered if it was too scary" recalls Guerrero.
Things were certainly reigned in for the following year's Dark Night, which was not numbered and featured a monstrous game show parody from the production team behind YTV's smash UH-OH. In 1999, Dark Night was replaced by Halloweird, and by then both Phil and Paul had moved on from YTV. The winds of change were blowing, and those innovative and anarchic madcap '90s YTV stylings were soon a thing of the past.
Last week, home girl Ellen Page tweeted "Halloween approaching makes me remember the limitless, undying joy that YTV's Dark Night gave me. Any Canadians in the house hearin me?" illustrating the legacy of Dark Night which lives on in the hearts and minds of '90s kids who came of age during that innocent time before the internet irreversibly changed everything, even how we celebrate Halloween.
"That was the '90s for you..." Guerrero thoughtfully explains with a sly hint of PJ Phresh Phil sneaking back into his patois. "Great time to be a kid, lame time to be an adult".
Special thanks to Phil Guerrero, Paul McGuire, Rebecca Lager, Jan Leonard, and Dawn Mustard
Retrontario plumbs the seedy depths of Toronto flea markets, flooded basements, thrift shops and garage sales, mining old VHS and Betamax tapes that less than often contain incredible moments of history that were accidentally recorded but somehow survived the ravages of time. You can find more amazing discoveries at www.retrontario.com.Leaving EsportsWikis
Matt Hultman Blocked Unblock Follow Following May 18, 2017
The last three years of my life have been dedicated to the Call of Duty wiki. Whether it was editing one line of code on 1,000+ pages that would only affect 5 pages, doing twitter coverage for 48 hours straight once a week during the 2016 CWL season, or recording eight MLG.tv streams at once just to make sure we could get all the Pro League scores, I had a blast. I couldn’t have asked of a better job that would prove how much I can do and how far I can push myself.
So May 9th was my last day, working this job that I poured my heart and soul into… I still really don’t want to leave. I care so much about the continued success of the wiki. It’s such a great community resource and has improved drastically in the last six months. I guess this is like watching your kid go off to college. But it’s time for me to move on. I was recently offered a new job in the St. Louis, MO area and I’m already in the process of moving down there.
Back to EsportsWikis, I’d like to introduce the two gents that will be taking over management of the Call of Duty wiki. Andrew started editing the wiki in February of 2016 and has second most contributions, only behind me. He has been a tremendous help, most recently, with the new achievement pages. Which would have taken a month or two longer without his help. Brandon is the only reason I survived the 2016 CWL season. I’d wake up 30 minutes to a hour late for the EU CWL and Brandon would already be there filling in after my night of covering the ANZ CWL. Both of these young gentleman are extremely talented individuals and I have complete confidence in them stepping in and filling my role.
I still plan on volunteering some of my time to the Call of Duty wiki. I just won’t be working 60 hours a week on it anymore. If you use the site on a consistent basis I implore you to volunteer some of your time. Just make an account and you can start editing. If you want to do more apply to the staff. *Hint* Because it’s volunteer work it’s something you can add to your resume.
Thank you to everyone that has already contributed on the wiki, to everyone that help with Twitter coverage, to everyone that posted our content on Reddit, or shared it in their YouTube descriptions. Thanks for being a community that I enjoy being apart of.
A final note: River is an amazing shitposter. I’m extremely grateful to Riad and Gamurs/Dot for allowing us to continue our work after Azubu drop kicked us.Officials say disclosures about targeting of Joaquín Almunia was 'not the type of behaviour that we expect from strategic partners'
The latest disclosures from the Snowden files provoked exasperation at the European commission, with officials saying they intended to press the British and American governments for answers about the targeting of one its most senior officials.
Reacting shortly after an EU summit had finished in Brussels, the commission said disclosures about the targeting of Joaquín Almunia, a vice-president with responsibility for competition policy, was "not the type of behaviour that we expect from strategic partners, let alone from our own member states".
A spokesman added: "This piece of news follows a series of other revelations which, as we clearly stated in the past, if proven true, are unacceptable and deserve our strongest condemnation."
In Britain, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the chair of the parliamentary committee that provides oversight of GCHQ, said he was "disturbed by these allegations." He added he could be "examining them in due course as part of the intelligence and security committee's wider investigation into the interception of communications."
A prominent German MP, Hans-Christian Ströbele, who met Edward Snowden in Moscow in October, told the Guardian it was becoming "increasingly clear that Britain has been more than the US' stooge in this surveillance scandal". He suggested the snooping by GCHQ on German government buildings and embassies was unacceptable.
"Great Britain is not just any country. It is a country that we are supposed to be in a union with. It's incredible for one member of the European Union to spy on another – it's like members of a family spying on each other. The German government will need to raise this with the British government directly and ask tough questions about the victims, and that is the right word, of this affair."
The Liberal Democrats have been inching towards calling for an independent commission to investigate the activities of Britain's spy agencies and the party president, Tim Farron, said that "spying on friendly governments like this is not only bad politics, it is bad foreign policy".
"These nations are our allies and we should work together on issues from terrorism to Iran and climate change," he said. "But we seem to be spying on them in conjunction with the NSA in what seems like an industrial basis."
In its strongest statement yet on the issue, Labour called for the ISC to be given beefed up powers, with Douglas Alexander, shadow foreign secretary, saying it was time for Britain to follow the lead of the US and start a more vigorous debate about surveillance.
"I think we should also consider whether the ISC should be empowered to subpoena and to compel witnesses to appear before them as is the case for the other parliament select committees," he said.
Nicolas Imboden, head of the Geneva-based Ideas Centre, said he believed his work in Africa had been the reason he was targeted. "It's about cotton," he told Der Spiegel. "That is clearly economic espionage and politically motivated." For the past 10 years his group has advised and represented African countries such as Chad, Mali and Benin in their fight against high cotton subsidies in western countries including the US. "This was clearly about them trying to gain advantages during WTO negotiations by illegal means," Imboden told Der Spiegel.
But the strongest condemnation came from one of the groups named in the documents, Médecins du Monde.
Leigh Daynes, UK executive director of the organisation said: "If substantiated, snooping on aid workers would be a shameful waste of taxpayers' money. Our doctors, nurses and midwives are not a threat to national security. We're an independent health charity with over 30 years' experience in delivering impartial care in some of the world's poorest and most dangerous places.
"Our medical professionals, many of whom are volunteers, risk their lives daily in countries like Mali and Somalia, and in and around Syria. There is absolutely no reason for our operations to be secretly monitored. We are also gravely concerned about any breach of doctor-patient confidentiality, which would be an egregious impingement on medical ethics."
Nick Pickles, Director of Big Brother Watch, said it appeared GCHQ has "become a law unto itself". Eric King, head of research at Privacy International, added: "The targeting of the international actors tasked with caring for the most vulnerable people, particularly children, is one of the most distressing revelations yet."
Downing Street has repeatedly refused to comment on the allegations in any detail saying it is not comment on security issues. The Israeli government said it would not comment on leaks.J.P. Morgan had nothing on today's richest American. AP Images Inequality in the United States now exceeds the previous peak set in the "Gilded Age" of the 1920s.
The richest 10% of Americans — and especially the richest 1% and 0.1% of Americans — are now capturing all of the income growth in the country, while the rest of America, some 300 million people, are treading water or losing ground.
That's obviously not good for the 300 million Americans who are getting shafted. But it's also actually not great for the handful of Americans who own and control everything.
Why not?
Because the 90% of Americans who are struggling are the customers of the companies owned by the other 10% of Americans. And, as any smart business-person will tell you, when your customers are hurting, it's hard to grow your business.
Richer and greedier than ever. http://elsa.berkeley.edu/users/saez/saez-UStopincomes-2012.pdf This is the real reason our economy has grown so slowly in recent years.
Most of the "customers" in our country — the 300 million Americans in the 90% — are strapped.
And they're strapped not because of "our lousy education system" or "technology" or "globalization," or the other factors-beyond-our-control that America's executives and investors often invoke to justify this state of affairs. They're strapped because the handful of folks who own and control everything have gotten so greedy that they're keeping all the loot for themselves.
Don't believe it?
Look at these two charts:
First, profits as a percent of the economy. They're at the highest level in history. The folks who own and control America's big companies are taking a bigger percentage of the fruits of the country's labor than ever before.
Business Insider, St. Louis Fed
Second, wages as a percent of the economy. They're at the lowest level in history. The folks who own and control America's big companies are sharing less of the country's wealth with the people who create it than ever before.
Business Insider, St. Louis Fed
You can talk all you want about how the free market is supposed to fix this, how people need to take responsibility for themselves, and how investors and executives have their own careers and performance reviews and lifestyles to worry about.
That doesn't change the fact that the reason America isn't working for most Americans is because members of America's ownership class are hoarding all the loot for themselves.
Fortunately, there's finally reason to hope.
For years, the most successful and richest Americans have pretended that they bear no responsibility for this state of affairs.
But now, a handful of rich and successful Americans have begun to speak out.
Billionaires like hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones and Salesforce.com entrepreneur Marc Benioff are talking publicly about what's going on and what will happen if we don't change course (revolution, taxes, or war, Mr. Jones said this week). Hecto-millionaire Nick Hanauer is warning his fellow 0.1%-ers to brace for an onslaught of torches and pitchforks.
Specifically, these folks are cutting through all the rationalizations and explaining the simple way to fix the problem:
Pay people more.
Yes, that's right. Pay people more. Voluntarily share more of the value that successful companies create with the people who create it — the rank and file workers who dedicate their working lives to the company and its customers and, in so doing, to increasing the wealth of the senior executives and investors who own the company.
When confronted with this simple and obvious solution, most rich executives and investors will assume you are joking ("What are you — a socialist?"). Or they will argue, effectively, that there's a law of economics that forces them to pay their employees as little as possible.
But there isn't a law of economics that forces companies to pay their employees as little as possible. The owners and senior managers of companies can pay their employees as much as they can afford to while still keeping their company financially healthy.
In a more balanced and healthier economy, successful companies create value for three constituencies, not just one. Specifically, they create value for customers, shareholders, and employees, not just shareholders. They maximize value, not profit.
The idea that there's a law of economics that you have to pay people as little as possible is just an excuse designed to make senior executives and investors feel better about taking almost all of the company's value for themselves. But it's not a law. It's a choice.
So, it's encouraging that so many rich executives and investors are finally talking about this. The next step will be helping more rich, successful Americans understand where this unchecked pursuit of self-interest will eventually take us and what can be done about it. And then we just need to start sharing more of the value our great companies create with the people who create it.
After all, we're all in this together.
And the solution is simple.
Pay people more.
SEE ALSO: We Need To Start Maximizing Value, Not Just ProfitBy Captain Pyke | January 15, 2010 - 11:41 pm
Patrick Stewart is set to play in two Shakespeare productions this spring for PBS. He's playing Claudius in Hamlet opposite Dr. Who star David Tennant and then a filmed version of the recent modern-dress broadway rendition of Macbeth. This version of Macbeth will see the Scottish King exchanged for a modern day dictator.
"Great works of art endure, and the reason it endures is that it seems to have fresh source of meaning for each generation that comes along," says Stewart. "This is my 52nd year of doing this professionally, and all I wanted to do was act in Shakespeare. And for years, that's all I did. Then, other things happened."
One of those things, of course, was the Star Trek: The Next Generation role of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, which made him famous -- and which inspires many Trek fans to come see him on stage. "I don't care why people come to the theater," he says. "Just get them in, get their bums in the seats, and leave the rest to us. And we can make darn sure that they come back again and again." (source California Chronicle)
Read the full story here.
Image credit Trekcore.comIn China, WeChat is not only beating SMS and social networks – it's also a threat to Alipay, the country's equivalent to PayPal.
The mobile chat app, which now claims 270 million users and 500 million registered accounts, has effectively become the central communications platform for anyone in China with a smartphone. Increasingly, it's looking like it will be a major payments platform, too.
Overnight, smartphone maker Xiaomi sold 150,000 of its new Mi3 smartphones purely via WeChat, according to The Next Web. The batch sold out in 9 minutes and 55 seconds. This is not a case of people punching their credit card details into a page linked to from within WeChat. This is a case of WeChat being used as a mobile wallet and storefront.
This news comes soon after more than 80,000 people bought products solely via WeChat during China's "Double 11" online shopping festival, which is the country's version of Cyber Monday. That number doesn't seem huge in its own right, but the WeChat purchases were limited to a single promotion via the site 51buy, and only for residents in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. Orders on the site that day totaled 600,000, meaning WeChat, in its first year as a payments tool, represented 13 percent of the site's sales.
WeChat's owner, Tencent, has been pretty cautious with its rollout of the app's payment functionality. In September, however, it ran a promotion in which WeChat users could scan QR codes on vending machines in subway stations to purchase physical goods, such as sodas and snack foods, all at a discount.
A few days ago, I wrote about how WhatsApp, which is the world's leading mobile chat app in terms of active users, has a problem. It's not that it doesn't provide a good messaging experience, or that not a lot of people are using it. It has been around since 2009 and has been the first port of call for many seeking an alternative to SMS, on feature phones as well as smartphones. Instead, its problem is that it is limited only to messaging, which is now a commodity.
By being singularly focused on messaging, WhatsApp is missing the opportunity to create new engagement channels and revenue lines. While WeChat, Japan's Line, and South Korea's KakaoTalk offer payments, games, and social network-like features, WhatsApp only has its instant messaging capability. WeChat's emergence as a force in payments, one that could evolve into one of China's primary players in ecommerce, throws WhatsApp's weakness into stark relief.
But something else does, too. Games.
WhatsApp doesn't look even close to being able to take advantage of its giant global userbase in order to drive people to or between games, let alone capture some of the upside from them. WeChat, like Line and KakaoTalk, clearly is. According to mobile analyst Benedict Evans, the first five games released on WeChat have collectively passed 570 million downloads in the space of three months. (Note: I'm waiting for Benedict to provide a source for that claim, but he's usually reliable.) Meanwhile, one WeChat game, "Airplane War," is proving so addictive that it's putting people in hospital.
It's probably time we stop referring to WeChat, Line, and KakaoTalk as "chat" apps. The name doesn't do them justice.A female teacher has been accused of seducing two pupils and ranking their sexual performance.
Kelsey Leigh Gutierrez, 25, had sex with one of the teenage students in a car park and later in his bedroom, police claimed. She now faces charges in Texas.
The English teacher was fired in November after her school district launched an investigation based on a tip-off, it was reported.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 $0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.
KPRC 2 News said court documents alleged Ms Gutierrez met an 18-year-old pupil in a car park just under a week before she was fired. They kissed in the front seat of her car and then climbed into the back to have sex, it was claimed.
She was also said to have visited him at home for sex four days later. Investigators found evidence on both their phones about the teen's sexual performance and Ms Gutierrez admitted the relationship, according to reports.
It was also alleged that last year she met another student and they kissed in her car at a petrol station car park. The pair were said to have met four times.
School authorities told KPRC 2: "As soon as the district learned of the allegations, an internal investigation began including campus administrators and the district police department, and the teacher’s employment with the district ended.
“We take very seriously any concerns that relate to the well-being of each of our students and our first priority is the safety and education of our students in our district.
"Inappropriate actions by teachers will never be acceptable in this district."
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 nowExclusive premiere from SENZA's upcoming split with Akira
SENZA
Akira
Akira
Celebration
Today's exclusive stream comes from Eugene, Oregon's SENZA. This song will appear on an upcoming tour and split with their friends. The tour begins on Monday July 3rd and ends on July 11th midwest U.S. tour with a stop over in Vancouver Canada.The track being premiered is titled " Garmonbozia " and is the third of as many songs on SENZA's upcoming mini-cdr split with. This song is killer, as are the rest of the split songs. " Garmonbozia " starts slow and picks up speed like a snowball hurtling down a cliff. After the 30-second mark we are in classic SENZA territory, with lightning fast drumming, abrasive guitars and shrieking that must be influenced primarily byand could also be likened to newer bands such asand. At 40 seconds the song slows down a tad and opts for darker and semi-subtle breakdowns that lead to what might appear to be silence, only to reveal itself as the band members performing their instruments with their voices (Bigwig, anyone?) which make way for the short and violent climax.If you dig this song in the slightest I would highly recommend visiting their Bandcamp page and donating when downloading their previous two endeavors in order to help support their tour. It should also be noted that SENZA was the only band in the U.S.A. that supported the '' tape aka thetribute compilation enough to set up their own pre-order, so they'll have loads of copies with them on tour. You can buy from ZBR here or directly from the band hereWhen Brad Kearns' wife Sarah fell sick, he took on the responsibilities of both parents — for 24 hours — and quickly learned of the trials and tribulations single parents and stay-at-home mothers often face (not least among them, sleep deprivation).
In a Facebook post chronicling his short-lived journey as a single parent, Kearns said he realized the imminent doom he faced as the sole caretaker of his two boys from the very moment he stepped foot in the house. In the story, which has since gone viral — and launched Kearns' new "DadMum" page — the father recounted his perilous night looking after Knox and Finn.
Kearns played a DVD for his 2-year-old Knox almost immediately after returning home from work — really the only time he would have any level of serenity throughout the night. As for his 6-week-old Finn, all he could do was pray he would stay asleep.
"As the night rolls on and my patience wears thin; I reduce myself to keeping Knox quiet by allowing him to place stickers on my (very hairy) legs," Kearns wrote Sunday. "'It's okay, I can shave them off in the morning' was the thought. 'Just don't wake Finn.'"
Of course, Finn awoke, and immediately |
disrupt the president’s ability to implement his agenda. These concerns are reasonable to some extent, but in fact that very concern provides a very good reason to remove the next steps in this crisis from the political process. Unlike the Beltway chatterboxes who fill our airwaves, most Americans appreciate the importance of the torture question. It is not a matter of partisan intrigue. It is a fundamental question of national identity and principle. And this points to a two-pronged solution. First a blue-ribbon commission should be constituted to get to the bottom of what happened, to declassify and publish the still hidden documents concerning the NSC process and what went on in the Justice Department, the Pentagon, and the CIA. The commission should take a long, hard look at Richard Cheney’s self-serving claims that “torture works.” And it should try to steer the country to a solution of these questions that restores a national consensus. If you support the idea of an accountability commission, take a few seconds to go on line here and note your endorsement of the proposal. The second prong will be a prosecutor who can take a look at all the facts and decide who should be charged for criminal wrongdoing. We know now that the White House considers it politically “inconvenient” to do this. So the big open question is whether we have an attorney general who enforces the law, or a Democratic version of Alberto Gonzales. That will become apparent soon enough.As if trying to prove MSNBC, which last week reported that "Trump’s campaign against imaginary voter fraud quietly fades", wrong President Trump announced during an interview with Bill O'Reilly on Sunday that he would put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of a commission to probe what he believes was voter fraud in last November's election, and which he says helped Hillary Clinton win the popular vote.
“I’m going to set up a commission to be headed by Vice President Mike Pence and we’re going to look at it very, very carefully,” Trump told Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly.
“Many people have come out and said I’m right, you know that,” Trump said. “Look, Bill, we can be babies, but you take a look at the registration, you have illegals, you have dead people you have this, it’s really a bad situation, it’s really bad,” he said.
Previously, the Washington Post reported that Pence pledged to GOP lawmakers at the annual Republican retreat in Philadelphia that the administration would initiate a “full evaluation” of voting rolls nationwide.
Trump’s plans for a “major investigation” into what he claims were fraudulent votes by as many as 3 million to 5 million illegal immigrants may not get too far without congressional funding, which may be an issue because already Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said he doesn’t want to spend federal funds on the investigation and leave it to state authorities. But Trump on Sunday stuck to his claim of massive voter fraud, which even Republicans on Capitol Hill have questioned while The New York Times has openly dismissed as an outright “lie.”
Of course, many of Trump's "ludicrous" statements have been discounted in the past, only to eventually be proven right.
Trump said there is evidence of votes being attributed to dead people and of people voting in different states in the same election. He may be referring to the various Project Veritas videos which captured precisely that.
Meanwhile, McConnell and other GOP leaders agree there is voter fraud but not on the scale claimed by Trump. “There is no evidence that it occurred in such a significant number that would have changed the presidential election,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday morning.
That said, we eagerly look forward to the findings of the "Pence voter fraud commission."In 1994 I bought my first two Badger comics, and they could not have been more different. One was Shattered Mirror #1, with art by Jill Thompson, and the other was The Zen Pop Funny Animal Version #1, which featured art by Steven Butler. I was fascinated by the totally different stories by Mike Baron, and have since then read a ton of Badger comics, including many drawn by Steven. If you've never read any Badger comics, then I highly recommend you try some. They have some crazy stories and lots of great art. And the Badger's appearances in Nexus are fantastic as well. Anyway, I knew I wanted another commission from Steven after he drew me his fantastic Karate Kid vs. Silver Sable, and the Badger was an obvious choice for another opponent for Karate Kid. Steven and set this up over e-mail, and he sent me four possible layouts to choose from, which I've included below. I liked all four, and eventually chose #3. The finished piece looks amazing. The characters of course look incredible, but also look at that beautiful background and those whirling nunchaku! And I love Karate Kid's wristbands! Huge thanks to Steven for another spectacular commission!
How would this fight go? Well, I think Badger would confuse Karate Kid at first by continually referring to him as Larry. Val Armorr would probably underestimate the Badger because of all of his crazy talk, and be surprised when Badger shows that he is a master martial artist. This would help Badger last longer than the average opponent for Val, but ultimately Karate Kid would knock his crazy butt out. However, I like to think that later they would become friends and Karate Kid would teach Badger some new moves.
If you like this piece then please do go buy some books featuring Steven's work in either physical or digital format and/or go commission him yourself.Microsoft is pulling out of the ALEC energy group
MICROSOFT HAS WITHDRAWN from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) just around a year after it announced that it was participating in it.
Times change, of course, as do policies, and while ALEC might be saddened by its loss, Microsoft's withdrawal was welcomed by groups including Greenpeace.
ALEC, a right wing corporate interest group with oil tentacles and a gassy heart, is somewhat controversial now. It apparently was not, in Microsoft's view, this time last year.
Then, a blog post entitled "Powering Forward" authored by Robert Bernard, who is apparently Microsoft's chief environmental strategist, confirmed a relationship, if not one with entirely mutual ends.
"Microsoft participates in ALEC's Communication and Technology Task Force, as do many leading companies in the technology sector," he said.
"We do not participate in any other ALEC task forces or provide any support or funding for ALEC's work on environmental issues or other issues outside of communication and technology policy."
Now, one year and a bit later Microsoft has dropped out of the ALEC task force, according to reports from organisations like Greenpeace.
"Microsoft's [green] progress has been undermined by its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, a shadowy, increasingly controversial organization that has led an attack by the fossil fuel industry against successful clean energy and climate policies in nearly all 50 states," said the environmental group.
"Today, we learned that Microsoft is correcting that inconsistency, as news spread, confirmed by Microsoft to Greenpeace, that the company has dumped its ALEC membership."
Greenpeace had high praise for Microsoft, but none for ALEC. It described the outfit as "dominated by deep-pocketed coal and oil interests like Exxon Mobil and Peabody Energy". It added that the "shadowy" group backs legislation that resists green and clean technology.
Advocacy group Common Cause has the Microsoft statement announcing its withdrawal, and the INQUIRER is waiting for a response from the company.
"In 2014 Microsoft decided to no longer participate in the American Legislative Exchange Council's Communications and Technology Task Force, which had been our only previous involvement with ALEC," it said.
"With this decision, we no longer contribute any dues to ALEC... we are no longer members of ALEC and do not provide the organization with financial support of any kind."
The Bill Gates Foundation used to fund ALEC, but it stopped supporting the group in 2012. µstore 7-Eleven is a particularly chic brand for plastic bag fans
A new bizarre fashion trend suggests you may have been overlooking the ultimate clothing item, despite unwittingly bringing it home with you after every shopping trip.
People are stripping naked and posting photos of themselves wearing nothing but a plastic bag, as part of the latest social media sensation in Taiwan.
Men and women alike are thrilled with their latest garment, although the transparent bags leave absolutely nothing to the imagination.
It is particularly ‘cool’ to be seen flaunting a grocery bag from convenience store 7-Eleven, which seems to be a popular brand among plastic bag fans.
People are stripping naked and posting photos of themselves wearing nothing but a plastic bag, as part of the latest social media sensation in Taiwan
It is particularly ‘cool’ to be seen flaunting a grocery bag from convenience store 7-Eleven, which seems to be a popular brand among plastic bag fans
Men and women alike are thrilled with their latest garment, although the transparent bags leave absolutely nothing to the imagination
The near-naked posers make a true fashion statement by displaying the green logo across their bare chests with pride.
The incredibly affordable hot look of this season is adaptable and chic – simply slip your arms through the plastic handles and go!
Perhaps the Taiwanese trend setters took inspiration from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia in April.
The St George New Generation models strutted down the catwalk with plastic bags over their heads which proved to be a polarising accessory.
Most people are thrilled with the new trend of wearing plastic bags - except for these reluctant menHow to nomad
Own it.
The first question from the person I just met: “Where do you live?”
“I live in Boulder.”
OR
“Boulder is my ‘home base,’ but I don’t currently have a home per se.”
I find that the ensuing conversation is more enjoyable for all parties, when I give the more truthful (and intriguing) response. Many people with whom I’ve spoken have actually been inspired — they express it in their words, and I notice a yearn in their eyes as they look off and imagine life without the encumbrances of a persistent domicile.
Be prepared.
Organization and minimalism are key to the nomad’s sanity. Plan for the next 7 days and the next 30 days. Establish your hierarchy of needs, which may change based on your planned activities over the coming weeks. Aim to meet those basic needs while avoiding the superfluous.
Storage Furniture, kitchen/household stuff, etc. are in it for the long haul. The less likely you’ll need it in the short term, the further you can bury it. Anything that you might need in the next few months should remain as accessible as possible. The storage “POD” is the way to go, if relocation is potentially in your future. I went with Uhaul’s version, which has worked out so far, but beware: access is less on-demand than that of a traditional storage unit.
Home base You should always have a place for the semi-storage stuff — extra clothes, paperwork, personal items, etc. Items that you’ll need to access at any moment, but won’t need at all times. For me, this has been my car, my office, my friend’s living room, my nephew’s closet, and my sister’s garage. You may need to rotate locations, so as to not wear out your welcome in one place :)
Be mobile.
Luggage
Backpack: high capacity, yet compact — it should pass as a personal item in the eyes of the flight attendant. Does it fit under the seat in front of you? A few of my faves: GoRuck & Osprey.
Carry-on: Above all, make sure it has four (4) wheels! I don’t care what amazing feature(s) the 2-wheeler has, four is the only way to go. Trust me. Other considerations: hard- or soft-shell, zipper or buckle or latch or clasp, unique or standard design (i.e., will it stand out on its own, or will you tie a colorful ribbon to the handle?)
Checked bag: Basically, this is a grown up version of your carry-on, so consider the same factors. But this time, the 4-wheeler is even more critical (it’ll get heavy!). And, because these get thrown around by people other than thou, I suggest the hard-shell.
Note: In the nomad life, luggage isn’t only with you in airports and on planes — you’ll depend on this stuff not only as you drift from city to city, but as you surf from couch to couch. The big bag offers a refresh of what’s in the little bag; the backpack keeps the daily essentials with you at all times.
Transportation
Bike: It’s faster than walking. If you have a car, get a bike rack so you can keep this option available at all times. Certain bikes can be packed up and checked on a plane given the right container.
Car: If you have a vehicle, you’re living well. As all the things make their way into that automobile, treat it like your living space — keep it tidy. This gas-powered buggy is a major asset to you, the nomad, so treat it as such and get the most out of its power. Did someone say car camping? Oh, my bad, you said road trip? Well then, let’s go driving!
Be grateful.
To go nomad, you have to depend on a lot of people — especially if you’re ballin’ on a budget. The relationships you’ve built over the years will prove invaluable. Don’t be shy to ask your true friends and family to crash on their couches — you know who will welcome you with open arms. On the other hand, don’t take their love and hospitality for granted. Be respectful, be neat, be gracious and appreciative of all you receieve. Furthermore, go out of your way to say thanks — clean the house, do the dishes, walk the dog. As a house guest, I always aim to come and go without a trace.
Focus on what’s good.
It’s easy (and natural) to grow tired of the uncertainty — where will I sleep tonight? am I wearing out my welcome with friends & famiy? how is this affecting my dog — is he as ok with this lifestyle as I am?
Of course, this can’t go on forever. Or could it? Well, yes it could; but it won’t. And if it won’t, when will it end? When will I be able to say “I’m going home” and mean it, in the traditional sense of the statement?
I’m infinitely thankful that I can go back to the “normal life” whenever I choose. And soon I will. I recognize that some people can’t make that change so readily; and that saddens me. However, no matter what your options, you can always choose to focus on what’s good. There will always be what’s bad, and it will always compete for your attention. But rest assured, if you look for it you’ll find the good. Once you find it, keep it. It’s yours forever, or for as long as this stage in life lasts.
Do something epic.
This is your chance to go. To go and do something you’ve never done or thought you’d do. Something of which you’ve dreamed, only to habitually follow that dream with the thought, “it’s just not feasible.” Make it feasible. For me I found epicness in Black Rock City. I’d always thought, “yeah, that’d be amazing; but it’s probably not feasible.”
Infeasibility!= Impossibility
Transition?
This state of life-mobility presents opportunities at every corner. A significant factor in my decision to forsake a dwelling of permanence was a hunger for change. I was ready for a life transition, but I didn’t know what that transition would be. The best I could do was position myself to act when I solved the puzzle. Set the stage for spontaneity, and things will happen.Becky Watts was murdered and cut up with a power saw after her step-brother and his girlfriend planned to kidnap her for sex, a court has heard.
The 16-year-old was killed in a bedroom of her home in Bristol by Nathan Matthews and Shauna Hoare on February 19 this year, jurors were told.
Prosecutor William Mousley QC said the pair then spent three days cutting up the body and 'carefully packaging each individual parcel, using metres and metres of clingfilm'.
Matthews, 28, has confessed to killing Becky but he says there was no intention to kill and he acted alone.
Bristol Crown Court heard he ordered a takeaway meal on the night of her death, then went to a B&Q store the following day and bought a power saw to use in the disposal of her body.
A post-mortem examination found that, after her death, Becky was stabbed 15 times in the abdomen. She had been dismembered across her neck and above her knees, elbows and wrists.
Becky Watts went missing from her home in Bristol in February. Two people are now on trial for her murder
Accused: Becky Watts, far-right, is pictured at the wedding of her father Darren Galsworthy and her step-mother Anjie. Also in the picture are the accused Nathan Matthews and Shauna Hoare
Summarising the prosecution's case, Mr Mousley said: 'Rebecca Watts, known to all as Becky, aged 16, was killed in her bedroom. She was suffocated, despite her fighting for her life.'
Becky's mother, Tanya Watts, fled the court room in tears as the case was opened to the jury.
Mr Mousley said the police investigation suggested Matthews and Hoare, 21, intended to kidnap Becky using a stun gun.
He said: 'Evidence was found on telephones, computers and computer-related equipment connected to both Nathan Matthews and Shauna Hoare which showed a shared sexual interest in teenage and petite girls.
'Also found at their home were two stun guns, which were prohibited weapons and which may have been intended for the use in the planned kidnap.'
The court heard that, on the morning of Becky's death, Matthews and Hoare drove to Becky's family home, stopping off at a Tesco Express to buy some batteries, which Mr Mousley suggested were for the stun gun.
Becky died at some point between 11am and the early afternoon and her body was put in the boot of Matthews' Vauxhall Zafira car.
Mr Mousley said CCTV footage showed Matthews and Hoare driving to their home shortly before 7pm, with a child captured on camera sitting in a back seat.
They then ordered a Chinese takeaway from Laws Kitchen - where Matthews worked - before settling down to watch the television for the night.
'All normal behaviour, other than they had a dead body on their hands,' Mr Mousley said.
Becky's step-brother Nathan Matthews and his girlfriend Shauna Hoare are on trial, charged with murder
Prosecutors say Matthews and Hoare spent three days cutting up the body and packaging it in clingfilm
Later that evening Hoare's mobile phone was used to search YouTube for 'Do you want to hide a body?', the court was told.
Describing the aftermath of the killing, Mr Mousley said: 'Following her removal from her home, over the course of the next few days, her body was cut up with a knife and a power saw.
'The parts [were] carefully packaged and then moved to another address... where they were intended to be stored, probably temporarily, until a final solution could be found.'
BECKY WATTS MURDER TRIAL: WHO ARE THE ACCUSED? Nathan Matthews, 28, denies charges of murder and conspiracy to kidnap. Shauna Hoare, 21, denies murder, conspiracy to kidnap, perverting the course of justice, preventing a lawful burial and possessing a prohibited weapon, namely two stun guns. Donovan Demetrius, 29, and James Ireland, 23, deny assisting an offender. Karl Demetrius, 29, and Jaydene Parsons, 23, have already pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.
Mr Mousley said that day after Becky was killed, Matthews drove to Rajani Superstores in Bristol and purchased two bottles of one-shot drain cleaner before heading to a B&Q store in Horfield.
He arrived there and was captured on CCTV buying a circular power saw, gloves, a face mask and goggles.
'When he was there buying the saw he queried the price he was being charged for it as it didn't correspond with the price on the display,' Mr Mousley said.
'He made it plain that he needed that saw and he needed to have it that day. The prosecution say it became clear as the police investigation continued that all those items bought at B&Q were needed to be used in the dismemberment of Becky Watts' body.'
The day after that, Matthews and Hoare went to Asda in the Bedminister area of Bristol and purchased, in addition to groceries, black bags, rubble sacks, rubber gloves and three rolls of clingfilm.
The following day, Matthews and Hoare went to the Broadmead shopping centre in Bristol city centre and bought more rubble sacks and tape, as well as a sponge, from a branch of a 99p store and Wilko.
The pair then went to Sainsbury's in Brislington and purchased more tape, the prosecution allege.
A court sketch shows Matthews (back row, far left), Hoare (back row, far right), and co-defendents Ireland (front row, centre left) and Donovan Demetrius (front row, far right), who are charged with assisting an offender, in the dock at Bristol Crown Court today
Donovan Demetrius (left) and James Ireland (right) are also charged with assisting an offender
Mr Mousley said: 'The prosecution suggests that what was happening on February 20, 21 and 22 is the lengthy process of cutting up and carefully packaging each individual parcel, using metres and metres of clingfilm and in particular the cleaning up, particularly in the bathroom.'
On the evening of February 23, four days after the killing, Matthews is thought to have rung his friend Karl Demetrious, who lived about 80 metres from their home.
Police visited Matthews and Hoare's home the following morning and noticed the house was cluttered but the bathroom was 'completely clean'.
Matthews and Hoare were interviewed a number of times over the following days but repeatedly told police they hadn't seen Becky. But he eventually confessed to strangling and killing Becky in a bungled abduction on March 2.
Mr Mousley added: 'Nathan Matthews finally admitted the killing, stating that he had tried to kidnap and imprison Rebecca Watts and said that he had strangled her.
Becky sent her friend a final text shortly before she is believed to have been killed at her home
'He said he had acted alone in the killing... [and] in the subsequent dismemberment and in arranging for the removal of her body parts.'
The court heard today that Becky's remains had been carefully packaged and covered in clingfilm and concealed within a blue plastic box, two black suitcases and a rucksack.
Jurors were told that Becky's torso was wrapped up in a shower curtain inside the plastic box - containing cat litter, which can be used as a decontaminator.
Police also recovered the circular saw, clingfilm, tape, female clothing, screwdrivers, scissors, gloves and face masks containing Matthews' DNA, a knife, bleach spray, female clothing and an iPhone and laptop from the shed.
Hoare's DNA was also recovered from a facemask found in the shed, along with a blue T-shirt also found.
The court heard that, on a couple of occasions in 2014, Matthews and Hoare engaged in a consensual threesome with a friend of Hoare, which he filmed on his mobile phone.
Mr Mousley alleged that internet searches carried out in November and December 2014 showed Matthews and Hoare had a'shared interest' in teenage girls.
Police also recovered a video showing the rape of a teenage girl in which the attacker put his hand over her mouth.
Jurors heard that Becky had told a friend she was scared of Matthews and that he had threatened to kill her in 2013.
After his arrest, Matthews told police that he wanted to kidnap Becky 'to scare her and teach her a lesson because she was selfish and treated his mother badly'.
He said he had taken a large bag, a stun gun, handcuffs, tape and a mask to Becky's home but his mask slipped and she saw him, so he put her in the bag and strangled her.
Becky's father Darren Galsworthy (right) and grandfather John Galsworthy (left) arrive at court today ahead of the trial of her alleged killers
Family members and friends including Becky Watts' uncle, Sam Galsworthy (centre and aunt Sarah Broom (right) arrive at Bristol Crown Court this morning
Friends and family of teenager Becky Watts leaving Bristol Crown Court after the opening day of the trial
The trial, before High Court judge Mr Justice Dingemans, is expected to last for up to six weeks. Pictured: The teenager's friends and family heading home
He said he put Becky's phone, laptop and some bedding and clothing into the bag and placed it in his car.
'He said he waited until Shauna had gone to bed before putting the bags into the house,' Mr Mousley told the court.
In addition to their apparent dislike of Rebecca Watts, there is good reason to believe that there was also a sexual motive behind the scheme, arising from a shared unnatural interest in attractive teenage females. Prosecutor William Mousley
'He moved the bag containing Becky's body and put it in the bath. He said he cut up her body with the circular saw, wrapping up the body parts, carrying them downstairs and hiding them.
'He stated that Shauna Hoare didn't know anything about what he had done because if she had known he believed she would have called the police,' Mr Mousley said.
Hoare denied all knowledge of Becky's death and stated she had no interest in kidnapping teenage girls.
Karl Demetrius, and his girlfriend, Jaydene Parsons, have admitted assisting an offender after they stored Becky's body in their garden shed.
However, they maintain they 'did not know or believe' the bags contained Becky's body.
Donovan Demetrius, 29, of Bristol, and James Ireland, 23, of Avonmoth, also face trial accused of assisting an offender.
Mr Mousley said: 'Four others, acting together, including James Ireland and Donovan Demetrius, who, to varying degrees over a period of a week, helped in the hiding of her disguised remains in the knowledge that she had been killed or that some other significant offence had been committed.'
Forensic officers pictured during the investigation into Becky's disappearance and death
Becky's dismembered body was found in a shed in the garden of Barton Court, Bristol
On February 28, Ireland went out with friends and he said that the previous week he had been asked to help remove'some stuff' - the proceeds of a robbery - and would be paid £5,000.
He told the friends he had used a van from work to transport the 'tightly packaged, slightly squidgy' packages from Cotton Mill Lane to Barton Court and would go on holiday with the money.
Neighbours noticed that the dogs belonging to Karl Demetrius and Parsons were kept out of the garden after Becky was put in the shed.
Mr Mousley explained that, following publicity about the arrests, James Ireland, Karl Demetrius, Jaydene Parsons and Donovan Demetrius had met at the home of Karl Demetrius and his girlfriend Parsons.
'The police were keeping observations and shortly after midnight arrested three of them as they were trying to leave,' the prosecutor said.
'Donovan Demetrius was inside when the house was then entered and later arrested. A search of the house and garden led to the discovery of the body parts of Rebecca Watts in a shed.'
Becky's funeral last year. Her disappearance and death came as a huge shock to the city of Bristol
Mr Mousley added: 'It emerged that Karl Demetrius and James Ireland had helped transport her body parts and other items used in her dismemberment in various bags to that address of Karl Demetrius and Jaydene Parsons, four days after her killing.
'Donovan Demetrius was present when they arrived and was regularly there up until he was arrested, assisted in the continued concealment.
'It may well be that initially they did not know that there had been a killing rather than another offence, drug related or robbery or stolen property but, as the days passed up to their arrest, it would have become increasingly obvious what had happened.'
Becky lived with her father Darren - who is married to Matthews' mother Anjie - in the St George area of Bristol.
Her father sat in the front row of the public gallery today, alongside Becky's uncle, Sam Galsworthy, and her grandfather, John Galsworthy. Becky's brother, Dan, and her aunt, Sarah Broom, were also in the public gallery.
Mr Galsworthy's partner Anjie - the mother of Matthews - was not present.
Six dock officers sat alongside the defendants in the dock. The trial, before High Court judge Mr Justice Dingemans, is expected to last for up to six weeks.
COUPLE WHO STORED BODY IN GARDEN SHED ADMIT ASSISTING OFFENDER A couple who had the dismembered body of teenager Becky Watts stored in their garden shed have pleaded guilty to assisting an offender, it can be reported for the first time. Karl Demetrius, 29, and his girlfriend, Jaydene Parsons, 23, admitted at an earlier hearing at Bristol Crown Court to a charge of assisting an offender. However, they maintain they 'did not know or believe' the bags contained Becky's body. Karl Demetrius, 29, and Jaydene Parsons, 23, have both admitted a charge of assisting an offender Prosecutor William Mousley QC told the court: 'Karl Demetrius says he believed it was cannabis but became increasingly suspicious that the contents related to Becky Watts. 'Jaydene Parsons says that she only formed the belief that the bags were related to criminal activity during the evening before her arrest.' Police recovered the body parts of 16-year-old Becky from the shed in the garden of the couple's home in Barton Court, Bristol, days after she had been reported missing. A judge had made an order preventing the media from reporting their guilty pleas until the trial of the other people allegedly involved in Becky's murder began. Karl Demetrius, and his girlfriend, Jaydene Parsons, have admitted assisting an offender after they stored the dismembered body of teenager Becky Watts stored in their garden shed
How prosecutors claim the accused disposed of the body: Timeline of the killing of Becky Watts
February 19th -Watts returned to her home after a night away. Matthews and Hoare phoned to say they were coming round.
Matthews and Hoare drove towards Becky’s home at around 10.50am that morning, stopping off at a Tesco, which the prosecution say was to buy batteries, potentially for a stun gun.
At 11.03am Becky sent her last text message before she disappeared.
February 20th - The prosecution say Matthews purchased two bottles of drain cleaner before heading to a B&Q store to buying a circular power saw, gloves, a face mask and goggles.
February 21st - The prosecution say Matthews and Hoare went to an Asda and purchased, in addition to groceries, black bags, rubble sacks, rubber gloves and three rolls of clingfilm.
Police root through an area of land during the high-profile search for Becky Watts in February this year
February 22nd - Matthews and Hoare went to the Broadmead shopping centre in Bristol city centre and bought more rubble sacks and tape, as well as a sponge, from a branch of a 99p store and Wilko, the prosecution
The pair are also alleged to have gone to a Sainsbury's and purchased more tape.
February 23rd - Police called at Matthews and Hoare's home but there was no answer at the door and the curtains were drawn. The prosecution claim they moved the body parts to the shed of Karl Demetrius and Jaydene Parsons.
February 24th - Police launch media appeal for'missing' Becky. Officers search Matthews and Hoare's home and find it messy apart from the bathroom.
February 28th - Forensic experts discover Matthews' fingerprints in Becky's blood on doorframes outside her bedroom, both he and Hoare were arrested on suspicion of kidnap.
March 2nd - Matthews made disclosures to detectives and officers went to the home of Karl Demetrius and Jaydene Parsons.
Parsons, Karl Demetrius and Ireland were arrested leaving the property, while Donovan Demetrius was arrested after police discovered Becky’s dismembered body in the shed.SANS Institute has released its 2017 Security Awareness Report, a community-driven study with more than 1,000 security awareness professionals across 58 contributing countries.
Security awareness itself has become an increasingly relevant topic for both emerging and mature organizations, given that having a truly skilled professional in the role has become a "must have" versus optional.
SANS' study was designed from a vendor-neutral perspective, to help organizations identify how successful awareness programs are operating, and the challenge of fledgling awareness programs.
ZDNet has covered the trend of security awareness in the past, with a significant focus on the right type of talent (more technical versus nontechnical) to make security awareness programs work -- and the SANS study shows this to be true, according to those surveyed.
"An overwhelming majority of awareness professionals come from technical background. 80 percent in fact. Less than 8 percent have a soft skills background such communications, marketing, training or human resources," said the report. "Those with a technical background have an advantage because they possess a strong understanding of the technical and human risks."
The report goes onto say that security awareness professionals with more technical backgrounds are more keen to recognizing behaviors that might bring risk, however, at times communications training is critical given that human interaction soft skills make changing risky employee behavior. They know what behaviors are the most effective in managing those risks. Often however, the challenge is that these same individuals often lack the skills or training to effectively communicate those risks and engage employees in a manner that effectively changes behavior.
The two primary findings of the report are focused on just these things: proper staffing and communication. The latter is the number one challenge called out by the survey participants, and the second is resources, in the sense that there is not enough time to do what their teams need to take on to better secure the organization. This is sometimes driven by budget, sometimes by finding the right talent.
SANS describes the communications challenge as the ability to effectively communicate and engage employees and, almost more important, the ability to effectively communicate to and demonstrate value to leadership. If you run tight security programs but cannot effectively, and with respected authority, communicate them to impact the right actions, then your program is more security than awareness, and that can put an organization at risk.
The study recommends the following for addressing communications:
Communicate to leadership monthly about your security awareness program -- in a way that business leaders will value.
Find a strong champion within leadership, and ask them to help relay the program value to other leaders, or assist with message crafting.
Partner with those in the org that you've found to appreciate and adhere to security awareness inputs, especially those who can help partner on better communications.
Take communications training; they can be easily developed with the right focus.
Align with human resources to ensure an awareness program is tied into company culture.
Keep an eye on your audience, as it grows and shift, and recognize that the same message that works for developers may not be effective for marketing, and vice versa. A one-size-fits-all communications approach can be limiting.
Regarding the resource challenge, SANS defines this as a combined effort people who contribute to an awareness program, measured as total number of full-time employees, stated the report.
"Far too many organizations view awareness as a part-time job, crippling their awareness team's ability to effectively get things done," the report said.
SANS findings show the minimum number of full-time employees required to change behavior at an organizational level was 1.4 for midsize organizations (1.28 for organizations under 500 people), with the most successful programs having 2.6 full-time awareness professionals.
The study also offered recommendations for addressing time and resources:
Ensure you have at least 1.4 full-time employees focused on changing security behavior at an organizational level.
Similar to communications, partner with those in the organization who are ultimately equipped and interested in helping you change security behaviors.
If you do have budget, us it for people to hit the full-time employee requirement and run a robust program.
Mature programs should consider a security ambassador program; a network of volunteers in the organization that will help engage fellow employees.
According to SANS, if there isn't enough time and people resource to do the job, no amount of monetary investment will help ensure a successful awareness program.
The study concludes by astutely saying that "security awareness is hard" but urges readers, especially those in a management or influence position for these programs, to follow the guidance gleaned from the 1,000 global professionals.
"Without [time and communication], it'll be difficult to get legs to your program and successfully protect your organization and the people within it."
The study also reported what it called a "surprise finding," stating that women are twice as likely as men to be dedicated full-time to security awareness given their ability to more naturally consider emotional intelligence and root behaviors that dictate employee behaviors -- including security.The recent announcement that the OED had made "GIF" its word of the year prompts Ryan Diduck to consider the similarities of that tiny looping file format to culture in 2012, and why, like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, being doomed to repeat ourselves might not be entirely a bad thing
Understanding the lessons of Groundhog Day has itself been a reiterative process for me. It's a film that begs returning to. I started thinking about it again after the Oxford English Dictionary announced that "GIF" (Graphics Interchange Format) would be 2012's word of the year. (The word of the year over here in Canada from where I report, that is. The UK got "omnishambles".)
In the film, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a TV weatherman who is destined to repeat the same day in perpetuity. Much like Connors' predicament, GIFs - short repetitive intervals, usually of visual and sometimes audio media - go over and over and over again. (A couple of examples are here and here.) Presumably, the OED chose 'GIF' in part because of its 25-year anniversary and because of its current ubiquity. In times like these, times increasingly spent doing something down in the deep web, the cyclical Twitter profile picture |
for the voice announcement is, "At the tone, X hour(s), Y minute(s), Coordinated Universal Time." The announcement is in a male voice and begins 7.5 seconds before the minute tone.
WWVH makes an identical time announcement, starting 15 seconds before the minute tone, in a female voice.
When voice announcements were first instituted, they were phrased as follows: "National Bureau of Standards, WWV; when the tone returns, Eastern Standard Time is [time in 12-hour format]."[17] After the 1967 switch to GMT, the announcement changed to "National Bureau of Standards, WWV, Fort Collins, Colorado; next tone begins at X hours, Y minute(s), Greenwich Mean Time."[18] However, this format would be short-lived. The announcement was changed again to the current format in 1971. "At the tone, X hour(s), Y minute(s), Greenwich Mean Time." The name "Greenwich Mean Time" was changed to "Coordinated Universal Time" in 1974.[19]
Voice time announcements are sent at 75% modulation, i.e., the carrier varies between 25% and 175% of nominal power.
Other voice announcements [ edit ]
WWV transmits the following 44-second voice announcements (in lieu of the standard frequency tones) on an hourly schedule:[16]
A station identification at :00 and :30 past each hour;
marine storm warnings, provided by the National Weather Service, for the Atlantic Ocean at :08 and :09 minutes past, and for the Pacific Ocean at :10 past; As of 2/7/19 they have DISCONTINUED these announcments.
at :14 and :15 past, GPS satellite health reports from the Coast Guard Navigation Center;
at :18 past, a special "geophysical alert" report from NOAA is transmitted, containing information on solar activity and shortwave radio propagation conditions. These particular alerts were to be discontinued on September 6, 2011.[20] However, as of June 17, 2011, WWV is announcing at :18 past that the decision has been retracted and that the geophysical alert reports "will continue for the foreseeable future". Here is an example of this announcement from May 24, 2018 at 0905 UTC: "Solar-terrestrial indices for 23 May follow. Solar flux 73 and estimated planetary A-index 9. The estimated planetary K-index at 0900 UTC on 24 May was 1. No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are predicted for the next 24 hours."[21]
Additional time slots are normally transmitted as a standard frequency tone, but can be preempted by voice messages if necessary:
At :04 and :16 past the hour, NIST broadcasts any announcements regarding a manual change in the operation of WWV and WWVH, such as leap second announcements. These minutes are marked in the broadcast schedule as "NIST Reserved". When not used, a 500 Hz tone is broadcast. Prior to the shutdown of the OMEGA navigation system in 1997, an OMEGA status report was broadcast at :16 past the hour.
Minute 11 is used for additional storm warnings if necessary. If not, a 600 Hz tone is transmitted.
WWVH transmits the same information on a different schedule. WWV and WWVH's voice announcements are timed to avoid crosstalk; WWV airs dead air when WWVH airs voice announcements, and vice versa. WWVH's storm warnings cover the area around the Hawaiian islands and the Far East rather than North America.
WWV/WWVH hourly schedule[16]
Second ticks are transmitted over top of signals listed here. Minute WWV WWVH Minute WWV WWVH Minute WWV WWVH 00 Station identification Silence 20 500 Hz 600 Hz 40 500 Hz 600 Hz 01 600 Hz 440 Hz 21 600 Hz 500 Hz 41 600 Hz 500 Hz 02 440 Hz 600 Hz 22 500 Hz 600 Hz 42 500 Hz 600 Hz 03 600 Hz (NIST reserved) 23 600 Hz 500 Hz 43 Silence GPS status 04 (NIST reserved) 600 Hz 24 500 Hz 600 Hz 44 Silence GPS status 05 600 Hz 500 Hz 25 600 Hz 500 Hz 45 Silence Geophysical alerts 06 500 Hz 600 Hz 26 500 Hz 600 Hz 46 Silence 600 Hz 07 600 Hz 500 Hz 27 600 Hz 500 Hz 47 Silence (NIST reserved) 08 North Atlantic storm warnings Silence 28 500 Hz 600 Hz 48 Silence West Pacific storm warnings 09 North Atlantic storm warnings Silence 29 Silence Station identification 49 Silence East Pacific storm warnings 10 Northeast Pacific storm warnings Silence 30 Station identification Silence 50 Silence South Pacific storm warnings 11 (Additional storm warnings) Silence 31 600 Hz 500 Hz 51 Silence North Pacific storm warnings 12 500 Hz 600 Hz 32 500 Hz 600 Hz 52 Silence (Additional storm warnings) 13 600 Hz 500 Hz 33 600 Hz 500 Hz 53 600 Hz 500 Hz 14 GPS status Silence 34 500 Hz 600 Hz 54 500 Hz 600 Hz 15 GPS status Silence 35 600 Hz 500 Hz 55 600 Hz 500 Hz 16 (NIST reserved) Silence 36 500 Hz 600 Hz 56 500 Hz 600 Hz 17 600 Hz Silence 37 600 Hz 500 Hz 57 600 Hz 500 Hz 18 Geophysical alerts Silence 38 500 Hz 600 Hz 58 500 Hz 600 Hz 19 Geophysical alerts Silence 39 600 Hz 500 Hz 59 Silence Station identification
Half-hourly station identification announcement [ edit ]
WWV identifies itself twice each hour, at 0 and 30 minutes past the hour. The text of the identification is as follows:
National Institute of Standards and Technology time: this is Radio Station WWV, Fort Collins Colorado, broadcasting on internationally allocated standard carrier frequencies of two-point-five, five, ten, fifteen, and twenty megahertz, providing time of day, standard time interval, and other related information. Inquiries regarding these transmissions may be directed to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Radio Station WWV, 2000 East County Road 58, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524.
WWV accepts reception reports sent to the address mentioned in the station ID, and responds with QSL cards.
Standard audio tone frequencies [ edit ]
WWV and WWVH transmit 44 seconds of audio tone in most minutes. It begins after the 1-second minute mark and continues until the beginning of the WWVH time announcement 45 seconds after the minute.
Even-numbered minutes (except for minute 2) transmit 500 Hz, while 600 Hz is heard during odd-numbered minutes. The tone is interrupted for 40 ms each second by the second ticks. WWVH is similar, but exchanges the two tones.
WWV also transmits a 440 Hz tone, a pitch commonly used in music (A440, the musical note A above middle C) during minute 2 of each hour, except for the first hour of the UTC day. Since the 440 Hz tone is only transmitted once per hour, many chart recorders may use this tone to mark off each hour of the day, and likewise, the omission of the 440 Hz tone once per day can be used to mark off each twenty-four-hour period. WWVH transmits the same tone during minute 1 of each hour.
No tone is transmitted during voice announcements from either WWV or WWVH; the latter causes WWV to transmit no tone during minutes 43 through 51 (inclusive) and minutes 29 and 59 of each hour.[16] Likewise, WWVH transmits no tone during minutes 0, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 30.
Audio tones and other voice announcements are sent at 50% modulation.
Digital time code [ edit ]
Time of day is also continuously transmitted using a digital time code, interpretable by radio-controlled clocks. The time code uses a 100 Hz subcarrier of the main signal. That is, it is an additional low-level 100 Hz tone added to the other AM audio signals.
This code is similar to, and has the same framework as, the IRIG H time code and the time code that WWVB transmits, except the individual fields of the code are rearranged and are transmitted with the least significant bit sent first. Like the IRIG timecode, the time transmitted is the time of the start of the minute. Also like the IRIG timecode, numeric data (minute, hour, day of year, and last two digits of year) are sent in binary-coded decimal (BCD) format rather than as simple binary integers: Each decimal digit is sent as two, three, or four bits (depending on its possible range of values).
Bit encoding [ edit ]
The 100 Hz subcarrier is transmitted at −15 dBFS (18% modulation) beginning at 30 ms from the start of the second (the first 30 ms are reserved for the seconds tick), and then reduced by 15 dB (to −30 dBFS, 3% modulation) at one of three times within the second. The duration of the high amplitude 100 Hz subcarrier encodes a data bit of 0, a data bit of 1, or a "marker", as follows:
If the subcarrier is reduced 800 ms past the second, this indicates a "marker."
If the subcarrier is reduced 500 ms past the second, this indicates a data bit with value one.
If the subcarrier is reduced 200 ms past the second, this indicates a data bit with value zero.
A single bit or marker is sent in this way in every second of each minute except the first (second :00). The first second of each minute is reserved for the minute marker, previously described.
In the diagram above, the red and yellow bars indicate the presence of the 100 Hz subcarrier, with yellow representing the higher strength subcarrier (−15 dB referenced to 100% modulation) and red the lower strength subcarrier (−30 dB referenced to 100% modulation). The widest yellow bars represent the markers, the narrowest represent data bits with value 0, and those of intermediate width represent data bits with value 1.
Interpretation [ edit ]
It takes one minute to transmit a complete time code. Most of the bits encode UTC time, day of year, year of century, and UT1 correction up to ±0.7 s.
Like the WWVB time code, only the tens and units digits of the year are transmitted; unlike the WWVB time code, there is no direct indication for leap year. Thus, receivers assuming that year 00 is a leap year (correct for year 2000) will be incorrect in the year 2100. On the other hand, receivers that assume year 00 is not a leap year will be correct for 2001 through 2399.
The table below shows the interpretation of each bit, with the "Ex" column being the values from the example above.
WWV BCD time code Bit Weight Meaning Ex Bit Weight Meaning Ex Bit Weight Meaning Ex :00 No 100 Hz (minute mark) :20 1 Hours
Example: 21 1 :40 100 Day of year (cont.) 0 :01 0 Unused, always 0. 0 :21 2 0 :41 200 0 :02 DST1 DST status at 00:00Z today
Example: No DST at 00:00Z 0 :22 4 0 :42 0 Unused, always 0. 0 :03 LSW Leap second at end of month 0 :23 8 0 :43 0 0 :04 1 Units digit of year
Example: 9 1 :24 0 0 :44 0 0 :05 2 0 :25 10 0 :45 0 0 :06 4 0 :26 20 1 :46 0 0 :07 8 1 :27 0 Unused, always 0. 0 :47 0 0 :08 0 Unused, always 0. 0 :28 0 0 :48 0 0 :09 P1 Marker M :29 P3 Marker M :49 P5 Marker M :10 1 Minutes
Example: 30 0 :30 1 Day of year
1=January 1,
32=February 1, etc.
Example: 86 0 :50 + DUT1 sign (1=positive) 1 :11 2 0 :31 2 1 :51 10 Tens digit of year
Example: 0 0 :12 4 0 :32 4 1 :52 20 0 :13 8 0 :33 8 0 :53 40 0 :14 0 0 :34 0 0 :54 80 0 :15 10 1 :35 10 0 :55 DST2 DST status at 24:00Z today
Example: No DST at 24:00Z today 0 :16 20 1 :36 20 0 :56 0.1 DUT1 magnitude (0 to 0.7 s).
DUT1 = UT1−UTC.
Example: 0.3 s 1 :17 40 0 :37 40 0 :57 0.2 1 :18 0 Unused, always 0. 0 :38 80 1 :58 0.4 0 :19 P2 Marker M :39 P4 Marker M :59 P0 Marker M
The example shown encodes day 86 (March 27) of 2009, at 21:30:00 UTC. DUT1 is +0.3, so UT1 is 21:30:00.3. Daylight Saving Time was not in effect at the previous 00:00 UTC (DST1=0), and will not be in effect at the next 00:00 UTC (DST2=0). There is no leap second scheduled (LSW=0). The day of year normally runs from 1 (January 1) through 365 (December 31), but in leap years, December 31 would be day 366, and day 86 would be March 26 instead of March 27.
Daylight saving time and leap seconds [ edit ]
The time code contains three bits announcing daylight saving time (DST) changes and imminent leap seconds.
Bit :03 is set near the beginning of the month which is scheduled to end in a leap second. It is cleared when the leap second occurs.
Bit :55 (DST2) is set at UTC midnight just before DST comes into effect. It is cleared at UTC midnight just before standard time resumes.
Bit :02 (DST1) is set at UTC midnight just after DST comes into effect, and cleared at UTC midnight just after standard time resumes.
If the DST1 and DST2 bits differ, DST is changing during the current UTC day, at the next 02:00 local time. Before the next 02:00 local time after that, the bits will be the same. Each change in the DST bits happens at 00:00 UTC and so will first be received in the mainland United States between 16:00 (PST) and 20:00 (EDT), depending on local time zone and on whether DST is about to begin or end. A receiver in the Eastern time zone (UTC−5) must therefore correctly receive the "DST is changing" indication within the seven hours before DST begins, and six hours before DST ends, if it is to change the local time display at the correct time. Receivers in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones have one, two, and three more hours of advance notice, respectively.
During a leap second, a binary zero is transmitted in the time code;[22] in this case, the minute will not be preceded by a marker.
History [ edit ]
Establishment [ edit ]
[23] Alongside weekly broadcasts over WWV, in May 1920 the Bureau of Standards presented the "portaphone", with which one could "receive wireless impulses in the form of signals, music or speech, reproducing the same through a loud-speaking telephone and horn".
The earliest formal record of WWV's existence is in the October 1, 1919 issue of the Department of Commerce's Radio Service Bulletin, where it is listed as a new "experimental station"[24] assigned to the Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C, with the randomly issued call letters of WWV.[25] However, there were also earlier reports of radio demonstrations by the Bureau, starting the previous February.[26][27][28]
As of May 1920 the Bureau's Radio Laboratory was reported to be conducting weekly Friday evening concerts from 8:30 to 11:00, transmitting on 600 kHz.[29] That same month, the Bureau demonstrated a portable radio receiver, called the "portaphone", which was said to be capable of receiving broadcast programs for up to 15 miles (24 km) away.[23] A newspaper article the following August reported that the weekly concerts could be heard up to 100 miles (160 km) from Washington. However, it also noted that "The bureau has been experimenting with the wireless music for several months, and has reached such an advanced stage of development that further investigation to them is useless, and they are going to discontinue the concerts."[30]
On December 15, 1920, WWV began broadcasting 500-word "Daily Radio Marketgrams", prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Markets, in Morse code on 750 kHz, which reportedly could be heard up to 200 miles (320 km) from Washington.[31] However, on April 15, 1921 responsibility for the reports was transferred to four stations operated by the Post Office Department, including its WWX in Washington, D.C.[32]
Standard frequency transmissions [ edit ]
At the end of 1922, WWV's purpose shifted to broadcasting standard frequency signals. These were an important aid to broadcasting and amateur stations, because their equipment limitations at the time meant they had difficulty staying on their assigned frequencies. Testing began on January 29, 1923.[33] Regularly scheduled operations began on March 6, 1923, initially consisting of seven transmitting frequencies ranging from 550 to 1500 kHz (wavelengths of 545 to 200 meters).[34] The frequencies were accurate to "better than three-tenths of one percent".[35] At first, the transmitter had to be manually switched from one frequency to the next, using a wavemeter. The first quartz resonators (that stabilized the frequency generating oscillators) were invented in the mid-1920s, and they greatly improved the accuracy of WWV's frequency broadcasts.[12]
One of the Beltsville transmitter buildings (1943-1966)
In 1926, WWV was nearly shut down. Its signal could only cover the eastern half of the United States, and other stations located in Minneapolis and at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were slowly making WWV redundant. The station's impending shutdown was announced in 1926, but it was saved by a flood of protests from citizens who relied on the service. Later, in 1931, WWV underwent an upgrade. Its transmitter, now directly controlled by a quartz oscillator, was moved to College Park, Maryland. Broadcasts began on 5 MHz. A year later, the station was moved again, to Department of Agriculture land in Beltsville, Maryland.[12] Broadcasts were added on 10 and 15 MHz, power was increased, and time signals, an A440 tone, and ionosphere reports were all added to the broadcast in June 1937.[12]
WWV was nearly destroyed by a fire on November 6, 1940. The frequency and transmitting equipment was recovered, and the station was back on the air (with reduced power) on November 11. Congress funded a new station in July 1941, and it was built 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the former location, still referred to as Beltsville (although in 1961 the name used for the transmitter location would be changed to Greenbelt, Maryland).[12] WWV resumed normal broadcasts on 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 MHz on August 1, 1943.[33]
Time signal transmissions [ edit ]
Beginning in 1913 the primary official time station broadcasting in the eastern United States was the Navy's NAA in Arlington, Virginia, however NAA was decommissioned in 1941. WWV began broadcasting second pulses in 1937, but initially these were not tied to actual time. In June 1944, the United States Naval Observatory allowed WWV to use the USNO's clock as a source for its time signals. Over a year later, in October 1945, WWV broadcast Morse code time announcements every five minutes. Voice announcements started on January 1, 1950, and were broadcast every five minutes. Frequencies of 600 Hz and 440 Hz were broadcast during alternating minutes. By this time, WWV was broadcasting on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 MHz. The 30 and 35 MHz broadcasts were ended in 1953.[12]
A binary-coded decimal time code began testing in 1960, and became permanent in 1961. This "NASA time code" was modulated onto a 1000 Hz audio tone at 100 Hz, sounding somewhat like a monotonous repeated "baaga-bong".[12] The code was also described as sounding like a "buzz-saw". On July 1, 1971, the time code's broadcast was changed to the present 100 Hz subcarrier, which is inaudible when using a normal radio (but can be heard using headphones or recorded using a chart recorder).[36]
WWV moved to its present location near Fort Collins on December 1, 1966,[37] enabling better reception of its signal throughout the continental United States. WWVB signed on in that location three years earlier. In April 1967, WWV stopped using the local time of the transmitter site (Eastern Time until 1966, and Mountain Time afterwards) and switched to broadcasting Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. The station switched again, to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), in 1974.[12]
The 20 and 25 MHz broadcasts were discontinued in 1977, but the 20 MHz broadcast was reinstated the next year.[12] Starting on April 4, 2014, the 25 MHz signal was back on the air in an 'experimental' mode but has since been dropped again.[38]
The voice used on WWV was that of professional broadcaster Don Elliott Heald until August 13, 1991, when equipment changes required re-recording the announcer's voice. The one used at that time was that of another professional broadcaster, John Doyle, but was soon switched to the voice of KSFO morning host Lee Rodgers.[39][40]
WWV and Sputnik [ edit ]
WWV's 20 MHz signal was used for a unique purpose in 1958: to track the disintegration of Russian satellite Sputnik 1 after the craft's onboard electronics failed. Dr. John D. Kraus, a professor at Ohio State University, knew that a meteor entering the upper atmosphere leaves in its wake a small amount of ionized air. This air reflects a stray radio signal back to Earth, strengthening the signal at the surface for a few seconds. This effect is known as meteor scatter. Dr. Kraus figured that what was left of Sputnik would exhibit the same effect, but on a larger scale. His prediction was correct; WWV's signal was noticeably strengthened for durations lasting over a minute. In addition, the strengthening came from a direction and at a time of day that agreed with predictions of the paths of Sputnik's last orbits. Using this information, Dr. Kraus was able to draw up a complete timeline of Sputnik's disintegration. In particular, he observed that satellites do not fall as one unit; instead, the spacecraft broke up into its component parts as it moved closer to Earth.[41][42]
See also [ edit ]
CHU – Canadian shortwave time broadcast station
Radio clock – time-signal receivers
NIST Time Signal Station Services[43] Station Year
in service Year out
of service Radio
frequencies Audio
frequencies Musical
pitch Time
intervals Time
signals UT2
correction Propagation
forecasts Geophysical
alerts WWV 1923 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ WWVH 1948 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ WWVB 1963 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ WWVL 1963 1972 ✔
References [ edit ]
Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as: KML · GPX
Coordinates:Bucharest. Photo: Pixabay
The image of Romania as a country whose main export is its own people belies the fact that the country’s economy is racing ahead at rates most EU countries could only dream about, the UK Guardian wrote in a glowing tribute on Saturday.
The leading left-of-centre British broadsheet homed in on the fact that Romania’s growth rate in the second quarter of 2017 was approaching 6 per cent on the back of solid growth of 4.8 in 2016, far above the EU average and way above the UK.
The newspaper also singled out Romania’s fast growing IT sector, which it said was making Romania a magnet for European companies wanting to outsource work to countries with skilled but cheaper labour forces.
It quoted Shajjad Rizvi, director of the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce in the city of Cluj, as saying: “Romania is one of the choices they [global firms] are looking at.
“Software companies, a lot are doubling or tripling their workforces in Romania, and a lot of those jobs are coming from the UK. Whole departments: marketing, PR, HR; they are being closed down in the UK and moved out here.”
“Major global companies such as Siemens, Ford and Bosch have set up or expanded operations in Romania, boosting an economy that’s already growing at speed,” the newspaper continued, noting that Ford is also expanding its operations at its car plant in Craiova.
The newspaper conceded there were some drawbacks doing business in Romania, especially over corruption and poor communications. Both the highways and railways require substantial investment.Affiliate system makes Cerber one of the most lucrative RaaS platforms in the world
Researchers have cracked open Cerber and revealed it to be one of the most lucrative ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) platforms in the world.
The Check Point Threat Intelligence Research Team revealed the extent to which Cerber has grown since its discovery in early spring 2016:
“Cerber has a wide distribution, due in part to its successful use of leading exploit kits. By monitoring the actual C&C communications, we were able to create a complete view of the ransomware’s activity. Cerber is currently running 161 active campaigns, launching an average of eight new campaigns daily, which have successfully infected approximately 150,000 users worldwide in 201 countries and territories in the past month alone.”
Exploit kits have indeed played a large part in Cerber’s distribution, though to varying degrees. The Magnitude exploit kit accounted for 84 percent of exploit kit infections, including those that resulted from a malvertising attack that struck Pirate Bay back in April. Neutrino and Rig followed at 14 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
Even so, Cerber likely derives most of its success from its affiliate program.
And why wouldn’t it? What novice computer criminal wouldn’t want to penny up the dough for access to command-and-control (C&C) servers and a control interface with up to 12 language settings, design their own campaigns, and get to keep up to 60 percent of the profits?
If that weren’t enough, most affiliates can rest assured they will never caught. Check Point explains the magic rests with how Cerber’s RaaS platform processes ransom payments, which usually amount to about one Bitcoin (or around US $590):
“The payment is transferred to the malware developer through a mixing service, which involves tens of thousands of Bitcoin wallets, making it almost impossible to track the transactions individually. At the end of the mixing process, the money reaches the developer and the affiliates receive their percentage.”
In total, only about 0.3 percent of victims agree to pay for the return of their files. But that’s enough for the ransomware author to take in nearly one million dollars on an annual basis from the affiliate scheme alone, making Cerber one of the most profitable RaaS services around.
Check Point offers many more technical details about Cerber in a report, which is available for download here. It has also released a decryption tool for the ransomware, which Lawrence Abrams of Bleeping Computer has dissected.
Let’s hope the decryption tool receives regular updates as the ransomware continues to evolve, like it did back in June.
Just in case it doesn’t, make sure you protect yourself against Cerber ransomware infections by avoiding suspicious links and attachments, making secure backups of your important data, and by keeping your software up-to-date.Alex Cherney
Since 2007, astronomers have detected curious bright blasts of radio waves from the cosmos, each lasting no more than a few milliseconds. Now scientists have been able to pinpoint the source of one of these pulses: a galaxy 1.9 billion parsecs (6 billion light years) away. It probably came from two colliding neutron stars, says astronomer Evan Keane, a project scientist for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Keane, who works at the SKA Organization's headquarters at Jodrell Bank Observatory outside Manchester, UK, led the team that reports the detection in Nature1.
The discovery is the “measurement the field has been waiting for”, says astronomer Kiyoshi Masui of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. By finding more such fast radio bursts (FRBs) and measuring the distance to their source, astronomers hope to use the signals as beacons to shed light on the evolution of the Universe.
“The field is about to transition from being kind of a fringe, astrophysical-curiosity freak show to potentially a mainstream research area”
Eyes on the skies
All but one of the 16 previously reported FRBs were found long after the signals reached Earth, by trawling through archives of telescope data. But today, supercomputers can process these signals in real time and detect them as they arrive, says Keane.
On 18 April 2015, the Parkes radio telescope in Australia detected a burst lasting less than 1 millisecond, one of the shortest yet. Parkes’ resolution isn’t fine enough to pinpoint the location of signals, but Keane, who saw the news when he checked emails buzzing into his phone, alerted a network of higher-resolution ground- and space-based telescopes. Two hours after the initial burst, the Australia Telescope Compact Array in New South Wales caught what appeared to be a fading radio afterglow in the same area.
This narrowed the search field enough for the 8.2-metre Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, to home in on a lone elliptical galaxy, which Keane and his team say is almost certainly the source of the burst.
The galaxy is relatively old, and so makes new stars very rarely. Because of that, Keane’s team thinks that the burst came from two colliding neutron stars, which orbited each other in a death spiral until they merged. The brevity of the burst is consistent with the expected timescale for such an event, rather than a collision between larger objects such as white dwarves, or a massive supernova. (If the event was a neutron-star merger, it would also have emitted gravitational waves — the ripples in space-time that the US Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory reported detecting two weeks ago.)
Not all FRBs fit the scenario for a neutron-star collision. Last December2, Masui and his colleagues reported a detection by the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia that seems to originate from a young neutron star with a strong magnetic field emitting intense flares. This suggests that there are multiple kinds of bursts, from different origins. “The implications for the origins of FRBs are still a bit unclear,” says Victoria Kaspi, an astronomer at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Imprints of the Universe
As a radio pulse from an FRB ploughs through space, its staccato blast is smeared out by free-floating electrons in its path, so that radio telescopes detect the signal as more like a falling note.
Now that Keane and his team know the distance to the new FRB, they can use the length of the signal to reveal how much material it passed through. This could solve a longstanding mystery: precise measurements of the cosmic microwave background — the afterglow of the Big Bang — suggest that around 4% of the observable Universe today should be composed of ordinary matter (not dark energy or dark matter). But after totting up what they can see, researchers say around half that matter remains unaccounted for.
The amount of signal smearing from the team’s FRB indicates that the ‘missing’ matter is indeed there, Keane's team now report. Future bursts detected all around the sky could be used as probes to map that matter in detail. A similar approach could yield a map of the magnetic fields between galaxies, as they alter the bursts’ polarization signature in detectable ways.
Three instruments that will be able to detect several FRBs per day are either ramping up or set to begin operations this year: the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment in British Columbia, the upgraded Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope near Canberra and the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope in Guizhou province, China.
“The field is about to transition from being kind of a fringe, astrophysical-curiosity freak show to potentially a mainstream research area,” says astronomer Duncan Lorimer of West Virginia University in Morgantown, who led the team that found the first FRB back in 20073, and wrote a News & Views4 to accompany the latest report. “We’ll have the potential to soon be overwhelmed by these things,” he says.Earlier today John Boyega took to his Twitter account to share the first image from the highly anticipated blockbuster sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising. He also outright confirmed the identity of the character he will be playing in the sequel, which is the son of Stacker Pentecost, portrayed by Idris Elba in Guillermo del Toro’s first movie.
Pacific Rim: Uprising is set for release on February 23rd, 2018, with DeKnight directing a cast that includes John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Adria Arjona (True Detective), Scott Eastwood (Suicide Squad), Cailee Spaeny (Counting to 1,000), Levi Meaden (Aftermath), Karan Brar (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), Nick Tarabay (Spartacus), Zhang Jin (Ip Man 3), Mackenyu (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) and Jing Tian (Police Story: Lockdown). Additionally, reports have suggested that Pacific Rim actors Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day and Burn Gorman will be reprising their roles for the film.
SEE ALSO: Read our weekly movie news round-ups hereMost of you know that I am a long time opponent of the death penalty. There are many arguments against it, the most self-serving for the state of which is that it is more expensive to carry a capital case through to conclusion than it is to incarcerate a prisoner for natural life (without possibility. of parole). The Republicans have an answer. Their solution is to make it easier for the state to kill a man (or woman) by limiting convicts’ right to appeal. However that makes it even more possible for innocent people to be executed. This is especially true now, because Republicans like Rick Perry care so little about your rights, that they have no compunction about committing capital murder through execution. Human life if far too precious to entrust it to “pro death” Republicans.
Gov. Rick Perry, a likely GOP presidential candidate, faces a new burden: a searing documentary film, Incendiary, that looks at the railroading of a suspect for an arson incident that killed his children. The executed convict was Cameron Todd Willingham, but the new film and extensive print journalism makes a compelling case that he was wrongly convicted and that Gov. Perry brushed aside strong evidence for his innocence. UPDATE: The Week magazine has a round-up story on the impact of the execution headlined: “Rick Perry’s death penalty ‘disgrace’: A 2012 dealbreaker?As a presidential run looks likely for the Texas governor, questions resurface about his role in the execution of a man who, according to forensics experts, was innocent.” As the Chicago Tribune summed up: “Man executed on disproved forensics… Fire that killed his 3 children could have been accidental.” Some highlights of its investigation, echoed by other accounts: While Texas authorities dismissed his protests, a Tribune investigation of his case shows that Willingham was prosecuted and convicted based primarily on arson theories that have since been repudiated by scientific advances. According to four fire experts consulted by the Tribune, the original investigation was flawed and it is even possible the fire was accidental. Before Willingham died by lethal injection on Feb. 17, Texas judges and Gov. Rick Perry turned aside a report from a prominent fire scientist questioning the conviction. This miscarriage of justice, though, probably sells well with Perry’s hard-core ideological base… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Huffington Post>
Rick Perry is unfit to be Governor of Texas, let alone president.
Even, if there were a way to insure that the death penalty could be administered fairly and accurately, and there is not, killing someone is to show that killing is wrong is the ultimate hypocrisy.Eddie Rosario is 25 years old. He’s had 2 partial seasons in the majors with the Twins; spending time in AAA, not because of injury, but for his development. He’s always been known for having an array of tools and throughout the minors has flashed some interesting potential, hitting 20 home runs and stealing 20 stolen bases in separate seasons. His rookie campaign in 2015 was excellent hitting double digit doubles, triples, and home runs while stealing double digit stolen bases, |
the side effects” bothered him. “There are no writers anymore,” he said once. “Only book-selling louts and big mouths.”
He liked living in New Hampshire, but he often found fun and relief by coming down to New York to have supper with me and Bill Shawn, this magazine’s editor for many years. In a note he sent after the three of us got together for the last time, he wrote, “It will set me up for months. I was at peace.” Another time he described the fun he’d had on a trip to London with his children, where he took them to see Engelbert Humperdinck in a stage version of “Robinson Crusoe”: “Awful, but we all sort of enjoyed it, and the main idea was to see the Palladium itself, because that’s where the last scene of ‘The 39 Steps’ was set.”
Salinger loved movies, and he was more fun than anyone to discuss them with. He enjoyed watching actors work, and he enjoyed knowing them. (He loved Anne Bancroft, hated Audrey Hepburn, and said that he had seen “Grand Illusion” ten times.) Brigitte Bardot once wanted to buy the rights to “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” and he said that it was uplifting news. “I mean it,” he told me. “She’s a cute, talented, lost enfante, and I’m tempted to accommodate her, pour le sport.”
He was original even in the way he found his pleasures. He told me that one day he went out and bought an iron, and had his housekeeper iron his shirts. “How it cheered me up,” he said. After he bought a Maytag washer and dryer, he was tickled that the salesman quoted Ruskin to him—something about where quality counts, price doesn’t. He was sure that the line wasn’t part of the man’s spiel. “God, how I still love private readers,” he wrote. “It’s what we all used to be.” ♦9 Things Filipinos Should Do In Their Twenties (According To My Relatives And Neighbors)
Thought Catalog is wrong. Your 20s aren’t for “finding yourself” and “trying new things”. It’s not for backpacking across Europe, surviving massive hangovers, or dancing with strangers. Not if my neighbors and relatives have anything to say about the matter. And boy, do they have A LOT to say about it.
In fact, here, have a list.
9 Things Filipinos Should Do In Their Twenties (According To My Relatives And Neighbors)
Failure to accomplish the following list will result in some form of discrimination from your elders.
#1 Get a job with an impressive title.
Preferably one with “Manager” or “Executive” in it. Never mind how much your salary is or that everyone in your office is also called a manager.
#2 Work for a famous company or institution.
Unilever. Jollibee. Globe. If you can’t accomplish Item 1, at least make your workplace name-drop-worthy. People like to mention things like “My neighbor’s daughter works in Meralco!” to those who don’t care. It’s your duty to provide them with name-dropping fodder. Failure to do so will result in not getting Fruit Salad delivered to your doorstep on Christmas.
#3 Make lots of money.
Didn’t you hear about that kid who earned millions of dollars from an iPhone game? Why can’t you make some cellphone games? Where are your millions, Adult Who Graduated From A University And Works On Computers?!
#4 Work abroad.
Everything you do in your career is just a stepping stone to working abroad:
You’ve been promoted? When can you transfer to the Australia branch?
You had a salary raise? When can you apply for a Canadian Visa?
You have a six-figure salary? Mmhm. Yeah, well, My Daughter Who Works In London sent me Toblerone. You lose.
#5 Buy a car for yourself and a house for your parents.
Or risk being compared to the sister/brother who did.
#6 Send your parents on a vacation abroad.
Your third-cousin did it. Your neighbor’s second son did it. Why can’t you?! This is a simple matter which all twenty-somethings should be able to afford!
#7 Get a boyfriend (or a girlfriend) then get married. In style.
Right after graduation, the same people who threatened to disown you if you don’t stick to studying will get a lobotomy. They will push you on dates and matchmake you with every eligible person in a 5-mile radius.
You are supposed to be thankful. You are supposed to invite all of them to your wedding. You are supposed to serve great-tasting food, invite local government officials as sponsors, and always ALWAYS include crispy pata in that take-home food package for your guests. (Otherwise, your wedding will be declared a failure.)
And it doesn’t end with marriage. The next agenda in the Life of A Successful Twentysomething is:
#8 Have kids.
Otherwise, you will spend family reunions backed into a corner, listening to your almost-deaf Grandma shouting tried and tested ways to make babies. (Read: sex-talk over lechon baboy and fruit salad while your niece and nephews drop in every now and then to beg for aguinaldo.)
#9 Be a godparent to at least 10 kids.
Someone has to sponsor all the babies being made due to #8, right?
—
Now that you know the (slightly impossible) standards of success for your age, you can either aspire to them or just avoid all after-church chitchats, neighborhood aunt run-ins, and family reunions until you’re 30.
Your choice.
[Update: Since I’m an expert on being a non-successful Filipino (my score on this list is a whopping 0/9) I shared some ways on how I cope with the guilt-tripping in a separate post: What To Do If Your Elders Think You’re A Failure]
ΩUsing react-devtools with React Native
Brent Vatne Blocked Unblock Follow Following Apr 21, 2017
Many moons ago, Jared Forsyth was an intern at Facebook and he worked on re-writing react-devtools and integrating them with React Native. After he left, the React Native integration fell into disrepair and became unusable.
As of React Native 0.43 / React 16 alpha (Expo SDK 16), it is once again working (in simulator/emulator), thanks (I believe) to the efforts of Dan Abramov. To set it up, follow these steps, which I have paraphrased below:
npm install --save-dev react-devtools in your app directory.
in your app directory. Add “devtools”: “react-devtools” under scripts in package.json.
under in package.json. npm run devtools
Now when you run your app it will connect and display the component tree. Read more about what you can do with this in the react-devtools README.During 2016, the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation supported the Albert Kennedy Trust in developing its new e-mentoring service, inter-AKT.
The Albert Kennedy Trust provides safe homes, mentoring, training and support to young people aged 16-25 in the UK who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
The majority of LGBT people suffer bullying in school and feel unsafe due to sexual orientation. Nearly half of trans people under 26 have attempted suicide. A quarter of LGBT people adapt their behaviour to hide their sexual orientation to avoid being a victim of hate crime. Over a half of young LGBT people harm themselves and LGBT people over all ages are seven times more likely to take drugs.
inter-AKT is all about giving young people the support, advice and resources they need in order to explore their situations, deal with any challenges that arise, build skills and lead independent lives. Whether it’s through chat, messaging, video or voice, young people will be able to connect with volunteer mentors, wherever they are, to talk through issues important to them, such as coming out, preventing homelessness, accessing services or making the most of talents and opportunities. A range of learning opportunities and peer and expert generated content will be available so that young people can build their skills and independence.
AKT will be working hard to engage and connect with people outside of its key service areas in London, Manchester and Newcastle, in particular to those in rural areas who may have more challenges accessing LGBT services.
The inter-AKT platform is now in its testing phase with the anticipation of a launch early 2017. If you are a young person aged 16-25 and want to be notified when inter-AKT becomes available or are interested in becoming a mentor, please get in touch with tomj@akt.org.uk.
Below is a brief example of the essential work that AKT does, incorporating its pilot of inter-AKT.
Peter (not his real name) came to AKT because he was sleeping rough on the streets of London. He had to leave his home because his parents disapproved of his sexual orientation. He told AKT he was experiencing challenges relating to his mental health, had trouble finding work and struggled with dyslexia.
AKT worked with Peter to secure immediate accommodation and then a more secure and longer term form of supported housing. AKT also provided Peter mentoring support via inter-AKT around the issues of Peter’s housing situation, family mediation and finding employment. Peter and the mentor worked together to develop a goal focussed on searching for employment and Peter agreed that his first step would be to identify jobs of interest to him, so that they could review his options and focus on what’s needed to get jobs like these. At the end of this session, Peter reported that he felt more positive about his situation as a result of his e-mentoring session and said that the main benefit of the session for him was greater confidence when looking for work. Peter also reported that he left the session with greater motivation to be successful. Peter and his e-mentor will continue working together now that the rest of his support from AKT has tapered off. Peter has been very enthusiastic about inter-AKT and is recommending it to other young people.
With your help, we can support more projects like this one. Please consider a regular or one-off donation http://www.standupfoundation-uk.org/you-can-help.Recent Weather Summary
Extraordinarily dry conditions have persisted over the entire state of California since early December. In fact, nearly the only measurable precipitation that fell during the past 30-40 days occurred today, when a rapidly decaying cold front brought light to locally moderate rainfall (and snowfall in the high Sierra) to the far northern part of the state. In normally very wet locations along the North Coast, half an inch or so of precipitation fell, but totals were almost categorically under a tenth of an inch elsewhere and didn’t even tip the buckets from the Sacramento/San Francisco area southward. Needless to say: today’s minimal precipitation made no measurable dent in the ongoing extreme drought and was not even enough to settle the dust in most places.
The Ridiculously Resilient Ridge remains resolutely recalcitrant
As hard as it is for seasoned California weather-watchers to believe, our friend the RRR remains in firmly in place, and has actually intensified somewhat in recent weeks. I’ve previously discussed how the truly remarkable aspect of this event is the incredible persistence of the observed geopotential height ridging over the northeastern Pacific Ocean rather than their absolute intensity. Blocking ridges and persistent high surface pressure centers are actually a fairly common feature of the climate over the North Pacific region in winter, and it’s well understood that these blocking events are often associated with periods of dry and stable weather along the West Coast of North America, including California. For this reason, Californians are not at all unaccustomed to mid-winter dry spells lasting 2-3 weeks, even in the heart of the rainy season.
But the RRR has behaved in a manner not typical of most North Pacific ridging events. Since December 2012, large geopotential height anomalies have been observed in approximately the same region of the North Pacific. While the spatial structure of the ridge itself has varied somewhat over that interval (and even broken down in a couple of instances), the RRR keeps re-building itself in essentially the same place each time an atmospheric event–such as a surge of low-latitude westerly winds with the potential to “undercut” the ridge or an invasion of a cold/high potential vorticity Arctic airmass with the potential to disrupt the anticyclonic circulation–might otherwise act to displace or collapse it. This resilience is extremely unusual, and (as mentioned in a previous post) I don’t find evidence that persistent North Pacific ridging of this magnitude spanning two consecutive winter seasons has occurred previously in the observational record. The plots below clearly show that the RRR was present during the both the previous (2012-2013) water year and the present (2013-2014) one, and even persisted in some form during the intervening late spring through early fall 2013 period, which corresponds with California’s dry season. Note that the scale for the most recent plot goes much higher than the previous two: the RRR has strengthened substantially since the start of winter.
Above: Geopotential height anomalies for winter 2012-2013 (left), spring/summer/fall 2013 (center), and winter 2013-2014 (right). (NOAA/ESRL)
Just how bad is the current drought situation in California?
Not only was 2013 the driest calendar year on record in California, but in some places 2013 eclipsed previous record minimum precipitation values by around 50%. Nearly the entire state is currently experiencing dryness that hasn’t been experienced in living memory, and across the most populated parts of California the ongoing drought is more severe than any previous event in well over a century. We are currently supposed to be at
the peak of the rainy season in California, and each day that passes without meaningful precipitation is another day when our long-term deficits grow measurably larger. The first annual Sierra snow survey on January 7th brought no surprises: snow water equivalent on that date was only 20% of normal overall, and considerably less than that in the north where much of the reservoir capacity resides. Over the past few days, negative snow anomalies have continued to increase, and preliminary data suggest that (as of 1-10-2014) Sierra snow water equivalent may be at its lowest level ever recorded for the date. This suggests that the dryness of the 2013-2014 water year so far is similar to (or worse than) that experienced during the 1976-1977 water season. This assertion is also supported by looking at the Northern Sierra 8-Station Index, which is considered a representative metric of precipitation across this hydrologically critical region. Considering the extreme dryness of the second half of water year 2012-2013, it’s no wonder that that 2013 smashed so many all-time low precipitation records in California.
Reservoir levels in California have been falling rapidly since summer 2013, but these extremely low water levels are finally making headlines as some water districts are already facing difficult choices and the potential for severe water usage restrictions. Folsom Lake has become something of an icon of the ongoing drought in California as its water level has dropped precipitously to one of its lowest levels in history (see photograph near the top of the post, courtesy of Adam Flint), imminently threatening the water supply for suburban Sacramento. Numerous other smaller water districts, from the Central Coast up through Mendocino County, are facing or will soon face similar conditions. A wider water crisis is still a little way down the road, but if California does not receive widespread and very substantial precipitation over the next two months, many communities (especially in the northern and central parts of the state) stand to face water shortages of a magnitude not seen in the modern era.
The forecast: cautious optimism fades
When I initially drafted this post a couple of days ago, I was fairly optimistic that there would be at least some reason to express modest optimism regarding the hope for a transition to a wetter weather pattern over California by the end of January. For the third or fourth time this season, the numerical forecast models suggested the potential for a strong Pacific jet stream to undercut and/or dislodge the RRR over the northeastern Pacific, opening the door to strong zonal flow that would likely bring stronger, moister storm systems more typical of winter to most or all of California. The persistence of the ongoing ridging has not been especially well handled by the flagship medium-range models, however, and there has been a tendency in the models to break down the pattern in the long-range forecast when in reality no such thing ends up occurring. Unfortunately, this appears to be the case once again: over the past 24 hours or so, the GFS and
ECMWF have come into increasing agreement that ridging will rebuild and further amplify over the next 7-10 days, with the most recent GFS ensembles suggesting persistence clear through the end of January. While there does appear to be a more active zonal jet developing over the Pacific, its orientation does not appear to be extremely favorable to either undercut the RRR or significantly dislodge it, and may actually be contributing to the extreme amplification of the ridge expected to occur next week. Current numerical model solutions indicate that the jet stream will make a huge latitudinal excursion all the way from the subtropical Pacific to above the Arctic Circle by the middle of this week, bringing very warm and continued dry conditions to California. Dangerous fire weather conditions are expected across most of Southern California due to the warm temperatures and offshore flow associated with this event, and there will probably be an elevated risk of extremely rare winter wildfires in the northern part of the state, as well.
In short, there’s no relief in sight for at least the next 7-10 days, and very possibly longer than that. Stay tuned.
© 2014 WEATHER WESTSea Biscuit the tough turtle gets back in the swim of things after losing his flipper
When Sea Biscuit lost her left flipper, it could have been a turtle disaster.
But thanks to her human friends at Oceanworld Manly in Sydney, the little battler is now diving and weaving gracefully through water.
The green sea turtle could fit in the palm of a hand when he was rescued after washing up on a beach as an exhausted hatchling in 2009.
Washed ashore: Sea Biscuit has learned to dive and swim like normal creatures after being rescued as a hatchling found on a beach in 2009
On the crest of a wave: Flipperless green sea turtle Sea Biscuit is able to swim and dive again after a two-year rehabilitation programmed in Manly, Australia
Sea Biscuit’s infected flipper had to be amputated and it had taken him a long time to gain weight and strength.
'She had been through quite a big ordeal for such a small turtle,' said handler Marina Tsamoulos.
The turtle had to be painstakingly encouraged in her marine enclosure.
'We rehabilitate with the hope we can release them back into the wild,' Ms Tsamoulos said.
'Sea Biscuit has recovered but she is still growing... she will stay in Oceanworld for now, but that will be reviewed in the future.'
Green sea turtles spend their formative years drifting on ocean currents, grow to four-and-half feet and weight more than 47 stones. They live an average 80 years in the wild.
Restored to health: Sea Biscuit swims past handler Marina Tsamoulos in the tropical reef aquarium at Oceanworld Manly, north of SydneyManchester United manager Louis van Gaal said that David de Gea is the club's No 1 and new signing Victor Valdes will be the No 2. Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said that David de Gea is the club's No 1 and new signing Victor Valdes will be the No 2.
Manager Louis van Gaal has revealed a vision of Manchester United ruling the world as he prepares to host Southampton.
It is a bold statement for a team that has struggled to perform consistently this season, but the Dutchman has still steered his side to third in the Pemier League having gone on a 10-match unbeaten run.
We only have one player injured. That's the first time that has happened in my career at Manchester United Louis van Gaal
After spending £155 million on new players last summer, Van Gaal has stated that his target this season is to qualify for the Champions League. He is on target to achieve that and with his squad's injury problems slowly clearing up the Dutchman is in buoyant mood.
"My ambition is that I have the best players who can collaborate with each other to form the best team in the world," Van Gaal said.
After weeks of injury problems, the 63-year-old has nearly a full complement of players to choose from as they get ready to host the Saints, which sees Van Gaal go up against his Dutch rival Ronald Koeman.
"I am very happy," he added. "We only have one player injured. That's the first time that has happened in my career at Manchester United.
"I have to select the best team and watch the qualities of Southampton and hope I can reduce that quality by our line-up and our game plan."
Ashley Young will be out for four to six weeks after suffering a hamstring injury at Stoke on New Year's Day, but left-back Luke Shaw has recovered from his ankle problem and is fit to face his old club in Sunday's showdown, being shown live on Sky Sports 1 from 3.30pm.
Daley Blind is also in line to return from the knee injury which has sidelined him for two months.
Having signed Spanish goalkeeper Victor Valdes as back-up to David De Gea, Van Gaal is thrilled with the prospect of the Spanish duo inspiring each other to greater things.
Van Gaal, who handed Valdes his Barcelona debut 13 years ago, said: "Nobody is happy to be No 2 and he has to have ambition to beat David De Gea - but it shall be very hard for him."
On the medical status of his new keeper, Van Gaal added: "When we invite Victor Valdes to have his rehabilitation here in Manchester United you do that for him and also for yourself.
"You have the chance to see his rehabilitation but also if his quality is still the same and he has confirmed both."Alex Gibney’s new film, “We Steal Secrets,” is about WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange. It dutifully peddles the state’s contention that WikiLeaks is not a legitimate publisher and that Bradley Manning, who allegedly passed half a million classified Pentagon and State Department documents to WikiLeaks, is not a legitimate whistle-blower. It interprets acts of conscience and heroism by Assange and Manning as misguided or criminal. It holds up the powerful — who are responsible for the plethora of war crimes Manning and Assange exposed — as, by comparison, trustworthy and reasonable. Manning is portrayed as a pitiful, naive and sexually confused young man. Assange, who created the WikiLeaks site so whistle-blowers could post information without fear of being traced, is presented as a paranoid, vindictive megalomaniac and a sexual deviant. “We Steal Secrets” is agitprop for the security and surveillance state.
Rebels are typically a bundle of contradictions and incongruities. They are often difficult people whom the dominant systems of power abused at a young age. They have the intelligence needed to dissect the workings of power, and to devise mechanisms to fight back. German Jewish intellectuals in the Nazi era such as Hannah Arendt, writers such as James Baldwin, who was gay as well as black, and the revolutionary Frantz Fanon, a black writer and psychiatrist raised in the French colony of Martinique, all were outsiders, even outcasts. Like these three, Manning and Assange rose out of personal troubles to ask the questions traditional rebels ask, and they responded as traditional rebels respond.
“The initial presentation of the story was that Bradley Manning was a pure political figure, like a Daniel Ellsberg,” Gibney told The Daily Beast in an interview in January. “I don’t think that’s a sufficient explanation of why he did what he did. I think he was alienated; he was in agony personally over a number of issues. He was lonely and very needy. And I think he had an identity crisis. He had this idea that he was in the wrong body and wanted to become a woman, and these issues are not just prurient. I think it raises big issues about who whistleblowers are, because they are alienated people who don’t get along with people around them, which motivates them to do what they do.”
Gibney is unable to see that humans are a mixture of hubris and altruism, cowardice and courage, anger and love. There are no “pure” political figures — including Daniel Ellsberg. But there are people who, for reasons of conscience, discover the inner fortitude to defy tyranny at tremendous personal risk. Manning did this. Assange did this. They are not perfect human beings, but to dwell at length, as Gibney does, on their supposed psychological deficiencies and personal failings, while glossing over the vast evil they set themselves against, is an insidious form of character assassination. It serves the interests of the oppressors. Even if all the character flaws ascribed by Gibney to Manning and Assange are true — and I do not believe they are true — it does not diminish what they did.
The film at many points is a trashy exercise in tabloid journalism. Gibney panders to popular culture’s taste for cheap pop psychology and obsession with sex, salacious gossip and trivia. He shows clips of Assange dancing in a disco. He goes through an elaborate ritual of putting a wig and makeup on one of Assange’s estranged paramours, Anna Ardin, to disguise her although she is a public figure in Sweden.
“When the women went to the police to try to force Assange to take an HIV test, their testimony raised questions about possible criminal charges,” Gibney says in speaking about a Swedish case in which allegations of sexual misbehavior have been made against the WikiLeaks publisher. “The police, on their own, decided to investigate further. The refusal to use a condom took center stage: If Assange had HIV and knew it, it could be a case for assault. The testimony of the women raised another issue: Did he refuse to use a condom because he wanted to make the women pregnant? Some pointed to the fact he had already fathered four children with different women around the world.”
The personal sin is excoriated. The vast structural sin Assange and Manning fought is ignored. The primacy of personal piety over justice is the inversion of morality. It is the sickness of our age. David Petraeus is hounded out of the CIA not because he oversaw death squads that killed thousands of innocents in Iraq or because the CIA tortures detainees, but because he had an extramarital affair. The power elite can draw up kill lists, torture people, wage endless war and carry out massive fiscal fraud on Wall Street as long as they don’t get caught sleeping with their administrative assistants. Assange can lay bare the crimes they commit, but his act of truth-telling is canceled out by alleged sexual misconduct.
Is the most important thing about Martin Luther King Jr. the fact that he was a serial adulterer? Did King’s infidelities invalidate his life and struggle? Do the supposed defects of Assange and Manning negate what they did? Gibney would have us believe they do. Manning, in a just world, would be a witness for the prosecution of those who committed war crimes. Assange would be traveling around the United States collecting First Amendment awards.
The persecution of Manning and Assange is not an isolated act. It is part of a terrifying assault against our most important civil liberties and a free press. Manning and Assange are the canaries in the mineshaft. They did not seek to sell the documents that WikiLeaks published or to profit personally from their release. They are part of the final, desperate battle under way to stymie the security and surveillance state’s imposition of corporate totalitarianism. They and others who attempt to expose the crimes of the state — such as Jeremy Hammond, who admitted in a plea agreement last week that he had hacked into the private intelligence firm Stratfor and who faces up to 10 years in prison — will be ruthlessly persecuted. And the traditional media, which printed the secret cables provided by WikiLeaks and then callously abandoned Manning and Assange, will be next.
The Associated Press recently saw the state seize two months of its emails and phone logs, and the government has admitted seizing Fox News reporter James Rosen’s phone records. Half a dozen government whistle-blowers have been charged by the Obama administration under the Espionage Act. It is becoming harder and harder to peer into the inner workings of power. And once there are no Mannings or Assanges, once no one is willing to take risks to expose the crimes of empire, there will be no freedom of the press.
The fundamental conceit of “We Steal Secrets” is that Assange’s concern about the possibility of being arrested by U.S. authorities is a product of paranoia and self-delusion. The vast array of intergovernment forces — at least a dozen — dedicated to arresting Assange, extraditing him and destroying WikiLeaks is, Gibney would have us believe, fictional. I detailed these forces in “The Death of Truth.” The refusal to acknowledge the massive campaign against Assange is the most disturbing aspect of the film. There are numerous indications, including in leaked Stratfor emails, that a sealed indictment against Assange is in place. But Gibney refuses to buy it.
“Had the secret-leaker become the secret-keeper, more and more fond of mysteries?” Gibney asks in the film. “The biggest mystery of all was the role of the United States. Over two years after the first leak, no charges had been filed by the U.S. Assange claimed that the U.S. was biding its time, waiting for him to go to Sweden, but there was no proof.”
The sage-like figure in the film is former CIA Director Michael Hayden, who in 2001 lied when he told reporters that the National Security Council was not monitoring U.S citizens without court warrants from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. He represents, for Gibney, the voice of reason.
“You’ve got this scene, somebody evidently troubled by the scene — frankly, I’m not — but I can understand someone who’s troubled by that, and someone who wants the American people to know that, because the American people need to know what it is their government is doing for them,” Hayden says of the “Collateral Murder” video released by WikiLeaks that shows a U.S. helicopter shooting to death civilians, including two Reuters journalists, in an Iraqi street. “I actually share that view — when I was director of CIA there was some stuff we were doing I wanted all 300 million Americans to know. But I never figured out a way about informing a whole bunch of other people that didn’t have a right to that information who may actually use that image, or that fact or that data or that message, to harm my country.”
Adrian Lamo, who worked as an FBI informant, faking a friendship with Manning to sell him out, is given a perch in the film to wring his hands like Judas over how agonizing it was for him to turn in Manning. He did it, he assures us, to keep the country safe, although no one has ever been able to point to any loss of life caused by the leak of the secret documents.
“I care more about Bradley than many of his supporters do. … And I had to betray that trust for the sake of all of the people that he put in danger,” Lamo says tearfully. It is one of the most cloying moments in the movie.
Assange, by the end of the film, is the butt of open ridicule. Bill Keller, when he was executive editor of The New York Times, published material from WikiLeaks documents and then trashed Assange, calling him in a 2011 article “elusive, manipulative and volatile” as well as “arrogant, thin-skinned, conspiratorial and oddly credulous.” In the Gibney film, Keller adds to his condemnation of Assange by saying: “He looked like a bag lady coming in. Sort of like a dingy, khaki sports coat, old tennis shoes, with socks that were kind of collapsing around his ankles and he clearly hadn’t bathed in several days.”
Keller was one of the most ardent cheerleaders for the war in Iraq.
Two of Gibney’s previous films, “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” and “Taxi to the Dark Side,” were masterful explorations into the black heart of empire. This time, Gibney was commissioned by Universal Studios — owned by Comcast — and paid to make a motion picture on WikiLeaks. He gave his corporate investors what they wanted.
WikiLeaks has published a line-by-line critique of the film’s transcript at http://justice4assange.com/IMG/html/gibney-transcript.html.Advertisement
We borrow £1.7 trillion, but we're lending £1.8 trillion. Confused? Yes, inter-nation finance is complicated...
In our graphic, money flows from top to bottom, and the thickness of each pipe in the graph denotes the amount being lent
It’s easy to become daunted by the mountains of debt that are piling up between countries.
Live selected 16 nations – the major ‘western’ economies, plus the rapidly growing BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and Europe’s ailing states (Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain).
Then, using information from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), calculated the total amounts being lent between their banking sectors.
Based in Basel, Switzerland, the BIS is an independent organisation that serves as a hub for international banking activity between the world’s major economies – as well as monitoring international banking transactions.
In our graphic, money flows from top to bottom, and the thickness of each pipe in the graph denotes the amount being lent. It only takes into account borrowings between banks of these 16 countries, and does not include loans from the World Bank, IMF or Eurozone bailout fund.
The debt crisis that has emerged in the last few years in Southern Europe is being managed through a complex network of different bodies: the European Financial Stability Facility, which was established to bail out countries in need, is funded by a combination of loans from EU governments, the IMF, and the central budget of the EU itself.
None of this activity is declared to the BIS in the same way, so is not included in our graphic.The Bible has a lot to say about how we ought to be treating "one another" as Christians. Do you see an over-arching theme?
Mark 9:50 - "..be at peace with one another."
John 13:14 - "...wash one another's feet.”
John 13:34 - "...love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
John 13:35 - "...if you have love for one another."
John 15:12 - "...love one another, just as I have loved you.
John 15:17 - "This I command you, that you love one another.
Romans 12:10 - “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;”
Romans 12:10 - “give preference to one another in honor;”
Romans 12:16 - “Be of the same mind toward one another;”
Romans 13:8 - “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another”
Romans 14:13 - “...not judge one another anymore”
Romans 14:19 - “pursue the...building up of one another.”
Romans 15:5 - “...be of the same mind with one another”
Romans 15:7 - “...accept one another”
Romans 15:14 - “admonish one another”
Romans 16:16 - “Greet one another with a holy kiss”
1 Corinthians 11:33 - “...wait for one another.”
1 Corinthians 16:20 - “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
2 Corinthians 13:12 - “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
Galatians 5:13 - “...through love serve one another.”
Galatians 5:26 - “..not challenging one another, envying one another.”
Galatians 6:2 - “Bear one another's burdens”
Ephesians 4:2 - “showing tolerance for one another in love”
Ephesians 4:25 -...we are members of one another.”
Ephesians 4:32 - “Be kind to one another…”
Ephesians 5:19 - “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”
Ephesians 5:21 - “...be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”
Philippians 2:3 - “...regard one another as more important than yourselves;”
Colossians 3:9 - “Do not lie to one another”
Colossians 3:13 - “bearing with one another, and forgiving each other”
Colossians 3:16 - “admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”
1 Thessalonians 3:12 - “abound in love for one another”
1 Thessalonians 4:9 - “to love one another”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 - “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another,”
1 Thessalonians 5:13b -” Live in peace with one another.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 - “seek after that which is good for one another”
Hebrews 3:13 - “But encourage one another day after day”
Hebrews 10:24 - “stimulate one another to love and good deeds”
Hebrews 10:25 - “encouraging one another”
James 4:11 - “Do not speak against one another”
James 5:9 - “Do not complain, brethren, against one another”
James 5:16 - “confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another”
1 Peter 1:22 - “fervently love one another from the heart,”
1 Peter 4:8 - “keep fervent in your love for one another”
1 Peter 4:9 - “Be hospitable to one another”
1 Peter 4:10 - “serving one another”
1 Peter 5:5 - “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”
1 Peter 5:14 - “Greet one another with a kiss of love”
1 John 3:11 - “we should love one another;”
1 John 3:23 - “love one another, just as He commanded us.”
1 John 4:7 - |
do not have the history and inflexible structures of the major parties they so deplore.
Disputes erupt over party direction. Defections are rife. Much-spirited waving-about of party constitutions (exultantly drafted in happier times) ensues, sometimes followed by intensely complex litigation. Members communicate by means of injured-sounding press releases, amid much disagreement about what the grassroots members of party X really want.
This year alone, these exact circumstances have befallen not only the Palmer United Party, but also the Democratic Labor Party (whose sole Senator, John Madigan, quit in disgust and is now being, surprise surprise, sued) and Senator Muir himself, whose struggles with his own Motorists already have been quite epic.
What's the lesson? Party structures and discipline are annoying, but they do help to keep people from thinking it's all about them.
They also provide some predictability to negotiations. There will be many who take delight in the People's Jury, and indeed there is something refreshing about the idea of a Senate which responds to advocacy rather than brutal mathematics.
But if you were a financial adviser, I'd bet you wouldn't be feeling so sanguine this morning. And if they can come for the financial advisers, they can come for anyone.
Annabel Crabb is the ABC's chief online political writer. She tweets at @annabelcrabb. View her full profile here.
Topics: clive-palmer, federal-governmentMENU
Surviving Black Rock Desert: A First Timer's Guide for 2015
The annual week-long festival held in Nevada's Black Rock Desert exists as both a celebration of art and self-expression and a test of one's self-reliance and preparation. The festival, known for its display of wild costumes and effigies, is notorious for being rough on newcomers who find themselves ill prepared for the harsh desert weather and absence of services and utilities. For this reason, taking the steps to adequately prepare for an extended stay at the Burning Man, from packing the right gear to renting a vehicle, to get there, are vital to fully enjoying everything it has to offer.
If you would like to re-post this infographic on your own website or blog, please feel free to by using the embed code located just below the bottom of this graphic.
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MOD for ME3: User-domain-error has kindly reuploaded the mod which can be downloaded here; No copyright infringement intended. this is a fan-created work for non-commercial useMOD for ME3: User-domain-error has kindly reuploaded the mod which can be downloaded here; www.dropbox.com/sh/umi13odfgbi… please do not ask me how to install it as there are many tutorials on how to install mass effect mods. Thank you
man this took some time and only because of little mistakes here and there. anyway here it is. I learnt a lot while making this forits her mod ported for xps use. user-domain-error.deviantart.c… as this is her work and only ported by me if you use it credit her. because this lovely wouldn't have come around without her hard work on her mod for the game.decided to pose it a bit this time but it does come in a default pose.download link - onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=… credits -redesign, hair and retexturing -mass effect/bioware/eaTen AFL captains say Hawthorn will make the 2014 Grand Final
THE AFL has conducted its annual poll of the 18 club captains on the eve of the season and they see reigning premier Hawthorn, the Sydney Swans and Fremantle filling the top rungs of the ladder for the 2014 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
As per recent seasons, the club captains were confidentially polled on five key questions on the season ahead and only the Hawks, Swans and Dockers earned universal approval from their rivals as being certain to contest this year's finals series.
The captains were asked which seven other teams, apart from their own, could make the finals and which other club, apart from their own, could make the grand final. A total of 12 different clubs were considered possible chances to contest the finals by the club captains but Hawthorn (10), Sydney (five) and Fremantle (three) were the only clubs considered for a grand final berth.
Newly-appointed Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury was the choice of four captains to win the Brownlow Medal, with three captains apiece plumping for Gold Coast's Gary Ablett and Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield.
Reigning John Coleman Medallist Jarryd Roughead received four votes as the choice to again lead the goalkicking this season, but West Coast's Josh Kennedy and Collingwood's Travis Cloke were each given five votes.
Gold Coast youngster Jack Martin was the runaway tip to win the Rising Star Award and follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Jaeger O'Meara.
The full voting was:
Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight? (18 times seven selections. In 2013, the captains correctly nominated Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle, the Sydney Swans and Collingwood, but missed Richmond, Port Adelaide and Carlton.)
Fremantle (17), Hawthorn (17), Sydney Swans (17), Geelong (16), Collingwood (12), West Coast (11), North Melbourne (9), Richmond (9), Essendon (7), Port Adelaide (7), Adelaide (2), Carlton (2).
Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final? (Seven captains picked eventual premier Hawthorn in 2013, while one captain also nominated Fremantle to make the Grand Final.)
Hawthorn (10), Sydney Swans (5), Fremantle (3)
Who do you think will win the 2014 Brownlow Medal? (Three captains correctly nominated Gary Ablett in 2013).
Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood, 4 votes), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast, 3), Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide, 3), Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle, 2), Dustin Martin (Richmond, 1), Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn, 1), Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn, 1), Joel Selwood (Geelong, 1), Dane Swan (Collingwood, 1), Jobe Watson (Essendon, 1).
Who do you think will win the 2014 Coleman Medal? (No one correctly nominated Jarryd Roughead in 2013).
Travis Cloke (Collingwood, 5 votes), Josh Kennedy (West Coast, 5), Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn, 4), Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans, 3), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond, 1).
Who do you think will win the 2014 NAB AFL Rising Star? (Nine captains correctly nominated Jaeger O’Meara in 2013)
Jack Martin (Gold Coast, 7 votes), James Aish (Brisbane Lions, 2), Jack Billings (St Kilda, 2), Joe Daniher (Essendon, 2), Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs, 1), Harry Cunningham (Sydney Swans, 1), Brodie Grundy (Collingwood, 1), Josh Kelly (GWS, 1), Luke McDonald (North Melbourne, 1).Alappuzha: An elephant, which was rescued from a mushy swamp near Thuravoor after hours-long effort, ran amok again and destroyed a house. It was tranquilized later.
The tusker named Mulakkal Balakrishnan, who is allegedly in a high testosterone phase, was rescued after 17 hours of tireless attempt. The elephant was found trapped in a mushy swamp near Thuravoor early Tuesday morning after it ran amok rampaging through the streets of Valamangalam in Thuravoor.
It was dragged out of the marsh around 8 pm after hours-long operation involving local citizens, police and elephant squad members, using ropes and other equipment.
The tusker had escaped from the truck while being transported back to Alappuzha after the festival at Thrikakkara temple.
It smashed the wall of a house and damaged an autorickshaw during his rampage.
He could not be tracked in the dark and was discovered sunk in the bog only in the morning.
As the area was too mushy, efforts to bring a crane and drag the tusker out of the quagmire too failed. The desperate animal could be seen trying to push itself up but the boggy ground kept it firmly stuck in place, even as videos showed how the helpless pachyderm was being ruthlessly poked by the mahout.
Read: Latest Kerala news | Air India Express flight skids off runway while landing at Kochi airport | VideoSutherland addresses Bangladesh tour
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland says there will be a clearer picture tomorrow (Monday) regarding whether the men’s national team can tour Bangladesh after their departure was last night postponed amid security concerns.
Australia's Test squad, led by new skipper Steve Smith, had been due to depart their various home ports on Monday with the full squad not assembling until arrival in Dhaka.
“(CA) Head of Security, Sean Carroll, is on his way to Bangladesh. He’ll be arriving very shortly to get an understanding of the state of things there,” Sutherland told reporters at Brisbane's National Cricket Centre.
Quick Single: 'No alarm' for tour safety: Bangladesh
“Our position is that we want the tour to go ahead as planned. This has obviously come very suddenly, and we’ve needed to make this response.
“Our preferred position is to continue with the tour but the safety and security of our players and staff is the absolute priority, and the first priority for us is to secure that, and we’ll be endeavouring to get some undertakings and understanding of what the situation is in Bangladesh before we make further decisions in regard to the tour.
“It’s actually been a significant religious holiday in Bangladesh over the weekend.
“Meetings will commence on Monday and we’ll have a much better understanding of things from there.”
Bangladesh's administrative functions had shut down late last week as the country celebrates Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest Muslim festival. The celebrations passed without incident or violence and saw the country decked out in decorations with millions turning out on the streets.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) issued its latest security advice about Bangladesh on Friday, saying there was "reliable information" of a threat to Australian interests in the country.
Quick Single: Players want to tour Bangladesh: Clarke
“The government came to us on Friday afternoon that they had some credible threats to western interests and on that basis, knowing that the team was not far away from leaving, that we should understand that there would be some alteration to the travel advice for Australians going to Bangladesh,” Sutherland said.
“The DFAT advice is for travellers who are ordinary civilians who are travelling on holidays or on business in Bangladesh, which is very different to the Australian cricket team, which is afforded the highest level of security by Bangladesh police and armed forces as well.
“Those things need to be weighed up in the circumstances, (and) that’s why our head of security is over therefrom this afternoon, will have meetings in the next couple of days and we’ll make some calls from there.
“I’ve spoken to my equivalent in Bangladesh … they understand our position, they understand that we’ve taken advice from our government and they will go to every length to provide whatever support is necessary, including arranging meetings for our head of security and others.”
With a raft of recent retirements and a challenging three-Test series against New Zealand only five weeks away, the two-Test series looms as a critical one for Australia’s new era.
Bangladesh meanwhile, haven’t played a Test against Australia since 2006, and are consequently desperate for the opportunity to host one of world cricket’s heavyweights.
Quick Single: Fekete favoured for Aussie A efforts
“It’s a very important tour for both Australia and Bangladesh,” Sutherland added. “Bangladesh are a team on the rise – their performances in recent times have been very, very good.
“From our perspective, we’ve got a young team under a new captain that’s very much looking forward to the opportunity to play in subcontinental conditions and it would be a shame for the tour not to go ahead.
“We’re very much hoping that it will, but the circumstances at the moment mean that we’ve made the decision to defer our departure.”
Australia featured in the World T20 in Bangladesh in March 2014 – a victory against the hosts their only win – but have not toured the country for a bilateral series since three ODIs in 2011, and have not played a Test there since April 2006
"Australians should be aware that normal travel in many parts of Dhaka is often not possible due to arbitrary acts of violence," DFAT states. "Bangladesh has experienced a number of terrorist incidents in the past and security agencies in Bangladesh continue to arrest people connected to terrorist organisations. Further attacks are possible, including against Western interests."
The government website also warns "political violence occurs regularly in Bangladesh" and said political violence in January of this year resulted in "violent incidents, including arson attacks took place across the country, resulting in death and injury".
Australia are scheduled to play a BCB XI in a three-day warm-up match starting October 3 in Fatullah before the first Test in Chittagong on October 9.
The second Test, in Dhaka, is scheduled for October 17.Though the final final campaign-donation numbers are still not yet fully tabulated by anyone, we’re close enough now (99+% of the way toward 100% accuracy), so that reliably close approximations can at last be presented:
In the 2016 U.S. Presidential contest, Hillary Clinton’s campaign received $300,084,866 from individuals who donated at least $200; Donald Trump’s campaign received only $45,725,669 — 15% as much as she did from such donors. For every $1 Trump got there, Clinton got $6.67.
In total, however, Clinton’s money-advantage over Trump wasn’t nearly so large, because Trump received millions of small donations, which enabled his campaign to remain competitive (though still considerably smaller than hers).
Whereas Hillary got 53.27% of her total appx. $775M as direct individual donations of $200+, Trump got only 13.94% of his appx. $425M that way.
In addition to individual donations, each campaign also received donations from various types of PACS or Political Action Committees, which are supposedly not controlled by, nor coordinated with, the candidate’s own campaign. That’s called “outside money.” The figures from some of these PACS haven’t yet been fully tabulated, but almost. (The individual donation-figures that were just cited are exact — all in, and fully tabulated — however.) Here are the outside-money numbers, as of now:
CLINTON OUTSIDE MONEY: $206,055,296 according to this [but mainly Clinton Priorities USA Action SuperPAC $192,065,768, out of an actual total of around $212M]
TRUMP OUTSIDE MONEY: $75,253,193 according to this [but mainly actually $90M 4 PACS: Great America, Rebuilding America, Make America #1, Our Principles, of an actual total of around $114M]
Here are the web-pages from which these figures are copied (or, in other instances, estimated):
https://www.opensecrets.org/ pres16
https://www.opensecrets.org/ pres16/candidate?id=N00000019
https://www.opensecrets.org/ pres16/candidate?id=N00023864
https://www.opensecrets.org/ politicians/include/contribs_ pop.php
https://www.opensecrets.org/ pres16/outside-groups
As regards what the electoral result of this was:
Trump won 304 Electoral College votes; Clinton won 227.
In the Electoral College, there’s a winner-take-all system, so that to win a state by 1 vote gets all of its Electoral College votes, no different than if the state has been won by millions of votes.
Clinton campaigned in California, which wasn’t even in contention between her and Trump, and she achieved there an enormous victory-margin over Trump, of 4,269,978 votes; she won that state by 61.73%, compared to Trump’s 31.62%. She won that state by 4,269,977 votes more than were needed for her to win the state.
In all other states than California, Clinton lost nationwide by a total of 1,401,459 votes. However, because of her massive 4,269,978-vote win of California, she won the popular vote nationwide by 2,868,519 votes. If the election were to have been decided by popular votes instead of Electoral College votes, we’d have the President whom Californians overwhelmingly preferred, not the President whom the residents of the other 49 states strongly preferred; we’d have a President who was chosen by Californians, ruling over all of the 50 states.
These figures are taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/United_States_ presidential_election,_2016 as of 3 PM 2 March 2017.
So:
Clinton spent $775 million and won 65,853,625 votes, which cost $11.77 per vote won; Trump spent $425 million and won 62,985,106 votes, which cost $6.75 per vote won.
In the far more important — indeed all-important — Electoral College cost-per-vote-won, Clinton spent $3,414,097 per Electoral College vote; and Trump spent $1,398,026 per Electoral College vote.
More discussion of the Presidential contest’s voting results (as of 22 December 2016) can be found here.
So: that’s the final report on the 2016 U.S. Presidential contest, both the dollars and the votes.
My comments on the election’s outcome are here.
On March 2nd, Ms. Clinton spoke in a closed-to-the-public event at her alma mater Wellesley College, and according to the Boston Globe’s report based upon twitters, was asked “What would you change about your campaign?” and Clinton replied, “I’d win.” Many of the reader-comments there were published only as “This comment has been blocked.” However, that same report was also republished at Political Wire, and the reader-comments there were unedited and were overwhelmingly attacking Donald Trump as having stolen the election, and Vladimir Putin as having been behind it. The most popular reader-response (to her saying “I’d win”) was “If you look at it the right way, she DID.” Her 2,868,519 popular-vote margin was considered the ‘right way’ to evaluate her electoral performance. Almost none criticized Ms. Clinton, either substantively or even just tactically, such as by wondering why she had been campaigning in California and other states that weren’t even at all in contention. The commonest assumption (other than that nationwide popular votes should have decided the victor and California’s voters should have determined the next President even if she lost the rest of the national electorate) appeared to be that somehow Putin did something that had swayed the 77,744 voters in the closest three Trump-won states (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania) who became Trump’s crucial victory-margin in the closest vote-count states for his side that would need to have been reversed in order for Clinton to have been able to win the Electoral College and thus the election.
On March 1st, UK’s Daily Mail headlined and opened:
EXCLUSIVE: Barack Obama’s close confidante Valerie Jarrett has moved into his new DC home, which is now the nerve center for their plan to mastermind the insurgency against President Trump
• Obama’s goal is to oust Trump from the presidency either by forcing his resignation or through his impeachment, a family friend tells DailyMail.com
• Jarrett has moved into the 8,200-square-foot, $5.3-million Kaloroma mansion to work closely with the former president and Michelle Obama
• Jarrett lived in the White House, dined with the Obamas, and helped shape his domestic and foreign policies
• Obama cannot use his West End office, a post-presidency perk, for political purposes
• ‘He’s coming. And he’s ready to roll.’ former Attorney General Eric Holder said yesterday about the former president’s reentry into the political scene
So, Obama’s goal now is for Mike Pence to replace Donald Trump.Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Jesse Owens, a record-breaking Olympic sprinter and the best athlete of his time, spent much of his life struggling with issues of race. Unlike other athletes of his era, Owens' day-to-day life was defined—and restricted—by his color. He suffered humiliating treatment even as he was revered as the most successful athlete of the day, winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics during Hitler's Germany. But the racism he experienced in a country on the brink of ethnic cleansing was hardly worse than what he faced back home in the United States. For years after his athletic career winded down, Owens endured a personal struggle, leading him to prize wealth over principles as he criticized Civil Rights leaders of the late 60s. In the decade before his death, his philosophy on race relations progressed, and he finally advocated the Civil Rights Movement.
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Jesse Owens was born James Clevelend Owens in Alabama in 1913, the youngest in a family of 10 children. When he was 9 years old, his parents relocated the family to Cleveland, Ohio, in search of better economic opportunity. It was there that Owens discovered his passion and talent for running. In junior high school, he met a coach whom he believed set him on the path to athletic success. Later in high school, he tied the world record for the 100-yard dash and the long jump, as well as set a new record for the 220-yard dash.
Owens attended Ohio State University, where his athletic success continued, but the racism and discrimination that was common in the 1930s became a detriment to his training and racing. Unlike his teammates, Owens was not allowed to live on campus because the university did not have housing for black students. Nor was he provided a scholarship, a privilege that would be standard for any white athlete of his caliber. When he traveled with the team to compete, he had to stay in separate hotels and eat in separate restaurants from the rest of the Ohio State track team.
Jesse Owens was a very successful college track star, but where he truly earned his fame was at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The international sporting competition was rife with political controversy imposed largely by Adolf Hitler, then the German premier. Hitler’s staging of the games was largely intended to showcase white supremacy, and the very presence of a successful black athlete was a threat. And yet Owens’ Olympics performance was unlike any before it, or since. He won four gold medals and set new world records in the 200-meter race, long jump, 400-meter relay, and he tied the world record for the 100-meter dash. He had become the best athlete in the world.
His stay in Germany showed Owens that a different life was possible for him as a black man. Unlike back home in the United States, in Germany Owens trained, traveled and stayed in the same hotels as his white teammates. In the United States, Owens was asked to ride a hotel’s freight elevator to get to a reception being held in his honor. Upon his return to the United States, Owens was faced with fresh challenges. He did not come home to the reception expected for such a winning Olympian. He was not invited to the White House and was personally insulted that he was not offered any honors by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. “After I came home from the 1936 Olympics with my four medals, it became increasingly apparent that everyone was going to slap me on the back, want to shake my hand, or have me up to their suite. But no one was going to offer me a job,” he later said. Due to time spent training and competing at the Olympic level, Owens’ academics suffered, and he was declared ineligible to compete at the university level. He gave up on his education and began pursuing other career opportunities, from starting a Negro baseball league to opening a dry cleaning business. Three years after his Olympic success, he declared bankruptcy.
Owens working a gas pump. (Photo: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
Despite his gold medals, Owens was still a student and had to pump gas during the summers to support his family. (Aug. 1, 1935) Owens was censured for giving up on amateur athletics in pursuit of financial gain in other fields. But he argued that his hand was forced by the discriminatory policies he had faced throughout his athletic career, such as not being eligible for scholarships in college and therefore struggling to squeeze in classes between training and working to pay his way. In an interview in 1971, he addressed the criticism head on, saying, “ I had four gold medals, but you can't eat four gold medals. There was no television, no big advertising, no endorsements then. Not for a black man, anyway.”
His post-1936 experiences seemed to shape his philosophy about race relations in the United States. Owens believed that blacks should fight for power through economic, not political means. In 1968, when Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously gave a black power salute while receiving their medals in the Summer Games in Mexico City for the 200-meter race, Owens spoke against them. “The black fist is a meaningless symbol. When you open it, you have nothing but fingers—weak, empty fingers. The only time the black fist has significance is when there's money inside. There's where the power lies,” Owens said at the time. In his older age, his philosophy seemed to have developed in the opposite direction, and he spoke out in favor of the Civil Rights Movement and even criticized his own previous statements. In 1980, Jesse Owens died of lung cancer. It is unthinkable in the modern era that any athlete, much less a runner, would be a smoker, but he was for the most of his life.[Note: this is a guest post — the first ever here at the House of Rapp! — by Rob Burgon, an F-22 Raptor pilot and member of the Blogging in Formation team. You can read more of his writing at TallyOne.com.]
The weather couldn’t have been any better for flying. From 28,000 feet, and just a few miles east of Oklahoma City, I could practically see the runway at Fort Smith Regional Airport (KFSM) in Arkansas. It was a rare mission that allowed me to fly solo as instructor with a solo student as my wingman, and such was the mission today. On a typical sortie into KFSM, we would plan to fly VR-272, a low-level military training route that allows us to fly fast and low as we wind our way through a series of lush, rolling green hills. But the 500 knot fun would not happen today, not with a solo student on the wing. Regardless, this day would turn out to be a memorable one. It was on this glorious spring morning that I first met Dave and Race Burns, and learned something about my flying family.
I couldn’t help but smile as I surveyed the 360 degree view from the front end of my T-38C. Was someone really paying me to do this?! The VFR arrival into Ft. Smith was uneventful, and we had more than enough gas to “wow” a small cast of airfield workers with our closed traffic patterns. We finally put the wheels on the ground and taxied to the FBO. After shutting down the engines, I climbed down the ladder only to be enthusiastically greeted by a young boy waving an American flag. He and his father had seen us beating up the pattern and they practically ran to the airport to meet us.
It was immediately clear how much these two loved flying. They took a particular interest in fighter aviation (can I say I blame them?), but I perceived there was more to the equation. Father and son had found a common ground – they had a shared interest. It was their collective passion that deepened their family bond, and it got me thinking. As pilots, we all belong to a unique, supportive family of aviators who share a common passion.
The pilot community is a small one – roughly 0.2% of the U.S. population at the close of 2012 held an aeronautical certification. Although small, our family of flyers has an enormous socioeconomic impact on the general public. Not only do we get people and things where they need to go, but we help everyone have fun doing it. This country (and many others) has a fascination with flight that doesn’t stop with rated pilots. Air shows draw huge crowds no matter how small the airport. People instinctively look skyward when they hear the whine of a jet engine passing overhead. It’s in our nature to long for a place in the sky, and even though some airspace in the world may be contested, aviation can bring human beings together in impossible ways.
I have yet to find myself on a ramp where the other pilots are anything less than friendly and helpful. We look out for each other. You can walk up to a group of onlookers standing at the airfield fence, and you immediately have a group of new friends. Flying is innocent, it’s pure – it’s part physics and part miracle. Until humans grow wings, our fascination with aviation will never dull.
Once bound together by the glue of our airborne passion, we must look out for the other members of our family. The actor David Ogden Stiers (you may remember him from M.A.S.H.) once said, “Family means no one gets left behind, no one is forgotten.” That is the exact approach we must take with our flying family. The more experienced pilots need to take an interest in the “care and feeding” of newer, less experienced flyers. Those of us holding positions of authority within the aviation industry – be you a regulator or an economic engine – must work to ensure the sustainment of the entire family. (This is beginning to sound like a scene from The Godfather, but that’s kind of the point.)
Every year, our numbers dwindle. AOPA reported an estimated overall decrease of just over 200,000 active pilot certificate holders since 1980. We cannot afford to be anything but a unified family if we hope to continue our collective pursuit of flying bliss. From the military fighter pilot to the multi-thousand hour airline pilot, to the once-a-month Cessna 152 pilot, we all do the same thing: we take our lives in our hands and brazenly defy gravity. Just like a good wingman checks the six o’clock of his or her flight mate to ensure the enemy doesn’t attack from the aft hemisphere, so must we all watch each other’s backs.
The majority of names and faces I’ve encountered over the years will likely fade with time in my memory. But I will always remember Dave and Race. Just before I climbed the ladder that day to fire up the mighty twin GE J-85 engines, Race handed me a small flag with a handwritten note. “Thanks for your service.” I wanted to thank him for teaching me about my flying family, but I couldn’t find the words in the moment. Instead, I just smiled in approval of his heartfelt gift, shook his hand, and climbed into my supersonic chariot. So to Dave and Race, and my entire flying family, I’d like to say: “Thanks for joining the club – I’ve got your six.”For the second time in as many days, a semi truck got stuck under the overpass leading to Edmonton’s High Level Bridge Wednesday.
“It was almost like, ‘is this really happening? Is this déjà vu? Is this re-living yesterday?’ But no, it was two separate incidents,” Brock Harrison said. “It’s crazy.”
Two weeks ago, Harrison moved into a new office on the eighth floor of the Ledgeview building, right at the corner of 97 Avenue and 110 Street. The office has a perfect view of the High Level Bridge.
“Yesterday the guy, he must have been going really fast because he wedged himself under there and couldn’t get out,” Harrison recalled. “Today, he must have been going a little slower because he hit and he smashed.
“We all gathered around the window and he booked it… he backed out, back around that corner, right under the underpass, never to be seen or heard of again.”
“It’s probably not good for the guy who does it or the people who own the trucks, but like I say… it’s kind of an office thing now. We’ve started a little tally on our white board: number of trucks who’ve hit the bridge since we’ve moved in.”
The overpass, which is used by the historic streetcar, has a clearance of 3.2 metres.
While there are signs advising large vehicles about the height restriction, it’s not uncommon to see a truck lodged under the bridge’s entrance, blocking traffic and causing frustration for more than a few people.
“There’s already a ton of signage,” Mayor Don Iveson said.
“There’s already chains hanging down. I don’t know how you could hit all that and not hit the bridge.”
“Every once in a while, people send around the picture of that giant sign that says: ‘If you hit this sign, you will hit that bridge,'” the mayor said. “We may need to put an even bigger sign up.”
“There’s no doubt, it’s a huge inconvenience for Edmontonians when this happens,” Iveson added.
In 2015, Edmonton police responded 25 times to oversized vehicles blocking the High Level Bridge. In 23 of the incidents, the driver stopped the vehicle before hitting the bridge and only required help from police to back out. In one incident, a driver was handed a ticket for failure to obey a traffic control.
The 109 Street approach has been recently upgraded. City crews added new signs and height warning systems. The 97 Avenue approach will be upgraded in 2017.
In total, there are currently 12 signs and height indicators on the two different bridge approaches.
READ MORE: Semi truck crashes into streetcar overpass at Edmonton’s High Level Bridge
Those who drive trucks for a living say you just have to know your route and pay attention to signs.
“What are they watching for? They’re not watching for what they should be,” driver Neal Roehl said. “You should be looking for your routes…the thoroughfares, the construction, the height restrictions.
“Unfortunately, rarely is it anybody’s fault than the person who didn’t pay attention,” Roehl added.
He said trucks get stuck under the High Level Bridge “too often” but clarified he’s never been one of them.
“Trucks have to be downtown… they have to get across the river… The High Level Bridge is just one of those bridges that trap people… It’s kind of a phenoma. I don’t know how to fix that.”
Grade 3 student Jacob Molzan, who loves bridges, has a suggestion.
“Don’t ram into stuff when you’re driving!”
Follow @Emily_MertzUpdated:
Police are no longer looking for the two men pictured above. Late Thursday night New Orleans detectives interviewed the person of interest in the baseball cap and short hair. He was booked for outstanding warrants. At this time authorities will not release his name due to the complexity of the investigation.
The man with the dreadlocks is no longer considered a person of interest, officer Frank Robertson said.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – New Orleans police are searching for two additional men they believe have critical information related to the mass shooting on Bourbon Street Sunday.
The mayor’s office released the above photos Thursday adding, “please keep in mind these individuals are not suspects. They are persons of interest who may have information which may assist detectives in this investigation.”
The photos were captured by a low light camera which changed the color of the men’s shirts, the mayor’s office said.
On Wednesday the first man identified by police as a person of interest turned himself over to authorities. After homicide detectives questioned 20-year-old Justin Odom he was processed and booked on unrelated traffic and shoplifting charges. He was released less than 24-hours later due to jail overcrowding.
Anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of theses two individuals should call NOPD Homicide Detectives at 504-658-5300 or anonymously at Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.Apparently, The New York Times might have been outsmarted by some individuals seeking to acquire statements from their journalists that may damage their reputations. Deputy Managing Editor Clifford Levy copied an email sent to the Times staff:
Newsrooms beware:
Someone claiming to be a college student is trying to interview NYT journalists.
We're concerned that it’s a ruse. pic.twitter.com/ypdYbzA3d8 — Clifford Levy (@cliffordlevy) August 1, 2017
The email reads as follows:
Colleagues: A number of people in the newsroom have received emails recently from someone claiming to be a student researching a media project and asking for a face-to-face interview. While we haven't nailed down the particulars, we are concerned that this could be a ruse by someone trying to trick unwary Times journalists into unguarded or damaging statements. (No doubt you recall the hidden-camera ploy used recently on a CNN producer.) We all know that it's important to remain fair and politically impartial in our public statements. Please keep that in mind in all your conversations with members of the public. Even reasonable or lighthearted remarks can sometimes be made to appear improper. We're happy for our journalists to engage with readers, students and other members of the public, and we don't want to discourage that. But be careful. In these polarized times, make sure you know whom you're talking to, and be sure to maintain Times standards in any such interactions. Thanks.
There is only one response to this: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
First, to claim that The New York Times pretends to be politically impartial in the public eye is a snare and a delusion. Second, it seems that Times journalists might have fallen into the same trap set by undercover journalists who caught CNN over the past month thanks to James O'Keefe and Project Veritas. Finally, it demonstrates that some Americans are looking to pants The New York Times by highlighting its well-known political biases within its journalistic staff.
Undercover guer |
raiding in New Mexico. [75:28 mark]
Is it true I-502 fails to have a preemption and severability clauses? [75:48 mark]
Alison – No, because it amends our existing uniform controlled substances act, which already has these provisions in them [76:03 mark]
If I-502 passes will it create a domino effect throughout the country [76:45 mark]
Steve – If I-502 passes, it sets a bad precedent and it will green light other states to pass these same DUI provisions. [76:57 mark]
– If I-502 passes, it sets a bad precedent and it will green light other states to pass these same DUI provisions. [76:57 mark] Keith – Initiatives don’t have to worry about elected officials and their worrying over re-election, they can improve the law each iteration. [78:02 mark]
– Initiatives don’t have to worry about elected officials and their worrying over re-election, they can improve the law each iteration. [78:02 mark] Kari – Cites numerous studies on cannabis usage and trying to measure impairment [79:47 mark]
What about the 1,000 foot rule from a school, park, etc make it extremely difficult to distribute cannabis in any metropolitan area? [81:30 mark]
Alison – Yes, it will impact some locations but to broader voter support it’s a compromise to address people’s concerns for kids. [81:48 mark]
– Yes, it will impact some locations but to broader voter support it’s a compromise to address people’s concerns for kids. [81:48 mark] Kari – I-502 says within 1,000 feet of a school, playground, recreational facility, child care center, game arcade, park, publicly owned property, etc. etc. Good luck finding an eligible dispensary location. [82:49 mark]
If I-502 passes, how would impact WA’s compliance with international treaties? [83:55 mark]
Keith – Yes, the United States could absolutely legally get out of any international provision with six months notice. Other countries in South America have stopped following. [84:05 mark]
How did I-502 get into this divided political mess and how can it succeed if so? [85:28 mark]
Keith – First 30 of 40 years of reform movement, we all agreed generally on legalization. Past 10 years as we get closer to our goal, we start arguing on the details and the money as probability of success increases. [85:49 mark]
What does I-502 change about field and blood testing for DUI? [87:20 mark]
Alison – I-502 doesn’t change any field procedures. It does create a new blood standard. [87:33 mark]
Final 30 second closing comments from each panelist [91:10 mark]Four more Mastermind locations are scheduled to open in Canada before the end of this year, for a total of 12 openings in 2017. Twelve more are scheduled for 2018 and another dozen in 2019, bringing the total number of stores to 84, with an eye to as many as 90 in three years.
On Tuesday, while Toys “R” Us Canada was in Ontario Superior Court seeking protection from creditors, Mastermind Toys announced the launch of its 56th store, part of a national expansion that will see the Toronto-based chain overtake its giant competitor in two years.
When Mastermind opened in 1984, there were no Toys “R” Us stores Toronto; the U.S. chain had just entered the Canadian marketplace with a store in Brampton, but it was already viewed as a category killer.
The stores are vastly different in size — Masterminds are in the 5,000 square foot range while Toys “R” Us stores are around 35,000 square feet — but it’s an impressive feat nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Toys “R” Us, crushed by debt and restructuring while court orders hold creditors at bay, currently has 82 stores in Canada.
“We were scared of what we knew could happen, we were scared of what we didn’t know could happen but we just put our heads down, because we knew even then that we were a niche player, we were a specialty retailer. That means we were smaller in size, we were more hands-on with interactions with our customers, we were more fleet of foot because we could choose what we put on the shelf.”
“That was pretty darned daunting to us, because we were in the category,” said chief executive officer Jon Levy, who founded Mastermind with his brother Andy.
So how did Mastermind prosper while a competitor with a global footprint — 1,950 stores in 38 countries — faltered?
Despite the growth of Toys “R” Us in Canada, Mastermind prospered and in 2010 launched a nationwide expansion with Birch Hill Equity Partners. At the time, Mastermind had 11 stores in the GTA.
Canadian Toys “R” Us operations are in fact profitable, according to documents filed in Ontario Superior Court on Tuesday, and the expectation and hope is that the company will emerge from creditor protection and continue operating all its stores here.
Over the past three fiscal years, sales revenue increased at a compounded annual rate of more than 5 per cent, according to an affidavit filed by Melanie Teed-Murch, president of Toys “R” Us Canada Ltd. since August 2016. Net earnings for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2017 were $75,683,000.
In fact, since 2005, Canadian operations have periodically transferred excess cash to the U.S. through loans and dividends, according to the court documents.
In June, Canadian operations paid $72.65 million to its sole shareholder, Toys Delaware. It loaned Toys Delaware an addition $101 million, which it now does not expect will be repaid, at least not in the near-term.
Blame for the U.S. company’s failure is being laid at the foot of $5 billion (U.S.) in long-term debt that it could no longer afford, but there were underlying operational issues as well, according to the documents filed in court. The company was struggling with outdated technology, a failure to adapt to market changes and above-market leases.
After news reports of a possible bankruptcy filing began to circulate, suppliers began demanding better terms, including cash-on-delivery, a cost the company couldn’t support and which triggered actual bankruptcy filings.
While there have been lean years in the toy industry since Mastermind and Toys “R” Us launched in Canada in the 1980s, and competition from technology such as gaming systems, the market trend over the past few years has been positive, according to Michelle Liem, director, toys for The NPD Group, Canada, which gathers sales data from all the big players in the category, including Amazon.ca and Walmart.
Hudson’s Bay reintroduced toys to 61 stores in 2016 and has expanded the offering this year to 80 stores. Nordstrom will also carry a selection of toys in its Canadian stores and is trying out a few new brands at its Sherway Gardens location.
The entire market in Canada is worth about $2 billion a year, according to Liem. Business between January and August was up 3 per cent in dollars and 5 per cent in units, reflecting the growth in sales of low-priced collectible items such as Shopkins, Funko Pop! and Lego figures. Family games are selling well.
In fact, toy sales have grown every year since 2013. Tech, which used to be regarded as the enemy of toys, is increasingly being incorporated into them, instead.
Science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM) learning products are another growth category in toys, a category that has always been front and centre at Mastermind, according to Levy, and is one of the reasons for the success of the chain.
Staying small, offering a well-curated selection of fun toys and educational toys and books and focusing on customer service won the day for Mastermind, Levy says. So did being early tech adopters — they’ve been online since 1999, recently re-launching the site to add faster check-out and a gift-finding tool.
Levy said today’s shopper is too busy to spend hours online or in a store going through thousands of items at a time.
“They want curation, they want somebody to have gone through the variety of products before they got there and defined what’s good — they want to be able to choose from things that have already come from a discerning assortment.”
Levy hasn’t ruled out an IPO for Mastermind. A possible expansion into Quebec would add another 20 stores.
“We don’t claim to be experts on Toys ‘R’ Us or their business model or financial structure so I can’t say specifically what led them to seek creditor protection in Canada and the U.S.,” said Humphrey Kadaner, president and chief operating officer, Mastermind Toys.
“It may be they are competing in a mass market where it can be a race to the bottom... ”
Retail consultant Bruce Winder believes the combination of Walmart and Amazon was too much for Toys “R” Us to handle, and it failed to give customers a reason to come to visit their stores.
“Toys ‘R’ Us failed to create a strong value proposition. Stores looked tired and over time there was less of a reason to shop there.”DUNEDIN, Fla. – The Major League Baseball Players Association was willing to help speed up the game, so long as batters got to keep their walk-up music, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons says.
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MLB and the players’ union agreed to “pace of play” policies for this season. Gibbons and general manager Alex Anthopoulos met Tuesday with officials from the commissioner’s office to discuss the new rules.
“The big thing that everybody wanted in the association [was to] make sure they got the music in,” Gibbons said with a chuckle. “ ‘Don’t worry about rushing as long you get enough of my song played.’ That was a sticking point.”
Batters must keep one foot in the batter’s box throughout an at-bat unless game events force them to vacate. Gibbons said league officials cited Toronto’s Jose Bautista as an exemplar. Bautista keeps one foot in the box but still takes time to make adjustments to his batting gloves and helmet.
Managers won’t have to leave the dugout to challenge an umpire’s call. A manager can simply signal the home-plate ump that he is considering a challenge and umpires will co-operate while the team’s video official checks the replay angles, Gibbons said.
***
General manager Alex Anthopoulos said he still might be able to accommodate Dioner Navarro’s desire for a trade.
Navarro, last year’s regular catcher, asked to be traded when the Jays signed Russell Martin in November. Anthopoulos has tried to find a club willing to make Navarro its everyday catcher – and give the Jays a fair return – but so far he has been unsuccessful.
“I don’t know that that everyday job is lined up right now for various reasons, but the landscape can change – guys get hurt, guys don’t perform, things can change fast,” Anthopoulos said. “We could do something at the end of spring training, we could do something in the first month of the season, we could do something in the middle of the year or it may not occur at all. You just don’t know.
“He’s too good a player, and too valuable a player, that I think something will present itself at some point.”
***
The Jays’ everyday lineup will be heavily right-handed this season, but Gibbons doesn’t see that as a problem.
Not when the top of his lineup consists of Jose Reyes, Russell Martin, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson. Reyes is a switch-hitter. So is Dalton Pompey, who will bat at the bottom of the order if he makes the team as the centre-fielder. At least one other position – second base – is likely to be manned by a right-handed hitter.
“When you’re that good a hitter, it really doesn’t matter,” Gibbons said. “It makes it probably a little easier for the other side, how they want to stack their bullpen up. But when you have to face that good a hitter, one after another … it’s a tough task. You want your best guys up top.”
***
Reliever Brett Cecil missed workouts on Monday because he was ill and went home early Tuesday because his wife and two sons were sick too.
Cecil came to camp early and threw on flat ground, then went home to look after his family. Gibbons said Cecil was feeling better, but it was “better to get him out of here” for his sake and that of his teammates.We've introduced a number of pallet projects on this site, but we cannot think of a better use of pallets throughout all of space and time than to make a Tardis out of them. Better yet, let's make it even more useful and make a dog house that looks like a Tardis! Here's how to used recycled wood pallets to make a Tardis Dog House: Step 1: Dismantle a wood pallet and saw the wood into a bunch of equal-sized boards.Step 2: Arrange the boards so that there are five on each side, four on the back and two up front.Step 3: Use some scraps to piece your sides together. We used screws to attach support pieces across the backs of our sides. We also added another board across the front to make the door a little smaller.Step 4: Everything should fit together nicely, so screw your sides together!Step 5: For the top of the Tardis, add boards as a border all the way around and then make another border around those, but have the boards stick out vertically. Then screw some boards across it for the roof.Step 6: Paint!This is one dog house that's much larger on the inside than the outside - something every dog deserves.When asked Wednesday at the American Airlines Arena if the Edmonton Oilers were interested in Vancouver disturber Aaron Volpatti, GM Steve Tambellini smiled softly and offered up a “I wouldn’t tell you if we were” but several people have said they did put a claim in on the winger but didn’t get him because Washington Capitals have a worse record at this time.
Waiver claims start with the 30th place team in points and work their way up. The Oilers are 24th in points, so the Caps, who got manhandled by the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday grabbed the Brown U grad who played Junior A for the Vernon Vipers Thursday morning.
Volpatti, who has played several games against the Oilers would have filled a need–a rambunctious forward in their bottom six. He’s got minimal offensive talent (four points in 54 NHL games) but Tambellini has watched his team long enough to know they have a crying need for toughness. They can still sign Volpatti this summer if they desire because he’s an unrestricted free-agent. For now, their plan B might be 6’5″, 230-pound Flyers’ forward Tom Sestito, according to twitter reports. Sestito, who had his one and only two-goal NHL game a couple of weeks ago with two nifty deke goals against Tampa Bay, was hurt in the AHL all-star game. But he has been down on the Flyers’ farm team on a conditioning assignment and has played some games. They would like to keep him there but have to put him on waivers to do so. The Oilers could certainly do worse than Sestito, who has a mean streak; not a great skater, but he battles.
Sestito’s brother Tim used to play in their system; he’s much smaller and not abrasive and now plays in the New Jersey organization.
Tambellini needs some sandpaper in his top six, too, to complement Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky. But that may have to wait until this summer when, say, Ryane Clowe in San Jose could be a free-agent.
***
Oilers’ coach Ralph Krueger may be getting tired of the Ryan Whitney “is he in or is he out?” questions. He’s scratched for fifth time in the last seven games for the Dallas Stars, along with Theo Peckham. Mark Fistric, coming back to his old stomping grounds where he was a rugged Stars’ D-man and Corey Potter, will play as a pairing Thursday. Whitney is definitely being shopped but there are no viewings for the assembled scouts at the games. “More than anything it’s a complement to the six defencemen in right now and while we have good competition, we’re happy with the way that group performed the last two games,” said Krueger. Fistric has played seven in a row after sitting six of the first 12 after his trade from the Stars. Potter sat three in a row (seven in total this year) before playing the last three against Phoenix, Chicago and now here. There’s a good chance, Whitney and Peckham could play in St. Louis Friday.
**
If you’re into history, the Oilers have not beaten the Stars in Dallas since 2006, going 0-10-1. Their record at home against Edmonton since moving from Dallas in 1993: 29-4-3. It’s not being advertised as Guaranteed Win Night, but it probably could. They’ll be honouring one of their greats Jere Lehtonen before the first puck-drop.
**Magnus Paajarvi will be the extra forward sitting with Taylor Hall’s two-game suspension for hitting Cal Clutterbuck over. “Felt weird not being able to play but not being hurt,” said Hall, who sat in the pressbox in Chicago Monday, soaking up the atmosphere. “Good food. Skittles and M&Ms,” he joked.
**
Here’s the forward lines for the Stars:
Hall-Nugent-Hopkins-Eberle.
Jones-Gagner-Hemsky.
Smyth-Belanger-Yakupov.
Eager-VandeVelde-Petrell.
Defence pairings:
N. Schultz-J. Schultz.
Smid-Petry.
Fistric-Potter.
Devan Dubnyk starts in goal. He’s never beaten the Stars. He’s 0-4-1 with a 3.99 avg and.866 save percentage.Physicists from MIT and the University of Belgrade have developed a new technique that can successfully entangle 3,000 atoms using only a single photon. The results, published today in the journal Nature, represent the largest number of particles that have ever been mutually entangled experimentally.
The researchers say the technique provides a realistic method to generate large ensembles of entangled atoms, which are key components for realizing more-precise atomic clocks.
“You can make the argument that a single photon cannot possibly change the state of 3,000 atoms, but this one photon does — it builds up correlations that you didn’t have before,” says Vladan Vuletic, the Lester Wolfe Professor in MIT’s Department of Physics, and the paper’s senior author. “We have basically opened up a new class of entangled states we can make, but there are many more new classes to be explored.”
Vuletic’s co-authors on the paper are Robert McConnell, Hao Zhang, and Jiazhong Hu of MIT, as well as Senka Cuk of the University of Belgrade.
Atomic entanglement and timekeeping
Entanglement is a curious phenomenon: As the theory goes, two or more particles may be correlated in such a way that any change to one will simultaneously change the other, no matter how far apart they may be. For instance, if one atom in an entangled pair were somehow made to spin clockwise, the other atom would instantly be known to spin counterclockwise, even though the two may be physically separated by thousands of miles.
The phenomenon of entanglement, which physicist Albert Einstein once famously dismissed as “spooky action at a distance,” is described not by the laws of classical physics, but by quantum mechanics, which explains the interactions of particles at the nanoscale. At such minuscule scales, particles such as atoms are known to behave differently from matter at the macroscale.
Scientists have been searching for ways to entangle not just pairs, but large numbers of atoms; such ensembles could be the basis for powerful quantum computers and more-precise atomic clocks. The latter is a motivation for Vuletic’s group.
Today’s best atomic clocks are based on the natural oscillations within a cloud of trapped atoms. As the atoms oscillate, they act as a pendulum, keeping steady time. A laser beam within the clock, directed through the cloud of atoms, can detect the atoms’ vibrations, which ultimately determine the length of a single second.
“Today’s clocks are really amazing,” Vuletic says. “They would be less than a minute off if they ran since the Big Bang — that’s the stability of the best clocks that exist today. We’re hoping to get even further.”
The accuracy of atomic clocks improves as more and more atoms oscillate in a cloud. Conventional atomic clocks’ precision is proportional to the square root of the number of atoms: For example, a clock with nine times more atoms would only be three times as accurate. If these same atoms were entangled, a clock’s precision could be directly proportional to the number of atoms — in this case, nine times as accurate. The larger the number of entangled particles, then, the better an atomic clock’s timekeeping.
Picking up quantum noise
Scientists have so far been able to entangle large groups of atoms, although most attempts have only generated entanglement between pairs in a group. Only one team has successfully entangled about 100 atoms — the largest mutual entanglement to date, and only a small fraction of the whole atomic ensemble.
Now Vuletic and his colleagues have successfully created a mutual entanglement among 3,000 atoms, virtually all the atoms in the ensemble, using very weak laser light — down to pulses containing a single photon. The weaker the light, the better, Vuletic says, as it is less likely to disrupt the cloud. “The system remains in a relatively clean quantum state,” he says.
The researchers first cooled a cloud of atoms, then trapped them in a laser trap, and sent a weak laser pulse through the cloud. They then set up a detector to look for a particular photon within the beam. Vuletic reasoned that if a photon has passed through the atom cloud without event, its polarization, or direction of oscillation, would remain the same. If, however, a photon has interacted with the atoms, its polarization rotates just slightly — a sign that it was affected by quantum “noise” in the ensemble of spinning atoms, with the noise being the difference in the number of atoms spinning clockwise and counterclockwise.
“Every now and then, we observe an outgoing photon whose electric field oscillates in a direction perpendicular to that of the incoming photons,” Vuletic says. “When we detect such a photon, we know that must have been caused by the atomic ensemble, and surprisingly enough, that detection generates a very strongly entangled state of the atoms.”
Eugene Polzik, a professor of quantum optics at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, sees the group’s successful mutual entanglement of atoms as “a remarkable achievement.”
“The technique significantly broadens the options for generating and operating on non-classical, entangled states of atomic ensembles,” says Polzik, who was not involved in the research. “As such, it can be useful for clocks, quantum sensing of magnetic fields, and quantum communication.”
Vuletic and his colleagues are currently using the single-photon detection technique to build a state-of-the-art atomic clock that they hope will overcome what’s known as the “standard quantum limit” — a limit to how accurate measurements can be in quantum systems. Vuletic says the group’s current setup may be a step toward developing even more complex entangled states.
“This particular state can improve atomic clocks by a factor of two,” Vuletic says. “We’re striving toward making even more complicated states that can go further.”
This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.Today, I’m going to show you step-by-step how to promote your blog posts to get thousands of social media shares and drive waves of traffic to your site. These are the exact tactics I’ve used to generate 831,201 pageviews and 25,309 social shares with just 27 blog posts:
And send nearly a quarter of a million organic visitors to the blog:
The best part:
I’m going to show you how I did it with:
Zero budget.
Zero connections.
A brand spankin’ new blog.
While working a full-time job.
With a solid game plan, the right tools and a little elbow grease, you can promote your blog posts and generate thousands of visits and social media shares on autopilot...
In any niche.
A Taste of What You'll Learn: How to use other people's content to drive traffic to your site
site How to 7 x the traffic potential of every blog post
of every blog post The formula I used to get over 2,000 shares in 7 days
How to build an ARMY of highly influential content advocates
How to build an ARMY of highly influential content advocates The free tools I use to generate thousands of social shares and referral visits on complete autopilot... Download a Free PDF of this Guide
This is a monster 12,000+ word blog promotion guide. Below you'll find a table of contents listing 39 actionable ways to promote your content.
Feel free to use the links to jump to a specific section of the post. There will also be links at the end of each section to quickly scroll back to the top of the post.
39 Ways To Promote Your Blog Posts for INSANE Social Engagement and Traffic... Below you will find a step-by-step walk through of each blog promotion tactic that will allow you to take them away and implement immediately on your site.
#1: SumoMe Share App One of the easiest ways to drive more people to your blog content is to increase the amount social engagement each post receives.
The easiest way to do this?
Make it dead simple to share your content at all times, on any device.
Meet the Sumo Share App.
This free app makes it incredibly easy for people to share your content across every social media channel.
You can create floating social share icons that scroll with the visitor as they read down the page, giving them the option to share your content at all times. The Share app is responsive, providing a great user experience across every device.
Since installing Sumo Share on this blog, the amount of social engagement has skyrocketed. This post and this post combined for over 14,400 social shares:
This helped drive 8,272 social media referral visits to the posts:
Adding hundreds of subscribers to my email list. It's a beautiful cycle!
Easy sharing = passive traffic = opt-in exposure = more email subscribers.
Some other cool features of the app include –
Control the page and position social icons display
Integrates with 16 different social channels
Smart sorting to maximize which networks drive the most social traffic
You can see which posts and social channels are getting the most engagement
Setting up Share Head over to the Sumo website. If you have a WordPress website simply download the plugin zip file.
If you use another CMS, copy the HTML code and add it to the <head> section of your website. They’ll walk you through the entire setup process.
Next, head back over to the plugins section of your WordPress website and upload the Sumo zip file.
Activate the plugin.
Now, when you visit your website you’ll see the Sumo crown displaying to the side of the screen. Click the icon and register your Sumo account.
Next, enter the Sumo store –
More...
You’ll see all the different apps you can install on the site. Click the “Share” icon. Once you have the Share app installed, navigate over to the “Layout” tab and select the areas you want to show your share icons –
Pro Tip: In the settings tab set the browser width to 1440 pixels. This will make the social share icons display along the bottom of the screen when visiting a site on a laptop device (example):
Next, select the different social accounts you want to feature on your Share bar –
To keep it clean, I include a maximum six channels - those I’m actively engaged on.
I also enabled Smart Mode so the most popular social networks (based on share count) are always placed at the top –
High visible share count = more social proof = more people will share it.
Finally, in the “Services” tab be sure to set your Twitter handle (do not include the ‘@’ symbol).
This will append your Twitter handle to the end of all the tweets generated by your Share bar.
Like it? Click here to share this content promotion tactic...
#2: Smart Links
Email lists come in super handy for promoting new content.
With a couple of clicks in your email marketing software, you can tell thousands of subscribers about new content in seconds!
That’s why most blogs have email opt-ins like this:
BUT:
99% of you are making a BIG mistake...
You’re showing the same opt-in forms to both existing subscribers AND new visitors.
There’s literally ZERO point showing opt-in forms to existing subscribers...they’re already subscribed!
There’s literally ZERO point showing opt-in forms to existing subscribers...they’re already subscribed!
Enter Thrive Smart Links.
Smart Links—a nifty feature within Thrive Leads (full review here)—lets you show different content to new visitors vs. existing subscribers.
So, where new visitors will see the opt-in form in the sidebar (see screenshot above)...
Existing subscribers will see this:
Existing subscribers no longer see the redundant opt in offer.
BUT:
You can, and should, use the tool to take advantage of the valuable real estate in the sidebar.
Smart Links allows you to show different content to different segments of your email list:
For example, I could promote my list of best SEO tools to anyone interested in SEO. And promote my Thrive Leads review to a segment interested in building an email list.
You could also use Smart Links to promote related products, webinars and demos to quickly move people further down your marketing funnel.
For example:
In the example above, instead of removing the CTA altogether for existing subscribers, the site is showing an exclusive discount CTA to people on a related segment of their list.
There are dozens of ways you can use this tool to promote content and offers on your blog.
Here is a more in-depth breakdown from Shane MeLaugh, the founder of Thrive Themes:
#3: Tap Advocates for Quick Promotional Wins
Let me ask you a question:
Who are the people most likely to read and share your content?
[...]
The people who have done it before.
You can use these people to your advantage whenever you launch a piece of content.
Let me explain:
Those who have shared OR commented on your post clearly enjoyed it.
And this means that they’ll probably be interested in hearing about any updates/improvements you make to that post...
It’s just a case of reaching out and telling them!
BUT, you may be wondering…
“How do I find these people!?”
Here are two simple methods:
#1 — Finding (and promoting to) “sharers”:
Open up Buzzsumo.
Enter the URL of the content you’re re-launching:
Click “View Sharers”.
You will now see a list of people who’ve shared your post in the past.
Not only does it tell you their name but also their Twitter username and website.
Click “Export”.
All the data will now be in a.csv file.
I like to upload this to Google Sheets to clean it up a bit...the only data we need is their name, Twitter handle, and website:
Next, get a VA to go through the spreadsheet and find the emails of all the folks.
Finally, reach out and thank them for sharing the original post, let them know you’ve updated the post, and tell them why they may be interested in checking it out
(hint: make sure to tell them why it’s waaayyy better than the original...this is your value proposition!)
#2 — Finding (and promoting to) “commenters”:
Most blogs require commenters to submit their name and website when posting a comment.
That’s why you see hyperlinked names in most comments sections:
BUT here’s why this is IMPORTANT:
This post has 220+ comments.
And most of them entered their names + websites when leaving their comment…
So:
This means that we a list of 220+ commenters names + website addresses sitting on the actual post we’re trying to promote!
All we need to do is extract this information, have a VA find their email addresses, and reach out!
Obviously, copy/pasting every single comment into a spreadsheet by hand would be a painstaking and monotonous task.
That’s why we’re going to use the “Scrape Similar…” add-on (it’s free).
Install the add-on, then right-click on a hyperlinked commenter's name and select “Scrape Similar…” from the menu.
Instantly, you’ll see a MASSIVE list of commenters names + website addresses in a nice neat list:
Hit “Export to Google Docs…” to move the data to a spreadsheet.
Finally, get a VA to find the email addresses for everyone on the list, then reach out to thank those people for commenting on your post.
Finally, let them know you updated the post and they may want to check it out (remember...tell them WHY they should care!)
#4: [Strategically] Hack Quora for passive referral traffic
Quora threads rank for thousands of search queries AND get tons of organic traffic every month.
Example #1: “what time does McDonalds start serving breakfast?”
This keyword gets 8,100 searches/month (according to SEMRush) and Quora is ranking no.1!
Example #2: “how to hide friends on Facebook”:
Again, this is pretty popular keyword at 3,600 searches/month. And Quora ranks #1!
So...
How can you use Quora to promote your content?
Well, people say post comments on Quora…
BUT…
Not all Quora threads are created equal.
In fact, some have absolutely ZERO traffic going to them...even the seemingly popular ones.
So, here’s a quick hack to find the best ones:
Go to SEMRush, enter Quora.com, then go to the “Positions” report under “Organic Research”.
This will show a list of every keyword that Quora ranks for:
Yep, that’s 30+ million keywords!
BUT...most of these won’t be related to your business at all.
SEMRush also shows threads ranking anywhere in the top 100 by default.
This is no use.
Luckily, SEMRush has a super powerful filter built-in. You can use this to filter for threads related only to certain keywords + ranking in the top 5.
Here’s how:
Hit “Apply”.
The result? A list of threads that that receive a TON of organic traffic and thus, have the potential to send a lot of referral traffic your way.
Pick the 5-10 threads most suited to the article you’re trying to promote, then place thoughtful comments on them with a link back to your new article:
(Yes, all links on Quora are nofollow...but this isn't the aim. Plus, these nofollow links will balance out your link profile nicely!)
#5: Pick Low Hanging Keyword Targets (for Organic Wins)
Keyword research is perhaps the most important aspect of SEO.
BUT…
Most people only perform keyword research one time…when they are starting a website.
This is a mistake.
Why? Because ongoing keyword research for existing sites can help uncover low-hanging keyword opportunities that are super-easy to rank for.
It’s all about leveraging your existing assets.
Example:
A few months ago, my SEMrush review was ranking in position #8.
This may sound pretty good, but the fact of the matter is this:
Unless you rank in the top 1-5, you probably aren't going to get much traffic 🙁
BUT...here’s the good news:
Pages ranking in positions 5-10 are low-hanging fruit.
Why? Because small ranking increases can result in MASSIVE organic traffic increases.
All you have to do is bump them up 1-2 spots and your traffic will skyrocket.
So, here’s what I did:
I re-optimized the SEMrush review, updated the content a bit, re-promoted it, and ran a light link building campaign.
The end result? It went from position #8 to #2 in 10 days!
I used the same tactic to relaunch this blog promotion guide last year (see what I'm doing here :)), too.
This increased organic traffic by 402% in 30 days:
Pretty sweet, right!?
Check out this post or watch the video below to get an in-depth look at the keyword research and relaunch process: get an in-depth look at the process, or watch the video below:
BUT...what if you want to target (and rank for) new keywords?
Here’s a neat trick for finding low-hanging opportunities:
Go to the SEMRush Keyword Gap Tool.
Enter by 1-4 competitors websites, followed by your own website in the final box.
Here’s how it needs to be set up:
IMPORTANT TIP: Make sure the competitors are on a similar level to your website. That means a similar DA/DR/etc. I shoot for +/- 10 DR points.
This will kick back a list of keywords that your competitors rank for, but you don’t:
“Ummm, so what, Robbie!? My competitors rank for tons of keywords I don’t rank for!”
Here’s the important part:
Because you chose competitors that are of a similar level to you (e.g. similar DA/DR/TF/etc), chances are that if they can rank for these keywords, you can too!
So, all the keywords the Content Gap tool kicks back are potentially low-hanging fruit...you just need to create a great piece of content to compete with your competitors 🙂
Now:
There are tons of other uses for the Content Gap tool (honestly, it’s CRAZY powerful).
I, therefore, recommend playing around with it and seeing what low-hanging opportunities you can find.
If you want to learn more about competitor keyword research? Check out this video:
#6: Sniply
The tagline captures it perfectly: “Attach a call-to-action to every link you share”.
Sniply is a powerful new tool that allows you |
chest -- which was protected by body armor -- by a bullet. Another trooper got glass fragments in his eyes and bullet fragments in his forehead. The third suffered minor injuries in the car accident with the shooter's truck.
"It was a very violent attack," Bivens said, adding all three had been treated and released from a local hospital as of Friday evening. "As more details come out about the investigation, I think you'll see just how lucky they really were... Someone was watching over them."
By 10 a.m., the "active shooter situation" in Frankstown Township, about 7 miles southeast of Altoona and 100 miles east of Pittsburgh was under control, the Blair County Emergency Management Agency reported on its Facebook page.
But the gruesome story wasn't over. After this episode played out, authorities discovered three slain people at three different locations.
One woman was killed at Juniata Valley Gospel Church, one man was found dead in a residence, and another man was killed after getting into a car accident with the truck's driver, added Bivens. All three had been shot.
"It is believed that the male subject committed three homicides before encountering the troopers," Trooper Jeffrey Petucci said.
Their killing and the exchange of gunfire that led to the shooter's death occurred in "a relatively short duration of time," added Petucci, and physically all within a 1.5-mile radius.
Authorities have not identified the shooter or the victims. "I don't believe you're going to find any biological relationship between the (shooter) and the victims," Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio said, adding the three victims "were not immediate family" of one another.
No explanation has been given for the bloodshed. "Some weapons" tied to the episode have been seized, though Bivens did not detail the type of firearms, how they had been obtained or how they were used Friday.
"It is safe to say there was more than one weapon seized from the crime scene," he said.
By noon, the Blair County Emergency Agency said on Facebook, "There is no longer a threat to residents and visitors to this area from this individual." A roadway -- Juniata Valley Road, between Geeseytown and Canoe Creek State Park -- was closed for the rest of the day Friday "as the Pennsylvania State Police process the crime scene along this route for evidence."
In the wake of the shootings, a prayer service for the community was scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Geeseytown Lutheran Church in Frankstown Township.Marcos Ugarte from Oregon receives the Citizen Service Before Self Honor from Medal of Honor recipients Harold Fritz, right, and Robert Maxwell. Ugarte, 15, saved a younger neighbor from a burning home by climbing a ladder, pushing his way through a window and coaxing the boy to safety.
ARLINGTON, Va. — Marcos Ugarte wasn’t even thinking; he just knew he had to do it. He propped up a ladder against a burning home, climbed it and pulled to safety a 7-year-old boy who had been trapped in a second-floor room.
So when 21 Medal of Honor recipients gathered this week to honor the 15-year-old Ugarte and three other civilians with an award for bravery and sacrifice, the teen couldn’t help but think that what he did didn’t quite stack up.
“What I did was so small compared to what they have done in the war,” said Ugarte, of Troutdale, Ore. “They’re amazing. They’ve all done great deeds in the war, and I think it’s just an honor to shake their hand.”
But to the war heroes who presented the Citizen Service Before Self Honors medal at a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, what the civilian heroes did was just as important.
“We’re surrounded by heroes every day, ordinary people who do extraordinary things,” said Thomas G. Kelley, a former captain in the Navy who was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading a convoy of boats against attacks from enemies during the Vietnam War. “They risked their lives to save somebody else who was helpless at the time. That’s about as noble you can get.
“That’s what they sometimes say … about people like Clint (Romesha) and me … but we were getting paid to do it. We were in uniform and we were in conflict and battle, and we were expected to do it,” said Kelley, who serves on the Citizen Service award’s selection panel. “These people, there’s just something ingrained. When something happens, they respond.”
The recipients are chosen each year from hundreds of nominations across the U.S. by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. They are chosen based on a display of heroism or commitment to putting others first, to show how ordinary citizens can share the same traits as war heroes.
“It’s a great honor to be able to come back and see that effort, without being asked, because it’s the right thing to do,” said Romesha, a former Army staff sergeant who received the Medal of Honor in February. “You just can’t thank them enough.”
Since its inception in 2008, the Citizens Service award has been presented on March 25 — National Medal of Honor Day. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the day dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients.
The fact that Father Joe Carroll was receiving an award from war heroes on a major anniversary wasn’t lost on him.
“They take time out of who they are, America’s greatest heroes, to honor some of us who think we’re just doing our job? Especially on their 150th anniversary, they’re going to honor me? The more you hear it, the more overwhelming it becomes to me,” Carroll said.
Carroll, of San Diego, was being honored for starting the Joan Kroc Center, a transitional housing program that has offered health care, job training, counseling, food and supplies for the homeless. The program often works with veterans, who are among the most difficult to rehabilitate, Carroll said.
“They’re usually the hardest group to work with because there’s a real emotional breakdown,” Carroll said. “They did risk their lives, they did go to war for us … and we need to find better ways to take care of them.”
Also honored were Jesse Shaffer III and Jesse Shaffer IV, a father-son duo who braved 100-plus mph winds during Hurricane Isaac to rescue 120 people stranded in their homes as floodwaters inundated the town of Braithwaite, La., in August 2012.
And like the other honorees and Medal of Honor recipients, the Shaffers insisted that what they did was nothing special.
“It had to be done,” said Jesse Shaffer IV. “It wasn’t something I was forced to do, I was going to go in there no matter what.”
Town officials were forced to call off rescue efforts because their vehicles couldn’t get through high waters, but the Shaffers set out in their flatboat, making dozens of rescues during a 16-hour period.
In one harrowing rescue, the Shaffers saved a family of five, including young children, from the roof of a trailer moments before it was engulfed by 18-foot waves.
“It doesn’t matter, really, if it was saving 120 people or saving one life. It’s just as important,” said Bob Maxwell, a Medal of Honor recipient for World War II. “It isn’t just military that are heroes. In everyday life you find people who are heroes.”
Citizen heroes in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Conn., will be honored in a separate ceremony later this spring, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.
For more information, visit http://citizenservicebeforeselfhonors.org
lin.cj@stripes.com
Twitter: @cjlinSS
Photographer's Twitter: @mjtibbsI got the above photo from Patty depicting her husband Moji and their dog — if you look closely you'll notice both are wearing matching Vibrams. Yes, the dog has on Vibram-soled shoes mdash; they are "Bark'n Boots" dog boots that feature Vibram soles.
I'd heard about these Vibram-soled shoes for dogs awhile back. I think many (myself included) wondered on seeing them, "Why would a dog need shoes?" The irony of asking that question is that you could ask the same of us humans wearing FiveFingers! Why not just go barefoot? Well, just like we have our reasons, so might a dog.
To that end, I asked Patty to tell me a little bit more about both Moji and their dog and their Vibram shoes. After all, Moji clearly has quite a physique and his dog looks awfully happy in his booties.
So what's the backstory? Want to see more about those wild dog boots? Read on!
Before I share Patty's note below, let me first say that you're looking at Moji Oluwa — former Captain of the Nigerian Olympic Weightlifting team in the 1996 Olympics (in Atlanta!) and winner of numerous bodybuilding competitions. Nowadadays, while he still competes (looks like his most recent placing was just last month), Moji trains — and he does it in Vibram FiveFingers.
Anyway, here's what Patty had to say about husband and dog:
Moji trains his clients in his FiveFingers. He always had problems building calves but he now works out with them so his calves have improved a lot. Moji has flat feet and has to wear the Vibrams because he is on his feet all day and I have a high arch so have to wear them also. I got rid of all my shoes and own only Vibrams. I have no dress shoes. I wear Vibrams everywhere and get stopped constantly asking about the shoes. We must have sold hundreds by now. Wish I could sell them personally. Moji and I have been wearing these shoes now for 3 years. We both have 6 pairs each! Kai is our year old SharPei and he has a problem with his feet. He shuffles when he walks so when I take him around the Rose Bowl for his walk, his feet bleed. I have been looking for good shoes, not cute shoes, but good shoes and did my research online and found these at REI. I get so many compliments and people taking pictures of him because of the shoes and because he is cute. People love them and want to get them for their dogs. I tell them that dogs need caring for their feet just like we do. They always ask if he likes them. He loves them. He cries for his shoes to be put on. When I try to take them to wash, he cries and does not want them out of his sight. He stands there and watches me wash the shoes and follows me to see where I am drying them. He will go to them after a few hours and cry for me to put them back on. It is funny. The Ruff Wear Bark'n Boots Grip Trex Dog Boots — they come in sets of four, of course. We had friends over today and they saw how much Kai loves his shoes and could not believe a dog could love shoes that much. I told them because they are Vibrams even the dog knows comfortable shoes....He is going out to buy a pair now. We had friends over today and they saw how much Kai loves his shoes and could not believe a dog could love shoes that much. I told them because they are Vibrams even the dog knows comfortable shoes....He is going out to buy a pair now.
So there you have it — dogs love their shoes, too. Go figure, right?
Patty tell Moji we'd love to hear more about his training in FiveFingers. As readers can see, Moji has some pretty epic calf muscles!
A photo of the "V" Family getting ready for a walk.
Thanks for sharing Patty, Kai, and Moji!I was discussing the prospects for the Tea Party in the 112th Congress with a friend and former co-worker of mine when we began discussing fiscal conservatism. We were both outraged at bloated pensions and archaic sick day payouts for public union workers that are funded by the taxpayer and present a massive obstacle for state and city budgets across the country. That's when it hit me: Republicans and Tea Party-backed Congressmen could actually help against this wasteful spending if they were not so focused on other issues.
Likely future Speaker John Boehner has made his priorities clear: he wants to repeal "Obamacare" and roll back as many Democratic gains from the past two years as possible. This is not progress, this is trying to revise history. This knee-jerk reactionary agenda will simply distract our elected officials from what is truly important.
What if I want to cut the waste out of Medicare and Medicaid, but I don't want to continue wasting money enforcing ridiculous marijuana laws? What if I want to crack down on wasteful pensions and union spending on behalf of the taxpayer, but don't want to deny this country's gay citizens the equal right to marriage? What if I want to shrink the mind-numbing bureaucracy of government while continuing to allow women to make their own choices governing their body? Who do I vote for?
Herein lies the problem. If you want a fiscal conservative to represent you in Washington you have to accept an unacceptable amount of socially backward baggage. If you want a representative committed to human rights and personal liberty you have to accept a bloated government too close to the nation's unions and too willing to waste taxpayer dollars.
I, and many of my peers, have been disappointed by the lack of a reasonable individual to rise from the right to save the Republican Party from the religious hijacking currently besieging it. The Republican Party has created a social litmus test that is impossible for people outside of evangelical Christianity to adhere to, and this is going to hurt them in the long run. As of now, those in my generation have nowhere to turn for a socially liberal fiscal conservative.
It is not married gays that keep the nation's unemployment rate hovering near 10%; it is not gays in the military that have mired us in Iraq and Afghanistan; it is not a woman's right to choose that has caused foreclosure after foreclosure; and it certainly has not been a lack of faith in Jesus Christ that saw nearly a trillion taxpayer dollars go to the very same companies that plunged this nation into our current recession. Yet these social issues remain the priority of a Republican Party supposedly focused on reining in government spending and getting our economy back on track.73.2% (5,350,000 people) of the Catalan population aged 2 or more can speak Catalan, and 55.8% can write it. Data from the 2011 census that has been today released by the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Idescat) also show that 95.2% of the Catalan population say they understand Catalan. If compared to the 2001 census, the speakers percentage has suffered a slight decline of one point, down from 74.5%.
Age groups data reveal significant differences. Among those under 25, only 3% do not speak Catalan. Those who can speak the language are 84%, while the remaining 13% understand but are not able to speak it. Meanwhile, among those aged 75 or more, 60% speak Catalan, 30% understand but do not speak it, and the remaining 10% do not understand it.
Nationality also makes notable differences. People who do not have Spanish nationality how less knowledge of Catalan than those holding Spanish citizenship. But data also show a trend towards a greater knowledge of Catalan among foreigners. Thus, in 2001, 61.1% of non-Spanish citizens living in Catalonia said they understood the language, and 27.1% claimed to be able to speak it. In 2011, the figures have gone up to 82.1% and 36.3%, respectively.
Different sources, different figures
Figures published today by Idescat differ from those contained in the Catalan Language Observatory's Report on the situation of Catalan 2012, which was released a few days ago. The Observatory estimates that the inhabitants of Catalonia who can speak Catalan in 2013 are 6,155,000, that is 84.2% of the total population aged 2 and more. This is 800,000 people and eleven percentage points more than the data from Idescat.
According to the Observatory, the number of people who speak the language across the whole Catalan-speaking area is approximately 10.1 million. Those able to understand it reach 12.8 million. In addition to the 6,155,000 Catalan speakers in Catalonia, there are 2,895,000 in the Valencian Country, 777,000 in the Balearic Islands, 142,000 in Northern Catalonia (Catalan territory within the French Republic), 61,000 in Andorra, 42,000 in the Franja (easternmost area of Aragon) and 24,000 in the Sardinian town of Alghero.President Trump blasted the news media ahead of his return to Washington on Sunday after a 17-day working vacation.
"Heading back to Washington after working hard and watching some of the worst and most dishonest Fake News reporting I have ever seen!" the president said.
Heading back to Washington after working hard and watching some of the worst and most dishonest Fake News reporting I have ever seen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2017
It was an eventful two-plus weeks for Trump, who near the end of his vacation dismissed White House senior strategist Stephen Bannon, who had fallen out with other staff members.
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Trump also came under fierce criticism from lawmakers in both parties after blaming "both sides" for violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., where one woman was killed after a man with ties to far-right groups drove a car into a crowd of people.
North Korea was also an issue Trump had to deal with while out of Washington. Early in his vacation, he warned of "fire and fury" if that country did not stop its threats against the United States.Opponent
Tuesday: Vancouver Canucks @ CGY
Result
A strong opening forty minutes was not enough to sink the Vancouver Canucks last night, as the Calgary Flames fell 5-3 to their Pacific Division rivals. It was a tough loss for the Flames who dominated possession and scoring chances the whole night. Jacob Markstrom was the difference in the game stopping 29 of 32 shots, the majority of them coming at key times during the contest. The Flames were subject to an overturned Sean Monahan goal early on after a coach’s challenge for offside. Unfortunately, each mistake the Flames made seemed to end up costing them. They lost the special teams battle in more ways than one, surrendering two power play goals and a shorthanded goal. The Canucks were only able to muster 21 shots on net during the game which, combined with another sub-par performance from Mike Smith, was enough to earn the win. All in all, this is one of those games the Flames should have won easily, but just couldn’t do it.
Flames Player of the Game
We are going back to back with Micheal Ferland as the Player of the Game. His play has significantly turned around the last few games and he now is noticeable during every shift. His incredible solo effort leading to the third Flames goal should cement his place as the first line RW for a few more games at least. After such an underwhelming start to the season, Ferland now has five points (3G 2A) in his last five games.
Three Thoughts
Bill: Bill has been placed on the IR retroactive to November 3rd. He is out with an upper body injury suffered while looking at his exam calendar.
John: After missing what was for sure one of the most exciting Flames games of the year on Sunday, I was ecstatic to see what the team had to show me last night. Safe to say it was underwhelming. The contrast between the opening 40 minutes and final 20 was a night and day comparison. The Flames should have been up by a couple of goals heading into the 3rd period, yet were tied. Looking at some of the advanced stats from last night, Calgary only had three players below a CF% of 50%. Even so, the lowest of the trio, Curtis Lazar, was only a 45% CF at 5v5. Compared to the Canucks, where only a single player, Derrick Pouliot, was above 50%. What makes matters even worse is that Calgary had no players with a OZS% of less than 50%. Not only were the Flames dominating the possession game, but yet found themselves starting in the Canucks zone more often than not. Its a disappointing outcome, but if the Flames should be able to bounce back from this.
What can help them bounce back? Some bottom six scoring. This is the talk of the town recently, but it’s frankly embarrassing that the forwards in question have been held scoreless. Mark Jankowski gets the obvious pass because he is still adjusting to the NHL game, and is playing in a third line center role. He will be looked on to score in the future, but for the meantime any offensive production from him is simply a bonus. Jaromir Jagr gets a temporary pass because he just returned from IR and is only in the bottom six because of Micheal Ferland’s strong play. He was brought in to score goals though, so he needs to light the lamp soon. Kris Versteeg has the lone goal so far out of this group, but with prime power play time we expect there to be a at least a few more. Then there is Sam Bennett. You have to feel for him, he has had some quality chances. We may end up looking back and saying “remember when he was held goalless through 15 games, how stupid were we to doubt him?”, but for the moment its unacceptable. Curtis Lazar is almost overlooked for his poor output because of Bennett. Lazar also received a two year bridge deal this summer, and outside of the LA Game, he has been virtually invisible. If he wants to show the team he is an NHLer, he needs to pick up the slack from the other players. Tanner Glass shouldn’t be playing, or scoring goals for that matter, and Freddie Hamilton hasn’t played enough games to have any goals on his resume. That being said the final two candidates are the most egregious in my opinion. Matt Stajan and Troy Brouwer are being paid a combined $7,625,000 per year to do what they do. With prospects who are able to play the exact same role as them, it’s truly unfortunate they are still on the 23 man roster. Leadership qualities aside, this is a business, and the business is to win hockey games. So far these two haven’t done enough to help win any hockey games. Frankly, I would love for all of these forwards to rebound as I am an optimist, but so far their play has left me a tad pessimistic. Ill leave you with a post game quote from Glen Gulutzan, as he is able to summarize my thoughts the best:
#Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan, asked about the scoring chances his 3rd & 4th lines generated. *Shrugs* "They've gotta score." — Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) November 8, 2017
Karim: Gulutzan seems to know exactly what it will take to start winning again: bottom-six scoring. It’s a little crazy to think the Flames still have just one goal from their third and fourth lines with 15 games or ~20% of the season behind them. Last night’s game was just one of those games, and though the Canucks are extremely lucky to have walked away with a win, the Flames do need to be better. Smith looked decidedly mortal and to overcome goaltending deficiencies which, after a blazing start is inevitable, it is crucial that the Flames find scoring throughout the lineup. That being said, I do think it is only a matter of time before the third line breaks out with a massive performance. The Bennett-Jankowski-Jagr trio looked excellent; they created chances, had several extended shifts of offensive pressure, protected the puck well, displayed some speed, and really went to work when they had possession in the offensive zone. Bennett may be the most unlucky player in the NHL right now, but it just can’t last. Even Versteeg had one of his better games of the year. Last night may not have ended the way it should have, but there was definitely some improvement from the bottom-six.
After escaping with a few wins earlier in the season that the Flames probably didn’t deserve, they were bound to have a game like this one where they dominated and ended up losing. With 65% CF, 67% scoring chances, and 65% high danger chances, the Flames should have been able to light Markstrom up. Credit where credit is due, though, he stole the game just like Smith has done for the Flames on many a night. Detroit won’t be an easy out on Thursday, but if the Flames play the same way they did last night they should be able to get back into the win column.
Game data courtesy:
hockeystats.ca | @HockeyStatsCa
hockeyviz.com | @IneffectiveMath
Natural Stat Trick | @NatStatTrick
Previously
Sunday: New Jersey Devils @ CGY
Next Up
Thursday: Detroit Red Wings @ CGYPlaying with bubble wrap is a silly activity that delights most preschoolers. But for one
21 / 2 -year-old from Silver Spring, loud noises such as the pop of plastic bubbles were so upsetting that he would cover his ears and run away. Some days the sound of a vacuum cleaner would make him scream. The child so persistently avoided activities with too much noise and motion that his preschool’s administrators asked to meet with his family — and soon an assessment led to a diagnosis of sensory processing disorder, or SPD.
SPD is a clinical label for people who have abnormal behavioral responses to sensory input such as sound and touch. Some children with SPD seem oversensitive to ordinary stimuli such as a shirt label’s scratching their skin. Others can be underresponsive — seemingly unaffected by the prick of a needle. A third group have motor problems that make holding a pencil or riding a bike seem impossible. Whatever the difficulty, such kids are often described as “out-of-sync,” a term popularized by Carol Stock Kranowitz’s 1998 book “The Out-of-Sync Child,” which has sold nearly 700,000 copies.
As many as 16 percent of school-age kids in the United States may face sensory processing challenges. And yet there’s debate over whether these challenges constitute a discrete medical disorder. Some experts contend that SPD may be merely a symptom of some other ailment — autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder or fragile X syndrome, for example — while others insist it is a separate condition that should be labeled a disorder when it interferes with daily life.
The debate over how to classify SPD is not merely matter of semantics. Such discussions can affect research funding and can guide whether insurers will reimburse therapy costs.
The mother of the Silver Spring child (who asked not to be identified to protect his privacy) said that since SPD is not recognized as a disorder by much of the medical establishment, she and her husband must pay out of pocket to send their son to a school that caters to his needs and for occupational therapy, which can cost more than $6,500 a year for weekly, hour-long sessions.
Laura Pittman, of Colorado Springs, whose son was diagnosed with SPD as a toddler, said the challenges families face are not understood.
“I feel like it’s an invisible disorder,” she said. Her son had trouble transitioning from indoors to outdoors and adjusting to changes in routine; he ran all the time. The first-time mother worried that the difficulties were her fault. She wept in relief when an occupational therapist told her that there was a label for his condition. (OTs are typically on the front lines in assessing these children.)
Pittman thinks that recognition of this disorder by established medicine would help parents. “I feel like it would give freedom to many parents across the country that didn’t have to work the system to get services for our children,” she said.
Just temperament?
In the past two years, the cause of increased recognition for SPD has been dealt a few setbacks. In a 2012 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised pediatricians not to use sensory processing disorder as a diagnosis.
“We have no evidence that it is a separate disorder,” explained the statement’s co-author, Michelle Zimmer, a pediatrician in Cincinnati. “The pediatrician’s first thought needs to be: What else is going on here? What other disorder could this be a part of? It needs to be thought of more as a symptom rather than a disorder in and of itself.”
The AAP’s action was followed in 2013 by an expert committee’s decision not to include SPD as a diagnosis in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association. This decision came despite a vigorous campaign to include SPD in the DSM for the first time.
“I do not doubt that the people that report this... are really experiencing something,” said Catherine Lord, a member of the DSM-5 committee. “But we don’t know very much about what it is that they are actually experiencing,”
A diagnosis of SPD may seem easier to accept than, say, the stigma-fraught label of autism. “SPD, I think, for many parents, sounds better, sounds like a more minor thing; it sounds like it’s easily treatable,” said Lord, a professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and the director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. But Lord said a parent’s acceptance of an incorrect diagnosis can harm a child: “People focus on something like that and don’t deal with the fact that this child has multiple difficulties and many of those multiple difficulties are treatable.”
Part of the problem is that SPD manifests itself in varied ways. “There are different kinds of sensory processing challenges,” said Elysa Marco, a cognitive and behavioral child neurologist at the University of California at San Francisco. “And certainly no two kids with that label are going to be exactly the same.”
Zimmer noted that some unusual behaviors may not last and are not necessarily indicative of anything larger. “Maybe it doesn’t turn into anything,” she said. “Maybe it’s just certain kids’ temperament.... Maybe they’re just more oversensitive to things, and usually those kids honestly grow out of it.”
Research and a diagnosis
Sensory processing has been in the news and on the minds of parents for decades — ever since occupational therapist and psychologist A. Jean Ayres focused on what was called sensory integration dysfunction in the 1960s.
But getting to the bottom of SPD has never been easy. Since SPD is not recognized by the likes of the AAP and the DSM-5, researchers in the field face particular funding challenges. Marco, who is director of research for the autism and neurodevelopment program at UCSF, is considering using crowdfunding for an upcoming project.
To foster scientific inquiry into SPD, since 2002, the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation has been convening a work group of leading researchers. One of them is John J. Foxe, a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. “I’m interested in the underlying neuropathologies that give rise to these kind of symptoms,” Foxe said.
Foxe, who is also the director of research at the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Einstein, said that he has indeed seen children with only sensory processing problems: “The kids are out there, they’re suffering, and we need to get to the bottom of it. That’s really what matters here.”
Although a biological basis for SPD has been assumed for decades by some, it was first demonstrated only last year in a small study by Marco and other scientists from UCSF. Their research, published in NeuroImage: Clinical, an online journal, used an advanced imaging technique to show differences in connectivity in the part of the brain that processes information from the senses between boys identified with SPD alone and a control group.
“That’s, I think, the first study that showed a concrete, measurable structural difference in brains of kids who carry that label,” Marco said. Her next study will compare children with SPD alone and those with autism.
Other challenges to understanding SPD include the variety of its presumed causes and the fact that it changes over time: What you see at age 2 is going to be very different from what you see at 8 and 18, Marco said. So far, researchers have studied possible causes ranging from genetics to structural brain problems to premature birth. Studies in animals have linked sensory issues to prenatal exposure to lead or alcohol.
Foxe said his research — recording children’s brain wave patterns — found evidence that children identified with SPD are processing sensory inputs in a somewhat different way from others. “For me,” he said, “this is a home run from a science perspective that it’s clear that their brains are somewhat different.” Foxe and his colleague Sophie Molholm posit that a typical child processes, for example, the sounds, sights and feel of an object or an event as a whole experience, whereas a child with SPD would not be able to integrate these parts as easily. As a result, Foxe said, the world could become overwhelming for the SPD child.
Treating SPD
The frustrations of these sensory challenges can lead to temper tantrums and meltdowns. Kids sometimes get expelled from preschool because of their intense behavior issues.
“Everybody thinks they’re ‘a bad kid,’ ” said Lucy Jane Miller, clinical director of the Sensory Therapies and Research Center in Greenwood Village, Colo., which works with about 400 families a year. “But they’re not a bad kid, they’re just misunderstood.”
Such children can be helped through a variety of therapies. Often, an occupational therapist and/or a psychologist provide the treatment. Miller, who is also research director of the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, explains that the big goals of therapy are “social participation, self-regulation and self-esteem.”
The occupational therapy usually takes place in a gym with multisensory challenges such as climbing, jumping, riding zip lines and diving into a container of bubble balls. Other techniques might include comforting a restless child by covering him with slightly weighted blankets or gently brushing a child who is underresponsive.
Most experts believe OT can help children with sensory processing issues, but some, such as Lord, caution that there’s little scientific evidence to prove it. With the lack of in-depth data on treatment comes the possibility that families may be taken advantage of by the false promise of cures — a situation that can happen with other puzzling conditions such as autism or Asperger syndrome.
Zimmer encourages families dealing with sensory issues to have their pediatricians help navigate the child’s treatment by occupational therapists. OT sessions, which can run roughly $125 to $200 an hour, are often conducted weekly, but some practices offer intensive programs over several weeks. Whereas insurance may not pay for treatment for SPD, these visits may be covered for a coexisting condition such as autism or for developmental delays or low muscle tone and/or coordination issues that interfere with daily life.
At age 5, the Silver Spring boy who avoided bubble wrap games is doing better, thanks, his mother said, to occupational and speech therapy, his special school and efforts at home by his parents. He seems much more comfortable in the world, and, his mother said, “He can function and look pretty normal most of the time.”
Levingston is a writer in Bethesda.Download an MP3 audio interview with the author here, or sign up for Slate’s free daily podcast on iTunes.
Last August, I launched an unscientific research project about circumcision. Wondering whether circumcision deprives men of the “capacity for optimal pleasure,” as cultural anthropologist Leonard Glick claims in his book Marked in Your Flesh, I asked to hear from men who’d undergone the procedure as adults and experienced sex both ways. Women and men with secondhand comparative knowledge were also invited to weigh in. Soon there were hundreds of e-mails in my in-box, a surprising majority of them earnest and frank.
The volume and intimacy of the responses, I confess, overwhelmed me. I loutishly hid from my in-box for months, to the exasperation of some of my male co-workers. But with the help of superintern Sonia Smith, I’ve now read and categorized all the responses. And I’ve come to this reassuring conclusion: Sex isn’t better, per se, one way or the other. The benefits and drawbacks of either state are between a man and his penis.
First, the numbers. Of the 79 men who’d experienced sex snipped and unsnipped, 43 said sex improved (55 percent) after their circumcisions, 23 said it went downhill (29 percent), and 13 said there was no change or a mix of pros and cons (16 percent). Click here to read women and gay men compare sex with snipped and unsnipped partners.
My numbers don’t differ much from the latest research: Based on a sample of 84 men who’d been circumcised as adults for medical reasons, a 2005 article in Urologia Internationalis found a 61 percent satisfaction rate, with 38 percent saying that penile sensation improved after the procedure, 18 percent saying it got worse, and the rest reporting no change. “No consensus exists regarding the role of the foreskin in sexual performance and satisfaction,” the article’s urologist authors wrote.
Nor, I think, is a consensus likely to emerge. A couple of readers wrote in to argue that my survey and others like it inevitably tilt positive, because anyone snipped as an adult would want to think the ordeal had a purpose. Maybe so. On the other hand, as Australian doctor and circumcision researcher Robin Willcourt pointed out to me, men who decide they’ve suffered a loss may be all the more vocal.
I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions about bias. My own sense is that as much as nerve endings, friction, or any other physical factor, what matters for feelings about sex are the reasons a man decides to undergo circumcision, his attitude toward his penis before the procedure, and the reaction of his partners afterward. I’m not sure how much light data can shed on this personal realm.
Men tended to enthuse about their post-snip sex lives if they didn’t like the aesthetics of their uncircumcised penises or had past sexual problems. Evan (I’ve used first names when given permission to do so) said that he started having sex using a condom over his foreskin and “felt very little.” When he left condoms behind, he found sex painful. Three weeks after being circumcised, he had sex again. “It was like a revelation,” he wrote. Similarly, Neville called his elective snip at 40 “the best thing that ever happened to me.” He’d fulfilled a lifetime wish: “I always wanted to be circumcised and envied many of my friends at birth.” Another man gave himself a circumcision for his 52nd birthday. “Even though I had a fairly normal foreskin, it was just a nuisance,” he wrote. “With a circumcised penis I get |
ran to the air hostess and was trying to say to the air hostess that "we're missing Otto." She then went up to business class and he wasn't there.'
Warmbier, the detained University of Virginia student tearfully apologized for attempting to steal a political banner in this picture taken on February 29
Otto Warmbier went to North Korea on a tourist trip organized through a travel agency. When he was about to leave the country, he was arrested for allegedly trying to steal a political banner. Pictured here in file photos
Warmbier bowed during his confession and asked for forgiveness for his 'hostile act' against North Korea (he is pictured on February 29)
This file photo taken during Warmbier's initial press conference February 29, 2016 was released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 1
According to Warmbier's statement on Monday, he wanted the banner with a political slogan on it as a trophy for the church member, who was the mother of a friend.
In his comments, Warmbier said he was offered a used car worth $10,000 by a member of the church.
He said the church member told him the slogan would be hung on its wall as a trophy. He also said he was told that if he was detained and didn't return, $200,000 would be paid to his mother in the form of a charitable donation.
Warmbier identified the church as the Friendship United Methodist Church, which is in his hometown of Wyoming, in Ohio.
Meshach Kanyion, pastor of the church, would not confirm whether he knows Warmbier or if he is a church member.
'I don't have any comment at this time,' he told The Associated Press.
Warmbier's parents said they had not heard from their son since his arrest and were greatly relieved to finally see a picture of him.
'You can imagine how deeply worried we were and what a traumatic experience this has been for us,' Warmbier's father, Fred Warmbier, said in a statement provided by the University of Virginia.
'I hope the fact that he has conveyed his sincere apology for anything that he may have done wrong will now make it possible for the (North Korean) authorities to allow him to return home,' he said.
The university said it had no immediate comment other than that it was in close contact with Warmbier's family.
Warmbier told reporters in Pyongyang that he had also been encouraged in his act by the university's 'Z Society,' which he said he was trying to join. The magazine of the university's alumni association describes the Z Society as a'semi-secret ring society' that was founded in 1892 and conducts philanthropy, puts on honorary dinners and grants academic awards.
Warmbier said he accepted the offer of money because his family is'suffering from very severe financial difficulties.'
'I started to consider this as my only golden opportunity to earn money,' he said, adding that if he ever mentioned the involvement of the church, 'no payments would come.'
North Korea regularly accuses Washington and Seoul of sending spies to overthrow its government to enable the U.S.-backed South Korean government to control the Korean Peninsula.
U.S. tourism to North Korea is legal and virtually all Americans who make the journey return home without incident.
Even so, the State Department has repeatedly warned against travel to the North. Visitors, especially those from America, who break the country's sometimes murky rules risk detention, arrest and possible jail sentences.
Young Pioneer describes itself on its website as providing 'budget tours to destinations your mother would rather you stayed away from.'
The agency, based in China, also has tours to Iran, Cuba, Turkmenistan, Iraq and other former Soviet countries.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (above) is known for staging propaganda spectacles in opposition to the US
After Warmbier's detention, it stressed in a news release that he was the first of the 7,000 people it has taken to North Korea over the past eight years to face arrest.
'Despite what you may hear, North Korea is probably one of the safest places on Earth to visit,' it says on its website.
In the past, North Korea has held out until senior U.S. officials or statesmen came to personally bail out detainees, all the way up to former President Bill Clinton, whose visit in 2009 secured the freedom of American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling. Both had crossed North Korea's border from China illegally.
It took a visit in November 2014 by U.S. spy chief James Clapper to bring home Matthew Miller, who had ripped up his visa when entering the country, and Korean-American missionary Kenneth Bae, who had been incarcerated since November 2012.
Jeffrey Fowle, another U.S. tourist from Ohio detained for six months at about the same time as Miller, was released just before that and sent home on a U.S. government plane.
He left a Bible in a local club hoping a North Korean would find it, which is considered a criminal offense in North Korea.“The way they respond may not be the way we responded years ago — nonviolence — we’ve got to catch up to that. Right now, we’re playing catchup,”
– Rev. John Richard Bryant, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, commenting on Black Lives Matter protesters
“You can’t get funding from Tides Foundation Canada or George Soros to do [effective] direct action training.” – Zoe Blunt, Forest Action Network/ Unist’ot’en Camp
As the Shell Oil ship Fennica sailed out of Portland on July 31 to begin its drilling mission in the Arctic, many of those watching on the shore wept. One crestfallen witness explained that although Greenpeace protesters had delayed the ship for over a day, that was “a drop in the bucket” compared with what was needed to discourage the drilling. The veteran activist wrote that the delusional “sense of self-congratulations, as if a victory had been won,” which many environmentalists held, only compounded his sorrow; this culture of denial had been fostered by Greenpeace and other mainstream activist groups, who’s view of their campaigns, regardless of outcome, invariably amounted to an attitude of “rah rah us, and lacked serious analysis of tactics or ends.” Lest anyone think this was overly pessimistic, when Fennica reached its destination, Shell was not only unfazed by the protest, they were bold enough to ask the Department of Interior for rights to drill even deeper in the Arctic than previously requested.
The dashed hopes of the Portland action put a fine point on the crisis that the climate movement finds itself in. Even Obama’s much-trumpeted new regulations on coal are a sad farce. Slate.com, about as Obama-friendly a venue as one could name, writes that
…the president’s plan just perpetuates business as usual…if you dig into the lengthy text, the targets call for an even slower transition from coal to natural gas over the next 15 years than we’ve had over the last 10. In fact, in another telling passage on Page 17 of the full text of the new plan, by 2030, “coal and natural gas will remain the two leading sources of electricity… …by boasting about such an incremental change, Obama is actually making it more difficult for truly bold climate action to pass through Congress in the coming years. James Hansen, the former NASA scientist who has raised increasingly dire climate warnings, called Obama’s plan “practically worthless.”
It’s instructive to contrast the backward slide of the climate situation with the seismic impact of the Black Lives Matter movement, especially the Ferguson rebellion. There are some vacuous reforms made in response to the anti-state violence movement of course, but there are also genuine changes which effect people’s lives: Ferguson is voiding thousands of arrest warrants from prior to 2015; California is rolling back the use of solitary confinement; The Supreme Court has taken away prosecutors’ primary tools for mandatory minimum sentences against drug offenders; And in the wake of violent protests, six police who murdered Freddy Gray in Baltimore were indicted – launching a new trend of prosecuting killer cops that’s now growing around the country. In terms of public opinion, there have been dramatic shifts which portend further change: A year ago, less than 40 percent of white people believed that racism was a serious problem in the US, but “the news during the last 12 months has caused them to rethink racial issues” and today a clear majority of whites say Blacks face major discrimination; even the number of Republicans who say anti-Blackness is a problem has grown.
Meanwhile, public opinion on climate is regressing. Not only does half the country not believe man-made climate change is taking place, most of those that do believe it are in denial that the catastrophe will personally effect them. Confounding the doctrine of liberals and pacifists, the movement which uses moderate methods is creating “one of the U.S.’s sharpest ideological divides,” while the one which has used the most militant tactics, Black Lives Matter, is pushing America towards some kind of consensus.
Ever since the collapse of the Occupy movement in 2012, the question has lingered: was the movement destroyed by the specter of violence that hovered around its militant wing, or by the tendency of centralization and co-optation promoted by its moderates? When we compare the past year of climate protests (connected to the moderate “99% Spring” side of Occupy via Greenpeace and 350.org ) and the post-Ferguson movement (which seems infused with the spirit of Occupy Oakland ) we can answer the question definitively.
Almost everything about high-profile climate actions are about singing a sweet tune and telling a heart-warming story via street theater (and increasingly through elaborate art displays). Everything is done to make everyone as comfortable as possible, including the police – who in turn keep things comfortable for the polluters who are supposedly being targeted. Paid professional “grassroots” organizers take for granted that they are in charge, and that anyone with slightly deviating ideas, particularly those which would stray from Gandhian tactics, are simply troublemakers to be denounced to the media. As Greenpeace says, “nonviolence is non-negotiable” and the risk of being “discredited in the press” is simply too great. Periodically, there is also a spectacular action involving some mountain-climbing equipment, which inevitably ends with the participants quietly going off to jail after a few hours. With this responsible and well-managed atmosphere, climate demos ensure they will be inviting and appealing to the largest conceivable number of people.
In contrast, when young race rebels burned and looted in Ferguson, Baltimore, and Oakland, grassroots leaders not only refused to condemn them, they considered any Black leader who denounced the insurrections to be a traitor. When the Justice Department concluded that Mike Brown did not in fact have his “hands up”, the movement didn’t flinch – many marchers seized the moment to start chanting “Fists up! Fight Back!” Even when desperate men shoot at police, the movement does not shrink, but instead points out the reality that there’s never been a safer time to be a cop, and a more dangerous time to be an African-American youth. Whenever Black Lives Matter hits a sour note with the public, it keeps right on playing, because the point isn’t to sing a pretty tune – it’s to sound an alarm that can’t be ignored.
Controversies naturally arise, yet grassroots BLM activists are able to force major liberal publications to concede to their points. Even centrist outlets like The New Republic were compelled to accept much of the BLM critique of Bernie Sanders and the Democratic Party. Radical climate activists, by contrast, are condescended to by the national press, even when they have the better part of the argument. When grassroots environmentalists criticized the corporately-endorsed “People’s Climate March,” The Nation dismissed them as obstructionists.
The post-Ferguson movement has never had numbers on its side. African-Americans are less than 15 percent of the population, and only a fraction of them participate directly in the network; whites are only allowed to participate if they embrace the militant terms of the movement (no liberal apologetics like “all lives matter”, no victim-blaming, no snitching, etc.) What it does have is conviction, courage, and a healthy amount of desperation, derived from the realization that they are in a life-or-death struggle.
In theory, the climate movement is about life-or-death struggle as well; yet nothing about the behavior of its most visible activists supports that idea. Greenpeace’s demonstration in Portland might initially seem impressive, but the 100 million dollar organization has taken more effective and drastic action to block Japanese whale hunters, mustering Greenpeace ships—actual ships, not kayaks—to chase down whaling vessels. Of course this effort only took place after years of aggressive action by the more militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd. Will it take a Sea Shepherd of the climate, blockading Shell ships on the high seas, to shame Greenpeace into meaningful action?
Professional environmentalists have given nods to Black Lives Matter, and voice intentions to follow the lead of movements of the oppressed. More often than not, as at the NYC climate march, such platitudes are simply window-dressing for the usual top-down, foundation-funded management. If climate activists really want to learn from the post-Ferguson movement, they will have to accept a few key things.
Firstly, BLM is an explicit diversity of tactics movement. This means that it rejects nonviolence as ideology and challenges it as policy. Streetfighters and saboteurs are freedom fighters in the people’s eyes—Period. Ferguson made the movement and won victories, and the distinguishing feature of Ferguson is that it was not nonviolent. Even a member of Missouri State’s “Ferguson Commission,” acknowledged: “If not for the unrest, we wouldn’t have seen municipal court reform. It’s certainly a game-changer.” On the eve of 2015, #BlackLivesMatter founders called for a “Year of Ungovernability” – seemingly echoing anarchist graffiti painted on West Florissant Ave in Ferguson. At the Netroots disruption in July, protesters chanted “If I die in police custody…Burn everything down!” Even Black groups specializing in nonviolent action feel compelled to commit to a diversity of tactics framework:
We work with various communities and with each of those groups that group has to decide what they view as being violent or nonviolent. I think that it varies [depending] on what community you’re in. As a collective, we believe in a diversity of tactics. It’s not our role to critique anybody’s tactics or any of the actions that are happening in the movement if they are continuing and supporting black people who want to do direct action.
Groups such as Greenpeace, however, testily denounce diversity of tactics. They presume to know the perfect strategy and to impose it on all protesters, even though in the area of climate they have nothing to show for it.
Secondly, as the Blackout Collective’s statement above indicates, diversity of tactics is directly related to a doctrine of decentralization and autonomy. This commitment to autonomy is great enough that the grassroots will actively confront professional activists and organizations who monopolize and mislead the movement. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, merchants of liberalism and nonviolence, were disrupted and called out in Ferguson, and even at one of Sharpton’s own Washington rallies. Will the leaders of the failed climate movement have to be called out as well?
At the NYC climate march last year, the leadership nearly was challenged, but the “foundation complex” (as Ella Baker called it) worked overtime to co-opt its own opposition. The reputed alternative to the Climate March was “Flood Wall Street”, a demonstration administered by Rising Tide North America. RTNA bills itself as a grassroots group, but on closer scrutiny, the group takes corporate foundation funding (Tides Foundation, CREDO Mobile, etc.) and operates in lockstep with Greenpeace and 350.org.¹ Flood Wall Street spokespeople publicly criticized the Climate March, promoted anti-capitalist messaging, and choreographed civil disobedience – all of which it used to distinguish itself from the larger permitted march. It was later revealed, however, that Flood Wall Street was sponsored by the massive NGO Avaaz which is widely regarded as the most undemocratic member of the Climate March coalition, and that FWS shared numerous organizers with the march.
Flood Wall Street did have an effective strategy- not for promoting direct action, but containing it. They almost seemed to have absorbed Peter Gelderloos’ point that “nonviolence has lost the debate,” by avoiding using that n-word, thereby avoiding that debate. Along with Avaaz, they used militant terms like “disruption”, and “the fight of our lives” in the lead up to the demo, but in civil disobedience trainings, I witnessed them relentlessly urging activists to avoid all danger and seek “safety.” It was constantly stressed that short-term safety was paramount for the sake of “the most vulnerable among us” by which they generally meant people of color. Of course, in recent years, it has in fact been people of color who have done the most to abjure safety and face down danger in direct action situations. There was also no discussion of what safety could possibly mean in a context where the planet is daily being destroyed.
The timing of Flood Wall Street also pointed to counter-insurgency: No civil disobedience was promoted by the Avaaz crew at all until after a call appeared on The Earth First! Newswire and other websites in June 2014 inciting “a large anti-capitalist bloc of the [climate] march to spread subversion and unrest throughout the City…” The #FloodWallStreet hashtag, along with the anti-capitalist talk from the campaign, only appeared in September. Although Flood Wall Street spokesperson (and 350.org board member) Naomi Klein gave regular lip service to “blockadia,” neither she nor FWS supported the campaign to blockade the Rockaway gas pipeline construction taking place in Queens that very summer. Instead, Flood Wall Street siphoned attention away from this genuine direct action against extraction taking place just a few miles away.
In the end, even the less timid of the FWS protesters (the ones who continued to sit in the street at the southern tip of Manhattan after the sun went down, instead of going home as the organizers urged ) were quickly acquitted of all charges. This was a fait accompli given that the mayor had publicly blessed the protests and Flood Wall Street had secretly been communicating with police through much of the demonstration’s planning. Despite the hot-blooded rhetoric, it was another installment of what Jeffrey St. Clair calls the “designer protests” of a foundation-managed climate movement.
“Some of us must be willing to die. There is no movement for change–fundamental change, revolution–unless there’s willingness on behalf of somebody to die. That’s a fundamental fact. If all of us come together and we have no one willing to die for the cause, in a sense it’s still sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. And that’s especially when it comes to black and brown and red people.” – Cornel West, Left Forum address, January 2014
“Social unrest and peaceful protest are neither discreet nor disconnected, but interrelated tactics on a protest continuum. After memorandums, petitions, and marches fail, insurrection becomes a direct line of communication from the downtrodden to the power structure that benefits from ignoring them…Insurrections launch articulate action and foment revolution.”
– Dr. Ashley M. Howard (Loyola University) “Why Ferguson Is Not the Tale of Two Protests”
For this fall, Rising Tide NA is promoting a sequel called “Flood the System.” Has the group learned anything the past year, or is this simply an effort to justify their fundraising and pre-empt more militant organizing? If they believe what they say about “rapidly escalating the pace and scale of our resistance to the level of the crises we’re facing,” then they should acknowledge that all our lives are on the line. There is as much urgency, as much an issue of survival, as what the Black community faces. And if collective self-defense is justified against forces directed at part of the population, it must surely be justified against destructive forces that threaten the population as a whole.
What should that defense look like? It may look like the street battles and blockades that protected Bolivia’s water from corporate takeover fifteen years ago. It may look like the chaotic campaign that prevented People’s Park in Berkeley from being paved over in the late 1960s. It may look like the armed occupation by the Mik’maq people who drove extraction companies off their land and won a moratorium on fracking from the New Brunswick government last year. The possibilities are endless, but the final choices will have to be made by the fighters on the frontlines–not by professional organizers and their paymasters.
(Banner image: Leslie McSpadden, Mike Brown’s mother, shortly before the November 2014 insurrection in Ferguson)
Notes:
Rising Tide North America took at least $8000 from Tides Foundation in 2014, and at least several thousand dollars from Tides in year’s previous. Tides is notoriously opaque about it’s funding sources, but it acknowledges working with Nike, and is also linked with Warren Buffett and George Soros. – http://www.tides.org/fileadmin/user/grantees/Tides_list_of_2014_Grantees.pdfThe Japanese SEGA franchise Sakura Wars is turning 20 years old, and to celebrate it, a special event will be hosted in Japan. Titled “Chisa Yokoyama’s Sakura Wars 20th Birthday Party”, it will feature a total of five talk events from the varies voice actors who have been involved with the franchise in both the games and the special OVA Sakura Wars: The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms. This event will span between September 23rd to September 25th, which is coincidentally a few days before the release date of the SEGA Saturn version of Sakura Wars that started it all.
Sakura Wars has not made a presence for itself outside of Japan, but in Japan it’s one of the most beloved franchises from SEGA. Combining strategy RPG and visual novel elements, the series has had the longevity to produce 5 mainline titles, several prequels, gaiden, and spin-offs titles, and anime and manga. Most games take place in an alternate universe in the early 1900’s after the first World War, with the key difference from our timeline is that it involves advanced steam powered machinery and the concept of spiritual power or reiryoku (霊力).
For information on pricing, talk events scheduling, and location, click the Read More tag.
Talk Events
September 23rd, 6:30 PM JST: Kumiko Nishihara (Iris), Kazue Ikura (Reni), Ai Orikasa (Ayame)
September 24th, 1:00 PM JST: Yuriko Fuchizaki (Kohran), Michie Tomizawa (Sumire), Akio Suyama (Ichiro)
September 24th, 5:30 PM JST: Urara Takano (Maria), Yuriko Fuchizaki (Kohran), Akio Suyama (Ichiro)
September 25th, 1:00 PM JST: Kumiko Nishihara (Iris), Kazue Ikura (Reni), Akio Suyama (Ichiro), Shintarō Sonooka (Dan Kōsuke / Dandy Boss), Yoichi Nishimura (a Board of Directors member for the Asahi Shinbun in Japan), Takeda Velo (character from Sakura Wars: The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms)
Sonooka (Dan / Dandy Boss), Yoichi Nishimura (a Board of Directors member for the Asahi Shinbun in Japan), Takeda Velo (character from Sakura Wars: The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms) September 25th, 5:30 PM JST: Urara Takano (Maria), Kumiko Nishihara (Iris), Akio Suyama (Ichiro), Shintarō Sonooka (Dan Kōsuke / Dandy Boss), Yoichi Nishimura (a Board of Directors member for the Asahi Shinbun in Japan), Takeda Velo (character from Sakura Wars: The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms)
Note: Chisa Yokoyama (VA of Sakura) will appear in all talk events.
Tickets
Price: ¥5,000 ($49)
Available: Now
Location
Hanayashiki Amusement Park, Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo in Japan.
[Source: Sakura Taisen (JPN) and Segalization]It means Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Air New Zealand have a combined stake of more than 38 per cent in Australia’s second-largest airline. Together with Sir Richard Branson’s cornerstone stake, almost 65 per cent of Virgin’s shares are now in the hands of foreign investors, a scenario that only became possible earlier this year when the Australian airline rejigged its ownership structure much to the chagrin of Qantas. Two-brand strategy for domestic market Virgin boss John Borghetti, a 36-year veteran of Qantas, has also taken another leaf out of his old workshop’s book and created his own two-brand strategy in the Australian domestic market. Just last week a sheepish Borghetti was emphasising at an investor gathering in Sydney that Virgin was no longer playing in the budget sandpit occupied by Tiger and Jetstar.
That’s because Virgin had positioned itself as an upmarket rival to Qantas. But the deal Borghetti announced today to buy a controlling stake in Tiger’s Australian operations for $35 million means he has created his own dual-brand strategy aimed at countering Qantas and Jetstar. Virgin and the Singapore Airlines-backed Tiger Airways will inject up to $62.5 million into the budget airline in Australia. In itself, the rebirth of Tiger’s Australian operations from what many thought was nigh on impossible following its six-week forced grounding last year is remarkable. Now, Borghetti and his Singaporean bedfellows plan to boost the size of Tiger's Australian fleet from 11 single-aisle A320 to 35 by 2018, creating a major rival to Jetstar. Then there’s the other rabbit Borghetti has pulled out of his hat today by taking full control of Western Australia’s Skywest Airlines, which is targeting the fly-in fly-out market in the resource-rich west.
In all, the three deals will expand Virgin from 108 to 139 planes and more than 9000 employees. Relaxation of Qantas Sale Act? Of course, Borghetti’s game play announced today will give Qantas ammunition in Canberra to argue for a relaxation of the Qantas Sale Act, which limits foreign investment in Australia’s largest airline. Qantas has become increasingly edgy about a large pact of airlines looming on its doorstep. Airlines such as Etihad are deep-pocketed and have shown a willingness to expand aggressively despite tough conditions. It will also strengthen Qantas’s case for the competition regulator to approve its alliance with Emirates.
For Borghetti, there are still a few hurdles to jump.
While the share placement to Singapore Airlines has received foreign-investment approval, Virgin will need regulatory approval for taking control of both Tiger Australia and Skywest. Loading The possibility of grand airline alliances in our neck of the woods has been exercising minds since Virgin rejigged its ownership structure early this year. They’ve now become reality.HONG KONG (Reuters) - People of Japanese and European descent who have mutant versions of five genes may be at higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, two large teams of researchers have found.
The two independent studies, published in the latest issue of Nature Genetics, involved more than 25,000 participants in total and are the largest studies to date to try to uncover genetic associations behind Parkinson’s disease.
A study in Japan looked only at ethnic Japanese while a second study, in the United States, focused only on people of European heritage.
In the first study, Tatsushi Toda of Japan’s Kobe University and colleagues sequenced the genes of 2,011 participants with the disease and 18,381 others without the disease.
They found that those with the disease had variants of the genes PARK16, BST1, SNCA and LRRK2.
In the second study, researchers led by Andrew Singleton at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) laboratory of neurogenetics in the United States analyzed the genes of more than 5,000 patients of European ancestry who suffer from the disease and detected strong links between Parkinson’s and variants of the genes SNCA and MAPT.
The two teams later compared their data and found that variants of PARK16, SNCA and LRRK2 carry risk of Parkinson’s in both Japanese and European populations, while variants of BST1 and MAPT were population-specific.
“Because previous Parkinson’s genome-wide association studies were too small and lacked power, we worked together to compile and analyze the large data sets needed to identify the elusive genetic variations that play a role in this complex disease,” Singleton said in a statement.
“With this better understanding of the underlying genetic variants involved in the progress of this disorder, we have more insight into the causes and underlying biology of this disease.
“We hope this new understanding will one day provide us with strategies to delay, or even prevent, the development of Parkinson’s disease.”
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that affects one to two percent of people over the age of 65. It is characterized by tremors, sluggish movement, muscle stiffness, and difficulty with balance.
Although medical treatments may improve symptoms, there are none that can slow down or halt the progression of the disease.WASHINGTON: When the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee went to talk with the almost mystical Pentagon gang known as the Office of Net Assessment, they told him America can’t afford to execute the strategy we’re pursuing.
“I asked them what they were lacking. They didn’t have an answer,” Rep. Adam Smith told the Defense Writers Group this morning. Net Assessment, led for decades by the revered Yoda-like figure known as Andy Marshall, produces what are supposed to be fundamental strategic assessments of US national security and how we should position ourselves to cope with threats.
“Our overall strategy needs to change,” Smith said. “We don’t have the money so we need a better strategy.”
Things are likely to get worse, Smith said. Democrats and Republicans are afraid of passing appropriations bills in the face of the Budget Control Act, because, as Smith told us, they’ll anger somebody when they vote. Add to that the Republicans decision to pass a tax reform bill that the great majority of economists say will add huge amounts to our deficit, and our current fiscal madness is likely to worsen.
Cutting the Pentagon budget overall wouldn’t help much, because that just leads to pell-mell cuts to everything without any strategic direction. So, I and other reporters pressed Smith on what a new strategy would look like. After noting the expense of the next generation of nuclear weapons and the size of the American nuclear warhead arsenal, Smith essentially said we have to drop our commitment to try and handle everything around the world at once. This does not mean, he was careful to say when I pressed him, that America will abandon its commitment to being a global power, but it may mean we focus much on our defense industry’s surge capacity instead of the ability to immediately respond to a crisis.
“The Pentagon has plans for everything — war with China if they cross the Formosa Strait, if Russia invades Eastern Europe, responding to a missile strike from North Korea,” Smith said, shaking his head. “I just think we need to be more realistic.”
The Trump Administration may release its National Security Strategy at the Reagan Defense forum this weekend. The National Defense Strategy will follow.
Speaking of being realistic, Smith offered the depressing prognosis that the Federal government will shut down for 24 hours come December 8, when the current spending bill is expected to run out. “Then,” he said, referring to his fellow lawmakers, “we’ll realize that that’s not popular either” and the government will reopen.
Reporters and many other Americans prize candor, especially from our politicians, precisely because it is in such short supply. I thanked Smith for his at the end of the breakfast — though I can’t say the rest of the day looked very bright.Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski took exception to critical comments that ESPN analyst Jalen Rose made about the school, saying they were "very insulting to everyone here at Duke."
Rose, as part of an ESPN Films documentary "The Fab Five" that aired March 13 (Rose was an executive producer), said black Blue Devils basketball players recruited in the early 1990s were "Uncle Toms."
"I hated Duke and I hated everything Duke stood for. Schools like Duke didn't recruit players like me. I felt like they only recruited black players that were Uncle Toms," Rose said in the documentary.
Former Duke and NBA star Grant Hill already called the comments "sad and somewhat pathetic."
"Obviously, that was a poor choice of words and very insulting to everyone here at Duke but especially, not just our African-American players, but any African-American students," Krzyzewski said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 in Chicago Tuesday. "When you judge within a race, you start judging, like you put categories as to who you are. I think that's just the wrong thing to do."
Krzyzewski said one of the Fab Five could have ended up at Duke.When Adam Lanza stormed into the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, 2012, opening fire on schoolchildren and sending kindergartners scrambling into closets for protection, American news outlets immediately began asking the desperate question, “Why?”
What made Lanza into a school shooter and mass murderer? Was it his family background, his reported autism, his political viewpoints, even his time spent in homeschooling?
Thoroughly profiling the perpetrator has become the first response of the American media in every shocking crime from Sandy Hook to the Boston Marathon bombing and more.
But almost one year to the date after the Sandy Hook shooting, on Dec. 13, 2013, at the Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colo., another school shooter opened fire, and this time, the gunman’s background was all too quickly swept under the rug.
Most notoriously, the Denver Post discovered in its profiling of shooter Karl Halverson Pierson that fellow students described the 18-year-old gunman as “a very opinionated socialist.” Yet by the next day, the Post’s editors had scrubbed the word “socialist” from the article, replacing it with merely “very opinionated.”
In fact, the first words the article uses to describe Pierson are “outspoken about politics, was a gifted debater and might have been bullied for his beliefs … a dedicated, bright student from a religious family that attends Bible study meetings.”
Gone from the Post article was the “socialist” reference, and only much later in the article do readers learn of Pierson’s politics, when the Post reports Pierson mocked Republicans on Facebook, writing, “You Republicans are so cute,” and posting an image that reads: “The Republican Party: Health Care: Let ’em Die, Climate Change: Let ’em Die, Gun Violence: Let ’em Die, Women’s Rights: Let ’em Die, More War: Let ’em Die. Is this really the side you want to be on?”
Furthermore, a quick search for online news articles published the Monday following the Friday shooting revealed more than 2,600 articles profiling one of Pierson’s shooting victims, but only two that still sought to dig up information about the shooter’s motivations. Neither article, however, mentions Pierson’s socialist politics, nor other details revealed by a Wall Street Journal interview with a fellow student who said Pierson “once wore a shirt emblazoned with the letters U.S.S.R. and described himself as a communist.”
The Post’s Senior Editor for News Lee Ann Colacioppo later offered a defense for scrubbing the nature of Pierson’s politics, responding to criticism via Twitter, “We decided not to have another student apply a label to the shooter – a label the student likely didn’t even understand.”
Several media critics, however, aren’t buying Colacioppo’s excuse or excusing the mainstream media’s sudden apathy about the school shooter’s politics.
“If Pierson had been an evangelical Christian or free-market and small-government advocate, we all know that such would be the lead headline in every story about him, along with prominent mention of his shared views with the Republican Party,” writes Victor Keith in American Thinker. “But since he was a socialist who hated Republicans, that little tidbit will be buried at the end of any article, if it is mentioned at all.”
“The gun angle is powerfully inconvenient for the left, too,” notes John Hayward in Human Events, recalling the renewed demand for gun-control laws in the aftermath of Sandy Hook. “The Denver Post coyly relates a student saying Pierson ‘had very strong beliefs about gun laws and stuff,’ but doesn’t bother to inform readers of what those strong beliefs might have been. It falls to the U.K. Daily Mail to tell us that he ‘seemingly supported gun control.’ It doesn’t seem like it would be that difficult to find out exactly where he stood on the issue, seeing as how he was so outspoken, and his stance on gun legislation was so strong. The fact that no media outlets seem interested in clarifying the matter speaks volumes.”
What we do understand
Authorities say Pierson, 18, a senior at Arapahoe High School, entered the school about 12:33 p.m. local time on Friday, Dec. 13, armed with a shotgun, a bandolier stocked with ammunition, a machete and three Molotov cocktails.
Students who witnessed the attack say he was searching for the school librarian and debate team coach, Tracy Murphy, whom he had disagreements with and had even threatened earlier.
Pierson fired a random shot down the school hallway, then entered an area where 17-year-old Claire Davis was seated with a friend and shot her at point-blank range. Davis was later taken to the hospital in critical condition and remains in a coma.
Pierson then fired again down the hallway and entered the library where he presumably hoped to find Murphy. Pierson used the Molotov cocktails to start fires in the library, but Murphy left the premises – police say it was an attempt to lure Pierson away from the other students.
Finally, an armed school resource officer approached Pierson, whereupon the student took his own life. The entire attack lasted about 80 seconds.
Most speculation points to Pierson targeting Murphy after a conflict that caused Pierson to stop participating in debate.
“‘Revenge’ is the word that I chose,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson told reporters. “This is where our initial investigation is taking us. We know that there was some controversy between the student suspect and the teacher.”
Further research into Pierson’s background and interviews with students have so far revealed little more about possible motive, but quite a bit more about Pierson’s mindset.
Senior |
it makes field replacement and upgrades simple with a lower chance of bending a socket pin. The negative is that the socket is only compatible with HPE branded cooling solutions and those from HPE’s partners. Much of the market uses a standard reference heatsink design for Intel Xeon E5-2600 series CPUs (V1 through V4.) If you were previously a customer of other server makers and were hoping to recycle spares with HP, that is unlikely to work. HPE does a lot of engineering even in mechanical design, but you do have to play in their ecosystem.
In terms of rear I/O, the HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen 9 has PCIe risers to add additional devices such as network controllers. The exact configuration is configurable at the time of ordering.
The dual 1GbE NICs show as Intel i350 NICs which are high-quality NICs that are widely used and supported in the software industry.
Aside from the network ports, HPE has rear USB 3.0 ports as well as a VGA port. These are commonly used with external KVM devices such as data center crash carts.
The PSU is a generous 550W unit. Ours was not a redundant hot swap design. In many low-cost data centers, where the DL60 is targeted, there is only one power feed. Using a single PSU actually, increases reliability and will slightly lower power consumption.
Our test unit exemplifies what may be the lowest cost rackmount HPE Proliant configuration available. The market for such a machine is usually applications that are distributed and IT admins like to run on dedicated hardware such as domain and network services.
HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen9 iLO4 Management
Perhaps the biggest selling point for the HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen9 is not the hardware, rather the iLO4 management. HPE has a field-tested management interface on each machine.
There were common features such as being able to tie authentication into larger directory services, power cycling machines, and iKVM functionality.
Key here is that the basic iKVM console will not allow one to boot into the OS without an upgraded license. This is similar to vendors such as Dell and Lenovo but unlike others such as QCT and Supermicro who provide fewer features but include them in the server’s purchase price.
The key to iLO management is that one can manage large numbers of machines with supported control plane and automation frameworks. Essentially with the HPE ProLiant DL60, HPE has one of the lowest costs servers it can produce managed by iLO. This allows HPE’s customers to deploy low-cost, low performance, physical servers and still manage them within broader iLO ecosystems.
HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen9 Performance
We ran the HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen9 system through our standard Linux-Bench test suite that we use to profile systems. You can see raw results of that with over 50 data points here.
Since this is not a configuration intended for maximum performance, we are simply going to show a Linux kernel compile benchmark relative rating including a few AWS instances and some single CPU Intel machines:
In terms of performance, the Intel Xeon E3-2603 V3 is the lowest-end option available. With that, the server starts around the four core Intel Xeon D performance and scales up from there. Key is that the DL60 Gen9 can only handle up to 105W TDP CPUs. As a result, the maximum performance is limited.
Using the single, non-redundant, non-hot swap PSU, did pay power consumption dividends. We measured power consumption on our Schneider Electric/ APC PDUs for the machine at idle, using a typical 60% CPU load and a heavy compute application (GROMACS):
As you can see, HPE did a great job pushing power consumption envelopes down to the levels of the Intel Xeon E3 series of systems. That is a feat itself.
Final Words
Although the HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen9 is marketed at an SMB server, the real value in the stripped down platform is in the engineering and iLO4 management. Given the pricing, iLO is targeted upmarket from those SMB shops who simply need a handful of servers. Likewise, the trend in lightweight applications is to host them in the cloud or on virtualized infrastructure. Still, many IT admins prefer physical machines for certain applications where the HPE ProLiant DL60 Gen9 is likely to be a good fit. The flip side of this equation is that the DL60 is HPE’s bare-bones entry-level product. We can see it being used as a tool to start customer conversations then up-sell to more robust servers (e.g. the HPE ProLiant DL160 Gen9.)
The server was a pleasure to service as HPE has an excellent mechanical design. iLO4 is a step above what the white box players in the server markets have, assuming you upgrade the license. Once installed, the DL60 Gen9 sips power as one would hope.The Broncos have lost linebacker Danny Trevathan for the season with a dislocated left kneecap that will require surgery, according to an NFL source.
Trevathan suffered the injury in the second half of Sunday’s 22-10 victory at San Diego.
Trevathan had sustained two separate fractures in the left knee area that forced him to miss 11 of the Broncos’ first 13 games.
Meanwhile, Brandon Marshall, the Broncos’ leading tackler this season, suffered a sprain in the Lisfranc area of his right foot during the second quarter against the Chargers. Marshall said he would be out a week or two.
“It’s not as bad as you might think,” Marshall said Monday. “It’s been the year of the linebacker injury.”
Earlier this season, the Broncos lost starting middle linebacker Nate Irving to a season-ending knee injury.
With Marshall and Trevathan now down, the Broncos are expected to turn to rookies Lamin Barrow, Todd Davis and Corey Nelson.
Mike Klis: mklis@denverpost.com or at twitter.com/mikeklisA classic ‘game of two halves’ started with two prominent absentees. Warren Gatland’s appointment as Lions coach has left his Welsh team without their galvanising force and they looked shorn of purpose for much of the first half. Justin Tipuric’s omission amazed the Mole, particularly in light of Ryan Jones’ thumb injury.
Tipuric is the form Welsh player in Wales, continuing from where he left off last season. The variability of Sam Warburton’s performances has left me unconvinced about his bona fides. Like Ryan Jones before him, the onus of Welsh captaincy seems exhausting and he has been unable to sustain the form that made him so prominent in the RWC and during the Grand Slam season. Warburton’s performances for Cardiff have been unimpressive and one wonders if Gatland, more ruthless than Howley, would have persisted with him at Tipuric’s expense.
In their two most recent meetings, Gatland has nailed Kidney. This time it was Kidney’s turn and Ireland exposed the Welsh systems and selections. Neither side chose to contest the breakdown with much intensity once the tackle had been made. Perhaps this is due to Poite’s refereeing and teams decide to err on the side of caution with the French man in charge. More likely it is due to the preferences of the defensive coaches and where they direct their team to apply energy.
Commentating on BBC, Martyn Williams noted that “the Welsh usually use an out-to-in blitz defence” and this was a feature of Shaun Edwards’ Wasps teams. Ireland’s lineout maul, Conor Murray’s threat around the fringes and some good lines from close in runners attracted Welsh defenders in close. This made the blitz a riskier option and Sexton’s deep alignment allowed him time to choose his options. In the first few minutes he twice grubbered in behind the Welsh and gave Ireland field position. In the eighth minute JJV Davies blitzed but Sexton was too deep and his hands too good as he freed O’Driscoll. The massive dog leg created by a missed blitz wasn’t fully exploited but left room enough for Ireland to get quality field position. From there Ireland repeated the dose and Jamie Roberts’ decision to compete at a ruck after tackling left Wales short of backs out wide.
It took two excellent passes from Sexton and O’Driscoll, along with a clever decoy from Kearney, to put Zebo away. Ireland executed well and Zebo served notice of his poacher’s ability at the highest level. Davies and Cuthbert were caught in no man’s land: tempted to blitz but left short by Roberts’ decision, no one made a strong tackle and Ireland were off the mark. O’Driscoll’s pass in particular was all class. In 2008 it looked like his hamstrings were gone but a changed conditioning regime has seen a leaner, more flexible O’Driscoll continue at the top for another five years. The threat of what he might do buys him time against defenders who don’t know whether to commit to him or not. Often they’re right to be afraid and his vision and ability to create space for his team mates must be set aside his hunger close to the line. At the top level he is still top drawer and the contrast with JJV Davies was noticeable. Davies is a fine player but he threw two straightforward passes into touch and handed Ireland back the initiative on both occasions.
If Wales’ hallmark of defence is blitzing then Ireland’s is the choke tackle. Both sides showed the rugby league antecedents of their defences by ceding ruck ball and creating a line across the pitch but Ireland were prepared to put a lot of effort into creating mauls. Here again Kidney’s coaching staff had done their homework and Ireland targeted Wales’ weaker ball carriers in particular. Missing Ryan Jones and Bradley Davies in the forwards, Wales occasionally used Coombs, an unfit Ian Evans and Matthews Rees to carry. Ireland pounced on this opportunity and created turnovers that they attacked purposefully off. A strip of Ian Evans created a counter attacking opportunity for Ireland and Conor Murray put Peter O’Mahony down the wing for a lot of yards.
O’Mahony is a puzzling footballer. He’s a good runner and handler but he’s not involved enough at all for my tastes. On a day when Donnchadh Ryan, Sean O’Brien, Cian Healy and Rory Best got through a mountain of work, O’Mahony departed on fifty minutes looking relatively fresh. You could see why Kidney wanted to experiment with him at openside last year; his skills are made for a linking flanker akin to Gleeson or Cabannes. He’s just not involved enough, particularly when compared to Tipuric who admittedly was fresh in the second half.
One of the reasons why Wales used the likes of the runners named above is that Jamie Roberts wasn’t fully fit. Roberts has been the scourge of Ireland in recent encounters and when he is on form he is a potent weapon. The flip side of being a big man with fast twitch fibres is that injuries are more likely to be incurred. Roberts has struggled with fitness all season and Ireland will be pleased to meet Wales now rather than in a few weeks’ time. Roberts will cause damage as the tournament progresses provided he stays injury free.
By half time Wales were twenty points down and the selection of Shingler was called into question in the minutes before the break when he ignored a five on four overlap against a doglegged disorganised Irish defence with the heavy artillery outside him. If the pass had gone a try was odds on and it would have been 20-10. Instead he took contact, Ryan slowed well and his misery was compounded when he gave away a penalty in front of the sticks that allowed Ireland a twenty point lead. Shingler’s selection showed again that glitches not apparent in club games can be exposed at international level.
Unfortunately Ireland were discovering that with Craig Gilroy and the young Ulster winger was struggling with his counterattacking and kicking. Time and again during the game Wales kicked to Gilroy and time and again he returned the ball to one of their runners in plenty of space or put it straight in. Stuart Lancaster will have looked at the tape and Farrell will target Gilroy should Kidney select him next week. I’d start Fitzgerald ahead of him which seems tough but the autumn and summer series are the time to give younger players experience. The Six Nations is Ireland’s priority.
Gilroy wasn’t the only member of the back three below form. Rob Kearney, normally imperious in the air, failed to win any of his duels and that stymied Ireland’s counterattacking game which is based on him reclaiming steeplers. With Ireland’s kicking game misfiring, the Welsh were able to gain a foothold in the second half and the arrival of Tipuric on 44 minutes looked tardy as the pace of Welsh attack increased noticeably with the trademark blue scrumcap on the pitch.
Fortunately Ireland’s tackling was heroic although Keith Earls’ positioning for Cuthbert’s try call his credentials as an international centre into question. Wales got their big men the ball in the second half when the power and pace of North and Cuthbert in particular was a potent reminder of the threat they pose. Ireland may have caught Wales at the best stage of the tournament as they have some quality players to reintroduce and other proven campaigners who will benefit from the game time.
From Ireland’s point of view, the coaching staff can take a bow for some tactical calls which bore fruit and sets them up for a tilt at the title. It’s a decade since Wales have lost more than one game in the Six Nations in Cardiff and England will not relish their trip to the Millenium. A Sunday kick off is less craic for fans but the extra day’s rest will be appreciated by an Ireland team that should have a clean bill of health for England’s visit. The game was played at a ferocious pace which will stand to the team and Ireland’s leadership core is in good form.
All told, it was a cracking opening weekend and Italy’s victory against France in Rome is a harbinger of things to come in the Six Nations. The Celtic nations’ decision to allow the Italians compete in the RaboDirect Pro 12 is to be applauded. Zebre are still struggling to find an identity but the transfer of the franchise to Rome would help grow the game in a populous and wealthy nation. The Mole opined last year that Italy will win a Six Nations before 2020 and results like Sunday’s make that notion seem less fanciful. The sound of a modern coliseum bom-bom-ba-bomming their way through one of the great anthems is just another reason to cherish a venerable tournament that still has it in spades.
AdvertisementsMost modern medicines are carefully synthesized organic molecules so potent that each pill contains only a few milligrams of the active ingredient. Pepto-Bismol is a fascinating exception, both because its active ingredient is bismuth, a heavy metal commonly used in shotgun pellets, and because there is a lot of it in each dose. So much, in fact, that I was able to extract a slug of bismuth metal from a pile of pink pills.
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One two-pill dose of Pepto-Bismol contains 262 milligrams (more than a quarter of a gram) of bismuth subsalicylate, and about an eighth of that weight is bismuth. It's not just bits of ground-up bismuth metal, though. The bismuth is combined chemically with salicylate, an organic molecule. To get bismuth metal, you have to reduce it chemically, the way iron ore has to be reduced to make iron metal.
I tried reducing Pepto-Bismol by heating it with charcoal, the same method used to reduce iron ore, but that didn't work very well. All I got was crumbly slag. Fortunately, I found a better procedure with an assist from science-experiment website thechemlife.com, which recommends isolating the bismuth by reaction with aluminum in an acid solution. This way requires only muriatic acid (found in the paint department at my local hardware store) and aluminum foil (found in my kitchen).
The demonstration took a while: I had to grind, dissolve, filter, precipitate, and filter the stuff again. Not unlike the digestion process Pepto aids, you start with nice colorful morsels and end up with dark crud. For logistical reasons, I had not actually tried the method before we set up the photo shoot, so it was quite a joy when I first saw beads of liquid metal form as I heated the crud, telling me that we had not wasted an entire day on a wild bismuth chase.More and more on my social media feeds I have been seeing a lot of churches boast of the cool, trendy new initiatives that they have begun. I have seen pictures of coffee bars that resemble Starbucks. I have seen lighting that resembles one seen on Broadway. I have read catchy sermon titles and have seen how people have brought the movies into their sermons.
My husband passed away February 14, 2017, after a two-year battle with cancer.
(The last picture I took of my husband and I. He was so tired yet forced a smile.)
To say he battled cancer is an understatement. He was hospitalized two weeks out of every month during the first year. He was hospitalized a total of 18 times. He was rushed to the emergency room eight times. He spent hundreds of days separated from his two children. And eventually the chemo, designed to get rid of the cancer, caused him to be paralyzed. And for the last four months of his life he was paralyzed and confined to a bed.
My husband endured cycle after cycle of chemo. He was separated from his children many nights. He was hooked up to chemo for 24 hours at a time. He listened to the doctors tell him bad news after bad news. He was left paralyzed and unable to get out of bed. And he never said how much he appreciated the coffee bar at the church. Never once did he say he loved the lighting in the sanctuary. He never told me how cool it was that they put a couch on the platform. He didn’t boast of the graphics and props on the platform. He talked about Jesus. He quoted scriptures. He reminded me of sermons we had heard. And in the middle of the night he sang songs of praise and worship to God and he spent his time praying. Because nothing a church does to strategize to bring in members helps you in the time of the storm. It is only Jesus.
(My son holding Mel’s arm the day we had to put him on life support.)
On February 13 I had the most difficult task of telling my children their dad was not going to make it, and the next day at 7:24 the doctors declared him dead. And as I lay next to my children at night listening to my daughter sob uncontrollably because she misses her dad so much, I am not thinking about how trendy my church is. I am thinking that my strength comes solely from God.
I don’t have my best friend with me anymore. And even though I take comfort in knowing he is in heaven, I can’t talk to my husband. I can’t text him during the day. I can’t share with him my frustrations. I can’t hold his hand. I can’t hug him. I can’t kiss him. He is not here. And as I drive to church during the week, I am not thinking that I am so glad the leadership are reading “how to grow your church” books and adopting cool sermon series. I am thinking how desperately I need Jesus.
As I look at two young children who now have to grow up without their amazing dad by their side, I am not thinking of how it was so awesome that the minister related the message to a Hollywood film. I am thinking of how much I need Jesus.
(They spend a lot of their day laughing and playing, but at nighttime that is when the tears come.)
When church leaders sit around and discuss how they can reach people, I don’t think they have the widow in mind. I don’t think they have the cancer patient in mind. I don’t think they have the children who are growing up without a parent in mind. I am not paying attention to the church décor when I walk through the doors. I don’t want to smell fresh brewed coffee in the lobby. I don’t want to see a trendy pastor on the platform. I don’t care about the graphics or the props on the platform. I am hurting in a way that is almost indescribable. My days are spent working full-time. My nights are spent homeschooling and taking care of two young children. I don’t have shared duties with a spouse anymore; everything is on my plate. And when I go to church I desperately want to hear the Word of God.
Because there are days I am running on empty and a coffee bar in the lobby isn’t filling me up. There are days when the pain is so brutal and a concert-like setting is not providing healing. There are days when the tears won’t stop and a trendsetting church is not what I need. I need Jesus. There are days I wonder if the pain is ever going to end, and a couch on the platform is not providing answers.
(I take pictures of me smiling, but the truth is my nights are also spent crying.)
The lighting, coffee bars, relevant messages, graphics and other things are secondary and serve no assistance to me during the darkest hour of my life. This is in no way a criticism of churches that have coffee bars, nice lighting and catchy sermon titles. However, in everything that is done, we need to make sure that Jesus is at the center. It is a also a reminder that there are hurting people sitting in your congregation. There are people whose marriages are crumbling, people whose finances are deteriorating, people whose children are rebelling and people, like me, whose husband has passed away after a brutal fight with cancer. And these people are not impressed with the stage lighting. They could care less about the coffee flavor. They don’t need to be pumped or hyped. They need and are desperate for Jesus. And they may actually be turned off by all that they consider gimmicks to get people to go to church.
I scroll down my social media feed and I see churches with pictures of their coffee bars, their concert like settings, their graphics, their trendy sermon series, and those don’t appeal to me. I want to see how Jesus has changed a person’s life. I want to see the power of prayer. I want to see how the Word of God can be applied to one’s life. I want to see how Jesus can help the hurting. I want to see how Jesus can heal the sick. I want to see how the broken heart was restored. I want to see how the mourners were comforted. I want to see how lives were restored. Rather than posting pictures of coffee bars, I would rather see testimonies of the power of God. I am thankful I attend a church that focuses on prayer and the word of God. I am thankful that in one of the darkest moments of my life I knew I could count on others to pray for me and with me.
( I don’t get dates like this anymore.)
The church does not need anymore coffee bars. They don’t need the lighting. They don’t need the concerts. They don’t need the trend setting. They don’t need couches on the platform. They don’t need to dim the lights to attract people. Tell a person how God has changed your life. Show them the love of God through your actions. Demonstrate how God helped you through the darkest of storms.
Church leaders, remember that you are not just trying to attract the hip and the cool to your church. You are reaching widows. You are reaching children who don’t have a parent. You are reaching someone battling with a disease. You are reaching a person going through a divorce. You are reaching a businessman who thinks they have all that they need. You are reaching the hurting. And the only thing they need is Jesus.
Here is a link to the FB page where I shared my husband’s fight with cancer.
https://www.facebook.com/prayersformelchor/
My instagram is @kimjoylira
***I am only adding this edit because so many people have asked whether I have a gofundme page. I do and it is posted on the FB page where I share my husband’s journey with cancer if a person wanted to donate. I didn’t want to link it to this particular post though because my intentions were only to get this very important message about churches out.
This article originally appeared here.LONDON (AP) A runner who carried an exhausted fellow athlete over the London Marathon finishing line says helping him to the end was more important than the race time.
Matthew Rees encountered the staggering racer as the pair rounded the final stretch in front of Buckingham Palace on Sunday.
To raucous cheers, the 29-year-old Rees put his fatigued rival’s arm around his neck and hauled him to the end of the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course. The pair then separated.
”I took the final corner thinking `right, it’s nearly done, time to sprint’, and I saw this guy and his legs just crumbled below him,” Rees said. ”I saw him try to stand up again and his legs just went down again, and I thought, `This is more important, getting him across the line is more important than shaving a few seconds off my time.’
”I went over to try and help him and, every time he tried to get up, he just fell down again and again, so I just tried to cheer him on, picked him up and said, `Come on, we can do this’. He was really grateful, but he wasn’t very coherent.”The family on the TV reality show 'Sister Wives' and several hundred other protesters in polygamous relationships and their supporters said Friday they won't stop fighting for the legal right to plural marriage.
Holding signs that read, 'I love all my moms,' and 'If we were gay, we'd be OK,' the group rallied in the rain on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Friday afternoon.
The demonstration comes a month after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case from Kody Brown and his four wives on the TLC show 'Sister Wives' challenging Utah's bigamy law.
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The family on the TV reality show 'Sister Wives' and several hundred other protesters in polygamous relationships and their supporters said Friday they won't stop fighting for the legal right to plural marriage
Kody Brown, center, from TV's reality show 'Sister Wives,' marches during a protest at the state Capitol Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Several hundred people in polygamist relationships say they want Utah lawmakers and law enforcement officials to know that they're not going away and should be allowed the freedom to practice their plural marriages
'I am not a criminal,' proclaimed Joe Darger, a Utah man who has three wives and helped organize the rally.
'If you commit adultery, that's not a felony. It's only a crime when you have a family and you pretend to be married.'
The high court left Utah's law in place, but state legislators are considering changes this year that would leave those convicted under it facing harsher penalties if they're also convicted of other crimes such as domestic abuse.
The sponsor, Republican Representative Mike Noel of Kanab, said other changes in his proposal would help the law withstand any future court challenge.
Shortly before the rally began outside the Capitol, Noel and more than half a dozen women who left polygamous communities held a news conference to defend his bill, saying the plural relationships hurt women and children.
They said the closed communities where polygamy is practiced can be rife with welfare fraud and child abuse, sexual abuse and forced labor.
The sponsor, Republican Representative Mike Noel of Kanab, said other changes in his proposal would help the law withstand any future court challenge
Shortly before the rally began outside the Capitol, Noel and more than half a dozen women who left polygamous communities held a news conference to defend his bill, saying the plural relationships hurt women and children
Outside the Capitol, polygamy supporters said the law criminalizing a relationship between consenting adults keeps anyone witnessing crimes like fraud or abuse from speaking out.
Prosecutors say they generally leave polygamists alone but need to keep the ban to pursue polygamists for other crimes. Only 10 people have been charged with violating the law between 2001 and 2011.
Utah's current polygamy law bars married people from living with an extra spouse or claiming to have a second purported'spiritual spouse.' Noel's bill would make it a crime only if someone lives with and claims they have another spouse.
Outside the Capitol, polygamy supporters said the law criminalizing a relationship between consenting adults keeps anyone witnessing crimes like fraud or abuse from speaking out
Prosecutors say they generally leave polygamists alone but need to keep the ban to pursue polygamists for other crimes
Kody Brown, center left, from TV's reality show 'Sister Wives,' and his wife Janelle Brown, left, and a group of pro-polygamy protesters rally at the state Capitol
It would also shield from prosecution anyone who leaves a polygamous relationship because they feared coercion, bodily harm, are underage or trying to protect a minor in a plural family.
The bill was approved by a House committee this week and awaits a vote by the full House of Representatives.
Court documents show there are about 30,000 polygamists in Utah. They believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven — a legacy of the early Mormon church. The mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly forbids it.
Several hundred people in polygamist relationships say they want Utah lawmakers and law enforcement officials to know that they're not going away and should be allowed the freedom to practice their plural marriages
Noel, who is Mormon, said Friday that his great-grandfather was jailed for being a polygamist and he's irritated that today's polygamists refer to themselves as Mormons.
'They've hijacked my religion and I actually resent that,' Noel said.
Brenda Nicholson, a former member of a sect led by Warren Jeffs on the Utah-Arizona border, said polygamy is not just a relationship involving consenting adults.
'It's not a choice,' she said, 'if you're told this is what God expects of you.'In a bold, technologically retrograde move that will strike fear into anyone who surfed the internet before the advent of DSL and cable, Microsoft Research has devised an acoustic file transfer protocol for mobile devices. That’s acoustic, as in, the same way that your 56k modem connected to the internet via a stream of modulated bleeps and screeches. This technique, called peer-to-peer acoustic NFC, allows any two mobile devices to transfer files as long as they have a speaker and a microphone — no special hardware, such as NFC, WiFi, or Bluetooth is required.
NFC stands for near-field communication. Strictly speaking, NFC is a standard that builds upon RFID for short-range radio-based peer-to-peer communications between devices. Your smartphone, unless it’s an iPhone, is probably equipped with NFC hardware. In this case, though, the Microsoft researchers simply mean that their technology works over the same kind of range as NFC (up to around 10cm) — it is not a drop-in replacement for NFC; it will not let you interact with radio-based NFC devices.
With that said, here’s how the acoustic NFC technology (dubbed Dhwani) works. You both load the Dhwani software onto your phone. Then, when you want to transfer a file, you hold your phones together, and data is transferred acoustically from your speaker to the recipient’s microphone. The range is short (a few centimeters), but presumably enough that two-way communication is possible even if your speakers/microphones don’t align. To mitigate against someone eavesdropping on the file transfer, self-interference cancellation is used — a technique where, in essence, the receiver transmits a stream of random noise. Because the receiver is transmitting the noise, it can work out what the original transmission signal was — but for anyone listening in, all they can hear is the big mess of sound produced by both devices.
After you factor in losses due to self-jamming, environmental noise, restrictions on output power (you don’t want to interfere with other devices or, you know, humans trying to have a conversation), and the variable performance of the electronic components involved (some microphones/speakers are better than others), Microsoft Research managed a data rate of 2.4 kilobits per second — or about 20 times slower than your 56Kbps modem. You probably won’t be using acoustic P2P to transfer files or photos between phones, then, but it’s more than enough to transfer a business card or website address.
Really, though, the key here is enabling peer-to-peer communication between devices that lack any other way of transferring data. It is no surprise that Dhwani was developed by Microsoft researchers in India, where everyone has a mobile phone with a microphone and a speaker — but relatively few have access to more advanced wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth. The researchers claim that Dhwani, with its built-in jamming and scrambling, creates a “information-theoretically secure communication channel,” which means it could be used for mobile payments, too — a big growth area in developing markets. (Read: The dumbphone strikes back.)
Sadly, as exciting as acoustic P2P is, one question remains: We don’t actually know what Dhwani sounds like. The research paper says that they use 1KHz of bandwidth between 6-7KHz, with an OFDM modulation scheme. Human speech generally maxes out around 1KHz. 7KHz… well… I’ll just let you watch this video, and you can make your own mind up. As long as it’s quiet, it shouldn’t be too ear-splitting…
Now read: Scientists develop acoustic levitation, could enable the eventual levitation of humans
Research paper: Dhwani: Secure Peer-to-Peer Acoustic NFCThe Health Protection Agency is calling for more research to see if Legionnaire's Disease is connected to not using screenwash in your windscreen water reservoir.
An HPA spokeswoman said: "This preliminary HPA study suggests a strong association between a lack of screen wash in wiper fluid and the incidence of Legionnaires' disease. Further studies are now needed to determine whether the use of screen wash in wiper fluid could play a role in preventing this disease."
The disease is not common in England and Wales and is usually traced to water aerosol systems like air-con, cooling towers or showers.
The study was undertaken after an especially high number of cases in summer 2006.
It found there was a much higher incidence among professional drivers, probably due to driving through other outside sources of the disease.
Researchers found an even stronger association between non-professional drivers without screenwash in their reservoirs and the disease. This warm, stagnant water can provide the perfect environment for Legionella bacteria.
When the water is sprayed over the windscreen it is likely that some aerosol would be sucked into the passenger compartment - or through an open window.
A separate investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency found that one in five cars tested had Legionella in their windscreen wiper fluid. None of the cars which had screenwash added tested positive for the bacteria.
This gave them a possible figure of 20 per cent of community-acquired cases of Legionnaire's Disease could be avoided by using screenwash.
Legionnaire's Disease is an uncommon form of pneumonia. It was named after an outbreak at an American Legion convention in 1976 which killed 29 veterans. ®When it comes to voice acting, females haven’t always dominated the conversation. Still, things are changing and more animated movies, TV shows and video games now feature rich and complex female characters that resonate within many audiences–which means that the demand for female voice overs is on the rise!
Did you know, for example, that more women than teenage men are gamers?
It is sound business advice to keep an eye out for that kind of representation–and invest in it.
Get inspired with 8 of the best female voice over performers that you need to know about right now!
Girl Voice Over #1: Hayden Panettiere as Sam (Until Dawn)
Best known for her role on the cult NBC sci-fi series Heroes, Hayden Panettiere has also carved out a career as a voice over actress. In 2015, she voiced the character of Sam in Until Dawn, a horror adventure video game on the PlayStation 4. Panettiere’s warm tone is a reassuring presence in this spine-tingling scare story, where the protagonists are trapped in a remote mountain retreat. Her young-sounding voice also helps the game’s publishers, Sony, connect with millennials. This is one of the most famous voice overs for video games.
Girl Voice Over #2: Christina Ricci as Lilly (Alpha and Omega)
Christina Ricci is no stranger to animation. In 1998, she had a voice over role in the CGI sci-fi flick Small Strangers, proving she’s just as good behind the microphone as she is in front of the camera. Ricci returned to cartoons in the 2010 romantic comedy-drama Alpha and Omega, which also stars Hayden Panettiere. The former Addam Family star plays Lilly, a white wolf with violet eyes who does impressions of turtles. Her mellow girl voice over resonated with a young audience — Alpha and Omega grossed more than $50 million at the box office. Who run the world? Girls!
Girl Voice Over #3: Grey DeLisle as Amanda Valenciano Libre (Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker)
Grey DeLisle is a woman with many different voices — and all of them sound fantastic. This voice over actress has featured in The Fairly OddParents, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, and she’s provided voice overs for commercials. Phew! DeLisle is probably best known, however, for her voice over in Amanda Valenciano Libre in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, an action-adventure game for the PlayStation Portable. DeLisle is a trailblazer in the male-dominated video game industry!
Girl Voice Over #4: Scarlett Johansson as Samantha (Her)
In 2013’s Her, Scarlett Johansson brings an emotional gravity to her portrayal of Samantha, a computer operating system with artificial intelligence. Johansson’s stunning performance — “Detached from her lethally curvaceous figure, the actress’ breathy contralto is no less seductive,” said Variety in a review of the motion picture — earned her critical acclaim. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role by the Alliance of Women Film Journalists — despite not appearing in a single frame of the movie. Now that’s how you do a girl voice over!
Girl Voice Over #5 |
their companion completes the My Plan experiences. Missionaries should ensure that they can always see their companion’s device or computer screen. As missionaries complete the My Plan learning experiences, they are given the opportunity to share an electronic version (PDF file) with their mission president, parents, local leaders, and others. Mission presidents may refer to the missionary’s goals and plans in their efforts to offer inspired counsel to departing missionaries (see Mission President’s Handbook, 66). Missionaries will continue to have access to their electronic My Plan file (PDF) for several months after their mission on the Missionary Portal (missionary.lds.org). They may also choose to email a copy of the plan to themselves for long-term reference.
Guidelines for Parents and Local Priesthood and Auxiliary LeadersDefending Libpng Applications Against Decompression Bombs Glenn Randers-Pehrson <glennrp at users.sourceforge.net>
March 9, 2010 Abstract Because of the efficient compression method used in Portable Network Graphics (PNG) files, a small PNG file can expand tremendously, acting as a "decompression bomb". Malformed PNG chunks can consume a large amount of CPU and wall-clock time and large amounts of memory, up to all memory available on a system, causing a Denial of Service (DoS). Libpng-1.4.1 has been revised to use less CPU time and memory, and provides functions that applications can use to further defend against such files. Background The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format employs an efficient compression method to store image data and some related data that is carried in "ancillary chunks". The PNG specification does not include any limit on the number of such chunks, and limits their size to 2.147 gigabytes (2,147,483,647 bytes). Likewise, the specification only limits the width and height of an image to 2.147 billion rows and 2.147 billion columns. Because the "deflate" compression method is extremely efficient in compressing datastreams that consist of nothing but a single byte repeated many times, it is possible to make a very small PNG file which occupies a large amount of memory when decompressed, forming a "decompression bomb" that uses up all of your memory. For example, a zTXt chunk with 50,000 lines, each containing 100 instances of the letter "Z", compresses to about 17 kbytes, but, when decoded, occupies 5 megabytes, which is about a 300:1 compression ratio. Libpng versions prior to 1.4.1, 1.2.43, and 1.0.53 utilized an inefficient means of acquiring memory while expanding the compressed ancillary chunks zTXt, iTXt, and iCCP. An image was found in the wild that contained an accidentally malformed iCCP chunk that was about 50 kilobytes long but expanded to 60 megabytes. Because of the inefficient means of decompression, this would hang a browser for about 20 minutes or more. Deliberately malformed chunks could be much larger and hang the browser for a very long time, while consuming all available memory. Eventually libpng would discover that the chunk was malformed or would run out of memory, abandon the chunk and return the allocated memory, so this is only a nasty DoS vulnerability that probably cannot be used to compromise a system. Defenses (1) Upgrade. Libpng 1.4.0 should be upgraded to version 1.4.1, libpng-1.2.42 to 1.2.43, and libpng-1.0.52 to 1.0.53. These all use a new two-pass algorithm for ancillary chunk decompression that is about 1000-fold faster than the previous version when decoding a 60 Megabyte iCCP chunk. (2) Impose limits. These new libpng versions do not impose any arbitrary limits, on the memory consumption and number of ancillary chunks, but they do allow applications to do so via the png_set_chunk_malloc_max() and png_set_chunk_cache_max() functions, respectively. Previous versions of libpng, since libpng-1.0.16 and 1.2.6, have had the png_set_user_limits() function to impose arbitrary limits on the image width and height, but it was disabled by default in libpng-1.0.x through 1.0.52. The default limits, if the application does not override them, are 1,000,000 by 1,000,000. Persons building the current versions of libpng can redefine these macros to change the default or eliminate the arbitrary limits in the library: #define PNG_USER_WIDTH_MAX 1000000L /* 0x7FFFFFFF means unlimited */ #define PNG_USER_HEIGHT_MAX 1000000L /* 0x7FFFFFFF means unlimited */ #define PNG_USER_CHUNK_MALLOC_MAX 0 /* 0 means unlimited */ #define PNG_USER_CHUNK_CACHE_MAX 0 /* 0 means unlimited */ It is not a good idea to do this in a general-purpose system library, but if you are building an application with its own embedded copy of libpng, this is a simple, acceptable method. Persons building applications with the current libpng versions can override these defaults with "png_set" calls, e.g., png_set_user_limits(png_ptr, 8192, 8192); png_set_user_chunk_malloc_max(png_ptr, 4000000L); png_set_user_chunk_cache_max(png_ptr, 100); (3) Don't decode unused chunks. Persons building any version of libpng can cause applications to ignore particular ancillary chunks by defining PNG_NO_* macros, e.g., #define PNG_NO_READ_iCCP #define PNG_NO_READ_TEXT /* disables tEXt, zTXt, and iTXt */ Persons building current versions of libpng can cause their application to ignore particular ancillary chunks with the png_set_keep_unknown_chunks() function, e.g., #if defined(PNG_HANDLE_AS_UNKNOWN_SUPPORTED) png_byte unused_chunks[]= { 98, 75, 71, 68, '\0', /* bKGD */ 99, 72, 82, 77, '\0', /* cHRM */ 104, 73, 83, 84, '\0', /* hIST */ 105, 67, 67, 80, '\0'; /* iCCP */ 105, 84, 88, 116, '\0', /* iTXt */ 111, 70, 70, 115, '\0', /* oFFs */ 112, 67, 65, 76, '\0', /* pCAL */ 115, 67, 65, 76, '\0', /* sCAL */ 112, 72, 89, 115, '\0', /* pHYs */ 115, 66, 73, 84, '\0', /* sBIT */ 115, 80, 76, 84, '\0', /* sPLT */ 116, 69, 88, 116, '\0', /* tEXt */ 116, 73, 77, 69, '\0', /* tIME */ 122, 84, 88, 116, '\0'}; /* zTXt */ }; #endif... #if defined(PNG_HANDLE_AS_UNKNOWN_SUPPORTED) /* Ignore unused chunks */ png_set_keep_unknown_chunks(read_ptr, 1, unused_chunks, (int)sizeof(unused_chunks)/5); #endif Even without any vulnerability to worry about, it is a good idea to do this to save the computational resources used in decoding chunks that the application will never use. (4) Impose a memory limit via a replacement memory allocator. This section may seem a little scary, but if you can accomplish (1), (2), and (3) above, then you don't have to read it. Persons whose applications might be used with older versions of libpng (later than version 1.0.2), and cannot use the methods described in (2) above to limit the memory consumption, can use a replacement memory allocation function with a built-in limit of their choice: #ifdef PNG_USER_MEM_SUPPORTED read_ptr = png_create_read_struct_2(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, malloc_fn, NULL); #else read_ptr = png_create_read_struct(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, NULL, NULL, NULL); #endif... #ifdef PNG_USER_MEM_SUPPORTED /* Replacement libpng memory allocator that has a 4MB limit */ # if PNG_LIBPNG_VER < 10400 png_voidp malloc_fn(png_structp png_ptr, png_size_t size) { # else png_voidp malloc_fn(png_structp png_ptr, png_alloc_size_t size) { # endif png_voidp ret; if (png_ptr == NULL || size == 0) return (png_voidp) (NULL); #ifdef PNG_MAX_MALLOC_64K if (size > (png_uint_32)65536L) { return NULL; #endif if (size > (png_uint_32)4000000L) { return NULL; } #if defined(__TURBOC__) &&!defined(__FLAT__) if (size!= (unsigned long)size) ret = NULL; else ret = farmalloc(size); #else # if defined(_MSC_VER) && defined(MAXSEG_64K) if (size!= (unsigned long)size) ret = NULL; else ret = halloc(size, 1); # else if (size!= (size_t)size) ret = NULL; else ret = malloc((size_t)size); # endif #endif return (ret); } #endif /* PNG_USER_MEM_SUPPORTED */ (5) Replace png_decompress_chunk() in libpng. If you feel you need to patch an old version of libpng instead of upgrading, replace the png_decompress_chunk() function in pngrutil.c with the new png_inflate() and png_decompress_chunk() functions: static png_size_t png_inflate(png_structp png_ptr, const png_byte *data, png_size_t size, png_bytep output, png_size_t output_size) { png_size_t count = 0; png_ptr->zstream.next_in = (png_bytep)data; /* const_cast: VALID */ png_ptr->zstream.avail_in = size; while (1) { int ret, avail; /* Reset the output buffer each time round - we empty it * after every inflate call. */ png_ptr->zstream.next_out = png_ptr->zbuf; png_ptr->zstream.avail_out = png_ptr->zbuf_size; ret = inflate(&png_ptr->zstream, Z_NO_FLUSH); avail = png_ptr->zbuf_size - png_ptr->zstream.avail_out; /* First copy/count any new output - but only if we didn't * get an error code. */ if ((ret == Z_OK || ret == Z_STREAM_END) && avail > 0) { if (output!= 0 && output_size > count) { int copy = output_size - count; if (avail < copy) copy = avail; png_memcpy(output + count, png_ptr->zbuf, copy); } count += avail; } if (ret == Z_OK) continue; /* Termination conditions - always reset the zstream, it * must be left in inflateInit state. */ png_ptr->zstream.avail_in = 0; inflateReset(&png_ptr->zstream); if (ret == Z_STREAM_END) return count; /* NOTE: may be zero. */ /* Now handle the error codes - the API always returns 0 * and the error message is dumped into the uncompressed * buffer if available. */ { char *msg, umsg[52]; if (png_ptr->zstream.msg!= 0) msg = png_ptr->zstream.msg; else { #if defined(PNG_STDIO_SUPPORTED) &&!defined(_WIN32_WCE) switch (ret) { case Z_BUF_ERROR: msg = "Buffer error in compressed datastream in %s chunk"; break; case Z_DATA_ERROR: msg = "Data error in compressed datastream in %s chunk"; break; default: msg = "Incomplete compressed datastream in %s chunk"; break; } png_snprintf(umsg, sizeof umsg, msg, png_ptr->chunk_name); msg = umsg; #else msg = "Damaged compressed datastream in chunk other than IDAT"; #endif } png_warning(png_ptr, msg); } /* 0 means an error - notice that this code simple ignores * zero length compressed chunks as a result. */ return 0; } } /* * Decompress trailing data in a chunk. The assumption is that chunkdata * points at an allocated area holding the contents of a chunk with a * trailing compressed part. What we get back is an allocated area * holding the original prefix part and an uncompressed version of the * trailing part (the malloc area passed in is freed). */ void /* PRIVATE */ png_decompress_chunk(png_structp png_ptr, int comp_type, png_size_t chunklength, png_size_t prefix_size, png_size_t *newlength) { /* The caller should guarantee this */ if (prefix_size > chunklength) { /* The recovery is to delete the chunk. */ png_warning(png_ptr, "invalid chunklength"); prefix_size = 0; /* To delete everything */ } else if (comp_type == PNG_COMPRESSION_TYPE_BASE) { png_size_t expanded_size = png_inflate(png_ptr, (png_bytep)(png_ptr->chunkdata + prefix_size), chunklength - prefix_size, 0/*output*/, 0/*output size*/); #ifdef PNG_USER_CHUNK_MALLOC_MAX /* Now check the limits on this chunk - if the limit fails the * compressed data will be removed, the prefix will remain. */ if ((PNG_USER_CHUNK_MALLOC_MAX > 0) && prefix_size + expanded_size >= PNG_USER_CHUNK_MALLOC_MAX - 1) png_warning(png_ptr, "Exceeded size limit while expanding chunk"); /* If the size is zero either there was an error and a message * has already been output (warning) or the size really is zero * and we have nothing to do - the code will exit through the * error case below. */ else #endif if (expanded_size > 0) { /* Success (maybe) - really uncompress the chunk. */ png_size_t new_size = 0; png_charp text = png_malloc_warn(png_ptr, prefix_size + expanded_size + 1); if (text!= NULL) { png_memcpy(text, png_ptr->chunkdata, prefix_size); new_size = png_inflate(png_ptr, (png_bytep)(png_ptr->chunkdata + prefix_size), chunklength - prefix_size, (png_bytep)(text + prefix_size), expanded_size); text[prefix_size + expanded_size] = 0; /* just in case */ if (new_size == expanded_size) { png_free(png_ptr, png_ptr->chunkdata); png_ptr->chunkdata = text; *newlength = prefix_size + expanded_size; return; /* The success return! */ } png_warning(png_ptr, "png_inflate logic error"); png_free(png_ptr, text); } else png_warning(png_ptr, "Not enough memory to decompress chunk."); } } else /* if (comp_type!= PNG_COMPRESSION_TYPE_BASE) */ { char umsg[50]; #if defined(PNG_STDIO_SUPPORTED) &&!defined(_WIN32_WCE) png_snprintf(umsg, sizeof umsg, "Unknown zTXt compression type %d", comp_type); png_warning(png_ptr, umsg); #else png_warning(png_ptr, "Unknown zTXt compression type"); #endif /* The recovery is to simply drop the data. */ } /* Generic error return - leave the prefix, delete the compressed * data, reallocate the chunkdata to remove the potentially large * amount of compressed data. */ { png_charp text = png_malloc_warn(png_ptr, prefix_size + 1); if (text!= NULL) { if (prefix_size > 0) png_memcpy(text, png_ptr->chunkdata, prefix_size); png_free(png_ptr, png_ptr->chunkdata); png_ptr->chunkdata = text; /* This is an extra zero in the 'uncompressed' part. */ *(png_ptr->chunkdata + prefix_size) = 0x00; } /* Ignore a malloc error here - it is safe. */ } *newlength = prefix_size; } Concluding Remarks As stated above, everyone is strongly encouraged to upgrade their copy of libpng to version 1.4.1 and to upgrade their applications to use it, together with calls to the new functions for setting limits. Heartfelt thanks to John Bowler for developing the two-pass decompression method that was crucial to fixing this problem. [Note for any DHS people who have stumbled upon this site, be aware that this is a cybersecurity issue, not a physical security issue. Feel free to contact me at <glennrp at users.sourceforge.net> to discuss it.]We humans like to congratulate ourselves on the many ways in which we’re ‘superior’ to other animals, but it seems like every week a new piece of research chips away at this idea. The most recent example that caught my eye was a paper in the journal Science showing that a species of wasp can recognise the faces of its fellow insects.
As some commenting scientists pointed out in last week’s Nature magazine, ‘the finding that a small-brained insect shares the ability to recognise faces with humans and other primates may come as a surprise’, especially if you think that this sort of intelligence requires a large brain. But should we really be shocked by this?
Anyone who’s interested in insects knows that they have some of the most complex social set-ups outside American high school movies. Termites, ants and wasps are all examples of insects that live in groups with amazingly complicated hierarchies.
This research shows how wasps can recognise the faces of others – useful in a species where the females fight each other for dominance of their shared nest. Facial recognition saves them having to repeat the same battles over and over again. As the researchers who carried out the study express it, ‘specialized cognition is surprisingly labile and may be adaptively shaped by species-specific selective pressures such as face recognition’.
Or to put it more simply, wasps are intelligent when it’s useful for them to be intelligent. I don’t think ‘surprising’ is the best word to use for this finding. It’s certainly interesting, because it suggests that abilities that were thought to be complex can be found in relatively ‘simple’ species.
But would it be so surprising if intelligence turns out to be just like any ability that evolves over time? If an organism acquires a useful skill, it will be more successful in its fight for survival, and more likely to pass on this skill to future generations. And the assumption that certain types of intelligence require a large brain seems to me to be lacking in evidence.
The whole concept of intelligence isn’t an easy one to define. There’s that urban myth about how immigrants to America who had never had the benefit of electricity were marked down in early intelligence tests because they couldn’t recognise a diagram of a light bulb. Intelligence is relative – if an animal can’t solve a problem it will never encounter, does that make it less intelligent? Or just well adapted to its environment?
And vice versa, if a wasp will benefit from recognising its neighbours, why should we be surprised that it can? This is my favourite kind of research because it challenges some quite deep assumptions about humans and animals – ones that I think are increasingly hard to justify.
It’s easy for humans to see the benefits of human intelligence, but much harder for us to understand another species’ point of view. If intelligence is a way to solve important problems, then every species that isn’t extinct has clearly found its own brand of cleverness that has successfully kept it alive.
As the scientists commenting on this research in Nature conclude, the advantages of bigger brains ‘might relate to higher memory storage capacity (equivalent to bigger hard drives rather than better processors)’. Bigger isn’t always better, and some might think that a wasp doing so much with a small brain is working its assets far more intelligently than a large bald ape with a superiority complex.
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Like this: Like Loading... RelatedPARIS – Boeing wants U.S. and international regulators to relax constraints on low-orbiting satellite broadband constellations using C- and V-band and has specifically asked for a license to launch and operate a network of 1,396-2,956 V-band satellites.
El Segundo, California-based Boeing, a major manufacturer of geostationary-orbiting telecommunications satellites for commercial and government customers, has placed itself squarely on the side of those arguing that low-orbiting constellations can be designed not to interfere with higher-orbit satellites and wireless terrestrial networks.
Boeing’s V-band network would operate at 1,200 kilometers in altitude, the same orbit that the 700-satellite OneWeb Ku- and Ka-band network will be using. In its June 22 petition to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Boeing says it will be able to coexist with OneWeb.
The company outlines its network’s features for orbital debris mitigation, both in terms of how the satellites would be designed to withstand debris impact and how they would be removed from orbit on retirement.
Boeing does not estimate how big or costly the satellites would be, but says they will have on-board backup for all vulnerable or critical satellite systems and bumper shields and debris blankets for debris protection.
The company says the satellites would have only one propellant tank and that 90 percent of the propellant would be reserved for lowering the satellites’ orbit to an altitude of less than 500 kilometers. From there, their orbit would naturally degrade and they would be pulled into the atmosphere well before the 25-year limit encouraged by international recommendations.
V-band, but C-band, too
C-band spectrum reserved for satellite systems has been under regular attack by terrestrial-wireless interests for years. At a June 13-14 meeting at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which regulates wireless spectrum and satellite orbital slots, satellite industry officials said those attacks are continuing despite last year’s World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-15) of global regulators, which reaffirmed satellites’ regulatory primacy in most of the C-band spectrum.
It was at this meeting that Audrey L. Allison, Boeing’s senior director for frequency management systems, asked for a broad review of C- and V-band spectrum rules at the WRC conference scheduled for 2019. The reviews were put on regulators’ agenda at WRC-15.
Allison’s principal argument is that current power limits on C- and V-band satellite networks were set more than a decade ago, when a proposed highly elliptical orbit constellation was in planning. The network was never built, but the regulations remained in force. Boeing’s proposed V-band network, like its C-band proposal, is for constellations in circular orbit, which the company says poses less of a threat to satellites broadcasting the same frequencies from geostationary orbit over the equator than would a highly elliptical orbit.
Allison said Boeing, as a builder of geostationary-orbit satellites, would not enter the broadband LEO constellation market, where multiple systems are in the proposal stage, if it had not assured itself that coexistence was feasible. Boeing’s V-band proposal would deliver broadband to individuals, businesses and government users. The company’s C-band idea is not on its own behalf, but rather a proposal to regulators. Boeing has not made regulatory filings for a C-band constellation of its own.
Operators of Ku-band telecommunications satellites in geostationary orbit have expressed reserve about OneWeb. Tony Azarelli, OneWeb’s regulatory and policy vice president, told the ITU conference that the company would follow all ITU procedures to protect Ku-band emissions from geostationary satellites.
The issue is particularly critical over the equator, where OneWeb has committed to switching off some of its satellites’ beams to reduce signal strength, called equivalent power flux density limits, to avoid interfering with geostationary satellite signals.
Allison did not address what measures Boeing’s C-band network would take to avoid the same issue.
V-band remains a largely unexplored as a commercial broadcast frequency. Terrestrial 5G cellular networks propose using it, and Boeing’s FCC filing says it can coexist with them as well as with any future V-band satellite systems.
As is true of most satellite broadband systems being designed, Boeing’s C- and V-band networks would feature intense reuse of the broadcast frequencies. For the V-band network, the company says each satellite’s beams would be subdivided into thousands of cells, each 8-11 kilometers in diameter and each carrying up to five 1-gigahertz channels.
Boeing is asking regulators – the FCC has notified the ITU of the V-band network filing – not to divide the 5 GHz of V-band spectrum, but rather to allow any future licensees to share it.
The company is asking the FCC to modify eight of its rules to permit the system’s development. For example, the FCC’s equivalent power flux density limits are stricter than the ITU’s; Boeing asks that the U.S. regulator raise its limits.
Interim deployment of 1,396 satellites
Boeing is also asking the FCC to accept a two-part deployment plan without affixing licensing and bond-deposit requirements on each. The first deployment would be of 1,396 satellites – 35 planes orbiting at 45 degrees’ inclination relative to the equator, and six planes at 55 degrees.
Once the business plan justifies it, the remaining 1,560 satellites would be launched, adding 12 more planes at 55 degrees inclination at the same 1,200-kilometer orbit, and 21 planes inclined at 88 degrees and orbiting at 1,000 kilometers in altitude.
In her ITU presentation, Allison made clear that systems like this cannot be built without regulatory modifications.
“Radio regulations now are based on previous-generation NGSO [non-geostationary-orbit] technologies and effectively preclude operating NGSO systems from fulfilling the vision of a true NGSO global broadband system,” Allison said.
Update:
Boeing on June 23 issued the following statement on this story:
Boeing is developing concepts for a global broadband system that would provide a wide range of advanced telecommunications services for commercial and governmental users. With that in mind, Boeing has applied to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a license to utilize spectrum it would need to support such a service.
As stated in the FCC application, the proposed system would operate in the same V-band spectrum as fifth-generation (5G) systems. Boeing believes technological advances make possible the effective sharing of spectrum for the delivery of global communications services, including satellite-delivered broadband and terrestrial 5G applications. Although a great deal of spectrum is already available for current generation mobile wireless, Boeing recognizes the need for spectrum is constantly growing as 5G services approach the market. At the same time, Boeing believes the FCC must ensure that any 5G designations provide protection for existing satellite services and future growth of the satellite industry.
With the requested license, the company could contribute to the public interest by injecting new competition and expanded capabilities into the broadband satellite services industry. Boeing supports the FCC’s desire to extend America’s leadership in advanced communications services and to foster the widespread availability of broadband services, including to unserved and underserved regions and populations.
As it enters its second century of innovation in the global aerospace and satellite telecommunications industries, Boeing believes the proposed system would offer the additional public benefit of extending U.S. technological leadership in the next generation of satellite products and manufacturing. Designing concepts for a broadband system is a natural evolution and extension of our more than 50 years of experience designing and manufacturing complex satellite systems, coupled with our ability to integrate advanced technologies in networked communications.
While the FCC considers its license request, Boeing will continue to develop technical and business plans for the proposed system. For proprietary reasons, Boeing will refrain for now from providing additional details beyond what is contained in the license application.Washington DC – -(Ammoland.com)- After all the Democrats' emphasis the dangers of so-called “assault weapons,” the details of Senator Dianne Feinstein's pending assault weapons ban show that her real goal is to ban handguns.
That's right, after all the criticism of the AR-15 and the holier-than-thou speeches about how no one needs a military-style rifle with a 30-round magazine the details of the ban betray a gun grab that includes semi-automatic pistols that use “a detachable magazine” and have “one military characteristic.”
This can only mean that the most popular handguns in the world for both civilian and military use are being targeted. These would include Glocks, Sig Sauers, Smith & Wesson M&Ps, H&K, and Colt, yet would by no means be limited to these handguns alone.
Ironically, I was just talking to a friend this morning about how the “assault weapons” ban is just way for the Democrats to get their foot in the door and ban handguns. And now, before the legislation is even introduced, they've gone ahead and shown their hand.
But an even bigger problem lurks — right now the focus is only on “assault weapons” and semi-auto handguns, however, as soon as a public crime is committed with a double-action revolver, Feinstein and Co. will try to add those to the list as well.
The bottom line: If we are foolish enough to embrace a ban on any weapon in the coming Congress then we are unwittingly embracing a ban on every weapon.
The Democrats cannot be trusted with our freedoms, and they will politicize every tragedy to accomplish their ends.
Proof of this lies in the fact that Feinstein was just waiting for a open door to push a gun ban anyway. In other words, this isn't because of Sandy Hook. Reports from early Nov. 2012 were already indicating the she planned to push a assault weapons ban if Obama were re-elected.
Now more than ever, Republican Senators and Reps. must stand up for the individual right to keep and bear arms. Liberty itself is at stake.
About:
AWR Hawkins writes for all the BIG sites, for Pajamas Media, for RedCounty.com, for Townhall.com and now AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.
His southern drawl is frequently heard discussing his take on current events on radio shows like America's Morning News, the G. Gordon Liddy Show, the Ken Pittman Show, and the NRA's Cam & Company, among others. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal (summer 2010), and he holds a PhD in military history from Texas Tech University.
If you have questions or comments, email him at [email protected] You can find him on facebook at www.facebook.com/awr.hawkins.How To Effortlessly Get Featured On Instagram Top Posts
Instagram top posts have existed for quite some time now, but still, it’s a feature that holds a lot of mystery, because there are few people who know what it is, how it works, its benefits, and how to get featured there.
What are top posts on Instagram?
Every hashtag and location has its own section of top posts. This is a section of 9 posts at the top of the respective hashtag or location that has received the most engagement.
When you scroll through a location or hashtag, you will see two sections. At the very top, you will see three by three images at the with the text “Top Posts”. If you’re using hashtags or locations on Instagram to boost your exposure, Top Posts are like regular hashtags and locations on steroids because it brings multiple folds the results.
When you use a hashtag, for example, your post will be placed at the top of the “regular feed” – the “Most recent” feed, as seen above, located right below Top Posts. First, the post isn’t presented at the very top, which makes it a bit trickier to find, but more importantly, your post will quickly get bumped down as other people are sharing posts with that hashtag. This is especially true if you’re using the most crowded hashtags on Instagram. If you do, your post will be visible for no longer than a few seconds. And how much exposure will you get during those few seconds?
Not a lot.
Getting your posts displayed on the top post section on a hashtag or location will lead to a ton of exposure and a bunch of new followers. Working to get featured on Top Posts should be a part of your Instagram strategy because if featured there, it will boost your page quite significantly. And the more crowded location or hashtag you get featured on, the better the results you’ll get.
Because of the visibility and exposure you get, it will help you grow your audience, help you engage with them, grow your followers, increase your likes, and possibly even convert them to customers.
Therefore, you should take the approaches that help you increase the chances of getting featured on the Top Posts section.
How they work
The posts featured on Top Posts are not selected by man, nor picked from a default group of accounts. Instagram uses an algorithm that ranks and decides which accounts with which posts using a particular hashtag/location should be featured on top Posts. Obviously, the majority of hashtags and locations have more than 9 posts, so an algorithm is needed to filter out all the noise and only present the best.
Take the hashtag “happy”, for example. It has over 400 million posts!
It’s important that you differentiate the Search and Explore page from Top Posts because the Explore page uses an algorithm that presents content that it thinks you will find appealing, based on the people you follow, your previous interactions, and several other factors.
While Instagram hasn’t told us how the algorithm works in detail, what tends to have the impact on whether you get featured on Top Posts or not is engagement and growth of a post. In other words, what the algorithm does is look at how much likes and comments you receive, and how much that number has grown recently. Many people claim that getting featured on Top Posts is about getting engagement fast, and I completely agree with that.
I’ve been featured on Top Posts too many times to count, and these haven’t just been hashtags with a few posts in them. The hashtags and locations have actually been quite crowded and competitive, and quick engagement really seems to have a huge impact on whether you will get featured or not.
This means that an account with a lot of engagement has a significantly larger chance of getting to Top Posts than a small account.
Now, does this mean that it’s impossible for you to end up on Top Posts if you have a small account? No, it just means that you need to take different approaches.
Now that you know all of this, it’s time to put it into practice and start working towards being featured on Top Posts.
Getting featured on top posts
Getting featured on top posts is not just a game of luck. In fact, you can actually increase your chances of getting featured there with a few tricks.
For smaller pages, getting your post featured at the top of a crowded hashtag or location is virtually impossible. A crowded hashtag is a hashtag that has a ton of posts shared, and new posts being shared every second with it. Crowded hashtags normally have over a million posts, and unless you have a large account, these are not hashtags you should target because really, you’ll waste your efforts.
Yes, you will get considerably more exposure and followers by getting featured at a crowded hashtag simply because there are more people using and visiting it, however, it’s better to aim for the less crowded hashtags and have a chance at getting on top posts instead of trying hopelessly to get featured on a popular hashtag. Because unless you have a large and engaged audience, it’s most likely not going to happen.
Here are some things worth knowing:
The trending posts are not always from the biggest accounts. Posts from accounts with fewer followers can rank higher than an account with more followers. Instagram puts more emphasis on the engagement the post receives rather than just the number of followers you have. Really, you can just buy a bunch of followers and receive one like per post but still be featured on Top Posts, but how great would it be if it worked like that?
While you don’t have to have the biggest account to win the top spot, for hashtags with a higher number of results you are more likely to win a trending spot if your account is larger. I have had my account featured on the top posts of a highly crowded hashtag even though that particular account was small compared to the others it was competing with, but it doesn’t happen all that often. If you have few followers compared to your competitors, you’ll be better off targeting less competitive hashtags. The reason being is that large accounts generally receive more exposure than small accounts, and it is difficult for a small account to reach the levels of engagement that the competitors have.
The larger the hashtag, the more quickly the trending posts are refreshed. For highly competitive hashtags, your post is probably not going to stay there for more than 24-hours. However, for smaller tags, you may be able to stay there for a few days. Again, this depends on the competition and how many people are trying to outrank you.
Note that you won’t see low-quality content featured on Top Posts. To get featured there, you cannot start in the wrong end by trying to increase your engagement if your content is low-quality. Begin by finetuning and improving your content and you’ll already be well on your way. This also goes for the caption. Create an attention-grabbing and appealing caption to attract more people to your post.
Since engagement plays such a vital role, do everything you can to engage your audience. Ask questions, start a debate, ask people to tag their friends, or even ask them to like your post. If you want to use different approaches, you can even create a contest where people have to tag X number of friends in your post, because that way, you’ll boost your engagement through the roof.The tide of popular sentiment is turning against tracking-based advertising — and Apple knows it. That’s why they’re enabling “content blocking” in iOS 9 (the new mobile operating system that will soon go in your iPhone and iPad).
Says Apple, “Content Blocking* gives your extensions a fast and efficient way to block cookies, images, resources, pop-ups, and other content.”
This is aimed straight at tracking-based advertising, known in the trade as adtech.* And Apple isn’t alone:
[*Note: far I know, there was not a term for tracking-based advertising until adtech seemed to emerge as the front-runner. I chose it for this post because others (e.g. the first two examples above) have done the same. Tell me a better word and I’ll swap it in. And if you want to know why we need to distinguish between advertising based on tracking people and advertising that is not, read my last post, Separating Advertising’s Wheat and Chaff.]
Here’s Apple’s tech-speak on the feature:
Your app extension is responsible for supplying a JSON file to Safari. The JSON consists of an array of rules (triggers and actions) for blocking specific content. Safari converts the JSON to bytecode, which it applies efficiently to all resource loads |
echoed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said on Monday that he could “hardly understand how he [Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu] dared to go” to the Sunday rally. He added, “You should first give an account for the children and the women you have killed,” Reuters reported.
“The West's hypocrisy is obvious. As Muslims, we've never taken part in terrorist massacres. Behind these lie racism, hate speech and Islamophobia,” Erdogan said.
The critics triggered a war of words, as Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called President Erdogan an “anti-Semitic bully” on Wednesday.
“If Israel is looking for a bully, it needs to look in the mirror,” was Davutoglu’s reply.
On Thursday, the Turkish president’s spokesman issued a statement, saying “The Israeli government must halt its aggressive and racist policies instead of attacking others and sheltering behind anti-Semitism.”
READ MORE: Israel calls Erdogan ‘anti-Semitic bully’ hindering war on terror
Relations between Israel and Turkey were shattered by the assault (http://rt.com/news/international-community-condemns-israel/) on an aid convoy in 2010, when Israelis opened fire on passengers and crew of one of the ships in the flotilla with humanitarian aid to Gaza on board. Nine Turkish activists were killed.
During a 50-day assault by the Israeli Defense Forces on Hamas-ruled Gaza last summer over 2,100 Palestinians were killed, most of them civilians. The Israeli death toll was 73, mostly soldiers.A study of common strategies playing Rock, Paper, Scissors has provided advice on the best way to win, at least as long as your opponent has not read the same study.
Rock, Paper, Scissors might once have been a game for children, but these days there are leagues for serious money and even a “ world championship ”. Meanwhile male lizards have been discovered to be playing the same game. If everyone was random in the way they played the game it would simply be a matter of chance who won. While people will throw away fortunes on games of chance, one with only three options would probably not hold attention. However, humans are not random number generating machines. There are patterns in how we play, and someone who can pick such patterns can gain an advantage.
There are already advice pages on the web for beating common strategies, but it is unclear how reliable their recommendations are, other than those that are simply logic. Now peer reviewed science has something to offer.
A study of 300 volunteers, paid extra if they win to ensure effort, found patterns which have been reported in the unlikely sounding choice of Physics and Society. Players were filmed over repeated rounds, swapping opponents as they went. Players were slightly more likely to repeat a winning throw, and if they lost too many times with a particular choice they would give up on it. So the best thing to do after losing was to use choose the option that would have beaten the winner, while after winning it was advisable to go with a choice that would beat one of the options the loser had not used.
Psychologically this is hardly surprising, at least for new players. We are geared to continue strategies that succeed and change those that haven't worked, even if we rationally know that circumstances might be different this time. Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman pointed out that the same tendencies drive stock market bubbles and may have roots in what worked for our paleolithic ancestors
Nevertheless, some people might anticipate such strategies and adjust their game accordingly. Others might observe, consciously or not, the way others play and adapt. Zhijian Wang, Bing Xu and Hai-Jun Zhou of Zheijang University, China, found that if either of these were happening among the group they studied it was rare enough to be outweighed by those going with their reflexes.
However, while the authors suggest their work provides an advantageous strategy for players the group they studied were selected from students at the university and some behaviors may be culturally specific. Moreover, experienced players may act differently from those volunteering for a few yuan, so take care before trying these moves out against a shark.Think of the last time you were at your local saloon and got into a fiery debate about love, politics, sports, or some other abstract concept. Now, ask yourself an important question: Would I have said that if I was sober? Around 430 BCE, the Greek historian Herodotus, after traveling throughout the ancient Persian Empire, wrote his widely-known narrative History about his journey, which included intricate details about the customs of the Persians he observed. In Book I, Chapter 133, Herodotus describes something the Persians did that I believe should become a mainstay of our society:
It is also their general practice to deliberate upon affairs of weight when they are drunk; and then on the morrow, when they are sober, the decision to which they came the night before is put before them by the master of the house in which it was made; and if it is then approved of, they act on it; if not, they set it aside. Sometimes, however, they are sober at their first deliberation, but in this case they always reconsider the matter under the influence of wine.
Let’s be honest here, everyone reading this who has put back a few too many has had some grandiose ideas at the bar only to wake up the next morning and ask themselves: “What the hell was I thinking?” Sometimes you might even wake up next to someone and have that same thought, but that’s a different topic altogether. Anyone who can relate to that last sentence knows that alcohol drowns out your inhibitions post-haste. Drinking alcohol depresses the function of your cerebral cortex (where your thought processing is achieved) and leads you to think differently than you would sober. It doesn’t have to be all regrets and walks of shame however, as this same inhibition-lowering power is the reason ancient Persians believed in the two-part debate system.
My late grandfather believed that truth comes out when you’re drunk. It was this reasoning that caused him to offer as many shots of vodka as possible to potential suitors for his three daughters upon meeting them at dinner (tricks my father and uncle didn’t fall for — they’re still happily married after passing that test). My anecdotal evidence throughout life leads me to believe that my grandfather was absolutely correct in his observation. Of course, there is a bit of calculus to be done on how much you drink versus how much of what you’re doing is actually the truth waiting to escape. There are always times in everyone’s life when you drink that jungle juice in a dorm party and the night goes black. It’s moments like those that will lead you not to eye-opening conversations about ideas, but to rethink your life choices.
I imagine the Persians of yesteryear kept their drinking to a reasonable level while having the “buzzed” portion of their discussion. This would make sense, given the hard evidence that a few drinks really do take the edge off the anxiousness and awkwardness, while too many might leave you alone and jobless. For you drinkers out there, I recommend the next time you’re feeling like Atlas and can’t seem to shrug off the weight on your shoulders, knock back a few and let your mind open to new information and possibilities. Just don’t overindulge, lest you find yourself wandering the streets in last night’s clothes.
Andre Gziryan is a Soviet-born American who prefers G.I. Joe to Uncle Joe. He is a former barman who currently works as an international trade analyst at the Department of Commerce. What he lacks in military knowledge he makes up for with a love of all things creative and spirituous.
Photo credit: MsSaraKellyNumber of Democrats thinking of not voting in 2010 up to 45%
How to (not) win elections and motive the base:
the highest percentage of Democrats to date (45%) indicated this week that they are either unlikely to vote, or certain not to vote.
Once more, doing things badly (health care “reform”, an inadequate stimulus, refusing to properly take on the banks) or doing things the base opposed (escalating in Afghanistan) has a price.
In 1994 Clinton lost Congress. He lost it in large part because of NAFTA, failing at health care reform and the the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell fiasco. Democratic base voters stayed home and Republicans were motivated. Doing “moderate” things didn’t make Republicans not vote against Democrats, but it did make Democrats not vote Democrats.
Clinton may have gone on to win re-election in 1996, but after losing Congress, he did very few truly progressive things and did or signed off on many non-progressive things, like Welfare “reform” and gutting Glass-Steagall (a major reason for the financial crisis.)
Obama stands to repeat. His major achievement, health care reform, is too compromised to really motivate the base. He has two things going for him:
a large money advantage, since they are now the favored party of corporate America, and raking in money as a result;
the Republicans being in severe disarray.
The next year will have some bones thrown to the base, in an attempt to convince them to get out and vote. But since Obama can’t, and won’t, do anything major for the base, I wonder what they’ll be. Healthcare is off the table, the immigration bill will not be good, carbon trading will be badly done and so on.
Convincing base voters they haven’t been betrayed, that there is hope and the change doesn’t mean “Bush’s 3rd term” is going to be an uphill struggle.Looking for news you can trust?
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As Americans gear up to celebrate Independence Day, several dozen inmates languishing in solitary confinement at California’s Pelican Bay State Prison are standing up for their rights the only way they can think of—by refusing to eat. The prisoners, who are being held in long-term or sometimes permanent isolation, launched a hunger strike Friday and have sworn to continue it until prison authorities improve conditions in Pelican Bay’s special housing unit (SHU).
Built in 1989, Pelican Bay is the nation’s first supermax prison built for that purpose, and remains one of its most notorious. About a third of its roughly 3,100 inmates live in the X-shaped cluster of buildings known as the SHU. NPR’s Laura Sullivan, one of few reporters granted entry to Pelican Bay, described the unit in a 2006 report:
Everything is gray concrete: the bed, the walls, the unmovable stool. Everything except the combination stainless-steel sink and toilet. You can’t move more than eight feet in one direction…The cell is one of eight in a long hallway. From inside, you can’t see anyone or any of the other cells. This is where the inmate eats, sleeps and exists for 22 1/2 hours a day. He spends the other 1 1/2 hours alone in a small concrete yard…Twice a day, officers push plastic food trays through the small portals in the metal doors… Those doors are solid metal, with little nickel-sized holes punched throughout. One inmate known as Wino is standing just behind the door of his cell. It’s difficult to make eye contact, because you can only see one eye at a time. “The only contact that you have with individuals is what they call a pinky shake,” he says, sticking his pinky through one of the little holes in the door. That’s the only personal contact Wino has had in six years.
When conditions at Pelican Bay were challenged in a 1995 lawsuit, the judge in the case found that life in the SHU “may press the outer borders of what most humans can psychologically tolerate,” while placing mentally ill or psychologically vulnerable people in such conditions “is the equivalent of putting an asthmatic in a place with little air to breathe.” Yet since that time, the number of inmates in the SHU has grown, and their sentences have lengthened from months to years to decades. Hugo Pinell, a former associate of George Jackson who is considered by some a political prisoner, has been in Pelican Bay’s SHU for more than 20 years.
Many residents of the SHU have been sent there on questionable grounds and have little hope of ever leaving. More than half of the men in solitary confinement in California are there because they have been “validated” as gang members and given indeterminate sentences. According to Corey Weinstein, a physician and prisoners’ rights advocate, the “single way offered to earn their way out of SHU is to tell departmental gang investigators everything they know about gang membership and activities, including describing crimes they have committed. The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) calls it debriefing. The prisoners call it ‘snitch, parole, or die.’ ” Those, in other words, are the only ways out.
In April, prisoners in several corridors of the SHU announced their intention, on July 1, to “begin an indefinite hunger strike in order to draw attention to, and to peacefully protest, 25 years of torture via CDCR’s arbitrary, illegal, and progressively more punitive policies and practices.” The group of prisoners—which reform advocates say cuts across racial lines—issued five “core demands,” none of them particularly radical.
The strikers are asking that “individual accountability” replace “group punishments,” and they want an end to the debriefing program. They also called on the department to implement the recommendations of the US Commission on Safety and Abuse in Prisons, a bipartisan commission that issued a 2006 report on conditions in US prisons and jails. Among other things, it recommended that prisons make “segregation” from the general prison population “a last resort,” “end conditions of isolation” within the segregation units, and avoid long-term solitary confinement. The strikers also want the CDCR to provide “adequate food” and “constructive programming and privileges for indefinite SHU status inmates”—including one phone call per week, longer visiting hours, access to exercise equipment, art supplies, wall calendars, and more TV channels.
The state, however, seems already to have dug in its heels. “It’s appropriate for the CDCR to review the demands, but they’re not going to concede under these types of tactics,” spokeswoman Terry Thornton told California Watch. The prison will monitor their health, but “if an inmate decides he’s not going to eat, we can’t force him to eat.”Search Gallery fallout props Fallout scrap metal WIP emptysamurai 5 Nuka Cola clock final form emptysamurai 14 Advertisement Advertisement new nuka cola clock painting technique emptysamurai 17 who wants to buy some jet? emptysamurai 17 1000 Nuka Cola Caps emptysamurai 73 Tunnel snake jacket for client emptysamurai 28 interior WIP emptysamurai 6 Nuka cola jumpsuit back emptysamurai 20 Abraxo Scouring Powder emptysamurai 88 Fallout Bubblegum emptysamurai 87 now THOSE are some fallout props! emptysamurai 69 Finished stimpak emptysamurai 45 Buy a grognak comic or get out! emptysamurai 29 Stimpack WIP emptysamurai 26 Deviled Eggs emptysamurai 28 Grognak emptysamurai 46 sugar bombs 2.0 emptysamurai 167 Insta-mash emptysamurai 76 dandy boy apples box emptysamurai 75 Fallout junk food 2.0 emptysamurai 64 fallout pork and beans emptysamurai 81 sheet of nuka cola labels emptysamurai 178 Nuka Cola Caps emptysamurai 225 Sunset sarsaparilla pre-sized emptysamurai 74atheist bus (& billboard) campaign
The atheist bus campaign began in England with London comedy writer Ariane Sherine and signs that read "THERE'S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE." Funds were collected by the British Humanist Association and Richard Dawkins pledged to match donations up to £5,500. On 21 October 2008, the first ads were put on some 600 buses and in many tube stations.* One bus driver refused to drive his bus because of the ads.
The Brits plan to run 1,000 advertisements on London Underground and on a pair of giant LCD screens opposite Bond Street tube station. The new ads will feature quotes from public figures, such as Albert Einstein, Douglas Adams, and Katharine Hepburn. The ads inspired atheist groups around the world to follow suit. The campaign now includes placing messages on billboards that range from giving comfort to non-believers to advocating separation of church and state.
Sherine was inspired by bus ads she saw that read: "When the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" followed by a web address. She checked the website and learned that those who don't accept Jesus will "spend all eternity in torment in hell." She didn't think it was a joke and felt a need to respond. The idea for an atheist bus campaign is now global and includes nations in Europe, Australia, North America, and South America. Click here to view an exchange between Sherine & a theist.
The atheist bus campaign has met with resistance in several places.
In Australia the Atheist Foundation of Australia formally complained of religious discrimination to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission after being refused permission to put atheist advertising on buses. The offensive signs were to read: "Atheism — celebrate reason". APN Outdoor refused to run the ads, giving no reason for their refusal. The Atheist Foundation and Metro Tasmania reached a deal after conciliation was ordered by the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner. The signs will begin appearing on Tasmanian buses in 2010.* In March 2010, buses started carrying atheist signs in Melbourne.
In Washington, D.C., the ads were sponsored by the American Humanist Association. They were met with ads from the local Center for Family Development. The atheists' ads proclaimed: "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake." The believers' ad read: "Why Believe? Because I created you and I love you, for goodness' sake. —God." [ : 22 Oct 2010: The new Washington DC Area Coalition of Reason (Washington CoR) was given $7,875 in funding from the United Coalition of Reason (United CoR) to put up ads in the area.]
In Northern Ireland, atheist ads for buses were banned, but the ads may appear on bus shelters, on digital screens, and billboards.
In Barcelona, Spain, buses rolled out with the message "PROBLAMENTE DIOS NO EXISTE. DEJA DE PREOCUPARTE Y GOZA DE LA VIDA." (PROBABLY, GOD DOES NOT EXIST. GIVE UP WHAT WORRIES YOU AND ENJOY LIFE.) Madrid, Valencia, and other cities are being targeted to run similar campaigns. The Spanish newspaper La Gaceta, which covered the first day of the ad campaign launched by the Union of Atheists and Freethinkers” of Spain, said that despite "so much publicity and so much ink spilled in the media," most Spaniards reacted with indifference to the ads.*
The Freethought Association of Canada reported that it had collected $21,500 to buy atheist ads on buses in Toronto. A campaign in Calgary met little resistance, but several other Canadian cities have been thwarting the atheists' efforts. Atheist ads have been rejected in Halifax, Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, B.C., London, Ont., and Ottawa. (Atheist bus ads coming to Kelowna the week of April 11.) Folks in Halifax are quite upset at the censorship. The Ottawa city council reversed its decision to ban the ads when it was told that the ban probably wouldn't hold up in court. The attempt to load buses with ads in Kingston, Ontario, fizzled because of contract language between the ad and the bus companies. But the small town of Saskatoon got into the action big time.
Ads reading "The bad news is that God doesn't exist. The good news is that you don't need him" were due to appear on buses in Genoa, Italy, but religious conservatives blocked them. However, ads were okayed that read: "The Good News Is There Are Millions of Atheists In Italy; The Excellent News Is They Believe In Freedom Of Expression."
In Brazil, ATEA, Associação Brasileira de Ateus e Agnósticos (Brazilian Atheists and Agnostics Association), prepared to launch a bus ad campaign. Daniel Sottomaior, who is leading the campaign in Brazil, informs me that he was interviewed by two leading Brazilian newspapers. Perhaps the newspaper pieces will inspire contributors. In any case, the ads should begin running in the near future. The ad campaign has already been attacked by a politician. Cláudio Lembi, a former vice-governor of São Paulo State, has attacked the ads as part of the atheist campaign for communism, hedonism, nihilism, and anything bad. Imagine what he'll say after he's actually seen an ad.
billboards, trolleys, and buses
Argument by billboard could lead to some humorous moments, as in a sign outside a church proclaiming that atheists do not exist.
Ninety complaints trump freedom of expression in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The city is being sued by the Freedom From Religion Foundation for removing a billboard ad that read: "Imagine No Religion."*
In New Orleans, the New Orleans Secular Humanist Association bought space on the sides of streetcars. So far there have been no lawsuits that I know of.
A man PZ Myers classifies as one of the "brain-damaged peckerwoods" has put up a billboard of his own. Ray Comfort, the Ben Stein of televangelism, has shelled out $6,000 for one month's rent of a billboard in Southern California on Interstate 105. Purely by coincidence, Comfort also announced that he has a book coming out with the catchy title of You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence but You Can't Make Him Think.
In Genoa, Italy, the first atheist bus hit the streets on February 16th, 2009, with its message "The Good News Is There Are Millions of Atheists In Italy; The Excellent News Is They Believe In Freedom Of Expression." The bus was back in the garage within minutes, however. Much to the delight of conservative religionists, the bus battery died shortly after leaving the station. Coincidence or divine intervention? Either way, it's good for a laugh.
In Madison, Wisconsin, the bus ad campaign has become a paper war between the Freedom From Religion Foundation and nearby Pilgrims Covenant Church. The atheists are putting ads inside buses, while the Pilgrims are buying space on the outside. One atheist ad reads: "As my ancestors are free from slavery, I am free from the slavery of religion." (This is a quote from the late actress Butterfly McQueen, who appeared in the movie "Gone With the Wind.") The Pilgrims countered with: "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God" (Psalm 14, verse 1).
Meanwhile, a campaign was initiated in Montreal.Ten controversial bus advertisements promoting atheism went up around downtown Montreal as part of the Quebec Humanist Association's campaign against established religion.
In Germany, organizers raised funds for a campaign in Berlin, Munich, and Cologne. Phillip Möller, one of the campaign organizers, said the German group had collected €3,500 in the first four days of fundraising. They needed €16,000 more to fund the project. The campaign had problems finding a bus company that would run their ads (17 companies rejected the ads). Campaign organizers "decided to drive the bus themselves on a tour which will cover 20 major German cities."*
In Boise, Idaho, a local billboard spurred some heated debate over its message: "Beware of dogma." The billboard was funded mainly by the Freedom from Religion Foundation. "We were inspired by other groups around the country and around the world who have been putting up similar humanistic messages," said president of the Humanists of Idaho Paul Rolig.
In Finland, the Finnish Humanist Union and the Union of Freethinkers of Finland prepared a campaign for Helsinki and Tampere.
with the Council of Ethics in Advertising over the atheist bus campaign, which had plastered buses in some cities in Finland with atheist slogans. According to the petition, the ad campaign for atheism is slanderous and breaches UN human rights treaties. The chair of the Union of Freethinkers, Jussi Niemelä, denies the allegations.
In north Texas, two billboards, one on Interstate 35E near Loop 12 in northwest Dallas, the other on I-35W near Braswell in northern Fort Worth, read: "Don't believe in God? You are not alone." update: 19 Dec 2010: Atheist and Religious Bus Ads Banned in City Atheist groups will no longer be able to advertise on buses in Fort Worth after the local transit authority bowed to public pressure and banned all religious advertising.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the American Atheists (AA) affiliate, Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists (FLASH) put up a billboard, as seen below, that local residents, mostly African-Americans, want removed. FLASH is collecting money and hopes to carry the billboard message to other parts of south Florida. According to a news report (New Observer):
The billboard may be working: About 30 people attended a recent Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists' get-together at a Davie, Fla., restaurant, up from the usual dozen. Over beers and burgers, nonbelievers, agnostics, skeptics and lapsed Jews, Christians and Muslims talked about everything from science and philosophy to politics and current events.
In Moscow, Idaho, the American Humanist Association put up a billboard on highway 95.
In New York City, the NYC Atheists bus campaign went into full swing.
In Seattle, the campaign continues.
The Netherlands also joined the fray.
South Bend, Indiana, joined the fun. An atheist bus ad was scheduled to go up in Bloomington, Indiana, but the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation rejected the ad on the grounds that it was "controversial." The ACLU and the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign sued in federal court and won. The ads will now go up in Bloomington.
The Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers (IAF) launched an advertising campaign on the sides of 20 transit buses in Des Moines Iowa. Iowa governor Chet Culver claimed he was "disturbed" by the bus ads. The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) took down the ads, claiming that they were never approved in the first place and that they were accidentally put on buses. The Iowa Atheist and Freethinkers said the ads were approved. The state's American Civil Liberties Union chapter launched an investigation into the legality of DART's actions.* DART officials met with Iowa Atheist and Free Thinkers and concluded they were operating under an outdated advertising policy. DART officials apologized to the group and said they would reproduce their expense.* When the ads finally went up, one of the bus drivers refused to take over a bus during a shift change because of the ad. "DART was able to get another driver on the scene quickly enough so that passengers only had to wait about 5 minutes before their commute resumed. The driver is facing disciplinary actions. Angela Shiel refused to drive the bus because the ad goes against her Christian faith. She has been suspended from her job and faces termination.* Also, "...a handful of fairgoers... refused to board a state fair shuttle bus because of the ads."*
San Francisco is now on board. The Freedom from Religion Foundation is putting up signs in 75 of San Francisco’s MUNI buses (October 2009) including one with a quote from Richard Dawkins: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.”
New York, Chicago, and Boston are good to go.
Baltimore has joined the congregation.
And so has Houston.
Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor, awarded a large chunk of change by the Templeton Foundation for promoting "spiritual" stuff, called the atheist bus campaign "pathetic." Taylor had nothing to say about all the religious messages that have adorned buses around the world for decades.
Paul Woolley, director of Theos, disagrees with Taylor: "We think that the campaign is a great way to get people thinking about God. The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives."
It's pretty obvious that deciding to put an ad on a bus is an important question, but I didn't realize it was the most important question we will ever face.
Sacramento, California, has joined in the campaign.
The Imagine No Religion billboard was placed at 8280 Folsom Blvd. in Sacramento. And today (8 Feb 2010), I saw an atheist billboard on I-80 west of the causeway on my way to Davis from Sacramento:
Apparently, there are ten such billboards in the Sacramento area, thanks to the Sacramento Area Coalition of Reason with funding from the national United Coalition of Reason. [: The billboard near my home town has been vandalized. Sometime during the night the words "also lost" were added. Our local FOX News station has the story and the video.]
For those who think the billboard campaign is silly, consider this sign on I-35 in Minnesota as you drive in from Iowa:
See also anti-theism, atheism, New Atheism, and gods.
further reading
Official Website of the Atheist Bus Campaign
Atheist Revolution
Richard Dawkins
News
These Atheist Billboards in Brazil Get Right to the Point
Check out the ads that went up on buses and billboards last month, courtesy of the Associação Brasileira de Ateus e Agnósticos (Brazilian Association of Atheists and Agnostics) — forgive my rough translations:
“Religion does not define character” — Charlie Chaplin is described as someone who didn’t believe in god while Adolf Hitler is described as someone who did.
“Faith gives no answers. It only impedes questions.”
…
“We are all atheists with the gods of others” — the captions read “Hindu myth,” “Egyptian myth,” and “Palestinian myth.”
…
“If God exists, everything is permitted.”
ATEA logos contain the phrase “Say no to prejudice against atheists.”
Atheists say thank-you to bus ad thief The mystery behind Kelowna’s [British Columbia] missing atheist bus ads may never be solved, but the club that paid to put them up doesn’t have sour grapes. Instead, they’re extending a thank-you to the thief. “Whoever removed the signs, if they intended us harm, they achieved the opposite,” said Guy King, head of the Kelowna branch of the Centre for Inquiry, noting it should cost club members $210 to replace the bus ads. “They gave us a gift, in terms of publicity. The new signs will be up soon, and hopefully someone will rip them off again.”
‘Godless billboards’ promote atheism in Stockton and Ripon
California atheist billboard vandalized 3 days after going up
US judge rules for Muslim defector bus ads A group that says it helps Muslims quit their faith has won a court order against Detroit's regional transit system for rejecting bus ads that ask, "Fatwa on your head?... Leaving Islam? Got questions? Get answers!" U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood granted a preliminary injunction Thursday against the bus system, which was sued last year by the American Freedom Defense Initiative.
Atheist transit ads in Kamloops a first in B.C.
Atheists use billboards to create interest in their convention New billboard ads are turning some heads in Des Moines this week. The ads were paid for by the American Atheists and read: “You know there is no God…we know you’re right.” The American Atheist National Convention is scheduled for April 21-24 in Des Moines.
Godless Ads Go on Ft. Worth Buses December 1
Christ meets Big Foot: more irreverent atheist ads to hit Canadian cities
Atheist Billboard on Nativity Scene: 'You Know It's a Myth'
Last week, the billboard pictured above went up outside the New Jersey entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. Morning Gloria at Jezebel doesn't like it. "Ridiculing a belief system that, for many people, is the basis for their entire life philosophy is not a way to win friends or influence people... confrontational atheism isn't productive."
Give me more, said PZ Myers. "Tell me, what about that sign interferes with common decency? Are people who see that sign subsequently unable to go to church? Does it silence preachers all across the land? No. Does that sign incite hatred, does it deprive people of their civil rights, does it oppress a minority? No... Might it stir a little resentment, maybe even sting Christians a little bit because it reminds them that atheists exist and freakin' disagree with them? YES! And that is a good thing that does them no harm, and even does them considerable good. We're here, we're just as much a part of this society as they are, and we're not going to sit silently any more."
Atheist Groups Promote a Holiday Message: Join Us Four separate and competing national organizations representing various streams of atheists, humanists, and freethinkers will be spreading their gospel during the holiday season through advertisements on billboards, buses and trains, and in newspapers and magazines: American Humanist Association, American Atheists, Freedom from Religion Foundation, and The United Coalition of Reason.
Godless Billboard Goes Up in OKC in Time for State Fair
Another one goes up in Tulsa.
This one honors U.S. Senator Thomas Gore who was an Oklahoma native and may have been the first openly atheist US Senator. He was first elected in 1907.
Atheistic Billboards Across N.C. Tout a Dangerous Message [says Mr. Creech, who calls himself "Rev. Mark H. Creech"] "The North Carolina Secular Association... mounted an ad campaign that has their message posted on billboards in six major cities in the Tar Heel State. The message on the billboards: 'One nation, indivisible.'
"What does the North Carolina Secularist Association want? They say via their website that they want no references to a god in the "Pledge of Allegiance" or the National Motto which says, "In god We Trust" – no reference to a god in the state's constitution – or as they vaguely added, "and in many other ways."
Atheists of Florida, a group advocating separation of church and state, placed five billboards that promote "one nation, indivisible" (but no "god") in Lakeland, Florida. The goal is to send a message this Fourth of July that atheists are Americans, too.
The billboard was defaced by vandals, but has been repaired in time for Independence Day messaging.
FFRF’s newest bus sign campaign rolls out
Atheist ads on Detroit buses vandalized At least three of the ads, which say “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone,” had the upper left hand corners ripped off, removing the word “don’t” from the sign.
Atheist billboard campaign arrives in St. Augustine and Jacksonville This week, billboards saying, "Don't believe in God? You are not alone" go up in St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida.
Atheists claim bias over rejection of 'No God' ads
A group of atheists says it faced discrimination when a bus company rejected its advertisements and is now considering legal action.
The bus advert, which reads: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life," has been used worldwide but was dismissed by bus companies in New Zealand as too divisive.
Controversial atheism campaign to hit billboards Controversial ads promoting atheism will soon appear on billboards throughout New Zealand....The Atheist Bus Campaign last year raised more than $22,000 to fund the ads, but NZ Bus declined to run them after receiving a number of complaints from the public and staff.
The group applied for legal representation from the Office of Human Rights Proceedings in March to pursue a discrimination case against the company.
Campaign spokesman Simon Fisher said the billboards would get the atheist message out into the public while the group awaited the office's decision.
About $10,000 - roughly half the campaign's funds - would go towards the billboards.
"We're still keen to go ahead with the discrimination case against NZ Bus, and therefore we still need to be able to follow through with the bus campaign at the end of the day. So we need money aside for a bus campaign if we do win," said campaign spokesman Simon Fisher.
The ads should appear on billboards in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch within two to three weeks, he said.
It too a while, but the ads are now [1 July 2010] up. For more information contact http://www.nogod.org.nz/
Atheists’ ad campaign embarrasses humanism leader
Edd Doerr, the elected head of the American Humanist Association from 1995-2009...writing in the NY Times (Dec. 9/09)... commented: “…I am embarrassed by the A.H.A.’s “good without God” campaign of signs on transit vehicles. Humanists are philosophical naturalists, but more important than advertising, one item of the humanist worldview is emphasizing the many positive positions we hold in common with a wide range of religious believers. I refer to such matters as peace, civil liberties, religious freedom, the environment, social justice, democracy, women’s rights and so on.”
Children on atheist billboards 'are actually Evangelical Christians' A spokeswoman for the BHA admitted that the images had been taken from a photo website, and said it was unaware of the religious beliefs of the young models.
Northern Ireland’s first humanist advertising campaign has begun The point of the campaign is to persuade parents to stop attaching religious labels to their children. Sponsored by Richard Dawkins and the British Humanist Association (BHA), the billboards are an extension of the atheist bus campaign.
Humanists launch 1st-ever Godless holiday campaign This weekend, 200 buses and 50 rail cars in the Washington DC area will begin featuring smiling individuals in Santa hats on interior ads, along with the words, "NO GOD? NO PROBLEM!"
Death threats force removal of atheist billboard A billboard that read "Don't believe in God? You're not alone" was put up by the Cincinnati Coalition of Reason on Tuesday. By Wednesday afternoon the group was told it would have to come down because the landowner claimed he was getting death threats.
Another atheist billboard vandalized - FFRF calls it a hate crime First Moscow, Idaho, now Grand Junction, Colorado.
The word "without" has been obscured.
The vandalized sign has "fag" written over "Religion".
Billboard campaign hopes to dispel atheist stereotypes "Freddie Schineller is a hip-looking math professor with a |
4% per level) damage to all enemies in a line. Can hold 3 charges. R Leaping Strike 50 Mana Charge Cooldown: 20 seconds
Leap over an enemy, slowing them by 80% for 0.35 seconds and attacking for 271 (+4% per level) damage. Has 2 charges. Lunara is Unstoppable during the leap. Leap over an enemy, slowing them by 80% for 0.35 seconds and attacking for 271 (+4% per level) damage. Has 2 charges. Dryad's Swiftness Lunara cannot mount. Lunara moves 20% faster by leaping short distances.
1 Sentinel Wisp After remaining in a bush for 5 seconds, Wisp's vision radius is increased by 200% and reveals the surrouding area. Natural Perspective Nature's Toxin reveals enemies for its duration. Hippity Hop After not Basic Attacking or taking damage for 5 seconds, increase the Move Speed bonus of Dryad's Swiftness by 10%. 4 Blossom Swell Increases Noxious Blossom's range by 25% and its radius by 20%. Siphoning Toxin While at least one enemy is afficlted by Nature's Toxin, heal for 9 (+4% per level) per second. When an enemy Hero has 3 stacks of Nature's Toxin, increase this healing by 19 (+4% per level) per second. Nature's Culling Increases Nature's Toxin's damage by 125% to non-Heroic enemies. 7 Splintered Spear Using Noxious Blossom causes Lunara's next Basic Attack to hit up to 4 enemies. These extra attacks can apply Nature's Toxin. Choking Pollen Noxious Blossom deals 85% more damage to Heroes afflicted by Nature's Toxin, increased to 135% against enemies with 3 stacks. Wild Vigor Using Crippling Spores increases the damage of Lunara's next 4 Basic Attacks by 50%. 10 Thornwood Vine Charge Cooldown: 15 seconds
Send forth vines that deal 164 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies in a line. Can hold 3 charges. Leaping Strike Charge Cooldown: 20 seconds
Leap over an enemy, slowing them by 80% for 0.35 seconds and attacking for 271 (+4% per level) damage. Has 2 charges. 13 Endless Spores Casting Crippling Spores while at least 2 Heroes are afflicted by Nature's Toxin reduces the cooldown by 3 seconds. Let Them Wither Increases Crippling Spores' slow by 1 second and causes it to no longer decay. Greater Spell Shield Every 30 seconds, gain 75 Spell Armor against the next enemy Ability and subsequent Abilities for 1.5 seconds, reducing the damage taken by 75%. Can be toggled to allow or prevent this talent from triggering automatically. Abolish Magic Cooldown: 35 seconds
Active: Target an Ally to remove all damage over time and disabling effects from them and Lunara. For 2 seconds after, the duration of disabling effects is reduced by 50%. 16 Accelerated Contamination While at least 2 enemy Heroes are afflicted with Nature's Toxin, Noxious Blossom's cooldown recharges 100% faster. Star Wood Spear Using Crippling Spores increases Lunara's Basic Attacks range by 2.75 for 6 seconds. Invigorating Spores Crippling Spores grants 30% Attack Speed for 6 seconds. Basic Attacks against enemy Heroes with 3 stacks of Nature's Toxin deal damage equal to 1.5% of their maximum Health. Unfair Advantage Nature's Toxin deals 60% more damage to Heroes that are Slowed Rooted, or Stunned 20 Forest's Wrath Thornwood Vine now applies 2 stacks of Nature's Toxin. Increases Thornwood Vine's range by 30% and Lunara's vision radius by 35%. Boundless Stride Leaping Strike can also be used on your Wisp. All Leaping Strike charges are returned every 15 seconds. Leaping Strike can be used on allies. Intensifying Toxin At 3 stacks, Nature's Toxin deals 40% more damage. Galloping Gait Cooldown: 30 seconds
Activate to increase the Movement Speed bonus of Dryad's Swiftness to 80% for 6 seconds.
Lunara Event Skins La Parca Backstory: It is said that the currently-undefeated La Parca arrived from parts unknown with a look of death in her eyes. This Nexomania, she meets the former champion La Pantera in the ring. It is sure to be the match of the century! Features: Themed abilities. Notes: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of Nexomania skins.
1,600
1,600
La Catrina
1,600
Los Muertos Winter Veil Backstory: Lunara, the festive Dryad, has a very pointy spear. And if you ever see it, you should prob'ly run in fear. Features: Themed abilities. Notes: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of holiday skins.
400
400
Mistletoe
400
Cold
400
Starry
400
Snowfall
Lunara Portraits
Carbot Lunara 100
Deadwood Lunara 40
La Parca Lunara Reward
Lunara Hero
Lunara Mastery
Máscara de la Parca Reward
Nexomania Lunara 60
Nostalgic Winter Veil Lunara 40
Possessed Lunara 60
Toon La Catrina Lunara 60
Toon Winter Veil Lunara 40
Winter Veil Lunara 40
Lunara Sprays
Calavera de la Parca 150
Carbot Lunara 100
Cartoon Lunara 100
Emoji Lunara 100
Ha HA ha HA! 400
Nostalgic Winter Veil Lunara 40
Ojos de la Parca
Old Timey Lunara 40
The Underworld Grip
Lunara Pack 1 Lunara Pack 2 Emoji Name Shortcut Emoji Name Shortcut Lunara Happy :lunarahappy:
:lunahappy: Lunara Angry :lunaraangry:
:lunaangry: Lunara ROFL :lunaralol:
:lunararofl:
:lunalol:
:lunarofl: Lunara Cool :lunaracool:
:lunacool: Lunara Sad :lunarasad:
:lunasad: Lunara Embarrassed :lunaraoops:
:lunaraembarrassed:
:lunaoops:
:lunaembarrassed: Lunara Silly :lunarasilly:
:lunasilly: Lunara in Love :lunaralove:
:lunarainlove:
:lunalove:
:lunainlove: Lunara Speechless :lunarameh:
:lunaraspeechless:
:lunameh:
:lunaspeechless: Lunara Surprised :lunarawow:
:lunarasurprised:
:lunawow:
:lunasurprised:
La Parca Lunara Pack 1 La Parca Lunara Pack 2 Emoji Name Shortcut Emoji Name Shortcut La Parca Lunara Happy :lunaralaparcahappy:
:lunalahappy: La Parca Lunara Angry :lunaralaparcaangry:
:lunalaangry: La Parca Lunara ROFL :lunaralaparcalol:
:lunaralaparcarofl:
:lunalalol:
:lunalarofl: La Parca Lunara Cool :lunaralaparcacool:
:lunalacool: La Parca Lunara Sad :lunaralaparcasad:
:lunalasad: La Parca Lunara Embarrassed :lunaralaparcaoops:
:lunaralaparcaembarrassed:
:lunalaoops:
:lunalaembarrassed: La Parca Lunara Silly :lunaralaparcasilly:
:lunalasilly: La Parca Lunara in Love :lunaralaparcalove:
:lunaralaparcainlove:
:lunalalove:
:lunalainlove: La Parca Lunara Speechless :lunaralaparcameh:
:lunaralaparcaspeechless:
:lunalameh:
:lunalaspeechless: La Parca Lunara Surprised :lunaralaparcawow:
:lunaralaparcasurprised:
:lunalawow:
:lunalasurprised:
Lunara represents the dryad unit from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (July 2002).
(July 2002). After being introduced in Heroes of the Storm, Lunara went on to appear in World of Warcraft: Legion (August 2016) and Hearthstone: The Witchwood (April 2018).
, Lunara went on to appear in (August 2016) and (April 2018). Lunara is voiced by Amy Walker.
Lunara was one of the four heroes revealed at BlizzCon 2015. [1]
The Enchanted Sentinel Lunara skin might reference the Enchantress from the MOBA Dota 2 (July 2013).
(July 2013). The Frost Lunara and Northern Wild Champion Lunara skins reference the season of winter.
The Floral Wild Champion Lunara skin references the season of spring.
One of Lunara's gag quotes references the dryad saying 'I'm so wasted, I'm so wasted' from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.
Lunara's artwork
Lunara menu
Lunara concept
Master Lunara concept
Lunara's arena team
Master Lunara
Q: Noxious Blossom
W: Crippling Spores
E: Wisp
R1: Thornwood Vine
R2: Leaping StrikeIt's common sense that the word "No" it's always harder to be pronounced. When it comes to either go to your favorite restaurant or go to that fast food your friends always want to go, many times you've said say "Yes, of course. Let’s all have a burger there", even if you didn't want to.
This mundane example opens up the topic about how life has made so hard to say "no" while, at the same time, not feeling either ashamed, sorry or like we're missing out on something. Lacking a culturally-reinforced skill of being able to say "No" is something that can quickly turn our life, both personal and professional, into a living hell.
So why do we say "Yes" when we want to say "no"?
Linda Adam, President and CEO of Gordon Training International, lists the most common scenarios in which we all fall for that. Specifically, we tend to say "Yes" because of:
Desire to please. “What will she think of me?” “I know it would make them happy.”
Fear of hurting someone. “I don’t want to disappoint her.” “I’m afraid I’ll hurt his feelings if I don’t go.”
Guilt. “I’d feel so selfish.” “How could I turn them down?”
Surprise. “Well, I guess I could do it.” “I don’t know…well, O.K.”
Deference to authority. “She’s the boss.” “Yes, sir!”
Reciprocation. “I may need the same sometime.” “She’d do it for me.”
Duty. “I ought to…” “I should…” “I owe it to them.”
Need for power. “If I say ‘no’, they’ll think I can’t handle it.” “Now he’ll owe me a favor
And, believe it or not, many of these can perfectly apply to your freelancing and professional life.
Just a quick example here: you picked that project because it was your friend's girlfriend, who’s teaching in kindergarten, and people teaching to kids can’t be hard to work with - you naive, dumb freelancer!. So you created that small website for that project. But it was a real PIA. Now you've learned your lesson.
You said "Yes" and that word made you almost break your friendship with that lady, it filled up your soul with regret, and you still don’t know if you made some money out of it or not.
So why did you say "yes" to that? Probably because you underestimated how many efforts would have been required, and you didn’t want to let down your friend. Plus, you slightly felt guilty because it was something super easy to do and you felt that, if you didn’t take that project, your friend could be hurt by that.
Why saying "Yes" is ruining your freelance life
There's a famous quote from Richard Branson, Virgin's Ceo, that reads:
If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say Yes – then learn how to do it later!
Well, I half-agree with it, but it’s not with the "Yes" part because accepting projects and works that aren’t a good fit for you could really be something bad. As a freelancer, you need to understand there are limits to what you could say "Yes" to.
With an ongoing stream of "Yes" to bad projects, or what social psychologist Susan Newman calls it "a yes treadmill", your freelance career will be sentenced to death.
Why saying "No" is a freelancer's best tool to thrive
When you'd just started and were in your early months of your freelancing life, it was so difficult not to accept projects you weren't interested in, low-paid ones or "you'll get a ton of exposure" jobs, which means free jobs for them and no money coming your way.
This approach relies on inexperience, not smartness.
Robert Siegel, General Partner at XSeed Capital, perfectly sums it up: "one of the most useful tools a person has is the power to say "No" to things that are taking up time but are not adding much value to one's life."
When evaluating if that project is something worth working on, ask yourself: is that project adding anything I value to my life?
The two immediate benefits of saying "No" as a freelancer
1. Saying "No" sets boundaries
Saying no, or at least, starting to consider whether that project or request would be worth following through, lets you create boundaries. And boundaries are your best friends when it comes to knowing what to answer to business proposals.
Building up boundaries enables you to perfectly and quickly respond to the type of work you're interested in, knowing which price range works for you, the time you'll need to execute on it, how that project will fit your working schedule and so on.
2. Saying "No" prevents you from wasting your resources (mostly time)
Thanks to boundaries, you’ll be at your best to evaluate whether a project fits your business path and life values. An excellent example of this approach, believe it or not, can be found in Jared Leto’s words. The singer-actor-investor explained his strategy to FastCompany some while ago this way:
Whatever you do, you have to have deep interest and desire and passion, or you shouldn't be doing it. My work is never a job. My work is my life. If you work your fucking ass off, you can get a lot done.
How to say "No" politely and professionally (scripts)
We all have bills to pay, and sure it looks scary saying "No" to a new project coming your way. But that is just a slight fear or concern based on short-sight vision. Nobody wants to sound rude, nor impolite and we end up saying stuff such as "I'm super busy, but I'll see what I can do about it. I'm sure I can squeeze it in".
Please stop doing that, you're hurting your freelance career and your life eventually.
Again, if saying "No" might sound a tough action to take, how about you give it "a twist2 and use others words to say you're not interested in THAT project while keeping your answer conveying a positive sense.
James Chartrand, expert copywriter and owner of Men with Pens, provides some terrific real-life examples you should try:
"I really appreciate that you offered me this job, but I’m all tied up with [insert project]"
"I’d love to, but I really have to [insert action here]"
"I’m already working on [insert task here] but I can [offer alternative]"
"That would be great, but I’ve already committed to [insert event]"
"My schedule is booked until the [date]. How about then?"
You see? There's no negative form in these examples, and they all reads in a natural way. When you decline a project, it all comes down to being professional and honest with the prospect.
7 signs that urge you to say a big fat "No"
We don't see the future or how things might turn into, and your freelance experience would probably be different from that of other freelancers. Being able to assess and better qualify your freelance projects is a crucial skill you should be improving from day one and never stop doing it.
What I can tell you, though, is that no matter how experienced you are, there are some proven signs that can help quickly spot projects and clients that might do more harm than good to you.
Here are the 7 most common ones:
If the client asks for an (almost) impossible set of things or tasks If there's no budget at all and the client doesn't show any interest in giving you a number after you talked to them If the project doesn't fall under your area of expertise If you're not 100% sure, you'll be able to stick to its deadline If you don't want your name and your business to be associated with that project/client If the client keeps adding tasks or asks for "small tweaks" not previously discussed but after you provided a quotation (also know as "scope creepers) If the client says anything similar to "it should be an easy task", "it shouldn’t take too much time", "You can do [task] in 15 minutes, [task 2] in 5 minutes, so the whole thing shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes."
If you happen to experience any of these, use those two letters and you won't regret it.
Wrapping things up
The world is full of Yes-men, allegedly professionals that take in on any project, with no minimum understanding of the client's needs, always providing a low-quality outcome. They say "Yes" to everything that falls under their radar; it's their business model. If that's something you're interested in, keep saying "Yes" and you'll be one of those Lemmings.
While on the other hand, if you'd like to make a huge change in your freelancing life, start saying "No" with your next prospect. The word "No" sets you apart from everybody else, and empowers you back by enabling you to choose which project or client you want to work with.
Once you learn to say "No", you'll face the world with a renewed meaning of the word "Yes". And from that moment on, each time you'll say "Yes" to a project it'll mean you've insightfully chosen to do that work, and you'll devote all of your professional experience into crafting the best outcome possible.
With better projects under your belt, on top of a fulfilled professional life, you'll be able to provide much more value to your clients. Therefore, quote higher. And that's something a Lemming will never understand.
Now it's your turn: When do you say "No" to a client/project? How did you learn to do that?The Progressive Conservative party had their dirty laundry aired a week before the provincial election, with accusations and counter-claims flying among a blocked candidate, the party’s executive director and a former cabinet minister Tuesday.
Texts released by Jamie Lall — who in March was barred by the Tory’s nominating committee from running in Chestermere-Rocky View — suggested the party had been trying to push him out of the nomination race well before then, with then-Justice Minister Jonathan Denis telling Lall that he was “being set up.”
While Lall, now running as an Independent, insisted he was never told by the party why he was disallowed, it was revealed later Tuesday he had been subject to a restraining order from an ex-girlfriend in 2007, which the party says was the reason for his disqualification.
For Tory Leader Jim Prentice — embroiled in a tough fight with the Wildrose Party and NDP ahead of the May 5 election — the issues are an unwanted distraction, but he insisted the party acted properly in all circumstances.
“The nominating committee made the decision that someone with this as part of their history was not appropriate as a candidate for the Progressive Conservative party,” Prentice said in an interview.
“The facts are now clear to people and I think it helps people understand.”
At the end of March, the 30-year-old Lall was blocked by the party from running in Chestermere-Rocky View for undisclosed reasons, leaving former Wildrose MLA Bruce McAllister to be acclaimed in the riding.
In a restraining order from December 2007 obtained by the Herald, Lall’s ex-girlfriend wrote “he has not stopped harassing me since we have broken up and stopped talking in Feb. 2007.”
“He is extremely verbally abusive towards me and my family … the respondent has threatened me and my family and has shown to be aggressive and short-tempered. He is incredibly unstable and I am scared because I have no idea what he wants or will do next,” states the restraining order application.
Lall confirmed the order was put in place, but said he is now close friends with the woman and that she spoke to the PC party’s private investigator about it earlier this year.
“We were young, she embellished it. She explained it all to him,” said Lall, who runs a non-profit agency.
The woman told the Herald she is “diplomatically civil” with Lall and “has no current issues with what has happened in the past.” She would not comment on Lall’s suggestion she had embellished the matter or whether he should be allowed to run.
Lall insists he not only disclosed the order during the party’s vetting process this year, but also when he was appointed the PC candidate in Calgary-Buffalo in 2012, where he lost to Liberal Kent Hehr.
But PC party executive director Kelley Charlebois said the restraining order was at the root of the party’s rejection of Lall in March, asserting that the would-be candidate had not revealed it to the party during its review process.
“He did not disclose anything like this,” Charlebois said in an interview, adding the would-be candidate was told exactly the reasons why he was barred.
“We had a half-hour long conversation. As part of that conversation, I expressed to him my extreme disappointment he had not come clean about this.”
Lall’s rejection came hours after three Wildrose defectors — including Danielle Smith — were defeated in their attempts to win PC party nominations. Lall has raised concerns he was blocked because the party wanted to protect McAllister.
Texts released by Lall indicate he had earlier discussions with the PC executive director about withdrawing from the race.
On Jan. 31, Charlebois texted Lall, saying: “We need to chat … don’t want you in Chestermere.”
In Feb. 17 texts, Lall complained about being undercut, writing that his supporters had been told “a vote for me is a vote against the party.”
“It is dirty … I think it has more to do with the person you are running against then (sic) you,” Charlebois replied.
On Tuesday, Charlebois said the PC party was trying to discourage challenges against all incumbents — not just McAllister — because the spring election was imminent.
Lall also released texts between himself and then justice minister Jonathan Denis, who was his friend.
On March 14, after Lall told Denis that he was being reviewed by a private investigator hired by the party, the cabinet minister urged him to hire a lawyer and not speak to the investigator.
“They’re trying to dq (disqualify) you,” Denis wrote.
Denis — forced to resign this week as justice minister over an unrelated court action with his estranged wife — told Lall that the party’s assertion that it used investigators on all candidates was “BS. BS. BS.”
“Buddy you are being set up,” Denis wrote. “They’re playing you for a dumb kid.”
Denis declined to comment to the media on Tuesday.
The bizarre episode reverberated back to the campaign trail on Tuesday, with Wildrose Leader Brian Jean saying Prentice needs to come clean about the Lall situation.
“After 44 years in power, no one should be surprised to hear allegations about a PC party that intentionally undermined one of their volunteers and candidates,” Jean said in a statement.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley declined to comment.
“You know, as fun as that kind of stuff is, I think I’m going to let Jim Prentice focus on the less-than-positive discussions within his party and I’m going to focus more on talking to Albertans.”
With files from The Canadian Press
jwood@calgaryherald.comCHICAGO, IL - Murders and violent crimes rose in Chicago in 2016, according to data released Monday in the FBI's annual crime report. The statistics reveal Chicago's uptick in killings played a large role in 2016's nation-wide violent crime surge. According to the FBI report, there were 765 homicides in Chicago in 2016, compared to 478 murders in 2015, marking the deadliest year in nearly two decades.
Here is a comparison of the FBI's crime statistics in Chicago between 2015 and 2016:
According to the FBI report, there were 24,663 violent crime offenses in Chicago in 2015, compared with 30,126 in 2016. The report finds there were more than 5,000 violent crime offenses in 2016 compared to 2015, and property crime also saw an uptick of more than 5,000 offenses.
According to the Chicago Police Department, the city saw a surge in gun violence in 2016: there were 3,550 shooting incidents, and 4,331 shooting victims.
The city's crime spike played a large role in the rise in violent crime across the U.S. for a second straight year, accounting for more than 20 percent of the nationwide murder rate increase. The 11 largest cities with populations greater than 1 million saw a 20 percent murder increase and a 7.2 percent violent crime increase.
Watch: Violent Crime In The US Increased For The 2nd Year In A Row Last Year
The data release comes as President Donald Trump continues to depict Chicago as a "war zone." In his inaugural address, the President described what he calls the "carnage" in many American cities; however, the FBI's latest national figures are below crime rates seen in previous decades. In the 1980s and 1990s, U.S. murder and violent crime rates were consistently higher. In 1995, the rate was 8.2 murders per 100,000 people, according to FBI data. In both 2013 and 2014, the rate was 4.5 murders per 100,000 people.
Experts at The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University say that overall, the data from the FBI show a decrease in the national crime rate for the 15th year in a row. While violent crime is up, the overall crime rate decreased by 1.4 percent in 2016, according to the center's analysis.
"The FBI's data show trends similar to what we've found for crime, murder, and violence in 2016," Ames Grawert, a counsel in the Brennan Center's Justice Program, said in a statement. "Crime remains near historic lows, with an uptick in murder and violence driven in part by problems in some of our nation's largest cities. At the same time, other cities like New York are keeping crime down."
A preliminary analysis of crime in 2017 by the Brennan Center estimates that the rates of overall crime, violence and murder in the 30 largest cities will all decrease in 2017.
The Chicago Police Department said it will be adding nearly 1,000 positions to help combat crime over the next two years, including 500 new patrol officers and 92 field training officers to help train the new recruits.
Image via ShutterstockThe most ancient (and still used) text of the Kabbalah is called the Sefer Yetzirah or Book of Formation, and its contents are generally attributed to the Biblical patriarch Abraham. The book opens with a discussion of the "32 Mystical Paths of Wisdom," paths derived from the 10 digits on our hands (quantity) plus the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, which we use to construct language and thereby describe reality (quality). These paths are also reflected in the 10 sefirot -- spheres of energy that are the building blocks of physical reality yet also relate to character traits as well as states of consciousness:
These 10 spheres are connected by 22 lines or pathways (not depicted in this picture), intersections that allow for a total of 32 states of consciousness with names like sekhel mufla (mystical consciousness), sekhel maz'hir (radiant consciousness) and sekhel kavua (settled consciousness).
The Sefer Yetzirah is a guidebook that explains the tools and techniques that are required to enter these states. One important (and practical) distinction that we can all make and relate to concerns the states of chochma (expansive subconsciousness) and binah (the conscious mind). Long ago, the Kabbalah knew that creativity was housed in the right brain and analytical thought in the left. Freud and Jung were familiar with these kabbalistic works and borrowed heavily from them (as did Newton and others).
Therefore, we are all familiar with these two states of being. Chochma is what we experience when we are at our creative best -- when we are in "the zone" and experiencing a natural, easy flow. Artists, musicians and other creative people know it well and they also know that they are able to achieve, channel and create in that space in ways that would be impossible in normal waking life. Chochma is not concerned with life's practicalities, it only perceives an infinite array of possibility. In this sense it closely mirrors our conception of the spiritual world that exists in tandem with ours but is generally inaccessible due to our constricted states of consciousness.
There are moments in life when the doorway to chochma consciousness suddenly swings open and we are able to briefly taste reality as it could be (if we only knew how to control it). The birth of a child, a spectacular sunset and a beautiful symphony are all borrowed vehicles that allow us to interface with true chochma. In truth, this is what we are all desperately looking for. It's the reason that people do drugs, seek sex and listen to rock 'n' roll. Boil down the desire to its core and you will always discover the true drive for meaning, harmony, love, unity and transcendence. Chochma is the dimension where, as Aldous Huxley wrote, "we see the world as it truly is... infinite". He also said that in order to do that, the "doors of perception" needed to be cleansed. The Torah is the instruction manual that guides us along that path.
In order to harness and process the information and experiences of chochma, another type of consciousness is required called binah. Binah is our analytical, practical and down-to-earth state. One that is useful for accounting, problem solving, computer programming, paying bills on time and the like. It is grounded and practical and has the ability to take the inspiration from chochma and "make it real". If chochma is like vast water, then binah is like pipes, channeling and directing the energy so that it does not go to waste. Binah is a female force and indeed the Talmud tells us that women have a higher level of it than men. Binah is the power of control and creative limitation. It's a vessel to contain and build the lights of chochma, which by themselves have limited practical application. In this regard, it is interesting to note that what a man contributes to the conception process is super-abundant (to the point of hilarious overkill) information in the form of billions of cells. The woman's body takes but a singe unit of that vast expansion of information and slowly crafts it into human life.
Sometimes, people over-analyze, second guess and scrutinize. They are too heavily controlled by binah, and this usually leads to negative results, as in, "Well, he texted me yesterday and told me he had a good time, but then I thought, 'What does he mean by that? Isn't "good" kind of a generic word? And if he really cared wouldn't he have just called anyway?'" Though useful, binah does not always bring us to tranquility, harmony and big picture thinking. On the other hand, there are those who can get stuck in chochma and respond to life challenges with too much openness and love. These folks might never develop a stable relationship, or hold down a job as they are always seeing the world through a macrocosmic, expansive lens. The lights getting shut off due to non-payment might elicit an "it's all good" -- and indeed it is -- but we are taught that a balance needs to be struck.
The Sefer Yetzirah strives to teach us the technique to create this balance called ratzo v'shov -- running and returning. This is a meditative oscillation between chochma and binah that allows one to mine the expansive depths of chochma, yet to anchor them firmly in our conscious minds in a way that we are able to make good use of them. In the end of the day, we need both states to live balanced lives in a stable yet meaningful spiritual equilibrium.Yesterday, as I am sure everyone is well aware, was Shrove Tuesday. A day when Facebook and Twitter feeds abound with people posting picture of their perfect pancakes. Several historical twitter feeds shared images of early modern pancake recipes, so I don’t wish to do that here. The London Metropolitan Archives tweeted a recipe attributed to Lady Barrington, made of 3 pints of milk, 10 eggs (only 5 whites), and flour.
The basic components on a pancake appear to have changed little, although these seem much more ‘eggy’ than modern concoctions. These recipes are interesting in and of themselves, but I have come across a few snippets outlining that pancakes have a hidden (or just not realised yet) history as components of early modern cures.
In the book Collectanea Medica: the country physician: or, a choice collection of physick English empiric William Salmon describes using a pancake to cure a man suffering from an “inflammation of the Testicles with Suppression of Urine“. The fifty-year old man was prescribed an enema and bled, while his reins (the area around the kidneys) was anointed with the oil of scorpions. After this oil had been rubbed onto the patient, Salmon explained, “I caused a Pancake made of Onions cut in small bits, and Eggs beaten together with Hogs-grease, to be applied to the same part”. Evidently this omelette/pancake was being used as a medicated plaster.1 These efforts were successful and the patient “pist lustily”, relieving the pressure on his bladder. For his swollen testicles he was given a bean-meal plaster (a common remedy for this type of condition).
The translations of the book written by French surgeon La Vauguion, suggested a similar use of pancakes. In this case for children suffering from stomach cramps caused by wind, the belly was to be smeared with oil of sweet almonds, or oil of walnuts, chamomile and melilot (sweet clover). To cover this a cloth could be dipped in the same mixture and laid to the stomach, or ‘a small Pancake may be made with an Egg or two fried in Oil of walnuts‘ could be placed over the top.2
Pancakes were apparently then a good substitute, in some cases, for more convention plaster made of fabric or leather. I think I will stick to eating mine.
_____________
William Salmon, Collectanea Medica: the country physician: or, a choice collection of physick (London, 1703), p. 171. de La Vauguion, A compleat body of chirurgical operations (London, 1707), p. 262.
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EmailPress release from the Fortuna Police Department:
Fortuna, CA – On October 8, 2016 at approximately 2:05 p.m. Fortuna Police Department patrol officers were dispatched to 1000 block of Emerald Lane to investigate a report of two unresponsive subjects located in the garage.
When patrol officers arrived at the residence, they made entry to conduct a welfare check on the parties involved.
Upon entry into the residence, officers located two adult males on the garage floor who were both deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.
An investigation was initiated by the department and preliminary information indicates that the males were father and son. Based on evidence at the scene, the department believes that the son (age 50 of Hydesville) killed his father (age 81 of Fortuna) and then turned the gun on himself.
Anyone with any information about these incidents is urged to contact the Fortuna Police Department by phone at 707-725-7550. To remain anonymous, contact the WeTIP Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIMEThe 1995 Redwoods Footage: This page contains the BBC article and on going comments by the late Richard Greenwell, Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Dave Bittner, Daniel Perez, Larry Lund and Robert Stansberry...the photo at right is an enhanced still frame of the subject as seen through the windshield of the recreational vehicle, probably one of the better still enhancements...
BIGFOOT: TAKE TWO
Source: 'BBC Wildlife' magazine, September 1998
In 1995, a film crew in Del Norte County, California claimed they caught another Bigfoot on camera... RealVideo1 - the original video minus sound
RealVideo2 - the above with Dave Bittner's enhancements
Note: you will need RealPlayer installed to view the above videos, you can get it here
- ---
Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology, and the late Richard Greenwell, formerly secretariat of the International Society of Cryptozoology took a look at their evidence. Misty clouds shroud the northern California |
pp. 118; Taylor, pp. 77-78 26 Stahr, pp. 120, 123-126, 131; Van Deusen, pp. 122-123, 127; Taylor, pp. 3, 85-86; Crook, pp. 18-19 27 Stahr, pp. 135-138, 139, 140, 141-143, 145, 149; Van Deusen, pp. 136-137, 141-142, 145, 152-153, 196; Taylor, pp. 92, 94, 134-135 28 Stahr, pp. 144, 152-153; Van Deusen, pp. 143-144, 155-157, 160; Taylor, pp. 95-96, 98-99 29 Stahr, pp. 155, 160, 163-164; Van Deusen, pp. 163-164, 169, 174-175, 177, 179-180; Taylor, pp. 99-100, 104-105 30 Stahr, pp. 168, 169, 171, 172, 174, 177; Goodwin, pp. 191, 301; Van Deusen, pp. 92-93, 188, 191, 260; Taylor, pp. 3, 71, 91, 107; Crook, pp. 18-19; Donald, David Herbert, Lincoln (Simon & Schuster, New York 1995), p. 209; Catton, p. 68 31 Stahr, pp. 175-176; Van Deusen, pp. 191-194, 195-196; Taylor, pp. 107-108 32 Stahr, pp. 178-180; Van Deusen, pp. 211-213 33 Stahr, pp. 182-185; Van Deusen, p. 218 34 Stahr, pp. 3, 184-187, 191; Van Deusen, pp. 220-221; Taylor, pp. 2, 4-5, 110-111; Cross, Coy F. II, Lincoln’s Man in Liverpool: Consul Dudley and the Legal Battle to Stop Confederate Warships (Northern Illinois University Press, DeKalb, Ill. 2007), p. 10 35 Stahr, pp. 187-189; Van Deusen, pp. 224-227; Taylor, pp. 5-7, 9; Catton, pp. 13, 46-47 36 Stahr, pp. 189-193, 195, 202-203, 205-206, 208, 209; Van Deusen, pp. 228, 233, 235; Taylor, pp. 6-7; Catton, pp. 48-49 37 DeGregorio, William A., The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Fifth Edition (Gramercy Books, New York 2002), pp. 45, 61, 77, 96, 127, 215; Goodwin, pp. 284-285, 287, 289, 314; Stahr, pp. 214-217, 220; Lincoln, Abraham, Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings, 1859-1865 (Library of America, New York 1989), pp. 188-189 38 Goodwin, pp. 296, 300-303, 314, 325; Stahr, pp. 211, 223-225, 231-232, 235, 243; Van Deusen, pp. 236-237, 247-249; Commager, Henry Steele, ed., The Civil War Archive: The History of the Civil War in Documents (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, New York 2000), p. 45; Rosen, Robert N., The Jewish Confederates (University of South Carolina Press, Columbia 2000), p. 71 39 Goodwin, pp. 312-318, 324-325, 330; 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Commager, pp. 365-367 45 Case and Spencer, pp. 32-33; Van Deusen, pp. 241-242, 247-248; Crook, p. 1; Taylor, p. 152; Donald, pp. 289-290; Catton, p. 68 46 Case and Spencer, p. 34; Commager, pp. 52-54; Cross, p. 4; Van Deusen, pp. 281-283; Foreman, pp. 76-77; Taylor, pp. 150-152, 300, 308-310; Crook, pp. 23-25; Lincoln, pp. 227-228; Donald, pp. 289-290; Catton, p. 484 47 Van Deusen, pp. 272, 287, 328-334, 335; Goodwin, pp. 364-365, 387 48 Anderson, Bern, By Sea and By River: The Naval History of the Civil War (Da Capo Press, New York 1962), pp. 26-27, 289; Niven, John, Gideon Welles: Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy (Oxford University Press, New York 1973), p. 389; Goodwin, p. 351; Case and Spencer, pp. 32-33, 47, 52-53; Cross, p. 3; Van Deusen, pp. 300-301, 373-374; Crook, pp. 20-21, 27-28; Foreman, p. 723; Vodrey, William F.B., “Lincoln’s ‘Father Neptune’: Navy Secretary Gideon Welles” (Cleveland Civil War Roundtable, Cleveland 2015), p. 4 49 Case and Spencer, p. 52; Van Deusen, pp. 274-275, 284-285, 294; Crook, p. 20; Taylor, pp. 147-149; Donald, pp. 286, 288-289, 291-292; Macartney, Clarence Edward, Mr. Lincoln’s Admirals (Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York 1956), pp. 185-188, 262-268; Anderson, pp. 21-24; Taafe, Stephen R., Commanding Lincoln’s Navy: Union Naval Leadership During the Civil War (U.S. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 2009), pp. 6-7; West, Richard S., Jr., Mr. Lincoln's Navy (Longmans, Green and Co., New York 1957), p. 50; Symonds, Craig L., Lincoln and His Admirals (Oxford University Press, New York 2008), p. 25; Vodrey, pp. 5-6 50 Cross, p. 6; Mahin, pp. 33-34, 35, 175, 181; Foreman, p. 23; Catton, pp. 252, 256-257; Case and Spencer, pp. 53, 57, 58-59, 562; Van Deusen, pp. 294-295; Ferris, Norman B., The Trent Affair: A Diplomatic Crisis (University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville 1977), pp. 42, 44; Doyle, pp. 5, 236, 240-243, 244; Foreman, pp. 92-93, 601; Blackett, pp. 24-28, 231 51 Case and Spencer, pp. 17, 39; Foreman, pp. 183, 247, 274; Catton, pp. 252, 255, 257; Crook, pp. 8-12, 187; Taylor, p. 144; Blackett, pp. 4-5, 6-8, 210; Cross, p. 12 52 Case and Spencer, pp. 49, 53; Crook, pp. 140-141 53 Case and Spencer, pp. 46-47; Doyle, p. 6 54 Case and Spencer, p. 61 55 Case and Spencer, pp. 60, 62, 65; Van Deusen, pp. 296-297 56 Case and Spencer, pp. 5, 68; Foreman, pp. 545-546; Donald, p. 468; Catton, pp. 262-263 57 Foote, Shelby, The Civil War: A Narrative: Red River to Appomattox, Vol. III (Random House, New York 1974), pp. 100-101; Cross, pp. 95-96, 100-102, 108, 139, 153-155; Van Deusen, p. 321; Ferris, pp. 40-41; Mahin, pp. 36-37, 150, 158-159, 180-181, 183; Foreman, pp. 518, 795; Taylor, p. 299; Crook, p. 129; Catton, pp. 251, 260-261; Commager, pp. 371-372 58 Cross, p. 4; Stahr, pp. 318-319, 323; Van Deusen, pp. 314-316; Crook, p. 45; Ferris, pp. 25, 177, 183-186, 188-189; Foreman, p. 801; Taylor, p. 303; Blackett, pp. 21-22; Donald, pp. 322-323; Catton, pp. 250-251; Commager, pp. 356-358 59 Welles, Gideon, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. II (Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston 1911), pp. 106-107, 166; Goodwin, p. 672; Waugh, John C., Reelecting Lincoln: The Battle for the 1864 Presidency (Crown Publishers, New York 1997), pp. 53, 216-217; Taylor, p. 192; Vodrey, p. 8 60 Donald, David Herbert, We Are Lincoln Men (Simon & Schuster, New York 2003), p. 171; Van Deusen, pp. 335-336, 338, 344-347, 399; Doyle, p. 87; Lincoln, p. 396; Donald, Lincoln, pp. 395, 412, 426-427; Goodwin, pp. 387-388; Taylor, pp. 192-193 61 Foote, pp. 376-377; McAllen, M.M., Maximilian and Carlota: Europe’s Last Empire in Mexico (Trinity University Press, San Antonio 2014), pp. 60, 65, 70, 162; Van Deusen, pp. 322-323; Doyle, pp. 8, 276; Crook, pp. 7, 155 62 Macartney, pp. 248-255; Anderson, pp. 203-204; Foote, p. 590; Vodrey, p. 11 63 Foote, pp. 457-458; Stahr, pp. 384, 390, 391, 393, 414-415, 433, 504-505; Van Deusen, p. 259; Doyle, p. 267; Goodwin, pp. 584-585; Taylor, p. 501; Waugh, p. 48 64 Foote, pp. 98-99; Ferris, p. 191; Doyle, p. 254 65 Foote, p. 99; Doyle, pp. 201, 254; Catton, pp. 252-253 66 Stahr, p. 413; Taylor, p. 234; Van Deusen, pp. 396-400 67 Foote, pp. 860-861; Doyle, pp. 257-258, 272, 275-279; Catton, p. 564 68 Foote, p. 861; Case and Spencer, p. 565; Doyle, p. 289; Foreman, pp. 742-744 69 Foote, pp. 775-776, 778; Case and Spencer, pp. 560-561, 565; Stahr, p. 426; Catton, pp. 564-565; Goodwin, p. 693 70 Foote, pp. 727-728, 812; Stahr, pp. 414, 428-429; Goodwin, pp. 697-698; Vodrey, p. 13 71 Foote, pp. 902, 907; Stahr, pp. 431-433, 435; Foreman, p. 769; Donald, Lincoln, pp. 579-581 72 Foote, p. 983; Case and Spencer, p. 570; Stahr, pp. 1-3, 436-438, 439; Van Deusen, pp. 413-414; Foreman, pp. 770-771; Catton, pp. 593, 600-601 73 Stahr, pp. 438-439; Van Deusen, pp. 415-416 74 Stahr, p. 440; Van Deusen, p. 415; Foreman, p. 800; Taylor, p. 297 75 Foote, pp. 1018-1019, 1023; Case and Spencer, pp. 565, 578; Foreman, pp. 798-799; Crook, pp. 163, 178, 183; McAllen, pp. 186, 232-233, 240-241, 248-249, 315-316, 374, 377-378, 380-381, 386-387; Stahr, pp. 464-466; Mahin, pp. 283-285; Doyle, p. 305; Taylor, pp. 303-304; Catton, pp. 253, 263; Commager, pp. 818-821 76 Niven, pp. 562-563; Stahr, pp. 447, 459-460, 471-474, 477, 494, 509-511, 513, 515, 518, 526, 529; Foreman, pp. 795-796, 800; Taylor, p. 304 77 Stahr, pp. 454-456, 467-468, 498-499, 519, 521-522; Mahin, p. 287; Doyle, p. 307; Foreman, pp. 796-797; Van Deusen, pp. 503-505 78 Stahr, pp. 4, 487-488, 503-505; Doyle, pp. 307-308; Foreman, p. 797; Crook, p. 191 79 Taylor, p. 297; DeGregorio, p. 496; Clinton, William J., “Statement on the Death of Dean Rusk, Dec. 21, 1994,” Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, William J. Clinton, Book II, Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, 1994 (Government Printing Office, Washington 1995), p. 2198 80 Stahr, pp. 530-534, 537, 538-541; Taylor, p. 295 81 Stahr, pp. 542-544; Taylor, pp. 295-296 82 Stahr, pp. 545-546; Taylor, pp. 305-307 83 Stahr, pp. 546-547; Foreman, p. 804 William H. Seward
Later in LifeWhy Teach Thucydides?
9th Annual Platsis Symposium on the Greek Legacy
Given at the University of Michigan, on November 6, 2010
Papers include:
Thucydides and the Unexpected, by W. Robert Connor
Why Teach Thucydides Today?, by Clifford Orwin
This year, the symposium will address ways in which Thucydides matters in liberal arts education today. It featured two distinguished scholars of Thucydides who have also played significant public roles: W. Robert Connor, who besides his scholarly work on Thucydides and other Greek historians has been director of the National Humanities Center and president of the Teagle Foundation, and Clifford Orwin, Professor of Politicial Philosophy at the University of Toronto, who has written The Humanity of Thucydides and is a regular contributor to Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail.
Why Teach Thucydides? Because he’s there, because students love him, and because he has so much to say to us today (as he has for 2,400 years now). There is so much in the work that there’s plenty of room for each generation to find whatever in it speaks most loudly to them. For us, it seems to me, Thucydides’ most timely lesson is that almost nothing is permanent but change, nor is there is any institution however solid that doesn’t contain the seeds of its own destruction.
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An Italian photographer has bravely captured life inside some of Europe's fascist hate groups.
Paolo Marchetti pictured young fascist skinheads from the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy giving the Hitler salute at a Nazi rock concert, at anti-immigrant marches and at skinhead summer parties over the past decade.
One disturbing image showed hundreds of people at a Nazi rock concert in Rome in May, 2013.
Italian photographer Paolo Marchetti captured young fascist skinheads giving the Hitler salute at a Nazi rock concert in Rome
A pair of fascists in a home-made boxing ring in Rome where they organise training sessions and friendly boxing matches
Jamie, nicknamed 'The Swan', 31-years-old from London, throwing his friend's son in an inflatable pool during a gathering between skinhead from all Europe in August 2010
Another saw a girl holding a neo-Nazi flag during a march against immigration in Milan.
A group known as the SPQR Skins was seen gathering at the 'Prima Porta' cemetery to commemorate a comrade who died a few years ago.
Other photos saw fascists training in home-made boxing rings and gathered for a start-of-summer party on the coast of Lazio in August 2010.
One image even shows a baby lying in a crib in a room filled with fascist flags and propaganda.
Armando, an amateur boxer in his training session at his home in his apartment near to Rome, Italy
A girl holding her Celtic Cross neo-Nazi flag during a march against foreign policy and immigration in Milan
A spanish skinhead giving a Nazi salute during a meeting between right-wing fascists from all over Europe in Perugia, Iatly
Italian skinhead during a Hawaiian party on the coast of Lazio in August 2010. Each year, the Italian skins come together and celebrate the beginning of summer, wearing Hawaiian style-shirts
One image even shows a six-month-old baby lying in a crib in a room filled with fascist flags and propaganda
The photographer caught young fascists dancing and fighting during a Nazi-rock concert in Padova, northern Italy
Another photo shows a man displaying a tattoo on his arm which reads 'Jedem das Seine' translated as 'To Each His Own' - a slogan used at Buchenwald concentration camp.
Paolo Marchetti is an award-winning photographer based in Rome, Italy.
He has worked for thirteen years in the cinematographic and commercial industry and his projects often look at long-term political issues.
He has covered stories in Brazil, Cuba, China and Central Africa.
Heroes' Square in Budapest, Hungary, is where various factions gather annually under the imposing statue called The Millenium Memorial
Fascist known as Armando pictured smoking a Cuban cigar in his flat close to Rome in June 2010
Two skinhead members of far-right groups admiring the countryside view near the German town of Memmingen, Bavaria
Another photo shows a man displaying a tattoo on his arm which reads 'Jedem das Seine' translated as 'To Each His Own' - a slogan used at Buchenwald concentration camp
The 'Prima Porta' cemetery in Rome showing the SPQR Skins commemorating a comrade who died a few years ago
The photographer captured leading Italian fascists gathered to celebrate a birthday in Rome in 2010
A skinhead from northern Italy on a rented bus travelling south for a gathering on all Italian skins
Also photographed was a fascist holding a torch during a march in the Roman winter in December 2009Flowering plants emerged on the planet over 160 million years ago - but it has never been entirely clear how these angiosperms came from their predecessor, gymnosperm ferns. New genetic analysis of the Amborella, a shrub with deep evolutionary roots, shows that there was a genomic doubling around 200 million years ago. The results were published today in Science from the Amborella Genome Project, which is a collaboration between scientists at various international universities, the National Science Foundation, and is hosted by Penn State University.
There are over 300,000 known species of flowers alive today, but their evolutionary history hasn’t been overly obvious. They essentially exploded, leaving hardly any fossil evidence about the transition period. Charles Darwin actually described the wildly successful emergence of angiosperms an “abominable mystery.”
The Amborella is a shrub found in the biodiversity wonderland of New Caledonia. It occupies the understory of the forest and has been described as the most basal angiosperms, as it is the closest relative of the first flower and has undergone very little evolutionary change since its emergence. Because of these factors, it is very desirable for evolutionary biologists and the Amborella Genome Project (AGP) was formed to sequence and learn more about its evolutionary history. Once the flower was fully sequenced, the researchers compared the genetic code to that of more than twenty other plants.
The AGP has yielded evidence that around 200 million years ago, some extant seed plants experienced a genomic doubling, which gave them twice as many genes. The research team believes the product of this was the first angiosperm, from which all others would come. Over the course of their evolution, flowering plants gained about 1179 novel genes that are not found in any other species of plant. With a wealth of new genes and gene families, the plants were able to make unique structures, such as vessel elements. These are dead cells that form channels to draw water up through the xylem. Though some of the most ancestral flowers have 21 groups of transcription factors (known as MADS-Box genes) that encode for the actual flower, the Amborella was discovered to have 36.
Most of the results confirmed previous suspicions that the researchers had about the evolution of the flower, but there was a big surprise in the mitochondrial DNA, which is about six times larger than any other plant’s mtDNA genome, at 3.8 million base pairs long and divided into five chromosomes. Researchers found an explanation for the length when they found complete mtDNA sequences of three types of green algae, one moss, and individual genes from other flowering plants.
Even more strangely, none of that information seems to function within the plant. The researchers suspect that when the plant becomes injured, it is able to take up foreign mtDNA from other nearby plants and integrate it with its own. However, since it doesn’t seem to have much of a purpose, they aren’t sure why this happens. It is possible that many plants do this, but don’t spare the resources to keep anything that is nonfunctional. If this is the case, then Amborella is still very unique in that regard.
Because Amborella is the oldest common ancestor for all plant life on Earth today, including much of what we eat, gaining a better understanding of how its genomic function will allow us a clearer picture of the evolutionary past, and we could also apply the information to other plants whose histories are not as well understood.“You set up the presidential podium and a teleprompter in a sixth grade classroom?”
That’s the exclamatory hypothetical question The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart posed to President Barack Obama after catching the president using two teleprompters when speaking to a middle school class.
“Here’s what health care means to you,” Stewart mocked, drawing out the syllables in each word in an effort to replicate Obama’s slow delivery. “Let’s say, you develop ‘coo-ties.'”
Stewart lampooned Obama for using a teleprompter in a classroom, saying it was like delivering an “Oval Office speech from your nap-mat.”
“Now since you obviously don’t have a Rove-type there advising you, let me give you a couple of image minefields to avoid,” the comic added. “If you want to go to the Superbowl, regular box seats will do. And, if you want to listen to some music, buy an iPod like the rest of us.”
This video is from Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, broadcast Jan. 25, 2010.COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Tuesday, April 1, 2014) – The Colorado Rapids announced on Tuesday that the team will wear the official Caribous of Colorado uniforms, last seen during NASL games in 1978, at a future match (date to be determined). The jerseys, which had been thought to be lost, were recently uncovered and will once again see game action.
The uniforms were found at the Caribou Ranch by the Guercio Family, the owners of the Caribous of Colorado during their one and only season in the old North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1978, who generously agreed to let the Rapids use the kits. The black, brown, tan, and white color scheme features the distinctive leather fringe across the chest, which made the jerseys famous around the world.
“I was born in April of 1978, so I remember the first Caribous match I went to with my family that same August like it was yesterday,” said Rapids midfielder Brian Mullan, a native of Aurora, Colo. “It is a true honor to emulate those pioneers of American soccer – whose jerseys emulated the pioneers of the early American west – by wearing this uniform.”
The Caribous played their home games at Mile High Stadium, facing off against teams like the 1978 NASL champion New York Cosmos. Colorado finished with an 8-22 record (81 points), scoring 34 goals and allowing 66 and finishing in last place in the Central Division of the National Conference.
The Rapids might wear the Caribous jerseys in the team’s next home match, which takes place on Saturday, April 19 at 4 p.m. MT at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, but perhaps also not. For more information on the team, or to purchase tickets, call 303-825-GOAL or click here.Charred human remains have been found in the debris of the burned-out Big Bear area cabin where police believe fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner was holed up, authorities said late Tuesday night.
Investigators will attempt to identify the remains through forensic means, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Dorner, whose alleged crimes have kept Southern California on edge for days, is wanted for the slayings of an engaged couple and two law enforcement officers. He was believed to have shot at pursuing law enforcement officials, then fled into a cabin shortly before it ignited Tuesday afternoon near ski resorts in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Authorities had lost track of Dorner since late last week. Then, on Tuesday, two maids stumbled upon a man resembling Dorner as they arrived to clean a vacant cabin.
The suspect was found close to where law enforcement officials had held news conferences over the weekend concerning their search for Dorner, 33, and near where Dorner’s car was set aflame last week.
The suspect tied the two maids up, took a car from the residence and left, according to a law enforcement official. One of the maids was eventually able to break free at the residence in the 1200 block of Club View Drive, close to Snow Summit and Bear Mountain Resort, and called 911 at 12:20 p.m.
PHOTOS: Manhunt for ex-LAPD officer
Then, at 12:45 p.m., according to state Fish and Wildlife officials, the suspect was allegedly driving a purple Nissan on California 38 when he passed a marked vehicle driven by the agency’s law enforcement officers.
The officers recognized the suspect as he passed and swung their vehicle around in pursuit.
The suspect attempted to evade them by turning off onto Glass Road, and at some point crashed and abandoned the small car.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Searching for suspected shooter
With officers still in pursuit, the suspect then stopped a truck driven by another resident and ordered him out of the vehicle.
Behind the wheel of the stolen truck, the suspect was once again careening down Glass Road, and once again he passed a Fish and Wildlife vehicle coming from the opposite direction. Again an officer recognized the suspect. That driver radioed his colleagues traveling behind him that the suspect was heading in their direction in a silver pickup.
FULL COVERAGE: Sweeping manhunt for ex-cop
When the suspect saw the second Fish and Wildlife truck approaching, he rolled down his window and took aim. The suspect opened fire into the cab as the vehicles passed just two feet apart, shattering the driver's side window and strafing the state truck with a handgun.
The badly damaged truck skidded to a halt and a game warden, a 35-year-old former Marine, fired 20 rounds from a high-powered rifle as the suspect fled in the hijacked truck.
The suspect subsequently crashed that truck and ran into the woods. He ended up in the cabin. A firefight ensued. Two San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were shot; one was pronounced dead at a hospital, while another is undergoing surgery. Hundreds of rounds were fired in the firefight.
For days, multiple law enforcement agencies from across Southern California laid out a dragnet for the man accused of going on a revenge-fueled rampage following his termination from the LAPD in 2008. In addition to the San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy who was fatally wounded Tuesday, Dorner allegedly killed the 28-year-old daughter of a former LAPD captain, her fiance and a Riverside police officer.
ALSO:
Dorner manhunt: 'A bittersweet night,' Chief Beck says
Dorner manhunt: Fish and Wildlife officers make the big break
Manhunt: Officers ended standoff because of threat, sources say
--- Phil Willon in Angelus Oaks, and Julie Cart, Matt Stevens and Rong-Gong Lin II in Los Angeles
Photo: Fire engulfs a home in the Big Bear area where fugitive former police officer Christopher Dorner was believed to be holed up after gun battles with law enforcement officers. Credit: KTLALawmakers who oppose taking action to lower greenhouse gas emissions by putting a price on carbon often argue that doing so would hurt businesses and consumers. But the energy policies adopted by some American states and Canadian provinces demonstrate that those arguments are simply unfounded.
Around the world, nearly 40 nations, including the 28-member European Union, and many smaller jurisdictions are engaged in some form of carbon pricing. In this hemisphere, British Columbia, Quebec, California and nine Northeastern states have raised the cost of burning fossil fuels without damaging the economy. Alberta, Canada’s biggest oil and gas producer, and Ontario have said they will adopt similar policies.
Carbon pricing comes in two forms: a direct tax on emissions or a cap on emissions. British Columbia, for instance, has levied a tax on emissions from fuels like gasoline, natural gas and heating oil. California and Quebec, which are working together, place a ceiling on overall emissions and allow utilities, manufacturing plants, fuel distributors and others to buy and sell permits that entitle them to emit greenhouse gases. Like the cap itself, the number of permits decline over time, becoming more expensive.
Many economists regard carbon taxes as the simpler and more elegant solution, and cap-and-trade systems like the one that failed in the United States Congress as complex and hard to explain. But both systems effectively raise the price of using fossil fuels, which encourages utilities and other producers to generate more energy from low-carbon sources like solar, wind and nuclear power.New Californian Bill Would Prevent Local Authorities From Aiding ICE With Deportations
California doesn’t get it.
Illegal immigration is killing their state’s coffers. In fact, illegal immigration costs California $30.3 billion a year. This is almost 20% of their entire state budget.
And they’re not doing so great economically speaking either—they need every penny they can get.
So what are California’s politicians doing about it? They are giving illegal immigrants more rights and stopping ICE officers from doing their jobs.
You heard that right.
A new bill proposed by California’s Senate President Pro Tempore, Kevin de Leon, will prohibit local law enforcment agencies from helping federal authorities (ICE) locate illegal immigrants after they have committed a crime.
From the text of the Senate Bill 54 itself:
Existing law provides that when there is reason to believe that a person arrested for a violation of specified controlled substance provisions may not be a citizen of the United States, the arresting agency shall notify the appropriate agency of the United States having charge of deportation matters. This bill would repeal those provisions.
Instead of helping ICE officers do their job and deport illegal immigrants (for the overwhelming good of the country), California’s politicians are making sure that law enforcement can’t cooperate with ICE regarding the whereabouts of illegal immigrants—even if they are literally in jail for committing a crime (an additional crime, as they are in fact illegal immigrants).
Listen, illegal immigrants aren’t all bad. No one is saying that. But to delude ourselves into thinking that we can, or should, sustain an illegal population millions strong is a betrayal of our own law, our values, and our nation.
Asinine laws like this are the reason why so many Californians are emigrating to places like Texas, that have the guts to command their own sanctuary cities to enforce federal immigration laws or risk criminal prosecution.Pinesdale, Mont. • Kimberly Herbert wondered if she would be allowed to marry in the temple.
She had dated a boy her age off and on for years. They discussed getting married. Then, in fall 2014, a dispute erupted in their church — the Apostolic United Brethren, a so-called Mormon fundamentalist group that believes in polygamy.
A daughter and two nieces accused Lynn Thompson, the AUB president, of fondling or molesting them as girls. Some in Pinesdale — a community so small with so few surnames that they call one another by their first names — continued following Lynn, now 77 years old, either because they still believe he was a prophet of God or that the allegations against him weren’t true or they just didn’t want to risk dividing their families.
Kimberly and her immediate family were not among the supporters.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mormon artwork in the AUB chapel in Pinesdale, Mont. (Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kimberly Herbert, in Pinesdale, Mont.
Some residents who would not follow Lynn were denied what Mormons of all varieties call a temple recommend — a card from their bishop saying the person has followed the steps of the faith and are worthy to enter the temple. That led to some tough conversations between Kimberly and her boyfriend.
The couple decided to take a break in early 2016 to evaluate their beliefs and whether they would support Lynn. Kimberly’s views of Lynn didn’t change.
“At the end of six months,” Kimberly, now 21, said, “he came back and said, ‘I don’t feel that I can pursue this relationship if you don’t support Lynn Thompson.’”
The AUB has its headquarters in Bluffdale, Utah, and thousands of members have blended into life across the Salt Lake Valley. The structure of the church mirrors that of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which abandoned polygamy more than a century ago.
In Montana, the AUB is localized to Pinesdale, population 967, where the divisions over Lynn are most evident.
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. The day followed the routine of scores before, ever since Timmothy had started kindergarten.
Jim usually picked up Timmothy after the boy’s half-day, drove him to day care and went back to work. At night, the family lived a quiet life in their home on the West Side of Aurora.
But when he arrived at Greenman, Jim discovered his wife, Amy Fry-Pitzen, had already checked the boy out of school.
In fact, by the time Jim was making his first call to check on Amy, she and Timmothy were already on their way to Brookfield Zoo — one of Timmothy’s favorite spots, according to family. From the zoo, Amy and Timmothy headed to Key Lime Resort in Gurnee, a spectacular hotel and water park where rooms are more than $150 a night.
Meanwhile at home, Jim continued to call his wife’s cell phone. Jim refuses to talk about any mental health issues, but police have confirmed Amy had previous suicide attempts. She had left before, but never with Timmothy. Still, Jim was sure they were together. And even if he didn’t know where they were, apparently he was confident they’d return. He went to bed but rested uneasily, he said.
Into Wisconsin
The next day, Amy and Timmothy headed north into Wisconsin. The weather was cool, and there were storm warnings out. But they were headed where weather didn’t matter: the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.
The drive to Kalahari is long: about 170 miles through mostly rural Wisconsin. Tracing Amy’s likely route these first two days, the trip seems ordinary. Amy stopped at a convenience store and bought clothes, a toy car and small craft kit — good trinkets for amusing an active kindergartner on a long ride. About an hour after Jim called in a missing person report to Aurora police, Amy stopped for gas and drinks off of Interstate 94 — a direct path from Racine to the Dells.
According to Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli, when police received Jim’s report, Amy and Timmothy’s names immediately went into a database that notified thousands of departments nationwide. Any contact that a police officer had with Amy, Timmothy or Amy’s car would immediately identify them as reported missing.
Amy’s behavior was alarming, but it is not a crime to take your kid on an unannounced vacation. And her actions did not meet the criteria for state police to issue an Amber Alert, the system designed to spread the description of missing, endangered children nationwide in minutes.
For a system like that to work, strict guidelines have been set up. An Amber Alert every day would become background noise, lost in the usual assortment of terror alerts and storm warnings. To make sure Amber Alerts are set aside for the most critical cases, there must be proof the child has been abducted and is at risk for serious bodily harm.
And for the first two days of his trip with his mother, Timmothy was far from danger.
Just like Key Lime Resort, the Kalahari is a pricey children’s paradise. Every room is immaculate, with flat-screen TVs, refrigerators and queen-size beds. Kalahari’s 125,000-square-foot indoor water park is advertised as the world’s largest.
Surveillance video caught Amy and Timmothy checking out the next morning. Timmothy is seen holding his mother’s hand and checking the child’s backpack she’s carrying. He appears to be bored with waiting in line. For police, it’s the last images of mother and son together. Within hours, Amy’s trip would veer from coherence.
Terrible detour
Up until leaving the Kalahari, the trip seems to have purpose. Through cell phone calls, iPass records and credit card receipts, police have been able to confirm that on Wednesday and Thursday, May 11 and 12, Amy mostly took main roads, chose logical point-to-point routes and made good time.
Then, while driving south on Interstate 39 and west on Interstate 88 toward Sterling, she finally started calling family members — although not her husband. The conversations seemed normal. Family heard Timmothy in the background, and at one point he got on the phone.
As she makes the calls, Amy drives about 170 miles. It’s not clear why she heads toward Sterling, a humble, post-industrial town that hugs the northern side of the Rock River, about 80 miles west of Aurora. Police have not been able to confirm that she had ties to anything or anyone in the area. At 1:30 p.m., just north of Sterling, Amy turns off her cell phone for the last time.
She will not re-appear until about 8 p.m., 50 miles away, when she’s seen on a surveillance camera — alone — buying Ritz crackers and milk at a grocery store in Winnebago, west of Rockford.
It doesn’t take six hours to drive 50 miles. So if Timmothy was passed off, abandoned or worse, police believe it likely happened between her last call and the Ritz crackers — a tremendous gap of time and distance.
Each time you make a cell phone call, the signal gets reception from the closest tower it can find. If you’re moving — like driving in a car down Route 40 toward Sterling — the call leaps between two or more towers, allowing a consistent signal. Movement can be traced through cell phone triangulation, using the intersection of tower signals to approximate the caller’s location.
This is why Aurora police have a rough idea where Amy placed that last call. It’s about five miles northwest of Sterling, near Oak Knoll Cemetery, which straddles Route 40. Dozens of World War II veterans are buried there. On a modest hill, the armed services flags are flown every day. From that memorial, a visitor can see in all directions for miles: the beautiful expanse of Illinois’ cornfields, dotted by small groves of trees and century-old farmhouses.
At that vantage point, the challenge facing police is obvious. There are thousands of square miles to search. And although it’s easy to get from Sterling to Winnebago on Interstates 88 and 39, police don’t think it’s likely Amy traveled those open, well-traveled roads. She probably followed the Rock River northeast, maybe along Route 2. These back roads twist and turn through hundreds of farms, past state parks, vast open spaces and small clusters of trees.
Hundreds of officers, a canine team and a search plane hunting for any sign of Timmothy came up empty in a search near Sterling. Police openly admit the search was the equivalent of throwing a manpower dart at the region. They didn’t have any clue to focus their search. Timmothy could be anywhere.
Amy’s last night
Police have not ruled out many theories on when Timmothy went missing, but it is not very likely he went to Winnebago with his mom. At 7:25 p.m. Friday, May 13, she bought a pen, paper and envelopes at the Family Dollar. No one at the store remembers her coming in. She was just another customer on a busy Friday, the day when trucks have to be unloaded. Amy then went next door to Sullivan’s Foods, where store manager Benjamin Jacobsen said she was seen on video, alone. About three hours later, Amy checked into the Rockford Motel, near the intersection of Route 20 and Route 251, on the south side of Rockford.
Despite sincere efforts to plant flowers, the two-story, U-shaped motel is not a luxurious place. The building is not so much neglected as it was built unloved. It’s functional, not fancy. One distinct impression it gives: this is no place for kids. There’s an electric bug zapper sitting in the lobby. On a 95-degree day, the pool is drained. The courtyard is concrete.
The owners have tried their best to clean up the place and in the row of three motels off Route 251, it may be the best. At the counter where Amy stood, a note promises that as of Dec. 1, 2009, the motel is doing background checks.
“Do not check in, if a problem,” the sign warns.
Amy parked her Ford Expedition outside the manager’s office and signed in. Her handwriting is neat, steady. She used her real name and address. She requested a non-smoking, single room. Only rooms with two beds were available, so she got Room 108 for $40 cash.
Police will not say exactly what was on Amy’s suicide note other than to confirm it says Timmothy was fine and with people. Sources have confirmed the note also said he would never be found.
Searching for hope
Saturday marked one month since Amy checked Timmothy out of school. Police have searched fields, cars and houses. They have sent dirt and grass collected from Amy’s car to geologists. They have scoured her three computers and cell phones. They have interviewed witnesses and family members, who were all cooperative. All of it has come up empty.
Although it’s hard to find any fliers with any details about Timmothy along Amy’s likely route, everyone seems to know the story. Their theories on what happened are diverse and broad, but they cling to the hope that, somehow, Timmothy was spared.
Of course, Amy’s last act means anything is possible, and looking for common sense in her actions may be futile. Still, even strangers search for some glimmer of logic. Because if reason existed, then a mother could never hurt her child, even in her darkest moments.
People who met Amy — like the manager of the motel, who declined to give her name — won’t believe Timmothy is dead.
“I don’t believe she hurt him and walked away that calmly,” she said. “I really think someone has that child.”
And Timmothy’s family is sure he’s out there, somewhere.
“I’m 100 percent sure of that,” said Linda Pitzen, Timmothy’s grandmother. “After I read the suicide note, I know in my heart he’s alive. I just don’t know where he’s at. And so I pray every night for God to put His arms around him.”
From the Aurora Beacon-NewsThis week I finished off six Citadel Night Horrors. They join six more that I finished a couple of weeks ago but haven’t previously posted. It’s a short post, but for an unusually productive 12 minis. I hope they’ll speak for themselves.
My favourite thing about the Night Horrors is their variety and simplicity. They’re almost all single-piece, and start to look passable with even one colour of paint applied. This makes sense in context: they were intended for use in the Call of Cthulu game, before Grenadier won the license. Consequently they don’t really fit in the Warhammer cannon – the devils especially seem incongruous alongside Games Workshop’s established Chaos pantheon.
Six Night Horrors by Citadel Miniatures Six more Night Horrors by Citadel Miniatures
I challenged myself to speed paint all of these, taking no more than a couple of hours over each and taking my cues from the very bright colours schemes common in the 1990s. For the ghosts, devils, wraiths and ghoul I used or adapted formulas I’ve used before (swapping the blue ghoul palette for red on the smaller devil). The mummy and golem/earth elemental pretty much painted themselves in off-white and earth brown. I’m particularly pleased with the brown fur on the wearbear, using modern GW paints (Rhinox Hide, washed with Nuln Oil and drybrushed with Verminlord Hide, picking up the details using Ratskin Flesh, Bestigor Flesh and Ungor Flesh, then finally painting the face in all the pinks to match some recent monsters). I wanted to avoid painting the female vampire as Morticia Adams, so I used bright yellow and red – inspired by Castlevania 64’s Rosa. Vampires can bite anyone.
There are 75 minis in the range, and a few of them are very rare. I have 20 and I’ve painted 17, so there’s a long way to go.
Advertisements- San Francisco police responded to a shooting at June Jordan School for Equity, a high school at Brazil & La Grande Avenue in the city's Excelsior District Tuesday Afternoon.
Four students were shot.; three young males and a young female all described as juveniles. The girl is in critical condition. Two of the boys have non-life threatening injuries, according to police.
A third boy who also goes to the school was said to have walked into SFPD Bayview Station with a gunshot wound, according to police. His injuries are said to be non-life threatening.
San Francisco Unified School District released a statement on Wednesday that said all four students received "appropriate medical attention" and are recovering from their injuries.
Police said they were working several leads in the case and that footage from surveillance cameras was playing a role in the case.
At a news conference, police Officer Carlos Manfredi confirmed the shooting happened in the school's parking lot and that the initial call came in at 3:20 p.m. from a school resource officer who said they needed an ambulance. A secondary call came in shortly after that.
The school was placed on lock out,meaning students could not leave and that nobody could enter. Police treated the incident, which happened around the school's dismissal time, as a active shooter situation. They searched each room and determined it was not an active shooter situation.
Four male suspects wearing dark hoodies and jeans were last seen heading westbound on Brazil.
Neighbor Lucy Recinos said she saw and heard the commotion as police arrived at the school. She's lived in the neighborhood for 53 years.
"I was worried because never before, something like this happened," she said. "These days we live in, it's terrible. We never know what's going to happen." She said she was scared.
Police initially said on Twitter at 3:58 p.m. that there was one confirmed victim and that they are investigating and searching for a suspect.
An SF Alert Nixle Alert was put out at 3:42 p.m. The alert indicated public should avoid the area of 325 La Grande Ave. June Jordan School for Equity and City Arts and Technology High School are at that location. A shelter in place has been ordered for residents and nearby businesses.
The situation was cleared shortly after 5 p.m. Police said the investigation is ongoing.
School at June Jordan resumed Wednesday with additional counselors available to students.
Appears to be a targeted incident not-active shooter. 3 students w/ injuries. #SFPD working w/ @sfusd. SFPD has increased patrol in the area — San Francisco Police (@SFPD) October 19, 2016
UPDATE: 3 students @ June Jordan HS w/ minor injuries. 1 student was targeted by outsiders. — SF public schools (@SFUnified) October 19, 2016
#SFPD investigating shots fired @ Brazil & La Grande. 1 Confirmed victim. Shelter in place. SFPD searching for suspect. pic.twitter.com/8gYb9Vi3q7
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) October 18, 2016Everyone seems to be talking about inequality. But does this mean that people actually want their governments to do something about it? Most people do – a new ODI paper drawing on survey responses from 15,000 people in 40 countries found that 85% of people surveyed thought that inequality was too high, and over 70% thought that it was the government's responsibility to reduce it.
Looking beneath these averages produces some surprising results. Commonsense would suggest that the greater the inequality, the stronger the calls for change from the public. But this is not the case. The higher the actual level of inequality in a country, the less support there is likely to be for redistribution.
Instead, we find that it's when people fear that inequality will lead to conflict they are most likely to want their governments to do something about it. In countries with average inequality levels, for example, United Kingdom or Japan, about one-third of people are likely to strongly agree that governments should redistribute incomes, but that rises to nearly 45% among people in those same countries who think there is social conflict. Crucially for politicians, even the richest people in a society – who would potentially lose out from reductions in inequality – are more likely to strongly support redistribution if they fear social conflict. Where people think social conflict is low, just over a quarter of the richest 1% strongly supports redistribution. When they think conflict is high, that rises to well over a third.
Though it's perceiving social conflict that makes people most likely to want action on inequality, people feel particularly strongly about redistribution at lower levels of actual inequality and in countries where actual social conflict is lower. This may seem paradoxical, but it's quite possible that it's fear of change which is driving people's views, not the actual levels of inequality or of conflict. As people get used to higher levels of inequality they may become less afraid of the adverse social impacts, and stop being so open to potentially disruptive policy choices by governments.
There are three lessons from this research for campaigners calling for action on inequality – calls which will need public support if they are to succeed. First, it is encouraging to know that there is support from the general public in most countries for policies to tackle inequality. In particular, people are conscious of the harmful effects of high inequality, particularly in terms of rising tensions and the breakdown of social trust within a society.
Second, the data suggest that under some circumstances coalitions for redistribution could be built even with more wealthy individuals who would potentially lose from redistributive policies (for example by higher income taxes). There are limits to what we can say from survey data – it is difficult to obtain survey information from the very top of the distribution (for example, it is unlikely that Bill Gates has been included in the US sample we analysed), so it is impossible to test with our data whether this is true at the very top of the income scale. But it holds for the top 1%, and other examples, like the survey conducted by the World Economic Forum, suggest that the social cost of inequality is also in the minds of the richest and powerful of the world, in particular because of its threat to political stability.
Third, our study finds that the challenge is to keep that awareness and support at higher levels of inequality, when people have started to adjust their expectations. The best opportunity to tackle inequality, with the highest levels of popular support, is if governments act quickly when inequality is starting to rise. This may be a one-off opportunity. Once inequality is already high and entrenched in the political and economic system it may be harder to gain support and pursue redistributive policies.
Inequality is firmly on the agenda. The challenge now is to get action, and for that support for redistribution will have to move beyond the campaigners and the researchers and become mainstream. Data on existing attitudes shows that this is highly possible – but also that support is sometimes to be found in unlikely places.
Laura Rodriguez Takeuchi is a research officer in the growth, poverty and inequality programme at the Overseas Development Institute. Follow @ODI_development on Twitter.
Read more stories like this:
• 13 ways to tackle inequality in India
• Tackling inequality: is Oxfam on the money?
• How to … include disability in disaster relief
Join the community of global development professionals and experts. Become a GDPN member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox62% of the public say Qatar should be stripped of the right to hold the World Cup and 65% say Sepp Blatter should resign – while most are unsurprised by alleged Fifa corruption
Over the weekend the Sunday Times revealed a tranche of secret emails, letters and bank transfers which it alleges prove Qatari football official Mohamed Bin Hammam paid £3m to officials to support Qatar’s bid for the 2022 World Cup. The paper suggests Bin Hammam’s year-long strategy was to pay for a bloc of support, which would then influence the four African committee members who could take part in the election to decide where the competition is held.
Qatar deny any wrongdoing, but a new YouGov survey finds that 77% of British people, and 90% of football fans, think the decision to hold the world cup in Qatar was influenced by bribery and corruption. Just 4% think this is false.
Fifa’s vice-president Jim Boyce says he would support a re-vote to find a new host for the 2022 competition if corruption is proven. 62% overall and 77% of those interested in football say that Qatar should be stripped of the right to hold the World Cup, while only 10% say it should not.
Previously, Fifa president Sepp Blatter faced calls to resign after he admitted the decision to award Qatar the World Cup, despite it reaching 50 degrees in summer, was a mistake, and politically motivated in part. Now, 65% overall and 84% of football fans think he should resign while only 5% think he should keep his job.
Despite the scale of the alleged conspiracy, few people are surprised. Defence minister Anna Soubrey said "Somebody somewhere has got to get a serious grip on Fifa about the way that they run these competitions"; the former director of public prosecutions called Fifa a “cesspit”; and the majority of the public (72% overall and 84% of football fans) say the allegations are predictable – ‘Fifa is a corrupt organisation that has just been caught out’. Only 8% think the blame lies more with Qatar than Fifa.
Image: Getty
See the full poll resultsJournalists said to be shocked as ex-News of the World editor jailed over phone hacking gets job to promote truthfulness of papers
Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World who was jailed following the phone-hacking scandal, has been hired to do PR for the Telegraph Media Group (TMG).
His public relations firm, Coulson Chappell, has been awarded a contract to improve the standing of the company’s publications, the Daily and Sunday Telegraph. His main brief is thought to be to promote the papers as truthful and authoritative.
The appointment was overseen by TMG’s chief executive, Murdoch MacLennan, who is regarded as one of Coulson’s most loyal friends. He gave evidence on Coulson’s behalf at his trial.
MacLennan confirmed the appointment, saying: “We have a good working relationship with Andy, who has written for us a couple of times. We feel his company will add value to the business.”
Journalists working for the Daily Telegraph were said to be shocked and saddened by the decision to recruit such a controversial figure. One said: “This cannot do anything but harm to our brand. It will deliver a severe blow to the credibility of our journalism.”
Coulson, who was sentenced to 18 months in jail for conspiracy to intercept voicemails, was twice spotted recently at the Telegraph’s offices in Victoria, central London. For Coulson, the contract marks a significant step on the road back from the dark days of his imprisonment.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest (Clockwise from top left): Coulson with Rebekah Brooks (then Wade), Rupert Murdoch and former Murdoch executive Les Hinton in 2005. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
His troubles began in 2007 when he resigned as NoW editor following the conviction of one of his reporters for intercepting voicemails left for royal aides. Six months later, he was recruited by the then Conservative leader, David Cameron, to be the party’s PR chief. When Cameron became prime minister in 2010, Coulson entered Downing Street as the government’s communications director.
He was dogged by continuing media controversy amid the growing phone-hacking scandal and was forced to resign in January 2011. He was arrested later that year and charged with conspiracy to intercept voicemails.
After an Old Bailey trial, Coulson was found guilty in June 2014 and sentenced to prison. MacLennan gave a character reference on his behalf, saying he admired him and had always found him “extremely honest and reliable”. He has often said that Coulson, and his NoW colleagues, should never have been arrested.
Cameron, by contrast, said he regretted hiring Coulson and issued a “full and frank” apology, saying: “I did so on the basis of undertakings I was given by him about phone hacking and those turned out not to be the case …
“I am extremely sorry that I employed him. It was the wrong decision and I am very clear about that.”
Coulson was released in November 2014 after serving less than five months. As a condition of his early release he had to wear an electronic tag until he had served half of his sentence.
In January 2016, Coulson began his return to public life by launching a corporate PR agency with Henry Chappell, a former director of Matthew Freud’s agency and regarded as a sports specialist.
According to its website, Coulson Chappell offers “discreet corporate strategy and communications advice from a unique perspective”.A second annual survey of Canada's two largest condominium markets found that the financial health of owners might be, on average, better than some bleak headlines have suggested.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) surveyed 42,191 households in Toronto and Vancouver and asked them about their stake in the condominium market, if any. Among those who reported owning at least one condo, 83 per cent reported that they owned it to live in it.
The remaining 16.2 per cent owned their primary residence and at least one other condo unit, a category that the CMHC calls "condo investors," since by definition they own at least one property for reasons beyond having a place for themselves to live.
Within that 16 per cent of condo owners who the CMHC deems to be investors, about 75 per cent of them own only one additional unit. About 18 per cent owned at least two units on top of their primary residence, and almost 10 per cent owned three or more.
But on the whole, the survey suggests that relatively few condo investors are overly leveraged with debt. Some 45 per cent of all condo investors currently have no mortgage on the property, and almost 20 per cent of them say they have never had one — which implies they paid for it in cash up front.
Among owners who have mortgages, almost a third had a large down payment of at least 20 per cent when they bought. That ratio jumps even higher, to 45 per cent, among investors, but that's likely because there are much stricter lending rules for people buying second and third properties.
And contrary to the narrative of rampant "flippers" who buy and sell properties in quick succession, a surprisingly large number of condo owners have owned for a long time. Among the group the CMHC describes as investors, almost a quarter of them, 23.7 per cent, have owned their units for more than 10 years. That figure jumps to 45 per cent for owners — people who own only one condo, and live in it.
Changing market
The survey does, however, hint that that proportion may start inching down. It's the second year the housing agency has done the survey, and last year 61 per cent of Toronto condo investors said they planned on keeping their units for at least another five years.
In this year's survey, that figure dropped a little, to 54 per cent. That could be a sign that long-term condo investors have a little less faith in the market than they used to.
In Vancouver, there was also a dropoff although not quite as significant — from 53 per cent who planned to keep their investment condo for at least five years last year, down to 51 per cent today.
That caution played out in the responses to future buying intentions. A strong majority of condo owners in both cities — more than 87 per cent — said they had no plans to buy any more in the next year. In last year's survey, that figure was even higher, at 88 per cent.So I've been sitting on some mixes for a while now and only just getting round to uploading them. This is number two of two.
Hip Hop is a completely different mixing style from anything else I've done before, a lot less time is spent in between songs and it is sometimes difficult to stop lyrics from crashing into one another.... I don't think I entirely captured the spirit of a Hip Hop DJ but thankfully this is electronic beat influenced hip hop so I feel a little let off the hook.
I still like the music in this mix despite the incredible top 40s influence and I hope you guys do as well.
You should also check out my other Future Synth mix, http://goo.gl/qk395
Reddit Post with D/L: http://goo.gl/DiR1GSenator Ted Cruz is still bitter about Democrats trying to stop the nomination of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, so he’s decided to go full blast against the entire Democratic Party. During a segment on Fox News after Sessions’ confirmation, Cruz said that the Democrats are the party of the Ku Klux Klan, completely ignoring the fact that the modern KKK literally endorsed Donald Trump for president. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.
Transcript of the above video:
Senator Ted Cruz is angry at the fact that any democrat in Washington, DC would have the audacity to call out Jeff Sessions’ racist history. In an interview with Fox News the day of Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing, Cruz told Fox that the democrats are the party of the Ku Klux Klan, the party of the KKK. That is what Ted Cruz said. He begins to go into the history, if you look back at the old south it was the Dixiecrats right after the Civil War who founded the KKK. It was a great many democrats who founded this, or those were Cruz’s words.
Now, in 2013 this issue came up again. PolitiFact looked into it, it said this statement is entirely false. Yes, it was a lot of democrats in the south who got together and formed the KKK, but their party affiliation had nothing to do with that fact. Plus, when you look at the history of what happened to the democratic party and what happened to the republican party in the years since the Civil War, I think anybody with a brain understands the fact that these two parties are not the same.
In fact, if we want to bring up history, why don’t we talk about the Civil Rights Act, Ted Cruz, and talk about the fact that it was your party who opposed it. Now, you said in your Fox News interview that it was the democrats who wanted segregation, when in reality it was your party who fought to keep segregation. It was the democrats who got rid of it, and a democratic president who when he signed it said, “I just lost the democrats the south for at least a generation.”
Turns out, it lost the democrats the south for a good 70, 80 years, probably even longer than that. But, the republicans are the parties of racists, and if you want to go back to a little bit more recent history, how about the fact that the KKK actually endorsed your guy. David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the KKK endorsed your guy. The KKK after Trump’s victory was planning a victory march in North Carolina. White nationalists have celebrated Trump’s victory. Skinheads, neo-Nazis, all these people love Donald Trump and the republican party.
You can talk all you want about what happened in the United States 160 years ago with people who happened to be a member of a certain political party all you want, but that doesn’t make it true. In today’s world the modern republican party is supported by the modern incarnation of the KKK. That is the only thing that people need to know right now. What happened in the past, what happened 160, 170 years ago at this point doesn’t necessarily matter. Back then the republicans were on the side of African Americans. Hell, Abraham Lincoln was a republican. You guys never shy away from bringing that up. If he were a live today, I guarantee you he would be disgusted by the entire republican party, and particularly disgusted with what you have to say, Senator Cruz.SANTA CLARA
Here is the transcript of Jim Tomsula’s Monday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department,
Opening comments:
“The injury report, again guys are still coming in, but [LB Aaron] Lynch and [TE Vance] McDonald are both in the concussion protocol. [LB Michael] Wilhoite is getting an MRI on his ankle today. [LB NaVorro] Bowman, as of right now, looks like everything is really well. He went through all the protocol yesterday in the game and went into the locker room, checked, all those things and was cleared to return to play and he’s fine. [TE Garrett] Celek, there’s a meeting with our medical staff and doctors today to see what they see on that. Today’s a bid day for him, letting it go the first week and see where he’s at. So, we’ll let you know about that tomorrow or later on today. Questions?”
Why is it a big day for him? Just to see how far he’s come?
“Yeah. With those high ankle sprains, just to see where he’s at and how it’s progressed over that first week.”
How concerned are you about covering tight end if McDonald and Celek are not available next week?
“Well, obviously we have to look at that. We brought a guy in. We’ve got our guys in here on the practice squad. It’s obviously a concern. We need to be shored up for it. Feel pretty good about McDonald, but we’ve got to make sure that we’re covered there and we will be.”
How much has QB Blaine Gabbert just shown you with his leadership and his big-play ability since he took over this job and his steady nature out there?
“Yeah, he’s been really steady. Again, the way he’s approached his job since he’s been here has been really impressive. I think since you’ve seen him in games on Sundays, you’ve seen him progress. He’s moving along well. Blaine is a talented, talented quarterback, obviously. But, we’re really excited about where he’s at and where he’s heading. We still need to keep getting better. And the way he interacts with everybody and the way he handles the offense, all of those things are really good.”
What do you like about how he interacts?
“Blaine’s that, I don’t want to say Midwestern guy, but he’s just, he comes in in the morning and, ‘Hey, Blaine, what’s up?’ He’s got a nice personality. He’s a good guy and he’s real serious about football and you see it and he talks about it and the guys, I just like the way he communicates with the guys.”
What about his running ability? You certainly didn’t hear much about that and it’s turned out to be a big asset it seems like.
“Yes, sir. He’s a very good athlete. He can run. We go to all the statistics, he’s fast, he’s strong, he’s in great shape and he can move around. Obviously, you got to see that the other day, but we’ve known that. We see him in practice.”
Can you see incorporating that more in the offense given that he’s now shown it’s not just one or two plays, he’s done that several times?
“Yeah, I figured I would get asked about the zone option and all those things. That’s still part of our offense.”
How much of a jolt do you foresee yesterday’s win and the fashion it played out, having an effect on this locker room going forward?
“I don’t know that I say jolt. The fashion, the way the game went, the ups and downs, it was by no means a perfect game. But, to battle it all the way through and come out with a victory makes those moments in the locker room after the game more exciting and more emotional. So, that part of it, we let that go a little bit longer for the guys to be able to feel that. But this group, again we keep saying, working through the week and they come to work. Again, we’re in a performance-based business, but winning on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and through the week and we’ve got to finish it by winning on game day. So, I think a win definitely goes in the good category, the great category, but I don’t know that it’s a jolt.”
Your team is competing very well lately. Could you name some specific areas in which the team has improved from the beginning of the season?
“Yeah. Defensively I will say that with the scheme and the techniques and playing together in some of the zone defenses and where the guys are and understanding where the other guys fit around you, I think that’s an area that we’ve really improved on, that you would expect to improve on. We’re still not as consistent as I would like us to be in the run fits. You’re seeing the still up and down. You’ll see us come out for a game and it’s solid and it’s good. I know we had a couple of guys go out of the game and we had to bring people in and things like that, but we‘ve got to keep hammering that. That’s still too much up and down. That just needs to be there and stay there and the guys are working it hard, but the consistency of that has to get much better. But, there is improvement in it. Offensively, again I would say the operation of it, understanding your route combinations when you’re running routes on where you are to where the other receivers are and the quarterback’s reads and the guys, again, just working together at it. The offensive line, and again yesterday, we feel like we can play better than we played yesterday on the offensive line. But, I have seen that moving forward. So, I very much think there’s a lot of work to do, but those are the areas that I do see things improving on. Special teams wise, I thought that our [P Bradley Pinion] punter, that was the best game he’s played this year. That’s what we know Bradley can do and he can change the field for you and he was able to do that. I felt really good for him in that area. Defensively as a whole, not being in favorable field position in a couple of areas where they got the ball and either getting a three-and-out or making it be a field goal. That was good to see. Stepping up to the plate there, playing the complimentary football with the offense, the defense and special teams. So, those are the areas. I hope I’m answering your question, but those are the areas I see it.”
ME: In terms of the run fits, was that the issue on the 11-yard run at the end of the game on third-and-ten? It seemed that LB Gerald Hodges got a little too far to the left.
“Yes. And again, |
a whole other space. There was a moment where almost every person that I knew felt very defeated and very afraid. The conversations that Tania and I have been having about personal digital security should have always been happening. We are really losing control over our digital lives. You have government surveillance, and you also have corporate surveillance.
What are some of the risks?
Lee: There are so many ways that your information can be compromised. Even after I transformed my entire password, my Airbnb account got hacked.
So how do you start improving your digital security without getting overwhelmed?
Slammer: The first thing is to let yourself off the hook for not doing this perfectly. No approach is fully secure. Hopefully, that takes the pressure off so that you can move forward in way that says you are the best person to know and understand your context.
What do you mean by “your context”?
Lee: Context is [what] information you want to better protect and what information you actually want to be out there. The majority of us don’t want to be totally off the grid. Community is our lifeline, and so there are some identities that we want out there.
Slammer: [I’ve been] thinking more about some of the trade-offs. I had my Instagram account public up until January when I was going to visit Kenya, because [while there] I didn’t want people to look me up and see certain posts around my sexuality and my politics. I made that private, and it’s basically remained private. I asked myself a lot of questions like, “What is the purpose of Instagram in my life?”
What did you decide about Instagram?
Slammer: Instagram is a place where I’ve built up confidence in myself and what I look like. I’m no longer ashamed of being really into selfies and selfie culture. When you’re queer, when you’re a person of color, when you’re a Black woman, when you’re genderqueer—[there are] physical standards of beauty you don’t meet in a certain way. Putting yourself out there and having people heart you is amazing. That to me is tied to my personal security.
What do you all think are some of the priorities in terms of first steps?
Slammer: Passwords and phishing. When some app or page asks you for information, ask yourself if you should provide it? If something seems strange, take the extra two seconds to verify. Also, pay attention to the types of information that services ask you for. A couple of months ago, when I was going through my own audit, I went through all of my apps in my phone to see my settings. If an app was asking for access to, say, my camera but didn’t need it, I turned that off.
How can you tell if something is important enough to take additional security measures?
Lee: Personally speaking, I asked myself what the effect would be if something was compromised. [For example,] I never want anybody to see a text conversation between me and my friend about very personal things. It’s like if someone breaks into my house and opens up my diary. So that’s when I moved from SMS over to Signal. I still use a mix of iMessage and SMS. For my most personal personal stuff I use Signal, but I’m not going to make my Auntie Linna download Signal to know the details about Thanksgiving.
You both emphasize talking to other people about personal digital safety? Why is that so important?
Slammer: You don’t need to do it by yourself. Let’s have some tea, create a plan, execute certain tools and see if they work and come back to it. You’re not stupid—it’s hard.
Lee: I had a lot of shame around my password choices. It’s really hard for me to remember shit, so I just use the same thing for everything. It wasn’t until I talked to someone that I decided on my tier of accounts that I’m going to go hard on with a more secure password. Then I just started to slowly modify my password habits. Hopefully our method of talking about it with someone helps you take that first step.
What steps should protest-goers take?
Slammer: If you’re going to protests you shouldn’t have your phone with you. Or you should have a burner phone. You need to have a plan that doesn’t rely on your phone in terms of documentation and connecting with people.
Lee: If your phone has wifi and it connects to a Stingray [device], people monitoring you can download information from your phone. In Baltimore, this was a huge tactic with police. When you’re participating in a protest, turn off your wifi and your Bluetooth.
How do you keep from feeling paranoid?
Slammer: We have every right to be paranoid. Speaking as this queer Black woman immigrant who has been tracked ever since she entered this country, I’ve never experienced privacy. The government has always known where I’ve been. As communities of color, we’re extra-tracked, whether we’re accessing social services or involved in criminal justice systems. The more we have conversations that demystify this technology, the better.
Resources recommended by Lee and Slammer:
Allied Media Presentation: Lee and Slammer presented this guide to starting a security audit at this year’s Allied Media Conference.
Tor browser: Tor is a secure Internet browser that prevents people monitoring your Internet connection from learning what sites you visit. It also stops the sites you visit from learning your physical location.
Electronic Frontier Foundation: The group offers resources about policy, actions you can take to defend digital civil liberties and a number of tools to improve your digital security.
“Reply All”: This episode of the “Reply All“ podcast helped Lee figure out how her Airbnb account was hacked and what to do about it.
CryptoHarlem: The New York City-based group organizes parties where people learn to secure their phones and laptops. The founder, Matt Mitchell, is now working on a tool to help organizations deal with data breaches. Lee and Musuta recommend his Twitter feed, @geminiimatt, as another resource.
The Guardian Project: The project creates easy-to-use secure apps, open-source software libraries and customized mobile devices that can be used globally.
Center for Media Justice: The organization works to “build a powerful movement for a more just and participatory media and digital world—with racial equity and human rights for all.”The Traditional Catholic Liturgy
Adapted from The Liturgical Year by Abbot Gueranger
The Ember Days of Lent
Elias is fed by an Angel before his fast of forty days.
The fast on the Wednesday after the First Sunday of Lent is prescribed by a double law—it is Lent, and it is Ember Wednesday. It is the same with the Friday and Saturday of this week. There are two principal objects for the Ember Days of this period of the year: the first is to offer to God the season of Spring, and, by fasting and prayer, to draw down His blessing upon it; the second is to ask Him to enrich with His choicest graces the priests and sacred ministers who are to receive their Ordination on Saturday. Let us, therefore, have a great respect for these three days; and let those who violate upon them the laws of fast or abstinence, know that they commit a twofold sin.
Up to the 11th century the Ember Days of Spring were kept in the first week of March; and those of Summer, in the second week of June. It was Pope St. Gregory VII who fixed them as we now have them; that is, the Ember Days of Spring in the first full week of Lent, and those of Summer during the Octave of Pentecost.
On all the Ember Wednesdays there are read, in place of the Epistle at Mass, two Lessons from Sacred Scripture. Today the Church brings before us the two great types of Lent—Moses in the first Lesson and Elias in the second—in order to impress us with an idea of the importance of this forty days' fast, which Christ Himself solemnly consecrated when He observed it, thus fulfilling, in His own Person, what the Law and the Prophets had but prefigured.
Moses and Elias fasted for forty days and forty nights, because God bade them come near to Him. Man must purify himself, he must unburden himself, in some measure at least, of the body which weighs him down, if he would enter into communication with Him, Who is the Holy Spirit. And yet the vision of God granted to these two holy personages was very imperfect: they felt that God was near them, but they beheld not His glory. But when the fullness of time came (Gal. 4: 4), God manifested Himself in the flesh: and man saw and heard and touched Him (1 John 1: 1). We indeed are not of the number of those favored ones who lived with Jesus, the Word of Life; but in the Holy Eucharist He allows us to do more than see Him—He enters into our breasts, He is our Food. The humblest member of the Church possesses God more fully then either Moses on Sinai or Elias on Horeb. We cannot, therefore, be surprised that the Church, in order to fit us for this favor at the Easter solemnity, bids us go through a preparation of forty days, though its severity is not to be compared with the rigid fast which Moses and Elias had to observe as the condition of receiving what God promised them.
On Ember Friday we are reminded of the ancient Lenten discipline of the Church. We would frequently be at a loss to understand Her liturgy of this season, unless we picture Her to ourselves as preparing the public penitents for a renewed participation in the Sacred Mysteries. But first they must be reconciled to God, Whom they have offended. Their soul is dead by sin; can it be restored to life? Yes; we have God’s word for it. The Lesson from the prophet Ezechiel, which the Church began yesterday for the catechumens, is continued today for the benefit of the public penitents. If the wicked do penance for all his sins, which he hath committed, and keep all My commandments, and do judgment and justice; living he shall live, and shall not die. But his iniquities are upon him and rise up against him, crying to Heaven for eternal vengeance! And yet God, Who knows all things, and forgets nothing, assures us that He will not remember iniquities which have been redeemed by penance. Such is the affection of His Fatherly Heart, that He will forget the outrage offered Him by His child, if this child will but return to its duty. Thus then the penitents are to be reconciled; and on the Feast of the Resurrection they will be associated with the just, because God will have forgotten their iniquities; they themselves will be just men. Thus it is that the Liturgy, which never changes in its essentials, brings frequently before us the ancient discipline of public penance.
Nowadays, sinners are not visibly separated from the faithful; the Church doors are not closed against them; they frequently stand near the holy altar, in the company of the just; and when God’s pardon descends upon them, the faithful are not made cognizant of the grace by any special and solemn rite. Let us here admire the wonderful mercy of our Heavenly Father, and profit by the indulgent discipline of our Holy Mother the Church. The lost sheep may enter the fold at any hour and without any display; let him take advantage of the condescension thus shown him, and never more wander from the Shepherd, Who thus mercifully receives him. Neither let the just man be puffed up with self-complacency, by preferring himself to the lost sheep; let him rather reflect on those words of today’s lesson: If the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity... the justices which he hath done shall not be remembered. Let us, therefore tremble for ourselves, and have compassion on sinners. One of the great means on which the Church rests Her hopes for the reconciliation of sinners is the fervent prayers offered up for them by the faithful during Lent.
The Gospel of today tells of the cure of the infirm man who had waited 38 years at the Probatica pool—a figure of the Sacrament of Penance. How was his cure wrought? First of all, the infirm man says to Jesus: I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond. The water would have cured him; but observe, he has need of some Man to lead him to the water. This Man is the Son of God, and He became Man in order to heal us. As Man, He has received power to forgive sins, and before leaving this earth, He gave that same power to other men, and said to them: Whose sins ye shall forgive, they are forgiven them (John 20: 23). The penitents, then, are to be reconciled with God by virtue of this supernatural power; and the infirm man, who takes up his bed and walks, is a figure of the sinner, whose sins have been forgiven him by the Church, by the divine power of the keys.
In the third century, a heretic named Novatian taught that the Church has not the power to forgive sins committed after Baptism. This doctrine was condemned by the Councils and the holy Doctors of the Church; and in order to offer to the faithful some outward expression of the power given to the Son of Man of forgiving sins to such as repent, there was painted on the walls of the places where the Christians used to assemble, the infirm man of the Gospel, walking with his bed upon his shoulders. This consoling symbol is frequently met with in the frescoes which were painted, even in the age of the Martyrs, in the Roman catacombs. They show us how the early Christians were taught to understand this passage of the Gospel, which the Church, so many centuries ago, assigned to this day.
The Water of the Probatica was also a symbol; and here the Gospel conveyed a special instruction to the Catechumens. It was by Water that they were to be made whole, and by Water endowed with a supernatural virtue. The miraculous pond of Jerusalem could only cure the body, and that at rare intervals, and the favor could only be conferred upon a single individual; but now that the Angel of the Great Counsel has come down from Heaven and sanctified the waters of the Jordan, the Probatica is everywhere—it is giving health to the souls of man without any limitation either of time or number. Man is the minister of this grace; but it is the Son of God, become the Son of Man, that works by the human minister.
Let us also consider the multitude of sick, who, as the Gospel tells us, were waiting for the moving of the water. They represent the various classes of sinners, who are seeking, during this holy time, to be converted to their God. There are the Sick, or as the Latin word has it, the Languid—these are the torpid, who never thoroughly give up their evil habits; there are the Blind—these are they whose spiritual eye is dead; there are the Lame—who limp and falter in the path to salvation; and lastly there are the Withered—who seem incapable of doing a single good action. All are waiting for the favorable moment. Jesus will soon be with them, and will say to each of them: Wilt thou be made whole? Let them answer this question with love and confidence, and they will be healed.
The Station for every Ember Saturday is, as we have seen, in the Basilica of St. Peter—the Vatican—where the people were wont to assemble toward evening, that they might be present at the Ordination of the Priests and Sacred Ministers. This day was called Twelve-Lesson-Saturday, because, formerly, twelve passages from Holy Scripture used to be read. (The number now is seven—five Lessons, the Epistle and the Gospel.) The Mass during which the Ordinations were given, was celebrated during the night; so that by the time it was over, the Sunday had begun. Later on the Ordination Mass was celebrated early on Saturday, but, in memory of the ancient practice, the Gospel for Saturday is repeated on Sunday—in this case, the Gospel of the Transfiguration. The following is the interpretation given by the ancient Liturgists, among whom we may especially mention the learned Abbot Rupert:
"The Church would have us think upon the sublime dignity which has been conferred upon the newly ordained Priests. They are represented by the three Apostles, who were taken by Jesus to the high mountain, and favored with the sight of His glory. The rest of the Disciples were left below: Sts. Peter, James and John were the only ones permitted to ascend Tabor; and they, when the time should come, were to tell their fellow Apostles, and the whole world, how they had seen the glory of their Master and heard the words of the Father declaring the Divinity of the Son of Man. This voice, says St. Peter, coming down to Him from the excellent glory: This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. And this voice we heard, brought from Heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mount (2 Peter 1: 17, 18). In like manner, these priests who have just been ordained, and for whom you have been offering up your prayers and fasts, will enter into the cloud with the Lord. They will offer up the Sacrifice of your salvation in the silence of the sacred Canon. God will descend into their hands, for your sake; and though they are mortal and sinners, yet will they, each day, be in closest communication with the Divinity. The forgiveness of your sins, which you are now preparing to receive from your heavenly Father, is to come to you through their hands; their superhuman power will bring it down from Heaven upon your souls. It is thus that God has cured our pride. The serpent said to us through our first parents: Eat of this fruit, and you shall be as gods. We unfortunately believed the tempter, and the fruit of our transgression was death. God took pity on us, and resolved to save us; but it is by the hands of men that He would save us, and this in order to humble our haughtiness. His own eternal Son became Man, and He left other men after Him, to whom He said: As the Father has sent Me, I also send you (John 20: 21). Let us, then, show honor to these men, who have, this very day, been raised to so high a dignity. One of the duties imposed on us by our holy religion is respect to the Priesthood."
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Former Newman government MP joins Hanson’s party as campaign director as pressure mounts for LNP to reveal any preference deal with One Nation
Former Queensland MP Michael Pucci has become the latest Liberal National party defector to One Nation, joining up as a campaign director for the upcoming state election.
Pucci, 53, a former US marine and Gulf War veteran, held the seat of Logan for one term after the LNP swept to power under Campbell Newman in 2012. He is the fourth former Newman government MP to defect to One Nation since October.
The Western Australian Liberals are reportedly set to break the party’s 16-year nationwide convention by reaching a preference deal with Pauline Hanson’s party.
James Ashby lays out One Nation's agenda for Queensland: 'We’re not mucking around here' Read more
Earlier this month, One Nation executive member and chief of staff to Hanson, James Ashby, warned the LNP to brace for more defections, as it pursues an unlikely outright majority in the next Queensland parliament.
While the WA move will place the Queensland LNP opposition leader, Tim Nicholls, under pressure to reveal any similar deal, Ashby has said there have been no such discussions with the opposition.
Indigenous state Labor MP turned independent Billy Gordon has told the Australian he would discuss the possibility of a preference deal with One Nation.
Pucci told the Courier-Mail he believed One Nation wanted to look after the best interests of people in Queensland.
Sitting Buderim MP, Steve Dickson, a minister in the former Newman government, has been appointed One Nation’s state leader.
The Queensland Greens convenor, Andrew Bartlett, said the revelation of One Nation’s negotiations with senior WA Liberals showed “the two parties are now soulmates”.
Queensland MP Steve Dickson defects from LNP to join One Nation Read more
Liberals face wipe-out in key Western Australian seat, polling shows Read more
“LNP leader Tim Nicholls is playing voters for fools by refusing to admit that he will seek a similar vote swap with the One Nation party in the upcoming Queensland election,” Bartlett said.
“One Nation has voted side by side with the Liberal party government in the Senate on almost every issue that matters.
“They are so similar that a number of high-profile former Liberals have already found it easy to take the small step across to One Nation, and Pauline Hanson has happily announced a former minister in Campbell Newman’s government as her local ringleader.
“Many Queenslanders are horrified and anxious about events unfolding in America but in a callous bid for political power, it is almost certain the LNP will strike a deal with [US president Donald] Trump’s loudest cheer squad [in Australia].”
Pucci’s Wikipedia profile – updated last night to reflect his move to One Nation – describes him as the first American to have been elected to the Queensland parliament, and the first US marine to serve in an Australian parliament.
The first LNP defector to One Nation in Queensland was Neil Symes, who worked behind a deli counter at Woolworths before winning the seat of Lytton aged 24. Symes announced he had joined One Nation via Instagram last October.
Former Thuringowa MP Sam Cox revealed in January he would run for One Nation in Burdekin.When people talk about SQL JOIN, they often use Venn Diagrams to illustrate inclusion and exclusion of the two joined sets:
While these Venn diagrams are certainly useful to understand (and remember) SQL JOIN syntax, they’re not entirely accurate, because SQL JOIN is a special type of a cartesian product, the CROSS JOIN.
In a cartesian product between two sets A and B, the result is the multiplication of each set, meaning that each element a ∈ A is combined with each element b ∈ B to form a set of tuples (a, b).
Ordinary SQL JOINs do precisely this. When you join BOOK to AUTHOR, you will probably get a combination of every author ∈ AUTHOR with each book ∈ BOOK, such that for each combination (author, book), the author actually wrote the book.
The true meaning of Venn diagrams
The true meaning of Venn diagrams is much better described by the operations
UNION
INTERSECT
EXCEPT (or MINUS in Oracle)
In the following sections, we’ll see that these operations match exactly the semantics of operations that can be illustrated by Venn diagrams, even if you will be able to “abuse” JOIN operations to achieve the same result.
UNION
The UNION operation is the most well-known among these set operations. It is often also referred to as “concatenation” of two sets of tuples, where the result is the concatenation of a set B to a set A.
In the following example, we’ll see that we might be interested in all the different people from our database, given their first and last names, regardless if they’re customer or staff :
The original Venn diagrams used FULL OUTER JOIN to model the “same” concept, although the two things are not strictly same. Consider the following query, which we’ll run against the Sakila database:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer UNION SELECT first_name, last_name FROM staff ORDER BY 1, 2
The result looks like:
first_name last_name ------------------------------------ AARON SELBY ADAM GOOCH ADRIAN CLARY AGNES BISHOP ALAN KAHN ALBERT CROUSE ALBERTO HENNING ALEX GRESHAM ALEXANDER FENNELL ALFRED CASILLAS ALFREDO MCADAMS ALICE STEWART ALICIA MILLS...
Now, run the following “equivalent” query:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer FULL OUTER JOIN staff USING (first_name, last_name) ORDER BY 1, 2
The result will again yield:
first_name last_name ------------------------------------ AARON SELBY ADAM GOOCH ADRIAN CLARY AGNES BISHOP ALAN KAHN ALBERT CROUSE ALBERTO HENNING...
This only works because we’re using the USING clause, which not every database supports natively. If we did our JOIN with the more commonly used ON clause, we’d have to write the more tedious:
SELECT COALESCE(c.first_name, s.first_name) AS first_name, COALESCE(c.last_name, s.last_name) AS last_name FROM customer c FULL OUTER JOIN staff s ON (c.first_name, c.last_name) = (s.first_name, s.last_name) ORDER BY 1, 2
In this case, most people probably default to using UNION already, as it is a much better known operation than FULL OUTER JOIN.
All of jOOQ’s currently supported RDBMS support UNION and UNION ALL (the latter doesn’t remove duplicates).
In the following, we’ll see that equivalent comparisons can be made with other set operations:
INTERSECT
The INTERSECT operation is really useful when you want to keep only those tuples that are present in both sets that are combined using INTERSECT :
As you can see, we may want to retain only those customers that are also actors. Let’s run this query:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer INTERSECT SELECT first_name, last_name FROM actor
first_name last_name ------------------------------------ JENNIFER DAVIS
One of our customers is also an actor. The same query could have been written with an INNER JOIN as such:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer INNER JOIN actor USING (first_name, last_name)
… or with the ON syntax
SELECT c.first_name, c.last_name FROM customer c INNER JOIN actor a ON (c.first_name, c.last_name) = (a.first_name, a.last_name)
This time, no COALESCE is needed, as INNER JOIN retains only those tuples from the cartesian product, which are present on “both sides” of the JOIN, so we can pick any of the tables to prefix our columns.
You may even decide to use a semi-join instead, which would yield the same results:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer WHERE (first_name, last_name) IN ( SELECT first_name, last_name FROM actor )
or, using the more verbose, yet equivalent EXISTS predicate:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer c WHERE EXISTS ( SELECT 1 FROM actor a WHERE (c.first_name, c.last_name) = (a.first_name, a.last_name) )
All of the above, again, yield:
first_name last_name ------------------------------------ JENNIFER DAVIS
EXCEPT
The EXCEPT operation is useful when you want to keep only those tuples that are present in one set, but not in another:
Running this query:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer EXCEPT SELECT first_name, last_name FROM staff ORDER BY 1, 2
… will yield:
first_name last_name ------------------------------------ AARON SELBY ADAM GOOCH ADRIAN CLARY AGNES BISHOP ALAN KAHN ALBERT CROUSE ALBERTO HENNING...
According to the original Venn diagrams, this can be tweaked using LEFT JOIN and a IS NULL predicate:
SELECT first_name, last_name FROM customer LEFT JOIN staff USING (first_name, last_name) WHERE staff_id IS NULL ORDER BY 1, 2
or with an ON clause:
SELECT c.first_name, c.last_name FROM customer c LEFT JOIN staff s ON (c.first_name, c.last_name) = (s.first_name, s.last_name) WHERE staff_id IS NULL ORDER BY 1, 2
This is completely unreadable and doesn’t communicate the fact that we’re removing tuples from a set CUSTOMER, given their presence in another set STAFF.
An equivalent version using anti-join might be more readable (watch out for NULLs in NOT IN predicates, though!):
SELECT c.first_name, c.last_name FROM customer c WHERE (first_name, last_name) NOT IN ( SELECT first_name, last_name FROM staff ) ORDER BY 1, 2
… or, using NOT EXISTS :
SELECT c.first_name, c.last_name FROM customer c WHERE NOT EXISTS ( SELECT 1 FROM staff s WHERE (c.first_name, c.last_name) = (s.first_name, s.last_name) ) ORDER BY 1, 2
Conclusion
UNION, INTERSECT, and EXCEPT are very simple, yet very useful operations that can add a lot of value every now and then in your daily SQL tasks. While JOIN operations are much more versatile, they are also more complex for the simple tasks that can be solved by UNION, INTERSECT, and EXCEPT
Did you like this article? It’s part of the Data Geekery SQL Training – a 1-day workshop helping you to get the most out of the awesome SQL language.
Read more articles about awesome SQL here:The Mississippi Highway Patrol is investigating the car crash that killed a black man who was an advocate for the Confederate flag, PEOPLE has confirmed.
“Our accident reconstruction team is reviewing information at this time [and] also interviewing witnesses with anything, as far as retaining to the crash,” Lt. Johnny Poulos of the Mississippi Highway Patrol told PEOPLE.
“We’re hoping the investigation will be completed in the next few days, we’re just tying up some loose ends,” he added.
Anthony Hervey, 49, author of Why I Wave the Confederate Flag: Written by a Black Man, died on Sunday on his way home from a pro-Confederate-flag rally in Alabama, the The New York Times reported.
Arlene Barnum, 60, a fellow speaker at the Monumental Dixie rally, was in the sports utility vehicle at the time of the incident, the McAlester News-Capital reports. She told investigators that Hervey swerved on the highway then flipped over several times while trying to avoid a car that had pulled up beside them. Barnum also told investigators they were being chased.
When Hervey and Barnum’s car came to a stop, she tried talking with him, but he didn’t respond. It wasn’t until the pair reached the hospital that she’d learned Hervey had died, according to the The New York Times. Barnum suffered some cuts and a fractured foot.
Barnum has documented some of the chase on her Facebook page. She also posted a video from her hospital bed.
The Confederate flag has been a source of racial tensions for decades. Supporters say it’s a symbol of the South, but opponents argue it’s racist and represents slavery.
Racial tensions have peaked in the region since nine African-Americans, including prominent South Carolina state senator Clementa Pinckney, 41, were killed in a historic Charleston church in June when a white gunman, who appeared to have been influenced by the Confederate flag, allegedly opened fire at a prayer meeting.
Shortly thereafter, the South Carolina state legislature voted to remove the flag from the State House grounds, where it had flown since 1961.
• With reporting by HARRIET SOKMENSUERWhen I first heard about the garden bridge, I thought it was a nice idea. A big pedestrian bridge with a park on it, joining up attractive areas of central London. What’s not to like? It sounds a little bit magic: a garden on a bridge. Wow, there’s a whole tree growing on that bridge! Like an aquarium in a pillar, a hotel made of ice, or a firework on a hat.
It’s got a dash of hanging gardens of Babylon, a touch of rooftop pool, and a smidgen of the old London Bridge, which had shops on it and one imagines as very picturesque, though probably didn’t look so to people at the time who didn’t have any ugly concrete or uPVC to compare it to and were fed up with everything being so damp and smelly. Not to mention the high infant mortality rate. And complete lack of democratic accountability. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise history must have been really difficult to enjoy if you were actually in it.
That’s what many of us are finding at the moment – so it’s comforting to reflect that any current issues will, in time, be no more troubling to people than the heads on spikes at medieval London Bridge are to us today. Trump, Isis, Putin, Syria, Brexit, the death of Prince – it all just adds to the ghoulish heritage detail that’ll enliven our history-buff descendants’ away-breaks in the boutique hotels of the future, complete with genuine early-21st-century double glazing and patchy wifi, and a building “which is, in places, still physically attached to the planet’s surface”.
It doesn’t feel like the right time for a blowout. Maybe a decade ago, when London was optimistic and self-confident
So it would be sacrilege to demolish the garden bridge. Leave it where it is, I say! OK, it’s a bit tatty now – most of the shrubs have withered and recent analysis of the soil found it to be 72% pigeon excrement, but it turns out bindweed absolutely thrives on the stuff, which provides lots of sheltered hiding places for junkies.
I do realise it hasn’t been built yet. I’m just trying to work out what I think about it and the conclusion that I wouldn’t demolish it is a start. But, on reflection, I don’t think it means I’m in favour of building it. It may mean I’m just in favour of doing nothing in general. Maybe I’m a radical ultra-status quo-ist: “We believe in leaving things as they are, regardless of how that is. Don’t build anything, don’t knock anything down. Don’t pass any laws, don’t repeal any laws. Don’t start a genocide, don’t stop a genocide. Just leave well alone, you’ll only make things worse, be it utopia or hell on Earth. We’re already worried about the unforeseen consequences of saying this.”
But I don’t think it’s that. I’ll never be totally convinced of the futility of human endeavour while there’s a functioning toaster in the world. I think I’ve gone cold on the garden bridge because I’ve been made too aware of what building it would involve. The initial implied casual question, “Do you fancy a garden bridge?”, to which my instinctive response was “Yeah, OK,” has been complicated by hearing too much about how it’s to be achieved. It’s like I’ve accepted someone’s offer of a biscuit and now, after eight minutes of them clanking around in the kitchen, they’re proposing to pop out to the shop.
Last week came news that the bridge’s estimated cost, which last year was revised upwards to £185m, may rise again and that the Garden Bridge Trust is facing the possibility of “further delay to the project” and wondering “whether the project remains viable”. Apart from public grants, the trust only raised £13m over the last 17 months, has yet to secure landing sites on either river bank, has no commitment from the mayor of London to cover the bridge’s projected £3m annual running costs, and is £56m short of having enough money to build it even if the budget doesn’t go up which it probably will (see above).
“Oh, don’t bother then!” I want to say. “We don’t need it. We didn’t want to put you to so much trouble.” The budgetary struggle sits ill with the enterprise’s frivolous aim. They’re not building a hospital or a railway, it’s not a cure for cancer or a voyage of discovery, it’s a snazzy park, a neat trick: trees on a bridge. But like every magic trick, if you show the audience the massive hassle involved in creating the illusion, they lose their sense of wonder and think it’s not worth it. It’s too much for the prospect of a silly, jolly thing – this is why restaurants don’t charge till after pudding.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Illustration by David Foldvari.
It doesn’t feel like the right time for a blowout. Maybe a decade or so ago, when London was optimistic and self-confident. Today the city feels divided and hated. It’s racked with the evidence of increasing global wealth inequality – unaffordable property prices, iceberg houses, punishing rents, mansions left empty by foreign investors, millions enduring long, chaotic commutes on decrepit Victorian railway lines – just as its main industry, the financial services sector, propels that inequality. Meanwhile it’s viewed increasingly dimly by the rest of the country as out of touch with national reality and a sponge for government attention and investment. It’s a provocative moment to piss away £200m on a window box you can walk on.
Public libraries are closing. That’s the clincher for me. For others it might be the parlous state of the NHS, student tuition fees, or the ease of getting across the Thames with the currently available crossings. For me, it’s libraries. Probably because, like the bridge, they’re something some people argue are unnecessary: they say they’re used less, and that the internet renders them obsolete as a way of freely accessing knowledge.
There’s some truth to this (though the internet doesn’t render them obsolete as nice, free places to sit). But the pillars of civilisation don’t currently feel so secure that, when libraries start closing, we can assume it’s happening for sensible reasons rather than because our society is in terminal decline, because the people who need such places are poor and so don’t matter.
Libraries symbolise a commitment to learning, community and equality that can no longer be taken for granted. At this dark, divided time, we need those symbols to stand, not be converted into flats. The price of a magic tree bridge could keep hundreds of them open for years. That realisation would spoil my enjoyment of a new, slightly leafier view of London’s river and its gleaming banks.Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa, right, celebrates his tying goal with 3.1 seconds left against the Flames. That Feb. 2 game was the closest Chicago came to losing in regulation this season. (Photo: Jeff McIntosh, AP) Story Highlights Math professor pegs probability of its occurrence at once every 700 years
Blackhawks have won 12 one-goal games, have been behind 13.6% of the time and leading 44.2%
Says professor Richard Cleary: 'When you see the zero in the standings, it is |
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The United States–Australia Joint Defence Facility at Pine Gap is now engaged in foreign satellite intelligence collection as part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance's "collect-it-all" surveillance of global internet and telecommunications traffic.
An undated file of the radar domes of the top-secret joint US-Australian missile defence base at Pine Gap. Credit:AFP
The new report by Australian National University emeritus professor Des Ball, British investigative journalist Duncan Campbell, Canadian intelligence researcher Bill Robinson and Melbourne University professor and Nautilus Institute researcher Richard Tanter, an independent policy think tank, draws upon secret intelligence documents leaked by former American intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and a wide range of publicly available information.
The authors, all with decades experience in researching intelligence activities, reveal a massive expansion of satellite communications surveillance capabilities by the US National Security Agency and its other Five Eyes partners, the Australian Signals Directorate, the United Kingdom's Government Communications Headquarters, Canada's Communications Security Establishment and New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau.
The report shows the expansion of satellite communications interception has involved growth in the number of antennas located at Five Eyes intelligence facilities and the deployment of "multiple advanced quasi-parabolic multi-beam antennas, known as Torus, each of which can intercept up to 35 satellite communications beams."WASHINGTON — Air traffic controllers are still working schedules known as ‘‘rattlers’’ that make it probable they will get little or no sleep before overnight shifts, more than three years after a series of incidents involving controllers sleeping on the job, according to a government-sponsored report released Friday.
The report by the National Research Council also expressed concern about the effectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration’s program to prevent its 15,000 controllers from suffering fatigue on the job, a program that has been hit with budget cuts. And the 12-member committee of academic and industry experts who wrote the report at the behest of Congress said FAA officials refused to allow them to review results of prior research the agency conducted with NASA examining how work schedules affect controller performance.
The FAA-NASA research has “remained in a ‘for official use only’ format’’ since 2009 and have not been released to the public, the report said.
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The committee stressed its concern that controllers are still working schedules that cram five eight-hour work shifts into four 24-hour periods. The schedules are popular with controllers because at the end of last shift they have 80 hours off before returning to work. But controllers also call the shifts ‘‘rattlers’’ because they ‘‘turn around and bite back.’’
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An example of the kind of schedule that alarmed the report’s authors begins with two consecutive day shifts ending at 10 p.m. followed by two consecutive morning shifts beginning at 7 a.m. The controller gets off work at 3 p.m. after the second morning shift and returns to work at about 11 p.m. the same day for an overnight shift — the fifth and last shift of the week.
When factoring in commute times and the difficulty people have sleeping during the day when the human body’s circadian rhythms are ‘‘promoting wakefulness,’’ controllers are ‘‘unlikely to log a substantial amount of sleep, if any, before the final midnight shift,’’ the report said.
‘‘From a fatigue and safety perspective, this scheduling is questionable and the committee was astonished to find that it is still allowed under current regulations,’’ the report said. The combination of ‘‘acute sleep loss’’ while working overnight hours when circadian rhythms are at their lowest ebb and people most crave sleep ‘‘increases the risk for fatigue and for associated errors and accidents,’’ the report said.
Responding to the report, the FAA said in a statement Friday that it is ‘‘adding limitations to its shift and scheduling rules.’’ The statement did not detail the limitations and FAA officials did not immediately respond to a request for clarification
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The National Air Traffic Controllers Association defended the scheduling, citing the 2009 study that has not been publicly released. The union said in a statement that NASA’s research showed that ‘‘with proper rest periods,’’ the rattler ‘‘actually produced less periods of fatigue risk to the overall schedule.’’
In 2011, FAA officials and then-Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood promised reforms after a nearly a dozen incidents in which air traffic controllers were discovered sleeping on the job or did not respond to calls from pilots trying to land planes late at night. In one episode, two airliners landed at Washington’s Reagan National Airport without the aid of a controller because the lone controller on the overnight shift had fallen asleep. In another case, a medical flight with a seriously ill patient had to circle an airport in Reno before landing because the controller had fallen asleep.In the wake of the announcement that Everquest: Next has officially been cancelled, the MMO community is left to wonder – what will be the next PvE sandbox MMO? Upcoming PvP sandboxes are common enough, but for many of those disinclined towards PvP the sandbox market feels to be moving away from them, with the now-cancelled Everquest: Next making up the one oasis in an a desert otherwise filled with PvP titles.
To answer that question, we dug up some of the most promising PvE sandbox MMO games currently in development.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is a PvE sandbox MMO looking to bring back the social experience from previous generations of MMOs. Promising a focus on cooperative play with tougher monsters, meaningful death, and a need to communicate to survive, one of the game’s biggest goals appears to be bringing the community back into MMO games.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen will likely be a fundamentally different game compared to what you may have experienced playing other modern MMORPGs. From the moment you log in you will notice that the game is more social and has an emphasis on cooperative play. The monsters are often tougher and exploration is more involved. You will need friends in the game and your reputation can either help you progress or hinder it. Death in-game is meaningful and you’ll want to avoid it when possible. You’ll learn your surroundings and the lay of the land, spending meaningful time in each area and not just running through as quickly as possible to collect ten hides. You will need strategy, cunning and endurance to uncover all that Pantheon has to offer. You will find yourself in group and guild chats as you strategize or even just to pass the time between battles. Pantheon is social, thought-provoking, and the memories from your experiences in Terminus will last a lifetime.
Beyond the basics, Pantheon includes a bevy of interesting features that should pique the interest of players looking for a new PvE sandbox MMO. Check out the overview on the game’s official site for more information.
Shroud of the Avatar
Melding episodic single player story-telling with a sandbox MMO world, Shroud of the Avatar will occupy a unique space in the PvE sandbox MMO market. The game features several multiplayer modes in the style of Elite: Dangerous (single player, friends only, and open play), a classless skills-based character customization system, and a sandbox player driven economy.
Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues is a fantasy RPG that combines a single player narrative with a sandbox MMO created by a team that includes: Richard “Lord British” Garriott the creator of the Ultima series, Starr Long the Director of Ultima Online, and Tracy Hickman the author of Dragonlance.
Shroud of the Avatar also includes a unique combat ability system blending the deck-building elements of trading card games like Hearthstone with hotkey based MMO combat, in what truly amounts to a must see, if only for the novelty. For more information, swing by the game’s official site.
Project: Gorgon
Judging by the passages on its website, Project: Gorgon appears to be almost a gut-reaction to the locked down nature of MMOs in the post World of Warcraft market. That’s their words, not mine.
A decade ago, World of Warcraft came out and changed the MMO industry forever. It’s an amazing game, and completely worthy of its success, but it had a nasty side effect on the MMO industry: other game companies saw the success this game had, and suddenly every business plan was to “be the next World of Warcraft.” (I was there, making MMOs. It was a weird time.) Each new MMO tried to copy as much of WoW as possible, assuming that was the secret to capturing the same audience. And now, a decade later, the term “MMO” is almost synonymous with this sort of directed MMO experience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun experience! But it’s only one possible kind of MMO.
There are a lot of interesting ideas in the game’s welcome page, all ultimately coming back to the importance of freedom and exploration in a PvE sandbox MMO. Best of all? You can get early access to the game at the low low cost of absolutely nothing – a welcome change from the costly founder’s packs now proliferative within the genre.
Saga of Lucimia
Saga of Lucimia is an upcoming PvE sandbox MMO that takes probably the hardest stance on being exactly what it wants to be without diluting that vision. The game is focused solely on a cooperative PvE experience, boasting that it has zero solo quests and absolutely no PvP.
You will be able to explore within cities and outposts on your own, as well as craft by yourself in between adventuring sessions and work on leveling up certain skills, but any time you step foot outside of the protection of a city or outpost you are entering a world of adventure and danger, a place where you dare not venture alone. This is a challenge-based game focused on group content.
While such a singular focus will be a turn-off to many, players looking to find an PvE sandbox MMO experience extremely close to the genre’s tabletop gaming roots need look no further than Saga of Lucimia. Swing by their official website for more information.
Revival
I know what those of you familiar with Revival are thinking. “But Isarii, why is an MMO with open PvP and full loot on your list of PvE sandbox MMO games?” That’s a good question rhetorical people, and one I’ll happily answer.
As this is a reactionary piece to the news of Everquest: Next‘s demise, I felt it was important to consider closeness of features to that original game, and despite its PvP focus, Revival is one of the closest there is. The Gothic Lovecraftian horror title will feature live events changing a server’s history (in this case lead by GMs) and is working on a system for NPC group migrations across the open world that warrants serious comparison to the Storybricks tech that excited so many excited by the original promises of Everquest: Next.
Revival is the rebirth of the player-driven, sandbox, fantasy role-playing world. Player agency, world persistence, and absolutely zero compromises are the cornerstones of our quest for a living, persistent, dark fantasy role-playing world. Revival is much more than a game. It is, in fact, an ongoing drama where each and every player has an opportunity to enjoy a starring role. Revival is our effort to revive the promise of the virtual world, and bring back a truly open-world sandbox role-playing experience.
If you can get past the game’s PvP elements, Revival‘s PvE elements alone may be worth a look for displaced Everquest: Next fans. Find out more on the game’s official site.
Related: MMOFrench authors routinely appear in the English-speaking world's lists of the best novels ever - Voltaire, Flaubert, and Proust… sometimes Dumas and Hugo too. But when it comes to post-war literature, it's a different story. Even voracious readers often struggle to name a single French author they have enjoyed.
France once had a great literary culture, and most French people would say it still does. But if so, how come their books don't sell in the English-speaking world?
Is that our fault or theirs?
And how come the French themselves read so many books that are translated from English and other languages?
These are provocative questions.
The French take huge pride in their literary tradition - it's been calculated that the country has a staggering 2,000 book prizes. And to accuse their modern-day writers of being elitist, insular or overly intellectual is to invite a torrent of outrage.
But the fact remains. With the possible exception of Michel Houellebecq, what French novelist has made it into the Anglophone market?
Even the 2008 Nobel literature prize-winner Jean-Marie Le Clezio is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world.
The Top Ten The Top Ten website invites well-known writers in English to pick their favourite books. By giving a first choice 10 points, a second choice nine points, and so on, it is able to compile lists of favourites. All-time Top Ten: Flaubert's Madame Bovary 2nd
20th C Top Ten: Proust's In Search of Lost Time 3rd
19th C Top Ten: Madame Bovary 2nd
18th C Top Ten: Voltaire's Candide 5th and Laclos's Liaisons Dangereuses 10th
and Laclos's Liaisons Dangereuses Living authors Top Ten: No French entries Calculations were based on lists provided by 152 authors in March 2013
And as for French habits, just look at the popular reads on the Paris metro. My admittedly unscientific survey on Line 1 from La Defense showed a clear four-to-one majority in favour of US and British novels.
For French novelists, the frustration is palpable.
"I am suffering, really suffering, because Anglo-Saxon agents are just ignoring the French book market," Christophe Ono-dit-Biot tells me.
Ono-dit-Biot has just won one of the country's top literary prizes - the Grand Prix du Roman de l'Académie Française - for his novel Plonger (Diving). He now has five books to his name, but without a sniff from the UK or the US.
"Our problem is image. In the US we are famous for French deconstructionism and so on. They think we are too intellectual. They think we are fixated with theory, and that we can't tell stories - but we can!"
It is the same refrain from every author I speak to. All are well-known names in France - Marie Darrieussecq, Nelly Alard, Philippe Labro - but none has been published with any success in the UK or the US.
Image caption The French read many more books in translation than the English
Even Marc Levy, whose romantic adventures have sold more than 40 million copies around the world and whose first book If Only It Were True inspired the 2005 Hollywood movie Just Like Heaven, finds the attitude of UK and US publishers deeply irksome.
"The caricature of a British publisher is someone totally convinced that if a book is French then it cannot possibly work in the UK market," he says.
Exceptions to the rule French novels which found an audience in the UK recently: Atomised, Michel Houellebecq: Controversial writer's tale of two brothers
, Michel Houellebecq: Controversial writer's tale of two brothers HHhH, Lauren Binet: Innovative hybrid of novel and history, recounting story of leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich
, Lauren Binet: Innovative hybrid of novel and history, recounting story of leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky: Posthumously published WW2 novel, portraying 1940 German invasion of France
"I often joke that the only way to get published in Britain if you're French is to pretend you're Spanish. If you've been a best-seller in France, it's a sure-fire recipe for not getting a deal in the UK.
"As for US publishers, they're so convinced that with 350 million potential readers and a big stable of American writers, they've got everything covered - every genre, every style. So why bother?"
The costs and difficulty of literary translation are clearly part of the problem. So too is the fact that the Anglophone book market is thriving - so the demand for foreign works is limited.
Some French authors are critical of Anglo-Saxon "complacency".
"Here in France around 45 out of every 100 novels sold is a translation from a foreign language. With you it's something like three out of every hundred," says Darrieussecq, winner of this year's Medicis prize with Il Faut Beaucoup Aimer Les Hommes (You Need to Love Men a Lot)
"But what that shows is that we French are very curious about other people and cultures. You too - you should be curious. You should be more open," she says.
But might there not be another problem - that French books themselves are just not that appealing?
David Rey, who manages the Atout Livre bookshop in eastern Paris, provides an interesting insight.
Unlike most of his peers he knows both the British and French book markets, having lived some years in London. His comparisons are not favourable to the French.
"The books on offer here are very different from in the UK. French books are precious, intellectual - elitist. And too often bookshops are intimidating. Ordinary people are scared of the whole book culture," he says.
Amazon - nul points Some will question whether it's legal to regulate the price of books under European competition law; not to mention the fixing of a market to the detriment of one of its major players. But, others will see it is a welcome extension of France's exception culturelle - those subsidies, quotas and tax breaks that support French films, television and music. BBC's Christian Fraser Amazon lashes out at new French bill
The French have preserved a nationwide network of small bookshops, mainly as a result of a system of protection. Books cannot be sold at a discount, which means that "libraires" have kept a near monopoly.
A law passed earlier in the year that prevented online retailers from discounting books led to complaints from Amazon that it was being discriminated against. Meanwhile, the sale of e-books is a fraction of what it is in the US and UK.
But what Rey says about French bookshops is true - many are cramped and colourless. Many (like my local one in the 14th arrondissement) are also very obviously political - which is off-putting.
The books themselves are not made to look appealing. New novels have the same cream cover, with a standardised photo of the author. Design does not seem to be at a premium.
Image caption French books are not always made to look appealing
And compared to the UK, there is a glaring lack of offer in certain genres - popular history, popular science, biography, humour, sport.
More from the Magazine It's 100 years since the birth of Albert Camus. His 1942 novel The Outsider (L'Etranger), about a French Algerian who kills without motive, is one of a select set of works that generations of disaffected teenagers have turned to as a rite of passage. Is there an 'angst canon' of books that teenagers read? (7 November)
"Non-fiction books in France are very academic. They are just like university theses. We do not have your knack of popularisation," says Rey.
For the US author of romantic sagas Douglas Kennedy, who lives on-and-off in Paris and is enormously popular in France, French novel-writing has never recovered from the experimentation of the post-war era.
"The reason my books are popular in France is that I combine an accessible style with serious observations about what you might call 'the way we live now'. And there is clearly a huge demand here for what I do," he says.
"It's ironic because it was the French who invented the social novel in the 19th Century. But after World War Two, that tradition disappeared. Instead they developed the nouveau roman - the novel of ideas - which was quite deliberately difficult.
"And now while in the UK or the US it's quite normal to write about the'state of America' or the'state of Britain' - no-one is doing that here."
But French writers insist that the sins they are accused of - abstraction, lack of plot and character, a preference for text over story, contempt for the non-literary reader - are a cliche perpetuated by Anglo-Saxons with little knowledge of how things have changed in recent years.
"Personally I am fed up with all the stereotypes," says Darrieussecq. "We're not intellectual. We're not obsessed with words. We write detective stories. We write suspense. We write romance.
"And it's about time you started noticing."
Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on FacebookAdriana Carrillo works at her family's business in the Centro de Abastos market in Ecatepec, Mexico. Carillo was kidnapped on two different occasions in Ecatepec. (Dominic Bracco II/Prime for The Washington Post)
The first time, after the men with police badges had lashed Adriana Carrillo’s wrists and ankles with tape, and she had spent 37 hours in the back of a Nissan, her father tossed the $12,000 ransom in a black satchel over a graffiti-strewn brick wall and brought her nightmare to its conclusion. She took three days off and then went back to work.
“I don’t want to live as a victim,” she said.
Carrillo returned to the cash register of the family store, where she had worked since she was 8 with her parents and six sisters, amid the floor-to-ceiling jumble of marshmallows and mixed nuts and pinwheel pasta and Styrofoam cups. Their business — cash-based, working-class, on the outskirts of Mexico City — happened to put them squarely into the demographic most vulnerable to Mexico’s kidnapping epidemic. And on May 28, 2013, less than two years later, a white sedan pulled up alongside Carrillo’s car as she drove home late from the market. When she saw the guns, she covered her face with her hands.
“No, not again, no,” she remembered saying. “No. No. No. No.”
In Mexico, with its history of drug-war violence and corrupt police, kidnapping is an old story. In the past, the crime tended to target the rich. Now it has become more egalitarian. Victims these days are often shopkeepers, taxi drivers, service employees, parking attendants and taco vendors who often work in cash or in Mexico’s “informal” economy. Targets also tend to be young — students, with parents willing to pay ransoms, are commonly targeted.
Journalists protest the murder of their colleague Gregorio Jimenez, as well as the murder of other journalists in Mexico in Mexico City. Gunmen had kidnapped Jimenez from his home before killing him. (Marco Ugarte/AP)
“The phenomenon has changed. Now it’s the workers, the people in the informal economy, because they are the ones who have access to money quickly,” said Isabel Miranda de Wallace, an anti-kidnapping activist in Mexico. “We have never seen as many kidnappings as we are seeing now.”
Last year, Mexico officially recorded 1,698 kidnappings, the highest number on record. Yet government officials concede that only a small percentage of victims — one in 10 by some estimates — report the crime, as police are sometimes involved in kidnappings and not trusted. The statistics kept by Miranda’s organization, Association to Stop Kidnapping (Asociacion Alto al Secuestro), recorded 3,038 kidnappings last year. Another, led by Fernando Ruiz Canales, a former kidnapping victim who now helps negotiate for the release of hostages, puts last year’s kidnapping total at 27,740, or 76 per day.
Halfway through the year, official statistics claim kidnappings have dropped by 17 percent, to 808 in the first six months of 2014. Miranda’s organization reports an increase of 56 percent in the same period.
Pressure to find solutions
The kidnapping problem, even as murders and other crimes have tapered off, has intensified the pressure on Mexican leaders to find solutions. Earlier this year, President Enrique Peña Nieto announced a new anti-kidnapping strategy to better coordinate state and federal law enforcement efforts. He also created the position of kidnapping czar, given to former prosecutor Renato Sales Heredia.
Sales argued that the spike in kidnappings is an unintended byproduct of law enforcement success. Because the government has killed and captured drug cartel bosses, he said, narco-henchmen have been forced to diversify into other moneymaking ventures, such as kidnapping and extortion. The Mexican police, both active and retired, also play an important role in kidnapping gangs, either carrying out abductions themselves or protecting those who do, according to officials and experts.
“There is an important number of kidnappings that are fundamentally linked to ex-police,” Sales said in an interview.
The three men who told Adriana Carrillo to step out of the car during the first abduction were carrying police badges, she said. It was 8 a.m. on June 2, 2011, and she was about to drive to the market to work. They ordered her at gunpoint into the back of their tan Nissan X-Trail and told her to keep her head down.
Carrillo said she didn’t recognize them, but they must have been familiar with the family business. The market in Ecatepec — a sprawling open-air plaza of 700 shops and nearly 10,000 employees — was like a second home. Her father, Jose de Jesus Carrillo Rios, had opened his stall in 1990, and the small business had given the family a bright-
yellow two-story house with potted plants on the balcony and paid for Adriana’s university courses in political science.
As the nation’s largest supply center, which covers nearly 600 acres in Mexico City, the market draws as many as half a million visitors on a given day. The crowds and the large quantities of cash changing hands have made such markets a target for kidnappers.
Last year, the number of kidnappings of people who work at the main Mexico City market rose 30 percent, to 38 people, according to a trade organization of supply centers in Mexico. Market officials dispute those figures and say they have not had kidnappings inside the market, although they couldn’t speak to crimes outside. But protecting the commerce there is an obvious challenge: Security guards monitor surveillance cameras on dozens of flat screens in a new command center. Police recorded 198 robberies there last year.
Two terrifying incidents
When Carrillo was kidnapped the first time, she was taken about 10 minutes from her home. The kidnappers kept her bound and blindfolded in the back seat of the car overnight. Her legs cramped. She begged to go to the bathroom.
“They were treating me like a dog,” she said. “It was humiliating.”
The kidnappers, negotiating directly with her father, demanded $300,000, a sum the family could not afford. In many cases, kidnappers accept far less. During his time as a ransom negotiator, Fernando Ruiz Canales, of the human rights group, has seen cases in which kidnappers have held people hostage for a couple of hundred dollars, or a grocery list of fruits and vegetables, or a new refrigerator or microwave.
Sometimes kidnappers have sent severed fingers as warnings or raped and beaten their hostages. By some estimates, 20 percent of kidnapping victims do not survive.
“I thought they were going to kill her,” Jose Carrillo, her father, said. “One doesn’t know what to do in that moment. I didn’t have that much. My worry was to find money.”
Over several calls, Jose Carrillo managed to persuade the kidnappers to take $12,000 — a large chunk of his savings. He followed the instructions to throw the bag of money over a brick wall next to a cracked-concrete basketball court in a park near their house. Within two days, his daughter was free.
The episode had terrified Adriana Carrillo, but afterward she felt that things could have been worse. Apart from the first moment when the kidnappers banged on her car window and screamed at her, they didn’t try to hurt her and focused on the money.
The second time she was kidnapped, two years later, she was not so lucky. The two kidnappers drove down major highways and across railroad tracks and canals to what she believed was an apartment building in an industrial neighborhood closer to Mexico City. She was kept in a room with a black curtain over the window.
The kidnappers were far more aggressive, often drunk and high, and they beat her and threatened to murder her. They stole her car. They sent audio recordings to the family of Adriana crying and begging for help. On the phone with her father, the caller was loud and threatening and demanded $1 million.
The Carrillos didn’t trust the police, particularly after the first kidnapping, but both times they felt a responsibility to report the crime.
“This is an obligation of the state, to give us security,” Jose Carrillo said. “But if I don’t cooperate with the authorities, how can I demand a better situation?”
The second time, the government assigned a negotiator to talk with the kidnappers and over the course of the week agreed on a price of $21,000. After Jose Carrillo delivered the cash, the kidnappers demanded more, and he came back with an additional $3,000.
After nine days as a prisoner, exhausted, dirty, sick to her stomach, in borrowed clothes and with $4 the kidnappers had given her for taxi fare, Adriana Carrillo was let loose on the sidewalk near a Mormon church. She was crying when she asked a shopkeeper to borrow a phone to call her father.
After it was over, Carrillo refused to leave the house for a month. When she ventured out, she wouldn’t go alone. She varied the time she left for work and the route she traveled. She gave up jewelry and watches and the basic trust she once felt toward strangers.
“I was an idealist,” she said. “I thought all people were good, at first.”
Carrillo and her family have considered moving to the United States, where they have relatives. But for now, she just wants to live as if nobody is chasing her.
“I don’t want to keep these things in my heart, this rancor,” she said. “I know it could hurt me.”Can a song cause a killing? An Afrikaans rights group thinks so, and it is suing a prominent South African politician for singing it during political rallies.
A trial began this week into AfriForum's racial hatred lawsuit against Julius Malema, the outspoken leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), because of his penchant for singing “Shoot the Boer,” a provocative song of the South African freedom movement. "Boer" means "farmer" in the Afrikaans language.
AfriForum draws a direct connection between the song and the growing number of murders of white farmers in rural areas across South Africa.
The song “creates a problem with the respect between the majority and minority,” Dannie Goosen, chairman of the Afrikaner group Federasie Vir Afrikaanse Kutuurvereeniging, told the Equality Court in Johannesburg on Thursday. She added that Afrikaners, the descendants of Dutch settlers, see the song “as a threat to their symbolic connection to South Africa.”
The song is revealing the incredible gap that still exists largely along racial lines in this this society.
On one side is South Africa’s white and once dominant Afrikaner minority, which views the song as an incitement to racial violence. On the other side is much of the black majority (and the ruling African National Congress party), which argues that such freedom-struggle songs are a necessary part of South Africa’s history, and should not be banned.
“These songs are part of our national heritage," Patrick Craven, spokesman for the Congress of South African Trades Unions (COSATU) – a close ally of the ANC – told reporters today. "They do not constitute a call to take up arms against whites as a race group or as individuals, but against the system of oppression and apartheid.”
"Mineworkers have always sung these songs and continue to sing these songs today and there have never been any killings of people,” Lesiba Seshoka, spokesman for National Union of Mineworkers, also told reporters. “When [black struggle leader] Chris Hani was assassinated [in 1993], the masses of our members sang the song but there has never been any retaliation towards the race of those who killed him."
Mr. Seshoka dismissed the notion that a song could incite violence.
"After 16 years of democracy and reconciliation," he said, "South Africa is a strong united nation with mature citizens and as such there can be no violence that is perpetuated by a young man singing a song."
But like the Confederate war song “Dixie” or the Nazi German anthems during World War II, songs such as “Shoot the Boer” or “Umshini wami” (“bring me my machine gun”) – popularized by President Jacob Zuma – are hard to view in isolation from the present-day reality of life in South Africa, a life that all too often involves high murder rates and continued ill-feeling between South Africa’s white and black populations.
Analysts warn against allowing such disputes to overshadow South Africa's progress toward equality and give too much attention to the viewpoints of a radical few citizens who haven’t changed, and perhaps won’t ever change, their racial views.
Outside the courthouse today, Mr. Malema said he was certain to win the court case. But he now tends to sing a slightly altered version of the song, “Kiss the Boer.”SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An appeals court on Tuesday found California’s gay marriage ban unconstitutional in a case that may lead to a showdown in the Supreme Court.
Billy Bradford waves flags outside City Hall after a judge lifted the Proposition 8 stay on same sex marriages at City Hall in San Francisco, California August 12, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
Supporters of the ban said they would appeal the judgment, calling it “out of step with every other federal appellate and Supreme Court decision.” Their appeal is likely to keep gay marriage in the state on hold pending future proceedings.
But the lawyers who won the appeals court round called the decision a milestone, and outside City Hall in San Francisco, a center for gay rights, dozens of same-sex couples hugged and kissed in public, cheering the ruling.
“It means we are included in the American Dream,” said Joe Capley-Alfano, who married his husband, Frank, in the summer of 2008, a window of legal same-sex marriage in California.
The majority in the 2-1 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that California’s Proposition 8 ban did not further “responsible procreation,” which was at the heart of the argument by the ban’s supporters.
“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples,” the ruling reads.
But the appeals court did not address whether marriage was a fundamental right available to same-sex couples as well as heterosexuals, focusing instead specifically on Prop 8.
Some lawyers predicted that the narrow ruling would lead the Supreme Court to limit itself to deciding on the California measure or to refusing the case altogether.
Gay rights supporters have traveled a bumpy road since the first legal U.S. gay marriage was conducted in Massachusetts in 2004. Some courts and legislatures have extended those rights, but voters have consistently opposed gay marriage.
California, the most populous state, joined the vast majority of U.S. states in outlawing same-sex marriage in 2008, when voters passed the ban known as Proposition 8.
That socially conservative vote by a state more known for hippies and Hollywood was seen as a watershed by both sides of the so-called culture wars, and two gay couples responded by filing the legal challenge currently making its way through the federal courts.
A federal judge in San Francisco struck down Proposition 8 in 2010, and gay marriage opponents appealed that ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Opponents of gay marriage have not decided whether to ask a larger 9th Circuit panel to hear the matter, or appeal directly to the Supreme Court, Andrew Pugno, general counsel for Protect Marriage and a lawyer on the team, said by email.
Court rules allow at least two weeks before a ruling takes effect, so same sex marriages cannot immediately resume in California, court spokesman Dave Madden said.
BROADER QUESTION NOT AT ISSUE
In the ruling, Judge Stephen Reinhardt focused on the unique circumstances of Prop 8 in California, and whether voters had a legally valid reason for passing it.
Backers of Prop 8 had said that it would advance better child-rearing, but Reinhardt said the only effect of the measure was to deny same-sex couples the right to describe their relationship as a “marriage.”
“Proposition 8 therefore could not have been enacted to advance California’s interest in childrearing or responsible procreation,” he wrote, “for it had no effect on the rights of same-sex couples to raise children or on the procreative practices of other couples.”
Judge Michael Daly Hawkins joined Reinhardt’s opinion, while Judge N. Randy Smith dissented from the main constitutional findings. Hawkins and Reinhardt were appointed by Democrats, and Smith by a Republican.
“The optimal parenting rationale could conceivably be a legitimate governmental interest” for passing the gay marriage ban, wrote Smith. “I cannot conclude that Proposition 8 is ‘wholly irrelevant’ to any legitimate governmental interests.”
Ted Boutrous, a lawyer on the anti-Prop 8 team, said at a news conference that the focus on California’s specific circumstances might lead the Supreme Court to avoid the case.
“The way the court wrote the decision will make it that much harder for the proponents to get Supreme Court review,” he said.
But Jesse Choper, a University of California, Berkeley, Constitutional law professor disagreed that the ruling would affect whether the high court took the case. However, the Supreme Court justices also might prefer a chance to limit any ruling to California, he said.
About 40 of the 50 U.S. states had outlawed gay marriage before a California state court ruled in 2008 that a ban was unconstitutional, leading to a summer of gay marriages. But California voters that November decided to change the state constitution to limit marriage to a man and woman.
That provoked some gay rights activists to take a matter that had been waged on a state-by-state basis to federal court, essentially staking the entire agenda on one case.
The U.S. Supreme Court is seen as a more conservative body than the lower courts that have been considering the case. Should the high court eventually decide to hear the case, much may depend on Anthony Kennedy, a Republican-appointed justice who has written important pro-gay rights decisions but has not explicitly endorsed gay marriage.
Six states - New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont |
yet Van Buyten has made it clear Hazard is not an option for Bayern.
"Bayern would never sign a player like Eden Hazard. He would cost between €70 million and €80m and that is a lot of money even for Bayern," Van Buyten told Het Nieuwsblad.
"They would rather sign a 17-year-old or an 18-year-old who would cost €5m or so."
Van Buyten then went on to reveal that Anderlecht midfielder Youri Tielemans is one youngster Bayern are showing an interest in.
"Tielemans is one of the players Bayern are keeping a close eye on. He still has a lot to learn, but he is one of the biggest talents of his generation.
"I like to compare him to Bastian Schweinsteiger. He is getting older and Tielemans could be his long-term replacement."
The 17-year-old has a contract with Anderlecht until June 2016, but is set to sign a renewal once he turns 18 on Thursday.The blood test for fibromyalgia is bogus and will eventually be taken off the market, hopefully with a class action lawsuit.
Many people think there is some kind of science behind their diagnosis because they had blood and imaging tests before they got it. This is reasonable, but not correct. All of those tests you had were to confirm that there is nothing wrong actually physically happening to explain your symptoms. Ask your doctor what lead them to believe you have fibromyalgia. Speaking of doctors, the only survey I could find showed 55% believing fibromyalgia is fake and 25% saying all fibro patients are faking it.
Doctors nowadays seem afraid to tell people that lifestyle issues like obesity, stress and sedentary lifestyles are causing their problems. I've never heard of a doctor actually telling a patient their pain is hypochondria or psychosomatic, one patient overhearing that fibromyalgia is code for this caused a firestorm of angry fibrobloggers. Very early in this project this woman explained how fibro is real because she went to doctor after doctor only to be told to see a shrink.
After they confirm there is nothing wrong with you, a quiz confirms that you have enough symptoms to qualify for the fibromyalgia diagnosis. When a doctor did the touch point exam they were not looking for anything, just applying 10# of pressure in an area not even standardized. Either touch points after 1990 or the quiz after 2010 The doctor just asks you questions, and your diagnosis is based entirely upon your answers. This has lead to a ridiculous amount of faking whiners being diagnosed with this, as well as people who are really sick being pushed aside.
There are no studies with more than 200 people that show any physical difference between people with fibromyalgia and the general population. There was a big stir about a difference in nerves in the hand, further scrutiny showed that these people actually had neuropathy. The studies to sell the fibromyalgia test were seriously flawed.
Some people say, I don't care what it's called, as long as I get a diagnosis. A diagnosis? There is great value in the right one. neuropathy is the body's warning of things like diabetes and hepatitis and should not be brushed aside as "fibromyalgia."
Speaking of neuropathy pain, it's a shoots up or down the arms or legs. It feels like a needle or electricity and happens seemingly randomly. There is no such description for fibromyalgia pain. Unlike actual medical problems, the pain is not described anywhere I've seen. I've had people tell me it was throbbing, constant, intermittent, muscle, joint, skin.. pretty much anything but a toothache. The touch points were not vague enough but the new pain zones cover most of the body.
Fibromyalgia is the new low back pain. It took some study or at least consistency to be diagnosed with low back pain, but if you just go to the doctor and start making up random symptoms they will call it fibromyalgia.
Technically "fibromyalgia" derives from New Latin, fibro-, meaning "fibrous tissues", Greek myo-, "muscle", and Greek algos, "pain"; the term literally means "muscle and connective tissue pain." That's not what it means anymore, doctors are diagnosing any pain as fibro. It might as well be Latin for hypochondriac, seeking pain pills, or misdiagnosed person.
History of Fibromyalgia
People have been bellyachin' since we first got bellies. In the early 1800's doctors wrote about a condition called “muscular rheumatism.” The symptoms were stiffness, aches, pains, tiredness, and difficulty sleeping. It was clearly labeled a psychiatric disorder. Others were diagnosed with Hysteria, which meant "wandering uterus." Doctors believed that the uterus moved from its normal place in the body.
About 1900 “fibrositis” was first described as physical problem where swelling caused pain in the body. Doctors were manually stimulating women to treat their Hysteria, which was oft diagnosed with fibrositis. This was so common that the electric vibrator was the 2nd appliance ever offered with electricity. The sexual revolution brought the hysteria diagnosis out of favor and they started calling it "the vapors."
It was thoroughly disproven that there were any swelling in these patients. In 1976 Rheumatologists met in Tampa to discuss an epidemic of chronic pain and fatigue and a vague condition called adrenal fatigue that they were suddenly being asked to treat. In that meeting they decided to rename adrenal fatigue to call it fibromyalgia and also refer to the mysterious pain as such. At that point fibromyalgia meant muscle pain, there was no official diagnostic criteria for it. Little was done initially to hide that this diagnosis was a catch-all.
1990 fibromyalgia Diagnosis
In the 1820's a Scottish doctor first described the touch points, a blatant ripoff of myofascial trigger points which are known from the stream of thought in ancient medicine that spawned acupressure to be sensitive. This paper went largely unnoticed until when 1990 Dr Frederick Wolfe teamed up with the American College of Cosmetologyst to write official diagnostic guidelines for fibromyialgia. First rule out other possible (read; real) medical conditions, then press on 18 vaguely described points on the patient with 10# pressure. The doctor is not feeling for physical differences as so many have insisted, they are just asking if it hurts. Say ow 11x and you have fibromyalgia. The touch points were not even ever standardized.
In 2007 Lyrica was the first drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of Fibromyalgia. Commercials declared it to be a real disease and sufferers rejoiced and called their doctors. In clinical trials 33% improved with sugar pill compared to 53% with Lyrica.
Cymbalta was approved for fibro in '08 and Savella in '09. I need Doctors continue to prescribe a lot of other drugs offlabel like Gabapentin. Some patients are told that opiates do not work with fibro, others are given large doses. Someday I'll write about how all these drugs are harmful, but I got other hobbies and interests.
In 2008 a New York Times article quoted the man who wrote the book, or at least the diagnostic guidelines, on fibro recanting his mistakes. "Some of us in these days thought that we had actually identified a disease, which this is clearly not. To make people ill, to give them an illness, was the wrong thing."
Dr Wolfe faced humungous political pressure for this, and eventually recanted. In a later interview he said “In those with fibromyalgia, there is overwhelming polysymptomatic distress — severe pain and severe symptoms of all sorts. One doesn’t either have fibromyalgia or not have it. There is a gradual transition from the mild to the severe. The point at which we classify an individual as having fibromyalgia is arbitrary, but reasonable. Fibromyalgia, therefore, is a convenient shorthand, not a disease.”
It upset some that this disease which was quickly and rightfully gathering a stigma was mostly diagnosed in women. Wolfe found that women were more likely to respond with pain to the pressure signals, so it was decided to make new diagnostic standard for fibromyalgia that would include more men.
Current fibromyalgia Diagnosis
In 2010 Dr Wolfe lead other leading rheumatologists in rewriting the fibromyalgia guidelines to allow it to explain away other symptoms as well. The 2010 ACR Fibromyalgia Diagnostic guidelines (download pdf only) only muddied the waters. Here is the cliff notes version.
alt : what
The 2010 version of Wolfe's diagnostic guidelines doesn't dictate what somatic symptoms the doctor should consider, but suggests the following:
muscle pain, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue/tiredness, thinking or remembering problem, muscle weakness, headache, pain/cramps in the abdomen, numbness/tingling, dizziness, insomnia, depression, constipation, pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, nervousness, chest pain, blurred vision, fever, diarrhea, dry mouth, itching, wheezing, Raynaud's phenomenon, hives/welts, ringing in ears, vomiting, heartburn, oral ulcers, loss of/change in taste, seizures, dry eyes, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, rash, sun sensitivity, hearing difficulties, easy bruising, hair loss, frequent urination, painful urination, and bladder spasms.
There's a list goin' around of 200 fibromyalgia symptoms. OMG!
It's dangerous and stupid to explain these symptoms away as fibromyalgia. If someone has hives, doesn't it mean they are allergic to something? I know over half of those are symptoms of kidney failure. If it burns when you pee, you might have an STD, or kidney failure. I'd hate to see people explain away seizures, fevers, loss in appetite, easy bruising.. other signs of an actual serious medical condition because of this silly shit!
The paper also does not suggest how many miscellaneous symptoms should be considered few, a moderate number or a great deal. Many doctors, being scientific minds, were not comfortable with this so they updated the guidelines in 2012. Instead of asking is your insomnia, non-restorative sleep and fatigue no problem, slight problem, moderate or severe the doctors are supposed to ask questions and decide for themselves. This was supposed to remove many doctor's objection that the fibro diagnosis was based entirely on what the patient says. They also set in stone the number of other unexplained symptoms the patient would need to mention to be few, a moderate number, a great deal.
The new diagnostic criteria stressed that primary care doctors can diagnose fibromyalgia and ignored the simple fact that many don't want to. Most would rather kick the can down the line and do a referral.
I find it curious that 75% of those who passed the touch point "test" also complained of so many other symptoms that I can't find attributed to fibromyalgia before 1990.
In 2013 Dr Wolfe did another interview where he publicized this blog for scientists to talk about fibromyalgia. He admits the disease seems to have a prominent psychological basis but refutes attempts to put it in the DSM with other mental problems.
"People who almost have fibromyalgia almost have it. So the idea that there are differences between people who have fibromyalgia and those who don’t have it is an idea which may not really be true."Wolfe, 2013
Recently there has been a push to have general practice instead of rhumies diagnose fibromyalgia. It is also no longer being considered a diagnsis of exclusion, which is even more dangerous. Actual medical conditions should be ruled out as much as possible before saying someone has fibromyalgia.
I haven't seen much concern that each of these new updates to the fibromyalgia guidelines excludes a lot of honest people who fit the previous standard. The changing of the questions all the time almost encourages malingering. Opinions vary on if this is a lifetime chronic disorder or a spectrum that everybody finds themselves on at some point.
I recently learned that there might be completely separate diagnostic standards for fibromyalgia. I'm going to be looking into these. I also recently stumbled upon the the 2013 alternative fibromyalgia diagnostic standards that appear to be a short quiz you can take at home. At some point I am going to make a chart that compares all of the different diagnostic criteria. Now all of a sudden headaches, abdominal cramps and depression are a big part of diagnosing fibromyalgia.
The Fibromyalgia test is bogus
I heard the big news about the Fibromyalgia test in 2012. A thousand tests were sold in the first month at $744 each before the study that the test was based on was withdrawn. The authors failed to state the serious conflict of interest that they were going to use their findings to market this test and there were serious flaws in the design. When I first wrote this site, I thought the test is no longer available. I was shocked to find out the test was still being on the market. I was able to find a lot of articles announcing the new trials were being released but I couldn't find the new clinical trial or any commentary afterwords.
I contacted EpicGenetics, the company that is selling the test, on facebook and asked them about the new clinical trials. I asked them why the information on their website was from the withdrawn study and they updated part of their website right away, removing a claim from the withdrawn study that the test was 93% accurate. They showed me that they had posted the new trial on their facebook page last December, but one would have to go through over 50 sales posts on their facebook to find it. They posted a link to the second study on my facebook page and on theirs.
The new trials did not address most of the concerns the scientific and medical community had already raised about the first one. I posted a few of these questions, I don't remember which ones, on their facebook page. Like many who have contacted them on facebook with questions, the EpicGenetics people suggested I contact their doctors to discuss this. I think this might be the only place you can call and talk to a doctor for free! This must be much more expensive for them than it would be just to put some very basic information on their site. When I persisted that I would rather have this conversation on their facebook page they deleted the questions and promptly blocked me. In the next few days they made several edits to their website, even in middle of the night, before taking it down entirely for a page that just told people if they had questions to contact their salesdoctors. Later they put the page back up.
The only difference I can find in their website is they no longer state an accuracy of the test on their page. They used the numbers from the faulty withdrawn trials to peddle their test for years. Even by their flawed new study, were 30% false positives for RE and 29% for lupus, both conditions which are hard to diagnose and often mistaken for fibromyalgia. The new trials claim that it was 89% effective in fibromyalgia. The new version of the page does not state an accuracy but some articles wrongly state it at 99%.
The faq asks what else can effect the test results and fails to mention rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, depression, insomnia or even time of day; instead they warn they need your blood sample within 24 hours but they have that covered. The rest of the FAQ deals mostly with the process of getting blood sample drawn and to them. The FAQ also features if the test is FDA approved and shows a politicianesque answer that boils down to no.
They offer no information on their website on how the test is supposed to work except the link to the both the withdrawn and new studies. I don't see any limitations or disclosures mentioned. I don't see cytokines or what other conditions can cause them to fluctuate anywhere on the site, except buried in the withdrawn clinical trials in woefully inadequate section for doctors.
The ordering process starts by asking if you have the classic fibro symptoms and you can only proceed by clicking yes, you just stay on the page if you click no. Then you are asked if you want the test authorized by your doctor or one of theirs. The form you fill out to get one of their doctors to authorize the test asks nothing that would eliminate any one of the conditions easily mistaken for fibro in a clinical setting that they know could cause a false positive on their test. I'd really like to hear from someone who ordered this test and find out what disclosures and information were included with the results. I just might be crazy enough to order one myself.
I don't understand why the scientific community publicly critiqued the 2012 study but I cannot find a single article about the 2013 one obviously ignoring most of the reasons the earlier one was wrong. I decided to compile these reasons myself; these are just my opinions as a layperson but obvious questions I think people selling this test should have to answer.
The old study tested people who meet the ridiculously vague American College of Rheumatology diagnostic guidelines against healthy volunteers. To show that there was any difference between people with fibromyalgia and others with pain disorders or who were just depressed, they would need to use controls who were in pain or just depressed. Here are a few of the concerns brought forth about the first clinical trial that were not addressed in the new one.
-They only used one only used one method for measuring cykotines> -The second study failed to compare anyone with psychiatric conditions which are known to also depress anti-inflammatory cyokotines even just simple depression or insomnia. There is no evidence that this test differentiates between fibromyalgia and depression. Cytokine IL-6 is known to fluctuate based on just time of day, which does not seem to have been noted in the new study. -The study states that the RA and SLE patients had medications that effect cykotines and might have effected the result. -Someone very supportive of fibromyalgia commented here and said that she also has Lyme disease, which effects cytokine IL-6. She's not clear on if she was diagnosed at the time, but did the fibromyalgia patients only have fibro? Seems like it would mess up the results to have people with other diseases known to effect that they are looking for. Were these people screened Lupus or Rheumatoid arthritis to make sure they should not be in the other group? -They stated their conflict of interest this time, but it still remains that the people selling the test also tested it. In related news, me and my husband and mom voted this the best website on the whole internet. Woot! The wheels of justice turn slowly, but I am confident that in time this test will be taken off the market for being misleading or at least mislabeled as what it truly is; a test of cykotine levels. I would be happy to print a reaction to this on my webpage within 24 hours of receipt, I will notify them of this as soon as it is published on their facebook page. Still nothin', but their website and facebook page encourage interested parties to contact their doctors. The fibro warriors do not seem interested in stopping these people from selling a questionably useful and very expensive test to people. I Rampant misdiagnosis is not evidence of legitimacy A lot of links on my page recently seem to be arguing that studies showing fibromyalgia patients who share physical characteristics with actual medical conditions somehow legitimizes fibromyalgia. It's important to understand that I never said that everybody with fibromyalgia is faking it. I believe that a good portion are and that fibromyalgia attracts and encourages the most obnoxious fakers. Nobody wants to be involved in the study that finally figures fibro out and be the one person who is shown to not have it. I believe these people are smart enough to stay out of clinical trials and not included in these numbers. These studies only prove that the people who chose to be studied had fibro and were in pain, and only by showing they have another condition. One article reviews a group of studies and concludes that many with fibromyalgia have Small Fiber Peripheral neuropathy, SFPN. neuropathy is generally described as sharp, stabbing or burning while fibromyalgia is not defined and can be any kind of pain. neuropathy is not reversible but you cannot slow the progression without knowing the actual cause which could be infections like hepatitis, metabolic problems like diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to toxins or often unknown. Even if the cause cannot be found people are better off knowing they have neuropathy than thinking they have fibromyalgia. They are at risk for the nerves involved in subconscious body regulation being effected it can even cause heat intolerance, bowel bladder or digestive problems and dangerous blood pressure changes. All the drugs FDA approved for treatment of fibromyalgia and even many of the off-labels like Gabapentin were first proven effective against neuropathy. In clinical trials 33% improved with sugar pill compared to 53% with Lyrica, this matches up well with an estimated 40% of fibro patients having some form of undiagnosed neuropathy. Another train of thought is that fibromyalgia is actually misdiagnosed thyroid problems. Fibromyalgia - A Medical Mystery Solved makes a bold statement middle of the 4th paragraph. That cause is too little thyroid hormone regulation of patients' bodies. I was set up for some big news, but disappointed. How do we know now that too little thyroid hormone regulation is the major cause of fibromyalgia? Because our two new studies provide the final pieces of the puzzle. With these pieces in place, the proof that too little thyroid hormone regulation is the main underlying cause of fibromyalgia becomes irrefutable, as I show in the technical document at http://www.fibromyalgiaresearch.org/solved/index.htm (NB This website is no longer available)
The page in question was actually cached by the wayback machine on 8/1/2011, and appears to have always been just a copy of this article with the part in italics removed. Despite this tomfoolery, the article dances around a great point that the author is missing. He makes a really good argument for 40% of people in a few small fibromyalgia studies actually having previously undiagnosed thyroid problems. He explains how similar the symptoms are based on small studies of fibro patients that showed abnormal blood work and lower body temperatures. Both hypo and Hyper-thyrod can cause neuropathy. Some sources mention Hashimoto's Thyroiditis as if it was almost unique to fibromyalgia when in fact it is the leading cause of hypothyroidism. When the immune system attacks the thyroid it's secretions can be synthetically replaced. It's not a perfect cure but it's better than just trying to cover up the pain. Lyrica can, however, be like a song of comfort when you inexplicably end up with a goiter, mental health issues and the double whammy of increased risk of both heart disease and high cholesterol. The Fibromyalgia Network seems to stumble across the problem when responding to a controversial New York Times piece and it's observation that diagnosing the condition actually worsens suffering by causing patients to obsess over aches that other people simply tolerate. We now know that the statements these doctors made are actually false. Data show that after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, people feel better, and their health care utilization goes down, likely because they no longer have to keep searching for what is wrong with them.
...(and later)
Moreover, the existence of several classes of drugs that do provide substantial pain relief should make it clear that the patient has an underlying problem that is treatable." I've also read that about 40 years ago doctors voted to change the name of a similarly disputed vague medical condition from adrenal fatigue to fibromyalgia, and adrenal problems being misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia. With fibro "we don't know" is easy to answer compared with hard questions like "why is my adrenal gland fatigued" and "why are my nerve sheaths deteriorating?" Gluten insensitivity and toxin buildup were also presented in the video as possible causes of fibromyalgia. It's interesting how they are thought to cause inflammation in the gut that spreads throughout the body and are exacerbated by the original allergic reaction or toxins. They describe people who experienced great relief by changing their diets and detoxing. To me this is just another group of people who were misdiagnosed. The question that all of these studies fail to answer is why these patients should not just be treated as anyone else with the conditions that the evidence points to. The only answer I've seen is because people with fibro show other symptoms not generally associated with the condition they actually have. The only examples given are muscle pain, which was not mentioned in any fibro diagnostic guidelines that I read, and depression, of which anyone in pain is prone to. When changes already well described as occurring in people with chronic pain or even undisputed characteristics of other conditions masquerade as new discoveries about fibromyalgia, reasonable people are mislead into thinking there are physical differences between people with fibromyalgia and everyone else. Many of these made big splashes as purportedly solving the fibro mystery are upon further examination found to be changes already described as occurring with chronic pain. These only confuse people into thinking that some physical basis for fibromyalgia has been found when in fact there is none as there is never as many press releases when further study shows they are just describing another angle of the chronic pain elephant or even the undisputed physical characteristics of another condition. This is often why these studies are not replicated on a larger scale despite their promise of turning into a very lucrative fibromyalgia test or treatment. I have a separate section about the bogus fibromyalgia blood test which is based on cykotines which are known to fluctuate for healthy people due to depression or insomnia but especially in those with neuropathy, thyroid or adrenal problems. If the actual underlying medical condition causing pain is unknown it is called primary fibromyalgia. This so-called primary fibromyalgia is claiming to be the cause of the pain itself and people diagnosed with it are cheated of the benefits of what medical science knows about their actual condition. There is some dispute if fibromyalgia is a diagnosis of exclusion or people with actual medical diagnoses which explain their pain. Despite their culture screaming it and many memes coming right out and saying it some people deny that fibromyalgia pain is ostensibly worse than others with the same condition. This is the actual definition of secondary fibromyalgia. Their pain being worse is alternately viewed as being both a cause of and a result of their fibromyalgia symptoms. The usually unspoken idea that the pain of fibro patients is somehow worse is not supported by any evidence whatsoever. All of the conditions I've seen described as secondary fibromyalgia cause chronic pain and I'm yet to hear a benefit to the reclassification. In many instances, people who suffer from chronic pain are sensitive to stimuli that don't normally cause pain, such as a light touch to the hand or a subtle change in skin temperature. These conditions, referred to generally as forms of allodynia, include fibromyalgia and nerve damage that is caused by diseases such as diabetes, cancer and autoimmune disorders. Some doctors say there should be several different subgroups within fibromyalgia depending on the underlying cause; neuopathic fibromyalgia, thyroid fibromyalgia, lupus fibromyalgia, etc. I don't see any difference in how these conditions are diagnosed and treated. The fibromyalgia diagnosis offers no benefit, it makes people think they are somehow sicker than others with this condition. This is what makes fibromyalgia research so pointless. There is really no common link between everybody with fibromyalgia. Many of the groups will talk about what works wonders for a few of them, this is because of placebo or the people who it's working for all having the same underlying condition. It must be frustrating to hear from a lot of people who you trust that something works and then find it does not work for you. People find fellowship in these groups, but they also find a toxic culture of self pity and massive confusion from everybody not really having the same thing. These people would be better off in a group for their actual condition to find things that are much more likely to work for them. Treat the patient and not the diagnosis. Nowhere does that fit as well as here because I also followed up by saying there could have 10 patients coming in here with fibromyalgia and they could all be slightly different to completely different as what's creating their unique set of symptoms. There are probably 500 different things that could be contributing to, now that was just a rhetorical exaggeration, but not by much! There are probably 80 things that can contribute you getting the "fibromyalgia syndrome" if you will. We still use the term here because people can communicate with it, everybody communicates with the term fibromyalgia but its a terrible term.. It is a terrible term. In the first few months of this page being active I've already corresponded with 2 people on my facebook page who have rejected the fibromyalgia diagnosis and insisted on finding the actual reason for their problems, one has already confirmed with a nerve study it was neuropathy and is looking for the reason. Many people who have fibromyalgia and another pain causing condition say their fibro pain is different and they can tell them apart. Fibro pain can be any kind of pain whatsoever while many assume it is similar and agreed to be some of the worst pain people can experience. Everybody who says this is experiencing something different depending on their actual underlying medical condition. For many people fibromyalgia is a reaction to stress. They may not be intentionally malingering but they are subconsciously looking for an excuse to avoid some of their responsibilites. Tragic things happen in the course of human events, and some people understandably have a physical reaction. Would it really be better to tell this woman she has fibromyalgia? The biggest shock to me was just after the first month or two of seeing a bunch of fibromyalgia patients was and I didn't really make a connection at the time they were sexually abused they were physically abused and they were verbally abused or they went through some severe stress. Had one yesterday whose husband died then all of a sudden she had fibromyalgia and then that stress mechanism I think is maybe the most unappreciated aspect of all this. When I'm doing the consults with folks that come in here they kind of get it after I'm talkin' to them for a while.. At this point, the other doctor gets visibly uncomfortable. Did he just say that? Yeah, he pretty much said it's caused by stress who is a close cousin to "it's in your head." People with fibromyalgia don't like being told to see a psychiatrist so the doctors in the video have found a round about way to suggest something just similar enough to possibly help but different enough to not require they be licensed councilors. Go on....and after I start describing the sympathetic response to them and how that can effect their physiology and so but most of them in the beginning don't really get that that's part of what's created the problem and triggered and that's what's perpetuating that process most people can grasp all the other things you're gonna talk about, we're gonna talk about the gluten the irritable bowel but the stress is.. and once we.. once dr once dr gates started puttin' together that stress modulation program we saw huge differences in that patient. I can think back to some patients before that, if we would have had that program we would have gotten a better response I called the office of the doctors who made that video and confirmed that this "stress modulation" they speak of is really just talk therapy and something about foot detox. I don't understand how telling a person who is in pain because of a tragic event like the loss of a spouse that they have medical problems is seen by some as nicer than acknowledging that they are facing a tragedy which is understandably upsetting them so much that it's manifesting physically. Later in the video they mention Functional neurology which appears to be little more than another name chiropractic neurology. Following chiropracty's long tradition of oversimplifying most problems as being with the spine I don't understand how these treatments vary from the rest of chiropractic care. People tend to like to buy treatments especially for fibromyalgia, I'd like to know how they would treat someone with neuropathic "fibromyalgia" different than someone with simple neuropathy other than validating their crazy need to believe fibromyalgia is real. It's well established that fibromyalgia patients are twice as likely to be survivors of childhood abuse. Others them consider a major trauma, like a car accident or surgery, to be the beginning of their symptoms. Some of these people like to hear that there is something physically wrong with them despite all medical evidence to the contrary. Others want a reason to think that their suffering is somehow above and beyond than others with their condition, the worst pain you can imagine. Intentional, conscious malingering is rare but the body will find ways to slow you down if you're overstressed. A fibromyalgia diagnosis never helped anyone There are only a few reasons that someone would be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. -The person is misdiagnosed. There very well may be something that could be done, but they won't know and it won't happen if they accept this diagnosis. Instead they go down down down the rabbithole of fibro "research" chasing their tails. -The person is a hypochondriac. All of the hypochondriac's worst fears are confirmed and every ache and pain is now a confirmation that they are, indeed very very sick. You just told 'em they have an incurable, progressive, chronic illness. -The person has unrealistic expectations of feeling good all the time and are exaggerating everyday aches and pains. Maybe they had an accident, injury, surgery or illness that they may never fully recover from. Instead of telling them they are lucky to be alive, the doctor will call their complaints for their very understandable problems "fibro." When people are obese, don't get enough exercise or eat very poorly fibro means the obvious consequences of this are not their fault and they are discouraged from making healthy changes. -They have a medical problem like neuropathy or arthritis but feel that their symptoms are somehow worse. Some doctors say that fibro is a diagnosis of exclusion and others simply call this secondary fibromyalgia. -The person is depressed, anxious or otherwise stressed so much it is causing physical pain without anything physically changing in their body. For most people, finding out that you have a chronic incurable disease is very bad news and will make all this worse. Most, but not all. -They have Munchhausen Syndrome where they knowingly fake medical or psychological problems to bring attention to themselves. Others do it for disability payments, pillz, or time off work or other responsibilities. Give them a scary-sounding DX like fibromyalgia and they will NEVER EVER put that card back in their wallet. As a matter of fact, they'll buy a T-shirt. Ever notice fibrowarriors buy a lot of tshirts? They've written a fuckton of books too. People with like to talk about being sick. Their dramatics are more dramatic than those with actual life threatening conditions. Some have even expressed envy of those with real medical problems. These are the especially crazy ones who REALLY annoy the fuck out of me. Can anyone think of any circumstances in which a fibro diagnosis would be a benefit to anyone? I honestly can't. Sure, it's nicer to bullshit people, but is it really good for them? The stigma on fibromyalgia is well earned. People with fibromyalgia WHINE like nobody else. They like to complain that they are not being validated and discriminated against and bullied. I still have people on my facebook page crying to me about someone being called a cat lady two weeks ago. Often when you ask for details they have none, they just like to throw those buzzwords around and consider themselves perpetual victims. This video really touched me. I had so many questions for this woman, but she just deleted them. What does she mean by limiting people based on how they look? Does she mean limiting their perception of how sick she is? Why does she want everyone to believe she is very sick? I can say from firsthand experience it's not fun to go about your days looking like you're very sick. She mentions discrimination. What does she mean? Is she disappointed that people do not treat her like she has an obvious medical condition? What specifically do they get that she wants? What does mean by legitimately sick, and what benefits does she perceive in being recognized as such? Does she think fibromyalgia is as serious as.. say.. cancer? I've had a lot of people note on my page that they'd rather have cancer because people do parades in pink tutus for cancer and it's curable, not realizing that it only goes into remission. She doesn't need to be sick in order to deserve validation or respect, and being sick doesn't entitle her to more. To me there is something about the spoon theory that seems to suggest that healthy people do not as well have very limited amounts of time and energy, and that the spoons of those who choose to describe themselves of chronically ill are somehow more precious. Why do so many want others to validate their illness? How does this vary from garden variety pity? We all have imperfect bodies which age every day. This chronic illness movement has at times reached the point of minimizing the struggles of those who do not self-identify as sick, even and especially when they insist on doing so despite the lack of any medical evidence of such. We all have a story to tell, and it truly saddens me when people choose to make fibromyalgia such a central part of theirs. I posted this on the creator's YouTube and she deleted most of my questions. She left one question up and replied simply: People have insisted to me that they don't want extra rights, just the same rights as everyone else. If they aren't seeking extra rights there's no need to even bring it up or get their illness "validated." Those people sure do sell a lot of tee-shirts and make a lot of memes to show everyone how bad they got it. Seems they really like people to feel sorry for them. I guess at times we all feel that way but it surely isn't going to make them feel any better. What good does awareness of any disease do? I have a serious illness myself, one that nobody disputes the validity or seriousness of, but I don't see any need for people to be "aware" of it. There are thousands of ailments and we could all get ourselves very depressed learning all about other |
9 even at shallow viewing angles. The P10s have some IPS glow, but it’s very minor when viewing the screen normally in portrait or landscape mode, only becoming noticeable when looking across the screen diagonally, which is not something you would normally do. There are not any significant issues when viewing the displays through polarized sunglasses either, with only a very slight reduction in brightness in landscape mode.
Display performance for the P10 and P10 Plus is similar to other recent Huawei phones. The wide gamut panels are bright enough to view outside and produce vibrant, but not particularly accurate, colors. They also share the same overly cool white point, which gives the screens a noticeable blue tint. Using the Warm setting, or adjusting the white point manually, improves both grayscale and color accuracy, but accuracy remains elusive even when using the manual option because of poor calibration. The viewing angle improvements are certainly a step in the right direction, but the P10s cannot match the display quality of other flagship phones.A major improvement in CRISPR-Cas9 technology that achieves an unprecedented success rate of 60 percent when replacing a short stretch of DNA with another has been made by University of California, Berkeley, researchers.
The improved technique is especially useful when trying to repair genetic mutations that cause hereditary diseases, such as sickle cell disease or severe combined immune deficiency.
The technique allows researchers to patch an abnormal section of DNA with the normal sequence and potentially correct the defect and is already working in cell culture to improve ongoing efforts to repair defective genes.
Said Jacob Corn, scientific director of the Innovative Genomics Initiative at UC Berkeley, a group that focuses on next-generation genome editing and gene regulation for lab and clinical application:
“The exciting thing about CRISPR-Cas9 is the promise of fixing genes in place in our genome, but the efficiency for that can be very low. If you think of gene editing as a word processor, we know how to cut, but we need a more efficient way to paste and glue a new piece of DNA where we make the cut.” “In cases where you want to change very small regions of DNA, up to 30 base pairs, this technique would be extremely effective,” said first author Christopher Richardson.
Problems in short sections of DNA, including single base-pair mutations, are typical of many genetic diseases. Base pairs are the individual building blocks of DNA, strung end-to-end in a strand that coils around a complementary strand to make the well-known helical, double-stranded DNA molecule.
Grabbing On to Loose Strands
Richardson invented the new approach after finding that the Cas9 protein, which does the actual DNA cutting, remains attached to the chromosome for up to six hours, long after it has sliced through the double-stranded DNA.
Richardson looked closely at the Cas9 protein bound to the two strands of DNA and discovered that while the protein hangs onto three of the cut ends, one of the ends remains free.
When Cas9 cuts DNA, repair systems in the cell can grab a piece of complementary DNA, called a template, to repair the cut. Researchers can add templates containing changes that alter existing sequences in the genome; for example, correcting a disease-causing mutation.
Richardson reasoned that bringing the substitute template directly to the site of the cut would improve the patching efficiency, and constructed a piece of DNA that matches the free DNA end and carries the genetic sequence to be inserted at the other end.
60 Percent Efficiency
The technique worked extremely well, allowing successful repair of a mutation with up to 60 percent efficiency.
“Our data indicate that Cas9 breaks could be different at a molecular level from breaks generated by other targeted nucleases, such as TALENS and zinc-finger nucleases, which suggests that strategies like the ones we are using can give you more efficient repair of Cas9 breaks,” Richardson said.
The researchers also showed that variants of the Cas9 protein that bind DNA but do not cut also can successfully paste a new DNA sequence at the binding site, possibly by forming a “bubble” structure on the target DNA that also acts to attract the repair template.
Gene editing using Cas9 without genome cutting could be safer than typical gene editing by removing the danger of off-target cutting in the genome, Corn said.
Christopher D Richardson, Graham J Ray, Mark A DeWitt, Gemma L Curie & Jacob E Corn
Enhancing homology-directed genome editing by catalytically active and inactive CRISPR-Cas9 using asymmetric donor DNA
Nature Biotechnology (2016) doi:10.1038/nbt.3481
Top Illustration: Crystal Structure of Cas9 in Complex with Guide RNA and Target DNA by Hiroshi Nishimasu, F. Ann Ran, Patrick D. Hsu, Silvana Konermann, Soraya I. Shehata, Naoshi Dohmae, Ryuichiro Ishitani, Feng Zhang, and Osamu Nureki. CC BY-SA 3.0 via CommonsLee Tae Im was under fire for cursing at Yewon on the set of MBC‘s “Tutoring Across Generations” earlier this month. A video revealing the actual scene has been released on an online community message board.
The video shows Yewon on the ground talking to Lee Tae Im (not visible in the video). It starts with Yewon asking Lee Tae Im if she is cold.
Yewon: “Are you cold?” (formally)
Lee Tae Im: “It’s so cold. Do you want to go in too?” (informally)
Yewon: “No.”(informally) Note: The Korean word she used is a more passive way of saying “No.”
Lee Tae Im: “You don’t like it? You like watching someone else do it?” (informally)
Yewon: “No. No.” (informally)
Lee Tae Im: “Why are you talking informally? Are you looking down on me?” (informally)
Yewon: “No, no. Because it’s cold.” (formally)
Yewon: “Uhnni (older female) you don’t like me right?” (formally)
Lee Tae Im: “Why are you looking at me with those eyes X? You think you’re so great?” (informally)
Lee Tae Im continues to curse. At this time, staff members intervene and stop them. Yewon continues to stare while Lee Tae Im explains to the staff that it’s because Yewon is speaking to her informally. Yewon glares as Lee Tae Im continues to vent her anger, disliking the way Yewon is looking at her. Soon, Lee Tae Im leaves (or is persuaded away by staff) and Yewon remains at the site.
When the video frame drops to the sandy beach, you can no longer see Yewon, but you can hear a female voice, presumably Yewon since the audio sounds like it is being recorded from a mic, say, “That crazy woman (b**tch). Why is she like that?”
She is visibly shocked while staff members try to make her feel better, one even apologizing for Lee Tae Im, and another saying, “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.” (Note: The same video at different platforms seem to cut off at different times. The one we originally translated from is no longer available.)
The video seems like it was put together using a camera’s recording and a separate audio recording from the mic on Yewon.
When the conflict first occurred, netizens had demanded to see a video, but producers refused to saying that a video could make it worse. Previously, the matter had seemed resolved with Lee Tae Im apologizing to Yewon and fans.
Now that a video has been leaked, it seems as though there will be repercussions. MBC has responded to the leaked video stating, “We have seen the leaked video. We are currently investigating. We are not sure how this video got leaked as of yet.”
Watch the video below. It may become unavailable soon as MBC is actively asking various video platforms, like YouTube, to take them down. MBC is blocking videos from YouTube citing an infringement on copyright.
A copy from another source: Source (1)(2)(3)(4)
See also:
More Details Revealed on What Happened the Day of Lee Tae Im and Yewon’s Conflict
Lee Tae Im Apologizes to Yewon for Her Outburst
Lee Tae Im Claims Yewon Was Rude to Her First; Explains Why She Exploded
Yewon Reportedly Remained Calm Although Lee Tae Im Cursed and Screamed at Her
Lee Tae Im Leaves “Tutoring Across Generations” after Cursing and Screaming at Fellow Cast MembersA friend is pregnant, so we bought and taste-tested 11 of the top non-alcoholic beers.
My friend Rachel is pregnant. And a few weeks back, she was describing how she drinks non-alcoholic beer when she goes out or when she watches football. I never really understood the market for non-alcoholic beer before (obviously) — but the concept of directing it at pregnant women made a whole lot of sense.
So we decided to do a taste test to find the non-alcoholic beer she, and the others who follow her down this road, should drink.
I went to a store called BevMo and was thrilled at their selection of non-alcoholic beers. I thought it would be hard to find 11 choices… they had 16. I picked the 11 that seemed the most common, leaving a few variations (like O’Doul’s Amber and some random German beers) on the shelf.
(In case you’re wondering, I spent $89 on non-alcoholic beer. You can’t just buy them loose. Just adding that receipt to the pile of “extraordinarily random tax write-offs I get from doing 11 Points.” Also, Rachel got to keep the leftovers for the rest of her pregnancy — at least until even drinking tiny trace amounts of alcohol is out.)
Then we had a raucous good time as Rachel, her husband Jay, my girlfriend Angie and I all sat around taste testing these non-alcoholic beers. Here are the results of our non-alcoholic beer taste test. Don’t know that this will EVER be relevant to you… but if it is one day, how grateful will you be for this!?
Rachel’s comments are most prominently featured, since she’s the pregnant one who actually drinks this stuff. Also, you’ll notice that in our taste testing comments, the last comment is always something much dumber and more random than the previous comments. Those are my personal contributions to the taste test.
11 | Coors N/A
(average score: 3.25/11)
I was immediately skeptical of the Coors N/A when I realized the bottles don’t have indicators of coldness — what, non-alcoholic beer drinkers don’t care about the transition from cold to super cold? THAT’S super cold of you, Canadians who now own Coors.
Comments: “Lighter than ultra light, but smells strong”… “If I was blindfolded, I wouldn’t think it was beer, I’d think it was stale water”… “Not hard to drink, just no flavor”… “What’s the point?”…”It smells like zucchini bread. Which sounds bad, only I love zucchini bread.”
10 | St. Pauli Girl N/A
(average score: 4/11)
When we cracked these, we were overwhelmed by the smell. And not in a good way. Whenever you have to flip a beer over — even a beer that contains no alcohol — to check its bottling date, that’s a bad sign. Basically, you’d have to be drunk to ignore St. Pauli Girl N/A’s scent — and that creates an irreconcilable paradox.
Comments: “Smells like you’re cleaning your house the day after a party”… “Doesn’t taste good either”… “I’m tasting what I smell”… “I don’t mind it out of the bottle, but don’t pour it into a glass and let it breathe”… “The St. Pauli Girl would make DJ Assault want to give her soap and water.”
9 | Clausthaler Pilsner Alcohol Free
(average score: 5/11)
This was one of the (surprisingly large selection of) imports available. It’s also pretty highly respected and other reviews seemed to really like it. So we were surprised when it tasted like a mix of beer and Jolly Ranchers.
Comments: “Too MUCH flavor”… “It’s like Froot Loops”… “It tastes like the Coke that’s made with Mexican sugar”… “Too strange to drink a lot of these”… “You know when you get your Diet Coke out of a fountain soda machine that also serves, like, grape soda or Hi-C, and the tubes somehow seem crossed so you can clearly tell the fruity, sugary drink is polluting your soda? It almost feels like this came from a brewery suffering from that syndrome.”
8 | Sharp’s (by Miller)
(average score: 5.75/11)
Sharp’s is Miller’s entry into the non-alcoholic beer world. It was also the last one we tested so everyone was fairly fatigued on non-alcoholic beer. We weren’t drunk… more like slightly dehydrated and completely unfulfilled.
Comments: “Less watery than Coors N/A”… “Reminds me of the other American ones, but not as good”… “You’ll get sick of the flavor if you drink a lot of them”… “Perfect mix of watery but flavorful to be a great chaser for a shot — even if you’re doing non-alcoholic shots of strawberry smoothie or something.”
7 | O’Doul’s (by Budweiser)
(average score: 6.75/11)
This is the iconic non-alcoholic beer, created by Budweiser and used as the punchline of jokes for generations. It’s also surprisingly decent.
Comments: “Not too strong of a smell and a pretty decent taste”… “A little bit of a metallic aftertaste but otherwise good”… “It feels like drinking a beer, just with less taste”… “Other beers on the list might taste better, but if I was going to drink, like, 12 in a night, I’d go for this”… “Last time I drank O’Doul’s was during a chugging contest (long story), and it was served so cold that chugging it made it hard for me to breathe for the next two days. This experience was way better.”
6 | Old Milwaukee N/A
(average score: 7/11)
We were a bit prejudiced against this one going in since (1) it’s Old Milwaukee (2) it only came in cans, not bottles and (3) again, it’s Old Milwaukee. So the fact that it was actually pretty good was the undisputed upset of the night. Also taught us to listen to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and not to judge a beer by the reputation of its can but by the content of its character. (Not the alcohol content, obviously.)
Comments: “Wow, I don’t hate it”… “People will judge the brand but it’s even a little better than O’Doul’s”… “It has a hint of a taste and smell of apple juice, in a good way”… “True dark horse, and worth buying”… “Even though it turned out to be decent, we still need to take a photo of Rachel holding a can while barefoot and pregnant.”
5 | Beck’s Non-Alcoholic
(average score: 7.25/11)
I’m not sure which came first, Beck’s N/A or Beck’s Ultra Super Duper Light, but they are very, very similar. There are a whole lot of German beers that dominate this particular market segment. And, like everything the Germans do, somehow that makes me suspicious.
Comments: “Wait… there’s a Beck’s that’s alcoholic too? I thought they only made non-alcoholic beer”… “I don’t normally like ‘green bottle beers’ but this one is pretty good”… “A huge difference from St. Pauli”… “Maybe a little bitter”… “I would’ve kept on drinking it and finished a whole bottle if there was a point to doing that. Which there truly is not.”
4 | Bitburger Drive N/A
(average score: 8/11)
I like real Bitburger and had pretty high hopes. According to their packaging this is brewed exactly the same way as regular Bitburger — then the alcohol is, quote, “gently removed,” as opposed to having the fermenting process stopped prematurely. And the taste definitely showed up.
Comments: “I like how it’s 0.0% alcohol, the others have tiny traces, this doesn’t, so I know I could drink 50 of them and it would be ok”… “Definitely closest to the real flavor”… “Very drinkable”… “A little metallic for me” … “I’d highly recommend this as a gift to your more discerning non-alcoholic beer snob. (Which, if it exists, would be a painfully unbearable subset of beer snobs.)”
3 | Buckler Alcohol Free (by Heineken)
(average score: 8.5/11)
Heineken definitely doesn’t go shouting from the mountains (windmills?) about Buckler. It’s kind of their hidden bastard child. Apparently it’s not even sold in the Netherlands anymore because it’s so scorned. Which is a shame, because for a bastard child, it’s really not bad. So let’s call it the STEVE HOLT! of non-alcoholic beers.
Comments: “Light but not annoyingly light”… “It’s approachable”… “Has an aftertaste like beer, in a good way”… “Tastes better than O’Doul’s, is lighter than Bitburger”… “It’s a shame that the Dutch are embarrassed of their own creation here because this seems more natural and embraceable than wearing wooden shoes.”
2 | Kaliber (by Guinness)
(average score: 9.75/11)
Kaliber isn’t as thick as Guinness… to make a non-alcoholic beer that thick you’d probably need to take it to Jamba Juice and have them add all kinds of their base… and isn’t as dark. Stereotypes about the Irish being wildly unqualified to make non-alcoholic beer — and saying things like “that’s like Colombians manufacturing baking soda” — proved untrue. Kaliber made a fantastic showing and finished just a tiny step out of first place.
Comments: “Very different than all the other beers we tried”… “Has a definite coffee aftertaste”… “Extremely flavorful”… “Almost like they started with Guinness then scaled back”… “Like Guinness you can’t drink them forever, I’d start with this, then move on to O’Doul’s”… “I want them to make a ‘Kaliber Book of World Records’ to give awards to people who do amazing things but something’s a little off, like the ‘world’s tallest man on stilts’ or ‘most expensive non-alcoholic beer purchase.'”
1 | Erdinger Weissbier N/A
(average score: 10.5/11)
Our winner was made by Erdinger and was the only beer to get a perfect 11 out of 11 from our pregnant judge. (Grading on a curve, obviously. 11 out of 11 in the realm of non-alcoholic beer only.) I’m a big fan of Erdinger Real, and wasn’t surprised to find Erdinger N/A performed so well. We didn’t put an orange in it. I feel like putting fruit in a non-alcoholic beer is even less wholesome than putting fruit in an alcoholic beer. Or you’ve got to go over-the-top with it, and put, like, a slice of mango in your O’Doul’s.
Comments: “Nice caramel taste”… “The least bitter beer we’ve tried”… “Perfect balance of thickness and flavor, but not so thick that you couldn’t drink a few of them”… “Has some bite”… “Light, but with a lot of flavor”… “I could definitely see someone giving me one of these, telling me it was full alcohol, and then me being fooled and stumbling around for no real reason.”
—
Enjoy your own non-alcoholic beer adventures!
—
You may also like…
11 Best Beers to Get You Drunk But Not Make You Fat
11 Best Crappy Domestic Beers
11 Cheapest Ways To Get Super, Super Drunk
The 11 Beers People Drink to Try to Look Cool
The 11 Worst-Tasting Beers in America (According to Statistics, and According to Me)And we will stop buying pants without
Trying them on before we buy them.
Instead.
If we must
When they do not fit us just right
We will return the mother fuckers
The same way we'd return a goddamn defective chainsaw.
We are men!
You are not god
You are not anything
But you are something.
And to some, you are everything.
And know, sometimes a woman can forget
That our world needs the healing power of men.
Our pride, our sweaty brow, our strength and grace.
So, tell Oprah to go fuck herself.
Or better yet, tell her to come and get some of this!
It's self-serve and we're open twenty-four hours a day!
But not when we are drinking whiskey or smoking cigars.
No!
We're closed then!
When we open
We will mist up and cry!
You heard me.
We will let our tears rain down on earth
Feeding the land of milk and honey our sorrow
And the earth will take our tears
Collect them into streams
And rivers and then we'll damn a canyon
Flooding a desert
Transforming the parched land into a reservoir
And with the water we will grow broccoli to garnish our meat.
So, tee it up for us darlings
And we will finish the job with a single stroke.
We are men!
And we will stop declaring war
On things that do not deserve war: our brothers at arms,
And we will let our women love us.
Make us suffer.
Forever suffering.
Always for them.
Always.
So, work the land, wild in love.
In a swarm of bees. And buckets of milk!
And when it is time to rest.
We will tangle our very hands in the mess we have made,
Tip her head back,
Touch her lips to ours
And remember what it is that makes us men.
All of these poems and more can be found HERE in the anthology “A Cartographer”.Amazon got the biggest headlines for its drone delivery plans, but it's an idea that's catching on across the shipping industry. At a nautical trade fair in Hamburg this week, the shipping research firm DNV GL revealed designs for a new electric vessel that would ferry cargo with zero crew members — roughly the nautical equivalent of Amazon's automated delivery drones. Dubbed "ReVolt," the concept ship is designed for short sea voyages, carrying up to 100 standard TEU containers at a relatively slow 6 knots. But because the ReVolt has no crew, it doesn't need living quarters or safety equipment, resulting in a much more efficient trip between ports.
It's still just a concept vessel, but vessels like the ReVolt could make a huge difference in how we move goods around the world. More than 9 billion tons of cargo moved through ports in 2012, leaving a huge market if automated vessels like the ReVolt are adopted. According to DNV GL, there will be real benefits for firms who do. Because of low maintenance costs, the company estimates the ReVolt would save more than a million dollars a year compared with shipping the same goods on conventional diesel ships.Story highlights "We Are the 99 Percent" blog gains popularity on Tumblr
People post messages about economic hardship on the site
A rival, conservative site called "We are the 53%" launched
That Tumblr page says it represents Americans who pay federal income taxes
The blogging platform Tumblr -- which sits somewhere between Twitter and WordPress on the social media spectrum -- has become one of the more interesting places to watch the debate about the Occupy Wall Street protests unfold.
On the Tumblr site " We Are the 99 Percen t," people who sympathize with the New York-based protest movement are telling first-person stories of hardship and unemployment. Each post features a photo of its author holding up a paper sign that tells a bit of the person's story and says "We Are the 99 Percent," a reference to the protestors' concern that the top 1% of Americans command much of the country's wealth and power, leaving the rest to struggle.
"We are getting kicked out of our homes. We are forced to choose between groceries and rent. We are denied quality medical care. We are suffering from environmental pollution. We are working long hours for little pay and no rights, if we're working at all," a blog introduction says. "We are getting nothing while the other 1 percent is getting everything. We are the 99 percent."
Here's one post from Tuesday:
"My mom worked on Wall Street for almost 30 years. In 2008, when the market crashed, the company she worked for shut down. The CEOs were taken care of, but all the loyal workers were left with nothing. My mom still hasn't found work. I am the 99 percent."
And another:
"I'm a small business owner. I just bought new work computers so my colleague and I can do our jobs. Now, I have no money for food for the next 3 days (next paycheck). I'm always one check away from eviction. I'm one of the 'lucky ones.'"
On Tuesday night there were 77 pages filled with similar stories, and about a half-dozen posts on each page.
As attention for that Tumblr page grew, a competing blog with a more conservative ideology came into being.
The conservative " We are the 53% " Tumblr page says it represents the 53% of Americans who must pay federal income tax (Most people who make less than $30,000 per year pay no major federal income taxes, according to a 2009 report from the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, as CNNMoney reports). The assumption is that Occupy Wall Street protestors and sympathizers on the "We Are the 99 Percent" site don't pay taxes.
"I work 3 jobs. I have a house I can't sell. My family insurance costs are outrageous. But I don't blame Wall Street. Shut it up you whiners. I am the 53% subsidizing you so you can hang out on Wall Street and complain," the introductory post on October 5 says.
The 53% blog was created by Erick Erickson, who also is an editor at the conservative site RedState.com, according to the Washington Post. (Erikson also is an occasional commentator for CNN).
The conservative Tumblr blog has six pages of posts, compared to 77 on the site sympathizing with Occupy Wall Street.
"I would love to hang out in in (sic) the park for a couple of weeks protesting the entitlement generation and radical egalitarianism, but I have a job to go to. Go figure," another post says.
Tumblr has become the site of choice for people organizing the Occupy Wall Street movement, which started in New York and has spread to many other cities in the United States, writes Jesse Emspak for DiscoveryNews
"The site has been a force behind the Occupy Wall Street protests, growing the number of demonstrations from just dozens of people in late September to thousands," he says.
At The Atlantic, Rebecca Rosen says the "We Are the 99 Percent" Tumblr page is the digital equivalent of bathroom stall graffiti -- "allowing you to bear something private and maybe find someone else carrying around the same weight."
Along with the It Gets Better Project and PostSecret, the Tumblr account is part of an increasingly important medium called the "collaborative confessional," she says.
"This is self-service history, with no curator and no narrator. Some of the stories call out for follow-up questions, but there is no one to ask them," Rosen writes. "The results are raw and rough, but demonstrate that, with or without a Terkel, the power of personal narrative, whether on the radio, in a book, on YouTube, or on a Tumblr, can cut through the noise and cynicism of punditry and give shape and texture to our national story."Queensland's Marnus Labuschagne became the first player to be penalised under the "fake fielding" law, which was recently incorporated by the ICC into its playing conditions.
Attempting to intercept a drive from Cricket Australia XI batsman Param Uppal in the JLT Cup, Labuschagne, fielding at cover, dived to his right, stood up and mocked a throw as the ball had passed him. Uppal stopped in his stride, hesitated for a moment, but eventually finished the run. The umpires consequently awarded five runs to CA XI for violating Law 41.5, which deals with "deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of a batsman".
According to the lawmaker, these actions are against the spirit of cricket. But is mock fielding, which has the same five-run penalty as ball tampering, a severe violation?
What exactly prompted the MCC, custodians of the laws, to determine mock fielding as an indiscretion? Also is distraction, deception or an obstruction easy to interpret for the on-field umpires? Fraser Stewart, MCC's Laws of Cricket manager, reveals the details around Law 41.5.
****
Why was the "fake fielding" law introduced?
Stewart: The reason for the introduction of this law was that fielders were deliberately pretending to have the ball as a means of fooling the batsmen, thereby preventing them from taking further runs. The batsmen would see a slide and a feigned throw and would decline, for example, a second run. By the time they realised the ball had not been thrown, it would then be too late to take the second run. This was felt to be unfair. It was becoming an increasingly used practice at various levels of the game. It formed one of the questions in MCC's global consultation and the response was overwhelmingly in favour of introducing a law to ban the practice.
So Labuschagne was clearly guilty of Law 41.5?
Stewart: Fielders may not try to deceive either batsman. The fielder here [Labuschagne] has tried to deceive the batsmen, attempting to convince them that there is no chance of a run. It is clear to see how the feigned throw stops them temporarily. The umpires are completely correct to award five penalty runs under Law 41.5. The batsmen can also choose who is to face the next ball, and the ball should not count as one for the over.
If Labuschagne had not mocked the throw, would he still have been penalised?
Stewart: If the fielder had just dived, it would not have been a breach of the law. He made a genuine attempt to stop the ball by diving. He just missed it but had done nothing wrong with that part. Where he erred was when he did the fake throw. This quite clearly led the batsmen to believe that he had indeed stopped the ball.
In other circumstances, if the slide takes place when the fielder isn't close to the ball and it wasn't a genuine attempt to stop it, the umpires will have to decide if they considered the slide to have been an attempt to deceive the batsman. Context is everything and it's hard to give a ruling without seeing each case.
But how advisable is it to have a law that is so open to interpretation and subjectivity. Take this example. Would Kumar Sangakkara have been guilty of this new law?
Stewart: The Sangakkara example is less clear-cut. Technically, he is deliberately attempting to deceive the batsman, but I'm not sure what advantage he is gaining - not that the gaining of an advantage needs to be proved. It seems to be done more out of jest than out of an attempt to cause confusion and prevent a run being scored. Under the letter of the Law, one could not argue with the penalty being imposed. Equally, however, an umpire might choose to handle it by having a quiet word and informing him of the new law. As with any law like this, it is always going to be for the umpires to decide what is "deliberate" and what is "deception".
There are wicketkeepers who collect the ball down the leg side, turn around pretending they have missed the ball, and run a batsman out after he sets off for a single. Does that count as deception?
Stewart: If a wicketkeeper is deliberately trying to make it look like he has missed the ball when he has it in his hands for a stumping, it is an attempt to deceive the batsman and would fall foul of the law. It is for the umpires on the field to decide if it is deception or not as per Law 41.5.2.
While collecting throws, the Indian wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, for example, pretends like there is nothing happening to lull the running batsman into a false sense of security before whipping the bails off quickly when the throw comes in. Is that a foul act, too?
Stewart: If Dhoni is deliberately trying to make it look like he has missed the ball when he has it in his hands for a stumping, it is an attempt to deceive the batsman and would fall foul of the law. However, transferring it onto the stumps in a subtle way after receiving the ball would be acceptable. It is for the umpires on the field to decide if it is deception or not.
How about a fielder in the deep, chasing after a ball and sliding when the boundary rider is actually going to pick the ball up and throw. Would that be the violation?
Stewart: As for the fielder sliding - that would depend on context - is he/she trying to convince the batsmen that the ball is closer to being thrown in than it actually is? If so, it is deception. Is he/she is simply getting out of the way so their team-mate has a clear throw? If so, it is not deception. How close to the ball was he when he made the slide, and was there any feigned throw? These are the matters that the umpire should consider.
****
Law 41.5: Deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of batsman
41.5.1 In addition to 41.4, it is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or action, to distract, deceive or obstruct either batsman after the striker has received the ball.
41.5.2 It is for either one of the umpires to decide whether any distraction, deception or obstruction is wilful or not.
41.5.3 If either umpire considers that a fielder has caused or attempted to cause such a distraction, deception or obstruction, he/she shall immediately call and signal Dead ball and inform the other umpire of the reason for the call.
41.5.4 Neither batsman shall be dismissed from that delivery.
41.5.5 If an obstruction involves physical contact, the umpires together shall decide whether or not an offence under Law 42 (Players' conduct) has been committed.
41.5.5.1 If an offence under Law 42 (Players' conduct) has been committed, they shall apply the relevant procedures in Law 42 and shall also apply each of 41.5.7 to 41.5.9.
41.5.5.2 If they consider that there has been no offence under Law 42 (Players' conduct), they shall apply each of 41.5.6 to 41.5.10.
41.5.6 The bowler's end umpire shall
award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.
inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action and as soon as practicable inform the captain of the batting side
41.5.7 The ball shall not count as one of the over.
41.5.8 Any runs completed by the batsmen before the offence shall be scored, together with any runs for penalties awarded to either side. Additionally, the run in progress shall be scored whether or not the batsmen had already crossed at the instant of the offence.
41.5.9 The batsmen at the wicket shall decide which of them is to face the next delivery.
41.5.10 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.Former Braves coach Ned Yost took the Kansas City Royals to the World Series title last fall. And there’s a story from six years ago about his belief in the process it took for the club to get there.
It’s a belief born of his time with the Braves (from 1991-2002), and it holds promise for these Braves (and for Braves fans).
David O’Brien on the Braves’ beat: Rebuilding moves into next phase.
Get all of the AJC’s Braves’ coverage here.
Last week, Kansas City Star columnist Sam Mellinger tolds Yost’s story from Surprise, Ariz., one with a key moment that happened six years ago. Mellinger wrote:
Yost had developed something like a baseball crush on many of the Royals’ young players, and had started telling friends he had never in his life been wrong about something that he had ever been this sure about.
Quickly, however, Yost was learning that part of his job (as manager) would be as The Process’ salesman, the conduit from the team to the doubters — which, at least on this night, included David Glass. The club’s owner was angry, frustrated.
“I don’t like watching this team,” Glass is remembered saying. “It upsets me. I don’t like it.”
Yost snapped back.
“Mr. Glass, then don’t watch,” he recalls saying. “Alright? Do not watch right now. But it’s going to get better. Trust me, it’s going to get better.”
Yost, now in the midst of his victory lap, told Mellinger about his time in Atlanta and his belief that a young core takes 2 1/2 years to become big-league level winners. After 2 1/2 years, the Royals won 86 the next season, and then 95 and a title the next.
“So that 2 1/2 -year mark,” Yost says, “it was exactly right.”
So should the Braves model themselves after the Royals? The AJC’s Mark Bradley says not so fast.
More here on the Braves’ rebuilding:
Mark Bradley’s column with Braves’ GM John Coppolella |
hotel room; and a 30-year-old American man in the resort town of Manali.
Keep readingLarry King Live transcript
Larry King Live
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Discusses His Latest Album, "Rave Un2
the Joy Fantastic"
Aired December 10, 1999 - 9:00 p.m. ET
.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, he's rocked, he's shocked, he's been telling us
to party like it's 1999 for 17 years, the artist formerly known as Prince is
our guest, a music world original, next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We're back in New York tonight. Never know where we are. This is our
millennium month on LARRY KING LIVE. Tomorrow night a tribute to Frank
Sinatra. He would have been 84 years this Sunday. We'll replay an interview
tomorrow. And among the guests next week will be Ted Turner, and Peter
Jennings, and Jim Carrey and President Gerald Ford and President Bill
Clinton. That's all next week.
It's a great pleasure to have with us tonight the artist formerly known as
Prince. His first album in three years has just been released. It's called
"Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic." There you see the cover of the CD.
And for the artist, the obvious first question is, why three years?
THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS PRINCE: Well, there's three things I wanted to
get out of my system, mainly "The Crystal Ball Project," which was a reissue
of a lot of the bootlegs that have been coming out all over the world. I am
probably one of the most bootlegged artists out there. I wanted to clean
that up and get the real good mixes out, let people hear what they're really
supposed to sound like if ever given the chance to complete them.
KING: So that's the reason for this space of time?
THE ARTIST: Yes. We did a couple of other projects. I was working with Chaka
Khan. I did an album with her, Larry Graham.
KING: She's terrific.
THE ARTIST: Yes, she is.
KING: What can an artist do about bootlegging?
THE ARTIST: What -- the best thing you can do is go back and get those mixes
again and fix them up the way you always saw them completed, and then, you
know, reissue them.
KING: Does the listener know if they buy one of these in Germany that this
isn't what you intended?
THE ARTIST: A lot of my so-called fans do, and they actually thrive off the
fact that it's stolen property, you know.
KING: You are -- you would admit to yourself, an unusual personality?
THE ARTIST: It depends.
KING: Well, let's say you're different.
THE ARTIST: As compared to what?
KING: As compared to most people in, let's say, show business, you're an
unusual person. Most people don't get famous with one name and then change
it, right, would you say? What's the story on that, by the way?
THE ARTIST: Well, I had to search deep within my heart and spirit, and I
wanted to make a change and move to a new plateau in my life. And one of the
ways in which I did that was to change my name. It sort of divorced me from
the past and all the hangups that go along with it. I was -- as it's been
well chronicled in deep dispute with my record label...
KING: Which is Warner Bros., right?
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: Which owns this network, I might add, just to throw...
THE ARTIST: Oh, they do?
KING: Yes.
THE ARTIST: They -- we had some issues that were basically about ownership
of the music and how often I was supposed to record and things like that. We
got along otherwise. We just had came to a head in those types of...
KING: So there was no clash over what you would record or what kind of music
you were singing, et cetera? None of that?
THE ARTIST: No, no creative issues whatsoever. And they were gracious enough
to allow me a very wide palate to, you know, put colors onto.
KING: About the highest risk one would think someone who gets famous would
take is to drop the name that got them famous.
THE ARTIST: Well, that was one of the things that I dealt with, is that I
really searched deep within to find out the answer to whether fame was most
important to me or my spiritual well being, and I chose the latter.
KING: Was it difficult to not be what you had become known as? THE ARTIST:
You mean...
KING: I think -- well, let's say -- the only other famous person I know who
did this was Cassius Clay. He's a dear friend, and he changed his name to
Muhammad Ali as heavyweight champion of the world. That was incredible to
change your name. That was due to a faith belief. But he wasn't selling
records. He was in the ring, as long as he won, it sold. You, though, a
person in show business, is almost dependent on recognition. You stopped
being Prince.
THE ARTIST: Well, I -- that's a good point. I pretty much wanted to be
dependent upon God. And when you get the inner calling to do something and
you know that you're being inspired by God, you pretty much know you'd
better answer that call or suffer the consequences.
KING: Do you think this was God inspired as well?
THE ARTIST: I do believe, yes.
KING: Why, then, did you choose "the artist formerly known as?"
THE ARTIST: Well I didn't choose that. That was...
KING:... chosen for you.
THE ARTIST: Yes, pretty much.
KING: What would you have chosen?
THE ARTIST: I...
KING: I mean, did you think of a name? What is your name at birth?
THE ARTIST: My name at birth was Prince Rogers Nelson.
KING: So did you think of Nelson?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: Rogers?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: Were you thinking of a name?
THE ARTIST: No, it didn't come to me like that.
KING: So how did "the artist formerly known as" come about?
THE ARTIST: That came up through people's problem with -- mainly the media's
problem with not having a pronunciation for the symbol. So they had to come
up with something I guess.
KING: So "the artist formerly known as" is a media invention. THE ARTIST:
Yes.
KING: Not your invention?
THE ARTIST: No, sir.
KING: You're a symbol. OK, how do you promote a symbol?
THE ARTIST: Well, what we found is throughout the world, if you hold this up
and show it to people, what they think of, they will say, Prince.
KING: Obviously.
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: So you obviously made it famous.
THE ARTIST: Yes. I think so, yes.
KING: Can you tell us what it signifies?
THE ARTIST: Well, me.
KING: No, but I mean, how you chose it. You designed it?
THE ARTIST: It's sort of come about over time. I've always morphed the
female and the male symbol together.
KING: Show me again. Let me see it. Yes, and it works.
THE ARTIST: It's pretty cool. It makes for great jewelry, too.
KING: Has it been copied?
THE ARTIST: Oh, yes.
KING: Stores sell this everywhere?
THE ARTIST: Well, a lot of times, you'll find, like I say, so- called fans
on the Internet, which is kind of a problem sometimes because once they use
the symbol, it's as though I've endorsed whatever it is that they have for
sale, and...
KING: Can you copyright that?
THE ARTIST: It is copyrighted.
KING: So you can't be ripped off by it?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: We've been showing it on the bottom of the screen, so that people tune
in, they know who we're watching here.
THE ARTIST: Cool. KING: There it is. Look at that. See that?
THE ARTIST: All right.
KING: That's cool, right?
THE ARTIST: That's a class act. This is a...
KING: Hey, this is CNN, man. We don't fool around.
We'll be right back with the artist formerly known as Prince. We're going to
talk about his album, his extraordinary life. We'll be taking your phone
calls as well. He's got a concert coming up. And the album "Rave Un2 the Joy
Fantastic" is now out. Don't bootleg it -- buy it.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with the artist. And the new album is "Rave Un2 the Joy
Fantastic." And he now calls himself "the artist." In print, however, it is
just a symbol. We gave him the name. He -- one traces early life an
incredible story. But you live in Spain, right?
THE ARTIST: I like to say that I live in the world but I am not of it. I
travel a lot. I call Spain home now. I also have a home in Minnesota.
KING: Still in Minnesota?
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: Roots?
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: Why Spain?
THE ARTIST: I -- what I found that I like most is from 2:00 to 5:00,
everything just shuts down. So...
KING: Siesta -- Fiesta -- siesta.
THE ARTIST: Yes. And everybody just chills and they take a moment just to
gather their senses. I think, you know, we probably need to do that here in
America sometimes.
KING: Let's -- so in other words, at 2:00 every afternoon you stop doing
whatever you're doing?
THE ARTIST: Well, there's no stores and shopping and things like that. All
that shuts down and just allows everybody a chance to just regroup and, you
know, think about life.
KING: Do you still have a fondness for Minneapolis? THE ARTIST: Oh, yes,
absolutely.
KING: What was it like growing up there? Aren't many blacks in Minneapolis,
right? I was talking to Dave Winfield the other night, one percent maybe.
THE ARTIST: Yes, it was interesting for me because I grew up getting a wider
array of music. I grew up with Santana and Larry Graham and Fleetwood Mac,
all kinds of different things, you know? So that was -- that was very cool.
KING: Good place to grow up?
THE ARTIST: Yes, sir.
KING: You had a rough childhood, didn't you?
THE ARTIST: In some respects.
KING: Did that affect your music?
THE ARTIST: I don't think so, no. I -- I think it probably helped me to look
inside to know that I had to do for self, you know?
KING: You had a rough time with parents -- I mean, that's all resolved now,
but your father -- you had a rough time with your father, right?
THE ARTIST: I wouldn't call it "rough." I mean, he was a very strict
disciplinarian, but all fathers were. I learned the difference between right
and wrong, so I don't -- I don't consider it so rough.
KING: Would you look back and say you're glad he was that way?
THE ARTIST: Well, you know, as I go through this journey, I don't look back
much at all. I try to stay in the now and live in the now. I think it keeps
you young.
KING: So you're not a reminiscencer?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: When did you...
THE ARTIST: Is that a word, Larry?
KING: No, I invented it. Maybe it's my new symbol -- inventing words.
THE ARTIST: It's hipper, brother, so I know. I like to learn, but you
know...
KING: When -- good -- good point. When did you decide music would be a
career?
THE ARTIST: Well, I -- I learned early on this was what I wanted to do,
maybe about 12 years old I knew that this is what I would want to do the
rest of my life, yes.
KING: You knew it then?
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: And how -- what burst you on the scene? How did the world get to know
Prince, the then Prince?
THE ARTIST: Well -- by the way, I'm still Prince. I just use a different
sound for my name, which is none.
KING: But it's hard not to refer to you. It's hard to call you uh.
THE ARTIST: It's cool. It's cool.
KING: You're understanding of this plight we're faced with.
THE ARTIST: Oh, yes, no problem.
KING: Thank you.
THE ARTIST: What was the question?
KING: The question was -- good, you threw me. I forgot the question. The
question -- what was the question? I just asked a question. I forgot the
question.
THE ARTIST: You were saying how much you love live television.
KING: Yes. That wasn't the question, though. No, the question was, how did
you get famous? How did you -- how did the world get to know you? What
happened? Was it a record, an appearance, something?
THE ARTIST: Well, it started with a lot of appearances I was doing in and
about Minneapolis. And word just spread about...
KING: So you were a local man?
THE ARTIST: Yes -- what I could do. And then I was taken out to Los Angeles
by my first manager, whose name escapes me. And other people started getting
to see what I could do.
KING: And then did you have a hit record?
THE ARTIST: No, we were just talking about making one right at that point.
KING: And what burst it for you?
THE ARTIST: Hmm?
KING: What did it for you?
THE ARTIST: The song?
KING: Yes.
THE ARTIST: The song was called "Soft and Wet."
KING: And that...
THE ARTIST: That was the first.
KING:... immediately became a hit, and you were known?
THE ARTIST: Quietly, but a lot of people knew about me because I was -- I
used Stevie Wonder as an inspiration, whom I look up to a great deal just
for the way that he crafted music and his connection to the spirit. And,
boy, back then I used him as a role model in trying to play all the
instruments and be very self-contained and keep my vision clear. So word
spread very quickly about what I could do. A lot of people knew about it.
KING: How would you describe your music? What idiom would you put it in?
THE ARTIST: The only thing I could think of, because I really don't like
categories, but the only thing I could think of is inspirational. And I
think music that is from the heart falls right into that category, people
who really feel what it is that they're doing. And ultimately all music is
or can be inspirational. And it's -- that's why it's so important to let
your gift be guided by something more clear, you know?
KING: The thing is, we don't know -- you think you know where that gift
comes from?
THE ARTIST: Oh, yes, absolutely.
KING: We're going to talk about that in a minute.
We're going to see as we break -- here's a portion of a video from that
brand-new album "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic."
Our guest is the artist.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE GREATEST ROMANCE EVER SOLD")
It's the greatest romance that's ever been sold. Girl, I know you feel me. I
know that you can dance. But what do you know about the greatest romance.
Not what you think or what you believe, but what's the real reason that Adam
never left Eve. And if the truth sounds like a memory, then you know it was
meant to be -- meant to be. Leave your inhibitions behind. Come on. Come on,
see. This is where you end. This is where you end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: By the way, all of those things that you just saw, the -- the videos
they do you do in your own studio in Minneapolis? THE ARTIST: A good portion
of them.
KING: So we don't think of L.A., Nashville, all these hotspot New York
places. Minneapolis gets it done, too.
THE ARTIST: Minneapolis has always been the bomb. You don't have to go
outside of that.
KING: Where does your inspiration come from?
THE ARTIST: I like to believe that my inspiration comes from God and that...
KING: Did you always believe that?
THE ARTIST: No. As you grow older, you learn and you start to -- you get
smarter, yes.
KING: Because you were once kind of raucous, right? Right? I mean, you would
say you were, well, not anti-spiritual. You certainly would not think of you
as a great believing soul.
THE ARTIST: Well...
KING: True or not?
THE ARTIST: I don't believe that to be true.
KING: Always were?
THE ARTIST: I have always known that God was my creator and that without
him, boy, nothing works. It works to a point, and then it just kind of
deteriorates. Entropy takes place.
KING: When bad things have happened to you, do you blame him?
THE ARTIST: Absolutely not, no.
KING: How do you explain -- how do you resolve it in yourself?
THE ARTIST: I learn from it. And I don't wallow in it. I don't spend time in
a place. I let myself move on, you know? Right today, I could sit and say, I
have animosity towards...
KING:... a record company.
THE ARTIST: Yes, a company that owns the rights to my work, you know.
They're businessmen. They're doing what it is that makes their business
successful, and I also am allowed to do things that make my business
successful. And for me, that would be to own my work. So I just chose to
step away from that. And knowing that, I sent a nice letter to the
president -- then-president because they changed a lot weekly during that
time, and I told him that I loved him, and that, you know, I was glad that I
had this experience, you know.
KING: So you would say, even though we don't like to look back, that dispute
turns out now to be an experience that worked for you?
THE ARTIST: Well, I think my understanding of it is what worked for me. I
don't consider it proper that my creations belong to someone else. I can go
up to a little kid on the street and say, do you know that I don't own
"Purple Rain," and they're appalled by that. So my understanding of it is
what pretty much...
KING: Do you still not own "Purple Rain?"
THE ARTIST: No, I'll have to rerecord it to own a new master copy of the --
we've done that with the song "1999." There is a new master recording of it.
KING: I want to ask you about that and how you looked ahead when "1999" came
out in the early '80s.
We'll be right back with the artist formerly known as Prince. We'll be
including your phone calls at the bottom of the hour. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: I know you're going to do a pay-per-view special the year 2000. It's
going to air New Year's, and you say that's the last time you're ever going
to play "1999," right?
THE ARTIST: Yes, sir.
KING: Tell me the origin of that. How -- what were you thinking in 1980 --
what was it -- '2?
THE ARTIST: 1982 I wrote that. We were sitting around watching a special
about "1999," and a lot of people were talking about the year and
speculating on what was going to happen. And I just found it real ironic how
everyone that was around me whom I thought to be very optimistic people were
dreading those days, and I always knew I'd be cool. I never felt like this
was going to be a rough time for me. I knew that there were going to be
rough times for the Earth because of this system is based in entropy, and
it's pretty much headed in a certain direction. So I just wanted to write
something that gave hope, and what I find is people listen to it. And no
matter where we are in the world, I always get the same type of response
from them.
KING: Dick Clark just rated it one of the 10 greatest songs of the
millennium.
THE ARTIST: Oh.
KING: Great records of the millennium. Did you have any idea it would be as,
one, prophetic as it was and as successful as it was?
THE ARTIST: Not to sound arrogant, but there was a point during rehearsal,
we were working on it, and the song was going to be sung in a three-part
harmony like Sly and The Family Stone's song, and I -- we all got together,
and we started singing it and it wasn't really working, so what we did is I
said, all right, you sing your harmony for the first part, then you sing
your harmony for the second part, and I'll sing my harmony for the third.
And it broke. When that breakup happened like that and everybody got their
part separated, then I knew we had something real special.
KING: Are you surprised at how long it has been around?
THE ARTIST: Well, I've been around for a while, so.
KING: But I mean, now 1999 is here. Were you right?
THE ARTIST: Well, when you listen to the music, there are a lot of people
running around kind of Y2K-ing it, and we just kind of chilling and
studying...
KING: Are you worried about Y2K?
THE ARTIST: No, sir.
KING: Not at all?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: Some computer is going to go wrong -- you'll fly?
THE ARTIST: I don't worry about too much anyway.
KING: You don't?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: Did you ever? When you had disputes, arguments with record companies,
taking a stand, were you a worrier?
THE ARTIST: No, I think once I started writing "slave" on my face, I pretty
much knew the outcome. I mean, you have to understand that that word on
one's face pretty much changes the dynamic of any meeting that you're in
when they see it.
KING: How did people react to you when they did see it?
THE ARTIST: Well, the record company didn't really say too much. They just
kind of -- all right, what's the business at hand today, you know, and that
was it.
KING: We'll take a break and we'll come back with the artist formerly known
as Prince.
You have got a concert coming up?
THE ARTIST: Yes, sir.
KING: Where?
THE ARTIST: It's going to be from our sound stage at Paisley Park. And you
need to come. It's going to be off the chart.
KING: When is it?
THE ARTIST: Well, it's going to be on the 18th.
KING: Why do we have to -- we can't announce when it is?
THE ARTIST: No, because it's going to air on...
KING: Oh, it's going to air, I see.
First secret I ever -- feel like I am doing the old game show.
We'll be back with the artist formerly known as Prince.
Don't forget the concert. It's on -- don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: His pay-per-view concert will air New Year's Eve for only $19.99.
That's as low as you get on pay-per-view. And you can order it from In
Demand.
A lot of guest stars on this show?
THE ARTIST: Oh, yes. I just spoke with Lenny Kravitz. He's going to come jam
with us. We have got Maceo Parker, Larry Graham, the Family Stone, trying to
get Sly out of his crib so he'll come down. Who else? Mavis Staples. She is
going to do a couple of numbers.
KING: The great Larry Graham is going to join us at the end of the show.
He's maybe the greatest bass player in the world, certainly one of the best.
THE ARTIST: Well, if you ask me...
KING: Legends live.
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: You are now what, 42 years old?
THE ARTIST: So they tell me. I don't...
KING: Do you feel 42?
THE ARTIST: No, no, I don't count birthdays.
KING: You don't celebrate them either?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: No happy birthday, "the," right?
OK, let's take call, St. Louis for the artist formerly known as Prince --
hello.
CALLER: Hi, how are you?
KING: Fine.
CALLER: Good.
I have been a friend since '78. My favorite cut on the "Rave" album is "So
Far So Pleased," and I wanted to know what inspired you to add this to
"Rave" because it seems like it's really different from the rest of the cut,
so I just want to know.
THE ARTIST: I think my love of rock music and living in Minneapolis, I am
always going to have my guitar in the mix somewhere. And my -- the chance
that I got to work with Gwen Stefani, I wanted something that she sounded
really cool on so I put that on there.
KING: Has a lot of music affected you, like do you like jazz music?
THE ARTIST: Oh, yes, sir, Miles Davis I learned a lot from. I learned a lot
about space from Miles. Space is a sound too, and it can be used very
inventively if...
KING: He was also technically a great player, was he not?
THE ARTIST: So they say, yes.
KING: The "Purple Rain" concept, autobiographical?
THE ARTIST: Semi, yes. Albert Magnoli wrote that, the script for that. My
whole thing was to -- I really wanted to chronicle the life I was living at
the time, which was in a area that had a lot of great talent and a lot of
rivalries. The time -- and I forgot to mention, they will be on the
pay-per-view special. You have got to see them now, they're crazy. So I
wanted to chronicle that vibe of my life.
KING: Were you surprised at its success? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) maybe you weren't,
maybe you knew you had something.
THE ARTIST: Well, you know, you can kind of get a feel. There was no movie
out like that at the time. That's what I tend to do in all the things that I
do is, you know, the idea with art and inspiration is to try to let it grow
and move forward. If there's stagnation, you can always come with something
and cut through the maze.
KING: So do you sense that you're different in that regard? Certainly, you
are unique.
THE ARTIST: Yes, my music, I think, is different, yes.
KING: Cambridge, hello.
CALLER: Hello.
KING: Hi. CALLER: Hi. What a pleasure it is to see you in an interview
situation.
THE ARTIST: What a pleasure to be seen.
KING: He doesn't do many.
CALLER: I know, I know, it's great, I am having a great time watching this.
I am a huge fan, and I have been for a long time.
THE ARTIST: Thank you.
CALLER: Since you have been called Prince, and the artist formerly known as,
and the artist, and the symbol. And I can't help but wonder, what do your
friends call you? What do your closest friends call you?
KING: Good question -- meet you on the street, OK, what do they say?
THE ARTIST: OK, Larry calls me baby brother, Mayte calls me honey. Let's
see, my enemies call me squiggle, and, you know, all kinds of crazy.
KING: What do you call your -- let's say you call me. Hello? What do you
say? This is who?
THE ARTIST: I don't say that too much.
KING: What would you say? You must make some -- do you ever call anyone?
THE ARTIST: Very seldom, I don't like telephones.
KING: You don't?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: So it's rare that you hit a button and dial a number?
THE ARTIST: Usually, the people that I call are people that are -- that I'm
close to, and they know my voice.
KING: What does Mayte call you?
THE ARTIST: Honey -- she never really calls me Prince.
KING: She never -- even when you were Prince?
THE ARTIST: Yes, she never...
KING: There she is. How is she doing?
THE ARTIST: Oh, perfect.
KING: She is in Spain? THE ARTIST: No, she's in Miami now. She's visiting
her mother.
KING: So on the "Purple Rain" thing, you could say you expected it? Not
surprised that it went as well as it did?
THE ARTIST: I expected it because, I think, because there was, like I said,
there was nothing out like it at the time -- and if only for Morris Day's
performance. I thought he was incredible in it. And the music -- we were at
a very good place musically.
Right today I feel like I could put together something equally as
interesting, and it would be as successful if the right people are getting
paid. You know, that may sound strange, but this is a business, and when
people are involved in it, you have successes, you know? And I understand
that, and I knew there would be times where records wouldn't sell as much
when I got away from those particular people, but I was cool with that
because success pretty much is what you make it to be.
KING: So you're saying, then, you do need the suits, so to speak?
THE ARTIST: It depends on what you gauge success to be. I...
KING: What do you? Is financial your gauge word?
THE ARTIST: No, not so much because once I do the music, it's a success
there. I mean, that's it for me. Now, on the selling tip, for example, if an
album goes down the chart, that isn't something I can control. I just did
the music, you know?
KING: But you want people to tune in New Year's Eve. You would like to have
a lot of people call In Demand and order to see you. You're want -- you are
an artist, you want to be seen.
THE ARTIST: Yes, but if it's an auditing situation where I don't know how
many people are actually tuning in, it's not something I can control. They
can actually say anything to me, right?
KING: Correct. And you go -- you have to go -- trust?
THE ARTIST: Oh, that's why contracts don't work. They're not based in trust.
KING: Do you therefore -- have you lost, even as a spiritual person, lost
trust in people?
THE ARTIST: Oh, no, no. I have lost trust in contracts. I don't believe in
contracts.
KING: Do you have a contract for the pay-per-view night? Or a shaking hand,
or...
THE ARTIST: I'm not certain. I can go check, but...
KING: But you're not into them? THE ARTIST: I'm not into them, really.
KING: Our guest is the artist. We'll be back with more phone calls at the
end of the program. We'll are going to meet the great bassist Larry Graham
as well.
THE ARTIST: Yay, yay. Sorry.
KING: "The" is applauding. We -- he never calls anybody, weird though.
Hello? No one's there.
We'll be right back with more phone calls. If we take two or three more,
we'll break a record here. Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "WHEN DOVES CRY")
THE ARTIST: Dig if you will the picture, of you and I engaged in a kiss. The
sweat of your body covers me. Can you, my darling, can you picture this.
Dream, if you can, a courtyard, an ocean of violets and blues. Animals
strike curious poses. They feel the heat -- the heat between me and you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: A lot of people were telling me today -- I was just telling the
artist -- that, boy, you're going to have the artist on for an hour? it's
going to be very hard because he's very hard to talk to. Now you're not hard
to talk to. Where did this reputation begin that you are difficult, do you
think? I imagine you're not hearing it here for the first time.
THE ARTIST: Probably where all reputations begin. I think the media plays a
big part in one's perception of me. Until one actually sits down and talks
to me they can't really know me.
KING: Well, should you have been more public? Should you have done more of
things like this?
THE ARTIST: No, I kind of did what I wanted to do. I wanted my music, as
even now, to speak loudest for me.
KING: But you -- you're not uncomfortable here, are you?
THE ARTIST: No, not at all.
KING: But the reputation is that you would be. How do you fight that other
than by counteracting it?
THE ARTIST: Well, I -- I'm not -- I don't think in terms of fighting. I'm
not -- I don't think that you win anything by fighting. I'm the type of
person that likes to look at things for exactly the way they are. And...
KING: Do you get angry? You're a perfectionist musically, right?
THE ARTIST: Yes.
KING: You must get angry then?
THE ARTIST: I use my anger with humor. I have a way of being very stern, but
I always find the irony in it, and I always make it funny. I make it funny
for myself and the person that I'm...
KING: So the person you're directing it at is not humbled or made to feel
less than a human.
THE ARTIST: Well, no one can make you feel anything. You pretty much are
going to fall in there if you, you know, aren't spiritually based.
KING: How do you handle that aspect of the media which has often given you
trouble, the tabloids?
THE ARTIST: I don't have trouble with anybody.
KING: You don't? Do you read them?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: Do you hear about them?
THE ARTIST: Very seldom.
KING: Do you think any part of a personality's private life is our business?
Do you think your marriage is our business?
THE ARTIST: Well, you know, I'm like this. My music is my music. That's
pretty much what you come to the party for.
KING: Naturally.
THE ARTIST: If I give you something else, that's me giving you something
else. If you seek something else, then there's something inside of you
that's lacking, I would think. So I think that personal actually means
personal.
KING: But do you wonder why the public wants to know? Don't wonder?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: Are you interested in the personal lives of other people?
THE ARTIST: Let's see, Michael Jordan? Let's see, who...
KING: Yes, are you interested in -- Michael Jordan, you're a big fan of
Michael Jordan.
THE ARTIST: Big fan of Michael Jordan.
KING: Are you interested in how his marriage goes?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: No. Interested in how he gets along with his children?
THE ARTIST: No.
KING: You know what...
THE ARTIST: I'm just interested in how he gets along with that rim.
KING: Well said.
We'll be back with more of the artist formerly known as Prince. This is
LARRY KING LIVE.
Ted Turner Monday.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, |
sound quality is roughly equal, no surround capability, lighter weight, leather ear cups that can get warm, but cheaper.
Astro Gaming A50 Shorter wireless range, slightly lower sound quality, top headband hurts, and it costs a lot more.
Turtle Beach i60 Shorter wireless range, lower sound quality, microphone is a joke in comparison, warmer pleather ear pads, and adds Bluetooth functionality.
Corsair Gaming H2100 Terrible wireless range, lots of interference issues, lower sound quality, lighter weight, but ear cups are round and don’t fit well.
SteelSeries H Wireless Slightly lower sound quality, slightly shorter range, but not as comfortable and a lot more expensive.
Skullcandy SLYR Wired not wireless, sound quality is slightly lower, no surround capability, lighter weight, and a lot cheaper.
Logitech G35 Wired not wireless, lower sound quality, warmer pleather ear pads, lighter weight, cheaper, and a shorter compatibility list.
Turtle Beach Ear Force Z300 Much lower sound quality, lighter weight, cheaper, slightly shorter range, microphone is terrible in comparison.
Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR Bluetooth based which causes sound quality issues while microphone is active, unacceptable for gaming headsets.
Creative Sound Blaster Recon 3D Roughly equal on range and sound quality, pleather ear pads that get warm, higher clamping force.
Conclusion
Like always, I prefer to get negatives out of the way first… Okay, I’m done.
Now, the positives, where do I start? Compatibility is amazing, spanning PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and anything with a 3.5mm output. Wireless range is improved over the previous generation, easily matching the best range I’ve seen in a wireless headset, while fixing any interference issues I could test. Sound quality is on par with or slightly exceeds my Sennheiser headset, which is a big deal. Logitech kept long-term comfort in mind for this headset as well, causing no issues for me in ten plus hour sessions. Battery life is improved over the previous generation as well.
The Logitech Gaming Software lets you customize the G933 to such a granular level which is hard to believe at first. For me, the software feels like home. For those who aren’t as familiar, it will soon feel like home being as it is easy to use.
Moving on to the price tag, the G933 comes in at an MSRP of $199.99, which is what you currently find it for at both Amazon and Newegg.
Click the stamp for an explanation of what this means.
-Austin (ATMINSIDE)An APL intelligence report sent to the U.S. government detailing pro-German statements
The American Protective League (1917-1919) was an organization of private citizens that worked with Federal law enforcement agencies during the World War I era to identify suspected German sympathizers and to counteract the activities of radicals, anarchists, anti-war activists, and left-wing labor and political organizations. At its zenith, the APL claimed 250,000 members in 600 cities.
Organizational history [ edit ]
Founding [ edit ]
The APL was formed in 1917 by A. M. Briggs, a wealthy Chicago advertising executive. Believing the United States Department of Justice to be severely understaffed in the field of counterintelligence in the new wartime environment, Briggs proposed to agency officials the establishment of a new volunteer auxiliary, with participants to be neither paid nor to benefit from expense accounts.[1] Briggs was given authority to proceed with his plan by the Department of Justice on March 22, 1917, and the American Protective League (APL) was born.[1]
Although technically a private organization, the APL nevertheless was the beneficiary of semi-official status. The group received the formal approval from Attorney General Thomas Gregory, who authorized the APL to carry on its letterhead the words "Organized with the Approval and Operating under the Direction of the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation."[2]
Under this directive, the APL worked with the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) — precursor to the FBI — which gathered information for U.S. District Attorneys.[3] APL assistance was welcomed by the BOI, which in 1915 had only 219 field agents, without direct statutory authorization to carry weapons or to make general arrests.[3] Thus the author of a letter to the New York Times claimed membership in the APL and described it as "a volunteer unpaid auxiliary of the Department of Justice" in which he and his colleagues "have been acting upon cases assigned by the Department of Justice, Military Intelligence, State Department, Civil Service, Provost Marshal General, etc."[4]
APL members sometimes wore badges suggesting a quasi-official status: "American Protective League –Secret Service." The Attorney General boasted of the manpower they provided: "I have today several hundred thousand private citizens... assisting the heavily overworked Federal authorities in keeping an eye on disloyal individuals and making reports of disloyal utterances."[5]
In a letter to Briggs, the Justice Department told the APL that it was not only "of great importance prior to our entering the war, it became of vastly greater importance after that step had been taken." The government had been receiving complaints of disloyalty and enemy activities, and while the Bureau of Investigation was doing its best to contain the situation, the letter continued, the Protective League served as an auxiliary force to put a stop to corruption within the borders of the United States.[6]
Membership and structure [ edit ]
An American Protective League membership card
At its zenith, the American Protective League claimed 250,000 dues-paying members in 600 cities.[2] It was claimed that 52 million Americans — approximately half of the country's population — lived in communities in which the APL maintained an active presence.[7]
The national headquarters of the APL was established in Washington, D.C., with Briggs installed as the Chairman of the governing National Board of Directors.[7] Charles Daniel Frey, of Chicago, served as the national director of the American Protective League. [8]
In addition to its regular geographically-based network, the APL attempted to organize secret units inside factories producing clothing and war materiel, with a view to identification of those advancing "discouraging disloyalty" or engaging in pro-German activities.[9] Suspects would be reported within the APL organization, which would then make use of its broader network in the community to investigate the activities of these individuals after working hours, if deemed so necessary.[10]
Activities [ edit ]
Teams of APL members conducted numerous raids and surveillance activities aimed at those who failed to register for the draft and at German immigrants who were suspected of sympathies for Germany.[11] APL headquarters and the Justice Department in Washington often lost control over field operations, to the point that U.S. Attorneys and BOI agents, assisted by cadres of volunteers from the APL and other similar patriotic auxiliaries, pursued suspects of disloyalty on their own initiative and in their own manner.[3] APL members "spotted violators of food and gasoline regulations, rounded up draft evaders in New York, disrupted Socialist meetings in Cleveland, broke strikes, [and] threatened union men with immediate induction into the army."[12] In the most extraordinary cooperative action, thousands of APL members joined authorities in New York City for three days of checking registration cards. This resulted in more than 75,000 arrests, though fewer than 400 of those arrested were shown to be guilty of anything more than failing to carry their cards.[13] APL agents, many of them female, worked undercover in factories and attended union meetings in hope of uncovering saboteurs and other enemies of the war effort.[14]
APL members were accused of acting as vigilantes, allegedly violating the civil liberties of American citizens, including so-called "anti-slacker raids" designed to round up men who had not registered for the draft. The APL was also accused of illegally detaining citizens associated with anarchist, labor, and pacifist movements.[15]
An APL report on its actions in the Northwest for five months in 1918 showed that among its 25 activities, its largest effort (some 10% of its activity), was in disrupting the IWW.[2] Some IWW members had been involved in violent labor disputes and bomb plots against U.S. businessmen and government officials. In turn, the IWW alleged that APL members burgled and vandalized IWW offices and harassed IWW members.[citation needed]
Criticism [ edit ]
During World War I, the APL was joined by many similar "secret societies" and groups formed by civilians to fight against foreign infiltration and sabotage. The "Anti Yellow Dog League" was a similar organization composed of school boys over the age of ten, who sought out disloyal persons. Such leagues and societies branched across the nation.[16]
President Woodrow Wilson knew of the APL's activities and had misgivings about their methods. He wrote to Attorney General Gregory expressing his concern: "It would be dangerous to have such an organization operating in the United States, and I wonder if there is any way in which we could stop it?" [17] But he deferred to Gregory's judgment and took no action to curtail the APL.[citation needed]
The APL also worked with the army's Military Intelligence Division (MID), the government's principal investigatory agency in this period.[18] When the relationship between the APL and the MID became public early in 1919, the revelations embarrassed Secretary of War Newton D. Baker. Baker tried to end the War Department's use of volunteer spies.[19]
Disbandment [ edit ]
After the Armistice with Germany ended the war, Attorney General Gregory credited the APL with the defeat of German spies and propaganda. He claimed that his Department still required the APL's services as enemy nations sought to weaken American resolve during the peace negotiations, especially as newly democratic Germany sought kindlier treatment than its predecessor government might have expected.[20]
A. Mitchell Palmer succeeded Gregory as Attorney General on 5 March 1919. Before assuming office, he had opposed the APL activities. One of Palmer's first acts was to release 10,000 aliens of German ancestry who had been taken into government custody during the war. He stopped accepting intelligence gathered by the APL.[21] He also refused to share information in his APL-provided files when Ohio Governor James M. Cox requested it. He called the APL materials "gossip, hearsay information, conclusions, and inferences" and added that "information of this character could not be used without danger of doing serious wrong to individuals who were probably innocent."[22] In March 1919, when some in Congress and the press were urging him to reinstate the Justice Department's wartime relationship with the APL, he told reporters that "its operation in any community constitutes a grave menace."[23]
A few months after the Armistice, the League officially disbanded, even as its members insisted they could serve as they had earlier in wartime against America's post-war enemies, "these bomb fiends, Bolsheviki, IWW's and other fiends."[24] The publication of the organization's story as The Web: A Revelation of Patriotism was an attempt to revive its fortunes as well. That volume by Emerson Hough, an author of Western novels, called for a program of "selective immigration, deportation of un-Americans, and denaturalization of 'disloyal' citizens and anarchists." It said: "We must purify the source of America's population and keep it pure."[25] On June 3, 1919, the Washington Post called for the revival of the APL to fight anarchists.[26]
The APL survived as a series of local organizations under other names, such as the Patriotic American League (Chicago) and the Loyalty League (Cleveland).[27] New Jersey members served as investigators for New York's Lusk Committee investigation of radicals and political dissenters.[28] APL members continued to provide information and manpower to the Department of Justice, notably during the Palmer raids of January 1920. In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan recruited members from the Southern branches of the APL.[29] For years following the war, J. Edgar Hoover's General Intelligence Unit in the Justice Department drew on the APL for information about radicals.[30]
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Mark Guardado - Hells Angels Leader Shot Dead
, the president of Hells Angels of San Francisco, was shot and killed outside a bar Tuesday night after a brawl.
Mark "Papa" Guardado, 45, was found with gunshot wounds around 10:30p.m. about a mile from the group's clubhouse. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital where he died a short time later.
According to witnesses Guardado and the gunman struggled before the shooting and the suspect fled on a motorcycle.
The murder is under investigation and suspicion has already been cast on rival motorcycle club, the Mongols, who have long feuded with Hells Angels.
At the street corner where Guardado was shot, a makeshift memorial written in large, black letters reads, "RIP Papa Frisco."
"His friends loved him," Guardado’s lawyer, Patrick Ciocca, told the Chronicle. "He really was an all-around good guy. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who are going to miss him dearly."
The San Francisco chapter is one of the oldest Hells Angels branches in the country.It’s time to cut the millennials some slack.
It’s supposed to be terrible news that more people in their 20s and 30s are living at home with their parents. Pew Research, for instance, just reported that a record 57 million Americans — about 18% of the population — live in multigenerational households. The main reason for that is a sharp increase in the number of 25-to-34-year-olds crowding into the family abode with their parents and grandparents.
This “boomerang generation,” needless to say, is the target of much scorn over its slow start in life and its apparent aversion to independence. They’re also causing considerable anxiety among homebuilders, automakers, appliance manufacturers and many other companies that rely on a steady flow of U.S. consumers spending every last dollar on things prior generations considered indispensable.
Yet we should reexamine our assumptions about millennials, generally considered to be Americans born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s. We’re programmed to consider robust consumer spending the ultimate indicator of a healthy economy. If spending is down, something must be wrong. So alerts are going off as millennials bank what money they can instead of spending it on rent, cars and the endless filler items that tend to devour your paycheck when you live on your own.
Foolish? That’s actually shrewd. Good financial advisors urge people to save as much of their income as they can, so they can invest it, apply it toward a nest egg and set something aside for a rainy day. Yet Americans in general are terrible at this. The overall savings rate is a paltry 5% or so. That’s considered high, since it dropped near zero as recently as 2005. One reason so many Americans got swamped during the recent recession is they thought home equity and stock-market holdings were the same as savings, only to learn those “savings” can plummet in value.
Millennials obviously have reason to be frugal. The unemployment rate is highest among the youngest, while it’s far below average for people over 35. Older workers have been holding onto jobs longer and retiring later, slowing the rate of turnover throughout the labor force and leaving fewer openings for younger workers. Meanwhile, the total amount of student loan debt has skyrocketed during the past decade and now tops $1.1 trillion. Many recent college grads can’t find jobs that pay enough to cover rent and student loan payments both.
Living at home obviously allows young, struggling workers to pay off bills, get out of debt and make a meaningful contribution to the economy, at some point. So what if it lowers the household formation rate? So what if Ford (F) and GM (GM) don’t hit their sales targets for hipstermobiles? So what if Home Depot (HD) and Lowe’s (L) end up with excess inventory of light fixtures and vanities? Instead of griping, maybe all the companies desperate to crack open millennial wallets should feel reassured that the future spenders of America are doing something to right their finances.
There are other signs the millennials aren’t as bumbling as popular opinion suggests. Although data clearly show a spike in the percentage of young adults living with their parents, the Census Bureau surveys from which those numbers come count students living on college campuses as “living at home,” as the Atlantic recently pointed out. The latest Pew report excluded such students from its count of multigenerational homes, but most media reports about the boomerang generation lump the two groups together without pointing that out. That exaggerates the portion of millennials who ought to be self-supporting but aren’t.
There’s also some recent data suggesting millennials are starting to move out in larger numbers. Jed Kolko, chief economist at the real estate website Trulia, told Yahoo Finance recently that Trulia’s data shows a 0.9% increase in the percentage of 18-to-34-year-olds who bought a home in 2013. He’s more worried about a falling homeownership rate among strapped middle-aged consumers than among the young.
Living standards during the past decade or so have fallen more than at any time since the 1930s, which means the millennialls face challenges their parents and grandparents didn’t. It’s not reasonable to expect them to hit life’s big milestones at the same pace as their parents. They’ll move out eventually, and when they do, they'll have something to show for the extra time they spent at home.
Rick Newman’s latest book is Rebounders: How Winners Pivot From Setback To Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.The filmmakers behind the 1986 B-movie "Troll" say they used the name Harry Potter long before J.K. Rowling did. Jenna Susko reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 2015. (Published Thursday, July 30, 2015)
With millions of people in the entertainment industry, there are always going to be people who have similar ideas, but at what point does it become theft?
The NBC4 I-Team has learned some of Hollywood's most prominent entertainment attorneys claim stories are stolen by Hollywood all the time -- cheating writers out of the money and fame they deserve.
Troll director John Buechler, producer Peter Davy and their attorney Tom Girardi believe their 1986 film shares many similarities with Warner Bros. "Harry Potter" series.
Photo credit: NBC4
For years, similarities in scripts have led to accusations, lawsuits and in some cases six-figure settlements.
The filmmakers behind the 1986 B-movie "Troll" say they used the name Harry Potter long before J.K. Rowling did.
"I was 'Harry Potter Jr.,'" said Noah Hathaway, who starred in the film as a young hero who saves his family from an evil troll.
The makers of "Troll" claim there are many similarities between their film and the Harry Potter franchise, including the boy hero dressed in a plaid shirt, as seen in screen shots from "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Troll."
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures and Troll The Movie LLC
Hathaway is best known for his role as Atreyu in "The Neverending Story," but he claims he still has fans ask him about being the "original" Harry Potter.
The filmmakers behind "Troll" claim the name isn't the only similarity their film shares with the success of the Harry Potter film franchise distributed by Warner Bros. They argue both stories have witches, wizards and magic, a young hero named Harry Potter dressed in a plaid shirt, an old woman who gives Harry advice and an evil villain who hides his essence in someone close to Harry.
Entertainment attorney Tom Girardi is now representing the filmmakers, who plan to release a new film titled "Troll: The Rise of Harry Potter Jr." in 2017.
Writer-director John Buechler’s script for Troll mentions the name "Harry Potter Jr." several times.
Photo credit: NBC4
"This is our stuff," he said. "We did that in the late 80s."
Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling disagree.
"The claim is ridiculous," a spokesperson for both parties told NBC4.
J.K. Rowling’s first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," was first published in 1997. Warner Bros. bought the film rights in 1999.
Photo credit: NBC4
So why now, after seven J.K. Rowling books, eight blockbuster films, a theme park in Orlando and another soon to be built at Universal Studios Hollywood? Filmmakers John Buechler and Peter Davy want to go on the record with their plans, having now signed Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Arquette to star in the animated remake.
"(It) could be confusing to some people who are big fans of Harry Potter," entertainment investigative reporter Jenna Susko said.
"We wanted to make sure that we weren't going to be accused of plagiarism," Davy said.
Harry Potter isn't the first Hollywood blockbuster to be hit with accusations of stolen ideas.
It has happened to films like "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," "Avatar" and most recently "Raging Bull."
Some studios suggest it happens more often with the big moneymakers, because writers may be looking for a piece of the box office success, but Hollywood also has a documented history of using other people's ideas.
In 1990 a judge determined Paramount's Coming to America was "based upon" another writer's story. Paramount settled the case.
And in 1991, a judge determined the comedy "Look Who's Talking" had "substantial similarity" to another writer's script. That case settled as well.
The latest high-profile case is FOX's TV comedy "New Girl," which two women claim shares many similarities with a script they wrote in 2006, including a young woman who moves into a three-man bachelor pad after a breakup with a guy named Spencer.
They're now suing for copyright infringement.
Entertainment attorney Neville Johnson takes on cases of stolen ideas in Hollywood.
"It happens all the time with regularity," he said. "The reason you don't hear about it is because of the politics involved."
Some prominent entertainment attorneys claim scripts for television shows and movies are frequently stolen in Hollywood.
Photo credit: NBC4
Johnson argues Hollywood knows it can pay off some writers to agree to confidentiality agreements. That's why he says the most blatant examples of idea or script theft never make headlines.
But some writers refuse to settle, like the two women who say New Girl stole their script. In court records, they claim FOX offered them "$10,000 to settle" the case.
"Great ideas are hard to come by and are few and far between," Johnson said. "This is the stock and trade of what Hollywood is all about -- is a good idea."
Buechler, who created the name Harry Potter Jr. for his 1986 film, said family matters prevented him from suing when J.K Rowling's book series came out.
The Harry Potter logo is now trademarked by Warner Bros., which issued a statement in response to the "Troll" filmmakers' claims.
"We will vigorously defend our intellectual property rights and challenge any unlawful attempt to capitalize on the extraordinary success of the Harry Potter franchise, as we told the filmmakers years ago."
But the makers of Troll said that won't prevent them from remaking their film.
"Even if someone who took it for a while makes it more valuable, that doesn't take anything away from the fact that this is ours," he said. "We have the right to make our stuff over and over and over again."
While the Harry Potter logo is trademarked by Warner Bros., the name itself cannot be trademarked.
When asked whether the makers of "Troll" plan to sue Warner Bros. for infringement, they told NBC4 they just want to be able to make their new film.
To protect a script or screenplay, writers can apply to the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington DC. The Writers Guild of America also offers services to register scripts and intellectual property to help protect writers and their work - even for writers who are not members of the WGA.“The potential is that women will stop taking it, and whether or not you can pay for it, that doesn’t mean that you’ll stop having sex,” said Katie Ryan, a senior at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, who said that the monthly cost of her Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, a popular birth control pill, recently jumped to nearly $50 from $12.
Ms. Ryan, 22, said she had considered switching to another contraceptive to save money, but was unsure which one to pick. She has ended up paying the higher price, but said she was concerned about her budget.
“I do less because of this — less shopping, less going out to eat,” said Ms. Ryan, who has helped organize efforts to educate others on campus about the price jump. “For students, this is very, very expensive.”
Not everyone is troubled by the price increases. Some people said they wondered why college students, many of whom manage to afford daily doses of coffee from Starbucks and downloads from iTunes, should have been given such discounted birth control to begin with, and why drug companies should be granted such a captive audience of students. Others said low-priced, easy-to-attain contraception might encourage a false sense of security about sex.
“From our perspective, this does bring to light a public health concern, but for a different reason,” said Kimberly Martinez, the executive director of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, which advocates abstinence from sex until marriage. “These young women are relying on this contraception to protect them. But contraception isn’t 100 percent — for pregnancy or for disease.”
The price change came as part of the tangled method by which drug manufacturers pay rebates to states for prescription drugs covered by Medicaid, the federal drug program for low-income people. Those rebates are set by calculations that take into account the lowest prices paid for certain drugs. Since 1990, the steeply discounted contraception given to university health centers and low-income clinics was considered exempt from those calculations.
The arrangement helped those who could least afford the contraceptives to receive them, but was also seen as potentially beneficial to drug companies, which might not make money on the college clinic sales but were able to market their products to young women who might grow accustomed to one brand over another.
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More recently though, legislators, worried about abuse in the rebate calculations, set strict limits about which facilities would be exempt. Student health centers, among others, were left out — an unintended oversight, some lawmakers now say.
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The new rules, part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, came into effect at the start of this year, prompting pharmaceutical manufacturers to tell college clinics that they could no longer afford the huge discounts. Knowing that the change was coming, many health clinics stocked up on the discounted prescriptions and were able to offer cheaper contraception for months, into the summer and even the fall.
Then prices began skyrocketing.
“What happened here is what happened everywhere: The price went up,” said Jeanne Galatzer-Levy of the University of Illinois at Chicago. “We are a state institution, so we’re not in a position to do something different.”
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At the University of Montana, the price of a NuvaRing, another birth control method, rose to $36 from $18, said Allyson Hagen, the state director of Naral Pro-Choice America. “This is a state school where people are on Pell grants and don’t have huge amounts of spending money,” Ms. Hagen said. “For them this is like a choice — groceries or birth control.”
Some types of prescription birth control have generic alternatives, which can be significantly less expensive than their counterparts. But even some generics are not as inexpensive as the discounted contraceptives had been at student health centers, experts said. And other types of contraceptives have no generic option.
In a 2006 study, 39 percent of undergraduate women said they relied on oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, said Mary Hoban of the American College Health Association. But no one can be sure how many of the more than three million women on college campuses nationwide who are estimated to use such contraceptives have been affected by the price increases.
College health centers have handled the circumstances in a variety of ways. Some colleges, too, say they were mainly unaffected by the change because students were covered by their parents’ insurance plans or their own insurance policies.
In Washington, lawmakers have introduced a proposal that would reverse the price increase, allowing an exemption so that drug companies would once again not be required to include sharply discounted contraception for university clinics in their Medicaid rebate calculations.
“This is such a mainstream issue,” said Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “This is clearly an issue with wide bipartisan support.”
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Still, there were signs that some lawmakers might not want to be seen as supporting the provision, leading to the possibility that it would be attached to some other legislation sometime before year’s end.
Representative Joseph Crowley, a Democrat from New York who introduced a bill on the matter, said the change would require no taxpayers’ money to subsidize contraception. The drug manufacturers would pay for any discounts, but would not be required to pay larger Medicaid rebates because of those discounts.
“We’re not promoting promiscuity, but we’re also cognizant that people live,” said Mr. Crowley, who is among the lawmakers who say the change that took discounts away from university clinics was inadvertent. “We’re talking about adults, responsible adults who want to do the responsible thing.”
In Boston, Nikki Bruce, a senior at Tufts, said the price of her NuvaRing, once an $8-a-month investment at the campus health clinic, had soared to more than $50. Ms. Bruce said she investigated and found that her health insurance policy would require a co-payment of $45 for the product.
Ms. Bruce, who is also a member of a Tufts student group, Vox, that advocates for reproductive rights, said she thought about switching to another method of birth control, something less expensive. She talked to her mother, she said. In the end though, she worried that her body might have a difficult time adjusting to new hormones.
A search led her to a nearby Planned Parenthood Clinic — off campus — where she said she now buys her NuvaRing for $27.AS HILLARY CLINTON questions rival Bernie Sanders over the depth of his financial reform ideas this week, a group of former government officials — once tasked with regulating Wall Street and now working in the financial industry or as Wall Street lobbyists — are participating in a fundraiser for her in the nation’s capital.
The invitation for the April 6 fundraiser, obtained by Sunlight Foundation’s Political Party Time, describes a “conversation” with the Clinton campaign’s chief financial officer, Gary Gensler, and Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Carl Levin, D-Mich.
The host: Julie Chon, a former Senate Banking Committee staffer who today is a managing director at the New York hedge fund Perry Capital.
Finance chair Gensler is a former Goldman Sachs staffer who later joined the Obama administration as a financial regulator.
Several members of the organizing committee are now either advocating for corporate clients or advising them how to best work with and around the regulations they once enforced.
One member of the committee is Raj Date. Date was the deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, tasked with reining in Wall Street abuses. In January 2013, he left the bureau and by April started a new lending firm, Fenway Summer. He then became an adviser to Promontory Financial Group, which pitches Date as advising its “clients on complying with consumer protection regulation and managing complex risks.”
Another member of the organizing committee is Bob Heckart. Heckart is a former Senate staffer who, according to his bio, worked on the “implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act and the Volker Rule, tax reform legislation, abuse of corporate tax loopholes, securities markets regulation, and other financial policy issues” for Sen. Levin. Prior to that, he was senior adviser for economic and financial policy for then-Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and served as “her liaison with Wall Street.” Today, he is a senior counsel at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, the same major Wall Street law firm he worked for before getting hired by Gillibrand. His practice focuses on hedge funds, capital markets, credit, and real estate.
Tyler Gellasch, another organizer of the fundraiser, also worked for Levin. His biography describes him as having been “intimately involved in drafting several high-profile pieces of legislation, including the Volcker Rule provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, the crowdfunding provisions of the JOBS Act, and the securities law provisions of the STOCK Act.” Gellasch today works for the Healthy Markets Association, a group that advocates for its members, which include various financial firms.
Organizer Dan M. Berkovitz was the general counsel of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2009 to 2013. Today, he is a partner at WilmerHale LLP, which says his “clients, both domestic and international, include entities in ongoing U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) investigations, multi-national swap dealers, managed funds, a major U.S. manufacturer, and industry trade and advocacy associations.”
Organizer Shawn Maher worked for the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee during the height of the financial crisis years, between 2007 and 2009. Since 2011, he has been a lobbyist for both RBC Capital Markets and the Royal Bank of Canada.
Related:Baba Ramdev had announced his plans to come up with his own noodles after Maggi was banned earlier this year for containing excessive lead.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Thursday launched his own brand of noodles - "made from atta, don't forget," he said - even as the leader in the segment, Nestle India, is hoping to return to the Indian markets by the end of the year.
Ramdev launched his brand of noodles, simply called Atta Noodles and made by his company, Patanjali, at an event in Uttar Pradesh's Haridwar city. He even served the people present at the event the "swadeshi" (indigenous) noodles made from his company.
ALSO READ: Ramdev to power DRDO market supplements, food products
Ramdev had announced his plans to come up with his own noodles after Maggi was banned earlier this year for containing excessive lead. The Bombay High Court recently lifted that ban and ordered for fresh tests, partially clearing the way for the return of the iconic noodles into the Indian market.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the industry watchdog, had said in its ban-order of June 5 that tests conducted on a batch of Maggi were found to contain more-than-permissible levels of lead and high quantities of mono-sodium glutamate (MSG).
ALSO READ: Yoga guru Ramdev defends Putrajeevak Beej medicine
"My noodles will not have any maida and they will provide a healthy alternative to Maggi for children," Ramdev had said. He had also announced his plans to launch a health drink, Powervita, for children, which will compete with established brands like Complan, Horlicks and Bournvita.
"I want the Indians to embrace swadeshi products and reject the poisionous products made by these foreign companies," he reportedly said at the launch.WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans continue to believe their local schools are performing well, but that the nation's schools are performing poorly. More than three-quarters of public school parents (77%) give their child's school an "A" or "B," while 18% of all Americans grade the nation's public schools that well.
Each year, Gallup and Phi Delta Kappa, a professional association for educators, ask parents of school-aged children who attend public schools to grade the quality of their own child's school. They also ask a broader sample of Americans to grade their local public schools more generally, as well as the nation's public schools. U.S. parents give the highest grades to their own child's school, while Americans rate their local schools better than they rate public schools in the nation as a whole. With parents again this year giving their own child's school high marks and Americans again giving the nation's public schools low marks, a large gap continues to exist between parents' perceptions of local schools and public perceptions of the national public education system.
Grading Our Children's Schools
One-third of this year's survey respondents identified themselves as parents of school-aged children who attend public schools. These parents were asked a series of questions about the quality of their oldest child's education. Providing encouraging news for public schools, more than three-quarters of parents (77%) give their own child's school an "A" or a "B," up from 71% in 1985.
Grading Local Schools
Among all respondents, regardless of whether they are parents of a school-aged child who attends a public school, most consider schools in their local communities to be average or above, with 33% giving a grade of C, 38% a B, and 11% an A. Taking both "A" and "B" grades into consideration, this view of local schools has improved a little over the decades, with a dip in 1980 and a high point in 2010.
Grading the Public Education System
Americans have graded America's public education system a C or below for the 25 years PDK/Gallup has been asking about it. Furthermore, Gallup trends show Americans' views of public education souring since 1985. Twenty-five years ago, 58% of respondents gave public education a grade of C or lower, compared with 79% now.
Improving America's Schools
There is room for improvement in all schools, and additional questions in the PDK/Gallup poll provide insight into how to make this happen. First, Americans generally believe that the quality of educational outcomes relates to the amount of money devoted to public education. Sixty-seven percent of respondents say the amount of money spent on a public school student's education |
% of transportation load as flexible.
LOADMATCH assumes all residential, commercial-industrial, and transportation energy would come from electricity. Between 50% and 95% of cooling and 85% to 95% of heating would be met with thermal energy storage (TES), including underground TES (UTES). Non-flexible loads would be met with hydrogen.
“The 2050 delivered social (business plus health and climate) cost of all WWS including grid integration (electricity and heat generation, long-distance transmission, storage, and H2) to power all energy sectors was approximately $0.1137/kWh,” according to the paper. It ranged from $0.085/kWh to $0.154/kWh in 2013 dollars.
The price is higher than future conventional electricity cost of $0.106/kWh because it integrates transportation, heating/cooling, and industrial energy costs. Eliminating those sectors results in “a rough WWS electric system cost of approximately $0.106/kWh.
More importantly for the paper’s authors, it avoids the $0.170/kWh in the price of electricity attributable to the 2050 health and climate cost. “Whereas the 2050 business costs of WWS and conventional electricity are similar, the social (overall) cost of WWS is 40% that of conventional electricity.”
Jacobson and his co-authors envision a world where renewables and thermal storage combine to provide all of the nation's electricity. From the Jacobson paper
The Clack critique
“As an aspirational goal, it is good to push for higher penetrations of renewables,” Clack told Utility Dive. He and his paper's 21 contributing scientists intended only to “correct the science” and avoid a “backlash” from a public led to believe the energy transition would be “easy and cheap,” Clack said.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and others agree “a diverse portfolio of clean energy technologies makes a transition to a low-carbon-emission energy system both more feasible and less costly,” Clack's paper, “Evaluation of a proposal for reliable low-cost grid power with 100% wind, water, and solar,” argues.
According to that paper, the Jacobson report “used invalid modeling tools, contained modeling errors, and made implausible and inadequately supported assumptions.”
Significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) could be achieved with WWS, supporting technologies, and an optimally configured national high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system. And reliability is theoretically achievable.
But “achieving an 80% reduction in GHGs from the electricity sector at reasonable costs is extremely challenging,” the Clack critique asserts. Decarbonizing “the last 20%” and the rest of the economy will be “even more challenging” and limiting the technologies to WWS makes it even more difficult.
The Jacobson paper’s narrow generation options rely on “currently uncosted innovations” and it assumes “multiweek energy storage systems” that are not proven scalable “at a capacity twice that of the entire United States’ generating and storage capacity today.”
The Clack paper then details “modeling errors,” “implausible assumptions,” “insufficient power system modeling,” and “inadequate scrutiny of input climate model.”
“The paper became something of scientific gospel for policymakers and advocates,” Clack said. “We are correcting the science.”
Among the points most in need of correction is what the critique identifies as a severe overestimate of hydropower potential. It assumes a combined 2050 installed generation and pumped storage capacity could produce 1,300 GWs of power.
“Either the installed capacity must be higher or there’s an error in the modeling,” Clack said. “That’s the biggest mistake, but there are quite a few more.”
The Jacobson researchers promise the WWS mix, with storage and DR, will provide reliability “but they don’t actually model the grid in any way,” Clack said. They also assume a national HVDC transmission system, “but we found, in other work, that it is the hardest part of getting to high renewables penetrations and makes or breaks using renewables reliably.”
Clack also questions Jacobson’s assumptions about TES and UTES for heating and cooling. Even more significantly, “it boggles the mind how hydrogen will power the whole aviation and other heavy-duty transportation sectors,” he said. “That will be very expensive but it’s not costed at all in their model.”
In the Jacobson paper, all transportation, including aviation, and shipping, and all heating and cooling, depend on “two technologies that really don’t exist today at scale but will have to be at a scale in 33 years,” Clack said. “I don’t think we can do it without damaging the economy.”
The critique calls the Jacobson paper “a poorly executed exploration of an interesting hypothesis” because it is “unreliable” on the cost, technical reliability, and feasibility of the energy transition it describes.
But, Clack stressed, he supports thinking about high renewables penetrations. “If you told me we will have 80% renewables in 20 years, I could die a happy man.”
The Jacobson response
Jacobson’s line by line refutation of the critique argued the hydropower value is based on the LOADMATCH assumption that new turbines in existing reservoirs would increase the hydropower discharge rate.
The simulations show grid stability can be maintained “without increasing the hydropower discharge rate at all or with a hydropower discharge rate down to 700 GW (rather than 1300 GW),” Jacobson added.
The estimates of the cost of additional HVDC transmission in his paper are “as detailed as most other estimates but uncertain,” Jacobson argued. “We account for the uncertainty by presenting high and low results.”
The Clack critique “fails to demonstrate any important errors in our economic analysis” or show that “our estimates of the T&D system cost are significantly low,” he added.
UTES is not unproven, and in fact is “a form of district heating” used worldwide, Jacobson argued. With 60% of Denmark’s heat now coming from district heating, “the implication that this can’t be done on a large scale is false.” And it will sharply reduce the cost of heating because it is “1/300th that of battery storage and 1/30th that of water and ice storage per kWh stored.”
Finally, the scale-up of hydrogen in his model is significantly less than the scale-up of transmission proposed in a paper co-authored by Clack, Jacobson argued. It is also less than the nuclear or coal-carbon capture scale-up in other papers cited in the Clack critique, he added.
The cost assumptions for the hydrogen scale-up “are aggressive but reasonable,” according to Jacobson. The proposal is to convert short-haul aircraft by 2035 and long-haul aircraft by 2040. Because a four-passenger short-haul hydrogen fuel cell aircraft with a 1500 km range is already in service, the timeline for the scale-up “seems attainable.”
The critique of his scale up of hydrogen production in comparison to current U.S. demand for electricity is “irrelevant,” Jacobson added. “We propose to electrify all energy sectors and electricity is currently only 20% of all energy.”
Room for a new view
The advances that will allow a 100% renewables penetration are “difficult, if not impossible, to completely foresee today,” Moss said. A key strategy, now emerging in Europe and states where penetrations are growing fast, is cross-sectoral (a.k.a. intersectoral) coupling.
Janice Lin, the California Energy Storage Association Executive Director, agreed. “Limited supply diversity in Europe, and especially in Germany, has led to thinking about intersectoral coupling and about a much bigger energy circle.”
The idea has surprising applications. “Think about avoided costs,” Lin said. “If a consumer charges an electric vehicle instead of filling it at the gasoline pump, that is consuming more electricity but what costs is it avoiding in oil and GHGs? Shouldn’t the avoided costs framework be expanded to include those?”
In “Sector Coupling in a Simplified, Highly Renewable European Energy System,” University of Frankfurt researchers detailed the concept.
Coupling the electricity sector to heating and mobility enables wider decarbonization and adds power system flexibility. “Electric vehicles can change their charging pattern to benefit the system,” they argue. “Heat is much easier and cheaper to store than electricity, even over long times.”
The vision is to electrify all road and rail transport across 30 European countries. Because of the higher efficiency of electric motors, this would make final energy consumption 3.5 times lower, the researchers calculate.
All space and water heating “can be met by resistive heaters, gas boilers, and heat pumps,” they add. That would take advantage of the TES in “cheap hot water tanks.”
The researchers modeled scenarios with and without transmission connecting the countries. They found “optimal inter-connecting transmission” reduced system cost by 33%.
Overall, they concluded, the cost of a high renewables penetration system can be kept from rising if consumers invest in EVs and system planners “allow lots of onshore wind, international grid expansion, and sector-coupling flexibility.”
“Flexible sector coupling using grid-friendly EVs and long-term TES,” they add, “can reduce costs by 30%.”The iPad port of FTL: Faster Than Light and the game's free expansion, FTL: Advanced Edition, will both be available April 3, developer Subset Games announced today.
Subset originally announced plans for the Advanced Edition and the iPad version last November. FTL was originally released on Linux, Mac and Windows in September 2012.
The Advanced Edition will be released as a free update to the existing game for everybody who already owns it or ever will own it, regardless of platform or the online store where it was purchased. The expansion introduces new systems and subsystems such as Clone Bay, Hacking and Mind Control; a tougher difficulty level, Hard Mode; and other changes like minor visual improvements.
FTL on iPad will run on iPad 2 and newer, and will cost $9.99 — the same as the PC version. The port includes the Advanced Edition content and features no in-app purchases.
"We are proud to say that the iPad version is a true equivalent to the PC in the experience it provides, which is why we are price matching to the PC version," reads a blog post from Subset.
For more on FTL, which was one of Polygon's top 10 games of 2012, check out our full review of the original game as well as a play-through of the Advanced Edition from the 2014 Game Developers Conference below.Deputy energy minister said a credit line worth five billion dollars has been allocated to Iran by Russians.
Iran’s Deputy Energy Minister Rahim Meidani touched upon details of cooperation between Iran and Russia over discovery of deep water resources in Iran saying “following the signing of a relevant agreement between the two countries, the Russian credit line has been opened recently.”
“A portion of the credit line, which has also been approved by the Iranian Parliament, will be used to launch discovery activities in deep waters of Iran with the participation of Russian companies.”
The official further noted that the discovery project is expected to be worth 250 million dollars asserting “studies have been launched to spot new resources in deep regions of Iran while geophysical studies will be done after identifying the country’s water potentials through surface geological mapping.”
Meidani underlined that the entire process for characterization studies and deep-water exploration is being carried out by local experts stressing “cooperation between Iran and Russia in the field of water exploration reservoirs returns is limited to geophysical activities.”
Deputy energy minister underscored that geophysical studies and drilling of wells in water exploration blocks will be performed with the 250-million-dollar credit line and participation of Russian companies; “studies need to be done with great caution and care since drilling of exploration wells in deep areas required a great amount of money on a yearly basis.”
“Given the Russian’s have provided the Iranian government with the $5-billion credit line, government will be in charge of repaying the resources,” he continued.Feds come down hard on PG&E for San Bruno blast Safety board: Company to blame for inferno that devastated neighborhood
Washington -- (Published Aug. 31, 2011)
Federal investigators pinned blame Tuesday squarely on Pacific Gas and Electric Co. for the natural gas pipeline blast in San Bruno, condemning shoddy company safety practices for the devastation of a neighborhood and the deaths of eight people.
The National Transportation Safety Board, wrapping up a nearly yearlong investigation, also said federal and state pipeline regulatory efforts need to be overhauled to prevent another city from suffering such a disaster.
A seam weld in the pipeline segment that ruptured Sept. 9 in San Bruno was so obviously deficient that it would not have passed even a cursory visual inspection when a PG&E crew installed it in 1956, investigators with the safety board said. The weld flaw, and PG&E's failure over more than 50 years to conduct an inspection that would have detected it, made the line's rupture inevitable, they said.
"It was not a question of if this pipeline would burst," safety board Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said at a hearing at which the agency presented its findings. "It was a question of when."
PG&E compounded the danger through "poor record keeping, inadequate inspection programs and an integrity management program without integrity," Hersman said before the five-member safety board voted unanimously to blame the explosion on the company.
PG&E's final mistakes happened the day of the blast, the safety board said, as a botched repair job set the disaster in motion and control-room operators failed to recognize what had happened for several precious minutes as the San Bruno neighborhood burned.
Homeowners paid the price for PG&E's longtime resistance to installing automatic pipeline shutoff valves, as it took the company more than 90 minutes to close manual valves and cut the flow of gas to the inferno. When the flames finally were extinguished, 38 homes were destroyed and 70 were damaged.
Lax regulation
It wasn't just what Hersman called PG&E's "litany of failures" that came in for criticism. The board chairwoman said the company had "exploited weaknesses in a lax system of oversight, and regulatory agencies that placed a blind trust in operators to the detriment of public safety."
Many of the 29 recommendations that the safety board approved Tuesday were aimed at turning the San Bruno explosion into a wake-up call both for government and for the pipeline industry nationwide.
The board called for federal regulators to repeal "grandfather" regulations that allowed pipelines installed before 1970, including the one in San Bruno, not to be tested using high-pressure water, a method that is effective at finding defective welds.
The safety board also pushed for requirements that PG&E and other utilities install automatic shutoff valves in pipelines in populated areas.
In a proposal that hints at the monumental task ahead, the safety board asked that gas transmission pipelines around the country be reconfigured to allow for testing for defects with in-line tools known as smart pigs. Currently, more than half of the nation's gas transmission lines cannot accommodate such tools because they are filled with narrow turns and bends.
'Too late' for city
San Bruno sent a delegation of leaders to the hearing, and Mayor Jim Ruane said he was satisfied with the federal findings that PG&E was solely to blame.
"It's too late for our city, but it's not too late for other communities," Ruane said.
As for the city regaining confidence in PG&E, he said, "They have a long way to go."
Bill Magoolaghan, who is living with his wife and four young children in a Belmont rental while they rebuild their burned-out home in San Bruno, watched the hearing on the Internet. He welcomed the safety board's conclusions, but remained uneasy about the future.
"Now what?" he asked. "Recommendations and suggestions don't cut it. I need something much more firm. I need requirements. I need legislation. I need the safety board to tell the California Public Utilities Commission to fine PG&E an ungodly amount of money. It should be a staggering, record fine that PG&E will take seriously."
PG&E issued a statement after the hearing that said, "We fully embrace the recommendations of the NTSB and will fully incorporate them into our plans. Although we have much to learn and do, we have already taken many immediate and long-term steps to promote safety."
State promises changes
California Public Utilities Commission Executive Director Paul Clanon said he, too, welcomes the recommendations, including a call for a federal audit of his agency's effectiveness as well as a state audit of PG&E's safety program.
He said his agency had ordered utilities to "test or replace all grandfathered pipes" and is looking at "plans that include valve automation and retrofitting pipelines to accommodate in-line inspection tools."
Hersman traced the Sept. 9 disaster to PG&E's installation of a "woefully inadequate pipe," whose source remains unknown. At the rupture site at Earl Avenue and Glenview Drive, which sits at the low point of a canyon, PG&E cobbled together six short pieces known as pups, allowing the line to negotiate the curve of the canyon.
Hersman and safety board investigators said five of the pipe pieces did not meet PG&E or industry standards in place at the time. The one that failed had been welded along its longitudinal seam from the outside, but not the inside, leaving it prone to a break. The board concluded that it was not a factory-manufactured piece of pipe, rejecting PG&E's claim that a defunct steel company had made it.
The safety board said the weak pups would not have withstood specialized testing, such as the use of high-pressure water, for defective longitudinal seam welds. But PG&E never did such tests on the line and checked the pipe only for corrosion. Company records erroneously indicated that the line was seamless and thus had no seam welds.
"That pipe should not have been installed," said Donald Kramer, a metallurgical expert for the safety board who found the pipe to be riddled with substandard welds. "It's not supposed to be there."
Another investigator, Robert Hall, criticized PG&E's pipeline safety program for its approach to potential risks. He said the company had put too much emphasis on spotting problems caused by ground movement and third parties like construction crews, and too little emphasis on detecting design flaws.
Poor reactions
The federal safety board said PG&E had missed two earlier opportunities to fix problems in its gas operation - a 2008 explosion of a distribution line in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova, in which a leak in a substandard pipe caused a blast that killed a homeowner, and a 1981 incident in San Francisco's Financial District in which the utility took nine hours to shut off gas from a pipe that exploded.
The problem in San Francisco was with manual shutoff valves, one of which had been paved over, investigators found. Despite being warned, PG&E resisted adding automatic valves, a stance it didn't change until after the San Bruno disaster.
The immediate cause of the San Bruno explosion was PG&E's loss of control of the gas pressure on the pipeline late the afternoon of Sept. 9, due to problems with the power supply during a repair job at the pipeline's southern terminus in Milpitas.
The federal probe found that the power problems resulted in erroneous indications of low pressure being sent to pipeline valves, causing those valves to swing wide open and pressure on the line to surge. The crew doing the repair job had no contingency plan to deal with the problem, investigators said.
PG&E's lack of an emergency plan, muddled communications and the absence of automatic shutoff valves resulted in the company taking 95 minutes to halt the flow of gas, the safety board said.
"We believe they had information within 10 minutes to know they had a line break," investigator Robert Trainor said of PG&E's pipeline operators. "That should have prompted an urgent response, but it did not."
While saying they could not identify exactly what caused earlier cracks on the defective seam weld, federal investigators said previous stresses to the line included pressure spikes that PG&E ordered in 2003 and 2008.
Hall, the safety board investigator, said after the hearing that investigators can't be certain about what role pressure spikes played because PG&E records are incomplete.
"We only had pressure records over the last 10 years," Hall said. "There's 40 years of history where we don't have a record on how it operated."
The safety board ruled out the possibility that a sewer line replacement project that San Bruno commissioned in 2008 had stressed the line and contributed to the accident. A blue-ribbon panel commissioned by the California Public Utilities Commission had said the sewer project was a likely contributing factor, as did a pipeline industry group.
Jaxon Van Derbeken reported from Washington and Demian Bulwa from San Francisco.THIS morning in a New York City courtroom Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, former al-Qaeda spokesperson and Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, was found guilty of three counts: conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and providing support to terrorists. The jury returned its unanimous verdict fairly quickly, on the morning of the second day of deliberation. Mr Abu Ghaith was the most prominent member of al-Qaeda to be tried in a civilian court.
The conspiracy charges were confusing. Technically, under the law’s broad scope, Mr Abu Ghaith could be held responsible for terrorist acts that occurred even before he joined the al-Qaeda conspiracy. Perhaps because of this confusion, the prosecution was very clear in its arguments that the defendant knowingly and willingly aligned himself with bin Laden and al-Qaeda. In the months after the 2001 attacks he encouraged young Muslims to kill Americans in several video and audio broadcasts, which were played repeatedly throughout the trial. His own testimony did not help. He denied being a member of al-Qaeda, but also spoke about being at bin Laden’s side mere hours after the 9/11 attacks. George Venizelos of the FBI, who works on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, has compared Mr Abu Ghaith’s role in al-Qaeda with that of a mob consigliere.
Mr Abu Ghaith was arrested only a year ago. This speedy verdict followed an efficient three-week trial in a Federal civilian court. Many see this as proof that civilian courtrooms are quite good at handling terrorism trials. Compare this case with the snail-like pace of the pre-trial military-commission hearings in Guantánamo Bay, where five of the surviving architects of the 9/11 attacks are being tried. Efforts to try terrorists in military tribunals have proved embarrassing.
Sentencing for Mr Abu Ghaith will take place on September 8th. Many suspect he will receive life in prison. Some speculate he will be sent to a super-max high-security prison in Colorado, where Richard Reid (the shoe bomber), Zacarias Moussaoui (a 9/11 conspirator) and a host of other al-Qaeda operatives reside. Stanley Cohen, the defendant’s lawyer, will likely appeal.
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Read our coverage of the trial earlier this weekPlan B Architecture & Urbanism
Two Yale architects pose the question in an ambitious research project.
It's difficult to think about global urbanization at the scale of individual cities. There’s no such thing as the model metropolis that mirrors the development patterns and sustainability problems of urban areas everywhere. Isolating any one city is impractical anyway; they now increasingly spread into and impact one another, blurring the boundaries between urban and rural, between developed and natural land, between metros, megalopolises and mega-regions. And then there is the simple problem of definitions: "What’s considered ‘dense’ in Australia," says Yale School of Architecture critic Joyce Hsiang, "is rural in China." How then do we begin to think about the consequences of worldwide urbanization, what Hsiang calls "the greatest design challenge we’re faced with"? "It’s impossible to look at the city as a kind of discrete entity any more given the way financial networks, ecological networks, social networks work," says Bimal Mendis, an assistant dean at Yale*, who is working with Hsiang, a critic at Yale and principal at Plan B Architecture & Urbanism. "These systems have much larger footprints than the actual physical or political boundaries of cities."
Hsiang and Mendis have increasingly come to believe that the only way to study and plan for our urban planet is to conceptualize its entire population in one seamless landscape – to picture 7 billion of us as if we all lived in a single, massive city. For too long, the architecture profession has been complicit in focusing on buildings and the scale of buildings. This is the premise behind an ambitious research project, called "The City of 7 Billion,” for which the two recently won the $100,000 Latrobe Prize from the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. With the geo-spatial model Mendis and Hsiang are creating – think a super-enhanced, zoomable Google Earth, Hsiang says – they’re hoping to study the impact of population growth and resource consumption at the scale of the whole world. Every corner of the planet, they argue, is "urban" in some sense, touched by farming that feeds cities, pollution that comes out of them, industrialization that has made urban centers what they are today. So why not think of the world as a single urban entity? Hsiang and Mendis don't yet know exactly what this will look like (that is the question, Mendis says). But they are planning to seed their geo-spatial model with worldwide data on population growth, economic and social indicators, topography, ecology and more. Ultimately, they hope, other researchers will be able to use the open-source platform for research on development patterns or air quality; the public will be able to use it to grasp the implications of building in a flood plain or implementing an energy policy; and architects will be able to use it to view the world as if it were a single project site.
The whole endeavor grows out of a pair of earlier research projects. One looked at existing metrics of "sustainability" in an attempt to define and measure that abstract concept in cities. “There’s LEED codes, land codes – everybody has their own thing. And you go into it thinking ‘We’re going to come up with another one tailored to this type of project!’” Hsiang says. But she and Mendis ultimately decided that they could more usefully figure out how to integrate existing, interconnected metrics into a spatial model. Cities are changing fast. Keep up with the CityLab Daily newsletter. The best way to follow issues you care about. Subscribe Loading... And they have now already done this with one measurement of urbanization: the world’s population distribution relative to land use. Conveying this information at the global scale required multiple datasets (from the Census Bureau, from the United Nations, from development banks, etc.). Hsiang and Mendis had to sort out the inconsistencies in that data, resolve the multiple ways different countries and organizations produce it, and stitch it all together. This animation captures how they then visually illustrated this population density data in a 25-year time sequence, from 1990 to 2015, across dozens of cities. Each little white column represents the population living on a parcel of land 25-by-25 kilometers in size:
Urban Population Growth 1990-2015 from Plan B Architecture & Urbanism on Vimeo. Hsiang and Mendis then turned that spatial visualization into a physical installation at the 2011 Chengdu Biennale in China. They modeled the population distribution of the entire world in a kind of inverted map that visitors could walk into, inside a 10-by-10-by-10 foot room, with North America on the ceiling, Asia on one wall, Africa on another (see also the little boy in the above photo): That installation made tangible what academics sometimes describe as the “spikiness” of global development. “People know these things abstractly,” Hsiang says. “But it’s entirely different when you actually can see it.”
Now she and Mendis will be trying to do something similar – sew together disparate data sets, turn them into spatial models, then make those models accessible to the public – with a vastly more complex scenario. They want to connect not just land use with population density, but also income data, carbon dioxide levels, and geographical terrain. Their model of the whole world as one continuous urban terrain could then be used as a predictive tool for planning development into the future. Hsiang and Mendis are hoping to communicate data and ideas that the political and scientific communities have had a hard time conveying to the public. This may sound like an odd job for architects – visualizing worldwide data about air quality – but Hsiang and Mendis argue that architects are precisely the professionals to do this. "This is what the architect has done for centuries," Hsiang says. "A lot of what we do as architects is we help people see something that’s not physical." This may mean visually rendering the dreams you have for the ideal kitchen, or a new neighborhood library, or an entire city plan. Politicians communicate through words and policies, Hsiang says, and scientists do the same through research. But architects – early interdisciplinary experts – can translate all of all of the above into spatial terms that the rest of us can understand. More often, however, they have not been working at the same scale as policy-makers and scientists. “For too long, the architecture profession has been complicit in focusing on buildings and the scale of buildings,” Mendis says. “And I think that’s been detrimental to us.” The City of 7 Billion is an attempt to change that, to involve architects in big-picture questions more often debated by economists and geographers and social scientists. By the end of their two-year research award, Hsiang and Mendis will have produced a publicly accessible web-based geospatial model with some core metrics baked in. By that point, the “city” will be usable by other researchers, planners and architects as well. Picture, for instance, planners in Dhaka, Bangladesh using it to project where local population pressure will come from 10 years from now. “That information is correlated with rising sea levels,” Mendis says. Perhaps those planners will discover, he says, “that whole region will be under water.” Now the challenge becomes one of regulating development to avoid the convergence of these two stories. He and Hsiang expect the City of 7 Billion to be an indefinite work in progress, beyond the next two years. “This is a kind of project that when you embark on it,” Hsiang says, “you kind of embark on it for the rest of your life.” *CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Bimal Mendis as being affiliated with Plan B Architecture & Urbanism. While Mendis worked with Joyce Hsiang of Plan B on this project, he is an assistant dean at the Yale School of Architecture and does not work for Plan B. All images and video courtesy of Plan B Architecture & Urbanism.A new poll shows Liberals and Opposition New Democrats are virtually tied in second place for national support, and federal Conservatives leading nationally.
The latest Nanos Research poll shows support for the Conservatives remains relatively unchanged at 34.3 per cent with the Liberals at 27.6, the NDP at 27.1, the Green Party at 4.7 and the BQ at 4.6.
The national random telephone survey of 1,000 Canadians 18 years of age and older was conducted between Jan. 26-31, 2013. It is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.
According to Nik Nanos, President and CEO of Nanos Research, when you look at the trend line for the NDP and Grits going back 12 months "a significant pattern emerges."
The Liberals have made "incremental gains" over the past 12 months, while the New Democrats have suffered "incremental losses," Nanos told CBC News in a telephone interview on Sunday.
For instance, in December 2011, support for Conservatives was at 36.5 per cent followed by the NDP at 28.7 per cent, and the Liberals at 25.6 per cent.
By April 2012, after Thomas Mulcair was elected party leader, the Conservatives were tied with the NDP at 34.7 per cent and 32.4 per cent respectively, with the Liberals in third place at 23.3 per cent.
In July 2012, after interim Liberal leader Bob Rae announced he was not going to run for the leadership of the federal Liberals and Parliament adjourned for the summer, support for the NDP slid to 30.3 per cent while support for Liberals climbed to 26.5 per cent.
By November 2012, after Liberal MP Justin Trudeau announced he would be running for the party's top job, support for the Liberals climbed to 29 per cent putting them in second place for national support, with the NDP in third place at 27.2 per cent.
What this shows, said Nanos, is with greater focus on the Liberal leadership race, a greater number of Canadians are at the very least beginning to look at the Liberals.
Another possible explanation for this trend line, according to Nanos, is that parties actually do better when they don't have a permanent leader because voters have several people to choose from.
The challenge for the New Democrats, who have been trying to advance a narrative that they're a government in waiting, said Nanos, is to show to Canadians what a Mulcair-lead government would look like.
Jobs and the economy
Respondents also said they are concerned with jobs and the economy more than they are concerned with health care or the environment.
The Nanos survey also shows that 22.4 per cent of respondents said jobs and the economy remained the top national issue of concern, with 14.8 per cent of respondents listing health care, and 7.9 per cent listing the environment.
The test for the Conservatives will be how well or how how poorly the economy does between now and the next federal election in 2015, said Nanos.
The Conservatives have built their brand around "sound fiscal stewardship" and that could hurt them if there's another economic downturn, Nanos said, just as it could play in their favour if the economy performs well.
The Canadian economy shrank for the first time in six months with 22,000 jobs lost in January, Statistics Canada data showed last Friday.
"I'm disappointed with the [jobs] numbers this month but I remain very optimistic that the trend going forward in 2013 will be positive," Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters following an announcement on Friday in Burnaby, BC.
The federal government's priority remains to balance the books in time for the next election in 2015, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told the Economic Club of Canada last Wednesday in Ottawa.
And while the NDP is calling on the federal governement to commit to to further infrastructure funding in the upcoming spring budget, Flaherty told reporters "no decision" has been made yet.While Hughie Fury prepares take challenge WBO champion Joseph Parker on May 6 in New Zealand, he already mentions that he’s open to taking on WBC champion Deontay Wilder in his very next outing should he emerge victorious. Fury had be targeted for a Wilder fight in the past, but negotiations never reached the finish line which has delayed the match-up thus far.
And Fury says that despite Wilder’s stellar looking record on paper, he, like many fans, haven’t been overly impressed with a number of the title defenses Wilder has made to date, telling WBN:
“I wanted to fight Wilder next but for one reason or another the fight didn’t happen but 100% I want to fight him later this year,” Fury exclusively told World Boxing News. “To be honest, you would have thought Wilder would have taken on better opposition than what he has since becoming champion, he’s just fought the up-and-coming fighters.”
Tell me, fans, do you think the younger Fury could pose any real threat to Deontay Wilder? Is that a fight you’d like to see happen?Over the next few months, gamers will likely be hearing a lot about Destiny, the latest game from former Halo developer Bungie, and for good reason. With Destiny, Bungie is trying to craft an MMO-like experience that caters to a wide variety of gamers and is not easily summarized in a few sentences, screenshots, or trailers…although there have been plenty of those.
Early previews of the game have shown us that Destiny is an ambitious undertaking – one that, if done well, could influence the future of game development in the next-gen. Even so, many gamers will flock to the game just to see what the first non-Halo game from Bungie looks like, and how it differs from that iconic Microsoft franchise.
However, although Bungie is likely borrowing heavily from lessons learned on the Halo franchise, they are not making another Halo. As the development team explains in a recent Bungie podcast, even competitive multiplayer will differ quite significantly from Halo.
Of course, the end-goal is still to eliminate the opposition, but doing so will take a little more thought than it did in Halo. That isn’t meant as a knock to Halo, mind you; Destiny is simply a different type of game with its 3 different classes, special abilities, and unique loadouts.
“Skill is very important. [But] it’s not just your thumb skill, it’s understanding how you are outfitting yourself, what weapons you are taking, what choices you have made in your build and then understanding how to use them properly.”
Since Destiny is class-based, players will need to think about what weapons and abilities they take into battle. Moreover, they will have to use their given tool set correctly in order to survive.
Beyond using their own tool set, though, players will also need to mindful of the various different movement options in Destiny. For example, players might have a double jump or a teleport ability, which could render overt offensive attacks practically useless. If there are players who typically favor rushing in with a shotgun, they might want to consider their options before doing so.
“The thing that was really hard for us at first, was trying to make movement modes make sense and not feel too powerful. And not make it so that we couldn’t control where the players were going and how they interact with each other…What used to work in Halo, doesn’t work as well in Destiny,”
That isn’t to say all Halo tactics won’t work in Destiny‘s competitive multiplayer, but Bungie clearly wants to get fans in a different mindset before jumping into this new universe. There’s going to be a lot to explore in Destiny on both the single player and multiplayer side of things, so going in with any bit of knowledge ahead of time could be a big advantage. Getting in on the forthcoming beta test couldn’t hurt either.
How would you like to see Destiny‘s multiplayer differentiate itself from Halo? Where do you think there should be some similarities?
Destiny releases September 9, 2014 for the PS3, PS4, Xbox |
never used again; for instance: Obviously wrong, but it's not going to cause any problems. A memory allocation is leaked in an error path which will result in the process exiting a few microseconds later. A timestamp of (time_t)(INT64_MIN) — approximately 280 billion years before the Big Bang — is not correctly recorded in an archive. The memcpy function could be asked to copy zero bytes from NULL, which according to the C99 standard has undefined behaviour even though every C library in the world treats it as a no-op. This group of bugs took me the most time to handle, as there were a lot of them and in each case I had to look at the surrounding code to make sure that the error was in fact harmless.
Finally there's 11 bugs which users could actually stumble across. Some of these are obscure — three relate to the handling of mtree files via @archive directives, and I'd be surprised if anyone has ever used Tarsnap's @archive directive with an mtree file — but a few have either been stumbled across already or are plausible enough that I'm very glad to have caught them before anyone stumbled across them:
If Tarsnap fails to read a directory — e.g., if a hard disk is in the process of failing while Tarsnap is running — it didn't handle the error properly and could silently fail to archive files. (If we can't read a disk, we can't archive it; but we should at least exit with an error message!)
If the directory Tarsnap is run from becomes inaccessible while Tarsnap is running and two or more paths are specified to be archived, Tarsnap could end up archiving the wrong files. (Tarsnap needs to return to where it started before it starts to archive the next path; if it can't do this, it should exit with an error message rather than looking for files in the wrong place.)
If Tarsnap is killed (via ^C) at exactly the wrong moment after creating or deleting an archive, its cache directory could get into a state where future attempts to use Tarsnap would result in it immediately exiting with an error message. Ironically this bug lay in some code which was trying very carefully to ensure that Tarsnap's local state couldn't be damaged by a system crash happening at the wrong moment; the fix was trivial once I realized that the link(2) system call wasn't idempotent.
If the tarsnap-keygen command was run with --machine '', i.e., an empty machine name, it would fail — as it should — but only after spending five minutes trying to register with the server — which it shouldn't. The fix, of course, was to detect and reject an invalid name on the client side, rather than sending it to the server and watching it reject the request as being nonsense.
Needless to say, all of these are fixed in version 1.0.30 of the Tarsnap client code.
So what does $1265 of bugs look like? A handful of serious bugs, and a handful more which are serious but sufficiently obscure that they would likely have gone for years without causing problems; sixty places where code was wrong but in ways which simply didn't matter; and well over a hundred things which were wrong yet didn't actually affect the compiled code.
But most importantly, $1265 of bugs gives me the peace of mind of knowing that I'm not the only person who has looked at the Tarsnap code, and if there are more critical bugs like the security bug I fixed in January, they've escaped more than just my eyeballs. Worth the money? Every penny.
DisqusKing Diamond undergoes triple bypass heart surgery
Tags:
King Diamond, surgery
Jason Fisher December 11, 2010
December 11, 2010
KING DIAMOND’s wife Livia has posted the following update at the official band fan club Covenworldwide.org:"Let me catch you all up on the past couple of weeks' happenings, because it affects many things. On Monday, November 29th, King had to be transported to the nearby hospital by ambulance. After several different tests were done and the EKG machine showing abnormalities, the doctors recommended that he get a cardiac catheterization.Cardiac catheterization is a procedure where the doctors lead a very thin tube up from the leg and into the heart, where it injects dye into the bloodstream. Then a camera at the end of the tube takes many pictures of the heart's arteries, looking for blockages. After this was done, they determined that King had several heart attacks, and three of his heart's arteries were the cause: one was completely blocked, the second was 90% blocked, and the third was 65% blocked.The only solution to this was an open heart triple bypass surgery.If you are interested in the details of how this surgery is performed, please look it up online. I will only touch on the basics. The sternum (breastbone) is cut in half and pulled apart, to expose the heart. Veins are harvested from other places of the body, in King's case it was his left leg and chest wall. The person is then hooked up to a machine that practically does the job of the heart, circulating and oxygenating the blood.The heart is then stopped, and the lungs collapse (the lungs stop working since the blood is being oxygenated by the machine). The surgeon then sews the harvested veins in place, bypassing the found blockages. Once the surgery is done, the surgeon moves the ribs and breastbone back into place and wires it together. The chest is closed as well. They use an electric pulse to start the heart and a breathing machine is lead into the lungs to restart breathing.King's surgery took approximately seven hours.Everything went well, and King was taken to ICU for recovery. He was walking and eating solid food already 2 days after the operation, and he was the first one in the history of the hospital who walked on his own power from the ICU to normal care. 10 days after the ambulance took him to the emergency room, he is at home and is recovering well. It will be a few months before he feels completely normal and is without pain.He would like to mention here that he's eternally grateful for the wonderful staff at Centennial Medical Center who took care of him. Dr. Kourlis, Dr. Kamili, Dr. Alang, Nurse Christie and Nurse Thomas among many others made sure that he got the best care and attention he could ever have hoped for.They were always very nice to me too, letting me stay overnight in the ICU after visiting hours were over.In light of this, he will be taking a break from music and the music business altogether until further notice.He very much wants to write new music, finish the DVDs, and go on tour, but for now, all those things are in the distant future and he's not thinking about them.Please understand that the King Diamond band is not stopping, disbanding or anything of the sort. King's health is first priority, and when everything is going good with him, the music will resume.Thank you all very much for reading this and STAY HEAVY."From leaping through hoops to saluting to the band playing Star-Spangled Banner, Tricks of the Trade shows what ships’ cats do to entertain their bored shipmates on board. A bit of light entertainment from Able Sea-cat Bart, story curator of seafaring felines, the sailors’ pest controllers, shipmates, mascots and pets.
Jumping through hoops
[Trim’s] “exercises commenced with acquiring the art of leaping over the hands; and as every man in the ship took pleasure in instructing him, he at length arrived to such a pitch of perfection, that I am persuaded, had nature placed him in the empire of Lilliput, his merit would have promoted him to the first offices in the state.
He was taught to lie flat upon the deck on his back, with his four feet stretched out like one dead; and in this posture he would remain until a signal was given him to rise, whilst his preceptor resumed his walk backwards and forwards; if, however, he was kept in this position, which it must be confessed was not very agreeable to a quadruped, a slight motion of the end of his tail denoted the commencement of impatience, and his friends never pushed their lesson further.” ◈
Wray Rattler 21 April 1911, Yuma County Colorado — When a warship is engaged in an extensive cruise, the majority of the men aboard have, at one time or another, plenty of leisure at their disposal, and they devote a considerable portion of it to teaching tricks to the pets aboard.
Many persons who have witnessed the really wonderful stunts done by naval mascots or have noticed four-footed mascots marching in parade with a naval battalion, and conforming to all the military orders given, have gained the impression that bluejackets possess an especial and almost unique knack for instructing dumb animals.
The secret of their success, however, lies in the devotion of much time to the task, combined with the circumstances that the tars have a seemingly inexhaustible supply of patience and an almost unfailing fund of good humor, which, when reinforced by plentiful supplies of sweets, will ultimately win over the most stubborn furred or feathered captive.
One of the most remarkable tricks is that of a famous cat that was domiciled aboard the cruiser Chicago a few years ago. This cat would sit on its hind legs and salute with one front paw when the band played ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, and any person who knows how difficult it is to teach tricks to cats can appreciate what this performance meant.” ◈
CREDIT TOP Matthew Flinders, A biographical tribute to the memory of Trim, Web edition published by eBooks@Adelaide, University of Adelaide
ILLUSTRATION Ad Long
Turning tricks
I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve at all. I am not sure whether that’s because I didn’t seem to be a likely candidate for learning them, or my shipmates didn’t have the time or inclination. I can certainly understand a crew teaching a few tricks to their pets or to the ship’s mascot to while away the time stuck in the doldrums or in pack ice in days gone by, or these days stuck at sea waiting for a berth. I thought that was an interesting comment about having a plentiful supply of sweets. You couldn’t bribe or reward a seafurrer (or any cat) with sweets. You would have to tempt us with a tasty meaty tidbit. Or a very nice piece of fish. We don’t have a soft spot for things that taste sweet because our taste receptors can’t detect sugar (big cats like tigers and cheetahs can’t taste sweet either). To get a bit sciency, the taste receptor for sweet is encoded in two genes that code for two proteins, both of which are involved in a human’s ability to enjoy (crave?) sugary treats. In cats, a chance mutation appears to have broken one of these genes, and this version has persisted and that’s why lollies won’t tempt us to turn a trick. ◈
Whiskipedia
The training game: operant conditioning
Training Trim to leap over hands or the Chicago’s cat to salute is standard animal (and people) training based on rewarding the desired behaviours to encourage the animal (or person) to do it again (and again). Pet owners and animal trainers have been doing it for hundreds of years, long before psychologists gave it a name – operant conditioning.
“To train a cat to jump on command, the trainer rewards it for walking over a stick that is lying on the ground, and then for stepping over it when it is slightly raised. Then if the trainer raises the stick further, she rewards the cat only for actual jumps,” says Dr John Bradshaw in Cat Sense. “More complex tricks and “performances” are usually taught piece by piece, each step becoming linked in the cat’s mind through chaining. The easiest way to put a sequence together is to start with the final action and its reward, and progressively add the preceding steps – backwards chaining. For example, to train a cat to turn around once and then offer its paw to be shaken, the paw-shake is shaped first, and once that is perfected, the turn is shaped to precede it. Operant conditioning is not confined to deliberate training: it is one way cats learn how to deal with whatever surroundings they find themselves in.” ◈
RIGHT Peebles jumping through the hoop made by Lieutenant Commander R H Palmer’s arms on board HMS Western Isles (1944). Western Isles served as the flagship of Western Approaches Command’s Anti-Submarine Training School at Tobermory, Mull, where the crew of escort ships for Atlantic convoy duty were trained before being deployed. The school and its commander (in fictional form) feature in Nicholas Monsarrat’s novel, The Cruel Sea.– Petco has filed a trademark for “Monday Night Raw.” The trademark was filed on March 2nd specifically for “Retail pet store services featuring pet food; promoting the sale of products of others through distribution of free food samples to consumers.”
– WWE has also filed new trademarks, specifically for “Suplex City” and “Balor Club.” The former is of course for Brock Lesnar, the latter for Finn Balor. Balor was part of the Bullet Club in NJPW.
– WWE referenced AJ Lee’s retirement on the Raw pre-show as well as her tweet yesterday about it.
– WWE Studios’ Celebrity Death Pool starring starring David Hasselhoff and Hulk Hogan has been renamed to Killing Hasselhoff.
– Mark Henry will cameo in Aaron Eckhart’s new film Incarnate. Brad Peyton, who directed the Rock in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, is helming the film.
Credit: PWInsiderDuterte says of the rich pastor, 'He donates [gifts] in the name of God, para makatrabaho ako, para wala akong takot'. Is he liable for graft?
Published 11:27 AM, May 03, 2016
MANILA, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte admitted receiving valuable gifts from his good friend Pastor Apollo Quiboloy throughout the course of their “30-year” friendship, he said on Monday, May 2.
Quiboloy, the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, has given him 3 properties in Woodridge Park, Ma-a, Davao City, he said, as guest at Quiboloy’s late-night television show “Give Us This Day.”
“Noong mayor ako, binili ni Pastor, tatlong [property]…Sabi niya, ‘bilhan ko mga anak mo kasi pag nadisgrasya ka sa trabaho mo namatay ka’…Binigay na ang bahay sa Woodridge. Hindi ko nga tinanggap eh. And it’s there. Puntahan niyo ang Woodridge, sino ang bumili? It’s Pastor who paid,” said Duterte.
(When I was mayor, Pastor bought 3 properties. He said, I’ll buy for your children in case you die from doing your job. He gave me a house in Woodridge. I didn’t accept it. But it’s there. Go to Woodridge, who bought it? It’s Pastor who paid.)
In Duterte’s 2015 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN), he declared 3 lots in Ma-a, supposedly acquired from 1997 to 1998. Could this be the lots from Quiboloy? (READ: Quiboloy predicts landslide win for Duterte)
The wealthy pastor also bequeathed to Duterte a lot in Royal Pines, in Matina, Davao City. A lot in Matina is declared in his 2015 SALN and previous SALNs.
Cars from Quiboloy
Quiboloy also apparently gave Duterte a Nissan Safari and Ford Expedition years ago. Duterte tried to return the Expedition but said his daughter, Sara, wanted to keep it.
“Binalik ko. Tapos ito si Inday nagwala kasi gusto niya. Eh saan ka magkuha ng pang-gasolina? Para kang buang diyan. (I returned it. Then Inday went crazy because she wanted it. Where will you get money for gas? You’re like a fool),” said Duterte.
The Davao City mayor described Quiboloy as so generous that anytime he would buy something, he was sure to buy two of it so he could give one to Duterte.
“Everytime si Pastor magbili, dalawa yan. Ang isa sa akin diyan, sigurado (Every time Pastor buys, he gets two. One is mine, for sure),” he said.
In the United States, Duterte said Quiboloy even offered to pay for the mayor’s appointment with a famous neurosurgeon, Dr Martin Cooper, in order for something to be done about his perpetually sweaty hands.
Duterte apparently will continue accepting favors from Quiboloy if he is elected president. The pastor has offered his private jet for Duterte’s use.
“Sabi ko, I’ll just use it kasi kung manalo ako, dito ako matulog sa Davao araw-araw. Service na ‘yan kasi ‘yan ang contribution ni Pastor sa ating gobyerno,” he said. (I said, I’ll use it if I win. I’ll sleep in Davao every day. That’s a service and a contribution of Pastor to the government.)
Graft
Is there anything wrong with Duterte accepting such lavish gifts from a wealthy religious leader like Quiboloy?
The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices law states that it is illegal for public officers to receive gifts from a person who has contracts or transactions with the government or needs a permit or other document from the government if the public officer has the power to intervene or facilitate the granting of these contracts or documents.
Quiboloy is also a businessman, owning, among other things, a garden resort, school, and media outfit.
Donations 'in the name of God'
Duterte wrapped up his account of Quiboloy’s generosity by saying, “Maraming binigay si Pastor sa akin hindi ko lang sabihin. Pero hindi ‘yung bilyon." (Pastor has given me many things, I just can’t tell you what. But not billions.)
He said Quiboloy’s intentions are honest.
“He donates it in the name of God, para makatrabaho ako, para wala akong takot (so I can work, so I have no fear),” he said.
As mayor of Davao City, Duterte has the power to intervene in all processes of the city government, including the issuance of business permits and the like.
Interest in Duterte's net worth and possessions has intensified ever since Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused him of not declaring P227 million in deposits and P2.4 billion worth of transactions.
Duterte has denied receiving that much money. – Rappler.com(written from a Production point of view Real World article
Valiant redirects here; for additional meanings of "Valiant", please see Valiant.
Fleeing a Jem'Hadar attack aboard a runabout, Jake and Nog are rescued by a Defiant-class ship crewed by over-eager Red Squad cadets who are biting off more than they can chew.
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Summary Edit
Teaser Edit
In the bar, Quark is grousing about the backup in his drink orders because of a replicator malfunction. He says his maintenance request has been put off by Chief O'Brien, who is already overworked and shorthanded since Nog has been sent on a diplomatic errand to Ferenginar. But Quark is flustered when Jadzia Dax offers to repair his replicator, as repayment for some repair work that Nog did for her the week before. He insists that such a job is "beneath" her, and Odo, listening, wryly observes that the Ferengi has some tender feelings for the Trill.
Nog and Jake are departing Starbase 257 in the runabout Shenandoah, to deliver an official message from the Federation Council to Grand Nagus Zek. Even if Nog won't say anything about its contents, Jake suspects it is about something big, maybe even an alliance. Their discussion is cut short when they encounter a wing of six Jem'Hadar fighters on their way to attack the base. Even though they weren't the original objective, one fighter breaks formation and comes after them.
Act One Edit
Nog makes an emergency warp jump, despite Jake's warnings that their course is taking them further into Cardassian territory. When Nog drops to impulse speed to engage the Jem'Hadar ship in real space, the runabout takes a heavy beating from its weapons, but then they are miraculously saved by a ship they first believe to be the USS Defiant, but which turns out to be a ship of the same class, the USS Valiant.
While the Defiant-class ship engages the enemy fighter, the two friends are beamed aboard and are surprised to be greeted by "Chief" Dorian Collins – a young woman in the uniform of a cadet, but wearing a chief's rank insignia. Taken to the bridge, they see that the entire crew is composed of cadets from Red Squad, the elite cadre within Starfleet Academy that Nog so fervently wanted to join two years earlier. (DS9: "Homefront", "Paradise Lost") "Captain" Tim Watters, the ship's CO, explains that he was given a battlefield commission by the previous captain, Ramirez, and he has promoted other cadets as needed to fill vacant positions. Watters orders Chief Collins to take Jake to sickbay to see to some minor burns he has suffered. When the ship's first officer, "Commander" Karen Farris, reports that the warp drive is still functioning below warp three, Nog volunteers a suggestion, and Watters is happy to accept the advice of a trained engineer.
Cutting between sickbay and Captain Watters's ready room, Chief Collins and Watters explain their unique situation to Jake and Nog, respectively: the Valiant departed on a shakedown cruise eight months ago, crewed by seven regular officers and thirty-five cadets, on a three-month training mission to circumnavigate the Federation. Although such cruises are standard for senior cadets, Jake notes that it is unusual for them to be entrusted with a state-of-the-art warship, or for such a large group of cadets to be given a mission of such complexity. Collins proudly explains that they are Red Squad, and considered anything but usual. However, the ship was caught behind enemy lines when the war broke out. In a battle with a Cardassian warship, in which all the senior officers were killed or mortally wounded, Captain Ramirez gave Watters command of the ship.
When the war broke out, Starfleet Command (apparently unaware that command of the ship had passed to a cadet) transmitted new orders to the Valiant to collect technical data on a new Dominion battleship being deployed in their sector. Since they were ordered to maintain radio silence, the ship had been cut from the rest of Starfleet since the outbreak of the war. Undaunted, the young captain is determined to carry on the Valiant's mission. Nog is awestruck, and Watters offers him a post as chief engineering officer. Even Nog is a little hesitant to take on such a responsibility, but Watters tells him that the undermanned ship needs him.
Act Two Edit
Chief Collins takes Jake to the mess hall, where he draws more than a few stares from the rest of the thirty three-man crew (being the only civilian on board). They converse amiably, and Collins starts to tell him about her hometown on Luna. She appears to be getting upset during the conversation, and excuses herself saying she's on duty.
In engineering, Nog makes some modifications that Farris objects are unsafe, but Watters is willing to try anything, and the ship succeeds in getting to warp 4.
Watters comes to sickbay and, despite Collins's disapproval, grabs some pills from a cabinet and swallows them. He notices she's been crying, and she admits that she has been feeling a little homesick.
The next thing Jake knows, he has been summoned to the ready room for an "interrogation" by Watters and Farris. They remind him of the extreme urgency of their mission, and say that his presence is upsetting the delicate morale of their shipmates. They dismiss Jake, and Watters tells Farris to keep a close eye on him. Before she is dismissed, Farris remarks that Watters spent another double shift on the bridge, and she is concerned that he is not getting enough sleep. Watters assures her that he is fine – before swallowing another handful of pills after she has left.
Act Three Edit
Still smarting, Jake runs into Nog, and is surprised to see that he has now joined the crew, with a brevet rank of lieutenant commander. Nog is stung when Jake echoes his own earlier doubts about whether he is ready to be chief engineer of a starship. Before they can argue further, red alert is sounded and they run to the bridge.
The Valiant has located the objective of its mission. While hovering outside its sensor range, the ship launches a class 3 probe to gather the intelligence needed, and shadows the ship for several hours. Between an over-zealous crew and an almost inhuman dynamic, the mission finally comes to a successful end.
In the mess hall, Watters announces that their mission is a success: they have gathered the required intelligence without being detected, and they are now free to return to Federation space. But Watters says that their scans indicate a major design flaw in the Jem'Hadar battleship – its antimatter containment unit is composed of viterium, ordinarily resilient, but unstable when exposed to delta radiation. A direct hit with a specially-modified quantum torpedo should be able to destroy the entire ship. Nog immediately sees a problem: the modified torpedo will need to have its guidance system all but removed, which means the Valiant will need to fire at extreme close range and remain there while the torpedo is guided in manually. Captain Watters says it may be dangerous, but it is better that they take the risk than have "some other ship, with some other crew" be asked to take it later.
Having had enough, Jake Sisko attempts to appeal to the common sense of the crew and convince them to leave the area with the new information. He says that his father has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best combat commanders in the fleet and not even he would attempt this mission with a single ship (even were that ship the Defiant with a full crew complement). Watters dismisses his objections, deciding that the reward outweighs the risk and that they are Red Squad and they can do anything. The crew begin cheering.
Act Four Edit
Alone in engineering, Jake tries to talk some sense into Nog while he is modifying the torpedo. The Jem'Hadar battleship they are going up against is twice as large as a Galaxy-class starship, with three times the armament, yet Watters wants to try and combat it with a single escort vessel. Nog says that the captain knows what he's doing, something Jake would understand if he was an officer and not just a reporter. Angrily, Jake tells Nog about Watters's addiction to cordafin stimulants, but Nog refuses to listen. Jake says that Watters is going to get them all killed, and Nog orders Jake, "get out!"
Watters happens to be monitoring their conversation from his ready room, and summons help right as Jake said that Collins told him of Watters' drug-taking. As soon as Jake leaves engineering, he is apprehended by two cadets with phasers and thrown in the brig.
The Valiant prepares for its mission: the sickbay crew is drilled, and Collins issues phaser rifles to the security teams in case they have to repel boarders (or perhaps even board the vessel themselves). Watters addresses all hands with an inspirational speech, reminding them to keep their minds on their duty. The ship accelerates to warp 6.
Act Five Edit
When the Jem'Hadar warship spots the Valiant, it drops out of warp and turns to face them. There is a moment of nervousness, as the bridge crew starts to fully appreciate what they are up against. Watters remains undaunted, and orders the helm to take the ship on a head-to-head attack run at close range to avoid its weapons. The Jem'Hadar open fire, and Valiant begins to take damage.
The torpedoes are launched, and Farris guides them to the battleship's perceived weak spot. The torpedoes score a direct hit, and the bridge crew cheers as there is an explosion of flame, and the battleship begins to founder... before emerging intact from the fireball. Taken aback, Watters asks if the torpedoes missed, and Farris says no, they scored a direct hit – except their tactic simply "didn't work." All of a sudden, the reality of their situation settles onto the bridge; the normally arrogant and overzealous Red Squad is replaced by a group of very frightened youths, trapped deep in enemy space and massively outgunned at close range by an invulnerable enemy ship five times the size of their escort.
The battleship begins hammering the Valiant with its own torpedoes. Watters starts to order evasive maneuvers, when a console explodes and kills him. The Valiant loses main power, propulsion, weapons, and shields. Farris starts to repeat the evasion order, before more explosions kill her and the rest of the bridge crew, except Nog and Collins. Collins asks Nog for orders, since he is now ranking officer, saying their phaser banks are still partially functional, but after a moment's pause, Nog knows the battle's outcome is now a foregone conclusion. After he triggers the evacuation alert, Nog grabs Collins' hand and leads her off the bridge.
In the brig, most of the security crew has been killed when Nog and Collins run down to free Jake from the holding cell. Together, they make their way to the escape pods.
Only four pods are launched from the Valiant; two are shot down by the battleship, and one is caught in the explosion as the Valiant is destroyed. The listing, rupturing hull of the Valiant hides from the battleship's view the one pod that gets away, carrying Nog, Jake, and Collins.
In a nearby sector of space, the Defiant is searching for Nog and Jake's missing runabout, when Major Kira picks up the pod's transponder signal, identifying it with the Valiant. Worf warns that the Valiant officially went missing eight months ago, and it may be a Dominion trap. Sisko says they have to check it out anyway.
The pod is rescued, though Sisko grimly informs Jake that no others were found in the area. Dr. Bashir treats their injuries, and Jake goes to comfort a somber Nog in sickbay. Nog asks if Jake plans to write about the incident. When Jake says he probably will, Nog asks him to write that the Valiant was a good ship, with a good crew, whose only mistake was blindly following Captain Watters as he led them "over a cliff." From her sickbed, Collins objects, saying that Watters was a great man, and if the mission failed, it was the crew that ultimately failed him. Nog tells Jake to include both opinions, and let people decide for themselves. Nog himself, however, has reached his own judgment: gently taking Collins' hands in his own, he returns his Red Squad insignia, telling her that while Watters might have been a great man, he was a bad captain.
Log entries Edit
Memorable quotes Edit
"If we keep going in this direction, we'll run into Cardassia Prime. And that won't be any fun at all."
- Jake Sisko
"You're in love!"
- Odo, realizing Quark has feelings for Jadzia Dax
"This is the captain. We are about to engage the enemy. For eight months, I've told you to stay focused on one thing. Your duty. But now, I want you to step back from your duty. Take a look around. And I don't mean look at the walls. I want you to look at this moment in your life. Take it in. Appreciate the fact that you are on this ship, with this group of people, at this point in history. But understand one thing above all else. This moment will never come again. Hold on to it. Savor it for as long as you can. You're Starfleet, you're Red Squad, and you're the best. Now, let's get that battleship and we can all go home. Captain out."
- Tim Watters, to the crew of the Valiant
"You all probably know who my father is. Benjamin Sisko. So you know I'm not exaggerating when I say that he's considered to be one of the best combat officers in the fleet. And I'm telling you right now that even with the entire crew of the Defiant with him, my father would never try to pull off something like this. And if he can't do it, it can't be done."
"We're Red Squad and we can do anything!"
- Jake Sisko and Tim Watters
"You don't understand because you've never put on one of these uniforms. You don't know anything about sacrifice or honor or duty or any of the things that make up a soldier's life! I'm part of something larger than myself. All you care about is you."
"That's right. All I care about is Jake Sisko and whether or not he's going to be killed by a bunch of delusional fanatics looking for martyrdom!"
- Nog and Jake Sisko
"We let ourselves blindly follow Captain Watters, and he led us over a cliff."
"That's not true. Captain Watters was a great man."
"Dorian, he got everyone killed."
"If he failed, it's because we failed him."
"Put that in your story, too. Let people read it and decide for themselves. He may have been a hero. He may even have been a great man. But in the end, he was a bad captain."
- Nog, Dorian Collins, and Jake Sisko, about Tim Watters
Background information Edit
Story and script Edit
Reception Edit
This episode is a favorite of Aron Eisenberg's, who sees it was critical in the development of the character of Nog; "Nog's dilemma in the episode was, 'Should I do the right thing? Or should I grab the opportunity to do what I've always wanted?' which is to become an officer. When a Ferengi sees what he wants, he doesn't let anything get in his way. He has all these rules for obtaining money, and that's the center of his life. Nothing really deters him from that goal. Nothing clouds that vision. A Ferengi won't allow it. So I applied that same mentality, those same philosophical ideas to Nog's desire to be a Starfleet officer. After he joined Starfleet, I turned all that attention to the one goal of succeeding in Starfleet and not failing, not letting anything deter him from that goal. So I started to play Nog as very, very straight-laced, a perfect military guy. In "Valiant", somebody was offering Nog a chance to be an officer and he could justify it, even if those justifications weren't correct, as Jake pointed out. He wasn't going to listen to anybody except for his captain. That's what made that show so powerful for me – the fact that Nog realizes when it's almost too late that he's made a horrible, horrible mistake. I thought it was great that the writers let him make the wrong decision. But then he was man enough to admit it too. And in the end scene, he gives back his prized possession, the Red Squad pin, which symbolizes what he wanted so badly. I think Nog grew tremendously in this show." (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
Trivia Edit
In the opening battle sequence aboard the runabout, several camera moves (in particular the sweep where the camera banks sharply to reflect the motion of the runabout) inadvertently disclose the fact that the forward windows have been removed to make filming the scene possible; in the most visible example, a sizable hole can be seen in the center of the piloting console, where the ceiling support strut between the windows usually was.
Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien) does not appear in this episode, although he is mentioned by Quark, Jadzia Dax and Nog.
Several costumes and props from this episode were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay, including Grace Bustos' costume. [2]
This episode is comparable to episodes such as TNG : " Lower Decks " and VOY : " Good Shepherd " in the way that it features an officer (Nog) in contact (during a tense situation) with a group of lower ranking members of Starfleet and because it depicts an onscreen story that follows below command level ranks and shows much of the story from their perspective as was achieved in " Lower Decks ". It is worth noting that Ronald D. Moore also wrote TNG : " The First Duty " which focused on Nova Squadron and therefore this could be a reason for the similarities.
: " " and : " " in the way that it features an officer (Nog) in contact (during a tense situation) with a group of lower ranking members of Starfleet because it depicts an onscreen story that follows below command level ranks and shows much of the story from their perspective as was achieved in " ". It is worth noting that Ronald D. Moore also wrote : " " which focused on Nova Squadron and therefore this could be a reason for the similarities. This episode also bears a strong resemblance to the film Star Trek. Both feature a crew that is largely made up of cadets and eventually forced to take command of the ship after the senior staff is killed or captured. Also, in both cases, a young energetic and arrogant cadet becomes commanding officer and orders the ship on a high risk mission against an enemy ship that is much larger and far outguns the Starfleet ship. Of course, in the case of Star Trek the crew succeeds in its mission and returns home safely and the cadet in command doesn't succumb to his own arrogance.
Video and DVD releases Edit
Starring Edit
Avery Brooks as Captain Sisko
Also starring Edit
Guest stars Edit
Uncredited co-stars Edit
Stunt doubles Edit
References Edit
Acting; "all hands"; alloy; antimatter storage system; auxiliary power; battle cruiser; battle stations; battlefield commission; bearing; boulder; Cardassia; Cardassians; Cardassian |
!"
"It's fine." Yang spoke for Ruby, rubbing the girls back. "Ruby is just getting her hopes up. She needs to be knocked down a few pegs."
"But, but it's real!" Ruby cried, banging her hand on the desk. "Why doesn't anybody believe me!?"
"Magic does exist!" Jaune spoke, confidence lining his voice. He took his seat in the row above Team RWBY, as Ruby herself snapped to attention, hope lining her eyes. With a smirk, Jaune pulled out a deck of cards, beginning to shuffle them. Ruby watched curiously, before Jaune held out the deck to her. "Choose one, Ruby Rose, and I'll show Magic you'll never forget!"
A round of silence covered the group, as they all stared at the cards Jaune eagerly held out. Slowly, as the silence continued, Jaune's smirk wavered. Looking between his group and Ruby, he nervously chuckled. Shaking his hand, he motioned for Ruby to choose a card. However, instead of choosing a card, Ruby grabbed the deck and threw it to the ground, her cheeks red from embarrassment and frustration.
"That's not what I meant!" At that instant, as those words left Reds mouth, Yang and Nora let out jolly laughter, holding their stomachs as they tried to hold it in. Pyrrha held a hand over her mouth as she giggled lightly. Weiss shook her head, trying to figure out how Jaune even got into Beacon. Blake just shook her head while Ren looked to be in deep thought, his face serious. Jaune, however, looked extremely confused, looking between the group.
"What? Why are you guys laughing?" Jaune asked, confused as he watched Nora and Yang laugh. Ruby just sat down, sulking whilst thinking that no one believed her. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Jaune looked to the giggling Pyrrha.
"She wasn't talking about a Magic Trick, Jaune!" Pyrrha said amidst giggle. "She was talking about Magic, Magic! Like Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Magic!"
"Wait! Magic Exists!?" Jaune busted out, standing in excitement. Having not know what Aura was until the Beacon Entrance Ceremony, he thought that was all there was in the world of Remnant. To know that actual Magic Existed brought him a whole new form of excitement. "Why didn't anybody tell me!"
"Because it doesn't exist, you dolt." Weiss said, shooting down the young Huntsman. "Ruby just ran into a scum of a man who thought playing tricks on a young girls mind would be funny. Obviously, Ruby was foolish enough to believe the conman."
"Oh…" Jaune said dejectedly, sitting down and mimicking Ruby's behavior.
"Why doesn't anybody believe!" Ruby cried laying her arms over the desk. Yang and Nora's laughter slowly came to a halt, Valkyrie hiccupping.
"Am I interrupting something?" A new voice spoke up. Looking up, they were met with the ever fashionable Neptune, a awkward smile on his face.
"Neptune!" Weiss said in glee, her minor crush affecting her voice. In the back, Jaune gave a groan as he slammed his head on the desk. "What are you doing here? Aren't you and Sun supposed to be in Ooblecks class right now?"
"Well, yeah, but here's the problem- I can't find Sun." Neptune shrugged, gaining the attention of everyone. "This morning he said he was going to 'check up' on Blake, and we haven't seen him since."
"He did show up at our dorm level this morning." Blake answered, closing her book. "He was mostly wanting to talk, but before he left he said he was heading to the Vale Police Station we were at last night."
"Why would he go back there?" Yang asked, curious as to what the fellow blonde was planning.
"He said something about changing some guys mind about Faunus. He left after that, so I wasn't able to ask about what he meant." Blake said. At the worried look Neptune gave, Blake gave a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine. If he was in trouble, I'm sure he would call us."
Vale
Local Bar
Even with all the light in the world, there will always be a hand to snuff it out. Whether it was willing, or unwilling, remains yet to be seen.
"Ok, seriously, how did we end up like this!?" Sun yelled as he ducked a punch from a drunk Faunus. Back pedaling, he jumped forward, slamming his fist into the man, knocking him unconscious. Sun was forced to lean back however, as a chair came an inch from his face. Bringing out his staff, he hit the man in the leg, then the chin.
"I don't know! Ask the racist Pig that tried to swindle me out of my money!" Subaru yelled back, using his Unseen Hands to catch someone's fist, using the other to uppercut him. As the hands disappeared, he dodged left as a glass bottle passed an inch from his head. "Hey! That could've killed me! I thought this was a brawl, not a death match!"
"I don't think calling him a disgusting Pig was the right thing to do though! Maybe if you tried being less racist, we would be drinking some beer right now or something!" Sun yelled back as he jumped over someone's back, kicking another in the face. Using the staff, he pushed off the ceiling, slamming down on the man's back.
"Maybe he shouldn't have called me a pink skin! That's racist on Two levels!" Subaru yelled as he had an Unseen Hand grab a chair and smash it over someone's head, shattering the wood. Grabbing a leg of the chair, he used it as a weapon to hit another in the face with.
"Honestly!? I can't argue with that!" Sun yelled as he avoided a slash from an overly eager combatant with a broken bottle of Glass. Using the staff to push the guys head down, Sun kneed him in the jaw, knocking him unconscious. As the last of the bars men fell, Sun looked over to the heavily panting Subaru. "Even then, I'm never taking you to a bar again!"
"No, we're never going to a Faunus bar again!" Subaru corrected, pointing at the blond monkey, who held his staff behind his neck. "All there is, is racist Faunus in here! Literally the first Faunus I talked to in here told me to screw off because I was Human!"
"Maybe it's because the first thing you said is about how it smelled in here! Of course that would piss off a few Faunus!" Sun defended, as they walked out the door of the Bar.
"I was talking about the low quality beer!" Subaru yelled back, their friendly banter continuing. "I'm not stupid enough to be racist in a crowd of Faunus! It was only when you called out my racism when everyone started being a prick."
"Oh? My bad then." Sun apologized, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. With a sigh, Subaru shook his head. "Seriously though, that some sick skills you got there! How did you hit them without touching them!? Was it telekinesis?"
"Something like that." Subaru admitted. There was no point in hiding it if Sun had seen it first hand. Stretching, Subaru flexed his muscles, the fight having worn him down a little. 'I wonder what Ozpin's test will be? Hopefully it isn't too hard.'
"So, wanna go to another bar?"
"Hell no!"
Vale
Airship to Beacon
In this world, there are many, many Huntsmen. Some, useful, some, not so useful. But be it if you were A Hunter or not, every being of Remnant knew of Team CFVY. The team, so skilled in Grimm hunting that no one even dared to step up and challenge them. Difficulty was not an issue for any member, as each assignment they passed with ease. Yet that doesn't mean they didn't feel fatigue.
"Ha~h, it feels so good to be back at Beacon." Velvet spoke, leaning over the edge of the Airship. Her bunny ears dropped, too tired to fight against the wind of the aircraft.
"You really need to get in shape, Velvet. I can already see flabs hanging off your arms." Coco spoke up, causing Velvet to squeak and attempt to hide her body.
"Awe, you don't have to hide your body from us, Velvet. We all have seen your flabs at some point." Fox said, teasing the ever blushing Bunny. Coco snickered.
"…" Yatsuhashi.
"I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait to get into a nice bath and soak away all the Grimm off me!" Fox said, stretching. As they watched Beacon come into view, a smile formed on his lips. "I can't wait for what's in store for me!"
1)Non-Canon. Well, as of yet. Gusteko in Re:Zero is known as 'The Holy Land' and spirits exist in Re:Zero, so I draw my conclusions from there. We may get more information as the last 6-8 arcs get published, but I doubt it. Tappei is good at making the world feel alive and different, he'll probably do something clever that I won't be able to shut up about for months. Plus there's a possibility that it won't be touched upon, as all the Events in Re:Zero have taken place in Lugnica. I don't see them traveling outwards besides the IF chapters, like how Subaru and Rem explored Kararagi in her IF.
2)Canon wise, Subaru isn't that good at picking up social cues, and through all the IF's that's not really touched upon. I mostly looked into the Dark Lord IF for this one, since this Subaru is a mix between that and Canon. I guess I could look into Echidna's IF, since he's serious there, but I'm unsure. I definitely won't be looking into the Harem IF, since I hate Harems (surprisingly some of my favorite series are Harem's, but that's because it's done good. And they're creative).
3)Every Neo is an OC. Every Neo has a different personality. I'm going off of how she acts in canon, and adding a few more stuff into her. I did the same with Pyrrha, which will become prominent in a later arc (Oh, it's dark. And I'm going by my standards of dark, which is like watching a Red Room). I'm pretty good with assuming how characters act by just seeing a few clips of how they act. Even their speech patterns. This is why it's so hard to use Re:Zero characters, because they all seem genuine and unique. If I had to say who was the most difficult to write for either? Probably Ruby and Emilia. I write in a dark fashion. These two are the polar opposite of that. They are untainted by sin, Emilia going so far as to blame herself for the stuff Subaru does in Arc 4.
4)Hah. Puns
5)Aura users and Magic Users are on par with Each other. More on this in "Better Explanation- Magic Users"
6)Funny how the one who ended up killing Garfiel sees life as a game
Character Bio
Aura User: Sun Wukong- Active
Semblance: Via Sun
Strength: C-B
Speed: B-A
Durability: B
Endurance: A
Intelligence: C
Agility: A-S
Sun Wukong, a curious and interesting character. He is a laid back, and kind soul, who wishes the best for everyone, even if they aren't entirely on the write path. So caring he is, that he would even bother himself with Pride, to do his best to change his mind of Faunus.
His Semblance is as Special as anyone's else's. The ability to make light clones is almost a direct reference to his personality. To be able to reach and touch those he couldn't with his bare hands is a ability not many have. The drawback however is that this needs focus, that his hyperactive mind doesn't seem to possess.
Keep an Eye on him. If there is a slight chance to corrupt his soul, we shall do so.
World of Remnant: Gates
Many in this world don't know about the World Above, or the 'Gates' that connect the two. Well, I guess what I said was wrong- everybody knew of The World Above, but brushed it off as childhood Fairytales. How it came about that? Well, the only one who knew that won't tell anybody.
The Gates are one of the things we do know however. Once upon a time, Remnant and The World Above used to be separate, at least to the point that they would have seen each other as Sci-Fi and Fantasy respectively. Due to a catastrophic event that has been lost in time however, a gateway has been connecting the two.
It used to be that these Gates couldn't be controlled, but with some brilliant Magic and Scientific minds coming together, they were able to connect the two worlds. Again, we don't know how the people of Remnant forgot about the World Above, or why they thought they were fairytales, but ol' Oz knows.
It makes me wonder what he's keeping so secret behind those closed doors of his, that he wouldn't even tell his circle.
Better Explanation- Magic
Magic, unlike Aura, is the ability to warp reality in the users Favor.
Aura is the ability to strengthen the body, healing said body faster than normal, and giving the User extra speed and time to process events around them. Basically, it's the power up of Mario's shroom, to a lesser extent.
By extension, if one were to spend time working on their Aura and refine it, they would come across their Semblance. Each Semblance is special, and while some may have similar abilities, they aren't all the same. Take Neo's and Emeralds abilities for instance, they are both illusion based, but are different.
I decided to change up how Magic works in this fic to bring it on par, and even beyond the power of Aura.
Magic starts out the opposite of Aura. While Aura focuses on the Body, Magic focuses on the outside the body. It works similar to Dust, but is more refined and useful. However, Magic isn't able to be used as effortlessly as Aura. While Aura has and on and off switch, and it takes practice to perfect its use, so does Magic.
Magic takes time to learn to use perfectly. While you'd be able to, say if you're a Fire User, spread fire aimlessly, you wouldn't be able to concentrate it as shown the Witch Cult doing. Fire can be concentrated, and used as a bomb. Wind can push, but if focused can become invisible blade that can reach endlessly. Earth can shake the Earth, but if focused can create a wall of protection. Water can heal minor wounds, but with enough practice can raise the dead.
With enough practice, Magic could also be used as a way to enhance the body, but that takes tremendous dedication, unless your extremely skilled- Crusch, Ferris, etc. The most common way to get to Superhuman peaks though is to train your body separately, as Magic is a different topic than the body. We can see this being the case with multiple characters- Wilhelm, Al, Knights of Lugnica and Subaru himself in Arc 6 after a year time-skip.
In the mean time, for Subaru's case at least, his Uniform allows him to receive more damage as it's enchanted. While I was reviewing what I could do to avoid Subaru dying an excessive amount of time, I realized Enchanted Items existed in this world. Case in point, Elsa's cloak deflects any magic damage, but disappears once it's used. So, cloaks and Armors that are enchanted to give power ups wouldn't be to far off from fictional reality.
Now, I'm treating Divine Protections like Semblane's. Each are special, but there are similarities. In canon, a lot of Divine Protections are the same, but here there aren't. Well... except if your Reinhardt. He has practically every useful Divine Protection. These gifts can go from being able to see the material something is made from, to even being able to speak to animals. They're endless.
Lastly, what am I going to do with the Maidens, since their powers are supposed to be rare? Truthfully, I'm not sure. But I have a few ideas. Like them being able to control the weather itself, or just bumping them up to near Reinhardt level (against this). I have a few ideas that are a ton more creative, since that's what I'm going for with this story, but I'll keep them to myself. If anyone has any ideas, I'll be happy to hear them.
Story Rant-
Well! That's the end of Arc 1! And what a ride it has been!
I have learned how to treat characters, and my preferred writing style!
I have learned how to write fight scenes and be creative with them!
And I have learned I need to cut this cliché 'Evil side' shit out! Don't worry, it was never going to be a thing. I was just thinking it was going to be cool since I can imagine it. What you guys see could probably be the complete opposite.
Well, there's not much to point out this chapter. I guess the only thing I want to say is that I set up a ton of arcs with this one arc. Some of them I have a feeling was too obscure, or hidden too well in the open.
I guess I could point out the obvious thing- Subaru's backstory. If you hadn't noticed by now, Subaru isn't transported from our world. That is mostly due to the backstory I want to have for him, and a working theory of mine. I practically slapped you guys in the face with it already, so if you don't know, well… ask me and I might tell. That may sound rude, but I'm unsure how well hidden it is.
Next is… hmm… I'm actually having trouble thinking of one. Oh! Subaru's racism! Yeah, that crap won't be going away for a while! I'm not going to have his opinion change overnight. It may take a month or two in story- probably longer. He detests anyone that isn't Human, except those who prove themselves to be trustworthy, as with Sun. So, guess who is in this story that is a Faunus? Come on, hit me.
Final thing. The Witch of Creation- created it because, well, why not? Everything starts with something, and I find i5 poetic that way. I'll remove it if people start hating it, but for now it stays.
Hmm. That's about it, I guess? Not much to go on here.
Personal Rant
So, as someone who has extremely low confidence in their writing and story telling, in happy to see people actually coming back to this crap! While I was writing this, which I was thinking of how to word it, I kept going back to my stats to see how many people even bother with this, and I'm happy to say we're near 1,000 views and over half of that is Visitors! Here, let me get the confetti!
Seriously though? Thank you guys. I was actually considering making this story another run and done, however with the fact that I've created some sick andWhen ESPN commentator Rob Parker said last week on First Take that he doesn’t think Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is authentically black because, among other things, Griffin is engaged to a white woman, ESPN suspended Parker and tried to distance itself from the comments.
But Parker’s comments aren’t going to be easy for ESPN to sweep under the rug. Because Parker’s comments have led to a closer examination within ESPN of the ways that employees who make a habit of saying outrageous things are damaging the brand.
Richard Deitsch of SI.com spoke to several ESPN employees who said they’ve had enough of the Worldwide Leader bringing in people like Parker to shout offensive things on the air in a cheap ratings grab, employees who say that ESPN must re-examine its growing “debate” format, which makes a mockery of the very word “debate” by resembling something closer to Jerry Springer and Maury Povich than Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.
“I don’t wish to be lumped in with that nonsense,” one ESPN employee told Deitsch.
Other ESPN employees have noted that Parker’s comments actually aired three times before network management admitted the comments were offensive: ESPN First Take airs live in the morning, then re-airs immediately following the live airing, and then later in the day ESPN2 airs Best of First Take. Parker’s comments appeared not only on the live airing but also on the re-airing and the “best of” show. So not only did no one at ESPN think to remove Parker’s comments from the re-airing, but someone at ESPN made an affirmative decision to give Parker’s comments the “best of” seal of approval.
“They have created a culture of this,” another ESPN employee told Deitsch. “The fact that they didn’t remove it from the re-air proves their intent wasn’t to do anything.”
Eventually, ESPN faced criticism from enough quarters that they had to do something. But the bigger question is this: Why did ESPN hire Parker in the first place?
Parker’s entire approach to working in the media, dating to his pre-ESPN days as a Detroit News columnist, has always been to draw attention to himself by making provocative statements. When covering press conferences, Parker’s specialty is asking questions designed not to gather information, but to scream, “Look at me!” The most famous example came late in the 2008 NFL season, when Parker asked former Lions coach Rod Marinelli, whose son-in-law was the team’s defensive coordinator, “Do you wish your daughter would have married a better defensive coordinator?”
It was telling that Parker waited until Marinelli was about to be fired to frame his question in such a mean-spirited manner. The Lions went 0-16 that season, so it was certainly fair game to ask hard questions to Marinelli about how he assembled his coaching staff, but Parker isn’t the type to ask hard questions so much as he’s the type to ask rude questions. Parker knew Marinelli was down, so Parker decided to get one last kick in at Marinelli’s final post-game press conference.
That incident got Parker demoted by the Detroit News, and Parker resigned after he was demoted — apparently because he knew he had a plum job waiting for him at ESPN, which wanted someone who would favor provocation over civility. That’s what First Take does best. Or worst.
ESPN says it is reviewing Parker’s comments, but really, what is there to review? Parker believes there’s something wrong with a black man falling in love with a white woman. ESPN producers think Parker expressing that belief constitutes some of the best commentary that First Take has to offer. If ESPN wants to repent for airing those appalling views, and if ESPN wants to improve the discourse, there’s only one thing to do: Cancel First Take.A list purportedly naming dozens of Democrats throughout history who have shot and killed presidents, politicians, and civilians has been circulating online since at least 2012 along with the argument that it should be illegal for Democrats to own guns. Musician Ted Nugent posted one of the most popular iterations in September 2015:
In 1865 a Democrat shot and killed Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States.
In 1881 a left wing radical Democrat shot James Garfield, President of the United States – who later died from the wound.
In 1963 a radical left wing socialist shot and killed John F. Kennedy, President of the United States.
In 1975 a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at Gerald Ford, President of the United States.
In 1983 a registered Democrat shot and wounded Ronald Reagan, President of the United States.
In 1984 James Hubert, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 22 people in a McDonalds restaurant.
In 1986 Patrick Sherrill, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 15 people in an Oklahoma post office.
In 1990 James Pough, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 10 people at a GMAC office.
In 1991 George Hennard, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 23 people in a Luby’s cafeteria in Killeen, TX.
In 1995 James Daniel Simpson, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 5 coworkers in a Texas laboratory.
In 1999 Larry Asbrook, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 8 people at a church service.
In 2001 a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at the White House in a failed attempt to kill George W. Bush, President of the US …
In 2003 Douglas Williams, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 7 people at a Lockheed Martin plant.
In 2007 a registered Democrat named Seung – Hui Cho, shot and killed 32 people in Virginia Tech.
In 2010 a mentally ill registered Democrat named Jared Lee Loughner, shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed 6 others.
In 2011 a registered Democrat named James Holmes, went into a movie theater and shot and killed 12 people.
In 2012 Andrew Engeldinger, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 7 people in Minneapolis.
In 2013 a registered Democrat named Adam Lanza, shot and killed 26 people in a school in Newtown, CT.
As recently as Sept 2013, an angry Democrat shot 12 at a Navy ship yard. Clearly, there is a problem with Democrats and guns.
*Not one *NRA member, Tea Party member, or Republican conservative was involved in any of these shootings and murders.
*SOLUTION:* *It should be illegal for Democrats to own guns.*Best idea I’ve heard to date!
This list has evolved since it first started circulating in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. The earliest iteration of this list we could uncover only contained five items, but as it spread people added new names and dates and removed old ones that were either irrelevant or disproven.
The earliest versions of this list reveal two things: It has always been rife with errors (Lincoln’s alleged death-by-Democrat was originally listed in 1863, not 1865), and has always circulated with an anti-Democrat, pro-NRA message.
Here’s how an “Anonymous Coward” introduced this list on a “God Like Production” forum in January 2013:
Why is it that those who steal guns and kill movie goers and children in school are always Democrats and not conservatives or NRA members?
Another early version of this list ended — as Nugent’s did — with a “solution” to the gun problem in the United States:
SOLUTION: It should simply be illegal for Democrats to own guns.
Although the message of this meme hasn’t changed, this list has grown from five items in 2012, to 19 as of June 2017. Here is how it appeared on ThoughtCrime Resistance Facebook page:
Setting aside for a moment the accuracy (or lack thereof) of the items on the list, there’s a logical flaw in using this meme to reach the conclusion that Democrats shouldn’t own guns — or that National Rifle Association members, tea party members, or Republicans are less likely to be involved in assassination attempts or mass shootings.
This list is not comprehensive. It does not include all of the shootings that have occurred in the United States, nor the political affiliations of every shooter. It ignores shootings committed by Republicans, as well as those with no political party affiliation, and makes no attempt to show how political affiliation leads to violence. In other words, one could make a similar list naming nothing but Republican or politically unaffiliated shooters in order to make the opposing (and still flawed) argument that those groups should not own guns.
In addition to the logical problems of this meme, much of the information is also inaccurate.
We searched contemporary reports for each of the listed incidents in an attempt to uncover any mentions of political affiliations, motivations, or voting records. Many of these items can be traced back to poor reporting, articles that were later corrected, or fake news items. And although we encountered this meme (or a similar list) on a variety of web sites, none of these publications provided any documentation to back up these claims.
Verifying this information through online state voting registrations proved problematic as deceased individuals are removed from these databases. We reached out to state historical societies for additional documentation, but several of the states we contacted told us that voter registration records weren’t archived. Even if they were, however, one’s official party registration can often contradict one’s political beliefs.
Given the difficulty of finding the political affiliation of many of the individuals on this list, we are highly skeptical that this list is based on credible information.
Here’s a look at what we found:
In 1865, a Democrat shot and killed Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States.
MOSTLY FALSE
Shooter: John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth was a member of the Know-Nothing Party. However, some of his motivations for assassinating Lincoln (Booth was opposed to freeing the slaves) aligned with the Democratic Party at the time:
Those ideological differences include increasing the power of the federal government and emancipating the slaves, both things Booth was vehemently against. He was angered that the government instituted an income tax and the military draft, and that the government occasionally suspended habeas corpus, a legal protection against unlawful imprisonment. All these things, Alford says, agitated Booth. “But Booth brought to that agitation an extremism, the passion almost of a fanatic,” Alford says. “And it was very dangerous, as we find out.”
Although Booth’s motivations may have aligned with the Democratic party of 1865, they bear little resemblance to the party’s modern positions, which have changed dramatically over the past 152 years.
In 1881, a left wing radical Democrat shot James Garfield, President of the United States – who later died from the wound.
FALSE
Shooter: Charles J. Guiteau
Guiteau gave what The Atlantic calls an “incoherent speech to a small group of black voters in New York City” in support of presidential candidate James Garfield. Guiteau then claimed that the speech — which he had originally written in support of Ulysses S. Grant — was the reason for Garfield’s election victory. The new administration, from Guiteau’s perspective, owed him an ambassadorship. When he was denied his request, Guiteau set out for revenge:
After the election, Guiteau moved to Washington to collect his imagined prize. These were the days when any ordinary citizen could pay visits to officials. Guiteau roamed the halls of the State Department and White House, imploring anyone who would listen that he deserved a diplomatic post. […] He didn’t get the diplomatic job. On one visit to the State Department, Secretary of State James Blaine barked at Guiteau, “Never bother me again about the Paris consulship as long as you live.” The words stung, and set Guiteau off on a bizarre chain of logic, which would result in his demise. Blaine was a menace to the Republican Party. To get rid of Blaine, he reasoned, he had to kill the president. After all, it was Garfield’s fault that such a man served in the State Department. Guiteau heard these instructions from God himself. It wouldn’t be an assassination, but a divinely ordained “removal.” The plan was essentially motiveless, as the the death of the president wouldn’t stand to benefit Guiteau or any Republican. “In the president’s madness, he has wrecked the once Grand Old Republican Party; and for this, he dies,” Guiteau wrote in a letter of admission.
Guiteau was not a “left wing radical Democrat” — he was a supporter of the Republican Party.
In 1963, a radical left wing socialist shot and killed John F. Kennedy, President of the United States.
MOSTLY TRUE
Shooter: Lee Harvey Oswald
Oswald was a Marxist and supported Fidel Castro and Cuba.
In 1959, Oswald travelled to Moscow in hopes of becoming a Soviet citizen. “I want citizenship because I am a communist and a worker,” he wrote in his request for citizenship. “I have lived in a decadent capitalist society where the workers are slaves.”
However, Oswald’s inclusion on this list is odd in that there is no claim that he is a Democrat.
In 1975, a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at Gerald Ford, President of the United States.
UNPROVEN
Shooters: Lynette Fromme and Sara Jane Moore
Two women in one month attempted to shoot Gerald Ford in 1975: Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a member of the Manson family, and Sara Jane Moore, a member of radical leftist circles in California and an FBI informant. Both women appear to have had mental health issues. For her part, Fromme appears to have been trying to impress Charles Manson. Moore may have been caught between her loyalty to the FBI and to the leftist groups she was a part of, according to Atlas Oscura:
One interpretation of Moore’s assassination attempt is that she had made a choice between the two sides—she had decided to throw her lot in with the leftists and wanted to demonstrate her allegiance. In the days before she shot at Ford, Moore called up the San Francisco Police Department and told the officers there she was considering a “test” of the president’s security system. They took away her gun; she bought another one, and with that gun in her car, sped through downtown in the hopes, she later said, of being apprehended. While she stood waiting to fire her shot, she was thinking about whether she’d be on time to pick up her son.
Moore fired a shot, which a bystander deflected by grabbing her arm. Fromme was apprehended before she fired a shot. Although both women could rightly be described as radicals, we found no evidence to show that they were Democrats. It appears that Moore and Fromme earned their place on this list thanks to a March 2010 article published by the web site Red State which compiled a list in an attempt to show that “LEFTIST ARE THE HATERS AND ASSASSINS.”
In 1983, a registered Democrat shot and wounded Ronald Reagan, President of the United States.
UNPROVEN
Shooter: John Hinckley Jr.
Another claim that seems to be supported only by speculation. John Hinckley Jr.’s assassination attempt in 1981 (not 1983 as suggested by this meme) was motivated not by politics, but by his desire to woo actress Jodie Foster. In fact, officials believe that before he shot Reagan, Hinckley stalked Jimmy Carter towards the end of his presidency.
Regardless, we contacted the History Colorado (Hinckley’s last place of residence was in the state), who told us:
We wouldn’t have voting records in our collection at all. If their affiliation happened to be mentioned in a newspaper article, we might have that, but as the relevant years for Hinckley aren’t digitized (nor do we have digital access for current Denver Post content), it would be extremely difficult to find.
We also contacted the Colorado State Archives, but they didn’t have a record of Hinckley’s purported political affiliation either.
In 1984, James Hubert, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 22 people in a McDonalds restaurant.
UNPROVEN
Shooter: James Huberty (not James Hubert)
Again, we found no record that Huberty was a Democrat, either in terms of his official voter registration or his political leanings. The book Dying on the Job: Murder and Mayhem in the American Workplace describes Huberty as a survivalist who was paranoid about government overreach:
As a self-proclaimed survivalist, Jmes Huberty saw signs of trouble in America, which was on the brink of ruin, in his view, because of government meddling and overregulation that ruined businesses, including his own. He also believed that the country was headed for disaster because a cabal of international bankers purposefully manipulated the federal reserve system, which bankrupted the nation. To prepare for the inevitable apocalyptic collapse, he also collected a half-dozen guns, including those he brought with him to the McDonald’s restaurant that afternoon.
Huberty attempted to contact a mental health facility the day before he killed 22 people in a McDonald’s.
In 1986, Patrick Sherrill, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 15 people in an Oklahoma post office.
UNPROVEN
Reports about the 1986 shooting which left 15 people dead and led to the popularity of the phrase “going postal,” paint Sherrill as a “loner” whose eccentric behavior earned him the nickname “Crazy Pat.” He was a marine and a member of the National Guard.
The meme itself offers no proof of Sherrill’s supposed political affiliation. His shooting spree, which came shortly after he was reprimanded by superiors, had little to do with politics, according to TIME:
Patrick Henry Sherrill was a mediocre postman. After 16 months as a part-time letter carrier for the post office in Edmond, Okla. (pop. 47,000), Sherrill was still receiving complaints from his managers about misdirected mail and tardy performance. Last week, after two supervisors reprimanded him, Sherrill told a local steward for the American Postal Workers Union that he was being mistreated. “I gotta get out of here,” he said. Instead, the angry mailman returned the next morning with a vengeance. At about 7 a.m. he strode into the post office in his blue uniform, toting three pistols and ammunition in a mailbag slung over his shoulder. Without a word, he gunned down Richard Esser, one of the supervisors who had criticized him, and fellow Postman Mike Rockne, grandson of the famous Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne.
Still, we contacted the Oklahoma Historical Society to see if they had any record of Sherrill’s voter registration. Director of Special Projects and Development Larry O’Dell for told us, “We wouldn’t have voter records for that time period.”
In 1990, James Pough, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 10 people at a GMAC office.
UNPROVEN
James Pough went into the office of the General Motors Acceptance Corporation, the car company’s financing arm, in Jacksonville, Florida, fatally shot 9 people and killed himself. We found no record of James Pough being registered with any political party. Although a motivation for Pough’s shooting spree is still unclear, reports at the time mentioned that his car had been repossessed.
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Fourth and so far last option is just to mount the config directory to the host and lot your configuration management system of choice (I use SaltStack) handle config files. That works well for all framework but creates overhead for the config management system: it now needs to know what specific containers are running to deploy the config and also restart the container to pick up the new config.
Updates
You want to update your containers one by one to a new version of the docker images to avoid downtime. Again, the configuration system with built-in Docker support (again SaltStack) can handle that for you by running different docker host servers on different update schedules or roll out to half the servers manually. That can be quite cumbersome, and that’s where Docker clustering solutions like Mesos, Kubernetes or Swarm come in. In Mesos using the Marathon deployer, you can schedule a rolling update of your container with a minimal safe capacity of containers to keep running during an upgrade. That works very well in practice so far not a single hiccup during upgrades in over a year of running on Mesos. How one runs Docker on those clustering solutions in practice would be a bit much for his article so I will explain this in a follow-up.
In summary — thanks to increased Docker support in and with logging, monitoring and configuration management systems — running Docker in production is not particularly hard as long as the limitations of containers are taken into account.The legally ambiguous status of ‘Financial Fair Play’
Stephen Weatherill, University of Oxford
The question whether UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules (‘FFP’) are compatible with EU law is of interest on its own terms. But not just that: it also falls within a wider inquiry into the extent to which the autonomy of governance in sport should be respected by EU law. This inquiry has become more sharply focused since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, since for the first time it has provided us with guidance in the Treaty as to the nature of EU law’s relationship with (and respect for) sports governance. My basic argument presented here is that FFP is legally fragile – it is certainly vulnerable to attack under EU law. But it is not automatically unlawful – there is room under EU law to defend it. Much will depend on the extent to which the institutions of the EU – the Commission and ultimately the Court of Justice – are prepared to show deference in their interpretation and application of EU law to the claims of sporting autonomy.
FFP: Effects and objects
Under FFP clubs are expected to ‘break even’ – according to a complicated set of criteria, the evasion of which will certainly keep lawyers and accountants in clover for some time to come. So, for example, Annex X seeks to exercise control over transactions above or below ‘fair value’ – but there are obvious objections to such quantification.
But why? What are the objectives of FFP? Article 2(2) FFP states that the Regulations aim to achieve financial fair play in UEFA club competitions and in particular: a) to improve the economic and financial capability of the clubs, increasing their transparency and credibility; b) to place the necessary importance on the protection of creditors and to ensure that clubs settle their liabilities with players, social/tax authorities and other clubs punctually; c) to introduce more discipline and rationality in club football finances; d) to encourage clubs to operate on the basis of their own revenues; e) to encourage responsible spending for the long-term benefit of football; f) to protect the long-term viability and sustainability of European club football.
FFP seems to me to be a horizontal agreement between suppliers (of sports services: clubs) which includes commitments to restrain spending (inter alia on players’ wages). It is also strengthened by vertical restraints (licensing requirements) enforced by UEFA, the governing body. It is a restriction on competition (to acquire players’ services) which has the effect (inter alia) of depressing the levels of remuneration payable to players. That is the province of Article 101 TFEU, which is the EU’s principal Treaty provision designed to control restrictive practices and anti-competitive arrangements.
I am here looking at the effects of FFP, not its objectives. But – rather to my surprise, given the usual agility of sports bodies in presenting their arrangements in the most (improbably) high-minded guise – UEFA’s own website (though not the FFP Regulations themselves) identify as one of the principal objectives to decrease pressure on salaries and transfer fees and limit inflationary effect (http://www.uefa.com/uefa/footballfirst/protectingthegame/financialfairplay/index.html, last accessed 12 May 2013). This seems to be a rather frank admission of anti-competitive intent.
FFP: within the scope of EU law but not necessarily condemned by it
So FFP falls within the scope of Article 101 TFEU. But there is in principle room for finding that it does not violate Article 101 TFEU.
In Case C-67/96 Albany International the Court was asked to consider the application of (what is now) Article 101 TFEU to collective agreements between organisations representing employers and workers. Had the Court opened up such agreements to the full blast of EU competition law, it would have unleashed a troubling dynamic in labour market regulation. But it did not. Instead the Court accepted that restrictions of competition are inherent in such collective agreements, but added that the social policy objectives pursued by such agreements would be seriously undermined if management and labour were subject to Article 101 TFEU when seeking jointly to adopt measures to improve conditions of work and employment. It therefore decided to place such agreements beyond the reach of Article 101 TFEU. So EU competition law is interpreted with contextual nuance. But both key elements – collective action and improvement of conditions of work – are missing from FFP. So the ‘Albany exception’ cannot help UEFA.
Nevertheless, the receptivity of EU competition law to contextual nuance is of broader application. EU competition law accepts that effects that are restrictive of competition may not lead to condemnation pursuant to Article 101 where those effects are inherent in the pursuit of recognised/ justified objectives. The landmark ruling is Case C-309/99 J.C.J. Wouters, J.W. Savelbergh, Price Waterhouse Belastingadviseurs BV v Algemene Raad van de Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten. This has nothing at all to do with sport. Wouters concerned rules prohibiting multi-disciplinary partnerships between members of the Bar and accountants. But, crucially, the Court ruled that not every agreement which restricts the freedom of action of the parties is necessarily condemned by the prohibition laid down in Article 101, because account must be taken of its objectives. And in Wouters the Court allowed assessment of the claimed need to supervise professional ethics and ensure the sound administration of justice in the light of the consequential effects restrictive of competition. This is a rough-edged ‘exception’ and one that has some competition lawyers fearful that the orthodoxy of their craft is thereby opened up to – even subordinated to – wider social/cultural policies that they believe should be excluded from competition law and shaped instead through other routes and instruments. Be that as it may, the ‘Wouters principle’ is now well established in EU competition law, and in the particular case of sport it invites an argument that the overall context in which sports regulation occurs, built around pursuit of a broad objective of fair competition, produces effects which though apparently restrictive of competition are nonetheless inherent in the pursuit of those objectives and therefore permitted. And the Wouters approach has been applied to sporting practices. In Case C-519/04P Meca-Medina & Majcen v Commission the Court took the view that anti-doping rules be so considered, citing Wouters (at para 42). They were not immune from review in the light of EU competition law – but a contextual assessment found that their general objective was to combat doping in order for competitive sport to be conducted fairly and safely and ethically, and sanctions that affected athletes’ freedom of action had to be considered in principle inherent in the anti-doping rules as means of enforcement.
So what was at stake was a restriction of competition but not one incompatible with EU law, because justified by a legitimate objective, inherent in the organisation and proper conduct of competitive sport. This would not apply only if (as was not shown) the rules went beyond what is necessary to ensure the proper conduct of competitive sport (e.g. by imposing excessively severe penalties).
What is at stake here is the intellectual and strategic heart of ‘EU sports law’: the assessment of the strength of claims advanced by governing bodies that ‘sport is special’ to the extent that it deserves an interpretation of legal rules that is different from that applied to ‘normal’ industries. There is no general exclusion of EU law – and in my view, given the vast economic significance of modern professional sport, any such claim advanced by sporting bodies is strategically understandable but intellectually feeble. Instead EU law proceeds on the basis of an interpretation that is respectful of ‘sporting autonomy’, under a case-by-case examination. Sometimes the Court and/or the Commission is persuaded that sport is special and that therefore practices may be pursued which would be unlawful in non-sporting contexts (eg Case 36/74 Walrave and Koch v Union Cycliste Internationale [1974] ECR 1405; COMP 37.806 ENIC/ UEFA, IP/02/942, 27 June 2002). Sometimes not (Case C-103/88 Fratelli Costanzo v Commune di Milano [1989] ECR 1839; Decision 2000/12 1998 Football World Cup OJ 2000 L5/55). Sometimes it is persuaded in principle that sport is special but not when it reviews the detailed arrangements (Case C-415/93 Bosman [1995] ECR I-4921: yes to a transfer system, no to this transfer system).
So can FFP be ‘saved’ through this route?
FFP is not a rule that is necessary for the conduct of sporting activity or of itself an inherent ingredient of sport. That would be to go too far. However, Wouters and Meca-Medina teach us that the argument that UEFA should advance is that FFP’s effects are restrictive of competition (as they surely are), but that these are inherent in the pursuit of legitimate objectives – not just to decrease pressure on salaries and transfer fees and limit inflationary effect (as UEFA’s website rather artlessly confesses) but also (as Article 2(2) FFP claims) to improve the economic and financial capability of the clubs, to introduce more discipline and rationality in club football finances, to encourage clubs to operate on the basis of their own revenues, to encourage responsible spending for the long-term benefit of football, etc.
There is at least soft evidence that the European Commission is receptive to such an argument. In answer to a Parliamentary Question in August 2010 (E-4628/10) M. Barnier declared that ‘The Commission would also like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to self-regulatory measures taken by the football sector to reduce the overall level of debt of clubs. On 27 May 2010, UEFA’s Executive Committee approved the Financial Fair Play Regulations with the aim of ensuring the long-term financial stability of European football clubs. The Commission considers that the rationale of UEFA’s plan seems to be in accordance with one of the objectives of the EU’s action in the field of sport, namely with the promotion of fairness in sporting competitions (Article 165 TFEU). The Commission also notes that any measure taken in this framework has to respect the EU’s Internal Market and competition rules’.
This, though doubtless welcome to UEFA, is not legally decisive. Only the Court can ultimately provide an authoritative interpretation of EU law. It is, however, interesting to see the Lisbon Treaty’s embrace of sport as an EU competence used to frame the explanation supplied by M. Barnier. Since 2009 relevant documentation on EU sports policy has tended to draw on the Lisbon Treaty (as well as the Commission’s 2007 White Paper and its 2011 Communication). The problem here is that it is, however, vacuous. In what sense is ‘fairness’ really at stake? Presumably this is an allusion to FFP’s suggested aim to rein in clubs that are dependent on ‘sugar daddies’ – to instead protect competition based on the break-even requirement. One might question whose ‘fairness’ is being protected here – it seems to be that of the clubs with access to most resources through their football activities at the expense of those seeking new routes, and it enshrines the advantages of those clubs that have climbed the ladder thanks to sugar daddies in the past while refusing access to the ladder to new entrants. Put another way, FFP does not contribute to competitive balance (and, to be clear, it does not claim to) – it may even turn out to be a mechanism that stabilises competitive imbalance.
Perhaps the best argument in favour of FFP is that it is a response to the over-indebtedness of clubs. In a ‘normal’ industry this would be disciplined by bankruptcy. In football we cannot simply send famous clubs into oblivion. Sport is special – and this, arguably, justifies stronger ex ante controls over financial irresponsibility than would be tolerated in ‘normal’ industries. Perhaps there is enough here to allow UEFA and the clubs to argue that FFP’s effects restrictive of competition (in the market for players) are inherent in the pursuit of legitimate objectives associated with the long-term stabilisation of an overspending industry. It is the self-serving argument that is normally anathema to competition lawyers – but maybe sport is ‘special’. There are, however, several objections. Is FFP really apt to achieve this end? And aren’t there less restrictive means to achieve it, such as allowing ‘new’ clubs to take the place of but share the name and fanbase of bankrupt clubs, subject to penalties such as points deduction and/or relegation?
Whether any party has a sufficient incentive to challenge FFP raises another set of questions again, of course. The Commission is the most appropriate actor – but the clubs and UEFA have shrewdly stayed close to the Commission in the negotiation of FFP. Private challenge is always possible despite informal Commission approval, as Bosman (the case) reminds us, even if the eventual outcome may not be happy, as Bosman (the man) reminds us.
How wide is (should be) the sporting ‘margin of appreciation’?
I don’t really believe on balance that FFP is compatible with Article 101 TFEU. I think it is at heart a horizontal cost-cutting agreement between competitors (in the market for players) and its main purpose is to increase profits for owners. But I do suspect that it is not so outrageous that, if tested, it might survive scrutiny in the light of Article 101 TFEU on the basis that a degree of autonomy should be allowed to sports bodies framing their own peculiar governance arrangements.
If I were asked to advise UEFA – which is hardly likely – I would structure a defence of FFP in the following terms:
EU competition law – Wouters – accepts that effects that are restrictive of competition may not lead to condemnation pursuant to Article 101 where those effects are inherent in the pursuit of recognised/ justified objectives. FFP is designed to introduce more discipline and rationality in club football finances, and in particular to stop clubs spending money they do not have, for the long-term benefit of football. The more concrete the evidence on current financial irrationality and the consequent risk to the integrity of the competition, the better.
Could these objectives be achieved by other methods that are less restrictive of competition? One could envisage other routes to the same destination, but (UEFA should argue) it is not at all demonstrable that they would be as effective as FFP, or effective at all. Sport should be allowed room to make these difficult choices.
This is the core of UEFA’s best approach to achieving autonomy – not by denying the application of EU law in principle, but by urging that its interpretation and application be sensitive to sport’s special characteristics and to the expertise of sports governing bodies in addressing them. This is a question of legal competence – until the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty nothing in the EU Treaties provided guidance on how sport should be dealt with under EU law (most obviously, free movement and competition law) and even after Lisbon, since 2009, there is no systematic reconciliation of competing interests to be found. It is also a question of basic institutional expertise – what do the officials of the Commission and judges of the Court know of football? So it is right that a high degree of deference be shown to the choices made by governing bodies. Put another way, EU law is readily applicable but finding that it has been violated should be a conclusion reached (by the Court or Commission) only in extreme cases.
In fact, UEFA should be glad that this is largely an accurate description of the case law, as well as a normative claim in favour of restraint by the Court and Commission. Meca-Medina was greeted with outrage by sports governing bodies – but it fits exactly this permissive model, because anti-doping was not treated as anti-competitive and would violate EU law only in extreme circumstances. Bosman did not at all outlaw the transfer system, only the extreme version then in force. A violation of EU law was found in Case C-49/07 v Motosykletistiki Omospondia Ellados NPID (MOTOE) v Elliniko Dimosio but surely, given the conflict of interest between regulatory function and commercial motivation in that case, that was no surprise. UEFA should also argue that the embrace of the ‘specific nature of sport’ by the Lisbon Treaty (now found in Article 165 TFEU) strengthens the respect that should be accorded to sporting practices under EU law (I do not believe this – I think Article 165 simply reflects existing judicial practice – but for UEFA it is an argument worth making).
The best bet for defending FFP lies in acceptance that EU law applies but that it is an attempt to make arrangements that are required in sport to achieve financial stability ex ante where ex post control – bankruptcy of offending clubs – is unacceptable/unworkable. And that argument needs to be supported by the claim that sporting bodies should be allowed space to make these difficult choices.HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore have asked banks doing business there to disclose if they have dealings with entities and individuals named in the leaked ‘Panama Papers’, which contained details on thousands of shell firms, people familiar with the requests said.
Mossack Fonseca law firm sign is pictured in Panama City, April 4, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso/Files
The leaked documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, which contained information on 214,000 offshore companies, revealed that Hong Kong was the most active center in the world for the creation of shell firms, which have many legitimate purposes but can also be used to hide assets and avoid taxes.
According to two sources familiar with the situation, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) sent letters to the banks in April. The two central banks did not set a firm deadline for a reply, the sources said.
One source, who had seen the letter sent to Hong Kong banks, said the request asked about their dealings with a list of between 16 and 18 names.
The sources did not disclose which banks were written to nor the names on the lists.
Bankers operating in Hong Kong have told Reuters that the Panama Papers have triggered a massive compliance exercise there, with banks carefully combing through their accounts to ensure there are no problems.
HKMA said in a statement that it regularly collects information from banks on various issues or risks relating to anti-money laundering or counter-financing of terrorism, but it could not discuss details of its dealings.
Singapore’s tax authority is checking on local taxpayers identified in the leaked ‘Panama Papers’ for any non-compliance with local tax laws, the ministry of finance and MAS said in a statement late on Wednesday.
“Banks and company service providers (CSPs) have been asked to ascertain that their customers are using offshore vehicles strictly for legitimate purposes. If there are any grounds for suspicion, they are required to file suspicious transaction reports and step up monitoring of these transactions or arrangements.”
The statement said the MAS and Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority are also conducting checks to ensure that the intermediaries under their supervision have acted in compliance with their anti-money laundering obligations.
Reuters contacted several large banks operating under MAS and HKMA jurisdiction, but they declined to comment when asked if they had received letters.
According to the two sources, HKMA and MAS were trying to ascertain whether banks operating in their jurisdictions carried out due diligence and checked the source of funding when dealing with clients named in the Panama Papers, they said.
One source said some banks in Singapore had already responded to the MAS request.
The leak has put tax avoidance at the top of the global agenda by showing the extent to which tax havens have been used by politicians and business people around the world.
Besides Hong Kong, Singapore and China were among the busiest office for Mossack Fonseca, which worked with more than 2,200 banks, law firms, corporate secretaries and other middlemen in the territory.
A portion of the leaked data released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists showed 51,295 offshore entities and 25,982 individuals linked to Hong Kong, and 4,188 entities and 33,290 individuals linked to China.
Some of the individuals in China routed their money through Hong Kong.
Mossack Fonseca’s list of clients includes senior political figures such as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s brother-in-law. Appearing on the list is not evidence of any wrongdoing. None has made any comment.
The requests by HKMA and MAS follow a series of measures taken by regulators in different parts of the world to crack down on irregularities by financial firms and undisclosed offshore wealth.
New York state’s financial regulator last month told 13 foreign banks doing business there to hand over details about their dealings with a law firm in Panama that helped set up thousands of shell companies.
Many global private banks have put Asia at the center of their growth strategy, hiring thousands of people and tapping new customer segments in a region expected soon to boast more billionaires than the United States.
Hong Kong and Singapore are two of the biggest centers for offshore wealth management in the region, which with 4.7 million individuals owning $1 million or more in liquid assets is the largest and fastest growing wealth region.
In a sign of regulatory crackdown against breaches of anti-money laundering rules, Singapore last week moved to shut Swiss bank BSI’s operations there over its dealings with scandal-hit Malaysian fund 1MDB.Share. How the guitar-teaching game’s sophomore release is set to right the wrongs of its 2011 debut. How the guitar-teaching game’s sophomore release is set to right the wrongs of its 2011 debut.
What does Criterion Games’ speed-soaked Burnout franchise and Ubisoft’s riff-rocking Rocksmith series have in common? Well, both involve speeding down a highway (or note highway); are built around a series of increasingly difficult tracks; and involve getting some potential scratches on your Fender (er, or Gibson). More importantly (and seriously), both franchises have been shaped in part by the hands of developer Paul Cross. Cross cut his teeth at Criterion Games, and currently sits in the role of creative director on the Rocksmith franchise at Ubisoft’s San Francisco studio. Throughout his impressive career in games development, Cross has thrived on the creative freedom and nimbleness that comes with working within smaller development teams.
“Lately the media has been all doom and gloom over Criterion being reduced to just sixteen people,” says Cross about his former employer. “Lucky them! It’s a complete misnomer to think that’s happened as result of some sort of punishment. Quite the opposite. That’s what Criterion are about – they’re about being small, innovative and bringing something special. When you bloat and get bigger and bigger, innovation becomes harder to do.”
“I like to think that Ubisoft San Francisco is like a small Criterion… Well, more like a large Criterion. We’ve got 27 people now,” he adds with a laugh.
Exit Theatre Mode
While the original Rocksmith was well-received critically and enjoyed worldwide sales of over 1.4 million, there’s no doubt that there were some concessions made in getting the game out the door – certainly as far as presentation was concerned, and likely as a result of the developer’s ambitions outstripping the size of the team. While Cross and his team focussed on getting the actual note-recognition and core gameplay mechanics in place, the game menus and loading times suffered from a noticeable lack of fine-tuning. As a result, the original Rocksmith felt confusing and sluggish to navigate, and the frequent loads made it tiresome for some players to keep their fingers on the fretboard.
Of course, the success of the first game has afforded the team at Ubisoft San Francisco additional time and resource to invest into its follow up, and the results are apparent as soon as you plug your guitar or bass into Rocksmith 2014. Aside from the initial boot up, there are no noticeable load times in the game and the menus are structured far more intuitively, making non-stop rocking a reality. It’s basically the best thing to happen to rock music since Jack Black hilariously invented inward singing on Tenacious D’s debut album.
“It’s much easier when you’re successful. I mean, life is in general, right?” laughs Cross. “Rocksmith 2014 takes away the pain – not the physical pain, I’m afraid – but the grind, which is the main obstacle in the process of learning to play guitar.”
In a recent hands-on with a near-final build of the game, I certainly found it easy to navigate through tracklists and jump in and out of the different modes of the game – from the career mode to session mode to the Guitarcade mini-games and so on. Also glaringly apparent was the dramatic reduction in audio latency while playing a song - granted I was playing through Ubisoft's AV setup, but latency is something that Cross assures me has been hard-tuned for Rocksmith 2014. The result is that the delay between you plucking a string and the sound reverberating out of the speakers is imperceptible, much like a real guitar amplifier.
Exit Theatre Mode
Far more tweakable difficulty sliders means it's easier for players of all skills to jump in and find the right amount of challenge from the get go (experienced players, including myself, found it a chore to slog through the novice-centric beginning of the previous game). No matter which level of aptitude you're at - whether you're first learning basic barre chords or you've just mastered two-handed tapping - the game adds dynamic signposts to the menus as you go along (or “breadcrumbs” as Cross refers to them as) to steer you towards certain technique lessons or other areas of practices it thinks you need to focus on. It definitely feels like a more guided way to learn the guitar, although Cross is quick to stress that it’s not the be all and end all for guitar tutelage.
“Rocksmith isn’t supposed to kill the guitar teacher. What it’s supposed to be is the ultimate practice tool,” explains Cross. “If you just want to learn guitar via Rocksmith, you can – I’ve still never had an actual lesson myself. You think Rocksmith seems like cheap guitar lessons? I get paid to play it!”
“But if you’ve got a teacher who’s open-minded and can actually see the benefits, then you can have the best of both worlds: a real person to observe your technique and make subtle suggestions, and then an incredibly interesting and entertaining way to practice in the week between lessons. Practicing the mixolydian scale is a heck of a lot more compelling if each note you play swerves a car in and out of traffic [in the Guitarcade mini-games].”
The success of the original game also proved invaluable when it came to licensing the actual track list for Rocksmith 2014. The first time around, music publishers and artists were wary of video games after the decline of Guitar Hero and Rock Band (Cross confirms that a lot of meetings were met with reactions like “Oh, another music game? Who gives a shit?”). While there were still a lot of heavy hitters on the original game’s soundtrack (and subsequent DLC), Rocksmith 2014’s tracklist feels more like it’s been cultivated without as many compromises, with big name hits from the likes of Radiohead, Iron Maiden and Muse included on-disc. Additionally, new player tracking technology built into the backend of the game will allow Cross and his team to better get to know the Rocksmith audience, and tailor the experience to their needs.
“For Rocksmith 2014 we can track how players interact with the game [provided they’re connected to the internet],” explains Cross. “Statistical tracking is a big deal for us, so we can better understand where people are failing, which songs are their favourite, how far they’re getting with each song and so on. These core elements are going to help inform our DLC decisions, and any future patches that may be required for the game.”
“So we’ll be able to know, this is the song that everybody plays – let’s do more DLC from that artist, for example. We should be able to know by territory as well, since musical taste and culture is so different around the globe."
Exit Theatre Mode
Not every feature that Cross and his team brainstormed for Rocksmith 2014 has made the cut. For example, Kinect support is included for the Xbox 360 version of the game, but it’s strictly for the voice-activated menus. The developers toyed with using the Kinect camera to recognise and reward classic guitar posturing - such as Pete Townshend’s signature windmill move - but were limited not by time or budget constraints but by the technology itself. The simple fact is that Kinect, in its current gen form, is unable to distinguish between the player’s arms and the neck of their guitar, and thus the idea was quickly scrapped.
Yet ultimately the team at Ubisoft San Francisco appears to have been very smart in choosing their battles. It’s apparent from my time with the game and chat with Paul Cross, that there’s a great deal of thought behind what is and isn’t the focus of Rocksmith 2014’s development. The team's commitment and singular focus towards the creation of its game appears to be analogous with the product itself; unlike the vast majority of video games released each year, Rocksmith is one of the few that will actually reward the player with a tangible real life skill if they’re willing to invest the time.
“Sometimes I need to remind the team that what we’re doing is special,” says Cross. “It’s not just shooting virtual people in the face. Not that there’s anything wrong with that... [but] Rocksmith is longer lasting and more profound in a way. And we’re damn proud of that.”
Keep an eye out for the Rocksmith 2014 review in the coming weeks on IGN.com.Happy New Year, Nouvettes! I hope your holidays were wonderful! I've been nursing a sick boyfriend, mom, dad and brother (all of them had the flu) so I haven't been around much, but for my first post of 2014, I'm thrilled to be able to share this deal with you:and running through 1/13, you can get ANY three Zoya nail polishes for FREE. All you have to pay is $12 in shipping. As you know, Zoya nail polishes retail for $9 - $10 each, so this is one of the best deals they run (and I believe they only run it once a year). Click here to read the fine print.You've got plenty of time to google swatches and narrow down your choices, so let the order-plotting begin!Chair’s note – Today’s education system – top to bottom – is almost universally dominated by progressive-liberal-socialists advocating their political preferences or passive administrators serving as enablers. The end game is an exchange of the crucial importance of teaching the liberal arts for the dark mission of teaching students to be liberals. Locally, A-B Tech and UNC-A are not an exception. A small growing group informally calling themselves the Buncombe Millennial Republicans has begun the process of addressing that wrong. Today, members of the group who are A-B Tech students began posting a “Quietly Conservative” note on the bulletin boards and numerous doors being used by a host of professors as billboards for their liberal agenda. Check out the example at the bottom of the picture below-
Thanks is due to these young men and women who are willing to softly begin making a hard point – “You guys are corrupting our education system – and we’re going to challenge you.”
Look for a similar undertaking by the campus Republicans at UNC-A when their semester begins in the fall.
If you’re an A-B Tech student who’d like some “Quietly Conservative” printouts of your own, let us know. We’ll be happy to get you confidentially in touch with some local young Republican conservatives with a courage button.
In the mean time we encourage A-B Tech’s administrators to hit the library and lookup the old “Where’s Waldo?” children’s book series. You’ll find clues on how to find conservative students surviving in your unchecked culture of liberalism.
Conserve [v. kuh n-surv] To use or manage wisely; preserve; saveThink life is not as good as it used to be, at least in terms of your wallet? You'd be right about that. The standard of living for Americans has fallen longer and more steeply over the past three years than at any time since the US government began recording it five decades ago.
Bottom line: The average individual now has $1,315 less in disposable income than he or she did three years ago at the onset of the Great Recession – even though the recession ended, technically speaking, in mid-2009. That means less money to spend at the spa or the movies, less for vacations, new carpeting for the house, or dinner at a restaurant.
In short, it means a less vibrant economy, with more Americans spending primarily on necessities. The diminished standard of living, moreover, is squeezing the middle class, whose restlessness and discontent are evident in grass-roots movements such as the tea party and "Occupy Wall Street" and who may take out their frustrations on incumbent politicians in next year's election.
What has led to the most dramatic drop in the US standard of living since at least 1960? One factor is stagnant incomes: Real median income is down 9.8 percent since the start of the recession through this June, according to Sentier Research in Annapolis, Md., citing census bureau data. Another is falling net worth – think about the value of your home and, if you have one, your retirement portfolio. A third is rising consumer prices, with inflation eroding people's buying power by 3.25 percent since mid-2008.
"In a dynamic economy, one would expect Americans' disposable income to be growing, but it has flattened out at a low level," says economist Bob Brusca of Fact & Opinion Economics in New York.
To be sure, the recession has hit unevenly, with lower-skilled and less-educated Americans feeling the pinch the most, says Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com based in West Chester, Pa. Many found their jobs gone for good as companies moved production offshore or bought equipment that replaced manpower.
"The pace of change has been incredibly rapid and incredibly tough on the less educated," says Mr. Zandi, who calls this period the most difficult for American households since the 1930s. "If you don't have the education and you don't have the right skills, then you are getting creamed."
Per capita disposal personal income – a key indicator of the standard of living – peaked in the spring of 2008, at $33,794 (measured as after-tax income). As of the second quarter of 2011, it was $32,479 – almost a 4 percent drop. If per capita disposable income had continued to grow at its normal pace, it would have been more than $34,000 a year by now.
The so-called misery index, another measure of economic well-being of American households, echoes the finding on the slipping standard of living. The index, a combination of the unemployment rate and inflation, is now at its highest point since 1983, when the US economy was recovering from a short recession and from the energy price spikes after the Iranian revolution.
In Royal Oak, Mich., Adam Kowal knows exactly how the squeeze feels. After losing a warehouse job in Lansing, he, his wife, and their two children have had little recourse but to move in with his mother. Now working at a school cafeteria, Mr. Kowal earns 28 percent less than at his last job.
He and his wife now eat out once a month instead of once a week, do no socializing, and eat less expensive foods, such as ground chuck instead of ground sirloin. "My mom was hoping her kids would lead a better life than her, but so far that has not happened," says Kowal.
With disposable incomes falling, perhaps it's not surprising that 64 percent of Americans worry that they won't be able to pay their families' expenses at least some of the time, according to a survey completed in mid-September by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. Among those, one-third say their financial problems are chronic.
"What we see is that very few are escaping the crunch," says Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Income loss is hitting the middle class hard, especially in communities where manufacturing facilities have closed. When those jobs are gone, many workers have ended up in service-sector jobs that pay less.
"Maybe it's the evolution of the economy, but it appears large segments of the workforce have moved permanently into lower-paying positions," says Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pa. "The economy can't grow at 4 percent per year when the middle class becomes the lower middle class."
He would get no argument from Jeff Beatty of Richmond, Ky., who worked in the IT and telecommunications businesses for most of his career – until he hit a rough patch. He and his wife are living on his unemployment insurance benefits (which will run out in months), his early Social Security payments, and her disability payments from the Social Security Administration. Their total income comes to $30,000 a year.
"Our standard of living has probably declined threefold," he says.
Mr. Beatty, who used to make a comfortable income, now anticipates applying for food stamps. He and his wife have sold much of their furniture, which they no longer need because they have moved into a one-bedroom apartment owned by his sister-in-law.
Even people with college degrees are feeling the squeeze. On a fall day, Hunter College graduate and Brooklyn resident Paul Battis came to lower Manhattan to check out the Occupy Wall Street protest. He tells one of the protesters that America's problem is the various free-trade pacts it has approved.
Mr. Battis |
ting job. There were 62,320 in all, an average of 296 a week, nearly 1,300 a month, according to numbers Clinton later reported to the State Department. About half of them were work-related.
Her most frequent correspondent was Mills, her chief of staff, who sent thousands of notes. Next came Abedin, the deputy chief of staff, and Jacob Sullivan, also a deputy chief of staff, according to a tally by The Post.
Clinton used hdr22@clintonemail.com as her address, making it immediately apparent that the emails were not coming from or going to a government address.
Most of her emails were routine, including those sent to friends. Some involved the coordination of efforts to bring aid to Haiti by the State Department and her husband’s New York-based Clinton Foundation — notes that mixed government and family business, the emails show.
Others involved classified matters. State Department and Intelligence Community officials have determined that 2,093 email chains contained classified information. Most of the classified emails have been labeled as “confidential,” the lowest level of classification. Clinton herself authored 104 emails that contained classified material, a Post analysis later found.
Before the server received a digital certificate marking the use of standard encryption, Clinton and her aides exchanged notes touching on North Korea, Mexico, Afghanistan, military advisers, CIA operations and a briefing for Obama.
Clinton adviser Philippe Reines wrote a note to her about Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. Reines started his note by reminding Clinton that Reines’s “close friend Jeremy Bash is now [CIA Director Leon E.] Panetta’s Chief of Staff.” The rest of the note was redacted before release, under grounds that it was national-security-sensitive.
On Sunday, March 29, 2009, just hours before standard encryption on the server began, Sullivan emailed Clinton a draft of a confidential report she was to make to Obama. “Attached is a draft of your Mexico trip report to POTUS,” Sullivan wrote.
In the high-pressure world of diplomacy, the sharing of such material had been a discreet but common practice for many years. Officials who manage problems around the clock require a never-ending flow of incisive information to make timely decisions.
Not all classified material is equally sensitive. Much of it involves discussions about foreign countries or leaders, not intelligence sources and methods. Working with classified materials can be cumbersome and, in the case of low-level classification, annoying.
On Feb. 10, 2010, in an exchange with Sullivan, Clinton vented her frustration one day when she wanted to read a statement regarding José Miguel Insulza, then secretary general of the Organization of American States. Sullivan wrote that he could not send it to her immediately because the department had put it on the classified network.
“It’s a public statement! Just email it,” Clinton shot back, just moments later.
“Trust me, I share your exasperation,” Sullivan wrote. “But until ops converts it to the unclassified email system, there is no physical way for me to email it. I can’t even access it.”
Early on June 17, 2011, Clinton grew impatient as she waited for “talking points” about a sensitive matter that had to be delivered via a secure line.
“They say they’ve had issues sending secure fax. They’re working on it,” Sullivan wrote his boss.
Clinton told him to take a shortcut.
“If they can’t, turn into nonpaper w no identifying heading and send nonsecure,” she said.
Clinton spokesman Fallon said she was not trying to circumvent the classification system.
“What she was asking was that any information that could be transmitted on the unclassified system be transmitted,” he said. “It is wrong to suggest that she was requesting otherwise. The State Department looked into this and confirmed that no classified material was sent through a non-secure fax or email.”
Security remained a constant concern. On June 28, 2011, in response to reports that Gmail accounts of government workers had been targeted by “online adversaries,” a note went out over Clinton’s name urging department employees to “avoid conducting official Department business from your personal email accounts.”
But she herself ignored the warning and continued using her BlackBerry and the basement server.
Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and members of the House Select Committee on Benghazi address the findings of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s personal emails during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in March 2015. (Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images)
In December 2012, near the end of Clinton’s tenure, a nonprofit group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, filed a FOIA request seeking records about her email. CREW received a response in May 2013: “no records responsive to your request were located.”
Other requests for Clinton records met the same fate — until the State Department received a demand from the newly formed House Select Committee on Benghazi in July 2014. The committee wanted Clinton’s email, among other things, to see what she and others knew about the deadly attack in Libya and the response by the U.S. government.
Officials in the department’s congressional affairs office found some Clinton email and saw that she had relied on the private domain, not the department’s system.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry resolved to round up the Clinton emails and deliver them to Congress as quickly as possible. Department officials reached out to Clinton informally in the summer of 2014. On Oct. 28, 2014, the department contacted Clinton and the offices of three other former secretaries — Madeleine K. Albright, Condoleezza Rice and Colin L. Powell — asking if they had any email or other federal records in their possession.
Albright and Rice said they did not use email while at State. Powell, secretary of state from 2001 to 2005, had a private email account through America Online but did not retain copies of his emails. The inspector general for the State Department found that Powell’s personal email account had received two emails from staff that contained “national security information classified at the Secret or Confidential levels.”
Clinton lawyer David Kendall later told the State Department that her “use of personal email was consistent with the practices of other Secretaries of State,” citing Powell in particular, according to a letter he wrote in August.
But Powell’s circumstances also differed from Clinton’s in notable ways. Powell had a phone line installed in his office solely to link to his private account, which he generally used for personal or non-classified communication. At the time, he was pushing the department to embrace the Internet era and wanted to set an example.
“I performed a little test whenever I visited an embassy: I’d dive into the first open office I could find (sometimes it was the ambassador’s office). If the computer was on, I’d try to get into my private email account,” Powell wrote in “It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership.” “If I could, they passed.”
Powell conducted virtually all of his classified communications on paper or over a State Department computer installed on his desk that was reserved for classified information, according to interviews. Clinton never had such a desktop or a classified email account, according to the State Department.
On Dec. 5, 2014, Clinton lawyers delivered 12 file boxes filled with printed paper containing more than 30,000 emails. Clinton withheld almost 32,000 emails deemed to be of a personal nature.
1 of 9 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Takeaways from Hillary Clinton’s e-mails View Photos Clinton has come under fire for using a private email address during her time as secretary of state. The emails are being screened and released in batches. Here are some things we’ve learned from them. Caption Clinton has come under fire for using a private email address during her time as secretary of state. The emails are being screened and released in batches. Here are some things we’ve learned from them. Top-secret information in e-mails Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has previously stated that classified information never traveled across her private server. However, the State Department has acknowledged that "top secret" information was in seven email chains sent or received by her. Richard Drew/AP Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.
The department began releasing the emails last May, starting with some 296 emails requested by the Benghazi committee. In reviewing those emails, intelligence officials realized that some contained classified material.
Clinton and her campaign have offered various responses to questions about the classifications. At first, she flat-out denied that her server ever held any. “There is no classified material,” she said at a March 10, 2015, news conference.
Her campaign later released a statement saying she could not have known whether material was classified, because it was not labeled as such. “No information in Clinton’s emails was marked classified at the time she sent or received them,” the statement said.
Clinton has also suggested that many of the emails were classified as a formality only because they were being prepared for release under a FOIA request. Her campaign has said that much of the classified material — in emails sent by more than 300 individuals — came from newspaper accounts and other public sources.
“What you are talking about is retroactive classification,” she said during a recent debate. “And I think what we have got here is a case of overclassification.” Her statement appears to conflict with a report to Congress last year by inspectors general from the State Department and the group of spy agencies known as the Intelligence Community. They made their report after the discovery that four emails, from a sample of 40 that went through her server, contained classified information.
“These emails were not retroactively classified by the State Department,” the report said. “Rather these emails contained classified information when they were generated and, according to IC classification officials, that information remains classified today. This classified information should never have been transmitted via an unclassified personal system.”
One of those four emails has since been declassified and released publicly by the State Department. The department has questioned the classification of another of those emails.
Twenty-two emails discovered later were deemed so highly classified that they were withheld in their entirety from public release. “They are on their face sensitive and obviously classified,” Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, told The Post. “This information should have been maintained in the most secure, classified, top-secret servers.”
Fallon pointed out that none of those emails originated with Clinton, something that he said Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the Senate Select Intelligence Committee vice chairman, has noted. “We strongly disagree with the decision to withhold these emails in full,” he said.
Under Title 18, Section 1924, of federal law, it is a misdemeanor punishable by fines and imprisonment for a federal employee to knowingly remove classified information “without authority and with the intent to retain such documents or materials at an unauthorized location.”
Previous cases brought under the law have required proof of an intent to mishandle classified information, a high hurdle in the Clinton case. The basement server also put Clinton at risk of violating laws and regulations aimed at protecting and preserving government records.
In a statement, Clinton’s campaign said she had received “guidance regarding the need to preserve federal records” and followed those rules. “It was her practice to email government employees on their ‘.gov’ email address. That way, work emails would be immediately captured and preserved in government record-keeping systems,” the statement said.
Fallon said that “over 90 percent” of the more than 30,000 work-related emails “were to or from government email accounts.”
Specialists interviewed by The Post said her practices fell short of what laws and regulations mandated. Some of those obligations were spelled out a few months before Clinton took office in National Archives and Records Administration Bulletin 2008-05, which said every email system was supposed to “permit easy and timely retrieval” of the records.
The secretary of state’s work emails are supposed to be preserved permanently. In addition, rules also mandated that permanent records are to be sent to the department’s Records Service Center “at the end of the Secretary’s tenure or sooner if necessary” for safekeeping.
Under Title 18, Section 2071, it is a Class E felony to take federal records without authorization, something that is sometimes referred to as the “alienation” of records. The law is rarely enforced, but a conviction can carry a fine or imprisonment.
Jason R. Baron, a former director of litigation at the National Archives and Records Administration, told the Senate Judiciary Committee last year he believed that Clinton’s server ran afoul of the rules. In a memo to the committee, Baron wrote that “the setting up of and maintaining a private email network as the sole means to conduct official business by email, coupled with the failure to timely return email records into government custody, amounts to actions plainly inconsistent with the federal recordkeeping laws.”
On May 19, 2015, in response to a FOIA lawsuit from the media organization Vice News, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered all the email to be released in stages, with redactions.
One notable email was sent in August 2011. Stephen Mull, then serving as the department’s executive secretary, emailed Abedin, Mills and Kennedy about getting a government-issued BlackBerry linked to a government server for Clinton.
“We are working to provide the Secretary per her request a Department issued Blackberry to replace personal unit, which is malfunctioning (possibly because of her personal email server is down.) We will prepare two version for her to use — one with an operating State Department email account (which would mask her identity, but which would also be subject to FOIA requests).”
Huma Abedin, a top aide to Hillary Clinton, reacts to testimony at an October hearing of the House Select Committee on Benghazi. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
Abedin responded decisively.
“Steve — let’s discuss the state blackberry. doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
Fallon said the email showed that the secretary’s staff “opposed the idea of her identity being masked.”
Last month, in a hearing about a Judicial Watch lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Sullivan cited that email as part of the reason he ordered the State Department produce records related to its initial failures in the FOIA searches for Clinton’s records.
Speaking in open court, Sullivan said legitimate questions have been raised about whether Clinton’s staff was trying to help her to sidestep FOIA.
“We’re talking about a Cabinet-level official who was accommodated by the government for reasons unknown to the public. And I think that’s a fair statement: For reasons heretofore unknown to the public. And all the public can do is speculate,” he said, adding: “This is all about the public’s right to know.”
Alice Crites contributed to this report.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that Clinton used two different email addresses, sometimes interchangeably, as secretary of state. She used only hdr22@clintonemail.com as secretary of state. Also, an earlier version of this article reported that 147 FBI agents had been detailed to the investigation, according to a lawmaker briefed by FBI Director James B. Comey. Two U.S. law enforcement officials have since told The Washington Post that figure is too high. The FBI will not provide an exact figure, but the officials say the number of FBI personnel involved is fewer than 50.A senior Chinese military official has warned that war with the United States under the presidency of Donald Trump is a practical reality and not just a slogan.
The Chinese official’s remarks were published on the website of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Reports in the Chinese media cited the official from the National Defence Mobilisation Commission as having said, “A war ‘within the president’s term’ or ‘war breaking out tonight’ are not just slogans, they are becoming a practical reality.”
According to report, the official also called for military deployments in the tense South and East China Seas and for a missile defence system to guard the Korean peninsula.
Trump has alienated Beijing by ignoring the United States’ ‘One China’ policy and publicly engaging with the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also backed a US naval blockade of artificial Chinese islands in the South China Sea.DETROIT, MI -- From the outside, the 126-year-old house on the corner of Trumbull Avenue and Temptations Drive looks only a few weeks away from becoming another of Detroit's vacant and crumbling historic homes. But the people who live there, part of a unique group that's occupied the space for decades, are hoping to save it. A contractor has estimated the house needs about $70,000 in repairs, said Joshua Allen, 34. He lives in a nicer house next door with five others. The corner house, 4204 Trumbull Ave., houses four people. Both structures are part of "Trumbullplex," defined by its residents as "Detroit's sexiest anarchist housing collective" since 1993, and a nonprofit officially dubbed the Wayne Association for Collective Housing. On a cold Saturday morning in February, Allen stood outside the corner house and gave an overview of all the repairs needed on the house. The group hopes to raise money for scaffolding, dumpsters, stucco removal, masonry work, trim, siding, downspouts and a number of other things needed to start repairing the outside of the building. The nine people who live at Trumbullplex started an online campaign to raise $35,000, primarily for exterior repairs. So far,
"It's just been put off for a long time," Allen said. The houses have been home to "artists, activists, radicals and freaks" since the 1970s. Living at Trumbullplex requires an application and interview process, Allen said. Housemates typically have an "anarchist" mindset, he said. Members look for political activism, and people who don't subscribe to traditional forms of government. "But they don't do anything bad," Allen said, laughing. It costs $230 for a room in either of the houses. One, the corner house, is where those looking for a little privacy usually settle. The second has a little more interaction between tenants. There's a performance space and art gallery tacked onto the back, where punk and metal shows are often held, in addition to exercise and art classes. Members of Trumbullplex are also required to serve on outreach, maintenance or finance committees. It's a unique community, hardly isolated from the development taking place in Midtown and the Cass Corridor. Allen's been living at Trumbullplex for a year and a half. He lived in the corner house for a bit before moving next door to The Big House. While the bones of the corner house remain solid, the historic home needs repairs almost everywhere else. It's a daunting project, but it needs to be done, Allen said. "(The corner house is) what people see the most." Visible from the small front yard are holes in the walls, cracks, and large swaths where the red stucco has either crumbled or been torn away. In various spots, exposed wood sits without protection from the elements. Inside, an entire section on the back of the house is open to water and wind. Allen said if the repairs go well, it will open rooms in the attic that aren't currently used. He said tenants will do some of the work themselves, and contract out the more complex things. They said they don't have the fund the work themselves. "We're just a bunch of broke anarchists," he said with a laugh. The fundraiser ends in 60 days. The group plans to begin work on the house in June.
Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter.GamesBeat has just published a lengthy and interesting interview with Pete Hines, the vice president of marketing and communications at Bethesda. During the interview Hines spoke of the close working relationship the company now has with Nintendo. Hines teases that there’s more to come out of the intriguing partnership. You can read the full interview here.
GamesBeat: Did you have any particular kind of conversation with Nintendo when you proposed this?
Hines: Honestly, it’s been a long series of them. They came out to see us before they unveiled the Switch to show us what the hardware was like, what they were doing with it. We’ve been in constant conversation with them, and not just about the two games we have now, but about our whole approach to the platform going forward – what we can do, best practices, what things are a good fit, what they’re excited about in what we’re doing. We’re obviously excited about these two games, but it’s not as if we’re going to just do these two games and that’s it. We want this to be the start of a relationship that we build with Nintendo and Nintendo fans.
SourceCasual sex can make you depressed and can even lead to thoughts of suicide, a new study suggests.
Researchers interviewed around 10,000 people and found that teenagers with depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in casual sex.
These same people were more likely to seriously consider suicide later in life, according to the study.
Dr Sara Sandberg-Thoma, of Ohio State University and lead author of the study, said: "Several studies have found a link between poor mental health and casual sex, but the nature of that association has been unclear.
"There's always been a question about which one is the cause and which is the effect.
"This study provides evidence that poor mental health can lead to casual sex, but also that casual sex leads to additional declines in mental health."
Adolescents from 80 American schools and 52 middle schools were interviewed when they were in grades seven to twelve and then again when they were aged 18 to 26.
They were asked questions about relationships, depression and thoughts of suicide. Twenty nine per cent of the subjects said they had experience of a casual sexual relationship, which was defined as "only having sex" with someone as opposed to dating.
This included 33 percent of men and 24 percent of women.
The link between casual sex and mental health was found to be the same for both men and women according to the study published in the Journal of Sex Research.
Dr Claire Kamp Dush, professor of human sciences at Ohio State University, said: "That was unexpected because there is still this sexual double standard in society that says it is OK for men to have casual sexual relationships, but it is not OK for women.
"But these results suggest that poor mental health and casual sex are linked, whether you're a man or a woman."
Researchers found that each additional casual sexual relationship increased the odds of suicidal thoughts by 18 percent.
However they also found that although casual sex was linked to suicidal thoughts, it did not have any effect on depressive symptoms.
It is thought that this may be because depressive symptoms fluctuate during adolescence and it is hard to capture an accurate reading when it is only measured twice.
"Just because a person does not indicate depressive symptoms in one survey is not always proof that he or she is doing OK," said Dr Kamp Dush.
"We need to look at multiple indicators of mental health, including suicidal thoughts."
"The goal should be to identify adolescents struggling with poor mental health so that we can intervene early before they engage in casual sexual relationships," said Sandberg-Thoma.
"Young adulthood is a time when people begin to learn how to develop long-term, satisfying and intimate relationships," said Dr Kamp Dush.Response to Michael Albert, Summarizing Participatory Economics
(The following exchange, four essays in all, took place in 2002 as a joint debate organized by the Institute for Social Ecology, beginning with introductory statements by Michael Albert on participatory economics or ‘parecon’ and by me on economics in a social-ecological society. The four essays here are my successive replies to Albert.)
I’m pleased to see the degree of compatibility and overlap between the economic vision outlined by Michael Albert and the proposals for a liberated society put forward by social ecologists. Both of our theories point toward emancipatory and directly democratic alternatives to the structures that currently dominate human communities and the planet. We both oppose market mechanisms, private ownership of wealth, and hierarchical relations of production, and we both seek practical forms of self-management and participatory planning in place of capitalist exploitation and authoritarian central planning. I continue to think that parecon and social ecology’s political theory of libertarian municipalism complement one another in a number of significant ways.
In Albert’s summary, the five essential elements of parecon are: “workplace and consumer councils, self managing decision making procedures, remuneration for effort and sacrifice, balanced job complexes, and participatory planning.” Many social ecologists agree with several of these points (such as balanced job complexes) while rejecting others (such as remuneration for effort). Perhaps the most interesting differences center on the themes of self-managed decision making and participatory planning, where we agree in principle but disagree on how to realize these ideas. For purposes of this discussion, I’d like to focus on four questions that seem to me to reflect the principal contrasts between our two approaches: the institutional framework best suited to collective self-management (resident assemblies or worker and consumer councils); the most sensible implementation of participatory democracy (proportionality or equality); the distributive principle most appropriate to a free society (communism or remuneration for effort); and the relationship between economics and politics within libertarian and egalitarian communities.
1. Councils and assemblies. I agree with Albert that workers’ councils have an important role to play in the operation of a genuinely democratic and participatory economy. People who work in a particular establishment generally have a better grasp of the priorities, peculiarities, potentials and pitfalls of that workplace than people who have never worked there. In addition, people who work together in a given enterprise develop a collective sense of which practices and goals are reasonable and efficient for their workplace. This sort of hands-on knowledge and experience is essential to the functioning of a non-hierarchical economy.
Where social ecologists part ways with proponents of parecon is on the question of formulating economic policy. Unlike Albert, I think that the primary forum for deliberating about and deciding on the broad outlines of economic planning is the full assembly of all members of the community, rather than worker and consumer councils. Social ecology warns against reducing the complexity of our public lives to our roles as producers and consumers, and proposes instead that we establish the basic contours of communal economic affairs in our capacity as citizens. By “citizens” we mean not members of a nation or subjects of a state but all the residents of a local community. We think that citizenship promotes a more comprehensive, sustainable, and ecologically nuanced perspective on economic questions than the partial and restricted viewpoint of a single workplace or household.
In an assembly-based model, all workers and consumers are encouraged to articulate their distinctive experiences, desires, and opinions, just as they are under parecon; but they are encouraged to do so as citizens, with a view toward the wellbeing of the whole community and its natural surroundings. Once the full assembly has decided on a general economic policy, the particulars of implementation and administration are left up to smaller bodies such as workplace councils and cooperative consumer associations, so that directly democratic self-management suffuses all levels of public life.
In addition to this difference over the most suitable institutional framework for participatory planning, social ecologists disagree with parecon on the related matter of scale and scope. While Albert’s scenario foresees a unified economic plan covering many disparate communities across large geographic areas, social ecology’s primary focus is on local communities generating economic policies tailored to their own social and ecological circumstances. When necessary, economic interactions between local communities can be coordinated through confederal bodies on a case-by-case basis.
2. Proportionality and political equality. I agree with Albert that participatory democracy requires that all actors are “empowered equally” and that nobody has “greater decision making power” than others involved in the same project. We disagree fundamentally, however, on how this democratic principle is to be implemented. Albert believes that people should influence public decisions “in proportion as they are affected by the decisions under consideration”. I think that this stipulation violates the basic democratic imperative of equal decision-making power for all participants. Our disagreement reflects a longstanding division among theorists and practitioners of direct democracy, and it raises complex questions about the relationship between procedures and outcomes. For the sake of clarity and brevity I will merely summarize my objections to Albert’s position.
The proportionality principle, in my view, requires that participants in a given decision-making process agree on the various anticipated effects of a decision before they can make that decision, as well as predicting how these effects will be distributed once the decision is made. In other words, Albert’s model assumes that anticipated impact can be measured and meaningfully assigned to particular actors or groups before the fact, so that those who are likely to be more significantly affected by a decision have more formal power over the decision itself. I think this is not only impractical but undesirable; it is an attempt to structure preferred outcomes into the process of decision-making, which in my view ought to remain neutral regarding outcomes.
In contrast to Albert’s approach, I think that participatory democracy works best when the related norms of inclusion and equality are both respected. Inclusion means that everybody who is affected by a decision participates in making the decision, and equality means that all participants meet on an equal basis, with everyone having the same formal power. The heart of direct democracy is discussion and deliberation, and this is the proper place for disparate impacts to be taken into consideration, rather than trying to build them into the formal decision-making procedures. However, while I consider this point to be an important difference between our two perspectives, I suspect that in practice Albert’s model and my model would converge much of the time. The specific mechanisms which a free society will use to manage its own affairs are not for us to decide, of course, but debates of this kind can help to illuminate the challenges involved.
3. Communism and remuneration for effort. In parecon, “people are remunerated for the effort they expend”, although some special needs are “socially met” and those unable to work are guaranteed an “average income”. Albert conceives of this effort criterion as an alternative to capitalist values, but I think that it actually recuperates a decisive element of capitalism’s logic. Indeed I think this distributive maxim contradicts several of parecon’s other core values. Participatory economics is built around the recognition that production and consumption are social processes, not individual affairs. Why should personal expenditure of effort entail greater personal consumption within an otherwise thoroughly socialized system?
Instead of remuneration for effort, social ecologists propose libertarian communism as the eventual goal of a free society. Albert rejects this approach to distributing social wealth as unfeasible, but I think this dismissal is too hasty. Like all economic systems, communism recognizes that total consumption is limited by total production, but it does not assume the predominance of private material interest or of generalized scarcity; it sees these phenomena as a legacy of capitalism and hierarchical society. Social ecology foresees the potential for all community members to articulate their own needs and desires in a responsible fashion, shaped by their experience of participatory self-management, as part of a social process guided by reason and an ethos of mutual aid and interdependence.
But will people actually work if they can take whatever they want from the common goods regardless of how much they contributed to producing them? If the history of experiments in libertarian communism is a reliable indicator, then the honest answer is: probably, but it depends on the institutional and ethical context. In a communist society, the incentive to work would be exactly what it is today, in those few situations where coercion is not omnipresent – the desire to create useful things and live comfortably with one’s neighbors. As long as we are envisioning a fully developed free society which realizes the finest aspirations of our history of struggles for human fulfillment and against privation and oppression, it would be imprudent to abandon the ideal of libertarian communism as part of a possible future.
4. Economics and politics. Albert’s scenario describes the economy and the polity as two separate spheres with differing functions, and proposes that economic matters be dealt with by specifically economic institutions made up of workers and consumers. Social ecology’s communalist approach argues, in contrast, for re-integrating economic affairs into public life as part of a comprehensively democratic model of citizenship. This practice of collective self-management is what social ecologists call ‘politics’, which we see as the very negation of statist forms of legislation, adjudication, and administration. We share Albert’s goal of “a cooperative self-managing negotiation of collective well-being”, but disagree on the appropriate role of economic structures within this process.
I think that the separation of economics and politics is a consequence of capitalism, and that a democratic post-capitalist social order will need to transcend this artificial separation. Production and consumption should be seen as means, not as ends in themselves. The ends are for free people to determine, in recognition of social potentials and ecological parameters. The structures and methods of economics ought to be subordinate to these social objectives and values, as one component of a broader communal direct democracy. From the perspective of social ecology, economics is to be absorbed into politics.
I hope that these comments will help clarify the points of commonality and divergence between participatory economics and social ecology. While debate on the fine points of our respective reconstructive visions may seem frivolous in a time of urgent activist challenges, it is a necessary contribution to the practical and conceptual renewal of the revolutionary project. In dialogue with other radical and emancipatory traditions, both of our perspectives can help to cultivate, refine, expand and strengthen the capacity to conceive of and struggle for a free world that is worth living in.Join us on the lawn most evenings in September at Chapman School for the spectacular display of Vaux's Swifts gathering to roost in the school's chimney.
Vaux's Swifts enter the Chapman chimney - Vern di Pietro
Swift Watch 2018
What: Watch Vaux's Swifts prepare to roost for the night
When: One hour before sunset, each night in September
Where: Chapman Elementary School in northwest Portland
Vaux's Swifts are using the Chapman Elementary School chimney as an evening roost during their fall migration. Grab a seat on the school lawn and in neighboring Wallace Park to watch and listen as the birds gather overhead. On most evenings, Portland Audubon volunteers will be on hand to share information about Vaux's Swifts.
Have a question about Swift Watch? Email us at swiftwatchpdx@gmail.com.
Current Swift Count Totals
Keep track of this year's nightly Swift Count numbers here.
Background
Every year in late August, one of Portland's most spectacular natural events begins: Thousands of Vaux’s Swifts gather in the city as they prepare to migrate to Central America and Venezuela. Migrating swifts often use chimneys as roosts (places to sleep), and they are likely to return to the same roost year after year. One population has been returning to Chapman since the 1980s, and it is one of the largest known roosting sites of migrating Vaux's Swifts.
Swift watching has become a popular activity at Chapman, and on many evenings, more than 2,000 people gather to watch these aerial acrobats.
Parking
Free Swift Watch parking is available at Montgomery Park and SELCO Community Credit Union. Do not expect to find on-street parking near the event - please park at Montgomery and SELCO if at all possible.
Montgomery Park is located six blocks from Chapman at 2701 NW Vaughn St. Note: from the Chapman area, NW Vaughn cannot be accessed from NW 27th, 28th or 29th Ave.
SELCO Community Credit Union is located at NW 25th and Thurman. Note: The SELCO lot will be available each night any time after 6:00 p.m.
We Need Your Help!
Please be a good neighbor to Chapman-area residents: 1) Do not expect to find on-street parking, so park for free at Montgomery Park and SELCO Community Credit Union or use other transit options. 2) During the event, leash and pick up after dogs. 3) After the event, pick up your trash and do not loiter on school grounds. 4) It is illegal to consume alcoholic beverages or smoke on public school grounds.
Getting There | Be A Good Neighbor | Swift Natural History | FAQs | Swift Counts
Washington State swift information: Monroe Swifts | Vaux's HappeningIndia announces plan to step away from coal, casting doubt on approved Queensland Adani mine
Updated
India has released a new power plan promoting a dramatic increase in renewable energy and raising doubts about the Indian-owned Adani Group's massive coal mine in Queensland.
Key points: The plan says no need for additional coal fired energy capacity in next decade
Six-fold rise in energy from renewable sources key part of national electricity plan
Josh Frydenberg said the Adani mine had to go ahead because India desperately needed it for energy
The new national electricity plan says India will not need any additional coal-fired energy capacity in the next decade.
India's Energy Minister Piyush Goyal alluded to a renewables pivot when he spoke to Four Corners last year.
"I hope in the years to come we can see an explosion of renewable energy on the back of cheaper storage," Mr Goyal said.
Tim Buckley from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analytics told AM the development was bad news for the Australian coal industry.
"They [India] say that they have 50 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants under construction already, so it's far better to complete those than write them off as stranded assets," he said.
"But no new coal-fired plants in India in the next decade."
Mr Buckley said the plan had left the Adani proposal "totally stranded".
"It is a white elephant, and it is six years past it's use by date," he said.
However, Adani rejects Mr Buckley's argument, saying it needs to coal for itself.
"What happens to the market has no implication for Adani because we are supplying our own power stations with our own coal," an Adani spokesman told the ABC.
Plans to fund billion-dollar railway to mine
Despite these doubts, the Australian Government plans to give a $1 billion subsidised loan to Adani to build a railway to the planned mine.
When the then Minister for Resources Josh Frydenberg approved the Adani mine in north Queensland 14 months ago, he argued it had to go ahead because India desperately needed it for energy.
"I think there is a strong moral case here, it will help lift hundreds and millions of people out of energy poverty, not just in India but right across the world," Mr Frydenberg said.
Mr Buckley said the International Energy Agency (IEA) had forecast that hundreds of gigawatts of new coal-fired power plants would be built in India in the next few decades.
"The Indian Energy Ministry is saying that is absolutely wrong," he said.
"He instead articulates a plan that involves building 215 gigawatts of renewable energy, building another 20 gigawatts of hydro, building five gigawatts of nuclear, building a bit more gas, and dramatically elevating the importance of energy efficiency and grid efficiency in order to diversify India rapidly away from coal."
Topics: coal, industry, business-economics-and-finance, environment, mining-industry, government-and-politics, alternative-energy, environmental-policy, environmental-management, australia
First posted• Decision likely |
even hacked Congress directly and got away with it. It was Snowden’s duty to sound the alarm and he did that courageously. I believe he should be pardoned, but unfortunately President Trump doesn’t see it that way and even called Snowden a ‘traitor.’ You’re wrong, Mr. President. It’s the operatives in the CIA and the Deep State military industrial complex that are the traitors. It’s time to do what President Kennedy wanted to do: Break them up and make them accountable to the rule of law under our Constitution. And while you’re at it, let’s break up the central banks and end the Fed, too.
—Ben Garrison
Buy Original CartoonSpurs Off-Topic conversation: Marco Belinelli
Marco Belinelli, who left the Spurs as a free agent in 2015, is now with Charlotte. Marco Belinelli, who left the Spurs as a free agent in 2015, is now with Charlotte. Photo: Rob Carr /Getty Images Photo: Rob Carr /Getty Images Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Spurs Off-Topic conversation: Marco Belinelli 1 / 12 Back to Gallery
When Marco Belinelli stepped back on the court at the AT&T Center on Jan. 7, he wasted no time looking up.
But the former Spur declined to stare at the 2014 NBA championship banner he helped deliver. Instead, he wanted to see the newest item located in the rafters.
“The first thing (I did) when I came here, I checked (out) Tim Duncan’s retired jersey number,” said Belinelli, who called San Antonio his basketball home for two years.
After signing a multiyear deal with the Sacramento Kings in 2015, he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets last summer. Though he no longer calls the Alamo City home, Belinelli, 30, still reminisces about two of the best years of his career.
Before scoring five points on 2-of-10 shooting — definitely not one of his better games against his former team — Belinelli went Off-Topic, recapping his time with the Spurs, playing with Duncan and his chemistry with Manu Ginobili.
Some people wonder why it never worked out in San Antonio. Fans think you should still be a Spur.
I know. A lot of people say that. The NBA, you never know. You can be on one team forever. You can change teams quickly. I mean, I was happy to stay here. I remember that. I think Danny (Green) was a free agent. Kawhi (Leonard) was a free agent. I was shocked at it a little bit.
It was like you came here, got a ring and then bounced.
(Laughs) I know, that’s crazy. I got the ring the first year, the second year we lost Game 7 against the Clippers. I still think if we would’ve won that game in L.A., I think we had a chance to win the championship that year, too.
I keep thinking about that chemistry that you had with Ginobili. That was pretty special.
That was great. That was amazing. We know each other. You know me and Manu were speaking Italian most of the game. We understand each other so well. We can just look at each other. I know Manu. Manu knows me.
When you guys were speaking Italian, did other players look at you like, “What in the world are they saying?”
(Laughs) Yes. That was the funny part about that. That was cool.
Do you catch up with him over the offseason at all?
No. I see Manu every time we play San Antonio. We’ll speak just before the game, maybe text message a little bit.
Can you believe Manu is almost ready to wrap up his career?
Manu is great. He’s 39, but he can still play. Maybe he can’t play anymore (in) back-to-back games … but Manu, I think, is one of the greatest. I don’t know if he’s going to retire this year or whatever. You never know. I’m just happy to see him, right now, play well.
You think you can play until age 39?
(Laughs) I don’t know about that. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be really tough. I’m going to try, but it’s going to be tough.
What do you most remember about playing with Duncan?
I mean, I was lucky to play with the best (power forward) in the league. He was so good. He made my game better. He was amazing. The leader. The (greatest) teammate that I’ve ever played with in my life. It was just an unbelievable feeling when I saw the ceremony after the game they played (against New Orleans). I listened to all the speeches that Manu, Tony Parker and coach Pop (Gregg Popovich) gave to him. It was just amazing. I know that all the things they were saying were true because I was here for two years.
Speaking of ex-teammates, Matt Bonner just retired, too.
I know, that was crazy. I saw video. … That was so cool. Everybody knows Matt, so they know that was his video. It was so funny. I loved playing with him, too. He’s the funniest guy I’ve ever played with in my life.
Did he teach you anything about finances? He was extremely, as he would say, “frugal.”
He was speaking a lot about that, but more on-the-court stuff. Game stuff, I was happy to play with him. And now he’ll be working with (Spurs TV). I think it’s going to be funny to listen to him during the game.
What is the one thing people in San Antonio never realized about you?
That’s a good question. I didn’t spend a lot of time here, but the time I did spend here was great with the team and the fans. I’m a quiet guy. I really don’t speak a lot. I’m the guy that really wanted to win so bad, and I think the people saw that. That’s it, I think.
So you didn’t want to show off any cooking skills or something else that you think fans here would appreciate?
I can’t really cook (laughs).... I think they just saw my winning mentality and that was enough for me.Gamesmith94134: Redistribution or Inclusion?
Mr. Ricardo Hausmann,
I am sorry that I cannot finish the pie of capital that you imagine. Philosophically, I see the redistribution and inclusion as two separate entities when productivity and consumption shares in the capital that is being redistributed or included. Whenever, inequality comes in the shares are individually contributed to a firm or an economy. Perhaps, I would like to share my idea of two separate spheres that are intertwined at a point of supply and demand, often I called the marginal affordability, connecting more like an infinite sign or “8” shape that what the energy embedded.
First, I would think of the capital that involved asset, human resource and equity. When inequality comes in that human resources share the assets and equity that the supply and demand are the energy that circulate infinitely just like energy either in redistribution or inclusion on the separate cycles like the “8” shape. Perhaps, inequality means the two cycles are not balanced and redistribution or inclusion is not sufficiently provides its energy to circulate. In assumption, goods cannot be sold through the firm would blame on the price or value; and availability of job can redistribute to low tech in matching the need of the firm. So, in the capitalist world demand a higher skill to compete. Implicitly, we are being exploited by the current high tech or redistribution that never included in term of the human resources; and the demand stop employment.
Secondly, when you apply the micro-economic to the firm, their workers must be awarded for its contribution or else he will be cut. Perhaps, he deserved more even on the surpluses; but the fact is that the micro-economic did not complete the sphere at the point of macro-economic that what the Human resources shares of the assets or equity in the inclusion through the expansion on the capital it created. Then, the balance is off. It makes the larger equity that human resources cannot comply. It is deflation in undercutting the asset the firm produced. Since the two spheres interact, the cycle will shrink as well after unemployment rises. We called it recession. So, Mr. Ricardo Hausmann said the size of the pie varies radically; because they are divided at the point of marginal affordability that “have” and “have not” travel in a cycle in supporting the value or supply that is overpriced or not demanded.
Thirdly, how do we arrive at this inequality? I had criticize India for lack of a competitive price that India subsidize its goods that it did not provided a market system internally in matching the present external globalized market. We often blame on the dollar or institutionalization that the corporation sovereignty has broken down the economy of its individualism; or we may take the firms too seriously on competitive awards or even surpluses. However, I think Mr. Samuelson have taught me will in understanding economics in Econ1; I may be naive to accept the simplicity of supply and demand. I think Mr. Ricardo Hausmann should expand the pie as the energy of infinite that goes around in two separate cycles. Perhaps, they are redistribution and inclusion meets at the marginal affordability if capital includes assets, human resources and equity.
Venezuela definitely needs a recession to cut inflation.
May the Buddha bless you?The broadband privacy rules created by the FCC last year and vigorously debated last night are in danger after the Senate voted to repeal them this morning. Among other things, the rules required ISPs to obtain consumers’ permission in order to use certain sensitive data like browsing history that they obtain through their service.
Sounds like a bad idea, right? It is. I detailed why in a post last night, and plenty of Senators, including Massachusetts’ Ed Markey, who led the creation of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, vociferously opposed the resolution.
The Senate voted 50-48 in favor of S.J. 34, which would remove the rules and, under the authority of the Congressional Review Act, prevent similar rules from being enacted. It now heads to the House for approval.
“If signed by the President, this law would repeal the FCC’s widely-supported broadband privacy framework, and eliminate the requirement that cable and broadband providers offer customers a choice before selling their sensitive, personal information,” said FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and FTC Commissioner Terrell McSweeny in a joint statement.
Nathan White, Senior Legislative Manager at Access Now, said “This resolution is a vote for big corporate profits over the rights and civil liberties of average people. The House of Representatives must now stand up for consumers and against the CRA resolution to throw away internet privacy protections.”The Canadian Press
CALGARY -- The Alberta government says it received such attractive bids in an auction to pick renewable energy projects that it exceeded its goal of 400 megawatts and will instead support 600 megawatts of new generation.
It says three companies will spend about $1 billion to build four wind power projects capable of generating enough power for 255,000 homes.
The projects are to open in 2019.
The winning bids came from Edmonton-based Capital Power with a 201-MW project, Madrid-based EDP Renewables with a 248-MW project and Enel Green Power Canada, a division of a Rome-based global power company, with projects of 115 MW and 31 MW.
Premier Rachel Notley says the average 3.7 cents per kilowatt-hour bid by the three companies is the lowest electricity price in Canada and bodes well for future similar auctions as the province moves to encourage up to 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy by 2030.
Under its agreement with the companies, the province will subsidize the plants if the power price falls below the bid price -- if it's higher, the companies are to pay the difference to the province.In a desperate attempt to impose its popularity, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday claimed that it has won the largest number of sarpanch posts in the recently concluded first phase of Gram Panchayat elections even though, according to the State Election Commission, these polls are not fought over symbols of any political party.
A BJP leader claimed on Monday that BJP emerged as the number one party in the 3,131 Gram Panchayats which went for polls, stating that BJP nominees were elected as sarpanch in 1,457 of the 2,974 Gram Panchayats whose results were declared on Sunday, whereas, Congress won (301), Shiv Sena (222) and NCP (194). The remaining sarpanch posts went to Independents and other outfits.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for emerging as the number one party in the Gram Panchayat elections.
Wonderful victory of @BJP4Maharashtra in rural areas shows the unwavering support of the farmers, youth & poor for BJP's development agenda. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 10, 2017
Interestingly, the State Election Commission has debunked the BJP's claims highlighting a very small but crucial element to the BJP leadership that Gram Panchayat polls are never fought on a party's symbol.
The BJP may just be indulging in chest thumping to earn political mileage.
State Election Commissioner JS Saharia told Firstpost that a Gram Panchayat election candidate does not contest on a party symbol. "The Gram Panchayat election candidates contest the elections as independents. So, they don’t have any party symbols. Even the local panelists who contest in these elections don’t have any party symbol," he said.
Questioning the veracity of BJP's figures, Saharia further informed that even the SEC doesn't have party-wise data. "We don't have party wise winning candidates because these elections are not contested on party symbols," he said.
The SEC only mentioned the voting percentage in its official releases regarding the phase 1 polls that were held on Sunday in 3,131 Gram Panchayat in 16 districts of Maharashtra.
"As a SEC all I can say is that the Gram Panchayat elections are held on individual symbols and not on party symbols. We only have the names of the 35,000 candidates who contested the elections and do not belong to any political party," said Saharia.
So, is BJP unnecessarily taking credit for an election which it wasn't even part of in the first place? And why?
It was the first time in the history of Gram Panchayat polls that the elections for the sarpanch post were held directly. Interestingly, Fadnavis had also pushed for direct Sarpanch elections just like Municipal Council Chairman elections. But the nominees did not contest on party symbols. Legally, they were all independent candidates even though the political parties claimed alliance with them. A positive outcome in the Gram Panchayat polls is, therefore, significant for Fadnavis' leadership in Maharashtra.
The 3,131 Gram Panchayats that went to polls in the first phase are spread over 16 districts in Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra regions. Despite it being the first-ever direct election for sarpanch, the phase I Gram Panchayat polls witnessed 79 percent polling. This is a significant turnout in a state which witnessed just 63.4 percent during the State Assembly Election in 2014. Emerging as the number one party in a first direct election for sarpanch would only reassert the politics of any party.
Not surprising then that BJP senior leader and revenue minsiter Chandrakant Patil said that the results of the first phase of the Gram Panchayat polls confirm the BJP's all-round dominance across Maharashtra. "The victory comes on the back of the hat-trick of victories we scored in the Municipal Council, Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation polls. Around 50 percent Gram Panchayats are with BJP and the majority of BJP karykartas won the Gram Panchayat election. So, ultimately the score is in BJP’s pocket," he added.
However, BJP is not the only party self-praising its performance in the phase I Gram Panchayat elections. The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have also claimed to be the number one party.
Congress MP and state president Ashok Chavan told Firstpost that BJP is claiming to be the number one party in the Gram Panchayat election because it's afraid of losing the Nanded Municipal Corporation election scheduled to be held on 11 October. "BJP manipulated the figures like they did earlier on the social media," said Chavan.
"They will definitely loose Nanded Municipal polls which will be held tomorrow and Congress will retain the Nanded Corporation any how," claimed Chavan.
Ever since Fadnavis took over the reins in October 2014, BJP is on a winning spree in Zilla Parishad, Municipal Council and Municipal Corporation elections. In the earlier municipal council polls, BJP nominees won as president in 52, followed by Shiv Sena (27), Congress (23) and NCP (21). The BJP had also emerged as the single largest party in the municipal council elections held in multiple phases during November-December 2016 and in the 10 Municipal Corporations elections held in February 2017.
The top leadership in BJP feels that the Fadnavis government’s decision to hold direct election of sarpanchs (Gram Panchayat heads) has paid off. But considering, the "independent" nature of Gram Panchayat elections and the fact that the second phase of the election featuring 3,692 Gram Panchayats yet to take place, the chest-thumping seems more like a premature celebration.
The phase II of the Gram Panchayat elections will take place in 18 districts of Maharashtra on 14 October and the counting will take place on 16 October.
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.LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Freighters with no place to unload their cargo lined up at anchorages off Los Angeles and Long Beach for a seventh day on Monday as shippers and striking clerks resumed talks to end a labor dispute that has idled most of America’s biggest container port complex.
The two sides remained at loggerheads over the future of union representation for clerical jobs after individuals retire from those jobs, but the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 has so far resisted calls for outside mediation.
The 800-member clerical workers unit of the ILWU local walked off the job last Tuesday, with some 10,000 longshoremen and other union members refusing to cross picket lines, forcing a shutdown at 10 of the twin ports’ 14 container terminals.
Four other container terminals remained open, along with facilities for handling shipments of automobiles, liquid fuels and break-bulk cargo such as raw steel.
The overall economic impact of the strike has been estimated to run at more than $1 billion a day, including lost wages of dock workers, truckers and others idled by the walkout, and the value of cargo rerouted by shippers.
The strike has prompted at least 11 freighters to take their cargo to other ports in northern California, Mexico and Panama, according to the nonprofit Maritime Exchange of Southern California, which tracks shipping traffic in the region.
Another 11 ships were waiting at anchorages outside the Los Angeles - Long Beach complex, unable to discharge their cargo, said Dick McKenna, executive director of the Maritime Exchange.
Although the strike began after the busy pre-holiday shipping season, the diversion of freight originally bound for Los Angeles and Long Beach has heightened growing concerns about southern California losing business to other ports.
“Shippers are a conservative bunch. If there is no reliability at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, they’ll go someplace else,” said Steve Getzug, a spokesman for the Harbor Employers Association, representing shippers and terminal operators in the labor talks.
UNION RESISTING CALLS FOR MEDIATION
Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa sent a letter to negotiators for both sides on Monday urging them to bring in a mediator to help resolve the dispute and to stay at the bargaining table around the clock until an agreement is reached.
The Harbor Trucking Association, representing 8,000 truck drivers, called on Monday for the Federal Maritime Commission to bring greater pressure to bear for a settlement.
The National Retail Federation and other U.S. business groups sent separate letters to President Barack Obama and leading members of Congress asking them to intervene, warning that a prolonged strike “would have a devastating impact on the U.S. economy.”
Marathon negotiations over the weekend, capped by another exchange of proposals, failed to produce a breakthrough.
John Fageaux, head of the ILWU Local’s clerical workers union, criticized management’s negotiators for calling a break in the talks Saturday night, saying, “We were prepared to bargain all night.”
“I’m really disappointed,” he told Reuters. “I don’t feel there’s any urgency on the part of the employers to get this deal done.” The striking clerks have been without a contract for more than two years.
Asked about suggestions for mediation, Fageaux said, “We haven’t ruled that out, (but) I don’t think at this point a mediator can really help.”
Getzug, of the employers association, said they were “trying to move this thing along as quickly as possible,” and said the companies would welcome a mediator.
“We’ve offered, as late as yesterday, generous wage and benefits packages and absolute job guarantees, and in exchange, we’re making what we believe is a reasonable request to have flexibility in hiring new or temporary workers when there’s no work for them to do.”
ILWU leaders are demanding that jobs traditionally performed by their members remain classified as union work and subject to the union’s contract terms, even after individuals holding them retire. They accuse the management of seeking to outsource union clerical jobs to overseas workers paid far less.
The employers insist on reserving the right to fill only those jobs that need to be filled, and they accuse the union of seeking to featherbed work that is unnecessary, even after jobs are lost through retirement.
The strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two busiest container ports in the nation, mark the largest disruption of cargo traffic through the two southern California facilities since a 10-day lockout at West Coast ports in 2002.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together handled more than $400 billion in goods arriving or leaving the West Coast by ship last year.
The two ports directly or indirectly support roughly 1.2 million southern California jobs - workers involved in moving freight to or from the shipping complex, experts say. That does not count ancillary employment of people hired in restaurants, retail or other businesses that provide various services to those workers.Photo: Douanes Francaises/Getty Images
Gold is getting smoked this morning and its fall has added to the already bearish Aussie dollar outlook as global investors and traders re-rate the prospects of the economy, interest rates and dollar.
The outlook for the Aussie remains negative with numerous local and offshore banks having downgraded Aussie dollar forecasts to 80 cents and below.
But there is at least one sign that the Aussie dollar might be getting closer to support with this recent fall. Traders will be watching the bottom of the down trend channel in which the Aussie has been in for 3 years now – it comes in at 0.8367 this week.
So maybe, just maybe, the Aussie will find some support down here.
Chart: Go MArkets, MT4
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Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.'Hallelujah, God Is Good!' Reunited Employees Cry
WASHINGTON—With tears of relief streaming down their faces, coworkers around the nation wrapped one another in jubilant embraces Tuesday to celebrate the blessed end of their Labor Day weekend separation, sources confirmed. “I missed you so much! Thank God we’re back together again!” employees across the United States reportedly said to one another between whoops of joy, all while lifting each other up in emotional bear hugs. “Worst three days of my life! It felt like months. The only thing I thought about the whole time—while I was sleeping in and having backyard cookouts—was your faces and how much I missed them. You guys are the best! I love you so much.” At press time, American colleagues were hanging on each other’s words as they recounted their weekend activities.Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla hit SXSW in Austin, Texas last night with new footage introduced by director Gareth Edwards! You can check out a description of the footage at ShockTillYouDrop.com.
Just prior to taking in the SXSW screening of the original Godzilla with the special clip from this year’s 2014 reboot, Shock reconnected with director Gareth Edwards to talk a bit more about his film. In the interview, they talk about Godzilla’s design and how nature, as well as a Jim Henson production, inspired the monster’s new look. They also turn to topics like what “the Internet” sees in the trailer, the importance of the 1954 film and Closer Encounters of the Third Kind‘s impact on Edward’s movie. Check out the interview by clicking here.
An epic rebirth to Toho’s iconic Godzilla, they May 16 release pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston star.
[Gallery not found]BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s factory activity weakened to a nine-month low in June as demand faltered, a preliminary survey showed, heightening the risk of a sharper second quarter slowdown and increasing the heat on the central bank to loosen policy.
China’s economy grew at its slowest pace for 13 years in 2012 and so far this year data has been weaker than expected, bringing warnings the country could miss its growth target of 7.5 percent for this year, though possibly not by much.
And as the economy shows signs of faltering, a squeeze in Chinese money markets over the past two weeks has sharply tightened monetary conditions, adding to the pressure on the People’s Bank of China to take steps to ease policy.
“Headline activity indicators such as industrial production and fixed asset investment are weak but are not collapsing, while labor market conditions remain tight,” said Zhang Zhiwei, economist at Nomura International in Hong Kong.
“We believe the government is committed to tolerating short-term pain to achieve its policy objectives - containing financial risks and secure sustainable growth in the long term.”
Nomura sees a 30 percent chance that growth in the second half of this year could be below 7 percent.
The flash HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 48.3 in June from May’s final reading of 49.2, drifting further away from the 50-point level demarcating expansion from contraction. It was the weakest level since September.
The Australian dollar hit a fresh 33-month low after Thursday’s data, which fuelled worries about a slowdown in Australia’s single biggest export market.
Most of Asia’s share markets were down more than 1 percent, with the China data adding to raw nerves struck when Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed it would begin reducing its stimulus spending later this year.
The broad Asia ex-Japan index was down 2.8 percent.
FALLING ORDERS
In the PMI survey, compiled by British-based Markit Group Ltd, a sub-index measuring overall new orders dropped to 47.1 in June, the lowest reading in 10 months, suggesting demand is weakening both at home and abroad.
New export orders also weakened further in June, pointing to persistent global headwinds as the U.S. recovery remains patchy, while Europe’s economy remains shackled by the debt crisis.
An employment sub-index also eased in June - broadly in line with signs of softening demand for migrant workers in Chinese cities - even though the overall job market is holding up as the government tries to improve social safety nets.
“Manufacturing sectors are weighed down by deteriorating external demand, moderating domestic demand and rising destocking pressures,” said Qu Hongbin, chief China economist at HSBC.
“Beijing prefers to use reforms rather than stimulus to sustain growth. While reforms can boost long-term growth prospects, they will have a limited impact in the short-term. As such we expect slightly weaker growth in 2Q.”
Many analysts have cut their forecasts for 2013 growth, with Barclays Capital seeing growth of 7.4 percent from 7.9 percent, and HSBC 7.4 percent from 8.2 percent in 2013 and 2014 at 7.4 percent from 8.4 percent.
HARD LANDING UNLIKELY
The chances of a hard landing are small, however.
“The chance of economic growth slipping below 7 percent is quite low, because existing measures are still effective in helping stabilize the economy,” said Wang Jin, analyst at Guotai Junan Securities in Shanghai.
“Figures for infrastructure and property investment show the overall demand of the economy is not declining sharply. Under such circumstances, a reform-oriented policy setting will not exacerbate hard-landing risks.”
Nevertheless, there are a growing number of voices expecting policy action by the central bank, particularly as monetary conditions tighten. Interbank funding costs surged again on Thursday, with the two shortest-term rates hitting record highs.
“We expect the People’s Bank of China to ease monetary conditions shortly,” said Dariusz Kowalczyk, senior economist/strategist for Asia ex-Japan at Credit Agricole CIB, in a note.
“We see either an RRR (reserve ratio requirement) cut or large-scale liquidity-boosting open market operations.”
But the central bank, which last cut rates in July 2012, is facing a dilemma as it balances the need to support the economy while dealing with property prices rising their fastest pace this year in May and looking increasingly like a bubble.
In addition, the chances of fresh stimulus appear slim given that China’s new leaders have adopted a greater tolerance for a slowing economy as they focus on economic reforms.
Government economists have told Reuters that the new leadership of President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang would tolerate quarterly growth slipping as far as 7 percent year-on-year before looking to jumpstart the economy.
Employees work inside a Shuanghui factory in Zhengzhou, Henan province in this March 15, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Stringer/Files
Li was quoted by state media as saying on Tuesday that the economy remains generally stable and the pace of expansion is still within “the reasonable range”.
The Financial News, which is run by the central bank, said in a commentary on Wednesday that the chances of a near-term interest-rate cut remain low amid fears over capital outflows.
The HSBC flash PMI comes ahead of the final reading due on July 1 along with the Chinese government’s official PMI.Image copyright AFP Image caption Pro-government Southern militiamen have been in full control of Aden since July
Pro-government militiamen and Houthi rebels have committed serious abuses against detainees in Yemen's second city Aden, Human Rights Watch says.
The US-based group alleges southern militias have summarily killed at least seven Houthi prisoners since March.
In one case, a rebel was beaten in a public square before being shot dead.
The rebels are accused of unlawfully detaining and mistreating civilians before they were driven out of Aden in July after months of fierce fighting.
Southern fighters, backed by a Saudi-led coalition seeking to restore Yemen's exiled president, have advanced northwards since then, creating a security vacuum that has reportedly been filled by jihadist militants from al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS).
Since Sunday, a senior security official and two leaders of the so-called Southern Resistance, an alliance of groups including secessionists seeking an independent South Yemen and army units loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, have been shot dead by gunmen on motorbikes in Aden.
No group has said it was behind the killings, but al-Qaeda's local offshoot has used motorbikes in previous attacks.
Prisoner boat 'blown up'
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday that it had documented several cases of serious abuse committed by southern militiamen and Houthis against civilians and fighters in their custody since the battle for Aden began in late March.
On 23 August, southern militiamen are alleged to have placed an unidentified group of Houthi prisoners in orange jumpsuits on a boat in the middle of the port of Aden and then blown the boat up.
They reportedly filmed the explosion to the backdrop of IS flags raised on the port buildings.
Image copyright EPA
Why is there fighting in Yemen?
Northern Shia Muslim rebels known as Houthis, backed by forces loyal to Yemen's ex-president, took over parts of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, and forced the government into exile in March
The rebels accused the government of corruption and of planning to marginalise their heartland within a proposed federal system
Forces loyal to the government and southern militias are fighting back, aided by air strikes led by neighbouring Saudi Arabia
Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe
Who is fighting whom?
Meeting the Houthis and their enemies
The next day, a Houthi prisoner was taken to a public square and beaten by a dozen southern fighters, who encouraged bystanders to join in, before shooting and killing him, a witness told HRW.
HRW also said two wounded Houthi officers, who were patients at a hospital in Aden, had been summarily killed in March. Three other Houthis were removed at the time and shot, hospital staff reported.
Houthi fighters are meanwhile accused of having threatened captured southern fighters and held them in harsh conditions before withdrawing from Aden.
They also detained civilians, including aid workers, and took the medical supplies and other goods they were transporting, according to HRW.
HRW called on Yemen's exiled government and the United Arab Emirates, which has reportedly landed several thousand troops in Aden in recent weeks, to press the authorities in Aden to end abuses and punish those responsible.
"Southern forces that have regained control of Aden should end abuses against prisoners and do all they can to establish law and order in the city," said Sarah Leah Whitson, the group's Middle East director.
The UN says some 4,500 people - including at least 2,112 civilians - have been killed since 26 March, when the Saudi-led coalition began an air campaign to defeat the Houthis and restore President Hadi.0 Pence breaks tie as Senate votes to start debate on GOP health care bill
With no votes to spare, Vice President Mike Pence used his Constitutional power to cast a tie-breaking vote in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, allowing Republicans to begin debate on a House-passed GOP bill that would overhaul the Obama health law, as Republicans scrambled to figure out how to cobble together a plan that could be ultimately approved in coming days by the Senate.
The narrow victory was a big win for GOP leaders and the White House, as President Donald Trump had repeatedly pressed Republican Senators in recent days to keep their promise to act on Obamacare – but this was only an initial victory.
In a speech just before the vote, and after a lengthy closed-door meeting of Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell implored fellow GOP Senators to stick together, arguing they had promised the American people that they would make dramatic changes to Obamacare.
“They didn’t send us here just to do the easy stuff, they expect us to tackle the big problems,” McConnell said.
“We can’t let this moment slip by,”McConnell declared.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on health care: "We can't let this moment slip by" https://t.co/7j5VjUmIM9 — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 25, 2017
Two Republicans voted against the motion to start debate: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
A number of other key GOP moderates voted for debate to begin, but did not guarantee they would support a final product.
In the end, the crucial vote was cast by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who was just returning to the Capitol for the first time since being diagnosed with brain cancer; also pivotal was Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who held his colleagues in suspense by waiting an extended period of time before casting a vote in favor of beginning debate.
Johnson though has made clear his frustrations with the process, and with the details of the various GOP plans – it still isn’t clear how GOP leaders will find a solution that satisfies him, and several other Senators who voted to begin the health care debate.
Johnson and McConnell spoke for an extended period of time on the Senate floor, mainly just the two of them – while other Senators waited to see what Johnson would decide.
Democrats waited until Johnson and McCain had voted to vote; then each Democrat registered their opposition, to reinforce their stance on the GOP effort.
Just before the vote began, demonstrators in the Senate galleries began chanting, “Kill the bill!” and “Shame!” to the Senators below.
Protesters chant "Kill the bill. Don't kill us." in Senate chamber ahead of motion to proceed vote. https://t.co/HIUtN7uVeG — NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) July 25, 2017
The future of the GOP health care effort was immediately plunged into question with remarks immediately after the vote, as McCain scolded both parties, urging bipartisan compromise on health care.
“If this process ends in failure, which seems likely, let’s return to regular order,” McCain said, sounding a call for hearings, bipartisan negotiations and cooperation, not a repeat of recent health care efforts led by both parties, the Arizona Republican added.
“We are the not the President’s subordinates, we are his equal,” McCain added, making clear he is not a guaranteed vote for whatever bill the Senate produces in coming days.
"I will not vote for this bill as it is today," Sen. John McCain says. "It is a shell of a bill right now." https://t.co/WgDhJzmxX1 pic.twitter.com/ldXv6FCH4U — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 25, 2017
From interviews with Senators after the vote, it is obvious that Republicans have no real idea how the GOP can forge a bill that gets 50 votes – plus the Vice President.
“We got the first step, now we’ve got to get to the hard work and get this across the line,” said Sen. David Perdue (R-GA).
Asked what the details of that new plan would be, Perdue said simply, “Don’t know yet.”
“It will depend on what’s in the final bill, which nobody has any idea as to how that’s |
" and whatever he writes with his pen becomes reality.
The in-game trial is called "The Trial of the Witch", since Phoenix Wright's client is accused of being a witch.
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【速報】LEVEL5 VISION 2010で、まさかの『レイトン教授ＶＳ逆転裁判』制作発表！！ [Kotaku Japan]CLOSE SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick and AJ Neuharth-Keusch break down the drama between LeBron James and the New York Knicks. USA TODAY Sports
San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots over Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes. (Photo11: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)
DALLAS (AP) — The hometown kid ensured that San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich would get a milestone victory in Dallas.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 32 points in his hometown and the Spurs beat the Mavericks 97-91 on Tuesday night.
Popovich became the fastest NBA coach to 500 road wins. He got there in 835 away games, 41 fewer than Pat Riley. Those two and Don Nelson are the only coaches to win 500 on the road.
Aldridge, a product of Dallas' Seagoville High School, scored eight points during a decisive stretch of the fourth quarter. He's averaging nearly 23 points per game this season while San Antonio has been without starters Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker.
"I think I'm definitely more confident and I'm playing my game more this year," Aldridge said. "I think Pop definitely has tweaked some things where I can be myself more out there and play more confident, and it's working out for us."
Aldridge's coach notices the change in the forward's second year in San Antonio.
"He's been our most consistent player," Popovich said. "His effort level every night has been off the charts. He's been a leader for us, helping the younger guys and new guys understand the system."
Patty Mills added a season-high 19 points for the Spurs.
Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. led Dallas with a career-high 27 points, and J.J. Barea and Harrison Barnes had 16 each. The Mavericks are 2-13 for the second straight season and fifth time overall.
Just like in a loss to Cleveland on Saturday, the Mavericks cut a double-digit second-half deficit to one point, but couldn't gain the lead.
"Every time we made a mental lapse, they got going," Barnes said. "We know that is what they are going to do here and capitalize every time we made a mistake."
After Dallas got within 62-61 early in the fourth, Mills hit a long 3 and a driving layup, then Aldridge scored eight of his team's next 13 points to put the Spurs up 82-71 with 5:03 to play. Dallas never got closer than four points down the stretch.
The Spurs led by 11 during the third quarter, but Barea made back-to-back 3s and fed Salah Mejri an alley-oop pass for a layup as Dallas closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to get within 62-60.
Mills scored 13 points in the first six minutes of the second quarter, including three 3s. Aldridge was hit with a technical foul with 3:33 left in the second quarter for shoving the Mavericks' Salah Mejri after a scrap under the Mavericks basket.
The Spurs led 44-39 at the break.
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Spurs: Popovich was asked before the game how he handles the rush of letters and emails responding to his political comments: "I do read everything and I try to respond. It takes time because there's a lot of letters. The only ones I don't respond to are the ones are so courageous in their negativity that there's no address, just comments. That's hard to respond to. But there are people who disagree and say why, and it's erudite and intelligible and (I say), 'Yeah, you've got a point.' Those people deserve to be responded to."
Mavericks: Dallas continues to play without guard Devin Harris, who missed his second straight game with bruised ribs, and Dorian Finney-Smith was also out Tuesday with left quad tendinitis.
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Spurs: Travel to Minnesota for the second half of a back-to-back Wednesday night. The Spurs have won 12 straight against the Wolves, dating to 2014.
Mavericks: Also face the Timberwolves next, at home Friday night. Minnesota won the team's first meeting on Nov. 4.
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Brad Guzan is heading for the Villa Park exit door after boss Tim Sherwood delivered a public snub.
Villa’s boss weighed in with a £5million offer for Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic which has sent the American a clear message that he will start as the club’s third-choice next season.
The club’s former number one ended the season behind veteran Shay Given.
Sherwood replaced Guzan after an horrific gaffe at the Etihad Stadium gifted Manchester City an early opener in a match the visitors went on to lose 3-2.
(Image: PA)
Given took over between the sticks and kept his place for the remainder of the season – even playing in the FA Cup final.
The veteran Irishman still has 12 months to run on his contract – and he remains one of the club’s highest-earners on £3m-a-year.
Villa found no takers when they tried to send Given on loan – now it appears that Guzan will be the fall-guy.
Done Deals – Summer 2015Golden Axe was already an old game when I found it at the back of an arcade in the 1990s. The dusty cabinet only cost 20 cents per credit while shiny new games demanded a whole dollar. It was good value: only 20 cents to become a dwarf who could ride dragons or weird chicken-leg creatures, bash up tiny gnomes for their magic potions, and sometimes summon lightning from the sky.
Even at that price I could never finish it, and playing it years later on Steam as part of the Sega Mega Drive & Classics Collection it's obvious why. The boss fights are cheap, enemies burst out of doorways to hammer you on the head, the difficulty spikes are entirely random, and ledges are precarious. It has all the hallmarks of arcade games designed first and foremost to vacuum coins straight out of childrens' pockets with maximum efficiency. But thanks to a Steam Workshop modder, it no longer has to be that way.
Tucked away among the mods in the Steam Workshop, behind the ones that inserted Knuckles into the original Sonic the Hedgehog or played the weird noise Tim Allen makes whenever someone dies, I found the Chill Editions. These personalised tweaksets alter arcade classics, some of them adding infinite lives or unlimited time, level selection, or protection from death when you fall off the edge of the screen.
Games from Altered Beast to Vectorman 2 had been given the Chill Edition treatment. They took the rage out of Streets of Rage 2, and made even frantic games like Gunstar Heroes into relaxing experiences you can zone out to while listening to a podcast. At first I thought that was all there was to it, and then I looked into the identity of the blessed saint of a Steam user called xONLYUSEmeFEET responsible for these mods.
Turns out he's AJ Ryan, who has a condition called Arthrogryposis that restricts the use of his hands. Ryan steers his wheelchair, types, and plays games using his feet—hence the username. You can check him out on YouTube playing arcade games and playing them well, and he’s able to type at 50 words-per-minute and use a mouse with his feet as well. Though he can play with controllers the triggers can be hard to depress with his toes and he’s switched to PC gaming for his favorite first-person shooters. “I'm glad I did because I can hold my own against my friends now!” he says. But Ryan's keenly aware that not everybody is capable of doing what he can.
Meet AJ Ryan Ryan doesn't just mod games. He also designs and programs games and is an AbleGamers charity Fellow. Ryan's website lists his game jam projects, where he focuses on inclusive design. His games are often designed to be colorblind-friendly and controlled with single-button inputs.
"Many Sega games are difficult to beat even for the most seasoned gamer and more people should be able to see these games through," Ryan says, explaining the impetus behind his project. "I began work on a few games before Workshop support released so I could have my mods on the store as soon as possible. I started making one of my favorite games, Streets of Rage 2, more accessible by adding in Infinite Lives and enabling additional features in the options menu. Upon completion of the mod, I decided I needed a name for my work. I didn’t want to call direct attention to the fact my audience was those with disabilities so I decided on the Chill Edition moniker as I believed these Chill Editions could be enjoyed by anyone."
He was right. There were 34,143 players subscribed to various Chill Editions, and most of them had no idea who is responsible for them or that their creator has an even nobler motivation than saving modern players from ragequitting. His most popular mod is for Comix Zone—an innovative but bastard-hard beat-em-up about an artist trapped in a comic who can traverse levels by ripping a path through the panel dividers—which had 2,677 subscribers. The Chill Edition of Comix Zone made enemies weaker, adds infinite energy, and when you use the ability to rip a chunk of paper off the page and make a plane out of it, you now get health back instead of losing some. Each Chill Edition's modifications were chosen to suit the difficulties of that particular game.
"The experience I wanted for each Chill Edition game was to allow the player to go through the game at their own pace without worrying about a game over," Ryan explains. "So infinite lives/health were always my top priority for each Chill Edition game as if I could do that, any player could eventually beat the game. I also tried to enable stage/level select for every game to allow players to start the game from any level of their choosing. From there, I added features specific to each game that had a minor impact on difficulty such as infinite shurikens in Shinobi III or infinite time in Sonic."
Ryan started modding seven years ago, creating Doom maps when he was in high school, but his first Chill Edition for Streets of Rage 2 presented a new kind of challenge. "I was not familiar with Hex Editing or the workflow I needed to create in order to make my mods," he says. "The biggest obstacle for me was figuring out I needed to modify Sega’s code protection in order to get any of the games to boot."
Though the process got easier once Ryan cleared that obstacle, his later work on the Sonic trilogy turned out to be "a nightmare" as he puts it. "All three games are structurally very different from each other so I was unable to get the same exact features across all of them which was always my goal for series of games." Sonic 3 & Knuckles was the Chill Edition fans requested most frequently and is currently the most popular one, but getting it to work took a lot of trial and error. "Additionally, getting complete hazard and drowning immunity in Sonic 3 & Knuckles to work without having the game lock out took forever to figure out."
A new obstacle stands in front of the Chill Editions right now, however. This week, dozens if not hundreds of mods have been pulled from the Mega Drive & Genesis Classics Collection, removing those that sneakily uploaded entire games as well as perfectly legit mods like Ryan’s. “Because of how many mods I uploaded I'm currently banned from the Workshop for 28 days!” he says. Since the mods were first taken down, four Chill Edition mods have been reinstated, but that still leaves many more unaccounted for.
Even mods created by Simon Thomley, aka Stealth, the modder hired by Sega to create Sonic Mania, have been caught in the mass ban. Ryan’s hoping to get his mods reinstated or hosted elsewhere, but at the moment they are frustratingly unavailable on Steam, and modders are struggling to get more than stock answers from Steam support.
Ryan plans to continue working on the Chill Editions in the future, bugfixing existing ones while deciding which game to Chill next. He's hesitant to double up on work being done by other modders—a lot of players request the JRPG Phantasy Star II, but there's already an Easy Mode out there for it. He's also considering modding other mods, like the original Japanese edition of Streets of Rage 3 which fans can now find under the name Bare Knuckle 3 Translated, although he wants to make sure the previous modders receive appropriate credit for their work. "I’m always looking for suggestions on Chill Edition mods so always feel free to let me know! I’ll make Chill Editions for as long as players ask me to."
The Chill Editions have proved worthwhile for both to disabled players who can now experience games that previously relied too much on fussy precision and tight reaction times, and anyone who never saw the end of Alien Soldier because it was just too hard. There are even commenters on Steam popping up to say how happy they are to be able to play games games they remember from their youth like Golden Axe alongside their own children, no matter what age they are.
Sometimes players are critical of the Chill Editions for being too easy, but that's the point of them. Arcade classics in particular weren't designed with accessibility in mind, and that's a shame. Video games—all of them, including these historical artifacts of the coin-operated days—should be for everyone.There's something liberating about walking around without your wallet. No giant clump of leather, plastic or fabric pressing itself against your thigh. No awkward outlines in your pocket. No shuffling and shifting in your seat just to retrieve it.
That is, until you realize you've lost all your money, tickets, rewards cards and coupons.
While there isn't anything that will replace your driver's license or other government identification, there are a slew of apps that can effectively replace the rest of your wallet, streamlining your life and preserving your favorite pair of jeans.
Google Wallet
What it replaces: Cash, credit cards, loyalty cards and coupons
Launched in 2011 and available on iPhone and Android, Google Wallet gives you the ability to make purchases in stores and online, as well as withdraw cash from ATMs with your phone or a card.
By attaching your credit cards, debit cards and bank account to the platform, you can make direct payments with whichever sources you want through Google Wallet. You can also keep a balance on Google Wallet, and make direct transactions with legal adults in the United States with an email account.
Recently, Google rolled out a new instant buy feature for iOS, which had already been on Android for a year.
If your wallet is bursting with loyalty cards, Google Wallet will integrate those, too. Some brands like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have apps that already do this, which you can access through Google Wallet. For everything else, just scan the card, and it becomes a scannable bar code in the app.
And with Google Wallet, you'll never have to worry about coupon clutter: You can access offers from sites like Valpak and redeem the offers in-app.
Passbook
What it replaces: Travel and entertainment tickets, loyalty and rewards cards
"Wait, I thought you had the tickets!"
There are few worse feelings than the horror of getting to a venue and realizing you don't have what you need to get in. With Passbook, a native app for iPhone, you can store and scan almost any kind of ticket you need, whether it's a boarding pass for a flight or box seats for a baseball game.
Like Google Wallet, there's a wide variety of apps that work directly with your account and can be integrated with Passbook. For almost everything else, you can scan the ticket and present an electronic version when it's needed.
Image: Flickr, Graham Brenna
From Belly to Hilton HHonors, Passbook also works with rewards and loyalty cards of all types, centralizing your hard-earned points in an easily accessible app.
Venmo
What it replaces: Your credit and debit cards
Image: Mashable, Sarah Fisher
Opened to the public in March 2012 and available for iPhone and Android, Venmo allows you to make direct transactions with your phone contacts. You can connect a credit or debit card to your account to make payments, and a Venmo balance will accrue from payments you receive from friends. You can also connect your bank account to your Venmo profile, which allows you to cash out your Venmo balance.
While Venmo doesn't let you purchase items like Google Wallet does, it's a useful tool for splitting checks and immediately reimbursing your friend when he spots you if you don't have any cash. And while it won't replace your wallet by itself, it will definitely reduce the hassle and risk of carrying around large amounts of legal tender.The only way to fry? First commercial British flight fuelled by used chip fat is met by naked protesters
Plane flew from Birmingham airport to Lanzarote
'Biofuel production killing rainforests,' say protesters
A planeload of British holidaymakers have made aviation history by flying to Lanzarote on a plane fuelled by used chip pan oil.
The Thomson Airways flight from Birmingham airport was the first UK commercial biofuels flight ever from a UK airport.
One of the engines on the twin- engined Boeing 757 flight was operated on a 50 per cent blend of 'Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids', produced from used cooking oil, and 50 per cent Jet A1 fuel.
Not red faced: Protesters from Plane Stupid at Birmingham airport protesting against the UK's first commercial flight using biofuel because of the damage it does to the rainforest
Fry up: Britain's first commercial flight powered by sustainable biofuel takes off from Birmingham airport
But environmental protesters stripped naked and covered themselves in red body paint in a bid to disrupt the launch.
Calling themselves Plane Stupid they said that rainforests were being wrecked to make way for biofuel plantations.
The cooking oil used for the Thomson flights is collected from the kitchens of hotels and restaurants and then goes through a special processing treatment.
Carl Gissing, director of customer service at Thomson Airways, admitted that the biofuel cost around five to six times the price of aviation fuel, but said the airline was prepared to 'put its money where our mouth is' because it believed in sustainable biofuels.
You're not under a vest: A Plane Stupid protester is led away by police after the scenes at Birmingham airport
Mr Gissing said: 'We are proud to be leading the way with the first commercial biofuel flights and we hope it will make people sit up and take notice.'
Mr Gissing said the move was designed to make a statement which it was hoped would lead to industry and governments investing in developing fuels which would reduce carbon emissions.
After today's light, carrying 232 passengers, there will be a six-week gap before Thomson starts a full programme of biofuel flights in 2012 from Birmingham Airport.
Dirk Konemeijer, managing director of skyNRG, which supplies the biofuel, said it made sense to utilise used cooking oil because it was a waste product which couldn't be used for anything else.
It was not economically viable at present to supply the whole of the aviation industry with the fuel and that was why government support was needed.
Long-term other technology was necessary and in three to four years a totally new fuel could come along.
Joe Peacock, from Birmingham Friends of the Earth, however, said: 'We cannot ignore the massive environmental and social problems caused by trying to feed our addiction to fossil fuels with plant-based alternatives.'
Grub's up: The biofuel is made by collecting fat from the kitchens of hotels and restaurants before being refined in a special processing treatment
Plane Stupid protester Chris Cooper said: 'Thomson seem to be acknowledging that we can't continue business as usual in the face of the current climate emergency.
'It's a shame their solution is to make matters worse.
'Vast tracts of rainforest, eco systems vital to halting climate change, are currently being trashed to make way for biofuel plantations.When the 14th century city officials of Waterford wanted to petition King Edward III to support their claim to the monopoly of having ships unload their wares at their town, rather than at a New Ross in county Wexford, they knew they had to dig to their deepest abilities of strategy and creativity. They produced an enormous charter roll of documents proving historical evidence of their purported rights to Waterford harbour, and, unusually, provided their scroll with striking illustrations of key historical personalities. The result is the Great Charter Roll of Waterford, which still survives in a vibrant colourful condition and can be viewed at Waterford Museum of Treasures.
The characters depicted on the roll were well-known political figures of the day, and quite apart from the pleasing richness of the colours used in the illustrations, there is an enormity of fashion detail to be observed in their costumes. King Edward III, the very man to whom the petition was being addressed, himself figures prominently.
The charter roll’s designers had to make sure he was flattered accordingly.
And so they depicted him in tights.
Yes: the-then King of England is shown lolling back in his wooden throne, in a dark blue tunic with a gold knight’s belt, one leg idly crossed over the other; the Museum’s exhibit panel describes Edward III as sitting “awkwardly” on his wooden throne, but I challenge this: rather, I suggest that he sits proudly, all the better to show off his leg-hugging vibrant red tights, and, equally as striking, his outrageously long pointed shoes.
The idea of a man wearing tight leggings under a short tunic brings is already at large thanks to the spoof movie Robin Hood Men in Tights. The style is based on a real trend that did indeed have a heyday, right in the fourteenth century, to the extent that the king wore it.
Through the eyelet
Tight leggings, made of linen or wool, came about thanks to the enormously significant though simple development of the reinforced button hole, or the eyelet. Buttons had been worn on clothing throughout the centuries till now, but as decoration only. Now with reinforced holes through which the buttons could be used to fasten one part of a garment to another, clothing could be worn to fit to the wearer’s natural shapes and curves.
This was revolutionary.
Clothing till now had been of simple, unstructured robes, whether for women or for men. Embellishment and personality was achieved through sewn-on gemstones, wearing of jewellery and elaborate hair-styling instead. Now with the ability to fit garments, through extensive buttoning, to the shape of the wearer’s waist, arms and the entire length of the leg, the human physical form was not now concealed behind long-flowing drapes but could now be revealed in clothed form.
A long-lived simplicity in clothing was vanquished. Who knew that the simple button and its eyelet accomplice could have such significance? Pause to appreciate it the next time you button yourself into your attire for the day or the evening.
The visual impact of Edward III’s tights and shoes is certainly very striking, and though it obviously became totally acceptable for him to stride about in them, the style did indeed cause quite a stir. Now that buttons could be supported for functional purposes, they could be applied to garments in rows meaning they fit snugly to the wearer’s physical outline.
Tight hose that revealed a man’s form scandalised older and more conservative sections of the population. The form of arms, legs, chests and even groin areas otherwise lost under modest full-flowing garments suddenly became defined to the extent that a French chronicler was led to write that
“Men, in particular, noblemen and their squires, and a few bourgeois and their servants, took to wearing tunics so short and tight that they revealed what modesty bids us hide”
Long-toed shoes
If the tight pants caused consternation, consider the controversy that the persistent trend for wearing long-pointed shoes caused. The Pope even tried to ban them entirely for their apparent suggestively phallic form. They were known as poulaines, or crackows, possibly because the style originated in Poland. Towards the end of the fourteenth century, shoes became so elongated that French poet Eustache Deschamps criticised their wearers for walking sideways like crabs in them.
Isn’t fashion a funny thing? I can hear my mother tut-tutting at current trends of impractical high heel shoes and how uncomfortable they are for their wearers (picture the dance floor at a modern-day wedding, said offending shoes cast off after a long day of pain) – yet how prevailing it is to wear them.
Certainly, today’s high heel shoes fulfil a fashion statement role, they make the wearer look taller, if that is what is desirable, they give shape to the legs, if that is what is desirable – but ultimately, they are uncomfortable to wear. 14th century long-pointed shoes were no different. They were not necessarily comfortable, but fulfil a fashion statement role, which in the 14th century was concerned with an elongated silhouette; the shoes continue “the narrow, stretched look of the rest of the costume”. The style originated as a male one, but was later taken up by women also.
Regardless of the controversy, Edward III fairly brandishes them in the illustration, and it is easy to understand why the Waterford Charter Roll illustrators depicted him this way: it was during his reign alone that three laws concerning fashion were passed, including one designed to control who ought wear elongated shoes:
“no knight under the estate of a lord, esquire or gentleman, nor any other person, shall wear any shoes or boots having spikes or points which exceed the length of two inches, under the forfeiture of forty pence.”
If you can’t get to Waterford museum in the near future, their website has an extremely useful virtual tour facility http://www.waterfordtreasures.com/medieval-museum
By Adrienne Corless
Additional Reading
Laver, J. 1979 The Concise History of Costume and Fashion, Abrams
Piponnier, F. & Mane, P. 2007 Dress in the Middle Ages, Yale University Press, London
Scott, M. 2004 Medieval Clothing and Costumes: Displaying Wealth and Class in Medieval Times, The Rosen Publishing Group, New York
Helpful glossary on fourteenth century clothing terminology http://medievaltailor.com/research/glossary/TV Reviews All of our TV reviews in one convenient place.
For an episode that involved the death of a minor, but important, character and a scene in which Peggy’s mom informed her she’ll inevitably be raped in Manhattan, this felt genuinely breezy by Mad Men standards. Despite the death at its center, “The Arrangements” spent a lot of time dealing with jai alai, the failed Patio commercial, and Peggy’s search for a suitable roommate. It probably had more laughs—and not dark, stick-in-the-throat, holy shit Roger’s in blackface laughs—than any episode this season. And yet, there’s Gene’s death, and the specter of more change and destruction, haunting even its lightest moments.
It’s probably no accident that Grandpa Gene dies in an episode called “The Arrangements” that relies more than most Mad Men episodes on viewers knowing about the future in the way our 1963-dwelling characters could not. We know jai alai—the next great American pastime or “Polish handball,” depending on who’s doing the telling—will not take off. And we know that news report of Thích Quảng Đức, a monk who burned himself alive to protest the unfair treatment of Buddhists in South Vietnam, will become much more than an arresting, weird news blip. Gene begs his daughter to look at his funeral arrangements. She doesn’t want to face the future that’s been staring her in the face for a while. Even her father’s, “We talk about it now then we don’t talk about it” doesn’t comfort her. It’s dark and unpleasant and Betty doesn’t handle such things well.
I also don’t think it’s any accident that Betty’s difficulty looking to the future falls in the middle of an episode concerned with the disconnect between parents and children. When Sterling-Cooper consults with the father of the foolish jai alai enthusiast he responds simply, “We didn’t know what kind of person we were making.” Neither, obviously, did Peggy’s mom, who has a daughter who’s become successful enough in business to buy her a top-of-the-line Admiral television but failed in all the ways that must count to her as an old-fashioned Norwegian Catholic still upset about the Pope’s death long after it’s rated time on the evening news.
Then there’s the Draper children. If I thought Matthew Weiner had plotted out the whole series in advance—and I don’t—I’d see a lot of foreshadowing in Gene talking about war to young Bobby Draper in an episode in which Vietnam gets introduced. But even if Mad Men doesn’t deal explicitly with Bobby and Vietnam, he’ll still come of age in an era with that war hanging over him. Sally will too, and she’ll carry her grandfather’s insistence that she “could really do something” with her. (Interesting, too, that Gene sees his daughter’s life as a bit too conventional for his taste and that he can barely hide is mixed feelings about Don.)
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Peggy, on the other hand, is already doing something. And in this episode she’s looking to start doing it with a less taxing commute, even if it means taking on a wildly inappropriate roommate. (And not just because one is Norwegian and the other Swedish.) She’s good at her job, so good that she can’t quite hide a smug look when Sal’s Patio campaign spot lands with the an audible “oof.” And why? It looks like the Ann-Margret scene from Bye Bye Birdie, it sounds like that scene and yet it feels just a little off in part because it’s nothing more than a rip-off and in part because it just doesn’t speak to its intended audience for all the reasons Peggy knew it wouldn’t. (It also seems appropriate that a campaign for diet soda would fail because it’s a kind of sad imitation of its source material.)
As for Sal, I’m not sure I can handle too many more scenes from the tragedy-in-the-making that is his marriage. His wife seems sweet. She also seems less oblivious than before that something is terribly wrong. She needs “tending” and whatever compromise he might have reached in his mind to get the job done in the past clearly isn’t working anymore. Their scene played out with sad inevitability then closed with a moment I couldn’t quite read: Mrs. Sal looked enthralled by his presentation at first and then… what? She ends with, “You’re gonna do great” then stares off into the middle distance with an expression I couldn’t read. It wasn’t joyful, however. It looked uneasy with what’s to come.
Grade: A-
Stray observations:
- Was that prank call to Peggy done with cruelty or affection?
- Also, not a lot of Joan this episode but the scene in which she taught Peggy how to create an ad pitch for herself was priceless.
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- Let’s talk about food: Did everyone catch the Caesar salad being made the old-fashioned way in the restaurant scene? Also, Gene salted his ice cream, which I’d never seen before and which sounds repulsive. Am I wrong? (Also: Does anyone else salt watermelon? I do. And it is delicious.)
- The “perfect mixture of athletics, spectacle, and speed.” Who could resist that? Apart from most of America.
- Gene refers to Betty smoking as “suicide.” Is the first suggestion we’ve gotten that tobacco might be something other than harmless?
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- Did anyone else find Peggy taking down the “Free Kittens” sign as amusing as I did?
- Did anyone else think of All That Heaven Allows when Peggy gave her mom the television?
- “I’m fun. And I love to have… fun.”
- More Mad Men links to check out: For fellow TV-bloggers-in-arms, I highly recommend Maureen Ryan at the Chicago Tribune and the New Jersey Star-Ledger’s Alan Sepinwall. For a different take, I never miss Movieline’s Mark Listanti’s weekly Mad Men Power Rankings. (I predict a rise this week for Pete and Peggy and a dip in the Don Draper Fingerbang Threat Level.)Rising rents have been cited as a reason millennials aren’t moving out of their parents’ basements. But higher rents could force some boomers to move in with their children.
So says Don Lawby, president of the Real Property Management franchise, a property management company based in Utah. He says it is shaping up to be a crisis for some boomers for the following reasons:
The average rent for a three-bedroom single-family home in the U.S. was $1,363 in the third quarter of 2015, a 5.7% increase over the last year, according to Real Property Management and Rent Range, a rental information company.
Workers 55 and over have, on average, saved only $150,300 for retirement, according to a Fidelity report from 2013. Assuming they withdraw 4% of their savings for income in retirement, their savings will generate about $500 a month, Lawby figured. With Social Security benefits, monthly income will average $1,791 (using figures from the Social Security website).
That monthly income means the average retiree is likely to have a housing budget of $609 to $681 a month (going by the recommendation that 34% to 38% of income be used toward housing costs), way below the cost of renting a three-bedroom home.
Rental growth rates are the highest they’ve been since the recession, said Ryan Severino, senior economist and director of research for Reis, Inc., a provider of commercial real estate information. Reis data shows that rents rose more than 4% over the last 12 months.
“Vacancies have been tight for a very long period of time,” Severino said. “That kind of environment gives landlords leverage to raise rents.” Rents are eventually expected to taper off, however, as more apartment inventory hits the market, he added.
Yet some don’t see that tapering off happening soon. A recent Rent.com survey of more than 500 property managers predicted rents would rise an average of 8% over the next year. Eighty-eight percent of property managers surveyed said they raised their rent in the last 12 months. The report also found that rental vacancies were at a 20-year low.
Steep rises in rent make it very difficult for tenants to keep up, “unless you’re in the job market and in a position where your salary is moving with the cost of living as it increases,” Lawby said. And he’s not just talking about retirees already living on fixed incomes. If you are a boomer who lost a job during the downturn, it is quite possible that your employment opportunities have been limited and salary increases have stalled, he added.
“The boomers, they’ve come into an environment that, generally speaking, hasn’t been positive financially for many of them,” Lawby said.
Owning is a safer bet
It’s important to point out that most retirees are homeowners, and therefore have more control over their housing costs — either because they own their home free and clear or have a fixed-rate mortgage that keeps their costs stable.
Of those between the ages of 55 and 59, 74.9% were homeowners in the second quarter, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The homeownership rate was 80.7% for those between 70 and 74, and 76.8% for those older than 75.
And then there’s this: baby boomers now in their 50s have lower incomes, wealth, homeownership rates and more debt than generations before them, according to a report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and the AARP Foundation. A third of Americans 50 and older spend more than 30% of their income on housing, while 37% of those 80 and older spend more than 30% on housing.
Certainly, the steep rise in rents is a reason why it is often safer for seniors to be homeowners, Severino said. You can bet that rents will go up over time, he added.
Yet there will always be some who rent in retirement, either by choice or need. And the jump in the cost of renting could force boomers with a lease to downsize from a three-bedroom to a studio — or maybe eventually move in with their kids, Lawby said.
“It’s something people should be thinking about before it becomes a necessity,” Lawby said, referring not only to the boomers, but their children who weren’t planning on taking in their parents.Image copyright Reuters Image caption Guzman was transferred to the US after losing a long legal battle against extradition
Official figures from Mexico show that the number of homicides was higher by a third in January compared to the same month of 2016.
The authorities believe the spike in violence is linked to the extradition of the drug lord, Joaquin Guzman, known as "El Chapo," or "Shorty".
The former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel was sent to a high security jail in the United States last month.
His departure has prompted a fight for power in northern Mexico states.
The Sinaloa Cartel controls some of the most lucrative drug trafficking routes in Mexico.
The Mexican authorities had predicted a surge in violence following Guzman's extradition and promised to deploy extra troops.
But in the worst-affected areas, including the northern states of Baja California, Chihuahua and Guzman's native Sinaloa, homicides were up by 50% in January.
Image copyright EPA Image caption The Mexican government expected a surge in violence once it announced Guzman's extradition
In total, 1,938 people were murdered in Mexico last month, a 34% rise on January 2016, when 1,442 homicides were reported.
Defence Minister Salvador Cienfuegos says the recent violence has been caused by a power struggle among different factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.
'Not guilty'
Guzman is being held in a maximum security prison in New York after he was extradited last month.
The notorious kingpin escaped twice from prison in Mexico, once in a laundry basket and most recently through a tunnel in |
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Friday 1400 Vaughan
Trolling, Free Speech, and the Hacking of Our Media/Attention Landscape
Matt Goerzen, Joan Donovan, Jeanna Matthews
Trolls are attention hackers, using social and technical means to bait journalists, set agendas, game media gatekeepers, and direct audiences. This panel of members of the media manipulation team at Data & Society will consider the relationship between trolling and hacking, free speech, and the implications for our media/attention landscape. Matt will focus on hackers who have used trolling techniques to disclose vulnerabilities and elicit public pressure. Joan will talk about source hacking techniques, a tactic where groups coordinate to feed false information to journalists and experts, often during times of crisis. Jeanna will discuss the relationship between free speech, amplification of speech through platform and media manipulation, and the implication of possible interventions. The floor will be open to comments, questions, and a discussion which hopefully will continue beyond the session itself.
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Saturday 2200 Vaughan
Trolling the Trolls and the Trolls That Troll Them
'Da Beave', 'Faux Real'
It has been said that Twitter bots and trolls helped Russia influence the United States 2016 presidential election. Looking towards the 2018 midterm elections, many voters, politicians, and government agencies are anxious and uncertain of what may come: "How might another nation influence our election?" "Might the potential for electoral interference persuade some politicians to preemptively ‘get on board’ with those who may influence the political outcomes?" The torrent of news broadcasts and research publications on the subjects of social media manipulation have led to greater confusion in some respects. This talk covers aggressive research conducted over the last year focusing on bots, fake news, and hate speech on Twitter. This "aggressive research" uses methods and techniques that are directly at odds with the Twitter ToS. To best understand the motives and techniques of your adversary, it’s sometimes best to walk their shoes. Using and abusing Twitter API, using automation to engage suspicious accounts without using the API, and engaging in "nontraditional" data collection methods (i.e., "social engineering"), 'Da Beave' and 'Faux Real' have been collecting and analyzing a wide range of data related to their targets. The methods employed have enabled them to gain a wider perspective than any amount of social media data alone could provide, and these techniques have allowed them to bring some of the "trolls" and "bots" out of the dark and into the daylight. This talk covers what they did and how they did it. Source code will be released as an open-source project (GPLv2).
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Friday 1900 Vaughan
Amelia Andersdotter, Mehwish Ansari, Avri Doria, Mallory Knodel
A panel of experts, technologists, and lawyers will give an update on several I-star organizations, namely ICANN, IETF, IEEE, and ITU. Short presentations will touch on the major controversies in each space as they relate to human rights, namely freedom of expression and the right to privacy. Questions to the panel from the moderator will draw out the tensions and synergies of human rights considerations in Internet governance and standards setting across the I-star bodies. Questions from the audience are encouraged.
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Saturday 1000 Vaughan
Alex Muentz
We’re seeing a lot of changes in privacy law and security regulations in both the European Union and the United States. Some of these are beneficial, while others may make us less safe and free. Alex will discuss the current state of GDPR (the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation), recent U.S. SEC guidance on reporting security breaches, as well as the recently passed FOSTA-SESTA. Of course, hypotheticals and Q&A will follow.
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Friday 1700 Booth
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Documenting Attacks on the Press in the Age of Trump
Alexandra Ellerbeck, Camille Fassett
Last August, a coalition of more than two dozen organizations dedicated to press freedom came together to launch the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a website that systematically documents press freedom violations in the United States. When the tracker was launched, it was never anticipated that more than 100 cases would be logged in the first year. These cases show that Trump’s heated rhetoric in D.C. is far from the only press freedom story. Instead, journalists face obstacles in courtrooms, city halls, and protests. Information from the tracker has already identified concerning patterns, such as the fact that two-thirds of journalists arrested in 2017 were caught up when police used a controversial tactic known as "kettling." It still remains to be seen how much of Trump’s legal threats to journalists are bluster, but the press freedom tracker is rigorously documenting them, along with the myriad of other threats that often go overlooked.
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Friday 2100 Booth
We Must Legislate to Block Collection of Personal Data
Richard Stallman
With surveillance so pervasive, weak measures can only nibble around the edges. To restore privacy, we need strong measures. Companies are so adept at manufacturing users’ consent that the requirement hardly hampers their surveillance. This talk will discuss how what we need nowadays is to put strict limits on what data systems can collect.
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Sunday 1200 Vaughan (2 hours)
What Should Go into a dotMOBI Website?
The Cheshire Catalyst
The dotMOBI TLD (Top Level domain) has been established for websites meant to be read on Mobile devices (mobile phones and tablets). The Cheshire Catalyst (Richard Cheshire) will describe his thoughts on what design elements are needed to go into such a website for usablity on not just the latest smartphones, but on older Feature Phones as well (ask Nokia how their new 3310 is doing). The web site H12.Mobi will be used as an example.
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Friday 1100 Ritchie
Why Trade Secret Law Can’t Stop Hackers
Ed Ryan
Patent law can’t cover everything. In cases where the publicity of a patent is too high a price to pay, the law provides protections against the "misappropriation" of trade secrets, which have no expiration date. Trade secret law has been strengthened in recent years to include federal protection and warrantless seizure of property. This talk introduces the trade secret and industrial espionage laws and outlines the limitations of these laws in the face of a person intent on liberating closely held secrets. It will cover the Defense of Trade Secrets Act of 2016, including the provisions for "ex parte seizure" of property. This talk is an academic discussion of trade secret law and should not be construed as legal advice.
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Friday 1800 Ritchie
Your Blockchain Sucks
Glenn Willen
It sure seems like everybody wants a blockchain these days, doesn’t it? It started with finance, but now we have blockchain for books, airlines, advertising, clinical trials, energy... and that’s just the first two pages of Google hits. But why does everybody want a blockchain? There’s a ton of a lot of blockchain hype right now, and frankly, 95 percent of proposed blockchain projects are crap. So what precisely is a blockchain, and why is it useful? Where did it come from, what is it good for, and - more importantly - what is it totally garbage at? And what kinds of bullshit are people trying to use it for that just doesn’t make any goddamned sense? Glenn is here to tell you exactly why your blockchain sucks.
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Friday 2200 Booth
Your IoT Roommate and You - Living with the Enemy
Michael "Sveder" Sverdlin
More and more people, hackers included, are allowing IoT devices into their homes, while simultaneously not a week goes by without a new IoT botnet or an attack on and involving IoT devices. Time to talk about what the paranoid of us already know - how to live with your IoT roommates and keep your privacy, security, and sanity. Michael will go through the story of his smart water heater and how he’s slowly but surely making it more hacker friendly - from replacing its permission hungry app, to inspecting the software and the remote API it insecurely communicates with, and finally physically taking it apart in order to make sure it doesn’t have added "features." The talk will include technical details about his device, but more importantly it will contain strategies and ownership tips that will work on any other. IoT devices are moving in - will you be prepared?
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Friday 2300 BoothDemocrats Make Long-Shot Effort To Win Louisiana Senate Seat
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ryan Kailath/WWNO Ryan Kailath/WWNO
The last unfinished Senate race of the election is nearly over.
State Treasurer John Neely Kennedy, a Republican, is the clear favorite to become the next Senator from Louisiana, despite an eleventh-hour fundraising surge from his Democratic opponent, Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell.
Because of Louisiana's unusual "jungle primary" election laws, none of the 24 candidates vying to replace retiring Senator David Vitter won enough of the vote to win the seat outright on Nov. 8, so the two leading contenders advanced to a runoff election this Saturday, Dec. 10th.
As is often the case with Louisiana, which has voted safely for Republican Presidential candidates each cycle since 2000, the race was largely ignored by national media for most of the year, aside from some coverage of the racially-charged campaign of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke who says he was energized by Donald Trump's candidacy.
Now that Trump has won, Democrats around the country have showered Foster Campbell's campaign with cash and celebrity endorsements in an attempt to limit Republicans' incoming Senate majority to 51 seats.
"When I got through with the [Nov. 8th] campaign," Campbell said, "I had $8,000 left and I owed $80,000."
According to the Federal Election Commission, Campbell's campaign raised $2.5 million in the last filing period, ending Nov. 20. Donations have continued to pour in since, Campbell said.
"We're tickled to death and we're running like we're 100 points behind. But we're not," said Campbell.
Kennedy's campaign raised $1.6 million in the same period, according to the FEC. Nevertheless, the Republican is up by double digits in every poll.
Still, Republicans aren't taking any chances. Vice President-elect Mike Pence stumped for Kennedy in New Orleans on Saturday, and Donald Trump took to Twitter to endorse him. The campaign arm of Senate Republicans has opened 10 offices statewide.
"I've seen some surprises happen, and we don't intend to be surprised again," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-MS, the outgoing chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "It would be a bucket of cold water in the face to send a Democrat from Louisiana."
Wicker stressed the importance of Kennedy making sure Republicans have 52 Senate seats rather than the 51 they'd have were he to lose.
"Not everybody is always happy to go along with the leadership, Wicker said. "You don't always count on getting every vote for every issue."
Although Campbell has benefited from grassroots fundraising among Democrats, the national party has largely stayed on the sidelines. Repeated inquiries to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee went unanswered.
Campbell is furious at the lack of attention. "I don't know where they hell they are; they're missing in action!" he said.
Still, the Louisiana electorate makes this an uphill race for Campbell. Democratic candidates for statewide office in Louisiana generally need African-Americans to make up 30 percent of the electorate to win. But African-American turnout was at 21 percent two days before early voting closed last weekend, according to demographer Brandon Finnigan of Decision Desk, an independent election returns site.
Jim Nickel, a former chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party and a longtime political operative and lobbyist, was more blunt.
"This is John Kennedy's race to lose," he said.The Ontario Reign signed goaltender Michael Houser, Director of Hockey Operations Hubie McDonough announced Monday.
Houser, 23, went 19-9-4 with a 2.83 goals-against average and.900 save percentage in 37 appearances with the San Antonio Rampage last season and added a 5-6-1 standing with a 2.24 GAA and.924 save percentage in 12 ECHL contests with the Cincinnati Cyclones. In 65 career AHL appearances with the Rampage over a three-year career, the Youngstown, Ohio, native went 31-22-5 with a 2.66 GAA and.901 save percentage.
Prior to turning pro, 23-year-old netminder skated four seasons of junior hockey with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) and London Knights (OHL) earning CHL and OHL Goaltender of the Year honors with the Knights in 2011-12, the Red Tilson Trophy for the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player (2011-12) and helped the Knights capture the OHL Championship the same season.Screens Here are several screen shots of the game. As you can see, it doesn't need a powerful video card. This is the title screen. A cute little musical intro using the PC speaker is played here. Don't you just love the high quality ASCII graphics? Those were the days! Here are the very descriptive instructions that are built into the game. Not exactly a huge manual, but then the game is easy enough to grasp. Tada! The first screen. You play the little clubs symbol. It's up to you to open that gate at the bottom of the screen. If you look at the wall in the first room you get the high score. Yup! It's me! Can you beat it? Now I'm in the museum. The helmet isn't normally here, but I dropped it to make the screen look more interesting. The room to the right is the first monster you encounter. It's a scary snake! Here's to south half of the garden. To the north is the snake room, but there is a fountain here. This fountain has two purposes. For one, it can be used to fill the flask for more health, you can also find a treasure here. ARRRGH! I tried to kill the snake, but thanks to my Pentium, the game went too fast and it killed me! Well I guess I'll have to play again with MoSlo. Notice the typo in the game? Boy, I love these pre-retro games. The Keypunch intro screen for the game can be seen here.Abstract
Background We previously reported that serotonergic transmission plays an important role in antidepressant effects of ketamine. However, detailed mechanisms have not been elucidated. Among the serotonin receptor subtypes, the serotonin 1A receptor in the medial prefrontal cortex has an important role in depression. Here, we investigated the role of the medial prefrontal cortex serotonin 1A receptor and its signaling mechanism in the antidepressant effects of ketamine. Methods The role of serotonin 1A receptor-mediated signaling mechanism (phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt) in the medial prefrontal cortex was examined in the mouse forced swimming test and western blotting. Results Ketamine exerted antidepressant effects that lasted for 24 hours, and the sustained antidepressant effects were attenuated by intra-medial prefrontal cortex injection of a serotonin 1A receptor antagonist, WAY100635. The sustained antidepressant effects were mimicked by intra- medial prefrontal cortex, but not systemic, administration of a serotonin 1A receptor agonist, (±)-8-hydroxy-2-dipropylaminotetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT). The sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT were abrogated by intra- medial prefrontal cortex injection of a phosphoinositide-3 kinase inhibitor. Ketamine increased the phosphorylation of Akt in the medial prefrontal cortex at 60 minutes after administration, which was blocked by a serotonin 1A receptor antagonist and a phosphoinositide-3 kinase inhibitor. Furthermore, the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT were attenuated by pretreatment of intra-medial prefrontal cortex injection of a mechanistic target of rapamycin complex-1 inhibitor. Conclusions These results indicate that selective stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex serotonin 1A receptor and subsequent activation of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex-1 pathway may be necessary for ketamine to exert the sustained antidepressant effects, and that this mechanism could be targeted to develop a novel and effective approach for treating depression.
Significance Statement Discovery of the antidepressant effects of ketamine opened up a new opportunity for the treatment of depression. However, mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of ketamine still remain largely unexplored. Recent evidence has indicated that serotonergic transmission mediates the antidepressant effects of ketamine. The present study demonstrated the importance of selective stimulation of the postsynaptic 5-HT 1A receptor in the medial prefrontal cortex and subsequent activation of phosphoinositide-3 kinase/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex-1 signaling in the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine. These findings show the important role of a particular 5-HT 1A receptor-mediated signaling cascade in the antidepressant actions of ketamine, which could facilitate the development of more effective antidepressants.
Introduction
Major depressive disorder (MDD) represents a major social problem, with an estimated lifetime prevalence rate in the United States of approximately 17% (Kessler et al., 2003). With the currently available antidepressants, all of which act on the monoaminergic system, it takes several weeks before the antidepressant effects are manifested, and more than 30% of patients remain resistant to a series of treatments (Rush et al., 2006). Therefore, there is a strong need to develop newer antidepressants with mechanisms of action distinct from those of the currently available medications.
Glutamatergic systems have emerged as an attractive target for the development of drugs to treat depression. Indeed, a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, ketamine, has been demonstrated to show potent and rapid antidepressant effects in patients with MDD, including those with treatment-resistant depression (Aan Het Rot et al., 2012; Berman et al., 2000; Zarate et al., 2006). Moreover, ketamine has also been reported to rapidly reduce suicidal ideation (Price and Mathew, 2015; Ionescu et al., 2016), indicating the antisuicide potential of ketamine. Collectively, the discovery of the antidepressant effects of ketamine is regarded as the most outstanding discovery in the field of depression research in over 60 years. However, ketamine also has undesirable side effects, such as psychotomimetic/dissociative symptoms and abuse potential (Krystal et al., 2013). Therefore, to develop agents that are as potent and rapid-acting as ketamine against MDD, but with better safety profiles, intensive investigations on elucidation of mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of ketamine are being conducted.
Recently, we and others showed that serotonergic (5-HTergic) transmission is involved in the antidepressant actions of ketamine, as demonstrated by the following. First, the antidepressant effects of ketamine were no longer observed in serotonin (5-HT)-depleted animals (Gigliucci et al., 2013; Fukumoto et al., 2014, 2016; du Jardin et al., 2016). Second, the antidepressant effects of ketamine were attenuated by 5-HT 1A receptor blockade (Fukumoto et al., 2014). Third, ketamine increased 5-HT release in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), likely via activation of the neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) (Nishitani et al., 2014; Pham et al., 2017). Therefore, it is conceivable that stimulation of the postsynaptic 5-HT 1A receptor, presumably by the increased 5-HT release, may be involved in the antidepressant effects of ketamine. It has been reported that stimulation of the postsynaptic 5-HT 1A receptor in the mPFC and limbic system is involved in the antidepressant response (Blier and de Montigny, 1994; Haddjeri et al., 1998;). Furthermore, the levels of 5-HT 1A receptor protein and 5-HT 1A receptor binding are decreased in the PFC of patients with depression (Szewczyk et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2016a). The suppression of 5-HT 1A heteroreceptors in the mPFC is reported to cause depression-related phenotype (Garcia-Garcia et al., 2017). These findings suggest that postsynaptic 5-HT 1A receptor in the mPFC, the brain region responsible for antidepressant actions of ketamine (Fuchikami et al., 2015; Fukumoto et al., 2016), has a critical role in depression and antidepressant actions. However, the involvement of postsynaptic 5-HT 1A receptor stimulation in the mPFC in the antidepressant effects of ketamine, particularly in the sustained antidepressant effects, the effects at 24 hours after administration, has not yet been elucidated.
In the present study, we investigated the role of the mPFC 5-HT 1A receptor and its downstream signaling in the antidepressant effects of ketamine. Among 5-HT 1A receptor-mediated signaling mechanisms, we particularly focused on the involvement of 5-HT 1A receptor-mediated phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling in the mPFC, because not only is this pathway known to be a critical signaling cascade for neural plasticity (Chilmonczyk et al., 2015), but also changes in neural plasticity have been suggested to play important roles in the antidepressant actions of ketamine (Li et al., 2010; Gerhard et al., 2016; Dong et al., 2017). Moreover, because PI3K/Akt signaling activates mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, which has also been strongly implicated in synaptogenesis (Hoeffer and Klann, 2010; Duman and Voleti, 2012; Duman et al., 2016) and antidepressant actions of ketamine (Li et al., 2010; Koike et al., 2011), we additionally investigated the involvement of mTORC1 signaling in the mPFC in the antidepressant actions of ketamine.
Materials and Methods
Animals and Housing
Eight- or 9-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (Charles River Labora tories) were used for all the experiments. The animals were maintained under controlled temperature (23°C ±3°C) and humidity (50%±20%) conditions under a 12-h-light/-dark cycle (lights on at 7:00 am). Food and water were provided ad libitum. All the studies were performed according to the guidelines of the Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Animal Care Committee, and met the Japanese Experimental Animal Research Association standards, as defined in the Guidelines for Animal Experiments.
Drug Administration
Ketamine (Veterinary Ketalar 50; Sankyo Yell Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd) was diluted with saline. N-[2-[4-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-2-pyridinylcyclohexane carboxamide (WAY100635, a 5-HT 1A receptor antagonist) maleate (Sigma-Aldrich Co) and (±)-8-hydroxy-2-dipropylaminotetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT, a 5-HT 1A receptor agonist) (Sigma-Aldrich Co.) were dissolved in saline or Ringer’s solution (147 mM NaCl, 4 mM KCl, and 1.2 mM CaCl 2 ). 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor) (Focus Biomolecules) and rapamycin, an mTORC inhibitor (Sigma-Aldrich Co), were dissolved in 6.2% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)/Ringer’s solution and 1% DMSO/Ringer’s solution, respectively. All these solutions were diluted with Ringer’s solution prior to being used for the intracerebral microinjections. The schedules of administration of each compound are illustrated in Figure 1 (A, D, G), Figure 2 (A, D, G, I), Figure 3 (A), Figure 4 (A, C), and Figure 5 (A). In the case of ketamine administration, the effects at 30 minutes after administration are defined as acute effects, while those at 24 hours after administration are defined as sustained effects. Doses of 8-OH-DPAT (0.1–3 mg/kg for s.c. administration, 1 and 3 nmol/side for intra-mPFC injection) and WAY100635 (0.3–3 mg/kg for s.c. administration, 0.3 and 1 nmol/side for intra-mPFC injection) were selected by previous reports (Matsuda et al.,1995).
Figure 1. View largeDownload slide Effect of a serotonin (5-HT) 1A receptor antagonist on the acute antidepressant effects of ketamine. The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A, D, and G. Vehicle A, saline; vehicle B, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=6–7; (C), n=8; (E), n=8; (F), n=6; (H), n=7–9; (I), n=6. *P<.05, **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle A (B), vehicle B-treated vehicle A (E), and vehicle A (H), ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle B-treated ketamine (E).
Figure 1. View largeDownload slide Effect of a serotonin (5-HT) 1A receptor antagonist on the acute antidepressant effects of ketamine. The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A, D, and G. Vehicle A, saline; vehicle B, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=6–7; (C), n=8; (E), n=8; (F), n=6; (H), n=7–9; (I), n=6. *P<.05, **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle A (B), vehicle B-treated vehicle A (E), and vehicle A (H), ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle B-treated ketamine (E).
Figure 2. View largeDownload slide Effect of a serotonin (5-HT) 1A receptor antagonist on the sustained antidepressant effects ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT. The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A, D, G, and I. Vehicle A, saline; vehicle B, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=6–7; (C), n=8; (E), n=8; (F), n=8; (H), n=8; (J), n=7–8; (K), n=7–8; (L), n=6. *P<.05, **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle A (B), vehicle B-treated vehicle A (E), vehicle B-treated vehicle B (K), and vehicle B (J); #P<.05, ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle B-treated ketamine (E), vehicle B-treated 8-OH-DPAT (K).
Figure 2. View largeDownload slide Effect of a serotonin (5-HT) 1A receptor antagonist on the sustained antidepressant effects ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT. The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A, D, G, and I. Vehicle A, saline; vehicle B, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=6–7; (C), n=8; (E), n=8; (F), n=8; (H), n=8; (J), n=7–8; (K), n=7–8; (L), n=6. *P<.05, **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle A (B), vehicle B-treated vehicle A (E), vehicle B-treated vehicle B (K), and vehicle B (J); #P<.05, ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle B-treated ketamine (E), vehicle B-treated 8-OH-DPAT (K).
Figure 3. View largeDownload slide Effect of a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor on the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT. The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A. Vehicle A, 6.2 % DMSO/Ringer’s solution; vehicle B, saline; vehicle C, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=8; (C), n=8; (D), n=5–6. **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle B (B), vehicle A-treated vehicle C (C); ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle A-treated 8-OH-DPAT (C).
Figure 3. View largeDownload slide Effect of a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor on the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT. The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A. Vehicle A, 6.2 % DMSO/Ringer’s solution; vehicle B, saline; vehicle C, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=8; (C), n=8; (D), n=5–6. **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle B (B), vehicle A-treated vehicle C (C); ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle A-treated 8-OH-DPAT (C).
Figure 4. View largeDownload slide Effect of ketamine on phosphorylation of Akt in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A and C. Representative western-blot images of phosphorylated-Akt (Ser-473) and Akt total protein are shown in the upper figures. Quantitative analyses of phosphorylated Akt (Ser-473) relative to Akt total protein are shown in the bar graph. Vehicle A, 6.2 % DMSO/Ringer’s solution; vehicle B, saline; vehicle C, Ringer’s solution. Values are expressed as percent of control (vehicle treated) and indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=3; (D), n=3–4. *P<.05, **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle B (B), vehicle C-treated vehicle B (D); #P<.05, ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle C-treated ketamine (D).
Figure 4. View largeDownload slide Effect of ketamine on phosphorylation of Akt in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A and C. Representative western-blot images of phosphorylated-Akt (Ser-473) and Akt total protein are shown in the upper figures. Quantitative analyses of phosphorylated Akt (Ser-473) relative to Akt total protein are shown in the bar graph. Vehicle A, 6.2 % DMSO/Ringer’s solution; vehicle B, saline; vehicle C, Ringer’s solution. Values are expressed as percent of control (vehicle treated) and indicate the mean±SEM. (B), n=3; (D), n=3–4. *P<.05, **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle B (B), vehicle C-treated vehicle B (D); #P<.05, ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle C-treated ketamine (D).
Figure 5. View largeDownload slide Effect of an mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor on the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT in the forced swim test (FST). The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A. Vehicle A, 1 % DMSO/Ringer’s solution; vehicle B, saline; vehicle C, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B) n=7–8, (C) n=8, (D) n=7–8. **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle B (B), vehicle A-treated vehicle C (C); ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle A-treated 8-OH-DPAT (C).
Figure 5. View largeDownload slide Effect of an mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor on the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and 8-OH-DPAT in the forced swim test (FST). The drug administration schedules are illustrated in A. Vehicle A, 1 % DMSO/Ringer’s solution; vehicle B, saline; vehicle C, Ringer’s solution. Values indicate the mean±SEM. (B) n=7–8, (C) n=8, (D) n=7–8. **P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated vehicle B (B), vehicle A-treated vehicle C (C); ##P<.01 compared with vehicle A-treated ketamine (B), vehicle A-treated 8-OH-DPAT (C).
Microinjection
Each mouse was anesthetized with pentobarbital (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and fixed to a brain stereotaxic apparatus (Narishige Instruments). For the injection into the mPFC, the brains were implanted with guide cannulas (Eicom) bilaterally, so that the tips were positioned near the mPFC (anteroposterior, 2.0 mm from bregma; lateral, ±1.4 mm; ventral, -2.3 mm; angle, 20°). The cannulas were held in place with dental cement. A dummy cannula was inserted into the guide cannula to prevent clogging. Microinjection of the compounds was performed on day 2 or 3 after the surgery. Before the microinjections, the dummy cannulas were removed from the guide cannula, and a 28-gauge injection cannula, extending 0.5 mm from the tip of the guide cannula, was inserted. The injection cannula was connected via a Teflon tubing to a micro syringe (Hamilton Co) driven by a micro infusion pump (Harvard Apparatus, Inc). Injections of the compounds were performed for 2 minutes at the rate of 0.05 μL/min. The injection cannulas were left in position for an additional 2 minutes before being withdrawn. After the behavioral test, Evans blue was infused, followed by preparation of coronal sections to confirm the locations of the cannula tips. The locations of the cannula tips are shown in supplementary Figures 1 to 12.
Forced Swimming Test (FST)
The FST was performed by a previously reported method (Fukumoto et al., 2016), a modified method reported by Dulawa et al. (2004) that includes 2 swimming sessions at day 1 and day 2. In brief, the mice were placed in a swim tank for 6 minutes on day 1. By doing this procedure, a state of helplessness is induced to prolong immobility in a swimming session on day 2. On day 2, they were placed again in the swim tank for 6 minutes to measure the immobility time. The swimming session on day 2 was regarded as the test session, and drugs were administered after swimming session on day 1. The swimming sessions were conducted by placing the mice in cylinders (24 cm height×17 cm diameter) containing water (25ºC ±1ºC) up to a height of 13 cm, so that the mice could not support themselves by touching the bottom of the tank with their paws. The FST was conducted between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. The test sessions were videotaped from the front of the cylinders for later scoring. The total duration of immobility during a 6-minute test session was measured by an observer blinded to the treatment conditions. Immobility was defined as floating in the water without struggling and only making movements that were necessary to keep the head above the water. Different from the original method (Porsort et al., 1977), we measured immobility for 6 minutes to evaluate the effects of drugs. In the present method, mice showed immobility soon after placing them in a swim tank in the test session, as shown in representative groups (supplementary Figure 13).
Measurement of the Spontaneous Locomotor Activity
Mice were housed individually in transparent acrylic cages (φ30 cm×30 cm). The animals were injected with each of the compounds at the designated time points, and the spontaneous locomotor activities were recorded for 60 minutes after the injections using the SCANET apparatus (Neuroscience Inc) placed in a sound-proof box.
Western Blotting
According to the report that ketamine transiently increased phosphorylation of Akt in the PFC, which may trigger the subsequent events (Li et al., 2010), we measured phospho-Akt at 60 minutes after ketamine administration. Medial prefrontal cortical tissue specimens were homogenized and sonicated in cell lysis buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.5, containing 150 mM NaCl, 1% |
-30MKI
The Indian Air Force bridged the air-superiority divide in the late 1990s when HAL acquired licensed manufacturing rights to the Russian twin-seater Su-27UBK.
The investment has paid off in strategic dividends and since production commenced in 2002, the IAF have received 205 of the 270 Su-30MKI’s it ordered. As a twin engine aircraft with canards and Western European avionics, an Su-30MKI’s performance characteristics are superior to most third and even fourth-generation fighters.
The Su-30MKI’s capabilities are so impressive, from superb range, maneuverability, and armaments, that it altered the IAF’s total war strategy in case of a future conflict with either Pakistan or China.
Even the Russians were awed by it and the Sukhoi Company is now building its own Su-30MK based on the Indian variant.
Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
The IAF always wanted its own indigenous fighter jet. Take it from the decorated Air Marshall M.S.D. Wollen, who oversaw the development of what became the Tejas LCA during his time as HAL‘s chairman.
As early as 1969 the Indian government began planning for an advanced fighter jet that used a proven jet engine. It took 20 years before consultants from Dassault Aviation helped establish the design features of the LCA from 1987 to 1988–hence its delta wing configuration–but a viable prototype wasn’t ready until 1995.
In the meantime, the IAF made do with an estimated 260 Soviet MiG-21 and MiG-27’s, which served as the branch’s ordained dog fighters since the days of Indira Gandhi. Since the IAF already flies a vast fleet of fourth-generation Su-30MKI’s, the LCA was meant to replace the aging MiGs.
Like many Indian defense projects, the LCA had a protracted development across 40 years. Its first flight was in 2001 and testing continued until 2011. The IAF have an initial order for 40 Tejas LCA Mark I’s and 250 additional Mark II’s are expected by 2020. The Indian Navy also needs at least 56 carrier-based Tejas LCA’s within the same time frame.
After decades of development hell, the Tejas LCA could be the next Mirage III and prove itself the ultimate cheap fighter jet.
Pinaka
Like many countries that acquired rocket artillery from the former Soviet Union, India moved away from its Grads and began developing its own system in 1986. Unfortunately where countries like Israel, China, South Korea, Turkey, Iran and even North Korea succeeded, the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) tasked by the DRDO with developing an indigenous MLRS struggled for years.
The Pinaka was already tested and viable in the period from 1994-1995 but it wasn’t operational until 2000. The Pinaka marked a departure from the crude BM-21 it was meant to replace. Its launcher was armed with two cells holding a dozen 214mm rockets. The entire system was mounted on an 8×8 truck and could bombard targets 40 km away.
Its laborious development and low-rate production forced the Indian Army to acquire large numbers of the BM-30 Smerch in 2006. Today less than a hundred Pinaka Mark I’s are in service. A new variant with a longer range, the Pinaka Mark II, is undergoing tests. Even with its sluggish progress the Pinaka deserves a place next to current multi-launch rockets systems.
Agni
India is a latecomer in the ballistic missile game. Despite access to both Western and Eastern Bloc technology during the Cold War, acquiring a long-range missile arsenal wasn’t a pressing concern for its military. Even when the DRDO initiated its Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) during the 1980s, the fruits of this ambitious effort didn’t arrive until almost a quarter century later.
So it is with the Agni. Rather than a name for a single missile, the Agni represents a lineage of launch systems produced after India’s successful nuclear tests in 1998. The Agni I is a conventional short-range road mobile ballistic missile that can deliver a large payload 1,200 km away. The Agni II is an improved variant of its predecessor with an even greater range.
The Agni III, IV, and V are intermediate-range systems capable of delivering nuclear warheads to anywhere in South and Central Asia. The Agni V in particular is currently being developed to launch multiple nukes over a rival country’s major cities. But a lot of work remains to be done and India’s full second strike capability won’t be in place until the 2020s.
BrahMos
It’s the deadliest conventional missile in the world. Or is it?
Untested in combat, the supersonic BrahMos represents a rare success in multinational defense cooperation outside Europe. In 1998, the governments of Russia and India launched a $250 million joint venture to manufacture a next-generation cruise missile based on proven technology, i.e. the P-800 Yakhont.
The BrahMos, a combination of the names Brahmaputra and Moskva, proved a sound investment that wasn’t cursed by the Indian defense industry’s endemic delays. Several years of testing led to actual production by 2004. The Indian Navy inducted it the following year and the ground-launched version was accepted by the army in 2007.
The BrahMos is a single warhead ramjet-driven system meant to operate from ground-based launchers, aircraft, warships, and submarines. Its range is between 300 and 500 km depending on the variant. Its payload, which can be armed with an 800 lb high explosive warhead, supports submunitions as well.
To further emphasize the BrahMos potential lethality–it’s considered superior to anything used by NATO or the US.
Prithvi
Given its sterling bilateral ties with Russia, India never acquired ballistic missile technology from the Eastern Bloc. As its nuclear weapons program advanced, however, a requirement arose for a modern delivery system, i.e. a missile.
Beginning in 1983, the IGMDP sought to produce a road mobile surface to surface weapon for delivering conventional payloads. Its envisioned role was to degrade and destroy vital enemy infrastructure during a ground offensive.This doctrine made the forthcoming missile analogous to the Soviet Scud-series or the US-made ATACMS.
By 1988 testing commenced for what became the Prithvi I, a nine-meter tall conventional rocket with a 2,200 pound payload and a modest range of 150 kilometers. Production commenced in 1994 and the Indian Army maintains a small arsenal of Prithvi’s today. An improved variant, the Prithvi II, is still undergoing tests in the Bay of Bengal.
The Prithvi II has more than twice the range of its predecessor and can be armed with a nuclear warhead. Once operational, it will be capable of ground, air, and sea launches. A naval variant of the Prithvi called the Dhanush is believed to already be in service since 2010.
Akash
The medium-range Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM) is another successful offspring of the IGMDP.The Akash is so far the most potent air-defense system ever developed by India’s military-industrial complex. Its performance is comparable to the Russian Buk and the US Hawk but Indian sources claim it’s superior to Western SAMs.
After 20 years in development the Akash entered production by 2006 with orders being fulfilled until the present. The Akash deploys in batteries of 12 missiles and is designed to guard sensitive facilities, mechanized formations, and national airspace. Although India lags behind China when it comes to its air-defense network it compensates by having a large selection of foreign suppliers who can either sell or jointly develop new systems. The Akash, however, is touted for being completely Indian–96% of it, at the most.
The success of the Akash laid the groundwork for future programs that improve on the original. Rather than agree to a license-built variant of a Russian or French system, the Akash is tailor-made for its ultimate customer: the Indian military. A total of 3,000 Akash missiles are deployed with the army and air force.
Kalvari-class SSK
For a country that commands an entire ocean the Indian Navy’s submarine fleet is a modest one, numbering less than 15 boats. This shortcoming in the face of China’s rapid naval expansion is now being addressed with a commensurate blue water build up. At the forefront of this effort are, naturally, submarines.
In the mid-2000s India partnered with France for the acquisition of half a dozen Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines. These were to be constructed at the facilities of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. over a 10 year period. The boats are locally made but the weapons and equipment inside are Franco-German systems.
The Scorpene is a small submarine that packs a serious punch and can launch torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. Since it entered service in 2005 Chile, Malaysia, and Brazil have acquired their own Scorpenes. But India is its largest international customer so far.
The first of its class the INS Kalvari, which took its name from the original Kalvari submarine from the previous century, was commissioned in April, 2015, and begins operations in September, 2016. If there are no delays its sisters will join the fleet each year at Kadamba naval base until 2019 or 2020.
Arihant-class SSBN
India and China are the only Asian countries actively building nuclear submarine forces. With the latter’s efforts shrouded in secrecy and speculation, the Indian Navy’s first Arihant-class SSBN comes with a refreshing amount of hype and genuine transparency.
India’s need for a nuclear submarine arose in 1971 but like other ambitious defense programs it wasn’t until the cusp of the 21st century before work on the Arihant began. (In 1998, to be specific.) When finally launched in 2009, it took several years and considerable assistance from Russia before its nuclear reactor was prepared. This breakthrough was followed by grueling sea trials.
India’s experience operating Russian submarines had a great influence on the Arihant, which displaces at 6,000 tons and is powered by an 83 megawatt reactor. The navy’s only nuclear-powered submarine, INS Chakra, is a massive Soviet-era Typhoon SSBN on lease until the advent of the Arihants, which externally resemble their Western European counterparts.
Once commissioned in 2015, the first of six Arihant-class SSBN’s serve as 1/3rd of India’s nuclear triad. This ensures a second strike capability should an apocalyptic war erupt in the near future.
Shivalik-class frigate
As early as the 1970s India was far ahead of most Asian countries–except Japan–when it came to warship construction. With its experience operating British and Russian vessels, making the leap to local shipbuilding was inevitable.
A trio of Godavari-class guided missile frigates were commissioned during the 1980s and their success later inspired a requirement for newer advanced warships. These begat another trio of Brahmaputra-class frigates commissioned from 2000-2005.
But with the advent of stealth features and complex supply chains the navy still needed cutting edge assets that were just as capable as their Western European peers. Capabilities like deploying land attack cruise missiles, i.e. BrahMos, were essential too. During the 1990s plans were readied for the navy’s next-generation frigates armed with a combination of Russian and Israeli systems.
Only three 4,900 ton Shivalik-class frigates were built and commissioned from 2010 to 2012. The Indian Navy is now preparing to commission a quartet of its upcoming stealth corvettes, the Kamortas.
Delhi-class destroyer
Until the launch of its new aircraft carriers the largest warships ever deployed by the Indian Navy were the 6,700 ton Delhi-class destroyers: the INS Delhi, Mysore, and Mumbai.
Each of these destroyers are a complete package armed with torpedoes, anti-ship and cruise missiles, and able to repel any airborne threat. Crewed by 390 sailors and officers the Delhi-class are fitting actors in any show of force. But their origins are quite colorful.
A recurring theme in modern India’s rise as a military power is the unpredictable course that bedevils its weapons manufacturing. Whether it’s assault rifles or aircraft carriers, what the Indian government and its partner agencies begin have a startling tendency to meander, bog down, diverge, and complexify before the outcome arrives.
This is the experience of the Delhi-class guided missile destroyers. Conceived as a hybrid design combining the best aspects of Soviet surface combatants the Delhis were supposed to be furnished in Ukraine before their launch in India. What happened was years of delays and changing requirements altered its function and appearance.
But the Delhis came out alright and in 1993, 1996, and 2001 each of the vessels received their commissions. With 70% of their parts supplied by local contractors to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., the Delhi-class are truly made in India.
Kolkata-class destroyer
With its long experience building surface combatants, it should come as no surprise the Indian Navy wants them faster, larger, and deadlier. Hence the 7,500 ton Kolkata-class that have supplanted the older Delhis in every possible metric.
But the Kolkatas were also a success for Israel, i.e. Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), who not only supplied its MF-STAR radar but the Barak 8 SAMs, which is the navy’s favorite anti-aircraft system after its trusted 30mm AK-630 CIWS’.
The Kolkatas were also designed to deploy the naval version Brahmos and like the Delhis, their hangars fit two Dhruv helicopters.
The Indian Navy intends to commission the last of its three Kolkata destroyers by 2016. These will then serve alongside a quartet of newer destroyers that share the same hulls–the Visakhapatnam-class.
INS Vikrant
Since India and China are poised to become rival powers state-owned shipyards from both countries are actively building next-generation warships. With two PLAN Liaoning-class carriers reportedly under construction in Dalian the Indian Navy isn’t letting itself fall behind.
In 2013 it received its long-delayed Vikramaditya, which underwent a decade of expensive rebuilding in Russia. A second aircraft carrier’s hull was completed at Cochin Shipyard Ltd. that same year. This was the INS Vikrant named after India’s first British-made carrier.
Today the Vikrant is mostly complete with its runway and island installed. By the time it’s commissioned it deploys 30 MiG-29K’s and anti-submarine helicopters along with 1,600 crew members. Once at sea the Vikrant’s appearance and operation resembles its sibling Vikramaditya. It’s worth noting the PLAN’s upcoming carriers share the same short takeoff design of their Indian counterparts.
The irony here is not very subtle since both navies will deploy ships based on Soviet-era Kiev-class STOBAR carriers.
AdvertisementsThe Slotervaart hospital in Amsterdam has for years made millions of euros profit from the production of heroin under licence from the health ministry, according to a new book.
The claims are made by two Parool and NRC journalists in a new book tracking the rise and fall of the hospital and its controversial former owner Aysel Erbudak. The heroin is made by a limited company owned by the hospital and is supplied to a group of some 750 addicts under medical supervision.
The ministry paid €3m a year for the heroin, of which more than €1m was pure profit. Despite this major financial interest, the existence of the heroin production company is not included in the hospital’s accounts, the journalists say.
In addition, the heroin company also paid profits to another company owned by the hospital’s chief pharmacist Jos Beijnen. Hospitals are currently banned by law from paying dividends.
Research
The health ministry said in a reaction that it was aware of the hospital’s profits on heroin and that it had been agreed the money would be used for academic research. The payment of dividends has also ended, the ministry said.
In 2013, the Slotervaart hospital was taken over by former doctor Loek Winter whose company MC Groep has bought up several financially troubled hospitals and clinics over the past few years.
Cancer hospital Antoni van Leeuenhoek now owns 51% of the heroin company and Slotervart, 49%.New Delhi, October 6: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is on a combat mode and is taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi head on over one issue or the other. This time, Rahul has questioned Modi over China expanding its base in Doklam. “Modiji, once you’re done thumping your chest, could you please explain this?” Rahul tweeted.
After over a month Chinese and Indian resolved the Doklam standoff issue, the neighbouring country is back to expanding the motorable road on the Doklam Plateau with nearly 500 soldiers on guard. China has nearly 1,000 Chinese troops stationed just 10 kilometres from the face-off site. However, India said that it doesn’t expect a “flashpoint” at the same site between the two countries.
Modiji, once you’re done thumping your chest, could you please explain this?https://t.co/oSuC7bZ82x — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 6, 2017
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been using the construction material and bulldozers to expand and improve the road which it built some years ago. The material and bulldozers were brought during the standoff at Doklam, Times of India reported. He added that by expanding the road construction, China is reinforcing its claim on the Doklam. Also read: BJP Govt Re-Inaugurating Our Schemes: Rahul Gandhi
The indication to the underlying tension due to presence of Chinese forces in the Chumbi Valley in the Dokalam Plateau was also given by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. “The two sides are not in a physical face-off as we speak. However, their forces in Chumbi Valley are still deployed and I expect them to withdraw as their exercise in the area gets over,” Dhanoa said.
There has been territorial disputes between China and Bhutan over Dokalam and India has been staunchly supporting Thimphu over the issue.
Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam.
Bhutan and India were in touch with each other during the course of the face-off that ended on August 28.
Days after the face-off ended, Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said China has started “flexing its muscles” and warned that the situation in India’s northern border could snowball into a larger conflict.
There are also reports that PLA has increased more troops on its forward post in Yatung.
With inputs from PTIArmy leaders in Europe are asking for more rotational helicopters and aviators to fill an "aviation deficit" as the service shrinks its sole combat aviation brigade in the region.
"We have less capability than we had before," said Col. Chris Waters, commander of the 12th CAB, during a meeting with reporters Tuesday in the Pentagon. "In my assessment, that has created an aviation deficit in [U.S. European Command] for rotary wing capability."
As a result, "we're struggling to build readiness," he said.
The combat aviation brigade is the Army's primary aviation formation, and it is home to attack, medium lift, heavy lift and medevac helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems. When deployed, a CAB can deploy deadly Apache helicopters against the enemy, move troops across the battlefield, or ferry the wounded to safety. The CAB also can flex to support humanitarian assistance missions, and it can provide valuable reconnaissance across the battlefield. In Europe, aviation soldiers support training missions and participate in events such as air shows and parades to support NATO partner nations.
The Army has been sending a scaled down assault battalion to Europe on a rotational basis to make up for the troop and aircraft cuts in the brigade.
Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment in mid-November completed their nine-month rotation to Europe and returned to Fort Stewart, Georgia. The unit, which was the first rotational aviation task force in Europe, was replaced by 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment. That unit belongs to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas.
But that's not enough, Waters said.
For the next rotation, which is scheduled for the August 2016 time frame, U.S. Army Europe is working on a request for forces that would boost the size and capability of the rotational force, Waters said.
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Commanders are asking for a full assault battalion, an attack battalion, portions of a general support aviation battalion, and the accompanying enablers, he said.
"What we're asking for in the next request for forces is to bolster that capability to more than just an assault battalion-minus," he said. "We're working diligently to ensure the Army understands what requirements we need."
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Shawn Bryan, an Apache pilot 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, gives an explanation of the Apache's instruments to Spanish Lt. Gen. Rafael Comas during Exercise Trident Juncture in Zaragoza, Spain, Nov. 3.
Photo Credit: Capt. Jaymon Bell/Army
The 12th CAB, based in Ansbach, Germany, is being reorganized from a brigade with seven battalions – the Army's largest – to a much smaller headquarters element as part of the Army's five-year Aviation Restructuring Initiative.
The move, which is almost complete, brings the brigade from nearly 4,000 soldiers assigned to an eventual steady state of about 1,000 soldiers. The plan is to augment the 12th CAB with rotational aviation units from the U.S.
The reorganization is part of a larger Army plan to draw down the force amid shrinking budgets.
But the cuts also come as the U.S. works to reassure its European allies in the face of Russian aggression.
The continuing turmoil in Syria and the resulting refugee crisis also add strain to the region, Waters said.
"While the Army had to make decisions to restructure, the environment changed," he said.
A key part of the U.S. effort to reassure its allies in the region is Operation Atlantic Resolve, a series of exercises and continuing engagements across the continent. Over the last nine months, the 12th CAB has trained with NATO forces and conducted operations in Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The soldiers also operated alongside Bulgarian, Romanian and Italian troops.
In fiscal year 2015, Army Europe conducted 51 exercises, and almost all of them asked for helicopter support, Waters said.
While his soldiers are getting good training – Europe is "a tremendous operating environment, a trying and demanding aviation environment," Waters said – the Army's aviation assets are stretched thin, he said.
Sgt. Austin Anderson, a CH-47 helicopter repairer for the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, serves as a crew chief during the exchange of the Chinook helicopters at Bremerhaven, Germany, Aug. 21, 2015.
Photo Credit: Spc. Nicholas Redding/Army
Since the restructuring of the 12th CAB was announced in April, the Army has moved quickly to implement the changes. The brigade used to have seven organic battalions; it now has two, Waters said.
"We effectively lost five battalions," he said.
Three battalions were deactivated, and two others were moved – an attack battalion went to Alaska, and an airfield operations battalion went to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
What remains in Europe is an attack battalion, which has been reflagged and aligned with the 3rd Infantry Division's aviation brigade. The battalion, 1-3 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, is currently organic to the 12th CAB, Waters said, but long-term plans call for it to eventually be moved to Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia.
The 12th CAB also retained part of a CH-47 Chinook company, and a modified general support aviation battalion, Waters said.
In effect, the 12th CAB went from having 48 AH-64 Apache helicopters to now having 24, Waters said.
The brigade lost 30 assault UH-60 Black Hawks and four of its 12 CH-47 Chinooks. It went from 20 command and control Black Hawks to just 10, and from 30 medevac helicopters to just six.
"I don't expect that we're going to get force structure back in the near future," Waters said.
A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to U.S. Army Europe's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade searches for a landing spot to pick up mock wounded soldiers during a Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise at the Grafenwoehr (Germany) Training Area.
Photo Credit: Spc. Glenn M. Anderson/Army
The brigade is unable to support the volume and capacity it used to, and it relies more heavily on Army Europe for logistics support and depot-level maintenance.
"From an operational and capability perspective, we cannot build readiness," Waters said. "Where most missions would ask for companies of aircraft, we would put platoons against it. Where they ask for platoons, we put a single ship. The most important aspect of our mission is presence, so an air show in London or the Lithuanian national military day parade, a Black Hawk or Apache is effective. Where we miss out is our ability to conduct collective training."
To make up for that loss, the brigade has relied on rotational aviation units.
"U.S. Army Europe has well documented the requirements we have for aviation," Waters said. "And since the restructuring initiatives took organic capability away, how we expect to address that deficit is through rotational units."
Even stretched, his soldiers, as well as those rotating into the region, are getting tough, realistic training, as well as ample opportunity for junior leaders to stretch and develop their abilities, Waters said.Perry says Boy Scouts should keep no-gay policy
Scouts sit in the House Chambers at the Texas State Capitol as they wait to hear Gov. Rick Perry speak during the annual Boy Scouts Parade and Report to State, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in Austin, Texas. Perry says he hopes the Boy Scouts of America doesn't move soften its mandatory no-gays membership policy. less Scouts sit in the House Chambers at the Texas State Capitol as they wait to hear Gov. Rick Perry speak during the annual Boy Scouts Parade and Report to State, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in Austin, Texas. Perry... more Photo: Eric Gay Photo: Eric Gay Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Perry says Boy Scouts should keep no-gay policy 1 / 3 Back to Gallery
AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry said emphatically Saturday that the Boy Scouts of America shouldn’t soften its strict no-gays membership policy, and suggested that bending the organization to the whims of popular culture is wrong.
Perry is an Eagle Scout and in 2008 he authored the book “On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For.” It detailed the governor’s deep love for the organization and explained why it should continue to embrace traditional, conservative values — including excluding openly gay members and scout leaders.
America’s longest-serving governor addressed the Texas Scouts’ 64th annual Report to State, where hundreds of Scouts from around Texas filled the state House of Representatives to announce their delegation’s recent accomplishments.
Perry has addressed the gathering several times before, most recently in 2010, but not since the announcement the Scouts national leadership is mulling scraping the mandatory exclusion of gay members. Instead, the group could allow different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units to decide for themselves how to address the issue — either maintaining the exclusion or opening up their membership.
Even though the Boy Scouts reaffirmed the no-gays policy just seven months ago, the proposal is expected to be discussed, and possibly voted on, at the meeting of the Scouts’ national executive board, which begins Monday in Irving, outside Dallas.
Perry told the youngsters that the Scouts was a key reason he joined the U.S. Air Force and later sought public office, and that society’s failure to adhere to the organization’s core values was a cause for high rates of teen pregnancy and wayward youth who grow up to be “men joining their fathers in prison.”
Speaking to reporters afterward, Perry said: “Hopefully the board will follow their historic position of keeping the Scouts strongly supportive of the values that make scouting this very important and impactful organization.”
“I think most people see absolutely no reason to change the position and neither do I,” Perry said. He added that his views on the subject have not changed since writing his book, in which he noted that profits would be donated to the Boy Scouts of America Legal Defense since “they continue to be under attack from the forces of secularism.”
Asked if he would feel different if the Scouts’ policy changes, Perry said he wouldn’t speculate on what the organization might decide do. But he said: “to have popular culture impact 100 years of their standards is inappropriate.”
He also disagreed that allowing members of all sexual preferences would make the Scouts more tolerant: “I think you get tolerance and diversity every day in Scouting.”
Perry wrote in his book that he doesn’t “believe the teaching of sexual preference fits within the parameters of Scouting’s mission,” but also made it very clear he’d like to keep gay members from joining.
“Because gay activism is central to their lives, it would unavoidably be a topic of conversation within a Scout troop. This would distract from the mission of Scouting: character building, not sex education” he wrote.
Perry also questioned whether sexual preference is determined at birth or is a matter of personal preference in his book, and wrote that he doesn’t believe in “condemning homosexuals that I know personally.”
“The radical homosexual movement seeks societal normalization of their sexual activity,” he wrote. “I respect their right to engage in the individual behavior of their choosing, but they must respect the rights of millions in society to refuse to normalize their behavior.”T here’s no question Cam Newton misplayed many of his media appearances early in his career. The quarterback didn’t handle losing well, and his mopiness that accompanied the Panthers’ struggle to win was not a good look.But about midway through his second season, Newton changed. No matter how dumb the question or how monotonous the topic, he answered with his head up, eyes open and in sentences that lasted longer than three seconds.While we oftentimes make too much of how players and coaches interact with the media, Newton’s struggles and subsequent improvement were truly relevant.NFL quarterbacks have responsibilities that go beyond the field, and while image isn’t everything, being the face of a franchise requires a certain amount of media savvy.Newton stayed inside to rehab Wednesday, but after the Panthers had finished their OTA practice, he spent nearly 15 minutes talking to a group of local media for the first time since late April.It was his best press conference since coming into the league.Why?Here’s seven reasons:
1. He stood up for his much-maligned made-over receiving corps.
As charismatic as Newton is, he sometimes struggles to get his point across properly. He mixes up analogies and botches clichés, but his annoyance was perfectly clear when talking about the criticism heaped on the Panthers’ receivers this offseason.
“The elephant in the room has already been stated. You don’t need to go in there and tell those guys, ‘Hey, you’re projected to be the sorriest receivers in the NFL.’ We already know.”
Newton has always said the right things about teammates, but this was different. This was more than a guy standing at a podium saying what he’s supposed to say.
“It’s like a slap in not only their faces, but my face as well. The things that they’re saying is the utmost disrespect. It’s actually as if you’re being picked up from the street and saying, ‘Hey, you want to play receiver?’ But we accept the challenge. We have fun with it. That’s our chip on our shoulder. That’s the Panther way. Not having the silver spoon in our mouth.”
2. He was honest about the pain he’s still feeling in his ankle after offseason surgery.
Newton, like head coach Ron Rivera, did leave the door open for an early return to the field at next week’s minicamp. But that’s unlikely and unnecessary, especially considering the fact he wants to feel completely healed when he comes back.
“Some days I wake up and I’m like, ‘Ok, I’m 100 percent.’ And as I’m walking to work and hit one stone, and it twists the wrong way, you’re always reminded — humbly reminded — that, ‘Oh my God, it hurts.’ It’s always something that reminds you that you’re still not 100 percent, but that’s even added juice to keep going to push to say, ‘I need to get back as soon as possible.’”
3. He truly sounded like a leader.
Even though the quarterback is technically the leader of the offense, it wasn’t quite that way with Newton his first three years. As big as he may have been outside the locker room, Steve Smith and Jordan Gross had larger presences inside it. With the two longest-tenured Panthers no longer there, Newton appears more comfortable with fully embracing an escalated role.
“I’ve got a lot of new guys that are new to this offense, so my leadership has to rise, and I have to accept this challenge … My job is to be the best leader so that when I go in that huddle and look at everybody specifically, they have no doubt in their minds that Cam Newton is going to lead us down and get six points.”
4. He explained that his off-the-field friendship with rookie receiver Kelvin Benjamin isn’t just a quarterback trying to play leader.
Newton was asked why it was important for him to invite Benjamin to Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend. It was a reasonable question, but it seemed like Newton didn’t understand why he was asked about hanging out with a friend.
“It wasn’t important for me. It’s like … the opportunity presented itself.”
5. He revealed a new nickname for the Panthers’ first-round pick.
“Me and Benji have connected in ways, some good. He always finds a way to mention Florida State, that’s the bad … It’s nothing for us to go get something to eat. It’s nothing for us to hang out and talk about life issues, as well as on the field issues as well. We’re in here together. We’re teammates now, but our relationship goes farther than the field.”
6. He essentially laughed off speculation he’s worried about his future contract.
Newton’s a former No. 1 pick who’s started three years. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who’s had more postseason success, has started a year and a half. Is it a surprise Newton would expect more money when he eventually signs a new deal?A report Tuesday said as much, along with claiming the team-friendly contract Kaepernick signed last week “really scares people who know Cam Newton very well.”
“Who’s terrified? Nobody’s terrified. I’m not terrified of nothing.”
The NFL Network report also said Newton’s side and the Panthers haven’t started talking yet. Well, yes, none of this will be close to decided until after next season. Newton could have a fantastic year. He could have an awful year. He could get hurt. There are so many factors we won’t know for at least seven months, speculating seems silly.
“My job is to be 100 percent and to get my body as close to 100 percent as possible. I’m not worried about anything. I’m excited about what Colin Kaepernick has done because he’s a friend of mine … For me, that’s the last thing on my mind.”
7. He revealed a new nickname for his ankle.
“First thing is trying to get little ankie right. I’m not worried about no money … For me, being a Carolina Panthers quarterback, my obligation is to be 100%. No limping, no gimping, no grimacing or nothing come time for me to be on that practice field.”
[gap size=”2.513em”][accordion_item open=”true” title=”TWEETABLE”]
[iShare]“It’s like a slap in not only their faces, but my face as well.” – Cam Newton[/iShare]
[iShare]“Who’s terrified? Nobody’s terrified. I’m not terrified of nothing. – Cam Newton[/iShare]
[iShare]“First thing is trying to get little ankie right. I’m not worried about no money.” – Cam Newton[/iShare]
[/accordion][gap size=”2.013em”]Who cares?
There was recently a discussion on Trailblazer Gitter channel about Hashes as params, how to pass them around, and as customary a flame-war war ~~ensued~~ never happened, and it came down to a measuring contest: ~~whose~~ which key is better and faster.
For the impatient: for small Hashes it doesn’t really matter, for larger ones :symbol is 2x faster than string’ keys. Frozen string’ keys are almost as fast as :symbol keys.
The best way to argue is to present facts. So I coded a couple of benchmarks and submitted a pull request to fast-ruby (Github). Here are the details.
Round 1: Hash[:symbol] vs Hash[“string”]
First, lets measure allocating Hash in various ways that Ruby gives us
require "benchmark/ips" def symbol_key {symbol: 42} end def symbol_key_arrow {:symbol => 42} end def symbol_key_in_string_form {'sym_str': 42} end def string_key_arrow_double_quotes {"string" => 42} end def string_key_arrow_single_quotes {'string' => 42} end
Full code for the benchmark is here on Github and the results on rig with 8 cores and 16 GB of RAM, running on Ruby 2.4.2
Comparison: {symbol: 42}: 1731221.3 i/s {:symbol => 42}: 1714113.4 i/s - same-ish {'sym_str': 42}: 1711084.8 i/s - same-ish {"string" => 42}: 1508413.1 i/s - 1.15x slower {'string' => 42}: 1452896.9 |
for The Lord of The Rings and Hobbit movies. It was my first time in a helicopter so I wanted to make sure I picked a company that knew what they were doing. The weather could not have been more perfect for flying. We first flew to the West Coast and landed on a remote beach. Then we flew to the main attraction — Milford Sound inside Fiordland National Park — and got out and walked around. Finally, we attempted to land on a glacier on the top of Mount Tutoko. The conditions were not ideal for a glacier landing so we instead just landed on the mountain itself.
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I had done some cursory research about shooting from inside a doors-on helicopter and it sounded like I needed to shoot without a polarizer. The helicopter's windows are plexiglas and the stress lines in the window can create strange striations in photos, especially if the window has any scratches. Though while trying to pack light I didn't even bring my polarizer.. which I should have had on hand for when we were able to get outside the helicopter for a few shots.
Despite stellar weather, the ride was not perfectly smooth. While we were hopping over various mountain peaks there was always a gust of wind waiting for us. Given that it was a relatively small aircraft, we were pushed around a good bit at times. At one point we instantly dropped some altitude and rotated a bit before control was regained. Of course the pilot was super calm and would just casually comment on the breeze we were experiencing. On the upside, I now have absolutely no complaints about any airplane turbulence compared to this.
We then landed at Milford Sound, lining up behind a bunch of other helicopters during this busy season. When I first began researching my New Zealand trip, Milford Sound was one of the must-see natural attractions I kept coming across. Despite the remote location, the 15km long Milford Sound fiord can see up to a million visitors per year. However, I was still a tad miffed I didn't have my polarizer on me. The colors and detail here don't do it justice.
Mitre Peak
We landed on Mt Tutoko on the return home and got out to walk around and take in some great views and brisk weather. While the plan was to actually land on a glacier in the area, the pilot did not like the current conditions. After making my way back to Queenstown, I made a stop at Vudu Cafe & Larder for some coffee, eggs and pancakes. I spent the rest of the day relaxing indoors, doing laundry, then strolling around during sunset.
Milford Sound By sea Bright and early at 8:20am the next morning I was picked up outside by the folks at Real Journeys. I had booked an overnight Milford Sound cruise with them. Despite having just flown to Milford Sound, I wanted to really explore the area up close on the water. After weeks of driving everywhere, I was more than happy to let someone else do the driving for me this time. We took a bus there, passing through Te Anau and stopping at some attractions like The Chasm Walkway and Mirror Lakes, before making it to Milford Sound.
The Chasm Walkway The Chasm Walkway Mirror Lakes
Upon making it to the boat with the other folks in the group, we dropped our stuff off in our rooms before getting familiarized with the agenda for the evening and morning. There were a few options for activities and I went to hike part of the Milford Track with one group.
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We returned to the ship after a hiking for about an hour. We enjoyed dinner and then went out on the deck as we cruised through the fiord before anchoring for the night. I stayed up late to chat and play cards with some of the younger folks on the boat. We received an early wake up call around 6am to let us know that we would begin sailing out to the sea and turn around for a full tour of the fiord. It was frigid, overcast and misty in the morning but I enjoyed seeing Milford Sound draped in low clouds and abundant fog.
I had a return flight to Queenstown scheduled but due to inclement weather it was cancelled and I returned via bus instead. In hindsight I should have driven as the bus ride ended up taking some 6-7 hours due to frequent stops instead of the 4 hours it would have taken me alone.
Botswana Butchery I arrived at around 3:30pm and checked into the Crowne Plaza Hotel I had reserved for my last night in Queenstown. I made a reservation at one of the nicer restaurants along the Queenstown waterfront — Botswana Butchery — for dinner that evening. The friendly staff at the bar took great care of me, inquiring about my travels and asking to see photos of things I had done. Botswana Butchery 36 Main Road, Franz Josef Glacier USD $124 dinner I started the evening with a glass of champagne, then moved to a glass of pinot noir to pair with a tasty bacon-wrapped filet mignon, roasted carrots with olive oil and parsley and a side of bacon mac and cheeese.Podmass _In [Podmass](https://www.avclub.com/c/podmass),_ The A.V. Club _sifts through the ever-expanding world of podcasts and recommends the previous week’s best episodes. Have your own favorite? Let us know in the comments or at [podmass@avclub.com](mailto:podmass@avclub.com)._
In Podmass, The A.V. Club sifts through the ever-expanding world of podcasts and recommends the previous week’s best episodes. Have your own favorite? Let us know in the comments or at podmass@avclub.com.
A Piece Of Work
Minimalism To The Max
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Even the most right-brain-dominant listeners can find it challenging to interpret some modern art. Fortunately, WNYC Studios and the Museum Of Modern Art teamed up to create a 10-part biweekly podcast that discusses contemporary art with an expert curator’s eye. It’s hosted by Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson, who, along with being the child of two artists, is an accomplished illustrator herself. Many of the episodes feature celebrity guests: Hannibal Buress, Questlove, and RuPaul stop by to offer thoughts on prominent artistic movements, but it’s the artists themselves, along with their work, that really stand out. The show is unafraid to tackle hostile and dismissive layperson questions about seemingly bizarre or simplistic works. In fact, it affirms them, arguing that personal sensory responses are just as valid as thoughtful critiques, even if reaction is negative. This episode on minimalism, for instance, acknowledges that the sparse works of Jo Baer and Donald Judd elicit everything from eye rolls to outrage over a perceived lack of talent. But the artists themselves often dislike the term “minimalist” or don’t consider themselves part of the movement with which they’re associated, instead unpacking the intentions of their work. The only thing more universal than art is art criticism.
[Zach Brooke]
Comedy Bang! Bang!
The 500th Episode
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To cap off the preceding hour and 40 minutes of roiling, consummate, hit-you-in-the-gut hilarity, host Scott Aukerman gives listeners this profound salutation: “Five hundred episodes is… uh… not nothing.” Damn straight, it isn’t. Already having enjoyed a storied history as the live Comedy Death-Ray stage and local radio show before the podcast’s creation in 2010, Comedy Bang! Bang! has evolved to become an influential who’s who of who’s funny, an ever-growing network of daring and whip-smart comics who never stop racking their brains for new ways to make each other laugh. And by god, in this victory lap of an episode, they really do. For the big milestone, Aukerman keeps things all in the family with fan favorite guests Todd (Lauren Lapkus), Long Island-based audio intern Gino Lambardo (Jon Gabrus), future host Jason “Heynong Man” Mantzoukas, El Chupacabra (Nick Kroll), street urchin Thomas Scuzzbucket (Mary Holland), and, of course, Paul F. Tompkins. For comedy nerds who geek out about the craft of improv, this anniversary show in particular displays the different giddy, macabre, authentic, high-brow/low-brow bits of brilliant alchemy that make up CBB’s magic. Is there a cooler couch in comedy?
[Dan Jakes]
Hold My Order, Terrible Dresser
From Porn To Corn
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Hold My Order, Terrible Dresser has the distinction of being the one and only podcast available that is dedicated to the CBS sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati. Each episode, hosts Michael Grasso and Rob MacDougall explore two episodes of the popular sitcom that ran from 1978 to 1982. While the podcast does dive deep into the world of Dr. Johnny Fever, Venus Flytrap, Les Nessman, and Bailey Quarters, Hold My Order will be of interest to anyone who digs pop culture or history, with each episode providing a historical sidebar relating to the wackiness that ensues for the staff of WKRP. This week, the guys look back at the pair of relatively serialized episodes “Straight From The Heart” and “Who’s On First?” which feature WKRP salesman Herb Tarlek at the center of each plot. In “Heart,” a cast of characters winds up in a 3-D porn theater circa 1981, which leads to MacDougall and Grasso discussing the “good old days” of theatrical adult cinema in New York’s pre-Disney Store Time Square, as well as the red light district of their hometown of Boston.
[Mike Vanderbilt]
Hollywood Crime Scene
John Holmes And The Wonderland Murders
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This is neither the first true crime podcast nor the first one dedicated to Hollywood lore. Co-hosts Rachel Fisher and Desi Jedeikin (previously of comedy-and-pastry-centric Eating Pie) admit as much in the first few minutes of this debut episode. But that doesn’t seem to be a matter of much concern to them. They reason that this one will be different, because this one is hosted by them. They’re right, and not just in a technical way. Fisher and Jedeikin are writer-comedians with dark, coarse, irreverent senses of humor and some fascinating life experiences from which to draw, so they offer a fresh and compelling perspective on the topic of discussion. That the topic this week happens to be about a sociopath with an enormous wang and some awful decision-making skills is all the better. The life story of porn star John Holmes is a grimy one, strewn with reprobates and victims, but the co-hosts approach it in a way that’s sex-positive and unwilling to wallow in the macabre. An impressive amount of the hour is spent marveling at the freakish immensity of the organ that both made and destroyed Holmes’ life, making for some genuinely funny repartee.
[Dennis DiClaudio]
Norm Macdonald Live
David Letterman
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Norm Macdonald is one of the funniest men alive, and the women and men he hosts on his sporadic, off-the-cuff podcast are usually slotted into the same category. That’s certainly the case with David Letterman, who’s only given a handful of interviews since stepping down from his late-night show a few years back. Macdonald was a regular guest on Letterman’s program, and the duo’s natural rapport gives way to a host of stories that highlight Letterman’s early career, his 33 years of hosting, and his own personal insecurities. Letterman’s thoughts on mental health are both funny and touching, as is his reveal that he never felt like a celebrity in the same vein as his predecessor, Johnny Carson, a figure that can’t help but color nearly all of his stories. Macdonald is also in fine form, toying with Letterman as he does all guests with obscene, out-of-nowhere anecdotes and questions like, “Why is it, when you walk down the street, there’s not half the people with nooses around their necks? What makes life insist?” All that’s missing? The ManGrate. In terms of sponsors, at least, Macdonald is much more well-behaved these days.
[Randall Colburn]
Oh No! Lit Class
Hamlet! REVEEEENGE!
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At the crossroads of history, literature, trivia, and pop culture, this episode of Oh No! Lit Class takes a look at both Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the wider context from which it emerges. Hosts RJ and Megan waste no time diving into the state of affairs in Elizabethan England at the time of Hamlet’s writing, the old Norse tale of Amleth, an alternate dramatic version of Hamlet (“Ur-Hamlet”) also written in the 16th century, as well as analysis of the play’s various quarto and folio versions. Those familiar with the play and its history will be interested in some of the lesser-known factoids RJ and Megan unearth, while less familiar audiences can enjoy the way these hosts demystify some of the more complex plot elements, making the length and density of the masterpiece a lot less intimidating than it might otherwise be. Overall, listening to RJ and Megan discuss some of the often overlooked comedic elements of the infamous tragedy and the signature indecisiveness of the title character offers a refreshing perspective.
[Jose Nateras]
Radio Atlantic
Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory
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Last week, The Atlantic finally joined the podcast game with Radio Atlantic. Promising “conversations with leading journalists and thinkers to make sense of the history happening all around the world,” each week the magazine’s top editors are joined by leading voices to explore what’s happening in the world, how things became the way they are, and where they’re going next. The podcast is off to a strong start, exploring the Atlantic’s own origins—the publication was founded nearly 160 years ago on the eve of the Civil War to advance the American idea—and asking the question, Has the American idea taken an unprecedented turn? Well-produced and straightforward, Radio Atlantic offers humor and intellect paired with engaging analysis, making it a must-listen for those trying to make sense of our unsettled democracy.
[Becca James]
The Last Podcast On The Left
Creepypasta 12–U-Turn To Madness
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After several weeks of discussing heavy topics, the gang sought some levity by returning to its occasional practice of scouring Tumblr for creepypasta horror stories. As is the aim with all these episodes, the dodgy quality of the material, or “spooky spaghetti,” makes for hilarious readings. One is a rehash of the trope about photographs stealing a piece of your soul. Two stories involve variations of people who transcend death to communicate with the living. There’s a tale about using human remains as construction materials, another about a paranormal TV channel that can predict the future, and a Rashomon-esque tale involving a child’s death. As usual, Henry takes things too far when he curates some tales of erotica featuring Slenderman’s “huge bulge” and, in a different story, a skunk ape able to fold its penis into a U-shape while performing.
[Zach Brooke]
The Podcast For Laundry
Chris Duffy
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A podcast about laundry should not be entertaining, ever. But leave it to Brett Davis (The Special Without Brett Davis) to find the funny in the mundane. An “abrasive and sad niche podcast,” The Podcast For Laundry is an exploration of the world of laundry. It sounds ridiculous, because it is: Doing laundry is one of the many things people do while listening to podcasts, so to host a show about what someone might be doing while listening to it is already a great joke. But the concept shows an unexpected longevity in this third episode, with comedian Chris Duffy as a guest. The dryness and commitment to tone is strangely engaging and increasingly hilarious as they give laundry advice and discuss laundry-related current events. Duffy is a perfect guest who is actively supportive of Davis’ creation, and their back-and-forth is endearing and complementary. Davis knows exactly what he’s doing, toeing the line of self-awareness and total defense of the project as he restricts the conversation to laundry-talk only. There’s a quiet desperation in how Davis is trying to convince the world that laundry is exciting (“or dare I say, beautiful”) that is so absurd and amusing that it might actually work.
[Rebecca Bulnes]
Very Bad Words
The C-Word
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Very Bad Words comes to us from producer and host Matt Fidler, who reaches out to linguists, historians, and other experts to discuss our complex relationship with swearing and forbidden language. This week is brought to you by the word “cunt,” as Matt is joined by co-host Katrin Redfern and the two reach out to women like Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot, Dr. Camilla Power, Dr. Evelyn-Dean Olmsted, and others to discuss the history of this powerful word and how it’s being re-appropriated by feminists. As informative as it is funny, Very Bad Words is for all the language lovers out there looking to deepen their knowledge of English’s more taboo offerings.
[Becca James]HMS Vigilant
British officials have seized a ship packed with Libyan money and escorted her into a British port, the UK Home Office revealed today.
The vessel was taken into Harwich docks by a coast guard cutter.
A Home Office spokesman said: "A vessel which had been heading to Libya returned to the UK"
"The ship was escorted into the port of Harwich by the UK Border Agency cutter HMS Vigilant.
"A number of containers were offloaded from the boat and have been taken under control of UK Border Agency and have been moved to a secure location.
"The cargo is understood to contain a significant quantity of Libyan currency, which is subject to a UN sanction."
Reports suggested the ship was carrying £100 million worth of the Libyan currency, the dinar, but the Home Office refused to confirm the exact value.
It is understood the ship was intercepted after being tracked to British waters when it aborted an attempt to dock in the Libyan capital Tripoli over the weekend.
Chancellor George Osborne froze Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's £900 million of UK-based assets last weekend.
The UK also banned the unlicensed export of any uncirculated Libyan banknotes from Britain in line with UN sanctions.The regeneration of lost body parts has just moved from science fiction to U.S. military policy.
Yesterday the Department of Defense announced the creation of the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, which will go by the happy acronym AFIRM. According to DOD’s news service, AFIRM will “harness stem cell research and technology … to reconstruct new skin, muscles and tendons, and even ears, noses and fingers.” The government is budgeting $250 million in public and private money for the project’s first five years. NIH and three universities will be on the team.
The people who brought you the Internet are about to bring you replacement fingers.
If you’ve been following Human Nature for the past three years, you know that tissue regeneration is well underway. The military has been working on regrowing lost body parts using extracellular matrices. Scientists in labs have grown blood vessels, livers, bladders, breast implants, and meat. This year they announced the production of beating, disembodied rat hearts. At yesterday’s press conference, Army Surgeon General Eric Schoomaker explained that our bodies systematically generate liver cells and bone marrow and that this ability can be redirected through “the right kind of stimulation.”
Now that the regeneration fantasy is becoming real, it’s worth pausing to notice how we’re absorbing it culturally. This is extremely freaky stuff. Just a few days ago, my wife and I were explaining to our 5-year-old daughter that she needs to take good care of her adult teeth because they’re the last real teeth she’ll ever have.
That’s just not true anymore. It’s not true of her fingers and toes, either. And why stop there? Schoomaker points out that salamanders can regenerate whole limbs. He asks: “Why can’t a mammal do the same thing?”
When technology transforms humanity in such a fundamental way, it’s best to start with a context that feels normal. Today, that context is what every American politician now calls “our brave men and women in uniform.” The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, waged in large part through improvised explosive devices, have produced nearly 1,000 U.S. military amputees. Many other service members have lost eyesight or suffered burns or spinal-cord damage. We all want to help these young people recover. We’ve seen inspiring stories of doctors outfitting them with prosthetic limbs. If only we could make them truly whole again. And now we can.
At the press conference, Schoomaker displayed pictures of a wounded Marine whose disfigured features could be restored only through tissue regrowth. He vowed to “redefine the Army and military medicine.” The Defense Department’s assistant secretary for health declared a goal of “getting these people up to where they are functioning and reintegrated, employed, [and] able to help their families and be fully participating members of society.”
It’s a familiar and worthy goal. And it has to be, because in the larger context of human history, its job is to ease us across the mind-blowing threshold of human regeneration. If my daughter loses a tooth, she may be able to grow it back. If my son loses a finger, the work pioneered by AFIRM early in his life may be able to help him.
Warfare will never be the same again, either. American military medicine is already saving the lives of soldiers who would have died in previous conflicts. Yesterday’s death is today’s wound. Now we’re raising the ante: Today’s permanent wound will be tomorrow’s bad memory. Blow off our fingers, and we’ll grow them back.
Further down the road, other possibilities will emerge. If we can restore a soldier’s original muscle strength, we can probably add to it. The military is already encouraging soldiers to get LASIK, which improves some people’s eyesight beyond 20/20. It’s hard to believe we won’t continue to improve that surgery and systematize it across the armed forces. Most of us civilians will face these revolutions when we’re ready. By then, like AFIRM, they’ll already be here.Puerto Rico Government Looking At Different Ways To Reduce $120 Billion Debt
LAKSHMI SINGH, HOST:
Puerto Rico continues to struggle financially. The U.S. commonwealth owes creditors and pension funds more than $120 billion. And last week, the island officially began the process of seeking a special form of protection from creditors called Title 3 which is similar to declaring bankruptcy.
On Friday, President Donald Trump signed a federal government spending bill that included $295 million in Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico's struggling health care system. To talk more about how Puerto Rico's leaders are getting their fiscal house in order, we spoke with Governor Ricardo Rossello Nevares earlier this week.
And, Governor Rossello is a Democrat who took office in January. And I began by asking him about an announcement on Friday to close some 180 public schools affecting about 27,000 students.
RICARDO ROSSELLO NEVARES: I made no secret when I ran for office that we needed to reduce the size of government. We needed to be more effective. And, frankly, just talking about the schools that are closing, that was part of our proposal a couple of months back. It has nothing to do really with Title 3, and some of the strategies that will ensue we've already stated that they're going to happen.
You know, we need to reduce our expenditures in health care, although we don't want to reduce the access to it. We really need to reduce the expenditures in education and what we're doing is we're tackling the bureaucracy as opposed to education itself. And we want to invest on education. So those are decisions that we have to deal with it and - with strong leadership and a great team. I'm sure we're going to push past both for Puerto Rico.
SINGH: Now, governor, let's put this in context. We have a little over 46 percent of those living in Puerto Rico already struggling financially. They live below the poverty line. Critical sectors across the board have been hit hard. What are Puerto Ricans on the island likely to encounter on a basic level in the coming years as a result of this economic relief Puerto Rico's seeking?
ROSSELLO: Yes. So let me answer. I mean, that is the status quo, right? I've just recently arrived to be a governor, but we're changing that. Let me give you the example of tourism. Tourism took a big blow last year because of sort of overstated Zika problem in Puerto Rico. We've externalized the promotion of Puerto Rico from government so that we can have a - sort of group packages so that people can come to Puerto Rico and that it's more enticing. So we're being very aggressive on the tourist front.
On the health care front, we've identified, you know, some of the problems - long waits, people are not able to choose their providers, some of the insurers don't pay the doctors and the doctors leave. So what we've proposed is a new model whereby we're going to give more access to people, the long waits are not going to be happening, people will be able to choose both their providers and their health care coverage and this will enable us to actually reduce the cost of health care in Puerto Rico anywhere from 350 million to $500 million.
SINGH: Your administration recruited Avenue Strategies - right? - to help sort of attract new investment, new dollars, new business. And Avenue Strategies, for those who haven't heard of it, was co-founded by Corey Lewandowski who was on the Trump campaign.
And at the same time as this is happening, you still had President Trump tweeting recently Democrats want to prop up, you know, Puerto Rico, and they want to do that - bailout Puerto Rico with taxpayer dollars. I mean, I'm paraphrasing here. That's not a direct quote. Did the strategy of getting Avenue Strategies on board not work?
ROSSELLO: Judgment is still out. We will evaluate all of our people based on results. But certainly that, as you stated, that wasn't the most flattering of tweets. And I responded stating a few things. Number one - it was Trump's government in different levels has stipulated the need for Puerto Rico to have that funding for the Medicaid. It is not a bailout. It is actually just a path forward with the amount that we previously had which was significantly lower than any other state.
But that without it, it puts Puerto Rico in a significant bind. Now, mind you, this is all happening while we're reducing about $300 billion locally on health care. So it is sort of an added burden. The second component, I would say, is that health care and civil rights are not political issues. They should be essential rights for American citizens, and Puerto Ricans every side of the island are American citizens.
Lastly, the repercussions of allowing a health care system in Puerto Rico to collapse because it doesn't have its fair share of funding is that a lot of the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico will move to the states now. You know this has been happening for a while, and let me tell you a little bit about the impact on health care alone. For every dollar that (unintelligible) spend on Puerto Rico for health care, that same citizen - the federal government and the state government will have to spend $4. So we feel that this needs to be stressed more to the administration stating that it is not a bailout, and it is just our fair share of money for health care.
SINGH: Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello. Governor, thank you so much for speaking with us.
ROSSELLO: Thank you. Thank you. Have a good day.
Copyright © 2017 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.Politicians and law enforcement officials in California will introduce a bill on Friday that requires all smartphones and tablet PCs sold in the state be equipped with a digital “kill-switch” that would make the devices useless if stolen.
The bill is a response to a rise in thefts of portable electronics devices, often at knife or gunpoint, being seen across the state. Already half of all robberies in San Francisco and 75 percent of those in Oakland involve a mobile device and the number is rising in Los Angeles, according to police figures.
The trend is the same in major cities across the U.S. and the California bill, if it passes, could usher in kill-switch technology nationwide if phone makers choose not to produce custom devices for California.
California Senate bill 962 says all smartphones and tablet PCs sold from Jan. 1, 2015, should have “a technological solution that can render the essential features of the device inoperable when the device is not in possession of the rightful owner.”
The proposed bill, a copy of which was seen by IDG News Service, doesn’t specify the kill-switch technology. Carriers or phone makers will be able to design their own system in software, hardware or a combination of both, but once activated it should prevent phone calls, Internet access and the ability to run apps.
It will have to be resistant to a hard reset, attempts to return the device to factory condition or a downgrade of the operating system. Users should have the option of deactivating it if they don’t want the protection, but retailers will be banned from offering such a service.
The bill proposes retailers will be subject to a fine of between $500 and $2,500 per device sold that doesn’t include the technology. The fines won’t target private sellers of second-hand phones.
It will be formally introduced in San Francisco on Friday morning by State Senator Mark Leno and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon with the backing of the mayors and police chiefs of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland.
Gascon and New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have been leading a push by senior law enforcement figures to make smartphone makers address theft of their devices.
The work has targeted Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft and has already had some success.
Shortly after Gascon brought representatives of the four companies together, Apple introduced its iOS7 operating system with an activation lock feature. Samsung also responded to his call by installing the “Lojack for Mobile Devices” software on some of its phones, but it requires an annual subscription.
The bill is due to be heard in the California senate in the coming months.By Christopher Taylor
“The role which the great Negro Toussaint, called L’Ouverture, played in the history of the United States,” W.E.B. Du Bois wrote almost eighty years ago, as might be written now despite C.L.R. James’s great book, “has seldom been appreciated.”
Echoing Du Bois’ 1896 lament, Eugene Genovese’s 1979 claim about the historiographical marginality of the Haitian Revolution in general, and Toussaint in particular, does not map so easily onto the terrain of scholarship on the age of revolutions today.[1] Cutting across disciplines and conventional geographies of analysis, the Haitian Revolution has been a hot topic in the Anglophone North Atlantic academy for the nearly two decades—as it should have been, without question, all along. And if scholars today are more and more inclined to assume, appreciate, and investigate the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the making of the modern world, we might take this turn to Haiti as evidence for the impact of C.L.R. James’ “great book,” The Black Jacobins (1938; revised edition, 1963) on the field of history writing.
Such an assumption would, I think, be hasty. Genovese’s complaint serves as a monitory warning for scholars building genealogies of their field. Great books do not always have great effects, at least not immediately. While the 1938 edition of The Black Jacobins was reviewed in both popular and academic publications, the book would be but infrequently cited for the next decade and a half in academic articles and books.[2] Sometimes the non-citations of James’ book approach the absurd. R.R. Palmer, for instance, would note that “Toussaint l’Ouverture led the Black Jacobins of Haiti” without footnoting James.[3] That Palmer knew of James is certain; he cursorily cites The Black Jacobins in The Age of the Democratic Revolution.[4] Sadly, Palmer’s minimal reference to James was much more recognition than the latter would receive—until extremely belatedly—from the British Marxist historians.[5]
The academic silence that surrounded The Black Jacobins perhaps owes less to the politics of history writing and more to a pretty mundane fact: it is unclear how widely available the 1938 edition was. In a brief, brilliant overview of the reception of The Black Jacobins in the Caribbean, Aaron Kamugisha notes that George Lamming devotes so much time in The Pleasures of Exile (1960) to retelling and quoting James’ history in order to recall it to public notice.[6] Validating Lamming’s intuition, Stuart Hall recollects, “Although of course I knew of [The Black Jacobin’s] existence, I’m pretty certain I didn’t read it until the paperback publication of 1963, and so far as I remember it wasn’t prominent in public discussion. So for me, and for many others, it is in fact a text of the sixties.”[7] Keeping this reception history in mind, it is somewhat odd to read Jamaican sociologist Orlando Patterson mention, “C.L.R. James’ classic study, The Black Jacobins,” in a footnote in an article from 1970.[8] Classic, we might ask, since when?
Patterson’s use of the term “classic” is as much performative as constative. That is, Patterson is not simply describing a stable reality, one wherein The Black Jacobins undeniably is a classic; rather, he is participating in constructing that reality. As a performative statement, a locution that attempts shifting our relation to the world, Patterson’s naming The Black Jacobins a “classic” raises important political questions about canon formation, economies of knowledge, and institutional location. It makes sense that Patterson, publishing in a Caribbean journal in 1970, would so describe James’ text, even if the text had only really been available in the islands for half a decade or so. Such performatives are bound up with the cultural politics of anticolonialism, and they are important, even vital. But what politics of knowledge are at work when one encounters this description of The Black Jacobins—as one invariably does—in more recent, U.S.-based scholarship on the age of revolutions? Is the text’s impact adequate to such a description? And what does one do with classics, anyhow?
To begin answering this question, let’s first examine the eras of historiographical debate for which The Black Jacobins is a key touchstone. The first involves the relationship between capitalism and slavery. James’ involvement in these debates routed through the never-ending debates over the monograph of James’ one-time tutee, Eric Williams, entitled Capitalism and Slavery (1944). Basically, Williams maintains that the surpluses generated by slavery provided the capital required to jumpstart industrial capitalism; the British abolished the slave trade and slavery only after slavery was no longer required, and had even become an inefficient mode of surplus accumulation. Williams attributes this argument to James.[9] Moreover, The Black Jacobins was perhaps the first text to argue that plantation production was functionally a form of industrial production—that enslaved workers in the New World were more or less members of the modern proletariat. In sum, the notion that slavery was not an archaic, pre-capitalist residue, but a moment immanent to racial capitalism’s history, owes much to The Black Jacobins.[10]
Second, James pioneered a tradition of history from below that understood enslaved peoples to be agents in the world-historical revolution that they created. James’ emphasis on the self-activity of the oppressed would prove central to studies of the Haitian Revolution, New World slavery, and contemporary left-Marxist theorists.[11] Finally, James’ attentiveness to the interconnections between the French and Haitian Revolutions provided a model for doing global histories of the revolutionary period that are analytically attuned to the complex interactions between race and class.[12]
The Black Jacobins has indeed become a classic. But this fact only brings me back to a question I posed above: What does one do with a classic? I am worried that, given the current state of the field, The Black Jacobins is becoming a text that one has read but does not read with, a book dropped into a citation dump or a lit review but never really recalled to be worked over. In this case, insistence upon The Black Jacobin’s centrality or canonicity might ironically work to render it marginal: we presume its knowledge, and so neglect its text. Surveying recent work on the relationship between universal history and the Haitian Revolution, David Scott contends that The Black Jacobins “is taken up merely as one among other informational sources for the study of the Haitian Revolution, a useful introductory text, rather than as itself a theoretical intervention[.]”[13] That James’ text could be so treated bespeaks the persistence of colonial relations of knowledge production: raw empirics from the colony, value-adding theorizing in the metropole. Moreover, Scott’s contention certainly describes a tendency in another field to which James should be, but is not, currently central: the new histories of capitalism and slavery.[14]
After some fits and starts, The Black Jacobins wound up having significant impacts on the field of Haitian revolutionary studies, the historiography of the age of revolutions, the study of capitalism and slavery, and many more fields beside. And it is a text rich enough that it could probably sustain several more field transformations—provided that scholars encounter it as a “great book,” in Genovese’s phrase, and do not encrypt it by monumentalizing it as an already-read, already-digested “classic.”
Christopher Taylor is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Chicago. He studies eighteenth and nineteenth-century Caribbean literature and history. You can tweet him @chrisjudetaylor.
[1] Eugene D. Genovese, From Rebellion to Revolution: Afro-American Slave Revolts in the Making of the Modern World (Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 1979), 93.
[2] For reviews, see |
aminophen use. Med Hypotheses 2010 ; 74: 7 – 11.
Google Scholar Crossref | Medline | ISI
46. Gardener, H, Spiegelman, D, Buka, SL. Perinatal and neonatal risk factors for autism: a comprehensive meta-analysis. Pediatrics 2011 ; 128: 344 – 355.
Google Scholar Crossref | Medline | ISI
47. Bollinger, D, Van Howe, RS. Alexithymia and circumcision trauma: a preliminary investigation. Int J Mens Health 2011 ; 10: 184 – 195.
Google Scholar Crossref1. You have to like the progress Ryan Tannehill has made and the efficiency of his offense under offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. In many ways, Lazor is working a mini-miracle with this offense down its best offensive lineman (Branden Albert), best back (Knowshon Moreno) and still being a good, functional unit.
That said, defenses are adjusting to the Dolphins offense of short passes and the read-option runs. The Jets showed how Monday night.
"They were sitting on a lot of our routes,'' Mike Wallace said of the Jets' defense that kept the Dolphins under control for three-and-a-half quarters. "The crossing routes, the curls - they were waiting for them."
Shouldn't they throw deep to back off the defense?
"Hey, I'm not saying that, not my call,'' Wallace said.
You can bet Wallace wants to do that with his speed. It's on the shelf in this offense. Of course, he dropped a touchdown pass on one of the deeper balls Tannehill threw.
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Joe Philbin on #80 Dion Sims. Miami Dolphins Head Coach Joe Philbin on #80 Dion Sims. SEE MORE VIDEOS
Tannehill's progress is notable and measurable. He's completed more than 70 percent of his passes the past five games. His rating is at a career high 92.1. The offense is scoring 25.1 points per game - up significantly from the 19.8 a year ago. It just scored 36 points at Denver a game ago.
The Dolphins also rely so much on short passes that Tannehill's yards-per-attempt ranks 31st among quarterbacks at 6.64 yards. The short-passing game is probably necessary with the line shifting players around like hit has, and can be better understood by breaking down Tannehill's passes by the completion rate of the yards he throws.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle disappointed with defense's slow start against Jets. Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle disappointed with defense's slow start against Jets. SEE MORE VIDEOS
On passes thrown behind the line of scrimmage, he's 61 of 69 (88.4 percent)
On passes from 1 to 10 yards, Tannehill has completed 146 of 202 (72.3 percent).
On passes from 11 to 20 yards, he's completed 47 of 88 (50.2 percent) but with the 10 TDs against three interceptions.
On passes from 21 to 30 yards, he's five of 17 (29.4 percent),
On passes more than 30 yards, he's one of 14.
Can the Dolphins keep doing this? Defenses adjusting can be seen more easily from their evolution of the read-option. Tannehill began running it against Oakland, rushing five times for 35 yards. In the next four games, he ran for 49, 48, 47 and 47 yards. He ran 18 times in all in those games for 192 yards (10.7 yard average).
In the last four games, he's run 14 times for 44 yards (3.14 average). It can be effective at times - he ran for 10 yards on a play against the Jets. But as a regular weapon it has been taken away. Just as defenses are adjusting to the short-passing game.
Lazor is a major reason for the Dolphins' success this year. He has helped Tannehill raise his game and this offense become effective. The question now is if he feels the need to tinker with that offense as defenses adjust to it.
2. Dolphins great Jason Taylor discussed the defense's issues on NBCSN: “I think the best unit on this team has been the defensive line. It’s the deepest and most talented unit…they’re the bell cow for that team, but the last two weeks have been alarming. When you put things like this on film, the next team is going to come in and see how well you’ve figured it out...but I think they will get it figured out this week and beat Baltimore."
On the same show, Ross Tucker said the defensive players "were not happy with defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle. They were screaming at him, there were gestures…I don’t know what’s going on with the defense, but they better figure it out quickly…I think the Ravens win by double digits.”
NBCSN's Tony Dungy said the message after the Jets game was bottom-line good news for the Dolphins. “The message is, ‘We got a win on the road, and that’s huge in December.,' '' Dungy said. "’You go ahead and live with that, but you also know that the last two weeks you’ve struggled with run defense, and you’ve got to get that straightened out. Justin Forsett has had big games the last couple of weeks. This is a critical game…we beat Baltimore, and we’ve got a great shot to make the playoffs.”
3. The University of Miami basketball team is better in its sports than any team in South Florida right now. The 15th-ranked Hurrricanes beat No. 24 Illinois on Tuesday. Jim Larranaga has a fun team to watch and
4. The Panthers made up for a bad loss at last-place Columbus by beating a good Detroit team Tuesday, 4-2. Vincent Trochek (goal, two assists) keeps making things happen.
5. Florida State is the lone undefeated team. And it's ranked fourth by the NCAA panel. That's all I need to know about this new college football system.We already knew that Office 2016 is coming this year, but now thanks to a leaked internal memo, we also have a date.
The brand-new Microsoft Office 2016 will see daylight on September 22, according to an email that Redmond's executive team sent to company employees, but it's not yet clear if the company is planning a special event in this regard or it simply wants to start selling the software.
“On September 22, 2015, we'll release Office 2016 – with updates for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Skype for Business, Project, Visio, Access, and Publisher. The innovation wave continues in Q2 with the release of E5 and Skype for Business, and on-premise services will follow,” the internal memo leaked by WinFuture reads.
“This is the central hug for all Office 2016 Commercial readiness, training, and marketing materials. Mark this page and check back frequently, as we will be releasing new materials, weekly, to support the launch.”
Office 2016 pricing
Details are very limited right now, as Microsoft is yet to confirm the release date and other information, but according to details swirling around these days, the Home and Student version of Office 2016 might become available for as much as 130 Euros ($150) next month when Microsoft officially rolls out the productivity suite.
The more features you want, the more you have to pay, but full pricing for Office 2016 is expected to be revealed any time in the coming days and weeks.
A preview version of Office 2016 is already available for those who want to try it out before the public launch in September, but just like it was the case with Windows 10, Microsoft expects testers to send feedback and help it fix the majority of issues before its debut.
Office 2016 requires a Windows 7 or newer PC or tablet, so if you are already on Windows 10, then you're good to go.Bill Nighy has spoken to Empire about the future of Pirates Of The Caribbean, and his particular role to play in the swashbuckling Disney franchise. To say any more might be entering minor spoiler territory, so those who would rather not have Dead Men Tell No Tales (or Salazar’s Revenge, as it’s known here in the UK) spoiled should stop reading now.
Still with us? Good. Nighy’s character, the many-tentacled Captain Davy Jones, appears in a post-credits sting at the end of the fifth Pirates film – but Nighy had no idea about it, despite technically appearing in the film, albeit in dialogue-free CGI form. “I didn't know anything about it until about a week ago,” he told Empire, who claimed he first learned of the cameo from a taxi driver.
“The cab driver said, ‘Are you doing the next one?’”, recounts Nighy. “I said, ‘No. I didn't know there was a next one.’ He said, ‘Well, you were in the last one’. I said, ‘No I wasn't’. He said, ‘Yes, you were’. So that's all I know. You probably know more than I do.”
Nighy last appeared as Davy Jones - with his knowledge and full consent, we should add – in the Pirates sequels Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End. Though his character had seemingly perished at the close of the third film, this new post-credits sting in the fifth film appears to set up his return in future installments. Nighy says he would be open to reprising the character, but no official lines of communication have been opened with Disney. “I'd love to be in [another Pirates movie],” he told Empire. “I'd be there like a shot. But I have not been approached.”
Dead Men Tell No Tales/Salazar’s Revenge was released in May this year, and earned $776 million worldwide – a little less than the billion dollars earned by the previous film, but still healthy enough to warrant a sequel. It remains to be seen whether Bill Nighy will be back as Davy Jones; we can only hope for everyone's sake that they let him know next time.
Nighy will be next seen on screen stalking the streets of Victorian London in The Limehouse Golem, in cinemas 1 September.Wachovia has boosted Wells Fargo's profits
US bank Wells Fargo has surprised investors by bucking the recession, saying it expects a record net profit.
The bank said profit will be $3bn in the first quarter, thanks to better-than-expected results at newly-acquired lender Wachovia.
Wells Fargo bought Wachovia, which was the fourth-largest US bank, after it almost collapsed last year.
"Wachovia's outstanding franchise has proven to be everything we thought it would," the bank said.
Wachovia merger
The bank said it expected revenue of $20bn for the quarter, translating into "another quarter of double-digit revenue growth" of 16%.
Banking giant Citigroup had initially tried to block the merger between Wachovia and Wells Fargo.
But the US Federal Reserve approved Wells Fargo's $12bn takeover after its all-stock offer.
Wells Fargo's results are set to include $372m in dividend payments to the US Treasury, which took a stake in many banks in exchange for a cash injection.
US financier Warren Buffett has a stake in Wells Fargo through his holding company, Berkshire Hathaway, which has lost its top credit rating from Moody's.
Bank shares
Wells Fargo's announcement is the latest in a line of positive statements from banks such as Citigroup, Bank of America and Deutsche Bank about their performances in 2009.
Shares in the bank surged 32% by the end of trading on Wall Street.
Its shares led US banking stocks higher and helped to push the broader Dow Jones average of US stocks up 2.3%.
Bank of America shares gained 20.7%, Citigroup rose 8.5% and JP Morgan climbed 11.4%.That sound you here is the nail-biting of Republican officials as the Trump train rolls on to glory. Or ignominy. One of the two.
Sunday talkers: Republicans critical of Donald Trump made the rounds of the Sunday political talk shows, fretting that the most luxurious presidential candidate in history has a better-than-average chance of losing the handful of states that decide the presidential race. On CBS' "Face the Nation," Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona wrung his hands over Trump's chances in Flake's home state, though Democrats haven't won a presidential race in Arizona for 20 years. And on CNN's "State of the Union, Ohio Gov. John Kasich worried that Trump would lose the Buckeye State, one of the two most important states in the presidential race (along with Florida). The Washington Post's Abby Phillip and Sean Sullivan have a good summary of the Republican agita.
Disorder in the House: House Speaker Paul Ryan has a primary tomorrow. He's pretty confident that he'll win it, reports the Washington Post's Robert Costa, but he's less sanguine about Republican chances of holding onto the House majority.
"Mitt [Romney] and I lost by four points and we lost eight seats. [Arizona Sen. John McCain] lost by seven [in 2008] and we lost 21 seats," he told the Post. "If you're Speaker of the House, it's your job to worry about the Republican majority, no matter what the circumstances are."
It would take a titanic shift for Republicans to lose the House though. Right now, there are 247 Republicans to 186 Democrats, plus two vacancies, both Democratic seats. Assuming the Dems pick up both those seats, you've got a 247-188 partisan breakdown, meaning the Democrats would have to pick up 30 seats to get a majority. My table-napkin math has -- in an absolutely best-case, Katie-bar-the-door scenario -- Democrats getting 28 seats or so. Keep in mind that is the absolute outer limit. A historic, seismic shift in which everything breaks for the Democrats.
In other words, Ryan doesn't have a whole lot to be worried about, as far as his House majority is concerned.
Then again... Some seats that are safely Republican could start looking dicey if Donald Trump keeps making campaign stops like the one he made in New Hampshire on Saturday.
Meanwhile, in the Florida Senate race... The Orlando Sentinel's Gray Rohrer reports on Vice President Joe Biden campaigning in Tallahassee for U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter. Murphy is in a Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando. In related news, Orlando's mayor, Buddy Dyer, just endorsed Murphy over his hometown congressman this morning.
"Patrick will stand up for commonsense gun violence prevention measures, work to strengthen our middle class, and protect Social Security and Medicare for our seniors," Dyer said in a press statement. "More than ever, we need leadership from our next U.S. Senator and I know that Patrick is the man for the job.”
On the Republican side, on Saturday Sen. Marco Rubio shocked people who have apparently never heard of Sen. Marco Rubio when he told Politico Florida's Marc Caputo that he would not support abortions for women infected with Zika. For some reason, a great many people were surprised by this news, despite the fact that Rubio has been consistently anti-abortion throughout his career, even to the point of being against exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
Meanwhile, Rubio's long-shot opponent, Carlos Beruff, has released a new ad trying to paint Rubio with the broad brush of Charlie Crist, reports the Tampa Bay Times' Jeremy Wallace.
Wasserman Schultz watch: U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, fresh from a bad end to a so-so run as chairwoman of the DNC. (Why so-so? See below.) The congresswoman now turns her attention to holding on to her seat in the first primary campaign of her congressional career. She met up with the Sun Sentinel editorial board for an endorsement interview, and our Anthony Man was there to hear why she left the DNC and what she sees as the important issues in her campaign going forward. We've got video of the interview in Man's story.
Comparing the Democrats in 2011, when she took over, to 2016, when she left, it hasn't exactly been a good ride. Over that time, the Dems have lost five House seats and six Senate seats. Republicans have gone from control of 25 state legislatures to 30. They've gone from 29 governorships to 31. In fairness to Wasserman Schultz, this is really stanching the bleeding that occurred in the Tea Party wave of 2010 before she took control of the party. Still, the Democrats could not turn things around under her watch. Whether they can do so in 2016 remains to be seen.
What's with all the solar amendments? We've been writing about three separate solar-energy amendments in the news this year. Two of them made the ballot. One of those will be on the primary ballot, the other on the November general election ballot. The Orlando Sentinel's Gray Rohrer has an easy-to-understand, Q&A-format story on what the amendments are, what they do, and who's behind each of them.
That's the ticket: The Florida Lottery has almost doubled sales of scratch-off tickets in the past six years, and the number of poor households who spend at least one percent of their income on scratch-off tickets has gone from one in six to one in three. At the same time, the Lottery has spent far more money marketing its products to minority communities. All that and more in my investigation.
Primaries, we got'em: I've linked this up in a few previous newsletters, but here's another reminder that all of our primary election preview stories can be found in one handy location here, including school boards, county commissions, state legislative seats and much more.
Meanwhile, the opinion-makers at the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board have been rolling out their endorsements, all of which can be seen here, including their recent endorsement of U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, over her primary opponent, Tim Canova.
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dualminer_3
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NewbieActivity: 21Merit: 0 Re: [ANN] Introduction to DualMiner USB (could mine both BTC and LTC) January 23, 2014, 08:41:10 AM #144 Quote from: KyrosKrane on January 22, 2014, 02:49:30 PM Quote from: WhiteyZ on January 22, 2014, 01:37:28 PM Quote from: KyrosKrane on January 22, 2014, 11:57:15 AM Can these (and other, similar, dual-use devices) mine both BTC and LTC simultaneously? Or is the user (or perhaps mining software) supposed to pick one at a time to mine?
Quote from first page and from the website:
Quote Hash Rate: Dual Mode: 40KH/s LTC, 500MH/s BTC, or LTC Mode: 70KH/s LTC, BTC Off Quote from first page and from the website:
Another poster posted the theoretical stats of the chip they're using:
Quote BTC mode up to 2.25G/s BTC Hash Rate, with 2.4W/GHash
LTC mode up to 60K/s LTC Hash Rate
Due-Coin mode up to 1.75G/s BTC Hash Rate + 60K/s LTC Hash Rate, or up to 2.25G/s BTC Hash
Rate + 38K LTC Hash Rate
So two things jump out at me:
First, why is there such a difference between the theoretical stats and the quoted performance, particularly on BTC? And why is the BTC-only mode eliminated?
Second, what software would be able to use this gizmo to dual-mine simultaneously? On their site, they say "Customized Windows software with GUI" but they also mention Linux; and their screenshots are of a command-line miner. Depending on how the software is implemented, it may not be able to run on unusual hardware like a Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone. Custom-developed miners are sometimes less efficient than dedicated software like cgminer or bfgminer, so we could be giving up precious hashes. Definitely need more info on this front.
Thanks, I missed that on their Web site. But on the first page of this thread, there's no performance info from the OP. I reviewed all posts by the OP, in fact, and he doesn't mention the specs in any of them.Another poster posted the theoretical stats of the chip they're using:So two things jump out at me:First, why is there such a difference between the theoretical stats and the quoted performance, particularly on BTC? And why is the BTC-only mode eliminated?Second, what software would be able to use this gizmo to dual-mine simultaneously? On their site, they say "Customized Windows software with GUI" but they also mention Linux; and their screenshots are of a command-line miner. Depending on how the software is implemented, it may not be able to run on unusual hardware like a Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone. Custom-developed miners are sometimes less efficient than dedicated software like cgminer or bfgminer, so we could be giving up precious hashes. Definitely need more info on this front.
We developed a special version cgminer for dualminer. The customization is mainly because cgminer on github doesn't support dual mine mode. The latest version of cgminer even removed scrypt support, :-(. Also we are keeping a eye on bfgminer. We may release a bfgminer for dualminer. Currently only a customized cgminer is developed. As long as we start mass shipping, we will release cgminer that works on Linux. At that time, Beaglebone or PI can be used to control/manage dualminer usb. We developed a special version cgminer for dualminer. The customization is mainly because cgminer on github doesn't support dual mine mode. The latest version of cgminer even removed scrypt support, :-(. Also we are keeping a eye on bfgminer. We may release a bfgminer for dualminer. Currently only a customized cgminer is developed. As long as we start mass shipping, we will release cgminer that works on Linux. At that time, Beaglebone or PI can be used to control/manage dualminer usb.
joeventura
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Hero MemberActivity: 728Merit: 500 Re: [ANN] Introduction to DualMiner USB (could mine both BTC and LTC) January 24, 2014, 01:31:37 PM #155 Sorry no matter how expensive your electricity is, you are paying $980 for 700Kh of LTC mining when you can get that for half the price in a GPU.
At 500 watts for a single GPU giving you 700Kh you would pay $54 a year (at $0.15 Kwh) to run it.
The breakeven on the electricity would require you to mine for 7-9 years before these devices recovered their excessive cost.
For easy math, a GPU of about 700Kh mining costs $500 (for round numbers) so for these to be competitive they have to cost $50 USD
When they hit that price (or close to it) you should buy all you can get. There is a small window then Alpha T starts selling their units.
Just my 0.02 BTC
BitCoinRateWatcher.com One stop for latest rates from MtGox, Bitstamp, CampBx, Coinbase and Bitpay all on one mobile friendly screen. One stop for latest rates from MtGox, Bitstamp, CampBx, Coinbase and Bitpay all on one mobile friendly screen.
fsb4000
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LegendaryActivity: 1400Merit: 1000 Re: [ANN] Introduction to DualMiner USB (could mine both BTC and LTC) January 24, 2014, 02:01:32 PM #156 Quote from: joeventura on January 24, 2014, 01:31:37 PM Sorry no matter how expensive your electricity is, you are paying $980 for 700Kh of LTC mining when you can get that for half the price in a GPU.
At 500 watts for a single GPU giving you 700Kh you would pay $54 a year (at $0.15 Kwh) to run it.
The breakeven on the electricity would require you to mine for 7-9 years before these devices recovered their excessive cost.
For easy math, a GPU of about 700Kh mining costs $500 (for round numbers) so for these to be competitive they have to cost $50 USD
When they hit that price (or close to it) you should buy all you can get. There is a small window then Alpha T starts selling their units.
Just my 0.02 BTC
your math wrong.
0.5kw * 365 days *24 hours * 0.15Kwh = $657
But 7970's power consumption is 280w, not 500
So
0.28 * 365 days * 24hours * 0.15Kwh = $367,92 - electricity cost per year your math wrong.0.5kw * 365 days *24 hours * 0.15Kwh = $657But 7970's power consumption is 280w, not 500So0.28 * 365 days * 24hours * 0.15Kwh = $367,92 - electricity cost per year
joeventura
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Hero MemberActivity: 728Merit: 500 Re: [ANN] Introduction to DualMiner USB (could mine both BTC and LTC) January 24, 2014, 02:18:09 PM #157 Quote from: fsb4000 on January 24, 2014, 02:01:32 PM Quote from: joeventura on January 24, 2014, 01:31:37 PM Sorry no matter how expensive your electricity is, you are paying $980 for 700Kh of LTC mining when you can get that for half the price in a GPU.
At 500 watts for a single GPU giving you 700Kh you would pay $54 a year (at $0.15 Kwh) to run it.
The breakeven on the electricity would require you to mine for 7-9 years before these devices recovered their excessive cost.
For easy math, a GPU of about 700Kh mining costs $500 (for round numbers) so for these to be competitive they have to cost $50 USD
When they hit that price (or close to it) you should buy all you can get. There is a small window then Alpha T starts selling their units.
Just my 0.02 BTC
your math wrong.
0.5kw * 365 days *24 hours * 0.15Kwh = $657
But 7970's power consumption is 280w, not 500
So
0.28 * 365 days * 24hours * 0.15Kwh = $367,92 - electricity cost per year
your math wrong.0.5kw * 365 days *24 hours * 0.15Kwh = $657But 7970's power consumption is 280w, not 500So0.28 * 365 days * 24hours * 0.15Kwh = $367,92 - electricity cost per year
280 Watts.
Let's convert this number to kiloWatts by dividing by 1000, to get 0.28 kiloWatts.
These devices, that have been on for 24 hours, have consumed
0.28 Watts × 24 hours = 6.72 kWh (kiloWatt-hour) of energy.
Finally, since energy costs you $0.15/kiloWatt-hour, these devices have costed you:
6.72 kWh × $0.15f/kWh = $1.01 a day * 365 days = $368.65 to run a GPU for a year
Which gives you 700Kh?
Now instead you buy 10 of the USBs and run them LTC only and you have spent $980
Let's say they use 20 watts a day ($0.07 a day) or $25 a year to run
$980 + 25 = $1005 for 700Kh is total operating for a year for these.
A GPU of the 7970 type is $440 plus the $368 for electricity is $808 cost to operate for a year.
Both the GPU and the USB Dual miners require a computer so we wont add those in and we wont add in the $80 for a good USB hub to run 10 of them.
280 Watts.Let's convert this number to kiloWatts by dividing by 1000, to get 0.28 kiloWatts.These devices, that have been on for 24 hours, have consumed0.28 Watts × 24 hours = 6.72 kWh (kiloWatt-hour) of energy.Finally, since energy costs you $0.15/kiloWatt-hour, these devices have costed you:6.72 kWh × $0.15f/kWh = $1.01 a day * 365 days = $368.65 to run a GPU for a yearWhich gives you 700Kh?Now instead you buy 10 of the USBs and run them LTC only and you have spent $980Let's say they use 20 watts a day ($0.07 a day) or $25 a year to run$980 + 25 = $1005 for 700Kh is total operating for a year for these.A GPU of the 7970 type is $440 plus the $368 for electricity is $808 cost to operate for a year.Both the GPU and the USB Dual miners require a computer so we wont add those in and we wont add in the $80 for a good USB hub to run 10 of them. BitCoinRateWatcher.com One stop for latest rates from MtGox, Bitstamp, CampBx, Coinbase and Bitpay all on one mobile friendly screen. One stop for latest rates from MtGox, Bitstamp, CampBx, Coinbase and Bitpay all on one mobile friendly screen.
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StaffLegendaryActivity: 2254Merit: 1118 Re: [ANN] Introduction to DualMiner USB (could mine both BTC and LTC) January 24, 2014, 03:34:36 PM #158
Dabs Dual Miners (kids)
I got the package
It's wrapped in bubbles
Nice label on the box
Front of the DualMiner
Back of the DualMiner
Now, on to the actual mining.
I downloaded the drivers for my ancient Windows OS.
I downloaded the dualminer custom software.
Plugged in the DualMiner.
Detected. Installed drivers.
Installed DualMiner GUI.
Created worker on mining pool.
Now, I must note, that this thing came with the dip switch already set to LTC mode (or scrypt mode) only. So I figure, I'd test it first that way. I'll do the dual coin mining later. Also, the coin I'm mining is not LTC, but it is scrypt, so it should work.
The GUI shows 70 kh/s.
The cgminer console window shows 70 kh/s.
The pool stats show anything from 50 kh/s to 98 kh/s.
That's it so far. I'll keep it running for a few hours and see if anything else happens, aside from it mining. Preliminary pictures. Sorry for crappy resolution, used a cell phone for these:Dabs Dual Miners (kids)I got the packageIt's wrapped in bubblesNice label on the boxFront of the DualMinerBack of the DualMinerNow, on to the actual mining.I downloaded the drivers for my ancient Windows OS.I downloaded the dualminer custom software.Plugged in the DualMiner.Detected. Installed drivers.Installed DualMiner GUI.Created worker on mining pool.Now, I must note, that this thing came with the dip switch already set to LTC mode (or scrypt mode) only. So I figure, I'd test it first that way. I'll do the dual coin mining later. Also, the coin I'm mining is not LTC, but it is scrypt, so it should work.The GUI shows 70 kh/s.The cgminer console window shows 70 kh/s.The pool stats show anything from 50 kh/s to 98 kh/s.That's it so far. I'll keep it running for a few hours and see if anything else happens, aside from it mining. Escrow Service (Services) - GPG ID: 32AD7565, OTC ID: Dabs
All messages concerning escrow or with bitcoin addresses are GPG signed. Please verify.
CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified Professional, MCSA: Windows 10; Windows Server 2012, MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure; Productivity; Messaging All messages concerning escrow or with bitcoin addresses are GPG signed. Please verify.CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified Professional, MCSA: Windows 10; Windows Server 2012, MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure; Productivity; MessagingCLOSE A Texas family is desperate to be reunited with their daughter's body, which was taken from a private visitation area at a San Antonio funeral home. VPC
Family of Julie Mott, 26, seeking answers after her body was stolen from a local funeral home. (Photo11: family)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The corpse of a 25-year-old woman was stolen from inside of a San Antonio funeral home last week, police say.
According to investigators, the body of Julie Mott was taken from her casket at Mission Parks Funeral Chapel North after her service on Aug. 15.
"It's really quite concerning," said San Antonio police Sgt. Javier Salazar. "We are hoping that the public may be able to help assist us."
Salazar said that after Mott's service ended around 1:30 p.m., a casket with her remains was taken into a private visitation area in the back of the funeral home. The funeral home was locked up and secured around 4:30 p.m.
Police believe during that three-hour window, someone removed Mott's body from the casket.
"The next morning when they came back to the funeral home, they discovered that the casket Ms. Mott had been in for the service was actually empty," Salazar said. "Her remains had been removed."
Mission Parks Funeral Home is offering $20,000 to help catch the person responsible.
"We just want our daughter's remains returned so we can have some closure to our grief," said Mott's father, Tim Mott.
Julie Mott died on Aug. 8 from cystic fibrosis.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1EcXUUU<<< NEWS FROM THE LAB - Monday, November 4, 2013 >>> ARCHIVES | SEARCH Why Motivated Attackers Often Get What They Want Posted by Antti @ 11:07 GMT Do you work for a company possessing information which could be of financial value to people outside the organization? Or, perhaps even a foreign state would find it useful to gain access to the documents you're storing on that shared network drive? Yes? Then congratulations, you may already be the target of a persistent and motivated attacker (who sometimes, but rarely, is also advanced).
According to this CERT-FI presentation, even Finland has seen nearly a decade of these attacks. Nowadays, they're everywhere.
A good targeted attack case example is the one made against RSA in 2011, which our own Timo Hirvonen analyzed. This post tells the whole story of Timo looking for the original source of the infection in RSA's network, which he eventually found:
RSA was breached with a document sent as an e-mail attachment to an employee. The document contained an embedded exploit that infected the employee's computer, which gave the attacker the foothold needed to infiltrate. From that computer, they moved on to compromising the rest of the network.
Timo found the document from the files we receive via Virustotal, which is an online service where you can submit files to be scanned with several antivirus engines. The user gets to see the scanning results, thus the likelihood of maliciousness, and the file is sent to antivirus companies for further analysis. Virustotal sees hundreds of thousands of files submitted every day.
We spend a lot of effort analyzing the files submitted through Virustotal, as we want to make sure we detect anything malicious. In addition to the day-to-day malware, we also analyze the exploit documents that suspicious users submit for scanning.
All these documents contained exploit code that would have automatically installed malware onto a user's computer had they opened them with a vulnerable document reader. They give us a small glimpse into the targets as well: who are the people that would expect to receive attachments like this?
In our latest Threat Report, Jarno Niemelä took a set these documents, extracted all the text from them and built word clouds.
The word cloud on the left is from documents we categorized as being political in theme. The one on the right is from documents we felt were corporate-themed. The clouds give you a hint of what kind of sectors are interesting to attackers.
The same tricks won't work forever, though. If you send enough e-mails with exploit attachments your targets will learn and adapt. And so we've seen new tricks in the form of "watering hole" attacks. Here's how they work: the attacker finds a website that he thinks his targets would be likely to visit. If you want to target software companies such as Twitter, Facebook or Apple, perhaps you choose a mobile development website. If you are going after government agencies, you might drop a zero-day exploit for IE8 on the US Department of Labor website. Then you simply wait for your targets to visit the site and get infected.
And then there's the good old trick with USB drives.
We don't have any information to confirm the news that the USB drives given to G20 leaders actually contained malware. If it's true, at least you can't blame the attackers for lack of optimism.
So, defending is simple: don't open |
I didn't know that," he said. "I put in a lot of hard work. I spent a lot of time studying film."
And it's paid off.
Critical to surge
In his third season, Hal, - a seventh-round cornerback from Vanderbilt in 2014 - is entrenched in a secondary that helped the Texans close with a 7-2 record and finish 9-7 to earn the AFC South title.
This is Hal's third season in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel's system. He knows what secondary coach John Butler demands from his defensive backs.
"Dre had a good year," coach Bill O'Brien said about last season. "He's a smart guy. He's very coachable. He's become somewhat of a leader in his own right. He does a lot on special teams, too."
When the Texans selected Hal, undersized at 5-10 and 188 pounds, they saw potential. He's made them look wise for taking him.
"We knew we had a smart, physical player," general manager Rick Smith said. "He had played against tough competition in college, and he was a confident player. I liked his makeup.
"We thought he might be able to provide some versatility. He's got ball skills. He's a ballhawk. He's around the ball."
Hal led the team with four interceptions last season, returning one for a touchdown. No one else had more than two. If he's starting 16 games rather than 11, he might be able to produce more big plays.
Pick artist
"I'm hopeful that we'll see a guy who's settled into the position and takes the next step," Smith said. "As much as he's around the ball, hopefully, we'll see a little more production on the ball as he continues to grow into the position."
Hal, 24, won't predict how many interceptions he hopes to get this season.
"I don't know about statistics, but I do know about wanting to win games," he said. "I'm comfortable with what we're doing, but I'm still learning and trying to gain experience and knowledge about the game."
Hal has always had a knack for finding the ball.
"In college, they put me in position to make plays, and I made them," he said. "I really pride myself on how I prepare. I study a lot of film. It's instincts, too. In my preparations, I might know something's going to happen from watching so much film that my body just reacts when I see something."
Crennel's defense can be complicated. It's a grind to figure it out, but once the players do, they understand how efficient they can be.
"It's not freelancing, but our defense is based on knowing where to go and then getting where you're supposed to be," he said.
Hal is smart enough to listen to his counterpart, strong safety Quintin Demps, who's coming off his best season.
"Quintin's played nine years, and I learn a lot from him," Hal said. "I try to eat up everything he tells me and get better every day."Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
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Pentagon wants Trump to arm Syrian Kurds, increase boots on the ground
ARA News
Damascus – Three Malaysian jihadists were killed on Friday when they were targeted in an air strike. Officials have confirmed that the Malays were members of the Islamic State (ISIS).
The three expats have been identified as Zainuri Kamaruddin, Ahmad Asyraf Arbee and Sazrizal Mohd Sofian Tahyalan. They were reportedly operating out of Raqqa city –the de facto capital of the Islamic State.
Zainuri, also known as Abu Talhah, was a leading member of ISIS. In May 2016, the 50-year-old jihadists appeared in a video while burning his Malaysian passport to show he was never going to return home. He also declared war on the Malaysian government which he characterized as being an “infidel state.”
The second militant, Ahmad Asyraf, left for Syria in November 2014. The third militant, 27-year-old Sazrizal, also left for Syria in 2014.
The death of the three jihadists brings the number of Malaysian ISIS members killed in Iraq and Syria to 30, according to Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, the Deputy Director of the Malaysian Counter-Terrorism Unit.
Reporting by: Laila Majdalawi
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Join our Weekly NewsletterUpdate - 9:05 a.m. Dec. 12, 2017: Late Monday night, the Alabama Supreme Court stayed the Montgomery County Circuit Court's order earlier that day directing Alabama election officials to preserve digital ballot images during Tuesday's Senate election.
A judge directed Alabama election officials Monday afternoon to preserve all digital ballot images in Tuesday's hotly contested U.S. Senate special election.
An order granting a preliminary injunction was filed at 1:36 p.m. Monday - less than 24 hours before voting is to begin. The order came in response to a lawsuit filed Thursday on behalf of four Alabama voters who argued that the state is required to maintain the images under state and federal law.
"All counties employing digital ballot scanners in the Dec. 12, 2017 election are hereby ordered to set their voting machines to save all processed images in order to preserve all digital ballot images," Montgomery County Circuit Judge Roman Ashley Shaul wrote in the order.
Priscilla Duncan, attorney for the plaintiffs, applauded the order.
"[The images] need to be preserved at least six months under the statute," Duncan told AL.com Monday afternoon. "They are being told at this point to preserve all digital ballot records."
Reached by phone shortly after the injunction was issued Monday, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill declined to comment. Merrill and Ed Packard, the state administrator of elections, are the two defendants named in the suit filed Thursday.
"We don't comment on lawsuits," Merrill said.
Digital ballot images are essentially digitized versions of the paper ballots Alabamians fill out in the voting booth. In Alabama, these digital images are destroyed once an election has passed, according to Duncan.
"People think that when they mark the ballots and they go into the machine that that's what counted," she said. "But it's not, the paper ballot is not what's counted. That ballot is scanned and they destroy [the ballots] after the election... If there's ever an election challenge you need to have what was actually counted."
The destruction of the images allegedly opens the door to potential hacking because there are no hard copies of the ballots, according to Duncan.
"The Department of Homeland Security notified our Secretary of State here that Alabama is one of the 21 states that had been targeting for hacking of election systems," she said, referring to this year's special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district.
Shaul wrote in the order that destroying the images could have a negative impact on voters in Alabama.
"After hearing arguments and reviewing the filings, it appears that Plaintiffs and similarly situated voters would suffer irreparable and immediate harm if digital ballot images are not preserved," the order states.
Temporary Restraining Order by Connor Sheets on ScribdRajesh and Nupur Talwar could face death penalty for killing girl, 14, and housekeeper, in case that has gripped India
Two married dentists have been convicted of killing their 14-year-old daughter and the family's housekeeper in a case, that has transfixed India since the girl was found with her throat slit in 2008.
Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, from the New Delhi suburb of Noida, will be sentenced on Tuesday and could face the death penalty. They said they were "hurt and anguished" by the verdict and would appeal.
The double murder in a suburban pocket of the capital became one of the most closely watched whodunnits in recent memory in India. "Everybody turned against us," said Vandana Talwar, a family member, blaming the media, police and the court following a case that has lasted more than five years. "We have only the truth on our side."
There were missteps in the investigation from the start. In the hours after the teenager, Aarushi, was found dead in her bedroom, police named the Talwars' missing Nepali housekeeper, Hemraj, as the prime suspect. They dispatched a team to Nepal to look for him.
But the housekeeper's body was discovered lying on a terrace above Aarushi's room. It had been there the whole time.
The Talwars came under suspicion early on, and police said the manner of the girl's death suggested she had been killed with surgical precision, a clear nod to the Talwars' medical profession.
"The way in which Aarushi's throat was cut points out that it was the work of some professional, who could be a doctor or a butcher," a senior police official, Brij Lal, told reporters in 2008.
Police have offered several possible motives, including an "honour" killing. Although authorities questioned other possible suspects, the case stalled. In 2011 the Talwars demanded a fresh investigation.
Rebecca John, the Talwars' lawyer, told the Indian news channel NDTV that the couple were deeply disappointed by the verdict. John said she had drawn the court's attention to the botched investigation of the case. "We will appeal against the verdict within 60 days," John said.
The couple, who had been free on bail, were arrested and taken to a nearby jail soon after the judge delivered the guilty verdict, she said.An urgent review of “weak and helpless” electoral laws is being demanded by a group of leading academics who say that uncontrolled “dark money” poses a threat to the fundamental principles of British democracy.
A working group set up by the London School of Economics warns that new technology has disrupted British politics to such an extent that current laws are unable to ensure a free and fair election or control the influence of money in politics.
Damian Tambini, director of the media policy project at the LSE, who heads the group made up of leading experts in the field, said that new forms of online campaigning had not only changed the ways that political parties target voters but, crucially, had also altered the ability of big money interests to manipulate political debate. “There is a real danger we are heading down the US route where whoever spends the most money is most likely to win. That’s why we’ve always controlled spending in this country. But these controls are no longer working.”
Its policy brief published on Saturday concludes that current laws can no longer ensure the fundamental principle of a “level playing field”, or guard against foreign influence, and that parliament urgently needs to review UK electoral law.
It comes as questions continue to be asked about spending during the referendum campaign. In an interview published in Sunday’s Observer New Review, Arron Banks, the founder of the Leave.eu campaign, says: “We were just cleverer than the regulators and the politicians. Of course we were.”
The Electoral Commission is investigating whether work that the data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica may have done for Leave.eu constitutes an undeclared donation from an impermissible foreign donor. Cambridge Analytica is majority owned by the hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer, who bankrolled Donald Trump. Filings from the White House disclosed on Friday that Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s strategy chief, was paid $125,333 by the firm last year.
Asked whether he was worried about the Electoral Commission’s investigation into Leave.eu, Banks said: “I don’t give a monkey’s about the Electoral Commission.”
Banks also claimed that Vote Leave “cheated” to get around campaign financing rules by donating money to third party campaigns. “They cheated! They gave 650 grand to a student. Come on! They absolutely, 100% cheated.”
A spokesman for Vote Leave responded: “The Electoral Commission gave us a clean bill of health.”
Privately, the commission admitted that the only penalties it was allowed to impose by law offered no deterrent to political parties, particularly in a one-off referendum. In addition, the LSE found that loopholes in electoral law mean that spending by political parties during the referendum was almost entirely unregulated or even recorded. The real cost of the campaign – building databases to target voters via social media – occurred almost entirely outside the period regulated by law.
Tambini said: “We don’t have a system that is working any more. In this country, we have had laws to control spending by political campaigns but online campaigning has changed everything and none of the existing laws cover it. The ability to throw around large amounts of cash is almost completely uncontrolled. The key costs in campaigning – building the databases – is happening during the period when campaign spending is not regulated at all.
“There is a real danger that public trust in the democratic process will be lost. There is real potential for foreign influence. We have now the ability to manipulate public opinion on a level we have never seen before. And the current framework is weak and helpless.”
The Electoral Commission has not yet made any public statement but privately it said: “We did have this environment that guaranteed a level playing field. But with the shift online that has all changed. We won’t be able to limit the power of money in elections, that’s what we’re very concerned about.”
Tambini said: “It is urgent. There could be a wholesale loss of trust in the process as the result of a scandal or swinging of an election. Though some would argue that has already happened. There has to be a principle of transparency. The public needs to know where the money is coming from. And we don’t.”
‘There is a real danger we are heading down the US route where whoever spends the most money wins’ Damian Tambini, LSE
Martin Moore, director of the Centre for the Study of Media, Communication and Power, at King’s College London, said the machinery of campaigning had changed so rapidly, the law has had no chance to catch up. “The first election where digital made a difference was in 2008. And now it’s where pretty much all the spending is. It has been a shift that has happened in less than 10 years. What we’re seeing is exactly the same sort of disruption that we’ve seen in news and music and other industries.
“That is exactly what is happening in politics. The problem is that if you disrupt politics, you are also disrupting the democratic process and you are creating a very dangerous or volatile situation.”
In addition, the Electoral Commission said privately that it did not have the resources to monitor campaigns in real time. “It’s just not practical. There is some proactive stuff that we can do but we simply don’t have the resources.” The only action it can take is once the campaign is over and then the only penalties are fines which “campaigns can simply cost into their spends”.The image was taken by Canadian photojournalist Kevin Frayer. It shows a lady using a Mini Lung-Pro, a 190 yuan ($29) gadget that pushes air through a HEPA filter, up a tube, and directly into a face mask. It's said to filter out PM2.5 while not giving the "breathless" feeling a regular 3M mask does after extended periods of use. In the series' description, Frayer notes that "China's government has publicly set 2030 as a deadline to reach the country's emissions peak, and data suggest the country's coal consumption is already in decline."
The photo is from an arresting series titled China's Coal Dependence A Challenge For Climate, which placed second in the 2016 Sony Photography Awards' Professional / Contemporary Issues category. (Frayer actually won the Environment category for another series).
The Big Picture is a recurring feature highlighting beautiful images that tell big stories. We explore topics as large as our planet, or as small as a single life, as affected by or seen through the lens of technology.By Vanessa Barford
BBC News
Ricky Gervais is the first to admit that his teeth are neither white nor straight - and Americans mistakenly think he wears bad false teeth for comedic purposes. Why the dental divide?
British teeth are not like American teeth. Hollywood smiles are pearly white paragons of straightness. British teeth might be described as having character. These are my real teeth. You think I'd wear them all the time if they weren't real?
Ricky Gervais' reply to interviewer remarking on his 'false teeth' So much character, in fact, that Ricky Gervais says one US journalist complimented him on being prepared to wear unflattering false teeth for his role as an English dentist in his latest film, Ghost Town. Only he didn't. "He was horrified that I could have such horrible real teeth. It's like the biggest difference between the Brits and the Americans, they are obsessed with perfect teeth," says Gervais. Unlike many British stars hoping to make it big across the Atlantic, Gervais hasn't bought himself a Hollywood Smile. But what is it about the bright white and perfectly straight teeth of Los Angeles that Americans love - and expect of their public figures? PROUD/ASHAMED OF YOUR TEETH? SEND YOUR PICS E-mail: yourpics@bbc.co.uk, subject TEETH MMS from UK: 61124 Int MMS: +44 7725 100100
Terms and conditions "Americans have the idea uniformity is equivalent to looking good. The British character is more free-spirited, more radical," says Professor Liz Kay, dean of the Peninsula Dental School in Exeter and Plymouth. She says Americans aspire to a row of teeth which are absolutely even and white. Artificial smile Whiter than white, it transpires. Teeth naturally vary in colour and the palette can tend closer to cream than white. Kate Beckinsale, now glossy of mane and white of tooth "US teeth are sometimes whiter than it is physically possible to get in nature - there is a new reality out there. The most extreme tooth bleaching is terrifying, it looks like it's painted with gloss paint and has altered what people perceive as normal," says Professor Jimmy Steele, of the School of Dental Science at Newcastle University. The British traditionally prefer "nice natural smiles - natural in colour", he says, and have had a more functional view of teeth and dentistry, whereas Americans have always seen teeth more aesthetically, hence the rise of the artificial smile in show business and pop culture. Cue jibes such as The Bumper Book of British Smiles which cajoles Lisa Simpson into having a brace, and Mike Myers' mockery of buck-toothed Brits in Austin Powers. Conversely, in the UK the snide remarks are saved for those who have had obvious work done, such as Simon Cowell or glamour model Jodie Marsh. When it was widely reported that Martin Amis had secured a book advance in 1995 to help "do his teeth" - which the author denied - he was lampooned by critics. And more recently there has been much speculation over whether Gordon Brown has had a smile makeover. Until now it has been considered rather un-British to go for an upgrade, says Professor Steele. A new smile for a job on US TV He now performs cosmetic dentistry on a wide spectrum of patients, from an 82-year-old woman with overlapping teeth who finally wanted to "do something for herself", to a 17-year-old worried that fluoride had given her mottled teeth that were whiter than normal. But the main difference is that Brits tend to go for more conservative treatments. "Dental tools can do an awful lot of damage if used inappropriately. Crowns can mean a perfectly good tooth has to be cut down, which can weaken the tooth or damage nerves in the long run," he says. Metal mouth While it is starting to be more common to see braces on adults, most people opt for quicker solutions, says Martin Fallowfield, a cosmetic dentist and executive board member of the British Dentist Association. Whitening can be done by chemicals or UV light "Quite often teeth whitening is a 40th or 50th birthday present," he says, a procedure that can be done in a dentist's chair in two hours for about £650. A more intensive "smile makeover" - perhaps involving veneers, crowns and reconstruction work - can take months and cost anything from £2,000 to £10,000. Dentistry in the UK is a £5bn market, and Mr Fallowfield expects this to rise to £15bn within 10 years, largely fuelled by private cosmetic dentistry. While NHS dentists are in short supply in parts of the country, the number of dentists registered with the General Dental Council is up from 31,029 in 2000 to 35,419 in 2007. On average, cosmetic procedures account for a third of a dentist's income from non-NHS work, according to research by the British Dental Association. Among Mr Fallowfield's patients is Jenny Horton, 36, who has had four crowns redone, six new ones added and her lower teeth whitened after she had a baby. Toothpaste has long promised to do more than just clean "The first thing I notice on people is their smile," she says. "I wanted a confidence boost - I was putting my hand over my mouth before, now I can smile. And the compliments have come flooding in: people haven't noticed my teeth, but say I look well." But Brits haven't embraced the full Hollywood makeover - yet. "Americans don't mind this unnaturally white look. It's a new phenomenon, like buying a Rolls Royce and telling the world. They are wearing a smile as a badge," says Mr Fallowfield. Nor do aspiring actors and actresses need to get a new and very expensive set of pearly-whites, says Sylvia Young, of the eponymous theatre school. "A trip to the orthodontist can be a good idea, to get the teeth straightened if need be." As for the likes of Ricky Gervais, it makes sense to stick to his guns, says Mr Fallowfield. "A lot of people in his place would have had their teeth fixed in this day and age. But for comedians, it's good to look unique." Below is a selection of your comments. Mostly US kids get braces after their baby teeth fall out and then you go to the dentist once or twice a year. Stars are under a much finer microscope so they take more extreme measures, but we really don't obsess about it that much. The fact is, straight teeth are healthier, easier to maintain and look better. It takes very little effort to have this done the way the majority in the US do it. I actually have never had an major dental work, including braces, outside of fillings and cleanings. I guess I don't understand why having healthy straight teeth is considered a bad thing. It's not a lot of work.
Adam, Boston, US It's hilarious really, all the cosmetic dentistry means that people end up looking like they have false teeth, Frank Butcher style. May appeal to some, but certainly doesn't to me.
Fay, Witham I have long thought that most women look better with their natural teeth than a row of perfect brilliant white teeth that look like a row of tomb stones. The famous model Dovima (Dorothy Horan) had a unique natural beauty when she first started modelling in the early 1950s, but in my view she ruined it by having her teeth crowned. To me a row of perfect white teeth just says "American woman", give me the natural look any day.
Adrian, Brixham, Devon UK As an American, I must admit that I scoff at people that have crowned, whitened, and straightened their teeth. I grew up with relatively straight teeth so I feel fortunate. But I remember when I was quite young, before cosmetic dentistry existed, my father implored my mom to have all of her upper teeth removed because one tooth, just one, was not quite in place. She conceded and I believe always resented that because she quickly found dentures not only unnatural but uncomfortable. Cheers to natural smiles everywhere, ones with natural character and beauty.
Mahdee, Iowa, US Good for Ricky Gervais. I'm an American and for years now I've thought those glow in the dark preternaturally white teeth look weird. I've all my teeth, and at the age of 53 they've a nice mellowed ivory colour, but they're sound. That's enough for me.
Thomas, Londonderry USA This article is heavily flawed, it is not a battle between ultra worked-on teeth and brown jagged gnarly teeth. Brits should just start doing what Americans do, brushing their teeth and going to the orthodontist as children if it is necessary and within an individual's budget. A few hundred years ago tooth decay and rot were a leading cause of death. You only come with one adult set so why not take care of them?
Andrew, Cincinnati, USA I'm American and I have very straight, very white teeth that have never had braces or been whitened, and I've never had a cavity. We have had fluoride in our water since the 70s - we have better, healthier teeth because of it.
Jessica, New York City Andrew in Cincinnati: WE! DO! CLEAN! OUR! TEETH! (and a good number of my friends had orthadontics too) The point of the article wasn't that clean teeth are a waste of time, but that real teeth don't stay that white without actually bleaching them. It's not as if one can just ignore tooth decay, but having creamy-colour teeth is not tooth decay. And slightly off-kilter teeth don't damage anyone's health.
Lindsay, Derbyshire Let's not also forget that fluoride has been added to the water supplies of Canadian and American towns and cities to assist in dental health since the late 1960's. We here seem to object to something as simple and basic as this which has major implications to good dental hygiene and less cost to the NHS. Go figure!
Pete Schilling, Sturry, Kent Wow, Andrew from Cincinnati seems to have a poor impression of Brits! I'm sure (nearly) all clean their teeth and go to the dentist. The difference seems to be in the level of cosmetic manipulation undertaken on all parts of the body (I'd only ever seen people who'd had facelifts on the TV before my recent trip to the US). Perhaps Brits are just a bit less obsessed with celebrity "perfection"?
Jules, London My parents were too poor to afford dental work for themselves until adulthood. I on the other hand went to the dentist every four to six months from the time my first tooth appeared. I am thankful that, unlike my parents, I do have straight and white teeth. I do find the unnatural glow-in-the-dark white teeth of some disturbing. That said, I also must be quintessentially American in that I don't understand why anyone with the means wouldn't want straight white teeth.
Kerry, Los Angeles, CA Surely the concern should not be to point a laugh at a handful of Americans for going to far with cosmetic dentistry, when so few people in Britain do not have access to an NHS dentist. Britons pride themselves for providing socialized medicine to all - but there has been a systematic collapse in dentistry that has largely occurred without public outcry. But after all no-one likes going to the dentist, do they?
Duncan Brumby, London Yeah cause of course we Brits are so far behind the Americans that we never brush our teeth, have never heard of an orthodontist and certainly would never dream of taking our kids to a dentist. How foolish can some people be? Wake up - perfect white teeth look totally fake. This is why the American version of extreme makeover churns out clones every time. It is ok to have your own look. I have a gap in my teeth and I think it's cute.
Sarah, Sheffield As an American cosmetic dentist, I must say I hold a similar disdain for smiles that are so white and perfect that they are obviously fake. Such teeth are as bad as an obvious facelift or oversized breast augmentation. I want the patient to look like they were born with a beautiful smile, not be a walking neon sign. That said, many of my patients demand it. Doing a case on someone who has been self conscious of their teeth their whole life and giving them a reason to smile with confidence for the first time is an amazing feeling.
Dr. Greg Grobmyer, Jackson, Tennessee, USA
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StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionWelcome to Moe's!
From the second you walk into a Moe's, you'll notice there's something different. You actually feel welcomed. Ever since our employees at the first location in Atlanta, GA in the year 2000 shouted "Welcome to Moe's!" – which probably scared the bejesus out of those first guests – that phrase has embodied our entire culture. Everybody is welcome at Moe's. Except, of course, fugitives.
But who is Moe? Is he some random guy with a magical recipe for killer southwestern food? Nah, although that does sound like a cool dude. Moe's actually stands for Musicians Outlaws and Entertainers, which is why music is more than background noise to us. And we're not just talking about some trendy song or band. We're all about the pioneers. The ones who made more than music; they made memories. Our hand-selected playlist is filled with the amazing artists who left this world too early since these legends changed the musical landscape and continue to inspire guitar slingers, lyrical poets and a new generation of pioneers.
Moe’s stands for Musicians Outlaws and Entertainers.
Wondering where the Outlaw comes in to play? Well, we're not corporate, stodgy or pretentious like the others. In fact, we celebrate originality, starting with our guests who can create whatever they're craving with our 20+ fresh ingredients. And this creative spirit carries through everything we do.An arms embargo should be imposed on Israel, the former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell has said, as he warned that the level of misery and carnage in Gaza was likely to poison the remaining goodwill in the region for generations.
Mitchell also said on Wednesday that UN schools in Gaza should not have been targeted for attacks since they were places of sanctuary.
Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield, is the most senior former government minister to pronounce on the crisis. His words came after the decision of the Foreign Office minister Lady Warsi to leave the coalition for its failure to condemn the actions of Israel in Gaza.
He said, however, that he disapproved of Warsi's decision on Tuesday to resign, arguing that her voice needed to be heard and that it was better to "fight your corner" in government.
He regretted her departure, he said: "She is a great loss and a very important part of the Conservative DNA. She reaches parts rather like Boris [Johnson] that others do not reach so easily."
He said that little purpose was served in allocating blame for the war in Gaza since that was unlikely to help bring peace or the restoration of long-term peace talks.
Asked on BBC Radio 4 whether he supported an arms embargo he said: "I would have thought there is a strong case that weapons getting into this conflict are minimised as much as possible, and I think it is right that an embargo should be considered."
The Liberal Democrats have been pressing for a suspension of arms exports licences, but appear to be meeting both legal and political obstacles.
Mitchell also more clearly criticised Israel than other government ministers, saying: "Israel has a right to defend itself from these indiscriminate rocket attacks, but equally they are governed by international law in how they respond. There is no doubt that an enormous number of innocent people have been caught up in this action, and of course this will have effects not just in this generation but down the generations, and that is what has poisoned the well of opinion and goodwill in the Middle East."
He said questions needed to be answered about the scale of the Israeli operations in Gaza, but added: "There are very strict rules governing the conduct of international warfare, and the UN and the schools, which are places of sanctuary in Gaza, clearly should not be attacked."Kevin Lamarque/Reuters The president and vice president have said they will no longer visit schools that don't properly address campus sexual assault.
Less than a month after Vice President Joe Biden penned an emotional letter to the woman sexually assaulted by Brock Turner, the White House has announced sweeping new rules for future visits to colleges campuses.
Under the policy, President Barack Obama, Biden, their wives and members of the Cabinet will no longer visit higher education institutions where officials are deemed to be doing a poor job tackling the troubling frequency of reported sexual assaults, according to The Washington Post's Juliet Eilperin.
The move is the latest in a series of dramatic steps taken by the White House to make it easier for victims to report the crime and for schools to punish offenders.
Eilperin notes the Department of Education currently has 253 ongoing investigations into the handling of sexual assault, nearly fives times the amount underway just two years ago.
The White House has been stepping up its response to sexual violence on college campuses in recent years, including a move in 2014 to launch the Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. Both the president and vice president have long sought to raise awareness about the issue, and Biden told the Post he'd like to take away federal money from colleges and universities that fail to "put the pedal to the metal."
A group of 31 U.S. senators recently warned colleges and universities may be underreporting sexual assaults and domestic violence on campus. Just 9 percent of 11,000 schools required to report the number of assaults on campus said they had any occurrence of such crimes.
As The Huffington Post's Tyler Kingkade reported, those numbers directly conflict with peer-reviewed research that show 1 in 5 female students will experience such violence by the time they graduate college.
In June, Biden wrote a letter to the woman sexually assaulted by Stanford swimmer Brock Turner, who was sentenced to just six months in prison for the crime.
"I am filled with furious anger — both that this happened to you and that our culture is still so broken that you were ever put in the position of defending your own worth,” he wrote.About $30,000 worth of fire equipment, including the Jaws of Life, was stolen from the Innisfree Fire Department this month.
Vermilion RCMP say the equipment was discovered missing from the fire hall on Feb. 2, but was only reported missing a week later, on Feb. 9.
Cpl. Corey Buckingham said he couldn't specify what other kind of equipment was stolen, only that it was all related to firefighting. Police have no suspects in custody, but Buckingham said they are working with Lloydminster RCMP, because the case has a possible connection to that city. Buckingham couldn't say whether more than one person was thought to be involved in the theft.
"It's kind of a unique situation, we're kind of in the dark a little bit," Buckingham said. "We have some leads that we're actively investigating."
Buckingham said there were no signs of a break-in at the fire hall. Police think the theft occurred within the span of a few days before the equipment was found missing. The theft likely occurred at night, he said.
Some of the stolen equipment could be sold, he said.
Buckingham said the fire department will rely on services from neighbouring departments in Vegreville and Vermilion until the equipment is found.
Innisfree is about 140 kilometres east of Edmonton.Do you judge a book by its cover? Designers Jon Gray and Jamie Keenan shared their theories on attracting readers – from cute cats to alluring perfume – at the Edinburgh book festival
1. Face theory
Nick Hornby Otherwise Pandemonium book jacket
Research suggests that human beings spend 48.6% of their lives decoding facial communication, so a big draw for a potential book buyer will be the familiarity of a face. The cover of Nick Hornby's Otherwise Pandemonium, for example, uses a cassette tape to create the image of a face.
2. Association theory
Human beings make a connection with a given stimulus that leads to how they respond to something they see. The image on the cover of Luca Turin's The Secret of Scent uses the familiar image of the Chanel No 5 perfume label to help the reader respond to the idea that the book is about scent.
3. Zen theory
Philip Pullman, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ book jacket
This theory presents a challenge to the human mind that some will accept and some won't. A zen theory cover mainly involves text with few images, telling the reader little about the book other than the name of the author. This is often used for books from well-known authors, such as Philip Pullman's The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, who will attract readers with their name alone.
4. Type as image theory
This theory uses original or customised typefaces to create images and ideas. The type often becomes the image, such as on the cover for Steven Levy's The Perfect Thing.
5. Textual plasticity theory
The human mind reads words as a whole not individual letters. If a letter is missing, the brain will still understand the word. The design for James Gleick's Faster has all the vowels missing from the author's name and title on the cover, but is still readable.
6. Overdetermination theory
The image on a cover using Overdetermination theory suggests the beginning or snapshot of a narrative rather than an overall end result.
7. Ringfence theory
The difference between positive and negative space can determine what the reader sees. The Rubin vase is a good example, where some people see two faces and others see a vase. In this cover, the iPod headphones shape a womb and two lovers' faces.
8. Zoom theory
Miguel Syjuco Ilustrado book jacket
Zooming in can give a taster of a narrative without giving too much away, while zooming out creates a bigger picture, depending on what is required. The pen nib on the cover of Miguel Syjuco's Ilustrado is an example of close zoom.
9. Encapsulation theory
Typeface and image combine to create one unified image for the reader. Unity is more attractive to humans, as making connections doesn't require as much effort. The cover of Marina Lewycka's A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian has a picture of a tractor and the word "tractor".
10. Molecular theory
Layers of symbols that make up a whole, understandable theme define molecular theory. The cover of Karen Maitland's The Company of Liars uses skull symbols inside a silhouette of a dog to symbolise that this is " |
maker. The Remington Arms Co., which has been in business for just shy of two centuries now, is also the oldest company in the United States that is still making its original product. “A free people,” advised George Washington, “ought to be armed.” Well, America has a lot of free people nowadays, and they appear to have taken Washington’s words to heart. Demand for guns has never been higher. At Remington, as in general, the firearms business is booming.
This is particularly good news for Ilion, N.Y., where Remington’s flagship factory has stood, in one form or another, since 1816. Ilion, which was evidently named during the general enthusiasm for all things classical that marked the early 19th century, is a hospitable little town of around 8,000 people.
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“Nothing bad happens here,” Remington’s CEO, George Kollitides, tells me as we drive around. “And if it does, everybody knows about it.” He pauses before those last four words, as if reciting a joke. On cue, the rest of our party joins in: “Everybody knows about it!” A few months ago, I’m told, local police arrested a man at gunpoint in front of the factory gates. People are still talking about it.
Ilion has a spa; a shoe shop; a trio of pizza joints (Franco’s, Sorrento, and Lombardo’s); a McDonald’s; a bowling alley; and a few more of exactly the sorts of places that you’d imagine you’d find in towns of its size. Pretty much all of the businesses rely on Remington for their livelihood. “That little shoe shop, for example,” Kollitides says, pointing, “makes all of our safety shoes.”
And so Remington tends to get its way in matters civic. “They moved the town so we could expand,” I’m told by plant manager Paul Merz. “See that factory building there? That used to be the center of town.” Later, I’m shown photographs of houses literally being picked up and transported down the street to make way for the plant.
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They moved the Erie Canal, too. In 1827, the company, seeking access to the new waterway and to the expanding domestic market, switched from its original location in the Remington family forge at Ilion Gulch to a new position closer to the canal. Business boomed. Eighty-eight years later, the tables were turned: To facilitate the company’s growth, the town altered the canal’s path. “Ilion has molded itself to Remington,” Kollitides smiles.
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To contemporary eyes, Ilion is a peculiar sight. I am reminded of Simon and Garfunkel’s uncharacteristically parochial track “My Little Town,” in which the duo describes “coming home after school / flying my bike past the gates of the factories / my mom doing the laundry / hanging our shirts in the dirty breeze” before qualifying the scene with the morbid observation that there is now “nothing but the dead and dying / back in my little town.” Spend a couple of minutes in many of America’s once-great manufacturing regions and you will appreciate this report. Yet it seems nobody told the people of Ilion that they were supposed to join the decline. This remains a good old-fashioned American success story — and, if anything, it’s getting better.
#page#At the heart of the town’s continuing good fortune, as ever, is the factory. “Now compared to six months ago is night and day,” says Kollitides, who took the reins as CEO of the parent company, the Freedom Group, a little over a year ago. “We painted the walls, changed the lights, put in machinery, and invested $20 million. Last year, when I took over, we had guys in overalls covered in grease from the machinery. Now, we’re changing everything. This is a real bet on America.”
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Walking the Edwardian building’s million square feet is an unusually pleasant experience. The floors are wooden and the halls are, in Paul Merz’s words, “narrow, like an aircraft carrier.” The place bustles: Thousands of half-assembled weapons are urgently moved around on trolleys, ready for the next stage — and the air is filled with the sound of drills, hammers, and hydraulic thrust. Last year, Ilion produced a million guns; this year it’s aiming to make 1.2 million. Everywhere there are charts showing improvement and increased production.
An Edward Hopper painting this is not. Aside from anything else, the prominently soulless McDonald’s and the collection of new pickup trucks and motorcycles outside the plant place one firmly in the 21st century. But those who long for a return to the heyday of strong community and local manufacturing will find a lot to like here. Most employees live within feet of where they work. They are “PTA members, football and baseball coaches, and churchgoers,” Kollitides tells me. The company prefers to manufacture in America, he continues. “We’re undoing outsourcing.”
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Where possible, Remington also prefers to “hire military, law enforcement, and first responders.” There is an unspoken expectation, too, that employees believe in the importance of the Second Amendment, in conservation, and in the shooting sports. “It’s okay if you’re a vegetarian and you don’t agree with hunting,” Kollitides qualifies. “But it doesn’t make sense for us to have people working here who oppose what we’re doing. We want passionate people.”
Surprisingly for a company that operates in such a conservative field, Ilion is a union facility, the only one in Remington’s collection of factories or that of the Freedom Group. Chapter 717 of the United Mine Workers Association represents the more than 1,400 employees. I ask whether this makes a big difference. “No,” Kollitides says. “We have a great relationship with the union. The UMWA understands that the business needs to run.” I ask why that is. “Well, some employees can trace their lineage back four generations. They had great-grandfathers who worked here.”
I meet Joe Pugliese, a value-stream manager who has been with the company for 41 years. One man, Fred Supry, who retired recently, did a half-century. Another, Don Talbot, who will retire from the custom shop next week, has been here since 1971. Talbot, who has spent decades perfecting his trade, is an artist. Proudly, he shows me a 1911 handgun that a customer has sent in for work. He’s engraving a leaf-script pattern onto the barrel and the slide, and adding “Remington” in gold lettering.
“I’m waiting to see if I am picked for jury service next week,” he tells me. “If so, I’ll miss my last week here. It’s not how I imagined retiring!” I ask him whether he’ll miss it. “Of course!”
Paul Merz, Ilion’s charismatic plant manager and a former Navy engineer, points me toward Talbot’s shirt, which carries a “Support Our Troops” message stitched onto the left arm. “On Fridays, some of us wear them to recognize those who serve,” Talbot says, quietly. “It was awful after Vietnam how the soldiers were treated. It’s much better now.”
When we’ve left the area, Kollitides asks Merz, “What happens when Don leaves?” “We’re not sure” is the response. “How do you replace that?”
“We’re big on internal promotion,” Kollitides says. “All of our current team leaders were internally promoted. We’re not going to get 40 years of knowledge promoting off the street.”
I ask the predictable question: Despite the plant’s history and the cohesion of the town, do New York State’s business environment and sweeping new anti-gun legislation tempt the company to move? Some disgruntled gun enthusiasts believe that manufacturers should leave states that are hostile to their interests. Remington produces many weapons that are now illegal in New York State.
#page#In answer, I am referred to a statement that was released immediately after Governor Cuomo signed the disastrous SAFE (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement) Act in January. It reads: “Remington will not run or abandon its loyal and hard working 1,300 employees without considerable thought and deliberation. Laws can be overturned and politicians voted out of office, but the decisions we make today will affect our people, their families and entire communities for generations.”
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The company is visibly conscious of its heritage and its story, which started, as so many engaging tales of invention do, with dissatisfaction. In the factory’s museum, I am shown some artifacts that belonged to founder Eliphalet Remington II, a hunter and competition shooter who in 1816 became convinced that he could build a better gun than he could buy. Remington set about crafting a barrel at his father’s forge and, when he was satisfied, added it to a gun kit he had purchased.
Sated, he took the gun to competition, where it made such an impression that fellow competitors asked if he’d consider building one for them. Orders began to pour in, and before he quite knew what had happened, Eliphalet Remington was a gunsmith — an American pioneer in an industry that had been dominated by foreign manufacturers.
In my naivety, I half-expected to find the Remington factory full of 18th-century gunsmiths sitting around making barrels with hammers and hand tools. Unsurprisingly, gun making nowadays is high tech. As part of the company’s new investment, computerized machinery is replacing the old tools apace. Now, with Remington midway through the transition, the two generations of machinery sit next to each other, like grandparents next to their grandchildren.
I’m shown a comparison of parts made on the old tools with parts made on the new. “With the old machines, a lot of the time we would have to work on the parts and file them down or perfect them,” an engineer explains. “Now it’s rare to have a dud.” And if there is a problem? “We just call up to the designers and they send down a modified file. Before it could take days to recalibrate the machinery.” The improvement is astonishing. This, it strikes me, is the end of the line — the point at which the transition from bespoke artistry to the exact science of mass manufacturing can be marked “complete.” Not only can we now mass-produce replacement parts but we can do so with breathtaking accuracy.
Yet inherent in this technology is a challenge. The process Remington is using here — in which small, computerized machines manufacture parts according to easily refined digital blueprints — is really just a larger-scale version of the 3D-printing process that currently has authorities in a tailspin. How long will it be before costs come down so much that one can build whole steel handguns in one’s garage? What will manufacturers such as Remington do to add value then?
I ask what happens if a part comes out wrong. “What does one do with a useless gun component?” “Well,” an engineer explains, “people don’t realize how heavily regulated we are. The federal government considers the receivers that we make down here to be the whole gun. So, whether it’s useful or not, it has to have a serial number. And if we destroy it, we have to cut it in half and document and photograph that in case they ask. Then we sell it off for scrap metal. But these new machines are significantly limiting our waste.” (A receiver is the part that contains the weapon’s vital operating components, such as the bolt, the magazine port, and the trigger assembly.)
#page#From the production floor I am taken downstairs to the range, where my guides have promised me a little time to fire some weapons. First up is a Modular Sniper Rifle–Lightweight (MSR-LW), used by elite outfits in the U.S. military. Remington has just won a $79.7 million military contract to make 5,150 units plus provide ammunition and spare parts. “I can’t tell you exactly who is using these in the field,” Kollitides tells me. “But I think you can guess.” In its promotional material, the company observes that rarely in the last two centuries have Americans stepped onto the battlefield without Remington products in their arsenals. That this is still true is a clear point of pride.
I am familiarized with the rifle, which sits on a tripod and is calibrated toward a target at 200 yards’ range. “This weapon can kill a man from a mile and a half away,” Mike Streeter, head of Remington’s military department, tells me. “These.338 Lapua Magnum rounds cost five dollars each.” (I can see why. They are huge.) Although a suppressor has been attached, the rifle still makes one hell of a noise. When I pull its trigger, it recoils fiercely into my shoulder — and, the first time I fire it, the scope rams into my face. For my second shot, I push my shoulder more securely against the stock. This time, I do a little better, but it’s nothing to write home about.
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After I flick the rifle’s safety back on and stand up, Streeter’s face lights up. “Do you want to go full auto?” he asks me, with a grin. Of course I do. So we move the MSR-LW out of the way and he hands me a select-fire AR-15. After firing a couple of test shots, I flick the switch to automatic and empty the magazine into a nearby target. I laugh: “I can see why these are so popular!” “Fun, huh?!” asks Paul Merz, watching from the next room. You’re damn right it is.
Criticizing manufacturing, the writer and academic Jeffrey Eugenides sneered in his book Middlesex that “people stopped being people in 1913.” That, he wrote, “was the year Henry Ford put his cars on rollers and made his workers adopt the speed of the assembly line.” I might humbly suggest that Eugenides go up to Ilion, N.Y., for the people there have certainly not stopped “being people.” Quite the opposite, in fact. Amid all the bad economic news and the continued decline of manufacturing, Remington and its town present a ray of hope. The state government may be doing everything in its power to make life difficult for gun makers, but Ilion looks likely to thrive well into its third century nonetheless.The Beginner’s Guide to Using Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are one of those search marketing features where there’s more to it than meets the eye. When used correctly, they can help you save budget for the best quality searches.
Let’s say you’re a housewares retailer setting up your first AdWords campaign, and you’d like to show up on Google searches for wine or water glasses. Although a novice move, I’ve seen plenty of businesses make the common mistake of advertising for broad search queries. Here’s what often happens:
Advertiser bids on “glasses”
Searcher comes along and types in “glasses,” looking for a new pair of reading glasses
Your ad featuring wine glasses shows up alongside Warby Parker’s
Searcher accidentally clicks your ad, driving up your bill, without any intention of purchasing housewares
This is a broad example, but a dangerous one. As we’ll discover later in this post, from movie names to books to viral YouTube videos you haven’t heard of, lots of search terms that represent a product you’re selling can be more ambiguous than you think.
For starters, bolster your campaign quality with this handy list of 75 negative keywords every AdWords campaign should include. It’ll get your ads off the hook for things like “free” and “torrent,” which are sure to accompany or precede whatever keywords you’re bidding on in at least a handful of searches.
What Are Negative Keywords & How Do They Appear In AdWords?
Just as you type in keywords to bid on, you can also tell Google the negative keywords for which you do not want your ad to be shown. Let’s review the shorthand:
[brackets] represent a keyword in exact match
“quotations” represent a keyword in phrase match
+pluses +represent a keyword in modified broad match
no notation at all indicates standard broad match
-minus -symbol before a keyword indicates a negative keyword
What’s The Difference Between Campaign-Level & Adgroup-Level Negatives?
Keep in mind, there are two kinds of negative keywords. You can add them at the campaign level: meaning, don’t ever show any of my ads for these keywords. And you can add them at the adgroup level: meaning, don’t show my ads for negative keywords in this particular adgroup.
The former is used when you know you don’t want your ads to show up for a given search; for example, if you sell tennis shoes, but there are no red shoes in your inventory and never will be, so you want to negative “red tennis shoes.”
Adgroup-level negative keywords, on the other hand, can be used to protect certain adgroups and ensure control over which chunks of the account are serving for given terms. As we’ll discuss later in this post, you might want to save your best “red tennis shoe” ads for an adgroup dedicated to that product, and thus negative “red tennis shoes” (or the word “red”) in your broad match adgroups that include generic terms like +tennis +shoes.
Next, let’s explore two ways negative keywords are often used.
1. The Traditional Use
This is the most obvious use case. For example, you’re looking to capture leads where people are searching for a particular type of US work visa, and you want to ensure that the millions of searchers Googling “Visa terms & conditions” or “Visa card benefits” are not being shown your ad.
Tip: You should use Google’s search query (or keyword detail) report to identify new negative keywords, but take care to specify match type. When you use their simple selection / checkbox tool to indicate negative keywords from within the reporting screen, all negatives are automatically added in exact match.
To fend off this “spend-more-money-with-Google” feature, simply delete the brackets around the keywords in the screenshot below for broad match, or put them in quotes for phrase match.
2. The Protective Use
In this strategy, you’re using negative keywords not because you don’t want to ever bid on the given terms, but because you want them triggered from a specific campaign.
Let’s say you’re selling men’s shoes. An example might be:
You have a single-keyword adgroup for [red puma suedes]
You also have an adgroup with broader keywords like +puma +suedes, which could potentially match a highly specific query like [red puma suedes]
In your broader adgroup, your ad copy won’t be *as specific* to the term being searched in this case
The whole reason you have a single-keyword adgroup is to serve a beautifully relevant ad for that exact search query, so you want to “help Google help you” and make sure that is the adgroup getting this impression
So you plug in [red puma suedes] as a negative keyword in your broader Puma / Suedes adgroup. In fact, you negative out all the keywords in single-keyword adgroups (or in highly-targeted exact match adgroups) from your broader catch-all campaigns.
Tip: If you’re curious about single-keyword adgroups and their benefits, read up on that — built correctly, it can be a killer strategy. It may also behoove you to learn more about writing great ad copy for single-keyword adgroups.
With this “protective” use of negative keywords, you’re making sure Google doesn’t get sloppy and serve anything but the perfect ad for your searcher. This searcher knows exactly what she wants — a red Puma sneaker in suede — and by serving the perfect ad that mentions each of those adjectives, you’ve just beat all the “broad match” advertisers out there for this impression and click.
How to Build a Strong Negative Keyword List
First off, your Google and Bing reps should have lists of negative keywords they use for similar accounts. You’ll need to parse them for relevance and ensure they don’t take important terms out of play in your campaigns — but this represents a good starting point.
Next, as with planning any keyword list, you can always explore Google AdWords Keyword Planner to see related terms and understand what you might want to parse out.
Another great tool for keyword suggestions is http://ubersuggest.org. This tool is nice because it lets you type in a keyword phrase and then groups variations on that keyword into organized segments, like this:
As you can see, I’ve highlighted in yellow some potential negative keywords for a business that sells tennis shoes to consider. Without using this tool, the search marketer for our tennis-shoe-selling friends may not have known that “Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites” is a popular book series. Our friends would have bid on overbroad terms and spent lots of money on this highly-searched keyword set, selling very few tennis shoes to those searchers.
Finally, you should always use Google’s search query (or keyword detail) report to identify new negative keywords. It’s by far the most effective way to see what real searches are triggering your ads, and weed out the ones that don’t make sense. Here’s how you get there, starting with the Keywords tab:
Using Negative Keywords With Bing Ads
As you know, Bing Ads is the platform for buying search terms across the Yahoo and Bing search engines. Negative keyword best practices are a bit different for this network, so let’s spend a minute on this.
One important difference between Bing and AdWords — which Bing’s help article on negatives subtly glosses over — is that advertisers can only designate phrase and exact match negative keywords for Bing and Yahoo searches.
Tip: If you import your Google ad campaigns into Bing, like many advertisers do, be aware that your broad match negative keywords will be converted to phrase match negatives by Bing.
Bing doesn’t support keyword-level negative keywords. However, you can set up campaign and adgroup level negatives, just like in AdWords. You can use Bing’s step-by-step guide for detailed instructions on setting up negative keywords. Shared negative keyword lists are also available for convenience.
Conclusion
Bidding on the best keywords in your space is only half the battle. Much relies upon having a sophisticated set of negative keywords that’s continuously expanding and being refined based on real data. Google often does a tremendous job of sifting through millions of ads to serve the right one to a given searcher at the right time — but there is plenty of incentive for mistakes and “stretching relevance.”
The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, and doesn’t spend your hard-earned coin, is to build negative keywords meticulously.
About the Author: Igor Belogolovsky is Co-founder of Clever Zebo, a team of conversion rate optimization experts based in the San Francisco Bay Area.Nearly 2,000 years ago, the first human-documented supernova was observed by ancient Chinese astronomers, who witnessed a bright "guest star" lighting up the night sky in 185 AD.
A couple of millennia later, scientists have proposed various explanations for what gave rise to the supernova remnant RCW 86, but now a team of astrophysicists think they've pinned it down: the supernova was caused by one half of an exploding binary star system, which blasted its stellar partner with a flood of heavy elements, including calcium.
In a previous study, researcher Vasilii Gvaramadze from Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia had hypothesised that the pear-shaped appearance of RCW 86 (seen below) might be due to a supernova explosion near the edge of a 'bubble' blown by the wind of a moving massive star – what's called a stellar wind bubble.
Using data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, he was able to detect a candidate neutron star, called [GV2003] N, which was thought to be the neutron star remaining after the supernova that produced RCW 86.
X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO & ESA; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Williams (NCSU)
Supernovae can occur when a star runs out of its nuclear fuel towards the end of its life – as this happens, the star starts to consume its own core, leading to a huge explosion when the core collapses, and resulting in either a supermassive black hole or a neutron star.
In this case, it was thought that the supernova produced the neutron star [GV2003] N, but there was only one problem. Neutron stars are supposed to be very dim, but readings taken in 2010 showed that the star at the position of [GV2003] N was in fact very bright.
"In order to determine the nature of the optical star at the position of [GV2003] N, we obtained its images using [the] 7-channel optical/near-infrared imager GROND at the 2.2-metre telescope of the European Southern Observatory (ESO)," says Gvaramadze.
The observations introduced another puzzle. While the light shone by the star indicated it was a G-type star like our Sun, it also seemed to produce too many X-rays for a G-type.
The logical conclusion? We weren't looking at one star, after all.
"[S]ince the X-ray luminosity of the G star should be significantly less than [w]hat was measured for [GV2003] N, we have come to a conclusion that it is a binary system composed of a neutron star (visible in X-rays as [GV2003] N) and a G star, visible in optical wavelengths," says Gvaramadze.
Vasilii Gvaramadze
This means the supernova could have been a dramatic stage in the evolution of this binary system, in which one of the stars exploded in a supernova event, polluting its companion with a range of heavy elements – and leaving its atmosphere with six times as much calcium as it should otherwise have.
To verify their hypothesis, the team checked observation data taken with the ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile. The measurements confirmed [GV2003] N's was a binary system, with the two stars orbiting one another about once per month.
The researchers acknowledge that there's still a lot we don't know about this star system, but it gives us a great opportunity to find out more about these rare calcium-rich supernovae – about which little is currently understood by scientists.
To that end, Gvaramadze and his team intend to continue studying [GV2003] N, to see what else we can learn about it.
"We are going to determine orbital parameters of the binary system, estimate the initial and final masses of the supernova progenitor, and the kick velocity obtained by the neutron star at birth," says Gvaramadze.
"Moreover, we are also going to measure abundances of additional elements in the G star atmosphere. The obtained information could be crucially important for understanding the nature of the calcium-rich supernovae."
The findings are reported in Nature Astronomy.US multinationals in the Fortune 500 doubled the assets they hold in foreign subsidiaries between 2008 and 2014, taking advantage of loopholes in US and foreign laws to keep $2.1 trillion out of sight of tax authorities, a new analysis shows.
Here are the top 30 companies that disclose assets booked offshore, according to the Center for Tax Justice’s analysis of SEC filings. Apple leads the pack with $70 billion more held offshore in 2014 than in 2013, when a Senate investigation found the company pushed the limits of US and Irish law to keep its earnings taxed at 2% or less.
These companies tend to share common traits—technology and pharmaceutical companies can easily move intellectual property abroad, taking advantage of lax enforcement of transfer-pricing rules to move even US earnings overseas. Large industrial and energy firms often leverage capital-investment accounting rules to funnel more money abroad, and financial services companies routinely book their deals through low-tax jurisdictions.
At least 72% percent of the Fortune 500 operate subsidiaries in tax-haven jurisdictions—one in four of which are in the Cayman Islands—costing the government between $26 billion and $90 billion a year. The 57 Fortune 500 companies that disclose estimates of what their tax liability would be if they did not book their profits offshore would owe $184.4 billion in outstanding federal taxes.
Avoiding a tax bill of that size require a web of shell companies. PepsiCo, for example, operates 132 subsidiaries in offshore tax havens—one of their structures was a finalist last year in our inaugural tax-avoidance power ranking. Nike, which holds $8.3 billion offshore, has 52 subsidiaries, including some named after its shoe lines.
While the Obama administration has proposed closing loopholes that allow companies to shift profits and hide assets from the IRS, corporate lobbyists have thus far been able to keep them from becoming law.A lengthy new investigative story published by Adam Davidson in the New Yorker reveals that Donald Trump’s business dealings in Azerbaijan likely violated the Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act, and may have served as a conduit for money-laundering and other underhanded activities undertaken by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
It’s a very long New Yorker-y story that deserves your time and attention. But one of the main things it shows isn’t anything specific to Azerbaijan or Iran. It’s simply that we know very little overall about who Trump is in business with currently — and even less about who he has been in business with in the recent past.
The kind of exacting scrutiny that his finances would necessarily undergo in the event of a thorough investigation of Trump’s possible links to the Russian government would bring an enormous amount to light about a huge range of deals. That, in turn, might uncover illegal or scandalous activity that, like this story about Trump in Azerbaijan, has no apparent relationship at all with Vladimir Putin or Russian intelligence.
The key points:
The Trump Organization partnered with an Azerbaijani businessman to build Trump Tower Baku, a hotel project in the country’s capital that, for a variety of reasons related to location and macroeconomic conditions, seemed like a very dubious economic prospect.
The Trump Organization did not actually develop the project, but rather was paid to license the brand and for consulting services related to the hotel and the Trump brand — Trump people seem to have been fairly intimately involved as service providers.
“The Azerbaijanis behind the project were close relatives of Ziya Mammadov, the Transportation Minister and one of the country’s wealthiest and most powerful oligarchs.”
US diplomats have described Mammadov as “notoriously corrupt, even for Azerbaijan.”
The Mammadovs were also deeply in business with an Iranian-owned firm called Azarpassillo, and Davidson quotes an expert on Iran who says “It looks like Azarpassillo is a front organization for the Revolutionary Guard.”
The story raises two related legal issues.
One is whether Trump’s business ties to an extraordinarily corrupt Azerbaijani family involved violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a law that Trump has been sharply critical of in public but which remains on the books and which Attorney General Jeff Sessions swore during his confirmation hearings he was committed to upholding.
The other is whether the Mammadov-Azarpassillo nexus violates US sanctions against Iran. The legal rules barring US firms from receiving funds that originated with a sanctioned Iranian entity, which certainly includes the Revolutionary Guard, are quite strict. You can’t simply say you didn’t know that the developer who was paying you for your licensing services was actually getting his money from a Revolutionary Guard front group. You need to do strict due diligence.
Davidson’s case is strictly circumstantial since he can’t subpoena the kind of internal corporate records that would demonstrate clearly what the Trump Organization knew — or didn’t want to know — about the Mammadovs or their Iranian friends. But Trump’s Atlantic City casinos paid $10 million in fines two years ago for noncompliance with federal rules about money laundering. The Trump SoHo project also seems to have been a front for money laundering, though Trump himself evades legal liability for that one on the grounds that he didn’t actually own the project.
To know whether there is really a prosecutable offense here (as there was with the Atlantic City money laundering) or just some ties to shady friends (as seems to be the case with Trump SoHo), you would need to take a close look at the financial details of the Trump Organization and other such matters. And the fact that there may be crimes associated with this deal — or with other deals that we don’t happen to have in-depth journalism on — is one reason that an independent inquiry into the Russia situation is dangerous for Trump.
An independent prosecutor looking into Russia matters would want to see those documents. And once you pry into the documents, there’s no telling what you’ll find. Trump has been paying a political price for nondisclosure of his finances since long before the Russia story started dominating the headlines. The reason for that could have something to do with Moscow. But it might be something else entirely.170 neighbors dine together in a secret Mission alley
Everyone sits down for their pasta dinner at the annual Mission Terrace Alley Party. Everyone sits down for their pasta dinner at the annual Mission Terrace Alley Party. Photo: Beth Hoffman Photo: Beth Hoffman Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close 170 neighbors dine together in a secret Mission alley 1 / 5 Back to Gallery
Imagine dining in the street in the Mission District with 170 of your neighbors and not having to block off any major roads or get any permits. It might seem impossible, but in San Francisco's largely unknown Mission Terrace, this has become a much anticipated annual event.
It all began four years ago, soon after food writer Beth Hoffman and chef John Hogeland moved into the neighborhood and Beth hatched an ambitious plan:
"I wanted to invite the neighborhood for dinner," she wrote in her blog, "like I'd seen in Gourmet or Saveur magazines, where whole Italian towns eat dinner together in the streets. Long tables, beautifully arranged, with hundreds of people sitting down for the same meal (usually spaghetti) at the same time."
So how did it happen? Well, location was key. The alleys of Mission Terrace are actually easements owned by the homeowners, accessed by PG&E and rarely driven through by vehicles. These seemed the perfect setting for her vision of communal dining.
"There are alleys on every block of Mission Terrace," she explained. "And there is a lot of variety of what goes on in them. Some are turned into gardens, others are overgrown nightmares."
Transforming the alley near her house on a more longterm basis was in fact one of the inspirations behind the dinner: "Part of the concept was the more it's used as a kind of park, the less people will use it for sleeping and doing drugs."
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So on the night of the dinner, the alley was lined with tables — most from people's houses and others on loan from the SFPD's Ingleside Station — from one end to the other. Once in place, they were covered in butcher paper and adorned with flowers and wine.
"Everyone gathered at 5 and people brought a ton of other food" and the party began. Then, when John's spaghetti sauce was ready, they all lined up as he ladled out his meatless marinara from a huge vat.
Read Beth Hoffman's story of how residents have pitched in to make the annual Mission Terrace Alley Dinner such a success. Maybe it could be a blueprint for other neighborhoods looking for a night of enjoying one another's company, whether in a small alley, a large driveway, or in the middle of a busy (but hopefully blocked off) street.Ladies and gents, this is Lewis Tan.
He’s amazing.
And we love him.
So like everyone on this planet should, we follow him on Twitter, where he mysteriously revealed that he had been cast in a major role (but wouldn’t say what).
When you’re on a plane to Milan and find out you booked a major part… you guys are gunna love this. Any guesses? #grateful — Lewis Tan (@TheLewisTan) September 7, 2017
This was right in the middle of the “Hellboy” Whitewashing controversy, so many of us thought he’d landed the part of Ben Daimio…
The only thing I can think of is *that* role in Hellboy. Is it Hellboy?! — Christina ✨Workin’ (@IntroToGeek) September 7, 2017
My guess is Hellboy via Ed Skrein — Eliver Ling (@eliverling) September 8, 2017
…but when it was later revealed that Daimio went to Daniel Dae Kim, other roles seemed to be more plausible.
…Namor? Nightwing, Shang in the live action Mulan movie? … regardless, congrats!!! — KillerKung-FuWolf (@_imahc_) September 7, 2017
SHANG? — sabrina majeed (@sabrina) September 7, 2017
NIGHTWING. PLEASE LET BE NIGHTWING. — AJ (@aj_joven) September 7, 2017
Cryptically, Tan tweeted again to say he was leaving Italy to begin shooting.
Left Amalfi early to start filming. ✌️🎬 pic.twitter.com/S940XCeJpO — Lewis Tan (@TheLewisTan) September 17, 2017
And some sleuthy netizens pointed out a potentially vital clue as to what his role could be:
WAIT! Geotag says Ireland 😱 Are you in #IntoTheBadlands — Dragonfire (@WhyKiwiWhy) September 18, 2017
Sooo… location = Ireland… Into the Badlands, Lewis? — K… (@Soul_Musings) September 17, 2017
Even we tried to get Tan to spill the beans, but his beautiful lips were sealed (even though senpai totally liked our tweet).
Since Tan wouldn’t divulge any information, we took it upon ourselves to see what role he could have possibly taken.
Judging by the location of his tweet, “Into The Badlands” does seem plausible, as season two was filmed in Ireland and season three has been confirmed for the same location. Daniel Wu himself is a fan of the area, previously indicating that they are very pleased with where they are now.
“I felt like the first season…we did short-change our audiences in that we talk about the world but we didn’t show it that much. The real reason behind that was because we were really limited by our location in New Orleans. It’s all swamp, swamp, and more swamp. So moving to Ireland really opened up the big views for us and allowed us to really do the world building that we talked about in season one. It’s just much more visually rich, and it’s like a movie more than it is a TV show.
“I give a lot of credit to Ireland for giving us the opportunity to make the show |
committees, directly by the workers themselves. More than Lenin, it was Leon Trotsky, one of its last and certainly its most prominent chairmen, who saw in the soviet not only the institution that could mobilize the proletariat as a class but provide the transitional political and economic bridge from a capitalist to a socialist society. Lenin's view of the soviet was more instrumental: he regarded it merely as a means for educating the working class and enlisting it in the service of the Bolshevik party.
Not until 1917 did Lenin decisively change his view about the soviets and come to regard them as institutions of working-class power. Even so, he wavered during the July events, when the Bolshevik leaders were imprisoned as a result of a premature spontaneous insurrection, but by the autumn of 1917 he had returned to the goal of a soviet government. For a time he suggested that a soviet government might include all the soviet parties—Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries of all kinds as well as Bolsheviks—but by the end of 1918, the Bolsheviks ruled the newly established soviet state entirely alone and eventually turned the soviets into docile instruments of their party apparatus.
The question of the institutions of political and social management by a class as a whole—and eventually by citizens in a classless society—has no easy resolution. Plainly it is not answered adequately by Proudhon's system of federalism, which is too incoherent and vague and retains too many bourgeois features, such as contract and individual proprietorship, to provide a truly revolutionary solution. The solutions that later anarchists, more collectivist than the Proudhonists, offered are pregnant with possibilities, but they too suffer from a lack of definition and articulation.
For their part, anarchosyndicalists have offered workers' control of industry as the most viable revolutionary alternative to the state, adducing the takeover of factories and agricultural land as evidence of its feasibility. An adequate account of its possibilities and limitations would require another article. (7) But as social elements for a liberatory society, workers' control has basic problems—not only their parochialism and the highly visible decline in numbers of the manufacturing working class but most especially their tendency to turn into competitive collectively owned capitalistic enterprises. Mere economic control of plants and factories is only one side of the coin of a revolutionary transformation, a lesson the Spanish anarchosyndicalists learned only too dramatically in 1936-37, when, despite the greatest collectivization experiment in history, they failed to eliminate the bourgeois state—only to find that it returned in May 1937, forcibly demolishing the powerful anarchist enclaves in Catalonia and Aragon.
What seems necessary are the institutions of a democratic politics—to use the word politics in its Hellenic sense, not as a euphemism for modern-day Republican statecraft. I refer to a politics that would create local assemblies of the people and confederate them in purely administrative councils, in order to constitute a counterpower to the nation-state. How such a counterpower could be established and could function falls outside the province of this article; far too many important details, both historical and logistical, would be lost in a brief summary of this "assemblyist" position. (8)
That the issue of the institutions of class rule was even raised in The Manifesto of the Communist Party is one aspect of the document that makes it as living in 1998 as it was in 1848. That Marx and Engels, with their theoretical depth, foresaw the trajectory of capitalist development, in terms that are even more relevant today than in their own day, would be enough to make the work a tour de force in the realm of political thought. Both its great insights and its vexing problems live on with us to this day. The tragedy of Marxism is that it was blind to the insights of social anarchism and that later revolutionaries failed, at crucial moments in history, to incorporate the insights of both forms of socialism and go beyond them.
Notes:
* The Manifesto's case for the bourgeoisie's ultimate inability to take custody of social life rested on its "pauperization" of the proletariat—the famous "immiseration" thesis on which volume 1 of Capital was to conclude. With the later emergence of welfare states and their ability to manage crises, capitalism seemed able to prevent itself from sinking into a deep-seated economic crisis, causing this notion of "immiseration" to seem questionable. But the volatility of modern, "neo-liberal" capitalism and the erosion of its methods for crisis management have brought into question the ability of capitalism to be a self-correcting system. It is far from clear that, in the years ahead, economic collapse (as well as ecological disasters) will be avoided. Capitalism is still very much in flux, and The Manifesto's warnings about "anarchy in production" can by no means be ruled out as a source of massive social unrest.
1. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party, in Collected Works, vol. 6 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 482. All citations from The Manifesto herein are drawn from this translation, giving page numbers.
2. Karl Marx, Critique of the Gotha Programme in Marx and Engels, Collected Works, vol. 24, p. 95; emphasis in the original.
3. Karl Marx, The Civil War in France, in Marx and Engels, Collected Works, vol. 22, 331.
4. Ibid., p. 332.
5. Engels, "Letter to August Bebel, March 18-28, 1875," in Marx and Engels, Collected Works, vol. 24, p. 71.
6. See Marx's letter to Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis, February 22, 1881, in Marx and Engels, Collected Works, vol. 46, pp. 65-66.
7. My full assessment appears in "The Ghost of Anarcho-Syndicalism," Anarchist Studies, vol. 1 (1993), pp. 3-24.
8. For a revolutionary politics by which people can manage their affairs through direct-democratic popular assemblies in confederations—or what I have called libertarian municipalism—the reader may care to consult my book From Urbanization to Cities (1987; London and New York: Cassell, 1996) as well as Janet Biehl's The Politics of Social Ecology: Libertarian Municipalism (Montreal: Black Rose Books, 1997). Recent theories of "strong democracy" and the like presuppose the existence of the state and tend to defer to the notion that present-day society is too "complex" to permit a direct democracy, thereby offering no serious challenge to the existing social order.Westchester News 12 – What was supposed to be a fun trip to Yankee Stadium for a developmentally disabled child from Harrison was ruined when a fan began hurling offensive insults at him.
Angelica DiMarco says her 4-year-old son Luciano has sensory issues and doesn’t understand social cues, which may explain why he could have acted unruly at the Yankees-Reds game Tuesday night. The developmentally disabled boy wears a helmet to stop him from banging his head.
“He may have kicked a man’s seat that was sitting in front of us with excitement,” she told News 12.
In a video that has been seen hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook, a fan calls the boy “retarded” and berates him.
What made the situation worse for Angelica was not getting any help from Yankee Stadium security.
“We asked for a place for him to go. We were told if we leave the stadium, we can’t come back in,” she says.
In no way, shape or form is this acceptable. Perhaps the kid was kicking a tad too much, but you know what, if it’s a problem, speak to someone tactfully and like an adult instead of going off on an offensive rant and being exposed on the internet for millions to see. The Yankees could have very easily accommodated the families request, now, it’s a PR nightmare on their hands. Not doing a single thing for this family in the same exact month they have held autism awareness nights, not a good look for New York. I’m not saying this fan here represents the entire fan base at all, but there’s a special place for guys like him…Police have begun their progressive move to a temporary central Tauranga station at 3rd Avenue.
Police operations are steadily shifting from the Monmouth Street site to the temporary one, with the 3rd Avenue station, street address: 111, open to the public from January 9.
Inspector Mike Clement hopes Tauranga’s temporary central police station street address of ‘111 3rd Avenue’ will make it easy for the public to remember where it is.
The move is to allow the demolition and then reconstruction of the Monmouth Street police station – Tauranga’s main station.
The rebuild is expected to take more than a year with a speculative reopening date given by police of ‘mid-2013’.
The Western Bay of Plenty Police Area Commander, Inspector Mike Clement, says the temporary site on 3rd Avenue will provide the community with all normal services.
“The local community should feel reassured that Tauranga police will be as accessible and available to members of the public as they are today, albeit from a different location for the next 18 months.”
He says the 3rd Avenue site has been refurbished to cater for police requirements, including a public service counter and police cells.
“A significant amount of work has been undertaken to fit-out the relocation site, and apart from a new address, the public shouldn’t notice any difference in our level of service.”
He says the most noticeable change will actually be for staff, with the relocation site already a big improvement on the old station.
The cells at the temporary station.
“The old station in Monmouth Street was opened more than 40 years ago and policing and Tauranga have changed significantly in that time.
“The new station will be purpose-built for modern-day policing, catering for current and future staffing levels, police vehicles and resources, custody facilities, and easy access for members of the community.
“It also means we will have all our central Tauranga groups under one roof, such as community services and prosecutions, rather than split across several locations as we are currently.”
Mike says the new Tauranga station won’t impact on the outlying stations of Papamoa, Te Puke, Greerton, Mount Maunganui and Katikati.
The Tauranga police phone number remains the same: (07) 577 4300, but in an emergency, people should call 111.
Firearms licensing enquiries will continue to be managed at the police’s Durham Street site.
“We appreciate that our temporary location may take some getting used to for some people, but we hope that the ‘111’ street address in 3rd Avenue will be easy to remember.”Summary
Since Barack Obama first took office:
The economy has added nearly 7.9 million jobs, and the unemployment rate is now lower than the historical median.
Business establishment start-ups have increased by 20 percent, and the number of job openings is the highest in more than 14 years.
The purchasing power of weekly paychecks is up 2.6 percent, despite some recent slippage.
Nevertheless, the number of people receiving food stamps is still 43 percent higher than when Obama was first sworn in, despite recent declines.
And the home ownership rate has continued to decline, to the lowest point in over a quarter century.
U.S. oil production is up 94 percent. Wind and solar power are up 252 percent. U.S. dependency on oil imports is down to the lowest point since the 1970s.
The percentage of foreigners who say they approve of the U.S. is up in most countries including France, Britain, Japan, Mexico, Turkey, Pakistan and even Israel, where it stands at 81 percent of those polled this year. One of the few exceptions is Russia, where U.S. favorability has plunged to 15 percent.
Analysis
As we do every three months, we offer here a fresh update of selected statistical indicators of what has happened since Barack Obama first took the oath of office in January 2009. Some are positive and some are not, but all are from sources we consider solid and reliable. And as usual, we caution that no single number or collection of numbers can tell the entire story.
Jobs & Unemployment
Number of Jobs — The jobs figure for June stands 659,000 higher than we reported three months ago. The economy has now added 7,865,000 jobs since Obama first took office.
Unemployment Rate — Meanwhile the unemployment rate continued to move downward, to 5.3 percent. It’s now 2.5 percentage points lower than it was in January 2009, when the president first took office in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
Historically, the jobless rate is now better than it has been most of the time since 1948. The historical median is 5.6 percent.
Long-term Unemployment — February also saw the number of long-term unemployed — those who have been looking for work for 27 weeks or longer — drop further. The number went down to just over 2.5 million in June, which is 578,000 fewer than when the president first took office.
Job Openings — The number of job openings increased further since our last report, to 5,363,000 as of the last business day in May. That’s the highest number of openings since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking them in December 2000. The number of openings has gone up 94 percent since the month the president entered office.
Business Start-ups — New business establishments are opening at an accelerating pace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 224,000 “births” of new establishments in the three months ending last September, the most recent period on record. That’s an increase of just under 20 percent compared with the quarter prior to Obama’s first inauguration.
Meanwhile the number of business establishments shutting down permanently — business “deaths” — has gone down by just over 20 percent. The most recent figure is for the third quarter of 2013, because the BLS must wait a year before counting any shutdown as a permanent closing. Establishment birth and death figures are adjusted to compensate for seasonal variations.
Labor Participation Rate — Some effects of the 2007-2009 recession linger, however. The labor force participation rate, which is the portion of the civilian population that is either employed or currently looking for work, was 62.6 percent, down 3.1 percentage points since Obama took office.
But not all of that decline is due to the Great Recession and the slow recovery that followed. The rate actually peaked in early 2000, and it had declined by 1.6 percentage points before Obama took office.
A 2012 article by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago concluded that just under half the decline “can be explained by long-running demographic patterns, such as the retirement of baby boomers.” The study predicted that these demographic patterns would continue, and would offset any improvements due to economic recovery in the future.
For more on this, see our March 11 item, “Declining Labor Force Participation Rates.”
Prices & Wages
Consumer Prices – Overall inflation in consumer prices has remained moderate over Obama’s first six years, rising by only 11.8 percent between January 2009 and May, the most recent month for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics has released the Consumer Price Index.
The average yearly rise under Obama of 1.9 percent is less than half the post-World War II average, according to BLS figures. Between 1946 and 2008 the average yearly rise in the CPI was 4 percent, measured from December to December. But the May CPI is 0.8 percentage points higher than it was at our last report, chiefly due to fuel prices rebounding from their recent lows.
Real Weekly Earnings – That recent jump took a bite out of the purchasing power of weekly paychecks; the gain in real weekly earnings that has occurred under Obama is now 0.4 percentage points lower than it was at our last report. Nevertheless, the BLS measure of average weekly earnings for all workers, adjusted for inflation and seasonal factors, is still 2.6 percent higher in May than it was when Obama first took office.
Gasoline – The national average price of regular gasoline has rebounded somewhat since the plunge that took it down to just over $2 a gallon in January. As of the week ended July 6, it stood at $2.79, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
That’s 51 percent higher than the unusually low point at which it stood on Inauguration Day 2009, but still 24 percent lower than it had been one year earlier.
Food Stamps
The number of people receiving food stamps dropped by more than 600,000 since our last report. But as of March, the most recent month on record, more than 45.6 million Americans were still receiving the food aid, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
That’s only 4.5 percentage points lower than the record level set in December 2012, and nearly 43 percent higher than it was when Obama took office in 2009.
Nevertheless, Obama no longer qualifies for the title of “Food Stamp President” that Republican Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, tried to hang on him during the 2012 presidential campaign. As we noted at the time, 14.7 million people were added to the food-stamp rolls during George W. Bush’s time in office. By comparison, the net gain under Obama now stands at 13.7 million — and it’s declining as the economy improves.
Home Ownership
The rate of home ownership has slipped once again since our last report, to its lowest point in more than 25 years.
As of the first quarter of this year, the percentage of U.S. housing that was owner-occupied was 63.8 percent (seasonally adjusted), according to the most recent release from the U.S. Census Bureau. That is the lowest rate since the fourth quarter of 1989.
The seasonally adjusted home ownership rate peaked at 69.4 percent in the second quarter of 2004, but it has declined 5.6 percentage points since then. Most of the decline — 3.7 percentage points — has taken place since Obama first took office.
Profits & Markets
Corporate Profits — Corporate profits have soared under Obama, smashing all previous records.
After-tax corporate profits are up since our last report. They hit a seasonally adjusted yearly rate of just under $1.9 trillion in the first three months of this year, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. That nearly equals the record level set in the third quarter of 2014.
Profits are now running 182 percent higher than in the recession-plagued quarter just before Obama entered office. And they are 34 percent higher than in the best quarter prior to his taking office, which was the third quarter of 2006.
Stock Markets – Stockholders continue to do quite well under Obama. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index was 157 percent higher at the close on July 6 than it was the day Obama took office. Other stock indexes show similarly robust gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has more than doubled, rising 122 percent during Obama’s tenure, and the NASDAQ Composite index has tripled, rising 246 percent.
Federal Debt
The federal debt has gone down a bit since our last report — but that’s just a temporary effect of yearly tax payments flooding in around the April 15 deadline. The debt owed to the public still exceeds $13 trillion, an increase of just under 108 percent since Obama first took office. The debt also has gained dramatically even when measured as a percentage of the nation’s economic output, or gross domestic product.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the debt at the end of this fiscal year will amount to 74.2 percent of GDP, up from 52.3 percent at the end of fiscal 2009, which was the last budget year in which spending and revenue levels were mostly determined by Obama’s predecessor.
CBO projects that the FY 2015 deficit will come in at $486 billion, about the same as last year’s $485 billion deficit and about one-third of the $1.4 trillion deficit racked up in FY 2009.
But while CBO projects that deficits would decline slightly for the next few years under current taxing and spending policies, the annual shortfalls will resume their upward path fairly soon. In 2019, unless something is done, the debt will begin growing again as a percentage of the economy. By 2025 CBO estimates that the debt would amount to 77 percent of GDP, and interest payments would consume 13 percent of all federal spending (up from 6 percent this year).
Total debt, counting money the government owes to itself, currently stands at nearly $18.2 trillion, up 71 percent under Obama.
Energy
U.S. Crude Oil Production – The historic boom in U.S. crude oil production has continued to accelerate under Obama. In the second quarter of this year, the U.S. produced 94 percent more crude oil than it did in the three months before Obama began his presidency.
Oil Imports & Dependency — With domestic production surging, U.S. reliance on imported oil has been cut by more than half. Under Obama, as of the second quarter of 2015, net imports were down 60 percent.
And as a result, during the first five months of this year, the U.S. imported only 26.2 percent of the petroleum and refined products that it consumed. For all of 2014, the figure was 26.5 percent, the lowest annual level of dependency on imports since before the first Arab oil embargo of 1973-74.
To be sure, the U.S. oil boom is due mainly to advances in drilling technology rather than to any change in government policy. The decline in dependency on imports actually began in 2006, after peaking at 60.3 percent the year before. But the trend has continued and accelerated under Obama.
Wind & Solar – Electricity generated by wind and solar power in the most recent 12 months on record (ending in April) was 252 percent higher than the total for 2008.
The increase in solar power in particular has been spectacular. The U.S. generated nearly 25 times more electricity from solar power in the most recent 12 months than it did in the year before Obama took office.
These trends are partly due to large federal tax subsidies for wind and solar generation, all supported by Obama. But several states, independent of federal policy, also have imposed renewable energy standards that require electric utilities to generate a certain portion of their power from wind or solar. Market forces also have been at work: The cost of installing a solar system has dropped 73 percent since 2006, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
The U.S. produced 4.9 percent of all its electricity from wind and solar in the most recent 12 months on record, up from 1.4 percent in 2008. But coal still accounted for the biggest share — 37 percent — followed by natural gas at 29 percent and nuclear power at 20 percent.
Unfulfilled Promises
Exports – Exports have declined since our last report, leaving the president even further from fulfilling his 2010 promise to “double our exports over the next five years.” The clock ran out on that goal at the end of last year. And as of the first quarter of this year, according to the most recent report of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. exports of goods and services have gone up by only 32.4 percent since Obama took office.
Car Mileage — The fuel efficiency of new cars and light trucks shows practically no improvement since our last report. The average EPA city/highway sticker mileage of light duty vehicles sold was 25.4 miles per gallon. That’s actually 0.1 mpg lower than it was a year earlier, according to the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute.
The June figure is 21 percent higher than it was when Obama first took office — but that’s a long way short of the president’s 2013 boast that “we have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas.”
What Obama meant was that the administration was doubling the efficiency that it would call for in the future, putting in place requirements that cars and light trucks average 54.5 mpg by model year 2025. But recently, lowered gasoline prices have led car buyers to temper their enthusiasm for smaller, more efficient cars and trucks, stalling progress toward Obama’s goal. In fact, new-car mileage peaked at 25.8 mpg in August 2014, and has gone down 1.6 percent since then.
Guantanamo – Since our last report, six more prisoners have been released from the military detention camp for suspected terrorists in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But 116 remain at the facility, which Obama ordered to be closed within a year just after taking office. In the nearly six-and-a-half years since then, the population has been reduced by 52 percent.
War Deaths
Since our last report, three more U.S. military personnel have died in support of “Operation Inherent Resolve” against Islamic State forces in Iraq and elsewhere, bringing the total U.S. military fatalities in Iraq operations since Obama took office to 270. And four more have died supporting continuing U.S. operations in Afghanistan, bringing the total there to 1,730 since Obama became commander-in-chief.
World Opinion of U.S.
Senate Republicans criticize nearly every foreign policy decision Obama has made as president, and former Sen. Rick Santorum has gone so far as to claim, “The only two countries that we have a better relationship with now than when Barack Obama came into office are Cuba and Iran.”
But the fact is, with few exceptions, the U.S. is viewed more favorably overseas now than it was before Obama took office.
According to the most recent polling for the Pew Global Attitudes Project, 83 percent of Italians said they viewed the U.S. favorably in 2015, an increase of 30 percentage points over 2007, the last time Pew polled in Italy prior to Obama’s time in office.
In France, 73 percent viewed the U.S. favorably, up 31 points from 2008. In Japan, U.S. favorability was 68 percent, up 18 points. In Mexico, it was 66 percent, up 19 points. In Britain, it was 65 percent, an increase of 12 points.
The U.S. isn’t viewed so favorably in Turkey, where this year’s Pew poll showed a 29 percent favorable rating. But that was 17 points higher than in 2008. Pakistanis also hold a dim view of the U.S., giving it only a 22 percent favorable rating. But even that was 3 points higher than in 2008.
Among the few countries in which the U.S. favorable rating has slipped are Jordan, at 14 percent (down 5 points from 2008) and Lebanon, at 39 percent (down 12 points from 2008). Both border Syria, where Islamic State forces have seized substantial territory. And U.S. opposition to Russia’s actions against Ukraine isn’t popular among Russians; U.S. favorability there is down to 15 percent — a plunge of 31 points since 2008.
But in Israel — remarkably, in view of Obama’s very public disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over negotiations with Iran — 81 percent of those polled this year viewed the U.S. favorably, an increase of 3 points over 2007.
To be sure, popularity isn’t the same thing as power, and goodwill doesn’t always translate into influence. And approval of the U.S. doesn’t require approval of Obama: Only 49 percent of Israelis currently say they have confidence in Obama, for example.
But there’s little doubt that the U.S. is seen more favorably around the world under Obama than it was just before he took office.
— Brooks Jackson
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Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey; Number Unemployed for 27 Weeks & Over, Seasonally Adjusted.” Data extracted 2 Jul 2015.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey: Job Openings, Seasonally Adjusted” Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Private sector establishment births and deaths, seasonally adjusted.” 29 Apr 2015.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Consumer Price Index – All Urban Consumers.” Data extracted Data extracted 2 Jul 2015.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Employment, Hours, and Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics survey (National); Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees, 1982-1984 Dollars.” Data extracted 2 Jul 2015.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Weekly U.S. Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices (Dollars per Gallon).” Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Data as of Dec 5, 2014).” Data extracted 2 Jul 2015.
U.S. Census Bureau. “Time Series: Seasonally Adjusted Home Ownership Rate.” Data extracted 2 Jul 2015.
Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis. “Corporate Profits After Tax (without IVA and CCAdj) (CP).” Data extracted 2 Jul 2015.
Google Finance. “S&P 500.” Historical prices. Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
Google Finance. “Dow Jones Industrial Average.” Historical prices. Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
Google Finance. “NASDAQ Composite.” Historical prices. Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
U.S. Treasury. “The Debt to the Penny and Who Holds It.” 3 Jul 2015. Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
Congressional Budget Office. “March 2015 Baseline” from “Updated Budget Projections: 2015 to 2025” 9 Mar 2015.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. “U.S. Crude Oil Production.” Short Term Energy Outlook. 7 Jul 2015. Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Table 3.3a. Monthly Energy Review.” 28 Jun 2015.
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U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Affairs. “Table 1. U.S. International Transactions: Exports of Goods and Services.” 18 Jun 2015.
Sivak, Michael and Brandon Schoettle. “Average sales-weighted fuel-economy rating (window sticker) of purchased new vehicles for October 2007 through March 2015.” University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. 2 Jul 2015
New York Times. The Guantanamo Docket. “A History of the Detainee Population.” 13 Jun 2015.
iCasualties.org. “Operation Enduring Freedom/Afghanistan; Afghanistan Coalition Military Fatalities by Year.” Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.
iCasualties.org. “Operation Iraqi Freedom; Iraq Coalition Military Fatalities by Year.” Data extracted 7 Jul 2015.The Big 12 would officially leave the TCU-Baylor debate in the hands of the College Football Playoff selection committee, commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a teleconference on Monday.
Should No. 5 TCU and No. 7 Baylor both win Saturday and each finish the season 11-1, Bowlsby said the league would inform the 12-member selection committee it has co-champions, in spite of Baylor's 61-58 win over TCU on Oct. 11. The committee has had TCU ranked ahead of Baylor for all five of its rankings this season.
"That's the prerogative of the selection committee," Bowlsby said. "It's not our prerogative for us to tell them who is our best team. They can choose from an array of teams that are available and qualified for the playoff.
Editor's Picks Big 12 a disaster with slogans, but not loopholes By submitting Baylor and TCU to the committee as co-champions, the Big 12 is able to reward Baylor without punishing TCU, Jake Trotter writes.
Naming co-champions makes more sense than the decision by Baylor to hire a public relations firm to advocate for the Bears to reach the playoff, writes Ivan Maisel. Story 1 Related
"It's not within our prerogative to bind the selection committee that way. They're going to select who they think is the best team. This is an important distinction. Because the committee's charge is not to select the most deserving team. The committee's responsibility is to select the four best teams based upon their objective and subjective criteria. And each one of the committee members may feel different about how exactly that process works.... They can certainly select from any of ours."
Only if TCU and Baylor are both left out of the top four would the league acknowledge Baylor's head-to-head win over TCU. By contract, displaced conference champions are guaranteed spots in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vizio Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Bowlsby said the league would then use Baylor's win over TCU to determine which team would play in a New Year's Six bowl.
"The only reason we apply the tiebreaker later on is because we have to, we're the ones who designate who goes into one of those host bowls," Bowlsby said. "In the case of the College Football Playoff, they're the ones who designate who goes into those games."
"We wouldn't be designating our champion," he said. "We would be designating our representative to the host bowl."
TCU finishes the season Saturday against Iowa State, which is winless in league play, and Baylor is at home against No. 12 Kansas State in the game that will either prolong or end the Bears' playoff hopes.
Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said Monday he believes his football program would be deserving of a playoff spot if it defeats Kansas State.
"It is an incredible platform for us to make our case," McCaw said before Bowlsby announced the conference's decision. "We would be a Big 12 co-champion with a tiebreaker over TCU. It would give us three top-15-quality wins. We would have the strongest resume among those under consideration."
McCaw believes a head-to-head defeat of TCU will be key.
"The whole concept of a playoff is determining a champion on the field," McCaw said. "If it's on the merits of what was done on the field, you would think if there's already been a game it should weigh heavily."
To bolster its case, Baylor has hired a public relations firm to advocate for a spot in the playoff. An associate for Kevin Sullivan Communications said his firm was hired last week and has also been charged with setting up media interviews for McCaw.
The Big 12 is the only conference among the Power 5 (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12) that doesn't have a conference title game. Instead, the 10-team league uses a round-robin format to determine its champion. It's slogan, "One true champion," has been called into question now because of its willingness to declare Baylor and TCU co-champions.
"'One True Champion' is really about everybody playing everybody," Bowlsby said. "That's the right way to do it."
"We believe that playing everyone every year is the right way to determine a champion," he said, "even if ends in a tie."
ESPN's Joe Schad and Jake Trotter contributed to this report.Today’s article is brought to us by guest writer, Justin Maxwell. Justin will explain the technique he fine tuned for Mint.com to ellipsis text using just CSS. For more information about Justin see the end of this article.
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In contemporary web application interfaces, areas for single-line, user-defined labels (strings) are common. For example, Mint.com allows customers to edit transaction descriptions and account names. Other popular web applications allow customization of photo titles, folder names, sections, and much more. A designer’s primary objective should be providing appropriate, optimal space for the expected content. The secondary objective should be elegantly handling the longer strings.
Truncation on the server-side is unnecessary, complicated, and usually confusing to the user. Luckily, CSS offers a combination of properties to truncate strings and add ellipsis (…) on the client-side, without JavaScript.
Example 1. Starting with the text
<p>
With no width restrictions, and no ellipsis, this paragraph (tag) displays as one would expect…a big block of text. We’ve given it a some visual treatment to distinguish it as an interface element in these examples:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
But that’s not what we want. We’re looking for a single line, the sizing of which we can control in our interface.
Example 2. Prevent line wrap and bring on the ellipsis!
<p>
.ellipsis { white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; } p.block { width: 300px; }
We’ll start by adding a class ".ellipsis" to thetag and building it by example. Add, to limit the paragraph to a single line, andkeeps it from making the browser window wider. We then addto limit the size (IE6 needs a width defined, even if it’s 100%) and begin constructing our label. Also, first recommended for CSS3 back in 2003, the CSS Text Module includes support for. So putting that all together:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation |
lunch was served there was extra time to sit together and chat. While I did not attend the dinners in town (I had work to get done), that also gave people a chance to chat so there was a nice cooperative, networking, friendly vibe. Cheers to the organizers!
One of the speakers, a grad student, spoke about her anthropological research of a local ghost hunting group. Much of her findings overlapped with what I had also observed in my work. I asked her a question about the group being “scientific” and she said she purposefully left that angle out. Curious. But the next day, she came over to me and said she was happy to meet me because she was familiar with my thesis and articles, she knew that scientific aspect had been covered by my work already but didn’t even know that was me asking the question! We laughed and agreed to keep in touch.
I actively took a TON of notes and learned so much. I was furiously writing during George Hansen’s talk on liminality – the betwixt and between. George was the one who notified me of this event. He is not on a side. He is known in both the skeptic and believer communities. Now I am too. Maybe we are both in the liminal zone in that sense! I don’t agree with all the speakers said, but I don’t always agree with the conclusions and attitudes displayed by several skeptics either. However, I can listen and learn and gain a much greater understanding than I would closing myself off to one or another viewpoint. I am in the liminal zone between skeptic and believer.
The first day, when I was with Howard Lewis of The Skeptical Review, we self-identified as nonbelievers in life after death during a “straw poll”. I wasn’t going to lie or remain hidden. By the end of the second day I was CLEARLY the only person there who was a participant in skeptical activism. While in the lunch line, one attendee said, “So, you’re the skeptic? Why are you here?” Her tone was snide. My reply was that I am interested in various persepectives and this meeting had great content. I also heard grumbling about the “skeptics” editing Wikipedia. (After a quick check with Susan Gerbic via twitter, I found out they were complaining about an entry her team didn’t even touch!) In running into another person I’d so far just known via the web, who publishes a predominently non-skeptical paranormal web site, he assumed I’d be skewering the speakers and ideas or that I was some sort of spy who would take info back to CSI or JREF. I have no clue where people get that from. Is it just a skeptical stereotype? Do I look and act like a skeptical stereotype – I’m not old, not male, not curmudgeonly, not a debunker, not hostile, not argumentative, not confrontational. I have an opinion but it’s an informed one. Or if I don’t know, I will tell you so. I’m no stereotype!
This morning, one of the organizers, a Gettysburg professor, introduced himself and mentioned they were talking about me at dinner the night before.
“Oh? In what sense?” I asked, slightly uncomfortable.
“That you were nice,” he answered.
HA. Maybe I am doing my part to change the skeptical stereotype. I do hope so. This is the second paranormal-themed conference I’d attended where people were openly surprised and probably suspicious about a “skeptic” in their midst. But why? I’m just as fascinated and curious about these topics. I just make a slightly different conclusion sometimes. I think I only had a question/comment twice in the three days.
Perhaps I belong everywhere. Or nowhere. Sometimes it feels that way. I’m not PRESS, I’m not a spy. I’m just curious. But I have to say that I am utterly disgusted with the bad mouthing of “skeptics” at the pro-paranormal conferences (which I did hear a bit of). Yet, I am just as disgusted with the bad mouthing of “believers” at the skeptical events. I could find much common ground with these lovely folks who are mediums, or have had paranormal events happen to them, or who research spiritualism and psi. And they also noted much common ground with me.
All in all, it was a excellent forum for exchanging ideas. As I’d heard about the TAM experience, several people at ETE noted they felt energized by the conference. I had a enlightening time and I was quite comfortable there.
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When Alan Greenspan left the Fed, he had nearly divine status in the eyes of the financial press and, I’m sorry to say, quite a few economists. In retrospect, of course, his reputation has faltered badly; whether or not you blame Fed policy for the housing bubble (you shouldn’t), Greenspan denied the bubble’s existence and even its possibility as it was inflating, while actively blocking efforts to tighten financial regulation.
But it’s his track record since leaving office that is truly remarkable. He has been an inflation and debt fear monger, helping to make his successor’s already hard job a bit harder — and famously complained about ungrateful markets that keep failing to deliver the crises he predicts. After a brief moment of doubt about the wisdom of financial markets, he went right back to denouncing regulation while proclaiming that markets get it right “with notably rare exceptions”.
Now I have in my inbox a notice that as the Fed holds its annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Greenspan will address a counter-conference organized by a group called the American Principles Project. The group combines social conservatism — it’s anti-gay-marriage, anti-abortion rights, and pro-“religious liberty” — with goldbug economic doctrine.
The second half of this agenda may be appealing to Greenspan, a former Ayn Rand intimate — as Paul Samuelson remarked, “You can take the boy out of the cult but you can’t take the cult out of the boy.” But the anti-gay stuff? And helping these people attack his former colleagues?
Awesom.Led by West Virginia's attorney general, 21 states have joined a legal effort seeking to overturn Maryland's tough new gun control law.
The Maryland statute has no effect on gun laws in their states, but the attorneys general argue in an amicus brief filed this month that Maryland's law was written too broadly and violates the Second Amendment rights of their citizens.
"States must band together in times when they see citizens' rights being diminished or infringed upon," West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said in statement released when he filed the brief. "If the courts decide this law passes muster, it would undermine a core part of the Second Amendment."
Morrisey, who declined to be interviewed, said Maryland's ban on the sale of military-style weapons is akin to "trying to impose a content-based ban on speech. It simply cannot be done."
A federal court ruled that Maryland's ban on 45 types of semiautomatic rifles is constitutional. The coalition of gun owners and gun-rights groups that challenged the law is appealing the decision by the U.S. District Court of Maryland. The attorneys general have joined that effort.
Maryland has not yet filed its response, due by the end of the year.
Legal experts say that while it is generally unusual for states to weigh in on laws that do not directly affect them, it is common in divisive issues such as gun control.
"They don't want certain types of regulations to get court-sanctioned because they're afraid it will become a precedent in their states," said Stephen J. Oren, a Rockville lawyer who chairs the Maryland Bar Association's state litigation section. "So they take the pre-emptive step of filing in cases that don't involve them."
Maryland's gun law, proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley and passed by the General Assembly in 2013, was among the most stringent enacted after the massacre of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. It is one of three, all passed after Newtown, that gun-rights activists are fighting in federal courts.
Judge Catherine C. Blake upheld Maryland's ban in August, rejecting the argument that military-style weapons are in common use for self-defense and therefore protected by the Second Amendment. Blake wrote that she considered the ban a legitimate way to improve public safety.
The coalition of gun owners and gun-rights groups asked the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to review the case. Along with West Virginia, attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming signed on to the amicus brief.
Like Maryland's, gun laws passed in New York and Connecticut were upheld by federal judges and are now on appeal. Courts have upheld similar bans in California and the District of Columbia.
Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler's office wrote amicus briefs supporting the laws in New York and Connecticut, but spokesman David Paulson said the state had a clear interest in the outcome there. A court ruling that overturned those bans could have affected Maryland's, he said.
Gansler has also weighed in on laws in other states that might not have directly influenced law in Maryland, including writing briefs to overturn bans on same-sex marriage in other states, Paulson said.
O'Malley spokeswoman Nina Smith said the ban on the sale of assault-type weapons, along with other provisions of the 2013 gun law, was part of a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence in Maryland.
"A federal judge has already affirmed the constitutionality of this law," Smith said. "This effort by other states won't do anything to reduce violent crime or save lives."
Gun-rights advocates say they worry that lower federal courts appear willing to weaken an individual's right to gun ownership. A landmark 2008 Supreme Court ruling, known as the Heller decision, affirmed that right.
"If the federal courts are trying to open the door after the Supreme Court shut it... other states, especially attorneys general in pro-gun states, want to weigh in," said Erich Pratt, director of communications for Gun Owners of America.
His group is one of 33 from across the country that, like the 21 attorneys general, have filed legal arguments in support of the appeal.
Pratt contends that Maryland's ban threatens rights beyond that of gun ownership. "If you can have restrictions on the Second Amendment... then you could have restrictions on other amendments," he said.
Supporters of Maryland's law are expected to add their voices by filing amicus briefs once the state has filed its response to the appeal.
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is among them. Jonathan E. Lowy, director of the group's legal action project, said other states interfering with Maryland's assault weapons ban strikes him solely as political posturing.
"There's absolutely no interest for West Virginia to have more people in Maryland buying and possessing assault weapons," Lowry said. "There's no court decision that could say the people of West Virginia must have an assault weapons ban. That's not an issue. That's a political decision. There is just no legitimate reason for the attorney general of West Virginia to be fighting the gun lobby's fight."
ecox@baltsun.com
twitter.com/ErinatTheSunYves here. The comparatively low wealth of Germans should come as no surprise. It’s a direct result of German policies to suppress domestic wages, known as the Hartz reforms (see this post for more detail). But as Wolf indicates, that’s not how it will be seen in Germany.
By Wolf Richter, San Francisco based executive, entrepreneur, start up specialist, and author, with extensive international work experience. Cross posted from Testosterone Pit.
In December 2006, the ECB established the HFSC network of survey specialists, statisticians, and economists from its own ranks, national central banks of the Eurozone, and statistical institutes. The acronym stood for Household Finance and Consumption Survey. It would collect “micro-level structural information” on household wealth. A massive bureaucratic undertaking. Surveys went out in 2010. Results are now ready. No one in Europe had ever done a survey on that scale before. And no one might ever do it again. Because, in the era of bailouts and wealth-transfers, the results are so explosive that the Bundesbank is keeping its report secret—and word has leaked out why.
The surveys were conducted on a national basis, with each central bank publishing its own report. They would then be combined and summarized by the ECB into a cohesive picture of how wealthy—or how poor—people in various parts of the Eurozone were. A number of countries already published their reports, including Italy and Austria.
What the Austrian National Bank found was not pretty (20-page PDF). The considerable wealth in Austria was very unevenly distributed. The wealthiest 5% owned nearly half of the country’s wealth. Their median wealth was €1.7 million in diversified assets. The lower 50% owned only 4% of the country’s wealth. Of them, 83% rented their homes. Their median wealth was a measly €11,000 consisting usually of a car and a savings account. That’s half of the people! And 10% had a net wealth of less than €1,000.
This unequal distribution of wealth created a huge gap between median income (half the people earned more, the other half less) of €76,000 and average income of €265,000 (pushed up by a small number of extremely wealthy households). And that’s why some countries don’t even publish average income values. Too much truth would hurt.
Germany’s data is likely to be similar—but the Bundesbank is treating its report like a secret. Because the results are, let’s say, awkward for two reasons. The highly unequal distribution of wealth is one of them. The German government already went through wild gyrations late last year, and now again, over its Poverty Report that exposed some inconvenient facts that were then edited out—something that was leaked immediately, and it caused a ruckus [read…. Censored: Poverty Report in Germany].
Italy is the other issue. But it may be too hot for the Bundesbank to touch. Italy’s report (142-page PDF) finds that median household net wealth has increased 56% since 1991. And from 2008 to 2010, it increased by about 5% annually, despite the crisis!
But the wealth of German households stagnated during much of that time while they paid taxes out of their noses. And now they might learn that Italy’s median household wealth is €163,875—while Germany’s is closer to Austria’s, around €76,000. Less than half!
“Politically explosive,” sources at the Bundesbank whispered to the FAZ.
These reports show that in some countries, like Italy, where government finances have been in crisis, median household wealth is actually greater than in some financially healthy countries where governments have kept deficits and debts down.
Germany’s federal government only had a minuscule deficit in 2012. But high taxes and the citizens’ greater willingness to pay them—though cheating is a national sport—have over the years extracted a lot of wealth from the people and transferred it to the government. In Italy, people have been more adept at hanging on to their wealth. To the detriment of government finances. Other studies have shown similar trends, but never on such a scale with such detail, and in this “harmonized” and easily comparable manner.
It could stir up a firestorm in Germany. It’s not just jealousy. Strung-out German taxpayers would have to be bamboozled into bailing out the mountain of Italian government debt that the Italians, whose median wealth is twice that of Germans, refused to pay for. It won’t sit well. Not at all. It could become a political nightmare for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who faces an election in a few months and must keep any kind of tumult out of the scenery.
If the report ever sees the light of the day in unvarnished form—not a certainty given the debacle of the Poverty Report—Bundesbank statisticians will be trying to explain away the difference between countries like Italy and Germany. Household wealth is particularly high in countries with high homeownership rates, they will argue. In countries where renting is popular, like Germany, a considerable part of the housing stock is owned by the government and rented out in a subsidized manner. Thus the wealth is public, etc. etc. Because the bailout saga must go on. The messy reality that Germans can’t afford to bail out their richer neighbors must not be allowed to interfere with the grand and glorious saga of the euro.
Every country in the Eurozone has its own collection of big fat lies that politicians and eurocrats have served up in order to make the euro and the subsequent bailouts or austerity measures less unappetizing. Here are some from the German point of view….. Ten Big Fat Lies To Keep The Euro Dream AliveWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two-million-year-old fossils including the three tiny bones of the middle ear are helping scientists figure out the auditory abilities of early human ancestors at a time when they were beginning to hear more like a person and less like a chimpanzee.
The lateral view of the Paranthropus robustus skull SK 46 is shown from the site of Swartkrans, South Africa in this handout photo provided by Binghamton University, September 25, 2015. REUTERS/Rolf Quam/Binghamton Univeristy/Handout via Reuters
A study published on Friday involving two species from South Africa, Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus, showed they boasted better hearing than either chimps or people in a frequency range that may have facilitated vocal communication in a savanna habitat.
Both species featured a mixture of ape-like and human-like anatomical traits and inhabited grassland ecosystems with widely spaced trees and shrubs, as opposed to the forests of earlier members of human lineage.
In both species, maximum hearing sensitivity was shifted toward slightly higher frequencies compared to chimpanzees, and both had better hearing than chimps or humans in the range from about 1.0-3.0 kilohertz, paleoanthropologist Rolf Quam of Binghamton University in New York said.
Sounds in that range include vowels and some consonants, Quam said.
“It turns out that this auditory pattern may have been particularly favorable for living on the savanna. In more open environments, sound waves don’t travel as far as in the rainforest canopy, so short-range communication is favored on the savanna,” Quam said.
The human lineage split from chimps roughly 5 to 7 million years ago, Quam said, and our ancestors’ hearing abilities began to adapt to lifestyle changes.
To assess the two species’ hearing abilities, the researchers studied fossils including tiny middle-ear bones called the ossicles (the malleus, incus and stapes) and created virtual computer reconstructions of the ear’s internal anatomy.
Our species, Homo sapiens, which arose about 200,000 years ago, is distinct from most other primates in having better hearing across a wider range of frequencies, generally from 1.0 to 6.0 kilohertz. This range encompasses many sounds emitted during spoken language.
“I want to be clear that we are not arguing that these early humans had language, which implies a symbolic content,” Quam said. “Certainly they could communicate vocally. All primates do. But human language emerged during our evolutionary history at some time after the existence of these early humans.”
Paleontologist Juan Luis Arsuaga of Spain’s Universidad Complutense de Madrid said their hearing abilities indicate their voices “would sound strange, half chimp-like, half human, to us. Or in other terms, not completely human.”
The research appears in the journal Science Advances,Blink-182's DeLonge Expects 'Always' To Change Life As We Know It
UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Just a hunch, but Tom DeLonge might be a bit disappointed by the response to Blink-182's latest single.
"It's going to change people's lives and might actually change the world forever," the guitarist daringly predicted at Sunday's Teen Choice Awards (see "Usher And Lindsay Win Big, Ashlee Burps, Britney A No-Show At Teen Choice Awards"). "It's a spectacular song."
"Always," which follows "Down" as the fourth single from the band's untitled album (see "Blink-182 Get 'Down' With Former Gang Members"), does not reveal the cure for cancer or plan for world peace, like Tom suggests, but does delve into a very universal subject.
"The song is about wanting to hold a chick all night long and kiss her and touch her and taste her and feel her and all these great adjectives," DeLonge explained, stopping to correct himself. "Verbs actually, there's some adjectives in there, but mostly verbs and nouns. Some pronouns too, but not too many of those."
Blink were actually discussing a concept for the video as they strolled into the awards show, but plans are still up in the air.
In the meantime, the Mark, Tom and Travis show is heading to Japan and Australia through mid-September and will hit the U.K. in December.
When the tour wraps, DeLonge will take a long vacation. "I'm going to lift some weights and run really fast, maybe sweat a little bit," he joked. He has no plans to make another Box Car Racer record.
Tom and bassist Mark Hoppus also plan to use their time off to further develop their Resting Bird Entertainment production company, which launched last year with the documentary "Riding in Vans with Boys" (see "Butt Branding, Drunken Weddings Captured On Hoppus And DeLonge's 'Boys' ").
"We have some new ideas in the works, a couple of which are quite large, so it might take a while for it to come out," DeLonge said. "I want to do a major motion picture, crazy weird stuff. I have ideas."
Perhaps his future film projects will have a political bent, as DeLonge said his new hobby is reading about politics. He's also been an outspoken supporter of John Kerry and John Edwards.
"The two Johns are great," he said. "I'm a big supporter of change. If people aren't into change, it's a question of whether they can read. That's what I think."Why Osborne must publish the names of every benefits claimant - and how much we pay them: An incendiary idea to save on our £500m A DAY welfare bill
Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, needs to be transparent about exactly what the welfare budget is going on
This week, George Osborne faces a problem largely of his own making. In his new review of Government spending, he will make some fairly trivial announcements while desperately trying to sound brave about making difficult decisions. Saving a few million here or there will sound bold, but won’t really amount to much in the wider economic picture.
The brutal truth is that under the Coalition, the State is living further beyond its means than ever before. By the next Election, Osborne will have increased Britain’s national debt by about £600 billion – about £10,000 for every man, woman and child.
This isn’t austerity, it’s largesse on a scale unprecedented in our lifetime.
The reason that the Chancellor can’t get spending under control is simple. If you can’t or won’t tackle Britain’s ballooning welfare budget, it is very difficult indeed to balance the books.
The amount we now spend on welfare is jaw-dropping. The average household is taxed to the tune of £8,000 every year to finance the State’s programme of handouts. We spend about twice as much on welfare as we did just a decade ago.
Even Labour now agree that this scale of expenditure has reached its limit. But Osborne doesn’t need to try to make this a party political battle.
He just needs to be transparent about exactly what the welfare budget is going on. If he’s willing to do so, he can expect millions of Brits to demand colossal reductions in spending.
The welfare benefits claimed by every individual – including pensions, jobseeker’s allowance, bus passes, winter fuel payments and child benefit – should be put in the public domain.
They should be listed, in full, on a publicly accessible website for all of us to inspect. Taxpayers have a right to know exactly who is claiming what and how much they are getting.
The welfare benefits claimed by every individual ¿ including pensions, jobseeker¿s allowance, bus passes, winter fuel payments and child benefit ¿ should be put in the public domain
This wouldn’t be a matter of ‘naming and shaming’ anyone. After all, if you are legally entitled to a particular benefit, what is there to be ashamed about? Anyone ashamed to claim money from the State maybe shouldn’t be claiming it.
At the G8 gathering of world leaders in Belfast last week, we heard a lot about the need for transparency in tax affairs. What they meant was that we want to know more details about wealth creators and tax contributors – companies such as Starbucks, Google and Amazon.
But surely we also need to know about tax consumers. Why are we only worried about the people contributing tax and not those being funded by it?
If you get up early, work hard and notice that your take-home pay is far less than your advertised salary, you are not alone.
This wouldn't be a matter of 'naming and shaming' anyone. After all, if you are legally entitled to a particular benefit, what is there to be ashamed about?
Many people now have a third of their wages – or even more – confiscated at source by Revenue & Customs. The biggest item this cash is then spent on is welfare. You have a right to know who is receiving it.
Publishing this sort of information should be quite straightforward. The Government has never been competent at running an IT system, but uploading to a website each payment handed out, along with the name and address of the person claiming it, must be doable. Even by the dimmest bureaucrat.
To claim benefits, you need an accurate name, a real address and proof that you qualify. Sometimes you will have to navigate your way through a lengthy and complex form.
If the bureaucrats in the welfare department can process this sort of data, they should find it easy to hit an ‘upload’ button when the handout is issued. The recipient still gets the money, but those of us paying can be sure of the exact amount and the individual we are paying for. This shouldn’t be controversial. By all means, have our tax contributions, just tell me who you are and how much you get.
Surely, no one needs to worry about violent retribution against claimants. The British are far too reasonable to start taking up pitchforks and burning torches and assaulting imagined benefit cheats. We are generous and fair-minded people.
Unitl the Conservatives decided to pay for increased foreign aid out of my taxes, rather than rely on my charity, I sponsored a young girl in Cameroon far less fortunate than myself and with many fewer chances in life.
I was more than happy to send a modest £12 every month. I felt confident that the charity, Plan International, was using my money wisely, but I was also grateful for their feedback. I was told exactly what my money was going towards, how things were progressing in this African village, and received some very touching messages of thanks.
I pay much more than £12 a month to the welfare state.
' Publishing the data will clearly show that we now give payouts to people who don’t really need them – and for long periods of time'
At a rough guess, I’m paying about a hundred times as much to support British people who are apparently unable to support themselves, even though none of them is as impoverished as the girl I was supporting in Cameroon.
I receive no specific information about who is getting the money, how they are getting on and what steps they are taking to improve their prospects. I certainly never get anything even approaching a thank-you.
I’m simply asking, on behalf of all those who pay for the welfare state, for a bit more information and transparency.
In many areas of British life, we are already comfortable with this principle. Criminal trials are held openly and the name of the defendant is often widely publicised even if they turn out to be innocent. Rightly so.
In the case of our MPs, not only do we know their salaries, but we also insist that they provide receipts for each and every item they claim on expenses. This seems right, too.
So, why can’t we know who the recipients are of our Government’s enormous, £500 million a day welfare spending?
If the Government were willing to be honest and open about who is paid what by the welfare state, two things would happen.
Most importantly, the public would appreciate that the welfare state has got out of control.
When it was set up in the 1940s the remit was clear – to provide temporary support at subsistence levels for a small number of people. Publishing the data will clearly show that we now give payouts to people who don’t really need them – and for long periods of time.
Secondly, it will get Osborne out of a hole. Rather than looking like a silver-spoon-in-his-mouth Lord Snooty, he would be able to slash welfare spending on a wave of public enthusiasm.
With the courage to halve welfare spending, he can cure the deficit almost overnight.
He should just shed some sunlight on what his Government is spending and who is getting the money. If he is bold enough to do that, the British people themselves will insist that our bloated State be put on a diet.
So, go on George, tell us the truth.In the Middle Ages only wealthy town people could afford to eat and drink from beautiful, colored glazed cups and plates. But the glazing was made of lead, which found its way into the body if you ate acidic foods. This has been revealed by chemical investigations of skeletons from cemeteries in Denmark and Germany.
Being wealthy in the Middle Ages was not all benefits: Wealthy people were more exposed to the toxic heavy metal lead than the poor.
"Lead poisoning can be the consequence when ingesting lead, which is a heavy metal. In the Middle Ages you could almost not avoid ingesting lead, if you were wealthy or living in an urban environment. But what is perhaps more severe, is the fact that exposure to lead leads to lower intelligence of children", says Associate Professor Kaare Lund Rasmussen, Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Southern Denmark (SDU).
Together with colleagues Rasmussen has published a series of chemical and anthropological analyzes of 207 skeletons from six cemeteries in northern Germany and Denmark. The paper is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. The work was performed in collaboration with other SDU scientists: Professor Jesper Lie Boldsen from the Institute of Forensic Medicine and postdoc Lilian Skytte and Ph.D. student Anne Juul Jensen from the research group CHART at Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy.
Practical, beautiful -- and poisonous
"There really is a big difference in how much lead, the individuals from the cemeteries had in their bodies. This depended on whether they lived in the country or in a town. We see almost no lead in the bones from rural individuals, while the levels of this toxic metal were high in urban individuals", says Rasmussen.
In the Middle Ages wealthy Danes and Germans mainly lived in towns, while the rural population was generally poorer and more isolated. The wealthy could afford to eat and drink of glazed pottery, and this was the main source of lead poisoning.
"In those days lead oxide was used to glaze pottery. It was practical to clean the plates and looked beautiful, so it was understandably in high demand. But when they kept salty and acidic foods in glazed pots, the surface of the glaze would dissolve and the lead would leak into the food", says Rasmussen.
In the country, glazed pottery was seemingly used more rarely. And even if you had the money, it would have been more difficult to get by. Instead, the country people used unglazed pottery and thus unknowingly saved themselves from exposure to the toxic lead.
Glazed pottery was not the only source of lead in the towns. Lead was also present in coins, stained glass windows and lead tiles on the roofs of important buildings. Drinkingwater was often collected from the roof, and this may also have been an important source of lead.
Rasmussen studied skeletons from six cemeteries.
The cemeteries in Rathaus Markt in Schleswig (Germany) and Ole Worms Gade in Horsens (Denmark) are both situated on the coast and people buried here were from medieval towns that were more wealthy and more in contact with the outside world than most rural population.
The rural population was represented by cemeteries in St. Clements outside of Schleswig (Germany), Tirup outside of Horsens (Denmark), Nybøl in Jutland (Denmark) and St. Alberts Chapel on the island of Ærø (Denmark).
"The exposure was higher and more dangerous in the urban communities, but lead was not completely unknown in the country. We saw that 30 pct. of the rural individuals had been in contact with lead -- although much less than the townspeople."
There were different levels of exposure in the towns. 19 pct. (10 individuals) from the cemetery in Rathaus Markt had lead levels above normal. In Horsens all 25 individuals had levels above normal.
Mercury was given as medicine
The research team also tested the skeletons for their content of mercury. Mercury was used to prepare the color cinnabar, for gilding and as medicine against leprosy and syphilis.
The results of the measurements show that the urban population was more exposed to mercury than the rural population. Mercury was administered to treat especially leprosy, which almost half of the individuals in the study suffered from.
However the study reveals a difference in how effective the treatment was in the towns.
"Maybe they had more expertise in mercury treatments in Schleswig than in Horsens", says Rasmussen.
###
Ref Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports,Vol 3, Sept. 2015, Pages 358-370: Comparison of mercury and lead levels in the bones of rural and urban populations in Southern Denmark and Northern Germany during the Middle Ages. Kaare Lund Rasmussena,Lilian Skyttea, Anne Juul Jensena,Jesper Lier Boldsenb. a Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute of Forensic Medicine SDU. University of Southern Denmark.
About lead poisoning Lead is a toxic heavy metal that accumulates in the human body, affecting the nervous system. Since children's nervous system is still developing, children are particularly sensitive, and their learning ability and intelligence may be affected. Lead was also a commonly used material in the Roman Empire, and several historians believe that widespread lead poisoning among the rulers may have played a role in the fall of the Roman Empire.
Contact
Associate Professor Kaare Lund Rasmussen
+45 28 71 37 09
klr@sdu.dkChicago Cubs pitcher Matt Garza has been the subject of plenty of talk lately– most of it centered around his future, whether it be in Chicago or elsewhere.
Unfortunately, Garza has also made the news today for something much more dire. According to reports, the former Fresno State pitcher and Cubs starter, had his Fresno, California home broken into sometime in the past week.
Among the items stolen was Garza’s 2008 Tampa Bay Rays American League Championship Series ring that was valued at $30,000. Garza, and authorities both, are unsure of when the break-in occurred, but have placed the time-frame as somewhere between January 26th and today.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the break-in, but as of the time of this article does not have any substantial leads.
It’s a tough break for Garza, who is well-respected among his teammates and is always the first to cheer them on from the dugout. Hopefully they find out who victimized Garza very soon.
Pro athletes are becoming targets more and more often as people target them for their known riches and expensive personal property. It’s a sad state of affairs, but one that is largely uncontrollable.Even while classical music changes — see my last post — it keeps showing why it needs to change. Case in point: the cover of a CD that came in the mail:
Ugly! And completely unconvincing, if we’re supposed to believe this recording is anything we’d want to hear. The conductor looks like he’s a stiff 14 year-old. The cellist looks blah. The, um, artistic device of putting the orchestra in black and white while the conductor and soloist are in color doesn’t work, because the conductor and soloist don’t stand out enough. (And what are the Indianapolis musicians. Chopped liver? This is unfair to them.)
So just to be clear…I don’t mean to single out Telarc, which released the CD, or the conductor, or the cellist, or the Indianapolis Symphony. I’m not saying this is a bad CD. The cellist, whom I’ve heard, is very fine, and (as you’d never guess from his photo) makes a big impression on audiences.
Nor am I saying that this cover is worse than other classical CD covers. Which is in fact my point. Classical CD covers are fairly uniformly terrible. And often dumb. Maybe the dumbest in recent memory was a CD titled Notable Women, whose cover photo showed two women and a man. Yes, they were the musicians playing on the CD, so that’s why they were on the cover, and the music they were playing was written by women, hence the title. So everything made a literal-minded kind of sense, but — or so it seemed — nobody stopped to think that the title and photo set up a very silly contradiction.
And that’s what I want to suggest here. That nobody thinks about these things in the most important way they should be thought of, as a communication sent out by the record company and the artists, aimed at people who might want to buy the recording. Nobody making the CD — or so it seems to me — feels the presence of a market, of an active connection between the recording and people out in the world who might be made to care about it.
And that, I think, is that, deep in their hearts, the people making the record and running the record company don’t believe the anyone really cares. Yes, the orchestra can use the recording in its PR work, and surely the cellist has a few fans. And maybe, just maybe, someone in the media — at the Indianapolis newspaper, at NPR, at a classical music magazine — might say a few words, sparking (let’s guess) 10 or 20 sales. (Remember that the top-selling classical CDs sell just a few hundred copies in their biggest week. Anything not at the top of the classical charts is down in double digits — on a good week.)
Now, I know that we don’t have record stores |
.html
/libs/cq/core/content/welcome.html
Image 1.2: Default path to the installed packages.
Image 1.3: Default link to Adobe CQ Instance Login page
To further reduce your work, here is one very useful utility in identifying the version of your CQ instance. Below is a Ruby-based script which find outs the version of the CQ instance from the Welcome Screen.
require "rubygems" require "net/http" require "uri" if ARGV.length < 3 puts "cqversion.rb username password http://localhost:4502" else username = ARGV[0] password = ARGV[1] host = ARGV[2] uri = URI.parse(host+"/libs/cq/core/content/welcome.html") http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port) request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri.request_uri) request.basic_auth username, password response = http.request(request) if response.code == "200" puts /Version [0-9\.a-zA-Z ]*/.match(response.body) else puts "failed to get version number - http error code: ", response.code end end
Link Source: http://ruben42.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/ruby-script-to-determine-the-version-of-a-cqaem-instance/
Check for anonymous access: The reason why we checked the above links was to find out if we can achieve some read-only access to resources. (and believe me, read-only is not that bad). Check for below mentioned paths:
/etc/packages (packages stored here)
/etc/replication (encrypted transport of user passwords.)
/apps (application resides here)
For reaching these paths, you can get your hands dirty with Google dorks, or you can use spiders.
Check for custom error pages: Put anything like redirect to the sling login screen. It must go to some custom error page. We have identified such issues very commonly. It can be something like the one shown in image 1.4.
Put anything like http://example.com/no_valid_page. This must not
Image 1.4: Server Version Disclosure because of Missing Custom Error Handler
Check for OSGI Configuration: You can find out whether the OSGI Configuration has been done or not. For this, make these two GET requests to the server:
http://yourwebsite/somepage?wcmmode=edit
http://yourwebsite/somepage?debug=layout
If there is some change in the page, it means that the OSGI configuration is not implemented, which can be exploited by an attacker. More about OSGI: http://www.osgi.org.
Check for WebDav: Metasploit contains an auxiliary module for this, named webdav_scanner. You can use this this module for testing that webdav is disabled or not. Options which need and do not need to be filled can be seen in the below image 1.5.
Image 1.5: Options for webdav_scanner Metasploit module.
Check for XSS: Cross-site scripting (XSS) allows attackers to inject code into web pages viewed by other users. This security vulnerability can be exploited by malicious web users to bypass access controls. CQ applies the principle of filtering all user-supplied content upon output. Either the XSS filter is on, or admin has not configured it. So test XSS as you generally test for in any web applications. You can also check for XSS config file (if left open). One such example of this config file can be seen in the image 1.6 below. /cq/libs/cq/xssprotection/config.xml
Image 1.6: Default access and path to config.xml file.
Check for ClickJacking: ClickJacking (User Interface redress attack, UI redress attack, UI redressing) is a
ClickJacking (User Interface redress attack, UI redress attack, UI redressing) is a malicious technique of tricking a Web user into clicking on something different from what the user perceives they are clicking on, thus potentially revealing confidential information or taking control of their computer while clicking on seemingly innocuous web pages. The attacker basically loads the site in an iframe, which is invisible, and puts some other things on the page which are visible. Then he would put some bait to the victim, so that he clicks on that particular object on the page and thus submits the request through the invisible frame. For checking ClickJacking, first intercept any request from the server and find out if the site is using any X-Frame header. If not, then make a simple html page at your local system with following piece of line:
<iframe src=”http://example.com“>
If the site loads within an iframe, this seems to be an issue. If it does not load, it means the site is not vulnerable to ClickJacking. If the site loads, it would look something like the image 1.7 shown below. Why I laid emphasis on testing in an iframe is because, apart from the X-frame header countermeasure, there is another technique called frame-busting, which can be used to protect the site from loading in an iframe.
Image 1.7: Proof of concept for ClickJacking vulnerability.
Check Access to Cloud Service Information: When a CQ instance is integrated with an Adobe marketing cloud, cloud service configurations are used. This must not be publically accessible as their default permissions are “read” for everyone. If this is happening, you are lucky and try to gather as much information you can. You can get some idea from the image 1.8 below.
Image 1.8: Access to Cloud Service Information
Check if Minify has been disabled or not: Minify is implemented in Adobe CQ for removing white characters and crlf characters (i.e. %0d and %0a). CRLF stands for Carriage Return and Line Feed, which if allowed will enable an attacker to perform HTTP Response Splitting, with which he can perform a set of malicious attacks, like poisoning of the client’s Web cache, cookies, XSS, temporary or permanent defacement of web pages, and even information theft. An example of a CRLF attack may look like: http://www.yoursite.com/abcd.php?page=%0d%0aContent-Type: text/html%0d%0aHTTP/1.1 200 OK%0d%0aContent-Type: text/html%0d%0a%0d%0a%3Chtml%3EXYZ%20MALICIOUS%20CONTENT%3C/html%3E
When a victim opens this link, he will be presented with a page with XYZ MALICIOUS CONTENT. A typical CRLF post request would look like the one shown in image 1.9
Image 1.9: Typical request for CRLF attack.
Check for CSRF: Adobe CQ, if left with default settings is vulnerable to CSRF, i.e. Cross Site Request Forgery. CSRF is an attack in which attacker forces an end user to execute malicious actions on a web application in which victim is currently authenticated. With a very small amount of social engineering, an attacker can fool the victim to click on a link which has a malicious form. This form is loaded automatically as the page opens, and submits some malicious POST requests on the victim’s behalf (because he was already assigned a session). If the CSRF is successful, a whole account can be compromised by simply updating the email ID or any other user identity. In case the victim is admin, a whole app can be compromised instead.
Now even if default settings are changed, CQ has only a Referer filter service for protecting users from CSRF. It will allow admin to filter:
Which http methods should be filtered?
Empty referrer header can be blocked.
White list of servers can be made to be allowed.
This means that even if the Referer-based filter is implemented, you should play around with passing a different Referer and check if this is properly implemented.
So we can conclude that Adobe CQ core is very stable and much vulnerability has not been identified within the core itself. However, most of the sites using this application are vulnerable to Security Misconfigurations, which are very often left open by admins. If you are testing any Adobe CQ application, make sure you go through this checklist at least once. Apart from this, Adobe CQ uses APIs, which are also vulnerable to attacks. We will discuss those attacks in Adobe CQ Pen-testing Guide – Part II.Recently, I came across the Occupy GPL website (now redirecting to choosealicense, here is a mirror), that was aimed at exposing reasons against the use of the GNU General Public License (GPL).
Their manifesto starts by saying "The GPL is not a free license". This is because, in their opinion, "it grants different restrictions".
Let me state beforehand that I have nothing against non-copyleft free licenses. I even used them on a couple of mini projects of mine.
Now for the question: is the GPL a non-free license? In all my time as a Free Software enthusiast I asked this to myself often and at times I decided that no, the GPL was not a free license. Or at least that it was restrictive.
But I think the Occupy GPL website and the people sharing their view attack the problem from a different perspective than what the GPL actually stands for. Most of the times I read criticism towards the GPL (or copyleft licenses in general) it comes from the point of view of developers. That is, if I am a developer that wants to incorporate GPL code inside my proprietary software, I'm not free to do it.
Another quip from the Occupy GPL website is that GPL'ed code hinders potential collaborators. If a company wants to use GPL'ed code to develop their proprietary programs, they can't, so the original developer loses a potential contributor.
Both these counter-arguments stem from a premise: that someone would want to include GPL code inside proprietary software. That is exactly what the GPL was created to avoid. If proprietary developers find a GPL library useful for their work, they have two solutions:
Make their own code free Not use the library
The mentality by which we should compromise our core tenet to please the proprietary world (and, thus, gain acceptance and collaboration) is what spun the Open Source movement. Sure, the free software community got a lot more contribution, but what actually happened is that proprietary companies took free sofware and used it to create walled gardens. The most infamous example has to be Apple. So yes, the free software community actually got more contributions, but do we live in a world that is more free because of this? I don't think so...
The point to remember is that Free Software is not meant to make other developers free to use the code. It's chiefly meant to help the users, who now have software that is guaranteed to be and stay free. The so-called permissive licenses are not meant for this goal.
In conclusion, if you think you may achieve more contributions and technical superiority by using a permissive license (which is debatable, see for example how the Linux kernel contributions and overall quality don't seem to be hindered by its use of the GPL), sure, absolutely go for it.
But if you care about long-term freedom in computing, I urge you to choose a copyleft license, such as the GPL, for your work.On Nov. 23, President Barack Obama pardoned the National Thanksgiving Turkey in a ceremony in the Rose Garden. The President celebrated the 69th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation, reflected upon the time-honored traditions of Thanksgiving and wished American families a safe and healthy holiday. The 2016 National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate – Tator and Tot - were hatched and raised in Iowa.
After the pardoning, the turkeys will be on display for visitors at their permanent home at Virginia Tech’s newly built “Gobblers Rest” exhibit where they will be cared for by students and veterinarians in the university’s Poultry Science Department.
ater and Tot are the selected names for the two Iowa turkeys raised on the Chris and Nicole Domino farm in rural Early, Iowa.
In the past, the birds have moved to a farm or historical site, but this is the first time they will live at a university. Gobblers Rest is a newly built enclosure located inside the Livestock Judging Pavilion on Plantation Road.
“Considering how Virginia Tech is not only home to the HokieBird but it is also where the modern turkey industry has its roots, it is apt that the pardoned turkeys will call Blacksburg home,” said Rami Dalloul, a poultry immunologist in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences.
Dalloul will chaperone the birds as they go through a series of official ceremonies during the week and will bring them back to Blacksburg after the White House event. Dalloul is a world-renowned poultry immunologist who, a few years ago, sequenced the turkey genome, which opened the door to new levels of understanding of the birds as well as genetics.
You can follow along on social media using #TurkeyPardon2016 to go behind the scenes at the White House ceremony and follow the turkeys on their journey.
The public can visit the turkeys from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 25-26 at the Livestock Judging Pavilion, 445 Plantation Rd., Blacksburg, Va.Illustrations of the optics and structure of the two 2.4-meter telescopes donated to NASA by the NRO last year. NASA is studying whether to use these telescopes for WFIRST or other missions. (credit: NASA) The future of space telescopes beyond JWST
The space telescope has a long history, as astronomers endeavored to place instruments above the blurring, light-absorbing atmosphere to observe phenomena that could not be seen as well—or at all—from the ground. That potential has been best realized by the Hubble Space Telescope, which, for over 20 years, has shown what a space telescope can do to fields ranging from planetary astronomy to cosmology. And, as Hubble continues to operate perhaps until late this decade, astronomers are planning for the next-generation space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is overcoming past schedule and cost issues as it advances towards a late 2018 launch (see “A space telescope stays the course”, The Space Review, January 28, 2013). But what comes after JWST? Astronomers have no shortage of ideas for a follow-on generation of space telescopes, either bigger than JWST or with other features that set them apart from other space or ground-based telescopes. There is, though, a shortage of money to implement these ideas. The long-term future of space astronomy may thus rely on a variety of unconventional approaches, from “gifted” mirrors to a technology testbed on the International Space Station. WFIRST and AFTA Astronomers do have consensus on what the next major flagship astrophysics mission should be. In the latest astrophysics decadal survey, astronomers identified as the top priority large mission a proposal called the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, or WFIRST. This mission was an amalgam of several separate proposals considered during the decadal survey, resulting in a mission capable of work ranging from microlensig detections of extrasolar planets to studies of dark energy. “If we can start a large mission, that large mission is WFIRST,” Hertz said, cautioning there was no guarantee “the people who hold the gateways to our budget” would be willing to do so. The problem with WFIRST is not the science, but the funding. NASA’s budgets, and the demands on it, particularly from JWST, have made it difficult for NASA to implement WFIRST and other recommendations from that decadal report. “It is not possible for us to implement the decadal survey as written,” said Paul Hertz, head of NASA’s astrophysics division, in a presentation to a joint meeting of three program analysis groups (PAGs) that provide advice to the agency last month in Long Beach, California. NASA’s astrophysics budget is going up overall, he said, but “the requirement to complete successfully JWST have increased substantially” beyond what was planned when the decadal report was written. Spending on JWST will ramp down starting in fiscal year 2017, as the telescope nears completion. That opens up a funding “wedge” starting that year for a new astrophysics project. Hertz said that NASA is conducting a number of studies of mission concepts scheduled to be completed by 2015, in time to support a decision on what mission NASA should include in its FY2017 budget request that will be released in early 2016. Hertz indicated that WFIRST remained the agency’s top choice to be that next mission, but warned that the money—or the willingness to embark on another flagship-scale mission so soon after JWST—may not be there. “If we can start a large mission, that large mission is WFIRST,” Hertz said at the PAG meeting. “We cannot assume that, when we get to 2015, we will get signals from the people who hold the gateways to our budget that they are comfortable with us starting another large mission so quickly after JWST.” NASA has studied two concepts, or design reference missions (DRMs), for WFIRST. One concept, based on the design in the decadal survey report and designated DRM1, features a 1.3-meter telescope with imaging and spectroscopic instruments, launched to the Earth-Sun L2 point on an Atlas V for a five-year mission. That mission has an estimated cost of about $1.6 billion. An alternative concept, called DRM2, uses a smaller 1.1-meter telescope but more advanced detectors, and could be launched to L2 on a Falcon 9 for a three-year mission. Its estimated cost is $1.1 billion. There is a third option for WFIRST, though. Last June, NASA announced it had been given, at no cost to the space agency, a pair of 2.4-meter optical systems from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Shortly thereafter, NASA established a new science definition team to examine using one of those NRO telescopes for WFIRST. The WFIRST Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (AFTA) team is expected to complete their study of the feasibility and cost of this approach by the end of April. Using the NRO telescope offers a number of scientific advantages, scientists said during a meeting about WFIRST during the American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting last month in Long Beach. In addition to the larger mirror, the telescope has a point spread function—a measure of how sharp its images are—up to 2.2 times better than the current two WFIRST DRMs. “I think you’re looking at improved dark energy and microlensing performance,” said David Spergel, a Princeton University astronomer who is co-chairing the WFIRST AFTA study. It would also be very complementary to ESA’s planned Euclid mission, which will also study dark energy at infrared wavelengths; Euclid, he said, would make a wider survey but not as deep as the AFTA version of WFIRST. Ironically, while Spergel said this version of WFIRST might provide more science for the money than the two other DRMs for the mission, it might not be cheaper. He said having the telescope optics already available would make the mission faster to develop, but not necessary less expensive. “Well, this is a big telescope,” he said, “so it may not be cheaper.” He offered no estimate of how much more expensive the AFTA WFIRST might be to either DRM; an independent cost estimate is slated to be completed at the same time the science team concludes their work in April. Other uses for “free” telescopes Regardless of the decision on whether or not to use an NRO telescope for WFIRST, there will still be at least one Hubble-class optics system available for another mission. The gifting of these systems to NASA has triggered a wave of interest in the astronomical community on how to use these “free” systems for a wide range of missions, even though there’s no indication of budgets or schedules for flying them. “Well, this is a big telescope,” Spergel said of using an NRO telescope for WFIRST, “so it may not be cheaper.” In late November, NASA issued a request for information (RFI) for an effort it calls the Study on Applications of Large Space Optics, or SALSO. “The goal of the overall study is to gather and assess concepts for possible utilization of the recently acquired systems for Agency goals aligned with 5 principal areas; space technology, human exploration and operations, heliophysics, planetary science, and astrophysics,” the RFI stated. (It specifically excluded WFIRST, because of the separate ongoing AFTA study.) “The administrator has said that we’re doing these near-term rapid studies to determine whether or not the agency wants to continue studying and considering keeping them for a future mission,” Hertz said of the NRO telescopes at the PAG meeting last month. The RFI deadline passed in early January, and NASA selected nearly three dozen concepts to be presented and discussed at a two-day workshop this week in Huntsville. The selected presentations run the gamut from ultraviolet astronomy to studies of and searches for exoplanets to a space situational awareness instrument to track orbital debris. “Coming out that workshop, a steering committee will identify of order half a dozen interesting, notional ideas to use them for,” Hertz said. NASA would then fund “quick architectural studies” of those concepts that would be completed in time for planning for the fiscal year 2015 budget proposal, to see if further studies of those concepts should be funded. Hertz cautioned that there is no guarantee that, even if some of the ideas that come out of the SALSO effort are both scientifically interesting and technically feasible, they’ll be funded any time soon. “There is no budget wedge for using these telescopes,” he said. “No money comes along with them, but to see if they help us do more with less, that’s what we’re trying to figure out right now.” Astronomy and technology on the ISS However, even the most innovative uses of the NRO telescopes are unlikely to satisfy astronomers’ desires for bigger telescopes that can collect more light and thus detect fainter objects. While space-based telescopes larger than JWST are, for now, little more than figments in the imaginations of astronomers, some are attempting to lay the technological foundation for such future super space telescopes. “Even if this got a green light in 2020,” Postman said of proposed large space telescopes, “you’re still not going to launch this thing until some time in the 2030s.” One such effort is called the Optical Testbed and Integration on ISS eXperiment, or OpTIIX (pronounced either “OP-ticks” or “op-TEEKs”.) The program would develop a 1.5-meter telescope using modular components, including a segmented mirror, assembled robotically on the ISS to test technologies and techniques that could be used for future large space telescopes. OpTIIX would not be primarily a scientific observatory, but could be used for some research, as well as educational outreach, once assembled. While telescopes that may make use of these technologies are many years, perhaps decades into the future, there’s reason now to support efforts like OpTIIX. “If you want to get started on those missions, the next big hurdle is the 2020 decadal, so you want to be able to have some of these technologies ready by then,” said Marc Postman of the Space Telescope Science Institute at a session of the AAS meeting last month. “You also don’t want to lose the opportunity to take advantage of the ISS, which itself is not going to last forever. So it seems like this is a prime decade to make use of that platform.” Among the technologies that OpTIIX would examine are lightweight “active hybrid” mirrors capable of changing their shape to correct optical errors after launch, yet weigh less than 25 kilograms per square meter. Putting the telescope together on the ISS would test robotic assembly of large telescopes, as well as the ability to service them. Engineers are also looking at ways to add a “decent” camera to the system, said Renaud Goullioud of JPL, perhaps using a detector provided by the Naval Research Laboratory from the recently-canceled Joint Milli-Arcsecond Pathfinder Survey (JMAPS) mission. Unfortunately for the project’s advocates, OpTIIX is currently on hold. The effort ran out of money at the end of fiscal year 2012, just after successfully completing a preliminary design review. Continuing work on OpTIIX, though the launch of its components on ISS commercial resupply flights, would cost about $125 million and take 40 months. “In the longer term, it’s a first step towards building some of these large UV/optical telescopes that we think will answer some fundamental astrophysics,” Postman said. But like so many other space projects, patience is advised. “Even if this got a green light in 2020,” Postman said of proposed large space telescopes, “you’re still not going to launch this thing until some time in the 2030s.” HomeWe are built to admire. We crave it. There are plenty of stars and icons, yet we keep looking for the next one to fall from the sky (or our Instagram feeds). Like Lily-Rose Depp: 16 years-old, divine ancestry (she's Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis' daughter), heavenly cheekbones and the world's coolest social media presence and a burgeoning film career. She's a beautiful it-girl for the internet age.
"I grew up with the media circus." She explains. "My whole life. My parents were very calm about the photographers, the fans. But I understood right away that I hadn't done anything to deserve that attention. No matter what happens, it will be there. I didn't choose it. You just can't take that too seriously. You need to live your life and stay calm."
Lily-Rose has calmness in spades when we meet her backstage after the Chanel runway show, surrounded by a circle of whimpering admirers. Not just any admirers, but it-girls in their own right like Kendall and Cara. It was six months ago (an eternity in Internet Time), at the Chanel Métiers d'Art event, that she made her first big appearance. Since then, she's booked a Chanel campaign, as well as two major roles in French films, Rebecca Zlotowski's Planetarium with Natalie Portman and The Dancer with Soko.
So she's a pro backstage now, though, at her third runway show. Lily-Rose smiles politely, her posture superstraight in a strapless top, her bun high on her head. Kaiser Karl keeps a watchful eye on her from a distance, Vanessa keeps an eye on her from a bit closer. "For now, what I like most is making films," says Lily-Rose. When we ask if she plans on a long career in the cinema, she shrugs and smiles: "I'm a Gemini, very spontaneous. For now, I'm having fun doing it, we'll see what happens later." Nonchalantly, lightly, she's making her own way in the world.
Credits
Text Tess Lochanski
Photography Angelo PennettaPlease enable Javascript to watch this video
ST. LOUIS (KTVI) - Governor Eric Greitens says his team has won a tough round in a long fight to lead Missouri in a new direction.
“This was the most successful start to a conservative administration in generations in Missouri,” said Gov. Eric Greitens.
The governor says his team is taking on the establishment.
“Have we angered some career politicians? Absolutely! Upset some? Absolutely! I didn't come to join them, I came to beat them,” said Gov. Eric Greitens.
Greitens has strong support and heavy criticism. Case in point, his ban on construction project labor agreements which he says protects taxpayers.
“You had politicians, who were cutting sweet labor deals with union bosses,that drove up costs of construction. Now theres a level playing field,” said Gov. Eric Greitens.
Greitens says Smith and Wesson is coming, plus a new steel mill. He adds that CEOs from across the world are calling him about Missouri. However, he also made major cuts across the board which have been felt by many organizations.
“We had a simple choice, either raise taxes and pay for mistakes of politicians, or cut spending. I know it didn't make everyone happy," said Gov. Eric Greitens.
He does add that they were able to keep funding their priorities like law enforcement. A major complaint from critics is that Greitens ran for office claiming transparency. However, they say he isn't doing that with both of his committees.
"Wouldn't it be easier to say, 'Here's where I get my donations from?” asked FOX 2's Vic Faust.
Greitens replied, “You've got folks in the liberal media who are out of touch and have lost their minds. Now they are opposed to the first amendment."
The governor has one committee, like all politicians. Donors are disclosed. However, another committee was set up by his campaign manager called "A New Missouri." It is a 501 that Greitens campaigns for. By law, donors names are not public information and critics say it doesn't look good.
“Is there anything you can do to help our mayor keep police in the city and get better ones as well?" asked FOX 2's Vic Faust.
Greitens replied, “Our team has been meeting with the mayor and chief about getting state resources and federal resources.”
Frustrated that lawmakers couldn't pass what Greitens calls simple legislation to bring a steel mill to Missouri, he says he did something that he will do again if needed.
“Instead what I did was cancel their vacation and brought them back. I said do your job. We got the job done," said Gov. Eric Greitens.US President Donald Trump signs an executive order for a travel ban, at the Pentagon in January.
During spring break, Canadian families used to pile the kids into a tour bus and head to New York to see the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center and other attractions. It was the start of the busy season for Comfort Tour, a Toronto-based company that usually brought between 200 and 300 tourists to New York in March.
This year, 11 people have signed up for the tours.
"Even white, Anglo-Saxon people, who are most of our customers, they are afraid of crossing the border," said Al Qanun, manager and part owner of the travel agency. "They don't want to end up in some prison."
The fallout from President Donald Trump's executive orders limiting travel from some Middle Eastern and African countries is having far-reaching implications for US tourism
READ MORE:
* Atmosphere of intolerance says: 'That's OK, that's acceptable now'
* Mosques get threatening letters
* American Muslims raise more than $116k for vandalised Jewish cemetery
* Trump signs new Muslim travel ban: Iraqis now OK, refugee restrictions
It is not just visitors from the countries targeted by the bans that are souring on U.S. travel; the seven countries included in Trump's original order in January account for 0.1 per cent of incoming travellers. Rather, an atmosphere of fear at the nation's airports - and well-publicized incidents of visitors being detained and interrogated - are scaring off people without the slightest connection to the Muslim world.
"Think twice about visiting America if you don't want the 'Mem Fox' treatment," read a recent headline in the letters column of the Australian magazine Traveller, referring to the children's book author who swore she would never return to the United States after being questioned at Los Angeles International Airport on her way to a literary conference.
The Toronto Star newspaper in late January published a commentary calling on Canadians to forgo unnecessary trips to the US until Trump is out of office.
Ana Teran, an essayist and short-story writer from Mexico City, used to make three or four trips per year to the US, where she lived and studied in the past.
On her last trip, a weekend visit in mid-February to see a friend who had a heart attack, she said she was pulled out of a line at Dulles International Airport outside and made to sit three hours before she was finally admitted. She was only briefly questioned and not given any explanation about why she was held, although she assumed it was because of her Mexican passport.
"I was going to make another trip to Miami to visit my sister, who just bought an apartment there," Teran said.
"But not now. Not after what I went through."
An economic consulting company that has crunched the numbers from various airline and travel booking websites projects that the US will lose 6.3 million visits by the end of next year, which translates into $10.8 billion in spending. What the company, Tourism Economics of Wayne, Pa., is calling "Trump-induced losses" could affect an estimated 90,000 Americans whose jobs are directly or indirectly dependent on tourism.
"It doesn't take very much uncertainty or antipathy to influence decisions away from a given travel destination," said Adam Sacks, the company's president.
"Ultimately, destinations and companies are in the business of building a brand and a message that is welcoming.... All the 'America first' rhetoric in various policy areas like trade, diplomacy and immigration is conveying the exact opposite."
Among the cities that stand to lose the most are New York, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco. New York expects to lose 300,000 foreign tourists this year, a big worry because foreigners drop the big money, spending about four times as much as domestic tourists, officials said.
The city recently rolled out a new campaign that - without mentioning Trump's name - tries to distance the city from its native son.
"People know that New York is a city of immigrants, that we pride ourselves on diversity and tolerance. But Trump is also from New York, so who knows if that has created confusion," said Christopher Heywood, senior vice president of NYC & Co., the city's official tourism agency.
Heywood was speaking from Berlin, where a major travel trade show, ITB Berlin, is being held, with the U.S. political situation one of the main topics of discussion among participants.
"It is a perception challenge," he said.
"People worry what will happen to them at the border. They worry if their cellphone will be searched, what (passwords for) websites they will be asked to jot down."
A survey released Wednesday by the Washington-based Global Business Travel Association found that 45 per cent of European business travel professionals say they are less likely to schedule meetings or events in the US.
"There is no doubt that these travel bans will have an impact on (economic activity) and jobs," said Michael McCormick, executive director of the association.
Trump issued a new order last Monday that removed Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens are barred from entering the US and clarified some of the confusion arising from his original order. Nevertheless, travellers' horror stories are mounting, giving many prospective tourists pause.
"I felt like I had been physically assaulted, which is why, when I got to my hotel room, I completely collapsed and sobbed like a baby," Fox told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation after her interrogation last month. "And I'm 70 years old."
Henry Rousso, French historian and Holocaust expert, and Muhammad Ali Jr., the son of the late boxer and a U.S. citizen, have also complained of aggressive airport questioning (twice, in Ali's case).
A laboratory technician born in Canada to Indian immigrant parents was held for six hours last weekend and turned back when she tried to go with her friends to a spa weekend in Vermont. She told the Canadian media that her friends, who are white, were not challenged.
For Canadian tour bus operator Qanun, the difficulties at the border present a dilemma. If one passenger on a tour is refused entry, the entire bus is delayed, and the company is responsible for bringing the person back to Toronto and issuing a refund, he said.
"In 10 years in business, we only had one case where a passenger was turned away. Now we are wary," Qanun said.
"Are we supposed to look at the names of our customers and see who is Muslim? Do we refuse to take those customers?" he asked hypothetically, because he has no intention of refusing any clients.
"I know politics is politics, but whenever Trump opens his mouth, it shakes our business."
* Comments have now closed.Microsoft said it has attracted a number of new partners since offering Windows free for devices with screens smaller than nine inches.
Windows chief Terry Myerson said Tuesday that 50 new companies have started making Windows-based phones and tablets since the free Windows program was announced earlier this year.
While Microsoft isn’t saying how it will sell Windows 10 to customers, Myerson said he expects Microsoft won’t charge device makers for using future versions of Windows on smaller devices.
“It’s going well,” Myerson told Re/code, following the company’s Windows 10 event in San Francisco. “I expect we will continue it.”
Windows Phone is now free to device makers, while PC makers can choose to make small PCs and tablets with a free version of Windows that has Microsoft’s Bing services built in.
Microsoft plans to use Windows 10 as its operating system across phones, tablets and PCs. Even Xbox will use the new code, though it has no plans to pick up the Windows brand, Myerson said.Something strange and/or awesome is going on in Overwatch now, and it’s one the more hilarious news stories I’ve followed in quite some time. For a long time now, Overwatch has been teasing the main villain of its universe, a character called Doomfist. Doomfist has actually been many characters over the years, each empowered by a gauntlet. It’s what you’re transporting in the Numbani map on the payload, and it’s the gauntlet that was shown in the very first Overwatch teaser trailer.
The point is that Doomfist, in one form or another, is almost certainly going to make his way into Overwatch. And while most of the game boasts a talented, but not terribly well-known voice cast, that may be about to change.
For reasons I still don’t fully understand, Old Spice/Expendables/Brooklyn 99 actor Terry Crews seems like he’s on the verge of getting the part. I believe this all started about a month ago when a fan on reddit made a popular thread about hoping that Crews would voice Doomfist, after the poster saw that the actor was a gamer, and seemingly an Overwatch player to boot.
Terry Crews then showed up in the thread itself to comment “I would LOVE TO PLAY DOOMFIST” and I know you just read that in his voice. That set fans buzzing and now, all of this absurdity has culminated in Terry Crews actually paying a visit to Blizzard HQ, and then subsequently posting a news article on Facebook about his visit saying “Who wants to hear me do the voice of Doomfist for real??” There are four and a half thousand comments |
think this agreement would be, you know, actually honored by a dictator. And Assad is a dictator. We also did this in tandem with the Russians, now public enemy number one, who had invaded and annexed Crimea from Ukraine that same year. The Obama administration called the action an “uncontested arrival,” and said the action was done out of weakness. Can we cue the laugh track?
It seems that even Obama officials knew this Syrian chemical weapons disarmament wasn’t going to be fully complied with, but went on television stating otherwise.
We got “100 percent” of the chemical weapons out they said.
"We always knew we had not gotten everything, that the Syrians had not been fully forthcoming in their declaration," they said.The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is the topic of discussion. The Trump administration officially announced the long-awaited rescission notice for the unconstitutional Obama-era program that shielded illegal aliens who entered the U.S. as minors from deportation as long as they paid the $495 application fee and met all the requirements (i.e. no criminal record). It’s not just conservatives who thought the executive order under Obama was on legal shaky ground. Democrats, like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA) thought so, as did CNN host Chris Cuomo. The fact is the Trump White House rightly felt that they couldn’t legally defend the order, so the option was a nationwide injunction or a gradual phasing out, with a six-month enforcement delay that affords Congress time to do something for these 800,000 illegals that is constitutionally sound. Some within the GOP, like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), want to legalize the 800,000 DREAMers, but pass the RAISE Act, which Cotton co-sponsored, that will overhaul our green card policy, stressing high-skills and impose a language requirement. It’s aimed to give cover to American workers.
The move, unsurprisingly, sent Democrats into tantrum mode, saying this was cruel and illegal, though all President Trump did was rescind an executive overreach using the exact same authority Obama did to enact this shaky program. Yet, as Democrats rail, they should be reminded that their former standard-bearer for 2016, Hillary Rodham Clinton, also felt that illegal alien children had to go back in 2014. During a CNN sit down with Christiane Amanpour, the former first lady was commenting on the then-influx of unaccompanied minors into the U.S. Clinton also stressed border security and the notion that we need to send a message that just you cross the border, doesn’t mean you’re allowed to stay outright. That’s so racist (sarc.) (via CNN) [emphasis mine]:
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Should they be able to stay here? It's safer. HILLARY CLINTON: Well -- it may be safer but that's not the answer. I do not -- AMANPOUR: Should they be sent back? CLINTON: Well, first of all, we have to provide the best emergency care we can provide. We have children 5 and 6 years old who have come up from Central America. We need to do more to provide border security in southern Mexico. AMANPOUR: So, you're saying they should be sent back now? CLINTON: Well, they should be sent back as soon as it can be determined who responsible adults in their families are, because there are concerns whether all of them should be sent back. But I think all of them who can be should be reunited with their families. And just as Vice President Biden is arguing today in Central America, we've got to do more. I started this when I was secretary to deal with the violence in this region to deal with border security. But we have so to send a clear message, just because your child gets across the border, that doesn't mean the child gets to stay. So, we don't want to send a message that is contrary to our laws or will encourage more children to make that dangerous journey.
Yet, when she announced her 2016 run, Clinton did a 180-degree turn. In May of 2015, she sat down with a group of DREAMers in Rancho High School in Las Vegas, where she said it was time to offer a pathway to citizenship for these people. Clinton had announced her candidacy for the presidency in April of that year. Also in May of 2015, she also picked Lorella Praeli, a DREAMer, to head up Hispanic outreach for her 2016 campaign. And now, she’s all about DACA, despite saying she was “adamantly against illegal immigrants,” and wanted to do more on border security and cracking down on those who hire illegal aliens in 2003. Yes, you can say that Clinton’s evolution shows a woman who will say anything to win an election. It also shows the Democratic Party’s progression from pragmatism to insanity on the issue.
Thanks to DREAMers' courage & resolve, #DACA has allowed thousands of young people to contribute to our society. We're better for it. -H — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 15, 2015
(H/T Mediaite)Neo moved through the fairgrounds unnoticed. Using her illusions, she could hide in plain sight, becoming another face in the crowd. And she had experience at moving unseen. It was an invaluable skill, out on the streets where she'd spent most of her childhood. Most people passed you by anyway, hardly taking notice of another homeless child. A disguise was more than just appearance, though, one needed to act as if though they belonged, to stride with purpose. Head towards their destination with intent.
The only problem was, Neo couldn't find her destination. The guest dorms were somewhere, she knew, but it wasn't as if she could ask for directions, so she'd wandered aimlessly. She supposed she could text Emerald or Mercury with her Scroll, but she wanted to avoid the two as much as possible.
Neo suddenly grunted as she turned a corner and ran into someone. She stepped back, then looked up to see her old rival the blonde. Her first instinct was to raise her defenses, but she fought that down and relaxed as the blonde turned around and looked down at her. When no sign of recognition crossed her face, Neo smiled up at her apologetically.
"Sorry, I didn't see you there!" the blonde said "Are you here for the festival?"
Neo nodded. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed nervously. Though the chance of the girl recognizing her was slim, it grew more likely the longer Neo went without speaking. She was also hoping to find a way out of the conversation before she was forced to respond. She just couldn't speak, not to anyone other than Roman. She didn't trust anyone, she couldn't after what she had been through. Years of hunger, cold, and a constant fight of survival had stripped that away from her.
"I'm Yang Xiao Long. What's your name?"
Damn.
Neo closed her eyes. She felt a stab of anxiety, an almost desperate need to run and hide. Still, she had to cover her tracks. Cinder would not tolerate failure. She opened her mouth, and was about to force herself to speak when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Yang! I see you've met my teammate!"
Neo looked up to see Emerald, smiling at Yang in a familiar way.
"This is...Florence. Sorry, she's really shy."
Neo blushed. Emerald began to steer her away from Yang, smiling over her shoulder. Yang returned the smile and waved goodbye.
"Oh...well, see you around then! I'll keep an eye out for you in the tournament!"
Neo took a deep breath to calm herself as Emerald led her through a set of double doors into the school. Once there, Emerald suddenly turned and pushed her against the wall.
"What is wrong with you!? Do you want to blow our cover before the tournament even starts?"
Neo slipped out of Emerald's grasp and reached for the hidden blade she kept stowed at the back of her belt. While one hand stayed on the handle of the blade, the other pulled out her Scroll.
[You're not my boss, Sustrai. I don't answer to you.]
Emerald scowled and turned on her heel, most likely towards the dorms. Neo slowly took her hand off her hidden blade and followed her.
"Your little bit of stage fright back there could have cost us everything. You're lucky Cinder finds you useful."
Neo rolled her eyes and turned her Scroll over in her hands. Emerald's thinly-veiled threats meant nothing to her. From Cinder, sure, but Neo knew the thief would never act without her superior's orders. Neo was safe, so long as she stuck to her part of the plan.
"Look just stay in your room and don't talk to anyone. Shouldn't be hard for you right?" Emerald asked sharply. Neo gave her a sickly-sweet smile and made a note to make Emerald pay for the jab later.
She didn't intend to work for Cinder forever, after all.
/
Neo sat in the ambulance driver's seat and watched the footage play back again. She had missed witnessing Yang Xiao Long's finals match firsthand, but the footage was all over the RemNet. Neo watched intently as Yang blocked, dodged, and generally performed far, far better against Mercury than she had back on the train.
Where was this skill before? Were you really that angry?
Yang was even more fearsome when her Semblance was activated. She gave off that same firey glow, and when she waded back into the fight, she continued to dodge and block, while every punch had even more force behind it. It was no surprise that Mercury was defeated handily.
Neo almost felt cheated. If only Yang had controlled her anger, their fight on the train could have been glorious, strength pitted against dexterity, two skilled opponents engaged in a dangerous dance...instead, Yang's anger had made her sloppy. Perhaps Yang had learned in the time since their last match, but judging by her fight against the two Atlesians, Neo wasn't so sure...
Neo watched as the cameras kept rolling after the end of the fight. She knew that what she was watching didn't match up with what actually happened. The world thought Yang mercilessly attacked a defeated opponent, when in reality Emerald had used her Semblance to trick her into thinking Mercury had attacked her.
Neo...wasn't sure how she felt about that. Aside from not liking Emerald or Mercury on principle, she didn't think Yang deserved it. Sure, Neo was no stranger to using her own illusions in combat, but the purpose here hadn't been to defeat Yang, but to destroy her reputation, hurt her emotionally, and undermine her confidence. It just didn't seem...sporting.
Neo looked up. Cinder was walking towards her, putting a sway in her hips as always. Neo shut off her scroll and put it away. She noticed Cinder had her own scroll in her hands. No...this one was glowing red.
"Neo. Tomorrow is our big day. Are you ready to get Roman back?"
Neo's eyes went wide, and she nodded. Anything, anything to see Roman again, to know he was there to keep her safe! Cinder smirked and held out the scroll in her hands.
"Good. You'll be infiltrating the airship where he's being held captive...and while you're up there, you'll be making good use of this."
Neo looked at the screen. Set against the red background was the silhouette of a chess piece. A black queen, to be exact.
/
Another Atlesian soldier went down before her, and she finished him off with a swift downward stab. Neo grinned as she felt the adrenaline hit her brain.
If there was one thing she loved, it was the feeling of victory. She reveled in it. As long as she could kill, she would never have to worry about being that scared little girl who had barely survived on the streets. She'd never have to be powerless again.
These people were the enemy. They had taken Roman from her, and if she had to kill them to get him back, then so be it. She straightened herself, relishing the feeling of victory. The airship was designed to be crewed by a minimal number of soldiers, only twenty or so. That had been more than enough for Neo to take down, in ones and twos, even five at a time.
As the adrenaline faded from her system, she found her way to the prisoner's quarters. Breaking open the locker that held his hat and weapon was simple. From there, she located his cell and used the keycard taken from the captain's body to open it, revealing her old partner, Roman Torchwick.
"Well...it's about time," he said as he saw her. Neo smiled and handed him his hat and cane.
"Been practicing that one?" she asked quietly. He laughed and swept her up in a hug. She smiled and returned the gesture, giggling as he ruffled her hair.
"I missed you, kiddo. How've you been these last few weeks?"
Neo rolled her eyes.
"Terrible. Cinder's a pain, and the other two are worse."
Roman frowned.
"Well, tell you what. Let's finish this job, and then we'll see if we can't get this airship somewhere far, far away."
Neo's heart practically leapt out of her chest.
/
Neo watched as Roman fiddled with the controls. She wasn't even paying attention to what he was doing, she just loved watching him. After being held in that tiny cell, he was finally free, and he was no doubt enjoying it even more than she was. And now he was blasting the Atlesians out of the sky. No doubt Roman was finally getting some catharsis out of his weeks of imprisonment.
Personally, Neo had wanted to come to grips with Yang again, but the prospect of getting away from Cinder for good was enough for Neo to pass up on their rematch.
She watched as Roman directed the Atlesian robots in their battle below. She was sure there was some poetic irony in Atlas' reliance on machines being their downfall, but she left such musings to Cinder and her crew. What mattered was that the plan was working. Beacon at least would fall. A shame for Yang and her friends, but Neo tried not to make that her concern.
Really, Neo had very little personally invested in this fight. She didn't care about Cinder or the plan or whatever the White Fang were about. All she wanted was for her and Roman to get away safe and sound, just like they always had. Well, that and maybe have a few good fights along the way. Nothing made her feel more alive than dancing with death.
A loud thump on the outer hull of the airship broke Neo out of her thoughts. Roman sighed and waved at her.
"Go see what that is."
Neo smiled at Roman, nodded smartly, and turned to make her way to the access hatch.
/
"I may be a gambling man, but even I know there are some bets you just don't take!"
Neo felt like she was unstoppable. The little girl in the red hood who had given her and Roman so much trouble over the past year was hanging from the edge of the airship, she was riding high on the feeling of victory, and Roman was right there with her. The two had fought like a well-oiled machine. Despite the fact that Grimm swarmed through the air around him, she knew that with Roman she would be safe.
She stalked forward, extending the blade of her parasol and dragging it along the roof of the airship. Sparks danced around her feet as she approached Little Red.
"Like it or not, the people that hired me are going to change the world!"
Neo stood on the edge of the airship, the tip of her misericorde inches from Ruby's face. All she had to do was wait for Roman to give her the signal, and that would be the end. She took in every last detail of the girl's frightened face, savoring the power she had over her. It would be so easy to finish her off...
"You can't stop them, I can't stop them, and you know the old saying: If you can't beat 'em -"
Suddenly, Ruby lunged forward, pressing the button on Neo's parasol and opening it up. She had time for a brief gasp of fear as she realized what was happening, then the wind filled her parasol and dragged her off the airship.
"Neo!"
The last thing she heard was him yelling her name in despair, then the fierce winds buffeted her, carrying her away from the only person who had ever loved her.Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like. Close
In recent semesters, Appalachian State University has worked to address a lack of campus diversity. This semester, the university is unveiling six initiatives designed to change its culture and improve its diversity.
The initiatives are the result of collaboration between administrative offices such as the Office of Multicultural Student Development, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance, and various student groups which also offered input into the planning of the initiatives, such as the Appalachian Social Justice Educators, the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board, The Black Student Association and more.
“Many of the student groups that I work with in MSD played a role [in creating the initiatives],” said Everette Nichols, the interim assistant director of multicultural student development. “Last year we had a number of students attend the Black Lives Matter conference in Arizona and they came back with multiple ideas regarding material they learned at the conference.”
One of the initiatives will expand upon a formal mentoring program for minority students at Appalachian State. The program is available to students who are members of the LEAD program.
In the past, upperclassmen students have mentored underclassmen students in LEAD. Now, another tier to the program is being added and the upperclassmen will also receive mentoring. The students will fill out a questionnaire about their plans for the future and then be given a professional mentor based off that information.
“I think that this is incredibly invaluable,” said Bindu Jayne, the associate vice chancellor for equity, diversity and compliance. “We want to make sure that our upperclassmen students are being mentored about what identity groups they belong to and what aspirations they have.”
The second initiative will provide mandatory training on inclusion and diversity for faculty members.
“The goal is to have conversations about what personal steps we all can take to be cognizant of how inclusive of an environment we are creating,” Jayne said.
Jayne said the initiative was inspired by a similar training program at Appalachian State.
“Last year we had interpersonal violence training for all supervisors, and through that we trained roughly 780 faculty and staff members,” Jayne said. “That model was incredibly successful. We got lots of positive feedback from the faculty who went to that training, so we’re essentially using the same model.”
Jayne said the only thing left for the commission to do is to hire the educator who will provide the training.
Another initiative will provide a bias incident response process. If students, faculty, or staff feel that they are the victims of discrimination or harassment, they can file a complaint online or in person at the Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance. Their response will then be addressed by a team of staff members from the various offices responsible for the creation of the initiatives, and they will decide on the proper course of action.
Another initiative will expand on the exit interview process for faculty and staff. Currently, Appalachian State surveys departing staff members to see why they’re leaving. However, this process isn’t available to most of the faculty. This initiative will provide all faculty members with the opportunity to complete an exit interview.
“We want to see why they’re leaving, and if there’s anything we could have done to retain them,” Jayne said. “Once we have that data we can start discussing possible changes in policies. It’s also important for us to tease out the demographics of the faculty and staff members that are leaving and figure out why they’re leaving.”
The last two initiatives deal with improving search committees to increase the diversity among the faculty members. The first initiative will be an online training module to educate search committees on the ways implicit biases affect search processes. The other initiative will provide face-to-face education to go more in-depth.
Jayne said the six initiatives are all close to being ready, and should be implemented this semester.
Nichols said he thinks these initiatives will cause gradual change rather than immediate change. He believes it’s important that these changes are gradual in order to change mindsets.
“Nothing instant ever lasts long,” Nichols said. “We need to change the overall culture at App and then the diversity will improve.”
Jayne believes it’s a necessity to improve the diversity on Appalachian State’s campus, not only for the benefit of minority students, but also for the benefit of the entire university.
“One of the goals of higher education is to prepare our students to go off and do amazing work all over the country,” Jayne said. “In order to do that we need to have students who are prepared to think in a diverse manner and also engage with diverse populations of people, and we can’t do that if we don’t have it.”
Story by Tommy Culkin, Senior News ReporterMembers of an Internet support community called Medvedev's Girls attend a meeting with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin on November 9, 2011. (Reuters)
Whenever I write about homophobia in Russia, several readers invariably leave comments defending the country's approach to gay rights:
"Why is everybody here talking about homophobia? We don't have phobia (an irrational and unjustified fear) to homos in Russia. It is just a natural disgust to perversion and desire to protect our children against it," one wrote.
Oh, I see. You don't fear gay people, you just think they're gross. Guess it's time to run a big ol' retraction.
Elsewhere, like when my articles about opposition figures are translated and posted on Russian news sites, the comments get downright personal and anti-Semitic.
I don't get too worked up—Internet haters gonna hate, as we all know—but given the outlandishness of their responses (even their fellow angry commenters often try to take them down a notch), it leaves me wondering, "Who are these people?"
Now, it seems, we have an answer to where some of this acrimony originates. It's of course impossible to tell whose vitriol is genuine and whose is being bankrolled, but at least some anti-Western comments appear to come from staffers the Russian government pays to sit in a room, surf the Internet, and leave sometimes hundreds of postings a day that criticize the country's opposition and promote Kremlin-backed policymakers.Andrew Schneck, who was charged with trying to bomb the Dick Dowling statue, shown in his 2009 Junior year Memorial High School yearbook in spring branch ISD. Andrew Schneck, who was charged with trying to bomb the Dick Dowling statue, shown in his 2009 Junior year Memorial High School yearbook in spring branch ISD. Photo: Handout Photo Photo: Handout Photo Image 1 of / 70 Caption Close Houston man charged with trying to plant bomb at Confederate statue in Hermann Park 1 / 70 Back to Gallery
The park ranger spotted him kneeling in the bushes by the 112-year-old Confederate statue, explosives in hand.
Was he trying to harm the statue? she asked.
Yes, he said. He didn't like the guy.
The late-night confrontation at the statue of Confederate Lt. Dick Dowling — detailed in court records by a federal agent — led to the arrest of 25-year-old Andrew Schneck, setting off a two-day operation by law enforcement that forced the evacuation of the tony Rice University neighborhood where Schneck lives with his parents.
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Bomb squad experts detonated a cache of high-powered explosives found on the property Monday afternoon as residents waited to return to their homes.
The arrest marked the latest chapter in a growing fight over Confederate statues that has sparked protests across the country, punctuated by a deadly clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Schneck, charged Monday with attempting to maliciously damage or destroy property, was ordered into federal custody pending a court hearing later this week. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
It is the second time Schneck has run afoul of federal law enforcement. He was convicted in 2014 of storing explosives at another of his parents' properties and sentenced to five years probation, but was released early last year.
Lawyers for Schneck offered few details about the case.
"This is an evolving situation, with an ongoing investigation," said Philip Hilder, who is representing Schneck and who represented him in the previous case. "It would be premature to comment at this time since we have not seen the evidence."
The white marble statue of Dowling, an Irish immigrant who lived in Houston and fought for the Confederacy, was erected in 1905 to honor rebel soldiers who died at the Battle of Sabine Pass. A street named for Dowling was changed earlier this year to Emancipation Avenue.
Schneck's arrest about 11 p.m. Saturday followed a day of protests and counter-protests over another controversial statue, the Spirit of the Confederacy, in Sam Houston Park. The "Destroy the Confederacy" protest drew hundreds but ended without incident.
Park Ranger Tamara Curtis, who was not allowed to speak to the media Monday, found Schneck near the base of the Dowling statue with two boxes filled with a homemade detonator, a timer, wiring, a battery, a bottle of nitroglycerin and an explosive organic compound known as HMTD, hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, according to the sworn statement by Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Patrick Hutchinson.
After being confronted, he tried to drink some of the liquid explosives but "immediately spit the liquid on the ground... then proceeded to pour the contents of the bottle on the ground next to him," according to the statement.
Read Full ArticleCornell University students could have all restrooms stocked with free tampons and pads thanks to a student-sponsored referendum that passed in a landslide this week.
The move comes as 78.6 per cent of more than 3,000 participants voted in favor of making the feminine sanitary products available for free in all campus bathrooms.
Students voted to have the menstrual products offered in both women's and men's restrooms on campus to be inclusive of transgender people.
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Cornell University students voted to have all campus restrooms stocked with tampons and pads thanks to a student-sponsored referendum that passed in a landslide this week
The #freethetampon initiative was introduced this week on the Student Assembly election only weeks after Brown University announced it was implementing a similar program, The Cornell Review reported.
The referendum was passed on Tuesday by the Student Assembly.
'This referendum shows that there truly is overwhelming support for this,' sophomore Matthew Indimine and Student Assembly executive vice president told The Cornell Daily Sun.
'Three thousand and thirty four students voted in favor of passing an initiative towards gender equity.
'I'm excited for the next steps, and hope that this momentum continues.'
The referendum to provide free feminie hygiene products (stock photo) in all campus bathrooms was passed on Tuesday by the Student Assembly
Student Assembly president and junior Jordan Berger said she while she was anticipated the referendum would pass, she did not expect a large margin of votes in favor of the initiative
'I worked with the Women's Resource Center to get this referendum on the ballot,' she told The Cornell Daily Sun.
'They had many supporters so I was not very surprised that it passed, but I was surprised that it passed by such a large margin.'
In statements in support of the initiative, several students wrote that menstrual products are essential and should be available for free.
In statements in support of the initiative (shown above), several students wrote that menstrual products are essential and should be available for free
As for those who voted against the initiative (shown above), some said it could make men who do not need to use the menstrual products uncomfortable
'Tampons and napkins are one in a category of supplies that are so essential, they should be available for free,' one student wrote on the Cornell Assemblies Elections page.
'It’s for the same reason that bathrooms offer free toilet paper and offices have free tissue boxes.'
Another student wrote: 'This is a basic human right, like water and shelter.'
As for those who voted against the initiative, some said it could make men who do not need to use the menstrual products uncomfortable.
'I think these products should be available in female bathrooms; however, I do not believe there should be any in male bathrooms,' one student wrote.
The argument that tampons are a necessity is one that is being made across the country in efforts to stop taxing feminine hygiene products. Pictured is a protester in New York
'If they are available in men’s bathrooms, it could make it very uncomfortable for men because they are not needing those items.
'I understand that some women identify as men and might use the men’s bathroom, but I feel that if they are on their period, they should use the women’s bathroom at those times.'
'The university has no business paying for hygiene products beyond toilet paper and soap, first of all, and second of all, men have no need for these products,' another student wrote.A teenager who went for a bath after a fishing trip had a fit and then drowned, an inquest has heard.
Joshua Mileham, 14, was found passed out in the bath by his grandparents at their home in Edenbridge, Kent, on May 31 this year.
A post-mortem conducted on June 15 revealed the cause of death to be drowning following an epileptic fit.
Joshua Mileham, 14, died after suffering an epileptic fit in the bath. He had only been diagnosed weeks before his tragic death
DI Ian Wadey of Kent Police said at an inquest yesterday that Josh had a bath after going fishing
Joshua, who lived with his grandparents after his parents died, had only been diagnosed with epilepsy just weeks before.
During an inquest held at the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone yesterday, detective inspector Ian Wadey of Kent Police said: 'Police were called to an address in Edenbridge at 11.13pm on Wednesday, May 31.
'Josh had a bath following an outdoor fishing trip, he lived with his grandmother and grandfather.
'Josh left home that day at around 5.45 hours. He returned home after being dropped off by a friend's dad and had bought a kebab and chips with him.
'After 40 minutes his grandparents went to the bathroom and found the door had been locked from the inside.'
DI Wadey went on to describe how the teenager's grandfather had performed CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
Joshua was pronounced dead at 1.37am on June 1. Senior coroner Roger Hatch proposed a conclusion of death by misadventure
Two Bridges School in Southborough issued a tribute on their website to a 'cheeky, fun-loving young man'
Upon their arrival police also attempted to perform CPR and he was subsequently taken to the East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.
Joshua was pronounced dead at 1.37am on June 1.
Senior coroner Roger Hatch proposed a conclusion of death by misadventure.
He said: 'I propose to record the death of Joshua Mileham was due to death by misadventure. I express my sympathy to Mr and Mrs Mileham.'
Two Bridges School in Southborough issued a tribute on their website to a 'cheeky, fun-loving young man'.
They said: 'Today we shared out love for Josh Mileham. Sadly this cheeky, fun-loving young man was taken from us way too soon.
'Our love for Josh and his zest for life, especially fishing, will live on in all of us.'A quirky, uniquely Portland bike ride honoring iconic musicians David Bowie and Prince will end after this year's ride.
"I think this will be the final year for Bowie vs. Prince," said ride founder Lillian Karabaic. "We can use it as an awesome send off to both their lives."
Karabaic organized the Bowie vs. Prince ride in 2008 on a whim. According to her, about 500 people showed up that first year. She estimates there were 900 people for last year's ride.
"It's just a ride where people can dress up as either Bowie or Prince and then ride around Portland, have a good-natured dance party and enjoy themselves," said Karabaic.
The death of David Bowie in January altered Karabaic's plans for this year's ride. Prince's death on Thursday altered them again.
"Me and my co-leader, with Bowie's death this year, were considering making the ride Bowie vs. Bowie," said Karabaic. "We felt like a lot of people wouldn't want to be Prince in light of it. I guess for better or worse, it's now going to be Bowie vs. Prince again."
Karabaic was thinking about ending the annual ride even before the stars' deaths. She's hoping some other event can take its place next year, but thinks it's fitting this year's bike ride will be the last.
"Bowie vs. Prince is going to be a totally different type of ride this year," she said. "It's going to be a memorial ride."
The date for this year's ride hasn't been set. You can check the Bowie vs. Prince website for updated information.Redemptorist High, Jr. High to close in 2015
BATON ROUGE - The Diocese of Baton Rouge announced Friday they would be shutting down Redemptorist High School and Junior High.
The announcement was made by Bishop Robert Muench at a press conference called Friday morning. He cited plummeting enrollment as the primary reason for the decision, and said the schools would close at the end of the current academic year.
"The decision was reached after much prayer, reflection and consultation," the bishop said. "We understand the pain, disappointment and hardship this decision can bring to the members of the Redemptorist family, and we share a deep sense of sadness, grief and loss."
Redemptorist High was founded in 1949 and boasted 1,100 students in 1980. Muench said the schools were projected to only have an enrollment of 150 students in 2015.
Redemptorist Elementary would remain open because it still has enough students to cover operational expenses. It merged with St. Isidore and St. Gerard schools in 2010, and there are plans to expand it to include 7th and 8th grade in the next two years.
The bishop said five feasibility studies and other work have been done in the last dozen years to find ways to keep the schools open. He said recent developments in recruitment made it clear the school "could no longer be maintained past the current academic year."
The state voucher program also contacted the school in October to let them know they would not be eligible to receive more students next year, which Muench said was a significant impact in their projected enrollment. He said the students brought in on the scholarship program were learning, but did not produce high enough results to meet state standards for the voucher program.
The school posted information about how high school and voucher students would be affected on their website.
Stay with News 2 for more updates on this breaking story.Office Depot employees have been selling unnecessary tech repair services after telling customers that their laptops and computers were infected with malware, reporters from Seattle TV station KIRO 7 said this week after being tipped off by a former employee.
The whistleblower told KIRO 7 reporters that Office Depot employees were forced by internal procedures to run a PC diagnostics scan known as PC Health Check.
The procedure would, in most cases, return results that appeared to show a malware infection on the user's PC. Here, Office Depot employees would intervene with a sales pitch, offering to repair the computers, an operation that incurred additional charges of $180 or higher.
Employees had daily quotas for PC repair services
Store managers handed employees daily quotas of the number of PC Health Check scans they were supposed to run and kept track of how many PC repair services employees secured.
KIRO 7 reporters tested the whistleblower's claims by taking six out-of-the-box computers to Office Depot centers in both Washington and Oregon. Office Depot employees diagnosed four of the six laptops with a malware infection and offered the reporter to fix it for an extra charge.
To validate Office Depot's PC Health Check scan, reporters took the same laptops to IOActive, a Seattle-based security firm. IOActive's employees said that none of the laptops had any traces of malware.
The PC Health Check scan was rigged
The former Office Depot employee, named Shane Barnett, claims that the sales person running the PC Health Check scan is supposed to ask the customer four questions about strange popups, slow operating speeds, virus warnings and random shutdowns.
Barnett said that if the user answers positively to any of the questions, the scan would show a positive result.
Reporters tracked down the makers of the PC Health Check scanner to the same company behind Support.com, a PC health scanning service. In 2013 Support.com and partner AOL agreed to pay $8 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed after plaintiffs accused the company of pushing scareware and tricking users into buying PC repair software they didn't need.
Two days after the KIRO 7 unmasked Office Depot's practices, the store chain suspended its PC Health Check scanning procedures.
Senator Maria Cantwell’s office also wrote a letter to the FTC and asked the agency to investigate Office Depot's practices.If you want to embrace the steampunk movement, you must understand all that is steampunk, including steampunk movies.
Steampunk is a combination of fantasy and science fiction, often creating products with a huge cult following. With overwhelming impact from writers like, for example, Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson and H. G. Wells, it has an exceptionally specific style yet is, without a doubt, inventive – and people like Terry Gilliam, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Katsuhiro Ohtomo, Karel Zeman and Hayao Miyazaki have comprehended it to make amazing movies.
Steampunk style recall Victorian England (late nineteenth century) with its coal and steam motors. Since electricity never being discovered, imagine a world of steam-powered machines built with unrealistic dimensions. Not to mention flying ships, steam-powered robot insects, humongous submarines, stunning guns, and so on. Well, that retro-futuristic world is nothing more than the world of Steampunk.
The next list brings together the best steampunk movies that are family-friendly, ingenious, entertaining, with tons of spectacular imaginary places and action scenes. Each movie features steampunk, dieselpunk and Victorian clothes, parallel worlds, innovative steam engineering, gizmos, plenty of imagination and good humor. And these are popular, great and visually stunning steampunk movies to represent that genre – ordered by IMDB ratings.
Spread the word and submit this post to social media sites if this list is to your satisfaction.
The Prestige ( |
with a Sinclair micro-display, was killed when Amstrad took over, but it eventually led to Clive Sinclair’s Z88 portable.
Most likely, the portable was always Sinclair’s ‘next-but-one’ micro. Some seem to have certainly experimented with the idea: Tony Tebby remembers an Sinclair micro-display being hooked up to a Spectrum and the barely legible results prompting him to add proportionally spaced fonts to an early draft of the ZX83 OS as this might allow the display to present readable text.
One suggestion that the portable be powered by batteries produced for the Sinclair Microvision 2700 pocket TV was very quickly dismissed when calculations showed they would support just 30 minutes of operation, falling to a mere 10 minutes if the Microdrives were running.
If there was any serious plan in place to build a portable, it was wrecked by these findings. But such was the nebulous nature of the ZX83 project, with all participants seeming to have subtly and not-to-subtly different ideas about the machine they were building of having built for them, that at this remove it’s very difficult to tease out the "true" specification. One engineer’s research effort was another’s provisional spec.
Suffice it to say, certainly by the summer of 1983 but more likely rather sooner, anyone hoping that the ZX83 might be a portable computer was now sure it would not be. The lead times required for designing, sculpting and engineering the case were such that, to ensure a late 1983 launch, the machine’s form-factor would have to have been set in stone by the middle of the year.
Planning the software
While David Karlin was sorting out the hardware during the early part of 1983, Tony Tebby and new recruit Jan Jones were working on the computer’s core software: the operating system and its Basic interpreter.
An Oxford physics graduate specialising in nuclear and solid-state physics, Tebby originally set out working for GEC on microwave systems. His work exposed him to the protean computer-aided design software of the time, which he found crude and unsuitable. So he learned programming “at night school” in order to try and produce something better himself.
This led him to a career shift: into CAD coding, which took him first to Philips and, later, to a joint venture between ICL Dataskill and the Department of Trade and Industry: CAD Centre in Cambridge, which he joined in 1979. It was there he met Jan Jones, who had become a programmer straight out of Sixth Form. She studied for a Maths degree part-time while working at British Gas and, later, the Royal School of Mines. Then she joined CAD.
In 1982, Tebby was hired by Sinclair Research as software engineer, part of the company’s same grab for talent that brought David Karlin into the fold. It was Tebby who invited Jones to come and join him at Sinclair, to work on SuperBasic, a version of Sinclair Basic to be brought up to date with the addition of some of the structured programming features that had been built into BBC Basic. Jan remembers coding it all up in 68000 assembly language after a long specification process in which the language’s commands and features were mapped out.
QDOS start up and the three-window monitor-oriented SuperBasic UI. In TV mode, the top two windows were overlaid
David Karlin insists he always intended to build the language into the machine, not only for application programming and to allow third-party applications to be run, but also as the ZX83’s “elegant, easy to use, nice and fully featured” shell language.
Tony Tebby, on the other hand, recalls bringing Jan Jones on board when Sinclair bosses decided that the core ZX83 hardware might also form the basis for a future incarnation of the Spectrum.
Karlin also says it was always his intention to use Tebby’s QDOS operating system, called "Domesdos" during development, and that the software engineer’s work on it was not a "spare time" project as has been suggested. For that reason, it was once claimed - and the claim has continued to be repeated by others ever since - that QDOS was a last-minute substitution, dropped in when it became clear an OS being developed by an outside contractor, GST Computer Systems, would not be ready on time.
No so, says Karlin: “That’s the wrong way round.” GST was the insurance policy taken out by Sinclair management, he says. The thinking went: “If this his little in-house team we don’t know and don’t necessarily entirely trust don’t deliver, we’d better have an operating system up our sleeve, so GST got commissioned to do that.”
Playing it safe
Tony Tebby’s recollection is different. He says he commissioned GST, initially with no formal approval from Sinclair management, to create an operating system for the new machine. “I was brought in to find, not necessarily to write, the QL’s operating system,” he remembers. He started to author one anyway, though, just in case.
But he once wrote, “I would never have been able to take the technological risks that I did if I had not been confident that, however badly I screwed up, GST would produce the world’s best multitasking workstation OS on time”, which seems a tacit admission that GST was indeed the back-up.
Tony says he also tried to interest Digital Research and Microsoft in the job: DR simply wasn’t interested, and Microsoft said Tebby’s conception of what the new OS would be capable could not be realised on the hardware of the time.
Today, he chuckles at the famous firm’s seeming inability to do what both GST and he were, separately, able to achieve. David Karlin says Tebby’s work, with its incorporation of, for the time, advanced features such as multi-tasking, was far ahead of anything Microsoft would have been able to come up with.
Psion’s Abacus spreadsheet application
How was Domesdos selected in place of GST’s work? Tony Tebby says his operating system and GST’s were put “head to head” at a meeting held in November 1983, though he admits he was not present. The result of this review, however, was that GST’s OS was out and his was in. Why? Most likely because, being an in-house job, Domesdos could more quickly be updated once the still-unfinished hardware became available. GST later released their work under the name 68K/OS.
“Conceivably, different people had different impressions of what was on,” says Karlin. “It’s completely possible that so far as Nigel Searle was concerned, Tony’s work was being done to keep me happy and the intention was to use GST and when that didn’t happen, we carried on with QDOS. That was not my impression, but that’s not to say you didn’t have different camps of people thinking different things.
“As far as I was concerned, the stuff Tony was doing was what was going to be used and that the GST stuff was there as a back-up in case we were unable to make QDOS work, but we were able to make it work.”
Separately, Psion software, which would go on to create the Symbian mobile operating system, was hired early in 1983 to produce a set of productivity applications which could be bundled with the new machine. Psion had been approached by Nigel Searle during December 1982, as had a number of other software houses with a view to sounding them out as potential supporters of the new micro. David Karlin says that including applications was always part of the plan, though he was not involved in choosing Psion. Neither was Tony Tebby, it seems: GST has a suite of its own in the works alongside its work on the OS.
Applications, applications, applications
Quite possibly Psion’s very ambitious Managing Director, David Potter, cut a deal early on to ensure Sinclair funded the development of Psion business applications which would be initially released on the ZX83 but could later be released on other platforms. Alun Sugar, in his autobiography, calls Potter and co. “an arrogant bunch of tossers”. Tebby claims the company as conveniently already working on MS-DOS applications which it could re-purpose for the QL deal. He cites a late-in-the-day request that the QL should support the 80 x 25 textual display for which the apps had been written, though this could easily have arisen because, with no ZX83 hardware, Psion had had to guess the machine would use this then common screen format.
Potter, like many others in the micro business at that time, realised that the market for business computing was about to grow the way the home computing market had been, and wanted to get a foot in the door. The ZX83 project would certainly have allowed Psion to do so with much less risk than launching standalone applications would. If the ZX83 sold as well to business as the Spectrum had to teenagers, it would establish Psion’s Quill word processor, Easel graphics tool, Archive database and Abacus spreadsheet – together later called the xChange suite - as a new de facto standard in 16-bit business applications.
“We had long discussions with Sinclair,” Potter said in 1984. “Psion is an ambitious company... We wanted... to be producing the fundamental software tools - the word processors and spreadsheets - a market dominated by the big US software companies.”
Psion devoted almost all of its coding resources to the ZX83 applications. “It has been a huge effort for us,” said Potter. “Frankly, this is why we haven’t been coming out with too many home computer products recently.”
Psion’s Microdrive suite
Source: Rama
Each of the four applications were put in the hands of their own team leader. Martin Brown was in charge of Easel development; Martin Stamp oversaw the Quill team; Charles Davies ran Archive development; and Abacus’ was Colly Myers’ baby. Myers went on to become Psion’s MD and, later, CEO of Symbian.
Psion’s programmers would spend the next 15 months completing Quill, Easel, Abacus and Archive. With only a very basic idea about how the ZX83 would operate, they coded the applications on the company’s Vax minicomputer running a 68008 emulator until the ZX83 and QDOS were complete.
But toward the end of 1983 neither were. The very fluid concept of what the kind of micro the ZX83, and Sinclair management’s refusal to extend the development deadline, were to blame. Deciding that the business-centric ZX83 platform might form the basis of future Spectrum home computers didn’t just mandate a new, 68008-based version of Sinclair Basic, it also meant that David Karlin’s initial specification for the machine’s two ULA chips had to be revised.
For instance, the ZX8301’s display controller circuitry would need to be altered to provide support for existing Spectrum display modes. The ZX8302 would now require a slick sound generator, to allow the machine to produce rather better sounds and music than the Spectrum could.
Separately, it was decided it would take too long to build a modem into the ULA so it was dropped, along with with output-only printer port, to be replaced by two generic RS232 ports.
Shifting specifications, fixed deadline
Getting all the extra functionality in under the constraint imposed by the chips’ ‘40 pins maximum’ limit proved almost impossible - the serial IO now required eight pins not four, for instance - and this appears to be the main reason why plans for a ZX83-based Spectrum were quietly shelved late August or early September 1983. With the ZX8302 still unfinished and “running out of pins”, as Tony Tebby puts it, it became necessary to offload the keyboard interface.
Enter one the ZX83’s more controversial design decisions: the use of an Intel 8049 microprocessor in the system logic. It was dubbed the “Intelligent Peripherals Controller”, something of a misnomer. David Karlin put it to work handling the keyboard input. “Again it was all pin-count driven,” he explains. “To be able to do the keyboard we needed something with lots of pins to drive all these keyboard lines. So we asked, what’s the cheapest thing we can find that has lots of pins? It turns out that it’s not a few bits of TTL you drive directly off the main processor, it was actually cheaper to have a second processor.”
Especially since the 8049 would have capacity left over to deliver the sound generation and to free the ZX8302 from having to handle the serial ports. There were downsides: Karlin originally envisaged the ZX8302 providing a centralised bank of interrupt and status registers for peripherals, a smart scheme for reducing hardware costs and simplifying the software. Adding the 8049 meant this was no longer possible - the 8049 had to use its own status registers.
Tony Tebby handed the task of interfacing the 8049 into QDOS to a new assistant, Aaron Turner. It was a tough job, but Turner managed it. It was much, much harder getting the 8049 and its lines onto the long, narrow PCB mandated by case, which had been agreed at a point when the specification was such that everything would fit.
Inside the QL. This modified machine features a new Rom and IPC. Click for a larger version.
Source: Ewx
The PCB size problem was compounded by a relatively late move to make the ZX83 itself more friendly to home users: it would now have to have TV output and joystick ports, odd additions for a business micro. The joysticks could be added with a pair of ports and a few lines running off the 8049, but adding a UHF modulator was a major headache. It could only be fit in right next to the Microdrives – with their frail read/write heads, this was the last place you’d want to put a source of oscillator noise.
And if the ZX83 was to appeal to home users, it would also need a Basic. Jan Jones was hard at work on SuperBasic, which would fit the bill. The trouble was, SuperBasic was not only scheduled separately - designed for a post-ZX83 Spectrum-brand product, it was months away from readiness - but it had not been designed to run on top of QDOS. Instead, it was a classic ‘boot into Basic’ operating system in its own right, says Tebby, as per the Spectrum and almost every other 8-bit micro.
Adapting SuperBasic’s graphics routines – then under development at GST in a bid to bring the release forward – to operate through QDOS’ display manager rather than write direct to the video Ram was relatively straightforward. Aaron Turner was given the job. Rewriting the interpreter to obtain or release memory through QDOS’ memory manager rather than do so itself was a much more involved task.
And one that would have taken too long if Tebby and Jones were to meet the pre-Christmas launch schedule. With just four weeks to go, much of which had to be reserved for testing the code with hardware, Tebby elected to hack QDOS and SuperBasic to allow the interpreter to run as a special, one-of-a-kind privileged task. It was, he says, “a terrible mistake [that] compromised the OS’ integrity”.
A tale of two Basics
At this stage, it seems to have been still the plan to deliver two versions of SuperBasic: a compact, minimal version in the ZX83’s Rom, and an extended version which comprised the full language but would come later, on Microdrive tape or on a plug-in Rom cartridge. The minimal SuperBasic would check for the presence of Extended at start-up and load the extensions accordingly. This would, says Tebby, allow the ZX83 to ship with Basic and still give the coders time to finish the full package.
Not that any of the hardware concept changes - from portable to desktop, from ‘Super Spectrum’ platform to an ‘Spectrum plus’ in its own right - had warranted any extension of the development team’s deadline, at least not as far as Sinclair management were concerned.
The only formal set-back to the timetable was to schedule the launch the machine early the following year rather than before Christmas. David Karlin and Jan Jones both say the machine’s development was then at a stage where it needed at least six more months’ work, a duration defined, in part, by the then long turnaround times involved in producing PCB and ULA samples. According to Tebby, they didn’t even have a working prototype at that point, almost entirely thanks to the many changes that needed to be made.
Karlin would surely have made Nigel Searle and Clive Sinclair aware of this, but nonetheless the decision to introduce the machine to the press in January 1984 was upheld. This annoyed Tebby, but the claim made at the launch that the first machines would be in buyers’ hands within 28 days of their orders being received was the final straw: knowing this deadline could not possibly be met, he handed in his notice and said he would leave Sinclair when there was a machine in production.
Launch re-imagined: the QL’s debut from Micro Men with Derek Riddell as Nigel Searle and Alexander Armstrong as Clive Sinclair
Source: Darlow-Smithson/BBC
He duly left Sinclair’s employ at the end of April, though he was set up in an temporary office round the corner, he says, where he could be called upon should his assistance be required. He refuses to name the Sinclair Research director who arranged this.
The launch had another effect: the inevitable Sinclair miscommunication ensured that the company’s marketing team knew only that the QL, as the computer was now called, would come with a Spectrum-friendly Basic, not what it could and couldn’t do, or that there would be a two-stage release. They assumed they could fill out the pre-release documentation for the press with information from the Spectrum manual. But they didn’t check it with the developers. The upshot was that, having told the world the QL would ship with what was effectively the full version of SuperBasic, the company would now have to supply it.
At the launch, Searle promised Sinclair would begin taking orders for the QL at the end of January. The computer would ship with 128KB of Ram, and be priced at £399 plus £7.95 postage and packing. There was no mention of the 64KB version, originally intended to go on sale for £299, because Psion’s applications would need more than 32KB of memory. The machine would make is retail debut the following Autumn, Searle said, when it would also go on sale in the US for $499.
Of course, Sinclair hadn’t managed to get its previous computer, the Spectrum out on time, and the Microdrives took even longer to arrive: they were more than a year late. A few observers rightly guessed it wouldn’t do so this time round either. But such fears didn’t stop many thousands of punters - more than 9000 by the end of February, rising to 13,000 as of late April - sending off their credit card details or their cheques, which the company had no hesitation in cashing.George Orwell' s admirers each seem to admire him for a different reason. Some revere his politics, though those change according to which passage in his depressingly short life one focuses upon.
Others laud his abilities as a novelist. For some, he is a great essayist - my own favourite is his 1952 memoir of prep school, Such, Such Were the Joys. For others, the content of his writing is secondary to his command of the English language; he has a justified reputation as the finest writer of English prose of the last century.
There is much more to Orwell, though, than comes under those headings. Another important aspect is considered in Robert Colls's superb analysis of his writings, George Orwell: English Rebel. As the title suggests, Colls considers Orwell' s relationship with his country: and what a roller-coaster ride it was.
England was the land of Orwell' s paternal ancestry but not of his birth: that was India, where his father worked in the Opium Department of the Civil Service. His mother had grown up in Burma, with a French father.
In some ways England was Orwell' s adoptive parent, and it took decades for the son to come around to his new family. Born Eric Blair in 1903, Orwell was a bright boy, and won a scholarship to Eton.
He seems not to have had any special dislike for the school, but for a time his idea of what the institution stood for conflicted directly with his increasingly Left-wing politics. His deepest dislike of England came with his service, from 1922-27, as a police officer in Burma: Colls points out that to hold such a position was to spend one's daily life being hated by the public, which one technically served, and Orwell came to understand the reasons for that hatred.Over the past two years I’ve seen a lot of my son’s penis.
I’d have to say that aside from my own, there’s no one penis I’ve seen more of.
And I’ve been on Chat Roulette.
It’s one of the many sneaky and unavoidable realities of parenthood that you are going to see a lot of naked baby.
Unless you master the art of the blindfolded diaper change – which I would not advise – you have to come to terms pretty quickly with the fact that your child has genitals and, for the first few years of his/her life, you are in charge of them.
In fact, when you have a boy, one of the first decisions you have to make has to do with your son’s pubis: to circumsize or not to circumsize. That is the question.
In anticipation of my son being born I didn’t spend a ton of time considering the circumcision issue, but I did give it some thought, most of which came down to two things: 1) the health issues that circumcision is meant to circumvent are considered by many to no longer be much of a deal, and easily avoidable via common sense and good hygiene, and 2) the procedure greatly reduces the amount of sensation the circumcisee would experience later in life (if you know what I mean).
(You can check WebMD here for a quick snapshot. But don’t worry, there are no actual snapshots.)
I know the Other Parent contingent can be quite aggressive on this issue – browse a few websites and it’s not long before someone compares circumcision to torture and throws a video of the surgery in your face – but it’s not exactly cut and dried, and there are points to be made for either side. In the end, it’s a personal decision, and I felt the benefits outweighed the cons. At the very least I’ll save him a few minutes in the shower every day.
In a broader, let’s-stop-talking-so-much-about-baby-penis kind of way, circumcision is parenting in a nutshell (no pun intended). It’s merely the first in a long line of difficult choices you have to make as a parent, out of regard for your child’s well-being.
Being a parent is a constant, daily struggle to decide when to sacrifice a little of your child’s happiness in order to preserve and protect his health. Maybe you won’t let him buy a motorcycle, or play football, or see Internal Affairs just because there’s a fingerbang scene and it might warp his little mind (I’ve finally seen it, Mom and Dad! So ha!).
It’s never fun to deprive your child of something, but tough choices have to be made. Maybe you’ll tell him it’s for his own good, maybe he’ll throw a fit, maybe you’ll feel like your father; you have to grit your teeth and trust you’re doing the right thing.
On the plus side, re: circumcision, at least when he’s a baby he can’t put up much of a fight! You could give him a nose job in the maternity ward and he’d be none the wiser.
I kid, of course. But I certainly don’t remember being tortured, nor do I feel like I’ve been deprived of anything (not that I could ever know the difference). Maybe when he’s older my son will feel differently, but I did what I thought was right and I don’t think anyone could argue that I’ve harmed him – though I’m sure after this post I’ll get my share of comments suggesting I have.
So be it. At the end of the day, I’m a firm believer that a son’s penis should look like his father’s.
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Like this: Like Loading...Sherry Lansing (born July 31, 1944) is an American former actress and film studio executive.[1][2][3] She is a former CEO of Paramount Pictures,[4] and when she was the president of production at 20th Century Fox, she was the first woman to head a Hollywood movie studio.[5][6][7] In 1996, she became the first woman to be named Pioneer of the Year by the Foundation of the Motion Picture Pioneers,[8] and she was the first female movie studio head to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[9][10] In 2005, she became the first female movie studio head to place hand and foot prints at the Grauman's Chinese Theater.[11][12] In 2001, she was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by Ladies' Home Journal,[13] and The Hollywood Reporter named her fourth on its Power 100 list in 2003.[14]
Personal life [ edit ]
Lansing was born Sherry Lee Duhl in Chicago, Illinois on July 31, 1944. Her mother, Margaret "Margot" Heimann, fled from Nazi Germany in 1937 at the age of 17. Her father, David Duhl, was a real-estate investor who died when she was nine.[15] Her mother remarried and died in 1984 from ovarian cancer.[16] She was raised in a Jewish household.[17] Lansing attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and graduated in 1962. In 1966, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Northwestern University,[2] where she was a member of Sigma Delta Tau sorority.
Lansing married Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin[18] on July 6, 1991; he had previously been married to French film star Jeanne Moreau. By this marriage, Lansing has two stepsons, Jack and Cedric.
Career [ edit ]
[19] Lansing was a former mathematics teacher, model, and now pursued an acting career (appearing in two films made in 1970, Loving and Rio Lobo, starring John Wayne) but, dissatisfied with her own acting skills, she decided to learn more about the film industry from the ground up. She took a job with MGM as head script reader and worked on two successful films, The China Syndrome and Kramer vs. Kramer.[3]
Lansing's work at MGM eventually led, after a stint at Columbia Pictures, to an appointment in 1980, at age 35, as the first female president of 20th Century Fox.[3][5] She was also a partner in Jaffe/Lansing Productions with Stanley R. Jaffe.[5] The company released a consistent string of minor hits through Paramount before achieving success with the box-office smash Fatal Attraction in 1987, for which Jaffe and Lansing received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture the following year. In 1988, the duo produced Jodie Foster starrer The Accused. It dealt with the horrors of rape and its impact on victim's life afterward. The film featured a graphic rape scene and was highly controversial when released. Made with a minor budget of $6 million, it grossed over $37 million worldwide, becoming a major box office hit as well as receiving critical praise with Foster scoring the Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1992, she was offered the chairmanship of Paramount Pictures' Motion Picture Group.[5] During her tenure at Paramount, the studio enjoyed its longest and most successful string of releases since the '30s.[3] Under Lansing, the studio produced such blockbuster hits as Forrest Gump, Braveheart, and what was, at the time, history's highest-grossing film – Titanic (the latter two with Fox).[3][5][20][21] Six of the ten highest grossing Paramount films were released during her tenure which included three Academy Awards for Best Picture.[20] Overall, 80% of the films released by Lansing were profitable, a track record unmatched by any other long term studio management leader.[citation needed]
As studio chief, she focused on bottom-line cost rather than market share, preferring to take fewer risks and make lower-budget films than other studios. Viacom (which purchased Paramount in 1994) decided to split the company into two parts in 2004 and Lansing stepped down at the end of that year after an almost unprecedented twelve-year tenure atop Hollywood's legendary "Best Show in Town."[1][21]
She is a Regent of the University of California.[2][5][20] She sits on the boards of the American Red Cross,[4] The Carter Center,[21] DonorsChoose, Qualcomm, Teach for America, The American Association for Cancer Research,[4] the Lasker Foundation and Friends of Cancer Research.[2][5]
In 2005, she created The Sherry Lansing Foundation which is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for cancer research.[1][5][21] She is a recipient of UCLA Anderson School of Management's highest honor-the Exemplary Leadership in Management (ELM) Award.
In 2007, she received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her work in cancer research at the 79th Academy Awards.[4] The award was presented to her by Tom Cruise, her longtime friend and business partner.
In 2011, Lansing pledged $5 million to University of Chicago Laboratory Schools to build a new arts wing, including a 250-seat performance venue.[22]
As of March 2013, Lansing was a member of the board of directors of the Dole Food Company.[23] Beginning in 2012, she has also served as a member of the board of directors for the W. M. Keck Foundation.[24]
In May 2018, Lansing joined the board of directors at The Scripps Research Institute.
Filmography [ edit ]
Producer [ edit ]
Actress or herself [ edit ]
Awards and recognition [ edit ]How To Talk To Babies About Postmodernism
BABY: [knocks plate off of table]
ME: that’s right
in postmodernism we reject the notion of ‘totality’
ME: what book do you want to read
do you want to read ‘Go, Dog, Go’ or ‘Pat The Bunny’
BABY: buhh
ME: are you saying Bunny?
BABY: buhh
ME: that’s right
resist the metanarrative
here is no such thing as outside-of-the-text
the dog can go nowhere
ME: looks like you’ve outgrown these jammies
BABY: [kicks]
ME: have you also outgrown epiphenomenalism?
BABY: [kicks]
ME: are you kicking the notion of a hierarchical system of cause-and-effect away from you
is that what you’re doing
BABY: [kicks]
ME: good
BABY: hi
ME: what else
BABY: hi
ME: …degger
ME: what is that in your hand
BABY: block
ME: very good
and what do we do with blocks
BABY: [gnaws block]
ME: that’s right
we experience the merging of subject and object, self and other
BABY: [rips up paper]
ME: excellent
explore the text
BABY: [eats paper]
ME: oh VERY goodTo eliminate violence, we must understand the motives that drive it. Most theories assume that violence is motivated by instrumental gain or impulsiveness, and is restrained by moral inhibitions. In these frameworks, dehumanization breaks down moral inhibitions by reducing perceptions of victims as fellow human beings worthy of concern. However, we argue that much violence is actually motivated by moral sentiments, and that morally motivated perpetrators wish to harm fellow human beings. Across five experiments, we show that dehumanizing victims increases instrumental, but not moral, violence. This distinction, between instrumental violence enabled by dehumanization, and moral violence directed toward human victims, has important implications for understanding how morality and dehumanization interact with violence, and for informing violence reduction efforts worldwide.
Abstract
Across five experiments, we show that dehumanization—the act of perceiving victims as not completely human—increases instrumental, but not moral, violence. In attitude surveys, ascribing reduced capacities for cognitive, experiential, and emotional states to victims predicted support for practices where victims are harmed to achieve instrumental goals, including sweatshop labor, animal experimentation, and drone strikes that result in civilian casualties, but not practices where harm is perceived as morally righteous, including capital punishment, killing in war, and drone strikes that kill terrorists. In vignette experiments, using dehumanizing compared with humanizing language increased participants’ willingness to harm strangers for money, but not participants’ willingness to harm strangers for their immoral behavior. Participants also spontaneously dehumanized strangers when they imagined harming them for money, but not when they imagined harming them for their immoral behavior. Finally, participants humanized strangers who were low in humanity if they imagined harming them for immoral behavior, but not money, suggesting that morally motivated perpetrators may humanize victims to justify violence against them. Our findings indicate that dehumanization enables violence that perpetrators see as unethical, but instrumentally beneficial. In contrast, dehumanization does not contribute to moral violence because morally motivated perpetrators wish to harm complete human beings who are capable of deserving blame, experiencing suffering, and understanding its meaning.Bannon and Pack, a former Corporation for Public Broadcasting executive, are mutual admirers and worked on two documentaries together. | Getty White House eyes Bannon ally for top broadcasting post With sweeping new powers, the position would oversee public media reaching 100 countries.
The Trump administration’s leading candidate to head the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a position that with recent changes would give the appointee unilateral power over the United States’ government messaging abroad reaching millions, is a conservative documentarian with ties to White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation.
Michael Pack, the leading contender for the post, is president and CEO of the Claremont Institute and publisher of its Claremont Review of Books, a California-based conservative institute that has been called the “academic home of Trumpism” by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Story Continued Below
Pack, a former Corporation for Public Broadcasting executive, and Bannon are mutual admirers and have worked on two documentaries together. Pack has appeared on Bannon’s radio show and wrote an op-ed in March praising Bannon as a pioneer in conservative documentary filmmaking.
Should he be appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate, Pack would be the first CEO of the BBG without a board as a firewall because of a little-noticed provision in last December's National Defense Authorization Act that disbanded the bipartisan board that controls the BBG.
“The White House could theoretically use the BBG for any kind of messaging,” one senior government official with direct knowledge of the situation said. “People are generally worried about what might happen next because it would change the nature of BBG from having a CEO and a board and a track record for protecting independence to what might come next."
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A White House spokesperson declined to comment on Pack, but said the administration has "no announcement at this time."
Pack declined to comment through a Claremont Institute spokesperson.
The BBG controls Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and the Middle East Broadcast Network, which constitutes the largest public diplomacy program by the U.S. government, reaching an audience of 278 million by broadcasting in 100 countries and 61 languages. The state-funded media network was originally created to counter the propaganda arms of Nazi Germany. Today, it operates as a series of independent journalistic organizations. It was Voice of America that recorded and published video of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s bodyguards beating up protesters in Northwest Washington last month.
Though the position of CEO of the BBG is relatively new, the agency has traditionally been rooted in journalistic ideals and independent of the White House or State Department. Current CEO John Lansing is the former president of Scripps Networks, and the first CEO of the BBG was Andy Lack, who now heads NBC News. Before 2015, the day-to-day operations of the BBG were overseen by the board.
The recent changes in BBG management are “a really big deal because the board of governors really represents the firewall. And the firewall is a legally mandated firewall which prevents the government from interfering with the editorial independence of the BBG,“ the senior official said. "Once President Trump appoints Pack or anyone else and when or if they’re confirmed by the Senate, then the entire board of governors goes away.”
Under the new arrangement, the board of governors will be replaced by an advisory panel.
Once confirmed, the new CEO could hire his or her own directors for the five networks under BBG and theoretically push whatever message he or she chose without the board’s approval.
A Republican government official familiar with the agency’s work told POLITICO in December that abolishing the board will make the BBG susceptible to the influence of Trump’s allies.
“There’s some fear among the folks here that the firewall will get diminished and attacked and this could fall victim to propaganda,” the Republican official said in December. “They will hire the person they want; the current CEO does not stand a chance. This will pop up on Steve Bannon’s radar quickly. They are going to put a friendly person in that job.”
Pack has extensive experience in broadcasting, having previously served as senior vice president for television programming at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and as director of WORLDNET, the U.S. Information Agency’s global satellite network, now part of Voice of America. For many years, he ran his own production company, called Manifold Productions, creating dozens of films that aired mainly on PBS. Pack worked with Bannon on two documentaries, one about the Iraq War and the other about a Jewish immigrant from Poland who created the nuclear submarine.
It was in The Claremont Review of Books last year that Michael Anton, now director of strategic communications at the National Security Council, wrote under a pseudonym an essay called “The Flight 93 Election" that the Intercept called “the intellectual source code of Trumpism.” In it, Anton argued that Trump’s candidacy represented the last chance to save a hard-line conservative vision for America against liberal opponents and moderate Republicans — charging the “cockpit” of American |
63]
Kenneth Turan of Los Angeles Times, in praising Anderson's directing and Phoenix's performance, wrote: "Phoenix, known for immersing himself in Oscar-nominated roles in Gladiator and Walk the Line, makes Quell frighteningly believable." About the film itself, he stated: "The Master takes some getting used to. This is a superbly crafted film that's at times intentionally opaque, as if its creator didn't want us to see all the way into its heart of darkness."[64] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a perfect "A" grade, stating: "It's also one of the great movies of the year - an ambitious, challenging, and creatively hot-blooded, but cool toned project that picks seriously at knotty ideas about American personality, success, rootlessness, master-disciple dynamics, and father-son mutually assured destruction."[65]
Adams received her fourth Academy Award nomination for her performance.
Peter Rainer of Christian Science Monitor wrote that "the performances by Phoenix and Hoffman are studies in contrast. Phoenix carries himself with a jagged, lurching, simianlike grace while Hoffman gives Dodd a calm deliberateness. Both actors have rarely been better in the movies. The real Master class here is about acting – and that includes just about everybody else in the film, especially Adams, whose twinkly girl-next-door quality is used here to fine subversive effect."[66] A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "It is a movie about the lure and folly of greatness that comes as close as anything I've seen recently to being a great movie. There will be skeptics, but the cult is already forming. Count me in."[67] Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club, giving the film an "A" grade, wrote: "It's a feisty, contentious, deliberately misshapen film, designed to challenge and frustrate audiences looking for a clean resolution. Just because it's over doesn't mean it's settled."[68] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film four stars out of four, praising Anderson's directing: "The Master, the sixth film from the 42-year-old writer-director, affirms his position as the foremost filmmaking talent of his generation. Anderson is a rock star, the artist who knows no limits." About the film itself, he wrote: "Written, directed, acted, shot, edited and scored with a bracing vibrancy that restores your faith in film as an art form, The Master is nirvana for movie lovers. Anderson mixes sounds and images into a dark, dazzling music that is all his own." He would later call the film the Best Film of 2012.[69]
Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter praised the score composed by Jonny Greenwood. He stated: "In a film overflowing with qualities, but also brimming with puzzlements, two things stand out: the extraordinary command of cinematic technique, which alone is nearly enough to keep a connoisseur on the edge of his seat the entire time, and the tremendous portrayals by Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman of two entirely antithetical men, one an unlettered drifter without a clue, the other an intellectual charlatan who claims to have all the answers. They become greatly important to each other and yet, in the end, have an oddly negligible mutual effect. The magisterial style, eerie mood and forbidding central characters echo Anderson's previous film, There Will Be Blood, a kinship furthered by another bold and discordant score by Jonny Greenwood."[70] Justin Chang of Variety magazine wrote: "The writer-director's typically eccentric sixth feature is a sustained immersion in a series of hypnotic moods and longueurs, an imposing picture that thrillingly and sometimes maddeningly refuses to conform to expectations."[71] James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film three stars out of four and praised Phoenix's performance, stating: "Gaunt, sick-looking, with stooped shoulders and a shambling gait, Phoenix buries himself in Freddie's persona and there's never a moment when we disbelieve him." He added: "Yet, for all of The Master's laudable elements, it falls short of greatness for one simple reason: the storytelling is unspectacular."[72]
Numerous reviewers commented on the homoerotic subtext of the film. Film Comment noted the bonding and repelling between the two men, "two edges of the split saber, play out in public and in private, in "audits" and intimate exchanges over Freddie's alcoholic concoctions."[73] The Guardian saw "Quell's chaos and Dodd's charlatanism" locked in "in a dance of death – erotic and homoerotic."[74] Reviewers from the Daily Beast were struck by the way the film "deals with the not-so-latent homosexuality in Dodd," adding that "Dodd seems to be sexually attracted to Quell's animalistic nature, e.g. that scene where they're wrestling with each other on the front lawn after Quell is released from prison, or the scene where Dodd's wife, played by Amy Adams, gives him a handjob, along with a spiel about "cumming for her" and eradicating himself of negative (read: homosexual) thoughts."[75] Salon commented that the film contains a "not-too-veiled suggestion that Dodd's paternal yearnings for Freddie are complicated by other desires."[76]
Phoenix received his third Academy Award nomination for his performance.
Even less enthusiastic was Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, who gave the film two-and-a-half stars of a possible four. He wrote that it was "fabulously well-acted and crafted, but when I reach for it, my hand closes on air. It has rich material and isn't clear what it thinks about it. It has two performances of Oscar caliber, but do they connect?"[77] Calum Marsh of Slant Magazine gave the film two stars out of four, stating: "The Master is Paul Thomas Anderson with the edges sanded off, the best bits shorn down to nubs."[78] Rex Reed of the New York Observer gave the film a negative review, writing: "Call The Master whatever you want, but lobotomized catatonia from what I call the New Hacks can never take the place of well-made narrative films about real people that tell profound stories for a broader and more sophisticated audience. Fads come and go, but as Walter Kerr used to say, 'I'll yell tripe whenever tripe is served.'" Reed also made mention of how Phoenix's performance and the supporting characters' lack of development further hurt the film.[79]
On Phoenix's performance, Kent Jones of Film Comment noted, "Freddie is not so much played as nuzzled, and jerked into being by Joaquin Phoenix. I'm Still Here aside, Phoenix's Freddie seems like genuinely damaged goods. He and his director feel their way into this man-in-a-bind from the inside out, and they establish his estrangement from others in those opening scenes through awkward smiles and out-of-sync body language alone".[73] "As always with Anderson," Jones continued: "The character opposition borders on the schematic, and the structure threatens to come apart at the seams. But the courting of danger is exactly what makes his films so exciting, this new film most of all. I don't think he has ever done a better job of resolving his story, perhaps because he has come to terms with the irresolution within and between his characters."[73] Scott, of the New York Times, pointed out that Phoenix used "sly, manic ferocity" to portray Freddie as "an alcoholic wreck."[67]
Emma Dibdin of Total Film gave The Master 5 stars out of 5, concluding that it "is a breathtaking, singular, technically audacious film, white-hot with emotion, and boasting a few scenes so individually powerful that they'll stay with you like a physical presence for days."[80]
The Master was placed #1 in both the critics poll of the best films of 2012 by Sight and Sound,[81] and by The Village Voice on its annual film poll.[82] The film also ranked second by both Film Comment[83] and Indiewire[84] on their year-end film critics polls, following Holy Motors.
The Master was later placed #1 on The A.V. Club's list of the best films of the 2010s up until April 2015,[85] and was named as one of the top 50 films of the decade so far by The Guardian.[86]
Anderson considers it his favorite of the films he's made; in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said:
For sure. I think that won’t change. The amount of emotion I put into it and they put into it—they being Phil [Seymour Hoffman], Joaquin [Phoenix] and Amy [Adams]. I’m not sure it’s entirely successful. But that’s fine with me. It feels right. It feels unique to me. I really hope it will be something people can revisit and enjoy in a way that equals my pride in it. And pride can be a dangerous thing, and I’m not being very quiet about my pride in saying all this. But I just feel really proud of it. And of course, there’s a particular sentimentality attached to it for a number of personal reasons. It’s all wrapped up.[87]
Themes and interpretations [ edit ]
There have been several interpretations of what The Master is really about.[88][89] Some have viewed it as an existential tale of post-war America, while others have viewed it as a depiction of the birth of Scientology. Some have argued that the film is also mainly a love story between Lancaster Dodd and Freddie Quell; Dana Stevens of Slate commented that "After three viewings, I'm still not sure I know the answer to the "what's it all about" question, but I lean [toward the interpretation that] The Master is above all a love story between Joaquin Phoenix's damaged World War II vet, Freddie Quell, and Philip Seymour Hoffmann's charismatic charlatan, Lancaster Dodd. And that relationship is powerful and funny and twisted and strange enough that maybe that's all the movie needs to be about."[90] Others have argued that the film is partly about acting; Richard Brody of the New Yorker observed that "Similarly, it's perhaps notable that Phoenix's performance seems to represent the tormented, physical acting styles of the latter half of the twentieth century (the Brandos, the Deans, the Clifts) whereas Hoffman's acting seems to hearken back to the controlled, elusive manner of the previous half (many have described his turn as "Wellesian"). In these acting styles, we see a miniature version of the journey of American society during this period—and, specifically, American maleness."[91] Still other persuasive arguments regarding the film's main theme is that it's about humanity, and man's struggle to cope with his animalistic nature. Glenn Kenny of MSN Movies wrote that the film is "Less about [Scientology's] specific set of beliefs than about how humans rely on belief systems in general to try and lift themselves out of an elemental rage, and to assert, yes, that man is not an animal. "[92]
Accolades [ edit ]
The film won the Silver Lion for Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson) and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor (given to both Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman) at the 69th Venice International Film Festival. However, the festival's jury originally intended to give the film the top Golden Lion prize for Best Film; the prize was removed and awarded to Pietà instead, owing to a new rule that prohibited the award of acting and directing honors to the same film that won the Golden Lion prize. A similar incident was rumored to have occurred at the festival in 2008, when Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler was to be awarded both the Golden Lion and the Volpi Cup for Mickey Rourke's performance. The film received the former, with the latter being awarded to Silvio Orlando for his work in Giovanna's Father. When asked about the last-minute shake-up over the award, Anderson replied, "I'm thrilled with whatever they want to hand over. I heard some of the scuttlebutt recently, but I'm just thrilled with what they hand over. And that's all."[93][94][95][96]
Top ten lists [ edit ]
The Master was listed on many critics' top ten lists.[97]
Comparisons with Scientology [ edit ]
Upon the release of the script, comparisons between "The Cause" and Scientology were quickly made.[110][111][112] The press noted Hoffman's physical resemblance to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard (1911–1986), who served in the U.S. Navy in World War II and after his release from the hospital founded the belief system in 1950, the same year as the religion in the script. The film ends in England, at roughly the same time Saint Hill Manor became Hubbard's residence and the first Scientology "org."[22][110][113] Also, the film's references to the need of an "abled bodied seaman" and the reference to Fred being aberrated are both terms used by Scientologists in the administrative dictionary.[114]
The production company officially denied that the film was loosely based on Hubbard with producer JoAnne Sellar also denying any connection to Hubbard, stating, "It's a World War II drama. It's about a drifter after World War II."[22] Harvey Weinstein also denied that the film was about Scientology: "Paul says to me the movie is about a journey for soldiers after World War II... one of the things that happens to this soldier is he goes to a cult."[115] Anderson has stated that he has "always thought Hubbard was a great character, so interesting and larger than life, and kind of impossible to ignore"[12] and he acknowledges that Lancaster Dodd was inspired by L. Ron Hubbard and that he should have known that is what people would latch onto, stating, "I didn't want it to be a biography. It's not the L. Ron Hubbard story."[10]
Several websites suggested that "important Hollywood Scientologists" objected to the project because they feared it might reveal too much about the faith, and others even speculated that the Church of Scientology had enough power to stop Universal from green-lighting the film.[22][113] However, none of the production crew had been contacted by representatives of Scientology.[9] When Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology, was asked if the church had any concerns about the film, she stated, "We have not seen the film, so can't say one way or another" and that the church knew about the film only from what it read in the press.[9] According to Anderson, at no point did the church make any direct or indirect inquiries about the project or otherwise try to inhibit its progress,[12] and that while they were making the film, Scientology was the least of their problems.[114]
In May 2012, Anderson screened the film for his friend, actor Tom Cruise, an outspoken Scientologist, who had some issues with parts of the film.[116] Cruise had previously starred in Anderson's 1999 film Magnolia.[117] Officials of the Church of Scientology, who reportedly heard from Cruise, "hit the roof" when they learned of a scene which suggested that the belief system was a product of the leader's imagination.[118] The scene with which Cruise had issues has Dodd's son tell Quell that Dodd is just making it up as he goes along.[118] They took issue not only with this statement, but with the way it supposedly paralleled L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.'s conflict with his own father. While church members objected to other scenes, Anderson did not excise any of them from the film.[118] He stated that Cruise "did see the film. It's something between us. Everything is fine, though."Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders has vowed there will be a “thorough” internal investigation after officers were captured on video stomping on and Tasering a man who didn’t appear to be resisting arrest.
“This investigation is going to be a thorough investigation,” Saunders said on Wednesday. “The officers have to be accountable for their actions.”
The incident began when police received a call about a man spitting at an employee at the Seaton House homeless shelter on George Street in downtown Toronto.
An officer responded to the call and approached the suspect. That’s when witnesses say the man began punching her in the face.
The officer who was punched was treated in hospital Tuesday for face and shoulder injuries, and police say she went back for further treatment on Wednesday.
With the help of passersby, police managed to tackle the man, who has since been identified as Andrew Henry, near Dundas and Church streets.
Henry, 43, of no fixed address, appeared in court via video on Wednesday. He’s facing a total of nine charges including uttering death threats, assault, assault a peace officer, mischief and damage to property.
CityNews has learned that court staff requested Henry appear by video from his jail cell due to safety concerns.
Henry is known to police and has previously been convicted on sex assault, child porn, assault and theft charges.
Bystander Karsa Dehghani told CityNews he helped police detain the suspect after he allegedly attacked an officer.
“His behaviour was aggressive,” he explained. “He immediately assumed a fighting stance and he started throwing punches … He hit (the officer) a couple of times.”
“It seemed pretty bad so I jumped in and tackled him … I was grabbing both his arms for about a minute or so until the police backup arrived.”
When that backup arrived, the suspect was placed in the back of a cruiser. But the situation would only escalate.
According to police spokesman Mark Pugash, Henry kicked out the window of the cruiser and then bit an officer.
Pugash believes the subsequent force used by officers, who Tasered Henry twice and stomped on his legs several times, was justified.
“We put him in the back of a police car, he kicked out the window of the police car,” Pugash said. “We got him out of the police car, he was on the ground, he still had an officer’s hand in his mouth, and so we Tasered him a second time to deal with that situation.
“He wouldn’t disengage and that’s why they Tasered him a second time.”
Pugash did admit, however, that police appeared to be intimidating witness Waseem Khan, who captured part of the dramatic arrest on his cellphone.
Khan says he was shocked to see police using such aggression when the suspect seemed to be immobile.
“The police officer starts stomping on him,” he said. “I’m thinking … that this guy is going to die. He was laid out. He was not moving whatsoever. I don’t even know if this guy was conscious.”
But it’s what happened next in the video that Pugash says crossed the line.
The officer holding the Taser hollers at Khan to “move back” and instructs another officer to “Get that guy out of my face.”
“I am not obstructing your arrest,” Khan replies.
Another officer approaches Khan and tells him to move back, to which Khan replies, “I’m a witness. I’m a witness.”
Two of the officers then say if he is a witness, they will have to seize his phone as evidence.
“If you’re a witness, we’re going to need to seize your phone.”
“He’s going to spit in your face, you’re going to get AIDS. Stop recording or I’m going to seize your phone as evidence.”
“He’s going to spit in your face, you’re going to get AIDS. Stop recording or I’m going to seize your phone as evidence,” one of the officers says.
Pugash said Khan was within his rights to film the takedown from a reasonable distance.
“The man taking the video was clearly some considerable distance away,” Pugash said. “He was not interfering in any way, and the officers have no legal authority to seize the phone and they shouldn’t have said that was a possibility. It isn’t a possibility.”
The situation is under investigation by the Toronto Police Professional Standards division, but the Special Investigations Unit will not be probing the arrest because no serious injuries were reported.
Coun. Shelley Carroll, who sits on the Toronto Police Services Board, said she was dismayed by the video.
“I have a lot of questions and I’m going to need answers,” she said. “It’s a troubling video … but I do want to assure people that this means these officers are going to go through a long, long process.”
Mayor John Tory’s office released the following statement in response to the incident:
“The mayor has seen the video and finds it disconcerting. It’s important to keep in mind that we do not know the full context of what happened before or after the video footage. The mayor believes it is appropriate that the Toronto police will be reviewing the matter internally.”
Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder Sandy Hudson said the video was further evidence of the need for change within Toronto police.
“This is outrageous,” she said upon viewing the video. “This man is not moving. He’s being kicked. This is exactly the type of stuff that we’ve been talking about. This city needs to do something about it. The province needs to do something about it.
“We need systemic change. We need policy change and we need a complete culture shift.”
Meanwhile, police from 51 Division have apologized on Twitter for their officer’s false comment about getting AIDS from saliva. They said they will bring in an HIV/AIDS expert for training.
1st step in righting a wrong: @TPS51Div officer's comment simply wrong. You cannot get HIV/AIDS from spit. We're #sorry. ^vk — Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) January 26, 2017
2nd step in righting a wrong: @TPS51Div will bring in outside HIV/AIDS expert to educate their officers. ^vk — Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) January 26, 2017When an art form or genre once dismissed as kids’ stuff starts to get taken seriously by gatekeepers – by journals, for example, such as the one you are reading now – respect doesn’t come smoothly, or all at once. Often one artist gets lifted above the rest, his principal works exalted for qualities that other works of the same kind seem not to possess. Later on, the quondam genius looks, if no less talented, less solitary: first among equals, or maybe just first past the post. That is what happened to rock music in the late 1960s, when sophisticated critics decided, as Richard Poirier put it, to start ‘learning from the Beatles’. It is what happened to comics, too, in the early 1990s, when the Pulitzer Prize committee invented an award for Art Spiegelman’s Maus. And it has happened to science fiction, where the anointed author is Philip K. Dick.
When he died in 1982, Dick was a cult figure, admired unreservedly in the science fiction subculture, and in the American counterculture as a chronicler of psychedelia and fringe religion. By then he had published more than thirty novels, most of them as fleeting mass-market paperbacks, and well over a hundred short stories, most of them in SF magazines. By dying in March, Dick missed the May premiere of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, the first movie made from his work. Twenty-six years on, eight more films have come out of Dick’s fiction, among them the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle Total Recall (1990) and Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report (2002). Vintage – the American imprint responsible for Nabokov and Naipaul – issues most of Dick’s fiction in uniform editions, including works left in manuscript at his death; other publishers have collected his essays, his letters, his interviews and his complete short stories in five volumes (there is also a selection by Jonathan Lethem in one volume). And in a final sign of respectability, the Library of America – whose enterprise began with Melville and Hawthorne – now offers Dick in two volumes, with more promised soon: the first volume, released in 2007, sold faster by far than anything else on the Library’s list.
Novelists with clear literary pedigrees now write SF regularly: Doris Lessing, Margaret Atwood, Michael Chabon, Kazuo Ishiguro. Authors who began inside the SF ghetto have found success outside it: J.G. Ballard as an author of realist novels, Samuel Delany in academia, William Gibson, Lethem himself (whose first books owed a lot to Dick). The sciences – biomedical sciences, climatology, ecology, information technology – seem omnipresent now. It should surprise no one that at least one writer who spent most of his life in SF has gained Dick’s posthumous eminence. But why him?
Dick manifestly led a troubled life. Born in 1928, a twin whose sister died soon after birth, he spent his childhood in relative poverty with his divorced mother. The dead sister – like almost everything else in Dick’s early life – has fictional analogues: in Dr Bloodmoney (1965), we meet a girl ‘whose brother lived inside her body’, a telepathic foetus-sized homunculus who communicates only with her. When Dick reached school age, mother and son moved to Berkeley, where she worked as a clerk, cared for her schizophrenic sister, and became an avid consumer of prescription tranquillisers, while he underwent psychoanalysis in his teens. An indifferent, shy student beset by panic attacks, he delved early into SF, post-Freudian thought (especially Jung) and classical music (his characters have a particular taste for Mahler and for the Elizabethan composer John Dowland). In 1947 the awkward young man with literary ambitions moved into a flat with other young littérateurs, including the future avant-garde poets Jack Spicer and Robert Duncan. He also took a job in a record store, where he met his first wife (they split up after six months) and then his second, Kleo, who introduced him to Bay Area hard-left politics and became his first willing muse.
Throughout the 1950s, Dick worked on realist novels, completing at least eight, though none found publishers. Meanwhile, he tried to earn money through science fiction, which he wrote astonishingly fast. He sold his first story in 1951; in 1953 he sold 30. A decade later – with the help of amphetamines, which he consumed in bulk – Dick could write, and sell, as many as four novels in one year. Not only could he; he felt that he had to, for the money, and until about 1970 he wrote as copiously as he could. There would be five wives and three children (not counting stepchildren): more than he could support comfortably by even the speediest, sloppiest SF, especially since he didn’t want his wives to work. Though he defended the genre in essays, his sometime resentment shows up in his many self-hating low-status protagonists: unappreciated and underemployed repairmen, a designer of Barbie-doll props, a man who ‘retreads’ used tyres to be sold as new.
SF fans honoured Dick early, giving their highest award, the Hugo, to The Man in the High Castle (1962). Other 1960s readers in search of alternatives to realism – the readers who embraced such dissimilar authors as Robert A. Heinlein and J.R.R. Tolkien – discovered Dick too. He lived, conveniently, in the Bay Area, where dropouts, hippies and SF devotees gathered around him: he welcomed them. In 1967 Dick boasted (he was probably lying) that he had composed The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (1965) while on LSD. By 1968, he was in touch with Timothy Leary, and in trouble for non-payment of taxes. By 1972 he was a wreck, preoccupied with conspiracies and nearly unable to write: after giving the keynote address (‘The Android and the Human’) at the Vancouver Science Fiction Convention, he announced that he intended to stay in Canada, tried to kill himself there, checked into rehab, then went to California and moved in with the teenager who would become his fifth wife.
Beset by psychiatric symptoms (radios spoke to him, for example), Dick then had the life-altering vision he had given to so many of his characters: on 2 March 1974, he believed, a Vast Active Living Intelligence System (VALIS), or perhaps God, ‘fired a beam of pink light directly at him, at his head, his eyes’. Dick had by then all the recognition the insular world of SF could give, but recognition from outside kept growing, especially after Paul Williams’s 1975 profile in Rolling Stone. Dick’s final years – less prolific but by no means sterile – brought attempts to explain ‘2-3-74’, in essays, in the more careful prose of the last novels and in the mammoth, unpublishable ‘Exegesis’, several thousand pages high, now stored with the rest of Dick’s papers at the University of California, San Diego.
Dick said near the end of his life that he was ‘into power’: ‘Instead of society moulding me,’ he claimed, ‘I mould it.’ His late belief in his own visionary importance puts into new, sad light the schlubby repairmen, newspaper-puzzle obsessives and helpless Organisation Men in Dick’s earlier works: these little people stuck in large systems, with their frustrated hopes and their cartoonish (mostly bad) sex lives, align Dick less with other SF writers than with other mordant Californian satirists, such as Nathanael West.
Dick should be placed close to psychoanalysis, too: not so much the kind Freud practised, but the kind that coated American popular culture in the years Dick started to write. His characters wonder whether they count as neurotic or psychotic, whether they are sufficiently masculine or feminine, whether they should see a specialist about their complexes. By far the most important psychiatric label in Dick’s work is ‘paranoid’: his protagonists wonder whether someone or something is manipulating all they see. Usually the answer is ‘yes’: Dick’s characters must detect ‘the enemy, with its infiltrating tactics, its systematic contamination of institutions … of the domestic life itself’. That enemy may be a phalanx of telepaths and precognitives employed in corporate espionage (Ubik); a squad of doppelgangers from alternative timelines (Now Wait for Last Year); drug-enforcement agents whose high-tech ‘scramble suits’ make them unrecognisable even to one another (A Scanner Darkly); or androids who pass for human (almost every book). Such plots draw at once on the Red Scare mentality – anyone might be a secret Communist, and any Communist a double agent – and on what Dick knew of clinical mental illness.
Both political and psychoanalytic paranoia, for Dick, induce ontological vertigo. If you accept the Official Version, you will never know what’s really going on; once you step outside it, you will never know either, since nothing can falsify the hypothesis that everything is fake. Jason Taverner in Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said (1974), a famous actor stuck in an alternative universe where he is unemployed and unknown, asks a young woman whether he is ‘a hallucination of yours’; she responds: ‘Maybe … you’re a product of my delusional mind.’ The worst thing that can happen to Dick’s characters – and it happens to them over and over again – is to discover that they inhabit the mind of someone else, someone who ‘can kick over the scenery, manifest himself, push things in any direction he chooses. Even be any of us.’ They may also live in a fragile afterlife, having died without realising it, or in the Potemkin world of a demiurge, its pasteboard walls easy to see as crumbling fakes.
Dick’s novels, reread, invite us to pick one page and draw a thick line across it, separating the novel into before and after the protagonist learns (or believes he has learned) what’s really going on: often we realise, far into the after portion, that we may never know. ‘You have bumped the door of life open with your big, dense head,’ Taverner says to himself, ‘and now it can’t be closed.’ Dick wrote in 1980 that his early realist novels failed because ‘they required the reader to accept my premise that each of us lives in a unique world.’ This notion of incommensurable public and private experience (one of them is a delusion, but which one?) has parallels not only in the drug culture whose ‘freaked-out paranoid space’ he anticipated, not only in the highbrow sources he used (Jung, the pre-Socratics, the Gnostics), but also in the diaries of his mother, who decided, when her sister died, that ‘each person has another world in him and that no one really belongs to the world as it is.’
It is a short step from discovering that the world we know is a fake or a cheat to discovering that human beings are themselves factitious: that we are robots, ‘simulacra’ (the title of one of Dick’s novels), ‘just reflex machines’, ‘repeating doomed patterns, a single pattern, over and over’ in accordance with biological or economic ukases. Where other SF asks whether made-up entities (aliens, androids, emoting computers etc) deserve the respect we give real human beings, Dick more often asks whether we ought to view ourselves as fakes or machines. The ‘Proxmen’ or ‘Proxers’ – humanoids from Proxima Centauri – in much of Dick’s fiction deserve the nickname because they are near-undetectable ‘Approximations’: you or I might be an approximation too, a ‘robot who has functioned alongside humans, believing himself – itself – human’.
Rick Deckard in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), the basis for Blade Runner, finds and kills androids for a living; he also sees himself as a machine, dependent on anatomy (‘his adrenal gland … ceased pumping its several secretions’) as robots depend on circuitry. Dick makes Deckard’s job seem mechanical, constrained, repetitive (though Blade Runner makes it seem exciting); he goes out of his way, too, to dramatise the androids’ feelings, especially their fear of death (they look like adults but last, at most, a few years). Androids resemble robots elsewhere in Dick, but they also recall fugitive slaves, and other figures outside SF, who survive by concealing their status as legal non-persons. These resemblances are one reason (Blade Runner is another) why Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? remains Dick’s best-known book, despite the baldness of its prose: ‘“Do you think androids have souls?” Rick interrupted.’
Do Androids? is also a book about authentic feeling, about how and when we can trust our emotions. Deckard and his wife own a ‘mood organ’, which induces emotions in the way that electric organs create notes; he detects androids via the Voigt-Kampff test, which measures empathy (the plot concerns new androids who can pass it). The saint of its new religion, Mercerism (omitted from Blade Runner), is at once Everyman, Christ and Sisyphus, forever pushing a rock up a hill. ‘You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go,’ Mercer tells Rick in a vision; ‘the basic condition of life’ involves being ‘required to violate your own identity’. Such elements push the book towards tragedy: whether we are really what we think we are becomes, for Deckard, less important than how to live with the fact that we fail.
Usually, though, the feelings in Dick are thinner, less various, catharsis and pathos overwhelmed by metaphysical bafflement, suspense or farce. Most of Dick’s protagonists have simple motivations (survival, money, sex, addiction, institutional loyalty) and even simpler inner lives. This dispels some of the force behind his insistent questions about what counts as a person, since his people are more like robots or programs than the characters in more realistic or lyrical fiction. And yet the questions remain: they are ones (as professional philosophers sometimes recognise) that science fiction is uniquely equipped to dramatise, since the limitless supply of aliens, ‘homosimulacric substitutes’ and thinking machines in SF also gives a limitless supply of hard cases for theories of individuality and personhood.
Dick’s next-most-famous book holds up less well. The Man in the High Castle begins as alternative history. The Axis has won the Second World War, and California subsists under the relatively gentle hand of Imperial Japan: ambitious white people imitate Japanese manners, everyone relies on the I Ching, and almost everyone has heard about a scandalous novel-within-the-novel, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, in which the Allies won the war. When one character drives to Wyoming to meet the author, she learns that the I Ching determined much of his novel (‘It and I long ago arrived at an agreement regarding royalties’): we learn that the characters are – surprise! – works of fiction, not quite able to see that our world, not theirs, is real. Dick hardly invented this sort of ending – see Unamuno, or Pirandello – but it was new to SF, which meant that the relatively polished prose got more praise than it might appear to deserve.
Before he became a successful SF novelist himself, Kim Stanley Robinson wrote a doctoral thesis on Dick, which was published in 1984. For Robinson the discovery of discoveries, in Dick, is simply entropy, the fact that everything – individuals, civilisations, solar systems – will run down and die. Physicists call this the Second Law of Thermodynamics, but Dick’s characters use more colloquial names. In Do Androids? it is ‘kipple’, the junk into which neglected parts of a depopulated Earth decay; in Martian Time-Slip (1964) it is ‘gubbish’ or ‘gubble’, at first the nonsense words that the precognitive child Manfred repeats, and later his names for the rubble that life on Mars will become. In A Scanner Darkly (1977) it is the drug Substance D, nicknamed ‘slow death’; one bad trip reveals a ‘coating of dog shit’ over everything the user sees. The people in Ubik enter a universe in which things age too fast – coffee, once ordered, arrives scummy, ‘inert and ancient’ – while American history moves backwards; both retrograde and fast-forward time travel remind us that all life ends in death. Ubik stands out for its metafictional game-playing (more complicated, and more fun, than the self-conscious literariness of High Castle), and for its colourful mockery of market-driven America, but most of all for the way in which Dick’s repertoire of grim secrets fuse into one secret, alternatively named entropy, the tendency of capital towards monopoly, and |
supporters were killed, most of them women and children. And the situation in Chiapas is still desperate, with thousands displaced from their homes. But it is also true that the situation would probably have been much worse, potentially with far greater intervention from the US military, had it not been for this international swarm. The Rand Corporation study states that the global activist attention arrived "during a period when the United States may have been tacitly interested in seeing a forceful crackdown on the rebels".
So it's worth asking: what are the ideas that proved so powerful that thousands have taken it upon themselves to disseminate them around the world? A few years ago, the idea of the rebels travelling to Mexico City to address the congress would have been impossible to imagine. The prospect of masked guerrillas (even masked guerrillas who have left their arms at home) entering a hall of political power signals one thing: revolution. But Zapatistas aren't interested in overthrowing the state or naming their leader, Marcos, as president. If anything, they want less state power over their lives. And, besides, Marcos says that as soon as peace has been negotiated he will take off his mask and disappear.
What does it mean to be a revolutionary who is not trying to stage a revolution? This is one of the key Zapatista paradoxes. In one of his many communiqués, Marcos writes that "it is not necessary to conquer the world. It is sufficient to make it new". He adds: "Us. Today." What sets the Zapatistas apart from your average Marxist guerrilla insurgents is that their goal is not to win control, but to seize and build autonomous spaces where "democracy, liberty and justice" can thrive.
Although the Zapatistas have articulated certain key goals of their resistance (control over land, direct political representation, and the right to protect their language and culture), they insist they are not interested in "the Revolution", but rather in "a revolution that makes revolution possible".
Marcos believes that what he has learned in Chiapas about non-hierarchical decision-making, decentralised organising and deep community democracy holds answers for the non-indigenous world as well - if only it were willing to listen. This is a kind of organising that doesn't compartmentalise the community into workers, warriors, farmers and students, but instead seeks to organise commu- nities as a whole, across sectors and across generations, creating "social movements". For the Zapatistas, these autonomous zones aren't about isolationism or dropping out, 60s-style. Quite the opposite: Marcos is convinced that these free spaces, born of reclaimed land, communal agriculture, resistance to privatisation, will eventually create counter-powers to the state simply by existing as alternatives.
This is the essence of Zapatismo, and explains much of its appeal: a global call to revolution that tells you not to wait for the revolution, only to stand where you stand, to fight with your own weapon. It could be a video camera, words, ideas, "hope" - all of these, Marcos has written, "are also weapons". It's a revolution in miniature that says, "Yes, you can try this at home." This organising model has spread throughout Latin America, and the world. You can see it in the anarchist squats of Italy (called "social centres") and in the Landless Peasants' Movement of Brazil, which seizes tracts of unused farmland and uses them for sustainable agriculture, markets and schools under the slogan "Ocupar, Resistir, Producir" (Occupy, Resist, Produce). These same ideas were forcefully expressed by the students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico during last year's long and militant occupation of their campus. Zapata once said the land belongs to those who work it, their banners blared, WE SAY THAT THE UNIVERSITY BELONGS TO THOSE WHO STUDY IN IT.
Zapatismo, according to Marcos, is not a doctrine but "an intuition". And he is consciously trying to appeal to something that exists outside the intellect, something uncynical in us, that he found in himself in the mountains of Chiapas: wonder, a suspension of disbelief, myth and magic. So, instead of issuing manifestos, he tries to riff his way into this place, with long meditations, flights of fancy, dreaming out loud. This is, in a way, a kind of intellectual guerrilla warfare: Marcos won't meet his opponents head on, but instead surrounds them from all directions.
A month ago, I got an email from Greg Ruggiero, the publisher of Marcos's collected writings. He wrote that when Marcos enters Mexico City next week, it will be "the equivalent of Martin Luther King Jr's March on Washington". I stared at the sentence for a long time. I have seen the clip of King's "I have a dream" speech maybe 10,000 times, though usually through adverts sellingmutual funds, cable news or computers and the like. Having grown up after history ended, it never occurred to me that I might see a capital-H history moment to match it.
Next thing I knew, I was on the phone talking to airlines, cancelling engagements, making crazy excuses, mumbling about Zapatistas and Martin Luther King. Who cares that I dropped my introduction to Spanish course? Or that I've never been to Mexico City, let alone Chiapas? Marcos says I am a Zapatista and I am suddenly thinking, "Yes, yes, I am. I have to be in Mexico City on March 11. It's like Martin Luther King Jr's March on Washington." Only now, as March 11 approaches, it occurs to me that it's not like that at all. History is being made in Mexico City this week, but it's a smaller, lower-case, humbler kind of history than you see in those news-clips. A history that says,"I can't make your history for you. But I can tell you that history is yours to make."
It also occurs to me that Marcos isn't Martin Luther King; he is King's very modern progeny, born of a bittersweet marriage of vision and necessity. This masked man who calls himself Marcos is the descendant of King, Che Guevara, Malcom X, Emiliano Zapata and all the other heroes who preached from pulpits only to be shot down one by one, leaving bodies of followers wandering around blind and disoriented because they lost their heads.
In their place, the world now has a new kind of hero, one who listens more than speaks, who preaches in riddles not in certainties, a leader who doesn't show his face, who says his mask is really a mirror. And in the Zapatistas, we have not one dream of a revolution, but a dreaming revolution. "This is our dream," writes Marcos, "the Zapatista paradox - one that takes away sleep. The only dream that is dreamed awake, sleepless. The history that is born and nurtured from below."
© Naomi KleinYukihira Soma had been polishing his cooking skills while helping at his family’s diner and one day, enters the elite cooking school, Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy. Soma met various other chefs at the academy and as he grew, he started searching for his own way of cooking.
With the curriculums that required the students to go help out at actual restaurants, Soma gained even more experience. With that, he was able to break through his old self and break through to a whole new taste for his dishes. He successfully completes his curriculum and grew even more.
After his training in the actual restaurant, Soma finally sees the top of Totsuki Academy, the Totsuki Elite Ten at the Momiji Meet and Greet and challenges them.
The venue that was decided for Soma and the Elite Ten to battle was the Totsuki school festival, the Moon Festival. What will Soma make happen at this monster event that brings in 500,000 ever year? Meanwhile, someone’s plan is coming together in the shadows. Soma’s new battle was about to begin!
[Source: Crunchyroll]People in the Nantucket neighbourhood of Dartmouth have started a petition demanding the city bring back two of its crosswalks.
The crossing points at the intersections of Spring and Ellenvale Avenues and Spring Avenue and Clydsdale Drive were removed following a 2007 report on crosswalk safety.
"My son is seven, and we were hoping that next year he could get the bus himself," said Stephany Kilroy, who lives in the area. "But without a crosswalk, that's not going to happen."
Kilroy said the crosswalk provided a route for many students who try to catch the school bus.
"To us, we're thinking the cost of a can of paint against the price of, you know, maybe a pedestrian's life. It's just not worth it."
Stephany Kilroy says the crosswalks were well used by pedestrians. (CBC)
Kilroy said the pavement was recently resurfaced and the crosswalk wasn't painted. She said it took a while before they realized it wasn't coming back at all.
"We were not notified at all," Kilroy said, adding that the city should have consulted the neighbourhood.
Kilroy said she's signed a petition to bring the crosswalks back. She said people are also considering painting their own lines in protest — something people along Waverley Road did last week.
Kilroy has the support of Councillor Darren Fisher.
"There's a reason why they put crosswalks in these places in the first place," he said. "We've got to revisit this."
He said new crossing standards should only be applied to new developments.
"It's an extremely frustrating situation," he said.IT'S MY FAULT,ALL MY FAULT.
I GOT EVERYONE'SHOPES UP.
BUT, DAD, WE CANFIX THE PROJECTOR.
OH, IT'S TOO LATEFOR THAT, SON.
EVERYONE'S GONE HOME.
AND I DON'T KNOW NOTHIN'ABOUT PROJECTORS.
I'M JUST A STUPIDPIECE OF CRAP.
DAD, YOU TAUGHT MEAN IMPORTANT LESSON,
THAT CRAP IS THE CYCLEOF EVERYTHING.
OH, THAT WAS JUST ASTUPID SONG, CORNWALLIS!
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET YOUTO STOP YOUR BITCHING.
NO, IT WASN'TA STUPID SONG,
BECAUSE YOU SHOWED METHAT I HAVE THE POWER
AND THE STRENGTHTO DO ANYTHING I WANT.
YOU MADE MEBELIEVE IN MYSELF, DAD.
NOW I'M ASKING YOUTO DO THE SAME.
SON...
YOU'RE THE SMARTESTPIECE OF CRAP SINCEALBERT POO-DINGER!
COME ON!
ISN'T THIS A NICECHRISTMAS, STANLEY?
NO COMMERCIALISMAND SHOPPING,
JUST A NICE FIREAND FAMILY.
( farts )
I WANNA DIE!
( projector running )
THEY DID IT!
THEY'VE GOT ITWORKING!
YOU HAVE BLEMISHEDTHE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS
FOR THE LAST TIME, KRINGLE.
I BRING HAPPINESS AND LOVE
TO CHILDRENALL OVER THE WORLD.
CHRISTMAS IS FORCELEBRATING MY BIRTH.
CHRISTMAS IS FOR GIVING.
( crowd )OH... WOW.
MOM, THEY GOT ITWORKING!
WHAT, SON, THEY GOT YOURFATHER'S PENIS WORKING AGAIN?
( Kyle )WE ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THEBRIAN BOITANO.
YEAH, AND YOU KNOW,
I THINK I LEARNEDSOMETHING TODAY.
IT DOESN'T MATTERIF YOU'RE CHRISTIAN,
OR JEWISHOR ATHEIST OR HINDU--
CHRISTMAS IS STILL ABOUTONE VERY IMPORTANT THING.
YEAH, HAM.
NO, NOT HAM!( laughing )
HEY, WHY THE HELL DID YOUHAVE ME SAY THAT?
WE CAN MAKE YOU SAYWHATEVER WE WANTED.
CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT SOMETHINGMUCH MORE IMPORTANT.
WHAT?PRESENTS.
DON'T YOU SEE, KYLE?PRESENTS.
PRESENTS?PRESENTS.
MY GOD, THEY'RE RIGHT!
CHRISTMAS ISABOUT PRESENTS.
IF WE ALL BUY PRESENTS,EVERYONE BENEFITS, M'KAY.
THAT IS THE SPIRIT OFCHRISTMAS-- COMMERCIALISM.
BECAUSE IT'S WHAT MAKESOUR COUNTRY WORK.
THEY'RE STARTING TOUNDERSTAND, JOHNSON,
THEY'RE STARTING TOUNDERSTAND.
WE GOT SO CAUGHT UP IN THELITTLE THINGS OF CHRISTMAS,
LIKE LOVE AND FAMILY,THAT WE ALMOST FORGOT
IT'S BUYING THINGS THATMAKES OUR ECONOMY THRIVE.
HEY, THE SHOPSARE STILL OPEN.
WE STILL HAVETIME TO SHOP!
COOL, LET'S GO!
YEAH, LET'S GO!
WOO!
YOU DID IT,MR. HANKEY,
YOU BROUGHT BACKTHE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS.
NO, YOU DID IT, BOYS.
AH HELL,WE ALL DID IT.
KIDS, THAT CARTOONWAS FABULOUS.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TOHAVE YOUR OWN SHOW
AND MAKE 100 MORE OF THEM?
ARE YOU KIDDING?
I THINK WE'D RATHERSTAB OURSELVES IN THE HEAD.
YEAH, LET'S JUST GO HOMEAND OPEN OUR PRESENTS.
HEY, MAN, IF YOU'RE JEWISH,YOU GET PRESENTS FOR EIGHT DAYS.
WOW, COUNT ME IN!
YEAH, I'LL BEA JEW, TOO.
♪ DREIDEL DREIDEL DREIDELI MADE YOU OUT OF CLAY ♪
♪ DREIDEL DREIDEL DREIDELWITH DREIDEL I WILL PLAY ♪♪Marijuana's legal status and the stigma surrounding the plant have significantly hindered scientific research of its potential benefits. It is still considered a Schedule I controlled substance, alongside heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and other drugs the US government says have "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse."
"We've shown that cannabinoids could play a role in treating one of the most aggressive cancers in adults," Dr. Wai Liu, lead author of the study, wrote in an op-ed for the Huffington Post last year. Previous studies have shown that THC may have anti-tumor benefits, but the wrong dose can potentially increase the size of tumors.
The update acknowledges research published last November in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapies by scientists from St. George's, University of London. The researchers found that THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in weed, and cannabidiol, an extract, caused "dramatic reductions" in the growth of glioma tumors in mice. Glioma accounts for 80 percent of malignant brain tumors in humans.
NIDA quietly revised a page on its website titled, "DrugFacts: Is Marijuana Medicine?" this month to state that, "Evidence from one cell culture study suggests that purified extracts from whole-plant marijuana can slow the growth of cancer cells from one of the most serious types of brain tumors."
Researchers have been studying the medical benefits of marijuana for years, but this month marks the first time the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a research group funded by the US government, has acknowledged that cannabis extracts may help kill certain cancer cells and reduce the size of others.
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Researchers have been studying the medical benefits of marijuana for years, but this month marks the first time the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a research group funded by the US government, has acknowledged that cannabis extracts may help kill certain cancer cells and reduce the size of others.
NIDA quietly revised a page on its website titled, "DrugFacts: Is Marijuana Medicine?" this month to state that, "Evidence from one cell culture study suggests that purified extracts from whole-plant marijuana can slow the growth of cancer cells from one of the most serious types of brain tumors."
The update acknowledges research published last November in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapies by scientists from St. George's, University of London. The researchers found that THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in weed, and cannabidiol, an extract, caused "dramatic reductions" in the growth of glioma tumors in mice. Glioma accounts for 80 percent of malignant brain tumors in humans.
"We've shown that cannabinoids could play a role in treating one of the most aggressive cancers in adults," Dr. Wai Liu, lead author of the study, wrote in an op-ed for the Huffington Post last year. Previous studies have shown that THC may have anti-tumor benefits, but the wrong dose can potentially increase the size of tumors.
Marijuana's legal status and the stigma surrounding the plant have significantly hindered scientific research of its potential benefits. It is still considered a Schedule I controlled substance, alongside heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and other drugs the US government says have "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse."
Related: 'The time has come': Medical marijuana legalization bill makes it to the federal level
Despite orders from Congress not to interfere in states where medical marijuana is legal, the Department of Justice has said it will continue to prosecute cases against individuals and organizations that violate federal law by selling the drug.
Malik Burnett, policy manager at the Drug Policy Alliance, told VICE News that NIDA's recent admission about the efficacy of medical marijuana, coupled with the DOJ's vow to continue cracking down on the drug, is tantamount to "major hypocrisy" by the federal government.
"We have the Justice Department continuing to threaten patients with arrest and prosecution in spite of the fact that Congress has voted to prevent the Justice Department from interfering with states that have passed medical marijuana laws," Burnett said. "These are all just parts of the major hypocrisy within the federal government when it comes to the issue of marijuana."
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved medical marijuana to treat any illness, but the agency has approved medications that contain cannabinoid chemicals in the form of a pill.
NIDA's website notes that, "continued research may lead to more medications," but the institute has been blamed for stymieing medical marijuana research by running a monopoly on pot grown for research purposes.
NIDA manages a contract with the University of Mississippi, which grows and supplies "research-grade marijuana," though some of the few people able to obtain government's weed have described it as low-grade "schwag" that is brown and full of seeds and stems. While NIDA does not directly control who receives marijuana for research, there is a laborious three-step approval process that applicants must fulfill in order to obtain the drug.
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have now enacted medical marijuana laws. Illinois expanded its medical marijuana program Monday, issuing around 2,000 licenses to patients.
Responding to the DOJ's vow to continue medical marijuana prosecutions, Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, urged US lawmakers to take up the cause in a statement released April 2.
"Congress should respond to the Justice Department's insubordination by changing federal law," Piper said. "Patients and the people who provide them with their medicine will never be safe until states are free to set their own marijuana policy without federal interference."
Follow Arijeta Lajka on Twitter: @arijetalajkaSEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea’s Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) on Sunday unveiled its small sport utility vehicle (SUV) concept targeted at the Chinese market, planning to join a flurry of rivals in tapping the growing segment in the world’s biggest market.
An employee wipes down a car as the logo of Hyundai Motor is seen on a car at a Hyundai dealership in Seoul April 25, 2013. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Hyundai said it had picked popular Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun to promote the subcompact SUV ix25, to capitalize on the Korean pop culture boom in wooing Chinese customers aged between 25 and 35.
Small SUVs are a bright spot in key markets from China and India to the United States and Europe, offering the functionality and space of SUVs in an affordable small vehicle.
In China, General Motors (GM.N) and Ford Motor (F.N) are offering small SUVs Trax and EcoSport, respectively, among other carmakers.
The ix25 concept, which debuted at the Beijing auto show, is smaller than Hyundai’s Tucson compact SUV and will go into sales in the second half of this year, Hyundai said.
Hyundai, which now sells a mini-SUV only in Brazil, did not say whether it will roll out similar products in other key markets such as India, the United States and Europe.
Hyundai, which ranks fifth in global sales along with affiliate Kia Motors (000270.KS), hopes the upcoming model will help retain its momentum in China, which generates 22 percent of its sales.
With Hyundai’s sales in the United States and Europe stagnating, China is a bright spot for the carmaker. Its China sales rose 9 percent to 270,347 vehicles in the period from January to March, compared to a year earlier.
Hyundai’s chief financial officer earlier said the firm hoped to boost China sales by more than 10 percent to more than 1.13 million vehicles this year, aided by a capacity hike at its third Chinese plant and a new commercial vehicle factory there.
Kia unveiled the K4 family sedan concept aimed at Chinese customers in their 30s and 40s, planning to roll out the model in the second half of this year. ($1=1037.6500 Korean won)This week, Chris Brown became the latest musician to use Aaliyah’s image for own his work. The video for his single “Don’t Think They Know” attempts to act simultaneously as a preachy depiction of LA gang violence and as a tribute to the late singer, who appears in hologram form. The song also samples vocals from a previously unheard Aaliyah track, making this the second time in a year that an artist has gotten his hands on her unreleased songs. Last August, producer Noah “40” Shebib and Drake put out a song she recorded before her death called “Enough Said” as an official release with an added verse by Drake. You wouldn’t think it’d be so easy to get the rights to never-before-heard material from a highly regarded R&B icon. It invites an important question: Who is approving all of this?
Twelve years after her death, Aaliyah’s legacy is so messy that nobody seems to know just who owns it. The past few months have seen at least two lawsuits surrounding her music, one of which involves the songs released under her name on iTunes. Aaliyah’s 2001 self-titled album is listed under independent label Craze Productions, but a company called Reservoir Media Management claims they bought the rights to those songs last year. Craze Productions has had several issues with copyright in the past, so it’s entirely possible that the people profiting off Aaliyah’s music have nothing to do with her. This adds a layer of grime to anything that touts itself as an official Aaliyah release.
Most likely, her image belongs to Blackground Records, the record label of Aaliyah’s uncle and former manager Barry Hankerson. Both he and Aaliyah’s cousin Jomo Hankerson are involved in the posthumous Aaliyah album 40 and Drake hope to release, so you’d think it’d be a pretty widely accepted project. But Aaliyah’s family is torn, too; in an attempt to have the final word in her legacy, Aaliyah’s brother Rashad Haughton tweeted, “There is no official album being released and supported by the Haughton family.” Both Blackground and Drake responded by claiming her family is on board, but the Haughtons haven’t had much of a chance to refute that beyond Twitter. Blackground also said Aaliyah’s top collaborators, Missy Elliott and Timbaland, would be involved in the project, but Elliott’s manager denied that anyone was notified or interested.
Brown’s new video makes the issue even sketchier. The singer has said “Don’t Think They Know” is dedicated to his fans — AKA those not repulsed by his abusive history with one of R&B’s most prominent female voices — and it’s hard to imagine Aaliyah’s family would approve of using her to communicate this kind of gratitude. In the context of his rocky career, the emotional double-whammy of a dead icon and shots of impoverished children sure looks like Brown’s attempt to get the public back on his side. Regardless of whether or not he’s sincere, there’s always something uncomfortable about praising a dead woman when you’ve had so many high-profile problems living ones.
But now that the artist herself isn’t around to comment on what what people do with her work, Brown and Drake have the luxury of knowing that Aaliyah can never formally reject their tributes. They can even pretend she would’ve loved them, and it’s hard to deny a creepy fantasy element to these appropriations of Aaliyah. As Brown sings along with Aaliyah in “Don’t Think They Know,” you get the impression that he believes he’s actually singing with her. This doesn’t even touch upon the imaginary-relationship vibe that Drake projects, and not just in his verse on “Enough Said.” The unabashed fanboy has two tattoos of the singer and wrote her an actual four-page letter. This may help to explain why, in the work of Drake and Brown, Aaliyah more of a muse and a vessel than a person; for all of their endless claims of respect, they’re quicker to use her for their own careers than to think about what she really might have wanted.Weathering the early signs of cracks in their unity, the Republican Party passed its latest spending proposal through the House Monday night, saying it was a good-faith effort to prevent a government shutdown while working to blunt the worst parts of President Obama’s health law.
But less than an hour later the Senate killed the proposal on a party-line vote — the third one in a row it’s shot down — and again demanded House Republicans pass a spending bill without preconditions.
With little more than two hours to go until the midnight deadline, at least a short shutdown was looking inevitable, since it would take at least that much time for the House to put the Senate’s “clean” spending bill through a committee and onto the floor. And that move would assume House Republicans were ready to cave.
Just hours before, House Speaker John A. Boehner had tamped down a rebellion within his ranks from both conservatives, who argued the latest offer was too narrow, and from moderates who said they were tired of flirting with a shutdown.
Despite 12 defections, House Republicans — aided by nine Democrats — powered through a proposal to delay the individual mandate that requires all Americans to have health coverage, and also force members of Congress to forgo taxpayers’ contributions to their health plans.
The 228-201 vote, though, was for naught.
PHOTOS: Highest-earning celebrity couples
“We are not going to mess around with Obamacare, no matter what they do,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who went on to call Republicans “anarchists” who he said “hate government.” His top deputy, Sen. Richard J. Durbin, accused Republicans of “cowardice.”
A brief phone call from President Obama to Mr. Boehner in the evening failed to break the stalemate, and the speaker soon took to the House floor where he said Mr. Obama had again refused to negotiate.
“This is not about me and it’s not about Republicans here in Congress. It’s about fairness for the American people,” Mr. Boehner said.
Their latest bill was much less than Republicans had initially hoped for. Their opening bid was to end the health law altogether, and their second bid was to repeal a tax on medical devices included in the law, and to delay it for one year. Both of those were defeated on party-line votes in the Senate, where Democrats hold a numerical edge — and appear to have the upper hand in the parliamentary maneuvering.
At stake were most basic government operations. National parks were preparing to shutter, federal agencies were notifying nonessential employees they would need to remain home, and officials warned that there would be delays in processing new benefit applications for a whole range of programs.
Still, the list of what is deemed “essential” and remains in effect was longer: air traffic controllers, Border Patrol agents, the military and federal law enforcement would remain on the job, though with the exception of the troops, they would do so without paychecks — at least in the near term.
Democrats bristled at the idea that the federal government wouldn’t be able to pay for part of their health premiums.
Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said small businesses whose employers end up in the health exchanges are allowed to contribute to the cost of premiums, and he said it’s fair for Congress to do the same.
But Republicans said most of those who will buy insurance from the state-based exchanges will not get help from their employers, so neither should members of Congress.
For Democrats, the fight turned into much more than just a defense of the health law.
Top Democratic leaders saw the battle as their chance to break the tea party, which they argue has gained untoward influence over House Republicans’ decisions.
“Just think about it. If we give an inch on the CR, they’re going to take a mile on the debt ceiling,” said Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat. “If you give in to these tactics on any particular issue, it encourages them to happen again and again and again. And our economy is tied in one big knot, and our government is tied in one big knot, and the economy goes down the drain.”
But Republicans said negotiations were essential if the two parties were ever to reach a deal.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.In what could one day be seen by historians as a seminal speech presented before the Paul Volcker-chaired Group of Thirty's 63rd Plenary Session in Rabat, the ECB's Lorenzo Bini Smaghi had two messages: a prosaic, and very much expected one: of unity and cohesion, if at least in perception if not in deed, as well as an extremely unexpected one, in which the first notable discords at the very peak of the power echelons, are finally starting to leak into the public domain. It is in the latter part that Bini Smaghi takes on a very aggressive stance against not only the so-called "inflation tax", or the purported ability of central bankers to inflate their way out of any problem, but also slams the recently prevalent phenomenon of fear-mongering by the banking and political elite, which has become the goto strategy over the past two years whenever the banking class has needed to pass a policy over popular discontent. The ECB member takes a direct stab at the Fed's perceived monetary policy inflexibility and US fiscal imprudence, and implicitly observes that while the market is focusing on Europe due to its monetary policy quandary, it should be far more obsessed with the US. Bini Smaghi also fires a warning shot that ongoing divergence between the ECB and Germany will not be tolerated. Most notably, a member of a central bank makes it very clear that he is no longer a devout believer in that fundamental, and false, central banking religion - Keynesianism.
First, a quick read through the "prosaic" sections of Bini Smaghi's letter.
Bini Smaghi, who is a member of the executive board of the ECB, has a primary obligation to defend the ECB's public image in this time of weakness and complete lack of credibility. And so he does. When discussing the ECB's response to the Greek fiasco and contagion, he is steadfast that the response, although delayed and volatile, was the right one. Furthermore, he claims that the hard path Europe has set on is the right one, as it will ultimately right all the fiscal wrongs, even without the benefit of individual monetary intervention. Ultimately, the ECB is convinced that not letting Greece fail, either in the form of union expulsion or partial default, was the right decision, as "this sill force euro area countries to address their fiscal positions earlier. It’s not easy. But it will be done, because it can be done and it has to be done in any case. And, last but not least, because there are no alternatives." Alas, while we agree that admission is the first step on the road to recovery, the subsequent steps will prove to be insufficient. The imbalances in Europe are of such great magnitude that hoping that countries eventually grow into their balance sheets by way of austerity is simply a ridiculous assumption, and as such does not merit extended overviews. We note this with irony, because apparently the ECB, contrary to elementary school rule #1, favors quantity over quality. As the ECB board member says:
Let me consider the arguments put forward by those who regard a Greek default as unavoidable.
Their first argument is economic. The adjustment programme is too harsh, given the level of the debt-to-GDP ratio reached in Greece. It will produce a debt spiral which will lead the country into a recession and deflation. The problem is made worse by the loss of competitiveness suffered by Greece over the last decade and the impossibility of devaluing the currency. Their reasoning is generally no more sophisticated than that. Some analysts have put together a few numbers to show that they are aware of the problem. But I have not seen a serious analysis of the 120-page report produced by the IMF which looks at the various aspects of the programme, including the impact of the structural measures on growth, the sustainability analysis or other features of the programme. Not one review of the realism of the assessments made by the staff of the IMF and the Commission. In fact, I suspect most market analysts have not even looked at the adjustment path for the primary surplus which is embedded in the programme, which aims to reach 6% of GDP in 2015, a level no different from the ones that other countries in the past have implemented to consolidate their public finances. It’s a level that a number of other countries – including some outside the euro area – will have to achieve if they want to stabilise their debt. Most market analysts and other observers have probably not even looked at the structural measures that are embedded in the programme, affecting for instance the labour market, or at several liberalisations, and their impact on economic growth. The inefficiencies in the tax collection system, which have been aggravated before the elections, have also been overlooked. The perception that the Greek programme will not work looks more like an assumption than the result of a serious assessment.
To summarise, I wonder which analysis is more serious and credible: the many one-pagers, very well publicised – I must admit – which probably aim to influence the rest of the market; or the IMF’s 120 pages of rather tedious analysis describing the contents of the programme, together with its risks.
To this we ask: if a collective brain trust is charged with the goal seeked, and well compensated by taxpayers, duty to put together a 1,200 page report that confirm the primary tenets of the trust itself, will Mr. Smaghi give it 10 times the credibility of the ECB's report? Or how about one million typewriter-armed monkeys putting together 1,200,000 page "analyses" claiming that the Greek default is inevitable? We hope someone has the facilities to conduct just such an experiment. Perhaps the futility of such a simplistic act is the very reason why not more than a one-pagers is required to refute the central bank dogma.
Thus the key axis of contradiction emerges: the ECB is willing to set off on the "demonstratedly" arduous journey of forcing its member states to right their fiscal (income statement) evils, yet while not acknowledging that the key missing link, balance sheet restructuring, is not necessary but critical. There is a reason why plain vanilla restructurings focus on the balance sheet, and not on the income statement: a company with a fresh start balance sheet can grow its income statement without its debts being a hindrance, on the other hand, rarely if ever, do income statements allow companies to grow into untenable balance sheets. This is the main flaw in the ECB's plan. And it is these very contradictions that force the European populace to lose its credibility in the ECB, a concern which even the central bank is all too aware of.
The balance of the "prosaic" part of the speech is along the same lines: merely a defense of the ECB's line of actions, driven primarily by a direct response to the market, and thus a very short-sighted and reactive, instead of proactive, policy response, which merely invites the market to test out the ECB's lack of resolve. And once again, the ECB is not naive and is fully aware of this, yet it redirects attention to other source of "market-test" weakness: "Financial markets are testing each country, one by one, to see whether they are willing to adopt the necessary budgetary measures, starting with those which seem to be facing the greatest hurdles to consolidation." Bini Smaghi is right and wrong here: the market will continue testing country by country, but not to determine fiscal resolve, only to take advantage of the lack a monetary one. And so from crisis to crisis, the market will continue reaching deeper until it finally tests the very core of the eurozone: Germany.
And speaking of Germany, this brings us to the other part of Bini Smaghi's letter. In one of the first open shots of public confrontation, we see that the ECB has been very much displeased not only by rampant fear-mongering, but by the words of Germany's Angela Merkel, whose recent repeat declarations that Greece could be allowed to leave the union, have undermined the bedrock of the ECB. Furthermore, as the WSJ reports, "in a rare show of defiance for the consensus-driven ECB, Germany's central bank head Axel Weber told the German newspaper Börsen-Zeitung that he viewed the bond-buying decision "critically" and that it carried "substantial stability risks." Is this the type of rancorous infighting between Europe's two main powers, that will seal the fate of the Eurozone experiment far more certainly than parliamentary stormings in Athens?
We read in Bini Smaghi's letter the first fingerpointing of displeasure by an ECB official aimed squarely at Germany:
A further dimension, in the European context, is the difference in cultures and sensitivities. They affect how issues are communicated within countries, in particular between politicians and their electorates. These are differences which totally disconcert financial markets. For instance, in one large euro area country it was thought that public support for swift action could be achieved only by dramatising the situation, for instance, by telling the public that “the euro is in danger” or by considering the possibility of expelling a country from the euro area. But it was not realised that, in the midst of a financial |
amount of I/O bandwidth. When you run a heavy load, such operations might time out before they finish. You might also see this behavior if the host has LUNs that are in an all paths down (APD) state. Workaround: Fix all host APD states and retry the operation with a smaller I/O load on the LUN and host.
DRS does not vMotion virtual machines with virtual Flash Read Cache for load balancing purpose
DRS does not vMotion virtual machines with virtual Flash Read Cache for load balancing purposes. Workaround: DRS does not recommend these virtual machines for vMotion except for the following reasons: To evacuate a host that the user has requested to enter maintenance or standby mode. To fix DRS rule violations. Host resource usage is in red state. One or most hosts is over utilized and virtual machine demand is not being met.
Note: You can optionally set DRS to ignore this reason.
Hosts are put in standby when the active memory of virtual machines is low but consumed memory is high
ESXi 5.5 introduces a change in the default behavior of DPM designed to make the feature less aggressive, which can help prevent performance degradation for virtual machines when active memory is low but consumed memory is high. The DPM metric is X%*IdleConsumedMemory + active memory. The X% variable is adjustable and is set to 25% by default. Workaround: You can revert to the aggressive DPM behavior found in earlier releases of ESXi by setting PercentIdleMBInMemDemand=0 in the advanced options.
vMotion initiated by DRS might fail
When DRS recommends vMotion for virtual machines with a virtual Flash Read Cache reservation, vMotion might fail because the memory (RAM) available on the target host is insufficient to manage the Flash Read Cache reservation of the virtual machines. Workaround: Follow the Flash Read Cache configuration recommendations documented in vSphere Storage.
If vMotion fails, perform the following steps: Reconfigure the block sizes of the virtual machines on the target host and the incoming virtual machines to reduce the overall target usage of the VMkernel memory on the target host. Use vMotion to manually migrate the virtual machine to the target host to ensure the condition is resolved.
You are unable to view problems that occur during virtual flash configuration of individual SSD devices
The configuration of virtual flash resources is a task that operates on a list of SSD devices. When the task finishes for all objects, the vSphere Web Client reports it as successful, and you might not be notified of problems with the configuration of individual SSD devices. Workaround: Perform one of the following tasks. In the Recent Tasks panel, double-click the completed task.
Any configuration failures appear in the Related events section of the Task Details dialog box. Alternatively, follow these steps:
Select the host in the inventory. Click the Monitor tab, and click Events.
Unable to obtain SMART information for Micron PCIe SSDs on the ESXi host
Your attempts to use the esxcli storage core device smart get -d command to display statistics for the Micron PCIe SSD device fail. You get the following error message:
Error getting Smart Parameters: CANNOT open device Workaround: None. In this release, the esxcli storage core device smart command does not support Micron PCIe SSDs.
ESXi does not apply the bandwidth limit that is configured for a SCSI virtual disk in the configuration file of a virtual machine
You configure the bandwidth and throughput limits of a SCSI virtual disk by using a set of parameters in the virtual machine configuration file (.vmx ). For example, the configuration file might contain the following limits for a scsi0:0 virtual disk:
sched.scsi0:0.throughputCap = "80IOPS"
sched.scsi0:0.bandwidthCap = "10MBps"
sched.scsi0:0.shares = "normal"
ESXi does not apply the sched.scsi0:0.bandwidthCap limit to the scsi0:0 virtual disk. Workaround: Revert to an earlier version of the disk I/O scheduler by using the vSphere Web Client or the esxcli system settings advanced set command. In the vSphere Web Client, edit the Disk.SchedulerWithReservation parameter in the Advanced System Settings list for the host. Navigate to the host. On the Manage tab, select Settings and select Advanced System Settings. Locate the Disk.SchedulerWithReservation parameter, for example, by using the Filter or Find text boxes. Click Edit and set the parameter to 0. Click OK. In the ESXi Shell to the host, run the following console command:
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /Disk/SchedulerWithReservation -i=0
A virtual machine configured with Flash Read Cache cannot be migrated off a host if there is an error in the cache
A virtual machine with Flash Read Cache configured might have a migration error if the cache is in an error state and is unusable. This error causes migration of the virtual machine to fail. Workaround: Reconfigure the virtual machine and disable the cache. Perform the migration. Re-enable the cache after the virtual machine is migrated. Alternatively, the virtual machine must be powered off and then powered on to correct the error with the cache.
You cannot delete the VFFS volume after a host is upgraded from ESXi 5.5 Beta
You cannot delete the VFFS volume after a host is upgraded from ESXi 5.5 Beta. Workaround: This occurs only when you upgrade from ESXi 5.5 Beta to ESXi 5.5. To avoid this problem, install ESXi 5.5 instead of upgrading. If a you upgrade from ESXi 5.5 Beta, delete the VFFS volume before you upgrade.
Expected latency runtime improvements are not seen when virtual Flash Read Cache is enabled on virtual machines with older Windows and Linux guest operating systems
Virtual Flash Read Cache provides optimal performance when the cache is sized to match the target working set, and when the guest file systems are aligned to at least a 4KB boundary. The Flash Read Cache filters out misaligned blocks to avoid caching partial blocks within the cache. This behavior is typically seen when virtual Flash Read Cache is configured for VMDKs of virtual machines with Windows XP and Linux distributions earlier than 2.6. In such cases, a low cache hit rate with a low cache occupancy is observed, which implies a waste of cache reservation for such VMDKs. This behavior is not seen with virtual machines running Windows 7, Windows 2008, and Linux 2.6 and later distributions, which align their file systems to a 4KB boundary to ensure optimal performance. Workaround: To improve the cache hit rate and optimal use of the cache reservation for each VMDK, ensure that the guest operating file system installed on the VMDK is aligned to at least a 4KB boundary.
Virtual SAN
Unmounted Virtual SAN disks and diskgroups displayed as mounted in the vSphere Client UI Operational Status field
After the Virtual SAN disks or diskgroups are unmounted using the esxcli vsan storage diskgroup unmount CLI command or automatically by the Virtual SAN Device Monitor service when disks show persistently high latencies, the vSphere Client UI incorrectly displays the Operational Status field as Mounted.
Workaround: Verify the Health field that shows a non-healthy value instead of the Operational Status field.
ESXi host with multiple VSAN disk groups might not display the magnetic disk statistics when you run the vsan.disks_stats command
An ESXi host with multiple VSAN disk groups might not display the magnetic disk (MD) statistics when you run the vsan.disks_stats Ruby vSphere Console (RVC)command. The host displays only the solid-state drive (SSD) information.
Workaround: None
VM directories contain duplicate swap (.vswp) files
This might occur if virtual machines running on Virtual SAN are not cleanly shutdown, and if you perform a fresh installation of ESXi and vCenter Server without erasing data from Virtual SAN disks. As a result, old swap files (.vswp ) are found in the directories for virtual machines that are shut down uncleanly.
Workaround: None
This might occur if virtual machines running on Virtual SAN are not cleanly shutdown, and if you perform a fresh installation of ESXi and vCenter Server without erasing data from Virtual SAN disks. As a result, old swap files ( ) are found in the directories for virtual machines that are shut down uncleanly. Workaround: None Attempts to add more than seven magnetic disks to a Virtual SAN disk group might fail with incorrect error message
Virtual SAN disk group supports maximum of one SSD and seven magnetic disks (HDD). Attempts to add an additional magnetic disk might fail with an incorrect error message similar to the following:
The number of disks is not sufficient.
Workaround: None
Re-scan failure experienced while adding a Virtual SAN disk
When you add a Virtual SAN disk, re-scan fails due to probe failure for a non-Virtual SAN volume, which causes the operation to fail.
Workaround: Ignore the error as all the disks are registered correctly.
A hard disk drive (HDD) that is removed after its associated solid state drive (SSD) is removed might still be listed as a storage disk claimed by Virtual SAN
If an SSD and then its associated HDD is removed from a Virtual SAN datastore and you run the esxcli vsan storage list command, the removed HDD is still listed as a storage disk claimed by Virtual SAN. If the HDD is inserted back in a different host, the disk might appear to be part of two different hosts.
Workaround: For example, if SSD and HDD is removed from ESXi x and inserted into ESXi y, perform the following steps to prevent the HDD from appearing to be a part of both ESXi x and ESXi y:
1. Insert the SSD and HDD removed from the ESXi x, into ESXi y.
2. Decommission the SSD from ESXi x.
3. Run the command esxcfg-rescan -A.
The HDD and SSD will no longer be listed on ESXi x.
The Working with Virtual SAN section of the vSphere Storage documentation indicates that the maximum number of HDD disks per a disk group is six. However, the maximum allowed number of HDDs is seven.
section of the documentation indicates that the maximum number of HDD disks per a disk group is six. However, the maximum allowed number of HDDs is seven. After a failure in a Virtual SAN cluster, vSphere HA might report multiple events, some misleading, before restarting a virtual machine
The vSphere HA master agent makes multiple attempts to restart a virtual machine running on Virtual SAN after it has appeared to have failed. If the virtual machine cannot be immediately restarted, the master agent monitors the cluster state, and makes another attempt when conditions indicate that a restart might be successful. For virtual machines running on Virtual SAN, the vSphere HA master has special application logic to detect when the accessibility of a virtual machine's objects might have changed, and attempts a restart whenever an accessibility change is likely. The master agent makes an attempt after each possible accessibility change, and if it did not successfully power on the virtual machine before giving up and waiting for the next possible accessibility change. After each failed attempt, vSphere HA reports an event indicating that the failover was not successful, and after five failed attempts, reports that vSphere HA stopped trying to restart the virtual machine because the maximum number of failover attempts was reached. Even after reporting that the vSphere HA master agent has stopped trying, however, it does try the next time a possible accessibility change occurs. Workaround: None.
Powering off a Virtual SAN host causes the Storage Providers view in the vSphere Web Client to refresh longer than expected
If you power off a Virtual San host, the Storage Providers view might appear empty. The Refresh button continues to spin even though no information is shown. Workaround: Wait at least 15 minutes for the Storage Providers view to be populated again. The view also refreshes after you power on the host.
Virtual SAN reports a failed task as completed
Virtual SAN might report certain tasks as completed even though they failed internally. The following are conditions and corresponding reasons for errors: Condition: Users attempt to create a new disk group or add a new disk to already existing disk group when the Virtual SAN license has expired.
Error stack: A general system error occurred: Cannot add disk: VSAN is not licensed on this host. Condition: Users attempt to create a disk group with the number of disk higher than the supported number. Or they try to add new disks to already existing disk group so that the total number exceeds the supported number of disks per disk group.
Error stack: A general system error occurred: Too many disks. Condition: Users attempt to add a disk to the disk group that has errors.
Error stack: A general system error occurred: Unable to create partition table. Workaround: After identifying the reason for a failure, correct the reason and perform the task again.
Virtual SAN datastores cannot store host local and system swap files
Typically, you can place the system swap or host local swap file on a datastore. However, the Virtual SAN datastore does not support system swap and host local swap files. As a result, the UI option that allows you to select the Virtual SAN datastore as the file location for system swap or host local swap is not available. Workaround: In Virtual SAN environment, use other supported options to place the system swap and host local swap files.
A Virtual SAN virtual machine in a vSphere HA cluster is reported as vSphere HA protected although it has been powered off
This might happen when you power off a virtual machine with its home object residing on a Virtual SAN datastore, and the home object is not accessible. This problem is seen if a HA master agent election occurs after the object becomes inaccessible. Workaround: Make sure that the home object is accessible again by checking the compliance of the object with the specified storage policy. Power on the virtual machine then power it off again. The status should change to unprotected.
Virtual machine object remains in Out of Date status even after Reapply action is triggered and completed successfully
If you edit an existing virtual machine profile due to the new storage requirements, the associated virtual machine objects, home or disk, might go in Out of Date status.This occurs when your current environment cannot support reconfiguration of virtual machine objects. Using Reapply action does not change the status. Workaround: Add additional resources, hosts or disks, to the Virtual SAN cluster and invoke Reapply action again.
Automatic disk claiming for Virtual SAN does not work as expected if you license Virtual SAN after enabling it
If you enable Virtual SAN in automatic mode and then assign a license, Virtual SAN fails to claim disks. Workaround: Change the mode to Manual, and then switch back to Automatic. Virtual SAN will properly claim the disks.
vSphere High Availability (HA) fails to restart a virtual machine when Virtual SAN network is partitioned
This occurs when Virtual SAN uses VMkernel adapters for internode communication, which are on the same subnet as other VMkernel adapters in a cluster. Such configuration could cause network failure and disrupt Virtual SAN internode communication, while vSphere HA internode communication remains unaffected. In this situation, the HA master agent might detect the failure in a virtual machine, but is unable to restart it. For example, this could occur when the host on which the master agent is running does not have access to the virtual machine's objects. Workaround: Make sure that the VMkernel adapters used by Virtual SAN do not share a subnet with the VMkernel adapters used for other purposes.
VM directories contain duplicate swap (.vswp) files
This might occur if virtual machines running on Virtual SAN are not cleanly shutdown, and if you perform a fresh installation of ESXi and vCenter Server without erasing data from Virtual SAN disks. As a result, old swap files (.vswp) are found in the directories for virtual machines that are shut down uncleanly.
Workaround: None
This might occur if virtual machines running on Virtual SAN are not cleanly shutdown, and if you perform a fresh installation of ESXi and vCenter Server without erasing data from Virtual SAN disks. As a result, old swap files (.vswp) are found in the directories for virtual machines that are shut down uncleanly. Workaround: None VMs might become inaccessible due to high network latency
In a Virtual SAN cluster setup, if the network latency is high, some VMs might become inaccessible on vCenter Server and you will not be able to power on or access the VM.
Workaround: Run the vsan.check_state -e -r RVC command.
VM operations might timeout due to high network latency
When storage controller with low queue depths are used, high network latency might cause VM operations to time out.
Workaround: Re-attempt the operations when the network load is lower.
VMs might get renamed to a truncated version of their vmx file path
If the vmx file of a virtual machines is temporarily inaccessible, the VM gets renamed to a truncated version of the vmx file path. For example, the virtual machine might get renamed to /vmfs/volumes/vsan:52f1686bdcb477cd-8e97188e35b99d2e/236d5552-ad93. The truncation might delete half the UUID of the VM home directory making it difficult to map the renamed VM with the original VM, from just the VM name.
Workaround: Run the vsan.fix_renamed_vms RVC command.
vCenter Server and vSphere Web Client
Unable to add ESXi host to Active Directory domain
You might observe that Active Directory domain name is not displayed in Domain drop-down list under Select Users and Groups option when you attempt to assign permissions. Also, the Authentication Services Settings option might not display any trusted domain controller even when the active directory has trusted domains.
Workaround: Restart netlogond, lwiod, and then lsassd daemons. Login to ESXi host using vSphere Client. In the Configuration tab and click Authentication Services Settings. Refresh to view the trusted domains.
You might observe that Active Directory domain name is not displayed in Domain drop-down list under Select Users and Groups option when you attempt to assign permissions. Also, the Authentication Services Settings option might not display any trusted domain controller even when the active directory has trusted domains. Workaround:
Virtual Machine Management Issues
Unable to perform cold migration and storage vMotion of a virtual machine if the VMDK file name begins with "core"
Attempts to perform cold migration and storage vMotion of a virtual machine might fail if the VMDK file name begins with "core" with error message similar to the following:
A general system error occurred: Error naming or renaming a VM file.
Error messages similar to the following might be displayed in the vpxd.log file:
mem> 2014-01-01T11:08:33.150-08:00 [13512 info 'commonvpxLro' opID=8BA11741-0000095D-86-97] [VpxLRO] -- FINISH task-internal-2471 -- -- VmprovWorkflow --
mem> 2014-01-01T11:08:33.150-08:00 [13512 info 'Default' opID=8BA11741-0000095D-86-97] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR task-internal-2471 -- -- VmprovWorkflow: vmodl.fault.SystemError:
mem> --> Result:
mem> --> (vmodl.fault.SystemError){
mem> --> dynamicType =,
mem> --> faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
mem> --> reason = "Error naming or renaming a VM file.",
mem> --> msg = "",
mem> --> }
This issue occurs when the ESXi host incorrectly classifies VMDK files with a name beginning with "core" as a core file instead of the expected disk type.
Workaround: Ensure that the VMDK file name of the virtual machine does not begin with "core". Also, use the vmkfstools utility to rename the VMDK file to ensure that the file name do not begin with the word "core".
Virtual machines with Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit guest operating systems in the French locale experience problems during clone operations
If you have a cloned Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit virtual machine that is running in the French locale, the virtual machine disconnects from the network and the customization specification is not applied. This issue appears when the virtual machine is running on an ESXi 5.1 host and you clone it to ESXi 5.5 and upgrade the VMware Tools version to the latest version available with the 5.5 host. Workaround: Upgrade the virtual machine compatibility to ESXi 5.5 and later before you upgrade to the latest available version of VMware Tools.
Attempts to increase the size of a virtual disk on a running virtual machine fail with an error
If you increase the size of a virtual disk when the virtual machine is running, the operation might fail with the following error: This operation is not supported for this device type. The failure might occur if you are extending the disk to the size of 2TB or larger. The hot-extend operation supports increasing the disk size to only 2TB or less. SATA virtual disks do not support the hot-extend operation no matter what their size is. Workaround: Power off the virtual machine to extend the virtual disk to 2TB or larger.
Fault Tolerance (FT) is not supported on Intel Skylake-DT/S, Broadwell-EP, Broadwell-DT, and Broadwell-DE platform
Fault tolerance is not supported on Intel Skylake-DT/S, Broadwell-EP, Broadwell-DT, and Broadwell-DE platform. Attempts to power on a virtual machine will fail after you enable single-processor Fault Tolerance. Workaround: None
If you select an ESX/ESXi 4.0 or 4.1 host in a vSphere HA cluster to fail over a virtual machine, the virtual machine might not restart as expected
When vSphere HA restarts a virtual machine on an ESX/ESXi 4.0 or 4.1 host that is different from the original host the virtual machine was running on, a query is issued that is not answered. The virtual machine is not powered on on the new host until you answer the query manually from the vSphere Client. Workaround: Answer the query from the vSphere Client. Alternatively, you can wait for a timeout (15 minutes by default), and vSphere HA attempts to restart the virtual machine on a different host. If the host is running ESX/ESXi 5.0 or later, the virtual machine is restarted.
If a vMotion operation without shared storage fails in a vSphere HA cluster, the destination virtual machine might be registered to an unexpected host
A vMotion migration involving no shared storage might fail because the destination virtual machine does not receive a handshake message that coordinates the transfer of control between the two virtual machines. The vMotion protocol powers off both the source and destination virtual machines. If the source and destination hosts are in the same cluster and if vSphere HA has been enabled, the destination virtual machine might be registered by vSphere HA on another host than the one chosen as the target for the vMotion migration. Workaround: If you want to retain the destination virtual machine and you want it to be registered to a specific host, relocate the destination virtual machine to the destination host. This relocation is best done before powering on the virtual machine.
Sensor values for Fan, Power Supply, Voltage, and Current sensors appear under the Other group of the vCenter Server Hardware Status Tab
Some sensor values are listed in the Other group instead of the respective categorized group. Workaround: None.
I/O memory management unit (IOMMU) faults might appear when the debug direct memory access (DMA) mapper is enabled
The debug mapper places devices in IOMMU domains to help catch device memory accesses to addresses that have not been explicitly mapped. On some HP systems with old firmware, IOMMU faults might appear. Workaround: Download firmware upgrades from the HP Web site and apply them. Upgrade the firmware of the HP iLO2 controller.
Version 2.07, released in August 2011, resolves the problem. Upgrade the firmware of the HP Smart Array.
For the HP Smart Array P410, version 5.14, released in January 2012, resolves the problem.
User is forcefully logged out while installing or uninstalling VMware Tools by OSP
While installing or uninstalling VMware Tools packages in a RHEL (Red Hat Linux Enterprise) and CentOS virtual machines that were installed using operating system specific packages (OSP), the current user is forcefully logged out. This issue occurs in RHEL 6.5 64-bit, RHEL 6.5 32-bit, CentOS 6.5 64-bit and CentOS 6.5 32-bit virtual machines.
Workaround: Use secure shell (SSH) to install or uninstall VMware Tools
or The user must log in again to install or uninstall the VMware Tools packages
While installing or uninstalling VMware Tools packages in a RHEL (Red Hat Linux Enterprise) and CentOS virtual machines that were installed using operating system specific packages (OSP), the current user is forcefully logged out. This issue occurs in RHEL 6.5 64-bit, RHEL 6.5 32-bit, CentOS 6.5 64-bit and CentOS 6.5 32-bit virtual machines. Workaround:
Miscellaneous IssuesMohammad Afridi was forced to leave Khyber Agency when militants declared his moustache un-Islamic.
PESHAWAR: Malik Ameer Muhammad Afridi has become a celebrity in his own right owing to his 30-inch long moustache curling up to his forehead which he proudly displays along the streets of Peshawar.
Aside from the usual looks of amusement, Afridi’s gangling moustache managed to draw the attention of members of militant group Lashkar-e-Islami.
The iconoclastic facial hair caused him to abandon his hometown of Bara in Khyber Agency after the militants declared it ‘un-Islamic’.
“It was the summer of 2008, when members of the LeI arrested me and took me to a religious scholar who declared the moustache un-Islamic and ordered it to be shaved,” he said.
The pride of Afridi’s life was shaved at gunpoint. Refusing to be cowed by the militants’ threats, however, he decided to move to Peshawar so that his moustache may thrive unfettered.
Afridi said he has not been able to visit his hometown for four years owing to the threat of ‘anti-moustache’ militants. “I left my dear homeland, my friends and relatives and prepared to sacrifice all that but will not compromise my moustache,” he said.
Afridi has been living in Peshawar after braving ‘anti-moustache’ hardliners in Khyber Agency.
Now, he proudly displays his handle-bar moustache in the relatively secure environs of the provincial capital. The 47-year-old runs an electronics business in Deen Plaza and says, “My moustache style is unique. It has made my tribesmen proud as no one in Pakistan has such a moustache.”
Afridi also said his moustache had gained him respect, adding that people even give him their turn while standing in queues outside banks and other places.
Afridi’s moustache-care regime is elaborate. Spending 30 minutes grooming himself every day, he uses oil extracts of almond and coconut to nourish the hair. He then fashions the handlebar whiskers into crescent-like curls using a German-made gel.
However, his gangling whiskers did not amuse his wife. She urged him to get rid of it since he had run afoul of the militants.
Despite his wife’s protestations, Afridi said he would only surrender his moustache – over his dead body.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2012.
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Facebook today announced their Oculus Rift app Spaces is getting an extra feature, bringing it closer in functionality to the rest of Facebook’s near ubiquitous platform—of course with a few extra ‘VR perks’. Starting today, Facebook is letting Rift owners ‘go Live’ and broadcast in-app video of their session, sharing it with the rest of the Facebook-using world.
Facebook Spaces, released in April on Rift, lets you view 360 photos and videos, doodle with a virtual set of Tilt Brush-style markers, visit VR buddies in the virtual flesh, and manage your timeline, albeit in a limited way considering there’s no virtual keyboard solution yet. Despite the split from normal Facebook functionality, there are a few VR specific tools at your disposal.
The tool set already has a selfie camera that lets you snap impromptu pictures and share them to your Timeline, and a ‘Messenger’ call function that lets you place direct VR-to-realty video calls with anyone on your Facebook friends list. With the recent update pushing out today, you’ll now have a virtual camera too that you can position anywhere in the space to capture your session.
Just like going live in non-VR broadcasts, friends on Facebook can comment or ask you questions in the moment. You can even see their emoji reactions while you’re in VR, and pick out the best comment by hand to highlight it for the rest of the viewers.
In the promo video, Facebook is suggesting the new Live feature would be valuable for when the video’s contents could be useful to many people, like during office hours for a college-level course. Teachers could hypothetically institute the new ‘VR office hours’ today supposing enough of their students had Oculus Rifts. Letting a conversation unfold naturally between a teacher and student can yield some valuable answers that some less outspoken students wouldn’t naturally be inclined to ask.
Facebook’s latest update to Spaces comes hot on the heels of a dramatic price drop for the Oculus Rift, now cut to $400 for the next six weeks for both the Rift headset and Touch motion controller.
This price drop comparatively puts the Oculus Rift + Touch in the same range as the latest gen consoles such as the PS4 Pro ($399) and the more expensive Xbox One X ($499).
Facebook ‘Spaces’ on RiftAs the humanitarian situation inside Syria continues to worsen, mental health needs among refugees fleeing to Iraq are steadily increasing, said Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) ahead of World Mental Health Day on Thursday, 10th October.
In northern Iraq in Domeez refugee camp, MSF’s counsellors and psychologists are seeing growing numbers of patients presenting with far more acute symptoms than a year ago, when the mental health services began.
In 2012, around seven percent of MSF’s mental health patients in Domeez displayed symptoms of a severe mental disorder. In 2013, this number has more than doubled to 15 percent.
“The psychological situation in Domeez camp is an emergency in itself,” says Ana Maria Tijerino, Mental Health Advisor for MSF.
“Our team is increasingly seeing more complex reactions and symptoms among the refugees. Disorders such as schizophrenia and severe depression are becoming more commonplace, and we are seeing many patients who have suicidal tendencies.”
Acute psychological needs MSF
MSF began general medical activities in Domeez in May 2012, and immediately saw the need among refugees to incorporate a mental health programme.
Since July 2012, a team of trained psychologists and counsellors has been providing individual, family and group sessions.
The mental health team works alongside the medical staff who help to detect the patients in need, and then refer them for counselling.
A team of community health workers also works within the camp to promote awareness about the services.
Since the programme began, MSF has conducted 2,620 consultations.
“The need for mental healthcare is immense and should be considered a vital component of medical response,” continues Ana Maria.
“People who have just arrived to the camp have been exposed to a range of trauma: they may have directly witnessed violence or had their lives placed in danger, they may have lost their houses or family members.
“At the same time, people who have been living here for a year have a heightened sense of hopelessness. Nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow, and when this conflict will end. This is having a huge effect on people’s psychological wellbeing. It has become a desperate situation.”
Caring for patients with severe mental health disorders
With the increasing numbers of patients with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia or depression, MSF has adapted its approach.
Some patients will seek care at the clinic, however in many cases, stigma around such disorders is a huge barrier to asking for psychological help. For these patients, MSF psychologists are conducting home visits, ensuring contact both with the individual and the family.
Currently, MSF will refer these patients to a nearby hospital when necessary. However, MSF is also working with the Department of Health to expand psychiatric care within the clinic itself.
This will reduce the need in future for referral outside of the camp, and therefore ensure that the patient is treated and more closely monitored nearer to their home and family.
Healing children’s wounds MSF
The war and its aftermath have had far reaching consequences for the mental health of children.
Currently in Domeez, children and adolescents comprise 50 percent of all MSF’s new patients.
Every week, between 15 and 20 children and adolescents aged 18 and under are admitted to the programme.
One of the most common symptoms seen in children of all ages is bed-wetting, a reaction to anxiety and intense feelings of fear.
Other symptoms children display include aggressive behaviour and isolating themselves from families and friends. To address these symptoms, the sessions involve talking to the children alongside a family member and encouraging them to express themselves through drawing and playing techniques.
The aim is to reestablish a safe environment and increase the coping skills of the children and their families.
Single men – another vulnerable group
In Domeez, a specific area in the camp has been allocated only for single men – those who arrive without family or wives.
Living five or six to a tent and without the support of a family, their ability to cope has been greatly reduced. As the stigma associated among this group to seek mental health assistance at the clinic is higher, a male MSF counsellor goes directly to the tents and provides sessions there.
“Everyone here has a story,” says Nihad, MSF’s counsellor. “Some have escaped from the army, some have fled from Damascus where they witnessed the war. They always say they are neglected here in Domeez and that nobody takes care of them.
“When I speak to them, I hear their emotions, and I see their sadness which manifests in anxiety and irritability. We also see some cases of post traumatic stress disorder. These men have directly witnessed war and have seen people killed in front of them.
“There are many stories, but one which I remember is a case of severe self harm. This normally happens when people feel hopeless and want to gain some sense of control.
“This man was cutting his whole body and had severe scars everywhere. He was so frustrated and upset that he thought this was the only solution.
“He had to leave his business behind in Syria, he cannot find a job here and he misses his family. He is living in complete isolation. He says he gets relief from seeing the blood.”
Restoring strength and control Aurelie Lachant/MSF
Through its programme in Domeez, MSF is aiming to help the refugee population regain some sense of control over their psychological well-being.
“We aim to help give them back some of their strength,” explains Dr Henrike Zellmann, the supervising psychologist for the programme.
“We are working to reinforce their coping strategies and we give them a chance to talk openly and confidentially.
“It takes time and the problems will not be solved in one session. We do not have the ability to make the situation go away. But our psychologists can help people make some sense of what they have been through and gain control of the unbearable symptoms they are experiencing.”
MSF in Iraq
Since May 2012, MSF has been working in Domeez refugee camp in Dohuk governorate, home to more than 42,000 Syrian refugees. Each week, teams are providing around 2500 general healthcare and mental health consultations.
Find out more about MSF’s work in Iraq, and MSF’s work in Syria.Your art teacher lied
Guess what? Chemistry isn’t the only high school course built on a foundation of lies. In art class we’re taught that the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Not only is it wrong to say that there are three true primary colors, but if we were to pick three, we’d pick a better combination.
Let there be light
A band of wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum between 390nm and 700nm makes up the visible spectrum of light; we perceive different wavelengths within this spectrum as colors. White light is a combination of all wavelengths in the visible spectrum.
The visible spectrum of light
Humans are trichromats, which means that we have three types of color receptors (cone cells). Our short-, mid-, and long-wavelength sensing cones sense blue, green, and red respectively; this brings us to the first set of important primary colors.
RGB
Also known as the additive colors, Red Green and Blue light can be combined at different intensities to make up a huge range of colors. They’re called “additive” primaries because when they mix together they become brighter, eventually producing white light. If you had three flashlights with these colors you could make almost any color by shining them on a wall together at different brightness levels; most modern display technologies use arrays of RGB pixels to this effect.
RGB stands for Really Great, Boo-ya!
Above we see that red and green light mix to form yellow, green and blue mix to cyan, and a combination of all three primaries makes white light. The collection of colors within a color space is called a gamut, and it turns out that the gamut for RGB is awesomely complete. The additive primaries are useful for light sources, but we tend to use another color model when dealing with light reflectors like paint and ink.
CMY(K)
When we perceive a chair as red it’s because the chair is absorbing all wavelengths but red so that only red light reaches our eyes. As we mix more paints together we approach black, since each color absorbs particular wavelengths.
This chair looks red because it only reflects red light
Dummy footnote generator
Just as RGB produces a great gamut for light sources, Cyan Magenta and Yellow are great for printed materials. Adding the three together forms black since no light will be reflected from the mixture; that’s why we call this a subtractive color model. Since ink is expensive and making black from scratch wastes a lot of ink, printers usually include separate black ink as well, which is where the K in CMYK comes from.
Old school: color theory in 1841 suggested the RYB color space
Since the early 20th century we’ve been using CMYK as our primary subtractive colors. Before then, the standards were red, yellow, and blue; red served as a rough approximation for magenta, blue for cyan. We discovered that CMYK was better, so we evolved. But our art curriculum didn’t |
of an administrative structure that is becoming of a modern institution such as a Premier League football club.
The Editors of
– BRFCS
– Vital Blackburn
– RoversTalk
– RoversFans
– RoversMad
– BRFC Fans
– The Blackburn Rovers Supporters Trust
– The Norwegian Blackburn Rovers Supporters Club
– NYC Rovers
– The Wild Blackburn Rover
– Rovers RevisitedA post mortem on the body of an architect who died six days after he alleged he struck on the head during an altercation outside his office in Drogheda has proved inconclusive.
The post mortem was carried out by State Pathologist Marie Cassidy today in the City Morgue in Dublin following the death of the 53-year-old who has been named locally as Deepak Abbi.
Further examinations will now be carried out to establish the cause of death, which could take a number of weeks to ascertain.
Mr Abbi called Gardaí on Thursday, telling them that he had been involved in an altercation with a number of youths; one of who he alleged had struck him on the head. However, it is understood that Mr Abbi did not make a formal complaint in relation to the incident.
Mr Abbi fell ill on Saturday at which point he was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda before being moved to Beaumont Hospital where he died on Monday afternoon.
Gardai today renewed their appeal for information surrounding the altercation which occurred at around 2.30pm on Thursday at the junction of Bessexwell Lane and Shop Street, Drogheda, near the offices of Mr Abbi's business premises, Abbi and Associates.
Gardaí said tonight that a number of witnesses had already come forward and were assisting gardai with their enquiries. An incident room has been established at Drogheda Garda Station and the investigation is ongoing.
Those with information are asked to contact Drogheda Garda Station 041 9874200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.One of my favorite Apple inventions is one that you might not even know about — or only think of when you’re travelling.
The Magsafe power adaptor that came with your MacBook, and the charger that came with older iPhones can quickly be swapped to suit any power outlet, provided you’ve got the right adaptors.
Adaptors for almost every plug type in the world are available as part of Apple’s World Travel Adaptor kit, which is one of the best investments I ever made.
I keep the adaptors in my bag and don’t bother with anything else
Now when I travel anywhere I just grab the relevant adaptor from the box and don’t bother taking those clunky, expensive adaptors made for tourists with me. Over the years, I’ve gathered a collection of these things — they’re like gold.
The best part is that the same bits work with all your devices, so it makes traveling (or moving country) a lot easier.
What’s sad, though, is that this awesome invention seems to be slowly going away as Apple creates new chargers for its devices. The latest iPhone comes with a moulded charging adaptor that can’t be swapped, as does the most recent batch of iPads.
The good news is that you can still buy these if you want to. A swappable version will run you $19, but considering how many years I’ve had mine, it’s worth the investment.
It does seem to be sticking around for computers, however, with the new MacBook featuring a swappable USB-C adaptor.
Sure, thinking a wall charger is cool is pretty mundane, but it’s one of my favorite travel hacks for not needing to take generic wall adaptors with me everywhere — just throw a few tiny swappable ones in your bag and you’re set!
Read next: 11 great resources to learn and work in PythonResearchers on Golem Grad Island, Macedonia, stumbled upon a rather intriguing and wholly disgusting find whilst looking for snakes - a dead young viper with the head of a huge centipede protruding through its body. What a way to go! The report has been briefly described in the journal Ecologica Montenegrina.
Nose-horned vipers (Vipera ammodytes) are venomous snakes found in southern Europe, the Balkans and certain parts of the Middle East. They can grow up to 95 centimeters and possess a characteristic “horn” on the snout, hence the name. They’re also considered to be the most dangerous European viper because their venom is highly toxic, but they’re a pretty docile species that tend to only bite when provoked.
Adult nose-horned vipers usually feed on lizards, smaller snakes and rabbits on Golem Grad, whilst the juveniles eat lizards and a particular species of centipede, the Megarian banded centipede (Scolopendra cingulata). It is not uncommon for snakes to consume potentially dangerous prey, and there have been numerous reports of death due to them “biting off more than they can chew”. Although, as mentioned, these vipers are known to eat this particular species of centipede, it seems that this cocky snake may have underestimated his dinner this time.
S. cingulata can be pretty savage killers themselves; they’re opportunistic carnivores and will eat almost anything that’s not larger than themselves. The authors of the paper note that it’s exceedingly difficult to kill a full-grown Scolopendra. Some people even keep these creepy crawlies as pets. Each to their own I suppose.
The team measured the viper and the centipede; the centipede was found to be 84% of the viper’s trunk length, 112% of its body width and 114% of its body weight. This isn’t hugely impressive compared to the size of animals that snakes have been found to consume previously. But what is interesting/disgusting is that upon dissection, the snake was missing all of its visceral organs- the centipede was occupying the entire volume of the snake’s body. They think it’s possible that the snake swallowed the centipede alive, but the centipede ate its way through the snake in an attempt of freedom, bursting its way through the snake’s abdomen (I am going to have nightmares now…). But unfortunately the poor little guy didn’t make it and died inside the snake with his head poking out. So close… Yet so far…
If you're scarred for life from reading this, have some emergency comedy of a rare bird humping a photographer's head.AMY GOODMAN: We turn now to one of the better known tragedies from Israel’s attack on Gaza, a tragedy that partly unfolded live on Israeli television. Dr. Izzeldeen Abuelaish is a well-known Gazan gynecologist, peace advocate, who has worked in Israeli hospitals for several years. He speaks fluent Hebrew, and during the war he was a rare Palestinian voice on Israeli television and radio, giving daily accounts of life and death inside Gaza.
Democracy Now! producer Anjali Kamat narrates the exchange that took place live on Israeli television a day and a half before the official end of what the Israelis called Operation Cast Lead.
The anchor calls on the Israeli Defense Forces to allow ambulances to get to the doctor’s family. Shlomi Eldar then excused himself from the show, took off his earpiece and rushed off the set to get help to Dr. Abu al-Aish.
A visibly emotional Eldar explains that the doctor had unsuccessfully tried to get out for many days and was afraid to even raise a white flag. “A shell hit his home,” Eldar says. “And I have to tell you, I do not know how to hang up this phone. I will not hang up this phone call.”
He explains that Dr. Izzeldeen Abuelaish is a physician at Tel Hashomer Hospital. He always feared his family would be hurt. His daughters were injured. “I want to save them, but they died on the spot, Shlomi. They were hit in the head.”
AMY GOODMAN: But the ambulances never reached the doctor’s home, which was surrounded by Israeli tanks. It was too late to save his three daughters — twenty-one-year-old Bessan, fifteen-year-old Mayar, and thirteen-year-old Aya — as well as his niece Nour, who was age fourteen. They were all killed instantly by the shells.
JUAN GONZALEZ: The family says they walked a quarter of a mile carrying the dead and wounded through the streets, until they found an ambulance that took them to the closest hospital and then to the Erez crossing with Israel. Emergency vehicles organized by Israeli TV correspondent Shlomi Eldar awaited them at the border and took the doctor and his badly wounded sixteen-year-old daughter Shada to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv.
AMY GOODMAN: Two months after the tragedy, Democracy Now! producer Anjali Kamat and Jacquie Soohen of Big Noise Films visited Dr. Abu al-Aish at his home in Jabaliya, Gaza. He pointed out the remnants from that fateful day: blood-stained walls, books, clothes, and hand-drawn pictures, gaping holes that were once windows, burned-out bits of computers, twisted pieces of metal, destroyed cupboards, shattered glass, and shrapnel. He told his story late Monday night to Anjali Kamat, as he walked through his daughter’s room.
DR. EZZELDEEN ABU AL-AISH: We are standing in the scene of the tragedy, in the place where four lovely girls were sitting, building their dreams and their hopes, and in seconds, these dreams were killed. These flowers were dead. Three of my daughters and one niece were killed in one second on the 16th of January at a quarter to five p.m. Just a few seconds, I left them, and they stayed in the room — two daughters here, one daughter here, one daughter here, and my niece with them.
The first shell came from the tank space, which is there, came to shell two daughters who were sitting here on their chairs. And when I heard this shell, I came inside the room to find, to look. I can’t recognize my daughters. Their heads were cut off their bodies. They were separated from their bodies, and I can’t recognize whose body is this. They were drowning in a pool of blood. This is the pool of blood. Even look here. This is their brain. These are parts of their brain. Aya was lying on the ground. Shada was injured, and her eye is coming out. Her fingers were torn, just attached by a tag of skin. I felt disloved, out of space, screaming, “What can I do?”
They were not satisfied by the first shell and to leave my eldest daughter. But the second shell soon came to kill Aya, to injure my niece, who came down from the third floor, and to kill my eldest daughter Bessan, who was in the kitchen and came at that moment, screaming and jumping, “Dad! Dad! Aya is injured!”
The second shell, it penetrated the wall between this room to enter the other room. Look. This is the room with the weapons, where this room was fully equipped with weapons. These are the weapons which were in this room. These are the weapons. These are the weapons: the books and their clothes. These were the science handouts. There, you see, these are her handouts for the courses that she studies, which is stained with her blood. It’s mixed with her blood. These are the books. These are the weapons that I equipped my daughters with: with education, with knowledge, with dreams, with hopes, with loves.
I am a gynecologist who practiced most of my time in Israel. I was trained in Israel. And I devoted my life and my work for the benefit of humanity and well-being, to serve patients, not as someone else that you are delivering or helping choose. I am dealing with patients and human beings. We treat patients equally, with respect, with dignity, with privacy. Politicians and leaders should learn from doctors these values and these norms and to adopt them.
ANJALI KAMAT: Have you received an official response from Israel about why your home was targeted, about why your daughters were killed?
DR. EZZELDEEN ABU AL-AISH: What I received, that they admitted their responsibility about shelling my house and killing my daughters and my niece. That’s what I received. But other — the reasons behind that, you can’t ask them. They justified something which is not convincing, and it has many criticisms.
ANJALI KAMAT: What did they say?
DR. EZZELDEEN ABU AL-AISH: You know, they said there were — they think there were snipers on the roof of my building. It’s important to say the truth, and the truth lies here: only innocent civilian girls were in this room and this building and this surrounding. Nothing else.
ANJALI KAMAT: Doctor, you’re going to be traveling to the United States in a few weeks. What’s your message to the government of the United States, to the people of the United States?
DR. EZZELDEEN ABU AL-AISH: To judge things by two eyes and that the coin has two sides, and that there is a nation, a Palestinian people in Gaza, who are waiting to get their rights and their chances of living equally, as every nation in the world. And it’s important for the Obama’s administration to take the Israeli Arab file seriously and to deal with it seriously as soon as possible, because it’s a matter of saving lives. There is no need for delay. It’s important to start solving with the minimum justice that what are we looking for: respect human rights, equality, dignity and justice. And what they like for themselves, I want Mr. Obama to put himself in the position of the Palestinians and to defend the rights of the Palestinians, as he is in the position of the Israelis.
This is Mayar’s book. This is the math book. Mayar, who was fifteen years old in grade nine, who was dreaming to be a doctor and was happy that she will follow the same path as me. Mayar, she was the chairman of the students’ parliament at the school. She was elected. She was brilliant in mathematics, so genius. Even when I went to the school to see her friends, still they are remembering Mayar.
Yes, this is Aya. This is Aya’s notebook. Look. Read what it’s saying: “Excellent. God bless you. Well-organized.” This is what was written by her teacher. It was her dream to be a journalist. She was outspoken. She was a very lovely, very beautiful girl.
Bessan is a special girl, not [only] for me, for her uncles, for everyone who knew Bessan. She was twenty-one years old. She was about to graduate and get her BA from the Islamic University. She was a special girl. So humble, so wise, so beautiful.
What can I say about my daughters? It’s living with me. It’s part of me. I smell them. I taste them. I speak with them. When I’m speaking with you, I am speaking with my daughters. These are the good memories of my daughters, and it will follow me the whole of my life. And I will do my best, this memory, to be changed into positive actions, to establish a foundation under their name for only girls, to empower girls and women, who will achieve and seal, these girls, the dreams of my daughters.
You know, this invasion, from the beginning, I said it’s useless. It’s futile. No one is winning. The innocent civilians, the Gazans, civilians, paid the price of this invasion, no one else. And even the IDF, when they came here, the Israeli government, they said, “We want to teach the Gazans a lesson,” as if the Gazans are lacking teaching or education. Really, they succeeded in that, in educating the Palestinians, the Gazans especially, a lesson about strengthening animosity, hatredness, a bloodshed, and widening the gap between the two people in both sides. This is the only lesson. This is the only outcome of this invasion, nothing else. Anyone who is saying anything else apart from that, he is lying.
Military ways proved its failure. We should look for other ways to give each other its rights. We don’t want to speak about peace. Peace is — you know, this word lost its meaning. We should find something else: respect, equality, justice and partnership. That’s what we should look for.Story highlights Trump and Putin will focus on North Korea, an official said
The two will meet later this week in Vietnam
Tokyo (CNN) President Donald Trump will seek to enlist his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week on a mission to confront an increasingly truculent North Korea during their second face-to-face meeting.
Trump said aboard Air Force One as he winged toward Japan on Sunday that he expected the sit-down to occur on the sidelines of a summit for Asia-Pacific leaders in Vietnam, which is due to begin Thursday.
Trump and his aides had hoped this week's grueling itinerary through five countries would help distract from the Russia matter, though Trump himself appeared preoccupied by the issue as he departed the White House on Friday, unleashing a stream of tweets as Air Force One headed toward Hawaii.
While the timing of a meeting with Putin may force the Russia issue back to the forefront, Trump's aides determined face-to-face talks were essential while the two men were in the same city.
Read MoreThe Syrian government is ready to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with opposition forces in the flashpoint city of Aleppo, Foreign Minister Walid Moallem has said. A list of rebel prisoners has also been drawn up in preparation for a proposed exchange.
Damascus has handed Moscow a plan for a ceasefire in the city of Aleppo, Moallem announced at a news conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Friday.
“Taking into account the role of the Russian Federation in halting the bloodshed in Syria and our relationship of trust, today I have given Minister Lavrov a ceasefire plan for the city of Aleppo,” he said. Moallem asked Lavrov to coordinate with his contacts in the Syrian opposition in order to ensure the execution of the new plan, adding that if it is successful it could be implemented in other areas of the war-torn country.
“I really hope all sides will keep to the terms of the agreement. If this happens, then we can implement this plan in other cities.”
Moallem asked Lavrov to coordinate with his contacts in the Syria opposition in order to ensure the successful execution of the new plan.
Addressing the issue of the humanitarian crisis in Syria, Moallem said the Syrian government is already working with the UN to deliver aid to “a number of regions.” However, the success of the humanitarian program depends on rebel fighters keeping to their pledge not to open fire on humanitarian convoys, he said.
The UN estimates that over 100,000 people have died since the violence broke out three years ago.
‘Government forces do not target civilians’
Refuting claims the Syrian Army is bombing its own citizens, Moallem said that such allegations “do not reflect the reality of the current situation.” He laid the blame at the feet of terrorist organizations that are being supported by international players.
“According to the constitution, the Syrian government is obligated to protect its citizens and public institutions in Syria. Terrorists and terrorist groups are responsible for these acts of destruction,” said Moallem, adding that “these groups are growing in number because of outside support from known states.”
Lavrov echoed this opinion, calling accusations that Damascus is carrying out strikes on its own citizens “irresponsible.”
“In Syria, civilians are suffering on both sides, but it is totally irresponsible to accuse the government of purposely targeting civilians,” said Lavrov. “To make such accusations, serious proof is required.”
Both foreign ministers said that opposition representation is absolutely essential for the success of the Geneva-2 talks, which are set to kick off next Monday. They believe the conference will pave the way for the creation of a transitional government to bring an end to the three-year conflict.
The Syrian National Coordination Committee, a faction in the domestic Syrian political opposition, decided to boycott this month’s peace conference in Switzerland, UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has said. The Syrian National Coalition – the main political opposition group – is meeting in Istanbul on Friday to decide whether it will attend the Geneva talks.Manchester City are reportedly interested in adding Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred to their squad in the summer.
Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred has reportedly emerged as a summer transfer target for Manchester City.
Manager Pep Guardiola has witnessed his side establish a 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League standings, but it appears that the Spaniard is already eyeing up ways to strengthen his squad ahead of next season.
According to the Daily Mail, Guardiola is interested in adding Fred to his midfield ranks ahead of the likely departure of Yaya Toure.
Fernandinho has starred in the centre of the park during the current campaign, but Guardiola requires more competition for the position and Brazilian international Fred could fit the bill.
The 24-year-old has been at Shakhtar since 2013, and recently starred for the Ukrainian club as they recorded a 2-1 victory over City in the Champions League."Pride comes before the fall" means that someone who is overconfident is likely to experience an event that shows the pride to be unjustified. The person with too much pride will "fall" from the position of overconfidence.
The source of the phrase "pride comes before the fall" is the Bible, specifically Proverbs 16:18, which reads, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" in the New International Version. Some Bible scholars understand this verse to mean that God will discipline pride by causing or allowing events to produce humility in a person, while others simply note that pride produces carelessness that can lead to serious errors. Whichever belief a person holds, someone who says "pride comes before the fall" usually means it as a warning that someone thinks too highly of himself or herself, and that the person in question will soon experience negative consequences because of this overconfidence.
History is full of examples when this adage has played out. In the Titanic disaster, a ship declared indestructible by its proud makers sank on its maiden voyage. Several famous battles are said to have ended in defeat because military leaders' overconfidence caused them attempt foolhardy attacks. Business leaders have made unethical and illegal decisions, thinking they will not be caught, only to lose their jobs or land in prison. In these cases and countless others, pride went before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.9 years ago
In an interview with Newsweek, John McCain said he doesn't consider himself a maverick.
(CNN) - Play word association with the name "John McCain" and "maverick" is certain to pop up.
After all, McCain's presidential campaign repeatedly dubbed the Arizona Republican "the original maverick" and late last month McCain's former running mate, Sarah Palin, urged a crowd in Tucson to "send the maverick back to the Senate!"
But there's only one problem: McCain, who faces a difficult primary challenge from the right, says he's no maverick.
"I never considered myself a maverick," the senator told Newsweek this week. "I consider myself a person who serves the people of Arizona to the best of his abilities."
McCain faces a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth and has come under criticism for being too moderate on a variety of issues, including immigration. Several leading Tea Party activists in Arizona have decided not to endorse McCain or Hayworth, criticizing both of their records while serving in Congress.
Palin, who remains popular with the conservative voters McCain is hoping to court, campaigned with the Arizona senator last month. It was the first time the two appeared publicly since their 2008 bid for the White House came to an end.
Following Palin's recent appearance for McCain, the senator's campaign released a 90-second video of the two.In late 2016, Ben Lorica of O’Reilly Media declared that “2017 will be the year the data science and big data community engage with AI technologies.” Deep learning on GPUs has pervaded universities and research organizations prior to 2017, but distributed deep learning on CPUs is now beginning to gain widespread adoption in a diverse set of companies and domains. While GPUs provide top-of-the-line performance in numerical computing, CPUs are also becoming more efficient and much of today’s existing hardware already has CPU computing power available in bulk. The emergence of open source tools like deeplearning4j, which bring fast deep learning at scale to the Hadoop stack, will be major catalysts to the impact of deep learning in the coming years.
This post will detail how to use open source tools – Apache Spark, Apache Hadoop, Deeplearning4j (DL4J) – coupled with commodity hardware (cheap, widely available) to get state-of-the-art results on an image recognition task using limited training data. Written in Java, the DL4J API is particularly attractive to Java and Scala developers who are already comfortable working with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Additionally, the ability to parallelize training of models on Spark, in just a few lines of code, made it easy to leverage existing cluster resources to speed up training time, without sacrificing accuracy.
Deeplearning4j: a deep learning toolset for the JVM
Deeplearning4j is one of the many open source deep learning toolkits available for training deep neural networks on CPUs and GPUs at scale. Deeplearning4j is built for the JVM and specifically targeted at deep learning for the enterprise. Created in 2014, deeplearning4j is backed by a startup, Skymind, and includes built-in integration for Apache Spark. Though deeplearning4j is built for the JVM, it uses a high-performance native linear algebra library, Nd4j, which can run heavily optimized computations on either CPUs or GPUs.
Object classification on the Caltech-256 image dataset
This post documents how to use Apache Spark, Apache Hadoop, and deeplearning4j to tackle an image classification problem. Specifically, it will walk through the steps to build a convolutional neural network that can classify images in the Caltech-256 dataset. In this dataset, there are actually 257 object categories, with categories having between 80 to 800 images, making it a dataset with 30,607 images in total.
It is worth noting that the current state-of-the-art classification accuracy on this dataset is in the 72 – 75% range. These results can be beaten using DL4J and Spark.
Effective deep learning on small data
Modern convolutional networks can have several hundred million parameters. One of the top-performing neural networks in the Large Scale Visual Recognition Challenge (also known as “ImageNet”), has 140 million parameters to train! These networks not only take a lot of compute and storage resources (even with a cluster of GPUs, they can take weeks to train), but also require a lot of data. With only 30000 images, it is not practical to train such a complex model on Caltech-256 as there are not enough examples to adequately learn so many parameters. Instead, it is better to employ a method called transfer learning, which involves taking a pre-trained model and repurposing it for other use cases. Transfer learning can also greatly reduce the computational burden and remove the need for large swaths of specialized compute resources like GPUs.
It is possible to repurpose these models because convolutional neural networks tend to learn very general features when trained on image datasets, and this type of feature learning is often useful on other image datasets. For example, a network trained on ImageNet is likely to have learned how to recognize shapes, facial features, patterns, text, and so on, which will no doubt be useful for the Caltech-256 dataset.
Loading a pre-trained model
The following example uses the VGG16 model, which was the runner up in the 2014 ImageNet competition. Luckily, the model is publicly available with all 140 million weights already optimized to make predictions on the ImageNet dataset. Since the goal is to use a different dataset of images, small parts of the model need to be modified to make it useful for this prediction task. This model has about 140 million parameters and takes up about 500 MB of space.
First, get a version of the VGG16 model that DL4J can understand and work with. It turns out that this kind of thing is built right into DL4J’s API, and it can be done in a few lines of Scala code.
val modelImportHelper = new TrainedModelHelper(TrainedModels.VGG16) val vgg16 = modelImportHelper.loadModel() val savePath = "./dl4j-models/vgg16.zip" val locationToSave = new File(savePath) // save the model in DL4J native format, which is faster for future reads ModelSerializer.writeModel(vgg16, locationToSave, saveUpdater = true) 1 2 3 4 5 6 val modelImportHelper = new TrainedModelHelper ( TrainedModels. VGG16 ) val vgg16 = modelImportHelper. loadModel ( ) val savePath = "./dl4j-models/vgg16.zip" val locationToSave = new File ( savePath ) // save the model in DL4J native format, which is faster for future reads ModelSerializer. writeModel ( vgg16, locationToSave, saveUpdater = true )
Now that the model is in a format that makes it easy for DL4J to use, inspect it using the built-in model summary.
val modelFile = new File("./dl4j-models/vgg16.zip") val vgg16 = ModelSerializer.restoreComputationGraph(modelFile) println(vgg16.summary()) 1 2 3 val modelFile = new File ( "./dl4j-models/vgg16.zip" ) val vgg16 = ModelSerializer. restoreComputationGraph ( modelFile ) println ( vgg16. summary ( ) )
================================================================================================== VertexName (VertexType) nIn,nOut TotalParams ParamsShape Vertex Inputs ================================================================================================== input_2 (InputVertex) -,- - - - block1_conv1 (ConvolutionLayer) 3,64 1792 b:{1,64}, W:{64,3,3,3} [input_2] block1_conv2 (ConvolutionLayer) 64,64 36928 b:{1,64}, W:{64,64,3,3} [block1_conv1] block1_pool (SubsamplingLayer) -,- 0 - [block1_conv2] block2_conv1 (ConvolutionLayer) 64,128 73856 b:{1,128}, W:{128,64,3,3} [block1_pool] block2_conv2 (ConvolutionLayer) 128,128 147584 b:{1,128}, W:{128,128,3,3} [block2_conv1] block2_pool (SubsamplingLayer) -,- 0 - [block2_conv2] block3_conv1 (ConvolutionLayer) 128,256 295168 b:{1,256}, W:{256,128,3,3} [block2_pool] block3_conv2 (ConvolutionLayer) 256,256 590080 b:{1,256}, W:{256,256,3,3} [block3_conv1] block3_conv3 (ConvolutionLayer) 256,256 590080 b:{1,256}, W:{256,256,3,3} [block3_conv2] block3_pool (SubsamplingLayer) -,- 0 - [block3_conv3] block4_conv1 (ConvolutionLayer) 256,512 1180160 b:{1,512}, W:{512,256,3,3} [block3_pool] block4_conv2 (ConvolutionLayer) 512,512 2359808 b:{1,512}, W:{512,512,3,3} [block4_conv1] block4_conv3 (ConvolutionLayer) 512,512 2359808 b:{1,512}, W:{512,512,3,3} [block4_conv2] block4_pool (SubsamplingLayer) -,- 0 - [block4_conv3] block5_conv1 (ConvolutionLayer) 512,512 2359808 b:{1,512}, W:{512,512,3,3} [block4_pool] block5_conv2 (ConvolutionLayer) 512,512 2359808 b:{1,512}, W:{512,512,3,3} [block5_conv1] block5_conv3 (ConvolutionLayer) 512,512 2359808 b:{1,512}, W:{512,512,3,3} [block5_conv2] block5_pool (SubsamplingLayer) -,- 0 - [block5_conv3] flatten (PreprocessorVertex) -,- - - [block5_pool] fc1 (DenseLayer) 25088,4096 102764544 b:{1,4096}, W:{25088,4096} [flatten] fc2 (DenseLayer) 4096,4096 16781312 b:{1,4096}, W:{4096,4096} [fc1] predictions (DenseLayer) 4096,1000 4097000 b:{1,1000}, W:{4096,1000} [fc2] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Parameters: 138357544 Trainable Parameters: 138357544 Frozen Parameters: 0 ================================================================================================== 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === == VertexName ( VertexType ) nIn, nOut TotalParams ParamsShape Vertex Inputs === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === == input_2 ( InputVertex ) -, - - - - block1_conv1 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 3, 64 1792 b : { 1, 64 }, W : { 64, 3, 3, 3 } [ input_2 ] block1_conv2 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 64, 64 36928 b : { 1, 64 }, W : { 64, 64, 3, 3 } [ block1_conv1 ] block1_pool ( SubsamplingLayer ) -, - 0 - [ block1_conv2 ] block2_conv1 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 64, 128 73856 b : { 1, 128 }, W : { 128, 64, 3, 3 } [ block1_pool ] block2_conv2 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 128, 128 147584 b : { 1, 128 }, W : { 128, 128, 3, 3 } [ block2_conv1 ] block2_pool ( SubsamplingLayer ) -, - 0 - [ block2_conv2 ] block3_conv1 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 128, 256 295168 b : { 1, 256 }, W : { 256, 128, 3, 3 } [ block2_pool ] block3_conv2 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 256, 256 590080 b : { 1, 256 }, W : { 256, 256, 3, 3 } [ block3_conv1 ] block3_conv3 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 256, 256 590080 b : { 1, 256 }, W : { 256, 256, 3, 3 } [ block3_conv2 ] block3_pool ( SubsamplingLayer ) -, - 0 - [ block3_conv3 ] block4_conv1 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 256, 512 1180160 b : { 1, 512 }, W : { 512, 256, 3, 3 } [ block3_pool ] block4_conv2 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 512, 512 2359808 b : { 1, 512 }, W : { 512, 512, 3, 3 } [ block4_conv1 ] block4_conv3 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 512, 512 2359808 b : { 1, 512 }, W : { 512, 512, 3, 3 } [ block4_conv2 ] block4_pool ( SubsamplingLayer ) -, - 0 - [ block4_conv3 ] block5_conv1 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 512, 512 2359808 b : { 1, 512 }, W : { 512, 512, 3, 3 } [ block4_pool ] block5_conv2 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 512, 512 2359808 b : { 1, 512 }, W : { 512, 512, 3, 3 } [ block5_conv1 ] block5_conv3 ( ConvolutionLayer ) 512, 512 2359808 b : { 1, 512 }, W : { 512, 512, 3, 3 } [ block5_conv2 ] block5_pool ( SubsamplingLayer ) -, - 0 - [ block5_conv3 ] flatten ( PreprocessorVertex ) -, - - - [ block5_pool ] fc1 ( DenseLayer ) 25088, 4096 102764544 b : { 1, 4096 }, W : { 25088, 4096 } [ flatten ] fc2 ( DenseLayer ) 4096, 4096 16781312 b : { 1, 4096 }, W : { 4096, 4096 } [ fc1 ] predictions ( DenseLayer ) 4096, 1000 4097000 b : { 1, 1000 }, W : { |
and that era’s creature features, and patterns his film along the same lines. It’s equal parts Assault on Precinct 13 and Critters, with perhaps a little Warriors thrown in. Cornish keeps the story brisk, and sidesteps cliche in favor of characterization — and that’s where Attack the Block finds its gritty edge: Its hoodie-wearing hooligan protagonists are designed to be believable rather than easily likable, rendering them as true anti-heroes.TOKYO, March 5 (UPI) -- Students at a Tokyo primary school will soon be learning from the first robot teacher, a Japanese science professor says.
University of Tokyo Professor Hiroshi Kobayashi has created a robot capable of teaching human students while also expressing a limited range of emotions, including anger in case of unruly children, The Daily Telegraph said Thursday.
The robot is named Saya and has been under development for 15 years leading up to the scheduled school trial.
The robot's 18 facial motors are what give it the ability to mimic certain human emotions while the humanoid's other inner workings allow it to speak multiple languages and set tasks, the newspaper said.
Saya's planned appearance at the primary school will mark the most recent attempt by Japan to integrate robotics into everyday life.
The Telegraph said the Japanese government is hopeful that by 2015, each home in Japan will be equipped with a robot. To meet this end, the government has invested $35 million in the technological field.WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger is considering a surtax on high-income earners and feels he is no longer bound by a provincial law that would require a referendum on major tax changes.
Selinger says no final decision has been made, but he has been "looking at'' high-income tax rates that have been implemented in Alberta, Ontario and federally under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
"I note many jurisdictions have implemented a surtax already across the country — both east and west of us,'' Selinger said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press.
"There's different options that have been started to be proposed. We're working our way through this consideration right now.''
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger says he's considering a surtax on the province's high-income earners. (Photo: John Woods/CP)
Alberta's NDP government has replaced the province's flat 10 per cent income tax rate with a series of higher income tax brackets for people earning more than $125,000 annually. As of next year, the top bracket — for those earning more than $300,000 — will reach 15 per cent.
Manitoba's current top tax rate is 17 per cent and kicks in at $67,000.
Selinger said it is too early to discuss details, such as at what level a surtax might apply and the rate. He also suggested that if a surtax is implemented, it would be at least partially offset by cuts to middle and lower income taxes.
"We're always interested in making life more affordable for middle-class and working families in Manitoba. That's important.''
"We're working our way through this consideration right now.''
Selinger ran into public anger in 2013 when he raised the provincial sales tax to eight per cent from seven. He suspended a section of the province's balanced budget law that required a referendum on any increase to sales, income or corporate payroll taxes.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives took the issue to court and argued Selinger was not allowed to sidestep the referendum. A Court of Queen's Bench judge rejected the Tory argument. The judge said it is unconstitutional to force a referendum on tax changes because it infringes on the powers of the legislature.
With that court ruling, Selinger said he would feel no need to hold a referendum if he implements an income surtax.
Selinger came under fire in 2013 after raising the provincial sales tax by one per cent. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
"The courts ruled that the way the (balanced-budget) law was written was illegal and unconstitutional... but we do believe people need to have a chance to have input into things.''
Selinger said people would have their say via legislature committee hearings — Manitoba is one of two provinces in which every legislature bill must undergo public hearings. He also hinted a surtax could be an issue for the provincial election set for April 19.
"We would put that to the people as a proposal. They would have a chance to be aware of that, and they would have a chance to vote on it in an election.''
Also on HuffPostThe elaborate hoax that the Yes Men created – a faux ad campaign and official looking website for a supposed Shell Arctic Drilling campaign – fooled this blogger…and thousands of others. We congratulate the Yes Men for their energy and creativity in coming up with a public relations approach that seemed all too plausible. But Shell’s response may be just as stupid as if the campaign was real.
The campaign was created by Greenpeace and the Yes Men.
go behind the scenes at the Greenpeace website.
According to Wikipedia, The Yes Men operate under the mission statement of telling the truth and exposing lies. They create and maintain fake websites similar to ones they intend to spoof, which have led to numerous interview, conference, and TV talk show invitations. They espouse the belief that corporations and governmental organizations often act in dehumanizing ways toward the public.
In this highly provocative and realistic campaign they created against Shell, they certainly got a lot of attention to the issue of oil drilling in the fragile Arctic environment. One of our favorite “ads” follows:
However, what may be even more perplexing than the hoax was the lack of any detectable response from the victim – Shell.
Are any of their PR wags on-line? Are they tone-deaf to the internet? Silence is golden? Any brand under such devious assault needs a plan to respond. From now to years to come, the assets created by this Yes Men hoax will be circulating with apparently a “mums the word” response from Shell. I stand behind the original post: a most stupid brand is Shell.Israel mobilised 16,000 additional reservists on Thursday to bolster its forces waging military operations in the Gaza Strip that left more than 100 Palestinians dead in a day.
The call-up came after Washington announced it had agreed to restock Israel's dwindling supplies of ammunition despite its sharp condemnation of an attack on a United Nations school in Gaza blamed on Israel's army.
"The army has issued 16,000 additional mobilisation orders to allow troops on the ground to rest, which takes the total number of reservists to 86,000," an army spokeswoman said.
Israel's security cabinet, which met for five hours Wednesday, unanimously decided to pursue attacks against Hamas "terrorist targets" and other operations to destroy a network of tunnels used by the Islamist movement between Gaza and Israel, public radio said.
Public radio quoted Major General Sami Turgeman, the senior officer for the Gaza region, as saying that the destruction of militants' remaining tunnels into Israel could be complete "in a few days".
More than 100 Palestinians died in the Gaza Strip Wednesday, among them the victims of Israeli fire on a market and the UN school where Palestinians fleeing the fighting had sought refuge.
At least 17 people were killed in the strike on the market in Shejaiya, near Gaza City, as Israel observed a four-hour humanitarian lull in other parts of the crowded coastal strip.
The market strike came hours after Israeli shells slammed into a UN school in Jabalia refugee camp which was sheltering some 3,300 homeless Gazans, killing 16 and drawing a furious response from the United Nations.
"This morning a UN school sheltering thousands of Palestinian families suffered a reprehensible attack," UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday on a visit to Costa Rica.
"It is unjustifiable, and demands accountability and justice."
The attack was also denounced by the White House in a carefully worded statement that avoided mentioning Israel.
"The United States condemns the shelling of a UNRWA school in Gaza, which reportedly killed and injured innocent Palestinians, including children, and UN humanitarian workers," a statement said.
The Pentagon later said it had granted an Israeli request for ammunition, including some from a stockpile stored by the US military on the ground in Israel for emergency use by the occupation authorities.
Rights group Amnesty International had urged Washington to halt arms supplies to Israel.
"It is time for the US government to urgently suspend arms transfers to Israel and to push for a UN arms embargo on all parties to the conflict," it said in a petition to US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Hamas said Wednesday it fired rockets at Tel Aviv and the southern port city of Ashkelon in response to the market and school strikes.
The Israeli military said that a rocket hit open ground "in the Tel Aviv area" and another two were intercepted over Ashkelon.
It said that a total of 81 rockets fell in Israel on Wednesday, with another nine shot down by missile defences and that Israel hit 88 targets in Gaza.
Early Thursday, Israeli warplanes attacked a mosque near the same UN school in Jabalia, wounding 15 Palestinians, emergency services said.
Medics said two more Palestinians died Thursday of wounds sustained previously, bringing the death toll from 23 days of unrelenting Israeli attacks to 1,363.
In Israel, the army said another three soldiers were killed in Gaza, raising the overall number of soldiers killed to 56 since the operation began on July 8.
Despite the loss of life, there appeared to be little Israeli appetite for a truce, with a senior official telling Haaretz newspaper that Israel was not even close to a ceasefire.
"When a ceasefire proposal that answers Israel's important needs is laid on the table, it will be considered," he said, warning that the military operation would expand.
"The (military) will expand attacks against Hamas and the rest of the terror organisations."
Nevertheless, a two-member Israeli delegation travelled to Cairo late Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire with Egyptian officials, an official at the airport told AFP, saying they were expected to leave after several hours.
Cairo, a key mediator in previous truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas, was also expected to host a Palestinian delegation later this week.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
Short link:by Derek Humphry,
founder of the Hemlock Society
Revised 3rd edition (Updated April 2010)
ISBN 0-3853365-3-5
Paperback 250 pages
$17 + shipping
2009 "supplement/addendum" is embedded within the April 2010 printing.
"Final Exit Digital Edition" is available as a downloadable eBook PDF. To order visit the "Final Exit Digital Edition" product page.
Final Exit 3rd Edition book/eBook and the Final Exit DVD video are a matched set and complement each other. The Final Exit video is also available on VHS.
This is the most famous textbook in euthanasia and assisted suicide. There is unique step-by-step language for the competent adult who is terminally or hopelessly ill to bring their life to a peaceful, non-violent end if they wish. This can be achieved without Dr. Kevorkian or any doctor. Drug dosages and helium gas techniques are described and illustrated.
Much the same methods are used by Dignitas in Switzerland, and the right to die groups in Holland and Belgium.
'Final Exit' also outlines the legal complications connected with dying, death, hastened death, euthanasia laws, suicide, Living Wills and Advance Directives. The family aspect is discussed and the advisability of a'suicide note' (with sample) is addressed. The full Oregon Death With Dignity Act, which permits physician-assisted suicide for the citizens of that state, is included as an appendices. The problems with life insurance are discussed.
The updated third edition of 'Final Exit' is much changed from the earlier editions, which date from 1991 when it was, to the surprise of many, the Number One bestseller on the New York Times nonfiction list. For instance, the first and second editions did not contain the helium gas technique now used by hundreds of people for their own euthanasia. The revised 3rd edition also includes new drug dosages plus updated guidance on plastic bag and other techniques.
In April 2007, USA TODAY selected 'Final Exit' as one of the 25 most memorable books published in the last quarter century. The papers' editors and critics said: "The topic of assisted suicide exploded in controversy in the 90's, thanks to the Michigan pathologist Jack Kevorkian and his suicide machine, and this how-to manual [Final Exit] from an English journalist who helped his cancer-stricken first wife kill herself."
If you are asking the question 'what is assisted suicide?' or 'what is euthanasia and assisted death?' then this exit book provides the clearest answers. There is, as yet, no simple 'peaceful pill' for self euthanasia, and law reform is lagging behind public opinion, so until then 'Final Exit' is the solution.
Read an excerpt from 'Final Exit' at USA Today.
Read a recent article on 'Final Exit' in The Guardian, London UK
From Kate Remembered, the recent biography of the late Katharine Hepburn, stage and film actress, by A.Scott Berg:
“She became intrigued enough with Derek Humphry's Final Exit (a detailed account of how to take one's own life) to have two copies, one on each bedstand. 'You're too young for this,' she said upon giving me a copy, 'but everybody should read it.'” (Emphasis added.)
Sample Chapters
Chapter 2: Beware of the Law
Chapter 4: Hospice Option
Chapter 5: Cyanide Enigma
Chapter 7: Bizarre Ways
Chapter 9: Self-starvation
Chapter 12: Who Shall Know?
Chapter 18: How do you get the magic pills?
Chapter 23: Checklist and drug dosage table
The author, Derek Humphry, who has 30 years experience in the death with dignity movement, helped his first wife Jean to die when suffering a lingering death from breast cancer. His book on that event, 'Jean's Way' is a cult classic. Five years after her death he founded the Hemlock Society, which he ran from 1980 to 1992. (Hemlock was later merged into another organization, Compassion and Choices.)
Today Derek Humphry runs the Euthanasia Research and Guidance Organization, a nonprofit organization based in Oregon. He is an adviser to the American group, the Final Exit Network.
3 methods to purchase FINAL EXIT, 3rd edition:
1. Visit the ERGO-Store to order securely by credit card, e-check, PayPal payment or regular check/money order.
2. Print out ERGO's ORDER FORM to pay by check or money order.
Pay securely with any major credit card or e-check through PayPal. Checks and money orders are also accepted in the ERGO-Store.House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) spoke briefly with reporters after a meeting on Dec. 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. (The Washington Post)
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) spoke briefly with reporters after a meeting on Dec. 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. (The Washington Post)
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan made the pilgrimage Friday morning that many former critics of Donald Trump have made since the election: up to Trump Tower in Manhattan for a meeting with the president-elect and then a walk through the lobby to address reporters wanting to know how it feels.
“Very exciting meeting,” Ryan (R-Wis.) said in remarks that lasted mere seconds. “I really enjoyed coming up here and meeting with the president-elect. We had a great meeting to talk about our transition. We are really excited about getting to work and hitting the ground running in 2017. And getting this country back on track.”
Over the past month, the president-elect and his team have been mending relationships within their party, meeting with former rivals who resisted the idea of Trump becoming president but are now willing to work with him. But forgiveness often comes only after accepting a heap of humility.
The parade of shame has included GOP primaries opponent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and the previous Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney. On Monday, Trump’s team expects the arrival of Carly Fiorina, the former business chief executive and presidential candidate who Trump suggested was unattractive. And the ritual isn’t reserved just for Republicans: Trump invited a group of television personalities and executives to the tower soon after the election, and then yelled at them for underestimating him and accused them of dishonest reporting about his campaign, surprising and unsettling many attendants.
[Giuliani withdraws his name for consideration for Cabinet job]
President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney appear to be allies now, but that hasn't always been the case. Here's a look back at their turbulent relationship. (Deirdra O'Regan/The Washington Post)
John Weaver, a strategist for Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) who has been critical of Trump, said he understands why former critics are having these meetings — but he worries that embracing Trump has led some to embrace his approach and policies, abandoning long-held Republican principles. Weaver said he has already seen it happen with free trade and federal spending, and he worries that it could also happen with the country’s approach to Russia.
“Some leaders are rolling over for Mr. Trump,” Weaver said.
Sometimes Trump’s guests secretly slip upstairs without being seen, but they frequently have to run the gantlet that has become the Trump Tower lobby — a maze that twists through packs of tourists with cameras, a horde of reporters screaming questions and a C-SPAN live feed. Part of pleasing the president-elect often involves public praise.
When Cruz visited a week after the election, he managed to slip upstairs undetected. During the campaign, Trump compared the attractiveness of their wives, suggested that Cruz’s father was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and raised questions about Cruz’s eligibility for the presidency, since he was born in Canada. Cruz refused to endorse Trump at the Republican National Convention but did so just before the election.
After the Trump Towers meeting, Cruz took a more direct route through the lobby. It was nearly 7 p.m., and most reporters had left for the evening. But the few that remained shouted questions and, when ignored, followed Cruz outside, where his escape was slowed by a heavily armed guard who wanted a photo.
Cruz continued down the block, followed by reporters who wanted to know how the meeting went. He finally stopped.
“This election was a mandate for change,” Cruz said. “The American people rose up and spoke overwhelmingly to say that the path we’re on, it didn’t work. And they want change, and they have given Republicans a historic opportunity.”
Cruz uttered the words “Donald Trump,” didn’t directly answer a question about whether he would want a position in the administration, and then took off down the street.
[Trump’s takeover of the GOP is now complete]
Romney, on the other hand, is interested in becoming secretary of state and willingly went through this exercise several times. Trump railed against Romney throughout the campaign, mocking his wealth, accusing him of having “choked” during the 2012 election and being “stupid,” and joking that he walked “like a penguin.” Romney called Trump “a phony, a fraud,” said Trump’s “promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University,” and predicted there was a bombshell in the tax returns Trump refused to release.
Romney first met Trump at his golf club in New Jersey on Nov. 19, where the two were photographed together and where Romney took a turn in front of the cameras. Ten days later, they publicly dined at a French restaurant. Photos of the evening were quickly memed on Twitter. One photo was manipulated to show a huge crow on Romney’s plate. Another compared the dinner with a subplot from HBO’s “Game of Thrones” involving a psychopath’s grotesque physical and emotional debasement of a nobleman’s son.
But Romney was nothing but smiles and praise as he spoke to reporters after his “wonderful evening with President-elect Trump.”
“President-elect Trump is the very man who can lead us to that better future,” Romney said that night.
Despite these acts of contrition, the president-elect widened his search for secretary of state this week, saying he still wasn’t ready to decide.
On Friday evening, another contender for the position — former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani — publicly withdrew his name for Cabinet consideration, perhaps rendering pointless many of the cringe-worthy comments he made on Trump’s behalf over the past six months. Giuliani memorably said that “everybody” cheats on their spouse, that the Black Lives Matter movement is “inherently racist” and that Trump would be “better for the United States than a woman.”
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) went through a similar experience after losing to Trump. Christie became a trusted Trump adviser, only to be cast aside when the “Bridgegate” scandal blew up. A Vine video of Christie staring uneasily into the middle distance as Trump spoke a few feet away in March has been played nearly 20 million times.
“No, I wasn’t being held hostage,” Christie later had to tell reporters.
Some Republican critics have stayed away, although the list is shrinking. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) have not been spotted at the tower.
Those who show respect or deference in private may still be publicly exposed: Kasich was booed by his own state’s residents during a post-election Trump rally in Cincinnati.
“In the great state of Ohio, we didn’t have the upper echelon of politicians either, did we?” Trump said, which prompted the boos. But he added, “Your governor, John Kasich, called me after the election and was very nice. He said, ‘Congratulations, that was amazing.’ ”In a report on the recent decision by the US to suspend nonlethal aid to Free Syrian Army rebels in northern Syria, The New York Times claims that the newly formed Islamic Front is actively fighting al Qaeda:
The administration acted after several warehouses of American-supplied equipment were seized Friday by the Islamic Front, a coalition of Islamist fighters who have broken with the moderate, American-backed opposition, but who also battle Al Qaeda.
In our view, there is no real basis for the latter assertion. We here at The Long War Journal have been been documenting the joint operations between Ahrar al Sham and other supposedly moderate Islamist groups for well over a year, in numerous reports at LWJ and Threat Matrix, and in general the Islamist groups in Syria have cooperated with al Qaeda a great deal more than they have quarreled.
While it is true that there are occasionally tensions between Islamic Front units and al Qaeda’s two affiliates in the region, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham and the Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, reporting from Syria indicates that these clashes are localized and often due to disputes over resources or leadership.
Keep in mind that similar claims have been made earlier about the Free Syrian Army, even though FSA units in fact often fought alongside al Qaeda and even defended the terrorist group after the US added the Al Nusrah Front to the list of designated terrorist organizations. A top FSA commander even called the members of the Al Nusrah Front his “brothers.”
There is nothing in the Islamic Front’s charter that says it opposes al Qaeda. In fact, its charter indicates that it seeks to work with al Qaeda; it welcomes the “Muhajireen” [emigrants or foreign fighters] as “our brothers who supported us in jihad.” And the Islamic Front shares the same goals as al Qaeda: the toppling of the Assad regime, the establishment of an Islamic State, and the imposition of sharia, or Islamic law. [See LWJ report, Islamic Front endorses jihad, says ‘the Muhajireen are our brothers’ and Analysis: Formation of Islamic Front in Syria benefits jihadist groups].
Additionally, a statement released on Dec. 7 by Ahrar al Sham, one of the largest Islamist brigades in the Islamic Front, reveals that the group seeks to project a cozy relationship with al Qaeda. The statement touted a joint operation in the Damascus area by Ahrar al Sham, the ISIS, and the Al Nusrah Front. Over the past year, Ahrar al Sham has fought alongside al Qaeda’s two branches multiple times in some very large and high profile operations. [See LWJ report, Islamic Front brigade launches joint raid with al Qaeda’s Syrian branches]. Ironically, The New York Times even noted one such joint operation between the Al Nusrah Front and Ahrar al Sham. [See LWJ report, Videos show joint Al Nusrah, Free Syrian Army attacks in ancient village.]
In light of all this, it is misleading to say that the Islamic Front is “a coalition of Islamist fighters who have broken with the moderate, American-backed opposition, but who also battle Al Qaeda.”
Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.Hi Folks,
With Bitcoin crossing pass the USD3,500 mark and going to the USD4,000 mark. I think we are out from the bear trend and prices are stabilizing before possibly moving back to bullish trend on the long term.
2 coins which I see are good potential buys at this point as their prices have not make it back to the previous price levels are Tenx and Ubiq.
TENX
The ICO raised USD80m and it soared to a high of USD 580m and started dropping with marketcap at ~USD200m.
Main competitors include: Monaco, Tokencard, Xapo, Wirex and possibly Centra (if its really as good as it is).
Tenx face a roadblock in end Aug17 which saw the price dropping. News being Wavecrest would stop card issuance outside of Europe from 15thOct17. Julian Hosp, co founder of tenx mention they are not impacted and looking to work with other issuers and even possibly a bank next year for card issuance. However, prices have not really recovered from beginning sep17
What we like:
1. Ahead of its competitors in terms of development and cards has been issued and there’s a working app.
2. Weekly development updates to inform holders of their progress. Also we note phone apps Ios App, Android app and web app have all been launched as planned
3. They evolve as part of the incubator program from Paypal. Investors include VC firms such as Fenbushi Capital, ICH family office, Vitalik Buterin and David Lee.
4. Roadmap is aggressive with ambitious plans. Even if they deliver 50% of what is mentioned, the company would be worth much more than its current prices.
What we dont like: Pay is just a utility token that does not give any equity stake. In fact even if the company succeed and deliver per roadmap, ICO investors may get a higher PAY price but zero equity stake. But again its not specific to PAY, as many ICOs due to regulatory reasons only issue utility tokens and token holders have eventual zero equity stake.
Trading recommendation: Wait for price to stabilize at ~USD1.9 and go in for the buy with possible sell off at USD3.0-USD3.5 if you looking for short term returns.
UBIQ
Ubiq provides a stable blockchain to host an Ethereum Virtual Machine. With several more hard forks planned for ETH’s future, businesses wanting to implement applications on an Ethereum Virtual Machine would be subject to frequent updates and the the risk of instability associated with blockchain hard forks. Thus Ubiq provides a stable, enterprise-ready build of the Ethereum blockchain which allows enterprises to build applications on
What we like
This is especially important at this stage with metropolis happening and ETH hardfork in the coming weeks.The simulated hard fork for ETH was executed on 19Sep on Ropsten, the ethereum testing environment, and is expected to run for a few weeks of troubleshooting before the fork occurs on the main ethereum blockchain. The price of this coin is grossly undervalued compared to other forks which include ethereum classic. You can find the link here for an explanation on steemit. https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@aj49robertson/ubiq-why-i-think-it-s-the-single-most-undervalued-cryptocurrency-on-the-market-right-now
Trading recommendation: The previous trend is a head and shoulder formation with highs reaching new heights and lows reaching higher lows. Prices has fallen by quite a bit. A good buying level is at USD1.50-USD1.60. We note prices may possibly move higher than previous heights crossing USD3.0 if the head and shoulder formation is intact.
Feel free to share if you find this article useful.Nirvana, Soundgarden and 12 more vintage photos from Toronto’s underground music scene
Nirvana, Soundgarden and 12 more vintage photos from Toronto’s underground music scene
From 1987 to 1992, music journalist Phil Saunders and photographer Derek von Essen were essentially living in a a never-ending rock show. Night after night, they stomped off to Lee’s Palace, the Silver Dollar or the defunct Apocalypse Club to catch the buzziest new bands. Recently, they dug deep into their past to produce No Flash, Please!, a definitive volume of old photographs and oral histories from Toronto’s underground music scene. We asked them to share the stories behind some of our favourite shots.
Nirvana
Lee’s Palace, April 16, 1990
Saunders: “There was hardly anyone at this show. I was already a huge Nirvana fan—that guy in the back in a leather jacket and a white T-shirt, that’s me. I ran upstairs to Dance Cave, grabbed a bunch of people and said, ‘You gotta see this.’ The crowd was typically cool, and Kurt was pissed. He started grabbing beer bottles and throwing them at the stage. The first one hit the crash cymbal and broke into a million pieces. I like to joke that that’s when Chad Channing, the drummer, decided he didn’t want to be part of Nirvana any more. It wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t get paid that night. It was like watching a star be born. Everybody was all, ‘Holy shit.’ Of course, Nirvana came back about a year later and played at the Opera House, where Kurt was traipsed around like Cleopatra.”
Soundgarden
Apocalypse Club, November 4, 1989
Saunders: “The atmosphere at this show was absolutely electric. Soundgarden was enormous. They drew on the woodsy, redneck side of Seattle, and they helped innovate it, merging the big sound of Zeppelin and Sabbath with noise, cascading feedback and Chris Cornell’s absolutely operatic voice. I remember interviewing Cornell after their album Temple of the Dog came out. I was blown away to find out that he’d never taken a voice lesson. I thought, ‘This guy’s going to blow his voice out by the time he’s 30.’”
Ranee Lee
Club Rhythm, June 3, 1988
Von Essen: “Ranee Lee starred in a dinner-theatre play about Billie Holiday’s life. This is not the type of stuff I normally shoot. I was lucky to grab this picture—I was seated on as stool by the bar. The paper I worked for said the photos were too dark and shelved them, but I was startled to find this shot, because this is such a classic Billie Holiday pose.”
King Cobb Steelie
Rivoli, October 11, 1991
Saunders: “Guitarist Kevan Byrne, in the foreground, was in a band called Heimlich Manoeuvre, which opened for Nirvana at Lee’s Palace. He famously said, ‘I knew [the grunge scene] was all over when Nevermind came out.’ King Cobb Steelie, a southern Ontario band, bridged the gap between the dub sound and American indie rock. They were the alternative to the alternative. When alternative music was being commodified and turned into sections at HMV, their music was different.”
Chesterfield Kings
Silver Dollar, January 29, 1988
Von Essen: “The Chesterfield Kings rocked a ’60s look. They were friendly and fun, much like The Fleshtones from New York. The lead singer, Greg Prevost, would often point the mic at someone in the audience to get them to sing backup. Seconds before this photo was taken, I think he was offering it to someone right beside me. I’m not sure if he’s making that face because he’s thinking, ‘God damn, here’s that guy with the camera again!’”
Gaye Bykers on Acid
Silver Dollar, April 14, 1988
Von Essen: “This was downstairs at the Silver Dollar, where ventilation was horrible and everyone was always sweaty. The band’s sound was loud and aggressive, and their lead singer had no problem sticking his mug in my face all the time. They were British and their jokes didn’t really land, so they didn’t really seem the most approachable.”
Ten Commandments
Silver Dollar, February 19, 1988
Saunders: “Their singer, James Booth, is one of my heroes. He was one of the first people to interview Nirvana. He had no resources or anybody helping him—in fact, the day he did the interview, his bosses took away his camera. Sure enough, his interview with Nirvana is now legendary. He’s the guy who ‘got’ Nirvana before they were jaded and pissed off about being rock stars.”
Kristi Rose and the Midnight Walkers
Silver Dollar, May 7, 1988
Von Essen: “She had such an amazing stage presence, like an entertainer from the ’50s or ’60s. I’ve never heard pipes like that. People were wallflowers at this show so I was able to get up close. She was comfortable in her own skin and played to the audience—she didn’t engage with me, so I was able to shoot her as though I was invisible.”
The Dundrells
Rivoli, June 11, 1988
Saunders: “The Dundrells had a huge reputation. They were the seminal Toronto rock band of the day. They played a lot of covers, and many songs I know because The Dundrells performed them. They played our book’s release party in May. They hadn’t played together in 30 years, but we immediately said, ‘Wow, I forgot how great this was!’”
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
Rivoli, October 14, 1988
Von Essen: “Shadowy Men made music that could take you somewhere else. This particular night was the band’s anniversary party—their fourth, I think. It’s one of the strongest, most vibrant photos I got of them.”
Rocktopus
Slither Club, June 10, 1989
Saunders: “We all grew up listening to ’70s rock. Rocktopus emerged from that. They were a little bit of a flash in the pan—a punk-funk band that only really put out one record.”
Mudhoney
Apocalypse Club, October 24, 1989
Saunders: “We didn’t really think of Mudhoney as rock stars. They were just another one of the bands that we knew and we loved. But it’s impossible to talk about the scene in Seattle without discussing Mudhoney. It’s impossible to overstate how important they were. It wasn’t about being famous; it was about creativity.”
Scott B. Sympathy
Slither Club, December 8, 1989
Saunders: “This was a Toronto supergroup—everyone in the band was a great musician. Ian Blurton, the guy on the far left, is a legendary self-taught musician and producer. He was at every show I was at. He was a huge fan of Scott B., a Neil Young–type songwriter from Brantford. He put this band together with the best of the best.”Seeing a model as long-lived as the Lotus Esprit evolve over time generally requires some clever photography or graphical work, kind of like this. This video doesn't require any of that trickery, though, because it features every single model year of Espirt in one glorious row of awesome British cars.Taken at the 2013 Lotus Festival at Brands Hatch in the UK, it features Esprits from 1976 all the way to its last model year in 2004. It really puts into perspective the slow evolution of the mid-engined, wedge-shaped Lotus, as it went from a very 1970s design to something decidedly more modern.We've got the full video below, which starts with a red 1976 model, travels down the line to a silver 2004 Esprit, and then all the way back to the original. Take a look, and let us know what you think.Preface to the Turkish edition of The Heritage We Defend
By David North
23 June 2017
I welcome the publication of The Heritage We Defend in Turkey, a country that played such an important role in the history of the Trotskyist movement. Leon Trotsky first found refuge off the coast of Istanbul in 1929, following his expulsion from the Soviet Union by the Stalinist regime. “Prinkipo is a fine place to work with a pen,” he wrote. During his four-year sojourn on the island, Trotsky produced many of his greatest works, including My Life, The History of the Russian Revolution and his incomparable essays on the struggle against fascism in Germany. Though he described Prinkipo as “an island of peace and forgetfulness,” his presence between 1929 and 1933 transformed this idyll in the Sea of Marmara into the world epicenter of revolutionary Marxist thought.
Leon Trotsky in Prikipo
It is not only the relationship between Trotsky’s Turkish exile and the history of the Fourth International that imparts special significance to the publication of this new translation of The Heritage We Defend. The critical position occupied by Turkey in the geopolitics of the world imperialist system guarantees that the class struggle in this country will assume gigantic dimensions. The building of the Trotskyist movement in Turkey is, therefore, an essential strategic task of the Fourth International. This requires the education of the advanced sections of the Turkish working class and youth in the history of the long struggle waged by orthodox Trotskyists against the different forms of anti-Marxist revisionism—especially that associated with the liquidationist conceptions of Michel Pablo (1911–1996) and Ernest Mandel (1923–1995).
James P. Cannon
The Heritage We Defend was written thirty years ago, in the aftermath of the desertion of the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP) of Britain from the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). As the International Committee subsequently proved in |
Powell, the late Tory MP, sparked widespread anger after attacking migration in a 1968 speech on race relations
In 2007, the Tory candidate in the West Midlands seat of Halesowen, Nigel Hastilow, resigned after writing a newspaper article in which he said that Mr Powell was right.Appeal Court president Sirichai Wattanayothin holds a briefing at his office on July 12 after the Courts of Justice voted not to endorse him as president of the Supreme Court on July 3. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)
The Appeal Court president who failed to be endorsed as head of the Supreme Court will resign while a probe will be launched against him involving a controversial case transfer.
The Courts of Justice voted unanimously on July 3 not to endorse Sirichai Wattanayothin, the incumbent Appeal Court president, as chief of the Supreme Court, breaking the decades-long tradition of adhering to seniority when appointing top officials.
They also voted to set up a panel to probe into an allegedly controversial handling of a case by Mr Sirichai.
The Appeal Court president on Monday told reporters he would hold a briefing to announce his resignation as judicial official on Tuesday afternoon. A source said his resignation would not change anything since three judges had already been named to look into the facts involving the scandal.
The probe, which normally takes 30 days, will involve testimony by witnesses and Mr Sirichai, as well as cross examination. The facts gathered from the proceeding would be used to determine the alleged wrongdoing.
If he is found to have committed a wrongdoing, another panel would be set up to determine whether it is a disciplinary offence, which will affect his pensions and benefits.
According to Isra News Agency, the scandal involves a drug case before Mr Sirichai became the president of the Appeal Court.
The first court handed down a life imprisonment ruling on the defendant. During the consideration of the appeal and before the appeal ruling was read, a three-judge panel decided to uphold the first court's ruling. However, two senior judges who later reviewed the case believed it should be dismissed.
Due to the conflicting views, Mr Sirichai's predecessor transferred the case to another panel of judges, who decided the case should be dismissed.
At this stage, the president had to decide what to do with the case. But since Mr Sirichai's predecessor had left office, the case became his responsibility.
Mr Sirichai, viewing that the defendant could be convicted and the case transfer was a minor mistake, ordered the revocation of the case transfer approved by his predecessor, effectively restoring the original guilty decision by the first panel of judges.
As a result, on the ruling date, the Appeal Court upheld the first court's decision and the defendant was jailed for life. Since drug cases end at the Appeal Court, the defendant could no longer appeal.
Mr Sirichai insisted he had done nothing wrong in this case.For a while, the Energy and Commerce Committee was the last House committee standing on the Hill, and that’s now changed with the passage of the House Tri-Committee out of the committee on a vote of 31-28 today. All the three House committees and the Senate HELP committee were able to pass the health care legislation out of their respective committees. None of the Republicans voted for the Tri-Committee health care bill in the three House Committees, and neither did the Republicans on the Senate side.
So then what’s the excuse for the hold-up on the Senate Finance Committee, and their delay of the vote to September 15th? It’s Senator Baucus’s bipartisanship fetish at display here, as he says below:
Baucus and Grassley have been among the fiercest critics of a single-party approach. "Fundamentally, legislation that is historic, that is comprehensive, that has a large number of senators supporting it is more durable," Baucus said in an interview. "It will be more sustainable and will inspire more public confidence." Baucus, who came to the Senate in 1979, and Grassley, who joined two years later, have let that philosophy guide them since they assumed senior posts on the finance committee eight years ago.
Utter lies, Senator Baucus. Most of the progressive legislation that still endures today such as Medicare, was passed without Republican votes. The Republicans in each of the three House Committees, and in the Senate HELP Committee, voted AGAINST health care reform. Does Senator Baucus really think that Republicans will vote for real health care reform? Is he that deluded in his need to please his bipartisanship fetish?
Senator Baucus knows that the delay of the committee vote to September 15th, 2009, allows time for the murder-by-spreadsheet industry to ramp up their PR attacks to scare Members of Congress into voting against any real semblance of health care reform such as the public option and a strong national insurance exchange. He knows that pursuing bipartisanship allows the Republicans to kill progressive legislation. Here are the words straight from a former Republican aide for Senator John Kyl:
Ron Bonjean, who formerly served as chief of staff under Senator Kyl, said: "Creating bipartisan coalitions on key issues is important to prevent Democrat legislative victories."
It’s time for Senator Baucus to realize over the August recess as his constituents and liberal advocacy organizations ramp up their calls for real health care reform with a strong, robust public option, that his bipartisanship fetish isn’t going to cut it this time.Neverwinter is celebrating its 4 year anniversary, which means Lord Neverember has planned more than just a speech. In addition to the Protector’s Jubilee event that will run from 6/20 to 6/27, he has graciously offered a full week of free items and ways to aid you for the duration of the event. We’ve listened to what Lord Neverember has said and have written down all the festivities he’s planned for your viewing pleasure. Take a look at the schedule below – and make sure to thank him when you get the chance.
Day (Begins at 7:30am PT on PC, 10am PT on Console) Free Gifts Events and Sales Tuesday (6/20) Free Scale of Bahamut (ends 6/21 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) 2x RP
2x Influence
2x Enchants & Runes (Double events end Tuesday, 6/27 at 7:30AM PT) 50% off the entire Zen Market! (Ends 6/21 at 7:30am PT on PC and 10am PT on Console) Wednesday (6/21) Free Bag of Holding (ends 6/27 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) 15% off Keys & 15% off Refinement Items (ends 6/27 7:30am PT on PC and 10am on Console) Thursday (6/22) Free Courtesan Fashion (ends on 6/23 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) Play with the Devs Event Friday (6/23) Free Health stone (ends 6/24 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) Saturday (6/24) Free Blood Ruby (ends 6/25 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) Sunday (6/25) Free Scroll of Life (ends 6/26 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) Monday (6/26) Free L60 XP Boost (ends 6/27 at 7:30AM PT on PC and 10AM on Console) (Ends 6/27 at 7:30am PT on PC and 10am PT on Console)
Note: All free items are obtainable via the Zen Market at 7:30AM PT on their respective days. Please make sure to claim these items on the character you wish to have it.
Don’t embarrass Lord Neverember by not claiming the gifts he provided! They’re only up for a limited time, and by limited, we mean one day each. He only asks you to take part in the Protector’s Jubilee during the celebration to show your unwavering enthusiasm for Neverwinter’s four-year anniversary!Four Republican senators are promising a showdown with the White House over the ten-year, $38 billion military aid deal signed between the Obama administration and the Netanyahu government earlier this month.
The lawmakers, Lindsey Graham, Kelly Ayotte, John McCain and Ted Cruz, told a news conference Tuesday that they are planning to introduce legislation in the Senate that would overturn a provision of the deal, formally called the Memorandum of Understanding, that prevents Israel from receiving any additional funds beyond those allowed under the agreement, and even requires it to return any added funds granted to it by Congress, Reuters reported.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spent the past week defending the deal in the face of critics on the Israeli center-left. It is not clear how Israel will handle a fight between Congress and the White House over a deal it has already signed.
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According to the lawmakers, they are acting to protect Congress’s control over federal spending, which they said was curtailed by the US-Israel aid agreement.
According to Reuters, the senators said they were proposing a bill Tuesday that would enable Israel to receive $1.5 billion in additional military aid, as well as renewing some American sanctions on Iran that were removed in last year’s nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers.
Three other GOP senators, Marco Rubio, Roy Blunt and Mark Kirk, are cosponsors of the new bill.
“This is a very dramatic moment in the US-Israel relationship between Congress and the state of Israel. Congress is not going to sit on the sidelines,” Graham, who holds significant sway over the US foreign aid budget as chairman of a Senate Allocations subcommittee, was quoted as saying.
Last week, Graham used a conference call arranged by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs to chastise Israeli leaders for accepting the agreement. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump would have been more generous, he insisted, adding that both Republicans and Democrats in Congress support upping the military aid.
“They left money on the table,” Graham said of Israel.
The Obama administration was trying to “neuter” Congress by undercutting its ability to appropriate money, he charged. “I will not stand for that.”
Graham seemed to draw further support from Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who said in a statement last week that the agreement “sends an important signal about our long-term commitment to Israel,” but the amount of money “is ultimately up to Congress to decide.”
The agreement was signed last week in Washington after over three years of on-and-off negotiations.
Obama’s national security adviser Susan Rice, who witnessed the signing, called it a signal of Washington’s “unshakable commitment” to the security of the Jewish state. It is the largest such deal ever offered by Washington to a foreign state.
The total includes $33 billion in foreign military financing funds — which is money used to buy materiel and ammunition — as well as $5 billion in missile defense funding. Under the previous arrangement, Congress approved funds for Israeli missile defense systems, including Iron Dome, separately and on an annual basis.
The old agreement, set to expire by the end of 2017 and be replaced by the new one in early 2018, allowed Israel to use 26.3 percent of the aid to buy products from its own domestic defense industry. The new deal phases out that amount over several years, until all US-granted aid is spent on American-made products.
The new agreement also eliminates Israel’s ability to spend a fraction of the funds on fuel for its military.
In his comments last week, Graham said lawmakers wanted to give Israel $600 million for missile defense — $100 million more than the agreement proposes to provide in 2019, as well as a $300 million hike in the foreign military financing account.
Republican lawmakers have said that Israel was pressured into signing the agreement out of fear of growing Iranian power in the wake of the nuclear deal and growing Iranian assertiveness throughout the region.Hello backers,
Happy New Year!
As you know, we’ve been flying under the radar for a bit with Underworld Ascendant, waiting for several major gameplay systems and our evolving art style to reach critical mass before showing everything off. And… we’re almost there.
Fans on our forums recently asked if we’d give a peek at the latest, raw work-in-progress as we get closer and we agreed. So this month, we have an in-depth progress report, a glimpse at the level design process, and more to provide the sort of behind-the-scenes look at the game development process promised during our Kickstarter.
Hope you enjoy! Please pardon our dust.
Progress Report: Underworld Ascendant
Like we’ve mentioned last month, our current efforts on Underworld Ascendant are focused on creating a tight, polished experience that demonstrates its core distinctive gameplay.
To do that, we’ve targeted an area on the second level of The Stygian Abyss, where the player is first introduced to the Improvisation Engine — the array of tools that allow you to experiment and create your own ingenious solutions to challenges.
The premise? The Lizard Men allow none entry to the key settlement of Marcaul, save the able. To gain access, you must prove yourself by completing The Challenge of Ishtass — a familiar character from Ultima Underworld, whose influence is felt throughout Underworld Ascendant.
In it, we provide you choices in combat, stealth, and magic. How you use them — to engage, evade, or manipulate the Lizard Men and horrific Mind Crippler — is up to you.
How’s it coming along? Long story short: We’ve been VERY BUSY!
On the visual front, our art director Nate (BioShock, System Shock 2, The Last of Us) Wells is working closely with our team of modelers, creating concept reference for key characters and props, and digging into the look and layout of the level.
Besides designing BioShock’s iconic Big Daddy character, Nate was responsible for creating the stunning opening levels of BioShock and BioShock Infinite, so we look forward to sharing his progress on upping our visual bar, once we complete our polish and lighting pass. We’ll report that it’s moving toward a darker, dangerous aesthetic, closer to that in the original Ultima Underworld.
On the gameplay front, our lead designer Tim Stellmach and lead engineer Will Teixiera have been dedicated to the unique combat skills, stealth abilities, and magic spells that you’ll be able to choose from.
Those among you who are fans of Looking Glass’ Thief games may recall that Tim was the lead designer of both The Dark Project and The Metal Age. We’re understandably excited to have one of the developers responsible for inventing the stealth game genre working on the stealth aspects of our game AND collaborating with the incredibly industrious Will, a former gameplay programmer on Dungeons & Dragon Online and participant in countless indie game jams.
On the narrative front, our project director and writer Joe (BioShock Infinite, The Flame in the Flood) Fielder recently recorded our script with voice performer Stephen Russell, who you know from such memorable roles as Garrett in Thief, Nick Valentine in Fallout 4, and Corvo in Dishonored 2.
In Underworld Ascendant, Stephen plays the spirit of Cabirus, founder of the failed utopia seen in Ultima Underworld. His character is a mix of Marcus Aurelius and Captain Nemo and provides insight into The Stygian Abyss’ storied past and its unique role in the universe. The session with Stephen went phenomenally well and we can’t wait for you to hear his VO in-game.
Our current sprint is aimed at improving combat, refining stealth mechanics, animation and audio support to provide clear readability for those systems, implementing the narrative aspects, and perfecting the look of the Lizard Men and Mind Crippler.
Much to do!
Meet Underworld Ascendant’s Level Designer
We’d like to introduce the most recent addition to our team, Underworld Ascendant level designer Justin Pappas.
Before OtherSide, Justin worked on the narrative-focused first-person shooter BioShock Infinite, melee combat brawler Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, and surreal VR escapades Albino Lullaby and Here They Lie.
We asked him a few questions about the level design process…
What does a level designer do, exactly?
A level designer skirts the line between design and art. A gameplay space has to be functional, but it also has to look great. A level artist makes legos while a level designer builds with those legos. A good level designer/artist relationship is founded on the understanding that the line between the two is blurry and that the designer needs to meet the needs of the artist and vice versa.
A level designer’s core duties are to not only build compelling space, making sure there is enough real estate to allow both AI and the player to move about smoothly with interesting and impact-full choices for both, but to support the core art tenants of the game.
Can the player parse all the options available to the them without feeling overwhelmed? Does this level communicate a deep orbit space station, dwarven mine or cliffside village without relying on art assets? Does the space leverage the specific attributes of the themes in a way that meaningfully impacts game play? Can a single snot-nosed archer shoot at every corner of the map uncontested?
What are some of the challenges of creating a space that introduces the player to the Improvisation Engine?
The toughest part about creating spaces that showcase the Improvisation Engine is in cramming all those tasty options into a clear, readable space, with plenty of room to maneuver smoothly between them. We want players to effortlessly understand the buffet of choices before them, while still fostering a sense of discovery and encouraging exploration. We want players making a myriad of impactful, creative choices on the fly, not just picking a choice and being stuck with it for an extended period of time.
What’s your favorite Underworld moment?
I was hooked on Ultima Underworld in my first play session. I’d been moving very methodically, mentally mapping the space, and always keeping aware of where I was in relation to the entrance. I was gaming the game, rather than letting myself get lost in the world Looking Glass had built. I missed a jump, fell into a river and was swept downstream, over a waterfall, down a number of levels and into a deep, dark and distant underground lake.
Everything I had done to maintain orientation was out the window. The grand scale of the world was suddenly so much larger than I had thought it could ever be. Keeping track of this world the way one might keep track of a DOOM level was clearly impossible and I was finally able to place myself in it, giving into the fantasy of actually being there myself.
Fan Participation: Lizard Man Language Guide
We’re still a few months left until we begin our Kickstarter fan participation rewards, but in the meantime, we wanted to invite you to take part in a fun opportunity to help out with the game.
You’re likely well familiar with the sequence in the original Ultima Underworld where the player learned the Lizard Man language.
Since the Lizard Men will play a big role in Underworld Ascendant, we intend to expand their vocabulary even further.
Want to help? Follow this link to our forums and you’ll find a handy guide to the rules of the language by our lead designer Tim Stellmach, all currently known words, and ideas on where this list may grow.
Your suggestions for new words may make it into Underworld Ascendant, either in text form or even performed by our stellar voice cast.
For full details, visit the Lizard Man Language thread on the forums.
In Other News…
And finally, a few things you might find interesting:
ICYMI – Glixel, Rolling Stone’s new game site, recently interviewed OtherSide’s Paul Neurath and Warren Spector about reinventing the immersive sim. Read it here!
OtherSide’s VR action/strategy hybrid Underworld Overlord is not only available for Google’s Daydream Virtual Reality platform, it recently received a big update. Read details from lead designer Carl Ahlund here.
is not only available for Google’s Daydream Virtual Reality platform, it recently received a big update. Read details from lead designer Carl Ahlund here. Our friends at inXile announced that their follow-up to RPG classic Planescape: Torment, Torment: Tides of Numenera will be released for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, and Xbox One later this month on January 27th.
will be released for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, and Xbox One later this month on January 27th. OtherSide recently launched a new website! What do you think? Let us know on the forums.
Until next time!
Best,
The Team at OtherSideApproximately 30 countries are refusing to accept the deportations of illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes in the U.S., according to Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar.
While these countries are refusing to accept the deportations of these criminals, the U.S. government is still issuing visas and student visas to citizens of those countries, according to the Texan congressman. There is already a law on the books which allows the U.S. to hold visas from a country that is not taking back its criminals, but according to Cuellar, the U.S. is not enforcing it.
“We’re not enforcing it, which is amazing. So now my intent is to go back to our committee on appropriations and affect their funding until they do that,” Cuellar told Sharyl Attkisson, host of Full Measure, in an interview.
Cuellar, a Democratic member of the House Committee on Appropriations, told Attkisson that the Supreme Court has ruled that illegal immigrants arrested for criminal activity can only be held for a certain period of time before they must be released.
“That means you’re releasing criminals into our streets because those countries refuse to take back those criminal aliens,” said Cuellar. “That’s wrong. And especially I think it’s even worse that this is already on the books, and we’re still issuing business tourist visas and student visas to countries that refuse to take back their criminal aliens. That’s wrong, and we’re hoping to change that.”
Cuellar has not been afraid to break with some of his party leadership on immigration issues in the past. He was known as one of former President Barack Obama’s fiercest critics on illegal immigration. Cuellar teamed up with Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn in 2014 to help pass a bill that would speed up the deportation of unaccompanied minors. His stance disappointed his fellow Democrats, including Sen. Harry Reid.
There are many foreign countries that refuse to retake illegal immigrants convicted of crimes, according to the congressman, including Vietnam, Cuba and China. Cuellar said that diplomacy plays a factor in the government’s refusal to enforce the law, as the Department of State and other federal agencies do not want to upset foreign partners.
But, for Cuellar, diplomacy is no excuse to put American lives in danger.
“But my response is, but we can upset our constituents, we can upset our way of life that we have here by allowing those criminals to be released?” said Cuellar. “And basically the response from the State Department is because you have to work with the State Department and Homeland Security. And the State Department, with all due respect, was focused on diplomacy.”
Cuellar noted that he understands the importance of diplomacy in these situations, but that it also important to prevent convicted criminals from returning to American neighborhoods. He told Attkisson that he plans to push for the U.S. government to withhold visas from countries that refuse to take back their convicted criminals.
You can watch Cuellar’s entire interview with Attkisson at Full Measure’s website Sunday at 9:30 a.m.George Osborne suggests Gordon Brown does not care about debt Gordon Brown's willingness to borrow his way out of trouble could lead to the collapse of sterling, shadow chancellor George Osborne has warned. In the Times, he accused the PM of being "irresponsible" and suggested he "doesn't care" how much he borrows. Sterling has fallen sharply in recent weeks amid fears about a UK recession. Labour has accused Mr Osborne of "talking down" the economy, with the prime minister dismissing the attack on his handling of the crisis. But a former advisor to three Thatcher chancellors said he had been right to raise the issue. There has been a so-called convention that opposition spokespeople do not say anything that might damage the economy and talk down the pound, said BBC political correspondent David Thompson - and Mr Osborne would appear to have broken that. But the Tories say Mr Osborne is the shadow chancellor and is meant to give a critique. Warwick Lightfoot, who advised Nigel Lawson, John Major and Norman Lamont, told BBC 5 Live: "The exchange rate has fallen sharply this year, by about 16% overall. In my judgement, that's been a good thing... "But you do not want, even in a very deep recession, your exchange rate to go into some kind of freefall because it completely undermines confidence in your economy." 'Scorched-earth policy' Will Hutton, of the Work Foundation, and Conservative MP Michael Fallon, who is a member of the Commons' Treasury select committee, said it was clear the pound had fallen and there was no point in keeping silent about it. The Alpha and Omega of economic policy at the moment is to persuade the banks to maintain public borrowing
John Hutton
Chart: Pound's fall against dollar Mr Fallon said: "It's the shadow chancellor's job to warn, and there's a very serious issue with sterling now." On Friday, the pound slipped to a 13-year low against a basket of other currencies, hovered near a six-and-a-half year low against the dollar, and traded at a near-record low against the euro. Mr Osborne says the more the prime minister borrows, the less attractive the currency will become. He said: "We are in danger, if the government is not careful, of having a proper sterling collapse, a run on the pound." He said that would push up long-term interest rates, "which is a huge burden on the economy". "The more you borrow as a government the more you have to sell that debt and the less attractive your currency seems." He went on to label Mr Brown's tactic as a "scorched-earth policy", which a future Conservative government would have to clear up. "His view is he probably won't win the next election. The Tories can clear this mess up after I've gone," he said. Internal criticism A Labour spokesman said George Osborne was making "panicky" criticisms "in a desperate last throw of the dice to save his career". Labour MP John McFall, who chairs the Commons Treasury Committee, told the BBC that Mr Osborne's comments were "very dangerous": "We have abormal economic times here," he said. "You can witness that by the G20 meeting in Washington this weekend and George Osborne is running the risk of a run in sterling or making false predictions if and when sterling recovers." And Liberal Democrat shadow chancellor Vince Cable said Mr Osborne's criticism signalled "massive intellectual confusion" within the Conservatives over fiscal policy. He said: "For the last decade, the Conservatives have been rubbishing the idea of Britain joining the euro on the basis that we need to have a flexible exchange rate, yet when we have a flexible exchange rate, they complain because it's flexible." Mr Hutton said the most important thing was to persuade the banks to maintain public borrowing. The really important thing here is that we continue to protect the public's stake in these banks
Michael Fallon He said banks that had been bailed out by public funds should have had non-executive government directors placed on their boards to oversee how the money was used. Mr Fallon said: "The really important thing here is that we continue to protect the public's stake in these banks, which has already gone down, and that we get it back with added value." BBC political correspondent Nick Robinson said Mr Osborne's intervention was "pretty extraordinary" and marked the sense of frustration from the opposition that they are seeing political and economic orthodoxy torn up. The Tories have chosen to say this is "very dangerous indeed" - but they are doing it in a way in which they themselves can be accused of damaging the economy, he said. And until the government's pre-Budget report due out on 24 November, it is hard to tell how great a departure from recent economic practice we are actually going to see, he said. Mr Osborne has also been criticised by former Conservative treasurer Lord Kalms, who told the BBC that former shadow home secretary David Davis would be more appropriate as shadow chancellor. Up until now, any unease among Conservatives about Mr Osborne's performance during the credit crunch has been off the record. Last month, Mr Osborne admitted he had "made a mistake" by meeting Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska while on holiday in Corfu in the summer. But he denied claims he tried to solicit a £50,000 donation for the Conservative Party.
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StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionSkyrim DLC Dawnguard Coming This Summer By Pete Haas Random Article Blend Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The Dawnguard DLC will be arriving in a few months.
The teaser image for the DLC shows the usual Nord hero featured in the game's marketing. However, he's a bit different this time around. His eyes have a strange yellow glow to them. Does that mean the player will be receiving new powers in this game?
The latest patch for Skyrim supposedly contained some clues about the content. A user dug around in the patch files and found references to
Bethesda says that Dawnguard will debut on the Xbox 360 this summer. If you recall, the first two DLC packs for Skyrim will be
A summer release is probably a longer wait than most Skyrim fans were expecting. It's been several months since Skyrim's launch, after all. The added wait just means expectations will be even higher. It suggests that this DLC will be pretty huge, too.
While summer technically starts at the end of May, don't expect it that soon. Bethesda says that they're waiting until E3 in early June to announce more details on Dawnguard.
After weeks of teasing, Bethesda finally announced the first downloadable content for their open-world RPG. TheDLC will be arriving in a few months.The teaser image for the DLC shows the usual Nord hero featured in the game's marketing. However, he's a bit different this time around. His eyes have a strange yellow glow to them. Does that mean the player will be receiving new powers in this game?The latest patch forsupposedly contained some clues about the content. A user dug around in the patch files and found references to crossbows and snow elves. I can only assume that the player kills snow elves with a crossbow and then forms a Nord death metal band named Dawnguard.Bethesda says thatwill debut on the Xbox 360 this summer. If you recall, the first two DLC packs forwill be timed exclusives for the 360. PS3 and PC gamers will have to wait at least an additional 30 days to get their hands on this new content.A summer release is probably a longer wait than mostfans were expecting. It's been several months since's launch, after all. The added wait just means expectations will be even higher. It suggests that this DLC will be pretty huge, too.While summer technically starts at the end of May, don't expect it that soon. Bethesda says that they're waiting until E3 in early June to announce more details on Blended From Around The Web Facebook
Back to topBank announces layoffs, adding that two-thirds of lost roles will move offshore to its operation in India
Royal Bank of Scotland is cutting 448 investment banking jobs in the UK, moving two-thirds of them to India.
The bank, 73% of which is owned by the taxpayer, said it would cut back- and middle-office roles in its investment bank, including a small number of technology jobs. Under its chief executive, Ross McEwan, RBS has been shrinking the division to focus on its personal and small business operations in the UK and Ireland.
About 300 jobs will go offshore, to an existing RBS operation based in Gurgaon, near Delhi, and Chennai in southern India. London and Newcastle-under-Lyme will bear the brunt of the cuts, along with Manchester. The layoffs will happen by the end of next year.
The move comes just days after RBS announced it would lay off 550 investment advisers, replacing them with an automated system that will offer advice based on customers responses to a series of questions. The bank, which was bailed out during the financial crisis, reported a £2bn loss for 2015, its eighth annual loss in a row.
RBS to cut 550 jobs as part of plan to automate investment advice Read more
John Morgan-Evans, regional officer of the Unite union, said: “Unite is disappointed that despite RBS’s promise to build a UK-focused bank, we continue to see jobs shipped out of the UK. It was inevitable that RBS’s talk of ‘technology simplification’ would come down to yet more job cuts as that remains the bank’s go-to solution whatever the problem.
“Once again placating shareholders with short-term savings is being prioritised over the long-term future of the bank and the employees who keep RBS running.”
The bank said: “As part of RBS’s drive to be a stronger, simpler and fairer bank, we have been restructuring our corporate & institutional bank, as well as reducing its size, to focus on our core customers and products.
“As this process continues our frontline staff need a simpler, clearer, more efficient relationship with our middle – and back-office functions to better serve customers, so we’re reshaping our services business accordingly. Unfortunately the changes will result in some job losses.”
RBS added that it would try to “redeploy staff into new roles wherever possible”.Local Chefs Hilary White, Thaddeus Barton and Matt & Paddy Adolfi will make delicious bites paired with special, limited beers from Creature Comforts and Jester King Brewery.
Creature Comforts is bringing Automatic and Athena to sample. Jester King Brewery is keeping their beers a secret! The two breweries have come together to create, Mutualism, a beer you will only be able to taste at this event.
$35,All Proceeds go to Atlanta Local Food Initiative to bring donated fruit trees to local Atlanta farmers.
Atlanta band City Mouse will be playing all evening!
Sunday, July 31st
5pm-7pm at Serenbe Farms
8715 Atlanta Newnan Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Must be 21 years old to drink, enjoy responsibly.
Event is rain or shine!
Tickets are non-refundable. Contact kirstin@serenbe.com with questions.Patti Mason, Livingston, Texas asks:
I would like to know what your stance is on the 2nd Amendment, especially in regard to remarks you made earlier about you not being sure if ownership of certain weapons should be allowed in certain areas. In my opinion, and in most of 2nd Amendment supporters’ opinions, “shall not be infringed” means just that. If your stance has changed, I would like to know why and when.
Dr. Ben Carson:
Actually, my stance has never changed. My stance was articulated in an awkward way early on, when I entered the political fray, I subsequently learned that when you talk about things like the 2nd Amendment, your first statement is, “The 2nd Amendment cannot, in any way, be compromised.” It is such an important part of our freedoms. It was Daniel Webster who said that people of America would never suffer under tyranny because they are armed, and I believe that with all my heart and would never compromise the 2nd Amendment.
What I did say is that I would prefer not having a situation where dangerous weapons fell into the hands of unstable people, because then they’re likely to wreak havoc with them. But, you know, that’s way down the line in terms of things that I think are important, and I simply, early on, didn’t recognize that you can’t assume that people know what you’re talking about.Leona Helmsley’s pet pooch, Trouble, is going from rich bitch to good dog by throwing a $10 million bone to charity.
A Manhattan judge quietly reduced the notoriously ill-tempered canine’s $12 million trust fund and signed off on a deal to pay the late billionaire’s two disinherited grandchildren $6 million amid allegations that Helmsley wasn’t mentally competent when she signed her will.
Trouble now will have to get by for the rest of her life on a measly $2 million.
While Helmsley, who died last August, was exceedingly generous to her 9-year-old Maltese in her will, she pointedly excluded grandkids Craig Panzirer, 40, and Meegan Panzirer Wesolko, 37, “for reasons which are known to them.”
In bombshell papers filed in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court, the siblings say the so-called Queen of Mean was not of sound mind or memory and did not have the mental capacity to make a will when she signed the document on July 15, 2005.
She died at 87.
The grandchildren quietly worked out a deal with the executors of Helmsley’s estate in March. Under its terms, the grandchildren withdrew their objection in return for some changes to Helmsley’s will.
Those alterations include Panzirer receiving a tax-free $4 million bequest and Wesolko a tax-free $2 million bequest. The estate will also cover their legal fees, the deal says.
Their two other brothers, Walter and David, see their $10 million bequests from Helmsley reduced to $9.5 million, while Helmsley’s brother, Alvin Rosenthal, has his $15 million inheritance cut by $1 million.
Panzirer and Wesolko agreed not to ever speak publicly concerning their disputes and to turn over all their financial and legal documents related to their grandmother’s affairs.
The highly unusual deal was signed off on by both the state Attorney General’s Office, which oversees charities, and Surrogate’s Court Judge Renee Roth.
Wesolko did not return a call for comment, and Panzirer and the executors declined comment.
In an apparently unrelated move, the trustees of Trouble’s kennel-full of cash said the persnickety pooch doesn’t need the full $12 million she was left.
They received permission from Roth to reduce the fund by $10 million, which will go into Helmsley’s multibillion-dollar charitable foundation.
Helmsley’s will had asked that either her brother or grandson David Panzirer care for the dog, but both passed on tending the notoriously bitey beast.
Trouble is living in Florida with Carl Lekic, the general manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel.
In an affidavit, Lekic says Trouble appears to be very happy in her new permanent home and |
beat Trump 88-8. Lower overall turnout among black voters, a shift may have been decisive, propelled Trump to small victories in states like Michigan and Pennsylvania that seemed out of reach for him just days ago.
Intriguingly, despite expectations that his path to victory depended on supercharging white turnout, Trump did not outperform Romney among white voters. He received just 58 percent of the white vote, a small drop from Romney’s 59 percent. Clinton, though, dropped further, winning just 37 percent of whites compared to Obama’s 39 percent. (RELATED: Hillary Supporters PANIC After Her Defeat)
Even among youth voters, supposedly so hostile to Trump, there was a shift in his favor compared to four years ago. Romney lost the vote of 18-29 voters 60-37, while Trump lost it 54-37, effectively losing no ground while Clinton hundreds of thousands of votes to third party candidates Jill Stein and Gary Johnson.
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Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.Judging the effects of climate change on extinction may be easier than previously thought, according to a paper entitled, "Life history and spatial traits predict extinction risk due to climate change," published today in the journal Nature Climate Change.
Although widely used assessments of threatened species, such as the IUCN Red List, were not developed with the effects of climate change in mind, a study of 36 amphibian and reptile species endemic to the US has concluded that climate change may not be fundamentally different from other extinction threats in terms of identifying species in danger of extinction.
The new study, funded by NASA and led by Dr. Richard Pearson of UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and formerly of the American Museum of Natural History, and by Dr. Resit Akçakaya of Stony Brook University in New York, identified factors that predispose species to high extinction risk due to climate change. By looking at pre-existing information on species of salamanders, turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards, the team hoped to create a blueprint for judging extinction risk in other species around the world.
"Surprisingly, we found that most important factors -- such as having a small range or low population size -- are already used in conservation assessments," said Dr. Pearson. "These new results indicate that current systems may be better able to identify species vulnerability to climate change than previously thought."
Through quantitative analysis the team found that across the reptiles and amphibians studied there was a 28% overall chance of extinction by 2100. In contrast, the risk of extinction without climate change was calculated to be less than 1%, suggesting that climate change will cause a dramatic increase in extinction risk for these taxonomic groups over the next century.
"The bad news is that climate change will cause many extinctions unless species-specific conservation actions are taken," said Dr. Akçakaya. "But the good news is that the methods conservation organizations have been using to identify which species need the most urgent help also work when climate change is the main threat."
The factors identified in this study as predisposing species to high extinction risk due to climate change suggest that conservation actions should focus on species that occupy a small or declining area, have small population size, or have synchronized population fluctuations. The methodology used in this study offers great potential for adaption to additional taxonomic groups and geographical areas, helping to develop effective measures to conserve biodiversity over the coming century.
Unlike most previous studies, which predicted future extinction risks based only on projected contraction of areas with suitable climate for each species, the present study estimated extinction risk as the probability of the population size falling to zero by the year 2100. To do this, the authors used a new methodology that included modeling demographic processes such as reproduction, survival, and dispersal.
The approach was not designed to make specific predictions for each individual species; instead, the methods allowed the authors to draw conclusions beyond the limited set of species for which data were available. The result is new understanding of the factors that make some species more at risk due to the changing temperature and rainfall patterns that are expected over the coming century.
Dr. Pearson added: "Our analysis will hopefully help create better guidelines that account for the effects of climate change in assessing extinction risk."Photo captions: Ornate Box Turtle and Massasauga are among the species in a study that focused on the predictability of species extinction risks due to climate change. Photographs © Geoffrey A. Hammerson.Before Rosa Parks, There Was Claudette Colvin
Enlarge this image Margot Adler/NPR Margot Adler/NPR Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Alean Bowser Courtesy of Alean Bowser
Read an excerpt from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University Courtesy of Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Department of Archives and Manuscripts Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Department of Archives and Manuscripts
Few people know the story of Claudette Colvin: When she was 15, she refused to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white person — nine months before Rosa Parks did the very same thing.
Most people know about Parks and the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott that began in 1955, but few know that there were a number of women who refused to give up their seats on the same bus system. Most of the women were quietly fined, and no one heard much more.
Colvin was the first to really challenge the law.
Now a 69-year-old retiree, Colvin lives in the Bronx. She remembers taking the bus home from high school on March 2, 1955, as clear as if it were yesterday.
The bus driver ordered her to get up and she refused, saying she'd paid her fare and it was her constitutional right. Two police officers put her in handcuffs and arrested her. Her school books went flying off her lap.
"All I remember is that I was not going to walk off the bus voluntarily," Colvin says.
It was Negro history month, and at her segregated school they had been studying black leaders like Harriet Tubman, the runaway slave who led more than 70 slaves to freedom through the network of safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. They were also studying about Sojourner Truth, a former slave who became an abolitionist and women's rights activist.
The class had also been talking about the injustices they were experiencing daily under the Jim Crow segregation laws, like not being able to eat at a lunch counter.
"We couldn't try on clothes," Colvin says. "You had to take a brown paper bag and draw a diagram of your foot... and take it to the store. Can you imagine all of that in my mind? My head was just too full of black history, you know, the oppression that we went through. It felt like Sojourner Truth was on one side pushing me down, and Harriet Tubman was on the other side of me pushing me down. I couldn't get up."
Colvin also remembers the moment the jail door closed. It was just like a Western movie, she says.
"And then I got scared, and panic come over me, and I started crying. Then I started saying the Lord's Prayer," she says.
'Twice Toward Justice'
Now her story is the subject of a new book, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice.
Author Phil Hoose says that despite a few articles about her in the Birmingham press and in USA Today, and brief mentions in some books about the civil rights movement, most people don't know about the role Colvin played in the bus boycotts.
Hoose couldn't get over that there was this teenager, nine months before Rosa Parks, "in the same city, in the same bus system, with very tough consequences, hauled off the bus, handcuffed, jailed and nobody really knew about it."
He also believes Colvin is important because she challenged the law in court, one of four women plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, the court case that successfully overturned bus segregation laws in Montgomery and Alabama.
There are many reasons why Claudette Colvin has been pretty much forgotten. She hardly ever told her story when she moved to New York City. In her new community, hardly anyone was talking about integration; instead, most people were talking about black enterprises, black power and Malcolm X.
When asked why she is little known and why everyone thinks only of Rosa Parks, Colvin says the NAACP and all the other black organizations felt Parks would be a good icon because "she was an adult. They didn't think teenagers would be reliable."
She also says Parks had the right hair and the right look.
"Her skin texture was the kind that people associate with the middle class," says Colvin. "She fit that profile."
David Garrow, a historian and the author of Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, says people may think that Parks' action was spontaneous, but black civic leaders had been thinking about what to do about the Montgomery buses for years.
After Colvin's arrest, she found herself shunned by parts of her community. She experienced various difficulties and became pregnant. Civil rights leaders felt she was an inappropriate symbol for a test case.
Parks was the secretary of the NAACP. She was well-known and respected and, says Garrow, Parks had a "natural gravitas" and was an "inherently impressive person."
At the same time, Garrow believes attention to Colvin is a healthy corrective, because "the real reality of the movement was often young people and often more than 50 percent women." The images you most often see are men in suits.
Hoose says he believes Colvin understands the pragmatism that pushed Parks to the fore, but "on the other hand, she did it."
Hoose says the stories of Parks and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. are wonderful, but those are the stories of people in their 30s and 40s. Colvin was 15. Hoose feels his book will bring a fresh teen's perspective to the struggle to end segregation.Getty Images
Any story that features Kobe Bryant placing an ominous, late-night call to former NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is bound to be a good one.
But now that court documents in Hunter's ongoing lawsuit against the union that canned him reveal Bryant identified himself by one of his most famous nicknames, well...this story just got even better.
In the midst of the 2011 lockout, the players and owners were nearing a deal on revenue sharing that would have allowed play to resume.
Bryant was apparently eager to push that agreement forward.
Here's an excerpt from an article published by Ken Berger of CBS Sports that sets the unintentionally hilarious scene:
“Late in the evening before the Waldorf Astoria meeting, I was already in bed for the night when my phone rang," Hunter wrote in the court filing. "The caller identified himself as the ‘Black Mamba.' I knew it was Kobe Bryant, a superstar player for the Los Angeles Lakers and the highest paid player in the NBA." Bryant informed Hunter that his agent, Pelinka also was on the phone. At that point, Hunter said that Bryant urged him to accept a 50-50 split of revenue in the meeting the following day and "put this thing to bed.... Do the deal."
This is all kinds of awesome.
First, Bryant refers to himself in the third person—always a sweet power move. But he goes one fantastic step further by utilizing a pseudonym that he created for himself.
Did he think it'd add to the intimidation factor of the call? Was he trying to protect his identity? I have so many questions.
Second, the particulars of the setting only add to the comedic impact. Hunter is half-asleep, surely overwrought by the stress of tense negotiations. But then he gets a phone call from someone claiming to be a snake who encourages him to "do the deal."
Can't you just see him cowering under the covers, eyes frantically searching the room?
If you want to draw Godfather parallels, they're there. If you prefer a Biblical slant, the serpent offering a tempting proposition works pretty well, too.
You could even concoct one of those nature shows with the audio from the call if you could get ahold of the right narrator.
The only thing that could make this story better is if Bryant had hissed menacingly before hanging up the phone.
#MambaOutMeditation and Brain Changes: Recent Research and New Applications
A previous post in March 2012, Meditation and Neuroplasticity, outlined research about meditation causing changes in the brain, including new brain cells, axons, dendrites and synapses. These studies showed dramatic brain alterations for all of the major traditions of meditation. A brief summary of that previous research follows.
This post will look at the most recent studies that continue to show new effects of meditation on the brain, as well as new applications.
Some of the information summarized in the previous post appeared in a recent review article in the journal Nature Neuroscience. This article additionally describes that severe stress causes increase in some of the regions of the amygdala, (emotional center related to fear) and decrease in regions of the hippocampus (memory and learning), and pre frontal cortex (decision-making). It notes that meditation counteracts these stress related brain changes. Meditation decreases anxiety and fear, and increases memory and cognitive abilities.
This Neuroscience review reported additionally that compassion meditation (summarized in previous post and below) increased gamma oscillations and synchrony, as well as increased activity in brain regions related to empathy. It also emphasized that changes in the brain from mindfulness meditation can occur in just eight weeks.
The article raised the question whether meditation research is complicated by the fact that changes in the brain could also be from daydreaming, and self-reflection. Daydreaming has been recently linked to creativity (see research and discussion below) and self-reflection might also cause brain changes. Social learning in children, including self-reflection, significantly helped academic achievement.
Brief Summary of Previous Meditation Post
The previously described brain changes for three major types of meditation are:
Compassion: In meditation emphasizing a focus on compassion and “loving-kindness” there was increased concentration. There was also increased activity in frontal brain regions (positive emotions and self control) and thalamus (filters sensory- motor signals), and a decrease in the parietal region (visual and spatial).
Mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation showed increased neurons and connections in right frontal cortex, (concentration), insula (emotions) and right parietal and temporal (sight and sound). It showed a decrease in amygdala (stress), and increase in hippocampus (memory)
Transcendental: Transcendental meditation showed more activity in frontal and parietal (attention), and decrease in thalamus, (sensory) and basal ganglia (choosing actions). The brain waves showed increased coherence and more synchronous oscillations throughout the brain.
Default Network: In all types of meditation a very important finding was that the Default Mode Network (DMN) was changed, briefly in novice meditators and permanently in experienced meditators. The DMN is the part of the brain that operates with non-focused internal thought and daydreaming (memories, future planning, wondering, thinking about others). This new default network caused by meditation now included new brain centers (dorsal anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and was associated with increased control of behavior and thought.
Basically, meditation of all types increased focus and self-monitoring of thought and emotion.
Wide Range of New Research
As the research into meditation has expanded, there are new findings in brain connectivity, neuroplasticity (brain changes and brain region growth), multitasking, and emotional monitoring. Other research has focused on the specific uses of meditation in cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, and war related stress.
As these new results are incorporated into brain science, a broad question arises about the relation of meditation, daydreaming, sleep, physical exercise and creativity. These are discussed below.
General Brain Changes with Meditation
Gyrification
Gyri in the cortex are the folded regions of the cortex that allow for increased complexity and increased connectivity of the neurons. A recent study showed that with all of the different meditation techniques there are increased folding of the cortex, that is, increased “gyrification.” Significantly, the longer people had practiced the various forms of meditation, the more this effect of increased cortical surface area was evident. This correlates with increase brain effectiveness.
Increased Axon Density and Myelin
A study using advanced diffusion tensor fMRI showed that one month of Chinese mindfulness training, called IBMT (Integrative body-mind training) increased the density of axons, which means more ability to signal and more connectivity (see post on Connectivity). These changes in the neurons of the anterior cingulate, a center for focus, attention, concentration, and self-regulation, also included an increase in myelin (myelin surrounds mature neurons and increases the speed of transmission of the signal). The increase in axons occurred after two weeks, and the increased myelin in one month. In early development axons also develop first, followed later by myelin.
This study of Chinese mindfulness meditation also found decrease in stress, measured by hormones in the blood. Other findings included less anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue. There was an increase in blood flow for the cingulate cortex after five days of 20 minutes meditation. The subjects had lower heart rates, decreased skin conductance, decreased breathing rates with increased belly breathing.
Subliminal Messages
Study groups of meditators and non-meditators were given questions with multiple answers (for example, “Name one of the seasons”), then one of the correct answers was flashed on a screen either in a way that could be seen consciously or for only 16 milliseconds, a rate that is too fast to be consciously seen. The meditation group was able to see the subliminal, unconscious, words better. Either they were aware of unconscious material or their concentration was better.
Multitasking
New research with mindfulness meditation shows an improved ability to multitask after the meditation session. The study included simultaneous work with emails, calendars, instant messaging, telephone and word-processing tools to perform common office tasks. They measured speed, accuracy and the extent of switching between tasks. The meditation group showed an ability to stay focused on a task longer with less distraction. They were able to concentrate better, and switch less. They also had decreased stress, increased memory and equal or better productivity
Meditation and Disease
Meditation has now been used to help treat a variety of medical problems. The recent studies include anxiety from cancer, cardiovascular risk in teens, and depression.
Cancer
Approximately 40% of cancer patients have severe anxiety or depression. This increases time in the hospital, and greatly affects quality of life and suicide risk.
An analysis of 22 studies involving 1400 patients from Denmark showed that cancer patients had less anxiety and depression with mindfulness meditation. The result lasted at least six months after the study period.
Cardiovascular Risk in Teens
In a study of 62 black teens with high blood pressure, meditation showed positive effects on their heart. With fifteen minutes of transcendental meditation a day, their heart’s left ventricle became smaller (an enlarged heart is a sign of weakness with an extra workload from the higher blood pressure). The deep rest of the sympathetic nervous system during meditation lowered blood pressure and heart size.
Anxiety and Depression
A new study shows meditation has long-term effects on emotional stability, and decreased anxiety and depression. As in previous studies there was a change in the default network related to daydreaming and self-oriented thought with long-term meditators. This new study of experienced and novice meditators showed weaker synchronization between two regions of the medial prefrontal cortex – the dorsal (cognitive) and the ventral (emotion, self evaluation). This correlates with improvement in depression, because depressed people have hyper connectivity between these two areas. There was also a greater synchronization to the right parietal lobe, which is related to attention.
Physical Exercise, Meditation, Sleep, Daydreaming, and Creativity
The complex relationships between physical exercise, meditation, sleep, and creativity are not yet fully understood, but are intriguing. Physical exercise and meditation are both noted to increase brain regions and increase new learning. Sleep is noted to increase learning and memory as well as creativity. Meditation is also shown to increase creativity. Are these similar or different mechanisms?
Previous studies have shown that sleep during the time of slow waves stimulates increased memory for learned material. This learning could include athletic skills. When exposed to sound and odor cues during sleep the memory of specific locations was increased. Sleeping and dreaming are also correlated with increased creativity. Just recently a tune was played to musicians during slow wave sleep and this enhanced their ability to play the tune when they awoke.
Daydreaming and the Wandering Mind
Daydreaming is important because it allows us to imagine future events, to flesh out ideas, and to create.
A recent study asked subjects to list as many uses as possible for everyday objects such as toothpicks, clothes hangers and bricks. One group then did an undemanding task that encouraged daydreaming. Other groups did focused work, or nothing. The daydreaming group did much better on the next round of creative questioning.
Other studies show that when a person’s mind is wandering they perform better in creativity, association and insight tasks. These include imagination games, original thinking and invention. A recent study showed that people report a wandering mind 47 percent of the time.
Top Athletes, Musicians and Managers
Increased brain coherence is noted in meditation, but is also demonstrated in elite managers, musicians and athletes.
To measure exceptional performances with high brain integration a variety of measures are used. One measure of brain performance is increased coherence of brain waves measured by EEG (see post on Brain Oscillations). This measures how different parts of the brain are in sync with each other and work together. Another EEG measure, that of alpha waves, is related to alertness. The third is a measure of how efficient and effective the brain operates.
By these measures high-level managers, as well as elite professional and amateur musicians showed much more brain integration than less qualified managers and musicians. The most recent study shows that elite athletes also have this high brain integration by the three measures. They also shared a cluster of subjective experienced often referred to as “peak experience,” which includes inner calm, effortlessness, extreme wakefulness, ease of functioning, absence of fear, and a sense of perfection. Some athletes and musicians refer to this feeling as a performance “high”.
It remains for future studies to relate this “peak experience” to meditation states
In Elderly Tai Chi Increases Brain Size, Improves Cognition
Tai Chi is a meditative physical exercise, which is less aerobic than other forms of exercise. Research has already shown that exercise increases brain growth factors to make new cells. Seniors who engaged in Tai Chi three times a week for eight months had increases in brain volume, and better memory and thinking. One of the control groups that used lively discussions instead of the Tai Chi, showed some increase in brain size but less cognitive improvement. The other control group with no intervention had brain shrinkage. Previous trials showed increases in brain with exercise (new brain cells for new learning), increase in memory, but not as much cognitive improvement.
Neuroscience, Meditation, Yoga, and Performance in War
Just as the great American Indian warrior Crazy Horse did many years ago, the new soldier is learning to concentrate his mind for battle using meditative techniques. Martial arts, such as Tai Chi, Karate, and Kung Fu, have always used meditative techniques for superior focus, balance, power and muscular coordination.
Yoga and meditation are now being used in the military to help soldiers become calmer and better decision-makers in order to avoid trauma. Meditation is used before mock training that attempts to simulate the chaos of war scenes. While most military research has been related to brain injury and post traumatic stress, new brain studies, including brain imaging and blood tests for stress markers before and after simulated combat, are being done at the Warfighter Performance Lab to determine stress affects decision-making. Meditation techniques including breathing exercises are being applied to help the soldiers regain a state where good decisions can be made.
The psychological terms used in these military studies include “resiliency”, “psychological hardiness” or “mental toughness”. The new training called Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program increasingly includes these emotional, and psychological elements. Most soldiers have signs of stress, but only 20% have great difficulty in dealing with it. Training in elite forces, like the SEALS, simulate severe states such as near drowning to see who can tolerate this very high level of stress.
The most elite group remaining after very grueling SEAL training shows more activation in the insula, an area related to self-awareness, pain and emotion. The insula also helps relieve stress with awareness.
One early study, called the Trojan Warrior Project, included 10 days of meditation, yoga, and martial arts. After these sessions, soldiers performed much better in biofeedback tests of muscular and neurological reactions to stress. They were also able to learn a foreign language faster, learn complex technical weapons systems better and were better marksman.
Currently, SEALs are using meditation in training, based upon neuroscience data of increased gray matter volume and better synapses in the pre frontal cortex. These brain changes lead to improved ability to have attention control triggers of the amygdala fear responses. The Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program showed decreased stress, and improvement in concentration, memory, performance of complex tasks, and regaining focus after stress.
Another meditation study for eight weeks, using fMRI, blood markers and saliva markers, showed a better recovery from stress. After the study period soldier’s brains were more likely to resemble the brains of elite SEALS and Olympians.
Conclusion
Previous posts have focused on how attention, and suggestion, as well as meditation, change the brain. The recent understanding is that the brain is much more “plastic” or changeable than previously thought and will change in any way that we choose to exercise it.
In normal function any mental event creates rapid changes in neurons, including building and rebuilding very complex structures almost instantly. (see post).
Meditation is a specific training that builds a “muscle” of mental concentration with increased memory, creativity and cognitive abilities. These new abilities include being able to control the effects of severe stress and include a variety of different subjective internal states.
As mechanisms of these changes are elucidated in the future, hopefully the details of subjective meditative states can be correlated with molecular changes in the brain.Toronto police arrested five people and seized nearly 10 kgs of marijuana after raiding a dispensary in the Trinity Bellwoods area Friday. Police also found nearly $6,500 in cash, 8.8 kg of marijuana oil, 377 g of hash and more than 125 g of shatter (a concentrated form of THC) while executing a search warrant at Eden on Queen St. W, near Bellwoods Ave.
Marijuana is shown in a 2016 file photo. Police seized nearly 10 kg of marijuana in a Trinity Bellwoods-area raid Friday. ( Robert F. Bukaty / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS )
Eden was previously raided in May 2016 but reopened days later. The store is part of a chain with locations in Vancouver. The five people arrested are facing a total of 15 charges for drug possession, trafficking and possessing proceeds of crime over $5,000. Among the arrests were Alexander McLean, 27, Kaniagha Malale, 32, Rebecca Luong, 20, and 19-year-old Heap Thomas, all of Toronto. Malcolm McKenzie, 22, of Brampton, was also charged.
Article Continued Below
All five are scheduled to appear in court at Old City Hall on Jan. 19.Gentlemen of the Internet: It's 2015. You know never to use "123456" or "password" or anything similarly dumb when you log into anything, right? Least of all a service that has the power to endanger your marriage.
But that is apparently what millions of the Ashley Madison account holders, now victims of a massive hack, chose to do. These men — and yes, the active users were nearly all men — protected their accounts with passwords so simple, their spouses would not exactly have to be Nancy Drew to crack their darkest secrets.
Worse is what happens when you scroll down the list of common Ashley Madison passwords, which was put together by security software company Avast. (A caveat: Avast didn't crack the encryption on all of the 36 million passwords from the Ashley Madison database, an intensive process Avast said would take until "the heat death of the universe." It just took the first million and ran them through the "500 worst passwords" compiled from the results of previous hacks.)
Based on the more than 17,000 accounts Avast was ultimately able to crack, we can see the most common real-word password for a site that promised to get men laid with other people's wives was "pussy," and the second was "secret." Gentlemen, I despair.
Further down the list you'll spot the car these fellas apparently favor, a Camaro, followed by their dream bike, a Yamaha, so maybe give those a slightly wide berth next time you see them. Oh, and the 13th most popular password in the list? "Blowjob." Keep it classy, guys.
Just above that at number 12, a password that says it all: "helpme." Indeed. Let that be the mic drop on the whole sordid Ashley Madison affair: dumb men who desperately require the help afforded by therapy.
Here are the top 20 passwords found in the Avast study. And no thanks at all, gents, for besmirching my first name down there at number 20.
1: 123456
2: password
3: 12345
4: 12345678
5: qwerty
6: pussy
7: secret
8: dragon
9: welcome
10: ginger
11: sparky
12: helpme
13: blowjob
14: nicole
15: justin
16: camaro
17: johnson
18: yamaha
19: midnight
20: chrisIn 2014, Jack Mitcham, the founder of The Mattress Nerd, set out to make consumers feel more confident and comfortable when deciding which mattress to buy. Jack had spent a total of 7 years as a retail mattress salesman and experienced first hand just how uncomfortable and stressful buying a mattress can be.
So Jack created Mattress Nerd as a platform to share his knowledge and help countless (and sleepless) people find the mattress that best fit their needs. Jack couldn’t be in every mattress store, helping every customer. Mattress Nerd is the next best thing.
Today, The Mattress Nerd has grown into a resource that millions of people trust and turn to for answers about choosing the best mattress for their individual needs. The Mattress Nerd team has also grown and is led by a group of sleep geeks who carry on Jack’s passion and spirit for helping consumers.Repeal the Eighth campaign: March for Choice event proceeds past the GPO on O’Connell Street, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
Thousands of people took to the streets of Dublin on Saturday calling for the liberalisation of Ireland’s abortion laws.
The demonstration began at the Garden of Remembrance at 2pm and progressed down O’Connell Street, before turning onto the quays and crossing over the Liffey. From there it proceeded up Pearse Street and towards the rally area in Merrion Square.
The procession took approximately 45 minutes to pass the Spire on O’Connell Street, with prominent representation from groups including the Abortion Rights Campaign, the Coalition to Repeal the 8th and the Union of Students in Ireland, as well as an array of left-wing political entities.
The March for Choice which took place in Dublin on Saturday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Organisers were claiming a turnout of more than 30,000 for the event.
Marchers called for an early referendum on the Eighth Amendment, which gives equal status to the life of the mother and the unborn, to be based on the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly for liberalised access to abortion.
Chants of “My body my choice” and “Hey hey, Leo, the Eighth Amendment has to go” were heard as protesters let off smoke bombs and held aloft signs reading: “Get off the fence Leo” in relation to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s stance on the issue.
There were no reports of flashpoints, and plans by some anti-abortion activists to hold counter-demonstrations along the route appeared not to have materialised.
The March for Choice in Dublin on Saturday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill The rally outside Leinster House was hosted by comedian Tara Flynn, and those in attendance heard a musical performance from Lisa Hannigan along with speeches from pro-choice activists.
‘Instrument of torture’ In her opening speech, Abortion Rights Campaign member Angela Coraccio said the Eighth Amendment is “an instrument of torture” and described the country’s current abortion laws as “barbaric”.
Her colleague Caoimhe Doyle accused the Government of attempting to “get away with the minimum it can do” on the topic, and urged those present to make their local TDs aware of the necessity for “free, safe and legal abortion access”.
“It’s unbelievable that we’re still here asking for something we asked for almost 50 years ago, demanding something we demanded almost 50 years ago,” she said.
“We expect, and we demand, and we are entitled to exercise the same bodily integrity as every other human being on the face of this planet,” she added.
Strike4Repeal co-organiser Emily Waszak remarked on how homelessness, direct provision and a lack of sex education all act as impediments to abortion access in Ireland, particularly for migrant women.
Sadhbh Hanna and Oisin Schaffalitzky at the March for Choice in Dublin on Saturday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill “Anything less than full abortion access for everyone who needs or wants one is discrimination,” she told the crowd.
The event also featured comment on the effects of the Eighth Amendment on transgender and non-binary people living in Ireland.
Sympathy marches were held in 20 cities around the world including London, Sydney and Nicosia.
Indicative timescale The March for Choice is the first major rally since the Government set an indicative timescale of early summer 2018 for a referendum on the Eighth Amendment.
Attendees at the annual March for Choice rally in Dublin on Saturday. Photograph: Róisín Ingle Terminations are currently only permitted when the life of the mother is at risk and the maximum penalty for accessing an illegal abortion in Ireland is 14 years in prison.
Among those participating in the march on Saturday was Labour MP Stella Creasy, who was in Dublin to participate in an Irish Times Women’s Podcast held at the Irish Writers Centre before the demonstration. Ms Creasy, who made the trip from the UK, said the forthcoming referendum on abortion should be a “meaningful opportunity this settle this discussion” once and for all.
Media gather ahead of the March for Choic rally at Parnell Square. Photograph: Peter Smyth/The Irish Times The Government should opt for a “big question rather than a little question” in relation to the issue of abortion, she said.
“What you have in your referendum is an opportunity to allow the public have a say on something that is such a powerful statement about the kind of society you live in,” she said.
The Irish Times reported earlier this week that the Cabinet is not minded to put a question to the people which would allow for abortion on demand, as they do not believe it would be carried.
However, Ms Creasy said that if the Government believed the public was not in support of a liberal abortion regime, they should not be afraid of putting that proposition to the public.
British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) chief executive Ann Furedi defended the use of the words “killing” and “end of life” in her book The Moral Case for Abortion.
Photograph: Peter Smyth/The Irish Times A lot of thought Ms Furedi told The Women’s Podcast she had given a lot of thought to the issue. While an embryo in utero could be classified as “clearly human”, it was not human life in the way that a person who is born is human life, she said.
“Is it human life that it matters as much as the woman who carries it? For me, I find it very difficult to make an equation between something that is biologically alive and human and something that doesn’t even know it exists.”
Mara Clarke of the Abortion Support Network said the organisation had last year financially helped 801 women from Ireland who could not afford to pay for an abortion in Britain.
Confidence Speaking at the podcast, she expressed confidence that the Irish public will vote in favour of liberalising abortion. “I can’t wait for our service to be obsolete”.
Irish women travel to Britain every year to have a legal abortion. With the prospect of a referendum having been on the horizon for some time, pro-choice and anti-abortion advocates have already been long campaigning on the emotive issue. Those efforts are set to intensify now a time frame has been set for the vote.Free Alternative to Splunk Using Fluentd
Splunk is a great tool for searching logs, but its high cost makes it prohibitive for many teams. In this article, we present a free and open source alternative to Splunk by combining three open source projects: Elasticsearch, Kibana, and Fluentd.
Elasticsearch is an open source search engine known for its ease of use. Kibana is an open source Web UI that makes Elasticsearch user friendly for marketers, engineers and data scientists alike.
By combining these three tools (Fluentd + Elasticsearch + Kibana) we get a scalable, flexible, easy to use log search engine with a great Web UI that provides an open-source Splunk alternative, all for free.
In this guide, we will go over installation, setup, and basic use of this combined log search solution. This article was tested on Ubuntu 16.04 and CentOS 7.4. If you’re not familiar with Fluentd, please learn more about Fluentd first.
Prerequisites
Java for Elasticsearch
Please confirm that your Java version is 8 or higher.
java -version openjdk version "1.8.0_151" OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_151-b12) OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.151-b12, mixed mode)
Now that we’ve checked for prerequisites, we’re now ready to install and set up the three open source tools.
Set Up Elasticsearch
To install Elasticsearch, please download and extract the Elasticsearch package as shown below.
curl -O https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/elasticsearch/elasticsearch |
ed to the changes, it added. The groups said their position in favor of labels that "allow for full and truthful disclosure" remains unchanged and noted that the producers would not have adopted this "first step" toward disclosure had the guilds not applied pressure.
The labeling system came about largely due to the pressure of pending legislation in both houses of Congress that would have adopted recommendations of the organizations of film workers and required more specific information. The suggested wording would have been: "This film is not the version originally released.... The heirs of the director and the screenwriter object because this alteration changes the narrative and/or characterization."
Over the last several months, talks between the motion picture association, represented by Walt Disney Studios Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, and the guilds, ended in a stalemate.
The result was the unilateral action on the part of the motion picture association announced Thursday. The move appears to have had the effect of warding off legislation for the time being.
Speaking for Rep. William J. Hughes (D-N.J.), chairman of the intellectual property subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, chief counsel Hayden Gregory said that Hughes "believes the labels go a long way toward resolving the situation and he believes they should be given a try."
Likewise, a spokesman for Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee, said Thursday that the senator believes legislation would be unnecessary. In a statement, Hatch said: "I salute the film industry for voluntarily addressing issues of significant concern, both to the creators of motion pictures as well as to the motion picture audience.... When films are altered for the purpose of television broadcast or video release, it is important that the fact of alteration and the nature of the alteration be communicated to the public. The labeling program... appears to achieve this goal."Introduction
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 has an almost WhiteCastle Slider-like cuteness about it. It's not a particularly big product, but one that's so good at what it does at its humble price-point, and with so little power-draw and noise output, that you could be oddly tempted to buy two of them to stripe across in SLI. You can't want many of something until you've tasted one of it, so be sure to check out our single-card launch reviews:Those with just $199 to spare for a graphics card have the option of adding another GTX 960 in SLI. Given how much cost-cutting headroom NVIDIA has given itself with this card, you could see its price drop by several dozen percent in a couple years.In this review, we clubbed two of the four GTX 960 cards we have with us into a 2-way SLI setup. Since most NVIDIA add-in card (AIC) partners don't have reference-design cards, we simply picked two of the best cards we have with us, lowered their clocks to match NVIDIA reference specs, and put them through our test-bench. Power-draw and fan-noise tests are, hence, not applicable to this review.Ku-Kak was a Force-sensitive male wampa and the bodyguard of the Chevin slaver Phylus Mon.
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Biography Edit
Ku-Kak was found on an icy planet. Phylus Mon noticed the wampa's Force-sensitivity and chose him for his menagerie. Mon then took Ku-Kak to his zoo, and trained the wampa to be his personal bodyguard.
Phylus Mon trained Ku-Kak in Chevin, so that the Wampa could not be affected by orders given in Basic. This made Ku-Kak immune even to mind-altering Force powers, except in the improbable case of a Chevin-fluent Force user.
Mon also taught Ku-Kak to hate the Jedi. To Ku-Kak's simple mind, a Jedi was any person wielding a lightsaber, and that person would be a primary target. At the same time, Ku-Kak learned to use his own Force powers to increase his battle prowess.
When Phylus Mon made Ku-Kak his personal bodyguard, he also presented him with a Sith sword. This sword became Ku-Kak's weapon of choice. Rumors of Mon's trained wampa bodyguard soon spread.
At some point, Ku-Kak became the owner of a green-edged lightsaber which had belonged to Jedi Knight Ish-Bel Tur. Ku-Kak gave the lightsaber to Mischa Vorfren, one of Phylus Mon's slave bodyguards. Ku-Kak also learned that, while Vorfren might be using a lightsaber in combat, Vorfren was not a Jedi, and thus not a target for him.
In around 20 BBY,[1] Ku-Kak accompanied Mon and some of his minions to the Almas Sith fortress, where they performed a raid killing four Jedi Knights during one of Mon's schemes. Ku-Kak's huge footprints would have been easily noticeable, but a sandstorm outside the fortress took care of them.
Later, Phylus Mon, Ku-Kak and the survivors of the raid returned to Phylus Mon's mobile headquarters, the Animiasma. Unlike the other bodyguards, who stood in Mon's throne room with him, Ku-Kak was hidden behind a wall, so he could surprise anyone wanting to attack his master. Phylus Mon was attacked by a group sent by Jedi Master Lanius Qel-Bertuk.
Behind the scenes Edit
Although the RPG adventure A Mon Alone was written by Morrie Mullins, it includes a gratitude note to "Jason Nichols, Ku-Kak's father". This might suggest that Nichols, probably the same Jason Nichols who is RPGA's Midwest regional director, created this character.
Ku-Kak's RPG statistics are mentioned as making him the most powerful enemy in the fight encounter. The gamemaster notes specify that Ku-Kak's appearance is optional.
Appearances EditThough the fate of California's Prop 19 remains unknown at the time of this writing, majority support in the US for marijuana legalization appears to be just a few years away. An all-time high of 46% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana, according to a Gallup poll released Thursday. The number opposed to legalization dropped to an all-time low of 50%. Support increased from 44% last year, continuing an upward trend in the past decade.
time is on our side
Support for legalization was at 12% in a Gallup poll in 1969 and climbed to 28% in 1978, then stayed flat at about 25% throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s. By 2001, support had climbed to 31%, by 2004 it was at 34%, by 2006 it was at 36%. Since then, support has grown by 10 points to 46%."If the trend of the past decade continues at a similar pace, majority support could be a reality within the next few years," Gallup noted in its discussion of the poll results.Pot legalization scored majority support among liberals (79%), 18-to-29-year-olds (61%), Westerners (58%), Democrats (55%), independents (54%), men (51%) and moderates (51%). It did least well among Republicans (29%), conservatives (30%), and people over 65 (32%)Support varied among regions, from the West's high of 58% to 47% in the East, 42% in the Midwest, and 41% in the South.The poll also asked about support for medical marijuana and found that 70% of Americans supported it. But that figure is down from 75% in 2003 and 78% in 2005.The poll was based on live cell phone and land line interviews conducted October 7-10 with a random sample of 1,025 adults. Each question was asked of a half-sample of approximately 500 respondents. The margin of sampling error was +/-5 percentage points.I lost my Love, my beloved Bulldog Miss Bean. My heart is broken, I miss my best Friend. I adopted her when she was 3 years old and she died yesterday at the age of 9 after a 2nd stomach dilation. No words can describe how much I Loved her and how much I miss her right now.
When I got her she had a lot of behavioural problems, she was aggressive towards other dogs, would attack vets or me when I tried to clean her wrinkles or give her a bath.
When she came to live with me it took almost a year to really accept rules and my other Bulldog James. James was my other Bulldog who died last year at the age of 10. The Bulldog breed is known to be stubborn, strong willed and very determined and Miss Bean was no exception, stubborn would be a huge understatement. After a year of intensive training she finally fully accepted James and me.
She became best friends with James, the rescue Bulldogs that came to visit, played with the dogs at the park and learned to enjoy her spa treatments. She was such a special dog.
I named her after the famous TV persona Mr Bean and changed it to Miss Bean for the obvious reasons. Just her face and expression made people laugh and she was a comedian and clown at heart.
She was such a happy dog who would brighten up the lives of everyone and everything around her especially mine. Just saying her name or looking at her would make her tail wag like a little high speed propeller and she would give you her most beautiful smile. She lived for attention and hugs and followed me wherever I went.
In a way she acted like a kitty, whatever I was doing she would block me from doing it to demand her cuddles and attention, if she could have jumped up on my table or desk, she would have definitely sat on my keyboard or papers to demand attention and she loved boxes.
There are so many things I will have to miss about her; her beautiful smile, her crooked teeth, her propeller tail, her funny ways of acting out or demanding cuddles or food and her never ending appetite, her rolling around and sunbathing in the garden, her tongue which I called her sleep’o’meter (you could tell how long she was sleeping by the length of tongue sticking out) her bunny runs, our days at the beach, our train rides together, her being the cutest mascotte for the Dutch soccer team.
Whenever I tried to read a book on the couch or do crunches on the floor Bean would just sit on top of me to demand attention, when I got phone calls she would immediately get her squeaky toy and would start squeaking away so everyone who would call me got her ‘squeaky song’ as background music and yes even her daily nuclear gas bombs will be missed. She was the Cutest Stalker with the worst Ninja skills ever.
She was ALL Character, a Dog with a Big Heart and a Big Smile.
I will never forget your silly ways and will always miss you ♥
Thank you for being my Best Friend, for all those intense cuddles and all the times you made me laugh, for being my rock when life was hard, for sharing your never ending love and happiness with the me. Goodbye my love, the Cutest Clown, my Precious Pretty Pirate you will never ever be forgotten.
Goodbye Pretty Pirate
I ♥ YouNews coming down the Nikon financial pipeline isn’t good. Whether you’re talking about official financial forecasts that mirror what we saw recently from Canon or unofficial sales numbers that don’t look promising, the camera company may be coming up on some hard times.
First, the official news. You might remember that Canon recently cut its financial forecast significantly, and now it seems Nikon is following suit… well, following suit again. According to a report by Reuters, the company has its full year sales forecast for high end cameras for the second time in three months due to “a dramatic fall in demand among photography hobbyists.”
Nikon is also posting a 41 percent drop in operating profits for the six months that ended in September, and is predicting the first fall in sales of interchangeable lens cameras since the company sold its first DSLR in 1999.
But the bad news doesn’t stop there, it continues to roll with rumors of lackluster Df pre-sales published by Nikon Rumors. NR claims that unofficial info from several retailers has Df demand “not even close” to what D800 demand was when it came out.
To substantiate that claim, NR points out that the Df isn’t even in the top 20 best-selling DSLRs on Amazon, while the D610 (not exactly the most popular release Nikon has ever had, given all of the pissed off D600 users) is up at number 14.
So what do you think of all this dire financial news from the big two? Is this due to the ever-increasing ability of smartphones to take great pictures, or are Nikon and Canon doing something wrong? Let us know in the comments down below.
(via Reuters and Nikon Rumors)
Image credit: Nikon Headquarters by Joe ShlabotnikManipur attack: Time to deal with Myanmar strongly
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, June 5: The National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval is taking stock of the situation following the killing of 20 soldiers in Manipur yesterday.
20 soldiers of the 6 Dogra Regiment were killed in what has been termed as one of the deadliest attacks on the Indian army in 2 decades.
The newly floated outfit called the United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Read more: Manipur: 20 Army personnel killed, 12 injured in ambush by militants
The new outfit comprising NSCN (K), Ulfa (I), Kamatapur Liberation Organization and NDFB (Songbijit) has been operating largely out of Myanmar and has a deadly agenda for North East.
Attackers came from Myanmar:
Intelligence Bureau officials say that it is evident that this group which has claimed responsibility for the attack operates out of Myanmar.
The IB has been picking up alerts since long suggesting that many North Eastern terrorist groups have been re-grouping in Myanmar.
The government has decided to seal the India-Myanmar border and also bring in more forces to combat the problem.
There has been a large influx of people from Mynamar recently. Most of them infiltrating are Rohingya Muslims and this has become a major concern for India. Intelligence reports state that while many have come to get away from the fighting with the Buddhists, there are others who could have joined with terrorist groups.
Why are ties with Myanmar important for India?
Ties with Myanmar are extremely crucial for India. We saw recently an attack on tribals at Assam and investigations showed that the same was planned in Myanmar. The cadres were sent down from there to carry out the ghastly attack.
In Myanmar the problem is not restricted to just groups such as the ULFA or the NFDB(S). There are signs of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba too setting up camp over there.
Intelligence Bureau officials say that groups especially from the North Eastern states have been re-grouping.
The primary agenda is to stall any sort of peace talks that factions have been trying to hold with the government.
Myanmar a safe haven:
Militant have found a safe hiding spot in the very dense forests in Myanmar's Kachin state and the Saigang division which is bordering the North Eastern states of India.
This is an area which is completely under the control of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) which has been accused of training the ULFA.
This particular area is considered to be a no man's land and is completely out of the control of Myanmar. The country has not managed to gain control over these areas which has made it a safe haven for the NFDB (S).
While the Indian government says that it is positive about the support that is getting from Myanmar, there are various other issues on hand which need to be dealt with. How effective will the Myanmar government be when it comes to acting against terrorist groups taking shelter in Kachin state and the Saigang division.
The government in Myanmar has not been effective in dealing with the KIA. In order to get into these dense forests and carry out an operation the army needs the logistic support from locals which is complete absent in these areas thanks to it being controlled by the KIA.
Defying India:
The KIA and the ULFA joined hands in the first place since they have a common agenda and that is to defy India. In fact the first batch of the ULFA was trained by the KIA and since then their ties are extremely strong.
Moreover the ULFA also managed to break the Bodo movement and helped the creation of the NFDB (S) which is an anti talks faction.
The massacre of the tribals in Assam and also the killing of the soldiers have a common agenda. While the army has been breaking the backs of these terrorists, the tribals have been playing a key role in helping out with local intelligence.
While the intention is to disrupting peace talks.
The area that the ULFA and NFDB (S) have chosen to hide is considered to be no man's land.
The forests are dense and the terrain so difficult that it would need more than just military might to undertake an operation. With the assistance of the KIA and the ULFA the NFDB (S) militants can move around the forests with ease and not get caught.
One India NewsLast Wednesday — almost a month after Congress failed to prevent student loan rates from doubling — Democrats and Republicans reached a compromise that will keep rates low, at least temporarily, for most graduates.
From a body with a record of procrastinating on student debt worse than students procrastinate on term papers, this was welcome news. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Indeed, the price of higher education — and how that price is paid — is still a huge problem in this country. Federal and student loan debt now exceeds $1 trillion. Today, the average graduate leaves school with nearly $30,000 in debt.
And those are just the students who actually graduate. For millions of students, America’s university system is not a pathway to success but a debt trap. As of 2011, nearly half the students enrolled in four-year programs — and more than 70 percent of students in two-year programs — failed to earn their degrees within that time, with many dropping out because of the cost. They leave school far worse than they arrived: saddled with debt, but with no degree to help them land a job and pay off the debt.
What’s more, according to some experts, almost half of low-income college-eligible students don’t enroll in four-year colleges because of the sticker shock of tuition. And all of this is happening as state and community systems of higher education face unprecedented budget cuts, leaving students with even bigger bills.
A stopgap reduction in loan rates won’t do anything to fix this. We need a whole new model for financing higher education.
Fortunately, though Washington remains perpetually paralyzed, some states are demonstrating refreshing creativity and determination in tackling this issue. Last month, the Oregon legislature passed a bill that paves the way for students to attend state and community colleges without having to pay tuition or take out traditional loans.
Once Gov. John Kitzhaber signs the bill — as he is expected to do — the state’s Higher Education Coordination Commission will get to work designing a “Pay It Forward, Pay It Back” financing model, similar to ones used in Australia and the United Kingdom. Under this model, students would pay nothing while in school. Instead, after graduation, alumni would pay a flat 3 percent of their income for the next two decades or so to fund the education of future students. Those who attend for less time would pay a pro-rated amount.
What this means is that the state’s university system should eventually pay for itself. College economics classes have always taught that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” But students in Oregon may soon learn that there is such a thing as a debt-free economics class.
As I’ve written, this marks an enormous stride toward eliminating the kind of crushing student debt that burdens 37 million Americans. “Pay It Forward, Pay It Back” asks the most of those graduates who are best equipped to pay and the least of graduates who can’t. It also unravels one of the most pernicious moral hazards of a college education: Universities claim to prepare students for the workforce, yet they are paid whether they fulfill that promise or not. And it would eliminate the role of big banks, which have built a lucrative industry from student loans.
This victory is the result of tireless organizing and policy creativity by the state’s Working Families Party, which worked with allies to build a coalition of students, advocates and organizations, from the Economic Opportunity Institute to Moveon.org to the faith-based Jubilee USA. Their success speaks volumes about the power of smart, strategic organizing to effect real change.
Of course, as with any new, sweeping proposal, there are concerns. Some policymakers have balked at the plan’s startup costs, which are estimated to begin at $1.4 billion the first year, though they will decrease over time as more alumni pay into the system. Others worry that linking tuition to income will incentivize colleges to cut down on training for modest-paying, but necessary, professions, such as teaching.
These are valid concerns — but they are far smaller, more tractable issues than the vicious cycle of debt, default and bankruptcy at work in our current higher education system. By and large, “Pay It Forward, Pay It Back” is an idea with more promise than pitfalls.
Even the education policy community has rallied around the general policy framework that Oregon’s proposal uses: automatically enrolling student borrowers in income-based repayment. In a new study by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, thought leaders in business, higher education, civil rights and public policy all submitted white papers on “reimagining” student aid “design and delivery.” “The papers reached near-unanimity on a few points,” according to a review by Inside Higher Ed, and income-based repayment was one.
What happens in Oregon, in this case, shouldn’t stay in Oregon. Congress may have given us a short-term answer on student loan rates. But lower rates don’t begin to answer the question of how to fix a fundamentally broken system. Maybe Congress can learn a thing or two from states like Oregon.
Read more from Katrina vanden Heuvel’s archive or follow her on Twitter.This question has to be asked in light of Jeff Sessions actions and inactions as U.S. Attorney General
SOTN Editor’s Note:
The incisive Facebook comment concerning Jeff Sessions posted below was recently sent to SOTN unsolicited. At first we disregarded it. But then we carefully looked at the Attorney General’s 6 month progress report since his confirmation on February 8th.
Because of the unmitigated disaster that Jeff Sessions has turned out to be as AG, one wonders whether he was actually sent into the Trump camp early on as a Bush family plant.
Climbing on board the Trump train as Sessions did so early in the campaign season never made any sense; just as Chris Christie and Rudy Giuliani never really made any sense being anywhere close to Trump, except as spies.
However, Sessions’ apparent intentions were — by far — the easier to believe because he’s from the conservative Deep South and the very red state of Alabama. His persona does not reek of betrayal like many of the others. On the other hand Sessions has a deep streak of government overreach that even allows him to justify outright theft from the citizenry. As follows: Ron Paul Urges Trump To Dump AG: “Jeff Sessions Endorses Theft”
In any event, Trump may very well have been trumped by way of a classic Bush dynasty dirty trick. In light of what has transpired at the DOJ since his confirmation, it’s quite plausible that Sessions was sent in to infiltrate the Trump administration—plain and simple. Whether this occurred witting or unwittingly, however, is the big question.
KEY POINT: It was Sessions’ DOJ that just released a significantly redacted record of the talking points that were listed in the aftermath of the Bill Clinton-Loretta Lynch improper meeting on the tarmac. Judicial Watch: Why did Session’s DOJ redact Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting transcript? This type of official misconduct, which was rampant throughout the Obama administration, will never drain the swamp and only perpetuates the corruption.
There is no debate about what has gone on at Justice under Sessions as being nothing short of catastrophic for Team Trump. However, it is what has not been implemented at the direction of the Attorney General that is even more disconcerting. Where are the prosecutions of criminal VIPs? Where are the warranted investigations into so much government criminality?
It’s like the swamp creatures have been allowed to take over the whole place … as the AG himself aggressively goes after medical marijuana?!
Why is Sessions so determined to go after medical marijuana, when the White House is under daily assault by political criminals and lawbreaking journalists?
At this critical juncture (and late date), it really makes no difference whether Sessions is loyal or not to the POTUS. He displays a high level of incompetence as AG and palpable apprehension toward draining the swamp. Both of these profound deficits will prove to be fatal to Trump’s presidency.
The President simply cannot afford such a weak character in the most powerful law enforcement position in the land. And especially not when the West Wing has been overtaken by every kind of swamp monster. Those agents of Deep State who aren’t swarming around the Oval Office are busy executing Soros’s Purple Revolution in the streets.
All the while AG Sessions seems to stand alone within the DOJ in his lip service to draining the swamp. Remember, the Bush political dynasty always seeks to control the opposition either covertly or overtly. Hence, it’s entirely possible that good ole Jeff is a marionette on a string, and he doesn’t even know it. That’s how the C.I.A. prefers to run such a critical psyop like this. It’s always better to control the enemy through the agency of an inside dupe who doesn’t even know that he’s being managed.
If the DOJ under Sessions is still owned and operated by Deep State, then Trump has no choice but to get rid of him post-haste. More importantly, he needs to take advantage of making a recess appointment this August once Sessions is fired. That termination has to take place almost simultaneously with the appointment of a new pit bill of an AG.
Critical Move for Trump: Replace AG Sessions With Recess Appointment, Make Sure He’s A Real Pit Bull
The Trump presidency greatly depends on a swift and decisive move in this particular regard. Anything short of Trump’s special brand of presidential jujitsu will likely be met with countervailing measures that have already been planned by the treasonous Democrats.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s time for Jeff Sessions to go! Trump needs a pit bull AG.
Caveat: The vast majority of RINOs in Congress do not want Trump to fire Sessions. This alone is quite worrisome. Many of them have come to Sessions’ defense with nothing but laudatory platitudes. Meanwhile, the Democrats and their MSM organs of propaganda have been even more vocal about a Trump “Saturday Night Massacre”. It’s as though the power elite of Washington’s establishment does feel sufficiently secure with Sessions as AG.
FACEBOOK COMMENT
Now here’s the previously referenced Facebook comment submission:
UNLESS YOU HAVE WORKED THE UNDERBELLY OF THE SYSTEM AS I HAVE….ONE CANNOT GRASP THE FACT THAT POLITICS IS WAR BY ANY OTHER MEANS…. SESSIONS WORKS FOR THE BUSH FAMILY AND THEY HATE TRUMP WITH A PASSION…. SMART AS TRUMP IS IN MOST AREAS NOTHING CAN TAKE AWAY THE FACT THAT HE IS A ROOKIE AND ALL ROOKIES IN ANY FIELD MAKE BIG MISTAKES….SESSIONS IS ALSO A SPY FOR THE SENATE HAVING SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE IN THE SENATE WHO DO YOU THINK SESSIONS HAS DEEPEST TIES TOO…HIS SENATE FRIENDS OF COURSE…. AND THE GUY HAS PERFECTED HIS DOWN HOME SOUTHERN CHARM SOFT SPOKEN B.S. ROUTINE TO THE POINT WHERE HE GETS OVER ON JUST ABOUT EVERYONE….WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED….SESSIONS IS A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIAN…SADLY JUST NOT TRUMPS POLITICIAN ANOTHER SUPER SERIOUS MISTAKE TRUMP MADE AS A ROOKIE WAS APPOINTING ANOTHER BUSH LOYALIST AND PROGRESSIVE IN ROD ROSENSTEIN WHO THE SECOND SESSIONS RECUSED BAM…ROSENSTEIN APPOINTS MUELLER WITH ALL THE POWERS OF A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR…. TRUMP HAS NO BENCH POLITICALLY TO CHOOSE FROM OTHER THAN HIGHLY RESPECTED AND VERY TALENTED MILITARY GENERALS….THOSE PICKS DO HIM TREMENDOUSLY WELL…..BUT TRUMP JUST MADE ANOTHER SERIOUS ROOKIE MISTAKE IN APPOINTING ANOTHER BUSH FAMILY LOYALIST AS FBI DIRECTOR IN THIS GUY WRAY…. AND THIS TOO WILL COME BACK TO BITE HIM HARD….HE SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN ANOTHER GREAT GENERAL LIKE 4 STAR STANLEY McCHRYSTAL OR GEN. DUNFORD!!!! GREAT GENERALS LIKE THESE CAN BE TRUSTED BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND THE PRES. IS THE VERY PINNACLE OF THAT CHAIN OF COMMAND…. MY FATHER ALWAYS SAID YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES JUST DO NOT MAKE A FATAL MISTAKE….TRUMP IS ON THE SCALPELS EDGE OF A FATAL MISTAKE….HE SEEMS TO BE UNABLE TO GET RID OF SESSIONS SO HE MUST GET RID OF ROSENSTEIN AND PUT RACHEL BRAND IN ASST DEPUTY AG….THEN SHE CAN APPOINT A SECOND SPECIAL PROSECUTOR….AND/OR FIRE MUELLER FOR CAUSE….CONFLICT OF INTEREST ABOUND…. SHE WOULD BE 100% WITHIN HER RIGHTS TO FIRE MUELLER BUT A SMARTER PLAY IS TO HIRE A VERY AGGRESSIVE 2ND SPECIAL COUNSEL WHO SUPERSEDES MUELLER’S MANDATE SO HE HAS TO CLEAR EVERY MOVE THROUGH THE 2ND SPECIAL COUNSEL…THAT WAY NO BAD PR FOR FIRING HIM AND SHE BECOMES THE SUPERSTAR THAT SHE ALREADY IS!
(Source: Lawrence Sosna)
State of the Nation
August 7, 2017
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A Burlington, Iowa woman has been charged with a misdemeanor after police say she sent a package of cow feces to her neighbor in response to an ongoing dispute about her barking dog.
Burlington Police said 51-year-old Kimberly Capdevilla sent a package of cow feces to her neighbors, Mary Eipert and Steve Rowland. The couple received the package on December 13, 2014, and suspected Capdevilla was responsible.
"None of our friends would send something like this," Mary Eipert said, who says she and her neighbors have had an ongoing dispute for the past four years.
Police said Capdevilla admitted to sending the package to Eipert, but sent it as a "practical joke."
"This wasn't a joke," Eipert said. "This was further harassment."
Eipert said the rift between the two families began in 2011, after the Capdevillas' dog, a Great Pyrenees, wouldn't stop barking.
On several occasions, Eipert said she and her husband asked the couple to bring their dog inside to silence the barking, but said nothing was done.
The annoyed couple began calling police and animal control, logging each time they called. After no citations were issued, Rowland began recording the barking dog and posting it to Youtube. Eipert said the two families were not on speaking terms, and the package of cow feces was out of line.
News 8 reached out to Kimberly Capdevilla, but she declined to comment. If found guilty, she could face up to 30 days in jail and a $625 fine.Ireland has jumped to seventh in the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook rankings, a rise of nine places and its best performance since 2000.
The index of 61 countries, compiled by the IMD business school in Lausanne, Switzerland, is acknowledged as one of the most reputable measures of global competitiveness.
The 2016 edition ranks Hong Kong first, Switzerland second and the US third, with Singapore, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada completing the top 10.
Each country’s ranking is based on an analysis of over 340 criteria derived from four principal factors: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. A survey of some 5,400 business executives is also taken into account.
Ireland’s rise in the rankings was linked to its economic performance, which was ranked 6th out of 61.
The State also scored strongly when it came to business efficiency, which covers areas such as productivity and labour market flexibility, coming second overall.
However, it scored worst when it came to infrastructure, where it was ranked 23rd overall. Within this subcategory, its ranking for basic infrastructure, which includes road and rail networks, was even worse at 40.
Highest position
Ireland’s highest position in the IMD’s competitiveness rankings was fifth, which it achieved in 2000. It fell to 24th position in 2011, only months after being forced into an international bailout.
This year’s rankings saw the US surrender its status as the world’s most competitive economy, a position it has for the last three years, to Hong Kong and Switzerland.
Prof Arturo Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center, said a consistent commitment to a favourable business environment was central to Hong Kong’s rise and that Switzerland’s small size and its emphasis on a commitment to quality have allowed it to react quickly to keep its economy on top.
“The USA still boasts the best economic performance in the world, but there are many other factors that we take into account when assessing competitiveness,” he said.
“The common pattern among all of the countries in the top 20 is their focus on business-friendly regulation, physical and intangible infrastructure and inclusive institutions.”
Anchored to the bottom of the overall rankings were Venezuela, Mongolia, Ukraine, Croatia, Brazil and Greece.
Future competitiveness
Prof Bris said one important fact that the ranking makes clear year after year is that current economic growth is by no means a guarantee of future competitiveness.
“Nations as different as China Mainland and Qatar fare very well in terms of economic performance, but they remain weak in other pillars such as government efficiency and infrastructure.”
Data gathered since the first ranking was published more than 25 years ago also lend weight to fears that the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer, underpinning the thesis propounded by French
“Since 1995 the world has become increasingly unequal in terms of income differences among countries, although the rate of increase is now slowing,” Prof Bris said.
“The wealth of the richest countries has grown every year except for the past two, while the poorer countries have seen some improvement in living conditions since the millennium,” he added.The $42 billion company behind Corona, Modelo, and Svedka is betting on marijuana’s national legalization.
Constellation Brands (stz-b) announced Monday that it had agreed to take a 9.9% minority stake in the $2 billion Canadian medical marijuana company Canopy Growth. The stake is worth about $191 million, though Constellation will have the option of purchasing additional stakes in the future.
Using Canopy’s expertise, Constellation is attempting to create cannabis-infused drinks, the Wall Street Journal reported after an interview with Constellation’s CEO.
“Canopy Growth has a seasoned leadership team that understands the legal, regulatory and economic landscape for an emerging market that is predicted to become a significant consumer category in the future,” said Constellation Brands CEO Rob Sands in a statement. “Our company’s success is the result of our focus on identifying early stage consumer trends, and this is another step in that direction.”
The wines and spirits conglomerate has no intention of selling cannabis products in the U.S. until it is legal nationwide. But the company is betting that legalization is just a matter of time, according to the Journal.
However, Constellation may soon sell the marijuana drink product in Canada, where legalization of edible and drinkable cannabis products is expected by 2019.
The move comes amid signs that suggest some consumers are reducing alcohol usage in favor of cannabis.
“We believe alcohol could be under pressure for the next decade,” Cowen analysts led by Viven Azer wrote in an April note. “Consumer survey work suggests [about] 80% of consumers reduce their alcohol consumption with cannabis in the mix.”It challenges four decades of constitutional doctrine and is based on disputed scientific theories.
Yet a push to ban abortion at 20 weeks after conception, on the theory that the fetus can feel pain at that point, has emerged as a potent new tactic of the anti-abortion movement. Advocates saw the potential of such a measure because it taps into public concern about late-stage abortions, appears to alter the rules only incrementally, and claims to be rooted in science.
“Any time we talk about developmental landmarks of the unborn child, anything showing that the unborn child is a member of the human family — that gets the public to take a closer look at abortion,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, the state policy director of the National Right to Life Committee, who is widely seen as the architect of 20-week legislation.
The 20-week ban was first adopted in 2010 in Nebraska, where conservatives aimed to rein in one well-known abortion doctor. A pain-based abortion limit has now been enacted in a dozen states, most recently in Texas, and a bill to impose one nationally passed the Republican-controlled House in June. One recent poll, while affirming public support for legal abortion over all, suggested that a majority of people would draw the line at 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Abortion rights advocates call the pain argument duplicitous and say the laws will be declared unconstitutional, arguing that they are a reflection of Republican gains in state legislatures and not a shift in public opinion. But they have also been forced to mobilize against 20-week bills in state after state, and they credit their opponents with effective marketing.When your business is looking to expand, ensure cash flow, or invest in something like a new piece of equipment, you might want to consider a small business loan.
If that sounds like you, the good news is you’ve already taken a step in the right direction. Any businesses considering a business loan should start by researching their options.
Lack of preparation is a primary reason businesses get denied during their search. As Mark Palmer, the managing director at BTIG (an investment firm) says, “many businesses simply aren’t savvy about the application process” and believe they can just fill out an application and get approved. But it’s not that simple.
Although tight lending standards are making it harder to get business loans, online lenders give business owners more options. So if your bank tells you no (or you need a loan quickly), follow this step-by-step guide to getting a business loan |
a currency depends on the stability of its value and the existence of alternatives for achieving final settlement.”
April 8, 2014
Boston Fed: Can eCash & Virtual Currency Compete with Other. Electronic Payments? (PDF):
Fed Presentation in conjunction with Jeremy Allaire, Founder, Chairman & CEO, Circle Internet Financial (Bitcoin Company)
May 9, 2014
Federal Advisory Council and Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve put Bitcoin on Agenda at quarterly meeting
Addendum
Also See “Currency King Set to Battle Bitcoin” a Print Exclusive in Bitcoin Magazine Issue 18 which discusses the Giori Patent Application “System and Method for Providing and Transferring Fungible Electronic Money.”Has civilization gone full circle?
I was in school when I first read or heard the idea that my late-1930s society showed resemblances to the Hellenistic era (ca. 336-1 B.C.). It somehow it resonated. I was studying classical languages, then required for acceptance at my chosen university, and into historical fiction, pulp writers such as F. Van Wyck Mason and H. Bedford-Jones, who marvelously evoked a heroic Greco-Roman world. The idea made sense.
Hellenistic civilization was wracked with bloody internecine wars; the old religions were mocked; society became looser and class-hostile; homosexuality, though then very illegal, suffused literature and poetry. Also, many people in the 1940s believed our own wars would only end when one power became world-dominant, provided we didn't exterminate ourselves meanwhile.
I am not alone in this view. Now, in the 21st century, we have become more like Greeks and Romans than we like to think, less Greek than Roman — not Greeks and Romans of the Classical Age but Greeks and Romans of faded glory and decaying grandeur, Greeks and Romans in the social sense, in decline.
The English author Ferdinand Mount's “Full Circle: How the Classical World Came Back to Us” suggests an “astonishing” similarity between current Western life-styles and those of the Romans of the late republic and early empire. He thinks we “have been on a round trip... and are back at the jetty we embarked from.” I don't go this far — but I agree that Western society today is more like the Roman than that of the Victorian or even the 1950s.
Like Greco-Romans, we obsess over bodily things: bathing, fitness, gymnastic training. Not since the Romans have so many people been employed as providers of such.
Our attitudes toward sex and food are very like those of pagan aesthetes. In short we obsess over sex and eating. We have a tolerance for sexual practices avoided for 1,500 years. We exalt celebrities; the Romans gladiators and charioteers, we athletes, actors and rock stars. (However, we lack the world-famous courtesans of the ancients; perhaps actresses and Paris Hilton fill the role.) Romans were desperate for entertainment, so are we, with TV and bloodless arenas. Religion as in Rome is in definite decline.
Historians agree that ancient literature after its great classical age rarely rose above things of the moment. So does ours. Greco-Roman culture became increasingly repetitive, coarser and banal. Of course, most Romans thought they were “with it,” following however barbaric fashion. In the time of Nero, however, the average Roman enjoyed a standard of living not again reached in Europe until about 1850. Political tyranny, as Tacitus wrote, did not bother a people hooked on “bread and circuses” so long as they were fed and entertained. Only hired hands (soldiers) and a (paid) political elite served the state, a vast change from the days of Greek democracy and the early republic.
Certainly, they had major differences such as slavery, technological stultification, and child abuse (of slaves). But the question, trivia aside, is this: If history hardwires us into cultural regressions, will we do a new Dark Age?Kathy Griffin has hit out at Donald Trump after he viciously tore into the hosts of Morning Joe.
The comedian accused the president of 'punching down' after he attacked 'low I.Q. Crazy Mika' and 'Psycho Joe' in Thursday morning tweets for trash talking him on their show - prompting a huge backlash against Trump.
Griffin, who has kept a relatively low profile since she sparked outrage by posting a mock-up of Trump's severed head earlier this month, criticized Trump's tweets and accused him of bullying those less powerful than himself.
'POTUS likes to punch down. Whether it's anchors, US Attorneys, or standup comics. Meanwhile, millions are about to lose health insurance,' Griffin said in her first major Trump post since her public apology four weeks ago.
Kathy Griffin has hit out at Donald Trump after he viciously tore into the hosts of Morning Joe
Trump sent the tweets minutes before the end of the engaged duo's MSNBC program, cutting down on their ability to respond immediately on air
Griffin, who has kept a relatively low profile since she sparked outrage by posting a mock-up of Trump's severed head earlier this month, criticized Trump's tweets and accused him of bullying those less powerful than himself
Earlier on Thursday, the businessman-turned-politician had tweeted about Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, writing: 'I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore).
'Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came...to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!'
The shocking comments sparked a furious backlash with even lawmakers from his own party reacting to the president's latest headline-grabbing Twitter assault.
'Please just stop. This isn't normal and it's beneath the dignity of your office,' wrote Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., on Twitter. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., made a similar comment: 'Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America,' he tweeted.
On Thursday, Trump turned on Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, in a series of vicious tweets
It is not the first time Griffin has had a run in with the president.
Four weeks ago, the comic was forced to issue a public apology after she posted a picture of herself holding up what appeared to be the severed head of Trump, on Twitter.
She also posted a video of the making of the photo shoot.
Griffin, an outspoken opponent of Trump who was best known for presenting the New Year's Eve countdown with Anderson Cooper on CNN, is seen holding the head, which is slathered in fake blood.
During footage of the shoot, posted on her own official website, Griffin said: 'Tyler and I are not afraid to make images that make noise.'
The resulting backlash saw Griffin's upcoming tour gigs cancelled while CNN announced it had fired Griffin from her annual gig co-hosting its New Year's Eve program with network anchor Anderson Cooper.
Heads up: Comedian Kathy Griffin sparked fury from Trump supporters earlier this month after footage emerged of her holding up a fake severed Donald Trump head
'CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program,' the network's PR department tweeted.
REPUBLICANS TURN ON THE PRESIDENT OVER MIKA SLUR Soon after Trump's attacks, lawmakers from his own party began to react to the president's latest headline-grabbing Twitter assault. 'Please just stop. This isn't normal and it's beneath the dignity of your office,' wrote Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., on Twitter. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., made a similar comment. 'Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America,' he tweeted. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was asked about the president's tweets during his Thursday press conference. 'Obviously, I don't see that as an appropriate comment,' Ryan said. 'Look, what we're trying to do around here is improve the tone and civility of the debate.'
Even former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was quick to express her outrage at Griffin tweeting: 'This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president.'
At the time, Griffin said that Trump 'broke' her and that 'There's a bunch of old white guys trying to silence me!'
Griffin says she is still getting death threats over the severed head scandal but nothing would stop her mocking Trump.
'This bully, this President, of all people, is gonna come after me?' Griffin said in a press conference, NY Daily reports. 'He picked the wrong redhead.'
Meanwhile, both Brzezinski and Scarborough, who are recently engaged, have chosen to delay that July 4 vacation by one day so they can respond to Trump's tweets on air, Friday.
After Trump's tweets, Brzezinski hit back minutes later on the social media platform, sharing a 'little hands' picture in a throwback to Trump's campaign argument with Sen. Marco Rubio that morphed into a debate about the size of their appendages.
Scarborough let CNN's Jake Tapper do the talking for him. 'This reminds me: how is @FLOTUS's campaign against cyber-bullying going?' the CNN host said in a message that Scarborough retweeted.
Brzezinski hit back at Trump 20 minutes later on the social media platform, sharing a 'little hands' graphic in a throwback to Trump's campaign argument with Sen. Marco Rubio that morphed into a debate about the size of their appendages
At Mar-a-Lago: The Morning Joe hosts did meet with Trump when he was president-elect on New Year's Eve at his Florida resort.
NBC's Peter Alexander reported 10 minutes later that he had asked the First Lady's office about the anti-cyberbullying effort and a'spox says Melania's "continuing to be thoughtful abt her platform." More announcements TK.'
Later Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, said: 'As the First Lady has stated publicly, when her husband gets attacked, he will punch back 10 times harder.'
And Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders forcefully backed up her boss, saying he was in the right for calling Morning Joe's hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski 'psycho' and 'crazy.'
'This is a president who fights fire with fire and certainly will not be allowed to be bullied by a liberal media and the liberal elites within the media or Hollywood or anywhere else,' Huckabee Sanders said Thursday morning on Fox News Channel.
She commented an on-camera briefing later 'it's kind of like we're living in the Twilight Zone.'Laurie Menser was a 7- or 8-year-old in Rockville, Md., when she wandered over to a neighbor's house, slipped a glass eye in her mouth and got the attention of the grown-ups in the room. Then she smacked the back of her head and stuck out her tongue — waiting for laughs.
"They were appalled," she remembers. "They were like, 'You need to go home right now and tell your dad what you did.' "
The neighbors didn't know that it was Menser's father who'd picked up the fake eye at a yard sale and taught his daughter the gag. Don't worry, he told her, "they just don't get the joke."
Looking back, Menser wonders how the episode might have gone had one element been different: What if she were a boy? Would they have laughed then?
"I think probably the neighbor would have told the little boy, 'Hey, that's gross and weird and don't do that anymore,' " she says. "Whereas I got, 'This is appalling.' "
Menser is 38 and a director of development at a science association. She has scaled the corporate ladder and is respected in her field. And she thinks that, more than anything, her success has been driven by her sense of humor. She just had to ignore all the voices telling her not to use it.
[Are you holding your own daughter back? Here are 5 ways to raise them to be leaders.]
"There was an expectation that girls would be quieter. And wouldn't ruin their dresses and wouldn't be roughhousing and cracking jokes in church," she says. "And I was very often doing a lot of those things," thanks in part to her father's encouragement to let her be what she was: funny.
Today we encourage our daughters to be ambitious and athletic, opinionated and outspoken. We want them focused on STEM and outfitted in T-shirts that read, "Who runs the world? Girls."
But what if raising truly empowered girls also means raising funny ones? What if we teach our daughters that humor is their turf — just as much as any boy's?
"One of the things that happens to girls is that they are encroached upon by the world," says Lisa Damour, a psychologist and author of "Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood." "And one of the things that humor can do is... help girls stand up for themselves in ways that people don't retaliate for."
There's an abundance of research on the social advantages that come with a strong sense of humor.
Humor conveys intelligence. Funny people are seen as more confident and competent. The ability to crack a joke shows social ease and can turn awkward elevator silence into a golden moment of human connection.
"It can actually shift perspective of status — and by status what we mean is respect, influence and admiration," says T. Bradford Bitterly, co-author of a new Wharton business school study on the use of humor in professional settings. His research found that people who effectively used humor were more likely to be elected to leadership positions.
This is something we want for our girls, yes? To not just be smart and confident, but to be able to convey those qualities in boardrooms, at dinner parties and while standing at a lectern?
An uneven playing field
Of course girls are funny.
Caroline Nugent remembers asking her father why people were always laughing at things she said. "It's called wit," he told her. As a little girl, she played it up, reveling in the attention. Nugent is 13 now, smart, self-aware and so enamored of Tina Fey that she recently spent two weeks at a youth comedy camp held by Second City, a comedy theater and school that helped launch Fey's career.
Still, these days she isn't that comfortable cracking jokes around boys or adults she doesn't know well.
"I feel like when boys make jokes that are edgy, they get more praise for it, but since women are stereotypically dainty and quiet, especially in the past, they aren't as encouraged to be funny," says Nugent, an eighth-grader at the Sheridan School in Washington. At school, she adds, "when one of the girls tries to make a joke, the boys are like, 'Why are you talking?' "
Caroline's humor leaves her mom, Dana, "bent over laughing with tears coming out of my eyes."
"To me, being funny, being witty, is brilliant," Dana says. "I don't want to see her lose that."
Caroline Nugent, 13, jokes with her mom, Dana, at home in Washington. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)
Peter McGraw, director of the Humor Research Lab at the University of Colorado, thinks that, empirically speaking, women are just as funny as men.
"When you actually measure a woman and a man's ability to be funny in the laboratory, you create an even playing field — you remove the social pressures," he says. "Women are just as good at this stuff as men are."
But when Robert Provine, a neuroscientist at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County, camped out at food courts and campus quads documenting instances of laughter, he found that men got the most laughs.
"Both men and women are more likely to laugh if a male is talking to them," says Provine, author of "Laughter: A Scientific Investigation."
McGraw concludes that there is something societal going on, not biological. And it comes down to risks and rewards. Every crack at humor involves risk — the joke could fall flat. Women may not see as much upside, even when they land the joke.
"Are women differentially rewarded or punished for breaches of social and cultural norms? If the answer to that question is yes, which I believe it is, you can see how that would tamp down the likelihood that women would try to be funny," he says.
'Women aren't supposed to laugh like that'
Natalie Sellman has heard stories that as a kid, her mother was a funny girl with a loud laugh. But she has never known her that way. In fact, Natalie's mom told her that her own mother didn't approve, often saying: "You laugh like a hyena. Women aren't supposed to laugh like that."
As a girl, Natalie Sellman was told that laughing loudly and making jokes wasn't ladylike. She ultimately decided she didn’t care. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)
Sellman, a 36-year-old medical assistant from District Heights, received some of the same messages. So she kept her jokes to herself in adolescence. "Do I continue to be who I am?" she remembers wondering. "Or do I slow down just a little bit to fit in with the crowd?"
She slowed down. Piped down. A lot of girls do.
"You get your period and you start laughing only in the girls' room," explains Gina Barreca, a professor at the University of Connecticut who writes extensively about women and humor. "It gets put in the kitchen. It gets put in the women's room — single-sex environments."
Why does this happen just as boys and girls start to get romantically interested in one another? Evolutionary biologists offer a prevailing theory: Humor indicates intelligence, which indicates a higher likelihood of gainful employment, and thus the ability to keep future offspring well fed. Cave women may have looked for physical brawn in mates, but modern ladies seek smarts — so for guys, cracking jokes at a cocktail party is a good way to peacock IQ points.
But McGraw argues that by stunting women out of expressing their humor in mixed company, we're shortchanging everybody.
"People really do want the women in their life to be funny," he says. "Funny people are better company. They make the world an easier, more enjoyable place."
That's what Sellman ultimately decided. By the end of high school, she didn't care what people thought anymore. Today she laughs as loud as she wants and tries to get everyone — including her two daughters and the dozens of patients she sees daily — to do the same. "People will say to me, 'You made my day,' " she says.
Natalie Sellman with her daughters, Kailah Jefferson, 17, and Jaida Groomes, 9. Discouraged from being funny as a girl, Sellman is determined to joke as much as possible and make sure that her daughters feel free to do the same. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)
Evolving expectations
Barreca thinks the reason girls often suppress their humor in adolescence is that "it's seen as alpha behavior. Someone holding the mic or getting the last word is not displaying traditional feminine behavior. A good girl doesn't make anybody uncomfortable. Doesn't take up too much space."
Laurie Menser got a clear message as a child that girls weren't supposed to be as loud and jokey as boys. But now she feels that humor has driven her career success. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)
But our ideas of "traditional feminine behavior" are always evolving. It wasn't that long ago that athleticism wasn't considered feminine. Now we almost require it.
So how does a parent cultivate humor in girls? "Modeling it," says Damour. "Being playful. Seeing it as a tool set like any other, that can be fostered."
Praise attempts at humor. Combat messages that diminish it. Encourage our sons to value humor in their girlfriends and girl friends. And their moms.
And lift up the women who do it. It matters that so many funny women are at the top of their game today. It means our girls get to study the ways of Issa Rae, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, and YouTube stars such as Liza Koshy and Lilly Singh.
In the three decades since Menser stuck that eyeball out, she has realized how crucial humor has been to her life. She spends a lot of time interacting with doctors and executives, giving presentations to male-dominated audiences. "I'm very smart, but if I sat down at a table and gave a bunch of men a bunch of facts, I don't know if they would sit here and say, 'Please, continue.' But if you make... jokes that make them laugh," she says, "you can usually get them to say: 'You should stay. We want to hear what you have to say.' "
Recently, Menser's 8-year-old niece said she was glad that Menser was her godmother, because she's "funny and adventurous."
"And I said, 'So are you,' " Menser recalled. "She recognized that that's something valuable about me, and I want her to know that to me, that's valuable about her. Because I see that there's value there. I don't know that everybody realizes how far being funny can get you, but it helps. It helps a lot in life."Domino’s Pizza, which, for the past two years has based its marketing efforts around a very public self-improvement initiative, is taking transparency to (quite literally) new levels. The company is allowing customers to post their unvarnished reviews on a Times Square billboard. This is what happens, apparently, when you take your marketing philosophy from Sun Tzu and his Art of War.
The company, America’s largest pizza delivery chain, has commandeered a giant digital billboard at the famous intersection of 44th Street and Broadway and, starting today, is letting any customer who orders food using the Domino’s Pizza Tracker app the opportunity to share their feedback with hundreds of thousands of Manhattan pedestrians, tourists from around the world, and, well, pretty much everyone else via a web video feed. Barring profanity and irrelevant rants, no comments will be excluded, no matter how negative.
“We’ve had this tracker for about three years, but we felt it was time for a coming out party,” says Domino’s chief marketing officer Russell Weiner. Created by Domino’s agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the Domino’s Tracker allows customers who submit their orders online (over 40% now do) to track their food from the oven to their front door, and will even give them the names of the cook and delivery driver. Once the order is received, customers can rate their experience and can leave comments for restaurant staff.
The Times Square ad will run for two hours and 54 minutes per day, and will pull in approximately 700 comments, at a rate of four per minute.
It’s the latest component in a public reinvention campaign that kicked off at the end of 2009 with Pizza Turnaround, which saw Domino’s acknowledging its bad reviews and setting about changing its recipe.
“We were a pizza company, and our pizza needed to be better,” says Weiner. “That’s a tough thing to address.”
Subsequent iterations included “Show Us Your Pizza,” wherein Domino’s asked customers to upload photos of actual pizzas to ShowUsYourPizza.com, with the chance to win cash and an opportunity to have their images used in an ad campaign; the company was also eschewing fancy food photography in favor of undoctored pizza pics. More than 30,000 images of actual pizzas have been uploaded.Story Highlights About half of Chinese like American ideas about democracy, survey finds
People in China are increasingly worried about corruption, inequality and food safety
Quality of life issues are coming to the foreground in China
BEIJING (AP) — People in China are increasingly worried about corruption, inequality and food safety, according to a survey released Tuesday that also found that about half of Chinese like American ideas about democracy.
The Pew Global Attitudes Project report on attitudes in China said that citizens have become far more concerned about domestic quality-of-life issues over the past four years.
The new attitudes highlight the challenges China's new leadership will face when it assumes power in a once-in-a-decade transition next month. China's runaway growth in recent decades has led to a yawning gap between rich and poor and worsening pollution. The Communist Party has said repeatedly that pervasive corruption threatens its hold on power.
Most Chinese say they are better off financially, according to the Pew survey, but inflation remains their top concern, with 60% saying it's a "very big problem," though that figure was down from 72% in 2008.
Half of the respondents said corrupt officials are a major problem, up from 39% four years ago. The gap between rich and poor was the third biggest concern, with 48% of respondents citing it, up from 41% in 2008.
Concerns over the safety of food and medicine have increased the most. In 2008, 12% said food safety was a major problem; this time, after numerous food scandals involving products from baby powder to pork, the number more than tripled to 41%.
Quality of life issues are coming to the foreground in China as average incomes rise and leisure time increases, said Steve Tsang, a professor of contemporary Chinese studies at the University of Nottingham, who wasn't connected to the survey.
"People have to live with them on a daily basis," he said. "When one was too busy making a living to get bothered by them in the past, less attention was paid to them. Now that the overall standard of living has improved and individuals have more scope to slow down and reflect a bit, the poor quality of life becomes more of an issue."
The survey indicated a small increase in the embrace of U.S. democratic ideas — up to 52%, from 48% in 2007 — though it was unclear whether that reflected a real increase, because the difference was smaller than the poll's margin of error.
A decrease in the number of people rejecting American democratic thought was more dramatic, down to 29% from 36% in 2007.
Joseph Cheng, a political scientist at the City University of Hong Kong, said tightening state control over dissidence in the past five years has prompted many Chinese to become frustrated with their political system, but he doesn't think they are ready to press for Western-style democracy.
"While the appeal of Western democracy has been enhanced, Chinese people have no intention and they haven't the political will to challenge the existing regime," Cheng said. "Chinese people understand that their living standards have been improving in the past 30 years and more and they still expect further improvements in the coming decade."
The research by the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Research Center also found that a growing number of Chinese are concerned about China-U.S. ties. A quarter described the relationship as hostile, up from 8% two years ago. Meanwhile, confidence in President Obama to do the right thing in world affairs slipped from 52% to 38%.
Pew said it conducted face-to-face interviews with 3,177 respondents between March 18 and April 15. It gave a margin of error of 4.3%.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/Wu7bi4How Western interest in their story risks both misunderstanding the group's mission and misdirecting attention away from the dire challenges Russian political activists now face.
Pussy Riot have been found guilty of "religious hatred" for their February 21 protest at the Christ the Savior Cathedral. You can watch the offending 55 seconds that got them into so much trouble here. The case itself is troubling for many reasons. For one, Pussy Riot are clearly not expressing hatred of Orthodox Christianity, but they are protesting the Church's close relationship to Vladimir Putin and his regime. Hating Putin is not hating religion, unless Putin is now religion in Russia.
cause célèbre by Western pop culture mavens. The world wants to help, and that's great. but that effort may actually misunderstand both Russia and its challenges in ways that are not always constructive. Pussy Riot have been turned into aby Western pop culture mavens. Madonna, Paul McCartney, Bjork, even Sting -- who apparently learned his lessons after screwing up in Kazakhstan, where he once sold his services to a dictator -- have publicly issued statements supporting the fem-punkers. Pussy Riot are being Pussy Riot are being unjustly persecuted (in a free society, they'd have been given a slap on the wrist and a fine, then let go), and that's appropriate and good to protest. But the support movement also carries some uncomfortable echoes of the Kony 2012 campaign and its many less-infamous predecessors, repeating an unfortunate practice of activism for the sake of activism, of enthusiastic support for someone who seems to be doing the right thing without really investigating whether their methods are the best, and privileging the easy and fun over the constructive. The Kony 2012 campaign, by an American NGO called Invisible Children, was the most successful social media effort ever. Centered around a short movie of the same name, it was meant to raise the international profile of Joseph Kony, a notorious warlord in Central Africa famous for conscripting child soldiers and other horrific atrocities. While the Western celebrity efforts around Pussy Riot don't have the same ring of neocolonialism as the Kony 2012 videos and events -- Russia was a perpetrator of colonialism and not a victim, after all -- they do suffer from similar fundamental problems of commercializing political activism.
MORE ON PUSSY RIOT Manic Pixie Dream Dissidents Putin's Culture War A History of Hooliganism Scenes From a New York Pussy Riot In a real way, Kony 2012 took a serious problem -- warlords escaping justice in Central Africa -- and turned it into an exercise in commercialism, militarism, and Western meddling. Local researchers complained about it, and a number of scholars used it as an opportunity to discuss the dos and don't of constructive activism. In Russia, Pussy Riot's newfound Western fans are taking a serious issue (Russia's degrading political freedoms and civil liberties) and turning it into a celebration of feminist punk music and art. Feminist punk music and art are great, but they are not the solutions to this particular problem, and pretending that they are takes attention away from more worthwhile efforts. Pussy Riot might have made punk music, but they got themselves imprisoned for an act of political dissent. Their unjust imprisonment doesn't necessarily make anything done in their name -- or, particularly, in the name of their punk music -- a step forward for Russian political rights. Ask yourself, how much have you heard about Pussy Riot's two-year sentence compared to the much harsher sentences facing their not-famous, not-female co-protesters? Radio Free Europe reports: With the eyes of Russia-watchers trained on Pussy Riot, the feminist punk performance-art group whose now-famous trio is bracing for a verdict over their iconoclastic performance at a Moscow cathedral, the plight of Artyom Savyolov has drawn little attention.... Sixteen of the demonstrators remain in custody and at least 12 of them, including Savyolov, have been charged with calling for mass disorder and assaulting police officers. They could each face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. When Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer in Russia who was arrested after he drew attention to what he says was widespread political corruption, died from the abuse he suffered in prison -- having never even gotten the courtesy of a trial, as did Pussy Riot -- there were some peeps of protest by some politicians but nothing on the scale of the Pussy Riot movement. Russian authorities When Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer in Russia who was arrested after he drew attention to what he says was widespread political corruption, died from the abuse he suffered in prison -- having never even gotten the courtesy of a trial, as did Pussy Riot -- there were some peeps of protest by some politicians but nothing on the scale of the Pussy Riot movement. Russian authorities acted suspiciously after his death, leading many to suspect they may have had something to do with it. Magnitsky's death did prompt some movement in the U.S. Congress, where a bill named after him, which would sanction foreign officials found to have been involved in human rights abuses, now awaits enactment. It's great that Pussy Riot can stand in for the regular Russians who face far worse brutality and mistreatment by Putin's government every day, perhaps drawing some attention to that much larger problem. But the obsessive focus on these three women, not for their activism or political dissent, but for their status as female punk rockers, risks drawing attention away from other Russian activists or political prisoners and focusing it instead of the plight of all-women punk bands, which is decidedly less dire. That's not to downplay these three women or their plight. Focusing on the spectacle of Pussy Riot actually obscures the real issues that prompted their trial in the first place. Pussy Riot are not peasants grabbed off the road and put on trial for being women -- they are rather famous (at least in Russia) political activists who got arrested for political activism. That is a horrible, ludicrous thing for Russia to do, but making them into innocent everymen misunderstands both their actual efforts and why they matter. Pussy Riot are part of a larger movement within Russia to demand political freedom, one that Putin's regime thugs are literally, physically beating back. American celebrities are right to be outraged about Pussy Riot's treatment, but it's a shame that so few seem to have investigated what happens to the activists who aren't Western media darlings for their all-women punk bands with sexually suggestive names. Rather than the Pussy Riot trial catalyzing a broader Western awareness of Russian authoritarian backsliding or even a popular movement to pressure Moscow to loosen its restrictions, it seems to have inspired little more in the West than outrage about how sad it is for some punk rockers to go to jail for a silly little church concert.
A version of this post also appears on Registan.net.
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You want to book a cruise, so you start searching around. A web search takes you from one site to another. Before you know it, you’ve looked at a dozen different sites to try and find the best deal.
What’s more, you’ve tried searching multiple dates, itineraries, cruise lines, and room types, searching for that best combination of price, time and route.
It’s enough to make your head spin… and that’s before you actually purchase your fare.
After that, you end up checking the same cruise obsessively, making sure you’ve gotten the best price possible.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. We’ve spent years studying the cruise industry and have come up with our best rules to follow to make sure you’re getting the absolute best rate with as little headache as possible.
It’s no guarantee that you’ll get the lowest rate offered for your cruise, but these rules will help you be smarter about buying your cruise.
Want a cheap cruise? Study this chart
Before we get into the rules, we want to walk you through some of the research so you can see exactly what we’ve found.
First, we want to show you the most important resource when it comes to what you will pay for a cruise.
The chart below shows the prices for both an interior cabin (blue line) and balcony room (orange line) for a 3-day Carnival cruise. This particular cruise sails from Miami, with an overnight stay in Nassau, Bahamas. We selected this cruise because it runs weekly for the next 21 months, giving us a chance to compare the price of the trip over a long period of time and see the trend in the fare.
There are a few things to point out in this chart, which we will detail later on…
First, you can see from the blue line (price for an interior room) that prices to travel last minute actually start out rather high and are consistent with the same time a year later. In other words, you don’t see that much of a discount — if any — by waiting until the last minute.
Second, notice the trends in the rise and fall of the prices. Cruise fares see large spikes during holidays and the summer. The basic rule of thumb is that if schools are out, then cruise fares are high. Cruising off season can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Of course, there is so much more to learn about finding the best rate on your next cruise. We go into full detail of all the rules you should follow to find the lowest rate possible.
Rule #1: DO be flexible with your days to cruise the cheapest
As you can see in the chart below, the fares for the same cruise can vary dramatically, depending on when you sail.
Holidays like Christmas and New Year’s fetch the highest prices by far. These rates can often be double what you would pay in the lower season.
The highest rates found around the holidays are closely followed by peak summer rates when families with kids like to cruise.
The best times with the lowest rates? The fall months when people are back at school and work are less popular for cruising, meaning that rates hit their lowest. You can also find low rates in the time between New Year’s and Spring Break.
Rule #2: DON’T think there is a magic website with cheaper cruise fares
The cruise line website, Expedia, Cruises.com, Travelocity… the list of sites where you can search for cruises is endless. The odd thing? They all have the exact same rates.
We researched the most popular sites, comparing prices with the cruise line website. We’ve tabulated the prices we found below:
So which site should you use?
We used to suggest booking through the cruise line’s website. We like this because it takes out the middleman in booking your cruise. Should there be an issue, you can call the cruise line directly and everything is dealt with through their site.
However, many third-party sites like Orbitz have special deals such as onboard credit that’s not available if booking through the cruise line. We seen up to $750 in onboard credit just for booking through these sites.
Read: The Best Websites to Book a Cruise
As well, third-party sites take your search across multiple cruise lines. So instead of just searching for Carnival cruises to the Caribbean in October, you can search every cruise line — potentially finding a cheaper cruise with another line. Meanwhile, you typically won’t pay any more than booking directly from the cruise line.
You can click here to |
of the British satirical puppet show "Spitting Image," named a doll after him: Vladimir the Thug.
The name fits. Lieberman wants to turn all of Israel into a virtually exclusive club for Jews. He sees minorities as a threat, and in the election campaign he demanded that Arab Israelis should take a "loyalty test" to ensure their patriotism. He bluntly expresses ideas many Israelis may think but won't venture to say out loud.
Even Tzipi Livni, the current foreign minister, who is respectable and moderate compared with Lieberman, recently suggested that Israeli Arabs should seek their "national identity" in a Palestinian state. The tenor of her remarks was that in Israel, at any rate, they were not about to organize any Arab nationalism.
Lieberman used to align himself with advocates of a Greater Israel, stretching from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. But he's no fundamentalist Jew for whom the partition of the country would constitute a sacrilege. He lives in a settlement on the West Bank, but he would give up his house for peace, he said recently. "I support a viable Palestinian state," he claims.
Lieberman is fond of combining ideas from the right and the left. For instance, he proposes redrawing the border between Israel and the Palestinian Territories, thereby annexing groups of settlements while ceding Arab cities near the border. For this reason, even some moderate Palestinians see Lieberman as a thug who can be a pragmatist.
The former negotiator Mohammed Dahlan has called Lieberman a "key to peace," at least according to Jossi Beilin, one of the architects of the Oslo Agreement in the early 1990s. In his recent book "Innocent Abroad," Martin Indyk, one of the US negotiators at the failed Camp David talks in 2000, describes a secret channel of communication between Lieberman and an envoy of then-PLO President Yasser Arafat. According to Indyk, Lieberman agreed in principle to the Barak administration's territorial concessions.
So is Lieberman a thug with pragmatist tendencies? Such transformations can never be completely ruled out in Israel, the land of extremes. Ariel Sharon, the father of settlement construction on Palestinian soil, later withdrew Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip. His successor, Ehud Olmert, wanted to "Judaize" Arab East Jerusalem. Today he advocates dividing the city.
Even Lieberman is starting to exhibit symptoms of prudence. A few weeks ago, he paid a visit to a well-known Israeli geographer, who used maps to show Lieberman how Jerusalem, the Holy City, could be divided up between the Jews and the Palestinians. "He was very interested," the geographer said after the meeting.Gallery Group
These are the highest resolution maps and panoramic views of New York I've been able to find. The 1879 Taylor map is excellent. I don't have much after the 1920s because most of the maps are still under copyright.
Note, here's a really good site with a map and old pictures of NYC: oldnyc.org.
1639
1/1/2015
2,000 est population
New York was first settled in 1609 by the Dutch but taken by English in 1664. The Iroquois traded beaver pelts for trade goods including guns and dominated upstate New York.
Lower bay anchorage location
Some of the Dutch West India buildings are still standing in Amsterdam, Headquarters, Warehouse
Likes: 5
1770
1/1/2015
23,000 est population.
British occupied New York City 1754-1763 during the French and Indian War and from 1776-1783 during the Revolutionary War. During the Revolutionary War, Iroquois allied with English against the Americans. The Iroquois lost and were forced further west. Update New York was quickly settled and provided goods for export by New York City.
Likes: 7
1811
1/1/2015
96,000 est population
Talk began in 1807 about building a canal, in 1817 the Erie Canal construction was begun and paid for by the US Government. It began use in 1821 and was fully operational in 1825. In 1811, knowing the economic impact of a canal would be enormous on New York City, the city commissioners came up with a gird plan for expansion of New York City. A central park was located in lower Manhattan but later moved uptown. The current NYC city Hall was built in 1811 as part of the expansion project.
Likes: 3
1826
1/1/2015
160,000 est population
Erie canal allowed trade with with the entire upper midwest US. Chicago was an early important trading partner.
Likes: 2
1836
1/1/2015
250,000 est population.
New York City continued to get water from local neighborhood wells. But they were increasingly pollution with sewage and salt water infiltration. Disease became rampant including cholera came from south Asia and hit both London and New York City in 1832. Planning began for safe water supply and in 1842 the Croton Aqueduct was completed and brought fresh water from a river 40miles north of Manhattan through a gravity fed system, the largest system since Roman times:
Croton Aqueduct System,1842
Other significant places:
Location of Notorious 5 Points, 1810-1897
Likes: 6
1851
1/1/2015
515,000 est population
Likes: 4
1854
1/1/2015
NYC1854Parsons
Likes: 4
1865
1/1/2015
NYC1865BirdsEye
Likes: 7
1874
1/1/2015
NYC1874Bachman
Likes: 3
1875
1/1/2015
NYC1875ParsonsAtwater
Likes: 3
1879
1/1/2015
1.23 million, est population
Still Standing
Likes: 6
1884
1/1/2015
NYC1884CurrierIves
Likes: 5
1891
1/1/2015
1.51 million est population
Trinity Church is tallest building for almost 45years, 1846 to 1890.
Trinity Church
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1892
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NYC1892ScientificAmerican
Likes: 2
1893
1/1/2015
Railroad infrastructure explodes in the US from 1830-1890.
Year Miles Track 1840 2,800 1860 30,000 1870 53,000 1880 93,000 1890 130,000
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1897
1/1/2015
NYC1897Bronx [15749x3222]
Likes: 2
1903
1/1/2015
NYC1903King [10124x7591]
Likes: 2
1905
1/1/2015
4.0 million est population
1898 NYC expanded to include all 5 boroughs
New York grows up
Likes: 4
1906
1/1/2015
NYC1906ConeyIsland [3000x2051]
Likes: 2
1908
1/1/2015
NYC1908Klemm
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1911
1/1/2015
The Engineering age is in full swing. Due to all the railroad track installed in the US there is excellent engineering resources available for very large projects.
Likes: 3
1925
1/1/2015
This map might be more valuable for people in the NYC area. The road system just before expressway construction is very interesting. The airplane at the top is interesting too. In 30 years it will kill the steamship business.
Likes: 3
1926
1/1/2015
6.6 million est population
I call this the Mayan Period. Note all the set backs on tall buildings. Thats due to the Equitable Building in 1915 built on the maximum footage on its lot just leaving a narrow sidewalk around it. There were many complaints about the shadow cast causing the 1916 Zoning Resolution to be passed.
Roaring 20s
more info
Likes: 5
2015
1/1/2015
I was a bit surprised there weren't better satellite photos available. This one had decent detail and the shadows are great.
Likes: 9Mark Zuckerberg for president?
If you’re like me, you consider the notion preposterous. Despite a barrage of worshipful media coverage in the past decade the Facebook co-founder still isn’t exactly a household name and there are no doubt tens of millions of Americans who either haven’t heard of the now 33 year-old gozillionaire Californian or don’t give a hoot that he’s one of the richest human beings on the face of the earth.
While it’s true Zuckerberg has at times weighed-in on certain political issues it’s not clear where he stands ideologically or what his real economic philosophies might be. For sure he’s a smart tech-savvy guy with a genius for marketing, but would he Make America Great Again?
Zuckerberg’s no Donald Trump, in other words. Trump broke the mold in American politics being the first one to come in from outside the political system to seize control of the Republican Party’s presidential nomination and then beat the Democrat nominee in the Electoral College.
Because Trump was able to pull-off the formerly unthinkable some are suggesting the two-party system could be in danger of extinction – or at least ripe for a major re-examination in the eyes of the voting public.
Jonah Goldberg of National Review wrote, “The Democrats have settled on economic populism as their unifying theme, not so much because that’s where all the passion is but because they can’t agree on any other agenda that would enlarge their coalition. The GOP, in turn, is shrinking its ideological commitments — and appeal — and focusing instead on populist rage and the president’s cult of personality. Both courses leave vast swathes of the electorate up for grabs.
“As a result, there’s the potential for an opening in 2020 for some opportunistic figure — Mark Zuckerberg? Michael Bloomberg? — from outside the beleaguered and sclerotic party system who could forge a coalition from both the traditional Democratic and Republican columns, much as Emmanuel Macron did in France. An independent candidate always seemed like a pipe dream in America’s two-party system. But so did Trump’s candidacy until not very long ago.”
Goldberg’s is an interesting theory but that’s about as far as it goes. If you had a classroom full of political science teaching assistants charged with forecasting the political future you might consider such a wild fantasy as a successful independent candidate for president. But not only would you be required to come up with someone famous – and extraordinarily wealthy – as a candidate, you’d also need to completely ignore the two major parties’ serious built-in advantages in politics today.
First and foremost among them is party identification and recognition. Though the Republicans and Democrats may not exactly be at the peak of popularity these days, both enjoy essentially universal recognition and some semblance of brand identification. Anyone who’s been in America for any appreciable amount of time and is eligible to vote understands – or should understand – how the party system functions.
There might be an occasional successful independent candidate for some office somewhere but if you really want your vote to matter on Election Day, in the vast majority of cases, it’s either R or D.
Next comes the party machinery and all that goes along with it – volunteer networks, ground game, advertising, yard signs, consultants, polling operations…you name it. Any independent candidate would have to start practically from scratch to establish the political infrastructure that could generate the credibility and identity – and votes – to compete in a national election.
What about media? Democrats have the mainstream establishment organs in their corner and Republicans by and large claim a near monopoly on talk radio to back them up. Where would an independent candidate fit in this continuum? Certainly not on the conservative side and the liberal talkers wouldn’t latch onto anyone who portends to be less than a dedicated leftist.
Lastly, an independent candidate would still have to beat the Republican and Democrat nominees in the general election. Though Goldberg correctly points out that neither party’s base is big enough to command a majority on its own, the “independent” vote isn’t even close to commanding the numbers to legitimately threaten the bases of either party.
There may be an awful lot of disgruntled American voters out there but there are also a good many “happy” (or at least content) people who wouldn’t consider abandoning their GOP or Democrat Party for all the Mark Zuckerbergs in cyberspace. An independent hopeful would need to capture not only 100 percent of the disaffected vote he (or she) would also need to cut into the Republican and Democrat slabs as well.
But Trump did it, didn’t he?
Not really. It’s a media-created myth that Trump suddenly appeared on an escalator one day and the next he was the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. Trump built his public brand and name recognition for decades and started dropping hints about his political ambitions way back in the earliest days of his celebrity.
His views evolved, of course, but the media-centric Trump knew how to keep his name in public use and could, along with his personal fortune, get the political wheels turning without too much of a struggle. As is well-known by now, Trump didn’t need to hire a huge staff to achieve his initial goals. All he needed was himself…and his name. Trump was the “product.”
In that sense Trump is unique, one of a kind in American politics. Others could (and likely will) attempt to replicate his path to the presidency but they’ll be doomed to fail simply because they’re not him. Would people turn out by the tens of thousands in Iowa and wait in line in the snow for hours to hear Mark Zuckerberg or Michael Bloomberg talk about their visions for the country?
Not a chance. Zuckerberg in particular has become closely associated with the snobby out-of-touch elite that are currently engendering such a severe backlash from the “normal” folks out there who just want to live their lives and not worry about sending their daughters into gender neutral Facebook-approved bathrooms.
There’s another factor – even if an independent candidate could rise to legitimacy he or she would still have to contend with the attention-consuming political circus that are the presidential primaries. No one could compete with the “show” put on by the two parties. No one.
It could be Goldberg’s suggestion that the two-party system’s weaknesses may open the door for an independent candidate is just another way of declaring Trump is not a legitimate president and he’ll only last one term (if that). It’s an argument the #NeverTrump forces have been pushing ever since last November. But in advancing this assertion they’re ignoring reality.
Trump’s is a complete and mature political operation by now and in the near future, with perhaps some assistance by Congress, the president will see real progress on his agenda.
Some additional help for advocating the message may have arrived in Washington recently as Vice President Mike Pence took on an aggressive new chief of staff, Nick Ayers.
Eliana Johnson of Politico reported, “Ayers’ hire, according to interviews with eight current and former administration officials, was less about a secret campaign to challenge Trump in 2020 and more about helping the vice president — who, at just 58, has a political future ahead of him in the post-Trump era — preserve his future political options, whatever they may be.
“A veteran political operative, Ayers had for months been quietly warning the vice president that Trump’s troubles could cause collateral damage and that he needed to take a more aggressive posture on a range of issues to ensure he enters the post-Trump era on solid ground, according to two White House officials.”
In other words, Trump’s movement is not geared to being a one-and-done. Pence has been a consistent conservative throughout his political career and he is now seen by many as the de facto leader of the conservative movement.
Whenever it comes time for Pence to run (if that’s truly what he intends to do) he’ll be in the unique position of holding rights to the Trump populist/conservative voting bloc while perhaps being more attractive to the traditional Republican base as well. If one of the #NeverTrump group’s main beefs with Trump is that he’s not “presidential,” Mike Pence will fill the void nicely.
If the argument goes that Trump is weak with college educated white voters Pence will regain a lot of their favor. Pence is a full-spectrum conservative and it isn’t likely he’ll alienate anyone with a center-right bent.
Because of the manner in which Trump came to the GOP nomination and to the presidency he will remain controversial to many people. Four or eight years of consistent advocacy for solid policies and real results in the economy will bring people onboard. The whole notion of an independent running against him and the Democrats is a foolhardy one indeed.BALTIMORE (AP) — Another federal judge has halted a proposed transgender military ban, expanding on an initial ruling issued last month against the plan by President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a preliminary injunction issued Tuesday in Baltimore, U.S. District Judge Marvin Garbis ruled that transgender service members have “demonstrated that they are already suffering harmful consequences” due to the proposed ban including threat of discharge, stigma and the cancellation or delay of surgeries related to their gender transitions. The six plaintiffs in the lawsuit he reviewed have all been receiving hormone therapy.
Trump had announced on Twitter in July that the government would not allow transgender individuals to serve in the military in any capacity. The order was a proposed reinstatement of a longstanding policy that barred transgender people from joining the military and also subjected service members to discharge if they were revealed to be transgender. That policy was changed last year under President Barack Obama.
But in a strongly-worded passage from his 53-page decision, Garbis wrote that the “capricious, arbitrary, and unqualified tweet of new policy does not trump the methodical and systematic review by military stakeholders qualified to understand the ramifications of policy change.”
Last month, another federal judge, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, barred Trump’s administration from proceeding with the plans to exclude transgender people from military service. She said the administration had provided no solid evidence for why a ban should be implemented. In a court filing Tuesday, the government said it would appeal Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling.
A U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman, Lauren Ehrsam, said officials disagreed with Garbis’ ruling and they are weighing their next steps.
″(The) plaintiffs’ lawsuit challenging military service requirements is premature for many reasons, including that the Defense Department is actively reviewing such service requirements, as the President ordered, and because none of the plaintiffs have established that they will be impacted by current policies on military service,” Ehrsam said in an email.
Trump sent an August memo directing the Pentagon to extend indefinitely a ban on transgender individuals joining the military, and gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis six months to come up with a policy on “how to address” those who are currently serving.
A Pentagon spokesman, Mark Wright, said the Tuesday ruling will have no impact on current Defense Department policy.
“As directed by the DoD guidance, no action may be taken to involuntarily separate or discharge an otherwise qualified service member solely on the basis of a gender dysphoria diagnosis or transgender status,” Wright said.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against the proposed ban in September, cheered the Tuesday ruling. The lawsuit reviewed by the Baltimore judge was filed by the ACLU on behalf of six transgender members of the armed forces.
“Today is a victory for transgender service members across the country,” senior ACLU staff attorney Joshua Block said in a statement. “We’re pleased that the courts have stepped in to ensure that trans service members are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
The proposed ban remains unenforceable under the preliminary injunctions.
The Trump administration’s transgender ban was also being argued in federal court in Seattle on Tuesday in a case brought by gay rights group Lambda Legal, with a judge grilling a Justice Department lawyer over the president’s intent and over how his directive has already affected transgender troops.
___
Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Jessica Gresko in Washington and Gene Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.
David McFadden on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dmcfaddWashington’s tech policy wonks are celebrating an anniversary this week: 20 years ago Monday, President Bill Clinton signed the 1996 Telecommunications Act into law at the Library of Congress.
Designed to de-regulate aspects of the telecommunications business, it was the first overhaul of the law that created the Federal Communications Commission in more than six decades.
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Supporters of the law said it would create more competition in the telecommunications industry that, at the time, was only beginning to grapple with the transformative power of the Internet.
“It promotes competition as the key to opening new markets and new opportunities,” Clinton said at the bill signing. “It will help connect every classroom in America to the information superhighway by the end of the decade. It will protect consumers by regulating the remaining monopolies for a time and by providing a roadmap for deregulation in the future.”
Among other things, the bill brought deregulation to the cable industry and lifted the national cap on radio station ownership. It also eased the rules that apply to broadcasters.
It touched on universal service, the idea that the government should help make sure that all Americans have access to communications services. The act authorized the FCC's E-Rate program, which helps connect schools and libraries. That program remains in effect today; in 2013, President Obama asked the commission to look at expanding it.
A number of technology groups will commemorate the law’s passage next week, with players from big-name technology companies participating.
On Monday, technology groups and companies are expected to mark the signing of the bill. INCOMPAS, which represents the so-called “competitive” communications companies and used to be called COMPTEL, will hold a policy summit on Wednesday that includes Colin Crowell, the vice president of global public policy at Twitter, and representatives from the FCC and 21st Century Fox. The group is also throwing a party in honor of the anniversary.
The Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy will also host an event evaluating the successes and failures of the law with some of the people involved in its creation.
Some have argued that parts of the law had detrimental effects on the communications market. A 2005 report from public interest group Common Cause found that political forces blunted its impact.
“In many ways, the Telecom Act failed to serve the public and did not deliver on its promise of more competition, more diversity, lower prices, more jobs and a booming economy,” the group said. “Instead, the public got more media concentration, less diversity, and higher prices.”
Technology has also changed substantially since the law was signed in 1996. Internet speeds have risen, with Americans making the switch from dial-up to broadband, which in turn has disrupted the old order in other industries, like broadcasting. And more recently, the rise of smartphones has forced regulators to confront challenges posed by mobile networks.
It had seemed as though lawmakers might update the law as the 20th anniversary approached. In 2013, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Greg Walden (R-Ore.) announced that they were embarking on a multi-year process to update the law.
“A lot has happened since the last update,” Walden said. "A lot of companies have been born out of the innovation of the communications act. There’s a lot that’s changed in the legal world.”
The lawmakers spent time talking to various stakeholders and begin to hone in on issues that could be addressed. But then the debate became more complicated when the FCC approved rules governing net neutrality almost a year ago.
Those regulations — which increased the FCC’s regulatory authority over Internet service providers — are reviled by many Republicans, who view them as a power grab. Their implementation heightened partisan tensions on the commission and has ratcheted up tensions between Chairman Tom Wheeler and Congress.
“Net neutrality certainly was a mini-atomic bomb in the middle of [the communications act update],” Walden told reporters last summer, before noting that he held hope that some sort of piecemeal update would be possible.
Since then, neither Walden's subcommittee or his Senate colleagues have gotten closer to an update.Fans, blog writers, and even our loyal Cagesiders here have brought up the colossal mess WWE's title situation is in. Some people believe the titles lack credibility while others believe there are too many titles. WWE has a variety of issues it should consider repairing.
Many characteristics draw people to this thing known as professional wrestling. Some want to believe it is real, while others relish the theatrical features of it. What compels me the most is the faux sporting aspect of it (i.e. the athleticism, competition and realism). Theatre and sports working in tandem is the essential component wrestling attempts to emulate.
Therefore, having two World Titles at play is akin to two teams able to win the Superbowl. It is nonsensical to have two chief champions affiliated with one product; there should be only one wrestler at the apex.
Granted, when WWE used to accentuate that SmackDown and Raw were wholly separate products, it was not quite so abominable for two titles to exist simultaneously. Today however, everyone who's an alpha wrestler on SmackDown appears on Raw these days and there haven't been exclusive SmackDown pay-per-views (PPVs) since 2007. In collaboration, these things have gazumped the brand separation of all its significance.
Consequently, WWE ought to consider unifying the belts, particularly considering how atrociously they are treating the World Heavyweight Championship. It would be one thing if it was close to the main-event, providing double main events on every PPV, but it is normally near the bottom of the card, and it sometimes even commences the show. Sorry, but no one believes that a wrestler is genuinely the world champion when he's curtain-jerking.
Something that has similarly daunted me forever is when Champion vs. Champion matches end up tangled together for an ordinary episode of Raw or SmackDown. These matches should be an immense deal. Not to mention that most of the time, whoever loses that match ends up looking like the inferior champion due to its lackluster build. It is after all two champions battling it out to see who will prove to be superior. Something of that magnitude needs to follow some sort of plot diagram in order to be climaxed.
Long story short, if WWE wants all of their titles to have some semblance of importance, this can no longer occur.
Aside from perhaps the divas championship, the titles that are lacking the most prestige are the United States (US) and Inter-Continental (IC) titles. The IC title was formerly a title of essence. It used to be a stepping-stone for forthcoming wrestlers or at the very least a good indicator as to whether or not a wrestler could prosper if he were to win the astronomic world title. In other words, it was a title they could use for trial-and-error purposes.
Wrestlers such as Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, and Chris Jericho all profited from their IC titles, as they were indicators as to what they could do. In fact, sometimes the Intercontinental Title matches were greater than the World Title matches simply because the wrestlers were younger, more acrobatic, faster and more nimble.
Today, evidently, the title is meaningless. Wade Barrett, the current champion, hasn't even won a match in months until last night. The only kayfabe explanation: he has the title because he rarely ever has to defend it (rendering the 30-day clause, which in all fairness, has been an afterthought forever).
Furthermore, whenever the IC is defended infrequently on PPV, it is commonly a last-minute buffer match lacking any semblance of narrative behind it. The match allows the fans to either get their popcorn or take a bathroom break.
The lack of an important mid-card title ends up being a chief problem, and one that we are seeing in WWE right now. It is challenging to make mid-card wrestlers seem important when there's not much they can do. Sure, they can feud with another midcarder for a while, but ultimately where does that lead?
They are not prepared from an experience or characterization development standpoint for the main-event, so they are going to keep beating every other mid-carder, or wind up switching off on who gets the mid-card push of the month; this results in even-steven booking, which doesn't help anyone become more popular.
In addition, there's not a mid-card "trial and error" title available, with its purpose being to see how someone could do as champion. Alternatively, they do it with the big titles -- as seen with Daniel Bryan, Jack Swagger, The Miz, and CM Punk -- and that vastly decreases the numerical quantity of the belts. After all, just because one becomes champion doesn't mean one automatically gets over.
What the midcard needs more than anything is something for them to compete over. They need obstacles and a goal to achieve, and a midcard title that has merit is something that would effectively work.
Truthfully, Antonio Cesaro is the ideal mid-card champion. He is a forthcoming wrestler who could be WWE champion. All he needs to do is polish some of his abilities beforehand, and pay his dues. The problem is, however, that he hasn't won an important match since becoming champion, and he is rarely allowed to talk on the microphone to get his character over. If he does talk, it's overly scripted clichéd nonsense, which comes off like a rehearsal, as opposed to something realistic. In fact, he is booked so irrelevantly that people have actually asked me who the US champion is.
Frankly, the US and IC titles are so similar that they overlap each other, and thus one should be replaced by something else. Since WWE is at a point where they are evolving from the "WWE Main Event style" into a more hybrid wrestling company with unique styles, bringing back the Light Heavyweight title would be a solid idea.
They do have a few wrestlers that are light heavyweights and more in developmental. If done correctly, of course, this would add more layers of variety into WWE's product, eliminate the overlapping feeling, allow more mid card wrestlers to be involved in a championship angle, and reestablish different divisions in WWE -- as opposed to everyone feeling as though they're lost in the shuffle.
The Divas title's purpose is obviously to be eye-candy and a buffer for PPV matches. Albeit from bringing in women who at least know the fundamentals of working a good match as well as cutting a promo, this division will be virtually useless.
On the other hand, the tag team division is far from the point of uselessness, although McMahon would have to alter his perception of it. He believes a tag division is unprofitable because it only markets one team, when he could be making money on two individual wrestlers. This logic (or lack-thereof) is idiotic. A tag-division exemplifies some diversity.
The company's titles are one of most important things in it. When they have no merit, the purpose of wrestling is rather meaningless. The titles are the strings that hold everything together. They are why every wrestler is trying to win and compete at the highest level every week. It's because they want a chance to get their shot at a title. This has been rather an afterthought in WWE, as it seems to be the wrestlers, especially in the midcard, could care less if they get a title shot.
This needs to change, and pronto.Battle Creek police have reported the following cases. (Photo: Getty Images)
A fraudulent wire transfer of $121,000 has been reported by the Kellogg Community Credit Union at 41 Second St.
Credit union officials contacted Battle Creek police on Dec. 14 about the fraud, which they said occurred Nov. 17.
The manager told officers they received a wire transfer request from a member and processed it after calling the member at the number listed in their records to verify the request. The credit union then transferred the money but later heard from the member, asking why it had been done.
Officials told police they determined that someone hacked the credit union records for that member and changed the contact phone number so when officials called to verify the transfer they talked with the suspect and not the actual member.
The credit union officials told police they have given the case to their insurance company to reimburse the member and police said because the transfer was to a location outside the country, there was little they could do.
The case remains under investigation by police.
Read or Share this story: http://bcene.ws/2i6QsEZFirst published Sat Aug 7, 2010; substantive revision Wed Oct 1, 2014
Carl Schmitt's early career as an academic lawyer falls into the last years of the Wilhelmine Empire. (See for Schmitt's life and career: Bendersky 1983; Balakrishnan 2000; Mehring 2009.) But Schmitt wrote his most influential works, as a young professor of constitutional law in Bonn and later in Berlin, during the Weimar-period: Political Theology, presenting Schmitt's theory of sovereignty, appeared in 1922, to be followed in 1923 by The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy, which attacked the legitimacy of parliamentary government. In 1927, Schmitt published the first version of his most famous work, The Concept of the Political, defending the view that all true politics is based on the distinction between friend and enemy. The culmination of Schmitt's work in the Weimar period, and arguably his greatest achievement, is the 1928 Constitutional Theory, which systematically applied Schmitt's political theory to the interpretation of the Weimar constitution. During the political and constitutional crisis of the later Weimar Republic Schmitt published Legality and Legitimacy, a clear-sighted analysis of the breakdown of parliamentary government in Germany, as well as The Guardian of the Constitution, which argued that the president as the head of the executive, and not a constitutional court, ought to be recognized as the guardian of the constitution. In these works from the later Weimar period, Schmitt's declared aim to defend the Weimar constitution is at times barely distinguishable from a call for constitutional revision towards a more authoritarian political framework (Dyzenhaus 1997, 70–85; Berthold 1999; Kennedy 2004, 154–78; Breuer 2012).
Though Schmitt had not been a supporter of National Socialism before Hitler came to power, he sided with the Nazis after 1933. Schmitt quickly obtained an influential position in the legal profession and came to be perceived as the ‘Crown Jurist’ of National Socialism. (Rüthers 1990; Mehring 2009, 304–436) He devoted himself, with undue enthusiasm, to such tasks as the defence of Hitler's extra-judicial killings of political opponents (PB 227–32) and the purging of German jurisprudence of Jewish influence (Gross 2007; Mehring 2009, 358–80). But Schmitt was ousted from his position of power within legal academia in 1936, after infighting with academic competitors who viewed Schmitt as a turncoat who had converted to Nazism only to advance his career. There is considerable debate about the causes of Schmitt's willingness to associate himself with the Nazis. Some authors point to Schmitt's strong ambition and his opportunistic character but deny ideological affinity (Bendersky 1983, 195–242; Schwab 1989). But a strong case has been made that Schmitt's anti-liberal jurisprudence, as well as his fervent anti-semitism, disposed him to support the Nazi regime (Dyzenhaus 1997, 85–101; Scheuerman 1999). Throughout the later Nazi period, Schmitt's work focused on questions of international law. The immediate motivation for this turn seems to have been the aim to justify Nazi-expansionism. But Schmitt was interested in the wider question of the foundations of international law, and he was convinced that the turn towards liberal cosmopolitanism in 20th century international law would undermine the conditions of stable and legitimate international legal order. Schmitt's theoretical work on the foundations of international law culminated in The Nomos of the Earth, written in the early 1940's, but not published before 1950. Due to his support for and involvement with the Nazi dictatorship, Schmitt was briefly detained and interrogated at the end of the war as a potential defendant in the Nuremberg trials (ECS; AN), the legitimacy of which he impugned in a legal brief prepared for the defense of the German industrialist Friedrich Flick (IC). The obstinately unrepentant Schmitt was not allowed to return to an academic job after 1945 (Mehring 2009, 438–63). But he nevertheless remained an important figure in West Germany's conservative intellectual scene to his death in 1985 (van Laak 2002) and enjoyed a considerable degree of clandestine influence elsewhere (Scheuerman 1999, 183–251; Müller 2003).
Unsurprisingly, the significance and value of Schmitt's works is subject to heated controversy (Caldwell 2005). A group of authors sympathetic to Schmitt argue that Schmitt's analysis of liberal constitutionalism during the Weimar period is separable from his support for National Socialism and that it constitutes an insightful and important analysis of the political presuppositions of a well-functioning liberal constitutional system (Bendersky 1983; Schwab 1989; Gottfried 1990; Kennedy 2004). From the left, Schmitt's work is sometimes taken to illustrate the affinities between a purely economic liberalism and political authoritarianism (Mauss 1980; Cristi 1998). The view that the Schmitt of the Weimar period can be read as a defender of liberal order has been questioned by authors who stress the continuity between Schmitt's conceptions of law, sovereignty, and democracy and fascist ideology (Wolin 1992; Dyzenhaus 1997; Scheuerman 1999). However, engagement with Schmitt is nevertheless considered to be important. It has been argued that Rawlsian political liberalism is vulnerable to Schmitt's critique of liberalism due to its unwillingness to base itself explicitly on a liberal conception of the good (Dyzenhaus 1997, 218–58) or due to its refusal to recognize the antagonistic nature of politics (Mouffe 1999b). Moreover, Schmitt's views on sovereignty and emergency powers are often seen |
Arkansas. Auburn’s rushing monster put up 422 yards on the ground, and the offense totaled 628 yards. Not to be outdone, Ole Miss totaled 572 yards, including RB I’Tavius Mathers’ 138-yard, one-TD performance and WR Ja-Mes Logan, who caught six passes for 122 yards and two TDs.
Related: Auburn highlights, Ole Miss highlights
Mullen had to win: Mississippi State held on to win against Kentucky Thursday night, and Dan Mullen had to have it. Mullen, who has been put on the hot seat by everyone around the southeast, will need two wins in remaining games against South Carolina, Texas A&M, Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Do you see two wins? It’s going to come down to the Egg Bowl, one of my favorite rivalry games. Looking into the future, Mullen has good players returning on both sides of the ball, and even if he doesn’t make a bowl game this year, next year may be his best team with Dak Prescott, Jameon Lewis, Chris Jones and company returning.
Related: MSU-UK takeaways and highlights
State bowl game bid: I’ve been saying it all year – the Tennessee-Vanderbilt rivalry will decide which team goes bowling and which team will be sitting at home in December and January, although neither are out of the East race just yet. Tennessee and Vanderbilt are both sitting at four wins with tough games ensuing. The Vols play Missouri, Auburn, Vandy and Kentucky, while the Commodores play Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee. Both teams are about even through nine weeks, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out down the stretch – one team will be unhappy with how the 2013 season ends.
Photo Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY SportsA mathematical pattern of movement called a Lévy walk describes the hunting behaviour of many animals, including sharks, birds and honeybees, and now for the first time it has been shown to describe human hunter-gatherer movements as well.
The Lévy walk pattern involves a series of short movements in one area and then a longer trek to another area on a discrete grid rather than in a continuous space. It appears to be ubiquitous in animals, similar to the golden ratio, phi, a mathematical ratio that has been found to describe proportions in plants and animals throughout nature.
When sharks and other ocean predators can’t find food, for example, they abandon their normal motion, for Lévy flight. Birds and other animals also seem to follow Lévy flights and research has shown that it is optimal for searching sparsely and randomly distributed targets.
Now new research has shown that the same pattern applies to humans too. University of Arizona anthropologist David Raichlen, studied the movements of one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes on Earth, the Hadza people of Tanzania, who still hunt on foot using traditional foraging methods. Members of the tribe wore wristwatches with GPS units that tracked their movement while on hunting or foraging bouts. The GPS data showed that while the Hadza use other movement patterns, the dominant theme of their foraging movements is a Lévy walk.
"This movement pattern seems to occur across species and across environments in humans, from East Africa to urban areas," said Adam Gordon, study co-author and a physical anthropologist at the University at Albany. "It shows up all across the world in different species and links the way that we move around in the natural world. This suggests that it's a fundamental pattern likely present in our evolutionary history."
The researchers have pointed out that following a Lévy walk pattern does not mean that humans don't consciously decide where they are going, Raichlen said. "We definitely use memories and cues from the environment as we search," he explained, "but this pattern seems to emerge in the process."
A Lévy flight stems from the mathematics related to chaos theory and is useful in stochastic measurement and simulations for random or pseudo-random natural phenomena. Examples include earthquake data analysis, financial mathematics, cryptography, signals analysis as well as many applications in astronomy, biology, and physics.
By April HollowayPerhaps because the "War on Christmas" needs new battles, or perhaps because there is no wrong way to attack the President, Fox Nation has posted an article condemning the First Family for displaying 54 Christmas trees in the White House. The "outrage" stems from Obama allegedly being extravagant with taxpayer money, "as Americans face a fiscal cliff," on "50% more Christmas trees than last year."
It seems unlikely, however, that Obama could do anything not to anger his detractors. Fox Nation's post comes from Investors.com which did almost the same story last year. Then, there were only 37 trees but Investors.com used the same picture and some paragraphs were repeated almost verbatim. For example, from the 2011 story:
"We have 37 Christmas trees here at the White House--37!" Michelle Obama excitedly told a recent group of visitors. "That's a lot, right? Yes, that's a lot of trees. And we also have a 400-pound White House gingerbread house."
In 2012:
"We have 54 trees in the White House," an excited Michelle Obama proudly told visitors the other day. "54! That’s a lot of trees."
Both articles talk about Bo, "who's being made into a kind of first family Christmas canine symbol" (2011 article) and "who seems to have become the First Family's favorite symbol of Christmas" (2012).
Coincidentally, Bo's presence was the source of last year's Fox Nation outrage - because last year's White House Christmas card displayed Bo near the fireplace instead of showing a Christmas tree. Then the headline blared, "No Christmas in White House Card."As he lay facedown while doctors zapped radiation at the back of his neck, killing the cancer that had taken root there, Duquesne's Derrick Colter never flinched. He didn't cry, didn't complain.
He acted, his coach joked, as though he was trying to get rid of a pimple, not non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Colter was so unemotional that Jim Ferry struggled to find the proper word to describe his junior guard.
"It was very professional, almost business-like,'' Ferry said.
A lot of thoughts went through Colter's head during those 20 consecutive weekday visits to Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh.
He worried a lot about his basketball future. Doctors told him he could do whatever he felt he could handle, and so Colter, who averaged 9 points and 3.4 assists for the Dukes last season, pushed himself. But there were days when all he wanted to do was sleep. What if that never changed?
He thought about his parents. They were home in Forestville, Maryland, four hours away. Colter and his family had decided it would be best if he stayed in Pittsburgh for treatments and so he could continue seeing Dr. Stanley Mark, the physician who had first diagnosed him. But Angela and James Colter were obviously concerned and their son knew they'd want instant updates.
Mostly he thought about his oldest brother, JJ, the child who never spoke a word or walked a step, but was the epicenter of the Colter family; the man who wasn't supposed to even see his teen years yet lived until the age of 33; his baby brother's role model, who fought cerebral palsy with dignity, determination, and somehow even joy, until he died in 2012.
"We've got the same genes, man,'' Colter said. "Always fighting.''
For years, James and Angela Colter shuttled between the Hyattsville, Maryland, nursing home where JJ was being cared for and their own home, where Derrick and his two other older brothers were growing up. JJ's battle included its share of life-threatening scares, yet instead of fracturing the family under the weight of its stress, JJ's condition somehow buoyed them.
Derrick Colter continued working out, even as he dealt with cancer and went through treatments. Courtesy of Dave DeNoma
A lot of that came from JJ. He smiled easily and laughed joyfully, forging a bond with his brothers built on intuitive, not verbal, communication. Muscle degeneration made it impossible for JJ to use his hands, but Derrick, the baby of the family who idolized JJ, found a way to toss a basketball with him, anyway.
"That bond, it was something you had to see,'' James said. "It would touch your heart.''
When the Colters needed outside support, they turned to their church. As part of its Sunday services, the True Way Holiness Church congregation gathers for the Victory March, an uplifting parade around the church. Contrary to what the name might imply, it is not meant to celebrate accomplishments, but rather to ask for help in the gravest of circumstances.
The congregants have marched for a church member whose baby had stopped breathing, and for another who had Hepatitis B. They marched in April for Derrick, and before him, for JJ.
The Victory, James explained, is having the faith to ask for help.
"We're not clowning,'' he said. "If you want God to do something for you, you march for Him and let Him do it.''
For so many years, JJ defied the odds, so long in fact that no one ever thought the disease would win.
In 2012, during Derrick's freshman year, his parents called Ferry to warn him that JJ had taken a turn. Then, one day, Derrick didn't show up for practice.
"I remember it was a rainy day and [Derrick] came walking into practice, just distraught,'' Ferry said.
He went home for the funeral with instructions to take as much time as he needed. Instead, on the same day that he buried his brother, Colter was on the court, playing against Robert Morris. He scored 16 points to go with six assists.
"[JJ] always sucked it up and kept pushing,'' said Derrick, who has been stenciling his sneakers with "4 Bro JJ" since high school, "and that's how I am.''
He first felt the lump in March. It was small, maybe the size of a tiny super ball.
Derrick mentioned it in passing to his athletic trainer, Vic Bauer, while Bauer was taping his ankles before a game at George Mason. He said it had been there for three weeks.
Bauer took a look and, not wanting to upset Derrick, sent him out for pregame warm-ups. Then he got on his phone.
"I started texting our doctors,'' Bauer said. "I thought we should get the ball rolling.''
Three days later, team physicians looked at the lump in Brooklyn, New York, during the Atlantic 10 tournament. After Duquesne was eliminated, they all consulted with Marks, the deputy director of clinical services for UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.
Marks ordered a biopsy and, on April 22, while Derrick was home for Easter weekend, Dr. Marks called with the diagnosis. Derrick had non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the lymphatic system.
"I didn't understand at first,'' Derrick said, "and then you hear that word -- cancer -- and I just... there were no words. It was like everything just stopped. Me and my mom broke down crying and my dad just kind of was looking straight.''
That was the beginning and the end of the Colter Family Pity Party.
After PET and CT scans showed no other malignancies in his body, Derrick began his radiation treatments on May 1.
Ferry often went with him.
Before coming to Duquesne, Ferry was the head coach at Long Island University. Four years ago, his best player, Julian Boyd, was diagnosed with a heart condition and was forced to sit out a year. Player and coach had more than one serious conversation as Boyd tried to navigate the emotional roller coaster of his diagnosis.
That's what Ferry was prepared for with Derrick. He even offered him a spare bedroom in his home, so Derrick could relax in peace after his radiation treatments.
Derrick opted for the dorms.
"It was never once a 'why me' situation,'' Ferry said. "His first question in the doctor's office was, 'When can I work out?' I was, I am, amazed."
It was that commitment that first appealed to Ferry.
In high school, Derrick was a high-scoring point guard who led his team to a Maryland 2A state championship game. Ferry knew he'd be a critical addition as he rebuilt the Dukes without T.J. McConnell, who had decided to transfer to Arizona.
After three years of coaching Derrick, it's his attitude that Ferry finds even more impressive than his ability.
"We're playing St. Bonaventure and he has a chance to seal the game for us, but he misses both free throws,'' Ferry said. "He's completely devastated. But then we foul, they miss and he gets the ball. He drives up, shoots a half-court 3 to win the game. Everyone's storming the court and tackling him. Derrick is covering himself up, not wanting the attention.''
The spotlight has never mattered much to Derrick. Amid the fanfare at his high school when he signed his letter of intent, Derrick said he'd rather be off visiting JJ.
Derrick Colter averaged 9.1 points per game a season ago for the Dukes. Courtesy of Joe Sargent
For the better part of this summer, in fact, hardly anyone outside of his family and his basketball family knew Derrick was battling cancer.
He's telling his story now for the first time only after some cajoling, and only because he sees a bigger purpose.
At the end of this month, he'll be feted at a Coaches vs. Cancer benefit in Pittsburgh.
But before that, he plans to visit the pediatric cancer wings at Pittsburgh area hospitals.
He wants the kids to know that he was just like them, exhausted from the treatments. Maybe he'll even show them where he's lost a bit of his hair.
And he wants them to know how he played basketball this summer and recorded a triple-double in a Pittsburgh Pro-Am League game (33 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists); how he will be ready to play when the Dukes open the season in November, just seven months after his diagnosis.
He wants them to know about JJ, too, and how tough he was, tougher than any basketball player Derrick knows.
Mostly he wants to tell them about June 24, the day doctors told Derrick that his cancer was in remission.WASHINGTON — As members of Congress took credit for NASA funding levels in a fiscal year 2017 omnibus spending bill, the agency’s science leadership is examining how those funds will affect its programs.
The omnibus spending bill cleared the Senate on a 79–18 vote May 4, a day after the House passed the bill on a 309–118 vote. President Trump is expected to sign the bill Friday, when the continuing resolution that has been funding the government expires.
That bill includes $19.653 billion for NASA, an increase of $368 million over what the agency received in 2016 and $628 million above the original request, released in February 2016 by the Obama administration.
“The numbers that you saw for NASA in the appropriations bills that just pass the House, that was me. I made sure of that personally,” said Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) May 4 at a meeting of the Space Studies Board of the National Academies here. He is chairman of the commerce, justice and science (CJS) subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, whose funding jurisdiction includes NASA.
That bill includes $275 million for NASA to work on both the Europa Clipper and a follow-on lander mission, projects that Culberson has taken a strong personal interest in because of the potential habitability of Europa’s subsurface oceans. “We’ve got to go to the surface, as you know, to know if there’s life in that ocean,” he said.
Culberson also mentioned a provision in the report calling on NASA to include a small helicopter as a technology demonstrator on the Mars 2020 mission, provided that it does not delay the overall mission. “I had to include the helicopter because [NASA] Headquarters was resisting it,” he said, noting that flying the first heavier-than-air vehicle on Mars would also excite the public.
In his remarks at the meeting, Culberson also praised his Senate counterpart, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who chairs the CJS subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Sen. Shelby has been a wonderful ally,” he said. “He’s been tremendously supportive of NASA and the sciences.”
Shelby was not the only senator thanked for the NASA funding levels in the omnibus spending bill. In comments on the Senate floor May 4, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Senate minority leader, credited Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) for securing additional funding for NASA.
“NASA had actually been targeted for certain cuts by the Trump administration in their budget that would have nixed the program to send a mission to Europa, a moon of Jupiter,” Schumer said. “But thanks to the advocacy of Sen. Nelson, NASA will get an overall increase of $368 million in the appropriations bill, enough to fund that mission.”
Nelson, in his own statement on the Senate floor, said that the success winning funding for NASA demonstrates that the agency was nonpartisan. “The $19.65 billion appropriation for NASA, coupled with the NASA authorization bill that we already passed a month or two ago, demonstrates our firm commitment to one day putting humans on Mars and permanently expanding our civilization out into the cosmos,” he said.
Impacts on science
That $19.65 billion for NASA includes $5.765 billion for NASA science programs, $164 million above the request and $175 million more than what the agency received in 2016.
“The omnibus bill that we’re looking at is really a positive surprise and a very good story in an overall sense,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for science, in a May 3 presentation to the Space Studies Board. “It was a budget that went up when so many budgets had negative signs in front of them.”
That increase, however, was not evenly distributed among the four divisions with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Planetary science was the big winner, receiving nearly $1.85 billion, an increase of $215 million over 2016 and $327 million over the original request.
“It’s really a wonderful increase,” said Jim Green, director of the planetary science division, during a panel discussion at the Space Studies Board meeting May 3. That budget, he said, ensured that the Mars 2020 mission remained on track and continued development of Europa Clipper, while also providing sufficient funding for the smaller Discovery and New Frontiers lines of planetary missions.
A loser in the budget, though, is the astrophysics program, which received $750 million, $31 million below the request. In addition, the bill directs spending levels higher than requested for some programs, including the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope. That results in an effective cut of $46–47 million for the rest of the division’s programs, said Paul Hertz, director of the astrophysics division.
That reduction, he said, is the equivalent of a 10 percent cut for those programs, which effectively becomes a 20 percent cut since the omnibus bill was not passed until seven months into the fiscal year, while the division was spending money at the anticipated higher 2017 levels. “We’ll have to figure out where to reduce our planning for FY17 so that we can meet the appropriations,” he said.
“My assessment, after looking at this, is that it’s probably not possible to solve everything within the astrophysics program itself,” Zurbuchen said. He said he would look at “a variety of options” to use money from elsewhere in the agency to mitigate the effect of that cut.
Zurbuchen added that he did not think astrophysics was specifically targeted for cuts in the appropriations process, even though the final amount was lower than both the original request and values in the House and Senate versions of a CJS spending bill developed last year. “I don’t think that there’s any intent for astrophysics to be singled out,” he said. “Sometimes small changes by well-meaning people add up.”
Earth science received $1.921 billion, $111 million less than requested but the same as fiscal year 2016. Michael Freilich, director of the Earth science division, said that “excellent performance” on some missions, which have come in under budget, should help mitigate the effect of that reduction. “The bottom line is that all of our missions are continuing, and can continue, on the schedule that we had laid out more than a year ago with the budget that we have now,” he said.
Heliophysics is in a similar state, with the $678.5 million it received $20 million less than requested, but nearly $29 million more than what it got in 2016. That funding should allow NASA to make more space weather research awards than in 2016, but not as large an increase as originally planned, said Steven Clarke, director of the heliophysics division. “Really overall, I think in heliophysics we’re okay,” he said.
Planning for 2018
With the omnibus bill for fiscal year 2017 passed, attention turns to the fiscal year 2018 budget. The White House issued a “budget blueprint” document outlining its budget proposal March 16, providing NASA with $19.1 billion. More details are expected to be released later in the month.
Culberson, in his comments to the Space Studies Board May 4, cautioned not to read too much into that budget proposal. The budget blueprint offered $1.9 billion for NASA planetary science and $1.8 billion for Earth science, but called for the cancellation of four Earth science missions and blocked funding for a Europa lander.
“The appropriations bill is it,” he said. “What matters is the appropriations bill.”
While Culberson downplayed the importance of the budget request, he did say it could be useful. He said he worked closely with Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget and a former congressman, to ensure the budget proposal does include the higher level for planetary science and money for Europa Clipper.
“The budget is important. It’s a good starting point,” he said. “If the funding is recommended in the president’s budget, it makes my job a lot easier.”
However, he said he would push to include funding for a Europa lander in his appropriations bill and increase overall spending levels. “Let’s get to over $2 billion for planetary. It will be over $2 billion in ’18,” he said. “Let’s get NASA well north of $20 [billion], get NASA up to about $21 [billion].”
That increased planetary funding, he said, would not come at the expense of Earth science. “I was under intense pressure to cut it and just wouldn’t do it,” he said of Earth science in the 2017 bill. “We need to protect the Earth sciences with all the others.”
He warned, though, that the overall battle for funding among various government agencies would only get stronger in 2018, particularly given the administration’s interest to increase defense spending at the expense of non-defense discretionary programs. “I’m deeply concerned about the ’18 budget,” he said, arguing that “badly underfunded” defense programs deserved that increase. “It’s going to become an increasingly difficult and competitive environment for dollars.”So there’s some patterns to dream-recall broadly but for the most part people remember some dreams and not others and we can’t see a whole lot of rhyme or reason to that.
Beck: How much of that forgetting is because our sleep is so regimented by the outside world and we use alarms to wake ourselves up?
Bulkeley: The transition from sleeping to waking is a perilous process, the mind and the brain are really shifting in a lot of ways and a remembered dream is a survivor of that process. To just kind of slam someone out of sleep into wakefulness, that makes it hard to retain whatever remnants there may have been from a dream. There are also cases where an alarm clock might wake you up in the middle of a dream that you might have otherwise slept on through and never remembered, so sometimes alarm clocks can kind of catch a dream that you otherwise might have missed. But the overall kind of chronic effect has to be seen as diminishing the frequency and likelihood of dream recall.
I mean, we all live in the world, we’ve got places to go and things to do. So I think practically speaking if you don’t have to use an alarm clock don’t, there are times when you have to, but to give oneself a break from that can give a little more space for the dreams to return.
Beck: What distinguishes big dreams from the typical boring ones?
Bulkeley: We kind of set the premise for it with how most dreams on average tend to be pretty mundane, having to do with day to day activities and we don’t even remember them. So that’s the baseline. But then there’s some dreams that strike people as being really different, and what that means in the first instance is they can’t forget them. It’s just kind of blazed in your memory.
That usually is kind of a product of a couple of things: A physiological response, and often big dreams have really intense visual imagery and sensation. There’s kind of a hyperrealism that people will feel. And that right there opens the way to the philosophical aspect of big dreams, which is the way they challenge our epistemological sense of the world. Like, how do we know what’s real? How do we know what’s waking and dreaming? Big dreams are ruptures between dreaming and waking, and kind of merge both. These kinds of dreams have been reported by cultures all over the world throughout history. They happen to people in all place and times as far as we can tell. And that leads to the question: What’s getting activated and intensified in the normal dreaming process to generate these really extraordinary dream vision experiences?
Beck: How often do people have these? Are there times in life when they might be more likely to have them? Are certain people more likely to have them?
Bulkeley: They’re very rare, is the quickest answer. For some people it’s a dream they remember from childhood. Carl Jung, the psychologist who coined the term “big dreams,” was asking his psychiatric patients about their earliest childhood dreams, which for the most part were really big intense dreams, and he found those to be super valuable in a clinical context, they helped him make sense of the deepest conflicts and issues in the patient’s life. So childhood seems to be a fertile time for big dreaming.By Jung Min-ho
Methamphetamine is the most common illicit drug in Korea and more than 400 kilograms of the highly addictive stimulant is consumed here annually, researchers said Tuesday.
Pusan National University's research team, led by Prof. Oh Jeong-eun at the Department of Environmental Engineering, has found that 410 kilograms of the drug is used every year and its daily consumption per 1,000 inhabitants is 22 milligrams.
The team calculated the amounts using a method called "sewage epidemiology." In cooperation with researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia, the team analyzed samples from 15 sewers in five cities across the country ― Busan, Ulsan, Changwon, Miryang and Gimhae.
The research showed daily consumption of methamphetamine is nearly 20 times larger than the amount seized by the prosecution annually.
Their findings were published in the latest issue of Science of the Total Environment, an international scientific journal.
According to the report, amphetamine, codeine and MDA are among the widely-used illegal drugs in Korea.
The report says cocaine, methadone, morphine and marijuana ― drugs that are common in many other countries in Asia, Europe and the United States ― were not found. Even the amount of methamphetamine consumed here is still comparatively small. The report says it is less than 2 percent of the amount consumed in some European countries.
What is meaningful about their work is that their discoveries came out of sewage epidemiology ― a technique used for the first time in Korea.
For obvious reasons, illegal drug users aren't always honest about their habits on surveys. Through the method, researchers can get more direct evidence of how much drugs they consume by looking into what ends up in the sewage system.
The idea is that screening for drugs that pass through the body and then get flushed down the toilet is a more accurate way to assess the drug use of a community or a country. After all, it is harder to manipulate what goes into the sewers.
Based on the concentrations of each drug ― and knowing certain factors like how much of a drug gets excreted by the body ― researchers calculate backward to figure out drug usage.
"The reason why drugs are found in sewage is that people either tossed them there or the urine of people on drugs was flushed," Oh said. "Our research was conducted only in a limited number of regions this time. It needs to be expanded to Seoul and other cities in Gyeonggi Province."Operation Charlie Fox registration period begins
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To sign up, please follow these steps:The registration period ends onThe Operation Charlie Fox Qualification Tournament is right around the corner and once again COH2.ORG needs you! An event of this size takes quite a bit of manpower to organize, and our volunteer Referees are the heroes that make it happen. Interested? Please send an application to our Tournament Director, Romeo, and let him know you want to become a Referee. No experience is necessary, but please make sure that you can be available on Sunday, September 20th, at 13:00h GMT (start of check-in period). If you plan to play in #OCF, this is not for you.Referees have the following duties:And it's that simple! Send in your application now! Your service will be greatly appreciated.The Operation Charlie Fox Total Prize Pool just hit! To celebrate, we will immediately conduct our latest stretch goal unlock -- Give-away package #3. Cool Company of Heroes 2 keys, generously provided by Relic Entertainment and SEGA, will be raffled off to eligible #OCF Contributors on(21:00h CEST). Tune in to SundayNightFights channel on Twitch.tv for the live raffle, conducted by AmiPolizeiFunk and special guest, OCF #2 seed, Luvnest. You don't have to be present to win, you just have to be an #OCF Contributor.Give-away Package #3 includes:Kazakhstan has taken on a new role as the world in uranium production -- and the achievement could not have happened at a worse time.
Just ahead of Kazatomprom's announcement today that it will produce some 13,900 tons of uranium by year-end, making it the world's leading producer, news broke late on December 29 that rogue elements within the state nuclear company were working out an illegal deal to supply Iran with a large amount of purified uranium ore, commonly known as "yellowcake."
The Associated Press reported, based on a leaked intelligence report from an unnamed member country of the IAEA, that Iran would pay $450 million for 1,350 tons of the material, which could be refined for civilian or weapons purposes.
A U.S. State Department spokesman reacted to the report on December 29 by warning that any transfer of yellowcake would violate UN Security Council sanctions. Three sets of sanctions have been imposed against Iran due to its refusal to freeze its enrichment program or other activities that could facilitate nuclear weapons production.
Today, Kazakh officials were scrambling to refute the claim.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Erzhan Ashikbaev told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that Astana strictly adheres to international nonproliferation regulations.
"The Republic of Kazakhstan always observes its international obligations and this is true also as concerns nonproliferation in the uranium sphere,” Ashikbaev said. “All the activities of Kazakhstan are conducted in strict accordance with the demands and standards of the IAEA."
This is not the first time claims have been made that Kazakhstan was secretly planning to sell uranium to Iran.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Kazakh Service in early November, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's former son-in-law, Rakhat Aliev, brought up the subject of "secret negotiations" between Kazakhstan and Iran on the issue of uranium export.
"I do not want speak without all the facts. I want to emphasize -- I do have [evidence] that there were secret negotiations,” Aliev said. “Do not forget there was an official visit by the president of the Iran to Astana [in April]. Just because it wasn't covered in the media doesn't mean there were not secret negotiations."
World Leader In Uranium
Kazatomprom today denied any plans to sell uranium to Iran and redirected its focus to the company's achievement of its goal -- well ahead of schedule -- to become the world's largest producer of uranium.
When Kazakhstan announced its effort to become the leading uranium producer years ago, it pegged 2015 as the year to reach the goal.
Its projected output of 13,900 tons of uranium (tU) this year would best Canada, the world's leader in 2008 with 9,000 tU. According to Kazatomprom projections, 9,934 tU will be extracted from Canada this year.
Richard Lockhart is a senior editor for "Energo Weekly," a publication of the Scotland-based News Base Group covering alternative sources of energy. Lockhart notes the impressive increase in production this year has catapulted Kazatomprom ahead of the competition.
"Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom published some interim nine-month results for its uranium production, and in the first nine months of the year it produced 9,535 tons of uranium, which is a 61 percent increase on the year,” Lockhart said. “But perhaps more importantly it forecast that they will produce a total of 13,500 tons for the full year, and that indeed is 58 percent higher than in 2008. This figure leapfrogs over Canada's Cameco in terms of annual uranium output."
Kazatomprom upped the previously announced 13,500 figure today when it said it would produce 400 tons more than expected, bringing the total to 13,900 tons.
Kazatomprom produced 795 tU in 1997, the year the company was restructured and took on its current name. Lockhart pointed out that it is only recently that Kazatomprom has ramped up output.
"Kazatomprom for the last three years has increased its uranium production by leaps and bounds compared to other producers around the world,” he said. “For example, in 2007 its output was increased by 26 percent, in 2008 this increased 28 percent and this year's increase in 2009 is forecast at 58 percent. So [it’s] a booming company in terms of output."
Dominant In Asia
Kazakhstan has the world's second largest reserves of uranium, trailing Australia. But Kazakhstan has something Australia, in the southern hemisphere, does not, Lockhart notes.
"Kazakhstan is very well placed, geographically poised, to exploit Asia -- as Asia, and especially China, have major plans to expand nuclear energy over the next 20 years,” Lockhart said. “China in particular is cozying up with Kazakhstan to source uranium and Kazakhstan is looking to supply China as well as Japan, South Korea, and so on."
Kazatomprom's list of partners is increasing nearly as fast as its production. It currently has joint ventures with Canada's Cameco; Russia's Rosatom; China's Guandong Nuclear Power Co. and China National Nuclear Corp; France's Areva; India's Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited; and several Japanese companies, including Toshiba. (Kazakhstan bought 10 percent of Westinghouse from Toshiba in August 2007).
Kazatomprom's effort to expand market share is expected to benefit from low world prices.
Kazatomprom “will have enough customers, especially as uranium prices sort of cooled somewhat this year,” Lockhart said. “They had reached a high of $136 per pound in 2007 and they've come down to about $45 per pound now, so the market is somewhat stabilized, which should be slightly better news for producers such as Kazatomprom."
The price Lockhart cites puts the spotlight on the staggering sum reportedly involved in the alleged Iran-Kazakh uranium deal. The spot market price for 1,350 tU would be around $130 million, while AP report alleges that Tehran was willing to pay was some $450 |
Besides fonts what are some other things you have released and are working on?
This Christmas I optimised most social icons for online use using techniques from font design to reduce the file sizes by up to 85% and put it up on GitHub as social.svg.min.
This spring I hope to finish the desktop app for animalnoteheads (also open source) so it's easy to create new sheets and kids/toddlers everywhere can learn musical notation in a fun and easy way.
I have many ideas but time is somewhat limited as I'm also working as a full time web/iOS designer/developer and spending quite some time learning coding languages, frameworks and platforms.
Download Gidole Font Donate to The Ethiopian Red CrossAUSTIN, Texas — Critics of a office park redevelopment had the wind knocked out of their sails Thursday when their petition became invalid.
That allowed plans to replace Austin Oaks only needed support from six Austin City Council members instead of nine.
RELATED | Splintered Council Leaves Austin Oaks in Jeopardy
Several people who originally signed the petition took their names off.
Developers want to replace the 35-year-old office park with a new one but also add a public park, restaurants, shops and at least 250 apartments.
Mayor Steve Adler says finding a compromise wasn't easy, but it's close to what neighbors originally designed.
"The Council added some additional housing to pick up some affordable housing. At the end of the process, we were able to lower some of the height that I know the neighborhood was concerned about,” Adler said.
Developers say their plans won't take shape overnight.
In fact, they've said it could be 20 years before the project is finished.Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the senior Democrat on the Finance Committee, said the rules sent “a clear message to the American people: Patients are not a priority, and insurance companies are back in charge.”
Under the proposed rules, the annual open enrollment period would be reduced to about six weeks from two months. The shorter time frame would be similar to the open enrollment periods for Medicare and for many employer-sponsored health plans.
But the administration acknowledged that the shorter sign-up period “could lead to a reduction in enrollees, primarily younger and healthier enrollees” who often sign up near the deadline.
Other parts of the rules would limit opportunities for people to hold off on buying insurance until they get sick, a phenomenon that has loaded many health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act with more expensive, sick customers than they expected. By manipulating a system that now precludes insurers from rejecting customers with pre-existing medical conditions, consumers are avoiding the purchase of insurance when they are healthy and rushing in when they need it, insurers say.
The rules also would require consumers to provide “supporting documentation” to prove they were eligible to enroll in health plans through HealthCare.gov outside the standard open enrollment season. The administration estimated that 650,000 people annually could have their enrollment delayed because of the new requirement to verify eligibility.
People can sign up after the deadline if they experience certain “life changes” like having a baby, getting married or losing employer-sponsored insurance. Insurers have told the government for several years that people who sign up in a special enrollment period use up to 50 percent more services than those who sign up in the regular enrollment season.
Insurers and Republican members of Congress welcomed the proposed changes, which will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, giving the public until March 7 to comment. Final rules are likely to be issued in March or April. Insurers must decide by early May what kinds of health plans they will offer in 2018.Gillard trying to intimidate press: Abbott
Updated
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has attacked Prime Minister Julia Gillard's suggestions that the Murdoch-owned News Limited has "hard questions to answer" saying they are a "thinly veiled attempt to intimidate the press".
Yesterday, Ms Gillard demanded that News Limited answer questions about its conduct in Australia in the wake of the British phone-hacking scandal.
But Mr Abbott says Ms Gillard's comments have nothing to do with the News of the World phone-hacking scandal and are instead a bid by the Government to avoid scrutiny.
"Frankly it demeans our polity for this kind of thing to go on. Prime ministers of Australia should be better than that and I call on the Prime Minister to put up or shut up when it comes to those sorts of issues," he said.
Two Government ministers, Treasurer Wayne Swan and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, have accused News Limited's Daily Telegraph of bias, saying it is following an anti-Labor agenda.
"Let’s not have more attempts by ministers to bluff media organisations out of proper reporting of the Government's carbon tax disaster," Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne this morning.
"We've been very well served by the media in Australia. Yes, politicians don't always like the coverage that they get, but if you are in public life you've got to take the rough with the smooth.
"A vigorous, critical media is an important part of a healthy democracy and I think the Prime Minister should accept that."
'People are disturbed'
Ms Gillard said yesterday that people are "disturbed" by what they have seen happen in the UK "with phone hacking and the like".
The scandal has lead to the closure of the 168-year-old News of the World Sunday paper, the first masthead Rupert Murdoch bought in Britain.
"I do believe Australians, watching all of that happening overseas with News Corp, are looking at News Limited here and wanting to see News Limited answer some hard questions," Ms Gillard said.
News Limited chief executive John Hartigan says News journalists in Australia do not use phone hacking and he is "hugely confident" there is no improper conduct in his newsrooms.
"I've worked in newspapers for 45 years, a lot of that as an editor. I know the newsrooms, I know how cultures develop, and I'm hugely confident that there is no improper or unethical behaviour in our newsrooms," he told the ABC's 7.30.
Today, Ms Gillard said that she "notes" Mr Hartigan has ordered a review into the conduct of News Limited newspapers in Australia.
"So the CEO of News Limited [is] asking some questions himself. It's not surprising Australians are asking themselves the question too, 'What does this mean for Australia?'," she said.
Greens leader Bob Brown, who has had some celebrated run-ins with News Limited journalists, has called for an inquiry into the ownership and ethics of the Australian media.
Senator Brown wants "fit and proper" character tests for newspaper proprietors and a review of ownership regulation in light of News Limited's domination of the capital city newspaper market.
Ms Gillard has said she is open to the suggestion of an inquiry.
Mr Abbott drew the distinction between the Government's new push for a tightening of privacy laws - which may lead to restrictions on what the media can publish - and the suggested media inquiry.
"I'm happy to look at proposals for greater privacy protection, but what I will never support is any attempt to try to bluff the media out of doing its job which is to hold bad governments to account."
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, print-media, information-and-communication, media, australia
First postedAndre Villas-Boas: Says he plans to part ways with more players in the future
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says players he does not feel fit with his 'project' will depart Stamford Bridge in the future.
Former Porto boss Villas-Boas has struggled to make an impact at the Premier League club since taking over last summer, with the Blues having slipped out of the title race.
Part of the problem is the manager has been charged with overhauling an ageing squad, and the Portuguese already offloaded veteran striker Nicolas Anelka and defender Alex last month.
Chopping block
Villas-Boas says there are more players who know their heads are on the chopping block.
He said: "Two players have already departed and further will depart in the future and won't make part of the project, which more or less they expect, but this is the reality of any football team."
Villas-Boas has previously admitted that, as a 34-year-old with less than three years' managerial experience, he chooses to include his players in any decision-making process.
Despite some appearing to have taken advantage of that, he said: "It's part of my leadership style to evolve on a very, very frontal, honest relationship.
"I think it helps because the leader is showing that there is a two-way leadership process going on - the players and the leader.
"But there are different styles that have proven successful in the past on a more dictatorial style."
Villas-Boas admitted on Thursday not all of his players support what he is trying to do at Chelsea.
But asked how he dealt with being unpopular, he added: "I don't know where you're getting the idea that I'm unpopular from."
He was certainly not flavour of the month among the travelling fans at Goodison Park on Saturday during a performance he branded the worst since he took charge.
Pressure
Some supporters were heard to chant "You don't know what you're doing" but Villas-Boas said: "I don't think Chelsea this season can be represented by what happened against Everton.
"If they respond to that, we understand, but that is not who Chelsea are. We can do a lot better."
He added: "I know I am under pressure for results, but ultimately it is the owner who has to take that decision.
"From me, there will be no decision to part company with my project for Chelsea."North Korea Test-Fires Highest Missile Yet After Two-Month Hiatus
North Korea fired what was likely an intercontinental ballistic missile into waters off Japan early Wednesday local time, U.S., Japanese and South Korean authorities said, ending a more than two-month hiatus from Pyongyang and threatening to ramp up tensions with the U.S. and in the region.
The launch demonstrated a trajectory that could put Washington in range of North Korean missiles, independent experts said. It triggered an unusually robust reaction from South Korea, which quickly responded with a battery of test-firings of its own.
The launch came weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump visited the region and roughly a week after he redesignated North Korea as a state sponsor of terror. Mr. Trump, speaking to reporters Tuesday, mentioned the North Korean missile launch and vowed, “We will take care of it,” without specifying what actions he might take.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said on Twitter that Mr. Trump had been briefed on the launch while the missile was still in the air.
The missile, which Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said had been initially identified as an ICBM, was fired at 2:47 a.m. Pyongyang time—1:17 p.m. Tuesday in Washington—from a site about 20 miles north of the capital, Pyongyang. It flew about 620 miles before splashing down in the waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from the Japanese coast.
Despite the missile landing relatively close to its launch point, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was a “long-range” missile fired on a very steep trajectory, staying aloft for almost an hour and reaching an altitude of about 2,800 miles—roughly 11 times as high as the international space station.
North Korea has increasingly turned to such so-called lofted-trajectory launches in recent months to test its missiles at extended ranges without having them fly a long distance.
The missile “went higher, frankly, than any previous shots,” U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said. “The bottom line is it’s a continued effort to build a…ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States.”
Wednesday’s test demonstrated a trajectory that could put Washington, D.C., within range of North Korean missiles, said Melissa Hanham, a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, Calif.
“If the numbers hold, this test will demonstrate a much further range than ever tested before,” Ms. Hanham said.
David Wright, a physicist and co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, came to the same conclusion in an analysis shortly after the launch. He noted, however, that if the North were to use a heavier nuclear warhead, as it would if making an actual attack, it was unlikely that Wednesday’s missile would have been able to reach the U.S. capital.
“Firing at night, from a potential mobile missile, demonstrates that North Korea is closer than ever to a credible nuclear deterrent against the United States,” said Abraham Denmark, a former senior Asia policy official at the Pentagon during the Obama administration and now a director at the Wilson Center think tank.
Within six minutes of the North’s launch, South Korea responded with a simultaneous test-firing of missiles from its army, navy and air force, calibrated to the distance to the North Korean launch site but aimed toward the waters between Korea and Japan, the South’s Joint Chiefs said.
While the South has also reacted to previous North Korean missile launches by firing its own missiles, Wednesday’s response was stronger and faster than in the past. The authorities said the South’s military was on high alert and working closely with the U.S. to guard against further provocations.
In recent months, North Korea has begun to vary the time and location of its test launches. The unusually early hour of Wednesday’s missile test, its occurrence in the generally less active period of late November, and the use of a launch site not often employed by the North appeared designed to show off Pyongyang’s ability to fire missiles under less predictable circumstances.
A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in the late hours on Tuesday—just hours before the launch—that speculation that North Korea was preparing for another “provocation” before Christmas were “nothing but slanders to ‘demonize’” the North.
“Current situation evidently shows that it is only a matter of time that a nuclear war breaks out on the peninsula due to Trump’s war mania,” Jo Chol Su, director of press for the Foreign Ministry’s Institution for American Studies, was quoted as saying by North Korea’s state news agency.
Mr. Jo also complained in his statement about the U.S.’s recent decision to relist North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it “baseless allegations” that were “further increasing our vigilance.”
Before the test-firing—the 20th missile North Korea has fired this year—officials in Washington and Seoul openly wondered about the reasons behind the relatively long break in missile or nuclear tests from Pyongyang.
Just hours earlier on Tuesday in Seoul, South Korea’s top minister on North Korean affairs, Cho Myoung-gyon, played down the silence, noting that the North rarely fires missiles during the final months of the year.
Mr. Cho, South Korea’s Minister of Unification said he was expecting North Korea to complete its nuclear and missile program “very soon” and to declare its program completed perhaps as early as next year.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement after the launch that “diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now,” adding the U.S. wants “a peaceful path to denuclearization.”
The most recent previous North Korean launch was an intermediate-range ballistic missile fired over the Japanese mainland on Sept. 15.
In Washington, U.S. officials said they had seen movement in North Korea earlier this week suggesting an imminent launch of a land-based missile.
“They’re testing how good the U.S. is at picking up on the signals—it’s a test of seeing how quickly they can get out a missile, a way to test their ability conduct a pre-emptive strike,” said Rodger Baker, lead Asia analyst for geopolitical consulting firm Stratfor.
Mr. Baker, based in Austin, Texas, said the North in its recent nighttime tests appeared to have tried fueling a missile horizontally before rolling it out of the hangar and then raising it to a vertical launch position—all moves aimed at reducing the preparation time for a launch.
“They’re looking for ways to shorten the waiting time from the time the missile is visible to the time that it’s launched, to take down the U.S. confidence that it can take out a missile before it takes off,” he said.London: Journalist and writer Aakar Patel has joined Amnesty International India as its new executive director from Thursday. Patel will head Amnesty International India’s operations.
As the organisation’s chief political advisor, strategist and spokesperson, he will give direction to its goal of being an independent, effective and deep-rooted organisation in India, the London-based global rights body said in a statement.
“We are delighted that Aakar Patel will be joining us. Amnesty International India is one of the movement’s three national offices, set up to increase our impact in countries with growing global influence which continue to face human rights challenges," said Minar Pimple, Senior Director of Global Operations at Amnesty International.
“Aakar’s commitment to human rights in his journalism and writing positions him perfectly to take on this important role," said Pimple.
“Amnesty International India has a terrific team that does vital work. I am proud and honoured to be working with them," said Patel.
With a background in the textile industry, Patel’s work includes ‘India: Low Trust Society’ (2015) and ‘Rights and Wrongs’, a report on the 2002 Gujarat riots which he co-authored. PTILast fall, I wrote about a young man named Kalief Browder, who spent three years on Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime. He had been arrested in the spring of 2010, at age sixteen, for a robbery he insisted he had not committed. Then he spent more than one thousand days on Rikers waiting for a trial that never happened. During that time, he endured about two years in solitary confinement, where he attempted to end his life several times. Once, in February, 2012, he ripped his bedsheet into strips, tied them together to create a noose, and tried to hang himself from the light fixture in his cell. In November of 2013, six months after he left Rikers, Browder attempted suicide again. This time, he tried to hang himself at home, from a bannister, and he was taken to the psychiatric ward at St. Barnabas Hospital, not far from his home, in the Bronx. When I met him, in the spring of 2014, he appeared to be more stable. Then, late last year, about two months after my story about him appeared, he stopped going to classes at Bronx Community College. During the week of Christmas, he was confined in the psych ward at Harlem Hospital. One day after his release, he was hospitalized again, this time back at St. Barnabas. When I visited him there on January 9th, he did not seem like himself. He was gaunt, restless, and deeply paranoid. He had recently thrown out his brand-new television, he explained, “because it was watching me.” After two weeks at St. Barnabas, Browder was released and sent back home. The next day, his lawyer, Paul V. Prestia, got a call from an official at Bronx Community College. An anonymous donor (who had likely read the New Yorker story) had offered to pay his tuition for the semester. This happy news prompted Browder to reënroll. For the next few months he seemed to thrive. He rode his bicycle back and forth to school every day, he no longer got panic attacks sitting in a classroom, and he earned better grades than he had the prior semester.
Ever since I’d met him, Browder had been telling me stories about having been abused by officers and inmates on Rikers. The stories were disturbing, but I did not fully appreciate what he had experienced until this past April when I obtained surveillance footage of an officer assaulting him and of a large group of inmates pummeling and kicking him. I sat next to Kalief while he watched these videos for the first time. Afterward, we discussed whether they should be published on The New Yorker’s Web site. I told him that it was his decision. He said to put them online. He was driven by the same motive that led him to talk to me for the first time, a year earlier. He wanted the public to know what he had gone through, so that nobody else would have to endure the same ordeals. His willingness to tell his story publicly—and his ability to recount it with great insight—ultimately helped persuade Mayor Bill de Blasio to try to reform the city’s court system and end the sort of excessive delays that kept him in jail for so long. Browder’s story also caught the attention of Rand Paul, who began talking about him on the campaign trail. Jay Z met with Browder after watching the videos. Rosie O’Donnell invited him on “The View” last year and recently had him over for dinner. Browder could be a very private person, and he told almost nobody about meeting O’Donnell or Jay Z. However, in a picture taken of him with Jay Z, who draped an arm around his shoulders, Browder looked euphoric. Last Monday, Prestia, who had filed a lawsuit on Browder’s behalf against the city, noticed that Browder had put up a couple of odd posts on Facebook. When Prestia sent him a text message, asking what was going on, Browder insisted he was O.K. “Are you sure everything is cool?” Prestia wrote. Browder replied: “Yea I’m alright thanks man.” The two spoke on Wednesday, and Browder did seem fine. On Saturday afternoon, Prestia got a call from Browder’s mother: he had committed suicide.News
NASA, Bigelow To Discuss Private Sector Human Space Exploration And Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. — NASA and Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas are holding a media availability at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 23, to discuss the agency’s Space Act Agreement with the company for its insight on collaborating with commercial industry on exploration beyond Earth orbit. Journalists can participate in-person or by teleconference.
The media availability participants are:
• William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator, human exploration and operations, NASA
• Robert Bigelow, founder and president, Bigelow Aerospace
Journalists who want to attend in-person at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW in Washington, or dial-in to ask questions should contact Rachel Kraft at rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov or 202-358-1100 by 11 a.m. May 23.
Under the agreement, Bigelow will work with a variety of commercial space companies to assess and develop options for innovative and dynamic private and public investments to create infrastructure to support domestic and international governmental exploration activities alongside revenue generating private sector enterprises. Bigelow will deliver its analysis by the end of this year.
The agreement includes a two-phased approach that will help NASA assess potential opportunities for collaboration. During the first phase, Bigelow will leverage its existing relationships with other private companies and its expertise from continuing operations in space to form common objectives between the private sector and NASA. In the second phase, Bigelow will create a series of options for public-private collaboration that lower costs and takes advantage of rapid implementation.
For more information on Bigelow Aerospace, visit:
http://www.bigelowaerospace.com
For more information on NASA’s exploration goals, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/explorationAbsorbing this week's equally exhilarating and disconcerting revelations about NSA surveillance have resulted in me feeling a little sceptical about Silicon Vally.
There are a lot of problems here with privilege blindness, the corners so rounded by the ubiquity of white, wealthy, social liberalism that the depth of argument here concerns adjusting the border radii than changing the shape of society. As much as any issue, presence in this dominant group reduces any personal concern for the potential consequences of being caught and stored in a surveillance dragnet.
This week's events triggered some cynicism, but also carelessness and even hypothetical enthusiasm for the massive, untargeted collection of data by a government, and I find that quite weird.
Some of that stems from pedantry and cynicism doubting the alleged operation of the PRISM software that was leaked: It seemed far fetched and impractical for the NSA to have backdoors into any company's actual servers. Besides interacting with proprietary configurations, companies like Microsoft, Apple and AOL run massive, disparate systems within their networks. The idea that such an access scheme could be operated while authorising few enough people not to introduce plausible deniability of a leak seems unlikely at best. That was even before the strong blanket denials from the implicated companies themselves.
That implausibility contributes to people in this industry—myself included—reinterpreting the news, parsing the reported absolutes with scepticism. Likewise the PowerPoint slides from which the reports are sourced. We look for ways to read ‘direct access’ as a vague user experience generalisation, rather than the literal flow of data and credentials.
To whatever extent that's true, if the user experience is indistinguishable, I wonder if our reaction should be as well. Even if we conclude it acceptable for government agencies to use such methods, the total secrecy of both the actions and the authorization thereof should at least demand pointed questions over the lack of transparency. Here sits an opportunity for citizens to hold government to account, and for government to refresh the justification for their tools and behaviour, with their ‘War on Terror’ dismissed as insincere parody twelve years since 9/11. Yet here such apolitical sentiment seems isolated. Instead the discussion has moved to how the PRISM software could best be designed for iOS7.
I think there's a deep rooted trait within this industry that sedates the outrage. That is the normality, complicity, and dependency on ‘surveillance’ in the software we make. The explicitness ranges from politely asking a user to submit a crash report, opting into anonymised interaction logging, right to the extreme of advertisers bypassing your browser's privacy protections. It extends in scope from a neat little Gaug.es script you and I might put in our personal websites to sate curiosity (I do), to the devices enabled by the Google Corporation's impenetrable, cross-product unified privacy policy, DoubleClick advertising network subsidiary, and Android software carried in millions of pockets around the world. It's everywhere, and it's not challenged.
The product decisions of the applications we use daily are informed by data. To what degree that data outweighs intuition and taste depends on the company, but the baseline capture and analysis required to make any decision is not dissimilar.
Logging is the default across technology, not just business. When you install Apache or nginx on your server, the initial site configuration will write access logs containing identifying IP addresses. It has been normal for technologists to acquire this data just-in-case, since the first time we published something to the web.
The transactions that make up the operation of the internet are in general not private. Everything that attempts to enable privacy over the network is an enhancement, an opt-in, an extra service. SSL encryption of your requests and responses? Most web content is not available encrypted. Someone between you and the site can analyse your traffic. Within individual services themselves, privacy controls are devices to discard information, rather than never receiving it at all.
It should be acknowledged that I work at Twitter on the team that builds Tweet buttons and other embeddables. You've likely seen them everywhere on the internet. The astute amongst you may therefore question my personal conflict in this logging game. There are two things: The first is that this is not an argument against logging, product usage analysis, or aggregation of data to do useful things. What I feel like challenging is the thoughtless, catch-all default that is presumed in the development of technology, and to question the comfort technologists at large have developed for the practice. I don't believe it is well aligned with the preferred attitudes of society at large, yet the inevitability of technology leaves no room for debate.
The second part is that where I am concerned about thoughtlessness, I am immensely proud of how thoughtful the people are at Twitter who work on these things are, and the extended cast of people in the company who take an impassioned interested in them. When Twitter wanted to build a feature for users derived from logs, we were amongst the first large commercial organisations to support the Do-Not-Track standard (the “ask websites not to track me” setting in your web browser.) We went further still, and allowed users to set the equivalent preference against their account for any browser, and allow site owners and publishers to apply DNT opt-out behaviour on behalf of all their visitors. The EFF said some supportive things at the time about this implementation, too.
Of course, it is policy, and that's where the behaviour of our industry dovetails back into the NSA story. Whistleblower Edward Snowden is claiming that the NSA has a vast warehouse of historical monitoring data. He says this:
[…] Eventually there will be a time where policies will change because the only thing that restricts the activities of the surveillance state are policy. Even our agreements with other sovereign governments, we consider that to be a stipulation of policy rather then a stipulation of law. And because of that a new leader will be elected, they'll find the switch.
— Edward Snowden in conversation with Glenn Greenwald, from a transcription at PolicyMic
For all of our best intentions, policies can be changed. Snowden's fear of the NSA is that a new policy will be applied not just to newly acquired data, but the archived information dating back a decade. So it is with our application logging. By gathering everything and intending to be nice, someone can break your promises. Silicon Valley takes great pride in its positivity, trust, and enthusiasm for people doing the right thing with the best of intentions. We expect to make innocent, forgivable mistakes in the process, but that doing so is OK. Applied in the workplace that's a boost to productivity and morale, but as a broad attitude to an industry it's hopelessly naïve. Applied to the unfettered mechanisms of government, I find it pitiable.
Beyond policy is law. This industry desperately wants to avoid the hand of regulation, but in any case there's no risk of that here. Any law restricting data retention is informed by the very same government who would like to use that data in an investigation. In fact, law restricts communications services minimum period to hold data, as well as lengthy maximums.
I do believe that a lot of logging in technology is entirely reasonable and respectful. I believe that the vast majority of the analysis and use of logs from the web and applications is reasonable and respectful, discards or ignores things that could be abused, and ultimate does inform more usable technology. But in observing such a collective shrug to the implications and the potential of the NSA behaviour, I feel a great discomfort in this culture where logging is on by default, ‘just because’ and ‘just in case.’
I wish that we would go further and champion the practice of technologically implementing privacy, rather than just policies. I want an industry that avoids the senseless warehousing of raw data, and celebrates ways to design analytical tools to deform destroy unnecessary, sensitive data before it's stored at all. I wish that our culture was to issued warrants, rather than to trawl for patterns in our blanket surveillance.
I wish that developers would at least give it a second thought.These are difficult days for Indian techies, and it’s not going to get much better.
On April 21, reports suggested that Wipro, India’s third-largest information technology (IT) company, has laid off up to 600 employees. Meanwhile, US-based Cognizant is reportedly considering laying off 6,000 in India, where the bulk of its workforce is stationed. Earlier this year, Infosys, the country’s second-largest IT firm, acknowledged that it was “releasing” nearly 2,000 employees every quarter, and cutting back on recruitment.
And this may be only the beginning of the bloodbath.
For some time now, the $150-billion Indian IT industry, which directly and indirectly employs some 10 million people, has been bracing for a crisis. India could lose 640,000 low-skilled jobs in the industry by 2021, HfS Research, which analyses business operations and IT services, had warned in 2016. This was mainly because non-customer facing positions such as IT support jobs would likely be automated.
In a February 2017 study, consulting firm McKinsey estimated that about half of the 3.9 million employees of Indian IT services companies would become “irrelevant” within the next four years, again thanks to automation. And NASSCOM, the Indian IT industry’s trade lobby, also expects at least a 20% reduction in jobs available in the sector over the next three years.
“We are looking at re-skilling one million people because new technologies are reshaping the job market,” Sangeeta Gupta, senior vice-president at NASSCOM, told Moneycontrol News. “While the industry will remain a net hirer, the pace of job creation has come down.”
But re-skilling at that scale is easier said than done. Some 65% of the workforce in the sector just cannot be re-trained, reckoned Srinivas Kandula, head of French IT company Capgemini’s Indian operations. ”Probably, India will witness the largest unemployment in the middle level to senior level,” Kandula, who has around 100,000 employees in the country, said at a NASSCOM event in February.
It’s not that new jobs won’t be created as the IT sector transforms. The problem is that Indian engineers, many of whom graduate from sub-standard institutions, are woefully under-skilled to partake in this new technology ecosystem. A recent study of over 36,000 Indian engineering students found that only 4.77% met the minimum requirement for a computer programming job.
If that’s the basic standard, finding candidates who can navigate the world of automation and artificial intelligence is a long shot. “Generic coding skills are going out of fashion now. You are required to be adept at data science, machine learning, cyber security…But there are zero people formally trained in these things,” Prasar Sharma, director for emerging technologies at Mumbai’s SP Jain School of High Technology, told the Financial Times newspaper.
Then there’s the fact that key regions for the Indian IT industry, from Singapore to the US, have been increasingly shutting the door on Indian engineers, further stymieing employment opportunities.
Oddly, many young professionals don’t seem quite bothered by the chaos. Over 80% of the individuals aged between 21 years and 24 years who were surveyed by education technology firm Talentedge remained confident of retaining their jobs despite automation. But inside the landscaped campuses of many Indian IT firms, the reality is rather different.
Also read: Everywhere Indian engineers are unwantedIn the lead-up to President Donald Trump’s maiden speech before the United Nations General Assembly, there were whispers that we would see a new Trump. After weeks of being schooled by Chief of Staff John Kelly, the White House’s own Henry Higgins, our nativist president would renew America’s commitment to upholding the world order. With reports that the administration was also considering renewing the U.S.’s commitment to the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, it had the possibility to be a momentous event: A normalization of relations between the U.S. and the rest of the world, after months of upheaval.
It was not to be. Instead, Trump gave a dark and tempestuous speech in which he referred to Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man” and threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea. He labeled the Iran nuclear deal an “embarrassment” and strongly signaled that he planned to rip it up. In Trump’s spin on the Axis of Evil speech, the Iraq slot was given to Venezuela; while poorly cosplaying Ronald Reagan, he attempted to turn Venezuela into a cautionary tale: “The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented.”
Trump was belligerent and bombastic, threatening to start or exacerbate a number of conflicts, while ranting about refugees and free trade. It was a speech clearly influenced by adviser Stephen Miller, who many presumed had been cowering in some corner of the White House ever since Steve Bannon’s ouster in August. When it comes to foreign policy, at least, the Bannon wing is still very much alive.
Most strikingly, the speech made stabs at a foreign policy vision. “As long as I hold this office,” Trump intoned, “I will defend America’s interests above all else. But in fulfilling our obligations to our own nations, we also realize that it’s in everyone’s interest to seek a future where all nations can be sovereign, prosperous, and secure.” This has been interpreted by some supporters and some detractors as a return to realpolitik, but in fact there’s no overarching principle, not even Trump’s notion of “sovereignty,” which explains the various, sometimes schizophrenic approaches to foreign problems outlined in the speech. Rather, Trump gave what could be called his Global Carnage speech, ranting about crises—“Major portions of the world are in conflict and some, in fact, are going to hell,” he said—while proposing policies that would only make those crises worse.FAIL=> Jim Acosta Gives Speech About Fake News – Gets Destroyed by Trump Supporters
Anaheim, CA – Very fake news CNN’s Jim Acosta participated in a panel discussion with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists after they honored him with the 2017 Presidential Award on Saturday.
Acosta told the crowd, “When people use the term fake news, it’s because they can’t handle the truth and can’t stand the heat.”
CNN has reported on the Trump-Russia hoax with zero evidence for almost a year while nearly blacking out coverage of Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Pakistani IT staffer who was arrested and charged for bank fraud. But we are the ones who can’t handle the truth…got it.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists sent out a tweet quoting Acosta’s speech Saturday. “Acosta speaks about the phrase ‘fake news’.
NAHJ said this about Acosta:
“For the past years, I’ve seen Jim Acosta in action. He’s covered President Obama and President Donald Trump, always pushing both sides to answer the tough questions,” commented Brandon Benavides, NAHJ President. “As a voice for the people, Acosta is not afraid to hold our elected leaders accountable. Regardless of criticism, he remains focused in a pursuit of truth for our communities. Acosta is among an elite group of journalists covering the White House.”
Acosta also reportedly gave interviews to students in attendance on Saturday.
Trump supporters destroyed Acosta who was famously called ‘very fake news’ by President Trump on more than one occasion:
@Acosta can’t handle the truth about the election — Doctor Cheeseburger (@DrCheesebrgr) September 9, 2017
You don’t tell the truth — Lsvl Meal Center (@mealcenter) September 9, 2017
You don’t know what real news is cry baby Acosta — Noris Gomez (@nannyanj) September 9, 2017
You and CNN are the 1 than can |
to spend tens of billions of dollars to expand the country’s electrical grid and add new sub-stations on seemingly every corner.Apparently all news about the new Vampire Chronicles movie adaptations will now come to us via social media. Writer-director Josh Boone tweeted the below photo of Jared Leto with the caption “Lestat - there can be only one. #JaredLeto.”
Here it is:
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This follows an Instagram post of Boone’s that showed a completed script for Interview With the Vampire. While there haven’t been any official announcements or confirmation, Chris Rice (writer and son of Anne Rice) tweeted this earlier yesterday:
Which could have set the stage for Boone’s tweet. While this could all be one big joke—“there can be only one” is a Highlander quote, after all, we will say that the casting makes total sense, especially given the boost Leto would give the project, mainly due to his upcoming turn as the Joker on Suicide Squad.
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[h/t kingls]The Las Vegas location of the Madame Tussauds wax museum has decided to boost security in response to visitors who have posed inappropriately with its wax casting of rapper Nicki Minaj. The museum debuted the statue, which depicts Minaj on her hands and knees, per last year’s “Anaconda” music video, earlier this month.
Minaj initially promoted the figure via Instagram, and then began posting photos that highlighted the trend of patrons posing with it in inappropriate ways. Madame Tussauds noticed too, and released a statement Tuesday describing the trend and explaining steps it plans to take to remedy the situation.
“We have been made aware of the inappropriate photograph”—which the Internet seems to agree was this one—”that was taken at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, involving Nicki Minaj’s new wax figure,” the museum wrote on Twitter. “Madame Tussauds attractions are interactive, immersive experiences, and our visitors are generally respectful towards the wax figures. It is unfortunate that this visitor decided to behave so inappropriately and we apologise for any offence this has caused.”
“We are taking immediate steps to ensure more staff are present in this area and that the set around this particular figure is redesigned so that a picture like this cannot be taken again,” the statement concluded.
Madame Tussauds’ response comes a week after Minaj’s fellow female rapper Azaelia Banks condemned the figure via Twitter and said, “As much as that woman has accomplished, they had to put her on all fours… Why not standing up with a mic in her hand???”
Read the full statement below:
Statement regarding Nicki Minaj’s Madame Tussauds wax figure pic.twitter.com/tnnyZL0BNX — Madame Tussauds LV (@TussaudsVegas) August 18, 2015
Denise Truscello/Getty Images
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Posted
Hundreds of people have flocked to Hobart's main street to try out a huge temporary water slide.
The City Slider - a 325-metre long, six-metre wide waterslide - has taken over Elizabeth Street in the CBD for a day before heading interstate.
The slide has already made appearances in Launceston and Devonport and will be taken to Queensland next on its first national tour.
Co-founder Stuart Harris, whose company is based in Hobart, said the slider turned a childhood dream into reality.
"I think everyone when they were young wanted to extend their waterslide and everyone wanted the biggest waterslide possible and so we've kind of brought that to them," he said.
"It all started in Hobart and we're now just getting ready to tour it around Australia, looking at doing 30 dates this year.
"We run 3,500 people through the slide over a course of 12 hours and people generally get sort of five, six, seven goes on it and yeah, lots of smiling faces."
Hobartians gave the slide a big thumbs up.
"Absolutely awesome, fantastic, yep, great enterprise, brilliant, kids loved it. I loved it more," said one mother.
The City Slider will be open until 10:00pm.
Another massive water slide, known as Slidestreet, toured Australia in December and January, taking over city streets in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
Topics: hobart-7000Hi everyone.
I am new to tumblr and I am new to being an otherkin. The first time I ever felt different was at a very young age. My grandfather used to take me fishing. I remember vividly, every time he stuck a fish hook into a worm, I got very uncomfortable. It was almost like I could feel their pain. It gave me countless recurring nightmares.
Shortly after that, I realized how comfortable I was with the idea of losing my limbs. I began laying on the ground, blankly staring. I would do it for hours at a time. It was so relaxing and it felt so right. I know now that I was actually m-shifting. Now I am working diligently on my p-shift. So far, all I can muster is a little layer of slime.
Anyway, I am just here to find other people like me, who can give me tips and support. It would be great to meet other wormkin, but any otherkin are cool with me.
I hope to make many new friends. :)BOSTON The suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings killed in a shootout with police received welfare benefits from the state up until last year, when he became ineligible based on family income.
A spokesman for the state Office of Health and Human Services on Wednesday confirmed a Boston Herald report that 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, his wife and their toddler daughter had received benefits.
A lawyer for his wife, Katherine Russell Tsarnaeva, has said that she worked 70 to 80 hours per week as a home health aide while her husband cared for their daughter.
The state says both Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev his brother and the other bombing suspect received welfare benefits as children through their parents while the family lived in Massachusetts.
Neither was receiving benefits at the time of the bombing.
Katherine Russell Tsarnaeva is assisting federal authorities who are investigating the attacks, her lawyer said on Tuesday.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev's widow releases statement on attack
Russia says Boston bombing suspect met with suspected militant
"She is doing everything she can to assist with the investigation," said Amato DeLuca, her lawyer. "The report of involvement by her husband and brother-in-law came as an absolute shock to them all."
The lawyer also issued a statement that said Tsarnaeva, whose toddler is the daughter of the late suspect, is "trying to come to terms with these events."
Meanwhile U.S. investigators are in contact with suspects in southern Russia and working with Russian security officials to shed light on the deadly attack, a U.S. Embassy official said Wednesday.
The Americans traveled Tuesday from Moscow to the predominantly Muslim province of Dagestan "because the investigation is ongoing, it's not over," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He said the U.S. team is working with the Russian security services, the FSB.
"This is a horrible tragedy for our country, but one positive development might be closer cooperation on this set of issues with the Russian government," the embassy official said.
The Tsarnaev brothers are accused of setting off the two bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15. The elder brother was later killed in a police standoff.
Investigators are looking into whether Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who spent six months in Russia's Caucasus in 2012, was influenced by the religious extremists who have waged an insurgency against Russian security services in the area for years. The brothers have roots in Dagestan and neighboring Chechnya, but neither spent much time in either place before the family moved to the United States a decade ago.
Expert explains Boston suspects' Chechnya connection
On Wednesday, their mother, Tsarnaeva, was inside the FSB building in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, where she was believed to be speaking further to U.S. and Russian investigators.
Heda Saratova, a prominent Chechen rights activist providing support to the distraught mother, said Tsarnaeva first went in for questioning on Tuesday, returning late at night. Saratova said she had no details about the discussions, but Tsarnaeva said they were "cordial."
The father, Anzor Tsarnaev, also was summoned to the FSB headquarters but did not go because he felt ill.• Proposal would see end to equal sharing of money from international rights • Eleven of 14 ‘smaller’ clubs oppose plan presented by Richard Scudamore
The Premier League’s six richest clubs are facing stubborn resistance against their efforts to seek a greater share of income from the next multibillion‑pound round of TV deals.
In a plan believed by the 14 others to be supported by Manchester United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, the Premier League is proposing to end the system by which money from international TV rights sales is shared equally by all 20.
Richard Scudamore, the Premier League’s chairman, is understood to have presented a proposal to a meeting of the other 14 clubs held at the Pullman hotel in London on Wednesday, for 35% of the next international TV money to be distributed according to “merit” – in other words, where clubs finish in the league.
Deceit, determination and Murdoch's millions: how Premier League was born Read more
That would be a major change to the arrangement which has operated by agreement since the original 1992 breakaway of the then First Division clubs to form the Premier League, which was itself motivated by the bigger clubs no longer wanting to share TV money with the Football League’s other three divisions.
Income from international TV rights 25 years ago was negligible, so the clubs agreed to share that money equally, while only a third of British TV income is divided equally, the other two-thirds shared according to where clubs finish in the league and how many times they are shown on television.
Now, though, the Premier League’s popularity has made it prime content for burgeoning pay-TV operations around the world, delivering approximately £3bn to the 20 clubs in the 2016-19 round of deals. That bonanza added to the £5.1bn from the competition between Sky and BT for British subscribers, plus other highlights deals, makes a total of £8.4bn in the current three-year cycle.
The distribution of TV money last season showed that the champions Chelsea received £151m in total while bottom-placed Sunderland were paid £93m, but the booming international income was shared equally, the 20 receiving £39m apiece. The so-called “big six” clubs argue that as the global revenue rises, as it is expected to again when the 2019-22 deals start to be negotiated later this year, they should receive a larger share because they are the ones which international viewers tune in to watch.
The other 14 clubs have been resisting these moves, in an effort to hold on to their equal share of the money. They are arguing that the sharing arrangement helps them to sign high-quality players and keep the league, as Scudamore describes it, “competitive and compelling” and therefore attractive on TV. Three of the smaller clubs are said to have been inclined at the meeting to agree the new 35% merit payment arrangement, but the agreement of 14 is needed to effect such a substantial change, and 11 remain firmly opposed.
A meeting of all clubs has been called for next Wednesday in London to finalise what the sharing arrangements will be.Image copyright AFP Image caption Uhuru Kenyatta, who was elected president last year, denied orchestrating violence after elections in 2007
Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have withdrawn charges of crimes against humanity against Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He had been indicted in connection with post-election ethnic violence in 2007-08, in which 1,200 people died.
Mr Kenyatta, who had denied the charges, said he felt "vindicated".
The prosecutor's office said the Kenyan government had refused to hand over evidence vital to the case.
Mr Kenyatta said he was "excited" and "relieved" at the dropping of charges.
"My conscience is absolutely clear," he said, adding that his case had been "rushed there without proper investigation".
Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed said her government would try to have two other similar cases thrown out including one involving Deputy President William Ruto.
Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Kenyatta (l) said he would now try to have the case against his deputy, William Ruto (r), dropped
"As they say, one case down, two more to go," Mr Kenyatta said on Twitter.
On Wednesday, the ICC had given prosecutors a week to decide whether to pursue their case against Mr Kenyatta or withdraw charges.
Further delays in the case would be "contrary to the interests of justice", it had said.
On Friday, prosecutors said the evidence had "not improved to such an extent that Mr Kenyatta's alleged criminal responsibility can be proven beyond reasonable doubt".
The BBC's Anna Holligan in The Hague said the announcement was a huge blow to prosecutors.
Many observers had seen the case against Mr Kenyatta as the biggest test in the court's history, she says.
'Bribed and intimidated'
Mr Kenyatta was the first head of state to appear before the court, after he was charged in 2012.
The prosecution repeatedly asked for more time to build its case, saying witnesses had been bribed and intimidated, and the Kenyan government had refused to hand over documents vital to the case.
Human Rights Watch had accused the Kenyan government of acting as a roadblock and "impairing the search for truth".
Image copyright AP Image caption About 600,000 people were forced to flee their homes in the post-election violence
Mr Kenyatta denied inciting ethnic violence following the disputed 2007 elections in order to secure victory for then-President Mwai Kibaki.
He has repeatedly accused the ICC of pursuing a political prosecution.
On Friday, he again criticised the legal process, saying: "The prosecutor opted to selectively pursue cases in a blatantly biased manner that served vested interests and undermined justice.
"As a result, the court has had to pay a steep reputational price, which it will continue to face unless a serious and systemic rethinking of the international justice framework is undertaken."
Mr Kenyatta won Kenya's presidential elections in 2013, with the backing of Mr Kibaki.
He used the ICC case against him to rally nationalist support by accusing the Dutch-based court of meddling in Kenya's affairs.
'Robbed'
About 1,200 people were killed in the violence in 2007-8 and 600,000 were displaced.
Fergal Gaynor, a lawyer who represents victims of the violence, told the BBC's Foucs on Africa programme that there was a "widespread feeling of disappointment" at the dropping of the case against Mr Kenyatta.
He said there had been a "well-organised and systematic effort to undermine the ICC justice process and much of the blame for that can be laid with President Kenyatta's government".
Mr Gaynor said the victims had been "robbed" of justice and there was little legal recourse left.
"Frankly, this marks the end of the road," he said.
Uhuru Kenyatta
Image copyright Reuters
Born in 1961, became Kenya's youngest president
Son of the country's first president, Jomo Kenyatta
Heir to one of the largest fortunes in Kenya, according to Forbes magazine
Entered politics in 1990s, groomed by ex-President Daniel arap Moi
Lost presidential race in 2002 by a large margin to coalition led by Mwai Kibaki
Backed Mr Kibaki for re-election in 2007
Married father of three
Hobbies: Football and golf
Mr Ruto is on trial at the ICC on similar charges after his legal team's efforts to have the case thrown out failed.
He and Mr Kenyatta were on opposing sides during the 2007 election, with Mr Ruto accused of fuelling violence to bolster opposition leader Raila Odinga's chances of becoming president. He denies the charges.
Mr Ruto subsequently formed an alliance with Mr Kenyatta in the 2013 election, opening the way for him to become deputy president.
Analysts say the dropping of charges against Mr Kenyatta while the case against Mr Ruto continues risks reopening a political rift and upsetting Kenya's delicate ethnic balance.
Mr Kenyatta said the deputy president faced his accusers "with a clear conscience".
Mr Ruto and another defendant, Joshua Sang, "have been steadfast in declaring their innocence", said Mr Kenyatta.
"I am confident that they will be vindicated in due course."It’s every student’s worst nightmare: sitting in the most important test of your life, you’re told out of the blue that time’s up. You look at your sheet and realize that 13 questions remain unanswered. Impossible, you think, because you have taken a million practice tests and you know exactly how much time it takes to complete one of these. “Teacher, I think we have more time,” you protest, though to no avail. No one around you is getting preferential treatment, so why should you? The timekeeper has rung the bell!
Something like this happened in central China this year, and as it turns out — the timekeeper did ring the bell early! The test was the gaokao, aka the National College Entrance Exam, only the most important test in a student’s life. Without recourse, 1,050 students handed their papers four minutes and 48 seconds early.
This one timekeeping mistake may cost the proctor one year of his life, which he will be spending in prison. Reuters reports:
The incident lead to thousands of students and parents gathering “multiple times” at the school and the local education bureau to demand that the government investigate, it said. A court sentenced Xiao to one year in jail for negligence, Xinhua said.
The sentence, however, is likely to only be symbolic.
However, he was also given a one-year reprieve, Xinhua said, which means he may serve either very little or no time inside. “Xiao was careless in his work and mistakenly rang the bell too early, resulting in adverse social impact,” the report added, citing a court statement.
But the point has been delivered, loud and clear: don’t ring the bell early. Too much is on the line for the kids and their immediate and future families to tolerate such a boneheaded mistake from one careless adult.
(H/T Vali)A dollar can still go pretty far these days. You can spend it on a small cup of coffee, a can of soda, a hot dog (outside of Citi Field). Or it could buy you 23 acres of Willets Point.
The Department of City Planning on Monday certified Sterling Equities’ and the Related Companies’ plans for the Phase 1 redevelopment of the Iron Triangle.
The $3 billion project promises to bring a shopping mall, hotel, remediation and affordable housing to the heart of North Queens. But the land won’t cost much for the duo, which has adopted the name The Queens Development Group for the joint venture. And previous promises for community givebacks in the form of affordable housing are not ironclad in the text of a contract dated Aug. 1, 2012 between the developers and the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
In reality, several conditions laced into the 151-page contract allow the Mets’ development wing and Related to walk away from the project if it amounts to bad business. It also contradicts previously stated reasons for the delayed construction of the affordable housing.
Dollars and Sense
The 23-acre parcel set the two companies back one buck. But the project also came with a reduced price tag of more than $100 million through tax savings and grants, according to the contract.
When the plan first faced public review in 2008, some members of the community and elected officials were wary of plans allowing a private developer to remake all 62 acres of Willets Point.
Affordable housing was added as the big-ticket selling point, and a plan was approved in November 2008. The community has been waiting for the affordable housing ever since.
The developer’s contract with the city, however, is laced with clauses that would allow the QDG to back out of affordable housing promises.
Ramping up
At the heart of the matter rest additional exit ramps off the Van Wyck Expressway, which were necessary to mitigate the impact on the area’s infrastructure.
The contract requires the 23 acres be cleaned up first. QDG rolled out the plan on Monday touting the benefits of the remediation of the area.
But after the cleanup, only the ramps’ creation blocks the affordable housing.
Those exits off the highway offer a bedeviling conundrum within the contract, just as they do in real life.
For example, should the city not follow through on building the ramps before Dec. 1, 2025, Sterling and Related will not be penalized for ditching the affordable housing component.
If, however, QDG is behind schedule on the affordable housing, it faces a $35 million fine in 2012 dollars, not matching a rise in inflation.
“It’s probably a higher penalty than you’ll find anywhere in the country for a project of this scale,” said an EDC spokesman.
But the most bizarre part remains the development group’s complete control over when the ramps are built, which is explicitly stated in the contract.
“Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, EDC agrees that the Joint Venture shall have the right, in the Joint Venture’s sole discretion and at the Joint Venture’s sole cost and expense, to complete the ramps at any time after closing,” it reads. The contract also includes a veritable “How To” manual for the ramps.
The verbiage surrounding the ramps was disconcerting for opponents of the project.
“People can have that housing being built sometime next year,” said Jerry Antonacci, owner of Crown Container in the Iron Triangle and member of opposition group Willets Point United. “They can start building their ramps then building their housing. Why can’t they do this? I can’t understand. Why are you holding this housing hostage at such a late date?”
The provision stands in direct contradiction to assertions made by the Queens Development Group attorney Jesse Masyr, who said the developer had to wait on the city to complete the ramps.
“If [the city] builds exits off the Van Wyck three years earlier, we will construct housing three years earlier,” he told a Queens Housing Coaltion meeting in January. QDG could not explain the discrepancy in statements as of writing.
“There’s really no guarantee that they’re going to build any of the affordable housing part,” said the coalition’s coordinator Ivan Contreras upon hearing about the contractual clause.
An EDC spokesman said the city was committed to building the ramps itself.
Both the city and developer have stated that sizeable fines attached to the affordable housing will deter Sterling and Related from flippantly walking away.
QDG said it will have essentially created the land’s value; walking away would surrender the value of that work to most likely another developer. Good business dictates it sees the project through, QDG concluded.
Good business indeed
The city’s EDC has promised the developer $99.9 million in city grants and up to $20 million in inflation-adjusted savings on construction work, according to the contract.
Antonacci took a jab at the city financial aid offered to the developer, in light of the insistence the city build ramps.
“This is city taxpayer money they’re giving away to developers who can afford to pay for it themselves,” he said.
The minimal cost of the 23 acres has also been justified by the sizable cost and effort of the remediation. Well, up to a point.
The deal also sets a $40 million cap on cleanup costs, one-tenth the estimated cost bandied about by then-Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber during City Council hearings in 2008. Should the work cross that threshold, the city and developer have reserved the right to walk away from the rest of the project.
The developer said the $40 million threshold represents a sort of point of no return, when so much has been invested that to walk away without having built anything would be illogical.
What’s next?
The plan’s certification sets the project down the usual chain of participants in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure: Community Board 7, the borough president, possibly the City Council and the City Planning Commission.
The project calls for the creation of a 1.4-million-square-foot mall, a hotel, community facilities, open space and affordable housing, constituting the largest single private investment in the borough’s history, according to Masyr.
But since most of the project already navigated ULURP five years ago, only zoning approvals for parking east of Citi Field and interim recreation uses at the site will technically be open to discussion.
Until then, Masyr has pressed hard the benefits of the remediation.
“I have I believe for the first time in 50 years a true plan, more important than anything, to stop the current pollution and clean the land,” he said. “It’s been a herculean effort.”[Total: 24 Average: 4.2/5]
We are pleased to introduce David J. Griffiths. Professor Griffiths is one of the most successful physics textbook writers. Odds are if you studied physics in college, you’ve used one of his textbooks. We are pleased and honored to obtain some of his insights on the quantum and academic world. Here we go!
Please give us a background on your educational background and work experiences
High School(1960): my last two years were spent at Putney, a tiny boarding school on a farm in Vermont. This is relevant, because the framework for all the physics and mathematics I later learned was provided by Ed Shore, my teacher there. To this day, when I approach a physics problem or calculate an integral, I think about it in the language he taught me.
University: BS (Harvard, 1964); PhD (Harvard, 1970), elementary particle theory (Advisor: Sidney Coleman).
Post-Docs: University of Utah (1970-1972) and University of Massachusetts (1972-1974); both of them involved part-time teaching.
Employment: Mount Holyoke College (1974-1977); Trinity College (1977-1978); Reed College (1978-2009); I taught again at UM and MHC, and also at Smith and Amherst (2001-2002), and at Stanford (2007); sabbaticals at SLAC, Berkeley, and LBL.
*[For more information you can visit his academic webpage here.]
Please speak about the high prices of textbooks and the future of open source textbooks
In my experience there are two things over which an author has very little control: the cover, and the cost. Commercial publishers charge obscene prices for one reason: because they can. This is capitalism gone crazy: the person who chooses the product (the professor) is not the one who pays for it (the student), and none of the usual competitive constraints apply. I am pleased to say that in the case of my Quantum book I have extracted myself from Pearson, switching to Cambridge University Press, and the identical book now sells for less than half what Pearson was charging.
I like the idea of open source textbooks, although an enormous amount of work goes into the writing of a good book, and I do think there should be reasonable compensation to the author, both in fairness and as a disincentive for sloppiness. However, I detest the idea of customized “cut-and-paste” books. A good book (even—or perhaps especially—a physics textbook) has a coherent story line, and ripping out sections (or, as one publisher has done to me, removing all cross-references) is like taking the breadcrumbs out of Hansel and Gretel; it ruins the story. I realize, of course, that not every student is going to read every page, but the book itself should remain intact, as written.
What do you believe is the most difficult thing about teaching undergraduate quantum mechanics, and what is the biggest hurdle for the students trying to learn it?
The most difficult thing for the teacher to provide, and the student to develop, is a coherent framework for thinking about the subject. Classical mechanics is intuitively satisfying: state Newton’s second law and most people’s reaction is “Of course, why didn’t I think of that?” But quantum mechanics is radically counter-intuitive, and to learn the subject one needs a kind of skeleton to hang the various pieces on, and give some structure to the body.
As teachers, we tend to say too much. Because we know the subject is difficult to understand, we find ourselves, like a lawyer before a skeptical jury, presenting inconsistent arguments in the hope that one of them will stick. “Well, sometimes it behaves like a wave, and sometimes like a particle.” What is someone new to the subject supposed to make of a statement like that? Bohr had a nasty habit of elevating every half-baked idea to the status of a cosmic principle, and most instructors feel obliged to follow his lead, even if they do not themselves find the principle intelligible. What on earth does the Complementary Principle really mean? If it doesn’t make sense to you, then don’t teach it—it surely won’t make sense to your students. But it will leave them with the queasy feeling that something fishy is going on, and that’s precisely what we must try to avoid.
Has the way that we teach QM to undergraduates changed appreciably in the years since you first had to learn it as an undergrad yourself?
Yes. In the early ’60’s the older professors could still remember their own struggles to adjust to this radical new way of thinking. They took it for granted that we, too, had to be dragged kicking and screaming out of our comfortable classical playpen. So they spent weeks at the beginning trying to persuade us that classical mechanics was fatally flawed. After a month on the 19th century theory of blackbody radiation I could feel (if not really understand) Planck’s frustration. But my generation didn’t need all this—we had heard about quantum mechanics since grammar school, and we were anxious to get down to business. I was determined that if I ever taught the subject, Schrodinger’s equation would appear in the very first lecture. [One of the problems with an overly historical approach to the subject is that quantum mechanics actually began with the photon, and the photon is a relativistic particle if there ever was one; it has no proper place in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics—it belongs to a quite different subject: quantum field theory. If quantum mechanics had started with electron diffraction, then perhaps the historical route would make better sense. But in point of fact that came much later.]
How much airtime should foundational/interpretational issues get in an intro/undergraduate course?
I think they do definitely belong—after all, this is what makes the subject so fascinating. But there is a real danger in providing answers before the student is in a position to understand the questions. So I prefer to address these issues later in the course. The theory of spin, for instance, is the perfect place to discuss the meaning of the statistical interpretation—what do eigenvectors and eigenvalues have to do with the measurement process? Bell’s theorem absolutely belongs, but probably at the end of the semester.
Quantum mechanics seems to attract more bad (oversimplified or misleading or overwrought or ….) popularizations than most other branches of physics. Why is this, and is there anything that can be done about it?
Indeed! I think there are two villains here: (1) Physicists, who are (rightly) desperate to explain to the world the extraordinary, fascinating, and profound implications of quantum mechanics. But they are afraid of intimidating an audience that gags at the sight of an equation; they want to convey the excitement without the substance. So they resort to forced similes and grossly misleading metaphors (quantum tunneling means you can walk through walls—somehow it never works when I try it). (2) Non-physicists who are intrigued by words like “uncertainty” and “indeterminacy,” but are too lazy to do the serious work it takes to understand them. (I say “lazy,” not “incompetent,” because in my experience very few people are actually incapable of learning physics, if they set their mind to it—their problem is a short attention span. As soon as it starts to require hard work, they lose interest. That’s fine: physics is not for everyone. But then don’t pretend you are genuinely interested in it.)
What is your advice to a layperson who is interested in QM but lacks the math background to take on a serious undergraduate course?
Learn the math. You’ll be glad you did, whether you take the QM course or not.
How should aspects of how we teach [intro and intermediate] Classical Mechanics be modified to better prepare us for Quantum Mechanics? Which topics should be more emphasized? de-emphasized?
I don’t think they should be. Classical mechanics is a very different subject, from which quantum mechanics does not emerge in any natural way. There is a school of thought that says you should develop classical mechanics up through Poisson brackets: change the shape of the parentheses, slip in an h-bar or two, and presto—you’ve got quantum mechanics! I like to emphasize, to the contrary, that quantum mechanics is a radically different theory, with different epistemology and different strategies. I’d like the students to know what a Hamiltonian is, but that’s about it. (Well, OK: and mass, momentum, potential energy, and angular momentum.) Study classical mechanics by all means, as a worthy subject in its own right, but don’t think of it as the necessary precursor to quantum mechanics.
Are you currently writing (or planning to write) any new books? If so, in what areas?
Nope. I’m working on a third edition of my Quantum book, and helping to edit a posthumous Quantum Field Theory book by my PhD advisor Sidney Coleman. That’s enough for now.
What textbooks were your favorites when you were a student?
Purcell’s “Electricity and Magnetism” was my absolute favorite (but I didn’t encounter that until I was a graduate student). I think the first edition of Resnick and Halliday was a good book—I wish they would reprint it. It had no glossy colored pictures, but you could actually carry around it without a forklift; it had everything you needed to know—no more. Gillespie’s “A Quantum Primer.”
Please describe your process for writing textbooks. It seems like a daunting task.
My books all began as lecture notes. I rewrote them, and polished them, every time I taught the subject, and after six or seven iterations it was relatively easy to convert them to book form. I could never write a book from scratch, without this incremental sequence of successive approximations.
As a student, did you tend to learn more from your professors’ lectures or from the textbooks you used?
With rare (but extraordinary) exceptions the lectures I attended as an undergraduate were unintelligible, so I guess I learned more from textbooks—but most of all by working lots and lots of problems.
That wraps up the interview. David J. Griffiths will consider answering direct follow-up questions but due to his busy schedule is unable to engage in back-and-forth discussion.Wednesday’s brazen attack in the offices of French magazine Charlie Hebdo has left many people the world over shocked, saddened, and even infuriated. As the smoke cleared and we learned that 12 people were killed at the hands of three individuals wearing commando uniforms who brandished automatic weapons that were fired indiscriminately at the office, we were left with the horrific reality that these individuals were killed for the single fact that they used their free speech to publish provocative content.
As a Muslim, I was left having to grapple with — and answer — questions about the Islamic stance towards free speech and whether this attack is a natural consequence of mocking or abusing Muslim sentiments.
Many of us are no strangers to Charlie Hebdo, which has worked its way into controversy for some years, especially after choosing on multiple occasions to publish insulting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad with the expressed intention of offending Muslims. And, of course, if Charlie Hebdo has the right to insult, then Muslims have a right to feel offended. But the question becomes how Muslims should react and respond to this offense?
As hurt as I was to learn that 12 people lost their lives (and 12 families lost loved ones) due to this unjustifiable and unconscionable terrorist attack, I also experienced anger when I learned of the response of a known radical cleric in the United Kingdom named Anjem Choudary. This obscure leader of a tiny group of radical Muslims has spouted off some of the most despicable words one could imagine and appears hell-bent on intentionally maligning the Islamic faith and its prophet.
Why should I care about his article? Well, in less than 12 hours of being published, it had already been shared on social networks nearly 8,000 times, with 300 comments posted by readers. This obscure, insignificant lunatic has a platform and his voice is being heard. In his rant, he claims, “Muslims do not believe in the concept of freedom of expression,” alleging that anyone found guilty of abusing the Prophet Muhammad will receive “capital punishment implementable by an Islamic State.”
Purporting to be an Imam, he did not make even the slightest hint that there was anything wrong with commandos brutally killing these people. Instead of expanding on how Islamic scripture explicitly instructs Muslims to respond to insulting speech, Choudary concluded, “It is time that the sanctity of a Prophet revered by up to one-quarter of the world’s population was protected.”
In truth, it is time for radical hate-mongers like Choudary, who clearly have no true attachment to God or the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, to be confronted by the true teachings of Islam. Islam offers the balanced approach, instructing believers to self-govern their own speech but also how to respond to unseemly speech.
The Qur’an strongly discourages indecent behavior and speech, or the hurting of others’ sensitivities, regardless of whether it is done with or without a “valid” reason. Prophet Muhammad called his followers to human decency, integrity, and sensitivity through self-restraint — a virtue that encompasses forgiveness, patience, abstention from injury, truth, sweetness of speech, benevolence |
Styles embraced the genre title in recent uploads.
2016 will be the year of happy hardcore. There’s no need for it to be a dirty word. Today we’re premiering Gammer and Darren Styles’ Porter approved remix of “Sad Machine” and I’m happy to say it’s the first track of the year to have made me cry. I hope it reaches as many ears as possible because it’s one that deserves to fly. The future is fast. Let’s get it.
Check a few words on the premiere below and keep up with the SoundCloud pages of Gammer and Darren Styles for more.Television review: 'Gloria: In Her Own Words'
The HBO documentary examines how American feminist icon Gloria Steinem changed politics and society.
During the hour-long tour of Steinem's extraordinary life, viewers are reminded that the blatant sexism of "The Playboy Club" and "Mad Men" was not fiction (or at all entertaining) and that the modern social equality movements, including the women's movement, were propelled by individuals whose lives were often defined so much by the causes they supported that the actual person became a rumor, documented by personal anecdotes and public events.
It's difficult to imagine that her voice retains enough resonance to affect ratings — at 77, she is perceived by many to be as much of a historical curiosity piece as Hugh Hefner. Which is why "Gloria: In Her Own Words," though not perfect, is such an important documentary.
In a bit of unintentional synchronicity, the HBO documentary on feminist icon Gloria Steinem "Gloria: In Her Own Words" airs mere weeks before NBC trots out period soap "The Playboy Club." Steinem's first foray into controversial journalism and, one could argue, feminism was an assignment from Show magazine to go "undercover" as a Playboy bunny. And though the NBC series clearly did not use Steinem's story, which focused on the arduous physical and emotional working conditions of the bunnies, as background, it did enable Steinem to make headlines; while doing publicity for the documentary, she called for viewers to boycott "The Playboy Club."
This much I saw, albeit briefly, for myself. For three years in the late '80s, I worked at Ms. Magazine. It was my first job out of college and whenever I told anyone where I worked, the only question they had was: "Have you met Gloria?"
People who did not know Eleanor Smeal from Bella Abzug or Flo Kennedy from Angela Davis knew Gloria; as a household name, she was equaled only by Betty Friedan. But no woman of my generation wanted to be Betty, not if they could be Gloria. She was smart, witty, lovely and glamorous. She went to parties, had A-list lovers, and still was taken seriously. With that rough-around-the-edges alto, she managed to seem calm and reasonable even when she was saying things that made many people crazy.
Yes, I met her. Although at that point she did not run the magazine, Gloria showed up in the offices more than occasionally for editorial meetings. She was unfailingly friendly to the young staffers, ensuring that we were included in such a way that defied the hierarchy of a magazine, much less one run by a political icon. But as solicitous and engaging as she could be, Gloria maintained a Jackie Kennedy-like remoteness, the magazine's fabulous aunt rather than its mother. Many of the women who worked for or came through the Ms. offices were just as powerful, influential and brilliant, but no one had her talent for sheer presence.
That presence is what both illuminates and limits "Gloria: In Her Own Words."
As with his two previous "Own Words" documentaries, director Peter Kunhardt uses an interview with Steinem as the central narration of her life: the traumatic Midwestern childhood spent caring for her mentally ill mother; the early years as a writer in New York, confined to pieces on dating tips and textured stockings; the political awakening around abortion rights; the founding and surprising success of Ms.; the failed fight for the ERA, the complexities of aging and finally, her profound love of life.
The film clips alone are wonderful — including Harry Reasoner's patronizing denunciation of Ms. and Henry Kissinger's public flirtation with Steinem — and it does provide a brilliant if brief and narrow glimpse of the American women's movement. But this is Steinem's tale, not America's or even feminism's. She remains as forthright as she ever was, still lovely and glamorous (attributes she says hindered as much as helped her) and, more important, consistent in her politics. But even as she speaks about the pain in her life, her regrets, the midlife depression that propelled her into writing a book about self-esteem, the surprising marriage to David Bale that ended tragically with his death three years later, Steinem remains positive, optimistic and therefore enigmatic.Two days after entering the race for the U.S. Senate, Rep. Loretta Sanchez met with an Indian American group on Saturday and mimicked a racial stereotype of American Indians.
In a video shown to The Sacramento Bee and posted online shortly after, Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, describes a pending meeting she had with an East Indian.
“I am going to his office, thinking that I am going to meet with a,” she said, holding her hand in front of her mouth and making an echo sound. “Right?... because he said Indian American.
“And I go in there and it was great. It was just great because he said ‘I want to get my community involved.’ Involved. And that was the first time that we saw the Indian American community really come....”
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SHARE COPY LINK U.S. Senate candidate Lorettaz Sanchez elicited criticism in May 2015 for making a "war cry" that seemed to mock American Indians while speaking to an American Indian group in Anaheim.
Sanchez’s remarks came at the California Democratic Party’s convention in Anaheim, where the two Democrats seeking to replace U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer were meeting with delegates to begin shaping the contours of the campaign.
The other candidate, Attorney General Kamala Harris, whose mother is from from India and father is African American, was provided an account of the event by a reporter after her news conference. She called it shocking. “I don’t know what to say to that,” she said.
Harris later in the evening condemned the comment. “It is shocking and there is no place for that in our public discourse,” she said.
Sanchez, asked about the gesture in the video on Saturday, explained her thinking.
“What I said was that I got a call from somebody from over the phone and he said I want to talk to you about having help from the Indian community, and I thought he meant the American Indian community, in the sense of the Native American Indian community,” she said.
Sanchez, 55, would not say if the gesture was an appropriate one for any group of people. When asked, she said only, “I think that Native Americans have an incredibly great history, and a great presence in our country, and many of them are supporting our election.”
Sanchez’s unscripted approach has caused her trouble in the past.
Facing a challenge in 2010 from Republican Van Tran, an immigrant from Vietnam, she said on Spanish-language TV that “Vietnamese and Republicans” were attempting “to take this seat from us … and give it to this Van Tran, who is very anti-immigrant and very anti-Hispanic.”
Tran, who went on to lose that race, decried it as a “racial rampage.”
Sanchez responded by apologizing for her “poor choice of words” but had no such apology for Tran, who she said was taking “a cheap political shot.”
In 2000, as vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention, she raised eyebrows by scheduling a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion. Al Gore, then the Democratic nominee for president, joined party leaders in complaining about the optics, and Sanchez’s slot as a featured speaker was revoked.
She agreed to move the event to Universal Studios, and her speaking spot was restored, but she declined, asserting that the ordeal had consumed “too much press.”
Before the video surfaced, Sanchez and others had been pressuring Harris to make herself more available to media. Sanchez has also been criticizing her opponent for her lack of federal experience, contrasting that to her years on the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.
“First and foremost she’s never been a legislator, so she has no legislative experience,” Sanchez said. “Secondly she has no foreign relations, military, homeland security experience. She doesn’t know... the process of how to get things done in Washington, D.C.”
Her Senate campaign was already off to a rough start and was in doubt not 48 hours before the kickoff Thursday in Santa Ana.
After sending out an email Tuesday about the planned launch, Sanchez aides began calling reporters to explain it was a draft sent in error.
Bill Carrick, a strategist for her campaign, said that he wasn’t even sure whether she would run. But the next day, the campaign clarified Sanchez would be making an announcement at the same time and venue. Carrick could not be reached on Saturday afternoon.
Other Democrats still considering campaigns are Reps. Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles and John Garamendi of Walnut Grove.
Harris, in a speech to delegates, and then a nearly 25-minute news conference, said her experience as a career prosecutor and state attorney general has prepared her for the Senate.
“I think the voters are going to determine who is qualified to hold the office,” Harris, 50, said. “But I will say that over the course of the last five years, and before, I have traveled up and down the state of California talking with Californians about the issues they care about.”
Harris offered her support for the state’s $68 billion high-speed rail project, a priority of Gov. Jerry Brown and California Democrats. She also said she backed Brown’s tunnel plan to move water from Northern to Southern California.
On federal issues, Harris said she opposes giving President Barack Obama so-called fast-track authority to negotiate a trade agreement, siding with labor unions who have targeted Democrats who support it. Harris said she supports repealing the federal death penalty.
Harris came out against the Keystone XL oil pipeline but wants to see more analysis on hydraulic fracturing before taking a stand.President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., released all of his messages with WikiLeaks Monday night after reports surfaced that he had corresponded with WikiLeaks before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump Jr. decided to release his messages with Wikileaks through several tweets, after The Atlantic released a report Monday that said Trump Jr. received a private message from the WikiLeaks Twitter account on September 20, 2016.
The report led to speculation that Trump Jr. had been communicating with the group to influence the 2016 presidential election. Trump Jr. decided to release all of his messages with the news organization and said one the congressional committees were responsible for leaking the messages to the press.
Here is the entire chain of messages with @wikileaks (with my whopping 3 responses) which one of the congressional committees has chosen to selectively leak. How ironic! 1/3 pic.twitter.com/SiwTqWtykA — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 14, 2017
Trump Jr. invited the public to read his “whopping 3 responses” to WikiLeaks.
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Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.In 2011, I lost several hours of sleep photographing commuters onboard the last train that departs from Churchgate at 1 am. Sleepy and tired, heading home after a long day’s work, they were certain that the prize at the end of their journey was the safe environs of home. Often I would encounter bouncers, transgendered people, bankers after a particularly late shift due to an upcoming merger, college kids after a party, or drunks peeing out of the moving train.Sometimes people were okay with me making pictures, other times they’d stare blankly and once an entire compartment ganged up on me, threatening to throw my gear off the train but eventually mellowed down and complained about the lack of water and electricity in their localities on the northernmost edge of the island city. The late hours began messing with my days, and I soon lost interest, though, every once a while I end up being a traveller on that train.The last train made me wonder, “What would the first train look like, who are the people travelling on it?” Back in college, I skipped class to watch Indian Ocean playing at a venue nearby. Over the years, I began to appreciate the nuances and technical superiority of Indian Ocean but that evening I found them rather boring. Two hours later, my friends and I were in Nerul, on the outskirts of the city, head-banging to Megadeth covers by bands such as Naked Earth and Killer Tomatoes. The gig went on till 3 in the morning and I remember taking the first train out. We were surrounded by vegetable and flower sellers, fish vendors and some railway officials.Four nights ago, on a whim, I hopped on the last local and made my way to Virar. For a weekday, the last local was packed to the brim, with no space to stand comfortably or sit. Those who sat on the floor, near the footboard, wouldn’t budge, even if your shoes grazed their trousers. I chose to hop compartments at every station and finally landed up in the luggage section where a few men were swigging McDowells whisky, smoking beedis and playing cards. They told me they were regulars and one of them worked at a liquor shop. For obvious reasons, I chose to not make any photos of the scene. I might make a few once I clock a few more trips and have shared a drink or two with them.The scene at Virar, at the end of the line was surreal – a whole bunch of people asleep near the ticket counters. A policeman told me that these were commuters who had either arrived early from their homes to get the firs train, or had arrived on outstation trains and shuttles and were waiting for a connection to get to their relatives, or homes. One man slept rather comfortably on the granite shelf of the ticket counter, when I realised that my friend, photographer Anushree Fadnavis, wasn't with me any more. She photographs extensively inside second-class ladies compartments. Here’s a link to her series which was featured on an Instagram feed I curate called Katha – dedicated to long-form photo essays crafted using a cellphone camera.I caught up with Anushree, and we walked around till we went our separate ways. Making pictures for me and a lot of photographers I know is a solitary act and it’s rather uncomfortable to be doing so in a duo or worse, large groups of SLR-wielding folks who at times pop in your frames and make a mess of a photo that was in the making for a while. While one half of the station was catching up on its sleep, the other was prepping for the arrival of the 3.25 am train, the first one.Flower sellers arrive, armed with stacks of banana leaves and plonk them near the compartments they regularly get in. Koli women with empty fish baskets wait near the ladies compartments. They go all the way to the docks on the city's southern tip to buy fresh catch at wholesale rates, which they sell it for retail prices in the fish markets of northern Virar. Since the train only has three tiny luggage compartments, the vendors have no option but to transport their sacks of fresh flowers in the regular compartments.The arrival horn of the train wakes up the sleeping commuters and a few of the residents who live near the station. An orderly, well-practiced dance of chaos unfolds – baskets and gunny bags are loaded, and the stacks of banana leaves are tied to poles so that they don’t bend and break. Almost immediately after loading their goods, the vendors fold themselves up in blankets and go to sleep. The station recedes to murmurs of a prayer on everyone’s lips.Ideally, there should be two separate trains, one for the passengers and a luggage train for the traders.By the next two stations, the train is packed, much like it is during rush hour in the mornings and evenings. Almost everyone has surrendered to the gentle rocking and is asleep. An argument lights up between two men, one is feeling cold and wants the door closed while the other wants to enjoy the cool draft. “Aaj main nahaakey aaya hoon, isiliye garam lag rela hai,” he says jokingly. I have had a bath today and hence am not feeling too cold. Other unwashed commuters request him to comply. He relinquishes control of the door and it is shut.I am hopping compartments again, while Anushree has stepped off at her station and is on her way home. Standing at the footboard, I notice a eunuch about to enter my compartment. She touches the vacant space next to my right foot, seeks blessings from the train, and enters inside. It’s business time and she goes about seeking alms from the passengers who give willingly.As I step into my next compartment, a couple enters. They speak softly to each other, inviting stares. Probably returning home after a party. I step behind, merging with the grey insides of the walls. Sprawled above a group of students heading for a trek, I see a man sleeping on the luggage rack. How in the world did he get there? Abuse is hurled, elbows fly, noses squished and feet trampled as the train arrives at Dadar – home to the city's flower market.Relatively empty now, we make our way into Churchgate, the last stop, almost 20 minutes later The passengers who aren't asleep go around waking up those who are. The fisherwomen rush to occupy the waiting taxis. Some of them make a dash for the restrooms first. Outside the station, I buy myself a glass of tea and a bread and butter sandwich and sit at the bus stop. It reminds me of the time when five skinny, long-haired were returning from the gig at Nerul. We had to change trains at Dadar but we were hungry and stepped out looking for something to eat. Drenched in tungsten light, the flower market was abuzz. We came across a tea seller who insisted we try his chocolate-flavoured chai, which turned out to be half a bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk melted into the tea while it was being made. He was right, the tea was unforgettable indeed.
To shield himself from the cold, a man wraps a handkerchief around his ears while he waits for the train to arrive.
A flower seller offers his friend a piece of rope to tie the end of a roll of banana leaves that has come undone.
Every square inch of space is occupied.
A sleepy commuter looks on as a eunuch enters the compartment.
Take as many photos as you want, but don’t ask me any questions, I have no time.
Two brothers.
Commuters watch as a worker lays tiles on the platform at Lower Parel station.This past Saturday, a group of fans and aspiring creatives of all kinds gathered together in the basement level of Silicon Valley Comic Con. Outside this room, the convention bustles noisily with costumed characters, video games, and the murmur of human voices. Inside it is a rather drab and gray setting for one of the most prolific and influential creators in the comic book industry, who incidentally, is running just a few minutes late.
Michael Golden is probably best known for creating the X-men character “Rogue” while at Marvel, but his comic works also include “The ‘Nam,” “Micronauts”, “G.I. Joe Yearbook”, “Dr. Strange”, and much more. His diverse commercial portfolio ranges from Nascar to Nasa, to Universal and Warner Brothers. In a few moments, the man himself approaches the stage. I suddenly recall that a wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
“Rule number one is: people are stupid,” Golden says in his deep voice that is both gravel and soft butter all at once. This is not a man that wastes a lot of time in coming to his point. He is older, gray-bearded with glasses, and firmly clutching a Starbucks cup in his right hand. He smiles knowing that he has hooked us with surprise and continues, “Whoever you are trying to sell is ignorant of your story, and it’s up to you to give them the information. Make it dramatic, concise, involving, and understandable. People get bored easily, and they don’t come back.” There are only two explicit rules for success, apparently, and the second is a rule of no rules. “You hook them by sticking to who, what, when, where, why, how.”
At the age of 65, with a career spanning over 40 years, Golden’s longevity in this industry is unusual. “This industry will chew you up and spit you out,” he says. He credits his ability to stay ahead of the twenty-somethings to his discipline to keep learning and stay productive. “With commercial work, you no longer have the option to be in the mood.” A typical work day starts at 4:00 AM and ends at 8:00 PM. Golden forces himself to restrict creative work to the early part of the day. “By around 2:00 I really start to slow down. By 8:00 PM I am done, tired, wasted, and needing a drink.” He used to take Saturday and Sunday off without fail, but thanks to the Internet, Golden now works seven days a week.
When asked how he learns and draws inspiration, Golden says that he learns by doing, but he admonishes the audience to do as he says and not as he does. “Learn everything you can, go to school. Learn design, learn layouts, and learn color theory. There will be plenty of time later for Photoshop and Illustrator. Technology is just a tool; it can’t make you great.”
Although he does not say this, I start to realize there is something else going on here too. It is evident to me that, from his full work schedule to his penchant for learning and problem-solving, Golden is immersed in his work. You begin to get the sense that his favorite part of the day is in the pure flow of the creative process. This seems like it could be the real secret — being in love with your work — even after years and years.
Of course, being uniquely talented and globally recognized probably helps in the love-your-work department, and it may even account for some of Golden’s lack of burnout. But you can hear the underlying truth tinged everywhere in Golden’s story. Talent is only part of the equation. Success came after a lot of sweat, dedication, discipline, hard work, and long hours. “There is no formula!”, says Golden
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PocketGalapagos Photography
Peter Norvig, 2015
I've been to the Galapagos twice: in July 2008 on a great tour led by Etienne and Elizabeth De Backer, and in July 2014 on an even better tour chartered by Galapagos Travel and led by naturalist Martin Loyola and photographer Tui de Roy. I hope this trip report can help you to understand what Galapagos is like and to get the shots you want.
You can see galleries for my 2014 and 2008 trips (try the "slideshow" button) or click on these thumbnails:
The Routine
Time Event 5:30 breakfast on ship 6:00-10:00 load into inflatable boats called pangas for a shore landing 10:00-11:00 back to ship, change into wet suit, snorkeling 12:30 lunch, then a break; ship may travel to nearby destination 14:00-18:00 another shore landing 18:30 dinner aboard ship, and a presentation by the naturalist or photographer 24:00 ship starts cruising to the next island
Having done one tour with a photographer guide and one without, I definitely recommend the photographic tour, even if you are not a serious photographer. First, because you just see more on a photographic tour. The naturalist guide will let you sleep an hour or two later, but the photographer will have you out on the island in the attractive morning light. Once there, the naturalist guide wants to keep things moving, while a photographer guide slows things down, allowing you to spend more time at each site with each animal. And second, because Tui de Roy was fantastic! Tui (pictured at right with a tour member) moved to Galapagos at the age of two and spent most of her life exploring, playing, understanding, and photographing the islands. Her multiple books establish her as the premier Galapagos photographer. It's like taking a tour of Yosemite with Ansel Adams.
We were on the 16-passenger Tip Top IV. My friend Corey went on The Beagle, a similarly-sized sailboat (which mostly travels by motor) and got a great set of photos himself. A sailboat is much more hip, but the Tip Top IV has the speed advantage, 12 knots to 9, which means I spent less time in potentially seasickness-inducing open waters. There are larger ships but I'm concerned that the landings would be too crowded (although I heard one good argument for a larger ship: if you have kids, and think they would enjoy having other kids around).
Here's our ship and a panga (aka zodiac boat):
Our Route
Island by Island Highlights
North Seymour : Best colonies of frigate birds and blue-footed boobies.
: Best colonies of frigate birds and blue-footed boobies. Mosquera : Marine and land iguanas; many sea lions, sally lightfoot crabs.
: Marine and land iguanas; many sea lions, sally lightfoot crabs. South Plaza : Land iguanas, scenic landscapes, a high cliff from which you can catch tropic birds, gulls, boobies, and other birds flying below; snorkeling with sea lions.
: Land iguanas, scenic landscapes, a high cliff from which you can catch tropic birds, gulls, boobies, and other birds flying below; snorkeling with sea lions. Espanola : Your best chance to see albatross; marine iguanas.
: Your best chance to see albatross; marine iguanas. Santa Cruz : Black turtle cove is your best chance to see diving pelicans and boobies.
: Black turtle cove is your best chance to see diving pelicans and boobies. Santiago : Best collection of marine iguanas on lava (often with Sally lightfoot crabs); best ghost crabs on sand; sea lions and sea turtles; lava landscape.
: Best collection of marine iguanas on lava (often with Sally lightfoot crabs); best ghost crabs on sand; sea lions and sea turtles; lava landscape. Tower (or Genovesa) : Best chance for red-footed boobies; frigate and other birds.
: Best chance for red-footed boobies; frigate and other birds. Fernandina: Marine iguanas, lava, landscape, lava cactus, mangrove forests.
What Photo Equipment to Bring?
2008 Trip 2014 Trip Camera: Canon 5D Canon 6D Wide lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4 Canon 16-35mm f/4 Long lens: Canon 100-400mm Tamron 150-600mm Underwater: Canon G9 w/housing Sony RX 100 w/housing Backup Camera: Canon G9 Canon 7D, Sony RX 100 Backup lenses: 24-105mm, 70-200mm f/4 24-70mm, 70-300mm L
For me, 24mm was not wide enough; 300mm not long enough. You may find advice saying that a 70-200mm lens is all you need; that may be true for some people, but if, like me, you want portraits that isolate animals, you will appreciate the reach at 400mm or 600mm. I never carried two cameras at a time; I felt that would be cumbersome with all the scrambling over rocks. I kept the long lens on the camera (just in case there was some action in the distance I wanted to quickly capture) and when it was time for a wide angle landscape shot I would change lenses, get the shots, then change back. I was very glad to have backup equipment (shared between me and my wife) back in the cabin for variety's sake, and in case anything broke (even though nothing did).
What Focal Lengths Did I Shoot?
To the left below is a histogram of the focal lengths of my 277 (self-ranked) best shots. To the right is a table of the percent of overall shots I took with each lens. The last column gives the ratio of shots that I ranked "best", for example, 1 out of every 12 shots taken with the 150-600 lens I self-rated as a best shot, but only 1 out of every 33 underwater shots (I'm really bad at underwater photography).
Lens Type Usage Best 16-35mm wider 8% 1/20 24-70mm wide 5% 1/20 70-300mm long 36% 1/16 150-600mm longer 43% 1/12 RX 100 underwater 7% 1/33
A cluster of wide shots: 5% of shots were wider than 24mm; 11% were 40mm or wider.
Spikes at 300mm, 400mm, and 600mm, which mark the long end of the three zooms. So half the time I was holding a long lens and cranked it to the longest it could go. 28% of all shots were longer than 400mm, 53% were longer than 300mm, 77% were longer than 200mm. So I would not have been happy with just a 70-200mm.
A random spattering of shots across all other focal lengths. You can look at the raw data if you want.
Lens Selection: Long Lens
The following table compares four choices for the Canon system (other brands have similar offerings). I give the lens, its maximum aperture, minimum focus distance, DxO Mark overall image quality score (which is suggestive, not definitive), retail price, weight, and appropriateness for use in Galapagos (in my opinion):
Lens f MFD DxO Price Weight Comments Canon 100-400mm II f/5.6 3 ft 26 $2,100 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) The best overall option. Canon 70-300 L f/5.6 4 ft 25 $1,300 1.0 kg (2.3 lbs) High image quality, relatively light weight, may not be long enough. Tamron 150-600mm f/6.3 8 ft 19 $1,100 2.0 kg (4.3 lbs) Good but not perfect image quality, longer range, heavier. Canon 100-400mm I f/5.6 6 ft 19 $1,300 1.4 kg (3.0 lbs) Outdated but still good.
All of these lens are good. If you have any one of these (or the equivalent in another camera system), don't worry, you will have a successful trip to Galapagos. Don't obsess over lens reviews: I never once said to myself "I wish I had a lens that was one point sharper on the DxO benchmark." But when I was carrying the 300mm I sometimes said "I wish I could reach to 400mm or 600mm." I think the 100-400mm II is the best option for the Galapagos, but it was not yet out when I was on my trips. (Note the 100-400mm lenses accept an optional 1.4x teleconverter.) For comparison, here are some samples photos from the lenses I've used:
Canon 70-300mm L IS: In 2014 I carried the 70-300mm when I knew subjects would be close and large (like sea lions) or when I wanted to be more agile (like when we were in a crowded panga trying to track diving pelicans). Samples below (you can click through for a bigger version, and you can mouse over for the shooting data):
Tamron 150-600mm: In 2014 I carried this when I knew subjects would be small or far away. This lens gets mixed reviews; I think the real issue is that focusing at 600mm without solid support is inherently difficult—much more difficult than at 300mm. This lens is heavy, but I had no problem at all carrying it from a shoulder sling strap and hand-holding it all day. Note: Tamron has updated this lens in 2016, Sigma has two similar lenses, and Nikon has a 200-500. Samples:
Canon 100-400mm I: George Lepp calls it his favorite wildlife lens, but others complain it is outdated. See Corey's album or my 2008 samples:
Mind the Gap?
What about the gap between your wide and long lens? If you are bringing the 17-40mm and 70-300mm, then the 40-70mm gap is not worth covering with another lens; just take a few steps forward or back. If you are bringing the 16-35mm and 150-600mm then you might want something in the 35-150mm gap (perhaps a 24-105mm or 70-200mm lens, or a quality compact or mirrorless camera).
Lens Selection: Wide Angle
Shots: Open Landscape
Shots: Landscape with Foreground Element
The cactus shot is cropped very slightly; the marine iguana is a significant crop. You are not allowed to stick a camera right in an animal's face (National Park rules say everyone is supposed to keep a 2 meter radius away from animals, except for Americans, who are only required to keep a six foot radius, which means they can get 0.17 meters closer.) However, you are allowed to sit in place and wait for a curious bird to approach your camera:
You can sometimes get a humorous effect with the right juxtaposition of foreground and background—forced perspective makes the juvenile frigate bird look like a giant, and the fuzzy white frigate bird chick looks goofy from any angle, but this one accentuates it:
Or you can just show that the animals are in an environment that includes people in close proximity:
Homo sapiens (and their cameras) have become part of the Galapagos environment; don't be afraid to feature them. The Galapagos Mockingbird clearly does not understand the minimum focus distance of the lens he is posing for:
Shots: Eye Level
Shots: Portraits
Shots: Behavior
Shots: Birds in Flight
Next try smaller, faster, but smooth flying birds like the swallowtail gull. I've used a shutter speed of 1/2000 sec to freeze any motion. Try to get an interesting background, like the rocks or sea below when shooting from a cliff, or at least an interesting cloud formation.
A real challenge: the small, fast, darting Tropic Bird (this one flew so close that I clipped a wing), and especially the Galapagos Shearwater:
The biggest challenge of all is getting the exact moment when a diving bird hits the water. Put the focus point on the bird as it circles, then fire a burst of shots as it dives, trying to keep the focus point on the bird. The pelicans are larger and slower and thus easier than the blue-footed boobies.
Frame rate: Studying successive frames suggests that the boobies and pelicans were diving at about 20 to 40 ft/sec. The birds are 3 or 4 feet long, so if your camera shoots 10 frames/sec and if you can hold focus, you'll be guaranteed to get a shot of the bird splashing. If your camera only does 5 frames/sec you'll need some luck to get it right. Below are four examples that combined good luck with not making any big mistakes; I won't show the many, many shots that were too early, too late, out of focus, or mis-framed:
This is a great example of the advantage of the photographic tour: in 2008, the naturalist figured that it would be difficult for anybody to get a good picture of a diving bird, so we didn't spend much time in their vicinity. In 2014, Tui knew that all the photographers wanted to try, so she spent a lot of time getting us in just the right location to give us the best chance, and the results were demonstrably better.
Shots: Lighting
Lens Selection: Supertelephoto?
For the record, here are three choices in the supertelephoto category, compared to the four telephoto lens discussed previously:
We see that the supertelephotos cost 5 or 10 times as much, weigh around twice as much, are a stop or two faster, and have image quality that is maybe 15% better. For Galapagos, I would only recommend a lens you would be comfortable carrying all day, and hand-holding for minutes at a time; for me that rules out anything heavier than the 400mm f/4. If you own a supertelephoto lens, you presumably know what you're doing and you don't need my advice on bringing it. But if you are considering something to rent, I would still recommend the 100-400mm II, which is easier to handle, covers a wider range, and has image quality that is nearly as good. But judge for yourself: would you be comfortable shooting like Art Morris (below left) or Tim Laman (below right), whose pack is about 15 pounds heavier, and wallet is $12,000 lighter? (Note: Art has been know to carry the 200-400mm, the 400mm DO, the 500mm, the 600mm, and even the 10 pound 800mm in Galapagos. He can make great photos with just about any lens that is big and white and has an affiliate link.)
Frank Sulloway
Lens Selection: Even Wider?
You can also make panoramic landscape photos by stitching two or more images together. The first image below was stitched in Photoshop; someone more skilled than me could do a better job of balancing the light levels from left to right. The second was made in-camera with the Sony RX 100's panorama feature. Recent high-end phones |
/2016 01:19 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: SHOCK: Actual early vote totals show Trump winning Florida by BIG margin! Those numbers are not actual votes. They are how the voters were registered.
Quoting: A/C 37554010
:killright2:
:killright2: Quoting: glp-smilies
unpin!
unpin! Quoting: Nancy Botwin
NOPE, ACTUAL VOTES. NANCY, HOW MUCH CHILD SUPPORT DO YOU COLLECT AND HOW MANY ABORTIONS HAVE YOU HAD? YOU ARE FILTH. NOPE, ACTUAL VOTES. NANCY, HOW MUCH CHILD SUPPORT DO YOU COLLECT AND HOW MANY ABORTIONS HAVE YOU HAD? YOU ARE FILTH.
Mach1
User ID: 70905293
United States
10/30/2016 01:22 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: SHOCK: Actual early vote totals show Trump winning Florida by BIG margin! Those numbers are not actual votes. They are how the voters were registered.
Quoting: A/C 37554010
Wow, what a shocking splatter of Troll sputum.
Nope.
Actual votes.
Wow, what a shocking splatter of Troll sputum.Nope.Actual votes. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 44414400
No. Not actual votes. Votes are not counted as they are received.
Common sense, however, would dictate that the premise of the op is spot on. Trump's "silent majority" will carry the day. There is nationwide support for Mr. Trump, that is not, for obvious reasons, reflected in leftist controlled polls. No. Not actual votes. Votes are not counted as they are received.Common sense, however, would dictate that the premise of the op is spot on. Trump's "silent majority" will carry the day. There is nationwide support for Mr. Trump, that is not, for obvious reasons, reflected in leftist controlled polls.
LifesReflections*
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10/30/2016 01:49 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: SHOCK: Actual early vote totals show Trump winning Florida by BIG margin!
Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued. It must ensue. And it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself.Victor Frank
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Let Go and Let God... Live your life in such a way that when your
feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says... 'Oh crap....she's awake!!' Early Voter here in Louisiana
TGus
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10/30/2016 02:14 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: SHOCK: Actual early vote totals show Trump winning Florida by BIG margin! I was at a rally in Florida for Trump. It was YUUUGE! Took an hour to get off the exit, and another half an hour to get to the rally. People were honking, waving, giving thumbs up from the parkway as they passed out line of cars waiting to get to the rally.
I voted early and so did my family.
Trump all the way, baby!
I have seen NO Hillary signs or bumper stickers ANYWHERE.
Only Trump.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 73282826
Clinton could be ahead even though few people attend her rallies.
I know many people who are voting for Clinton; none of them like her as a candidate, but they're definitely voting against Trump. They would not want to put a sign up for Clinton or attend a Clinton rally either. Clinton could be ahead even though few people attend her rallies.I know many people who are voting for Clinton; none of them like her as a candidate, but they're definitely voting against Trump. They would not want to put a sign up for Clinton or attend a Clinton rally either.
Mach1
User ID: 70905293
United States
10/30/2016 02:36 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: SHOCK: Actual early vote totals show Trump winning Florida by BIG margin! I was at a rally in Florida for Trump. It was YUUUGE! Took an hour to get off the exit, and another half an hour to get to the rally. People were honking, waving, giving thumbs up from the parkway as they passed out line of cars waiting to get to the rally.
I voted early and so did my family.
Trump all the way, baby!
I have seen NO Hillary signs or bumper stickers ANYWHERE.
Only Trump.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 73282826
Clinton could be ahead even though few people attend her rallies.
I know many people who are voting for Clinton; none of them like her as a candidate, but they're definitely voting against Trump. They would not want to put a sign up for Clinton or attend a Clinton rally either.
Clinton could be ahead even though few people attend her rallies.I know many people who are voting for Clinton; none of them like her as a candidate, but they're definitely voting against Trump. They would not want to put a sign up for Clinton or attend a Clinton rally either. Quoting: TGus 14496115
That speaks to the level of enthusiasm FOR a candidate. It tells me Trump supporters are much more likely to show up on election day. Therefore your reasoning is fatally flawed. That speaks to the level of enthusiasm FOR a candidate. It tells me Trump supporters are much more likely to show up on election day. Therefore your reasoning is fatally flawed.(Amir Handjani is a fellow with the Truman National Security Project and Board Member of the Atlantic Council. The opinions expressed are his own.)
By Amir Handjani
Oct 4 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin has made an art of turning weakness into strength. As Russian and Syrian forces pound Aleppo in the biggest assault of Syria’s five-year civil war, the Russian president clearly has emerged as a dominant force in the Middle East. Two years ago Russia had virtually no presence in the region, aside from a naval base in Syria. Today Moscow’s fighter jets and missiles fly over Syrian, Iranian and Iraqi airspace.
Over the last year, Putin has inserted Russia into the Syrian conflict and shored up the regime of President Bashar al-Assad as it was on the verge of collapse. The Russian leader has forged a quasi-military alliance with Iran that has allowed him to project power in the Persian Gulf - something that has evaded Moscow since the end of World War Two.
If that wasn’t enough, Putin’s relationship with Turkey, which seemed to be on a collision course after Ankara downed a Russian fighter jet last year, has now warmed to the point where Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan are about to restore full diplomatic relations. All the while Putin has maintained a close and productive relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu.
How is Putin able to maneuver the shifting sands of the Middle East so effectively and forge ties with countries that are seemingly at odds with each other? Why has Russia been more effective than the United States in furthering Moscow’s own agenda in the region?
Putin is able to quickly identify Russia’s foreign policy interest in a given conflict and commit resources to it - and then abruptly change course once Moscow’s core interest has either been met or has changed.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the United States has aligned its interest in the Persian Gulf with Sunni monarchies such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. In turn, these countries have invested heavily in the United States - from buying U.S. debt, to investing in real estate and buying billions of dollars in American military hardware.
Arab states have also invested heavily in Washington, buying influence in the corridors of power, funding think tanks and hiring public relations firms to help spread a narrative about why their countries are essential to America’s interest in the Middle East. The relationship between Riyadh and Washington remains particularly strong even as the American public questions the logic behind an alliance with a country whose actions often run counter to Washington’s interests.
These countries feel that Washington is obligated to share their view of the Middle East, which means backing them regardless of whether any conflict they engage in is against the interest of the United States. They have no such influence in Moscow. Even as Moscow backs Shi’ite powerhouse Iran and the Assad regime in Syria, Sunni Arab leaders continue to court Putin and look for ways to collaborate with him. Saudi Arabia, for example is currently trying to coordinate with Moscow on how best to stabilize oil markets and want Putin to pressure Iran to do the same.
Russia’s partnerships are based on cold, hard realism. Putin’s sole aim is to further Moscow’s interest. He’s unburdened by a legacy of alliances that do not serve Russia’s strategic aims. He supports Damascus, Tehran and the Shi’ite government of Iraq because he views Sunni extremism as a long-term threat that has destabilized countries in the Middle East, and which he fears could wreak havoc in countries close to Russia’s borders. Yet this coordination and collaboration with Shi’ite Iran doesn’t preclude him from working with Sunni Arab states to promote trade for Russian industry and its atomic energy program.
Putin is doing all of this while remaining close to Netanyahu. Even though Putin is working with Syria and Iran - Israel’s mortal enemies - he has convinced Netanyahu that these alliances are not meant to threaten Israel’s existence, but rather serve a larger purpose of defeating Sunni extremism. Russia continues to cooperate with Israel in diverse fields such as energy, agriculture and arms. Russia and Israel also maintain close military contacts and Putin is careful not to transfer offensive weapons to Israel’s foes.
Juxtapose this with how Netanyahu treated Obama and interferes in U.S. domestic politics. In the run-up to the Iran deal, Netanyahu used the influence of AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobbying organizations to try and undermine a sitting president and scuttle his signature foreign policy achievement.
If Israel or another U.S. ally tried to interfere or challenge Putin in such a manner, it’s difficult to imagine that he would reward them with $38 billion in aid for ten years, as Obama has done with Israel, or continue to support them militarily with advanced weapons and intelligence - as Washington has done with Saudi Arabia.
Even though the United States is a far greater power and should have more influence on the policies of junior partners such as Saudi Arabia and Israel, the inverse happens: they often work to limit Washington’s strategic options for fear of abandonment or for their own self-interest.
As long as Russia has a more nimble and opportunistic approach to the region, Washington will have a hard time confronting it - and Moscow’s influence will continue to grow. (Amir Handjani)The Learning by Doing concept, which combines theory with practical work, leads to staff being chosen and trained in the Technical and Industrial areas of our factory in Faenza. We are looking for undergraduates and graduates to work in Technical and Procurement Management, Aerodynamics –CFD, Composite Design e Stress Analysis, IT, Mechanical Design, Vehicle Performance, Purchasing and Production Process Management. Graduates will be placed in Production, Quality Control, Mechanical and Electrical departments.
"We are happy to launch the 2017 Gi Lab-Formula Future project, which fits in perfectly with our company philosophy" explained Scuderia Toro Rosso's HR and Legal Director, Otello Valenti. "Scuderia Toro Rosso is a company that is continuously investing in research and development, as well as in technical and organisational innovation and we have always focused on talented youngsters. We do it on track, launching the F1 careers of young drivers and we also do it with the staff that make up our team. That is why the Gi Lab-Formula Future project is a cornerstone of our training programme. It means we take our team's know-how and use it to invest significantly in the training of the professionals of tomorrow. We believe that, thanks to the partnership with Gi Group, once again this year, Gi Lab-Formula Future will provide a unique training opportunity to those taking part and be very rewarding for all of us."
Each of the ten courses is aimed at specific fields of expertise and will take on between 3 and 15 students. What are the requirements for applying? First and foremost a technical diploma or engineering degree – mechanical, vehicle dynamics, aerospace – a good working knowledge of English and some experience in the field. A passion for the automotive and motor sport world is a plus, along with enthusiasm, as well as the ability to work with precision under pressure. Last year, of the 28 students selected, when the course was finished, 20 of them were taken on by the company. For 2017, we plan on training 70 youngsters in total. For undergraduates/graduates, the selection will end on 30 June, while for those with diplomas, the closing date is 25 August. You can already apply: just click on the banner below.
Moreover, if you want to check our current professional opportunities or just to make a spontaneous job application, CLICK HERE!Alastair Clarkson wants to oversee Hawthorn's transition to a new group of on-field leaders
ALASTAIR Clarkson says his three-year contract extension will give him time to oversee Hawthorn's list regeneration, with the master coach plotting how to extend the Hawks' era of success while sending off ageing stars.
Clarkson confirmed to AFL.com.au he has agreed to terms with the Hawks after a lengthy period of negotiations and will soon ink a new deal taking him through until the end of 2019.
"It was always going to be a formality really. I didn't want to go anywhere and the club didn't want me to go anywhere," the four-time premiership coach said.
"It's a three-year extension, so that will be this year plus another three. We've got a fair bit we want to achieve as a footy club (in that time)."
The chance to win a record-equalling four consecutive premierships is front of mind for the Hawks, but Clarkson also has an eye to the future with some club greats set to hang up the boots in the years ahead.
Premiership stars Brian Lake, David Hale and Brad Sewell have retired over the past two years, while elder statesmen Shaun Burgoyne (33), Sam Mitchell (32), Josh Gibson (31) and Luke Hodge (31) are coming towards the ends of their illustrious careers.
Clarkson said he's deeply motivated to guide the Hawks' next generation – led by the likes of Liam Shiels, Luke Breust and Ben Stratton – in a smooth changing of the guard while the club continues to fight for premierships.
"It's driving me in terms of the next wave of players coming through," he said.
"We want to test ourselves to see whether we can cope with the changes to our side, as well as obviously the changes to the game.
"The real challenge for our club and our system, in a sense, is to see that that can provide success again for the club.
"That's a challenge that we're looking forward to, but that's probably the reason why we're going to need a bit of time to do it.
"It really feels like if I'm the one who selects to jump off that, then I'm sort of abandoning the journey in a sense of some young lads who I've been involved with recruiting to the football club.
"I don't want to do that prematurely, I want to see it through."
Clarkson is already the Hawks' most successful coach in terms of premierships and the 47-year-old is set to overtake the legendary John Kennedy snr as the club's longest-serving coach late in 2017.
Kennedy led Hawthorn in 299 games for three flags and a 61 per cent winning record, while Clarkson is 40 games in arrears with a 63 per cent win rate.
More than ever, it seems Clarkson will remain a one-club coach, despite some big-money offers from rival clubs keen to poach the Hawks mastermind in recent seasons.
And while Clarkson has mentored five current senior AFL coaches, he doesn't intend to groom a successor.
"I don't want to be part of trying to select who our next coach is, I think that’s the responsibility of our board and the management of our club," he said.
"Otherwise they would be too prone to try and select a clone of me and it could be of the time of that change that it's time to go in a different direction altogether.
"It could be that they do find a clone of me, but I feel that the board and management need to have that flexibility to do what they want to do at the appropriate point in time.
"I just feel like a succession plan is too contrived. For different clubs, different environments and different situations it may suit other clubs … I don't think it's going to suit me."A large majority of Americans believe in global warming and are ready to take action, according to new polling data. Here, the outerbands of Hurricane Sandy are felt on Oct. 24, 2012 in Miami. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
On Monday, researchers from Yale and Utah State University unveiled a new statistical technique that allows an in-depth accounting of Americans’ attitudes toward global warming. The resulting maps—down to the county level—reveal some interesting takeaways.
First, Americans overwhelmingly agree that global warming is happening. Out of 3,143 total counties in the United States, majorities of just 39 counties disagree. That means nearly 99 percent of all counties in the country “believe in” global warming—with the holdouts confined to deeply conservative places like Limestone County, Alabama, or coal-producing Putnam County, West Virginia. That aligns broadly with a recent 98-1 Senate vote that global warming is real and “not a hoax.” The lone holdout in that vote was Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker.
Looking at the science, perhaps climate denial in Mississippi and Alabama can be expected: According to the recent National Climate Assessment, they’re the only two states that haven’t warmed significantly over the last two decades.
But the basic fact of rising temperatures is about the only point where public opinion matches the science. The new data also show that a majority of U.S. counties remain unconvinced that global warming is caused “mostly by human activities.” Majorities in a whopping 2,717 of 3,143 counties (nearly 80 percent) disagree with that sentiment, among them the liberal bastions of Brooklyn, New York, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. (Technically, these county-level data are estimates of public opinion based on statistical extrapolation from demographic data and 12 national surveys over the last seven years. At the county level, the result has a margin of error of +/- 8 percentage points.)
The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s most highly regarded body of climate scientists, was emphatic on this point, saying it is now “extremely likely” that humanity is the dominant cause of global warming. The new polling data show Americans seem unconvinced by scientists in general, with majorities of 3,061 of 3,143 counties (more than 97 percent, including Mendocino County, California, and Bergen County, New Jersey) disagreeing with the statement that “most scientists think global warming is happening.” In fact, 97 percent of climate scientists believe climate change is real.
A lot of this disconnect between public opinion and scientific consensus can probably be traced back to the intense politicization of climate science in recent years, funded largely by interests within the fossil fuel industry. Climate change is now the single most polarizing issue in America.
That’s clearly shown in the new poll’s assessment of how Americans feel about the risks associated with global warming: Residents of more than half of U.S. counties aren’t worried about climate change (1,951 of 3,143, or about 62 percent, including Santa Rosa, Florida, and Ashland County, Wisconsin). Worse: There wasn’t even one county in which a majority of respondents believe global warming will harm them personally. In sharp contrast, majorities in 3,122 of 3,143 counties (more than 99 percent) do agree that future generations are at risk, with those responding in the affirmative hailing from places like Sheridan County, Wyoming—in the heart of coal country.
Despite the fact that Americans seems to think of global warming as an issue that will affect mostly future generations, they also realize it requires current efforts to address. Americans are still firmly committed to action on climate change right now, the new polling data suggests. Respondents seemed to strongly prefer “big government” solutions focused on increased regulation and executive action, and are lukewarm to market-based policies like a revenue-neutral carbon tax.
From the new poll:
-Every single county believes we should fund research into renewable energy.
-Every single county believes we should regulate CO 2 as a pollutant.
-Nearly 95 percent of counties (2,977 of 3,143) agreed with “strict CO 2 limits on existing coal-fired power plants.”
-Nearly 99 percent of counties (3,104 of 3,143) agreed with a requirement that utilities should produce 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources.
There’s a lot of optimism to be found in these results: Americans are largely willing to take action on climate change, even if they think it won’t affect them personally. Heading into a major election year, that’s something to be encouraged about.SeventySix Capital invests in N3rd Street Gamers, a Philadelphia gaming community and esports event producer
News Release
Nationwide expansion planned to capitalize on the esports phenomenon
Philadelphia, PA, October 18, 2017 – Today, N3rd Street Gamers (NSG), a Jarvus venture led by entrepreneurs John Fazio and Rob Hilsky, announced a strategic investment led by venture capital firm, SeventySix Capital, managed by Wayne Kimmel, Jon Powell and Ryan Howard.
Founded in 2009, NSG empowers esports communities with arena facilities, production studios, gaming equipment, administration and broadcast services. SeventySix Capital, launched in 1999, is a leading venture capital firm that invests in consumer-facing technology companies in the sports, retail and health industries.
“There’s no denying that esports are rapidly growing in popularity,” said Ryan Howard, MLB superstar and Partner at SeventySix Capital, “Events and leagues are now broadcast to tens of millions of viewers online and on traditional television.”
With the investment from SeventySix Capital and private investor George Miller, NSG will expand their dedicated esports arena - Localhost in Philadephia, open new locations across the United States to empower more esports communities and partner with additional major brands and athletes to bring esports further into the spotlight.
“As the success of leagues continue, the esports industry desperately needs infrastructure like N3rd Street Gamers and Localhost for players to practice, compete and succeed,” said Wayne Kimmel, Managing Partner of SeventySix Capital.
NSG will also have access to SeventySix Capital’s plethora of industry connections, portfolio company Whistle Sports, a digital sports media company with over 350 million fans and followers, and partner firm Rubicon Talent, a sports and entertainment agency in New York City representing a wide range of clients including MLB legend Cal Ripken, Jr., NFL All-Pro Running Back, DeMarco Murray, NBC Sports’ Dan Hicks, and 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, Kerri Walsh Jennings.
“I want to thank our loyal gaming communities here in Philadelphia and the surrounding region for getting us to where we are today,” said John Fazio, CEO of NSG, “and our partners at SeventySix Capital for their confidence and investment, which will allow us to deliver our unique experiences to people all over the country.”
NSG produces both small- and large-scale esports events for games like CS:GO, StarCraft II, Hearthstone and the recent official Madden Challenger, one of 4 sanctioned in the United States by publisher Electronic Arts (EA). They also host an annual summer championship event bringing in more than 2,500 casual and professional gamers from across the world. On the popular streaming platform Twitch, the 2017 summer event attracted over 22,000 live concurrent viewers and 1 million total viewers over a 3 day period.
About N3rd Street Gamers (“NSG”)
NSG is headquartered at and operates Localhost, a dedicated esports arena. Opened to the public in June 2017, Localhost is a competitive arena, training facility, and production studio that provides a home for in-person video game competition. Localhost members can drop in to use high end gaming PCs, consoles, or virtual reality systems and participate in multiple weekly event series. Esports communities can rent the arena or hire NSG to produce their events at Localhost. Fans and spectators can experience top tier competition in the studio, set to double in size in early 2018. For more information on NSG, please visit www.n3rdstreetgamers.com.
About SeventySix Capital
SeventySix Capital, led by Wayne Kimmel, Jon Powell and Ryan Howard, invests in passionate, smart and nice entrepreneurs who are launching game-changing consumer-facing tech companies in the retail, sports and wellness industries. Kimmel founded the fund in 1999 with top exits including SeamlessWeb (now public as GrubHub), Take Care Health Systems and Nutrisystem, the top performing stock in the U.S. for five consecutive years. Among the Fortune 500 companies that have acquired their portfolio companies are Aramark, Intel, IBM, Walgreens, and Yahoo. Powell is also the CEO of Kravco Company LLC, a leading real estate company that developed the King of Prussia Mall. His family was an owner of the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, the two-time United States Football League champions. Howard, a World Series Champion who is known as one of the all-time great home run hitters, has made a number of successful investments and has experience working with CEOs of top brands. Howard is also an investor in NRG Esports alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Jimmy Rollins, Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez. SeventySix Capital's partners are extremely active in the entrepreneurial and nonprofit communities around the world. For more information on SeventySix Capital, please visit www.SeventySixCapital.com, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CONTACT
John Fazio
CEO, N3rd Street Gamers
Jessica Romanelli
Director of Digital Marketing, SeventySix Capital
Read moreChris Long (Twitter)
A white New England Patriots player will join some of his black teammates in skipping the Super Bowl champions’ visit to the White House.
Chris Long, a veteran defensive end who has played one season with the Patriots, responded to a New York Daily News columnist who urged him in an open letter not to join the traditional White House visit to protest the Donald Trump administration.
Oh Chuck. Planned on skipping, hadn't been asked. Don't need an open letter explaining my own words to me. Not *joining* anyone. My call. https://t.co/XWo9x2XT40 — Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) February 9, 2017
Long, who spoke out earlier this season in defense of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s pregame protests, did not specifically cite politics as his reason for staying away from the White House.
“Planned on skipping, hadn’t been asked. Don’t need an open letter explaining my own words to me. Not *joining* anyone. My call,” Long said.
At least three other Patriots players — Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower — have said they won’t visit the White House while Trump is president.
Several athletes from various sports — including, apparently, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady — also refused to visit the White House while Barack Obama was president.Only five months into his current role as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lou Lamoriello is still in the information retrieval process.
[np_storybar title=”Leafs leave ‘mess,’ negativity behind: How things have changed one year after Salute-gate” link=”http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/how-the-toronto-maple-leafs-have-changed-since-salute-gate”%5D
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A 5-1-2 month of November has the Leafs feeling pretty good about where they stand. Although his coach, Mike Babcock, has his sights set on the post-season, the GM isn’t interested in making any bold declarations at the moment.
“Right now, I’m more into finding out about who we are on a more consistent basis,” said Lamoriello. “We’ve played some 19 games right now and I’m more concerned about where we are today than where we are tomorrow.”
Today’s Maple Leafs are a relaxed bunch. There is no tension that filled the room last year amid coaching changes, or fear of what their future holds beyond the year. The hiring of Babcock back in May was the first step in giving the previous group of players a much needed sense of structure.
“To me it’s obvious that the players were looking for something like this and there have been some new additions into the lineup during the summer,” said Lamoriello. “But I think the players who were here last year have just been outstanding as far as how quickly they’ve adjusted and adapted to what Mike’s asked of them.”
One of the early issues for the Maple Leafs stemmed from goaltending. With incumbent starter Jonathan Bernier struggling out of the gate, James Reimer has taken the reps away by playing some of the best hockey in his career. Reimer is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, while Bernier is just a few months into a two-year, US$8.3-million contract.
Despite Bernier’s early struggles, Lamoriello isn’t about to write anyone off, yet.
“Jonathan Bernier, I have tremendous confidence in that he will rebound and respond. Reims has been given the opportunity and has taken the advantage of it which is great. I have no qualms with reference to where we are at there. Only time will tell as far as what the big picture is. You’ll observe and just whatever decision have to be made will be made at the right time. The decisions will tell you when they have to be made.”
Heading into Friday’s games, Nazem Kadri is third in the league in shots on goal with 81. He remains stuck at one goal scored. Recently, Babcock declared Kadri to be their best forward thus far, despite not scoring at the frequency that you would expect from a shots leader. Lamoriello saw the old Kadri when the New Jersey Devils took on Toronto over the years and has noticed the change.
“His competitiveness and not getting frustrated over this little drought he’s going through, this will pass,” Lamoriello said. “He has stuck with the game and has done little things and subtle things to have success in what he’s doing. I’ve been very impressed with him in every way. Hopefully he continues to do this and the end results will take care of itself as far as the goals.”
Lamoriello joined the Leafs in what some would call unusual circumstances. With the Leafs in need of both a new head coach and a new general manager this past summer, Leafs president Brendan Shanahan hired his coach first in Babcock. There were other hires in place before that, including assistant general manager Kyle Dubas, director of player personnel Mark Hunter and assistant to the general manager Brandon Pridham. Lamoriello has been impressed with the current setup.
“I think we all learn from each other. I think one of the things I had mentioned earlier was the people that Brendan (Shanahan) had put in place people that I certainly, after being here for period of time, that if I knew them would be people I’d hire. From that aspect of it, it’s been very smooth. I don’t look at the office or management staff any different then I would look at the team.”CBS Houston – According to SportsRadio 610’s John McClain, defensive end J.J. Watt has passed his physical and will be at practice on Monday. With Watt now able to practice, it is looking like he will be able to take part in the Houston Texans opener this upcoming Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
JJ Watt passed physical and is ready for practice Monday. — John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) September 4, 2016
Watt missed all of training camp rehabbing from back surgery to repair a herniated disc. Over the past couple of weeks, the three-time defensive player of the year has shown signs of being able to go for the regular season. Before the Texans faced the Cardinals in their third preseason game Watt passed his conditioning test. The physical was the next step in clearing Watt for week one.
The 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft has started in all 80 games in his career. It appears as if that streak will not be coming to an end.Ten years ago this month Chelsea took a 3-1 lead to the Camp Nou in the knockout stages of the Champions League, only to have their European ambitions put into firm perspective by five Barcelona goals before a crowd of 100,000, even if they did take the second leg into extra time.
At that time Barcelona were the third best team in Spain, at least on the evidence offered by Valencia knocking them out in the next round and going on to contest the final with Real Madrid. As they have since improved to the tune of accumulating two European Cups, three La Liga titles and unofficial status as the planet's favourite team, Internazionale's 3-1 advantage from the first leg of this year's semi-final does not quite entitle the Italians to begin booking hotels in Madrid.
Yet Inter can approach Wednesday's away leg with confidence. They have the hottest property in management in charge of their team, something Chelsea in 2000 had to wait another four years for Roman Abramovich to bring about. If it is true that Abramovich's main priority has always been to win the Champions League then he should be disappointed with José Mourinho and with himself in equal measure. With the coach because, although he came close on a couple of occasions, Mourinho never managed to reach a European Cup final in his three years at Chelsea, despite a level of financial backing that was the envy of most of his rivals. With himself because the team Mourinho had moulded did reach the final in the season Abramovich prematurely called time on his turbulent coach, and would have done so again the following year but for the most erratic display of refereeing the competition has ever witnessed. It seems impossible to believe, in the light of the way Mourinho has transformed the perennial European underachievers he took over at San Siro, that a Champions League trophy would not now be sitting on Chelsea's shelf had Abramovich not chosen to waver from his original bold but beautifully simple plan.
It may not appear to have been all that bold of Chelsea to buy up the dashing young manager who had just won the Champions League with unfancied Porto, though in 2004, just before Mourinho cavalierly announced himself as the special one, it was not obvious he would be an instant success. His Uefa Cup win the previous season was chiefly recalled for a dull final against Celtic. Porto finished second behind Real Madrid in their Champions League group, though Mourinho did manage to get a good look at Didier Drogba when beating Marseille home and away. The defeat of Manchester United that pushed Mourinho unblinking into the spotlight owed everything to a Tim Howard fumble and a legitimate Paul Scholes goal that was incorrectly disallowed, while, thanks in part to excessive tinkering by Claudio Ranieri in Chelsea's semi-final first leg, Porto only had to beat the similarly unheralded Monaco in the eventual final.
The point is that Mourinho was not then the best coach in the business. He may certainly have been the sharpest, swankiest and most entertaining, but he still had something to prove in a bigger league with a bigger budget. By bringing Chelsea two league titles in his first two seasons he proved it, and Abramovich should have noted that and found a way of putting up with the background noise. Because if Inter hold on to their advantage and Mourinho takes a second team into a Champions League final, even the possibility of Louis van Gaal staking a similar claim to immortality the previous evening will not disguise the fact that Chelsea had the top man at the peak of his career and blundered by letting him go.
Mourinho's age alone makes him an attractive proposition for leading European clubs looking for longevity, not that many of them actually seem to be. At 47 Mourinho could easily enjoy another decade or longer at the top. When Chelsea got him he was three years younger than Sir Alex Ferguson when he joined Manchester United, and he rewarded them with instant success. Now it looks as though Mourinho could eventually succeed Ferguson at Old Trafford, and Chelsea would only have themselves to blame. They may have to plead with him to return to Stamford Bridge to avoid that embarrassment, although, given United's financial uncertainty and Manchester City's as yet unsecured Champions League status, a stay at Real Madrid still appears a stronger possibility. Successful or not, Mourinho could not have made it any plainer that he does not feel at home in Italy.
So the scene is set for football's showiest character to make more showy history. Should Inter conquer Barcelona and whoever they meet in Madrid, two sizeable ifs, Mourinho will not be the first coach to win the European Cup with two different clubs. Ernst Happel and Ottmar Hitzfeld have done that. Mourinho might, just might, become the first manager to win a second Champions League medal with a second club and walk away without a second glance.
Dumb and dumber drive us crazy
It is no secret that footballers are not always the sharpest tools in the box, and neither is it news that people have been paying other individuals to take driving tests on their behalf.
The two groups should never meet, however, because the driving test scam relies on anonymity and footballers are famous. It would be stretching it a bit to describe Charles N'Zogbia as a household name, his previous manager famously referred to him as Insomnia, yet it takes a special sort of doziness to attempt to dupe a test centre when your picture has just been on every back page and television round-up for scoring a last-gasp winner against Arsenal.
At least the Wigan player's arrest provided a few chuckles (oh, come on, he can afford a fine and if he gets convicted and banged up he will have plenty of time to spend with the Highway Code) in a week when Manchester City began gearing up for another summer of sledgehammer spending. Clearly they can afford to make Liverpool an offer they cannot refuse for Fernando Torres, and probably will. According to Roberto Mancini, they don't want too many "normal" players at the club. Fine. Just as long as City understand that talking in that manner will leave most neutrals looking for a new second-favourite team to adopt. Maybe one that doesn't have a problem with normal.Image copyright YouTube/Noura Al-Otaibi Image caption Bahrainis online have criticised the slapping |
Marvel Universe counterpart (where the wrists were attached to the cape and that figure couldn’t move its arms at all), this is still bitter pill to swallow in terms of proper articulation.
Even with the obvious downfalls, there are still some decent poses that we can place the figure in for display on the shelf. (NOTE: the stand shown in the picture to the right is not the one that comes with the figure)
Articulation Score: 7 out of 10
I’m fairly new in collecting Marvel Select, but with it’s current track record, I’m not bound to stop anytime soon. I’m looking forward to the near future offerings including Rhino, Nightcrawler, and Venom, and I hope to see more displayed at next month’s New York Toy Fair.
As long as Diamond Select Toys keeps putting out quality, solid figures in their line, they have a fan (and a customer) with me.
This and most figures featured in this review are now available in the BlackActionFigure.com Store!
http://www.blackactionfigure.com/?page_id=507
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TweetThe bearded man stares steadily from Interpol’s “wanted” poster, his hooded winter parka unzipped, large tinted glasses shading his eyes. Canadian Eric Dejaeger was a code red fugitive, the international police organization’s highest alert.
Belgian federal authorities said they could not begin extradition proceedings against Dejaeger — who in 1990 pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting eight children in the Northwest Territories, and who was later charged with assaults in Igloolik, Nunavut — because Canada’s Justice Department hadn’t filed a formal extradition request.
The RCMP’s pursuit of Dejaeger, who left footprints in the Canadian Arctic, at Lourdes’ holy grotto and around a quiet Flemish Oblate house, was a fruitless 15-year hunt. The case appeared dormant. Then, on Sept. 13, the 63-year-old surrendered to Belgian police in the city of Leuven where he was interviewed — and, stunningly, released.
Officials with the Justice Department would not comment on the case, directing Star queries about extradition to Belgian officials. The Belgian justice ministry office that deals with extraditions did not reply to written questions.
“It’s an unusual case for this territory, it’s also an unusual case for the country,” McLaren said.
Barry McLaren, the Iqaluit-based chief federal prosecutor in Nunavut assigned to the case, said he didn’t know why it took so long to find the Dejaeger. He described the matter as “incredibly complicated.”
“We didn’t even know he was hiding,” Ivalu said. “We thought the authorities had already dealt with him because it was so many years ago that we heard he’d been (accused of) abusing (Igloolik) boys... When I heard he’d turned himself in, I was really shocked and angry.”
“Why? Why? Why? I just keep asking ‘Why?’” said Igloolik Mayor Lucassie Ivalu. He and others in the remote village of about 1,700 in the Northwest Passage, were unaware Dejaeger was living and working freely in Europe and that the outstanding charges had not been tried.
Suspicion that fellow priests helped hide Dejaeger in Europe, confusion over the Belgian-born cleric’s citizenship, concern a known sex offender crossed borders undetected and anger at the glacial pace in tracking him are among the issues raised by the case. There are few answers for northern residents demanding to know why it continues to drag on.
Canada’s apparent extradition bungle is just one of the puzzling twists in a tale of faith and betrayal that began 32 years ago in Igloolik, which sits on an island in the Northwest Passage.
Anger like Ivalu’s is rising around the world as the ongoing sexual abuse crisis swamps the Catholic Church and its spiritual leader Pope Benedict, with too-frequent revelations of children being molested by clergy.
The most recent allegations are from Quebec. Radio-Canada reported Thursday that a former member of the Order of Holy Cross says the religious group was aware of allegations of sexual abuse by Holy Cross brothers, but did nothing.
A nine-page document lists specific abuse allegations over the years at Montreal's College Notre Dame, and names a dozen Holy Cross brothers as alleged abusers. Radio-Canada also reported the document shows how alleged abusers at the private school were not reported to the police but allowed to remain as teachers or support staff.
In southern Ontario, a priest from the Congregation of St. Basil is facing sexual assault charges in Windsor and Toronto. The Windsor charges against Rev. William Hodgson Marshall are from incidents in the 1950s and 1980s, while the Toronto allegations are from 1953 involving a former St. Michael’s College student, then 15.
Priestly abuse has a deeper, darker meaning in Canadian communities like Igloolik, where generations of children were torn from parents and shipped to residential Christian schools. Roman Catholic missionaries operated many of the schools where native children were sexually, physically and mentally abused by clerics. In some native communities, the cycle of abuse has continued.
“This cycle goes on and on for many years and that is why I’m so angry at this guy,” said Ivalu. “And this is why I’m so angry at the RCMP for not taking (seriously) what the little boys said (in accusing the priest.) Why would these little boys, who now as adults, make this up for so long?”
The RCMP would not comment on the cross-Atlantic Dejaeger investigation. But this is what’s known:
The Belgian-born priest, who became a Canadian citizen in 1977, is wanted for three counts of indecent assault on a male and three counts of buggery for incidents involving minors and alleged to have occurred between 1978 and 1982 in Igloolik. These charges were laid after he completed a five-year sentence in April of 1995 (a penitentiary stint, a halfway house then probation) for abusing children in Baker Lake, then part of the Northwest Territories, now part of Nunavut. Dejaeger left Canada before his first court date in June of 1995 and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Six years later, the Interpol red alert was circulated. Nine years after that, in May of this year, Belgian journalist Douglas De Coninck published an article detailing Dejaeger’s life on the lam. The priest worked with pilgrims in Lourdes and participated in masses. A member of the Oblate Order of Mary Immaculate, he was living at the order’s villa in Blanden. Several months after the article appeared, Dejaeger voluntarily turned himself in at the Leuven police station.
De Coninck used documents compiled for magistrate Godelieve Halsberghe’s abuse inquiry into Belgium’s Catholic clergy to accuse local Oblates of lying about their knowledge of Dejaeger’s criminal troubles and hiding him from the law. It was also reported the priest falsely claimed for many years that he was a Belgian citizen — a right he officially gave up in 1977 (according to Belgian law at the time) when he became Canadian.
What happened during the 1980s in Baker Lake, a native Canadian village of about 1,000, offers disturbing insight into how the priest preyed on trusting families.
One of the victims was a boy he used as a sexual partner for a period of between five to seven years, starting when the boy was 10 or 12. Sexual activity took place in the mission residence where the boy visited frequently for several years and in other Baker Lake homes where Dejaeger house-sat. Dejaeger and the boy regularly showered together and slept in the same bed. He even took the boy on a long trip to Europe.
In 1990, Dejaeger pleaded guilty to nine sexual assault charges involving boys and girls ranging in ages 9 to 14 when the attacks began.
Oddly, Justice Ted Richard of the Northwest Territories Supreme Court wrote in his sentence decision that Dejaeger was not a pedophile even though “it does not appear that he stopped this activity on his own but only when he was caught.” It’s unclear how he was caught.
Dejaeger admitted to, among other sexual acts, having anal intercourse with boys and digital vaginal penetration with girls. Yet Richard seemed to praise the priest’s restraint:
“Because of the age of the victims of these assaults, consent is not an issue or a factor to be considered. However, it should be noted in fairness to the offender here that no violence was used in committing these assaults,” Richard wrote 20 years ago.
Winnipeg lawyer Rheal Teffaine, who represents the Manitoba diocese of Churchill-Baie d’Hudson — which includes Baker Lake and Igloolik — said the diocese did not realize the extent of Dejaeger’s abuses.
“We didn’t know this guy was a bloody monster,’’ said Teffaine.
In the wake of the Baker Lake crimes, the diocese created a “healing fund” and settled every civil suit without making victims go to court.
The lawyer said he and others in the diocese “lost sight” of Dejaeger when he want to jail and are puzzled how he was able to leave Canada in 1995.
“We cannot figure out how he got through the border. He had a criminal record.”
Belgium and Canada are reportedly discussing a possible extradition of Dejaeger. For now, he remains free.On Wednesday night, Canadian parliament bucked the Prime Minister to pass a law that makes it illegal for employers or insurance companies to discriminate against people based on their DNA.
A growing number of people are having their genomes sequenced so doctors can assess their risk for various diseases, such as breast or ovarian cancer. But insurance companies also want to get their hands on that information in order to determine who's most at risk of falling ill, and charge them accordingly. One could also imagine an employer wanting to know if an air traffic controller, for example, will risk a sudden heart attack.
However, being at higher risk of developing a certain disease is not a guarantee that'll actually happen. In the US, it's illegal to discriminate someone based on their genes, and now Canada's Genetic Non-Discrimination Act would offer similar protections, making it illegal for anyone to require genetic testing as a precondition for entering into a contract or providing goods and services.
This means that once the Governor General signs the Act into law in the coming days, it will be illegal for a potential employer or your insurance company to require that you undergo a genetic test, or hand over the results of a previous one.
Read More: Canada's Insurance Companies Want All Your Genetic Information
Genetic testing has been a contentious privacy issue in Canada for a while now, particularly when it comes to insurance companies that worry not requiring genetic tests would allow people who know they have a genetic predisposition to withhold that information from insurers, gaming the system. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC), however, has maintained that a person's genome can contain unexpected insights that individuals may not understand the implications of when they give it to insurers.
"How equal is that, in terms of information exchange? Is that really the principle of good-faith contract?" Patricia Kosseim, director general of the OPC, said at a panel on genetic testing at last year's International Association of Privacy Professionals conference in Toronto. "This 'just trust us' policy position flies in the face of the underlying concept of privacy: the autonomous control over personal information."
The Act passed in parliament thanks to a revolt by Liberal party backbenchers and the official opposition, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argued that aspects of the Act that touch on contract law and the insurance industry overstep federal responsibilities. Still, the law passed so that genetic testing can be done in Canada for medical purposes without patients wondering if their insurance company or employer will ask them for results.
"Unfortunately, under our current regime, Canadians often refuse to undergo a genetic test, even based on a recommendation from a doctor, because of the fear of genetic discrimination," said Liberal member of parliament Jennifer O'Connell in parliament on Tuesday night during debate.
But the government, and insurance companies, maintain that parts of the law are unconstitutional.
"The industry agrees with the federal government's position as expressed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice, as well as a number of provinces, that an important element of the Bill is unconstitutional," Wendy Hope, spokesperson for the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, wrote Motherboard in an emailed statement.
When I reached constitutional scholar and assistant dean of the University of Ottawa's law faculty Pierre Thibault, who testified before parliament on the legality of the Act, he was adamant that in his legal opinion it is constitutional.
"It is based on the criminal power of the government, and the criminal power is the same across the country," said Thibault over the phone. "If you can legislate in one field and the encroachment is minimal in the other field, then that law is valid."
The government should prepare itself for a legal fight. The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is "considering its options" now that the bill has been passed, Hope wrote. Some provinces are also expected to join any legal challenge, Thibault said.
For now, at least (and once the bill receives royal assent), it looks like Canada has avoided a future where your employment prospects and your insurance premiums depend on your genetic makeup.
Subscribe to pluspluspodcast, Motherboard's new show about the people and machines that are building our future.A Post By: Elvis Pasic
It’s true, we all make mistakes, that’s what makes us human, right? Well yes, but there are some mistakes that can, and should be avoided, when it comes to photography. In this article we will be talking about automotive photography in specific. You could be shooting cars for years but if you don’t fix your mistakes, how do you expect to get some great shots?
These are the 5 biggest mistakes that car photographers make when first starting out. Don’t worry, I will tell you how to fix those mistakes so other car photographers stop calling you a newbie, and they might actually ask “HOW?”
1. Not paying attention to the background
This is a really big no no. If you are striving to be a professional photographer, or even if you’re just shooting for fun, you must pay attention to your surroundings. I have seen way too many pictures where a tree is growing out of a car, or there is trash on the ground, and other annoying little objects that take away from the focus of the car.
If there is a tree in your way, move around. Walk around the car and find a better angle or even move the car if you have to, just make sure there isn’t anything growing out of top of the car. If there is trash on the ground, pick it up and move it (I recommend carrying gloves with you in case you have to deal with some nasty trash).
If there is something that you just simply can’t avoid then don’t worry, you can still remove it in post-processing using the Clone Stamp Tool or Content-Aware fill, but use those as the last resort. You should try to get the best shot that you can in the camera so you don’t have to waste precious time cloning out all that stuff later.
2. Not making sure the car is spotless
If you’re an avid car photographer then you MUST carry a rag of some sort (preferably lint-free) that you can use to wipe any dirt off the car. Yes, you can take out little dirt specks in post-processing, but it will make your life much easier to just take care of it on the spot. It’s not hard to just take the rag and wipe down any dirty areas. This will not only make the car look better/cleaner, thus making your shots look that much more professional, but it will also save you time in post-processing so you can worry about more important stuff.
3. Not having a circular polarizer
When it comes to shooting cars, it’s like shooting into a mirror; EVERYTHING is reflected off the car. You don’t want that, especially if you have some annoying stuff going on back there like trees, other cars, etc.
That’s where the handy circular polarizing filter comes into play. This will probably be one of your most used pieces of equipment, and should be the very first investment you make if you’re thinking about shooting cars.
Everyone has mixed feelings about polarizers when doing other types of photography, but in car photography there’s no point in even talking or arguing about it, you NEED a circular polarizer. Just don’t buy a cheap one because they will only ruin your images, instead go for a well known B+W circular polarizer, that’s what I, and many other car photographers use, and I haven’t heard any complaints about it.
What is a circular polarizer? Well, it’s basically a little filter that you screw onto the end of your lens, which you can then turn to block off reflections in any part of the frame. What’s cool about it is that you can take multiple shots with different reflection points by using a tripod and then just combining all the images in post-processing to get the best results. Just make sure you don’t go too far, you still want to keep some reflections to show the lines and curves of the car.
4. Not using a tripod
Speaking of tripods, you need one of those as well. Not just because of the reflections, but to get the cleanest and sharpest shots possible. If you’re like many beginner photographers you have a hard time keeping your hands steady, and it will take some time to master that. If you have a tripod, you can minimize camera shake, which in return, gives you the sharpest images.
Another awesome reason to use a tripod is to do light painting at night. Simply set your exposure to a few seconds, walk around the car with a light source, and in minutes you will have a pretty sick looking shot of the car. Everything you painted over will be visible, and everything else will probably be dark, creating a pretty cool effect that you can’t do without a tripod.
Taking multiple exposures can only be done with a tripod, unless you’re amazing at keeping your hands steady and in one position for multiple shots, which is pretty hard to do. Why would I take multiple exposures? Well, let’s say you take a picture and the car looks amazing, but your sky is blown out. Problem? No problem, if you have a tripod. Just take another shot but this time crank up the shutter speed so you can capture more detail in the sky (don’t worry about anything else for that shot). Now, since you have one image of the car perfectly lit, and another image of the sky looking beautiful you can combine those two in post-processing to get the best looking image, people will be curious how you did it so make sure you tell them. Share the knowledge.
5. Not getting down low for the best angles
Have you ever seen an image where the car was shot at normal, eye level height? Can you say “boring”?! We all see cars from that point of view on a daily basis, so it gets pretty boring. If you want your shots to stand out, you must try different angles. Get down low, get up high, lay down, just make sure you move around and try different stances so you can get a better angle of the car.
This can get dirty, so make sure you don’t wear your brand new pants and shirt. Don’t be afraid to get down on the ground and capture the car from down there, it will give it a more aggressive look. Who cares if you get dirty, at least your shot will look great.
The best pictures I have seen are of those that are not taken at eye level, but are usually down lower than the normal person is willing to go. But you’re not normal, you’re a car photographer (we’re special).
That’s all folks
So, there you have it fellow photogs. The five biggest mistakes beginner car photographers make, and how to avoid them. You have been given ways to make your shots look much better – but you will not improve just by reading this, you must go out and shoot, shoot, shoot! The best way to improve your photography skills is to go out, take the skills you learned here, and put them to the test in the real world. But don’t leave without your rag, circular polarizer, and tripod!
Do you have any other tips on shooting cars? Have any of these helped you get better at car photography? Please share in the comments below.Story highlights Most of the victims were children, according to reports
Condolence messages appear online with images of boys in soccer uniforms
The bus collided with a fuel tanker near the southern Moroccan city of Tan-Tan
(CNN) A bus collided with a fuel tanker in southern Morocco on Friday, a fiery crash that killed at least 35 people -- most of them children -- state and local media reported.
The accident caused a fire that hollowed out the bus, leaving little more than its frame. Debris scattered across the road, while smoke rose into the sky, videos posted to social media show.
The dead included athletes traveling for a sporting competition, an eyewitness told 2M TV, a Moroccan state-owned network.
After the crash, photos appeared on social media of young, smiling boys in soccer uniforms along with condolence messages such as "May God have mercy on them" and "Oh no, they are so young."
The crash happened near the city of Tan-Tan just before 7 a.m., the Maghreb Arabe Presse state news agency reported. It said a number of people were also injured.
Read MoreAll 3 parts as PDF
“In this fascinating exploration of the cultural models of manhood, When Men Are Women examines the unique world of the nomadic Gabra people, a camel-herding society in northern Kenya. Gabra men denigrate women and feminine things, yet regard their most prestigious men as women. As they grow older, all Gabra men become d’abella, or ritual experts, who have feminine identities. Wood’s study draws from structuralism, psychoanalytic theory, and anthropology to probe the meaning of opposition and ambivalence in Gabra society. When Men Are Women provides a multifaceted view of gender as a cultural construction independent of sex, but nevertheless fundamentally related to it. By turning men into women, the Gabra confront the dilemmas and ambiguities of social life. Wood demonstrates that the Gabra can provide illuminating insight into our own culture’s understanding of gender and its function in society.”
–Publisher’s description
The transgender question spans the whole spectrum of human interest, from psychological to biological, social to cultural, religious to technological, political to spiritual. It would be hard to conceive of a hotter topic–or button–than the question of when–or if –a man becomes a woman, and vice versa. Wrapped up inside this question is a still deeper one of what makes a human being a human being, what constitutes personal identity, and how much identity is or can be made subject to our desire, and vice versa. Among the countless lesser questions which the subject raises, here are a sample few, some (though probably not all) of which I will address in the following exploration.
1) The question of biological sex and social gender roles
2) The question of possible causes for transgenderism or gender confusion
3) The question of what possible outside interests the “trans agenda” may be serving, whether corporate, military, governmental, ideological, or otherwise
4) The question of how transgenderism affects women and their position in society
5) The question of how it affects men and their position in society
6) The question of how transgenderism overlaps with/is compatible with transhumanism
7) The question of how children are being affected and possibly endangered by transgenderism as a social trend
8) The question of how transgender individuals are being discriminated against and abused in society
9) The question of class and privilege, and how transgender individuals may be themselves practicing discrimination and abuse
10) The question of whether ideology can be seen as a counter-measure or corrective to biology and psychology
11) The question of whether identity has any actual validity outside of group think and social constructs designed to control us and suppress our life force
12) The question of social and possibly biological anomalies within a community or species
13) The question of group identity and scapegoating
And so on.
Before we get into some of these questions, a few examples of the repercussions and manifestations of “transgenderism” in western society, in the 21st century, are necessary to set the scene. This is from “Rise in transgender children puts British primary schools under pressure,” 13 Jul, 2016:
“UK primary schools are attempting to enforce ‘trans-inclusive environments and curricula’ as the number of British children who want to change their gender is at an all-time high. British demand for sex change procedures booming. England’s only center for trans children and adolescents, the Tavistock Clinic, says the number of British children who want to change their gender has doubled in six months. According to the Guardian, the clinic says it is under huge pressure, with many of the referrals involving children under the age of 10, including one three-year-old and 12 four-year-olds, the Guardian reports. Schools are responding to the increasing numbers by creating ‘new gender neutral environments’ and holding ‘transgender days’ to encourage pupils to think about gender fluidity.”
This is from the UK Daily Mail, 30 July 2016, “March of the male mums”:
“Women having sex changes on the NHS are being given free fertility treatment so they can have babies after they become men. At least three British men who were born female are ‘on the brink’ of becoming parents using IVF techniques, according to a top doctor. And dozens more are now having their eggs frozen at NHS clinics before undergoing surgery or hormone therapy to switch sex.”
Trans individuals meanwhile are surprisingly well-represented (media-wise at least) in the military: “Abi Austen became the first British Army officer to transition from a man to a woman and is now the world’s first transgender foreign correspondent, featuring in a new documentary this week which sees her return to old territory in Afghanistan.” According to a Wikipedia page “Transgender people and military service,” “It is estimated as of 2014 that there are approximately 15,500 transgender individuals either serving on active duty or in the National Guard or Army Reserve forces within the U.S. Military. … A current issue for the transgender population is the use of military medical insurance to transition from one gender to another.”
The most significant social subset for a budding new identity movement is of course children. Here are few examples of how rapidly this new-old social phenomenon is being incorporated into the ideological, educational, and medical framework. From “Children could be taught about transgender issues using penguin story books”:
“The Gender Identity and Research and Education Society has called on schools to teach their children about trans issues by using the Penguin Land stories, which feature adult penguins reassuring younger penguins about transitioning.... In evidence to the committee, the society said: ‘The numbers of very young children transitioning in primary school are increasing rapidly, so information and reassurance needs to be given at the earliest stage.... The Gender Identity Research and Education Society also accused the Department for Education of not doing enough to promote transgender issues, and claimed that the concept of gender transitioning should be ‘included at all levels of the syllabus.’”
From the Daily Mail, Dec 2015:
“An eight-year-old pupil who was born female is locked in a battle with a primary school where staff are refusing to accept the child’s request to be treated as a boy. The school is one of more than a dozen across Britain facing a potential legal challenge for stopping pupils from changing their gender. Another pupil, aged 13, is at an all-girls school but now identifies as a boy, yet staff insist that wearing a skirt is obligatory as uniform policy.”
And from January 2017:
“Don’t call pregnant patients ‘mothers’: Doctors are banned from using the word over fears it will upset those who are transgender. Official guidelines issued by the British Medical Association says mothers-to-be-should be referred to as ‘pregnant people.’ The move aims to avoid offending and alienating transgender parents. The advice came in a 14-page booklet titled A Guide To Effective Communication: Inclusive Language In The Workplace.”
Also from the Mail, April 2017:
“Students lose marks for using ‘he’: Universities penalise undergraduates for ‘offensive’ gender phrases in essays and exams. Institutions are cracking down on the use of ‘offensive’ gender phrases. The terms ‘mankind,’ ‘manpower’ and ‘manmade’ are frowned upon. Now University of Hull is saying use of such language can impact marks.”
The following comes from an article written in November 2015, “7-year-old ‘trans activist’ used in campaign by Transgender Europe, a German NGO partially funded by US State Department”:
“President Obama issued a directive in December 2011 to heads of executive branch agencies (which would include the US Department of State): ‘I am deeply concerned by the violence and discrimination targeting LGBT persons around the world whether it is passing laws that criminalize LGBT status, beating citizens simply for joining peaceful LGBT pride celebrations, or killing men, women, and children for their perceived sexual orientation.’... Pursuant to the memorandum, the Global Equality Fund was established as a funding mechanism, ‘a collaborative effort led by the U.S. Department of State, bridging government, companies and NGOs with the objective of empowering LGBT persons to live freely and without discrimination.’”
As part of this humanitarian agenda, a seven-year-old boy was selected as a figurehead and presented in a 90 second video:
From the same article:
“What is the 7-year-old trans activist being used to promote? The ‘depathologisation’ of trans people. On its website, TGEU ‘calls on the World Health Organisation and governments to ensure that gender variant children are not labelled as sick.’... The Depathologisation Resources page links to this proposal by the GATE working group, which argues for abolishing the ‘gender incongruence’ diagnosis being considered for the next version of the international diagnosis codes (ICD-11).... depathologizing appears to mean dumping any ‘disorder’ diagnosis and just giving trans-identified people whatever they want.... Yet the very document TGEU uses in their depathologisation campaign states that the majority of these kids will desist and perhaps grow up to be gay or lesbian adults. That there should not be a ‘presumption’ that they are transgender.
“In addition, there is a body of evidence, originating with and continuing to this day, from the Dutch team who pioneered pediatric transition, indicating that social transition can be harmful. It can lock a child into a transgender identity and make it more difficult for a child to ‘desist.’ Not only that: Being a social media star and receiving plaudits from parents and other important adults for conforming to gender stereotypes is a powerful incentive and reward. And this particular child has had a law dedicated to him. Can anyone think it would be possible for him to change his mind, after all that?.... Transgender Europe operates campaigns—partially funded by me and other Americans–that promote the idea that a boy who plays with fairy dolls and wears pink dresses is actually a girl who should be ‘socially transitioned’ before the world on YouTube and Facebook, defined as transgender, and who, at puberty, will be ready for all the medical services that money (and the taxpayer) can provide.”
Lastly, this is from Business Insider December 2016, “Demand for transgender medical care is exploding”:
“The youngest patients receive no medical interventions, just counseling. Olson-Kennedy describes one 18-month-old, born a girl, who understood her gender before her grammar. ‘I a boy,’ she repeatedly told her parents. Many young children who experiment with gender roles end up reverting to their birth gender. But when the gender discomfort persists into adolescence, said Olson-Kennedy, it’s usually there to stay. And puberty, when secondary sex characteristics develop, can be a dangerous trigger. ‘I’ve had mothers call me who say their child tries to kill themselves every time they have their period,’ Olson-Kennedy said. ‘Parents come in saying, “My kid tried to cut off his penis with dental floss.”’ Olson-Kennedy’s first line of treatment for adolescents is stopping puberty so children and their parents can buy time to sort out what they want to do. Puberty blockers, GnRh agonists like the injectable Lupron [*Lupron is being used on autistic children and causes sterility, among other things. It may have been used by eugenicists in the past] or the implant Supprelin, suppress puberty by modifying hormone release. Such drugs have been used off-label safely for more than 30 years to stop early puberty. Trans doctors say it’s critical to stop puberty before the body morphs in ways that are difficult to change—the broadening of shoulders for men, for example, or the rounded hips of women. ‘Even 14 or 15 is too late,’ said Dr. Norman Spack, an endocrinologist who founded the country’s first transgender youth clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital.”
*
What all this points to is not so much a budding new development within the species as an ideological battleground. Many progressives see this as a war of the new against the old, of enlightened values struggling against outmoded beliefs and prejudices. But if looked at with a less “cultured” or ideologically entrenched eye, it appears to be more of a war of culture against nature, or mind against body. (In passing, it’s worth noting that the high culture phase of societies are often characterized by an interference with child development to make “properly” socialized adult bodies, as in the case of foot-binding in China.) As the opening quote shows, men aspiring to become women may be as old as culture itself (though not as old as human existence–we only have records of cultural history, for obvious reasons). Perhaps there is even a direct correlation between culture and the drive to transcend biology, and therefore death?
Though it may seem an unlikely source to turn to, Carlos Castaneda’s Art of Dreaming–the ninth in his famous series of anthropological novels about Toltec sorcery–provides a curious echo of this same basic drive, complete with a metaphysical rationale as deep and archetypal as the religious drive to escape damnation–or attain eternal life:
“‘I’ve said to you that the inorganic beings don’t pursue females; they only go after males. But I’ve also said to you that the inorganic beings are female, and that the entire universe is female to a large degree. So draw your own conclusions.’ Don Juan explained to me that sorceresses, in theory, come and go as they please in that world because of their enhanced awareness and their femaleness. ‘The first part of the dreaming lesson in question is that maleness and femaleness are not final states but are the result of a specific act of positioning the assemblage point.... And this act is, naturally, a matter of volition and training. Since it was a subject close to the old sorcerers’ hearts, they are the only ones who can shed light on it.’”
Castaneda’s don Juan goes further still, in claiming something trans activists would wholeheartedly get behind: that sorcery is powerful not only to change one’s gender but retroactively correct what gender one was born as:
“I have already said to you that to be a natural man or a natural woman is a matter of positioning the assemblage point.... By natural I mean someone who was born either male or female. To a seer, the shiniest part of the assemblage point faces outward, in the case of females and inward, in the case of males. The tenant’s assemblage point was originally facing inward, but he changed it by twisting it around and making his egglike energy shape look like a shell that has curled up on itself.”
Ergo, the self-transitioned sorcerer who makes the shift from male to female can legitimately claim to have been born that way.
Leaving aside the possible value of Castaneda’s accounts as anything but wild metaphors, within the narrative he spins, the final truth about the Tenant is that, via his-her elaborate manipulations of energy and identity, in an attempt to escape the clutches of inorganic beings, s/he ended up trapped by that very same identity. “She was the closest thing to permanent,” Castaneda writes, “while I was temporary. That was my advantage. The death defier had worked herself into a corner, and I was free.”
The neoliberal sorcery of identity politics revolves around an unquestionable belief in the sanctity of identity. Its aims have to do with endless ideological renovations, technological extensions, and cosmetic furnishings of the cage. What they never address is the possibility or desirability of leaving the cage behind entirely.
*
In the simplest psychological and social terminology, gender confusion that leads to a decision to “transition” from one gender to another is a question of a strong preference or desire being acted upon with or without the sanction of society. The question of whether or not society sanctions such desires or their fulfillment, and where the desires come from in the first place, are two separate questions. Ideologically, when it comes to sexual preferences (with one notable exception), it is today only really permissible to address the first question.
When it becomes socially unacceptable to talk about any sort of preference in terms of unconscious drives, neurosis, or pathology (unless it’s a crime, and even then, the law may change to suit the new preferences), then pathology, neurosis, and the unconscious cease to exist as categories of meaning. Yet as psychological phenomena they continue and, logically, can only proliferate for not being identified.
The notion that suffering is something that needs to be alleviated by fixing the externals is central to the transgender movement, as well as to neoliberalism, identity politics, and all modern Western values that elevate personal preference over every other factor. This turning away from internal states of suffering to external pseudo-solutions (which are often really distractions) creates the sort of messed up culture of exploitation we are living in. It is a world where no one wants to just sit in the distress of being poisoned by generations of abuse, but instead rushes to surgically remove the offending parts, or worse, take them out on–or put them into–someone else. The Trans Agenda does both, because as well as altering the individual’s externals (and internals) as a way to alleviate their distress, it also imposes this “choice” on others by forbidding all questioning of it. A man with a penis can legally oblige others to identify him as a woman–and gain access to women’s bathrooms–because he insists that this is how he identifies, and that for his belief not to be affirmed by others, will only cause him more distress.
My own sense, as I turn fifty, is that individuation– |
's power grew, decisions were made by Mullah Omar without consulting the jirga and without consulting other parts of the country. He visited the capital, Kabul, only twice while in power. Instead of an election, their leader's legitimacy came from an oath of allegiance ("Bay'ah"), in imitation of the Prophet and the first four Caliphs. On 4 April 1996, Mullah Omar had "the Cloak of the Prophet Mohammed" taken from its shrine for the first time in 60 years. Wrapping himself in the relic, he appeared on the roof of a building in the center of Kandahar while hundreds of Pashtun mullahs below shouted "Amir al-Mu'minin!" (Commander of the Faithful), in a pledge of support. Taliban spokesman Mullah Wakil explained:
Decisions are based on the advice of the Amir-ul Momineen. For us consultation is not necessary. We believe that this is in line with the Sharia. We abide by the Amir's view even if he alone takes this view. There will not be a head of state. Instead there will be an Amir al-Mu'minin. Mullah Omar will be the highest authority, and the government will not be able to implement any decision to which he does not agree. General elections are incompatible with Sharia and therefore we reject them.[26]
The Taliban were very reluctant to share power, and since their ranks were overwhelmingly Pashtun they ruled as overlords over the 60% of Afghans from other ethnic groups. In local government, such as Kabul city council[23] or Herat,[27] Taliban loyalists, not locals, dominated, even when the Pashto-speaking Taliban could not communicate with the roughly half of the population who spoke Dari or other non-Pashtun tongues.[27] Critics complained that this "lack of local representation in urban administration made the Taliban appear as an occupying force."[22]
International relations [ edit ]
Only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recognized the Taliban government.[28] The state was not recognised by the UN, which instead recognized the Islamic State of Afghanistan as being the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
Relations between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Iran deteriorated in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats. Following this incident, Iran threatened to invade Afghanistan by massing up military forces near the Afghan border but intervention by the United Nations Security Council and the United States prevented the war.
One reason for lack of international recognition was the Taliban's disregard for human rights and the rule of law as demonstrated by their actions on taking power. One of the first acts of the Taliban upon seizing power was the execution of the former Communist President of Afghanistan, Mohammad Najibullah. Before the Taliban had even taken control of Afghanistan's capital they sent out a squad to arrest Najibullah. As Najibullah was staying in the United Nations compound in Kabul, this was a violation of international law. As a further example, the Taliban regime was also heavily criticized for the murder of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan[29]
In 1998, the Taliban supported the Islamic militants operating in Chechnya, Xinjiang and Jammu and Kashmir, thus antagonizing Russia, China and India simultaneously. Furthermore, the group has also recognized the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as a country and established diplomatic relations until 2001.
In 2013, the Taliban opened an office in Qatar[30] with the goal of beginning talks between themselves, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.[31] There was a conflict after the office raised the white flag of the former Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry saying that the office could be closed if there was not a "move forward" in peace negotiations.[32][33]
Bamyan Buddhas [ edit ]
Destruction of Buddhas 21 March 2001
In 1999, Mullah Omar issued a decree protecting the Buddha statues at Bamyan, two 6th-century monumental statues of standing buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. He did this because Afghanistan had no Buddhists, so idolatry would not be a problem.
But in March 2001, the statues were destroyed by the Taliban of Mullah Omar following a decree issued by him. The Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar explained why he ordered the statues to be destroyed in an interview:
I did not want to destroy the Bamiyan Buddha. In fact, some foreigners came to me and said they would like to conduct the repair work of the Bamiyan Buddha that had been slightly damaged due to rains. This shocked me. I thought, these callous people have no regard for thousands of living human beings – the Afghans who are dying of hunger, but they are so concerned about non-living objects like the Buddha. This was extremely deplorable. That is why I ordered its destruction. Had they come for humanitarian work, I would have never ordered the Buddha's destruction.[34]
Then Taliban ambassador-at-large Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi also said that the destruction of the statues was carried out by the Head Council of Scholars after a Swedish monuments expert proposed to restore the statues' heads. Hashimi is reported as saying: "When the Afghan head council asked them to provide the money to feed the children instead of fixing the statues, they refused and said, 'No, the money is just for the statues, not for the children'. Herein, they made the decision to destroy the statues"[35]
This prompted an international outcry from nations such as Japan, India, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Nepal, Iran, Qatar, and Russia. Even Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which were among only three nations to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, voiced their opposition. The Arab branch of UNESCO, a cultural and educational agency of the United Nations, labelled the destruction as "savage".[36][37]
Sanctions [ edit ]
On 15 October 1999, the UN Security Council established a sanctions regime to cover individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and/or the Taliban.[38] Since the U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the sanctions were applied to individuals and organizations in all parts of the world; also targeting former members of the Taliban government.
On 27 January 2010, a United Nations sanctions committee removed five former senior Taliban officials from this list, in a move favoured by Afghan President Karzai. The decision means the five will no longer be subject to an international travel ban, assets freeze and arms embargo. The five men, all high-ranking members of the Taliban government:
Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil, former foreign minister.
Fazal Mohammad, former deputy minister of commerce.
Shams-us-Safa Aminzai, former Taliban foreign affairs press officer.
Mohammad Musa Hottak, former deputy minister of planning.
Abdul Hakim, former deputy minister of frontier affairs.
All had been added to the list in January or February 2001.[39][40]
Military under the Taliban [ edit ]
Taliban fighters patrolling the streets of Herat, 15 July 2001
The Taliban maintained a military during their period of control. The Taliban army possessed over 400 T-54/55 and T-62 tanks and more than 200 armoured personnel carriers.[41] The Afghan Air Force under the Taliban maintained five supersonic MIG-21MFs and 10 Sukhoi-22 fighter-bombers.[42] In 1995, during the 1995 Airstan incident, a Taliban fighter plane captured a Russian transport. They also held six Mil Mi-8 helicopters, five Mi-35s, five L-39Cs, six An-12s, 25 An-26s, a dozen An-24/32s, an IL-18, and a Yakovlev.[43] Their civil air service contained two Boeing 727A/Bs, a Tu-154, five An-24s, and a DHC-6.[43]
Conscription [ edit ]
According to the testimony of Guantanamo captives before their Combatant Status Review Tribunals, the Taliban, in addition to conscripting men to serve as soldiers, also conscripted men to staff its civil service.[44]
Economy [ edit ]
[45] Afghanistan opium poppy cultivation, 1994–2016 (hectares). After the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, opium production was down 96%.
The Kabul money markets responded positively during the first weeks of the Taliban occupation. But the Afghani soon fell in value.[46] They imposed a 50% tax on any company operating in the country, and those who failed to pay were attacked.[47] They also imposed a 6% import tax on anything brought into the country,[48] and by 1998 had control of the major airports and border crossings which allowed them to establish a monopoly on all trade.[49] By 2001 the per capita income of the 25 million population was under $200,[50] and the country was close to total economic collapse.[51] As of 2007 the economy had begun to recover, with estimated foreign reserves of three billion dollars and a 13% increase in economic growth.[52]
Under the Transit treaty between Afghanistan and Pakistan a massive network for smuggling developed. It had an estimated turnover of 2.5 billion dollars with the Taliban receiving between $100 and $130 million per year.[53] These operations along with the trade from the Golden Crescent financed the war in Afghanistan and also had the side effect of destroying start up industries in Pakistan.[54] Ahmed Rashid also explained that the Afghan Transit Trade agreed on by Pakistan was "the largest official source of revenue for the Taliban."[55]
Between 1996 and 1999 Mullah Omar reversed his opinions on the drug trade, apparently as it only harmed kafirs. The Taliban controlled 96% of Afghanistan's poppy fields and made opium its largest source of taxation.[55] Taxes on opium exports became one of the mainstays of Taliban income and their war economy.[55] According to Rashid, "drug money funded the weapons, ammunition and fuel for the war."[55] In The New York Times, the Finance Minister of the United Front, Wahidullah Sabawoon, declared the Taliban had no annual budget but that they "appeared to spend US$300 million a year, nearly all of it on war." He added that the Taliban had come to increasingly rely on three sources of money: "poppy, the Pakistanis and bin Laden."[55]
In an economic sense it seems however he had little choice, as due to the war of attrition continued with the Northern Alliance the income from continued opium production was all that prevented the country from starvation.[56] By 2000 Afghanistan accounted for an estimated 75% of the world's supply and in 2000 grew an estimated 3276 tonnes of opium from poppy cultivation on 82,171 hectares.[57] At this juncture Omar passed a decree banning the cultivation of opium, and production dropped to an estimated 74 metric tonnes from poppy cultivation on 1,685 hectares.[58] Many observers say the ban – which came in a bid for international recognition at the United Nations – was only issued in order to raise opium prices and increase profit from the sale of large existing stockpiles.[55] The year 1999 had yielded a record crop and had been followed by a lower but still large 2000 harvest.[55] The trafficking of accumulated stocks by the Taliban continued in 2000 and 2001.[55] In 2002, the UN mentioned the "existence of significant stocks of opiates accumulated during previous years of bumper harvests."[55] In September 2001 – before 11 September attacks against the United States – the Taliban allegedly authorized Afghan peasants to sow opium again.[55]
There was also an environmental toll to the country, heavy deforestation from the illegal trade in timber with hundreds of acres of pine and cedar forests in Kunar Province and Paktya being cleared.[59][60] Throughout the country millions of acres were denuded to supply timber to the Pakistani markets, with no attempt made at reforestation,[61] which has led to significant environmental damage.[62] By 2001, when the Afghan Interim Administration took power the country's infrastructure was in ruins, Telecommunications had failed, the road network was destroyed and Ministry of Finance buildings were in such a state of disrepair some were on the verge of collapse.[63] On 6 July 1999 president Bill Clinton signed into effect executive order 13129. This order implemented a complete ban on any trade between America and the Taliban regime and on 10 August they froze £5,000,000 in Ariana assets.[64] On 19 December 2000 UN resolution 1333 was passed. It called for all assets to be frozen and for all states to close any offices belonging to the Taliban. This included the offices of Ariana Afghan Airlines.[65] In 1999 the UN had passed resolution 1267 which had banned all international flights by Ariana apart from pre approved humanitarian missions.[66]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Preceded by
Islamic State of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
1996 – 2001 Succeeded by
Afghan Interim Administration
Coordinates:ISTANBUL, Turkey - “My father gave me all his savings to help me come to Istanbul. He knows I am good at football and the whole community is watching me,” says Alex Epome, a 17-year-old footballer from Cameroon.
Thanks to good airline connections to Africa and flexible visa policies, Istanbul has become the main destination for those who dream about better wages and a career in Turkey, a gateway to Europe.
Last year, Alex was a second division player with a local team in his home country. Hoping to provide a better future for his family, Epome packed up everything and moved to the shores of the Bosphorus in pursuit of a professional football career.
Alex Epome dreams of being recruited into a professional team in Turkey or Europe (MEE/Thomas Lecomte)
“What I earned in Cameroon was just enough to buy bread. I had to walk to the training [field] as I couldn’t pay for the bus ride,” says Epome. “For me any club would be great. I do it for my family, with the help of God,” he adds.
According to Bertrand-Joseph Ndong, Epome’s agent and a former Cameroonian coach, a fourth division player in a Turkish club earns an average of $8,400 a year, in comparison to a few hundred dollars in any African club.
Bertrand-Joseph Ndong’s team is playing a friendly match against footballers from Mali (MEE/Thomas Lecomte)
Epome is now training to compete in the African Cup of Nations, a friendly tournament that takes place every year in the central neighbourhood of Ferikoy.
But this year the municipality of Fatih, which has funded the tournament for a few years, withdrew its funding due to the state of emergency and other security concerns, according to Ndong, who is one of the main organisers of the event.
FC Lampedusa: Germany's international refugee football team Read More »
In 2016, Turkey was hit with a series of bomb attacks that killed at least 385 people. In April 2017, Turkey extended its state of emergency for three months, its third such extension after a coup attempt last July.
However, the organisers say they will still go ahead with the tournament taking place on 24 June. "We will still organise it anyway,” explains Ndong, adding that each competing team will have to contribute around $140 to fund the event.
To prepare for the competition, Epome follows a strict daily training schedule of three hours at Nndong’s private training centre, Soccer International Business Management.
Bertrand-Joseph Ndong’s players during their daily training in Kurtulus (MEE/Thomas Lecomte)
But other African players have not been as lucky as Epome, lured by illegitimate agents claiming strong ties to Turkey and based on void promises of fame and financial stability.
In 2008, 27-year-old Pascal Eneh gave up his career as a midfield first division football player in a Nigerian club to pursue a professional career in Turkey. An unofficial recruiter from Nigeria convinced him that he had a shot with the football club Muglaspor, in southwest Turkey. He was affiliated with a Turkish manager who had helped gain the trust of Eneh, who paid him $2500 in advance. "After three days in the hotel [in Mugla], [the agent] disappeared - he had dumped me,” Eneh says. Yet returning to Nigeria was out of the question for Eneh. “I was in Turkey already, I had to try,” he adds.
'What I earned in Cameroon was just enough to buy bread. I had to walk to the training [field] as I couldn’t pay the bus ride' - Alex Epome, football player from Cameroon
In 2016, after years of trying to get recruited, Eneh decided to start coaching other aspiring African football players, after realising that he was too old to start a professional football career.
For a small commission, Eneh usually conducts his training sessions three days a week in a public football field in the working-class neighbourhood of Kurtulus. To make a decent living for himself, however, he does other odd jobs on the side.
Since going back to their homelands empty-handed is associated with shame and failure, players like Eneh who are stranded in Turkey usually decide to stay.
Alex Epome used to play in a first division club in Cameroon (MEE/Thomas Lecomte)
"If I don’t succeed, my family won’t either. My father’s dream will be wasted,” says Epome.
‘If I don’t succeed, my family won’t either. My father’s dream will be wasted’ - Alex Epome, football player from Cameroon
To complicate matters more, many risk staying in Turkey with expired visas. If they are caught by security forces, they are arrested and sometimes deported.
Germain Blaise Mbeh regrets staying in Turkey since he arrived in May 2015. He constantly considers moving back to his home in Cameroon, but admits it is difficult to actually go through with it.
“If I fail, my family will be disappointed,” says Mbeh.
He initially travelled to Turkey for a test match in Bursa, in the south of Istanbul, but the match never actually took place.
"When I tell Africans that Turkey is difficult, they don’t believe me,” explains Mbeh.
Mbeh decided to stay in Turkey and depends on earnings his family sends from a small family business back in Cameroon. He is now training with Eneh for the African Cup of Nations in hope of getting recruited by a Turkish team.
A twenty-two-year-old Nigerian footbal player going by the name of *Stanford had a similar experience to what Eneh and Mbeh went through. Coming from Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria, he landed in Istanbul in 2014 after playing for mediocre local clubs for a few years.
“An agent told me to come to Turkey for a test match. I paid him $1700 for that,” he says.
“When I arrived, the test never took place,” Stanford adds.
Clement Lopez, a migration researcher at the University of Paris-Sud, told MEE that most illegitimate agents depend on verbal agreements and persuasion, although some use fake invitations from clubs.
'Racism is the worst thing here, it’s all the time, small things, insults, threats' - Germain Mbeh, football player from Cameroon
"Usually a lie well told can convince a player who has high hopes to leave to Europe, [and who] totally lacks lucidity; same for the families,” he says, adding that they also take advantage of inexperienced, naive players.
According to Lopez, controlling recruitment and preventing scams is difficult. Legitimate recruiters should have an official licence from FIFA, the body that runs world football, and they should never be paid in advance by the players.
Struggling to find work
To be able to survive in Turkey, many players have to juggle between a strict training regimen and work.
Stanford landed a gig singing hip-hop and performing shows imitating Michael Jackson in clubs and churches on weekends and evenings, while he reserves his mornings for training with Eneh. This helps him pay rent for the tiny flat he shares with four others, deep in the basement of a crumbling building in Kurtulus.
The flat has no windows and no ventilation. The air inside is thick and mould stains the walls.
Mbeh says that finding paid jobs is difficult for Africans.
“The only jobs we can find here are difficult and barely paid, if paid at all,” says Mbeh.
‘I put on my music and let it fly’
Racism is another recurring issue the African footballers face as they try to make it in Turkey.
"I never fought in my life until I came to Istanbul. I don’t want it but some people are constantly bullying me,” says Stanford.
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He recalls one night on his way home from work when a group of people attacked and robbed him because of the colour of his skin.
“I had to beg them to let me at least keep my shoes,” he says. “It was humiliating.”
Mbeh says he has often been called a “negro,” compared to a monkey and told several times to go back to his country.
“Racism is the worst thing here, it’s all the time, small things, insults, threats,” says Mbeh. “What can I do? I put on my music and let it fly.”
But on the football field, walls dissolve and racist slurs disseminate under the heels of a good game.
‘If you play well, they will love you,” says Severin Brice Bikoko, a football player with the Turkish team Kayseri Erciyesspor.
Bikoko is one of the African footballers that made it in Turkey after a lot of training and perseverance.
‘I wasn’t good enough for them’
In the early years of his career, Bikoko tried many times to join teams in Europe, but he was never selected. This included a test with Monaco for playing in the French championship.
“The reality was that I wasn’t good enough for them,” he explains. “When you fail, you should go back home and train harder to get better.”
Bikoko was eventually approached in Cameroon by a British agent licensed by FIFA.
A few weeks later, Bikoko started training with Kayseri Erciyesspor, a team in Turkey’s second division. He now has sights on Fenerbahce, one of Turkey’s best teams.
‘Many African players come to Turkey with the idea of starting a career, but some don’t have the level at all’ - Bertrand-Joseph Ndong, agent and a former Cameroonian coach
African players tend to underestimate the level of the Turkish football scene.
“I thought the level of the Turkish championship was low and that I could easily play in first or second division,” explains Dave Stewe, 18, from Cameroon.
After a year in Turkey, Stewe has scaled down his ambitions, as he has not been able to join a club yet.
“It is much harder than I thought,” he says, adding that he realised it very soon after arriving.
Stewe is now training with Eneh, but also studies international relations at Bilgi University, “just to have a plan B in case football doesn’t work”.
“Many African players come to Turkey with the idea of starting a career, but some don’t have the level at all,” Ndong says.
Nndong is currently training 20 football players at his training centre. They all wear the same jersey stamped with the centre’s logo.
"We only train people who have chances of being recruited,” explains Ndong, who organises regular friendly matches with Turkish professional teams so his players can showcase their skills to potential recruiters.
The players do not have to pay for training. If recruited, they give Ndong a percentage of their fee, which is usually around 10 percent.
Many of the players hope to be recruited following the African community football championship in Istanbul. According to Nndong, last year 200 players were recruited at the end of the event.
“I believe in my talent. I will succeed,” says Stanford.
*Some names have been changed for security purposes.Galveston is the fastest-growing U.S. cruise terminal
Barbados Exploring caves and boarding a submarine for a look at marine life are popular activities here. Barbados Exploring caves and boarding a submarine for a look at marine life are popular activities here. Photo: BARBADOS TOURISM AUTHORITY PHOTOS Photo: BARBADOS TOURISM AUTHORITY PHOTOS Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close Galveston is the fastest-growing U.S. cruise terminal 1 / 28 Back to Gallery
The Port of Galveston held onto its title as the country's fourth-busiest cruise terminal and is the fastest-growing cruise port in the United States.
Embarkations from Galveston increased 35 percent to 869,923 passengers in 2016, up from 642,000 in 2014, according to the Cruise Lines International Association's 2016 Economic Impact Analysis released Wednesday.
Galveston's jump is partly due to the closure of the Bayport Cruise Terminal in Pasadena, according to the report. The terminal waved goodbye to its last cruise ship last year and the Port of Houston no longer serves cruise lines.
At HoustonChronicle.com: With cruise ships gone, Port of Houston decides to move on at Bayport
Some 1.28 million passengers and crew visited Texas during 2016, up 19 percent from 1.07 million in 2014. This represents 5.3 percent of all passenger and crew visits in the U.S.
With $1.42 billion in direct spending and 25,166 jobs paying $1.62 billion in income, Texas accounted for 6.6 percent of direct expenditures generated by the cruise industry in the United States, 6.5 percent of the industry's total employment impact and 7.9 percent of the income impact.
At HoustonChronicle.com: Galveston cruise terminal continues to expand as passenger lists grow
In the U.S. overall, cruise lines, their passengers and crew spent a record $21.69 billion in 2016, up 15 percent since 2011 and representing a new peak in U.S. cruise industry expenditures.
Total contributions of the global cruise industry to the U.S. economy hit a record $47.76 billion in 2016, up 3.6 percent from 2014. This includes generating 389,432 U.S. jobs paying more than $20.5 billion in wages and salaries.
The country's busiest ports were in Florida: Miami with 2.6 million embarkations, Port Canaveral with 2.1 million and Port Everglades with 1.8 million.Colorful has just revealed their latest high-end and crazy looking graphics card, which comes with their usual long-winded naming system. The Colorful GeForce GTX 1080 Ti iGame Vulcan AD is as crazy as they come and features a custom PCB design with pure silver contacts, a triple-slot air cooler design over a freaking massive heat sink, and it gulps power from a pair of 8-pin PCIe connectors.
The cooler features a dual aluminium fin-stack design, with 5 x 6mm nickel-plated copper heat pipes, as well as a large base plate design to allow for cooling of the memory and VRM, as well as the GPU core. The fans are 2 x 100mm, with a smaller 80mm in the middle, most likely the card will only fire up the large fans in high-load scenarios, but we can’t confirm that right now.
The card is equipped with 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0b, and 1 x DVI. While Colorful hasn’t given us any clock speeds for the card, it’s most certainly got a high-end overclock applied, with all that power going through an 8+2 phase VRM, and all that cooling, it would be a shame not to give it a big performance boost.
No word on price, but expect it to be on par with other flagship 1080 Ti’s on the market.One Piece: Warriors[b] is an action video game developed by Omega Force and published by Bandai Namco Games for PlayStation 3.[3] It was released on March 1, 2012, in Japan, September 21, 2012, in Europe and September 25, 2012, in North America.[4] The game was developed in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the One Piece manga and anime franchise by Eiichiro Oda. Pirate Warriors was also the first title in the One Piece video game franchise which was released on a PlayStation system since One Piece: Grand Adventure in 2006.
As with the rest of the franchise, Pirate Warriors follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who accidentally eats the Gum-Gum Fruit and organizes a diverse crew of pirates called the Straw Hats to search for the titular treasure. On his journey, Luffy makes several new friends, and battles a wide variety of villains. A sequel, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 was released in March 2013, with a third game, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, released in March 2015.
Gameplay [ edit ]
Pirate Warriors is an action game incorporating elements from both the Dynasty Warriors series and the One Piece series.[3] The game's story mode, Main Log, allows the player to play through the storyline. The Adventure mode uses Luffy to play through the events of the One Piece series and the battle mode allows the player to use characters in battles.[5] In Another Log, the player can play through a character's storyline. With it are several stories exclusive to the game.[6]
Characters [ edit ]
The game features a total of 13 playable characters. There are also numerous other NPCs who are exclusively fought with.
Similarities [ edit ]
There are 16 chapters in Main Log mode. The cut-scenes were reused in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3.
Development [ edit ]
The concept and development for Pirate Warriors began with a meeting between Tecmo Koei producer Hisashi Koinuma and Namco Bandai producer Koji Nakajima. Nakajima read the One Piece manga and also played the Dynasty Warriors video games during his youth. The producers eventually realized that an action game involving Luffy fighting with sailors in a video game would be interesting. Koinuma said that the developers wanted to "express the charm of [original author Eiichiro] Oda's [manga] art as best as we can". Koinuma also wanted a "look that worked well in the game" and to make it "approachable while still allowing [video game] experts to put their own techniques into it."[7]
According to Shin Unozawa, vice president of D3 Publisher, the game's title was originally just One Piece Musou before Eiichiro Oda himself changed it.[citation needed] Oda was also very impressed by the quality of the character models when he first saw the demo movie, believing the game's cinematics to be on par with those seen in a full budget movie. As a result, he turned down the development team's request to illustrate the game's cover image, believing that the models alone were enough to showcase the game.[citation needed]
The game was first announced in the early September issue of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. The announcement featured screenshots of Monkey D. Luffy, highlighting the game's mechanics.[8] In September 2011, Namco Bandai Games issued a press release announcing that the game would be developed by Tecmo Koei's Omega Force division.[9] Pirate Warriors was first shown at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show convention along with One Piece: Gigant Battle 2! New World.[10]
In late December 2011, Namco Bandai filed a trademark in Europe for Pirate Warriors.[11] In early February 2012, the company also filed the Pirate Warriors trademark in the United States.[12] On February 13, Namco Bandai announced that the development of Pirate Warriors was finished at their press conference and showed another trailer of the game. Namco Bandai president Shin Unozawa revealed that the game had 500,000 pre-orders. At the same event, Serina of SDN48 cosplayed as Boa Hancock.[13] On April 11, 2012, Namco Bandai revealed that Pirate Warriors would be released for North America on September 25, 2012 and Europe on September 21, 2012, with plans for digital download on the PlayStation Network and distribution plans with retailers.[1]
Versions and merchandise [ edit ]
The game was released on March 1, 2012 in Japan. In the early December issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump, it announced that Pirate Warriors would be bundled in Japan with the Treasure Box, a collector's edition which includes the game's soundtrack, 15 collectible pins, a serial code to download nine custom themes featuring individual members of the Straw Hat Pirates, and a book featuring character and CG-rendered artwork and environments from the game's production.[14] Namco Bandai and Tecmo Koei also confirmed that the game would be bundled with a gold PlayStation 3 with a print of Luffy and the Pirate Warriors logo on it.[15] Sony Computer Entertainment president Hiroshi Kawano revealed that the PlayStation 3 was used as a pressing process.[13][16]
Legacy [ edit ]
A sequel, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2, was released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in Japan on March 20, 2013. The PlayStation 3 version was later released in Europe on August 30, 2013 and as a digital-only release in North America on September 3, 2013.[17] A third game, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3, was released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows on March 26, 2015 in Japan.[18]
Reception [ edit ]
The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[19]
The game was rated 36 out of 40 by the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.[21] The game was a huge success in Japan, in its first week it sold over 655,774 copies[29] and as of April, the game has sold over 1.2 million units.[30]
Notes [ edit ]
^ Releaed under the Bandai labal ^ One Piece: Pirate Warriors ( ワンピース 海賊無双, Wan Pīsu: Kaizoku Musou)How did Elizabeth I manage to avoid invasion by the Catholic Philip II of Spain? According to Professor Jerry Brotton of Queen Mary’s, London, “Elizabeth’s Islamic policy held off a Catholic invasion”. Prof Brotton made this claim in a recent article for the New York Times. Like his new book, it places him in a recent scholarly movement which – quite understandably – aims to depart from Eurocentric historical narratives. But unfortunately, the claim about “Elizabeth’s Islamic policy” is not merely simplistic but manifestly erroneous. The historical facts just don’t support it.
England’s ties with the Muslim Ottoman Empire did indeed make an impact on military events but in a very different way. They must be studied within the wider background of diplomatic and military developments elsewhere in Europe, the Mediterranean and even the Middle East.
In the second half of the sixteenth century, the Mediterranean saw a period of open warfare followed by a period of truces and relative calm. Before 1571, the Ottoman Empire and Spain (and its Italian allies) were locked in a bitter struggle for naval domination. Despite the famous Christian victory at Lepanto in October 1571, neither side was able to secure a decisive victory; and so in 1580, the King of Spain and the Sultan concluded the first of a series of truces. For the next two decades, the Mediterranean was divided into a Spanish-dominated west and Ottoman-dominated east. After the mid-1570s, the King of Spain and the Ottoman Sultan thus largely disengaged from one another and turned their eyes away from the Mediterranean. They focused their bellicose energies instead against adversaries who were identified as greater threats.
For Philip II of Spain, the heretical Protestants in Northern Europe came to dominate all other issues: the Calvinist rebels in the Netherlands, their English allies, and the Protestants in France posed a danger to the Catholic Church and Philip’s own authority.
Similarly, the primary threat for the Sunni Ottoman Sultan became the Shiite Safavid dynasty in Persia (modern-day Iran). As Shiites, the Safavids challenged the theological legitimacy of the Sultan in the Islamic world and threatened the Ottoman heartlands in Anatolia. The Ottomans initiated a conflict against the Safavids in 1578 (until 1590) and the rivalry between both Muslim dynasties continued into the seventeenth century. Both the superpowers of the age had effectively decided that the enemies within their faith represented a great threat than the infidel.
It is therefore hard to see how the ties Elizabeth forged with the Ottoman played any role in “holding off a Catholic invasion”. Indeed, in this respect her strategy could be seen as having been a singular failure. When the Armada sailed against England in 1588, it comprised a number of ships that were redeployed from Mediterranean squadrons due to the absence of an Ottoman threat. The galleass La Girona, which sank off Country Antrim with tremendous loss of life in October 1588, was just one of these redeployed galleys and galleasses that were more suited to naval warfare in the Mediterranean than the North Atlantic.
The Ottoman Sultan and his officials may well have welcomed English envoys and trade links and made pleasing diplomatic noises. But they offered no real military help. Diplomatic relations in early modern Europe and the Mediterranean were often moulded by a brutal realpolitik in which expediency trumped religious loyalties: my enemy’s enemy was my friend, whether or not he was an infidel. Elizabeth wasn’t the first European monarch to seek a Muslim ally (the French Kings had previously sought Ottoman help against the Habsburgs); she wasn’t the last, either (even Philip III of Spain would later seek to cultivate relations with the Safavids to counter any Ottoman threat).
Elizabeth survived the Armada through a combination of skilful English seamanship, poor Spanish leadership and luck. But the war did not end in 1588, and Philip did not abandon his plans to attack the British Isles. Philip II’s failure to invade and conquer England or defeat Protestantism in northwestern Europe was certainly not caused by Ottoman interference but by diplomatic and military overreach |
ruiting AFL stars to help spread the message.
“A tragedy of the disease is you’re a witness to your body dying,’’ he said.
“But every 12 hours someone gets MND in Australia, and every 12 hours someone dies. It’s an anonymous killer. Not many people know about it.”
Daniher, who coached Melbourne to the 2000 AFL Grand Final and played 82 games for Essendon in a career cut short by injury, will also focus on fundraising for research.
“We need to find some treatment, prevention and a cure,’’ he said.
About two Australians die a day from the disease, which progressively robs sufferers of the use of arms, legs and ability to speak, swallow and breathe but normally does not affect their mind and senses.
Daniher has started slurring his words and has difficulty with his hands but is still physically active and said a positive approach was essential.
“You don’t cope by fear. You just day-by-day exist,’’ he said. “You just get on with life and enjoy life and there’s a lot to enjoy.
“And you don’t cope by thinking where this will end up? There’s no fun in that. You don’t get many laughs in that.”
The average life expectancy after diagnosis is 27 months but, in true fighting spirit, Daniher said he would play the game on his own terms.
“It’s important that people who’ve heard the diagnosis know that, on average, it’s two to four years to live but I might bump that up a little bit,’’ he said.
You can make a donation to MND Australia here.
peter.rolfe@news.com.au
Originally published as No cure: Footy legend’s shock diagnosisCryptome DVDs are offered by Cryptome. Donate $25 for two DVDs of the Cryptome 12-years collection of 46,000 files from June 1996 to June 2008 (~6.7 GB). Click Paypal or mail check/MO made out to John Young, 251 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024. The collection includes all files of cryptome.org, jya.com, cartome.org, eyeball-series.org and iraq-kill-maim.org, and 23,000 (updated) pages of counter-intelligence dossiers declassified by the US Army Information and Security Command, dating from 1945 to 1985.The DVDs will be sent anywhere worldwide without extra cost.
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15 July 2006. The New York Times real estate Streetscapes column by Christopher Gray describes the history of 34 East 62nd Street.
14 July 2006
The building at 34 East 62nd Street housing the ROOM/Club was destroyed in a gas explosion on July 10, 2006, reportedly set off by the building owner to spite his divorced wife. The New York Times cited the article below in its report on the explosion and Joseph Persico used it in Roosevelt's Secret War: FDR and World War II Espionage:
Information on the building: http://eyeball-series.org/34e62/34e62-birdseye.htm
New York History
Quarterly Journal of New York State Hstorical Association
Volume LXII, Number 3, July 1981
Cooperstown, New York 1981
[Pages 307-322.]
The Roosevelt-Astor Espionage Ring
By JEFFERY M. DORWART
The little-known story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's spies, who were often effective and always high in the social register. Jeffery Dorwart teaches history at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey, and is writing a book on Naval Intelligence between the world wars.
FROM THE BEGINNING, the names Roosevelt and Astor symbolized New York history. Both families traced their roots to colonial times, prospered through local real estate transactions, moved in exclusive society circles and maintained homesteads along the banks of the historic Hudson River. The Roosevelt farm at Hyde Park stood a short distance to the south of the Astor estate at Rhinebeck, and these Dutchess County gentry formed close associations and considered themselves part of the same intimate little group. During the early part of the twentieth century Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his neighbor William Vincent Astor promised to perpetuate these earlier ties and maintain family connections. But the warm friendship and special relationship between the two men in the decade before the second world war developed outside the natural course of affairs and in an unexpected and mysterious manner.1
1. Kenneth S. Davis, FDR, The Beckoning of Destiny. 1882-1928: A History (New York, 1972), pp. 33-34.
FDR's relationship with Vincent Astor developed slowly. Eight years Astor's senior, Roosevelt pursued a career in New York politics and then went to Washington in 1913 as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in Woodrow Wilson's administrations. The previous year, Astor's father, John Jacob Astor IV, died suddenly in the sinking of the ocean liner Titanic, forcing the young man to leave Harvard and manage his father's multimillion-dollar estate. Astor and Roosevelt met briefly during World War I to discuss organization of a Naval Reserve Force composed of yachts and powerboats, but then Astor went to sea on convoy duty while Franklin remained at his desk in Washington. Not until Roosevelt's crippling polio attack in 1921 did the two Hudson River aristocrats begin to visit each other regularly, especially since FDR sought relief for his paralyzed limbs in Astor's heated indoor swimming pool at Rhinebeck.2
2. Frank Freidel, Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Apprenticeship (Boston, 1952), p. 296; Elhott Roosevelt, ed., F.D.R.: His Personal Letters. 1928-45 (3 vols.; New York, 1950), I: 33-34; Dictionary of American Biography, supplement 6 (New York, 1980), pp. 23-24.
[Poor quality image omitted] President Franklin D. Roosevelt, center, with Vincent Astor, left, and James Roosevelt aboard Astor's yacht, the Nourmahal, at Jacksonville, Florida in 1934. Wide World Photos.
As Roosevelt convalesced quietly, leaving his political fortunes in the hands of hard-working private secretary Louis Howe and wife Eleanor, an active Vincent Astor moved to the forefront of New York's fast-paced society world. Wealth meant to Astor not only sleek yachts, powerful motor cars and his own airplane, but also vigorous participation in social reforms, scientific explorations and in groups advocating strong American air and maritime services. The latter interests brought Astor together with a select group of like-minded New Yorkers such as the Long Island Roosevelts -- Kermit and Theodore Jr., naturalist C. Suydam Cutting, world explorer and journalist Marshall Field III, philanthropists Duncan Stewart Ellsworth and Barklie Mckee Henry, mining expert Oliver Dwight Filley, Wall Street lawyer Henry G. Gray, airplane engine inventor Charles Lanier Lawrence, banker Robert Gordon McKay and stockbrokers Grafton Howland Pyne and Kenneth Schley.
The usual organizations such as the Knickerbocker and New York Yacht Clubs were not appropriate to these interests. Astor and his friends required a retreat where they could gather in private to discuss current political, financial and international topics. Thus in 1927 they formed a secret society called The ROOM, which met monthly in a nondescript apartment at 34 East 62nd Street in New York City, complete with unlisted telephone and mail drop. The ROOM's founders kept the existence of their little gathering from everyone except a few select friends. New membership was restricted to men who shared all the attributes and ideas of the original organizers, including banker Winthrop W. Aldrich, reformist Judge Frederic Kernochan, philanthropist William Rhinelander Stewart, Assistant Secretary of War for Air F. Trubee Davison, Andrew Mellon's son-in-law and sometime diplomat David K. E. Bruce, national tennis champion Reginald Fincke, Dr. Eugene Hillhouse Pool of Columbia University Medical School, publisher Nelson Doubleday, archaeologist Clarence L. Hay and Kermit's close English friend, Captain H. Nugent Head of the Fourth Hussars, a frequent visitor to his wealthy wife's New York family.3
3. Other ROOM members included businessman George Fisher Baker Jr., Canadian-born banker Beverley Bogert, Cutting's stepson James Cox Brady, Wall Street attorney Frederick I. Carver, stockbrokers George C. and Louis C. Clark, Kermit's nephew W. Sheffield Cowles, coal mine owner Charles E. Dunlap, philanthropist Barklie McKee Henry, stockbrokers Frederick Strong Moseley Jr. and Kenneth B. Schley and attorney George G. Zabriskie. The Room folder, Kermit Roosevelt Papers, box III, Library of Congress.
At their monthly meetings, ROOM members gathered for dinner and conversation. When members returned from their continual series of world travels, they reported observations to The ROOM. "It is hoped to learn from Suydam [Cutting] what he has been doing in China," Kermit noted before one session. Occasionally a special guest such as polar explorer Commander Richard E. Byrd would be invited to discuss his experiences. The visit to The ROOM of British author and veteran intelligence officer Somerset Maugham evoked the most enthusiasm, because many members had themselves worked for Allied intelligence during the first world war. Cutting, Filley, Hay and probably Aldrich, Astor and Doubleday had intelligence backgrounds, and Stewart served in the United States Office of Naval Intelligence during the late war. Indeed, the entire atmosphere surrounding The ROOM resembled that of an intelligence office, albeit in an informal and somewhat romanticized manner. Actually, only Astor continued to collect data for the United States government during his many ocean cruises on his private yacht, and The ROOM existed as little more than a self-satisfying study group to exchange information with other members. Yet in 1932 a catalyst appeared to unify and set into action this group of powerful men. Franklin D. Roosevelt was running for president.4
4. K. Roosevelt memorandum to ROOM members, July 19, 1929, box III, Kermit Roosevelt Papers; Kermit to Bunny Head, Nov. 12, 1935, box 53, Kermit Roosevelt Papers.
Though never attached formally to The ROOM, FDR knew every member well through Groton, Harvard and New York society, business and political connections. In addition, during the campaign and first years of his presidency, Roosevelt became an intimate comrade of four of The ROOM's most influential members -- Astor, Kermit Roosevelt, Stewart and Judge Kernochan. The bond was forged aboard Astor's magnificent motor yacht, the Nourmahal, where the four adventurers, often accompanied by sportsman George St. George and several other cronies, spent long hours drinking, gambling, fishing, "frumping" and pursuing amorous adventure. Astor, Kernochan and Stewart were with Roosevelt in Miami in February 1932 when an assassin narrowly missed killing the president-elect. After this incident, FDR and his three companions returned to the Nourmahal for rest, the first of many such escapes from the burdens of office during the early years of his presidency. "This is the only place I can get away from people, telephones and uniforms," Roosevelt wrote a friend in 1934.5
5. Vincent Astor to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Sept. 26, 1934, Astor to Roosevelt, April 30, 1935, President's Secretary's File 116 (Vincent Astor), Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, hereafter cited as PSF 116, Roosevelt Library; FOR to Judge Kernochan, March 9, 1933, President's Personal File 71 (Frederic Kernochan), Roosevelt Library; Raymond Moley, The First New Deal (New York, 1966), p. 66; FDR Personal Letters, I: 394.
The seafaring comrades grew very close. "Vincent is a dear and perfect host," Franklin assured his mother in February 1933. Kernochan, Astor and even the Republican Roosevelt, Kermit, were more effusive in their affection for the charming president. Moved by FDR's gift of a pair of engraved sleeve links, Astor expressed his love and gratitude to Franklin. "Someday, and some how, I am hoping that my chance may come to show how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness of me," Vincent wrote his favorite shipmate. As a token of his feelings, Astor sent Roosevelt a new Chris Crafts catalogue, urging him to select any yacht, which Astor would purchase for him. Kermit simply gave Franklin a copy of his very favorite spy story in the "Clubfoot Series." Kernochan was the most emotional, promising that he would do anything for Roosevelt. "Anything from the hardships of a trip on the Nourmahal to any information you may want and that I am in a position to give," the influential judge wrote FDR in March 1933.6
6. Roosevelt to Mrs. James Roosevelt, Feb. 6, 1933, FDR Personal Letters, I: 327-28; Astor to Roosevelt, 1934, PSF 116, Roosevelt Library; Kermit Roosevelt to FDR, Jan. 18, 1934, PPF 1224 (Kermit Roosevelt), Roosevelt Library; Kernochan to Roosevelt, March 1, 1933 and Dec. 24, 1933, PPF 71, Roosevelt Library.
Undoubtedly Kernochan realized that information was the one thing Roosevelt always wanted and needed, and one of his favorite methods for gathering data was employment of confidential agents who reported to him personally and privately. The world of secret agents, intelligence and espionage had long thrilled FDR. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the world war, he had dabbled in naval espionage, personally recommending and selecting his friends for duty as reserve intelligence officers in the Office of Naval Intelligence. As president, Roosevelt revived this interest in intelligence, believing that in the increasingly hostile environment of world economic depression and rising dictatorships he must have secret sources of information beyond that provided by official government agencies. Thus, he encouraged diplomats such as William Bullitt in Europe and Fred Morris Dearing in Latin America to bypass regular State Department channels and report confidential data directly to him, while urging Washington journalist John Franklin Carter to provide inside information about Roosevelt's own bureaucracy, a service which led to Carter's eventual employment as head of a secret White House intelligence unit. Astor, Kernochan and the rest of The ROOM membership fit this pattern, and Roosevelt determined to tap this source of confidential financial, mercantile and international news and information.7
7. For Roosevelt's early intelligence interest, see Jeffery M. Dorwart, The Office of Naval Intelligence: The Birth of America's First Intelligence Agency, 1865-1918 (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1979), 104ff; for Carter, see PSF 122 (John Franklin Carter), Roosevelt Library; Orville A. Bullitt, ed., For the President, Personal and Secret; Correspondence between Franklin D. Roosevelt and William C. Bullitt (Boston, 1972); for Dearing, see Edgar B. Nixon, ed., Franklin D. Roosevelt and Foreign Affairs, 1933-1937 (3 vols.; Cambridge, 1969).
From the start, Astor served as the intermediary, forwarding intelligence directly to FDR at least as early as 1933. Most early data concerned general conditions in the Caribbean and Panama Canal Zone, but in 1936 Fred Dearing wrote Roosevelt from his post in Peru that Astor planned to cruise off the Pacific coast of Latin America. "I understand that Vincent Astor is going back to the Galapagos Islands again with a few visitors, but I expect he might pick up some scraps of information for you while he is there." Though anxious to have Astor check rumors that Japanese ships were surveying the Galapagos to locate a site for an advanced base, Roosevelt was more concerned to learn what the Japanese were doing on their far distant islands in the South Pacific held since World War I as League of Nations mandates. Conveniently, Astor and Kermit Roosevelt planned a scientific expedition to the Marshall Islands as a cover for other investigations.
Astor made elaborate preparations, including establishment of a recognition code word for the Nourmahal, tie in with the United States Navy radio network and a briefing by Director of Naval Intelligence Ralston S. Holmes. "Admiral Holmes (O.N.I.) told me he believed the Japs had a lot of Radio stations in the islands," Astor advised FDR. "I should think that it would be interesting to know their exact location," and "Nourmahal has a Radio Direction Finder."8
8. Astor to Roosevelt, Jan. 7, 1933, PPF 40 (Vincent Astor), Roosevelt Library; Dearing to FDR, March 10, 1936, in Nixon, ed., Roosevelt and Foreign Affairs, III: 242; Astor to Roosevelt, n.d., PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
[Poor quality image omitted] President Roosevelt aboard the Nourmahal in 1935. Courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
In early 1938 Astor sent a lengthy report to the president reviewing his voyage with Kermit to the South Pacific. "On my return, I shall of course make a proper report to O.N.I.," he explained. "However in the remote possibility of trouble between now and then, you might consider the following conclusions of mine concerning the Marshall Islands worth forwarding to Naval Operations & O.N.I." In his message to the president, Astor admitted that when the Japanese refused to grant permission to land he had become a bit of a coward and had left the area. However, through intercepted radio messages and interviews with British intelligence people on the nearby Gilbert and Ellice Islands he had gathered some important data. Astor observed that Eniwetok, not Jaluit or Wotje, seemed to be the principal Japanese naval base, since large docks, fuel stores and ships had been observed there for several years. Bikini Atoll, Astor confided, abounded in suspicious activity and was off-limits to local natives. In addition, Roosevelt's man had learned that trucks and tractors worked to clear an air strip on Wotje, while six Japanese submarines lurked in a nearby lagoon. Astor performed one valuable service by correcting the common impression in Washington that Japan had fortified the Marshall Islands, insisting that the concrete platforms on one island comprised floors for warehouses not emplacements for guns. "I feel moderately certain that there are none [forts] in the Marshalls," he wrote FDR.9
9. Astor to Roosevelt, n.d., PSF 116, Roosevelt Library; Astor left for the South Seas cruise on Nourmahal in February 1938, New York Times. Feb. 20, 1938, part II: 8.
Although Astor apologized for the obvious limitations of his intelligence report on the Japanese mandates, he received encouragement to continue his espionage service. The outbreak of European war in September 1939 made such work more urgent, and Roosevelt worried that the fighting threatened to spill into the Western Hemisphere and endanger American interests. But an ardently isolationist public and Congress as well as a series of restrictive neutrality laws prevented any overt measures to protect the national security or to prepare for war. The president became desperate to discover ways to counteract foreign aggression, subversion and espionage without alienating the isolationists. Astor and his ROOM provided one possible method to get around this dilemma. Composed of world travellers, important bankers and the directors of some of New York's most important cable companies and international business houses, all intensely loyal and personally obligated to FDR, The ROOM seemed the ideal semi-official and highly confidential agency to carry out clandestine operations for the president.
Now code-named The CLUB, Astor's ROOM focused first on collecting information from New York's leading bank, the Chase National, directed by ROOM regular Winthrop Aldrich. "Tomorrow, I am starting to work on the banks, using the Chase as the Guinea Pig," Astor explained to Roosevelt. "Espionage and Sabotage need money, and that has to pass through the banks at one stage or another. What we need is to have them volunteer information, and not merely to allow themselves to be tapped, -- when asked." Of particular interest was the account of Amtorg Corporation, the thinly disguised cover for Soviet espionage in the United States, and Astor forwarded to FDR details of Amtorg's transactions. The Chase Bank connection led to one unexpected and exciting possibility as well. "The Japanese Ambassador called on Winthrop Aldrich, Chairman of the Board of the Chase National last Monday," Astor informed the president, and "stated that his government is still exceedingly interested in the Chase Bank organizing & sending to Japan a commission, under the bank's guidance, for the purpose of studying present economic conditions in Japan." Astor called this a heavensent opportunity to pack the mission with agents briefed carefully by the Office of Naval Intelligence. "It seems to me that such a commission might be of great value to us in obtaining valuable information, provided that certain individual members were wisely chosen and adequately educated in advance as to what to look for."10
10. Astor to Roosevelt, n.d., Astor to Roosevelt, Feb. 5, April 18 and 20, 1940, in PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
Astor then exploited his position as director of the Western Union Cable Company by sending abbreviated excerpts from intercepted communications on to the president. "Some technically valuable information came from Japan, including the location of illuminating gas tanks," he noted, "but this would have been dull reading for you, and is now with O.N.I." Of more interest to Roosevelt were tidbits on pro-Nazi activities in Spain's embassies overseas, espionage efforts against the United States by foreign agents in Mexico City and graft among the Brazilian naval commission then visiting Washington to purchase weapons. Since federal statute forbade interception of international cables and tampering with the mails, Astor had to be careful. "In regard to the opening of diplomatic pouches in Bermuda and Trinidad," he confided to Roosevelt, "I have given my word never to tell anyone, -- with always you excepted."11
11. Astor to Roosevelt, n.d., [March 14, 1940?], PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
Access to diplomatic pouches in the Caribbean pointed to Astor's increasingly intimate relations with British intelligence sources in New York City and in Bermuda, where he owned extensive property. Evasion of American neutrality by cooperating with the British in their war against the Nazis came easily to Astor and his organization. Every one of the old ROOM members held deep family, educational and emotional bonds to England and to English society and institutions. Ellis had studied at Eton, Morgan at Harrow and Milburn and Henry at Oxford, Reginald Fincke's daughter had married a British nobleman, while the Duke and Duchess of Windsor stayed at the Cuttings or Schleys when visiting the United States; and of course Vincent Astor represented the American branch of that famous English family. In World War I, Filley had flown with the Royal Flying Corps and Kermit Roosevelt had joined the British Army, and had reenlisted in 1939. More important, in numerous quiet ways The ROOM aided Britain's war effort. David Bruce directed American Red Cross relief in London, while Aldrich headed the British War Relief Society in America and funded a secret pilot-training program for British fliers in the United States.12
12. Knox to Roosevelt, May 27, 1940, PSF 82; see also PPF 7591, Roosevelt Library.
Astor's connection with British intelligence dated possibly from the first world war, but most certainly flowered during the late 1930s when he contacted British agents in the South Pacific and in the Bermuda Censorship Office, the latter probably providing the diplomatic mail interceptions which he forwarded to Roosevelt. In early 1940 Astor visited Sir James Paget and Walter Bell who directed the British Passport Control Office in Manhattan, the cover office for British intelligence operations in the United States. "Shortly after the club's' formation," Astor explained to Roosevelt, "it occurred to me that Paget and Bell might from time to time obtain leads useful to us." Apparently the British Passport Control Office fed Astor and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover information in early 1940, but the State Department found out and complained vigorously about this violation of United States neutrality. In response, the British government squeezed Paget and Bell, stopping the flow of information to Astor and Hoover. The FBI director complained to the State Department, while Astor urged FDR to intervene. "It is certainly a bit difficult to conduct an effective blitzkrieg of our own against malefactors when information becomes stymied in department files for six weeks." Facing a reelection battle in 1940 a cautious Roosevelt made no commitments and did not intercede on behalf of either Astor or Hoover.13
13. Astor to Roosevelt, April 18, and April 20, 1940, PSF 116, Roosevelt Library. Later Astor cooperated with Sir William Stephenson, Churchill's agent "Intrepid" when he assumed charge of British intelligence in America, see H. Montgomery Hyde, Room 3603: The Story of the British Intelligence Center in New York during World War II (New York, 1962), p. 99.
Roosevelt's lack of action was typical. For numerous political, diplomatic and constitutional reasons he wished to remain entirely behind the scenes. Astor's ring received no government funds, official directives or written instructions from Washington; it merely functioned as a voluntary and unofficial group. In the event that unneutral and illegal activities were revealed, it would be Astor and his friends, not the president, who would be responsible. Nevertheless, Roosevelt orchestrated his espionage ring's operations. Unquestionably, Astor received specific instructions orally since he dropped by the White House sevetal times and visited Hyde Park often. He also spoke to the president by telephone, but worried that the lines might be tapped. He had proceeded with one particularly sensitive mission without consulting the president, he explained to FDR, because "I didn't like to telephone you." In most cases, though, Astor discussed proposed projects with Roosevelt. When Hoover objected to placing an agent on board one ship, Astor told the president that he had warned the FBI director that "you wished it done, & to go ahead." Roosevelt's responsibility for communications intelligence was clearer still. "After your conversation over the wire on Monday afternoon," Astor advised the president, "we made arrangements to cover the radio spectrum in accordance with your wishes." A few months later, he informed Roosevelt that "in accordance with your instructions," he had prepared a summary of measures to guard war industry plants against sabotage and the Mexican border against infiltration by subversives.14
14. Astor to Roosevelt, n.d., Vincent Astor Memorandum, Oct. 20, 1939; Astor to Roosevelt, June 7, 1940, all in PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
By June 1940, however, Astor required official recognition and presidential support in order to continue his operations. He begged Roosevelt to listen. "When you return to Washington, I do hope that I shall have a chance to come down and talk with you for a little while about the 'club,' which I am up to my neck in; and also about the suggested Chase Bank mission to Japan." Astor was especially concerned about the views of the Navy Department, since both the Office of Naval Intelligence and its very active Third Naval District intelligence office in New York resented his free-lance intelligence work. The Navy considered Astor a volunteer intelligence officer and expected him to follow regular channels. Finally in June, the department called him to Washington for an explanation of his mysterious activities. "Maybe I shall need you to protect me from a firing squad!" Astor wrote to his friend in the White House.15
15. Astor to Roosevelt, April 20, 1940; Astor to Roosevelt, June 25, 1940; Astor to Missy LeHand, May 14, 1940, all in PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
At this critical juncture in world events, with France defeated and England in danger of invasion, Roosevelt required Astor's services more than ever. Consequently he gave his secret agent an official nod on June 26 in a memorandum to Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold R. Stark. "I simply wanted to let you know that I have requested him to coordinate the Intelligence work in the New York Area, and, of course, want him given every assistance," Roosevelt instructed Stark. "Among other things, I would like to have great weight given his recommendation on the selection of candidates because of his wide knowledge of men and affairs in connection with general Intelligence work."16
16. Roosevelt Memorandum for Admiral Stark, June 26, 1940, PPF 40 and Roosevelt to Stark, June 26, 1940, Official File 18x (Naval Intelligence), Roosevelt Library.
Astor wanted an even more formal arrangement. In February 1941 he told Adolf A. Berle, State Department intelligence liaison and another of Roosevelt's confidants, that he desired to become a coordinator of intelligence. Several weeks later, Berle met again with Astor and the two discussed the current confused and amateur status of United States intelligence. After the meeting Berle noted that Astor "means well" and his "instincts are right, but somehow seem blunted...." Then on March 8, Berle attended a conference with FDR, Astor and the new Director of Naval Intelligence, Captain Alan G. Kirk, at which the president appointed his old shipmate as the Area Controller for the New York Area. "I think he will be really useful, there," Berle admitted.17
17. Diary entries, Feb. 7,1941, roll 2, frames 1132-3; Feb. 25,1941, roll 2, frame 1179; March 8, 1941, roll 2, frame 1197; in the Adolf A. Berle diary, Roosevelt Library.
[Poor quality image omitted] Roosevelt and Astor at flag-draped table, aboard the Nourmahal, 1935. Courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
Captain Kirk sent a secret memorandum on March 28 to the commandant of the Third Naval District outlining the presidential directive regarding Astor's new title as intelligence controller for New York. According to Kirk, Astor would remain on inactive duty but receive a desk and clerical assistance in the District Intelligence Office at 50 Church Street, New York City. The intelligence director warned that no one should know about Astor's duties except the district commandant, his chief of staff and the district intelligence officer. Though operating from a naval office and receiving instructions from the Office of Naval Intelligence, Astor held powers to control all local intelligence functions undertaken by the Military Intelligence Division of the U.S. Army, the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Justice and State Departments and liaison with other information-gathering agencies. There were limits, however. "The coordination exercised by the Area Controller will not be concerned with investigations of civil or criminal cases or of disciplinary action in the cases of military or naval personnel, unless such cases involve subversive (sabotage or espionage) activities in which there is a conflict of interest as between any of the four interested Departments."18
18. "Clarification Agreement between the State, War, Navy and Justice Departments and Commander Vincent Astor, U.S. Naval Reserve, Concerning the Presidential Directive Regarding the Area Controller for the New York Area," in Kirk to Commandant, Third Naval District, March 28, 1941, PPF 40, Roosevelt Library.
Instead of improving Astor's situation, though, Kirk's directive complicated matters. As an official, Astor confronted all the bureaucratic power struggles and internal intrigues accompanying organized intelligence business. No longer could he remain an aloof, independent operator, enjoying special relations with the president but unconstrained by any formal position in the government. Moreover, FDR became more cautious about seeing his old friend, fearing that isolationist forces might connect Astor with espionage service for the administration. Astor assured the president that his position remained secure, but at the same time realized the dangers that might accompany any revelation. This concern surfaced when he learned that another secret agent named Wallace Phillips, who boasted of access to a $100,000 navy department secret intelligence account, was roaming about New York City looking at FBI, MID and ONI files. Astor warned Roosevelt of possible repercussions. "Here is a situation which I do not feel justified in keeping from you, for if it went wrong I believe it could result in a real scandal and be just what the isolationists would like." When Franklin failed to show the proper concern, Astor asked if he could drive up to Hyde Park for a five-minute meeting with the president, who was resting at his Dutchess County estate. Not only was Phillips interfering in Astor's business, he had also told everyone that he was a special friend of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt. What was even worse for Astor, Phillips was "a social climber."19
19. Astor to Roosevelt, April 20, 1941, and similar complaints to DNI Kirk, 22 April 1941, PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
By this time, Roosevelt seemed less interested in local intelligence squabbles than in finding a coordinator of overall strategic information for the United States government in the face of collapsing British resistance to the Nazis in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Overlooking Astor, FDR appointed his law school friend and world war hero, Colonel William I. Donovan, to coordinate a central office of strategic information, the forerunner of the World War II Office of Strategic Services (OSS). "Wild Bill" Donovan was far more aggressive than Astor, and in a recent special intelligence trip for the president to England and the Middle East had displayed an unusual grasp of the larger strategic and intelligence questions. In any case, during the summer of 1941 Astor suffered from stomach problems which led to hospitalization in October, and he was in no condition to assume such responsibilities. Perhaps Astor took pride in the fact that Donovan, who had often played squash with Kermit Roosevelt and other ROOM members, hired David Bruce to head his London operation.20
20. See Corey Ford, Donovan of OSS (Boston: 1970), pp. 111-12; R. Harris Smith, OSS: The Secret History of America's First Central Intelligence Agency (Berkeley, CA, 1972), p. 164; Minnie Astor to Roosevelt, Oct. 30, 1941, PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
By the time Astor recovered from his abdominal operation and returned to his office in late 1941, he had nearly lost touch with the rapidly changing intelligence situation in New York. Most confusing was the presence of White House investigator John Franklin Carter in the city to check up on Astor, though their meeting on December 5 was cordial. "We also agreed as to future lines of cooperation and I arranged immediately to establish contact between him and the man who really heads my work in his area," Carter reported to Roosevelt. But two days later the entire nation was shaken by the surprise Japanese air strike on Pearl Harbor. Almost at once Astor and Carter clashed over the delimitation of wartime intelligence responsibilities in the New York area. Equipped with $94,000 from the president's war emergency fund for special investigative work and holding sweeping but ill-defined powers to centralize counter-espionage, Carter attempted to discredit Astor and take over the New York operation. On December 11 he phoned the White House, complaining that Astor had become very distressed and suspicious about the entire problem of investigation. Characteristically, Roosevelt allowed his two loyal subordinates to thrash out their own differences.21
21. "Report on Talk with Vincent Astor, Dec. 5, 1941," PSF 122; GGT Memorandum for the president, Dec. 1 J, 1941, PSF 116; Harold D. Smith Memorandum, Oct. 16,1941 and Berle Memorandum July 29,1941, both in PPF 5325 (John Franklin Carter); Roosevelt Memorandum for Jack Carter, Dec. 29, 1941, PSF 122, Roosevelt Library.
After Pearl Harbor, Astor tried to maintain his intimate relationship with Franklin. Several times during late 1941 and early 1942 he visited Hyde Park or the White House to talk about the war with his friend, especially about steps to protect the Atlantic seaboard and shipping lanes against marauding German V-boats. Even before American entry into the fighting, though, the former intimacy had disappeared, bred partly by Astor's waning enthusiasm for the later New Deal politics but also because a harassed Roosevelt simply could not find the time to slip away for a cruise on the Nourmahal. Other shipmates were gone as well. Kernochan had died in 1937. Two years later, Kermit had enlisted in the British armed forces, and died in Alaska in 1943 while working for Army intelligence. The war scattered other ROOM members also, with Cutting, Field, McKay, and Bruce pursuing wartime intelligence duties with the Army's Military Intelligence Division or the OSS. For Astor the war meant anti-submarine and convoy routing duty in the headquarters of the Eastern Sea Frontier at 90 Church Street; his position as intelligence controller lost any relevance. In August 1944 he admitted that "an Area Controller in New York honestly isn't needed any more," and asked Roosevelt to release him from the job so that he could go to sea. "Within the next day or two, therefore, I shall once more become a bore and call you up with a view to getting a final clearance from the President," Astor wrote presidential secretary Grace Tully. "Even though I know he must be tired from his long trip, maybe he would give me a couple of minutes or if it were easier for him, you could send me a line or a wire... as evidence of the fact that the President is willing to let me now cease my Intelligence activities." Thus in this sad, almost apologetic letter, Astor severed the last lingering ties binding together the Roosevelt-Astor espionage ring.22
22. Memorandum for the president, March 26, 1942; Astor to Roosevelt, July 16, 1942; Astor to Grace Tully, Aug. 14, 1944, all in PSF 116, Roosevelt Library.
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We’re conducting interviews, contacting individuals that might possibly have any information,” he said.Gwamaka Kifukwe is a fellow of the Young African Leaders Initiative. He is from Tanzania.“This is not a representation of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas or the state of Arkansas,” he said. “We're happy with the way it's being handled and do not wish to draw additional attention to it. That's the sentiment shared by the Fellows.”The university issued a statement on Tuesday:“The University of Arkansas was surprised and saddened to learn of this harassment and hope that this single act of intolerance doesn't negatively impact what was otherwise a valuable and enriching opportunity for both the fellows and the university. This attitude is not reflective of the U of A community or our community at large. We believe in inclusion and tolerance and regularly welcome guests from near and afar.”The university’s Police Department said they will have extra patrols near the Garland House for the duration of the African leaders’ stay.Police said if a suspect is found, he could face criminal mischief and harassment charges.Please follow and like us: 10
It was Sunday afternoon, and like most January days in Northwest Ohio, it was overcast, cold, and gloomy. The new semester at Bowling Green State University had just begun, and since most classes were in the “here’s the syllabus – I’ll see you next week” stage, there was no significant classwork to accomplish. It also happened to be Super Bowl Sunday, and since I had no particular favorite between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Giants, I wasn’t particularly interested in watching any of the pre-shows for the pre-shows for the pregame show. In short, I was bored.
But my trusty ’87 Sentra was gassed up and parked outside, and I had a new roll of Fujifilm, so it was time to head to the tracks!
My typical search pattern involved heading east from BGSU and following the old C&O main line north toward Walbridge. On this day, there were no signs of railroad life until I came to Hanley Road, the last crossing south of Walbridge Yard, where I spotted the approaching headlight of a southbound. I parked the Sentra and began walking south along the right of way to set up my shot. Another railfan arrived, parking on the opposite side. Maybe something interesting was coming!
The headlight came closer, and eventually, a shape and some colors began to emerge from the January gloom. It was red and white. It was the last surviving CSX locomotive still wearing Western Maryland colors, former GP-40 #3798, and it was in the lead! Jackpot!
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But that wasn’t all. Trailing behind the rare GP-40 were the unmistakable silhouettes of two GP-30’s – actually, GP30-m’s in this case, having been upgraded by Chessie System in the 1980’s – another rarity in 1991. I shot the WM unit and as I focused on the second unit. Something was unusual. Could it be? Yes! A “Sunburst”! I had grown up along the Chessie System in the 1970’s and ’80’s, but I had never seen a B&O unit wearing the “Sunburst” scheme. The GP-30’s were delivered in that scheme, and it was later applied to a handful of F-7’s, but by the late 1960’s all of them had been covered by the generic B&O/C&O corporate Blue. Here was a Sunburst bleeding through after being hidden for a quarter century.
...
The last unit would have been the notable catch in any other lashup – another former B&O GP-30m, this time in classic Chessie System attire.
The rest of my journey that day was a dud. There was nothing of note at Walbridge Yard, and Vickers Junction was uncharacteristically quiet. I returned to BGSU in time to grab dinner and watch Scott Norwood miss the game-winning field goal as the Giants beat the Bills 20-19. Regardless of the football game, I knew that I had made the best catch of the day!
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RelatedThe Emanuel administration and major air carriers have reached agreement on a significant expansion of O'Hare International Airport's passenger terminals, with nine gates to be added by 2019 and potentially dozens more in a brand new terminal a few years later.
The deal, to be announced tomorrow by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and airline CEOs, should give O'Hare enough room to meet growing demand for "30 to 40 years," according to Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans.
"We are writing the next chapter in Chicago's aviation future," said Emanuel.
The plans have been under development for several months and are the latest and in some ways a most-needed step to keep O'Hare viable and price competitive after earlier announcements of a final new runway, de-icing pads and new hotel facilities at the huge but aging airfield.
The exact size of the expansion is still in flux, with Evans saying only that airlines have submitted their requests and "everyone wants more gates." But it appears the new gates will rival the net 25 new gates added when United Airlines Terminal 1 opened in 1987 and possibly be exceeded only by the entire O'Hare footprint when it opened in the 1960s.
According to city officials, the expansion will come in two pieces.
First, the existing Terminal 5, which now serves only international flights, will have nine gates added to the current 24. The new gates will go on the east end of the terminal, where some small structures recently were demolished.
The $300 million project will be funded with existing O'Hare revenues and passenger seat charges. While the airlines support the plan, using existing revenue sources will expedite work, with the city to formally seek a design bidder next week and construction to be completed in 2019, Evans said.
The work will give O'Hare the "flexibility" to continue using Terminal 5 solely for international flights, or part of it for domestic operations, Evans said. Increasingly, the distinction is meaningless, with passengers from countries such as Canada and Ireland already clearing customs overseas, rather than here.
The expansion also will provide for a second gate to serve the super-large Airbus 380.
"As Chicago's hometown airline, we are committed to building a stronger, more vibrant O'Hare that will help elevate the travel experience for our customers,” Oscar Munoz, United's president and CEO, said in a statement. “We support the city's effort to expand Terminal 5 and will continue working with our partners to develop the long-term vision for O'Hare.”Let me tell you about the time I had the opportunity to taste a priceless bottle of 1975 Château Mouton Rothschild, with a label designed by none other than Andy Warhol.
Several years ago, when I was just getting started in the wine business, I was hired for a part-time job at BLM Wines & Spirits in Allston, MA.
Just getting out of an unemployment slump, I was dead broke and eager to impress my new employers.
I showed up to work 15 minutes early, dressed for success and ready for any challenge they were willing to throw at me.
First task, stock shelves. Second task, consolidate the back room. Done and done.
Third task, dust off the old bottles in the Rare Vintage Room and adjust pricing with 4 percent increase for the new year.
Why they would trust the new guy to handle such valuable inventory, I will never know.
The Rare Room was impressive. Imagine a temperature and humidity controlled 10 x 10 room filled wall to wall, from floor to ceiling with rare and exotic wines, some vintages dating as far back to the early twentieth century!
I knew that these bottles were extremely valuable and completely irreplaceable. It was like being in a museum. No cameras and please leave your backpacks and pocketbooks outside.
Dusting the bottles, with my trusty swiffer, I took my time and was very careful when handling each one. All of which were in mint condition.
And then there it was, a Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the most marvelous wines in France and a glorious blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Verdot. Appropriately, the bottles for each vintage of this First Growth Bordeaux have been adorned with labels illustrated by the world’s greatest artists since 1945. Since my parents collect art, I immediately recognized the 1975 Warhol.
Excited to impress my manager Roger with my knowledge, I brought the bottle over to his desk and started a dialogue.
As a joke, I asked if we could taste the bottle. To which he replied, “only if you have $1,125!” We both had a good laugh and I walked back to put it away.
I liked Roger. He was a nice man in his mid-sixties and had been with the company for over 39 years. He looked like a short and skinny Santa Claus, white hair, beard, wore scratched up lenses and always dressed like a librarian.
As I returned to my chores and was reaching toward the top shelf to put Warhol back where I found it, Roger walked in, the bottle slipped out of my hands and crashed to the floor, spilling broken glass and wine all over each label below it.
I was horrified. We both were! Roger and I both stared at each other, mouths agape, paralyzed in disbelief of what had just happened.
Before I could even say “FUCK!!!” — which I most definitely did, twice — he rushed over to salvage the remaining bottles, running them back and forth to the sink to remove as much wine and broken glass as he could from the labels before the stains set in and devalued the inventory.
Luckily, we were able to salvage the rest of the display, but the Warhol was toast. All that remained was a couple sips worth at the bottom of the half shattered bottle. It was a sad moment in wine history. I was devastated and knew my career at BLM was to be short lived.
After we cleaned up the mess, Roger approached me, sat me down and explained the severity of the situation. Then he pulled out a coffee filter and decanted the remaining contents of the broken bottle.
“Looks like you can use a drink,” he said, offering me some of the remaining contents of the bottle. “Am I going to get fired?” I asked.
“Absolutely not,” he protested, claiming that he bought that bottle back in 1975 for $108 a case. “Accidents happen. Besides, we’re insured. Keep up the good work.”
As we shared the wine, I knew that I would never forget that day as long as I live.
So the moral of the story is simple. Try not to break priceless merchandise at your job, especially if you’re still the new guy, because if your manager isn’t as forgiving as Roger, you’ll probably get fired on the spot.
David Blum is an alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the consulting chef at In Vino, an Italian restaurant and wine bar in New York City.The 100+ Most Controversial Films of All-Time
Movie Title Screen Film Title/Year, Director Screenshots
Carnal Knowledge (1971)
D. Mike Nichols Moviegoers expecting to be titillated were taken aback by this drama's raw, taboo-breaking examination of misogyny and dysfunctional relationships. The prurient title of this raw, profanity-laden, taboo-breaking Mike Nichols film (with a script by satirist and cartoonist Jules Feiffer), meaning'sexual intercourse,' brought millions of patrons into the theatres for its character-based tale of the exploits and sexual encounters of two Amherst college roommates: shy and naive Sandy (singer Art Garfunkel) and narcissistic, predatory womanizer Jonathan (Jack Nicholson). This striking film with adult subject matter told of their dysfunctional, misogynistic sexual attitudes and'machismo' relationships (and breakups) with women over a 20-year period (from the late-1940s to the late 60s). It illustrated their fragile male egos and bravado, as it further pushed the boundaries of sex in cinema and challenged the ratings system and the general morals of the time - although the film had little in the way of explicit sex. A film print was seized by Albany, Georgia officials in 1972, claiming that it violated obscenity laws, and the manager of the film theatre was arrested (and convicted, but it was later overturned). It was brought as a major case before the US Supreme Court, which found in 1974 that the film was not obscene and "did not depict sexual conduct in a patently offensive way." The court ruled that a local Georgia law prohibiting the distribution of the "obscene" material had gone too far. Nowadays, the film would be considered tame, with its minor amount of nudity or explicit sexual activity, although its dialogue was ripe, candidly frank and open for its time. It began with the two males' difficult initiation into sex ("scoring" with coeds) during their 1940s student days at Amherst (with among others, Candice Bergen as the pretty, respectable and intelligent Smith College student Susan whom they both dated). Sandy awkwardly tried to feel Susan's breasts through her clothes during a date, details of which he later shared with Jonathan. In the meantime, Jonathan betrayed his friend and dated Susan ("Myrtle") and she lost her virginity to him, unbeknownst to Sandy, although eventually Sandy married Susan and had a family in a typical surburban setting. The story continued with playboyish Jonathan's later difficult relationship to voluptuous, big-breasted TV model Bobbie (Oscar-nominated Ann-Margret) who he first felt was his sexual salvation - and she soon became his live-in mistress: ("I took one look at the tits on her, and I knew I'd never have trouble again"). Jonathan soon resented Bobbie's hints at becoming more domestic and trapped-hitched, as she vulnerably drowned in depressing despair. He then berated and insulted her ("Answer me, you ball-busting, castrating, son of a cunt bitch! Is this an ultimatum or not?"). When she cried out and pleaded: "I want you!", he answered: "I'm taken --- by me!" He added: "For God's sake, I'd almost marry you if you'd leave me." In a revealing close-up, a naked Bobbie sat up against a blank wall (filmed from the chest up), lost in her own thoughts of depression and suicide, and soon after took an overdose of pills. The film then followed Jonathan into his divorced, burnt-out life in the late 60s and 70s, when he looked back and called ex-wife Bobbie "Queen of the Ballbusters." Meanwhile, Sandy was dating 18 year-old free-love advocate and hippie chick Jennifer (Carol Kane) in the late 60s. Finding himself dysfunctionally impotent, Jonathan resorted to using the pleasuring services of paid prostitute Louise (Rita Moreno in a cameo) to massage his ego (and more) in the film's final scene. Obsessively, he had her recite a carefully-worded script (he yelled at her - "God-damn it! You're doing it all wrong" - when she deviated) while she kneeled between his legs. After accepting payment of $100, and as he reclined back on a couch, she reassured him as she stroked his thighs: "I don't think we're gonna have any trouble tonight." She called him "a real man, a kind man" and then went on to encourage him to rise up and be manly: I don't mean the weak kind the way so many men are. I mean the kindness that comes from enormous strength, from an inner power so strong that every act, no matter what, is more proof of that power. That's what all women resent. That's why they try to cut ya down, because your knowledge of yourself and them is so right, so true, that it exposes the lies by which they, every scheming one of them, live by. It takes a true woman to understand that the purest form of love is to love a man who denies himself to her - a man who inspires worship, because he has no need for any woman, because he has himself. And who is better, more beautiful, more powerful, more perfect... you're getting hard... more strong, more masculine, extraordinary, more... bust. It's rising, it's rising... more virile, domineering, more irresistible. It's up - in the air...
A Clockwork Orange (1971, UK)
D. Stanley Kubrick The second (and last) X-rated Best-Picture nominee, Stanley Kubrick's evocation of a dystopian future appalled some viewers with its ultra-violence. At the time, Stanley Kubrick's randomly ultra-violent, over-indulgent, graphically-stylized film of the near future - and most controversial film - was one of only two movies rated X on its original release (the other was Midnight Cowboy (1969)) that was nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. The subversive film was hotly debated when it was released - both highly praised and objectionable for its bleak outlook, and for its pairing of comedy with 'ultra-violence' - including two rape scenes. [Two other films that were highly criticized a few years earlier for breaking similar taboos were Sam Peckinpah's bloody western The Wild Bunch (1969), and Bonnie and Clyde (1967).] The dystopic film about fascist social conditioning and free will, adapted from Anthony Burgess' novel, was heavily criticized and opposed by religious groups for its sexual and violent content. Feminists were outraged with some of the misogynistic images - such as the obscene female poses of the supine furniture in the Korova bar, the prolonged rape of a big-breasted 'devotchka' (Shirley Jaffe) on an empty opera house stage to the tune of Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie, a gigantic penis sculpture being used as a murder weapon on the Cat Lady, a sped-up orgy (within a threesome composed of two females and a male) performed to the tune of the William Tell Overture, and a view of the protagonist's snake gliding toward a woman's vagina. The most infamous was the rape scene of a couple in an ultra-modern, opulent house by sociopath Alex's (Malcolm McDowell) gang of derby-hatted droogs (Pete, Georgie, and Dim) who were wearing masks with comical noses. Both victims: red pajama-suit-wearing writer's wife Mrs. Alexander (Adrienne Corri) and elderly husband Frank Alexander (Patrick Magee) were bound and gagged, with a rubber ball painfully inserted into their mouths and wrapped with long strips of Scotch tape around their heads. He was assaulted and kicked on the floor (with vicious blows of boots to his mid-section) by Alex who ironically punctuated and timed his rhythmic, soft-shoe kick-dance to his gleeful singing and tap-dancing of the lyrics of Gene Kelly's tune Singin' in the Rain. Mr. Alexander was also forced to helplessly watch the ugly disrobing and choreographed rape of his own wife when Alex cut away her skin-tght jumpsuit and attacked her breasts. He snipped off two circles of jumpsuit cloth around them to expose them and then in the mode of 'Jack the Ripper,' he slit her entire suit off from her pant leg upward. After unzipping and pulling his own pants down prior to her rape, he mocked the husband: "Viddy well, little brother. Viddy well." There was also a gruesome murder with a giant phallic art sculpture that was conducted in a gallery filled with erotic paintings, when lead droog Alex attacked Catlady (Miriam Karlin) with a over-sized porcelain dildo. In a later scene, Alex was subjected to corrective treatment and reprogramming -- experimental aversion therapy imposed by the state in which he was behavioristically conditioned (with his eyes clamped wide-open in order to view scenes of violence in films while drugged to induce nausea and forced to listen to his beloved Beethoven) to suppress his violent and aggressive sexual drives and urges - and in the process gave up his own individual and personal rights to become a model citizen. Alex experienced an orgy dream of eating grapes while surrounded by half-naked, bare-breasted handmaidens (Jan Adair, Vivienne Chandler, Prudence Drage). That was all that was left to him, to feed his violent and sexual personality. In a second demonstration to the tune of Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary, he was tempted before a stage actress (Virginia Wetherell) - a half-nude woman wearing only bikini panties. Eyes glazed and on his knees, Alex lustfully reached out for her breasts (filmed both from a low angle and an overhead shot to emphasize their firm ripeness). As he cupped his hands tantalizingly close to her pink-nippled, fleshy protuberances, his urge for sex instantly turned to an urge to vomit and he fell to the floor belching to his former passion. By the film's conclusion, Alex, now supposedly "cured," returned to his former self. An enigmatic dream-like image came on the screen - with both his free will intact and with his old proclivities for sex and violence. The final explicit scene emphasized the enormity of the state's hypocrisy. In his Ascot fantasy, a nude Alex had found peace and fantasized copulating (making love to/raping?) with a beautiful blonde woman (Katya Wyeth) who wore only black silk stockings. They were frolicking in slow-motion on piles of white snow, while two rows of genteel-looking, Victorian Londoners (ladies and gentlemen), the men dressed in top hats and the women carrying parasols, looked on and sedately applauded toward them. Alex had reverted to his old, pre-conditioned, natural behavior. In voice-over, he triumphantly and sardonically uttered: "I was cured all right." Because of the copy-cat violence (some gangs in the UK dressed as droogs sang "Singin' in the Rain" as they carried on violently) that the film was blamed for by the media and courts, Kubrick withdrew it from circulation in Britain about a year after its release. Some believed it was because it was rumored that Kubrick and his family had received death threats. It wasn't officially available there again - in theaters or on video - until 2000, a year after his death.
The Devils (1971, UK)
D. Ken Russell Ken Russell's historical drama about womanizing priests, sex-crazed nuns, hypocrisy and hysteria in 17th-century France was banned in deeply Catholic Italy. Ken Russell directed this blasphemous, shocking and excessive depiction of the repressive 17th century when sexuality was equated with Satanism - a loose adaptation of Aldous Huxley's "The Devils Of Loudon." The film's setting was the fortified city of Loudon, 150 miles southwest of Paris, in the year 1634. It provoked protest and outrage from Christian groups and viewing audiences everywhere. It was banned outright in Italy and its stars (Redgrave and Reed) were threatened with three years' jail time if they entered the country. The film was vilified and met with outrage in its story of a womanizing (non-celibate), vain, libertine, rebellious activist renegade-priest Father Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed) who faced questioning and persecution for his "diabolic possession" of the local, repressed Ursuline nuns. It included Vanessa Redgrave as tormented hunchbacked Sister Jeanne, who had unfulfilled, warped sexual desires for Grandier and expressed them through self-mutilation and self-flagellation. The only way the monarchy of Inquisition-obsessed France (including Cardinal Richelieu (Christopher Logue) and King Louis XIII's (Graham Armitage) establishment) could destroy the Protestant-leaning French town of Loudon was to attack the liberal religious leader as a sorcerer and practitioner of witchcraft. When the priest impregnated nobleman's cousin Philippe (Georgina Hale), married wealthy heiress Madeleine Dubroux (Gemma Jones) in secret, and then refused to remove the city walls around his fortified town, fanatical witch-hunter and exorcist Father Barre (Michael Gothard) was quickly dispatched to question, torture (headscrews, nails into hands, etc), tie up, and execute the profligate priest. During the proceedings, possessed nuns, led by Sister Jeanne's denunciations, performed orgiastic rituals publicly in Church to bolster claims against him. In the controversial staged mock exorcism scene, dubbed the orgiastic "rape of Christ" sequence, the sexually-hysterical nuns acted as if they were possessed, due to threats of execution from one of the church's accusers. The crazed nuns displayed full-frontal nudity, and masturbated with (or raped) a large-sized crucifix or effigy of Jesus that they pulled down from the wall, while Father Mignon (Murray Melvin) watched from afar and committed self-abuse under his robe (an excised scene before the film's release). As a result, Grandier was convicted of obscenity, blasphemy, and sacrilege, and burned alive at the stake. Prior to the film's release, the "rape of Christ" sequence was censored. And the scene of Grandier's burning-at-the-stake torture as a heretic was shortened. A scene at the end of the film was mostly edited out - of Sister Jeanne masturbating with the charred thighbone of Grandier after he was executed. The film contained graphic depictions of open sores and medieval medicine treatments for the plague (with hornets).
Dirty Harry (1971)
D. Don Siegel Was San Francisco cop Harry Callahan's contempt for modern criminal-justice protocols a liberal critique of vigilantism or reactionary propaganda? Debate raged. Director Don Siegel's sensational police drama was a seminal vigilante film of the decade, appealing especially because of its overt violence and occasional glimpses of nudity. Dirty Harry took its name from the fact that its unorthodox title character, San Francisco Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood), became embroiled with the most challenging and controversial ('dirty') cases of urban crime, often using tactics of police brutality and an attitude of "take-no-prisoners" that ignored criminals' rights in order to restore victims' rights and create public order. Callahan's open contempt for normal Miranda law restrictions illustrated his belief that criminals must be stopped - by any means, since traditional law enforcement ("by the book") tactics weren't effective. He followed his own unconventional philosophy of justice by using "excessive force," ruthless methods, and "the end justifies the means" principle without much regard for the rules and legal regulations of his profession. Often, his methods were as vicious, taunting, sadistic and violent as the behavior of the criminals he opposed. Advertising posters for the film read: "You don't assign him to murder cases...You just turn him loose," and "He doesn't break murder cases. He smashes them." The film reflected a pervasive fear of crime during the early 1970s. This seminal vigilante film of the decade, joined The French Connection (1971), the UK's Get Carter (1971), Death Wish (1974) featuring a vengeful vigilante killer Charles Bronson (and an awful rape sequence), Walking Tall (1973), The Seven-Ups (1973), and the Australian film Mad Max (1979) with Mel Gibson. Countless other cop-action films have been made to copy this original law-and-order film that was one of the first to appear on movie screens. Siegel's film was considered sensational because of its overt violence (reflecting the early 70s era of rising crime and calls for 'law and order') and occasional glimpses of nudity. The duelling combatants (the cop and the criminal) throughout the film were an individualistic, unconventional, neo-fascist, super-hero police detective with a.44 Magnum weapon who threw away the rule book, and his complementary opposite - a pathological, malevolent and sadistic criminal named Scorpio (similar to SF's real-life Zodiac Killer, played by Andy Robinson) who demanded an extortionist ransom of $100,000, both shared traits of brutal violence and insanity. The police thriller spawned many debates about the political stance of the film and the complex issue of the conflicting rights of victims, suspects, and society. Was it a reactionary message piece against imperfect, "liberal" judicial trends that let'sicko' criminals get away, literally, with murder?
Or was Siegel encouraging audiences to empathically identify with the indiscriminate vengeance of the violent, fascist, anarchic, unrestrained vigilante 'killer' on the side of the law who acted as an autonomous police power?
The Last Picture Show (1971)
D. Peter Bogdanovich Obscene or mature? Peter Bogdanovich's melancholy look at adultery, alcoholism and promiscuity in 1950s Texas divided moviegoers and critics. Director Peter Bogdanovich's R-rated frank and realistic black and white drama told about the dreams and loves of small-town Texans in the early 1950s, confronting various issues such as adultery, alcoholism, and promiscuity. Although the adult-themed film was nominated for eight Oscars (with two wins for supporting performers), some considered it obscene for its full frontal nudity and explicit sexual situations. The film was reportedly banned in Phoenix, Arizona in 1973 after a showing at a drive-in theatre, following complaints by the city attorney that it violated a state obscenity statute. Arguments in federal court focused on the nudity in a nude swimming party scene, and eventually the courts disagreed over whether it was obscene, and threw the case out. The film's most controversial scene was at an indoor pool party in which the country-club-set teenagers enjoyed skinny-dipping (with full frontal nudity of both sexes). At the pool party, a stark naked Bobby Sheen (Gary Brockette) greeted Lester and rich, ravishingly beautiful, self-centered town tease Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd in her debut film) when they arrived, labeling them: "New victims." While the others engaged in water fights, Bobby (who joked about being "dressed informally") stepped out of the water to shake Lester's hand. His nude girlfriend Annie-Annie Martin (Kimberly Hyde) also emerged from the private indoor pool, joined Bobby and asked the newcomers: "Wanna join the club?" Neophyte Jacy was challenged to get undressed out on the diving board as part of the initiation rites ("so everybody gets to watch"). The whole naked group of teenaged boys and girls eagerly sat by the edge of the pool to watch "the strip show." Nervously and gingerly, Jacy removed her white shoes and white coat and climbed out onto the diving board for a strip-tease. Fearing that she would lose her balance, Jacy complained: "Goodness, I hope I don't fall off this thing." She slowly removed her full-length dress, her silky white slip, unhooked her garters and slid off each stocking, and then took off her garter belt. As she was unfastening her bra top, she almost fell and prevented tumbling into the water by sitting down on the board. Then in one dramatic gesture, she yanked off her bra top and flung it on top of her pile of clothes. Finally, she slid off her panties and tossed them at Bobby's ten year old brother who surfaced beneath the end of the board. She was cheered as she hopped into the water - completely naked, although she had forgotten to remove Duane's present. Realizing that the watch had stopped working, she shrugged and smiled at Bobby. Neophyte Jacy's bid for acceptance from the rich set of kids had succeeded - she had attracted the attention of the wealthy young playboy. In another scene, the calculating, fortune-hunting Jacy experienced an aborted deflowering with football-playing boyfriend Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges) in the Cactus Motel in the dying Texas town. Ducktailed Duane entered Room 8 where he found Jacy standing in the room wearing a thin nightgown. They kissed and embraced, vowing their love. They sat on the bed and Duane began unbuttoning the top of Jacy's gown, and then exposed her breasts. As she laid back on the motel bed and half-closed her eyes, she encouraged him: "Oh Duane, hurry." He hurriedly and eagerly removed his clothes and lay on top of her. But then she asked in an annoyed tone why he was taking so long to penetrate her while being suspended over her: "Aren't you gonna do it?...What do you mean? How could anything be wrong? Just go on and do it." She blamed his Mexico trip for his limp impotence: "No telling what you got down there. I just hate you. I don't know why I ever went with you." She was furious about his sexual incompatibility and their aborted love-making, and ordered him to put his clothes back on ("You think I wanna sit around here and look at you nekkid?"). And she feared that she might "never get to not be a virgin" - and thereby win Bobby Sheen's heart. She was also worried that classmates might ridicule them when they found out about their unsuccessful and clumsy encounter, and she confirmed what her mother had forecast: "I think you're the meanest boy I ever saw. My mother was dead right about you." She instructed him to "not tell one soul - you just pretend it was wonderful," and then threw her panties at his face. She told her admiring girlfriend-classmates: "I just can't describe it in words." Later, at the same motel in Room 9, Jacy gave Duane a second chance to deflower her - using him to provide an entree to dating Bobby Sheen. This time, he succeeded without an audience outside to witness the post-rites of passage.
Straw Dogs (1971, US/UK)
D. Sam Peckinpah A graphic double rape and its aftermath made Sam Peckinpah's movie about a mild-mannered mathematician driven to explosive violence a hot-button topic. This disturbing film further ignited controversy over screen violence and misogynistic sexual abuse of women in the early 70s, especially due to its graphic double rape scene, which led to a cathartic eruption and escalation of violence. [The film was remade in 2011 by director Rod Lurie in a contemporary Deep South setting with the same amount of violence.] The unflinching film from Sam Peckinpah (following his equally divisive film The Wild Bunch (1969)) starred Dustin Hoffman as David Sumner, a bookish, mild-mannered American mathematician on sabbatical living in a rural England town - the childhood village of his teasingly-seductive young bride Amy (Susan George). To incite the sexual interest of local roof construction workers, Amy removed her sweater and deliberately stood topless in full view next to an upstairs window, although her husband had cautioned her: "Don't forget to draw the curtains." After she flaunted herself flirtatiously in view of the local townsfolk, in the scene preceding the rape (the first of two), the provocative Amy invited local laborer-thug (and ex-boyfriend) Charlie Venner (Del Henney) into her isolated farmhouse for a drink. He forcibly kissed her and although she protested unconvincingly ("Please leave me"). He dragged her by the hair to the sofa, as he struck her again and began tearing at her blue robe and continued kissing her. He tore her white top, leaving her breasts exposed, before he raped her. The controversy stemmed from the idea that Amy was sexually excited by the aggressive violation that she was facing. At first, she struggled and called out "No," but then surrendered to his kisses. In some ways, she didn't resist but submitted, although she was under tremendous duress. When he held her down, ripped off her panties and began removing his shirt, she helplessly begged: "Easy," and meanwhile fantasized about her husband above her. She showed obvious enjoyment and lovingly kissed her assailant and stroked his shoulders and chest during and after being entered, and begged for comfort: "Hold me." However, she was also shedding tears, feeling both humiliated and disgraced. However, that wasn't the case when she was forcibly raped a second time by local workman Norman Scutt (Ken Hutchison). The film was accused of implying that she brought on the assault (possibly as a means to insult her impassive husband) and actually might have enjoyed the first rape (a glamorization of rape). The climactic, stunning and barbaric ending also appeared to morally endorse vigilante violence, especially because of the main character's redemptive yet unsatisfying homicidal rampage. It was re-edited for an R-rating and faced censorship bans in England for 30 years.According to the United States Constitution, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion; therefore laws and systems of laws shall not be made to establish any particular religion.The laws and systems of laws commonly known as Sharia Law originating from a religion known to be Islam and any other laws and systems of laws originating from any religion, shall not be made, adopted or established into US Laws.The free exercise of religion is not prohibited by US laws nor can religion be established by US laws, the individual’s rights are protected by United States laws and further, because the US Constitution is the Supreme Law Of The Land certain acts prohibited by laws in the United States are prosecutable notwithstanding any religious laws or systems of laws.The first step was to frame the chamber, naturally I started with the base (ground up, right?).
The foam insulation makes a mess when dug out, FYI.
I have brewed a few beers since my last post which was about 4 months ago, an Apfelwein (not really a beer, but a brew nontehless), a Cascadian Dark Ale (Black IPA), a Rye Pale Ale, and I have a Strawberry Blonde that I added 12 pounds of crushed strawberries to about a week ago.Needless to say I have been busy!Living in Arizona makes it difficult to brew quality beer without some type of fermentation control. Previously I was using the "swamp cooler" method in which I had room for two fermenters in a 70 quart Coleman Xtreme chest cooler filled with water, and I was swapping ice bottles out multiple times a day.With a donated fridge, and a little work I finally put together a |
. The lawsuit states that “employees within the Defendant Washington Nationals organization knew of Coach Jones’s propensity and predisposition to emotionally abuse and intimidate women.”
Agents, employees, and management of Defendant Washington Nationals knew of prior bad conduct of Coach Jones involving emotional abuse and intimidation of women, which occurred before and during Coach Jones’s employment with the Washington Nationals. Defendant Washington Nationals failed to investigate, failed to train, and improperly retained Coach Jones even after it knew or should have known of his bad conduct toward women and his propensity for emotional abuse and intimidation toward women. Moreover, after learning of this specific instance in which Coach Jones illegally distributed intimate photos of Plaintiff, Defendant Washington Nationals did nothing.
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Jones is originally from San Diego, and played 10 seasons in MLB. He made a one-and-done appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot, getting one vote. Jones was hired by the Nationals in 2016, the year his former manager Dusty Baker began managing the team.
The Nationals said minor league hitting coach Troy Gingrich will fill in for Jones.
The full lawsuit is below.A top European Commission official has said that EU countries need to keep the promises they’ve made to help refugees and migrants.
Governments agreed at a summit three weeks ago to redistribute 160,000 people across the bloc.
But very few have explained how many people they will accept and when.
“It’s up to the member states now to talk to each other in a frank way tomorrow at the European Council (EU summit), and to do as they promised on the 23rd of September,” said Frans Timmermans, the first vice-president of the European Commission.
“You’ve talked the talk; it’s time you walk the walk,” he added.
Officials also say that some 1000 staff are needed to EU-funded asylum centres in Italy and Greece.
They include translators, guards and legal experts.
Last week, the first relocation took place when 19 Eritreans were flown to Sweden from Italy.New York City FC have signed Norwegian goalkeeper Eirik Johansen. A product of the Manchester City Academy, Johansen spent the pre-season training with New York City FC and joins the Club on a permanent contract. Johansen has represented Norway at the youth international level.
Hailing from Nøtterøy, Norway, Johansen joined the Manchester City Academy in August 2008, singing a professional contract with the club in 2012. In 2013 he joined League One side Scunthorpe United on loan. In January 2014, Johansen joined Norwegian club Sandefjord on a six-month loan deal.
Johansen made his debut for New York City FC during the pre-season, coming on as a second half substitute in two matches, first against Brondby in a friendly and again in the match against Houston at the Carolina Challenge Cup.
Speaking to NYCFC.com Johansen said:
“I had a great experience working with squad and coaches during the pre-season and I’m excited to re-join the team on permanent basis. The quality of the training really impressed me, as did the way the team came together in such a short period of time.”
When asked about the signing, Head Coach Jason Kreis said:
“We had a good look at Eirik over the course of the pre-season, and he adapted well to the team and to our style of play. It’s always good to have strong competition for places in the team, and Eirik will add to an already strong group of goalkeepers vying for game time. It’s a long season and guys will get their opportunities for various reasons.”February 27, 2014 at 2:31 PM
There is no doubting the feats of Russell Wilson on the football field. But can he do the Argentine tango?
We might soon find out as the Seahawks quarterback told Access Hollywood he “definitely” has plans on joining the cast of ABC’s hit show “Dancing With the Stars” sometime in the future. Wilson said in the interview that he has been invited to be on the show after each of his two seasons in the NFL.
“I’m going to do it,” he told Access Hollywood. “At some point, I’m going to definitely do it. I love ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ I love watching, and I love dancing myself, so hopefully, I could win it.”
So when might that be?
“Who knows?” he told the show. “I need to focus on my football career right now. It’s one of those things where I’m trying to do as much as I can winning football games for the Seattle Seahawks and our franchise, but I will do it at some point, for sure.”Labor Market Policy in the Great Recession: Some Lessons from Denmark and Germany
May 2011, John Schmitt
This paper reviews the recent labor-market performance of 21 rich countries, with a focus on Denmark and Germany. Denmark, which was widely seen as one of the world's most successful labor markets before the downturn, has struggled in recent years. Germany, however, has outperformed the rest of the world's rich countries since 2007, despite earlier labor-market difficulties. Labor-market institutions seem to explain the different developments in the two economies. Danish institutions – which include extensive opportunities for education, training, and placement of unemployed workers – appear to perform well when the economy is at or near full employment, but have not been effective during the downturn. German labor-market institutions, which emphasize job security by keeping workers connected to their current employers, may have drawbacks when the economy is operating at or near full employment, but have performed well in the Great Recession. The paper also discusses lessons for U.S. labor-market policy.
Report - PDF | Flash
Press ReleaseEmber Simple Auth (ESA) is an amazing addon that enables Ember applications to authenticate and authorize users. I have used it in multiple applications with great success each and every time.
But understanding Ember Simple Auth can sometimes feel intense. It’s like walking down a dense street in a bustling city. Everything you could ever want is within reach. You want spicy noodles for lunch? Sure! there’s a ramen shop right around the corner. Need a new pair of socks? OK! there are 5 clothing stores on this block. Overwhelmed is how I feel when navigating through the options and configurations. There is just so much to understand in order to make the simplest change, you’ll miss something if you don’t slow down and take your time.
I had a problem recently involving ESA with a project I’m working on. I asked myself one question: “If an un-authenticated user requests a specific route, how do I redirect them there after login?”. Now take a minute to let that settle in. Do you know the answer? I didn’t have the slightest clue.
It turns out there are multiple ways to solve the problem of redirection in ESA. You could, for instance, use ESA’s session object to store an attempted transition. But there is one solution that trumps anything I could come up with.
ESA redirects by default!
This is where my city metaphor comes into play. I want to redirect a user after login, how do I do this? Well, ESA has a built in redirection mechanism. Where is the documentation for this? It’s at the end of a dimly lit alley, yelling at us like some drunken homeless man.
aforementioned documentation
Can’t see what I’m talking about? Let’s look at the sessionAuthenticated() section. Specifically, lets look at the second sentence:
If there is a transition that was previously intercepted by the AuthenticatedRouteMixin's beforeModel method it will retry it.
And there you go, right in that dark alley, right behind the footlocker, you have your answer. So how does this work? Let’s look at the source code behind the sessionAuthenticated() function.
sessionAuthenticated ( ) { const attemptedTransition = this. get ('session.attemptedTransition' ) ; const cookies = getOwner ( this ). lookup ('service:cookies' ) ; const redirectTarget = cookies. read ( 'ember_simple_auth-redirectTarget' ) ; if ( attemptedTransition ) { attemptedTransition. retry ( ) ; this. set ('session.attemptedTransition', null ) ; } else if ( redirectTarget ) { this. transitionTo ( redirectTarget ) ; cookies. clear ( 'ember_simple_auth-redirectTarget' ) ; } else { this. transitionTo ( this. get ( 'routeAfterAuthentication' ) ) ; } },
As you can see. ESA very cleverly uses its own session object to store an attemptedTransition transition object. Whenever the session gets authenticated, it will ‘attempt’ to use this attemptedTransition above anything else. All you need to do is include the ApplicationRouteMixin to your route, and it will work by default. Lets look at an example:
import Ember from 'ember' ; import ApplicationRouteMixin from 'ember-simple-auth/mixins/application-route-mixin' ; const { Route } = Ember ; export default Route. extend ( ApplicationRouteMixin, { } ) ;
and there you have it. ship it!
It took a while for me to literally re-create this functionality until I found it in the docs, right in front of my eyes. I hope this helps anyone else with this problem.
Thanks!Photo Credit Illustration by Matt Dorfman
Last month, Bruce Springsteen canceled a concert in Greensboro, N.C., to protest a new state law that, among other things, requires people to use the bathrooms of the biological sex reflected on their birth certificates. Springsteen released a statement saying he wanted to “show solidarity” with those waging a “fight against prejudice and bigotry” against trans people. In response, United States Representative Mark Walker, a Republican who supports the bill, told The Hollywood Reporter that Springsteen’s boycott was “a bully tactic,” thereby joining a growing chorus of people who seem to have mixed up their Davids and Goliaths.
A few days later, a (white) North Charleston, S.C., police chief refused to attend a community meeting on the one-year anniversary of the death of Walter Scott because of what he called the “bullying tactics” of its (black) members at previous meetings. Last September, Kylie Jenner, a reality star worth millions, claimed that she was being cyberbullied by commenters on socialmedia. In 2009, the blogger Heather Armstrong tweeted that no one should buy a Maytag washer because of what she called the company’s inadequate response to her broken appliance, and onlookers on Twitter accused her of bullying Whirlpool, the company’s $19 billion parent corporation.
In the old days, bullies were tough guys who picked on wimpy guys, a predictable, archetypal clash that inevitably led to a heroic outcome. Picture the brute kicking sand in the face of the scrawny wimp in the Charles Atlas comic-book ads, inspiring our hero to pump up his muscles and seek revenge. Picture Bluto, Popeye’s hulking nemesis, imperiling Olive Oyl time and again so our favorite sailor man could eat his spinach and save the day. For decades, Western culture treated bullying as an expected rite of passage that tested a man’s mettle, an unpleasant but surmountable obstacle on the path to glory.
As a result, bullying has long been a rich source of comedy, with even its insults and injuries mined for laughs, all the better to set up that final, triumphant scene in which the bully gets his comeuppance. The 1989 cult hit “Heathers” took this final act of vengeance to an extreme: A merciless group of high-school girls harasses their peers until the characters played by Winona Ryder and Christian Slater murder them one by one, then blow up the entire school.
That dark scene foreshadowed the radical transformation of our view of bullying that came 11 years later, when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, two seniors at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., armed with pipe bombs and a small arsenal of firearms, killed 13 people and then themselves. The media painted a dramatic portrait of bullying culture gone wild at the high school, with an imagined “trench coat mafia” of angry, alienated geeks seeking their revenge against popular jocks who’d tormented them for years. But in the 2009 book “Columbine,” Dave Cullen, who reported from the scene that day and studied the event for the next 10 years, asserted that the trench-coat mafia was marginal, and Harris and Klebold had nothing to do with it. According to Cullen, Harris, the lead perpetrator, had many friends, was popular with girls and was rarely bullied. He was just a psychopath.
This new order has a way of making us feel more powerful than ever and more powerless than ever in rapid succession.
A fundamental misunderstanding of the event remains in place 17 years later, but this misreading nonetheless helped to incite a seismic — but necessary — shift in the common wisdom on bullying. It came to be acknowledged as a serious threat to the emotional and physical health of its victims. And then, with the advent of social media came the rise of “cyberbullying,” harassment that felt at once private and public, ephemeral yet deeply personal.
The roots of the word “bully” never foretold such a gloomy outcome. In the 16th century, “bully” was originally a term of endearment, arising from the Dutch word boel, or “lover,” and broeder, or “brother.” The word evolved into a greeting for a male friend, and from there into a term meaning “worthy” or “jolly.” This positive connotation lived on into 19th-century congratulatory slang — “Bully for you!” — but back in the mid-17th century, an alternate usage, meaning “harasser of the weak,” had already caught on.
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Today this meaning is utterly dominant, and antibullying slogans, campaigns and organizations make up a fundamental piece of education culture. My 9-year-old daughter is currently serving as an antibullying “ambassador” at her school, one of a gaggle of fourth-graders charged with (gently) confronting their peers on any and all bullying behavior. According to my daughter, such offenses range from “being mean” and “hurting someone’s feelings” to “teasing.” The linguistic creep evident here has often struck me as troubling, especially as a relatively laughable bully archetype has been supplanted by the specter of mass murder and suicide.Ibrahim Yousef (picture: BNPS)
A car wash worker stabbed his boss to death in an argument over £20 – then died in a crash as he fled the murder scene.
Valerijs Grigorjevs, 27, flew into a rage when Ibrahim Yousef refused to hand over wages he claimed to be owed.
He picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Mr Yousef five times before smashing his head against the floor, an inquest heard.
Grigorjevs, a Latvian national, then jumped in Mr Yousef’s car and sped away.
Driving on the wrong side of the road, he veered into a lorry near Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and died at the scene last October.
The hearing was told 42-year-old Mr Yousef, who ran the car wash and valeting business in Bournemouth, employed about 20 Eastern Europeans, paying them between £23 and £25 a day.
On October 10 he left a voicemail message on Grigorjevs’ phone asking why he had not turned up for work, police later discovered. That evening, a neighbour of Mr Yousef heard an argument in the flat above the car washing business.
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She told the hearing: ‘I heard a lot of banging – it was like a thumping sound. I heard someone shouting, “Give me my money, give me my money”.
‘Then I heard £20 being mentioned. The banging was like someone had been banging their head against the floor.’
Ten hours later, Grigorjevs was killed when he ploughed head-on into an oncoming lorry.
A post mortem examination revealed he had taken a cocktail of heroin, cocaine, methodone and speed before the crash.
Police traced the Toyota Yaris he was driving back to Mr Yousef. They then discovered Mr Yousef dead and covered in blood on the floor of his flat.
Bournemouth coroner Sheriff Payne recorded a verdict that Mr Yousef had been unlawfully killed, while recording a narrative verdict for Grigorjevs.Any good political fight needs a bad guy, and for liberals upset about congressional resistance to gun control legislation, the National Rifle Association is the bad guy of choice. And it's not a bad choice by any means. The NRA really does carry enormous clout on Capitol Hill.
But liberals — like Igor Volsky from ThinkProgress in this video — often like to express this clout in terms of the NRA's campaign contributions.
This is wrong. Money matters in politics, and the NRA does have money. But lots of lobbying groups have more money than the NRA and almost none of their clout. The NRA's true sources of power are twofold — people and focus.
Money only explains so much
According to Open Secrets, the NRA spent $11,159,167 on the 2012 election cycle, making it one of the biggest spenders on that election.
But the League of Conservative Voters spent almost as much ($10.8 million), and the large labor unions SEIU ($13.7 million) and AFSCME ($12.4 million) both spent more. These are all, as you would expect, big and influential groups. When labor unions came out swinging hard against Trade Promotion Authority this year, most Democrats in Congress lined up behind them. But the NRA is far more popular than that. A sizable minority of Democrats — including the president of the United States — broke with labor over Trade Adjustment Assistance, and at the end of the day it passed.
Republicans, by contrast, essentially march in lockstep with the NRA, and red-state Democrats fear its wrath. Money alone doesn't convey that kind of power, especially when the gun control cause can now put Michael Bloomberg's money in the field to counter NRA cash in cases where gun control is a high-profile issue in the campaign.
People and focus are much rarer than money
What the NRA has that relatively few other DC interest groups have is a genuine mass membership. The NRA's 5 million members give it ground troops who mobilize to call congressional offices, volunteer in campaigns, and share political views with friends and neighbors. The mere fact that a person would bother to have voluntarily joined a political advocacy organization sends a powerful signal to politicians that he or she is an engaged member of the electorate who will pay attention to political events and show up on Election Day.
This membership is made all the more valuable by the fact that the NRA is focused.
Most other advocacy groups with broad membership serve a wider range of purposes. The American Federation of Teachers has 1.6 million members, but those members didn't necessarily join the union because they agree with AFT about a particular policy agenda. Labor unions do lots of things that aren't political advocacy, after all, and they advocate on a wide range of issues. That means that on any given issue, union leaders can only realistically tap so much of their membership clout and that politicians know they don't need to agree with the union leadership on everything to be seen broadly as a good guy.
But the NRA really only does one thing: It opposes gun regulations. So when NRA leaders show up in Congress or in a state legislature with members behind them, people know the members are serious. And that even if politicians manage to cook up a gun bill or seven that does well in polls or focus groups (and liberals have gotten pretty good at this), the leadership of the organization can credibly communicate back to its members that the bill is bad for gun rights and should be opposed.
There are lots of groups in Washington with money, some groups with mass membership, and a bunch of groups with narrow focus. But since there tends to be a trade-off between focus and breadth of membership, the NRA is almost unique in combining the two.
This is why the NRA’s scorecards are far more powerful than its political donations.Netflix and Hulu are two companies battling to change how consumers in the US view and interact with TV, but, for those outside of Western markets, no obvious Web TV contender has emerged despite a rapid growth in connected devices in markets like Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Singapore-headquartered Viki is one company that aims to fill that void using a unique approach of crowdsourced subtitles. Today the startup took a significant step forward when it added two major US-based investors with extensive media experience to its list of backers with a strategic funding round.
Viki isn’t announcing the vale of the investment but it has added Blake Krikorian — an executive with Microsoft’s Xbox team, who was formerly on Amazon’s board and is a founder of Sling Media — and Dave Goldberg, who is CEO of Survey Monkey, was formerly with Yahoo Music and is married to Facebook exec Sheryl Sandberg.
In addition to the strategic round, Viki has also named two of its existing angel investors for the first time: Javier Olivan, Facebook’s VP of Growth and Analytics, and early Facebook employee Chamath Palihapitiya, who runs investment firm Social+Capital Partnership.
Viki’s roster of already publicly announced backers includes Greylock Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, 500 Startups and angels like MIT director and Sony board member Joi Ito.
Hollywood connections
Viki founder Razmig Hovaghimian told TNW that is he thrilled by the new additions. He believes their arrival ushers in a new phase of development for the company that will see it make a sustained push to carry more US content, and in particular films from Hollywood.
“We’ve done well on Asian content, particularly from Korea and Japan, and you can expect us to keep adding more TV shows and films from Latin America and Europe too,” he adds.
Backing up just for one second, for those who aren’t aware of it, Viki is a free-to-watch video site for users the world over. The service aims to open TV, film and music video content to users in every region thanks to its highly-engaged community of subtitlers who translate videos Viki licenses into over 150 languages to help international audiences overcome language barriers.
Hovaghimian — who admits he spent weekends watching Bollywood content with his dad while growing up in Egypt, despite not knowing the words — shares a few unlikely insights: Middle East is the top region for viewing Korean movies, while Bollywood content goes down well worldwide, especially in Latin America — which accounts for 25 percent of traffic to Viki.
Without subtitles, Hovaghimian believes movie and video consumption is largely restricted to domestic markets; so the opportunity to hit new demographics with global content is a win-win-win for Viki, its viewers and content producers worldwide.
Simultaneously to the funding, Viki has announced that its community of (unpaid) subtitlers has now passed 400 million words translated, covering 163 different languages.
All of this feeds back to today’s announcement, and the company’s desire to increase its push to license more content from the US for global consumption.
“We decided that [with Krikorian and Goldberg — who have been longtime advisers to Viki] it was about time to give them some skin in the game,” Hovaghimian says. “We’re building out our concept with US content and want to help open new markets for Hollywood — they are super plugged in there. Plus I like to surround myself with smart people who can give great advice.”
Opportunity to outgrow Netflix and Hulu
Global audiences are often seen as a long-tailed opportunity for content makers, that’s to say that there is no single solid market to aim for — as is the case in the US and some European markets — since videos are watched by users across different countries, cultures and languages.
Hovaghimian argues differently. With Viki’s subtitling, he maintains that there is room to grow a larger user base than either Netflix and Hulu, and rack up the kind of viewing figures that multi-channel networks enjoy.
For example, Viki introduced Spielberg-produced sci-fi series Falling Skies — which has been a success in the US — to China last month, and the series is attracting around 10 million views per episode and proving popular for its three content partners there. That, Hovaghimian says, is twenty-times more viewers than pirate downloads — it means “we’re beating the pirates,” he says.
Explaining one part of Viki’s special sauce, Hovaghimian says that subtitled content typically yields a 3-5X increase in users. Viki’s user base is hovering around 20 million monthly uniques, which he says he is growing by around 1 million per month; most impressively, however, Hovaghimian claims 80 percent are return viewers.
So with a sticky user base and impressive growth, Viki is lasering in on US content to fuel greater interest. Over the next year and a half, we can expect the service to offer more Hollywood films, live-shows (broadcast TV that hits Viki an hour after first playing) as well as a continuation in regional content such as Korean dramas, Hispanic ‘Telenovelas’ — which were introduced last month following maiden content deals in Latin America — and more. To date, Viki offers some 50 different genres from around the planet.
“We are the global version of Hulu and Netflix,” Hovaghimian says, hinting at the possibility of an upcoming push into the living room with a smart TV focus.
Mobile remains a key focus and, having recently passed 10 million cumulative app downloads, Hovaghimian believes phones and tablets will account for half of all video views “soon.”
Funding and business models
Viki has raised nearly $25 million across two investment rounds to date, the most recent being a $20 million Series B in September 2011. But Hovaghimian reveals that the company is not currently planning another round and it has turned down several investment opportunities.
“An extra $5-10 million in the bank is, of course, good,” he says, “but I love being a startup and being scrappy — being hand-to-mouth keeps us hungry and gives us fight. We’re always opportunistic and when we have funding offers we look at them, but for now we’re laser-focused on growth.”
Viki currently makes money two ways: the bulk comes through in-stream ads but it also licenses its subtitled content to the likes of Netflix and Hulu — the former recently broadened its partnership into Latin America, for instance.
Hovaghimian doesn’t reveal revenue figures or the income made from either stream, but he does say that the company’s advertising business is “growing fast”. To that point, Viki is dealing with brands directly in some markets, while relying on ad networks in places where Web advertising is more nascent.
He explains his belief that, for advertisers, Viki’s proposition is unique because it is offering content unlike no other — for example Korean dramas localized to Middle Eastern viewers — while it could, at some point, dip into the extensive data pile it has accrued around the kind of content viewers in regions and countries watch specifically. Access to such information would give brands a much-desired insight into audience behavior and chance to reach out with context.
Viki has always admitted it is analyzing the potential of new business models — its redesigned real-time commenting platform, for example, could become a much-coveted platform for advertisers in the future — and Hovaghimian says a premium offering (to complement the free-view approach) is a possibility and has been much requested by users.
Likewise, he says there has been considerable interest in branded channels for companies, and that remains another idea being assessed.
He maintains that the basic offering will always be free, however, even if Viki did rollout a subscription membership for ‘selected’ premium content.
Hovaghimian is bullish on Viki’s growth potential, conservatively maintaining that global video content is at least a 200 million user market, but he does admit that monetization is harder outside of the US. While he believes it can surpass the user bases of Netflix and Hulu — which stand at 38 million and 4 million paying customers respectively — he readily admits that topping either company on revenue is far trickier.
Viki has deals with “hundreds” of companies including licensing agreements with NBCUniversal, Universal Music Group, Korea’s SBS and others. Its distribution agreements ago beyond Netflix and Hulu and include the likes of ‘China’s Facebook’ Renren, Microsoft, Samsung and more.
Below is a sample of what’s on offer. This is episode one of Korean drama ‘My Princess,’ which includes subtitles in over 35 different languages — though some are still a work in progress.
➤ Viki
Headline image via Thinkstock
Read next: Facebook now has 1.15 billion monthly active users and 699 million daily active usersThis year’s annual FYF Fest is expected to be a serious barnburner, with names like A Tribe Called Quest, Missy Elliott, Björk, and Nine Inch Nails all performing over the course of the three-day event. The whole thing kicks off on Friday, July 21 and runs through that weekend, but just today festival management released the full lineup of food options for the anticipated party, exclusively to Eater LA. Here’s what to expect:
Kogi and Locol will both be out in force, with chef Roy Choi likely on hand to lend some elbow grease to the trucks when they need it most.
Upstart Downtown stand Meatzilla will be supplying the Instagram fodder with their overclocked burgers with personal pizzas for buns. Dune expects to make the show too, doing Middle Eastern plates and wraps.
Fat Dragon will also be around, offering their take on modern Chinese takeout. Hanjip, a festival circuit staple, will focus on Korean staples like bibimbap and grilled meats. For breakfast heads The Yeastie Boys will be slinging bagels.
Sunny Blue will be crafting omusubi on site, while Pizzanista! offers slices and Tikifish handles the poke scene. The Halal Guys will be there too, slinging their usual halal cart-style chicken and rice, complete with the all-important spicy red sauce. Expect a line.
Awesome soul food purveyors My 2 Cents will also be on property, along with Phorage and vegan noodle option Ramen Hood. Keeping things similarly plant-based is Sage, while anyone looking for a bigger bite can opt for Delmy’s Pupusas or a hot dog from Sumo Dog.
Little Damage, Downtown’s moody purveyor of charcoal ice cream, will be handling the sweets side of things, along with Van Leeuwen.
This year’s 14th annual FYF Fest returns to Exposition Park from July 21 through July 23. Friday and Sunday general admission passes are still available, as are three-day general admission passes and three-day VIP passes. For the extra cost, VIP’ers get expedited entry and their own view to the stage, but more importantly get seated service (with waiters) for food and drink, plus craft beer, cocktails, oysters, and other stuff not available to the rest of the festival-goers.
Still can’t decide? Check out the full music lineup below.While the rest of the world scoffs at Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson's inability to deliver foreign policy trivia on command, a radical wing within the Party itself is more bothered by his perceived departures from libertarian orthodoxy.
A leading member of that wing, Darryl Perry of New Hampshire, represented that viewpoint in the race for the Party's nomination that Johnson won (on the second ballot).
Perry announced today he is an official write-in candidate for president in various states whose laws allow for it in a meaningful way, to give truer Libertarians who still want to vote a better choice.
From his press release, which starts by saying that though he knew all along the official Johnson/Weld was not something he could support, he initially felt too drained to keep fighting after the convention.
But now:
Due to the numerous instances of the Libertarian Party Presidential ticket running in opposition to the LP Platform, including supporting limitations of the 2nd Amendment rights of people on secret lists, new forms of taxation, and statements against freedom of association, Perry decided to file declarations of intent to be a write-in candidate in a handful of states where a slate of electors is not required. The laws in another eight states claim all write-in votes are valid. Meaning that on November 8, 2016, voters in 17 states (AL, AK, DE, IA, ID, KS, MT, NE, NH, NJ, OR, PA, RI, VT, WA, WV, WY) plus DC, will have the ability to cast a vote – albeit a write-in – for an actual libertarian, Darryl W. Perry. This means Perry potentially has access to 114 Electoral College votes.
Perry says he will do no fundraising or spending toward this goal.
"I do not make this decision lightly, however I have the ability to not let another election cycle go by without a philosophical libertarian candidate in the general election," he says in the release.
My reporting on Perry's presentation at the final L.P. presidential candidate debate at the Party's Orlando national convention, right before the vote. Perry got 6.8 percent of the delegates' votes on the first ballot, then 5.6 on the second one that pushed Johnson over the top.
Perry's fiery speech at the Orlando L.P. convention, in which he warns the Party they've just made a big mistake and would be compounding it by nominating William Weld as the vice president, which they went on to do (very narrowly, on a second ballot):
The Libertarian Party has seen some other splinter movements, including science fiction writer L. Neil Smith being put on the state ballot by the Arizona L.P. as its candidate rather than national candidate Harry Browne in 2000 and a cadre of movement radicals launching a "Boston Tea Party" that got its presidential candidate Charles Jay on three state ballots in 2008. On that Party's national committee was none other than Darryl Perry.New Delhi: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi an “elder brother", signalling a thaw in the frosty ties between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Thackeray not only attended a meeting of NDA partners on Monday night, but also had separate talks with BJP president Amit Shah. The leaders discussed a host of issues, and agreed to meet more often for better coordination, said a senior BJP leader, who was present at the meeting.
“Thackeray appreciated both Modi and NDA government at the centre for its development agenda and said Prime Minister is like our elder brother," the BJP leader said quoting the Shiv Sena boss.
Recalling the long association between the two parties, Thackeray told Shah that as a senior partner, it had greater responsibility towards ensuring improved coordination between them.
Uddhav also cracked a joke during his address to the NDA conclave, drawing a hearty laugh from Modi, people in the BJP said, underlining the importance of symbolism of body language during such gatherings.
With presidential election round the corner, the BJP is hopeful of securing the support of the Shiv Sena’s contingent of 18 MPs and 63 MLAs after the Shah-Thackeray meeting. The BJP’s oldest pro-Hindutva ally was seen playing the hard ball over the issue so far.
Shiv Sena had embarassed the BJP in the 2012 presidential poll by backing the UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, while the saffron party supported P.A. Sangma for the post.
Thackeray also praised the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for farm loan waiver but insisted that the BJP dispensation in Maharashtra follow suit given the agrarian tragedy and hardship in the state.
Shiv Sena has criticised the BJP and Modi on a host of issues, including inflation, demonetisation and cross-border terrorism. The party’s mouthpiece Saamana routinely publishes editorials against the saffron ally. Its leaders had even joined a TMC-led march to Rashtrapati Bhavan against demonetisation.The welcome center will be in the Humboldt Park Field House, 1400 N. Sacramento Ave., according to Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th), who made the announcement late Thursday. View Full Caption DNAinfo/Victoria Johnson
HUMBOLDT PARK — The city is preparing for what could be a "large influx" of Puerto Rican evacuees in the wake of Hurricane Maria by opening a welcome center in Humboldt Park.
The center will be in the Humboldt Park Field House, 1400 N. Sacramento Ave., according to 26th Ward Ald. Roberto Maldonado, who announced the news late Thursday in his newsletter.
At the center, evacuees will be able to find food, clothing and health care services, as well as information about housing and education, Maldonado said.
"After landing, this will be their first stop in Chicago," Maldonado said.
Maldonado said he's also continuing to work with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on making sure evacuees, particularly those holding Section 8 vouchers, are given priority for subsidized housing.
"In addition, Chicago families currently living in subsidized housing will be relieved to know they can house their family members in their homes without fear of violating their leases," Maldonado said.
It's unclear if the center has already opened. Details were scarce in the newsletter, and Maldonado couldn't be immediately reached for additional comment.
Earlier this month, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, flanked by Latino aldermen including Maldonado, said he would invite tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans to the city.
"This is not going to be a one-week, one-month or even a one-year effort," Emanuel said at the time. "It is going to to take a sustained effort from all of us."
As of Oct. 2, about 1,600 Puerto Ricans had already made their way to Chicago, according to Alicia Tate-Nadeau, executive director of Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
The hurricane hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20.Paulie and Tony in the series finale of The Sopranos. Courtesy of HBO
Josh Ozersky, Grub Street Editor:
Tony will be in the crosshairs of Phil Leotardo’s goons when the Feds, led by Frankie No,
swoop in with their squad of Keystone Kops to save the day. Tony ends up flipping, and
Carmela comes with him, but Chase, ambivalent to the last about giving us a happy ending(despite his urge to do so), ends with a shot of Tony alone in his thoughts, a la Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Part II.
Alexandra Vallis, nym |
stabilizing to reassure people it's not going to roll off the edge of a cliff and go tumbling down further," said Bruce McCain, chief investment strategist for Key Private Bank.
China tries to stem the bleeding
Some sort of bounce was anticipated on Tuesday due to the enormous losses that have been inflicted on the markets even though the American economy doesn't appear to be falling off a cliff. All three major U.S. equity indexes had plunged into correction territory -- their first 10% decline from recent highs since 2011.
China seemed to provide the recipe for that rebound overnight. China's central bank slashed interest rates, an emergency action aimed at calming financial markets and boosting economic growth by flooding the markets with cheap money.
Related: How I made money when the Dow lost 1,000 points
Global markets cheer China's emergency move
Investors around the world cheered China's emergency actions in hopes they will at least stabilize conditions in Asia. European stocks surged 4% higher, with Germany's DAX rallying nearly 5% just a day after falling into a bear market.
The significant market moves underscore how much China matters to the global markets. China is the world's second-biggest economy and its explosive growth over the past two decades helped lift many other countries. That's especially true for emerging markets like Brazil that rely on China's huge demand for its natural resources.
That's why the turbulence in China's stock market has unnerved so many investors. The Shanghai Composite plunged another 7.6% on Tuesday in a selloff that occurred prior to the interest rate cut. The bubble in Chinese stocks has burst, leaving the Shanghai index down a whopping 42% since June 12.
Related: Trading was halted 1,200 times on Monday
But U.S. economy isn't tanking
Many market veterans believe the damage done by the selloff in the U.S. was overdone considering the American economy doesn't appear to be tanking at this point. Unlike the market turmoil in 2008, the economy isn't on track for a recession.
Not only does the jobs market look healthy, but the housing industry continues to recover and cheap oil is creating a huge windfall for consumers at the pump.
"I still think this pullback is a buying opportunity. I still have confidence in the U.S. economy," said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
Related: Why the economy is OK, even if stocks aren't
Turbulence isn't over
Even before the late-day slide, market experts were warning that Tuesday's early rebound didn't mean everything is back to normal in the global financial markets just because China cut interest rates.
Watch for more dramatic market moves as new clues emerge about whether the financial turmoil causes the Federal Reserve to delay its plans to raise interest rates in September until later in the year or even 2016.A few days ago, the Nobel Laureate, Dr James Watson, made a remark that is now generating worldwide uproar, especially among the blacks. He said what to me looks like a self-evident truth. He told The Sunday Times of London in an interview that in his humble opinion, black people are less intelligent than the White people. Since then, some of us cannot hear anything else but the outrage of black people who feel demeaned by what Watson has said. So many people have called the man names. To be expected, some have said he is a racist. Some even wonder how a "foolish& quot; man like Watson could have won the Nobel Prize. Even white people who, deep in their heart, agree with Watson want to be politically, correct so they condemn the man. Why are we blacks becoming so reactive, so sensitive to any remarks, no matter how well-meaning, about our failure as a race? Why are we becoming like the Jews who see every accusation as a manifestation of anti-Semitism? I do not know what constitutes intelligence. I leave that to our so-called scholars. But I do know that in terms of organising society for the benefit of the people living in it, we blacks have not shown any intelligence in that direction at all. I am so ashamed of this and sometimes feel that I ought to have belonged to another race. Nigeria my dear country is a prime example of the inferiority of the black race when compared to other races. Let somebody please tell me whether it is a manifestation of intelligence if a people cannot organise a free, fair and credible elect ion to choose who will lead them. Is it intelligence that we! cannot provide simple pipe-borne water for the people? Our public school system has virtually collapsed. Is that a sign of intelligence? Our roads are impassable. In spite of the numerous sources that nature has made available to us to tap for energy to run our industries and homes, we have no steady supply of electricity. Yet electricity is the bedrock of industrialisation. When you agree with the school of Watson, some say you are incorrect because all these failures are a result of poor leadership. Why must it be us blacks who must always suffer poor leadership? Is that not a manifestation of unintelligence? In the name of international trade, bilateral co-operation, globalisation and other subterfuges, the norm in the world today is for smart people to appropriate the wealth of other people for themselves and their countries. But more among the blacks than any other race, the practice is to steal from their own country and salt away to other people's country. Is it intell igence that our leaders steal billions of naira and hide in other people's country? Anywhere in the world today where you have a concentration of black people among other races, the poorest, the least educated, the least achieving, and the most violent group among those races will be the blacks. When indices of underdevelopment are given, black people and countries are sure to occupy the bottom of the ladder. If we are intelligent, why do we not carry first when statistics of development are given? Look at the African continent. South Africa is the most developed country because of the presence of whites there. This may be an uncomfortable truth for many of us but it exists nevertheless. If the whites had been driven away after independence, we would have seen a steady decline of that country. In terms of natural endowment, Africa ought to be the richest of the continents but see the mess we have made of the potential for greatness which God in his infin ite wisdom has bestowed upon us. We have proved totally inca! pable of harnessing the abundant natural resources to become great. Today, there is a renewed scramble for the wealth of Africa. China, our new "friend", does not bother about the genocide against fellow blacks in the Sudan by the Arabs who control the affairs of that country. They say they do not want to interfere in the internal affairs of any country. All they want is the oil in Sudan to run their industries. Yet, we blacks have not seen the Chinese action as an affront to our sensitivities. Every race takes us for granted because we are so weak and so foolish, if you permit me to say it. I am really pained by our gross underachievement as a race. Instead of regarding bitter truths expressed by the likes of Watson as a wake-up call for us to engage in sober reflection, we take to the expression of woolly sentiment. For me, this type of reaction is a further evidence of our unintelligence. A man of intelligence recognises genuine criticism against him and takes ste ps to improve himself in order to prove his critics wrong. But for us blacks, our reaction is to abuse the man who expresses worries about our backwardness. Other races are deeply worried about us because we are a problem to the world. We suffer from the five Ds: disorderliness, debts, diseases, deaths and disasters. Our disorderliness affects others or else they won't be too bothered about us. Many are afraid because our diseases could infect them. Polio has been eradicated all over the world yet it is still found in Nigeria here. When they give us money to help us eradicate it, our thieving officials will embezzle the money; the virus will spread and endanger the health of not only our people but other people as well. Out of a shared sense of humanity, some cannot bear to see how we die in thousands almost every day from clearly preventable diseases and causes. For years now, our people die extremely painful but perfectly preventable deaths from buildings whi ch collapse because they were poorly constructed. How can yo! u tell m e we are as intelligent as others when we set traps for ourselves in the name of houses and others do not do so? Some people are extremely frustrated about us. If they have a way of avoiding us, they will be too glad to do so because we are a problem. As I write this, I do so with great pains in my heart because I know that God has given intelligence in equal measure to all his children irrespective of the colour of their skin. The problem with us black people is that we have refused to use our intelligence to organise ourselves socially and politically. It should worry us that we do not invent things. We do not go to the moon. Our societies are not well-organised. We have the shortest lifespan of all the races. Something must be wrong with us. Why are we not like others? Our scholars will be quick to say that these are not the only ways of measuring intelligence. They will quote other scholars to adumbrate their point, but the fact remains that we are not showi ng intelligence. Others are showing it more than we're doing. If they are not more intelligent than we are, let someone tell me how to put it. God himself must be frustrated with his black children. They must be an embarrassment to him. He has given us everything he has given to other of his children; why are his black children not manifesting their own gift? A few years ago, the whites used to contemptuously call the Japanese "little Japs". Today, the Japanese and other Asians have pulled themselves up by the bootstrap and have arrived. No one speaks of the Japanese or Asians with contempt anymore. When people like Watson speak about us in unedifying terms, we should take it as a challenge to prove them wrong by sitting down to plan how we can become world-beaters. If our political leaders are the reason for our backwardness, we should resolve to get the kind of leaders who will be instrument for our rapid progress. I may not know how intelligence is measured but my limited knowledge of intelligence is that i! t can al so be measured by the kind of leaders a people decide to have. If, for instance, our professors preside over the massive rigging of elections, it means that we do not have very intelligent professors. Such rigged elections will no doubt produce unintelligent leaders. Such unintelligent leaders will do stupid things which will prove that we are not as intelligent as other races. Do I sound confusing or intelligent? I am ready for some of our 'patriotic' intellectuals who will write and abuse me for the 'outrage' I have expressed here but I stick to my guns: we lack intelligence and as stated in the Bible, anyone who lacks intelligence should cry unto God who is the custodian of wisdom to bestow some upon him. We should go on our knees today and ask God why we do not appear as intelligent as our other brothers. I am confident God will reveal to us what we must do, and urgently too, to change our terribly unflattering circumstances. First published 10-25-7 http://allafrica.com/stories/200710250639.htmlWith the recent advances in genome-wide mapping studies and the emerging findings on the relation between athletes’ training histories and their performance, this should be a time for integrating these two bodies of knowledge for a more complete understanding of the complex development of elite performance.1 In their recent article, Tucker and Collins2 criticised a popularised but simplistic view of our work circulated on the internet, which suggests that anyone who has accumulated sufficient number of hours of practice in a given domain will automatically become an expert and a champion. Unfortunately they incorrectly attributed this view to me and my colleagues and criticised our research on deliberate practice.
TUCKER AND COLLINS' MISUNDERSTANDING OF OUR CLAIMS FOR THE ROLE OF DELIBERATE PRACTICE I agree with Tucker's and Collins’ claim about the current failure ‘to discover a candidate gene that can be conclusively linked to performance’.2 However, they incorrectly state that I described this failure ‘as evidence that genetics play only a minimal, or even no role, in the attainment of elite performance’.2 There is a fundamental difference between claiming that there is evidence for the complete absence of genetic influences on elite performance in sport and claiming that no current evidence exists for such genetic influences. From the beginning of my research on expert performance I have made a point of distinguishing between empirical evidence collected on expert performers from beliefs or inferences from research on the general population. In one of my first publications3 on expert performance I reviewed the compelling evidence for the absence of training effects on height and body size. I concluded that in many sports elite athletes are either systematically taller or shorter than the general population and these differences in height were virtually completely determined by genetic factors. In most of my subsequent publications I have simply referred to this review, and in doing so the importance I place on it may have been overlooked by others. My recent reviews1,4,5 have focused on the rich body of evidence that virtually every other aspect of the human body and nervous system can be modified by intense training, sustained for months and years, and that the degree of modifiability interacted with the childhood and adolescence developmental phase of athletes.1,4 These reviews found numerous studies documenting how engagement in intense physical training was associated with changes in muscle fibres, capillaries and size and structure of hearts. Some of these attributes were directly linked to the current level of training and receded back towards normal levels after reduction of intense training. For example, the heart size of athletes was dramatically reduced from when they competed at the Olympic Games to when they were tested again 10 years later.6 Furthermore, I have reviewed heritability estimates obtained with sedentary adults and non-athletes1,4 and questioned whether they can be generalised to expert athletes, who have engaged in several thousands of hours of training and attained qualitatively different physiological adaptations. I also reviewed studies of the genetic influence on the size of the training effect (trainability) and noted that only sedentary adults had been tested, which raises similar issues about valid generalisability to elite athletes—a similar concern was raised by Bouchard7 in his recent review. Finally these reviews also argued ‘that heritable individual differences might influence processes related to motivation and the original enjoyment of the activities in the domain and, even more important, may affect the inevitable differences in the capacity to engage in hard work (deliberate practice)’.1,4 In sum, my published reviews1,4,5 are mainly in agreement with those of Tucker and Collins2 and together they show errors and omissions in the popularised internet views. In their paper Tucker and Collins criticise a version of ‘the 10000 h rule’, namely ‘that a specific volume of 10000 h of training must be accumulated over a period of approximately 10 years of structured training and involvement in an activity in order to achieve expert levels’.2 They incorrectly attribute the 10 000 h rule to me and further state that I have claimed that deliberate practice is sufficient to explain the acquisition of all aspects of expert performance—a claim that I have never made.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ‘THE 10 000 HOUR RULE’ AND THE DELIBERATE PRACTICE FRAMEWORK Given the recent popularity of ‘10 000 h rule’ it might be useful to trace its emergence. In a chapter with the title ‘the 10 000-hour rule’, Malcolm Gladwell8 described our research on expert violinists4 in considerable detail and then immediately afterwards offered the following generalisation: ‘that excellence at performing a complex task requires a critical minimum level of practice surfaces again and again in studies of expertise. In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: 10 000 h’. He then goes on to cite Levitin,9 who had written that 10 000 h of practice is necessary for world-class performance after citing our research. The popular internet version of the 10 000 h rule suggests that attaining expert performance is all about getting more and more practice and experience in a given domain of activity and then reaching an expert status at 10 000 h. The distinctions between being an ‘expert’, reaching fame, and performing at a world-class level have disappeared suggesting that all experts have a similar development. Given that this is my first opportunity to comment on ‘the 10 000 h rule’—a term that I do not use in my own papers—it is important to point out the differences and inconsistencies with our research findings and the popular internet view. Our research on expert music performance focused on objectively measurable performance and claimed that this type performance is improved gradually by deliberate practice (defined as the engagement with full concentration in a training activity designed to improve a particular aspect of performance with immediate feedback, opportunities for gradual refinement by repetition and problem solving) and by maturation (responsible for increases in height and body size). In direct violation of the alleged necessity of 10 000 h in 10 years for becoming an expert, our original study estimated that one of our four groups of expert violinists had only averaged around 5000 h of solitary practice (the activity most closely matching the criteria for deliberate practice) at age 204—as a consequence more than half of them had actually accumulated less than 5000 h. The best group of violinists with estimated prospects for an international solo career had accumulated an average of over 10 000 h at age 20. In fact, even Malcolm Gladwell misconstrued this and claimed that ‘the elite performers had each totaled ten thousand hours of practice’.8 Our main point was that the best group of violinists had spent significantly more hours practising than the two groups of less accomplished groups of expert violinists, and vastly more time than amateur musicians. There is nothing magical about exactly 10 000 h. Winners of international piano competitions continued full-time practice for many years beyond age 20 and thus accumulated around 25 000 h at the time of their success. In other domains, especially less competitive ones, it is possible to reach an international level in much less time. In the early 1980s my colleagues and I demonstrated that college students could reach a world-class performance for memorising digits after 500–1000 h of training.10,11 More importantly, our research has never been about counting hours of any type of practice. In fact, it is now quite clear that the number of hours of merely engaging in activities, such as playing music, chess and soccer, or engaging in professional work activities has a much lower benefit for improving performance than deliberate practice.12
THE CHALLENGE OF COLLECTING VALID REPORTS OF PAST ENGAGEMENT IN DELIBERATE PRACTICE Tucker and Collins reject the claim that the retrospective measures of practice history explains all of the variance in elite performance—a claim that I have never made. They are correct about the difficulties of collecting valid estimates for past practice, especially if we want to distinguish deliberate practice from playing and unstructured practice. The approach in the original study was to search for types of training activities which were hypothesised to contain a higher proportion of deliberate practice than other music-related activities, yet would be sufficiently distinct that individuals could estimate, many years later, its average weekly duration. For example, most music students typically set aside time each day to work alone on assignments given by their music teachers at their lessons, and diary studies showed that this duration was quite stable from day to day. When we asked them to recall and estimate the weekly hours of practice for each year of their entire career we found that there was a significant correlation (r(28)=0.74)4 between their estimates for most recent year and their diaries—but obviously not perfect. The collected reliability of cumulated life-time practice at different test occasions in large samples has typically been found to range between 0.7 and 0.813 implying that estimates of training history could never account for more than 49–64% of variance in measures of performance—even less for measures of performance that are not perfectly reliable. With these measures of the total duration of solitary practice activities reflecting a higher probability of deliberate practice summed over a decade, we can at most realise a significant correlation between our measures of training history and final adult performance. These limited estimates of practice during the complete development of expert performance were viewed as composites and only a first step toward more detailed mechanisms of how specific types of deliberate practice and particular aspects of performance. The acquisition of expert performance is viewed 1,4,13 as an extended sequence of successively attained levels of measureable performance. For example, music students have a curriculum, where they work on increasingly difficult techniques, such as complex chords and polyrhythms. By focusing on the mastery of a particular intermediate skill, we will be able to identify more specific types of deliberate practice and collect more recent reports on practice, perhaps even concurrent diaries, to build models of the amount, quality and type of practice and their association with measurable improvements related to that particular skill.
THE NEED TO COLLECT DETAILED DATA ON ATHLETES' TRAINING HISTORIES By collecting detailed knowledge on current goals for improvement of some measureable aspect of performance and concurrent practice we will be able to uncover more detailed mechanisms that account for previously demonstrated relations between training history and performance. For example, starting serious practice at a young age has been found to be associated with attaining elite adult performance and that early deliberate training in sports, ballet and music has been found to be beneficial.1,4,5 Early engagement in deliberate practice has been found to change neuronal myelinisation of particular regions of the brain in children and adolescents. Researchers have demonstrated brain changes in children that are linked to training in mental calculation, reading and practising music.14 A large number of studies have now demonstrated systematic differences in the structure of the brain for adult experts in basketball, golf, judo and diving compared to the general population.15 In a recent study,16 black belt Karate experts produced a punch with maximal force and, compared to controls, showed associated differences in the white matter of the cerebellum. Also, the experts showed correlations between brain differences and timing control, starting age and length of training. In sports it has been less common to distinguish deliberate practice from other types of practice, but when this distinction has been made relations between some types of specific practice and elite performance has been amplified. For example, national middle-distance runners were found to differ from regional runners by their higher number of accumulated hours of weight and technical training17 (training with particular goals and immediate feedback), whereas the overall accumulated amount of training hours did not differentiate the two groups. Information about deliberate practice is more likely to emerge when we analyse the characteristics of athletes’ training at the time they actually improve their performance in a longitudinal design. For example, a recent review of longitudinal studies of long-distance runners and other endurance athletes concluded that the largest training effects for elite athletes required attaining the best balance of engaging in practice activities with both lower and very high training intensities.18 Other longitudinal studies of performance and training 19–21 have identified at which point during development there are reliable differences in aspects of performance between elite and subelite adult athletes, so future research can focus on the factors accounting for these particular differences.Santa Monica Next and Streetsblog Los Angeles is proud to announce that The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica Education Fund will co-sponsor our City Council candidate forum next month.
The Santa Monica branch of the nonpartisan political organization will join Next and Streetsblog Los Angeles on September 22 at the Main Branch public library (601 Santa Monica Boulevard) for a free, informational candidate forum to which all 14 candidates who have qualified for the ballot in November have been invited.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the forum will begin promptly at 7 p.m.
This event is open to the public, but seating is limited. The forum will also be broadcast and archived at our Live Stream page, StreetsblogTV.
The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica, Santa Monica Next, and Streetsblog Los Angeles will not endorse any candidate, as the forum is purely for informational purposes.
Next Sponsor
From The League’s website: “The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization which encourages informed and active participation in government. We do not endorse either political parties or candidates running for office but seek to influence public policy through education and advocacy.”
We are currently finalizing the format for the forum with The League of Women Voters, but we will be soliciting questions from our readers via email at [email protected]
However, we will be maintaining a strict policy about screening questions.
From the question policy for September’s forum: “These questions… will be screened by representatives of the cosponsoring organizations to assure relevance, avoid duplication, and ensure adherence to these guidelines and ground rules. Personal or individually-targeted questions or attacks on any candidate will not be acknowledged.”
There are currently 14 candidates who have qualified to run for three open seats on Santa Monica’s seven-member City Council, including Mayor Pam O’Connor and Councilmember Kevin McKeown.
With their colleague, Councilmember Bob Holbrook, opting not to run for reelection after 24 years of service on the City Council, his seat is wide open. That means at least one of the 11 non-incumbent candidates will win a seat on the dais, so this is an important election year.Happy National Absinthe Day! Here at Geeks Who Eat Headquarters we couldn’t possibly let this day go by without our resident mixologist, Matthew creating a drink for you! However, before we get to the recipe, how about a little history about absinthe and some fun facts we found (we are geeks after all)?
According to Wikipedia, “It [absinthe] is an anise-flavored spirit derived from botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium (“grand wormwood”), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green color but may also be colorless. Although it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a liqueur, absinthe is not traditionally bottled with added sugar; it is therefore classified as a spirit.”
Some other fun facts about absinthe:
It is commonly referred to in historical literature as “ la fée verte ” (the green fairy).
It is commonly referred to in historical literature as “ ” (the green fairy). Absinthe’s popularity grew steadily through the 1840s, when absinthe was given to French troops as a malaria preventive.
Spurred by the temperance movement and the winemakers’ associations, absinthe was publicly associated with violent crimes and social disorder.
In the 1990s, realizing the UK had never formally banned absinthe, British importer BBH Spirits began to import Hill’s Absinth from the Czech Republic, which sparked a modern resurgence in absinthe’s popularity.
We recently started playing around with absinthe here at the GWE Headquarters and find it to be very interesting. Between its creamy yet licorice like flavor and the fact that it changes colors when you add it a little water, we love trying to find new ways to use it! Below is Matthew’s National Absinthe Day Aperitif recipe! We hope you enjoy it!
Cheers!It’s hard to read anything about UX without finding a reference to the constant tension between simplicity and complexity. People have strong preconceived notions about the words, especially when it comes to experience design. You don’t have to be a UX practitioner to understand that simplicity is a good thing; no one goes around the office saying, "Alright team, let’s make this application really, really complex!"
Removing that layer of confusion to make the user's goals easy to achieve means making things simple and clear. However, removing confusion doesn't always mean removing complexity—it’s somewhat of a grey area. Sometimes complexity actually isn’t such a bad thing. In this article I'll examine some of the many faces of complexity and explore the balance we need to find for successful solutions.
Is Simplicity Overrated?
Although most people would say they seek simplicity in life and products, our actions say something different. We actually enjoy, and at times prefer, complex things. Imagine looking at a sky that's completely clear and compare that with a sunset with a variety of colors, layered with clouds, and the beams of sunlight striking the sky. One view would seem less interesting or not as photo-worthy.
In some cultures complex products are more appealing than products that appear simple. In South Korea, for example, products like refrigerators are designed to appear more complex than non-Korean ones, even when the prices and specifications are very similar, because that complexity is equated with sophistication and value, and is thus a symbol of prosperity.[1]
Think about how we compare products when looking to make a purchase—we examine the features. Can this blender do the same things as this other blender, and more? A "simple" blender might seem like it doesn't do as much as a similarly priced one with fewer controls, making it perceptively less valuable to consumers. Even if the simplicity is intended to make the device easier to use, if it diminishes the consumer’s sense of the blender’s value and the manufacturer’s ability to sell it, then simplicity in this case is bad.
For example, Siemens released a smart washer with sensors that can detect the amount of laundry, the kind of fabric, and the soil level. There were only two program settings, and the machine would take care of the rest. This means the washer’s control panel could be very simple, but in fact Siemens designed it to have more controls than their other non-automated washers. Even when manufacturers find ways to simplify complex processes, it seems people don’t want to give up control and don't necessarily trust the automation, and manufacturers don’t want to downplay the apparent sophistication of their products.[1]
The Appearance of Complexity
In design and UX, a simple-looking approach generally receives more praise than a complex-looking one. Google is often held up as an exemplar of simplicity. Even though the back-end workings of Google are incredibly complex, a search engine’s UI inherently lends itself to simplicity; the interface doesn't require much in the way of controls or content. Simplicity of use sometimes is confused with taking a minimalist approach in the UI design.
Comparing the context and purpose to other sites reveals more about the apparent simplicity of Google. Google is a search engine whereas Yahoo! and MSN are Web directories—two different types of tool that require two different approaches to the UI.[2]Donald Norman explains why these other tools seem more complex than Google:
Why are Yahoo! and MSN such complex-looking places? Because their systems are easier to use. Not because they are complex, but because they simplify the life of their users by letting them see their choices on the home page: news, alternative searches, other items of interest.[3]
The appearance of simplicity in physical products can also be deceptive. Consider ice skates or a guitar; it’s obvious from their appearance how they’re meant to be used. But it takes years to learn to use them well. Their lack of controls and few moving parts decreases their apparent complexity, but actually means they’re more complex to operate. A jump in ice skating or strumming a melody on a guitar requires a complex range of actions on the part of the user.[4]
As John Gruber of Daring Fireball said, "If your UI even vaguely resembles an airplane cockpit, you’re doing it wrong."[5] The cockpit of an airplane certainly is as complex-looking as interfaces can get. When we see an interface or product that appears complex, we assume it must be difficult to use. But to assume that a complex-looking interface means it is difficult to use disregards the goal and tasks involved that a user may require of the interface.
Presenting Information
How information is presented in the UI is an important consideration. There are two important concepts presented by Edward Tufte that relate to how we present the visual layer of interface:[6]
Adjacent in space is taking elements of an application and positioning them all on the same screen. Depending on the information and number of features an application has, it can make the screen appear more, or less, complex. An airplane cockpit is an extreme example of this approach. It makes all of the controls readily available to pilots and keeps critical readouts and important data ready at hand to help pilots make quick decisions. The adjacent in space UI approach gives more immediate power and control. It also reduces the need for navigation between screens to reach additional functionality, speeding up interactions.
Stacked in time is splitting the functionality up into several screens or layers, like a story being spread across pages in a book rather than crammed into a single long page. This approach can reduce the chance of the users making a mistake by guiding them down clear path. It also offers a gradual engagement, showing and hiding controls so only the necessary UI/information is displayed, reducing the perceptive complexity of the UI. It can allow more screen space for feedback and guidance for the user, and can allow for a more aesthetically pleasing and/or branded experience. The stacked in time approach tends to make an application less intimidating and doesn't overwhelm the user with choices.
The adjacent in space and stacked in time approaches each has its own trade-offs. In most cases placing too many elements on screen at the same time creates unnecessary complexity. Not all controls are needed at once, so they should only be presented when needed. However, a stacked in time approach also can become overwhelming to a user if not executed correctly. If the features aren't mapped in logical paths or are split across too many layers, users might not be able to quickly find what they need. This is especially apparent on smaller screens for devices.
When Less is More… Confusing
The amount of data that needs to be presented affects the perceived complexity of applications. When creating a UI, generally speaking, having as few elements as possible on screen is usually the best approach. Simplifying UIs by removing unneeded navigation and UI elements is important to creating focus. But in some cases, it’s more important to keep a higher level of information density. As Tufte explains, "Small screens, as on traditional cell phones, show very little information per screen, which in turn leads to deep hierarchies of stacked-up thin information—too often leaving users with ‘Where am I? puzzles. Better to have users looking over material adjacent in space rather than stacked in time."[7]
This need for balance was made clear in a recent comparison of the interfaces of the iPhone and the forthcoming Windows 7 Series Phone. Luke Wroblewski wrote up a comparison of the content resolution between the phones showing a significant difference in how much information each device displays at any given time. The Windows phone takes a more minimal approach with the UI, reducing the amount of content that can be displayed in one screen. In some cases, the Windows phone requires one or two extra steps (or taps) to get to the information, whereas the iPhone reveals it immediately because of its higher information density.
The navigation in an application should propel the user toward his goal rather than act as a barrier created just to satisfy an aesthetic requirement for a simpler-looking UI. Simplification in UI design should be focused on reducing "computer administrative debris" while keeping the focus of the interface on content and information.[8]
Using Training Wheels
Many applications are designed to cater to the first-time user by easing the initial learning curve (this is called "onboarding"). They offer a very guided experience, which is good for the beginning user. This guidance is typically presented by stacking content in time, which requires additional navigation interactions because fewer features and less information can be displayed on a single screen. There is also often contextual instructional content to make sure the path is clear.
But leaving these "training wheels" on too long makes the experience difficult or frustrating when users become more familiar with the application and require less guidance.
Consider the graphical user interface (GUI) of computers today. The GUI is an alternative to command-line interfaces, which power users are able to operate quickly but at the expense of having to memorize a lot of commands and parameters. GUIs, on the other hand, take advantage of users’ mental models to create applications that are intuitive and easy to learn. But this comes at the cost of efficiency and speed for power users.[9]
Recently, heads-up displays (HUDs) like Alfred and Quicksilver, which allow the user to skip window manipulation to quickly access files or applications, have become popular among power users. Apple has simplified the tablet OS by hiding much of the file metaphor on the iPad.
Using techniques like onboarding to simplify an experience are important, but should be carefully implemented. There should be consideration for the posture of the application or website. If the user is going to be using it often and for longer periods of time (sovereign), then the onboarding help should be able to be turned off or gradually be removed as the user grows. If users rarely visit and only for a short period (transient) this type of interface would continue to be helpful, rather than a hindrance.
Complex Tasks Are Complex
Simplicity allows many applications to be powerful. The UIs are not clouded with unnecessary controls. They are focused on specific tasks and don’t get in the way by forcing the user to do too much at once. There are some occasions, though, that the normal workflow for a particular set of users is complex. Therefore, it can be expected that the application that controls these types of tasks will be more complex.
In fact, a complex UI can sometimes be exactly what the user needs. For example, a dashboard that displays visualizations of large data sets can only ever be complex because its purpose is complex.
The cockpit analogy needs to be viewed from the perspective of a trained pilot. The complexity of this interface is necessary because the task of flying a plane is quite complex. One would not expect to be able to fly a 187,000 pound hunk of metal from one end of the globe to another with one button. Pilots would lose control of the system if it were heavily automated and the interface were highly abstracted. Removing all the controls and distilling them down too far for the sake of simplicity alone would come at a very high cost.
Living in a Complex World
As an interactive designer, my first instinct is to simplify things. There is beauty in a clean and functional interface. But through experience I’ve found that sometimes I can’t remove every piece of complexity in an application. The complexity may be unavoidably inherent to the workflow and tasks that need to be performed, or in the density of the information that needs to present. By balancing complexity and what the user needs, I have been able to continue to create successful user experiences.
In the end, simplicity for its own sake should not be the goal. Balancing the amount of complexity that we engage with is something that UX people deal with on a daily basis. A good experience should be the result of using UX design to find what is meaningful to that end user and present it in the best way possible. Donald Norman puts it best: "Complex things will require complexity. It is the job of the designer to manage that complexity with skill and grace."[10]
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icide:
The crime of "parricide," murdering one's own parents or grandparents, has in all societies been considered to be more despicable than other homicides. According to Blackstone, under Roman law "parricide was punishable in a much severer manner than any other kind of homicide. After being scourged, the delinquents were sewed up in a leathern sack, with a live dog, a cock, a viper, and an ape, and so cast into the sea." Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book IV, ch. 14 at 202-03, Clarendon Press, Oxford (1769). Under the Napoleonic Code of France parricide was punished by the murderer's being taken to the place of execution, without any clothes other than his shirt, barefooted, and with his head covered with a black veil. He was then exposed on the scaffold, while an officer of the court read his sentence to the spectators. His right hand was cut off, and he was then put to death. [Flanagan v. State, 107 Nev. 243, 256 (Nev. 1991)]BY:
One year until Election Day. Where things stand: The Republican race is in turmoil while the Democratic nomination is all but assured. The FBI alone can stop Hillary Clinton from appearing on your ballot next November. But that is unlikely to happen. If only wishing made it so.
She wins the nomination. Then? To hear some tell it, Clinton’s election as president is a safe bet. I won’t lie: I think these commentators make a strong case, but not an entirely convincing one. There are too many factors at work. Inside the Democratic Party, the Clinton Restoration is almost complete. The country at large, however, despite the Democratic advantages of demographics, population distribution, and near cultural hegemony, remains wary. Clinton is a vulnerable nominee. She can be beaten.
How? Let’s stipulate that campaign effects are overstated. The economy and the popularity of the incumbent, in my view, are far more important. But candidates also matter. Whether she is liked or disliked, whether she is trusted or distrusted, whether she is someone with whom voters identify or someone from whom they recoil, whether she spends her days proclaiming her message or in damage control—all of these factors shape voter impressions, voter enthusiasm.
Which is where Clinton falls short. Sure, she’s preferable to Bernie Sanders. Who isn’t? Sanders appeals to the left of the left. He’s a fringe figure. Of course Hillary beats him. This is news?
Sure, Hillary did okay before the House Benghazi Committee. Trust me: Looking more sympathetic than members of Congress isn’t an achievement. It’s a freebie. All you have to do is show up and not take the Fifth. The media were always going to say Clinton left the hearing untouched. They’ve never thought Benghazi was a real story.
But look at what’s happened since Clinton’s "great 10 days." The more one examines the statements she made before Congress, the more they are revealed to be not entirely true. The polling says the electorate has the same impression of her that it’s had for some time now: She can’t be trusted. Twenty-seven percent in the Journal poll says she is honest. And "Clinton has the lowest rating for honesty" in the Quinnipiac poll, "as American voters say 60-36 percent she is not honest and trustworthy."
You’ll hear pundits say trustworthiness doesn’t matter because the public didn’t trust Bill Clinton in 1996 but reelected him anyway. Ignore them. In 1996 Clinton was the incumbent, the economy was growing, and he was in a three-way race with two unsympathetic opponents. It’s not just that the public distrusts Hillary Clinton. It’s that its distrust is related to its unflattering view of her as unlikable and out of touch.
Clinton’s unfavorable rating according to the Huffington Post’s Pollster Trend: 49 percent. In the Quinnipiac poll it’s 52 percent. And she’s underwater in the "cares about my needs" question: 53 percent in the Q-poll says she does not.
That’s a terrible result for a Democrat. It was Clinton’s own pollster, Joel Benenson, who wrote in 2012 that Republicans lost because "voters simply didn’t believe that Mr. Romney was on their side." Will they believe that of Hillary next November?
The job of the Republican nominee is to make sure they do not. You do it by reminding the public, day after day, that Clinton can’t be trusted. Trade, same-sex marriage, crime, foreign policy—she’ll betray you whenever it suits her political needs. She lied about the Benghazi video; she lied about her email; she lied about Sidney Blumenthal. That’s what she does. She lies. The Republican nominee will have to say this repeatedly, just as Donald Trump brands his opposition as low energy. It will take discipline. But it will also reinforce voters’ suspicions—and damage Clinton.
Republicans won’t need to paint her as unlikable. She’ll take care of that herself. Eventually she’ll commit a gaffe that she’ll spend three days apologizing for. It’s in her nature. Hillary Clinton is nowhere near her husband in terms of political talent. She’s isolated, living in a bubble for decades. Every so often she lets the "real" Hillary out and ends up regretting it. The authentic Clinton isn’t the woman who appeared at the debate or before Congress. It’s the Clinton who, when asked if she had wiped clean her private server, sneered, "With a cloth or something?"
The risk for the GOP is to go overboard, to so eagerly define Clinton as unlikable that she has the opportunity to play the victim. She did it with Rick Lazio in 2000, and with Barack Obama in 2008. Better to focus on how she can’t be trusted, and let her unpleasantness speak for itself. It won’t remain hidden for long.
The Democrats say they have the policy advantage. They point to areas where polling suggests they are in the mainstream and the Republicans are not. They oversell their case. Republicans may not have much in the way of a middle-class economic agenda. But that is not to say the Democrats are totally in sync with the American public.
On the contrary: Clinton is moving left on gun control despite public opposition. Her interest in Australia’s confiscation policy was so extreme her campaign walked it back. The election results in Virginia, where Michael Bloomberg spent $2 million in a failed attempt to win the state senate for Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe, show just how unpopular limitations on the Second Amendment are.
Then there’s crime. Criminal justice reform is the policy fad of the day. Clinton has eagerly embraced it. Why Democrats would want crime to return as an issue is beyond me, but I’m no Democrat.
President Obama’s Justice Department released 6,000 prisoners last month, "the largest one-time release of federal prisoners." Likely Obama will release additional nonviolent offenders before he leaves office. If but one of these former inmates commits a violent crime, Hillary Clinton will own it. And any Republican who ignores the issue will deserve to lose.
Unfair? Far more fair, I’d say, than suggesting Mitt Romney was responsible for the death of a woman from cancer, as saying he paid no income taxes for 10 years.
Clinton carries a burden. She’s running for her party’s third term in the White House. Her problem is not that the laws of history will prevent her from winning. It’s that she will have to answer for her predecessor.
The two dubious achievements of Barack Obama’s presidency—Obamacare and the Iran deal—are both unpopular and uncertain to survive in their current forms. Clinton has to defend them. She’ll also have to defend moving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to the Supermax, which the president seems intent on doing. Criminals in the streets and KSM in Colorado—ladies and gentlemen, here is your Obama legacy.
The Obama campaign spent a fortune in the spring and summer of 2012 defining Mitt Romney as an out of touch businessman who didn’t care about workers. To beat Hillary Clinton, Republicans will spend a similar amount defining her as untrustworthy, unlikable, and aloof from the day-to-day life of people without a family foundation.
They will unapologetically portray Clinton as someone who would release convicted felons into your neighborhood even as she takes away your Second Amendment right to self-defense. They will remind the public, relentlessly, of the woeful consequences of Obamacare and the Iran deal. And yes, finally, they will do all this while projecting optimism and empathy.
A tall order, I know. But look: A race to the bottom is a race we can win.Folk horror sounds like a contradiction in terms, like a blend of Aran knitwear and paranoia, morris-dancing and carnage. Mark Gatiss popularised the phrase, which is apt, since The League of Gentlemen helped seed the genre’s recent revival. The League found the funny in The Wicker Man, though it wasn’t hard to locate: it was always difficult to take seriously a movie where a strutting, bewigged Christopher Lee sonorously orders Edward Woodward, disguised as a dour jester in a Punch costume, to: “Cut some capers, man! Use your bladder!”
According to Gatiss, folk horror’s central trinity consists of three films from the late 1960s and early 70s: Michael Reeves’s Witchfinder General, a brooding tale of sadism and revenge in East Anglia during the civil war; Piers Haggard’s Blood on Satan’s Claw, in which a cult of adolescents hundreds of years ago commit a series of murders in order to incarnate Satan in the countryside; and Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man, about a policeman lured into being a human sacrifice for island-dwelling pagans.
However, a new wave has appeared in the last decade. It includes: Ben Wheatley’s Kill List, which begins like Get Carter, with hitmen out on a job, and ends with a terrifying twist; David Keating’s eerie, gory Wake Wood, about a couple who move to a village after the death of their daughter; and, in print, Andrew Michael Hurley’s recent sombre masterpiece The Loney, in which a family go on a pilgrimage to a shrine, seeking a cure for the elder brother.
Folk horror, which is the subject of a new season at the Barbican, presents the dark dreams Britain has of itself. The films pick up on folk’s association with the tribal and the rooted. And our tribe turns out to be a savage one: the countryside harbours forgotten cruelties, with the old ways untouched by modernity and marked by half-remembered rituals.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Lascivious gaze … Blood on Satan’s Claw. Photograph: Tigon/RGA
It is a place that is both enticing and threatening. The films are symptoms of the disease they purport to diagnose: manifestations of our troubled, citified response to anything natural, beautiful and not mechanical. Sometimes, these works seek to unnerve us through fear while still reaching for an enchanted vision of landscape and rural peace. But the ecstatic quietness of Samuel Palmer’s paintings of Shoreham, or Wordsworth’s universal Cumbria, do not sit well with gothic shudders. The anxiety undoes the idyll and, rather than imagining a visionary Britain, folk horror evokes a land haunted by the past, by old nightmares, by sex.
They may lurch into the ludicrous, but with surprising earnestness these films nonetheless play out a three-way philosophical debate: between enlightened rationalism, orthodox Christianity and renewed paganism. Sex is at the heart of this debate: just as these films both adore and recoil from natural beauty, so human loveliness entrances and repels them.
Hence the repeated moment when a young, beautiful blond woman (Linda Hayden in Blood on Satan’s Claw, Britt Ekland in The Wicker Man) tempts some ascetic outsider, like a pale imitation of Salome trying to seduce John the Baptist. So we have tight-lipped Woodward sweating in his neatly ironed pyjamas while a nude Ekland cavorts and croons in the neighbouring bedroom.
In the best of such films, in Kill List for example, the conspiring coven are merely jokers busy manipulating the lonely dupe, and duping the audience in the process. The agnostics and Christians are perplexed and doubtful, while the pagans and satanists are smugly knowing. They’re in on the gag.
The films feature a recurring archetype: the arrival of a stranger, the discovery of a secret cult, then a vicious murder, perhaps a sacrifice, designed to propitiate pagan gods. The metropolitan visitor, the outsider from the mainland, comes into a situation strange to them and to us. Here the enlightened laws of the nation do not pertain. In these forgotten spaces, there are other laws: rules and rituals that are both familiar remnants of some tribal memory yet utterly strange. The locals understand, while we do not. Their rootedness in place becomes uncanny. Once, almost everyone was so rooted. But now – in the discontinuous world of modernity, where relationships are casual and work comes and goes – such belonging feels strange and even sinister.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sadism and revenge in East Anglia … Witchfinder General. Photograph: Allstar/AIP
As the stories progress, that solitary figure gets caught up in a myth and a rite. Alan Garner’s marvellous novel The Owl Service, which was adapted for TV, follows this pattern: it’s based on a Welsh myth about a woman created from flowers who betrays her husband and is turned into an owl. Here, as in other folk horror tales, being inside a myth is terrifying, a fall from the industrialised, supermarket world into one possessed by abysmal powers. In these dramas, The Golden Bough turns gothic.
For, if it were only a matter of sex versus asceticism, we’d just have a load of re-enactments of Lady Chatterley’s Lover. But in folk horror, the crowd destroys the individual. You are not up against some forlorn witch, but a cult. It is not the government that’s out to get you, but your neighbours. You are going to be killed, but you cannot protest, for it is the will of the people. The majority prevails.
But this victory for “decent people” looks manic: the grins are forced, all doubt is suppressed. In their portrayal of the crowd, these films display a kind of power worship – the mob over the individual. Later, we may side with another crowd, the revengers, but that identification will be just as dehumanising. As long as there is blood and suffering, we are supposed to be satisfied.
In two works on one edge of the genre – David Rudkin’s BBC drama Penda’s Fen and Peter Shaffer’s play Equus – sexual confusion is also at work. But, although there is horror, there is no murderous crowd. To the jaded psychiatrist in Equus, the young man he is treating possesses an enviable ecstasy, even if the youth’s sexual feelings and instinct for worship are directed at a horse. Behind all Freudianism, the play taps the root of a connection to the wild.
Penda’s Fen, meanwhile, somehow manages to bring together Edward Elgar, a coming out in 1970s rural England, religious doubt, cold war paranoia, and an encounter between a grammar-school boy and the last pagan king of England. It is a dream of renewal: the countryside stands against cold rationality, against industry. Like Equus, which was filmed in 1977 and recently revived with Daniel Radcliffe, this is folk horror at its most fruitful. The connection – the religious experience – belongs to a solitary figure. There is no crowing crowd. These are not stories of coercion, nor of human victims, but of selves “dark, true, impure and dissonant” as Rudkin has it. In both, a lonely boy tries to summon up a mystical intensity, as vision and reality blur.
What’s different, and striking, here is that it is almost a rule in folk horror that the supernatural is banned. In The Wicker Man or Kill List, no one expects some gloomy god to appear. The evil is entirely human. There is no divine appearance in Kill List, no conjuration, just bleakly absurd acts of extreme aggression, suicidal and murderous all at once.
In fact, in the folk horror revival, the mystery no longer draws on fecundity and rebirth. Now the secret is violence. Wheatley is undoubtedly the master here. Both Kill List and A Field in England, his psychedelic fable set during the English civil war, transform cinema into a nightmare imbued with history and politics. Although he lives a drab suburban life, one built on and paid for by violence, Kill List’s returned soldier protagonist has become an essentially murderous man. He and his partner may think they are crusaders, King Arthur’s knights executing horrible people, but we quickly realise they are just vicious killers themselves.
When they finally appear, the cultists are empty, faceless, uninterested in their own self-preservation, thanking the men who torture them, charging carelessly into a hail of bullets. Only mayhem, cruelty and violence engages them. As one, they politely applaud each extreme act of violence, their bland automatic approval part of the ritual.
Ultimately, this ghastly applause tells us that the cultists are the cinema audience. The pagan rite we are witnessing is the film itself. A sense of complicity was always part of folk horror. The gang-rape and murder in Blood on Satan’s Claw begins from the victim’s point of view, but then plays out through the watching mob’s lascivious gaze. The killing crowd in these movies is us.
• Into the Woods is at the Barbican, London, 3-25 May.Labour has called for the tax office to investigate Conservative donor and Brexit supporter Lord Ashcroft after the revelation in the Paradise Papers of a secret Bermuda-based trust that sheltered his vast wealth.
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, also questioned whether the Conservative party had undertaken proper checks before accepting donations from Ashcroft.
Ashcroft, after declining to answer questions from the Guardian and BBC before publication, issued a response in which he denied he had ever broken the rules governing trusts or been warned that he might have done.
Much of his statement was directed at video footage of him being pursued by a BBC crew at a Conservative party conference earlier this year which ended with him taking refuge in the toilets.
Play Video 2:18 Lord Ashcroft hides in toilets to avoid questions on tax – video
In a statement, the peer sought to explain what he described as his erratic and undignified withdrawal in the face of what he called a BBC “ambush”.
Writing in the Guardian, McDonnell said: “Can the Conservatives assure us that he was paying taxes on his considerable wealth whilst he was a major donor to the Tory party? HMRC needs to investigate the amount of tax paid by Lord Ashcroft and clarify his non-dom status.”
The Paradise Papers, which detail the inner workings of Ashcroft’s Punta Gorda Trust from 2000 to 2016, show the value of the assets at one point was $450.4m (£341m) in 2006. It is not known how much tax he paid to HMRC.
McDonnell, speaking in an hour-long Commons session to discuss the Paradise Papers, raised Ashcroft with the financial secretary to the Treasury, Mel Stride, asking what information he had about Ashcroft’s domicile status and “whether he was paying taxes on his overseas wealth”.
Stride replied that with regard to Lord Ashcroft he was not going to “start getting into the individual tax affairs of any particular individual, regardless of their political allegiance or whoever they may be”.
Echoing McDonnell, Meg Hillier, chair of the Commons public accounts committee, the parliamentary watchdog that scrutinises government spending and revenue, urged HMRC to investigate Ashcroft’s tax affairs and non-dom status.
“The tax authorities need to look at his affairs to make sure he was paying his fair share of tax. HMRC should be looking at this. HMRC need to look at his non-dom status.”
Ashcroft rounded on the BBC over his pursuit at the Conservative conference.
He said his refusal to respond to questions was because he had previously written to the BBC director general after two previous Panorama programmes he regarded as one-sided and said at the time he was simply not going to deal with Panorama in the future.
“This time around, therefore, I was absolutely determined not to receive any further communication from Panorama. I was equally determined, therefore, not to fall victim to their ambush, hence the rather erratic and undignified withdrawal.”
He denied he had broken rules over the running of the trust. Leaked emails revealed the trustees, the offshore law firm Appleby, expressing concern that decisions were being taken without consultation with them.
On tax and residency issues, he said he had been resident and domiciled in the UK from 2010 to 2015 when he had been sitting in the Lords.“Once you’re in, you’re in. It’s like the Mafia… once a Monkee, always a Monkee.” — Davy Jones of the Monkees
In August 1966, The Beatles and The Beach Boys dominated radio airwaves with singles like Yellow Submarine, Paperback Writer and Good Vibrations. Their sound of pop alternative garnered adoring fans who praised the catchy riffs and sing-along lyrics, but 1966 was also the year a new television phenomenon erupted on the screens to introduce millions to America’s answer to The Beatles. Inspired by The Beatles’ film A Hard Day’s Night, The Monkees made their small-screen debut on September 12, 1966, propelling an up-and-coming actor/musician David Thomas Jones into instant stardom.
Capturing the hearts of millions of teenaged girls with his long hair, boyish good looks, charming English accent and warm sense of humor, Jones saw continued success over the years, including a modest solo musical career, the authoring of several autobiographies and being ranked No. 2 as the 10 Best Teen Idols in 2009. However, Jones’ career as a celebrity almost never came to fruition.
Born in Manchester, England on December 30, 1945, Jones had his first taste of acting at the age of 11 after landing a role on the popular long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. Three years later, Jones’ mother died of emphysema, leaving Jones to pursue a career as a jockey, training alongside Basil Foster.
It was during this time that a friend who worked for the West End of London theatre approached Foster looking to cast someone for the stage adaption of Oliver!. As if the stars had aligned themselves to conspire to bring Jones back to the stage, Foster replied to his friend that he knew of someone.
Cast as the Artful Dodger, Jones was recognized with great acclaim for his performance, and soon was nominated for a Tony Award when he accompanied the show on Broadway.
In promotion of the show, the cast of Oliver! made a guest appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. That same night, The Beatles made their first appearance in which Jones recalled, “I watched the Beatles from the side of the stage. I saw the girls going crazy and I said to myself, ‘This is it, I want a piece of that.’”
At first, Jones landed a few television guest appearances, but his big break came when he was the first actor/musician to be selected as a member of the soon-to-be musical television phenomenon The Monkees.
As frontman, singer and percussionist, Jones attracted the attention of fans for his charm and boyish good looks, while the TV show continued to captivate audiences who adored the humorous antics of a made-for-television band. Soon the Monkees would score chart-topping singles that rivalled the Beatles with their version of Neil Diamond’s I’m a Believer and Last Train to Clarksville.
While many critics have accused the Monkees of being a “Pre-Fab Four” made-for-TV knockoff of the Beatles; the Beatles disregarded such remarks and further hosted a party for the members of the Monkees when they toured England. At one point guitarist Michael Nesmith asked John Lennon, “Do you think we’re a cheap imitation of the Beatles, your movies and your records?” To which Lennon replied, “I think you’re the greatest comic talent since the Marx Brothers. I’ve never missed one of your programs.”
With their albums selling millions and topping the billboard charts with number one hits, The Monkees soon debuted in their own feature film called Head co-produced and co-written by an unknown Jack Nicholson in 1968. Unlike the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, Head was a commercial box-office failure. To add injury to insult, the Monkees saw the cancelation of their series that same year, along with the departure of bassist Peter Tork.
Determined to forge ahead, Jones and the remaining members released their final album Instant Replay before Nesmith departed, leading the band to lose the rights to use the name.
Continuing to act and sing, Jones signed Bell Records and released his second solo record titled Davy Jones, which contained the single Rainy Jane. The album met with modest success with the song charting at No. 52 on the Billboard 200 in 1971. Meanwhile, that same year, Jones made his next landmark when he appeared on The Brady Bunch in the episode Getting Davy Jones. The popularity of his appearance has gone down in history as the most re-ran episode of any TV show.
For the next three decades, Jones would continue to release a small number of singles, performing numerous solo concerts and continued to make guest appearances on television programs, as well as reuniting with the Monkees for a number of reunion tours when renewed interest in the band emerged in the ’80s.
Even in his later years, Jones spent much of his time touring with the Monkees, particularly with the Here They Come!: 45th Anniversary Tour which ran from May 12, 2011 to July 23, 2011.
Much beloved, Jones made numerous personal appearances to meet up with fans and frequently participated in a number of sporting events for charity.
On February 29, 2012, it was reported that Jones had died of a heart attack at the age of 66. He is survived by his wife Jessica, and four daughters and several grandchildren.
Read more:
Davy Jones Biography | Biography.comA solid cast with no weak links and a probing conductor. That’s what it takes, even more than superlative individual performances, for the profundity of Verdi’s “Don Carlo” to come through. That’s what the Metropolitan Opera’s revival offered on Monday when the director Nicholas Hytner’s 2010 production, which combines traditional and contemporary imagery and was last seen here in 2013, returned to the house.
The French-Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin was in the pit, where he belongs as often as the company can recruit him. Mr. Nézet-Séguin, currently thriving as the music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted “Don Carlo” when this production was new.
I was struck during this performance by how seldom Mr. Nézet-Séguin called attention to his conducting, and I mean this as high praise. There were, of course, gripping moments, like the blithe ruthlessness he brought to the choral scene in Act III, when frenzied subjects of the imperious King Philip II of Spain gather outside a Madrid basilica to cheer the burning of some heretics. But the excellence of Mr. Nézet-Séguin’s overall performance came from the way he subtly drew nuanced details, glowing sound and sure pacing from the great Met orchestra in this long, challenging Verdi masterpiece."Matilda" is a song by British rock band alt-J from their debut studio album An Awesome Wave, released on 10 January 2012 as a digital download. It was released as a split single with "Fitzpleasure" on 24 February as a digital download and on 10" triangle shaped vinyl. It was written by Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Gwilym Sainsbury and Thom Green and produced by Charlie Andrew. The song is a tribute to Matilda Davies, a friend of the band, who was an art teacher at a grammar school in Kings Heath, Birmingham, who later moved to the United Arab Emirates. The song relates to the movie Léon, specifically the relationship between the main character (a hitman) and a young girl called Mathilda.[1] The band would later release the song "Leon", a tribute to the main character of the film.
Track listing [ edit ]
Digital download[2]
"Matilda" – 3:48
10" single[3]
"Matilda" – 3:48 "Fitzpleasure" – 3:39
7" single[4]
"Matilda" – 3:48 "Matilda" (Johnson Somerset Radio Mix)
Digital iTunes EP[5]
"Matilda" – 3:48 "Fitzpleasure" – 3:39 "Matilda" (Remix) – 3:49 "Fitzpleasure" (bretonLABS Ghost Remix) – 4:23
Charts [ edit ]
Release history [ edit ]
Region Date Format Label United Kingdom 10 January 2012 Digital Single Infectious 24 February 2012 Digital EP, 10" vinyl 10 December 2012 7" vinyl
References [ edit ]CLOSE USA TODAY Sports' Nancy Armour recaps the major developments from Thursday's NCAA tournament action and previews Friday's games. USA TODAY Sports
Northwestern Wildcats celebrate the 68-66 victory against the Vanderbilt Commodores following the first round of the NCAA tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. (Photo11: Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports)
Northwestern waited 77 seasons to punch its first NCAA tournament bid, and capitalized with its first-ever victory in March Madness. The Wildcats escaped Vanderbilt, 68-66, after coughing up a 15-point second-half lead.
But the play that ultimately defined the game's outcome was a costly gaffe by Vanderbilt. After the Commodores scored the go-ahead basket with 18 seconds left, Matthew Fisher-Davis inexplicably fouled Bryant McIntosh — an 86% free-throw shooter — to help Northwestern seal the historic victory. Afterwards, Fisher-Davis said, "I made a dumb (expletive) foul."
Vandy coach Bryce Drew downplayed Fisher-Davis' foul and miscommunication afterwards: "We're not even in position (to win) without him."
Vandy with the late go-ahead bucket! And then... the... foul????? pic.twitter.com/qDI1ANU3NC — CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 16, 2017
McIntosh spearheaded the victory for the Wildcats, finishing with 25 points on a blistering 10-of-16 shooting from the field. "A dream come true. What a special moment for our program," McIntosh said after the game.
Northwestern coach Chris Collins said: "We didn't feel any pressure today. The pressure was getting to the tournament. We just made one more play in the end."
Although Vanderbilt essentially made that last play for them.
MORE COLLEGE HOOPS
NCAA TOURNAMENT'S FIRST-ROUND HIGHLIGHTSLauren Hersh, the ace prosecutor in Brooklyn who leads the sex-trafficking unit there, says that of the 32 people she and her team have prosecuted in the last year and a half — typically involving victims aged 12 to 25 — a vast majority of the cases included girls marketed through Backpage ads.
“Pimps are turning to the Internet,” said Hersh. “They’re not putting the girls on the street so much. Backpage is a great vehicle for pimps trying to sell girls.”
Craigslist backed out of this sector after public protests. Pimps then moved to Backpage.com, which is owned by Village Voice Media, owners of The Village Voice weekly newspaper.
Attorneys general from 48 states wrote a joint letter to Backpage, warning that it had become “a hub” for sex trafficking and calling on it to stop running adult services ads. The attorneys general said that they had identified cases in 22 different states in which pimps peddled underage girls through Backpage.
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The attorneys general cited a 15-year-old girl who was being forced to have sex with men last year in Dorchester, Mass. The pimp marketed the girl through Backpage.
But Backpage isn’t budging. Indeed, it has fought back with personal attacks on those, such as Ashton Kutcher, who have linked it to human trafficking.
Steve Suskin, legal counsel to Village Voice Media, gave me a lengthy statement in which he argued that the company is already cooperating closely with law-enforcement authorities. He cited a 16-year-old girl in Seattle who was rescued as a result of a tip the company had made.
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“Censorship will not rid the world of exploitation,” Suskin asserted.
It’s true that there’s some risk that pimps will migrate to new Web sites, possibly based overseas, that are less cooperative. But, on balance, that’s a risk worth taking. The present system is failing. Pimps aren’t the shrewdest marketers, and eliminating a hub for trafficking should at least chip away at the problem.
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Backpage suggests that it is battling censors and prudes. In fact, what drives it seems to be greed. In their letter, the attorneys general said that Backpage earns more than $22 million annually from prostitution advertising.
On Backpage, the pimps claim adult ages for the girls they market, but Hersh scoffs. “I see 19,” she said, “and I immediately think 13.”
“I’m not seeing a lot of cases where there’s not coercion,” she added. “The average age where a girl is forced into prostitution is 12 to 14. And most of these 16- or 17 year-olds are being run by pretty vicious pimps.”
While there are no reliable figures for human trafficking, the more we look, the more we find. The Brooklyn district attorney, Charles J. Hynes, says that in the year before he set up a sex-trafficking unit in June 2010, his office prosecuted no trafficking cases. Since then, the office has become a national model, indicting 32 people, with 10 convictions and no acquittals so far.
Among those rescued was Baby Face, who had run away from home in September. Judge allegedly found her on the street, bought food for her and told her that she was beautiful. Within a few days, he had posted her photo on Backpage and was selling her five to nine times a day, prosecutors say. When she didn’t earn enough money, he beat her with a belt, they add.
When Baby Face ran away from her pimp and desperately knocked on that apartment door in Brooklyn, she was also in effect pounding on the door of the executive suites of Backpage and Village Voice Media. Those executives should listen to her pleas.New Jersey and Delaware officials say 205-foot ship will help expand their joint deepwater reef
The Coast Guard vessel Tamaroa, which once towed warships to safety during World War II and battled 40-foot waves to help rescue seven people in what was portrayed in the book and film "The Perfect Storm," is poised to be sunk off the New Jersey and Delaware coasts. (Photo: PROVIDED BY U.S. COAST GUARD)
The USS Zuni survived the submarine-infested waters of the Pacific during World War II as it towed torpedoed warships to safety and aided in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
A half-century later and renamed the Tamaroa, it overcame gale force winds and 40-foot waves to help save seven people off the New England coast, a rescue effort immortalized in the book and film “The Perfect Storm.”
But the Tamaroa could not conquer time.
This ship that has made so much history will soon be sunk off 25 miles south of Cape May Point, New Jersey, to help expand an artificial reef that attracts both scuba divers and anglers. A decade-long effort to turn the ship into a museum and memorial was derailed when the Tamaroa’s hull sprung a leak four years ago, causing significant damage to key parts of the ship.
Having the Tamaroa sit on the ocean floor isn’t how many who served on the ship envisioned its fate. There is, after all, an emotional attachment to the ship far more powerful than mere nostalgia. The Tamaroa was home to generations of crew members who routinely risked their lives in some of the most brutal conditions to save others.
The man who commanded the ship during the 1991 “Perfect Storm” said sinking the Tamaroa is a better outcome than being demolished for scrap metal, a common ending for old service ships.
“It’s always sad when you sink a ship, but some good will come of it,” retired Coast Guard Capt. Larry Brudnicki said. “It’s being repurposed. It’s being used. If it’s cut up, who’s going to know that their razor blade came from the Tamaroa?”
New Jersey and Delaware officials say the 205-foot ship will help expand their joint deepwater reef by attracting large game fish and aiding the Garden State’s $1.7 billion recreational fishing industry.
They plan to sink the Tamaroa around Oct. 30, the 25th anniversary of “The Perfect Storm,” although no official announcement has been issued.
It is also a coup for New Jersey divers.
“It’s like anything else, it’s name recognition,” said Brian Nunes-Vais, a trustee with the Ann E. Clark Foundation, which helps fund New Jersey’s artificial reef program. “Would you want to dive Bob’s boat or the Tamaroa?”
Island-hopping tug
Long before the “Perfect Storm” the Tamaroa was the Zuni. It was launched July 31, 1943, and deployed as a Navy tug to the war-torn Pacific, hopping from island to island as the U.S. drove Japanese forces back east.
It would tow two heavily damaged cruisers, the USS Houston and USS Reno, hundreds of miles to safety, according to the Navy’s history of the ship.
In |
JCReindl.
Hudson's redevelopment facts:
Construction tentatively set for April 1, 2017
Building to be substantially finished by at least April 1, 2020
Would contain at least 225,000 square-feet of commercial, retail and community space
Also to have 250 apartments
Underground parking garage to be renovated and cut to about 700 spaces
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/26tO2kjNo News is Bad News in the Bergdahl Case
Perhaps the most obvious sign that the Bowe Bergdahl desertion case has been irrevocably corrupted by President Obama’s improper (and illegal) command influence is the unexplained and inordinate delays in processing and completing the case. As I explained here, military justice generally differs from the civilian model in its alacrity, because the military’s mission requires that criminal cases be handled honestly but swiftly, lest good order and discipline disappear. This is especially true in the case of pure military offenses, like those against Bergdahl. It has been over a month since Bergdahl’s attorneys leaked the results of the Article 32 hearing in his case (this being the military version of a grand jury.) The recommendation went to General Robert Abrams the convening authority for disposition. Although the Bergdahl case is actually a relatively simple affair on the charges (desertion and misbehavior before the enemy) and the facts, Abrams has yet to make a decision on the matter. This follows a disturbing pattern wherein this case has featured long delays at every step, as Army officials obviously try to square Obama’s stated preferences (and ego) with military justice.
Long after Bergdahl was ransomed from the Taliban in a controversial exchange with terrorist leaders, the Pentagon ordered an investigation of the circumstances of his apparent desertion. The investigating officer, Major General Kenneth Dahl, interviewed Bergdahl and evidently bought the soldier’s improbable self-serving story that he left his post without the intent to desert or aid the enemy, but to hike nearly twenty miles to the closest friendly Army post and turn in his superiors for incompetence. Dahl recommended leniency to his superior at the time, General Mark Miley, the current Army Chief of Staff. After another very long and unexplained delay, Miley surprisingly threw the book at Bergdahl, formally charging him with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, and sent the case to the Article 32 hearing. Miley’s decision was puzzling, as noted here, but with the results of the Article 32 known, and the case now languishing before General Abrams, it’s possible to draw a very probable conclusion about what is, and has been going on in the case. After Dahl came out with his recommendation of leniency, the Army and Bergdahl’s attorneys led by the very capable Eugene Fidell, entered plea negotiations. It’s hard to say what the Army wanted in a plea at this juncture, but I have a good idea what Fidell demanded -- that Bergdahl plead guilty only to a 24-hour AWOL (which he admitted to Dahl), be punished by some limited term of restriction (which would count as time served) and then be discharged honorably. An honorable discharge would not only preserve the Obama administration’s fiction that Bergdahl served “with honor and distinction” but ensure he receives back pay and benefits, and also allow Bergdahl and his representatives to make a much stronger pitch for the lucrative book and movie deals which are no doubt in the works. The Army might have wanted Bergdahl, as part of a plea agreement, to give up profiting from such deals, but it would have been hard to argue for that, if it also agreed to discharge him honorably. The Army evidently was unwilling roll over on the issue at that time, I hope at least in part because it saw that giving Bergdahl an honorable discharge would devalue the discharges issued to millions of proud veterans living and deceased. When negotiations broke down Miley sought to increase the Army’s leverage by throwing the maximum (and fully justified) charges at Bergdahl, and then having rid himself of the burden personally, took his position as Chief of Staff. That strategy backfired when the Article 32 hearing turned disastrous for the Army. With the Article 32’s relaxed rules of evidence, Fidell called Dahl to testify and was able to present Bergdahl’s testimony to the court without subjecting the soldier to cross-examination. The prosecution for its part put on a bare-bones and tepid case, and the result was another recommendation of leniency by the Article 32 hearing officer, who suggested that Bergdahl be essentially tried in misdemeanor court (Special, not General Courts Martial) and not face jail time. The one piece of leverage the Article 32 officer retained for the Army is that a Special Courts Martial can issue a bad conduct discharge to a convicted soldier (a punitive discharge not as severe as a dishonorable discharge), or less harsh general discharges (under honorable or other-than-honorable conditions.) So Bergdahl would still be at risk on that critical issue if the Army went forward on the recommendation. General Abrams is not bound to accept the recommendation of the Article 32 officer, but it is unusual for a convening authority not to do so. The situation as it stands is that Bergdahl and his attorneys have almost certainly not backed down from their demands that the soldier plead only to AWOL, receive back pay and benefits plus the honorable discharge. I doubt that the Army much cares about jail time, pay or benefits, but giving Bergdahl an honorable discharge would severely damage the credibility of the military justice system, and would probably stick in the craw of even the most sycophantic and politically sensitive officers. The Army can easily solve its problem by simply trying Bergdahl on the charges (at a Special or General Courts Martial) and leave the case to a military judge or jury. It is not a particularly complex case, and the evidence against Bergdahl, absent his potentially exculpatory testimony is strong. Fidell would then face the dilemma of seeing his client go down, or putting him on the stand to suffer a potentially destructive and embarrassing cross-examination (assuming the Army can find a decent prosecutor to do it.) Up to this time Fidell has managed to get his client’s version of the facts out without subjecting him to cross-examination, but he cannot do that at an actual trial. The problem for the Army, as Fidel plainly knows, is that it is loath to bring Bergdahl to trial, much less humiliate and convict him of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, because that would also humiliate and embarrass President Obama. So the case is in abeyance, in a Mexican standoff of sorts. The Army can cut the Gordian knot simply by going forward with the charges, but Fidell knows that is the last thing it wants. And as long as Fidell is confident of that, there is no reason for him to back off his maximum demands in the case, which no doubt includes an honorable discharge for his client. It is in sum, a dishonorable state of affairs, and for that, as for much else that currently ails the country, we can thank the president.click to enlarge Sara D. Davis/Getty Images
A gender-neutral bathroom in Durham, North Carolina.
When the Obama administration announced May 13 that it would be taking groundbreaking steps toward transgender equality, the decision may have signaled the end of a controversial bill in Illinois.
House Bill 4474, drafted by Republican state rep Thomas Morrison, would limit the bathroom access of transgender students on the basis of biologically defined gender. According to the legislation, gender would be "determined by an individual's chromosomes and identified at birth by that individual's anatomy."
The bill, introduced in the General Assembly in January, made Illinois one of nine states—including Missouri, South Carolina, and Kansas—considering legislation that would bring the national bathroom debate to their state.
On March 23, North Carolina signed into law House Bill 2, which struck down several local nondiscrimination ordinances that provided for equal access in all public accommodations. In so doing, the state effectively forced trans people to use a public restroom that could place them at greater risk for harassment and physical violence.
On May 4, Vanita Gupta, principal deputy assistant for the U.S. Department of Justice, sent a letter to North Carolina governor Pat McCrory arguing that HB 2 is not only dangerous, but violates federal law. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, which Gupta argued should be extended to gender identity.
Those comments were echoed by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in a May 9 speech, which many viewed as a watershed moment for the movement for trans equality.
"Today, the Department of Justice and the entire Obama administration wants you to know that we see you; we stand with you; and we will do everything we can to protect you going forward," Lynch said. "Please know that history is on your side."
Per a 25-page document that will be sent to schools across the country, the federal government is advising universities and K-12 institutions to allow trans students to use the bathroom, changing room, and locker room that most closely corresponds with their gender identity, rather than the sex they were assigned at birth.
These developments have been of interest not only to the American public but also Illinois residents eyeing the potential passage of HB 4474 in future legislative sessions.
Morrison says that his intent in introducing the bill was to ensure that schools have an "objective standard" to follow in granting students access to bathrooms and locker room facilities.
"When those students are in various states of undress [or] completely undressed, the administration is saying that there will be no objective standard," he says. "It is a completely subjective standard, and we're going to grant access based on what one person feels, and ignore the rights and feelings and privacy of all the other students who must use that space."
But Harper Jean Tobin, policy director for the National Center for Transgender Equality, says the proposed Illinois law would be extremely difficult to enforce—the only way to comply would be to force every student in Illinois to undergo DNA testing.
"That is the only way to do it," Tobin said. "I don't know anything about my chromosomes. I've never had them tested."
Estimates suggest that there are 2.1 million students currently enrolled in Illinois schools, while the DNA Diagnostics Center reports that a DNA test costs anywhere between $159 to $459. Thus, implementing HB 4474 could cost the state between $333 and $963 million.
Morrison, however, says these guidelines don't have to be "financial or a logistical burden" placed on schools. "The fact that Illinois does not have a budget is a major concern of mine," he says.
To prevent the exorbitant cost that DNA testing might entail, Morrison suggests that tests could be implemented as part of students' physical exams. "Every student has to have a physical," he says. "I think it's reasonable that when a student has their physical, the doctor indicates whether the student is male or female."
But Anthony Martinez, the executive director of Chicago's Civil Rights Agenda, argues that the legislation isn't meant to be realistic. Rather, he claims, it was introduced as a means of "retaliation."
Morrison represents Palatine, the Chicago suburb that recently filed a federal lawsuit with the Obama administration to challenge its policies on Title IX. In 2015, a trans high school student at William Fremd High School filed a federal complaint that staff wouldn't allow her to use the locker room, citing it as a safety concern. District 211 was forced to comply with the administration's guidelines.
The issue has already been settled by the state, Martinez argues.
"Illinois has included gender identity in the Human Rights Act for more than a decade," he says. "Transgender individuals are protected, and by law, should be able to use the bathroom or locker room that corresponds with their gender identity. The leadership of both the [Illinois] House and the Senate do not have an interest in debating this issue again."
Currently, Illinois is one of just 19 states—plus Washington, D.C.—that provide nondiscrimination protections on the basis of both gender identity and sexual orientation.
In addition to having "some of the strongest anti-discrimination laws" in the country, Martinez says, the Prairie State has long stood for the protection of its transgender residents. "Sixteen local ordinances include gender identity, and the Illinois Human Rights Act also includes gender identity," he says. "It has not caused a problem anywhere in the decade it has been in effect."
That doesn't mean that HB 4474 is dead. The bill, which was cosponsored by 29 House representatives, including six Democrats, was tabled for the year, but it's likely to be reintroduced in 2017.
"I think we will see an onslaught of attacks on transgender and gender nonconforming folks, as well as the lesbian and gay communities in Illinois, which mirror what we are seeing across the nation," Martinez predicts. "The LGBT community must continue to be vigilant and fight back forcefully against any attack on our rights."
Still, Ed Yohnka, communications and public policy director for the Illinois ACLU, believes that the Obama administration's guidance can help further a culture of understanding in Illinois schools, combating the fear he says bills like HB 4474 foster.
"School districts will be able to look at these suggestions that were offered by the administration," Yohnka says. "They'll see what their legal responsibility is under Title IX and they'll be able to really look at how they can implement policy that is inclusive.... Those policies will work because they're working in other places."
Morrison says, though, that he supports a "compassionate compromise" for students, including "reasonable accommodations" for trans students. These would include allowing trans youth to use gender-neutral bathrooms (such as those found in faculty lounges) and the coach's locker rooms. Most schools already have these amenities, he says.
Illinois schools, however, are already coming up with their own affirming policies for trans students. Lynch's statement coincided with a revised set of guidelines issued by Chicago Public Schools to help the district comply with best practices in advising its transgender population.
The new policy, announced on May 4, updated previous rhetoric that had been unclear on facility use for trans students. CPS guidelines now clarify that trans students, faculty, and staff are permitted to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. The new policy also allows trans students to go on overnight trips with other students.
While bills like HB 4474 will continue to be introduced, Tobin argues that anti-trans legislation faces an uphill battle in a post-Loretta Lynch political climate.
"People in this country are increasingly, rapidly getting to know who transgender people are—that they're their neighbors and their family members and their coworkers," she says. "And it's very quickly going to be increasingly hard to stoke these nebulous fears that anti-trans measures depend on."
"There's no doubt we're seeing some ugly stuff in the meantime," Tobin continues, "but the trend is very much toward more understanding."WEST Coast could cut up to 12 players at the end of this season as part of a massive list overhaul.
Plus a fresh finals-only suggestion from Leigh Matthews has been slammed by a former Demon on radio, why tension is building between the Hawks and Roos and a new contract could soon be coming for a senior coach.
It’s all in your Thursday edition of AFL Media Watch!
EAGLES COULD CULL DOZEN PLAYERS
VETERAN duo Mark LeCras and Matt Priddis headline a long list players that could be culled by the West Coast Eagles at season’s end, reports The West Australian.
With the Eagles currently sitting ninth (9-8) and with their finals hopes on a knife’s edge, up to 12 players could be cut at the end of the year as part of a massive overhaul of the club’s list, which is the oldest in the competition in 2017.
Besides LeCras and Priddis, other players named by The West Australian were Sam Mitchell, Drew Petrie, Sam Butler and Eric Mackenzie, with Paddy Brophy already returning home to Ireland. Reporter Mark Duffield also speculated about the futures of Sharrod Wellingham, Fraser McInnes, Josh Hill, Simon Tunbridge and Jonathan Giles.
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Priddis recently signed a one-year contract extension until 2018, but his dramatic drop in form means the Brownlow Medallist is no certainty to see out the deal.
Journalist for The Australian Greg Denham slammed the Eagles’ decision-making process on Thursday morning.
“They’re run by imbeciles,” he told SEN.
“You’ve got blokes like (Matt) Priddis already being re-signed for next year? The common sense thing would be to wait until the end of the year.
“I think Sam Mitchell should go, Drew Petrie should go. Sam Butler, Mark LeCras, they should go.
“Since 2012 we’ve had 150-odd rising star nominations, and West Coast have had two.
“There’s no regeneration coming from them. Their recruiting has been atrocious. Three debutants in two years? You have to look ahead. You have to plan for the future.”
However LeCras has come in for the heaviest criticism, with Fox Footy analyst David King on Monday night’s edition of On The Couch saying he should “never play again” after a “flimsy” tackle during the Eagles’ tight loss to Collingwood.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson, who played alongside King in North Melbourne’s 1996 and ‘99 flag-winning teams, wouldn’t be drawn into King’s comments on Wednesday and backed his under-fire forward.
“The ball is in Lecca’s court,” Simpson told reporters.
“He’s done a lot for our club. He’s been an A-grade talent and an A-grade player. To talk about his future publicly, I think that’s disrespectful.”
OX’S SCATHING RESPONSE TO LETHAL
FORMER Melbourne player David Schwarz has slammed Leigh Matthews’ suggestion to bring back the substitute for finals.
Matthews said the substitute could be used by teams to lose a player to concussion or injury in finals — a point that will be on the agenda at Thursday’s Laws of the Game committee meeting.
But Schwarz said such a change would make the AFL the “laughing stock” of world sport.
“Can we please drug test this rules committee,” Schwarz said on SEN’s The Run Home.
“This is the biggest load of crap I’ve heard. How can they change the rules come the finals?
“How can they change the whole philosophy of 22 versus 22, last man standing, survival of the fittest?
“If this comes in, we are absolutely the laughing stock of sport world wide because we continue to change rules willy nilly.
“I’m really annoyed … we are discussing a rule change halfway through the year that has had no relevance.”
NORTH, HAWKS STOUSH LOOMS OVER TASSIE
A POTENTIAL stoush between North Melbourne and Hawthorn looms, with Tasmania an integral part of both teams’ AFLW bids, reports Fairfax Media.
North could enter an AFLW team as the ‘Tasmanian Kangaroos’ in 2019, with The Age reporting that “the AFL and its state body are pushing the Kangaroos to more strongly identify” with Tasmania.
But the Hawks are also set to throw a “curve ball”, with their AFLW bid, to be presented to the league on Thursday, to “include a strong Tasmanian component”.
Kangaroos chief executive Carl Dilena confirmed that North was open to the name change for the AFLW team, but added that it depended on the funding model.
“That’s come up in discussions but nothing has been formalised or agreed to yet. We are looking at a suite of ideas as to how we can make an impact in Tasmania,” Dilena told The Age.
“If we are successful in winning a licence there are a number of options and a lot will depend on the partnership going forward and the joint venture approach.”
The Hawks are reportedly “aware and highly concerned” about the AFL’s push for North’s AFLW team in Tasmania.
North Melbourne CEO Carl Dilena at Blundstone Arena Source: News Corp Australia
DEAL MUST COME FOR BRAD SCOTT: KING
DUAL premiership player David King says he’d be “staggered” if the Kangaroos aren’t planning to offer Brad Scott a new contract in the near future.
King said given North Melbourne’s pursuit of the likes of Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly, the club needed to show its stability by re-signing Scott.
“I’d be staggered if he’s doing what he’s doing right now without some sort of knowledge that there’s a deal coming,” King said.
“I mean, you wouldn’t do it, would you?
“You need to do it so that if you do have an iron in the fire for these other guys, that they know he’s the man.
“He’s coaching, we’re stable — away we go.”
DIXON THE PERFECT MODERN FORWARD
PORT Adelaide star Chad Wingard says tall forward Charlie Dixon makes his teammates “stand tall” on the field.
Dixon has enjoyed a vastly improved second season at the Power after a tough first year since crossing from Gold Coast.
“He’s massive, I think you can’t say one player’s more important than the other but Dixon’s really makes you stand tall out there,” Wingard told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.
“If you met him in person he’s a massive, physical being.
“He’s 204cm tall and he can really intimidate opposition with his contested marking, his attack on the ball.”
Wingard said Dixon’s tackling pressure and intensity showed he was the prototype modern forward, much like Essendon’s Joe Daniher.
“He actually plays like a small with his pressure and it really adds … so much that I think (what) the game’s bringing is that versatile tall … the Danihers of the game and the Dixons, the guys that can really impact the game in the air and on the ground.”
WHAT’S CHANGED WITH TIGERS: BOMBER
PREMIERSHIP coach Mark Thompson says he expects Richmond to handle the Gold Coast Suns with ease this weekend, despite suffering multiple unexpected losses to them in the past.
The former Geelong and Essendon coach said he believed the Tigers had broken through that mindset of dropping must-win games against lower-ranked sides.
“They’ve lost a few times to Gold Coast but I don’t think it’s going to happen this time,” he told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“I’ve actually got a feeling that they’ve broken through that barrier — their game style looks solid, like it’s a finals-like type game plan.
“And it’s good to see that it’s not just about the stars, it’s actually about the Richmond team, isn’t it? And everyone’s bought in.”
DUSTY COULD BE ALL-TIME GREAT
FORMER Melbourne forward David Schwarz says out-of-contract star Dustin Martin has the potential to become a Richmond legend should he sign a new deal with the club.
Martin’s future has been the centre of much speculation throughout the season with reports clubs like North Melbourne are set to offer the 26-year-old multi-million dollar deals.
On Wednesday, Fairfax Media reported that the Tigers had increased their offer to six-million dollars over six years.
And Schwarz believes Martin’s decision could well dictate his standing in the game come the end of his career.
“Just take it Dusty,” Schwarz told SEN’s The Run Home.
“Dusty take $1.1 million at Richmond, put the money in the bank, go and finish your football at the Richmond Football Club and become an immortal of the Richmond Football Club.”
LIVE stream every game of every round of the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week Foxtel Now trial and start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >>A man was being arraigned Monday for the death of four-year-old Damon Holbrook who died from a gun shot to the head.
Joshua Greenhill faces charges of manslaughter with gross negligence of Holbrook.
Dundee Police reported Greenhill arrived around 4:20 p.m. at the Dundee home he lived with the victim's father. Authorities claim Greenhill removed his weapon and placed it inside a plastic carrying case. Five minutes later, a gunshot rang out according to police.
The toddler had been found with the case on the floor of Greenhillâ??s closet and shot himself. Holbrook was rushed to a hospital in Ann Arbor and was pronounced dead in less than an hour.
Family friends described the toddler as a ball of energy, giving him the nickname "Tank," for his stocky build. Dundee Police Chief Uhl told WNWO this case is a heartbreaking reminder.
â??We all have to be more diligent of locking up your guns in homes and keeping them safe from children, it just has to be something that you have to be really conscious about," Uhl said.
Greenhill was released on his own recognizance until his next court date on September 4. Police said it's possible a more serious charge will arise.Cool dwarf stars are hot targets for exoplanet hunting right now. The discoveries of planets in the habitable zones of the TRAPPIST-1 and LHS 1140 systems, for example, suggest that Earth-sized worlds might circle billions of red dwarf stars, the most common type of star in our galaxy. But, like our own sun, many of these stars erupt with intense flares. Are red dwarfs really as friendly to life as they appear, or do these flares make the surfaces of any orbiting planets inhospitable?
To address this question, a team of scientists has combed 10 years of ultraviolet observations by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) spacecraft looking for rapid increases in the brightness of stars due to flares. Flares emit radiation across a wide swath of wavelengths, with a significant fraction of their total energy released in the ultraviolet bands where GALEX observed. At the same time, the red dwarfs from which the flares arise are relatively dim in ultraviolet. This contrast, combined with the GALEX detectors' sensitivity to fast changes, allowed the team to measure events with less total energy than many previously detected flares. This is important because, although individually less energetic and therefore less hostile to life, smaller flares might be much more frequent and add up over time to create an inhospitable environment.
"What if planets are constantly bathed by these smaller, but still significant, flares?" asked Scott Fleming of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore. "There could be a cumulative effect."
To detect and accurately measure these flares, the team had to analyze data over very short time intervals. From images with exposure times of nearly half an hour, the team was able to reveal stellar variations lasting just seconds.
First author Chase Million of Million Concepts in State College, Pennsylvania, led a project called gPhoton that reprocessed more than 100 terabytes of GALEX data held at the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST), located at the Space Telescope Science Institute. The team then used custom software developed by Million and Clara Brasseur, also at the institute, to search several hundred red dwarf stars, and they detected dozens of flares.
"We have found dwarf star flares in the whole range that we expected GALEX to be sensitive to, from itty bitty baby flares that last a few seconds, to monster flares that make a star hundreds of times brighter for a few minutes," said Million.
The flares GALEX detected are similar in strength to flares produced by our own sun. However, because a planet would have to orbit much closer to a cool, red dwarf star to maintain a temperature friendly to life as we know it, such planets would be subjected to more of a flare's energy than Earth.
Large flares can strip away a planet's atmosphere. Strong ultraviolet light from flares that penetrates to a planet's surface could damage organisms or prevent life from arising.
Currently, team members Rachel Osten and Brasseur are examining stars observed by both the GALEX and Kepler missions to look for similar flares. The team expects to eventually find hundreds of thousands of flares hidden in the GALEX data.
"These results show the value of a survey mission like GALEX, which was instigated to study the evolution of galaxies across cosmic time and is now having an impact on the study of nearby habitable planets," said Don Neill, research scientist at Caltech in Pasadena, who was part of the GALEX collaboration. "We did not anticipate that GALEX would be used for exoplanets when the mission was designed."
New and powerful instruments like NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled for launch in 2018, ultimately will be needed to study atmospheres of planets orbiting nearby red dwarf stars and search for signs of life. But as researchers pose new questions about the cosmos, archives of data from past projects and missions, like those held at MAST, continue to produce exciting new scientific results.
These results were presented in a news conference at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas.
The GALEX mission, which ended in 2013 after more than a decade of scanning the skies in ultraviolet light, was led by scientists at Caltech. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also in Pasadena, managed the mission and built the science instrument. JPL is managed by Caltech for NASA.
STScI conducts Hubble Space Telescope science operations and is the mission and science operations center for the James Webb Space Telescope. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington.
For more information about exoplanets, visit:
https://exoplanets.nasa.gov
News Media Contact
Elizabeth LandauJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California818-354-6425elizabeth.landau@jpl.nasa.govChristine Pulliam / Ray VillardSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland410-338-4366 / 410-338-4514cpulliam@stsci.edu / villard@stsci.eduChase MillionMillion Concepts, State College, Pennsylvania765-914-5336chase.million@gmail.comWritten by Christine Pulliam2017-161Earlier this year, several analysts at the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective took a look at income inequality in the major U.S. sports leagues. Using Gini coefficients, an economic tool that distills the degree of inequality among a set of earners to a single number, the collective found the NHL to be the most equitable and MLB to be the least. The researchers found that salary caps help limit income inequality, essentially. The results are below. A Gini coefficient of 0.0 means that every player has the same income — perfect equality — and a Gini coefficient of 1.0 means that one player takes home all of the income — perfect inequality.
NHL: 0.42
NBA: 0.52
MLS: 0.54
NFL: 0.57
MLB: 0.62
But those are team sports. With the Masters tournament unspooling this week, I started wondering about income inequality for the PGA Tour, a collection of athletes that doesn’t have a salary cap. Surely, after more than a decade of big purses for Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and a select few others, golf would prove to be an unequal sport.
It is, but increasingly less so. Since 1980, the PGA Tour has been shifting toward more income equality. How that happened, and how golf differs from other professional sports, shows that high levels of income inequality aren’t inevitable, even when individual athletes have different levels of skill.
In 1980 the PGA Tour had a Gini coefficient of 0.70, which put it well above the major U.S. team sports. But last year the coefficient dropped to 0.58 (calculated using this tool). That holds, but to a lesser extent, if we look just at the top 100 money winners — in 2013 the tour’s Gini coefficient was 0.32, down from 0.36 in 1980.
The move toward equality has happened despite huge amounts of cash injected into the game. In 2013, 82 golfers each won more than $1 million. Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, told ESPN this week, “I remember when I was an amateur and I won my first tournament in Tucson in 1991, the entire purse was $1 million, first place was $180,000 and Steve [Loy, my agent] and I would sit down and say, ‘I wonder if in my lifetime, probably not in my career, we would have play for a $1 million first-place check.’ [Now] it’s every week. It’s unbelievable, the growth of this game.”
Since 1980, prize winnings on the PGA tour have increased from $35 million (in 2014 dollars) to $250 million. But the top 1 percent is still winning the same proportion of that money as in the past, even when the number of money winners on the tour fluctuates (from a high of 374 in 1996 to a low of 248 in 2002 and 2010). Using data provided by the PGA Tour, we can see how different tiers of golfers have split up the pot.
The top 1 percent have seen relative stability in their share of winnings since 1980. In contrast, the share of winnings of the top 10 percent and top 25 percent of earners on the PGA Tour has fallen somewhat. The top 10 percent of earners took home about half of all the prize money in 1980, but less than 40 percent by 2013. Same for the top 25 percent: In 1980 that group took home about 80 percent of all available prize money, but only 65 percent by 2013.
The distribution of winnings across the PGA tour has flattened out a bit, meaning that players on the bottom half of the winnings table are doing relatively better than they did a few golfing generations ago. The proportion of winnings taken home by those in the 25th to 50th percentile of golfers increased by 140 percent from 1980 to 2013. The bottom half of earners saw an even larger gain of 240 percent. A massive increase in overall income doesn’t disproportionately reward those at the top of the scale.
Probably the closest analog to golf is tennis, an individual sport with a collection of players who belong to a tour and make money based on tournament performance. A 2012 analysis of the top-100 ranked tennis players on the ATP (men’s) and WTA (women’s) tours by Ryan Rodenberg, an assistant professor of sports law analytics at Florida State University, found a Gini coefficient of 0.44 for the men and 0.48 for the women. Since 1990, the women’s tour has had greater income inequality than the men’s tour, but in recent years the gap has closed considerably, with the men’s Gini coefficient rising by 0.11 points, likely due in part to the overwhelming dominance of a small number of male players.
From 2007 to 2011, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer took home between 20 percent and 26 percent of all ATP World Tour winnings. In response to concern from players, both tennis tours have dramatically increased the amount of tournament winnings paid out to early-round losers. Wimbledon, for instance, increased the purse awarded to losers in the first three rounds by 90 percent over the past two years.
Even in these comparatively simple settings — mini-economies if you will — there can be a very large range of outcomes on inequality. Looking at golf alone might be misleading. Looking across sports tells us that high levels of inequality aren’t inevitable.Even though 3D printing has moved into the spotlight (Gartner estimates that shipments will double year-over-year), the rapid-prototyping revolution it's sparked has actually been brewing for decades. In fact, many of the names that are now synonymous with the method—we're looking at you MakerBot and FormLabs—have built their machines on pre-existing patents and technologies.
Many consumer and commercial 3D printers work off of a system called stereolithography (SLA, for short), which was first patented in 1986. The machines use UV light to harden thin layers of resin one by one. The object needs to lift off of the platform before the printer can move on to the next layer.
Using SLA isn't exactly ideal. Chief among the reasons: speed and detail. So California startup Orange Maker is introducing a new spin on 3D printing. The company's method, called heliolithography, claims to print objects faster and with greater accuracy than ever before.
“There’s a big gap between what people want to create and what they actually get in the real world,” says Kurt Dudley, of Orange Maker, who, together with co-founders Doug Farber and Chris Marion, has been working on the Helios One since 2011.
The problem with SLA printing, he says, is that when the model lifts off the platform between layers, adhesion forces can rip it, causing defects and failed prints.
The core idea of the Helios One, a desktop 3D printer that Orange Maker plans to release in 2015, is that it can print continuously. Instead of moving a light source back and forth across layers of resin, the platform on the Helios One rotates as resin hits the surface. Objects are printed in a spiral instead of as one flat layer on top of another. In doing this, the printer doesn’t need to pause as it severs resin between layers. The development team also traded in the standard SLA light source, UV lasers, in favor of one they say is better suited for continuous printing. Though the team won't reveal what the light source is, they claim it reduces the risk of botched prints.
Farber is quick to note that while those are the primary differences, his company has completely re-engineered the process as we know it.
“Everything about the system has been re-imagined and optimized,” he says. “You can’t just add a rotating build platform to a SLA system and have that work. It’s an entirely different method.”
The most immediate advantage of the Helios One seems to be its speed. Though he wouldn't quote specific gains, Dudley does encourage some mental math: Multiply the many hundreds of layers that make up a 3D print by the time it takes for the printer to reset between layers (say, between 1 and 3 seconds). “It makes a significant |
com to launch an inquiry into why ‘disgusting’ routines were shown before the watershed.
The performances by American singer Christina Aguilera and Bajan star Rihanna could have broken Ofcom’s broadcasting code which seeks to protect children from sexualised content.
The images below have been published to show the fury they've caused
Shown before 9pm: Christina Aguilera and her dancers perform an explicit routine. Ofcom demanded an inquiry
'Christina's blonde dancer with the suspenders and bum hanging out is soft porn,' said one disgusted viewer
Horrified parents – who watched the show with their sons and daughters – also accused ITV of breaking the bond of trust with viewers by failing to tone down the performances for younger fans.
By last night ITV had received about 1,000 complaints about the routines with Ofcom understood to have received a further 1,000-plus.
Poll Was the X Factor final too sleazy? Yes No Was the X Factor final too sleazy? Yes 24243 votes
No 12593 votes Now share your opinion
The media regulator is assessing the points made before deciding whether to launch a full-scale investigation into whether the raunchy material was ‘editorially justified’.
Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code states that ‘children must be protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them’.
It adds: ‘Material that is unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am.’
The ITV show aired between 7pm and 9pm on Saturday night.
The code also states that: ‘Any discussion on, or portrayal of, sexual behaviour must be editorially justified if included before the watershed.’
So sleazy: Simulated sex, porn imagery and provocative costumes surprised and upset many viewers, who complained in their thousands
Triple X Factor: Christina Aguilera's racy performance should never have been shown before the 9pm watershed, said pressure group Mediawatch UK
Simulated sexual moves, ‘porn imagery’ and provocative costumes stunned many who had expecting a more sober final weekend on the show.
During her Saturday night performance of What’s My Name, Rihanna shed her gown and cavorted around the stage in underwear, performing a series of suggestive dance moves.
She was surrounded by an army of dancers who performed in a similar way. This was then followed by Miss Aguilera’s performance which saw her in an extremely low-cut black dress writhing around the stage with her troupe of scantily-clad dancers.
They were seen sitting in chairs striking suggestive poses in nothing more than stockings, knickers and bras.
Parents are dismayed that the UK’s biggest family TV show resorted to such lurid tactics when it was already guaranteed to get massive ratings.
Raunchy: Rihanna's routine also came under fire with viewers unhappy about her suggestive dance moves and skimpy clothing
They accuse it of providing a ‘sad’ and ‘terrible’ role model for children with what they called ‘soft porn’ routines.
Others claimed it would effectively encourage sexism in young boys and encourage young girls to dress inappropriately.
There were further complaints that boyband member Harry Styles was seen mouthing an obscene quip at winner Matt Cardle after Sunday night’s result was revealed.
The TV pressure group Mediawatch UK said it too had received complaints from the public about Saturday night’s final.
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Director Vivienne Pattison said: ‘I don’t think it was suitable for a pre-watershed broadcast, I think that’s quite clear.
‘It was the simulated sexual stuff, that was the problem. I think Ofcom should look into this. Whether the X Factor like it or not they are commanding audiences of more than 19million. They are role models whether they like it or not.’
She added: ‘We have a broadcasting code that expects certain things to be post-watershed and I think that one crossed the line.’
Obscenity: Other viewers complained that One Direction singer Harry Styles (second left) was seen mouthing an obscenity at winner Matt Cardle after the result was revealed on Sunday
Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, who appeared on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, said: ‘It is before the watershed so parents are entitled to some consideration from the TV bosses. I think it is a pity. It isn’t necessary and it should be a family show. If you are going to that sort of thing they should put it on after the watershed and it ceases to be a family show.
‘I think Ofcom should take it seriously. What is the point of having a watershed? I think Strictly by comparison is serious family fun.’
Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster said: ‘One of the routines was particularly inappropriate and it may lead a number of parents to consider whether or not next year’s show is something that their younger children watch.
'It was unnecessary and I think they should have toned it down. I just think it went a step too far.’
An Ofcom spokesman said: ‘Ofcom has received complaints about Saturday night’s X Factor. Like all complaints we will assess them against the broadcasting code and consider whether to investigate.’
A spokesman for the programme maker Talkback Thames said: ‘We are confident that the performances given by our guest artistes on Saturday were appropriate for the show.’
An ITV insider said what was aired on the show was no worse than much of what goes out on dedicated music TV channels during the day.
It was also claimed that Miss Aguilera’s routine, based on her movie Burlesque, had been toned down from what was in the film, which has a rating of 12A. The source pointed out that there was no swearing or nudity in the routine.DETROIT -- Veterans Kris Draper and Chris Osgood might not be offered contracts, but Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Wednesday no decisions have been made and none are imminent.
The Red Wings can’t make a final decision until they see how other moves materialize after the start of free agency on July 1.
"So many decisions affect other decisions," Holland said. "Drapes and Ozzie are important guys, bring important ingredients.... They’re support players, they bring intangibles, but we got to figure out a way to make our team better.
"No decision has been made. Nothing has changed. It might go into early July. It might not. There’s so many moving parts."
The club might not have a roster spot for Draper, 40. It has 11 forwards on one-way contracts and hopes to sign Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller before they become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
The 14th and final spot would go to rookie Cory Emmerton, who is out of minor league options and likely would be claimed on waivers if the team tried sending him back to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Holland said they are debating whether to carry 14 forwards and seven defensemen or 13 forwards and eight defensemen.
Health is the biggest concern with Osgood, 38, who didn’t play after Jan. 4 due to surgery for a sports hernia. Although Osgood said after the season that the injury no longer is an issue, the club realizes it would be taking a big risk by bringing him back to serve as Jimmy Howard’s back-up.
MacDonald won't return
The Red Wings will not offer goalie Joey MacDonald a one-way contract and he is not interested in signing a two-way deal with any NHL club because he doesn’t want to risk spending another season in the AHL.
MacDonald, 31, hopes to sign a one-way contract with an NHL club after July 1. If he doesn’t get it, he’ll likely sign a one-year deal for $1 million with a Russian team.
MacDonald went 5-5-3, with a 2.58 goals-against average, after being recalled from Grand Rapids to sub for the injured Osgood.Lighting system invented by former actor Stu Rutherford and Carlo van de Roer, used in Taika Waititi's Thor which appears to slow down time.
Time slows down to a soupy, underwater, almost strobe-lit feeling as we peer inside the mind of the Valkyrie and see her painful memories of a fruitless, horse-backed battle against Odin's warmongering daughter, Hela.
If you've seen Taika Waititi's new superhero movie Thor:Ragnarok, you should remember that shot, fleeting though it is, because it won't look like anything you've ever really seen before in cinema.
If you haven't, then that makes explaining the next bit tricky, but stay with me, because it's about how two Kiwis - one of them Waititi's old flatmate - have invented a piece of fiendishly-clever technology that big film studios should soon become very interested in.
MARVEL/SCREENGRAB A still from the sequence in Thor:Ragnarok made possible by Stu Rutherford and Carlo van de Roer.
In a warehouse in New York, two old schoolfriends from Wellington - an artist (Carlo van de Roer) and a software developer who ended up playing a version of himself in Waititi's mockumentary What we do in the Shadows (Stu Rutherford) - have been working on a giant lighting rig that can make it seem as if time has slowed down.
Read more: IT guy turned accidental film star
Dangling a 35-foot-wide circular metal frame, bearing 200 lights, several metres in the air, then moving the light source faster than the speed of sound causes an effect that when film cameras start to roll, time almost freezes.
supplied The lighting rig on set.
"I was looking for a way to play with the way we are used to seeing time represented in photography and film-making," says Van de Roer, who began the experiment during a residency at New York's New Museum.
When Waititi visited van de Roer and Rutherford's temporary studio in Brooklyn, they began testing the idea with a quarter-size prototype model.
"Some time later, Taika and [Thor's visual FX supervisor] Jake Morrison called about an idea for the Valkyrie flashback which seemed like a cool fit," says de Roer. "We loved the idea of filming memories as moments suspended in time, yet in flux, with time and light still passing through them in a heavy, soupy way."
Rutherford and Waititi in What we do in the Shadows.
The brief, says Rutherford, was to create a "a flashback to a world where time is breaking down, so they wanted an effect where time is very much slower, and light is moving around in quite a jarring and confusing way".
When Waititi first visited, the pair say, he quickly understood how the new system changed the way a shot is staged. "He realised that as an actor you only get to make one impression, one motion for each shot, and he went away and thought about it," says Rutherford.
"There's a parallel between shooting like this and still photography," says van de Roer. "People picked up on it very quickly. Tessa Thompson [who plays the Valkyrie] was there for the longest and by the end she had become really adept at figuring it out."
supplied Kiwi firm Satellite Lab's innovative new lighting rig, as used on Thor:Ragnarok.
For example, in one shot of the sequence, which was shot on a soundstage in Brisbane, Thompson bounced on a trampoline, and the camera rolled on the third bounce, to capture a single frame of her facial expressions. In another, where Cate Blanchett's Hera throws daggers, she was given sugar packets to toss towards the cameras. The horses were shot from 18 angles running beneath the rig to ensure the right shot was achieved.
For the horses were real - even if their wings, of course, were not.
It's this reality with a tweak where Rutherford sees real opportunities for Satellite Lab, particularly when the shot involves something which is tough to recreate realistically on computer: things like faces, liquid, powder, sand. That was what appealed to Waititi and Morrison: "They wanted something based in reality, and augmented with CG, rather than just fully CG."
SUPPLIED Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok.
Their other clients thus far include high-end advertising brands such as Nike and the shoemaker Christian Louboutin, althoiugh they are considering moving to the West Coast to secure more film work. Right now, says van de Roer, it's just him and Rutherford sitting in a room, but when a big project is on there's up to 20 other people involved.
Rutherford will be familiar most to Kiwis for his part in Shadows, where he ended up fifth on the credit roll as "Stu the IT guy", playing what he's described as a nuanced version of himself from some years earlier.
But acting has dropped down the agenda for Rutherford as Satellite Lab has taken off. He says he's been asked to appear in the forthcoming Shadows spin-off TV series Paranormal Unit, but only in a relatively small part and he's not sure he will be in New Zealand at the right time.
Actor turned lighting guru Stu Rutherford.
And he isn't in Thor:Ragnarok. He was in the background of one scene - which was cut from the final edit.
"When you're shooting you always assume you're not going to end up in the film, and if you do that's great," he says. "But I would much prefer that Satellite Lab's lighting stuff made the final cut, than my little bit. Anyway, Taika has told me I'm going to be on the DVD, so right now I am waiting for the DVD to come out."I look forward to Y-3 each season and I see the label as a standard bearer for progressive sportswear. Yohji Yamamoto and the Y-3 team have done a great job at securing the brand’s position in the market with a strong selection of clothing and accessories. Sneakers such as the Y-3 Qasa still stands as one of the most innovative sneaker designs of the past several years. This time around for Fall/Winter 2016, the label puts together a diverse range of looks. Inspired by the rave culture and minimalism of the 1990s, the collection stands out for how it embraces proportions. Long floating coats and capes are paired with outsized hoods and turtlenecks. There’s an industrial streak in the collection seemingly only presented in stark black and clinical all white.
Check the looks after the jump.The election to parliament of a bass player from the Greek Black Metal band Naer Mataron has the Greek media scrambling to find connections between facism and heavy metal.
Chaos, as Greeks like to say, is a Greek word. And Greeks might agree that the election of a Black Metal musician to a country’s legislature does not bode well for political stability. This is the band that everyone in Greece is talking about these days.
Giorgos Germenis will represent the Golden Dawn political part and the Greater Athens district in parliament. He’s known by the stage name “Kaiadas.” That’s the chasm in ancient Sparta where children were thrown to their deaths after being judged unfit to meet the rigors of Spartan life.
See a video of Naer Mataron performing at TheWorld.org.
Golden Dawn isn't exactly what you'd call a mainstream political party. Academics say it has neo-Nazi and facist leanings, though the party rejects those labels. The party has promised to get all immigrants out of the country, according to the U.K.'s Daily Mail and has contemplated mining the country's border with Turkey. In the current election, it won 7 percent of the vote, enough to claim seats in parliament for the first time — 21 of them.
It's not often that a Black Metal band gets to bask in the glow of the mainstream media spotlight. But it's even less common that the bassist of a Black Metal band becomes a member of parliament.
“Black metal is a type of heavy metal, but it's more aggressive and more atmospheric,” said Stefanos Stefanopolous of webzine Rockway.gr. “Instead of clean vocals, the singers are using growls. They are more brutal vocals.”
Stefanopolous says Black Metal lyrics often concern Satanic and pre-Christian pagan themes and Naer Mataron is pretty much run of the mill.
“He wasn’t a well-known musician here in Greece,” Stefanopoulos sais. “And to be honest, not many webzines were paying attention to Naer Mataron. It was just another black metal band, a mediocre one, so no one was really paying attention.”
That’s changed now. The Greek media are looking for connections between Naer Mataron’s music, their bloody ghoulish stage attire and Golden Dawn’s politics.
Germenis says there's none. Take the song, “Death Casts a Shadow Over You,” from Naer Mataron’s latest album “Praetorians”.
Germenis says “Death Casts a Shadow Over You” is a song about the feelings black metal fans have when they hear the band performing live on stage. It's a metaphor, he says, for the shadow they feel covering them as the band plays.
As for politics, Germenis says there’s an easy solution for Greece’s myriad economic problems. First the country needs to resolve its sea border issues with neighboring countries. There’d be big money in gas and oil exploration that would return Greece to greatness. He blames unspecified “interests” for holding Greece back.
“We, Golden Dawn, say that Greece is a rich country,” Germenis said. “In order to rebuild Greece, we also need to revitalize our factories and small workshops. In this way, Greece can stand on its own two feet. We won’t need the European Union or anyone else. We’ll just need Greeks.”
With coalition-building in Greece now in limbo, it’s unclear what affect Germenis and Golden Dawn will have on Greek politics. But Stefanopolous says there is one definite side-effect of his accension to politics: Black metal has gotten a black eye.
“Black metal already had a bad name,” Stefanopolous said. “Most musicians claim to believe in Satanism and stuff. They are blasphemers. They already had a bad name, but now it’s even worse. Now you are a satanist and a nationalist too.”
Greek democracy isn’t looking so great either. Greeks are already talking about if the new parliament will form rather than when. If not, then another round of elections will have to be held.Over the past year, as the Snowden revelations have rolled out, the government and its apologists have developed a set of talking points about mass spying that the public has now heard over and over again. From the President, to Hilary Clinton to Rep. Mike Rogers, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and many others, the arguments are often eerily similar.
But as we approach the one year anniversary, it’s time to call out the key claims that have been thoroughly debunked and insist that the NSA apologists retire them.
So if you hear any one of these in the future, you can tell yourself straight up: “this person isn’t credible,” and look elsewhere for current information about the NSA spying. And if these are still in your talking points (you know who you are) it’s time to retire them if you want to remain credible. And next time, the talking points should stand the test of time.
1. The NSA has Stopped 54 Terrorist Attacks with Mass Spying
The discredited claim
NSA defenders have thrown out many claims about how NSA surveillance has protected us from terrorists, including repeatedly declaring that it has thwarted 54 plots. Rep. Mike Rogers says it often. Only weeks after the first Snowden leak, US President Barack Obama claimed: “We know of at least 50 threats that have been averted” because of the NSA’s spy powers. Former NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander also repeatedly claimed that those programs thwarted 54 different attacks.
Others, including former Vice President Dick Cheney have claimed that had the bulk spying programs in place, the government could have stopped the 9/11 bombings, specifically noting that the government needed the program to locate Khalid al Mihdhar, a hijacker who was living in San Diego.
Why it’s not credible:
These claims have been thoroughly debunked. First, the claim that the information stopped 54 terrorist plots fell completely apart. In dramatic Congressional testimony, Sen. Leahy forced a formal retraction from NSA Director Alexander in October, 2013:
"Would you agree that the 54 cases that keep getting cited by the administration were not all plots, and of the 54, only 13 had some nexus to the U.S.?" Leahy said at the hearing. "Would you agree with that, yes or no?" "Yes," Alexander replied, without elaborating.
But that didn’t stop the apologists. We keep hearing the “54 plots” line to this day.
As for 9/11, sadly, the same is true. The government did not need additional mass collection capabilities, like the mass phone records programs, to find al Mihdhar in San Diego. As ProPublica noted, quoting Bob Graham, the former chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee:
U.S. intelligence agencies knew the identity of the hijacker in question, Saudi national Khalid al Mihdhar, long before 9/11 and had the ability find him, but they failed to do so. "There were plenty of opportunities without having to rely on this metadata system for the FBI and intelligence agencies to have located Mihdhar," says former Senator Bob Graham, the Florida Democrat who extensively investigated 9/11 as chairman of the Senate’s intelligence committee.
Moreover, Peter Bergen and a team at the New America Foundation dug into the government’s claims about plots in America, including studying over 225 individuals recruited by al Qaeda and similar groups in the United States and charged with terrorism, and concluded:
Our review of the government’s claims about the role that NSA "bulk" surveillance of phone and email communications records has had in keeping the United States safe from terrorism shows that these claims are overblown and even misleading...
When backed into a corner, the government’s apologists cite the capture of Zazi, the so-called New York subway bomber. However, in that case, the Associated Press reported that the government could have easily stopped the plot without the NSA program, under authorities that comply with the Constitution. Sens. Ron Wyden and Mark Udall have been saying this for a long time.
Both of the President’s hand-picked advisors on mass surveillance concur about the telephone records collection. The President’s Review Board issued a report in which it stated “the information contributed to terrorist investigations by the use of section 215 telephony meta-data was not essential to preventing attacks,” The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) also issued a report in which it stated, “we have not identified a single instance involving a threat to the United States in which [bulk collection under Section 215 of the Patriot Act] made a concrete difference in the outcome of a counterterrorism investigation.”
And in an amicus brief in EFF’s case First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles v. the NSA case, Sens. Ron Wyden, Mark Udall, and Martin Heinrich stated that, while the administration has claimed that bulk collection is necessary to prevent terrorism, they “have reviewed the bulk-collection program extensively, and none of the claims appears to hold up to scrutiny.”
Even former top NSA official John Inglis admitted that the phone records program has not stopped any terrorist attacks aimed at the US and at most, helped catch one guy who shipped about $8,000 to a Somalian group that the US has designated as a terrorist group but that has never even remotely been involved in any attacks aimed at the US.
2. Just collecting call detail records isn’t a big deal.
The discredited claim
The argument goes like this: Metadata can’t be privacy invasive, isn’t very useful and therefore its collection isn’t dangerous—so the Constitution shouldn’t protect it. Even the President said, “what the intelligence community is doing is looking at phone numbers and durations of calls. They are not looking at people’s names, and they’re not looking at content”—as if that means there is no privacy protection for this information.
Why it’s not credible:
As former director of the NSA and CIA Michael Hayden recently admitted: “We kill people based on metadata.” And former NSA General Counsel Stu Baker said: “metadata absolutely tells you everything about somebody’s life. If you have enough metadata, you don’t really need content.”
In fact, a Stanford study this year demonstrated exactly what you can reconstruct using metadata: “We were able to infer medical conditions, firearm ownership, and more, using solely phone metadata.” Metadata can show what your religion is, if you went to get an abortion, and other incredibly private details of your life.
3. There Have Been No Abuses of Power
The discredited claim
President Obama stated in an interview that “there are no allegations, and I am very confident —knowing the NSA and how they operate — that purposefully somebody is out there trying to abuse this program…” And General Alexander stated in a speech that “We get all these allegations of [abuses of power] but when people check... they find zero times that that's happened. And that's no bullshit. Those are facts.”
Why it’s not credible:
We already have evidence of abuses of power. We know that NSA analysts were using their surveillance powers to track their ex-wives and husbands, and other love interests. They even had a name for it, LOVEINT. The FISA court has also cited the NSA for violating or ignoring court orders for years at a time. And those are just self-reported abuses – the only oversight that occurs is that the NSA investigates itself and reports on the honor system to Congress or the FISC about what it finds. A real independent investigation might reveal even more. Unfortunately, until we get something like a new Church Committee, we are unlikely to see such details.
4. Invading Privacy is Okay Because It’s Done to Prevent Terrorist Attacks
The discredited claim
We keep hearing the same thing: Surveillance is a “critical tool in protecting the nation from terror threats.” When we reform the NSA, it must be done in a way that “protect[s] the operational capability of a critical counterterrorism tool.” The implication is that the stopping terrorist attacks is the government’s only goal.
Why it’s not credible:
We know that NSA surveillance is not used just for stopping terrorists and it’s not even just used for national security.
The Intercept recently revealed leaks detailing the NSA’s role in the “war on drugs,”—in particular, a 2004 memo detailing how the NSA has redefined narcotics trafficking as a national security issue. We also know that the NSA feeds data to the DEA, where it ends up playing a part in ordinary law enforcement investigations. And internationally, the NSA engages in economic espionage and diplomatic spying, something detailed in Glenn Greenwald’s recent book No Place to Hide.
5. There’s Plenty of Oversight From Congress, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and Agency Watchdogs
The discredited claim
We’ve repeatedly heard from the President and from NSA defenders like Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Mike Rogers that Congress knows all about NSA spying. Right after the first Snowden leak, President Obama said: “your duly elected representatives have been consistently informed on exactly what we’re doing.” We’ve also heard that a court has approved these programs, so we shouldn’t be concerned.
Why it’s not credible:
EFF and others have long documented that Congress has an incredibly hard time getting information about NSA spying. And it’s not just Congress. We learned a few months ago that the Department of Defense's deputy Inspector General, in charge of Intelligence and Special Program Assessments, was not aware of the call detail collection program.
What’s more, the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) is completely incomparable to an ordinary adversarial court. It makes decisions in a vacuum, and it doesn’t always have complete information, much less a second adversarial voice or technical help. Its chief judge has said that it’s not equipped to conduct oversight. EFF recently had to tell the court that its Jewel v. NSA case even existed – the government had apparently decided that it didn’t have to. We also know that the FISC isn’t much of a block, since in 11 years “the court has denied just 10 applications, and modified several dozen, while approving more than 15,000.”
So why are we giving up our rights?
It's time for NSA and its supporters to admit what we all know is true: what is at stake in this debate is the simple ability for any of us—in the US or around the world—to be able to use the Internet without fear of surveillance. They continue to be willing to overstate their case in order to scare us into allowing them to continue to “collect it all.” But the American people are getting wise and the media are increasingly double-checking their claims. As a result, more Americans than ever now say that the NSA has gone too far and those tired old stories are starting to wear thin.
That’s why it’s time to tell Congress that these excuses won’t work anymore. Right now, Congress is considering legislation that could be a first step to reining in NSA mass spying. But there’s a contentious political battle taking place on Capitol Hill, with NSA defenders pushing a weaker version of the reform bill while civil liberties groups campaign for powerful reform. Please add your voice and call on the Senate to pass real NSA reform.ROME — They had not planned on falling in love, but they did.
They did not want to become the objects of malicious gossip, but they are. They had not imagined living a life of furtive affections and secret rendezvous, but that is what has happened since the woman and the priest defied a Roman Catholic Church taboo and became romantically involved.
“Some people see me as a devil, something dirty,” said the woman, who, along with the priest she is involved with, agreed to discuss their situation, sitting for an interview at a hotel in a city far from his parish.
They asked to remain anonymous, fearing further disapproval from their parents, who know, and the disdain of friends and parishioners, who already suspect that their friendship is more than platonic.
“I risk losing everything if it were to come out into the open,” the priest said. Yet they agreed to speak, his partner said, “because suffering pushes you to do something, to try and change this injustice.”Mr Farage, was pulled semi-conscious from the wreckage with blood running down his swollen face after the light aircraft crashed upside down at Hinton-in-the-Hedges airfield, near Brackley, Northants.
Amazingly the politician, who is contesting Speaker John Bercow’s seat in Buckingham, walked away from the crash with only minor head injuries.
The aircraft was pulling a purple and yellow Ukip banner which allegedly got caught up in the tail fin of the aircraft when it took off just after 8am. The banner carried the slogan "Vote for your country - Vote Ukip".
Mr Farage, 46, was found still strapped into his cockpit seat, bent double and face down under the plane. He was pulled from the tangled wreckage still dressed in a pin-stripe suit, blue shirt and tie, with a Ukip rosette attached.
Mr Farage, a Ukip MEP and the party’s chief spokesman, was taken to Horton General Hospital in Banbury suffering from minor head injuries.
The pilot, Justin Adams, was more seriously hurt and lost his shoes in the impact of the crash. He was taken to Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry. His condition is not said to be life-threatening.
Eyewitnesses told how the pilot and Mr Farage were in the front seats of the plane when it banked and suddenly plummeted. A worker at nearby Hinton Airfield said the crash happened seconds after take-off.
He said: “It actually came down on the airfield, I was working in the hanger when I saw everyone running down towards it.
“It is unusual for us to have a take off that early in the morning but the conditions were good and fine for flying.
“The plane itself was not broken up that much by the crash because it hadn't gone that far and luckily hadn't got too high.
“Everyone was on the scene very quickly and it's good the pilot and the passenger both seem to have escaped relatively unscathed.”
Chris Adams, Ukip parliamentary candidate for Aylesbury, said: "Nigel was unconscious but he can talk. He's been coming in and out of consciousness and is now being X-rayed."
A Ukip spokesman confirmed his injuries were minor and added: “Ukip is sure that everybody involved in today's General Election will join us in hoping and praying that the pilot recovers from his injuries as soon as possible."
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched an inquiry into the crash, which happened just after 8am.
The plane's registration is G-BWDF and according to the Civil Aviation Authority the owner is Sky Banners in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. It is a PZL-104 Wilga 35A, a Polish fixed-wing landplane.
It had left the Winchester area early today and flew into Hinton. The accident happened as it was taking off again from Hinton to fly over Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
An AAIB spokesman confirmed an investigation was under way and refused to speculate on the cause of the crash.
He said: "The AAIB are investigating and that's all there is to say so soon after an accident.
"We need to determine the circumstances of the crash and it is too soon to start speculating on the cause of the incident.
"A report will be published when it is good and ready."The NFL doesn’t grade on a curve, only pass-fail, as in win-loss. The Bears won only one more game under John Fox than they did a year ago in Marc Trestman’s second year. But more than one game’s worth changed inside the Bears because of coaching in 2015.
The Bears offense went into its final game with six of its top seven receivers either on injured reserve or simply injured. And the defense came in with exactly one lineman who’d been on the roster in training camp. Injuries are part of every team’s season but that kind of sick list is something else entirely.
That the Bears won six games may be surprising that it was so few, or so many, given not only the catastrophic injury clusters at certain positions, but also that the coaching staff was doing what it had to do while installing new schemes on offense, defense and special teams. Reshaping the culture of the team was a primary goal and that was clearly accomplished regardless of the win total.
"I think the confidence [John Fox] brings, the excitement he brings, the accountability he brings, the discipline and all those things he started the moment he walked through the door really show up in the everyday work and on Sundays,” said wide receiver/returner Marc Mariani, one of the coaching victories, someone who’d caught five passes in three career seasons before 22 this year. “He's going to tell you, ‘We're going in the right direction. We're doing things right.’ It's exciting to be a part of it. We all see it and it's not just talk. It's what he brings. It won't be long. We're going to be playing a lot longer [than 16 regular-season games] in years to come."
The change effected in the game of quarterback Jay Cutler was the obvious major individual coaching achievement of coordinator Adam Gase. Cutler posted career-best’s in passer rating and other areas, even with three interceptions in the Detroit game.
[NBC SHOP: Gear up, Bears fans!]
One overall in the philosophy of Fox’s was a strong running game, and coordinator Adam Gase put the plan into practice. The 2014 Bears ran the football 25 or more times just five times all season; the 2015 Bears had just two of 16 games in which they did NOT rush at least 25 times.
Gase surprised opponents at times with a two-back personnel grouping. Against Detroit, he unveiled a package with all three of Ka’Deem Carey, Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford on the field at the same time, Forte and Langford split out right as receivers and Carey the lone runner with Jay Cutler in the backfield. Carey popped the play for a 10-yard run. Given the shortage of proven wide receivers, the scheming was a reasonable gambit.
That Gase was able to develop more of Jay Cutler’s game despite the whirlwind of receivers and changing offensive line personnel was an accomplishment of near-epic proportions.
“I think we’ve handled it pretty good,” Gase said. “The hardest thing for us is just practice, trying to get that rhythm, more for down-the-field throws. “We’re close to hooking up on a lot of these but we just don’t quite have the timing we need and that comes through guys being in and out and just not being able to develop that kind of timing.”
The defense under Vic Fangio completed its makeover as a 3-4 despite having limited player resources specifically suited for the scheme as designed. Yet the defense improved from 30th to 14th in yardage allowed and from 31st in points allowed to 20th, even with three return touchdowns given up. The run defense allowed about 125 yards per game vs. the 113 per game last season some of that traces to a 2014 defensive line that underwent few changes due to injury.
“It’s improved,” Fangio said of his unit. “That’s for sure, and really improved from the start of the season throughout.”
Special teams had myriad breakdowns early in the season and too many inexcusable penalties for a group that needed to be more disciplined.
Bears coaching season grade: AThe Wine Project has announced that version 1.2 of its Windows API implementation, the next planned stable release of Wine, is expected to arrive "sometime in June". According to a mailing list post by Wine project leader Alexandre Julliard, barring any major problems, the latest development release of Wine, version 1.1.44, will be the last of the 1.1.x series.
Julliard says that 64-bit support is now "more or less complete" and that many of the new icons are now finished. The next version of Wine, a first release candidate for Wine 1.2, will mark the beginning of the code freeze and focus on addressing bugs found in the previous releases.
Wine, which is an acronym for Wine Is Not an Emulator, is free open source software that allows users to run Windows applications on Linux and Unix by providing its own native versions of Windows DLLs. The latest stable release is Wine 1.0.1 from the 17th of October, 2008. Wine is available to download from SourceForge and user guides and a application compatibility list are provided.
See also:
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?"
"Not at all," said he; "for I have never seen him."
"What! he is the best of kings, and we must drink his health."
"Oh! very willingly, gentlemen," and he drank.
"That is enough," they tell him. "Now you[Pg 7] are the help, the support, the defender, the hero of the Bulgarians. Your fortune is made, and your glory is assured."
Instantly they fettered him, and carried him away to the regiment. There he was made to wheel about to the right, and to the left, to draw his rammer, to return his rammer, to present, to fire, to march, and they gave him thirty blows with a cudgel. The next day he did his exercise a little less badly, and he received but twenty blows. The day following they gave him only ten, and he was regarded by his comrades as a prodigy.
Candide, all stupefied, could not yet very well realise how he was a hero. He resolved one fine day in spring to go for a walk, marching straight before him, believing that it was a privilege of the human as well as of the animal species to make use of their legs as they pleased. He had advanced two leagues when he was overtaken by four others, heroes of six feet, who bound him and carried him to a dungeon. He was asked which he would like the best, to be whipped six-and-thirty times through all the regiment, or to receive at once twelve balls of lead in his brain. He vainly said that human will is free, and that he chose neither the one nor the other. He was forced to make a choice; he determined, in virtue of that gift of God[Pg 8] called liberty, to run the gauntlet six-and-thirty times. He bore this twice. The regiment was composed of two thousand men; that composed for him four thousand strokes, which laid bare all his muscles and nerves, from the nape of his neck quite down to his rump. As they were going to proceed to a third whipping, Candide, able to bear no more, begged as a favour that they would be so good as to shoot him. He obtained this favour; they bandaged his eyes, and bade him kneel down. The King of the Bulgarians passed at this moment and ascertained the nature of the crime. As he had great talent, he understood from all that he learnt of Candide that he was a young metaphysician, extremely ignorant of the things of this world, and he accorded him his pardon with a clemency which will bring him praise in all the journals, and throughout all ages.
An able surgeon cured Candide in three weeks by means of emollients taught by Dioscorides. He had already a little skin, and was able to march when the King of the Bulgarians gave battle to the King of the Abares.[2][Pg 9]
III
HOW CANDIDE MADE HIS ESCAPE FROM THE BULGARIANS, AND WHAT AFTERWARDS BECAME OF HIM.
There was never anything so gallant, so spruce, so brilliant, and so well disposed as the two armies. Trumpets, fifes, hautboys, drums, and cannon made music such as Hell itself had never heard. The cannons first of all laid flat about six thousand men on each side; the muskets swept away from this best of worlds nine or ten thousand ruffians who infested its surface. The bayonet was also a sufficient reason for the death of several thousands. The whole might amount to thirty thousand souls. Candide, who trembled like a philosopher, hid himself as well as he could during this heroic butchery.
At length, while the two kings were causing Te Deum to be sung each in his own camp, Candide resolved to go and reason elsewhere on effects and causes. He passed over heaps of dead and dying, and first reached a neighbouring village; it was in cinders, it was an Abare village which the Bulgarians had burnt according[Pg 10] to the laws of war. Here, old men covered with wounds, beheld their wives, hugging their children to their bloody breasts, massacred before their faces; there, their daughters, disembowelled and breathing their last after having satisfied the natural wants of Bulgarian heroes; while others, half burnt in the flames, begged to be despatched. The earth was strewed with brains, arms, and legs.
Candide fled quickly to another village; it belonged to the Bulgarians; and the Abarian heroes had treated it in the same way. Candide, walking always over palpitating limbs or across ruins, arrived at last beyond the seat of war, with a few provisions in his knapsack, and Miss Cunegonde always in his heart. His provisions failed him when he arrived in Holland; but having heard that everybody was rich in that country, and that they were Christians, he did not doubt but he should meet with the same treatment from them as he had met with in the Baron's castle, before Miss Cunegonde's bright eyes were the cause of his expulsion thence.
He asked alms of several grave-looking people, who all answered him, that if he continued to follow this trade they would confine him to the house of correction, where he should be taught to get a living.[Pg 11]
The next he addressed was a man who had been haranguing a large assembly for a whole hour on the subject of charity. But the orator, looking askew, said:
"What are you doing here? Are you for the good cause?"
"There can be no effect without a cause," modestly answered Candide; "the whole is necessarily concatenated and arranged for the best. It was necessary for me to have been banished from the presence of Miss Cunegonde, to have afterwards run the gauntlet, and now it is necessary I should beg my bread until I learn to earn it; all this cannot be otherwise."
"My friend," said the orator to him, "do you believe the Pope to be Anti-Christ?"
"I have not heard it," answered Candide; "but whether he be, or whether he be not, I want bread."
"Thou dost not deserve to eat," said the other. "Begone, rogue; begone, wretch; do not come near me again."
The orator's wife, putting her head out of the window, and spying a man that doubted whether the Pope was Anti-Christ, poured over him a full.... Oh, heavens! to what excess does religious zeal carry the ladies.
A man who had never been christened, a good Anabaptist, named James, beheld the cruel and[Pg 12] ignominious treatment shown to one of his brethren, an unfeathered biped with a rational soul, he took him home, cleaned him, gave him bread and beer, presented him with two florins, and even wished to teach him the manufacture of Persian stuffs which they make in Holland. Candide, almost prostrating himself before him, cried:
"Master Pangloss has well said that all is for the best in this world, for I am infinitely more touched by your extreme generosity than with the inhumanity of that gentleman in the black coat and his lady."
The next day, as he took a walk, he met a beggar all covered with scabs, his eyes diseased, the end of his nose eaten away, his mouth distorted, his teeth black, choking in his throat, tormented with a violent cough, and spitting out a tooth at each effort.[Pg 13]
IV
HOW CANDIDE FOUND HIS OLD MASTER PANGLOSS, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.
Candide, yet more moved with compassion than with horror, gave to this shocking beggar the two florins which he had received from the honest Anabaptist James. The spectre looked at him very earnestly, dropped a few tears, and fell upon his neck. Candide recoiled in disgust.
"Alas!" said one wretch to the other, "do you no longer know your dear Pangloss?"
"What do I hear? You, my dear master! you in this terrible plight! What misfortune has happened to you? Why are you no longer in the most magnificent of castles? What has become of Miss Cunegonde, the pearl of girls, and nature's masterpiece?"
"I am so weak that I cannot stand," said Pangloss.
Upon which Candide carried him to the Anabaptist's stable, and gave him a crust of bread. As soon as Pangloss had refreshed himself a little:
"Well," said Candide, "Cunegonde?"[Pg 14]
"She is dead," replied the other.
Candide fainted at this word; his friend recalled his senses with a little bad vinegar which he found by chance in the stable. Candide reopened his eyes.
"Cunegonde is dead! Ah, best of worlds, where art thou? But of what illness did she die? Was it not for grief, upon seeing her father kick me out of his magnificent castle?"
"No," said Pangloss, "she was ripped open by the Bulgarian soldiers, after having been violated by many; they broke the Baron's head for attempting to defend her; my lady, her mother, was cut in pieces; my poor pupil was served just in the same manner as his sister; and as for the castle, they have not left one stone upon another, not a barn, nor a sheep, nor a duck, nor a tree; but we have had our revenge, for the Abares have done the very same thing to a neighbouring barony, which belonged to a Bulgarian lord."
At this discourse Candide fainted again; but coming to himself, and having said all that it became him to say, inquired into the cause and effect, as well as into the sufficient reason that had reduced Pangloss to so miserable a plight.
"Alas!" said the other, "it was love; love, the comfort of the human species, the preserver of the universe, the soul of all sensible beings, love, tender love."[Pg 15]
"Alas!" said Candide, "I know this love, that sovereign of hearts, that soul of our souls; yet it never cost me more than a kiss and twenty kicks on the backside. How could this beautiful cause produce in you an effect so abominable?"
Pangloss made answer in these terms: "Oh, my dear Candide, you remember Paquette, that pretty wench who waited on our noble Baroness; in her arms I tasted the delights of paradise, which produced in me those hell torments with which you see me devoured; she was infected with them, she is perhaps dead of them. This present Paquette received of a learned Grey Friar, who had traced it to its source; he had had it of an old countess, who had received it from a cavalry captain, who owed it to a marchioness, who took it from a page, who had received it from a Jesuit, who when a novice had it in a direct line from one of the companions of Christopher Columbus.[3] For my part I shall give it to nobody, I am dying."
"Oh, Pangloss!" cried Candide, "what a strange genealogy! Is not the Devil the original stock of it?"
"Not at all," replied this great man, "it was a thing unavoidable, a necessary ingredient in the best of worlds; for if Columbus had not in an island of America caught this disease, which contaminates the source of life, frequently even[Pg 16] hinders generation, and which is evidently opposed to the great end of nature, we should have neither chocolate nor cochineal. We are also to observe that upon our continent, this distemper is like religious controversy, confined to a particular spot. The Turks, the Indians, the Persians, the Chinese, the Siamese, the Japanese, know nothing of it; but there is a sufficient reason for believing that they will know it in their turn in a few centuries. In the meantime, it has made marvellous progress among us, especially in those great armies composed of honest well-disciplined hirelings, who decide the destiny of states; for we may safely affirm that when an army of thirty thousand men fights another of an equal number, there are about twenty thousand of them p-x-d on each side."
"Well, this is wonderful!" said Candide, "but you must get cured."
"Alas! how can I?" said Pangloss, "I have not a farthing, my friend, and all over the globe there is no letting of blood or taking a glister, without paying, or somebody paying for you."
These last words determined Candide; he went and flung himself at the feet of the charitable Anabaptist James, and gave him so touching a picture of the state to which his friend was reduced, that the good man did not scruple to take Dr. Pangloss into his house, and had[Pg 17] him cured at his expense. In the cure Pangloss lost only an eye and an ear. He wrote well, and knew arithmetic perfectly. The Anabaptist James made him his bookkeeper. At the end of two months, being obliged to go to Lisbon about some mercantile affairs, he took the two philosophers with him in his ship. Pangloss explained to him how everything was so constituted that it could not be better. James was not of this opinion.
"It is more likely," said he, "mankind have a little corrupted nature, for they were not born wolves, and they have become wolves; God has given them neither cannon of four-and-twenty pounders, nor bayonets; and yet they have made cannon and bayonets to destroy one another. Into this account I might throw not only bankrupts, but Justice which seizes on the effects of bankrupts to cheat the creditors."
"All this was indispensable," replied the one-eyed doctor, "for private misfortunes make the general good, so that the more private misfortunes there are the greater is the general good."
While he reasoned, the sky darkened, the winds blew from the four quarters, and the ship was assailed by a most terrible tempest within sight of the port of Lisbon.[Pg 18]
V
TEMPEST, SHIPWRECK, EARTHQUAKE, AND WHAT BECAME OF DOCTOR PANGLOSS, CANDIDE, AND JAMES THE ANABAPTIST.
Half dead of that inconceivable anguish which the rolling of a ship produces, one-half of the passengers were not even sensible of the danger. The other half shrieked and prayed. The sheets were rent, the masts broken, the vessel gaped. Work who would, no one heard, no one commanded. The Anabaptist being upon deck bore a hand; when a brutish sailor struck him roughly and laid him sprawling; but with the violence of the blow he himself tumbled head foremost overboard, and stuck upon a piece of the broken mast. Honest James ran to his assistance, hauled him up, and from the effort he made was precipitated into the sea in sight of the sailor, who left him to perish, without deigning to look at him. Candide drew near and saw his benefactor, who rose above the water one moment and was then swallowed up for ever. He was just going to jump after him, but was prevented by the philosopher Pangloss, who[Pg 19] demonstrated to him that the Bay of Lisbon had been made on purpose for the Anabaptist to be drowned. While he was proving this à priori, the ship foundered; all perished except Pangloss, Candide, and that brutal sailor who had drowned the good Anabaptist. The villain swam safely to the shore, while Pangloss and Candide were borne thither upon a plank.
As soon as they recovered themselves a little they walked toward Lisbon. They had some money left, with which they hoped to save themselves from starving, after they had escaped drowning. Scarcely had they reached the city, lamenting the death of their benefactor, when they felt the earth tremble under their feet. The sea swelled and foamed in the harbour, and beat to pieces the vessels riding at anchor. Whirlwinds of fire and ashes covered the streets and public places; houses fell, roofs were flung upon the pavements, and the pavements were scattered. Thirty thousand inhabitants of all ages and sexes were crushed under the ruins.[4] The sailor, whistling and swearing, said there was booty to be gained here.
"What can be the sufficient reason of this phenomenon?" said Pangloss.
"This is the Last Day!" cried Candide.
The sailor ran among the ruins, facing death to find money; finding it, he took it, got drunk,[Pg 20] and having slept himself sober, purchased the favours of the first good-natured wench whom he met on the ruins of the destroyed houses, and in the midst of the dying and the dead. Pangloss pulled him by the sleeve.
"My friend," said he, "this is not right. You sin against the universal reason; you choose your time badly."
"S'blood and fury!" answered the other; "I am a sailor and born at Batavia. Four times have I trampled upon the crucifix in four voyages to Japan[5]; a fig for thy universal reason."
Some falling stones had wounded Candide. He lay stretched in the street covered with rubbish.
"Alas!" said he to Pangloss, "get me a little wine and oil; I am dying."
"This concussion of the earth is no new thing," answered Pangloss. "The city of Lima, in America, experienced the same convulsions last year; the same cause, the same effects; there is certainly a train of sulphur under ground from Lima to Lisbon."
"Nothing more probable," said Candide; "but for the love of God a little oil and wine."
"How, probable?" replied the philosopher. "I maintain that the point is capable of being demonstrated."
Candide fainted away, and Pangloss fetched[Pg 21] him some water from a neighbouring fountain. The following day they rummaged among the ruins and found provisions, with which they repaired their exhausted strength. After this they joined with others in relieving those inhabitants who had escaped death. Some, whom they had succoured, gave them as good a dinner as they could in such disastrous circumstances; true, the repast was mournful, and the company moistened their bread with tears; but Pangloss consoled them, assuring them that things could not be otherwise.
"For," said he, "all that is is for the best. If there is a volcano at Lisbon it cannot be elsewhere. It is impossible that things should be other than they are; for everything is right."
A little man dressed in black, Familiar of the Inquisition, who sat by him, politely took up his word and said:
"Apparently, then, sir, you do not believe in original sin; for if all is for the best there has then been neither Fall nor punishment."
"I humbly ask your Excellency's pardon," answered Pangloss, still more politely; "for the Fall and curse of man necessarily entered into the system of the best of worlds."
"Sir," said the Familiar, "you do not then believe in liberty?"
"Your Excellency will excuse me," said Pangloss;[Pg 22] "liberty is consistent with absolute necessity, for it was necessary we should be free; for, in short, the determinate will——"
Pangloss was in the middle of his sentence, when the Familiar beckoned to his footman, who gave him a glass of wine from Porto or Opporto.[Pg 23]
VI
HOW THE PORTUGUESE MADE A BEAUTIFUL AUTO-DA-FÉ, TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER EARTHQUAKES; AND HOW CANDIDE WAS PUBLICLY WHIPPED.
After the earthquake had destroyed three-fourths of Lisbon, the sages of that country could think of no means more effectual to prevent utter ruin than to give the people a beautiful auto-da-fé[6]; for it had been decided by the University of Coimbra, that the burning of a few people alive by a slow fire, and with great ceremony, is an infallible secret to hinder the earth from quaking.
In consequence hereof, they had seized on a Biscayner, convicted of having married his godmother, and on two Portuguese, for rejecting the bacon which larded a chicken they were eating[7]; after dinner, they came and secured Dr. Pangloss, and his disciple Candide, the one for speaking his mind, the other for having listened with an air of approbation. They were conducted to separate apartments, extremely cold, as they were never incommoded by the sun.[Pg 24] Eight days after they were dressed in san-benitos[8] and their heads ornamented with paper mitres. The mitre and san-benito belonging to Candide were painted with reversed flames and with devils that had neither tails nor claws; but Pangloss's devils had claws and tails and the flames were upright. They marched in procession thus habited and heard a very pathetic sermon, followed by fine church music. Candide was whipped in cadence while they were singing; the Biscayner, and the two men who had refused to eat bacon, were burnt; and Pangloss was hanged, though that was not the custom. The same day the earth sustained a most violent concussion.
Candide, terrified, amazed, desperate, all bloody, all palpitating, said to himself:
"If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others? Well, if I had been only whipped I could put up with it, for I experienced that among the Bulgarians; but oh, my dear Pangloss! thou greatest of philosophers, that I should have seen you hanged, without knowing for what! Oh, my dear Anabaptist, thou best of men, that thou should'st have been drowned in the very harbour! Oh, Miss Cunegonde, thou pearl of girls! that thou should'st have had thy belly ripped open!"[Pg 25]
Thus he was musing, scarce able to stand, preached at, whipped, absolved, and blessed, when an old woman accosted him saying:
"My son, take courage and follow me."[Pg 26]
VII
HOW THE OLD WOMAN TOOK CARE OF CANDIDE, AND HOW HE FOUND THE OBJECT HE LOVED.
Candide did not take courage, but followed the old woman to a decayed house, where she gave him a pot of pomatum to anoint his sores, showed him a very neat little bed, with a suit of clothes hanging up, and left him something to eat and drink.
"Eat, drink, sleep," said she, "and may our lady of Atocha,[9] the great St. Anthony of Padua, and the great St. James of Compostella, receive you under their protection. I shall be back to-morrow."
Candide, amazed at all he had suffered and still more with the charity of the old woman, wished to kiss her hand.
"It is not my hand you must kiss," said the old woman; "I shall be back to-morrow. Anoint yourself with the pomatum, eat and sleep."
Candide, notwithstanding so many disasters, ate and slept. The next morning the old woman brought him his breakfast, looked at his back, and rubbed it herself with another ointment: in[Pg 27] like manner she brought him his dinner; and at night she returned with his supper. The day following she went through the very same ceremonies.
"Who are you?" said Candide; "who has inspired you with so much goodness? What return can I make you?"
The good woman made no answer; she returned in the evening, but brought no supper.
"Come with me," she said, "and say nothing."
She took him by the arm, and walked with him about a quarter of a mile into the country; they arrived at a lonely house, surrounded with gardens and canals. The old woman knocked at a little door, it opened, she led Candide up a private staircase into a small apartment richly furnished. She left him on a brocaded sofa, shut the door and went away. Candide thought himself in a dream; indeed, that he had been dreaming unluckily all his life, and that the present moment was the only agreeable part of it all.
The old woman returned very soon, supporting with difficulty a trembling woman of a majestic figure, brilliant with jewels, and covered with a veil.
"Take off that veil," said the old woman to Candide.
The young man approaches, he raises the veil[Pg 28] with a timid hand. Oh! what a moment! what surprise! he believes he beholds Miss Cunegonde? he really sees her! it is herself! His strength fails him, he cannot utter a word, but drops at her feet. Cunegonde falls upon the sofa. The old woman supplies a smelling bottle; they come to themselves and recover their speech. As they began with broken accents, with questions and answers interchangeably interrupted with sighs, with tears, and cries. The old woman desired they would make less noise and then she left them to themselves.
"What, is it you?" said Candide, "you live? I find you again in Portugal? then you have not been ravished? then they did not rip open your belly as Doctor Pangloss informed me?"
"Yes, they did," said the beautiful Cunegonde; "but those two accidents are not always mortal."
"But were your father and mother killed?"
"It is but too true," answered Cunegonde, in tears.
"And your brother?"
"My brother also was killed."
"And why are you in Portugal? and how did you know of my being here? and by what strange adventure did you contrive to bring me to this house?"
"I will tell you all that," replied the lady, "but first of all let me know your history, since[Pg 29] the innocent kiss you gave me and the kicks which you received."
Candide respectfully obeyed her, and though he was still in a surprise, though his voice was feeble and trembling, though his back still pained him, yet he gave her a most ingenuous account of everything that had befallen him since the moment of their separation. Cunegonde lifted up her eyes to heaven; shed tears upon hearing of the death of the good Anabaptist and of Pangloss; after which she spoke as follows to Candide, who did not lose a word and devoured her with his eyes.[Pg 30]
VIII
THE HISTORY OF CUNEGONDE.
"I was in bed and fast asleep when it pleased God to send the Bulgarians to our delightful castle of Thunder-ten-Tronckh; they slew my father and brother, and cut my mother in pieces. A tall Bulgarian, six feet high, perceiving that I had fainted away at this sight, began to ravish me; this made me recover; I regained my senses, I cried, I struggled, I bit, I scratched, I wanted to tear out the tall Bulgarian's eyes—not knowing that what happened at my father's house was the usual practice of war. The brute gave me a cut in the left side with his hanger, and the mark is still upon me."
"Ah! I hope I shall see it," said honest Candide.
"You shall," said Cunegonde, "but let us continue."
"Do so," replied Candide.
Thus she resumed the thread of her story:
"A Bulgarian captain came in, saw me all bleeding, and the soldier not in the least disconcerted. The captain flew into a passion at[Pg 31] the disrespectful behaviour of the brute, and slew him on my body. He ordered my wounds to be dressed, and took me to his quarters as a prisoner of war. I washed the few shirts that he had, I did his cooking; he thought me very pretty—he avowed it; on the other hand, I must own he had a good shape, and a soft and white skin; but he had little or no mind or philosophy, and you might see plainly that he had never been instructed by Doctor Pangloss. In three months time, having lost all his money, and being grown tired of my company, he sold me to a Jew, named Don Issachar, who traded to Holland and Portugal, and had a strong passion for women. This Jew was much attached to my person, but could not triumph over it; I resisted him better than the Bulgarian soldier. A modest woman may be ravished once, but her virtue is strengthened by it. In order to render me more tractable, he brought me to this country house. Hitherto I had imagined that nothing could equal the beauty of Thunder-ten-Tronckh Castle; but I found I was mistaken.
"The Grand Inquisitor, seeing me one day at Mass, stared long at me, and sent to tell me that he wished to speak on private matters. I was conducted to his palace, where I acquainted him with the history of my family, and he represented to me how much it was beneath my rank[Pg 32] to belong to an Israelite. A proposal was then made to Don Issachar that he should resign me to my lord. Don Issachar, being the court banker, and a man of credit, would hear nothing of it. The Inquisitor threatened him with an auto-da-fé. At last my Jew, intimidated, concluded a bargain, by which the house and myself should belong to both in common; the Jew should have for himself Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and the Inquisitor should have the rest of the week. It is now six months since this agreement was made. Quarrels have not been wanting, for they could not decide whether the night from Saturday to Sunday belonged to the old law or to the new. For my part, I have so far held out against both, and I verily believe that this is the reason why I am still beloved.
"At length, to avert the scourge of earthquakes, and to intimidate Don Issachar, my Lord Inquisitor was pleased to celebrate an auto-da-fé. He did me the honour to invite me to the ceremony. I had a very good seat, and the ladies were served with refreshments between Mass and the execution. I was in truth seized with horror at the burning of those two Jews, and of the honest Biscayner who had married his godmother; but what was my surprise, my fright, my trouble, when I saw in a san-benito and mitre a figure which resembled that[Pg 33] of Pangloss! I rubbed my eyes, I looked at him attentively, I saw him hung; I fainted. Scarcely had I recovered my senses than I saw you stripped, stark naked, and this was the height of my horror, consternation, grief, and despair. I tell you, truthfully, that your skin is yet whiter and of a more perfect colour than that of my Bulgarian captain. This spectacle redoubled all the feelings which overwhelmed and devoured me. I screamed out, and would have said, 'Stop, barbarians!' but my voice failed me, and my cries would have been useless after you had been severely whipped. How is it possible, said I, that the beloved Candide and the wise Pangloss should both be at Lisbon, the one to receive a hundred lashes, and the other to be hanged by the Grand Inquisitor, of whom I am the well-beloved? Pangloss most cruelly deceived me when he said that everything in the world is for the best.
"Agitated, lost, sometimes beside myself, and sometimes ready to die of weakness, my mind was filled with the massacre of my father, mother, and brother, with the insolence of the ugly Bulgarian soldier, with the stab that he gave me, with my servitude under the Bulgarian captain, with my hideous Don Issachar, with my abominable Inquisitor, with the execution of Doctor Pangloss, with the grand Miserere to[Pg 34] which they whipped you, and especially with the kiss I gave you behind the screen the day that I had last seen you. I praised God for bringing you back to me after so many trials, and I charged my old woman to take care of you, and to conduct you hither as soon as possible. She has executed her commission perfectly well; I have tasted the inexpressible pleasure of seeing you again, of hearing you, of speaking with you. But you must be hungry, for myself, I am famished; let us have supper."
They both sat down to table, and, when supper was over, they placed themselves once more on the sofa; where they were when Signor Don Issachar arrived. It was the Jewish Sabbath, and Issachar had come to enjoy his rights, and to explain his tender love.[Pg 35]
IX
WHAT BECAME OF CUNEGONDE, CANDIDE, THE GRAND INQUISITOR, AND THE JEW.
This Issachar was the most choleric Hebrew that had ever been seen in Israel since the Captivity in Babylon.
"What!" said he, "thou bitch of a Galilean, was not the Inquisitor enough for thee? Must this rascal also share with me?"
In saying this he drew a long poniard which he always carried about him; and not imagining that his adversary had any arms he threw himself upon Candide: but our honest Westphalian had received a handsome sword from the old woman along with the suit of clothes. He drew his rapier, despite his gentleness, and laid the Israelite stone dead upon the cushions at Cunegonde's feet.
"Holy Virgin!" cried she, "what will become of us? A man killed in my apartment! If the officers of justice come, we are lost!"
"Had not Pangloss been hanged," said Candide, "he would give us good counsel in this[Pg 36] emergency, for he was a profound philosopher. Failing him let us consult the old woman."
She was very prudent and commenced to give her opinion when suddenly another little door opened. It was an hour after midnight, it was the beginning of Sunday. This day belonged to my lord the Inquisitor. He entered, and saw the whipped Candide, sword in hand, a dead man upon the floor, Cunegonde aghast, and the old woman giving counsel.
At this moment, the following is what passed in the soul of Candide, and how he reasoned:
If this holy man call in assistance, he will surely have me burnt; and Cunegonde will perhaps be served in the same manner; he was the cause of my being cruelly whipped; he is my rival; and, as I have now begun to kill, I will kill away, for there is no time to hesitate. This reasoning was clear and instantaneous; so that without giving time to the Inquisitor to recover from his surprise, he pierced him through and through, and cast him beside the Jew.
"Yet again!" said Cunegonde, "now there is no mercy for us, we are excommunicated, our last hour has come. How could you do it? you, naturally so gentle, to slay a Jew and a prelate in two minutes!"
"My beautiful young lady," responded Candide,[Pg 37] "when one is a lover, jealous and whipped by the Inquisition, one stops at nothing."
The old woman then put in her word, saying:
"There are three Andalusian horses in the stable with bridles and saddles, let the brave Candide get them ready; madame has money, jewels; let us therefore mount quickly on horseback, though I can sit only on one buttock; let us set out for Cadiz, it is the finest weather in the world, and there is great pleasure in travelling in the cool of the night."
Immediately Candide saddled the three horses, and Cunegonde, the old woman and he, travelled thirty miles at a stretch. While they were journeying, the Holy Brotherhood entered the house; my lord the Inquisitor was interred in a handsome church, and Issachar's body was thrown upon a dunghill.
Candide, Cunegonde, and the old woman, had now reached the little town of Avacena in the midst of the mountains of the Sierra Morena, and were speaking as follows in a public inn.[Pg 38]
X
IN WHAT DISTRESS CANDIDE, CUNEGONDE, AND THE OLD WOMAN ARRIVED AT CADIZ; AND OF THEIR EMBARKATION.
"Who was it that robbed me of my money and jewels?" said Cunegonde, all bathed in tears. "How shall we live? What shall we do? Where find Inquisitors or Jews who will give me more?"
"Alas!" said the old woman, "I have a shrewd suspicion of a reverend Grey Friar, who stayed last night in the same inn with us at Badajos. God preserve me from judging rashly, but he came into our room twice, and he set out upon his journey long before us."
"Alas!" said Candide, "dear Pangloss has often demonstrated to me that the goods of this world are common to all men, and that each has an equal right to them. But according to these principles the Grey Friar ought to have left us enough to carry us through our journey. Have you nothing at all left, my dear Cunegonde?"
"Not a farthing," said she.
"What then must we do?" said Candide.
"Sell one of the horses," replied the old[Pg 39] woman. "I will ride behind Miss Cunegonde, though I can hold myself only on one buttock, and we shall reach Cadiz."
In the same inn there was a Benedictine prior who bought the horse for a cheap price. Candide, Cunegonde, and the old woman, having passed through Lucena, Chillas, and Lebrixa, arrived at length at Cadiz. A fleet was there getting ready, and troops assembling to bring to reason the reverend Jesuit Fathers of Paraguay, accused of having made one of the native tribes in the neighborhood of San Sacrament revolt against the Kings of Spain and Portugal. Candide having been in the Bulgarian service, performed the military exercise before the general of this little army with so graceful an address, with so intrepid an air, and with such agility and expedition, that he |
raised greens, like kale or collards
Greens sauteed with a bit of olive oil and garlic
Roasted or sauteed, whole or sliced garlic bulbs
Tomato slices or split cherry tomatoes slow-roasted in the oven with olive oil and garlic
Braised or roasted fennel
Sauteed eggplant and squashes
Potatoes, boiled and sliced (I like creamy yellow fingerling or Yukon Golds)
Mashed potatoes, made with plenty of olive oil (and if you're into it, truffle oil. I'm not into it).
Fruit, lightly sauteed in butter with or without sugar
Grilled Vegetables
You've already got the grill going, so why not grill a few vegetables to top your pizza with? The pie above is made with thin slices of grilled eggplant (I brushed them with oil before grilling), along with strips of marinated red pepper. You can grill basically any vegetable that you can par-cook indoors. I especially like to grill scallions or onions. Asparagus are awesome as well. Grill them whole, then chop them up before topping.
Cured Meats
Ok, so I know some folks like to stick chicken, steak, hamburger meat, and the like on a pizza, but for me, that just seems wrong for some reason. It's as if the pizza is not good enough on its own, and you've gotta make up for it by sticking another meal on top. Of course, if you feel otherwise, the grill is a perfect place to cook off some protein before slicing and topping your pizza with it.
Cured meats applied sparingly, however, flavor the pizza without overpowering it. The pie above has got very thin slices of soppresata (which warm through just fine from the residual heat, releasing a bit of their spicy oil), along with some chunks of sauteed sausage, which I browned in a skillet beforehand. Here are some more ideas:
Thinly sliced pepperoni, cooked in the microwave or oven until crisp
Thinly sliced prosciutto, speck, jamón Serrano, or other types of raw cured ham
Crumbled browned sausage meat
Bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
Guanciale, fatback, lardo, and other cured pork fat products, sliced thin and applied raw
Salami, soppresata, mortadella, bresaola, lomo, or other cured sausages, sliced thin and applied raw
Finishing Touches: Fresh Herbs and Flavored Oils
A little bit of green goes a long way. As I said, the storm blew away our basil from this photo shoot, which explains the number of pies topped with sliced scallion greens here, but those are far from your only two options. Freshly chopped parsley, oregano, thyme, chives, rosemary, marjoram, you name it, it'll work on a pizza. Apply these to the pies just before serving.
Flavored oils are another way to add richness and complexity. The simplest way is to use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil. If you want to get more complex, try infusing oil with various flavors. Whole garlic cloves, chili flakes, black pepper, dry spices, fresh herbs, anything is fair game here. I like to warm the oil slightly (to about 150°F) then pour it over the flavorings until they're just covered, then let it sit out at room temperature at least overnight.
Be aware that infused oils don't last forever and do carry some risk of botulism. Make and use them fresh.
Combinations
Here are a couple examples of successful combinations:
This was one of my favorite pies of the night. I combined slices of fresh mozzarella, a few dabs of olive oil-mashed potatoes in place of the tomato, sliced par-boiled fingerling potatoes, and freshly grilled scallions. I drizzled the whole thing with good extra-virgin olive oil after it was done. It was awesome. Perhaps some chopped thyme, rosemary, or oregano could have pushed it over the top, but it didn't really need it.
This pie starts with a bit of fontina cheese, then pears sauteed in sugar and butter are added on top while the pizza cooks. As soon as the pie comes off the grill, a handful of arugula is added (not too much—this is a pizza after all, not salad on bread), it's drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and spread with ultra-thin slices of prosciutto. It's sweet, salty, porky, peppery, and pretty freaking awesome.
Of course, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. The combinations are truly endless, as long as you keep three simple maxims in mind:
Par-cook any toppings that need to be cooked. This means cooking indoors, or grilling, and includes any and all meats and vegetables that can't heat through under the retained warmth of the pizza crust. Keep it simple. It's easy to go overboard, but the best pies usually have two or three toppings max. Consider texture, flavor, and color when picking toppings to go together. Apply sparingly. Grilled pizzas are delicate beasts and not intended to hold massive amounts of toppings like, say, a pan pizza. If you've got more topping by weight than crust, you're probably stepping over the line.
What are your favorite grilled pizza combinations?
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Lisa Joy Simon, 23, was arrested during an anti-Sharia protest in Harrisburg after allegedly hitting Sampson, a police horse, in the face with a board with a nail in it.
Remember the Antifa “female” who stabbed a horse in the neck with a pole w/ a nail on the end?
She’s been formerly charged & set for court. pic.twitter.com/Hnr2YepPFh — /pol/ News Forever (@polNewsForever) July 9, 2017
Simon was charged in June for aggravated assault and resisting arrest.
The Philly Metro reported:
Simon was in attendance, police said, at one of several marches held in protest of alleged Sharia law across the country last weekend organized by the conservative group ACT for America.
An ACT spokeswoman said Simon was not one of their members and was in attendance as part of a counterprotest.
“Our people are normally very respectful of the police. I don’t think they would purposefully stab a police horse in the neck,” spokeswoman Carrie French said. “It really sounds out of character for our people. … Other reports have said she was with Antifa.” Law enforcement officials said the rally marchers headed north on North Third Street into Harrisburg’s midtown area, and multiple Pennsylvania State Police mounted units were working to keep the marchers from blocking the 1200 block of North Sixth Street. At that time, police said, Simon struck the police horse, Sampson, in the neck and obstructed other officers from being able to move the crowd onto the sidewalk along that block. After the incident, police said that the officer and Sampson were able to continue to work after suffering only a minimal injury.This scarf is not official New York Red Bulls merchandise and displays no club crest, so you can wear it to the match and on non-soccer occasions.
The Savile Rogue Deluxe cashmere scarf for New York Red Bulls fans is our most luxurious soccer scarf in red and navy blue colours. The presentation box makes it a great gift.
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Customs policies vary widely from country to country so we recommend you contact your local customs office for more information.
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Returning an incorrectly shipped item
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The cost of returning goods to Savile Rogue is the responsibility of the customer. If we have sent you the wrong item, or a faulty item, we will reimburse your postage costs for standard 1st class post but not for premium services. You must notify us of faults or incorrect items immediately (email info@savile-rogue.com), and the item must remain unworn.
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Savile Rogue will try to process your return as soon as it arrives, although it might take us up to a week during busy periods.
Christmas returns
We can only accept refunds or exchanges notified to us within 14 days of delivery, except over the Christmas period (from October 1st) when returns deadline will be extended up to 10th January. Items returned after this date will be sent back to the customer or (at our discretion) a credit note will be issued.
Products purchased as gifts can be refunded only to the person who paid for the item. Alternatively we can provide a credit to the gift recipient.In the UK a 41-year-old man has been arrested over a cyber attack on the website of the British Home Secretary Theresa May. He was arrested in a joint operation by Scotland Yard and local officers on Tuesday morning in Wedgewood Road.
The man, who has not been named, was arrested on suspicion of assisting or encouraging crime contrary to the Serious Crime Act 2007. He was taken to a local police station and bailed to return in mid-December, pending further inquiries.
Computers, telephones and media storage devices were seized from his home, according to police. Detective Inspector Jason Tunn, from the Metropolitan Police’s eCrime Unit (PCeU), said, “The activity this morning demonstrates the commitment of the PCeU and our colleagues to combat cyber criminality anywhere within the UK and take action against those responsible. Assisting and encouraging cyber crime is a serious matter and I would advise all persons to consider their actions and any possible future consequences prior to posting any material online.”
Police believe that Man is arrested in Stoke-on-Trent on tuesday is an Anonymous supporter or member of any other online activist group.
May's website was attacked earlier this year as part of Operation Trial At Home, an Anonymous backed effort to raise awareness about ongoing extradition controversies, including those affecting Richard O'Dwyer and Gary McKinnon.Former FBI Director’s James Comey riveted Washington Thursday, as he described in depth his conversations with the President in the run-up to his firing last month.
Comey provided more detail on the revelations from his prepared testimony, explaining in depth his perception of conversations in which he believed President Trump was trying to win a pledge of fealty and to convince him to drop the investigation of former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Comey did confirm that Trump was not personally the subject of FBI investigation through the time of his firing, but Trump now faces legal scrutiny from special counsel Robert Mueller over whether his communications with Comey and the decision to fire the director amounted to obstruction of justice. Comey tried to lay the groundwork for such a charge, noting the lengths to which Trump went to speak to him privately about Flynn. But in his recollection of the conversation, Comey claims Trump told him he “hoped” that Flynn could be let off—rather than a directive. White House aides said Trump was just making small-talk about a former aide he still likes. In the end, it depends on what the meaning of the word ‘hope’ is.
Comey harshly criticized the President, accusing him of lying about the reasons for his firing and suggesting his decision to keep detailed records of his conversations with Trump was because he was concerned Trump may later lie about them. The White House, which had tried to off-shore most of the response to the RNC, pushed back on that accusation, calling it insulting.
Comey did provide two new bombshells Thursday: that he was the source of the leaked memos described in the New York Times about his conversations with Trump, saying he was prompted to give them to a reporter through a friend after Trump tweeted about potential “tapes” of his conversations with Comey. Comey said he was hopeful that if there are tapes they will be swiftly released, believing they will back up his side of the story. Trump’s personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz, accused Comey of violating “privilege” in releasing the memo, and is calling on the Department of Justice to investigate. Kasowitz also denied on Trump’s behalf that the president asked for Comey’s loyalty or that he drop the Flynn investigation. Both of those would be easily corroborated if there is indeed an Oval Office taping system. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said she has “no idea” if there is such a system. And when asked to check, she glibly told reporters,”Sure, I’ll try to look under the couches.”
Comey also revealed that he was uncomfortable by former Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s ask that he call the Clinton email investigation a “matter” instead of an “investigation.” Republicans are seizing on that moment an opportunity to muddy the investigatory waters. But while they’ve never suffered from ways to investigate the Clinton emails, both Lynch and Comey are out of office, making it of little practical value.
Other than a couple of tweets, Trump has been silent on the Comey hearings—though aides and his son have been vocal on Twitter. Trump is certain to face questions about Comey Friday afternoon, when he holds a brief press conference with the president of Romania in the Rose Garden.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The hearing is only the beginning of what will be a drawn-out process of multiple, overlapping investigations that will at minimum be a political nightmare for the White House for the foreseeable future. Democrats didn’t get the smoking gun they were looking for, and Republicans did some damage to Comey’s credibility. The White House breathed a sigh of relief that “collusion” charges against the president were unsupported, but they know Comey’s high-profile and detailed assault on the president’s credibility will not be recovered from easily. The “cloud,” the president allegedly complained to Comey about, is here to stay.
Here are your must reads:
Must Reads
Who Won the Comey Hearing? Russia
Well played, Moscow. [TIME]
Here’s What It Was Like Inside James Comey’s Hearing
TIME’s Tessa Berenson from inside the room
Tech CEOs Cook, Bezos, Catz Said to Attend Kushner-Led Summit
Meeting at White House comes despite Paris climate discord [Bloomberg]
‘I Was Right’: As Trump Watches Comey on TV, Anxiety Yields to Relief
Trump claims vindication [New York Times]
Comey Lays Out the Case That Trump Obstructed Justice Comey Lays Out the Case that Trump Obstructed Justice
The former FBI director said the question is ultimately one for the special counsel, but he helped bolster the case. [Washington Post]
Politics Newsletter Sign up to receive the day’s top political stories. View Sample Sign Up Now
Sound Off
“I saw the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes.” — Former FBI Director James Comey on potential tapes of his conversations with President Donald Trump
“I can definitively say the president is not a liar. It’s frankly insulting that that question would be asked.” — White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders responding to Comey’s testimony
Bits and Bites
Jared Kushner Could Meet With Senate Intel Committee Staffers This Month, Sources Say [NBC]
A White House Spokeswoman Just Said President Trump Is ‘Definitively’ Not a Liar [TIME]
Obstruction cases are difficult to build and prosecute [Associated Press]
President Trump’s Attorney Will File Complaint Against James Comey [Associated Press]
President Trump Claims ‘Complete Vindication’ After James Comey’s Testimony [TIME]
President Trump’s Lawyer Made a Mistake in Describing James Comey’s Testimony [TIME]
House Passes Bill to Undo Much of Dodd-Frank Banking Law [Associated Press]
What’s in the Financial Choice Act [Wall Street Journal]
John McCain Tries to Clarify His Odd James Comey Questions [TIME]
Paul Ryan Said President Trump Is ‘Learning as He Goes’ About FBI Independence [Associated Press]
James Comey Had a Friend Leak His Memo About President Trump [TIME]
White House: President Trump Has Confidence in Jeff Sessions [TIME]
James Comey Says White House Comments on Firing Were ‘Lies, Plain and Simple’ [TIME]
Fiduciary Rule Is Now (Partially) in Effect [Wall Street Journal]
Contact us at editors@time.com.A new study finds that men and women buried as vampires in 17th and 18th century Poland were not—as previously believed—immigrants to the region.
Legends of “revenance,” or people returning from the dead, have deep roots among human civilizations, stretching all the way back to ancient Egypt, Greece, Babylonia and beyond. As reported in LiveScience, vampire tales have circulated in eastern Europe since at least the 11th century. According to ancient folklore, a person risked becoming a vampire after death if he or she was unbaptized, or killed in some violent manner. People also risked vampirehood if they were outsiders from another area, or if they were among the first to die from an infectious disease.
In fact, the longstanding idea that vampires drink blood may date back to medieval plagues and epidemics, when diseased corpses would remain exposed for extended periods of time. Gases inside the decomposing body would cause bloating, and force blood up through the lungs and esophagus and into the mouth. Those people unfamiliar with such biological processes may have seen corpses in this state and believed they had grown fat from feasting on human blood.
In 17th and 18th century Poland, people performed apotropaic funerary rites, intended to guard against evil, for those people who they suspected might become vampires after death. These included placing the sharp, curved farming tools called sickles across their bodies, or lodging large rocks under their chins. The idea was that if the person did rise from the dead, the sharp blade of the sickle would decapitate him, while the rocks would pin his jaw shut and prevent him from preying on the living.
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Another female skeleton, this one with a stone placed on her throat (Credit: Amy Scott/Gregoricka)
Researchers in the new study, whose findings were published in the journal PLOS One, looked at 60 of the 333 burials found at the Drawsko cemetery in northwestern Poland. Six of these were the so-called “vampire” burials, which were not concentrated in the same area of the cemetery, suggesting they were not buried at the same time. To determine the origin of the people buried at Drawsko, researchers analyzed the decay of strontium isotopes in the tooth enamel of the corpses. (Because each locale has a unique ratio of strontium isotopes, and people’s bodies naturally take in elements from their environment, scientists can determine where a person is from by analyzing their strontium isotope ratios.) When they compared the ratios of the Drawsko corpses with those of local animals, they found that they were similar, meaning it was highly unlikely the supposed vampires were migrants from outside the region.
Since none of the bodies showed any signs of having died in a violent manner, and they were found to be natives of the area where they were buried, the researchers concluded that these men and women may have been stigmatized for another reason: They may have been among the first victims of repeated cholera epidemics that swept the region during the 17th and 18th centuries. Spread through contaminated drinking water, cholera can kill its victims in days or even hours, and such a quick death would explain why no marks were left on the bones.
In medieval times, when people lacked a scientific explanation of how cholera and other such infectious diseases spread, they were likely to chalk it up to vampires or other supernatural causes. As study co-author Lesley Gregoricka, a bioarchaeologist at the University of South Alabama, told the New York Times: “Cholera was attributed to the supernatural…They believed people would return from the dead, feed on living individuals and cause the disease to spread.”"Please report @PimpStory @MrGoosebuster. I’m shaking. I can’t. Please," tweeted Robin Williams' 25-year-old daughter Zelda. "Twitter requires a link and I won’t open it. Don’t either. Please." Just Jared writes that the actress had been inundated with awful words and disturbing images depicting her father after his death. The users mentioned in Williams' initial plea were reportedly suspended but a commentor claims the culprits have opened new accounts and are now "boasting about the attention."
The abuse on social media eventually led Williams' into deciding to delete Twitter from her devices.
I'm sorry. I should've risen above. Deleting this from my devices for a good long time, maybe forever. Time will tell. Goodbye. — Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 13, 2014
The actress also recently published a statement on Instagram, requesting that the public attempt to be respectful to her, her family, and her friends. "Mining our accounts for photos of dad, or judging me on the number of them is cruel and unnecessary," Williams wrote. Earlier today, she had published a heartbreaking eulogy to her father that included a wish for naysayers.
As for those who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car. Right after you've had it washed. After all, he loved to laugh too.
Williams' situation is a sad reminder of how the anonymity of social media allows sociopaths to target others with their malice.(Keystone)
A 4-3 victory did not save Switzerland from elimination at the Ice Hockey World Championship, in a game that changed quickly from hard-fought to ugly.
The Swiss, who needed to beat the United States in regulation time on Monday evening to advance, did not make the quarterfinal despite holding the lead twice.
Ron Hainsey scored two power play goals for the US in a match that featured punishing hits, boomeranging broken sticks, flying players and a percussion section of drums and cowbells in the Swiss capital.
"It's a heartbreaking win. We battled to the end, had a little low in the second period, they took advantage of it we came back in the third, but it just wasn't good enough to win after sixty," said Swiss captain Mark Streit.
"Whether we win or lose in overtime, it doesn't matter because we're out now. We had our chances, yesterday and today, we just couldn't put it together," he added.
"The pain of this loss is great," said Swiss coach Ralph Krueger. "The line between success and failure is extremely narrow at this level."
In contrast to their lacklustre loss against Sweden on Sunday, Switzerland played desperately from the beginning, managing several shots on US goalie Robert Esche in the opening four minutes.
But the game, which saw a clean start and end-to-end drives for both teams, turned decidedly nasty at the 7:15 mark.
With the Swiss rushing into the US zone, David Backes of the US slammed Swiss player Julien Sprunger into the boards as he was getting up from a previous fall. Sprunger flew back-first into the corner, losing his helmet and crumpling to the ice.
He was carried off on a stretcher and later to the hospital with a neck injury. Backes received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.
First strike
The incident fired up the home squad, playing before a near-capacity crowd of 10,317.
When US captain Dustin Brown was sent off for roughing 30 seconds later, Switzerland gained a two-man advantage and made the most of it. Andres Ambühl beat Esche at the 9:42 mark, putting his team up 1-0.
Switzerland finished the scrappy first period with ten shots on goal versus the US's six.
"We found a way to survive the first period, then I think we controlled the game the rest of the way," said Ron Wilson, the US coach.
Ron Hainsey opened the scoring for the US at 25:57. With his team on a power play, Hainsey took a shot at Gerber. The Swiss goalie at first appeared to make the save but the puck ended up dribbling through his legs.
With the score even, Switzerland were again under pressure to finish with a win in regular time.
Romano Lemm answered at 31:03. With Sandy Jeannin of Switzerland directly behind Esche, Lemm positioned himself in front of the American goalie. When Jeannin sent the puck to the front of the net, Lemm tapped it in, setting the pro-Swiss audience into a roar.
US get even
The US, who played more physically throughout the game, did not relent. At 35:08, Montréal Canadien Chris Higgins drove a slap shot from near the blue line, beating Gerber on his glove side. Keith Ballard assisted.
The US appeared to score a goal minutes later, only to have the goal called back on account of a high stick. That didn't stop them from continuing to hit Switzerland.
With less than two minutes remaining in the second period, Andres Ambühl of Switzerland was sent off the ice for slashing. A minute later, officials called Sandy Jeannin for tripping, giving the US a two-man advantage.
With the Swiss in full defensive mode, Ron Hainsey, mimicked Higgins and drove an almost identical slap shot past Gerber's left side, putting the US up by a goal.
Martin Plüss answered with a wrist shot at 49:42 for Switzerland, assisted by Felicien Du Bois and Ivo Rüthemann.
His goal evened the score and brought out the cowbells but fans at the PostFinance Arena in Bern knew it would take more for the Swiss to move on.
The question was: When would Krueger pull Gerber in favour of an extra attacker for Switzerland? The answer came at 58:34.
Gerber headed to the bench and Switzerland went for broke but it was not enough.
The game went to overtime. Roman Wick of Switzerland scored 13 seconds in. It meant nothing.
"The Swiss never gave up, we knew what they were playing for. I thought we did a good job. Roman Wick's goal was a great individual effort in the end, to win the game for Switzerland," Wilson said.
Both goalies recorded 21 stops. Mark Streit, Martin Gerber and Sandy Jeannin were named the best players of the tournament for Switzerland.
swissinfo, Justin Häne at the PostFinance Arena in Bern
Finland upset Canada Hannes Hyvonen scored in a penalty shootout as Finland broke Canada's five-game winning streak after a 3-3 tie.
Canada won their group however and avoided a quarterfinal showdown with the US.
Finland had jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before Jason Spezza pulled one back for Canada.
Niko Kapanen then scored his sixth of the tournament to restore the two-goal advantage late in the second period.
But Dany Heatley scored almost immediately to close the gap again, and added another midway through the final period to set up overtime.
The point for Canada means it will play Latvia on Thursday, while Finland play the US a day earlier.
Canada outshot Finland 50-29. end of infobox
Next games Russia vs Belarus
May 6, 4:15pm | Bern
Finland vs US
May 6, 8:15pm | Bern
Canada vs Latvia
May 7, 4:15pm | Bern
Sweden vs Czech Republic
May 7, 8:15pm | Bern
Semifinal
May 8 | Bern
Final
May 10 | Bern end of infobox
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SWI swissinfo.ch on Instagram SWI swissinfo.ch on InstagramI does seem so blindingly obvious when you look at it that way.
It’s just a big house of cards. Pull the bottom one out (Adam and Eve) and there’s nothing supporting the rest of it.
Christians will often tell you that the Old Testament is “old” and really not necessary for the truth of Jesus. It’s frustrating when they want the country to follow the Ten Commandments, but when you point out to them that the Commandments are a bit archaic for the modern world, or even for the world of Jesus, that they really are not the basis of any real morality, they tell you that those were meant for the Jews, and we shouldn’t be so literal in interpreting them. Same thing if they cite Leviticus to justify their homophobia, and we point out that they don’t also observe the Levitican requirements about stoning, and mixed fibers and shell fish. “Oh. Those are old Hebraic laws and don’t apply to us”.
But original sin comes from Adam and Eve, and if Adam and Eve didn’t exist, then Original Sin didn’t exist, and if Original Sin didn’t exist, then sending Jesus to die to save us from it makes no sense, and is pointless!President Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner received and forwarded emails about WikiLeaks and a "Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite" that he kept from Senate Judiciary Committee investigators, according to panel leaders demanding that he produce the missing records.
Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Kushner's lawyer Abbe Lowell on Thursday charging that Kushner has failed to disclose several documents, records and transcripts in response to multiple inquiries from committee investigators.
In the letter, Grassley and Feinstein instruct Kushner's team to turn over "several documents that are known to exist" because other witnesses in their probe already gave them to investigators. They include a series of "September 2016 email communications to Mr. Kushner concerning WikiLeaks," which the committee leaders say Kushner then forwarded to another campaign official. Earlier this week, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. revealed that he had had direct communication with WikiLeaks over private Twitter messages during the campaign.
[Donald Trump Jr. communicated with WikiLeaks during 2016 campaign]
Committee leaders said Kushner also withheld from the committee "documents concerning a 'Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite' " that he had forwarded to other campaign officials. And they said Kushner had been made privy to "communications with Sergei Millian" — a Belarusan American businessman who claims close ties to the Trumps and was the source of salacious details in a dossier about the president's 2013 trip to Moscow — but failed to turn those records over to investigators.
"You also have not produced any phone records that we presume exist and would relate to Mr. Kushner's communications," Grassley and Feinstein wrote.
Grassley and Feinstein demanded that Kushner comply with their request for documents by Nov. 27, but stopped short of issuing a formal threat to subpoena those records if Kushner misses the deadline.
Kushner's team last produced documents to the committee Nov. 3, according to Grassley and Feinstein, who stressed that what they received "appears to be incomplete." They noted that their letter was an effort "to clarify the scope" of the committee's request, after Lowell asked for more details about precisely what the committee was searching for.
In addition to the emails and records that Grassley and Feinstein noted as missing, the Judiciary Committee is waiting for Kushner to turn over promised transcripts from his interview with other committees. Kushner has spoken with investigators from both the Senate and House intelligence committees, but has not met with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
[Kushner questioned by Senate investigators on Russia]
Grassley and Feinstein also wrote that Kushner's team "should produce" his SF-86 security clearance forms, which Kushner had to update on more than one occasion because he left out contacts with foreign individuals. Kushner's team has argued that the forms are confidential — an argument the committee leaders do not accept.
The committee leaders also expressed general frustration that Kushner's team had left out communications about individuals they had identified when asking Kushner to turn over his records.
Finally, the committee leaders asked Kushner's team to search for a series of records of communications with and about former national security adviser Michael Flynn, including any that Flynn may have simply been copied on involving many of the Russian individuals and businesses that were known to have contact with members of Trump's campaign team.
Read more at PowerPostTHE A-League Melbourne derby crowd record looks set to be smashed, with early ticket sales for Saturday week's clash at Etihad Stadium indicating a sellout.
Melbourne Victory’s encouraging off-season and the return to the league of Melbourne Heart’s Harry Kewell, against his former side, loom as the major factors for a bumper Round 1 crowd.
But Victory, already without Mark Milligan, who will be on Socceroos duty in Europe, learnt yesterday it will also miss new striker Kosta Barbarouses.
Round 21 Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre
The 23-year-old will be required for a New Zealand friendly against a CONCACAF opponent yet to be named.
Victory had an encouraging 3-0 win against last season’s grand finalist Western Sydney in Hobart on Sunday courtesy of strikes from Mitch Nichols and Barbarouses before the Wanderers found their own net after a mix-up between Aaron Mooy and goalkeeper Ante Covic.
Marquee signing Pablo Contreras looked classy as he and substitute James Troisi made their Victory debuts, with both set to feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly at home to Adelaide United on Thursday.
With Victory on track to break its membership record of 22,600 set in the 2007-08 season, and more than 5000 tickets for the home clash against Heart already sold, the derby record of 42,032 (Round 1 at Etihad Stadium last season) in on track to be eclipsed.
Victory operations manager Trent Jacobs said the July friendly against Liverpool might also have helped whet the appetite.
“We’re extremely confident we might see a record derby crowd on October 12," Jacobs said.
“It’s been a particularly long off-season and off the back of the amazing spectacle that was Liverpool, the interest in ticket sales when they went on sale a couple of weeks ago has been very strong.
“The initial response leads us to believe we’re in good shape for a record derby crowd and it would be amazing to push up to the 45,000-plus mark. That would send an amazing message to the sporting public as to where football’s at.
“With the onset of new players and prospect of a new standard across the A-League, having Harry and a whole range of new and exciting players is going to see fans attracted.
“Our membership response has been amazing. We’ve already racked up 19,500 members, which is well in advance of where we’ve been previously and only 3000 shy of our record membership record. We’re very bullish about breaking that record.’’
Milligan leaves on Sunday for Socceroos duty against France in Paris and against Canada in London, while Heart will be missing new striker Michael Mifsud, who is due to win his 100th cap for Malta in Saturday week’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic.
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car park. Many of the other hotels had riot police out the front.
So far, police have resisted releasing police body camera and dash cam footage of the death of 43-year-old Scott.
His family was shown the footage on Thursday and demanded that it be released to the public. The family’s lawyer said he couldn’t tell whether Scott was holding a gun.
But Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said earlier in the day the footage of Scott’s killing could undermine the investigation.
He said the video will be made public when he believes there is a ‘compelling reason’ to do so.
‘You shouldn’t expect it to be released,’ Putney said. ‘I’m not going to jeopardize the investigation.’
Meanwhile Scott’s mother claims he was reading the Koran while waiting to pick his son up from the school bus.
‘That’s a task for him every day, so he can be out there to get a special spot,’ Vernita Scott Walker told WBTV. ‘He sits in the truck and reads his book [the Koran].
‘He loved to read that book, he loved to read that book.’
{snip}
Original Article
Share ThisSometimes we let other people make the mistakes so we can all learn the lesson.
Take Reddit user AllStarRunner, who shared his tale of woe as a response to this Amazon screenshot:
Most people know not to drink, say, more than one of these bottles of 5-Hour Energy at a time. Redditor AllStarRunner knew that. But he allegedly drank five bottles on a dare from a coworker anyway. And then he (allegedly) drank four more bottles on a dare from another coworker who equally did not seem to give a shit about AllStarRunner’s general well-being.
In 2012, The New York Times reported that the highly-caffeinated drink was cited in 13 deaths.
Since 2009, 5-Hour Energy has been mentioned in some 90 filings with the F.D.A., including more than 30 that involved serious or life-threatening injuries like heart attacks, convulsions and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion, a summary of F.D.A. records reviewed by The New York Times showed.
So AllStarRunner felt all right… for about 45-minutes, at least.
And that’s when the jitters, hot flashes, and sweating started.
“… The only thing that made me feel good was splashing cool water on my face in the bathrooms—so I would walk from bathroom to bathroom doing this,” AllStarRunner describes. “Eventually, I knew I was going to pass out. For some reason I thought, ‘I don’t want to pass out in the middle of the hall, so I’ll go sit in a bathroom stall and pass out there so no one sees me.’
“I go sit in a stall, then I realize that I’m going to pass out in here and no one will know I’m in here and my heart will explode sitting on the john and this is how it’s all going to end. Wow, didn’t see myself going out like this.
“I text a co-worker (who knew I had taken all this) and say, ‘Come up to 3rd floor bathroom, last stall.'”
Check out AllStarRunner’s amazing story—he does end up seeing a medical professional, rest assured—in full below:From last few days’ my neighbor Sharma Ji (changed surname) is elated. His purpose of life seems resurrected.On the day his son was born, Sharma Ji had decided to make him an Engineer. What better and what more than IIT-JEE? He has been nurturing him like a Gardner throughout these long years. But at the most crucial time, when he was set to enroll his son for IIT-JEE preparatory coaching in class-VI, the hurricane struck. Somehow, he got to know that the most-hated Indian Mr. Arvind Kejriwal had also qualified India’s toughest under-graduate examination.
Initially, he thought it of an aberration among the otherwise promising mass and remained focused on his son. Off late he was boggled up seeing the stupendous rise in the stupidity level of that single aberration. He was so much frightened in the thoughts that he was getting dreams of his son calling people for no reason and saying “Namaskar…” He had very unwillingly decided the alternate career for his son sacrificing all his hopes and happiness.
But why is he elated now? Is Arvind Kejriwal not an IITian?
There is no denying that Mr. Kejriwal studied in IIT-Kharagpur. He completed the course from the college and according to some sources was the drama secretary of the college (Do we need to verify the source?). The headline is that he never qualified for IIT joint entrance examination. He never got any All India Rank.
The same was revealed by IIT Kharagpur in response to the RTI filed by a vigilant Delhite who must have doubted him for flawed logic of odd-even. In response to a very straight forward query – The basis whereby Mr. Arvind Kejriwal entered the B.Tech program and his All India Rank in any competitive entrance exam such as JEE etc, the institute replied ” IIT-JEE AIR – Not available”.
The obvious question comes immediately to mind is how Arvind Kejriwal got admitted in IIT-Kharagpur? To which we need to refer a report by Hindustan times dated back in July 2010.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/iit-kharagpur-kept-aside-illegal-quota-for-staff/story-k3ujl59h9JhdUDi5DC6RjP.html
The newspaper writes, “The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur was secretly — and illegally — keeping aside a discretionary admission quota for children of its teachers and staff for over four decades, admitting dozens of students to seats they failed to secure through the IIT-Joint Entrance Examination. The student merely needed 60 per cent marks in their Class XII Board examination and should have appeared in the IIT-JEE to be eligible for the quota seats, doled out at the institute director’s discretion”
The documents were accessed by HT using RTI from the institute itself. The above report very clearly states that it was not impossible to get admitted in IIT-Kharagpur without clearing IIT-JEE.
Now the bigger question is how Arvind Kejriwal, the self-assumed poster boy of Aam- Aadmi got the admission through the staff quota.
Various unverified reports suggest that Kejriwal’s father who was a BIT Mesra alumnus himself was working as an electrical engineer in Jindal group and had some very good connections with the big shots of the company. Through the conventional jacking system, he may have had admitted his son in the most prestigious institute of that time.
Kejriwal has taken immense mileage in his political career due to his educational background. He had automatically won the battle of perception of being intelligent and honest. His followers very proudly flaunt the educational background of his leader. Almost whole of his political career had been catalyzed by him being an IITian. In such a state even an iota of doubt about his admission in IIT- Kharagpur is grave.
Moreover, it is immoral to relentlessly attack PM’s educational qualification before clarifying the controversies surrounding his own qualification. Now when the Finance minister has shown the degree of the Prime Minister in full public galore and Kejriwal’s commander in chief, Ashutosh has personally verified it by going to the university, can we expect Arvind Kejriwal to come out clean on his admission to IIT – Kharagpur? No, I am not demanding it for myself -I genuinely don’t care, but for my neighbor Sharma ji who needs to be assured. The preparation time for his son is running out fast.NEW: The Montgomery County Coroner has identified the man killed in this crash as 30-year-old Andrew Brunsman of Centerville. The investigation is still pending.
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UPDATE: Two of the southbound lanes of I-75 have reopened after Sunday afternoon's fiery crash that killed a Beavercreek man. The left lane on the southbound side is still closed.
According to a spokesman for ODOT, the ramps from SR 4 and Main Street will stay closed while traffic is shifted to the outer potions of I-75 southbound. ODOT engineers are working to assess the damage and make the repairs necessary.
We will be speaking with ODOT later this afternoon to get more updates.
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UPDATE: Dayton Lt. Mark Ponichtera said I-75 southbound between State Route 4 and 3rd Street will remain closed for the "foreseeable future" due to damage caused by the explosion.
The northbound lanes are expected to reopen the same night with just a single lane closure closest to where the explosion happened as a buffer for crews working the scene.
The driver killed in the fiery crash was identified as a 30-year-old male from Beavercreek, but the coroner has not released the identity of the man at this point in time.
Lt. Ponichtera said significant repairs are needed for the jersey wall between the two sides of the road, and the outside wall was damaged as well. The road it self reportedly also will need repairs, and ODOT said they will have contractors coming in to remove and replace any destroyed pavement.
Crews will reportedly continue to work through the evening to investigate the crash scene, clean it up and start repairs.
Police will also be investigating all aspects of what led up to the crash, including why the driver was going the wrong way down the interstate.
DAYTON, Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) - Dayton Police confirmed one person was killed in a crash on I-75 near Main Street that caused an explosion April 30.
Ohio Department of Transportation cameras caught the explosion of a truck involved in the crash near West Riverview Avenue.
FOX 45 was rolling on the video as a vehicle exploded on the highway. Police said initial reports were that the crash was caused by a wrong way driver.
The driver of the car was confirmed dead in the crash, while the truck driver reportedly had minor injuries and was speaking with officers about the incident.
I-75 was shut down in both directions while crews handled the explosion. Police told FOX 45's Shavon Anderson southbound would be closed for another two hours around 7 p.m., while they were still set to assess the damage to northbound to determine when they could open it.
ODOT is advising that traffic is being detoured onto Northbound I-675 to I-70 to Northbound I-75 to avoid the scene.
Crews were also out around downtown Dayton to check the gas levels in sewers that lead to the river in connection with the heavy smoke from the fire.
This is a developing news story and will be updated.Salamanders aren’t just cool looking, detritus-dwelling amphibians. Salamanders are wonders of nature; they have the remarkable ability to regenerate their limbs, tails and even their retinas, spinal cords and some parts of their hearts and brains. Even following “deep tissue” wounds, salamanders are able to achieve scar-free repair of these injuries. What’s more, this regenerative capacity is not limited to young salamanders — it is possible at any stage of the amphibian’s life-cycle.
But just how this miraculous-seeming, amphibian ability is made possible has remained mostly a mystery to scientists that study them. That is, until now.
A trio of experimental biologists (Godwin, Pinto, Rosenthal), publishing their work on-line via the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, have convincingly revealed the key cellular and molecular features of the amphibian’s regenerative powers.
In adult mammals, damaged (severed) body parts are not replaced naturally with new parts. In some adult mammals, there is partial limb repair, but rarely complete regrowth (note: many young mammals can regrow their digits, if only partially). It is believed that this failure to regenerate is the result of a “muted growth response” and what’s known as fibrotic scarring (the scarring serves as a barrier to continued regrowth).
There is also an immune system role in mammalian wound repair. Scientists have suspected for awhile that some type of critical but unique immune response is at work in Salamander wound repair as well. However, the mechanisms involved in this response were incompletely understood.
The Details of Salamander Limb Regeneration
The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of immune cell signalling during limb regeneration by an aquatic salamander called an axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Their analysis revealed a “temporally defined requirement for macrophage infiltration in the regenerative process.” [source: see link below].
Macrophages (“large eaters”) are a key class of immune cells (leukocytes) that are integrally involved in what’s known as the “pro-inflammatory response” that accompanies injury, infection, and physical stress.They also secrete chemokines and cytokines — immune signalling molecules that tell other types of immune cells to “come here now!” Apart from this crucial signalling role, macrophages also clear dead cells from the site of injury and also produce factors which (at a later point) suppress the inflammatory response and promote fibroblast migration, angiogenesis (blood vessel formation), collagen remodeling, and cell replication.
Now, both mammals and amphibians have these immune cells, but in salamanders, they are “more dynamically deployed” and induce both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals simultaneously — all within 24 hours following limb amputation (yes, their limbs were amputated, but not permanently). This rapid response is key to the salamander’s regenerative ability; in mammals, macrophages typically arrive at wound sites 48–96 hours after injury
To demonstrate that this “temporarily defined” macrophage activity was indeed the key to limb regeneration, the team systematically depleted macrophages prior to amputating the amphibians. The result was wound closure but “permanent failure of limb regeneration, associated with extensive fibrosis and disregulation of extracellular matrix component gene expression.” This is pretty much what one would expect in an adult mammal experiencing the same injury.
However, and most importantly, the failed, limb “stumps” were fully restored upon replenishment of the endogenous macrophage population and the reamputation of the stumps.
The team believes that limb regeneration occurs in a “regeneration-permissive environment” which is promoted and enabled by these macrophage-derived therapeutic molecules.
The work will likely provide a solid basis of clinical applications for the regeneration of damaged body parts in adult mammals (that would include humans, of course).
The results are published in the (free PDF) paper: ‘Macrophages are required for adult salamander limb regeneration’ ( PNAS 2013 ; published ahead of print May 20, 2013, doi:10.1073/pnas.1300290110 )
About the Axolotl Salamander
The axolotl (a Nāhuatl āxōlōtl (singular) or āxōlōmeh (plural) word meaning “water monster”), or Mexican salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum), is a neotenic salamander (meaning it retains attributes of youth through adulthood), as the larvae fail to undergo metamorphosis and adults remain aquatic and retain their gills.The species originates from lakes including Lake Xochimilco that underlies Mexico City. The axolotl is a close relative of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum).
In recent years (as of 2010) wild axolotls have become nearly extinct due to pollution and habitat destruction (primarily through urbanization around Mexico
city). Also, invasive species such as the African tilapia and the Asian carp tend to eat the amphibian’s young and also compete over their primary food source.
The salamander’s survival is currently assured due to its value as an experimental animal model in tissue regeneration studies.
The axolotl is currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s annual Red List of threatened species. nearly a third of the world’s amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, a caecilians) are either going extinct or are functionally extinct in the wild due to a confluence of lethal factors.The startup ecosystem in India is flourishing like never before, and startup founders are witnessing unprecedented growth in their net worth closing the gap with some of the richest business personalities of India. As per Hurun’s India Rich List 2016, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm, is the richest Indian Entrepreneur under 40 and the biggest gainer as well. His wealth soared by 162% from Rs. 2,824 crore in 2015 to Rs. 7,300 crore currently. The list looks at entrepreneurs with a wealth of Rs. 1,600 crore or more. Vijay is followed by Nilima Motaparti, Divis Laboratories, with her wealth standing at Rs. 7,100 crore. Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-Founder of Ola Cabs is the youngest in the list with a worth of Rs. 3,000 crore which stood at Rs. 2,385 crore in the previous year. Men dominated the list with women occupying only 4% place in the list.
Paytm is the reason for Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s growth. It was founded in 2010, offering mobile recharge and utility bill payments. But today, it is emerged to become an end-end marketplace for consumers; from recharge to booking cars- you can do everything through this app. Paytm Wallet enables money transfer, hotel & travel bookings, movie ticket bookings and many more services. Paytm has 122 million active users. According to a report from Business Insider, Paytm has 130 million wallet users and 90 million monthly transactions (3 million daily transactions). It has expanded its wallet service across fuel stations, cabs & taxis as well as auto rickshaws for bill payments. Paytm has achieved the unicorn startup status with a valuation of $2.9 billion. However, the company is bleeding money every year. In the FY 2014-15, Paytm registered a loss of 372 crores.
The Rise of Paytm & Vijay Shekhar
Paytm has received a total funding of Rs. $740 so far. The major investor in the company is Alibaba group with 40% stake. According to the Economic Times report the founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, holds 21% stake in Paytm which fell by 6% in 2015 when Alibaba, Ant Financial invested about $680 million in the company. Even after losing his stake by 6%, his wealth gained by 162%. Paytm is said to raise $300 million in a fresh round of funding from MediaTek and Goldman Sachs which will increase its valuation to $5 billion.
Talking about Hurun’s ‘Entrants under 40’ List, Vijay Shekhar jumped up from 9th position in the last year directly to the 1st place in the current year. Nilima Motaparti & Divi Satchandra Kirna (Divis Laboratories) and Divyank Turakhia & Bhavin Turakhia (Directi Web Services) are new to the list, replacing Ankit Bhati (Ola Cabs), Shivinder Singh & Malvinder Singh (Fortis Healthcare) and Naveen Tiwari (InMobi). However, this year the list has 4% women compared to previous year’s 3%. The members of the list belong to the age group of 30-40 years.
The startup world is highly dynamic. Sudden rise and fall have become a norm for a company these days. Ankit Bhati, co-founder of Ola disappeared from the list whereas his partner’s worth is increased by 25.7% from Rs. 2,385 crores to Rs. 3,000 crores. Flipkart Founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal’s worth decreased directly by 40%. The only self-made woman entrepreneur in the list is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Biocon) with a net worth of 10,800 crore.
The gain in Vijay’s worth came as a surprise even after Paytm’s loss and his stake decreasing by 6%. Probably the performance of the company in terms of generating revenue and attracting investors has been really good, leading towards an increase in its valuation.For decades, there’s been a running academic debate about the question of “the hot hand”—the notion, in basketball, say, that a player has a statistically better chance of scoring from downtown if he’s been shooting that night with unusual accuracy. Put it this way: Stephen Curry, the point guard genius for the Golden State Warriors, who normally hits forty-four per cent of his threes, will raise his odds to fifty per cent or better if he’s already on a tear. He’s got a “hot hand.” If you watch enough N.B.A. ball, it appears to happen all the time. But does it? Thirty years ago, Thomas Gilovich, Amos Tversky, and Robert Vallone seemed to squelch the hot-hand theory with a stats-laden paper in the journal Cognitive Psychology, but, just last year, along came Joshua Miller and Adam Sanjurjo, marshalling no less evidence, to insist that an “atypical clustering of successes” in three-point shooting was not a “widespread cognitive illusion” at all, but rather that it “occurs regularly.”
Steph Curry fans, who have been loyal witnesses to his improbable streaks from beyond the arc, surely agree with Professors Miller and Sanjurjo. But let’s assume that the debate, in basketball or at the blackjack table, remains open. What’s clear is that when it comes to the life of the imagination, the hot hand is a matter of historical fact. Novelists, composers, painters, and poets are apt to experience stretches of intense creativity that might derive from any number of factors—surrounding historical events, artistic rivalries, or, most mysteriously, inspiration—but the streak is undeniably there.
James Shapiro, a Shakespeare scholar at Columbia University, has written studies of two distinct periods in his subject’s life—one called “1599,” when Shakespeare wrote “Henry V,” “Julius Caesar,” “As You Like It,” and “Hamlet”; and a remarkable new volume, “The Year of Lear,” centering on 1606, a moment of religious fracture, horrific plague, and the political wake of the Gunpowder Plot, and the year in which Shakespeare wrote not only “Lear” but “Macbeth” and “Antony and Cleopatra.” Shapiro’s research shows that the political and social reasons for Shakespeare’s bursts of creativity were as essential to his art as was the community and structure of his life at the Globe. It’s the less concrete factors, the inner reasons—what’s called genius—that led to conspiracy theories and multiple-author hypotheses. Who could imagine that an artist could have a hot hand so frequently?
But such golden periods, which usually take place just once, if at ever, in the life of an artist, are undeniable. Take popular music. From 1965 to 1969, the Beatles, after a long apprenticeship in Germany and England and a series of records that leaned heavily on Chuck Berry and Little Richard, peeled off a string of albums that changed everything in popular music. From 1972 to 1976, Stevie Wonder, leaving his career as “Little Stevie” in the past, produced the albums that remain the center of his joyful achievement: “Music of My Mind,” “Talking Book,” “Innervisions,” “Fulfillingness’ First Finale,” and “Songs in the Key of Life.”
For Dylan, the greatest and most abundant songwriter who has ever lived, the most intense period of wild inspiration and creativity ran from the beginning of 1965 to the summer of 1966. (Yes, I get how categorical that statement is. If you’d like to make an argument for Nas, Lennon & McCartney, Smokey Robinson, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Jacques Brel, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern... or fill-in-the-blank, write to.) Before that fifteen-month period, Bob Dylan, who was twenty-three, had already transformed folk music, building on Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams. Now he was scribbling lyrics on pads and envelopes all night and listening to the Stones and the Beatles and feverishly reading the Surrealists and the Beats. In short order, he recorded the music for “Bringing It All Back Home” (the crossover to rock that ranges from “Mr. Tambourine Man” to “Subterranean Homesick Blues”); “Highway 61 Revisited” (the best rock album ever made; again, send your rebuttal to ); and “Blonde on Blonde” (a double album recorded in New York and Nashville that includes “Visions of Johanna” and “Just Like a Woman”).
In that same compacted period, Dylan travelled the U.K. as a solo act, a tour which is memorialized in D. A. Pennebaker’s documentary film “Dont Look Back”; scandalized Pete Seeger and much of the crowd at the Newport Folk Festival, on the night of July 25, 1965, by “going electric” and performing raucous versions of “Maggie’s Farm,” “Phantom Engineer” (later known as “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”), and “Like a Rolling Stone” with members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band; and toured North America and the U.K. with the Hawks, a rootsy Canadian-American combo that soon became The Band. (The record of the U.K. tour, “Bob Dylan Live 1966: The ‘Royal Albert Hall’ Concert,” is, as a live album, in a rarefied class with James Brown’s “Live at the Apollo” and B. B. King’s “Live at the Regal.”)
Dylan was exploding with things to say and sing. As he later acknowledged, it was as if he were taking dictation from somewhere, from somebody. And, at the same time, he seemed on the brink of self-annihilation. Amped up on nicotine and speed and who knows what else, racing from place to place, thought to thought, song to song, and embittered by the jeering and booing he encountered from the folk-loyal fans from Newport to Manchester, Dylan was headed for a crash. One day, while riding his motorcycle near his house, in Woodstock, he was, according to one account, blinded by the sun, hit a slick in the road, and was smashed to the ground. The bike ended up on top of him. Having suffered a concussion and some broken vertebrae, Dylan “retired” to spend time in Woodstock out of the public eye with his wife, Sara Lownds, and their children.
“I couldn’t go on doing what I had been,” he said later. “I was pretty wound up before that accident happened.... I probably would have died if I had kept on going as I had been.”
Dylan’s “electric period,” of course, was not contained in that manic, fifteen-month period. It’s a half-century long by now. In the coming days, Dylan and his band will be in Hamburg, Basel, Bregenz... blink, and they’ll be in your neighborhood soon. And the funny thing is how, these days, with a set list that barely changes for months at a time, Dylan usually includes only one song from that 1965-66 period: “She Belongs to Me.” That might have been the breakthrough period—the moment, as Dylan has said, that he captured that elusive “wild mercury sound”—but the catalogue is rich in the way that Picasso’s was rich. There’s no end to it.This story is about
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Texas Tech Red Raiders interacts with Patrick Mahomes II #5 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders after a touchdown during the game against the Baylor Bears on November 25, 2016 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Baylor 54-35. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
Over the weekend, the Red Raiders picked up a commitment from Tyler JC signal-caller McLane Carter.
Texas Tech might have found its quarterback of the future.
I bet on myself and it paid off #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/2YyOb3fRTv
A three-star prospect, Carter committed to Texas Tech over offers from Old Dominion, Southern Miss and UMass.
Carter was named the SWCJC Overall MVP after passing for 3,226 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Carter has three years of eligibility remaining. He will have an opportunity to start in Lubbock next year if Pat Mahomes opts to enter the NFL Draft.
Texas Tech now has 16 verbal commits in its 2017 class.Bill Maher October 24, the Pearl.
Comedy is the only art form where certain audience members think that by disrupting the performance, they’re somehow adding to the show. It’s a weird form of entitlement that usually drags things down for everyone. But in the case of Bill Maher, watching him spar with haters Friday night at the Pearl was just as exciting as hearing him deliver his best lines.
Maher is likely the most famous comedian to represent liberals. At a time when the political left seemed not to have a voice that was both confrontational and funny, he stepped up. Between Politically Incorrect and Real Time, the New Jersey-bred comic has shared his views on just about everything for the past two decades. So it’s a wonder anyone would pay money to see him and not realize the type of incendiary comedy headed their way.
On the Republican party: “I never said all Republicans are racist, because they’re not. But if you are a racist and you’re looking for a party...”
On getting out of the Middle East: “America has got to get over this idea that we can bring democracy to the Middle East if we just kill every last one of them. We have different gods. They have Allah. We have money.”
On Muslims versus Catholics: “Mecca—that’s their Vatican City, and they cut the heads off of homosexuals in the town square. They don’t do that at the Vatican. Who would run the Vatican?”
While Maher stayed consistently in the groove, he was just as consistently interrupted by the crowd: a Hillary Clinton basher, the obligatory Trump supporters, the good Christian lady and, about as often, those who actually agreed with him. Maybe they thought they were part of the night’s panel.
Whatever the case, Maher was ready for them. A critique of his talk-show hosting has been that he often interrupts guests to make his own points. Onstage that’s a great advantage. It provided the show with an organic feel, with a bit more edge. He brought the same ruthless attitude to his hecklers as he did to his best jibes. Maher asked a man who called Hillary Clinton a corporate whore what he does for a living. “I’m retired,” he responded, to which the comedian countered, “You look a little young to be retired. What, do you have daddy’s money?”
Maher might make most of his own money on TV these days, but it’s clear he still loves stand-up comedy. Audience participation and all.Get the biggest daily stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Welsh football star Aaron Ramsey had his own match of the day on Saturday when he married his childhood sweetheart Colleen Rowlands at ancient Caldicot Castle in Monmouthshire.
Guests at their sun blessed wedding included Rhymney Valley born Aaron’s Arsenal team mate Theo Walcott, ruled out of the World Cup by injury, world record transfer fee breaking Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale and former Wales star Craig Bellamy.
Aaron and Collen, who went to Ysgol Gyfyn Cwm Rhymni in Blackwood together, asked all guests to donate money to the Parkinsons UK charity via Justgiving rather than bring gifts.
They wrote on Colleen’s Justgiving page: “We are very blessed people and we know we are also hard to buy for – so instead of gifts we would like to offer our guests the opportunity to give to charity.
“The many hard working people at Parkinson’s UK will put your donations to very good use.”
Speaking of his link to the Parkinson’s UK charity, Aaron explained: “Unfortunately we lost my uncle a few years ago to the complications that come with Parkinson’s.
“He was fit and healthy and really active and seeing how quickly your health deteriorates when you’re diagnosed with Parkinson’s was really upsetting and hard to take. “
Ramsey prepared for his big day on Saturday with a game of golf on Friday with Welsh international team mate Chris Gunter, who was his housemate when he first joined Arsenal from Cardiff.
The Arsenal star, who once used to drive around Caerphilly where he grew up in a lime green Ford Fiesta complete with black and white squares on top, arrived at Caldicot Castle in style – by helicopter.
Kerry Pritchard of Caldicot said on her Facebook page on Saturday: “Saw Aaron Ramsey fly into Caldicot Castle in a helicopter today for his wedding.
“His bride-to-be arrived five minutes later in a car. Everyone was watching his arrival and nearly missed her. He flew out again in the same helicopter three hours later.”
And Caldicot’s Tony Cartwright wrote on Facebook: “Big wedding in Caldicot Castle, Aaron Ramsey married a Caldicot girl, Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott spotted arriving, Bale by helicopter, Ramsey also by helicopter.Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred wants to enliven the game. (Photo: Rob Foldy, Getty Images)
HOUSTON - Major League Baseball, alarmed by the game’s lack of action this season is considering making the most radical changes to the game in more than a century.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said that baseball is contemplating everything from altering the strike zone to limiting the number of pitching changes in a game, to curtailing the number of shifts, to even installing 20-second time clocks for pitchers.
If these changes are implemented, it would lead to perhaps the most radical rule changes since baseball reduced the number of balls to four in 1889 to constitute a walk. Certainly, it would have more impact than the American League installing the DH in 1973.
Anything and everything will be under review, Manfred said, in hopes of breathing life into offenses, providing more action, while also quickening the pace of games.
All changes must be negotiated with the MLB Players’ Association. MLB and the MLBPA are negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement; the current one expires Dec. 1.
It could all start with Major League Baseball’s first time clock, requiring pitchers to throw the ball within 20 seconds.
“We feel it’s been effective in the minor leagues,’’ Manfred said. “You look month-by-month in terms of where we were in terms of game time, we did really well early and kind of regressed the second half of last year, and certainly this year.
“The more we can have on the field, constant reminders so it’s in front of people’s minds, the better off we are in terms of continuing to move the game along. And I think the clock is probably the quintessential example of the reminder that keeps pace in people’s minds.”
Manfred didn’t hesitate when asked if he would like the clock implemented in the major leagues, speeding up games that are averaging 3 hours per nine-inning games - 12 minutes longer than in 2006.
“I would,’’ he said, “because there’s no temporal assigned to that.”
The owners spent more time studying how the game has changed the past 50 years, and ways to perhaps liven it, than any topic during their quarterly meetings. Yes, they talked about the collective bargaining negotiations, and optimism remains high that a labor deal will be resolved by Dec. 1 without a work stoppage.
Yet, the hottest topic was whether radical moves are necessary, even if it means changing the way relief pitchers can be used.
“I think you could make an argument that more relievers have lengthened the game,’’ Manfred said. “More pitching changes has slowed down the pace of the game and the unbelievable effectiveness of some of those relief pitchers has robbed some of the action from the game.”
So, yes, everything and everything is under consideration, making sure that baseball keeps up with the times and attracts a younger audience, while balancing its proud heritage and tradition.
“I think that sometimes baseball fans think about what should happen with the game, with sort of an artificial construct,’’ Manfred said. “That the choices between preserving the game as it came down originally from the mountain, and making some changes to the game.
“The question is: “You take a snapshot after 40 years of that and you say, ‘Wow. Here’s what it looks like. Here’s what it used to look like and should we be thinking about what has occurred and whether we want to allow it to continue to go on the path it’s on?”
Statistics have shown that there were 2,400 infield shifts employed by teams just five years ago, Manfred said, and now baseball is on pace for 28,000 shifts, killing batting averages for everyone not named Jose Altuve.
“I’m not saying that’s necessarily a bad thing,’’ Manfred said, “but it has ramifications for what people see when they buy that ticket to go to the ballpark. We just wanted to point out this whole series of changes that has occurred over time, very naturally, in the game and pose the question of whether or not we should be managing that change more aggressively.”
Certainly, the pitching numbers are dizzying. There were average of 27 pitchers employed by clubs last season, compared to just 17 in 1988. There is now an average of 7.77 pitchers used in nine-inning games, throwing 288.7 pitches, with a record 3.87 per plate-appearance.
Meanwhile, major leaguers are on pace to produce the second-most home runs in history, 2.31 per game, but also strike out more times, 15.57, than at any time in baseball.
You add it all up, and the number of balls put in play are at a historic low.
“I think when you have a new administration,’’ said Manfred, approved by owners as commissioner in 2014, “it’s a good time to take a really hard look at the product. I think there are pieces to this project that are not yet complete, including what our fans are seeing, what they like, what they don |
-Sharp) took his second victory in the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge on the fifth stage, between Breckenridge and Colorado Springs. The 28-year-old - who won the opening stage of the race - managed to extricate himself from a boxed-in position with just 150 metres to go, and powered ahead of the rest of the sprinters to finish clear of the pack.
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) was the best of the rest, just ahead of Alessandro Bazzana (Team Type 1-Sanofi), at the end of the relatively easy 189.7km stage.
A break of seven riders escaped at the beginning of the day, consisting of: Liu Biao (Champion System), Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan), Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Astana), Carter Jones (Bissell), Ivan Santaromita (BMC Racing), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Sergey Firsanov (RusVelo). The group quickly opened up a lead of 6’40”, but this was steadily closed by Farrar’s Garmin-Sharp team, along with UnitedHealthcare.
With the peloton on their heels, a series of attacks in the lead group saw Nibali, Zaugg and Firsanov break clear of the rest, but they were just 25 seconds clear of the peloton as they began the first of three 3.8km city centre circuits. This was down to just nine seconds with two laps to go, and they were caught soon afterwards.
There were a number of attempted breaks in the final kilometres, but the sprinters teams had control and, into the final metres, Farrar managed to unblock himself to take the victory.
With the majority of the peloton finishing together there were no changes to the top of the general classification; Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) held on to the yellow jersey, but was still tied on time with Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp) with two stages remaining.
Reactions to follow.
An easier day for the peloton but seven riders try to make it harder
After some tough mountain days, the fifth stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge was to be a slightly easier one for the peloton as it tackled the predominantly downhill course to Colorado Springs. The climb to Hoosier Pass would begin almost immediately to ensure that it was not all easy but, with almost four laps of a 3.8km circuit at the finish, the sprinters would certainly like their chances in this one.
The break was started by Liu, who attacked in the opening minutes of the stage and, after a flurry of counterattacks, was joined by Zaugg, Nepomnyachshiy, Jones, Santaromita, Nibali and Firsanov. Joey Rosskopf (Team Type 1-Sanofi) was just unable to join the group on the 1st category climb to Hoosier Pass and, despite a long chase, was forced to drift back to the peloton.
The seven riders’ lead opened up to more than six and a half minutes as a heavy rain shower fell on the race, until Garmin-Barracuda and UnitedHealthcare took control of the front of the peloton. Nibali was the best-placed rider in the break, 4’41” behind van Garderen, but, with Santaromita up the road, BMC Racing was content for the other teams to control things.
Over the unclassified climb of Wilkerson Pass after 88.8km the gap had reduced to 4’20”, and was down to 3’35” with 75km to go, as the leaders made their way up another unclassified rise. Team Type 1-Sanofi came up to join the chase and the three teams continued to gradually close it down.
With 60km to go the road pointed downwards, but the seven riders’ 3’05” lead was still falling slowly. As they rolled over the line at the second intermediate sprint of the stage, at Woodland Park with 51.5km to go, it was down to 2’35”.
Into the final 30km the break’s lead had been cut to just 30 seconds and, on a small rise in the road, Jones attacked and rode away from his six companions. Nibali pulled Zaugg across to the American though, followed by Liu, Santaromita and Frisanov; Nepomnyachshiy was unable to follow and dropped back to the peloton just 15 seconds behind him.
Nibali counterattacked, and only Firsanov and Zaugg could go with him; with 25km to go, the RusVelo rider was struggling to hang on, but just managed to claw his way up to the other two riders as they peaked the final bump between them and the finish.
The break is down to three but the peloton is breathing down its neck
With Santaromita back in the peloton, BMC Racing took over the chase but, as the race arrived on the streets of Colorado Springs, Michael Creed (Optum), Roman Kreuziger (Astana) and Javier Gomez (EPM-UNE) jumped off the front. With 20km to go, the three leaders were 15 seconds ahead of this new break, with the peloton 25 seconds back.
As a few drops of rain began to fall on the race again the BMC Racing Team closed down the three counterattackers, but allowed the gap to the three leaders grow to 30 seconds as they hit the finishing circuit with 14.9km to go.
More attacks off the front as Ramiro Rincon (EPM-UNE) and Cameron Wurf (Champion System) managed to jump clear; over the line the leaders were just 20 seconds ahead of this new group with the peloton at 25. These two counterattackers were also pulled back quickly, but the Nibali, Zaugg and Firsanov were still clear.
Over the line with two laps to go the trio’s lead was just nine seconds, with BMC Racing still leading the chase. Early into the lap though, they were reduced to two as Firsanov dropped back to the peloton; even with three riders the group was always going to be caught, but with only two it might happen before the peloton was ready.
Sure enough, with just over a kilometre and a half of the lap left, Nibali and Zaugg were caught, but there was an immediate counterattack from Nathan Haas (Garmin-Sharp). As the peloton pulled him back before the line however, Liquigas-Cannondale duo Moreno Moser and Damiano Caruso surged forward, as though they thought they were sprinting for the stage; there was still a lap to go though, and they drifted back as the UnitedHealthcare team pulled the peloton into the final kilometres.
There was a brief attempt to escape the peloton, but UnitedHealthcare was not letting anybody go at this stage. Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare) led into the finishing straight, but his sprinter Jake Keough was nowhere in sight; Alex Candelario (Optum) was the first to go as the sprinters began to fan out across the road, and Farrar appeared to be trapped several riders back.
The Garmin-Sharp rider backed off and came around by the left hand barriers though and, as he opened up his sprint, pulled away from the rest.
Result stage 5
1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp
2. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
3. Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1-Sanofi
4. Alex Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
5. Hugo Houle (Can) Spidertech p/b C10
6. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
7. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-Sharp
8. Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
10. Robigzon Oyola (Col) EPM-UNE
Standings after stage 5
1. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Sharp
3. Ivan Rovny (Rus) RusVelo @ 6s
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-Quick Step @ 8s
5. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team @ 12s
6. Joseph Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong
7. Ramiro Rincon (Col) EPM-UNE @ 13s
8. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp @ 15s
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale @ 17s
10. Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
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Related Articles Lookout Mountain to shake up final day of 2014 USA Pro Challenge USA Pro Challenge announces host cities for 2014 edition with a vote for final stage Tyler Farrar confirms one more year at Garmin-Sharp after taking first Euro victory of 2013 Farrar gunning for first Grand Tour stage win since 2011 Tour de France USA Pro Challenge: Tejay van Garderen cements overall lead with Vail time trial victory USA Pro Challenge: Mathias Frank takes attacking stage two as Lachlan Morton claims yellow Tour of California: Farrar leaves everyone behind in Santa BarbaraToday, residents of the village of Odzoun buried Lernik Osyan, one of their own,
The news of the February 18 death of 19-year-old Lernik Osyan, while serving as a soldier in the Artsakh Defense Army, came as a shock to residents in the Lori Province of Armenia.
The Artsakh Ministry of Defense reported that Osyan’s body was found with a bullet wound to the head and that an investigation into the incident had been launched.
Later, staffers at the military commissariat told Osyan’s mother Sousanna that her son was killed when his rifle discharged while he was cleaning it.
The mother of the dead soldier, who turned nineteen on February 2, find that hard to believe.
Funeral services were held yesterday at the Odzoun church, with Father Vrtanes Baghalyan officiating.
To say that the family of the Lernik Osyan lived a hardscrabble life would be an understatement.
“She raised the boy by working the land for others and by collecting berries. This is their house. They have no wood and receive no assistance. She didn’t have a job and was ill. One day she ate, and the next she didn’t. She had the one child. She would clean the homes of others just to make 1,000 AMD to put some food on the table,” says Sousanna’s elderly aunt Araksya.
Sousanna inherited the dilapidated house from her parents, never having the means to repair it. The wooden steps are crumbling. A few worn-out metal bedframes can be seen inside. Sousanna lived in the downstairs cellar.
When this reporter visited the house, some relatives and women neighbors were sitting next to the grieving mother. They told me that Sousanna had raised Lernik on her own, giving the boy her last name.
“Lernik came from a very impoverished family. But, they survived by dint of hard work. It was their destiny, perhaps, that they had such bad luck. Sousanna is well-respected in the village and dedicated to her family. Lernik’s father is also a hard worker, but was known to hit the bottle. Lernik was a smart, modest and industrious boy. They’re good people,” said Odzoun Mayor Arsen Titanyan.
Lernik began military service seven months ago. He got five days leave on February 4, never telling his mother. He wanted to surprise her.
“It was as if he was another person. He really changed in those seven months. He put on weight and got taller. My dear soldier’s character had changed. While at home on leave, he’d sweep the house just to help out. I just want to hear my boy’s voice, saying mom, what have you eaten, how are you?” Sousanna says.
Anahit, a neighbor, says what happened to Lernik is a tragedy. “Why do they take any only child to the army? They took him from his mother. Who are they replacing with such boys? What will his poor mother do know?”
Sousanna whispers, “How did this happen. I lived for that one child.”
Felix Yengibaryan, deputy commander of the military base, says that Lernik was stationed at a unit in the south of the country and serving in a defensive capacity.
“Lernik Osyan didn’t have much military experience. He recently was give leave for the first time, and was characterized as an average soldier with positive aspects. He carried out his duties in good measure and had no violation citations. The soldier died at a combat posting,” says the deputy commander of the military base. He says that an investigation will reveal the circumstances of Lernik’s death.
Sousanna doesn’t believe that her son died while cleaning his weapon.
“Everyone says something different. I don’t know what exactly happened. My boy was a good soldier. Even the commander telephoned me and said that Lernik was one of his best soldiers. The commander wished me a Happy New Year. He was a young officer. He said, auntie, everything is good; Lernik’s a good kid.”
Sousanna says that Lernik was in good spirits when he came home on leave.
“It’s the first time I saw a soldier who was very happy and satisfied with the army. Three days ago he called to tell me everything was O.K. He didn’t complain about army life. He was waiting to get new boots. The soles on his boots had worn out. His feet were red and he had a few blisters on his hands. I rubbed some salve on them. He was in good spirits. I washed his clothes. I asked him if he wanted that I try to get him stationed closer to the village, since I’m an only parent. At first he agreed, but then told me not to, that he’d already got used to the base where he’s stationed,” Sousanna says.
Yengibaryan told Hetq that by law, the army issues new boots every eight months.
The last time Lernik spoke to his mother by phone was on February 15, three days before he was found dead.
“I asked him how he was. He said, I’m good,” Sousanna recounts.Spiritual abuse is an unfortunate reality for millions of people of almost every religious affiliation. It is a source of deep spiritual, psychological, and even physical trauma that can cause a lifetime of distrust, pain, and turmoil. How can we, as Christians, respond to people who have been hurt when our religion has been used as a weapon against them? Here’s how.
What is spiritual abuse?
Spiritual abuse occurs when anyone—clergy or layperson—uses religion as an excuse to harass, humiliate, or harm someone. It is usually psychological in nature, but can leave the victim terrified, traumatized, and unable to speak up about what is happening to them for fear of reprisal or even damnation. It can happen when a clergy member uses their position to intimidate an individual or even a whole congregation, or restricts an individual’s access to mental or medical healthcare.
It can happen when parents force extreme religious practices on their children, or when laypeople exclude, marginalize, and harass an individual and justify their behavior with “Scriptural” or “magisterial” evidence. Spiritual abuse is devastating to the victim’s psychological and spiritual well-being, and often results in the victim losing faith in religion altogether. Jesus has strong words for those who drive His own away, saying that it would be better for them to be violently drowned in the sea than to cause someone to stumble (Matthew 18:6).
How to help
DO listen—just listen
When encountering someone who opens up about spiritual abuse, one’s impulse can be to offer words of comfort, wisdom, or pertinent Bible verses. However, what someone experiencing and talking about trauma truly needs is someone to actively listen to them and validate their experiences. Let them know you’re a safe person to confide in by simply quietly listening, keeping their confidence (certainly don’t tell anyone who could use the information against them, and NEVER tell the person they claimed hurt them), and giving advice only when it is asked for.
DON’T try to re-convert them
Trauma is a complex phenomenon, not even fully understood by neuroscience. But what we do know about trauma is that it is a survival mechanism that keeps us from being harmed by something that has made us feel deeply threatened. We have about as much control over how it affects us as we do our genetic predisposition to high blood pressure or poor eyesight. It can completely rewrite a person’s neural pathways to avoid anything related to their trauma at all costs. People who avoid religion and the Catholic Church in particular after being spiritually abused are simply doing what their neurology tells them to do: avoid being traumatized again. It is not a logical reaction, but is a deep-seated one that they may have very limited control over. Therefore, attempts to re-evangelize a person after they have left the Church will likely only push them further away. It’s okay to be concerned about their spiritual well-being, but their mental health is also important. Simply being a good friend by demonstrating kindness, mercy, and love can go much further toward making a person feel safe in the Church again than evangelizing or trying to convince them to come back.
DO pray for them–and don’t make a fuss about it
We believe as Catholics that intercessory prayer is powerful, especially when directed toward the Virgin Mary or particularly beloved saints like St. Nicholas. However, when we tell people “I’ll pray for you,” or “you’re in my thoughts and prayers,” it can come off as condescending, trite, or even vain if done in a particularly public or showy way. This is especially true for someone who has experienced spiritual abuse and probably had some version of “I’ll pray for you” or “let’s pray together” used against them. Instead, let the person know you care about them and their mental health, and pray for them privately. Only pray with them if they initiate it. Your prayers will be effective whether or not they know you’re praying for them!
DON’T be defensive
If a spiritually abused person is upset, it can sometimes seem like they are unfairly attacking the Church, its members, and/or its clergy. When this happens, it’s important not to get defensive, especially if you know or are acquainted with the person or people who hurt them. Like I said above, trauma isn’t logical, but it is powerful. Try to discern the feelings the person is trying to articulate—betrayal, confusion, anger, sadness—and let them know those feelings are valid (note: all feelings are valid, but not all are justified). It can be very upsetting when someone accuses a respected member of the community of any kind of abuse, but keep in mind that a person’s exemplary public behavior doesn’t preclude them from committing abuse. As with any form of abuse, not all abusers are universally abusive. Most only abuse certain individuals, but present a very respectable public face and are wonderful human beings to their friends and people they like. When a person opens up to you about spiritual abuse, put your own emotions and reactions on the back-burner for a moment and try as best you can to empathize with them.
DO encourage them to seek help
Spiritual abuse is a complex form of abuse, involving a gut-wrenching blend of spiritual as well as psychological trauma. Usually the psychological trauma is the one that needs the most immediate and urgent attention, since it can severely impair a person’s daily life. If someone opens up to you about spiritual abuse, encourage them to seek counselling, and help them find a trauma specialist. While it may seem prudent to also help them seek spiritual counselling, depending on where they are in their recovery, that should be their call to make. Exercise discernment when recommending spiritual help, if at all, since being alone with or opening up to a clergy member may have been a feature of the abuse the person experienced.
While spiritual abuse is a heartbreaking reality in our churches, it doesn’t have to be. If you know of someone who is being harassed by clergy or laypeople, speak up. Defend them. Let it be known that humiliation and psychological torment have no place in the Church, which should be Heaven, and not Hell, on earth.Tuesday, September 1st
It’s “Bloodline” week at Brevard Talent Group!
Production starts today on season two. I can’t wait to see what the show has in store for Florida actors. It doesn’t get much better than working with Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelshon and Sissy Spacek. Congratulations to Kyle Chandler for his Emmy nomination for lead actor and Ben Mendelsohn for supporting actor, and, a HUGE THANKS to casting director Lori Wyman and her associates, Erin Fragetta and Therese Verbruggen.
Claire Bronson played the role of Dr. Andrea Weston on two episodes. Claire shared, “Ben was very laid back, quiet, and working his process. He was kind and very giving as a fellow actor. It was my 1st day and 1st scene on set though and I was a little nervous trying to get to know the director and feeling out what he and the production wanted for this character – which was different than the description in the breakdown for the audition. Kyle was an absolute dream. He’s one of my favorite actors, and he was everything I wanted him to be and more: down to earth, funny, warm, welcoming, self-deprecating, talented, easy going… and he genuinely cares about everyone and their experience on the show. He is the definition of ‘team player’. All in all, Claire had a great time working with the fabulous “Bloodline” family.
Wednesday, September 2nd
Tyler Cravens worked on three episodes. Originally the role was called “white haired man”. Tyler auditioned for the show and a film at the same time. He booked the film, with a drop and pick up and could not color his hair so the producers changed the role to Ralph Lawler, the hit man. This goes to show you if the universe wants you to book a job, it will happen! Tyler’s favorite story is after rehearsing with Ben Mendelshon in the bar scene where Danny and Ralph first meet, they were initially much closer, face to face, Ben acting the scene with his Danny southern accent. At the scenes conclusion, Tyler decided to stay with him instead of standing and walking out like it ended up….and he didn’t pull away either, but commented in his native Australian accent, “Goddamn, Tyler, that was goddamn terrifying!”.
Thursday, September 3rd
Bill Kelly worked on four episodes as DEA agent Clay Grunwald. Good news, Bill is returning in the second season. Bill did not audition for the role he booked. The role called for a late 20s/early 30s and Bill, like myself, passed that age many years ago. The producers saw Bill’s auditions for other roles and kept him in mind. Another example of the universe working its magic! Bill shared, “The cast is amazing and all are very nice”. Kyle Chandler came over to Bill while they were shooting the final scene of the season and said, “Thank you for knowing your shit”. Bill replied, “That’s what I’m supposed to do, right?” Kyle went on to say that it’s frustrating when an actor comes to set and is unprepared and doesn’t know their lines. It was a nice gesture that he took time to say thanks. Kyle and Enrique were great to work with and very good people”.
Bill with Enrique Murciano on the set of “Bloodline” Season Two
Friday, September 4th
Jeremy Palko had a great experience working on “Bloodline”. Jeremy said, “I remember my first day on set. I was nervous, and then I heard Tate Donovan was the director, then I became more nervous. Once we began rehearsing, I became more relaxed and I was able to just work. Thinking I was only working for one day, I packed up and headed home. Feeling very accomplished, deep down I wanted more. A few days later, I received the call that I would be returning to shoot more scenes. Having already met the cast and crew, the second time down was a bit more relaxed. That’s just how it is in the Keys. Through good fortune and a lot of praying, I found myself driving to and from the Keys for a couple of weeks as scripts came in and my character kept popping up in them. I remember hearing that they were on the last episode of shooting… I was then asked to return to shoot my “last” scene. I was sure they were about to kill my character off. They didn’t, thank goodness. But when I left, I received a cast/crew wide applause as the director yelled, ‘That’s a wrap on Jeremy’. A truly humbling experience. I thought to myself at that moment…I am living my dream”.
Tuesday, September 8th
Zach Robbins used the word surreal to define the feeling he had when he found out he booked the role of “Young John Rayburn”. When his mom, Tina, told him the great news, Zach started to imagine all of the talent he was about to be surrounded with on set. Zach auditioned for “Bloodline” a total of four times for different roles. Zach realizes how privileged he is to work on a hit show based in Florida and is looking to forward to returning for season two.
Wednesday, September 9th
Owen Teague is looking forward to returning for season two. Owen played “Young Danny Rayburn” in the flashback scenes in the first season and, a second character that is returning to create more drama for the Rayburns. Although Owen said he is in awe of every actor in the show, the actor he was particularly interested in and fascinated by was Ben Mendelsohn. “I’ve really had to study him, playing his flashback self and now his son, Nolan. He’s extremely fun to study. While filming Season 1, since we didn’t have scenes together, I didn’t have much to go on except some movies in which he was playing completely different characters. So I would look for him around the base camp. One day as lunch was winding down, I saw him come into the catering tent. He loaded up two plates of food, then started to leave. At that moment, I was clearing my own plate and heading back, so we ended up walking out together. As he neared the door of his trailer, holding plates in both hands, I could see he might have a problem opening his door, so I rushed ahead and opened it for him. He turned to me with this big grin, saying in his huge Australian accent, “Mad skills, bro!” Those may have been the first words he ever said to me, and probably his last until the wrap party. Remembering that moment still cracks me up. Then at the wrap party, he was very encouraging and kind. What I didn’t expect was how straightforwardly he mentioned, basically in the same breath, the challenge of being a young actor. He said it can be lonely, you know, as a matter of fact. That could have been a downer, I guess, but it was actually so reassuring to hear that message of ‘Yeah man, I know what you go through, I’ve been there’, from this great artist. Needless to say, I’ll never forget that either”.
Thursday, September 10th
On a personal note, I attended the “Workshop on the Water” service at the Flora-Bama lounge and oyster bar on Sunday. This should be a reality show! Thank goodness it was a nonjudgmental service since a huge Bud Light bikini contest banner was hanging above the minister as he delivered his sermon and the offering plate was a tackle box. You heard me, a tackle box. The honky tonk hymnal stated on the cover thou shall not steal. PRICELESS! The southern rock Christian band was great and I did not catch on fire. The service centered around the importance of family. This made me think of the entertainment business and the family we are, regardless of whether you are in front or behind the camera. While the entertainment industry is huge, the acting community is small. After the service ended, the bar opened – bloody mary on a Sunday at a dive bar on the beach – my kind of place. If you are not familiar with the Flora-Bama, check out Kenny Chesney’s video shot last year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqzM7bP6aRY.
Elena Varela on the set of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” with Andre Braugher and Andy Samburg
Friday, September 11th
Catching up for the week. It is a first…no dumb actor stories or bad excuses to share. I booked two actors on “The Walking Dead”. I love calling actors and giving them the great news that they booked the number one show in the world! Or, any project for that matter. One role is recurring the other is not since the character meets an early demise. A bunch of actors shot an industrial for the “Veterans Administration”. Steve Garland had an early flight today to Tennessee to work on the new TV show “Outcast”. After arriving at the airport and numerous flight delays Steve did the next best thing. Got in his car and starting driving north. Steve did not complain (THANK YOU) which made me very happy since the BTG complaint department is closed on Fridays.
Jim Braswell on the set of the “Veterans Administration” Industrial
On a more somber note, it is hard to believe it has been fourteen years since the 9/11 disaster. I remember the day like it was yesterday. My friend, Pati Robinson, called to tell me about the first plane crashing into the first twin tower. I grew up with planes being hijacked to Cuba, but those days were long gone. I thought how did they get a plane to hijack and that is when Pati told me it was full of passengers. I was in shock as was the rest of the nation. I heard about the second plane on my way to work. I had a meeting with Pete Penuel or I would have stayed home. The phones were dead, work came to a screeching halt. This day will be in our memory forever. Every day I count my blessings to have the privilege to live in America. I hope you do, too.
Monday, September 14th
I spoke to soon. Text from Saturday: Can you get feedback from my audition? REALLY? On a Saturday? When my football team is playing! That is not an emergency. Actors let your agent have a break. We need it…desperately!!!
I had a call on my cell phone from a grandmother wanting information on how to get her granddaughter in the business. I politely told her that the cell phone is for emergencies only and to call the office number. She asked “What number is that?” I told her you called the number because that is the only way she could have gotten my cell number! DUH!
I hope I do not sound too bitchy, slightly bitchy is ok, just not too much. But, HELLO PEOPLE take a lesson in common sense! I know one thing for sure – if I could bottle and sell common sense, I would be rich!
Tuesday, September 15th
I recently sent an audition to an actor for a character that was older than he thought he was able to play. There was a joke in the script about him being “much” older than his co-star in the scene. After he questioned me about whether he was right for it, I told him to not worry about the age and go ahead and tape. When you have been requested to tape, always go for it. Instead of thinking negatively about the reasons you should not tape, think positive and make the character your own. You never know if casting or producers will see you as perfect for another role or a future project. In this case, the actor booked the role and they removed the reference to the characters age. If you find yourself constantly questioning your agent and roles you are requested to audition for then get another agent; if not trust them to do their job.
Wednesday, September 16th
All agents know that actors want to work and it is their “fix”, much like an addict needs drugs. Maybe not the right analogy but, you get the point. I can’t speak for all agents but, it is a job for me, not my fix. I ask all actors to walk in their agents shoes and deal with the numerous issues we face every day. Being an agent is not for the faint of heart. It is tough, mentally demanding and never ends. Actors who are productive in their career, study their craft and meet audition deadlines are a pleasure to work with; the others, not so much. If you have an issue you want to discuss with your agent, make sure you talk to them and not other actors. Word gets around if an actor is complaining behind their agents back. Agents can’t read emotions via email or text. Be professional and pick up the phone. It is better to solve the problem than continue to harbor bad feelings. This goes for all relationships, personal or business. I think I made my point on this subject.
Thursday, September 17th
A big thanks to casting director Lisa Mae Fincannon for her contribution to “The Agent Diaries”
Written by Lisa Fincannon
Frequently I am asked why actors are asked to audition multiple, (if not hundreds of times) for the same show. There are many answers to this question, none of which I am afraid rock in the favor of that actor. I wanted to take a minute and address why, with Fincannon & Associates projects, this happens.
Up front, I think it important to point out that if you are continuing to be asked to tape you are doing everything right. That is the job of a working actor. We all, in this biz, are professional job seekers. I am, you are, the DP, the Director, etc. I think actors should be concerned if they are NOT being asked multiple times to tape, even if for the same CD or project.
Multiple tapings for the same show, ie, The Walking Dead, serve many purposes.
The most obvious of these is that episodics of any kind, while driven by the show-runner, have many different directors over one season. Each of these directors are usually not privy to the actors who have read in episodes he or she are not directing. To them, you, the actor, are shiny and new! For the show-runner, who has seen you many times over one season, it is a continued vetting process. Because casting in the Southeast is done primarily through the net, and rarely in person, the CDs and show- runners want to know that your performances are strong in many auditions…not just the one in front of them. This multiple taping scenario, in effect, becomes your reel. It proves strength of your craft in different characters and situations. As a CD, it gives me peace that I am sending the strongest, best choices. Also due to the lack of face time in callbacks, it allows me to get to know you better…your choices, strengths and weaknesses, you as an artist.
The not so obvious reason is one that at first blush seems a little ironic, but it exists.
Directors today are not always directors…by that I mean that many come from backgrounds of being writers or DPs, celebrities, producers who want to dabble in the arts, etc. While many are fine directors in the sense of the technical aspects of directing, there are many who are not well versed in the direction of talent. These directors tend to need to hire those folks that can hit their mark and deliver their lines with little to no interaction/direction. To that end, again, their comfort level is greatly heightened when you, the actor, has delivered several auditions that are strong and they see your strength being consistent.
All in all, I think that the multiple tapings far beats how you were needed in the good old days…yes, way back in the 90’s, (telling my age now), when all SE actors got in a car and drove hours to Atlanta or Wilmington to spend 5 minutes in a room, not get cast, and be called back the very next week…
Try and hang on to that the next time you have to step into your living room or drive across town to tape for another character of another episode on yet one more TV show!
Friday, September 18th
Catching up for the week: Demi Castro and Ricky Wayne had a great time working on “Bloodline”. Steve Garland has driven over 3,000 miles the last two weeks attending a callback and working. Chelsea Talmadge is pinned for the new Netflix TV show “Stranger Things”. Justin Kucuslain and Jeremy Palko loved working with the zombies. Thanks to all of the hard working actors who are passionate about the business and work hard to reach their goals.
Demi Castro & Kyle Chandler on the set of “Bloodline”
Monday, September 21st
Pilot season will be here before you know it. Need new headshots? Get them done since it takes a while to make final selects. Is your resume updated? Do you need to update your reel? Are your on-line profiles updated? Does your agent have your current sizes and resume on file? Do you have extra funds set aside for a rainy day in case you need to book an airline ticket or put gas in your car? What are you waiting for? Time is tick ticking away so get busy!
Tuesday, September 22nd
There are so many things about your career that is out of your control, so when there is something you can control, you should. Your profile on IMDb.com is a prime example. While I am not a big fan of the system, I will admit it has become the encyclopedia for the business. I wish I had thought of IMDB or at the very least SAG would have come up with IMDB instead of iactor. Like your actors access account, your IMDB account should be kept up to date. The best way to get your headshot on there is to sign up for the free trial of IMDbPro, upload your headshot and then cancel before the trial is over if you choose not to continue on. However, if you |
submarine concept to explore the liquid methane seas of Saturn's Moon Titan.
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References:Mid and East Antrim ‘happiest place in Northern Ireland' BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Mid and East Antrim is the happiest place in Northern Ireland, according to the latest official statistics. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mid-and-east-antrim-happiest-place-in-northern-ireland-35086449.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/article35086447.ece/b2ea0/AUTOCROP/h342/NWS_2014-09-20_NEW_018_32975146_I5.JPG
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Mid and East Antrim is the happiest place in Northern Ireland, according to the latest official statistics.
The Office for National Statistics survey also revealed it is the second happiest place to live in the UK.
People in Mid and East Antrim rated their happiness levels at an average of 8.2 out of 10 in 2015/16.
They also reported high levels of satisfaction and a sense of living worthwhile lives.
The area boasts many scenic spots and a picturesque landscape and plenty of sea air could be partly responsible for the high sense of wellbeing, according to commentator Malachi O'Doherty.
“Mid and East Antrim includes Cushendall, Cushendun, Carnlough, Glenarm, it also includes the most beautiful sea view on these islands, across to the Mull of Kintyre, so there are few places I’ve felt happier than tootling along on my bike up the Antrim coast road,” he said on the Nolan show.
“It would be interesting to know what it is about these places, what do they contribute to the quality of life. Living at the sea, not being cluttered by a busy, urban environment, and having a good view in front of you must lift your spirits, that must be part of it.”
The area has a coastline that extends from Greenisland to Garron Point, and includes all of Islandmagee where the refurbished Gobbins cliff path is located. It also has a number of beaches including Ballygally, Carnlough and Brown’s Bay.
Malachi continued: “The other context, is the political context, you see in a lot of these places, for instance that there was a sharp change in attitude around ‘14-15 and you wonder were people affected by the General Election, or are they happier when they are living in an area that is culturally homogeneous.
“That might be a touchy thing to say, but when all your neighbours are of a like mind to yourself, that might be what makes people in Ballymena happy.”
People in Belfast were the least happy in Northern Ireland and rated their happiness at 7.2 out of 10 in the survey.
Happiness levels improved the most in Derry City and Strabane, while Lisburn and Castlereagh saw the biggest decrease.
Commenting on the findings, Matthew Steele from the Office of National Statistics said: "People in Northern Ireland continue to score highly for personal well-being, compared with people in other parts of the UK.
“If you consider economic indicators alone you might make a very different assumption. This highlights why it's important to measure how people feel about their lives, as ONS does, to provide a fuller picture of how we are doing."
Belfast Telegraph DigitalGIANTS vice-captain Stephen Coniglio will be sidelined for six weeks due to a syndesmosis injury.
The midfielder suffered the high ankle injury in the third term of the JLT Community Series match against North Melbourne at UNSW Canberra Oval on Friday night.
GIANTS Head of Athletic Performance David Joyce said it was an unfortunate setback for Coniglio.
“We’re obviously disappointed for Stephen after he put in a really strong pre-season,” Joyce said.
“He’ll spend the next two weeks in a protective boot and progress from there.
“We’re confident that with the right treatment he’ll be back on the field in a bit over a month.”
In other injury news, defender Aidan Corr has been ruled out for Round 1 after meeting with a hand specialist on Monday.
Corr sat out the last three quarters of the final JLT Community Series match after landing awkwardly.
Scans revealed the 22-year old didn’t break a bone, but suffered an unusual injury to the capsule at the base of his hand.
A more accurate timeline for a return to the field is expected after having his hand in a splint for the next fortnight.
Meanwhile, forward Steve Johnson didn’t take to the field after quarter time due to a concussion suffered in a clash of heads and will be monitored this week.
The veteran goal kicker is expected to be available for Round 1 against Adelaide on Sunday, March 26.WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Friday that it would fix problems in the federal health insurance marketplace by Nov. 30, just two weeks before the deadline to sign up for coverage to replace health insurance policies being canceled because they do not meet new federal standards.
To help meet that schedule, the Obama administration, in an abrupt shift, named a “general contractor” on Friday to oversee changes to the troubled Web site of the federal marketplace.
Such a condensed time frame raises the question of how hundreds of thousands of people whose current policies do not comply with the health law will obtain new coverage in time, and how millions who may qualify for subsidies will enroll. Some experts predicted a groundswell of demands from Congress and elsewhere to delay the deadlines.
Jeffrey D. Zients, President Obama’s troubleshooter on the project, said the general contractor, Quality Software Services Inc., a unit of the UnitedHealth Group, would now “manage the overall effort,” like a general contractor on a home improvement project. Notably, that company had a role in developing one of the most troubled components of the marketplace, which helped verify the identities of those registering.Kukec People: Former musician from Mount Prospect finds niche as restauranteur
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Richard Schweigel, right, with son Tim of Mount Prospect run Mother Cluckers restaurant in Chicago. COURTESY OF MOTHER CLUCKERS
Richard Schweigel, with wife Penny Schweigel, of Mount Prospect are owners of Mother Cluckers restaurant in Chicago. They are looking to add a suburban location. Courtesy of Mother Cluckers
About two years ago, Mount Prospect resident Richard Schweigel and his wife Penny opened Mother Cluckers, a restaurant in Chicago specializing in chicken dishes from family recipes, including those from a relative of the famous Hatfield-and-McCoy feud.
The restaurant has been so accepted by the surrounding neighborhoods, that they are looking to open a second location in the suburbs. Whether that second location will sport photos of Schweigel in his previous career as a musician, along with the band his father started, is still unknown. But Schweigel enjoys paying homage to that part of his life for one reason: his dad.
"Everything I've done is because of my dad," said Schweigel, 55.
The younger Schweigel started at 12 in his father's band, the Keytones, and continued through his late 20s. While the group performed some traditional Polish and American songs, especially at weddings, it later became more Americanized.
Schweigel, who played saxophone and guitar and sang, took over the band in the 1980s. He then changed the group's name to Impulse, which continued to play until about 2003. They performed throughout the region at corporate parties, the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, and, of course, at weddings.
"But I got tired of the wedding scene," he said.
So he started performing as a freelance musician for a few more years.
In the meantime, whenever their family entertained at home, friends and relatives bragged about their cooking. He had many family recipes, including the bread pudding recipe from his great grandmother, Melissa Hatfield of the famous Hatfield-and-McCoys feud.
With some of those recipes in hand, Schweigel began eyeing some properties in areas he had traveled during his band days, including a triangle-shaped property at Elston and Foster, which he ultimately renovated and opened. There are no TVs, only music provided inside the restaurant.
His wife, Penny, and son, Tim, both work with him at Mother Cluckers and he hopes to one day hand down the restaurant to his son, he said.
"It's definitely a lot more work than I expected, but it's been going well," he said. "It's nothing fancy, but it's a good place with good food."
He said he doesn't want to be an absentee owner and works on site. He enjoys talking with the customers and learning what they want.
"I really enjoy being around people and really enjoy their smiles when they enjoy the food," he said.
FastTracks
•Earl J. Barnes II, will become the new senior vice president and general counsel on Jan. 9 at Advocate Health Care. He will be responsible for the direction and management of the legal and compliance functions to protect Advocate's interests while overseeing various transactions to support the organization's growth. He previously served as senior vice president and general counsel at OhioHealth Corporation in Columbus. He is expected to live in Barrington with his wife and two children.
•Elwood Richard, owner of Now Foods and Lombard-based Fruitful Yield stores, plans to open a new store in Elmhurst in January. It already has 13 natural food stores, including those in Aurora, Batavia, Bloomingdale, Naperville, Schaumburg and South Elgin, and plans to expand with one to three stores per year.
•Doctors Elizabeth Clark and Susanne Woloson, practicing vascular surgeons at 1614 Central Ave., Suite 100 in Arlington Heights have expanded their practice to 900 Technology Way, Suite 230 in Libertyville.
•Kim Stover, owner of Dance It Off With Kim, a dance fitness studio in Elgin for eight years, has relocated to a larger headquarters at 730 B W. Chicago St. at the Integrity School of Dance in Oak Tree Plaza in Elgin.
•Lea Marcou community association manager for Associa Chicagoland in Rolling Meadows, has received the Rising Star Award at the Community Associations Institute-Illinois Chapter's 25th annual Excellence Awards and Winter Gala.
•There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people who make business work. Send news about people in business to akukec@dailyherald.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.PoliZette Former CIA Agent: ‘People Are After the Trump Family Right Now’ Ex-agency case officer says leaks have never been so bad — 'it's a mess'
A former CIA agent said the Trump family is undoubtedly being targeted by intelligence agencies and other actors looking to damage the Trump administration.
Bob Baer, a former CIA case officer, made the comments Friday during an appearance on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” Ingraham asked Baer if right-wing populist political activists should be concerned about being monitored by deep state actors.
“[Y]ou can count on it that people are after the Trump family right now.”
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“For you and me, no … we’re not that important to the equation,” Baer said. “But you can count on it that people are after the Trump family right now.”
“In the government they’re combing through intercepts, they’re combing through conversations. Nobody in that family is not being watched by the press, by foreign governments who have interests in this — and if you in any way were to become a public figure in politics, yeah, you’re vulnerable,” said Baer.
Baer also noted that the frequency of leaks and level of information they reveal is unprecedented. “I have never seen it this bad in terms of leaks,” said Baer. “It’s not often I agree with Trump, but the fact is, when the NSA intercepted Flynn … that got out and that’s not supposed to happen … that’s classified, top-secret codeword” information.
“It’s a mess,” Baer continued. “Seriously, I have never seen it this bad. You cannot discuss national security in the open,” said Baer, before noting a contrast between the current administration and the Clinton White House.
“I was involved in the ’90s in a campaign finance scandal, where the Russians were trying to put money into the DNC,” Baer noted. “It failed, but it became public and the Clinton administration just closed it down.”
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Part of the problem, according to Baer, is that Trump doesn’t understand the nature of Washington.
“I distrust the federal government deeply, maybe as much as Trump does, probably more, but at least I know where its vulnerabilities are — I just don’t take it head-on,” Baer explained.
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“You’re gonna lose if you take on the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Security Agency directly, you just lose,” Baer said. “I myself call Washington, D.C. ‘Nigeria on the Potomac,’ but you’ve got to be very careful where you pick your battles.”
Of course, the White House’s inability to quash the story is not entirely the result of a hostile media and deep state machinations. Trump’s temper and defensiveness — not to mention his social media habits — are keeping the Russian conspiracy story alive despite the fact that “the FBI is saying internally there’s nothing there,” said Baer.
“Just take his phone away from him, at the very least.”Unfortunately, it's something I've seen even the most experienced cyclist do: wipe out while crossing a set of train tracks. As many of you know, you need to maneuver your bike's angle of approach so that you hit the rails as perpendicular as possible. But even knowing that, some demon riders don't slow enough to sashay properly, and heck: poor newbies have no idea how the road's mathematics work until it's too late!
In Seattle, they are trying something I have never seen before that goes beyond the usual warning signage: the DOT is using "sharrows" and markings to visually guide cyclists in the art of making some of these crossings. Anecdotally, it seems to work well. I found it reassuring that my path was predetermined as I approached instead of having to guesstimate. Stay within the lines - and all will be good.
But as John Mauro from the Cascade Bicycle Club points out, this is only an interim solution. This is the missing link in the famous Burke-Gilman greenway, and families out cycling for the day shouldn't have to contend with dangerous sets of tracks in the first place. Still, it is nice to see DOT's all across the country are getting creative and using cost effective solutions (just a few marks with paint) to keep us a little safer.
<blockquote class="_text"> [music] </blockquote> <blockquote class="_text"> John Mauro: </blockquote> <blockquote class="_text"> [0:11] I'm John Mauro, and I'm the commute director for the Cascade Bicycle Club. And Streetfilms was out exploring the city of Seattle, and they came across the tracks on the missing link of the Burke-Gilman Trail, which has been a big problem spot for cyclists for several years. It's something that people have been struggling with, and we've actually heard probably four or five dozen crashes right there due to those tracks. [0:36] The long-term is to actually replace that section of trail. And of course, we're working to make sure that that link is completed. But in the interim, instead of rerouting, paving a trail, ripping up the tracks, the Seattle Department of Transportation's taken a pedal-by-pedal approach to getting people across the tracks, by taking sharrows and marking, every couple of feet, the cyclists' path into the lane, taking a lane, like a cyclist should, and then crossing at a 90-degree angle. </blockquote> <blockquote class="_text"> [music] </blockquote>The Weekly Rune – Othala
For the week of 12 April 2015
Ehwaz continues to empower as the half-month rune though in a couple of days, Mannaz grounds that into some solid mindfulness. Add to the mix reflective Othala as the stave of the week, and we have ourselves a potent time of building.
Read right to left in the image is Ehwaz on top, Mannaz below, then Othala to the left.
Ehwaz remains the half-month rune through 14 April, at which Mannaz shifts to the fore. To learn more about the half-month rune’s influence and my work with the runes, visit Patreon. Find my runic artwork on Etsy.
Othala brings the interesting element of family dynamics to this shift toward action. It suggests that there may be unexpected family support for the time being, or possibly that there is ancestral support that can be found by delving into the family guardians. Largely interpreted as meaning ‘inheritance,’ there could be a component of acquiring a new level of elderhood in the family, be that financially, logistically, or literally.
There is also a protective aspect of Othala, not in the defensive light that Algiz or Tiwaz bring. Rather, it regards holding in mind the tasks that we undertake to preserve tribe, the idea of guarding what unique gifts our lineage brings to the planet. As we go into this week, the shift we greet asks us to leverage what we’ve learned over the last few months or birthing ourselves that will help us better manifest the gifts of that lineage.
Be open not only to what those gifts are, but to who may help manifest them, and how that exchange can come into being.
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If you enjoy The Weekly Rune, please consider supporting it through Patreon. By becoming a patron or matron of the runes, you get full details on the rune of the week, as well as the full influence of the half-month rune. With your pledge, you support not only my work, but the path of the runes into modern culture and spiritual insight. Thanks so much for your continued support!
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Like this: Like Loading...I’m getting naked a lot this summer. In public. All around the world: from the south coast of England to the Casamance in Senegal. I’ve not done it before…and I’m not sure I ever would have, except that I’ve been commissioned to make a two-part series about the benefits of nakedness. And I don’t even really know if I can do it yet.
Being naked has always seemed just a bit wrong. Obviously not during a shower…or sex…or childbirth, but apart from that. In fact, during childbirth, I thought that maybe I should have sold tickets, but so long as this baby came out in one piece, frankly the more the merrier. My parents were always very open about their bodies as my siblings and I were growing up and used to walk around naked at home – and my husband and I feel this is important enough to do it with our own son, revelling in his innovative nomenclature: “penis beard” being a particular favourite. But still, I have the pervasive sense that the body really ought to be covered and no matter how hard my rational mind works on it, that feeling abides.
The language of it doesn’t help: “stripped” implies you are missing something; “exposed” that you are vulnerable; “are you decent?” that nakedness is immoral. In the UK, being naked has had (and may still have) overtones of sin, impurity and faithlessness, (giving an unintentionally comic edge to the notion of ‘defrocking’).
On a personal and more practical level, I worry about the sun. My skin is not quite Boo Radley, but it’s pale enough to have once (when visiting Paraguay) elicited the disbelief of a local who exclaimed “QUE BLANCA! BLANCA COMO LA LECHE!!”* in rather aggressive tones. And if it’s not the sun, it’s the cold. My first experience will be in Brighton in June, which, even if warm, will probably mean contending with a healthy sea breeze. I always wear three layers when most would only wear one and from that perhaps arises if not a suspicion of skin exposed to air, certainly an unfamiliarity.
To be cold is to be vulnerable, but as a woman too, the vulnerability goes deeper. Part and parcel of being a woman is to come to expect the sexualised sneers, comments and innuendo of (some) men: not all the time, but just often enough to affect your daily behaviour. I have always used clothing to hide my form, to deflect this gaze, and the prospect of shedding this protection is frankly, uncomfortable.
That said, now in my thirty-fifth year, and not least after experiencing pregnancy and its aftermath, I’m starting to think I need to make the most of my body whilst it still has some of its elastic youth. The reason for my immersion into this world is a documentary I am working on for the BBC World Service, and the presenter the social psychologist Dr. Keon West has recently found a positive link between nakedness and happiness. I am clinging to this. Naturally, I find fault with my body and see its many imperfections, but maybe the acceptance of these could be enlightening and invigorating. The people I’ve spoken to describe, in evangelistic passion, how being naked has changed their lives and given them confidence and even fulfilment. Their enthusiasm is infectious.
Still, I’m not just anxious. I’m scared. Will I be normal enough? Will I be stared at? Cold? Sunburnt? Uncomfortable? Where will I be in my cycle? Will I be able to look anyone in the eye? In fact, quite simply, where should I look? Time will tell.
* “What a white girl! As white as milk!”. Although in English the long ‘e’ of ‘leche’ is lost and with it much of the impact.
Look out for irregular updates over the next few months…Giving a Spammer the run-around
This past February I got an email from a spammer named Peter Wong trying to con me out of money. I decided to reply and see what would happen. I pretended to act interested and gave him the run around for almost a full month. It ended with me sending him dirty pictures that he assumed was my account information. What you are about to read was copied and pasted from my email.
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From: "peter wong" <peter_wong0gd16@yahoo.com.hk>
Subject: DEAR FRIEND,
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:47:05 +0100
DEAR FRIEND,
I am Mr.peter wong Executive Director of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd, hong kong.An Iraqi named Besem Faruak, a business man made a numbered fixed deposit of (126,336,8299.38 hk) for 18 calendar months, this is valued to Eigth milion United State Dollars only in my branch. Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war,four years ago (2003). Again after the war another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later found out that Besem Faruak, and his family had been killed during the war in Gunfire that hit their home at Mukaradeeb where his personal oil well was......
[He then goes on to describe how he left no next of kin and how there is 8 million dollars lying dormant in a bank account. In order to get the money, I need to give him a deposit so that he can free the money up and name me as next of kin. Then, we would split the 8 million dollars 50/50]
I am aware of the consequences of this proposal.should be interested in executing this with me;
indicate your interest by sending me the following:
1. YOUR NAME
2. YOUR RESIDENT ADDRESS
3. YOUR OCCUPATION
4. YOUR PHONE NUMBER
5. DATE OF BIRTH
6. COUNTRY OF RESIDENT
Your response with the requested information should be sent to reach me at my personal email address below:
peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk
I shall then provide you with more details on this operation when I hear from you.
Sincerely,
Mr.peter wong
======================
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 14:20:18
From: Me
Subject: Re: let me hear from you
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I am very interested in this deal, but first, did you watch the Super Bowl? I know it's a silly question but I want to make sure I'm talking to a person and not a computer.
===================
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 19:04:26
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Friend,
I did not watch the super bowl just let me know if you are ready to do this dealwith me.
peter wong
============
Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2008 10:55:41
From: Me
Subject: Re: let me know
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I have a hard time trusting someone who didn't watch the super bowl. I know it sounds silly but it seems so american to watch it. Do you not like football? I hope you have a good reason why you missed it so we can get this deal started.
I look forward to your response,
Andy
=================================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Brother,
Thank you very much for your readiness to work this deal out with me.
And i want you to send me the following information
1. YOUR NAME
2. YOUR RESIDENT ADDRESS
3. YOUR OCCUPATION
4. YOUR PHONE NUMBER
5. DATE OF BIRTH
6. COUNTRY OF RESIDENT
So i forward them to a good lawyer who will prepare the document making you the next of kin to this funds and the lawyer will also file out an application to my bank for the release of this 8 million dollars to you all this is needed from you now is for you to set up an offshore numbered account with a reputable bank in europe where am going to transfer this 8 million dollars to from that new offshore account you now transfer in bit to your local account in american nobody will know of this deal.
Brother let me know if you are satisfied with this arrangement so i search for a good bank for you in Europe who will help you in setting up of this account and this account is going to cost you some money so let me know your decision.
peter wong
==========
Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2008 13:22:23
From: Me
Subject: Re: talk to me about this arrangement
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
Thank you for contacting me Brother, but you didn't answer my question. I repeat it below
"I have a hard time trusting someone who didn't watch the super bowl. I know it sounds silly but it seems so american to watch it. Do you not like football? I hope you have a good reason why you missed it so we can get this deal started."
I look forward to your answer so we can get started and make some money!
==============
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Friend,
I am very serious in this transaction i told youi have not watched super bowl but i like watching football as super bowl is too physical. brother we are not talking about super bowl here we are talking about 8 million dollars so send me your information as requested by me in my last email so i give you the bank contact where you are going to set up an offshore account for this transfer
peter wong
===============
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 12:52:16
From: Me
Subject: Re: talk to me about this arrangement
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
Haha, I guess some men are more like women and they can't handle a game like football. haha, it's okay that you're weak because you seem smart.
1. Moe Sizlack
2. 923 Evergreen Terrace, Chicago IL
3. I'm a salesman in the day, and a bartender at night
4. Date of Birth - 10/22/60
5. USA
Why are you a very WEAK MAN?
==========================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Friend,
What you mean by a weak man please explain.
peter wong
===============
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 15:10:30
From: Me
Subject: Re: explain
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
My grandmother said hackers are on the computer system. She said that you are trying to trick me. She wouldn't stop screaming about it so I slapped her. Finally she calmed down, but it made me so MAD that you would try and trick me. But now I'm having second thoughts and I think that maybe I overreacted. Do you forgive me? I feel like a fool.
Can you assure me there are no hackers on the system?
=========================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Friend,
Why should i trick you? i can not do something like that i want both of us to be rich through this wonderful opportunity as you know manner do not fall from up so brother i want you to embrace this transaction and learn how to keep this deal to yourself alone.
I have really forgiven you just go ahead and contact the bank in netherland and set up an offshore account with them as the lawyer assured me by monday all papers will be ready in your name and application will sent to the bank on your name for the release of this 8 million to the new account you are about to set up.
Just do this and let me know what is happening.
peter wong
================
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 08:31:10
From: Me
Subject: Re: i have forgiven you
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I'm so sorry that I called you a weak man. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? Maybe massage your feet?
==================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Brother,
How are you today.
Just do your possible best to set up this offshore account immediatly this offshore account is set up you send me the information of the new account so i transfer the 8 million to the new account from there you transfer in bit to your country account in american then i travel to american to meet with you to have my own share of the money.
peter wong
================
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 16:14:56
From: Me
Subject: Re: Have a good weekend
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I called the bank and they are closed until the business morning on Monday, so i will set it up first thing then. I can't wait. Thank you for the well wishes. I did have a good weekend because I finally had sex with my wife. Did you have a good weekend too? Did you have sex?
===================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Brother,
Thanks very much for your bold step to get this deal done this week.
This is one of the best weekend i have ever had seeing myself going to be 4 million richer in couple of days i can not wait to meet with you in america it will be a wonderful day to have a wonderful toss with you and your family.
Brother my hope are very high waiting to get this new account informations from you to get this 8 million transfer so my mind will come to rest.
peter wong
=============
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 07:44:27
From: Me
Subject: Re: Thank you very much for your effort
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I cannot wait either Brother! Tomorrow morning everything will be complete!
I also cannot wait to meet you in America and introduce you to my family. What kind of food do you enjoy? I'll tell my wife to start cooking right away :)
============================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Friend,
Let me know if you have succeeeded in setting up this offshore account let me know what is going on.
If really you have set up this offshore account send me the new account information to transfer this 8 million dollars to you
peter wong
=========================
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:52:27
From: Me
Subject: Re: let me know
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
it's already set up, but I'd like to talk to you before I send you the information. Can I call you this evening? What is your phone number?
It's a secret, but once I get the money, I'm planning on leaving my wife and finding a young blonde. What are your plans?
All my information is ready to go, I just want to ask you a quick questoin on the phone. Please get back to me soon!
=====================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Brother,
presently I am in united kingdom to see to family problems as my family live in united kingdom and i will not be in hong kong for sometime so it will not be possible to get me on phone with my number in hong kong so if you prefer me giving you my united kindom number let me know or you send me your number so i call so which ever one you want let me know.
Brother this deal is not a joke you have to be very serious and let me have the offshore account info as it will easy for me give order to my bank in hong kong when am right here in u.k that will make them not suspect me so let do this very fast now.
peter wong
============
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:25:36
From: Me
Subject: Re: talk to me
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I know this is not a joke. My son is sick so I need all the money I can get and am taking this verry seriously. Let's get this done.
what is a number I can call you on in the United Kingdom?
================================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Brother,
YOU CAN CALL ME ON THIS NUMBER NOW.
+447045731278
PETER WONG
===================
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:29:26
From: Me
Subject: Re: waiting for your call
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
my plan doesn't support calls to England. Do you have an instant message program? Or if you download Skype we can talk for free. I need to talk to you soon so we can get started and I can give you the information
===================
[After 2 days of no response, I threaten to "close down" my account]
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:51:39
From: Me
Subject: Re: waiting for your call
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
If I don't hear from you in the next two days, I will instruct the bank to close down my account.
=========
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Dear Friend,
I DO NOT NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE AGAIN IN THIS DEAL AS I HAVE A MORE SERIOUS PERSON TO DO THIS DEAL FOR ME NOW SO FORGET ABOUT THE DEAL.
PETER WONg
===============
Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:50:30
From: Me
Subject: Re: PLEASE FORGET ABOUT THIS DEAL
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
Fuck you WEAK MAN.
---------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:35:25
From: Me
Subject: Re: PLEASE FORGET ABOUT THIS DEAL
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
I AM SO SORRY. I have calmed down. I am just a little nervous because my son is sick, my bills are piling up, and i REALLy need this money. I thought you were ignoring me and I just lost my temper. Please forgive me BROTHER.
I am willing to do whatever it takes to do this transaction. Please respond so we can work together again and get this money. Again, the bank account is all set up and I deposited the money in there via wire transfer on Friday. Please get back to me. I am sorry again. You are not a weak man, I am sure you are very strong. Please give me another chance.
I need this money and I am sorry for offending you.
With deep apologies,
Your friend Andy
==================
Peter Wong <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
Hello,
If truely you want this deal and you want to help me send me the new account details in the bank in netherland i sent and i ask you to set up this offshore account with them and you said you have set up this account then you send me the informations and i transfer this 8 million to the new account yet you said you want to speak with me on phone i give you my u.k number since am in u.k now but you keep insulting me for bringing this deal what is it you are looking for.
If you still want to do this deal send me the account dtails where to transfer this funds now. you are wasting my time in this deal not me the ball is in your court now.
peter wong
======================
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:04:18
From: Me
Subject: Re: give me the new account details
To: "Peter Wong" <peter_wong016@yahoo.com.hk>
Okay brother, I am ready to do this transaction. As you asked, I set up an account with the offshore bank in the Netherlands. Here is the information:
The name on the account is Andrew Bernard.
My account number is:32072 |
who have gone through the same thing and learned to feel comfortable in their own skin. No administrator or even GRT could have the same impact as a fellow student who you can look up to and say: “that’s who I want to be.” Such role models abound in living communities with a concentrated LBGT population such as Senior House.
I’m concerned for the incoming LBGT first-years, like I once was, more of whom will now end up in living situations where while they may not be aggressively discriminated against, they definitely won’t be welcomed because of their minority attributes. And I consciously say “may.” Although MIT has a vibrant LBGT community and support structure, I nevertheless know many people who waited to come out as gay until after graduation — in several cases because of hostile living situations. Although profound progress has been made in the US with respect to LBGT rights in the past 10 years, there is still work to be done even here at MIT, as illustrated by the Living Pink guide where, for instance, only 17% of McCormick residents even know an LBGT individual in their dorm.
Senior House was the first time I had ever been exposed to a group that I could look up to — clever, nerdy, classy, sassy, successful — and which didn’t just tolerate or not care about my sexuality but instead actually celebrated it as if it automatically made me part of the misfit family. That’s important. I didn’t get that anywhere else, and it was special to me even though I didn’t end up living there.
All LBGT first-years should be given the opportunity to be part of a community who they can relate to and where they feel comfortable expressing the parts of themselves that don’t mesh well with the nerdy, but otherwise quite normative, culture across MIT. Coming out is a scary time, full of doubts and fears that others will judge you before they know you.
I recall during my own CPW, trying to secretly go to the LBGT office at that time in building 14N, fearful that if anyone saw me going there I might be subjected to violence or discrimination. Thankfully, MIT ended up being better than that, but I think you are fooling yourselves if you think first-year students uniformly know that they are safe from violence coming in, or have the emotional fortitude to stand up and thrive despite the daily micro-aggressions against LBGT individuals at MIT on their own. Finding that MIT had a place where people understood that fear and wanted to help was game-changing for me.
I doubt that you will consider reversing your decision now that you have made it so publicly. I certainly hope you have better data and analysis than was publicly presented, which seems to flagrantly conflate correlation and causation and ignores the background of incoming students as if having a disproportionately high representation of disadvantaged groups would have no impact on outcomes. And I hope you have a serious plan for replacing the support provided by Senior House which you are voluntarily destroying. I fear that you do not, and simply expect these vulnerable incoming students to figure out how to cope on their own.
Sincerely,
Brian NeltnerNew Delhi: The mines ministry will recommend a 5% increase in import duty on primary aluminium products to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley in order to help ease the pressure of large scale cheap aluminium imports on domestic producers.
If implemented, the recommendation, which forms part of the mines ministry’s budget wishlist, will soften the blow to domestic producers like National Aluminium Company Ltd, Hindalco Industries Ltd and Vedanta Ltd, from imports that account for more than half of annual domestic consumption of 3.4 million tonnes of aluminium.
“The Aluminium Association of India (an industry group) recommended an increase of 7.5% in basic customs duty (BCD) in the wake of rising imports. We, however, will recommend a 5% increase," said a mines ministry official, who preferred not to be named.
BCD on primary aluminium products such as ingots, billets, wire bars and rods is at 7.5% now, after a 2.5 percentage point increase was announced by Jaitley in the 2016-17 budget in February.
As per industry estimates, aluminium imports accounted for 54% of 1.68 million tonne of consumption in the first half of 2016-17. The share of imports was 51% in the full 2015-16 fiscal.
The industry has also sought protection from imports by way of a minimum import price of $2,066 per tonne. “We are examining this request as well and will take some action as quickly as possible," said the official.
Surplus production capacity in China and muted commodity prices in world markets in the last few years have resulted in a progressive growth in the share of imported aluminium in the country’s consumption.
Domestic producers are also saddled with high interest costs, clean energy cess on coal, a fuel in bauxite processing, and high industrial power tariff, which make them less price competitive against imports.
“The high share of imports in domestic consumption is a major concern for the aluminium industry. Primary aluminium sector needs support by way of a minimum import price. In the case of steel industry, for example, where primary steel imports account for just 10-15% of domestic consumption, there is already a minimum import price to support domestic manufacturers," said Abhijit Pati, chief executive officer, aluminium business at Vedanta Aluminium Ltd.
Domestic producers, however, are hopeful of consumption of aluminium increasing in the next few years from industries like automobiles, housing, packaging and power transmission.
Aluminium demand is expected to remain robust on account of rapid urbanization, power sector reforms and the steps taken by the government to boost the industrial production and infrastructure, Hindalco said in its outlook for the sector in its annual report for 2015-16.
According to an industry executive, who asked not to be named, primary aluminium producers have a combined debt of Rs70,000 crore.Reading The Ferengi Programmer by Jeff Atwood really made me quite concerned. Here's clearly an opinion which to me seems not grounded in sustained experience in applying the principles and is likely poor message going out to junior programmers.
In the post the author treats SOLID principles by Bob Martin as a ruleset that programmers apply from time to time. Once you get yourself into that frame of mind it is difficult to then contest the rest of the post. I would want to re-present the same topic with a different frame of mind.
SOLID principles are principles that you learn in your early days as a designer. These are formative stages when you are honing your skills and attempting to review your designs in terms of specific checklists of items to go through as a mechanism of validating your design. But each time you apply them, you internalise a part of them, and soon in 3 or more years of regular application, their application becomes internalised and ingrained. At this stage you might even well forget that they exist, since you apply them subconsciously, day after day, time after time, and sometimes referring back to them only when debating or reviewing your designs with other designers.
The analogy to the painter is in the post referred to : Are You Following the Instructions on the Paint Can? is also quite instructive. The instructions on the paint can are for one time painters, hobbyists, amateurs etc. No experienced painter is likely to be reading them since he's probably internalised them. But each seasoned painter would want every junior painter to learn the instructions and the costs of not following them before stepping up to deciding whether and when not to follow them. He is unlikely to teach a new painter in the making - follow the instructions that make sense.
Sure you do make tradeoffs at times in design. Most people tradeoff guidelines in all spheres. However the keyword is to understand that you are breaking a guideline and then do so explicitly knowing its costs fully well.
My big difficulty with the post is that it is an advice which may do more harm to junior programmers than good. It might encourage them to make tradeoffs before they learn the cost and implications of making the tradeoffs. And it might set themselves away from a path that requires careful and judicious application (which requires a lot of effort in the early days) and helps them internalise the principles.
I would not recommend the post I refer to to any junior and upcoming programmer. My advice is as follows. If you have grown to a stage where you are applying these rules implcitly - don't worry, you have the experience on your side to generally make the right judgement calls and you are likely to anyway apply them under most of the cases. In such a situation, this post and the one it refers to are probably inconsequential to you. If you are at a stage where you still need to review your design with respect to the SOLID principles (or other appropriate design principles) - please take your time to apply the principles, learn if you are breaking them, understand the costs of doing so (I would recommend that involve a senior programmer / designer in the process) and then by all means make the best judgement. Principles distilled over time and experience should be adjusted preferably by those who understand the cost and implications of doing so, the rest should strive to reach that state first.
To clarify, the reason why I upfront made the statement "seems not grounded in sustained experience in applying the principles", is that those who have internalised them hardly every feel the burden (if at all) of applying them, and are unlikely to ever ever treat it as an explicit checklist, and they seem like checklists to those who haven't internalised them. Precisely the audience to whom you want to craft a more careful and nuanced message.ISTOCK, DRA_SCHWARTZUsing CRISPR, researchers have successfully treated congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A (MDC1A), a rare disease that can lead to severe muscle wasting and paralysis, in mice. The team was able to restore muscle function by correcting a splicing site mutation that causes the disorder, according to a study published today (July 17) in Nature Medicine.
“Instead of inserting the corrected piece of information, we used CRISPR to cut DNA in two strategic places,” study coauthor Dwi Kemaladewi, a research fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) in Toronto, explains in a statement. “This tricked the two ends of the gene to come back together and create a normal splice site.”
By targeting both the skeletal muscles and peripheral nerves, the team was able to improve the animals’ motor function and mobility. “This is important because the development of therapeutic strategies for muscular dystrophies have largely focused on improving the muscle conditions,” Kemaladewi says in the release. “Experts know the peripheral nerves are important, but the skeletal muscles have been perceived as the main culprit in MDC1A and have traditionally been the focus of treatment options.”
“The robustness of the correction we see in animal models to me is very encouraging,” Amy Wagers, a biologist at Harvard University who was not involved in this study, tells the Toronto Star.
See “CRISPR Improves Disease in Adult Mice”
Wagers’s group and others have used CRISPR to fix a protein deficiency in adult mice with another rare muscle disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Kemaladewi and colleagues have also tackled this disorder—in a 2015 study, their team used the gene editing tool to remove a duplicated gene and restore protein function in the cells of a patient with DMD.
See “CRISPR Therapy in a Dish”
“For the first time it’s possible to think about—and this is still at the thinking stage, let’s be clear—the possibilities of gene correction in humans with these diseases,” Janet Rossant, a stem cell and developmental biologist at Sick Kids who was not involved in the research, tells the Toronto Star.Eddie Hearn says negotiations for a fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko are ongoing and a date could be confirmed for December Eddie Hearn says negotiations for a fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko are ongoing and a date could be confirmed for December
Eddie Hearn expects to announce Anthony Joshua's next opponent next week - with Wladimir Klitschko the overwhelming favourite to face the Brit.
Hearn has become increasingly optimistic as this week has gone on that he can bring the two fighters together in a contest for Joshua's IBF world heavyweight title.
Speaking in Glasgow ahead of Ricky Burns' WBA world super-lightweight title clash with mandatory challenger Kiryl Relikh, he appeared confident of striking a deal.
Asked when an announcement on Joshua's next opponent can be expected, Hearn told Sky Sports: "Next week, for sure. We're getting close now.
"Obviously a lot's been happening in the heavyweight landscape. We were due to announce our opponent last week.
Hearn says a meeting with Wladimir Klitschko is the fight Joshua wants
"Things have changed, opportunities have arisen and when you're talking about fights of this size, you've got to get everything 100 per cent right.
"We're in a great position right now. Maybe my smile gives things away but, fingers crossed, next week you'll have some news that will blow your mind."
Klitschko is now free to take on Joshua after his rematch with Tyson Fury was called off when Fury was declared medically unfit to fight.
Ever since the cancellation there has been growing hype over a Joshua-Klitschko bout and Hearn added: "It's for sure the favourite right now.
Wladimir Klitschko could face Joshua in December
"One thing's for sure - in Anthony Joshua's mind, in Wladimir Klitschko's mind, I believe both of them are now in the gym every day thinking about that man as their next opponent.
"I think everybody is working together to try and make sure that is the next fight. Of course, there are always some hurdles to overcome.
"But myself and Bernd Boente (Klitschko's promoter) are working together and we really want to get this done. When all parties want to get a deal done, generally it comes together.
"It's certainly not done yet but Anthony Joshua getting Wladimir Klitschko should be the next fight. Fingers crossed we can get there."
Joshua's camp had been working towards his next fight being on November 26 but Hearn concedes that now looks less likely.
He said: "If it's Wladimir Klitschko, there's a very good chance it could be pushed into December.
Fury had been due to fight Klitschko but the contest was called off after the Brit was declared medically unfit
"It's seven weeks tonight until November 26. We're not going to get a deal done until the middle or end of next week.
"Then you're talking about six weeks. This is the biggest fight in the heavyweight division if it can get made. We want to build this up. It feels like it should have a long run."
You can watch England's tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price!Kicking off this week is the 2014 NAB Show, the National Association of Broadcasters’ annual trade show for broadcast content and technology. The NAB Show is often a launch point for new video products and this year is no exception, with AMD using the show to launch their new FirePro W9100.
First announced last month, the FirePro W9100 is AMD’s new flagship FirePro video card. Based on AMD’s Hawaii GPU, the FirePro W9100 is a fairly straightforward update to AMD’s FirePro lineup, bringing with it the various GCN 1.1 feature upgrades along with Hawaii’s stronger overall performance and greatly improved double precision (FP64) performance.
AMD FirePro W Series Specification Comparison AMD FirePro W9100 AMD FirePro W9000 AMD FirePro W8000 AMD FirePro W7000 Stream Processors 2816 2048 1792 1280 Texture Units 176 128 112 80 ROPs 64 32 32 32 Core Clock 930MHz 975MHz 900MHz 950MHz Memory Clock 5GHz GDDR5 5.5GHz GDDR5 5.5GHz GDDR5 4.8GHz GDDR5 Memory Bus Width 512-bit 384-bit 256-bit 256-bit VRAM 16GB 6GB 4GB 4GB Double Precision 1/2 1/4 1/4 1/16 Transistor Count 6.2B 4.31B 4.31B 2.8B TDP 275W 274W 189W <150W Manufacturing Process TSMC 28nm TSMC 28nm TSMC 28nm TSMC 28nm Architecture GCN 1.1 GCN 1.0 GCN 1.0 GCN 1.0 Warranty 3-Year 3-Year 3-Year 3-Year Launch Price $3999 $3999 $1599 $899
At the time of the FirePro W9100 announcement AMD did not announce the complete specifications or the price, but with today’s launch we finally have that information in hand. As expected, the W9100 will be utilizing a full-fledged Hawaii GPU, meaning all 2816 SPs and 64 ROPs are active. AMD will be clocking the card at 930Mhz, a slightly more conservative clockspeed than their consumer parts, but par for the course for these workstation parts. The tradeoff being that AMD will be able to ship it with a typical board power of just 275W, virtually unchanged from the 274W rating for the FirePro W9000.
From a raw specification standpoint AMD is going to be pushing memory bandwidth and memory capacity, and for good reason. The W9100 is outfit with 16GB of memory and will be utilizing Hawaii’s full 512-bit memory bus, giving it more RAM than any prior workstation card and 320GB/sec of memory bandwidth to access that RAM through. Meanwhile on a technical note, from the product details we’ve seen it looks like AMD is using 8Gb GDDR5 memory chips, which would mean the W9100 will be in a 16x8Gb memory configuration.
Also confirmed with today’s launch is W9100’s double precision floating point performance. We had earlier speculated based on AMD’s generalized double precision performance numbers that an unrestricted Hawaii GPU was capable of ½ speed double precision performance, and AMD has since confirmed that. This puts W9100 at 5.24 TFLOPS of single precision performance and 2.62 TFLOPS of double precision performance, making it the first workstation card to offer more than 2 TFLOPS of double precision performance.
Meanwhile as for pricing, AMD has set the MSRP on the W9100 at $3999. Unsurprisingly this is the same price as the W9000 when it launched roughly a year and a half ago, making the W9100 the W9000's replacement in every sense of the word. This also happens to continue the trend of AMD significantly undercutting NVIDIA’s workstation card prices, with the W9100 coming in roughly $1000 below the price of the Quadro K6000.
Wrapping things up, as we mentioned back in our initial look at AMD’s announcement, expect to see AMD heavily push the W9100 on the basis of its memory and compute performance alongside its graphics performance. While traditional graphics-heavy professional applications (e.g. AutoCAD) are still as power hungry as ever, the amount of compute work being generated by these programs is increasing. This goes for both programs using compute in a more straightforward way, and programs leveraging compute for graphics related tasks such as video encoding and image processing. For both of these tasks AMD is banking on their 16GB of VRAM giving them a performance advantage due to the larger working sets such a large memory configuration can hold, in turn allowing them to better utilize the full compute capabilities of the Hawaii GPU. Which on that note, AMD OpenCL users will be happy to hear that AMD has set a release window of Q4 for their OpenCL 2.0 driver for FirePro, a long-awaited release that among other things will introduce dynamic parallelism into OpenCL.The Stack Archive
Uber absolves itself of Delhi rape driver responsibility
Tue 7 Apr 2015
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$40 billion online taxi behemoth Uber has asked a U.S. court to dismiss the lawsuit pertaining to the rape of one of its passengers in Delhi last December. Late yesterday the San Francisco-based tax-ordering company, which seems to wreathe itself in fresh controversy on a weekly basis as it seeks new inroads into untapped global urban markets, submitted a new request in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California is Doe vs. Uber Technologies Inc. claiming that the victim has no right to hold Uber accountable for the incident. The filing reads in part:
“While Plaintiff undoubtedly can state a claim against her alleged assailant, she cannot state a claim against Uber U.S., which is the wrong party. Nor does California law govern a dispute involving an alleged wrong committed by one Indian citizen against another Indian citizen, in India,”
The accused, 32-year-old Shiv Kumar Yadav, had been implicated in three other rape cases prior to the alleged incident last year, and later was reported to have confessed to police during his detention that he had raped many women in the same cab in the months leading up to the alleged assault against a 27-year-old female executive in the Indian capital. Additionally he was previously charged with arson and arrested for carrying illegal weapons.
The request follows news that rape charges have been dropped in the case of a Chicago Uber driver alleged to have raped a female passenger later last December, in the light of new evidence presented to Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Another case of Chicago Uber rape allegedly took place in January, and is still ongoing.
When news of the Delhi rape incident broke Uber was widely criticised for having failed to perform adequate background checks on Yadav, and for inadequate response to a complaint by another female passenger in the week prior to the incident.
Part of Yadav’s vetting by Uber involved the presentation of a character certificate from the Delhi police, which they later disclaimed as ‘fake’, but which does raise the complicated question of accountability for a U.S. company providing a trust-intensive service within a dense urban centre known for questionable legal and civic practices.
Opinion To the casual observer the request by Uber to absolve itself of responsibility for the alleged incident is at best callous, and seems inappropriately analogous to the ‘safe harbour’ provision frequently afforded to other digital entities in the legal arena, such as ISPs or search engine providers, who may facilitate illegal activity simply by providing a service which can as easily be used by criminals as anyone else. The dismissal request sends a tacit message to Uber’s female passengers, many of whom are likely to use taxi services precisely to avoid dangerous or compromising situations in off-hours: “You’re on your own, sister”. It seems that the request is likely to be damaging to Uber whether it is granted or not.
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Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.A few months later, I did a scene with P for an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “The Layover” in which he told everyone on camera that he loved reading Popular Science while he was locked up and that his favorite dish was Mongolian beef from the P. F. Chang’s chain. It wasn’t that P didn’t understand the expectations of foodies watching the show; he was going to show love to the cultural artifacts that held him down regardless of what anyone else thought.
About a year later, P pulled up to my 30th-birthday party, stood on a couch and performed his classic, “Shook Ones,” screaming, “Ayo E, spark the Philly!” My friend Steven Lau actually teared up that night, telling me: “You made it, man. P remixed ‘Shook Ones’ for your birthday.”
P didn’t have to do any of it. That’s just what he was like.
When we’re kids, our favorites are usually whatever is most popular. Why else are so many children wearing hideous “Chef” Curry Under Armour sneakers? We fiend for influences, emulate them and would do anything to hurry up and be adults. In adolescence we’re mature enough to see through the lies and determine who’s real and who’s not. We resist “store-bought rap” and prefer the “insane man who strike back,” as Prodigy put it. We start to wonder why we’re all here watching as the world slowly turns on itself. When I felt that way, it was “Losin’ Weight” by Cam’ron, featuring Prodigy, that picked me up. It became one of my favorites.
Why I feel like I’m losin’ weight?
Why I got no money, if I’m movin’ weight?
Why my life based upon what I’mma do today
Why I can’t move away
Thirteen years later, the dedication quote for my first book came from that song. The quote for my next book was from P, too: “Now take these words home and think it through or the next rhyme I write might be about you.”
The older we get, the less we want to admit our influences. Credit gets buried. The narrative changes from one about a man raised by a village to one about a man who rose out of the water, a self-made island, and doesn’t want to pay taxes. But you never forget your favorites — the people who revealed something to you, the ones who gave you a piece of themselves, and through that revelation got you closer to the meaning of your own life.
Rap music raised me, despite the haters that have questioned its ability to inform me in an authentic manner because of my skin color or their skin color, or my time spent in Orlando, Fla., or P’s time in the Queensbridge projects of New York.Bred to Fight
Arcade gaming has come a long way since its glory days – an era woven into the fabric of gaming history as one that paved the way for innovation, and also one that brought us bittersweet nostalgia. Hours spent at the arcade honed the gamer in you; for every coin you inserted, every combo you executed, every hit you took, and every ultra you unleashed in return – you became a better player. And this is the approach we took when designing the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One.
The original Razer Atrox arcade stick for the Xbox 360® was built on years upon years of collective gaming experience from pro gamers and the Razer community alike, and was engineered and refined to perfection through countless prototypes via an extensive beta testing phase. The All-new Razer Atrox arcade stick for Xbox One follows to same principle and has been crafted to allow the same advanced modification that gamers and modders have come to love over the years. With internals and storage easily accessible at the touch of a button, the joystick, all 10 buttons and the top panel are fully interchangeable for full customizability.
Featuring genuine Sanwa™ hardware and an ergonomically authentic arcade layout, the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One represents the pinnacle of precision and reliability and is the definitive arcade stick for tournament-grade gaming. Forged from the fires of an arcade gaming legacy, the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One is, in the most primeval sense, Bred to Fight.On first impression, it’s been a torrid summer for Roma. After the Giallorossi were unable to afford Lucas Digne, new arrival Mario Rui tore his anterior cruciate ligament almost as soon as he’d signed his contract, confirming Roma’s reputation as a Bermuda Triangle for defenders. Antonio Rudiger himself also tore his ACL this spring, Leandro Castan nearly died two years ago, whilst both Douglas Maicon and Dodo were jabbed with a scalpel far more than they were ever kicked by opponents in their time at the Olimpico.
The other item was Miralem Pjanic’s €32 million sale to hated rivals Juventus, which sent the Roma faithful round the bend, especially when no big buys have come through the door to make up for it.
Amidst all the chaos, however, Pjanic immediately defended himself from the furious Capitoline backlash, claiming that “Roma sold me in fifteen minutes... they called Juve, they need money”.
Come to think of it, the Giallorossi have had to part with someone talented at least every summer, whether it was Mehdi Benatia in 2014 (€28m), Marquinhos and Lamela in 2013 (a combined €61m) or even Gervinho last season (€18m). Despite that, they posted losses of at least €30m every season from 2009-10 to 2013-14, and had to shell out €23m more this summer to buy out the contracts of Antonio Rudiger, Edin Dzeko, Stephan El Shaarawy… and Norbert Gyomber.
Even selling Andrea Bertolacci and Alessio Romagnoli last season for a total of €45 million still saw Roma post losses of €41m for the 2014-2015 season.
But what does this tell us about this year? Would it be logical to expect the so-called “same old Roma” for this season?
Well, yes and no. One of the reasons behind the hiring of Luciano Spalletti could well have been that he had previously taken the Giallorossi to two second places on a shoestring budget, in which he was able to make Max Tonetto and Marco Cassetti look passable. Allowed to buy in January, his picks of El Shaarawy and Diego Perotti have panned out so far. Since the Tuscan returned, Roma have averaged an astounding 2.42 points per game in Serie A play.
It says a lot that after landing a marquee signing nearly every summer, Roma have been quiet this time round. Financial considerations aside, they haven’t really been linked to any big buys. It could be that they’re happy with what they have.
The hope, then, is that the Lupa can make Federico Fazio and Juan Jesus work (just about), buy another full-back and make do until Rudiger gets better.
The problem? Juventus averaged 2.73 points in that period, and that was before they went on the rampage this summer, signing Gonzalo Higuain, Medhi Benatia, Marko Pjaca… and Pjanic himself. The thing is, at this moment in time, competing with that juggernaut of a squad doesn’t look like a particularly feasible mission - though with a maverick like Spalletti, one never knows.
Even if the Giallorossi were to fall short of their Scudetto aspirations, however, there is a silver lining: Napoli and Fiorentina are weakened, leaving a Top 3 finish rather likely, unless the team implodes.
Moreover, Roma are fighting on multiple fronts, including the Champions League. Arguably their best stint among Europe’s elite came in 2006-2007, even with their 8-1 elimination at the hands of Manchester United. If the Giallorossi could frighten Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last year, they could really go somewhere this year, even a quarter-final berth sending a message that Roma are back.
Just after selling Pjanic, owner James Pallotta himself discussed his club’s financial quagmire by lamenting the stadium situation, revealing that Juventus “have more revenue than us, they can spend more money than us…” recently. If the Giallorossi can finally set things in motion, they will look back at the last few years as a step in the right direction.
One major question mark remains: though director of sport Walter Sabatini has rightly come under fire for some of his buys (Juan Iturbe, anyone?), he’s made virtue out of necessity so far in his tenure. But has he gone too far? Was it really necessary to get rid of promising players like Tonny Sanabria (couldn’t they loan him again, or sell the scorer of eleven Liga goals for more?), even with Juan Iturbe’s return?
Remember when the Giallorossi looked exhausted under Rudi Garcia last season, or when they racked up a league-fourth 140 absences through injury in 2015-2016? Having done even worse the previous season, wouldn’t it be best for them to keep a big group so they can fight on multiple fronts?Women aren't benefiting as much as men from participating in vocational education programs, a new study reveals. (Getty Images)
Efforts abound at the federal, state and local levels to renew interest in vocational education and apprenticeship programs as a way to help fill the skills gap.
However, new research out of Cornell University shows that such programs, while connecting employers with the skilled employees they need, are largely leaving women out of the picture.
Vocational high school training in working class communities reduced both men’s and women’s odds of enrolling in a four-year college, researchers found. And to be sure, the aim of such career and technical programs is to get students the skills they need to enter the workforce to fill in-demand jobs as quickly as possible -- many students who take such courses either go straight into the workforce or enroll in an apprenticeship or some type of professional certificate program.
But career and technical high school courses, they discovered, led to different outcomes for men and women when they looked for jobs.
Men not only enrolled vocational high school programs in greater numbers, but they also had higher rates of employment and earned comparable wages relative to men who attended high school in non-blue-collar communities.
In contrast, women who attended high school in working class communities were less likely to be employed at all and less likely to work in professional occupations when they were employed. They also earned far less than their female counterparts from non-blue-collar communities.
“This curricular tradeoff did not penalize men in the labor market, at least in early adulthood, but it restricted women’s opportunities to get good jobs,” said April Sutton, a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University’s Population Center and lead author of the study.
Moreover, even the women who did obtain high-skilled jobs often found themselves still unable to nab the good paying positions. Among high school graduates ages 25-28 in such jobs, the hourly gender wage gap was 22 percent, with women making 78 cents for every dollar men make.
“The disparity is striking for a millennial cohort of women for whom the pay gap has substantially narrowed on average,” Sutton said.
The researchers used data from a longitudinal education study from 2002 designed by the National Center for Education Statistics that included a nationally representative study of high school sophomores. The cohort was tracked through early adulthood with follow-up surveys conducted in 2004, 2006 and 2012.
The research couldn’t be timelier.
A bipartisan group of House members introduced a bill Tuesday to update the long overdue career and technical education law, which provides federal support to state and local career and technical education programs so students can gain experience in high-skill, in-demand fields.
The law has not been updated in more than a decade – a time during which the U.S. economy has undergone a sea change – and there is broad push from both sides of aisle and in both chambers to not only bring it into current times, but also to make it more flexible for states to shift how they use funds to respond to changing economic needs.
Indeed, one of the most pressing issues facing many career and technical programs is their lack of capacity.
Philadelphia's public school system, for example, reported that it received 11,000 applications for its career and technical education programs in 2014, but only had room and resources for 2,500. And the waitlist for such programs in Massachusetts is 4,600 students deep.
“The importance of career and technical education has grown exponentially across the country,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., and co-author of the legislation. “This well-engineered and robust reauthorization aims to close our nation’s skills gap by creating clear pathways to education and training for students eager to pursue careers in vital technical fields.”
The bill includes provisions to ensure all students, including historically disadvantaged and vulnerable students, have access to such programs. But the language stops short of specifically singling out access for female students.
The White House has been particularly focused on this issue as well. For the past three years, President Barack Obama has used his State of the Union address to tout the potential benefits of apprenticeship programs, especially when it comes to filling the roughly 5 million job openings in the U.S. and putting a dent in the skills gap. He's also called for a doubling in the number of apprenticeships over the next five years, and made repeated attempts to increase federal funding for apprenticeship programs in his budget proposals.
Those efforts, however, have largely fallen on deaf ears, in part because of the hard-to-shed stereotype that technical education amounts to shop class for students who aren't very bright.
And while there has been lots of energy and political capital spent on increasing access to science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, for girls at both at the federal, state and local levels, the question of what options they’re left with upon completing career and technical education programs has largely been overlooked.
It raises questions, Cornell’s Sutton said, “about how high school training for these male-dominated, local jobs would negatively impact gender inequality, and it emphasizes the importance of considering gender in debates about the best type of high school training to succeed in today’s economy.”Anonymous hacks BART after wireless shutdown; protests planned for Monday
Anonymous has delivered on earlier threats to hack BART after the San Francisco Bay Area transit entity "pulled a Mubarak." Wireless data service was killed in some stations last week, after BART supervisors got word that protesters were planning demonstrations within the train system. Those demonstrations were to protest the recent killing of a homeless man by a BART officer, and the 2009 fatal shooting by another BART officer of an unarmed passenger.
Today's Anonymous hack included the release of names, passwords, and other personal data stored for users of the marketing site MyBart.org. And this is the database leak. I post the link because some Boing Boing readers are no doubt regular users of the system, and may wish to know if their information was compromised. BART infosec critics are asking why such data was stored in plain text on public-facing servers in the first place.
Californiaavoid.org, a DUI site, was also defaced (screengrab above).
Anonymous has announced plans for a new protest Monday at 5pm at the San Francisco Civic Center station, as well as continued online attacks. This Twitter account seems to be one of the more reliable sources for plans. Meanwhile, BART has called in the feds.
Coverage I've been reading around the web: CNET, SF Gate, SF Examiner, CNN, Oaklandlocal.com |
.[citation needed]
The Legion's name is based on a fan organization of the same name; their inclusion in the official continuity was based on the worldwide organization's dedication to Star Wars fandom.[12]
Specialists [ edit ]
Within the original Star Wars trilogy, several types of "military occupation specialist" stormtrooper units are seen. These include:
Imperial variants [ edit ]
First Order variants [ edit ]
Flametroopers advance in conjunction with standard First Order infantry. These specialized units flush out entrenched enemies with roaring sheets of flame from their flamethrowers. They wear backpack-style propellant tanks, special helmets with slit-like lenses that reduce glare, and temperature-control body gloves beneath their armor. [16]
advance in conjunction with standard First Order infantry. These specialized units flush out entrenched enemies with roaring sheets of flame from their flamethrowers. They wear backpack-style propellant tanks, special helmets with slit-like lenses that reduce glare, and temperature-control body gloves beneath their armor. Riot Control Stormtroopers in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), specialize in riot control and use non-lethal betaplast shields and Z6 batons. [17] [18] [19]
in (2015), specialize in riot control and use non-lethal betaplast shields and Z6 batons. Snowtroopers are assigned to frigid planets. They wear specialized armor and gear that let them operate effectively in icy conditions. Snowtroopers carry a backpack-style personal environment unit and wear insulated helmets with glare-reducing slit lenses, gloves, a kama, and a heat-resistant body glove beneath an oversuit of wind-resistant fabric. Snowtrooper teams scouted the planet that once housed Starkiller Base, eliminating native life forms that posed a potential threat. [20]
are assigned to frigid planets. They wear specialized armor and gear that let them operate effectively in icy conditions. Snowtroopers carry a backpack-style personal environment unit and wear insulated helmets with glare-reducing slit lenses, gloves, a kama, and a heat-resistant body glove beneath an oversuit of wind-resistant fabric. Snowtrooper teams scouted the planet that once housed Starkiller Base, eliminating native life forms that posed a potential threat. Stormtrooper Executioners are a branch of specialists specifically founded to dispense final justice toward Stormtroopers who are found guilty of treason.[21]
Performers [ edit ]
While stormtrooper performers like Michael Leader (Episode IV),[22] Laurie Goode (Episode IV),[22] Peter Diamond (Episode IV-VI), Stephen Bayley (Episode IV), and Bill Weston (Episode IV) have generally been uncredited in the film series,[citation needed] there have been a few exceptions.
In Attack of the Clones (2002), Temuera Morrison plays bounty hunter Jango Fett and his multitude of clones, who are the first army of clone troopers.[3]
In The Force Awakens (2015), John Boyega stars as Finn, the former Stormtrooper FN-2187 who defects from the First Order and joins the Resistance,[23] and Gwendoline Christie portrays Captain Phasma, commander of the First Order's stormtroopers.[24] Daniel Craig has a small uncredited role as a stormtrooper whom Rey compels using the Jedi mind trick to let her escape from captivity,[25][26][27] and director J. J. Abrams also cast Alias and Lost composer Michael Giacchino as FN-3181, and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich as FN-9330.[25] A riot control stormtrooper who calls Finn a traitor during the battle on Takodana, portrayed by stunt performer Liang Yang and voiced by sound editor David Acord, is identified as FN-2199 in the anthology book Star Wars: Before the Awakening (2015) by Greg Rucka.[17][18] The trooper, armed with a "Z6 baton" and dubbed "TR-8R" by fans, quickly inspired multiple memes and fan art.[17][28][29] Actor/director Kevin Smith also voiced a stormtrooper in the Takodana sequence.[30]
In Star Wars Rebels, different voice actors have provided the voices of the stormtroopers, including David Acord, Dee Bradley Baker, Steven Blum, Clancy Brown, Robin Atkin Downes, Greg Ellis, Dave Fennoy, Dave Filoni, Tom Kane, Andrew Kishino, Phil LaMarr, Liam O'Brien, Freddie Prinze, Jr., André Sogliuzzo, Stephen Stanton, Greg Weisman, Gary Anthony Williams, and Matthew Wood.[31]
In Ralph Breaks the Internet, the Stormtroopers in the "Oh My Disney" website are voiced by Jesse Averna, Kevin Deters, Jeremy Milton, and Rich Moore.[32]
Cultural impact [ edit ]
Stormtroopers have become cultural icons, and a widely recognized element of the Star Wars franchise.[33] In 2015, an Imperial stormtrooper helmet from The Empire Strikes Back that was expected to sell at auction for $92,000[34] actually sold for $120,000.[35]
Gallery [ edit ]
Snowtrooper (Long Beach Comic & Horror Con 2011)
Sandtrooper ( Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015)
Scout Trooper (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo/C2E2 2014)
Endor Imperial Stormtrooper's costume and blaster from Episode VI
First Order Stormtrooper's costume from Episode VII
First Order Snowtrooper's costume from Episode VII
See also [ edit ]This article is over 4 years old
Study’s finding challenges the belief that money spent on plants in an office environment is money wasted
The office pot plant has often been criticised as a symbol of corporate or government waste. Taxpayer, ratepayer and shareholder-funded foliage has regularly been stripped from offices by efficiency or cost-cutting crusaders.
But that might be short-term thinking, as leafy-green offices enriched with plants can boost productivity by 15%, according to Alex Haslam of University of Queensland’s School of Psychology.
An international study assesses the long-term impacts of plants in an office environment and the findings challenge the belief that money spent on plants is money wasted.
Prof Haslam, a co-author, said the research team examined the impact of “lean” versus “green” office space on employees from two large commercial offices in the UK and the Netherlands.
Their results challenge modern business philosophies that suggest a lean office is a more productive one, Haslam said.
“Modern offices and desks have been stripped back to create sparse spaces – our findings question this widespread theory that less is more – sometimes less is just less,” he said.
He said that investing in office landscaping may pay off through an increase in office workers’ quality of life and productivity.
“Lean, it appears, is meaner than green, not only because it is less pleasant but also because it is less productive,” concludes the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.Rocks at Treasure Island Florida
Hello My followers,
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, We most certainly did. We took a trip to the beach, went to a concert, took some photos of Lydia’s jewellery, went to a park, drank tea and generally relaxed all weekend.
Which reminds me, I'm supposed to be updating this page most days, but I have to admit, I was feeling a little lazy coming out of this weekend, so today I present you all with some photographs of treasure island. Treasure Island is an interesting place. In 1950 there were a whole 75 people living on the island and then by 1960 the population exploded by, get this, 4,574%. The island was named treasure island by European immigrants who, trying to lure in new neighbours, began claiming they had found chests full of treasure all over the island. Today about 7,000 people live on the island which sits a whole 3 feet above sea level. Which brings up an interesting fact. The island was chopped in two by a strong hurricane in 1848. That is not exactly confidence inspiring if you ask me, but humans are foolhardy creatures that will live where the beauty is. The island was originally inhabited by the Tocobaga from as early as 300 B.C.E. Sadly they were wiped out by a conquistador name Pánfilo de Narváez. They never recovered and the Tocobaga appear to no longer exist.
Today's mission (number 1) should you choose to accept it, is to visit a local beach and capture a photo of the most interesting thing you see, then post it as a comment below.
As always, the two original photos with the most likes at the end of the week will be featured here on Saturday and Sunday for everyone to enjoy.
Be sure to check out @localbeautytampabay on Instagram, from time to time we will post our B-roll pictures for your enjoyment.
www.instagram.com/localbeautytampabay/
Don't forget to take more water than you think you will need on your photo hike!
XoXo
#history #beach #playa #conquistador #tocobaga #florida #treasure #island #hurricane #landscape #hdr #panorama #photography #contrast #water #ocean #bay #tampa #shore #tide #memorial #day #weekend #travel #picoftheday #paradise #vacation #staycation #walk #outdoors #nature #natural #Sunshine #Original #AllNatural
Rocks at Treasure Island Florida [OC] [2048x1536] [lg V20]
flic.kr/p/Vhxb7C
Rocks at Treasure Island Florida [OC] [2048x1536] [lg V20]
flic.kr/p/UKXwrY
Treasure Island Florida [OC] [2048x1536] [lg V20]
flic.kr/p/VfLHqe
DoneNational press coverage in the newspaper ‘Metro’ this morning has confirmed that the Resort’s new £18 million roller coaster for 2013 will be named The Smiler.
The name, which had been rumoured since the appearance of a trademark back in November, adds to the creepy smiling theme that was first used in The Sanctuary during the 2012 Scarefest event.
Further evidence of the name was discovered yesterday when it featured on updated posters which we revealed were found outside Shepherds Bush Market tube station in London.
Previously codenamed Secret Weapon Seven (SW7), the announcement of the name rounds off a week of feverish speculation around the enthusiast community. National press coverage kicked off earlier in the week with quirky ‘creepysheep’ campaign. Sheep were marked around the country with the ride’s smiling logo, with paper’s reporting no one had any idea on how they got there or why.
Later in the week, a number of mysterious images were posted on the official Alton Towers Twitter over the course of Friday and Saturday, one of which seemed to say ‘The Inoculator’ causing some to believe this was the name of the ride.
As well as the images, a video was posted to the Resort’s Youtube channel summarising the sites where the attraction’s smiling logo had been featured on train station barriers, on posters around the country and projected onto buildings around London.
The Metro article also includes an image showing the “Staffordshire Knot” element of the roller coaster, which at present is covered in snow due to the recent wintry weather across the UK.
The Smiler has been in development for a number of years, and was first mentioned back in an event after TH13TEEN (SW6) opened back in 2010. Since then, there had been a lot of speculation from around the internet about what the next major attraction from Alton Towers Resort would be. With planning documents being made available in late 2011 and construction taking place throughout much of 2012 the end is now almost in sight as the opening date of the roller coaster quickly approaches.
If you want more information about The Smiler, you can view it over at our brand new page dedicated to the attraction at TowersStreet.com/The-Smiler
One thing is for sure, just like the ride itself, there’s definitely plenty of twists and turns in the build up to opening day. Here on TowersStreet, we can’t wait to bring you the latest news on the final stages of this very exciting project here on our site and over on our Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also get involved over at our forums where we have some dedicated The Smiler topics for you to get your teeth into.A US federal appeals court has given the green light for warrantless wiretapping. That means federal government can now spy on communications between America citizens without any warrants—and without fear of being sued, either.
The ruling came Tuesday, Wired reports, in the process reversing the original ruling from the first and only case to successfully challenge the Terrorist Surveillance Program. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote:
"This case effectively brings to an end the plaintiffs' ongoing attempts to hold the executive branch responsible for intercepting telephone conversations without judicial authorization."
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The case centered around two American attorneys who struggled—but managed—to prove they were spied on without warrants. The court ruled that the pair could "bring a suit for damages against the United States for use of the collected information" but are unable to "bring suit against the government for collection of the information itself." Speaking to Wired, Jon Eisenberg, the lawyer working on behalf of the two attorneys, explained:
"This case was the only chance to litigate and hold anybody accountable for the warrantless wiretapping program. As illegal as it was, it evaded accountability."
All of which means that, from today, federal government can happily spy on anybody's communications without warrants or fear of the consequences. But we didn't tell you that. [Wired]
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Image by Tischenko Irina/ShutterstockDo you feel the Need for Speed? Electronic Arts is certainly hoping so, as the publisher announced plans for a series "reboot" (what does that mean for a racing game?) with a freshly released trailer.
There's a distinctly Need for Speed: Undercover (2008) vibe in this all-too-brief trailer, which, it's worth pointing out, is culled entirely from in-game footage. The short chase sequence ends with a note that points to a bigger reveal on June 15, the same day as EA's E3 press conference.
The Need for Speed series took some time off last year after 2013's Need for Speed: Rivals launched alongside the then-new PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles. The game was well-received, but the hiatus in 2014 gave developer Ghost Games some extra time to get the hang of building for the new hardware.
There's no word yet on what to expect from the next Need for Speed. EA's announcement promises a return to familiar elements of the series, including car customization and story-driven gameplay, but that's the extent of it.
Stay tuned for more details on June 15 when EA brings its current lineup to E3 2015.Transgressions by the Israeli army in the occupied Palestinian territories will be disclosed by a group of former soldiers in an internet campaign aimed at raising public awareness of military violations.
Video testimonies by around two dozen ex-soldiers - some of whom are identifying themselves for the first time - will be posted on YouTube. The campaign by Breaking the Silence, an organisation of former soldiers committed to speaking out on military practices, launches with English subtitles on Monday.
Some of the former soldiers describe the "neighbour procedure", a term for the use of Palestinian civilians, often children, as human shields to protect soldiers from suspected booby traps or attacks by militants. The procedure was ruled illegal by Israel's high court in 2005.
Others speak of routine harassment of civilians at checkpoints, arbitrary intimidation and collective punishment.
Idan Barir, who served in the artillery corps, describes in his testimony how an officer forced Palestinian civilians to crawl in a "race" towards a checkpoint near Jenin in the West Bank during the 2000 olive harvest. Only the first three out of "teams" of eight were allowed to pass.
Another, Itamar Schwarz, says Palestinian homes were routinely ransacked in search operations. He describes the day of the World Cup final in 2002, when soldiers confined a Palestinian woman and child in the kitchen of their home for two hours while the unit watched the game in the middle of an operation.
Arnon Degani, who served in the Golani brigade, describes the distress of a young woman who tearfully pleaded to be allowed to pass through a Jenin checkpoint in order to sit an important exam. He gradually came to understand, he says, that the Israeli army's intention was "to enforce tyranny on people who you know are regular civilians" and to "make it clear who's in control here".
"Part of the silence of Israeli society is to believe these are isolated and exceptional incidents. But these are the most routine, day-to-day, banal stories," said Yehuda Shaul, of Breaking the Silence.
Identification of the ex-soldiers willing to speak out was important, he said, "so that Israelis understand that there are people behind these stories, that in a sense we're all involved".
The former soldiers were aware of the potential legal and social consequences of going public, Shaul added. "They understand that they risk being prosecuted for what they're saying. But they're doing it because it needs to be done."
Since Breaking the Silence was launched in 2004, it has met with a hostile response from Israel's political and military establishment, partly targeting the anonymity of some witnesses. There have been attempts to discredit supporters and block funding, and its leaders have been subject to interrogation. Censure increased after it published testimony by soldiers who took part in the war on Gaza in 2008-09.
Schwarz, 29, who served in the Nahal infantry brigade between 2000 and 2003, told the Guardian that he had gone public with his testimony "because to me it's important that Israeli society is exposed to the moral price and moral experience that an Israeli soldier goes through in armed service".
The events he describes are "things that are really little, but they tell you the big picture of the occupation".
He said his army experience was "like a scar, I carry it with me. We have to talk about it, to put it out to the world. Only then can a society deal with the moral price."
The Israeli Defence Forces said: "The allegations made by Breaking the Silence are unfamiliar to us. The organisation has been informed, on numerous occasions, of the option of filing specific complaints including personal testimonies and other evidence through the appropriate channels. This is to ensure that their allegations are subjected to a thorough and proper legal investigation. To date the organisation has refused to provide substantiated allegations, making it impossible to properly examine their claims."Here's one question – directed at Mitt Romney – that begs to be asked at Wednesday's first presidential debate in Denver, a demographically changing metropolis where more than 30% of the population is Hispanic:
"Poll after poll shows that you're way behind in attracting the support of Latinos, for whom immigration is a deeply personal issue. Latino voters are a critical voting bloc, especially in swing states such as North Carolina, Florida, and Colorado. If elected president, how will you make sure that you do not alienate the country's largest minority group?"
However substantive his response, Romney should at least refrain from calling people "illegal aliens".
Language matters, particularly regarding a combustible issue in which an action (illegal immigration) has long been conflated with a group of people ("illegals"). Actions are illegal, never people. Yet, when it comes to illegal immigration, a pejorative and dehumanizing term is casually used to inflame and isolate. "Illegal" oversimplifies and politicizes a complex issue that is wholly integrated in American life.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, at least 17 million people are living legally in the US but belong in households with at least one undocumented immigrant. In other words, that "illegal immigrant" is a parent, a sister, or a cousin of a US citizen.
Romney is far from alone in broadly describing immigrants as "illegal" – many politicians, not to mention most in the mainstream media, including the New York Times, still use the term – but compared to President Obama, the difference is striking. In interviews, speeches, and on his campaign website, Obama almost always uses the more neutral term "undocumented immigrant".
This past summer, while announcing his plan to halt the deportation of undocumented youth and grant them a temporary reprieve via deferred action, Obama spoke of young people who are "Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper."
Contrast that with Romney who, since his first White House run five years ago, has interchangeably used "illegals", "illegal aliens", and "illegal immigrants". This is not purely semantic: Romney's choice of words and terms go in hand-in-hand with his policies. In November 2007, I sat in the press room during a CNN/YouTube Republican debate in St Petersburg, cowering in my seat when reporters spoke of "illegal immigrants" when the topic of illegal immigration came up. Publicly, I was a reporter for the Washington Post covering my first presidential campaign; privately, I was an undocumented immigrant with no valid green card who lived in fear of being found out.
Answering a question on illegal immigration, Romney, in an effort to out-right the other candidates, was quick to burnish his conservative credentials:
"Let me tell you what I did as governor. I said no to driver's licenses for illegals. I said, number two, we're going to make sure that those that come here don't get a tuition break in our schools, which I disagree with other folks on that one. Number three, I applied to have our state police enforce the immigration laws in May, seven months before I was out of office."
That answer flashed in my mind as I recently listened to Romney explain his immigration policies to viewers of Univision, the influential Spanish-language television network. Since coming out about my status last year, I've been trying to elevate how we talk about immigration in America as an openly undocumented journalist. I snagged a seat courtesy of Univision, which hosted the forum, and sat among a decidedly older and enthusiastic crowd, who I later learned was bussed in after the Romney campaign failed to attract enough young supporters to fill the University of Miami's BankUnited Center.
It was bad enough that Romney kept dodging a question on whether he would keep deferred action if elected president. Worse, in front of a largely Hispanic audience, just two weeks ago, the Republican candidate referred to undocumented youth as "illegal aliens".
When it comes to immigration, Romney has been on the wrong side of history – in words and in actions.
As his path to victory grows narrower, Romney is trying, without much success, to backtrack on some of his most extreme positions on immigration, an issue that is, arguably, second only to the economy among the country's growing Latino population. During the Republican primary, Romney promoted the unrealistic concept of "self-deportation" and strenuously opposed the Dream Act, but now promises comprehensive immigration reform if he reaches the White House. For months, Romney failed to answer if he would deport undocumented youth, but now says he would let them stay.
Flip-flopping aside, Romney has effectively erased whatever inroads the GOP made with Latinos under President Bush, a former governor of a border state who spoke compassionately about immigration. In 2004, capturing almost 45% of the Latino electorate was crucial to Bush's re-election. Romney will be lucky if he captures more than 30% on 6 November, particularly in swing states where Latino and other immigrant voters – first generation and naturalized Americans – could hold the deciding vote.
Figures from the non-partisan research group Immigration Policy Center (IPC) provide critical context in this regard. In Colorado, Latino and Asian voters made up a combined 10% of the voters in 2008 – some 243,000 people. That total, according to IPC, exceeded the margin of victory for Obama, who won Colorado by 214,000 votes. The same goes for Florida, an eternal battleground state. The combined total of the rising Latino and Asian vote in the Sunshine State (about 1.3 million) is way beyond Obama's margin of victory there in 2008 (236,450).
And the evolving story out of North Carolina, an emerging swing state, is especially revealing – and perhaps prescient. Though Latino and Asian voters comprised less than 3% of total voters in 2008 – 77,000 Latino voters and 43,000 Asian voters – that total far exceeds the margin of victory: Obama won the Tar Heel State by less than 15,000 votes. Polls show that Obama and Romney are in a tight race for the state's 15 electoral votes. Each vote will count, including first-time voters like 20-year-old Diego Camposeco.
Camposeco was born and raised in the small town of Burgaw, just outside Wilmington. He is the eldest of three children, all of whom are American citizens. A sophomore at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, he's majoring in journalism and art, and tells me that he pays close attention to news and politics – how Romney calls people "illegal aliens" and how the New York Times and the Charlotte Observer, the most influential paper in his home state, both use "illegal immigrants". Camposeco's parents, who crossed the Mexican border before he was born, do not have papers. An estimated 4.5 million US citizens have at least one undocumented parent.
"When the New York Times or NPR or other news organizations refer to people as 'illegal,' that's my mom, that's my dad you're talking about," Camposeco told me on the phone. He said he has other friends who are first-time voters whose parents are also undocumented. They plan to vote Obama. Though Obama has deported a record number of undocumented immigrants, he's a far better alternative than Romney, Camposeco said.
"When Romney says 'illegal' this, 'illegal' that, that's personal to me. That's my family you're talking about." Which begs two more questions.
First, when Margaret Sullivan, the public editor of the New York Times, writes that "Readers Won't Benefit if Times Bans the Term 'Illegal Immigrant'", which readers are she referring to? Clearly, not readers such as Camposeco, who finds the term offensive and degrading.
Second, when Romney interchangeably speaks of "illegals" and "illegal aliens", is he alienating an entire generation of young Hispanic and Asian voters – the very same voters at whom Peggy Noonan, the conservative columnist, marveled as she visited downtown Brooklyn "full of new Americans"?Brendan Rodgers has decided against a remarkable return to Liverpool for Michael Owen despite a striker shortage that prompted John W Henry, the club's principal owner, to write an open letter to supporters that appears to condemn the manager's pursuit of Clint Dempsey.
Liverpool's manager and owners are at odds over the failure to sign a replacement for Andy Carroll on transfer deadline day and Rodgers has considered the virtues of signing Owen, and other free agents, as back-up to Luis Suárez and Fabio Borini, his only first team strikers until the window reopens in January. However, it is understood Owen's age – 32 – fitness record and lack of regular football during three seasons with Manchester United have discouraged the Liverpool manager.
Rodgers would rather promote a youngster from within the club's academy as cover for the next four months, despite the risks and pressure upon himself after Liverpool's worst start to a season since 1962, than take what he considers a retrograde step in signing a player who left Anfield eight years ago.
The manager's stance coincided with Henry taking the unusual move of defending Fenway Sports Group's transfer dealings in an open letter to supporters. Henry and Liverpool's chairman, Tom Werner, have faced the most hostile criticism of their near-two year reign since failing to sign a striker on Friday. Rodgers had hoped to replace Carroll with Dempsey but FSG would not offer above £4m for the 29-year-old, who ultimately joined Tottenham Hotspur for £6m.
Fulham claim Liverpool offered only £3m for the USA attacker while a deal for Daniel Sturridge collapsed due to the striker's insistence on a permanent transfer. The Liverpool manager, who has claimed finances were a factor in Carroll's departure, wanted a loan move before committing to a permanent deal for the Chelsea striker. "Spending is not merely about buying talent," Henry wrote. "Our ambitions do not lie in cementing a mid-table place with expensive, short-term quick fixes that will only contribute for a couple of years."
That comment reflects the rift that has developed between Liverpool's owner and manager in recent days, though Henry describes Rodgers as a "talented young manager and we have valued highly his judgment about the make-up of the squad". The former Swansea City manager was granted control of all football matters upon his arrival at Anfield in June, having resisted FSG's attempts to install a sporting director such as Louis van Gaal before accepting the job, and has found his judgment undermined on Dempsey.
Having spent almost £30m on new players this summer, albeit with almost £10m recouped in sales and loan fees and with the Liverpool wage bill slashed under Rodgers, Henry defended FSG's overall work in the window. He said: "I am as disappointed as anyone connected with Liverpool Football Club that we were unable to add further to our strike force in this summer transfer window, but that was not through any lack of desire or effort on the part of all of those involved. They pushed hard in the final days of the transfer window on a number of forward targets and it is unfortunate that on this occasion we were unable to conclude acceptable deals to bring those targets in. …
"But a summer window which brought in three young, but significantly talented starters in Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin and Fabio Borini as well as two exciting young potential stars of the future – Samed Yesil and Oussama Assaidi – could hardly be deemed a failure as we build for the future. Nor should anyone minimise the importance of keeping our best players during this window. We successfully retained Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Luis Suárez."
Henry reiterated claims that FSG are still dealing with the fallout from the near-ruinous Liverpool ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Joe Cole, handed a £100,000-a-week contract by the former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow, remains on the club's books, for example. But he accepts that FSG has itself erred in the transfer market, sanctioning a £120m outlay on new players under the former manager Kenny Dalglish and the ex-director of football Damien Comolli only to sack Dalglish after one full season in charge.
"We are still in the process of reversing the errors of previous regimes," he adds. "It will not happen overnight. It has been compounded by our own mistakes in a difficult first two years of ownership. It has been a harsh education, but make no mistake, the club is healthier today than when we took over."Amid a new slate of disturbing and unsubstantiated reports about the connections between President-elect Donald Trump and Russia it is easy to become distracted by lurid allegations about hotel rooms and possible blackmail. And yet, concerns over whether Trump was or wasn’t briefed, was or wasn’t colluding with the Russians are only a symptom of a larger problem. At the heart of the story are serious questions about what U.S. state power and American ideals will look like in the wake of the 2016 election.
It is not the questions about Russian interference in our election that signal a new threat to our state; it is the U.S. response to these reports that should cause us to worry. Perhaps even more troubling, both the pro-Trump and the pro-Hillary Clinton responses signal new and disturbing directions for how we understand the role of our nation in the world order.
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The Trump camp’s dismissal of the reports is a sign of a neoliberal corporate mentality that simply can’t grasp the value of notions like sovereignty, democracy and election integrity. Trump’s profit-driven vision ignores the idea of a citizen or the benefit of a civic community, but more important he can’t appreciate the geopolitical realities of allies and security threats.
He brings the perspective of a global capitalist to the White House, not a state leader of a global power — and that distinction has critical effects on how he understands what makes America great. His CEO mentality, thin skin and narcissistic personality turn issues of national security into petulant rants and personal vendettas. He is more interested in attacking his detractors on the left and in the media than in defending our nation from outside interference.
On the other side of the political fence, the response to the allegations of Russian interference are not much more encouraging. Pro-Clinton supporters freak out over the possible role of Russia in our election but show no awareness of the fact that the United States has done far worse meddling in the elections of many other states.
The deep hypocrisy of these responses signals a uniquely American hubris. Dov Levin, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has documented more than 80 times that the United States has tried to influence the outcome of another country's election — and that is only from 1946 to 2000.
The irony of the U.S. outrage over the Russia hack was captured brilliantly in one tweet:
As Marc Trachtenberg explained on Yahoo, the outrage over the supposed Russian hacks evinces a widespread double standard: “Since 1945, America has intervened in the internal political affairs of other countries as a matter of course. Our basic attitude has been that free elections are great — as long as they don’t produce outcomes the U.S. government doesn’t like.”
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Trachtenberg explained that some examples of countries where this has occurred are well known — Indochina, Congo, Chile, the Dominican Republic — but others like Guyana are less so. He also reminded us that “the United States felt free to intervene, sometimes massively, in the internal political affairs of our democratic allies.”
Even more ironic, many of these interventions took place while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. And despite our penchant for historical amnesia, we need to remember that the 2013 Edward Snowden leaks revealed widespread National Security Agency surveillance programs both within and beyond our country’s borders.
But there’s more. As news continued to break of the extent of Russia’s cyberattacks aimed at political institutions across the West, there was another side of the story — that of the U.S. doing the exact same thing on a far greater scale. As Hugh Eakin wrote for The New York Review of Books: “Far less noted, however, has been the extent to which the US itself has coordinated with Sweden and other allies to develop hacking and surveillance tools that are far more advanced than the e-mail ‘phishing’ strategies used in the recent Russian attacks. A major target of this technology is Russia itself.”
To make matters worse, the Clinton camp has yet to seriously address the fact that the recent leaks revealed a shady underbelly to her campaign that left many disgusted. The Clinton camp’s response to the claims that Russia interfered in the 2016 election highlights a deep hypocrisy, an aggressive unilateralism and a complete disregard of our own history.
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The 2016 election may well have put our democracy on dangerously thin ice, but it has also revealed a new version of American exceptionalism, one that promises to unravel the best of our nation’s ideals.
The idea of American exceptionalism has always been a contested and contentious concept. Dating back to the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville in "Democracy in America," American exceptionalism refers to the idea that the United States differs substantively from other nations.
But what does that difference mean? For some, it has simply meant the unique history of the United States; for others, it has meant that the United States has a distinctive role in the world order. And for still others, it has meant that the United States is fundamentally superior to all other nations.
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Our nation has a long history of fighting over what the concept of American exceptionalism means. In his book "The New American Exceptionalism," Donald Pease, a Dartmouth College professor of American studies, has argued that one critical turning point came during the Cold War when the United States had to redefine what made it exceptional.
Pease said that one of the keys to understanding Cold War exceptionalism is the fact that the ongoing state of fear caused by the U.S.-Soviet dynamic and the national security state transformed the myth of America. The odd irony is that the Cold War ushered in an era when many of the ideals of America were limited so as to protect the very notion of them. Free speech was curtailed in order to protect the idea of free speech, just as the defense of American freedoms led to their greater regulation and control.
Pease explained that another key turning point was the feud between former president Bill Clinton and former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who each argued that they offered the true, definitive version of American exceptionalism. The defining characteristic of that moment is the division of the U.S. into two social constituencies whose ideas of America were radically opposed and mutually unrecognizable. It was during this period that the right-wingers began to viciously claim that they and they alone knew what it meant to be American.
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The events of 9/11 and the George W. Bush presidency combined the fear-based exceptionalism of the Cold War with the deep partisanship of the Clinton-Gingrich era. By then anyone who didn’t agree with the Bush-era exceptionalism was characterized as a traitor to the nation.
President Barack Obama tried to reverse those trends, offering a new version of American exceptionalism, one that was not grounded in hubris, historical amnesia or a notion of national superiority. Obama attempted to counter the jingoism of the Gingrich and Bush years by emphasizing the exceptional nature of a nation that is always striving to be more democratic and more true to its ideals.
The right responded to Obama’s idealistic and pragmatic vision by accusing him of hating his country.
Obama was repeatedly questioned about his belief in America’s greatness. And he continued to try to adapt the idea of exceptionalism to a more tempered, nuanced, less unilateral view. In a 2009 interview he explained, “I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism. And so I see no contradiction between believing that America has a continued extraordinary role in leading the world towards peace and prosperity and recognizing that that leadership is incumbent, depends on, our ability to create partnerships because we can’t solve these problems alone.”
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He was later attacked by the right for daring to compare U.S. exceptionalism to the national pride of other nations.
In President Obama’s farewell address on Tuesday he returned to his idea of American exceptionalism. For Obama, American exceptionalism does not mean “that our nation has been flawless from |
Wild Goose Festival, is slated for the next weekend in North Carolina.)
Dressed in beige shorts and a work shirt, Herr camped out in the field with us. “It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of land between Philadelphia and Washington,” he says, “and I knew the PAPA people would love the land and bless the land, and make sure there was no trash left on it.”
Although Herr, 56, is a businessman, he talks more like a cross between an environmentalist and a pastor; he was raised a Mennonite but now leads a nondenominational church called SILO. The congregation, he says, meets in warehouses, homes or parks, and reaches out to the poor and marginalized.
Herr’s workshop, “Chipping Away at Corporate Culture,” is about how capitalism can be compassionate; as examples, he says his company uses recycled materials in its product packaging and supports 1,000 charitable organizations per year.
* * *
It has been tough to get a handle on a recurring theme — other than the promotion of community — at the PAPA Fest. But that yearning seems strong.
Many of us in the 1970s felt the same way. No one understood why we wanted to live in households and share our salaries. While the emphasis seems to have shifted — back then, the main concern was to get folks filled with the Holy Spirit; here it’s peace and justice — the sentiment is familiar.
Perhaps Liz Richner sums it up best. She works at Herr Foods, participates in SILO and lives with her husband and two other families in a nearby community household. She says living in a conservative rural area an hour from like-minded communities in Philadelphia feels isolated.
“I came for encouragement,” she says, “and to know that, yes, we can do it. Many of the folks at the festival do feel a sense of isolation from both the mainstream American church and culture at large because of our chosen lifestyles. Just last week, I received a phone call from a former pastor, who asked me if I was ‘still living in that commune.’
“That’s one of the points of the festival, I suppose, and one of the blessings,” she adds, echoing festival organizers. “We gather to remind each other that we are not crazy; or if we are crazy, at least we are not alone.”
Julia Duin, a religion writer in Maryland, is the author of “Days of Fire and Glory: The Rise and Fall of a Charismatic Community.” She can be reached at wpmagazine@washpost.com.By Udyr
Nottingham Ezreal, Red Baron Corki and all their friends storm out of retirement for a limited time.
From November 29th through December 31st, 47 previously retired Legacy skins will be in the store at their regular price. Each skin will be on sale for 50% off for one day during this time so you can nab a discount on all your favorite retired skins.
Since we're giving out the schedule ahead of time though, we won't be offering refunds if you purchase a skin before it's on sale and miss out on the discount.
For those of you who just have to have it all, we're introducing the Mega Legacy Bundle for a limited time. From November 29th through December 2nd, you can add all 47 skins to your wardrobe for 60% off and pick up the corresponding Champions for 50% off. Of course, the bundle will automatically adjust in pricing depending on the content you already own.
Check out the list of skins and the sale schedule below, and pick up your favorites before the doors to the Legacy Vault close until next time!Emerald Pellot graduated summa cum laude from New York University with a degree in Writing & Popular Culture. She worked as Senior Editor of College Candy for 2 years, covering feminism, popular culture, and college life before joining LittleThings in 2015. Based in New York City, Emerald covers a wide range of topics from human interest pieces to celebrity news.
Katherine was told by friends and colleagues that it “goes against nature.” Still, the 30-year-old was determined to give her mother a sixth child.
The loyal daughter would cease sexual relations with her husband and become artificially inseminated with her stepfather’s sperm to become her mother’s surrogate. Her mom, Jacky, acknowledged how unusual the situation was.
“As a nurse I’m very used to being matter-of-fact, but it was gross. Paul would go in the bathroom and do his business, and I would help him,” Jacky told SWNS. “Then I would put it in a syringe, run it through to Katherine who was lying on the bed, and she would inject it into herself.”
Needless to say, the process brought the family closer together. See Katherine and Jacky’s journey below.BRUSSELS – Iran is mulling the idea of building a refinery in Spain to find new markets and boost its oil exports, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said Monday.
“Iran is studying the possibility of setting up a refinery in Spain, specifically in Algeciras,” on the south coast, Garcia-Margallo said in Brussels after welcoming the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement.
Spain was “on the verge of reaching agreement with Rosneft,” the Russian oil giant, to build the refinery, when negotiations were interrupted by EU sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine crisis, the minister said.
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“But Iranian investment can fill the void” to create jobs, he said.
Iran, which currently exports one million barrels of oil per day, announced its plans to increase exports by 500,000 barrels per day following the lifting of international sanctions and by another 500,000 barrels in six months.
But Tehran needs to find new markets, especially in Europe, for its oil at a time when the market faces a surplus.
China, India, South Korea and Japan have become the main customers for Iranian oil after European countries in 2012 halted purchases as they enforced the EU sanctions imposed over Iran’s controversial nuclear program.
The European Union on Saturday lifted its economic sanctions against Iran after the UN atomic watchdog announced that Tehran had complied with the terms of last July’s deal aimed at scaling down its nuclear program.
On January 9, Iran’s deputy oil minister Abbas Kazemi had raised the idea of building the oil refinery in Spain that would have a capacity of 200,000 barrels involving exclusively Iranian oil.
Garcia-Margallo said Spain was in a good position in Iran where “opportunities are very big,” and where “we must practically rebuild the whole energy apparatus.”
“We have taken the lead compared to other countries,” he added.A higher rate of chronic wasting disease among Wisconsin deer is prompting state lawmakers and citizens to call for more aggressive action to prevent the disease’s spread.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and 14 county delegations of Wisconsin’s Conservation Congress have passed resolutions to require double-fencing of captive deer farms. Eight counties passed resolutions to ban them entirely.
Alan Horvath proposed resolutions to ban game farms or require double-fencing in Douglas County. He said he knows a game farm ban is a long shot with state lawmakers.
"A double fence would be a very minor step, but an important step in preventing the fences from being breeched or animal to animal contact," said Horvath.
George Meyer, executive director for the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, said a similar resolution to require double-fencing passed unanimously at the group’s annual meeting on April 9. Meyer agreed he’d like the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to do more oversight of fencing in the state’s efforts to control the spread of CWD.
"DNR looks at them once every 10 years, which is just not effective regulation," said Meyer.
But DNR officials oversee fencing certificates for the state’s whitetail deer farms only. Officials with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection oversees the state’s 413 deer farms.
Dr. Paul McGraw, state veterinarian, said fencing for exotic species, including elk, are regulated by local ordinance. Regardless, McGraw said testing and monitoring of deer farms show they’re at very low risk of having the disease.
"There’s a false sense of security that if we say that we’re going to put a double fence around every deer farm that we’re no longer going to have CWD in Wisconsin," said McGraw, adding that the disease can move across the landscape in a variety of ways.
About half the state’s deer farms also take part in the CWD herd status program, which tests 100 percent of all deer that are moved, killed, slaughtered or die.
"There’s a very high level of surveillance on farm-raised deer that would lead to us detecting CWD very early on," he said.
But Horvath expressed concern over a DNR emergency rule in December that relaxed requirements for deer farmers seeking a fencing certificate. Prior to the rule, farmers had to enroll in the CWD herd status program to obtain a certificate, but that’s no longer the case.
Fencing requirements haven’t changed, according to Pete Dunn, DNR captive wildlife administrative warden. He said he couldn’t comment on whether double-fencing reduced the likelihood of spreading the disease.
"To speculate which fence is better … we’ve had escapes out of both fences," he said.
Meyer argued double-fencing adds another barrier between captive deer and the wild herd. In addition to requiring double-fencing, he said the DNR should conduct annual fence inspections, require deer farm owners to check fences after storms and install devices to detect open gates.
Rick Vojtik, president of Whitetails of Wisconsin Association, said deer farmers are doing their part to comply with state regulations on CWD testing, as well as fencing.
"If we’re showing those places that are double-fenced get it just as well as those places that are single-fenced, they should at least do the research to show that it’s going to help," said Vojtik.
Vojtik is also the owner of Fairchild Whitetails, which was depopulated by the state last fall after testing positive for CWD.
"The game farms are being used … because it’s the only place CWD is being tested for at a decent rate," he said. "It’s where you’re going to find it and it’s going to show where CWD is spreading through the environment."
However, Dave Clausen, a retired veterinarian and former Natural Resources Board chairman, said double-fencing would make a difference in preventing CWD’s spread. U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations require double-fencing for deer farms taking part in its CWD herd certification program where the disease has been found, according to Clausen.
"When you have a single fence, it’s nose-to-nose contact," he said. "Nose-to-nose contact is a way of spreading the disease."
Vojtik contended the disease can be transmitted a number of ways, including potentially feed sources. He added double-fencing would be a significant cost to farmers.
"I don’t know if everyone could afford to do it," he said.
Clausen said the state can’t afford not to with the state’s billion-dollar wild deer herd industry at stake.
County delegations that passed resolutions to require double-fencing:
Barron
Buffalo
Chippewa
Douglas
Grant
Jackson
Marquette
Outagamie
Rock
Sauk
Sawyer
Shawano
Winnebago
Wood
County delegations that passed resolutions to ban game farms:For labour market entrants facing an economy with 40% of us in insecure work, the choices (for those aside from a lucky few) are largely between waiting to be notified of shifts via text message, rolling short-term contracts in the public sector, or studying for years and years to end up in the same trap anyway. And that’s all before the economy really tanks.
We create enough value for everyone to have a basic living income. Australia is one of the richest countries in a world that has never been richer. Our GDP is on track to reach AUD$73,123.05 per capita this year. That we live with poverty, insecurity and economic anxiety is a matter of political choice, not necessity. We create enough value for everyone to have a basic living income. That’s why I’d like to propose every citizen, every permanent resident, receive a basic income of AUD$30,000 per year. No exceptions. No means testing. A universal minimum income.
Imagine the creativity, innovation and enterprise that would be unleashed if every citizen were guaranteed a living. Imagine the savings with no centrelink department required to police and punish citizens.
Universal income provides the material basis for a fuller development of human potential. Social enterprises, cooperatives and small businesses could be started without participants worrying where the next pay cheque would come from. Artists and musicians could focus on their work. More of us would be freed to volunteer our time for the public good. Some workers would no longer be faced with the unenviable position of having to choose between supporting their families and degrading their local environment. And all of us would have the option to pursue further education. Universal income won’t solve all our problems, but it puts us in a stronger position from which to start to solve them.
A universal income would drive productivity growth and innovation across many fields. All while guaranteeing consumer demand. True prosperity and progress never came from cutting margins here and there but rather from radically new ways of doing business.Creatures on this drawing are future animals: spiderfishes and their land descendants - octodactylopods.These creatures evolved from cichlid of genus Melanochromis. fav.me/daxtnr3 (Btw. Now I think that blue tilapia - Oreochromis would be much more reliable ancestor but never mind...)Their pelvic fins (equivalent of our legs) transformed into eight, spider like limbs what are anatomically equivalent of our toes.ON PAGE BELOW - SPIDERFISHESSpiderfishes are in fact cichlids with limbs and only other thing that separates them from other cichlids is fact that they spend all their lives on the bottom of water and way they move is combination of crawling and swimming. It can be compared with crayfishes and lobsters, what moves in similar way. And like crayfishes, spiderfishes have no internal gas bladder so they sink in water.However there are some really big species of spiderfishes like shovelnoses or krushers, most of their species reach only size between 10 to 30 centimeters.Species what are shown here:- Yellow one – Armored muddigger.These fishes swim in shoals in slow moving rivers and lakes, and feed on small invertebrates what they dig out from the mud. Their scales are especially thick, what protect them from some predators. They also have (what is typical to most spiderfishes) sharp spines in fins, what make spiderfishes are hard to swallow. It is important method of spiderfishes defense because they don’t swim as agile as other species of fish.- Brown one – Stream needleteethIt is very primitive species of spiderfish and it lives very similar to first spiderfishes. Its limbs are less agile than in other species and works rather like anchor than legs. Needleteeths always swim when they have to move and use their limbs only to hold on stones on the stream bottom instead of wasting energy struggling with flowing water (like modern trouts do). In fact even removed from water they don’t use their limbs and just jumps chaotically like every other fish removed from water. Its limbs still just have no enough nerval system to use them for walking. Needleteeths are predators what hunt on almost every small animals what passes by them in stream. Way they hunt resembles a pike. Grotesquely big head and typical to cichlids extendible jaws allow them to easily suck prey into their maw. Because like all cichlids they have also pharyngeal jaws, they can chew prey and can eat only part of their prey if it is bigger than their stomach volume. That’s mean they can hunt on prey to big to eat whole and still benefit from it.- Left green one – Marble thornheadThornheads are herbivores what swims in shoals and graze on algae in rivers. Sharp spines of base of their dorsal fin pointing almost forward, what make thornheads very hard to swallow.- Right green one – Eastern reedcrawlerReedcrawlers behave rather like amphibians than fishes. They have very long limbs and feel better on land than in water. Like their ancestors long ago in antropocen, reedcrawlers like all spiderfishes are still mouthbrooders. They incubate their eggs inside their mouth and because of that, unlike amphibians they need only moisture to live and breed, and can spend all their lives far away from open water. They have no gas bladder so they could not develop real lungs but instead of lungs they transformed their two front pairs of gills into air breathing organ similar to labyrinth in anabantidae fishes. In fact reedcrawlers could be described not only as spiderfishes but also first species of octodactylopods. They are first truly land species of this group and ancestor of all octodactylopods.ON UPPER PAGE – OCTODACTYLOPODSOctodactylopods are non tetrapod land vertebrates what would live on earth in the future. Many species of them are hot blooded and in fact evolution of hot blood in octodactylopods lasted much shorter than in mammals. It is because they inherited pharyngeal jaws after their cichlid ancestor and even in amphibian stage they had ability to chew food like mammals. Also their respiratory system evolved from their gills instead of alimentary tract like our lungs so octodactylopods didn’t had to totally reorganize their cardiovascular system to become hot blooded. They only developed small additional heart in their head what helps their primary two chamber, fish like heart in pumping blood from respiratory labyrinth to rest of body (equivalent of our left chamber of heart). Octodactylopods are still mouthbrooders. They have internal fertilization but their eggs after laid are taken by mother into its mouth and then develop in pouch within hers respiratory system. Larvae when they hatch feed on particular mucus produced inside pouch. When they become ready to live in outside world, they are regurgitated. What happens with them after that depends on species. Some are independent since that, some are guarded by their mothers, and some species are even altrical and grow in nests fed by mother. In some species males also help with raising babies, but in most its only female’s job.Because octodactylopods have eight limbs what are located horizontally, they are much better climbers than tetrapods, but also worse runners. In fact 70% of octodactylopods species are climbers and others are mostly small creatures what live in forest bedding like rodents. Very big earthbound octodactylopods are very rare niche for this animal group because here they loose competition with mammals (but there also evolved some even giraffe sized species, like vertiwalkers).Two species fighting on this picture are predatory arboreal nightmare (left) trying to hunt herbivorous emerald chiselteeth (right). Chiselteeths jaws with these strange, forward pointing teeth are developed for not only pick tree leaves but also tree bark and in fact they can give very nasty bites, but nightmare would have rather no problems with tearing this creature into pieces. When hunting octodactylopods it is important to remember that they have no neck, so it is harder to kill them quickly than tetrapod. Both creatures are about the size of domesticated cat, but arboreal nightmare is about the size of very big cat.Octodactylopods head above belongs to (from left):Lineflanked leafclinger – is very small, 5 cm long arboreal octodactylopod. It spends most of its life sitting motionless high on trees in temperate zone forests. Tree leaves are not only its environment but also its only food source. Its only defensive mechanism beside camouflage is jumping off from the tree, but it is extremis, because it must then climb back on the tree what is long and dangerous journey for such a small creature. When winter comes, “pregnant” females dig themselves in forest litter and hibernate. Specimens what survived winter releases their offspring when trees start to grow new leaves, and shortly after that dies because of old age. Its live is very similar lo live of herbivorous insects like phasmids(Few words about reproduction of this species: Some larvae in pouch of mother's respiratory system grows faster than the others, what enables female to relase all litter day by day in about three weeks of spring in number up to 50 specimen. High fertility balances high mortality of this species and it is possible only because of irregular larvae growth pace. Otherwise female wouldn't be able to fit 50 youngs ready to relase inside her pouch.)Humphead ladderback is fox sized alpine omnivore. It feeds mostly on lichens sheared off from rocks by its incisors, but also its elongated fangs enable them to hunt quite large prey when there is a chance. Hump on their heads is filled with fat and is bigger and lighter colored in males. Ladderbacks have two longitudinal and three transverse black stripes on their back what creates ladder like pattern.Desert sweeper is small, hamster sized desert omnivore, what can run very fast on hot desert sand and eats everything what it can find or hunt. With its long two front pairs of limbs and partially upright body, its silhouette resembles a ghost crab.Speckled mattockhead is rabbit sized forest digger. It feeds mostly on grubs and roots what it digs out from ground, but eats also a lot of forest fruits and seeds. It behaves like very small version of pig.Crestoceros is very big earthbound octodactylopod. It grows to size of horse and have bony crest on its head what is used the same way as rhinoceros horn. Males crests are broader and noticeably bluish. What is also unusual to crestoceros, is they are one of rare species of octodactylopods what are not mouthbrooders but fully viviparous.Dragonhead is one of biggest predatory octodactylopods. It is about size of American bison and its jaws are almost not extensible, but instead of it, very muscular. Together with its enormous fangs it can crush skull of its prey with single bite. Such extraordinary for octodactylopods ecological niche could have evolved only on islands, where mammals (main octodactylopods competitors) don’t live.Heads on the right belongs of course to arboreal nightmare and emerald chiselteethSkeleton of octodactylopod below is a sketch of how skeletons of these strange creatures should look like. But I am not sure if this skeleton is already finished. I think I must first see the tilapia (or other big cichlid) skull to imagine how all these bones exactly look like and could evolve in the future.For example I earlier draw ear opening on vertiwalker head. But after trying to draw octodactylopod skeleton I realized that in modern fishes (unlike these ancient ones) ear is covered by operculum and so octodactylopod ear should be located within its "nostrils" on their nape.You can find more species of them here:Artist and urban planner Neil Freeman created this imaginary map of the United States which is divided into 50 states of equal populations (roughly 6 million people per state). In this scheme, California is divided amongst 9 states, while New York City becomes its own state. The map is Freeman’s commentary on the Electoral College system:
The fundamental problem of the electoral college is that the states of the United States are too disparate in size and influence. The largest state is 66 times as populous as the smallest and has 18 times as many electoral votes. This allows for Electoral College results that don’t match the popular vote. To remedy this issue, the Electoral Reform Map redivides the fifty United States into 50 states of equal population.
via Talking Points MemoIf you’re a State Penn,,, I mean Penn State fan, you probably see two 5-star recruits, four 4-star recruits before noon on early signing day and think you’re off to a good start. If you’re a Penn State fan, you probably also think Paterno and Sandusky were innocent, and nothing will ever change your mind about anything so you’ll go to bed tonight thinking signing day was a success.
I’m here to tell you that all PSU fans are wrong.
It appears James Franklin has an obsession with fast, skill position players who aren’t really proven on the football field. With Penn State’s history of running from the law, it makes you think.
We’ll start with Micah Parsons. He is not exactly a traditional skill position player at DE, but definitely more of a skill position than an interior lineman or linebacker. How he got a 5 star ranking is beyond me. A total of 55 tackles and 9 sacks in a high school season? That’s less than 5 tackles and less than one sack per game IN HIGH SCHOOL. He’s about to move into a power 5 conference. Parsons has speed, there’s no doubt about that, but that’s really it. Expect to see his speed combined with his lack of football talent translate into over pursuit of ball carriers and missed tackles. There are people arguing he might be the best DE in the class, which is outrageous considering Xavier Thomas is in this class. Xavier Thomas is verified on Twitter and Micah Parsons is not. Enough said.
Justin Shorter. This man is listed as 6’4 200 pounds. He went to South Brunswick High School, the town over from me. He is no bigger than 6’2 190. We’ll knock a star off for that lie alone. His last name is literally Shorter, so the lie about his height shouldn’t be a surprise. Shorter is another PSU commit who has fantastic speed that never translated to football success. In his below average football conference in NJ, there are kids who accumulated over 2000 all-purpose yards in a season who are struggling to find D3 schools that will let them play. Shorter never averaged more than 1000 in a season. This is just another fast player who won’t have the talent to compete in the P5. Maybe he’ll switch to track, I don’t know.
Some people are saying Ricky Slade will be one of the top RB’s in the class. Let’s debunk this myth. Unlike the other top commits PSU had today, Ricky actually does have an impressive football resume. 9 yards per carry in a varsity career is no joke. But thinking a 5’9 180 pound man will carry that into the Big 10 is a joke. “BUT ETIENNE IS ONLY 5’10 CLEMSON CARL!!!” He’s also 205 pounds and will run right over you. He has incredible speed but doesn’t rely on it. Slade barely got touched in HS, so Big 10 football will be like a new sport to him. PSU fans can expect this kid to be redshirted in hopes that he puts some size on, just don’t get your hopes too high. If anything, he’ll feast on the crappy teams scheduled in the beginning of the season, then shit the bed as soon as he plays real talent like Barkley did this year.
The rest of the class so far is comprised of some big slow linemen and linebackers. The linemen should pan out, I’ll give PSU that. The lack of speed on O-line won’t matter too much, and they have enough speed on the edges to give up a little at D-line too. The linebackers MAY pan out in the Big 10, but that’s all I can give them. There’s not a single one of them that runs a sub 5.0 40 yard dash, and all but one are above 5.2 seconds. You might be able to get by in a run-dominant Big 10 with those stats, but this is why Big 10 teams are starting to fall behind in the CFP and other bowls. A big, fast tight end eats those type of linebackers up in the big games. In today’s game, to compete on a national level, the entire defensive secondary needs speed. You can’t just have a bunch of big dopes that likes to plug up holes anymore. Unfortunately, that’s all this class has for PSU at the position, and so it is absolutely nothing to be excited for.
The only other big commit today is a kicker named Jake Pinegar. I know nothing about him, but all I have to say about Penn State getting a commitment from a kicker is Quinn Nordin. Better have 3 other kickers lined up because they seem to be the only position that GTFO’s of PSU after being exposed to the Kool-Aid.
Perhaps the biggest news for Penn State on signing day is a player who chose to sign elsewhere. You won’t hear much about this guy because of Penn State’s experience in covering things up. Up until yesterday, Franklin thought he had him. But this morning Antwan Reed signed with Western Michigan… you heard me. WESTERN MICHIGAN. Good ol’ directional Michigan. I’m a huge MAC guy, everyone knows that. I love the guys fighting to prove they always had the talent to play in a P5 but never had the exposure in HS. I love the MAC even more now knowing that on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays in November I’ll get to see a guy playing who said “Nah I’m not going near those Sandusky semen-filled showers at PSU, I don’t care if they’re P5. I’m taking my talents to Western Michigan.”
And that wraps up a very mediocre day that you’ll hear Penn State fans brag about for the next 10 months, until they’re proven wrong on the field next season once again.We all know that space exploration, while certainly not the largest expenditure of most countries, doesn’t come cheap. But neither do big-budget science fiction films, either. Special effects, sets, special effects, popular acting talent… special effects… those all come with hefty price tags that make sci-fi and fantasy films costly ventures — although bigger definitely isn’t always better. If you were to compare the price of real space exploration missions (which provide actual information) to the costs of movies about space exploration (which provide “only” entertainment) what would you expect to find?
This infographic does just that:
“Prometheus’ movie budget would be enough to keep the search for real aliens going for another 52 years.”
Wow. (Maybe they should have just written a check to SETI.)
Infographic provided by Neo Mammalian Studios and paydayloan.co.uk. U.S.S. Enterprise © CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.27th April, Zug, Switzerland: Blockchain startup Mysterium Foundation is building a decentralised Virtual Private Network (VPN) that anyone can use to connect securely and anonymously to the internet. The system is also designed so that users who share their spare bandwidth to the network will earn digital tokens in reward. The Mysterium platform will operate via its native MYST token, available through a crowdsale opening on 30th May.
Until now the public have had to trust their private data to large centralized VPN providers. Now Mysterium will offer an alternative decentralised peer-to-peer (P2P) network that aims to take back power from big corporations. Mysterium acts as a distributed marketplace for the give and take of VPN services and is backed by secure Ethereum blockchain technology.
Internet privacy is under attack. Last month the U.S. reversed a set of important consumer protection rights allowing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to track customer activity and sell that data to the highest bidder. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation customers will now be subject to ‘new and invasive ways to track and deliver targeted ads to customers’. As a result the U.S. has seen a huge surge in demand for VPN’s as people seek to restore their privacy. Most users are unaware that they are simply moving their private data from centralised ISP’s into the hands of centralized VPN providers.
Mysterium offers a real alternative - an open source, decentralised and encrypted VPN solution with levels of privacy unmatched by centralized providers.
Mysterium Network is specifically designed to combat this erosion of our privacy at a time when corporations, governments and other entities are becoming increasingly invasive in their surveillance tactics. The peer-to-peer platform will be completely Open Sourced — so no hidden code that can secretly do something you don’t want it to and no hidden or central servers secretly collecting your data. - Robertas Visinskis, Founder, Mysterium Network
The Mysterium platform is designed so that anyone with bandwidth to spare can join the network as a VPN node provider and earn MYST tokens in reward. To enable the system to scale, transactions will be handled through the platform’s own decentralised micropayment system called CORE.
The MYST token pre-sale opens on May 30th at 13:00 UTC. Funds raised will be used to support development and the launch of the platform.
For more information visit thewebsite.Reuters quoted a Shell spokesman in Nigeria as saying the company was looking into the reports of a spill.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), the main delta militant group before a 2009 amnesty, said on Sunday that it destroyed an oil well in the Nembe region of Bayelsa state, where the spill was reported.
But the military said there had not been an attack, according to Reuters.
"The claim by those criminals of blowing up a well head is false," the news agency quoted military task force spokesman Onyema Nwachukwu as saying.
"Our troops on patrol along Nembe Creek-1 flow station have earlier reported an incident of an oil spill on water in Nembe resulting from the activities of oil thieves."
Mend claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 12 policemen in Bayelsa last week but police, the military and some ex-militant fighters said it was not carried out by the group.
Tens of thousands of militants from Mend and other groups laid down their arms as part of the 2009 amnesty and security experts believe the media arm of Mend is increasingly disconnected with the bulk of former fighters.
A local community leader was not aware of any oil facilities being attacked.
"There was no explosion, all we see is a leak from a wellhead of a Shell facility," Reuters quoted Nengi James, chairman of the Nembe community oil committee, as saying.
Oil spills are common in Nigeria, many caused by oil theft carried out by gangs who break into pipelines. Foreign oil companies have also been criticised by rights groups for not maintaining infrastructure or cleaning up spills properly.
Shell estimates that over 150,000 barrels per day of production is lost to oil thieves across the region. The Nembe pipeline is regularly targeted and Shell plans to shut the 150,000 bpd line this month for repairs.Russia Today ignores US demand to register as foreign agent Saturday, October 21, 2017 10:44:00 AM
Television channel Russia Today (RT) has not met the US Department of Justice’s demand for self-registration as a foreign agent by the set deadline, the TV channel CNN, citing documents released by the US Department of Justice.
RT was supposed to register as an agent before October 17.
It is noted that the TV channel is deliberately opposing the decision by the United States. "Our legal team has been doing everything possible for RT to avoid having to register under FARA, and the dialogue is ongoing. On their advice, we are not discussing further details at this time,” said RT head of communications Anna Belkina.
According to experts from FARA, the US Department of Justice may respond by issuing a second warning, as well as initiating civil or criminal proceedings against RT.
At the end of September, Twitter testified before the US Congress about RT’s spending on advertising for its US user accounts. According to the company's estimates, the channel spent $274,000 on advertising in 2016. Another $ 100,000 went toward the TV channel’s political advertising on Facebook.
The US Department of Justice later demanded the channel to register as a foreign agent.
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Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.C: I think that it’s really okay to date outside of your race. You can be pro-black and take interest into a person of a different race/culture/ethnicity (I’m not saying as a racial preference, just the person themselves). Just because I like the Venezuelan dude down the street, or the Korean boy from my Science class, or maybe the Italian boy that works at some random restaurant does NOT mean I hate my own race or ethnicity. It means I won’t let things as petty as race get in between my happiness.
Now, if he were to show a disinterest or ignorance towards the BLM movement, or disrespect and fetishize black culture/people (i.e. “I only like black girls btw”), that’s a different story. But if it’s two people liking each other, you need no damn permission from BLM to tell you if you could date them. Date them! Sheesh.LeBron James says he still doesn’t know why Kyrie Irving decided he wanted to leave Cleveland.
During Monday’s team media day — roughly two months since Irving’s initial trade request and more than a month after his trade to the Celtics was announced — James said he tried to mentor and help the 25-year-old point guard become a better player.
“I tried to to do whatever I could do to help the kid out and be the best player he could be,” James said of Irving, whether it came to being a leader, scoring, passing, or defending.
“I tried to give him everything and give him as much of the DNA as I could,” the four-time league MVP continued. “Because like I told you guys throughout the season, at some point, when he was ready to take over the keys, I was ready to give them to him.”
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Irving told reporters earlier this month that he hadn’t spoken at all to James since departing to Boston, nor — as the newly arrived Celtics guard confirmed last week — did he talk to James before requesting to be dealt. Irving has maintained, however, that it was nothing personal.
“The only thing I’m upset about is that he took a lot of the DNA and the blueprint now to Boston,” James said Monday with a chuckle.
“That’s the only thing I’m upset about really,” he said. “Other than that, I mean, wish the kid great health and the kid wanted to do what was best, I guess, for his career. I give credit to our GM Koby [Altman] and the ownership for granting that to him.”
James added he hoped he was able to help Irving be a good as he could be.
The Cavaliers open the 2017-18 |
to event times, meaning you need some sort of time-based shuffle in your pipeline if you want to analyze the data in the context in which they occurred.
, meaning you need some sort of time-based shuffle in your pipeline if you want to analyze the data in the context in which they occurred. Of varying event time skew, meaning you can’t just assume you’ll always see most of the data for a given event time X within some constant epsilon of time Y.
There are a handful of approaches one can take when dealing with data that have these characteristics. I generally categorize these approaches into four groups:
Time-agnostic
Approximation
Windowing by processing time
Windowing by event time
We’ll now spend a little bit of time looking at each of these approaches.
Time-agnostic
Time-agnostic processing is used in cases where time is essentially irrelevant — i.e., all relevant logic is data driven. Since everything about such use cases is dictated by the arrival of more data, there’s really nothing special a streaming engine has to support other than basic data delivery. As a result, essentially all streaming systems in existence support time-agnostic use cases out of the box (modulo system-to-system variances in consistency guarantees, of course, for those of you that care about correctness). Batch systems are also well suited for time-agnostic processing of unbounded data sources, by simply chopping the unbounded source into an arbitrary sequence of bounded data sets and processing those data sets independently. We’ll look at a couple of concrete examples in this section, but given the straightforwardness of handling time-agnostic processing, won’t spend much more time on it beyond that.
Filtering
A very basic form of time-agnostic processing is filtering. Imagine you’re processing Web traffic logs, and you want to filter out all traffic that didn’t originate from a specific domain. You would look at each record as it arrived, see if it belonged to the domain of interest, and drop it if not. Since this sort of thing depends only on a single element at any time, the fact that the data source is unbounded, unordered, and of varying event time skew is irrelevant.
Figure 5: Filtering unbounded data. A collection of data (flowing left to right) of varying types is filtered into a homogeneous collection containing a single type. Image: Tyler Akidau.
Inner-joins
Another time-agnostic example is an inner-join (or hash-join). When joining two unbounded data sources, if you only care about the results of a join when an element from both sources arrive, there’s no temporal element to the logic. Upon seeing a value from one source, you can simply buffer it up in persistent state; you only need to emit the joined record once the second value from the other source arrives. (In truth, you’d likely want some sort of garbage collection policy for unemitted partial joins, which would likely be time based. But for a use case with little or no uncompleted joins, such a thing might not be an issue.)
Figure 6: Performing an inner join on unbounded data. Joins are produced when matching elements from both sources are observed. Image: Tyler Akidau.
Switching semantics to some sort of outer join introduces the data completeness problem we’ve talked about: once you’ve seen one side of the join, how do you know whether the other side is ever going to arrive or not? Truth be told, you don’t, so you have to introduce some notion of a timeout, which introduces an element of time. That element of time is essentially a form of windowing, which we’ll look at more closely in a moment.
Approximation algorithms
Figure 7: Computing approximations on unbounded data. Data are run through a complex algorithm, yielding output data that look more or less like the desired result on the other side. Image: Tyler Akidau.
The second major category of approaches is approximation algorithms, such as approximate Top-N, streaming K-means, etc. They take an unbounded source of input and provide output data that, if you squint at them, look more or less like what you were hoping to get. The upside of approximation algorithms is that, by design, they are low overhead and designed for unbounded data. The downsides are that a limited set of them exist, the algorithms themselves are often complicated (which makes it difficult to conjure up new ones), and their approximate nature limits their utility.
It’s worth noting: these algorithms typically do have some element of time in their design (e.g., some sort of built-in decay). And since they process elements as they arrive, that element of time is usually processing-time based. This is particularly important for algorithms that provide some sort of provable error bounds on their approximations. If those error bounds are predicated on data arriving in order, they mean essentially nothing when you feed the algorithm unordered data with varying event-time skew. Something to keep in mind.
Approximation algorithms themselves are a fascinating subject, but as they are essentially another example of time-agnostic processing (modulo the temporal features of the algorithms themselves), they’re quite straightforward to use, and thus not worth further attention given our current focus.
Windowing
The remaining two approaches for unbounded data processing are both variations of windowing. Before diving into the differences between them, I should make it clear exactly what I mean by windowing since I’ve only touched on it briefly. Windowing is simply the notion of taking a data source (either unbounded or bounded), and chopping it up along temporal boundaries into finite chunks for processing. The following diagram shows three different windowing patterns:
Figure 8: Example windowing strategies. Each example is shown for three different keys, highlighting the difference between aligned windows (which apply across all the data) and unaligned windows (which apply across a subset of the data). Image: Tyler Akidau.
Fixed windows : Fixed windows slice up time into segments with a fixed-size temporal length. Typically (as in Figure 8), the segments for fixed windows are applied uniformly across the entire data set, which is an example of aligned windows. In some cases, it’s desirable to phase-shift the windows for different subsets of the data (e.g., per key) to spread window completion load more evenly over time, which instead is an example of unaligned windows since they vary across the data.
: Fixed windows slice up time into segments with a fixed-size temporal length. Typically (as in Figure 8), the segments for fixed windows are applied uniformly across the entire data set, which is an example of aligned windows. In some cases, it’s desirable to phase-shift the windows for different subsets of the data (e.g., per key) to spread window completion load more evenly over time, which instead is an example of unaligned windows since they vary across the data. Sliding windows : A generalization of fixed windows, sliding windows are defined by a fixed length and a fixed period. If the period is less than the length, then the windows overlap. If the period equals the length, you have fixed windows. And if the period is greater than the length, you have a weird sort of sampling window that only looks at subsets of the data over time. As with fixed windows, sliding windows are typically aligned, though may be unaligned as a performance optimization in certain use cases. Note that the sliding windows in the Figure 8 are drawn as they are to give a sense of sliding motion; in reality, all five windows would apply across the entire data set.
: A generalization of fixed windows, sliding windows are defined by a fixed length and a fixed period. If the period is less than the length, then the windows overlap. If the period equals the length, you have fixed windows. And if the period is greater than the length, you have a weird sort of sampling window that only looks at subsets of the data over time. As with fixed windows, sliding windows are typically aligned, though may be unaligned as a performance optimization in certain use cases. Note that the sliding windows in the Figure 8 are drawn as they are to give a sense of sliding motion; in reality, all five windows would apply across the entire data set. Sessions: An example of dynamic windows, sessions are composed of sequences of events terminated by a gap of inactivity greater than some timeout. Sessions are commonly used for analyzing user behavior over time, by grouping together a series of temporally-related events (e.g., a sequence of videos viewed in one sitting). Sessions are interesting because their lengths cannot be defined a priori; they are dependent upon the actual data involved. They’re also the canonical example of unaligned windows since sessions are practically never identical across different subsets of data (e.g., different users).
The two domains of time discussed — processing time and event time — are essentially the two we care about[2]. Windowing makes sense in both domains, so we’ll look at each in detail and see how they differ. Since processing time windowing is vastly more common in existing systems, I’ll start there.
Windowing by processing time
Figure 9: Windowing into fixed windows by processing time. Data are collected into windows based on the order they arrive in the pipeline. Image: Tyler Akidau.
When windowing by processing time, the system essentially buffers up incoming data into windows until some amount of processing time has passed. For example, in the case of five-minute fixed windows, the system would buffer up data for five minutes of processing time, after which it would treat all the data it had observed in those five minutes as a window and send them downstream for processing.
There are a few nice properties of processing time windowing:
It’s simple. The implementation is extremely straightforward since you never worry about shuffling data within time. You just buffer things up as they arrive and send them downstream when the window closes.
. The implementation is extremely straightforward since you never worry about shuffling data within time. You just buffer things up as they arrive and send them downstream when the window closes. Judging window completeness is straightforward. Since the system has perfect knowledge of whether all inputs for a window have been seen or not, it can make perfect decisions about whether a given window is complete or not. This means there is no need to be able to deal with “late” data in any way when windowing by processing time.
. Since the system has perfect knowledge of whether all inputs for a window have been seen or not, it can make perfect decisions about whether a given window is complete or not. This means there is no need to be able to deal with “late” data in any way when windowing by processing time. If you’re wanting to infer information about the source as it is observed, processing time windowing is exactly what you want. Many monitoring scenarios fall into this category. Imagine tracking the number of requests per second sent to a global-scale Web service. Calculating a rate of these requests for the purpose of detecting outages is a perfect use of processing time windowing.
Good points aside, there is one very big downside to processing time windowing: if the data in question have event times associated with them, those data must arrive in event time order if the processing time windows are to reflect the reality of when those events actually happened. Unfortunately, event-time ordered data are uncommon in many real-world, distributed input sources.
As a simple example, imagine any mobile app that gathers usage statistics for later processing. In cases where a given mobile device goes offline for any amount of time (brief loss of connectivity, airplane mode while flying across the country, etc.), the data recorded during that period won’t be uploaded until the device comes online again. That means data might arrive with an event time skew of minutes, hours, days, weeks, or more. It’s essentially impossible to draw any sort of useful inferences from such a data set when windowed by processing time.
As another example, many distributed input sources may seem to provide event-time ordered (or very nearly so) data when the overall system is healthy. Unfortunately, the fact that event-time skew is low for the input source when healthy does not mean it will always stay that way. Consider a global service that processes data collected on multiple continents. If network issues across a bandwidth-constrained transcontinental line (which, sadly, are surprisingly common) further decrease bandwidth and/or increase latency, suddenly a portion of your input data may start arriving with much greater skew than before. If you are windowing that data by processing time, your windows are no longer representative of the data that actually occurred within them; instead, they represent the windows of time as the events arrived at the processing pipeline, which is some arbitrary mix of old and current data.
What we really want in both of those cases is to window data by their event times in a way that is robust to the order of arrival of events. What we really want is event time windowing.
Windowing by event time
Event time windowing is what you use when you need to observe a data source in finite chunks that reflect the times at which those events actually happened. It’s the gold standard of windowing. Sadly, most data processing systems in use today lack native support for it (though any system with a decent consistency model, like Hadoop or Spark Streaming, could act as a reasonable substrate for building such a windowing system).
This diagram shows an example of windowing an unbounded source into one-hour fixed windows:
Figure 10: Windowing into fixed windows by event time. Data are collected into windows based on the times they occurred. The white arrows call out example data that arrived in processing time windows that differed from the event time windows to which they belonged. Image: Tyler Akidau.
The solid white lines in the diagram call out two particular data of interest. Those two data both arrived in processing time windows that did not match the event time windows to which they belonged. As such, if these data had been windowed into processing time windows for a use case that cared about event times, the calculated results would have been incorrect. As one would expect, event time correctness is one nice thing about using event time windows.
Another nice thing about event time windowing over an unbounded data source is that you can create dynamically sized windows, such as sessions, without the arbitrary splits observed when generating sessions over fixed windows (as we saw previously in the sessions example from the “Unbounded data — batch” section):
Figure 11: Windowing into session windows by event time. Data are collected into session windows capturing bursts of activity based on the times that the corresponding events occurred. The white arrows again call out the temporal shuffle necessary to put the data into their correct event-time locations. Image: Tyler Akidau.
Of course, powerful semantics rarely come for free, and event time windows are no exception. Event time windows have two notable drawbacks due to the fact that windows must often live longer (in processing time) than the actual length of the window itself:
Buffering: Due to extended window lifetimes, more buffering of data is required. Thankfully, persistent storage is generally the cheapest of the resource types most data processing systems depend on (the others being primarily CPU, network bandwidth, and RAM). As such, this problem is typically much less of a concern than one might think when using any well-designed data-processing system with strongly consistent persistent state and a decent in-memory caching layer. Also, many useful aggregations do not require the entire input set to be buffered (e.g., sum, or average), but instead can be performed incrementally, with a much smaller, intermediate aggregate stored in persistent state.
Due to extended window lifetimes, more buffering of data is required. Thankfully, persistent storage is generally the cheapest of the resource types most data processing systems depend on (the others being primarily CPU, network bandwidth, and RAM). As such, this problem is typically much less of a concern than one might think when using any well-designed data-processing system with strongly consistent persistent state and a decent in-memory caching layer. Also, many useful aggregations do not require the entire input set to be buffered (e.g., sum, or average), but instead can be performed incrementally, with a much smaller, intermediate aggregate stored in persistent state. Completeness: Given that we often have no good way of knowing when we’ve seen all the data for a given window, how do we know when the results for the window are ready to materialize? In truth, we simply don’t. For many types of inputs, the system can give a reasonably accurate heuristic estimate of window completion via something like MillWheel’s watermarks (which I’ll talk about more in Part 2). But in cases where absolute correctness is paramount (again, think billing), the only real option is to provide a way for the pipeline builder to express when they want results for windows to be materialized, and how those results should be refined over time. Dealing with window completeness (or lack, thereof), is a fascinating topic, but one perhaps best explored in the context of concrete examples, which we’ll look at next time.
Conclusion
Whew! That was a lot of information. To those of you that have made it this far: you are to be commended! At this point we are roughly halfway through the material I want to cover, so it’s probably reasonable to step back, recap what I’ve covered so far, and let things settle a bit before diving into Part 2. The upside of all this is that Part 1 is the boring post; Part 2 is where the fun really begins.
Recap
To summarize, in this post I’ve:
Clarified terminology, specifically narrowing the definition of “streaming” to apply to execution engines only, while using more descriptive terms like unbounded data and approximate/speculative results for distinct concepts often categorized under the “streaming” umbrella.
to apply to execution engines only, while using more descriptive terms like and for distinct concepts often categorized under the “streaming” umbrella. Assessed the relative capabilities of well-designed batch and streaming systems, positing that streaming is in fact a strict superset of batch, and that notions like the Lambda Architecture, which are predicated on streaming being inferior to batch, are destined for retirement as streaming systems mature.
, and that notions like the, which are predicated on streaming being inferior to batch, are destined for retirement as streaming systems mature. Proposed two high-level concepts necessary for streaming systems to both catch up to and ultimately surpass batch, those being correctness and tools for reasoning about time, respectively.
and, respectively. Established the important differences between event time and processing time, characterized the difficulties those differences impose when analyzing data in the context of when they occurred, and proposed a shift in approach away from notions of completeness and toward simply adapting to changes in data over time.
, characterized the when analyzing data in the context of when they occurred, and in data over time. Looked at the major data processing approaches in common use today for bounded and unbounded data, via both batch and streaming engines, roughly categorizing the unbounded approaches into: time-agnostic, approximation, windowing by processing time, and windowing by event time.
Next time
This post provides the context necessary for the concrete examples I’ll be exploring in Part 2. That post will consist of roughly the following:
A conceptual look at how we’ve broken up the notion of data processing in the Dataflow Model across four related axes: what, where, when, and how.
,,, and. A detailed look at processing a simple, concrete example data set across multiple scenarios, highlighting the plurality of use cases enabled by the Dataflow Model, and the concrete APIs involved. These examples will help drive home the notions of event time and processing time introduced in this post, while additionally exploring new concepts, such as watermarks.
, highlighting the plurality of use cases enabled by the Dataflow Model, and the concrete APIs involved. These examples will help drive home the notions of event time and processing time introduced in this post, while additionally exploring new concepts, such as watermarks. A comparison of existing data-processing systems across the important characteristics covered in both posts, to better enable educated choice amongst them, and to encourage improvement in areas that are lacking, with my ultimate goal being the betterment of data processing systems in general, and streaming systems in particular, across the entire big data community.
Should be a good time. See you then!
[1] One which I propose is not an inherent limitation of streaming systems, but simply a consequence of design choices made in most streaming systems thus far. The efficiency delta between batch and streaming is largely the result of the increased bundling and more efficient shuffle transports found in batch systems. Modern batch systems go to great lengths to implement sophisticated optimizations that allow for remarkable levels of throughput using surprisingly modest compute resources. There’s no reason the types of clever insights that make batch systems the efficiency heavyweights they are today couldn’t be incorporated into a system designed for unbounded data, providing users flexible choice between what we typically consider to be high-latency, higher-efficiency “batch” processing and low-latency, lower-efficiency “streaming” processing. This is effectively what we’ve done with Cloud Dataflow by providing both batch and streaming runners under the same unified model. In our case, we use separate runners because we happen to have two independently designed systems optimized for their specific use cases. Long-term, from an engineering perspective, I’d love to see us merge the two into a single system which incorporates the best parts of both, while still maintaining the flexibility of choosing an appropriate efficiency level. But that’s not what we have today. And honestly, thanks to the unified Dataflow Model, it’s not even strictly necessary; so it may well never happen. (Return) [2] If you poke around enough in the academic literature or SQL-based streaming systems, you’ll also come across a third windowing time domain: tuple-based windowing (i.e., windows whose sizes are counted in numbers of elements). However, tuple-based windowing is essentially a form of processing-time windowing where elements are assigned monotonically increasing timestamps as they arrive at the system. As such, we won’t discuss tuple-based windowing in detail here (though we will see an example of it in Part 2). (Return)Very serious GP issue on EU server
Now I logged in yesterday to a very fishy feeling that something was not right and even though I was on the right track with the GP I earned from the day before missing I decided t odoubt myself and say that maybe I didn't play after my 1 day purchase of the Throwing Knives and that was the reason I didn't have the extra GP.
But to log in for a SECOND DAY IN A ROW AND SEE MY GP MISSING AGAIN IS ♥♥♥♥ING INFURIATING! I already tweeted both BLR AND HSLs twitter account and am REALLY hoping to see this MAJOR ISSUE addressed ASAP! If you don't spend the money before server reset than you've played for nothing.
Not only that but if any of you with a keen eye and a brain has noticed after the February event was over we started getting either half or 50% less GP per match in comparison ti the US server. With only ~300 GP for like a win and a score of 24/2After much ado, we are excited to announce official support for Universal Windows Platform Apps in Ionic 2 beta.3, complete with a total UI look-and-feel and component set.
Windows support has been an oft-requested feature for a number of important reasons. First, many enterprise companies have large deployments of Windows Phones and want to build apps more easily for them. Second, mobile Windows devices like the Surface are proliferating and we want to make it easy to build apps that run on those devices, too. As an added benefit, Windows 10 sports JavaScript as a native app development language which we think is just swell (yeah, I’m bringing “swell” back).
We’ve updated our docs with full Windows previews for all components. Check out the Alert demo as an example.
To get started, update your npm dependency on ionic-angular to 2.0.0-beta.3 or higher, or start a new v2 project. Note: we will not be supporting Windows Phone 8 or below, so get your devices updated!
Yeeeeeeeeee-hawwwwww!At long last, Terrell Owens is back in the NFL.
The veteran wide receiver agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, according to NFL Network contributor and FOX Sports Insider Jay Glazer. The Seahawks later confirmed the agreement.
NFL.com and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport -- citing a source with knowledge of the situation -- reported that the deal is for the 10-year veteran's minimum of $925,000, with $640,000 counting against the salary cap.
Owens sent out the following tweet Monday evening:
God is good. Thankful. Grateful. To ALL my new teammates & the "12th Man"... Let's Do This!! â Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) August 7, 2012
Carroll, no Twitter wallflower himself, later answered with his own message for Owens:
@terrellowens welcome to the land of the #12thMan Terrell, see you in the morning... 8am meetings!! - Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) August 6, 2012
Owens, 38, last played in the NFL in 2010 with the Cincinnati Bengals. He compiled nearly 1,000 receiving yards and nine touchdowns that season, outplaying teammate Chad Johnson. But Owens suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament the following April and failed to attract any interest on the open market in 2011.
He landed a tryout with the Seahawks and impressed the team with a workout that included a reported 40 time of 4.45. Owens joins a Seahawks offense desperate for weapons and loaded with question marks at wide receiver. The team cut Antonio Bryant on Sunday and signed veteran Braylon Edwards last week.
What Owens has done here is commendable. He took a NFL career that was flatlined -- deader than his ownership stake in the Allen Wranglers -- and brought it back to life through will and determination. Owens might not make the Seahawks' final roster, but he deserves our respect.Seismograph House at Paul lagoon, Pico, Azores, Portugal (Photo credit: R. Vicente)
What if we didn’t need an app server anymore?
Obie Fernandez Blocked Unblock Follow Following Nov 29, 2015
What would happen if you designed the backend of your web application or mobile apps in such a way that they did not require a monolithic application server? Could we provide everything from static assets to RESTful operations and messaging using microservices implemented using the extensive suite of tools provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS)?
Update #2: Hacker News discussion here
The Quest Begins
Fred George, a former colleague & mentor at Thoughtworks is widely credited as one of the originators of the concept of microservices. At this year’s speakerconf, Fred once again described his ideas for systems displaying emergent behavior based on collaborative microservices communicating via pub/sub messaging. I left the conference eager to try such a system for my own purposes.
My initial exploration of Apache Kafka (the messaging server that Fred himself uses) was fruitless. Given constraints of free time and lack of practical devops experience, I wanted instead something simple to deploy and manage. As surely many others are currently doing, I shifted my attention to the functionality provided by AWS, especially given recent progress on the Lambda and API Gateway products.
My testbed for experimentation would be DueProps, the web application that I’ve kept on life support since the demise of its startup venture a few years ago. DueProps exists as a monolithic Rails application hosted on Heroku. I touch the codebase as rarely as possible, since it’s brittle and I’ve forgotten how a lot of it works.
What’s more, DueProps is relatively expensive to maintain, especially in light of how little traffic it supports. If I could migrate the entire backend to AWS and pay based solely on usage, the hosting costs might drop significantly. It would also be a considerably smaller mental leap of faith to invest in driving some new traffic, since a key side-benefit of serverless design is auto-scaling; I might be able to survive unexpected spikes in demand without the headaches of wondering whether DueProps’ aging backend would fall over or get unbearably expensive.
But how to begin?
Proof of Concept: Slack Integration
After mulling it over for a couple of weeks, and absent too much inspiration or desire for rewriting core DueProps functionality, I decided to try adding a new feature. One of the most popular user requests of the last year has been for us to integrate with Slack.
Slack has a one-button integration which works via OAuth. So I decided that I would try to implement the callback as a AWS Lambda function behind an AWS API Gateway method.
The plan summarized:
Add an integration tab panel to the admin settings for a DueProps network. Add a section for Slack integration, featuring the Slack OAuth button. Register an API Gateway endpoint to use as the Slack OAuth callback. Back the API endpoint with a Lambda function. On successful integration, save the settings in a AWS DynamoDB table. Redirect back to the DueProps network settings page.
Note that to follow along with the rest of this blog post, it will definitely help to understand the fundamentals of OAuth.
Slack Integration Setup
First step was to register the application with Slack. This involved creating a new Slack network for DueProps, with myself as its only user. Luckily Slack has a free tier, so no big deal. Once signed in to Slack using my new account, I headed over to their app registry.
This is a very similar process to registering apps to work with Google or Facebook OAuth. Be prepared to decide what the official name of your app is and supply an icon. Slack requires the icon image dimensions to be at least 512x512.
Next I opened up the source code for DueProps. The network admin settings page would need a new tab for Integrations. It wasn’t too hard to add, along with the markup provided for the Slack button itself. The template code is out of scope for this blog post, so I won’t recreate it here. It’s garbage anyway.
The Slack page for my newly registered DueProps application led me to boilerplate for the one-click integration button
While adding the button, I noted that the state variable is copied back to the requestor in the callback. Since you can put whatever value you want in there, I plan to use it as a container for the slug of the DueProps network being integrated.
Creating a Lambda function with a blueprint
Eager to start, I headed over to my AWS console and created a new Lambda function using their blueprints functionality.
I picked the microservice-http-endpoint blueprint. It starts you off with NodeJS code accessing DynamoDB behind an API endpoint. This speeds up the configuration at the cost of not exactly knowing everything that is going on, especially if it’s your first time.
Lambda functions exist in a single big namespace, so I put a little more thought than usual into naming. I decided to use a dp prefix and err on the side of being more descriptive than not.
Step 2: Configure function
Next up, what to do with the boilerplate code provided?
It provides a bunch of REST-ful operations based on conventions, and I was entirely unclear what those conventions are. Neither could I find any suitable documentation about it.
So after some head-scratching about what to do next, I decided to just delete all of it and add some console.log statements to dump the contents of the context and event parameters.
Before being able to save, I had to specify a couple more properties, located under the web-based code editor.
Before saving the code, you must choose a Role
The Handler field obviously references the function exported in the code, so I left the default in place. Then I clicked through the help text link to learn more about Lambda execution roles.
Understanding execution roles is kind of like AWS 1o1
The lambda_basic_execution role would work for now. I think I had created it the first time that I took interest in the basics of how Lambda works, but I can’t remember.
I clicked Next to configure the API endpoints that would invoke the new Lambda function.
Step 3: Configure endpoints
I won’t bore you with detailed steps here, as I experimented with a variety of settings and IAM permissions before settling on a configuration that I felt would serve my purposes.
With these settings done, I could head back over to the DueProps app settings in Slack and set the URL as where Slack should redirect the browser on successful OAuth activity by the admin user.
Speaking of which, I should check what data will be passed to the callback. That information, along with instructions on how to turn an access token into actual settings is featured in the API docs for the Slack Button.
Early Testing
Impatiently, I go ahead and hack changes to the DueProps admin settings to present the Slack integration button to the network admin.
Clicking the button takes me to an OAuth page that prompts for a channel where DueProps can post activity.
OAuth for Slack integration. Hmm, maybe I should add some commands soon
I pick #general and hit the submit button. Slack hits the callback and I excitedly jump back over to the AWS console to see what happened.
Looks like the invocation happened. I click on the link that says View logs in CloudWatch and promptly note that no data was passed to the Lambda function. The event parameter is completely empty. Hmm.
Log statement with {} where my request parameters should be
Okay, I think to myself there’s got to be some sort of configuration for the API endpoint, along the lines of how nowadays it is best practice to have some sort of way to tell your web app what request params are okay to pass along to controller logic.
So I poke around the AWS Console for my API Endpoint, and bingo! There’s a cool looking diagram showing the flow of the method execution. There’s two boxes above with arrows leading to the Lambda function, then arrows back in the other direction along the bottom two boxes back to the caller.
Boxes!
I find the UI for these configurations to be fairly unintuitive, so I guess I better consult the docs for specifying methods. Much googling and head-scratching ensues, as I trial-and-error for the next 30 minutes or so. In particular, most everything I research about Request Model programming ends up being a dead end.
So I take a step back. What I care about from the Slack callback are the code and state request parameters. I’ll be using the code parameter in conjunction with the Slack API to get a webhook URL. And the state parameter should have my network slug, so I know which network to associate with the new settings.
Eventually I end up with a configuration that looks like this in the Method Execution settings:
Telling API Gateway that I care about certain URL Query String Parameters
But just specifying that we care about these parameters is not enough. All that it does is to make them available to the mapping step, and that part turned out to be quite a bitch to figure out. After much experimentation and googling, I found the guide to the mapping syntax.
The secret was to define a Mapping Template associated with application/json content type, even though the GET request from Slack (being an OAuth callback) should not be associated with any particular content type.
I found this screen particularly non-intuitive
Now that the desired request parameters were being passed on to the Lambda function via the event object, I decided to try the OAuth flow in the browser. No request variables showed up in the Lambda. No matter what I tried, nothing worked. Always the damned empty object.
So I burned at least another hour going over the syntax of the mapping template and consulting every StackOverflow post and AWS Forum post available on the subject. Nothing helped, until on the verge of giving up, I realized that unlike Lambda functions, it’s not enough to save API Gateway configurations. You have to Deploy them too!
Don’t forget to deploy your API Gateway configuration!
Such a stupid waste of time. What really got me is that Lambda functions just need to be saved, not deployed.
Making Progress
Anyway, now that the parameters were actually being passed on as intended, I was finally able to move to the next step in the process. I leveraged the NodeJS https and querystring packages to hit the Slack API with my token (as documented here.)
Working with NodeJS was relatively painless, but figuring out the particulars of the integration was not.
First of all, even though what we get back from the Slack API is formatted as JSON, it is not marked as such by its content-type. So that conditional checking for JSON was broken code. Then there was the question of what to do with the data returned by oauth.access. At the very least I would need to persist it, and I opted to use the same microservice to store it in DynamoDB.
DynamoDB for NoSQL storage
My first destination was the development guide for working with DynamoDB items. I was hoping that it would be something akin to working with Firebase and, well… the jury is still out on that.
The guide didn’t exactly tell me what to do, in fact it had entirely too much information to be useful to me at the moment. I did go ahead and create a DynamoDB table manually using the console.
Further poking around the web, there doesn’t seem to be clear documentation of how to use the DynamoDB calls specifically together with NodeJS’s aws-sdk library. Employing some trial and error, I was able to deduce the answer from the Rest API documentation for DynamoDB.
The putItem function takes a parameter object, along with a callback to invoke when the operation is complete.
The parameters object must have a TableName key at its top level. It should also have an Item key, containing the data that you want to put in the database. Additionally, that Item object must contain a primary key corresponding to what you declared it to be when you setup the table via the DynamoDB console (or API.) I add this key to the item object on line 10 of the gist.
I also went ahead and used context.done as the callback, since it has the typical NodeJS style (err, result) signature. The downside is that the web-based code editor does not recognize it as an exit point and puts up an obnoxious warning on the page.
Seriously?
Thanks to this warning, I wasted some time second-guessing whether it was indeed true that my function might not exit in an orderly fashion. Maybe the AWS code editor is smarter than I am? Meh, probably not in this case.
Thinking about error conditions made me realize that at the very least, my function should have some awareness of Slack’s API semantics so that it can respond appropriately to edge cases. But not wanting to get sidetracked from my experimentation, I decide to charge ahead with a happy path implementation. I really wanted to see if I could complete the whole feature by redirecting back to the DueProps network settings page.
Tribulations encountered trying to redirect the browser
Here is where my tribulations began. Much thrashing ensued before I chanced on this article that made me really sad.
You see, as of this writing, the API Gateway interprets any successful result from Lambda as a 200. As far as anyone can tell, that condition is not subject to change. Meaning that if you want to return a different status code, such as 302 (in order to accomplish a redirect) or even a 201 (to indicate that a new resource was created), then the Lambda function needs to fail. The code |
A. Sporting a ponytail and a nice blazer, Kyle reminded me of the hipster guys I used to see when I hung out at the local liberal coffee shops back in my twenties, certainly not an evil “Nazi” type of guy.
The first comment he received was from a young man who was upset with the Jewish element of the film. It was something along the lines of, “Oy vey! Why did you have to point out these guys were Jews? What does that have to do with anything?”
Kyle pointed out to him that the Jewish element had everything to do with it and then moved on because the guy’s kvetching was irritating him as well as taking time away from other people’s questions. Kyle also took the opportunity to point out to the audience that in many countries a person can be put in jail not just for questioning the validity of the Holocaust, but simply for questioning the six million number, even though at Auschwitz the plaque with the number of people killed has changed from originally claiming four million to now just 1.5 million. I was never good at math, but I’m pretty sure that changes the six million number just a little bit.
This triggered another audience member, a young man who argued that you couldn’t go to jail for questioning the Holocaust. Something tells me Ernest Zündel and Silvia Stolz might disagree (they have both been thrown in jail numerous times for questioning the Holocaust). Clearly, this man is unaware that questioning the Holocaust is a punishable crime in Germany and many other European countries.
A few other audience members commented that they felt the film was “one-sided” even though Kyle explicitly says that in the beginning of the documentary that they only wanted to focus on the German side. I can’t help but find these people’s opinion of one-sidedness patently absurd since we have heard ONLY one side for seven decades. There have been thousands of books, films, and TV series dedicated to the Holocaust. Impressionable children in middle school are instructed to read The Diary of Ann Frank, a book which should be flushed down the toilet for how full of shit it is, but not once did we ever learn about what the Germans suffered through. Indeed, all we have ever heard is, “OMG! Those evil Nazi’s!” I would wager that every single one of us had a history teacher who referred to Hitler as the devil incarnate; one of my history teacher’s actually told us the story of the lampshades and soap as if it was real even though it’s been proven to be a hoax.
After the brief Q & A, we all filed out into the theater hallway. I asked a few audience members what their thoughts were on the film. One middle aged woman named Cindy commented that she felt the film was one-sided and was very unhappy with Kyle for using the word “alleged” to describe the atrocities of the Holocaust, which was very real in her mind since she had been to the Holocaust Museum and saw the shoes of the little Jewish children that were killed. I asked Cindy’s mom what she thought of the film and got a more direct answer: “I hated it.”
I will give them credit for at least being willing to watch Hellstorm and to sit through the whole thing, but it saddened me that even after learning about the truly horrific, evil, and barbaric treatment the Germans were subjected to, they still could not shake their Jewish programming. To them the Jews are the biggest victims of all time and always will be.
I’m going to assume that most, if not all, the people reading this know that the Holocaust is a made up Jewish lie, but let’s suspend reality for a moment and say that it actually did happen as they claim. Although that would have been horrific, it would still be nothing compared to what the Germans suffered after the war. The narrative is that the Jews starved to death in concentration camps or executed. Meanwhile, German women were raped to death, literally crucified with nails hammered into their hands, and as I mentioned earlier, sometimes forced at gun point to have sex with the corpses of dead men on the streets of what was left of Germany. German men had their testicles crushed and some were forced to eat their own excrement. Which would you rather suffer? At least starving to death you could die with some type of dignity.
In conclusion, Kyle made an excellent point at the end of Q & A; he pointed out that no one on Earth should ever have to suffer anything like this ever again and that is the point of watching a film like Hellstorm, to know what happened and what could happen if we don’t put a stop to it now. What I wish some of the more critical audience members could understand is that the Jews want Hellstorm for the entire world. We don’t have to go down that road. If enough people would wake up to world Jewry and understand how much damage the Jews have done and how intent they are on creating far more than what the Germans experienced, we can prevent another Hellstorm, and if we have to use violence to defend ourselves, so be it. Every white person, and even non-white for that matter, should be ready to do whatever it takes to defeat the Jews so that future generations can thrive, live happily among their own, and never suffer anything like this ever again.
I want to personally thank Kyle and Tom Goodrich for being brave enough to take on this subject matter and to spend the time, money, and tremendous effort it took to make this film. Most people simply parrot whatever is fashionable or “politically correct” so it takes some guts to show a film like Hellstorm at a film festival and be willing to stand there and take criticism from brainwashed people without flinching once. Hellstorm made me realize how much we’ve lost and how much we still stand to lose.StarForge Gets Halo in your Minecraft
What would happen if you mixed Minecraft, Halo, Warcraft 3 and Terraria into one voxel based game? The guys developing StarForge have your answer. Taking inspiration from the aforementioned titles, this strange amalgamation of games is available in its first playable build today.
The above video shows off the various modes of gameplay, and how the infinite proceduraly generated world works. It’s honestly quite staggering to see happen in real time. The way the world generation works is impressive, allowing you to dig as far as you can, or fly all the way into space and build there.
There are game modes similar to Minecraft’s survival mode, where you build a base and survive the night fending off monsters. The difference is this time you’re going to use rocket turrets, rather than diamond swords. The other major mode is Fort Wars, where you’re tasked with protecting your vat by building a defensive base.
The entire thing is free to play, and though the Starforge team is currently experiencing website issues, the developers have provided download options. A direct download and torrent are both available while they get back online. Your best bet is likely the torrent. At the time of writing, my direct download is sitting at a 12 day wait, and going up.
Likely the most impressive part of this entire project is it’s being developed by two guys on their own. Small projects like this have been making a big splash lately either through self funding or Kickstarter. Starforge looks to be another triumph for the little guy, even early on in development. Once we get the game in hand, we’ll have more detailed info for you. In the mean time, fire up that torrent client.
Video courtesy of StarForgeDear Spring community,
It is my pleasure to announce that, after more than a year of milestones and RCs and almost two years of development overall, Spring Framework 5.0 is finally generally available as 5.0.0.RELEASE from repo.spring.io and Maven Central!
This brand-new generation of the framework is ready for 2018 and beyond: with support for JDK 9 and the Java EE 8 API level (e.g. Servlet 4.0), as well as comprehensive integration with Reactor 3.1, JUnit 5, and the Kotlin language. On top of that all, Spring Framework 5 comes with many functional API variants and introduces a dedicated reactive web framework called Spring WebFlux, next to a revised version of our Servlet-based web framework Spring MVC.
A few resources with details about this release:
Let’s not forget our upcoming live events:
We’ll be doing a Spring Framework 5.0 release webinar next week. Come and join us!
And of course, the best place to learn about our recent developments is our conference SpringOne Platform 2017 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco in early December!
Cheers,
JuergenBusiness is tough in the anime industry. What with the lean economy and the whole thing with the anime bubble bursting, publishers everywhere that don't have their claws in some kind of sure-win property are scrambling to adapt their business model.
Media Blasters spoke out recently about how they're doing it on their end, and one of the solutions? Go with box sets. Exec John Sirabella let everyone know that, at least for the time being, the age of buying your anime disc-by-disc is over, at least once the last volume of Kanokon gets out the door.
Of course, the plan isn't closed to Blu-ray singles, but Sirabella confirmed that future DVD releases will be done in box set format. One of the reasons they've done so is that most customers have been holding back on buying singles and waiting until they get bundled together. May as well cut out that potentially expensive step in between, yes? They also expressed a desire to get new episodes out for free via streaming or download services, on the idea that folks will decide to get the awesome anime they just watched for keeps.
Makes sense to me, but what do you think? Do you miss the days of buying your anime volume-by-volume?
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US-led coalition official to ARA News: We don’t seek fight with Syrian regime
Eradication of ISIS in Iraq still months away, says US senior commander
US-led coalition provided SDF troops with mission specific weapons to defeat ISIS in Raqqa: Official
Senior Kurdish official says Kurdistan independence referendum going ahead despite opposition
ARA News
QAMISHLO – Kurdish military official and commander of the SDF-led Manbij Military Council, Shervan Darwish, said that the Islamic State (ISIS) radical group is no longer able to send jihadi fighters from Syria to the outside world.
“The time for ISIS transportation of terrorists to the outside world has come to an end. We have imposed a complete siege on the group’s major border pocket near Turkey. The group cannot cross that border anymore,” Darwish said in an interview with ARA News.
“Also, the roads linking Manbij with Jarablus and Aleppo have been blocked by our (SDF) troops,” the Kurdish commander said.
Darwish pointed out that other roads between Raqqa [capital of the Islamic State] and other Syrian areas have been cut off by the Kurdish-led Syrian democratic Forces (SDF) after heavy clashes.
“ISIS seems paralysed.. no more terrorist convoys and reinforcements for ISIS in Syria. The group is now in a defensive position, desperately trying to keep its positions,” he said.
“We have been working hard to accomplish this. Besieging ISIS in its key territory means protecting the entire world from further transportation of trained terrorists,” he told ARA News.
“Of course the group could still use its sleeper cells to carry out attacks in the West, but those who have been trained for years in the ISIS jihadi camps in Syria are no longer able to carry out their missions abroad. They are now under siege, and soon will be eliminated on the Syrian soil,” the SDF official said.
He added that the US-led coalition has been playing a key role in supporting the SDF factions on the ground.
“The coalition has provided us with military experts and weapons, and it continues to support us through an effective air cover. Our cooperation and collaboration has weakened ISIS,” Darwish said. “We will continue to work together in order to eliminate this mutual enemy, this brutal enemy of humanity.”
Reporting by: Ahmed Shiwesh
Source: ARA News
For the latest news follow us on Twitter
Join our Weekly NewsletterIRVINE, Calif. -- Golfers are urged to swing with care after scientists at UC Irvine proved that titanium-coated clubs can cause course-side vegetation to burst into flames.
Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said Wednesday that the results confirm a suspicion investigators have had for years: that titanium alloy clubs were the cause of at least two blazes on area golf courses, including one that burned 25 acres at Irvine's Shady Canyon in 2010. A second fire, sparked at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, burned close to homes.
Titanium golf clubs are fine to use when hitting off a tee, but golfers should beware when using them near rocks and dry vegetation, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi says. Thinkstock.com
"The common denominator was each golfer used a titanium club, and hit the ball [from] just out of bounds next to dry vegetation, where the ground was extremely rocky," he said.
Investigators who were "laughed at" when they first floated the golf club theory have been vindicated, according to Concialdi.
Scientists painstakingly re-created in the lab the course conditions on the days of the fires. Using high-speed cameras and electron microscopes, they found that if hit upon a rock, clubs containing titanium can produce sparks of up to 3,000 degrees that will burn for more than a second, said James Earthman, a chemical engineering and materials science professor and an author of the study.
"And that gives the spark plenty of time" to ignite nearby foliage, he said. "Titanium reacts violently with both oxygen and nitrogen in the air."
In contrast, when standard stainless steel clubs were used, there was no reaction.
Most golf clubs have steel heads but many manufacturers also make ones with a titanium alloy component in the head. Such alloys are 40 percent lighter, which can make the club easier to swing, researchers said.
Concialdi said the Fire Authority is giving golfers using titanium clubs permission to break the rules and "improve their lie" -- that is, to move their ball away from rocks and dry vegetation.
"If they need to take a penalty, take a penalty," he said.President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a news cenference at Trump Tower on Wednesday in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Donald Trump’s so-called plan to resolve the tangled web of conflicts of interest that are on course to cling to his presidency from Day 1 isn’t really much of a plan at all. In his press conference Wednesday, Trump and his lawyer, Sheri Dillon, dropped many ethical sounding phrases, like: “blind trust” and “isolating himself” and “donate all profits from foreign government payments.” On Wednesday, the director of the Office of Government Ethics, who has publicly scolded the Trump team’s weak sauce on ethics, had another word for the president-elect’s well choreographed plan: “meaningless.”
“We can’t risk creating the perception that government leaders would use their official positions for profit,” Walter Shaub, head of the nonpartisan ethics body, said at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday. “That’s why I was glad in November when the president-elect tweeted that he wanted to, as he put it, ‘in no way have a conflict of interest’ with his businesses. Unfortunately, his current plan cannot achieve that goal.”
Here’s more from Taub on Trump’s conflict of interest concerns:
[T]he plan the President-elect has announced doesn’t meet the standards that the best of his nominees are meeting and that every President in the past four decades has met… It’s easy to see that the current plan does not achieve anything like the clean break Rex Tillerson is making from Exxon. Stepping back from running his business is meaningless from a conflict of interest perspective. The Presidency is a full-time job and he would’ve had to step back anyway. The idea of setting up a trust to hold his operating businesses adds nothing to the equation. This is not a blind trust—it’s not even close… His sons are still running the businesses, and, of course, he knows what he owns. His own attorney said today that he can’t “un- know” that he owns Trump tower. The same is true of his other holdings. The idea of limiting direct communication about the business is wholly inadequate. That’s not how a blind trust works. There’s not supposed to be any information at all. …
So, to be clear, OGE’s primary recommendation is that he divest his conflicting financial interests. Nothing short of divestiture will resolve these conflicts… I appreciate that divestiture can be costly. But the President-elect would not be alone in making that sacrifice. I’ve been involved in just about every Presidential nomination in the past 10 years. I also have been involved in the ethics review of Presidents, Vice Presidents, and most top White House officials. I’ve seen the sacrifices that these individuals have had to make. It’s important to understand that the President is now entering the world of public service. He’s going to be asking his own appointees to make sacrifices. He’s going to be asking our men and women in uniform to risk their lives in conflicts around the world. So, no, I don’t think divestiture is too high a price to pay to be the President of the United States of America.HARLEM, N.Y.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband exited the Church’s prominent 33,000-square-foot meetinghouse located in the heart of Harlem, New York, on Sunday, Oct. 22, and walked one block down the street. There he looked in the windows of the iconic Sylvia’s Restaurant where, two decades earlier, the first LDS branch met in Harlem.
Recalling the birth of the Church in the historic northern Manhattan community, Elder Rasband, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who served as a full-time missionary and then mission president in New York, thought: “This is what it is all about.”
“A piece of my heart and a piece of my testimony exists here in Harlem,” said Elder Rasband, who was in Harlem to participate in the 20th anniversary celebration of the Church in the community.
It was while Elder Rasband was serving as president of the New York New York North Mission from 1996 to 1999 that it became apparent that members and missionaries needed a place to meet in Harlem. Congregations from numerous denominations were gathering on nearly every corner in Harlem; Latter-day Saint converts also wanted to worship in their community.
“We were having a very difficult time finding a place to lease,” said Elder Rasband. Then Van Woods, an LDS convert, offered Elder Rasband and the Church his famous soul food restaurant.
Thinking of all the storefront churches in New York City, Elder Rasband thought, “Why can’t we meet in a restaurant on Sunday mornings?”
Church leaders formed the Manhattan 9th Branch, better known as the “Harlem Branch,” in 1997. Members met in the iconic Sylvia’s Restaurant. As the Church was welcomed into the prominent business, the way the community perceived the Church changed, recalled Elder Rasband.
Church membership thrived in Harlem, and the Latter-day Saints soon outgrew Sylvia’s. Construction on the first Church-built meetinghouse in Harlem began several days before the dedication of the Manhattan New York Temple in 2004. Today the 5-floor meetinghouse on Lenox Avenue and 128th Street stands in the heart of Harlem. Three wards meet in the building.
Elder Rasband said he knew as a mission president that great things were in store for Harlem.
Speaking to members at the meeting on Sunday, Elder Rasband quoted Proverbs 29, “where there is no vision the people perish.”
“The Harlem Branch, now three wards, is an example of people having vision,” he told the members. “Look what has now happened in Harlem. Dream big.”
The opportunity to participate in the meeting was a great privilege for Elder Rasband, who only a few weeks ago spoke in general conference on the topic, “By Divine Design.”
Although Elder Rasband received his assignment to participate in a stake conference in New Jersey many months ago, he did not learn of the Harlem event — promoted on social media by his former missionaries — until much later.
“It was like Heavenly Father knew I would be there six months ago when I was assigned to go to East Brunswick, New Jersey,” he said. “And I was able to go to Harlem Sunday afternoon and participate and give them all my love and the Lord’s love. It was one of those special, almost choreographed-in-heaven, opportunities.”
Looking over the congregation, he realized “where there was nothing 20 years ago, there are now thriving congregations that contribute to the community and host community events in their beautiful building. It is a community church now — an important part of Harlem,” he said.
Bishop Micah J. Day of the Harlem 1st Ward, who served a full-time mission in New York under the leadership of Elder Rasband, said Harlem has “a vibrant spiritual element.”
He said local leaders organized the program Sunday to help members, many of whom are new to Harlem, understand the rich history of the area. “I really wanted to give the members an understanding of their pioneer heritage and the pioneer heritage of Harlem and the roots that are here,” he said. Harlem “is a very special place in the patchwork of Zion....
“How blessed I am to be serving in a place — to have an opportunity to continue to serve my mission president 20 years later, to carry on his legacy, to build upon the inspiration he had 20 years ago.”
Bishop Day was with Elder Rasband as they left the Church’s Harlem meetinghouse and walked one block to Sylvia’s.
He listened as Elder Rasband “harkened back to his experiences as a missionary,” he said. “I got the feeling as if we were back on the mission again. He had this spring in his step. You could tell he felt the power of the place — and the experiences he had there.”Just a quick heads-up to those of you still using Google Wallet, but own a device that doesn’t have Kit Kat (Android 4.4+). Google is going to kill off Tap & Pay functionality come April 14 for anything below Android 4.4. In other words, you will only be able to store loyalty cards and offers, send money to friends, view orders, and use the physical Google Wallet card to make purchases. OK, that’s most functionality, just not the Tap & Pay portion.
They began sending emails out last night to notify users who meet the 4.3 and below criteria and have also updated their Wallet support pages.
Google mentions in the email that Kit Kat “works with different technology for an improved experience” that non-Kit Kat devices don’t have. I’d imagine they are talking about Host Card Emulation (HCE). With HCE, devices can make secure-NFC purchases without needing a Secure Element. This feature was indeed introduced with Android 4.4.
The move is a bit of a downer, as Kit Kat (Android 4.4.+) currently only makes up 2.5% of the entire Android ecosystem. There are very few devices outside of Google’s own Nexus line, the HTC One, Motorola’s newest, and a handful of Galaxy devices that are currently running Android 4.4. That should change shortly with more and more Galaxy devices receiving the update, but until they have Kit Kat, Tap & Pay is out.
Here is the email our reader received:
Dear Milton, We wanted to let you know about an update to Google Wallet that might change the way you use the app. Right now it looks like you’re using tap and pay with a device running an Android version older than 4.4 KitKat. On the newest version of Android, tap and pay works with different technology for an improved experience. As a result, starting on April 14, 2014, tap and pay will no longer work for devices with older Android versions. Tap and pay will be available for most devices running Android 4.4 KitKat. If you are able to upgrade to KitKat now, you can check if your device supports tap and pay. Supported devices will display a tile in your “My Wallet” screen that tells you to set up tap and pay. For devices that are not eligible for Android 4.4 KitKat or don’t support tap and pay, you can still use the Google Wallet app to store all of your loyalty cards and offers, send money to your friends, view your orders, and use the Google Wallet Card to make purchases. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for continuing to be a loyal Wallet user. If you have any questions, please visit our Help Center.
Sincerely,
The Google Wallet Team
Cheers Milton!Fox plans to release films starting Christmas 2018.
Fox ended its CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas on Thursday with a surprise guest: James Cameron.
The filmmaker announced that there will be four Avatar sequels, not the previously planned three. "We have decided to embark on a truly massive cinematic process," he said.
Cameron said as he was planning the three sequels, he found it limiting. "We began to bump up against the limitations for our art form," he said, explaining that he decided he would need more installments to tell the whole story.
Cameron said each of the four sequels will be able to stand alone, but will together create a saga. His goal is to release Avatar 2 at Christmas 2018 and then a new film in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
"I've been working the last couple of years with a team of four top screenwriters," he said, "to design the world of Avatar going forward: the characters, the creatures, the environment, the new cultures.
"So far, the art I'm seeing is, in pure imagination, really far beyond the first film," he added. "It's going to be a true epic saga."
The original 2009 film earned $2.8 billion worldwide.
Cameron also spoke at length in support of the theatrical experience.
"So together, we’re going to continue to make this industry the greatest show on earth. That’s what we do," he said to hearty applause.
Cameron also slammed the Screening Room, saying, "I think it's absolutely essential for movies to be offered exclusively in theaters on their initial release."Netflix stock is getting hammered. Down nearly 75% from its high point this year, the stock has dropped just under 35% during trading today alone, after the company warned it would likely post negative numbers in the first quarters of 2012. So why is Whitney Tilson, one of the stock’s most vocal detractors, suddenly thinking about buying in? I spoke with Tilson, founder and managing partner of T2 Partners, earlier this month and asked him about Netflix.
“Honestly, we’re looking at it as a potential long at this point,” said Tilson, when the stock was trading around $110/share two weeks ago. “We actually think that they’ve got real first mover advantages. One of their key pillars was very strong customer loyalty, which they’ve certainly tested. But now that they’ve rescinded this silly Qwikster idea, we think the company probably has a bright future.”
In December of last year, Tilson laid out his thesis on Netflix, explaining why he was short the company – despite the fact that the position had already cost him dearly – at around $180/share. “By any measure, Netflix's valuation is extremely rich,” wrote Tilson. “The stock is priced for perfection, and any misstep would likely trigger a huge selloff.”
Tilson thought Netflix’s streaming business was a less profitable one than its DVD-by-mail operation, and predicted increased competition. “Netflix is moving from a business in which it was competing against smaller, dying, heavily-indebted companies with inferior business models to some of the largest, most powerful, aggressive and deep-pocketed companies in the world [Google, Amazon, Apple, Disney, and many more] which have big competitive advantages over Netflix,” he wrote. He also went into detail about increased headwinds from weak streaming content, increasingly expensive licensing deals, bandwidth challenges and market saturation. Read the whole thing here.
After the stock rose another 25%, Tilson took off the short, writing, “Many things will have to go very right for the company to justify its current market valuation, but we no longer think it’s wise to bet against Netflix.”
When I spoke with Tilson, he pointed out that he was right in his original assessment of the obstacles facing the company – just not at the right time.
“If you go back and read our original Netflix piece, we pretty well nailed it,” Tilson told me. “But we were quite early – we were almost a year early. So we got clobbered to the point that we couldn’t take the pain, and we just said, ‘You know what? There are better shorts out here.’ So we covered and got out.”
“Watching our investment thesis eventually play out and not participating in it has been very annoying,” he said.
Now, Tilson is thinking about going long; the only question is when.
“Now that we have the idea to go long, we’re trying to figure out whether this is one of those cases where we should wait 6 or 12 months for all of the negative stuff to come out and we’ll get to get in at a lower price,” he told me.
The stock moves of the last 24 hours may be exactly what he was waiting for.
Update, 10/26: Barron's is reporting that Tilson emailed friends of his yesterday to confirm that he is indeed buying a small amount of Netflix stock. "The core of our short thesis was always Netflix’s high valuation. In light of the stock’s collapse, we now think it’s cheap and today established a small long position. We hope it gets cheaper so we can add to it,” Tilson wrote in the message.Please enable Javascript to watch this video
Los Angeles police on Wednesday arrested a woman accused of unlawfully taking her 6-year-old son that morning from a Venice elementary school, prompting an Amber Alert.
The boy was taken from Coeur d'Alene Avenue Elementary School at 810 Coeur d'Alene Ave. just after 8:30 a.m. by his mother who does not have custody rights, according to the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division.
After a 12-hour search, the mother was taken into custody around 7:30 p.m. following a brief pursuit that ended with her hoisting the boy and fleeing into a Marina del Rey Haley-Davidson showroom.
Authorities initiated a traffic stop after Nisha Burnett Thayer was spotted driving through Venice with her son, West Burnett.
After initially pulling over and speaking with police, Sky5 footage showed the woman decided to drive away — at points with one or both hands off the wheel and out the driver's side window.
She drove to the Harley-Davidson retailer in Marina del Rey and got out of the car, picked up her son and made her way into the building, where she was swarmed by police officers and eventually apprehended.
West was in good health and spoke with social workers Wednesday night before he was released to his legal guardians.
He smiled as he left the police station and told reporters he was “happy” to be reunited with his father and aunt, though admitted he had been "kind of scared" throughout the ordeal.
The boy was first spotted with his mother around 12:30 p.m. about 4 miles from the school, at Palms Boulevard and Kelton Avenue in the Palms neighborhood, according to police.
West was dropped off at school by his father's cousin, who walked the child into his classroom, according to the boy's 43-year-old father, William Burnett.
Nisha Burnett, the boy's biological mother, followed him into the school and took him from the classroom "without teacher's permission," LAPD Sgt. Bridgette Peterson said on scene in Venice. School staff tried unsuccessfully to stop the mother, according to the sergeant.
The campus was open at that time to allow parents to drop their children off in classrooms, she said.
"She basically walked into the classroom, took the child out during the open-campus time and then left with the child," Peterson said.
Investigators don't know what the mother's intentions were, the sergeant said.
The Police Department asked the California Highway Patrol to put out an Amber Alert, Peterson said. An Amber Alert finally went out to public emergency channels shortly after 6:30 p.m.
Just before 2 p.m., LAPD put out a news release, saying West Burnett's family and police were seeking help finding him. Police identified the mother as Nisha Burnett; family members on scene earlier gave her name as Nisha Burnett Thayer. William and Nisha Burnett are divorced.
There is a restraining order out against the mother "because of possible endangerment of the child," according to the boy's aunt, Lia Hein.
Hein said she has custodial rights to her nephew, and West lives with her, while William Burnett has parental rights. Nisha Burnett hasn't seen West in several months, Hein said at an afternoon news conference with police.
"She just walked right into the classroom and... took him," Hein said.
Nisha Burnett had been seen lurking around the school on Tuesday, trying to contact West, and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services was notified, the aunt said. The mother was told to leave the school property, Hein said.
West had trouble sleeping Tuesday night and was "worried about hearing his mom in the room," Hein said, tearing up.
"I know he must be terrified. Nisha, bring him back. Bring him back," Hein exclaimed. "You know you're not well."
The mother has been known to live in her vehicle, said Peterson and William Burnett, who described his ex-wife as being of Filipino descent.
William Burnett described his ex-wife as homeless and "very erratic," and Hein said she has mental health problems and a history of drug abuse.By Rebecca Morelle
Science reporter, BBC News
The long-eared jerboa, a tiny nocturnal mammal that is dwarfed by its enormous ears, can be found in deserts in Mongolia and China.
Zoological Society of London (ZSL) scientist Jonathan Baillie said the footage was helping researchers to learn more about the mysterious animal.
The species is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red list.
These creatures hop just like a kangaroo; it is amazing to watch
Dr Jonathan Baillie, ZSL
The unusual animals were filmed in the Gobi desert during an expedition led by Dr Baillie.
Until now, the creatures had proven extremely difficult to study, thanks to their minuscule size, nocturnal nature and the harsh desert environment that they inhabit.
Big ears
Dr Baillie told BBC News that he was "ecstatic" to have tracked down the jerboas.
"These creatures hop just like a kangaroo; it is amazing to watch. Little hairs on their feet, almost like snow shoes, allow them to jump along the sand," he explained.
"And in terms of mammals, they have one of the biggest ear-to-body ratios out there."
The footage revealed that the creatures spent daylight hours in underground tunnels beneath the sand, and that their diet was mostly made up of insects.
"The long-eared jerboa is a bit like the Mickey Mouse of the desert, cute and comic in equal measure," Dr Baillie said.
By setting pitfall traps, the researchers were also able to look at the rodents close-up and to begin to estimate their population.
Dr Baillie added that although there was still much to learn about the rare rodent, it was already believed to be under threat from habitat disturbance.
"We travelled to the Gobi to find out about the animal's status and learn more about it so we can develop a thorough long-term action plan."
Desert bounties
The expedition formed part of ZSL's Edge programme, which focuses its efforts on conservation plans for animals that are both endangered and evolutionarily distinctive.
The long-eared jerboa is one of 10 species that the programme is looking at this year.
"These amazing, remarkable creatures are on the verge of extinction and we know almost nothing about them," warned Dr Baillie.
He added that it was important not to overlook desert habitats in conservation.
"Everyone thinks the desert is a totally desolate area, void of biodiversity, and often when conservation planning is done, deserts are overlooked.
"But there are some remarkable species in the desert, so we really need to start paying attention to this environment."
An Edge scientist has now been appointed to further study the species.Philippe Coutinho was denied a move to Barcelona (Picture: Getty)
Former Liverpool star Luis Garcia has told Philippe Coutinho to refocus and take the positives after his transfer to Barcelona fell through this summer.
The Brazil international was strongly linked with the Catalan giants in a big-money move, but Liverpool held firm and repeatedly insisted they would not let their star player go.
Solskjaer sends message to struggling Man Utd star ahead of Crystal Palace clash
It has been claimed Liverpool rejected a late bid of around £138million for Coutinho, and Garcia says the player now needs to put the whole saga behind him.
The Spaniard won the Champions League in his time with Liverpool, and has told Coutinho he can do the same this season.
Coutinho remains a key part of Liverpool’s plans (Picture: Getty)
‘Now it’s time for him to put everything on the field because the team’s going to need it,’ Garcia told talkSPORT.
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‘The moment that you know you’re not going to leave, you have to change your mind and start thinking about what is going to be this season.
‘The team is looking good and the results are coming.
Luis Garcia has offered some words of advice to Coutinho (Picture: Getty)
‘He needs to put his spot and why not? He can find himself in the Champions League final this year and I think no one is not going to say that Liverpool can not arrive to the final.’
Coutinho’s Brazil team-mate Neymar admitted his colleague was in a bad place after failing to get his move away to Anfield, while some reports state he was seen crying about the blocked deal.
MORE: Liverpool demanded €200m for Philippe Coutinho, claim Barcelonahas been in the news quite a bit lately. Just yesterday, in yet another example of sectarian violence, a terrorist disguised as a worshipper bombed a Muslim holiday service in Afghanistan. Last night, Republican political strategist and advisor John Sununu suggested that former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama |
29 in the United States, where it is sold by a Embraer-Sierra Nevada Corporation partnership, and the aircraft in August participated in a series of experiments at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
The A-29 is widely presumed to be the winner of any eventual OA-X competition, as the service has already chosen to buy it for Afghanistan and Lebanon.
Yet Aboulafia pointed out that sales of even a couple hundred aircraft would do little to impact Boeing’s bottom line.
“I’m hard-pressed to think of why Boeing would care,” he said.Kentucky State Trooper Shot And Killed; Suspect Dies After Manhunt
toggle caption Kentucky State Police
A man suspected of killing a state trooper on Interstate 24 has died after he was shot by police in Kentucky. The suspect, Joseph Thomas Johnson-Shanks, 25, was shot after a brief manhunt, according to the Kentucky State Patrol.
It all began Sunday night, when Trooper Cameron Ponder, 31, pulled a car over on I-24. The suspect then drove off, setting off a car chase, police say. After a pursuit of some 10 miles, the chase ended, and Ponder was shot to death in his police car.
Investigators in Lyon County, Ky., then sent out an alert for the public to be on the lookout for Johnson-Shanks. And while earlier reports from local officials suggested he had been taken into custody, police now say the suspect died.
The Kentucky State Patrol's Special Response Team found the armed suspect in a wooded area close to the interstate, the agency says.
"Johnson-Shanks refused verbal commands and aimed the weapon at the Troopers. An SRT Trooper discharged his agency issued weapon striking Johnson-Shanks," police say. "He was transported via ambulance to the Caldwell Medical Center in Princeton, KY for treatment where he later succumbed to his injuries."
Update at 10:38 a.m. ET: Suspect Killed Near Interstate
Police say that suspect Joseph Thomas Johnson-Shanks, 25, was shot after refusing to drop his gun, in a confrontation with troopers from the Kentucky State Patrol's Special Response Team. The suspect later died in the hospital.
News that the suspect has died comes after Lyon County Judge Executive Wade White wrote a Facebook update earlier today in which he said the man suspected in Ponder's death had been arrested. White didn't mention any injuries in his brief update.
Our original post continues:
The Kentucky State Police say the suspect, Joseph Thomas Johnson-Shanks, 25, drove off after initially speaking with Ponder. He then led the trooper on a chase for nearly 10 miles, before braking sharply, causing Ponder's police car to rear-end the pursued vehicle.
From the police update:
"At this time, the driver of the suspect vehicle fired several shots into the police cruiser striking the hood, windshield and Trooper Ponder multiple times. The suspect fled the scene on foot." Multiple law enforcement agencies are assisting with the investigation and search for Johnson-Shanks.
Ponder had graduated from the Kentucky State Police's training academy in January. A Navy veteran, he was a native of Rineyville, Ky., the agency says.The 1993 Super Mario Bros movie is infamous for many reasons. Mostly, we know it because the film is based on a hugely popular video game property, and the resulting movie is so, so bad. It’s also significant because the film was such a miserable experience for everyone involved — most of all the people at Nintendo — that we’ve since been denied films based on some of Nintendo’s other fantastic properties.
So, what exactly went wrong? I found out recently by reading the book Console Wars by Blake J. Harris. The book, which tells the story of the war between Sega and Nintendo in the 1990s, has a chapter dedicated to the film and it’s absolutely fascinating. Names like Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks are mentioned. Dozens of screenwriters are discussed. Terrible on-set feuds led to abysmal behavior. It’s all there.
After reading the chapter I thought you, the /Film reader, would find it just as fascinating as I did. So I contacted the publisher HarperCollins and got permission to reprint the chapter on the Super Mario Bros movie just for you. Read it below.
The below excerpt is from Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo and the Battle that Defined a Generation by Blake J. Harris. The film is currently being turned into a documentary and then is aiming to be turned into a feature film produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Read more about that stuff here.
Below though you have a good chunk of Chapter 34 called “Cops and Robbers.” I’ve cut some of the set up, getting right to the Super Mario Bros movie talk. Enjoy.
From the book CONSOLE WARS: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation by Blake J. Harris. Copyright (c) 2014 by Blake J. Harris. It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.
“What about the movie?” [Tom] Kalinske cut in. [Head of Sega of America]
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I know a few journalists, and they seem pretty convinced that what’s happening in North Carolina is a complete disaster.”
“That’s a lie,” [Bill] White [Nintendo’s director of advertising and public relations] said, knowing full well that what Kalinske had said was, in fact, the truth. Or at least it had been when Los Angeles Times writer Richard Stayton visited the North Carolina film set earlier that summer.
The movie in question was Super Mario Bros., the same one that Peter Main had excitedly announced at the Consumer Electronics Show back in January 1991. “Hey, Tom, why don’t you do yourself a favor and heed your own advice? Don’t believe everything you hear from the press. Especially the lies.”
Like every movie ever made, Super Mario Bros. started off with the best of intentions. In early 1990, just weeks after The Wizard hit the box office, White decided to get serious about making a movie based on Nintendo’s incredibly popular plumber. With The Wizard, which starred Fred Savage and centered around an autistic videogame prodigy, Nintendo had agreed to license their logos, trademarks, and game footage to Universal Pictures, who produced and distributed the movie. Nintendo was paid $100,000 for the intellectual property, but notably, and contrary to public opinion, they had no creative approval over the final film beyond the initial script and the implementation of game footage. On one hand, this deal could be viewed as a major coup for Nintendo, who was actually being paid to have a ninety-minute commercial produced about its games. But on the other hand, in this case the dominant hand, a company who considered their best quality to be control had effectively parted with that right for a modest sum. This is not to say that Universal kept Nintendo in the dark, because they didn’t—White even had an open invitation to visit the set in Reno—but it cautioned Nintendo against getting involved in a similar situation, especially after the resulting film turned out to be exceptionally mediocre, fun and watchable but not much more than a ninety-minute Nintendo commercial. Perhaps Nintendo’s commercials were guilty of being “just good enough,” but everything else the company produced was great, so when White pushed the idea of a Mario movie, Arakawa had been open to the idea as long as the movie could achieve greatness.
Throughout 1990, several movie studios made pitches to Nintendo, with story ideas, production budgets, and potential talent for the feature film. Competition for the film rights was intense, particularly at a time when four of the year’s highest-grossest films turned out to be action-adventure family movies (Home Alone, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dick Tracy, and Kindergarten Cop). The suitors each made multimillion-dollar offers, but as Nintendo had learned with The Wizard, the money came with strings attached. And this time Nintendo cared less about the money and more about controlling those strings, which led them to bypass the movie studios in favor of a pair of independent filmmakers: Jake Eberts and Roland Joffe.
When Eberts and Joffe presented their creative vision, they were less concerned with their production company’s stature and more concerned about their personal track record. Both had made great films, but those films tended to involve death, rape, and the fragility of human life, like The Killing Fields, a 1984 Joffe-directed film about Cambodian dictator Pol Pot’s state-sponsored genocide of two million innocent civilians. Although this was several shades darker than King Koopa’s death-by-Goomba strategy, Arakawa was impressed with the adult-skewed pitch and thought that perhaps a more serious film could attract an even larger audience. Feeling like Eberts and Joffe offered the best chance of something more than mediocrity, Arakawa and Yamauchi sold them the film rights to Super Mario Bros. at a reduced rate in October 1990. And from there, everything that could go wrong did.
Murphy’s Law first reared its head when Bill White, Nintendo’s point guy for the film, received a call from Joffe letting him know that Dustin Hoffman was extremely interested in playing the role of Mario. White was thrilled by this news, believing that the Oscar-winning actor had the perfect skill set to achieve Nintendo’s lofty goals: the dramatic chops to skew older (Rain Main), the cartoonish eccentricities to skew younger (Hook), and the ability to be taken seriously while acting silly (Tootsie). White asked Joffe to set up a meeting and then excitedly brought this news to Arakawa, who didn’t share the same enthusiasm. Instead, he just kind of scratched his head and said that Hoffman wouldn’t be right for the part. In traditional Arakawa fashion, when he was asked if there was any particular reason why not, NOA’s president thought for a moment, squinted ever so slightly, and then quietly said no before moving on to the next thing. By the time this response was relayed back to Joffe, a meeting had already been set up with the actor.
As a result, White was sent to New York for a two-hour meeting with Hoffman, where he was forced to reluctantly rain on Rain Man’s parade. With Hoffman out of the picture, White and the producers set their sights on Danny DeVito, who resembled a pudgy, charismatic plumber as much as anyone in Hollywood. Arakawa approved of this new choice, but the feeling turned out not to be mutual when DeVito turned down the role in order to focus on his directing career. Next on the list was a young actor named Tom Hanks who agreed to take the role for $5 million. But before signing the deal, the producers and Nintendo started to have second thoughts. Hanks’s recent credits included The ’Burbs, Turner & Hooch, and Joe Versus the Volcano, spurring serious doubts that he could handle a dramatic role. There were also concerns that although Hanks was tremendously likable, he lacked that “it” factor to carry a big-budget movie. And with Super Mario Bros. now budgeted at a hefty $40 million, the offer to Hanks was pulled. Hanks wasn’t thrilled but quickly got over the loss when his next two films (A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle) made him the most popular actor in Hollywood, and the next two (Philadelphia and Forrest Gump) won him Academy Awards for Best Actor.
When attaching actors to a film, this game of musical chairs is pretty common. But when it happens with writers and directors, that usually signifies it’s time to put your tray table in the upright position and brace for a crash landing in development hell. Although Joffe had directed many movies, he saw Super Mario Bros. as the perfect vehicle to launch his producing career; wanting to focus only on that aspect, he hired Greg Beeman to direct the movie. Beeman had a powerful, whimsical style, but because he had directed only one film to date (and because that film was an $8 million teen adventure romp starring Corey Feldman and Corey Haim), no distributor would finance production with Beeman at the helm. Without financing there would be no movie, so Beeman was jettisoned in favor of Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, a husband-and-wife directing team based in London. Morton and Jankel were a pair of former music video directors famous for creating The Max Headroom Show, a cutting-edge British TV program featuring the world’s first computer-generated talk-show host. In keeping with Max Headroom’s subversive spirit, Morton and Jankel wanted the movie not only to skew older but also to slant much darker, dingier, and a bit demented.
Although this direction frightened White and Nintendo more than a little, they had approved the hiring of Morton and Jankel, so it stood to reason that they ought to let their new directors do what they did best. In order to pull that off, however, the new directors needed a script that reflected their hyperkinetic vision.Share this infographic on your site!
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In the ongoing battle between geek and nerd, one must take sides, but how can this be done without a solid argument for both personas? We here at Masters In IT (a mix of nerds and geeks) decided that it's time to lay all the cards on the table to determine which is better and answer the question some fear to know: Are you a geek, or a nerd? History: The terms geek and nerd may sometimes seem synonymous, but they have very different roots in history: Nerd: This term was coined from Dr. Seuss in 1954 in a line that read "A nerkle, a nerd, and a seersucker too!" - So really nerkle and seersucker are synonymous with nerd Geek: While used as a derogatory term originally, the word "geek" gained popularity in the circus. Circus performers that performed amazing feats were Geeks Nerd Traits: Extreme interest or fascination with academics
Introverted
Socially Inept
Diverse and sometimes impractical skillets due to broad interests in games, movies, science, computers, etc.
A PC
Interest might include: Battlestar Galactica (BSG), LARPing, SecondLife, Physics, Chess, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Computer programming Likely nerd jobs: Rocket scientist
Reclusive and renowned professor
Computer programmer
Engineer
IT professional
Inventor
Or work at a video store Nerd Talk: You know you're talking to a nerd when they insert obscure references into a sentence: "There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't." "I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code." "The box said 'Requires Windows 95 or better' so I installed LINUX." Nerd Love: nerds marry other nerds, it's the natural state of the universe." Geek Traits: Someone with a specifc niche interest/lifestyle that they have become the expert on
A fan of gadgets
An early adopter
A Mac
Wears ironic t-shirts
Can be pretentious and longwinded
Knowledge can range from mundane to "living encyclopedia" status
Interests might include gaming, film (both artsy and anything Will Ferrel stars in), collecting, gadgets/tech, computing, coding, hacking, techno music, screen printing, etc. Likely geek jobs: Web design/development
IT professional
Marketer
Graphic designer
Game designer/developer
Barista at an indie coffee shop
Entrepreneur
Record store
Bartender Geek Talk: You know you're talking to a geek when they remind you of their "hip" lifestyle by discussing their "cool" habits or dropping pop culture references: "There's nothing like kicking it to some crunchy bass while enjoying a good Malbec" "60% of the time it works all the time" [while pulling out their iPhone] "Let me pull out my pocket iPad" Geek Love: geeks can fall for and marry non-geeks Factoids/Stats: 17% of Americans identify as geeks
65% of video game designers identify as geeks
50% of technology engineers identify as geeks
37% of bloggers identify as geeks
87% of people prefer the word "geek" over "nerd"
66% of millennials think "geek" is a compliment
45% of people believe geeks are early adopters
31% of people believe geeks have a higher chance of being successful
On average, self-identifed geeks have a better view of themselves than others view geeks
41% of people would be comfortable called a geek while only 24% would be comfortable called a nerd
A geek would rather be called a geek over a hipster (23% are OK with being called hipster while 41% are OK with being called a geek)A suppository is a solid dosage form that is inserted into the rectum (rectal suppository), vagina (vaginal suppository), or urethra (urethral suppository), where it dissolves or melts and exerts local or systemic effects. Suppositories are used to deliver both systemically and locally acting medications.
Composition [ edit ]
Several different ingredients can be used to form the base of a suppository: cocoa butter or a similar substitute, polyethylene glycol, hydrogels, and glycerinated gelatin. The type of material used depends on the type of suppository, the type of drug, and the conditions in which the suppository will be stored.[1]
Rectal suppositories [ edit ]
In 1991, Abd-El-Maeboud and his colleagues conducted a study on suppository insertion in The Lancet,[2] explaining that the "torpedo" shape helps the device to travel internally, increasing its efficacy. The findings of this single study have been challenged as there is insufficient evidence on which to base clinical practice.[3]
Four 500 mg paracetamol suppositories
Urethral suppositories [ edit ]
Alprostadil pellets are urethral suppositories used for the treatment of severe erectile dysfunction. They are marketed under the name Muse in the United States.[4] Its use has diminished since the development of oral impotence medications.
See also [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]
References [ edit ]This code is written in python3
Why I built this
This is the first part of the series of posts I’m doing on the code that went in to my customized morning email report. I am very fascinated with the concept of web scrapers, I think it is amazing that through a few simple lines of code one is able to design a little helper that will go and fetch you a little piece (or sometimes big piece) of information from the internet. You can set them up so they run without any further involvement on your part, and day and night they will carry out the internet retrieval task they you give them. My goal was to scrape several sources of information and incorporate these into my morning report.
I set out to build a scraper that will find me the score of my favourite baseball team’s game from the night before. I’m a Blue Jays fan so they will be used in the example, but the code is written so you could take it and substitute them for any team you wish!
What I wanted was a line in my morning report that said the following:
‘Yesterday the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics, 4 – 1’
Pretty simple, we just need to know which teams were playing, the score of the game and who won. We can then build the sentence around these variables. Lets dive in to the process behind writing that single sentence of information!
Finding a data source
First we need a data source that we will be scraping for the required information. With this in mind I set out to find a website that met the following criteria:
It has a list of the mlb scores from the previous day. The code underlying the data is in an easily scrapable format (i.e. we want flat, readable html).
A third nice thing to have would also include:
The url does not change day to day, so we can access it with ease.
To see if a webpage I find is a good candidate for scraping, I do the following (note I’m using google chrome):
Go to the page and right click anywhere. Select the option ‘View Page Source’. This will open a tab with the code under the hood of the webpage. We do this because the scraper doesn’t look at the page like a human does, it reads throughs the code that makes up the page and finds the information we need. I then go to the new tab and use the search function (command-f or control-f) to look for words of interest. In this case things like ‘scores’ ‘Blue Jays’ ‘Toronto’ and ‘TOR’. If the surrounding code appears to be something we can easily cue in on using unique characteristics, great! Otherwise, it may not be the best candidate for use.
Look around
So I started my search with www.espn.com/mlb the most obvious website to go to for sports news/scores. If you go through and try the search on the page source as I describe, you’ll notice that despite there being a scoreboard on the top of the page, it is not available in the page source! The scoreboard appears to be dynamically built using javascript… so to save time and energy it may be better to look elsewhere for the key info.
How about diving in to the espn ‘Scores’ page that is linked to from the front page: www.espn.com/mlb/scoreboard
Well this has a different problem… it displays the scores and or starting times for today’s games by default. So we need to look at the link to yesterday’s scores by clicking the calendar icon. This leads to the url (for July 25th in this case): www.espn.com/mlb/scoreboard/_/date/20170725
Now here we see another problem, every day will require us to generate a unique url! This is an added headache and on top of that when looking at the page source we see the terms ‘Toronto’ and ‘Blue Jays’ do not appear with an obvious score or opponent in their vicinity.
I did the same exploration on www.tsn.ca and encountered similar roadblocks. I did strike gold on the thrid place I looked: www.baseball-reference.com
What needs to be done – in plain English
This section walks through what we have to do to get the information from the page. Once we understand this it is easy to interpret way that the scraper is walking through the code and grabbing the information needed to build our sentence.
If you go to their website’s homepage, and scroll down a bit there is a section ‘MLB Scores (Tuesday, July 25)’ where Tuesday, July 25 would be yesterday’s date. Perfect, this is what we need! So looking at the page source and searching for the table header of ‘MLB Scores (Tuesday, July 25)’ we encounter the following html:
</div class=”” id=”scores”>
<h2><a href=”/boxes/?date=2017-07-25″>MLB Scores (Tuesday, July 25)</a></h2>
This appears to be the start of the table we looked at on the home page, so if we scroll a bit further we encounter the following snippet of html code:
<div class=”game_summary nohover”>
<table class=”teams”>
<tbody>
<tr class=”loser”>
<td><a href=”/teams/OAK/2017.shtml”>Oakland Athletics</a></td>
<td class=”right”>1</td>
<td class=”right gamelink”>
<a href=”/boxes/TOR/TOR201707250.shtml”>Final</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class=”winner”>
<td><a href=”/teams/TOR/2017.shtml”>Toronto Blue Jays</a></td>
<td class=”right”>4</td>
<td class=”right”>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
That is a bit messy. I know the Jays won 4-1 yesterday so if we look carefully we can see this has the names of both teams, along with the score of the game. The fact that ‘Oakland Athletics’ is in this game summary also tells us that they were the Blue Jays’ opponent.
Under Oakland’s section we see:
<td class=”right”>1</td>
We can reason out this bit tells us that the Athletics got 1 point. Because when we look at the Jays score that bit of code looks like:
<td class=”right”>4</td>
We know the games was 4-1, so these appear to be the teams’ run totals. To be thorough and make sure this isn’t a coincidence we can check some of the scores from other games that day and make sure the values match up for other games that were played.
At this point we now know 1. The Jays opponent was the Oakland Athletics 2. The scores of the two teams were 4 and 1 respectively 3. We know the Jays won because 4 is greater than 1 (We could also look at the <tr class=”loser”> and <tr class=”winner”> lines). There are never ties in baseball* so we don’t have to worry about equal values ever occurring for the scores.
So how does the web scraper do what we just did? Below is some example code that builds up the scraper step by step. Note I would recommend opening the notebook in a different tab, as the page is wider and easier to read (link bottom left of window).
AdvertisementsI’m happy to announce that Ludeon Studios is now a federally registered corporation in my home country of Canada! This new ephemeral paperwork status should allow us to actually manage money properly to make deals with contractors and such, avoid some taxes, and learn entirely new kinds of paperwork.
Work on the game continues. Recently I’ve added a whole ecosystem of plants and animals, enhanced various graphical features, and made colonist behaviors even more robust so they’ll sleep and eat outside if needed.
I decided to remove the old breathability system. For a long time, various actions couldn’t be undertaken outdoors because the air wasn’t breathable. This system was a holdover from when the game was called Starship Architect and was basically a mix of Dwarf Fortress and FTL.
The original idea was that being left without air would kill colonists, as it does in FTL. Later, the game was moved to a planet’s surface and became about exploring and going outside to do things. So I weakened the air system so that lacking air merely prevented eating and sleeping and made people unhappy.
Unfortunately, this arrangement proved to be rather annoying. It wasn’t dramatic like vacuum deaths in FTL. It wasn’t interesting to work with or construct. It was mostly just an obstruction and a chore. Players would pressurize their rooms and then forget about them. When a wall was damaged or destroyed, colonists would become unable to sleep in their rooms and players had trouble understanding why. And it created really brutal failure spirals where a colony would be damaged in a fight or something and the lack of pressurization would leave them unable to eat, leading to their insanity or starvation. I’d rather colonies be able to recover from hits and soldier on – the game makes much more interesting stories this way.
I’m working on weather next.What I Learned About Emulation
Well, technically, everything. I went into the project only knowing what emulators do. I didn’t know the first thing about how an emulator was created. And that is what I wanted to know. I wanted to literally crack the code of how you get computers to run something as if it was some old, dead hardware. I’m not going to list every little concept that I’ve learned. If you want to learn everything, the best way to do so is to create your own emulator. The only thing it requires is programming knowledge and good google-fu. I’m just going to cover the interesting parts.
OPCODES
This was the first thing that I had to wrap my head around. Just what is an opcode? I saw it mentioned everywhere, but it felt like nobody was actually saying what it was. Even the guide I just listed above to high praise talks a lot about how to implement opcodes without actually mentioning what they are. I’m going to spare you the quick google search that will lead you to a Wikipedia article (lifesaver, I know). Opcode is an abbreviation of operation code. Opcodes are the part of a machine code instruction that defines the action.
Let’s give a quick example from the CHIP-8 instruction set. One opcode is:
0x00E0 — Clear Screen
What does this mean? When 0x00E0 was written in the CHIP-8 language, the expected effect would be for the screen to be cleared. So from an emulators point of view, you are going through the memory reading each individual opcode, and when you reach 0x00E0, you know you have to go to whatever you are using to display graphics and make the entire screen blank. In my code, I did this:
if(self.opcode == 0x00E0):
for i in range(len(self.graphics)):
self.graphics[i] = 0
self.draw_flag = True
So when I run across the opcode I change every pixel to 0 (since CHIP-8 draws by changing pixels) and set a flag that tells the program that it is going to draw again.
For those of you who know some assembly language, you are probably familiar with opcodes. Well, kind of. Here is an example of some x86 instruction:
MOV eax, ebx
;Moves the contents of the EBX register into the EAX register for those curious
See that MOV there? That is what is known as a mnemonic opcode. Opcodes are part of the reason that assembly languages were created. It is not easy to remember every single machine language instruction. Imagine if every time you wanted to clear a screen you had to type something like 0x00E0? In the minuscule CHIP-8 instruction set alone, there are 35 opcodes. That itself is quite an undertaking. Imagine doing that on something with 100 opcodes! 200 opcodes! You just wouldn’t. That is why we now have assembly languages (and higher level languages). It is much easier to remember that MOV moves things into different register than to remember some random hexidecimal number.
EMULATING REGISTERS AND MEMORY ISN’T AS SCARY AS IT SOUNDS
I went into this absolutely clueless on how these people were representing registers and memory. I could easily see what opcodes were doing. However, addressing and RAM are those scary words you learn about in your intro CS classes, learn how to use them, then forget any details about them because binary is still scary.
Well, after creating the emulator, it almost seems funny the fears that I had about all of this. Let’s learn about what these registers and memory actually are in regards to the CHIP-8 emulator.
The CHIP-8 has 16 general purpose registers name V0 through VF. The registers are all 1-bytes long. How can we store 16, indexed, 1-byte values in a programming language. Sounds exactly like an array of characters. In fact, in the guide listed above, that is exactly how they represent the registers. However, this emulator was written in python. Representing byte-size data in python isn’t exactly the smoothest things in the world. However, python does have this well-known 4-byte data type called the integer. As long as our code watches out for an artificial overflow, then there is no reason we can’t use it besides the size. So we would initialize the registers like this:
V = [0] * 16
What if we wanted to set the value of the VE register to 0x8A? Well, it would be as simple as this:
v[0xE] = 0x8A
We have 16 working registers. Simple as that.
Now you may be thinking, alright, registers are easy. But how in the name do I represent 4 KB of memory. Let’s look at what memory actually is. All memory means, in this sense, is a collection of values that can be reached by an address. The fact that we can reach the memory with an address means that it is indexed. 4KB means that there are 4096 of these addresses (for the uninitiated, one KB is actually 1024 bytes of memory, not 1000. Technically 1024 bytes is a kibibyte, but in reality, this is what people are generally reffering to, especially when talking about binary-addressing).
Wait a second? This sounds familiar. 4096, indexed, 1-byte values. Sounds like the same problem we ran into with our registers. In fact, it is the exact same problem. Registers are just a smaller, easily-accessible form of memory. So in order to make our memory, we need to make a much larger collection of memory. In python, it looks like this:
memory = [0] * 4096
Thats it. You now have 4KB of addressable memory. Actually, since this is python, you now have 16KB of memory since one integer is 4-bytes in length. However, since 16KB of memory is minuscule on our modern computers, it is much simpler to just take the memory-size hit than to have 1096 elements in the array and make the code significantly more complex.
So I hope this makes all of that memory and register stuff a lot less scary. It is pretty much exactly the same concept as the variables we’ve been coding with this entire time, a way to store values. Just sometimes with a bit more of those scary binary and hexidecimal numbers.Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) slammed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for boasting about the praise of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during Thursday's Democratic debate, something she also did in last week’s debate.
“I find it rather amazing, because I happen to believe that Henry Kissinger was one of the most destructive secretaries of state in the modern history of this country,” Sanders said. “I am proud to say that Henry Kissinger is not my friend.”
Sanders went on to single out Kissinger’s widely condemned secret invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War.
“And in fact, Kissinger’s actions in Cambodia, when the United States bombed that country, overthrew Prince Sihanouk, created the instability for Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge to come in, who then butchered some 3 million people, one of the worst genocides in the history of the world,” Sanders said.
Many human rights advocates have indeed blamed the bombing campaign, which took place from 1969 to 1973, for contributing to the conditions that allowed genocide to take hold.
Also on HuffPost:The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive facelift continues.
The Bucs announced Wednesday that they have signed outside linebacker Bruce Carter. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports that Carter inked a deal worth $20.5 million over four years.
Tampa Bay additionally announced the release of defensive end Michael Johnson. Left tackle Anthony Collins has also been cut.
Carter comes to the Bucs after spending his first four seasons with the Cowboys, who selected him in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The versatile Carter came on strong in his final season in Big D, finishing with 68 tackles, one sack and a team-best five interceptions.
He'll pair with Lavonte David to form a strong linebacker core for the Bucs. As for the Cowboys, they have work to do at linebacker after losing both Carter and Justin Durant in the first two days in free agency.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down every trade and free-agent signing and discusses the impact of Darrelle Revis' return to the Jets. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.NewsFaith, Politics - U.S.
ROME, August 29, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The head of the Maronite Catholic Church has accused the West of deliberately fomenting sectarian unrest in the Middle East for economic reasons and at the expense of millions of Christians.
Speaking from Lebanon, where thousands of Syrians have fled the conflict in their country, Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai, the Maronite (Lebanese Catholic) Patriarch of Antioch, went so far as to say that there is a plot originating in the West to destroy the Middle East.
The patriarch told Vatican Radio of his fears of a plan to destroy the Arab world for what he said were “political and economic interests,” saying he had already written to the pope twice warning of this.
The West, for reasons of economics, have contributed to the “wars without end” in the Middle East “by giving billions of dollars to the [Egyptian] Muslim Brotherhood, so that they could get into power.”
He added that in such conflicts in the Middle East, it is always the indigenous Christian populations who suffer most, “as if they were always the scapegoat.”
“As always, when there is chaos or war, Muslims in general attack Christians, they use them as scapegoats. I am sorry, but in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood were the ones to attack Coptic churches – and Copts as well. Unfortunately this is the mentality of certain Muslims: every time there is a situation of chaos, Christians are attacked without even knowing why.”
“There is a plan to intensify inter-confessional conflict in the Muslim world, between Sunnis and Shi'ites,” he told Vatican Radio this week. “Unfortunately this is a policy that comes from abroad. There are countries, especially Western ones but also Eastern ones, that are fomenting these conflicts.”
Cardinal Rai told Vatican Radio that the Christian presence in the Middle East has created what stability there is. “
Thanks to the presence of us Christians and our daily life in all these Arab countries, he said, “we have created a certain moderation in the Muslim world,” the cardinal said.
“We Christians,” Rai said, “have been living alongside Muslims for 1,400 years, and we have spread the human and moral values of multi-confessionality, plurality, and modernity in these lands.”
Now, however, they are seeing “the total destruction of everything that Christians have built over the past 1,400 years.”
“In Iraq, out of a million-and-a-half Christians, we have lost one million without hearing a word from the international community,” he added.
At the core of the crisis in the Middle East is the “grave moral and economic crisis” of the West. Its “distorted idea of progress” stems from its “distorted view of man,” a highly placed Catholic prelate in Egypt has said.
Monsingor Giuseppe Nazzaro, the Episcopal Vicar for the area of upper Egypt and Cairo and former |
Honours for his services to motorsport.[122][123] Button's home town, Frome, has named a street, Jenson Avenue, after him,[124] and has awarded him the Freedom of the town.[125] The town also intends to name a new bridge over the River Frome 'The Jenson Button Bridge'.[126]
McLaren (2010–2017) [ edit ]
2010 [ edit ]
Following the buy-out of Brawn by Mercedes, Button announced on 18 November 2009 that he would be leaving the team to move to McLaren for the 2010 season.[127] He signed a three-year deal for a reported £6 million per season to drive alongside former world champion Lewis Hamilton.[128] Button said he moved because he wanted the motivation and challenge from competing head-to-head with Hamilton, and that Brawn had offered him more money.[129] A number of people, including former Formula One drivers John Watson, Jackie Stewart and Eddie Irvine, believed the move was a mistake, and that Button would struggle to compete with Hamilton at McLaren.[130][131]
After a seventh-place finish in the opening round in Bahrain, Button won the second race in Australia from fourth on the grid. Button was the first to come in for slick tyres on a damp but drying track, which lifted him to second place after the other drivers had pitted. He inherited the lead when Vettel retired with brake problems and maintained his lead to the end without changing his tyres again.[132] His victory made him the thirteenth driver in Formula One history to have won Grands Prix for at least three different constructors.[133] Following an eighth-place finish in Malaysia, after starting seventeenth, Button went on to win his second race of the season from fifth on the grid in China, by staying on slick tyres while most of the other drivers pitted for intermediates, he was promoted to second place. However, the rain did not come, and the other drivers had to pit again for dry tyres. Subsequently, he went on to lead the Drivers' Championship, with McLaren leading the Constructors' Championship.[134]
In Spain he was leapfrogged by Michael Schumacher and finished a frustrated fifth, before retiring in Monaco due to an overheating engine on lap three. As a result, Button lost his lead in the Championship, dropping to fourth behind both Red Bull drivers and Alonso. Button then finished second in Turkey after Red Bull teammates Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, who were leading the race, collided with each other. His own teammate Hamilton took the win, after the two of them briefly touched after a few corners of wheel-to-wheel racing. Hamilton had been told by the McLaren team to slow down and that Button would not pass him if he did so. Button passed the surprised Hamilton anyway, though Hamilton quickly took the lead back.[135] The second place promoted Button to second overall in the Championship, just behind Webber. In Canada he followed up this result and remained second in the Championship, 3 points behind his teammate Hamilton. At the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Button finished 3rd and maintained 2nd place in the title race with another podium. Button missed out on a podium at the British Grand Prix, finishing fourth after problems with the balance of his car in qualifying had left him fourteenth.
Button was running second at the Belgian Grand Prix before a collision with Sebastian Vettel forced him to retire.
After three further-points scoring finishes,[136] Button retired at the Belgian Grand Prix after being hit by Vettel, which punctured the radiator of his car. Second at Monza was followed by a fourth place in both Singapore and Japan.[136] During the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, Button and his entourage were threatened by a number of gunmen on his way back from qualifying at Interlagos, although nobody was harmed during the incident.[137] Button was mathematically eliminated from retaining his championship title with a fifth place in the race. At the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Button qualified fourth. He moved ahead of Alonso at the start, and moved up to third. Hamilton and Vettel pitted, leaving Button in the lead. After doing 39 laps on the option tyre, Button pitted and slotted back into third,[138] where he would finish and secure fifth in the championship.[136]
2011 [ edit ]
2011 began slowly for Button and McLaren, with Vettel dominating the early races. Button came second in Malaysia, and third in Spain and Monaco, losing the chance for a race win in the latter race after a red flag in the closing laps allowed Vettel and Alonso to change tyres. Two weeks later in Canada, Button took what he called the "best win of (his) career", overtaking Vettel on the final lap after Vettel made a mistake under pressure. Button made five pit-stops, had his teammate crash into him, served a drive-through penalty for speeding under the safety car – dropping him to last place – as well as sustaining a puncture from a collision with Alonso, and made 27 on-track passes to win the longest Formula One race in history.[139]
Button suffered his first retirement of the season at the British Grand Prix, caused by an error at his final pit stop. The wheel gun failed to refit the wheel nut and Button was released by the pit crew with an unsecured wheel. At the German Grand Prix, he retired in consecutive races for the first time since 2008, due to hydraulic issues. Button won his 200th Formula One race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he had won his first Grand Prix in 2006.[140] Button finished third in Belgium, having qualified in 13th after a miscommunication with his team,[141] after overtaking Alonso with two laps to go. He finished second at both Monza. In Singapore, Button chased Vettel who was in the lead with a few laps to go, closing at over a second a lap, but at the final moment, traffic denied him the chance to take first. After Singapore he moved into second place in the Drivers' Championship, and he became the only driver that could deny Vettel a second consecutive title.
Prior to the Japanese Grand Prix, Button signed a multi-year contract extension with McLaren.[142] The new deal would earn Button £85 million.[143] He took victory in the race ahead of Alonso and Vettel, the latter becoming champion. At the Indian Grand Prix McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh stated that the length of Button's new contract was 3 years. Button qualified fourth for this race and elevated himself to second position on the first lap, overtaking Alonso at the turn one and Webber on the long back straight. He eventually finished second behind Vettel, whose race pace he had been unable to match. In Abu Dhabi, Button qualified third and also finished in third after teammate Hamilton won the race and pole-sitter Vettel suffered a puncture on lap 1 and retired with suspension damage. Button suffered a recurring KERS problem for a large part of the race, but still had a good gap between himself and fourth placed man Webber, as well as an almost equal gap to second placed Alonso in front. These results ensured that Button was the first teammate to outscore Lewis Hamilton in a season.[144] At the final race of the season – the Brazilian Grand Prix, Button outqualified Hamilton to start third on the grid and he also finished third – in both occasions behind the two Red Bull cars – by overtaking Alonso on lap 62. The result secured second place in the Championship for Button, some 122 points behind Vettel. In 2011, Button won three Grands Prix, set three fastest laps and finished on the podium twelve times.
2012 [ edit ]
Button remained at McLaren for the 2012 season, again partnering Hamilton.[145] Button qualified second to Hamilton, before going on to win the first race of the season in Australia.[146] Button went on to qualify second to Hamilton at the following race in Malaysia,[147] however he finished 14th after a collision with the HRT of Narain Karthikeyan and a lack of grip. This was Button's first non-points finish since the 2010 Korean Grand Prix and it ended a points streak which started at the 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix. Button finished second in China two weeks later.
In the Bahrain Grand Prix Button qualified fourth behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton in second. During the race Button found frustration with the levels of grip and retired on lap 55 due to an exhaust failure. At the Spanish Grand Prix Button qualified 11th, the first time he had qualified outside the top ten all season. After failing to finish above 8th in the next four races, Button finished third in Germany, although he was later promoted to second after Sebastian Vettel was penalised in the race. He went on to pick up his first pole position for over three years at Belgium. Button won the race becoming the first driver of the season to lead every lap of a Grand Prix. Button qualified in second place behind his teammate at the Italian Grand Prix, and remained in second place until he had to pull up and retire with a fuel pressure problems two-thirds of the way through the race.
At the Singapore Grand Prix, Button qualified in fourth place and finished the race in second place after Vettel inherited the win when Hamilton had a gearbox failure during the race. Button qualified in third place in Japan behind a Red Bull front row, but was hit with a five place penalty for a gearbox change and dropped to eighth. Button made the best of various first corner incidents and weaved his car into third place. He eventually finished fourth after Felipe Massa leap-frogged him in the pit stops and he was unable to overtake Kamui Kobayashi before the end of the race. Button qualified down in eleventh place for the Korean Grand Prix, but was forced to retire from the race after the first lap when Kobayashi collided with him and also Nico Rosberg. During the Indian Grand Prix, Button finished fifth behind teammate Hamilton, after starting the race fourth and being overtaking by Fernando Alonso in the opening laps. He qualified sixth for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing fourth after being overtaken in the final laps by Sebastian Vettel. He picked up his third win of the season at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix in changeable conditions after a battle for the lead with Nico Hülkenberg and teammate Hamilton. Button dropped back from the two halfway through the race but they then collided, with Hamilton retiring and Hülkenberg being forced to pit, Button was able to pick up his 15th and final career victory. He ended up finishing 5th in the championship, just a few points behind his teammate.
2013 [ edit ]
In March 2013, Button announced that he intends to stay with McLaren until he retires.[148] At the Australian Grand Prix, Button qualified tenth and finished ninth, despite the team admitting that they did not truly understand the way the McLaren MP4-28 behaved in race conditions.[149][150] In Malaysia, Button started the race seventh, but retired just before the end of the race.[151] Button was partnered with Mexican driver Sergio Pérez after Lewis Hamilton left to join Mercedes[152] after Pérez impressed McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh with the Sauber team in 2012. Throughout the season and particularly at the Monaco and Bahrain Grand Prix, there was exciting racing between the two drivers,[153] leading to Button making the following comment on his team radio, asking the team to "Calm him (Pérez) down!". Button was very critical of Pérez and his driving style after the race.
I've raced with many team-mates over the years and with quite an aggressive team-mate in Lewis [Hamilton], but I'm not used to driving down the straight and then my team-mate coming along and wiggling his wheels at me and banging wheels with me at 300km/h. I've had some tough fights in F1 but not quite as dirty as that. That's something you do in karting and normally you grow out of it but that's obviously not the case with Checo [Pérez]. Soon something serious will happen so he has to calm down. He's extremely quick and he did a great job today but some of it is unnecessary and an issue when you are doing those speeds. Button speaking to ESPN about his team-mate, Sergio Pérez after the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix[154]
Button's best result in 2013 was a 4th place at the last Grand Prix of the season in Brazil, ending a difficult and under-performing season for Button and the McLaren team as a whole in recent times. He finished the season in ninth place, with just 73 points. The season was Button's first no-podium season since 2008.
2014 [ edit ]
[155] Starting at the 2014 British Grand Prix, Button sported a pink helmet in line with his "Pink for Papa" campaign, collecting donations in the name of his late father.
After a difficult 2013 season with McLaren, it was announced in November 2013 that Danish driver, Kevin Magnussen would replace Sergio Pérez as Button's teammate for the 2014 season, after being a member of McLaren's Young Driver Programme.[156]
There was a rule change for the 2014 season where the drivers could pick a car number and this would be their unique and personal car number for their Formula One career. Button picked number 22 which was the car number he raced under during his World Championship winning year for Brawn GP in 2009.[157][158] At the first race, the Australian Grand Prix, Button finished the race in 4th place. However, as 2nd placed Daniel Ricciardo was subsequently disqualified after his car was found to have exceeded the maximum allowed fuel flow rate of 100 kg/h, Button was promoted to 3rd. Ultimately, Button finished the 2014 season 8th in the Drivers' Championship with 126 points; his teammate Magnussen finished 11th with 55 points.
With Alonso moving to McLaren for the 2015 season, when they would be using Honda engines, the team had not announced in November 2014 whether they would be retaining Button or Magnussen as Alonso's teammate, leaving both 2014 drivers wondering whether they would be driving in Formula One in 2015. Button commented that his father would have been "livid" about his uncertain future.[159] After the last race of the season, at which Hamilton won the Drivers' Championship for the second time and had been a teammate of Button's in the past, Hamilton said that "McLaren would be smart" to keep Button. "Developing, building a team, stabilising a team, you need strong drivers to lead the team, and he's the full package."[160]
2015 [ edit ]
On 11 December 2014 McLaren announced that Button would be staying with them for the 2015 season, partnering former World Champion Fernando Alonso.[161] The BBC reported that he had signed a 2-year contract which included an option for 2016.[162]
The new McLaren-Honda package started out to be unreliable and problematic after a 29 January launch. In the three pre-season tests Button, teammate Alonso and reserve driver Kevin Magnussen only had a single day over one hundred laps, which was completed by Button. Arriving in Australia Button qualified 17th (out of 18) and finished 11th and last in the detuned McLaren to ensure the team and new power unit supplier, Honda Racing F1 would compile decent mileage because of energy recovery issues. This continued into Malaysia where Button had to retire from the race. In China, Button collided with Lotus racer Pastor Maldonado in the latter stages of the Grand Prix. Button received a five-second time penalty dropping him one spot to 14th and two penalty points to his super licence which was previously clean for which the points will last twelve months. Button described the crash as 'just a misjudgement'.[163] Button had a horrible weekend in Sakhir where he had to stop on track three times, once in FP1, another time in FP2 and again in Q1 where he was unable to set a time and had to line up 20th and last on the grid. After an energy recovery issue Button could not even start the race. In Monaco, he scored his first points of the season, finishing in 8th place. At his home Grand Prix in Great Britain, Button retired on the first lap after contact with his teammate Alonso. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Button finished in ninth place. Button also finished ninth at Sochi and in the next Grand Prix at Austin he finished an incredible sixth place out of 12 finishing drivers, with his teammate Alonso finishing eleventh.
Besides the points-scoring positions, Button and his teammate Alonso often qualified in the back of the grid, with the Briton being eliminated very often in Q1 in qualifying. The McLarens were only ahead of the Manors and sometimes also the Saubers. The Honda engine was lacking both reliability and power, with the McLaren car proving slight potential on slow circuits.
2016 [ edit ]
After the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix, McLaren principal Ron Dennis confirmed that Button would be driving for the team in 2016.[164][165]
This time the Honda engine showed more pace, but the reliability was still a problem. Sometimes the McLarens were fighting for points, but on many of this races there were problems or retirements, especially for Jenson, who finished the season in fifteenth place with 21 points, with his teammate Alonso in tenth place with 54 points. Button's best result was a sixth place at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Sabbatical in 2017 [ edit ]
On 3 September 2016 Button announced he would be stepping down from the McLaren race seat for the 2017 season. He has signed a two-year deal to be an ambassador with the team holding an option for him to return as a race driver in 2018.[166]
Button replaced Fernando Alonso for the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, after Alonso decided to compete in the Indianapolis 500 which was held on the same day.[167] The appearance was a one-off and Alonso returned to partner Stoffel Vandoorne for the subsequent races.[168]
Button qualified ninth for the race but was hit with a 15-place grid penalty for parts replaced on his Honda power unit, and then in addition required to start from the pitlane after his car was modified under parc fermé conditions. During the race he was running behind Sauber's Pascal Wehrlein when the two collided on lap 58. Button's car sustained damage and he was forced to retire from the race.[169]
In November it was confirmed Button would step aside in order to allow Lando Norris to fill the reserve driver role at McLaren for 2018. McLaren's racing director Eric Boullier praised the Englishman's contribution to the team's history, saying 'Jenson has been a brilliant driver and ambassador for us...he will always be part of the McLaren family and always have a special place for us.'
This concluded his association with McLaren which had seen him accrue the second-highest number of entries (136) for the team after compatriot David Coulthard.
Super GT career [ edit ]
2017 [ edit ]
Button took part in the Super GT showpiece Suzuka 1000 km race in August 2017.
2018 [ edit ]
In December 2017 Button announced he had signed a deal to drive for Honda in the Japanese Super GT series in 2018.[170] In January it was announced he would drive a NSX-GT for Team Kunimitsu,[171] contesting the 2018 season which began 7–8 April 2018 at Okayama.
2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship [ edit ]
On 27 April 2018, Button was confirmed as an SMP Racing driver in the LMP1 class of the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.[172] Driving with regular partners Mikhail Aleshin and Vitaly Petrov, Button's BR Engineering BR1 car retired from the Le Mans race with one hour remaining following an engine failure. In his fourth WEC event at the Shanghai 6 Hours race, Button scored his first endurance racing podium with 3rd place[173]. This was his first podium at the Shanghai circuit since the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix, and the first time he had shared a podium with former McLaren F1 team-mate and rival Fernando Alonso (who finished 2nd) since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Personal life [ edit ]
Like many Formula One drivers, Button resides in the principality of Monaco, although he did live in Guernsey for 18 months before returning to Monaco in 2012. He also has properties in the UK and Bahrain.[174][175] His hobbies include mountain biking, competing in triathlons and body boarding, and his car collection includes a Nissan GT-R, a 1956 VW Campervan, a Honda S600 and a Mercedes C63 AMG, a McLaren 675LT Spider, McLaren P1, numerous Ferraris and his championship winning Brawn BGP 001. In 2013, Button announced his plans to sell his Ferrari Enzo at an auction.[176] He previously owned a Honda NSX Type R and a Bugatti Veyron.[177]
He was engaged to the actress and singer Louise Griffiths before ending their five-year relationship in May 2005.[178] In 2009, Button began dating model Jessica Michibata.[179] On 14 February 2014[180] Button proposed to Michibata,[181] and the two married in Hawaii in December 2014.[182] In December 2015, Button announced they had split up after one year of marriage.[183][184] In 2016 Button started dating model Brittny Ward.[185]
Button has at least three tattoos: a black coat button on his right forearm; a large tribal design encompassing his left shoulder and upper chest; and Japanese kanji-characters on his ankle which says "一番" (Ichi ban, "Number One" in Japanese); this was done before he won the world title, and is the name of Button's triathlon team. Since mid-2010, the same legend has appeared on Button's race helmet.[186] Button is also a brand ambassador for Head & Shoulders, and has appeared in advertising campaigns for the company.[187]
Button is also involved in charitable work through the creation of The Jenson Button Trust.[188] Established in March 2010, the Trust provides donations to a number of charitable causes. Each year the Trust will select and nominate charitable beneficiaries to which the funds will be distributed.
On 5 September 2011, Button opened a restaurant on Beulah Street in Harrogate called Victus,[189] but it closed after less than a year in trading. Button's manager Richard Goddard said "unfortunately the business was launched in an economy which then continued to slide and just hasn't stopped, with people simply not having the disposable income needed to spend in restaurants."[190]
On 12 January 2014, Button's father John died at his home on the French Riviera, aged 70. John, whom Jenson called "Papa Smurf", is thought to have died from a heart attack. John was a constant member of Jenson's small entourage.[191]
On 3 August 2015, Button and his wife Jessica were burgled at a rented Saint-Tropez home while staying with friends when robbers looted the house and stole belongings worth £300,000, including his wife's £250,000 engagement ring. Reports suggested that the couple might have been gassed through the air conditioning system prior to the burglars' entry into the building.[192]
On 18 October 2015, Button won a triathlon competition at Hermosa Beach, California.[193]
On 8 December 2016 Button was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering from the University of Bath.[194]
On 12 June 2018 Button got engaged to former Playboy model Brittny Ward after two years of dating.[195]
On 18 January 2019 he announced that he and Brittny were expecting their first child together.
Racing record [ edit ]
Career summary [ edit ]
* Season still in progress.
Complete Spa 24 Hours results [ edit ]
Complete Formula One results [ edit ]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
† Button did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.
Complete Super GT results [ edit ]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
24 Hours of Le Mans results [ edit ]
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results [ edit ]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
* Season still in progress.
Bibliography [ edit ]
Jenson Button: Life to the Limit: My Autobiography (Blink Publishing, 2017) ISBN 9781911600343
(Blink Publishing, 2017) ISBN 9781911600343 A Championship Year (Orion, 2010) ISBN 9781409118275
(Orion, 2010) ISBN 9781409118275 Jenson Button: My Life on the Formula One Rollercoaster (with David Tremayne, Bantam Press, 2002) ISBN 9780593048757Completed: Nov 2009
Finally finally done. This was one of my most involved pieces ever... 36 separate characters.
I've been thinking about doing a dense battle scene with non-comic book characters... I decided to go with the theme of 'brand mascots'. In other words, the classic characters that are created for no other reason than to promote a product.
Included characters:
*Kool-Aid Guy.
*Hamburglar from McDonald's.
*Ronald McDonald from McDonald's.
*Wendy from Wendy's.
*Tony the Tiger from Frosted Flakes.
*Mrs. Butterworth.
*Colonel Sanders from KFC.
*Buzz the Bee from Honey Nut Cheerios.
*Cool Spot from 7-Up.
*Sprout from Green Giant.
*Jolly Giant Giant from Green Giant.
*Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from 'Ghostbusters'.
*Birdie from McDonald's.
*Toucan Sam from Fruit Loops.
*A California Raisin.
*The rabbit from Trix.
*Count Chocula from his own cereal.
*Frankenberry from his own cereal.
*Boo Berry from his own cereal.
*Lucky from Lucky Charms
*A few M&M's.
*The Pillsbury Dough Boy.
*Grimace from McDonald's.
*Bob's Big Boy.
*A Fry Guy from McDonald's.
*Chuck E Cheese from the pizza chain.
*The Noid from Domino's pizza.
*The Hawaiian Punch Guy.
*Mr. Peanut from Planters.
*Captain Crunch from his own cereal.
*Snap, Crackle, and Pop from Rice Krispies.
This was a HUGELY involved piece, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on the final piece.Real estate businesses always operate with debt, and one thing that happens when your business is saddled with debt is that you might find yourself "underwater." In other words, your company’s debts to the banks are larger in value than the price of the real estate assets your company owns.
This can happen if a sharp downturn in land prices or a sharp rise in interest rates unexpectedly shocks the foundations of your business. It can also happen just because you’re a poor manager who made bad decisions. But it happens. And it’s happened to Donald Trump several times in his career.
And when you’re underwater, something interesting happens to your decision-making calculus.
Suddenly something that would ordinarily be a smart business decision — a small shift in strategy that modestly increases profits — doesn’t actually make any sense. After all, with your business underwater, the bank really owns everything. A small increase in profits only increases what the bank can recover.
Conversely, something that would ordinarily be a bad business decision — a risky play that will probably result in utter ruin but stands a tiny chance of gaining you a windfall — makes a lot of sense. After all, you’re playing with the bank’s money. You are already ruined, so it doesn’t matter if the business gets worse. But the windfall would get you back above water. Underwater businesses make weird decisions whose expected returns are negative, because the fact of being underwater shifts the calculus. They are dangerous.
Donald Trump’s campaign is underwater. And that’s why Trump is flying to Mexico.
Donald Trump is probably going to lose
It’s not inconceivable that Donald Trump will win the election, but it probably won’t happen.
He is down in the polls, and nobody who has been down this much at this point has come from behind to win. He has less money than Hillary Clinton, so he can’t count on a last-minute ad barrage to save him. He has a much worse field operation than Clinton, so he can’t count on that saving him either. The Democratic Party as a whole is all in on Clinton and will do everything it possibly can to help her win, while Republicans openly speculate about whether cutting him loose could help them win Senate races in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. Clinton has better surrogates than Trump, a more professional campaign team, better voter data, everything.
As we’ve seen repeatedly over the course of this campaign, Trump can do better and he can do worse.
He does worse when he gets into high-profile fights with Gold Star parents. He does worse when he openly muses about turning NATO into a protection racket.
He does better when he sticks to a least-common-denominator Republican Party message and says that Hillary Clinton is a bad person who used a secret email server to blow up the US consulate in Benghazi.
But doing better isn’t good enough. Doing better could help Trump narrow the poll gap from 5.3 points to 2 points and make sure he carries Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina. But to win the election, he has to do a lot better — get ahead of Clinton in the polls. Indeed, given the field disparity, even a 1-point lead might not be good enough.
Something crazy might happen in Mexico
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto is plagued by gaffes and scandals and has a 23 percent approval rating in his home country. Mexico bestows a single six-year term on its presidents, so he has nothing left to run for.
A hastily arranged trip to Mexico does not seem likely to help Donald Trump win the election. But like many whimsical jaunts to Mexico, it’s certainly an unpredictable situation.
Maybe Peña Nieto will decide that the time is right to loudly demand the return of land the US stole from Mexico during the Polk administration, and it will give Trump the opportunity to loudly and proudly assert US sovereignty over Texas. Maybe Trump and Peña Nieto will announce a plan to share costs on the construction of a gargantuan border wall as a job-creating stimulus that will boost prosperity on both sides of the border. Who knows?
The point is that if Trump keeps plugging along, doing his best to be a normal candidate, he is going to lose the election. Running a sharper, more professional campaign that narrows the polling gap with Clinton would certainly be good news for Kelly Ayotte and Marco Rubio and Pat Toomey. But that’s the equivalent of making smart business decisions to help the bank recover more of its bad loans. Trump doesn’t want to help GOP Senate candidates. He doesn’t even like the GOP’s Senate candidates.
If he does something weird, something crazy might happen as a result — and if something crazy happens, maybe he’ll win.
This is fun, but dangerous
As an internet content professional, I am really glad that Trump recognizes the applicability of real estate concepts to political campaigns. The more bizarre stunts he pulls, the more interesting stories there will be to write.
That said, it’s worth noting that even an opposition candidate can do real damage to the world with reckless statements. So far, over the course of the 2016 campaign, Trump has already suggested defaulting on the national debt and refusing to live up to America’s NATO commitments.
The world seems to have largely shrugged off this stuff so far. But the fact that leading members of the Republican Party — from Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell on down — are nominally committed to the idea that electing the default-and-no-NATO guy is a better idea than electing "Crooked Hillary" invites the misunderstanding that they are open to these ideas.
Sophisticated American political journalists, of course, are supposed to understand that Ryan and McConnell have kinda sorta signaled that they are aware these ideas are batty. But it’s certainly possible that some general in Russia thinks the Republican Party as a whole would resist the idea of coming to Estonia’s aide in the event of a war. And doubts about the sustainability of America’s commitment to the Baltics, unfortunately, meaningfully raise the chances of a global nuclear war.
The more Trump campaigns like an underwater candidate, the bigger the risk that he’ll say and do more things that, if implemented, would undermine the stability of the global financial and political order. And while lukewarm support for Trump is probably the smart political strategy for non-Trump Republicans, the ambiguity it creates around their support for Trump’s ideas means even a losing candidate’s policy pronouncements can affect the world.
It’s the last day of August, and the election isn’t until early November. With Trump underwater, September and October should be fun. And if we’re lucky, it won’t be too fun.
Donald Trump's NATO comments are terrifyingArticle body copy
The morning was dusky, sunrise nearly an hour off, when Frank Burchall pulled out of his driveway on Bermuda’s east end, his granddaughter Mimi beside him, and headed for work in the languid seaside port of St. George’s. Burchall’s route took him along Barry Road, a single-lane coastal track that wends between pastel houses on one side and the cerulean sea on the other. Daylight began to bleed into the dim world. And then, in his headlights, Burchall saw the wanderer.
His first thought was that the diminutive creature waddling across the road on August 16, 2015, was a freshwater turtle—maybe a terrapin or a slider. But when he picked up the reptile, he realized it was something different. Something with flippers. Burchall put the errant sea turtle—which Mimi named, predictably, Mimi—into a pot and drove south to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, where the captive was installed in a quarantined tank and entrusted to an aquarist named Ryan Tacklin. The caretaker inspected the turtle with growing excitement: its blue-gray carapace was just a thumb’s-length wide, and a faint, belly-button-like scar, where the creature had recently been connected to its egg, creased its plastron. “It was obvious that it had hatched within the last few hours,” Tacklin recalls.
Tacklin texted pictures to colleagues, who confirmed his suspicions. The animal was a newly hatched green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, a species that had not been born on a Bermuda beach in nearly a century.
Although green turtles roam temperate and tropical oceans around the world, the Caribbean (and neighboring islands such as Bermuda), was once a special stronghold: explorers claimed the sea was so thick with turtles that European sailing ships could navigate by the animals’ plosive exhalations. After the English aristocracy developed a taste for turtle soup in the 19th century, however, populations of green turtles—so named for the hue of their fat—nosedived. By 1878, soup manufacturers were shipping more than 15,000 live turtles across the Atlantic each year to be stuffed into cans.
As the appetite for turtle meat spread to the United States, the pig-sized reptiles began vanishing from subtropical and tropical Atlantic beaches—including Bermuda’s. The lush seagrass pastures off the country’s coast remain important feeding grounds for juvenile green turtles, herbivores that saw off vegetation with their serrated, toothless jaws. But while subadults from as far as the Mediterranean partake in Bermuda’s submarine buffet, the island hasn’t hosted a nesting population since the 1930s. “We’d all been hoping that someday this would happen again,” Tacklin says. “But none of us expected it at all.”
Burchall’s discovery thrilled the entire country, yet it baffled scientists—where had the cryptic hatchling come from? To many, the turtle’s presence raised a compelling question: had a seemingly futile conservation effort, abandoned amidst tragedy almost 40 years ago, actually succeeded?
Although Bermuda hasn’t had nesting green turtles for decades, it wasn’t for lack of trying. And trying. The nation’s turtle recovery efforts date at least to 1963, when scientist David Wingate, Bermuda’s first conservation officer, launched an audacious scheme to restore a crescent of rock and jungle called Nonsuch Island.
Nonsuch, about the size of nine city blocks, lies in the northeastern corner of the Bermuda archipelago. Wingate, who’d studied zoology at Cornell University in New York State before returning to his native Bermuda, hoped to transform the island into a living museum—a re-creation of what the outpost probably looked like before British settlers devoured seabirds, introduced rats, and generally bollixed up the ecosystem. Over the decades, Wingate vanquished invasive rodents, planted native vegetation, and reintroduced species, from the yellow-crowned night heron to a resplendent snail called the West Indian top shell.
But for Wingate and his fellow Bermudians, the Nonsuch Island Living Museum remained incomplete without one of its most charismatic ex-residents: the green sea turtle.
Fortunately, Wingate was not the only biologist then trying to bring back vanished marine reptiles. In 1959, another legendary scientist, Archie Carr, had begun Operation Green Turtle, his own ambitious restoration project for the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (now known as Sea Turtle Conservancy). Under the plan’s auspices, Carr collected 130,000 green hatchlings at Tortuguero, a turtle-rich stretch of Costa Rican shoreline, over 10 years, and relocated the younglings to Barbados, Honduras, Belize, Puerto Rico, and other coasts that had been ransacked for their turtles. The US Navy assisted Carr’s effort, donating several amphibious planes to airlift the animals. With any luck, Carr thought, the turtles would imprint on their new homes and, years hence, return to their release sites to lay eggs.
Several years into the project, by fortuitous coincidence, Wingate wrote Carr a letter soliciting suggestions for repatriating turtles to his living museum. When Carr described Operation Green Turtle to his Bermudian colleague, Wingate realized he’d found the solution to repopulating Nonsuch Island |
"temp" labor (1/10 of Japan's population nowadays is foreign born, and some have been there for 15 years or more. Very few have actually become citizens, and they are often harassed by ultra-nationalist Japanese biker gangs. The Japanese restaurant scene is much more varied than OTL.1990s WORLDGeorge W. Bush? Who?2012. The weather grows more violent, storms and hurricanes multiply as global warming begins to bite. The walls of buildings gleam and shimmer with holographic images from nanoprojector paint, and people wear clothes that changes color and texture. It is a buzzing, energetic, frantic, even extreme time, and having recovered from the 2000 Slump brought about by the global plague of computer errors, the world is whizzing along faster and faster into an integrated, global, cybernetic, networked future. US politics are lurid, a form of performance art, in which the campaigns are now essentially simultaneous with the term of office, and a constant battle goes on through the ocean of media to dazzle, confuse, needle, annoy and otherwise poke in one direction or another the pin-ball of the voter. Even the violent militia terrorism that plagues several western states is another form of entertainment, unreal and incomprehensible to most. Information overload is guaranteed, with innumerable internet, cable, satellite and other channels, sites, information sources. Information gatherers and collators take mind-altering drugs to drink in information from dozens of sources simultaneously.Nanotechnology is the new Big Thing, and mysterious stuff bubbles in giant assembler vats which TV spots promise will soon revolutionize the world. Already there is nano-cloth, nano-paint, and a variety of odd new materials: will nano soon build our cars, make our food, clean out our arteries? Stay tuned! AI may not have arrived yet, but computers can fool a Turing test, and a number of actors and pop stars are now entirely computer-generated. Immune rejection techniques have improved to the point where a lot of people are carrying animal organs around, and some wealthy oddballs have gone further (say, fur or horns).A Palestinian state has been created in the West Bank and the Gaza strip, and receives a steady stream of financial aid AKA bribe money to keep it peaceful. The hard-liners have mostly been broken, although assassinations by Palestinians of "collaborator" Palestinians making up the ruling party continue intermittently, along with assassinations by Jewish Israelis of the Israeli officials who forcibly evacuated the more indefensible settlements on the West bank. The rail and road connection between the Gaza strip and the West Bank is nice, fast, and runs in a ditch sided by 20-foot sheer retaining walls topped by barbed wire, which the Palestinians find oddly insulting. The Second Iranian Revolution has swept a democratic government into power, which to everyone's annoyance has made it clear that they still don't like the Jews.Capitalism has won, and grows and swells monstrous, in India, in China, in a Europe integrating out to the Urals. Japan is recovering from its long slump as a new generation of entrepreneurs and inventors recreate the Japanese technology scene, and push the envelopes of computer intelligence, virtuality, and nanotech further than anywhere else. Russia is wealthier and less repressive than OTL, and is trying to join the European Economic Community. It has also swallowed Belorussia. The Chinese have started talks on autonomy for Tibet, although they warn that those maps showing a Tibet 1/3 the size of China will have to go.The World Environmental Council, founded in the early 2000s, is an increasingly important institution as nations get serious about arresting global warming and ecological decay. Currently massive loans are being raised through international financial institutions to help large and rapidly growing nations move to cleaner power systems and less polluting industry, while the Russians have offered to set aside a big chunk of Siberia (whose inhabitants are few and with no internet presence) as a storage site for radioactive waste for a reasonable rent, of course!There is a dark side, though. Terrorism Islamic, fundamentalist Christian, Deep Green, Militia, Krazy Kults is on the rise, as the nihilistic and the outraged find ways to network and develop their technique, although as yet there hasn't been a show-stopper on the scale of OTL 9/11. Saddam Hussein is still in Baghdad, and has survived the 4th attempt to overthrow him since the decade began. Africa remains a mess, and large parts of it have been taken over outright by the UN and international forces under UN auspices. Neo-Maoist and Anarchist revolutionary movements have cropped up in a number of nations where the governments have not done well in handling the new Global Economy, and climate instability is leading to increased food insecurity. Biotech workers are doing funny things with germs, and AIDS seems to be getting more contagious. The Taliban have spread to Central Asia, which is increasingly wracked by religious unrest.An international consortium of nations led by the US has signed on to a long-term Zubrin-type effort to colonize Mars, and the first experimental automated fuel-making ships have been launched, soon to land on the Red Planet. The International Space station has gone through a burst of reconstruction and expansion, and the Chinese have send a man around the Moon. Fusion power is only 20 years away.Last week was an exciting week for my company as we hosted our annual user conference in Las Vegas. This year, we proudly welcomed the largest number of attendees ever, from all across the globe. "Everything is Different" - while our theme can be felt in nearly everything around us, we focused on the consumerization of IT and the opportunities and challenges it presents for businesses today.
I started my company with the notion that if you get the right information to the right place at the right time and in the right context, you can make the world a better place. The world is evolving. Technology is growing at an exponential rate. The term "big data" is newly coined and now it's everywhere. The world consumes information differently and expectations have shifted to the marketplace of the future. Think about this: it took 100 years to have a billion land lines, 1o years to have a billion mobile phones and just one year to have a billion smart phones.
How will you stay relevant in today's changing landscape? How will you stay ahead and meet challenges? I sat down with a few of my friends and some of the industry's best innovators - Vikram Pandit, CEO of Citi; Scott McNealy, Co-Founder of Sun Microsystems and Chairman of Wayin; Tom Siebel, Chairman of First Virtual Group; and K.R. Sridhar, Principal Co-Founder and CEO of Bloom Energy - to find the answers to these questions and more.
A conclusion has been made that you need to: understand big data, connect with digital consumers and meet their demands, transition with the workforce of the 21st century and adapt to their expectations of the consumerization of IT. Doing all of this will help you to create a better experience for your customers, increase their sense of loyalty and turn them from customers to fans, while shaping new ways to solve business problems. Together, with the right use of this technology, we can all make the world a better place.By Will Young
When a Twitter user began reporting Aribnb listings to the City of Vancouver with their addresses, the social media staff behind @CityOfVancouver initially accepted the complaints.
But then the City staff suddenly decided to demand personal information from “@Vistro11”.
Hi, please DM your full contact information including your full name, address, and phone no. in order to proceed further. Thx ^SS — City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) 29 October 2017
City of Vancouver official Kira Hutchinson told reporters that staff don’t monitor complaints on Twitter and asked complainants to call 3-1-1.
City’s decision created an immediate backlash after @VISTRO11 complained that the City was accepting complaints over Twitter from others but not them.
You have been accepting complaints from other twitter users. Why are you making an exception here? Are you familiar with s15 of the Charter? — VISTRO (@VISTRO11) 30 October 2017
Some Vancouverites lambasted the City for the abrupt policy change.
Not safe for people to use their real name given power RE industry has at city hall. Shame on you for not taking anonymous complaints. pic.twitter.com/YCtH0S3qgl — Chilco (@ChilcoComox) 30 October 2017
Others offered to make complaints on their new hero’s behalf.
If the city requires a name and address to file, tweet to us know and many will offer to submit submit on your behalf. — Funky L. Paw (@FunkyPaw) 30 October 2017
It didn’t take long for the City of Vancouver to bow down to public pressure and resume accepting @VISTRO11 complaints.
Hi, thanks for your report. It's been submitted via case id# 10349194. ^IF — City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) 30 October 2017
@VISTRO11 claims that they were motivated to start their activity after listening to speakers the Vancouver City Council public hearing on short term rentals.
“There were two kinds of speakers at the public hearing,” @VISTRO11 said. “The ‘me me me’ over-leveraged Airbnb homeowners, and those who seemed to genuinely concerned about Airbnb evictions and passionately cared about making Vancouver a place for families and individuals who lived and work here.”
“Almost all the speakers in the latter group complained about how the City of Vancouver was doing little or nothing to enforce the existing bylaws,” the vigilante added. “I want to help the City, and those who genuinely and passionately care about the city by identifying and reporting bylaw breakers.”
Around a 100 people spoke on the proposed by-law, under which short term rental operators would be required to obtain a licence before marketing their units, and only offer such accommodations in their principle residence.
The Vancouver City Council will debate the motion again in November.A house fire in the 5000 block of NE Alberta Court caused officials to close the road on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (SBG photo)
PORTLAND, Ore. – A house fire and downed power line in the 5000 block of Northeast Alberta Court caused officials to close the road Friday morning.
Portland Fire and Rescue responded to the fire around 2:24 a.m. at Northeast 52nd Avenue and Northeast Alberta Court.
When crews arrived, they discovered a fully-involved house fire. The four people inside the home made it out before firefighters made it to the scene.
The fire was spreading to a neighboring house on the east side of the burning building.
Fire officials say the flames burned through a nearby power line and the cable was draped across a metal fence, possibly energizing it.
The fire also ruptured a gas meter and it was spewing flames.
The power line and gas meter both slowed the firefighters' efforts to extinguish the flames.
When NW Natural arrived at the scene, they cut the gas flow to the house. PPL Electric Utilities de-energized the power line.
The American Red Cross said it's assisting four adults and two pets after the fire.
The Red Cross will provide them with resources to address their immediate needs including temporary housing, food, clothing, comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services.
The cause of the fire is under investigationThere is a crisis in science education in the U.S. We need to get more kids excited by science. We started Kizoom to do just that.
Our Mission
Is to...
inspire kids by presenting the most exciting scientific subject of our time: The Brain!
make science fun and accessible using relatable characters and cool technology.
educate the next generation about their own Brains, promoting life-long learning and creativity.
Our Project
The Adventures of Ned the Neuron is an electronic storybook (App), packed with integrated educational content and interactions that explores the science of the Brain. It is whimsical. It is challenging. It is fun. It is real science.
Here are the details:
34 pages of full color story illustrated by Andy Warner
Read to Me function with voiceover and soundtrack
Interactive educational diagrams
Three mini-games
Over 30 neuroscience concepts introduced
For Apple and Android tablets
Working story & education pages
Who Is Ned?
Stuffed Ned and early sketch
Ned is a cartwheel-loving, action-oriented young neuron training to work in the motor cortex of the Brain. What is a neuron? Neurons are the cells that make up your Brain! Ned came into this world five years ago as a stuffed toy designed as an outreach tool. We have since developed a world of characters and stories around him and now we want to bring Ned and his friends out into the world!
Our Goal
Achieving our funding goal will allow us to meet production costs for The Adventures of Ned the Neuron, such as original art and illustrations, voiceover recordings, and marketing, as well as providing a solid base for building out our future products, including the production of a hardcopy version of the book.
Our long-term objective is to create an ecosystem of educational books, games and activities that centers around Ned the Neuron and friends and teaches about the nervous system. We need to get this first project off the ground to reach this goal.
About Us
Erica & Jess
Erica Warp is a Neuroscientist on a mission. A mission to educate and entertain kids of all ages. Erica is a passionate learner and wants to share that passion with others. She teaches, she creates, she looks at small things under microscopes.
Jessica Voytek is not afraid to dig into things and see how they tick. She has been coding since she was barely able to get a legal drink. Where others might turn away she dares to go.
Together Erica and Jessica make the dynamic duo behind Kizoom.
You can learn more about Kizoom on our website, or download a Press Pack here.
Rewards
We are very thankful to anyone who can support our project and we hope you are looking forward to the rewards we have planned. For the visually inclined, here are the rewards in picture form.
REWARDS WILL BE READY FOR THE WINTER HOLIDAYS - a great brain-y gift!
Go Brains!Even after French forces entered the fight in Mali, driving back the Islamists proved more difficult than officials initially suggested. Rather than flee, many of the militants in Diabaly seemed to dig in, taking over homes and putting the civilian population in the cross-fire.
But they eventually fled on Friday morning, residents said, in the face of relentless French airstrikes.
The fighters had little time to impose the version of Shariah law that has made them infamous in the north, where they have carried out public whippings and amputations and stoned a couple to death. But their brief reign over Diabaly was a small taste of the harsh policies they have enacted elsewhere.
“I had to cover my head at all times,” said one Diabaly woman, Djenaba Cissé. “When I walked with my brother to the fields, they would bother us. They would ask us questions to verify that we were siblings.”
Few residents said they actually met the hardened men who had taken control of their village, but Kola Maiga, who lives at the edge of town, recalled their arrival on the morning of Jan. 14.
“I was in my house, and I saw them coming, and I knew, I knew that war was here in Diabaly,” Mr. Maiga said. “The first day, they started shooting in the air. They wanted the population to know they have power.”
He feared them, he said, but they tried to reassure him, offering cookies to his children.
“They said: ‘Do not be afraid. We are with Allah,’ ” Mr. Maiga said.The Red Bulls travel to Dallas this Friday for some Viernes de Futbol action. While the undercard, featuring a blue team in Kreisis, should be a one-sided affair, the 9:00 PM fixture is sure to be a competitive match between two of the league’s top teams. If the Red Bulls are to leave the Lone Star State with all three points, they will have to overcome a Dallas side that is coming off consecutive impressive victories against intra-state rivals Houston and the reigning champion Los Angeles Galaxy. Thus, the question on the minds of Red Bulls fan this week is how can Jesse Marsch's men avoid a similar fate?
Strengths of the Opponent
FCD's attack leads the league with 17 goals this year, which is no surprise given the firepower at Oscar Pareja’s disposal. Leading the line is Panamanian international Blas Perez, a consisten- if-not-flashy target forward with aerial prowess and hold-up ability. Off the bench, Pareja can turn to last year’s rookie of the year Tesho Akindele, a dangerous attacking option up top or out on the wing. Perez and Akindele share a keen ability to draw just enough attention from the two center-backs to make space for Argentine playmaker Mauro Diaz, early MVP candidate Fabian Castillo, and the functional-if-not-spectacular Ryan Hollingshead: collectively, the true firepower of the league’s most high-powered attack.
Diaz and Castillo have shown flashes of tantalizing potential throughout their young MLS careers, and have started to click as this season has progressed. Recovered from an ACL injury that kept him out for the majority of last year after winning Player of the Month for March 2014, Diaz is back to picking defenses apart, serving as the catalyst for Dallas’ two-goal comeback against the Galaxy last weekend with two assists. Castlllo continues to make highlight reels with his one-on-one ability and deftness on the ball, but has added a creative, playmaking element to his game that has made him even more dangerous to contain.
In addition to the run of play danger posed by Dallas, the Hoops are blessed with two of the best free-kick takers in the league: Diaz and deep-lying midfielder Michel. Each have scored multiple spectacular set piece goals the likes of which the Red Bulls—despite the best efforts of Juninho and Roy Miller—can only dream of matching. Furthermore, Dallas have one of the fittest teams of the league, one of the few that can equal the up-tempo energy drink of the Red Bulls’ high press. To further boost the team’s young corps, Oscar Pareja hired a fitness coach this past offseason, a move that paid dividends during the team’s late comeback against LA as the Galaxy withered in the Texas summer heat.
More: The Classic FC Dallas Theme Song
Weaknesses of the Opponent
On the flipside of Dallas’ potent offense is a lackluster defense that has let in 13 goals this year, tied for second most in the Western Conference. The problem is only compounded by recent injuries to the Dallas backline. Both starters, captain Matt Hedges and veteran Zach Loyd, are set to miss this week’s clash, while former Red Bull and fan favorite Stephen Keel is sidelined with a long term injury (side note: I had the chance to talk to Stephen Keel at last year’s MLS Cup, where he said he’d love to come back and play for RBNY. Get on that, Curtis!). Pareja will thus be forced into starting third-year defender Walker Zimmerman alongside converted right winger Je-Vaughn Watson, who will no doubt be disappointed not to have the opportunity to reacquaint his cleat with Tim Cahill’s groin in this year’s meeting.
Although there have yet to be any significant flare-ups this year, Dallas’ inexperience has led to a number of rash challenges and disciplinary issues that have undoubtedly caused Oscar Pareja headaches. The Red Bulls have shown a knack for provoking small dust-ups with the other team in the past two games; given the reputation they’ve developed around the league and among referees, Dallas players will have to be careful not to lose their heads in the heat of the moment.
How to Win
For lack of a more a nuanced take, the Red Bulls will have to exploit Dallas’ defensive weaknesses while containing the opposing offense in order to win.
On the first count, the team will rely on two players, Bradley Wright-Phillips and Lloyd Sam, to dominate their individual matchups in order to generate space and scoring opportunities in the final third. Wright-Phillips will be going up against a pair of centerbacks with limited experience who will struggle to track the Ultimate Scoring Machine’s movements in and around the 18.
After dominating poor RJ Allen on Sunday, Lloyd Sam will look to add Dallas’ left back Moises Hernandez to the long list of those buried in the dust of the Lloyd Sam chop (RIP Tayor Kemp). Pareja’s makeshift back four features two players, Watson and Atiba Harris, who have spent the majority of their MLS careers as forwards or attacking wingers, both of whom will be put under intense pressure from Wright-Phillips, Sam, and the rest of the RBNY attack.
From a tactical standpoint, Jesse Marsch will not be able to rely on simply outnumbering teams in the center of the pitch as he has throughout the year. Against teams that also employ a 4-2-3-1 formation this year, the Red Bulls have managed a fairly average 1-1-1 record, compared to a 3-0-3 record against all other competition.
In order for Sacha Kljestan, Felipe, and Mad Dax to control the center of the park, the team must create and exploit space between the back of midfield (two out of Victor Ulloa, Michel, and US U-20 national teamer Kellyn Acosta) and Dallas’ front four.
Given Diaz’s tendency to push up high to combine with Perez and Castillo and Hollingshead’s desire to stay wide and spread the field, the Red Bulls midfield will look to pressure the opponent’s back six deep into its own half and unglue Diaz’s connection with the double pivot at the base of midfield. If Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira, and Bastian Schweinsteiger can pick apart the 4-2-3-1 so easily in such a fashion, surely the far superior trio in the middle for the Red Bulls can accomplish the task.
On the defensive side of things, Ginja Ninja—as Dax will no doubt be referred to on tomorrow’s Spanish language broadcast—will be tasked with limited Diaz’s creative influence. Thus far this season, the Red Bulls have successfully muzzled some of the league’s best playmakers, from Federico Higuain to Lee Nguyen (in a cameo appearance) to Mix Diskerud (just kidding, he’s not anywhere close to being one of the league’s best), a feat they will have to replicate in order to escape Texas with all three points.
Coming off a stellar performance last weekend that earned him a place in the MLS Team of the Week, Kemar "Taxi" Lawrence should start opposite Fabian Castillo, his toughest assignment in MLS to date. Lawrence is better cut out for the task than the more offensively minded Roy Miller, and will need to be careful not to pick up an early yellow against the league’s foremost dribbler. On that front, the Red Bulls must exert extra caution not to give up unnecessary fouls close to goal, given Diaz’s and Michel’s aforementioned mastery of dead balls. In that light, it may in fact be a blessing in disguise to have Karl Ouimette at centerback rather than the talented yet prone to rash tackles Young Matt Miazga.
Dallas’ fitness and ability to move the ball well may mean that Jesse Marsch will have to reassess his high pressing strategy for this game. The Red Bulls adapted well after going down a man last weekend, bunkering and countering while ceding the vast majority of possession. A similar approach—or at the very least, a more selective pressing strategy—may be necessary in order for the Red Bulls to last the full ninety in the humid heat of Frisco. As recent events have shown to the soccer world, those coaches who are unwilling to adapt their proactive stance when circumstances require it suffer the consequences.
What do you think? Should Jesse Marsch show some caution on the road against the league’s best attack? Or should he stick to his guns and press high against Dallas’ inexperienced, mistake-prone defense? Have your say in the comments!He came on my honeymoon. My wife, Rebecca, and I retired to Martha's Vineyard, late September. Shel had a home there, and he met us one morning for breakfast. Breakfast became lunch, and then dinner, and we saw him most of all day every day.
We went back, summers, to the Vineyard, and spent most of the days with Shel. He had a quarter-sized fantasy house in the Tabernacle, a 19th-century enclave of gingerbread houses around a Methodist prayer pavilion. We would sit out on the porch and pass the guitar back and forth, and he'd get hysterical, relating the amorous intricacies of the natives' lives on the island.
While we sat, every day, fans would find him out. Every day, women would come with their children, and their arms full of books. Not one book, but 10. And they would, sheepishly, ask him to inscribe the books. And Shel would say, of each one, ''Who is this for?'' The woman would tell him a name, and Shel would fashion the name into an animal and inscribe the book to the kid.
I'd sit by, watching him. And I never saw him hesitant, or put-upon, or at all reluctant. I asked him, ''Shel, don't you ever find it an imposition?'' And he smiled and said, ''Are you kidding...?''
Rebecca and I would walk our daughter, Clara, aged 2, 3, 4, through the labyrinth of the Tabernacle paths, until we'd find, always by accident, Shel's house. We'd encourage Clara forward, and she'd, tentatively, get up on the porch and go to the door, and she would scratch the screen.
''Who is that?'' would come this voice, impossibly high and gruff at the same time, ''Who is that, out there, scratching at my door...?'' And Clara would recoil in delight, as her pet Ogre and Godfather improvised a fairy-tale encounter for her.
He loved good food. We'd go to Jimmy Seas' joint on the Vineyard, and they'd usher us in to his special table, or upstairs, and the waitresses, some, or indeed all, of whom must have known him quite well, would fuss about, and beam at his attention, and duly note his commands: ''... like Jimmy makes it, but not quite that much oil, and more tuna than pasta... '' et cetera.
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I was at restaurants with him where he sent back everything but the booth, and would have done that, too.
He adored Da Silvano's (who does not?) on Sixth Avenue, and would, at the drop of a hat, take off Silvano, and his recitations of life in the Italian Army's Armored Corps, and he'd giggle that high laugh. There was nothing better.
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I'd call him up, just about every day, and we'd trade jokes, or fix jokes -- a favored activity. ''I heard a joke today (insert joke).''
''... Yeah...,'' he'd say, thoughtful... long pause. ''What about if instead of Irishmen, it was dogs, or something, or buffalo...?'' ''No,'' he'd say. ''That's not it. Tell me the joke again, no: wait wait wait...!,'' and he'd come upon the solution.
As he would when I'd call -- as I did regularly -- with a personal or professional problem. I'd lay the mess before him. ''O.K.,'' he'd say, ''here's what you got to do...,'' and, inevitably, it was.
Or, to sum up, I loved him. My family loved him. We all felt that being with him was an unexampled privilege. And when he died, we, and his other friends, said to each other, ''Well, at least we can't say we didn't appreciate him when he was here.''
He had no tolerance for society. He wouldn't go to a party, didn't want to meet new people. He came to my wedding in the same oufit he wore everywhere: impossibly baggy, vaguely military trousers, a sort of Indian shirt, unbuttoned to the navel, a 1970's down-market leather jacket.
He once told me he'd been invited to receive some rather impressive honor. I thought he would relent and accept, but he said no.
''How can you refuse?'' I said.
''If they want me to show up and do my Shel act, let them pay me,'' he said.
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And I was chastened. He was right. He had elected that the writer must live in retirement; that we are weak, and susceptible to blandishment, flattery, and the way to resist temptation was to avoid it.
He was scrupulous. There were those things he would always do, and those things he would never do.
He would always help. I would call in a tight spot: I needed a joke, a plot, a song, a favor, and he always said, ''Sure.''
Rik Elswit, a member of Shel's band, Dr. Hook, relates a dispute about a song. The group had a big hit, Shel was the writer. One of the band members said, ''You know, Shel, I hate to say it, but I contributed (whatever it may have been) to the song, too.'' Shel, Mr. Elswit relates, took out a piece of paper and assigned his bandmate half of the royalties, with which, we are told, the band member bought a lot of real estate in California.
In short, I suppose he was my hero.
I remember, just before he died, he came to Boston, and we were going to go book shopping along Newbury Street. I got out of the car, at the Ritz-Carlton, and palmed a $20 bill with which to bribe the doorman.
Here came the doorman, and I walked toward him, ''Hey, can I talk to you a minute?,'' I said, and looked over at the sidewalk to see Shel doubled over and howling.
When I got to him, he was literally wiping the tears from his eyes.
''Oh, Dave,'' he said. ''That was the Old Style. That was beautiful, that was the Old Chicago Way.'' What a compliment.Cops Mistake Baking Soda For Cocaine, Innocent Couple Jailed For 2 Months
Faulty $2 drug testing kits landed an elderly working-class couple behind bars for over two months.
One couple just wanted to treat their upset stomachs—but it landed them behind bars when police mistook their bags of baking soda for ounces of cocaine.
Gale Griffin and her husband Wendall Harvey are truck drivers who haul explosives for the military. During a routine inspection in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas last May, police came across baggies of baking soda in the couple’s vehicle.
“I use baking soda for everything,” Griffin told ABC affiliate KATV. But when she and her hubby are on long, cross-country routes, they don’t bring a whole bulk tub of it. Instead, Griffin puts some in a sandwich bag to carry along. Over the course of many trips, partially filled baggies ended up scattered about the trailer.
But when Fort Chaffee police came across the unidentified white powder, they called in the local narcotics unit to investigate the nature of the seemingly suspicious baking supplies.
"They thought we had like 13.2 ounces of cocaine, and the guy said I had over $300,000 in cocaine," said Griffin.
Harvey, a former cop, couldn’t believe it when two different test kits identified the substance as cocaine. "You don't even doubt the tests because I guess I'm stupid, I'm just a citizen and it never occurred to me that the tests were invalid,” he said.
But the tests—$2 Narcotics Identification Kits commonly used by law enforcement nationwide—is surprisingly error-prone.
In fact, in Florida, the Department of Law Enforcement Lab Systems found that 21% of substances tested for meth gave false positives.
But the police didn’t know it was a false positive, so they sent the couple off to the county jail, where they waited 10 days for a lawyer. Because they didn’t have important phone numbers memorized, it took them four weeks to get in touch with family.
In June, the couple finally heard back from a lawyer, who asked the prosecutor to re-test the supposed drugs in a crime lab. In July, the prosecutor asked the state to expedite the testing. And on July 14—more than two months after the initial arrest—the lab finally figured out it was baking soda and the beleaguered couple was released.
"We're not chemists, and we don't roll with a chemistry set in the back of a police car," said Fort Chaffee Police Chief Chuck Bowen.
The couple have lost their jobs and are relying on family and friends to make ends meet. The couple's grandchildren have set up a GoFundMe account to help them recuperate the money and work that was lost while they were behind bars.Apple iPhone 5c has suffered from a case of mistaken identity.
When leaks about the iPhone 5c started showing up earlier this year, tech industry observers started speculating that this was the long-conjectured "iPhone Mini." Those expectations were based solely on the previous success of the iPod Mini, which was smaller and less expensive than Apple's flagship iPod and went on to become the best-selling model in the product line.
The timing was perfect for such a product, the tech industry surmised, because Apple has been losing market share in emerging markets to sub-$300 Android devices. When Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 5c on Tuesday, it was not that device. It started at $99 on-contract and over $500 without a contract. As such, the tech press and market analysts frowned (some actually sneered).
However, evaluating Apple is a yin and yang thing. You have to look just as closely at what the company doesn't say and doesn't do because they say so little and are extremely calculating with every product decision since they release so few products.
If you want to understand what Apple's doing with the iPhone 5c and why it could make sense, here are the two factors to think about:
1. Apple did not release a new iPod Touch
One of the regular features of Apple's annual September product event is the release of new iPods. It didn't happen this year. While Apple continues selling last year's iPod models (they are still available in the online store and at retail stores), the product is quickly reaching end-of-life.
In July, Apple reported in its earnings call that the number of iPod units sold was down 32% year-over-year, one of the largest dips in the history of the product line. That's significant because the iPod Touch has continued to be a strong seller during the past several years. As recently as 2011, there were quarters when iPod Touch sales rivaled iPad sales.
The iPod Touch was extremely popular among children and teens, who could use it to enjoy the benefits of iPhone apps over WiFi. Apple sold over 80 million iPod Touch devices from 2007 to the end of 2012 (during that same period, it sold 244 million iPhones, by comparison).
While the entry level iPod Touch never cost less than $199--the same price as the entry level iPhone on a 2-year wireless contract--the appeal was that you didn't have to pay $70/month for a smartphone contract with a data plan like you did with an iPhone. However, the economics of smartphones have changed drastically over the past 12 months.
2. U.S. kids are converting to smartphones
During the past year, U.S. wireless carriers have introduced family data plans, which have made it much more practical for parents to get smartphones for their kids. A household with two adults that are already sharing a data plan can now add a child's smartphone to their plan for as little as a monthly fee of $10 (T-Mobile), $20 (Sprint), $35 (AT&T), or $40 (Verizon).
As a result, 37% of U.S. teenagers now own a smartphone (up from 23% in 2011), according to Pew Internet's report, Teens and Technology 2013. Separately, the Zact 2013 Mobile Families Survey, found that 44% of U.S. kids aged 12-17 are using smartphones in 2013. It expects that number to grow to 51% in 2014, 59% in 2015, 66% in 2016, and 73% in 2017.
All of this means that there is likely to be about 40-50 million iPod Touch-owning kids in the U.S. who could soon potentially convert to smartphones. That's partly because of the improved economics of family data plans and partly because many of these iPod Touch owners will be aging into smartphone ownership.
That adds up to a huge market opportunity. It's a new segment to tap in a smartphone market that looks increasingly saturated across the U.S. and Europe.
And, since most these iPod Touch kids are already invested in the Apple ecosystem with music and apps purchases, Apple has a natural advantage to win them over to the iPhone.
From that perspective, the carnival of colors available for the iPhone 5c and its colorful silicone cases make perfect sense. They've got "youthful self-expression" written all over them. They are also destined to stand out in displays at wireless stores across the world.
Bottom line
Let's not think of the iPhone 5c as the low-cost iPhone for emerging markets. Apple may or may not make that product, but this is not it.
Instead, let's think of the iPhone 5c as Apple's iPod Touch replacement for a wave of kids that are about to convert to smartphones.
Also readUp to four million migrants could reach Europe by the end of next year, the International Monetary Fund has forecast |
in Dubai in 2007, at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival, which although only three years old was becoming known as the "Mecca for Middle Eastern metal".
This was pre-crash Dubai, in all its excessive splendor, and the festival was filled to capacity with 20,000 metalheads, mostly Arabs, Iranians and South Asians, cheering, screaming and even crying during Maiden's headlining show.
Indeed, few crowds have erupted with more energy than did the fans at Desert Rock when Maiden hit the stage. And I do not think I have witnessed a more poignant moment at a concert than when the crowd sang Maiden's anthem, Fear of the Dark in unison with Dickinson, lighters aloft in one hand, cell phones in the other to record it for Youtube posterity.
"This is our first time playing in an Arab country," Dickinson told the audience, visibly taken aback by the crowd's reaction. "I know Dubai is the melting pot. Everybody is here. We have people from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Scotland, Lebanon, Egypt, Sweden, Turkey, Australian, Wales, Americans, Canadians, Kuwait. We have the whole world, just about, here tonight... And we'll be back."
The members of Iron Maiden still recall that first Dubai show fondly, but in reality Dubai represented the very antithesis of everything Maiden has always stood for - consumption without reason, style over substance, the pursuit of wealth and celebrity without a solid foundation or sustainable principles.
"What are we about?" asks manager Rod Smallwood, the seventh member of the group, rhetorically. "Honesty, integrity, doing your best regardless of what you've been given; in fact, doing it yourself so you don't have to compromise. And most important, showing our fans passion and inspiring them. If a band can't keep inspiring fans, what's the point of continuing?"
A new model
For much of the past decade Dubai was hailed as the inspiration for a new, globalised Middle East; the place where the proverbial Lexuses and olive trees that New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman famously argued symbolised the poles of globalisation, could finally coexist.
As the money and Vegas-style skyscrapers kept growing higher, Dubai boosters like Friedman became passionate in their support of the "Dubai model" of development. But instead of upper middle class Lexuses Dubai quickly became filled with Ferraris, Rolls Royces and other uber-expensive supercars.
As for olive trees, aside from a restaurant with that name and the gardens of the city's elite, few if any have taken root.
"Yeah, but who wants to be that rich?" Smallwood asked a few hours after the show, discussing how many of the band's peers have taken the easy, commercial way out, usually losing their souls in the process. "You wind up playing just for the cheque to support that lifestyle, instead of because it's what you love to do. Eventually, fans figure that out, and then where are you?"
Not surprisingly, the Dubai model was unsustainable, and now the sheikhdom is searching for a more solid foundation for the future.
In contrast, whether at that balmy evening when Maiden first touched down in Dubai, or the even hotter and muggier evening at Madison Square Garden three years later, Iron Maiden has consistently inspired concert goers, and seen its fanbase grow, in good measure because it has refused to compromise or to play by the music industry's increasingly dysfunctional rules.
A musical path towards modernisation
Iron Maiden's lyrics resonate with fans across the Middle East [EPA]
And it is here that the group's unique philosophy offers interesting lessons for its large fanbase across the Arab and Muslim worlds - a young generation that is struggling to define a new role for themselves and the region in a globalised system that, much like the music business, seems rigged against them.
First and foremost, do not play their game. Neoliberalism, the dominant system of globalisation, will never produce greater prosperity, democracy or sustainable development for the vast majority of the peoples of the region, precisely because this model of economic integration inevitably concentrates wealth, and through it power, in fewer hands.
Of course, this process suits autocratic elites and the relatively small but politically crucial class of citizens who benefit from such policies just fine. But for average Egyptians, Moroccans or Syrians, this paradigm has brought few if any benefits.
Secondly, think historically, stay true to your roots, and "do it yourself". One of the main reasons why heavy metal, and Maiden in particular, are so popular across the Middle East and Muslim world is precisely because the genre, and the band, represents a "DIY," or do it yourself, philosophy that has allowed artists and fans to avoid the compromises that have plagued other genres like hiphop and mainstream rock.
For centuries the peoples of the Arab and Muslim world have been told that they had to follow someone else's model. They have had to contend with policies imposed from above and outside - first through colonialism and then again, beginning in the 1970s, through the "structural adjustment programmes" that have been at the heart of IMF, World Bank and other Washington consensus policies towards the region.
Today, a new generation is emerging across the region that refuses to accept this imbalance of power. But, the problem is how to create a viable alternative. One alternative, of course, is al-Qaeda and other extremist movements and ideologies. But as many Middle Eastern metalheads have pointed out while lamenting the fact that so many of their fellow citizens consider them little better than Satan worshipers, being an extreme metal fanatic is a lot better than the alternative.
And it is here too that the Maiden model is relevant. Songs like Brave New World, No More Lies, Fear of the Dark, and their biggest hits like Trooper and Run to the Hills all resonate with the band's myriad fans across the region because the lyrics reflect the complexity of their histories, their lives, and their futures. These themes are even more pregnant with meaning in Beirut or Tehran, which have suffered such violence in the recent past, than they are in "the Mecca of music," Madison Square Garden.
"That's certainly one reason Maiden is special," explained lead singer Bruce Dickinson when I asked him about why the group is so popular in the Middle East. "But also, it's the family aspect. The band and the fans, we're like one big family," he continued, echoing the words of amazement an Egyptian friend of mine uttered when we first saw the scene in Dubai. "Finally, a real community," he said with an almost palpable feeling of joy.
As many metal fans from the region have pointed out to me, Maiden's songs remind them that they should not trust the hype and slogans promising a better tomorrow, that progress demands putting aside easy prejudices in favour of a much harder but more honest discussion about the future and that they should remember the past but not be afraid of the future.
If you do that, then you are in a position to create your own networks using your own tools, people, and principles: "Do it yourself" on an international scale. Instead of trying to jump on someone else's globalisation express, develop your own vision that is true to you. "Never sell out, never compromise, and always stay true," is how Smallwood explains it.
Joy, the final frontier
This is, of course, easier said than done in the Middle East, since the region's rulers in general have so much invested in the existing system. But Maiden succeeded precisely because the band worked around the system rather than trying to join it.
Of course, building a successful career as a rock band, however difficult, is nothing compared to building an alternative economic and cultural system in a region plagued by war, occupation, authoritarianism and poverty. But the point of music and the artists who produce the culture the rest of us consume is rarely to provide a direct blueprint for action.
Instead, it is to inspire, to give a vision of a different future and the courage to get up in the morning and figure out how to survive and even thrive in a system that is very much not set up for your benefit.
More than one member of Iron Maiden has told me that perhaps the greatest gift they can give fans is joy. And whether in Dubai or Madison Square Garden, the concerts were filled with joy, from musicians and fans alike.
Metal is often accused of being music about death, and certainly Iron Maiden's songs can often seem, on the surface, violent and blood-soaked. But as one Iranian metal musician said about the genre, and Maiden in particular, "what's amazing is how a music about death in fact affirms life".
As I looked out across that field in Dubai three years ago and saw a multi-national assemblage of people sharing a rare moment of true community and joy, the power of music to bring people together and heal old and deep wounds became abundantly clear. That feeling once defined a huge swatch of Muslim culture, in music, art, and literature. It is something that is sorely needed across the region today.
As Iron Maiden prepare to release their 15th studio album, The Final Frontier fans across the region will soon have reason to feel a bit of the joy the North American members of the Iron Maiden family have felt during this current tour. And with any luck, the Middle East will once again move inside the Maiden frontier.
Mark LeVine is a professor of history at UC Irvine and senior visiting researcher at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Lund University in Sweden. His most recent books are Heavy Metal Islam (Random House) and Impossible Peace: Israel/Palestine Since 1989 (Zed Books).
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.Six alleged robbers — including three juveniles — were arrested Tuesday morning after jumping a man walking near Georgia Tech’s campus, authorities said.
The group was also believed to be connected to an earlier robbery.
Atlanta Police Department spokeswoman Officer Kim Jones said an off-duty officer was leaving a part-time job on Tech Parkway about 1 a.m. when he spotted several males surround a victim, punch him and take his bookbag. The suspects drove off in a burgundy Pontiac, police said, and the off-duty officer followed.
Georgia Tech police officers saw and heard the chase, joined the pursuit and successfully pulled the suspects over, Jones said. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 21-year-old Barry Harper Jr., ran away but was apprehended.
The remaining five suspects, 17-year-olds Joi Pipins and Iman Jones and three juveniles, were arrested at the scene.
The victim reportedly told police that the vehicle approached him as he walked down the street. Harper jumped out, said “give me what you got” and punched him while three other males surrounded him, the victim said.
The victim was not injured. His bookbag, cellphone and wallet were recovered in the suspects’ vehicle, police said.
Jones said that, about 30 minutes prior to the incident, a robbery with the same suspect and vehicle descriptions was reported in Zone 6. The victim in that case, who had “visible injuries,” identified the suspects in the Tech Parkway incident as his assailants, police said.
Fulton County jail records show Harper was charged with robbery, simple battery and obstruction. Pipins was charged with two counts of robbery, and Jones was was charged with robbery, reckless driving, and fleeing or attempting to elude.As you may have heard, it’s the one-year anniversary of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Also coming up: the one-year anniversary of the first Freedom of Information Act requests for the photographs taken of bin Laden’s body.
Obama and his re-election campaign have embraced bin Laden’s death as one of the president’s signature achievements, and are currently using it to bludgeon Mitt Romney, but photographs of that achievement are still considered a national security risk.
On “Fox News Sunday” this week, White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan was asked why the White House has refused to release the presumably gruesome images.“Well, first of all, there is no doubt whatsoever that bin Laden is dead,” Brennan said. “I think by all accounts, it was a very successful raid on that compound in Abbottabad. What we don’t want to do is it put out anything that is going to unnecessarily incite emotions on this issue. These photos were confirmation for the government that it was bin Laden. And so, therefore, we believe that it’s unnecessary to put something like that out.”
It is an argument that the administration has been making since just a few days after the raid, when debate over whether the administration should or would release any photographs of bin Laden’s corpse was at its height. By May 4, 2011, Obama had come out against the release of any of the images, telling CBS News that “we don’t need to spike the football,” and further arguing that “given the graphic nature of these photos it would create a national security risk.” But not everyone was satisfied with that argument. In the days after the raid, at least seven organizations — the Associated Press, Politico, Citizens United, NPR, CBS News, Reuters, and Judicial Watch — filed Freedom of Information Act requests for the images.
Almost a year later, none of the bin Laden FOIAs have been successful. The photographs are still secret, even as the administration cooperates on a growing pile of “exclusives” and special reports revealing new information about both the man and the mission.
Last month, The Washington Post was granted an “exclusive look” at documents taken from bin Laden’s compound. This week, Time magazine has two “special reports” on bin Laden, featuring “access to previously unreleased letters written by bin Laden to his deputies and allies” and “access to top decision makers in over 100 hours of interviews,” plus a hand-written memo penned by then-CIA head Leon Panetta moments after he received the go-ahead for the raid from Obama. On Monday, word came that some of bin Laden’s documents seized in the raid would be posted online this week by West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center. On Wednesday, NBC’s “Rock Center with Brian Williams” will air an episode featuring an interview with Obama and “unprecedented access to the most secret and secure part of the White House, the Situation Room.” The administration has cooperated in some form on all of these disclosures. Meanwhile, it continues to fight against release of the bin Laden photographs.
Just last week, a federal judge ruled against the conservative government watchdog Judicial Watch in its lawsuit against the Department of Defense and the CIA for the images.
“The Court declines Plaintiff’s invitation to substitute its own judgment about the national-security risks inherent in releasing these records for that of the executive-branch officials who determined that they should be classified,” U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote in his opinion.
In his ruling, Boasberg wrote that the Department of Defense “turned up nothing responsive” to Judicial Watch’s request, while the CIA found 52 “responsive records,” but claimed they were all exempt from disclosure. Boasberg agreed with the CIA’s declarations that release of the images “could reasonably be expected to damage the national security.”
“The public release of the responsive records would provide terrorist groups and other entities hostile to the United States with information to create propaganda which, in turn, could be used to recruit, raise funds, inflame tensions, or rally support for causes and actions that reasonably could be expected to result in exceptionally grave damage to both the national defense and foreign relations of the United States,” John Bennett, director of the CIA’s National Clandestine Service, has written in a declaration included in court documents, according to the AP.
Judicial Watch has appealed the ruling.
“Our sense is that we’re correct and that the court, respectfully, is terribly wrong,” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, told TPM.
Fitton said he thought it was “perfectly appropriate” for Obama to tout bin Laden’s death as an achievement, but said withholding the images is at odds with his message.
“If it’s offensive to the terrorists, why’s [Obama] talking about it as a centerpiece of his campaign?” Fitton said.
Several of the other organizations that are seeking the images have not quite given up, either.
The Associated Press itself, for one, has made requests for more than just images. The news agency has submitted FOIA requests for a “range of materials,” including contingency plans for bin Laden’s capture, reports on the performance of equipment during raid, and copies of DNA tests that confirmed bin Laden’s identity. The administration has refused a further AP request to expedite the FOIAs, a decision the AP has appealled.
“This issue remains a concern and we are still considering our options,” Erin Madigan White, media relations manager for the AP, told TPM in an email.
NPR is also now considering next moves.
“NPR did file a FOIA, but it was stayed pending the result of a lawsuit by Judicial Watch,” Anna Christopher Bross, director of media relations at NPR, told TPM. “Since that suit was only resolved a few days ago, we’re considering what we’re going to do next.”
At least one expert has been surprised by how long the government has been able to hold back the photographs.
In May last year, Steven Aftergood, a government secrecy specialist at the Federation of American Scientists, told Reuters that he didn’t believe “the executive branch will be able to claim the photographs of a corpse are classified… The photographs of the corpse may be gruesome, but it’s hard to say it would damage national security.”
On Monday, Aftergood told TPM that he had “misjudged the situation.”
“I thought it was likely that either the Administration or the court would agree to draw distinctions among the various photographs, and that the more lurid ones would be withheld while the others would be released,” Aftergood wrote in an email. “But instead the whole collection was categorically withheld, which is not what I expected.”
“I can imagine that there might be some photographs that really are inflammatory or that pose particular security problems. But it doesn’t seem quite credible to me that each and every one of the photographs fits that description,” Aftergood added, before adding, in regard to the recent court ruling: “It’s disappointing, because this was a missed opportunity for the court to exercise independent judgment and review. Instead what we got was judicial deference to the point of acquiescence, if not abdication.”I haven’t written a true strategy article in a little while, but today I’m going to post a few words on one of the most controversial Prismata units—Frostbite. Though recently nerfed (its buildtime increased from 1 to 2 in the last big set of balance changes), Frostbite remains a formidable unit that must be dealt with very carefully.
Frostbite is certainly a unit worth studying, as it appears in more games than many other units due to Frost Brooder and Endotherm Kit spawning copies of it.
Speaking of Frost Brooder… you may recall that it was temporarily removed in our last balance patch (because we wanted to modify it in a way that required some small tweaks to the Prismata engine and bots). Well, we’re happy to announce the new version:
The new Frost Brooder is actually 1 gold cheaper than its previous incarnation—its cost has been decreased from 5RR to 4RR. However, it comes with a huge caveat: the Frostbites that it spawns have Lifespan 3, meaning that you only have 3 chances to use them! This makes it much more difficult to store up a huge pile of Frostbites, and presents a ton of really interesting strategic questions, since your Frostbites are now “use-em-or-lose-em”. We had a ton of fun play-testing this one and we think you’ll enjoy it.
Now, onto the main topic of the article (a part of this has appeared on Reddit before, but the post has been somewhat expanded):
How to Defend Against Frostbites
First, a disclaimer: this isn’t really a “strategy article”. It’s more of a “tactics article”. I’m not going to discuss Frostbite’s strengths and weaknesses, or how it’s much weaker against Infusion Grids than it is against Walls, or whether it’s better to fight against Frostbites by going breach-proof or spamming Xeno Guardians. Instead, I’m going to focus on one specific question:
Suppose you have a bunch of Walls, Steelsplitters, Drones, and Tarsiers. Your opponent has a similar army, plus a huge pile of Frostbites. How much defense should you hold back?
The reason I want to address this one specific question is that I see weaker players making the same mistake over and over again: overdefending against Frostbites. Moreover, misunderstanding Frostbite defense actually causes players to overestimate the value of Frostbites.
Here’s one of many quotes that I’ve seen floating around on reddit:
What is the complexity behind buying or using Frostbites? Almost none… you basically just stack them until you can breach.
I think this quote echoes a common sentiment among many Prismata players. But I think it also betrays a misunderstanding about how Frostbites should be played (and played against). There is something crucial about Frostbites (and Prismata game theory, in general) that many players haven’t come around to learning yet.
This is a misunderstanding of a concept that’s quite complex and nuanced, but I think it lies at the core of why A LOT of sub tier-X players…
Don’t like Frostbites
Overestimate their value
Misplay while defending against them
Believe that Frostbites do not create hard decisions for the attacking player
If those opinions sound like yours, then rejoice! You are about to get much better at defending against Frostbites.
A Proverb
I will start with a “proverb” that is true in many strategy games, and definitely true in a lot of Prismata situations:
An optimal defensive play should make the attacker’s decision hard.
Frostbite defense/attack situations are a perfect example of this proverb in action.
Consider a game where your opponent has a bunch of Frostbites, and you have the choice of either:
(1) Holding back a lot of Drones/Steelsplitters to defend fully, so that no breach is possible, OR:
(2) Working/attacking with some of those units instead to gain gold/attack from them, but allow your opponent to blow 5 Frostbites to breach and kill a Tarsier.
Most beginners make the mistake of always choosing choice (1) and holding back too many drones. Instinctively, they try their hardest to prevent a breach at all costs (which is a good beginner heuristic, but starts to break down once more advanced units are added).
But suppose you go with choice (2). Let’s look at the pros and cons. You’ve made yourself vulnerable to a breach, and given your opponent the option of giving up 10RRRRR worth of Frostbites to kill a Tarsier, plus maybe 1 extra HP worth of defenders (instead of attacking for N, killing N-2 HP worth of defenders and having 2HP absorbed by a wall, the opponent is now killing N-1 HP worth of defenders + 1 Tarsier). In summary:
If your opponent chooses not to breach:
They keep the Frostbites for a future turn.
They kill [N-2] HP worth of defenders.
If your opponent chooses to use the Frostbites and breach:
They lose 5 Frostbites (value 10RRRRR).
They kill [N-1] HP worth of defenders (1 more than above).
They kill a Tarsier.
All things considered, the latter choice probably isn’t a great trade for the opponent. They are probably losing more value by giving up the Frostbites than they’re gaining in extra damage. It might be better to save the Frostbites for a larger breach later.
For this reason, defensive option (2) looks really strong. We get extra attack/gold from the Drones/Steelsplitter, and our opponent is literally going to do the same thing that he or she would have otherwise done: NOT use the Frostbites.
(Side note 1: the 10RRRRR cost I mentioned above is actually a “sunk cost” at this point and isn’t really what’s important; the decision hinges more on the opportunity cost of no longer having those Frostbites in future turns (e.g. the Frostbites could be worthless in future turns if the defender switches to Venge Cannons.) But cost can sometimes be a useful proxy for value.)
Defending Optimally
OK, so why not take things a little further? Well, if we work/attack with all of our Drones/Steelsplitters, then maybe the opponent can trade those Frostbites in for a huge breach, killing FIVE Tarsiers. The opponent would almost certainly take us up on this offering, and we’d be way behind.
So what is the optimal number of Drones/Steelsplitters to work with? The answer is… AT LEAST ENOUGH TO MAKE THE OPPONENT’S DECISION DIFFICULT (and possibly more).
Suppose we leave back the perfect number of Drones/Steelsplitters so that the opponent sees the decision of using the Frostbites vs not using them as a 50/50 split. In other words, the opponent considers the two options of [blow the Frostbites now] and [save them for later] as being equally strong.
The thing to realize is that in this scenario, relative to leaving back a ton of Drones/Steelsplitters to guarantee that a breach isn’t possible, we’ve not improved the opponent’s position at all. We’ve given the opponent an additional option, but if that option carries the SAME value as simply not using the Frostbites, we’re no worse off than we would be if we simply defended. However, by working/attacking with more Drones/Steelsplitters, we get extra gold/attack, which adds value to our side. We get free extra value, at no cost to us.
So the point is, the optimal number of Drones/Steelsplitters to work with is at least enough to make the opponent’s decision difficult.
You might have heard this concept by the name of “minimaxing”… we want to minimize the value of the opponent’s best (maximum) play. If we can gain value (by working with Drones) at the cost of increasing the value of one of the opponent’s worse options (blowing the stack of Frostbites), then we should continue doing so until the opponent’s two options are equally good.
(Side note 2: It can sometimes even be correct to work with an extra Drone beyond this to the point where your opponent’s decision leans slightly on the side of blowing the Frostbites, if the extra one gold is worth it.)
In any case, the point is this: if you want to play optimally against an opponent with a huge stack of Frostbites, you should almost always be allowing your opponent a small breach. And more generally, you should always be making your opponent’s decision difficult. If your opponent has an easy decision (e.g. it’s 100% clear that they’ll choose not to use the Frostbites), then you’ve probably overdefended.
Still think Frostbites are easy to use?
So, this then brings me back to my original point. I’m going to dump that reddit quote here again for reference:
What is the complexity behind buying or using Frostbites? Almost none… you basically just stack them until you can breach.
From what we’ve learned above, we can conclude the following: if you are playing Frostbite games where it feels like the attacker has it easy and doesn’t have to make difficult decisions, then the defender is probably misplaying.
I would even go as far as to say the following:
In most cases, if an attacker has a large number of Frostbites and the defender is playing optimally, the attacker should have a hard decision regarding the use of those Frostbites almost every single turn.
I say “in most cases”, because of the following exception: the defender might not always have the option of making the attacker’s decision difficult. Some Frostbite games are incredibly sharp: a single breach might result in a dead Lucina or Centurion and a lost game. However, the above rule holds true whenever the marginal value of a breach is a single Wall/Tarsier or similar unit, which is often worth less than the attacker’s stack of Frostbites.
The end.
I hope you enjoyed this “tactics article”. Good luck using Frostbite in your upcoming games! To finish things off, here’s a Frostbite skin showcase! All these will be available when arena rewa*ds go liv* on the Pri*m*t*.s**ver.on.Ju*y.2***.******……… [Transmission lost.]For the second time in less than two years, Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana is expanding paternalistic restrictions and sanctions on the student body based on whom they choose to be friends with.
In an email to the student body on July 12, the dean reported that the “USGSO Committee”—which handles policy on “unrecognized single-gender social organizations,” and which the dean co-chairs—released preliminary recommendations to be reviewed by the faculty and then approved by Harvard University’s president, Drew Faust.
These recommendations outline a new policy that exceeds the bounds of a prior, already overreaching policy, which will remain in place unless Faust approves the new policy.
The first policy, begun in 2016, targeted all-male and all-female organizations, including fraternities, sororities, and final clubs, all of which are off-campus, self-funded, and unrecognized by the university.
It stated that starting with the class of 2021 (this fall’s freshmen), members of those organizations will be barred from receiving prestigious scholarships (like the Rhodes Scholarship), athletic team captaincies, and leadership positions in recognized student organizations.
In response, some clubs, like the traditionally all-male Spee Club and the traditionally all-female Seneca, decided to transition to being co-ed.
The new policy goes even further.
Claiming that its initial goal of ending gender segregation and discrimination was “too narrow,” the committee’s new policy extends its sanctions to any “private, exclusionary social organizations that are exclusively or predominantly made up of Harvard students, whether they have any local or national affiliation,” single-gender or otherwise, so that the clubs that attempted to adhere to the first policy cannot escape sanction.
Perhaps even more distressingly, it recommends that students who choose to join these clubs will face suspension and expulsion from the college.
The faculty committee is seeking to model this policy on those adopted by Williams College and Bowdoin College, including a policy that requires students to pledge that they will abide by the school’s “Social Code,” a code that prohibits joining, pledging, rushing, or even attending events sponsored by the prohibited groups.
Faust, who will be stepping down at the end of this academic year, seemingly has nothing to lose.
The groupthink mentality of the importance of “diversity and inclusion” is apparent throughout the committee’s report. As it continually emphasizes the importance of making all Harvard students feel “included,” it then asserts, in bold letters: “It is important to note that no one has suggested doing nothing.”
This is simply untrue. Numerous students have suggested allowing students to retain their rights to freedom of association, and professors like Harry Lewis have publicly condemned the administration’s intervention in students’ private lives.
In addition, a student referendum on the policy, referenced in the committee’s report, showed that nearly double as many students voted to repeal the sanctions as voted in support.
Further, the definition it gives for the outside groups affected by this policy is far too broad.
While it lists several clubs that the policy is intended to apply to today, it also applies the policy broadly to any similar organizations that are made up primarily of Harvard students, and which are private, exclusionary, and social in nature.
The logic of this policy could be more far-reaching than even the administration realizes.
Could a group of friends at Harvard fall subject to this policy if they exclude others from a private party they host? What about a private game night? Does this group of friends need a formal name in order to be subject?
By targeting such a broad swath of “exclusionary” actions, the administration of Harvard College has resorted to treating adult students like some elementary schools have treated first graders, requiring that everyone in the class be invited to each child’s birthday party.
It is paternalistic, hypocritical, and frankly insulting that administrators have imposed this policy. As one of the most exclusive universities in the world, Harvard has claimed to select only those with the brightest futures and best judgment for admission.
If this is so, then the administration should allow students to make their own choices of outside affiliations, rather than becoming a nanny state intent on scrutinizing the details of students’ social lives.
For these reasons, it is imperative that Faust reject the faculty’s new policy and reconsider the existing policy regarding students’ outside affiliations. Freedom of association is paramount to American society and basic liberty, and Harvard is mistaken in abandoning it.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The story goes that three NFL head coaches were talking at dinner one night at the annual league meetings in New Orleans in March. They were Jim Schwartz of Detroit, John Harbaugh of Baltimore and his younger brother, Jim, of San Francisco.
The topic was the impending NFL owners lockout and the effect it might have on the 2011 season. Schwartz opined that the league shutdown would kill hopes of any of the eight rookie head coaches having a good season. Jim Harbaugh listened to Schwartz and didn't say a word. The look on his face said, "Watch me."
That was part of the back story to the now-famous handshake Harbaugh gave Schwartz after his 49ers handed the Lions their first loss of the season two weeks ago, 25-19.
"Showed you."
The win improved the 49ers to 5-1 -- second-best record in the NFL. The Browns play Harbaugh's resurgent team Sunday in Candlestick Park.
Harbaugh's overly scrutinized handshake with Schwartz, which was more like a "get out of my way" shove in the back, played into Harbaugh's tough-guy image in the Bay Area. His predecessor as 49ers coach, Mike Singletary, was one of the toughest NFL players of his era, but he didn't win nearly enough to achieve the popularity Harbaugh has in his six games on the job.
Harbaugh had more going for him, too. Local fans had watched Harbaugh build nearby Stanford University into a national BCS championship contender in four years after inheriting an 0-11 program. Also, Harbaugh was recruited as Stanford's coach by 49ers icon Bill Walsh, who was consulting for the university at which he also formerly coached right up until the time he died from cancer.
So when Harbaugh resisted reportedly more money offered by Miami Dolphins owner Steven Ross -- and the chance to return as a hero to his alma mater, the University of Michigan -- long-suffering 49ers fans instantly fell in love. Harbaugh has given them reason to hope the team can return to league prominence after an eight-year playoff drought.
The 49ers are the lone quality team in the NFC West, which has for some time been regarded as the weakest division in the NFL. This year, the division has the second-worst record in out-of-division games -- 6-15. Four wins belong to the 49ers.
They have opened a three-game lead in the NFC West by playing the same physical style that Harbaugh fashioned at Stanford. Though Harbaugh espouses the Walsh-inspired West Coast offense, his brand emphasizes the tough running of Frank Gore, low-risk passing primarily to two tight ends and a swarming, 3-4 defense that suffocates opponents' running games.
Though quarterback Alex Smith has the highest passer rating of his seven-year career -- by far -- Harbaugh has him throwing and thinking less.
And yes, Harbaugh did hire an offensive coordinator. He's Greg Roman, the same man who helped develop Stanford's Andrew Luck into the next great NFL quarterback prospect. Roman, incidentally, calls the offensive plays for the 49ers.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
On Twitter: @TonyGrossi
Tony Grossi's Scouting Report
Browns vs. San Francisco 49ers
Sunday, 4:15 p.m., in Candlestick Park, San Francisco, Calif.
Record: 5-1.
Last game: Defeated Detroit, 25-19, Oct. 16, in Detroit.
Coach: Jim Harbaugh, 5-1, first year.
Series record: Browns lead, 11-6.
Last meeting: Browns won, 20-7, Dec. 30, 2007 in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is 27th overall (sixth rushing, 31st passing), defense is 11th (second rushing, 22nd passing) and turnover differential is plus-8.
Offensive overview: Coordinator Greg Roman and Jim Harbaugh essentially are running the same version of the West Coast offense they had at Stanford. It's a two-tight end, power running offense that sets up play-action passing. The one big difference is they don't ask quarterback Alex Smith to do too much. Smith is athletic and smart enough to avoid losing games. Smith's 95.2 passer rating is 21 points higher than his career mark. But his attempts, completions and yards are the second-fewest of any QB ranked in the top 20. Six of Smith's eight TDs have gone to tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker. Frank Gore's physical running is the key to what they do. This offense belies the "finesse" and "precision-timing" labels of the typical West Coast offense.
Defensive overview: Coordinator Vic Fangio kind of fell into a well-stocked roster. The club has been drafting for a 3-4 defense since 2005. But what's really improved the front seven -- especially against the run -- has been the play of second-year inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who doesn't take a backseat to the more-heralded Patrick Willis, who lines up beside him. Another playmaker is right end Justin Smith, a two-time Pro Bowler who may be having the best season in his 11th year. On passing downs, rookie 'tweener Aldon Smith is the designated pass rusher. He has produced a team-high 5.5 sacks. The secondary is led by free agent cornerback Carlos Rogers, who has three interceptions and one for a touchdown.
Special teams overview: Ex-Browns special teams coordinator Brad Seely already has made an impact. Ted Ginn Jr. had kickoff and punt return touchdowns in the season opener. Another punt return by Ginn set up a winning score in Detroit. The coverage units and kickers also are outstanding. The team ranks in the top 10 in most of the important categories. Kicker David Akers has made 13 of 15 field goals with a long |
=> 32.1 [magic_resistance_increase] => 0 [attack_damage] => 61.2 [attack_damage_increase] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_increase] => 0 [health_regeneration] => 7.4 [health_regeneration_increase] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [mana_regeneration_increase] => 0 [attack_range] => 125 [attack_speed] => 0.651 [ability_power] => 0 [ability_power_18] => 0 [attack_speed_18] => 0.983 [health_18] => 2016 [mana_18] => 0 [movement_speed_18] => 345 [armor_18] => 87.1 [magic_resistance_18] => 53.4 [attack_damage_18] => 115.6 [critical_strike_18] => 0 [health_regeneration_18] => 19.3 [mana_regeneration_18] => 0 [attack_range_18] => 125 [tip_playing_as] => * Use Sonic Wave before Dragon's Rage so you can chase the target with Resonating Strike. * Take advantage of Flurry by weaving in basic attacks between spell casts -- this maximizes damage output and minimizes energy loss. * Self-casting Safeguard and using Iron Will are powerful tools for killing neutral monsters (in the jungle). [tip_playing_against] => * Stay spread out to minimize the impact of Lee Sin's ultimate, Dragon's Rage. * Lee Sin has powerful tools to combat physical damage in Iron Will and Cripple but he is still vulnerable to magic damage. * Lee Sin relies heavily on following up with his abilities. Use disables to prevent him from chaining together his abilities and attacks. [client_id] => 64 [riot_points] => 880 [influence_points] => 4800 [icon] => [is_published] => 1 [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_free] => 0 [views] => 0 [view_count] => 9042485 [comments] => 0 [comment_count] => 11 [votes] => 0 [vote_count] => 0 [community_tier_list_vote_count] => 602 [community_tier_list_score] => 0.428571 [community_tier_list_rank] => 2 [score] => 0 [lastpost_ts] => 2011-04-02 10:55:40 [last_comment_ts] => 2013-09-24 07:05:04 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_chance_18] => 0 [preferred_skin] => 0 [create_ts] => 2011-04-01 00:00:00 ) ) [8] => Array ( [champion_id] => 3 [rank] => 4 [description] => Camp his jungle early game. He's too weak to fight with you. However, unless you one-shot him, he's gonna wreck you in the mid/late game. Try to snowball him, and he wouldn't stand a chance. [champion] => Array ( [champion_id] => 3 [display_name] => Master Yi [url_str] => master-yi [title] => The Wuju Bladesman [key] => MasterYi [description] => Keeper of the ancient art of Wuju, Master Yi is a mystical warrior from the isle of Ionia. He descended from one of the few tribes dedicated to the preservation of Wuju, a martial art founded with the principles of absolute spiritual awareness of one's self and one's enemy. When the armies of Noxus invaded Ionia, Master Yi joined in the Ionian defense to fight the craven enemy, bringing his village honor through his unparalleled mastery of the blade. The ensuing battles ravaged the land, but no conflict inflicted as much horror as the day the armies of Noxus closed in on Yi's village. Left undefended, the village became the unfortunate test subject of the latest invention by an up-and-coming chemist, now known as Singed. The remains of the village that Master Yi returned to were so horrific that it remains a festering scar on Ionian history. To this day, no Ionian will ever publicly speak of what occurred. After the Noxian invasion was contained, Master Yi fell into a deep isolation. For years, he trained morning to night, speaking to no one and refusing offers of consolation by fellow Ionians. The only thing stopping him from madly charging into Noxus battle lines headfirst was his pledge to keep the Wuju style alive. Even though he seethed with impatience, his rage became a tool for sharpening his practice of Wuju, developing stronger and deadlier skills for his eventual vengeance. The only thing that roused him was news of the League's formation, and Noxus' subsequent enrollment in the League. Master Yi now brings his mastery of the blade to the League of Legends with unflinching purpose: to avenge his kinfolk and end the predations of the Noxus once and for all. "The art of Wuju lives on in Master Yi, and is plunged through the hearts of his foes." -- Soraka, the Starchild [spotlight_embed_url] => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJo0YzTyvXw [role] => Assassin [defense_rating] => 4 [magic_rating] => 2 [attack_rating] => 10 [difficulty_rating] => 4 [damage_rating] => 3 [mobility_rating] => 2 [cc_rating] => 1 [toughness_rating] => 1 [utility_rating] => 1 [health] => 599 [health_increase] => 86 [mana] => 251 [mana_increase] => 36 [movement_speed] => 355 [armor] => 24 [armor_increase] => 3.7 [magic_resistance] => 32.1 [magic_resistance_increase] => 1.25 [attack_damage] => 60 [attack_damage_increase] => 3.1 [critical_strike] => 2.6 [critical_strike_increase] => 0.4 [health_regeneration] => 7.6 [health_regeneration_increase] => 0.13 [mana_regeneration] => 7.3 [mana_regeneration_increase] => 0.05 [attack_range] => 125 [attack_speed] => 0.679 [ability_power] => 0 [ability_power_18] => 0 [attack_speed_18] => 1.023 [health_18] => 2163 [mana_18] => 965 [movement_speed_18] => 355 [armor_18] => 75 [magic_resistance_18] => 53.4 [attack_damage_18] => 111 [critical_strike_18] => 0 [health_regeneration_18] => 18.6 [mana_regeneration_18] => 14.9 [attack_range_18] => 125 [tip_playing_as] => *If you're in a lane against ranged players, leveling up Meditate can allow you to stay in the lane longer and gain levels faster than they will. *Wuju Style is very strong early for last hitting minions. *Try using Alpha Strike on a minion in front of an enemy champion so you are placed at a safe distance at the end of the spell. [tip_playing_against] => *Meditate is an effective method of healing damage over time, but Master Yi is susceptible to coorStory highlights Mitt Romney says he ceased managing Bain Capital when he took over Olympics in 1999
Roberta Karmel says Romney signed SEC documents saying he was Bain CEO after 1999
She asks why did he continue in that role and why did he get a salary if he had left the job?
Failure to reveal finances means we don't know how much he made on Bain deals, she says
In the past week, there has been a spate of news stories about the level of Mitt Romney's involvement in Bain Capital in the years when he ran the organizing committee for the Salt Lake City Olympics. What is this controversy all about?
Romney contends that he ceased actively managing Bain in February 1999 when he joined the Olympics organization. As a candidate for president, he filed a Public Financial Disclosure Report with the federal Government Ethics Office stating that "Mr. Romney retired from Bain Capital on February 11, 1999, to head the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Since February 11, 1999, Mr. Romney has not had any active role with any Bain Capital entity and has not been involved in the operations of any Bain Capital entity in any way."
As we learned last week, documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission contradict this statement.
Some of these documents were Schedule 13D reports, required to be filed pursuant to the Williams Act whenever any person or group acquires 5% or more of the stock of any public company. The purpose of such reports is to notify the securities markets of a possible change in control of a public company.
Roberta Karmel
For example, a Schedule 13D for Odwalla Inc., filed May 2, 2000, covers the acquisition of 32.7% of the shares of Odwalla by Bain Capital Partners VI and related entities. Bain Capital Partners VI (BCI VI) was one of many investment vehicles managed by Bain Capital Inc. (BCI). The Odwalla 13D Schedule represents that W. Mitt Romney is chief executive officer, president and managing director of BCI VI and his principal occupation is "Managing Director of Bain Capital, Inc."
Similarly, a Schedule 13D for Stericycle Inc., filed November 22, 1999, by various Bain Capital entities and Romney as an individual states that Romney is "the sole shareholder, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of BCI, BCI VI Inc., Brookside and Sankaty, Ltd."
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Elsewhere in this document, Romney is described as "sole stockholder, sole director, Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, Chairman and President of BCI." A proxy statement for 2000 filed by Stericycle several months later indicates that the Bain entities, together with Romney, owned more than 11% of the shares of Stericycle and that Romney had the power to vote and dispose of these shares. At the next annual meeting, a Bain representative was nominated to the Stericycle board.
The contradictory representations in the Government Ethics Office and SEC filings are at best evasive and at worst a violation of federal law. A federal statute -- 18 U.S.C. § 1001 -- provides that anyone who "in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully -- (1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact; (2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation" shall be fined or imprisoned. Violations of federal securities laws, including the making of false statements in a 13D filing, are independently punishable under the securities laws.
Although prosecutions for false statements in 13D filings are not common, Michael Milken, the junk bond king, was prosecuted by Rudy Giuliani, and went to jail for aiding and abetting a false Schedule 13D filing by Ivan Boesky. (This was a plea bargain in a complex and controversial case, involving charges of numerous securities law violations.)
Romney is not now claiming his 13D filings were inaccurate or false, but he is claiming that although he was chief executive officer, managing director, chairman and president of Bain Capital, he was not really there, but in Utah managing the Winter Olympics. Nevertheless, he was earning more than $100,000 in salary from Bain. Since he will not release his income tax returns for 1999-2002, we have no idea how high this salary really was.
If Romney was not "involved" in the operations of Bain Capital, why was he being paid? As sole shareholder, why did he keep himself on as CEO? Also, at least with respect to the Stericycle deal, he invested as an individual along with the Bain entities. Why is Romney's story about his relationship to Bain and its investment activities at odds with the documents his firm filed?
Bain Capital is a private equity firm. It acts principally by forming investment partnerships such as Bain Capital Partners VI to buy and sell operating companies. When Bain was headed by Romney, it invested in numerous distressed companies and attempted to turn them around and then sell them at a profit. These deals were financed by highly leveraged junk bonds. Excessive leverage by investment banks and others led to the 2008 financial meltdown from which we have yet to recover, but many investors reaped large profits from these leveraged deals.
Also, partners in private equity companies such as Bain were taxed at advantageous rates called "carried interest." We do not know how much money Romney made on Bain deals because he will not make full disclosure of his finances.
Some portfolio companies were resold by Bain entities at a substantial profit; others failed. That is the nature of private equity investment. Some of these companies were engaged in businesses or business practices that Romney now finds politically inconvenient, so he is attempting to absolve himself of responsibility for these deals.
But the CEO, sole director and sole shareholder of an entity is legally responsible, and should be held accountable, for any wrongdoing or questionable activities of the company he heads. If Romney wants the American public to judge him by his business successes, we also need to judge him by his business failures and see the entire record of his financial dealings.The Eagles have evolved since being taken over by head coach Chip Kelly. While that evolution has involved several players from previous regimes, the team continues to churn its roster into Kelly's ideal squad. With the changes this offseason, it is clear that tenured players may be playing on their last legs.
Six players on the current roster face situations similar to the ones that Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman and Danny Watkins did last offseason. Will those players stick around like Allen or be buried on the depth chart like Coleman or be exiled like Watkins? Their destiny, for the most part, is in their hands.
Johnson may have only been in the league for two seasons, but his star has faded with the coaching staff and the once-supportive fanbase. In an offense without Jeremy Maclin, Johnson was expected to be the team's fourth receiver and cut into Riley Cooper's playing time last season. However, Johnson couldn't make it past fifth on the depth chart and was even replaced as the primary returner during the season.
Brad Smith was acquired in the middle of the season and essentially wiped Johnson out of the line up. Johnson went from 19 catches and 256 receiving yards as a rookie to two catches for 14 yards in his second season. With Smith, Cooper and Jeff Maehl returning as well as the additions of a healthy Maclin, a healthy Arrelious Benn, Josh Huff and Jordan Matthews, it seems like it's "put up or shut up" time for Johnson.
The former Oregon Duck has been able to make it through three pretty mediocre seasons with the Eagles. While Matthews has not been as terrible as most fans or pundits have viewed him, he has failed to really find a secured role in the Eagles defense. Matthews has largely served as a special teams player, where he has been solid but not spectacular. Still, with DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks and Najee Goode likely locked in as the top three inside linebackers, Matthews has plenty of competition for the fourth and fifth spots.
Matthews will have to beat out Jake Knott, Emmanuel Acho and Jason Phillips for one of the two spots. Add in that the Eagles may keep more than the four outside linebackers that they did last year (which included Matthews) and you can see why the odds are stacked against the former fourth round pick. He needs to show that he can play on more than just special teams to stick around.
While Carmichael was an addition just last season, he really needs to have a quality offseason to make the roster. With the additions of Jaylen Watkins and Nolan Carroll, the cornerback position has five quality players ahead of Carmichael. The former Texans defensive back played mostly special teams for the Eagles and was less-than-impressive on defense. He needs to improve after his first training camp with the Eagles and the team is likely hoping that having a bit more preparation time in the defense will help him this season.
The Eagles are likely to keep 10 or 11 defensive backs, so it will be interesting to see how Carmichael factors into to that group. The team could decide to keep only five safeties due to Watkins' versatility, so Carmichael could end up making the team as a pure special teams player. Still, he has to prove he is worth keeping over the likes of Keelan Johnson, Curtis Marsh, Daytawion Lowe, Ed Reynolds and others.
Curtis Marsh
The Eagles have given Marsh a lot of opportunities to be productive. While he has suffered a similar fate to Allen, with several different coordinators, the former third round pick has yet to prove he is anything more than a special teams player. In fact, he was waived during final cuts last offseason and then spent two games as a special teams player for the Bengals. He was later cut and re-signed by the Eagles for depth at cornerback after Jordan Poyer was claimed by the Browns.
Marsh is facing a similar situation to Carmichael. The defensive backfield may not be incredibly talented but has plenty of players to perform as quality depth. The likelihood of Marsh making the roster is very slim and likely depends on the numbers that the Eagles to keep. That may mean that 11 is the lucky number for either Marsh or Carmichael.
Arrelious Benn
Frankly, Benn just needs to maintain his health to make the roster. He has more talent than Smith and would likely provide better depth early on than Huff. That said, staying healthy has been Benn's biggest weakness in the league. While he has looked solid in OTAs by almost all accounts, it is a long offseason and Benn needs to show some durability. The talent is there, but he needs to be available to be an asset.
He and Smith are likely competing with Maehl, Johnson, B.J. Cunningham, Ifeanyi Momah, Will Murphy, Kadrone Boone and Quron Pratt for just two spots. Smith seems to have the edge on one spot, but Benn is likely playing for his career this offseason and could surprise a few people.
This one is pretty simple. Graham is a former first round pick, who doesn't seem like a good fit for the defense and really hasn't shown consistency in four seasons. While a lot of those issues are not entirely on him, most feel like it would be in his best interest to move on. However, he has said that he wants to stay in Philadelphia and it is really on him to prove he can be a productive pass rusher in a 3-4 defense.
This season is likely Graham's last in Philadelphia, so it's on him to produce to the point where he can obtain a long-term deal on the free agent market. It will be huge for the Eagles if Graham can produce, but if he struggles at all in the offseason, the team could deal him to make room for upstarts like Travis Long and Bryan Braman.by Ronnie Nathanielsz
Strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, who once worked for many years with “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao and trained Marcos Maidana when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the first time, has signed a two-year contract with Mayweather.
Ariza told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard/Viva Sports that - “I signed an official contract for two years to serve as Floyd’s strength and conditioning coach” and had spoken to Mayweather this morning.
He quoted Mayweather as telling him “I think I need you now” pointing to the fact that he (Mayweather) is getting on in years.
He said Mayweather has two more fights left on his $200 million contract with Showtime but he expects him to fight for the next two years.
When we asked Ariza about a possible fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, he categorically stated that as far as Mayweather is concerned “as long as Bob Arum (Top Rank Promoter) is involved, the fight won’t happen.”
He emphasized that if they “leave Manny alone” the mega-buck fight can happen.
Ariza said “I still love Manny” but added that when Mayweather called Pacquiao and made a $40 million offer for a fight with him which was eventually turned down, “it was because Manny passed the phone on to Michael Koncz (his adviser)” which was a mistake.
Ariza claimed that Koncz went to the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas “and made false promises” which allegedly included an effort to work directly with the Mayweather people and to keep Arum out.
Ariza insisted that Mayweather was prepared to let Pacquiao also share in the pay-per-view revenues but it was made to look like the $40 million was a flat offer and Mayweather would get all the PPV and ancillary income.
He said “you must remember that it was Mayweather who called Manny” which supports the contention that he wanted the fight to happen.
Ariza also said he had learned from Mayweather that the stories being peddled about negotiations between Showtime and HBO Sports and people working towards making the fight happen “were all lies” and nobody was negotiating.The ad copy caught my eye: YES, IT WORKS! TEE OFF WITH PRAZZA AND WALK STRAIGHT TO YOUR BALL EVERY TIME!
The message touched a nerve. I was only a few days removed from a round at Clover Hills Country Club, where I had donated two sleeves to the tree-and-rough gods.
“Losing your ball is an unwanted hassle,” the ad continued. “On average, most golfers lose four balls per round, adding a total of 20 minutes of play just searching for their ball.” To combat this injustice and to keep play moving, the good folks at Prazza—a Dutch company with roots in the lucrative field of commercial-vehicle tracking—devised a ball containing a miniature radio transmitter that sends a beeping sound to your handset.
“Effective within 100m, your Prazza Golf Ball Finder will find your high performance Prazza ball every time,” the ad concludes. “Save time, save shots, save money—and play golf with a smile!” I was already smiling, but I wasn’t quite ready to fork over $399 for the Prazza handset or $30 for a sleeve of balls. And why a sleeve? Shouldn’t one ball be enough?
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Then I saw a Christmas ad for the Wilson X Connected basketball. “If they’ve got any kind of game—and an iPhone—they’ll want this ball,” the ad boasted. “The world’s first attachment-free smart basketball tracks makes, misses and shot range when paired with the app via Bluetooth and any regulation 10-foot hoop.” I don’t lose many basketballs, so I was able to resist Wilson’s pitch. But the notion that we’re about to enter an era of “smart ball” technology is now firmly embedded in my dual-core, soft-center cranium.
Did I mention Topgolf? The driving-range chain recently opened one of its triple-decker playpens near my Kansas City home. “Sprawling entertainment venue with a high-tech driving range & swanky lounge with drinks & games!” the website proclaimed. I’m a recovering range rat, so the promise of lofty tech was like catnip, if I can mix small-mammal metaphors. I celebrated the New Year on the third tier of the Overland Park Topgolf, smacking smart balls down to flying-saucer-shaped targets. Upon landing, the balls somehow communicated with a computer in my stall, posting scores on a high-def screen—or, in “practice mode,” the distance each ball had traveled.
Topgolf’s yardage data satisfied my long-held yearning for real-time analytics regarding full-iron shots versus knockdown shots with a less-lofted club. (I found it to be a one-club differential with my wedges, two clubs with the longer irons.) Topgolf’s pepperoni-and-sausage flatbread satisfied my yearning for lunch.
To satisfy my curiosity, I called Andrew Macaulay, chief technology officer for Dallas-based Topgolf International. He confirmed that Topgolf’s range ball contains a passive radio-frequency identification chip (RFID) about a centimeter wide, borrowing technology used in everything from retail-store anti-theft tags to livestock identification. “Otherwise,” Macaulay said, “it’s a perfectly regular single-core golf ball.”
Only smarter. When you wave your clubhead over an electric eye in the ball dispenser, a Topgolf orb rolls past an antenna that activates the chip and tags it to the player. The system then waits for the ball to show up on the target field, which employs roughly 500 netted target segments and an end-of-the-range trench. A net collects the ball and funnels it to a box, where it passes another antenna, which reads the ID and signals the computer in the bay. “All the smarts really happen in the bay computer,” Macaulay said. “It figures out the yardage or the score for the game you’re playing.” Asked if the chips were durable enough to withstand the pummeling of a tour pro, Macaulay said that the manufacturer, Callaway Golf, had fired balls out of a cannon into steel plates without consequence: “The cover is going to degrade before the chip stops functioning.”
I had to remind myself that we were talking about a range ball. To be genuinely smart, a smart ball has to get past the equipment sniffers at the United States Golf Association. Which, it turns out, may not be as difficult as it sounds. “It’s been done,” said Dick Rugge, who retired in 2013 after 13 years as the USGA’s senior technical director. “There was a finder ball a dozen or so years ago that was conforming.”
The RadarGolf ball, as it was called, had a cool, hunting-dog-at-point logo, which made it a collectible in addition to being … uh, collectible. An embedded chip reflected signals sent from a hand-held device, assisting visually impaired golfers; but due to its limited detection range (and high price) it never caught on with sighted ball buyers. The more findable Prazza ball, endorsed by the United States Blind Golf Association, aimed for a broader market. “It saves time, saves strokes and saves people money on golf balls,” said Michael Lynch, president of IntheHoleGolf.com, Prazza’s North American distributor. Asked how long until we have chips small enough to embed in a ball, Lynch said, “Five years, maybe? That’s the technology that will blow everybody’s socks off. With a GPS chip, you could play at night without a glow ball!”
Sharing his excitement, I said, “Or find your ball under a pile of leaves in the rough!”
Lynch reined me in by pointing out that Prazza had tried to license its technology to the major ball makers and had subsequently quit the business. Chuckling, he added, “The ball companies don’t really want you to find their golf ball.”
I chuckled back, recalling a British film, The Man in the White Suit, about a garment-industry chemist who invents a fabric that never wears out. Hilarity ensues.
The truth is, I don’t dream of a ball that’s merely smart enough to say, “Here I am!” I want a ball that captures launch angle, initial velocity, backspin, sidespin and smash factor, along with all pertinent environmental data, including air temperature, wind velocity and proximity to the beverage cart. “It’s all good,” Rugge said of my hypothetical genius ball, “as long as you can’t access the information while you’re playing the round.” Thud. “That would be like getting advice from a third party.”
John Spitzer, the USGA’s current equipment czar, was equally deflating. “We have a decision that says you’re allowed to have a chip in the ball,” he said, “but the use of a device to find it would be in violation according to Rule 14-3.” I blinked repeatedly, trying to absorb this information. “We allow the device to collect data,” he said patiently. “It’s the access to the data during the round that’s forbidden.”
I could imagine the ad copy: THE FOREVER BALL! LOSE IT IN THE WOODS AND RECOVER IT … IF YOU FEEL LIKE GOING BACK!
Spitzer must have sensed my dismay. “Just because it’s not currently allowed doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future,” he said. “Everything’s happening incredibly fast.”
So that’s how it stands. The smart ball is on the horizon, but for now it’s something you enjoy with wings and mushi at Topgolf.
And chips. Don’t forget the chips.Finance Minister Bill Morneau has worked out a deal on sharing pot tax revenues, and says marijuana will be competitively priced at about $10 a gram to shut down the black market.
An agreement announced Monday gives the provinces and territories 75 cents of every dollar collected in excise tax levied on cannabis for the first two years. That's a significant increase from the 50-50 split the federal government had proposed last month.
'The federal government did not give in on this,' says Liberal MP Bill Blair. 8:01
Under the deal reached during a meeting in Ottawa with Morneau and his provincial and territorial counterparts, the federal portion of tax revenues will be capped at $100 million a year. That figure is based on a projected $400 million a year in total tax revenue, with any dollars collected above and beyond that shared by the provinces.
"After two years, it's time to rethink the approach to make sure we're getting it right," Morneau said.
Finance ministers agreed on a plan to keep the price low to drive out the illegal black market and move to a legal, regulated one. With one dollar, or 10 per cent taxation per gram, the expectation is that legal marijuana will be priced at about $10 a gram with all taxes included.
Startup costs for implementing the regulated regime will be shared by all levels of government for public health and safety, and Morneau projects that the federal government will spend at least $700 million over several years to try to get the legal program off to a strong start.
Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said there is already a large demand for illicit cannabis, and he expects the legal market will grow "substantively" after the first few years. But the primary focus right now is not on generating revenue, but on recovering costs for the required upfront investments to set up distribution networks and public health and safety measures.
"We want to take the appropriate measures now to combat the illicit market, get it out of the system, then go forward to see how we can deal with revenue," he said.
Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Leitão said his province will likely take in about $60 million in tax revenue annually, but that will not cover the expected costs of implementing the program.
Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said he expects the market for legal marijuana will grow'substantively' after the first few years. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
'Getting the balance right'
Heading into the meeting with Morneau in Ottawa, provincial ministers had insisted on a greater portion of tax revenues because the provinces and municipalities will shoulder the majority of costs for police enforcement, health care and education programs once marijuana becomes legal in July.
Asked about the deal this afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeated that the objective is to restrict access to young people and to remove profits from criminals.
"That means getting the balance right in terms of both pricing and the ability to properly monitor it in our communities," he said.
Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen said the provinces are assuming the bulk of costs, risks and responsibilities, from roadside testing and police training to dealing with mental health issues.
"We've never seen this through the lens of revenue generation. For Manitoba, the focus has always been on safety," he said. "This is a federal policy on a federal time line."
B.C. Minister of Finance Carole James weighs in on the cannabis tax revenue sharing deal. 8:46
Morneau said the finance ministers also made strides in other areas, including a commitment to ensuring authorities know who owns which corporations in Canada and to harmonize corporate record requirements between jurisdictions, and to strengthen the Canada Pension Plan for parents who lose income due to the birth or adoption of a child, and those with disabilities or spouses who are widowed at a young age.It seems that every other fountain pen user has some variation of a Pilot Capless, be it the full-size Vanishing Point or the slimmer Décimo. I knew I wanted something special, since I’d gone this far without buying a basic model, and had been eyeing the Namiki-branded Raden VPs for months, trying to convince myself to stump up the cash for one. But then this came along:
…Japanese second-hand sites are incredible.
Though the website I scored this off claims that this pen is out of a production run of 75, the 2017 Mitsukoshi limited editions are made in a run of 100. As the pen itself is unnumbered, I can only assume that the seller made an error. There is also another version in ivory/white design and gold trim that causes really painful pen envy in me when I see a photo pop up online. This year’s versions are superb as well.
Much ink has been spilled (ha!) over the clip position on both types of Capless, and I have only this to say: for anyone considering buying one, it is a must to try before you buy. I had the fortune of trying the VP, to check if the clip would sit properly in my grip. At any rate, a standard triangle grip should have no problems with the clip, and I have also found it possible to hold the pen such that the clip sits beneath the index finger.
The nib comes in three different trims (gold, rhodium, and black) and mine is a fine nib in 18k gold. They’re also available in “special alloy” which are significantly cheaper, though if you’re shelling out for the technology that goes into the Capless, you might as well go the whole hog and get a gold nib. The best thing about them? They’re swappable!
The pen takes CON-50 converters (and thus CON-40) but I like to use it with the Metro’s squeezy converter. I’m not a stickler for being able to view the ink level, but if that’s important to you, in addition to a large ink capacity, the only way is to syringe-fill a Pilot cartridge. There’s a metal cap that comes included with the pen, to add some weight when using a cartridge.
All the Pilot nibs I’ve come across have been uniformly excellent, and this is no exception: even with its tiny size, there’s a nice amount of bounce, and though the line is slightly thicker one would expect from a Japanese fine, there is a very clear and precise sensation when writing, even on smooth papers like Tomoe River. Here is a writing sample on slightly more textured Fabriano EcoQua:
And as for the little cloud design on the body, that’s the hallmark of Kira Karacho 1624, a Japanese department store which teamed with Pilot to release the 2016 pen show exclusives:
AdvertisementsImage copyright tchara Image caption The Renewable Heat Incentive scheme is approximately £490m over budget
A small number of companies, registered as dormant, have been claiming tens of thousands of pounds from the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.
Details emerged on the Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster.
The show said it had a full list of the beneficiaries of the RHI scheme.
A group representing businesses claiming RHI payments has now commissioned an independent review to identify "any members who may be taking advantage of the scheme."
The Renewable Heat Association NI (RHANI) threatened to seek an injunction against the Nolan Show if they published names of all recipients.
There is an interim court injunction in place preventing the Department for the Economy from revealing the names of Renewable Heat Association (RHANI) of Northern Ireland members.
Last month it was announced that retired appeal court judge Sir Patrick Coghlin will chair a public inquiry into the RHI scheme.
The list reveals, in one instance, that a company registered as dormant in 2015 and was still dormant well into last year had claimed more than £239,000 over a 10-month period.
Documents
Companies which are dormant usually do not have significant accounting transactions.
The interim injunction in place preventing the Department for the Economy publishing the full list of recipients will be the subject of a full legal hearing next month.
The injunction was brought by the RHANI, which has more than 500 members. It has argued publishing names would be a breach of privacy and data protection laws.
The Nolan Show said documents it obtained reveal a company claimed more than £250,000 for a single boiler over a period of up to 18 months. None of the companies it contacted answered questions.
In a statement, RHANI said it could not comment on examples cited on the Nolan Show "to avoid speculation on hypotheticals".
It added: "If any RHI claimant is operating illegally they should face the full weight of the law."
The Renewable Heat Incentive scheme was an attempt by the Northern Ireland Executive to help to increase consumption of heat from renewable sources.
However, businesses were receiving more in subsidies than they were paying for renewable fuel and the scheme became majorly oversubscribed.
The fallout from the scandal, which is approximately £490m over budget resulted in the collapse of Stormont's institutions and the calling of snap elections on 2 March.We’re all too familiar with the dangers posed by earthquakes, droughts, and hurricanes. But there’s another natural phenomena that represents a growing threat to our tech-driven society, and that’s space weather. And at long last, the US government seems to be taking the issue seriously.
Space weather scientists at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and NASA have warned for years that if a massive solar storm were to strike the Earth, the effects could be catastrophic. Think worldwide power and telecommunications outages, lasting weeks to months. Everything that relies on electricity, from our computers to our refrigerators to our water supply, could break down. “Frankly,” space weather consultant John Kappenman told Gizmodo last month, “this could be one of the most severe |
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